Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in sewage sludge and solid waste landfill leachate and quantitative comparative analysis of sanitization treatments on pathogen inactivation

Circulation of Cryptosporidum and Giardia in the environment can be facilitated by spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural or livestock grazing lands or depositing in landfills. Solid waste landfill leachate and sewage sludge samples were quantitatively tested for C. parvum and C. hominis oocysts, and G. lamblia cysts by the combined multiplexed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) method. Subsequently, the effects of four sanitization treatments (i.e., ultrasound and microwave energy disintegrations, and quicklime and top-soil stabilization) on inactivation of these pathogens were determined. The landfill leachate samples were positive for Giardia, and sewage sludge samples for both Cryptosporididium and Giardia. The overall concentration of G. lamblia cysts (mean; 24.2/g) was significantly higher (P<0.01) than the concentration of C. parvum and C. hominis oocysts (mean; 14.0/g). Sonication reduced the load of G. lamblia cysts to non-detectable levels in 12 of 21 samples (57.1%), and in 5 of 6 samples (83.3%) for C. parvum and C. hominis. Quicklime stabilization treatment was 100% effective in inactivation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia, and microwave energy disintegration lacked the efficacy. Top-soil stabilization treatment reduced gradually the load of both pathogens which was consistent with the serial dilution of sewage sludge with the soil substrate. This study demonstrated that sewage sludge and landfill leachate contained high numbers of potentially viable, human-virulent species of Cryptosporidium and Giardia, and that sonication and quicklime stabilization were the most effective treatments for sanitization of sewage sludge and solid waste landfill leachates.     

Genetic and environmental determinants of children's food preferences

Omnivores have the advantage of a variety of food options but face a challenge in identifying foods that are safe to eat. Not surprisingly, therefore, children show a relative aversion to new foods (neophobia) and a relative preference for familiar, bland, sweet foods. While this may in the past have promoted survival, in the modern food environment it could have an adverse effect on dietary quality. This review examines the evidence for genetic and environmental factors underlying individual differences in children's food preferences and neophobia. Twin studies indicate that neophobia is a strongly heritable characteristic, while specific food preferences show some genetic influence and are also influenced by the family environment. The advantage of the malleability of human food preferences is that dislike of a food can be reduced or even reversed by a combination of modelling and taste exposure. The need for effective guidance for parents who may be seeking to improve the range or nutritional value of foods accepted by their children is highlighted.     

Primary peritoneal and ovarian cancers: an epidemiological comparative analysis

We performed case–control analyses using data from the North Carolina Ovarian Cancer Study to determine risk factors that distinguish primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Our risk factor analyses were restricted to invasive serous cancers including 495 EOC cases, 62 PPC cases and 1,086 control women. Logistic regression analyses were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for risk factor associations. Although many case–control associations for the invasive serous PPC cases were similar to those of the invasive serous EOC cases, some differences were observed including a twofold increase in risk of invasive serous PPC in women who were ≥35 years at last pregnancy, whereas a decreased risk was observed for invasive serous EOC risk. We could not confirm a previous report of an association between tubal ligation and PPC, a factor consistently associated with a decreased risk of EOC. The difference in the risk factor associations between invasive serous PPC and EOC cancers suggests divergent molecular development of peritoneal and ovarian cancers. A larger study to determine risk factors for invasive serous PPC is warranted.     

The Meaning-Making intervention (MMi) appears to increase meaning in life in advanced ovarian cancer: a randomized controlled pilot study

Objective: This pilot study aimed to provide supportive evidence for the acceptability and usefulness of the Meaning‐Making intervention (MMi) in patients newly diagnosed with Stage III or IV ovarian cancer, and to provide estimates of parameters needed to design a full‐scale study. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with 24 patients (12 experimental and 12 control) was conducted. Existential well‐being (primary outcome), overall quality of life, distress, anxiety, depression and self‐efficacy were measured. Results: Compared to the control group, patients in the experimental group had a better sense of meaning in life at one and three months post‐intervention. Conclusion: The MMi seems a promising intervention for advanced cancer patients, and a full randomized controlled trial is warranted to further investigate its efficacy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preliminary results with accelerated partial breast irradiation in high-risk breast cancer patients

PurposeTo analyze prognostic factors in adequately staged breast cancer patients who were treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).Methods and MaterialsAxillary staging was required for invasive carcinomas. Between February 2003 and June 2009, 204 women with early stage breast carcinomas were treated with APBI using multicatheter, MammoSite, or Contura brachytherapy to 34 Gy in 10 fractions 2 times per day. Six patient characteristics were examined for prognostic significance: (1) N stage, (2) estrogen receptor (ER) status, (3) histologic subtype, (4) margin status, (5) age, and (6) tumor size. The median followup was 22 months.ResultsThere were three failures in the ipsilateral breast (all were elsewhere failures), one relapse in the axilla, and seven relapses at any site. The presence of positive axillary node(s) had a significant adverse effect on ipsilateral breast tumor control (p = 0.045) and locoregional control (p = 0.001). The presence of an ER (?) tumor had a significant adverse effect on relapse-free survival (p = 0.04).ConclusionsThe patients with positive axillary node(s) were at increased risk for failure elsewhere in the ipsilateral breast or axilla, and the patients with ER (?) tumors were at increased risk for relapse at any site. However, it is unclear whether the pN1 and ER (?) patients would have faired any better if they had received whole breast irradiation rather than APBI. We believe that the patients with positive axillary node(s) or ER (?) tumors should be treated on clinical trials to better define the role of APBI.     

Comparative evaluation of vaccine efficacy of recombinant Marek's disease virus vaccine lacking Meq oncogene in commercial chickens

Marek's disease virus (MDV) oncogene meq has been identified as the gene involved in tumorigenesis in chickens. We have recently developed a Meq-null virus, rMd5ΔMeq, in which the oncogene meq was deleted. Vaccine efficacy experiments conducted in Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL) 15I₅ × 7₁ chickens vaccinated with rMd5ΔMeq virus or an ADOL preparation of CVI988/Rispens indicated that rMd5ΔMeq provided superior protection than CVI988/Rispens when challenged with the very virulent plus MDV 648A strain. In the present study we set to investigate the vaccine efficacy of rMd5ΔMeq in the field compared to several commercial preparations of CVI988/Rispens. Three large-scale field experiments, in which seeder chickens were inoculated with a very virulent plus strain of 686, vv+ MDV, were conducted in a model developed by Hy-Line International. In addition, comparisons were made with bivalent vaccine (HVT + SB-1), HVT alone and several serotype 3 HVT-vectored vaccines individually or in combination with CVI988/Rispens. Experimental results showed that addition of HVT to either of the two commercial CVI988/Rispens preparations tested (A or B) did not enhance protection conferred by CVI988/Rispens alone and that rMd5ΔMeq was a better or equal vaccine compared to any of the CVI988/Rispens vaccines tested under the conditions of the field trials presented herein. Our results also emphasized the complexity of factors affecting vaccine efficacy and the importance of challenge dose in protection.