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Notes: Background : Although administration of gastroprotective drugs may reduce the risk of peptic ulcers associated with the chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin, no consensus exists as to whether this co-therapy is effective for short-term prevention, particularly in old age.Aim : To evaluate the risk of peptic ulcer associated with acute and chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin therapy in elderly subjects, and the influence of antisecretory treatment on this risk.Methods : The study included 676 elderly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin users and 2435 non-users who consecutively underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or aspirin as well as antisecretory drugs (H2-blockers and proton-pump inhibitors) was evaluated by a structured interview. Diagnosis of gastric and duodenal ulcer as well as Helicobacter pylori infection were carried out by endoscopy and histological examination of the gastric mucosa.Results : About 47.3% of patients were acute and 52.7% chronic users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin. The risk of peptic ulcer, adjusted for age, gender, H. pylori infection and antisecretory drug use was higher in acute (gastric ulcer: odds ratio, OR =4.47, 95% CI: 3.19–6.26 and duodenal ulcer: OR =2.39, 95% CI: 1.73–3.31) than chronic users (gastric ulcer: OR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.97–3.99 and duodenal ulcer: OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.22–2.33). Proton-pump inhibitor treatment was associated with a reduced risk of peptic ulcer in both acute (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.24–2.04) and chronic (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15–0.67) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/aspirin users. Conversely, concomitant treatment with H2-blockers was associated with a significantly higher risk of peptic ulcer both in acute (OR = 10.9, 95% CI: 3.87–30.9) and chronic (OR = 6.26, 95% CI: 2.56–15.3) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/aspirin users than non-users. Proton-pump inhibitor treatment resulted in an absolute risk reduction of peptic ulcer by 36.6% in acute and 34.6% in chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/aspirin users; indeed, the number needed to treat to avoid one peptic ulcer in elderly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/aspirin users was three both in acute and chronic users.Conclusions : These findings suggest that proton-pump inhibitor co-treatment is advisable in symptomatic elderly patients who need to be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or aspirin for a short period of time.

Notes: A previously healthy 71-year-old Caucasian woman presented with an ulcer on her left leg. She had a 5-month history of bilateral, indurated erythematous, and had purplish nodules and plaques on both lower extremities. One of the plaques on the right leg had ulcerated and healed spontaneously. The present ulceration began as a small opening at an incisional biopsy site. Later, she developed two adjacent ulcers that coalesced into a larger ulcer. She was not taking any medication, and there was no history of exposure to tuberculosis. Examination of the right leg demonstrated two hyperpigmented, indurated plaques, one on the calf and one over the medial malleolus. On the left posterior calf there was another hyperpigmented, indurated plaque with a central area of ulceration measuring 9 × 2 cm. The ulcer bed had a mixture of fibrinous adherent tissue and granulation tissue. (〈link href="#f15801"〉Fig. 1) There was no peripheral edema, varicose veins, nor signs of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral pulses and capillary refilling were within normal limits. The ankle brachial index was greater than 1.0 bilaterally. Biopsy of a subcutaneous nodule revealed a superficial and deep perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate with an admixture of neutrophils and numerous extravasated red blood cells. Mixed septal and lobular panniculitis consisting of an inflammatory infiltrate of histiocytes, giant cells, and neutrophils was observed. Focal neutrophilic microabscesses in the deep dermis and fibrinoid necrosis of small blood vessels were present in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue (〈link href="#f15802 #f15803"〉Figs 2 and 3). A smear was negative for acid fast bacilli.〈figure xml:id="f15801"〉1〈mediaResource alt="image" href="urn:x-wiley:00119059:IJD1580:IJD_1580_f1"/〉A hyperpigmented, indurated plaque with a central area of ulceration measuring 9 × 2 cm on the left posterior calf. The ulcer bed has a mixture of fibrinous adherent tissue and granulation tissue〈figure xml:id="f15802"〉2〈mediaResource alt="image" href="urn:x-wiley:00119059:IJD1580:IJD_1580_f2"/〉A scanning magnification〈figure xml:id="f15803"〉3〈mediaResource alt="image" href="urn:x-wiley:00119059:IJD1580:IJD_1580_f3"/〉Mixed septal and lobular panniculitis consisting of an inflammatory infiltrate of histiocytes, giant cells, and neutrophils. Focal neutrophilic microabscesses in the deep dermis and fibrinoid necrosis of small blood vessels in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissueA diagnosis of nodular vasculitis was made. A complete blood count with differential and platelets was within normal limits, tuberculin testing was negative twice, and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA, c-ANCA) were also negative. Fungal, mycobacterial and bacterial cultures were negative. Chest X-rays were normal.The patient received supersaturated potassium iodide (SSKI) 15 drops per day with good response. With rapid tapering of SSKI, the ulcerations on the lower legs reappeared. Therapy was reinstituted with a more gradual taper. Two years after the initial diagnosis of nodular vasculitis the patient presented with new complaints of increased urinary frequency, increased abdominal girth, and weight gain. The patient was found to be borderline anemic, and a computer tomography scan revealed ascites, a normal liver, a normal uterus, and a soft tissue density in the region of the cecum. After an exploratory laparotomy she was found to have a moderately differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colon with metastases to periaortic lymph nodes, abdominal wall, and both ovaries. She is currently receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IV colon carcinoma. Only one lesion of nodular vasculitis has remained active, and the patient is continuing treatment with SSKI at a low dose.

Notes: Abstract The Stranski–Krastanow (SK) growth by atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy of self-organized ZnTe nanoislands on homoepitaxial (0 0 1)GaAs is demonstrated. The −7.4% lattice mismatch of the ZnTe/GaAs heterostructure leads to a strain driven distribution of nanoscale ZnTe islands on top of a two-dimensionally (2D) grown wetting layer. Atomic force microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry are used to determine the island dimensions, the ZnTe mean coverage and the thickness of the 2D wetting layer. The island average density and diameter, as well as their aspect ratio are about 520 μm-2, 13.6 nm and 0.20, respectively, in the case of a 1.20 monolayer (ML) thick wetting layer and a growth rate of 0.074 ML s-1. Preliminary data on the effects of different growth rates on the island average densities are also reported. © 1998 Chapman & Hall

Notes: Abstract The quantification of bacteria and fungi in sputum or bronchoaspirate is of clinical value for the diagnosis of respiratory tract infections. We have developed an easy method to count the micro-organisms in patients with respiratory tract infections. This consists of the quantification of micro-organisms by subsequent streakings of a calibrated loop on agar. The correlation between microbiological quantitative data and the clinical status of patients with lower respiratory tract infections is discussed. The data seem to indicate that certain bacteria present in sputum or bronchoaspirate above a certain concentration may be responsible for lower respiratory tract infections. In patients with immunological disorders or chronic pathologies even lower concentrations of micro-organisms in bronchial secretions probably are enough to cause infections. The advantage of this counting method of the microbic species from the respiratory tract consists of their quantification: thus we can attribute an etiological role to a high concentration of the germs, while micro-organisms at low concentrations are probably contaminants. By this method isolated colonies are obtained after 12–18 hours. The bacterial quantification, by respiratory samples examination of the same patient in the following days, allows us to evaluate the efficacy of antibacterial therapy, producing a reduction of bacterial concentration.

Notes: Abstract The production of ligninolytic enzymes by the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 (ATCC 24725) in laboratory-scale bioreactors was studied. One bioreactor was filled with cubes of polyurethane foam and the other with cubes of nylon sponge, in order to determine the more suitable carrier to produce high ligninolytic enzyme activities by this fungus. Both cultivations were carried out in batch. Manganese-dependent peroxidase activities about 600 U l−1 were achieved in the bioreactor filled with cubes of nylon sponge, while up to 500 U l−1 were detected in that filled with cubes of polyurethane foam. Furthermore, quite high levels of laccase appeared in both cultures: maximum activities of 114 U l−1 and 62 U l−1 were obtained on nylon and polyurethane supports, respectively.

Notes: The effects of adding some inducers of lignolytic activity to semi-solid-state cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 (ATCC 24725) were investigated. The inducers assayed were veratryl alcohol and solid manganese (IV) oxide. The microorganism was cultured on corncob, which functioned both as physical support and source of nutrients.Supplementing the cultures with veratryl alcohol created the situation where manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) activities of approximately 1,500 U/l and 200 U/l, respectively, could be attained. These activities were considerably higher than those obtained in the reference cultures (about 5 and 4-fold).In the same way, the addition of manganese (IV) oxide led to MnP and LiP activity levels of about 2,000 U/l and 300 U/l, respectively. These activities were also notably above (about 6 and 5-fold, respectively) those achieved in the reference cultures.Moreover, laccase activity (around 200 U/l) was only detected in veratryl alcohol or manganese (IV) oxide supplemented cultures.

Notes: Rapid freezing is the most important step in sample preparation for freeze-fracture and other cryotechniques for electron microscopy. We present the design and operation of a simple environmental chamber coupled to a plunger-driven freezing device that has provided simple and reliable freezing from temperatures and humidities other than ambient. The chamber can be constructed and operated with equipment and techniques common to most electron microscopy labs. Temperature control of ±0.1°C and relative humidities of 〉90% were provided over the range -5-60°C. Typical electron micrographs showing well preserved structures comparable to jet-freezing are presented.