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The wetland cells of the Wheal Jane Pilot Passive Treatment Plant (PPTP) were designed to promote aerobic oxidation and precipitation of iron which could exceed a concentration of 100 mg l-1 in the raw mine water. The largest investment of land area was to the wetland (also called aerobic) cells and it was important to understand the processes of oxidation and precipitation of iron so that the performance of this part of the pilot passive treatment plant (PPTP) could be managed efficiently. The results of a high-resolution sampling programme on the distribution of Fe(II) within the first wetland cell of each treatment system are described. Comparison of inflow and outflow concentrations of iron adequately described the performance of the lime-dosed (LD) system. However, precipitation of iron in the anoxic limestone drain (ALD) and lime-free systems (LFS) was more efficient. On average, about 90% of the iron present in the inflow was removed using only 50% and 33% of the first aerobic cells of the ALD and LFS systems, respectively. As the concentration of iron approached 20 mg l-1, the rate of oxidation slowed considerably. This was probably due to be due to low pH levels caused by hydrolysis of Fe(III). With the introduction of passive pH control mechanisms, there was capacity to increase the volume of mine water treated by the ALD and LDS systems by 10 and 15 times, respectively, but it is uncertain as to whether or not other aspects of the passive treatment system would have sufficient capacity to deal with the increased volumes of mine water.

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Somatostatin has been identified as having anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic actions in many tumour systems, and these effects are mediated through a family of five transmembrane G-protein coupled SRIF receptors. Ovarian cancer is the commonest gynaecological malignancy in the UK and maintenance therapy is urgently required. Native somatostatin expression and its receptors sst(1,2,3 and 5) were studied with immunohistochemistry in 63 malignant and 35 benign ovarian tumours of various histological types. Fifty-seven out of 63 (90%) of malignant and 26/35 (74%) benign tumours expressed somatostatin. Receptors sst(1,2,3 and 5) were expressed variably in epithelial, vascular and stromal compartments for both benign and malignant tumours. Somatostatin was found to correlate significantly with stromal sst(1) (P=0.008), epithelial sst(1) (P<0.001), stromal sst(2) (P=0.019), vascular sst(2) (P=0.026), epithelial sst(3) (P=0.026), stromal sst(5) (P=0.013) and vascular sst(5) (P=0.038). Increased expression of native somatostatin correlating with somatostatin receptors in malignant ovarian tumours raises the possibility that either synthetic somatostatin antagonists or receptor agonists may have therapeutic potential.

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BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) research has concentrated on infective, immunological, and psychological causes. Illness behaviour has received less attention, with most research studying CFS patients after diagnosis. Our previous study on the records of an insurance company showed a highly significant increase in illness reporting before development of CFS. AIM: To investigate the number and type of general practitioner (GP) consultations by patients with CFS for 15 years before they develop their condition. DESIGN OF STUDY: Case-control study in 11 general practices in Devon. SETTING: Forty-nine patients with CFS (satisfying the Centers for Disease Control criteria), 49 age, sex, and general practice matched controls, and 37 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were identified from the general practices' computerised databases. METHOD: The number of general practice consultations and symptoms recorded in three five-year periods (quinquennia) were counted before development of the patients' condition. RESULTS: The median number of consultations was significantly higher for CFS patients than that of matched controls in each of the quinquennia: ratios for first quinquennium = 1.88, P = 0.01; second quinquennium = 1.70, P = 0.005; last quinquennium = 2.25, P < 0.001. More CFS patients than controls attended for 13 of the 18 symptoms studied. Significant increases were found for upper respiratory tract infection (P < 0.001), lethargy (P < 0.001), and vertigo (P = 0.02). Similar results were found for CFS patients when compared with MS. CONCLUSIONS: CFS patients consulted their GP more frequently in the 15 years before development of their condition, for a wide variety of complaints. Several possibilities may explain these findings. The results support the hypothesis that behavioural factors have a role in the aetiology of CFS.

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We report here two cases which illustrate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of the Mirena levonorgestrel releasing intra-uterine system and the GyneFix copper intra-uterine contraceptive implant. The MRI appearance of these devices has not to our knowledge been reported to date, and as increasing numbers of women choose to use these devices for treatment of gynaecological conditions and contraception, it becomes increasingly important to recognise their appearance on pelvic imaging.

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Well-drained non-agricultural soils mediate the oxidation of methane directly from the atmosphere, contributing 5 to 10% towards the global methane sink. Studies of methane oxidation kinetics in soil infer the activity of two methanotrophic populations: one that is only active at high methane concentrations (low affinity) and another that tolerates atmospheric levels of methane (high affinity). The activity of the latter has not been demonstrated by cultured laboratory strains of methanotrophs, leaving the microbiology of methane oxidation at atmospheric concentrations unclear. Here we describe a new pulse-chase experiment using long-term enrichment with 12CH4 followed by short-term exposure to 13CH4 to isotopically label methanotrophs in a soil from a temperate forest. Analysis of labelled phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) provided unambiguous evidence of methane assimilation at true atmospheric concentrations (1.8-3.6 p.p.m.v.). High proportions of 13C-labelled C18 fatty acids and the co-occurrence of a labelled, branched C17 fatty acid indicated that a new methanotroph, similar at the PLFA level to known type II methanotrophs, was the predominant soil micro-organism responsible for atmospheric methane oxidation.

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Lysimeters located outdoors have been used to evaluate the decomposition of buried oily beach sand waste (OBS) prepared using Forties light crude oil and sand from different locations around the British coast. The OBS (5% oil by weight) was buried as a 12-cm layer over dune pasture sub-sand and overlain by 20 cm of dune pasture topsoil. Decomposition rates of oil residues averaged 2300 kg ha(-1) in the first year and the pattern of oil decomposition may be represented by a power curve. Oil decomposition was strongly related to the temperature in the OBS layer, but was also significantly affected by rainfall in the previous 12 h. The CO(2) flux at the surface of the treatment lysimeters followed the relationship [log(10) CO(2) (mg C m(-2) h(-1))=0.93+0.058x OBS temp. (degrees C)-0.042x12 h rain (mm)]. There was considerable variation in the rate of oil decomposition in sands collected from different sites. Sand from Askernish supported most microbial activity whilst sand from Tain was relatively inactive. The decomposition process appeared to cease when the sand became saturated with water, i.e. temporarily anaerobic. However, decomposition recommenced when the soil dried out. The fastest rate of decomposition occurred in sand from one of the two sites predicted to have high populations of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Larger particle size and higher Ca content may also be significant factors governing the rate of decomposition.

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