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O Benes

Publications and source records attributed to O Benes.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Respirometry techniques and activated sludge models.

This paper aims to explain results of respirometry experiments using Activated Sludge Model No. 1. In cases of insufficient fit of ASM No. 1, further modifications to the model were carried out and the so-called "Enzymatic model" was developed. The best-fit method was used to determine the effect of the proposed modifications. Increased agreement was found between simulated data and respirometry results, particularly for repeated respirometric tests with acetate as the sole substrate. Additionally, the influence of different biomass pre-conditioning methods was examined. Results from repeated respirometric tests suggest that presence of residual products in an activated sludge sample before respiration testing may decrease the sample's activity and significantly affect results from respirometric tests. An innovative approach to recover original activity is suggested by washing activated sludge samples with tap water or "mineral medium". As allylthiourea (ATU) was used in most experiments to suppress endogenous nitrification, its influence on kinetic parameters was reviewed. Respirometric tests confirmed that ATU addition has a significant effect on activity and respiration rate of activated sludge samples and could affect results of respirometric analyses.

Biomass↗

A new DTPa-HBV-IPV vaccine co-administered with Hib, compared to a commercially available DTPw-IPV/Hib vaccine co-administered with HBV, given at 6, 10 and 14 weeks following HBV at birth.

Three hundred and twenty eligible infants were enrolled in an open randomized clinical trial and allocated to one of two groups to receive either separate concomitant injections of a candidate combined DTPa-HBV-IPV and commercial Hib vaccine (candidate administration: DTPa-HBV-IPV+Hib) or separate concomitant injections of licensed DTPw-IPV mixed in the same syringe with Hib and HBV vaccines (comparator administration: DTPw-IPV/Hib+HBV). Vaccines were administered at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age preceded by a monovalent dose of HBV at birth. The candidate vaccine administration was shown to be at least as immunogenic (primary objective) as the candidate administration with respect to the diphtheria, tetanus, polio, HBs and PRP seroprotection rates (primary endpoints). Post vaccination, both vaccine administrations showed an equivalent level of seroprotection with nearly all subjects (>96%) acquiring seroprotective titers against diphtheria, tetanus, polioviruses, HBsAg and PRP antigens. A markedly higher anti-HBs response post dose 2 at week 14 in the group receiving the candidate vaccine, 98.6% of subjects had seroprotective titers (GMT of 505.7 mIU/ml) compared with only 88.7% (GMT of 107.5 mIU/ml) in the comparator group. There was a lower incidence of adverse events following the DTPa-based candidate administration compared with the DTPw-based comparator. Despite the early age and short interval between doses, both administrations were immunogenic, with the concomitant administration of DTPa-HBV-IPV and Hib vaccines showing an improved tolerability over the commercial vaccines DTPw-IPV/Hib and HBV.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Epidemiology and control of diphtheria in the Republic of Moldova, 1946-1996.

In 1994-1996, the Republic of Moldova was stricken with an epidemic of diphtheria after >30 years of routine diphtheria immunization and the near absence of the disease for nearly 20 years. The intensity of the epidemic gradually grew, reaching a peak in 1994-1995. The epidemiology of diphtheria in Moldova during this period is described along with laboratory findings and control measures. Pharyngeal diphtheria was the predominant clinical form of the disease (97% of cases), and it most often developed in a localized form (70%), with 20% in the toxic form. The clinical diagnosis of diphtheria was bacteriologically confirmed in 91% of cases: Of the cases tested for biotype, 91.3% were gravis, 8.5% were mitis, and 0. 2% were intermedius. Of 494 toxigenic isolates from cases and carriers at the beginning of the epidemic, 47% were nonphagotypeable strains, and 25.7% were phagotype VI strains. Aggressive population-based diphtheria control measures, a mass immunization campaign, rapid case identification, antibiotic prophylaxis and supplemental immunization of close contacts in clusters of infection, and high coverage with routine immunization rapidly controlled the epidemic within Moldova.

Adolescent↗

[Differentiation of serologic group A streptococci from group C and G using disks with various bacitracin levels].

It was revealed that a diameter of the inhibition zone of 10 mm or more surrounding a disk with 0.04 U bacitracin differentiates reliably strains of the serological group A form strains of group C and G with the exception of 7.3% strains of group C and G with a high susceptibility for bacitracin. The disks with a higher bacitracin content gives less reliable results.

Bacitracin↗