Faecal sterols determination in wastewater and surface water

A simplified method to detect faecal sterols, as an alternative assessment of environmental faecal pollution is proposed. The aim of this study is the development of a method to determine sterols in water samples avoiding sample filtration through glass fibre filter. The method is based on a liquid-liquid extraction and a final GC-FID determination. The quantified sterols are coprostanol and 24-ethylcoprostanol, while 5alpha-cholestane is used as internal standard. The recovery of coprostanol and 24-ethylcoprostanol in wastewater ranges from 90 to 100% and the detection limit is 1-2 microgl(-1). Moreover the method proved to be useful for the sterols determination in surface water too.     

A review on microbiological decontamination of fresh produce with nonthermal plasma

Food safety is a critical public health issue for consumers and the food industry because microbiological contamination of food causes considerable social and economic burdens on health care. Most foodborne illness comes from animal production, but as of the mid‐1990s in the United States and more recently in the European Union, the contribution of fresh produce to foodborne outbreaks has rapidly increased. Recent studies have suggested that sterilization with nonthermal plasma could be a viable alternative to the traditional methods for the decontamination of heat‐sensitive materials or food because this technique proves capable of eliminating micro‐organisms on surfaces without altering the substrate. In the last 10 years, researchers have used nonthermal plasma in a variety of food inoculated with many bacterial species. All of these experiments were conducted exclusively in a laboratory and, to our knowledge, this technique has not been used in an industrial setting. Thus, the purpose of this review is to understand whether this technology could be used at the industrial level. The latest researches using nonthermal plasma on fresh produce were analysed. These evaluations have focused on the log reduction of micro‐organisms and the treatment time.     

An easy diagnostic approach to primary aldosteronism.

The infusion of 40 mEq potassium (aspartate) in 250 ml isotonic 1-fructose at a rate of 20 mEq/h into 5 patients (34-56 years old) with aldosteronoma and 2 patients with bilateral primary aldosteronism consistently raised their mean arterial pressure by 15-20 mmHg. Their pressure values returned to the baseline levels 4-5 h after the infusion. In contrast, in controls (10 patients with idiopathic arterial hypertension, matched for age, sex, and magnitude of the untreated hypertension, and 7 patients with inactive adrenal nodules as incidental findings on upper abdomen ultrasound or computerized tomography) the same procedure caused negligible arterial pressure changes. The cause of the rise in blood pressure observed uniquely in patients with primary aldosteronism after infusion of potassium (aspartate) cannot be accounted for by an increase in plasma aldosterone, blood volume, or plasma angiotensin II. The cause of this response thus remains obscure; nonetheless, this simple procedure may prove useful in differentiating primary aldosteronism from idiopathic hypertension, in excluding the adrenal disorder, and in revealing even its mildest forms.     

Crystal and molecular structure of a 4-oximino-5-imino-pyrazoline active ester.

The crystal structure of an active 4-oximino-5-imino-pyrazoline ester has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The possible reasons for its high reactivity towards nucleophilic reagents are briefly discussed.     

Die Gattungsumgrenzung vonGypsophila undAcanthophyllum

Zusammenfassung In einer Monographie der GattungGypsophila vonBarkoudah wird die Gattungsumgrenzung vonGypsophila undAcanthophyllum geändert, indem die Sektionen Pseudacanthophyllum und Jordania vonGypsophila zuAcanthophyllum gestellt werden. Es werden vorwiegend andere Merkmale als bisher zur Trennung der beiden Gattungen herangezogen. Der Verfasser bezieht hiezu kritisch Stellung.     

Beiträge zur Flora des Karakorum

Zusammenfassung Es werden die 67 von Dr.Weiler und seinen Reisegefährten im Jahre 1956 im Karakorum gesammelten Arten aufgezählt. Darunter befinden sich sieben Arten, die bisher aus dem Karakorum noch nicht bekannt waren. Hievon sindMelandrium Weileri, Aconitum Weileri undCodonocephalum serratuloides neue Arten, die beschrieben werden.Von der österr. Karakorum-Expedition 1956 gesammelte Pflanzen