Rhizopus arrhizus - a producer for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of starch waste materials to L(+)-lactic acid

Rhizopus arrhizus, strain DAR 36017, produced L(+)-lactic acid in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process using starch waste effluents. Lactic acid at 19.5 - 44.3 g l(-1) with a yield of 0.85 - 0.96 g g(-1) was produced in 40 h using 20 - 60 g starch l(-1). Supplementation of nitrogen source may be unnecessary if potato or corn starch waste effluent was used as a production medium.

Management of isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures: a survey of Australian and New Zealand oral and maxillofacial surgeons

Background: This is the first report of involvement of Australian and New Zealand oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the management of isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures and was conducted to obtain comparisons with the results from a recent similar survey of British oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Methods: A questionnaire survey was sent to all 113 practising members of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in April 2002 with a second mailout 1 month later. Results: Sixty-nine per cent of the respondents were referred isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures for manage-ment, and just over half of these respondents estimated that 50% or more of the cases went to surgery. The materials most commonly used in orbital floor reconstruction were resorbable membrane for small defects and autologous bone for large defects. Conclusion: As in Britain, management of isolated orbital floor blow-out fractures comprises part of the surgical spectrum for many oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The management protocol was observed to be very similar between the two groups.

Promoting physical activity in Australian general practices: a randomised trial of health promotion advice versus hypertension management

A randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine if physicians' advice to promote physical activity to patients was more effective if the advice was tailored to the management of hypertension, compared with more general health promotion advice. Participants included inactive 40- to 70-year-old patients visiting the physicians' during study recruitment period. Physicians provided verbal physical activity advice and written materials, both tailored to either general health promotion messages or specifically as a means for treating or managing hypertension. Seventy-five physicians and 98% (767/780) of screened eligible patients participated in the study. Differences between intervention and control groups self-reported physical activity were assessed over 6 months. Follow-up response rates were 92 and 84% at the 2- and 6-month assessments. There were no consistent, significant differences between groups at the 2- or 6-month assessments. Thus, neither intervention strategy resulted in significant changes in patients self-reported physical activity, regardless of the whether the advice was tailored to hypertension management or general health promotion advice. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.