Combined efficacy of acamprosate and disulfiram in the treatment of alcoholism: a controlled study

This randomized, double-blind, crossover study in two parts compared tolerability to high doses of formoterol (Oxis Turbuhaler) with that of high doses of terbutaline (Bricanyl Turbuhaler). After Holter monitoring at home, 12 patients were treated with 4+4+4 doses of formoterol Turbuhaler, 6 microg x dose(-1), (total daily metered dose 72 microg) or 4+4+4 doses of terbutaline Turbuhaler, 0.5 mg x dose(-1) (daily dose 6 mg) given in the morning, after lunch and in the evening, for 3 consecutive days. After a one week washout period at home, patients received the alternative treatment. Thereafter, 15 other patients received 8+6+6 doses of formoterol Turbuhaler (total daily metered dose 120 microg) or 8+6+6 doses of terbutaline Turbuhaler (daily dose 10 mg). Pulse, cardiac frequency, blood pressure, serum potassium, electrocardiogram and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were registered at regular intervals and Holter monitoring was applied during all 4 treatment days. Terbutaline 6 mg showed significantly greater systemic effects than formoterol 72 microg on pulse, blood pressure, cardiac frequency and QTc (QT interval corrected for heart rate). Terbutaline 10 mg had significantly greater effects than formoterol 120 microg on serum potassium levels, pulse, cardiac frequency and QTc. No differences in FEV1 levels were found. Both drugs were safe and generally well tolerated on both dose levels. In conclusion, high doses of formoterol Turbuhaler over 3 days were generally safe and well tolerated. Daily doses of 6 mg and 10 mg terbutaline Turbuhaler were systemically more potent than 72 microg and 120 microg formoterol, respectively. The safety margin thus appears to be wide if patients happen to use extra doses of formoterol in addition to those prescribed for regular use.     

The corrosion behaviour of WC-VC-Co hardmetals in acidic media

The effect of increasing vanadium carbide (VC) content on the corrosion behaviour of tungsten carbide - 10 wt% cobalt hardmetals was investigated in 1 M hydrochloric (HCl), and sulphuric (H₂SO₄) acids solutions. Increasing VC content makes the open circuit potential (OCP) in the test solutions more negative than the base alloy. Specimens exhibited pseudo passivation in all the test solutions. Increasing VC led to decreasing corrosion current density. However, the corrosion current densities during chronoamperometric tests were lower for 0 wt% VC. XRD and Raman spectroscopy showed that hydrated WO₃ formed in the surface films of all specimens in hydrochloric acid (HCl), while hydrated vanadyl sulphate also formed for higher VC content specimens in sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄).     

The nature of the passive film on cathodically modified stainless steels

This paper discusses the effect of additions of platinum group metals (PGMs) on the composition of the passive surface layer formed on stainless steels in reducing acid media. It has been shown that there is an accumulation of these noble metals on the surface of the alloy during the period of active dissolution. The morphology and factors influencing this accumulation of PGMs on the surface are discussed. It was also found that there are differences between passive films formed spontaneously and those formed under potentiostatic control. An interesting fact emerging from the investigations is that different PGMs form different types of oxides on the passivated surfaces. Areas for possible future research are mentioned.     

Al2O3-Ta2O5-rich glass-ceramic with interconnected pores and its sintering

Substitution of SiO₂ in the ternary sodium borosilicate system with Al₂O₃ plus Ta₂O₅ was found to produce glass which decomposed into microphases and/or crystallized after heat treatment. At least one of the phases present was water soluble. The structure of the material was glassy with the presence of a small crystalline content. Crystalline forms found during powder X-ray diffraction analysis of heat treated, leached and then sintered materials were orthorhombic NaTaO₃ plus AIBO₃, orthorhombic NaTaO₃ and orthorhombic Na₂O · 4Ta₂O₅ plus rhombic 9AI₂O₃ · 2B₂O₃, respectively. The specific surface areas of the leached materials ranged between 96 and 304 m²g^–1, while the mean pore radii of interconnected pores were calculated to be between 2.0 and 8.4 nm. A sintering rate of between 1520 and 1580° C for 5 min were estimated from void volume and bulk density measurements.     

Effects of minor additions of ruthenium on the passivation of duplex stainless-steel corrosion in concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions

The effects of minor additions of ruthenium (0.14%, 0.22%, and 0.28%) on the passivation of duplex stainless-steel (DSS, Fe–22%Cr–9%Ni–3%Mo) corrosion in 2 M HCl solutions have been studied using open-circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic cyclic polarization, potentiostatic current–time, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and weight loss measurements. OCP measurements showed an increased shift in the corrosion potential to more positive values with increasing Ru content. Polarization and EIS experiments indicated that the presence of Ru and the increase of its content decrease the corrosion rate, critical and passive current density, and polarization resistance. Moreover, it shifts the corrosion and pitting potentials to more positive values. Current–time measurements at −100, −50, and 50 mV versus Ag/AgCl also confirmed that the severity of pitting corrosion decreases with an increasing Ru content. Weight-loss time data showed good agreement with the electrochemical measurements.     

The effect of temperature and nitrogen content on the partitioning of alloy elements in duplex stainless steels

The partitioning of the alloy elements chromium, nickel, and molybdenum that occurs in conventional duplex stainless steels has been measured for various nitrogen contents and annealing temperatures. The experimental results have been combined with data available in the literature, and the behavior is summarized by use of a statistically derived empirical model. An increase in the nitrogen content significantly decreases the degree of chromium partitioning but has a lesser effect on nickel and molybdenum. However, the partitioning of nickel can be significantly reduced by an increase in the annealing temperature. The usual measures of partitioning were found to be unsuitable for statistical analysis, and an alternative measure of the degree of partitioning is proposed.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using staphylococcal protein A for detecting virus antibodies

A modification of the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed which used staphylococcal protein A linked to horseradish peroxidase. Virus antibodies in equine, bovine, porcine, feline, canine, lagomorphic (rabbit), and human sera were detected, using the indirect ELISA in which the antiglobulin enzyme conjugate was replaced by protein A linked to horseradish peroxidase. Results of the ELISA were compared with the results of the serum-virus neutralization test. The application of the test in laboratories performing serologic assays with sera from diverse animal species is discussed.     

The use of transfer factors in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: a case report

A 23-year-old woman suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) was given a course of 6 injections (0.5 U) of mumps transfer factor (TF) at 2-weekly intervals. The patient's symptoms improved dramatically and during the 10 months since treatment was instituted, no exacerbations have occurred. The possible aetiological role of paramyxoviruses in MS and the use of TF in the treatment of the disease are discussed. MS is however, a disease of exacerbations and spontaneous remissions, and despite our promising findings in this patient we wish to refrain from hailing mumps TF as a possible cure for this notorious disease.