Incidence of primary central nervous system cancers in South and East Netherlands in 1989-1994

About 2,000 patients with primary CNS cancers, as defined by the ICD-O, were registered in four adjacent cancer registries in South and East Netherlands in 1989-1994, covering a population of more than 5 million people. About 85% of the patients were registered through pathological laboratories, concentrated in four centers for neurosurgery. Patients with a clinical-radiological diagnosis only (about 50% in the age-group of 75 years and older) were mainly identified through medical records of hospitalized patients. World-standardized incidence rates of 6.5 and 4.4 per 100,000 person-years for males and females, respectively, were similar to those reported in other European cancer registries. Eighty-five percent of histologically verified primary CNS cancers were of glial origin, 6% were lymphomas and 4% embryonal tumors. Gliomas were mainly of astrocytic (about 85%) and oligodendroglial or mixed type (about 10%). Without additional review most astrocytic tumors could be classified into high-grade (70-75%) and low-grade astrocytomas (20-25%). Different grading systems were used for gliomas, but the dichotomy of astrocytomas according to differentiation grade seemed to correspond well with the definition of the WHO. Age-specific incidence rates for low-grade astrocytomas were remarkably constant. The incidence of high-grade astrocytomas increased sharply with age and declined after the age of 70, whereas the incidence of clinically diagnosed tumors continued to increase. Male/females-ratios were relatively high for these tumor types (1. 6-1.7). We conclude that the registration of primary CNS cancers in the Netherlands may be almost complete and valid for gliomas, embryonal tumors and lymphomas.     

Anaerobic digestion of glucose with separated acid production and methane formation

In a two-phase anaerobic digestion system, with separate reactors for the acidification phase and the methane fermentation phase, the glucose of a 1% glucose solution was almost completely converted into biomass and gases. The acid reactor was operated at 30°C and pH 6.0, with a retention time of 10 h. Main products of the acid-forming phase were hydrogen, carbon dioxide, butyrate and acetate. On a molar base, these products represented over 96% of all products formed. On average, 12% of the COD content of the influent was evolved as hydrogen. The effluent of the first reactor was pumped to the methane reactor after passing through a storage vessel. The methane reactor was operated at 30°C, pH 7.8, and a retention time of 100 h was given. Approximately 98% of the organic substances fed to this reactor were converted to methane, carbon dioxide and biomass. About 11% of the glucose fed to the digesting system was converted to bacterial mass.     

Intravenous application of omega-3 fatty acids in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. The ORA-1 trial. An open pilot study

The objective of this work was to assess the therapeutic efficacy and to lerability of intravenously applied n-3-PUFA in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thirty-four patients with active RA [identified as having a DAS28 (disease activity score including a 28 joint count) >4.0] were enrolled into this 5-wk open pilot study (one group design). From the time of screening (visit 0, or V0), background therapy had to remain unchanged. Patients received 2 mL/kg(=0.1–0.2 g fish oil/kg) fish oil emulsion intravenously on 7 consecutive days (Visit 1–Visit 2, or V1–V2) in addition to their background therapy. A decrease of the DAS28>0.6 at day 8 (Visit 2) was the primary efficacy measure. Moreover, the DAS28 at day 35 (Visit 3, or V3), the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria (V2, V3) and the Short Form-36 (V3) were assessed. Thirty-three patients completed the trial. The mean DAS28 at V1 was 5.45; at V2, 4.51 (P<.001 V1–V2) and at V3, 4.73 (P<.001 V1–V3; V2–V3, not significantly different). Of the 34 patients, 56% achieved a reduction of the DAS28>0.6 at V2 (mean 1.52); 27%>1.2. At V3, 41% of the patients showed a DAS28 reduction >0.6 (mean 1.06), and 36%>1.2. ACR 20 and 50% responses at V2 were seen in 29 and 12% of patients, respectively; at V3, the comparable values were 18 and 9%, respectively. Overall tolerability was excellent. Intravenous application of n-3-PUFA (as an add-on therapy) was considerably well tolerated and led to improvement of the disease activity status in a reasonable number of RA patients. Future trials are warranted to answer whether the intravenous application of n-3-PUFA constitutes a therapeutic option in RA patients.