Effect of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS and hydraulic retention time (HRT on the performance of activated sludge process during the biotreatment of real textile wastewater

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Kapil Kumar

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Adequate information is available on colour and organics removal in batch mode using pure microbial cultures from dye contaminated wastewater. There was a need to develop environment friendly and cost effective treatment technique for actual field conditions. Therefore, the present study was undertaken with an aim to evaluate the potential of acclimatized mixed microbial consortia for the removal of colour and organics from real textile wastewater. Experiments were performed in laboratory scale activated sludge process (ASP unit under steady state condition, varying mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS (2500, 3500 and 5000 mg/l and hydraulic retention time (HRT (18, 24 and 36 h. The results showed that decolourization and chemical oxygen demand (COD removal increased with increase in MLVSS and HRT. At 18 h HRT, decolourization was found to be 46, 54 and 67%, which increased to 67, 75 and 90% (36 h HRT at 2500, 3500 and 5000 mg/l MLVSS, respectively. COD removal was found to be 62, 73 and 77% (at 18 h HRT which increased to 77, 85 and 91% (36 h HRT at 2000, 3500 and 5000 mg/l MLVSS, respectively. On the basis of the results obtained in this study suitable treatment techniques can be developed for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with variety of dyes in continuous mode of operation. This shall have the advantage of treatment of larger quantity of wastewater in shorter duration.

Optimisation of the two-phase dry-thermophilic anaerobic digestion process of sulphate-containing municipal solid waste: population dynamics.

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Zahedi, S; Sales, D; Romero, L I; Solera, R

2013-11-01

Microbial population dynamics and anaerobic digestion (AD) process to eight different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (from 25d to 3.5d) in two-phase dry-thermophilic AD from sulphate-containing solid waste were investigated. Maximum values of gas production (1.9 ± 0.2 l H2/l/d; 5.4 ± 0.3 l CH4/l/d and 82 ± 9 ml H2S/l/d) and microbial activities were obtained at 4.5d HRT; where basically comprised hydrolysis step in the first phase (HRT=1.5d) and acidogenic step finished in the second phase as well as acetogenic-methanogenic steps (HRT=3d). In the first phase, hydrolytic-acidogenic bacteria (HABs) was the main group (44-77%) and Archaea, acetogens and sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) contents were not significant; in the second phase (except to 2d HRT), microbial population was able to adapt to change in substrate and HRTs to ensure the proper functioning of the system and both acetogens and Archaea were dominated over SRBs. Decreasing HRT resulted in an increase in microbial activities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of Archaeal and Bacterial Communities in Response to Variations of Hydraulic Retention Time in an Integrated Anaerobic Fluidized-Bed Membrane Bioreactor Treating Benzothiazole Wastewater

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Yue Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available An integrated anaerobic fluidized-bed membrane bioreactor (IAFMBR was investigated to treat synthetic high-strength benzothiazole wastewater (50 mg/L at a hydraulic retention time (HRT of 24, 18, and 12 h. The chemical oxygen demand (COD removal efficiency (from 93.6% to 90.9%, the methane percentage (from 70.9% to 69.27%, and the methane yield (from 0.309 m3 CH4/kg·CODremoved to 0.316 m3 CH4/kg·CODremoved were not affected by decreasing HRTs. However, it had an adverse effect on membrane fouling (decreasing service period from 5.3 d to 3.2 d and benzothiazole removal efficiency (reducing it from 97.5% to 82.3%. Three sludge samples that were collected on day 185, day 240, and day 297 were analyzed using an Illumina® MiSeq platform. It is striking that the dominant genus of archaea was always Methanosaeta despite of HRTs. The proportions of Methanosaeta were 80.6% (HRT 24, 91.9% (HRT 18, and 91.2% (HRT 12. The dominant bacterial genera were Clostridium in proportions of 23.9% (HRT 24, 16.4% (HRT 18, and 15.3% (HRT 12, respectively.

Achieving partial nitrification in a novel six basins alternately operating activated sludge process treating domestic wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohammed, Rusul Naseer; Arab, Saad; Xiwu, Lu [Southeast University, Nanjing (China)

2013-11-15

A novel technology was developed to achieve partial nitrification at moderately low DO and short HRT, which would save the aeration cost and have the capacity to treat a wide range of low-strength real wastewater. The process enables a relatively stable whereas nitrite accumulation rate (NO{sub 2}-AR) was stabilized over 94% in the last aerobic basin on average of each phase through a combination of short HRT and low DO level. Low DO did not produce sludge with poorer settleability. The morphology and internal structure of the granular sludge was observed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis during a long-term operation. The images indicated that thick clusters of spherical cells and small rod-shaped cells (NOB and AOB are rod-shaped to spherical cells) were the dominant population structure, rather than filamentous and other bacteria under a combination of low DO and short HRT, which gives a good indication of nitrite accumulation achievement. MPN method was used to correlate AOB numbers with nutrient removal. It showed that an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium (AOB) was the dominant nitrifying bacteria, whereas high NO{sub 2}-AR was achieved at AOB number of 5.33x10{sup 8} cell/g MLSS. Higher pollutant removal efficiency of 86.2%, 98% and 96.1%, for TN, NH{sub 4}{sup +}-N, and TP, respectively, was achieved by a novel six basin activated sludge process (SBASP) at low DO level and low C/N ratio which were approximately equal to the complete nitrification-denitrification with the addition of sodium acetate (NaAc) at normal DO level of (1.5-2.5 mg/L)

Metabolic profiling and correlation analysis for the determination of killer compounds of proliferating and clonogenic HRT-18 colon cancer cells from Lafoensia pacari.

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Reichert, Cristiane Loiva; da Silva, Denise Brentan; Carollo, Carlos Alexandre; Weffort-Santos, Almeriane Maria; de Moraes Santos, Cid Aimbiré

2018-06-18

Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil., belonging to the family Lythraceae and popularly known as 'dedaleira' and 'mangava-brava,' is a native tree of the Brazilian Cerrado, and its barks have been traditionally used as a tonic to treat inflammatory conditions, particularly related to gastric ulcers, wounds or fevers and various types of cancer. We have previously demonstrated the apoptogenic effects of the methanolic extract of L. pacari using various cancer cell lines. In the present study, this extract has been partitioned into fractions to identify the components that might be responsible for the apoptogenic effects using HRT-18 cells, which have been previously demonstrated to be sensitive to this extract. A standard methanolic extract was prepared and fractionated by centrifugal partition chromatography. The fractions were submitted to cytotoxicity and clonogenic assays to monitor the effects in parallel with LC-DAD-MS and statistical analyses to suggest the potential bioactive compounds. Besides ellagic acid, the primary constituent of the plant and also the biomarker of the species, one punicalin isomer, three pedunculagin I isomers, two castalagin isomers, three punicalagin HHDP-gallagyl-hexoside isomers, one ellagic acid deoxyhexose conjugate and one methyl ellagic acid deoxyhexose conjugate were putatively identified. The barks of L. pacari are rich in ellagic acid and various hydrolysable tannins, some of which were reported for the first time in this species, such as punicalagin and ellagitannins. This mixture of substances had the ability to kill proliferating cells and abrogate the growth of clonogenic cells in a similar manner shown by the methanolic extract of our previous study. The collective data reported herein suggest that the biological activities of the L. pacari barks used by the Cerrado's population to treat cancer conditions are due to the apoptogenic effects promoted by a mixed content of ellagitannins. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Population attributable risk of modifiable risk factors associated with invasive breast cancer in women aged 45-69 years in Queensland, Australia.

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Wilson, Louise F; Page, Andrew N; Dunn, Nathan A M; Pandeya, Nirmala; Protani, Melinda M; Taylor, Richard J

2013-12-01

To quantify the population attributable risk of key modifiable risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence in Queensland, Australia. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) for high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity were calculated, using prevalence data from a representative survey of women attending mammographic screening at BreastScreen Queensland in 2008 and relative risk estimates sourced from published literature. Attributable cancers were calculated using 'underlying' breast cancer incidence data for 2008 based on Poisson regression models, adjusting for the inflation of incidence due to the effects of mammographic screening. Attributable burden of breast cancer due to high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity. In Queensland women aged 45-69 years, an estimated 12.1% (95% CI: 11.6-12.5%) of invasive breast cancers were attributable to high BMI in post-menopausal women who have never used HRT; 2.8% (95% CI: 2.7-2.9%) to alcohol consumption; 7.6% (95% CI: 7.4-7.9%) to inadequate physical activity in post-menopausal women and 6.2% (95% CI: 5.5-7.0%) to current use of HRT after stratification by BMI and type of HRT used. Combined, just over one quarter (26.0%; 95% CI: 25.4-26.6%) of all invasive breast cancers in Queensland women aged 45-69 years in 2008 were attributable to these modifiable risk factors. There is benefit in targeting prevention strategies to modify lifestyle behaviours around BMI, physical activity, HRT use and alcohol consumption, as a reduction in these risk factors could decrease invasive breast cancer incidence in the Queensland population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-Level Contact Oxidation Process Performance When Treating Automobile Painting Wastewater: Pollutant Removal Efficiency and Microbial Community Structures

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Yufang Zhu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study applied a multi-level contact oxidation process system in a pilot-scale experiment to treat automobile painting wastewater. The experimental wastewater had been pre-treated through a series of physicochemical methods, but the water still contained a high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD and had poor biodegradability. After the biological treatment, the COD concentration of effluent could stay below 300 mg/L. The study analyzed the effects of hydraulic residence time (HRT on COD, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N, and total nitrogen (TN. The optimal HRT was 8 h; at that time, removal efficiencies of COD, ammonia nitrogen, and total nitrogen were 83.8%, 86.3%, and 65%, respectively. The system also greatly reduced excess sludge production; the removal efficiency was 82.8% with a HRT of 8 h. The study applied high-throughput pyrosequencing technology to evaluate the microbial diversity and community structures in distinct stages of the biological reactor. The relevance between process performance and microbial community structure was analyzed at the phylum and class level. The abundant Firmicutes made a large contribution to improving the biodegradability of painting wastewater through hydrolysis acidification and reducing sludge production through fermentation in the biological reactor.

Toxicity and metal speciation in acid mine drainage treated by passive bioreactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neculita, C.M.; Vigneaul, B.; Zagury, G.J. [Ecole Polytechnic, Montreal, PQ (Canada)

2008-08-15

Sulfate-reducing passive bioreactors treat acid mine drainage (AMD) by increasing its pH and alkalinity and by removing metals as metal sulfide precipitates. In addition to discharge limits based on physicochemical parameters, however, treated effluent is required to be nontoxic. Acute and sublethal toxicity was assessed for effluent from 3.5-L column bioreactors filled with mixtures of natural organic carbon sources and operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) for the treatment of a highly contaminated AMD. Effluent was first tested for acute (Daphnia magna and Oncorhynchus mykiss) and sublethal (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Ceriodaphnia dabia, and Lemna minor) toxicity. Acute toxicity was observed for D. magna, and a toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedure was then performed to identify potential toxicants. Finally, metal speciation in the effluent was determined using ultrafiltration and geochemical modeling for the interpretation of the toxicity results. The 10-d HRT effluent was nonacutely lethal for 0. mykiss but acutely lethal for D. magna. The toxicity to D. magna, however, was removed by 2 h of aeration, and the TIE procedure suggested iron as a cause of toxicity. Sublethal toxicity of the 10-d HRT effluent was observed for all test species, but it was reduced compared to the raw AMD and to a 7.3-d HRT effluent. Data regarding metal speciation indicated instability of both effluents during aeration and were consistent with the toxicity being caused by iron. Column bioreactors in operation for more than nine months efficiently improved the physicochemical quality of highly contaminated AMD at different HRTs.

Performance of a UASB reactor treating coffee wet wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guardia Puebla, Yans; Rodríguez Pérez, Suyén; Janet Jiménez Hernández; Sánchez Girón, Víctor

2014-01-01

The present work shows the results obtained in the anaerobic digestion process of coffee wet wastewater processing. An UASB anaerobic reactor was operated in single-stage in mesophilic temperature controlled conditions (37±1ºC). The effect of both organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the anaerobic digestion of coffee wet wastewater was investigated. The OLR values considered in the single-stage UASB reactor varied in a range of 3,6-4,1 kgCOD m-3 d-1 and the HRT stayed in a range of 21,5-15,5 hours. The evaluation results show that the best performance of UASB reactor in single-stage was obtained at OLR of 3,6 kg COD m-3 d-1 with an average value of total and soluble COD removal of 77,2% and 83,4%, respectively, and average methane concentration in biogas of 61%. The present study suggests that the anaerobic digestion is suitable to treating coffee wet wastewater. (author)

Evaluation of Agreement between HRT III and iVue OCT in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension Patients

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A. Perdicchi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To determine the agreement between Moorfields Regression Analysis (MRA, Glaucoma Probability Score (GPS of Heidelberg retinal tomograph (HRT III, and peripapillary nerve fibers thickness by iVue Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT. Methods. 72 eyes with ocular hypertension or primary open angle glaucoma (POAG were included in the study: 54 eyes had normal visual fields (VF and 18 had VF damage. All subjects performed achromatic 30° VF by Octopus Program G1X dynamic strategy and were imaged with HRT III and iVue OCT. Sectorial and global MRA, GPS, and OCT parameters were used for the analysis. Kappa statistic was used to assess the agreement between methods. Results. A significant agreement between iVue OCT and GPS for the inferotemporal quadrant (κ: 0.555 was found in patients with abnormal VF. A good overall agreement between GPS and MRA was found in all the eyes tested (κ: 0.511. A good agreement between iVue OCT and MRA was shown in the superonasal (κ: 0.656 and nasal (κ: 0.627 quadrants followed by the superotemporal (κ: 0.602 and inferotemporal (κ: 0.586 sectors in all the studied eyes. Conclusion. The highest percentages of agreement were found per quadrant of the MRA and the iVue OCT confirming that in glaucoma damage starts from the temporal hemiretina.

Power of magic hands: parent-driven application of habit reversal to treat complex stereotypy in a 3-year-old.

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Freeman, Kurt A; Duke, Danny C

2013-08-01

The authors assessed the effectiveness of habit reversal training (HRT) to treat a complex motor stereotypy in a healthy 3-year-old female. This data-based case study involved training parents in HRT to deliver the parent-driven intervention to the child. The frequency of the child's behaviors was estimated daily in 30-min intervals by her parents. Outcomes supported the effectiveness of the intervention, with the estimated frequency of the stereotypy decreasing from occurring during approximately 85% of recorded intervals to less than 2% over a period of 4 weeks. Further record keeping over 19 weeks suggested treatment gains were generally maintained over time. The current case study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of modified HRT to reduce stereotypies in young children. Further, data suggest that the intervention may be extended to younger ages by teaching parents how to facilitate treatment delivery. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Agreement among graders on Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT) topographic change analysis (TCA) glaucoma progression interpretation.

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Iester, Michele M; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A; Xu, Juan; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Kagemann, Larry; Schuman, Joel S

2015-04-01

To evaluate agreement among experts of Heidelberg retina tomography's (HRT) topographic change analysis (TCA) printout interpretations of glaucoma progression and explore methods for improving agreement. 109 eyes of glaucoma, glaucoma suspect and healthy subjects with ≥5 visits and 2 good quality HRT scans acquired at each visit were enrolled. TCA printouts were graded as progression or non-progression. Each grader was presented with 2 sets of tests: a randomly selected single test from each visit and both tests from each visit. Furthermore, the TCA printouts were classified with grader's individual criteria and with predefined criteria (reproducible changes within the optic nerve head, disregarding changes along blood vessels or at steep rim locations and signs of image distortion). Agreement among graders was modelled using common latent factor measurement error structural equation models for ordinal data. Assessment of two scans per visit without using the predefined criteria reduced overall agreement, as indicated by a reduction in the slope, reflecting the correlation with the common factor, for all graders with no effect on reducing the range of the intercepts between the graders. Using the predefined criteria improved grader agreement, as indicated by the narrower range of intercepts among the graders compared with assessment using individual grader's criteria. A simple set of predefined common criteria improves agreement between graders in assessing TCA progression. The inclusion of additional scans from each visit does not improve the agreement. We, therefore, recommend setting standardised criteria for TCA progression evaluation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Comprehensive microbial analysis of combined mesophilic anaerobic-thermophilic aerobic process treating high-strength food wastewater.

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Jang, Hyun Min; Ha, Jeong Hyub; Park, Jong Moon; Kim, Mi-Sun; Sommer, Sven G

2015-04-15

A combined mesophilic anaerobic-thermophilic aerobic process was used to treat high-strength food wastewater in this study. During the experimental period, most of solid residue from the mesophilic anaerobic reactor (R1) was separated by centrifugation and introduced into the thermophilic aerobic reactor (R2) for further digestion. Then, thermophilic aerobically-digested sludge was reintroduced into R1 to enhance reactor performance. The combined process was operated with two different Runs: Run I with hydraulic retention time (HRT) = 40 d (corresponding OLR = 3.5 kg COD/m(3) d) and Run II with HRT = 20 d (corresponding OLR = 7 kg COD/m(3)). For a comparison, a single-stage mesophilic anaerobic reactor (R3) was operated concurrently with same OLRs and HRTs as the combined process. During the overall digestion, all reactors showed high stability without pH control. The combined process demonstrated significantly higher organic matter removal efficiencies (over 90%) of TS, VS and COD and methane production than did R3. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results indicated that higher populations of both bacteria and archaea were maintained in R1 than in R3. Pyrosequencing analysis revealed relatively high abundance of phylum Actinobacteria in both R1 and R2, and a predominance of phyla Synergistetes and Firmicutes in R3 during Run II. Furthermore, R1 and R2 shared genera (Prevotella, Aminobacterium, Geobacillus and Unclassified Actinobacteria), which suggests synergy between mesophilic anaerobic digestion and thermophilic aerobic digestion. For archaea, in R1 methanogenic archaea shifted from genus Methanosaeta to Methanosarcina, whereas genera Methanosaeta, Methanobacterium and Methanoculleus were predominant in R3. The results demonstrated dynamics of key microbial populations that were highly consistent with an enhanced reactor performance of the combined process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphometric Optic Nerve Head Analysis in Glaucoma Patients: A Comparison between the Simultaneous Nonmydriatic Stereoscopic Fundus Camera (Kowa Nonmyd WX3D and the Heidelberg Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (HRT III

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Siegfried Mariacher

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To investigate the agreement between morphometric optic nerve head parameters assessed with the confocal laser ophthalmoscope HRT III and the stereoscopic fundus camera Kowa nonmyd WX3D retrospectively. Methods. Morphometric optic nerve head parameters of 40 eyes of 40 patients with primary open angle glaucoma were analyzed regarding their vertical cup-to-disc-ratio (CDR. Vertical CDR, disc area, cup volume, rim volume, and maximum cup depth were assessed with both devices by one examiner. Mean bias and limits of agreement (95% CI were obtained using scatter plots and Bland-Altman analysis. Results. Overall vertical CDR comparison between HRT III and Kowa nonmyd WX3D measurements showed a mean difference (limits of agreement of −0.06 (−0.36 to 0.24. For the CDR < 0.5 group (n=24 mean difference in vertical CDR was −0.14 (−0.34 to 0.06 and for the CDR ≥ 0.5 group (n=16 0.06 (−0.21 to 0.34. Conclusion. This study showed a good agreement between Kowa nonmyd WX3D and HRT III with regard to widely used optic nerve head parameters in patients with glaucomatous optic neuropathy. However, data from Kowa nonmyd WX3D exhibited the tendency to measure larger CDR values than HRT III in the group with CDR < 0.5 group and lower CDR values in the group with CDR ≥ 0.5.

Microbial community shifts in a farm-scale anaerobic digester treating swine waste: Correlations between bacteria communities associated with hydrogenotrophic methanogens and environmental conditions.

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Cho, Kyungjin; Shin, Seung Gu; Kim, Woong; Lee, Joonyeob; Lee, Changsoo; Hwang, Seokhwan

2017-12-01

Microbial community structure in a farm-scale anaerobic digester treating swine manure was investigated during three process events: 1) prolonged starvation, and changes of 2) operating temperature (between meso- and thermophilic) and 3) hydraulic retention time (HRT). Except during the initial period, the digester was dominated by hydrogenotrophic methanogens (HMs). The bacterial community structure significantly shifted with operating temperature and HRT but not with long-term starvation. Clostridiales (26.5-54.4%) and Bacteroidales (2.5-13.7%) became dominant orders in the digester during the period of HM dominance. Abundance of diverse meso- and thermophilic bacteria increased during the same period; many of these species may be H 2 producers, and/or syntrophic acetate oxidizers. Some of these species showed positive correlations with [NH 4 + -N] (panaerobic digesters treating swine manure that contains high ammonia content. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Operation performance and granule characterization of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating wastewater with starch as the sole carbon source.

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Lu, Xueqin; Zhen, Guangyin; Estrada, Adriana Ledezma; Chen, Mo; Ni, Jialing; Hojo, Toshimasa; Kubota, Kengo; Li, Yu-You

2015-03-01

Long-term performance of a lab-scale UASB reactor treating starch wastewater was investigated under different hydraulic retention times (HRT). Successful start-up could be achieved after 15days' operation. The optimal HRT was 6h with organic loading rate (OLR) 4g COD/Ld at COD concentration 1000mg/L, attaining 81.1-98.7% total COD removal with methane production rate of 0.33L CH4/g CODremoved. Specific methane activity tests demonstrated that methane formation via H2-CO2 and acetate were the principal degradation pathways. Vertical characterizations revealed that main reactions including starch hydrolysis, acidification and methanogenesis occurred at the lower part of reactor ("main reaction zone"); comparatively, at the up converting acetate into methane predominated ("substrate-shortage zone"). Further reducing HRT to 3h caused volatile fatty acids accumulation, sludge floating and performance deterioration. Sludge floating was ascribed to the excess polysaccharides in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). More efforts are required to overcome sludge floating-related issues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sludge accumulation and conversion to methane in a septic tank treating domestic wastewater or black water.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmitwalli, Tarek

2013-01-01

Although the septic tank is the most applied on-site system for wastewater pre-treatment, limited research has been performed to determine sludge accumulation and biogas production in the tank. Therefore a dynamic mathematical model based on the Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) was developed for anaerobic digestion of the accumulated sludge in a septic tank treating domestic wastewater or black water. The results showed that influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the tank mainly control the filling time with sludge, while operational temperature governs characteristics of the accumulated sludge and conversion to methane. For obtaining stable sludge and high conversion, the tank needs to be operated for a period more than a year without sludge wasting. Maximum conversion to methane in the tank is about 50 and 60% for domestic wastewater and black water, respectively. The required period for sludge wasting depends on the influent COD concentration and the HRT, while characteristics of the wasted sludge are affected by operational temperature followed by the influent COD concentration and the HRT. Sludge production from the tank ranges between 0.19 to 0.22 and 0.13 to 0.15 L/(person.d), for the domestic wastewater and black water, respectively.

Automatic and consistent registration framework for temporal pairs of mammograms in application to breast cancer risk assessment due to hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karemore, Gopal Raghunath; Carreras, I. Arganda; Nielsen, Mads

2009-01-01

 Purpose: Mammographic density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. However, whether changes in mammographic density due to HRT are associated with risk remains unclear. The aim of this study is to provide a framework for accurate interval change analysis in temporal pairs of mammograms of ...

Performance of UASB reactors in two stages under different HRT and OLR treating residual waters of swine farming Desempenho de reatores UASB em dois estágios sob diferentes TDH e COV tratando águas residuárias de suinocultura

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Estevão Urbinati

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In this study it was evaluated the effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT and Organic Loading Rate (OLR on the performance of UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactors in two stages treating residual waters of swine farming. The system consisted of two UASB reactors in pilot scale, installed in series, with volumes of 908 and 188 L, for the first and second stages (R1 and R2, respectively. The HRT applied in the system of anaerobic treatment in two stages (R1 + R2 was of 19.3, 29.0 and 57.9 h. The OLR applied in the R1 ranged from 5.5 to 40.1 kg CODtotal (m³ d-1. The average removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD and total suspended solids (TSS ranged, respectively, from 66.3 to 88.2% and 62.5 to 89.3% in the R1, and from 85.5 to 95.5% and 76.4 to 96.1% in the system (R1 + R2. The volumetric production of methane in the system (R1 + R2 ranged from 0.295 to 0.721 m³CH4 (m³ reactor d-1. It was found that the OLR applied were not limiting to obtain high efficiencies of CODtotal and TSS removal and methane production. The inclusion of the UASB reactor in the second stage contributed to increase the efficiencies of CODtotal and TSS removal, especially, when the treatment system was submitted to the lowest HRT and the highest OLR.Neste trabalho, avaliou-se o efeito do tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH e da carga orgânica volumétrica (COV no desempenho de reatores UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket, em dois estágios, tratando águas residuárias de suinocultura. O sistema foi constituído por dois reatores UASB em escala-piloto, instalados em série, com volumes de 908 e 188 L, para o primeiro e segundo estágios (R1 e R2, respectivamente. Os TDH, aplicados no sistema de tratamento anaeróbio, em dois estágios (R1 + R2, foram de 19,3; 29,0 e 57,9 h. As COVs aplicadas no R1 variaram de 5,5 a 40,1 kg DQOtotal (m³ d-1. As eficiências médias de remoção de demanda química de oxigênio total (DQOtotal e s

Prevalence of estrogen receptor alpha PvuII and XbaI polymorphism in population of Polish postmenopausal women.

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Jozef Haczynski

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Numerous data indicate that polymorphism of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha may predict lipid levels, lipid response to hormone replacement therapy (HRT, myocardial infarction risk, bone fracture risk, bone mineral density (BMD and changes in BMD over time. In this study we aimed to evaluate distribution of ERalpha PvuII and XbaI genotypes in population of Polish postmenopausal women qualified to different protocols of HRT. Subject of the study were 64 consecutive postmenopausal women aged from 45 to 65 years (mean 56.6 assigned to HRT. ERalpha PvuII and XbaI polymorphism was determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP. The absence of PvuII and XbaI restriction sites were indicated by "P" and "X" and presence by "p" and "x", respectively. PvuII genotype was distributed as follows: PP 17.2% (n=11, Pp 50% (n=32, pp 32.83% (n=21. Frequency of XbaI genotype was: XX 6.25% (n=4, Xx 34.4% (n=22, xx 59.4% (n=38. Four haplotypes with following frequencies were recognized: PX 17.3%, px 47.4%, Px 24.4% and pX 10.9%. Prevalence of estrogen receptor alpha PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms in Polish women is similar to previously studied population.

Impact of Coagulant and Flocculant Addition to an Anaerobic Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor (AnDMBR) Treating Waste-Activated Sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Kooijman, Guido; Lopes, Wilton; Zhou, Zhongbo; Guo, Hongxiao; de Kreuk, Merle; Spanjers, Henri; van Lier, Jules

2017-03-23

In this work, we investigated the effects of flocculation aid (FA) addition to an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR) (7 L, 35 °C) treating waste-activated sludge (WAS). The experiment consisted of three distinct periods. In period 1 (day 1-86), the reactor was operated as a conventional anaerobic digester with a solids retention time (SRT) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 days. In period 2 (day 86-303), the HRT was lowered to 18 days with the application of a dynamic membrane while the SRT was kept the same. In period 3 (day 303-386), a cationic FA in combination with FeCl₃ was added. The additions led to a lower viscosity, which was expected to lead to an increased digestion performance. However, the FAs caused irreversible binding of the substrate, lowering the volatile solids destruction from 32% in period 2 to 24% in period 3. An accumulation of small particulates was observed in the sludge, lowering the average particle size by 50%. These particulates likely caused pore blocking in the cake layer, doubling the trans-membrane pressure. The methanogenic consortia were unaffected. Dosing coagulants and flocculants into an AnDMBR treating sludge leads to a decreased cake layer permeability and decreased sludge degradation.

Degradation of organic pollutants and characteristics of activated sludge in an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic reactor treating chemical industrial wastewater

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Dong Wang

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A laboratory-scale anaerobic/anoxic/oxic system operated at the hydraulic retention times (HRT of 20, 40, and 60 h with mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS concentrations of 3 g/L and 6 g/L was considered for treating chemical industrial wastewater rich in complex organic compounds and total dissolved solids. Extending the HRT and increasing the MLSS concentration resulted in higher removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand at 72%. Organic compounds in wastewater could be classified into easily-removed and refractory compounds during treatment. The easily-removed compounds consisted primarily of ethers, alcohols, and aldehydes, whereas the refractory compounds included mainly oxygen-containing heterocyclic and benzene-containing compounds. Results from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that several metal ions accumulated in activated sludge, particularly Fe(III. Fe accumulated mainly on the surface of sludge floc pellets and resulted in the compactness of activated sludge, which caused the values of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids /MLSS and sludge volume index to decrease.

Proper Antibiotic Use in a Home-Based Primary Care Population Treated for Urinary Tract Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, Megan E; Ford, James; Conway, Erin L; Ott, Michael C; Sellick, John A; Mergenhagen, Kari A

2018-02-01

To evaluate the trends associated with diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI) in a home-based primary care population of Veterans Health System patients from 2006 to 2015. Retrospective cohort study. Veterans Healthcare System. Home-based primary care patients treated for UTI from 2006 to 2015. None. Appropriate therapy was determined based on the McGeer criteria. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors leading to appropriate UTI treatment. Of 366 available patients, 68 (18.6%) were tested for a UTI. Appropriate therapy occurred in 26% of patients. Allergy to any antibiotic increased the odds of appropriate treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-23.2). Flank pain and increased urinary frequency also increased the likelihood of being treated appropriately (OR = 25.9, 95% CI 2.9-584.0 and OR = 4.49, 95% CI 0.99-21.2, respectively). Antibiotics were overused for treating UTIs in the homebound population. Patients with flank pain, increased urinary frequency, and antibiotic allergy were more likely to receive appropriate treatment. Pharmacists, therefore, have a viable opportunity to increase appropriate antibiotic prescribing in the home-based primary care population.

Diversity and population dynamics of pests and predators in irrigated rice fields with treated and untreated pesticide.

Science.gov (United States)

Rattanapun, W

2012-01-01

The monitoring of rice pests and their predators in pesticide untreated and treated rice fields was conducted at the southern of Thailand. Twenty-two species in 15 families and 6 orders of rice pests were sampled from untreated rice field. For treated rice field, 22 species in 14 families and 5 orders of rice pest were collected. Regardless of treatment type, dominant species and individual number of rice pest varied to physiological stage of rice. Lepidopteran pests had highest infestation during the vegetative stage of rice growth, while hemipteran pests composed of hopper species (Hemipetra: Auchenorrhyncha) and heteropteran species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) were dominant groups during the reproductive stage and grain formation and ripening stage of rice growth. In contrast, dominant species of predator did not change throughout rice growing season. There were 35 species in 25 families and seven orders and 40 species in 29 families and seven orders of predators collected from untreated and treated rice field, respectively. Major predators of both rice fields were Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Tetragnatha sp. (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) and Agriocnemis pygmaea Rambur (Odonata: Agrionidae). The population dynamic of predators were not related with rice pest population in both treatments. However, the fluctuation of population pattern of rice pests in the untreated treatment were more distinctly synchronized with their predators than that of the treated treatment. There were no significant differences in the total number of rice pest and predator between two treatments at vegetative and reproductive stages of rice growth. Untreated rice field had a higher population number of predator and a lower population number of rice pest than that of treated rice field during grain formation and ripening stages. These results indicated the ago-ecosystem balance in rice fields could be produced through minimal pesticide application, in order to allow

A retrospective analysis of dermatoses in the perimenopausal population attending a tertiary care centre in South India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamma Aboobacker

2015-01-01

Conclusion: The leading dermatoses being eczema and urticaria in the perimenopausal population probably accounts for a tendency of exaggerated response to external factors. The population studied in the current study might be of significance due to complete lack of treatment in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT, while routine sun exposure and cultural practices predominate. However, evaluation with respect to individual factors is beyond the scope of the current study and may be necessary to define a causal relationship.

Comprehensive monitoring and management of a long-term thermophilic CSTR treating coffee grounds, coffee liquid, milk waste, and municipal sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Shofie, Mohammad; Qiao, Wei; Li, Qian; Takayanagi, Kazuyuki; Li, Yu-You

2015-09-01

The CSTR process has previously not been successfully applied to treat coffee residues under thermophilic temperature and long term operation. In this experiment, the CSTR was fed with mixture substrate (TS ∼ 70 g/L) of coffee grounds, coffee wastewater, milk waste and municipal sludge and it was operated under 55 °C for 225 days. A steady state was achieved under HRT 30 days and OLR 4.0 kg-COD/m(3)/d. However, there was an 35 days inhibition with VFA accumulation (propionic acid 700-1900 mg/L) when doubling the OLR by shortening HRT to 15 days. But, an addition of microelements and sulfate (0.5 g/L) in feedstock increased reactor resilience and stability under high loading rate and propionic acid stress. Continuous monitoring of hydrogen in biogas indicated the imbalance of acetogenesis. The effectiveness of comprehensive parameters (total VFA, propionic acid, IA/PA, IA/TA and CH4 content) was proved to manage the thermophilic system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hormonal exposures and the risk of intracranial meningioma in women: a population-based case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Custer, Brian; Longstreth, WT Jr; Phillips, Leslie E; Koepsell, Thomas D; Van Belle, Gerald

2006-01-01

The role of exogenous hormone exposures in the development of meningioma is unclear, but these exposures have been proposed as one hypothesis to explain the over-abundance of such tumors in women. The association between oral contraception (OC) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and intracranial meningioma in women was investigated using a population-based, matched case-control study. Exposures for 143 cases and 286 controls matched on age within five years were obtained by interview. Diagnoses were confirmed histopathologically and estrogen and progesterone receptor assays conducted. Although risk of meningioma appeared modestly elevated in past OC users (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 0.8 – 2.7), and in current users (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 0.5 – 12.6), the confidence intervals were wide. No significant association between meningioma risk and duration of OC use was found. Likewise, risk of meningioma was only weakly associated with past use of HRT (OR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.4 – 1.3), and not at all with current use of HRT (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.5 – 2.2). Of 142 available specimens, 2 (1%) expressed estrogen receptors, whereas 130 (92%) expressed progesterone receptors (PR). OC use was associated with increased risk of a meningioma expressing less rather than more PR (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.3 – 8.0). Overall, in post menopausal women, HRT use appeared to confer a non-significant protective effect, and was not associated with low or high PR expressing meningiomas. This study found little evidence of associations between meningioma and exogenous hormone exposures in women but did suggest that some hormonal exposures may influence tumor biology in those women who develop meningioma

Relationships between treated hypertension and subsequent mortality in an insured population.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanovic, Brian; Cumming, Marianne E; Pinkham, C Allen

2004-01-01

To investigate if a mortality differential exists between insurance policyholders with treated hypertension and policyholders who are not under such treatment, where both groups are noted to have the same blood pressure at the time of policy issue. Hypertension is a known mortality risk factor in the insured and general population. Treatment for hypertension is very common in the insured population, especially as age increases. At the time of insurance application, a subset of individuals with treated hypertension will have blood pressures that are effectively controlled and are in the normal range. These individuals often meet established preferred underwriting criteria for blood pressure. In some life insurance companies, they may be offered insurance at the same rates as individuals who are not hypertensive with the same blood pressure. Such companies make the assumption that the pharmacologically induced normotensive state confers no excess risk relative to the natural normotensive state. Given the potential pricing implications of this decision, we undertook an investigation to test this hypothesis. We studied internal data on direct and reinsurance business between 1975 and 2001 followed through anniversaries in 2002 or prior termination with an average duration of 5.2 years per policy. Actual-to-expected analyses and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess if a mortality differential existed between policyholders coded for hypertension and policyholders with the same blood pressure that were not coded as hypertensive. Eight thousand six hundred forty-seven deaths were observed during follow-up in the standard or preferred policy cohort. Within the same blood pressure category, mortality was higher in policyholders identified as treated hypertensives compared with those in the subset of individuals who were not coded for hypertension. This finding was present in males and females and persisted across age groups in almost all age

Hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of cranial meningioma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lene; Friis, Søren; Hallas, Jesper

2013-01-01

We investigated the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use on the risk of meningioma in a population-based setting.......We investigated the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use on the risk of meningioma in a population-based setting....

Evaluation on ecological stability and biodegradation of dyeing wastewater pre-treated by electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.J.; Park, C.K.; Yoo, D.H.; Lee, J.K.; Lee, B.J.; Han, B.S.; Kim, J.K.; Kim, Y.R.

2005-01-01

Biological treatment of dye wastewater pre-treated by electron beam has been performed in order to evaluate the biodegradation and ecological stability of effluent. In the process of electron-beam treatment of wastewater there are utilized chemical transformations of pollutants induced by ionizing radiation. Partial decomposition of pollutant takes place as well as transformations of pollutant molecules that result in improving subsequent purification stages like as biological processing. Dyeing wastewater contains many kind of pollutants which are difficult to be decomposed completely by microorganisms. In this study, biodegradation with dyeing wastewater pre-treated by electron beams was observed. On the other hand, consideration on public acceptance in terms of ecological stability of biological effluent pre-treated by electron beams was given in this study. The results of laboratory investigations on biodegradation and ecological stability of effluent showed that biodegradation of dye wastewater pre-treated by electron beam was enhanced compared to unirradiated one. In the initial stage of biological oxidation regardless of different HRT, dye wastewater pre-treated by electron beam could be oxidized easily compare to without treated one. More number of survived daphnia magna could be observed in the biological effluent pre-treated by electron beam. This means that biological effluent pre-treated by electron beam can be said 'it is safe on the ecological system'

All-cause mortality in treated HIV-infected adults with CD4 ≥500/mm3 compared with the general population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lewden, Charlotte; Bouteloup, Vincent; De Wit, Stéphane

2012-01-01

Using data from a large European collaborative study, we aimed to identify the circumstances in which treated HIV-infected individuals will experience similar mortality rates to those of the general population.......Using data from a large European collaborative study, we aimed to identify the circumstances in which treated HIV-infected individuals will experience similar mortality rates to those of the general population....

Performance and genome-centric metagenomics of thermophilic single and two-stage anaerobic digesters treating cheese wastes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fontana, Alessandra; Campanaro, Stefano; Treu, Laura

2018-01-01

-depth characterization of the microbial community structure using genome-centric metagenomics. Both reactor configurations showed acidification problems under the tested organic loading rates (OLRs) of 3.6 and 2.4 g COD/L-reactor day and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15 days. However, the two-stage design...... of the main population genomes highlighted specific metabolic pathways responsible for the AD process and the mechanisms of main intermediates production. Particularly, the acetate accumulation experienced by the single stage configuration was mainly correlated to the low abundant syntrophic acetate oxidizer...

Performance of plastic- and sponge-based trickling filters treating effluents from an UASB reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, P G S; Marcus, A K; Rittmann, B E; Chernicharo, C A L

2013-01-01

The paper compares the performance of two trickling filters (TFs) filled with plastic- or sponge-based packing media treating the effluent from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor was operated with an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.2 kgCOD m(-3) d(-1), and the OLR applied to the TFs was 0.30-0.65 kgCOD m(-3) d(-1) (COD: chemical oxygen demand). The sponge-based packing medium (Rotosponge) gave substantially better performance for ammonia, total-N, and organic matter removal. The superior TF-Rotosponge performance for NH(4)(+)-N removal (80-95%) can be attributed to its longer biomass and hydraulic retention times (SRT and HRT), as well as enhancements in oxygen mass transfer by dispersion and advection inside the sponges. Nitrogen removals were significant (15 mgN L(-1)) in TF-Rotosponge when the OLRs were close to 0.75 kgCOD m(-3) d(-1), due to denitrification that was related to solids hydrolysis in the sponge interstices. For biochemical oxygen demand removal, higher HRT and SRT were especially important because the UASB removed most of the readily biodegradable organic matter. The new configuration of the sponge-based packing medium called Rotosponge can enhance the feasibility of scaling-up the UASB/TF treatment, including when retrofitting is necessary.

Patterns of Mortality in Patients Treated with Dental Implants: A Comparison of Patient Age Groups and Corresponding Reference Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jemt, Torsten; Kowar, Jan; Nilsson, Mats; Stenport, Victoria

2015-01-01

Little is known about the relationship between implant patient mortality compared to reference populations. The aim of this study was to report the mortality pattern in patients treated with dental implants up to a 15-year period, and to compare this to mortality in reference populations with regard to age at surgery, sex, and degree of tooth loss. Patient cumulative survival rate (CSR) was calculated for a total of 4,231 treated implant patients from a single clinic. Information was based on surgical registers in the clinic and the National Population Register in Sweden. Patients were arranged into age groups of 10 years, and CSR was compared to that of the reference population of comparable age and reported in relation to age at surgery, sex, and type of jaw/dentition. A similar, consistent, general relationship between CSR of different age groups of implant patients and reference populations could be observed for all parameters studied. Completely edentulous patients presented higher mortality than partially edentulous patients (P age groups showed mortality similar to or higher than reference populations, while older patient age groups showed increasingly lower mortality than comparable reference populations for edentulous and partially edentulous patients (P age groups of patients compared to reference populations was observed, indicating higher patient mortality in younger age groups and lower in older groups. The reported pattern is not assumed to be related to implant treatment per se, but is assumed to reflect the variation in general health of a selected subgroup of treated implant patients compared to the reference population in different age groups.

Structure of nitrogen-converting communities induced by hydraulic retention time and COD/N ratio in constantly aerated granular sludge reactors treating digester supernatant.

Science.gov (United States)

Cydzik-Kwiatkowska, Agnieszka; Rusanowska, Paulina; Zielińska, Magdalena; Bernat, Katarzyna; Wojnowska-Baryła, Irena

2014-02-01

This study investigated how hydraulic retention time (HRT) and COD/N ratio affect nitrogen-converting consortia in constantly aerated granules treating high-ammonium digester supernatant. Three HRTs (10, 13, 19 h) were tested at COD/N ratios of 4.5 and 2.3. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and relative real-time PCR were used to characterize the microbial communities. When changes in HRT and COD/N increased nitrogen loading, the ratio of the relative abundance of aerobic to anaerobic ammonium-oxidizers decreased. The COD/N ratio determined the species composition of the denitrifiers; however, Thiobacillus denitrificans, Pseudomonas denitrificans and Azoarcus sp. showed a high tolerance to the environmental conditions and occurred in the granules from all reactors. Denitrifier genera that support granule formation were identified, such as Pseudomonas, Shinella, and Flavobacterium. In aerated granules, nirK-possessing bacteria were more diverse than nirS-possessing bacteria. At a low COD/N ratio, N2O-reducer diversity increased because of the presence of bacteria known as aerobic denitrifiers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of COD and color removal from UASB treated poultry manure wastewater using Fenton's oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yetilmezsoy, Kaan; Sakar, Suleyman

2008-01-01

The applicability of Fenton's oxidation as an advanced treatment for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal from anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was investigated. The raw poultry manure wastewater, having a pH of 7.30 (±0.2) and a total COD of 12,100 (±910) mg/L was first treated in a 15.7 L of pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor was operated for 72 days at mesophilic conditions (32 ± 2 deg. C) in a temperature-controlled environment with three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 15.7, 12 and 8.0 days, and with organic loading rates (OLR) between 0.650 and 1.783 kg COD/(m 3 day). Under 8.0 days of HRT, the UASB process showed a remarkable performance on total COD removal with a treatment efficiency of 90.7% at the day of 63. The anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was further treated by Fenton's oxidation process using Fe 2+ and H 2 O 2 solutions. Batch tests were conducted on the UASB effluent samples to determine the optimum operating conditions including initial pH, effects of H 2 O 2 and Fe 2+ dosages, and the ratio of H 2 O 2 /Fe 2+ . Preliminary tests conducted with the dosages of 100 mg Fe 2+ /L and 200 mg H 2 O 2 /L showed that optimal initial pH was 3.0 for both COD and color removal from the UASB effluent. On the basis of preliminary test results, effects of increasing dosages of Fe 2+ and H 2 O 2 were investigated. Under the condition of 400 mg Fe 2+ /L and 200 mg H 2 O 2 /L, removal efficiencies of residual COD and color were 88.7% and 80.9%, respectively. Under the subsequent condition of 100 mg Fe 2+ /L and 1200 mg H 2 O 2 /L, 95% of residual COD and 95.7% of residual color were removed from the UASB effluent. Results of this experimental study obviously indicated that nearly 99.3% of COD of raw poultry manure wastewater could be effectively removed by a UASB process followed by Fenton's oxidation technology used as a post-treatment unit

Improvement of COD and color removal from UASB treated poultry manure wastewater using Fenton's oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yetilmezsoy, Kaan; Sakar, Suleyman

2008-03-01

The applicability of Fenton's oxidation as an advanced treatment for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal from anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was investigated. The raw poultry manure wastewater, having a pH of 7.30 (+/-0.2) and a total COD of 12,100 (+/-910) mg/L was first treated in a 15.7 L of pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor was operated for 72 days at mesophilic conditions (32+/-2 degrees C) in a temperature-controlled environment with three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 15.7, 12 and 8.0 days, and with organic loading rates (OLR) between 0.650 and 1.783 kg COD/(m3day). Under 8.0 days of HRT, the UASB process showed a remarkable performance on total COD removal with a treatment efficiency of 90.7% at the day of 63. The anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was further treated by Fenton's oxidation process using Fe2+ and H2O2 solutions. Batch tests were conducted on the UASB effluent samples to determine the optimum operating conditions including initial pH, effects of H2O2 and Fe2+ dosages, and the ratio of H2O2/Fe2+. Preliminary tests conducted with the dosages of 100 mg Fe2+/L and 200 mg H2O2/L showed that optimal initial pH was 3.0 for both COD and color removal from the UASB effluent. On the basis of preliminary test results, effects of increasing dosages of Fe2+ and H2O2 were investigated. Under the condition of 400 mg Fe2+/L and 200 mg H2O2/L, removal efficiencies of residual COD and color were 88.7% and 80.9%, respectively. Under the subsequent condition of 100 mg Fe2+/L and 1200 mg H2O2/L, 95% of residual COD and 95.7% of residual color were removed from the UASB effluent. Results of this experimental study obviously indicated that nearly 99.3% of COD of raw poultry manure wastewater could be effectively removed by a UASB process followed by Fenton's oxidation technology used as a post-treatment unit.

Population pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital in infants with neonatal encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shellhaas, Renée A; Ng, Chee M; Dillon, Christina H; Barks, John D E; Bhatt-Mehta, Varsha

2013-02-01

Phenobarbital is the first-line treatment for neonatal seizures. Many neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy are treated with therapeutic hypothermia, and about 40% have clinical seizures. Little is known about the pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy who undergo therapeutic hypothermia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of therapeutic hypothermia on phenobarbital pharmacokinetics, taking into account maturational changes. Level 3 neonatal ICU. Infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and suspected seizures, all treated with phenobarbital. Some of these infants also received treatment with therapeutic hypothermia. None. A retrospective cohort study of 39 infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy treated with phenobarbital (20 were treated with therapeutic hypothermia and 19 were not). Data on phenobarbital plasma concentrations were collected in 39 subjects with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy with or without therapeutic hypothermia. Using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling, population pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital were developed with a total of 164 plasma concentrations. A one-compartment model best described the pharmacokinetics. The clearance of phenobarbital was linearly related to body weight and matured with increasing age with a maturation half-life of 22.1 days. Therapeutic hypothermia did not influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of phenobarbital. Therapeutic hypothermia does not influence the clearance of phenobarbital after accounting for weight and age. Standard phenobarbital dosing is appropriate for the initial treatment of seizures in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Efficacy and toxicity of conventionally fractionated pelvic radiation with a hypo fractionated simultaneous versus conventionally fractionated sequential boost for patients with high-risk prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, Andrew M.; Jacob, Rojymon; Dobelbower, Michael C.; Kim, Robert Y.; Fiveash, John B.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To determine if high-risk prostate cancer responds differently to hypo fractionation. Material and methods: One hundred and fifty-seven men with NCCN high-risk (T3, PSA 20, or Gleason 8) clinically localized prostate cancer treated between 1998 and 2010 met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. Eighty-two were treated with conventional WPRT with a conventionally fractionated sequential boost to the prostate (cRT), with the prostate receiving 75-77 Gy in 1.8 - 2.0 Gy fractions. Seventy-five were treated with pelvic IMRT with a hypo fractionated simultaneous boost to the prostate (hRT), with the prostate receiving 70 Gy in 2.5 Gy fractions. The dose to the pelvic lymph nodes was 45 Gy in the cRT group and 50.4 Gy in the hRT group, both at 1.8 Gy per fraction. Ninety-two percent received neoadjuvant hormonal ablation therapy, typically beginning two months prior to the start of RT. Results: Median follow-up was 6.5 years for men receiving cRT and 3.7 years for those receiving hRT. The actuarial rate of biochemical control at four years was 88% for cRT and 94% for hRT (p=0.82). The rates of early rectal and urinary grade ≥2 toxicities were 35% (29 of 82) and 49% (40 of 82) for the cRT group and 36% (27 of 75) and 44% (33 of 75) for the hRT group. The actuarial rate of late grade 2 rectal toxicity at four years was 25% for the cRT group and 13% for the hRT group (p=0.037). The rate of late grade 3 rectal complications was 4% (3 of 82) for patients receiving cRT and 1% (1 of 75) for patients receiving hRT. Conclusion: Initial follow-up indicates equivalent biochemical control between regimens. Patients receiving hRT experienced fewer late rectal complications

Algal-based immobilization process to treat the effluent from a secondary wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Shengbing; Xue Gang

2010-01-01

Algal-based immobilization process was applied to treat the effluent from a secondary wastewater treatment plant. Batch test proved that algae could attach onto fiber-bundle carrier in 7 days, and then the algal-based immobilization reactor could reduce TN (total nitrogen) and TP (total phosphorus) significantly within 48 h. Based on the above investigations, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the algal-based immobilization reactor in continuous operation mode was determined to be 2 days. During the 91 days of experiment on the treating secondary effluent of Guang-Rao wastewater treatment plant, it was found that the fiber-bundle carrier could collect the heterobacteria and nitrifying bacteria gradually, and thus improved the COD removal efficiency and nitrification performance step by step. Results of the continuous operation indicated that the final effluent could meet the Chinese National First A-level Sewage Discharge Standard when the algal-based immobilization reactor reached steady state.

Recurrence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Bolivian children and adults after a population-based "screen and treat" strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivapalasingam, Sumathi; Rajasingham, Anu; Macy, Jonathan T; Friedman, Cindy R; Hoekstra, Robert M; Ayers, Tracy; Gold, Benjamin; Quick, Robert E

2014-10-01

Strategies to prevent gastric cancer by decreasing Helicobacter pylori infections in high-prevalence, low-income countries could include a population-based "screen and treat" eradication program. We tested residents of two rural villages for H. pylori infection using urea breath test (UBT), treated infected persons using directly observed therapy (DOT), retested for cure, and retested after 1 year later for H. pylori infection. We tested 1,065 (92%) of 1153 residents from two villages in rural Bolivia. Baseline H. pylori prevalence was 80% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 78-84). Age-specific cure rates were similar (≥92%) after DOT. Among those cured, 12% (95% CI: 8-15) had recurrent infection. Age-specific annual H. pylori recurrence rates for combined villages were 20% (95% CI: 10-29) in persons pylori recurrence rates following a population-based screen and treat program; this H. pylori eradication strategy may not be feasible in high-prevalence, low-income settings. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cardiovascular Events in Cancer Patients Treated with Highly or Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy: Results from a Population-Based Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vo, T. T.; Nelson, J. J.

2012-01-01

Studies on cardiovascular safety in cancer patients treated with highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC or MEC), who may have taken the antiemetic, aprepitant, have been limited to clinical trials and postmarketing spontaneous reports. Our study explored background rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events among HEC- or MEC-treated cancer patients in a population-based setting to contextualize events seen in a new drug development program and to determine at a high level whether rates differed by aprepitant usage. Medical and pharmacy claims data from the 2005-2007 IMPACT National Benchmark Database were classified into emetogenic chemotherapy categories and CVD outcomes. Among 5827 HEC/MEC-treated patients, frequencies were highest for hypertension (16-21%) and composites of venous (7-12%) and arterial thromboembolic events (4-7%). Aprepitant users generally did not experience higher frequencies of events compared to nonusers. Our study serves as a useful benchmark of background CVD event rates in a population-based setting of cancer patients.

Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor at different temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmitwalli, Tarek; Otterpohl, Ralf

2011-01-01

The treatment of grey water in two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and temperatures, was investigated. The first reactor (UASB-A) was operated at ambient temperature (14-25 degrees C) and HRT of 20, 12 and 8 h, while the second reactor (UASB-30) was operated at controlled temperature of 30 degrees C and HRT of 16, 10 and 6 h. The two reactors were fed with grey water from 'Flintenbreite' settlement in Luebeck, Germany. When the grey water was treated in the UASB reactor at 30 degrees C, total chemical oxygen demand (CODt) removal of 52-64% was achieved at HRT between 6 and 16 h, while at lower temperature lower removal (31-41%) was obtained at HRT between 8 and 20 h. Total nitrogen and phosphorous removal in the UASB reactors were limited (22-36 and 10-24%, respectively) at all operational conditions. The results showed that at increasing temperature or decreasing HRT of the reactors, maximum specific methanogenic activity of the sludge in the reactors improved. As the UASB reactor showed a significantly higher COD removal (31-64%) than the septic tank (11-14%) even at low temperature, it is recommended to use UASB reactor instead of septic tank (the most common system) for grey water pre-treatment. Based on the achieved results and due to high peak flow factor, a HRT between 8 and 12 h can be considered the suitable HRT for the UASB reactor treating grey water at temperature 20-30 degrees C, while a HRT of 12-24 h can be applied at temperature lower than 20 degrees C.

Fungal post-treatment of pulp mill effluents for the removal of recalcitrant pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega-Clemente, Alfredo; Caffarel-Méndez, S; Ponce-Noyola, M T; Barrera-Córtes, J; Poggi-Varaldo, Héctor M

2009-03-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the post-treatment of an anaerobic recalcitrant effluent (anaerobically-treated weak black liquor, AnE) in an aerobic, upflow reactor packed with "biocubes" of Trametes versicolor immobilized onto small cubes of holm oak wood. The treated effluent (named anaerobic effluent; AnE) from an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor was fed to an up-flow aerobic fungal packed bed reactor (PBR). Two HRT were tested in this unit, namely 5 and 2.5days; the PBR operated 60days at 5-day HRT and 35days at 2.5-day HRT. The aerobic packed bench scale reactor was a glass column 1.5L total geometric volume containing 0.75L biocubes of T. versicolor immobilized onto holm oak wood small cubes of 5mm side. The reactor was operated at 25 degrees C. The pH of the AnE was adjusted to 4.5 before feeding; no carbohydrates or other soluble carbon source was supplemented. The fungal packed bed bioreactor averaged organic matter removals of 30% and 32% COD basis, during an experimental run of 60days at 5-day HRT and 35days at 2.5-day HRT, respectively. Colour and ligninoids contents were removed at higher percentages (69% and 54% respectively, average of both HRT). There was no significant difference between reactor performance at 5- and 2.5-day HRT, so, operation at 2.5-day HRT is recommended since reactor throughput is double. Activity of manganese peroxidase and laccase was found during the entire operation of the fungal PBR whereas lignin peroxidase activity practically disappeared in the second operation period. In general, enzyme activities were higher in the first period of operation (5-day HRT) than at 2.5-day HRT. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few works that demonstrated extended performance (3months) of a fungal bioreactor for the treatment of a recalcitrant wastewater with no supplementation of glucose or other expensive, soluble carbohydrate.

Wpływ zastosowanych gestagenów w ciągłej hormonalnej terapii zastępczej na wydzielanie insulinotropowego peptydu zależnego od glukozy i peptydu glukanopodobnego 1 u kobiet po menopauzie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iwona Rogatko

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: To evaluate GIP and GLP-1 secretion in postmenopausal women on the HRT in relation togestagen used. Material and method: 105 postmenopausal women (mean age 59.0 ±3.4 years were included in the study.Group I (n = 32 consisted of women treated with oral dydrogesterone and transdermal 17-b- estradiol. Group II(n = 30 was treated with 17-b-estradiol and dydrogesterone orally. Group III (n = 15 received 17-b-estradioltransdermally and medroxyprogesterone orally. Women from group IV (n = 10 received 17-b-estradiol and noretisteroneorally. Blood was taken twice – before and 60 min. after the meal - to the chilled tubes with EDTA andaprotinin. Such a protocol was used before the HRT began and in the 6th month of the HRT. Results: The HRT resulted in diminished plasma concentration of GIP and GLP-1 in both group I and II – beforeand after the meal (p < 0.05. In group III the same tendency in GIP levels was observed but the differenceswere not statistically significant. The GLP-1 concentrations were not affected by HRT, as well as GIP and GLP-1levels in group IV. Conclusion: The plasma concentration of incretins (GIP and GLP-1 depends on the route of HRT delivery andon the kind of gestagen used.

Sequential nitrification and denitrification in a novel palm shell granular activated carbon twin-chamber upflow bio-electrochemical reactor for treating ammonium-rich wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Mousavi, Seyyedalireza; Ibrahim, Shaliza; Aroua, Mohamed Kheireddine

2012-12-01

In this study, a twin-chamber upflow bio-electrochemical reactor packed with palm shell granular activated carbon as biocarrier and third electrode was used for sequential nitrification and denitrification of nitrogen-rich wastewater under different operating conditions. The experiments were performed at a constant pH value for the denitrification compartment. The effect of variables, namely, electric current (I) and hydraulic retention time (HRT), on the pH was considered in the nitrification chamber. The response surface methodology was used based on three levels to develop empirical models for the study on the effects of HRT and current values as independent operating variables on NH(4)(+)-N removal. The results showed that ammonium was reduced within the function of an extensive operational range of electric intensity (20-50 mA) and HRT (6-24h). The optimum condition for ammonium oxidation (90%) was determined with an I of 32 mA and HRT of 19.2h. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A horizontal plug-flow baffled bioelectrocatalyzed reactor for the reductive decolorization of Alizarin Yellow R.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qian; Li, Zhiling; Wang, Youzhao; Cui, Dan; Liang, Bin; Thangavel, Sangeetha; Chung, Jong Shik; Wang, Aijie

2015-11-01

An application-oriented membrane-free, continuous plug-flow baffled bioelectrocatalyzed reactor (PFB-BER), was designed and testified for the decolorization of Alizarin Yellow R. Decolorization efficiency (DE) with an external power source of 0.5 V was higher than without electrolysis, i.e. 93.4% versus 73.6% (HRT of 24 h). Product formation efficiencies of p-phenylenediamine and 5-aminosalicylic acid were above 95% and 50%, respectively. When HRT decreased to 8 h and 4 h, DE reduced to 69.9% and 44.9%, respectively. An additional electrode assembly improved DE to 96.4% (HRT of 8 h) and 80% (HRT of 4 h), while energy consumption (HRT of 4 h) was lower than that of HRT of 12 h with single electrode assembly under comparable DE. The PFB-BER with higher removal capacity, lower internal resistance and energy consumption provides a new solution to treat the high loading azo dye-containing wastewaters. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A bacterial population analysis of granular sludge from an anaerobic digester treating a maize-processing waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howgrave-Graham, A.R.; Wallis, F.M. (Natal Univ., Pietermaritzburg (ZA). Dept. of Microbiology and Plant Pathology); Steyn, P.L. (Pretoria Univ. (South Africa))

1991-01-01

Microbial population studies were conducted on a dense granular sludge, with excellent settling, thickening and nutrient removal properties, from a South African clarigester treating effluent from a factory producing glucose and other carbohydrates from maize. The bacterial population comprised a heterogeneous group including acetogens, enterobacteria, sulphate-reducers, spirochaetes, heterofermentative lactobacilli and methanogens. The presence of these bacteria and lack of propionic acid and butyric acid bacteria suggests that the microbial activity of this anaerobic digester involved acetate and lactate metabolism rather than propionate or butyrate catabolism as a source of precursors for methane production. (author).

Treating Tics and Tourette's Disorder in School Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Sulkowski, Michael L.; McGuire, Joseph F.; Tesoro, Andrew

2016-01-01

Children with Tourette's Disorder (TD) and other forms of tic disorders display a range of academic and psychosocial impairments that place them at risk for experiencing long-term negative life outcomes. Fortunately, effective treatments and interventions such as habit reversal training (HRT) have been developed and implemented in clinical…

Treatment and toxicity reduction of textile dyeing wastewater using the electrocoagulation-electroflotation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Han-Lae; Cho, Jong-Bok; Park, Yong-Jin; Cho, Il-Hyoung

2016-07-02

A pilot-scale study was conducted using the electrocoagulation-electroflotation (EC-EF) process to treat textile dyeing raw wastewater to evaluate treatment performance. The effects of some key factors, such as current density, hydraulic retention time (HRT), and removal of conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color were investigated. The operating variables were current density of 0-300 A m(-2), HRT of 0-30 min, and a coagulant (anionic polyacrylamide (A-PAM)) dosage of 0-30 mg L(-1). Daphnia magna was used to test acute toxicity in raw and treated wastewater. Under the operating conditions without added coagulant, maxima of 51%, 88%, 84%, and 99% of conductivity, TSS, COD, and color were removed, respectively, with a HRT of 30 min. The coagulant enhanced removal of all wastewater parameters. Removal maxima of 59%, 92%, 94%, and 98% for conductivity, TSS, COD, and color were observed, respectively, with an optimal dosage of 30 mg L(-1) and a shortened HRT of 20 min. The 48 h-LC50 D. magna test showed that the raw wastewater was highly toxic. However, the EC-EF process decreased toxicity of the treated samples significantly, and >70% toxicity reduction was achieved by the EC-EF process with the addition of 15-30 mg L(-1) coagulant, HRT of 20 min, and current density of 150-300 A m(-2). The pilot scale test (0.3 m(3 )h(-1)) shows that the EC-EF process with added coagulant effectively treated textile dyeing wastewater.

Rates of treated schizophrenia and its clinical and cultural features in the population isolate of the Iban of Sarawak: a tri-diagnostic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Robert; Loa, Peter; Jerah, Edward; Nancarrow, Derek; Chant, David; Mowry, Bryan

2005-02-01

We present results of a study of treated rates of schizophrenia among the Iban of Sarawak, Malaysia. Most Iban live in longhouses, each comprising a kindred group of up to 300 individuals. Cultural practices such as minimal intermarriage with members of adjacent ethnic groups and in-depth genealogical knowledge make them a population suitable for genetic investigation. Iban culture is conducive to a focus on symptoms and illness, and to patterns of treatment-seeking behaviour that are enthusiastic and persistent. We identified all known cases of psychotic disorder within a defined catchment area based on an exhaustive survey of available medical records. From corresponding Malaysian census data (91,056 persons), we report rates of treated schizophrenia in the Iban population, using three diagnostic systems, as well as the demographic and clinical characteristics of these individuals. The most frequent presenting complaints were insomnia and aggression. We found higher treated rates for narrowly defined schizophrenia among males, but no significant gender difference for age of onset. Estimates of treated rates to age 55 years (per 10,000) for narrow schizophrenia were 41.9 (ICD-10), 56.5 (DSM-IV), and 83 (RDC), while the rates for broad schizophrenia were 105.5, 103.2, and 107.5 respectively. Treated rates of schizophrenia were higher than the reported prevalence for many populations at risk, including many small-scale societies, although different methodological approaches may partly explain these findings. Given the cultural patterns of Iban treatment-seeking behaviour, treated rates of schizophrenia reported here may closely approximate the population prevalence of this disorder.

Sterilization of swine wastewater treated by anaerobic reactors using UV photo-reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erlon Lopes Pereira

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The use of ultraviolet radiation is an established procedure with growing application forthe disinfection of contaminated wastewater. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of artificial UV radiation, as a post treatment of liquid from anaerobic reactors treating swine effluent. The UV reactors were employed to sterilize pathogenic microorganisms. To this end, two photo-reactors were constructed using PVC pipe with100 mm diameter and 1060 mmlength, whose ends were sealed with PVC caps. The photo-reactors were designed to act on the liquid surface, as the lamp does not get into contact with the liquid. To increase the efficiency of UV radiation, photo-reactors were coated with aluminum foil. The lamp used in the reactors was germicidal fluorescent, with band wavelength of 230 nm, power of 30 Watts and manufactured by Techlux. In this research, the HRT with the highest removal efficiency was 0.063 days (90.6 minutes, even treating an effluent with veryhigh turbidity due to dissolved solids. It was concluded that the sterilization method using UV has proved to be an effective and appropriate process, among many other procedures.

Warm season performance of horizontal subsurface flow constructed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2013-06-14

Jun 14, 2013 ... degradation and population risk of diseases particularly ..... 5G: gravel substrate with a HRT of 5 days; 5S: sand substrate with a HRT of 5 days; 10G: gravel substrate with a .... American Public Health Association; American.

Load limit of a UASB fed septic tank-treated domestic wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohani, Sunil Prasad; Bakke, Rune; Khanal, Sanjay N

2015-01-01

Performance of a 250 L pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, operated at ambient temperatures, fed septic tank effluents intermittently, was monitored for hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 18 h to 4 h. The total suspended solids (TSS), total chemical oxygen demand (CODT), dissolved chemical oxygen demand (CODdis) and suspended chemical oxygen demand (CODss) removal efficiencies ranged from 20 to 63%, 15 to 56%, 8 to 35% and 22 to 72%, respectively, for the HRT range tested. Above 60% TSS and 47% CODT removal were obtained in the combined septic tank and UASB process. The process established stable UASB treatment at HRT≥6 h, indicating a hydraulic load design limit. The tested septic tank-UASB combined system can be a low-cost and effective on-site sanitation solution.

Improvement of COD and color removal from UASB treated poultry manure wastewater using Fenton's oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yetilmezsoy, Kaan [Department of Environmental Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, 34349 Yildiz, Besiktas, Istanbul (Turkey)], E-mail: yetilmez@yildiz.edu.tr; Sakar, Suleyman [Department of Environmental Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, 34349 Yildiz, Besiktas, Istanbul (Turkey)

2008-03-01

The applicability of Fenton's oxidation as an advanced treatment for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal from anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was investigated. The raw poultry manure wastewater, having a pH of 7.30 ({+-}0.2) and a total COD of 12,100 ({+-}910) mg/L was first treated in a 15.7 L of pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor was operated for 72 days at mesophilic conditions (32 {+-} 2 deg. C) in a temperature-controlled environment with three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 15.7, 12 and 8.0 days, and with organic loading rates (OLR) between 0.650 and 1.783 kg COD/(m{sup 3} day). Under 8.0 days of HRT, the UASB process showed a remarkable performance on total COD removal with a treatment efficiency of 90.7% at the day of 63. The anaerobically treated poultry manure wastewater was further treated by Fenton's oxidation process using Fe{sup 2+} and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} solutions. Batch tests were conducted on the UASB effluent samples to determine the optimum operating conditions including initial pH, effects of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and Fe{sup 2+} dosages, and the ratio of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/Fe{sup 2+}. Preliminary tests conducted with the dosages of 100 mg Fe{sup 2+}/L and 200 mg H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/L showed that optimal initial pH was 3.0 for both COD and color removal from the UASB effluent. On the basis of preliminary test results, effects of increasing dosages of Fe{sup 2+} and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} were investigated. Under the condition of 400 mg Fe{sup 2+}/L and 200 mg H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/L, removal efficiencies of residual COD and color were 88.7% and 80.9%, respectively. Under the subsequent condition of 100 mg Fe{sup 2+}/L and 1200 mg H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/L, 95% of residual COD and 95.7% of residual color were removed from the UASB effluent. Results of this experimental study obviously indicated that nearly 99.3% of COD of raw poultry manure wastewater could be effectively removed by a

Comparison of six sewage effluents treated with different treatment technologies-Population level responses in the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundstroem, Elin; Bjoerlenius, Berndt; Brinkmann, Markus; Hollert, Henner; Persson, Jan-Olov; Breitholtz, Magnus

2010-01-01

Since conventional treatment technologies may fail in removing many micro-pollutants, there is currently a focus on the potential of additional treatment technologies for improved sewage treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate six different effluents from Henriksdal Sewage Treatment Plant in Stockholm, Sweden. The effluents were; conventionally treated effluent (chemical phosphorous removal in combination with an activated sludge process, including biological nitrogen removal and a sand filter), with additional treatments individually added to the conventional treatment; active carbon filtration, ozonation at 5 mg l -1 , ozonation at 15 mg l -1 , ozonation at 5 mg l -1 + moving bed biofilm reactor and irradiation with ultraviolet radiation + hydrogen peroxide. The evaluation was done by characterizing and comparing the effluents using a Lefkovitch matrix model based on a life cycle test with the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes, combined with analysis of juvenile development and survival over time. The conventionally treated effluent resulted in the most negative effects, leading to the conclusion that all additional treatments in the present study created effluents with less negative impacts on the copepod populations. The ozone treatments with the low dose treatment in particular, resulted in the overall least negative effects. Moving bed biofilm reactor combined with ozone did not improve the quality of the effluent in the sense that slightly more negative effects on the population abundance were seen for this treatment technology compared to ozonation alone. The active carbon treatment had more negative effects than the ozone treatments, most of which could possibly be explained by removal of essential metal ions. The effluent which was treated with ultraviolet radiation + hydrogen peroxide resulted in few developmental and survival effects over time, but still showed negative effects on the population level. Matrix population modeling

Anaerobic treatment of rice winery wastewater in an upflow filter packed with steel slag under different hydraulic loading conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Yeadam; Kim, Jaai; Hwang, Seokhwan; Lee, Changsoo

2015-10-01

Rice-washing drainage (RWD), a strong organic wastewater, was anaerobically treated using an upflow filter filled with blast-furnace slag. The continuous performance of the reactor was examined at varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs). The reactor achieved 91.7% chemical oxygen demand removal (CODr) for a 10-day HRT (0.6 g COD/Ld organic loading rate) and maintained fairly stable performance until the HRT was shortened to 2.2 days (CODr > 84%). Further decreases in HRT caused process deterioration (CODr < 50% and pH < 5.5 for a 0.7-day HRT). The methane production rate increased with decreasing HRT to reach the peak level for a 1.3-day HRT, whereas the yield was significantly greater for 3.4-day or longer HRTs. The substrate removal and methane production kinetics were successfully evaluated, and the generated kinetic models produced good performance predictions. The methanogenic activity of the reactor likely relies on the filter biofilm, with Methanosaeta being the main driver. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Description of women's personality traits and psychological vulnerability prior to choosing hormone replacement therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loekkegaard, E; Eplov, L F; Køster, A

2002-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Data suggest that women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) represent a special subgroup of the general population regarding, for instance, cardiovascular risk factors and education. OBJECTIVE: To analyse if women who choose HRT are characterised a priori by high neuroticism sco...... confounders. The study suggests that selection bias among women choosing HRT may also include personality traits....... included Eysencks personality questionnaire concerning intro/extroversion and neuroticism. At the age of 45, the re-examination of the women included a test for psychological vulnerability. The participants reported whether or not they used HRT at the age of 40, 45, 51 and 60 years. The analyses comprised...

Effects of Physico-Chemical Post-Treatments on the Semi-Continuous Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinbo Tian

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Sludge production in wastewater treatment plants is increasing worldwide due to the increasing population. This work investigated the effects of ultrasonic (ULS, ultrasonic-ozone (ULS-Ozone and ultrasonic + alkaline (ULS+ALK post-treatments on the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge in semi-continuous anaerobic reactors. Three conditions were tested with different hydraulic retention times (HRT, 10 or 20 days and sludge recycle ratios (R = QR/Qin (%: 50 or 100%. Biogas yield increased by 17.8% when ULS+ALK post-treatment was applied to the effluent of a reactor operating at 20 days HRT and at a 100% recycle ratio. Operation at 10 days HRT also improved the biogas yield (277 mL CH4/g VSadded (VS: volatile solids versus 249 mL CH4/g VSadded in the control. The tested post-treatment methods showed 4–7% decrease in effluent VS. The post-treatment resulted in a decrease in the cellular ATP (Adenosine tri-phosphate concentration indicating stress imposed on microorganisms in the reactor. Nevertheless, this did not prevent higher biogas production. Based on the results, the post-treatment of digested sludge or treating the sludge between two digesters is an interesting alternative to pre-treatments.

Modelling of Two-Stage Anaerobic Treating Wastewater from a Molasses-Based Ethanol Distillery with the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kittikhun Taruyanon

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the application of ADM1 model to simulate the dynamic behaviour of a two-stage anaerobic treatment process treating the wastewater generated from the ethanol distillery process. The laboratory-scale process comprised an anaerobic continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR and an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB connecting in series, was used to treat wastewater from the ethanol distillery process. The CSTR and UASB hydraulic retention times (HRT were 12 and 70 hours, respectively. The model was developed based on ADM1 basic structure and implemented with the simulation software AQUASIM. The simulated results were compared with measured data obtained from using the laboratory-scale two-stage anaerobic treatment process to treat wastewater. The sensitivity analysis identified maximum specific uptake rate (km and half-saturation constant (Ks of acetate degrader and sulfate reducing bacteria as the kinetic parameters which highly affected the process behaviour, which were further estimated. The study concluded that the model could predict the dynamic behaviour of a two-stage anaerobic treatment process treating the ethanol distillery process wastewater with varying strength of influents with reasonable accuracy.

The effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance and fouling characteristics of membrane sequencing batch reactors used for the treatment of synthetic petroleum refinery wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Shariati, Seyed Ramin Pajoum; Bonakdarpour, Babak; Zare, Nasim; Ashtiani, Farzin Zokaee

2011-09-01

The use of membrane sequencing batch reactors, operated at HRT of 8, 16 and 24h, was considered for the treatment of a synthetic petroleum wastewater. Increase in HRT resulted in statistically significant decrease in MLSS. Removal efficiencies higher than 97% were found for the three model hydrocarbon pollutants at all HRTs, with air stripping making a small contribution to overall removal. Particle size distribution (PSD) and microscopic analysis showed reduction in the protozoan populations in the activated sludge with decreasing HRT. PSD analysis also showed a higher proportion of larger and smaller sized particles at the lowest HRT. The rate of membrane fouling was found to increase with decreasing HRT; SMP, especially carbohydrate SMP, and mixed liquor apparent viscosity also showed a pronounced increase with decreasing HRT, whereas the concentration of EPS and its components decreased. FTIR analysis identified organic compounds as the main component of membrane pore fouling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial populations in an agronomically managed mollisol treated with simulated acid rain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, K.W.; Cole, M.A.; Banwart, W.L.

1991-01-01

A fertile well-buffered mollisol (Flanagan silt loam, fine montmorillonitic mesic Aquic Arguidoll) under cultivation with corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was subjected to simulated rain of pH 5.6, 4.2, and 3.0, while moisture-activated rain exclusion shelters provided protection from ambient rain. Soil was sampled to a depth of 3 cm on four dates throughout the 1985 growing season. The following microorganisms were enumerated by plate counts or most probable number: general heterotrophic bacteria, general soil fungi, free-living N-fixing bacteria, fluorescent pseudomonads, autotrophic ammonium-oxidizing, nitrite-oxidizing, and thio-sulfate-oxidizing bacteria. The ANOVA was used to determine the combined and individual effects of rain treatments, crop field, and sampling date. Crop field and sampling date affected microbial numbers more than rain treatments. Overall, rain treatment effects were limited to nitrite-oxidizing bacteria; lower numbers occurred in the corn field in subplots treated with rain of pH 4.2 and 3.0, and in the soybean field treated with rain of pH 3.0. The trend was strongest in June and July. In the corn field in subplots treated with rain of pH 3.0, numbers of thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria were higher an numbers of general heterotrophic bacteria were lower; however, these trends were comparatively weak. Rain treatments caused essentially no decrease in soil pH, suggesting that acid rain constituents affect certain microbial populations without causing overt changes in pH. Because they appear to be unusually sensitive, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria could be used as experimental indicators of changes in soil microbial communities subjected to acid rain

Hormonal therapy and risk of breast cancer in mexican women.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amina Amadou

Full Text Available The use of hormonal therapies, including hormonal contraceptives (HC and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT have been shown to influence breast cancer (BC risk. However, the variations of these effects among populations and ethnic groups are not completely documented, especially among Hispanic women. We evaluated the association between HC and premenopausal BC risk, and between HRT and postmenopausal BC risk in Mexican women. Data from a Mexican multi-center population-based case-control study ofwomen aged 35 to 69 years were analysed. A total of 1000 cases and 1074 matched controls were recruited between 2004 and 2007. Information on hormonal therapy was collected through a structured questionnaire. Results were analysed using conditional logistic regression models. Overall, HC were used by 422/891 (47.3% premenopausal women and HRT was used by 220/1117 (19.7% postmenopausal women. For HC, odds ratios (ORs for BC were 1.11 (95% confidence interval (CI: 0.82, 1.49 for current users and 1.68 (95% CI: 0.67, 4.21 for ever-users. No clear effect of duration of use was observed. For HRT, the OR for BC was significantly increased in ever users (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.08. A non-significant increased risk was observed for combined estrogen/progestin, (OR =  1.85; 95% CI: 0.84, 4.07 whereas no effect was observed for the use of estrogen alone (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.91. Our results indicate that, HC had a non-significant effect on the risk of pre-menopausal BC, but suggested that injected contraceptives may slightly increase the risk, whereas HRT had a significant effect on post-menopausal BC in this population. This study provides new information about the effects of HC and HRT on BC risk in a Mexican population, which may be of relevance for the population of Latin America as a whole.

Menopause and hormone replacement therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Baziad

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The global population in the 21st century has reached 6.2 billion people, by the year 2025 it is to be around 8.3-8.5 billion, and will increase further. Elderly people are expected to grow rapidly than other groups. The fastest increase in the elderly population will take place in Asia. Life expectancy is increasing steadily throughout developed and developing countries. For many  menopausal women, increased life expectancy will accompanied by many health problems. The consequences of estrogen deficiency are the menopausal symptoms. The treatment of menopause related complaints and diseases became an  important socioeconomic and medical issue. Long term symptoms, such as the increase in osteoporosis fractures, cardio and cerebrovascular disesses and dementia, created a large financial burden on individuals and society. All these health problems can be lreated or prevented by hormone replacement therapy (HRT. Natural HRT is usually prefened. Synthetic  estrogen in oral contraceptives (oc are not recommended for HRT. Many contra-indications for oc, but now it is widely usedfor HRT. The main reasons for discontinuing HRT are unwanted bleeding, fear of cancer, and negative side effects. Until now there are sill debates about the rebrtonship between HRT and the incidence of breast cancer. Many data showed that there were no clear relationship between the use of HRT and breast cancer. ThereÎore, nwny experts advocate the use of HRTfrom the first sign of climacteric complaints until death. (Med J Indones 2001;10: 242-51Keywords: estrogen deficiency, climacteric phases, tibolone.

Comparison of six sewage effluents treated with different treatment technologies--population level responses in the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundström, Elin; Björlenius, Berndt; Brinkmann, Markus; Hollert, Henner; Persson, Jan-Olov; Breitholtz, Magnus

2010-03-01

Since conventional treatment technologies may fail in removing many micro-pollutants, there is currently a focus on the potential of additional treatment technologies for improved sewage treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate six different effluents from Henriksdal Sewage Treatment Plant in Stockholm, Sweden. The effluents were; conventionally treated effluent (chemical phosphorous removal in combination with an activated sludge process, including biological nitrogen removal and a sand filter), with additional treatments individually added to the conventional treatment; active carbon filtration, ozonation at 5 mg l(-1), ozonation at 15 mg l(-1), ozonation at 5 mg l(-1)+moving bed biofilm reactor and irradiation with ultraviolet radiation+hydrogen peroxide. The evaluation was done by characterizing and comparing the effluents using a Lefkovitch matrix model based on a life cycle test with the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes, combined with analysis of juvenile development and survival over time. The conventionally treated effluent resulted in the most negative effects, leading to the conclusion that all additional treatments in the present study created effluents with less negative impacts on the copepod populations. The ozone treatments with the low dose treatment in particular, resulted in the overall least negative effects. Moving bed biofilm reactor combined with ozone did not improve the quality of the effluent in the sense that slightly more negative effects on the population abundance were seen for this treatment technology compared to ozonation alone. The active carbon treatment had more negative effects than the ozone treatments, most of which could possibly be explained by removal of essential metal ions. The effluent which was treated with ultraviolet radiation+hydrogen peroxide resulted in few developmental and survival effects over time, but still showed negative effects on the population level. Matrix population modeling proved a

Comparison of six sewage effluents treated with different treatment technologies-Population level responses in the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lundstroem, Elin, E-mail: elin.lundstrom@itm.su.se [Stockholm University, Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), S-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Bjoerlenius, Berndt [Stockholm Water Company, S-106 36 Stockholm (Sweden); Brinkmann, Markus; Hollert, Henner [RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, D-520 74 Aachen (Germany); Persson, Jan-Olov [Stockholm University, Department of Mathematics, S-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Breitholtz, Magnus [Stockholm University, Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), S-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden)

2010-03-01

Since conventional treatment technologies may fail in removing many micro-pollutants, there is currently a focus on the potential of additional treatment technologies for improved sewage treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate six different effluents from Henriksdal Sewage Treatment Plant in Stockholm, Sweden. The effluents were; conventionally treated effluent (chemical phosphorous removal in combination with an activated sludge process, including biological nitrogen removal and a sand filter), with additional treatments individually added to the conventional treatment; active carbon filtration, ozonation at 5 mg l{sup -1}, ozonation at 15 mg l{sup -1}, ozonation at 5 mg l{sup -1} + moving bed biofilm reactor and irradiation with ultraviolet radiation + hydrogen peroxide. The evaluation was done by characterizing and comparing the effluents using a Lefkovitch matrix model based on a life cycle test with the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes, combined with analysis of juvenile development and survival over time. The conventionally treated effluent resulted in the most negative effects, leading to the conclusion that all additional treatments in the present study created effluents with less negative impacts on the copepod populations. The ozone treatments with the low dose treatment in particular, resulted in the overall least negative effects. Moving bed biofilm reactor combined with ozone did not improve the quality of the effluent in the sense that slightly more negative effects on the population abundance were seen for this treatment technology compared to ozonation alone. The active carbon treatment had more negative effects than the ozone treatments, most of which could possibly be explained by removal of essential metal ions. The effluent which was treated with ultraviolet radiation + hydrogen peroxide resulted in few developmental and survival effects over time, but still showed negative effects on the population level. Matrix population

The effect of hormonal replacement therapy on breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Mi Gyoung; Oh, Ki Keun; Kim, Mi Hye

1995-01-01

To evaluate mammographic and sonographic breast parenchymal changes and the risk of breast cancer in women on hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). The study group consisted of 50 patients examined with serial mammograms and/or ultrasonograms during HRT. The control group consisted of 50 patients examined with serial mammogram for a routine health check. Mammographic parenchymal changes in both the study and control groups and sonographic findings of 27/50 patients in study group were evaluated. Follow-up mammogram of the control group showed no interval change or slight evolution of parenchyma with increasing age, but the study group showed increasing parenchymal densities. Most frequently encountered finding on sonogram in 11 women treated by estrogen alone, was ductal dilatation (7 cases; 64%), whereas in 16 women treated by estrogen and progesteron it was ductal epithelial hyperplasia (8 cases; 50%). Overall, four breast cancers developed; one infiltrating ductal carcinoma and three ductal carcinoma in situ. HRT causes the changes of breast parenchyma on mammogram and sonogram of postmenopausal women, and increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Therefore, careful and regular examination should be followed in those on postmenopausal HRT

A population-based validation study of the DCIS Score predicting recurrence risk in individuals treated by breast-conserving surgery alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Rakovitch, Eileen; Nofech-Mozes, Sharon; Hanna, Wedad; Baehner, Frederick L; Saskin, Refik; Butler, Steven M; Tuck, Alan; Sengupta, Sandip; Elavathil, Leela; Jani, Prashant A; Bonin, Michel; Chang, Martin C; Robertson, Susan J; Slodkowska, Elzbieta; Fong, Cindy; Anderson, Joseph M; Jamshidian, Farid; Miller, Dave P; Cherbavaz, Diana B; Shak, Steven; Paszat, Lawrence

2015-07-01

Validated biomarkers are needed to improve risk assessment and treatment decision-making for women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. The Oncotype DX DCIS Score (DS) was shown to predict the risk of local recurrence (LR) in individuals with low-risk DCIS treated by breast-conserving surgery (BCS) alone. Our objective was to confirm these results in a larger population-based cohort of individuals. We used an established population-based cohort of individuals diagnosed with DCIS treated with BCS alone from 1994 to 2003 with validation of treatment and outcomes. Central pathology assessment excluded cases with invasive cancer, DCIS < 2 mm or positive margins. Cox model was used to determine the relationship between independent covariates, the DS (hazard ratio (HR)/50 Cp units (U)) and LR. Tumor blocks were collected for 828 patients. Final evaluable population includes 718 cases, of whom 571 had negative margins. Median follow-up was 9.6 years. 100 cases developed LR following BCS alone (DCIS, N = 44; invasive, N = 57). In the primary pre-specified analysis, the DS was associated with any LR (DCIS or invasive) in ER+ patients (HR 2.26; P < 0.001) and in all patients regardless of ER status (HR 2.15; P < 0.001). DCIS Score provided independent information on LR risk beyond clinical and pathologic variables including size, age, grade, necrosis, multifocality, and subtype (adjusted HR 1.68; P = 0.02). DCIS was associated with invasive LR (HR 1.78; P = 0.04) and DCIS LR (HR 2.43; P = 0.005). The DCIS Score independently predicts and quantifies individualized recurrence risk in a population of patients with pure DCIS treated by BCS alone.

Models of antimicrobial pressure on intestinal bacteria of the treated host populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Volkova, V V; Cazer, C L; Gröhn, Y T

2017-07-01

Antimicrobial drugs are used to treat pathogenic bacterial infections in animals and humans. The by-stander enteric bacteria of the treated host's intestine can become exposed to the drug or its metabolites reaching the intestine in antimicrobially active form. We consider which processes and variables need to be accounted for to project the antimicrobial concentrations in the host's intestine. Those include: the drug's fraction (inclusive of any active metabolites) excreted in bile; the drug's fractions and intestinal segments of excretion via other mechanisms; the rates and intestinal segments of the drug's absorption and re-absorption; the rates and intestinal segments of the drug's abiotic and biotic degradation in the intestine; the digesta passage time through the intestinal segments; the rates, mechanisms, and reversibility of the drug's sorption to the digesta and enteric microbiome; and the volume of luminal contents in the intestinal segments. For certain antimicrobials, the antimicrobial activity can further depend on the aeration and chemical conditions in the intestine. Model forms that incorporate the inter-individual variation in those relevant variables can support projections of the intestinal antimicrobial concentrations in populations of treated host, such as food animals. To illustrate the proposed modeling framework, we develop two examples of treatments of bovine respiratory disease in beef steers by oral chlortetracycline and injectable third-generation cephalosporin ceftiofur. The host's diet influences the digesta passage time, volume, and digesta and microbiome composition, and may influence the antimicrobial loss due to degradation and sorption in the intestine. We consider two diet compositions in the illustrative simulations. The examples highlight the extent of current ignorance and need for empirical data on the variables influencing the selective pressures imposed by antimicrobial treatments on the host's intestinal bacteria.

Performance evaluation of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor pilot plant system used in treating real wastewater from recycled paper industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhamad, Mohd Hafizuddin; Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah; Mohamad, Abu Bakar; Rahman, Rakmi Abdul; Kadhum, Abdul Amir Hasan

2012-01-01

A pilot scale granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor with a capacity of 2.2 m3 was operated for over three months to evaluate its performance treating real recycled paper industry wastewater under different operational conditions. In this study, dissolved air floatation (DAF) and clarifier effluents were used as influent sources of the pilot plant. During the course of the study, the reactor was able to biodegrade the contaminants in the incoming recycled paper mill wastewater in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), adsorbable organic halides (AOX; specifically 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) removal efficiencies at varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 1-3 days, aeration rates (ARs) of 2.1-3.4 m3/min and influent feed concentration of 40-950 mg COD/l. Percentages of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals increased with increasing HRT, resulting in more than 90% COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals at HRT values above two days. Degradation of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N were seriously affected by variation of ARs, which resulted in significant decrease of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals by decreasing ARs from 3.4 m3/min to 2.1 m3/min, varying in the ranges of 24-80%, 6-96% and 5-42%, respectively. In comparison to the clarifier effluent, the treatment performance of DAF effluent, containing high COD concentration, resulted in a higher COD removal of 82%. The use of diluted DAF effluent did not improve significantly the COD removal. Higher NH3-N removal efficiency of almost 100% was observed during operation after maintenance shutdown compared to normal operation, even at the same HRT of one day due to the higher dissolved oxygen concentrations (1-7 mg/l), while no significant difference in COD removal efficiency was observed.

Derangement of lipid profile in antiepileptic drugs treated patients in local population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuberi, N.A.; Perveen, T.

2012-01-01

Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder. It is not a single entity. The abnormal electrical activity may result in a variety of events, including loss of consciousness, abnormal movements, a typical or odd behavior or distorted perceptions falls seizers. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder and often requiring years of treatment. A large number of drugs are used for the treatment of epilepsy. The choice among the antiepileptic drugs depends on its effectiveness and side effects. Our retrospective study investigated the effect of anti epileptic drugs on lipid profile. Serum lipid profile was measured in 160 patients in which 40 patients were not started any antiepileptic drug .The remaining 120 patients were receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). 40 control subjects were taken from general population for comparison. The height, weight and body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile of antiepileptic drugs treated patients were compared with control and untreated group. The weight and body mass index of antiepileptic drugs treated group was significantly increased when compared to the control group. Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TO), High density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), ratio TC/HDL-C and ratio LDL-C/HDL-C were investigated for each group of drugs and controls. TC, TO, LDL-C, ratio TC/HDL-C and ratio LDL-C/HDL-C were significantly increased in patients who were on AEDs when compared with control but HDL-C of all drug treated groups showed significantly decreased when compared with control group. There was significant change in lipid profile was seen in AEDs treated group when compared with control group. Ratio TC/HDL-C and ratio LDUHDL-C alteration showed the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Anti-epileptic drugs also alter the BMI and so it could potentially facilitate the development of diabetes mellitus. Our results additionally suggest that there is a need for careful monitoring of lipid profile in

Hormone replacement therapy in cancer survivors: Utopia?

Science.gov (United States)

Angioli, Roberto; Luvero, Daniela; Armento, Grazia; Capriglione, Stella; Plotti, Francesco; Scaletta, Giuseppe; Lopez, Salvatore; Montera, Roberto; Gatti, Alessandra; Serra, Giovan Battista; Benedetti Panici, Pierluigi; Terranova, Corrado

2018-04-01

As growing of old women population, menopausal women will also increase: an accurate estimation of postmenopausal population is an essential information for health care providers considering that with aging, the incidence of all cancers is expected to increase. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has proven to be highly effective in alleviating menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, dyspareunia, sexual disorders, and insomnia and in preventing osteoporosis. According to preclinical data, estrogen and progesterone are supposed to be involved in the induction and progression of breast and endometrial cancers. Similarly, in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the pathogenesis seems to be at least partly hormonally influenced. Is HRT in gynecological cancer survivors possible? The literature data are controversial. Many clinicians remain reluctant to prescribe HRT for these patients due to the fear of relapse and the risk to develop coronary heart disease or breast cancer. Before the decision to use HRT an accurate counselling should be mandatory in order to individualizing on the basis of potential risks and benefits, including a close follow-up. Nevertheless, we do believe that with strong informed consent doctors may individually consider to prescribe some course of HRT in order to minimize menopausal symptoms and disease related to hormonal reduction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A population-based validation study of the DCIS Score predicting recurrence risk in individuals treated by breast-conserving surgery alone

OpenAIRE

Rakovitch, Eileen; Nofech-Mozes, Sharon; Hanna, Wedad; Baehner, Frederick L.; Saskin, Refik; Butler, Steven M.; Tuck, Alan; Sengupta, Sandip; Elavathil, Leela; Jani, Prashant A.; Bonin, Michel; Chang, Martin C.; Robertson, Susan J.; Slodkowska, Elzbieta; Fong, Cindy

2015-01-01

Validated biomarkers are needed to improve risk assessment and treatment decision-making for women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. The Oncotype DX? DCIS Score (DS) was shown to predict the risk of local recurrence (LR) in individuals with low-risk DCIS treated by breast-conserving surgery (BCS) alone. Our objective was to confirm these results in a larger population-based cohort of individuals. We used an established population-based cohort of individuals diagnosed with DC...

The effects of awareness training on tics in a young boy with Tourette syndrome, Asperger syndrome, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiskow, Katie M; Klatt, Kevin P

2013-01-01

Previous research has shown habit reversal training (HRT) to be effective in reducing tics. In some studies, tics have been reduced by implementing only a few components of HRT. The current study investigated the first step, awareness training, for treating tics in a young boy with Asperger syndrome, Tourette syndrome, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The results showed a reduction in all tics. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Dydrogesterone does not reverse the cardiovascular benefits of percutaneous estradiol.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuba, V M; Teixeira, M A M; Meirelles, R M R; Assumpção, C R L; Costa, O S

2013-02-01

To evaluate the influence of dydrogesterone on estimated cardiovascular risk of users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (with percutaneous 17β-estradiol in monotherapy and in combination with dydrogesterone) and HRT non-users through the Framingham score tool for a period of 2 years. Framingham scores were calculated from the medical records of patients treated for at least 2 years with 17β-estradiol alone or in combination with dydrogesterone, along with HRT non-users, through the analysis of patient medical records, followed for at least 2 years at Instituto Estadual de Diabetes e Endocrinologia Luiz Capriglione. Improvements in lipid profile, glucose and blood pressure levels, which reduced the estimated cardiovascular risk, were observed in the 17β-estradiol group. Similar changes were observed in the users of 17β-estradiol + dydrogesterone, suggesting that this progestogen does not attenuate the effects caused by 17β-estradiol. Both HRT groups showed a reduction in their Framingham score. In contrast to data from other HRT investigations on cardiovascular risk, these formulations proved to be safe, even in the first year of use.

Biohydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) using thermophilic mixed cultures immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongjan, Prawit; O-Thong, Sompong; Angelidaki, Irini

2011-01-01

Hydrogen production from desugared molasses (DM) was investigated in both batch and continuous reactors using thermophilic mixed cultures enriched from digested manure by load shock (loading with DM concentration of 50.1 g-sugar/L) to suppress methanogens. H2 gas, free of methane, was produced......) and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum with a relative abundance of 36%, 27%, and 10% of total microorganisms, respectively. This study shows that hydrogen production could be efficiently facilitated by using anaerobic granules as a carrier, where microbes from mixed culture enriched in the DM batch cultivation....... The enriched hydrogen producing mixed culture achieved from the 16.7 g-sugars/L DM batch cultivation was immobilized on heat treated anaerobic sludge granules in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor, operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h fed with 16.7 g...

Mutation of HIV-1 Genomes in a Clinical Population Treated with the Mutagenic Nucleoside KP1461

OpenAIRE

Mullins, James I.; Heath, Laura; Hughes, James P.; Kicha, Jessica; Styrchak, Sheila; Wong, Kim G.; Rao, Ushnal; Hansen, Alexis; Harris, Kevin S.; Laurent, Jean-Pierre; Li, Deyu; Simpson, Jeffrey H.; Essigmann, John M.; Loeb, Lawrence A.; Parkins, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

The deoxycytidine analog KP1212, and its prodrug KP1461, are prototypes of a new class of antiretroviral drugs designed to increase viral mutation rates, with the goal of eventually causing the collapse of the viral population. Here we present an extensive analysis of viral sequences from HIV-1 infected volunteers from the first "mechanism validation" phase II clinical trial of a mutagenic base analog in which individuals previously treated with antiviral drugs received 1600 mg of KP1461 twic...

Hormonal replacement therapy reduces forearm fracture incidence in recent postmenopausal women - results of the Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mosekilde, Leif; Beck-Nielsen, H.; Sørensen, O.H.

2000-01-01

-to-treat analysis (n=2016), overall fracture risk was borderline statistically significantly reduced (RR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.50-1.05), and forearm fracture risk was significantly reduced (RR=0.45, 95% CI: 0.22-0.90) with HRT. Restricting the analysis to women who had adhered to their initial allocation of either HRT (n......OBJECTIVES: To study the fracture reducing potential of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in recent postmenopausal women in a primary preventive scenario. METHODS: Prospective controlled comprehensive cohort trial: 2016 healthy women aged 45-58 years, from three to 24 months past last menstrual...... by own choice). First line HRT was oral sequential oestradiol/norethisterone in women with intact uterus and oral continuous oestradiol in hysterectomised women. RESULTS: After five years, a total of 156 fractures were sustained by 140 women. There were 51 forearm fractures in 51 women. By intention...

Exploitation of rapid acidification phenomena of food waste in reducing the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of high rate anaerobic digester without conceding on biogas yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuruti, Kranti; Begum, Sameena; Ahuja, Shruti; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao; Juntupally, Sudharshan; Gandu, Bharath; Ahuja, Devender Kumar

2017-02-01

The aim of the present work was to study and infer a full scale experience on co-digestion of 1000kg of FW (400kg cooked food waste and 600kg uncooked food waste) and 2000L of rice gruel (RG) on daily basis based on a high rate biomethanation technology called "Anaerobic gas lift reactor" (AGR). The pH of raw substrate was low (5.2-5.5) that resulted in rapid acidification phenomena with in 12h in the feed preparation tank that facilitated to obtain a lower hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 10days. At full load, AGR was fed with 245kg of total solids, 205kg of volatile solids (167kg of organic matter in terms of chemical oxygen demand) which resulted in the generation of biogas and bio manure of 140m 3 /day and 110kg/day respectively. The produced biogas replaced 60-70kg of LPG per day. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

comparison of lipoproteins as coronary risk factors in postmenopausal women with and without hormonal replacement therapy in Rawalpindi/Islamabad area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayat, A.; Ghayur, S.; Sattar, A.; Hashim, R.; Ijaz, A.; Khan, F.A.

2010-01-01

Objective: To compare serum concentration of Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) between post menopausal women on HRT and without HRT. Study Design: Comparative, cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi from 2006 to 2007. Materials and methods: Postmenopausal women with no co-morbidities and on any type of HRT for at least one year were selected as cases and healthy postmenopausal women not taking any type of HRT were taken as controls. All these cases were selected randomly. After clinical history and physical examination, blood sampling was carried out for lipid profile including Lp(a) in fasting state. Results: A total of 50 postmenopausal women on HRT and their age matched healthy controls (postmenopausal women without HRT) were studied. The mean age of HRT treated group was 56.7 +- 0 (mean +- ) years. The mean age of menopause of study group was 50.4 +- 10.6 0 year and the mean years since menopause were 8.4 +- 4.6 years. There was no statistically significant difference in age, age at menopause and years since menopause between study and control groups. The frequencies for the type of HRT were calculated. Thirty two of the women were using combination therapy i.e.; estrogen plus progesterone while 18 of them were using estrogen therapy alone. None of them were using other types of HRT like SERMs or tibolone. The mean values of TC, LDL-C and Lp (a) were lower than the control group. The mean value of HDL-C and TG was higher in study group as compared to control group. On comparative analysis of the lipid profile of the two groups employing unpaired t-test, statistically significant difference was observed in the levels of LDL-C, HDL-C and Lp(a). However TC and TG levels were not significantly different in women belonging to either group. Conclusions: HRT has beneficial

Performance and microbial community composition in a long-term sequential anaerobic-aerobic bioreactor operation treating coking wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Dev Raj; Zhang, Yu; Tian, Zhe; Gao, Yingxin; Yang, Min

2016-09-01

The combined anaerobic-aerobic biosystem is assumed to consume less energy for the treatment of high strength industrial wastewater. In this study, pollutant removal performance and microbial diversity were assessed in a long-term (over 300 days) bench-scale sequential anaerobic-aerobic bioreactor treating coking wastewater. Anaerobic treatment removed one third of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and more than half of the phenols with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 42 h, while the combined system with total HRT of 114 h removed 81.8, 85.6, 99.9, 98.2, and 85.4 % of COD, total organic carbon (TOC), total phenols, thiocyanate, and cyanide, respectively. Two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry showed complete removal of phenol derivatives and nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds (NHCs) via the combined system, with the anaerobic process alone contributing 58.4 and 58.6 % removal on average, respectively. Microbial activity in the bioreactors was examined by 454 pyrosequencing of the bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities. Proteobacteria (61.2-93.4 %), particularly Betaproteobacteria (34.4-70.1 %), was the dominant bacterial group. Ottowia (14.1-46.7 %), Soehngenia (3.0-8.2 %), and Corynebacterium (0.9-12.0 %), which are comprised of phenol-degrading and hydrolytic bacteria, were the most abundant genera in the anaerobic sludge, whereas Thiobacillus (6.6-43.6 %), Diaphorobacter (5.1-13.0 %), and Comamonas (0.2-11.1 %) were the major degraders of phenol, thiocyanate, and NHCs in the aerobic sludge. Despite the low density of fungi, phenol degrading oleaginous yeast Trichosporon was abundant in the aerobic sludge. This study demonstrated the feasibility and optimization of less energy intensive treatment and the potential association between abundant bacterial groups and biodegradation of key pollutants in coking wastewater.

Influence of lifestyle factors on mammographic density in postmenopausal women.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith S Brand

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mammographic density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Apart from hormone replacement therapy (HRT, little is known about lifestyle factors that influence breast density. METHODS: We examined the effect of smoking, alcohol and physical activity on mammographic density in a population-based sample of postmenopausal women without breast cancer. Lifestyle factors were assessed by a questionnaire and percentage and area measures of mammographic density were measured using computer-assisted software. General linear models were used to assess the association between lifestyle factors and mammographic density and effect modification by body mass index (BMI and HRT was studied. RESULTS: Overall, alcohol intake was positively associated with percent mammographic density (P trend  = 0.07. This association was modified by HRT use (P interaction  = 0.06: increasing alcohol intake was associated with increasing percent density in current HRT users (P trend  = 0.01 but not in non-current users (P trend  = 0.82. A similar interaction between alcohol and HRT was found for the absolute dense area, with a positive association being present in current HRT users only (P interaction  = 0.04. No differences in mammographic density were observed across categories of smoking and physical activity, neither overall nor in stratified analyses by BMI and HRT use. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing alcohol intake is associated with an increase in mammography density, whereas smoking and physical activity do not seem to influence density. The observed interaction between alcohol and HRT may pose an opportunity for HRT users to lower their mammographic density and breast cancer risk.

Validation of the DRAGON Score in a Chinese Population to Predict Functional Outcome of Intravenous Thrombolysis-Treated Stroke Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinmiao; Liao, Xiaoling; Wang, Chunjuan; Liu, Liping; Wang, Chunxue; Zhao, Xingquan; Pan, Yuesong; Wang, Yilong; Wang, Yongjun

2015-08-01

The DRAGON score predicts functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Our aim was to evaluate its utility in a Chinese stroke population. Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis were prospectively registered in the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of acute ischemic Stroke in China. We excluded patients with basilar artery occlusion and missing data, leaving 970 eligible patients. We calculated the DRAGON score, and the clinical outcome was measured by the modified Rankin Scale at 3 months. Model discrimination was quantified by calculating the C statistic. Calibration was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient. The C statistic was .73 (.70-.76) for good outcome and .75 (.70-.79) for miserable outcome. Proportions of patients with good outcome were 94%, 83%, 70%, and 0% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 score points, respectively. Proportions of patients with miserable outcome were 0%, 3%, 9%, and 50% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 points, respectively. There was high correlation between predicted and observed probability of 3-month favorable and miserable outcome in the external validation cohort (Pearson correlation coefficient, .98 and .98, respectively, both P DRAGON score showed good performance to predict functional outcome after tissue-type plasminogen activator treatment in the Chinese population. This study demonstrated the accuracy and usability of the DRAGON score in the Chinese population in daily practice. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A combined process to treat lemon industry wastewater and produce biogas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navarro, A.R.; Rubio, M.C.; Maldonado, M.C. [Quimica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Facultad de Bioquimica, Ayacucho, Tucuman (Argentina)

2012-02-15

We studied a process employed for treating lemon industry effluents, using the macrophyte Eishhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) in a phytoremediation tank with a 6000-L workload. The diluted effluents BOD and COD were reduced to 70 and 61%, respectively, working with a 1.5-h hydraulic residence time (HRT). We investigated the effect of adding every 12 h an inoculum consisting of a consortium of microorganisms isolated from the macrophyte roots and recirculating 30% of the outflow. In this way, we achieved a volumetric removal rate (VRR) of BOD = 354 g/m{sup 3} day. Plants were daily harvested from the tank to maintain growth rate and the density originally planted. We studied their use for biogas production in an anaerobic digester working with 12 and 16 days of hydraulic residence time. The yield obtained was 0.87 L/g and productivity 0.87 L/L day with a loading rate of 5 g/L day. Integrating both processes on an industrial scale would solve the effluent pollution problem and generate an energy source that could be used by the industry itself to lower its production costs. (orig.)

Altered distributions of bone tissue mineral and collagen properties in women with fragility fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhen Xiang; Lloyd, Ashley A; Burket, Jayme C; Gourion-Arsiquaud, Samuel; Donnelly, Eve

2016-03-01

and immature crosslinks, as well as moderately mature tissue, is an important characteristic of healthy, fracture-resistant bone. Finally, the larger mean and low-tail values of mineral:matrix ratio and collagen maturity noted in our -Fx+HRT vs. -Fx-HRT biopsies are consistent with greater tissue age and greater BMD arising from decreased osteoclastic resorption in HRT-treated patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized Phase III Noninferiority Study Comparing Two Radiotherapy Fractionation Schedules in Patients With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Dignam, James J.; Amin, Mahul B.; Bruner, Deborah W.; Low, Daniel; Swanson, Gregory P.; Shah, Amit B.; D’Souza, David P.; Michalski, Jeff M.; Dayes, Ian S.; Seaward, Samantha A.; Hall, William A.; Nguyen, Paul L.; Pisansky, Thomas M.; Faria, Sergio L.; Chen, Yuhchyau; Koontz, Bridget F.; Paulus, Rebecca; Sandler, Howard M.

2016-01-01

Purpose Conventional radiotherapy (C-RT) treatment schedules for patients with prostate cancer typically require 40 to 45 treatments that take place from > 8 to 9 weeks. Preclinical and clinical research suggest that hypofractionation—fewer treatments but at a higher dose per treatment—may produce similar outcomes. This trial was designed to assess whether the efficacy of a hypofractionated radiotherapy (H-RT) treatment schedule is no worse than a C-RT schedule in men with low-risk prostate cancer. Patients and Methods A total of 1,115 men with low-risk prostate cancer were randomly assigned 1:1 to C-RT (73.8 Gy in 41 fractions over 8.2 weeks) or to H-RT (70 Gy in 28 fractions over 5.6 weeks). This trial was designed to establish (with 90% power and an α of .05) that treatment with H-RT results in 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) that is not worse than C-RT by more than 7.65% (H-RT/C-RT hazard ratio [HR] < 1.52). Results A total of 1,092 men were protocol eligible and had follow-up information; 542 patients were assigned to C-RT and 550 to H-RT. Median follow-up was 5.8 years. Baseline characteristics were not different according to treatment assignment. The estimated 5-year DFS was 85.3% (95% CI, 81.9 to 88.1) in the C-RT arm and 86.3% (95% CI, 83.1 to 89.0) in the H-RT arm. The DFS HR was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.64 to 1.14), and the predefined noninferiority criterion that required that DFS outcomes be consistent with HR < 1.52 was met (P < .001). Late grade 2 and 3 GI and genitourinary adverse events were increased (HR, 1.31 to 1.59) in patients who were treated with H-RT. Conclusion In men with low-risk prostate cancer, the efficacy of 70 Gy in 28 fractions over 5.6 weeks is not inferior to 73.8 Gy in 41 fractions over 8.2 weeks, although an increase in late GI/genitourinary adverse events was observed in patients treated with H-RT. PMID:27044935

Coupling digestion in a pilot-scale UASB reactor and electrochemical oxidation over BDD anode to treat diluted cheese whey.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsoni, Alphathanasia; Mantzavinos, Dionissios; Diamadopoulos, Evan

2014-11-01

The efficiency of the anaerobic treatment of cheese whey (CW) at mesophilic conditions was investigated. In addition, the applicability of electrochemical oxidation as an advanced post-treatment for the complete removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the anaerobically treated cheese whey was evaluated. The diluted cheese whey, having a pH of 6.5 and a total COD of 6 g/L, was first treated in a 600-L, pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB process, which was operated for 87 days at mesophilic conditions (32 ± 2 °C) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days, led to a COD removal efficiency between 66 and 97 %, while the particulate matter of the wastewater was effectively removed by entrapment in the sludge blanket of the reactor. When the anaerobic reactor effluent was post-treated over a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode at 9 and 18 A and in the presence of NaCl as the supporting electrolyte, complete removal of COD was attained after 3-4 h of reaction. During electrochemical experiments, three groups of organochlorinated compounds, namely trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), and haloketons (HKs), as well as 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) and chloropicrin were identified as by-products of the process; these, alongside free chlorine, are thought to increase the matrix ecotoxicity to Artemia salina.

Mutation of HIV-1 genomes in a clinical population treated with the mutagenic nucleoside KP1461.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullins, James I; Heath, Laura; Hughes, James P; Kicha, Jessica; Styrchak, Sheila; Wong, Kim G; Rao, Ushnal; Hansen, Alexis; Harris, Kevin S; Laurent, Jean-Pierre; Li, Deyu; Simpson, Jeffrey H; Essigmann, John M; Loeb, Lawrence A; Parkins, Jeffrey

2011-01-14

The deoxycytidine analog KP1212, and its prodrug KP1461, are prototypes of a new class of antiretroviral drugs designed to increase viral mutation rates, with the goal of eventually causing the collapse of the viral population. Here we present an extensive analysis of viral sequences from HIV-1 infected volunteers from the first "mechanism validation" phase II clinical trial of a mutagenic base analog in which individuals previously treated with antiviral drugs received 1600 mg of KP1461 twice per day for 124 days. Plasma viral loads were not reduced, and overall levels of viral mutation were not increased during this short-term study, however, the mutation spectrum of HIV was altered. A large number (N = 105 per sample) of sequences were analyzed, each derived from individual HIV-1 RNA templates, after 0, 56 and 124 days of therapy from 10 treated and 10 untreated control individuals (>7.1 million base pairs of unique viral templates were sequenced). We found that private mutations, those not found in more than one viral sequence and likely to have occurred in the most recent rounds of replication, increased in treated individuals relative to controls after 56 (p = 0.038) and 124 (p = 0.002) days of drug treatment. The spectrum of mutations observed in the treated group showed an excess of A to G and G to A mutations (p = 0.01), and to a lesser extent T to C and C to T mutations (p = 0.09), as predicted by the mechanism of action of the drug. These results validate the proposed mechanism of action in humans and should spur development of this novel antiretroviral approach.

Mutation of HIV-1 genomes in a clinical population treated with the mutagenic nucleoside KP1461.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James I Mullins

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The deoxycytidine analog KP1212, and its prodrug KP1461, are prototypes of a new class of antiretroviral drugs designed to increase viral mutation rates, with the goal of eventually causing the collapse of the viral population. Here we present an extensive analysis of viral sequences from HIV-1 infected volunteers from the first "mechanism validation" phase II clinical trial of a mutagenic base analog in which individuals previously treated with antiviral drugs received 1600 mg of KP1461 twice per day for 124 days. Plasma viral loads were not reduced, and overall levels of viral mutation were not increased during this short-term study, however, the mutation spectrum of HIV was altered. A large number (N = 105 per sample of sequences were analyzed, each derived from individual HIV-1 RNA templates, after 0, 56 and 124 days of therapy from 10 treated and 10 untreated control individuals (>7.1 million base pairs of unique viral templates were sequenced. We found that private mutations, those not found in more than one viral sequence and likely to have occurred in the most recent rounds of replication, increased in treated individuals relative to controls after 56 (p = 0.038 and 124 (p = 0.002 days of drug treatment. The spectrum of mutations observed in the treated group showed an excess of A to G and G to A mutations (p = 0.01, and to a lesser extent T to C and C to T mutations (p = 0.09, as predicted by the mechanism of action of the drug. These results validate the proposed mechanism of action in humans and should spur development of this novel antiretroviral approach.

Awareness Enhancing and Monitoring Device plus Habit Reversal in the Treatment of Trichotillomania: An Open Feasibility Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Himle, Joseph A; Bybee, Deborah; O'Donnell, Lisa A; Weaver, Addie; Vlnka, Sarah; DeSena, Daniel T; Rimer, Jessica M

2018-01-01

Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT) is helpful for many persons suffering from trichotillomania. However successful habit reversal therapy requires awareness of hair pulling behaviors. Available methods to monitor hair pulling behaviors are less than ideal, particularly when sufferers are unaware of their pulling-related behaviors. This open feasibility trial included 20 persons with trichotillomania who were treated with nine weeks of HRT with experienced clinicians following a well-established HRT protocol. HRT was augmented with an electronic Awareness Enhancing and Monitoring Device (AEMD) designed to alert users of hand to head contact and to monitor the frequency of pulling-related behaviors. The AEMD included a neck unit and two wrist units, each equipped with vibrating alert functions. The results of the open trial revealed significant improvements in trichotillomania symptoms as measured by clinician and self-report rating scales. Most participants met study criteria for HRT completion and treatment effects were large. Participants reported that the AEMD, when operational, was effective in alerting participants to TTM-related behaviors. The monitoring function of the AEMD did not operate as designed. Subjective feedback focused on the AEMD concept was positive but AEMD reliability problems and complaints about the wearability the units were common. Recommendations for AEMD design modifications were included.

Individual and combined effects of organic, toxic, and hydraulic shocks on sequencing batch reactor in treating petroleum refinery wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizzouri, Nashwan Sh., E-mail: nashwan_mizzouri@yahoo.com [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Department of Civil Engineering, University of Duhok, Kurdistan (Iraq); Shaaban, Md Ghazaly [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► This research focuses on the combined impact of shock loads on the PRWW treatment. ► System failure resulted when combined shock of organic and hydraulic was applied. ► Recovery was achieved by replacing glucose with PRWW and OLR was decreased to half. ► Worst COD removals were 68.9, and 57.8% for organic, and combined shocks. -- Abstract: This study analyzes the effects of toxic, hydraulic, and organic shocks on the performance of a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with a capacity of 5 L. Petroleum refinery wastewater (PRWW) was treated with an organic loading rate (OLR) of approximately 0.3 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/kg MLSS d at 12.8 h hydraulic retention time (HRT). A considerable variation in the COD was observed for organic, toxic, hydraulic, and combined shocks, and the worst values observed were 68.9, 77.1, 70.2, and 57.8%, respectively. Improved control of toxic shock loads of 10 and 20 mg/L of chromium (VI) was identified. The system was adversely affected by the organic shock when a shock load thrice the normal value was used, and this behavior was repeated when the hydraulic shock was 4.8 h HRT. The empirical recovery period was greater than the theoretical period because of the inhibitory effects of phenols, sulfides, high oil, and grease in the PRWW. The system recovery rates from the shocks were in the following order: toxic, organic, hydraulic, and combined shocks. System failure occurred when the combined shocks of organic and hydraulic were applied. The system was resumed by replacing the PRWW with glucose, and the OLR was reduced to half its initial value.

BONE MARKERS IN MONITORING OF ANTIRESORPTIVE THERAPY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS PATIENTS

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Tanja Džopalić

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the effect of two modalities of antiosteoporotic therapy in postmenopausal women at the level of biochemical markers of bone turnover such as bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP and deoxypiridinoline (Dpd as well as bone mineral density (BMD. The study included 87 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP. Group A consisted of 48 patients treated with alendronate (AL, whereas group B included 39 patients treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT. BMD was measured by Lunar DPX 2000 device, on the lumbar spine and the femur, and bone markers (BM were measured by commercial ELISA assays. There was a statistically significant decrease in the levels of BALP and Dpd after 6 weeks and 8 months of both types of therapy compared to the level of these markers before therapy. There was a statistically significant increase of BMD on both locations after 8 months of both therapies. In addition, there was a statistically significantly higher degree of changes of Dpd values in the group treated with AL than in the group treated with HRT. On the other hand, the changes in the level of BALP were significantly higher in the group treated with HRT. We concluded that the early effect of the two studied antiosteoporotic medications can be monitored by changes in the levels of BM. Dpd as bone resorption marker proved to be a better indicator of the efficiency of applied medications compared to bone formation markers such as BALP.

Use of Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Post-menopausal Obesity, Hepatic steatosis and Plasma Profile as an Alternative Treatment for Hormone Replacement Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Christiano Franzoni

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA as an alternative treatment for menopause pathologies. For this, female Swiss-CD-1 mice were ovariectomized (OVX; SHAM operated mice served as controls. Ten weeks after operation, each group of mice was treated during four weeks with either UDCA, or 17(-estradiol+progesterone. The blood and tissues (liver and periuterine adipose tissue - PUAT were harvested. The OVX mice had increase body weight, accompanied by liver lipid accumulation. UDCA and HRT treatments reduced these parameters. PUAT was also increased in OVX group and UDCA and HRT treatments reduced this. Histology confirmed the results in the liver and PUAT. The plasma glucose levels were elevated in the OVX mice, as well as total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol levels and reduced in OVX-UDCA and OVX-HRT. These results suggest that UDCA could reduce weight gain and fat liver deposition caused by ovariectomy, such as HRT, showing a possible alternative treatment for post-menopausal metabolic dysfunctions with UDCA.

Evaluation of anaerobic digestion processes for short sludge-age waste activated sludge combined with anammox treatment of digestate liquor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Huoqing; Batstone, Damien; Keller, Jurg

2016-01-01

The need to reduce energy input and enhance energy recovery from wastewater is driving renewed interest in high-rate activated sludge treatment (i.e. short hydraulic and solids retention times (HRT and SRT, respectively)). This process generates short SRT activated sludge stream, which should be highly degradable. However, the evaluation of anaerobic digestion of short SRT sludge has been limited. This paper assesses anaerobic digestion of short SRT sludge digestion derived from meat processing wastewater under thermophilic and mesophilic conditions. The thermophilic digestion system (55°C) achieved 60 and 68% volatile solids destruction at 8 day and 10 day HRT, respectively, compared with 50% in the mesophilic digestion system (35°C, 10 day HRT). The digestion effluents from the thermophilic (8-10 day HRT) and mesophilic systems were stable, as assessed by residual methane potentials. The ammonia rich sludge dewatering liquor was effectively treated by a batch anammox process, which exhibited comparable nitrogen removal rate as the tests using a control synthetic ammonia solution, indicating that the dewatering liquor did not have inhibiting/toxic effects on the anammox activity.

A population-based study of sport and recreation-related head injuries treated in a Canadian health region.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Andrew W; Jones, C Allyson; Rowe, Brian H; Voaklander, Donald C

2012-07-01

To report the rates of SR-related HIs presenting to EDs in a Canadian population-based sample. Descriptive epidemiology study. Using administrative data, sport and recreation-related emergency department presentations for persons 0-35 years of age, from April 1997 through March 2008, were obtained from the Edmonton Zone (formerly the Capital Health Region), Alberta Health Services through the Ambulatory Care Classification System. Of the 3,230,890 visits to the emergency departments of the five hospitals in Edmonton, 63,219 sport and recreation-related injury records and 4935 sport and recreation-head injury records were identified. Head injuries were most frequently treated for the activities of hockey (20.7%), cycling (12.0%), and skiing/snowboarding/sledding. Males accounted for 71.9% (n=3546) and patients less than 18 years of age sustained 3446 (69.8%) sport and recreation-head injuries. Sport and recreation-related head injuries most frequently treated in emergency departments involve common activities such as hockey, cycling, skiing/snowboarding/sledding, and soccer. Males and those less than 18 years of age sustain the majority of sport and recreation-related head injuries treated in emergency departments. These findings underscore the importance of sport-specific policies and safety promotion for the prevention of head injuries, in sports and recreational activities. Copyright © 2011 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Association of perceived tinnitus with duration of hormone replacement therapy in Korean postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seong-Su; Han, Kyung-do; Joo, Young-Hoon

2017-07-10

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tinnitus in South Korea using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) (2010-2012). Cross-sectional analysis of a nationwide health survey. KNHANES is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of South Korea population. Only postmenopausal women aged 19-65 years were included in the study (n=2736). Auditory function was evaluated using pure-tone audiometric testing according to established KNHANES protocols. Subjects were questioned about their experience with tinnitus. Exogenous hormone-related factors included the starting age and duration of HRT. The overall prevalence of tinnitus was 22.2% among postmenopausal women. (1) Tinnitus severity was significantly higher in women using HRT (p=0.0024) and (2) significantly lower in women who breast fed their children (p=0.0386). (3) According to logistic regression models, the longer duration of HRT was significantly associated with increasing tinnitus (OR=1.323, 95% CI 1.007 to 1.737, p=0.0441). A longer duration of HRT was associated with developing tinnitus in Korean postmenopausal women. Further experimental and epidemiological researches are needed to elucidate the causal relationship between HRT and tinnitus. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Oral health in patients treated by positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea: a population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carra, M C; Thomas, F; Schmitt, A; Pannier, B; Danchin, N; Bouchard, Ph

2016-03-01

Recent epidemiological evidence suggests that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have an increased risk of periodontal disease. Little is known about the oral health of OSA patients treated by continuous or bi-level positive airway pressure (CPAP/BiPAP). The aim of this population-based case-control study was to compare oral health variables (amount of plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation, and masticatory function) between CPAP/BiPAP users and control subjects. The study population was retrieved from a French cohort examined between 2012 and 2013 at the Centre d'Investigations Préventives et Cliniques of Paris. Cases were selected if they reported to be treated by CPAP/BiPAP; controls were age-, gender-, and BMI-matched based on a 1:2 ratio. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed for group comparisons. Over a total of 20,436 subjects, 287 CPAP/BiPAP users (mean age (SD) 57.6 years (11.5); 76.3 % males) who underwent medical and dental examinations were compared with 574 matched controls (no OSA, no CPAP/BiPAP). CPAP/BiPAP users reported significantly higher prevalence of diabetes (15.6 vs. 10.3 %; p = 0.012; odds ratio (OR) 1.68), history of hypertension (36.5 vs. 26.1 %; p = 0.003; OR 1.62), cardiovascular diseases (14.1 vs. 8.8 %; p = 0.029; OR 1.69), and sleep complaints (59 vs. 34.4 %; p = 0.0001; OR 2.75). CPAP/BiPAP users also showed higher levels of depression and stress compared to controls. However, no group difference was observed for the amount of dental plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation, and masticatory function. Oral health of OSA patients treated by CPAP/BiPAP is comparable to that of matched controls in terms of amount of plaque, gingival inflammation, and masticatory function.

Biological sulphide removal from anaerobically treated domestic sewage: reactor performance and microbial community dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Graziella Patrício Pereira; Diniz, Renata Côrtes Oliveira; Bicalho, Sarah Kinaip; Franco, Vitor Araujo de Souza; Gontijo, Eider Max de Oliveira; Toscano, Rodrigo Argolo; Canhestro, Kenia Oliveira; Santos, Merly Rita Dos; Carmo, Ana Luiza Rodrigues Dias; Lobato, Livia Cristina S; Brandt, Emanuel Manfred F; Chernicharo, Carlos A L; Calabria de Araujo, Juliana

2015-01-01

We developed a biological sulphide oxidation system and evaluated two reactors (shaped similar to the settler compartment of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket [UASB] reactor) with different support materials for biomass retention: polypropylene rings and polyurethane foam. The start-up reaction was achieved using microorganisms naturally occurring on the open surface of UASB reactors treating domestic wastewater. Sulphide removal efficiencies of 65% and 90% were achieved with hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 24 and 12 h, respectively, in both reactors. However, a higher amount of elemental sulphur was formed and accumulated in the biomass from reactor 1 (20 mg S(0) g(-1) VTS) than in that from reactor 2 (2.9 mg S(0) g(-1) VTS) with an HRT of 24 h. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) results revealed that the the pink and green biomass that developed in both reactors comprised a diverse bacterial community and had sequences related to phototrophic green and purple-sulphur bacteria such as Chlorobium sp., Chloronema giganteum, and Chromatiaceae. DGGE band patterns also demonstrated that bacterial community was dynamic over time within the same reactor and that different support materials selected for distinct bacterial communities. Taken together, these results indicated that sulphide concentrations of 1-6 mg L(-1) could be efficiently removed from the effluent of a pilot-scale UASB reactor in two sulphide biological oxidation reactors at HRTs of 12 and 24 h, showing the potential for sulphur recovery from anaerobically treated domestic wastewater.

Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with hormone replacement therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schierbeck, L

2015-01-01

Many peri- and postmenopausal women suffer from a reduced quality of life due to menopausal symptoms and preventable diseases. The importance of cardiovascular disease in women must be emphasized, as it is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in women. It is well known that female hormones...... contribute to the later onset of cardiovascular disease in women. The effect of estrogens has for decades been understood from observational studies of postmenopausal women treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Later, treatment with HRT was disregarded due to the fear of side......-effects and an ambiguity of the cardiovascular advantages. Accumulating knowledge from the large number of trials and studies has elucidated the cause for the disparity in results. In this paper, the beneficial effects of HRT, with emphasis on cardiovascular disease are explained, and the relative and absolute risks...

Strategies for glucose control in a study population with diabetes, renal disease and anemia (Treat study).

Science.gov (United States)

Weinrauch, Larry A; D'Elia, John A; Finn, Peter; Lewis, Eldrin F; Desai, Akshay S; Claggett, Brian L; Cooper, Mark E; McGill, Janet B

2016-03-01

Glucose lowering medication use among patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced renal disease (eGFRrenal disease advances, most of the oral anti-diabetic agents requiring renal clearance must be reduced or discontinued. The potential for prolonged hypoglycemia, fluid/volume overload and congestive heart failure may complicate medication choices. In order to evaluate patterns of glycemia management we describe glucose lowering medication use among patients with advanced renal disease and type 2 diabetes in a large multinational outcome trial designed to focus on patients with eGFRrenal function when compared with standard populations with normal kidney function. The use of multiple oral agents, or oral agents plus insulin was quite common. While gender did not appear to play a role in medication choices, there were significant regional variations. For example, oral agents were used more in North America compared with other regions (Latin America, Australia/Western Europe, Russia/Eastern Europe). Patients enrolled at more advanced ages were less likely to be on a regimen of rapid-acting insulin alone consistent with recommendations that suggest a preference for longer-acting preparations in the geriatric population (1). Higher degrees of obesity were associated more complex treatment regimens. Despite this population being at high risk for cardiovascular events, the use of beta blockers (50%), statins (64%) and aspirin (48%) were relatively low, especially in the group that did not require medications to achieve adequate glycemic control. Current attempts to compare strategies for diabetes therapy must control for baseline demographic group differences influencing treatment choice. Future recommendations for glycemic control in patients with Grade 3 or higher chronic kidney disease require additional studies, with matched populations. We suggest that evaluation of studies similar to TREAT will assist in determining the optimal therapeutic regimens for populations

The Asian Menopause Survey: knowledge, perceptions, hormone treatment and sexual function.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ko-En; Xu, Ling; I, Nik Nasri; Jaisamrarn, Unnop

2010-03-01

To provide current insights into the opinions, attitudes, and knowledge of menopausal women in Asia regarding menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Cross-sectional. Between January 2006 and February 2006, 1000 postmenopausal women from China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Hong Kong were interviewed to determine postmenopausal symptoms, HRT use and knowledge, breast discomfort and knowledge of breast cancer risks, and sexual function. Almost all women reported experiencing postmenopausal symptoms. Sleeplessness (42%) was reported as the main reason for seeking treatment. On average, 54% of women were aware of HRT, despite the fact that most (38%) were unable to mention any associated benefits. Most women had used natural or herbal treatments (37%) for the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. Only 19% had received HRT. 27% of respondents reported having breast discomfort, while 70% reported performing self-breast examinations. 53% of women had never received a mammogram, despite breast cancer concern (50%). 24% of women described HRT as being a risk factor for breast cancer. Most women and their partners reported no reductions in sexual function (66 and 51%, respectively), while 90% of respondents did not seek treatment for reduced sexual function. In the event of sexual dysfunction, 33% of women replied that they would be willing to seek treatment. Many Asian women experience postmenopausal symptoms that are often left untreated (due to the acceptance of menopause as a natural process) or treated with herbal/natural remedies. There was a general lack of knowledge among these women regarding treatment options, HRT, and possible risks associated with HRT. A more concerted effort should be made to better disseminate information regarding the pathogenesis and risk factors associated with breast cancer, menopause, and menopausal symptoms to Asian women. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Hydraulic Retention Time on the Performance of a Membrane Bioreactor Treating Municipal Wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hadi Falahati

2017-09-01

Full Text Available There is an increasing demand for effluents of higher quality from wastewater treatment plants due to the more stringent quality standards as well as the increasing pressure on water resources worldwide, which calls for effluent recycle and reuse. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs have been recently gaining rapid popularity as a promising technology for wastewater treatment. In order to improve the quality of the effluent from Shiraz wastewater treatment plant, an on-site pilot-scale membrane bioreactor was operated for 9 months. The pilot plant built at Shiraz wastewater treatment plant consisted of an aerobic reactor and a membrane compartment containing one submerged hollow fiber membrane module. In this study, eleven different aerobic hydraulic retention times (HRT ranging from 2 to 12 hours were tested to determine the membrane capacity and to investigate the performance of the system in removing total ammonia nitrogen, organic matter, total suspended solids, and turbidity.The system recorded a perfectly stable removal efficiency over the whole experimental period, except for the 2-hour aerobic HRT, so that its COD and BOD reductions exceeded 95% and 99%, respectively. Moreover, the system achieved complete nitrification in a stable manner during the whole study period, except for the 2-hour aerobic operation period. TSS concentration was almost zero and turbidity was less than 1 NTU. Membrane capacity measurements showed an average flux of 5.5 Lm-2h-1 with a mean trans-membrane pressure difference of 30 kPa. Results showed that the MBR outperformed the conventional sewage treatment processes. Additionally, it was not affected by aerobic HRT changes (12, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 3h. Based on the effluent qulity, teh system may be recommended for application toward water reuse in industrial and agricultural settings

Genetic monitoring of irradiated Drosophila populations treated with antimutagen melanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosseh, I.B.; Savchenko, V.K.; Lyakh, I.P.

1986-01-01

It was shown that viability of irradiated Drosophila is, on an average, lower than in intact populations. The fertility first decreases then increases exceeding the control level. Melanine added to the diet increases fertility and viability of both exposed and intact Drosophila populations

Recovery strategies for tackling the impact of phenolic compounds in a UASB reactor treating coal gasification wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Han, Hongjun

2012-01-01

The impact of phenolic compounds (around 3.2 g/L) resulted in a completely failed performance in a mesophilic UASB reactor treating coal gasification wastewater. The recovery strategies, including extension of HRT, dilution, oxygen-limited aeration, and addition of powdered activated carbon were evaluated in batch tests, in order to obtain the most appropriate way for the quick recovery of the failed reactor performance. Results indicated that addition of powdered activated carbon and oxygen-limited aeration were the best recovery strategies in the batch tests. In the UASB reactor, addition of powdered activated carbon of 1 g/L shortened the recovery time from 25 to 9 days and oxygen-limited aeration of 0-0.5 mgO2/L reduced the recovery time to 17 days. Reduction of bioavailable concentration of phenolic compounds and recovery of sludge activity were the decisive factors for the recovery strategies to tackle the impact of phenolic compounds in anaerobic treatment of coal gasification wastewater. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective study of exogenous hormone use and breast cancer in Seventh-day Adventists.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, P K; Beeson, W L; Phillips, R L; Fraser, G E

1989-08-01

Exogenous hormone use as either oral contraceptives (OC) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was evaluated in reference to subsequent breast cancer risk in a cohort study of 20,341 Seventh-day Adventist women, residing in California, who completed a detailed lifestyle questionnaire in 1976 and who were followed for 6 years. During the follow-up period, 215 histologically confirmed primary breast cancers were detected in the cohort. The mean age at diagnosis was 66 years, indicating a primarily postmenopausal case series. In this cohort, after taking into account potentially confounding variables, current use of HRT (in 1976) was associated with a 69% increase in breast cancer risk, which was statistically significant (RR = 1.69; CI = 1.12-2.55). However, there was no strong increase in risk with increasing duration of use of HRT. Subgroups of women who did experience HRT associated increases in breast cancer risk included those women who had ever used HRT (RR = 1.39; CI = 1.00-1.94) and those with no history of maternal breast cancer (RR = 1.45), those women with prior benign breast disease (RR = 2.80), and those women who experienced menopause at 44 years of age or later (RR = 1.56). There was no substantial increase in breast cancer risk associated with use of OC in this population, although among women with exposure to both OC and HRT there was a suggested increase in risk (RR = 1.42; CI = 0.71-2.85).

[Utilization of hormone replacement therapy in Spain: Trends in the period 2000-2014].

Science.gov (United States)

Baladé Martínez, Laura; Montero Corominas, Dolores; Macías Saint-Gerons, Diego

2016-10-07

The objective of the study was to describe the trends of utilization, supply and prevalence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in Spain during the period 2000-2014. Annual prevalence of HRT use including the 95% CI was calculated for women aged≥40 using individual data from the national population-based database BIFAP. Annual and total-period consumptions were expressed in defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 inhabitants per day and were obtained from the databases of medications dispensed in community pharmacies and charged through official prescriptions to the Spanish National Health System. In the year 2000, overall HRT consumption was 33.12 DDDs/1000 inhabitans/day: 19.81 for oestrogen only, 6.88 for tibolone and 6.44 for combined oestrogen and progestagen. In 2014 overall HRT consumption was 5.32 DDDs/1000 inhabitans/day: 1.08 for oestrogen only, 1.61 for tibolone and 2.62 for combinations of oestrogen and progestagen. The marketed presentations of HRT decreased by 46.9%. Prevalence of HRT use in women aged≥40 in BIFAP was 7.19% (95% CI 6.97-7.40) in 2001 and 0.21% (95% CI 0.20-0.22) in 2014. Women aged 40-45 registered the highest prevalence of use in 2014: 0.71% (95% CI 0.66-0.76). A sharp decline in the consumption and prevalence of HRT has been observed in Spain since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative and Million Women Study and the regulatory measures taken restricting conditions of use, showing a similar trend to that of other western countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on continuous biocatalytic calcification reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isik, Mustafa; Altas, Levent; Kurmac, Yakup; Ozcan, Samet; Oruc, Ozcan

2010-01-01

High calcium concentrations in the wastewaters are problematic, because they lead to clogging of pipelines, boilers and heat exchangers through scaling (as carbonate, sulfate or phosphate precipitates), or malfunctioning of aerobic and anaerobic reactors. As a remedy to this problem, the industry typically uses chemical crystallization reactors which are efficient but often require complex monitoring and control and, as a drawback, can give rise to highly alkaline effluents. Biomineralization are emerging as alternative mechanisms for the removal of calcium from aqueous environments. Biocatalytic calcification reactors (BCR) utilize microbial urea hydrolysis by bacteria for the removal of calcium, as calcite, from industrial wastewater. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) effect on calcium removal was studied with a continuous feed BCR reactor treating a simulated pulp paper wastewater. Study showed that HRT is important parameter and HRT of 5-6 h is optimum for calcium removal from calcium-rich wastewaters.

Enhancing forward osmosis water recovery from landfill leachate by desalinating brine and recovering ammonia in a microbial desalination cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Iskander, Syeed Md; Novak, John T; He, Zhen

2018-05-01

In this work, a microbial desalination cell (MDC) was employed to desalinate the FO treated leachate for reduction of both salinity and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The FO recovered 51.5% water from a raw leachate and the recovery increased to 83.5% from the concentrated leachate after desalination in the MDC fed with either acetate or another leachate as an electron source and at a different hydraulic retention time (HRT). Easily-degraded substrate like acetate and a long HRT resulted in a low conductivity desalinated effluent. Ammonia was also recovered in the MDC cathode with a recovery efficiency varying from 11 to 64%, affected by current generation and HRT. Significant COD reduction, as high as 65.4%, was observed in the desalination chamber and attributed to the decrease of both organic and inorganic compounds via diffusion and electricity-driven movement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive impact of hormone replacement therapy on the fibrinolytic system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, J S; Kristensen, S R; Gram, J

2003-01-01

be of importance. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prolonged effect of HRT on the fibrinolytic system and to determine whether two common polymorphisms in the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) genes modulate this effect. Methods: Healthy postmenopausal women (n...... = 248) were randomized to HRT (n = 122) or no substitution (n = 126) 5 years prior to investigation. RESULTS: Significantly higher values of t-PA activity and lower values of PAI-1 activity and PAI-1 antigen were found in the HRT group compared with the control group. This effect was independent...... of smoking and without influence from the two common polymorphisms PAI-1 -675(4G/5G) and t-PA intron8ins311. Furthermore, no difference between opposed estrogen (with norethisterone acetate as the gestagen component) and unopposed estrogen therapy was found. Both an intention-to-treat and a per...

Sterilization of melon flies: mating competitiveness after treatment with tepa or gamma irradiation and ratios of treated to untreated flies producing population suppression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashraf, M.; Keiser, I.; Harris, E.J.

1976-01-01

Male melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, treated with a single dose of the chemosterilant tepa (tris(l-aziridinyl) phosphine oxide), or with gamma irradiation, either single or fractionated doses, did not differ significantly in sexual competitiveness as determined by percentage hatch of eggs. Mating competitiveness of males treated by either method ranged from 53 to 66 percent of that of untreated males. In another study, melon flies (males and females) sterilized with 0.0125 percent tepa, the threshold dose for both sexes, completely suppressed a population when the ratio was 16:16:1:1 (sterile males-sterile females-untreated males-untreated females) as determined by no egg hatch

Auto thermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) in two scenarios with hygienisation and different stability degrees; Digestion aerobia termofila autosostenida (ATAD) en dos escenarios con higienizacion y diferentes grados de estabilizacion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lasheras Anon, A. M.; Sobrados Bernardos, L.; Garcia Ganuza, J.; Gomez Munoz, J.

2012-07-01

ATAD is considered by the U. S. EPA as an advanced sludge treatment, which implies a hygienisation process when it is operated under certain feeding and temperature conditions. this paper shows the experimental results and conclusions obtained in a 215 m{sup 3} full-scale ATAD reactor while it was operated in two scenarios: as a hygienisation process (5 HRT) and as the single stage sludge treatment (10 d HRT). In both cases, the ATAD process has shown high versatility in obtaining different stability degrees of the treated sludge and a high reduction of pathogenic microorganisms. (Author) 14 refs.

Genetic monitoring of irradiated Drosophila populations treated with antimutagen melanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosseh, I.B.; Savchenko, V.K.; Lyakh, I.P.

1986-01-01

A nonspecific increase was noted in the resistance of Drosophila populations to toxic and mutagenic effects of ionizing radiation and the chemical mutagen ethylmethansulphonate during long-term exposure. It was established that under the effect of melanine, less resistant genotypes retained, and the resistance of the populations to damaging factors did not increase

Defining Prolonged Length of Acute Care Stay for Surgically and Conservatively Treated Patients with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Population-Based Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Stein

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The definition of prolonged length of stay (LOS during acute care remains unclear among surgically and conservatively treated patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH. Methods. Using a population-based quality assessment registry, we calculated change points in LOS for surgically and conservatively treated patients with ICH. The influence of comorbidities, baseline characteristics at admission, and in-hospital complications on prolonged LOS was evaluated in a multivariate model. Results. Overall, 13272 patients with ICH were included in the analysis. Surgical therapy of the hematoma was documented in 1405 (10.6% patients. Change points for LOS were 22 days (CI: 8, 22; CL 98% for surgically treated patients and 16 days (CI: 16, 16; CL: 99% for conservatively treated patients. Ventilation therapy was related to prolonged LOS in surgically (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.5–3.1; P<0.001 and conservatively treated patients (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 2.2–2.9; P<0.001. Two or more in-hospital complications in surgical patients (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 2.1–3.5 and ≥1 in conservative patients (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 2.7–3.3 were predictors of prolonged LOS. Conclusion. The definition of prolonged LOS after ICH could be useful for several aspects of quality management and research. Preventing in-hospital complications could decrease the number of patients with prolonged LOS.

Breast Density and Breast Cancer Incidence in the Lebanese Population: Results from a Retrospective Multicenter Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Salem

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To study the distribution of breast mammogram density in Lebanese women and correlate it with breast cancer (BC incidence. Methods. Data from 1,049 women who had screening or diagnostic mammography were retrospectively reviewed. Age, menopausal status, contraceptives or hormonal replacement therapy (HRT, parity, breastfeeding, history of BC, breast mammogram density, and final BI-RADS assessment were collected. Breast density was analyzed in each age category and compared according to factors that could influence breast density and BC incidence. Results. 120 (11.4% patients had BC personal history with radiation and/or chemotherapy; 66 patients were postmenopausal under HRT. Mean age was 52.58±11.90 years. 76.4% of the patients (30–39 years had dense breasts. Parity, age, and menopausal status were correlated to breast density whereas breastfeeding and personal/family history of BC and HRT were not. In multivariate analysis, it was shown that the risk of breast cancer significantly increases 3.3% with age (P=0.005, 2.5 times in case of menopause (P=0.004, and 1.4 times when breast density increases (P=0.014. Conclusion. Breast density distribution in Lebanon is similar to the western society. Similarly to other studies, it was shown that high breast density was statistically related to breast cancer, especially in older and menopausal women.

Simultaneous nitrate reduction and acetaminophen oxidation using the continuous-flow chemical-less VUV process as an integrated advanced oxidation and reduction process.

Science.gov (United States)

Moussavi, Gholamreza; Shekoohiyan, Sakine

2016-11-15

This work was aimed at investigating the performance of the continuous-flow VUV photoreactor as a novel chemical-less advanced process for simultaneously oxidizing acetaminophen (ACT) as a model of pharmaceuticals and reducing nitrate in a single reactor. Solution pH was an important parameter affecting the performance of VUV; the highest ACT oxidation and nitrate reduction attained at solution pH between 6 and 8. The ACT was oxidized mainly by HO while the aqueous electrons were the main working agents in the reduction of nitrate. The performance of VUV photoreactor improved with the increase of hydraulic retention time (HRT); the complete degradation of ACT and ∼99% reduction of nitrate with 100% N2 selectivity achieved at HRT of 80min. The VUV effluent concentrations of nitrite and ammonium at HRT of 80min were below the drinking water standards. The real water sample contaminated with the ACT and nitrate was efficiently treated in the VUV photoreactor. Therefore, the VUV photoreactor is a chemical-less advanced process in which both advanced oxidation and advanced reduction reactions are accomplished. This unique feature possesses VUV photoreactor as a promising method of treating water contaminated with both pharmaceutical and nitrate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sleep fragmentation and sleep-disordered breathing in individuals living close to main roads: results from a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerbase, M W; Dratva, J; Germond, M; Tschopp, J M; Pépin, J L; Carballo, D; Künzli, N; Probst-Hensch, N M; Adam, M; Zemp Stutz, E; Roche, F; Rochat, T

2014-03-01

Nighttime traffic noise is associated with sleep disturbances, but sleep fragmentation and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have not been demonstrated in individuals living near busy roads. We asked 1383 participants to answer a health questionnaire and to undergo 24-h electrocardiogram (ECG). Nocturnal ECG records were used to calculate the very low frequency index (VLFI) interval, a surrogate marker of sleep fragmentation. Distances of participants' addresses to roadways were calculated using the VECTOR25© Swisstopo roads classification, a traffic noise proxy. Distances of homes within 100 or 50 m of major roads defined proximity to busy roads. Adjusted multivariate logistic regressions analyzed associations between the distance of home to main roads and VLFI or self-reported SDB. Distance of participants' homes to main roads was significantly associated with the VLFI in women (odds ratio [OR], 1.58 [confidence interval {CI}, 1.03-2.42]; P = .038) but not in men (OR, 1.35 [CI, 0.77-2.35]; P = .295). Women under hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) were at higher risk for increased VLFI when living close to main roads (OR, 2.10 [CI, 1.20-3.68]; P = .01) than untreated women (P = .584). Associations with self-reported SDB were not statistically relevant. In our large population, women living close to main roads were at significantly higher risk for sleep fragmentation than men. The 2-fold higher risk for menopausal women under HRT underscores the vulnerability of this group. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with advanced hepatitis C treated with DAAs: A prospective population study.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Antonietta; Angeli, Paolo; Piovesan, Sara; Noventa, Franco; Anastassopoulos, Georgios; Chemello, Liliana; Cavalletto, Luisa; Gambato, Martina; Russo, Francesco Paolo; Burra, Patrizia; Vincenzi, Valter; Scotton, Pier Giorgio; Panese, Sandro; Tempesta, Diego; Bertin, Tosca; Carrara, Maurizio; Carlotto, Antonio; Capra, Franco; Carolo, Giada; Scroccaro, Giovanna; Alberti, Alfredo

2018-03-16

Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) are safe and effective in patients with hepatitis C. Conflicting data were reported on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during/after therapy with DAAs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of newly diagnosed HCC and associated risk factors in patients with advanced hepatitis C treated with DAAs. The study is based on the NAVIGATORE platform, a prospectively recording database of all patients with hepatitis C receiving DAAs in the Veneto region of Italy. The inclusion criteria were: fibrosis stage ≥F3. The exclusion criteria were: Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP)-C, liver transplantation before DAAs, history or presence of HCC, follow-up hepatocarcinoma during the first year is not higher, and might be lower, than that of untreated patients. The risk further declines thereafter. Early hepatocarcinoma appearance may reflect pre-existing, microscopic, undetectable tumors. Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the complications of hepatitis C related cirrhosis. Treating patients with advanced hepatitis C with the new interferon-free direct-acting antiviral agents has been associated with improvement in liver function and survival, while more conflicting data have been reported regarding the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. We report the results of a prospective population study on the incidence of newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with advanced hepatitis C treated with direct-acting antiviral agents, clearly indicating that the residual hepatocellular carcinoma risk is reduced and declines progressively with time after a sustained virological response. Development of a liver tumor during/after therapy was associated with known risk factors and with virological failure. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The management of menopause in women with a history of endometriosis: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gemmell, L C; Webster, K E; Kirtley, S; Vincent, K; Zondervan, K T; Becker, C M

2017-07-01

Endometriosis is typically regarded as a premenopausal disease, resolving after natural or iatrogenic menopause due to declining oestrogen levels. Nonetheless, case reports over the years have highlighted the incidence of recurrent postmenopausal endometriosis. It is now clear that both recurrence and malignant transformation of endometriotic foci can occur in the postmenopausal period. Postmenopausal women are commonly treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat climacteric symptoms and prevent bone loss; however, HRT may reactivate endometriosis and stimulate malignant transformation in women with a history of endometriosis. Given the uncertain risks of initiating HRT, it is difficult to determine the best menopausal management for this group of women. The aim of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on management of menopausal symptoms in women with a history of endometriosis. We also aimed to evaluate the published literature on the risks associated with HRT in these women, and details regarding optimal formulations and timing (i.e. initiation and duration) of HRT. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE via OVID, Embase via OVID, PsycINFO via OVID and CINAHL via EbscoHost) were searched from database inception until June 2016, using a combination of relevant controlled vocabulary terms and free-text terms related to 'menopause' and 'endometriosis'. Inclusion criteria were: menopausal women with a history of endometriosis and menopausal treatment including HRT or other preparations. Case reports/series, observational studies and clinical trials were included. Narrative review articles, organizational guidelines and conference abstracts were excluded, as were studies that did not report on any form of menopausal management. Articles were assessed for risk of bias and quality using GRADE criteria. We present a synthesis of the existing case reports of endometriosis recurrence or malignant transformation in women undergoing

Biogas production from UASB and polyurethane carrier reactors treating sisal processing wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rubindamayugi, M S.T.; Salakana, L K.P. [Univ. of Dar es Salaam, Faculty of Science, Applied Microbiology Unit (Tanzania, United Republic of)

1998-12-31

The fundamental benefits which makes anaerobic digestion technology (ADT) attractive to the poor developing include the low cost and energy production potential of the technology. In this study the potential of using UASB reactor and Polyurethane Carrier Reactor (PCR) as pollution control and energy recovery systems from sisal wastewater were investigated in lab-scale reactors. The PCR demonstrated the shortest startup period, whereas the UASB reactor showed the highest COD removal efficiency 79%, biogas production rate (4.5 l biogas/l/day) and process stability than the PCR under similar HRT of 15 hours and OLR of 8.2 g COD/l/day. Both reactor systems became overloaded at HRT of 6 hours and OLR of 15.7 g COD/l/day, biogas production ceased and reactors acidified to pH levels which are inhibiting to methanogenesis. Based on the combined results on reactor performances, the UASB reactor is recommended as the best reactor for high biogas production and treatment efficiency. It was estimated that a large-scale UASB reactor can be designed under the same loading conditions to produce 2.8 m{sup 3} biogas form 1 m{sup 3} of wastewater of 5.16 kg COD/m{sup 3}. Wastewater from one decortication shift can produce 9,446 m{sup 3} og biogas. The energy equivalent of such fuel energy is indicated. (au)

Biogas production from UASB and polyurethane carrier reactors treating sisal processing wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rubindamayugi, M.S.T.; Salakana, L.K.P. [Univ. of Dar es Salaam, Faculty of Science, Applied Microbiology Unit (Tanzania, United Republic of)

1997-12-31

The fundamental benefits which makes anaerobic digestion technology (ADT) attractive to the poor developing include the low cost and energy production potential of the technology. In this study the potential of using UASB reactor and Polyurethane Carrier Reactor (PCR) as pollution control and energy recovery systems from sisal wastewater were investigated in lab-scale reactors. The PCR demonstrated the shortest startup period, whereas the UASB reactor showed the highest COD removal efficiency 79%, biogas production rate (4.5 l biogas/l/day) and process stability than the PCR under similar HRT of 15 hours and OLR of 8.2 g COD/l/day. Both reactor systems became overloaded at HRT of 6 hours and OLR of 15.7 g COD/l/day, biogas production ceased and reactors acidified to pH levels which are inhibiting to methanogenesis. Based on the combined results on reactor performances, the UASB reactor is recommended as the best reactor for high biogas production and treatment efficiency. It was estimated that a large-scale UASB reactor can be designed under the same loading conditions to produce 2.8 m{sup 3} biogas form 1 m{sup 3} of wastewater of 5.16 kg COD/m{sup 3}. Wastewater from one decortication shift can produce 9,446 m{sup 3} og biogas. The energy equivalent of such fuel energy is indicated. (au)

Biogas and methane production in an aerobic reactor; Produccion de biogas y metano en un reactor anaerobio UASB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez Borges, E.; Mendez Novelo, R.; Magana Pietra, A.

1998-06-01

On the basis of the results obtained during the evaluation of an anaerobic digester in treating pig farm sewage, mathematical models were constructed predicting the system`s efficiency in producing biogas from such waste, and the methane content of this gas, as a function of the influent`s hydraulic retention time(HRT) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The experimental device consisted of a UASB reactor at the bottom and a high-rate sedimentator at the top with a total operational volume of 534 litres. The results obtained to establish the critical operating parameters are reported. The production of biogas was 259 1/m``3 and methane 217 1/m``3 with an HRT of 1.3 days when a load of 3.1 kg-COD/m``3 day was applied. The mathematical models presented analyses biogas production as a variable response and the influents` HRT and COD as independent variables to assess the efficiency of the system. (Author) 13 refs.

Prevalence of hormone replacement therapy in a sample of middle-aged women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, S H; Jeune, B

1988-01-01

A survey based on a postal questionnaire sent to a random sample of Danish women aged 40-59 yr living on the island of Fünen (n = 401, response rate = 79%) revealed that the overall prevalence of the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was 16%, the highest rate being in the 50-54 age group (21......%). Among post-menopausal women the rate was 21% and it was highest of all (37%) in those who had undergone an artificial menopause. The median age at the start of treatment was 44.3 yr among the artificial menopause and 48.9 yr among the natural menopause subjects. About half of the women were treated...... with natural oestrogen alone and over a third with cyclic natural oestrogen in combination with progestogens. Almost one-third of the women had consulted their doctor about climacteric complaints and two-thirds of these were current or past users of HRT. The women had ambiguous feelings towards HRT...

A new strategy to maximize organic matter valorization in municipalities: Combination of urban wastewater with kitchen food waste and its treatment with AnMBR technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Moñino, P; Aguado, D; Barat, R; Jiménez, E; Giménez, J B; Seco, A; Ferrer, J

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of treating the kitchen food waste (FW) jointly with urban wastewater (WW) in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) by anaerobic membrane technology (AnMBR). The experience was carried out in six different periods in an AnMBR pilot-plant for a total of 536days, varying the SRT, HRT and the food waste penetration factor (PF) of food waste disposers. The results showed increased methane production of up to 190% at 70days SRT, 24h HRT and 80% PF, compared with WW treatment only. FW COD and biodegradability were higher than in WW, so that the incorporation of FW into the treatment increases the organic load and the methane production and reduces sludge production (0.142 vs 0.614kgVSSkgremovedCOD -1 , at 70days SRT, 24h HRT and 80% PF, as compared to WW treatment only). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater in a Modified Packed Bed Biofilm Reactor.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shohreh Azizi

Full Text Available For the effective application of a modified packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR in wastewater industrial practice, it is essential to distinguish the tolerance of the system for heavy metals removal. The industrial contamination of wastewater from various sources (e.g. Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni was studied to assess the impacts on a PBBR. This biological system was examined by evaluating the tolerance of different strengths of composite heavy metals at the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT of 2 hours. The heavy metal content of the wastewater outlet stream was then compared to the source material. Different biomass concentrations in the reactor were assessed. The results show that the system can efficiently treat 20 (mg/l concentrations of combined heavy metals at an optimum HRT condition (2 hours, while above this strength there should be a substantially negative impact on treatment efficiency. Average organic reduction, in terms of the chemical oxygen demand (COD of the system, is reduced above the tolerance limits for heavy metals as mentioned above. The PBBR biological system, in the presence of high surface area carrier media and a high microbial population to the tune of 10 000 (mg/l, is capable of removing the industrial contamination in wastewater.

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater in a Modified Packed Bed Biofilm Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Azizi, Shohreh; Kamika, Ilunga; Tekere, Memory

2016-01-01

For the effective application of a modified packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR) in wastewater industrial practice, it is essential to distinguish the tolerance of the system for heavy metals removal. The industrial contamination of wastewater from various sources (e.g. Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni) was studied to assess the impacts on a PBBR. This biological system was examined by evaluating the tolerance of different strengths of composite heavy metals at the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 hours. The heavy metal content of the wastewater outlet stream was then compared to the source material. Different biomass concentrations in the reactor were assessed. The results show that the system can efficiently treat 20 (mg/l) concentrations of combined heavy metals at an optimum HRT condition (2 hours), while above this strength there should be a substantially negative impact on treatment efficiency. Average organic reduction, in terms of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the system, is reduced above the tolerance limits for heavy metals as mentioned above. The PBBR biological system, in the presence of high surface area carrier media and a high microbial population to the tune of 10 000 (mg/l), is capable of removing the industrial contamination in wastewater. PMID:27186636

Zaburzenia snu oraz emocji u kobiet stosujących hormonalną terapię zastępczą

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maciej Wilczak

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Sleeping and emotion disorders, especially insomnia and sleep continuity disorders, are most severely feltand determine women’s everyday life. The research was aimed at assessing the dependence of the occurrence ofsleeping and emotion disorders in women of perimenopausal age and the use of hormonal replacement therapy.Women of similar age not using hormonal replacement therapy constituted the reference group. 90 patients fromgynaecological wards in the Wielkopolska region and hospital outpatient clinics participated in the research. Thepatients were between 15 and 80 years of age (M = 49.81; SD = 11.69. In the study standardized test methodsof determined reliability and internal accuracy were used: Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS, EpworthSleepiness Scale, Athens Insomnia Scale, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory. The results show lower intensity of insomnia in womenusing HRT than in women not using HRT. No statistically significant differences were observed between the twogroups as far as two other insomnia indicators were concerned. Self-esteem was treated as a complex variablecomposed of eleven dimensions. Statistically significant differences were noted in respect of one dimensiononly, i.e. competences. Women using HRT notice that they have much more competences than women notusing HRT.

A detrimental effect of a combined chemotherapy-radiotherapy approach in children with diffuse intrinsic brain stem gliomas?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, Carolyn R.; Kepner, Jim; Kun, Larry E.; Sanford, Robert A.; Kadota, Richard; Mandell, Lynda; Friedman, Henry

2000-01-01

Purpose: To compare the proportion of patients that survive at least 1 year following treatment with hyperfractionated radiotherapy (HRT) to a dose of 70.2 Gy on Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) study no. 8495 with that of patients treated with similar radiotherapy plus cisplatinum given by continuous infusion on weeks 1, 3, and 5 of radiotherapy on POG no. 9239. Methods and Materials: The eligibility criteria for the two studies were identical and included age 3 to 21 years, previously untreated tumor involving the brain stem of which two-thirds was in the pons, history less than 6 months, and clinical findings typical for diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma, including cranial nerve deficits, long tract signs, and ataxia. The outcome of 57 patients who were treated at the 70.2 Gy dose level of POG no. 8495 between May 1986 and February 1988 was compared with that of 64 patients treated with identical radiotherapy plus cisplatinum on POG no. 9239 between June 1992 and March 1996. Results: The number of patients accrued to POG no. 9239 was determined to guarantee that the probability was at least 0.80 of correctly detecting that the 1-year survival rate exceeded that of patients on POG no. 8495 by 0.2. However, the z value for this test was -1.564, giving a p value of 0.9411. That is, there is almost sufficient evidence to conclude that survival for patients receiving HRT plus cisplatinum on POG no. 9239 was worse than that for patients receiving the same radiotherapy alone on POG no. 8495. Conclusion: The finding that patients who received cisplatinum given as a radiosensitizing agent concurrent with HRT fared less well than those receiving the same dose of HRT alone was unexpected and is clearly a cause for concern as many current protocols for patients with diffuse intrinsic brain stem gliomas call for use of chemotherapeutic and/or biological agents given concurrent with radiotherapy

Hwangryun-Haedok-Tang Fermented with Lactobacillus casei Suppresses Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ki-Shuk Shim

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Hwangryun-haedok-tang (HRT is the common recipe in traditional Asian medicine, and microbial fermentation is used for the conventional methods for processing traditional medicine. We investigated the inhibitory effect of the n-butanol fraction of HRT (HRT-BU and fHRT (fHRT-BU on the RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in bone-marrow-derived macrophages. mRNA expression of osteoclastogenesis-related genes were evaluated by real-time QPCR. The activation of signaling pathways was determined by western blot analysis. The marker compounds of HRT-BU and fHRT-BU were analyzed by HPLC. The inhibitory effect of HRT or fHRT on ovariectomy-induced bone loss were evaluated using OVX rats with orally administered HRT, fHRT (300, 1000 mg/kg, or its vehicle for 12 weeks. fHRT-BU significantly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis, and phosphorylation of p38, IKKα/β, and NF-κBp65 compared to HRT-BU. In addition, fHRT-BU also significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of Nfκb2, TNF-α, NFATc1, TRAP, ATPv0d2, and cathepsin K. Furthermore, administration of fHRT had a greater effect on the increase of BMD, and greater improved bone microstructure of the femora than that of HRT in ovariectomy rats. This study demonstrated that bacterial fermentation enhances the inhibitory effect of HRT on osteoclastogenesis and bone loss. These results suggest that fermented HRT might have the beneficial effects on bone disease by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.

A retrospective study of the effectiveness of hemostatic radiotherapy with conventional fractionation in patients with advanced cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nomoto S

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of hemostatic radiotherapy (HRT in patients with advanced cancer. Eighteen patients with advanced cancer treated with HRT at the Fukuoka University and Kyushu Rosai Hospitals in Japan between July 2010 and February 2015 were retrospectively assessed. The hemostatic effect of tumor-related bleeding was assessed by the clinical course of bleeding, laboratory data, the endoscopic study, and the number of blood transfusion units (BTRUs for one month before and after HRT. The median follow-up time was 2.6 months (range, 0.7 to 36.2 months. The median age of the patients was 77 years (range, 51 to 93. The primary diseases with tumor-related bleeding included gastric cancer, urinary bladder cancer, gynecological cancer, prostate cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, and breast cancer. The median overall survival time was three months, and the one year survival rate was 22.9% of all patients. The HRT regimens ranged from 30 Gy in 10 fractions to 40 Gy in 20 fractions. In all patients, the anemia grade and the number of BTRUs decreased for 1 month after RT. The percentage of patients who were diagnosed as “successful” for hemostasis was 83% (15 of 18 patients. HRT is therefore strongly suggested as effective for the control of tumor-related bleeding in patients with advanced cancer. The optimal radiation doses and fractions are controversial; however, this treatment should be offered for patients with a poor life expectancy.

Removal of absorbable organic halides (aox) from recycled paper mill effluent using granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad, A.B.; Rahman, R.A.; Kadhum, A.A.H.; Abdullah, S.R.S.; Shaari, S.

2006-01-01

Paper mills generate varieties of pollutants depending upon the type of the pulping process. Paper mill wastewaters have high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour, indicating high concentrations of recalcitrant organics. The study was conducted employing a Granular Activated Carbon - Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (GAC-SBBR), containing 3.0 L working volume, operated in aerobic condition and packed with 200 g/L of 2-3 mm granular activated carbon (coconut shells) as a medium for biofilm growth. For the first couple of month, the HRT was 36 hours and the HRT of this reactor was adjusted to 24 hours in order to evaluate the performance of the system. The treated wastewater sample for these studies came from a recycle paper factory from MNI Sdn Bhd with 4 different samples characteristics. The adsorbable organic halides (AOX) to be determined and treated were Pentachlorophenol (PCP), 2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,5-TeCP), 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 2,4-Dichlorophenol ( 2,4-DCP), 2-Chlorophenol (CP) and phenol. Results showed that, the biofilm attached onto granular activated carbon (GAC) could substantially remove these recalcitrant in the wastewater. More over, results from the studies showed that high removal was achieved by the biofilm SBR with 10-100% removal of AOX and depending on HRT. (Author)

Epidemiology of inpatient gout in Australia and New Zealand: temporal trends, comorbidities and gout flare site.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Philip C; Kempe, Sarina; Tebbutt, Ian; Roberts, Lynden

2017-06-01

To assess the epidemiology of inpatient gout in Australia and New Zealand during the years 2009-2014. Using the Health Roundtable Limited (HRT) dataset, all patients with a coded ICD10 primary or secondary discharge diagnosis of gout from a HRT participating Australian or New Zealand hospital between the years 2009 and 2014 were identified. The number of inpatient gout admissions, length of stay, body site of gout flare, temporal trends and comorbidities were assessed. During 2009-2014, the number of gout admissions increased significantly in Australia and New Zealand. The rate of inpatient gout admissions relative to the population and total HRT admissions rose in Australia and stayed static in New Zealand. Lower limb presentations were the commonest anatomical site of gout in admitted patients. Length of stay over the course of the study decreased both in patients admitted for gout and in those in the entire HRT dataset. Patients admitted for gout have longer length of stay compared to patients admitted for other reasons. Cardiovascular disease, infection and stroke were the commonest conditions that were complicated by an episode of inpatient gout. There was no influence of month or season on the pattern of gout admissions. The number of gout admissions rose in Australia numerically and as a proportion of the total population and total admissions. Gout is an increasing problem affecting individuals and the community as a whole in Australia. © 2016 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Therapeutic Effects of Pre-Gelatinized Maca (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) used as a Non-Hormonal Alternative to HRT in Perimenopausal Women - Clinical Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meissner, H O; Reich-Bilinska, H; Mscisz, A; Kedzia, B

2006-06-01

Roots of cruciferous plant Lepidium peruvianum Chacon cultivated in high plateaus of Andes and known under its common name Maca, have been traditionally-used as an energizing vegetable with therapeutic properties for both men and women. Maca has been recognized by natives of Peru as herbal remedy helping to treat conditions affecting menopausal women. The effects of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Maca-GO) on quantitative physiological responses and alleviation of symptoms contributing to menopausal discomfort in perimenopausal women was examined. IN THIS, FOUR MONTHS, DOUBLE BLIND, CROSSOVER, RANDOMIZED PILOT TRIAL, MONTHLY MEASUREMENTS OF THE FOLLOWING BLOOD SERUM CONSTITUENTS WERE TAKEN: Estrogen (E2), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Progesterone (PGS), Cortisol (CT), Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Thyroid Hormones (TSH, T3, T4), minerals (Ca, K, Fe) and lipid profile (Triglicerides, Total Cholesterol, LDL, HDL). In monthly interviews conducted by gynecologist, body weight and blood pressure were registered and Menopausal Index according to Kupperman's was determined. Toxicity of Maca -GO determined on rats showed its safe use at the level of 7.5mg/kg body weight. A group of 20 women (aged 41-50 years), who fulfilled criteria of being in perimenopausal stage (E2 above 40pg/ml and FSH below 30IU/ml), were randomly allocated to two even groups, one receiving for two months Maca-GO and the other Placebo capsules followed by a crossover with treatment change for another two months period. All participants signed informed consent to participate. Two 500mg hard capsules with Maca-GO or Placebo were self-administered by participants twice daily with meals (total 2g/day). Two months administration of Maca-GO significantly alleviated symptoms of discomfort observed in majority of women involved in the study (74%-87%) as assessed by Kupperman's Menopausal index. This was associated with significant increase in E2 and FSH, Progesterone

Effects of hydraulic retention time on anaerobic hydrogenation performance and microbial ecology of bioreactors fed with glucose-peptone and starch-peptone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Shiue-Lin; Chao, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Yu-Hsuan; Hsiao, Chia-Jung; Bai, Ming-Der [Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China); Whang, Liang-Ming; Wang, Yung-Fu; Cheng, Sheng-Shung [Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China); Sustainable Environment Research Center (SERC), National Cheng-Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China); Tseng, I.-Cheng [Sustainable Environment Research Center (SERC), National Cheng-Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China); Department of Life Science, National Cheng-Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China)

2010-01-15

This study evaluated anaerobic hydrogenation performance and microbial ecology in bioreactors operated at different hydraulic retention time (HRT) conditions and fed with glucose-peptone (GP) and starch-peptone (SP). The maximum hydrogen production rates for GP- and SP-fed bioreactors were found to be 1247 and 412 mmol-H{sub 2}/L/d at HRT of 2 and 3 h, respectively. At HRT > 8 h, hydrogen consumption due to peptone fermentation could occur and thus reduced hydrogen yield from carbohydrate fermentation. Results of cloning/sequencing and denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) indicated that Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium celerecrescens were dominant hydrogen-producing bacteria in the GP-fed bioreactor, presumably due to their capability on protein hydrolysis. In the SP-fed bioreactor, Lactobacillus plantarum, Propionispira arboris, and Clostridium butyricum were found to be dominant populations, but the presence of P. arboris at HRT > 3 h might be responsible for a lower hydrogen yield from starch fermentation. As a result, optimizing HRT operation for bioreactors was considered an important asset in order to minimize hydrogen-consuming activities and thus maximize net hydrogen production. The limitation of simple parameters such as butyrate to acetate ratio (B/A ratio) in predicting hydrogen production was recognized in this study for bioreactors fed with multiple substrates. It is suggested that microbial ecology analysis, in addition to chemical analysis, should be performed when complex substrates and mixed cultures are used in hydrogen-producing bioreactors. (author)

Performance evaluation of a mesophilic (37 deg. C) upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor in treating distiller's grains wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Mengchun; She Zonglian; Jin Chunji

2007-01-01

The performance of a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating distiller's grains wastewater was investigated for 420 days at 37 deg. C. After a successful start-up, 80-97.3% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were achieved at hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 82-11 h with organic loading rates (OLR) of 5-48.3 kg COD m -3 d -1 . The biogas mainly consisted of methane and carbon dioxide, and the methane and carbon dioxide content in the biogas was 57-60 and 38-41%, respectively. The yield coefficient of methane production was 0.3182 l CH 4 g -1 COD removed until OLR at 33.3 kg COD m -3 d -1 , but afterwards began to decrease. The volatile fatty acid (VFA) in the effluent mainly consisted of acetate and propionate, accounting for more than 95% of total VFA as COD, and other VFA was detected at insignificant concentrations. The mesophilic granules developed in this study showed an excellent specific methanogenic activity (SMA) at 0.91 and 1.12 g methane COD g -1 VSS -1 d -1 using sucrose and acetate as individual substrates on day 200, respectively

Host-seeking activity of a Tanzanian population of Anopheles arabiensis at an insecticide treated bed net.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Josephine E A; Angarita Jaimes, Natalia C; Gleave, Katherine; Mashauri, Fabian; Abe, Mayumi; Martine, Jackline; Towers, Catherine E; Towers, David; McCall, Philip J

2017-07-04

Understanding how mosquitoes respond to long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) is fundamental to sustaining the effectiveness of this essential control tool. We report on studies with a tracking system to investigate behaviour of wild anophelines at an LLIN, in an experimental hut at a rural site in Mwanza, Tanzania. Groups of adult female mosquitoes (n = 10 per replicate) reared from larvae of a local population, identified as predominantly (95%) Anopheles arabiensis, were released in the hut. An infrared video tracking system recorded flight and net contact activity over 1 h as the mosquitoes attempted to reach a supine human volunteer within a bed net (either a deltamethrin-treated LLIN or an untreated control net). A range of activities, including flight path, position in relation to the bed net and duration of net contact, were quantified and compared between treatments. The total time that female An. arabiensis spent in flight around LLINs was significantly lower than at untreated nets [F(1,10) = 9.26, p = 0.012], primarily due to a substantial reduction in the time mosquitoes spent in persistent 'bouncing' flight [F(1,10) = 18.48, p = 0.002]. Most activity occurred at the net roof but significantly less so with LLINs (56.8% of total) than untreated nets [85.0%; Χ 2 (15) = 234.69, p Activity levels at the bed net directly above the host torso were significantly higher with untreated nets (74.2%) than LLINs [38.4%; Χ 2 (15) = 33.54, p = 0.004]. 'Visiting' and 'bouncing' rates were highest above the volunteer's chest in untreated nets (39.9 and 50.4%, respectively) and LLINs [29.9 and 42.4%; Χ 2 (13) = 89.91, p activity over 60 min was significantly more rapid for LLINs [F(1,10) = 6.81, p = 0.026], reiterating an 'attract and kill' rather than a repellent mode of action. The study has demonstrated the potential for detailed investigations of behaviour of wild mosquito populations under field conditions. The results validate

Characterization of the Stem-Cell Population of Phenylhydrazine-Treated Rodents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hodgson, G.; Guzman, E.; Herrera, C. [Department of Biology, Vacuity Of Sciences University of Chile, Santiago (Chile)

1968-08-15

A study was made of the content of stem cells in the spleen, blood and bone marrow of mice treated with phenylhydrazine; the experimental method used was transplantation in lethally-irradiated mice. There was a marked increase in the content of stem cells in liver and blood and a small increase in bone marrow in the case of animals treated with phenylhydrazine. Judging by the effects of vinblastine, about 80% of the stem cells of spleen pass through mitosis within 24 hours, while only 20% of the marrow cells and none of the blood stem cells pass through mitosis within this period. To obtain information on the average residence time of stem cells in blood, bone marrow was injected intravenously into normal rats and the blood content was determined at intervals, A disappearance half-life of 6 minutes was found. To estimate the increase in the number of stem cells in the spleen of animals treated with phenylhydrazine, rats with and without spleen were irradiated with 500 rad ({sup 137}Cs gamma) after being given five phenylhydrazine injections. The rats without spleen developed severe anaemia with high mortality (70%), compared with the rats with spleen. Among the survivors, erythropoiesis started to recover later and proceeded more slowly in rats that had undergone splenectomy than in those with spleen. Transfusion corrected the anaemia in the rats without spleen and reduced the high mortality, but did not alter the rate of erythropoiesis recovery. The spleen plays an important part in erythropoiesis and the bone-marrow function recovers sooner in rats with spleen than in those without. Although the spleen is important for erythropoiesis recovery after irradiation preceded by treatment with phenylhydrazine, it has no effect on recovery after irradiation alone. It seems as though the spleen is required when proliferation of stem cells at the maximum rate is essential for survival. It is possible that the spleen constitutes a favourable local environment for the

The Feasibility of Using Large-Scale Text Mining to Detect Adverse Childhood Experiences in a VA-Treated Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Kenric W; Ben-Ari, Alon Y; Laundry, Ryan J; Boyko, Edward J; Samore, Matthew H

2015-12-01

Free text in electronic health records resists large-scale analysis. Text records facts of interest not found in encoded data, and text mining enables their retrieval and quantification. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinical data repository affords an opportunity to apply text-mining methodology to study clinical questions in large populations. To assess the feasibility of text mining, investigation of the relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and recorded diagnoses was conducted among all VA-treated Gulf war veterans, utilizing all progress notes recorded from 2000-2011. Text processing extracted ACE exposures recorded among 44.7 million clinical notes belonging to 243,973 veterans. The relationship of ACE exposure to adult illnesses was analyzed using logistic regression. Bias considerations were assessed. ACE score was strongly associated with suicide attempts and serious mental disorders (ORs = 1.84 to 1.97), and less so with behaviorally mediated and somatic conditions (ORs = 1.02 to 1.36) per unit. Bias adjustments did not remove persistent associations between ACE score and most illnesses. Text mining to detect ACE exposure in a large population was feasible. Analysis of the relationship between ACE score and adult health conditions yielded patterns of association consistent with prior research. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

To treat or not to treat: should psychologists treat tobacco use disorder?

Science.gov (United States)

Bodie, Linda P

2014-08-01

The author presented this Presidential Address for Divison 18, Psychologists in Public Service, at the 2012 American Psychological Association Convention in Orlando, Florida. The address challenges public service psychologists to reduce the tobacco disease burden through their roles as researchers, leaders, educators, and practitioners and explains why treating tobacco use disorder is important and relevant for psychologists. The address discusses the prevalence and the resulting mortality and morbidity rates of tobacco use disorder, which call for effective evidence-based interventions that can be integrated by psychologists into other ongoing treatments. Treatment of the underserved populations, including those with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders, presents many barriers. In addition, education and training for tobacco use disorder in undergraduate and graduate clinical psychology programs present further barriers for psychology trainees. However, progress is being made because of the numerous resources and psychology leaders who are advocates for tobacco use disorder treatment and research. Challenges for the future include increasing awareness of the importance of treatment for tobacco use disorder, finding innovative ways to increase access to comprehensive evidence-based treatment, and acknowledging that psychologists can make a difference in reducing the tobacco use disorder disease burden. Psychologists have an ethical and professional responsibility to treat tobacco use disorder.

Decentralized wastewater treatment using passively aerated biological filter.

Science.gov (United States)

Abou-Elela, Sohair I; Hellal, Mohamed S; Aly, Olfat H; Abo-Elenin, Salah A

2017-10-13

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a novel pilot-scale passively aerated biological filter (PABF) as a low energy consumption system for the treatment of municipal wastewater. It consists of four similar compartments, each containing 40% of a non-woven polyester fabric as a bio-bed. The PABF was fed with primary treated wastewater under a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3.5 hr and a hydraulic loading rate of 5.5 m 2 /m 3 /d. The effect of media depth, HRT, dissolved oxygen (DO) and surface area of the media on the removal efficiency of pollutants was investigated. Results indicated that increasing media depth along the axis of the reactor and consequently increasing the HRT and DO resulted in great removal of different pollutants. A significant increase in the DO levels in the final effluent up to 6.7 mg/l resulted in good nitrification processes. Statistical analysis using SPSS showed that the reactor performance has significant removal efficiency (p filter systems.

The efficiency of two anaerobic reactor components; Eficiencias de dos componentes de un reactor anaerobio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez Borges, E.; Mendez Novelo, R.; Magana Pietra, A. [Facultad de Ingenieria. Universidad de Yucatan (Mexico); Martinez Pereda, P.; Fernandez Villagomez, G. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Division de Estudios de posgrado de la Facultad de Ingenieria. Mexico (Mexico)

1997-09-01

This study examined the behaviour of an anaerobic digester in treating pig farm sewage. The experimental model consisted of a UASB reactor at the bottom and a high-rate sedimentator at the top with a total capacity of 534 litres. The digester was installed on a pig farm and its performance under different operating conditions was determined, with hydraulic retention time (HRT) as the critical parameter for evaluating the anaerobic system`s efficiency. The results obtained during the experiment to establish the critical operating parameters are reported. The organic loads applied for a HRT of 1 day were 7.3 kg/m``3/day of total DQO and 3 kg/m``3/day of soluble DQO, following organic matter removal rates (as total DQO) of 36% and 49% respectively and removal rates (as soluble DQO) of 74% in the UASB and 8% in the sedimentator. The efficiency of the reactor as a whole at this HRT time was a removal rate of 74% of total DQO and 75% of soluble DQO. (Author) 25 refs.

Organic loading rate impact on biohydrogen production and microbial communities at anaerobic fluidized thermophilic bed reactors treating sugarcane stillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Samantha Christine; Rosa, Paula Rúbia Ferreira; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko; Varesche, Maria Bernadete Amâncio; Silva, Edson Luiz

2014-05-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high organic loading rates (OLR) (60.0-480.00 kg COD m(-3)d(-1)) on biohydrogen production at 55°C, from sugarcane stillage for 15,000 and 20,000 mg CODL(-1), in two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR1 and AFBR2). It was obtained, for H2 yield and content, a decreasing trend by increasing the OLR. The maximum H2 yield was observed in AFBR1 (2.23 mmol g COD added(-1)). The volumetric H2 production was proportionally related to the applied hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6, 4, 2 and 1h and verified in AFBR1 the highest value (1.49 L H2 h(-1)L(-1)). Among the organic acids obtained, there was a predominance of lactic acid (7.5-22.5%) and butyric acid (9.4-23.8%). The microbial population was set with hydrogen-producing fermenters (Megasphaera sp.) and other organisms (Lactobacillus sp.). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on hydrodynamic behavior of anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor treating cattle slaughterhouse effluent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daiane Cristina de Freitas

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study of the hydrodynamic behavior in reactors provides characteristics of the flow regime and its anomalies that can reduce biological processes efficiency due to the decrease of the useful volume and the hydraulic retention time required for the performance of microbial activity. In this study, the hydrodynamic behavior of an anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor, operated with HRT (hydraulic retention time of 24, 18 and 12 hours, was evaluated in the treatment of raw cattle slaughterhouse wastewater. Polyurethane foam and expanded clay were used as support media for biomass immobilization. Experimental data of pulse type stimulus-response assays were performed with eosin Y and bromophenol blue, and adjusted to the single-parameter theoretical models of dispersion and N-continuous stirred tank reactors in series (N-CSTR. N-CSTR model presented the best adjustment for the HRT and tracers evaluated. RDT (residence time distribution curves obtained with N-CSTR model in the assays with bromophenol blue resulted in better adjustment compared to the eosin Y. The predominant flow regime in AAFBR (anaerobic aerobic fixed bed reactor is the N-CSTR in series, as well as the existence of preferential paths and hydraulic short-circuiting.

A Longitudinal Study on Attention Development in Primary School Children with and without Teacher-Reported Symptoms of ADHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabet Suades-González

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Prospective longitudinal studies are essential in characterizing cognitive trajectories, yet few of them have been reported on the development of attention processes in children. We aimed to explore attention development in normal children and children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD symptoms in a repeated measures design using the attention network test (ANT.Methods: The population sample included 2,835 children (49.6% girls aged 7–11 years from 39 schools in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain who performed the ANT four times from January 2012 to March 2013. According to teacher ratings, 10.5% of the children presented ADHD symptoms. We performed multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models, adjusting for school and individual, to test the effects of age-related growth on the ANT networks: alerting, orienting and executive attention, and three measurements related to attentiveness: median of hit reaction time (HRT, hit reaction time standard error (HRT-SE and variability.Results: We observed age-related growth in all the outcomes, except orienting. The curves were steeper at the younger groups, although for alertness the improvement was further at the oldest ages. Gender and ADHD symptoms interacted with age in executive attention, HRT and variability. Girls performed better in executive attention at young ages although boys reached females at around 10 years of age. For HRT, males showed faster HRT. However, girls had a more pronounced improvement and reached the levels of boys at age 11. Children with ADHD symptoms had significant differences in executive attention, HRT and variability compared to children without ADHD symptoms.Conclusions: We detected an ongoing development of some aspects of attention in primary school children, differentiating patterns by gender and ADHD symptoms. Our findings support the ANT for assessing attention processes in children in large epidemiological studies.

Levonorgestrel and 17beta-estradiol given transdermally for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warming, L; Ravn, Pernille; Christiansen, C

2005-01-01

-related effect of levonorgestrel was found. Vaginal bleeding/spotting decreased from 48 to 25% of the HRT-treated women during the study period. Skin tolerance was good in 84% of the women with no difference between the study groups. No incidences of endometrial hyperplasia, uterine or mammary cancer occurred...

Simultaneous nitrate reduction and acetaminophen oxidation using the continuous-flow chemical-less VUV process as an integrated advanced oxidation and reduction process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moussavi, Gholamreza, E-mail: moussavi@modares.ac.ir; Shekoohiyan, Sakine

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Simultaneous advanced oxidation and reduction processes were explored in VUV system. • Complete reduction of nitrate to N{sub 2} was achieved at the presence of acetaminophen. • Complete degradation of acetaminophen was achieved at the presence of nitrate. • Over 95% of acetaminophen was mineralized in the VUV photoreactor. • VUV is a chemical-less advanced process for treating water emerging contaminants. - Abstract: This work was aimed at investigating the performance of the continuous-flow VUV photoreactor as a novel chemical-less advanced process for simultaneously oxidizing acetaminophen (ACT) as a model of pharmaceuticals and reducing nitrate in a single reactor. Solution pH was an important parameter affecting the performance of VUV; the highest ACT oxidation and nitrate reduction attained at solution pH between 6 and 8. The ACT was oxidized mainly by HO· while the aqueous electrons were the main working agents in the reduction of nitrate. The performance of VUV photoreactor improved with the increase of hydraulic retention time (HRT); the complete degradation of ACT and ∼99% reduction of nitrate with 100% N{sub 2} selectivity achieved at HRT of 80 min. The VUV effluent concentrations of nitrite and ammonium at HRT of 80 min were below the drinking water standards. The real water sample contaminated with the ACT and nitrate was efficiently treated in the VUV photoreactor. Therefore, the VUV photoreactor is a chemical-less advanced process in which both advanced oxidation and advanced reduction reactions are accomplished. This unique feature possesses VUV photoreactor as a promising method of treating water contaminated with both pharmaceutical and nitrate.

Simultaneous nitrate reduction and acetaminophen oxidation using the continuous-flow chemical-less VUV process as an integrated advanced oxidation and reduction process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moussavi, Gholamreza; Shekoohiyan, Sakine

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Simultaneous advanced oxidation and reduction processes were explored in VUV system. • Complete reduction of nitrate to N_2 was achieved at the presence of acetaminophen. • Complete degradation of acetaminophen was achieved at the presence of nitrate. • Over 95% of acetaminophen was mineralized in the VUV photoreactor. • VUV is a chemical-less advanced process for treating water emerging contaminants. - Abstract: This work was aimed at investigating the performance of the continuous-flow VUV photoreactor as a novel chemical-less advanced process for simultaneously oxidizing acetaminophen (ACT) as a model of pharmaceuticals and reducing nitrate in a single reactor. Solution pH was an important parameter affecting the performance of VUV; the highest ACT oxidation and nitrate reduction attained at solution pH between 6 and 8. The ACT was oxidized mainly by HO· while the aqueous electrons were the main working agents in the reduction of nitrate. The performance of VUV photoreactor improved with the increase of hydraulic retention time (HRT); the complete degradation of ACT and ∼99% reduction of nitrate with 100% N_2 selectivity achieved at HRT of 80 min. The VUV effluent concentrations of nitrite and ammonium at HRT of 80 min were below the drinking water standards. The real water sample contaminated with the ACT and nitrate was efficiently treated in the VUV photoreactor. Therefore, the VUV photoreactor is a chemical-less advanced process in which both advanced oxidation and advanced reduction reactions are accomplished. This unique feature possesses VUV photoreactor as a promising method of treating water contaminated with both pharmaceutical and nitrate.

Are women who are taking Hormone Replacement Therapy doing so with informed consent?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, E.M

2003-11-01

Just over half the population in Britain today are women, and each is likely to spend over one-third of her life in the post menopausal state. The number of post-war 'Baby Boomers' is having a profound effect on interest in the menopause and increasing awareness of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Patients are no longer prepared to passively accept the advice of their doctor, and should make an informed decision over its use, after having been given up-to-date information. Some of the claimed benefits of taking HRT are not fully proven and the risks and disadvantages must be considered, notably the increased risk of breast cancer and the effect on the sensitivity and specificity of the mammographic image. The long-term benefits are still uncertain. Available information needs to be comprehensible, credible, and up to date. Whether to initiate the taking of HRT is one of the most important decisions a woman entering mid-life will make, so she needs to be given information she can understand in order to make an informed decision. HRT and informed consent are topics relevant to mammography, which was the rationale in writing this paper as part of a Post Graduate Certificate in Mammographic Studies.

The prevalence and ingredient cost of chronic comorbidity in the Irish elderly population with medication treated type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cross-sectional study using a national pharmacy claims database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O’Shea Miriam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comorbidity in patients with diabetes is associated with poorer health and increased cost. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and ingredient cost of comorbidity in patients ≥ 65 years with and without medication treated type 2 diabetes using a national pharmacy claims database. Methods The Irish Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Service pharmacy claims database, which includes all prescribing to individuals covered by the General Medical Services scheme, was used to identify the study population (≥ 65 years. Patients with medication treated type 2 diabetes (T2DM were identified using the prescription of oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents alone or in combination with insulin as a proxy for disease diagnosis. The prevalence and ingredient prescribing cost of treated chronic comorbidity in the study population with and without medication treated T2DM were ascertained using a modified version of the RxRiskV index, a prescription based comorbidity index. The association between T2DM and comorbid conditions was assessed using logistic regression adjusting for age and sex. Bootstrapping was used to ascertain the mean annual ingredient cost of treated comorbidity. Statistical significance at p  Results In 2010, 43165 of 445180 GMS eligible individuals (9.7% were identified as having received medication for T2DM. The median number of comorbid conditions was significantly higher in those with T2DM compared to without (median 5 vs. 3 respectively; p  Conclusions Individuals with T2DM were more likely to have a higher number of treated comorbid conditions than those without and this was associated with higher ingredient costs. This has important policy and economic consequences for the planning and provision of future health services in Ireland, given the expected increase in T2DM and other chronic conditions.

The development of insecticide-treated durable wall lining for malaria control: insights from rural and urban populations in Angola and Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Messenger Louisa A

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Durable lining (DL is a deltamethrin-impregnated polyethylene material, which is designed to cover domestic walls that would normally be sprayed with residual insecticide. The operational success of DL as a long-lasting insecticidal substrate will be dependent on a high level of user acceptability as households must maintain correctly installed linings on their walls for several years. Preliminary trials were undertaken to identify a material to develop into a marketable wall lining and to assess its level of acceptability among rural and urban populations. Methods In Angola (n=60, prototype DL and insecticide-treated plastic sheeting (ITPS were installed on urban house walls and ceilings, respectively, and acceptability was compared to indoor residual spraying (IRS (n=20 using a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP questionnaire. In Nigeria (n=178, three materials (prototype DL, ITPS and insecticide-treated wall netting were distributed among rural and urban households. User opinions were gathered from focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and KAP questionnaires. Results In Angola, after two weeks, the majority of participants (98% expressed satisfaction with the products and identified the killing of insects as the materials’ principal benefits (73%. After one year, despite a loss of almost 50% of households to refugee repatriation, all 32 remaining households still asserted that they had liked the DL/ITPS in their homes and given the choice of intervention preferred DL/ITPS to IRS (94% or insecticide-treated nets (78%. In Nigeria, a dichotomy between rural and urban respondents emerged. Rural participants favoured wall adornments and accepted wall linings because of their perceived decorative value and entomological efficacy. By contrast, urban households preferred minimal wall decoration and rejected the materials based upon objections to their aesthetics and installation feasibility. Conclusions The high level

The development of insecticide-treated durable wall lining for malaria control: insights from rural and urban populations in Angola and Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Durable lining (DL) is a deltamethrin-impregnated polyethylene material, which is designed to cover domestic walls that would normally be sprayed with residual insecticide. The operational success of DL as a long-lasting insecticidal substrate will be dependent on a high level of user acceptability as households must maintain correctly installed linings on their walls for several years. Preliminary trials were undertaken to identify a material to develop into a marketable wall lining and to assess its level of acceptability among rural and urban populations. Methods In Angola (n=60), prototype DL and insecticide-treated plastic sheeting (ITPS) were installed on urban house walls and ceilings, respectively, and acceptability was compared to indoor residual spraying (IRS) (n=20) using a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. In Nigeria (n=178), three materials (prototype DL, ITPS and insecticide-treated wall netting) were distributed among rural and urban households. User opinions were gathered from focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and KAP questionnaires. Results In Angola, after two weeks, the majority of participants (98%) expressed satisfaction with the products and identified the killing of insects as the materials’ principal benefits (73%). After one year, despite a loss of almost 50% of households to refugee repatriation, all 32 remaining households still asserted that they had liked the DL/ITPS in their homes and given the choice of intervention preferred DL/ITPS to IRS (94%) or insecticide-treated nets (78%). In Nigeria, a dichotomy between rural and urban respondents emerged. Rural participants favoured wall adornments and accepted wall linings because of their perceived decorative value and entomological efficacy. By contrast, urban households preferred minimal wall decoration and rejected the materials based upon objections to their aesthetics and installation feasibility. Conclusions The high level of acceptability

SU-E-P-47: Evaluation of Improvement of Esophagus Sparing in SBRT Lung Patients with Biologically Based IMRT Optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, X; Penagaricano, J; Paudel, N; Zhang, X; Morrill, S; Corry, P; Han, E; Hardee, M; Ratanatharathorn, V

2015-01-01

Purpose: To study the potential of improving esophageal sparing for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) lung cancer patients by using biological optimization (BO) compared to conventional dose-volume based optimization (DVO) in treatment planning. Methods: Three NSCLC patients (PTV (62.3cc, 65.1cc, and 125.1cc) adjacent to the heart) previously treated with SBRT were re-planned using Varian Eclipse TPS (V11) using DVO and BO. The prescription dose was 60 Gy in 5 fractions normalized to 95% of the PTV volume. Plans were evaluated by comparing esophageal maximum doses, PTV heterogeneity (HI= D5%/D95%), and Paddick’s conformity (CI) indices. Quality of the plans was assessed by clinically-used IMRT QA procedures. Results: By using BO, the maximum dose to the esophagus was decreased 1384 cGy (34.6%), 502 cGy (16.5%) and 532 cGy (16.2%) in patient 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The maximum doses to spinal cord and the doses to 1000 cc and 1500 cc of normal lung were comparable in both plans. The mean doses (Dmean-hrt) and doses to 15cc of the heart (V15-hrt) were comparable for patient 1 and 2. However for patient 3, with the largest PTV, Dmean-hrt and V15-hrt increased by 62.2 cGy (18.3%) and 549.9 cGy (24.9%) respectively for the BO plans. The mean target HI of BO plans (1.13) was inferior to the DVO plans (1.07). The same trend was also observed for mean CI in BO plans (0.77) versus DVO plans (0.83). The QA pass rates (3%, 3mm) were comparable for both plans. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the use of biological models in treatment planning optimization can substantially improve esophageal sparing without compromising spinal cord and normal lung doses. However, for the large PTV case (125.1cc) we studied here, Dmean-hrt and V15-hrt increased substantially. The target HI and CI were inferior in the BO plans

Sewage treatment in integrated system of UASB reactor and duckweed pond and reuse for aquaculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohapatra, D P; Ghangrekar, M M; Mitra, A; Brar, S K

2012-06-01

The performance of a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a duckweed pond containing Lemna gibba was investigated for suitability for treating effluent for use in aquaculture. While treating low-strength sewage having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of typically less than 200 mg/L, with an increase in hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 10.04 to 33.49 h, COD removal efficiency of the UASB reactor decreased owing to a decrease in organic loading rate (OLR) causing poor mixing in the reactor. However, even at the lower OLR (0.475 kg COD/(m3 x d)), the UASB reactor gave a removal efficiency of 68% for COD and 74% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The maximum COD, BOD, ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate removal efficiencies of the duckweed pond were 40.77%, 38.01%, 61.87% and 88.57%, respectively. Decreasing the OLR by increasing the HRT resulted in an increase in efficiency of the duckweed pond for removal of ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate. The OLR of 0.005 kg COD/(m2 x d) and HRT of 108 h in the duckweed pond satisfied aquaculture quality requirements. A specific growth rate of 0.23% was observed for tilapia fish fed with duckweed harvested from the duckweed pond. The economic analysis proved that it was beneficial to use the integrated system of a UASB reactor and a duckweed pond for treatment of sewage.

Australian women's perceptions of hormone replacement therapy over 10 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, S; Perz, J; Clarkson, R; Llewellyn-Jones, D

1995-02-01

The knowledge, beliefs and experience of 60 women with HRT was studied when the women were premenopausal, and 10 years later when they were postmenopausal. Thirty-eight women had taken HRT by 1993. In 1993 women no longer considered clinics and self help groups to be the most useful sources of information about the menopause. They were more likely to think that doctors' knowledge of HRT was not adequate and to favour the use of HRT. Their reservations about all postmenopausal women receiving HRT continued. The women's understanding of long-term use of HRT varied. The women continued to maintain a desire not to experience withdrawal bleeding with HRT. More than 60% of women considered that HRT helped hot flushes, non-specific emotional changes and vaginal dryness. Women in 1993 were more likely to consider that HRT would help the menopausal symptoms of osteoporosis, insomnia and loss of muscle tone while fewer considered anxiety and depression would be relieved by HRT. Only one third believed HRT would reduce the incidence of heart disease. Women were more likely to take or have taken HRT if they were working and had achieved a higher work status (professional), considered reading material as the most useful source of information about menopause, had experienced menopause symptoms as distressing, considered menopause made relationships with husband and children more difficult and supported the universal use of HRT for all women.

Treating a case of Savant syndrome

OpenAIRE

Busuttil, Joseph

1994-01-01

Memory and artistic prodigies among the population at large are uncommon; among the mentally retarded, they are rarer still. This article describes the treatment of such a case, technically known as the Savant Syndrome, seen by occupational therapists at Mount Carmel Psychiatric Hospital and treated over a period of 18 years.

Effect of hydraulic retention time and sludge recirculation on greenhouse gas emission and related microbial communities in two-stage membrane bioreactor treating solid waste leachate.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuansawan, Nararatchporn; Boonnorat, Jarungwit; Chiemchaisri, Wilai; Chiemchaisri, Chart

2016-06-01

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and responsible microorganisms during the treatment of municipal solid waste leachate in two-stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) was investigated. The MBR system, consisting of anaerobic and aerobic stages, were operated at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 and 2.5days in each reactor under the presence and absence of sludge recirculation. Organic and nitrogen removals were more than 80% under all operating conditions during which CH4 emission were found highest under no sludge recirculation condition at HRT of 5days. An increase in hydraulic loading resulted in a reduction in CH4 emission from anaerobic reactor but an increase from the aerobic reactor. N2O emission rates were found relatively constant from anaerobic and aerobic reactors under different operating conditions. Diversity of CH4 and N2O producing microorganisms were found decreasing when hydraulic loading rate to the reactors was increased. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use and discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy in women with myocardial infarction: a nationwide study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bretler, Ditte-Marie; Hansen, P. R.; Abildstrom, S. Z.

2011-01-01

of HRT were vaginal oestrogen and oral oestrogen alone (46.6% and 28.7%, respectively). The percentage of women who continued HRT during the first year after discharge was 85.0% in the period 2000-2002 and had decreased to 79.6% in the period 2003-2005. Vaginal oestrogen use was associated with overall...... pharmacies. Characteristics associated with HRT use at time of MI and subsequent HRT discontinuation were analysed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS In the study period, 34 778 women were discharged after MI. Of these, 3979 (11.4%) received HRT at the time of MI and their most used categories...... The majority of women experiencing an MI during ongoing HRT continued HRT after discharge and this pattern of HRT use did not change markedly after 2002....

Suicidal ideation among postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V) from 2010 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ji-Yoon; Park, Yong-Kyu; Cho, Kyung-Hwan; Kim, Seon-Mee; Choi, Youn-Seon; Kim, Do-Hoon; Nam, Ga-Eun; Han, Kyung-Do; Kim, Yang-Hyun

2016-01-01

Suicide is a major public health problem around the world. Some studies have found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with depression in postmenopausal women. Depression is a well-known risk factor for suicide; therefore, we investigated the relationship between HRT and suicidal ideation in postmenopausal Korean women. We included 2286 postmenopausal women with or without HRT from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012. The use and duration of HRT and mental health status, including stress, depressive mood, and suicidal ideation and attempts, were assessed by self-report questionnaires. The proportion of participants with depressive mood and suicidal ideation was higher in the HRT group than the non-HRT group (all p valuessuicidal ideation increased (p for trend=0.006). After adjusting for all covariates, the odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for suicidal ideation was 1.742 (1.223-2.482) in the women with HRT, compared to women without HRT. HRT duration longer than 10 years was associated with suicidal ideation (odds ratio=2.089 and 95% confidence intervals=1.069-4.084). The cross-sectional design, a possibility of incorrect answer about menopausal status, and no assessment of the type of HRT are the main limitations of this study. Postmenopausal women receiving HRT, especially for more than 10 years, showed increased suicidal ideation compared with postmenopausal women without HRT. Physicians should pay attention to mood symptoms and suicidal ideation in postmenopausal women with HRT. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health tourism on the rise? Evidence from the Balance of Payments Statistics.

Science.gov (United States)

Loh, Chung-Ping A

2014-09-01

The study assesses the presence and magnitude of global trends in health tourism using health-related travel (HRT) spending reported in the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics database. Linear regression and quantile regression are applied to estimate secular trends of the import and export of HRT based on a sample of countries from 2003 to 2009. The results show that from 2003 to 2009 the import and export of health tourism rose among countries with a high volume of such activities (accounting for the upper 40% of the countries), but not among those with a low volume. The uneven growth in health tourism has generated greater contrast between countries with high and low volumes of health tourism activities. However, the growth in the total import of health tourism did not outpace the population growth, implying that in general the population's tendency to engage in health tourism remained static.

Serial completely stirred tank reactors for improving biogas production and substance degradation during anaerobic digestion of corn stover.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, YuQian; Liu, ChunMei; Wachemo, Akiber Chufo; Yuan, HaiRong; Zou, DeXun; Liu, YanPing; Li, XiuJin

2017-07-01

Several completely stirred tank reactors (CSTR) connected in series for anaerobic digestion of corn stover were investigated in laboratory scale. Serial anaerobic digestion systems operated at a total HRT of 40days, and distribution of HRT are 10+30days (HRT10+30d), 20+20days (HRT20+20d), and 30+10days (HRT30+10d) were compared to a conventional one-step CSTR at the same HRT of 40d. The results showed that in HRT10+30d serial system, the process became very unstable at organic load of 50gTS·L -1 . The HRT20+20d and HRT30+10d serial systems improved methane production by 8.3-14.6% compared to the one-step system in all loads of 50, 70, 90gTS·L -1 . The conversion rates of total solid, cellulose, and hemicellulose were increased in serial anaerobic digestion systems compared to single system. The serial systems showed more stable process performance in high organic load. HRT30+10d system showed the best biogas production and conversions among all systems. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of temperature on two-phase anaerobic reactors treating slaughterhouse wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Beux

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of the anaerobic treatment of effluent from a swine and bovine slaughterhouse was assessed in two sets of two-phase anaerobic digesters, operated with or without temperature control. Set A, consisting of an acidogenic reactor with recirculation and an upflow biological filter as the methanogenic phase, was operated at room temperature, while set B, consisting of an acidogenic reactor without recirculation and an upflow biological filter as the methanogenic phase, was maintained at 32°C. The methanogenic reactors showed COD (Chemical Demand of Oxygen removal above 60% for HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time values of 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 days. When the HRT value in those reactors was changed to 1 day, the COD percentage removal decreased to 50%. The temperature variations did not have harmful effects on the performance of reactors in set A.Avaliou-se a eficiência do tratamento anaeróbio de efluente de matadouro de suínos e bovinos em dois conjuntos de biodigestores anaeróbios de duas fases, operados com e sem controle de temperatura. O conjunto A, formado por um reator acidogênico com recirculação e um filtro biológico de fluxo ascendente, foi operado a temperatura ambiente e o conjunto B, formado por um reator de fluxo ascendente e um filtro biológico de fluxo ascendente, foi mantido a 32°C. Os reatores metanogênicos apresentaram remoção de DQO acima de 60 % para os TRHs de 20, 15, 10, oito, seis, quatro e dois dias. Quando o TRH destes reatores foi mudado para um dia observou-se uma queda da porcentagem de remoção de DQO para 50 %. As variações de temperatura parecem não ter prejudicado o desempenho dos reatores do conjunto A.

[Use of the EvalObs® adherence scale in an unselected French population of treated subjects with antihypertensive, hypolipemiants or oral antidiabetics medications: The FLAHS 2017 adherence survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Girerd, X; Hanon, O; Vaïsse, B

2018-05-18

A Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is useful for diagnosing medication nonadherence and its validity has been evaluated using electronic pillbox as the gold standard. We have developed the EvaLobs ® scale for use on paper or on smartphone and the aim of the study was to administrate the scale among FLAHS 2017 participants treated for an hypertension, a dyslipidemia or diabetes. In subjects treated with antihypertensive medications, participants completed the 6-item Girerd Scale and EvaLobs ® . The French League Against Hypertension Survey (FLAHS) are carried out by self-questionnaire sent by mail to individuals from the French Kantar Health sampling frame (representative panel of the population living in metropolitan France). In 2017, FLAHS was conducted in 4783 subjects aged 35 and over. The EvaLobs ® has a scale from 0 to 15 and the use instruction is "how many days have you taken the drug in the past 15 days". A score>12 indicates a "good compliance". The 6-item Girerd scale was also completed. "Good adherence" was determined for a score of 0 to 2 and "nonadherence" for a score of 3 or more. The agreement between EvaLobs ® and the 6-item Girerd scale was evaluated in treated hypertensives. The survey included 4783 subjects with 1308 treated hypertensives, 942 subjects treated with lipid-lowering drugs and 405 subjects treated with anti-diabetics. EVALOBS ® indicates "Good adherence" in 96% of subjects and the 6 questions questionnaire indicates "good adherence" in 95% of subjects. An excellent agreement is noted in 93.8%. An EvaLobs ® score indicating nonadherence or an absence of response to EvaLobs ® is observed in 3.6% [CI 95, 2.5-4.7] of hypertensives, in 6.0% [CI 95, 3.9-8.1] of diabetics and in 8.2% [CI 95, 6.5-9.9] of dyslipidemic patients. In the population living in France and in unselected patients treated for metabolic disease or hypertension, non-adherence is lowest for antihypertensive medications and highest for statins. EvaLobs ® , which shows

A phase I trial of etanidazole and hyperfractionated radiotherapy in children with diffuse brain stem glioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutton, S.C.; Pomeroy, S.L.; Billett, A.L.; Barnes, P.; Kuhlman, C.; Riese, N.E.; Goumnerova, L.; Scott, R.M.; Coleman, C.N.; Tarbell, N.J.

1997-01-01

Objective: Prospective phase I study to evaluate the toxicity and maximum tolerated dose of etanidazole administered concurrently with hyperfractionated radiation therapy (HRT) for children with brain stem glioma. Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients with brain stem glioma were treated with etanidazole and HRT from 1990-1996. Eligibility required MRI confirmation of diffuse glioma of medulla, pons or mesencephalon, and signs/symptoms of cranial nerve deficit, ataxia or long tract signs of ≤ 6 months duration. Cervico-medullary tumors were excluded. Patients (median age 8.5 years; 11 males, 7 females) received HRT to the tumor volume plus a 2 cm margin with parallel opposed 6-15 MV photons. The total dose was 66 Gy for the first 3 patients, followed by 63 Gy over 4.2 weeks (1.5 Gy BID with 6 hours between fractions) for the subsequent 15 patients. Etanidazole was administered as a rapid IV infusion 30 minutes prior to the morning fraction of HRT at doses of 1.8 gm/m2 x 17 doses (30.6 gm/m2) at step 1 to a maximum of 2.4 gm/m2 x 21 doses (50.4 gm/m2) at step 8. Dose escalation was planned with 3 patients at each of the 8 levels. Results: Three patients were treated at each dose level except level 2, on which only one patient was treated. The highest dose level achieved was step 7 which delivered a total etanidazole dose of 46.2 gm/m2. Two patients were treated at this level, and both patients experienced grade 3 toxicity in the form of a diffuse cutaneous rash. Three patients received a lower dose of 42 gm/m2 without significant toxicity, and this represents the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). There were 24 cases of grade 1 toxicity (10 vomiting, 5 peripheral neuropathy, 2 rash, 2 constipation, 1 skin erythema, 1 weight loss, 3 other), eleven cases of grade 2 toxicity (4 vomiting, 2 skin erythema, 2 constipation, 1 arthalgia, 1 urinary retention, 1 hematologic), and four grade b 3 toxicities (2 rash, 1 vomiting, 1 skin desquamation). Grade 2 or 3 peripheral

Degradation of Procion Red H-E7B reactive dye by coupling a photo-Fenton system with a sequencing batch reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Montano, Julia; Torrades, Francesc; Garcia-Hortal, Jose A.; Domenech, Xavier; Peral, Jose

2006-01-01

A bench-scale study combining photo-Fenton reaction with an aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to degrade a commercial homo-bireactive dye (Procion Red H-E7B, 250 mg l -1 ) was investigated. The photo-Fenton process was applied as a pre-treatment, avoiding complete mineralisation, just to obtain a bio-compatible water able to be treated by means of the SBR in a second step. In this sense, different Fenton reagent concentrations were assessed by following dye solution biodegradability enhancement (BOD 5 /COD), as well as the toxicity (EC 50 ), DOC, colour (Abs 543.5 ) and H 2 O 2 evolution with photo-Fenton irradiation time. Obtained pre-treated solutions were biologically oxidized in a SBR containing non-acclimated activated sludge. Different hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the bioreactor were tested to attain the maximum organic load removal efficiency. Best results were obtained with 60 min of 10 mg l -1 Fe(II) and 125 mg l -1 H 2 O 2 photo-Fenton pre-treatment and 1 day HRT in SBR

UASB/flash aeration enable complete treatment of municipal wastewater for reuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Abid Ali; Gaur, Rubia Zahid; Lew, Beni; Diamantis, Vasileios; Mehrotra, Indu; Kazmi, A A

2012-08-01

A simple, efficient and cost-effective method for municipal wastewater treatment is examined in this paper. The municipal wastewater is treated using an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor followed by flash aeration (FA) as the post-treatment, without implementing aerobic biological processes. The UASB reactor was operated without recycle, at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 h and achieved consistent removal of BOD, COD and TSS of 60-70% for more than 12 months. The effect of FA on UASB effluent post-treatment was studied at different HRT (15, 30 and 60 min) and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (low DO = 1-2 mg/L and high DO = 5-6 mg/L). The optimum conditions for BOD, COD and sulfide removal were 30-60 min HRT and high DO concentration inside the FA tank. The final effluent after clarification was characterized by BOD and COD values of 28-35 and 50-58 mg/L, respectively. Sulfides were removed by more than 80%, but the fecal coliform only by ~2 log. The UASB followed by FA is a simple and efficient process for municipal wastewater treatment, except for fecal coliform, enabling water and nutrients recycling to agriculture.

Tux fährt Bahn

OpenAIRE

Sontag, Ralph

2007-01-01

Modelleisenbahnen können Kinderspielzeug oder anspruchsvolles Hobby sein. Heute fahren viele Bahnen digital und werden mittels Digital Command Control (DCC) gesteuert. Im Vortrag sollen die Grundlagen des Protokolls erläutert und die Grundfunktionen mittels des Decoder Programmers SPROG II unter Linux ausprobiert werden.

Should we treat mild subclinical/mild hyperthyroidism? Yes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wiersinga, Wilmar M.

2011-01-01

Whether or not subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCH) should be treated, remains a matter of debate because there are no randomized clinical trials answering the question if treatment improves long-term health outcomes. Cross-sectional and longitudinal population-based sudies demonstrate clear

Late-onset hypogonadism: the advantages of treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin rather than testosterone.

Science.gov (United States)

La Vignera, Sandro; Condorelli, Rosita Angela; Cimino, Laura; Russo, Giorgio Ivan; Morgia, Giuseppe; Calogero, Aldo E

2016-01-01

The traditional pharmacological treatment of patients with late onset hypogonadism (LOH) is represented by different formulations of testosterone (T) or alternatively by the extractive human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The hormone replacement treatment (HRT) is associated with the potential increase of hematocrit, serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate volume. Moreover, the gynecomastia represent a condition frequently associated with HRT. Recent evidences showed the role of leydig cells in the 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D and the elevated frequency of hypovitaminosis D among LOH patients. Finally, another important aspect of LOH is represented by the frequency of secondary infertility due to age or to traditional HRT. This study evaluated 40 LOH patients treated for 6 months with extractive HCG (n = 10 patients) and three different formulations of T: transdermal (n = 10 patients), undecaonate (n = 10 patients) and enantate (n = 10 patients). Hormonal, anthropometric, metabolic and sperm parameters were evaluated and compared. Moreover, the main safety parameters and the results of the main questionnaires were evaluated. After treatment, HCG group showed serum concentrations of 25-OH-vitamin D significantly higher (p < 0.05) and serum concentrations of oestrogens significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared with other groups. Moreover, they showed a mean value of hematocrit, PSA and prostate volume significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared with other groups. Finally, all the groups treated with T showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of sperm density and of percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility compared with HCG group.

Effects of Andrographis paniculata and Orthosiphon stamineus Supplementation on in-vivo Rumen Fermentation Parameters and Microbial Population in Goats Fed Urea-treated Rice Straw

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roslan, N.A.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Four fistulated Boer cross-bred bucks with 25 kg average body weight was used to test the effects of dietary treated rice straw supplemented with A. paniculata and O. stamineus on in-vivo rumen parameters and microbial population in goats. The study was conducted in 4 periods (4 x 4 Latin square design, where each period was for a duration of 22 d; 10 dof adaptation period, 5 dof sampling and 7 dof change-over. The animals were fed once daily at 0800 (3% body weight with 60% of urea-treated rice straw and 40 % of one of four concentrate diets: T1-basal diet + 1% A. paniculata, T2-basal diet + 1% O. stamineus, T3-basal diet + 0.5% of A. paniculata and 0.5% O. stamineus (AO and T4-basal diet without supplementation of herbs. Clean water was provided ad libitum and the animals were individually penned. Rumen contents were sampled at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 12 hafter the onset feeding and the pH was recorded. Rumen pH, VFA's, concentration of ammonia and microbial population in the rumen fluid were measured. The mean rumen pH was the highest (P<0.05 at 2 h in T3 after the onset feeding while the mean concentration (mg/L of ammonia in the rumen fluid was the lowest at 6 and 12 h in T2 (P<0.05. The molar proportion of valerate was higher (P<0.05 at 6 h in T1. Meanwhile, the acetate to propionate ratio was affected by time where it was significantly higher at 12 h in T3. Significant reduction of total protozoa, methanogens, F. succinogens and R. albus number was observed in the herb-supplemented groups (P<0.05. The results suggest that urea-treated rice straw with herbs supplementation can be fed to goats without impairing their performance. However, further study could be done by increasing the supplementation of herbs in order to observe more effective results.

Suicide death and hospital-treated suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands: a national registry-based study

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van Oostrum Irene EA

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several suicide and suicidal behaviour risk factors are highly prevalent in asylum seekers, but there is little insight into the suicide death rate and the suicidal behaviour incidence in this population. The main objective of this study is to assess the burden of suicide and hospital-treated non-fatal suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands and to identify factors that could guide prevention. Methods We obtained data on cases of suicide and suicidal behaviour from all asylum seeker reception centres in the Netherlands (period 2002-2007, age 15+. The suicide death rates in this population and in subgroups by sex, age and region of origin were compared with the rate in the Dutch population; the rates of hospital-treated suicidal behaviour were compared with that in the population of The Hague using indirect age group standardization. Results The study included 35 suicide deaths and 290 cases of hospital-treated suicidal behaviour. The suicide death rate and the incidence of hospital-treated suicidal behaviour differed between subgroups by sex and region of origin. For male asylum seekers, the suicide death rate was higher than that of the Dutch population (N = 32; RR = 2.0, 95%CI 1.37-2.83. No difference was found between suicide mortality in female asylum seekers and in the female general population of the Netherlands (N = 3; RR = 0.73; 95%CI 0.15-2.07. The incidence of hospital-treated suicidal behaviour was high in comparison with the population of The Hague for males and females from Europe and the Middle East/South West Asia, and low for males and females from Africa. Health professionals knew about mental health problems prior to the suicidal behaviour for 80% of the hospital-treated suicidal behaviour cases in asylum seekers. Conclusions In this study the suicide death rate was higher in male asylum seekers than in males in the reference population. The incidence of hospital-treated suicidal behaviour

The influence of hormone replacement therapy on the aging-related change in cognitive performance. Analysis based on a Danish cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkkegaard, E; Pedersen, A T; Laursen, P

2002-01-01

A maintenance and/or improvement of cognitive performance with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is biological plausible. The objectives of this study were to analyze the impact of HRT on aging-related changes in cognitive performances, and to assess whether women who choose HRT have...... better cognitive performance prior to HRT....

Influence of hormonal status on substrate utilization at rest and during exercise in the female population.

Science.gov (United States)

Isacco, Laurie; Duché, Pascale; Boisseau, Nathalie

2012-04-01

During exercise, substrate utilization plays a major role in performance and disease prevention. The contribution of fat and carbohydrates to energy expenditure during exercise is modulated by several factors, including intensity and duration of exercise, age, training and diet, but also gender. Because sex hormone levels change throughout a woman's lifetime (in connection with puberty, the menstrual cycle, use of oral contraceptives and menopause), the female population has to be considered specifically in terms of substrate utilization, and metabolic and hormonal responses to exercise. Before puberty, there is no difference between males and females when it comes to substrate oxidation during exercise. This is not the case during adulthood, since women are known to rely more on fat than men for the same relative intensity of exercise. Among adult women, the menstrual cycle and use of oral contraceptives may influence substrate oxidation. While some authors have noted that the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is connected with greater lipid oxidation, compared with the follicular stage, other authors have found no difference. Among oral contraceptive users, fat oxidation is sometimes increased during prolonged exercise with a concomitant rise in lipolytic hormones, as well as growth hormone. If this result is not always observed, the type of oral contraceptive (monophasic vs triphasic) and hormone doses may be implicated. Menopause represents a hormonal transition in a woman's life, leading to a decline in ovarian hormone production. A decrease in fat oxidation is consequently observed, and some studies have demonstrated a similar respiratory exchange ratio during prolonged exercise in postmenopausal women and in men. As is the case during puberty, no sex difference should thus appear after menopause in the absence of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). Results concerning women who take HRT remain conflicting. HRT may act on fat loss by increasing lipid

Higher lipid peroxidation in former-smokers vs. never-smokers - study in postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagan, Dorota; Stępniak, Jan; Gesing, Adam; Lewinski, Andrzej; Karbownik-Lewinska, Malgorzata

2015-12-01

One of the most spectacular exogenous prooxidative agents is cigarette smoking, constituting a well documented risk factor for several diseases. In turn it is suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women can contribute to oxidative status. The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of oxidative damage to membrane lipids in blood serum collected from never-smokers and former-smokers. The study was performed in postmenopausal women, who were or were not HRT users. Ninety (90) female volunteers, aged from 46 to 67 years, were enrolled. Two major groups were considered, i.e. never-smokers (n=44) and formersmokers (n=46), which were additionally subgrouped to HRT users (HRT+) and HRT non-users (HRT-). Anthropometric parameters related to obesity were also calculated. The main groups were well matched at baseline in terms of age. The level of malondialdehyde+4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA+4-HDA), as the index of LPO, was measured spectrophotometrically. The level of LPO was higher in former-smokers than in never-smokers, regardless of HRT use. The level of LPO did constitute the only independent factor associated with past smoking in the entire examined group, as well as after stratification to HRT users and HRT non-users. LPO level was not associated with HRT treatment. No positive correlations were found between LPO level and anthropometric parameters. Past smoking is independently associated with the increased damage to membrane lipids regardless of the use of HRT in postmenopausal women. Smoking cessation is not always associated with complete reversion of excessive oxidative damage to all biological macromolecules.

Mosquito population regulation and larval source management in heterogeneous environments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Smith

Full Text Available An important question for mosquito population dynamics, mosquito-borne pathogen transmission and vector control is how mosquito populations are regulated. Here we develop simple models with heterogeneity in egg laying patterns and in the responses of larval populations to crowding in aquatic habitats. We use the models to evaluate how such heterogeneity affects mosquito population regulation and the effects of larval source management (LSM. We revisit the notion of a carrying capacity and show how heterogeneity changes our understanding of density dependence and the outcome of LSM. Crowding in and productivity of aquatic habitats is highly uneven unless egg-laying distributions are fine-tuned to match the distribution of habitats' carrying capacities. LSM reduces mosquito population density linearly with coverage if adult mosquitoes avoid laying eggs in treated habitats, but quadratically if eggs are laid in treated habitats and the effort is therefore wasted (i.e., treating 50% of habitat reduces mosquito density by approximately 75%. Unsurprisingly, targeting (i.e. treating a subset of the most productive pools gives much larger reductions for similar coverage, but with poor targeting, increasing coverage could increase adult mosquito population densities if eggs are laid in higher capacity habitats. Our analysis suggests that, in some contexts, LSM models that accounts for heterogeneity in production of adult mosquitoes provide theoretical support for pursuing mosquito-borne disease prevention through strategic and repeated application of modern larvicides.

Effect of mixture ratio, solids concentration and hydraulic retention time on the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Fongsatitkul, Prayoon; Elefsiniotis, Panagiotis; Wareham, David G

2010-09-01

This paper describes how the degradation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is affected through codigestion with varying amounts of return activated sludge (RAS). Solid waste that had its inorganic fraction selectively removed was mixed with RAS in ratios of 100% OFMSW, 50% OFMSW/50% RAS, and 25% OFMSW/75% RAS. The total solids (TS) concentration was held at 8% and three anaerobic digester systems treating the mixtures were held (for the first run) at a total hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 28 days. Increasing amounts of RAS did not however improve the mixture's digestability, as indicated by little change and/or a drop in the main performance indices [including percentage volatile solids (VS) removal and specific gas production]. The optimum ratio in this research therefore appeared to be 100% OFMSW with an associated 85.1 ± 0.6% VS removal and 0.72 ± 0.01 L total gas g(- 1) VS. In the second run, the effect of increasing percentage of TS (8, 12% and 15%) at a system HRT of 28 days was observed to yield no improvement in the main performance indices (i.e. percentage VS removal and specific gas production). Finally, during the third run, variations in the total system HRT were investigated at an 8% TS, again using 100% OFMSW. Of the HRTs explored (23, 28 and 33 days), the longest HRT yielded the best performance overall, particularly in terms of specific gas production (0.77 ± 0.01 L total gas g(-1) VS).

Patient communication in hormone therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnare, S M

2001-01-01

Common regimens of HRT therapy are reviewed, including common routes of hormone administration. Inconsistent patterns of HRT use are discussed, including the reasons women most often give for discontinuing hormone therapies. Specific issues related to misperceptions and fears regarding HRT are clarified, and specific, focused patient education formats are discussed to address women's common concerns about HRT. Obstacles to HRT use are elucidated, with suggestions for clinicians about how to communicate more effectively with women: clinicians must focus on emotional and physical aspects of HRT choices and tailor therapies to the individual patient. Discussing frankly the very serious concerns of women regarding the association between lobular breast cancer and endometrial cancer is important; discussing and preparing women for possible side effects helps patients cope better if and when side effects occur. Finally, offering a wide variety of HRT therapies provides women with a broader choice if an initial regimen is unsuccessful.

Inactivation of microorganisms in treated municipal wastewater and biosolids by gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Increasing growth of the world's population, waste minimization policies and agricultural needs make the recycling of domestic wastewater quite a desirable practice. Factors like environmental and public health risks must be taken into account when considering treated wastewater for field irrigation and biosolids for land application. Pathogens present in wastewater and biosolids may remain active after treatment and there is always a great risk of transmission of infections via consuming crop and vegetables. Therefore it is very important to treat domestic wastewater properly before using it as an irrigation water and as a fertilizer. The work reported herein represents an evaluation of the variations in the population densities of below indicated pathogens monitored during a one year study in Ankara Central Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the efficiency of gamma irradiation for the inactivation of these important waterborne pathogens. Parasitological investigation Treated wastewater and biosolids - Cryptosporidium sp. - Giardia lamblia - Entamoeba histolytica - Cyclospora cayetanensis - Helminth ova Bacteriological investigation Treated wastewater - Total coliforms - Salmonella sp. - Fecal streptococci - Enterococcus sp. Biosolids - Fecal coliforms - Salmonella sp. (Includes 12 tables, 16 figures)

Anaerobic digestion of the vinasses from the fermentation of Agave tequilana Weber to tequila: The effect of pH, temperature and hydraulic retention time on the production of hydrogen and methane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinoza-Escalante, Froylan M.; Pelayo-Ortiz, Carlos; Navarro-Corona, Jose; Gonzalez-Garcia, Yolanda; Bories, Andre; Gutierrez-Pulido, Humberto

2009-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the effect of three operational parameters (pH, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and growing temperature) on a semi-continuous bioreactor treating Tequila's vinasses by anaerobic digestion (AD). The response was measured through four response variables: total reducing sugars (TRS) consumption, VFA's, hydrogen and methane production. Trials were done according to a factorial design. The experimental results were studied through a multiple response optimization (MRO) analysis to find single and multiple optimums for the above-mentioned variables. Mathematical models that can describe the effect of the operational parameters on each response variable were found. In this study it is shown that hydrogen production is favored at thermophilic growth (55 deg. C), operating the reactor at a slight acidic pH range and at the higher HRT in the boundaries of the experimental region

Performance of mutagen treated Jatropha curcas (Petro-crop) on alkali soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, R.K.; Datta, S.K.; Mishra, P.N.

1998-01-01

Under the user land development programme, seeds of Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaces) were treated with 6, 12, 18 and 24 krad of gamma rays and sown in randomised block design on different grades of alkali soils. Wide range of variability could be detected in mutagen treated population. Results indicate that suitable strains of J. curcas can be isolated through mutation breeding programme for utilisation of user land. (author)

Effectiveness of 308-nm Excimer Laser Therapy in Treating Alopecia Areata, Determined by Examining the Treated Sides of Selected Alopecic Patches.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Ji Won; Moon, Jong Hyuk; Bang, Chan Yl; Shin, Jeonghyun; Choi, Gwang Seong

2015-01-01

Some studies have reported the use of 308-nm excimer laser therapy for treating alopecia areata (AA); however, the effectiveness of this therapy on a theoretical basis has not yet been comparatively analyzed. To determine the therapeutic effect of excimer laser therapy on AA. One alopecic patch was divided into control and treated sides in 10 patients with AA. Then, 308-nm excimer laser therapy was administered twice a week for 12 weeks. Photograph and phototrichogram analyses were performed. Photographic assessments by both dermatologists and individuals of the general population showed objective improvements after excimer laser therapy. On the treated side, the hair count and hair diameter had statistically increased after treatment. However, only the hair diameter was found to be significantly high in the treated half when it was compared with the control side. The 308-nm excimer laser has a therapeutic effect on AA, which is proven by photograph and phototrichogram analysis by a side-by-side comparison. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Injectable naltrexone, oral naltrexone, and buprenorphine utilization and discontinuation among individuals treated for opioid use disorder in a United States commercially insured population.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Jake R; Schackman, Bruce R; Leff, Jared A; Linas, Benjamin P; Walley, Alexander Y

2018-02-01

with oral naltrexone, 31% for individuals treated with sublingual or oralmucosal buprenorphine/naloxone, 58% for individuals treated with sublingual buprenorphine, and 51% for individuals treated with transdermal buprenorphine discontinued treatment. In the Cox proportional hazard model, use of injectable naltrexone, oral naltrexone, sublingual buprenorphine, and transdermal buprenorphine were all associated with significantly greater hazard of discontinuing therapy beginning >30days after MOUD initiation (HR=2.17, 2.54, 1.15, and 2.21, respectively, 95% CIs 2.04-2.30, 2.45-2.64, 1.10-1.19, and 2.11-2.33), compared with the use of sublingual or oralmucosal buprenorphine/naloxone. This analysis demonstrates that the use of evidence-based medication therapies has not kept pace with increases in OUD diagnoses in commercially insured populations in the United States. Among those who have been treated, discontinuation rates >30days after initiation are high. The proportion treated with injectable naltrexone, oral naltrexone, and transdermal buprenorphine grew over time but remains small, and the discontinuation rates are higher among those treated with these medications compared with those treated with sublingual or oralmucosal buprenorphine/naloxone. In the face of the opioid overdose and addiction crisis, new efforts are needed at the provider, health system, and policy levels so that MOUD availability and uptake keep pace with new OUD diagnoses and OUD treatment discontinuation is minimized. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hormone replacement therapy dissociates fat mass and bone mass, and tends to reduce weight gain in early postmenopausal women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, L B; Vestergaard, P; Hermann, A P

2003-01-01

in women randomized to HRT (1.94 +/- 4.86 kg) than in women randomized to no HRT (2.57 +/- 4.63, p = 0.046). A similar pattern was seen in the group receiving HRT or not by their own choice. The smaller weight gain in women on HRT was almost entirely caused by a lesser gain in fat. The main determinant...... of the weight gain was a decline in physical fitness. Women opting for HRT had a significantly lower body weight at inclusion than the other participants, but the results in the self-selected part of the study followed the pattern found in the randomized part. The change in fat mass was the strongest predictor...... of bone changes in untreated women, whereas the change in lean body mass was the strongest predictor when HRT was given. Body weight increases after the menopause. The gain in weight is related to a decrease in working capacity. HRT is associated with a smaller increase in fat mass after menopause. Fat...

A submerged tubular ceramic membrane bioreactor for high strength wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, D D; Zeng, J L; Tay, J H

2003-01-01

A 4 L submerged tubular ceramic membrane bioreactor (MBR) was applied in laboratory scale to treat 2,400 mg-COD/L high strength wastewater. A prolonged sludge retention time (SRT) of 200 day, in contrast to the conventional SRT of 5 to 15 days, was explored in this study, aiming to reduce substantially the amount of disposed sludge. The MBR system was operated for a period of 142 days in four runs, differentiated by specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). It was found that the MBR system produced more than 99% of suspended solid reduction. Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) was found to be adversely proportional to HRT, and in general higher than the value from a conventional wastewater treatment plant. A chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was achieved as high as 98% in Run 1, when SOUR was in the range of 100-200 mg-O/g-MLVSS/hr. Unexpectedly, the COD removal efficiency in Run 2 to 4 was higher than 92%, on average, where higher HRT and abnormally low SOUR of 20-30 mg-O/g-MLVSS/hr prevailed. It was noted that the ceramic membrane presented a significant soluble nutrient rejection when the microbial metabolism of biological treatment broke down.

Grey water treatment in UASB reactor at ambient temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmitwalli, T A; Shalabi, M; Wendland, C; Otterpohl, R

2007-01-01

In this paper, the feasibility of grey water treatment in a UASB reactor was investigated. The batch recirculation experiments showed that a maximum total-COD removal of 79% can be obtained in grey-water treatment in the UASB reactor. The continuous operational results of a UASB reactor treating grey water at different hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 20, 12 and 8 hours at ambient temperature (14-24 degrees C) showed that 31-41% of total COD was removed. These results were significantly higher than that achieved by a septic tank (11-14%), the most common system for grey water pre-treatment, at HRT of 2-3 days. The relatively lower removal of total COD in the UASB reactor was mainly due to a higher amount of colloidal COD in the grey water, as compared to that reported in domestic wastewater. The grey water had a limited amount of nitrogen, which was mainly in particulate form (80-90%). The UASB reactor removed 24-36% and 10-24% of total nitrogen and total phosphorus, respectively, in the grey water, due to particulate nutrients removal by physical entrapment and sedimentation. The sludge characteristics of the UASB reactor showed that the system had stable performance and the recommended HRT for the reactor is 12 hours.

Update on the effect of exogenous hormone use on glioma risk in women: a meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Yu-Long; Wang, Xun; Lou, Jia-Cheng; Ma, Bin-Bin; Xing, Jin-Shan; Zou, Shuang; Zhang, Bo

2018-04-01

Various studies have confirmed the important roles of endogenous hormones in the development of gliomas, while the roles of exogenous hormones remain controversial. Based on case-control studies and cohort studies, a meta-analysis was exerted to explore the effect of two exogenous hormones use (HRT: hormone replacement therapy; OC: oral contraceptives) on glioma risk. 16 eligible studies, including 11 case-control studies and 5 cohort studies, containing 8055027 women, were included in our study. All included studies have reported the relative risks (RRs) or odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We use the fixed-effects model to calculate the estimated overall risk. In case-control studies, the risk of glioma was lower in women who had ever been treated with an exogenous hormone than in the control group (HRT: OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.99; OC: OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.91-1.07). In research of cohort studies, similar results have been obtained (HRT: RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.83-1.08; OC: RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.84). Our study further confirmed that the use of exogenous hormones has an important impact on the risk of glioma in women. However, more prospective studies are needed to further confirm this conclusion.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Large, Population-Based Cohort of Breast Cancer Survivors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boekel, Naomi B.; Schaapveld, Michael; Gietema, Jourik A.; Russell, Nicola S.; Poortmans, Philip; Theuws, Jacqueline C. M.; Schinagl, Dominic A. X.; Rietveld, Derek H. F.; Versteegh, Michel I. M.; Visser, Otto; Rutgers, Emiel J. T.; Aleman, Berthe M. P.; van Leeuwen, Flora E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To conduct a large, population-based study on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in breast cancer (BC) survivors treated in 1989 or later. Methods and Materials: A large, population-based cohort comprising 70,230 surgically treated stage I to III BC patients diagnosed before age 75 years between

Risk of hypothyroidism among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiation therapy: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Chao-Yueh; Lin, Chun-Shu; Chao, Hsing-Lung; Huang, Wen-Yen; Su, Yu-Fu; Lin, Kuen-Tze; Tsai, I-Ju; Kao, Chia-Hung

2017-06-01

This study aimed to assess the incidence and risk of hypothyroidism among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiation therapy (RT). We identified 14,893 NPC patients and 16,105 other head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with RT without thyroidectomy from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan between 2000 and 2011. Each NPC patient was randomly frequency-matched with four individuals without NPC by age, sex, and index year. Competing-risk regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of hypothyroidism requiring thyroxin associated with NPC after RT. The risk of developing hypothyroidism was significantly higher in the NPC cohort than in the matched cohort (adjusted HR=14.35, 95% CI=11.85-17.37) and the HNC cohort (adjusted HR=2.06, 95% CI=1.69-2.52). Independent risk factors for hypothyroidism among NPC patients included younger age, female sex, higher urbanization level, autoimmune disease, and receipt of chemotherapy. The risk of hypothyroidism requiring thyroxin was significantly higher in NPC patients after RT than in the general Taiwanese population and HNC patients. Regular clinical and serum thyroid function tests are essential among NPC survivors after RT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cambios en el uso de la terapia hormonal sustitutiva tras una intervención informativa dirigida a mujeres y prescriptores Changes in the use of hormone replacement therapy after an educational intervention aimed at women and prescribers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Mosquera Tenreiro

2009-04-01

from 1996 to 2003 (preintervention period. In 2004 and 2005, annual sales of HRT products and the percentage of women using HRT among the population aged 50-59 years were analyzed. To analyze trends in costs, we used the price of each product in pesetas until 2001 and in euros thereafter. Results: Sales of HRT increased until 2001. Total sales declined by 73.6% between 2001 and 2005. The decrease between 2004 and 2005 (49.1% was twice that observed between 2002 and 2003 (24.5%. An estimated 17.2% of women aged 50-59 years old were using HRT in 1996 compared with 4.1% in 2005. The total pharmaceutical cost related to HRT showed a similar decrease, although sales of Boltin® (tibolone increased by two-fold. Conclusions: Systematic and independent educational interventions aimed at women in the general population and prescribers are both effective and necessary. The HRT epidemic and its health costs, as well as the shift to tibolone prescription and the adverse effects of this drug, should be investigated nationwide.

Heidelberg Retina Tomograph for the Detection of Glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Cvenkel

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT is a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope which acquires and analyzes 3-dimensional images of the optic nerve head. The latest instrument HRT3 includes software with larger ethinic-specific normative database. This review summarizes relevant published literature on HRT in diagnosing glaucoma, detecting glaucoma progression, the diagnostic accuracy of HRT among other imaging devices and its role in clinical practice.

Degradation of Procion Red H-E7B reactive dye by coupling a photo-Fenton system with a sequencing batch reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Montano, Julia [Departament de Quimica, Edifici Cn, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Torrades, Francesc [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, ETSEI de Terrassa (UPC), C/Colom, 11, E-08222 Terrassa, Barcelona (Spain); Garcia-Hortal, Jose A. [Departament d' Enginyeria Textil i Paperera, ETSEI de Terrassa (UPC), C/Colom, 11, E-08222 Terrassa, Barcelona (Spain); Domenech, Xavier [Departament de Quimica, Edifici Cn, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Peral, Jose [Departament de Quimica, Edifici Cn, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)]. E-mail: jose.peral@uab.es

2006-06-30

A bench-scale study combining photo-Fenton reaction with an aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to degrade a commercial homo-bireactive dye (Procion Red H-E7B, 250 mg l{sup -1}) was investigated. The photo-Fenton process was applied as a pre-treatment, avoiding complete mineralisation, just to obtain a bio-compatible water able to be treated by means of the SBR in a second step. In this sense, different Fenton reagent concentrations were assessed by following dye solution biodegradability enhancement (BOD{sub 5}/COD), as well as the toxicity (EC{sub 50}), DOC, colour (Abs{sub 543.5}) and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} evolution with photo-Fenton irradiation time. Obtained pre-treated solutions were biologically oxidized in a SBR containing non-acclimated activated sludge. Different hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the bioreactor were tested to attain the maximum organic load removal efficiency. Best results were obtained with 60 min of 10 mg l{sup -1} Fe(II) and 125 mg l{sup -1} H{sub 2}O{sub 2} photo-Fenton pre-treatment and 1 day HRT in SBR.

Epidemiology and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in West-Nile Populations of Sudan and Uganda

OpenAIRE

Neuner, Frank

2003-01-01

Bürgerkriege haben für die betroffenen Länder verheerende Auswirkungen auf soz-ialer, wirtschaftlicher, medizinischer und politischer Ebene. In einer epidemiologischen Studie, die im West-Nil Gebiet von Sudan und Uganda durchgeführt wurde, sollten die psychischen Folgen des sudanesischen Bürgerkrieges untersucht werden. Dabei wurden drei Populationen miteinander verglichen: Sudanesen, die im Sudan verblieben waren (n =664), Flüchtlinge, die aus dem Sudan nach Uganda geflohen waren (n = 1240) ...

Long-term thermophilic mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion with potato pulp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayr, S.; Ojanperä, M.; Kaparaju, P.; Rintala, J.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Rendering wastes’ mono-digestion and co-digestion with potato pulp were studied. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m 3 d, HRT of 50 d was unstable in mono-digestion. • Free NH 3 inhibited mono-digestion of rendering wastes. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m 3 d, HRT of 50 d was stable in co-digestion. • Co-digestion increased methane yield somewhat compared to mono-digestion. - Abstract: In this study, mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp were studied for the first time in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) experiments at 55 °C. Rendering wastes have high protein and lipid contents and are considered good substrates for methane production. However, accumulation of digestion intermediate products viz., volatile fatty acids (VFAs), long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 -N and/or free NH 3 ) can cause process imbalance during the digestion. Mono-digestion of rendering wastes at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.5 kg volatile solids (VS)/m 3 d and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d was unstable and resulted in methane yields of 450 dm 3 /kg VS fed . On the other hand, co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp (60% wet weight, WW) at the same OLR and HRT improved the process stability and increased methane yields (500–680 dm 3 /kg VS fed ). Thus, it can be concluded that co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp could improve the process stability and methane yields from these difficult to treat industrial waste materials

Hormone-replacement therapy influences gene expression profiles and is associated with breast-cancer prognosis: a cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skoog Lambert

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Postmenopausal hormone-replacement therapy (HRT increases breast-cancer risk. The influence of HRT on the biology of the primary tumor, however, is not well understood. Methods We obtained breast-cancer gene expression profiles using Affymetrix human genome U133A arrays. We examined the relationship between HRT-regulated gene profiles, tumor characteristics, and recurrence-free survival in 72 postmenopausal women. Results HRT use in patients with estrogen receptor (ER protein positive tumors (n = 72 was associated with an altered regulation of 276 genes. Expression profiles based on these genes clustered ER-positive tumors into two molecular subclasses, one of which was associated with HRT use and had significantly better recurrence free survival despite lower ER levels. A comparison with external data suggested that gene regulation in tumors associated with HRT was negatively correlated with gene regulation induced by short-term estrogen exposure, but positively correlated with the effect of tamoxifen. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-menopausal HRT use is associated with a distinct gene expression profile related to better recurrence-free survival and lower ER protein levels. Tentatively, HRT-associated gene expression in tumors resembles the effect of tamoxifen exposure on MCF-7 cells.

Relation of estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphism and hormone replacement therapy to fall risk and muscle strength in early postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmén, Timo; Heikkinen, Anna-Mari; Mahonen, Anitta; Kröger, Heikki; Komulainen, Marja; Saarikoski, Seppo; Honkanen, Risto; Partanen, Juhani; Mäenpää, Pekka H

2002-01-01

Several factors may increase fracture risk, among them reduced bone mineral density (BMD), increased bone resorption, microarchitectural deterioration of bone, increased fall risk, and decreased muscle strength. We have previously reported that PvuII polymorphism of the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER alpha) gene is associated with bone loss rate, fracture risk, and response to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in early postmenopausal Finnish women. We studied the influence of the ER alpha genotype on fall risk and muscle strength in a 5-year randomized HRT trial of 331 early postmenopausal women (subgroup of the population-based OSTPRE study, Kuopio, Finland). A 5-year postal inquiry in May 1994 included questions on falls during the previous 12 months. Grip strength was measured with dynamometer. The ER alpha gene polymorphism was analysed using PCR and PvuII restriction enzyme digestion. RESULTS. In all, 97 out of the 331 women reported falls. Half of those (56%) were slip falls, mostly during the winter season. In the HRT group, the ER alpha genotype was associated with fall risk (P = 0.002, logistic regression). The risk of falls (RR) was higher in women with the PP genotype than in those with the Pp (RR = 5.26, 95% CI 1.98-13.94, P = 0.001) or the pp (RR = 3.84, 95% CI 1.46-10.12, P = 0.007) genotype. When the falls were divided into slip (environment-related) and non-slip (endogenous) falls, the non-slip falls were associated with the genotype (P = 0.004), but the slip falls were not so clearly (P = 0.061). When all falls and non-slip falls were adjusted to the number of chronic health disorders and the variable time-since-menopause, the difference between the genotypes persisted (P = 0.003 and P = 0.010, respectively). In the non-HRT group, the ER alpha genotype was not associated with fall risk. The baseline or the 5-year grip strength values were not influenced by the ER alpha genotype. In conclusion, ER alpha polymorphism is associated with fall risk

Treating Depressed and Anxious Smokers in Smoking Cessation Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, C. Steven; Cohen, Lee M.; Morrell, Holly E. R.; Watson, Noreen L.; Low, Blakely E.

2013-01-01

Objective: Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In addition, smoking rates among depressed and anxious smokers are higher than in the population at large. Furthermore, treating depressed and anxious smokers effectively is particularly challenging because of their significant negative affect,…

Only a fraction of patients with ischaemic diseases or diabetes are treated to recommended target values for plasma lipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siggaard-Andersen, Niels; Freiberg, Jacob J; Nordestgaard, Børge G

2012-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that individuals in the general population with and without ischaemic cardiovascular disease, or with diabetes, are treated to recommended target values for plasma lipids.......We tested the hypothesis that individuals in the general population with and without ischaemic cardiovascular disease, or with diabetes, are treated to recommended target values for plasma lipids....

Polymorphisms in Th1/Th2 Cytokine Genes, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Gongjian; Pan, Dongsheng; Zheng, Tongzhang; Lan, Qing; Chen, Xuezhong; Chen, Yingtai; Kim, Christopher; Bi, Xiaofeng; Holford, Theodore; Boyle, Peter; Leaderer, Brian; Chanock, Stephen J.; Rothman, Nathaniel; Zhang, Yawei

2011-01-01

We conducted a population-based case–control study in Connecticut women to test the hypothesis that genetic variations in Th1 and Th2 cytokine genes modify the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Compared to women without a history of HRT use, women with a history of HRT use had a significantly decreased risk of NHL if they carried IFNGR2 (rs1059293) CT/TT genotypes (OR = 0.5, 95%CI: 0.3–0.9), IL13 (rs20541) GG genotype (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4–0.9), and IL13 (rs1295686) CC genotype (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4–0.8), but not among women who carried IFNGR2 CC, IL13 AG/AA, and IL13CT/TT genotypes. A similar pattern was also observed for B-cell lymphoma but not for T-cell lymphoma. A statistically significant interaction was observed for IFNGR2 (rs1059293 P for interaction = 0.024), IL13(rs20541 P for interaction = 0.005), IL13 (rs1295686 P for interaction = 0.008), and IL15RA (rs2296135 P for interaction = 0.049) for NHL overall; IL13 (rs20541 P for interaction = 0.0009), IL13(rs1295686 P for interaction = 0.0002), and IL15RA (rs2296135 P for interaction = 0.041) for B-cell lymphoma. The results suggest that common genetic variation in Th1/Th pathway genes may modify the association between HRT and NHL risk.

[The gene pool of the Belgorod region population: description of the "genetic landscape" of 22 district populations].

Science.gov (United States)

Sorokina, I N; Churnosov, M I; Balanovskaia, E V

2009-05-01

Data on the frequencies of all (50 412) surnames in a total population of 849 399 people have been treated by various methods of multivariate statistics (cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, and factor analysis) to show that 22 district populations of the Central Chernozem region of Russia form a definite, ordered system of population groups. All raions (administrative districts) of Belgorod oblast (administrative region) have been grouped into four clusters corresponding to the actual geographic locations of the populations. Districts of the eastern cluster are characterized by very specific spectrum and frequencies of surnames; districts of the western cluster differ in a high proportion of Ukrainian surnames.

Anaerobic digestion of the vinasses from the fermentation of Agave tequilana Weber to tequila: The effect of pH, temperature and hydraulic retention time on the production of hydrogen and methane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espinoza-Escalante, Froylan M.; Pelayo-Ortiz, Carlos; Navarro-Corona, Jose; Gonzalez-Garcia, Yolanda [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Guadalajara, Blvd. M. Garcia Barragan No. 1421, Guadalajara CP 44430 (Mexico); Bories, Andre [INRA-Unite Experimentale de Pech-Rouge, 11430 Gruissan (France); Gutierrez-Pulido, Humberto [Department of Mathematics, University of Guadalajara, Blvd. M. Garcia Barragan No. 1421, Guadalajara CP 44430 (Mexico)

2009-01-15

The objective of this work was to study the effect of three operational parameters (pH, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and growing temperature) on a semi-continuous bioreactor treating Tequila's vinasses by anaerobic digestion (AD). The response was measured through four response variables: total reducing sugars (TRS) consumption, VFA's, hydrogen and methane production. Trials were done according to a factorial design. The experimental results were studied through a multiple response optimization (MRO) analysis to find single and multiple optimums for the above-mentioned variables. Mathematical models that can describe the effect of the operational parameters on each response variable were found. In this study it is shown that hydrogen production is favored at thermophilic growth (55 C), operating the reactor at a slight acidic pH range and at the higher HRT in the boundaries of the experimental region. (author)

Optimization of an integrated sponge--granular activated carbon fluidized bed bioreactor as pretreatment to microfiltration in wastewater reuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, W; Ngo, H H; Guo, W S; Listowski, A; Cullum, P

2012-06-01

A specific integrated fluidized bed bioreactor (iFBBR) was optimized in terms of organic loading rate (OLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and frequency of new sustainable flocculant (NSBF) addition for primary treated sewage effluent (PTSE) treatment. It was observed that iFBBR achieved the best performance with the operating conditions of 4 times/day NSBF addition, HRT of 90 min and OLR of 8.64 kg COD/day m(3). The removal efficiencies were found to be more than 93% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), 61% of total nitrogen (T-N) and 60% of total phosphorus (T-P). iFBBR as pretreatment of submerged microfiltration (SMF) is successful in increasing the critical flux and reducing the membrane fouling. NSBF-iFBBR-SMF hybrid system led to very high organic removal efficiency with an average DOC removal of 97% from synthetic PTSE. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removing volatile fatty acids during the anaerobic treatment of pig sewage; Remocion de acidos grasos volatiles durante el tratamiento anaerobio de aguas residuales porcicolas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez Borges, E.; Mendez Novelo, R.; Magana Pietra, A.; Partinez Pereda, P.; Fernandez Villagomez, G. [Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Atuonoma de Yucatan. Mexico (Mexico)

1997-06-01

This study examined the behaviour of a hybrid anaerobic digester in treating pig farm sewage. The experimental model consisted of a 208-litre UASB reactor at the bottom and a 195-litre high-rate sedimentator at the top. The digester was installed on a pig farm and its efficiency in removing volatile (acetic and propionic) fatty acids (VFA) was determined with hydraulic retention time (HTR) as the critical parameter for evaluating the anaerobic system`s performance. The results obtained with the five different HRTs used during the experiment are reported. The highest removal rates were obtained with an HRT of 2.8 days: 98% in the UASB, 28% in the sedimentator and 98% in the digester as a whole. An HRT of 1 day gave VFA removal rates of 40%, 12% and 50% in the UASB reactor sedimentator and digest respectively. (Author) 16 refs.

Organics removal from landfill leachate and activated sludge production in SBR reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimiuk, Ewa; Kulikowska, Dorota

2006-01-01

This study is aimed at estimating organic compounds removal and sludge production in SBR during treatment of landfill leachate. Four series were performed. At each series, experiments were carried out at the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12, 6, 3 and 2 d. The series varied in SBR filling strategies, duration of the mixing and aeration phases, and the sludge age. In series 1 and 2 (a short filling period, mixing and aeration phases in the operating cycle), the relationship between organics concentration (COD) in the leachate treated and HRT was pseudo-first-order kinetics. In series 3 (with mixing and aeration phases) and series 4 (only aeration phase) with leachate supplied by means of a peristaltic pump for 4 h of the cycle (filling during reaction period) - this relationship was zero-order kinetics. Activated sludge production expressed as the observed coefficient of biomass production (Y obs ) decreased correspondingly with increasing HRT. The smallest differences between reactors were observed in series 3 in which Y obs was almost stable (0.55-0.6 mg VSS/mg COD). The elimination of the mixing phase in the cycle (series 4) caused the Y obs to decrease significantly from 0.32 mg VSS/mg COD at HRT 2 d to 0.04 mg VSS/mg COD at HRT 12 d. The theoretical yield coefficient Y accounted for 0.534 mg VSS/mg COD (series 1) and 0.583 mg VSS/mg COD (series 2). In series 3 and 4, it was almost stable (0.628 mg VSS/mg COD and 0.616 mg VSS/mg COD, respectively). After the elimination of the mixing phase in the operating cycle, the specific biomass decay rate increased from 0.006 d -1 (series 3) to 0.032 d -1 (series 4). The operating conditions employing mixing/aeration or only aeration phases enable regulation of the sludge production. The SBRs operated under aerobic conditions are more favourable at a short hydraulic retention time. At long hydraulic retention time, it can lead to a decrease in biomass concentration in the SBR as a result of cell decay. On the contrary

Comparison of Heidelberg Retina Tomograph with disc-macula distance to disc diameter ratio in diagnosing optic nerve hypoplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Yi; Frantz, Kelly A

2016-05-01

To evaluate whether Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) is a valid test for diagnosing congenital optic nerve hypoplasia (CONH) compared to the ratio of the distance between the centre of the optic disc and the centre of the macula and the mean optic disc diameter (DM:DD ratio). Furthermore, to determine the optimal cut-off value of HRT disc area to differentiate a hypoplastic disc from a normal optic disc. A total of 33 subjects with CONH (4-67 years old) and 160 normal subjects (5-65 years old) were recruited and underwent comprehensive eye examinations, fundus photography and HRT. Receiver operating characteristic curves for DM:DD ratio and HRT disc area were constructed based on data from the 46 CONH eyes and 160 control eyes. Mean (±S.D.) HRT disc area was 1.94 (±0.54) mm(2) for the control eyes and 0.84 (±0.35) mm(2) for the CONH eyes (p < 0.0001). The area under the curve (AUC) for DM:DD ratio was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.90). The AUC for HRT disc area was 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.94-0.99). A statistically significant difference was found between AUC for HRT disc area and that for DM:DD ratio (p = 0.0004). The optimal cut-off value for HRT disc area was 1.42 mm(2) with 95% sensitivity and 85% specificity. The optimal cut-off value for DM:DD ratio was 3.20 with 78% sensitivity and 78% specificity. Both HRT and the DM:DD ratio are valid tests to aid diagnosis of CONH. HRT is superior to DM:DD ratio in diagnosing CONH with higher sensitivity and specificity. We suggest the optimal cut-off value for HRT disc area as 1.42 mm(2) in order to discriminate a hypoplastic disc from a normal optic disc. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

Genetic monitoring of experimental Drosophila populations exposed to X-radiation and treated with melanin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosseh, I.B.; Savchenko, V.K.; Lyakh, I.P.

1985-01-01

Monitoring of laboratory populations of Drosophila over four years has demonstrated that X radiation of 0.25 C/kg, delivered during the life span of each generation, causes a decrease of 20% and 30%, on the average, in the number of individuals in 1-55 generations and 45-55 generations, respectively. The antimutagen, melanin, added to a nutrient medium has no effect on the number of individuals in populations

Managing menopause: a critical feminist engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillemin, M N

1999-12-01

Feminist critiques of menopause have been beneficial in opening up important public health debates around menopause. One of the most contentious public health issues concerns the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the prevention of osteoporosis, heart disease and, more recently, Alzheimer's disease, in postmenopausal women. For preventive purposes, it is recommended that women should take HRT for 10-15 years and preferably remain on the therapy for the remainder of their lives. This is despite reported increased cancer risks associated with HRT, side effects and considerable cost of the therapy. Various studies have shown that up to 50% of women stop taking HRT after 9-12 months. These figures are used in the medical literature as an indication of women's non-compliance. Extending earlier feminist critiques around menopause and HRT, this paper discusses a critical feminist engagement around issues of women's perceived non-compliance with HRT.

Progestins in HRT: sufferance or desire?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skouby, Sven O; Jespersen, Joergen

2009-01-01

While the benefits of progestins in hormonal replacement therapy are well recognized as far as endometrial protection is concerned the data on breast tissue and the cardiovascular system are contentious. Following the Women's Health Initiative study, the Million Women Study and The Women....... With special reference to cardiovascular disease this review therefore makes a plea for differentiating between the array of chemically and functionally distinct progestins used therapeutically after the menopause in combination therapy....

Curative efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine xuebijing injections combined with ulinastatin for treating sepsis in the Chinese population: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Shi-Hui; Luo, Liang; Liu, Xiang-Hong; Zhou, Yu-Ming; Liu, Hong-Ming; Huang, Zhen-Fei

2018-06-01

Sepsis is a clinically critical disease. However, it is still controversial whether the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine Xuebijing injections (XBJI) and western medicine can enhance curative efficacy and ensure safety compared with western medicine alone. Thus, this research consisted of a systematic review of the curative efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI combined with ulinastatin for treating sepsis in the Chinese population. A total of 8 databases were retrieved: 4 foreign databases, namely, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science; and 4 Chinese databases, namely, Sino Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wangfang Data. The time span of retrieval began from the establishment of each database and ended on August 1, 2017. Published randomized controlled trials about the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI and western medicine were included, regardless of language. Stata12.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Finally, 16 papers involving 1335 cases were included. The result of meta-analysis showed that compared with the single use of ulinastatin, traditional Chinese medicine XBJI combined with ulinastatin could reduce the time of mechanical ventilation, shorten the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, improve the 28-day survival rate, and decrease the occurrence rate of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, case fatality rate, procalcitonin (PCT) content, APACKEII score, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level, and interleukin (IL)-6 level. On the basis of the common basic therapeutic regimen, the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI and ulinastatin was compared with the use of ulinastatin alone for treating sepsis in the Chinese population. It was found that the number of adverse events of combination therapy is not significantly increased, and its clinical safety is well within the permitted range. However, considering the limitations of this

Feasibility of an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR In Treating Starch Industry Wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Assadi

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR includes a mixed anaerobic culture separated into compartments and a novel process with a series of vertical baffles at each compartment. It dose not require granulation for its operation, resulting in shorter start-up time. In this study, the feasibility of the ABR process was investigated for the treatment of wheat flour starch wastewater. Simple gravity settling was used to remove suspended solids from the starch wastewater and used as feed. Start-up of a reactor (13.5L with five compartments using a diluted feed of approximately 4500 mg/L chemical oxygen demand (COD was accomplished in about 9 weeks using seed sludge from the anaerobic digester of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The reactor with a hydraulic retention time (HRT of 72 h at 35°C and an initial organic loading rate (OLR of 1.2 kgCOD/m3.d showed a removal efficiency of 61% COD. The best reactor performance was observed with an organic loading rate of 2.5 kgCOD/m3.d (or hydraulic retention time of 2.45 d when a COD conversion of 67% was achieved. The main advantage of using an ABR comes from its compartmentalized structure. The first compartment of an ABR may act as a buffer zone to all toxic and inhibitory materials in the feed and, thus, allows the later compartments to be loaded with a relatively harmless, more uniform, and mostly acidified influent. In this respect, the later compartments would be more likely to support active populations of the relatively sensitive methanogenic bacteria.

Demography of black-tailed prairie dog populations reoccupying sites treated with rodenticide

Science.gov (United States)

R. P. Cincotta; Daniel W. Uresk; R. M. Hansen

1987-01-01

A rodenticide, zinc phosphide, was applied to remove black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) from 6 haofa prairie dog colony in southwestern South Dakota. Another adjacent 6 ha was left untreated. The removal experiment was repeated two consecutive years. Contingency table analysis showed that the resultant population was not homogeneous;...

Hormone replacement therapy and risk of glioma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lene; Friis, Søren; Hallas, Jesper

2013-01-01

Aim: Several studies indicate that use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased risk of intracranial meningioma, while associations between HRT use and risk of other brain tumors have been less explored. We investigated the influence of HRT use on the risk of glioma...

Hydraulic retention time affects stable acetate production from tofu processing wastewater in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yun; Zhang, Fang; Wang, Ting; Shen, Nan; Yu, Zhong-Wei; Zeng, Raymond J

2016-09-01

Acetate is an important industrial chemical and its production from wastes via mixed culture fermentation (MCF) is economic. In this work, the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on acetate production from tofu processing wastewater (TPW) in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) MCF was first investigated. It was found that long HRT (>3days) could lead to less acetate production while stable acetate production was achieved at short HRT (3days) with the yield of 0.57g-COD/g-CODTPW. The microbial community analysis showed that hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter) occupied up to 90% of archaea at both HRTs of 3 and 5days. However, Coprothermobacter, the main acetate-degraders, decreased from 35.74% to 10.58% of bacteria when HRT decreased from 5 to 3days, supporting the aggravation of syntrophic acetate oxidation in long HRT. This work demonstrated that HRT was a crucial factor to maintain stable acetate production from TPW in extreme-thermophilic MCF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of habit reversal therapy in the treatment of Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Neeladri; Cavanna, Andrea E

2013-01-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple tics, which can require active intervention. It is recognized that behavioral techniques, especially habit reversal therapy (HRT), can offer an effective alternative or complement to pharmacotherapy in this setting. We conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate the efficacy of HRT in TS and other chronic tic disorders (CTDs). Our search was restricted to randomized controlled trials that used standardized diagnostic and outcome measures to compare the efficacy of HRT against a control treatment. We identified five relevant studies, which included 353 patients. Significant post-treatment reductions in tic severity scores (range: 18.3%-37.5%) were seen in the HRT groups across all studies. Current evidence suggests that HRT can significantly reduce tic severity in both adults and children with TS and other CTDs. Further head-to-head studies are needed to compare the efficacy of HRT with other behavioral interventions for tic management.

Serum estrogen and SHBG levels and breast cancer incidence among users and never users of hormone replacement therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Würtz, Anne Mette Lund; Tjønneland, Anne; Christensen, Jane

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Levels of endogenous estrogen and SHBG are associated with risk of breast cancer among women who have never used hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We investigated these associations in both never and baseline users of HRT. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted within the ...... and baseline HRT users. More studies are needed to support the findings for HRT users and to further investigate estrogen levels in relation to estrogen receptor-specific breast cancer and other histological and molecular subtypes.......OBJECTIVE: Levels of endogenous estrogen and SHBG are associated with risk of breast cancer among women who have never used hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We investigated these associations in both never and baseline users of HRT. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted within...... logistic regression yielded incidence rate ratios and 95 % confidence intervals for exposures analyzed continuously and categorically in models adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Modest direct associations were identified between estrogen levels and breast cancer incidence among both never...

Radiation Treatment for Recycling of Industrial Wastewater for Industrial Usage - Biological and Irradiation Treatment of Mix Industrial Wastewater in Flood Mitigation Pond at Prai Industrial Zones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakar, Khomsaton Abu; Sharif, Jamaliah; Selambakkanu, Sarala; Ming, Ting Teo; Isnin, Natsha; Osman, Hasnul Nizam; Azmi, Khasmidatul Akma M.K; Dahlan, Khairul Zaman Hj Mohd; Yahya, Nasehir khan Em [Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia), Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia)

2012-07-01

In this research, activated sludge system and E-Beam was used to treat mixed industrial waste water from mitigation pond A. The objectives are to study the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) in activated sludge and effect of absorbed dose, current and energy to the characteristic of mix industrial wastewater and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) added in the wastewater. DEPH is a type of plasticizer and quantified by GC-MS. Microbe identification in activated sludge was also carried out in this study. At 48hrs HRT, percentage reduction for COD, color, suspended solid were 62.3%, 36.7% and 67.1% respectively. While at 24hrs HRT, COD, color and suspended solid were reduce by 26.0%, 14.9% and 61.3% respectively. Microbial analysis showed six bacteria present in the activated sludge based on 16SrRNA gene sequences. Mixed industrial wastewater was irradiated using electron beam at 1Mev, 5mA and 10mA in a batch system with 3, 6, 8,10 and 12kGy doses. COD, color and suspended solid reduced with the increasing of absorbed dose. Mixed industrial wastewater added with DEPH in the second batch was irradiated with dose up to 300kGy. Concentration of DEHP also reduced with increasing of dose and more effectively decreased in acidic and aerated condition. (author)

Radiation Treatment for Recycling of Industrial Wastewater for Industrial Usage - Biological and Irradiation Treatment of Mix Industrial Wastewater in Flood Mitigation Pond at Prai Industrial Zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakar, Khomsaton Abu; Sharif, Jamaliah; Selambakkanu, Sarala; Ming, Ting Teo; Isnin, Natsha; Osman, Hasnul Nizam; Azmi, Khasmidatul Akma M.K; Dahlan, Khairul Zaman Hj Mohd; Yahya, Nasehir khan Em

2012-01-01

In this research, activated sludge system and E-Beam was used to treat mixed industrial waste water from mitigation pond A. The objectives are to study the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) in activated sludge and effect of absorbed dose, current and energy to the characteristic of mix industrial wastewater and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) added in the wastewater. DEPH is a type of plasticizer and quantified by GC-MS. Microbe identification in activated sludge was also carried out in this study. At 48hrs HRT, percentage reduction for COD, color, suspended solid were 62.3%, 36.7% and 67.1% respectively. While at 24hrs HRT, COD, color and suspended solid were reduce by 26.0%, 14.9% and 61.3% respectively. Microbial analysis showed six bacteria present in the activated sludge based on 16SrRNA gene sequences. Mixed industrial wastewater was irradiated using electron beam at 1Mev, 5mA and 10mA in a batch system with 3, 6, 8,10 and 12kGy doses. COD, color and suspended solid reduced with the increasing of absorbed dose. Mixed industrial wastewater added with DEPH in the second batch was irradiated with dose up to 300kGy. Concentration of DEHP also reduced with increasing of dose and more effectively decreased in acidic and aerated condition. (author)

Influência do tempo de detenção hidráulica em um sistema UASB seguido de um reator biológico com fungos para tratar efluentes de indústria de castanha de caju Influence of the time of detention hidraulic of a sistem UASB followed by a biological reactor with fungi to treat efluent of cashew nut industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emília Maria Alves Santos

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Nesta pesquisa, estudou-se a influência do tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH em um sistema constituído de um reator anaeróbio tipo UASB seguido de um reator biológico com fungos (RBF para tratar efluente de uma indústria de beneficiamento de castanha de caju. O presente trabalho foi dividido em uma fase de fluxo descontínuo (batelada e uma fase de fluxo contínuo (UASB - RBF, que constituiu-se de sete etapas ( 8h e 2h, 8h e 1h, 4h e 8h, 4h e 6h, 4h e 4h, 4h e 2h e 4h e 1h, onde foi avaliada a influência do TDH na remoção de: DQO (Demanda Química de Oxigênio, amônia, nitrato e ortofosfato. Uma combinação que apresentou melhores resultados, foi a etapa de 4h (TDH do reator UASB e 2h (TDH do RBF, apresentando remoções de: 93,8% de DQO, 86,7% de nitrato, 38,3% de amônia e 16% de ortofosfato.In this research, it was studied the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT in a system comprised of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB reactor and a Biological Reactor with Fungi (BRF for treatment of the efluent of the industry of cashew nut improvement. The work was divided in two phases: batch reactors using shaking flasks and continuous-feed reactors (UASB-BRF. The UASB reactor was operated at HRT of 4 and 8 h, whereas the BRF was operated at HRT varying from 1 to 8 h. The performance of both reactors was evaluated based on the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD, ammonium, nitrate, and orthophosfate. The results show that the best results were achieved when the UASB was operated at HRT of 4 h and the BRF was operated at HRT of 2 h, when the system removed 93,8% of the COD, 86,7% of the nitrate, 38,3% of the ammonium and 16% of the orthophosfate.

Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy reports more unmet supportive care needs in the early treatment phase, than patients treated only with radiotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen-Johansen, Mikael Birkelund; Meldgaard, Anette; Henriksen, Jette

2016-01-01

of a large battery of selfadministered questionnaires, the women filled out at home, the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-SF34) together with demographic items (socioeconomic status, working hours, marital status etc.). The SCNS-SF34 includes 5 different domains of needs: Psychological-, Health system...... Aims: The purpose was to identify unmet supportive care needs in the early treatment phase of women treated for breast cancer and to investigate differences in needs between groups treated with chemo-therapy and radiationtherapy. If it is possible to identify early unmet needs, it may be possible...... to predict levels of unmet needs in the post-treatment phase and target an early rehabilitation to specific groups and with specific interventions. Population: Over a six-month period, 123 Danish women treated with mastectomy or lumpectomy, were assessed for eligibility in the midst of their primary...

Menopause management: a cardiovascular risk-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Haines, C J; Farrell, E

2010-08-01

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the gold standard for the management of menopausal symptoms; however, HRT use has declined due to concerns over possible adverse side-effects. Approaches to menopause management are continually being revised and these extend beyond the control of recognized menopausal symptoms to encompass wider aspects of menopausal women's health. Hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk are particularly important unmet needs in postmenopausal women, especially in the Asia-Pacific region which has a rapidly aging population and bears around half of the global burden of cardiovascular disease, two-thirds of which has been attributed to elevated blood pressure. As first point of contact for women with menopausal symptoms, gynecologists play a gatekeeper role in assessing women's health, providing appropriate lifestyle counseling, and, where appropriate, implementing treatment or referral to relevant specialists. This paper, with contributions by gynecologists and cardiologists from Asia Pacific and beyond, summarizes available evidence and provides a treatment algorithm that employs a flexible blood pressure classification strategy to assist physicians in their decision-making for the individualized management of menopausal symptoms in women with low, moderate and high cardiovascular risk, and also for women with diabetes. Individualized HRT according to cardiovascular risk may yield improvements in cardiovascular health, as well as managing menopausal symptoms.

Long-term thermophilic mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion with potato pulp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bayr, S., E-mail: suvi.bayr@jyu.fi; Ojanperä, M.; Kaparaju, P.; Rintala, J.

2014-10-15

Highlights: • Rendering wastes’ mono-digestion and co-digestion with potato pulp were studied. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d, HRT of 50 d was unstable in mono-digestion. • Free NH{sub 3} inhibited mono-digestion of rendering wastes. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d, HRT of 50 d was stable in co-digestion. • Co-digestion increased methane yield somewhat compared to mono-digestion. - Abstract: In this study, mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp were studied for the first time in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) experiments at 55 °C. Rendering wastes have high protein and lipid contents and are considered good substrates for methane production. However, accumulation of digestion intermediate products viz., volatile fatty acids (VFAs), long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and ammonia nitrogen (NH{sub 4}-N and/or free NH{sub 3}) can cause process imbalance during the digestion. Mono-digestion of rendering wastes at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.5 kg volatile solids (VS)/m{sup 3} d and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d was unstable and resulted in methane yields of 450 dm{sup 3}/kg VS{sub fed}. On the other hand, co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp (60% wet weight, WW) at the same OLR and HRT improved the process stability and increased methane yields (500–680 dm{sup 3}/kg VS{sub fed}). Thus, it can be concluded that co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp could improve the process stability and methane yields from these difficult to treat industrial waste materials.

Intestinal Malabsorption in Long-Term Survivors of Cervical Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vistad, Ingvild; Kristensen, Gunnar B.; Fossa, Sophie D.; Dahl, Alv A.; Morkrid, Lars

2009-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the associations between pelvic radiotherapy (RT) and markers of intestinal absorption in cervical cancer survivors (CCSs). We compared patient data with normative data from a reference population and explored the associations between cobalamin status and clinically significant diarrhea and depression. Methods and Materials: Fifty-five CCSs treated with RT in 1994-1999 were included in 2005 in a follow-up questionnaire study exploring physical and psychological symptoms. Blood tests, including serum (S)-vitamin B 12, S-methylmalonic acid, S-folate, erythrocyte-folate, and plasma homocysteine, were analyzed. Differences in median values between CCSs and reference populations were evaluated by using Wilcoxon tests. Associations between variables were examined by means of multiple regression analyses. Results: Median S-vitamin B 12 level was significantly lower and median S-methylmalonic acid level was significantly higher in CCSs compared with the reference population (p 12 level is recommended, and regular intake of cobalamin should be considered in CCSs treated with RT

Assessing the Consistency and Microbiological Effectiveness of Household Water Treatment Practices by Urban and Rural Populations Claiming to Treat Their Water at Home: A Case Study in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, Ghislaine; Huaylinos, Maria L.; Gil, Ana; Lanata, Claudio; Clasen, Thomas

2014-01-01

Background Household water treatment (HWT) can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease if used correctly and consistently by vulnerable populations. Over 1.1 billion people report treating their water prior to drinking it. These estimates, however, are based on responses to household surveys that may exaggerate the consistency and microbiological performance of the practice—key factors for reducing pathogen exposure and achieving health benefits. The objective of this study was to examine how HWT practices are actually performed by households identified as HWT users, according to international monitoring standards. Methods and Findings We conducted a 6-month case study in urban (n = 117 households) and rural (n = 115 households) Peru, a country in which 82.8% of households report treating their water at home. We used direct observation, in-depth interviews, surveys, spot-checks, and water sampling to assess water treatment practices among households that claimed to treat their drinking water at home. While consistency of reported practices was high in both urban (94.8%) and rural (85.3%) settings, availability of treated water (based on self-report) at time of collection was low, with 67.1% and 23.0% of urban and rural households having treated water at all three sampling visits. Self-reported consumption of untreated water in the home among adults and children water of self-reported users was significantly better than source water in the urban setting and negligible but significantly better in the rural setting. However, only 46.3% and 31.6% of households had drinking water water quality. The lack of consistency and sub-optimal microbiological effectiveness also raises questions about the potential of HWT to prevent waterborne diseases. PMID:25522371

Pediatric mandibular fractures treated by rigid internal fixation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, G B

1993-09-01

Mandibular fractures in the pediatric patient population are relatively uncommon. These patients present with their own unique treatment requirements. Most fractures have been treated conservatively by dental splints. Closed reduction techniques with maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) in very young children can pose several concerns, including cooperation, compliance and adequate nutritional intake. Rigid internal fixation of unstable mandibular fractures using miniplates and screws circumvents the need for MMF and allows immediate jaw mobilization. At major pediatric trauma institutions, there has been an increasing trend toward the use of this treatment when open reduction is necessary. This article presents a report of a five-year-old child who presented with bilateral mandibular fractures and was treated by rigid internal fixation and immediate mandibular mobilization.

Effect of Recycle Sludge on Anaerobic Digestion of Palm Oil Mill Effluent in A Thermophilic Continuous Digester

Science.gov (United States)

Irvan; Trisakti, B.; Tomiuchi, Y.; Harahap, U.; Daimon, H.

2017-06-01

The objective of this research is to maintain short retention time and high degradation of palm oil mill effluent (POME) to biogas by applying recycle sludge. Fresh POME from Rambutan Mill without further treatment was used as feed. Two lab-scale digesters supported from Metawater Co. Ltd. have been applied to treat POME at thermophilic (55°C) condition. Both digesters were operated under intermittent operation mode. Experiments were performed in two methods: with and without recycle sludge. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) of both methods was maintained at 6 days, while sludge retention time (SRT) was maintained at various days. The result showed that by extending SRT in return sludge process where 25% of digested slurry recycled to the digester, improvement of volatile solid (VS) decomposition was obtained around 84% at HRT of 6 days and SRT of 21 days. Then, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency could be reached until 85% by using recycle sludge.

THE EFFECT OF THE SLUDGE RECYCLE RATIO IN AN ACTIVATED SLUDGE SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT OF AMOL'S INDUSTRIAL PARK WASTEWATER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BAHAR HOSSEINI

2008-09-01

Full Text Available An activated sludge aeration tank and a sedimentation basin were used to treat Amol’s industrial park effluents originating from all industrial units. A continuous system was implemented and the kinetic parameters were measured.The parameters such as rate constant, substrate utilization rate constant, yield and decay coefficient were 2.12 d-1, 232.4 mg l-1, 0.33 g/g of substrate and 0.096 d−1, respectively. The hydraulic retention times (HRT were in the range of 9 to 27 h. The sludge recycle ratios in the range from 0.3 to 1 were considered. The COD removal, SVI and DO were determined and the optimal values were obtained. It was observed that at HRT of 16 h and the sludge recycle ratio of 0.85, the COD removal and SVI were 95 and 85 %, respectively. The sludge recycle ratio greater than 0.85 had no significant effect on the COD removal.

Fermentative hydrogen production from anaerobic bacteria using a membrane bioreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mi-Sun Kim; You-Kwan Oh; Young-Su Yun; Dong-Yeol Lee

2006-01-01

Continuous H 2 production from glucose was studied at short hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 4.69 - 0.79 h using a membrane bioreactor (MBR) with a hollow-fiber filtration unit and mixed cells as inoculum. The reactor was inoculated with sewage sludge, which were heat-treated at 90 C for harvesting spore-forming, H 2 -producing bacteria, and fed with synthetic wastewater containing 1% (w/v) glucose. With decreasing HRT, volumetric H 2 production rate increased but the H 2 production yield to glucose decreased gradually. The H 2 content in biogas was maintained at 50 - 70% (v/v) and no appreciable CH 4 was detected during the operation. The maximal volumetric H 2 production rate and H 2 yield to glucose were 1714 mmol H 2 /L.d and 1.1 mol H 2 /mol glucose, respectively. These results indicate that the MBR should be considered as one of the most promising systems for fermentative H 2 production. (authors)

Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopause - where we stand?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damir Franić

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The findings of most relevant randomized clinical studies such as HERS, WHI and MWS, performed in the last decade have shown that hormonal replacement therapy (HRT users are at increased risk for the development of breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary edema. On the other hand they are at a lower risk for the development of large bowel cancer and for hip and vertebral fractures; the incidences of endometrial cancer and coronary heart disease have not been proved to be significantly affected by HRT. As for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the findings of these studies differed from those provided by observational studies, it became an imperative to find the causes of these discrepancies. The major criticism of randomized clinical studies was aimed at the inclusion criteria, as the mean women’s age in HERS and in WHI study was 63 years. The women of that age may no longer be healthy, and are particularly exposed to cardiovascular diseases. In all studies the same type of HRT was used, i.e. conjugated equine estrogen alone or in combination with medroxyprogesterone acetate. In Europe, this combination is rarely prescribed; we do not prescribe it in Slovenia either. The same type of HRT used in randomized clinical studies was further criticized, the basic idea of HRT being an individual approach to each woman requiring HRT. For rather sensational and often misinterpreted findings of randomized studies, the largest menopause societies worldwide, the International Menopause Society (IMS, the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS and the North American Menopause Society (NAMS, have revised the guidelines for HRT use in postmenopause. These guidelines have been adopted by the Slovene Menopause Society as well.Conclusions: The indications for HRT remain to be markedly expressed and severe climacteric symptoms, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, urogenital syndrome and premature menopause. However, the �

Surgically treated cases of lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis: a multicenter study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, Kenichi; Imagama, Shiro; Matsuyama, Yukihiro; Kawakami, Noriaki; Yukawa, Yasutsugu; Kato, Fumihiko; Hachiya, Yudo; Kanemura, Tokumi; Kamiya, Mitsuhiro; Deguchi, Masao; Ito, Zenya; Wakao, Norimitsu; Ando, Kei; Tauchi, Ryoji; Muramoto, Akio; Ishiguro, Naoki

2015-06-01

Prospective database study. To grasp the characteristics of surgically treated cases with lumbar spondylolysis or isthmic spondylolisthesis. A detailed analysis of surgically treated cases with spondylolysis or isthmic spondylolisthesis has never been reported. An epidemiological study in Japan conducted on 2000 subjects found the incidence of lumbar spondylolysis in the Japanese general population (population-based study) to be 5.9% (males: 7.9%, females: 3.9%). Among 124 vertebrae with spondylolysis, there were 0.8% L2 lesions, 3.2% L3 lesions, 5.6% L4 lesions, and 90.3% L5 lesions, including 5 cases (4.3%) with multiple-level lesions. We have been registering surgically treated spine cases in our database since 2000. From this database, we prospectively collected cases with lumbar spondylolysis or isthmic spondylolisthesis that were treated surgically between January 2000 and December 2009. We determined the age at surgery, sex, and vertebral level of spondylolysis. Of the 564 spondylolysis patients treated surgically, 66.8% were male and 33.2% were female. The mean age at surgery was 52.5 years (range, 13-84 y). There were 585 vertebrae with spondylolysis including 21 cases (3.7%) with multiple-level lesions. L5 spondylolysis affected 432 vertebrae and was the most common location (73.8%), followed by 125 L4 lesions (21.4%), 24 L3 lesions (4.1%), and 2 L2 lesions (0.7%). The percentage of L4 lesions in our study was significantly higher and of L5 lesions was significantly lower than those lesions' percentages in the population-based study. L4 spondylolysis may be more unstable or cause clinical symptoms more frequently leading to more surgical intervention. The percentage of multiple-level spondylolysis was similar between the 2 studies, suggesting these patients respond relatively well to conservative treatment. The male/female ratio was 2:1 in both studies, indicating that males and females require surgery at a similar frequency.

Polymorphisms in Th1/Th2 Cytokine Genes, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Gongjian; Pan, Dongsheng [Gansu Provincial Academy of Medical Sciences, Gansu Provincial Tumor Hospital, Lanzhou (China); Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Zheng, Tongzhang [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Lan, Qing [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD (United States); Chen, Xuezhong [Gansu Provincial Academy of Medical Sciences, Gansu Provincial Tumor Hospital, Lanzhou (China); Chen, Yingtai [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. (China); Kim, Christopher [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Bi, Xiaofeng [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. (China); Holford, Theodore [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Boyle, Peter [International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon (France); Leaderer, Brian [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States); Chanock, Stephen J. [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD (United States); Core Genotyping Facility, Department of Health and Human Services, Advanced Technology Center, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Rothman, Nathaniel [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD (United States); Zhang, Yawei, E-mail: yawei.zhang@yale.edu [Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT (United States)

2011-07-28

We conducted a population-based case–control study in Connecticut women to test the hypothesis that genetic variations in Th1 and Th2 cytokine genes modify the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Compared to women without a history of HRT use, women with a history of HRT use had a significantly decreased risk of NHL if they carried IFNGR2 (rs1059293) CT/TT genotypes (OR = 0.5, 95%CI: 0.3–0.9), IL13 (rs20541) GG genotype (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4–0.9), and IL13 (rs1295686) CC genotype (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4–0.8), but not among women who carried IFNGR2 CC, IL13 AG/AA, and IL13CT/TT genotypes. A similar pattern was also observed for B-cell lymphoma but not for T-cell lymphoma. A statistically significant interaction was observed for IFNGR2 (rs1059293 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.024), IL13(rs20541 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.005), IL13 (rs1295686 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.008), and IL15RA (rs2296135 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.049) for NHL overall; IL13 (rs20541 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.0009), IL13(rs1295686 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.0002), and IL15RA (rs2296135 P{sub for} {sub interaction} = 0.041) for B-cell lymphoma. The results suggest that common genetic variation in Th1/Th pathway genes may modify the association between HRT and NHL risk.

Ex situ treatment of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in groundwater using a fluidized bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, Todd S; Condee, Charles; Hatzinger, Paul B

2013-02-01

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a suspected human carcinogen that has traditionally been treated in water using ultraviolet irradiation (UV). The objective of this research was to examine the application of a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor (FBR) as an alternative technology for treating NDMA to part-per-trillion (ng/L) concentrations in groundwater. Previous studies have shown that the bacterium Rhodococcus ruber ENV425 is capable of cometabolizing NDMA during growth on propane as a primary substrate in batch culture (Fournier et al., 2009) and in a bench-scale membrane bioreactor (Hatzinger et al., 2011) to low ng/L concentrations. R. ruber ENV425 was inoculated into the FBR during this study. With a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 20 min, the FBR was found to be an effective means to treat 10-20 μg/L of NDMA to effluent concentrations less than 100 ng/L. When the HRT was increased to 30 min and oxygen and propane addition rates were optimized, the FBR system demonstrated treatment of the NDMA to effluent concentrations of less than 10 ng/L. Short-term shutdowns and the presence of trichloroethene (TCE) at 6 μg/L as a co-contaminant had minimal effect on the treatment of NDMA in the FBR. The data suggest that the FBR technology can be a viable alternative to UV for removing NDMA from groundwater. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic digestion of corn ethanol thin stillage in batch and by high-rate down-flow fixed film reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, A; Kennedy, K J

2012-01-01

Thin stillage (CTS) from a dry-grind corn ethanol plant was evaluated as a carbon source for anaerobic digestion (AD) by batch and high rate semi-continuous down-flow stationary fixed film (DSFF) reactors. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays were carried out with CTS concentrations ranging from approximately 2,460-27,172 mg total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) per litre, achieved by diluting CTS with clean water or a combination of clean water and treated effluent. High TCOD, SCOD and volatile solids (VS) removal efficiencies of 85 ± 2, 94 ± 0 and 82 ± 1% were achieved for CTS diluted with only clean water at an organic concentration of 21,177 mg TCOD per litre, with a methane yield of 0.30 L methane per gram TCOD(removed) at standard temperature and pressure (STP, 0 °C and 1 atmosphere). Batch studies investigating the use of treated effluent for dilution showed promising results. Continuous studies employed two mesophilic DSFF anaerobic digesters treating thin stillage, operated at hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 20, 14.3, 8.7, 6.3, 5 and 4.2 d. Successful digestion was achieved up to an organic loading rate (OLR) of approximately 7.4 g TCOD L(-1)d(-1) at a 5 d HRT with a yield of 2.05 LCH(4) L(-1)d(-1) (at STP) and TCOD and VS removal efficiencies of 89 ± 3 and 85 ± 3%, respectively.

Effects of the reduction of the hydraulic retention time to 1.5 days at constant organic loading in CSTR, ASBR, and fixed-bed reactors – Performance and methanogenic community composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Thomas; Ziganshin, Ayrat M.; Nikolausz, Marcell; Scholwin, Frank; Nelles, Michael; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Pröter, Jürgen

2014-01-01

The hydraulic retention time (HRT) is one of the key parameters in biogas processes and often it is postulated that a minimum HRT of 10–25 days is obligatory in continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) to prevent a washout of slow growing methanogens. In this study the effects of the reduction of the HRT from 6 to 1.5 days on performance and methanogenic community composition in different systems with and without immobilization operated with simulated thin stillage (STS) at mesophilic conditions and constant organic loading rates (OLR) of 10 g L −1 d −1 of volatile solids were investigated. With the reduction of the HRT process instability was first observed in the anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) (at HRT of 3 days) followed by the CSTR (at HRT of 2 days). The fixed bed reactor (FBR) was stable until the end of the experiment, but the reduction of the HRT to 1.5 days caused a decrease of the specific biogas production to about 450 L kg −1 of VS compared to about 600 L kg −1 of VS at HRTs of 4–5 days. Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina were the dominant genera under stable process conditions in the CSTR and the ASBR and members of Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum were only present at HRT of 4 days and lower. In the effluent of the FBR Methanosarcina spp. were not detected and Methanosaeta spp. were more abundant then in the other reactors. - Highlights: • A CSTR was operated at high OLR of 10 (g L −1  d −1  VS) and low HRT of 3 days. • Exceeding washout of methanogenic archaea did not take place. • pH and nutrient concentrations influenced the reproduction rate more than HRT. • Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina were the dominant genera in the CSTR

Evaluation of Subsurface Flow and Free-water Surface Wetlands Treating NPR-3 Produced Water - Year No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, J. E.; Jackson, L. M.

2001-01-01

This paper is a summary of some of the activities conducted during the first year of a three-year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between the Department of Energy (DOE) Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) and Texaco relating to the treatment of produced water by constructed wetlands. The first year of the CRADA is for design, construction and acclimation of the wetland pilot units. The second and third years of the CRADA are for tracking performance of pilot wetlands as the plant and microbial communities mature. A treatment wetland is a proven technology for the secondary and tertiary treatment of produced water, storm water and other wastewaters. Treatment wetlands are typically classified as either free-water surface (FWS) or subsurface flow (SSF). Both FWS and SSF wetlands work well when properly designed and operated. This paper presents a collection of kinetic data gathered from pilot units fed a slipstream of Wyoming (NPR-3) produced water. The pilot units are set up outdoors to test climatic influences on treatment. Monitoring parameters include evapotranspiration, plant growth, temperature, and NPDES discharge limits. The pilot wetlands (FWS and SSF) consist of a series of 100-gal plastic tubs filled with local soils, gravel, sharp sand and native wetland plants (cattail (Typha spp.), bulrush (Scirpus spp.), dwarf spikerush (Eleocharis)). Feed pumps control hydraulic retention time (HRT) and simple water control structures control the depth of water. The treated water is returned to the existing produced water treatment system. All NPDES discharge limits are met. Observations are included on training RMOTC summer students to do environmental work

Application of Box-Wilson experimental design method for 2,4-dinitrotoluene treatment in a sequential anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR)/aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuscu, Ozlem Selcuk; Sponza, Delia Teresa

2011-01-01

A sequential aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) following the anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) was used to treat a synthetic wastewater containing 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). A Box-Wilson statistical experiment design was used to determine the effects of 2,4-DNT and the hydraulic retention times (HRTs) on 2,4-DNT and COD removal efficiencies in the AMBR reactor. The 2,4-DNT concentrations in the feed (0-280 mg/L) and the HRT (0.5-10 days) were considered as the independent variables while the 2,4-DNT and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies, total and methane gas productions, methane gas percentage, pH, total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and total volatile fatty acid/bicarbonate alkalinity (TVFA/Bic.Alk.) ratio were considered as the objective functions in the Box-Wilson statistical experiment design in the AMBR. The predicted data for the parameters given above were determined from the response functions by regression analysis of the experimental data and exhibited excellent agreement with the experimental results. The optimum HRT which gave the maximum COD (97.00%) and 2,4-DNT removal (99.90%) efficiencies was between 5 and 10 days at influent 2,4-DNT concentrations 1-280 mg/L in the AMBR. The aerobic CSTR was used for removals of residual COD remaining from the AMBR, and for metabolites of 2,4-DNT. The maximum COD removal efficiency was 99% at an HRT of 1.89 days at a 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L in the aerobic CSTR. It was found that 280 mg/L 2,4-DNT transformed to 2,4-diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT) via 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene (2-A-4-NT) and 4-amino-2-nitrotoluene (4-A-2-NT) in the AMBR. The maximum 2,4-DAT removal was 82% at an HRT of 8.61 days in the aerobic CSTR. The maximum total COD and 2,4-DNT removal efficiencies were 99.00% and 99.99%, respectively, at an influent 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L and at 1.89 days of HRT in the sequential AMBR/CSTR.

Application of Box-Wilson experimental design method for 2,4-dinitrotoluene treatment in a sequential anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR)/aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuscu, Ozlem Selcuk, E-mail: oselcuk@mmf.sdu.edu.tr [Department of Environmental Engineering, Engineering and Architecture Faculty, Sueleyman Demirel University, Cuenuer Campus, 32260 Isparta (Turkey); Sponza, Delia Teresa [Dokuz Eyluel University, Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Buca Kaynaklar campus, Izmir (Turkey)

2011-03-15

A sequential aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) following the anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) was used to treat a synthetic wastewater containing 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). A Box-Wilson statistical experiment design was used to determine the effects of 2,4-DNT and the hydraulic retention times (HRTs) on 2,4-DNT and COD removal efficiencies in the AMBR reactor. The 2,4-DNT concentrations in the feed (0-280 mg/L) and the HRT (0.5-10 days) were considered as the independent variables while the 2,4-DNT and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies, total and methane gas productions, methane gas percentage, pH, total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and total volatile fatty acid/bicarbonate alkalinity (TVFA/Bic.Alk.) ratio were considered as the objective functions in the Box-Wilson statistical experiment design in the AMBR. The predicted data for the parameters given above were determined from the response functions by regression analysis of the experimental data and exhibited excellent agreement with the experimental results. The optimum HRT which gave the maximum COD (97.00%) and 2,4-DNT removal (99.90%) efficiencies was between 5 and 10 days at influent 2,4-DNT concentrations 1-280 mg/L in the AMBR. The aerobic CSTR was used for removals of residual COD remaining from the AMBR, and for metabolites of 2,4-DNT. The maximum COD removal efficiency was 99% at an HRT of 1.89 days at a 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L in the aerobic CSTR. It was found that 280 mg/L 2,4-DNT transformed to 2,4-diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT) via 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene (2-A-4-NT) and 4-amino-2-nitrotoluene (4-A-2-NT) in the AMBR. The maximum 2,4-DAT removal was 82% at an HRT of 8.61 days in the aerobic CSTR. The maximum total COD and 2,4-DNT removal efficiencies were 99.00% and 99.99%, respectively, at an influent 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L and at 1.89 days of HRT in the sequential AMBR/CSTR.

Application of Box-Wilson experimental design method for 2,4-dinitrotoluene treatment in a sequential anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR)/aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuşçu, Özlem Selçuk; Sponza, Delia Teresa

2011-03-15

A sequential aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) following the anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) was used to treat a synthetic wastewater containing 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). A Box-Wilson statistical experiment design was used to determine the effects of 2,4-DNT and the hydraulic retention times (HRTs) on 2,4-DNT and COD removal efficiencies in the AMBR reactor. The 2,4-DNT concentrations in the feed (0-280 mg/L) and the HRT (0.5-10 days) were considered as the independent variables while the 2,4-DNT and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies, total and methane gas productions, methane gas percentage, pH, total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and total volatile fatty acid/bicarbonate alkalinity (TVFA/Bic.Alk.) ratio were considered as the objective functions in the Box-Wilson statistical experiment design in the AMBR. The predicted data for the parameters given above were determined from the response functions by regression analysis of the experimental data and exhibited excellent agreement with the experimental results. The optimum HRT which gave the maximum COD (97.00%) and 2,4-DNT removal (99.90%) efficiencies was between 5 and 10 days at influent 2,4-DNT concentrations 1-280 mg/L in the AMBR. The aerobic CSTR was used for removals of residual COD remaining from the AMBR, and for metabolites of 2,4-DNT. The maximum COD removal efficiency was 99% at an HRT of 1.89 days at a 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L in the aerobic CSTR. It was found that 280 mg/L 2,4-DNT transformed to 2,4-diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT) via 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene (2-A-4-NT) and 4-amino-2-nitrotoluene (4-A-2-NT) in the AMBR. The maximum 2,4-DAT removal was 82% at an HRT of 8.61 days in the aerobic CSTR. The maximum total COD and 2,4-DNT removal efficiencies were 99.00% and 99.99%, respectively, at an influent 2,4-DNT concentration of 239 mg/L and at 1.89 days of HRT in the sequential AMBR/CSTR. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel complete-case analysis to determine statistical significance between treatments in an intention-to-treat population of randomized clinical trials involving missing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Ding, Jinhui

2018-04-01

The application of the principle of the intention-to-treat (ITT) to the analysis of clinical trials is challenged in the presence of missing outcome data. The consequences of stopping an assigned treatment in a withdrawn subject are unknown. It is difficult to make a single assumption about missing mechanisms for all clinical trials because there are complicated reactions in the human body to drugs due to the presence of complex biological networks, leading to data missing randomly or non-randomly. Currently there is no statistical method that can tell whether a difference between two treatments in the ITT population of a randomized clinical trial with missing data is significant at a pre-specified level. Making no assumptions about the missing mechanisms, we propose a generalized complete-case (GCC) analysis based on the data of completers. An evaluation of the impact of missing data on the ITT analysis reveals that a statistically significant GCC result implies a significant treatment effect in the ITT population at a pre-specified significance level unless, relative to the comparator, the test drug is poisonous to the non-completers as documented in their medical records. Applications of the GCC analysis are illustrated using literature data, and its properties and limits are discussed.

Health Care Needs of Prison Inmates: Treating a population that has special needs

OpenAIRE

Wachsmuth, Anne

1991-01-01

Prisoners in correctional facilities constitute a unique population requiring specialized medical care. Drug withdrawal, self-destructive behavior, infectious diseases (including AIDS), and serious mental disorders are some of the challenges to the physician who provides medical services to these inmates.

Applying mixed reality to simulate vulnerable populations for practicing clinical communication skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Chuah, Joon Hao; Lok, Benjamin; Black, Erik

2013-04-01

Health sciences students often practice and are evaluated on interview and exam skills by working with standardized patients (people that role play having a disease or condition). However, standardized patients do not exist for certain vulnerable populations such as children and the intellectually disabled. As a result, students receive little to no exposure to vulnerable populations before becoming working professionals. To address this problem and thereby increase exposure to vulnerable populations, we propose using virtual humans to simulate members of vulnerable populations. We created a mixed reality pediatric patient that allowed students to practice pediatric developmental exams. Practicing several exams is necessary for students to understand how to properly interact with and correctly assess a variety of children. Practice also increases a student's confidence in performing the exam. Effective practice requires students to treat the virtual child realistically. Treating the child realistically might be affected by how the student and virtual child physically interact, so we created two object interaction interfaces - a natural interface and a mouse-based interface. We tested the complete mixed reality exam and also compared the two object interaction interfaces in a within-subjects user study with 22 participants. Our results showed that the participants accepted the virtual child as a child and treated it realistically. Participants also preferred the natural interface, but the interface did not affect how realistically participants treated the virtual child.

Enhanced decolourisation of Acid Orange 7 in a continuous UASB reactor with quinones as redox mediators.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cervantes, F.J.; Zee, van der F.P.; Lettinga, G.; Field, J.A.

2001-01-01

The reductive biotransformation of acid orange 7 (AO7) was explored in a lab-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor at low hydraulic residence times (HRT). A colour removal of 85% was achieved when the reactor was operated at a HRT of 6 hours, but decreased up to 70% when the HRT was

Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time on Anaerobic Digestion of Wheat Straw in the Semicontinuous Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Shuang Shi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Three semicontinuous continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR operating at mesophilic conditions (35°C were used to investigate the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT on anaerobic digestion of wheat straw. The results showed that the average biogas production with HRT of 20, 40, and 60 days was 46.8, 79.9, and 89.1 mL/g total solid as well as 55.2, 94.3, and 105.2 mL/g volatile solids, respectively. The methane content with HRT of 20 days, from 14.2% to 28.5%, was the lowest among the three reactors. The pH values with HRT of 40 and 60 days were in the acceptable range compared to that with HRT of 20 days. The propionate was dominant in the reactor with HRT of 20 days, inhibiting the activities of methanogens and causing the lower methane content in biogas. The degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and crystalline cellulose based on XRD was also strongly influenced by HRTs.

The Dynamics of Population, Built-up Areas and their Evolving Associations in Gridded Population across Time and Space

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, F. R.; Gaughan, A. E.; Tatem, A. J.; Linard, C.; Sorichetta, A.; Nieves, J. J.; Reed, P.

2017-12-01

Gridded population data is commonly used to understand the `now' of hazard risk and mitigation management, health and disease modelling, and global change-, economic-, environmental-, and sustainability-related research. But to understand how human population change at local to global scales influences and is influenced by environmental changes requires novel ways of treating data and statistically describing associations of measured population counts with associated covariates. One of the most critical components in such gridded estimates is the relationship between built-up areas and population located in these areas. This relationship is rarely static and accurately estimating changes in built-areas through time and the changing human population around them is critical when applying gridded population datasets in studies of other environmental change. The research presented here discusses these issues in the context of multitemporal, gridded population data, using new technologies and sources of remotely-sensed and modeled built-up areas. We discuss applications of these data in environmental analyses and intercomparisons with other such data across scales.

High-rate fermentative hydrogen production from beverage wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivagurunathan, Periyasamy; Sen, Biswarup; Lin, Chiu-Yue

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid immobilized-bacterial cells show stable operation over 175 days. • Low HRT of 1.5 h shows peak hydrogen production rate of 55 L/L-d. • Electricity generation is 9024 kW-d from 55 L/L-d hydrogen using beverage wastewater. • Granular sludge formed only at 2–3 h HRT with presence of Selenomonas sp. - Abstract: Hydrogen production from beverage industry wastewater (20 g/L hexose equivalent ) using an immobilized cell reactor with a continuous mode of operation was studied at various hydraulic retention times (HRT, 8–1.5 h). Maximum hydrogen production rate (HPR) of 55 L/L-d was obtained at HRT 1.5 h (an organic loading of 320 g/L-d hexose equivalent ). This HPR value is much higher than those of other industrial wastewaters employed in fermentative hydrogen production. The cell biomass concentration peaked at 3 h HRT with a volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration of 6.31 g/L (with presence of self-flocculating Selenomonas sp.), but it dropped to 3.54 gVSS/L at 1.5 h HRT. With the shortening of HRT, lactate concentration increased but the concentration of the dominant metabolite butyrate did not vary significantly. The Clostridium species dynamics was not significantly affected, but total microbial community structure changed with respect to HRT variation as evident from PCR–DGGE analyses. Analysis of energy production rate suggests that beverage wastewater is a high energy yielding feedstock, and can replace 24% of electricity consumption in a model beverage industry

Association of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy with carotid atherosclerosis and soluble thrombomodulin: the vascular aging (EVA) study. Etude du Vieillissement Artériel.

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Laure; van Oort, Floor V A; Le Gal, Grégoire; Mennen, Louise I; Alhenc-Gelas, Martine; Touboul, Pierre-Jean; Zureik, Mahmoud; Scarabin, Pierre-Yves

2002-02-15

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may reduce atherosclerosis among postmenopausal women, partly by reducing vascular endothelium damage. We have tested this hypothesis by evaluating the association of HRT with firstly, carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and plaques, and secondly, with endothelial cell damage, indicated by soluble thrombomodulin (sTM). Then, we tested the association between the two markers of atherosclerosis and the levels of sTM. Among 747 postmenopausal women included into the EVA study, we compared 154 HRT users (including 80% transdermal treatment) with 593 never users. Carotid IMT and plaques were measured with B-mode ultrasonography and sTM with ELISA. At least one plaque was detected among 13.6% of HRT users and 27.3% of never users. After adjustment for confounding factors, the odds ratio for the presence of plaque was 0.45 (95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.78, P=0.005) in HRT users in comparison with nonusers. HRT users had a slightly lower crude mean IMT than nonusers, but the difference was not significant. sTM was positively associated with mean IMT (P for trend=0.001) but not with plaques. Finally, estrogen users had a lower sTM level than nonusers (difference 0.14 ng/ml, P=0.03). As HRT was associated with sTM and plaques, but not with IMT, while sTM was only associated with IMT, our hypothesis was not confirmed. This suggests that the possible beneficial effects of HRT on atherosclerosis may not go through the endothelial cell damage assessed by plasma thrombomodulin.

Effect of estrogen receptor-alpha (ESR1 gene polymorphism on high density lipoprotein levels in response to hormone replacement therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.C. Nogueira-de-Souza

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Studies have shown that estrogen replacement therapy and estrogen plus progestin replacement therapy alter serum levels of total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. However, HDL cholesterol levels in women vary considerably in response to hormone replacement therapy (HRT. A significant portion of the variability of these levels has been attributed to genetic factors. Therefore, we investigated the influence of estrogen receptor-alpha (ESR1 gene polymorphisms on HDL levels in response to postmenopausal HRT. We performed a prospective cohort study on 54 postmenopausal women who had not used HRT before the study and had no significant general medical illness. HRT consisted of conjugated equine estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate continuously for 1 year. The lipoprotein levels were measured from blood samples taken before the start of therapy and after 1 year of HRT. ESR1 polymorphism (MspI C>T, HaeIII C>T, PvuII C>T, and XbaI A>G frequencies were assayed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. A general linear model was used to describe the relationships between HDL levels and genotypes after adjusting for age. A significant increase in HDL levels was observed after HRT (P = 0.029. Women with the ESR1 PvuII TT genotype showed a statistically significant increase in HDL levels after HRT (P = 0.032. No association was found between other ESR1 polymorphisms and HDL levels. According to our results, the ESR1 PvuII TT genotype was associated with increased levels of HDL after 1 year of HRT.

Co-digestion of swine excreta associated with increasing levels of crude glycerin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Antonio Previdelli Orrico Junior

2016-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of anaerobic co-digestion of swine excreta associated with increasing doses of crude glycerin and different hydraulic retention times (HRT. A completely randomized design was adopted in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement composed of three HRT (10, 17, and 24 days and four crude glycerin doses (0, 5, 10, and 15 g/100 g of total solids [TS], with four replications per treatment. The assessed parameters were: biogas production potential, reductions of volatile solids (VS, chemical oxygen demand (COD, and most probable number of total and thermotolerant coliforms. The biogas production per added VS presented quadratic effect at 17 and 24 days of HRT, with ideal doses of 5.5 and 5.9 g of crude glycerin/100 g TS, respectively. There was no difference among glycerin doses at 10-day HRT for VS reductions; however, at HRT of 17 and 24 days, there were differences, with greater reduction of 61.1% for 5 g of crude glycerin/100 g TS at 24-day HRT. The COD reduction values showed an effect among retention times, in which the 24-day HRT provided the best results. Reductions in coliforms were greater than 99%, with no difference among treatments. Addition of 5 to 6 g of crude glycerin/100 g TS with a 24-day HRT is more effective in biogas production and reduction of VS, COD, and coliforms from co-digestion of swine excreta.

[The management of asymptomatic bacteriuria in different patient population].

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, M-L; Malinverni, R

2008-11-12

Who should be screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) and who should be treated? This review updates some aspects of the management of AB in different patient populations. A systematic screening for AB is recommended for pregnant women because of a significant risk of complications. In these cases as well as before any uro-gynecologic surgical procedure treatment of AB is strongly recommended. The management of AB in immunosuppressed or transplanted patients is more controversial. In other populations treating AB is not recommended and the outcome seems to be worse in case of treatment due to possible side effects and selection of resistant organisms. Recent studies have shown a considerable gap between clinical practice and recommendations.

Increased performance of continuous stirred tank reactor with calcium supplementation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Zhuliang; Yang, Haijun; Zhi, Xiaohua; Shen, Jianquan [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), New Materials Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2010-04-15

Continuous biohydrogen production with calcium supplementation at low hydraulic retention time (HRT) in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was studied to maximize the hydrogen productivity of anaerobic mixed cultures. After stable operations at HRT of 8-4 h, the bioreactor became unstable when the HRT was lowered to 2 h. Supplementation of 100 mg/L calcium at HRT 2 h improved the operation stability through enhancement of cell retention with almost two-fold increase in cell density than that without calcium addition. Hydrogen production rate and hydrogen yield reached 24.5 L/d/L and 3.74 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose, respectively, both of which were the highest values our group have ever achieved. The results showed that calcium supplementation can be an effective way to improve the performance of CSTR at low HRT. (author)

Optimisation of single-phase dry-thermophilic anaerobic digestion under high organic loading rates of industrial municipal solid waste: population dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahedi, S; Sales, D; Romero, L I; Solera, R

2013-10-01

Different high feed organic loading rates (OLRs) (from 5.7 g to 46.0 g TVS/l/d) or hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (from 15 d to 2 d) in single-phase dry-thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic fraction municipal solid waste (OFMSW) were investigated. The specific gas production (SGP) values (0.25-0.53 m(3)/kg TVS) and the percentages of Eubacteria, Archaea, H2-utilising methanogens (HUMs) and acetate-utilising methanogens (AUMs) were stable within the ranges 80.2-91.1%, 12.4-18.5%, 4.4-9.8% and 5.5-10.9%, respectively. A HUM/AUM ratio greater than 0.7 seems to be necessary to maintain very low partial pressures of H2 required for dry AD process. Increasing OLR resulted in an increase in all the populations, except for propionate-utilising acetogens (PUAs). Optimal conditions were obtained at 3d HRT (OLR=30.7 g TVS/l/d), which is lower than the doubling time of acetogens and methanogens. The methane production (MP) was clearly higher than those reported in AD of OFMSW. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of an automated bolus calculator in MDI-treated type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Signe; Meldgaard, Merete; Serifovski, Nermin

2012-01-01

To investigate the effect of flexible intensive insulin therapy (FIIT) and an automated bolus calculator (ABC) in a Danish type 1 diabetes population treated with multiple daily injections. Furthermore, to test the feasibility of teaching FIIT in a 3-h structured course....

Population suppression in support of the sterile insect technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangan, R.L.

2005-01-01

Suppression or eradication of insect pest populations by the release of sterile insects is often dependent on supplementary methods of pest reduction to levels where the target pest population can be overflooded with sterile insects. Population suppression activities take place in advance of, or coincide with, the production of sterile insects. Supplementary methods to remove breeding opportunities, or management methods that prevent access of pests to the hosts, may reduce the population or prevent damage. Insecticides have been used widely in direct applications or applied as baits, in traps, or on specific sites where the pest makes contact or reproduces. As sterile insect release does not kill the pest, adult biting pests or fertile mated females of the pests will continue to attack hosts after the release of sterile insects. Thus supplementary pest suppression programmes and quarantine measures are essential to prevent damage or the spread of disease. Eradication or effective pest management requires that the entire population of the pest be treated, or that the programme apply immigration barriers. When supplementary pest control activities benefit the human population in areas being treated, such as in mosquito or screwworm eradication programmes, these activities are usually acceptable to the public, but when the public receives no direct benefit from supplementary control activities such as in fruit fly programmes, social resistance may develop. (author)

Hormone replacement therapy: short-term versus long-term use.

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseau, Mary Ellen

2002-01-01

Midwives manage health care of women throughout the life cycle including prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This article presents a history of research on the use of HRT, as well as risks and benefits. Older research on the effects of HRT on heart disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer is included. The results and recommendations of the Women's Health Initiative are examined.

Simultaneous wastewater treatment and biogas production using integrated anaerobic baffled reactor granular activated carbon from baker's yeast wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirsaheb, Meghdad; Mohamadi, Samira; Rahmatabadi, Sama; Hossini, Hooshyar; Motteran, Fabrício

2017-08-30

In this study, simultaneous degradation of organic matter and color removal from food processing industries wastewater using an integrated anaerobic baffled reactor granular activated carbon (IABRGAC) was investigated. Theretofore, effective parameters such as hydraulic retention time (HRT) and granular activated carbon (GAC) filling ratio were studied. The bioreactor was operated at 3, 4 and 5 d of HRT and GAC filling ratio of 20%, 35% and 50%. To analyze and optimize the independent operating variables, response surface methodology was applied. Operating condition was optimized for HRT (4 d) and GAC filling ratio (50%). Better COD (94.6%) and BOD (93.7%) removal efficiency occurred with loading COD of 15,000 mg/L, with diminished wastewater color around 54% and turbidity to 54 NTU. In addition, methane production, methane yielding rate (Y m ) and specific methanogenic activity (SMA) test in an integrated system were investigated. The system IABRGAC was able to generate a volumetric rate about 0.31 and 0.44 L/g COD removed d at the experimental condition. The Y m was between 0.31 and 0.44 L/g COD removed .d and SMA was between 0.13 and 0.38 g COD/g volatile suspended solid. Based on results it can be concluded that the IABRGAC to be a successful pretreatment for highstrength wastewater before discharging the final effluent to sewerage and aerobic treating processes.

Enhanced treatment efficiency of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for cassava stillage with high solids content.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Gang; Xie, Li; Zhou, Qi

2009-06-01

Cassava stillage is a high strength organic wastewater with high suspended solids (SS) content. The efficiency of cassava stillage treatment using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) was significantly enhanced by discharging settled sludge to maintain a lower sludge concentration (about 30 g/L) in the reactor. Three hydraulic retention times (HRTs), namely 10 d, 7.5 d, 5 d, were evaluated at this condition. The study demonstrated that at an HRT of 5 d and an organic loading rate (OLR) of 11.3 kg COD/(m(3) d), the total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and soluble COD (SCOD) removal efficiency can still be maintained at above 80%. The settleability of digested cassava stillage was improved significantly, and thus only a small amount of settled sludge needed to be discharged to maintain the sludge concentration in the reactor. Furthermore, the performance of ASBR operated at low and high sludge concentration (about 79.5 g/L without sludge discharged) was evaluated at an HRT of 5 d. The TCOD removal efficiency and SS in the effluent were 61% and 21.9 g/L respectively at high sludge concentration, while the values were 85.1% and 2.4 g/L at low sludge concentration. Therefore, low sludge concentration is recommended for ASBR treating cassava stillage at an HRT 5 d due to lower TCOD and SS in the effluent, which could facilitate post-treatment.

Anaerobic digestion potential for ecological and decentralised sanitation in urban areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmitwalli, Tarek; Feng, Yucheng; Behrendt, Joachim; Otterpohl, Ralf

2006-01-01

The potential of anaerobic digestion in ecological and decentralised sanitation has been investigated in this research. Different anaerobic digestion systems were proposed for the treatment of sewage, grey water, black water and faeces. Moreover, mathematical models based on anaerobic digestion model no.1 (ADM1) were developed for determination of a suitable design for each system. For stable performance of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating sewage, the model results indicated that optimisation of wastewater conversion to biogas (not COD removal) should be selected for determination of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the reactor. For the treatment of sewage or black water in a UASB septic-tank, the model results showed that the sludge removal period was the main parameter for determination of the HRT. At such HRT, both COD removal and wastewater conversion are also optimised. The model results demonstrated that for treatment of faeces in an accumulation (AC) system at temperature > or = 25 degrees C, the filling period of the system should be higher than 60 days. For maximisation of the net biogas production (i.e. reduction of biogas losses as dissolved in the effluent), the separation between grey water, urine and faeces and reduction of water consumption for faeces flushing are required. Furthermore, the faeces and kitchen organic wastes and grey water are digested in, respectively, an AC system and UASB reactor, while the urine is stored.

Removal of Organic Pollutants from Municipal Wastewater by Applying High-Rate Algal Pond in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Alemu, Keneni; Assefa, Berhanu; Kifle, Demeke; Kloos, Helmut

2018-05-01

The discharge of inadequately treated municipal wastewater has aggravated the pollution load in developing countries including Ethiopia. Conventional wastewater treatment methods that require high capital and operational costs are not affordable for many developing nations, including Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the performance of two high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs) in organic pollutant removal from primary settled municipal wastewater under highland tropical climate conditions in Addis Ababa. The experiment was done for 2 months at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) ranging from 2 to 8 days using an organic loading rates ranging 333-65 kg {BOD}5 /ha/day using two HRAPs, 250 and 300 mm deep, respectively. In this experiment, Chlorella sp., Chlamydomonas sp., and Scenedesmus sp., the class of Chlorophyceae, were identified as the dominant species. Chlorophyll-a production was higher in the shallower ponds (250 mm) throughout the course of the study, whereas the deeper HRAP (300 mm) showed better dissolved oxygen production. The maximum COD and {BOD}5 removal of 78.03 and 81.8% was achieved at a 6-day HRT operation in the 250-mm-deep HRAP. Therefore, the 300-mm-deep HRAP is promising for scaling up organic pollutant removal from municipal wastewater at a daily average organic loading rate of 109.3 kg {BOD}5 /ha/day and a 6-day HRT. We conclude that the removal of organic pollutants in HRAP can be controlled by pond depth, organic loading rate, and HRT.

Assessment of hybrid rotation-translation scan schemes for in vivo animal SPECT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Yan; Liu Yaqiang; Wang Shi; Ma Tianyu; Yao Rutao; Deng Xiao

2013-01-01

To perform in vivo animal single photon emission computed tomography imaging on a stationary detector gantry, we introduced a hybrid rotation-translation (HRT) tomographic scan, a combination of translational and limited angle rotational movements of the image object, to minimize gravity-induced animal motion. To quantitatively assess the performance of ten HRT scan schemes and the conventional rotation-only scan scheme, two simulated phantoms were first scanned with each scheme to derive the corresponding image resolution (IR) in the image field of view. The IR results of all the scan schemes were visually assessed and compared with corresponding outputs of four scan scheme evaluation indices, i.e. sampling completeness (SC), sensitivity (S), conventional system resolution (SR), and a newly devised directional spatial resolution (DR) that measures the resolution in any specified orientation. A representative HRT scheme was tested with an experimental phantom study. Eight of the ten HRT scan schemes evaluated achieved a superior performance compared to two other HRT schemes and the rotation-only scheme in terms of phantom image resolution. The same eight HRT scan schemes also achieved equivalent or better performance in terms of the four quantitative indices than the conventional rotation-only scheme. As compared to the conventional index SR, the new index DR appears to be a more relevant indicator of system resolution performance. The experimental phantom image obtained from the selected HRT scheme was satisfactory. We conclude that it is feasible to perform in vivo animal imaging with a HRT scan scheme and SC and DR are useful predictors for quantitatively assessing the performance of a scan scheme. (paper)

The timing hypothesis and hormone replacement therapy: a paradigm shift in the primary prevention of coronary heart disease in women. Part 2: comparative risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodis, Howard N; Mack, Wendy J

2013-06-01

A major misperception concerning postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is that the associated risks are large in magnitude and unique to HRT, but over the past 10 years, sufficient data have accumulated so that the magnitude and perspective of risks associated with the primary coronary heart disease prevention therapies of statins, aspirin, and postmenopausal HRT have become more fully defined. Review of randomized controlled trials indicates that the risks of primary prevention therapies and other medications commonly used in women's health are of similar type and magnitude, with the majority of these risks categorized as rare to infrequent (risks of postmenopausal HRT are predominantly rare (risks, including breast cancer, stroke, and venous thromboembolism are common across medications and are rare, and even rarer when HRT is initiated in women younger than 60 or who are less than 10 years since menopause. In Part 1 of this series, the sex-specificity of statins and aspirin and timing of initiation of HRT as modifiers of efficacy in women were reviewed. Herein, the comparative risks of primary prevention therapies in women are discussed. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Influence of hydraulic retention time on UASB post-treatment with UF membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Salazar-Peláez, M L; Morgan-Sagastume, J M; Noyola, A

2011-01-01

A pilot UASB reactor coupled with an external ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was operated under three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) for domestic wastewater treatment. The aim was to assess the HRT influence on system performance and fouling. The highest concentrations of COD, total solids, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) in UASB effluent and permeate were found when the UASB reactor was operated under the lowest HRT studied (4 hours); although the fulfillment of Mexican Standard for wastewater reclamation was not compromised. This fact could be attributed to the higher shear stress forces inside the UASB reactor when it was operated at low HRT, which promoted the release of biopolymeric substances in its effluent. Besides, the fouling propensity in the UASB effluent was worsened with HRT reduction, by increasing the fouling rate and the specific cake resistance. Based on these results, it is recommended to avoid operating the UASB reactor at low HRTs (less than 4 hours) in order to control SMP and EPS fouling potential. The results presented also suggest that HRT reduction has a detrimental effect on performance and fouling.

The effect of a high-protein, high-sodium diet on calcium and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women stratified by hormone replacement therapy use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harrington, M.; Bennett, T.; Jakobsen, Jette

2004-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of a high-sodium, high-protein diet on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women ( aged 49 - 60 y) stratified by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use. In a crossover trial, 18 women (n = 8 HRT users (+HRT) and n = 10 nonusers (-HRT)) were...... randomly assigned to a diet high in protein ( 90 g/day) and sodium (180 mmol/day) ( calciuric diet) or a diet moderate in protein ( 70 g/day) and low in sodium ( 65 mmol/day) for 4 weeks followed by crossover to alternative dietary regimen for a further 4 weeks. The calciuric diet significantly (P...

Dose-optimal vaccine allocation over multiple populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.E. Duijzer (Evelot); W.L. van Jaarsveld (Willem); J. Wallinga (Jacco); R. Dekker (Rommert)

2015-01-01

textabstractFor a large number of infectious diseases, vaccination is the most effective way to prevent an epidemic. However, the vaccine stockpile is hardly ever sufficient to treat the entire population, which brings about the challenge of vaccine allocation. To aid decision makers facing this

Treated bottom ash medium and method of arsenic removal from drinking water

Science.gov (United States)

Gadgil, Ashok

2009-06-09

A method for low-cost arsenic removal from drinking water using chemically prepared bottom ash pre-treated with ferrous sulfate and then sodium hydroxide. Deposits on the surface of particles of bottom ash form of activated iron adsorbent with a high affinity for arsenic. In laboratory tests, a miniscule 5 grams of pre-treated bottom ash was sufficient to remove the arsenic from 2 liters of 2400 ppb (parts per billion) arsenic-laden water to a level below 50 ppb (the present United States Environmental Protection Agency limit). By increasing the amount of pre-treated bottom ash, even lower levels of post-treatment arsenic are expected. It is further expected that this invention supplies a very low-cost solution to arsenic poisoning for large population segments.

Hormone replacement therapy advertising: sense and nonsense on the web pages of the best-selling pharmaceuticals in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Chilet-Rosell, Elisa; Martín Llaguno, Marta; Ruiz Cantero, María Teresa; Alonso-Coello, Pablo

2010-03-16

The balance of the benefits and risks of long term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have been a matter of debate for decades. In Europe, HRT requires medical prescription and its advertising is only permitted when aimed at health professionals (direct to consumer advertising is allowed in some non European countries). The objective of this study is to analyse the appropriateness and quality of Internet advertising about HRT in Spain. A search was carried out on the Internet (January 2009) using the eight best-selling HRT drugs in Spain. The brand name of each drug was entered into Google's search engine. The web sites appearing on the first page of results and the corresponding companies were analysed using the European Code of Good Practice as the reference point. Five corporate web pages: none of them included bibliographic references or measures to ensure that the advertising was only accessible by health professionals. Regarding non-corporate web pages (n = 27): 41% did not include the company name or address, 44% made no distinction between patient and health professional information, 7% contained bibliographic references, 26% provided unspecific information for the use of HRT for osteoporosis and 19% included menstrual cycle regulation or boosting feminity as an indication. Two online pharmacies sold HRT drugs which could be bought online in Spain, did not include the name or contact details of the registered company, nor did they stipulate the need for a medical prescription or differentiate between patient and health professional information. Even though pharmaceutical companies have committed themselves to compliance with codes of good practice, deficiencies were observed regarding the identification, information and promotion of HRT medications on their web pages. Unaffected by legislation, non-corporate web pages are an ideal place for indirect HRT advertising, but they often contain misleading information. HRT can be bought online from Spain

Quality of life in Chinese patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Hou, Cai-Lan; Ma, Xin-Rong; Zhong, Bao-Liang; Zang, Yu; Jia, Fu-Jun; Lin, Yong-Qiang; Lai, Kelly Y C; Chiu, Helen F K; Ungvari, Gabor S; Hall, Brian J; Cai, Mei-Ying; Ng, Chee H; Xiang, Yu-Tao

2017-08-01

In China, maintenance treatment for clinically stable patients with schizophrenia is usually provided by primary care physicians. This study examined the quality of life (QOL) in patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care and explored the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with QOL. Altogether, 612 patients with schizophrenia treated in 22 randomly selected primary care services in China formed the study sample. QOL, psychotic and depressive symptoms, extra-pyramidal symptoms and insight were assessed using standardized instruments. Data analyses were conducted with the one sample t-test and multiple linear regression analyses. Compared with the normative data for the Chinese general population, significantly lower scores in physical and mental QOL domains were found in the patient group. Older age, being unemployed, major medical conditions, no smoking, more severe depressive and negative symptoms, more frequent insomnia, and suicidality were independently associated with poor physical QOL. Male gender, more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, more frequent insomnia, and suicidality were independently associated with poor mental QOL. Patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care had lower level of QOL in comparison with general population. Effective measures need to be implemented to improve their QOL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DGKI methylation status modulates the prognostic value of MGMT in glioblastoma patients treated with combined radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandine Etcheverry

Full Text Available Consistently reported prognostic factors for glioblastoma (GBM are age, extent of surgery, performance status, IDH1 mutational status, and MGMT promoter methylation status. We aimed to integrate biological and clinical prognostic factors into a nomogram intended to predict the survival time of an individual GBM patient treated with a standard regimen. In a previous study we showed that the methylation status of the DGKI promoter identified patients with MGMT-methylated tumors that responded poorly to the standard regimen. We further evaluated the potential prognostic value of DGKI methylation status.399 patients with newly diagnosed GBM and treated with a standard regimen were retrospectively included in this study. Survival modelling was performed on two patient populations: intention-to-treat population of all included patients (population 1 and MGMT-methylated patients (population 2. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to identify the main prognostic factors. A nomogram was developed for population 1. The prognostic value of DGKI promoter methylation status was evaluated on population 1 and population 2.The nomogram-based stratification of the cohort identified two risk groups (high/low with significantly different median survival. We validated the prognostic value of DGKI methylation status for MGMT-methylated patients. We also demonstrated that the DGKI methylation status identified 22% of poorly responding patients in the low-risk group defined by the nomogram.Our results improve the conventional MGMT stratification of GBM patients receiving standard treatment. These results could help the interpretation of published or ongoing clinical trial outcomes and refine patient recruitment in the future.

DGKI methylation status modulates the prognostic value of MGMT in glioblastoma patients treated with combined radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide.

Science.gov (United States)

Etcheverry, Amandine; Aubry, Marc; Idbaih, Ahmed; Vauleon, Elodie; Marie, Yannick; Menei, Philippe; Boniface, Rachel; Figarella-Branger, Dominique; Karayan-Tapon, Lucie; Quillien, Veronique; Sanson, Marc; de Tayrac, Marie; Delattre, Jean-Yves; Mosser, Jean

2014-01-01

Consistently reported prognostic factors for glioblastoma (GBM) are age, extent of surgery, performance status, IDH1 mutational status, and MGMT promoter methylation status. We aimed to integrate biological and clinical prognostic factors into a nomogram intended to predict the survival time of an individual GBM patient treated with a standard regimen. In a previous study we showed that the methylation status of the DGKI promoter identified patients with MGMT-methylated tumors that responded poorly to the standard regimen. We further evaluated the potential prognostic value of DGKI methylation status. 399 patients with newly diagnosed GBM and treated with a standard regimen were retrospectively included in this study. Survival modelling was performed on two patient populations: intention-to-treat population of all included patients (population 1) and MGMT-methylated patients (population 2). Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to identify the main prognostic factors. A nomogram was developed for population 1. The prognostic value of DGKI promoter methylation status was evaluated on population 1 and population 2. The nomogram-based stratification of the cohort identified two risk groups (high/low) with significantly different median survival. We validated the prognostic value of DGKI methylation status for MGMT-methylated patients. We also demonstrated that the DGKI methylation status identified 22% of poorly responding patients in the low-risk group defined by the nomogram. Our results improve the conventional MGMT stratification of GBM patients receiving standard treatment. These results could help the interpretation of published or ongoing clinical trial outcomes and refine patient recruitment in the future.

Secondary acute non lymphoid leukemia in patients treated for non Hodgkin's lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cimino, G.; Anselma, A.; Cartoni, C.

1987-01-01

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the frequency, characteristics and actual risk of secondary acute non lymphoid leukemia (s-ANLL) in 141 patients treated for non Hodgkin's lymphoma with different modalities. One hundred and twenty-four patients received chemotherapy according to PROVECIP protocol (9). Of these, 15 also received as induction treatment a local nodal irradiation and 33 an extended field radiotherapy. Seventeen out of 141 were treated by total body irradiation. Of these, 15 relapsed and received salvage chemotherapy. Sixteen of the 124 patients trated with PROVECIP also underwent different chemotherapeutic programs as salvage treatment. Of the entire population studied, 2 patients significantly affected the occurrence of s-ANLL, since both leukemias occurred in patients treated with total body irradiation, given alone or followed by chemotherapy. The actuarial risk at 8 years was 5.24% in the whole group, whereas it greatly increased in the group of patients treated with total body irradiation (24%). Conversely, no risk was found in the group treated with PROVECIP, alone, with additional chemotherapy, or with associated local or extended field radiotherapy

Treating depression in HIV/AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Y H Moosa

2007-08-01

Currently available antidepressant medications are equally effective in treating HIV/AIDS patients and the general population. Furthermore, intervention studies have shown that psychotherapy reduces depressive symptoms and is well tolerated. Interpersonal psychotherapy is more successful than supportive psychotherapy in lessening depression, and patients experience improved functioning physically and emotionally. Untreated depression may be associated with reduced adherence to ART, immunosuppression, and more rapid HIV illness progression. In South Africa, HIV/AIDS patients may be at greater risk for psychiatric disorder given the potentially stressful living conditions including high rates of unemployment and poverty, poor and unstable housing, inadequate social services, and high rates of crime and domestic violence. A lack of data on depression in South Africa underscores the need for further research.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of TOC removal from slaughterhouse wastewater using combined anaerobic-aerobic and UV/H2O2 processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bustillo-Lecompte, Ciro Fernando; Mehrvar, Mehrab; Quiñones-Bolaños, Edgar

2014-02-15

The objective of this study is to evaluate the operating costs of treating slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) using combined biological and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). This study compares the performance and the treatment capability of an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), an aerated completely mixed activated sludge reactor (AS), and a UV/H2O2 process, as well as their combination for the removal of the total organic carbon (TOC). Overall efficiencies are found to be up to 75.22, 89.47, 94.53, 96.10, 96.36, and 99.98% for the UV/H2O2, ABR, AS, combined AS-ABR, combined ABR-AS, and combined ABR-AS-UV/H2O2 processes, respectively. Due to the consumption of electrical energy and reagents, operating costs are calculated at optimal conditions of each process. A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is performed at optimal conditions for the SWW treatment by optimizing the total electricity cost, H2O2 consumption, and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The combined ABR-AS-UV/H2O2 processes have an optimal TOC removal of 92.46% at an HRT of 41 h, a cost of $1.25/kg of TOC removed, and $11.60/m(3) of treated SWW. This process reaches a maximum TOC removal of 99% in 76.5 h with an estimated cost of $2.19/kg TOC removal and $21.65/m(3) treated SWW, equivalent to $6.79/m(3) day. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Menopause and the virtuous woman: the importance of the moral order in accounting for medical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephens, Christine; Breheny, Mary

2008-01-01

Whether or not to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) around the time of menopause is seen as an important decision for many mid-aged women. Recent studies of information provided to women to assist them in making a medical decision about the use of HRT have highlighted the importance of understanding the broader social context of the decision. In this article we examine one important aspect of western mid-aged women's social world: the moral order and the imperative of virtue. Qualitative data from a survey, focus group discussions, and interviews with mid-aged women about HRT use are used to provide examples of the importance of the local moral order in women's talk about menopause and HRT use. The implications of these data will be discussed in terms of the different narrative resources available to construct menopause and HRT, the role of morality, and the demonstration of virtue in daily social life, including medical decision making.

Semi-insulating Sn-Zr-O: Tunable resistance buffer layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, Teresa M.; Burst, James M.; Reese, Matthew O.; Perkins, Craig L. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States)

2015-03-02

Highly resistive and transparent (HRT) buffer layers are critical components of solar cells and other opto-electronic devices. HRT layers are often undoped transparent conducting oxides. However, these oxides can be too conductive to form an optimal HRT. Here, we present a method to produce HRT layers with tunable electrical resistivity, despite the presence of high concentrations of unintentionally or intentionally added dopants in the film. This method relies on alloying wide-bandgap, high-k dielectric materials (e.g., ZrO{sub 2}) into the host oxide to tune the resistivity. We demonstrate Sn{sub x}Zr{sub 1−x}O{sub 2}:F films with tunable resistivities varying from 0.001 to 10 Ω cm, which are controlled by the Zr mole fraction in the films. Increasing Zr suppresses carriers by expanding the bandgap almost entirely by shifting the valence-band position, which allows the HRT layers to maintain good conduction-band alignment for a low-resistance front contact.

Anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable processing wastes for biogas production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viswanath, P.; Sumithra Devi, S.; Nand, K. (Central Food Technological Research Inst., Mysore (IN))

1992-01-01

The effect of feeding different fruit and vegetable wastes, mango, pineapple, tomato, jackfruit, banana and orange, was studied in a 60-litre digester by cycling each waste every fifth day in order to operate the digester as and when there was supply of feed. The characteristics of the anaerobically digested fluid and digester performance in terms of biogas production were determined at different loading rates (LR) and at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) and the maximum biogas yield of 0.6 m{sup 3}/kg VS added was achieved at a 20-day HRT and 40 kg TS m{sup -3}day{sup -1} loading rate. The hourly gas production was observed in the digesters operated at 16 and 24 days HRT. The major yield (74.5%) of gas was produced within 12h of feeding at a 16-day HRT whereas at a 24-day HRT only 59.03% of the total gas could be obtained at this time. (author).

Pretreatment of textile dyeing wastewater using an anoxic baffled reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Huoliang; Wu, Huifang

2008-11-01

A study on pretreatment of textile dyeing wastewater was carried out using an anoxic baffled reactor (ABR) at wastewater temperatures of 5-31.1 degrees C. When hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 8h, the color of outflow of ABR was only 40 times at 5 degrees C and it could satisfy the professional discharge standard (grade-1) of textile and dyeing industry of China (GB4287-92). The total COD removal efficiency of ABR was 34.6%, 47.5%, 50.0%, 53.3%, 54.7% and 58.1% at 5, 9.7, 14.9, 19.7, 23.5 and 31.1 degrees C, respectively. Besides, after the wastewater being pre-treated by ABR when HRT was 6h and 8h, the BOD5/COD value rose from 0.30 of inflow to 0.46 of outflow and from 0.30 of inflow to 0.40 of outflow, respectively. Experimental results indicated that ABR was a very feasible process to decolorize and pre-treat the textile dyeing wastewater at ambient temperature. Moreover, a kinetic simulation of organic matter degradation in ABR at six different wastewater temperatures was carried through. The kinetic analysis showed the organic matter degradation was a first-order reaction. The reaction activation energy was 19.593 kJ mol(-1) and the temperature coefficient at 5-31.1 degrees C was 1.028.

Organic semiconductor wastewater treatment using a four-stage Bardenpho with membrane system.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jinwook; Fleege, Daniel; Ong, Say Kee; Lee, Yong-Woo

2014-01-01

Electronic wastewater from a semiconductor plant was treated with a pilot-scale four-stage Bardenpho process with membrane system. The system was operated over a 14-month period with an overall hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 9.5 to 30 h. With a few exceptions, the pilot plant consistently treated the electronic wastewater with an average removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen of 97% and 93%, respectively, and achieving effluent quality of COD<15 mg/L, turbidity<1, and silt density index<1. Based on removal efficiencies of the pilot plant, it is possible to lower the HRT to less than 9.5 h to achieve comparable removal efficiencies. An energy-saving configuration where an internal recycle line was omitted and the biomass recycle was rerouted to the pre-anoxic tank, can reduce energy consumption by 8.6% and gave removal efficiencies that were similar to the Bardenpho process. The system achieved pre-anoxic and post-anoxic specific denitrification rate values with a 95% confidence interval of 0.091 ± 0.011 g NO₃-N/g MLVSS d and 0.087 ± 0.016 g NO₃-N/g MLVSS d, respectively. The effluent from the four-stage Bardenpho with membrane system can be paired with a reverse osmosis system to provide further treatment for reuse purposes.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on biohydrogen and volatile fatty acids production during acidogenic digestion of dephenolized olive mill wastewaters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scoma, Alberto; Bertin, Lorenzo; Fava, Fabio

2013-01-01

The influence of Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) on the performances of a recently developed biotechnological anaerobic acidogenic process fed with dephenolized Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) was investigated. The study was carried out under mesophilic conditions in Packed Bed Biofilm Reactors (PBBRs), filled with ceramic cubes and inoculated with a characterized and acclimated acidogenic microbial consortium. The PBBRs were fed with a HRT of 7, 5, 3 or 1 day, which corresponded to Organic Loading Rates (OLRs) of about 5.5, 7.8, 12.9 and 38.8 g L −1 d −1 , respectively. A significant production of a H 2 -rich biogas was observed when shorter HRTs were applied: in particular, H 2 relative amount and productivity increased from 3% to 32% and from 0.20 to 6.10 dm 3 m −3 h −1 , respectively, by decreasing the HRT from 7 to 1 day. On the contrary, shorter HRTs turned into a lower accumulation of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs), whose highest amounts were found with HRTs of 7 and 5 days (about 18.4 and 19.7 g L −1 COD equivalents, respectively). The highest conversion yield of COD into VFAs (36%) was obtained with a HRT of 5 days, when VFAs represented about 78% of the effluent COD. HRT also influenced the composition of the VFA mixture: acetic, propionic and butyric acid were the most prominent VFAs, being their relative amounts higher when PBBRs were operated with shorter HRTs (up to 19, 12 and 42% of the whole mixture, respectively, when HRT was 1 day). -- Highlights: ► HRT affects the acidogenic digestion of dephenolized olive mill wastewater. ► A significant production of bioH 2 can be coupled to that of volatile fatty acids. ► Higher H 2 and lower VFA productions were obtained by shortening the HRT

Are Nigerian dentists willing to treat patients with HIV infection ? | Uti ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: HIV/AIDS is a modern day plague, which is a challenge to dentistry. The willingness of dentists to treat HIV positive patients is crucial in the provision of oral health care to this increasing population of patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the willingness of dentists and factors that influence willingness ...

Farklı Hidrolik Bekletme Sürelerinin Anaerobik Perdeli Reaktörde Sülfat İndirgenmesi Üzerine Etkisi / Effect of Different Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT on Sulfate Reduction in Anaerobic Baffled Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Şebnem ÖZDEMİR

2012-12-01

üresinin 2 gün olduğu çalışma koşullarında çıkış suyundaki KOİ ve SO4-2 verimleri %84 ile %88 olarak gözlemlenirken bekleme süresinin 0,5 gün olduğu çalışma koşullarında ise bu değer %80 ve %75 olarak gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca bekleme süresinin 2 gün olduğu çalışma koşullarında son bölmedeki sülfür oluşum verimi % 75 iken, bekleme süresi 0,5 güne indirildiğinde aynı bölmedeki sülfür oluşum veriminin %96’a çıktığı gözlemlenmiştir. Çıkarımlar ve Özgün Değer: Yapılan bu çalışma ile yüksek sülfat konsantrasyona sahip atıksuların arıtımında anaerobik perdeli reaktörün iyi bir alternatif olabileceği kanıtlanmıştır. Ayrıca çıkış sülfat ve sülfür konsantrasyonlarının değişen HBS’den etkilenmediği gözlenmiştir. Effect of Different Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT on Sulfate Reduction in Anaerobic Baffled Reactor Design and Method: The anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR is a modification of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB reactor. A laboratory scale ABR was inoculated with an effluent of a full scale anaerobic digester located in Kayseri Wastewater Treatment Plant, Turkey. Before inoculation, the sludge was sieved to remove coarse materials. The ABR was 20 cm wide, 80 cm long, 20 cm deep and constructed from glass, with a working volume of 19 L. Reactor was divided into four equal 4.75 L compartments by vertical baffles, each compartment having down-comer and riser regions created by further vertical baffle. The lower parts of down-comer baffles were angled at 450 in order to direct the flow evenly through the riser. Ethanol and sulfate are consumed as electron donor and electron acceptor, respectively. Sulfate, dissolved sulfide, pH, alkalinity and chemical oxygen demand (COD have measured three times a week. Aim: There are varying structures and concentrations of sulfate compounds in natural waters. In addition, the amount of sulfate is higher in some industrial wastewaters In addition, some

New modified english and hindi oswestry disability index in low back pain patients treated conservatively in Indian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishant; Chhabra, Harvinder Singh; Kapoor, Kulwant Singh

2014-10-01

Prospective cohort study along with questionnaire. To measure the correlation of the visual analogue score (VAS), with (Oswestry disability Index [ODI], version 2.1a) in English, and modified ODI (English and Hindi version). To validate translated version of the modified ODI in English version to Hindi. Conflicting evidence in literature regarding the ability for existing ODI score to accurately measure the pain associated disability. One hundred and three patients conservatively treated for low back pain were enrolled in the study. The Pearson correlation coefficient for VAS and ODI along with the Cronbach α and test-retest reliability for Hindi version using the intraclass correlation coefficient was recorded. The new proposed translated Hindi version of ODI was carried out with established guidelines. The mean age in English and Hindi version of ODI was 53.5 years and 58.5 years, respectively. The gender ration was 21:24 in the English version and 35:23 in the Hindi version. The mean follow-up in English and Hindi version of ODI was 3.4 months and 50.27 months, respectively. The Cronbach coefficient α=0.7541 for English ODI and 0.9913 for Hindi ODI was recorded for the both modified versions. The new modified ODI is time saving and accurate, and it avoids the need to measure other scores and has stronger correlation with VAS score compared to the previous scores. We recommend this version for both English and Hindi speaking population as an assessment tool to measure the disability related to pain.

Continuous hydrogen production from starch by fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasuda, Keigo; Tanisho, Shigeharu [Yokohama National Univ. (Japan)

2010-07-01

This study was investigated the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on hydrogen production rate, hydrogen yield and the production rate of volatile fatty acid. The experiment was performed in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with a working volume of 1 L by using a Clostridium sp. The temperature of the CSTR was regulated 37 C. The pH was controlled 6.0 by the addition of 3 M of NaOH solution. Starch was used as the carbon source with the concentration of 30 g L{sup -1}. Hydrogen production rate increased from 0.9 L-H{sub 2} L-culture{sup -1} h{sup -1} to 3.2 L-H{sub 2} L-culture{sup -1} h{sup -1} along with the decrease of HRT from 9 h to 1.5 h. Hydrogen yield decreased at low HRT. The major volatile fatty acids are acetic acid, butyric acid and lactic acid. The production rates of acetic acid and butyric acid increased along with the decrease of HRT. On the other hand, the rate of lactic acid was low at high HRT while it increased at HRT 1.5 h. The increase of the production rate of lactic acid suggested one of the reasons that hydrogen yield decreased. (orig.)

Hormone replacement therapy in Denmark, 1995-2004

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkkegaard, Ellen; Lidegaard, Ojvind; Møller, Lisbeth Nørgaard

2007-01-01

Recently, the Danish National Register of Medicinal Product Statistics (NRM) was opened for research purposes, and therefore, on an individual basis, can merge with other national registers. The aim of this study was to analyse the use of hormones based on the individual data of the entire Danish...... female population, with the focus on a detailed evaluation of specific hormone regimens and factors associated with systemic hormone replacement therapy (HRT)....

Anaerobic up flow fluidized bed reactor performance as a primary treatment unit in domestic wastewater treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.A. Moharram

2016-04-01

The efficiencies of Total nitrogen removal ranged between 2.23 and 10.83% with an apparent decrease during the low temperature high rate stages. Nitrite removal was in the range of (23.08–77% with up to the 2 mg/L in the effluent water when obtaining high organic loading and warm temperature. These results demonstrated that the domestic wastewater could be anaerobically treated in a fluidized bed UASB reactor with very low HRT reaching 2.5 h.

Continuous fermentative hydrogen production in different process conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nasirian, N. [Islamic Azad Univ., Shoushtar (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Agricultural Mechanization; Almassi, M.; Minaee, S. [Islamic Azad Univ., Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Agricultural Mechanization; Widmann, R. [Duisburg-Essen Univ., Essen (Germany). Dept. of Environmental Engineering, Waste and Water

2010-07-01

This paper reported on a study in which hydrogen was produced by fermentation of biomass. A continuous process using a non-sterile substrate with a readily available mixed microflora was used on heat treated digested sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. Hydrogen was produced from waste sugar at a pH of 5.2 and a temperature of 37 degrees C. An experimental setup of three 5.5 L working volume continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) in different stirring speeds were constructed and operated at 7 different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and different organic loading rates (OLR). Dissolved organic carbon was examined. The results showed that the stirring speed of 135 rpm had a beneficial effect on hydrogen fermentation. The best performance was obtained in 135 rpm and 8 h of HRT. The amount of gas varied with different OLRs, but could be stabilized on a high level. Methane was not detected when the HRT was less than 16 h. The study identified the reactor in which the highest specific rate of hydrogen production occurred.

Simultaneous removal of AOX and COD from real recycled paper wastewater using GAC-SBBR.

Science.gov (United States)

Osman, Wan Hasnidah Wan; Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah Sheikh; Mohamad, Abu Bakar; Kadhum, Abdul Amir H; Rahman, Rakmi Abd

2013-05-30

A lab-scale granular activated carbon sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR), a combined adsorption and biological process, was developed to treat real wastewater from a recycled paper mill. In this study, one-consortia of mixed culture (4000-5000 mg/L) originating from recycled paper mill activated sludge from Kajang, Malaysia was acclimatized. The GAC-SBBR was fed with real wastewater taken from the same recycled paper mill, which had a high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and adsorbable organic halides (AOX). The operational duration of the GAC-SBBR was adjusted from 48 h to 24, 12 and finally 8 h to evaluate the effect of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the simultaneous removal of COD and AOX. The COD and AOX removals were in the range of 53-92% and 26-99%, respectively. From this study, it was observed that the longest HRT (48 h) yielded a high removal of COD and AOX, at 92% and 99%, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater using a sequential anaerobic-aerobic moving-bed biofilm reactor system based on suspended ceramsite.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Mang; Gu, Li-Peng; Xu, Wen-Hao

2013-01-01

In this study, a novel suspended ceramsite was prepared, which has high strength, optimum density (close to water), and high porosity. The ceramsite was used to feed a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system with an anaerobic-aerobic (A/O) arrangement to treat petroleum refinery wastewater for simultaneous removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the anaerobic-aerobic MBBR system was varied from 72 to 18 h. The anaerobic-aerobic system had a strong tolerance to shock loading. Compared with the professional emission standard of China, the effluent concentrations of COD and NH3-N in the system could satisfy grade I at HRTs of 72 and 36 h, and grade II at HRT of 18 h. The average sludge yield of the anaerobic reactor was estimated to be 0.0575 g suspended solid/g CODremoved. This work demonstrated that the anaerobic-aerobic MBBR system using the suspended ceramsite as bio-carrier could be applied to achieving high wastewater treatment efficiency.

Enhanced removal of chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus using the ameliorative anoxic/anaerobic/oxic process and micro-electrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, K Q; Gao, J Q; Wang, Z B; Zhang, R Q; Zhang, Z Y; Sugiura, N

2012-01-01

Synthetic wastewater was treated using a novel system integrating the reversed anoxic/anaerobic/oxic (RAAO) process, a micro-electrolysis (ME) bed and complex biological media. The system showed superior chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal rates. Performance of the system was optimised by considering the influences of three major controlling factors, namely, hydraulic retention time (HRT), organic loading rate (OLR) and mixed liquor recirculation (MLR). TP removal efficiencies were 69, 87, 87 and 83% under the HRTs of 4, 8, 12 and 16 h. In contrast, HRT had negligible effects on the COD and TN removal efficiencies. COD, TN and TP removal efficiencies from synthetic wastewater were 95, 63 and 87%, respectively, at an OLR of 1.9 g/(L·d). The concentrations of COD, TN and TP in the effluent were less than 50, 15 and 1 mg/L, respectively, at the controlled MLR range of 75-100%. In this system, organics, TN and TP were primarily removed from anoxic tank regardless of the operational conditions.

Performance evaluation and phylogenetic characterization of anaerobic fluidized bed reactors using ground tire and pet as support materials for biohydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Barros, Aruana Rocha; Adorno, Maria Angela Tallarico; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko; Maintinguer, Sandra Imaculada; Varesche, Maria Bernadete Amâncio; Silva, Edson Luiz

2011-02-01

This study evaluated two different support materials (ground tire and polyethylene terephthalate [PET]) for biohydrogen production in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) treating synthetic wastewater containing glucose (4000 mg L(-1)). The AFBR, which contained either ground tire (R1) or PET (R2) as support materials, were inoculated with thermally pretreated anaerobic sludge and operated at a temperature of 30°C. The AFBR were operated with a range of hydraulic retention times (HRT) between 1 and 8h. The reactor R1 operating with a HRT of 2h showed better performance than reactor R2, reaching a maximum hydrogen yield of 2.25 mol H(2)mol(-1) glucose with 1.3mg of biomass (as the total volatile solids) attached to each gram of ground tire. Subsequent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of particle samples revealed that reactor R1 favored the presence of hydrogen-producing bacteria such as Clostridium, Bacillus, and Enterobacter. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altered self-perception in adult survivors treated for a CNS tumor in childhood or adolescence: population-based outcomes compared with the general population

Science.gov (United States)

Hörnquist, Lina; Rickardsson, Jenny; Lannering, Birgitta; Gustafsson, Göran; Boman, Krister K.

2015-01-01

Background Survivors of pediatric CNS tumors are at risk for persistent tumor/treatment-related morbidity, physical disability and social consequences that may alter self-perception, vital for self-identity, mental health and quality of survival. We studied the long-term impact of childhood CNS tumors and their treatment on the self-perception of adult survivors and compared outcomes with those of the general population. Methods The cohort included 697 Swedish survivors diagnosed with a primary CNS tumor during 1982–2001. Comparison data were randomly collected from a stratified general population sample. Survivors and general population individuals were compared as regards self-perception in 5 domains: body image, sports/physical activities, peers, work, and family, and with a global self-esteem index. Within the survivor group, determinants of impact on self-perception were identified. Results The final analyzed sample included 528 survivors, 75.8% of the entire national cohort. The control sample consisted of 995, 41% of 2500 addressed. Survivors had significantly poorer self-perception outcomes in domains of peers, work, body image, and sports/physical activities, and in the global self-perception measure, compared with those of the general population (all P type and a history of cranial radiation therapy were associated with outcomes. Conclusion An altered self-perception is a potential late effect in adult survivors of pediatric CNS tumors. Self-perception and self-esteem are significant elements of identity, mental health and quality of survival. Therefore, care and psychosocial follow-up of survivors should include measures for identifying disturbances and for assessing the need for psychosocial intervention. PMID:25332406

Methyl salicylate attracts natural enemies and reduces populations of soybean aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in soybean agroecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallinger, Rachel E; Hogg, David B; Gratton, Claudio

2011-02-01

Methyl salicylate, an herbivore-induced plant volatile, has been shown to attract natural enemies and affect herbivore behavior. In this study, methyl salicylate was examined for its attractiveness to natural enemies of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and for its direct effects on soybean aphid population growth rates. Methyl salicylate lures were deployed in plots within organic soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields. Sticky card traps adjacent to and 1.5 m from the lure measured the relative abundance of natural enemies, and soybean aphid populations were monitored within treated and untreated plots. In addition, exclusion cage studies were conducted to determine methyl salicylate's effect on soybean aphid population growth rates in the absence of natural enemies. Significantly greater numbers of syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) and green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) were caught on traps adjacent to the methyl salicylate lure, but no differences in abundance were found at traps 1.5 m from the lure. Furthermore, abundance of soybean aphids was significantly lower in methyl salicylate-treated plots. In exclusion cage studies, soybean aphid numbers were significantly reduced on treated soybean plants when all plants were open to natural enemies. When plants were caged, however, soybean aphid numbers and population growth rates did not differ between treated and untreated plants suggesting no effect of methyl salicylate on soybean aphid reproduction and implicating the role of natural enemies in depressing aphid populations. Although aphid populations were reduced locally around methyl salicylate lures, larger scale studies are needed to assess the technology at the whole-field scale.

Mortality and health-related quality of life in patients surgically treated for spondylodiscitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dragsted, Casper; Aagaard, Theis; Ohrt-Nissen, Søren

2017-01-01

center. Indications for surgery, pre- and postoperative neurological impairment, comorbidities, and mortality were recorded. A survey was conducted on all eligible patients with the EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were diagnosed...... neurological impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Several years after surgery, patients surgically treated for spondylodiscitis have significantly lower HRQL and more disability than the background population. Neurological impairment prior to index surgery predicts adverse outcome in terms of disability and lower HRQL.......PURPOSE: To assess mortality, disability, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients surgically treated for spondylodiscitis. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted on all patients surgically treated for spondylodiscitis over a 6-year period at a single tertiary spine...

Brain Connectivity and Neuropsychological Functioning in Recently Treated Testicular Cancer Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amidi, Ali; Agerbæk, Mads; Leemans, Alexander

neuropsychological functioning. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has well-known neurotoxic side effects and neural populations such as progenitor cells, oligodendrocytes, and hippocampal neurons are exceptionally vulnerable to even small concentrations of cisplatin. The aim of the present study was to investigate...... the possible adverse effects of BEP on brain white matter connectivity and neuropsychological functioning in recently treated men with TC....

Altered self-perception in adult survivors treated for a CNS tumor in childhood or adolescence: population-based outcomes compared with the general population.

Science.gov (United States)

Hörnquist, Lina; Rickardsson, Jenny; Lannering, Birgitta; Gustafsson, Göran; Boman, Krister K

2015-05-01

Survivors of pediatric CNS tumors are at risk for persistent tumor/treatment-related morbidity, physical disability and social consequences that may alter self-perception, vital for self-identity, mental health and quality of survival. We studied the long-term impact of childhood CNS tumors and their treatment on the self-perception of adult survivors and compared outcomes with those of the general population. The cohort included 697 Swedish survivors diagnosed with a primary CNS tumor during 1982-2001. Comparison data were randomly collected from a stratified general population sample. Survivors and general population individuals were compared as regards self-perception in 5 domains: body image, sports/physical activities, peers, work, and family, and with a global self-esteem index. Within the survivor group, determinants of impact on self-perception were identified. The final analyzed sample included 528 survivors, 75.8% of the entire national cohort. The control sample consisted of 995, 41% of 2500 addressed. Survivors had significantly poorer self-perception outcomes in domains of peers, work, body image, and sports/physical activities, and in the global self-perception measure, compared with those of the general population (all P self-perception is a potential late effect in adult survivors of pediatric CNS tumors. Self-perception and self-esteem are significant elements of identity, mental health and quality of survival. Therefore, care and psychosocial follow-up of survivors should include measures for identifying disturbances and for assessing the need for psychosocial intervention. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A new ODE tumor growth modeling based on tumor population dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oroji, Amin; Omar, Mohd bin [Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia amin.oroji@siswa.um.edu.my, mohd@um.edu.my (Malaysia); Yarahmadian, Shantia [Mathematics Department Mississippi State University, USA Syarahmadian@math.msstate.edu (United States)

2015-10-22

In this paper a new mathematical model for the population of tumor growth treated by radiation is proposed. The cells dynamics population in each state and the dynamics of whole tumor population are studied. Furthermore, a new definition of tumor lifespan is presented. Finally, the effects of two main parameters, treatment parameter (q), and repair mechanism parameter (r) on tumor lifespan are probed, and it is showed that the change in treatment parameter (q) highly affects the tumor lifespan.

A new ODE tumor growth modeling based on tumor population dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oroji, Amin; Omar, Mohd bin; Yarahmadian, Shantia

2015-01-01

In this paper a new mathematical model for the population of tumor growth treated by radiation is proposed. The cells dynamics population in each state and the dynamics of whole tumor population are studied. Furthermore, a new definition of tumor lifespan is presented. Finally, the effects of two main parameters, treatment parameter (q), and repair mechanism parameter (r) on tumor lifespan are probed, and it is showed that the change in treatment parameter (q) highly affects the tumor lifespan

Nitrous oxide and methane emission in an artificial wetland treating polluted runoff from an agricultural catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Mander, Ülo; Tournebize, Julien; Soosaar, Kaido; Chaumont, Cedric; Hansen, Raili; Muhel, Mart; Teemusk, Alar; Vincent, Bernard

2015-04-01

An artificial wetland built in 2010 to reduce water pollution in a drained agricultural watershed showed real potential for pesticide and nitrate removal. The 1.2 ha off-shore wetland with a depth of from 0.1 to 1 m intercepts drainage water from a 450 ha watershed located near the village of Rampillon (03°03'37.3'' E, 48°32'16.7'' N, 70 km south-east of Paris, France). A sluice gate installed at the inlet makes it possible to close the wetland during the winter months (December - March), when no pesticides are applied and rainfall events are more frequent. The flow entering the wetland fluctuates from 0 to 120 L/s. The wetland is partially covered by Carex spp., Phragmites australis, Juncus conglomeratus, Typha latifolia and philamentous algae. Since 2011, an automatic water quality monitoring system measures water discharge, temperature, dissolved O2, conductivity pH, NO3- and DOC in both inlet and outlet. In May 2014, an automatic weather station and Campbell Irgason system for the measurement of CO2 and H2O fluxes were installed in the middle of the wetland. In May and November 2014 one-week high frequency measurement campaigns were conducted to study N2O and CH4 fluxes using 6 manually operated opaque floating static chambers and 12 floating automatic dynamic chambers. The latter were operated via multiplexer and had an incubation time of 5 minutes, whereas the gas flow was continuously measured using the Aerodyne TILDAS quantum cascade laser system. During the campaign, the reduction of NO3- concentration was measured in nine reactor pipes. Also, water samples were collected for N2O and N2 isotope analysis, and sediments were collected for potential N2 emission measurements. In May, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 30 days, and the average NO3- concentration decreased from 24 in the inflow to 0 mg/L in the outflow. Methane flux was relatively high (average 1446, variation 0.2-113990 μg CH4-C m-2 h-1), while about 2/3 was emitted via ebullition

Development of an Effective Chain Elongation Process From Acidified Food Waste and Ethanol Into n-Caproate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Roghair

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs, such as n-caproate, are potential valuable platform chemicals. MCFAs can be produced from low-grade organic residues by anaerobic reactor microbiomes through two subsequent biological processes: hydrolysis combined with acidogenesis and chain elongation. Continuous chain elongation with organic residues becomes effective when the targeted MCFA(s are produced at high concentrations and rates, while excessive ethanol oxidation and base consumption are limited. The objective of this study was to develop an effective continuous chain elongation process with hydrolyzed and acidified food waste and additional ethanol.Results: We fed acidified food waste (AFW and ethanol to an anaerobic reactor while operating the reactor at long (4 d and at short (1 d hydraulic retention time (HRT. At long HRT, n-caproate was continuously produced (5.5 g/L/d at an average concentration of 23.4 g/L. The highest n-caproate concentration was 25.7 g/L which is the highest reported n-caproate concentration in a chain elongation process to date. Compared to short HRT (7.1 g/L n-caproate at 5.6 g/L/d, long HRT resulted in 6.2 times less excessive ethanol oxidation. This led to a two times lower ethanol consumption and a two times lower base consumption per produced MCFA at long HRT compared to short HRT.Conclusions: Chain elongation from AFW and ethanol is more effective at long HRT than at short HRT not only because it results in a higher concentration of MCFAs but also because it leads to a more efficient use of ethanol and base. The HRT did not influence the n-caproate production rate. The obtained n-caproate concentration is more than twice as high as the maximum solubility of n-caproic acid in water which is beneficial for its separation from the fermentation broth. This study does not only set the record on the highest n-caproate concentration observed in a chain elongation process to date, it notably demonstrates that

Hormone Replacement Therapy advertising: sense and nonsense on the web pages of the best-selling pharmaceuticals in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cantero María

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The balance of the benefits and risks of long term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT have been a matter of debate for decades. In Europe, HRT requires medical prescription and its advertising is only permitted when aimed at health professionals (direct to consumer advertising is allowed in some non European countries. The objective of this study is to analyse the appropriateness and quality of Internet advertising about HRT in Spain. Methods A search was carried out on the Internet (January 2009 using the eight best-selling HRT drugs in Spain. The brand name of each drug was entered into Google's search engine. The web sites appearing on the first page of results and the corresponding companies were analysed using the European Code of Good Practice as the reference point. Results Five corporate web pages: none of them included bibliographic references or measures to ensure that the advertising was only accessible by health professionals. Regarding non-corporate web pages (n = 27: 41% did not include the company name or address, 44% made no distinction between patient and health professional information, 7% contained bibliographic references, 26% provided unspecific information for the use of HRT for osteoporosis and 19% included menstrual cycle regulation or boosting feminity as an indication. Two online pharmacies sold HRT drugs which could be bought online in Spain, did not include the name or contact details of the registered company, nor did they stipulate the need for a medical prescription or differentiate between patient and health professional information. Conclusions Even though pharmaceutical companies have committed themselves to compliance with codes of good practice, deficiencies were observed regarding the identification, information and promotion of HRT medications on their web pages. Unaffected by legislation, non-corporate web pages are an ideal place for indirect HRT advertising, but they often contain

Foaling rates in feral horses treated with the immunocontraceptive porcine zona pellucida

Science.gov (United States)

Ransom, J.I.; Roelle, J.E.; Cade, B.S.; Coates-Markle, L.; Kane, A.J.

2011-01-01

Locally abundant feral horses (Equus caballus) can rapidly deplete available resources. Fertility control agents present promising nonlethal tools for reducing their population growth rates. We tested the effect of 2 forms of the immunocontraceptive porcine zona pellucida (PZP) on foaling rates in 3 populations of feral horses in the western United States. A liquid form requiring annual boosters was administered at Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range, Mesa County (CO), and Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Bighorn County (WY) and Carbon County (MT), and a time-release pellet form designed to produce 2 yr of infertility was administered at McCullough Peaks Herd Management Area, Park County (WY). Average foaling rates (foals born/mare-yr) from direct observation of untreated and treated female horses (mares), 2004-2008, were 60.1% (n = 153 mare-yr) versus 6.6% (n = 91 mare-yr) at Little Book Cliffs, and 62.8% (n = 129 mare-yr) versus 17.7% (n = 79 mare-yr) at Pryor Mountain, respectively. At McCullough Peaks, mean annual foaling rates from 2006 to 2008 were 75.0% (n = 48 mare-yr) for untreated mares and 31.7% (n = 101 mare-yr) for treated mares. Controlling for age of mares and pretreatment differences in fertility, PZP reduced foaling rates in all 3 herds. The pellets used at McCullough Peaks (produced by cold evaporation) were less effective than pellets used in a previous trial and produced by heat extrusion. Immunocontraception with PZP may be a useful tool in reducing fertility rates in some western United States feral horse herds, but population growth reduction will depend on timely access to mares for inoculation and the proportion of mares that can be successfully treated. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, Tanya N; Ris, M Douglas; Grosshans, David R; Mahajan, Anita; Okcu, M Fatih; Chintagumpala, Murali; Paulino, Arnold; Child, Amanda E; Orobio, Jessica; Stancel, Heather H; Kahalley, Lisa S

2017-07-01

This study examines attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT). We examined 39 survivors (age 6-19years) who were 3.61years post-PBRT on average. Craniospinal (CSI; n=21) and focal (n=18) subgroups were analyzed. Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning scores were compared to population norms, and clinical/demographic risk factors were examined. As a group, survivors treated with focal PBRT exhibited attention, processing speed, and executive functioning that did not differ from population norms (all p>0.05). Performance in the CSI group across attention scales was normative (all p>0.05), but areas of relative weakness were identified on one executive functioning subtest and several processing speed subtests (all pexecutive functioning remained intact and within normal limits for survivors treated with focal PBRT. Among survivors treated with CSI, a score pattern emerged that was suggestive of difficulties in underlying component skills (i.e., processing speed) rather than true executive dysfunction. No evidence of profound cognitive impairment was found in either group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adaptation of Regulatory Systems in Schoolchildren, Residing in Industrial Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aiman E. Konkabaeva

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of the study of heart rate variability (HRT in apparently healthy volunteers of both sexes without bad habits, aged 16-18, residing in industrial region (Temirtau and the ones, studying under innovative technologies. HRT was registered with the help of computer-controlled devices “Varikard” (Russia. The changes of HRT spectral indexes towards integral impact of vegetative regulation mechanisms and parasympathetic activity decrease and regulatory systems overexertion, demanding correction methods implementation

Simultaneous energy generation and UV quencher removal from landfill leachate using a microbial fuel cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Iskander, Syeed Md; Novak, John T; Brazil, Brian; He, Zhen

2017-11-01

The presence of UV quenching compounds in landfill leachate can negatively affect UV disinfection in a wastewater treatment plant when leachate is co-treated. Herein, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was investigated to remove UV quenchers from a landfill leachate with simultaneous bioelectricity generation. The key operating parameters including hydraulic retention time (HRT), anolyte recirculation rate, and external resistance were systematically studied to maximize energy recovery and UV absorbance reduction. It was found that nearly 50% UV absorbance was reduced under a condition of HRT 40 days, continuous anolyte recirculation, and 10 Ω external resistance. Further analysis showed a total reduction of organics by 75.3%, including the reduction of humic acids, fulvic acids, and hydrophilic fraction concentration as TOC. The MFC consumed 0.056 kWh m -3 by its pump system for recirculation and oxygen supply. A reduced HRT of 20 days with periodical anode recirculation (1 hour in every 24 hours) and 39 Ω external resistance (equal to the internal resistance of the MFC) resulted in the highest net energy of 0.123 kWh m -3 . Granular activated carbon (GAC) was used as an effective post-treatment step and could achieve 89.1% UV absorbance reduction with 40 g L -1 . The combined MFC and GAC treatment could reduce 92.9% of the UV absorbance and remove 89.7% of the UV quenchers. The results of this study would encourage further exploration of using MFCs as an energy-efficient method for removing UV quenchers from landfill leachate.

Removal of COD, phenols and ammonium from Lurgi coal gasification wastewater using A2O-MBR system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zixing; Xu, Xiaochen; Gong, Zheng; Yang, Fenglin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Anaerobic–anoxic–aerobic MBR system treated the coal gasification wastewater. ► COD removal rate was 97.4% with effluent concentration less than 100 mg/L. ► NH 4 + -N removal rate was 92.8% with effluent concentration less than 12 mg/L. ► HRT and recycle ratio strongly affected the performance of the system. ► GC/MS analysis found refractory organic removal in anaerobic and anoxic stage. - Abstract: As a typical industrial wastewater, coal gasification wastewater has poor biodegradability and high toxicity. In this paper, a laboratory-scale anaerobic–anoxic–oxic membrane reactor (A 2 O-MBR) system was developed to investigate the treatment ability of coal gasification wastewater. The removal capacity of each pollutants used in this system were determined at different hydraulic residence times (HRT) and mixed liquor recycle ratios (R). The experimental results showed that this system could effectively deal with COD and phenol removal and remain in a stable level when the operational parameters altered, while the nitrification was sensitive to operational conditions. The best performance was obtained at HRT of 48 h and R of 3. The maximum removal efficiencies of COD, NH 4 + -N and phenols were 97.4%, 92.8% and 99.7%, with final concentrations in the effluent of 71 mg/L, 9.6 mg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively. Organics degradation and transformation were analyzed by GC/MS and it was found that anaerobic process played an important role in degradation of refractory compounds.

Statistical thermodynamics of clustered populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsoukas, Themis

2014-08-01

We present a thermodynamic theory for a generic population of M individuals distributed into N groups (clusters). We construct the ensemble of all distributions with fixed M and N, introduce a selection functional that embodies the physics that governs the population, and obtain the distribution that emerges in the scaling limit as the most probable among all distributions consistent with the given physics. We develop the thermodynamics of the ensemble and establish a rigorous mapping to regular thermodynamics. We treat the emergence of a so-called giant component as a formal phase transition and show that the criteria for its emergence are entirely analogous to the equilibrium conditions in molecular systems. We demonstrate the theory by an analytic model and confirm the predictions by Monte Carlo simulation.

Relationship between short-wavelength automatic perimetry and Heidelberg retina tomograph parameters in eyes with ocular hypertension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christos Pitsas

2015-10-01

Full Text Available AIM:To compare and correlate optic nerve head parameters obtained byHeidelberg retina tomograph (HRT with short-wavelength automatic perimetry (SWAP indices in eyes with ocular hypertension (OHT.METHODS: One hundred and forty-six patients with OHT included in the present study. All subjects had reliable SWAP and HRT measurements performed within a 2wk period. The eyes were classified as normal/abnormal according to visual field criteria and Moorfields regression analysis (MRA. Correlations between visual field indices and HRT parameters were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient (r.RESULTS:Twenty-nine eyes (19.9% had SWAP defects. Twenty-nine eyes (19.9% were classified as abnormal according to global MRA. Six eyes (4.1% had abnormal global MRA and SWAP defects. The k statistic is 0.116 (P=0.12 indicating a very poor agreement between the methods. No statistical significant correlation between HRT and SWAP parameters was detected.CONCLUSION:SWAP defects may coexist with abnormalities of optic disc detected by HRT in eyes with OHT. In most eyes, however, the two methods detect different glaucoma properties.

INFLUENCES OF HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY ON OLFACTORY AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN THE MENOPAUSE

Science.gov (United States)

Doty, Richard L.; Tourbier, Isabelle; Ng, Victoria; Neff, Jessica; Armstrong, Deborah; Battistini, Michelle; Sammel, Mary D.; Gettes, David; Evans, Dwight L.; Mirza, Natasha; Moberg, Paul J.; Connolly, Tim; Sondheimer, Steven J.

2015-01-01

Olfactory dysfunction can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may protect against developing AD in postmenopausal women, the question arises as to whether it also protects against olfactory dysfunction in such women. Three olfactory and 12 neurocognitive tests were administered to 432 healthy postmenopausal women with varied HRT histories. Serum levels of reproductive hormones were obtained for all subjects; APOE-ε4 haplotype was determined for 77. National Adult Reading Test and Odor Memory/Discrimination Test (OMT) scores were positively influenced by HRT. Odor identification and OMT test scores were lower for women who scored poorly on a delayed recall test, a surrogate for mild cognitive impairment. WAIS-R NI Spatial Span Backwards Test scores were higher in women receiving estrogen plus progestin HRT and directly correlated with serum testosterone levels, the latter implying a positive effect of testosterone on spatial memory. APOE-ε4 was associated with poorer odor threshold test scores. These data suggest that HRT positively influences a limited number of olfactory and cognitive measures in the menopause. PMID:25850354

Effect of hydraulic retention time on deterioration/restarting of sludge anaerobic digestion: Extracellular polymeric substances and microbial response.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Liangliang; An, Xiaoyan; Wang, Sheng; Xue, Chonghua; Jiang, Junqiu; Zhao, Qingliang; Kabutey, Felix Tetteh; Wang, Kun

2017-11-01

In this study, the transformation of the sludge-related extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) during mesophilic anaerobic digestion was characterized to assess the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on reactor deterioration/restarting. Experimental HRT variations from 20 to 15 and 10d was implemented for deterioration, and from 10 to 20d for restarting. Long-term digestion at the lowest HRT (10d) resulted in significant accumulation of hydrolyzed hydrophobic materials and volatile fatty acids in the supernatants. Moreover, less efficient hydrolysis of sludge EPS, especially of proteins related substances which contributed to the deterioration of digester. Aceticlastic species of Methanosaetaceae decreased from 36.3% to 27.6% with decreasing HRT (20-10d), while hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteriales) increased from 30.4% to 38.3%. Proteins and soluble microbial byproducts related fluorophores in feed sludge for the anaerobic digester changed insignificantly at high HRT, whereas the fluorescent intensity of fulvic acid-like components declined sharply once the digestion deteriorated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The human right to water and sanitation: a new perspective for public policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Colin; Neves-Silva, Priscila; Heller, Léo

2016-03-01

The recognition of the human right to water and sanitation (HRtWS) by the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council in 2010 constituted a significant political measure whose direct consequences are still being assessed. Previous to this date, the HRtWS and its link to a healthy life and adequate standard of living had been recognised in diverse legal and judicial spheres worldwide, in some cases under the pressure of the initiatives of strong social movements. However, while the HRtWS is recognised by the UN State Members, it constitutes a concept in construction that has not been approached and interpreted in consensual ways by all concerned stakeholders. The present article presents a formal definition of this right with a base in human rights regulation. It attempts to dialogue with the different existing perspectives regarding the impact of its international recognition as a human right. It then elucidates the progressive development of the HRtWS in law and jurisprudence. Finally, it considers the urgency and challenge of monitoring the HRtWS and discusses important implications for public policies.

Hygienic effects and gas production of plastic bio-digesters under tropical conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen-Phi, Vo Thi; Clemens, Joachim; Rechenburg, Andrea; Vinneras, Björn; Lenssen, Christina; Kistemann, Thomas

2009-12-01

Plastic plug-flow bio-digesters have been promoted as a good option for improved treatment of manure and wastewater in developing countries although minimal information has been published on their hygienic status. This bench-scale study replicates bio-digester conditions to evaluate the reduction of pathogen and indicator microorganisms at three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) in the anaerobic treatment of pig manures at 30 degrees C for 50 days. Results showed that physicochemical values differed between HRTs. Gas production efficiency was better for longer HRTS. The accumulated sludge at the reactor's base increased with longer HRT. Phages and bacteria examined were reduced, but none was completely eliminated. Log10 reduction of bacteria ranged from 0.54 to 2.47. Phages ranged from 1.60 to 3.42. The reduction of organisms at HRT = 30 days was about one log10 unit higher than HRT = 15 days and about two log10 units higher than HRT = 3 days. The results indicate that the reduction of tested organisms increases with HRT. However the hygienic quality of the liquid effluent does not meet required quality values for surface and irrigation water. Longer HRTs are recommended to increase gas yield and achieve higher pathogen reduction. More barriers should be applied while handling bio-digester outputs to minimise risks to environmental and human health.

Hormone replacement therapy improves contractile function and myonuclear organization of single muscle fibres from postmenopausal monozygotic female twin pairs.

Science.gov (United States)

Qaisar, Rizwan; Renaud, Guillaume; Hedstrom, Yvette; Pöllänen, Eija; Ronkainen, Paula; Kaprio, Jaakko; Alen, Markku; Sipilä, Sarianna; Artemenko, Konstantin; Bergquist, Jonas; Kovanen, Vuokko; Larsson, Lars

2013-05-01

Ageing is associated with a decline in muscle mass and strength leading to increased physical dependency in old age. Postmenopausal women experience a greater decline than men of similar age in parallel with the decrease in female sex steroid hormone production. We recruited six monozygous female twin pairs (55-59 years old) where only one twin pair was on hormone replacement therapy (HRT use = 7.8 ± 4.3 years) to investigate the association of HRT with the cytoplasmic volume supported by individual myonuclei (myonuclear domain (MND) size,) together with specific force at the single fibre level. HRT use was associated with a significantly smaller (∼27%; P muscle fibres expressing the type I but not the IIa myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform. In comparison to non-users, higher specific force was recorded in HRT users both in muscle fibres expressing type I (∼27%; P fibre-type dependent, i.e. the higher specific force in fast-twitch muscle fibres was primarily caused by higher force per cross-bridge while slow-twitch fibres relied on both a higher number and force per cross-bridge. HRT use had no effect on fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), velocity of unloaded shortening (V0) and relative proportion of MyHC isoforms. In conclusion, HRT appears to have significant positive effects on both regulation of muscle contraction and myonuclei organization in postmenopausal women.

Structure-Function Correlation Using Confocal Laser Ophthalmoscope in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Pseudoexfoliative Glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, Theofanis; Founti, Panayiota; Yin, Xiang Jun; Koskosas, Archimidis; Anastasopoulos, Eleftherios; Salonikiou, Angeliki; Kilintzis, Vasilios; Antoniadis, Antonios; Ziakas, Nikolaos; Topouzis, Fotis

2016-04-01

To compare Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) optic disc parameters and structure-function correlation between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEXG). Prospective, observation case series. A total of 54 POAG and 33 PEXG cases, consecutively recruited from a University Glaucoma Service, underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including HRT optic disc imaging. Glaucoma definition required the presence of both structural and functional damage. One eye per subject was included in the analysis. T test, Mann-Whitney U test, and analysis of covariance were used to compare HRT parameters between POAG and PEXG, adjusting for age, mean deviation (MD) in the visual field, intraocular pressure, and disc area. The correlation between HRT and MD was assessed in each group. Cup area (P=0.048), height variation contour (P=0.016), and cup/disc area ratio (P=0.023) were higher in POAG, whereas the mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (P=0.048), retinal nerve fiber layer cross-section area (P=0.044), and rim area (P=0.048) were lower in POAG, compared with PEXG. The correlation of HRT parameters with MD was significant only in the POAG group. At a similar level of functional damage, POAG subjects presented with more pronounced structural damage than PEXG subjects. The correlation between HRT and visual field parameters was more evident in POAG, compared with PEXG.

Predicting the impact of insecticide-treated bed nets on malaria transmission: the devil is in the detail

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novak Robert J

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs, including long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs, play a primary role in global campaigns to roll back malaria in tropical Africa. Effectiveness of treated nets depends on direct impacts on individual mosquitoes including killing and excite-repellency, which vary considerably among vector species due to variations in host-seeking behaviours. While monitoring and evaluation programmes of ITNs have focuses on morbidity and all-cause mortality in humans, local entomological context receives little attention. Without knowing the dynamics of local vector species and their responses to treated nets, it is difficult to predict clinical outcomes when ITN applications are scaled up across African continent. Sound model frameworks incorporating intricate interactions between mosquitoes and treated nets are needed to develop the predictive capacity for scale-up applications of ITNs. Methods An established agent-based model was extended to incorporate the direct outcomes, e.g. killing and avoidance, of individual mosquitoes exposing to ITNs in a hypothetical village setting with 50 houses and 90 aquatic habitats. Individual mosquitoes were tracked throughout the life cycle across the landscape. Four levels of coverage, i.e. 40, 60, 80 and 100%, were applied at the household level with treated houses having only one bed net. By using Latin hypercube sampling scheme, parameters governing killing, diverting and personal protection of net users were evaluated for their relative roles in containing mosquito populations, entomological inoculation rates (EIRs and malaria incidence. Results There were substantial gaps in coverage between households and individual persons, and 100% household coverage resulted in circa 50% coverage of the population. The results show that applications of ITNs could give rise to varying impacts on population-level metrics depending on values of parameters governing interactions of

Predicting the impact of insecticide-treated bed nets on malaria transmission: the devil is in the detail.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Weidong; Novak, Robert J

2009-11-16

Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), including long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), play a primary role in global campaigns to roll back malaria in tropical Africa. Effectiveness of treated nets depends on direct impacts on individual mosquitoes including killing and excite-repellency, which vary considerably among vector species due to variations in host-seeking behaviours. While monitoring and evaluation programmes of ITNs have focuses on morbidity and all-cause mortality in humans, local entomological context receives little attention. Without knowing the dynamics of local vector species and their responses to treated nets, it is difficult to predict clinical outcomes when ITN applications are scaled up across African continent. Sound model frameworks incorporating intricate interactions between mosquitoes and treated nets are needed to develop the predictive capacity for scale-up applications of ITNs. An established agent-based model was extended to incorporate the direct outcomes, e.g. killing and avoidance, of individual mosquitoes exposing to ITNs in a hypothetical village setting with 50 houses and 90 aquatic habitats. Individual mosquitoes were tracked throughout the life cycle across the landscape. Four levels of coverage, i.e. 40, 60, 80 and 100%, were applied at the household level with treated houses having only one bed net. By using Latin hypercube sampling scheme, parameters governing killing, diverting and personal protection of net users were evaluated for their relative roles in containing mosquito populations, entomological inoculation rates (EIRs) and malaria incidence. There were substantial gaps in coverage between households and individual persons, and 100% household coverage resulted in circa 50% coverage of the population. The results show that applications of ITNs could give rise to varying impacts on population-level metrics depending on values of parameters governing interactions of mosquitoes and treated nets at the individual level

Community-based population-level interventions for promoting child oral health.

OpenAIRE

de Silva, AM; Hegde, S; Akudo Nwagbara, B; Calache, H; Gussy, MG; Nasser, M; Morrice, HR; Riggs, E; Leong, PM; Meyenn, LK; Yousefi-Nooraie, R

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Dental caries and gingival and periodontal disease are commonly occurring, preventable chronic conditions. Even though much is known about how to treat oral disease, currently we do not know which community-based population-level interventions are most effective and equitable in preventing poor oral health. OBJECTIVES: Primary • To determine the effectiveness of community-based population-level oral health promotion interventions in preventing dental caries and gingival and period...

Hormonal Determinants of Mammographic Density

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Simpson, Jennifer K; Modugno, Francemary; Weissfeld, Joel L; Kuller, Lewis; Vogel, Victor; Constantino, Joseph P

2005-01-01

.... However, not all women on HRT will experience an increase in breast density. We propose a novel hypothesis to explain in part the individual variability in breast density seen among women on HRT...

Microbial granulation for lactic acid production.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Mo-Kwon; Hwang, Yuhoon; Im, Wan-Taek; Yun, Yeo-Myeong; Park, Chul; Kim, Mi-Sun

2016-01-01

This work investigated the formation of microbial granules to boost the productivity of lactic acid (LA). The flocculated form of LA-producing microbial consortium, dominated by Lactobacillus sp. (91.5% of total sequence), was initially obtained in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), which was fed with 2% glucose and operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 h and pH 5.0 ± 0.1 under a thermophilic condition (50°C). The mixed liquor in the CSTR was then transferred to an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB). The fermentation performance and granulation process were monitored with a gradual decrease of HRT from 8.0 to 0.17 h, corresponding to an increase in the substrate loading from 60 to 2,880 g glucose L(-1) d(-1) . As the operation continued, the accumulation of biomass in the UASB was clearly observed, which changed from flocculent to granular form with decrease in HRT. Up to the HRT decrease to 0.5 h, the LA concentration was maintained at 19-20 g L(-1) with over 90% of substrate removal efficiency. However, further decrease of HRT resulted in a decrease of LA concentration with increase in residual glucose. Nevertheless, the volumetric LA productivity continuously increased, reaching 67 g L-fermenter (-1) h(-1) at HRT 0.17 h. The size of LA-producing granules and hydrophobicity gradually increased with decrease in HRT, reaching 6.0 mm and 60%, respectively. These biogranules were also found to have high settling velocities and low porosities, ranging 2.69-4.73 cm s(-1) and 0.39-0.92, respectively. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Survival and behavioural responses of the predatory ladybird beetle, Eriopis connexa populations susceptible and resistant to a pyrethroid insecticide.

Science.gov (United States)

Spíndola, A F; Silva-Torres, C S A; Rodrigues, A R S; Torres, J B

2013-08-01

The ladybird beetle, Eriopis connexa (Germar) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is one of the commonest predators of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the cotton agroecosystem and in many other row and fruit crops in Brazil, and has been introduced into other countries such as the USA for purposes of aphid control. In addition, the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most serious cotton pest where it occurs, including Brazil. Controlling boll weevils and other pests such as cotton defoliators still tends to involve the intense application of insecticides to secure cotton production. The pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) is commonly used, but this compound is not effective against aphids; hence, a desirable strategy would be to maintain E. connexa populations in cotton fields where LCT is applied. Using populations of E. connexa resistant (Res) and susceptible (Sus) to LCT, we compared behavioural responses on treated cotton plants and under confinement on partially and fully treated surfaces, and assessed the insects' survival on treated plants compared with that of the boll weevil. The E. connexa resistant population caged on treated plants with 15 and 75 g a.i. ha-1 exhibited ≫82% survival for both insecticide concentrations compared with ≪3% and ≪17% survival for susceptible E. connexa populations and boll weevils, respectively. The response of E. connexa Res and Sus populations when released, either on the soil or on the plant canopy, indicated avoidance towards treated plants, as measured by elapsed time to assess the plant. When compared with susceptible individuals, resistant ones took longer time to suffer insecticide knockdown, had a higher recovery rate after suffering knockdown, and spent more time in the plant canopy. Based on behavioural parameters evaluated in treated arenas, no ladybird beetles exhibited repellency. However, irritability was evident, with the susceptible population exhibiting

Non-persistent pesticides removal in constructed wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Yue; Jiang, Lei; Li, Haixiang

2018-03-01

The heavy use of non-persistent pesticides, resulting in the accumulation of environment and destroy the aquatic environment. This paper presents the research status of using CWs to treat non-persistent pesticides in water. The removal mechanisms are mainly physical deposition, chemical hydrolysis and plant absorption. Analysis of the factors that affect the removal effect are mainly the nature of pesticides, HRT, plants. Some scholars have proposed that secondary products of non-persistent pesticides may be more harmful to the environment, However, the relevant reports are scarce.

Anoxic sulfide biooxidation using nitrite as electron acceptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, Qaisar; Zheng Ping; Cai Jing; Wu Donglei; Hu, Baolan; Li Jinye

2007-01-01

Biotechnology can be used to assess the well being of ecosystems, transform pollutants into benign substances, generate biodegradable materials from renewable sources, and develop environmentally safe manufacturing and disposal processes. Simultaneous elimination of sulfide and nitrite from synthetic wastewaters was investigated using a bioreactor. A laboratory scale anoxic sulfide-oxidizing (ASO) reactor was operated for 135 days to evaluate the potential for volumetric loading rates, effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and substrate concentration on the process performance. The maximal sulfide and nitrite removal rates were achieved to be 13.82 and 16.311 kg/(m 3 day), respectively, at 0.10 day HRT. The process can endure high sulfide concentrations, as the sulfide removal percentage always remained higher than 88.97% with influent concentration up to 1920 mg/L. Incomplete sulfide oxidation took place due to lower consumed nitrite to sulfide ratios of 0.93. It also tolerated high nitrite concentration up to 2265.25 mg/L. The potential achieved by decreasing HRT at fixed substrate concentration is higher than that by increasing substrate concentration at fixed HRT. The process can bear short HRT of 0.10 day but careful operation is needed. Nitrite conversion was more sensitive to HRT than sulfide conversion when HRT was decreased from 1.50 to 0.08 day. Stoichiometric analyses and results of batch experiments show that major part of sulfide (89-90%) was reduced by nitrite while some autooxidation (10-11%) was resulted from presence of small quantities of dissolved oxygen in the influent wastewater. There was ammonia amassing in considerably high amounts in the bioreactor when the influent nitrite concentration reached above 2265.25 mg/L. High ammonia concentrations (200-550 mg/L) in the bioreactor contributed towards the overall inhibition of the process. Present biotechnology exhibits practical value with a high potential for simultaneous removal of nitrite

Abnormal imaging findings of the breast related to hormone replacement therapy: analysis of surgically excised cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, Woo Kyung; Cha, Joo Hee; Cho, Kyung Soo; Choi, Een Wan; Lee, Yu Jin; Im, Jung Gi [College of Medicine, Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyung Seok [Wooridul Spine Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Sun Yang [Bundang CHA General Hospital, Sungnam (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Nariya [Gil Medical Center, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2004-02-01

To correlate the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings with the pathologic results in women undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and to determine the characteristic clinical, mammographic or histologic findings of breast cancer in these patients. Twenty-five breast lesions in 25 patients aged 44-65 (mean, 55.5) years undergoing HRT were surgically removed due to abnormal mammographic findings or the presence of palpable masses. Mammograms in all patients and ultrasonograms in 23 were retrospectively analyzed in terms of the shape and margin of the mass, and microcalcifications, and the imaging findings were correlated with the pathologic results. As a control group, 45 cancer patients not undergoing HRT were selected. Using the student t test, detection methods, tumor size, mammographic findings, and the proportion of intraductal cancers were compared between to two groups. Surgical excision revealed ten benign lesions (four fibroadenomas and six cases of fibrocystic change) and 15 cancers (three intraductal and twelve invasive ductal cancers). Abnormal findings at mammography were a mass in 16 cases, clustered microcalcifications in seven, and a mass with microcalcifications in two. Mammography showed that all four circumscribed masses were benign. Five of seven ill-defined masses (71%) and all six spiculated masses were malignant. Three of seven cases (43%) with microcalcifications, and both with a mass and microcalcification, were malignant. In two cases in which ultrasonography revealed cystic lesions, histologic examination showed that fibrocystic change had occurred. Compared to non-HRT-related cancers, HRT-related cancers were more often detected by mammography (60% vs 16%; p<0.001), smaller (17 mm vs 24 mm, p<0.01), showed microcalcification only (20% vs 13%; p<0.05), and were intraductal (20% vs 7%; p<0.01). In patients with HRT, mammographic findings of an ill-defined or spiculated mass, or one with microcalcifications, were associated with

Abnormal imaging findings of the breast related to hormone replacement therapy: analysis of surgically excised cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Woo Kyung; Cha, Joo Hee; Cho, Kyung Soo; Choi, Een Wan; Lee, Yu Jin; Im, Jung Gi; Kim, Hyung Seok; Chung, Sun Yang; Cho, Nariya

2004-01-01

To correlate the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings with the pathologic results in women undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and to determine the characteristic clinical, mammographic or histologic findings of breast cancer in these patients. Twenty-five breast lesions in 25 patients aged 44-65 (mean, 55.5) years undergoing HRT were surgically removed due to abnormal mammographic findings or the presence of palpable masses. Mammograms in all patients and ultrasonograms in 23 were retrospectively analyzed in terms of the shape and margin of the mass, and microcalcifications, and the imaging findings were correlated with the pathologic results. As a control group, 45 cancer patients not undergoing HRT were selected. Using the student t test, detection methods, tumor size, mammographic findings, and the proportion of intraductal cancers were compared between to two groups. Surgical excision revealed ten benign lesions (four fibroadenomas and six cases of fibrocystic change) and 15 cancers (three intraductal and twelve invasive ductal cancers). Abnormal findings at mammography were a mass in 16 cases, clustered microcalcifications in seven, and a mass with microcalcifications in two. Mammography showed that all four circumscribed masses were benign. Five of seven ill-defined masses (71%) and all six spiculated masses were malignant. Three of seven cases (43%) with microcalcifications, and both with a mass and microcalcification, were malignant. In two cases in which ultrasonography revealed cystic lesions, histologic examination showed that fibrocystic change had occurred. Compared to non-HRT-related cancers, HRT-related cancers were more often detected by mammography (60% vs 16%; p<0.001), smaller (17 mm vs 24 mm, p<0.01), showed microcalcification only (20% vs 13%; p<0.05), and were intraductal (20% vs 7%; p<0.01). In patients with HRT, mammographic findings of an ill-defined or spiculated mass, or one with microcalcifications, were associated with

Volumetric quantification of the effect of aging and hormone replacement therapy on breast composition from digital mammograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammann-Kloss, J.S.; Bick, U.; Fallenberg, E.; Engelken, F.

2014-01-01

Objective: To assess the physiological changes in breast composition with aging using volumetric breast composition measurement from digital mammograms and to assess the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods: A total of 764 consecutive mammograms of 208 non-HRT using women and 508 mammograms of 134 HRT-using women were analyzed using a volumetric breast composition assessment software (Quantra™, Hologic Inc.). Fibroglandular tissue volume (FTV), breast volume (BV), and percent density (PD) were measured. For statistical analysis, women were divided into a premenopausal (<46 years), a perimenopausal (46–55 years), and a postmenopausal (>55 years) age group. More detailed graphical analysis was performed using smaller age brackets. Women using HRT were compared to age-matched controls not using HRT. Results: Women in the postmenopausal age group had a significantly lower FTV and PD and a significantly higher BV than women in the premenopausal age group (FTV: 77 vs. 120 cm 3 , respectively; PD: 16% vs. 28%, respectively; BV 478 vs. 406 cm 3 , respectively; p < 0.01 for all). Median FTV was nearly stable in consecutive mammograms in the premenopausal and postmenopausal age groups, but declined at a rate of 3.9% per year in the perimenopausal period. Median PD was constant in the premenopausal and postmenopausal age groups and declined at a rate of 0.57% per year in the perimenopausal age group. BV continuously increased with age. Women using HRT throughout the study had a 5% higher PD than women not using HRT (22% vs. 17%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Accurate knowledge of normal changes in breast composition are of particular interest nowadays due to the importance of breast density for breast cancer risk evaluation. FTV and PD change significantly during the perimenopausal period but remain relatively constant before and thereafter. Median total breast volume consistently increases with age and further contributes to changes in breast

Advances in treating psoriasis in the elderly with small molecule inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cline, Abigail; Cardwell, Leah A; Feldman, Steven R

2017-12-01

Due to the chronic nature of psoriasis, the population of elderly psoriasis patients is increasing. However, many elderly psoriatic patients are not adequately treated because management is challenging as a result of comorbidities, polypharmacy, and progressive impairment of organ systems. Physicians may hesitate to use systemic or biologic agents in elderly psoriasis patients because of an increased risk of adverse events in this patient population. Small molecule medications are emerging as promising options for elderly patients with psoriasis and other inflammatory conditions. Areas covered: Here we review the efficacy, safety and tolerability of small molecule inhibitors apremilast, tofacitinib, ruxolitinib, baricitinib, and peficitinib in the treatment of psoriasis, with focus on their use in the elderly population. Expert opinion: Although small molecule inhibitors demonstrate efficacy in elderly patients with psoriasis, they will require larger head-to-head studies and post-marketing registries to evaluate their effectiveness and safety in specific patient populations. Apremilast, ruxolitinib, and peficitinib are effective agents with favorable side effect profiles; however, physicians should exercise caution when prescribing tofacitinib or baricitinib in elderly populations due to adverse events. The high cost of these drugs in the U.S. is likely to limit their use.

Use of respirometer in evaluation of process and toxicity of thermophilic anaerobic digestion for treating kitchen waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Wen-Chien; Cheng, Kae-Yiin

2007-07-01

A thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAnD, 55 degrees C) system was adopted to hydrolyze the kitchen waste for 3 days, which was then fermented for a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 days. The TAnD system performed much better than a similar system without thermal pre-treatment. A bubble respirometer was employed to study the effects of thermal pre-treatment, which showed that pre-treatment at 60 degrees C yielded the highest Total COD (TCOD) removal efficiency (79.2%) after 300h reaction. Respirometer results also indicated that oil and grease (O and G) began to inhibit the TAnD system at a concentration of approximately 1000mg/L and the gas production was inhibited by 50% at a concentration of approximately 7500mg/L of sodium.

Population dynamics of the fast-growing sub-populations of Pseudomonas and total bacteria, and their protozoan grazers, revealed by fenpropimorph treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thirup, L; Ekelund, Flemming; Johnsen, Kaare Eske

2000-01-01

The population dynamics of indigenous soil bacteria and protozoa on decaying barley roots were followed by using litter bags buried in laboratory-incubated soil. The soil was either non-treated or treated with the fungicide fenpropimorph (in the formulation Corbel) at concentrations corresponding...... of protozoa corresponding to the two subpopulations was followed. The results strongly indicate a predatory association between the protozoa and bacteria. This was shown by a tight temporal association, and by a stimulation of bacteria following predatory release when protozoa were inhibited by fenpropimorph...

Real-world data of 197 patients treated with ulipristal acetate for uterine fibroids: PREMYA study French population main outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, H; Descamps, P; Koskas, M; Lopès, P; Brun, J L; Darai, E; Agostini, A

2017-09-01

To characterize and describe treatment with ulipristal acetate (UPA) in a preoperative setting and to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) outcomes in a French population treated according to standard clinical practice. Multicentre, prospective, non-interventional study (PREMYA) of patients diagnosed with moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids and undergoing a preoperative treatment with UPA 5mg (Esmya ® ). Patients were followed for a total of 15months (3months UPA treatment and 12months after). Data were collected approximatively every 3months according to centre usual visit schedule. A total of 206 women were enrolled in France, of whom 197 were found to be eligible for data analysis. Physicians' assessments of patients' overall symptomatic changes, as measured on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale, indicated that 83.7% of patients were improved at end of treatment (month 3). On the patients' treatment benefit scale (PTBS), 94.7% of patients reported an improvement. These 2 measurements, pain and quality of life, remained improved after treatment cessation and during the entire period of follow-up. Only 58.4% of patients underwent surgery within the timeframe of the study follow-up of which the majority were of a conservative/minimal invasive nature. Many patients did not undergo surgery during the planned 12months follow-up period after treatment whereas all patients had an indication of surgery. All measurements of treatment outcome were markedly improved by 3 months of UPA 5mg treatment. NCT01635452. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Spheroidal Populated Star Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Angeletti, Lucio; Giannone, Pietro

2008-10-01

Globular clusters and low-ellipticity early-type galaxies can be treated as systems populated by a large number of stars and whose structures can be schematized as spherically symmetric. Their studies profit from the synthesis of stellar populations. The computation of synthetic models makes use of various contributions from star evolution and stellar dynamics. In the first sections of the paper we present a short review of our results on the occurrence of galactic winds in star systems ranging from globular clusters to elliptical galaxies, and the dynamical evolution of a typical massive globular cluster. In the subsequent sections we describe our approach to the problem of the stellar populations in elliptical galaxies. The projected radial behaviours of spectro-photometric indices for a sample of eleven galaxies are compared with preliminary model results. The best agreement between observation and theory shows that our galaxies share a certain degree of heterogeneity. The gas energy dissipation varies from moderate to large, the metal yield ranges from solar to significantly oversolar, the dispersion of velocities is isotropic in most of the cases and anisotropic in the remaining instances.

The Ripple Effect of Title IX on Women's Health Issues: Treating an Increasingly Active Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Mees, Patricia D

2003-04-01

Perhaps no area in sports medicine has changed as dramatically in the last 30 years as women's health. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in all curricular and extracurricular activities at educational institutions that receive federal funding. Before 1972, many assumed that women were not interested in sports and that there was no need to provide programs for girls and women, and most primary care physicians had little experience in treating female athletes and other active women.

Comparison of piascledine (avocado and soybean oil) and hormone replacement therapy in menopausal-induced hot flashing.

Science.gov (United States)

Panahi, Yunes; Beiraghdar, Fatemeh; Kashani, Nafise; Baharie Javan, Nika; Dadjo, Yahya

2011-01-01

Different symptoms in Climacteric period, includes hot flash. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is common therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms but has possible contraindications and side effects. Recently Piascledine (combination of Avocado oil with Soybean oil) showed effects in reducing hot flash severity. Present study designed to compare the effects of HRT with Piascledine in treatment of hot flash. The cases of this study were sixty-six women at the age range of 40 to 70 years and complaints of menopause-induced hot flashing, whose last menstruation dated at least 6 months prior to the beginning of the study. The patients in this open label clinical trial, randomized to receive Piascledine capsule 1 mg or HRT (0.625 mg oral daily Conjugated Estrogen tablets, plus 2.5 mg continuous oral daily Medroxyprogesterone Acetate tablets) for 2 month. Hot flash property and severity was assessed via a daily check list and Visual analog scale. Climacteric symptom was measured before and after intervention using Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) and Blatt-kupperman Menopausal Index (BKMI). Thirty-three eligible patients were allocated in each group. From the Piascledine group, one patient and from the HRT group, 16 patients weren›t willing to attend the study; therefore, 32 and 17 woman received treatment in Piascledine and HRT groups. 4 patients were withdrawn for vaginal bleeding and one for breast tenderness from HTR group. Hot flash severity in both groups decreased during the time similarly. With regard to GCS (p = 0.571) and BMKI (p = 0.891), the outcome was similar among the two groups. Due to low HRT compliance and its possible risks in long period of time and considering the same activity of soybean supplement and HRT in relieving the hot flash as menopausal symptoms in women, it seems that soybean supplements can be an alternative therapy to hormone.

Stochastic delocalization of finite populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geyrhofer, Lukas; Hallatschek, Oskar

2013-01-01

The localization of populations of replicating bacteria, viruses or autocatalytic chemicals arises in various contexts, such as ecology, evolution, medicine or chemistry. Several deterministic mathematical models have been used to characterize the conditions under which localized states can form, and how they break down due to convective driving forces. It has been repeatedly found that populations remain localized unless the bias exceeds a critical threshold value, and that close to the transition the population is characterized by a diverging length scale. These results, however, have been obtained upon ignoring number fluctuations (‘genetic drift’), which are inevitable given the discreteness of the replicating entities. Here, we study the localization/delocalization of a finite population in the presence of genetic drift. The population is modeled by a linear chain of subpopulations, or demes, which exchange migrants at a constant rate. Individuals in one particular deme, called ‘oasis’, receive a growth rate benefit, and the total population is regulated to have constant size N. In this ecological setting, we find that any finite population delocalizes on sufficiently long time scales. Depending on parameters, however, populations may remain localized for a very long time. The typical waiting time to delocalization increases exponentially with both population size and distance to the critical wind speed of the deterministic approximation. We augment these simulation results by a mathematical analysis that treats the reproduction and migration of individuals as branching random walks subject to global constraints. For a particular constraint, different from a fixed population size constraint, this model yields a solvable first moment equation. We find that this solvable model approximates very well the fixed population size model for large populations, but starts to deviate as population sizes are small. Nevertheless, the qualitative behavior of the

Arterial embolization for treating post-transplanted renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Xizhang; Yang Li; Chen Ziqian; Yang Yongyan

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the significance of renal arterial embolization nephrectomy for treating post-transplanted renal failure. Methods: 15 cases of post-transplanted renal failure received renal arterial embolization. The post-procedural efficacies were followed up for about 6 months to 4 years. Results: Among the 15 cases, 11 showed blood pressure decreasing to normal level, 3 with reduction of the drug dose for anti-hypertension and 1 of no response. In addition, 12 suffered from postprocedural anuria, and 3 with obvious hypourocrinia associated with significant decrease of proteinuia; 5 with positive lymphcytic population response antigen (PRA > 20%), but turning negative with 3 of them after 3 weeks. All the transplanted kidneys revealed different degrees of atrophy but 4 of them obtained chances of successful retransplantation 3- 6 months after the procedure, 3 of them with follow up of 1-3 years were being well. Conclusions: Renal arterial embolization is a safe, efficient measure for treating post-transplanted renal failure with obvious decrease of correlative clinical symptoms and providing conditions for renal retransplantation. (authors)

Cardiac autonomic testing and treating heart disease. 'A clinical perspective'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas L. DePace

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background Coronary heart disease (CHD is a major health concern, affecting nearly half the middle-age population and responsible for nearly one-third of all deaths. Clinicians have several major responsibilities beyond diagnosing CHD, such as risk stratification of patients for major adverse cardiac events (MACE and treating risks, as well as the patient. This second of a two-part review series discusses treating risk factors, including autonomic dysfunction, and expected outcomes. Methods Therapies for treating cardiac mortality risks including cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN, are discussed. Results While risk factors effectively target high-risk patients, a large number of individuals who will develop complications from heart disease are not identified by current scoring systems. Many patients with heart conditions, who appear to be well-managed by traditional therapies, experience MACE. Parasympathetic and Sympathetic (P&S function testing provides more information and has the potential to further aid doctors in individualizing and titrating therapy to minimize risk. Advanced autonomic dysfunction (AAD and its more severe form cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy have been strongly associated with an elevated risk of cardiac mortality and are diagnosable through autonomic testing. This additional information includes patient-specific physiologic measures, such as sympathovagal balance (SB. Studies have shown that establishing and maintaining proper SB minimizes morbidity and mortality risk. Conclusions P&S testing promotes primary prevention, treating subclinical disease states, as well as secondary prevention, thereby improving patient outcomes through (1 maintaining wellness, (2 preventing symptoms and disorder and (3 treating subclinical manifestations (autonomic dysfunction, as well as (4 disease and symptoms (autonomic neuropathy.

Consolidated bioprocessing of microalgal biomass to carboxylates by a mixed culture of cow rumen bacteria using anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Baisuo; Liu, Jie; Frear, Craig; Holtzapple, Mark; Chen, Shulin

2016-12-01

This study employed mixed-culture consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) to digest microalgal biomass in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR). The primary objectives are to evaluate the impact of hydraulic residence time (HRT) on the productivity of carboxylic acids and to characterize the bacterial community. HRT affects the production rate and patterns of carboxylic acids. For the 5-L laboratory-scale fermentation, a 12-day HRT was selected because it offered the highest productivity of carboxylic acids and it synthesized longer chains. The variability of the bacterial community increased with longer HRT (R 2 =0.85). In the 5-L laboratory-scale fermentor, the most common phyla were Firmicutes (58.3%), Bacteroidetes (27.4%), and Proteobacteria (11.9%). The dominant bacterial classes were Clostridia (29.8%), Bacteroidia (27.4%), Tissierella (26.2%), and Betaproteobacteria (8.9%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a combined index of optic nerve structure and function for glaucoma diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The definitive diagnosis of glaucoma is currently based on congruent damage to both optic nerve structure and function. Given widespread quantitative assessment of both structure (imaging) and function (automated perimetry) in glaucoma, it should be possible to combine these quantitative data to diagnose disease. We have therefore defined and tested a new approach to glaucoma diagnosis by combining imaging and visual field data, using the anatomical organization of retinal ganglion cells. Methods Data from 1499 eyes of glaucoma suspects and 895 eyes with glaucoma were identified at a single glaucoma center. Each underwent Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) imaging and standard automated perimetry. A new measure combining these two tests, the structure function index (SFI), was defined in 3 steps: 1) calculate the probability that each visual field point is abnormal, 2) calculate the probability of abnormality for each of the six HRT optic disc sectors, and 3) combine those probabilities with the probability that a field point and disc sector are linked by ganglion cell anatomy. The SFI was compared to the HRT and visual field using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results The SFI produced an area under the ROC curve (0.78) that was similar to that for both visual field mean deviation (0.78) and pattern standard deviation (0.80) and larger than that for a normalized measure of HRT rim area (0.66). The cases classified as glaucoma by the various tests were significantly non-overlapping. Based on the distribution of test values in the population with mild disease, the SFI may be better able to stratify this group while still clearly identifying those with severe disease. Conclusions The SFI reflects the traditional clinical diagnosis of glaucoma by combining optic nerve structure and function. In doing so, it identifies a different subset of patients than either visual field testing or optic nerve head imaging alone. Analysis of prospective

Comparison of the behavior of fibroblast and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell on nitrogen plasma-treated gelatin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasertsung, I.; Kanokpanont, S.; Mongkolnavin, R.; Wong, C.S.; Panpranot, J.; Damrongsakkul, S.

2013-01-01

The attachment and growth behavior of mouse fibroblast (L929) and rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) on nitrogen plasma-treated and untreated gelatin films was investigated and compared. The gelatin films were prepared by solution casting (0.05% w/v) and crosslinked using dehydrothermal treatment. The crosslinked gelatin films were treated with nitrogen alternating current (AC) 50 Hz plasma systems at various treatment time. The results on the attachment and growth of two cells; L929 and MSC, on plasma-treated gelatin film showed that the number of attached and proliferated cells on plasma-treated gelatin films was significantly increased compared to untreated samples. However, no significant difference between the number of attached L929 and MSC on plasma-treated gelatin was observed. The shorter population doubling time and higher growth rate of cells cultured on plasma-treated film indicated the greater growth of cells, compared to ones on untreated films. The greatest enhancement of cell attachment and growth were noticed when the film was treated with nitrogen plasma for 9 to 15 s. This suggested that the greater attachment and growth of both cells on gelatin films resulted from the change of surface properties, i.e. hydrophilicity, surface energy, and chemistry. The suitable water contact angle and oxygen/nitrogen ratio (O/N) of gelatin film for best L929 and MSC attachment were observed at 27–32° and 1.4, respectively. These conditions also provided the best proliferation of cells on plasma-treated gelatin films. - Highlights: • We compared the attachment and growth behavior of L929 and MSC. • The attachment of two cells on plasma-treated gelatin was significantly increased. • The shorter population doubling time and higher growth rate of cells were observed. • L929 fibroblast exhibited the greater proliferation, compared to MSC

Population activity structure of excitatory and inhibitory neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittner, Sean R; Williamson, Ryan C; Snyder, Adam C; Litwin-Kumar, Ashok; Doiron, Brent; Chase, Steven M; Smith, Matthew A; Yu, Byron M

2017-01-01

Many studies use population analysis approaches, such as dimensionality reduction, to characterize the activity of large groups of neurons. To date, these methods have treated each neuron equally, without taking into account whether neurons are excitatory or inhibitory. We studied population activity structure as a function of neuron type by applying factor analysis to spontaneous activity from spiking networks with balanced excitation and inhibition. Throughout the study, we characterized population activity structure by measuring its dimensionality and the percentage of overall activity variance that is shared among neurons. First, by sampling only excitatory or only inhibitory neurons, we found that the activity structures of these two populations in balanced networks are measurably different. We also found that the population activity structure is dependent on the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons sampled. Finally we classified neurons from extracellular recordings in the primary visual cortex of anesthetized macaques as putative excitatory or inhibitory using waveform classification, and found similarities with the neuron type-specific population activity structure of a balanced network with excitatory clustering. These results imply that knowledge of neuron type is important, and allows for stronger statistical tests, when interpreting population activity structure.

Population activity structure of excitatory and inhibitory neurons.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean R Bittner

Full Text Available Many studies use population analysis approaches, such as dimensionality reduction, to characterize the activity of large groups of neurons. To date, these methods have treated each neuron equally, without taking into account whether neurons are excitatory or inhibitory. We studied population activity structure as a function of neuron type by applying factor analysis to spontaneous activity from spiking networks with balanced excitation and inhibition. Throughout the study, we characterized population activity structure by measuring its dimensionality and the percentage of overall activity variance that is shared among neurons. First, by sampling only excitatory or only inhibitory neurons, we found that the activity structures of these two populations in balanced networks are measurably different. We also found that the population activity structure is dependent on the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons sampled. Finally we classified neurons from extracellular recordings in the primary visual cortex of anesthetized macaques as putative excitatory or inhibitory using waveform classification, and found similarities with the neuron type-specific population activity structure of a balanced network with excitatory clustering. These results imply that knowledge of neuron type is important, and allows for stronger statistical tests, when interpreting population activity structure.

Population activity structure of excitatory and inhibitory neurons

Science.gov (United States)

Doiron, Brent

2017-01-01

Many studies use population analysis approaches, such as dimensionality reduction, to characterize the activity of large groups of neurons. To date, these methods have treated each neuron equally, without taking into account whether neurons are excitatory or inhibitory. We studied population activity structure as a function of neuron type by applying factor analysis to spontaneous activity from spiking networks with balanced excitation and inhibition. Throughout the study, we characterized population activity structure by measuring its dimensionality and the percentage of overall activity variance that is shared among neurons. First, by sampling only excitatory or only inhibitory neurons, we found that the activity structures of these two populations in balanced networks are measurably different. We also found that the population activity structure is dependent on the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons sampled. Finally we classified neurons from extracellular recordings in the primary visual cortex of anesthetized macaques as putative excitatory or inhibitory using waveform classification, and found similarities with the neuron type-specific population activity structure of a balanced network with excitatory clustering. These results imply that knowledge of neuron type is important, and allows for stronger statistical tests, when interpreting population activity structure. PMID:28817581

Mathematisches Bewusstsein

Science.gov (United States)

Kaenders, Rainer; Kvasz, Ladislav

Wenn jemand sagt, dass ein Bus um 9 Uhr abfährt - weiß man es dann? Angenommen, man ist darüber unterrichtet, dass die Busse unter der Woche immer zur vollen Stunde abfahren - von 7 Uhr morgens bis 7 Uhr abends, weiß man es dann mit dem Wissen um diese allgemeine Regel besser, dass der Bus um 9 Uhr abfährt? Macht es einen Unterschied, ob man den Fahrplan erstellt, den Bus lenkt oder nur mitfährt, um sich dieser Tatsache bewusst zu sein?

Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Insulin Resistance in Postmenopausal Diabetic Women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iskra Bitoska

2016-02-01

CONCLUSION: HRT was associated with statistically signifficant increase of insulin sensitivity. Larger clinical trials will be necessary to understand whether HRT may improve insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis in women with diabetes, especially when given shortly after entering menopause.

Trauma und Terror

OpenAIRE

Szyszkowitz, T. (Tessa)

2007-01-01

1. Einleitung Ausgehend von der Fragestellung, warum gerade bei Tschetschenen und Palästinensern der Selbstmordterrorismus in den letzten Jahren so populär geworden ist, analysiert die Autorin die Geschichte dieser beiden Völker. Einer der Gründe ist bisher wenig beachtet worden. Der Einfluss eines kollektiven Traumas, das als solches nicht anerkannt, behandelt und auch nicht einer politischen Lösung zugeführt wurde. 2. Geschichte der Palästinenser und Tschetschenen Im Zuge der Err...

Attempted Suicide in a Pediatric Population, Alarming Reality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myriam Jiménez Quenguan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents the research process that led to the clinical characterization of cases of attempted suicide in the pediatric population treated at the Hospital Infantil Los Angeles in Pasto, between June 2005 and June 2011. Materials and Methods: 242 records were studied, from a perspective of the general — including clinical and legal — aspects, thus allowing a conceptualization of the term suicide. The description of certain signs and symptoms characteristic of those who have attempted suicide was essential in contributing to identify some possible causes for further understanding this phenomenon, based on the study of 15 variables. Results: The results evidence a progressive increase in the cases of attempted suicide in the pedriatic population, particularly in females, and between 13 and 16 years of age. Conclusion: This situation has developed to a problem that is very difficult to treat; for this reason, it is essential to continue researching, as well as to establish interdisciplinary groups of professionals who can address the problem and create relevant and comprehensive treatments regarding this phenomenon.

Uit de Cochrane Library: met postmenopauzale hormonale substitutietherapie geen bescherming tegen hart-vaatziekte, wel meer kans op veneuze trombo-embolie

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamerlynck, J. V. Th H.; Middeldorp, S.; Scholten, R. J. P. M.

2006-01-01

Observational studies in the early nineteen-nineties have strongly suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has benefits for reducing cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women. A recent Cochrane systematic review assessed the effects of HRT in primary and secondary prevention of

The value of oxybutynin in transdermal patches for treating overactive bladder.

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas-Casado, J; Esteban-Fuertes, M; Serrano, O; Galván, J

2015-12-01

There is currently a broad therapeutic arsenal of drugs for treating overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). However, there is still a need for new compounds and for improving known drugs in terms of efficacy, compliance and tolerability. To report the scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of transdermal oxybutynin (OXY-TDS) for treating OAB. A systematic review without time restrictions was conducted until May 2015 in the MEDLINE/PubMed database. We also performed a manual review of abstracts published in international urogynaecology congresses. The evaluated studies show that patients treated with OXY-TDS experience a significant reduction in urinary incontinence episodes compared with placebo, which is comparable to that observed in patients treated with oral oxybutynin or with tolterodine. In all of the studies, we observed improvements in symptoms from the second or third week of treatment and in a sustained manner until the end of treatment (6, 12 or 24 weeks). The clinical practice study also showed improved quality of life, achieving benefits in numerous patient profiles, with an efficacy independent of previous treatments. The safety of the drug was demonstrated in the various patient profiles. OXY-TDS represents an effective alternative for the symptomatic treatment of adult patients with OAB, which, thanks to its pharmacokinetic profile, better tolerability, different administration method and dosage, could represent an added value in treating special populations. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Estimated discharge of treated wastewater in Florida, 1990

Science.gov (United States)

Marella, R.L.

1994-01-01

According to the Florida Department of Environ- mental Protection, 5,100 wastewater treatment systems were in operation during 1990. Of this total, 72 percent were domestic wastewater facilities and 28 percent were industrial waste- water facilities. The number of wastewater systems inventoried for 1990 was 1,062 (systems that treated and discharged more than 0.01 Mgal/d or had a plant capacity of greater than 0.04 Mgal/d. Based on this inventory, the estimated discharge of treated wastewater in Florida during 1990 totaled 1,638 million gallons per day. Approxi- mately 65 percent of this water was discharged to surface water during 1990 and the remaining 35 percent was discharged to ground water. Discharge to surface water includes effluent outfalls into the Atlantic Ocean (32 percent), while the re- maining (68 percent) is discharged into the Gulf of Mexico, bays, rivers, wetlands, and other surface water bodies throughout Florida. Discharge to ground-water includes treated effluent outfalls to land application systems (reuse systems and spray fields), drain fields, percolation ponds (51 percent), and to injection wells (49 percent). An estimated 322 million gallons per day of the treated domestic and industrial wastewater was reused during 1990. Discharge of treated domestic wastewater from the 994 systems inventoried in Florida during 1990 totaled 1,353 million gallons per day and served an estimated 8.58 million people (66 percent of the population of Florida in 1990). The remaining 34 percent of the popu- lation (4.36 million) are served by the 2,700 smaller domestic wastewater systems or have individual septic tanks. In 1990, there were 1.56 million septic tanks in Florida. Discharge of industrial wastewater was inventoried for 68 systems in 1990 and totaled 285 million gallons per day. Discharge of domestic wastewater in- creased more than 20 percent and industrial wastewater discharge increased 5 percent from 1985 to 1990. (USGS)

Decentralised treatment of concentrated sewage at low temperature in a two-step anaerobic system: two upflow-hybrid septic tanks.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmitwalli, T A; Sayed, S; Groendijk, L; van Lier, J; Zeeman, G; Lettinga, G

2003-01-01

The decentralised treatment of concentrated sewage (about 3,600 mgCOD/l) at low temperature was investigated in a two-step anaerobic system: two-anaerobic hybrid (AH) septic tanks (each 0.575 m3). The two reactors were placed in a temperature controlled-room and the HRT was 2.5 days for each reactor. The system was fed with concentrated domestic sewage, mainly black water from about 40 toilets flushed with only 4 litre of water and a limited amount of grey water. The system showed high removal efficiency for the different COD fractions. Mean removal efficiencies in the two-step AH-septic tank at 5 days HRT and 13 degrees C were 94, 98, 74 and 78% for total COD, suspended COD, colloidal COD and dissolved COD respectively. The results of short run experiments indicated that the presence of reticulated polyurethane foam (RPF) media in the AH-septic tank improved the removal of suspended COD by 22%. The first AH-septic tank was full of sludge after 4 months of operation due to the high removal of particulate COD and the limited hydrolysis at low temperature conditions. Therefore, a simple mathematical model was developed based on ADM1 (the IWA model in 2002). Based on the experimental results and the mathematical model, only a one-step AH septic tank is required. An HRT of 5.5-7.5 days is needed for that one-step AH septic tank to treat concentrated sewage at a low temperature of 13 degrees C. Such a system can provide a total COD removal as high as 87% and will be full of sludge after a period of more than a year.

Sulfidogenic biotreatment of synthetic acid mine drainage and sulfide oxidation in anaerobic baffled reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bekmezci, Ozan K.; Ucar, Deniz [Harran University, Environmental Engineering Department, Osmanbey Campus, 63000 Sanliurfa (Turkey); Kaksonen, Anna H. [CSIRO Land and Water, Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA 6014 (Australia); Sahinkaya, Erkan, E-mail: erkansahinkaya@yahoo.com [Harran University, Environmental Engineering Department, Osmanbey Campus, 63000 Sanliurfa (Turkey)

2011-05-30

The treatment of synthetic acid mine drainage (AMD) water (pH 3.0-6.5) containing sulfate (3.0-3.5 g L{sup -1}) and various metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) was studied in an ethanol-fed sulfate-reducing 4-compartment anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) at 32 {sup o}C. The reactor was operated for 160 days at different chemical oxygen demand (COD)/sulfate ratios, hydraulic retention times (HRT), pH, and metal concentrations to study the robustness of the process. The last compartment of the reactor was aerated at different rates to study the bio-oxidation of sulfide to elemental sulfur. The highest sulfate reduction efficiency (88%) was obtained with a feed sulfate concentration of 3.5 g L{sup -1}, COD/sulfate mass ratio of 0.737, feed pH of 3.0 and HRT of 2 days without aeration in the 4th compartment. The corresponding COD removal efficiency was about 92%. The alkalinity produced in the sulfidogenic ethanol oxidation neutralized the acidic mine water from pH 3.0-4.5 to pH 7.0-8.0. Effluent soluble and total heavy metal concentrations were substantially reduced with removal efficiencies generally higher than 99%, except for Mn (25-77%). Limited aeration in the 4th compartment of ABR promoted incomplete oxidation of sulfide to elemental sulfur rather than complete oxidation to sulfate. Depending on the aeration rate and HRT, 32-74% of produced sulfide was oxidized to elemental sulfur. This study demonstrates that by optimizing operating conditions, sulfate reduction, metal removal, alkalinity generation, and excess sulfide oxidation can be achieved in a single ABR treating AMD.

Biologic treatment of wastewater from cassava flour production using vertical anaerobic baffled reactor (VABR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gleyce T Correia

2008-08-01

Full Text Available The estimate cassava production in Brazil in 2007 was of 25 million tons (= 15% of the world production and most of it is used in the production of flour. During its processing, waste that can cause environmental inequality is generated, if discharged inappropriately. One of the liquid waste generated, manipueira, is characterized by its high level of organic matter. The anaerobic treatment that uses a vertical anaerobic baffled reactor (VABR inoculated with granulated sludge, is one of the ways of treating this effluent. The anaerobic biodigestion phases are separated in this kind of reactor, allowing greater stability and resistance to load shocks. The VABR was built with a width/height rate of 1:2. The pH, acidity, alkalinity, turbidity and COD removal were analyzed in 6 different regions of the reactor, which was operated with an increasing feeding from ? 2000 to ? 10000 mg COD L?¹ and HRT between 6.0 and 2.5 days. The VABR showed decreasing acidity and turbidity, an increase in alkalinity and pH, and 96% efficiency in COD removal with 3-day HRT and feeding of 3800 mg COD L?¹.

Treatment and remediation of a wastewater lagoon using microelectrolysis and modified DAT/IAT methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qiong; Hua, Tao; Zhou, Qixing

2011-01-01

To examine treatment and remediation of a wastewater lagoon with poor biodegradability, a typical wastewater lagoon in Tianjin, China, was treated and remedied using microelectrolysis and modified demand aeration tank (DAT)/intermittent aeration tank (IAT) methods. After pretreatment by microelectrolysis, the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was up to 64.6% and the ratio of BOC/COD in the effluent increased from 0.013 to 0.609. The removal rates of COD(Cr) and NH4(+)-N were affected by sludge backflow rate, mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), and hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the modified DAT/IAT reactor. The highest removal rates of COD(Cr) and NH4(+)-N were up to 78.9% and 62.6%, respectively, when the sludge backflow rate was 38.0 mL/min, the total HRT was 8.0 hr and MLSS was 4088.0 mg/L. In this case, some protozoa and metazoa were observed in activated sludge and biofilm carriers. Most of chrominance was removed by microelectrolysis treatment, while the modified DAT/IAT methods were more effective for COD(Cr) and NH4(+)-N removal.

Development and validation of a prognostic model for recurrent glioblastoma patients treated with bevacizumab and irinotecan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urup, Thomas; Dahlrot, Rikke Hedegaard; Grunnet, Kirsten

2016-01-01

Background Predictive markers and prognostic models are required in order to individualize treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Here, we sought to identify clinical factors able to predict response and survival in recurrent GBM patients treated with bevacizumab (BEV) and irinotecan....... Material and methods A total of 219 recurrent GBM patients treated with BEV plus irinotecan according to a previously published treatment protocol were included in the initial population. Prognostic models were generated by means of multivariate logistic and Cox regression analysis. Results In multivariate...

Efficacy of esomeprazole in treating acid-related diseases in Japanese populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Furuta T

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Mitsushige Sugimoto1, Takahisa Furuta21First Department of Medicine, 2Center for Clinical Research, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, JapanAbstract: Esomeprazole (Nexium®; AstraZeneca, the S-isomer of omeprazole, is the first proton pump inhibitor (PPI to be developed as an optical isomer. Compared with omeprazole, esomeprazole has an improved pharmacokinetic profile with regards to CYP2C19 (S-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylase genotype, showing increased systemic exposure and less interindividual variability. Further, esomeprazole is a more potent acid inhibitor than other currently available PPIs and is therefore used as a first-line drug for acid-related diseases. While esomeprazole has been available in a number of countries worldwide, the compound only received authorized permission to be marketed in Japan in September 2011. The standard esomeprazole dose in Japan for the treatment of peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD is 20 mg. Other advised dosages are 10 mg for nonerosive reflux disease and 20 mg twice-daily dosing for eradication of Helicobacter pylori. In Japanese, the effective rate of esomeprazole 20 mg during 24 weeks for GERD patients is 92.0% (88.0%–96.0%, while the prevention of peptic ulcer development using 20 mg for 24 weeks in patients treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is 96.0% (92.8%–99.1%. Although clinical data are limited, the usefulness of esomeprazole is expected in Japanese subjects given the reduced prevalence of CYP2C19 rapid metabolizers in Japan compared with Western countries.Keywords: esomeprazole, PPI, CYP2C19, peptic ulcer, GERD, H. pylori

Hypofractionated Versus Standard Radiation Therapy With or Without Temozolomide for Older Glioblastoma Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arvold, Nils D.; Tanguturi, Shyam K.; Aizer, Ayal A.; Wen, Patrick Y.; Reardon, David A.; Lee, Eudocia Q.; Nayak, Lakshmi; Christianson, Laura W.; Horvath, Margaret C.; Dunn, Ian F.; Golby, Alexandra J.; Johnson, Mark D.; Claus, Elizabeth B.; Chiocca, E. Antonio; Ligon, Keith L.; Alexander, Brian M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Older patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma have poor outcomes, and optimal treatment is controversial. Hypofractionated radiation therapy (HRT) is frequently used but has not been compared to patients receiving standard fractionated radiation therapy (SRT) and temozolomide (TMZ). Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients ≥65 years of age who received radiation for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma from 1994 to 2013. The distribution of clinical covariates across various radiation regimens was analyzed for possible selection bias. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Comparison of hypofractionated radiation (typically, 40 Gy/15 fractions) versus standard fractionation (typically, 60 Gy/30 fractions) in the setting of temozolomide was conducted using Cox regression and propensity score analysis. Results: Patients received SRT + TMZ (n=57), SRT (n=35), HRT + TMZ (n=34), or HRT (n=9). Patients receiving HRT were significantly older (median: 79 vs 69 years of age; P<.001) and had worse baseline performance status (P<.001) than those receiving SRT. On multivariate analysis, older age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.10, P=.01), lower Karnofsky performance status (AHR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03; P=.01), multifocal disease (AHR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.23-3.61, P=.007), and radiation alone (vs SRT + TMZ; SRT: AHR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.06-2.79; P=.03; HRT: AHR: 3.92; 95% CI: 1.44-10.60, P=.007) were associated with decreased overall survival. After propensity score adjustment, patients receiving HRT with TMZ had similar overall survival compared with those receiving SRT with TMZ (AHR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.50-2.4, P=.82). Conclusions: With no randomized data demonstrating equivalence between HRT and SRT in the setting of TMZ for glioblastoma, significant selection bias exists in the implementation of HRT. Controlling for this bias, we observed similar overall

Hypofractionated Versus Standard Radiation Therapy With or Without Temozolomide for Older Glioblastoma Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arvold, Nils D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Tanguturi, Shyam K. [Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Aizer, Ayal A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Wen, Patrick Y.; Reardon, David A.; Lee, Eudocia Q.; Nayak, Lakshmi [Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Christianson, Laura W.; Horvath, Margaret C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dunn, Ian F.; Golby, Alexandra J.; Johnson, Mark D. [Department of Neurosurgery, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Claus, Elizabeth B. [Department of Neurosurgery, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (United States); Chiocca, E. Antonio [Department of Neurosurgery, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Ligon, Keith L. [Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Alexander, Brian M., E-mail: bmalexander@lroc.harvard.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

2015-06-01

Purpose: Older patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma have poor outcomes, and optimal treatment is controversial. Hypofractionated radiation therapy (HRT) is frequently used but has not been compared to patients receiving standard fractionated radiation therapy (SRT) and temozolomide (TMZ). Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients ≥65 years of age who received radiation for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma from 1994 to 2013. The distribution of clinical covariates across various radiation regimens was analyzed for possible selection bias. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Comparison of hypofractionated radiation (typically, 40 Gy/15 fractions) versus standard fractionation (typically, 60 Gy/30 fractions) in the setting of temozolomide was conducted using Cox regression and propensity score analysis. Results: Patients received SRT + TMZ (n=57), SRT (n=35), HRT + TMZ (n=34), or HRT (n=9). Patients receiving HRT were significantly older (median: 79 vs 69 years of age; P<.001) and had worse baseline performance status (P<.001) than those receiving SRT. On multivariate analysis, older age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.10, P=.01), lower Karnofsky performance status (AHR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03; P=.01), multifocal disease (AHR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.23-3.61, P=.007), and radiation alone (vs SRT + TMZ; SRT: AHR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.06-2.79; P=.03; HRT: AHR: 3.92; 95% CI: 1.44-10.60, P=.007) were associated with decreased overall survival. After propensity score adjustment, patients receiving HRT with TMZ had similar overall survival compared with those receiving SRT with TMZ (AHR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.50-2.4, P=.82). Conclusions: With no randomized data demonstrating equivalence between HRT and SRT in the setting of TMZ for glioblastoma, significant selection bias exists in the implementation of HRT. Controlling for this bias, we observed similar overall

Test-and-treat approach to HIV/AIDS: a primer for mathematical modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nah, Kyeongah; Nishiura, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Naho; Sun, Xiaodan; Asai, Yusuke; Imamura, Akifumi

2017-09-05

The public benefit of test-and-treat has induced a need to justify goodness for the public, and mathematical modeling studies have played a key role in designing and evaluating the test-and-treat strategy for controlling HIV/AIDS. Here we briefly and comprehensively review the essence of contemporary understanding of the test-and-treat policy through mathematical modeling approaches and identify key pitfalls that have been identified to date. While the decrease in HIV incidence is achieved with certain coverages of diagnosis, care and continued treatment, HIV prevalence is not necessarily decreased and sometimes the test-and-treat is accompanied by increased long-term cost of antiretroviral therapy (ART). To confront with the complexity of assessment on this policy, the elimination threshold or the effective reproduction number has been proposed for its use in determining the overall success to anticipate the eventual elimination. Since the publication of original model in 2009, key issues of test-and-treat modeling studies have been identified, including theoretical problems surrounding the sexual partnership network, heterogeneities in the transmission dynamics, and realistic issues of achieving and maintaining high treatment coverage in the most hard-to-reach populations. To explicitly design country-specific control policy, quantitative modeling approaches to each single setting with differing epidemiological context would require multi-disciplinary collaborations among clinicians, public health practitioners, laboratory technologists, epidemiologists and mathematical modelers.

A High-Resolution Thermometer for the Range 0.75-1.0 K

Science.gov (United States)

Panek, J.; Nash, A.; Larson, M.; Mulders, N.

1999-01-01

We report on a new high-resolution thermometer (HRT) for use near the tricritical point in 3He-4He mixtures. It is based on an existing HRT design that uses a DC-SQUID to detect the magnetization of a paramagnetic sensing element.

Photo-fermentative hydrogen production in a 4m3 baffled reactor: Effects of hydraulic retention time.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Quanguo; Lu, Chaoyang; Lee, Duu-Jong; Lee, Yu-Jen; Zhang, Zhiping; Zhou, Xuehua; Hu, Jianjun; Wang, Yi; Jiang, Danping; He, Chao; Zhang, Tian

2017-09-01

A 4m 3 pilot-scale baffled continuous-flow photoreactor with four sequential chambers (#1-#4) was established and tested to evaluate its photo-fermentative hydrogen production from wastewater that contains (10g/L glucose using a functional consortium at 30°C, under light with an intensity of 3000±200lux with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24-72h. The hydrogen production rate and the broth characteristics varied significantly in the flow direction. The hydrogen production rate was highest in chamber #1, and lower in chambers #2-#4 at an HRT of 72h, while the peak production rate shifted to the latter chambers as the HRT was shortened. The overall H 2 production rate increased as HRT decreased, but was not consistent with the predictions that were based on the complete-mixing assumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The HYBAS hybrid process with moving bed, and effective alternative for upgrading existing urban WWTP; Proceso hibrido conlecho movil HYBAS, una eficaz alterantiva para la remodelacion de EDAR urbanas existentes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zalakain, G.; Larrea, A.; Malfeito, J. J.; Albizuri, J.; Larrea, L.

2008-07-01

The present work shows the experimental results in a pilot plant together with mathematical model simulation results, allowing the evaluation of the potential of the HYBAS hybrid process for nitrification both in biofilm and in suspension. the UCT process was applied in the experimental test over one year, minimising the hydraulic retention time (HRT). Different operational conditions were covered such as temperature, carrier type and raw and settled urban waste water. Regarding nitrification, it is concluded that it is possible to nitrify satisfactorily at 13 degree centigree using an aerobic HRT of 2.7 hours and K1 or K3 carriers from Anox Kaldnes. A typical activated sludge process for carbon removal using HRT of 4 hours is possible to be upgraded applying the HYBAS hybrid process for nitrogen removal, maintaining HRT, by using a post denitrification reactor with methanol. (Author) 6 refs.

Phobia of self-injecting and self-testing in insulin-treated diabetes patients: opportunities for screening

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mollema, E. D.; Snoek, F. J.; Heine, R. J.; van der Ploeg, H. M.

2001-01-01

To define clinically relevant cut-off points for severe fear of self-injecting (FSI) and self-testing (FST) (phobia) in insulin-treated patients with diabetes, and to estimate the magnitude of these phobias in our research population. FSI and FST were assessed in a cross-sectional survey using the

Estrogens and the risk of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Science.gov (United States)

de Mos, M; Huygen, F J P M; Stricker, B H Ch; Dieleman, J P; Sturkenboom, M C J M

2009-01-01

Since complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) shows a clear female predominance, we investigated the association between the cumulative as well as current exposure to estrogens, and CRPS. A population-based case-control study was conducted in the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) project in the Netherlands. Cases were identified from electronic records (1996-2005) and included if they were confirmed during a visit (using International Association for the Study of Pain Criteria), or had been diagnosed by a specialist. Controls were matched to cases on gender, age, calendar time, and injury. Measures of cumulative endogenous estrogen exposure were obtained by questionnaire and included age of menarche and menopause, menstrual life, and cumulative months of pregnancy and breast-feeding. Current estrogen exposure at CRPS onset was retrieved from the electronic medical records and determined by current pregnancy or by the use of oral contraceptive (OC) drugs or hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). Hundred and forty-three female cases (1493 controls) were included in analyses on drug use and pregnancies, while cumulative endogenous estrogen exposure was studied in 53 cases (58 controls) for whom questionnaire data were available. There was no association between CRPS and either cumulative endogenous estrogen exposure, OC, or HRT use. CRPS onset was increased during the first 6 months after pregnancy (OR: 5.6, 95%CI: 1.0-32.4), although based on small numbers. We did not find an association between CRPS onset and cumulative endogenous estrogen exposure or current OC or HRT use, but more powered studies are needed to exclude potential minor associations.

Interactive effect of genetic susceptibility with height, body mass index, and hormone replacement therapy on the risk of breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harlid Sophia

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer today has many established risk factors, both genetic and environmental, but these risk factors by themselves explain only part of the total cancer incidence. We have investigated potential interactions between certain known genetic and phenotypic risk factors, specifically nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and height, body mass index (BMI and hormone replacement therapy (HRT. Methods We analyzed samples from three different study populations: two prospectively followed Swedish cohorts and one Icelandic case–control study. Totally 2884 invasive breast cancer cases and 4508 controls were analysed in the study. Genotypes were determined using Mass spectrometry-Maldi-TOF and phenotypic variables were derived from measurements and/or questionnaires. Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using unconditional logistic regression with the inclusion of an interaction term in the logistic regression model. Results One SNP (rs851987 in ESR1 tended to interact with height, with an increasingly protective effect of the major allele in taller women (p = 0.007 and rs13281615 (on 8q24 tended to confer risk only in non users of HRT (p-for interaction = 0.03. There were no significant interactions after correction for multiple testing. Conclusions We conclude that much larger sample sets would be necessary to demonstrate interactions between low-risk genetic polymorphisms and the phenotypic variables height, BMI and HRT on the risk for breast cancer. However the present hypothesis-generating study has identified tendencies that would be of interest to evaluate for gene-environment interactions in independent materials.

Challenges in diagnosing and treating snakebites in a rural population of Tamil Nadu, India: The views of clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Harry F; Vaiyapuri, Rajendran; Gajjeraman, Prabu; Hutchinson, Gail; Gibbins, Jonathan M; Bicknell, Andrew B; Vaiyapuri, Sakthivel

2017-05-01

Snakebites cause death, disability and economic devastation to their victims, people who live almost exclusively in rural areas. Annually an estimated two million venomous bites cause as many as 100,000 deaths worldwide as well as hundreds of thousands of deformities and amputations. Recent studies suggest that India has the highest incidence of snakebite and associated deaths worldwide. In this study, we interviewed 25 hospital-based clinicians who regularly treat snakebites in Tamil Nadu, India, in order to gauge their opinions and views on the diagnostic tools and treatment methods available at that time, the difficulties encountered in treating snakebites and improvements to snakebite management protocols they deem necessary. Clinicians identified the improvement of community education, training of medical personnel, development of standard treatment protocols and improved medication as priorities for the immediate future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digestion of thermally hydrolyzed sewage sludge by anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhijun; Wang Wei; Zhang Xihui; Zhang Guangming

2009-01-01

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for the digestion of thermally hydrolyzed sewage sludge. Both mesophilic ASBR and continuous-flow stirred tank reactors (CSTR) were evaluated with an equivalent loading rate of 2.71 kg COD/m 3 day at 20-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) and 5.42 kg COD/m 3 day at 10-day HRT. The average total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removals of the ASBR at the 20-day and 10-day HRT were 67.71% and 61.66%, respectively. These were 12.38% and 27.92% higher than those obtained by CSTR. As a result, the average daily gas production of ASBR was 15% higher than that of the CSTR at 20-day HRT, and 31% higher than that of the CSTR at 10-day HRT. Solids in thermally hydrolyzed sludge accumulated within ASBR were able to reach a high steady state with solid content of 65-80 g/L. This resulted in a relatively high solid retention time (SRT) of 34-40 days in the ASBR at 10-day HRT. However, too much solid accumulation resulted in the unsteadiness of the ASBR, making regular discharge of digested sludge from the bottom of the ASBR necessary to keep the reactor stable. The evolution of the gas production, soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in an operation cycle of ASBR also showed that the ASBR was steady and feasible for the treatment of thermally hydrolyzed sludge

Use of hormone replacement therapy in the Hong Kong public health sector after the Women's Health Initiative trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, K Y; Ling, Matina; Tang, G W K

2005-01-01

To determine the impact of Women Health Initiative (WHI) trial on the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the Hong Kong public health sector. The central prescription database of the Hospital Authority was used to describe the half-yearly trend in the use of HRT between July 2000 and December 2003. The data of hysterectomy was retrieved from another clinical database. Before the publication of the WHI trial in July 2002, conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and its related products dominated HRT prescribing. Relative to the first half of 2002, there was an immediate and substantial decline by 43.5% in the prescriptions of combined CEE/progestogen products and a modest decline by 22.4% in the prescriptions of CEE-alone therapy in the second half of 2002. In the first half of 2003, a decline in the prescriptions of all HRT preparations except raloxifene was observed. However, in the second half of 2003, there were no more declines in overall HRT users. Relative to the first half of 2002, the decline in the overall HRT users in the first half of 2003 was more than 46% in women aged 50-69. The decline was greater in women with a history of hysterectomy (60.3%) than women without (38.6%), but was similar between gynaecology specialty (41.7%) and non-gynaecology specialty (43.9%). Similar to the U.S., an immediate and substantial decline in the use of CEE and its related products was observed in Hong Kong after the publication of the WHI trial.

Study of bioleaching under different hydraulic retention time for enhancing the dewaterability of digestate.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linshuai; Gao, Jingqing; Zhu, Songfeng; Li, Yonghong; Zhang, Ruiqin

2015-12-01

Dewatering of kitchen waste digestate is a key problem to solve so as to increase the application of kitchen waste after anaerobic digestion. In this study, the effects of bioleaching under different hydraulic retention time (HRT = 2, 2.5, and 3 days) on dewaterability of kitchen waste digestate were evaluated. A 12-stage plug flow bioreactor with 180 L working volume was used for digestate bioleaching. The bioleached digestate under different HRTs were collected and dewatered by plate-and-frame filter press. The results showed that the moisture contents of digestate cakes were 67.87 % at 2 days of HRT, 58.06 % at 2.5 days of HRT, and 54.45 % at 3 days of HRT, respectively, indicating the longer the HRT, the lower the moisture content of filter cake. Balanced between the cost and practical need, 2.5 days can be used as the HRT in engineering application. Under the condition of HRT of 2.5 days, the pH, specific resistance to filtration (SRF), capillary suction time (CST), and sedimentation rate of digestate changed from the initial values of 8.08, 210.6 s, 23.4 × 10(12) m kg(-1) and 10 % to 3.21, 32.7 s, 2.44 × 10(12) m kg(-1) and 76.8 %, respectively. Based on the observations above, the authors conclude that bioleaching technology is an effective method to enhance digestate dewaterability and reduce the cost of subsequent reutilization.

Protein metabolism in Turner syndrome and the impact of hormone replacement therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gravholt, Claus Højbjerg; Riis, Anne Lene; Møller, Niels; Christiansen, Jens Sandahl

2007-09-01

Studies have documented an altered body composition in Turner syndrome (TS). Body fat is increased and muscle mass is decreased. Ovarian failure necessitates substitution with female hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and HRT induces favourable changes in body composition. It is unknown how HRT affects protein metabolism. To test whether alterations in body composition before and after HRT in TS are a result of altered protein metabolism. We performed a randomized crossover study with active treatment (HRT in TS and oral contraceptives in controls) or no treatment. We studied eight women (age 29.7 +/- 5.6 (mean +/- SD) years) with TS, verified by karyotype, and eight age-matched controls (age 27.3 +/- 4.9 years). All subjects underwent a 3-h study in the postabsorptive state. Protein dynamics of the whole body and of the forearm muscles were measured by an amino acid tracer dilution technique using [(15)N]phenylalanine and [(2)H(4)]tyrosine. Substrate metabolism was examined by indirect calorimetry. Energy expenditure was comparable among TS and controls, and did not change during active treatment. Whole-body phenylalanine and tyrosine fluxes were similar in the untreated situations, and did not change during active treatment. Amino acid degradation and protein synthesis were similar in all situations. Muscle protein breakdown was similar among groups, and was not affected by treatment. Muscle protein synthesis rate and forearm blood flow did not differ among groups or due to treatment. Protein metabolism in TS is comparable to controls, and is not affected by HRT.

Pulsar perimetry in the diagnosis of early glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeppieri, Marco; Brusini, Paolo; Parisi, Lucia; Johnson, Chris A; Sampaolesi, Roberto; Salvetat, Maria Letizia

2010-01-01

To assess the ability of Pulsar perimetry (Pulsar) in detecting early glaucomatous visual field (VF) damage in comparison with Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT), Scanning Laser Polarimetry (SLP, GDx VCC), and Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT). Prospective observational cross-sectional case study. This multicenter study included: 87 ocular hypertensives (OHT); 67 glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) patients; 75 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients; and 90 normals. All patients underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP) HFA 30-2, Pulsar T30W, FDT N-30, HRT II, and GDx VCC. Area under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (AROCs) for discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes and agreement among instruments were determined. The best parameters for Pulsar, FDT, HRT, and GDx were, respectively: loss variance square root; no. of areas with PPulsar (AROC, 0.90) appeared comparable with FDT (0.89) and significantly better than HRT (0.82) and GDx (0.79). For GON, Pulsar ability (0.74) was higher than GDx (0.69) and lower than FDT (0.80) and HRT (0.83). The agreement among instruments ranged from 0.12 to 0.56. Pulsar test duration was significantly shorter than SAP and FDT (PPulsar T30W test is a rapid and easy perimetric method, showing higher sensitivity than SAP in detecting early glaucomatous VF loss. Its diagnostic ability is good for detecting early perimetric POAG eyes and fair for GON eyes. Pulsar performance was comparable with FDT, HRT, and GDx, even if the agreement between instruments was poor to fair. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The need to do better - Are we still letting our patients down and at what cost?

Science.gov (United States)

Cumming, Grant Philip; Currie, Heather; Morris, Edward; Moncur, Rik; Lee, Amanda J

2015-06-01

To survey women's views on HRT and alternative therapies and make comparisons with 2007 data. A questionnaire on a UK patient-tailored independent clinician-led website with anonymous responses analysed using descriptive statistics. Answers to survey questions in 2007 and 2014. A total of 1476 responses from 33 countries were obtained. Almost 70% of respondents had used/would consider using HRT. Over the last 5 years, 27.7% felt that their views had changed for the better. Most obtained information from health professionals or the Internet. About 51.1% felt that their family doctor did not recognise the importance of the menopause with one-third feeling resistance to being offered HRT. Compared to 2007, significantly more women were aware of the different risks associated with different types of HRT. More women were able to respond positively to the question asking whether or not they felt able to make an informed choice regarding HRT/alternative therapies. There has been negativity and confusion regarding HRT management since the beginning of the millennium. Our findings suggest that we, as health professionals, continue to let our patients down with poor provision of information, inaccurate or wrong information, or access to the right care. The cost of this is women living with preventable sequelae associated with the menopausal transition with a consequent adverse impact on health and the health economy. The importance of the menopause consultation as part of a life course approach is highlighted as well as the emerging discipline of Health Web Science. © The Author(s) 2015.

Tricky Treats

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

The Eagle Books are a series of four books that are brought to life by wise animal characters - Mr. Eagle, Miss Rabbit, and Coyote - who engage Rain That Dances and his young friends in the joy of physical activity, eating healthy foods, and learning from their elders about health and diabetes prevention. Tricky Treats shows children the difference between healthy snacks and sweet treats.

Non-target toxicity of synthetic insecticides on the biological performance and population growth of Bracon hebetor Say.

Science.gov (United States)

Muslim, Mohammad; Ansari, M Shafiq; Hasan, Fazil

2018-05-24

Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an important biological control agent of various species of order Lepidoptera and extensively used in biological control program worldwide. Present study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on B. hebetor using demographic and population growth parameters. Doses of all the tested insecticides were within a maximum range of their recommended field dosages and adults were treated using residual glass vials method. For control experiments adults were treated with distilled water. Among the tested insecticides, the survivorship of various stages of B. hebetor was considerably prolonged on cyantraniliprole followed by chlorantraniliprole and shortest on chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Total immature development time was prolonged in chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Population growth parameters like intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m ), net reproductive rate (R 0 ), finite rate of increase (λ) and mean generation time (T c ) were considerably reduced in B. hebetor groups treated with chlorpyrifos and profenofos. However, B. hebetor groups treated with chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole showed a little or no much difference in population growth parameters when compared with untreated group. It was also observed that chlorpyrifos and profenofos modified the sex ratio, thereby female emergence get reduced. On the basis of present findings it can be concluded that all tested insecticides caused considerable ecotoxic effects on B. hebetor compared to control. However, comparisons among the tested insecticides on the basis of IOBC criteria showed that chlorantraniliprol and cyntraniliprol was less toxic as compared to other insecticides tested on this biological control agent.

Hormone replacement therapy and hypercoagulability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sidelmann, Johannes Jakobsen; Jespersen, Jørgen; Andersen, Lars F.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of a variety of HRT regimens on the haemostatic balance using markers of fibrin turnover and inhibitors of coagulation. DESIGN: An open randomised study allocating women to either a control group or five different HRT treatment groups. SETTING: Gentofte Hospital...

Prevalence of alveolar bone loss in healthy children treated at private pediatric dentistry clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Guimarães, Maria do Carmo Machado; de Araújo, Valéria Martins; Avena, Márcia Raquel; Duarte, Daniel Rocha da Silva; Freitas, Francisco Valter

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (BL) in healthy children treated at private pediatric dentistry clinics in Brasília, Brazil. The research included 7,436 sites present in 885 radiographs from 450 children. The BL prevalence was estimated by measuring the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to alveolar bone crest (ABC). Data were divided in groups: (I) No BL: distance from CEJ to ABC is 2 and 3 mm. Data were treated by the chi-square nonparametric test and Fisher's exact test (pchildren should never be underestimated because BL occurs even in healthy populations, although in a lower frequency.

Effect of volumetric organic loading rate (OLR) on H2 and CH4 production by two-stage anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and brown water.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Sachin; Kang, Youngjun; Yoo, Yeong-Seok; Seo, Gyu Tae

2017-03-01

Two-stage anaerobic digestion system consisting of two continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) operating at mesophillic conditions (37°C) were studied. The aim of this study is to determine optimum Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of the two-stage anaerobic digester system for hydrogen and methane production. This paper also discusses the effect of OLR with change in HRT on the system. Four different HRTs of 48, 24, 12, 8h were monitored for acidogenic reactor, which provided OLR of 17.7, 34.8, 70.8, 106gVS/L·d respectively. Two HRTs of 15days and 20days were studied with OLR of 1.24 and 1.76gVS/L·d respectively in methanogenic reactor. Hydrogen production at higher OLR and shorter HRT seemed favorable 106gVS/L·d (8h) in acidogenic reactor system. In methanogenic reactor system HRT of 20day with OLR of 1.24gVS/L·d was found optimum in terms of methane production and organic removal. The result of this study illustrated the optimum HRT of 8h and 20days in acidogenic stage and methanogenic stage for maximum hydrogen and methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of four herbicides on microbial population, soil organic matter ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of four herbicides (atrazine, primeextra, paraquat and glyphosate) on soil microbial population, soil organic matter and dehydrogenase activity was assessed over a period of six weeks. Soil samples from cassava farms were treated with herbicides at company recommended rates. Soil dehydrogenase activity was ...

Incidental findings on brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging in long-term survivors of breast cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Koppelmans, Vincent; Schagen, Sanne B; Poels, Mariëlle M F; Boogerd, Willem; Seynaeve, Caroline; van der Lugt, Aad; Breteler, Monique M B

2011-11-01

Incidental brain findings defined as previously undetected abnormalities of potential clinical relevance that are unexpectedly discovered at brain imaging and are unrelated to the purpose of the examination are common in the general population. Because it is unclear whether the prevalence of incidental findings in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy is different to that in the general population, we compared the prevalence in breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy to that in a population-based sample of women without a history of any cancer. Structural brain MRI (1.5T) was performed in 191 female CMF (Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, 5-Fluorouracil) chemotherapy-exposed breast cancer survivors. A reference group of 1590 women without a history of cancer was sampled from a population-based cohort study. All participants were aged 50 to 80 years. Five trained reviewers recorded the brain abnormalities. Two experienced neuro-radiologists reviewed the incidental findings. The cancer survivors had completed chemotherapy on average 21 years before. Of the 191 subjects, 2.6% had an aneurysm and 3.7% had a meningioma. The prevalence of meningiomas and aneurysms was not different between the groups. The prevalence of pituitary macro adenomas in the breast cancer survivors (1.6%) was higher than that in the reference group (0.1%) (OR=23.7; 95% CI 2.3-245.8). Contrary to commonly held opinions, we did not observe an increased prevalence of meningiomas in cancer survivors. Breast cancer survivors previously treated with chemotherapy are more likely to develop pituitary adenomas than persons without a history of cancer and chemotherapy treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer and the LGBTQ Population: Quantitative and Qualitative Results from an Oncology Providers' Survey on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamargo, Christina L; Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Sanchez, Julian A; Schabath, Matthew B

2017-10-07

Despite growing social acceptance, the LGBTQ population continues to face barriers to healthcare including fear of stigmatization by healthcare providers, and providers' lack of knowledge about LGBTQ-specific health issues. This analysis focuses on the assessment of quantitative and qualitative responses from a subset of providers who identified as specialists that treat one or more of the seven cancers that may be disproportionate in LGBTQ patients. A 32-item web-based survey was emailed to 388 oncology providers at a single institution. The survey assessed: demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors. Oncology providers specializing in seven cancer types had poor knowledge of LGBTQ-specific health needs, with fewer than half of the surveyed providers (49.5%) correctly answering knowledge questions. Most providers had overall positive attitudes toward LGBTQ patients, with 91.7% agreeing they would be comfortable treating this population, and would support education and/or training on LGBTQ-related cancer health issues. Results suggest that despite generally positive attitudes toward the LGBTQ population, oncology providers who treat cancer types most prevalent among the population, lack knowledge of their unique health issues. Knowledge and practice behaviors may improve with enhanced education and training on this population's specific needs.

Aquatic insect populations in the MUDA rice agroecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozilah Ismail; Ahyaudin Ali

2002-01-01

Periodic sampling of aquatic insects was carried out in an experimental plot of the Muda rice agroecosystem. The study which was conducted from August to December 1995, investigated the impact of the pesticides Broadox and Trebon on aquatic insect populations during the rice growing period. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in abundance and diversity of aquatic insects between the treated and non-treated area. The four dominant aquatic insects were from the families; Chironomidae, Dysticidae, Corixidae and Belostomatidae. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen showed changes throughout the rice growing season and the values of these parameters decreased gradually towards the end of the rice growing season in January when the rice plants were maturing. (Author)

Growth hormone deficiency in treated acromegaly and active Cushing's syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Formenti, Anna Maria; Maffezzoni, Filippo; Doga, Mauro; Mazziotti, Gherardo; Giustina, Andrea

2017-02-01

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in adults is characterized by reduced quality of life and physical fitness, skeletal fragility, increased weight and cardiovascular risk. It may be found in (over-) treated acromegaly as well as in active Cushing's syndrome. Hypopituitarism may develop in patients after definitive treatment of acromegaly, although the exact prevalence of GHD in this population is still uncertain because of limited awareness, and scarce and conflicting data so far available. Because GHD associated with acromegaly and Cushing's syndrome may yield adverse consequences on similar target systems, the final outcomes of some complications of both acromegaly and Cushing's syndrome may be further affected by the occurrence of GHD. It is still largely unknown, however, whether GHD in patients with post-acromegaly or active Cushing's syndrome (e.g. pharmacologic glucocorticoid treatment) may benefit from GH replacement. We review the diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of GHD in adults treated for acromegaly and in those with active Cushing's syndrome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of hormone replacement therapy on bone quality in early postmenopausal women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paschalis, E P; Boskey, A L; Kassem, M

2003-01-01

HRT is an effective prophylaxis against postmenopausal bone loss. Infrared imaging of paired iliac crest biopsies obtained at baseline and after 2 years of HRT therapy demonstrate an effect on the mineral crystallinity and collagen cross-links that may affect bone quality. Several studies have de...

EFFICACY OF PELVIC FLOOR THERAPY IN TREATING URINARY INCONTINENCE AMONG FEMALE COPD PATIENTS

OpenAIRE

Mohankumar Thekkinkattil; T. S. Muthukumar; R. Monisha

2016-01-01

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The major manifestation of COPD includes dyspnea, decreased oxygenation and reduced exercise tolerance. The other manifestations such as urinary incontinence are less noted and treated inadequately. The prevalence of urinary incontinence in Indian COPD population has not been well documented. The treatment of urinary incontinence includes pelvic floor exercises (Kegel’s exercises)...

Spillover Effects of Drug Safety Warnings on Preventive Health Care Use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daysal, N. Meltem; Orsini, Chiara

2015-01-01

We examine how new medical information on drug safety impacts preventive health care use. We exploit the release of the findings of the Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHIS) – the largest randomized controlled trial of women’s health – which demonstrated in 2002 the health risks associated...... with the long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We first show that, after the release of the WHIS findings, HRT use dropped sharply among post-menopausal women. We then estimate the spillover effects of the WHIS findings on preventive care by means of a difference-in-differences methodology...... comparing changes in preventive care use among 60 to 69 year-old women (who have high rates of HRT use) with the change among women aged 75 and above (who have much lower rates of HRT use). Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the period 1998–2007, we find that women aged 60...

Controversies in hormone replacement therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Baziad

2001-09-01

Full Text Available Deficiency of estrogen hormone will result in either long-term or short-term health problems which may reduce the quality of life. There are numerous methods by which the quality of female life can be achieved. Since the problems occuring are due to the deficiency of estrogen hormone, the appropriate method to tackle the problem is by administration of estrogen hormone. The administration of hormone replacement therapy (HRT with estrogen may eliminate climacteric complaints, prevent osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, dementia, and colon cancer. Although HRT has a great deal of advantage, its use is still low and may result in controversies. These controversies are due to fact that both doctor and patient still hold on to the old, outmoded views which are not supported by numerous studies. Currently, the use of HRT is not only based on experience, or temporary observation, but more on evidence based medicine. (Med J Indones 2001; 10: 182-6Keywords: controversies, HRT

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM: A new choice for postmenopausal women and physicians who worry on cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Baziad

2001-09-01

Full Text Available The postmenopausal state is characterized by the cessation of menstruation, loss of ovarian function, and a dramatic decrease in the level of circulating estrogen. This state of estrogen deficiency contributes to the acceleration of several age-related health problems in women, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and dementia. Estrogen replacement is clearly effective in the short-term and long-term treatment and prevention of postmenopausal symptoms. However, until now, the amount of HRT user is still very low. Fear of breast cancer and endometrial cancer are the most common concern in using hormone replacement therapy (HRT, although the relationship between long-term HRT and breast cancer remains controversial. For physicians or patients, who worry on cancer, the ideal drug is now available i.e. the selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM, with the generic name raloxifine. (Med J Indones 2001; 10: 187-90Keywords: HRT, raloxifine, osteoporosis, CVD, tamoxifen

Reduction of the hydraulic retention time at constant high organic loading rate to reach the microbial limits of anaerobic digestion in various reactor systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziganshin, Ayrat M; Schmidt, Thomas; Lv, Zuopeng; Liebetrau, Jan; Richnow, Hans Hermann; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell

2016-10-01

The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) reduction at constant high organic loading rate on the activity of hydrogen-producing bacteria and methanogens were investigated in reactors digesting thin stillage. Stable isotope fingerprinting was additionally applied to assess methanogenic pathways. Based on hydA gene transcripts, Clostridiales was the most active hydrogen-producing order in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), fixed-bed reactor (FBR) and anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR), but shorter HRT stimulated the activity of Spirochaetales. Further decreasing HRT diminished Spirochaetales activity in systems with biomass retention. Based on mcrA gene transcripts, Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina were the predominantly active in CSTR and ASBR, whereas Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum activity was more significant in stably performing FBR. Isotope values indicated the predominance of aceticlastic pathway in FBR. Interestingly, an increased activity of Methanosaeta was observed during shortening HRT in CSTR and ASBR despite high organic acids concentrations, what was supported by stable isotope data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Habit reversal training and educational group treatments for children with tourette syndrome: A preliminary randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, Rachel; Edwards, Katie; King, John; Luzon, Olga; Evangeli, Michael; Stark, Daniel; McFarlane, Fiona; Heyman, Isobel; İnce, Başak; Kodric, Jana; Murphy, Tara

2016-05-01

Quality of life of children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) is impacted greatly by its symptoms and their social consequences. Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is effective but has not, until now, been empirically evaluated in groups. This randomised controlled trial evaluated feasibility and preliminary efficacy of eight HRT group sessions compared to eight Education group sessions. Thirty-three children aged 9-13 years with TS or Chronic Tic Disorder took part. Outcomes evaluated were tic severity and quality of life (QoL). Tic severity improvements were found in both groups. Motor tic severity (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale) showed greatest improvements in the HRT group. Both groups showed a strong tendency toward improvements in patient reported QoL. In conclusion, group-based treatments for TS are feasible and exposure to other children with tics did not increase tic expression. HRT led to greater reductions in tic severity than Education. Implications, such as cost-effectiveness of treatment delivery, are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Aureobasidium melanogenum: a native of dark biofinishes on oil treated wood.

Science.gov (United States)

van Nieuwenhuijzen, Elke J; Houbraken, Jos A M P; Meijer, Martin; Adan, Olaf C G; Samson, Robert A

2016-05-01

The genus Aureobasidium, which is known as a wood staining mould, has been detected on oil treated woods in the specific stain formation called biofinish. This biofinish is used to develop a new protective, self-healing and decorative biotreatment for wood. In order to understand and control biofinish formation on oil treated wood, the occurrence of different Aureobasidium species on various wood surfaces was studied. Phenotypic variability within Aureobasidium strains presented limitations of morphological identification of Aureobasidium species. PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of ITS and RPB2 were used to identify the culturable Aureobasidium species composition in mould stained wood surfaces with and without a biofinish. The analysed isolates showed that several Aureobasidium species were present and that Aureobasidium melanogenum was predominantly detected, regardless of the presence of a biofinish and the type of substrate. A. melanogenum was detected on wood samples exposed in the Netherlands, Cameroon, South Africa, Australia and Norway. ITS-specific PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing of DNA extracted from biofinish samples confirmed results of the culturing based method: A. melanogenum is predominant within the Aureobasidium population of biofinishes on pine sapwood treated with raw linseed oil and the outdoor placement in the Netherlands.

Dengue vector management using insecticide treated materials and targeted interventions on productive breeding-sites in Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzo, Nidia; Gramajo, Rodrigo; Escobar, Maria Cabrera; Arana, Byron; Kroeger, Axel; Manrique-Saide, Pablo; Petzold, Max

2012-10-30

In view of the epidemiological expansion of dengue worldwide and the availability of new tools and strategies particularly for controlling the primary dengue vector Aedes aegypti, an intervention study was set up to test the efficacy, cost and feasibility of a combined approach of insecticide treated materials (ITMs) alone and in combination with appropriate targeted interventions of the most productive vector breeding-sites. The study was conducted as a cluster randomized community trial using "reduction of the vector population" as the main outcome variable. The trial had two arms: 10 intervention clusters (neighborhoods) and 10 control clusters in the town of Poptun Guatemala. Activities included entomological assessments (characteristics of breeding-sites, pupal productivity, Stegomyia indices) at baseline, 6 weeks after the first intervention (coverage of window and exterior doorways made of PermaNet 2.0 netting, factory treated with deltamethrin at 55 mg/m2, and of 200 L drums with similar treated material) and 6 weeks after the second intervention (combination of treated materials and other suitable interventions targeting productive breeding-sites i.e larviciding with Temephos, elimination etc.). The second intervention took place 17 months after the first intervention. The insecticide residual activity and the insecticidal content were also studied at different intervals. Additionally, information about demographic characteristics, cost of the intervention, coverage of houses protected and satisfaction in the population with the interventions was collected. At baseline (during the dry season) a variety of productive container types for Aedes pupae were identified: various container types holding >20 L, 200 L drums, washbasins and buckets (producing 83.7% of all pupae). After covering 100% of windows and exterior doorways and a small number of drums (where the commercial cover could be fixed) in 970 study households, tropical rains occurred in the area and

Survival of Root-filled Teeth in the Swedish Adult Population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fransson, Helena; Dawson, Victoria S; Frisk, Fredrik

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to assess survival in the Swedish population of teeth treated by nonsurgical root canal treatment during 2009. METHODS: Data from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis to assess cumulative tooth survival during a period of 5-6 years o...

The natural history of cystic echinococcosis in untreated and albendazole-treated patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, N; Kachani, M; Zeyhle, E; Macpherson, C N L

2017-07-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) treatment protocols for cystic echinococcosis (CE) are based on the standardized ultrasound (US) classification. This study examined whether the classification reflected the natural history of CE in untreated and albendazole-treated patients. Data were collected during mass US screenings in CE endemic regions among transhumant populations, the Turkana and Berber peoples of Kenya and Morocco. Cysts were classified using the WHO classification. Patient records occurring prior to treatment, and after albendazole administration, were selected. 852 paired before/after observations of 360 cysts from 257 patients were analyzed. A McNemar-Bowker χ 2 test for symmetry was significant (palbendazole-treated patients was significant (palbendazole-induced changes. Regressions may reflect the stability of CE3B cysts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Forearm diaphyseal fractures in the adolescent population: treatment and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Truntzer, Jeremy; Vopat, Matthew L; Kane, Patrick M; Christino, Melissa A; Katarincic, Julia; Vopat, Bryan G

2015-02-01

Pediatric both-bone diaphyseal forearm fractures are commonly treated in a variety of clinical settings. Most often, closed reduction followed by immobilization leads to satisfactory results. However, in the adolescent population (10-16 years of age), forearm fractures are more challenging due to less remodeling potential. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the anatomy, biomechanics, and treatment options relevant to adolescent patients. A systematic review of peer-reviewed publications and abstracts related to the treatment for pediatric both-bone diaphyseal forearm fractures in adolescents was carried out. Forearm fractures in the pediatric population are most common following indirect blows to the forearm. When treating these fractures using closed reduction, it is important to recognize the muscular attachments of the forearm. In roughly 70-90% of cases, closed reduction leads to adequate alignment. In all cases, return to function is the primary goal; however, exact alignment parameters remain controversial. In the adolescent population, surgical treatment has risen substantially in the last few decades. Intramedullary nailing and open reduction using plate fixation are the two most common operative techniques. Unfortunately, recent results have shown that nonunion, malunion, and overall complication rates are higher in older pediatric patients. Moreover, no consensus exists regarding one technique over another. Both-bone diaphyseal fractures in the adolescent population present unique challenges regarding optimal treatment, especially when considering surgical intervention. Further research is necessary to better understand indications for specific surgical treatment.

Valorisation of used cooking oil sludge by codigestion with swine manure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fierro, J.; Martínez, E.J.; Morán, A.; Gómez, X., E-mail: xagomb@unileon.es

2014-08-15

Highlights: • Anaerobic codigestion of UCO sludge and swine manure was successful at 50 d HRT. • VFA build-up was present during the reactor start-up but were reduced after 50 d. • CH{sub 4} yield was 326 l/kg VS{sub feed}, decreasing HRT to 30 d resulted in poor performance. • Digestate at 50 d HRT was unstable although the load applied to the reactor was low. - Abstract: The addition of lipid wastes to the digestion of swine manure was studied as a means of increasing biogas production. Lipid waste was obtained from a biodiesel plant where used cooking oil is the feedstock. Digestion of this co-substrate was proposed as a way of valorising residual streams from the process of biodiesel production and to integrate the digestion process into the biorefinery concept. Batch digestion tests were performed at different co-digesting proportions obtaining as a result an increase in biogas production with the increase in the amount of co-substrate added to the mixture. Semi-continuous digestion was studied at a 7% (w/w) mass fraction of total solids. Co-digestion was successful at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d but a decrease to 30 d resulted in a decrease in specific gas production and accumulation of volatile and long chain fatty acids. The CH{sub 4} yield obtained was 326 ± 46 l/kg VS{sub feed} at an HRT of 50 d, while this value was reduced to 274 ± 43 l/kg VS{sub feed} when evaluated at an HRT of 30 d. However these values were higher than the one obtained under batch conditions (266 ± 40 l/kg VS{sub feed}), thus indicating the need of acclimation to the co-substrate. Despite of operating at low organic loading rate (OLR), measurements from respirometry assays of digestate samples (at an HRT of 50 d) suggested that the effluent could not be directly applied to the soil as fertiliser and might have a negative effect over soil or crops.

Valorisation of used cooking oil sludge by codigestion with swine manure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fierro, J.; Martínez, E.J.; Morán, A.; Gómez, X.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Anaerobic codigestion of UCO sludge and swine manure was successful at 50 d HRT. • VFA build-up was present during the reactor start-up but were reduced after 50 d. • CH 4 yield was 326 l/kg VS feed , decreasing HRT to 30 d resulted in poor performance. • Digestate at 50 d HRT was unstable although the load applied to the reactor was low. - Abstract: The addition of lipid wastes to the digestion of swine manure was studied as a means of increasing biogas production. Lipid waste was obtained from a biodiesel plant where used cooking oil is the feedstock. Digestion of this co-substrate was proposed as a way of valorising residual streams from the process of biodiesel production and to integrate the digestion process into the biorefinery concept. Batch digestion tests were performed at different co-digesting proportions obtaining as a result an increase in biogas production with the increase in the amount of co-substrate added to the mixture. Semi-continuous digestion was studied at a 7% (w/w) mass fraction of total solids. Co-digestion was successful at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d but a decrease to 30 d resulted in a decrease in specific gas production and accumulation of volatile and long chain fatty acids. The CH 4 yield obtained was 326 ± 46 l/kg VS feed at an HRT of 50 d, while this value was reduced to 274 ± 43 l/kg VS feed when evaluated at an HRT of 30 d. However these values were higher than the one obtained under batch conditions (266 ± 40 l/kg VS feed ), thus indicating the need of acclimation to the co-substrate. Despite of operating at low organic loading rate (OLR), measurements from respirometry assays of digestate samples (at an HRT of 50 d) suggested that the effluent could not be directly applied to the soil as fertiliser and might have a negative effect over soil or crops

Differences in treatment patterns among patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer treated by oncologists versus urologists in a US managed care population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel-Nitz, Nicole M; Alemayehu, Berhanu; Parry, David; Nathan, Faith

2011-01-01

Differences in treatment patterns, health care resource utilization, and costs between patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treated by oncologists and those treated by urologists were examined. Patients aged ≥40 with CRPC were identified using claims from a large US managed health care plan between July 2001 and December 2007. A 6-month baseline period was used to assess patient characteristics. Patients with visits to an urologist, without visits to an oncologist, were assigned to the urology cohort, and patients with visits to an oncologist, with or without visits to an urologist, were assigned to the oncology cohort. Treatment patterns, health care resource utilization, and costs during a variable follow-up period were compared between cohorts using descriptive statistics and Lin’s regression. The urology cohort had fewer comorbid illnesses (P < 0.001) and patients were less likely to have other cancers during baseline (P < 0.001) or to die during follow-up (P = 0.004) compared with the oncology cohort. The oncology cohort patients were significantly more likely to have a claim for hormones (74.5% vs 61.1%; P < 0.001), chemotherapy (46.9% vs 10.2%, P < 0.001), and radiation (22.3% vs 3.7%, P < 0.0001) over follow-up. Mean unadjusted health care costs were higher in the oncology vs the urology cohort (US$31,896 vs US$15,318, respectively; P < 0.001). At 6 years follow-up, cumulative adjusted CRPC-specific costs were significantly higher among patients treated by oncologists with chemotherapy than among patients treated by urologists. CRPC patients treated by oncologists had greater use of hormones, chemotherapy, and radiation; higher percentages of patients with inpatient stays, emergency room, and ambulatory visits; and higher health care costs, than patients treated by urologists

Spontaneous Abortion, Stillbirth and Hyperthyroidism: A Danish Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Stine Linding; Olsen, Jørn; Wu, Chun Sen; Laurberg, Peter

2014-01-01

Objectives Pregnancy loss in women suffering from hyperthyroidism has been described in case reports, but the risk of pregnancy loss caused by maternal hyperthyroidism in a population is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between maternal hyperthyroidism and pregnancy loss in a population-based cohort study. Study Design All pregnancies in Denmark from 1997 to 2008 leading to hospital visits (n = 1,062,862) were identified in nationwide registers together with information on maternal hyperthyroidism for up to 2 years after the pregnancy [hospital diagnosis/prescription of antithyroid drug (ATD)]. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for spontaneous abortion (gestational age hyperthyroidism was diagnosed before/during the pregnancy (n = 5,229), spontaneous abortion occurred more often both in women treated before the pregnancy alone [aHR 1.28 (95% CI 1.18-1.40)] and in women treated with ATD in early pregnancy [1.18 (1.07-1.31)]. When maternal hyperthyroidism was diagnosed and treated for the first time in the 2-year period after the pregnancy (n = 2,361), there was a high risk that the pregnancy under study had terminated with a stillbirth [2.12 (1.30-3.47)]. Conclusions Both early (spontaneous abortion) and late (stillbirth) pregnancy loss were more common in women suffering from hyperthyroidism. Inadequately treated hyperthyroidism in early pregnancy may have been involved in spontaneous abortion, and undetected high maternal thyroid hormone levels present in late pregnancy may have attributed to an increased risk of stillbirth. PMID:25538898

Low ERCC1 expression in malignant pleural mesotheliomas treated with cisplatin and vinorelbine predicts prolonged progression-free survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zimling, Zarah Glad; Sørensen, Jens Benn; Gerds, Thomas Alexander

2012-01-01

The relationship between excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) expression and outcome, in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), treated with cisplatin/vinorelbine combination-therapy, was retrospectively evaluated in a patient population from a previously published...

Comments to a polar bear population model

OpenAIRE

Øritsland, Nils Are

1985-01-01

Larsen, T. & Ugland, K. I. (Polar Research 2 n.s., 117-118) note correctly that a Leslie matrix model treats cubs and females as independent units which is not the case for polar bears. Population projections using the Leslie model with hunting mortalities added are instructive first approximations in evaluations of field data, however, and are recommended as exercises also for polar bear biologists. An APL programme for such projections is available.

Effect of post-digestion temperature on serial CSTR biogas reactor performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boe, Kanokwan; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Trably, Eric

2009-01-01

The effect of post-digestion temperature on a lab-scale serial continuous-flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system performance was investigated. The system consisted of a main reactor operated at 55 degrees C with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15 days followed by post-digestion reactors with HRT...

Flexible Scheduling by Deadline Inheritance in Soft Real Time Kernels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, P.G.; Wygerink, Emiel

1996-01-01

Current Hard Real Time (HRT) kernels have their timely behaviour guaranteed on the cost of a rather restrictive use of the available resources. This makes HRT scheduling techniques inadequate for use in Soft Real Time (SRT) environment where we can make a considerable profit by a better and more

Behavior Therapy for Tics via Videoconference Delivery: An Initial Pilot Test in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Himle, Michael B.; Olufs, Erin; Himle, Joseph; Tucker, Benjamin T. P.; Woods, Douglas W.

2010-01-01

Habit reversal training (HRT) has been proven effective for reducing tics in children with Tourette's syndrome (TS). However, the availability of the intervention is limited. Videoconference technology represents a promising mode through which HRT may be disseminated to underserved areas. Using a multiple-baseline across participants design, the…

Flexible Scheduling in Multimedia Kernels: An Overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, P.G.; Scholten, Johan; Laan, Rene; Chow, W.S.

1999-01-01

Current Hard Real-Time (HRT) kernels have their timely behaviour guaranteed on the cost of a rather restrictive use of the available resources. This makes current HRT scheduling techniques inadequate for use in a multimedia environment where we can make a considerable profit by a better and more

UASB reactor startup for the treatment of municipal wastewater followed by advanced oxidation process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. A. Bhatti

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present study was done to shorten the start-up time of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB reactor. Two different nutrients were used during the UASB start-up period, which was designed to decrease the hydraulic retention time (HRT from 48 to 24 and 12 to 6 hrs at average temperatures of 25-34 ºC. In the first stage, start-up was with glucose for 14 days and then the reactor was also fed with macro- and micronutrients as a synthetic nutrient influent (SNI from 15 to 45 days as the second stage. For the control, a second reactor was kept on glucose feeding from day 1 to 45. The removal efficiencies of the chemical oxygen demand (COD were 80% and 98% on the 6th and 32nd day of the first and second stage, respectively. The maximum substrate removal rate of 0.08 mg COD mg-1 VSS d-1 was observed for glucose and synthetic nutrient influent (SNI on the 8th and 40th days, respectively. When the reactor reached the maximum COD removal efficiency it was then shifted to municipal wastewater (MWW mixed with industrial wastewater. The HRT was reduced gradually with a one week gap while treating MWW. For further cleaning, the UASB effluent was treated with 40% waste hydrogen peroxide. The whole integrated treatment process was successful to reduce the COD by 99%, total suspended solids (TSS by 73%, total nitrogen (TN by 84% and turbidity by 67%.

Treatment persistence & health care costs of adult MDD patients treated with escitalopram vs. citalopram in a medicaid population.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Eric Q; Ben-Hamadi, Rym; Lu, Mei; Beaulieu, Nicolas; Yu, Andrew P; Erder, M Haim

2012-01-01

Compare treatment persistence and health care costs of major depressive disorder (MDD) Medicaid patients treated with escitalopram versus citalopram. Retrospective analysis of Medicaid administrative claims data. Analyzed administrative claims data from the Florida Medicaid program (07/2002-06/2006) for patients ages 18-64 years with 21 inpatient claim or 2 independent medical claims for MDD. Outcomes included discontinuation and switching rates and prescription drug, medical, and total health care costs, all-cause and related to mental disorder. Contingency table analysis and survival analysis were used to compare outcomes between treatment groups, using both unadjusted analysis and multivariate analysis adjusting for baseline characteristics. The study included 2,650 patients initiated on escitalopram and 630 patients initiated on citalopram. Patients treated with escitalopram were less likely to discontinue the index drug (63.7% vs. 68.9%, P=0.015) or to switch to another second-generation antidepressant (14.9% vs. 18.4%, P=0.029) over the six months post-index date. Patients treated with escitalopram had $1,014 lower total health care costs (P=0.032) and $519 lower health care costs related to mental disorder (P=0.023). More than half of the total cost difference was attributable to savings in inpatient hospitalizations related to mental disorder ($571, P=0.003) and to outpatient costs ($53, PEscitalopram therapy was also associated with $736 lower medical costs related to mental disorder (P=0.009). In the Florida Medicaid program, compared to adult MDD patients initiated on citalopram, escitalopram patients have better treatment persistence and lower total health care costs due to any cause and due to mental disorder, mostly driven by lower hospitalization costs related to mental disorder.

Bioelectricity generation from coconut husk retting wastewater in fed batch operating microbial fuel cell by phenol degrading microorganism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayashree, C.; Arulazhagan, P.; Adish Kumar, S.; Kaliappan, S.; Yeom, Ick Tae; Rajesh Banu, J.

2014-01-01

Dual chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) operated at fed batch mode for the treatment of retting wastewater has potently achieved both current generation and phenol removal. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the reactor was varied from 40 days to 10 days. COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal was 91% at 40 days HRT, with an initial COD concentration of 530 ± 50 g m −3 . Retting wastewater with an initial phenol concentration of 320 ± 60 g m −3 procured a highest phenol removal of 93% at 40 days HRT of the microbial fuel cell. Maximum power density of 362 mW m −2 was achieved using retting wastewater at HRT of 20 days with an internal resistance of 150 Ω in a dual chambered MFC. The bacterial strains in anode region, reported to be responsible for potential phenol removal, were identified as Ochrobactrum sp. RA1 (KJ408266), Ochrobactrum sp. RA2 (KJ408267) and Pesudomonas aeruginosa RA3 (KJ408268) using phylogenetic analysis. The study reveals that, dual chambered MFC effectively removed the phenol from retting wastewater along with power generation. - Highlights: • Maximum power density of 362 mW m −2 (150 Ω) was achieved at HRT of 20 days. • 91% COD removal and 93% phenol removal was observed at HRT of 40 days. • 25% coulombic efficiency was achieved in treatment of retting wastewater with MFC. • Phylogenetic analysis detect phenol degrading Ochrobactrum sp.RA1 in anode biofilm. • In addition, Ochrobactrum sp.RA2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa RA3 were also isolated

Hormone replacement therapy is associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a retrospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Close Helen

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Oestrogen and progestogen have the potential to influence gastro-intestinal motility; both are key components of hormone replacement therapy (HRT. Results of observational studies in women taking HRT rely on self-reporting of gastro-oesophageal symptoms and the aetiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD remains unclear. This study investigated the association between HRT and GORD in menopausal women using validated general practice records. Methods 51,182 menopausal women were identified using the UK General Practice Research Database between 1995–2004. Of these, 8,831 were matched with and without hormone use. Odds ratios (ORs were calculated for GORD and proton-pump inhibitor (PPI use in hormone and non-hormone users, adjusting for age, co-morbidities, and co-pharmacy. Results In unadjusted analysis, all forms of hormone use (oestrogen-only, tibolone, combined HRT and progestogen were statistically significantly associated with GORD. In adjusted models, this association remained statistically significant for oestrogen-only treatment (OR 1.49; 1.18–1.89. Unadjusted analysis showed a statistically significant association between PPI use and oestrogen-only and combined HRT treatment. When adjusted for covariates, oestrogen-only treatment was significant (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–1.74. Findings from the adjusted model demonstrated the greater use of PPI by progestogen users (OR 1.50; 1.01–2.22. Conclusions This first large cohort study of the association between GORD and HRT found a statistically significant association between oestrogen-only hormone and GORD and PPI use. This should be further investigated using prospective follow-up to validate the strength of association and describe its clinical significance.

Wood mouse and box turtle populations in an area treated annually with DDT for five years

Science.gov (United States)

Stickel, L.F.

1951-01-01

A 117-acre area of dense woodland on the Patuxent Research Refuge received an aerial application of DDT in oil at the rate of 2 pounds per acre gnnually for five years. DDT reached ground level in a much smaller amount (thousandths to hundredths of a pound per acre). Treatment was made during the first week of June of each year from 1945 through 1949. Field studies of the wood mouse population in DDT and check areas showed no significant differences in the two areas before and after the 1949 DDT treatment. There was no significant difference between trapping samples taken in DDT and check areas in 1945 and those taken in 1949. Field studies of the box turtles in DDT and check areas in 1945 and 1949 showed no significant difference in population size. Growth of the four young turtles taken in the DDT area in both 1945 and 1949 appeared to be normal in comparison with growth of check area turtles.

Patient-Facing Mobile Apps to Treat High-Need, High-Cost Populations: A Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Karandeep; Drouin, Kaitlin; Newmark, Lisa P; Filkins, Malina; Silvers, Elizabeth; Bain, Paul A; Zulman, Donna M; Lee, Jae-Ho; Rozenblum, Ronen; Pabo, Erika; Landman, Adam; Klinger, Elissa V; Bates, David W

2016-12-19

Self-management is essential to caring for high-need, high-cost (HNHC) populations. Advances in mobile phone technology coupled with increased availability and adoption of health-focused mobile apps have made self-management more achievable, but the extent and quality of the literature supporting their use is not well defined. The purpose of this review was to assess the breadth, quality, bias, and types of outcomes measured in the literature supporting the use of apps targeting HNHC populations. Data sources included articles in PubMed and MEDLINE (National Center for Biotechnology Information), EMBASE (Elsevier), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (EBSCO), Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), and the NTIS (National Technical Information Service) Bibliographic Database (EBSCO) published since 2008. We selected studies involving use of patient-facing iOS or Android mobile health apps. Extraction was performed by 1 reviewer; 40 randomly selected articles were evaluated by 2 reviewers to assess agreement. Our final analysis included 175 studies. The populations most commonly targeted by apps included patients with obesity, physical handicaps, diabetes, older age, and dementia. Only 30.3% (53/175) of the apps studied in the reviewed literature were identifiable and available to the public through app stores. Many of the studies were cross-sectional analyses (42.9%, 75/175), small (median number of participants=31, interquartile range 11.0-207.2, maximum 11,690), or performed by an app's developers (61.1%, 107/175). Of the 175 studies, only 36 (20.6%, 36/175) studies evaluated a clinical outcome. Most apps described in the literature could not be located on the iOS or Android app stores, and existing research does not robustly evaluate the potential of mobile apps. Whereas apps may be useful in patients with chronic conditions, data do not support this yet. Although we had 2-3 reviewers to screen and assess abstract eligibility, only 1 reviewer abstracted

The dynamics of acetic acid in the anaerobic treatment of abattoir sewage; Dinamica del acido acetico en la depuracion anaerobia de aguas residuales de mataderos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez Borges, E.; Acosta Viana, K. [Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan. Mexico (Mexico)

1999-05-01

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the production and consumption of acetic acid during the anaerobic treatment of sewage from a municipal abattoir. The experiment studied a 20-litre UASB reactor under three hydraulic retention time (HRT) conditions-4 days, 2.5 days and 1.6 days-measuring the acetic acid concentration in the reactor in fluent and effluent. The results obtained during the experiment with the three different HRTs are reported. The highest percentages of acetic acid removed ( an average of 44%) were obtained with an HRT of 4 days. The amount of acetic acid removed with and HRT of 2.5 days was 27%. (Author) 18 refs.

Biomethanation of banana peel and pineapple waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bardiya, N.; Somayaji, D.; Khanna, S. [Tata Energy Research Inst., New Delhi (India)

1997-10-01

Biomethanation of banana peel and pineapple wastes studied at various HRTs showed a higher rate of gas production at lower retention time. The lowest possible HRT for banana peel was 25 days, resulting in a maximum rate of gas production of 0.76 vol/vol/day with 36% substrate utilization, while pineapple-processing waste digesters could be operated at 10 days HRT, with a maximum rate of gas production of 0.93 vol/vol/day and 58% substrate utilization. For pineapple-processing waste lowering of retention time did not affect the methane content significantly; however, with banana peel an HRT below 25 days showed a drastic reduction in methane content. (author)

Análise de regressão logística na combinação de métodos propedêuticos no diagnóstico do glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Reichmann Fasolo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Estudar a habilidade diagnóstica do tomógrafo retiniano de Heidelberg (HRT II, GDx analisador de fibras nervosas (GDx, perimetria azul-amarelo (SWAP, tecnologia de frequência duplicada (FDT isoladamente e em conjunto no diagnóstico do glaucoma. MÉTODOS: Sessenta glaucomatosos e 60 pacientes normais foram submetidos a exames de HRT II, GDx, SWAP e FDT. HRT foi considerado alterado quando pelo menos uma região do anel neurorretiniano esteve fora dos limites da normalidade, conforme a análise de regressão de Moorfields. GDx alterado foi definido quando pelo menos um índice foi considerado pelo programa do equipamento como fora dos limites normais, excluindo-se o índice simetria, ou ainda quando no gráfico "the deviation from normal graph" apareceu um quadrante com significância abaixo de 5%. O FDT foi considerado anormal quando pelo menos uma região testada apresentou-se com defeito severo ou com a presença de dois defeitos moderados contíguos. Para o SWAP foram adotados os critérios de anormalidade propostos por Anderson. Análise de regressão logística foi realizada. RESULTADOS: Quando foram estudadas as tecnologias isoladamente, a análise de regressão logística apresentou melhores índices de razão das chances para glaucoma com exames positivos para o HRT (22,49, seguido pelo SWAP (21,71. FDT (3,97 e GDx (2,73. Quando se associaram exames positivos de diferentes tecnologias, as razões das chances aumentaram. Nos casos com exames de HRT, FDT e SWAP fora dos limites normais, a razão das chances foi de 252,6 e com HRT, SWAP e GDx alterados, 173,1. Quando associamos exames positivos de diferentes tecnologias, a razão das chances dos pacientes serem glaucomatosos aumentou consideravelmente, chegando a 689,7 com todos os exames fora dos limites normais, o que ocorreu em 26 pacientes deste estudo. CONCLUSÕES: A análise de regressão logística confirmou que a presença de exames alterados de HRT ou SWAP apresentam

Studying Intense Pulsed Light Method Along With Corticosteroid Injection in Treating Keloid Scars

OpenAIRE

Shamsi Meymandi, Simin; Rezazadeh, Azadeh; Ekhlasi, Ali

2014-01-01

Background: Results of various studies suggest that the hypertrophic and keloid scars are highly prevalent in the general population and are irritating both physically and mentally. Objective: Considering the variety of existing therapies, intense pulsed light (IPL) method along with corticosteroid injection was evaluated in treating these scars. Materials and Methods: 86 subjects were included in this clinical trial. Eight sessions of therapeutic intervention were done with IPL along with co...

To Treat or to Prevent?: Reducing the Population Burden of Violence-related Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerdá, Magdalena; Tracy, Melissa; Keyes, Katherine M; Galea, Sandro

2015-09-01

Violence-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorder in urban areas. However, the most effective allocation of resources into prevention and treatment to reduce this problem is unknown. We contrasted the impact of two interventions on violence-related PTSD: (1) a population-level intervention intended to prevent violence (i.e., hot-spot policing), and (2) an individual-level intervention intended to shorten PTSD duration (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy-CBT). We used agent-based modeling to simulate violence and PTSD in New York City under four scenarios: (1) no intervention, (2) targeted policing to hot spots of violence, (3) increased access to CBT for people who suffered from violence-related PTSD, and (4) a combination of the two interventions. Combined prevention and treatment produced the largest decrease in violence-related PTSD prevalence: hot-spot policing plus a 50% increase in CBT for 5 years reduced the annual prevalence of violence-related PTSD from 3.6% (95% confidence interval = 3.5%, 3.6%) to 3.4% (3.3%, 3.5%). It would have been necessary to implement hot-spot policing or to increase CBT by 200% for 10 years for either intervention to achieve the same reduction in isolation. This study provides an empirically informed demonstration that investment in combined strategies that target social determinants of mental illness and provide evidence-based treatment to those affected by psychiatric disorders can produce larger reductions in the population burden from violence-related PTSD than either preventive or treatment interventions alone. However, neither hot-spot policing nor CBT, alone or combined, will produce large shifts in the population prevalence of violence-related PTSD.

A rangewide population genetic study of trumpeter swans

Science.gov (United States)

Oyler-McCance, S.J.; Ransler, F.A.; Berkman, L.K.; Quinn, T.W.

2007-01-01

For management purposes, the range of naturally occurring trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) has been divided into two populations, the Pacific Coast Population (PP) and the Rocky Mountain Population (RMP). Little is known about the distribution of genetic variation across the species' range despite increasing pressure to make difficult management decisions regarding the two populations and flocks within them. To address this issue, we used rapidly evolving genetic markers (mitochondrial DNA sequence and 17 nuclear microsatellite loci) to elucidate the underlying genetic structure of the species. Data from both markers revealed a significant difference between the PP and RMP with the Yukon Territory as a likely area of overlap. Additionally, we found that the two populations have somewhat similar levels of genetic diversity (PP is slightly higher) suggesting that the PP underwent a population bottleneck similar to a well-documented one in the RMP. Both genetic structure and diversity results reveal that the Tri-State flock, a suspected unique, non-migratory flock, is not genetically different from the Canadian flock of the RMP and need not be treated as a unique population from a genetic standpoint. Finally, trumpeter swans appear to have much lower mitochondrial DNA variability than other waterfowl studied thus far which may suggest a previous, species-wide bottleneck. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Body image disturbance in adults treated for cancer - a concept analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhoten, Bethany A

2016-05-01

To report an analysis of the concept of body image disturbance in adults who have been treated for cancer as a phenomenon of interest to nurses. Although the concept of body image disturbance has been clearly defined in adolescents and adults with eating disorders, adults who have been treated for cancer may also experience body image disturbance. In this context, the concept of body image disturbance has not been clearly defined. Concept analysis. PubMed, Psychological Information Database and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched for publications from 1937 - 2015. Search terms included body image, cancer, body image disturbance, adult and concept analysis. Walker and Avant's 8-step method of concept analysis was used. The defining attributes of body image disturbance in adults who have been treated for cancer are: (1) self-perception of a change in appearance and displeasure with the change or perceived change in appearance; (2) decline in an area of function; and (3) psychological distress regarding changes in appearance and/or function. This concept analysis provides a foundation for the development of multidimensional assessment tools and interventions to alleviate body image disturbance in this population. A better understanding of body image disturbance in adults treated for cancer will assist nurses and other clinicians in identifying this phenomenon and nurse scientists in developing instruments that accurately measure this condition, along with interventions that will promote a better quality of life for survivors. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Heart rate turbulence and variability in patients with ventricular arrhythmias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Tarricone

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Background: To evaluate the changes in autonomic neural control mechanisms before malignant ventricular arrhythmias, we measured heart rate variability (HRV and heart rate turbulence (HRT in patients with ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (Group I; n=6, non sustained ventricular tachycardia (Group II; n=32, frequent premature ventricular beats (Group III; n=26 and with ICD implantation (Group IV; n=11. Methods: Time domain parameters of HRV and turbulence onset (TO and slope (TS were calculated on 24 hour Holter recordings. Normal values were: SDNN > 70 msec for HRV, TO <0% and TS >2.5 msec/RR-I for HRT. Results: Whereas SDNN was within normal range and similar in all study groups, HRT parameters were significantly different in patients who experienced VT/VF during Holter recording. Abnormal TO and/or TS were present in 100% of Group I patients and only in about 50% of Group II and IV. On the contrary, normal HRT parameters were present in 40-70% of Group II, III and IV patients and none of Group I. Conclusions: These data suggest that HRT analysis is more suitable than HRV to detect those transient alterations in autonomic control mechanisms that are likely to play a major trigger role in the genesis of malignant cardiac arrhythmias. (Heart International 2007; 3: 51-7

Exploring bio-hydrogen-producing performance in three-phase fluidized bed bioreactors using different types of immobilized cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu-Yii Wu; Chi-Neng Lin; Yuan-Chang Shen; Shu-Yii Wu; Chiu-Yue Lin; Jo-Shu Chang

2006-01-01

In this study, the spherical activated carbon (AC) and silicone gel (SC) were used as the primary matrices to immobilize H 2 -producing activated sludge. The experiments were carried out in two different types of three-phase fluidized beds; namely, conventional fluidized bed reactor (FBR) and draft tube fluidized bed reactor (DTFBR). The solid volume of AC and SC immobilized cells was 10 vol.% for both FBR and DTFBR. Sucrose (at 20000 mg COD/l) was used as the carbon substrate for H 2 production. The H 2 -producing performance was examined at different hydraulic retention times (HRT = 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, and 0.5 h). The results show that the best volumetric H 2 production rate was 1.23 ± 0.08 l/h/l (HRT = 2 h) and 2.33 ± 0.22 l/h/l (HRT 0.5 h) for fluidized beds containing AC and SC immobilized cells, respectively. The highest H 2 yield was 3.37 mol H 2 /mol sucrose (HRT = 6 h) and 4.07 mol H 2 /mol sucrose (HRT = 4 h) for fluidized beds with AC and SC immobilized cells, respectively. The H 2 content in the biogas was stably maintained at 35% or higher for all the reactors, while the primary soluble metabolites in the cultures were acetic acid and butyric acid. (authors)

The effect of sleep apnea severity on cardiac autonomic activity during night time in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gulay Ozkececi

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Impaired autonomic cardiac function is an important consequence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA. This impairment is mainly due to intermittent hypoxia episodes following apneas. However, the impact of apnea severity on autonomic cardiac function remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the severity of sleep apnea and heart rate turbulence (HRT and heart rate variability (HRV in OSA. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational cross-sectional study conducted in the Departments of Cardiology and Pulmonary Diseases, Afyon Kocatepe University, Turkey. METHODS: 106 patients with OSA and 27 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Based on apnea hypopnea index (AHI values, obstructive sleep apnea severity was classified as follows: mild OSA (AHI ≥ 5 and 30. HRV and HRT parameters were assessed via 24-hour digital Holter electrocardiogram recordings for all subjects. RESULTS: HRV and HRT results were significantly lower among OSA patients than among control subjects (P < 0.05. However, there were no significant differences in HRT and HRV between the three patient subgroups. Correlations did emerge between AHI and the NN-interval parameter RMSSD and between oxygen desaturation and turbulence slope (respectively: r = -0.22, P = 0.037; and r = -0.28, P = 0.025. CONCLUSION: HRT and HRV results deteriorate in OSA. Correlations between apnea severity and these parameters seem to be present.

Optimization of petroleum refinery effluent treatment in a UASB reactor using response surface methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastegar, S.O.; Mousavi, S.M.; Shojaosadati, S.A.; Sheibani, S.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► A UASB was successfully used for treatment of petroleum refinery effluent. ► Response surface methodology was applied to design and analysis of experiments. ► System was modeled between efficient factors include HRT, influent COD and V up . ► UASB was able to remove about 76.3% influent COD at optimum conditions. - Abstract: An upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) bioreactor was successfully used for the treatment of petroleum refinery effluent. Before optimization, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was 81% at a constant organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.4 kg/m 3 d and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 48 h. The rate of biogas production was 559 mL/h at an HRT of 40 h and an influent COD of 1000 mg/L. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to predict the behaviors of influent COD, upflow velocity (V up ) and HRT in the bioreactor. RSM showed that the best models for COD removal and biogas production rate were the reduced quadratic and cubic models, respectively. The optimum region, identified based on two critical responses, was an influent COD of 630 mg/L, a V up of 0.27 m/h, and an HRT of 21.4 h. This resulted in a 76.3% COD removal efficiency and a 0.25 L biogas/L feed d biogas production rate.

Simultaneous biohydrogen production and starch wastewater treatment in an acidogenic expanded granular sludge bed reactor by mixed culture for long-term operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Wan-Qian; Ren, Nan-Qi; Liu, Bing-Feng; Ding, Jie [State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environ, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Chen, Zhao-Bo [School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Wang, Xiang-Jing; Xiang, Wen-Sheng [Research Center of Life Science and Biotechnology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030 (China)

2008-12-15

The biofilm-based expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor was developed to treat starch-containing wastewater and simultaneously recovery hydrogen by mixed microbial culture. Granular activated carbon (GAC) was used as the support media. Operating at the temperature of 30 C for over 400 days (data not shown), the EGSB reactor presented high efficiency in hydrogen production and COD removal ability. The maximum hydrogen production rate (HPR) was found to be 1.64 L/L.d under the organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.0 g-starch/L.d, pH of 4.42 and HRT of 4 h. The hydrogen yield (HY) peaked at 0.11 L/g-COD, under the OLR of 0.5 g-starch/L.d, pH of 3.95 and HRT of 8 h. Hydrogen volume content was estimated to be 35-65% of the total biogas. The average COD removal rate was 31.1% under the OLR of 0.125 g-starch/L.d and HRT of 24 h. The main dissolved fermentation products were ethanol, acetate and butyrate. The average attached biofilm concentration was estimated to be 8.26 g/L, which favored hydrogen production and COD removal. It is speculated that the low pH operation in the present system would contribute significantly to lower the cost of alkaline amount required for pH control in the continuous operation, especially in the scale-up biohydrogen producing system. A model, built on the back propagation neural network (BPNN) theory and linear regression techniques, was developed for the simulation of EGSB system performance in the biodegradation of starch synthesis-based wastewater and simultaneous hydrogen production. The model well fitted the laboratory data, and could well simulate the removal of COD and the production of hydrogen in the EGSB reactor. (author)

Pharmacotherapeutic approaches for treating psoriasis in difficult-to-treat areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivelevitch, Dario; Frieder, Jillian; Watson, Ian; Paek, So Yeon; Menter, M Alan

2018-04-01

Despite great therapeutic advancements in psoriasis, four notable difficult-to-treat areas including the scalp, nails, intertriginous (including genitals), and palmoplantar regions, pose a challenge to both physicians and patients. Localized disease of these specific body regions inflicts a significant burden on patients' quality of life and requires an adequate selection of treatments. Areas covered: This manuscript discusses appropriate therapies and important treatment considerations for these difficult-to-treat areas based on the available clinical data from the literature. Expert opinion: Clinical trials assessing therapies for the difficult-to-treat areas have been inadequate. With the first biological clinical trial for genital psoriasis pending publication, it is with hope that other biological agents will be evaluated for region-specific psoriasis. A greater understanding of the genetic and immunologic aspects of regional psoriasis, as well as identification of unique biomarkers, will further guide management decisions. For example, the recent discovery of the IL-36 receptor gene for generalized pustular psoriasis may prove valuable for other forms of psoriasis. Ultimately, identification of the most beneficial treatments for each psoriasis subtype and difficult-to-treat area will provide patients with maximal quality of life.

Dose-optimal vaccine allocation over multiple populations

OpenAIRE

Duijzer, Evelot; Jaarsveld, Willem; Wallinga, Jacco; Dekker, Rommert

2015-01-01

textabstractFor a large number of infectious diseases, vaccination is the most effective way to prevent an epidemic. However, the vaccine stockpile is hardly ever sufficient to treat the entire population, which brings about the challenge of vaccine allocation. To aid decision makers facing this challenge, we provide insights into the structure of this problem. We first investigate the dependence of health benefit on the fraction of people that receive vaccination, where we define health bene...

Abscopal Effects With Hypofractionated Schedules Extending Into the Effector Phase of the Tumor-Specific T-Cell Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuanwei; Niedermann, Gabriele

2018-05-01

Hypofractionated radiation therapy (hRT) combined with immune checkpoint blockade can induce T-cell-mediated local and abscopal antitumor effects. We had previously observed peak levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) between days 5 and 8 after hRT. Because TILs are regarded as radiosensitive, hRT schedules extending into this period might be less immunogenic, prompting us to compare clinically relevant, short and extended schedules with equivalent biologically effective doses combined with anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD1) antibody treatment. In mice bearing 2 B16-CD133 melanoma tumors, the primary tumor was irradiated with 3 × 9.18 Gy in 3 or 5 days or with 5 × 6.43 Gy in 10 days; an anti-PD1 antibody was given weekly. The mice were monitored for tumor growth and survival. T-cell responses were determined on days 8 and 15 of treatment. The role of regional lymph nodes was studied by administering FTY720, which blocks lymph node egress of activated T cells. Tumor growth measurements after combination treatment using short or extended hRT and control treatment were also performed in the wild-type B16 melanoma and 4T1 breast carcinoma models. In the B16-CD133 model, growth inhibition of irradiated primary and nonirradiated secondary tumors and overall survival were similar with all 3 hRT/anti-PD1 combinations, superior to hRT and anti-PD1 monotherapy, and was strongly dependent on CD8 + T cells. TIL infiltration and local and systemic tumor-specific CD8 + T-cell responses were also similar, regardless of whether short or extended hRT was used. Administration of FTY720 accelerated growth of both primary and secondary tumors, strongly reduced their TIL infiltration, and increased tumor-specific CD8 + T cells in the lymph nodes draining the irradiated tumor. In the 4T1 model, local and abscopal tumor control was also similar, regardless of whether short or extended hRT was used, although the synergy between hRT and anti-PD1 was weaker. No

Tricky Treats

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2008-08-04

The Eagle Books are a series of four books that are brought to life by wise animal characters - Mr. Eagle, Miss Rabbit, and Coyote - who engage Rain That Dances and his young friends in the joy of physical activity, eating healthy foods, and learning from their elders about health and diabetes prevention. Tricky Treats shows children the difference between healthy snacks and sweet treats.  Created: 8/4/2008 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 8/5/2008.

Impact of Heterogeneity in Sexual Behavior on Effectiveness in Reducing HIV Transmission with Test-and-Treat Strategy.

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Ganna Rozhnova

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The WHO's early-release guideline for antiretroviral treatment (ART of HIV infection based on a recent trial conducted in 34 countries recommends starting treatment immediately upon an HIV diagnosis. Therefore, the test-and-treat strategy may become more widely used in an effort to scale up HIV treatment and curb further transmission. Here we examine behavioural determinants of HIV transmission and how heterogeneity in sexual behaviour influences the outcomes of this strategy. Using a deterministic model, we perform a systematic investigation into the effects of various mixing patterns in a population of men who have sex with men (MSM, stratified by partner change rates, on the elimination threshold and endemic HIV prevalence. We find that both the level of overdispersion in the distribution of the number of sexual partners and mixing between population subgroups have a large influence on endemic prevalence before introduction of ART and on possible long term effectiveness of ART. Increasing heterogeneity in risk behavior may lead to lower endemic prevalence levels, but requires higher coverage levels of ART for elimination. Elimination is only feasible for populations with a rather low degree of assortativeness of mixing and requires treatment coverage of almost 80% if rates of testing and treatment uptake by all population subgroups are equal. In this case, for fully assortative mixing and 80% coverage endemic prevalence is reduced by 57%. In the presence of heterogeneity in ART uptake, elimination is easier to achieve when the subpopulation with highest risk behavior is tested and treated more often than the rest of the population, and vice versa when it is less. The developed framework can be used to extract information on behavioral heterogeneity from existing data which is otherwise hard to determine from population surveys.

Decreased proportions of indoor feeding and endophily in Anopheles gambiae s.l. populations following the indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated net interventions in Benin (West Africa).

Science.gov (United States)

Padonou, Gil Germain; Gbedjissi, Ghelus; Yadouleton, Anges; Azondekon, Roseric; Razack, Ossé; Oussou, Olivier; Gnanguenon, Virgile; Rock, Aikpon; Sezonlin, Michel; Akogbeto, Martin

2012-11-14

In many parts of Africa as in Benin, the main strategies of vector control are based on the scaling-up of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). The need to understand the biological implications of IRS in large scale and full coverage of LLITNs is paramount. It is in this context that the present study was conducted. It aims to evaluate the effect of a large scale IRS using a non-pyrethroid insecticide and full coverage of deltamethrin treated nets on the behavior of An. gambiae s.l. in the intervention areas compared to untreated areas used as controls. Mosquitoes were collected using human landing catches, pyrethrum spray catches and window exit traps to assess reduction of entry rate, endophily rate, endophagy rate and overall mortality rate in natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. before IRS and LLITNs intervention (2007) and after in 2008 and 2010. In the IRS arm, endophily rate was 67.13% before intervention and 4.5% after intervention, whereas in the control arm it was stable at 51.67% (P > 0 .05). In the LLITN arm endophily rates also decreased after intervention. After the IRS, no gravid mosquitoes were collected from all treated localities, but LLITN performance was not that spectacular. The proportion of mosquitoes biting indoors in the IRS arm decreased from 67.09% before intervention to 42.85% after intervention, compared to a low but significant decrease (71.31% to 57. 46%) in the LLITN arm.The use of vector control tools and behavior of the host would be the main factors that modify the behavior of taking a human blood meal observed on An. gambiae s.l. inside human dwellings. The impact on the behavior of An. gambiae s.l. observed with the bendiocarb used in IRS was highly effective compared with the free distribution of LLITNs in terms of mortality and the decrease of proportions of indoor feeding. Despite this efficacy, there is a need for complementary tools and research of alternative strategy

Decreased proportions of indoor feeding and endophily in Anopheles gambiae s.l. populations following the indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated net interventions in Benin (West Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padonou Gil

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In many parts of Africa as in Benin, the main strategies of vector control are based on the scaling-up of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs and indoor residual spraying (IRS. The need to understand the biological implications of IRS in large scale and full coverage of LLITNs is paramount. It is in this context that the present study was conducted. It aims to evaluate the effect of a large scale IRS using a non-pyrethroid insecticide and full coverage of deltamethrin treated nets on the behavior of An. gambiae s.l. in the intervention areas compared to untreated areas used as controls. Methods Mosquitoes were collected using human landing catches, pyrethrum spray catches and window exit traps to assess reduction of entry rate, endophily rate, endophagy rate and overall mortality rate in natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. before IRS and LLITNs intervention (2007 and after in 2008 and 2010. Results In the IRS arm, endophily rate was 67.13% before intervention and 4.5% after intervention, whereas in the control arm it was stable at 51.67% (P > 0 .05. In the LLITN arm endophily rates also decreased after intervention. After the IRS, no gravid mosquitoes were collected from all treated localities, but LLITN performance was not that spectacular. The proportion of mosquitoes biting indoors in the IRS arm decreased from 67.09% before intervention to 42.85% after intervention, compared to a low but significant decrease (71.31% to 57. 46% in the LLITN arm. The use of vector control tools and behavior of the host would be the main factors that modify the behavior of taking a human blood meal observed on An. gambiae s.l. inside human dwellings. Conclusion The impact on the behavior of An. gambiae s.l. observed with the bendiocarb used in IRS was highly effective compared with the free distribution of LLITNs in terms of mortality and the decrease of proportions of indoor feeding. Despite this efficacy, there is a need

Effect of radiotherapy on lymphocyte populations in lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gava, A.; Coghetto, F.; Marazzato, G.; Fantin, P.L.; Patrese, P.; Moro, L.; De Angeli, S.

1988-01-01

The authors report on the results of the immune monitoring of a study population of 31 patients with lung cancer who were treated with radiotherapy. Asynthetic thymic pentapeptide, Thymopentin, was employed-whose effect was evaluated on the immunological parameters analyzed. After radiotherapy, a considerable and homogeneous decrement was observed in several lymphocytic subset (less sensible in activated T-cells), together with a progressive decrement in the helper/suppressor ratio, in the long run. Monocytes and null cells showed more radioresistance. Thymopentin had no influence on the tested immunological parameters up tp 6 months after radiotherapy; later on, a slightly more balanced helper/suppressor ratio could be noticed in the surviving patients who had benn treated with Thymopentin

[Effects of radiotherapy on lymphocyte populations in lung cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Gava, A; Moro, L; De Angeli, S; Coghetto, F; Marazzato, G; Fantin, P; Patrese, P

1988-11-01

The authors report on the results of the immune monitoring of a study population of 31 patients with lung cancer who were treated with radiotherapy. A synthetic thymic pentapeptide, thymopentin, was employed whose effect was evaluated on the immunological parameters analyzed. After radiotherapy, a considerable and homogeneous decrement was observed in several lymphocytic subsets (less sensible in activated T-cells), together with a progressive decrement in the helper/suppressor ratio, in the long run. Monocytes and null cells showed more radioresistance. Thymopentin had no influence on the tested immunological parameters up to 6 months after radiotherapy; later on, a slightly more balanced helper/suppressor ratio could be noticed in the surviving patients who had been treated with thymopentin.

The effects of water potential on some microbial populations and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of water potential on some microbial populations and decrease kinetic of organic carbon in soil treated with cow manure under laboratory conditions. ... Fourth irrigation treatment was drying-rewetting cycle (D-W) between -0.3 to -15 bars. After 0, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 90 days of incubation, soils were sampled for ...

Characterization of Health Status of Diabetic Population in the Area 2, Cienfuegos

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Lister Garriga González

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: the most common site of infection among individuals hospitalized for diabetes is the foot; it is also a frequent cause of morbidity, mortality and disability. Objective: to characterize foot health of the diabetic population attending the podiatry consultation at the Health Area # 2 in Cienfuegos, from February to June 2013. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study on the diabetic foot was conducted from February to June 2013. The study population consisted of 243 diabetic patients treated at the podiatry consultation and the sample matched the study population. The main variables used of the study were: age, sex, at-risk diabetic foot and complicated diabetic foot, level of risk and podiatric disorders diagnosed. Results: female patients attend consultation more frequently than males, accounting for 68.32 % and the ≥ 51 age group is most affected, with 138 patients. Among the 243 patients treated, 10 have a complicated diabetic foot, representing the 4.11 %. The rest of the patients (233 were identified as having at-risk foot (95.89 %; most of the patients are grouped in the third level of risk that includes lack of sensation or neuropathy. Conclusions: the most frequent podiatric disorders in the study population are: uncomplicated hyperkeratosis (195 cases, onychomycosis (159 cases, complicated hyperkeratosis (69 cases, onychogryphosis (34 cases, onicocriptosis and subungual hematoma, with a lower frequency, accounting for 9 and 7 cases respectively.

UGT2B17 gene deletion associated with an increase in bone mineral density similar to the effect of hormone replacement in postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Giroux, S; Bussières, J; Bureau, A; Rousseau, F

2012-03-01

UGT2B17 is one of the most important enzymes for androgen metabolism. In addition, the UGT2B17 gene is one of the most commonly deleted regions of the human genome. The deletion was previously found associated with higher femoral bone density in men and women, and we replicated this association in a sample of postmenopausal who never used hormone therapy. Deletion of the UGT2B17 gene was previously shown to be associated with a higher hip bone mineral density (BMD). Using a PCR assay, we tried to replicate the association among a large group of 2,379 women. We examined the effect of the deletion on femoral neck BMD and lumbar spine BMD according to the menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We used a high-throughput PCR assay to identify the gene and the deletion in a population of well-characterized women. Two additional polymorphisms, UGT2B28 deletion and UGT2B15 rs1902023 G > T were also investigated. Only UGT2B17 deletion was associated with LS and FN BMD. Furthermore, the association was seen only among postmenopausal women who had never used hormone replacement as in the first reported association. We confirmed the association between UGT2B17 deletion and a higher LS and FN BMD. In addition, we show that the association is observed among postmenopausal women who never used HRT consistent with the enzymatic function of UGT2B17. The analysis shows that those having one or two UGT2B17 alleles benefit from HRT, which is not the case for null carriers.

Habit-associated salivary pH changes in oral submucous fibrosis-A controlled cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Donoghue, Mandana; Basandi, Praveen S; Adarsh, H; Madhushankari, G S; Selvamani, M; Nayak, Prachi

2015-01-01

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a multi-causal inflammatory reaction to the chemical or mechanical trauma caused due to exposure to arecanut containing products with or without tobacco (ANCP/T). Arecanut and additional components such as lime and chewing tobacco render ANCP/T highly alkaline. Fibrosing repair is a common reaction to an alkaline exposure in the skin. OSF may be related to the alkaline exposure by ANCP/T in a similar manner. The study was aimed at establishing the relationship of habit-associated salivary pH changes and OSF. The study design was controlled cross-sectional. Base line salivary pH (BLS pH), salivary pH after chewing the habitual ANCP/T substance, post chew salivary pH (PCSpH) for 2 min and salivary pH recovery time (SpHRT) were compared in 30 OSF patients and 30 sex-matched individuals with ANCP/T habits and apparently healthy oral mucosa. The group's mean BLSpH values were similar and within normal range and representative of the population level values. The average PCSpH was significantly higher (P ˂ 0.0001) than the average BLSpH in both groups. There was no significant difference (P = 0.09) between PCSpH of OSF patients and controls. OSF patients had a significantly longer (P = 0.0076) SpHRT than controls. Factors such as age, daily exposure, cumulative habit years, BLSpH and PCSpH, had varying effects on the groups. Chewing ANCP/T causes a significant rise in salivary pH of all individuals. SpHRT has a significant association with OSF. The effect of salivary changes in OSF patients differs with those in healthy controls.

Individual and population level effects of partner notification for Chlamydia trachomatis.

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Christian L Althaus

Full Text Available Partner notification (PN or contact tracing is an important aspect of treating bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs, such as Chlamydia trachomatis. It facilitates the identification of new infected cases that can be treated through individual case management. PN also acts indirectly by limiting onward transmission in the general population. However, the impact of PN, both at the level of individuals and the population, remains unclear. Since it is difficult to study the effects of PN empirically, mathematical and computational models are useful tools for investigating its potential as a public health intervention. To this end, we developed an individual-based modeling framework called Rstisim. It allows the implementation of different models of STI transmission with various levels of complexity and the reconstruction of the complete dynamic sexual partnership network over any time period. A key feature of this framework is that we can trace an individual's partnership history in detail and investigate the outcome of different PN strategies for C. trachomatis. For individual case management, the results suggest that notifying three or more partners from the preceding 18 months yields substantial numbers of new cases. In contrast, the successful treatment of current partners is most important for preventing re-infection of index cases and reducing further transmission of C. trachomatis at the population level. The findings of this study demonstrate the difference between individual and population level outcomes of public health interventions for STIs.

Treating individuals with debilitating performance anxiety: An introduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Douglas H

2004-08-01

Clinicians often see clients who have debilitating performance anxiety. They suffer from public speaking anxiety, stage fright, test-taking anxiety, and writing block. Their condition is so severe as to threaten to end their academic or professional career. Musicians and athletes also seek help because their anxiety before and during an event causes them to perform at a level well below their demonstrated capabilities. An estimated 2% of the U.S. population is afflicted by debilitating performance anxiety. Effective treatments are now available. This article reviews those behavioral, cognitive, and technological therapies that have shown great promise for treating individuals who have debilitating performance anxiety and introduces this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session devoted to this topic. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Treating Hypotension in Preterm Neonates With Vasoactive Medications

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Chloe Joynt

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Preterm neonates often have hypotension which may be due to various etiologies. While it is controversial to define hypotension in preterm neonates, various vasoactive medications are commonly used to provide the cardiovascular support to improve the blood pressure, cardiac output, or to treat shock. However, the literature on the systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of these antihypotensive medications in neonates is deficient and incomplete, and cautious translation of findings from other clinical populations and animal studies is required. Based on a literature search on published reports, meta-analytic reviews, and selected abstracts, this review discusses the current available information on pharmacologic actions, clinical effects, and side effects of commonly used antihypotensive medications including dopamine, dobutamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, vasopressin, and milrinone in preterm neonates.

Syncope and QT prolongation among patients treated with methadone for heroin dependence in the city of Copenhagen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fanoe, Søren; Hvidt, C; Ege, P

2007-01-01

were collected in a population of adult heroin addicts treated with methadone or buprenorphine on a daily basis. Of the patients at the Drug Addiction Service in the municipal of Copenhagen, 450 ( 52%) were included. The QT interval was estimated from 12 lead ECGs. All participants were interviewed...

Measures of 'exposure needed for one additional patient to be harmed' in population-based case-control studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallas, J.; Christensen, R. D.; Sturmer, T.

2014-01-01

Purpose The magnitude of risk for adverse drug reactions may be communicated by a measure of 'exposure needed for one additional patient to be harmed' (ENH). We present four ENH measures, based on four different counterfactual contrasts, as illustrated by the known effects of NSAID use on peptic ...... bleeding. The ultimate choice of ENH measure will depend on epidemiological or clinical considerations and on availability of data. Copyright (C) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.......Purpose The magnitude of risk for adverse drug reactions may be communicated by a measure of 'exposure needed for one additional patient to be harmed' (ENH). We present four ENH measures, based on four different counterfactual contrasts, as illustrated by the known effects of NSAID use on peptic...... ulcer bleeding. Methods The four measures were basic ENH (estimating the excess risk when treating the entire source population versus treating no one), age-restricted ENH (the entire source population above, e. g. 50 years old treated versus no one above 50 years old treated), standardised ENH (a...

Outcomes of nutritional interventions to treat dysphagia in esophageal cancer: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Modi, R M; Mikhail, S; Ciombor, K; Perry, K A; Hinton, A; Stanich, P P; Zhang, C; Conwell, D L; Krishna, S G

2017-11-01

Esophageal cancer (EC) is increasing in prevalence due to rising incidence and improved treatment strategies. Dysphagia is a significant morbidity in patients with EC requiring nutritional intervention. We sought to evaluate outcomes of nutritional interventions for EC patients hospitalized with dysphagia at a population level. The National Inpatient Sample (2002-2012) was utilized to include all adult inpatients (≥18 years of age) with EC and presence of dysphagia and stricture that underwent nutritional interventions including feeding tube (FT) placement, esophageal stenting, or parenteral nutrition (PN). Temporal trends were examined with multivariate analysis performed for mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost of hospitalization. A total of 509,593 EC patients had 12,205 hospitalizations related to dysphagia. The hospitalization rates doubled over the study period (1.52% vs. 3.28%, p esophageal stenting (13%), and PN (11%). PN was more frequently associated with a diagnosis of sepsis (6.1%, p = 0.023) compared to FT (2.5%) or esophageal stenting (1.8%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated FT and esophageal stenting had comparable mortality (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 0.49, 2.32); however, PN was associated with higher mortality (OR 2.37, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.63), cost of hospitalization ($5,510, 95% CI: 2,262, 8,759), and LOS (2.13 days, 95% CI: 0.72, 3.54). This study shows that hospitalizations for EC with dysphagia and related nutritional interventions are increasing. As a single modality, parenteral nutrition should be avoided. Among our esophageal stent and FT population, further studies are necessary to determine adequate interventions based on disease stage. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of a Desmopressin Oral Lyophilisate in Growing Piglets as a Model for the Pediatric Population

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Elke Gasthuys

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Desmopressin is used to treat primary nocturnal enuresis in children. Over the years, various formulations of desmopressin were commercialized of which the sublingual melt tablet is preferred in the pediatric population, despite the lack of full PK studies in this population. A full PK study was performed in growing conventional piglets to evaluate if this juvenile animal model can provide supplementary information to complement the information gap in the pediatric population. A desmopressin sublingual melt tablet (120 μg was administered to 32 male piglets aged 8 days, 4 weeks, 7 weeks, and 6 months (each group n = 8. Population PK (pop-PK analysis was performed to derive the PK parameters, the between- and within-subject variabilities and the effects of covariates. Desmopressin demonstrated two-compartmental PK, with a dual, sequential absorption process, and linear elimination. Body weight was the only significant covariate on clearance and on apparent volume of distribution of the central compartment. In human pediatric trials, no double peak in the absorption phase was observed in the plasma concentration-time curves, possibly due to the sparse sampling strategy applied in those pediatric studies. Therefore, it is recommended to perform additional studies, based on the sampling protocol applied in the current study.

Association of the Joint Effect of Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer in African American Women: The Jackson Heart Study

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Daniel Sarpong

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US and in Mississippi. Breast cancer (BC is the most common cancer among women, and the underlying pathophysiology remains unknown, especially among African American (AA women. The study purpose was to examine the joint effect of menopause status (MS and hormone replacement therapy (HRT on the association with cancers, particularly BC using data from the Jackson Heart Study. The analytic sample consisted of 3202 women between 35 and 84 years of which 73.7% and 22.6% were postmenopausal and on HRT, respectively. There were a total of 190 prevalent cancer cases (5.9% in the sample with 22.6% breast cancer cases. Menopause (p < 0.0001, but not HRT (p = 0.6402, was independently associated with cancer. Similar results were obtained for BC. BC, cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, prevalent cardiovascular disease, physical activity and certain dietary practices were all significantly associated with the joint effect of menopause and HRT in the unadjusted analyses. The family history of cancer was the only covariate that was significantly associated with cancer in the age-adjusted models. In examining the association of cancer and the joint effect of menopause and HRT, AA women who were menopausal and were not on HRT had a 1.97 (95% CI: 1.15, 3.38 times odds of having cancer compared to pre-menopausal women after adjusting for age; which was attenuated after further adjusting for family history of cancer. Given that the cancer and BC cases were small and key significant associations were attenuated after adjusting for the above mentioned covariates, these findings warrant further investigation in studies with larger sample sizes of cancer (and BC cases.

Population growth rate and genetic variability of small and large populations of Red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) following multigenerational exposure to copper.

Science.gov (United States)

Laskowski, Ryszard; Radwan, Jacek; Kuduk, Katarzyna; Mendrok, Magdalena; Kramarz, Paulina

2015-07-01

We reared large (1000 individuals) and small (20 individuals) populations of Tribolium castaneum on diet contaminated with copper in order to determine if the size of a population affects its ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions. After 10 generations, we used microsatellite markers to estimate and subsequently compare the genetic variability of the copper-treated populations with that of the control populations, which were reared on uncontaminated medium. Additionally, we conducted a full cross-factorial experiment which evaluated the effects of 10 generations of "pre-exposure" to copper on a population's fitness in control and copper-contaminated environments. In order to distinguish results potentially arising from genetic adaptation from those due to non-genetic effects associated to parental exposure to copper, we subjected also F11 generation, originating from parents not exposed to copper, to the same cross-factorial experiment. The effects of long-term exposure to copper depended on population size: the growth rates of small populations that were pre-exposed to copper were inhibited compared to those of small populations reared in uncontaminated environments. Large Cu-exposed populations had a higher growth rate in the F10 generation compared to the control groups, while the growth rate of the F11 generation was unaffected by copper exposure history. The only factor that had a significant effect on genetic variability was population size, but this was to be expected given the large difference in the number of individuals between large and small populations. Neither copper contamination nor its interaction with population size affected the number of microsatellite alleles retained in the F10 generation.

Suicide risk in patients treated with lithium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Søndergård, Lars; Kvist, Kajsa

2005-01-01

CONTEXT: Prior observational studies suggest that treatment with lithium may be associated with reduced risk of suicide in bipolar disorder. However, these studies are biased toward patients with the most severe disorders, and the relation to sex and age has seldom been investigated. OBJECTIVE......: To investigate whether treatment with lithium reduces the risk of suicide in a nationwide study. DESIGN: An observational cohort study with linkage of registers of all prescribed lithium and recorded suicides in Denmark during a period from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 1999. SETTING: All patients treated...... with lithium in Denmark, ie, within community psychiatry, private specialist practice settings, and general practice. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 13 186 patients who purchased at least 1 prescription of lithium and 1.2 million subjects from the general population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All suicides identified...

Treating chancroid with enoxacin.

Science.gov (United States)

Naamara, W; Kunimoto, D Y; D'Costa, L J; Ndinya-Achola, J O; Nsanze, H; Ronald, A R; Plummer, F A

1988-01-01

Increasing resistance of Haemophilus ducreyi to antimicrobials necessitates further trials of new antimicrobial agents for treating chancroid. Enoxacin has excellent in vitro activity against H ducreyi, and a randomised clinical trial of three doses of enoxacin 400 mg at intervals of 12 hours compared with a single dose of trimethoprim/sulphametrole (TMP/SMT) 640/3200 mg was therefore conducted. Of 169 men enrolled in the study, 86 received enoxacin and 83 received TMP/SMT. Ulcers were improved or cured in 65/73 men treated with enoxacin and 57/70 men treated with TMP/SMT. This difference was not significant. At 72 hours after treatment, H ducreyi was eradicated from ulcers of 72/77 men treated with enoxacin and of 67/74 of those treated with TMP/SMT. Patients with buboes responded equally well to both treatments. Of 100 H ducreyi strains tested, all were susceptible to both 0.25 mg/l enoxacin and the combination of 0.25 mg/l TMP and 5 mg/l SMT. Although most men treated with either regimen were cured, neither regimen appeared to be the optimum treatment for chancroid. This study shows the efficacy of enoxacin for a soft tissue infection caused by Gram negative organisms. PMID:3044978

Resistance and behavioural response of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) populations to Bacillus thuringiensis formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Zago, Hugo B; Siqueira, Herbert Á A; Pereira, Eliseu J G; Picanço, Marcelo C; Barros, Reginaldo

2014-03-01

Insecticide resistance is probably the major cause of control failure of Plutella xylostella (L.) in Brazil. In most production regions, the use of chemicals has been the prevalent method of control, with reduced efficacy through cropping seasons, even for the most recent use of products based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The current status of the resistance to these products was assessed, as well as the behavioural response of P. xylostella populations to Bt sprays. Most populations of P. xylostella were resistant to Bt products, particularly to Xentari®WDG (2-54-fold). Differences in walking characteristics of larvae were variable for most populations, for both Dipel®WP and Xentari®WDG, but not associated with resistance. Most females preferred to lay eggs on untreated surfaces and showed a reduced proportion of oviposition on treated surfaces that only correlated with resistance to Dipel®WP (r = -0.74, P = 0.02). Broad and indiscriminate use of Bt-based products has selected Brazilian P. xylostella populations to resistance. Larval movement appears to be a resistance-independent mechanism. Most populations of P. xylostella preferred to lay eggs on Bt-free surfaces, which might be a result of growers' practice of spraying the cabbage head. Reduced oviposition on treated surfaces correlated with physiological resistance, suggesting a behavioural response among the Bt-resistant colonies to Dipel®WP. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Shelf life of ground beef patties treated by gamma radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, W T; Weese, J O

1998-10-01

The effects of irradiation on microbial populations in ground beef patties vacuum package and irradiated frozen at target doses of 0.0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, and 7.0 kGy were determined. Irradiated samples were stored at 4 or -18 degrees C for 42 days, and mesophilic aerobic plate counts (APCs) were periodically determined. Fresh ground beef (initial APC of 10(2) CFU/g) treated with 3.0, 5.0, and 7.0 kGy was acceptable ( 10(7) CFU/g) by day 14 and 21, respectively, whereas patties treated at 5.0 kGy did not spoil until 42 days. The nonirradiated control samples for both batches of ground beef spoiled within 7 days. Microbial counts in ground beef patties stored at -18 degrees C did not change over the 42-day period. Shelf life of ground beef patties stored at 4 degrees C may be extended with gamma radiation, especially at 5.0 and 7.0 kGy. Initial microbial load in ground beef samples was an important shelf life factor.

Promoting effects on reproduction increase population vulnerability of Daphnia magna.

Science.gov (United States)

Agatz, Annika; Hammers-Wirtz, Monika; Gabsi, Faten; Ratte, Hans Toni; Brown, Colin D; Preuss, Thomas G

2012-07-01

Environmental risk assessment of chemicals is based on single species tests at the individual level with single compounds. However, the protection goal is the sustainability of a population, which faces several natural stressors and mixtures of chemicals in the environment. Therefore, experiments were undertaken to quantify the combined effects of chemicals with different modes of action on Daphnia magna populations. Populations continuously exposed to dispersogen A and at abundance equilibrium were treated with a 2-d pulse of p353-nonylphenol. In previous studies, dispersogen A was shown to act as a natural info-chemical, promoting the reproduction of daphnids (higher offspring quantity) coupled with reduced offspring fitness, whereas nonylphenol in pulsed-exposure caused size-selective mortality. Dispersogen A caused accelerated population growth to maximum abundance, shifted the population structure towards smaller individuals, and increased the population sensitivity to nonylphenol. The authors showed that a positive effect observed at the individual level can be transposed to a negative effect when monitored at the population level. So far, positive effects are not addressed in environmental risk assessment, and even in higher-tier testing, population structure is not quantified. Both factors indicate a potential mismatch between protection aim and risk assessment practice. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Female Victims of Trafficking Using Narrative Exposure Therapy: A Retrospective Audit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katy Robjant

2017-06-01

Full Text Available BackgroundHuman trafficking is a form of modern slavery that involves the forced movement of people internally within countries, or externally across borders. Victims who are trafficked for sexual exploitation are subject to repeated, multiple trauma, and high rates of mental health problems including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD have been found. Narrative exposure therapy (NET is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD.MethodsIn this retrospective audit, we record the results of NET to treat 10 women who had been trafficked for sexual exploitation who were diagnosed with PTSD.ResultsAll 10 women completed the therapy and experienced a reduction in PTSD severity scores at posttreatment, with improvements that were maintained or further improved at 3-month follow-up. General distress was also significantly reduced following treatment.ConclusionAlthough limited by sample size and retrospective design, this audit demonstrates that NET is a feasible treatment for PTSD in this population and warrants further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Further adjunctive interventions may also be necessary to treat the additional psychological problems experienced by this population.

Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Female Victims of Trafficking Using Narrative Exposure Therapy: A Retrospective Audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Robjant, Katy; Roberts, Jackie; Katona, Cornelius

2017-01-01

Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that involves the forced movement of people internally within countries, or externally across borders. Victims who are trafficked for sexual exploitation are subject to repeated, multiple trauma, and high rates of mental health problems including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been found. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. In this retrospective audit, we record the results of NET to treat 10 women who had been trafficked for sexual exploitation who were diagnosed with PTSD. All 10 women completed the therapy and experienced a reduction in PTSD severity scores at posttreatment, with improvements that were maintained or further improved at 3-month follow-up. General distress was also significantly reduced following treatment. Although limited by sample size and retrospective design, this audit demonstrates that NET is a feasible treatment for PTSD in this population and warrants further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Further adjunctive interventions may also be necessary to treat the additional psychological problems experienced by this population.

Some effects of aldrin-treated rice on Gulf Coast wildlife

Science.gov (United States)

Flickinger, Edward L.; King, K.A.

1972-01-01

Wildlife casualties from aldrin-dieldrin poisoning are associated with the planting of aldrin-treated rice seed along the Texas Gulf Coast. The fulvous tree duck (Dendrocygna bicolor), which depends on the rice field habitats and is highly susceptible to aldrin-dieldrin poisoning, is suffering a serious population decline in that area. Dead waterfowl, shorebirds, and passerines were collected on study areas in Wharton, Brazoria, and Chambers counties, Texas, from 1967 through 1971. Residues of aldrin or dieldrin were found in all samples of bird casualties and in all eggs, scavengers, predators, fish, frogs, invertebrates, and soils. Fulvous tree ducks appeared to be less resistant to aldrin than other ducks. Dieldrin residues in brains of dead fulvous tree ducks were low, but whole-body residues were as high as 16 ppm. Brains of other dead ducks and geese averaged 10 ppm dieldrin. Some dead birds were exposed by eating treated rice seed, but many dead birds with high dieldrin residues were species that feed largely on invertebrates. Although soil residues were low, snails and crayfish contained enough aldrin and dieldrin (average 9.5 ppm) to account for deaths in birds that fed heavily on these invertebrates over a period of time. When fulvous tree ducks were penned for 3 days in fields aerially planted with treated seed, 3 of 10 birds died with brain residues of 2.5, 2.9, and 6.8 ppm dieldrin, and others were intoxicated. None of eight died, and some gained weight, when penned in fields planted with untreated seed. This study adds further evidence for the suspected lethal effects of aldrin-treated rice seed on wild birds and other wildlife in rice field habitats.

The effect of organic loading rate and retention time on hydrogen production from a methanogenic CSTR.

Science.gov (United States)

Pakarinen, O; Kaparaju, P; Rintala, J

2011-10-01

The possibility of shifting a methanogenic process for hydrogen production by changing the process parameters viz., organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) was evaluated. At first, two parallel semi-continuously fed continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) were operated as methanogenic reactors (M1 and M2) for 78 days. Results showed that a methane yield of 198-218 L/kg volatile solids fed (VS(fed)) was obtained when fed with grass silage at an OLR of 2 kgVS/m³/d and HRT of 30 days. After 78 days of operation, hydrogen production was induced in M2 by increasing the OLR from 2 to 10 kgVS/m³/d and shortening the HRT from 30 to 6 days. The highest H₂ yield of 42 L/kgVS(fed) was obtained with a maximum H₂ content of 24%. The present results thus demonstrate that methanogenic process can be shifted towards hydrogen production by increasing the OLR and decreasing HRT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic mesophilic co-digestion of ensiled sorghum, cheese whey and liquid cow manure in a two-stage CSTR system: Effect of hydraulic retention time.

Science.gov (United States)

Dareioti, Margarita Andreas; Kornaros, Michael

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on hydrogen and methane production using a two-stage anaerobic process. Two continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) were used under mesophilic conditions (37°C) in order to enhance acidogenesis and methanogenesis. A mixture of pretreated ensiled sorghum, cheese whey and liquid cow manure (55:40:5, v/v/v) was used. The acidogenic reactor was operated at six different HRTs of 5, 3, 2, 1, 0.75 and 0.5d, under controlled pH5.5, whereas the methanogenic reactor was operated at three HRTs of 24, 16 and 12d. The maximum H2 productivity (2.14L/LRd) and maximum H2 yield (0.70mol H2/mol carbohydrates consumed) were observed at 0.5d HRT. On the other hand, the maximum CH4 production rate of 0.90L/LRd was achieved at HRT of 16d, whereas at lower HRT the process appeared to be inhibited and/or overloaded. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor with expanded clay as support for hydrogen production through dark fermentation of glucose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavalcante de Amorim, Eduardo Lucena [Department of Hydraulic and Sanitation, University of Sao Paulo. Av. Trabalhador Saocarlense, 400 Centro, CEP 13566-590 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Barros, Aruana Rocha; Rissato Zamariolli Damianovic, Marcia Helena; Silva, Edson Luiz [Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, CEP 13565-905 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil)

2009-01-15

This study evaluated hydrogen production in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) fed with glucose-based synthetic wastewater. Particles of expanded clay (2.8-3.35 mm) were used as a support material for biomass immobilization. The reactor was operated with hydraulic retention times (HRT) ranging from 8 to 1 h. The hydrogen yield production increased from 1.41 to 2.49 mol H{sub 2} mol{sup -1} glucose as HRT decreased from 8 to 2 h. However, when HRT was 1 h, there was a slight decrease to 2.41 mol H{sub 2} mol{sup -1} glucose. The biogas produced was composed of H{sub 2} and CO{sub 2}, and the H{sub 2} content increased from 8% to 35% as HRT decreased. The major soluble metabolites during H{sub 2} fermentation were acetic acid (HAc) and butyric acid (HBu), accounting for 36.1-53.3% and 37.7-44.9% of total soluble metabolites, respectively. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of using expanded clay as support material for hydrogen production in AFBRs. (author)

Overall Survival of Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Nimotuzumab in the Real World.

Science.gov (United States)

Saumell, Yaimarelis; Sanchez, Lizet; González, Sandra; Ortiz, Ramón; Medina, Edadny; Galán, Yaima; Lage, Agustin

2017-12-01

Despite improvements in surgical techniques and treatments introduced into clinical practice, the overall survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains low. Several epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are being evaluated in the context of clinical trials, but there is little evidence of effectiveness in real-world conditions. This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of nimotuzumab combined with onco-specific treatment in Cuban real-life patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A comparative and retrospective effectiveness study was performed. The 93 patients treated with nimotuzumab were matched, with use of propensity score matching, with patients who received a diagnosis of locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in three Cuban provinces reported between 2011 and 2015 to the National Cancer Registry. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate event-time distributions. Log-rank statistics were used for comparisons of overall survival between groups. A two-component mixture model assuming a Weibull distribution was fitted to assess the effect of nimotuzumab on short-term and long-term survival populations. There was an increase in median overall survival in patients treated with nimotuzumab (11.9 months versus 6.5 months without treatment) and an increase in the 1-year survival rate (54.0% versus 21.9% without treatment). The 2-year survival rates were 21.1% for patients treated with nimotuzumab and 0% in the untreated cohort. There were statistically significant differences in survival between groups treated and not treated with nimotuzumab, both in the short-term survival population (6.0 months vs 4.0 months, p = 0.009) and in the long-term survival population (18.0 months vs 11.0 months, p = 0.001). Our study shows that nimotuzumab treatment concurrent with chemoradiotherapy increases the survival of real-world patients with locally advanced

Sensitive skin at menopause; dew point and electrometric properties of the stratum corneum.

Science.gov (United States)

Paquet, F; Piérard-Franchimont, C; Fumal, I; Goffin, V; Paye, M; Piérard, G E

1998-01-12

A number of menopausal women experience skin sensitive to various environmental threats. Two panels of 15 menopausal women on or without HRT were compared. We studied the response of their stratum corneum to variations in environmental humidity, either in air or in response to an emollient. Environment dew point and electrometric measurements on the skin were recorded to search for correlations. Data show that the baseline stratum corneum hydration is influenced by the dew point. HRT improves the barrier function of the skin. The use of emollient further extends the improvement in the functional properties of skin in menopausal women. Both HRT and an emollient can counteract in part some of the deleterious effects of cold and dry weather.

Social Problems Of Aged In A Rural Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh Charan

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Research Question: What are the social problems of aged persons in a rural population? Objectives: i To study social problems of aged. ii To identify measures to eliminate them. Study design: Cross- sectional. Setting: Rural areas of Machhra Rural Health & Training Centre attached with Deptt. of SPM, Medical College, Meerut. Participants: Population above 60 years of age. Sample Size: 1000 households from 5 villages, which had 464 participants. Study Variables: Chi- square test. Results: In all, 259 (55.8% aged persons were engaged in productive work while 205 (44.2% were not doing any productive work. Of 376 aged persons living in joint families, 207 (55% were being respected, 71(18.9% were indifferently treated and 98 (26.1% were being neglected by family members. Recommendations: It is a strong case for proper planning to improve the lot of old age population especially for their social problems at the earliest.

Treated Effluent Disposal Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Treated non-hazardous and non-radioactive liquid wastes are collected and then disposed of through the systems at the Treated Effluent Disposal Facility (TEDF). More...

No reduction with ageing of the number of myenteric neurons in benzalkonium chloride treated rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, S B; Demarzo, M M P; Vinhadeli, W S; Llorach-Velludo, M A; Zoteli, J; Herrero, C F P S; Zucoloto, S

2002-10-04

The number of myenteric neurons may be reduced by topical serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (BAC). We studied the effects of ageing in the population of neurons that survive after the application of BAC. Ten treated and ten control animals were killed at intervals of 2, 6, 12 and 18 months after the surgery. We performed myenteric neurons counting in serially cut histological preparations of the descending colon. The control animals revealed a continuous loss of myenteric neurons number with increasing of age. Interestingly, contrary to control animals, the BAC-treated rats presented no neuron loss with ageing at any experimental time. The reasons for their survival with ageing could be related to a neuroplasticity phenomenon.

Removal of organic pollutants from 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobenzidine (TCB) industrial wastewater by micro-electrochemical oxidation and air-stripping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Shibin; Xia Shuichun; Zhu Changqing

2007-01-01

A feasible method for treatment of the wastewater from the two-staged neutralization in 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobenzidine (TCB) manufacturing processes, a refractory dye intermediate effluents, based on combined micro-electrochemical oxidation or iron-chipping filtration (ICF) and air-stripping reactor (ASR), was developed. On conditions of HRT 1 h, pH 3.0 in ICF and HRT 38 h, gas-liquid ratio 15, pH 6.0-8.65, temperature 26 deg. C in ASR, the overall COD, color, TCB and NH 4 + -N removal were 96.8%, 91%, 87.61% and 62%, respectively, during the treatment of TCB wastewater from the two-staged neutralization dissolved by methanol. The averaged 18.3%, 81.7% of the total degraded COD, 35.2%, 64.8% of TCB were carried out in ICF and ASR, respectively. NH 4 + -N removal was finished mainly in ASR. The experimental results indicated that the combined micro-electrochemical oxidation and air-stripping process performed good treatment of COD, color, TCB and NH 4 + -N removal in TCB wastewater from the two-staged neutralization dissolved by ethanol or acetone, came up the discharge standard in China. But the TCB wastewater from the two-staged neutralization dissolved by methanol should be deeply treated before discharged

Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater by Intermittent Electrocoagulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benny Marie B. Ensano

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The continuous release of emerging contaminants (ECs in the aquatic environment, as a result of the inadequate removal by conventional treatment methods, has prompted research to explore viable solutions to this rising global problem. One promising alternative is the use of electrochemical processes since they represent a simple and highly efficient technology with less footprint. In this paper, the feasibility of treating ECs (i.e., pharmaceuticals using an intermittent electrocoagulation process, a known electrochemical technology, has been investigated. Diclofenac (DCF, carbamazepine (CBZ and amoxicillin (AMX were chosen as being representative of highly consumed drugs that are frequently detected in our water resources and were added in synthetic municipal wastewater. The removal efficiencies of both individual and combined pharmaceuticals were determined under different experimental conditions: hydraulic retention time (HRT (6, 19 and 38 h, initial concentration (0.01, 4 and 10 mg/L and intermittent application (5 min ON/20 min OFF of current density (0.5, 1.15 and 1.8 mA/cm2. Results have shown that these parameters have significant effects on pharmaceutical degradation. Maximum removals (DCF = 90%, CBZ = 70% and AMX = 77% were obtained at a current density of 0.5 mA/cm2, an initial concentration of 10 mg/L and HRT of 38 h.

Treatment performance, nitrous oxide production and microbial community under low-ammonium wastewater in a CANON process.

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Weixing; Zhao, Jianqiang; Ding, Xiaoqian; Ge, Guanghuan; Zhao, Rixiang

2017-12-01

To investigate the characteristics of anaerobic ammonia oxidation for treating low-ammonium wastewater, a continuous-flow completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) biofilm reactor was studied. At a temperature of 32 ± 1 °C and a pH between 7.5 and 8.2, two operational experiments were performed: the first one fixed the hydraulic retention time (HRT) at 10 h and gradually reduced the influent ammonium concentrations from 210 to 50 mg L -1 ; the second one fixed the influent ammonium concentration at 30 mg L -1 and gradually decreased the HRT from 10 to 3 h. The results revealed that the total nitrogen removal efficiency exceeded 80%, with a corresponding total nitrogen removal rate of 0.26 ± 0.01 kg N m -3 d -1 at the final low ammonium concentration of 30 mg L -1 . Small amounts of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) up to 0.015 ± 0.004 kg m -3 d -1 at the ammonium concentration of 210 mg L -1 were produced in the CANON process and decreased with the decrease in the influent ammonium loads. High-throughput pyrosequencing analysis indicated that the dominant functional bacteria 'Candidatus Kuenenia' under high influent ammonium levels were gradually succeeded by Armatimonadetes_gp5 under low influent ammonium levels.

External validation of three dimensional conformal radiotherapy based NTCP models for patient-rated xerostomia and sticky saliva among patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beetz, Ivo; Schilstra, Cornelis; Luijk, Peter van; Christianen, Miranda E.M.C.; Doornaert, Patricia; Bijl, Henk P.; Chouvalova, Olga; Heuvel, Edwin R. van den; Steenbakkers, Roel J.H.M.; Langendijk, Johannes A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of predictive models for patient-rated xerostomia (XER 6M ) and sticky saliva (STIC 6M ) at 6 months after completion of primary (chemo)radiation developed in head and neck cancer patients treated with 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) to predict outcome in patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and materials: Recently, we published the results of a prospective study on predictive models for patient-rated xerostomia and sticky saliva in head and neck cancer patients treated with 3D-CRT (3D-CRT based NTCP models). The 3D-CRT based model for XER 6M consisted of three factors, including the mean parotid dose, age, and baseline xerostomia (none versus a bit). The 3D-CRT based model for STIC 6M consisted of the mean submandibular dose, age, the mean sublingual dose, and baseline sticky saliva (none versus a bit). In the current study, a population consisting of 162 patients treated with IMRT was used to test the external validity of these 3D-CRT based models. External validity was described by the explained variation (R 2 Nagelkerke) and the Brier score. The discriminative abilities of the models were calculated using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and calibration (i.e. the agreement between predicted and observed outcome) was assessed with the Hosmer–Lemeshow “goodness-of-fit” test. Results: Overall model performance of the 3D-CRT based predictive models for XER 6M and STIC 6M was significantly worse in terms of the Brier score and R 2 Nagelkerke among patients treated with IMRT. Moreover the AUC for both 3D-CRT based models in the IMRT treated patients were markedly lower. The Hosmer–Lemeshow test showed a significant disagreement for both models between predicted risk and observed outcome. Conclusion: 3D-CRT based models for patient-rated xerostomia and sticky saliva among head and neck cancer patients treated with primary radiotherapy or

The effect of soy intake on menopausal symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Pérez-Rovira

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The menopause is characterized by a reduction in ovarian function and estrogen production. Altogether, these changes together lead to a series of disorders that may affect the woman’s life style. Currently, medicine, influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, is prone to act aggressively against any symptoms, resulting in. polymedicated population. Doctors usually prescribe treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT, to help them manage menopause symptoms. However, recently, several studies have reported adverse effects associated with this treatment. The influence of diet on several chronic diseases in western societies is currently well known. Therefore, dietary therapies, including dietary soy and isoflavone supplements, have been proposed for the reduction of menopause symptoms. Several published studies have suggested isoflavones, which have a great estrogenic power, as an HRT alternative for the relief of menopause symptoms. However, our current understanding on the effects of isoflavone supplements on the menopause symptoms is limited, and scientific publications show heterogenous results. Due to those arguments, the objective of this review is to address some of the mechanisms of isoflavones and their role in the menopausal period, postulating that, as food supplements, they could be used as a complementary therapy for menopause symptoms.

Incidence of Severe Osteonecrosis Requiring Total Joint Arthroplasty in Children and Young Adults Treated for Leukemia or Lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niinimäki, Riitta; Hansen, Lene Mølgaard; Niinimäki, Tuukka

2013-01-01

diagnosis codes given before the age of 40 were also retrieved. Results: The estimated cumulative incidence of TJA was 4.5% at 20 years for patients treated for chronic myeloid leukemia, followed by 2.1% for patients treated for acute myeloid leukemia. It was considerably lower in patients with acute...... the age of 10 (HR=24; 95% CI: 3.1-176 and HR=26; 95% CI: 3.6-192 respectively). Conclusion: The incidence of ON requiring TJA was highest among patients with myeloid leukemias and lowest in patients treated for ALL. Allo-SCT and age ≥10 years at diagnosis were the most important risk factors......Purpose: The population-based incidence of severe osteonecrosis (ON) necessitating total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in patients with hematological cancer is unknown. This study assessed the incidence of ON requiring primary TJA in children and young adults treated for leukemia or lymphoma. Methods...

Improving compliance with hormonal replacement therapy in primary osteoporosis prevention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, P; Hermann, A P; Gram, J

1997-01-01

To evaluate whether introduction of treatment alternatives would improve compliance with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) as primary osteoporosis prevention in women not tolerating the first line osteoporosis prevention schedule.......To evaluate whether introduction of treatment alternatives would improve compliance with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) as primary osteoporosis prevention in women not tolerating the first line osteoporosis prevention schedule....

Indigenous children nearby plantations with chlorpyrifos-treated bags have elevated 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy) urinary concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wendel de Joode, van B.; Barraza-Ruiz, D.A.; Ruepert, C.; Mora, A.M.; Córdoba, L.; Öberg, M.; Wesseling, C.; Mergler, D.; Lindh, C.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: The US Environmental Protection Agency voluntary phased-out residential use of chlorpyrifos in 2001. In contrast, in Costa Rica, chlorpyrifos-treated bags are increasingly used to protect banana and plantain fruits from insects and to fulfill product standards, even in populated areas.

Optimizing diagnostic tests for persulphate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foss-Skiftesvik, Majken H; Winther, Lotte; Mosbech, Holger Fausbøll

2016-01-01

for both rhinitis and asthma simultaneously in 1 day. In addition, we assessed the suitability of SPTs and HRTs for detecting persulphate-induced respiratory diseases. METHODS: The study population included 19 hairdressers with a history of work-related rhinitis and/or asthma symptoms, 12 symptomatic...... showed nonspecific non-IgE mediated histamine release to persulphates in HRT. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed method for performing SIC showed a high specificity for detecting persulphate-induced asthma and rhinitis. The rapid SIC was able to produce positive nasal and bronchial responses in symptomatic...

Effects of the Natural and Artificial Menstrual Cycle on the Production of Osteoprotegerin and the Bone Resorptive Cytokines IL-1b and IL-6

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, B.; Stilgren, L.S.; Rettmer, E.

2003-01-01

) within the menstrual cycle prevent the increase in bone remodelling, which would otherwise have been the result of the luteal increase in the capacity for producing resorptive cytokines. The study population consisted of healthy female volunteers: premenopausal women (n = 11, mean age 39.4 y +/- 6.......1) without cycle irregularities. Postmenopausal women (n = 11, mean age 56.8 y +/- 3.6) receiving cyclic HRT (estradiol and noretisterone acetate). Luteal and follicular phase blood samples were diluted and cultured for 24 hours with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The supernatant was assayed for IL-1...

Effect of hydraulic retention time on metal precipitation in sulfate reducing inverse fluidized bed reactors

KAUST Repository

Villa-Gómez, Denys Kristalia

2014-02-13

BACKGROUND: Metal sulfide recovery in sulfate reducing bioreactors is a challenge due to the formation of small precipitates with poor settling properties. The size of the metal sulfide precipitates with the change in operational parameters such as pH, sulfide concentration and reactor configuration has been previously studied. The effect of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the metal precipitate characteristics such as particle size for settling has not yet been addressed. RESULTS: The change in size of the metal (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) sulfide precipitates as a function of the HRT was studied in two sulfate reducing inversed fluidized bed (IFB) reactors operating at different chemical oxygen demand concentrations to produce high and low sulfide concentrations. The decrease of the HRT from 24 to 9h in both IFB reactors affected the contact time of the precipitates formed, thus making differences in aggregation and particle growth regardless of the differences in sulfide concentration. Further HRT decrease to 4.5h affected the sulfate reducing activity for sulfide production and hence, the supersaturation level and solid phase speciation. Metal sulfide precipitates affected the sulfate reducing activity and community in the biofilm, probably because of the stronger local supersaturation causing metal sulfides accumulation in the biofilm. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the HRT is an important factor determining the size and thus the settling rate of the metal sulfides formed in bioreactors.

Optimization of petroleum refinery effluent treatment in a UASB reactor using response surface methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rastegar, S.O. [Biotechnology Group, Chemical Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mousavi, S.M., E-mail: mousavi_m@modares.ac.ir [Biotechnology Group, Chemical Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shojaosadati, S.A. [Biotechnology Group, Chemical Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sheibani, S. [R and T Management Department, National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A UASB was successfully used for treatment of petroleum refinery effluent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Response surface methodology was applied to design and analysis of experiments. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer System was modeled between efficient factors include HRT, influent COD and V{sub up}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer UASB was able to remove about 76.3% influent COD at optimum conditions. - Abstract: An upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) bioreactor was successfully used for the treatment of petroleum refinery effluent. Before optimization, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was 81% at a constant organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.4 kg/m{sup 3} d and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 48 h. The rate of biogas production was 559 mL/h at an HRT of 40 h and an influent COD of 1000 mg/L. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to predict the behaviors of influent COD, upflow velocity (V{sub up}) and HRT in the bioreactor. RSM showed that the best models for COD removal and biogas production rate were the reduced quadratic and cubic models, respectively. The optimum region, identified based on two critical responses, was an influent COD of 630 mg/L, a V{sub up} of 0.27 m/h, and an HRT of 21.4 h. This resulted in a 76.3% COD removal efficiency and a 0.25 L biogas/L feed d biogas production rate.

Pharmaceutical intervention in menopausal patients with hormone replacement therapy in a community pharmacy from Antofagasta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandrina Alucema

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Context: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT is the most widely used treatment for controlling the effects of menopause. This type of therapy causes some drug-related problems (DRP, which requires monitoring to control the negative effects and ensure patient adherence to therapy. Aims: Perform a pharmacotherapeutic monitoring and educate to menopausal patients in HRT of a community pharmacy from the city of Antofagasta. Methods: A 98-menopausal patients underwent a pharmaceutical intervention to identify the PRM and its resolution. It was applied to them a survey before and after educational activities about this disease and HRT to determine the knowledge on the subject. Results: During the pharmacotherapeutic monitoring was determined that 55% of patients using combined HRT. 62 DRPs were detected, of which 43 were resolved (69%; the most were Patient-Pharmacist (73%. The better resolution DRP were DRP 4(b “frequency of inadequate administration” and DRP 2(a “no medical indication”. At baseline, 90% had an inadequate level of knowledge about the disease and THR, 8% intermediate, and only 2% adequate. After the implementation of the education strategy, the level of knowledge increased, achieving at the end of the study only intermediate (10% and adequate (90% levels. Conclusions: The results confirm the importance of pharmaceutical intervention for the identification and resolution of DRP and the requirement to establish educational strategies to increase the knowledge about menopause and HRT in menopausal patients.

Population perspective is widening. Interview: Louise Lassonde.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

Commentary is provided on the link between poverty and population growth, the link between population growth and the environment, solutions in general and at the village level, integrated programs, urban growth, and critical policies. Developing countries do recognize that rural poverty is part of the cycle of urban migration and population dynamics. Poverty also must be treated separately from population growth issues. An important issue is the reproductive health of women, their economic opportunities, and empowerment in decision making and access to information. Another important issue is the link between human species survival and the biosphere. Both issues need to be addressed and there is no contradiction between the issues; each is reinforcing of the other in policy. At the village level improving the personal, social, and environmental gains for women in villages with high fertility and soil erosion, deforestation, and water shortages serves both concerns. Programmatically, this means more information for women, better reproductive health services for women, improved social services, tree planting programs, water use programs, and environmental protection programs. Central planning is needed, but also decentralization in implementation and decision making. Urban population growth does not lend itself to ready-made solutions. The positive is that it offers modernization and the possibility of improved social services; the negative is how to provide the services. Both population dynamics and underlying infrastructure and urban management must work together. Recommendations are 3-fold. 1) Technology, the production/consumption process, and population dynamics are the major driving forces of environmental change. 2) The planning approach needs to be reconsidered: population dynamics and implications must be integrated at every level of planning. 3) Policies that recognize the aforementioned points will induce political will to implement activities and programs.