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Sample records for primary drying stage

  1. The dynamics of ochratoxigenic fungi contents through different stages of dried grape production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hakobyan Lusine

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Dried vine fruit (raisin, sultana and currant is the second (after wine most important product of viticulture. Concerning this, the contamination of dried grape by ochratoxigenic fungi and ochratoxin A (OTA has attracted much attention. Favorable climatic conditions in countries with well-developed viticulture contribute to the spreading of ochratoxigenic fungi. The aim of this work was to identify the contamination sources of dried vine fruit by ochratoxigenic filamentous fungi and OTA, as well to determine the Critical Control Points (CCP at different stages of production. Primary contamination of grapes occurred during vegetation, especially maturation period, when the risk of mechanical damages was the highest one. 48 samples of soil and 81 samples of fresh grape berries collected in 4 regions of Armenia were investigated. As a result, 22 micromycetes sp. from 7 genera were isolated. Drying process is one of the main CCP. As the most of dried products is produced by open sun drying method, secondary contamination occurs in plants. In our studies 27 species of filamentous fungi were revealed in 87 samples of dried vine fruit, collected at different stages of production. The samples had quite high contamination level by potential toxigenic A. niger and A. carbonarius species.

  2. A Dynamic Design Space for Primary Drying During Batch Freeze-Drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F C; Van Bockstal, Pieter Jan; Nopens, Ingmar

    2016-01-01

    Biopharmaceutical products are emerging within the pharmaceutical industry. However, biopharmaceuticals are often unstable in aqueous solution. Freeze-drying (lyophilisation) is the preferred method to achieve a stable product with an increased shelf-life. During batch freeze-drying, there are only...... two adaptable process variables, i.e. the shelf temperature and the pressure in the drying chamber. The value of both should be optimized, preferably in a dynamic way, to minimise the primary drying time while respecting process and equipment constraints and ensuring end product quality. A mechanistic...... model is used to determine the optimal values for the adaptable variables, hereby accounting for the uncertainty in all involved model parameters. A dynamic Design Space was constructed with a risk of failure acceptance level of 0.01%, i.e. a 'zero-failure' situation. Even for a risk of failure of 0...

  3. Crispy banana obtained by the combination of a high temperature and short time drying stage and a drying process

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    K. Hofsetz

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available The effect of the high temperature and short time (HTST drying stage was combined with an air drying process to produce crispness in bananas. The fruit was dehydrated in an air drier for five minutes at 70°C and then immediately set at a HTST stage (130, 140, 150°C and 9, 12, 15 minutes and then at 70°C until water activity (a w was around 0.300. Crispness was evaluated as a function of water activity, using sensory and texture analyses. Drying kinetics was evaluated using the empirical Lewis model. Crispy banana was obtained at 140°C-12min and 150°C-15min in the HTST stage, with a w = 0.345 and a w = 0.363, respectively. Analysis of the k parameter (Lewis model suggests that the initial moisture content of the samples effects this parameter, overcoming the HTST effect. Results showed a relationship between sensory crispness, instrumental texture and the HTST stage.

  4. Effect of stage of maturity on dry matter yield, morphological ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The experiment evaluated effect of stage of maturity on dry matter yield, morphological characteristics and nutritive value of burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum) at the screen house of Department of Agronomy, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. The treatments were 3 stages of growth repeated 3 times in a completely ...

  5. Uncertainty analysis as essential step in the establishment of the dynamic Design Space of primary drying during freeze-drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortier, Severine Therese F. C.; Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Corver, Jos

    2016-01-01

    Large molecules, such as biopharmaceuticals, are considered the key driver of growth for the pharmaceutical industry. Freeze-drying is the preferred way to stabilise these products when needed. However, it is an expensive, inefficient, time- and energy-consuming process. During freeze-drying, the......Large molecules, such as biopharmaceuticals, are considered the key driver of growth for the pharmaceutical industry. Freeze-drying is the preferred way to stabilise these products when needed. However, it is an expensive, inefficient, time- and energy-consuming process. During freeze...... for pharmaceutical freeze-drying. Traditionally, the chamber pressure and shelf temperature are kept constant during primary drying, leading to less optimal process conditions. In this paper it is demonstrated how a mechanistic model of the primary drying step gives the opportunity to determine the optimal dynamic...

  6. Association of IL-21 cytokine with severity of primary Sjögren syndrome dry eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Sung A; Nam, Doo Hyun; Lee, Jee Hye; Kwok, Seung-Ki; Park, Sung-Hwan; Chung, So-Hyang

    2015-03-01

    IL-21 plays an important role in primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate IL-21 expression in tears and the conjunctiva and to analyze the impact of IL-21 on primary SS dry eyes. Eighty subjects were enrolled in this study: 30 patients with primary SS dry eye (30 eyes); 30 patients with non-SS dry eye (30 eyes), and 20 normal controls. Tear IL-21 levels were measured by flow cytometry, and IL-21 gene expression in the conjunctiva from impression cytology was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Ocular Surface Disease Index, tear film breakup time, Schirmer I test, and ocular surface staining scores were obtained for all patients. Primary SS dry eyes had significantly higher tear IL-21 levels than non-SS dry eyes and normal controls (P dry eyes than in non-SS dry eyes and normal controls (P dry eyes and controls. The tear IL-21 level was significantly correlated with ocular surface stain scores (r = 0.54, P dry eyes. Our findings suggest that severity of primary SS dry eye is associated with IL-21.

  7. Primary DNA Damage in Dry Cleaners with Perchlorethylene Exposure

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    Mohammad Azimi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Perchloroethylene is a halogenated solvent widely used in dry cleaning. International agency of research on cancer classified this chemical as a probable human carcinogen. Objective: To evaluate the extent of primary DNA damage in dry cleaner workers who were exposed to perchloroethylene as compared to non-exposed subjects. The effect of exposure modifying factors such as use of personal protective equipment, perceived risk, and reported safe behaviors on observed DNA damage were also studied. Methods: 59 exposed and non-exposed workers were selected from Yazd, Iran. All the 33 exposed workers had work history at least 3 months in the dry cleaning shops. Peripheral blood sampling was performed. Microscope examination was performed under fluorescent microscope (400×. Open comet software was used for image analysis. All biological analysis was performed in one laboratory. Results: Primary DNA damage to leukocytes in dry cleaners was relatively high. The median tail length, %DNA in tail, and tail moment in exposed group were significantly higher than those in non-exposed group. There was no significant difference between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of tail length, tail moment, and %DNA in tail. There was no significant correlation between duration of employment in dry cleaning and observed DNA damage in terms of tail length, tail moment and %DNA in tail. Stratified analysis based on exposed and nonexposed category showed no significant relationship between age and observed DNA damage. Conclusion: Occupationally exposure to perchloroethylene can cause early DNA damage in dry cleaners.

  8. Global Sensitivity Analysis as Good Modelling Practices tool for the identification of the most influential process parameters of the primary drying step during freeze-drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F.C.; Corver, Jos

    2018-01-01

    Pharmaceutical batch freeze-drying is commonly used to improve the stability of biological therapeutics. The primary drying step is regulated by the dynamic settings of the adaptable process variables, shelf temperature Ts and chamber pressure Pc. Mechanistic modelling of the primary drying step...

  9. Effect of harvest stage and drying methods on germination and seed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SERVER

    Y as affected by stage of harvest and method of drying were studied in the growing seasons of year. 2002 and ... confidence of farmers, because all other inputs will merely assist the ..... maintenance of stored products at safe moisture content.

  10. Chemotherapy Toxicity On Quality of Life in Older Patients With Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal Cavity, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-05-03

    Stage I Ovarian Cancer; Stage IA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage II Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage III Ovarian Cancer; Stage III Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer; Stage IV Primary Peritoneal Cancer

  11. Effects of drying process on the physicochemical properties of nopal cladodes at different maturity stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras-Padilla, Margarita; Gutiérrez-Cortez, Elsa; Valderrama-Bravo, María Del Carmen; Rojas-Molina, Isela; Espinosa-Arbeláez, Diego Germán; Suárez-Vargas, Raúl; Rodríguez-García, Mario Enrique

    2012-03-01

    Chemical proximate analysis was done in order to determine the changes of nutritional characteristics of nopal powders from three different maturity stages 50, 100, and 150 days and obtained by three different drying processes: freeze dried, forced air oven, and tunnel. Results indicate that nopal powder obtained by the process of freeze dried retains higher contents of protein, soluble fiber, and fat than the other two processes. Also, freeze dried process had less effect on color hue variable. No changes were observed in insoluble fiber content, chroma and lightness with the three different drying processes. Furthermore, the soluble fibers decreased with the age of nopal while insoluble fibers and ash content shows an opposite trend. In addition, the luminosity and hue values did not show differences among the maturity stages studied. The high content of dietary fibers of nopal pad powder could to be an interesting source of these important components for human diets and also could be used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry.

  12. Primary Tumor Thickness is a Prognostic Factor in Stage IV Melanoma: A Retrospective Study of Primary Tumor Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luen, Stephen; Wong, Siew Wei; Mar, Victoria; Kelly, John W; McLean, Catriona; McArthur, Grant A; Haydon, Andrew

    2018-01-01

    Stage IV melanoma exhibits a diverse range of tumor biology from indolent to aggressive disease. Many important prognostic factors have already been identified. Despite this, the behavior of metastatic melanoma remains difficult to predict. We sought to determine if any primary tumor characteristics affect survival following the diagnosis of stage IV melanoma. All patients diagnosed with stage IV melanoma between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from the Victorian Melanoma Service database. Retrospective chart review was performed to collect data on primary tumor characteristics (thickness, ulceration, mitotic rate, melanoma subtype, or occult primary). Known and suspected prognostic factors were additionally collected (time to diagnosis of stage IV disease, age, sex, stage, receipt of chemotherapy, and era of recurrence). The effect of primary tumor characteristics on overall survival from the date of diagnosis of stage IV disease was assessed. A total of 227 patients with a median follow-up of 5 years from diagnosis of stage IV disease were identified. Median overall survival of the cohort was 250 days.Of the primary tumor characteristics assessed, only tumor thickness affected survival from diagnosis of stage IV disease, hazard ratio=1.09 (1.02 to 1.16), P=0.008. This remained significant in multivariate analysis, P=0.007. Other primary tumor characteristics did not significantly influence survival. Primary tumor thickness is a significant prognostic factor in stage IV melanoma. Our data suggest that the biology of the primary melanoma may persist to influence the behavior of metastatic disease.

  13. Tear osmolarity measurements in dry eye related to primary Sjögren's syndrome.

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    Utine, Canan Asli; Bıçakçıgil, Müge; Yavuz, Sule; Çiftçi, Ferda

    2011-08-01

    To evaluate the tear osmolarity in patients with dry eye syndrome related to primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS). Twenty eyes of 10 patients with dry eye and primary SS (Group 1) and 20 eyes of 20 subjects who do not have dry eye syndrome (Group 2) were included in this cross-sectional study. In all eyes, ophthalmic examination was performed in the same order: International Ocular Surface Disease Index survey, visual acuity assessment, conjunctival hyperemia scoring, tear osmolarity measurement with TearLab(™) Osmolarity System, tear film break-up time assessment, corneal fluorescein staining scoring, ocular surface Lissamine Green staining scoring, anesthetized Schirmer test. Dry eye severity was graded according to Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) classification system. Four eyes with grade 1, four eyes with grade 2, seven eyes with grade 3, and five eyes with grade 4 dryness, according to DEWS system, were included. The mean tear osmolarity value was 301.9 ± 11.40 mOsm/L (range: 290-328) in Group 1, and 294.85 ± 8.33 mOsm/L (range: 283-311) in Group 2 (p = 0.03). In Group 1, tear osmolarity values were positively correlated with OSDI scores (r(18) = 0.55, r(2) = 0.31, p = 0.01), DEWS classification grades (r(18) = 0.73, r(2) = 0.54, p dry eye syndrome related to primary SS compared to control subjects, and positively correlated with the severity of dry eye.

  14. Effect of harvest stage and drying methods on germination and seed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Germination of seed and infection by seed-borne fungi of two maize varieties DMRLSR-W and DMRLSRY as affected by stage of harvest and method of drying were studied in the growing seasons of year 2002 and 2003 at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiment ...

  15. Primary Surgery vs Radiotherapy for Early Stage Oral Cavity Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Mark A; Graboyes, Evan M; Wahlquist, Amy E; Neskey, David M; Kaczmar, John M; Schopper, Heather K; Sharma, Anand K; Morgan, Patrick F; Nguyen, Shaun A; Day, Terry A

    2018-04-01

    Objective The goal of this study is to determine the effect of primary surgery vs radiotherapy (RT) on overall survival (OS) in patients with early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). In addition, this study attempts to identify factors associated with receiving primary RT. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting National Cancer Database (NCDB, 2004-2013). Subjects and Methods Reviewing the NCDB from 2004 to 2013, patients with early stage I to II OCSCC were identified. Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival, Cox regression analysis, and propensity score matching were used to examine differences in OS between primary surgery and primary RT. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with primary RT. Results Of the 20,779 patients included in the study, 95.4% (19,823 patients) underwent primary surgery and 4.6% (956 patients) underwent primary RT. After adjusting for covariates, primary RT was associated with an increased risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.97; 99% confidence interval [CI], 1.74-2.22). On multivariable analysis, factors associated with primary RT included age ≥70 years, black race, Medicaid or Medicare insurance, no insurance, oral cavity subsite other than tongue, clinical stage II disease, low-volume treatment facilities, and earlier treatment year. Conclusion Primary RT for early stage OCSCC is associated with increased mortality. Approximately 5% of patients receive primary RT; however, this percentage is decreasing. Patients at highest risk for receiving primary RT include those who are elderly, black, with public insurance, and treated at low-volume facilities.

  16. SOME STUDIES ON FREEZE - DRIED ARTERIES

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    H. Sadeghi - Nejad

    1970-01-01

    Full Text Available (1 The secondary stage of freeze - drying, particularly the last day, is not important and I suggest the whole procedure is reduced to three days, the primary stage occupying two of these. (2 The mothod used obtains the satisfactory low level of residual moisture. RESUME (3 Experiments on reconstitution with saline and distilled water show that distilled water is more satisfactory and I suggest that saline should not he used.

  17. Factors associated with severe dry eye in primary Sjögren's syndrome diagnosed patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez Castro, Mónica; Sánchez-Piedra, Carlos; Andreu, Jose Luis; Martínez Taboada, Víctor; Olivé, Alejandro; Rosas, Jose

    2018-06-01

    Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease, characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands and other organs, resulting in dry eye, dry mouth and extraglandular systemic findings. To explore the association of severe or very severe dry eye with extraocular involvement in patients diagnosed with primary Sjögren's syndrome. SJOGRENSER registry is a multicenter cross-sectional study of pSS patients. For the construction of our main variable, severe/very severe dry eye, we used those variables that represented a degree 3-4 of severity according to the 2007 Dry Eye Workshop classification. First, bivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the effect of each independent variable on severe/very severe dry eye. Secondly, multivariate analysis using regression model was used to establish the independent effect of patient characteristics. Four hundred and thirty-seven patients were included in SJOGRENSER registry; 94% of the patients complained of dry eye and 16% developed corneal ulcer. Schirmer's test was pathological in 92% of the patients; 378 patients presented severe/very severe dry eye. Inflammatory articular involvement was significantly more frequent in patients with severe/very severe dry eye than in those without severe/very severe dry eye (82.5 vs 69.5%, p = 0,028). Inflammatory joint involvement was associated with severe/very severe dry eye in the multivariate analysis, OR 2.079 (95% CI 1.096-3.941). Severe or very severe dry eye is associated with the presence of inflammatory joint involvement in patients with pSS. These results suggest that a directed anamnesis including systemic comorbidities, such as the presence of inflammatory joint involvement or dry mouth in patients with dry eye, would be useful to suspect a pSS.

  18. In-depth investigation on the pyrolysis kinetics of raw biomass. Part I: kinetic analysis for the drying and devolatilization stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dengyu; Zheng, Yan; Zhu, Xifeng

    2013-03-01

    An in-depth investigation was conducted on the kinetic analysis of raw biomass using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), from which the activation energy distribution of the whole pyrolysis process was obtained. Two different stages, namely, drying stage (Stage I) and devolatilization stage (Stage II), were shown in the pyrolysis process in which the activation energy values changed with conversion. The activation energy at low conversions (below 0.15) in the drying stage ranged from 10 to 30 kJ/mol. Such energy was calculated using the nonisothermal Page model, known as the best model to describe the drying kinetics. Kinetic analysis was performed using the distributed activation energy model in a wide range of conversions (0.15-0.95) in the devolatilization stage. The activation energy first ranged from 178.23 to 245.58 kJ/mol and from 159.66 to 210.76 kJ/mol for corn straw and wheat straw, respectively, then increasing remarkably with an irregular trend. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Appendectomy in primary and secondary staging operations for ovarian malignancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, P G; Reale, F R; Fisher, A; Hunter, R E

    1991-01-01

    Appendectomy was performed at primary or secondary staging operations in 100 patients with ovarian malignancies. Of 80 patients who underwent appendectomy at the time of their primary surgery, 25 (31.2%) had appendiceal metastases. Among 47 patients who were believed to have disease limited to the pelvis at the time of surgery--stage I (N = 34), II (N = 7), IIIA (N = 5), and those designated stage IIIC solely on the basis of microscopic para-aortic nodal metastasis (N = 1)--the appendix was involved with disease in only two patients (4.3%). However, among 33 patients with advanced disease--stage IIIB (N = 6), IIIC except those designated IIIC solely on the basis of microscopic paraaortic nodal metastasis (N = 19), and IV (N = 8)--the appendix was involved with disease in 23 patients (69.7%) (P less than .001). Poorly differentiated tumors and serous histologic cell types more frequently metastasized to the appendix (64, 15, 6, and 8% for grades 3, 2, and 1 and borderline histology, respectively; P less than .001; and 48, 13, and 8% for serous, endometrioid, and mucinous; P less than .001). Of 20 patients who underwent appendectomy at their secondary staging procedure, two had metastases. Metastatic disease in the appendix was microscopic in nine of 27 patients. Because the frequency of appendiceal metastasis is similar to that of other metastatic sites in stages I and II ovarian cancer, it should be removed at primary staging procedures. Appendectomy should also be performed in patients with advanced ovarian malignancies if it contributes to cytoreduction or at the time of secondary staging procedures.

  20. Energy cost of seed drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weerachet Jittanit

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the energy costs of drying corn, rice and wheat seeds between 3 drying options were compared. They consisted of 1 two-stage drying by using fluidised bed dryer (FBD in the 1st stage and in-store dryer (ISD in the 2nd stage, 2 single-stage drying by fixed bed dryer (FXD and 3 two-stage drying by using FXD in the 1st  stage and ISD in the 2nd  stage. The drying conditions selected for comparison were proved to be safe for seed viability by the previous studies. The results showed that the drying options 2 and 3 consumed less energy than option 1. However, the benefits from lower energy cost must be weighed against some advantages of using FBD. Furthermore, it appeared that running the burners of FXD and ISD for warming up the ambient air during humid weather condition could shorten drying time significantly with a little higher energy cost.

  1. [Dry eye syndrome in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyko, E V; Simakova, I L; Yakushev, D Yu; Ignat'ev, S A; Alekseev, I B; Mel'nikova, N V; Alyab'ev, M V; Mal'tsev, D S

    2015-01-01

    to determine the frequency and severity of dry eye syndrome (DES) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients that are newly diagnosed or already receiving beta blocker instillation therapy. A total of 127 patients (190 eyes) with POAG were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 55 newly diagnosed patients (88 eyes), group 2-72 POAG patients (102 eyes) instilling timolol 0.5% twice daily into the affected eye. The control group included 20 patients (40 eyes) aged 60-88 years (73.6 ± 9.2 years on average) with early age-related cataract. DES was found in 69 POAG patients (79%) who was just starting their topical hypotensive therapy and 85 of those (84%) under treatment (p = 0.39). One should take into account when prescribing ocular hypotensive therapy that newly diagnosed POAG patients usually already suffer from a dry eye. The use of topical beta blockers that contain preservatives exacerbates dry eye signs and symptoms in these patients.

  2. Primary vaginal cancer: role of MRI in diagnosis, staging and treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunil, J; Klopp, A H; Devine, C E; Sagebiel, T; Viswanathan, C; Bhosale, P R

    2015-01-01

    Primary carcinoma of the vagina is rare, accounting for 1–3% of all gynaecological malignancies. MRI has an increasing role in diagnosis, staging, treatment and assessment of complications in gynaecologic malignancy. In this review, we illustrate the utility of MRI in patients with primary vaginal cancer and highlight key aspects of staging, treatment, recurrence and complications. PMID:25966291

  3. Developing a framework to model the primary drying step of a continuous freeze-drying process based on infrared radiation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Corver, Jos; Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F.C.

    2018-01-01

    . These results assist in the selection of proper materials which could serve as IR window in the continuous freeze-drying prototype. The modelling framework presented in this paper fits the model-based design approach used for the development of this prototype and shows the potential benefits of this design...... requires the fundamental mechanistic modelling of each individual process step. Therefore, a framework is presented for the modelling and control of the continuous primary drying step based on non-contact IR radiation. The IR radiation emitted by the radiator filaments passes through various materials...

  4. Global Sensitivity Analysis as Good Modelling Practices tool for the identification of the most influential process parameters of the primary drying step during freeze-drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F C; Corver, Jos; Nopens, Ingmar; Gernaey, Krist V; De Beer, Thomas

    2018-02-01

    Pharmaceutical batch freeze-drying is commonly used to improve the stability of biological therapeutics. The primary drying step is regulated by the dynamic settings of the adaptable process variables, shelf temperature T s and chamber pressure P c . Mechanistic modelling of the primary drying step leads to the optimal dynamic combination of these adaptable process variables in function of time. According to Good Modelling Practices, a Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) is essential for appropriate model building. In this study, both a regression-based and variance-based GSA were conducted on a validated mechanistic primary drying model to estimate the impact of several model input parameters on two output variables, the product temperature at the sublimation front T i and the sublimation rate ṁ sub . T s was identified as most influential parameter on both T i and ṁ sub , followed by P c and the dried product mass transfer resistance α Rp for T i and ṁ sub , respectively. The GSA findings were experimentally validated for ṁ sub via a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach. The results indicated that GSA is a very useful tool for the evaluation of the impact of different process variables on the model outcome, leading to essential process knowledge, without the need for time-consuming experiments (e.g., DoE). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Quantitative risk assessment via uncertainty analysis in combination with error propagation for the determination of the dynamic Design Space of the primary drying step during freeze-drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Bockstal, Pieter Jan; Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F.C.; Corver, Jos

    2017-01-01

    of a freeze-drying process, allowing to quantitatively estimate and control the risk of cake collapse (i.e., the Risk of Failure (RoF)). The propagation of the error on the estimation of the thickness of the dried layer Ldried as function of primary drying time was included in the uncertainty analysis...

  6. Internal stress model for pre-primary stage of low-stress creep

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kloc, L

    2010-01-01

    Initial transient stage in low-stress creep experiments was observed in all such experiments. Recently, evidences were presented that this stage cannot be considered as a normal creep primary stage, though the shape of the creep curve is similar. The strain reached during this so called pre-primary stage is fully recoverable upon unloading; the internal stresses must play important role in the effect. Model of standard linear anelastic solid was modified by introduction of creeping body instead of viscous dashpot. Both power law and hyperbolic sine creep law were used to fit observed creep curves of model and structural materials. Mainly the model using hyeprbolic sine creep law provides good fit to individual creep curves and sets of creep curves at different stresses.

  7. Phyllostomid Bat Occurrence in Successional Stages of Neotropical Dry Forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila-Cabadilla, Luis Daniel; Stoner, Kathryn Elizabeth; Nassar, Jafet M.; Espírito-Santo, Mario M.; Alvarez-Añorve, Mariana Yolotl; Aranguren, Carla I.; Henry, Mickael; González-Carcacía, José A.; Dolabela Falcão, Luiz A.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Gerardo Arturo

    2014-01-01

    Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration), in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late) in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance) and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition). We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1) the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2) the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3) the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4) the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable tool for

  8. Phyllostomid bat occurrence in successional stages of neotropical dry forests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla

    Full Text Available Tropical dry forests (TDFs are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration, in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition. We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1 the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2 the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3 the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4 the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable

  9. A Novel Dual-Stage Hydrothermal Flow Reactor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellstern, Henrik Christian; Becker, Jacob; Hald, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The dual-stage reactor is a novel continuous flow reactor with two reactors connected in series. It is designed for hydrothermal flow synthesis of nanocomposites, in which a single particle consists of multiple materials. The secondary material may protect the core nanoparticle from oxidation....... The dual-stage reactor combines the ability to produce advanced materials with an upscaled capacity in excess of 10 g/hour (dry mass). TiO2 was synthesized in the primary reactor and reproduced previous results. The dual-stage capability was succesfully demonstrated with a series of nanocomposites incl. Ti...

  10. Effect of the planting material on the incidence of dry rot in Colocasia esculenta (L. Schott and Xanthosoma spp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Espinosa

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The cocoyam (Xanthosoma spp. and Colocasia esculenta is a monocot plant with vegetative propagation. This work was developed with the aim of determining the effect of the planting material type on the incidence of dry rot in two cultivars of Colocasia and Xanthosoma genera. Primary and secondary rhizomes, crowns of primary rhizomes and in vitro plants were used. The plantation was maintained for twelve months and the plants were characterized morphologically in the growing stage. Besides, it was determined the incidence of dry rot per treatment at growing and harvest stage. Finally, the yield was determined. When in vitro plants were used the percentage of incidence and intensity of the damage of dry rot was less in both cultivars. The yield in primary rhizomes and overall was significantly higher. The results indicated the superiority of in vitro plants as initial plantation material over the traditional seed used in taro culture. Furthermore, it allows the designing a seed production program by biotechnological methods. Key words: clone, cocoyam, dry rot, in vitro plants.

  11. Inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer using liposomal curcumin dry powder inhalers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tongtong Zhang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Traditional chemotherapy causes serious toxicity due to the wide bodily distribution of these drugs. Curcumin is a potential anticancer agent but its low water solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism significantly limits clinical applications. Here we developed a liposomal curcumin dry powder inhaler (LCD for inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer. LCDs were obtained from curcumin liposomes after freeze-drying. The LCDs had a mass mean aerodynamic diameter of 5.81 μm and a fine particle fraction of 46.71%, suitable for pulmonary delivery. The uptake of curcumin liposomes by human lung cancer A549 cells was markedly greater and faster than that of free curcumin. The high cytotoxicity on A549 cells and the low cytotoxicity of curcumin liposomes on normal human bronchial BEAS-2B epithelial cells yielded a high selection index partly due to increased cell apoptosis. Curcumin powders, LCDs and gemcitabine were directly sprayed into the lungs of rats with lung cancer through the trachea. LCDs showed higher anticancer effects than the other two medications with regard to pathology and the expression of many cancer-related markers including VEGF, malondialdehyde, TNF-α, caspase-3 and BCL-2. LCDs are a promising medication for inhalation treatment of lung cancer with high therapeutic efficiency. Key words: Curcumin, Dry powder inhaler, Liposome, Primary lung cancer, Pulmonary delivery

  12. Antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of air-dried cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L. at different ripeness stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo Narváez-Cuenca

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Because the use of drying at high temperatures might negatively affect the functional properties of fruits, the effect of air-drying at 60°C on the total phenolic content (TPC and antioxidant capacity (AOC of cape gooseberry fruit was evaluated at three ripeness stages. The AOC was evaluated with 2,2'-azino-bis(3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS , ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, and beta-carotene-linoleate assays. The TPC and AOC increased in the fresh fruit as the ripeness stage increased. The TPC increased from 401.8±19.8 to 569.3±22.3 mg GA E/100 g dry weight (DW. The AOC values obtained with ABTS in the fresh fruit (ranging from 79.4±4.5 to 132.7±12.9 mumol trolox/g fruit DW were comparable to those obtained with FRAP (ranging from 82.9±16.3 to 153.9±31.7 mumol trolox/g fruit DW. The values assessed with DPPH ranged from 21.0±3.2 to 34.1±5.1 mumol trolox/g fruit DW. The beta-carotene-linoleate assay gave values ranging from 5.8±1.1 to 12.7±2.0 mumol a-tocoferol/g fruit DW. Air-drying the cape gooseberry fruit had a small influence on the TPC. The air-dried fruit had AOC values ranging from 27 to 164% of the value of the fresh fruit. While the ABTS assay produced higher values in the air-dried fruit than in the fresh fruit, the FRAP, DPPH, and beta-carotene-linoleate assays resulted in lower values in the air-dried fruit.

  13. DYNAMICS OF HUMIDITY DISTRIBUTION IN CROSS-SECTION OF FLAT MOULDING MASS SAMPLES IN INITIAL DRYING STAGE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. N. Оsipov

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available It is proposed to use an exponential dependence for description of humidity distribution in cross-section of flat clay mass samples of plastic formation in an initial drying stage. Dependences of exponential curve indices on time from drying start-up and size of an «active» zone of clay mass dehydration have been determined. Analytical-experimental methodology for calculation of maximum permissible humidity differential of moulding mass under crack formation conditions has been developed on the basis of thermo-elasticity model. Some regularities for an estimation of thinning agent usage while making-up mixture.

  14. Model-based optimization of the primary drying step during freeze-drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F.C.; Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Nopens, Ingmar

    2015-01-01

    Since large molecules are considered the key driver for growth of the pharmaceutical industry, the focus of the pharmaceutical industry is shifting from small molecules to biopharmaceuticals: around 50% of the approved biopharmaceuticals are freeze-dried products. Therefore, freeze- drying is an ...

  15. Psychiatry in primary care using the three-stage assessment

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    terms of the patient's readiness to change his/her behaviour and then use an agenda-setting technique to decide which risk factor to .... and occasionally uses cannabis. She is not using any family planning (besides ... require a long-term relationship with their primary care physician,. Table 1. The three-stage assessment.

  16. Interferometric measurements of dry mass content in nuclei and cytoplasm in the life cycle of antheridial filaments cells of Chara vulgaris L. in their successive developmental stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna Kuran

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Interferometric measurements of the nucleus and cytoplasm dry mass during interphase in the successive stages of development of antheridial filaments of Chara vulgaris demonstrated that the dry mass and surface area of cell nuclei double in size in each of the successive generations of the filaments, whereas neither the surface nor the dry mass of the cytoplasm increase in such proportion in the same period. In the successive stages of development of the antheridial filaments the dry mass and surface area of the nuclei and cytoplasm gradually diminish.

  17. Oral mucosal manifestations in primary and secondary Sjögren syndrome and dry mouth syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Błochowiak

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction : One of the most important symptoms of Sjögren syndrome is xerostomia. The oral cavity deprived of saliva and its natural lubricative, protective and antibacterial properties is prone to a number of unfavourable consequences. Aim : To present the most important lesions on the oral mucosa in primary and secondary Sjögren syndrome and in dry mouth syndrome. Material and methods: The study group comprised 55 patients including 52 women and 3 men aged 20–72 years (average: 28.25 years. Results : Basing on the accepted criteria, primary Sjögren syndrome was diagnosed in 22 (40% patients, secondary Sjögren syndrome in 18 (32.7% patients, and dry mouth syndrome in 15 (27.27% patients. The physical examination and the examination of the mouth were performed and history was elicited from every patient. Conclusions : The most common pathologies appearing on the oral mucosa in primary and secondary Sjögren syndrome are angular cheilitis, cheilitis, increased lip dryness as well as non-specific ulcerations, aphthae and aphthoid conditions.

  18. Intravital Microscopy in Evaluating Patients With Primary Peritoneal, Fallopian Tube, or Stage IA-IV Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-06-04

    Fallopian Tube Carcinoma; Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma; Stage I Ovarian Cancer; Stage IA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IC Ovarian Cancer; Stage II Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIC Ovarian Cancer; Stage III Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer

  19. Modelling and simulating the forming of new dry automated lay-up reinforcements for primary structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouquerel, Laure; Moulin, Nicolas; Drapier, Sylvain; Boisse, Philippe; Beraud, Jean-Marc

    2017-10-01

    While weight has been so far the main driver for the development of prepreg based-composites solutions for aeronautics, a new weight-cost trade-off tends to drive choices for next-generation aircrafts. As a response, Hexcel has designed a new dry reinforcement type for aircraft primary structures, which combines the benefits of automation, out-of-autoclave process cost-effectiveness, and mechanical performances competitive to prepreg solutions: HiTape® is a unidirectional (UD) dry carbon reinforcement with thermoplastic veil on each side designed for aircraft primary structures [1-3]. One privileged process route for HiTape® in high volume automated processes consists in forming initially flat dry reinforcement stacks, before resin infusion [4] or injection. Simulation of the forming step aims at predicting the geometry and mechanical properties of the formed stack (so-called preform) for process optimisation. Extensive work has been carried out on prepreg and dry woven fabrics forming behaviour and simulation, but the interest for dry non-woven reinforcements has emerged more recently. Some work has been achieved on non crimp fabrics but studies on the forming behaviour of UDs are seldom and deal with UD prepregs only. Tension and bending in the fibre direction, along with inter-ply friction have been identified as the main mechanisms controlling the HiTape® response during forming. Bending has been characterised using a modified Peirce's flexometer [5] and inter-ply friction study is under development. Anisotropic hyperelastic constitutive models have been selected to represent the assumed decoupled deformation mechanisms. Model parameters are then identified from associated experimental results. For forming simulation, a continuous approach at the macroscopic scale has been selected first, and simulation is carried out in the Zset framework [6] using proper shell finite elements.

  20. Stage IE Primary Bone Lymphoma:Limb Salvage for Local Recurrence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khodamorad Jamshidi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background:   Primary bone lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma of bone is a rare disease. There are only a few case series of stage IE of this condition in medical literature. The aim of this study is to determine the rate of survival   for stage IE after combined modality treatment, the rate of local recurrence, and the results of limb salvage in cases   of local recurrence.     Methods:   We collected data from 61 patients with histologically confirmed PBL treated at the Musculoskeletal   Oncology Department of our hospital from 2000 to 2010. Retrospective evaluation included demographics, symptoms, tumor locations, outcomes of surgical treatment for local recurrence and survival rates. Results:   All patients received Combined Modality Therapy. Overall,five year survival was 89% and five year disease free survival rate was 78%. Local recurrence occurred in 6 patients during follow up period, which was treated surgically     by wide excision and reconstruction. The mean follow-up for the local recurrence group was 36(24-54 months and mortality rate in this group was 17%. Conclusions:   Combined Modality Therapy for stage IE primary bone lymphomaresults in good survival rate. In case   of local recurrence, wide excision and reconstruction improves the outcomes.

  1. Double stage dry-wet-fermentation - start-up of a pilot biogas plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buschmann, Jeannette; Busch, Gunter; Burkhardt, Marko

    2009-01-01

    The Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) has developed a double stage dry-wet fermentation process for fast and safe anaerobic degradation. Originally designed for treatment of organic wastes, this process allows using a wide variety of solid biodegradable materials. The dividing of hydrolysis and methanation in this process, allows an optimization of the different steps of biogas generation separately. The main advantages of the process are the optimum process control, an extremely stable process operation and a high gas productivity and quality. Compared to conventional processes, the retention times within the percolation stage (hydrolysis) are reduced considerably. In cooperation with the engineering and consulting company GICON, the technology was qualified further to an industrial scale. In 2007 a pilot plant, and, simultaneously, an industrial plant were built by GICON based on this double stage technology. Based on practical experience from the operation of laboratory fermentation plants, the commissioning of the pilot plant was planned, controlled and monitored by our institution. The start-up of a biogas plant of this type focuses mainly on the inoculation the of methane reactor. The growth of microbial populations and generation of a stable biocenosis within the methane reactor is essential and affects the duration of starting period as well as the methanation efficiency a long time afterwards. This paper concerns with start-up of a pilot biogas plant and discusses particular occurrences and effects during this period. (author)

  2. A Grey-Box Model for Spray Drying Plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Lars Norbert; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Niemann, Hans Henrik

    2013-01-01

    Multi-stage spray drying is an important and widely used unit operation in the production of food powders. In this paper we develop and present a dynamic model of the complete drying process in a multi-stage spray dryer. The dryer is divided into three stages: The spray stage and two fluid bed...

  3. Population dynamic of the swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polytes (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae in dry and wet seasons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SUWARNO

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Suwarno (2010 Population dynamic of the swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polytes (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae in dry and wet seasons. Biodiversitas 11: 19-23. The population dynamic of Papilio polytes L. (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae in dry and wet seasons was investigated in the citrus orchard in Tasek Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Population of immature stages of P. polytes was observed alternate day from January to March 2006 (dry season, DS, from April to July 2006 (secondary wet season, SWS, and from October to December 2006 (primary wet season, PWS. The population dynamics of the immature stages of P. polytes varied between seasons. The immature stages of P. polytes are more abundance and significantly different in the PWS than those of the DS and the SWS. The larval densities in all seasons decreased with progressive development of the instar stages. Predators and parasitoids are the main factor in regulating the population abundance of immature stages of P. polytes. There were positive correlations between the abundance of immature stages of P. polytes and their natural enemies abundance in each season. Ooencyrtus papilioni Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae is the most egg parasitoid. Oxyopes quadrifasciatus L. Koch. and O. elegans L. Koch. (Araneae: Oxyopidae are the main predators in the young larvae, meanwhile Sycanus dichotomus Stal. (Heteroptera: Reduviidae, Calotes versicolor Fitzinger (Squamata: Agamidae, birds and praying mantis attacked the older larvae.

  4. Model for Physical Education Content Standards at Early Stages of Primary Education in the Republic of Macedonia

    OpenAIRE

    Klincarov, Ilija; Popeska, Biljana

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this article is to propose a model for designing national physical education content standards in early stages of primary education in the Republic of Macedonia. Proposed model is based on the findings about motor structure of children at the early stage of primary education obtained in researches realized in 5 primary schools in Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia, in relation with Macedonian PE curriculum, and overarching standards for children at this age in California, USA,chosen...

  5. EVALUATION OF PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY AT THE WILDLIFE PROTECTED AREA, "NEVADO DE TOLUCA" MEXICO, DURING THE DRY SEASON

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Martínez-Hernández

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This is the first report on grassland primary productivity for the wildlife protected area Nevado de Toluca (APFF Nevado de Toluca. We evaluated three communities in this area during dry season: Loma Alta, La Peñuela y Agua Blanca. Following Hodgson (1994, for this study we used exclusion cages. Vegetation was cut every 28 days during a five months sampling period. A randomized block design was used, where the blocks represented the grassland communities and the different months constituted treatments. The month of September showed the higher production (610.3 kg/ha DM. No significant differences were observed among communities (P >0.05. In conclusion, these communities have similar low primary productivity through the evaluation dry season months, which in addition was found lower in comparison to other areas, therefore livestock grazing in this region should be limited this season.

  6. Through-vial impedance spectroscopy of the mechanisms of annealing in the freeze-drying of maltodextrin: the impact of annealing hold time and temperature on the primary drying rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Geoff; Arshad, Muhammad Sohail; Polygalov, Eugene; Ermolina, Irina

    2014-06-01

    The study aims to investigate the impact of annealing hold time and temperature on the primary drying rate/duration of a 10% (w/v) solution of maltodextrin with an emphasis on how the mechanisms of annealing might be understood from the in-vial measurements of the ice crystal growth and the glass transition. The electrical impedance of the solution within a modified glass vial was recorded between 10 and 10(6) Hz during freeze-drying cycles with varying annealing hold times (1-5 h) and temperatures. Primary drying times decreased by 7%, 27% and 34% (1.1, 4.3 and 5.5 h) with the inclusion of an annealing step at temperatures of -15°C, -10°C and -5°C, respectively. The glass transition was recorded at approximately -16°C during the re-heating and re-cooling steps, which is close to the glass transition (Tg ') reported for 10% (w/v) maltodextrin and therefore indicates that a maximum freeze concentration (∼86%, w/w, from the Gordon-Taylor equation) was achieved during first freezing, with no further ice being formed on annealing. This observation, coupled to the decrease in electrical resistance that was observed during the annealing hold time, suggests that the reduction in the drying time was because of improved connectivity of ice crystals because of Ostwald ripening rather than devitrification. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  7. The correlation of preoperative CT, MR imaging, and clinical staging (FIGO) with histopathology findings in primary cervical carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oezsarlak, Oe.; Schepens, E.; Corthouts, B.; Beeck, B.O. de; Parizel, P.M.; De Schepper, A.M.; Tjalma, W.; Marck, E. van

    2003-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the preoperative findings of abdominal/pelvic CT and MRI with the preoperative clinical International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) staging and postoperative pathology report in patients with primary cancer of the cervix. Thirty-six patients with surgical-pathological proven primary cancer of the cervix were retrospectively studied for preoperative staging by clinical examination, CT, and MR imaging. Studied parameters for preoperative staging were the presence of tumor, tumor extension into the parametrial tissue, pelvic wall, adjacent organs, and lymph nodes. The CT was performed in 32 patients and MRI (T1- and T2-weighted images) in 29 patients. The CT and MR staging were based on the FIGO staging system. Results were compared with histological findings. The group is consisted of stage 0 (in situ):1, Ia:1, Ib:8, IIa:2, IIb:12, IIIa:4, IVa:6, and IVb:2 patients. The overall accuracy of staging for clinical examination, CT, and MRI was 47, 53, and 86%, respectively. The MRI incorrectly staged 2 patients and did not visualize only two tumors; one was an in situ (stage-0) and one stage-Ia (microscopic) disease. The MRI is more accurate than CT and they are both superior to clinical examination in evaluating the locoregional extension and preoperative staging of primary cancer of the cervix. (orig.)

  8. The effect of dryer load on freeze drying process design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sajal M; Jameel, Feroz; Pikal, Michael J

    2010-10-01

    Freeze-drying using a partial load is a common occurrence during the early manufacturing stages when insufficient amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) are available. In such cases, the immediate production needs are met by performing lyophilization with less than a full freeze dryer load. However, it is not obvious at what fractional load significant deviations from full load behavior begin. The objective of this research was to systematically study the effects of variation in product load on freeze drying behavior in laboratory, pilot and clinical scale freeze-dryers. Experiments were conducted with 5% mannitol (high heat and mass flux) and 5% sucrose (low heat and mass flux) at different product loads (100%, 50%, 10%, and 2%). Product temperature was measured in edge as well as center vials with thermocouples. Specific surface area (SSA) was measured by BET gas adsorption analysis and residual moisture was measured by Karl Fischer. In the lab scale freeze-dryer, the molar flux of inert gas was determined by direct flow measurement using a flowmeter and the molar flux of water vapor was determined by manometric temperature measurement (MTM) and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) techniques. Comparative pressure measurement (capacitance manometer vs. Pirani) was used to determine primary drying time. For both 5% mannitol and 5% sucrose, primary drying time decreases and product temperature increases as the load on the shelves decreases. No systematic variation was observed in residual moisture and vapor composition as load decreased. Further, SSA data suggests that there are no significant freezing differences under different load conditions. Independent of dryer scale, among all the effects, variation in radiation heat transfer from the chamber walls to the product seems to be the dominant effect resulting in shorter primary drying time as the load on the shelf decreases (i.e., the fraction of edge vials increases).

  9. Modeling of thermal mode of drying special purposes ceramic products in batch action chamber dryers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukianov, E. S.; Lozovaya, S. Yu; Lozovoy, N. M.

    2018-03-01

    The article is devoted to the modeling of batch action chamber dryers in the processing line for producing shaped ceramic products. At the drying stage, for various reasons, most of these products are warped and cracked due to the occurrence of irregular shrinkage deformations due to the action of capillary forces. The primary cause is an untruly organized drying mode due to imperfection of chamber dryers design specifically because of the heat-transfer agent supply method and the possibility of creating a uniform temperature field in the whole volume of the chamber.

  10. Nomogram for 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieuwenhuyzen-de Boer, G M; Gerestein, C G; Eijkemans, M J C; Burger, C W; Kooi, G S

    2016-01-01

    Extensive surgical procedures to achieve maximal cytoreduction in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are inevitably associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify preoperative predictors of 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC and to develop a nomogram for individual risk assessment. Patients in The Netherlands who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC between January 2004 and December 2007. All peri- and postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery were registered and classified. To investigate predictors of 30-day morbidity, a Cox proportional hazard model with backward stepwise elimination was utilized. The identified predictors were entered into a nomogram. The main outcome was to identify parameters that predict operative risk. 293 patients entered the study protocol. Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 136 (46%) patients. Thirty-day morbidity was seen in 99 (34%) patients. Morbidity could be predicted by age (p = 0.033; OR 1.024), preoperative hemoglobin (p = 0.194; OR 0.843), and WHO performance status (p = 0.015; OR 1.821) with a optimism-corrected c-statistic of 0.62. Determinants co-morbidity status, serum CA125 level, platelet count, and presence of ascites were comparable in both groups. Thirty-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC could be predicted by age, hemoglobin, and WHO performance status. The generated nomogram could be valuable for predicting operative risk in the individual patient.

  11. Use of a soft sensor for the fast estimation of dried cake resistance during a freeze-drying cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bosca, Serena; Barresi, Antonello A; Fissore, Davide

    2013-07-15

    This paper deals with the determination of dried cake resistance in a freeze-drying process using the Smart Soft Sensor, a process analytical technology recently proposed by the authors to monitor the primary drying stage of a freeze-drying process. This sensor uses the measurement of product temperature, a mathematical model of the process, and the Kalman filter algorithm to estimate the residual amount of ice in the vial as a function of time, as well as the coefficient of heat transfer between the shelf and the product and the resistance of the dried cake to vapor flow. It does not require expensive (additional) hardware in a freeze-dryer, provided that thermocouples are available. At first, the effect of the insertion of the thermocouple in a vial on the structure of the product is investigated by means of experimental tests, comparing both sublimation rate and cake structure in vials with and without thermocouple. This is required to assess that the temperature measured by the thermocouple is the same of the product in the non-monitored vials, at least in a non-GMP environment, or when controlled nucleation methods are used. Then, results about cake resistance obtained in an extended experimental campaign with aqueous solutions containing different excipients (sucrose, mannitol and polyvinylpyrrolidone), processed in various operating conditions, are presented, with the goal to point out the accuracy of the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The secondary drying and the fate of organic solvents for spray dried dispersion drug product.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Daniel S; Yue, Hongfei; Nicholson, Sarah J; Roberts, Daniel; Schild, Richard; Gamble, John F; Lindrud, Mark

    2015-05-01

    To understand the mechanisms of secondary drying of spray-dried dispersion (SDD) drug product and establish a model to describe the fate of organic solvents in such a product. The experimental approach includes characterization of the SDD particles, drying studies of SDD using an integrated weighing balance and mass spectrometer, and the subsequent generation of the drying curve. The theoretical approach includes the establishment of a Fickian diffusion model. The kinetics of solvent removal during secondary drying from the lab scale to a bench scale follows Fickian diffusion model. Excellent agreement is obtained between the experimental data and the prediction from the modeling. The diffusion process is dependent upon temperature. The key to a successful scale up of the secondary drying is to control the drying temperature. The fate of primary solvents including methanol and acetone, and their potential impurity such as benzene can be described by the Fickian diffusion model. A mathematical relationship based upon the ratio of diffusion coefficient was established to predict the benzene concentration from the fate of the primary solvent during the secondary drying process.

  13. An empirical model to predict infield thin layer drying rate of cut switchgrass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khanchi, A.; Jones, C.L.; Sharma, B.; Huhnke, R.L.; Weckler, P.; Maness, N.O.

    2013-01-01

    A series of 62 thin layer drying experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit and wind speed on drying rate of switchgrass. An environmental chamber was fabricated that can simulate field drying conditions. An empirical drying model based on maturity stage of switchgrass was also developed during the study. It was observed that solar radiation was the most significant factor in improving the drying rate of switchgrass at seed shattering and seed shattered maturity stage. Therefore, drying switchgrass in wide swath to intercept the maximum amount of radiation at these stages of maturity is recommended. Moreover, it was observed that under low radiation intensity conditions, wind speed helps to improve the drying rate of switchgrass. Field operations such as raking or turning of the windrows are recommended to improve air circulation within a swath on cloudy days. Additionally, it was found that the effect of individual weather parameters on the drying rate of switchgrass was dependent on maturity stage. Vapor pressure deficit was strongly correlated with the drying rate during seed development stage whereas, vapor pressure deficit was weakly correlated during seed shattering and seed shattered stage. These findings suggest the importance of using separate drying rate models for each maturity stage of switchgrass. The empirical models developed in this study can predict the drying time of switchgrass based on the forecasted weather conditions so that the appropriate decisions can be made. -- Highlights: • An environmental chamber was developed in the present study to simulate field drying conditions. • An empirical model was developed that can estimate drying rate of switchgrass based on forecasted weather conditions. • Separate equations were developed based on maturity stage of switchgrass. • Designed environmental chamber can be used to evaluate the effect of other parameters that affect drying of crops

  14. Efficiency of primary care in rural Burkina Faso. A two-stage DEA analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marschall, Paul; Flessa, Steffen

    2011-07-20

    Providing health care services in Africa is hampered by severe scarcity of personnel, medical supplies and financial funds. Consequently, managers of health care institutions are called to measure and improve the efficiency of their facilities in order to provide the best possible services with their resources. However, very little is known about the efficiency of health care facilities in Africa and instruments of performance measurement are hardly applied in this context. This study determines the relative efficiency of primary care facilities in Nouna, a rural health district in Burkina Faso. Furthermore, it analyses the factors influencing the efficiency of these institutions. We apply a two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) based on data from a comprehensive provider and household information system. In the first stage, the relative efficiency of each institution is calculated by a traditional DEA model. In the second stage, we identify the reasons for being inefficient by regression technique. The DEA projections suggest that inefficiency is mainly a result of poor utilization of health care facilities as they were either too big or the demand was too low. Regression results showed that distance is an important factor influencing the efficiency of a health care institution Compared to the findings of existing one-stage DEA analyses of health facilities in Africa, the share of relatively efficient units is slightly higher. The difference might be explained by a rather homogenous structure of the primary care facilities in the Burkina Faso sample. The study also indicates that improving the accessibility of primary care facilities will have a major impact on the efficiency of these institutions. Thus, health decision-makers are called to overcome the demand-side barriers in accessing health care.

  15. Nomogram for suboptimal cytoreduction at primary surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerestein, Cornelis G; Eijkemans, Marinus J; Bakker, Jeanette; Elgersma, Otto E; van der Burg, Maria E L; Kooi, Geertruida S; Burger, Curt W

    2011-11-01

    Maximal cytoreduction to minimal residual tumor is the most important determinant of prognosis in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Preoperative prediction of suboptimal cytoreduction, defined as residual tumor >1 cm, could guide treatment decisions and improve counseling. The objective of this study was to identify predictive computed tomographic (CT) scan and clinical parameters for suboptimal cytoreduction at primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC and to generate a nomogram with the identified parameters, which would be easy to use in daily clinical practice. Between October 2005 and December 2008, all patients with primary surgery for suspected advanced stage EOC at six participating teaching hospitals in the South Western part of the Netherlands entered the study protocol. To investigate independent predictors of suboptimal cytoreduction, a Cox proportional hazard model with backward stepwise elimination was utilized. One hundred and fifteen patients with FIGO stage III/IV EOC entered the study protocol. Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 52 (45%) patients. A suboptimal cytoreduction was predicted by preoperative blood platelet count (p=0.1990; odds ratio (OR)=1.002), diffuse peritoneal thickening (DPT) (p=0.0074; OR=3.021), and presence of ascites on at least two thirds of CT scan slices (p=0.0385; OR=2.294) with a for-optimism corrected c-statistic of 0.67. Suboptimal cytoreduction was predicted by preoperative platelet count, DPT and presence of ascites. The generated nomogram can, after external validation, be used to estimate surgical outcome and to identify those patients, who might benefit from alternative treatment approaches.

  16. The inclusión of distiller’s dried com grains with solubles in the feed of laying hens during the production stage

    OpenAIRE

    Rodríguez-Ríos, Hernán E; Campos-Parra, Jorge A; Williams-Salinas, Pamela A; Blanck-Heimann, Markus H; Astudillo-Neira, Rita G; Grande-Cano, Jesús D

    2015-01-01

    H.E. Rodríguez-Ríos, J.A. Campos-Parra, P.A. Williams-Salinas, M.H. Blanck-Heimann, R.G. Astudillo-Neira, and J.D. Grande-Cano. 2015. The inclusion of distiller’s dried corn grains with solubles in the feed of laying hens during the production stage. Cien. Inv. Agr. 42(3): 331-339. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of distiller’s dried corn grains with solubles (DDGS) in the diet of laying hens on their productive parameters (live weight, laying percentage, and feed intake) and ...

  17. The influence of freezing rates on bovine pericardium tissue Freeze-drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Figueiredo Borgognoni

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The bovine pericardium has been used as biomaterial in developing bioprostheses. Freeze-drying is a drying process that could be used for heart valve's preservation. The maintenance of the characteristics of the biomaterial is important for a good heart valve performance. This paper describes the initial step in the development of a bovine pericardium tissue freeze-drying to be used in heart valves. Freeze-drying involves three steps: freezing, primary drying and secondary drying. The freezing step influences the ice crystal size and, consequently, the primary and secondary drying stages. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of freezing rates on the bovine pericardium tissue freeze-drying parameters. The glass transition temperature and the structural behaviour of the lyophilized tissues were determined as also primary and secondary drying time. The slow freezing with thermal treatment presented better results than the other freeze-drying protocols.O pericárdio bovino é um material utilizado na fabricação de biopróteses. A liofilização é um método de secagem que vem sendo estudado para a conservação de válvulas cardíacas. A preservação das características do biomaterial é de fundamental importância no bom funcionamento das válvulas. Este artigo é a primeira etapa do desenvolvimento do ciclo de liofilização do pericárdio bovino. Liofilização é o processo de secagem no qual a água é removida do material congelado por sublimação e desorção da água incongelável, sob pressão reduzida. O congelamento influencia o tamanho do cristal de gelo e, consequentemente, a secagem primária e secundária. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a influência das taxas de congelamento nos parâmetros de liofilização do pericárdio bovino. Determinou-se a temperatura de transição vítrea e o comportamento estrutural do pericárdio bovino liofilizado. Determinou-se o tempo da secagem primária e secundária. O

  18. FREEZE DRYING PROCESS: A REVIEW

    OpenAIRE

    Soham Shukla

    2011-01-01

    Among the various methods of drying, this article has mentioned only one most important method, “Freeze drying”. This method is mainly used for the drying of thermo labile materials. This method works on the principle of sublimation. This method is divided into 3 steps for its better understanding; these are Freezing, Primary drying, and secondary drying. There are many advantages and disadvantages of this method, but still this is the most useful drying method nowadays.

  19. An experimentally validated simulation model for a four-stage spray dryer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Lars Norbert; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Niemann, Hans Henrik

    2017-01-01

    mathematical model is an index-1 differential algebraic equation (DAE) model with 12 states, 9 inputs, 8 disturbances, and 30 parameters. The parameters in the model are identified from well-excited experimental data obtained from the industrialtype spray dryer. The simulated outputs ofthe model are validated...... is divided into four consecutive stages: a primary spray drying stage, two heated fluid bed stages, and a cooling fluid bed stage. Each of these stages in the model is assumed ideally mixed and the dynamics are described by mass- and energy balances. These balance equations are coupled with constitutive...... equations such as a thermodynamic model, the water evaporation rate, the heat transfer rates, and an equation for the stickiness of the powder (glass transition temperature). Laboratory data is used to model the equilibrium moisture content and the glass transition temperature of the powder. The resulting...

  20. Understanding the management of early-stage chronic kidney disease in primary care: a qualitative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blakeman, Tom; Protheroe, Joanne; Chew-Graham, Carolyn; Rogers, Anne; Kennedy, Anne

    2012-01-01

    Background Primary care is recognised to have an important role in the delivery of care for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is evidence that CKD management is currently suboptimal, with a range of practitioner concerns about its management. Aim To explore processes underpinning the implementation of CKD management in primary care. Design and setting Qualitative study in general practices participating in a chronic kidney disease collaborative undertaken as part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Greater Manchester. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs and practice nurses (n = 21). Normalisation Process Theory provided a framework for generation and analysis of the data. Results A predominant theme was anxiety about the disclosure of early-stage CKD with patients. The tensions experienced related to identifying and discussing CKD in older people and patients with stage 3A, embedding early-stage CKD within vascular care, and the distribution of work within the practice team. Participants provided accounts of work undertaken to resolve the difficulties encountered, with efforts having tended to focus on reassuring patients. Analysis also highlighted how anxiety surrounding disclosure influenced, and was shaped by, the organisation of care for people with CKD and associated long-term conditions. Conclusion Offering reassurance alone may be of limited benefit, and current management of early-stage CKD in primary care may miss opportunities to address susceptibility to kidney injury, improve self-management of vascular conditions, and improve the management of multimorbidity. PMID:22520910

  1. Hypothesis: primary antiangiogenic method proposed to treat early stage breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Retsky, Michael W; Hrushesky, William JM; Gukas, Isaac D

    2009-01-01

    Women with Down syndrome very rarely develop breast cancer even though they now live to an age when it normally occurs. This may be related to the fact that Down syndrome persons have an additional copy of chromosome 21 where the gene that codes for the antiangiogenic protein Endostatin is located. Can this information lead to a primary antiangiogenic therapy for early stage breast cancer that indefinitely prolongs remission? A key question that arises is when is the initial angiogenic switch thrown in micrometastases? We have conjectured that avascular micrometastases are dormant and relatively stable if undisturbed but that for some patients angiogenesis is precipitated by surgery. We also proposed that angiogenesis of micrometastases very rarely occurs before surgical removal of the primary tumor. If that is so, it seems possible that we could suggest a primary antiangiogenic therapy but the problem then arises that starting a therapy before surgery would interfere with wound healing. The therapy must be initiated at least one day prior to surgical removal of the primary tumor and kept at a Down syndrome level perhaps indefinitely. That means the drug must have virtually no toxicity and not interfere meaningfully with wound healing. This specifically excludes drugs that significantly inhibit the VEGF pathway since that is important for wound healing and because these agents have some toxicity. Endostatin is apparently non-toxic and does not significantly interfere with wound healing since Down syndrome patients have no abnormal wound healing problems. We propose a therapy for early stage breast cancer consisting of Endostatin at or above Down syndrome levels starting at least one day before surgery and continuing at that level. This should prevent micrometastatic angiogenesis resulting from surgery or at any time later. Adjuvant chemotherapy or hormone therapy should not be necessary. This can be continued indefinitely since there is no acquired resistance that

  2. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THERMAL EFFECT OF DRYING, HEATING, BLOWING MACHINE WITH DIFFERENT STAGE

    OpenAIRE

    Aditya Pratap Singh; Disha Dinesh Sahni; Arpit Dubey

    2016-01-01

    Drying is the oldest method of preserving food. The early American settlers dried foods such as corn, apple slices, currants, grapes, and meat. Compared with other methods, drying is quite simple. In fact, you may already have most of the equipment on hand. Dried foods keep well because the moisture content is so low that spoilage organisms cannot grow. Drying will never replace canning and freezing because these methods do a better job of retaining the taste, appearance, and nutritive va...

  3. Evaluating energy efficient strategies and product quality for distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in dry-grind ethanol plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lan, Tian

    The drying of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a coproduct of dry-grind corn processing to ethanol utilizes about 30% of the total energy required for the production of a liter of fuel ethanol. Therefore, improving DDGS drying energy efficiency could have significant impact on the economics of the dry-grind corn-to-ethanol process. Drying process improvements must take account into the effects of various drying strategies on the final quality of DDGS which is primarily utilized as a feed ingredient. Previous studies in the literature have shown that physical and chemical properties of DDGS vary according to the ratio of the two primarily feed streams, wet distillers grains (WDG) and condensed distillers solubles (CDS) which make up DDGS. Extensive research using plant-scale and bench-scale experiments have been conducted on the effect of process variables (ratios of WDG, CDS and DDGS add-back) during drying on the physical and chemical properties of DDGS. However, these investigations did not correlate the product characteristics data to drying efficiency. Additionally, it cannot be clearly determined from the literature on DDGS drying that processes used in the industry are optimized for both product quality and energy efficiency. A bench-scale rotary drum dryer heated by an electrically powered heat gun was used to investigate the effects of WDG, CDS and add-back ratios on both energy efficiency, drying performance and DDGS physical and chemical properties. A two stage drying process with the bench-scale rotary dryer was used to simulate the drying of DDGS using ICM (ICM, Inc., Colwich, KS) dry-grind process technology for DDGS drying which uses two rotary drum dryers in series. Effects of drying process variables, CDS content (0, 10, 20 and 40% by mass) and percent DDGS add-back (0, 20, 40 and 60% by mass) on energy performance and product quality were determined. Sixteen different drying strategies based on drying process variable ratios were

  4. Development of a compact freeze vacuum drying for jelly fish (Schypomedusae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhamid, M. Idrus; Yulianto, M.; Nasruddin

    2012-06-01

    A new design of a freeze vacuum drying with internal cooling and heater from condenser's heat loss was built and tested. The dryer was used to dry jelly fish (schypomedusae), to study the effect of drying parameters such as the temperature within the drying chamber on mass losses (evaporation) during the freezing stage and the moisture ratio at the end of the drying process. The midili thin layer mathematical drying model was used to estimate and predict the moisture ratio curve based on different drying chamber temperatures. This experiment shows that decreasing the drying chamber temperature with constant pressure results in less mass loss during the freezing stage Drying time was reduced with an increase in drying temperature. Decreasing the drying chamber temperature results in lower pressure saturation of the material has no effect of drying chamber pressure on mass transfer.

  5. A proteomics panel for predicting optimal primary cytoreduction in stage III/IV ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Risum, Signe; Høgdall, Estrid; Engelholm, Svend A

    2009-01-01

    for CA-125. In addition, serum was analyzed for 7 biomarkers using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. These biomarkers were combined into a single-valued ovarian-cancer-risk index (OvaRI). CA-125 and OvaRI were evaluated as predictors of cytoreduction in 75......The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate CA-125 and a 7-marker panel as predictors of incomplete primary cytoreduction in patients with stage III/IV ovarian cancer (OC). From September 2004 to January 2008, serum from 201 patients referred to surgery for a pelvic tumor was analyzed...... stage III/IV patients using receiver operating characteristic curves. Complete primary cytoreduction (no macroscopic residual disease) was achieved in 31% (23/75) of the patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.66 for CA-125 and 0.75 for OvaRI. The sensitivity...

  6. Effect of Domestic Processing Methods on Dry Matter, Total Sugar, Phenolics and Mineral Composition in Different Developmental Stages of Parkia roxburghii G. (Don. Pods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jekendra Singh SALAM

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Parkia roxburghii is considered delicious in the Northeastern part of India, especially in the state of Manipur. Though it is widely used, information about the biochemical composition and its changes, after processing, is hardly available. In the present experiment, effect of processing methods on dry matter, soluble sugar, phenolics and mineral composition in different developmental stages of P. roxburghii pods were studied. Total soluble sugar (TSS, total phenols (TP, and orthodihydric phenols (ODHP were determined as per the methods of Morris (1948, Bray and Thorpe (1954 and Mahadevan and Sridhar (1986. Sodium (Na, potassium (K, sulphur (S and phosphorus (P were estimated as per the procedures of Tandon (1993. Calcium (Ca, magnesium (Mg, manganese (Mn, zinc (Zn, iron (Fe, copper (Cu and cobalt (Co were analyzed in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Processing methods reduced dry matter, soluble sugar and phenolics in all the stages of the pod. TP and ODHP lost up to the extent of 72.78% in tender stage due to ordinary cooking, while higher loss of ODHP recorded in immature stage of the pod due to pressure cooking. Ca, Mg, K and Zn in different stages were found to be affected significantly by different methods of cooking, while no such changes were observed in case of S, P, Fe, Mn and Cu. The level of iron amongst the micro minerals is appreciably high recording up to 51.0 mg/100 g in the immature stage of the pod. As iron, zinc and manganese are antioxidant micronutrients, their higher presence in P. roxburghii might be of some nutritional importance.

  7. Prognosis for advanced-stage primary peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma and serous ovarian cancer in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Kuan-Chong; Chen, Yi-Jen; Juang, Chi-Mou; Lau, Hei-Yu; Wen, Kuo-Chang; Sung, Pi-Lin; Fang, Feng-Ying; Twu, Nae-Fang; Yen, Ming-Shyen

    2013-03-01

    To compare the prognosis of patients with advanced-stage primary peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma (PSPC) or papillary serous ovarian cancer (PSOC). This was a retrospective case-control study and included two study groups: one with stage III/IV PSPC (n = 38) patients and the other with PSOC (n = 53) patients. Patients were matched for histologic subtype (serous tumor), tumor stage, tumor grade, residual disease at the end of debulking surgery (primary or interval), and age (±5 years). Mean age was significantly greater for patients with PSPC (63.03 ± 11.88 years) than for patients with PSOC (55.92 ± 12.56 years, p = 0.008). Optimal debulking surgery was performed initially in 71.9% of PSPC patients and 66.0% of PSOC patients. In addition, 93.9% of PSPC patients and 92.3% of PSOC patients were treated with platinum-paclitaxel chemotherapy. The frequency of high-grade tumors was significantly higher in the PSPC (100%) than in the PSOC group (68.3%; p statistic). PFS was similar for advanced-stage PSPC and PSOC patients. Since the PSPC patients tended to be older and have more high-grade tumors, OS was shorter for PSPC than for POSC patients. Thus, management of the two types of cancer should not differ. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Prediction of 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerestein, C G; Nieuwenhuyzen-de Boer, G M; Eijkemans, M J; Kooi, G S; Burger, C W

    2010-01-01

    Treatment in advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is based on primary cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Successful cytoreduction to minimal residual tumour burden is the most important determinant of prognosis. However, extensive surgical procedures to achieve maximal debulking are inevitably associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to determine predictors of 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC. All patients in the South Western part of the Netherlands who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC between January 2004 and December 2007 were identified from the Rotterdam Cancer Registry database. All peri- and postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery were registered and classified according to the definitions of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Programme (NSQIP). To investigate independent predictors of 30-day morbidity, a Cox proportional hazards model with backward stepwise elimination was utilised. The identified predictors were entered into a nomogram. Two hundred and ninety-three patients entered the study protocol. Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 136 (46%) patients. 30-day morbidity was seen in 99 (34%) patients. Postoperative morbidity could be predicted by age (P=0.007; odds ratio [OR] 1.034), WHO performance status (P=0.046; OR 1.757), extent of surgery (P=0.1308; OR=2.101), and operative time (P=0.017; OR 1.007) with an optimism corrected c-statistic of 0.68. 30-day morbidity could be predicted by age, WHO performance status, operative time and extent of surgery. The generated nomogram could be valuable for predicting operative risk in the individual patient.

  9. Prevention and control of proliferative vitreoretinopathy: primary retinal detachment surgery using silicone oil as a planned two-stage procedure in high-risk cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, P; Prasad, R; Ang, A; Poulson, A V; Scott, J D; Snead, M P

    2008-06-01

    For rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, reattachment with a single procedure is associated with better visual outcomes. In the past, silicone oil has been used mostly as a last resort following failed primary surgery. This study evaluates a novel approach to patients at high risk of primary failure, using silicone tamponade as the primary stage of a planned two-stage procedure. We report a series of 140 eyes that underwent primary surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Patients at higher risk of surgical failure (eg giant retinal tear, inability to posture, poor view, uncertainty of location of primary break, primary proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), multiple tears with rolled posterior edges, retinoschisis/detachment, staphyloma with macular hole) were managed by a planned staged procedure using primary silicone oil tamponade. This was followed by silicone removal at a later date. Fifty-four eyes underwent scleral buckling alone, with primary success in 52/54 (96%). Fifty-three eyes underwent vitrectomy and gas, achieving primary success in 50/53 (94%). Thirty-three eyes were classified high risk and managed with primary silicone. Silicone was safely removed in 22/25. In eight eyes, silicone was retained without attempt at removal. In total, primary retinal reattachment was achieved in 128 of 140 eyes (91.4%). Of these, 124 (97%) did not require long-term tamponade. Only four eyes (2.9%) developed PVR. A planned two-stage approach to highrisk cases of retinal detachment using primary silicone oil tamponade followed by silicone removal can achieve a high primary reattachment rate with less than 3% incidence of PVR.

  10. Integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of patients with primary cervical cancer: preliminary results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grueneisen, Johannes; Kinner, Sonja; Forsting, Michael; Lauenstein, Thomas; Umutlu, Lale [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen (Germany); Schaarschmidt, Benedikt Michael [University Hospital Dusseldorf, University of Dusseldorf, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Dusseldorf (Germany); Heubner, Martin; Aktas, Bahriye [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Essen (Germany); Ruhlmann, Verena [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Essen (Germany)

    2015-11-15

    To assess the diagnostic value of integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of cervical cancer patients, as well as to investigate a potential association between PET/MRI derived functional parameters and prognostic factors of cervical cancer. The present study was approved by the local institutional review board. Twenty-seven patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer were prospectively enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a whole-body PET/MRI examination after written informed consent was obtained. Two radiologists separately evaluated the PET/MRI data sets regarding the determination of local tumor extent of primary cervical cancer lesions, as well as detection of nodal and distant metastases. Furthermore, SUV and ADC values of primary tumor lesions were analyzed and correlated with dedicated prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Results based on histopathology and cross-sectional imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. PET/MRI enabled the detection of all 27 primary tumor lesions of the uterine cervix and allowed for the correct determination of the T-stage in 23 (85 %) out of the 27 patients. Furthermore, the calculated sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of nodal positive patients (n = 11) were 91 %, 94 % and 93 %, respectively. PET/MRI correctly identified regional metastatic disease (N1-stage) in 8/10 (80 %) patients and non-regional lymph node metastases in 5/5 (100 %) patients. In addition, quantitative analysis of PET and MRI derived functional parameters (SUV; ADC values) revealed a significant correlation with pathological grade and tumor size (p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates the high potential of integrated PET/MRI for the assessment of primary tumor and the detection of lymph node metastases in patients with cervical cancer. Providing additional prognostic information, PET/MRI may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for cervical cancer patients in a pretreatment setting

  11. Integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of patients with primary cervical cancer: preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grueneisen, Johannes; Kinner, Sonja; Forsting, Michael; Lauenstein, Thomas; Umutlu, Lale; Schaarschmidt, Benedikt Michael; Heubner, Martin; Aktas, Bahriye; Ruhlmann, Verena

    2015-01-01

    To assess the diagnostic value of integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of cervical cancer patients, as well as to investigate a potential association between PET/MRI derived functional parameters and prognostic factors of cervical cancer. The present study was approved by the local institutional review board. Twenty-seven patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer were prospectively enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a whole-body PET/MRI examination after written informed consent was obtained. Two radiologists separately evaluated the PET/MRI data sets regarding the determination of local tumor extent of primary cervical cancer lesions, as well as detection of nodal and distant metastases. Furthermore, SUV and ADC values of primary tumor lesions were analyzed and correlated with dedicated prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Results based on histopathology and cross-sectional imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. PET/MRI enabled the detection of all 27 primary tumor lesions of the uterine cervix and allowed for the correct determination of the T-stage in 23 (85 %) out of the 27 patients. Furthermore, the calculated sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of nodal positive patients (n = 11) were 91 %, 94 % and 93 %, respectively. PET/MRI correctly identified regional metastatic disease (N1-stage) in 8/10 (80 %) patients and non-regional lymph node metastases in 5/5 (100 %) patients. In addition, quantitative analysis of PET and MRI derived functional parameters (SUV; ADC values) revealed a significant correlation with pathological grade and tumor size (p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates the high potential of integrated PET/MRI for the assessment of primary tumor and the detection of lymph node metastases in patients with cervical cancer. Providing additional prognostic information, PET/MRI may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for cervical cancer patients in a pretreatment setting

  12. [Pathogenetic relationship between pterygium and dry eye syndrome (clinical and cytological study)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petraevskiĭ, A V; Trishkin, K S

    2014-01-01

    To study the prevalence of dry eye syndrome in patients with initial primary pterygium for determination of a possible pathogenetic role of dry eye syndrome in the development of pterygium. 30 patients with initial primary pterygium; besides conventional ophthalmic assessment, cytological examination of bulbar conjunctiva was performed in all cases. Signs of dry eye syndrome, of similar severity in both eyes, were found in 100% of patients. Dry eye can be one of the precipitating factors of primary pterygium.

  13. Light Diffusion in the Tropical Dry Forest of Costa Rica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo-Rodriguez, S.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G. A.

    2016-06-01

    Leaf Area Index (LAI) has been defined as the total leaf area (one-sided) in relation to the ground. LAI has an impact on tree growth and recruitment through the interception of light, which in turn affects primary productivity. Even though many instruments exist for estimating LAI from ground, they are often laborious and costly to run continuously. Measurements of LAI from the field using traditional sensors (e.g., LAI-2000) require multiple visits to the field under very specific sky conditions, making them unsuitable to operate in inaccessible areas and forests with dense vegetation, as well as areas where persistent sunny conditions are the norm like tropical dry forests. With this context, we proposed a methodology to characterize light diffusion based on NDVI and LAI measurements taken from the field in two successional stages in the tropical dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica. We estimate a "K" coefficient to characterize light diffusion by the canopy, based on field NDVI measurements derived from optical phenology instruments and MODIS NDVI. From the coefficients determined, we estimated LAI values and compared them with ground measurements of LAI. In both successional stages ground measurements of LAI had no significant difference to the tower-derived LAI and the estimated LAI from MODIS NDVI.

  14. Health claims database study of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion treatment patterns in dry eye patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stonecipher, Karl G; Chia, Jenny; Onyenwenyi, Ahunna; Villanueva, Linda; Hollander, David A

    2013-01-01

    Dry eye is a multifactorial, symptomatic disease associated with ocular surface inflammation and tear film hyperosmolarity. This study was designed to assess patterns of topical cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Restasis®) use in dry eye patients and determine if there were any differences in use based on whether dry eye is physician-coded as a primary or nonprimary diagnosis. Records for adult patients with a diagnosis of dry eye at an outpatient visit from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 were selected from Truven Health MarketScan® Research Databases. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients with at least one primary versus no primary dry eye diagnosis who filled a topical cyclosporine prescription. Data analyzed included utilization of topical corticosteroids, oral tetracyclines, and punctal plugs. The analysis included 576,416 patients, accounting for 875,692 dry eye outpatient visits: 74.7% were female, 64.2% were ages 40-69 years, and 84.4% had at least one primary dry eye diagnosis. During 2008-2009, 15.9% of dry eye patients with a primary diagnosis versus 6.5% with no primary diagnosis filled at least one cyclosporine prescription. For patients who filled at least one prescription, the mean months' supply of cyclosporine filled over 12 months was 4.44. Overall, 33.9% of dry eye patients filled a prescription for topical cyclosporine, topical corticosteroid, or oral tetracycline over 2 years. Patients with a primary dry eye diagnosis were more likely to fill a topical cyclosporine prescription. Although inflammation is key to the pathophysiology of dry eye, most patients seeing a physician for dry eye may not receive anti-inflammatory therapies.

  15. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in colorectal cancer: value in primary staging and follow-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joerg, L.; Heinisch, M.; Rechberger, E.; Kurz, F.; Klug, R.; Aufschnaiter, M; Hammer, J.; Langsteger, W.

    2002-01-01

    Positron emission tomography using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) is a encouraging imaging techniques allowing a highly sensitive whole-body search for malignant foci detected by their increased glucose metabolism compared with benign tissues. Several studies are now available that indicate its added value for diagnosis and staging of colorectal cancer. In all, patient management seems to be changed in 20-30 % of patients who undergo fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in addition to standard staging procedures. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is also useful in monitoring radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Regarding preoperative staging of primary colorectal cancer the literature is very limited. (author)

  16. A double stage dry-wet-fermentation process for a fast and safe digestion of different kinds of organic material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Busch, G.; Sieber, M.; Buschmann, J.; Burkhardat, M.

    2009-01-01

    The fermentation of organic material is a four-step-process. It is admissible to merge the first two steps (hydrolysis and acidification) to hydrolysis in general and the last two steps (aceto genesis and methano genesis) to methano genesis. The Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus has devised a double stage dry-wet-fermentation process for fast and safe anaerobic degradation. Using these processes, it is possible to decompose different kinds of organic material like renewable material (e. g. maize silage), waste (e. g. household-waste) and industrial material (e. g. glycerine). (Author)

  17. Net Primary Production and Carbon Stocks for Subarctic Mesic-Dry Tundras with Contrasting Microtopography, Altitude, and Dominant Species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Campioli, Matteo; Michelsen, Anders; Demey, A

    2009-01-01

    Mesic-dry tundras are widespread in the Arctic but detailed assessments of net primary production (NPP) and ecosystem carbon (C) stocks are lacking. We addressed this lack of knowledge by determining the seasonal dynamics of aboveground vascular NPP, annual NPP, and whole-ecosystem C stocks in five...... mesic-dry tundras in Northern Sweden with contrasting microtopography, altitude, and dominant species. Those measurements were paralleled by the stock assessments of nitrogen (N), the limiting nutrient. The vascular production was determined by harvest or in situ growing units, whereas the nonvascular...... hermaphroditum is more productive than Cassiope tetragona vegetation. Although the large majority of the apical NPP occurred in early-mid season (85%), production of stems and evergreen leaves proceeded until about 2 weeks before senescence. Most of the vascular vegetation was belowground (80%), whereas most...

  18. Health claims database study of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion treatment patterns in dry eye patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stonecipher, Karl G; Chia, Jenny; Onyenwenyi, Ahunna; Villanueva, Linda; Hollander, David A

    2013-01-01

    Background Dry eye is a multifactorial, symptomatic disease associated with ocular surface inflammation and tear film hyperosmolarity. This study was designed to assess patterns of topical cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Restasis®) use in dry eye patients and determine if there were any differences in use based on whether dry eye is physician-coded as a primary or nonprimary diagnosis. Methods Records for adult patients with a diagnosis of dry eye at an outpatient visit from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 were selected from Truven Health MarketScan® Research Databases. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients with at least one primary versus no primary dry eye diagnosis who filled a topical cyclosporine prescription. Data analyzed included utilization of topical corticosteroids, oral tetracyclines, and punctal plugs. Results The analysis included 576,416 patients, accounting for 875,692 dry eye outpatient visits: 74.7% were female, 64.2% were ages 40–69 years, and 84.4% had at least one primary dry eye diagnosis. During 2008–2009, 15.9% of dry eye patients with a primary diagnosis versus 6.5% with no primary diagnosis filled at least one cyclosporine prescription. For patients who filled at least one prescription, the mean months’ supply of cyclosporine filled over 12 months was 4.44. Overall, 33.9% of dry eye patients filled a prescription for topical cyclosporine, topical corticosteroid, or oral tetracycline over 2 years. Conclusion Patients with a primary dry eye diagnosis were more likely to fill a topical cyclosporine prescription. Although inflammation is key to the pathophysiology of dry eye, most patients seeing a physician for dry eye may not receive anti-inflammatory therapies. PMID:24179335

  19. Temporal dynamics and leaf trait variability in Neotropical dry forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesketh, Michael Sean

    This thesis explores the variability of leaf traits resulting from changes in season, ecosystem successional stage, and site characteristics. In chapter two, I present a review of the use of remote sensing analysis for the evaluation of Neotropical dry forests. Here, I stress the conclusion, drawn from studies on land cover characterization, biodiversity assessment, and evaluation of forest structural characteristics, that addressing temporal variability in spectral properties is an essential element in the monitoring of these ecosystems. Chapter three describes the effect of wet-dry seasonality on spectral classification of tree and liana species. Highly accurate classification (> 80%) was possible using data from either the wet or dry season. However, this accuracy decreased by a factor of ten when data from the wet season was classified using an algorithm trained on the dry, or vice versa. I also address the potential creation of a spectral taxonomy of species, but found that any clustering based on spectral properties resulted in markedly different arrangements in the wet and dry seasons. In chapter 4, I address the variation present in both physical and spectral leaf traits according to changes in forest successional stage at dry forest sites in Mexico and Costa Rica. I found significant differences in leaf traits between successional stages, but more strongly so in Costa Rica. This variability deceased the accuracy of spectral classification of tree species by a factor of four when classifying data using an algorithm trained on a different successional stage. Chapter 5 shows the influence of seasonality and succession on trait variability in Mexico. Differences in leaf traits between successional stages were found to be greater during the dry season, but were sufficient in both seasons to negatively influence spectral classification of tree species. Throughout this thesis, I show clear and unambiguous evidence of the variability of key physical and spectral

  20. Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for the preoperative locoregional staging of primary gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mocellin, Simone; Pasquali, Sandro

    2015-02-06

    Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is proposed as an accurate diagnostic device for the locoregional staging of gastric cancer, which is crucial to developing a correct therapeutic strategy and ultimately to providing patients with the best chance of cure. However, despite a number of studies addressing this issue, there is no consensus on the role of EUS in routine clinical practice. To provide both a comprehensive overview and a quantitative analysis of the published data regarding the ability of EUS to preoperatively define the locoregional disease spread (i.e., primary tumor depth (T-stage) and regional lymph node status (N-stage)) in people with primary gastric carcinoma. We performed a systematic search to identify articles that examined the diagnostic accuracy of EUS (the index test) in the evaluation of primary gastric cancer depth of invasion (T-stage, according to the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system categories T1, T2, T3 and T4) and regional lymph node status (N-stage, disease-free (N0) versus metastatic (N+)) using histopathology as the reference standard. To this end, we searched the following databases: the Cochrane Library (the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)), MEDLINE, EMBASE, NIHR Prospero Register, MEDION, Aggressive Research Intelligence Facility (ARIF), ClinicalTrials.gov, Current Controlled Trials MetaRegister, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP), from 1988 to January 2015. We included studies that met the following main inclusion criteria: 1) a minimum sample size of 10 patients with histologically-proven primary carcinoma of the stomach (target condition); 2) comparison of EUS (index test) with pathology evaluation (reference standard) in terms of primary tumor (T-stage) and regional lymph nodes (N-stage). We excluded reports with possible overlap with the selected studies. For each study, two review authors extracted a standard set of data, using a dedicated data extraction

  1. Mathematical and computational modeling simulation of solar drying Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathematical modeling of solar drying systems has the primary aim of predicting the required drying time for a given commodity, dryer type, and environment. Both fundamental (Fickian diffusion) and semi-empirical drying models have been applied to the solar drying of a variety of agricultural commo...

  2. Development of automated control system for wood drying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sereda, T. G.; Kostarev, S. N.

    2018-05-01

    The article considers the parameters of convective wood drying which allows changing the characteristics of the air that performs drying at different stages: humidity, temperature, speed and direction of air movement. Despite the prevalence of this type of drying equipment, the main drawbacks of it are: the high temperature and humidity, negatively affecting the working conditions of maintenance personnel when they enter the drying chambers. It makes the automation of wood drying process necessary. The synthesis of a finite state of a machine control of wood drying process is implemented on a programmable logic device Omron.

  3. Effect of different processing stages of commercial fruit leather on patulin reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.H Eskandari

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Fruit leather (Lavashak is a high consumption food product especially among children in Iran. This product is being manufactured by low quality fruits that usually are contaminated with molds and patulin mycotoxin.  The objective of this study was to determine the effect of industrial processing stages of leather production (including pre-heating, filtration, evaporation, formulation and final heat boiling and drying on reduction of patulin level. Samples were taken for analysis prior and following each processing steps and patulin level was determined using HPLC technique. The results indicated that the maximum reduction of patulin level was ooccurred during formulation and evaporation steps which was estimated at 24.60 and 18.20%, respectively. Meanwhilewhile after drying, filtration, and pre-heating processes, the main loss of patulin was 8.58, 3.82 and 2.48%, respectively. It was concluded that the amount of residual patulin in final product was higher than 40% of its primary concentration. Besides, various processing stages were found insufficient to eliminate all of patulin or to reduce its level to lower than the maximum acceptable limit.

  4. Health claims database study of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion treatment patterns in dry eye patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stonecipher KG

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Karl G Stonecipher,1 Jenny Chia,2 Ahunna Onyenwenyi,2 Linda Villanueva,2 David A Hollander2 1TLC Laser Eye Centers, Greensboro, NC, 2Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA Background: Dry eye is a multifactorial, symptomatic disease associated with ocular surface inflammation and tear film hyperosmolarity. This study was designed to assess patterns of topical cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Restasis® use in dry eye patients and determine if there were any differences in use based on whether dry eye is physician-coded as a primary or nonprimary diagnosis. Methods: Records for adult patients with a diagnosis of dry eye at an outpatient visit from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 were selected from Truven Health MarketScan® Research Databases. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients with at least one primary versus no primary dry eye diagnosis who filled a topical cyclosporine prescription. Data analyzed included utilization of topical corticosteroids, oral tetracyclines, and punctal plugs. Results: The analysis included 576,416 patients, accounting for 875,692 dry eye outpatient visits: 74.7% were female, 64.2% were ages 40-69 years, and 84.4% had at least one primary dry eye diagnosis. During 2008–2009, 15.9% of dry eye patients with a primary diagnosis versus 6.5% with no primary diagnosis filled at least one cyclosporine prescription. For patients who filled at least one prescription, the mean months’ supply of cyclosporine filled over 12 months was 4.44. Overall, 33.9% of dry eye patients filled a prescription for topical cyclosporine, topical corticosteroid, or oral tetracycline over 2 years. Conclusion: Patients with a primary dry eye diagnosis were more likely to fill a topical cyclosporine prescription. Although inflammation is key to the pathophysiology of dry eye, most patients seeing a physician for dry eye may not receive anti-inflammatory therapies. Keywords: corticosteroids, cyclosporine, dry eye syndromes

  5. Clinical efficacy of Trigonella foenum graecum (Fenugreek) and dry cupping therapy on intensity of pain in patients with primary dysmenorrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inanmdar, Wajida; Sultana, Arshiya; Mubeen, Umraz; Rahman, Khaleequr

    2016-05-25

    To determine the effificacy and safety of fenugreek seed and dry cupping on intensity of pain in primary dysmenorrhea. Sixty patients with primary dysmenorrhea were enrolled in this prospective, open-labeled, randomized, standard-controlled study, conducted in the National Institute of Unani Medicine Hospital between February 2010 and April 2011. In group A (20 cases), 3 g powder of fenugreek seed (3 capsules, 1 g each) was given orally twice daily from day 1 to 3 of menstrual cycle. Group B (20 cases) received the same dose of fenugreek seed as group A along with dry cupping therapy [two 4.2-cm and one 2.5-cm cups (internal diameter)], which was applied below the umbilicus for 15 min on day 1 and day 3 of menstrual cycle for 3 consecutive months. The control group C (20 cases) was given mefenamic acid, 500 mg twice daily, on the same protocol. The reduction in menstrual pain intensity was measured with well validated Visual Analogue Scale and safety of fenugreek seed was evaluated by clinical examination and laboratory investigations. Baseline characteristics and biochemical parameters were comparable and homogenous among all groups (P>0.05). The percentage reduction in lower abdominal pain was 66.89%, 66.49%, and 62.88% in A, B and C groups respectively at the end of the treatment. No adverse drug effects were noticed. The fenugreek seed and dry cupping are effificacious, safe, cost effective, and well tolerated.

  6. Primary sleep enuresis in childhood: polysomnography evidences of sleep stage and time modulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubens Reimäo

    1993-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate enuretic events and its relations to sleep stages, sleep cycles and time durations in a selected group of children with primary essential sleep enuresis. We evaluated 18 patients with mean age of 8.2 years old (ranging from 5 to 12 years; 10 were males and 8 females (n.s.. They were referred to the Sleep Disorders Center with the specific complaint of enuresis since the first years of life (primary. Pediatric, urologic and neurologic workup did not show objective abnormalities (essential. The standard all-night polysomnography including an enuresis sensor attached to the shorts in the crotch area was performed. Only enuretic events nights were included. All were drug free patients for two weeks prior to polysomnography. In this report, only one polysomnography per patient was considered. The enuretic events were phase related, occurring predominantly in non-REM (NREM sleep (p<0.05. There was no predominance of enuretic events among the NREM stages (n.s.. A tendency of these events to occur in the first two sleep cycles was detected but may be due to the longer duration of these cycles. The events were time modulated, adjusted to a normal distribution with a mean of 213.4 min of recording time.

  7. Investigation of influence of drying agent movement on the drying process effectiveness in the gravitational shelf dryer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. O. Artyukhova

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article stands for a research of the drying process efficiency of various approaches of reciprocal movement organization of drying agent and disperse material. It focuses on the results of shelf dryer investigation. The test condition was as follows: backflow of the drying agent and disperse material movement; backflow of the drying agent and disperse material movement with the drying agent recirculation; backflow of the drying agent and disperse material movement with the bypassing of drying agent and it’s putting on separate stage of gravitational shelf dryer. The influence of the drying agent movement organization on the characteristics of disperse material and drying agent, energy costs for this process and its efficiency is shown. The recommendations of usage of represented approaches of flows movement organization depending on the desired final moisture of the material as well as its physical and chemical properties are given. The proposed ways of reciprocal flows movement organization allow to reduce the costs of drying agent heating or to increase the efficiency of moisture removal at constant energy consumption.

  8. Dynamics of soil water evaporation during soil drying: laboratory experiment and numerical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jiangbo; Zhou, Zhifang

    2013-01-01

    Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3.

  9. Sewage sludge drying process integration with a waste-to-energy power plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchini, A; Bonfiglioli, L; Pellegrini, M; Saccani, C

    2015-08-01

    Dewatered sewage sludge from Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) is encountering increasing problems associated with its disposal. Several solutions have been proposed in the last years regarding energy and materials recovery from sewage sludge. Current technological solutions have relevant limits as dewatered sewage sludge is characterized by a high water content (70-75% by weight), even if mechanically treated. A Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) with good thermal characteristics in terms of Lower Heating Value (LHV) can be obtained if dewatered sludge is further processed, for example by a thermal drying stage. Sewage sludge thermal drying is not sustainable if the power is fed by primary energy sources, but can be appealing if waste heat, recovered from other processes, is used. A suitable integration can be realized between a WWTP and a waste-to-energy (WTE) power plant through the recovery of WTE waste heat as energy source for sewage sludge drying. In this paper, the properties of sewage sludge from three different WWTPs are studied. On the basis of the results obtained, a facility for the integration of sewage sludge drying within a WTE power plant is developed. Furthermore, energy and mass balances are set up in order to evaluate the benefits brought by the described integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Change of the structure and the digestibility of myofibrillar proteins in Nanjing dry-cured duck during processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Xiaojing; Sun, Yangying; Pan, Daodong; Wang, Ying; Ou, Changrong; Cao, Jinxuan

    2018-06-01

    To investigate the change of bioavailability and structure of myofibrillar proteins during Nanjing dry-cured duck processing, carbonyl content, sulfhydryl (SH) group, disulfide (SS) group, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, surface hydrophobicity, secondary structures and in vitro digestibility were determined. During processing, carbonyl content and surface hydrophobicity increased; SH turned into SS group; α-helix turned into β-sheet and random coil fractions. Protein degradation occurred during dry-curing and drying-ripening stages. The in vitro digestibility of pepsin and pancreatic proteases increased during the salt curing stage and decreased during the drying-ripening stage. The increase of digestibility could be attributed to the mild oxidation, degradation and unfolding of proteins while the decrease of digestibility was related to the intensive oxidation and aggregation of proteins. Protein degradation was not a main factor of digestibility during the drying-ripening stage. Results demonstrated that the bioavailability loss of myofibrillar proteins in Nanjing dry-cured duck occurred during the stage of drying-ripening instead of curing. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Diet and Physical Activity Change or Usual Care in Improving Progression-Free Survival in Patients With Previously Treated Stage II, III, or IV Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-14

    Fallopian Tube Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma; Fallopian Tube Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma; Fallopian Tube Mucinous Adenocarcinoma; Fallopian Tube Serous Adenocarcinoma; Fallopian Tube Transitional Cell Carcinoma; Malignant Ovarian Brenner Tumor; Ovarian Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma; Ovarian Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma; Ovarian Mucinous Adenocarcinoma; Ovarian Seromucinous Carcinoma; Ovarian Serous Adenocarcinoma; Ovarian Transitional Cell Carcinoma; Primary Peritoneal Serous Adenocarcinoma; Stage IIA Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIA Ovarian Cancer AJCC V6 and v7; Stage IIB Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIB Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIC Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIC Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIA Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIIA Primary Peritoneal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIIB Primary Peritoneal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIC Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIIC Primary Peritoneal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IV Fallopian Tube Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IV Primary Peritoneal Cancer AJCC v7; Undifferentiated Fallopian Tube Carcinoma; Undifferentiated Ovarian Carcinoma

  12. Stages of Adult Primary Liver Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Treatment Liver Cancer Prevention Liver Cancer Screening Research Adult Primary Liver Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version Treatment ... are different types of treatment for patients with adult primary liver cancer. Different types of treatments are ...

  13. Treatment of Dry Eye Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Leisa L; Roach, J Michael

    2016-02-01

    Review of the etiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of dry eye disease (DED). Articles indexed in PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Iowa Drug Information Service (IDIS), and the Cochrane Reviews and Trials in the last 10 years using the key words "dry eye disease," "dry eye syndrome," "dry eye and treatment." Primary sources were used to locate additional resources. Sixty-eight publications were reviewed, and criteria supporting the primary objective were used to identify useful resources. The literature included practice guidelines, book chapters, review articles, original research articles, and product prescribing information for the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of DED. DED is one of the most common ophthalmic disorders. Signs and symptoms of DED vary by patient, but may include ocular irritation, redness, itching, photosensitivity, visual blurring, mucous discharge, and decreased tear meniscus or break-up time. Symptoms improve with treatment, but the condition is not completely curable. Treatment includes reducing environmental causes, discontinuing medications that cause or worsen dry eye, and managing contributing ocular or systemic conditions. Most patients use nonprescription tear substitutes, and if these are not sufficient, other treatment is prescribed. These treatments include the ophthalmic anti-inflammatory agent cyclosporine, punctal occlusion, eye side shields, systemic cholinergic agents, and autologous serum tears. This article reviews the etiology, symptoms, and current therapy for DED.

  14. Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jiangbo; Zhou, Zhifang

    2013-01-01

    Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3. PMID:24489492

  15. Symbiotic potential: the integration of preheating and dry cooling in cokemaking

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barker, J E [British Carbonization Research Association, England; Bruce, J M; Kemmetmueller, R

    1978-06-01

    The expression closed energy cycle has become popular in the last decade as descriptive of industrial systems in which exhaust heat is recovered from a primary energy-conversion stage and utilized either recuperatively or regeneratively within the overall complex. An old and well-proven means of utilizing the sensible heat of the incandescent coke discharged from coke ovens is known as dry cooling. This is being practiced widely in the USSR and Japan, but not yet to any significant extent in the western world. The waste heat recovered by this system is normally used to raise steam for power generation and process use. A recent advance in the carbonization of coal for the manufacture of metallurgical coke has been the application of the technique of coal drying and preheating as a means of improving both coke quality and oven productivity, and this is usually energized by burning gas as a fuel. An alternative configuration, having practical advantages in relation to efficiency of utilization of recovered energy and to safety in operation, is represented by a combination of coal drying and preheating with dry cooling of the coke. This paper is concerned with the case for this combination and the means whereby it may be effected in practice. The energy cycle of cokemaking would thus be more nearly closed.

  16. Can metabolic tumor parameters on primary staging 18F-FDG PET/CT aid in risk stratification of primary central nervous system lymphomas for patient management as a prognostic model?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuyucu, K; Alagoz, E; Ince, S; Ozaydin, S; Arslan, N

    Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is an aggressive and fatal extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma jailed in CNS at initial diagnosis. Its prognosis is poor and the disease has a fatal outcome when compared with systemic non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A few baseline risk stratification scoring systems have been suggested to estimate the prognosis mainly based on serum lactate dehydrogenase level,age, Karnofsky performance score, involvement of deep brain structures and cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration. 18 F-FDG PET/CT has a high prognostic value with respect to overall survival and disease-free survival in many cancers and lymphomas. We aimed to investigate metabolic tumor indexes on primary staging 18 F-FDG PET/CT as prognostic markers in primary CNS lymphoma. Fourteen patients with primary CNS diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (stage i) were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Primary staging 18 F-FDG PET/CT was performed and quantitative parameters like maximum standardized uptake value, average standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated for all patients before the treatment. Cox regression models were performed to determine their relation with survival time. In the evaluation of all potential risk factors impacting recurrence/metastases (age, sex, serum lactate dehydrogenase, involvement of deep brain structures, maximum standardized uptake value, average standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume, and TLG) with univariate analysis, TLG remained statistically significant (P=.02). Metabolic tumor parameters are useful in prognosis estimation of primary CNS lymphomas, especially TLG, which is the most important one and may play a role in patient management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  17. Heat and mass transfer coefficients and modeling of infrared drying of banana slices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Machado Baptestini

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Banana is one of the most consumed fruits in the world, having a large part of its production performed in tropical countries. This product possesses a wide range of vitamins and minerals, being an important component of the alimentation worldwide. However, the shelf life of bananas is short, thus requiring procedures to prevent the quality loss and increase the shelf life. One of these procedures widely used is drying. This work aimed to study the infrared drying process of banana slices (cv. Prata and determine the heat and mass transfer coefficients of this process. In addition, effective diffusion coefficient and relationship between ripening stages of banana and drying were obtained. Banana slices at four different ripening stages were dried using a dryer with infrared heating source with four different temperatures (65, 75, 85, and 95 ºC. Midilli model was the one that best represented infrared drying of banana slices. Heat and mass transfer coefficients varied, respectively, between 46.84 and 70.54 W m-2 K-1 and 0.040 to 0.0632 m s-1 for temperature range, at the different ripening stages. Effective diffusion coefficient ranged from 1.96 to 3.59 × 10-15 m² s-1. Activation energy encountered were 16.392, 29.531, 23.194, and 25.206 kJ mol-1 for 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th ripening stages, respectively. Ripening stages did not affect the infrared drying of bananas.

  18. Second-stage primary Caesarean deliveries: Are maternal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    variables were nonsignificant. None of the women or their babies needed readmission to hospital or transfer to an intensive care unit. Table I: Demographic data of mother and neonate following Caesarean delivery in the first and second stages of labour. Demographics. Caesarean delivery 2nd stage (n = 53). Caesarean.

  19. Changes in non-volatile taste components of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) during different stages of freeze drying and freeze drying combined with microwave vacuum drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pei, Fei; Shi, Ying; Gao, Xingyang; Wu, Fangning; Mariga, Alfred Mugambi; Yang, Wenjian; Zhao, Liyan; An, Xinxin; Xin, Zhihong; Yang, Fangmei; Hu, Qiuhui

    2014-12-15

    Button mushroom slices were dehydrated using freeze drying (FD) or FD combined with microwave vacuum drying (FMVD), and the non-volatile component profiles were studied. The results showed that the level of non-volatile components in button mushroom firstly increased during sublimation of FD/FMVD process and then fell during desorption in FD process and MVD in FMVD process. Compared to FD products, the contents of soluble sugars and polyols in FMVD products were relatively low, whereas the contents of total free amino acids were significantly higher, close to the level of fresh mushroom. However, there was no significant difference in the contents of 5'-nucleotides and organic acids between FD and FMVD products. The equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values for FD and FMVD products did not differ from fresh, indicating that both drying methods could effectively preserve MSG (monosodium glutamate)-like components in button mushroom. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Staging primary breast cancer. Are there tumour pathological features that correlate with a false-negative axillary ultrasound?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, S.; Brown, S.; Porter, G.; Steel, J.; Paisley, K.; Watkins, R.; Holgate, C.

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To investigate whether the histopathological characteristics of primary breast cancer tumours could predict the likelihood of false-negative axillary ultrasound. Materials and methods: Screening and symptomatic patients were identified from pathology records and imaging and pathology records reviewed. True and false-negative axillary staging ultrasound groups were compared statistically in terms of tumour size, pathological type and grade, lymphovascular invasion, and oestrogen receptor (ER) status. Results: Of 155 women with normal ultrasounds, 45 (29%) were node positive at axillary surgery. Breast tumour size was significantly different with the average size smaller in the true-negative group: 21 versus 30 mm (p < 0.02). The histological type varied significantly between the groups, with more lobular carcinomas in the false-negative group [6/110 (5%) versus 6/45 (13%), p < 0.001]. The false-negative group was also more likely to show lymphovascular invasion in the breast [6/110 (5%) versus 14/45 (31%), p < 0.001]. There was no significant difference in tumour grade or ER status. Conclusion: The present study has found significant differences in tumour characteristics between women with true-negative and false-negative axillary staging ultrasound in terms of size, primary tumour histological type and presence of lymphovascular invasion. In particular, axillary ultrasound in primary lobular carcinoma may be less accurate and a negative result is more likely to be spurious than with primary ductal carcinomas.

  1. Primary Tumor Site as a Predictor of Treatment Outcome for Definitive Radiotherapy of Advanced-Stage Oral Cavity Cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Chien-Yu; Wang, Hung-Ming; Kang, Chung-Jan; Lee, Li-Yu; Huang, Shiang-Fu; Fan, Kang-Hsing; Chen, Eric Yen-Chao

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for oral cavity cancers and to assess prognostic factors. Methods and Materials: Definitive RT was performed on 115 patients with oral cavity cancers at Stages III, IVA, and IVB, with a distribution of 6%, 47%, and 47%, respectively. The median dose of RT was 72Gy (range, 62-76Gy). Cisplatin-based chemotherapy was administered to 95% of the patients. Eleven patients underwent salvage surgery after RT failure. Results: Eight-eight (76.5%) patients responded partially and 23 (20%) completely; of the patients who responded, 18% and 57%, respectively, experienced a durable effect of treatment. The 3-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival were 22%, 27%, and 25%, respectively. The 3-year PFS rates based on the primary tumor sites were as follows: Group I (buccal, mouth floor, and gum) 51%, Group II (retromolar and hard palate) 18%, and Group III (tongue and lip) 6% (p < 0.0001). The 3-year progression-free survival was 41% for N0 patients and 19% for patients with N+ disease (p = 0.012). The T stage and RT technique did not affect survival. The patients who underwent salvage surgery demonstrated better 3-year overall survival and disease-specific survival (53% vs. 19%, p = 0.015 and 53% vs. 24%, p = 0.029, respectively). Subsite group, N+, and salvage surgery were the only significant prognostic factors for survival after multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The primary tumor site and neck stage are prognostic predictors in advanced-stage oral cancer patients who received radical RT. The primary tumor extension and RT technique did not influence survival.

  2. A retrospective analysis of different modalities for treatment of primary orbital non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esik, Olga; Ikeda, H.; Mukai, K.; Kaneko, A.

    1996-01-01

    We have reviewed 37 patients with primary orbital lymphoma, using the Ann Arbor criteria and the Working Formulation and its modification. Thirty-one patients had stage I disease, four stage II, one stage III and one stage IV. The male to female ratio was 2.7:1. There were 34 low-grade tumours (including 24 mantle zone) and three intermediate-grade. Patients were divided into three groups according to their primary treatment. Group 1: radiotherapy (17 cases); Group 2: surgery alone (13 cases); Group 3: chemotherapy (seven cases). Patients were followed up from 5 months to 24.3 years, with a mean and median of 7.6 and 6.2 years, respectively. The BMDP software package was used for survival estimation (Kaplan-Meier) and determination of prognostic variable (univariate Cox regression). Local relapse-free survival at 10 years was 100% in Group 1, 0% in Group 2 and 42% in Group 3 with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) in favour of radiotherapy. Statistically significant good prognostic features were: complete remission (CR) in response to initial treatment, primary radiotherapy and older age. For stage I cases, there was no difference in distant relapse-free survival in the three groups. The overall cause-specific survival for stage I patients at 10 years was 100% for each group and at 20 years was 100, 67 and 0% for Group 1, 2 and 3. The difference between the primary radiotherapy and chemotherapy-treated groups was significant at the p = 0.08 level. Statistically significant prognostic factors were early stage, low-grade histology and primary radiotherapy. In one patient, ptosis and diplopia appeared after surgery. One case of glaucoma required enucleation, one patient suffered severe dry eye syndrome. All patients ((11(11))) in whom the lens received direct radiation developed cataracts of different degrees if follow-up was long enough. Cataract formation was prevented by adequate lens shielding. One patient in CR from a stage I low-grade tumour died

  3. Radiotherapy for the primary ocular adnexal lymphoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Dahai; Sun Sanyuan; Zhuo Shichao; Wang Haiwei

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To study the pathological and clinical characteristics of primary lymphoma of ocular adnexae, analyze the treatment results and discuss the methods to prevent radiation complications. Methods: From Feb. 1995 to Feb. 2004, 25 patients with primary ocular adnexal lymphoma were treated in the second hospital and the forth hospital of Xuzhou, including 11 males and 14 females. The diagnosis was confirmed pathologically by biopsy in 19 patients and lumpectomy in 6 patients, including 22 mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and 3 non-MALT lymphoma. According to the Ann Arbor Staging System, there were 21 patients with tumor in stage I E, 3 in stage II E and 1 in stage III E. The primary tumor was found in the eyelid or conjunctiva in 19 eyes and orbit in 9 eyes. Radiotherapy were given to 22 patients (25 eyes) by deep X-rays, 60 Co γ-rays or mixed beams. The total irradiation dose ranged from 30.0 to 57.6 Gy. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate and Logrank test was used to detect the difference between the different groups. Results: The 5-, 10-year accumulated survival rates (SR) of the whole group were 90% and 82%. The 10-year SR of patients with primary, eyelid or conjunctiva tumor and orbit tumor were 100% and 58% (P=0.032). The local control rates of the radiotherapy group and non-radiotherapy group were 92% and 33 % (P=0.006). The 10-year SR of patients with tumor completely removed and those with residues were 83% and 82% (P=0.907). The 10-year SR of MALT lymphoma and non-MALT lymphoma were 90.0% and 33.3% (P=0.009). After radiotherapy, 8 eyes (36%) had cataract formation and 7 eyes (28%) had xerophalmic symptoms. Conclusions: The results of radiothera- py for the primary ocular adnexal lymphoma are satisactory. The prognosis of patients with primary, eyelid or conjunctiva tumor is better than those with orbit tumor. The vast majority of the primary ocular adnexal lymphomas are MALT lymphomas. The survival rate of

  4. Numerical investigation of wet-bulb effectiveness and water consumption in one-and two-stage indirect evaporative coolers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moshari, Shahab; Heidarinejad, Ghassem; Fathipour, Aida

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Wet bulb effectiveness of indirect/indirect evaporative cooling systems are 76–81%. • Dimensionless water evaporation rate decreases as the primary air flow rate increases. • Water evaporation rate increases with increase of inlet dry bulb temperature. - Abstract: In this study, three configuration for two-stage indirect/indirect evaporative cooling systems (IEC/IEC) were proposed (Type A, Type B and Type C) to determine what configuration produces a better wet-bulb effectiveness (or better energy-saving). For this purpose, six cities with a variety of hot weather conditions with the dry-bulb in range of 31.9–46.66 °C were selected. Results show that under these three configuration, the wet-bulb effectiveness of Type A, Type B and Type C varies over ranges of 62–68%, 76–81% and 85–91% respectively, whereas the effectiveness of a one stage IEC varies over a range of 54–60%. There is a common misconceive belief in the concept of water evaporation rate of an evaporative cooling system, which were fueled by many articles; this belief is, if a cooler consumes less water it is an environmentally friendly cooler for dry areas. A more accurate and practical definition is proposed in this article named Dimensionless Water Evaporation Rate (DWER). The numerical results showed that Type B is the optimum configuration, because of a range of 4–24% DWER saving could be obtained by Type B in comparison with Type C whereas Type B increases the product air up to 32%. As well as IEC, in a counter-flow regenerative evaporative cooler the DWER decreases as the primary airflow rate increases whereas water consumption increases. Moreover, using Type B the index of thermal comfort was investigated which showed that Type B could meet thermal comfort condition in two climatic zones of temperate-dry and hot-dry.

  5. Evaluation of fox tail millet (Setaria italica forage quality in different growth stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Izadi Yazdanabadi

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available In order to evaluate the quantitative factors in fox tail millet (Setaria italica L. under three stages of growth, an experiment was conducted in Birjand during spring and summer of 2010. The preliminary objective was evaluation of fox tail physiological characteristics on animals that feed them. Planting of Foxtail millet was performed according to local practices and endemic acknowledge. Sampling was carried out at Vegetative, flowering and seeding stages, then samples transported to laboratory of animal nutrition. After Drying of sampling, dry matter, dry matter digestibility, crude protein, metabolically energy, Acid Detergent Fiber and Nitrogen Detergent Fiber, Ash and some mineral nutrients were measured. The results showed significant differences in measured characteristics in various phonological stages. Forage quality was higher in flowering and seeding stages than in vegetative stage. Dry matter digestibility and metabolically energy were high and NDF and ADF were less in vegetative stage. Because fox tail millet is leafy and palatable by animal at this stage, it’s optimum yield is important. Ability to produce Green fodder by this plant and the possibility of cultivation in different regions and its ability to produce forage for livestocks, its planting is recommended.

  6. PATIENT-CENTRED SCREENING FOR PRIMARY IMMUNODEFICIENCY, A MULTI-STAGE DIAGNOSTIC PROTOCOL DESIGNED FOR NONIMMUNOLOGISTS: 2011 UPDATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. de Vries

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. Members of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID and other colleagues have updated themulti-stage expert-opinion-based diagnostic protocol for non-immunologists incorporating newly defined primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs. The protocol presented here aims to increase the awareness of PIDs among doctors working in different fields. Prompt identification of PID is important for prognosis, but this may not be an easy task. The protocol therefore starts from the clinical presentation of the patient. Because PIDs may present at all ages, this protocol is aimed at both adult and paediatric physicians. The multi-stage design allows cost-effective screening for PID of the large number of potential cases in the early phases, with more expensive tests reserved for definitive classification in collaboration with a specialist in the field of immunodeficiency at a later stage.

  7. Effects of steam-microwave blanching and different drying processes on drying characteristics and quality attributes of Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phahom, Traiphop; Phoungchandang, Singhanat; Kerr, William L

    2017-08-01

    Dried Thunbergia laurifolia leaves are usually prepared using tray drying, resulting in products that have lost substantial amounts of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The maturity of the raw material, blanching techniques and drying methods were investigated in order to select the best condition to produce high qualities of dried T. laurifolia leaves. The 1st stage of maturity was selected and steam-microwave blanching (SMB) for 4 min was adequate for blanching leading to the maximum recovery of bioactive compounds. The modified Halsey model was the best desorption isotherm model. A new drying model proposed in this study was the best to fit the drying curves as compared to five common drying models. Moisture diffusivities were increased with the increase of drying temperature when combining SMB and heat pump-dehumidified drying. Microwave heat pump-dehumidified drying (MHPD) provided the shortest drying time, high specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) and could reduce drying time by 67.5% and increase caffeic acid and quercetin by 51.24% and 60.89%, respectively. MHPD was found to be the best drying method and provided the highest antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds content, high SMER and short drying time. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Tableting properties of an improved spray-dried lactose

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rassu, G.; Eissens, A. C.; Bolhuis, G. K.

    2006-01-01

    Spray-dried lactose is one of the most widely used filler-binders for direct compaction. The compactibility is a function of both primary particle size and the presence of amorphous lactose. Commercially available spray-dried lactose contains 15-20% amorphous lactose and 80-85% alpha-lactose

  9. Clinical utility of simultaneous whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI as a single-step imaging modality in the staging of primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Sheng-Chieh; Yeh, Chih-Hua; Yen, Tzu-Chen; Ng, Shu-Hang; Chang, Joseph Tung-Chieh; Lin, Chien-Yu; Yen-Ming, Tsang; Fan, Kang-Hsing; Huang, Bing-Shen; Hsu, Cheng-Lung; Chang, Kai-Ping; Wang, Hung-Ming; Liao, Chun-Ta

    2018-03-03

    Both head and neck magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) play a crucial role in the staging of primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we sought to prospectively investigate the clinical utility of simultaneous whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI for primary staging of NPC patients. We examined 113 patients with histologically confirmed NPC who underwent pretreatment, simultaneous whole-body PET/MRI and PET/CT for primary tumor staging. The images obtained with the different imaging modalities were interpreted independently and compared with each other. PET/MRI increased the accuracy of head and neck MRI for assessment of primary tumor extent in four patients via addition of FDG uptake information to increase the conspicuity of morphologically subtle lesions. PET/MR images were more discernible than PET/CT images for mapping tumor extension, especially intracranial invasion. Regarding the N staging assessment, the sensitivity of PET/MRI (99.5%) was higher than that of head and neck MRI (94.2%) and PET/CT (90.9%). PET/MRI was particularly useful for distinguishing retropharyngeal nodal metastasis from adjacent nasopharyngeal tumors. For distant metastasis evaluation, PET/MRI exhibited a similar sensitivity (90% vs. 86.7% vs. 83.3%), but higher positive predictive value (93.1% vs. 78.8% vs. 83.3%) than whole-body MRI and PET/CT, respectively. For tumor staging of NPC, simultaneous whole-body PET/MRI was more accurate than head and neck MRI and PET/CT, and may serve as a single-step staging modality.

  10. SHRINKAGE AND MOISTURE LOSS OF DRIED MELON SEEDS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Samples of 100g clean, mature, freshly washed melon seeds were dried at intervals of 1/4, 1/2, 1 and 2h in an air-oven at 60O C. The experiments were carried out with five different bulk samples of melon seeds. The moisture content of the seeds at each drying stage was determined. The moisture loss in grams per ...

  11. Drying characteristics of whole Musa AA group ‘Kluai Leb Mu Nang’ using hot air and infrared vacuum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulketwong, C.; Thungsotanon, D.; Suwanpayak, N.

    2017-06-01

    Dried Musa AA group ‘Kluai Leb Mu Nang’ are the famous processing goods of Chumphon province, the south of Thailand. In this paper, we improved the qualities of whole Musa AA group ‘Kluai leb Mu Nang’ by using the hot air and infrared vacuum (HA and infrared vacuum) drying method which has two stages. The first stage of the method is the hot air (HA) and hot air-infrared (HAI) drying for rapidly reducing the moisture content and the drying times at atmospheric pressure, and the second stage, the moisture content, and color of the samples can be controlled by the HA and infrared vacuum drying. The experiment was evaluated by the terms of firmness, color change, moisture content, vacuum pressure and energy consumption at various temperatures. The results were found that the suitable temperature of the HAI and HA and infrared vacuum drying stages at 70°C and 55°C, respectively, while the suitable vacuum pressure in the second process was -0.4 bar. The samples were dried in a total of 28 hrs using 13.83 MJ/kg of specific energy consumption (stage 1 with 8.8 MJ/kg and stage 2 of 5.03 MJ/kg). The physical characteristics of the 21% (wb) of dried bananas can be measured the color change, L*=38.56, a*=16.47 and b*=16.3, was approximate the goods from the local market, whereas the firmness of them was more tender and shown a value of 849.56 kN/m3.

  12. The influence of microwave-assisted drying techniques on the rehydration behavior of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielinska, Magdalena; Markowski, Marek

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of: (a) different drying methods, (b) hot air temperature in a convection oven, and (c) the moisture content of fruits dehydrated by multi-stage drying which involves a transition between different stages of drying, on the rehydration kinetics of dry blueberries. Models describing rehydration kinetics were also studied. Blueberries dehydrated by multi-stage microwave-assisted drying, which involved a hot air pre-drying step at 80 °C until the achievement of a moisture content of 1.95 kg H2O kg(-1)DM, were characterized by significantly higher rates of initial and successive rehydration as well as smaller initial loss of soluble solids in comparison with the samples dried by other methods. The highest initial rehydration rate and the smallest loss of soluble solids after 30 min of soaking were determined at 0.46 min(-1) and 0.29 kg DM kg(-1)DM, respectively. The Peleg model and the first-order-kinetic model fit the experimental data well. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Surgical resection of locally advanced primary transverse colon cancer--not a worse outcome in stage II tumor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Hsin-Yuan; Yeh, Chien-Yuh; Changchien, Chung-Rong; Chen, Jinn-Shiun; Fan, Chung-Wei; Tang, Reiping; Hsieh, Pao-Shiu; Tasi, Wen-Sy; You, Yau-Tong; You, Jeng-Fu; Wang, Jeng-Yi; Chiang, Jy-Ming

    2011-07-01

    In locally advanced primary transverse colon cancer, a tumor may cause perforation or invade adjacent organs. Extensive resection is the best choice of treatment, but such procedures must be weighed against the potential survival benefits. This study was performed to identify the clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of such tumors. We retrospectively reviewed the database of the Colorectal Cancer Registry of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between February 1995 and December 2005. Patients with colon cancer sited between the hepatic and splenic flexure that involved an adjacent organ without distant metastasis were defined as having locally advanced transverse colon cancer. A total of 827 patients who underwent surgery for transverse primary colon cancer were enrolled in the study. Stage II and stage III colon cancer were diagnosed in 548 patients. Thirty-two (5.8%) patients were diagnosed with locally advanced tumors. Multivariate analysis revealed that stage III, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen ≥5 ng/mL, a tumor with perforation or obstruction, and the presence of a locally advanced tumor were significant prognostic factors for both overall and cancer-specific survival. Postoperative morbidity rates differed significantly between the locally advanced and non-locally advanced tumor groups (22.7% vs. 12.3%, P transverse colon tumors (P = 0.21). Surgical resection of locally advanced transverse colon tumors resulted in a higher morbidity and mortality than that of non-locally advanced tumors, but the benefit of extensive surgery in the case of locally advanced tumors cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, this benefit is more pronounced in the case of stage II tumors.

  14. A field survey on coffee beans drying methods of Indonesian small holder farmers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siagian, Parulian; Setyawan, Eko Y.; Gultom, Tumiur; Napitupulu, Farel H.; Ambarita, Himsar

    2017-09-01

    Drying agricultural product is a post-harvest process that consumes significant energy. It can affect the quality of the product. This paper deals with literature review and field survey of drying methods of coffee beans of Indonesia farmers. The objective is to supply the necessary information on developing continuous solar drier. The results show that intermittent characteristic of sun drying results in a better quality of coffee beans in comparison with constant convective drying. In order to use energy efficiently, the drying process should be divided into several stages. In the first stage when the moist content is high, higher drying air temperature is more effective. After this step, where the moist content is low, lower drying air temperature is better. The field survey of drying coffee beans in Sumatera Utara province reveals that the used drying process is very traditional. It can be divided into two modes and depend on the coffee beans type. The Arabica coffee is firstly fermented and dried to moisture content of 80% using sun drying method, then followed by Green House model of drying up to moisture content about 12%. The latter typically spends 3 days of drying time. On the other hand, The Robusta coffee is dried by exposing to the sun directly without any treatment. After the coffee beans dried follow by peeled process. These findings can be considered to develop a continuous solar drying that suitable for coffee beans drying.

  15. Spray drying of beryllium oxide powder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sepulveda, J.L.; Kahler, D.A.

    1991-01-01

    Forming of beryllia ceramics through dry pressing requires the agglomeration of the powder through spray drying. To produce high quality fired ceramics it is necessary to disperse/grind the primary powder prior to binder addition. Size reduction of the powder is accomplished using an aqueous system in Vibro-Energy mills (VEM) charged with beryllia media to minimize contamination. Two VEM mills of different size were used to characterize the grinding operation. Details of the grinding kinetics are described within the context of the Macroscopic Population Balance Model approach. Spray drying of the ceramic slurry was accomplished with both a centrifugal atomizer and a two fluid nozzle atomizer. Two different spray dryers were used. Important operating parameters affecting the size distribution of the spray dried powder are discussed

  16. Studies on tableting properties of lactose. VII. The effect of variations in primary particle size and percentage of amorphous lactose in spray dried lactose products

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vromans, H.; Bolhuis, G.K.; Lerk, C.F.; van de Biggelaar, H.; Bosch, H.

    1987-01-01

    Sieve fractions of α-lactose monohydrate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, respectively, suspended in solutions of lactose, were spray dried in order to obtain products with various amorphous lactose contents. The compactibility of the samples appeared to be a function of both the primary particle

  17. Far-infrared irradiation drying behavior of typical biomass briquettes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, N.N.; Chen, M.Q.; Fu, B.A.; Song, J.J.

    2017-01-01

    Infrared radiation drying behaviors of four typical biomass briquettes (populus tomentosa leaves, cotton stalk, spent coffee grounds and eucalyptus bark) were investigated based on a lab-scale setup. The effect of radiation source temperatures (100–200 °C) on the far-infrared drying kinetics and heat transfer of the samples was addressed. As the temperature went up from 100 °C to 200 °C, the time required for the four biomass briquettes drying decreased by about 59–66%, and the average values of temperature for the four biomass briquettes increased by about 33–39 °C, while the average radiation heat transfer fluxes increased by about 3.3 times (3.7 times only for the leaves). The specific energy consumptions were 0.622–0.849 kW h kg"−"1. The Modified Midilli model had the better representing for the moisture ratio change of the briquettes. The values of the activation energy for the briquettes in the first falling rate stage were between 20.35 and 24.83 kJ mol"−"1, while those in the second falling rate stage were between 17.89 and 21.93 kJ mol"−"1. The activation energy for the eucalyptus bark briquette in two falling rate stages was the least one, and that for the cotton stalk briquette was less than that for the rest two briquettes. - Highlights: • Far infrared drying behaviors of four typical biomass briquettes were addressed. • The effect of radiation source temperatures on IR drying kinetics was stated. • Radiation heat transfer flux between the sample and heater was evaluated. • Midilli model had the better representing for the drying process of the samples.

  18. The impact of atomization on the surface composition of spray-dried milk droplets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foerster, Martin; Gengenbach, Thomas; Woo, Meng Wai; Selomulya, Cordelia

    2016-04-01

    The dominant presence of fat at the surface of spray-dried milk powders has been widely reported in the literature and described as resulting in unfavourable powder properties. The mechanism(s) causing this phenomenon are yet to be clearly identified. A systematic investigation of the component distribution in atomized droplets and spray-dried particles consisting of model milk systems with different fat contents demonstrated that atomization strongly influences the final surface composition. Cryogenic flash-freezing of uniform droplets from a microfluidic jet nozzle directly after atomization helped to distinguish the influence of the atomization stage from the drying stage. It was confirmed that the overrepresentation of fat on the surface is independent of the atomization technique, including a pressure-swirl single-fluid spray nozzle and a pilot-scale rotary disk spray dryer commonly used in industry. It is proposed that during the atomization stage a disintegration mechanism along the oil-water interface of the fat globules causes the surface predominance of fat. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements detected the outermost fat layer and some adjacent protein present on both atomized droplets and spray-dried particles. Confocal laser scanning microscopy gave a qualitative insight into the protein and fat distribution throughout the cross-sections, and confirmed the presence of a fat film along the particle surface. The film remained on the surface in the subsequent drying stage, while protein accumulated underneath, driven by diffusion. The results demonstrated that atomization induces component segregation and fat-rich surfaces in spray-dried milk powders, and thus these cannot be prevented by adjusting the spray drying conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Dry and mixed air cooling systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutner, Gidali.

    1975-01-01

    The various dry air cooling systems now in use or being developed are classified. The main dimensioning parameters are specified and the main systems already built are given with their characteristics. The available data allow dry air cooling to be situated against the other cooling modes and so specify the aim of the research or currently developed works. Some systems at development stages are briefly described. The interest in mixed cooling (assisted draft) and the principal available systems is analyzed. A program of research is outlined [fr

  20. Effects of weather and tailings properties on tailings drying times

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gantzer, C.; Fasking, T.; Costello, M.; Greenwood, J. [Barr Engineering, Calgary, AB (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    This PowerPoint presentation presented the results of a study conducted to determine the effects of weather and tailings properties on tailings drying times. Weather conditions have a significant impact the potential evaporation (PE) and actual evaporation (AE) of oil sands tailings. A 2-stage drying of slurry at a constant PE was conducted to determine the shrinkage limit of untreated mature fine tailings (MFT). An evaporation and seepage model was used to determine maximum first-stage drying rates. Measurements were also taken in a wind tunnel. Potential evaporation rates were calculated and evaporative water losses from the MFT were determined. Estimated drying times were presented. Results of the approach were compared with field measurements conducted in a previous study. Results of the study showed that evaporative water loss rates for May through August were limited by the properties of the tailings. Water loss rates were limited by weather for other months in the year-long study. tabs., figs.

  1. Cellulose-Pectin Spatial Contacts Are Inherent to Never-Dried Arabidopsis Primary Cell Walls: Evidence from Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tuo; Park, Yong Bum; Hong, Mei

    2015-01-01

    The structural role of pectins in plant primary cell walls is not yet well understood because of the complex and disordered nature of the cell wall polymers. We recently introduced multidimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to characterize the spatial proximities of wall polysaccharides. The data showed extensive cross peaks between pectins and cellulose in the primary wall of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), indicating subnanometer contacts between the two polysaccharides. This result was unexpected because stable pectin-cellulose interactions are not predicted by in vitro binding assays and prevailing cell wall models. To investigate whether the spatial contacts that give rise to the cross peaks are artifacts of sample preparation, we now compare never-dried Arabidopsis primary walls with dehydrated and rehydrated samples. One-dimensional 13C spectra, two-dimensional 13C-13C correlation spectra, water-polysaccharide correlation spectra, and dynamics data all indicate that the structure, mobility, and intermolecular contacts of the polysaccharides are indistinguishable between never-dried and rehydrated walls. Moreover, a partially depectinated cell wall in which 40% of homogalacturonan is extracted retains cellulose-pectin cross peaks, indicating that the cellulose-pectin contacts are not due to molecular crowding. The cross peaks are observed both at −20°C and at ambient temperature, thus ruling out freezing as a cause of spatial contacts. These results indicate that rhamnogalacturonan I and a portion of homogalacturonan have significant interactions with cellulose microfibrils in the native primary wall. This pectin-cellulose association may be formed during wall biosynthesis and may involve pectin entrapment in or between cellulose microfibrils, which cannot be mimicked by in vitro binding assays. PMID:26036615

  2. No Heat Spray Drying Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beetz, Charles [ZoomEssence, Inc., Hebron, KY (United States)

    2016-06-15

    No Heat Spray Drying Technology. ZoomEssence has developed our Zooming™ spray drying technology that atomizes liquids to powders at ambient temperature. The process of drying a liquid into a powder form has been traditionally achieved by mixing a heated gas with an atomized (sprayed) fluid within a vessel (drying chamber) causing the solvent to evaporate. The predominant spray drying process in use today employs air heated up to 400° Fahrenheit to dry an atomized liquid into a powder. Exposing sensitive, volatile liquid ingredients to high temperature causes molecular degradation that negatively impacts solubility, stability and profile of the powder. In short, heat is detrimental to many liquid ingredients. The completed award focused on several areas in order to advance the prototype dryer to a commercial scale integrated pilot system. Prior to the award, ZoomEssence had developed a prototype ‘no-heat’ dryer that firmly established the feasibility of the Zooming™ process. The award focused on three primary areas to improve the technology: (1) improved ability to formulate emulsions for specific flavor groups and improved understanding of the relationship of emulsion properties to final dry particle properties, (2) a new production atomizer, and (3) a dryer controls system.

  3. Single-staged uniportal VATS in the supine position for simultaneous bilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyung Soo

    2017-05-15

    Simultaneous bilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax (SBPSP) is rare, but requires surgery on both sides, in patients with definite bilateral bullae to prevent life-threatening conditions. Recently, uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been widely accepted as a less invasive technique for the treatment of pneumothorax. Thus, we introduced single-staged uniportal VATS technique in the supine position, for the management of two cases of SBPSP. A 17-year-old boy presented with bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax and he underwent single-staged uniportal VATS in the supine position. Single wide draping in consecutive bilateral approaches removes the needs of changing patients' position. Whole thoracoscopic procedure for wedge resection of bullae lesions was conducted without difficulty. The total operation time took 65 min and the patient discharged 3 days after the operation. The patient was followed for 24 months without recurrence of both sides. Another 18-year-old boy was admitted with bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax and single-staged uniportal VATS was also performed in the supine position. The total operation time took 79 min and the patient discharged on postoperative day 4. He was followed for 19 months without recurrence of both sides. Single-staged uniportal VATS approach yielded satisfactory results from simplicity that not requires position change compared to conventional multi-ports VATS in the lateral position, and with better cosmetics. This technique is thought to be a feasible procedure in selective patients with SBPSP or with contralateral bullae for preventive role.

  4. Myiarchus flycatchers are the primary seed dispersers of Bursera longipes in a Mexican dry forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available We evaluated the seed dispersal of Bursera longipes by birds along a successional gradient of tropical dry forest (TDF in southwestern Mexico. B. longipes is an endemic tree to the TDF in the Balsas basin. The relative abundance of frugivorous birds, their frequency of visits to B. longipes and the number of removed fruits were recorded at three study sites with different stages of forest succession (early, intermediate and mature characterized by distinct floristic and structural elements. Flycatchers of the Myiarchus and Tyrannus genera removed the majority of fruits at each site. Overall, visits to B. longipes were less frequent at the early successional site. Birds that function as legitimate dispersers by consuming whole seeds and regurgitating or defecating intact seeds in the process also remove the pseudoaril from seeds, thereby facilitating the germination process. The highest germination percentages were recorded for seeds that passed through the digestive system of two migratory flycatchers: M. cinerascens and M. nutingii. Perch plants, mainly composed of legumes (e.g., Eysenhardtia polystachya, Acacia cochliacantha, Calliandra eryophylla, Mimosa polyantha, serve also as nurse plants since the number of young individuals recruited from B. longipes was higher under these than expected by chance. This study shows that Myiarchus flycatchers are the most efficient seed dispersers of B. longipes across all successional stages. This suggests a close mutualistic relationship derived from adaptive processes and local specializations throughout the distribution of both taxa, as supported by the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution.

  5. Advanced-Stage Primary Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Treated with Bexarotene and Denileukin Diftitox

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iván Cervigón-González

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Advanced-stage primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma has an unfavorable prognosis and low survival rates. Aggressive treatment with chemotherapy is not curative and causes considerable side effects. The combination of bexarotene and denileukin diftitox is associated with an acceptable safety profile and a likely synergistic effect because bexarotene is capable of modulating expression of IL-2 receptor and enhance the susceptibility of T-cell leukemia cells to denileukin diftitox. In the case reported here, the response to this combined treatment was satisfactory and well tolerated. The patient showed a complete regression of pruritus, restlessness, and insomnia. Skin lesions improved partially, and lymphadenopathy was reduced and finally disappeared completely.

  6. Development of Hybrid Kiln Drying System with Radio Frequency Heating for the Sugi Heart Timber

    OpenAIRE

    Piao, Jinji; Fujimoto, Noboru; Yamamoto, Yasushi; Nagata, Soji

    2007-01-01

    In this study, proper applied stage of the radio-frequency (RF) heating during kiln drying based on the quality concerning the surface checks of the boxed heart timbers was examined. At the stage of the RF heating the moisture contents decreased clearly at the internal parts of timbers. The surface stress of the sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) boxed heart timber changed into the compression stress by the RF heating in any drying stage. The surface checks increased according to the decrease...

  7. Effect of wetting properties on the kinetics of drying of porous media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahidzadeh-Bonn, N; Azouni, A; Coussot, P

    2007-01-01

    The influence of the wetting properties of a model porous medium on the evaporation rate of water contained in the sample is studied experimentally. For a hydrophilic porous medium, drying is mainly controlled by the liquid film covering the solid grains and capillary rise inside the pores, leading to a constant drying rate and a homogeneous desaturation of the whole sample in time. For a hydrophobic porous medium, a drying front penetrates into the sample in the early stages of evaporation and the drying rate is found to strongly depend on the boundary conditions and wetting heterogeneities. In the presence of an air flow along the free surface of the sample, the drying rate varies as the square root of time, indicating a diffusive transport mechanism. Without air flow, a power law behaviour for the drying rate as a function of time is observed with an exponent of 0.75 ± 0.03. This is likely to be due to competition between diffusion through the vapour phase and local capillary rise of the liquid due to wetting heterogeneities. A surprising consequence is that for the late stages of drying, the total evaporated mass may become larger without air flow than with air flow. (fast track communication)

  8. Response of the primary tumor in symptomatic and asymptomatic stage IV colorectal cancer to combined interventional endoscopy and palliative chemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cameron, Silke; Hünerbein, Diana; Mansuroglu, Tümen; Armbrust, Thomas; Scharf, Jens-Gerd; Schwörer, Harald; Füzesi, László; Ramadori, Giuliano

    2009-01-01

    The treatment of the primary tumor in advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is still a matter of discussion. Little attention has thus far been paid to the endoscopically observable changes of the primary in non-curatively resectable stage IV disease. 20 patients [14 men, 6 women, median age 67 (39–82) years] were observed after initial diagnosis of non-curatively resectable metastasized symptomatic (83%) or asymptomatic (17%) CRC, from June 2002 to April 2009. If necessary, endoscopic tumor debulking was performed. 5-FU based chemotherapy was given immediately thereafter. In 10 patients, chemotherapy was combined with antibody therapy. Response of the primary was observed in all patients. Local symptoms were treated endoscopically whenever necessary (obstruction or bleeding), and further improved after chemotherapy was started: Four patients showed initial complete endoscopic disappearance of the primary. In an additional 6 patients, only adenomatous tissue was histologically detected. In both these groups, two patients revealed local tumor relapse after interruption of therapy. Local tumor regression or stable disease was achieved in the remaining 10 patients. 15 patients died during the observation time. In 13 cases, death was related to metastatic disease progression. The mean overall survival time was 19.6 (3–71) months. No complications due to the primary were observed. This study shows that modern anti-cancer drugs combined with endoscopic therapy are an effective and safe treatment of the symptomatic primary and ameliorate local complaints without the need for surgical intervention in advanced UICC stage IV CRC

  9. Modeling seasonal surface temperature variations in secondary tropical dry forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Sen; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Arturo

    2017-10-01

    Secondary tropical dry forests (TDFs) provide important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and nutrient cycle regulation. However, their biogeophysical processes at the canopy-atmosphere interface remain unknown, limiting our understanding of how this endangered ecosystem influences, and responds to the ongoing global warming. To facilitate future development of conservation policies, this study characterized the seasonal land surface temperature (LST) behavior of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) of a TDF, at the Santa Rosa National Park (SRNP), Costa Rica. A total of 38 Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data and the Surface Reflectance (SR) product were utilized to model LST time series from July 2013 to July 2016 using a radiative transfer equation (RTE) algorithm. We further related the LST time series to seven vegetation indices which reflect different properties of TDFs, and soil moisture data obtained from a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Results showed that the LST in the dry season was 15-20 K higher than in the wet season at SRNP. We found that the early successional stages were about 6-8 K warmer than the intermediate successional stages and were 9-10 K warmer than the late successional stages in the middle of the dry season; meanwhile, a minimum LST difference (0-1 K) was observed at the end of the wet season. Leaf phenology and canopy architecture explained most LST variations in both dry and wet seasons. However, our analysis revealed that it is precipitation that ultimately determines the LST variations through both biogeochemical (leaf phenology) and biogeophysical processes (evapotranspiration) of the plants. Results of this study could help physiological modeling studies in secondary TDFs.

  10. Disentangling the environmental heterogeneity, floristic distinctiveness and current threats of tropical dry forests in Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-M, Roy; García, Hernando; Isaacs, Paola; Cuadros, Hermes; López-Camacho, René; Rodríguez, Nelly; Pérez, Karen; Mijares, Francisco; Castaño-Naranjo, Alejandro; Jurado, Rubén; Idárraga-Piedrahíta, Álvaro; Rojas, Alicia; Vergara, Hernando; Pizano, Camila

    2018-04-01

    Tropical dry forests (TDFs) have been defined as a single biome occurring mostly in the lowlands where there is a marked period of drought during the year. In the Neotropics, dry forests occur across contrasting biogeographical regions that contain high beta diversity and endemism, but also strong anthropogenic pressures that threaten their biodiversity and ecological integrity. In Colombia, TDFs occur across six regions with contrasting soils, climate, and anthropogenic pressures, therefore being ideal for studying how these variables relate to dry forest species composition, successional stage and conservation status. Here, we explore the variation in climate and soil conditions, floristic composition, forest fragment size and shape, successional stage and anthropogenic pressures in 571 dry forest fragments across Colombia. We found that TDFs should not be classified solely on rainfall seasonality, as high variation in precipitation and temperature were correlated with soil characteristics. In fact, based on environmental factors and floristic composition, the dry forests of Colombia are clustered in three distinctive groups, with high species turnover across and within regions, as reported for other TDF regions of the Neotropics. Widely distributed TDF species were found to be generalists favored by forest disturbance and the early successional stages of dry forests. On the other hand, TDF fragments were not only small in size, but highly irregular in shape in all regions, and comprising mostly early and intermediate successional stages, with very little mature forest left at the national level. At all sites, we detected at least seven anthropogenic disturbances with agriculture, cattle ranching and human infrastructure being the most pressing disturbances throughout the country. Thus, although environmental factors and floristic composition of dry forests vary across regions at the national level, dry forests are equally threatened by deforestation, degradation

  11. Effects of superheated steam on the drying of rubberwood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanokwan Buaphud

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Rubberwood drying is the most time and energy consuming step in the processing of wood product. This research studied the effect of superheated steam drying on the drying time required and the physical and mechanical properties of rubberwood after drying. In this study, a cylindrical drying chamber with a length of 1.2 m and a diameter of 0.5 m was constructed and injected with superheated steam. The dimensions of the wood lumber were 1 m × 7.62 cm × 2.54 cm. The wood samples were impinged with alternating cycles of superheated steam and hot air at ratios of 6:1, 4:1 and 1:6 hours until the moisture content was less than 15% dry basis. The conditions inside the chamber were 110ºC and ambient pressure. Continuous superheated steam and continuous hot air were also used for comparisons. The drying rate and the temperature profile for each process were determined.Initial acceptability of the dried wood was conducted using the prong test and visual inspection. Results showed that if the drying rate was too fast, the dried wood did not pass the prong test due to stress buildup. Therefore, an optimum drying condition was developed based on minimizing defects and reducing the drying time. For the optimum condition, the following schedule was carried out: (1 saturated steam at 100ºC was used during the first 4 hours of drying to prevent the wood surface from drying too quickly which would minimize the moisture gradient between the center and wood surface, (2 superheated steam at 105ºC and 110ºC was used in alternating cycle with hot air (80ºC during the main drying stages to rapidly remove the free water and majority of the bound water inside the wood, and (3 hot air was used continuously during the final stages of drying to reduce the relative humidity inside the chamber making it possible for the removal of the residual bound water. This process successfully reduced the drying time to less than 2 days without causing any defects which compared

  12. Correlation of FDG-PET and MRI/CT with histopathology in primary diagnosis, lymph node staging and diagnosis of recurrency of head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poepperl, G.; Tiling, R.; Hahn, K.; Tatsch, K.; Lang, S.; Dagdelen, O.; Jaeger, L.

    2002-01-01

    Aim: Correct staging of head and neck cancer is important for the patient's prognosis and further therapeutic strategies. Aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic value of FDG-PET regarding the pre-surgical diagnosis of primary tumor and cervical lymph node metastases, the diagnosis of tumour recurrence, and the localisation of unknown primary, further to compare the results to those of morphological imaging modalities (CT/MRI) and to correlate the results of both methods with histopathological findings. Patients/Methods: 115 patients (pts) (72 x primary diagnosis, 37 x recurrence, and 6 x unknown primary) underwent FDG-PET (ECAT EXACT HR+) and CT or MRI. Results were correlated with histopathological findings in terms of detection of primary and recurrent tumors as well as lymph node metastases. Results: Regarding the pre-surgical diagnosis, sensitivity and specificity for identifying primary tumors were 85% and 100% for PET and 88% and 75% for CT/MRI, respectively. Accuracy was 86% for PET and 87% for CT/MRI. Sensitivity and specificity for detecting primary lymph node envolvement were 71%/86% for PET and 68% with morphological imaging. In 23 pts histopathology revealed pT1 stages with tumor diameters [de

  13. Comparative overview of primary sedimentation-based mechanical stage in some Romanian wastewater treatment systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaharia, C.

    2017-08-01

    Nowadays, wastewater (WW) treatment facilities are considered significant exposure pathways for solid particles, and also significant concerns of any quality conscious manufacturer. Most solid particles have some forms of organic coating either used as active material or to suspend and/or stabilize different present solid materials, having increase in toxicity that must be reduced, or sometimes even totally eliminated, especially if effluent is either discharged directly to surface water, or distributed through industrial water supplies. Representatives providing innovative technologies, comprehensive supports and expertise in wastewater and sludge treatment field are known, each one using modern treatment technology and facilities. Mechanical treatment is indispensable in primary treatment steps of both municipal and industrial WW applications, its main goal being separation of floating, settling and suspended materials (especially into a primary sedimentation-based treatment step). The aim of this work is to present comparatively the performance in solids removal of conventional mechanical WW treatment stages, especially those based on primary sedimentation, or sedimentation-like operations applied for Romanian urban WW treatment plants (serving two towns with ca 18,000 inhabitants), industrial WW treatment plants (deserving industries of vegetal food processing and organic chemicals’ manufacturing) and additional information on valorisation of separated solid material and improvement possibilities.

  14. 2005 PRETEXT: a revised staging system for primary malignant liver tumours of childhood developed by the SIOPEL group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roebuck, Derek J.; McHugh, Kieran; Olsen, Oeystein E. [Great Ormond Street Hospital, Department of Radiology, London (United Kingdom); Aronson, Daniel [Academisch Medisch Centrum/Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Clapuyt, Philippe; Ville de Goyet, Jean de; Otte, Jean-Bernard [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Departments of Surgery and Medical Imaging, Brussels (Belgium); Czauderna, Piotr [Medical University of Gdansk, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gdansk (Poland); Gauthier, Frederic; Pariente, Daniele [Centre Hospital-Universitaire de Bicetre APHP, Le Kremlin-Bicetre cedex (France); MacKinlay, Gordon [Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Surgery, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Maibach, Rudolf [SIAK Coordinating Center, Bern (Switzerland); Plaschkes, Jack [Inselspital, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bern (Switzerland); Childs, Margaret [United Kingdom Children' s Cancer Study Group, Leicester (United Kingdom); Perilongo, Giorgio [Padua University Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Padua (Italy)

    2007-02-15

    Over the last 15 years, various oncology groups throughout the world have used the PRETEXT system for staging malignant primary liver tumours of childhood. This paper, written by members of the radiology and surgery committees of the International Childhood Liver Tumor Strategy Group (SIOPEL), presents various clarifications and revisions to the original PRETEXT system. (orig.)

  15. 2005 PRETEXT: a revised staging system for primary malignant liver tumours of childhood developed by the SIOPEL group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roebuck, Derek J.; McHugh, Kieran; Olsen, Oeystein E.; Aronson, Daniel; Clapuyt, Philippe; Ville de Goyet, Jean de; Otte, Jean-Bernard; Czauderna, Piotr; Gauthier, Frederic; Pariente, Daniele; MacKinlay, Gordon; Maibach, Rudolf; Plaschkes, Jack; Childs, Margaret; Perilongo, Giorgio

    2007-01-01

    Over the last 15 years, various oncology groups throughout the world have used the PRETEXT system for staging malignant primary liver tumours of childhood. This paper, written by members of the radiology and surgery committees of the International Childhood Liver Tumor Strategy Group (SIOPEL), presents various clarifications and revisions to the original PRETEXT system. (orig.)

  16. Feasibility analysis of heat pump dryer to dry hawthorn cake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, D.C.; Zhang, G.; Han, Y.P.; Zhang, J.P.; Tian, X.L.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A heat pump dryer (HPD) is effectively proposed to dry hawthorn cake-likely materials. → Low drying temperature and high COP of heat pump are obtained in drying beginning. → HPD is more effective, economic than a traditional hot air dryer. → Feasibility of the HPD is also validated by the operation economy estimation. - Abstract: A heat pump dryer (HPD) would be an economic, environmentally friendly, hygienic drying machine used to dry some food, such as hawthorn cakes. Based on the production process of the hawthorn cake, a HPD is proposed and its basic principle is introduced. The experimental drying curves of the hawthorn cake using the heat pump drying method and the traditional hot air drying method are compared and analyzed. The drying process of hawthorn cakes is similar to that of the other drying materials. The higher drying temperature causes a faster drying process. But in the initial stage of the heat pump drying process, the water content of the hawthorn cake is not sensitive to the drying temperature, so a lower drying air temperature can be available in order to get a higher coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump (HP). The experimental results and the economic analysis indicate that the HPD is feasibly used to dry hawthorn cakes.

  17. Feasibility analysis of heat pump dryer to dry hawthorn cake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, D.C., E-mail: wdechang@163.com [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Zhang, G.; Han, Y.P.; Zhang, J.P.; Tian, X.L. [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China)

    2011-08-15

    Highlights: {yields} A heat pump dryer (HPD) is effectively proposed to dry hawthorn cake-likely materials. {yields} Low drying temperature and high COP of heat pump are obtained in drying beginning. {yields} HPD is more effective, economic than a traditional hot air dryer. {yields} Feasibility of the HPD is also validated by the operation economy estimation. - Abstract: A heat pump dryer (HPD) would be an economic, environmentally friendly, hygienic drying machine used to dry some food, such as hawthorn cakes. Based on the production process of the hawthorn cake, a HPD is proposed and its basic principle is introduced. The experimental drying curves of the hawthorn cake using the heat pump drying method and the traditional hot air drying method are compared and analyzed. The drying process of hawthorn cakes is similar to that of the other drying materials. The higher drying temperature causes a faster drying process. But in the initial stage of the heat pump drying process, the water content of the hawthorn cake is not sensitive to the drying temperature, so a lower drying air temperature can be available in order to get a higher coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump (HP). The experimental results and the economic analysis indicate that the HPD is feasibly used to dry hawthorn cakes.

  18. Simultaneous whole-body 18F-FDG PET-MRI in primary staging of breast cancer: A pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taneja, Sangeeta; Jena, Amarnath; Goel, Reema; Sarin, Ramesh; Kaul, Sumaid

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Initial staging of breast cancer important in treatment planning and prognostication. • We assessed role of simultaneous 18 F-FDG PET-MRI in initial staging of breast cancer. • Primary, nodes and metastases on PET, MRI and PET-MRI for count and diagnostic confidence. • High diagnostic accuracy and confidence in detecting index and satellite lesions. • Comprehensive nodal and distant metastases staging with altered management (12 cases). - Abstract: Purpose: Accurate initial staging in breast carcinoma is important for treatment planning and for establishing the likely prognosis. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of whole body simultaneous 18 F-FDG PET-MRI in initial staging of breast carcinoma. Methods: 36 patients with histologically confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma underwent simultaneous whole body 18 F-FDG PET-MRI on integrated 3 T PET-MR scanner (Siemens Biograph mMR) for primary staging. Primary lesion, nodes and metastases were evaluated on PET, MRI and PET-MRI for lesion count and diagnostic confidence (DC). Kappa co relation analysis was done to assess agreement between the satellite, nodal and metastatic lesions detected by PET and MRI. Histopathology, clinical/imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. Results: 36 patients with 37 histopathologically proven index breast cancer were retrospectively studied. Of 36 patients, 25 patients underwent surgery and 11 patients received systemic therapy. All index cancers were seen on PET and MR. Fused PET-MRI showed highest diagnostic confidence score of 5 as compared to PET (median 4; range 3–5) and MRI (median 4; range 4–5) alone. 2/36 (5.5%) patients were detected to have unsuspected contralateral synchronous cancer. 47 satellite lesions were detected on DCE MRI of which 23 were FDG avid with multifocality and multicentricity in 21 (58%) patients. Kappa co relation analysis revealed fair agreement for satellite lesion detection by the two modalities (κ

  19. GC-MS metabolic profiling of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot cultivars during grapevine berry development and network analysis reveals a stage- and cultivar-dependent connectivity of primary metabolites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuadros-Inostroza, Alvaro; Ruíz-Lara, Simón; González, Enrique; Eckardt, Aenne; Willmitzer, Lothar; Peña-Cortés, Hugo

    Information about the total chemical composition of primary metabolites during grape berry development is scarce, as are comparative studies trying to understand to what extent metabolite modifications differ between cultivars during ripening. Thus, correlating the metabolic profiles with the changes occurring in berry development and ripening processes is essential to progress in their comprehension as well in the development of new approaches to improve fruit attributes. Here, the developmental metabolic profiling analysis across six stages from flowering to fully mature berries of two cultivars, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is reported at metabolite level. Based on a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry untargeted approach, 115 metabolites were identified and relative quantified in both cultivars. Sugars and amino acids levels show an opposite behaviour in both cultivars undergoing a highly coordinated shift of metabolite associated to primary metabolism during the stages involved in growth, development and ripening of berries. The changes are characteristic for each stage, the most pronounced ones occuring at fruit setting and pre-Veraison. They are associated to a reduction of the levels of metabolites present in the earlier corresponding stage, revealing a required catabolic activity of primary metabolites for grape berry developmental process. Network analysis revealed that the network connectivity of primary metabolites is stage- and cultivar-dependent, suggesting differences in metabolism regulation between both cultivars as the maturity process progresses. Furthermore, network analysis may represent an appropriate method to display the association between primary metabolites during berry developmental processes among different grapevine cultivars and for identifying potential biologically relevant metabolites.

  20. The mycobiota of three dry-cured meat products from Slovenia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sonjak, Silva; Ličen, Mia; Frisvad, Jens Christian

    2011-01-01

    “milanense” was isolated from 21 items. The other penicillia were rarely isolated. Of the isolated and identified species, those that can produce mycotoxins are: A. versicolor, Penicillium brevicompactum, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. nordicum, and Penicillium polonicum. Their growth on dry-cured meat products......The surface mycobiota of three types of Slovenian dry-cured meat products were isolated from a total of 75 items of product that were sampled periodically during the drying/ripening stage of processing. The predominant filamentous fungal genus isolated was Penicillium. Eurotium spp., Aspergillus...

  1. Radiotherapy for primary localized (stage I and II) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the oral cavity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sunaba, Kohji; Shibuya, Hitoshi; Okada, Norihiko; Amagasa, Teruo; Enomoto, Shoji; Kishimoto, Seiji

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To assess the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of primary localized (Stage I: 24 cases and Stage II: 13 cases) non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) of the oral cavity. Methods and Materials: In total, 37 patients (27 male, 10 female) with primary localized NHL of the oral cavity have been treated with radiotherapy alone (23 cases) or radiation with chemotherapy (14 cases). The age range was 29 to 86 years (median: 65). Clinical and treatment variables with potential prognostic significance for survival were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Of the 37 patients, 31 (84%) had intermediate-grade lymphomas and six (14%) had high-grade lymphomas. Four patients showed necrotic ulcer in the central portion of the hard palate. Results: The 5-year actuarial survival rate for all cases was 73%. The 5-year survival rates for intermediate-grade and high-grade lymphoma were 85% and 14%, respectively. Significant prognostic factors identified by the multivariate analysis were histologic grade of malignancy (p = 0.02) and central necrotic ulcer in the tumor (p = 0.02). Chemotherapy did not improve survival (p = 0.41). Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that radiotherapy alone may be approved as the treatment for localized oral NHL with no ulceration and intermediate histology. However, patients with high-grade lymphoma and/or necrotic ulcer are difficult to cure with radiation alone and aggressive treatment should be advocated to improve survival

  2. Catalytic dry reforming of waste plastics from different waste treatment plants for production of synthesis gases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saad, Juniza Md; Williams, Paul T

    2016-12-01

    Catalytic dry reforming of mixed waste plastics, from a range of different municipal, commercial and industrial sources, were processed in a two-stage fixed bed reactor. Pyrolysis of the plastics took place in the first stage and dry (CO 2 ) reforming of the evolved pyrolysis gases took place in the second stage in the presence of Ni/Al 2 O 3 and Ni-Co/Al 2 O 3 catalysts in order to improve the production of syngas from the dry reforming process. The results showed that the highest amount of syngas yield was obtained from the dry reforming of plastic waste from the agricultural industry with the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst, producing 153.67mmol syngas g -1 waste . The addition of cobalt metal as a promoter to the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst did not have a major influence on syngas yield. Overall, the catalytic-dry reforming of waste plastics from various waste treatment plants showed great potential towards the production of synthesis gases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Microwave blanching and drying characteristics of Centella asiatica (L.) urban leaves using tray and heat pump-assisted dehumidified drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trirattanapikul, W; Phoungchandang, S

    2014-12-01

    The appropriate stage of maturity of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban leaves was investigated. Mature leaves with large diameter contained high total phenolics and % inhibition. Microwave blanching for 30 s retained the highest total phenolics and the microwave blanching for 30 s and 45 s retained the highest % inhibition. Modified Henderson and Modified Chung-Pfost models showed the best fit to both fresh and blanched leaves for equilibrium moisture content, Xe = f(RHe, T) and equilibrium relative humidity, RHe = f(Xe, T), respectively. The Modified Page model was the most effective model in describing the leaf drying. All drying was in the falling rate period. The drying constant was related to drying air temperature using the Arrhenius model. Effective moisture diffusivities increased with increasing temperature and blanching treatments as well as dehumidification by heat pump-assisted dehumidified dryer. The heat pump-assited dehumidified drying incorporated by the microwave blanching could reduce the drying time at 40 °C by 31.2 % and increase % inhibition by 6.1 %. Quality evaluation by total phenolics, % inhibition and rehydration ratio showed the best quality for C. asiatica leaves pretreated by microwave blanching and dried at 40 °C in heat pump-assisted dehumidified dryer.

  4. New approach for dry formulation techniques for rhizobacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elchin, A. A.; Mashinistova, A. V.; Gorbunova, N. V.; Muratov, V. S.; Kydralieva, K. A.; Jorobekova, Sh. J.

    2009-04-01

    Two beneficial Pseudomonas isolates selected from rhizosphere of abundant weed - couch-grass Elytrigia repens L. Nevski have been found to have biocontrol activity. An adequate biocontrol effect requires high yield and long stability of the bacterial preparation [1], which could be achieved by an effective and stable formulation. This study was aimed to test various approaches to dry formulation techniques for Pseudomonas- based preparations. To reach this goal, two drying formulation techniques have been tested: the first one, spray drying and the second, low-temperature contact-convective drying in fluidized bed. The optimal temperature parameters for each technique were estimated. Main merits of the selected approach to dry technique are high yield, moderate specific energy expenditures per 1 kg of evaporated moisture, minimal time of contact of the drying product with drying agent. The technological process for dry formulation included the following stages: the obtaining of cell liquids, the low-temperature concentrating and the subsequent drying of a concentrate. The preliminary technological stages consist in cultivation of the rhizobacteria cultures and concentrating the cell liquids. The following requirements for cultivation regime in laboratory conditions were proposed: optimal temperatures are 26-28°С in 3 days, concentration of viable cells in cell liquid makes 1010-1011 cell/g of absolutely dry substance (ADS). For concentrating the cell liquids the method of a vacuum evaporation, which preserves both rhizobacteria cells and the secondary metabolites of cell liquid, has been used. The process of concentrating was conducted at the minimum possible temperature, i.e. not above 30-33°С. In this case the concentration of viable cells has decreased up to 109-1010 cell/g of ADS. For spray drying the laboratory up-dated drier BUCHI 190, intended for the drying of thermolabile products, was used. The temperatures of an in- and outcoming air did not exceed

  5. Effects of deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying on soil and plant water status, stomatal conductance, plant growth and water use efficiency in tomato during early fruiting stage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Fulai; Shahnazari, Ali; Jacobsen, S.-E.

    2008-01-01

    The effects of 'partial root-zone drying' (PRD), compared with full irrigation (FI) and deficit irrigation (DI), on soil and plant water status, plant growth and water use efficiency (WUE) were investigated in potted tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L., var. Cedrico) at the early fruiting stage...... system, and the irrigated side of the plants was reversed when volumetric soil water content ( ) of the dry side had decreased to 6%. of FI was about 14%. of DI decreased during the first 4-5 days after the onset of treatment (DAT) and was about 7% and 6% thereafter for DI-70 and DI-50, respectively....... of the wet side in PRD-70 declined during 3-6 DAT and was lower than that of FI by 4-6% thereafter. in both wet and dry sides of PRD-50 was slightly lower than that for PRD-70. After 5 DAT, midday leaf water potential was significantly lower in DI and PRD than in FI plants. FI plants had the highest leaf...

  6. Complete resection of the primary lesion improves survival of certain patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chikaishi, Yasuhiro; Shinohara, Shinji; Kuwata, Taiji; Takenaka, Masaru; Oka, Soichi; Hirai, Ayako; Yoneda, Kazue; Kuroda, Kouji; Imanishi, Naoko; Ichiki, Yoshinobu; Tanaka, Fumihiro

    2017-12-01

    The standard treatment for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is systemic chemotherapy. However, certain patients, such as those with oligometastasis or M1a disease undergo resection of the primary lesion. We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 1,471 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent resection of the primary lesion for between June 2005 and May 2016. The present study included 38 patients with stage IV NSCLC who underwent complete resection of the primary lesion as first-line treatment. The median follow-up duration for the 38 patients (27 men) was 17.7 months (range, 1-82.3 months). The T factors were T1/T2/T3/T4 in 4/16/12/6 patients, respectively. The N factors were N0/N1/N2/N3 in 16/8/12/2 patients, respectively. The M factors were M1a/M1b/M1c in 19/13/6 patients, respectively. Of the 19 M1a patients, 11 were classified as cM0. We introduced the novel classification M-better/M-worse. M-better includes cM0 patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom all lesions have been locally controlled. M-worse includes cM1a patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom lesions cannot be locally controlled. The new M-better/M-worse statuses were 24/14 patients, respectively. The histology of NSCLC was adenocarcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma/others in 30/5/3 patients, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate was 29%, and the median survival time was 725 days. Squamous cell carcinoma and M-worse were significant factors predicting poor outcomes (P=0.0017, P=0.0007, respectively). Even for stage IV NSCLC patients, resection of the primary lesion may be beneficial, especially for those with M-better status and those not diagnosed with squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC).

  7. Staging of lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Groot, Patricia M; Carter, Brett W; Betancourt Cuellar, Sonia L; Erasmus, Jeremy J

    2015-06-01

    Primary lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Thorough clinical staging of patients with lung cancer is important, because therapeutic options and management are to a considerable degree dependent on stage at presentation. Radiologic imaging is an essential component of clinical staging, including chest radiography in some cases, computed tomography, MRI, and PET. Multiplanar imaging modalities allow assessment of features that are important for surgical, oncologic, and radiation therapy planning, including size of the primary tumor, location and relationship to normal anatomic structures in the thorax, and existence of nodal and/or metastatic disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Retrospective Evaluation of Whole Body Computed Tomography for Tumor Staging in Dogs with Primary Appendicular Osteosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talbott, Jessica L; Boston, Sarah E; Milner, Rowan J; Lejeune, Amandine; Souza, Carlos H de M; Kow, Kelvin; Bacon, Nicholas J; Hernandez, Jorge A

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate whole body computed tomography (CT) for staging canine appendicular osteosarcoma. Retrospective case series. Client-owned dogs diagnosed with appendicular osteosarcoma (n=39). Medical records for client-owned dogs diagnosed with appendicular osteosarcoma from August 2008 to July 2014 were reviewed. Dogs were included if they had a confirmed diagnosis of appendicular osteosarcoma and were staged using whole body CT. Data collected included signalment, body weight, primary tumor location, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, findings on 3-view thoracic radiographs, cytologic or histologic results, and findings on CT. Thirty-nine dogs (median age 8.5 years; median body weight 37 kg) had osteosarcoma of the distal radius (n=17), proximal humerus (11) and other sites. Serum ALP activity was elevated in 14 dogs. Bone metastasis was not detected in any dog on whole body CT. Pulmonary metastasis was considered definitive on CT based on board certified radiologist assessment in 2/39 dogs (5%). Two additional dogs (2/39, 5%) had soft tissue masses diagnosed on CT, consistent with concurrent, non-metastatic malignancies. Bone metastases were not identified in any dog with whole body CT. Thoracic and abdominal CT detected lung lesions and concurrent neoplasia in dogs with primary appendicular osteosarcoma. Whole body CT may be a useful adjunct to other screening tests for disseminated malignancy. © 2016 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  9. Prediction of primary breast cancer size and T-stage using micro-computed tomography in lumpectomy specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wafa M Sarraj

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Histopathology is the only accepted method to measure and stage the breast tumor size. However, there is a need to find another method to measure and stage the tumor size when the pathological assessment is not available. Micro-computed tomography. (micro-CT has the ability to measure tumor in three dimensions in an intact lumpectomy specimen. In this study, we aimed to determine the accuracy of micro-CT to measure and stage the primary tumor size in breast lumpectomy specimens, as compared to the histopathology. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two women who underwent lumpectomy surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Surgery from June 2011 to September 2011, and from August 2013 to December 2013 participated in this study. The lumpectomy specimens were scanned using micro-CT followed by routine pathological processing. The maximum dimension of the invasive breast tumor was obtained from the micro-CT image and was compared to the corresponding pathology report for each subject. Results: The invasive tumor size measurement by micro-CT was underestimated in 24. cases. (33%, overestimated in 37. cases. (51%, and matched it exactly in 11. cases. (15% compared to the histopathology measurement for all the cases. However, micro-CT T.stage classification differed from histopathology in only 11. (15.2% with 6. cases. (8.3% classified as a higher stage by micro-CT, and 5. cases. (6.9% classified as lower compared to histopathology. In addition, micro-CT demonstrated a statically significant strong agreement (κ =0.6, P < 0.05 with pathological tumor size and staging for invasive ductal carcinoma. (IDC group. In contrast, there was no agreement. (κ = .2, P = 0.67 between micro-CT and pathology in estimating and staging tumor size for invasive lobular carcinoma. (ILC group. This could be explained by a small sample size. (7 for ILC group. Conclusions: Micro-CT is a promising modality for measuring and staging the IDC.

  10. Radiation disinfestation studies on sun dried fish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, M.; Bhuiya, A.D.; Alam, M.S.; Huda, S.M.S.

    1989-01-01

    A large quantity of dried fish is lost in Bangladesh due to infestation by earwigs, hide beetles and copra beetles in storage godowns. The most destructive pest is the hide beetle, Dermestes maculatus Deg. Earwigs of different developmental stages were exposed to 0.10, 0.20 or 0.30 kGy of gamma rays for disinfestation. There was apparent damage to the control but all treated samples were in good condition and no live insect was observed 3 weeks after starting the experiment. Disinfestation studies of dried mackerel showed that eggs, larval and pupal stages of hide beetles could be inactivated at a dose of 0.20 kGy. A dose of 0.30 kGy killed all adults 2 weeks after irradiation. In the packaging studies, dried mackerel was packed in polythene pouches of different thicknesses. Two controls were maintained, i.e. dried fish with no treatment, control, and dried fish disinfested with heat at 60 deg. C, disinfested control. In experiments with 50 μm thick polythene pouches, the dried fish of irradiation treatments with 0.10 to 1.0 kGy doses and the controls had around 20% moisture content with the exception of disinfested controls which had 13% moisture content. All irradiated samples were free from insect damage. There was heavy damage in the controls due to insects. However, all these treated fish had heavy fungal growth with the exception of the disinfested control. Similar results were obtained with pouches made of 75 μm thick polythene irradiated at doses of 0.50, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 kGy. In the final experiments pouches were made of 50, 75 and 100 μm thick polythene and exposed to similar radiation as in the previous experiment. In all the treatments, moisture content was reduced to 13%. heavy insect damage was observed in the control, while all the treated samples were in excellent condition after 5 months of storage. (author). 20 refs, 2 figs, 5 tabs

  11. Dislocation based controlling of kinematic hardening contribution to simulate primary and secondary stages of uniaxial ratcheting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharjee, S.; Dhar, S.; Acharyya, S. K.

    2017-07-01

    The primary and secondary stages of the uniaxial ratcheting curve for the C-Mn steel SA333 have been investigated. Stress controlled uniaxial ratcheting experiments were conducted with different mean stresses and stress amplitudes to obtain curves showing the evolution of ratcheting strain with number of cycles. In stage-I of the ratcheting curve, a large accumulation of ratcheting strain occurs, but at a decreasing rate. In contrast, in stage-II a smaller accumulation of ratcheting strain is found and the ratcheting rate becomes almost constant. Transmission electron microscope observations reveal that no specific dislocation structures are developed during the early stages of ratcheting. Rather, compared with the case of low cycle fatigue, it is observed that sub-cell formation is delayed in the case of ratcheting. The increase in dislocation density as a result of the ratcheting strain is obtained using the Orowan equation. The ratcheting strain is obtained from the shift of the plastic strain memory surface. The dislocation rearrangement is incorporated in a functional form of dislocation density, which is used to calibrate the parameters of a kinematic hardening law. The observations are formulated in a material model, plugged into the ABAQUS finite element (FE) platform as a user material subroutine. Finally the FE-simulated ratcheting curves are compared with the experimental curves.

  12. Comparison of drying characteristic and uniformity of banana cubes dried by pulse-spouted microwave vacuum drying, freeze drying and microwave freeze drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hao; Zhang, Min; Mujumdar, Arun S; Lim, Rui-Xin

    2014-07-01

    To overcome the flaws of high energy consumption of freeze drying (FD) and the non-uniform drying of microwave freeze drying (MFD), pulse-spouted microwave vacuum drying (PSMVD) was developed. The results showed that the drying time can be dramatically shortened if microwave was used as the heating source. In this experiment, both MFD and PSMVD could shorten drying time by 50% as compared to the FD process. Depending on the heating method, MFD and PSMVD dried banana cubes showed trends of expansion while FD dried samples demonstrated trends of shrinkage. Shrinkage also brought intensive structure and highest fracturability of all three samples dried by different methods. The residual ascorbic acid content of PSMVD dried samples can be as high as in FD dried samples, which were superior to MFD dried samples. The tests confirmed that PSMVD could bring about better drying uniformity than MFD. Besides, compared with traditional MFD, PSMVD can provide better extrinsic feature, and can bring about improved nutritional features because of the higher residual ascorbic acid content. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Outcome measures for primary Sjogren's syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seror, Raphaele; Bootsma, Hendrika; Bowman, Simon J.; Doerner, Thomas; Gottenberg, Jacques-Eric; Mariette, Xavier; Ramos-Casals, Manel; Ravaud, Philippe; Theander, Elke; Tzioufas, Athanasios; Vitali, Claudio

    Lymphocytic infiltration of different exocrine and non-exocrine epithelia is the pathological hallmark of primary Sjogren's syndrome, whereas involvement of salivary and lachrymal glands with the clinical counterpart of dry eye and dry mouth are the predominant features of the disease, together with

  14. Primary invasive carcinoma of the vagina after Le Fort partial colpocleisis for stage IV pelvic organ prolapse: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Moon Kyoung; Kim, Chul Hong; Kim, Yoon Ha

    2011-11-01

    We present here the case report of a postmenopausal woman who complained of recurrent pus-like vaginal discharge and perianal pain 1 year after Le Fort colpocleisis, which was subsequently identified as a primary invasive carcinoma of the vagina. Biopsy confirmed a squamous cell carcinoma in the vagina, and the disease was classified as stage III according to FIGO staging. The patient received pelvic radiotherapy. This case emphasizes that differential diagnosis of recurrent vaginal discharge that presents remote from obliterative procedure for pelvic organ prolapse should consider not only pyometra, but also other causes.

  15. Nano spray drying for encapsulation of pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arpagaus, Cordin; Collenberg, Andreas; Rütti, David; Assadpour, Elham; Jafari, Seid Mahdi

    2018-05-17

    Many pharmaceuticals such as pills, capsules, or tablets are prepared in a dried and powdered form. In this field, spray drying plays a critical role to convert liquid pharmaceutical formulations into powders. In addition, in many cases it is necessary to encapsulate bioactive drugs into wall materials to protect them against harsh process and environmental conditions, as well as to deliver the drug to the right place and at the correct time within the body. Thus, spray drying is a common process used for encapsulation of pharmaceuticals. In view of the rapid progress of nanoencapsulation techniques in pharmaceutics, nano spray drying is used to improve drug formulation and delivery. The nano spray dryer developed in the recent years provides ultrafine powders at nanoscale and high product yields. In this paper, after explaining the concept of nano spray drying and understanding the key elements of the equipment, the influence of the process parameters on the final powders properties, like particle size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading and release, will be discussed. Then, numerous application examples are reviewed for nano spray drying and encapsulation of various drugs in the early stages of product development along with a brief overview of the obtained results and characterization techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. [Effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on drying characteristics of sewage sludge].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Run-Dong; Yang, Yu-Ting; Li, Yan-Long; Niu, Hui-Chang; Wei, Li-Hong; Sun, Yang; Ke, Xin

    2009-11-01

    The high water content of sewage sludge has engendered many inconveniences to its treatment and disposal. While ultrasonic takes on unique advantages on the sludge drying because of its high ultrasonic power, mighty penetrating capability and the ability of causing cavitations. Thus this research studies the characteristics influences of ultrasonic bring to the sludge drying and effects of the exposure time, ultrasonic generator power, temperatures of ultrasonic and drying temperature on the drying characteristics of dewatered sludge. Results indicate that ultrasonic pretreatment could speed up evaporation of the free water in sludge surface and help to end the drying stage with constant speed. In addition, ultrasonic treatment can effectively improve the sludge drying efficiency which could be more evident with the rise of the ultrasonic power (100-250 W), ultrasonic temperature and drying temperature. If dried under low temperature such as 105 degrees C, sludge will have premium drying characteristics when radiated under ultrasound for a shorter time such as 3 min. In the end, the ultrasonic treatment is expected to be an effective way to the low-cost sludge drying and also be an important reference to the optimization of the sludge drying process because of its effects on the increase of sludge drying efficiency.

  17. Community Geothermal Technology Program: Experimental lumber drying kiln. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leaman, D.; Irwin, B.

    1989-10-01

    Goals were to demonstrate feasibility of using the geothermal waste effluent from the HGP-A well as a heat source for a kiln operation to dry hardwoods, develop drying schedules, and develop automatic systems to monitor/control the geothermally heated lumber dry kiln systems. The feasibility was demonstrated. Lumber was dried in periods of 2 to 6 weeks in the kiln, compared to 18 months air drying and 6--8 weeks using a dehumidified chamber. Larger, plate-type heat exchangers between the primary fluid and water circulation systems may enable the kiln to reach the planned temperatures (180--185 F). However, the King Koa partnership cannot any longer pursue the concept of geothermal lumber kilns.

  18. Primary colectomy in patients with stage IV colon cancer and unresectable distant metastases improves overall survival: results of a multicentric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karoui, Mehdi; Roudot-Thoraval, Françoise; Mesli, Farida; Mitry, Emmanuel; Aparicio, Thomas; Des Guetz, Gaetan; DesGuetz, Gaetan; Louvet, Christophe; Landi, Bruno; Tiret, Emmanuel; Sobhani, Iradj

    2011-08-01

    Whether patients with stage IV colon cancer and unresectable distant metastases should be managed by primary colectomy followed by chemotherapy or immediate chemotherapy without resection of the primary tumor is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors associated with survival in patients with stage IV colon cancer and unresectable distant metastases. This large retrospective multicentric study included 6 academic hospitals. This study was conducted at 6 Paris University Hospitals (Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris; Saint Antoine, Henri Mondor, Ambroise Paré, Hôpital Europeen Gorges Pompidou, Bichat, and Avicenne). Between 1998 and 2007, 208 patients with good performance status and stage IV colon cancer with unresectable distant metastases received chemotherapy, either as initial management or after primary tumor resection. Survival was estimated by use of the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with survival were tested by means of a log-rank test. Results were expressed as median values with 95% confidence intervals. Factors independently related to survival were tested using a Cox regression model adjusted for a propensity score. Of the 208 patients, 85 underwent colectomy before chemotherapy, whereas 123 were treated with use of primary chemotherapy with or without biotherapy. At univariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with survival: primary colectomy (P = .031), secondary curative surgery (P < .001), well-differentiated primary tumor (P < .001), exclusive liver metastases (P < .027), absence of need for colonic stent (P = .009), and addition of antiangiogenic (P = .001) or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (P = .013) drugs to chemotherapy. After Cox multivariate analysis and after adjusting for the propensity score, all of these factors, with the exception of two, colonic stent and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor drug, were found to be independently associated with overall

  19. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, Xiaohui; O'Gallagher, Joseph; Winston, Roland

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  20. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, X; O'Gallagher, J; Winston, R

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  1. Primary transoral robotic surgery with concurrent neck dissection for early stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma implemented at a Danish head and neck cancer center

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rubek, Niclas; Channir, Hani Ibrahim; Charabi, Birgitte Wittenborg

    2017-01-01

    (RT) with or without concomitant chemotherapy. This is the first study in Scandinavia from a head and neck cancer centre that aims to demonstrate the feasibility of performing primary transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and concurrent neck dissection for patients with early stage OPSCC. Between September...... bilateral neck dissection. Due to an upstaging following surgery, 13 patients were referred to adjuvant therapy. Four of these patients received RT and two patients received concomitant chemo-radiation (CCR) therapy. Seven patients declined the recommended adjuvant therapy one of whom later developed an N......-site recurrence and received salvage surgery with postoperative RT. In summary, 43% of the patients were referred to adjuvant therapy following primary surgery which was mainly due to N-site stage migration and ECE. Primary TORS and concurrent neck dissection is a safe and feasible procedure that may...

  2. Initial-Stage Primary Intraosseous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Derived from Odontogenic Keratocyst with Unusual Keratoameloblastomatous Change of the Maxilla: A Case Report and Literature Discussion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kentaro Kikuchi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (PIOSCC is a rare malignant neoplasm derived from odontogenic epithelial remnants in the central jaw bone. Most PIOSCCs originate from odontogenic cysts with a nonkeratinized epithelial lining, especially from radicular/residual and dentigerous cysts. There have been few reports of PIOSCCs derived from the odontogenic keratocyst (OKC, particularly those describing pathological features at the initial stage. The diagnosis of PIOSCC is difficult and based on exclusion of other carcinomas, including metastatic tumors from other primary sites. Here, we report an extremely rare case of initial-stage PIOSCC derived from the OKC with unusual keratoameloblastomatous change of the maxilla.

  3. [Characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley genotypes with high nitrogen utilization efficiency].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yi; Li, Ting-Xuan; Zhang, Xi-Zhou; Ji, Lin

    2014-07-01

    A pot experiment was conducted under low (125 mg x kg-1) and normal (250 mg x kg(-1)) nitrogen treatments. The nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency of 22 barley cultivars were investigated, and the characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley were analyzed. The results showed that nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency were different for barley under two nitrogen levels. The maximal values of grain yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index were 2.87, 2.91 and 2.47 times as those of the lowest under the low nitrogen treatment. Grain yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index of barley genotype with high nitrogen utilization efficiency were significantly greater than low nitrogen utilization efficiency, and the parameters of high nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype were 82.1%, 61.5% and 50.5% higher than low nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype under the low nitrogen treatment. Dry matter mass and nitrogen utilization of high nitrogen utilization efficiency was significantly higher than those of low nitrogen utilization efficiency. A peak of dry matter mass of high nitrogen utilization efficiency occurred during jointing to heading stage, while that of nitrogen accumulation appeared before jointing. Under the low nitrogen treatment, dry matter mass of DH61 and DH121+ was 34.4% and 38.3%, and nitrogen accumulation was 54. 8% and 58.0% higher than DH80, respectively. Dry matter mass and nitrogen accumulation seriously affected yield before jointing stage, and the contribution rates were 47.9% and 54.7% respectively under the low nitrogen treatment. The effect of dry matter and nitrogen accumulation on nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain was the largest during heading to mature stages, followed by sowing to jointing stages, with the contribution rate being 29.5% and 48.7%, 29.0% and 15.8%, respectively. In conclusion, barley genotype with high

  4. Potential of impulse drying technology for molded pulp products manufacture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Didone, Mattia; Tosello, Guido

    2016-01-01

    The vision of the Green Fiber Bottle (GFB) project is to develop a paper bottle for beer, which will be both recyclable and biodegradable. The early prototypes of the bottle are very promising but there are huge technical and scientific challenges ahead to mature the production technology....... The possibility of applying the concept of impulse drying during the drying stage is suggested. This would give benefits in terms of productivity and it would also reduce energy consumption.With the aim of understanding and controlling the impulse drying phenomena, a simplified approach is proposed. Finally......, a potential design for a testing equipment is described....

  5. Evaluation Methods and Techniques for ELearning Software for School Students in Primary Stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salaheddin Odeh

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available This investigation is concerned with the evaluationof an e-learning program developed as an educational tool for theprimary grades in real factors in mathematics. The objectives ofsuch a mathematical program designed for school students inprimary stages are to encourage them to study mathematicsthrough introducing a lot of examples and exercises that aid themto understand the basic operations on real fraction, as well as topresent and explain the subject matter in a clear and userorientedmanner through visual illustrations and alternations.The paper will highlight the advantages of introducing e-learningin schools and describe its later impact on the students' learningprocess in the Palestinian National Authority schools, throughusability tests aimed at investigating the effect of usingcomputerized methods on the achievement of primary gradestudents in mathematics, in comparison with traditional noncomputerizedsystems of education.

  6. [18F]DOPA PET/ceCT in diagnosis and staging of primary medullary thyroid carcinoma prior to surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasul, Sazan; Hartenbach, Sabrina; Rebhan, Katharina; Göllner, Adelina; Karanikas, Georgios; Mayerhoefer, Marius; Mazal, Peter; Hacker, Marcus; Hartenbach, Markus

    2018-05-15

    Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is characterized by a high rate of metastasis. In this study we evaluated the ability of [ 18 F]DOPA PET/ceCT to stage MTC in patients with suspicious thyroid nodules and pathologically elevated serum calcitonin (Ctn) levels prior to total thyroidectomy and lymph node (LN) dissection. A group of 32 patients with sonographically suspicious thyroid nodules and pathologically elevated basal Ctn (bCtn) and stimulated Ctn (sCtn) levels underwent DOPA PET/ceCT prior to surgery. Postoperative histology served as the standard of reference for ultrasonography and DOPA PET/ceCT region-based LN staging. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses as well as receiver operating characteristic analysis were used to evaluate the correlations between preoperative and histological parameters and postoperative tumour persistence or relapse. Primary MTC was histologically verified in all patients. Of the 32 patients, 28 showed increased DOPA decarboxylase activity in the primary tumour (sensitivity 88%, mean SUVmax 10.5). Undetected tumours were exclusively staged pT1a. The sensitivities of DOPA PET in the detection of central and lateral metastatic neck LN were 53% and 73%, in contrast to 20% and 39%, respectively, for neck ultrasonography. Preoperative bCtn and carcinoembryonic antigen levels as well as cN1b status and the number of involved neck regions on DOPA PET/ceCT were predictive of postoperative tumour persistence/relapse in the univariate regression analysis (P PET/ceCT cN1b status remained significant in the multivariate analysis (P = 0.016, relative risk 4.02). This study revealed that DOPA PET/ceCT has high sensitivity in the detection of primary MTC and superior sensitivity in the detection of LN metastases compared to ultrasonography. DOPA PET/ceCT identification of N1b status predicts postoperative tumour persistence. Thus, implementation of a DOPA-guided LN dissection might improve surgical success.

  7. Environmental Factors' Consideration at Industrial Transportation Organization in the «Seaport - Dry port» System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muravev, Dmitri; Rakhmangulov, Aleksandr

    2016-11-01

    Currently, container shipping development is directly associated with an increase of warehouse areas for containers' storage. One of the most successful types of container terminal is an intermodal terminal called a dry port. Main pollution sources during the organization of intermodal transport are considered. A system of dry port parameters, which are recommended for the evaluation of different scenarios for a seaport infrastructure development at the stage of its strategic planning, is proposed in this paper. The authors have developed a method for determining the optimal values of the main dry port parameters by simulation modeling in the programming software Any- Logic. Dependencies thatwere obtained as a result of modeling experiments prove the adequacy of main selected dry port parameters for the effective scenarios' evaluation of throughput and handling capacity at existing seaports at the stage of strategic planning and a rational dry port location, allowed ensuring the improvement of the ecological situation in a port city.

  8. The application of dual-electrode through vial impedance spectroscopy for the determination of ice interface temperatures, primary drying rate and vial heat transfer coefficient in lyophilization process development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Geoff; Jeeraruangrattana, Yowwares; Ermolina, Irina

    2018-06-22

    Through vial impedance spectroscopy (TVIS) is a product non-invasive process analytical technology which exploits the frequency dependence of the complex impedance spectrum of a composite object (i.e. the freeze-drying vial and its contents) in order to track the progression of the freeze-drying cycle. This work demonstrates the use of a dual electrode system, attached to the external surface of a type I glass tubing vial (nominal capacity 10 mL) in the prediction of (i) the ice interface temperatures at the sublimation front and at the base of the vial, and (ii) the primary drying rate. A value for the heat transfer coefficient (for a chamber pressure of 270 µbar) was then calculated from these parameters and shown to be comparable to that published by Tchessalov[1]. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Shrinkage of spray-freeze-dried microparticles of pure protein for ballistic injection by manipulation of freeze-drying cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straller, Georg; Lee, Geoffrey

    2017-10-30

    Spray-freeze-drying was used to produce shrivelled, partially-collapsed microparticles of pure proteins that may be suitable for use in a ballistic injector. Various modifications of the freeze drying cycle were examined for their effects on collapse of the pure protein microparticles. The use of annealing at a shelf temperature of up to +10°C resulted in no visible particle shrinkage. This was because of the high T g ' of the pure protein. Inclusion of trehalose or sucrose led to particle shrinkage because of the plasticizing effects of the disaccharides on the protein. Only by extending the duration of primary drying from 240 to 2745min at shelf temperatures in the range -12 to -8°C were shrivelled, wrinkled particles of bSA and bCA of reduced porosity obtained. Manipulation of the freeze-drying cycle used for SFD can therefore be used to modify particle morphology and increase particle density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Microstructure study of a material on the basis of YSZ obtained be freeze-drying

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizea, A.; Abrudeanu, M.; Petot, C.; Petot Ervas, G.

    2001-01-01

    Freeze-drying is a dehydration proceeding of the products in a frozen state, which is based on the ice sublimation process. It is a method, which leads to a very good homogeneity of the products and it allows obtaining very fine powders, which directs to reducing the sintering temperature. Freeze drying always supposes three stages: - freezing, sublimation and absorption of the residual water. The preparation of ZrO 20.91 Y 2 O 30.09 samples proceeds through the following stages: - a. solution preparation; b. solution spraying (into small droplets in liquid nitrogen); c. freeze drying processing; d. calcination of the freeze dried powder; e. powder compacting; f. sintering at four different temperature. The different structure of samples with different density are characterized on basis of micrographs. The results of these analyses are presented, discussed and explained through the chemical composition of the samples

  11. Effects of Habitat Structure, Plant Cover, and Successional Stage on the Bat Assemblage of a Tropical Dry Forest at Different Spatial Scales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz A. D. Falcão

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Bats play a fundamental role in ecosystem functioning since they are responsible for several ecological services such as seed dispersal and pollination. Therefore, assessing the effects of habitat structure at different scales on the bat assemblage is extremely important for supporting conservation strategies. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of habitat structure at multiple spatial scales on the bat assemblages and their variation along a gradient of secondary succession in a Brazilian tropical dry forest. Our results suggest that bat abundance is higher in areas close to mature forests, which shows the important role of those habitats as refuges for the regional bat fauna (in a fragmented landscape and for the maintenance of ecosystem services provided by this group in tropical dry forests in a landscape context. In addition, bat abundance was lower in protected areas whose surroundings were better preserved (greater forest extension. This unexpected finding could result from an altered behavior in areas under a strong influence of a fruit crop matrix. Finally, we showed that the effects of the surroundings depend on the successional stage of the area under analysis. Late forests are more susceptible to variations in the forest cover in their surroundings, which show the higher fragility of these environments.

  12. Characteristics of Timbers Dried Using Kiln Drying and Radio Frequency-Vacuum Drying Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rabidin Zairul Amin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Heavy hardwoods are difficult-to-dry timbers as they are prone to checking and internal stresses when dried using a conventional kiln drying system. These timbers are usually dried naturally to reach 15% to 19% moisture content with an acceptable defects. Besides long drying time, timbers at these moisture contents are not suitable for indoor applications since they will further dry and causing, for example, jointing and lamination failures. Drying to a lower moisture content could only be achieved in artificial drying kilns such as conventional kiln, dehumidification kiln, solar kiln, radio frequency-vacuum, etc. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of 30 mm and 50 mm thick kekatong (Cynometra spp. timber dried using kiln drying (KD and radio frequency-vacuum drying (RFV system. The investigation involved drying time, moisture content (MC variations between and within boards, drying defects, shrinkage, and drying stress. Drying defects include checks (surface, end, and internal checks and warping (bowing, cuping, spring, and twisting. The results showed that RFV drying time was reduced to 50% compared to the KD. RFV dried boards demonstrated a more uniform MC between and within boards. Shrinkage in width and thickness, as well as tangential/radial and volumetric shrinkages were substantially less in RFV boards. The amount of cupping, bowing and spring were very low and negligible in all drying runs. There was no twisting observed in all drying methods. The number of stress-free RFV board was higher than KD. With proper procedure, the RFV technology could be used for drying heavy hardwoods which are difficult to dry in conventional kilns due to excessive drying times and degradation.

  13. Effect of salivary contamination and decontamination on bond strength of two one-step self-etching adhesives to dentin of primary and permanent teeth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santschi, Katharina; Peutzfeldt, Anne; Lussi, Adrian; Flury, Simon

    2015-02-01

    To evaluate the effects of human saliva contamination and two decontamination procedures at different stages of the bonding procedure on the bond strength of two one-step self-etching adhesives to primary and permanent dentin. Extracted human primary and permanent molars (210 of each) were ground to mid-coronal dentin. The dentin specimens were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 15/group/molar type) for each adhesive (Xeno V+ and Scotchbond Universal): no saliva contamination (control); saliva contamination before or after light curing of the adhesives followed by air drying, rinsing with water spray/air drying, or by rinsing with water spray/air drying/reapplication of the adhesives. Resin composite (Filtek Z250) was applied on the treated dentin surfaces. The specimens were stored at 37°C and 100% humidity for 24 h. After storage, shear bond strength (SBS) was measured and data analyzed with nonparametric ANOVA followed by exact Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Xeno V+ generated significantly higher SBS than Scotchbond Universal when no saliva contamination occurred. Saliva contamination reduced SBS of Xeno V+, with the reduction being more pronounced when contamination occurred before light curing than after. In both situations, decontamination involving reapplication of the adhesive restored SBS. Saliva contamination had no significant effect on Scotchbond Universal. There were no differences in SBS between primary and permanent teeth. Rinsing with water and air drying followed by reapplication of the adhesive restored bond strength to saliva-contaminated dentin.

  14. Appendectomy in the surgical staging of ovarian carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beşe, T; Kösebay, D; Kaleli, S; Oz, A U; Demirkiran, F; Gezer, A

    1996-06-01

    Extensive debulking is accepted as the primary method of operative management for carcinoma of the ovary. However, there is no consensus regarding the role of appendectomy in primary surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the role of appendectomy in the surgical staging and cytoreduction of ovarian carcinoma. The study was a retrospective review of 90 primary malignant ovarian carcinoma patients who had an appendectomy in addition to primary cytoreductive surgery. Out of 90 patients, 10 (11.1%) had metastasis to the appendix. The rate of metastasis to the appendix was 11.5% (9/78) in malignant epithelial ovarian carcinomas and 8.3% (1/12) in non-epithelial ovarian tumors. Of the patients with metastasis in the appendix, malignant epithelial ovarian tumors were identified in 90% (serous: 70%; clear cell: 20%), and non-epithelial malignant ovarian tumor were disclosed in 10% (granulosa cell carcinoma). There were no metastases to the appendix in the other histological types. Although metastasis to the appendix was not observed in early stage ovarian carcinomas, it was detected in 21.4% (9/42) of stage III and 50% (1/2) of stage IV. Macroscopic tumor metastasis in the abdomen was noted in all patients with metastasis to the appendix. Appendectomy for stage I and II patients was not beneficial and did not affect final staging. As a result, for the proper staging of ovarian carcinoma there is no advantage to the addition of routine appendectomy to primary cytoreductive surgery in early stage (stage I and II) malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. Appendectomy would contribute to the cytoreduction of advanced stage disease if it is macroscopically involved.

  15. Role of Anatomic and Salivary Factors in Dental Calculus Formation in Primary and Mixed Dentition Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afshar, Hossein; Ghandehari, Mehdi; Khorsand, Afshin; Ansari, Ghassem; Nahvi, Azam; Baniameri, Zahra

    2016-01-01

    Clinical experience shows that formation of calculus is a very rare phenomenon in primary teeth, but it increases as the permanent teeth erupt. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between dental calculus, dental anatomy, and salivary factors in primary and mixed dentition stages. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the buccolingual dimensions of the most concave and the most convex surfaces of the lingual aspect of mandibular central incisor crowns in a sample group of 120 three- to five-old children and 120 eight- to 10-year old children. Saliva samples were collected from 20 in each group. Data were analyzed using t tests. Significant differences were found between the ratio of the buccolingual dimensions of the most convex to the most concave areas of the lingual surfaces in primary and permanent incisors (P=0.028). Saliva analysis revealed significant differences in total protein (P=0.002), sodium (P=0.037), bicarbonate (P=0.003), and ammonia (P=0.025) between the two age groups. Anatomic and salivary factors may be important reasons for the differences in calculus formation.

  16. Determination of the dried product resistance variability and its influence on the product temperature in pharmaceutical freeze-drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scutellà, Bernadette; Trelea, Ioan Cristian; Bourlès, Erwan; Fonseca, Fernanda; Passot, Stephanie

    2018-07-01

    During the primary drying step of the freeze-drying process, mass transfer resistance strongly affects the product temperature, and consequently the final product quality. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the variability of the mass transfer resistance resulting from the dried product layer (R p ) in a manufacturing batch of vials, and its potential effect on the product temperature, from data obtained in a pilot scale freeze-dryer. Sublimation experiments were run at -25 °C and 10 Pa using two different freezing protocols: with spontaneous or controlled ice nucleation. Five repetitions of each condition were performed. Global (pressure rise test) and local (gravimetric) methods were applied as complementary approaches to estimate R p . The global method allowed to assess variability of the evolution of R p with the dried layer thickness between different experiments whereas the local method informed about R p variability at a fixed time within the vial batch. A product temperature variability of approximately ±4.4 °C was defined for a product dried layer thickness of 5 mm. The present approach can be used to estimate the risk of failure of the process due to mass transfer variability when designing freeze-drying cycle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Primary seborrhoea in English springer spaniels: a retrospective study of 14 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, D W; Miller, W H

    1996-04-01

    Primary seborrhoea was diagnosed in 14 English springer spaniels over a 17-year period. Seven of the dogs developed clinical signs by two years of age. The dermatosis began as a generalised non-pruritic dry scaling which gradually worsened. Some dogs remained in this dry (seborrhoea sicca) stage, but in most cases the dermatosis became greasy and inflamed (seborrhoea oleosa and seborrhoeic dermatitis). Eight of the dogs suffered from recurrent episodes of superficial or deep bacterial pyoderma. Histological findings in skin biopsy specimens included marked orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis of surface and infundibular epithelium, papillomatosis, parakeratotic capping of the papillae, and superficial perivascular dermatitis in which lymphocytes and mast cells were prominent. The dogs with seborrhoea sicca responded more satisfactorily to therapy with topical emollient-humectant agents or oral omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid supplementation. Dogs with seborrhoea oleosa and seborrhoeic dermatitis did not respond satisfactorily to topical therapy. One dog, however, responded well to etretinate and omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid administration. No dog was cured.

  18. MRI fused with prone FDG PET/CT improves the primary tumour staging of patients with breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Velloso, Maria J.; Ribelles, Maria J.; Rodriguez, Macarena; Sancho, Lidia; Prieto, Elena [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pamplona (Spain); Fernandez-Montero, Alejandro [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Occupational Medicine, Pamplona (Spain); Santisteban, Marta [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Oncology, Pamplona (Spain); Rodriguez-Spiteri, Natalia; Martinez-Regueira, Fernando [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Surgery, Pamplona (Spain); Idoate, Miguel A. [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Pathology, Pamplona (Spain); Elizalde, Arlette; Pina, Luis J. [Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Department of Radiology, Pamplona (Spain)

    2017-08-15

    Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fused with prone 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in primary tumour staging of patients with breast cancer. This retrospective study evaluated 45 women with 49 pathologically proven breast carcinomas. MRI and prone PET-CT scans with time-of-flight and point-spread-function reconstruction were performed with the same dedicated breast coil. The studies were assessed by a radiologist and a nuclear medicine physician, and evaluation of fused images was made by consensus. The final diagnosis was based on pathology (90 lesions) or follow-up ≥ 24 months (17 lesions). The study assessed 72 malignant and 35 benign lesions with a median size of 1.8 cm (range 0.3-8.4 cm): 31 focal, nine multifocal and nine multicentric cases. In lesion-by-lesion analysis, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 97%, 80%, 91% and 93% for MRI, 96%, 71%, 87%, and 89% for prone PET, and 97%. 94%, 97% and 94% for MRI fused with PET. Areas under the curve (AUC) were 0.953, 0.850, and 0.983, respectively (p < 0.01). MRI fused with FDG-PET is more accurate than FDG-PET in primary tumour staging of breast cancer patients and increases the specificity of MRI. (orig.)

  19. Comparative effectiveness of one-stage versus two-stage basilic vein transposition arteriovenous fistulas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaffarian, Amir A; Griffin, Claire L; Kraiss, Larry W; Sarfati, Mark R; Brooke, Benjamin S

    2018-02-01

    Basilic vein transposition (BVT) fistulas may be performed as either a one-stage or two-stage operation, although there is debate as to which technique is superior. This study was designed to evaluate the comparative clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of one-stage vs two-stage BVT. We identified all patients at a single large academic hospital who had undergone creation of either a one-stage or two-stage BVT between January 2007 and January 2015. Data evaluated included patient demographics, comorbidities, medication use, reasons for abandonment, and interventions performed to maintain patency. Costs were derived from the literature, and effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We analyzed primary and secondary functional patency outcomes as well as survival during follow-up between one-stage and two-stage BVT procedures using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank tests. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was used to determine cost savings. We identified 131 patients in whom 57 (44%) one-stage BVT and 74 (56%) two-stage BVT fistulas were created among 8 different vascular surgeons during the study period that each performed both procedures. There was no significant difference in the mean age, male gender, white race, diabetes, coronary disease, or medication profile among patients undergoing one- vs two-stage BVT. After fistula transposition, the median follow-up time was 8.3 months (interquartile range, 3-21 months). Primary patency rates of one-stage BVT were 56% at 12-month follow-up, whereas primary patency rates of two-stage BVT were 72% at 12-month follow-up. Patients undergoing two-stage BVT also had significantly higher rates of secondary functional patency at 12 months (57% for one-stage BVT vs 80% for two-stage BVT) and 24 months (44% for one-stage BVT vs 73% for two-stage BVT) of follow-up (P < .001 using log-rank test). However, there was no significant difference

  20. Which patients benefit most from primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IIIC or IV ovarian cancer? An exploratory analysis of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer 55971 randomised trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Meurs, Hannah S; Tajik, Parvin; Hof, Michel H P; Vergote, Ignace; Kenter, Gemma G; Mol, Ben Willem J; Buist, Marrije R; Bossuyt, Patrick M

    2013-10-01

    To investigate whether biomarkers consisting of baseline characteristics of advanced stage ovarian cancer patients can help in identifying subgroups of patients who would benefit more from primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We used data of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 55971 trial in which 670 patients were randomly assigned to primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The primary outcome was overall survival. Ten baseline clinical and pathological characteristics were selected as potential biomarkers. Using Subpopulation Treatment Effect Pattern Plots (STEPP), biomarkers with a statistically significant qualitative additive interaction with treatment were considered as potentially informative for treatment selection. We also combined selected biomarkers to form a multimarker treatment selection rule. The size of the largest metastatic tumour and clinical stage were significantly associated with the magnitude of the benefit from treatment, in terms of five-year survival (p for interaction: 0.008 and 0.016, respectively). Stage IIIC patients with metastatic tumours ⩽45 mm benefited more from primary surgery while stage IV patients with metastatic tumours >45 mm benefited more from neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In stage IIIC patients with larger metastatic tumours and in stage IV patients with less extensive metastatic tumours both treatments were equally effective. We estimated that by selecting treatments for patients based on largest metastatic tumour and clinical stage, the potential five-year survival rate in the population of treated patients would be 27.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 21.9-33.0), 7.8% higher than if all were treated with primary surgery, and 5.6% higher if all were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Although survival was comparable after primary surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the overall group of patients with ovarian cancer in the EORTC 55971 trial, we found in this exploratory

  1. Assessment of dry storage performance of spent LWR fuel assemblies with increasing burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peehs, M.; Garzarolli, F.; Goll, W.

    1999-01-01

    Although the safety of a dry long-term spent fuel store is scarcely influenced if a few fuel rods start to leak during extended storage - since all confinement systems are designed to retain gaseous activity safely - it is a very conservative safety goal to avoid the occurrence of systematic rod defects. To assess the extended storage performance of a spent fuel assembly (FA), the experience can be collated into 3 storage modes: I - fast rate of temperature decrease δ max ≥ δ ≥ 300 deg. C, II - medium rate of decrease for the fuel rod dry storage temperature 300 deg. C > δ ≥ 200 deg. C, III - slow to negligible rate of temperature decrease for δ 2 -fuel are practically immobile during storage. Consequently all fission-product-driven defect mechanisms will not take place. The leading defect mechanism - also for fuel rods with increased burnup - remains creep due to the hoop strain resulting from the fuel rod internal fission gas pressure. Limiting the creep to its primary and secondary stages prevents fuel rod degradation. The allowable uniform strain of the cladding is 1 - 2%. Calculations were performed to predict the dry storage performance of fuel assemblies with a burnup ≤ 55 GW · d/tHM based on the fuel assemblies end of life (EOL)-data and on a representative curve T = f(t). The maximum allowable hot spot temperature of a fuel rod in the CASTOR V cask was between 348 deg. C (U FA) and 358 deg. C (MOX FA). The highest hoop strain predicted after 40 years of storage is 0.77% proving that spent LWR fuel dry storage is safe. (author)

  2. The effect of variety and maturity on the quality of freeze-dried carrots. The effect of microwave blanching on the nutritional and textural quality of freeze-dried spinach

    Science.gov (United States)

    1979-01-01

    Using carrots, the quality of freeze-dried products was studied to determine the optimum varieties and maturation stages for quality attributes such as appearance, flavor, texture, and nutritive value. The quality of freeze-dried carrots is discussed in terms of Gardner color, alcohol insoluble solids, viscosity, and core/cortex ratio. Also, microwave blanching of freeze-dried spinach was studied to determine vitamin interrelationships, anatomical changes, and oxidative deteriorations in terms of preprocessing microwave treatments. Statistical methods were employed in the gathering of data and interpretation of results in both studies.

  3. Study of SEM preparation artefacts with correlative microscopy: Cell shrinkage of adherent cells by HMDS-drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsen-Globa, Alisa; Puetz, Norbert; Gepp, Michael M; Neubauer, Julia C; Zimmermann, Heiko

    2016-11-01

    One of the often reported artefacts during cell preparation to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is the shrinkage of cellular objects, that mostly occurs at a certain time-dependent stage of cell drying. Various methods of drying for SEM, such as critical point drying, freeze-drying, as well as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)-drying, were usually used. The latter becomes popular since it is a low cost and fast method. However, the correlation of drying duration and real shrinkage of objects was not investigated yet. In this paper, cell shrinkage at each stage of preparation for SEM was studied. We introduce a shrinkage coefficient using correlative light microscopy (LM) and SEM of the same human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The influence of HMDS-drying duration on the cell shrinkage is shown: the longer drying duration, the more shrinkage is observed. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that cell shrinkage is inversely proportional to cultivation time: the longer cultivation time, the more cell spreading area and the less cell shrinkage. Our results can be applicable for an exact SEM quantification of cell size and determination of cell spreading area in engineering of artificial cellular environments using biomaterials. SCANNING 38:625-633, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Development of a model for predicting the dry matter production of mulberry [Morus alba] based on meteorological factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukui, K.; Ito, D.

    1999-01-01

    It is necessary to predict mulberry growth and yield precisely at any time during the growing period, since mulberry trees are cut anytime along with the increase of the frequency of silkworm rearing per year. Therefore, in this study, attempts were made to develop a model to predict the dry matter production in mulberry fields with standard density with the cooperation of the prefectural experimental stations of Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo and Gifu. To construct the model, we conducted three experiments. In the first year, we estimated the dry weight of mulberry new shoots based on the length and base width. Logarithm of leaf dry weight of a new shoot was regressed linearly on the logarithm of the product of length and base width. Stem dry weight was estimated with a linear regression of the logarithm on the logarithm of the product of length and base square width. In the next year, we evaluated the maximal effective radiation (Smax) of mulberry, over which mulberry cannot use radiation to produce dry matter. This experiment included shaded and control (non-shaded) plots, and the difference between these plots was analyzed. Shading treatment decreased the dry matter production, but did not affect the radiation conversion efficiency. Shoot dry matter production increased almost proportionally with intercepted radiation except for the later growth periods. Therefore, no Smax was revealed in mulberry fields with standard density. The effect of temperature and growth stage on the radiation conversion efficiency was investigated last year. Relation of temperature and radiation conversion efficiency was not clear for shoot dry matter production. However, there was a positive relation for stem dry mater production. Although the efficiency decreased with mulberry growth for leaf dry matter production, it increased at the early growth stage and decreased at the late stage for stem dry matter production

  5. Primary localized stages I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the nasopharynx: a retrospective 17-year single institutional experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Ahmadloo, Niloofar; Mozaffari, Mohammad Amin Nazer; Mosleh-Shirazi, Mohammad Amin; Omidvari, Shapour; Mosalaei, Ahmad

    2009-05-01

    The aim of this retrospective study was to define the natural history, clinicopathological findings, prognostic factors, and treatment outcome of 43 patients with localized stages I and II primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the nasopharynx, followed up in a single institution over a 17-year period. Forty-three (13 women and 30 men) consecutive patients with localized stages I (N = 12) and II (N = 31) primary nasopharyngeal NHL were treated in our institution between 1990 and 2007. The pathologic reports were classified according to the International Working Formulation (N = 22) or Revised European-American Lymphoma classification (N = 21). The vast majority of patients (88%) were managed with a sequential combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy mainly consisted of 4-8 (median 6) cycles of CHOP regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone). Involved-field radiation therapy with a median dose of 44 Gy was delivered to the primary site and entire cervical lymph nodes. The median age of the patients was 53 years (range, 6 to 86 years). The majority of the patients (70%) had high-grade histology. B-cell types represented 67% of the cases, among which diffuse large B cell was the most common histological subtype. After a median follow-up of 70 months, the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 58.8% and 70.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age less than or equal to 30 years (hazard ratio (HR) = 5.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.69-16.76), elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase level (HR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.43-9.51), and modified International Prognostic Index with more than or equal to two risk factors (HR = 17.99, 95% CI = 2.32-139.30) retained statistical significance. Our limited data suggest that primary nasopharyngeal NHL tends to have aggressive histology and unfavorable clinical course with poor outcome, despite a considerably localized disease at the time of presentation and high

  6. Staging of primary head and neck tumors and detection of recurrences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, S.; Baum, R.P.; Knecht, R.; Hoer, G.

    2001-01-01

    Squamous cell carcinomas represent the vast majority of all malignant tumors of the head and neck region. Lymph node involvement is the most important prognostic factor affecting survival of patients with head and neck cancer. The effectiveness of surgical treatment depends on the complete excision of all tumor tissue and an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging is therefore mandatory. In comparison to positron emission tomography with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG PET), morphological imaging modalities (CT, MRI) have been applied for the localization of primary head and neck tumors because of their better anatomical resolution. Metabolic tumor imaging using FDG PET is superior to morphological imaging by CT and MRI in the detection of small cervical lymph node metastases (Class 1a indication). Increased FDG uptake has also been observed in benign inflammatory lesions after radiation therapy, therefore detection of local recurrence with FDG PET can be problematic. To ensure a high diagnostic accuracy it is been suggested to perform FDG PET not earlier than 3 months after radiation therapy (Class 1a indication for the diagnosis of local recurrence). (orig.) [de

  7. Characteristics of Timbers Dried Using Kiln Drying and Radio Frequency-Vacuum Drying Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Rabidin Zairul Amin; Seng Gan Kee; Wahab Mohd Jamil Abdul

    2017-01-01

    Heavy hardwoods are difficult-to-dry timbers as they are prone to checking and internal stresses when dried using a conventional kiln drying system. These timbers are usually dried naturally to reach 15% to 19% moisture content with an acceptable defects. Besides long drying time, timbers at these moisture contents are not suitable for indoor applications since they will further dry and causing, for example, jointing and lamination failures. Drying to a lower moisture content could only be ac...

  8. Comparison of product drying performance in molded and serum tubing vials using gentamicin sulfate as a model system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hibler, Susanne; Wagner, Christophe; Gieseler, Henning

    2012-01-01

    In a previous study, heat transfer coefficients of different 10 mL tubing and molded vials were determined gravimetrically via sublimation tests with pure water. Contrary to "conventional wisdom", only small differences in K(v) values between tubing and molded vials were found in the pressure range relevant for pharmaceutical freeze-drying. In order to investigate the impact of these relatively small differences on the primary drying time of an actual product, freeze-drying experiments with 5% gentamicin sulfate solution as a model system were performed at 68, 100 and 200 mTorr. The primary drying times of the API in recently developed molded (EasyLyo™), tubing (TopLyo™) and polymer vials (TopPac™) were compared. At 68 and 100 mTorr the primary drying time of the drug in the glass vials only differed by 3% to 4%, while the polymer vial took around 9% longer. At 200 mTorr, the API in the EasyLyo™ vials dried approximately 15% faster compared to the other vial types. The present study suggest that molded vials that have been modified in design to have better heat transfer properties can achieve drying times comparable to tubing vials.

  9. Clinical evaluation of RNFL and GCC for diagnosis in early stage of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi Liu

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To explore the diagnosis value of retina nerve fiber layer(RNFLand ganglion cell complex(GCCin the early stage of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma(CPACG, and investigate their relationship with mean defect(MDof visual field.METHODS: Twenty-one patients with CPACG(38 eyes, 25 patients with suspected glaucoma(SG(46 eyesand 25 normal controls(49 eyeswere selected to perform SD-OCT. Statistical difference was analyzed the thickness of RNFL and GCC of average and all quadrants, and correlation between RNFL, GCC and MD of visual field. RESULTS:There were significant differences in average and all quadrant thickness of RNFL and GCC between CPACG group and control group(PPPPPr=0.65, GCC(r=0.72in CPACG group. CONCLUSION:RNFL and GCC are useful to diagnose and monitor the early stage of CPACG, and GCC may be more significant for the disease.

  10. Imaging primary prostate cancer with 11C-Choline PET/CT: relation to tumour stage, Gleason score and biomarkers of biologic aggressiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Ji; Zhao, Yong; Li, Xin; Sun, Peng; Wang, Muwen; Wang, Ridong; Jin, Xunbo

    2012-01-01

    As a significant overlap of 11C-Choline standardized uptake value (SUV) between prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tissue, controversy exists regarding the clinical value of 11C-Choline PET/CT scan in primary prostate cancer. In this study, the SUVmax of the prostate lesions and the pelvic muscles were measured and their ratios (SUVmax-P/M ratio) were calculated. Then we evaluated whether the tracer 11C-Choline uptake, quantified as SUVmax-P/M ratio, correlated with tumour stage, Gleason score, and expression levels of several biomarkers of aggressiveness. Twenty-six patients with primary prostate cancer underwent 11C-Choline PET/CT. Tumour specimens from these patients were graded histopathologically, and immunnohistochemistry for Ki-67, CD31, androgen receptor (AR), Her-2/neu, Bcl-2, and PTEN were performed. Both SUVmax and SUVmax-P/M ratio showed no significant difference between patients with tumour stage II and III, but significantly elevated in patients with tumour stage IV. SUVmax-P/M ratio was also significantly higher in lesions with Gleason score of 4+3 or higher versus less than or equal to 3+4. SUVmax-P/M ratio was found significantly correlated with expression levels of Ki-67 and CD31. In addition, a higher SUVmax-P/M ratio was demonstrated in Her-2/neu positive subgroup than negative subgroup. At the same time, Gleason score and expression levels of these biomarkers showed no significant association with SUVmax. Using the parameter SUVmax-P/M ratio, 11C-Choline PET/CT may be a valuable non-invasive imaging technology in the diagnosis of primary prostate cancer

  11. Compost amendment, enhanced nutrient uptake and dry matter ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Field trial was conducted to assess the influence of Compost and inorganic fertilizer as well as plant growth stage on growth, nutrient uptake, dry matter accumulation and partitioning in maize crop grown on the battery waste contaminated site. Two types of compost (Mexican Sunflower (MSC) and Cassava peels (CPC) ...

  12. Evaluation of Heat Flux Measurement as a New Process Analytical Technology Monitoring Tool in Freeze Drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vollrath, Ilona; Pauli, Victoria; Friess, Wolfgang; Freitag, Angelika; Hawe, Andrea; Winter, Gerhard

    2017-05-01

    This study investigates the suitability of heat flux measurement as a new technique for monitoring product temperature and critical end points during freeze drying. The heat flux sensor is tightly mounted on the shelf and measures non-invasively (no contact with the product) the heat transferred from shelf to vial. Heat flux data were compared to comparative pressure measurement, thermocouple readings, and Karl Fischer titration as current state of the art monitoring techniques. The whole freeze drying process including freezing (both by ramp freezing and controlled nucleation) and primary and secondary drying was considered. We found that direct measurement of the transferred heat enables more insights into thermodynamics of the freezing process. Furthermore, a vial heat transfer coefficient can be calculated from heat flux data, which ultimately provides a non-invasive method to monitor product temperature throughout primary drying. The end point of primary drying determined by heat flux measurements was in accordance with the one defined by thermocouples. During secondary drying, heat flux measurements could not indicate the progress of drying as monitoring the residual moisture content. In conclusion, heat flux measurements are a promising new non-invasive tool for lyophilization process monitoring and development using energy transfer as a control parameter. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Can Locoregional Treatment of the Primary Tumor Improve Outcomes for Women With Stage IV Breast Cancer at Diagnosis?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, David H.A.; Truong, Pauline T.; Alexander, Cheryl; Walter, Caroline V.; Hayashi, Emily; Christie, Jennifer; Lesperance, Mary

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To examine the effect of locoregional treatment (LRT) of the primary tumor on survival in patients with Stage IV breast cancer at diagnosis. Methods and Materials: The study cohort comprised 733 women referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency between 1996 and 2005 with newly diagnosed clinical or pathologic M1 breast cancer. Tumor and treatment characteristics, overall survival (OS), and locoregional progression-free survival were compared between patients treated with (n = 378) and without (n = 355) LRT of the primary disease. Multivariable analysis was performed with Cox regression modeling. Results: The median follow-up time was 1.9 years. LRT consisted of surgery alone in 67% of patients, radiotherapy alone in 22%, and both in 11%. LRT was used more commonly in women with age <50 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0–1, Stage T1–2 tumors, N0–1 disease, limited M1 burden, and asymptomatic M1 disease (all p < 0.05). Systemic therapy was used in 92% of patients who underwent LRT and 85% of patients who did not. In patients treated with LRT compared with those without LRT, the 5-year OS rates were 21% vs. 14% (p < 0.001), and the rates of locoregional progression-free survival were 72% vs. 46% (p < 0.001). Among 378 patients treated with LRT, the rates of 5-year OS were higher in patients with age <50, ECOG performance status 0–1, estrogen receptor–positive disease, clear surgical margins, single subsite, bone-only metastasis, and one to four metastatic lesions (all p < 0.003). On multivariable analysis, LRT was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.64–0.94, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Locoregional treatment of the primary disease is associated with improved survival in some women with Stage IV breast cancer at diagnosis. Among those treated with LRT, the most favorable rates of survival were observed in subsets with young age, good performance status, estrogen receptor

  14. Effect of Hydroxychloroquine Treatment on Dry Eyes in Subjects with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: a Double-Blind Randomized Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Chang Ho; Lee, Hyun Ju; Lee, Eun Young; Lee, Eun Bong; Lee, Won-Woo; Kim, Mee Kum; Wee, Won Ryang

    2016-07-01

    The effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on dry eye has not been fully determined. This study aimed to compare the 12-week efficacy of HCQ medication with that of a placebo in the management of dry eye in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). A double-blind, randomized control study was conducted in 39 pSS subjects from May 2011 through August 2013. pSS was diagnosed based on the classification criteria of the American-European Consensus Group. Subjects received 300 mg of HCQ or placebo once daily for 12 weeks and were evaluated at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks, with a re-visit at 16 weeks after drug discontinuance. The fluorescein staining score, Schirmer test score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were measured, and tears and blood were collected for ESR, IL-6, IL-17, B-cell activating factor (BAFF), and Th17 cell analysis. Color testing was performed and the fundus was examined to monitor HCQ complications. Twenty-six subjects completed the follow-up. The fluorescein staining score and Schirmer test score did not differ significantly. The OSDI improved with medication in the HCQ group but was not significantly different between the groups. TBUT, serum IL-6, ESR, serum and tear BAFF, and the proportion of Th17 cells did not change in either group. HCQ at 300 mg daily for 12 weeks has no apparent clinical benefit for dry eye and systemic inflammation in pSS (ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT01601028).

  15. Bilateral primary renal lymphoma in a pediatric patient: staging and response evaluation with ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhull, V S; Mukherjee, A; Karunanithi, S; Durgapal, P; Bal, C; Kumar, R

    2015-01-01

    Primary renal lymphoma (PRL) is a rare disease. We here present the case of an 8-year-old child who presented with bilateral renal masses. On biopsy, it was confirmed to be B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) for staging demonstrated (18)F-FDG avid bilateral renal masses, with no other abnormal focus. Follow up (18)F-FDG PET/CT showed complete resolution of the disease after six cycles of chemotherapy. Here we have highlighted the potential role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in staging and response evaluation of a patient with PRL and presented a brief review. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  16. Stages of Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the ovaries or to other parts of the body. The ... single ovary or fallopian tube. In stage IB, cancer is found inside both ovaries or fallopian tubes. In stage IC, cancer is ...

  17. PET/CT staging of T1-stage non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salman, K. A.; Steinmann, C. H.; Von Schulthess, G. K.; Steinert, H. C.; Sukumar, V. P.

    2009-01-01

    Full text:Purpose: To evaluate the value of PET/CT in detecting occult metastases in patients with T 1 -stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Method: Patients with proven NSCLC and T 1 -stage ( c m) were retrospectively analyzed. In all patients a whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan for initial staging was performed. The PET/CT findings were compared with all available clinical information, intra-operative findings and the histopathological results. Results: 95 patients (39 men, 56 women; age range, 19-85 years) were analyzed in our study. PET/CT in 68-95 patients correctly excluded mediastinal and distant metastases. In 17/95 patients (18%) mediastinal lymph-node metastases were proven (N 2 n=15; N 3 n=2). PET/CT correctly detected in 10/17 patients (58.8%) mediastinal nodal disease. The smallest mediastinal lymph-node metastasis detected by PET/CT had a size of 0.7 c m. In 7 patients PET/CT missed N 2 -stage. In three of these patients the SUVmax of the primary was c m. Only in one missed N 2 -stage metastasis was sized > 1.0 c m. The tumor histology (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma) and location of the primary (central, periphery) did not influence the missed N 2 -stage by PET/CT. PET/CT diagnosed correctly N 3 -stage in 2 patients. 10/95 patients (10.5%) had distant metastases. PET/CT detected unknown M 1 -stage in 4/10 patients. In one patient a metastasis of the parietal pleura was missed by PET/CT. Conclusion: In our study, 28% patients with T 1 -stage NSCLC showed mediastinal or distant metastases. PET/CT was efficient in the detection of occult metastases. However, the sensitivity of PET/CT in mediastinal staging was only 64%.

  18. The accuracy of {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET/CT in primary lymph node staging in high-risk prostate cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oebek, Can; Doganca, Tuenkut [Acibadem Taksim Hospital, Department of Urology, Istanbul (Turkey); Demirci, Emre [Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul (Turkey); Ocak, Meltem [Istanbul University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Istanbul (Turkey); Kural, Ali Riza [Acibadem University, Department of Urology, Istanbul (Turkey); Yildirim, Asif [Istanbul Medeniyet University, Department of Urology, Istanbul (Turkey); Yuecetas, Ugur [Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Department of Urology, Istanbul (Turkey); Demirdag, Cetin [Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Department of Urology, Istanbul (Turkey); Erdogan, Sarper M. [Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Istanbul (Turkey); Kabasakal, Levent [Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul (Turkey); Collaboration: Members of Urooncology Association, Turkey

    2017-10-15

    To assess the diagnostic accuracy of {sup 68}Ga-PSMA PET in predicting lymph node (LN) metastases in primary N staging in high-risk and very high-risk nonmetastatic prostate cancer in comparison with morphological imaging. This was a multicentre trial of the Society of Urologic Oncology in Turkey in conjunction with the Nuclear Medicine Department of Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University. Patients were accrued from eight centres. Patients with high-risk and very high-risk disease scheduled to undergo surgical treatment with extended LN dissection between July 2014 and October 2015 were included. Either MRI or CT was used for morphological imaging. PSMA PET/CT was performed and evaluated at a single centre. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated for the detection of lymphatic metastases by PSMA PET/CT and morphological imaging. Kappa values were calculated to evaluate the correlation between the numbers of LN metastases detected by PSMA PET/CT and by histopathology. Data on 51 eligible patients are presented. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PSMA PET in detecting LN metastases in the primary setting were 53%, 86% and 76%, and increased to 67%, 88% and 81% in the subgroup with of patients with ≥15 LN removed. Kappa values for the correlation between imaging and pathology were 0.41 for PSMA PET and 0.18 for morphological imaging. PSMA PET/CT is superior to morphological imaging for the detection of metastatic LNs in patients with primary prostate cancer. Surgical dissection remains the gold standard for precise lymphatic staging. (orig.)

  19. Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons throughout the processing stages of erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Manoela Alano; Maraschin, Marcelo; Rovaris, Angela Angeloni; Amboni, Renata Dias de Mello Castanho; Pagliosa, Cristiane Manfé; Xavier, José Júnior Mendonca; Amante, Edna Regina

    2010-06-01

    The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is believed to be due to the degradation of mate compounds and the burning of wood during the "sapeco" (rapid drying process) and the final drying steps, which are the most important processing stages in mate production. Due to the high toxicity of these compounds, studies on their presence in mate are extremely important. The aim of this study was to evaluate PAH levels in mate throughout the processing stages of its production. The PAHs were measured in samples collected at different stages of mate processing. Total PAHs content ranged widely (443-9001 microg/kg) in the samples, with the highest PAHs levels recorded during the mate drying step. The results indicate that the processing method currently used in mate production may lead to an increase in PAHs levels in the final product.

  20. Evaluation of concomitant use of non-specific immunopotentiator on 172 cases of primary lung cancer (Stage III, IV) treated with radiation combined with chemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Kimura, Shuji; Imajo, Yoshinari; Hamada, Fumio; Miyaji, Chihiro

    1982-01-01

    The clinical effect of concomitant use of non-specific immunopotentiator OK-432 and/or PSK was studied about 172 cases of primary lung cancer (Stage III, IV). In 91 cases in stage III, fifty percent survival period was found to be 11.5 months for 63 cases with OK-432 and/or PSK, and 7.5 months for 28 cases without immunotherapy, respectively. In 81 cases in stage IV, fifty percent survival period was found to be 6.7 months for 45 cases with OK-432 and/or PSK, and 3.3 months for 36 cases without immunotherapy, respectively. (author)

  1. Infrared Drying Parameter Optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Matthew R.

    In recent years, much research has been done to explore direct printing methods, such as screen and inkjet printing, as alternatives to the traditional lithographic process. The primary motivation is reduction of the material costs associated with producing common electronic devices. Much of this research has focused on developing inkjet or screen paste formulations that can be printed on a variety of substrates, and which have similar conductivity performance to the materials currently used in the manufacturing of circuit boards and other electronic devices. Very little research has been done to develop a process that would use direct printing methods to manufacture electronic devices in high volumes. This study focuses on developing and optimizing a drying process for conductive copper ink in a high volume manufacturing setting. Using an infrared (IR) dryer, it was determined that conductive copper prints could be dried in seconds or minutes as opposed to tens of minutes or hours that it would take with other drying devices, such as a vacuum oven. In addition, this study also identifies significant parameters that can affect the conductivity of IR dried prints. Using designed experiments and statistical analysis; the dryer parameters were optimized to produce the best conductivity performance for a specific ink formulation and substrate combination. It was determined that for an ethylene glycol, butanol, 1-methoxy 2- propanol ink formulation printed on Kapton, the optimal drying parameters consisted of a dryer height of 4 inches, a temperature setting between 190 - 200°C, and a dry time of 50-65 seconds depending on the printed film thickness as determined by the number of print passes. It is important to note that these parameters are optimized specifically for the ink formulation and substrate used in this study. There is still much research that needs to be done into optimizing the IR dryer for different ink substrate combinations, as well as developing a

  2. Stabilization of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccines by Freeze Drying, Spray Drying, and Foam Drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovalenti, Phillip M; Anderl, Jeff; Yee, Luisa; Nguyen, Van; Ghavami, Behnaz; Ohtake, Satoshi; Saxena, Atul; Voss, Thomas; Truong-Le, Vu

    2016-05-01

    The goal of this research is to develop stable formulations for live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) by employing the drying methods freeze drying, spray drying, and foam drying. Formulated live attenuated Type-A H1N1 and B-strain influenza vaccines with a variety of excipient combinations were dried using one of the three drying methods. Process and storage stability at 4, 25 and 37°C of the LAIV in these formulations was monitored using a TCID50 potency assay. Their immunogenicity was also evaluated in a ferret model. The thermal stability of H1N1 vaccine was significantly enhanced through application of unique formulation combinations and drying processes. Foam dried formulations were as much as an order of magnitude more stable than either spray dried or freeze dried formulations, while exhibiting low process loss and full retention of immunogenicity. Based on long-term stability data, foam dried formulations exhibited a shelf life at 4, 25 and 37°C of >2, 1.5 years and 4.5 months, respectively. Foam dried LAIV Type-B manufactured using the same formulation and process parameters as H1N1 were imparted with a similar level of stability. Foam drying processing methods with appropriate selection of formulation components can produce an order of magnitude improvement in LAIV stability over other drying methods.

  3. Gamma irradiation for disinfestation of salted and dried fish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loaharanu, S.

    1975-01-01

    About 60-70% of commercially salted and dried fish were found to be infested by flies of 6 different species, i.e. the Cheese skipper (Piophila casei, L.) the Bronze bottle fly (Paenicia cuprina), the Screw worm fly (Chrysomya megacephala, Fab.), the Red-tailed flesh fly (Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, Fallen), Lucilia illustris, Meigen and Chrysomya marginalis, Weidemann. Larvae of the Cheese skipper were found to be the least radiation-sensitive, as 225 krad was required to prevent 99% of the larvae from developing into pupae. This dose was completely lethal to other developmental stages of the Cheese skipper and to all stages of other species. Irradiation at this doselevel also has some beneficial microbiological effects. Doses between 3 and 12,5 krad prevented larvae of all insects mentioned above from reaching the adult stage, though they did not inhibit the transition into the pupal form. No significant difference was observed on the organoleptic properties between salted and dried mackerel and Pla salid (Trichogaster pectoralis, Regan), a fresh water fish, irradiated up to 300 krad and those of untreated samples when tested up to 6 months of storage time at room temperature. Polypropylene bags of 0,13 and 0,20 mm thickness and polyethylene bags of 0,20 mm thickness could prevent re-infestation of the samples. Transportation tests by truck for a distance of 800 km revealed that both polypropylene and polyethylene bags of 0,13 and 0,20 mm thickness were suitable to package the mackerel samples but only polypropylene bags of 0,20 mm thickness were sufficient to protect the Pla salid samples. It appeared that salted and dried mackerel irradiated up to 300 krad and stored for 4 months was not considered rancid. No change in fat, protein and ash contents of irradiated samples was observed. It was concluded that gamma irradation could be considered as an effective method for disinfesting and preserving salted and dried fish. (author)

  4. Advancements in anti-inflammatory therapy for dry eye syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCabe, Erin; Narayanan, Srihari

    2009-10-01

    The goal of this literature review is to discuss recent discoveries in the pathophysiology of dry eye and the subsequent evolution of diagnostic and management techniques. The mechanisms of various anti-inflammatory treatments are reviewed, and the efficacy of common pharmacologic agents is assessed. Anti-inflammatory therapy is evaluated in terms of its primary indications, target population, and utility within a clinical setting. The Medline PubMed database and the World Wide Web were searched for current information regarding dry eye prevalence, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. After an analysis of the literature, major concepts were integrated to generate an updated portrayal of the status of dry eye syndrome. Inflammation appears to play a key role in perpetuating and sustaining dry eye. Discoveries of inflammatory markers found within the corneal and conjunctival epithelium of dry eye patients have triggered recent advancements in therapy. Pharmacologic anti-inflammatory therapy for dry eye includes 2 major categories: corticosteroids and immunomodulatory agents. Fatty acid and androgen supplementation and oral antibiotics have also shown promise in dry eye therapy because of their anti-inflammatory effects. Anti-inflammatory pharmacologic agents have shown great success in patients with moderate to severe dry eye when compared with alternative treatment modalities. A deeper understanding of the link between inflammation and dry eye validates the utilization of anti-inflammatory therapy in everyday optometric practice.

  5. The Effect of Selected Fruit Juice Concentrates Used as Osmotic Agents on the Drying Kinetics and Chemical Properties of Vacuum-Microwave Drying of Pumpkin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Lech

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The study examined the osmotic dehydration of pumpkin slices in chokeberry, flowering quince, and raspberry concentrated juices. Products obtained were subjected to vacuum-microwave finish drying (VMD. The objective of the study was to evaluate the drying kinetics and the chemical properties, that is, total polyphenolics content and antioxidant capacity of the vacuum-microwave-dried pumpkin products. The concentration and temperature of the juices were 40°Brix and 45°C, respectively. The pumpkin slices were pretreated in concentrated juices for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 6 hours. Vacuum-microwave finish drying was carried out at the power of magnetrons that ensured the maintenance of the safe temperature (below 90°C of the slices measured with the use of infrared camera. The results of the study showed that the moisture content of samples during the pretreatment in concentrated juices was decreasing until the equilibrium stage. The logarithmic model was used to describe the drying kinetics of pumpkin during VMD. Osmotic pretreatment resulted in a decrease in colour coordinates, improved the antioxidant activity of dried product, and prolonged the duration of VMD.

  6. Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor to Monitor Stress Kinetics in Drying Process of Commercial Latex Paints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivo de Lourenço

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we report a study about the application of packaged fiber Bragg gratings used as strain sensors to monitor the stress kinetics during the drying process of commercial latex paints. Three stages of drying with distinct mechanical deformation and temporal behaviors were identified for the samples, with mechanical deformation from 15 μm to 21 μm in the longitudinal film dimension on time intervals from 370 to 600 minutes. Drying time tests based on human sense technique described by the Brazilian Technical Standards NBR 9558 were also done. The results obtained shows that human sense technique has a limited perception of the drying process and that the optical measurement system proposed can be used to characterize correctly the dry-through stage of paint. The influence of solvent (water addition in the drying process was also investigated. The paint was diluted with four parts paint and one part water (80% paint, and one part paint and one part water (50% paint. It was observed that the increase of the water ratio mixed into the paint decreases both the mechanical deformation magnitude and the paint dry-through time. Contraction of 5.2 μm and 10.4 μm were measured for concentrations of 50% and 80% of paint in the mixture, respectively. For both diluted paints the dry-through time was approximately 170 minutes less than undiluted paint. The optical technique proposed in this work can contribute to the development of new standards to specify the drying time of paint coatings.

  7. DRUM DRYER FOR DRYING THE PARTICULATE PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. S. Iurova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary. For raise effectiveness drying process drum-type installation in which drum the mechanism of creation of various zones providing a necessary temperature and hydrodynamic regime of process of drying in process of product passage on a drum and changes in it of a relationship of various forms of communication of a moisture, and also a process intensification at last stage of drying by creation разряжения in a continuous technological stream of drying is provided is offered. The drum provides formation of a zone of separation of heat-transfer agent by means of the dissector, zones of intensive drying by disposing lobate nozzles in chessboard order with a dividing ring, zones of separation of the completed heat-transfer agent from жома as a result of separator installation in which the elliptic disk having cuts on a straight line from edge to the centre places, with formation of the triangular slot for passage dried pulp and heat-transfer agent, and also zones the final drying by performance of a section of a drum matching to a zone perforated on which length are had spring-loaded lobate nozzles representing the blades connected bow-shaped rod with metal plates, had with outer side of a drum and under the form repeating its contour, thus the bow-shaped rod from the interior of a drum which ends are supplied by springs rest against overhead and bottom persistent screw nuts, and blades and metal plates are installed with possibility of twirl concerning a fastening place on a drum and supplied by reinforcing ribs.

  8. The Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility of Some Tropical Grasses at Different Stage of Maturity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P Mahyuddin

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (IVNDFD was determined by Telly and Terry methods in vitro on 5 tropical grasses species, Sorghum, Themeda, Iseilema, Brachyacne and Dicanthium. Stem and leaf samples were harvested at different maturity stages, started from early flowering stage to the stage when the grasses were dried. In general, IVNDFD ranged from 22% to 41%. Stages of maturity affected IVNDFD in 4 species; IVNDFD was higher in the stems than in the leaves for 2 species out of 5 species of grasses; the rest was similar. There was no correlation between NDF and IVNDFD, showing that NDF degradability in the rumen was vary. Digestibility potential of NDF (PDNDF varied from 21% to 44% and has negative correlation with IVNDFD (r=0.75. Growth affected PDNDF in 2 species; and 3 out 5 species observed showed PDNDF in the leaves was higher than that in the stems. Negative correlation was exist between dry matter digestibility (IVDMD, water soluble extract (WSE and protein with PDNDF. Grasses with stated PDNDF values have relatively high NDF retention in the rumen, which will cause low NDF or dry matter consumption. (Animal Production 11(3: 189-195 (2009Key Words: NDF digestibility, tropical grasses, stem, leaves, maturity stage

  9. Identification of impeding factors for dry weight achievement in end-stage renal disease after appropriate kidney graft function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivera-González, Sonia Catalina; Pérez-Grovas, Héctor; Madero, Magdalena; Mora-Bravo, Franklin; Saavedra, Nadia; López-Rodriguez, Javier; Lerma, Claudia

    2014-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors that prevent dry weight achievement in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in renal replacement therapy through the change in their body weight after kidney transplant (KT) compared with 1 week before KT. The study included 188 ESRD patients of diverse etiology who received living kidney transplantation with normal immediate graft function, 62.2% were male, age 29 ± 11 years old. All patients were on renal replacement therapy for at least 1 month before KT with either hemodiafiltration (N = 106), hemodialysis (N = 25), or peritoneal dialysis (N = 57). Based on body weight difference (after transplant-before transplant), patients with body weight difference ≤2 kg were considered as being close to their dry weight (Group 1, N = 112), whereas patients with body weight difference >2 kg were considered as being overhydrated (Group 2, N = 76). Clinical and biochemical characteristics were obtained from the medical records at three periods of time: time of ESRD initiation (baseline), 1 week before undergoing KT, and 1 week after KT. The mean time (± standard deviation) from renal replacement therapy initiation to the week before KT was 9.2 ± 5 months. Group 2 had a higher proportion of men, antihypertensive use, peritoneal dialysis, and higher urine output during all periods. Before KT, Group 2 had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than Group 1. After KT, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased in Group 2, whereas no change occurred in Group 1. Before KT, Group 2 had higher levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, and phosphorous compared with Group 1. Compared with baseline, Group 1 had more optimal blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid parameters before KT than Group 2. After KT, all parameters improved with respect to baseline in both groups. Hemoglobin, albumin, and sodium were similar between groups, except for higher

  10. Effect of different drying methods on moisture ratio and rehydration of pumpkin slices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seremet Ceclu, Liliana; Botez, Elisabeta; Nistor, Oana-Viorela; Andronoiu, Doina Georgeta; Mocanu, Gabriel-Danut

    2016-03-15

    This study was carried to determine the influence of hot air drying process and combined methods on physicochemical properties of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) samples. The experiments in hot air chamber were lead at 50, 60 and 70 °C. The combined method consists of a triple combination of the main drying techniques. Thus, in first stage the samples were dried in hot air convection at 60 °C followed by hot air ventilation at 40 °C simultaneous with microwave. The time required to reduce the moisture content to any given level was highly dependent on the drying conditions. So, the highest value of drying time in hot air has been 540 min at 50 °C, while the lowest time has been 189 min in hot air combined by microwave at 40 °C and a power of 315 W. The samples dried by hot air shows a higher rehydration capacity than samples dried by combined method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Dry and Semi-Dry Tropical Cyclones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cronin, T.; Chavas, D. R.

    2017-12-01

    Our understanding of dynamics in our real moist atmosphere is strongly informed by idealized dry models. It is widely believed that tropical cyclones (TCs) are an intrinsically moist phenomenon - relying fundamentally on evaporation and latent heat release - yet recent numerical modeling work has found formation of dry axisymmetric tropical cyclones from a state of dry radiative-convective equilibrium. What can such "dry hurricanes" teach us about intensity, structure, and size of real moist tropical cyclones in nature? Are dry TCs even stable in 3D? What about surfaces that are nearly dry but have some latent heat flux - can they also support TCs? To address these questions, we use the SAM cloud-system resolving model to simulate radiative-convective equilibrium on a rapidly rotating f-plane, subject to constant tropospheric radiative cooling. We use a homogeneous surface with fixed temperature and with surface saturation vapor pressure scaled by a factor 0-1 relative to that over pure water - allowing for continuous variation between moist and dry limits. We also explore cases with surface enthalpy fluxes that are uniform in space and time, where partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes is specified directly. We find that a completely moist surface yields a TC-world where multiple vortices form spontaneously and persist for tens of days. A completely dry surface can also yield a parallel dry TC-world with many vortices that are even more stable and persistent. Spontaneous cyclogenesis, however, is impeded for a range of low to intermediate surface wetness values, and by the combination of large rotation rates and a dry surface. We discuss whether these constraints on spontaneous cyclogenesis might arise from: 1) rain evaporation in the subcloud layer limiting the range of viable surface wetness values, and 2) a natural convective Rossby number limiting the range of viable rotation rates. Finally, we discuss simulations with uniform surface enthalpy

  12. Dry pea seed quality depending on seed moisture at harvest and cultivar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milošević Branko

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of seed moisture content at harvest on the most important parameters of dry pea was examined. The seed moisture content, germination energy, germination, proportion of abnormal seedlings and 1000-seed weight were analyzed in three dry pea cultivars (Jezero, Javor and NS-Junior and at eight harvest stages. At the first harvest stage, seed moisture content was 20.44%, while at the eighth stage it was 11.26%. The best seed quality, with germination energy of 81.70% and germination of 90.11%, was at the sixth harvest time when seed moisture content was 12.92%. The poorest seed quality one was at the first harvest stage, with germination energy of 68.55% and germination of 78.56%. Cultivar Jezero, with shorter growing season, determinant stem growth and uniform maturity, had the highest germination energy (82.00%, germination (92.21% and percent of abnormal seedlings (1.96%. Cultivar NS Junior, with the longest growing season, indeterminant stem growth and non-uniform maturity, had the lowest germination energy (70.39% and germination (76.54%, and the highest percent of abnormal seedlings (3.58%.

  13. Mechanical weed control on small-size dry bean and its response to cross-flaming

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martelloni, L.; Frasconi, C.; Fontanelli, M.; Raffaelli, M.; Peruzzi, A.

    2016-11-01

    Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) can be a profitable crop for farmers; however controlling weeds effectively without a decrease in yield remains a problem. An example where mechanical weed control is difficult to conduct is dry bean ‘Toscanello’, which is a small sized high-income niche product growing low to the ground. Concerning intra-row weed control, also flame weeding could be an opportunity but the dry bean heat tolerance needs to be studied. The aims of this research were to study the weed control efficacy of a spring-tine harrow and an inter-row cultivator in this bean variety, and to test the tolerance of dry bean cultivated under weed-free conditions to cross-flaming applied with different liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) doses. Flame weeding was applied at BBCH 13 and BBCH 14 bean growth stages by pairs of burners producing direct double flame acting into the intra-row space, with bean plants placed in the middle. The results suggest that the spring-tine harrow used two times at BBCH 13 and 14, respectively, lead to a yield similar to that of the weedy control. The inter-row cultivator could be an opportunity for small-sized dry bean crops producers, enabling them to obtain a similar yield compared to the hand-weeded control. Concerning the bean tolerance to cross-flaming the results showed that bean flamed at BBCH 13 stage had little tolerance to cross-flaming. Bean flamed at BBCH 14 stage was tolerant until an LPG dose of 39 kg/ha, giving yield responses similar to those observed in the non-flamed control. (Author)

  14. Effect of Hydroxychloroquine Treatment on Dry Eyes in Subjects with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: a Double-Blind Randomized Control Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    The effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on dry eye has not been fully determined. This study aimed to compare the 12-week efficacy of HCQ medication with that of a placebo in the management of dry eye in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). A double-blind, randomized control study was conducted in 39 pSS subjects from May 2011 through August 2013. pSS was diagnosed based on the classification criteria of the American-European Consensus Group. Subjects received 300 mg of HCQ or placebo once daily for 12 weeks and were evaluated at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks, with a re-visit at 16 weeks after drug discontinuance. The fluorescein staining score, Schirmer test score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were measured, and tears and blood were collected for ESR, IL-6, IL-17, B-cell activating factor (BAFF), and Th17 cell analysis. Color testing was performed and the fundus was examined to monitor HCQ complications. Twenty-six subjects completed the follow-up. The fluorescein staining score and Schirmer test score did not differ significantly. The OSDI improved with medication in the HCQ group but was not significantly different between the groups. TBUT, serum IL-6, ESR, serum and tear BAFF, and the proportion of Th17 cells did not change in either group. HCQ at 300 mg daily for 12 weeks has no apparent clinical benefit for dry eye and systemic inflammation in pSS (ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT01601028). PMID:27366013

  15. Dried culture of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae for saccharification in alcohol production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drazhner, T M; Ashkinuzi, Z K; El' chits, S V

    1963-01-01

    Dried A. oryzae in place of malt in saccharification of starch-containing grain mash is known to save valuable grain, labor, and space. Laboratory tests showed adequate amylolytic, dextrinolytic, and maltase activity even after nine months storage. Treatment with 0.1% formalin for one hour or with the filtrate of a calcium hypochlorite solution containing 700 mg/l active chlorine for two hours prevented growth of contaminating microflora for 24 hours of fermentation and was not detrimental. Reduction of dried culture needed for saccharification from 8 to 10 to 3.5 to 4% by weight of the starch in the raw material was possible by 2 methods: (1) a l-stage addition at 40/sup 0/, or (2) a 2-stage introduction: 20 to 25% into the sugaring vessel at 57 to 59/sup 0/ and the rest into the fermentation vat after yeast is added. Method 2 avoids the viscosity problem. Alcohol yield was essentially the same as with malt. An industrial test for a 66-hour fermentation confirmed the advantages of the 2-stage method. Higher acidity of final broth did not affect the results because mold enzymes are more resistant to this factor than are those of malt. Nor is higher dry content, the result of breakdown of hemicellulose, cellulose, and pentosans by mold enzymes, a marked disadvantage.

  16. Variations in Volatile Oil Yield and Composition of "Xin-yi" (Magnolia biondii Pamp. Flower Buds) at Different Growth Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Mingli; Bai, Mei; Ye, Wei; Wang, Yaling; Wu, Hong

    2018-06-01

    Dried flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. are the main ingredient in "Xin-yi" in China, and the volatile oils of M. biondii flower buds are the principal medicinal component. Gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) and microscopic techniques were employed to detect the volatile yields of M. biondii flowers at various growth stages. The volatile oil yields of M. biondii flowers differed significantly at different growth stages and were closely related to flower dry weight, oil cell density and degree of oil accumulation. In February 2016, flower buds had the highest dry weight, the maximum percentage of oil cells at the oil saturation stage and the highest density of oil cells, which coincided with the highest oil yield. In March 2016, flower buds had a lower dry weight, a higher percentage of oil cells at the oil-degrading stage and the lowest oil cell density, resulting in decreased oil yields. The total amounts of the major medicinal components in the M. biondii flower also showed regular changes at different growth stages. In January and February of 2016, M. biondii flowers had a higher dry weight, volatile oil yield and total content of medicinal ingredients, which was the best time for harvesting high-quality medicinal components. Our study reveals that volatile oil content and chemical composition are closely related to the growth stage of M. biondii flower buds. The results provide a scientific morphology and composition index for evaluating the medicinal value and harvesting of high-quality M. biondii medicinal herbs.

  17. Changes in the carotenoid metabolism of capsicum fruits during application of modelized slow drying process for paprika production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Gálvez, Antonio; Hornero-Méndez, Dámaso; Mínguez-Mosquera, María Isabel

    2004-02-11

    A temperature profile simulating the traditional slow drying process of red pepper fruits, which is conducted in La Vera region (Spain) for paprika production, was developed. Carotenoid and ascorbic acid content, as well as moisture of fruits, were monitored during the slow drying process designed. Data obtained suggested that the evolution of carotenoid concentration, the main quality trait for paprika, directly depend on the physical conditions imposed. During the drying process, three different stages could be observed in relation to the carotenoids. The first stage corresponds to a physiological adaptation to the new imposed conditions that implied a decrease (ca. 20%) in the carotenoid content during the first 24 h. After that short period and during 5 days, a second stage was noticed, recovering the biosynthetic (carotenogenic) capability of the fruits, which denotes an accommodation of the fruits to the new environmental conditions. During the following 48 h (third stage) a sharp increase in the carotenoid content was observed. This last phenomenon seems to be related with an oxidative-thermal stress, which took place during the first stage, inducing a carotenogenesis similar to that occurring in over-ripening fruits. Results demonstrate that a fine control of the temperature and moisture content would help to positively modulate carotenogenesis and minimize catabolism, making it possible to adjust the drying process to the ripeness stage of fruits with the aim of improving carotenoid retention and therefore quality of the resulting product. In the case of ascorbic acid, data demonstrated that this compound is very sensitive to the drying process, with a decrease of about 76% during the first 24 h and remaining only at trace levels during the rest of the process. Therefore, no antioxidant role should be expected from ascorbic acid during the whole process and in the corresponding final product (paprika), despite that red pepper fruit is well-known to be rich

  18. Outcome measures for primary Sjogren's syndrome : A comprehensive review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seror, Raphaele; Theander, Elke; Bootsma, Hendrika; Bowman, Simon J.; Tzioufas, Athanasios; Gottenberg, Jacques-Eric; Ramos-Casals, Manel; Doerner, Thomas; Ravaud, Philippe; Mariette, Xavier; Vitali, Claudio

    Lymphocytic infiltration of different exocrine and non-exocrine epithelia is the pathological hallmark of primary Sjogren's syndrome, whereas involvement of salivary and lachrymal glands with the clinical counterpart of dry eye and dry mouth are the predominant features of the disease, together with

  19. Primary Definitive Procedure versus Conventional Three-staged Procedure for the Management of Low-type Anorectal Malformation in Females: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Alisha; Agarwala, Sandeep; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Srinivas, Madhur; Bhatnagar, Veereshwar

    2017-01-01

    Females with Krickenbeck low-type anorectal malformations - vestibular fistula (VF) and perineal fistula (PF) - are managed either by a primary definitive or conventional three-staged approach. Ultimate outcome in these children may be affected by wound dehiscence leading to healing by fibrosis. Most of the literature favors one approach over other based on retrospective analysis of their outcomes. Whether a statistically significant difference in wound dehiscence rates between these approaches exists needed to be seen. A randomized controlled trial for girls <14 years with VF or PF was done. Random tables were used to randomize 33 children to Group I (primary procedure) and 31 to Group II (three-staged procedure). Statistical analysis was done for significance of difference ( P < 0.05) in the primary outcome (wound dehiscence) and secondary outcomes (immediate and early postoperative complications). Of the 64 children randomized, 54 (84%) had VF. Both groups were comparable in demography, clinical profile and age at surgery. The incidence of wound dehiscence (39.4% vs. 18.2%; P = 0.04), immediate postoperative complications (51.5% vs. 12.9%; P = 0.001), and early postoperative complications (42.4% vs. 12.9%; P = 0.01) was significantly higher in Group I as compared to Group II. Six of 13 children (46.2%) with dehiscence in Group I required a diverting colostomy to be made. Females with VF or PF undergoing primary definitive procedure have a significantly higher incidence of wound dehiscence ( P = 0.04), immediate ( P = 0.001) and early postoperative complications ( P = 0.01).

  20. Review of the Drying Kinetics of Olive Oil Mill Wastes: Biomass Recovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J. Gómez-de la Cruz

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The drying kinetics of olive oil mill wastes was analyzed based on experiments carried out by various researchers utilizing different drying systems. A critical review of the literature was done, and mathematical models of drying curves proposed by investigators were evaluated. A comparison between the best mathematical models of fit in the drying curves used in past experiments and a two-term Gaussian model was performed. This model improved all the results of fit in each experiment. Drying rates and drying stages were obtained and discussed. An average drying rate for each experiment from the two-term Gaussian model was calculated. This value allowed for visualizing and comparing the average speed of evaporated water in each experiment for the different dryers. Finally, and after having verified that almost all drying occurs mainly by a diffusion phenomenon, an analysis on the effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy values was performed. The results indicated that there was no dependency of these quantities on independent variables such as the drying air temperature, the drying air velocity, and the sample thickness. It follows that drying of olive oil mill wastes is a very complex physical process that depends heavily on aspects such as pieces of pit, pulp, skin, vegetation water, olive oil content, sugars and organics compounds of different nature.

  1. Dry needling and exercise for chronic whiplash - a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Souvlis Tina

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic whiplash is a common and costly problem. Sensory hypersensitivity is a feature of chronic whiplash that is associated with poor responsiveness to physical treatments such as exercise. Modalities such as dry-needling have shown some capacity to modulate sensory hypersensitivity, suggesting that when combined with advice and exercise, such an approach may be more effective in the management of chronic whiplash. The primary aim of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of dry-needling, advice and exercise for chronic whiplash. Method/Design A double-blind randomised controlled trial will be conducted. 120 participants with chronic whiplash, grade II will be randomised to receive either 1 dry-needling, advice and exercise or 2 sham dry-needling, advice and exercise. All participants will receive an educational booklet on whiplash. Participants who are randomised to Group 1 will receive 6 treatments of combined dry-needling and exercise delivered in the first 3 weeks of the 6 week program, and 4 treatments of exercise only in the last 3 weeks of the program. Participants randomised to Group 2 will receive an identical protocol, except that a sham dry-needling technique will be used instead of dry-needling. The primary outcome measures are the Neck Disability Index (NDI and participants' perceived recovery. Outcomes will be measured at 6, 12, 24 and 52 weeks after randomization by an assessor who is blind to the group allocation of the participants. In parallel, an economic analysis will be conducted. Discussion This trial will utilise high quality trial methodologies in accordance with CONSORT guidelines. The successful completion of this trial will provide evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a combined treatment approach for the management of chronic whiplash. Trial registration ACTRN12609000470291

  2. Geothermal rice drying unit in Kotchany, Macedonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popovski, K.; Dimitrov, K.; Andrejevski, B.; Popovska, S.

    1992-01-01

    A geothermal field in Kotchany (Macedonia) has very advantageous characteristics for direct application purposes. Low content of minerals, moderate temperature (78C) and substantial available geothermal water flow (up to 300 1/s) enabled the establishment of a district heating scheme comprising mainly agricultural and industrial uses. A rice drying unit of 10 t/h capacity was installed 8 years ago, using the geothermal water as the primary heat source. A temperature drop of 75/50C enables the adaptation of conventional drying technology, already proven in practice in the surrounding rice growing region. Water to air heat exchanger and all necessary equipment and materials are of local production, made of copper and carbon steel. The use of such drying units is strongly recommended for the concrete district heating scheme because it offers a very simple geothermal application and enables improvement in the annual heating load factor without high investments in geothermal water distribution lines

  3. Temperature and humidity response in the curing and drying process for Burley tobacco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edilson Daniel Gomez-Herrera

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper present the methodology development used for characterization and implementation of a control and automation of a camera for curing and drying of Burley tobacco, done with the purpose of analyzing its three stages: yellowing, color fixing and drying.As first step, the paper gives to know the process that is important for air curing of Burley tobacco. As second step, analysis of heating and humidification of system is presented, for determinate the most adequate control system for maintenance the ideal conditions for curing and drying of Burley. Results are presented through figures and tables.

  4. Can neck irradiation be an alternative to neck dissection in early stage carcinoma oral tongue operated for primary alone? Experience from a single institute

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushmita Ghoshal

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To study pattern of failure, locoregional control rates (LCR and disease free survival (DFS in post-operative patients of carcinoma oral tongue, and to study the impact of nodal dissection on DFS in stage I and II patients.Methods: 102 patients of carcinoma oral tongue treated between January 2009 and December 2013 were analyzed. All patients were operated for primary disease, but neck dissection was done in 78 (76.5% patients only. However, radiation to primary site along with neck region was received by all patients. Pattern of failure, LCR and DFS were estimated.Results: At median follow up of 12 months, 10.8% patients failed locally, 10.8% in nodal region, 2.9% both at local and nodal site, and 5.9% patients failed distally. 2 year LCR and DFS was 71.2%, 90.9%, 79.5%, 0% and 55.2%, 64.4%, 57.8%, 0% in stage I, II, III, IV respectively. 2 year DFS in stage I patients, who underwent nodal dissection and post-operative radiation (14 patients was 64.3% and in whom only neck irradiation was done (15 patients, it was 45.8%, however difference was not significant (p = 0.5. But in stage II patients, 33 patients who underwent nodal dissection and post-operative radiation, 2 year DFS was 85.4% and it was 21.4% in 7 patients who underwent neck radiation only, and difference showed trend towards significance (p = 0.05. 2 or more positive lymph nodes post dissection was the only poor prognostic factor that correlated with DFS (p = 0.02Conclusion: While in stage I, neck irradiation alone can be a possible alternative to neck dissection and post-operative radiation; for stage II, neck dissection is mandatory.

  5. A numerical and experimental study of stress and crack development in kiln-dried wood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Finn; Ormarsson, Sigurdur

    2012-01-01

    Numerical and experimental investigations were carried out on well defined log-disc samples of Norway spruce consisting of both heartwood and sapwood, with the aim of gaining more adequate knowledge of stress and fracture generation during the drying process. Use of thin discs enabled a well-controlled...... and simplified drying history of the samples to be obtained. Experiments supported by the numerical model showed the heartwood to dry below the fibre saturation point, much earlier than the sapwood, and thus to start shrinking at a much earlier stage....

  6. Drying of α-amylase by spray drying and freeze-drying - a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. S. de Jesus

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This study is aimed at comparing two traditional methods of drying of enzymes and at verifying the efficiency of each one and their advantages and disadvantages. The experiments were performed with a laboratory spray dryer and freeze-dryer using α-amylase as the model enzyme. An experimental design in star revealed that spray drying is mainly influenced by the inlet air temperature and feed flow rate, which were considered to be the main factors influencing the enzymatic activity and water activity; the long period of material exposure to high temperatures causes a partial activity loss. In the experiments of freeze drying, three methods of freezing were used (freezer, acetone and dry ice, and liquid nitrogen and samples subsequently freeze-dried for times ranging between 0-24 hours. The product obtained from the two techniques showed high enzymatic activity and low water activity. For the drying of heat-resistant enzymes, in which the product to be obtained does not have high added value, spray drying may be more economically viable because, in the freeze drying process, the process time can be considered as a limiting factor when choosing a technique.

  7. SIMS analysis using a new novel sample stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miwa, Shiro; Nomachi, Ichiro; Kitajima, Hideo

    2006-01-01

    We have developed a novel sample stage for Cameca IMS-series instruments that allows us to adjust the tilt of the sample holder and to vary the height of the sample surface from outside the vacuum chamber. A third function of the stage is the capability to cool sample to -150 deg. C using liquid nitrogen. Using this stage, we can measure line profiles of 10 mm in length without any variation in the secondary ion yields. By moving the sample surface toward the input lens, the primary ion beam is well focused when the energy of the primary ions is reduced. Sample cooling is useful for samples such as organic materials that are easily damaged by primary ions or electrons

  8. SIMS analysis using a new novel sample stage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miwa, Shiro [Materials Analysis Lab., Sony Corporation, 4-16-1 Okata, Atsugi 243-0021 (Japan)]. E-mail: Shiro.Miwa@jp.sony.com; Nomachi, Ichiro [Materials Analysis Lab., Sony Corporation, 4-16-1 Okata, Atsugi 243-0021 (Japan); Kitajima, Hideo [Nanotechnos Corp., 5-4-30 Nishihashimoto, Sagamihara 229-1131 (Japan)

    2006-07-30

    We have developed a novel sample stage for Cameca IMS-series instruments that allows us to adjust the tilt of the sample holder and to vary the height of the sample surface from outside the vacuum chamber. A third function of the stage is the capability to cool sample to -150 deg. C using liquid nitrogen. Using this stage, we can measure line profiles of 10 mm in length without any variation in the secondary ion yields. By moving the sample surface toward the input lens, the primary ion beam is well focused when the energy of the primary ions is reduced. Sample cooling is useful for samples such as organic materials that are easily damaged by primary ions or electrons.

  9. Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Bark and Ambrosia Beetles in a Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo-Reis, Luiz Eduardo; Novais, Samuel Matos Antunes de; Monteiro, Graziela França; Flechtmann, Carlos Alberto Hector; Faria, Maurício Lopes de; Neves, Frederico de Siqueira

    2016-01-01

    Bark and the ambrosia beetles dig into host plants and live most of their lives in concealed tunnels. We assessed beetle community dynamics in tropical dry forest sites in early, intermediate, and late successional stages, evaluating the influence of resource availability and seasonal variations in guild structure. We collected a total of 763 beetles from 23 species, including 14 bark beetle species, and 9 ambrosia beetle species. Local richness of bark and ambrosia beetles was estimated at 31 species. Bark and ambrosia composition was similar over the successional stages gradient, and beta diversity among sites was primarily determined by species turnover, mainly in the bark beetle community. Bark beetle richness and abundance were higher at intermediate stages; availability of wood was the main spatial mechanism. Climate factors were effectively non-seasonal. Ambrosia beetles were not influenced by successional stages, however the increase in wood resulted in increased abundance. We found higher richness at the end of the dry and wet seasons, and abundance increased with air moisture and decreased with higher temperatures and greater rainfall. In summary, bark beetle species accumulation was higher at sites with better wood production, while the needs of fungi (host and air moisture), resulted in a favorable conditions for species accumulation of ambrosia. The overall biological pattern among guilds differed from tropical rain forests, showing patterns similar to dry forest areas. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

  10. The Security Education Concepts in the Textbooks of the National and Civic Education of the Primary Stage in Jordan--An Analytical Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Edwan, Zaid Suleiman

    2016-01-01

    The present study aimed at exploring the concepts of the security education in the textbooks of the national and civic education of the higher primary stage in Jordan. It adopted the descriptive analytical method. The study sample consisted of the textbooks of the national and civic education for the basic eighth, ninth and tenth grades. To…

  11. STATISTIC MODELING OF DRYING KINETHIC OF SPINACH LEAVES USING MICROWAVE AND HOT AIR METHODS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojtaba Nouri

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The target of this study was to model of spinach leaves drying using microwave and hot air dryer. This test performed in combination treatment of temperatures (50°C, 60°C, and 70°C and microwave (90, 180, 360, 600 and 900w in 3 replications. Sample moisture measured within drying. All the results were fitted and analyzed with 8 mathematical models base on 3 parameters including determination (R2, Chi square(X2, root mean square errors(RSME. Results also revealed that temperature and microwave power effectively reduce the drying time when increase. Drying occurs in degrading stage; moreover the comparison of results exhibited that Page and Two sentences models were fitted appropriately to estimate moisture changing and drying description. Regarding all the results, it is cleared that microwave method is an appropriate method in spinach drying as a result of reducing drying temperature and its high efficiency.

  12. Adult Liver Cancer Symptoms, Tests, Prognosis, and Stages (PDQ®)—Patient Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of adult primary liver cancer. The Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer (BCLC) Staging System is used to stage liver cancer. Learn more about risk factors, signs and symptoms, tests to diagnose, prognosis, and stages of adult primary liver cancer.

  13. Comparison of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/MRI and MRI for pre-therapeutic tumor staging of patients with primary cancer of the uterine cervix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarabhai, Theresia; Wetter, Axel; Forsting, Michael; Umutlu, Lale; Grueneisen, Johannes [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen (Germany); Schaarschmidt, Benedikt M.; Kirchner, Julian [University Dusseldorf, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Faculty, Dusseldorf (Germany); Aktas, Bahriye [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Essen (Germany); Ruhlmann, Verena; Herrmann, Ken [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Essen (Germany)

    2018-01-15

    The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the diagnostic performance of integrated PET/MRI and MRI alone for local tumor evaluation and whole-body tumor staging of primary cervical cancers. In addition, the corresponding impact on further patient management of the two imaging modalities was assessed. A total of 53 consecutive patients with histopathological verification of a primary cervical cancer were prospectively enrolled for a whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI examination. Two experienced physicians analyzed the MRI data, in consensus, followed by a second reading session of the PET/MRI datasets. The readers were asked to perform a dedicated TNM staging in accordance with the 7th edition of the AJCC staging manual. Subsequently, the results of MRI and PET/MRI were discussed in a simulated interdisciplinary tumor board and therapeutic decisions based on both imaging modalities were recorded. Results from histopathology and cross-sectional imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. PET/MRI allowed for a correct determination of the T stage in 45/53 (85%) cases, while MRI alone enabled a correct identification of the tumor stage in 46/53 (87%) cases. In 24 of the 53 patients, lymph node metastases were present. For the detection of nodal-positive patients, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET/MRI were 83%, 90% and 87%, respectively. The respective values for MRI alone were 71%, 83% and 77%. In addition, PET/MRI showed higher values for the detection of distant metastases than MRI alone (sensitivity: 87% vs. 67%, specificity: 92% vs. 90%, diagnostic accuracy: 91% vs. 83%). Among the patients with discrepant staging results in the two imaging modalities, PET/MRI enabled correct treatment recommendations for a higher number (n = 9) of patients than MRI alone (n = 3). The present results demonstrate the successful application of integrated PET/MRI imaging for whole-body tumor staging of cervical cancer patients, enabling improved treatment

  14. Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying in the Presence of a Shallow Water Table: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, J.; Lin, J.; Liu, P.; Li, W.

    2017-12-01

    Evaporation from a porous medium plays a key role in hydrological, agricultural, environmental, and engineering applications. Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3. Although the magnitude of condensation zone was much smaller than that for the evaporation zone, the importance of the contribution of condensation zone to soil water dynamics should not be underestimated. Results from our experiment and numerical simulation show that this condensation process resulted in an unexpected and apparent water content increase in the middle of vadose zone profile.

  15. Theophylline cocrystals prepared by spray drying: physicochemical properties and aerosolization performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhalaweh, Amjad; Kaialy, Waseem; Buckton, Graham; Gill, Hardyal; Nokhodchi, Ali; Velaga, Sitaram P

    2013-03-01

    The purpose of this work was to characterize theophylline (THF) cocrystals prepared by spray drying in terms of the physicochemical properties and inhalation performance when aerosolized from a dry powder inhaler. Cocrystals of theophylline with urea (THF-URE), saccharin (THF-SAC) and nicotinamide (THF-NIC) were prepared by spray drying. Milled THF and THF-SAC cocrystals were also used for comparison. The physical purity, particle size, particle morphology and surface energy of the materials were determined. The in vitro aerosol performance of the spray-dried cocrystals, drug-alone and a drug-carrier aerosol, was assessed. The spray-dried particles had different size distributions, morphologies and surface energies. The milled samples had higher surface energy than those prepared by spray drying. Good agreement was observed between multi-stage liquid impinger and next-generation impactor in terms of assessing spray-dried THF particles. The fine particle fractions of both formulations were similar for THF, but drug-alone formulations outperformed drug-carrier formulations for the THF cocrystals. The aerosolization performance of different THF cocrystals was within the following rank order as obtained from both drug-alone and drug-carrier formulations: THF-NIC>THF-URE>THF-SAC. It was proposed that micromeritic properties dominate over particle surface energy in terms of determining the aerosol performance of THF cocrystals. Spray drying could be a potential technique for preparing cocrystals with modified physical properties.

  16. Finite Element Method (FEM) Modeling of Freeze-drying: Monitoring Pharmaceutical Product Robustness During Lyophilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaodong; Sadineni, Vikram; Maity, Mita; Quan, Yong; Enterline, Matthew; Mantri, Rao V

    2015-12-01

    Lyophilization is an approach commonly undertaken to formulate drugs that are unstable to be commercialized as ready to use (RTU) solutions. One of the important aspects of commercializing a lyophilized product is to transfer the process parameters that are developed in lab scale lyophilizer to commercial scale without a loss in product quality. This process is often accomplished by costly engineering runs or through an iterative process at the commercial scale. Here, we are highlighting a combination of computational and experimental approach to predict commercial process parameters for the primary drying phase of lyophilization. Heat and mass transfer coefficients are determined experimentally either by manometric temperature measurement (MTM) or sublimation tests and used as inputs for the finite element model (FEM)-based software called PASSAGE, which computes various primary drying parameters such as primary drying time and product temperature. The heat and mass transfer coefficients will vary at different lyophilization scales; hence, we present an approach to use appropriate factors while scaling-up from lab scale to commercial scale. As a result, one can predict commercial scale primary drying time based on these parameters. Additionally, the model-based approach presented in this study provides a process to monitor pharmaceutical product robustness and accidental process deviations during Lyophilization to support commercial supply chain continuity. The approach presented here provides a robust lyophilization scale-up strategy; and because of the simple and minimalistic approach, it will also be less capital intensive path with minimal use of expensive drug substance/active material.

  17. Simulation of energetic- and exergetic performance of microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying of soybeans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranjbaran, M.; Zare, D.

    2013-01-01

    The performance of microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying of soybeans was simulated (using a previously validated mathematical model) and analyzed based on the first- and second law of thermodynamics. The energy and exergy analysis were carried out for several drying conditions. The effects of inlet air temperature, microwave power density, bed thickness and inlet air velocity on the efficiencies and inefficiencies of drying process have been simulated and discussed. Generally, application of microwave energy during fluidized bed drying enhanced the exergy efficiency of drying process. However, the results showed that it was more efficient not to apply microwave energy at the first stage of fluidized bed drying process. The application of higher levels of drying air temperature led in higher exergy efficiencies. The values of mean relative deviations for the predictions of efficiencies and inefficiencies of drying process were less than 14%, compared with those calculated using experimental data. - Highlights: • Introducing a mathematical model to predict the efficiency of microwave-assisted fluidized bed dryers. • Energy and exergy analysis in microwave-assisted fluidized bed drying of grains. • Providing practical recommendations for efficient use of microwave power during drying

  18. Pupillary Responses to Full-Field Chromatic Stimuli Are Reduced in Patients with Early-Stage Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najjar, Raymond P; Sharma, Sourabh; Atalay, Eray; Rukmini, Annadata V; Sun, Christopher; Lock, Jing Zhan; Baskaran, Mani; Perera, Shamira A; Husain, Rahat; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Gooley, Joshua J; Aung, Tin; Milea, Dan

    2018-03-21

    To evaluate the ability of chromatic pupillometry to reveal abnormal pupillary responses to light in patients with early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and to test whether the degree of pupillometric impairment correlates with structural hallmarks of optic nerve damage in the disease. Cross-sectional study. Forty-six patients with early-stage POAG (63.4±8.3 years, 63% male, 87% ethnic-Chinese) and 90 age-matched healthy controls (61.4±8.6 years, 34% male, 89% ethnic-Chinese). Patients with POAG had a visual field mean deviation (VFMD) of -6 decibels or better on automated perimetry. Each participant underwent a monocular 2-minute exposure to blue light (462 nm) followed by another 2-minute exposure to red light (638 nm) using a modified Ganzfeld dome equipped with a light-emitting diode lighting system. The light stimuli intensity was increased logarithmically to evaluate the combined extrinsic and intrinsic response of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). Light-induced changes in horizontal pupil diameter were assessed monocularly using infrared pupillography. Baseline-adjusted, light-induced pupillary constriction amplitudes were calculated, and individual irradiance-response curves were constructed for each stimulus. Pupillary constriction amplitudes were compared between groups and across light intensities using a linear mixed model analysis. The linear relationship between pupillometric parameters and different structural and functional features of glaucoma was assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis. Light-induced pupillary constriction was reduced in patients with early-stage POAG compared with controls at moderate to high irradiances (≥11 Log photons/cm 2 /s) of blue (P = 0.003) and red (P early-stage POAG. Patients with early-stage POAG exhibit reduced pupillary responses to moderate and high irradiances of blue and red lights. This wavelength-independent functional alteration correlates with structural

  19. Effect of paddy drying depth using open-sun drying on drying time ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The smallholder rice farmers in the Uganda dry their paddy using open-sun drying method. In most cases the paddy is badly dried and has very high fissure levels. Such paddy on milling contributes to low levels of mill recovery and whole grain in the milled rice. This study was therefore done to find a recommendable ...

  20. The Effect of Operating Conditions on Drying Characteristics and Quality of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) Using Combination of Solar Energy-Molecular Sieve Drying System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasibuan, R.; Zamzami, M. A.

    2017-03-01

    Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an agricultural product that can be used as beverages and snacks, and especially for traditional medicines. One of the important stages in the processing of ginger is drying. The drying process intended to reduce the water content of 85-90% to 8-10%, making it safe from the influence of fungi or insecticide. During the drying takes place, the main ingredient contained in ginger is homologous ketone phenolic known as gingerol are chemically unstable at high temperatures, for the drying technology is an important factor in maintaining the active ingredient (gingerol) which is in ginger. The combination of solar energy and molecular sieve dryer that are used in the research is capable of operating 24 hours. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of operating conditions (in this case the air velocity) toward the drying characteristics and the quality of dried ginger using the combination of solar energy and molecular sieve dryer. Drying system consist of three main parts which is: desiccator, solar collector, and the drying chamber. To record data changes in the mass of the sample, a load cell mounted in the drying chamber, and then connected to the automated data recording system using a USB data cable. All data of temperature and RH inside the dryer box and the change of samples mass recorded during the drying process takes place and the result is stored in the form of Microsoft Excel. The results obtained, shows that the air velocity is influencing the moisture content and ginger drying rate, where the moisture content equilibrium of ginger for the air velocity of 1.3 m/s was obtained on drying time of 360 minutes and moisture content of 2.8%, at 1.0 m/s was obtained on drying time of 300 minutes and moisture content of 1.4%, at 0, 8 m/s was obtained at 420 minutes drying time and the moisture content is 2.0%. The drying characteristics shows that there are two drying periods, which is: the increasing drying rate

  1. Design of solar drying-plant for bulk material drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Horbaj

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available A generally well-known high energy requirement for technological processes of drying and the fact that the world’s supplyof the conventional energy sources has considerably decreased are the decisive factors forcing us to look for some new, if possible,renewable energy sources for this process by emphasising their environmental reliability. One of the possibilities how to replace, atleast partly, the conventional energy sources – heat in a drying process is solar energy.Air-drying of bulk materials usually has a series of disadvantages such as time expenditure, drying defects in the bulk materialand inadequate final moisture content. A method that obviates or reduces the disadvantages of air-drying and, at the same time, reducesthe costs of kiln drying, is drying with solar heat. Solar energy can replace a large part of this depletable energy since solar energy cansupply heat at the temperatures most often used to dry bulk material. Solar drying-plant offer an attractive solution.

  2. Influence of Fermentation and Drying Materials on the Contamination of Cocoa Beans by Ochratoxin A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sébastien Djédjé Dano

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Ochratoxin A (OTA is a mycotoxin produced mainly by species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. Contamination of food with OTA is a major consumer health hazard. In Cote D’Ivoire, preventing OTA contamination has been the subject of extensive study. The current study was conducted to evaluate the influence of fermentation and drying materials on the OTA content in cocoa. For each test, 7000 intact cocoa pods were collected, split open to remove the beans, fermented using 1 of 3 different materials, sun-dried on 1 of 3 different platform types and stored for 30 days. A total of 22 samples were collected at each stage of post-harvesting operations. The OTA content in the extracted samples was then quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. OTA was detected in beans at all stages of post-harvesting operations at varying levels: pod-opening (0.025 ± 0.02 mg/kg, fermentation (0.275 ± 0.2 mg/kg, drying (0.569 ± 0.015 mg/kg, and storage (0.558 ± 0.04 mg/kg. No significant relationships between the detected OTA level and the materials used in the fermentation and drying of cocoa were observed.

  3. Radioactive Dry Process Material Treatment Technology Development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J. J.; Hung, I. H.; Kim, K. K. (and others)

    2007-06-15

    The project 'Radioactive Dry Process Material Treatment Technology Development' aims to be normal operation for the experiments at DUPIC fuel development facility (DFDF) and safe operation of the facility through the technology developments such as remote operation, maintenance and pair of the facility, treatment of various high level process wastes and trapping of volatile process gases. DUPIC Fuel Development Facility (DFDF) can accommodate highly active nuclear materials, and now it is for fabrication of the oxide fuel by dry process characterizing the proliferation resistance. During the second stage from march 2005 to February 2007, we carried out technology development of the remote maintenance and the DFDF's safe operation, development of treatment technology for process off-gas, and development of treatment technology for PWR cladding hull and the results was described in this report.

  4. FDG-PET in the initial staging of squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buchmann, I.; Schreckenberger, M.; Bartenstein, P.; Hansen, T.; Brochhausen, C.; Kneist, W.; Junginger, T.; Oberholzer, K.

    2006-01-01

    Squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma is the most common carcinoma of the oesophagus worldwide. The tumour stage as most important prognostic factor determines the clinical management. Aim of this study was to evaluate the value of FDG-PET 1. in imaging the primary tumour and 2. in N- and M-staging of squamous cell oesophogeal carcinoma. Patients, methods: in 20 patients with histological proven squamous cell carcinoma of the upper and middle oesophagus, FDG-PET was performed in standard technique prior to therapy. FDG uptake in the primary was determined by calculation of the SUVmax. NM-staging due to PET findings was performed as designated by the AJCC/UICC group classification and was compared with pathological and clinically based staging. Sensitivities, specificities and accuracies were calculated. Results: in 19 of 20 patients, primary squamous cell oesopohageal carcinoma was detected by FDG-PET findings with a maximum SUV of 12.5 (mean) ± 5.1 (median 11.5; range 4.8-23.8). One carcinoma in situ was missed. The sensitivity of FDG-PET in imaging the primary tumour was 96%. The sensitivities, specificities and accuracies were 20%, 100%, 58% for N-staging, and 60%, 86% and 93% for M-staging. PET findings caused changes of therapy in 5% (1 patient). Conclusions: FDG-PET was excellent in imaging the primary of squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma in stage T1-T4 and was efficient in M-staging. The low sensitivity in N-staging is of inferior clinical importance. The efficacy of FDG-PET seems to be not significantly be influenced by the histological subtype of oesophageal carcinoma. (orig.)

  5. The Development of the Regional Sea Port Infrastructure on the Basis of Dry Port

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandr Nelevich Rakhmangulov

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This article contributes to the solution of the relevant problem of the seaport infrastructure development for the purpose of increasing the cargo turnover in the regions of seaport location as well as to improve the quality of freight traffic on the basis of the creation of container hinterlands — dry ports. The options of dry ports as the potentially effective solution to increase the cargo turnover of existing seaports, improve the timeliness of freight transportation and overcome the environmental problems of the regions of seaport location are shown. This work analyzes the transport infrastructure of the region, the cargo turnover of major Russian sea and dry ports as well as the experience of creating dry ports in the Russian Federation and abroad. The authors propose the system of parameters for dry ports, which are recommended for the assessment of seaport infrastructure development scenarios on the stage of strategic planning. The authors have developed the approach of optimal values determination of the main parameters of dry ports by simulation modeling method. The features of construction and research of the simulation models of system “seaport — dry port” in programming software AnyLogic are considered. The results of modeling experiments with a developed simulation model are provided. This model is aimed to assess the maximum estimated capacity of the existing seaport in the conditions of the increasing irregularity of cargo traffic, and also to determine the optimum parameters of the constructed «dry port». The obtained dependencies as a result of modeling experiments prove the adequacy of the selected main parameters of dry ports for the effective evaluation of the scenarios of the strengthening of carrying and estimated capacity of existing seaports on the stage of strategic planning. The article shows that the methodology of this research can be used by the investors and public authorities as grounds for a decision on

  6. Combined therapy for 129 patients with second primary lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang Jun; Feng Qinfu; Wang Luhua; Zhang Yaohong; Zhao Hongfa; Weng Xinran

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of the second primary lung cancer. Methods: The interval between the second primary lung cancer and the previous primary cancer ranged from 10 days to 317 months (median 49 months). Of the 129 patients treated from 1971 to 1997 by surgery only, radiotherapy only and chemotherapy only or combined therapy, 11 (8.5%) patients had stage I, 29 (22.5%) stage II, 75 (58.1%) stage III and 14 (10.9%) stage IV; 30 patients received surgery alone, 54 radiotherapy alone, 8 chemotherapy alone, 12 surgery plus radiotherapy, 20 radiotherapy plus chemotherapy, 4 surgery plus chemotherapy and 1 surgery plus radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. Results: The overall 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 40.2%, 27.2% and 15.3%. The stage I, II, III and IV 2-year survival rates were 71.6%, 60.7%, 32.9% and 0%, respectively (P 49 and ≤49 months of the interval between the second primary lung cancer and the previous primary cancer (P>0.05). Conclusions: Second primary lung cancer are similar to the first primary lung cancer in clinical characteristics and prognosis. The main cause of failure is lung cancer perse. Stage and being able to operation are prognostic factors

  7. Prevalence of dry eye syndrome in residents of surgical specialties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castellanos-González, José Alberto; Torres-Martínez, Verónica; Martínez-Ruiz, Adriana; Fuentes-Orozco, Clotilde; Rendón-Félix, Jorge; Irusteta-Jiménez, Leire; Márquez-Valdez, Aída Rebeca; Cortés-Lares, José Antonio; González-Ojeda, Alejandro

    2016-07-16

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of dry eye syndrome in a group of Mexican residents of different surgical specialties. A cross-sectional descriptive study where the residents were studied using the Ocular Surface Disease Index, together with diagnostic tests for dry eye syndrome, such as tear breakup time, Oxford Schema, Schirmer's test I, and meibomian gland dysfunction testing. Statistical analyses were performed by Pearson's chi-squared test for categorical variables and student's t-test for quantitative variables. Any P value eyes); 90 (73 %) were male and 33 (27 %) were female. The mean age was 27.8 ± 2.1 years. A higher number of residents with dry eye syndrome was found in the cardiothoracic surgery (75 %) and otorhinolaryngology (71 %) specialties; 70 % of them reported ocular symptoms, with teardrop quality involvement in >50 % of them. We found a prevalence of 56 % for mild-to-moderate/severe stages of the condition. Their presence in the operating room predisposes surgical residents to dry eye syndrome because of environmental conditions.

  8. Do we know how plants sense a drying soil?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Streck Nereu Augusto

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The reduction of crop growth and yield in dry areas is largely due to stomatal closure in response to dry soil, which decreases photosynthesis. However, the mechanism that causes stomatal closure in a drying soil is a controversial issue. Experienced and respected plant physiologists around the world have different views about the primary sensor of soil water shortage in plants. The goal of this review is to present a chronological synthesis about the evidence of the possible candidates for the mechanism by which plants sense a drying soil. Hydraulic signals in the leaves as the mechanism that causes stomatal closure dominated the view on how plants sense a drying soil during the 70?s and the early 80?s. In the middle 80?s, studies suggested that stomatal conductance is better correlated with soil and root water status than with leaf water status. Thus, chemical signals produced in the roots dominated the view on how plants sense a drying soil during the late 80?s and early 90?s. During the second half of the 90?s, however, studies provided evidence that hydraulic signals in the leaves are still better candidates for the mechanism by which plants sense a drying soil. After more than 60 years of studies in plant-water relations, the question raised in the title still has no unanimous answer. This controversial issue is a good research rationale for the current generation of plant physiologists.

  9. Primary cutaneous lymphoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, M. Connie; Cleary, Sean F.; Hoppe, Richard T.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose: A retrospective review analyzed the survival and freedom from relapse of patients with stage IE or IIE primary cutaneous lymphoma (non mycosis fungoides) after treatments with radiation therapy alone (XRT), chemotherapy alone (RX) or combined modality therapy (CMT). Methods and Materials: Fifty two patients with stage IE-IIE cutaneous lymphoma treated at Stanford University Hospital were reviewed. The median age was 57, with a range of 26 to 94 and a male to female ratio of 1.21:1. Patients were staged according to the Ann Arbor System. Pathology was classified according to the Working Formulation. Treatment outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival curves with a Gehan p-value test. Results: The follow up range was 6 months to 22 years (median 7 years.) Twenty one percent of patients had low grade, 63% had intermediate grade and 15% had high grade lymphoma. The most common histologic subtype was diffuse large cell lymphoma Thirty two patients received radiation alone as initial treatment and sixteen patients received combined modality as initial treatment. Four patients received chemotherapy alone. The only significant prognostic factor for survival was the stage at diagnosis. Patients with stage IE disease had a longer actuarial survival (5-yr=79%, 10-yr=71%), as compared to those with stage IIE (5-yr=49%, 10-yr=33%), (p=0.029). The only significant prognostic factor for freedom from relapse was the initial treatment. Initial combined modality treatment lead to a longer freedom from relapse compared to patients treated with radiation alone (p=0.002), (median 5 years vs. 1.2 years). Despite this, the actuarial overall survival in the combined modality group and the radiation alone group are similar (median survival 7.7 and 8 years). The efficacy of either radiation or chemotherapy as salvage treatment after radiation failure was equivalent and both salvage treatments lead to equally long survival and freedom from second relapse. Conclusion

  10. Primary cutaneous lymphoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, M Connie; Cleary, Sean F; Hoppe, Richard T

    1995-07-01

    Purpose: A retrospective review analyzed the survival and freedom from relapse of patients with stage IE or IIE primary cutaneous lymphoma (non mycosis fungoides) after treatments with radiation therapy alone (XRT), chemotherapy alone (RX) or combined modality therapy (CMT). Methods and Materials: Fifty two patients with stage IE-IIE cutaneous lymphoma treated at Stanford University Hospital were reviewed. The median age was 57, with a range of 26 to 94 and a male to female ratio of 1.21:1. Patients were staged according to the Ann Arbor System. Pathology was classified according to the Working Formulation. Treatment outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival curves with a Gehan p-value test. Results: The follow up range was 6 months to 22 years (median 7 years.) Twenty one percent of patients had low grade, 63% had intermediate grade and 15% had high grade lymphoma. The most common histologic subtype was diffuse large cell lymphoma Thirty two patients received radiation alone as initial treatment and sixteen patients received combined modality as initial treatment. Four patients received chemotherapy alone. The only significant prognostic factor for survival was the stage at diagnosis. Patients with stage IE disease had a longer actuarial survival (5-yr=79%, 10-yr=71%), as compared to those with stage IIE (5-yr=49%, 10-yr=33%), (p=0.029). The only significant prognostic factor for freedom from relapse was the initial treatment. Initial combined modality treatment lead to a longer freedom from relapse compared to patients treated with radiation alone (p=0.002), (median 5 years vs. 1.2 years). Despite this, the actuarial overall survival in the combined modality group and the radiation alone group are similar (median survival 7.7 and 8 years). The efficacy of either radiation or chemotherapy as salvage treatment after radiation failure was equivalent and both salvage treatments lead to equally long survival and freedom from second relapse. Conclusion

  11. Novel Dual Stage Membrane Bioreactor for the Continuous Remediation of Electroplating Wastewater

    OpenAIRE

    B. A. Q. Santos; S. K. O. Ntwampe; G. Muchatibaya

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the designed dual stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) system was conceptualized for the treatment of cyanide and heavy metals in electroplating wastewater. The design consisted of a primary treatment stage to reduce the impact of fluctuations and the secondary treatment stage to remove the residual cyanide and heavy metal contaminants in the wastewater under alkaline pH conditions. The primary treatment stage contained hydrolyzed Citrus sinensis (C. sinensis) p...

  12. Nanoparticle motion on the surface of drying droplets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mingfei; Yong, Xin

    2018-03-01

    Advances in solution-based printing and surface patterning techniques for additive manufacturing demand a clear understanding of particle dynamics in drying colloidal droplets and its relationship with deposit structure. Although the evaporation-driven deposition has been studied thoroughly for the particles dispersed in the bulk of the droplet, few investigations have focused on the particles strongly adsorbed to the droplet surface. We modeled the assembly and deposition of the surface-active particles in a drying sessile droplet with a pinned contact line by the multiphase lattice Boltzmann-Brownian dynamics method. The particle trajectory and its area density profile characterize the assembly dynamics and deposition pattern development during evaporation. While the bulk-dispersed particles continuously move to the contact line, forming the typical "coffee-ring" deposit, the interface-bound particles migrate first toward the apex and then to the contact line as the droplet dries out. To understand this unexpected behavior, we resolve the droplet velocity field both in the bulk and within the interfacial region. The simulation results agree well with the analytical solution for the Stokes flow inside an evaporating droplet. At different stages of evaporation, our study reveals that the competition between the tangential surface flow and the downward motion of the evaporating liquid-vapor interface governs the dynamics of the interface-bound particles. In particular, the interface displacement contributes to the particle motion toward the droplet apex in a short phase, while the outward advective flow prevails at the late stage of drying and carries the particles to the contact line. The final deposit of the surface-adsorbed particles exhibits a density enhancement at the center, in addition to a coffee ring. Despite its small influence on the final deposit in the present study, the distinct dynamics of surface-active particles due to the interfacial confinement

  13. Effect of drying on the desorption of diuron and terbuthylazine from natural soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lennartz, Bernd [Institute for Land Use, Rostock University, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, D-18051 Rostock (Germany)]. E-mail: bernd.lennartz@uni-rostock.de; Louchart, Xavier [Laboratory on Interactions between Soils, Agrosystems and Hydrosystems (LISAH), National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), 2 place Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex 1 (France)

    2007-03-15

    This work was initiated to study the effects of climate induced soil water status variations which can reach extreme values under natural conditions on the sorption process of hydrophobic organic compounds. Based on the classical slurry batch methodology an approach is developed that allows the fast and careful complete drying of soil suspensions (microwave technique). Classical adsorption experiments were followed by three desorption steps with and without drying cycles. Drying and re-wetting enhanced the sorption-desorption hysteresis and Freundlich adsorption coefficients increased from 5.9 to 16 and 5.2 to 21 over three drying cycles for diuron and terbuthylazine respectively. Assuming the validity of a dual stage adsorption process, model evaluation suggests that drying is as a shrinking-like process leading to conformational changes of the dominant sorbent (soil organic matter) which restrict the intra-micro-particle diffusion. Rewetting only leads to a partial recovery of the diffusional pore space. - Drying of soil samples increased the binding of herbicidal compounds which is interpreted as a reduction of diffusional mass transfer into and out of the soil organic matter.

  14. Effect of drying on the desorption of diuron and terbuthylazine from natural soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lennartz, Bernd; Louchart, Xavier

    2007-01-01

    This work was initiated to study the effects of climate induced soil water status variations which can reach extreme values under natural conditions on the sorption process of hydrophobic organic compounds. Based on the classical slurry batch methodology an approach is developed that allows the fast and careful complete drying of soil suspensions (microwave technique). Classical adsorption experiments were followed by three desorption steps with and without drying cycles. Drying and re-wetting enhanced the sorption-desorption hysteresis and Freundlich adsorption coefficients increased from 5.9 to 16 and 5.2 to 21 over three drying cycles for diuron and terbuthylazine respectively. Assuming the validity of a dual stage adsorption process, model evaluation suggests that drying is as a shrinking-like process leading to conformational changes of the dominant sorbent (soil organic matter) which restrict the intra-micro-particle diffusion. Rewetting only leads to a partial recovery of the diffusional pore space. - Drying of soil samples increased the binding of herbicidal compounds which is interpreted as a reduction of diffusional mass transfer into and out of the soil organic matter

  15. Safeguards and nonproliferation aspects of a dry fuel recycling technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pillay, K.K.S.

    1993-01-01

    Los Alamos National Laboratory undertook an independent assessment of the proliferation potentials and safeguardability of a dry fuel recycling technology, whereby spent pressurized-water reactor (PWR) fuels are used to fuel canadian deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactors. Objectives of this study included (1) the evaluation of presently available technologies that may be useful to safeguard technology options for dry fuel recycling (2) and identification of near-term and long-term research needs to develop process-specific safeguards requirements. The primary conclusion of this assessment is that like all other fuel cycle alternatives proposed in the past, the dry fuel recycle entails prolfferation risks and that there are no absolute technical fixes to eliminate such risks. This study further concludes that the proliferation risks of dry fuel recycling options are relatively minimal and presently known safeguards systems and technologies can be modified and/or adapted to meet the requirements of safeguarding such fuel recycle facilities

  16. Preparation of polymer-organo clay nano composites through the spray drying process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernardo, Paulo R.A.; Pessan, Luiz A.; Carvalho, Antonio J.F. de; Vidotti, Suel E.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of the work was the study and preparation of polymer nano composites with montmorillonite organo clays (MMT) through the spray drying process. A new technique was proposed and tested to obtaining polymer nano composites, based on the use of the spray drying process to produce a nano composite with high clay content. The process consisted of the following stages: clay intercalation in water solution, with after addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and a hydro soluble polyester ionomer (GEROLPS20) as exfoliation agents; spray drying the mixture obtained; incorporation powder in EVOH, PET e PP matrix. The effects of exfoliation agent on morphological and thermal properties of the nano composites were studied by XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and TGA. The results demonstrate that the process of spray drying is an innovative way to obtain a nano composite with high clay content. (author)

  17. The Physiological Suppressing Factors of Dry Forage Intake and the Cause of Water Intake Following Dry Forage Feeding in Goats — A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katsunori Sunagawa

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The goats raised in the barn are usually fed on fresh grass. As dry forage can be stored for long periods in large amounts, dry forage feeding makes it possible to feed large numbers of goats in barns. This review explains the physiological factors involved in suppressing dry forage intake and the cause of drinking following dry forage feeding. Ruminants consume an enormous amount of dry forage in a short time. Eating rates of dry forage rapidly decreased in the first 40 min of feeding and subsequently declined gradually to low states in the remaining time of the feeding period. Saliva in large-type goats is secreted in large volume during the first hour after the commencement of dry forage feeding. It was elucidated that the marked suppression of dry forage intake during the first hour was caused by a feeding-induced hypovolemia and the loss of NaHCO3 due to excessive salivation during the initial stages of dry forage feeding. On the other hand, it was indicated that the marked decrease in feed intake observed in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period was related to ruminal distension caused by the feed consumed and the copious amount of saliva secreted during dry forage feeding. In addition, results indicate that the marked decreases in dry forage intake after 40 min of feeding are caused by increases in plasma osmolality and subsequent thirst sensations produced by dry forage feeding. After 40 min of the 2 h dry forage feeding period, the feed salt content is absorbed into the rumen and plasma osmolality increases. The combined effects of ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality accounted for 77.6% of the suppression of dry forage intake 40 min after the start of dry forage feeding. The results indicate that ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality are the main physiological factors in suppression of dry forage intake in large-type goats. There was very little drinking behavior observed during the first hour of the 2 h

  18. Effect of drying on the desorption of diuron and terbuthylazine from natural soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lennartz, Bernd; Louchart, Xavier

    2007-03-01

    This work was initiated to study the effects of climate induced soil water status variations which can reach extreme values under natural conditions on the sorption process of hydrophobic organic compounds. Based on the classical slurry batch methodology an approach is developed that allows the fast and careful complete drying of soil suspensions (microwave technique). Classical adsorption experiments were followed by three desorption steps with and without drying cycles. Drying and re-wetting enhanced the sorption-desorption hysteresis and Freundlich adsorption coefficients increased from 5.9 to 16 and 5.2 to 21 over three drying cycles for diuron and terbuthylazine respectively. Assuming the validity of a dual stage adsorption process, model evaluation suggests that drying is as a shrinking-like process leading to conformational changes of the dominant sorbent (soil organic matter) which restrict the intra-micro-particle diffusion. Rewetting only leads to a partial recovery of the diffusional pore space.

  19. The effects of plastic film mulching on maize growth and water use in dry and rainy years in Northeast China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jie; Li, Congfeng; Liu, Huitao; Zhou, Peilu; Tao, Zhiqiang; Wang, Pu; Meng, Qingfeng; Zhao, Ming

    2015-01-01

    Plastic film mulching (PM) has been widely used to improve maize (Zea mays L.) yields and water use efficiency (WUE) in Northeast China, but the effects of PM in a changing climate characterized by highly variable precipitation are not well understood. Six site-year field experiments were conducted in the dry and rainy years to investigate the effects of PM on maize growth, grain yield, and WUE in Northeast China. Compared to crops grown without PM treatment (control, CK), PM significantly increased the grain yield by 15-26% in the dry years, but no significant yield increase was observed in the rainy years. Yield increase in the dry years was mainly due to a large increase in dry matter accumulation pre-silking compared to the CK, which resulted from a greater dry matter accumulation rate due to the higher topsoil temperature and water content. As a result, the WUE of the crops that underwent PM (3.27 kg m(-3)) treatment was also increased by around 16% compared to the CK, although the overall evapotranspiration was similar between the two treatments. In the rainy years, due to frequent precipitation and scant sunshine, the topsoil temperature and water content in the field that received PM treatment was improved only at some stages and failed to cause higher dry matter accumulation, except at the 8th leaf stage. Consequently, the grain yield and WUE were not improved by PM in the rainy years. In addition, we found that PM caused leaf senescence at the late growth stage in both dry and rainy years. Therefore, in practice, PM should be applied cautiously, especially when in-season precipitation is taken into account.

  20. The Prevalence of Dry Eye and Sjögren Syndrome in Patients with Migraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarac, Ozge; Kosekahya, Pinar; Yildiz Tasci, Yelda; Keklikoglu, Hava D; Deniz, Orhan; Erten, Şükran; Çağıl, Nurullah

    2017-06-01

    To evaluate the presence of dry eye and primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) in patients with migraine. In total, 46 eyes of 46 patients with migraine (group 1) and 50 eyes of 50 healthy subjects (group 2) were included in this study. Detailed ophthalmologic, neurologic and rheumatologic examination were performed on all participants. Ocular surface disease index questionnaire, tear function tests, visual analog scale for pain, serologic analysis were also performed. Dry eye symptoms and findings were significantly higher and more severe in group 1 when compared with group 2. Primary SS was not found in any of the participants. The migraine lifetime duration was negatively correlated with the tear function tests while it was positively correlated with the ocular surface disease index scores. Dry eye symptoms and findings are higher in migraine patients when compared with the healthy subjects without the presence of Sjögren syndrome.

  1. Evaluation of Two Fitting Methods Applied for Thin-Layer Drying of Cape Gooseberry Fruits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erkan Karacabey

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Drying data of cape gooseberry was used to compare two fitting methods: namely 2-step and 1-step methods. Literature data was also used to confirm the results. To demonstrate the applicability of these methods, two primary models (Page, Two-term-exponential were selected. Linear equation was used as secondary model. As well-known from the previous modelling studies on drying, 2-step method required at least two regressions: One is primary model and one is secondary (if you have only one environmental condition such as temperature. On the other hand, one regression was enough for 1-step method. Although previous studies on kinetic modelling of drying of foods were based on 2-step method, this study indicated that 1-step method may also be a good alternative with some advantages such as drawing an informative figure and reducing time of calculations.

  2. The Potential of Economic Model Predictive Control for Spray Drying Plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Lars Norbert; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Niemann, Hans Henrik

    In 2015 the milk quota system in the European Union will be completely liberalized. As a result, analysts expect production of skimmed and whole milk powder to increase by 5-6% while its price will decline by about 6-7%. Multi-stage spray drying is the prime process for the production of food...... powders. The process is highly energy consuming and capacity depends among other factors on correct control of the dryer. Consequently efficient control and optimization of the spray drying process has become increasingly important to accommodate the future market challenges. The goal of the presentation...

  3. Tuberculosis in patients with end-stage renal disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyo Cheol; Goo, Jin Mo; Chung, Myung Jin; Moon, Min Hoan; Koh, Young Hwan; Im, Jung Gi

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of our study was to describe the clinical and radiological manifestations of tuberculosis in patients with end-stage renal disease. The medical records, chest radiographs, and CT scans of 42 patients with tuberculosis among 871 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease were reviewed. Patterns of initial chest radiographs were categorized as primary, postprimary, miliary, or atypical, according to the predominant radiologic findings. Chest radiographs and CT scans revealed pulmonary tuberculosis in 28 patients and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in 15. The pattern of chest radiographs indicative of pulmonary tuberculosis was primary in 12 cases, postprimary in 11, miliary in one, demonstrated atypical infiltrates in three, and was normal in one. Tuberculosis involved the extrathoracic lymph nodes in six cases, the peritoneum in four, the spine in three, and the bone marrow in two. The primary pattern, seen in 12 patients, manifested as pleural effusion or segmental consolidation, and in ten of the twelve the former was dominant. The radiological pattern of pulmonary tuberculosis in end-stage renal disease is often primary, and extrapulmonary involvement is frequent

  4. Infrared Drying as a Quick Preparation Method for Dried Tangerine Peel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingyue Xu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To establish the most convenient and effective method to dry tangerine peels, different methods (sun drying, hot-air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying, and medium- and short-wave infrared drying were exploited. Our results indicated that medium- and short-wave infrared drying was the best method to preserve nutraceutical components; for example, vitamin C was raised to 6.77 mg/g (D.W. from 3.39 mg/g (sun drying. Moreover, the drying time can be shortened above 96% compared with sun drying. Importantly, the efficiency of DPPH radical scavenging was enhanced from 26.66% to 55.92%. These findings would provide a reliable and time-saving methodology to produce high-quality dried tangerine peels.

  5. Primary urachal adenocarcinoma: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Ziouziou

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Primary urachal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive rare cancer that often presents at advanced stages with poor prognosis. We report this case of a 52-year-old patient with a stage-I (Mayo Clinic primary urachal adenocarcinoma with good outcomes after surgery in a 2-year follow-up period. We analyze epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic features of this disease in the literature review.

  6. Diagnosis and staging of testicular cancer; Diagnostik und Staging von malignen Hodentumoren

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eiers, Michael; Bender, Karen; Hallscheidt, Peter J. [Universitaetsklinikum Heidelberg (Germany). Abt. Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie

    2010-03-15

    With an incidence of just 2 % of all maligne tumour diseases testicular cancer is a relative rare tumour disease. In comparison to other tumours, orchiectomy is performed as a first step therapy straight after primary staging which is performed by palpation, ultrasonography and evaluation of the tumour markers. In a second diagnostic step initial staging will be done by re-evaluation of the tumour markers, X-ray of the thorax in some cases also by CT, CT of the abdomen/pelvis or MRI of the abdomen, in progressive disease additional MRI of the head. Follow-up after curative therapy will be performed according to the histological type (seminoma - non-seminoma) and tumour staging. (orig.)

  7. Is knowledge translation adequate? A quality assurance study of staging investigations in early stage breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Dolly; Hogeveen, Sophie; Sweet Goldstein, Miriam; George, Ralph; Brezden-Masley, Christine; Hoch, Jeffrey; Haq, Rashida; Simmons, Christine E

    2012-02-01

    After primary surgery, patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer undergo radiological investigations based on pathologic stage of disease to rule out distant metastases. Published guidelines can aid clinicians in determining which tests are appropriate based on stage of disease. We wished to assess the consistency of radiological staging in an academic community oncology setting with standard guidelines and to determine the overall impact of non-adherence to these guidelines. A retrospective cohort study was conducted for new breast cancer patients seen at a single institution between January 2009 and April 2010. Patients were included if initial diagnosis and primary surgery was at this institution. Pathologic stage and radiological tests completed were recorded. A literature review was performed and the results were compared with those from this study to determine overall adherence rates. Subsequently, a cost analysis was performed to determine the financial impact at this centre. 231 patients met eligibility criteria for inclusion in this study. A large proportion of patients were over-staged with 129 patients (55%) undergoing unnecessary investigations according to guidelines. Specifically, 59% of stage I patients and 58% of stage II patients were over-investigated. Distant metastases at the time of diagnosis were found in three patients, all of whom had stage III disease (1.3%). The literature reviewed revealed similar non-adherence rates in other centres. The estimated cost of such non-adherence is in the range of $78 (CDN) per new early stage breast cancer patient seen at this centre. This oncology centre has a low adherence to practice guidelines for staging investigations in breast cancer patients, with 55% of patients undergoing unnecessary tests. Very few patients had metastases at diagnosis, and all had pathological stage III disease. Efforts may need to focus on improving knowledge translation across clinical oncology settings to increase

  8. Microwave wood strand drying: energy consumption, VOC emission and drying quality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, S.; Du, G.; Zhang, Y. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

    2005-07-01

    The objective of this research was to develop microwave drying technology for wood strand drying for oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturing. The advantages of microwave drying included a reduction in the drying time of wood strands and a reduction in the release of volatile organic compounds (VOC) through a decrease in the thermal degradation of the wood material. Temperature and moisture content changes under different microwave drying conditions were investigated. The effects of microwave drying on VOC emissions were evaluated and analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Microwave power input and the mass of drying materials in the microwave oven were found to have a dominant effect on drying quality. Results indicated that an increase in microwave power input and a decrease in sample weights resulted in high drying temperatures, short drying times and a high drying rate. The effect of microwave drying on the strand surfaces was also investigated. Different strand geometries and initial moisture content resulted in varying warm-up curves, but did not influence final moisture content. VOC emissions were quantified by comparing alpha-pinene concentrations. The microwave drying resulted in lower VOC emissions compared with conventional drying methods. It was concluded that the microwave drying technique provided faster strand drying and reduced energy consumption by up to 50 per cent. In addition, the surface wettability of wood strands dried with microwaves was better than with an industrial rotary drum drier. 12 refs., 3 tabs., 5 figs.

  9. Optimizing Precipitation Thresholds for Best Correlation Between Dry Lightning and Wildfires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vant-Hull, Brian; Thompson, Tollisha; Koshak, William

    2018-03-01

    This work examines how to adjust the definition of "dry lightning" in order to optimize the correlation between dry lightning flash count and the climatology of large (>400 km2) lightning-ignited wildfires over the contiguous United States (CONUS). The National Lightning Detection Network™ and National Centers for Environmental Prediction Stage IV radar-based, gauge-adjusted precipitation data are used to form climatic data sets. For a 13 year analysis period over CONUS, a correlation of 0.88 is found between annual totals of wildfires and dry lightning. This optimal correlation is found by defining dry lightning as follows: on a 0.1° hourly grid, a precipitation threshold of no more than 0.3 mm may accumulate during any hour over a period of 3-4 days preceding the flash. Regional optimized definitions vary. When annual totals are analyzed as done here, no clear advantage is found by weighting positive polarity cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning differently than -CG lightning. The high variability of dry lightning relative to the precipitation and lightning from which it is derived suggests it would be an independent and useful climate indicator.

  10. Drying and decontamination of pistachios with sequential infrared drying, tempering and hot air drying

    Science.gov (United States)

    The pistachio industry is in need of improved drying technology as the current hot air drying has low energy efficiency and drying rate and high labor cost and also does not produce safe products against microbial contamination. In the current study, dehulled and water- sorted pistachios with a mois...

  11. [Objective assessment of the functional impact of dry eye severity on the quality of vision by double-pass aberrometry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habay, T; Majzoub, S; Perrault, O; Rousseau, C; Pisella, P J

    2014-03-01

    To assess the functional impact of the severity of dry eye on the quality of vision by measuring an Objective Scatter Index (OSI) using double pass aberrometry. Twenty-eight patients (56 eyes) with dry eye syndromes of varying severity participated in this study. A double-pass aberrometer was used to measure the dynamic changes in the OSI for 20 seconds. The mean and standard deviations of the OSI and the number of blinks occurring during the examination were compared as a function of the clinical severity of dry eye disease. The mean OSI increased with the severity of dry eye syndrome with a significant difference for stages 3 (P0.8) or visual acuity (P>0.2). Standard deviation of the OSI also increased with the severity of dry eye disease, with a significant difference for stages 3 (P0.2). The values of the OSI standard deviation represented the dynamic nature of aberrometric changes related to the instability of the tear film. Quality of vision of patients deteriorated in relation to the severity of their dry eye. The analysis of OSI standard deviation appears to be an objective way to assess the intensity of subjective visual disturbances reported by patients with dry eye syndrome. It also provides a new tool to assess the severity of damage to the ocular surface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of Drying Process Quality in Conventional Dry-Kilns

    OpenAIRE

    Sedlar Tomislav; Pervan Stjepan

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents testing results of drying quality in a conventional dry kiln. Testing is based on a new methodology that will show the level of success of the drying process management by analyzing the quality of drying process in a conventional dry kiln, using a scientifi cally improved version of the check list in everyday practical applications. A company that specializes in lamel and classic parquet production was chosen so as to verify the new testing methodology. A total of 56 m3 of...

  13. Color formation in nitrite-free dried hams as related to Zn-protoporphyrin IX and Zn-chelatase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parolari, Giovanni; Benedini, Riccardo; Toscani, Tania

    2009-08-01

    The development of red pigment Zn-protoporphyrin IX (ZPP) in nitrite-free Parma hams was investigated in 5 leg muscles at several stages of processing and the activity of muscle Zn-chelatase was concurrently assayed for its potential role in ZPP formation. A steady increase of the pigment was observed throughout the manufacturing stages at mild temperatures while no development was observed during the prior cold resting phase. The enzyme was partly inactivated according to a muscle-dependent pattern, resulting in similar ZPP contents, hence color, in finished hams. It is concluded that enzyme-dependent synthesis of ZPP in nitrite-free dried hams contributes to color development, enabling muscles in dried hams to become more similar in redness than in green thighs. Therefore, checking raw meat for the enzyme content may be a means to control color formation in nitrite-free dry-cured meat derivatives.

  14. Circulating Tumor DNA in Predicting Outcomes in Patients With Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer or Stage III-IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-12

    Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Salivary Gland Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IIIB Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx; Stage IVA Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVB Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVC Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Tongue Cancer; Untreated Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary

  15. Granisetron, Aprepitant, and Dexamethasone in Preventing Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Stage II, III, or IV Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-04-24

    Nausea and Vomiting; Ovarian Brenner Tumor; Ovarian Clear Cell Cystadenocarcinoma; Ovarian Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma; Ovarian Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma; Ovarian Seromucinous Carcinoma; Ovarian Serous Cystadenocarcinoma; Stage II Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIC Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIA Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIB Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIC Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IV Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer; Stage IV Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Undifferentiated Ovarian Carcinoma

  16. SOX9 Expression Predicts Relapse of Stage II Colon Cancer Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Espersen, Maiken Lise Marcker; Linnemann, Dorte; Christensen, Ib Jarle

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate if the protein expression of Sex-determining region y-box 9 (SOX9) in primary tumors could predict relapse of stage II colon cancer patients.144 patients with stage II primary colon cancer were retrospectively enrolledin the study. SOX9 expression...

  17. PROPOSAL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPRAY DRYING IN THE ACTIVATION PROCESS OF BENTONITE WITH SULFURIC ACID

    OpenAIRE

    Romero, P.; Otiniano, M.

    2014-01-01

    The present work propose the replacement of the three stages of the activation process of bentonite with sulfuric acid by the only stage spray drying. El presente trabajo propone reemplazar tres etapas del proceso de activación de la bentonita con ácido sulfúrico por una sola etapa, la del secado por atomización.

  18. Drying Spirulina with Foam Mat Drying at Medium Temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aji Prasetyaningrum

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Spirulina is a single cell blue green microalgae (Cyanobacteria containing many Phytonutrients (Beta-carotene, Chlorophyl, Xanthophyl, Phyocianin using as anti-carcinogen in food. Producing dry spirulina by quick drying process at medium temperature is very important to retain the Phytonutrient quality. Currently, the work is still challenging due to the gel formation that block the water diffusion from inside to the surface.  This research studies the performance of foam-mat drying on production of dry spirulina. In this method the spirulina was mixed with foaming agent (glair/egg albumen, popular as white egg at 2.5% by weight at air velocity 2.2 m/sec. Here, the effect of spirulina thickness and operational temperature on drying time and quality (Beta-carotene and color were observed. The drying time was estimated based on the measurement of water content in spirulina versus time. Result showed that the thicker spirulina, the longer drying time. Conversely, the higher operational temperature, faster drying time. At thickness ranging 1-3 mm and operational temperature below 70oC, the quality of spirulina can fit the market requirement

  19. Dry Eye

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Eye » Facts About Dry Eye Listen Facts About Dry Eye Fact Sheet Blurb The National Eye Institute (NEI) ... and their families search for general information about dry eye. An eye care professional who has examined the ...

  20. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials in the treatment of dry eye disease in Sjogren syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    Shih, Kendrick Co; Lun, Christie Nicole; Jhanji, Vishal; Thong, Bernard Yu-Hor; Tong, Louis

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Primary Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by dry eye and dry mouth. We systematically reviewed all the randomized controlled clinical trials published in the last 15 years that included ocular outcomes. We found 22 trials involving 9 topical, 10 oral, 2 intravenous and 1 subcutaneous modalities of treatment. Fluoromethalone eye drops over 8 weeks were more effective than topical cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye symptoms and signs; similarly, indomethac...

  1. Fungitoxicity of lyophilized and spray-dried garlic extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tedeschi, Paola; Maietti, Annalisa; Boggian, Marisa; Vecchiati, Giorgio; Brandolini, Vincenzo

    2007-01-01

    Among the compounds discussed for anti-microbial and anti-fungal use allicin (allylthiosulfinate, diallyl disulfide-S-monoxide), an active ingredient of garlic, has attracted considerable attention. The objective of this study is to determine the antifungal activity of a local garlic ecotype (Voghiera) extracts against different pathogens. Primary screening was carried out by the agar plates technique using ethanol garlic extract at four final concentrations against the following organisms: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus spp., Colletotrichum acutatum, Didymella bryoniae, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium gramineareum, Gliocladium roseum 47, Pythium splendens, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Stemphylium vesicarium, Trichoderma longibranchiatum, and Botrytis cinerea. Secondary screening was carried out using a lyophilized and a spray-dried preparation at different concentrations against the organisms selected for the high inhibition garlic effect in the primary screening and compared with the commercial fungicides mancozeb and iprodione. The best results were observed for the spray-dried garlic compound that showed a good fungicidal activity at the concentration of 1.5 g/10 mL while lyophilized garlic at the same concentration exhibited less inhibition activity against the four fungi analyzed in the second screening.

  2. Quality of second season soybean submitted to drying and storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cesar Pedro Hartmann Filho

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Drying agricultural products reduces the moisture content to suitable levels for storage, in order to maintain the product quality. However, special care with the temperatures applied in the process is important for the integrity and longevity of the material. The present study aimed at determining the immediate and latent effect of air-drying temperatures on the quality of soybean produced as a second season crop. The grains were collected at the R8 stage, close to the physiological maturity, with moisture content of approximately 23 % (w.b., submitted to drying temperatures of 40 ºC, 50 ºC, 60 ºC, 70 ºC and 80 ºC, up to a moisture content of 12.5 ± 0.7 % (w.b., and then stored under non-controlled humidity and temperature for 180 days. Thereafter, quality was assessed every 45 days by determining the dry matter loss, color and crude protein and lipid contents, as well as the acidity and peroxide indices of the crude oil extracted. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the increase in the air-drying temperature affects the soybean quality and crude oil extracted, being this effect enhanced with the storage time; the soybean and crude oil quality decline with an increase in the air-drying temperature and storage time; the air temperature of 40 ºC has the least effect on the quality of soybean grains and crude oil extracted.

  3. Physiological quality and gene expression related to heat-resistant proteins at different stages of development of maize seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, T; Von Pinho, E V R; Von Pinho, R G; Oliveira, G E; Andrade, V; Fernandes, J S

    2013-09-13

    We quantified and characterized the expression of heat-resistant proteins during seed development of maize lines with distinct levels of tolerance to high drying temperature. A corn field was planted for multiplication of seeds of different lines, two tolerant and two non-tolerant to high drying temperatures. Harvest of the seeds was carried out at various stages of development and they were then subjected to tests of moisture content, germination, first count of germination, accelerated aging, and cold test. The seeds were stored in a freezer for later analysis of expression of heat-resistant proteins by means of real-time PCR, electrophoresis, and spectrophotometry. We observed that heat-resistant proteins are expressed in a differential manner in seeds from different lines and at different stages of development. The expression of heat-resistant proteins was earlier in lines tolerant to high drying temperatures. Greater germination and vigor values was found for seeds collected at the last stage of development.

  4. Determining the K coefficient to leaf area index estimations in a tropical dry forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalhães, Sarah Freitas; Calvo-Rodriguez, Sofia; do Espírito Santo, Mário Marcos; Sánchez Azofeifa, Gerardo Arturo

    2018-03-01

    Vegetation indices are useful tools to remotely estimate several important parameters related to ecosystem functioning. However, improving and validating estimations for a wide range of vegetation types are necessary. In this study, we provide a methodology for the estimation of the leaf area index (LAI) in a tropical dry forest (TDF) using the light diffusion through the canopy as a function of the successional stage. For this purpose, we estimated the K coefficient, a parameter that relates the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to LAI, based on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and solar radiation. The study was conducted in the Mata Seca State Park, in southeastern Brazil, from 2012 to 2013. We defined four successional stages (very early, early, intermediate, and late) and established one optical phenology tower at one plot of 20 × 20 m per stage. Towers measured the incoming and reflected solar radiation and PAR for NDVI calculation. For each plot, we established 24 points for LAI sampling through hemispherical photographs. Because leaf cover is highly seasonal in TDFs, we determined ΔK (leaf growth phase) and K max (leaf maturity phase). We detected a strong correlation between NDVI and LAI, which is necessary for a reliable determination of the K coefficient. Both NDVI and LAI varied significantly between successional stages, indicating sensitivity to structural changes in forest regeneration. Furthermore, the K values differed between successional stages and correlated significantly with other environmental variables such as air temperature and humidity, fraction of absorbed PAR, and soil moisture. Thus, we established a model based on spectral properties of the vegetation coupled with biophysical characteristics in a TDF that makes possible to estimate LAI from NDVI values. The application of the K coefficient can improve remote estimations of forest primary productivity and gases and energy exchanges between vegetation and atmosphere

  5. WASTE-FREE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF DRY MASHED POTATOES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. V. Kalashnikov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary. According to data on norms of consumption of vegetable production of scientific research institute of Food of the Russian Academy of Medical Science, potatoes win first place with norm of 120 kg a year on the person. In this regard much attention is paid to processing of potatoes that allows to prolong the term of its validity, and also to reduce the capacity of storages and to reduce transport transportations as 1 kg of a dry potatoes produсt is equivalent 7-8 kg of fresh potatoes. Thus industrial processing of potatoes on dry mashed potatoes allows to reduce losses of potatoes at storage and transportation, there is a possibility of enrichment of products vitamins and other useful components, its nutrition value remains better, conditions for complex processing of raw materials with full recycling and creations of stocks of products from potatoes on a crop failure case are created. Dry mashed potatoes are a product of long storage. On the basis of studying of the production technology of mashed potatoes the analysis of technological processes as sources of creation of waste, and the directions of recovery of secondary raw materials for complex waste-free technology of processing of potatoes are defined is provided. The waste-free technological scheme of processing of potatoes and production of dry instant mashed potatoes on the basis of dehydration and moisture thermal treatment a component providing recovery of secondary carbohydrate content raw materials in the form of waste of the main production is developed. The main stages of production of dry instant mashed potatoes are described. It is offered the technological scheme of a production line of mashed potatoes on the basis of waste-free technology. Advantages of the offered waste-free production technology of dry instant mashed potatoes with processing of secondary starch-containing raw materials are given.

  6. [One-stage Operation through the Same Skin Incision for Synchronous Double Primary Breast and Lung Cancer;Report of a Case].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Noriyuki; Kuga, Yoko; Uno, Satoko; Saito, Keita

    2018-02-01

    A 75-year-old woman noticed a small mass in the right side breast and consulted our hospital. The results of the detailed examination indicated the synchronous double primary right breast cancer and the same side lung cancer (rS5). One-stage operation from the same skin incision was scheduled. Volume rendering (VR) of computed tomography (CT)-scan was very useful in deciding the position and the length of the skin incision. The breast tumor resection and the right middle lobe resection were successfully performed through 6.5 cm skin incision.

  7. Treatment Options by Stage (Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancer)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the ovaries or to other parts of the body. The ... single ovary or fallopian tube. In stage IB, cancer is found inside both ovaries or fallopian tubes. In stage IC, cancer is ...

  8. Hanford spent nuclear fuel cold vacuum drying proof of performance test procedure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCracken, K.J.

    1998-01-01

    This document provides the test procedure for cold testing of the first article skids for the Cold Vacuum Drying (CVD) process at the Facility. The primary objective of this testing is to confirm design choices and provide data for the initial start-up parameters for the process. The current scope of testing in this document includes design verification, drying cycle determination equipment performance testing of the CVD process and MCC components, heat up and cool-down cycle determination, and thermal model validation

  9. Development of a dynamic drying model for for a combustion grate; Framtagande av en dynamisk torkmodell foer en foerbraenningsrost

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Broden, Henrik; Ramstroem, Erik [TPS Termiska Processer AB, Nykoeping (Sweden)

    2005-02-01

    Combustion of wet wood fuel at high grate loading requires good control of the burnout position to avoid unacceptably high content of unburnt fuel in the ash. To control the burn-out position, control actions on the grate feeding must be made with sufficient range and anticipation. One way to improve the understanding of the dynamic fuel bed response on changes in control system parameters is mathematical modelling. The research task has been to develop a mathematical model of a drying fuel bed on a moving grate. The model includes a simplified description of drying, pyrolysis and char combustion and also pusher/grate movement and primary air flow/distribution. The objectives of the project have been to establish the most likely mechanism for drying and ignition of a wet fuel bed on a moving grate by the use of mathematical modelling and also to create a tool for simulation of control system step responses. The target group for the project are individuals working in the area of control system development of grate fired boilers. Three different assumptions on drying and ignition front propagation in a bio fuel bed with 50 and 53 % moisture have been modelled: 1. Drying and ignition from an underlying char layer in a co-current primary air flow 2. Drying and ignition from an overlaying char layer in counter-current primary air flow 3. Drying and ignition from both an underlying and overlaying char layer The model with drying and ignition driven by an underlying char layer is the projection, which gives the fastest and time-wise the most similar course to what one normally sees in grate fired boilers. The model with drying and ignition from above is not capable of upholding a stable diffusion controlled burning char layer since too small quantities of heat is transferred into the fuel bed. The model with drying and ignition from both directions results in similar combustion rate as the first model. The similar course of combustion is due to the energy for drying

  10. Investigation of bioresistant dry building mixes modified by carbon nanotubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Korolev Evgeniy Valer'evich

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Dry construction mixes are today a product of high technologies. Depending on the purpose and requirements to the properties it is easy to produce dry construction mixes with different compositions and operating indicators in plant conditions using the necessary modifying additives. Cement, gypsum and other mineral binders are used in the construction mixes. Different types of cement are more heavily used in dry construction mixes. Such dry mixes are believed to be more effective materials comparing to traditional cement-sandy solutions of centralized preparation. The authors present the results of the investigations on obtaining biocidal cement-sand compositions. It was established, that introduction of sodium sulfate into the composition provides obtaining the materials with funginert and fungicide properties. The strength properties of the mixes modified by carbon nanotubes and biocide additive were investigated by mathematical planning methods. The results of the investigations showed that the modification of cement stone structure by carbon nanotubes positively influences their strength and technological properties. Nanomodifying of construction composites by introducing carbon nanotubes may be effectively used at different stages of structure formation of a construction material.

  11. Effects of shading on dry matter partitioning and yield of field-grown sunflower

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villalobos, F.J.; Soriano, A.; Fereres, E.

    1992-01-01

    Crop simulation models require quantitative descriptions of the effects of irradiance on dry matter partition and yield. The objective of this work was to quantify the effects of reduced radiation intensity during different phenological stages on the growth, dry matter partitioning and grain numbers of sunflower (Helianthus annuus, L.). A field experiment was carried out in 1990 with 50 per cent shading treatments. The earliest treatment began at crop emergence while the latest ended at first anthesis. Shading had little effect on plant leaf area growth but reduced biomass and yield. The dry matter: radiation quotient and specific leaf area increased with shading. Grain number per head was decreased by shading, with the greatest effect occurring when shading was applied prior to anthesis. All shading treatments increased dry matter partitioning to stems, decreased assimilate partitioning to the heads and had no effect on the partitioning to leaves. (author)

  12. Spray Drying Processing: granules production and drying kinetics of droplets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mondragon, R.; Julia, J. E.; Barba, A.; Jarque, J. C.

    2013-01-01

    Spray drying is a unit operation very common in many industrial processes. For each particular application, the resulting granulated material must possess determined properties that depend on the conditions in which the spray drying processing has been carried out, and whose dependence must be known in order to optimize the quality of the material obtained. The large number of variables that influence on the processes of matter and energy transfer and on the formation of granular material has required a detailed analysis of the drying process. Over the years there have been many studies on the spray drying processing of all kind of materials and the influence of process variables on the drying kinetics of the granulated material properties obtained. This article lists the most important works published for both the spray drying processing and the drying of individual droplets, as well as studies aimed at modeling the drying kinetics of drops. (Author)

  13. Influence of the drying method in chitosans purification step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonseca, Ana C.M.; Batista, Jorge G.S.; Bettega, Antonio; Lima, Nelson B. de

    2015-01-01

    Currently, the study of extracellular biopolymers properties has received prominence for being easy extraction and purification. Chitosan has been an attractive proposition for applications in various fields such as engineering, biotechnology, medicine and pharmacology. For such applications, it is necessary purification of chitosan to obtain a product more concentrated and free of undesirable impurities. However, at this stage of the process of obtaining the biopolymer may occur morphological and physicochemical changes. This study evaluated the influence of the drying process after purification of a commercial chitosan sample and the importance of this step and its cost/benefit in applications requiring a high degree of purity. The method of drying influenced in the organoleptic properties and in the main characteristics of material. Analysis of the crystal structure by X-ray diffraction showed that the degree of crystallinity, X (%), in the purified chitosan samples was lower when compared with the unpurified sample. The degree of acetylation, DA (%), was analyzed by spectroscopy infrared with no significant changes on the three drying methods assessed, unlike the viscosimetric molecular weight, M_v, determined by capillary viscometry. (author)

  14. Comparison of alternative flue gas dry treatment technologies in waste-to-energy processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dal Pozzo, Alessandro; Antonioni, Giacomo; Guglielmi, Daniele; Stramigioli, Carlo; Cozzani, Valerio

    2016-05-01

    Acid gases such as HCl and SO2 are harmful both for human health and ecosystem integrity, hence their removal is a key step of the flue gas treatment of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants. Methods based on the injection of dry sorbents are among the Best Available Techniques for acid gas removal. In particular, systems based on double reaction and filtration stages represent nowadays an effective technology for emission control. The aim of the present study is the simulation of a reference two-stage (2S) dry treatment system performance and its comparison to three benchmarking alternatives based on single stage sodium bicarbonate injection. A modelling procedure was applied in order to identify the optimal operating configuration of the 2S system for different reference waste compositions, and to determine the total annual cost of operation. Taking into account both operating and capital costs, the 2S system appears the most cost-effective solution for medium to high chlorine content wastes. A Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess the robustness of the results. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Analysis of tear cytokines and clinical correlations in Sjögren syndrome dry eye patients and non-Sjögren syndrome dry eye patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Yeop; Han, Soo Jung; Nam, Sang Min; Yoon, Sang Chul; Ahn, Ji Min; Kim, Tae-Im; Kim, Eung Kweon; Seo, Kyoung Yul

    2013-08-01

    To compare concentrations of tear cytokines in 3 groups composed of Sjögren syndrome (SS) dry eye, non-Sjögren syndrome (non-SS) dry eye, and normal subjects. Correlations between ocular surface parameters and tear cytokines were also investigated. Prospective cross-sectional study. SS dry eye patients (n = 24; 40 eyes) were diagnosed with primary SS according to the criteria set by the American-European Consensus Group. Non-SS dry eye patients (n = 25; 40 eyes) and normal subjects (n = 21; 35 eyes) were also enrolled. Tear concentrations of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, IL-10, IL-4, IL-2, interferon γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured by a multiplex immunobead assay. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer I test, and fluorescein staining scores were obtained from dry eye patients. All cytokine levels except for IL-2 were highest in the SS group, followed by non-SS dry eye group and control subjects. Concentrations of IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-6 were significantly different among the 3 groups (IL-17: SS > control P control P = .042, SS > non-SS P control P = .006, non-SS > control P = .034, SS > non-SS P = .029; IL-6: SS > control P = .002, non-SS > control P = .032, SS > non-SS P = .002). IL-17 was significantly correlated with TBUT (R = -0.22, P = .012) and Schirmer I test (R = -0.36, P = .027) scores in the SS group. IL-6 was significantly correlated only with TBUT (R = -0.38, P = .02) in the non-SS group. Differences in tear cytokine levels and correlation patterns between SS dry eye and non-SS dry eye patients suggest the involvement of different inflammatory processes as causes of dry eye syndrome. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Studies of particle drying using non-invasive Raman spectrometry and particle size analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Peter; Littlejohn, David; Nordon, Alison; Sefcik, Jan; Slavin, Paul; Dallin, Paul; Andrews, John

    2011-05-21

    The evaporation of methanol from needle-shaped particles of cellobiose octaacetate (COA) has been studied directly in a jacketed vacuum drier using in situ measurements by Raman spectrometry. A design of experiments (DoE) approach was used to investigate the effects of three parameters (method of agitation, % solvent loss on drying and jacket temperature), with the intention of minimising the drying time and extent of particle attrition. Drying curves based on Raman signals for methanol and COA in the spectra of the wet particles indicated the end of drying and revealed three stages in the drying process that could be used to monitor the progress of solvent removal in real time. Off-line particle size measurements based on laser diffraction were made to obtain information on the extent of attrition, to compare with the trends revealed by the Raman drying curves. The study demonstrated that non-invasive Raman spectrometry can be used to study the progress of drying during agitation of particles in a vacuum drier, allowing optimisation of operating conditions to minimise attrition and reduce drying times. Although a correlation between particle size and off-line Raman measurements of COA was demonstrated, it was not possible to derive equivalent information from the in situ Raman spectra owing to the greater effects of particle motion or bulk density variations of the particles in the drier.

  17. Probability analysis of MCO over-pressurization during staging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pajunen, A.L.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this calculation is to determine the probability of Multi-Canister Overpacks (MCOs) over-pressurizing during staging at the Canister Storage Building (CSB). Pressurization of an MCO during staging is dependent upon changes to the MCO gas temperature and the build-up of reaction products during the staging period. These effects are predominantly limited by the amount of water that remains in the MCO following cold vacuum drying that is available for reaction during staging conditions. Because of the potential for increased pressure within an MCO, provisions for a filtered pressure relief valve and rupture disk have been incorporated into the MCO design. This calculation provides an estimate of the frequency that an MCO will contain enough water to pressurize beyond the limits of these design features. The results of this calculation will be used in support of further safety analyses and operational planning efforts. Under the bounding steady state CSB condition assumed for this analysis, an MCO must contain less than 1.6 kg (3.7 lbm) of water available for reaction to preclude actuation of the pressure relief valve at 100 psid. To preclude actuation of the MCO rupture disk at 150 psid, an MCO must contain less than 2.5 kg (5.5 lbm) of water available for reaction. These limits are based on the assumption that hydrogen generated by uranium-water reactions is the sole source of gas produced within the MCO and that hydrates in fuel particulate are the primary source of water available for reactions during staging conditions. The results of this analysis conclude that the probability of the hydrate water content of an MCO exceeding 1.6 kg is 0.08 and the probability that it will exceed 2.5 kg is 0.01. This implies that approximately 32 of 400 staged MCOs may experience pressurization to the point where the pressure relief valve actuates. In the event that an MCO pressure relief valve fails to open, the probability is 1 in 100 that the MCO would experience

  18. Generalized drying curves in conductive/convective paper drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.C. Motta Lima

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available This work presents a study related to conductive/convective drying of paper (cellulose sheets over heated surfaces, under natural and forced air conditions. The experimental apparatus consists in a metallic box heated by a thermostatic bath containing an upper surface on which the paper samples (about 1 mm thick are placed. The system is submitted to ambient air under two different conditions: natural convection and forced convection provide by an adjustable blower. The influence of initial paper moisture content, drying (heated surface temperature and air velocity on drying curves behavior is observed under different drying conditions. Hence, these influence is studied through the proposal of generalized drying curves. Those curves are analyzed individually for each air condition exposed above and for both together. A set of equations to fit them is proposed and discussed.

  19. [Study on optimization of drying method and its mechanism in Ginkgo biloba leaves].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Han-Liang; Qian, Da-Wei; Duan, Jin-Ao; Ren, Hao; Qian, Ye-Fei; Tang, Yu-Ping; Liu, Pei

    2013-07-01

    To provide a scientific evidence for the initial primary processing method, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with a triple quadrupole electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the contents variation of catechins, flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, biflavones, terpene lactones and phenolic acids during the process of drying in the sun, in the shade, and baked with 35, 45, 60, 80 degrees C, respectively. The results show that drying in the 80 degrees C is conducive to the accumulation of catechins, flavonoid glycosides, terpene lactones, better than the effects of other procedures. Therefore, the fast drying at 80 degrees C is beneficial for the retention of various types of active ingredient of Ginkgo biloba, and this method could be applied as a preferably dry processing.

  20. Multiple neoplasms, single primaries, and patient survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amer, Magid H

    2014-01-01

    Multiple primary neoplasms in surviving cancer patients are relatively common, with an increasing incidence. Their impact on survival has not been clearly defined. This was a retrospective review of clinical data for all consecutive patients with histologically confirmed cancer, with emphasis on single versus multiple primary neoplasms. Second primaries discovered at the workup of the index (first) primary were termed simultaneous, if discovered within 6 months of the index primary were called synchronous, and if discovered after 6 months were termed metachronous. Between 2005 and 2012, of 1,873 cancer patients, 322 developed second malignancies; these included two primaries (n=284), and three or more primaries (n=38). Forty-seven patients had synchronous primaries and 275 had metachronous primaries. Patients with multiple primaries were predominantly of Caucasian ancestry (91.0%), with a tendency to develop thrombosis (20.2%), had a strong family history of similar cancer (22.3%), and usually presented with earlier stage 0 through stage II disease (78.9%). When compared with 1,551 patients with a single primary, these figures were 8.9%, 15.6%, 18.3%, and 50.9%, respectively (P≤0.001). Five-year survival rates were higher for metachronous cancers (95%) than for synchronous primaries (59%) and single primaries (59%). The worst survival rate was for simultaneous concomitant multiple primaries, being a median of 1.9 years. The best survival was for patients with three or more primaries (median 10.9 years) and was similar to the expected survival for the age-matched and sex-matched general population (P=0.06991). Patients with multiple primaries are usually of Caucasian ancestry, have less aggressive malignancies, present at earlier stages, frequently have a strong family history of similar cancer, and their cancers tend to have indolent clinical behavior with longer survival rates, possibly related to genetic predisposition

  1. Drying hardwood lumber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chow, A T

    1988-11-14

    Dried lumber is a high-value-added product, especially when it is of high quality. Lumber damaged during the drying operation can represent substantial lost revenue. It has been demonstrated that dehumidification kilns can improve lumber quality, and reduce energy consumption over conventional drying methods. A summary of the literature on drying hardwood lumber, particularly using heat pump dehumidification, has been prepared to allow the information to be readily accessible to Ontario Hydro personnel who work with customers in the lumber industry. For that purpose, this summary has been prepared from the perspective of the customer, a dry kiln operator. Included are brief descriptions of drying schedules, precautions needed to minimize drying defects in the lumber, and rules-of-thumb for selecting and estimating the capital cost of the drying equipment. A selection of drying schedules and moisture contents of green lumber, a glossary of lumber defects and brief descriptions of the possible preventive measures are also included. 10 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.

  2. Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Local Tumor Staging in Patients With Primary Breast Cancer: A Comparison With Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grueneisen, Johannes; Nagarajah, James; Buchbender, Christian; Hoffmann, Oliver; Schaarschmidt, Benedikt Michael; Poeppel, Thorsten; Forsting, Michael; Quick, Harald H; Umutlu, Lale; Kinner, Sonja

    2015-08-01

    This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast for lesion detection and local tumor staging of patients with primary breast cancer in comparison to PET/computed tomography (CT) and MRI. The study was approved by the local institutional review board. Forty-nine patients with biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer were prospectively enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a PET/CT, and subsequently, a contrast-enhanced PET/MRI of the breast after written informed consent was obtained before each examination. Two radiologists independently evaluated the corresponding data sets (PET/CT, PET/MRI, and MRI) and were instructed to identify primary tumors lesions as well as multifocal/multicentric and bilateral disease. Furthermore, the occurrence of lymph node metastases was assessed, and the T-stage for each patient was determined. Histopathological verification of the local tumor extent and the axillary lymph node status was available for 30 of 49 and 48 of 49 patients, respectively. For the remaining patients, a consensus characterization was performed for the determination of the T-stage and nodal status, taking into account the results of clinical staging, PET/CT, and PET/MRI examinations. Statistical analysis was performed to test for differences in diagnostic performance between the different imaging procedures. P values less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Positron emission tomography/MRI and MRI correctly identified 47 (96%) of the 49 patients with primary breast cancer, whereas PET/CT enabled detection of 46 (94%) of 49 breast cancer patients and missed a synchronous carcinoma in the contralateral breast in 1 patient. In a lesion-by-lesion analysis, no significant differences could be obtained between the 3 imaging procedures for the identification of primary breast cancer lesions (P > 0.05). Positron emission tomography/MRI and

  3. Extensive screening for primary tumor is redundant in melanoma of unknown primary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tos, Tina; Klyver, Helle; Drzewiecki, Krzysztof T

    2011-01-01

    For decades, patients in our institution with metastastic melanoma of unknown primary have been subjected to extensive examinations in search of the primary tumor. This retrospective study questions the results, and thus the feasibility of these examinations. Of 103 patients diagnosed with unknow......, for patients referred with metastastic melanoma of unknown primary, we recommend that a detailed history is obtained, and a standard physical examination performed, in addition to a histopathological review and CT/PET for staging....

  4. A match-mismatch test of a stage model of behaviour change in tobacco smoking

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkstra, A; Conijn, B; De Vries, H

    Aims An innovation offered by stage models of behaviour change is that of stage-matched interventions. Match-mismatch studies are the primary test of this idea but also the primary test of the validity of stage models. This study aimed at conducting such a test among tobacco smokers using the Social

  5. Drying characteristics of zucchini and empirical modeling of its drying process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naciye Kutlu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to dry zucchini (Cucurbita pepo by two different methods (convective hot-air (CHD and microwave-assisted drying (MWD. The effect of air temperature (60, 70 and 80°C, microwave (MW power (180, 360, 540 W and sample thickness (5 and 10 mm on some drying characteristics of zucchini were investigated. Thirteen mathematical models available in the literature were fitted to the experimental moisture ratio data. The coefficients of the models were determined by non-linear regression analysis. It was determined that the model that fits the moisture ratio data the best varies at different drying conditions. Increasing drying temperature and MW power and reducing sample thickness improved the drying rate and drying time. Drying in microwave has reduced the drying time by 52-64% for zucchini. It was found that the effective moisture diffusivities increased with increasing temperature and MW power. MWD samples had better rehydration ratios compared to ones dried only in tray drier for 5 mm thickness.  

  6. Identification of the compositional changes in Orthosiphon stamineus leaves triggered by different drying techniques using 1 H NMR metabolomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pariyani, Raghunath; Ismail, Intan Safinar; Ahmad Azam, Amalina; Abas, Faridah; Shaari, Khozirah

    2017-09-01

    Java tea is a well-known herbal infusion prepared from the leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus (OS). The biological properties of tea are in direct correlation with the primary and secondary metabolite composition, which in turn largely depends on the choice of drying method. Herein, the impact of three commonly used drying methods, i.e. shade, microwave and freeze drying, on the metabolite composition and antioxidant activity of OS leaves was investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate classification and regression analysis tools. A total of 31 constituents comprising primary and secondary metabolites belonging to the chemical classes of fatty acids, amino acids, sugars, terpenoids and phenolic compounds were identified. Shade-dried leaves were identified to possess the highest concentrations of bioactive secondary metabolites such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin, orthosiphol and apigenin, followed by microwave-dried samples. Freeze-dried leaves had higher concentrations of choline, amino acids leucine, alanine and glutamine and sugars such as fructose and α-glucose, but contained the lowest levels of secondary metabolites. Metabolite profiling coupled with multivariate analysis identified shade drying as the best method to prepare OS leaves as Java tea or to include in traditional medicine preparation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. The design and scale-up of spray dried particle delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khattawi, Ali; Bayly, Andrew; Phillips, Andrew; Wilson, David

    2018-01-01

    The rising demand for pharmaceutical particles with tailored physicochemical properties has opened new markets for spray drying especially for solubility enhancement, improving inhalation medicines and stabilization of biopharmaceuticals. Despite this, the spray drying literature is scattered and often does not address the principles underpinning robust development of pharmaceuticals. It is therefore necessary to present clearer picture of the field and highlight the factors influencing particle design and scale-up. Areas covered: The review presents a systematic analysis of the trends in development of particle delivery systems using spray drying. This is followed by exploring the mechanisms governing particle formation in the process stages. Particle design factors including those of equipment configurations and feed/process attributes were highlighted. Finally, the review summarises the current industrial approaches for upscaling pharmaceutical spray drying. Expert opinion: Spray drying provides the ability to design particles of the desired functionality. This greatly benefits the pharmaceutical sector especially as product specifications are becoming more encompassing and exacting. One of the biggest barriers to product translation remains one of scale-up/scale-down. A shift from trial and error approaches to model-based particle design helps to enhance control over product properties. To this end, process innovations and advanced manufacturing technologies are particularly welcomed.

  8. The role of the computed tomography in head and neck cancer: Comparison of CT staging with clinical staging in oral cavity, oropharynx and larynx cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Kee Hyun; Lee, Yul; Han, Man Chung

    1985-01-01

    Thirty-six patients (24 with oral cavity or oropharynx cancers and 12 larynx cancers) were prospectively examined with computed tomography (CT) to determine its value in staging the primary tumor and to compare with the clinical staging. The CT staging agreed with the clinical staging in 50% (12/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx cancers and in 67% (8/12) of the larynx cancers. The CT upgraded the clinical staging in 29% (7/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx tumors and in 33% (4/12) of the larynx cancers, whereas the CT downgrade the clinical staging in 21% (5/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx cancers. There is no downgrade on CT in larynx cancer. The post-surgical confirmation was not made in most of the cases. The possible causes of disagreement between the CT and the clinical staging, and the diagnostic value of the CT in evaluation of the primary tumor in oral cavity, oropharynx and larynx were discussed

  9. The adjustment of global and partial dry biomass models for Pinus pinaster in the North-East of Portugal

    OpenAIRE

    Lopes, Domingos; Almeida, L.R.; Castro, João Paulo; Aranha, José

    2005-01-01

    Ecosystems net primary production quantification can be done by means of allometric equations. Carbon sequestration studies also involve the quantification of growth dry biomass, knowing the carbon percentage of dry biomass. Fieldwork complexity to collect these kind of data are often limitative for obtaining these mathematical models. Allometric equations were adjusted to estimate dry biomass of individual Pinus pinaster trees, using data from 30 trees. Statisticals form the final equatio...

  10. Drying behaviour, effective diffusivity and energy of activation of olive leaves dried by microwave, vacuum and oven drying methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elhussein, Elaf Abdelillah Ali; Şahin, Selin

    2018-01-01

    Drying is the crucial food processing for bioactive components from plant materials before strating extraction in addition to preservation of raw plant materials during storage period. Olive leaves were dried by various methods such as microwave drying (MD), oven drying (OD) and vacuum drying (VD) at several temperature values in the present study. Mathematical models allow to develop, design and control the processes. 14 emprical equations were used to estimate the drying behaviour and the time required for drying. Convenience of the models were evaluated according to the correlation coefficient (R 2 ), varience (S 2 ) and root mean square deviation (D RMS ). On the other hand, the effective diffusion coefficient and energy for activation were also calculated. Effects of the drying methods on the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and oleuropein contents and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of the olive leaves were also investigated to take into considiration the quality of the dried product. MD has proved to be the fastest drying method having the highest effective diffusivity and the lowest activation energy with a more qualitive product.

  11. CASSAVA BREEDING II: PHENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS THROUGH THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF SELECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orlando Joaqui Barandica

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Breeding cassava relies on a phenotypic recurrent selection that takes advantage of the vegetative propagation of this crop. Successive stages of selection (single row trial- SRT; preliminary yield trial – PYT; advanced yield trial – AYT; and uniform yield trials UYT, gradually reduce the number of genotypes as the plot size, number of replications and locations increase. An important feature of this scheme is that, because of the clonal, reproduction of cassava, the same identical genotypes are evaluated throughout these four successive stages of selection. For this study data, from 14 years (more than 30,000 data points of evaluation in a sub-humid tropical environment was consolidated for a meta-analysis. Correlation coefficients for fresh root yield (FRY, dry matter content (DMC, harvest index (HIN and plant type score (PTS along the different stages of selection were estimated. DMC and PTS measured in different trials showed the highest correlation coefficients, indicating a relatively good repeatability. HIN had an intermediate repeatability, whereas FRY had the lowest value. The association between HIN and FRY was lower than expected, suggesting that HIN in early stages was not reliable as indirect selection for FRY in later stages. There was a consistent decrease in the average performance of clones grown in PYTs compared with the earlier evaluation of the same genotypes at SRTs. A feasible explanation for this trend is the impact of the environment on the physiological and nutritional status of the planting material and/or epigenetic effects. The usefulness of HIN is questioned. Measuring this variable takes considerable efforts at harvest time. DMC and FRY showed a weak positive association in SRT (r= 0.21 but a clearly negative one at UYT (r= -0.42. The change if the relationship between these variables is the result of selection. In later stages of selection, the plant is forced to maximize productivity on a dry weight basis

  12. Staging of primary head and neck tumors and detection of recurrences; Staging und Rezidivdiagnostik von Tumoren im Kopf-Hals-Bereich

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adams, S. [Klinikum der Ruhr-Univ. Bochum, Marienhospital, Herne (Germany). Klinik fuer Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin; Baum, R.P. [Zentralklinik Bad Berka (Germany). Klinik fuer Nuklearmedizin/PET-Zentrum; Knecht, R. [Frankfurt Univ., Frankfurt am Main (Germany). Zentrum fuer Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde; Hoer, G. [Frankfurt Univ., Frankfurt/Main (Germany). Klinik fuer Nuklearmedizin

    2001-04-01

    Squamous cell carcinomas represent the vast majority of all malignant tumors of the head and neck region. Lymph node involvement is the most important prognostic factor affecting survival of patients with head and neck cancer. The effectiveness of surgical treatment depends on the complete excision of all tumor tissue and an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging is therefore mandatory. In comparison to positron emission tomography with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG PET), morphological imaging modalities (CT, MRI) have been applied for the localization of primary head and neck tumors because of their better anatomical resolution. Metabolic tumor imaging using FDG PET is superior to morphological imaging by CT and MRI in the detection of small cervical lymph node metastases (Class 1a indication). Increased FDG utpake has also been observed in benign inflammatory lesions after radiation therapy, therefore detection of local recurrence with FDG PET can be problematic. To ensure a high diagnostic accuracy it is been suggested to perform FDG PET not earlier than 3 months after radiation therapy (Class 1a indication for the diagnosis of local recurrence). (orig.) [German] Plattenepithelkarzinome stellen mit 90% den ueberwiegenden Anteil von malignen Tumoren des Kopf-Hals-Bereiches dar. Ein wesentlicher prognostischer Faktor ist das Vorhandensein von Lymphknotenmetastasen. Die Entscheidung ueber das richtige therapeutische Vorgehen ist von der genauen Festlegung des primaeren Tumorstadiums abhaengig. Die Positronenemissionstomographie (PET) unter Verwendung von {sup 18}F-markierter 2-Fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-Glukose (FDG) ist fuer das T-Staging gegenueber den morphologisch orientierten Verfahren (CT, MRT) im allgemeinen ohne klinischen Nutzen. Als funktionsorientiertes Verfahren ist die FDG-PET bei der Diagnostik von Lymphknotenmetastasen den anatomisch orientierten Untersuchungsverfahren ueberlegen (Klasse-1a-Indikation), da sie nicht alleine

  13. Drying Kinetics Analysis of Seaweed Gracilaria changii using Solar Drying System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Yusof Othman; Ahmad Fudholi; Kamaruzzaman Sopian; Mohd Hafidz Ruslan; Muhammad Yahya

    2012-01-01

    A solar drying system suitable for agricultural and marine products have been designed, constructed and evaluated under Malaysia climatic conditions. The solar drying system has been constructed and evaluated for the drying of seaweed Gracilaria changii. The initial and final moisture content of seaweed are 95 % (wet basis) and 10 % (product basis), respectively. The drying time was about 7 hours at average solar radiation of 593 W/ m 2 and air flow rate of 0.0613 kg/ s. Three different thin-layer drying models were compared with experimental data, during the drying of seaweed using the solar drying system at average temperature and humidity of about 50 degree Celsius and 20 %, respectively. The one with highest R2 and lowest MBE and RMSE was selected to better estimate the drying curves. The study showed that the Page model was better fit to drying seaweed compared to the other models (Newton model, and Henderson and Pabis model). (author)

  14. Case Report: Rapid staged abdominal closure using Gore-Tex® mesh as a bridge to primary omphalocele sac closure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William C. Kethman

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Omphaloceles present an ongoing challenge due to significant variations in presentation and associated co-morbidities. Diverse management strategies have been described to tackle many of the fundamental challenges of closure and reconstruction of the abdominal wall – this fact demonstrates a need for increasingly individualized management options for this complex disease. We describe a novel method of rapid staged abdominal wall closure using Gore-Tex® mesh as a bridge to primary omphalocele closure in an infant with partial Pentalogy of Cantrell and giant ruptured omphalocele. This strategy can be used in management of some of the most complex abdominal wall defects.

  15. Extended Cancer Education for Longer-Term Survivors in Primary Care for Patients With Stage I-II Breast or Prostate Cancer or Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-11-15

    Stage I Breast Cancer; Stage I Colorectal Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage I Prostate Cancer; Stage IA Breast Cancer; Stage IB Breast Cancer; Stage II Breast Cancer; Stage II Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage II Prostate Cancer; Stage IIA Breast Cancer; Stage IIA Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIA Prostate Cancer; Stage IIB Breast Cancer; Stage IIB Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIB Prostate Cancer; Stage IIC Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage III Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIA Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIC Colorectal Cancer AJCC v7

  16. Determination of drying characteristics and quality properties of eggplant in different drying conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gözde Bayraktaroglu Urun

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Drying is the most traditional process used for preserving eggplant a long time. The aim of this study was to determining drying characteristics and quality properties of eggplant dried by sun drying, hot air convective drying and infrared assisted convective drying. Convective drying and infrared assisted convective were carried out in a convective dryer at three different temperatures(40°, 50°, 60°C and air velocity at 5 m/s.The increasing of temperatures during the drying of eggplant led to a significant reduction of the drying time. However loss of nutrition was observed in eggplant samples dried at higher temperature.The biggest change in colour parameters was observed in samples dried with sun drying.So it was thought that sun drying had a negative effect on quality properties of eggplant samples.

  17. Evapotranspiration and water balance in a hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) field during a dry season in the tropics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laban, S.; Oue, H.; Rampisela, D. A.

    2018-05-01

    Evapotranspiration and water balance in a hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) field during the 2nd dry season were analyzed in this study. Actual evapotranspiration (ET) was estimated by Bowen Ratio Energy Budget (BREB) method, potential evaporation (EP) was calculated by Penman method, and irrigation volume of water was measured manually. Meteorological instruments were installed in the experimental field during hot pepper cultivation. Leaf area index increased during the growing stages where the highest LAI of 1.65 in the generative stage. The daily average of ET was 1.94 and EP was 6.71 mm resulting in low Kc. The Kc values were significantly different between stage to stage under T-test analysis (α = 0.05). Moreover, Kc in every stage could be related to soil water content (SWC) in logarithmic function. Totally, ET during hot pepper cultivation was 179.19 mm, while rainfall was 180.0 mm and irrigation water was 27.42 mm. However, there was a water shortages during vegetative and generative stages. This study suggested that consumptive water of hot pepper was complimented by soil and groundwater under the condition of water shortages in the vegetative and generative stages during the 2nd dry season.

  18. Cermet sintering on the oase of molybdenum, nickel, aluminium oxide in dry and wet hydrogen medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fedotov, A.V.; Lutskaya, E.Eh.

    1985-01-01

    Cermet sintering on the base of molybdenum, nickel and aluminium oxide in dry and wer hydrogen medium is studied. It is stated that presence of water vapours permits to decrease sintering temperature of molybdenum containing cermets and to prepare dense nickeliferous cermets. Cermet density can he rather high at final stages of sintering that is probably conditioned by decrease of growth rate of corundum crystals. Pressing pressure activates cermet siptering at intermediate stages and it is low effective at finite stages of condensation. Constancy of relative reduction of void volume is preserved only at final stages of sintering

  19. Drying of bio fuel utilizing waste heat; Torkning av biobraenslen med spillvaerme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johansson, Inge; Larsson, Sara; Wennberg, Olle [S.E.P. Scandinavian Energy Project AB, Goeteborg (Sweden)

    2004-10-01

    Many industries today have large sources of low grade heat (waste heat), however this energy is mainly lost with effluents to air and water. The aim of this study has been to investigate the technical and economical aspects of utilizing this low grade heat to dry biofuel. The project has been mainly focused towards the forest industry since they have both large amounts of biofuel and waste heat available. Drying of biofuel could generate added revenue (or reduced purchase costs) and through that also create larger incentives for further energy saving modifications to the main process. Due to the higher moisture content together with the risk of frozen bark in the winter time, additional fuels (such as oil) to combust bark in the existing boiler. This is mainly the case when mechanical dewatering is not available. Drying of bark results in an added energy value, which makes it possible to combust the bark without additional fuel. The primary energy demand, in the form of electricity and optional additional heating at load peaks, is low when waste heat is used for the drying process. In this way it is possible to increase the biofuel potential, since the primary energy input to the drying process is essentially lower then the increased energy value of the fuel. Drying also decreases the biological degradation of the fuel. Taking all the above into consideration, waste heat drying could result in a 25 % increase of the biofuel potential in the forest industry in Sweden, without additional cutting of wood. A survey has been done to state which commercial technologies are available for biofuel drying with waste heat. An inquiry was sent out to a number of suppliers and included a few different cases. Relations for approximating investment cost as well as electric power demand were created based on the answers from the inquiry. These relations have then been used in the economical evaluations made for a number of cases representing both sawmills and pulp and paper mills

  20. Influence of the salting time on volatile compounds during the manufacture of dry-cured pork shoulder "lacón".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purriños, Laura; Franco, Daniel; Carballo, Javier; Lorenzo, José M

    2012-12-01

    The effect of the length of salting time on volatile compounds throughout the manufacture of dry-cured "lacón" was studied using a purge-and-trap extraction and GC/MS analysis. For this study, six treatments of "lacón" were salted with different amounts of salt (LS (3 days of salting), MS (4 days of salting) and HS (5 days of salting)). The total area of volatile compounds increased significantly (Psalting time increased. Significant differences were found for the total area of all aldehydes for each salting time at the end of process. Hexanal presented the most relative abundance, showing highest content in HS treatments while LS treatments showed the lowest one at the end of salting, post-salting and drying-ripening stage. The influence of salting time on the content of 3-Octen-2-one was significant on salting stage (Psalting time affected (Psalting and at the end of drying-ripening stage. The salting time affected significantly (Psalt level (P>0.05) was detected on total hydrocarbons and total furans at the end of process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Español Eye Health / Eye Health A-Z Dry Eye Sections What Is Dry Eye? Dry Eye Symptoms ... Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué es el ojo seco? ...

  2. Electric Resistance Tests on Compacted Clay Material under Dynamic Load Coupled with Dry-Wet Cycling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng Lu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The study of compacted clay material under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling is one of the most important areas in the field of transportation. In this paper, experiments in terms of compacted clay under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling are performed, and synchronous resistivity tests are also conducted. According to the test results, the influences of cumulative plastic strain, dry-wet cycles, and amplitudes on the soil resistivity are analyzed. Then a new damage factor based on resistivity is proposed to evaluate the long-term performance of compacted clay material. The result of research shows that the evolution of the soil resistivity can be divided into two stages, which has a contrary tendency with that of cumulative plastic strain. The dry-wet cycles and amplitudes have a significant effect on the damage of the compacted soil, which indicates that the dry-wet cycling of compacted soil materials should not be ignored in road engineering, especially in rainy and humid areas.

  3. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Stories Español Eye Health / Eye Health A-Z Dry Eye Sections What Is Dry Eye? Dry Eye Symptoms ... of Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué es el ojo seco? ...

  4. Drying of building lumber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Washimi, Hiroshi

    1988-08-20

    Dried lumber is classified into air dried and kiln-dried lumber. The water content of kiln-dried lumber is specified by the Japan Agricultural Standards. However, since building lumber varies in such factors as the location where it was growing, species and shape, the standards, though relaxed, are not being observed. In fact, lumbered products which are not ''Kiln-dried'' frequently bear ''kiln-dried lumber'' marks. In an attempt to correct the situation, the Forestry Agency has set up voluntary standards, but problems still remain. The conventional drying method consists of first subjecting the lumber to optimum drying, then letting bending and deformations to freely and fully appear, and follow this with corrective sawing to produce planks straight from end to end. Compared with air dried lumber in terms of moisture content, kiln-dried lumber remains much with same with minimal shrinkage and expansion. For oil-containing resin, such normal treatments as drying by heating, steaming and boiling seem to be quite effective. Kiln drying, which is becoming more and more important with changes in the circulation system, consists of the steaming-drying-heating method and the dehumidizing type drying method. The major factor which determines the drying cost is the number of days required for drying, which depends largely on the kind of lumber and moisture content. The Forestry Angency is promoting production of defoiled lumber. (2 figs, 2 tables)

  5. Characterization of In-Drum Drying Products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroselj, V.; Jankovic, M.; Skanata, D.; Medakovic, S.; Harapin, D.; Hertl, B.

    2006-01-01

    A few years ago Krsko NPP decided to introduce In-Drum Drying technology for treatment and conditioning of evaporator concentrates and spent ion resins. The main reason to employ this technology was the need for waste volume reduction and experience with vermiculite-cement solidification that proved inadequate for Krsko NPP. Use of In-Drum Drying technology was encouraged by good experience in the field at some German and Spanish NPP's. In the paper, solidification techniques in vermiculite-cement matrix and In-Drum Drying System are described briefly. The resulting waste forms (so called solidification and dryer products) and containers that are used for interim storage of these wastes are described as well. A comparison of the drying versus solidification technology is performed and advantages as well as disadvantages are underlined. Experience gained during seven years of system operation has shown that crying technology resulted in volume reduction by factor of 20 for evaporator concentrates, and by factor of 5 for spent ion resin. Special consideration is paid to the characterization of dryer products. For evaporator concentrates the resulting waste form is a solid salt block with up to 5% bound water. It is packaged in stainless steel drums (net volume of 200 l) with bolted lids and lifting rings. The fluidized spent ion resins (primary and blow-down) are sluiced into the spent resin drying tank. The resin is dewatered and dried by electrical jacket heaters. The resulting waste (i.e. fine granulates) is directly discharged into a shielded stainless steel drum with bolted lid and lifting rings. Characterization of both waste forms has been performed in accordance with recommendations given in Characterization of Radioactive Waste Forms and Packages issued by International Atomic Energy Agency, 1997. This means that radiological, chemical, physical, mechanical, biological and thermal properties of the waste form has been taken into consideration. In the paper

  6. Original Article Did salvage ICE chemotherapy improve the outcome in primary resistant/relapsing stage Ill/TV neuroblastoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel Rahman, M.; Zekri, W.Z.K.; Moussa, E.A.M.; El Debawy, E.; Mostafa, N.E.; Yones, A.; Ezzat, S.; Rayan, A.

    2011-01-01

    Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial and deadly solid tumor in children. It accounts for 15% of the deaths from cancer in the pediatric age group. Approximately half of the newly diagnosed children are at h igh risk o f treatment failure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the response rate of salvage chemotherapy by the ICE (Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, and Etoposide) regimen when administered to previously treated primary refractory or progressive high risk neuroblastoma patients. Patients and methods: Sixty-six patients from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University and the Children Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE) received salvage chemotherapy (ICE) either due to primary resistance in 51/66 (77.2%) or due to disease progression on primary chemotherapy in 15/66 (22.8%). Results: They were 40 males (60.6%) and 26 females (39.4%). Patients' age ranged between 3 months and 12.5 years. The most common tumor site was suprarenal, followed by retroperitoneal mass. Two patients (3%)'died from chemotherapy toxicity during ICE administration. Evaluation of tumor response in the remaining 64 patients showed the following: CR/PR in 24 patients (36.5%), SD in 11 patients (16.6%), and PD in 29 patients (43.9%). Fourteen patients (21.2%) were considered eligible for auto BMT, while 50/64 patients (78.8%) failed this second line (salvage) chemotherapy and had palliative lines of therapy. By the end of the study (May 2010), 47/66 (71.2%) of the patients were still alive, while 19/66 (28.8%) were dead. Two out of 14 patients (14.2%) who underwent HSCT died from post transplantation disease progression, while 12/14 (85.8%) were in CCR. Conclusion: Chemotherapy by ICE for primary resistant or progressive stage III/IV NB seems well tolerated. With a 36.6% response rate, 18% CCR, and 3% treatment mortality rate, it could be considered a good salvage therapy in the category of patients who are condemned for palliation

  7. Single droplet drying for optimal spray drying of enzymes and probiotics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schutyser, M.A.I.; Perdana, J.A.; Boom, R.M.

    2012-01-01

    Spray drying is a mild and cost-effective convective drying method. It can be applied to stabilise heat sensitive ingredients, such as enzymes and probiotic bacteria, albeit in industrial practice for example freeze drying or freezing are often preferred. The reason is that optimum drying conditions

  8. Is Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars at the Juvenile Stage Maintained at the Reproductive Stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashir, N.; Mahmood, S.; Zafar, Z. U.; Athar, H. R.; Manzoor, H.; Rasul, S.

    2016-01-01

    Among several abiotic stresses, drought or water scarcity is a major constraint for crop production in many parts of the world. Six maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars; DTC, EV-77, EV-78, EV-79, Faisalabad mays, and 6621 were evaluated for drought tolerance at germination and seedling stages. Distilled deionized water was used as control but uniform drought stress was induced using 3, 6 and 9 percent of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000) which correspond to osmotic potential of -0.0466, -0.0759 and -0.0876 MPa, respectively. PEG influenced the germination and growth of the cultivars in a concentration dependent manner but the highest level of PEG induced more drastic decline for the various attributes studied. The cultivars showed significantly variable responses to different levels of PEG. The result of study clearly suggested variability of characters for drought tolerance among maize cultivars. Based on the pattern of variability for various attributes, 3 groups of cultivars can be classified. The cultivar 6621 had a consistent degree of sensitivity to drought in terms the reduction of various attributes studied. The second group includes DTC which showed a steady tolerance ((germination percentage (GP), energy of emergence (EG), germination rate (GR), root fresh and dry weight (RFW and RDW), shoot fresh and dry weight (SFW and SDW), dry biomass tolerance index (DBTI) and seedling vigor index (SVI)) thus seemed to provide some manifestation of drought tolerance. For the third group of cultivars, pattern of drought tolerance was independent for germination, growth and physiological indices as an incoherent variability of attributes was observed. A similar pattern of variability for a number of characters to simulated water stress in the cultivar DTC served as reliable determinants for drought tolerance in maize. To assess maintenance of degree of drought tolerance selected maize cultivars, a field experiment was also conducted. Kernel yield, 1000- kernel weight (g

  9. Dispersal timing and drought history influence the response of bacterioplankton to drying-rewetting stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Székely, Anna J; Langenheder, Silke

    2017-08-01

    The extent and frequency of drought episodes is expected to increase in the following decades making it a crucial stress factor for smaller water bodies. However, very little is known about how bacterioplankton is affected by increased evaporation and how these communities reassemble after rewetting. Here, we present results from a microcosm experiment that assessed the effect of drying-rewetting stress on bacterioplankton in the light of the stress history and the rate and timing of dispersal after the rewetting. We found that the drying phase resulted mainly in a change of function, whereas the complete desiccation and rewetting processes strongly affected both composition and function, which were, however, influenced by the initial conditions and stress history of the communities. Effects of dispersal were generally stronger when it occurred at an early stage after the rewetting. At this stage, selective establishment of dispersed bacteria coupled with enhanced compositional and functional recovery was found, whereas effects of dispersal were neutral, that is, predictable by dispersal rates, at later stages. Our studies therefore show that both the stress history and the timing of dispersal are important factors that influence the response of bacterial communities to environmental change and stress events.

  10. Multiple neoplasms, single primaries, and patient survival

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amer MH

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Magid H Amer Department of Medicine, St Rita's Medical Center, Lima, OH, USA Background: Multiple primary neoplasms in surviving cancer patients are relatively common, with an increasing incidence. Their impact on survival has not been clearly defined. Methods: This was a retrospective review of clinical data for all consecutive patients with histologically confirmed cancer, with emphasis on single versus multiple primary neoplasms. Second primaries discovered at the workup of the index (first primary were termed simultaneous, if discovered within 6 months of the index primary were called synchronous, and if discovered after 6 months were termed metachronous. Results: Between 2005 and 2012, of 1,873 cancer patients, 322 developed second malignancies; these included two primaries (n=284, and three or more primaries (n=38. Forty-seven patients had synchronous primaries and 275 had metachronous primaries. Patients with multiple primaries were predominantly of Caucasian ancestry (91.0%, with a tendency to develop thrombosis (20.2%, had a strong family history of similar cancer (22.3%, and usually presented with earlier stage 0 through stage II disease (78.9%. When compared with 1,551 patients with a single primary, these figures were 8.9%, 15.6%, 18.3%, and 50.9%, respectively (P≤0.001. Five-year survival rates were higher for metachronous cancers (95% than for synchronous primaries (59% and single primaries (59%. The worst survival rate was for simultaneous concomitant multiple primaries, being a median of 1.9 years. The best survival was for patients with three or more primaries (median 10.9 years and was similar to the expected survival for the age-matched and sex-matched general population (P=0.06991. Conclusion: Patients with multiple primaries are usually of Caucasian ancestry, have less aggressive malignancies, present at earlier stages, frequently have a strong family history of similar cancer, and their cancers tend to have indolent

  11. Effects of ionic and nonionic surfactants on milk shell wettability during co-spray-drying of whole milk particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lallbeeharry, P; Tian, Y; Fu, N; Wu, W D; Woo, M W; Selomulya, C; Chen, X D

    2014-09-01

    Mixing surfactants with whole milk feed before spray drying could be a commercially favorable approach to produce instant whole milk powders in a single step. Pure whole milk powders obtained directly from spray drying often have a high surface fat coverage (up to 98%), rendering them less stable during storage and less wettable upon reconstitution. Dairy industries often coat these powders with lecithin, a food-grade surfactant, in a secondary fluidized-bed drying stage to produce instant powders. This study investigated the changes in wetting behavior on the surface of a whole milk particle caused by the addition of surfactants before drying. Fresh whole milk was mixed with 0.1% (wt/wt) Tween 80 or 1% (wt/wt) lecithin (total solids), and the wetting behavior of the shell formed by each sample was captured using a single-droplet drying device at intermediate drying stages as the shell was forming. The addition of surfactants improved shell wettability from the beginning of shell formation, producing more wettable milk particles after drying. The increase in surfactant loading by 10 times reduced the wetting time from around 30s to 30s). We proposed that Tween 80 could adsorb at the oil-water interface of fat globules, making the surface fat more wettable, whereas lecithin tends to combine with milk proteins to form a complex, which then competes for the air-water surface with fat globules. Spray-drying experiments confirmed the greatly improved wettability of whole milk powders by the addition of either 0.1% (wt/wt) Tween 80 or 1% (wt/wt) lecithin; wetting time was reduced from 35±4s to drying system has been used to elucidate the complex interactions between ionic or nonionic surfactants and milk components (both proteins and fat), as well as the resultant effect on the development of milk particle functionality during drying. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. THE PRODUCTION OF BREADFRUIT FLOUR: EFFECT OF HEATER TEMPERATURE TO THE DRYING RATE AND TIME OF THE BREADFRUIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denni Kartika Sari

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The composition of mineral and vitamin from breadfruit is particularly known of having benefits compared to rice which is a main source of carbohydrate consumed by societies. The process of drying is one of the factors that affects foodstuffs quality. The aim of this research was to provide an understanding of drying phenomena from data experiment and discover the influence of drying air temperature to breadfruit drying time and rates. This research was conducted in several stages which are material preparation (breadfruit by through downsizing process, then weigh the material (breadfruit once every 5 minutes on each drying air temperature variations (50 ºC, 60 oC, 70 oC, and 80 oC. The research were conducted using breadfruit with the best drying time which is obtained at 60 0C for 100 minutes. The lowest water content obtained was 0.4%, while the highest drying rate was 0.00144 Kg2/m2.s at 80 ºC of temperature.

  13. Ambient Dried Aerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Steven M.; Paik, Jong-Ah

    2013-01-01

    A method has been developed for creating aerogel using normal pressure and ambient temperatures. All spacecraft, satellites, and landers require the use of thermal insulation due to the extreme environments encountered in space and on extraterrestrial bodies. Ambient dried aerogels introduce the possibility of using aerogel as thermal insulation in a wide variety of instances where supercritically dried aerogels cannot be used. More specifically, thermoelectric devices can use ambient dried aerogel, where the advantages are in situ production using the cast-in ability of an aerogel. Previously, aerogels required supercritical conditions (high temperature and high pressure) to be dried. Ambient dried aerogels can be dried at room temperature and pressure. This allows many materials, such as plastics and certain metal alloys that cannot survive supercritical conditions, to be directly immersed in liquid aerogel precursor and then encapsulated in the final, dried aerogel. Additionally, the metalized Mylar films that could not survive the previous methods of making aerogels can survive the ambient drying technique, thus making multilayer insulation (MLI) materials possible. This results in lighter insulation material as well. Because this innovation does not require high-temperature or high-pressure drying, ambient dried aerogels are much less expensive to produce. The equipment needed to conduct supercritical drying costs many tens of thousands of dollars, and has associated running expenses for power, pressurized gasses, and maintenance. The ambient drying process also expands the size of the pieces of aerogel that can be made because a high-temperature, high-pressure system typically has internal dimensions of up to 30 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height. In the case of this innovation, the only limitation on the size of the aerogels produced would be in the ability of the solvent in the wet gel to escape from the gel network.

  14. Synthesis of carbon-supported nickel catalysts for the dry reforming of CH{sub 4}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fidalgo, B.; Zubizarreta, L.; Bermudez, J.M.; Arenillas, A.; Menendez, J.A. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain)

    2010-07-15

    A series of carbon-based nickel (Ni) catalysts was prepared in order to investigate the effect of the preparation method on the dispersion of Ni and its final catalytic activity in the dry reforming of methane, i.e. CH{sub 4} + CO{sub 2} 2H{sub 2} + 2CO. Three parameters were studied: (i) the influence of the surface chemistry of the carbon used as support; (ii) the method of drying (conventional vs. microwave drying); and, (iii) the temperature of the reduction stage. In order to study the role of the surface chemistry of the commercial activated carbon used as support, the active carbon was tested as received and oxidized. Although a better Ni dispersion was achieved over the oxidized support, the conversions were much lower. It was also found that microwave drying offers various advantages over conventional drying, the main one being that less time is required to prepare the catalyst. Two reduction temperatures were used (300 and 500 C), being found that it is necessary to adjust this parameter to prevent the Ni particles from sintering. (author)

  15. The influence of lysozyme on mannitol polymorphism in freeze-dried and spray-dried formulations depends on the selection of the drying process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grohganz, Holger; Lee, Yan-Ying; Rantanen, Jukka

    2013-01-01

    Freeze-drying and spray-drying are often applied drying techniques for biopharmaceutical formulations. The formation of different solid forms upon drying is often dependent on the complex interplay between excipient selection and process parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate...... the influence of the chosen drying method on the solid state form. Mannitol-lysozyme solutions of 20mg/mL, with the amount of lysozyme varying between 2.5% and 50% (w/w) of total solid content, were freeze-dried and spray-dried, respectively. The resulting solid state of mannitol was analysed by near......-dried formulations an increase in protein concentration resulted in a shift from ß-mannitol to a-mannitol. An increase in final drying temperature of the freeze-drying process towards the temperature of the spray-drying process did not lead to significant changes. It can thus be concluded that it is the drying...

  16. Drying characteristics and nitrogen loss of biogas digestate during drying process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maurer, C.; Muller, J. [Hohenheim Univ., Stuttgart (Germany). Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Tropical and Subtropical Group

    2010-07-01

    The cost of transporting biogas digestate can be decreased by reducing its water content. However, the digestate emits volatile compounds during drying. This study investigated the drying behaviour and the change of digestate composition. Drying took place in a hybrid solar/waste-heat dryer that used solar energy as well as waste heat from a combined heat and power unit (CHP) and the exhaust air of a microturbine. The experiment involved the use of 60 t of liquid digestate. Climatic conditions were measured inside and outside the drying hall. Dry matter (DM) and organic dry matter (ODM) were also measured on a daily basis. In addition, the energy consumption of waste and solar heat were recorded and related to the quantity of dried feedstock. The total nitrogen, ammonium, phosphate, potassium oxide, magnesium oxide and calcium oxide in the digestate were subjected to chemical analysis before and after the drying process. Losses of nitrogen were calculated. Specific energy consumption depended on the climatic condition. Most of the energy consumption was covered by the waste heat of the CHP. A considerable amount of nitrogen was lost during the drying process.

  17. Radiotherapy on the neck nodes predicts severe weight loss in patients with early stage laryngeal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langius, Jacqueline A.E.; Doornaert, Patricia; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D.; Langendijk, Johannes A.; Leemans, C. Rene; Schueren, Marian A.E. van Bokhorst-de van der

    2010-01-01

    Background and purpose: Although patients with early stage (T1/T2) laryngeal cancer (LC) are thought to have a low incidence of malnutrition, severe weight loss is observed in a subgroup of these patients during radiotherapy (RT). The objective of this study was to evaluate weight loss and nutrition-related symptoms in patients with T1/T2 LC during RT and to select predictive factors for early identification of malnourished patients. Methods: Of all patients with T1/T2 LC, who received primary RT between 1999 and 2007, the following characteristics were recorded: sex, age, TNM classification, tumour location, radiation schedule, performance status, quality of life, weight loss, and nutrition-related symptoms. The association between baseline characteristics and malnutrition (>5% weight loss during RT) was investigated by Cox regression analysis. Results: The study population consisted of 238 patients. During RT, 44% of patients developed malnutrition. Tumour location, TNM classification, RT on the neck nodes, RT dose, nausea/vomiting, pain, swallowing, senses problems, trouble with social eating, dry mouth and the use of painkillers were all significantly associated with malnutrition. In the multivariate analysis, RTs on both the neck nodes (HR 4.16, 95% CI 2.62-6.60) and dry mouth (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.14-2.60) remained predictive. Nevertheless, RT on the neck nodes alone resulted in the best predictive model for malnutrition scores. Conclusions: Patients with early stage laryngeal cancer are at risk of malnutrition during radiotherapy. Radiotherapy on the neck nodes is the best predictor of malnutrition during radiotherapy. Therefore, we suggest to offer nutritional counselling to all the patients who receive nodal irradiation.

  18. Dry vacuum pumps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sibuet, R

    2008-01-01

    For decades and for ultimate pressure below 1 mbar, oil-sealed Rotary Vane Pumps have been the most popular solution for a wide range of vacuum applications. In the late 80ies, Semiconductor Industry has initiated the development of the first dry roughing pumps. Today SC applications are only using dry pumps and dry pumping packages. Since that time, pumps manufacturers have developed dry vacuum pumps technologies in order to make them attractive for other applications. The trend to replace lubricated pumps by dry pumps is now spreading over many other market segments. For the Semiconductor Industry, it has been quite easy to understand the benefits of dry pumps, in terms of Cost of Ownership, process contamination and up-time. In this paper, Technology of Dry pumps, its application in R and D/industries, merits over conventional pumps and future growth scope will be discussed

  19. Simulation and energy efficiency analysis of desiccant wheel systems for drying processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Antonellis, Stefano; Joppolo, Cesare Maria; Molinaroli, Luca; Pasini, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    In drying processes it is necessary to appropriately control air humidity and temperature in order to enhance water evaporation from product surface. The aim of this work is to investigate several HVAC configurations for product drying based on desiccant wheels, in order to find systems which reach high primary energy savings through the appropriate integration of refrigerating machines, adsorption wheels and cogenerative engines. Simulations are carried out for different values of sensible to latent ambient load ratio and the effect of ambient and outside air conditions is evaluated for each configuration. It is shown that primary energy savings can reach 70–80% compared to the reference technology based on a cooling coil. With respect to works available in literature, the results of this study keep a general approach and they can be used as a simple tool for preliminary assessment in a wide range of applications. -- Highlights: ► Several HVAC systems for product drying based on desiccant wheels are investigated. ► The sensible to latent ambient load ratio influences the choice of the best system. ► Energy savings can reach 80% compared to the technology based on a cooling coil. ► Simulation results can be used for preliminary assessment in many applications.

  20. Disinfestation studies on dried fish of Bangladesh. Part of a coordinated programme on radiation preservation of Asian fish and fishery products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, M.

    1978-07-01

    A survey of major fish drying areas, storage facilities and dried fish markets in Bangladesh showed that blow fly, house fly and fruit flies are destructive insects infesting fish during the process of drying. Dermestes maculatus, Necrobia rupifes and earwigs were the most predominant insects infesting dried fish during storage. The effect of irradiation on different developmental stages of D. maculatus was investigated. Results on radiation disinfestation of D. maculatus, the most serious pest during storage, showed that a dose of 30 krad and above would be sufficient to control infestation of dried fish. No changes on organoleptic properties of dried mackerel irradiated with doses up to 400 krad could be detected. Polyethylene bags with a thickness of 0.075 mm and above appeared to be suitable for packaging of dried fish

  1. Drying properties and quality parameters of dill dried with intermittent and continuous microwave

    OpenAIRE

    Eştürk, Okan

    2012-01-01

    In this study, influence of various microwave-convective air drying applications on drying kinetics, color and sensory quality of dill leaves (Anethum graveolens L.) were investigated. In general, increasing the drying air temperature decreased the drying time, and increased the drying rate. Increasing microwave pulse ratio increased the drying time. Page, Logarithmic, Midilli et al, Wang & Singh and Logistic models were fitted to drying data and the Page model was found to satisfactorily...

  2. Neglected grass species of Southern Africa: Nutritive value of conserved Hyperthelia dissoluta harvested at different growth stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob Gusha

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Native species like Hyperthelia dissoluta have great potential in livestock production but not much has been done to improve their contribution to that sector.  This study examined 2 conservation methods (drying and ensiling and 3 different growth stages, namely: elongation stage (January, early flowering (February and late flowering stage (March of H. dissoluta in terms of nutritional composition and digestibility.  The method of conservation had a significant effect (P<0.05 on nutritive value, with silage having more P and CP than hay.  Stage of growth had an effect (P<0.05 on all nutritional properties of both hay and silage:  Phosphorus, Ca and CP concentrations and digestibility of hay and silage decreased with maturity, while NDF and ADF concentrations increased.  Silage pH value was significantly higher at elongation (5.2 and late flowering growth stages (5.7 than at early flowering (4.4.  Dry matter digestibility of the conserved material reached levels as high as 82% for silage made at the elongation stage with all values at least 60%.  We conclude that H. dissoluta can be conserved as both silage and hay to produce a good quality feed.  Harvesting at the early flowering stage would seem to provide a good compromise between quantity (not measured in this study and quality of harvested forage.  Further studies seem warranted to determine the acceptability and intake of the material by livestock, the advantages of adding fermentable carbohydrates during ensiling and DM yields in different areas and a range of seasonal conditions. Keywords: Air drying, hay, perennial native grasses, plastic bag silo, quality silage.DOI: 10.17138/TGFT(4179-184

  3. What Is Dry Eye?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Eye? Dry Eye Symptoms Causes of Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué ... Inside of Your Eyelid Nov 29, 2017 New Dry Eye Treatment is a Tear-Jerker Jul 21, 2017 Three ...

  4. Glutathione in Preventing Peripheral Neuropathy Caused by Paclitaxel and Carboplatin in Patients With Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, and/or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-05

    Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity; Neuropathy; Neurotoxicity Syndrome; Pain; Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIA Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIB Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIIC Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IV Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer; Stage IV Primary Peritoneal Cancer

  5. Quality of dried cauliflower according to the methods and drying parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Łapczyńska-Kordon Bogusława

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The quality of food products is a complex concept. It can be defined in many ways. The common element of most of these definitions is the condition of meeting the requirements of consumers. Quality determines product compliance with the requirements set by the normalized regulations. The paper attempts to determine the optimal method and parameters of cauliflower drying. In addition, a qualitative assessment of the obtained product was made. The results show that the method and parameters of drying significantly affect the quality of the dried cauliflower. Convection drying guarantees higher drought quality with respect to the color of the sample (higher brightness, taste and odor. Of the drying parameters accepted in the experiment, the most positive effect on the tested parameters was recorded using convection drying at a flow rate of 0.2 ms-1 and the least favorable for microwave drying 170 or 210 W.

  6. Multi-Temporal Monitoring Of Ecological Succession In Tropical Dry Forests Using Angular - Hyperspectral Data (Chris/Proba)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia Millan, V. E.

    2015-12-01

    The tropical dry forest is the largest and most threatened ecosystem in Latin America. Remote sensing can effectively contribute to the surveillance of conservation measurements and laws through the monitoring of natural protected areas, at the required temporal and spatial scales. CHRIS/PROBA is the only satellite that presents quasi-simultaneous multi-angular pointing and hyperspectral spectroscopy. These two characteristics permit the study of structural and compositional traces of successional stages within the tropical dry forest. The current study presents the results of mapping the succession of tropical dry forest in the Parque Estadual de la Mata-Seca, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, using a temporal analysis of CHRIS/PROBA images in a time frame of 7 years, between 2008 and 2014. For the purpose the -55° angle of observation has been used, which enhances spectral differences between successional stages. Spectral Angle Mapper has been used for mapping succession of tropical dry forest and afterwards Change Detection Analysis has been performed. Based on our observations, the tropical dry forest in the Parque Estadual de la Mataseca recovers at a fast rate, for the observed period (2008-2014). More than the 50% of the early and intermediate forests has been recovered to a mature forest. Significantly, around a 12% of old pastures have been converted into forest. The spatial analysis also reveals that the areas that recover most rapidly are located in the east of the Park, close to mature forests. The provision of seeds from these forests might be the cause for the fast recovery.

  7. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Eye? Dry Eye Symptoms Causes of Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué ... Inside of Your Eyelid Nov 29, 2017 New Dry Eye Treatment is a Tear-Jerker Jul 21, 2017 Three ...

  8. Viability of G4 after Spray-Drying and Freeze-Drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephenie Wong

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Viability of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G4 following spray-drying and freeze-drying in skim milk was evaluated. After spray-drying, the strain experienced over 99% loss in viability regardless of the air outlet temperature (75 and 85 °C and the heat-adaptation temperature (45 and 65 °C, 30 min. The use of heat-adaptation treatment to improve the thermotolerance of this strain was ineffective. On the other hand, the strain showed a superior survival at 71.65%–82.07% after freeze-drying. Viable populations of 9.319–9.487 log 10 cfu/g were obtained when different combinations of skim milk and sugar were used as cryoprotectant. However, the addition of sugars did not result in increased survival during the freeze-drying process. Hence, 10% (w/v skim milk alone is recommended as a suitable protectant and drying medium for this strain. The residual moisture content obtained was 4.41% ± 0.44%.

  9. Radiological protection for spent fuel dry storage at Embalse NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carballo, Carlos; Melo, Rodolfo

    2008-01-01

    Embalse NPP dry-stores used fuel elements in concrete silos inside the premises: The fuel elements are kept for at least 6 years in pools located in the controlled area , before being moved into the silos. This paper describes the radiological protection for the different stages of the process, i.e., when the used fuel elements are moved from the pools into the silos, and while they are kept in the concrete silos. The occupational exposure of the personnel operating this system at each stage is showed, as well as the environmental dose rates around the silos, and the dose rate in the shields used during the transfer. These environmental dose rates are assessed with portable instruments and with TLD dosimeters placed around the silos. This paper also describes the periodical routine control performed every two years in the atmosphere inside the silo, the moisture control and the detection of possible aerosols (in some cases, traces of krypton 85 were detected). It is important to point out that the maximum equivalent environmental dose rate H* (10) detected at approximately 20 metres from the silos is overly low: (0.35 micro sievert / hour). Our experience demonstrates that dry storage is totally compatible with the environment and with the ALARA criterion for personnel's doses. (author)

  10. {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in primary staging of prostate cancer: PSA and Gleason score predict the intensity of tracer accumulation in the primary tumour

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uprimny, Christian; Kroiss, Alexander Stephan; Decristoforo, Clemens; Guggenberg, Elisabeth von; Kendler, Dorota; Scarpa, Lorenza; Di Santo, Gianpaolo; Roig, Llanos Geraldo; Maffey-Steffan, Johanna; Virgolini, Irene Johanna [Medical University Innsbruck, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Innsbruck (Austria); Fritz, Josef [Medical University Innsbruck, Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Innsbruck (Austria); Horninger, Wolfgang [Medical University Innsbruck, Department of Urology, Innsbruck (Austria)

    2017-06-15

    the intensity of tracer accumulation in the primary tumours of PC patients on {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. As PC tumours with GS 6+7 and patients with PSA values ≤10 ng/ml showed significantly lower {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, {sup 68}Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT should be preferentially applied for primary staging of PC in patients with GS >7 or PSA levels ≥10 ng/ml. (orig.)

  11. Staging of bronchogenic carcinoma by computerized tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sommer, B.; Bauer, W.M.; Rath, M.; Fenzl, G.; Stelter, W.J.; Lissner, J.

    1981-01-01

    It was possible to check the information obtained by CT scanning in 36 patients out of 49 who had been subjected to computerized tomography, in respect of the extension of the primary tumour (T stage), and in 25 patients in respect of the degree of mediastinal lymphatic node involvement (N stage). In all 49 patients, the presence of bronchogenic carcinoma had been safely established. In 97% of the cases, assessment of the extension of the primary tumour was found to be correct. Assessment of the N stage, however, is more problematic, since detection of mediastinal lymphatic nodes by computerized tomography does not necessarily tell us something about their metastatic involvement. If all recognizable lymphatic nodes are interpreted as potential metastases, we have no false negative but 61% false positive results because of the frequency of postinflammatory or anthracotic lymphatic nodes. In case of exclusive assessment of lymphatic node enlargement above 1 cm diameter, the rate of metastatic nodes increases considerably (83%). Computerized tomography is definitely superior to all roentgenological methods in assessing the stage of a bronchogenic carcinoma; hence, it could occupy a key position in determining the diagnostic and therapeutic approach in patients with this disease. (orig.) [de

  12. Dry cell battery poisoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batteries - dry cell ... Acidic dry cell batteries contain: Manganese dioxide Ammonium chloride Alkaline dry cell batteries contain: Sodium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide Lithium dioxide dry cell batteries ...

  13. Augmented dried versus cryopreserved amniotic membrane as an ocular surface dressing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claire L Allen

    Full Text Available Dried amniotic membrane (AM can be a useful therapeutic adjunct in ophthalmic surgery and possesses logistical advantages over cryopreserved AM. Differences in preservation techniques can significantly influence the biochemical composition and physical properties of AM, potentially affecting clinical efficacy. This study was established to investigate the biochemical and structural effects of drying AM in the absence and presence of saccharide lyoprotectants and its biocompatibility compared to cryopreserved material.AM was cryopreserved or dried with and without pre-treatment with trehalose or raffinose and the antioxidant epigallocatechin (EGCG. Structural and visual comparisons were assessed using electron microscopy. Localisation, expression and release of AM biological factors were determined using immunoassays and immunofluorescence. The biocompatibility of the AM preparations co-cultured with corneal epithelial cell (CEC or keratocyte monolayers were assessed using cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis and migration assays.Drying devitalised AM epithelium, but less than cryopreservation and cellular damage was reduced in dried AM pre-treated with trehalose or raffinose. Dried AM alone, and with trehalose or raffinose showed greater factor retention efficiencies and bioavailability compared to cryopreserved AM and demonstrated a more sustained biochemical factor time release in vitro. Cellular health assays showed that dried AM with trehalose or raffinose are compatible and superior substrates compared to cryopreserved AM for primary CEC expansion, with increased proliferation and reduced LDH and caspase-3 levels. This concept was supported by improved wound healing in an immortalised human CEC line (hiCEC co-cultured with dried and trehalose or raffinose membranes, compared to cryopreserved and fresh AM.Our modified preservation process and our resultant optimised dried AM has enhanced structural properties and biochemical stability

  14. Removal of hazardous gaseous pollutants from industrial flue gases by a novel multi-stage fluidized bed desulfurizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohanty, C R; Adapala, Sivaji; Meikap, B C

    2009-06-15

    Sulfur dioxide and other sulfur compounds are generated as primary pollutants from the major industries such as sulfuric acid plants, cupper smelters, catalytic cracking units, etc. and cause acid rain. To remove the SO(2) from waste flue gas a three-stage counter-current multi-stage fluidized bed adsorber was developed as desulfurization equipment and operated in continuous bubbling fluidization regime for the two-phase system. This paper represents the desulfurization of gas mixtures by chemical sorption of sulfur dioxide on porous granular calcium oxide particles in the reactor at ambient temperature. The advantages of the multi-stage fluidized bed reactor are of high mass transfer and high gas-solid residence time that can enhance the removal of acid gas at low temperature by dry method. Experiments were carried out in the bubbling fluidization regime supported by visual observation. The effects of the operating parameters such as sorbent (lime) flow rate, superficial gas velocity, and the weir height on SO(2) removal efficiency in the multistage fluidized bed are reported. The results have indicated that the removal efficiency of the sulfur dioxide was found to be 65% at high solid flow rate (2.0 kg/h) corresponding to lower gas velocity (0.265 m/s), wier height of 70 mm and SO(2) concentration of 500 ppm at room temperature.

  15. Radiation therapy of primary vaginal carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pirtoli, L; Santoni, R [Florence Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Radiologia

    1980-01-01

    In a series of 22 patients with primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina (stage I through IVa), a radical irradiation was planned in 18 and a palliative in the remaining 4 patients. The 5-year survival rate, in the radically irradiated patients, was 10/18 for all stages, and 8/13 for patients of stage I. A vaginal boost irradiation did not seem to improve the results of external irradiation in patients of stage I. Severe adverse effects did not occur.

  16. Implications of drying temperature and humidity on the drying kinetics of seaweed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Majid Khan Majahar; Fudholi, Ahmad; Muthuvalu, M. S.; Sulaiman, Jumat; Yasir, Suhaimi Md

    2017-11-01

    A Low Temperature and Humidity Chamber Test tested in the Solar Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia. Experiments are attempted to study the effect of drying air temperature and humidity on the drying kinetics of seaweed Kappaphycus species Striatum besides to develop a model to estimate the drying curves. Simple method using a excel software is used in the analysis of raw data obtained from the drying experiment. The values of the parameters a, n and the constant k for the models are determined using a plot of curve drying models. Three different drying models are compared with experiment data seaweed drying at 30, 40, 50 and 60°C and relative humidity 20, 30 and 40% for seaweed. The higher drying temperatures and low relative humidity effects the moisture content that will be rapidly reduced. The most suitable model is selected to best describe the drying behavior of seaweed. The values of the coefficient of determination (R2), mean bias error (MBE) and root mean square error (RMSE) are used to determine the goodness or the quality of the fit. The Page model is showed a better fit to drying seaweed. The results from this study crucial for solar dryer development on pilot scale in Malaysia.

  17. The influence of lysozyme on mannitol polymorphism in freeze-dried and spray-dried formulations depends on the selection of the drying process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grohganz, Holger; Lee, Yan-Ying; Rantanen, Jukka; Yang, Mingshi

    2013-04-15

    Freeze-drying and spray-drying are often applied drying techniques for biopharmaceutical formulations. The formation of different solid forms upon drying is often dependent on the complex interplay between excipient selection and process parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the chosen drying method on the solid state form. Mannitol-lysozyme solutions of 20mg/mL, with the amount of lysozyme varying between 2.5% and 50% (w/w) of total solid content, were freeze-dried and spray-dried, respectively. The resulting solid state of mannitol was analysed by near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with multivariate analysis and further, results were verified with X-ray powder diffraction. It was seen that the prevalence of the mannitol polymorphic form shifted from β-mannitol to δ-mannitol with increasing protein concentration in freeze-dried formulations. In spray-dried formulations an increase in protein concentration resulted in a shift from β-mannitol to α-mannitol. An increase in final drying temperature of the freeze-drying process towards the temperature of the spray-drying process did not lead to significant changes. It can thus be concluded that it is the drying process in itself, rather than the temperature, that leads to the observed solid state changes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Determination of pistachio drying behaviour and conditions in a solar drying system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Midilli, Adnan [Karadeniz Technical Univ., Mechanical Engineering Dept., Trabzon (Turkey)

    2001-07-01

    The main object of this study is to determine the drying behaviour and conditions of shelled and unshelled pistachio samples using both solar assisted and open sun drying. For each drying experiment, 100 g each of unshelled and shelled pistachio were used. The least-squares method was applied to find the drying curve equation of pistachio. During the experiments, shelf temperatures, weight loss of pistachio, moisture content of air, and distribution of solar radiation were measured; and presented depending on the drying time. Also, the mass shrinkage ratios of shelled and unshelled pistachio samples were determined, and the experimental uncertainty ratio was calculated as 15-16.5 per cent based on the experimental results. It was deduced that the shelled and unshelled pistachio samples in the solar assisted forced convection dryer were perfectly dried at temperatures of 50{+-}10degC in the time period of 6 h. Whereas, the samples in the open sun drying were not sufficiently dried at temperatures of 28{+-}4degC in the same time period. Hence, it is suggested that the pistachio samples with approximately 29.0 per cent of moisture are dried in the solar assisted convection dryer at 50{+-}10degC of temperature in the time period of approximately 6 h in order to protect from the negative climatic and environmental effects. However, it is not desirable to dry the pistachio samples in the open sun because of greater drying time, dirt, dust and harmful insects. (Author)

  19. [Complications of surgical stage of treatment in patients with cancer of cervix uteri stage IIB].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kryzhanivs'ka, A Ie

    2013-11-01

    The results of treatment of 127 patients, suffering cervix uteri cancer stage IIB in period of 1998 - 2012 yrs, were analyzed. Complications of surgical stage of the combined treatment have had occurred in 40.9% patients, including 40.5% patients, to whom neoadjuvant chemotherapy was conducted and in 41.5%--radiation therapy (RTH). The main postoperative complications--retroperitoneal lymphatic cysts--were revealed in 35.4% patients. The factors, raising the risk of postoperative complications occurrence, are following: the primary tumor spreading, metastatic affection of lymphatic nodes of pelvic cavity, preoperative conduction of RTH or chemotherapy.

  20. Effect of stage of initial labor dystocia on vaginal birth after cesarean success.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewkowitz, Adam Korrick; Nakagawa, Sanae; Thiet, Mari-Paule; Rosenstein, Melissa Greer

    2015-12-01

    The objective of the study was to examine whether the stage of labor dystocia causing a primary cesarean delivery (CD) affects a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) success. This was a retrospective cohort study of women who had primary CD of singleton pregnancies for first- or second-stage labor dystocia and attempted TOLAC at a single hospital between 2002 and 2014. We compared TOLAC success rates between women whose primary CD was for first- vs second-stage labor dystocia and investigated whether the effect of prior dystocia stage on TOLAC success was modified by previous vaginal delivery (VD). A total of 238 women were included; nearly half (49%) achieved vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Women with a history of second-stage labor dystocia were more likely to have VBAC compared with those with first-stage dystocia, although this trend was not statistically significant among the general population (55% vs 45%, adjusted odds ratio, 1.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.8-2.5]). However, among women without a prior VD, those with a history of second-stage dystocia did have statistically higher odds of achieving VBAC than those with prior first-stage dystocia (54% vs 38%, adjusted odds ratio, 1.8 [95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.3], P for interaction = .043). Nearly half of women with a history of primary CD for labor dystocia will achieve VBAC. Women with a history of second-stage labor dystocia have a slightly higher VBAC rate, seen to a statistically significant degree in those without a history of prior VD. TOLAC should be offered to all eligible women and should not be discouraged in women with a prior second-stage arrest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Waste glass melting stages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, L.D.; Dennis, T.; Elliott, M.L.; Hrma, P.

    1993-04-01

    Three different simulated nuclear waste glass feeds, consisting of dried waste and glass frit, were heat treated for 1 hour in a gradient furnace at temperatures ranging from approximately 600 degrees C--1000 degrees C. Simulated melter feeds from the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP), the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), and Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (KfK) in Germany were used. The samples were thin-sectioned and examined by optical microscopy to investigate the stages of the conversion from feed to glass. Various phenomena were seen, such as frit softening, bubble formation, foaming, bubble motion and removal, convective mixing, and homogenization. Behavior of different feeds was similar, although the degree of gas generation and melt homogenization varied

  2. Neural Network Modeling for the Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Eudialyte Concentrate by Dry Digestion and Leaching

    OpenAIRE

    Yiqian Ma; Srecko Stopic; Lars Gronen; Milovan Milivojevic; Srdjan Obradovic; Bernd Friedrich

    2018-01-01

    Eudialyte is a promising mineral for rare earth elements (REE) extraction due to its good solubility in acid, low radioactive, and relatively high content of REE. In this paper, a two stage hydrometallurgical treatment of eudialyte concentrate was studied: dry digestion with hydrochloric acid and leaching with water. The hydrochloric acid for dry digestion to eudialyte concentrate ratio, mass of water for leaching to mass of eudialyte concentrate ratio, leaching temperature and leaching time ...

  3. Microwave and hot air drying of garlic puree: drying kinetics and quality characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    İlter, Işıl; Akyıl, Saniye; Devseren, Esra; Okut, Dilara; Koç, Mehmet; Kaymak Ertekin, Figen

    2018-02-01

    In this study, the effect of hot air and microwave drying on drying kinetics and some quality characteristics such as water activity, color, optic index and volatile oil of garlic puree was investigated. Optic index representing browning of the garlic puree increased excessively with an increase in microwave power and hot air drying temperature. However, volatile oil content of the dried samples was decreased by increasing of temperature and microwave power. By increasing drying temperature (50, 60 and 70 °C) and microwave power (180, 360 and 540 W), the drying time decreased from 8.5 h to 4 min. In order to determine the kinetic parameters, the experimental drying data were fitted to various semi-empirical models beside 2nd Fick's diffusion equation. Among them, the Page model gave a better fit for microwave-drying, while Logarithmic model gave a better fit for hot air drying. By increasing the microwave power and hot air drying temperature, the effective moisture diffusivity, De values ranged from 0.76×10-8 to 2.85×10-8 m2/s and from 2.21×10-10 to 3.07×10-10 m2/s, respectively. The activation energy was calculated as 20.90 kJ/mol for hot air drying and 21.96 W/g for microwave drying using an Arrhenius type equation.

  4. Investigation of near dry EDM compared with wet and dry EDM processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gholipoor, Ahad; Baseri, Hamid; Shabgard, Mohammad Reza

    2015-01-01

    Material removal rate (MRR), tool wear ratio (TWR) and surface roughness (SR) obtained by near-dry EDM process were compared with wet and dry EDM at three levels of discharge energy in drilling of SPK steel. Surface integrity machined by this process was studied and compared with wet and dry EDM processes, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that at high level of discharge energy, wet EDM has the most MRR, TWR and SR, and dry EDM has the least MRR, TWR and SR, while at low discharge energy levels, near-dry EDM process has the most MRR and the least SR. SEM micrographs showed that the quality of surface obtained by near-dry EDM process is better than others and the machined surfaces by near-dry EDM process have lower micro-cracks and craters, relatively.

  5. Investigation of near dry EDM compared with wet and dry EDM processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gholipoor, Ahad [Islamic Azad University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Baseri, Hamid [Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shabgard, Mohammad Reza [University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    Material removal rate (MRR), tool wear ratio (TWR) and surface roughness (SR) obtained by near-dry EDM process were compared with wet and dry EDM at three levels of discharge energy in drilling of SPK steel. Surface integrity machined by this process was studied and compared with wet and dry EDM processes, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that at high level of discharge energy, wet EDM has the most MRR, TWR and SR, and dry EDM has the least MRR, TWR and SR, while at low discharge energy levels, near-dry EDM process has the most MRR and the least SR. SEM micrographs showed that the quality of surface obtained by near-dry EDM process is better than others and the machined surfaces by near-dry EDM process have lower micro-cracks and craters, relatively.

  6. Sites of extranodal involvement are prognostic in patients with stage 1 follicular lymphoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shastri, Aditi; Janakiram, Murali; Mantzaris, Ioannis; Yu, Yiting; Londono, Jaime S; Verma, Amit K; Barta, Stefan K

    2017-10-03

    Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent B cell lymphoma in the United States and a quarter of patients present with stage I disease. The objective of this study was to examine if primary site of disease influences survival in early stage lymphoma. The most common extranodal primary sites were the integumentary system (8%), followed by the GI tract (6.4%) and head & neck (5.6%). We stratified patients into a pre-rituximab era (1983-1998) and the rituximab era (1999-2011). In multivariable analysis, integumentary disease was associated with better overall survival (Hazard Ratio [HR], 0.77; Confidence Interval [CI], 0.66-0.9) while primary site FL of the nervous system (HR, 2.40; CI, 1.72-3.38) and the musculoskeletal system (HR, 2.14; CI, 1.44-3.18) were associated with worse overall survival when compared to primary nodal FL. Treatment in the pre-rituximab era, male gender and older age at diagnosis were associated with worse survival. We queried the SEER database from 1983 to 2011. We included all adult patients (>18 years) with histologically confirmed stage I FL, active follow-up, and a single primary tumor. A total of 9,865 patients met eligibility criteria, with 2520 (25%) having an extranodal primary site. We classified the primary sites by organ or anatomic location into 11 sites. Primary site of disease is a prognostic factor for patients with early stage FL and may help identify subsets of patients that could benefit from early, aggressive treatment.

  7. The effect of slicing type on drying kinetics and quality of dried carrot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Naghipour zadeh mahani

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Carrot is one of the most common vegetables used for human nutrition because of its high vitamin and fiber contents. Drying improves the product shelf life without addition of any chemical preservative and reduces both the size of package and the transport cost. Drying also aidsto reduce postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables especially, which can be as high as 70%. Dried carrots are used in dehydrated soups and in the form of powder in pastries and sauces. The main aim of drying agricultural products is decrease the moisture content to a level which allows safe storage over an extended period. Many fruits and vegetables can be sliced before drying.because of different tissue of a fruit or vegetable, cutting them in different direction and shape created different tissue slices. Due to drying is the exiting process of the moisture from internal tissue so different tissue slices caused different drying kinetics. Therefore, the study on effect of cutting parameters on drying is necessary. Materials and Methods: Carrots (Daucus carota L. were purchased from the local market (Kerman, Iran and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C. The initial moisture contents of the Carrot samples were determined by the oven drying method. The sample was dried in an oven at 105±2°C about 24 hours. The carrots cut by 3 models blade at 3 directions. The samples were dried in an oven at 70°C. Moisture content of the carrot slices were determined by weighting of samples during drying. Volume changes because of sample shrinkage were measured by a water displacement method. Rehydration experiment was performed by immersing a weighted amount of dried samples into hot water 50 °C for 30 min. In this study the effect of some cutting parameters was considered on carrot drying and the quality of final drying product. The tests were performed as a completely random design. The effects of carrot thickness at two levels (3 and 6 mm, blade in 3 models (flat blade

  8. Spent fuel drying system test results (second dry-run)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klinger, G.S.; Oliver, B.M.; Abrefah, J.; Marschman, S.C.; MacFarlan, P.J.; Ritter, G.A.

    1998-07-01

    The water-filled K-Basins in the Hanford 100 Area have been used to store N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) since the 1970s. Because some leaks have been detected in the basins and some of the fuel is breached due to handling damage and corrosion, efforts are underway to remove the fuel elements from wet storage. An Integrated Process Strategy (IPS) has been developed to package, dry, transport, and store these metallic uranium fuel elements in an interim storage facility on the Hanford Site (WHC 1995). Information required to support the development of the drying processes, and the required safety analyses, is being obtained from characterization tests conducted on fuel elements removed from the K-Basins. A series of whole element drying tests (reported in separate documents, see Section 7.0) have been conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on several intact and damaged fuel elements recovered from both the K-East and K-West Basins. This report documents the results of the second dry-run test, which was conducted without a fuel element. With the concurrence of project management, the test protocol for this run, and subsequent drying test runs, was modified. These modifications were made to allow for improved data correlation with drying procedures proposed under the IPS. Details of these modifications are discussed in Section 3.0

  9. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Eye Symptoms Causes of Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué ... Your Eyelid Nov 29, 2017 New Dry Eye Treatment is a Tear-Jerker Jul 21, 2017 Three ...

  10. Development of a freeze-drying process of waste-solution, 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, Isao; Kawasaki, Takeshi

    1988-01-01

    The waste solution treatment process in Plutonium Conversion Development Facility (PCDF) consists of Evaporation-Condensation and Neutrazation-Agglometation-Precipitation process, which produces the distillate as recovered acid at first step and separates Pu-U element from condenced solution at second step. This process needs many stages to get high decontamination efficiency and then the Evaporator is in very corrosive state because the nitric acid solution is heated over 100 degrees C to be evaporated. So, in PCDF, it was started the development of Freeze-Drying process to waste solution treatment. This process is suitable for a little quantity of the solution including nitric acid as produced in the Microwave Heating method. Moreover the process has high decontamination efficiency and has good performance of equipment. The result of the cold test of Freeze-Drying process with nitric acid is discribed in this paper. (author)

  11. Single droplet drying for optimal spray drying of enzymes and probiotics

    OpenAIRE

    Schutyser, M.A.I.; Perdana, J.A.; Boom, R.M.

    2012-01-01

    Spray drying is a mild and cost-effective convective drying method. It can be applied to stabilise heat sensitive ingredients, such as enzymes and probiotic bacteria, albeit in industrial practice for example freeze drying or freezing are often preferred. The reason is that optimum drying conditions and tailored matrix formulations are required to avoid severe heat damage leading to loss in enzyme activity or reduced survival of bacteria. An overview is provided on the use of protective carbo...

  12. Total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, colour and drying characteristics of date fruit dried with different methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gökçen İZLİ

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Date slices were dried with the three drying methods convective (60, 70 and 80 °C, microwave (120 W and freeze drying to determine drying characteristics and to compare the dried fruit quality. All colour parameters changed depending on the drying method and colours closest to the fresh sample were obtained with freeze drying. It is interesting to note that the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in each sample rose when looked at in relation to the fresh sample. In particular, microwave-dried samples were recorded as having the highest total phenolic content and the highest antioxidant capacity. To explain the drying kinetics of the date slices, nine thin-layer drying models were also attempted. Based on statistical tests, the model developed by Midilli et al. model was found to be the best model for convective and microwave drying, but the Two Term model was the best for freeze drying. This study shows that microwave drying can produce high quality date slices with the additional advantage of reduced drying times compared to convective and freeze drying.

  13. Licensing of spent nuclear fuel dry storage in Russia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kislov, A.I.; Kolesnikov, A.S.

    1999-01-01

    The Federal nuclear and radiation safety authority of Russia (Gosatomnadzor) being the state regulation body, organizes and carries out the state regulation and supervision for safety at handling, transport and storage of spent nuclear fuel. In Russia, the use of dry storage in casks will be the primary spent nuclear fuel storage option for the next twenty years. The cask for spent nuclear fuel must be applied for licensing by Gosatomnadzor for both storage and transportation. There are a number of regulations for transportation and storage of spent nuclear fuel in Russia. Up to now, there are no special regulations for dry storage of spent nuclear fuel. Such regulations will be prepared up to the end of 1998. Principally, it will be required that only type B(U)F, packages can be used for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. Recently, there are two dual-purpose cask designs under consideration in Russia. One of them is the CONSTOR steel concrete cask, developed in Russia (NPO CKTI) under the leadership of GNB, Germany. The other cask design is the TUK-104 cask of KBSM, Russia. Both cask types were designed for spent nuclear RBMK fuel. The CONSTOR steel concrete cask was designed to be in full compliance with both Russian and IAEA regulations for transport of packages for radioactive material. The evaluation of the design criteria by Russian experts for the CONSTOR steel concrete cask project was performed at a first stage of licensing (1995 - 1997). The CONSTOR cask design has been assessed (strength analysis, thermal physics, nuclear physics and others) by different Russian experts. To show finally the compliance of the CONSTOR steel concrete cask with Russian and IAEA regulations, six drop tests have been performed with a 1:2 scale model manufactured in Russia. A test report was prepared. The test results have shown that the CONSTOR cask integrity is guaranteed under both transport and storage accident conditions. The final stage of the certification procedure

  14. Wet–dry cycles impact DOM retention in subsurface soils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Olshansky

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Transport and reactivity of carbon in the critical zone are highly controlled by reactions of dissolved organic matter (DOM with subsurface soils, including adsorption, transformation and exchange. These reactions are dependent on frequent wet–dry cycles common to the unsaturated zone, particularly in semi-arid regions. To test for an effect of wet–dry cycles on DOM interaction and stabilization in subsoils, samples were collected from subsurface (Bw horizons of an Entisol and an Alfisol from the Catalina-Jemez Critical Zone Observatory and sequentially reacted (four batch steps with DOM extracted from the corresponding soil litter layers. Between each reaction step, soils either were allowed to air dry (wet–dry treatment before introduction of the following DOM solution or were maintained under constant wetness (continually wet treatment. Microbial degradation was the dominant mechanism of DOM loss from solution for the Entisol subsoil, which had higher initial organic C content, whereas sorptive retention predominated in the lower C Alfisol subsoil. For a given soil, bulk dissolved organic C losses from solution were similar across treatments. However, a combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS spectroscopic analyses revealed that wet–dry treatments enhanced the interactions between carboxyl functional groups and soil particle surfaces. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM data suggested that cation bridging by Ca2+ was the primary mechanism for carboxyl association with soil surfaces. STXM data also showed that spatial fractionation of adsorbed OM on soil organo-mineral surfaces was diminished relative to what might be inferred from previously published observations pertaining to DOM fractionation on reaction with specimen mineral phases. This study provides direct evidence of the role of wet–dry cycles in affecting sorption reactions of DOM to a complex soil

  15. Wet-dry cycles impact DOM retention in subsurface soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olshansky, Yaniv; Root, Robert A.; Chorover, Jon

    2018-02-01

    Transport and reactivity of carbon in the critical zone are highly controlled by reactions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) with subsurface soils, including adsorption, transformation and exchange. These reactions are dependent on frequent wet-dry cycles common to the unsaturated zone, particularly in semi-arid regions. To test for an effect of wet-dry cycles on DOM interaction and stabilization in subsoils, samples were collected from subsurface (Bw) horizons of an Entisol and an Alfisol from the Catalina-Jemez Critical Zone Observatory and sequentially reacted (four batch steps) with DOM extracted from the corresponding soil litter layers. Between each reaction step, soils either were allowed to air dry (wet-dry treatment) before introduction of the following DOM solution or were maintained under constant wetness (continually wet treatment). Microbial degradation was the dominant mechanism of DOM loss from solution for the Entisol subsoil, which had higher initial organic C content, whereas sorptive retention predominated in the lower C Alfisol subsoil. For a given soil, bulk dissolved organic C losses from solution were similar across treatments. However, a combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopic analyses revealed that wet-dry treatments enhanced the interactions between carboxyl functional groups and soil particle surfaces. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) data suggested that cation bridging by Ca2+ was the primary mechanism for carboxyl association with soil surfaces. STXM data also showed that spatial fractionation of adsorbed OM on soil organo-mineral surfaces was diminished relative to what might be inferred from previously published observations pertaining to DOM fractionation on reaction with specimen mineral phases. This study provides direct evidence of the role of wet-dry cycles in affecting sorption reactions of DOM to a complex soil matrix. In the soil

  16. Cold Vacuum Drying facility effluent drain system design description

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    PITKOFF, C.C.

    1999-01-01

    This document describes the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) effluent drain system (EFS). The primary function of the EFS is to collect and transport fire suppression water discharged into a CVDF process bay to a retention basin located outside the facility. The EFS also provides confinement of spills that occur inside a process bay and allows non-contaminated water that drains to the process bay sumps to be collected until sampling and analysis are complete

  17. Dry socket

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alveolar osteitis; Alveolitis; Septic socket ... You may be more at risk for dry socket if you: Have poor oral health Have a ... after having a tooth pulled Have had dry socket in the past Drink from a straw after ...

  18. Patient Satisfaction and Perceived Quality of Care Among Older Adults According to Activity Limitation Stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogner, Hillary R.; de Vries McClintock, Heather F.; Hennessy, Sean; Kurichi, Jibby E.; Streim, Joel E.; Xie, Dawei; Pezzin, Liliana E.; Kwong, Pui L.; Stineman, Margaret G.

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To examine whether patient satisfaction and perceived quality of medical care was related to stages of activity limitations among older adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) for calendar years 2001-2011. PARTICIPANTS A population-based sample (n= 42,584) of persons 65 years of age and older living in the community. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) MCBS questions were categorized under 5 patient satisfaction and perceived quality dimensions: care coordination and quality, access barriers, technical skills of primary care physicians, interpersonal skills of primary care physicians, and quality of information provided by primary care physicians. Persons were classified into a stage of activity limitation (0-IV) derived from self-reported difficulty levels performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). RESULTS Compared to older beneficiaries with no limitations at ADL Stage 0, the adjusted odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals (CI)) for Stage I (mild) to Stage III (severe) for satisfaction with care coordination and quality ranged from OR = 0.85 (95% CI: 0.80-0.92) to OR = 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70-0.89). Compared to ADL Stage 0, satisfaction with access barriers ranged from OR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.76-0.87) at Stage I (mild) to a minimum of OR = 0.67 (95% CI: 0.59-0.76) at Stage III (severe). Similarly, compared to older beneficiaries at ADL Stage 0, perceived quality of the technical skills of their primary care physician ranged from OR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.94) at Stage I (mild) to a minimum of OR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.72-0.91) at Stage III (severe). CONCLUSIONS Medicare beneficiaries at higher stages of activity limitation although not necessarily the highest stage of activity limitation reported less satisfaction with medical care. PMID:26119464

  19. The state of the Primary Degradation Factors and Models of Concrete Cask in Spent Fuel Dry Storage System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J. S.; Lee, K. S.; Choi, J. W.; Kwon, S.

    2010-01-01

    In South Korea, a total of twenty nuclear reactors are in operation; the cumulative amount of spent fuel is estimated to be 10,490 MTU in 2009. The full capacity of the waste storage is expected to be saturated in around 2016. However, a national strategy for spent fuel management has not yet been set down and high level waste (HLW) such as spent fuel will have to be stored at-reactor (AR) by re-racking. Recently an worldwide interest on the dry storage has increased especially around U.S. With a perspective of the material of the spent fuel dry storage cask, the system can be divided into two types of metal and concrete casks. The concrete type cask is a very attractive option because of the cost competitiveness of concrete material and its relatively long-term durability. Although the type of metal cask is chosen, the use of cementitious material is inevitable at least for the cask foundation and the facilities for the protection of dry storage structures. Upon being placed, the performance of concrete begins to deteriorate from the intrinsic change of cement and the physical/ chemical environmental conditions. Thus it is necessary to evaluate the durability of a concrete for the increase of reliability and safety of the whole system during the designed life time. Considering the dry storage system of spent fuel is the item which can create a lot of added value, the development of a dry storage cask is usually initiated by private enterprises among developed countries. The detail research results and specific design criteria for the safety assessment of a concrete cask have not been revealed to the public well. In this paper, the major expected degradation factors and related degradation models of concrete casks were investigated as part of the safety assessment by taking account of the site where Korea industrial nuclear power plants are located

  20. Comparison of annual dry and wet deposition fluxes of selected pesticides in Strasbourg, France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sauret, Nathalie; Wortham, Henri; Strekowski, Rafal; Herckes, Pierre; Nieto, Laura Ines

    2009-01-01

    This work summarizes the results of a study of atmospheric wet and dry deposition fluxes of Deisopropyl-atrazine (DEA), Desethyl-atrazine (DET), Atrazine, Terbuthylazine, Alachlor, Metolachlor, Diflufenican, Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, Iprodione, Isoproturon and Cymoxanil pesticides conducted in Strasbourg, France, from August 2000 through August 2001. The primary objective of this work was to calculate the total atmospheric pesticide deposition fluxes induced by atmospheric particles. To do this, a modified one-dimensional cloud water deposition model was used. All precipitation and deposition samples were collected at an urban forested park environment setting away from any direct point pesticide sources. The obtained deposition fluxes induced by atmospheric particles over a forested area showed that the dry deposition flux strongly contributes to the total deposition flux. The dry particle deposition fluxes are shown to contribute from 4% (DET) to 60% (cymoxanil) to the total deposition flux (wet + dry). - A modified one-dimensional cloud water deposition model is used to estimate the deposition fluxes of pesticides in the particle phase and compare the relative importance of dry and wet depositions

  1. Comparison of annual dry and wet deposition fluxes of selected pesticides in Strasbourg, France

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sauret, Nathalie [Marseilles University, Laboratoire Chimie Provence - UMR 6264, Campus Saint Charles, Case 29, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseilles Cedex 03 (France); Wortham, Henri [Marseilles University, Laboratoire Chimie Provence - UMR 6264, Campus Saint Charles, Case 29, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseilles Cedex 03 (France)], E-mail: Henri.Wortham@univ-provence.fr; Strekowski, Rafal [Marseilles University, Laboratoire Chimie Provence - UMR 6264, Campus Saint Charles, Case 29, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseilles Cedex 03 (France); Herckes, Pierre [Arizona State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604 (United States); Nieto, Laura Ines [Marseilles University, Laboratoire Chimie Provence - UMR 6264, Campus Saint Charles, Case 29, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseilles Cedex 03 (France)

    2009-01-15

    This work summarizes the results of a study of atmospheric wet and dry deposition fluxes of Deisopropyl-atrazine (DEA), Desethyl-atrazine (DET), Atrazine, Terbuthylazine, Alachlor, Metolachlor, Diflufenican, Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, Iprodione, Isoproturon and Cymoxanil pesticides conducted in Strasbourg, France, from August 2000 through August 2001. The primary objective of this work was to calculate the total atmospheric pesticide deposition fluxes induced by atmospheric particles. To do this, a modified one-dimensional cloud water deposition model was used. All precipitation and deposition samples were collected at an urban forested park environment setting away from any direct point pesticide sources. The obtained deposition fluxes induced by atmospheric particles over a forested area showed that the dry deposition flux strongly contributes to the total deposition flux. The dry particle deposition fluxes are shown to contribute from 4% (DET) to 60% (cymoxanil) to the total deposition flux (wet + dry). - A modified one-dimensional cloud water deposition model is used to estimate the deposition fluxes of pesticides in the particle phase and compare the relative importance of dry and wet depositions.

  2. Colonization of overlaying water by bacteria from dry river sediments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazi, Stefano; Amalfitano, Stefano; Piccini, Claudia; Zoppini, Annamaria; Puddu, Alberto; Pernthaler, Jakob

    2008-10-01

    We studied the diversity, community composition and activity of the primary microbial colonizers of the water above freshly re-wetted sediments from a temporary river. Dried sediments, collected from Mulargia River (Sardinia, Italy), were covered with sterile freshwater in triplicate microcosms, and changes of the planktonic microbial assemblage were monitored over a 48 h period. During the first 9 h bacterial abundance was low (1.5 x 10(4) cells ml(-1)); it increased to 3.4 x 10(6) cells ml(-1) after 28 h and did not change thereafter. Approximately 20% of bacteria exhibited DNA de novo synthesis already after 9 h of incubation. Changes of the ratios of (3)H-leucine to (3)H-thymidine incorporation rates indicated a shift of growth patterns during the experiment. Extracellular enzyme activity showed a maximum at 48 h with aminopeptidase activity (430.8 +/- 22.6 nmol MCA l(-1) h(-1)) significantly higher than alkaline phosphatase (98.6 +/- 4.3 nmol MUF l(-1) h(-1)). The primary microbial colonizers of the overlaying water - as determined by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis - were related to at least six different phylogenetic lineages of Bacilli and to Alphaproteobacteria (Brevundimonas spp. and Caulobacter spp.). Large bacterial cells affiliated to one clade of Bacillus sp. were rare in the dried sediments, but constituted the majority of the planktonic microbial assemblage and of cells with detectable DNA-synthesis until 28 h after re-wetting. Their community contribution decreased in parallel with a rise of flagellated and ciliated protists. Estimates based on cell production rates suggested that the rapidly enriched Bacillus sp. suffered disproportionally high loss rates from selective predation, thus favouring the establishment of a more heterogenic assemblage of microbes (consisting of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Cytophaga-Flavobacteria). Our results suggest that the primary microbial colonizers of the water above dried sediments are passively released

  3. Cassava Sun Drying Performance on Various Surfaces and Drying ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Traditional processing methods that include ... The traditional sun drying method is very inefficient as the product can take 2-. 3 days to dry. .... using a digital balance (Ohaus Corporation type). The same applied .... preservation and marketing.

  4. Drying kinetics and characteristics of dried gambir leaves using solar heating and silica gel dessicant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasibuan, R.; Hidayati, J.; Sundari, R.; Wicaksono, A. S.

    2018-02-01

    A drying combination of solar heating and silica gel dessicant has been applied to dry gambir leaves. The solar energy is captured by a collector to heat the air and the hot air is used to dry gambir leaves in a drying chamber. An exhaust fan in drying chamber assists to draw water molecules from gambir leaves accelerated by silica gel dessicant. This study has investigated the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves drying. In drying operation the air velocity is tuned by a PWM (pulse width modulation) controller to adjust minimum and maximum level, which is based on the rotation speed of the exhaust fan. The results show that the air velocity influenced the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves using solar-dessicant drying at 40 cm distance between exhaust fan and silica gel dessicant.

  5. Designing Multimodal User-Interfaces for Effective E-Learning in the School Primary Stages Applied on Real Fractions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salaheddin Odeh

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This contribution focuses on the development and design of e-learning tools for school students in primary stages through dealing and considering the math of real fractions, which presents an example of learning material difficult to understand by many school students and a real challenge for e-learning designers and multimedia authoring. Firstly, we will highlight several problems facing school students and teachers caused by the traditional learning approach. Then, we are going to discuss some aspects related to e-learning, the major theoretical issues of educational psychology and e-learning with various modalities related to our work, and the classification of the interactive multimedia methodologies adopted in this work. Furthermore, the software-ergonomic and –architectural features of the developed e-learning tool will be introduced. Finally, the paper will conclude with a brief summary of a usability testing carried out to compare the developed e-learning user-interface with the traditional learning approach.

  6. Producer farmer’s sovereignty in dry land and swamps areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suhaeti, RN; Wahyuni, S.

    2018-01-01

    Farmers could perform their farming if they have sovereignty on their farming production inputs and marketing. Suboptimal land, such as dry land and swamps areas have good prospect if applying appropriate technologies. A research in 2015, on status of farmers’ sovereignty, had been conducted in Piani and North Candi Laras Subdistricts, Tapin District, South Borneo Province, representing swamp land and dry land respectively. Data and information were obtained through interviewing related agencies at provincial and district levels and 30 units of farmer’s households. The primary and secondary data were analyzed descriptively. The research results showed that farmers in swamps and dry land were categorized as large farmers and had sovereignty over the land and production. Water shortage and excessive in both land types could be overcome by giving access on appropriate technology such as programs making farmers improve their farming techniques and providing levees. In addition, land certification program, farming expansion and constructing new irrigated lowland were also some efforts to improve farmers’ sovereignty. It was crucial to identify and improve farmer’s sovereignty indicators through research in larger sites and samples.

  7. Biochemical changes in hybrid pumpkin seeds at different stages of maturation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Pereira da Silva

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate biochemical changes in seeds of the pumpkin hybrid, 'Jabras', from fruit harvested at different stages of maturation (15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after anthesis. Thirty fruit were harvested at each stage, with the seeds from 15 of the fruit being extracted immediately. The remaining 15 were stored for twenty days in plastic boxes and the seeds extracted after this period. After processing and drying the seeds, the following were determined: moisture content, germination, first count and antioxidant enzyme activity (peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. Seeds from the fruit harvested at 30 DAA displayed low values for germination and vigour and high antioxidant enzyme activity, indicating that they were immature and that drying possibly caused damage to the system of cell membranes. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that analysis related to changes in the activity of enzymes during development and maturation of the seeds was effective in evaluating the physiological and biochemical changes in pumpkin seeds of the 'Jabras' cultivar.

  8. [Effects of drying and wetting cycles induced by tides on net ecosystem exchange of CO2 over a salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Wen Jun; Han, Guang Xuan; Xu, Yan Ning; Zhang, Xi Tao; Wang, An Dong; Che, Chun Guang; Sun, Bao Yu; Zhang, Xiao Shuai

    2018-01-01

    As a unique hydrological characteristic, the tidal action can strongly affect carbon balance in a salt marsh despite their short duration. Using the eddy covariance technique, we measured the net ecosystem CO 2 exchange (NEE) and its environmental factors and tidal change over a salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta. It aimed to investigate the effect of tidal process and drying and wetting cycles induced by tides on NEE. The results showed that the tidal process promoted the daytime CO 2 uptake, but it didn't clearly affect the nighttime CO 2 release. Tidal inundation was a major factor influencing daytime NEE. The diurnal change of NEE showed a distinct U-shaped curve on both drought and wet stages, but not with substantial variation in its amplitude during the drought stage. The drying and wetting cycles enhanced the absorption of daytime CO 2 . Under drought stage, the mean of the maximum photosynthetic rate (A max ), apparent quantum yield (α) and ecosystem respiration (R eco ) were higher than those in wet stage. In addition, the drying and wetting cycles suppressed the nighttime CO 2 release from the salt marsh but increased its temperature sensitivity.

  9. Nutrition knowledge and nutritional status of primary school children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-01-04

    Jan 4, 2010 ... are a decreased fibre intake and increased intakes of total protein and animal protein ... has implemented various national nutrition and primary health- .... fish, chicken, dried beans, legumes, peas and soy, 4) the dairy group,.

  10. Improved Survival With Radiation Therapy in Stage I-II Primary Mediastinal B Cell Lymphoma: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackson, Matthew W., E-mail: matthew.jackson@ucdenver.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado (United States); Rusthoven, Chad G.; Jones, Bernard L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado (United States); Kamdar, Manali [Department of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado (United States); Rabinovitch, Rachel [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Background: Primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is an uncommon lymphoma for which trials are few with small patient numbers. The role of radiation therapy (RT) after standard immunochemotherapy for early-stage disease has never been studied prospectively. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluate PMBCL and the impact of RT on outcomes. Methods and Materials: We queried the SEER database for patients with stage I-II PMBCL diagnosed from 2001 to 2011. Retrievable data included age, gender, race (white/nonwhite), stage, extranodal disease, year of diagnosis, and use of RT as a component of definitive therapy. Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS) estimates, univariate (UVA) log-rank and multivariate (MVA) Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed. Results: Two hundred fifty patients with stage I-II disease were identified, with a median follow-up time of 39 months (range, 3-125 months). The median age was 36 years (range, 18-89 years); 61% were female; 76% were white; 45% had stage I disease, 60% had extranodal disease, and 55% were given RT. The 5-year OS for the entire cohort was 86%. On UVA, OS was improved with RT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.446, P=.029) and decreased in association with nonwhite race (HR 2.70, P=.006). The 5-year OS was 79% (no RT) and 90% (RT). On MVA, white race and RT remained significantly associated with improved OS (P=.007 and .018, respectively). The use of RT decreased over time: 61% for the 67 patients whose disease was diagnosed from 2001 to 2005 and 53% in the 138 patients treated from 2006 to 2010. Conclusion: This retrospective population-based analysis is the largest PMBCL dataset to date and demonstrates a significant survival benefit associated with RT. Nearly half of patients treated in the United States do not receive RT, and its use appears to be declining. In the absence of phase 3 data, the use of RT should be strongly considered for its survival benefit in early-stage

  11. Prevalence and risk factors associated with dry eye symptoms: a population based study in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, A J; Lee, J; Saw, S-M; Gazzard, G; Koh, D; Widjaja, D; Tan, D T H

    2002-01-01

    Aim: To determine the prevalence and identify associated risk factors for dry eye syndrome in a population in Sumatra, Indonesia. Methods: A one stage cluster sampling procedure was conducted to randomly select 100 households in each of the five rural villages and one provincial town of the Riau province, Indonesia, from April to June 2001. Interviewers collected demographic, lifestyle, and medical data from 1058 participants aged 21 years or over. Symptoms of dry eye were assessed using a six item validated questionnaire. Presence of one or more of the six dry eye symptoms often or all the time was analysed. Presence of pterygium was documented. Results: Prevalence of one or more of the six dry eye symptoms often or all the time adjusted for age was 27.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 24.8 to 30.2). After adjusting for all significant variables, independent risk factors for dry eye were pterygium (p<0.001, multivariate odds ratio (OR) 1.8; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.5) and a history of current cigarette smoking (p=0.05, multivariate OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2). Conclusions: This population based study provides prevalence rates of dry eye symptoms in a tropical developing nation. From our findings, pterygium is a possible independent risk factor for dry eye symptoms. PMID:12446361

  12. CHARACTERIZATION OF RIPENING STAGES OF MYRTLE FRUIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DYALLA RIBEIRO DE ARAUJO

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The myrtle (Eugenia gracillima Kiaersk. is a native fruit species in the Chapada of Araripe, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The fruits are collected from the wild and are consumed fresh or processed as pulp, juice, jelly, liquor or desserts. Myrtle fruit production is of significant socioeconomic value for the region and, therefore, the description of myrtle fruit ripening stages may contribute to the development of its production chain. As a result, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the physical, quality and ripening changes of myrtle fruits at different developmental stages. The fruits were picked at five distinctive stages and evaluated for longitudinal and transverse diameters; fresh, dry and water mass; water contents; soluble solids (SS; titratable acidity (TA; pH; SS/TA ratio; carbohydrates (starch, total, reducing and nonreducing sugars; ascorbic acid; total pectin, soluble pectins and percentage of pectin solubilization; polymeric, oligomeric and dimeric phenolics; total anthocyanins, carotenoids and chlorophyll; and yellow flavonoids. Along fruit ripening processes increases in SS, anthocyanins and carotenoids, in the SS/TA ratio and of percentages of pectin solubilization were determined. On the other hand, decreases in TA and total chlorophyll were observed. The ripening stage at which peel color is completely dark red (ripening stage 4 is most appropriate to harvest myrtle fruits for human consumption.

  13. Analysis of stage-investing strategy in equity financing market

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    XUN Minghui

    2007-01-01

    Stage-investing strategy is a primary measure to mitigate asymmetric information during equity investment. This paper attempts to investigate the problem faced by equity investors wishing to make optimal investment decision under stage-investing strategy.A serial investment-decision making model will be designed to help investors to take the best choice.

  14. Initial stages of solidification of eutectic alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemaignan, Clement

    1980-01-01

    The study of the various initial stages of eutectic solidification - i.e. primary nucleation, eutectic structure formation and stable growth conditions - was undertaken with various techniques including low angle neutron diffusion, in-situ electron microscopy on solidifying alloys and classical metallography. The results obtained allow to discuss the effect of metastable states during primary nucleation, of surface dendrite during eutectic nucleation and also of the crystallographic anisotropy during growth. (author) [fr

  15. Drying kinetics and quality aspects during heat pump drying of onion (Allium cepa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nihar Ranjan Sahoo

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A prototype heat pump dryer has been developed for drying of fruits and vegetables at low temperature and relative humidity to maintain the quality of dried product. Onions, of Nasik red variety were peeled, trimmed and sliced to 2 mm thickness. The onion slices were dried in the heat pump dryer at 35ºC (32 % R.H., 40ºC (26 % R.H., 45ºC (19 % R.H. and 50ºC (15 % R.H.. Samples were also dried in a hot air dryer at 50ºC (52 % R.H. for comparison. The drying rate increased with increase in drying air temperature, associated with reduced R.H., in the heat pump dryer. Drying took place mainly under the falling rate period. The Page equation, resulting in a higher coefficient of determination and lower root mean square error, better described the thin-layer drying of onion slices than the Henderson and Pabis equation. Heat pump drying took less drying time of 360 min and yielded better quality dried product, with higher retention of ascorbic acid and pyruvic acid and lower colour change, as compared to a hot air dryer at the same drying air temperature of 50ºC.

  16. [Conversion methods of freshwater snail tissue dry mass and ash free dry mass].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wei-Hua; Wang, Hai-Jun; Wang, Hong-Zhu; Liu, Xue-Qin

    2009-06-01

    Mollusk biomass is usually expressed as wet mass with shell, but this expression fails to represent real biomass due to the high calcium carbonate content in shells. Tissue dry mass and ash free dry mass are relatively close to real biomass. However, the determination process of these two parameters is very complicated, and thus, it is necessary to establish simple and practical conversion methods for these two parameters. A total of six taxa of freshwater snails (Bellamya sp., Alocinma longicornis, Parafossarulus striatulus, Parafossarulus eximius, Semisulcospira cancellata, and Radix sp.) common in the Yangtze Basin were selected to explore the relations of their five shell dimension parameters, dry and wet mass with shells with their tissue dry mass and ash free dry mass. The regressions of the tissue dry mass and ash free dry mass with the five shell dimension parameters were all exponential (y = ax(b)). Among them, shell width and shell length were more precise (the average percentage error between observed and predicted value being 22.0% and 22.5%, respectively) than the other three parameters in the conversion of dry mass. Wet mass with shell could be directly converted to tissue dry mass and ash free dry mass, with an average percentage error of 21.7%. According to the essence of definition and the errors of conversion, ash free dry mass would be the optimum parameter to express snail biomass.

  17. Early phosphorus nutrition, mycorrhizae development, dry matter partitioning and yield of maize

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gavito, M.E.; Miller, M.H.

    1998-01-01

    to a mycorrhizal mycelium network (no-tillage treatments). Maize yield and harvest index were lower after cropping With canola. The yield for conventional tillage was higher than that for no-tillage but the harvest index was lower. The hypothesis was supported at early stages of maize growth by the effect...... was used with previous crop (Zea mays L.-maize and Brassica napus L.-canola), tillage practices (no-tillage or conventional tillage) and P fertilization (5 levels) as factors chosen to modify mycorrhizae development at early developmental stages of maize. Previous cropping with canola resulted in decreased......We conducted a field experiment to test the hypothesis that improved phosphorus nutrition occurs in maize plants with rapid arbuscular (AM) mycorrhizae development at early developmental stages and that this also is reflected in dry matter allocation and final yield. A split-split plot design...

  18. Glucosinolate profile and distribution among plant tissues and phenological stages of field-grown horseradish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agneta, Rosa; Lelario, Filomena; De Maria, Susanna; Möllers, Christian; Bufo, Sabino Aurelio; Rivelli, Anna Rita

    2014-10-01

    Profile and distribution of glucosinolates (GLS) were detected in plant tissues of horseradish at different developmental stages: beginning of vegetative re-growth, flowering and silique formation. The GLS profile varied widely in the different tissues: we identified 17 GLS in roots and sprouts, one of which was not previously characterized in horseradish, i.e. the 2(S)-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl-GLS (glucobarbarin) and/or 2(R)-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl-GLS (epiglucobarbarin), 11 already found in the roots, including the putative 2-methylsulfonyl-oxo-ethyl-GLS, and 5 previously recognized only in the sprouts. Fifteen of those GLS were also identified in young and cauline leaves, 12 in the mature leaves and 13 in the inflorescences. No difference in GLS profile was observed in plant among the phenological stages. Differences in concentrations of GLS, quantified as desulfated, were found in plant. At the beginning of vegetative re-growth, sprouts while showing the same profile of the roots were much richer in GLS having the highest total GLS concentrations (117.5 and 7.7μmolg(-1) dry weight in sprouts and roots, respectively). During flowering and silique forming stages, the roots still maintained lower amount of total GLS (7.4μmolg(-1) of dry weight, on average) with respect to the epigeous tissues, in which mature and young leaves showed the highest total concentrations (70.5 and 73.8μmolg(-1) of dry weight on average, respectively). Regardless of the phenological stages, the aliphatic GLS were always predominant in all tissues (95%) followed by indolic (2.6%) and benzenic (2.4%) GLS. Sinigrin contributed more than 90% of the total GLS concentration. Aliphatic GLS concentrations were much higher in the epigeous tissues, particularly in the mature and young leaves, while benzenic and indolic GLS concentrations were higher in the roots. Through the phenological stages, GLS concentration increased in young and mature leaves and decreased in cauline leaves and inflorescences

  19. COMPARISON BETWEEN WOOD DRYING DEFECT SCORES: SPECIMEN TESTING X ANALYSIS OF KILN-DRIED BOARDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Djeison Cesar Batista

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available It is important to develop drying technologies for Eucalyptus grandis lumber, which is one of the most planted species of this genus in Brazil and plays an important role as raw material for the wood industry. The general aim of this work was to assess the conventional kiln drying of juvenile wood of three clones of Eucalyptus grandis. The specific aims were to compare the behavior between: i drying defects indicated by tests with wood specimens and conventional kiln-dried boards; and ii physical properties and the drying quality. Five 11-year-old trees of each clone were felled, and only flatsawn boards of the first log were used. Basic density and total shrinkage were determined, and the drying test with wood specimens at 100 °C was carried out. Kiln drying of boards was performed, and initial and final moisture content, moisture gradient in thickness, drying stresses and drying defects were assessed. The defect scoring method was used to verify the behavior between the defects detected by specimen testing and the defects detected in kiln-dried boards. As main results, the drying schedule was too severe for the wood, resulting in a high level of boards with defects. The behavior between the defects in the drying test with specimens and the defects of kiln-dried boards was different, there was no correspondence, according to the defect scoring method.

  20. Effect of surface roughness on drying speed of drying lamellas in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lamellas, which are defined as top layers of multilayer parquet and favourable to wood veneer can be dried in jet ventilated automatic veneer roller dryer due to short drying period. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of surface roughness on the drying speed of the veneer roller dryer. Quercus spp.

  1. Spent fuel drying system test results (first dry-run)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klinger, G.S.; Oliver, B.M.; Abrefah, J.; Marschman, S.C.; MacFarlan, P.J.; Ritter, G.A.

    1998-07-01

    The water-filled K-Basins in the Hanford 100 Area have been used to store N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) since the 1970s. Because some leaks in the basin have been detected and some of the fuel is breached due to handling damage and corrosion, efforts are underway to remove the fuel elements from wet storage. An Integrated Process Strategy (IPS) has been developed to package, dry, transport, and store these metallic uranium fuel elements in an interim storage facility on the Hanford Site. Information required to support the development of the drying processes, and the required safety analyses, is being obtained from characterization tests conducted on fuel elements removed from the K-Basins. A series of whole element drying tests (reported in separate documents, see Section 7.0) have been conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on several intact and damaged fuel elements recovered from both the K-East and K-West Basins. This report documents the results of the first dry-run test, which was conducted without a fuel element. The empty test apparatus was subjected to a combination of low- and high-temperature vacuum drying treatments that were intended to mimic, wherever possible, the fuel treatment strategies of the IPS. The data from this dry-run test can serve as a baseline for the first two fuel element tests, 1990 (Run 1) and 3128W (Run 2). The purpose of this dry-run was to establish the background levels of hydrogen in the system, and the hydrogen generation and release characteristics attributable to the test system without a fuel element present. This test also serves to establish the background levels of water in the system and the water release characteristics. The system used for the drying test series was the Whole Element Furnace Testing System, described in Section 2.0, which is located in the Postirradiation Testing Laboratory (PTL, 327 Building). The test conditions and methodology are given in section 3.0, and the experimental

  2. Development of Integrity Evaluation Technology for the Long-term Spent Fuel Dry Storage System (1st year Report)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Jong Won; Kook, Dong Hak; Kim, Jun Sub

    2010-05-01

    Korea has operated 16 Pressurized Water Reactors(PWR) and has a plan to construct additional nuclear power reactors as only PWR. This causes a big issue of PWR spent fuel accumulation problem now and in the future. KRMC(Korea Radioactive waste Management Coorporation) which was established in 2009 is charged with managing all kinds of radioactive waste that is produced in Korea. KRMC is considering spent fuel dry storage as an option to solve this spent fuel problem and developing the related engineering techniques. KAERI(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) also participated in this development and focused on evaluating the spent fuel dry storage system integrity for a long term operation. This report is the first year research product. The aims of the first year work scope are surveying and analyzing models which could anticipate degradation phenomena of the all dry storage components(spent fuel, structure materials, and equipment materials) and selecting items of the tests which are planned to perform in the next project stage. The major work areas consist of 'spent fuel degradation evaluation model development', 'test senario development', 'long-term evaluation of structural material characteristics', and 'dry storage system structure degradation model development'. These works were successfully achieved. This report is expected to contribute for the second year work which includes degradation model development and test senario development, and next project stage

  3. Drying and energy technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Lima, A

    2016-01-01

    This book provides a comprehensive overview of essential topics related to conventional and advanced drying and energy technologies, especially motivated by increased industry and academic interest. The main topics discussed are: theory and applications of drying, emerging topics in drying technology, innovations and trends in drying, thermo-hydro-chemical-mechanical behaviors of porous materials in drying, and drying equipment and energy. Since the topics covered are inter- and multi-disciplinary, the book offers an excellent source of information for engineers, energy specialists, scientists, researchers, graduate students, and leaders of industrial companies. This book is divided into several chapters focusing on the engineering, science and technology applied in essential industrial processes used for raw materials and products.

  4. Theoretical and practical aspects of aroma retention in spray drying and freeze drying

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coumans, W.J.; Kerkhof, P.J.A.M.; Bruin, S.

    1994-01-01

    A review with 75 refs. on aroma loss in slab drying, spray drying and freeze drying. For many food products the presence of volatile aroma components is a prime quality feature. Upon drying part of these components may be lost, leading to unbalanced flavor patterns in the reconstituted product. The

  5. Effects of drying temperature on drying kinetics and eurycomanone content of Eurycoma longifolia roots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hada Masayu, I.,

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the effects of temperature on drying kinetics and eurycomanone content of Eurycoma longifolia roots were investigated to determine the optimum temperature for drying of this herb. The roots were subjected to drying temperatures of 40, 50, 60 and 70°C. The drying kinetics data indicated that the drying rate increased with increase in temperature but decreased with time. The drying process took place in the falling rate period. Three established thin layer drying models include Page, Midili and Logarithmic were employed to describe the drying process. The Midili model was found as the best fitting model in representing the process. The quality of the products was evaluated by comparing the content of its active compound, eurycomanone, quantified using an ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC. The fastest drying process was achieved at 70°C, but UPLC results showed that the product suffered at 18% reduction in eurycomanone content as compared to the control. Based on the findings of this work, the optimum drying temperature for E. longifolia roots is 60°C.

  6. Characteristics of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of palm kernel shell in a newly developed two-stage pyrolyzer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Seung-Jin; Choi, Gyung-Goo; Kim, Joo-Sik

    2016-01-01

    Pyrolysis of palm kernel shell was performed using a two-stage pyrolyzer consisting of an auger reactor and a fluidized bed reactor within the auger reactor temperature range of ∼290–380 °C at the fluidized bed reactor temperature of ∼520 °C, and with a variable residence time of the feed material in the auger reactor. The highest bio-oil yield of the two-stage pyrolysis was ∼56 wt%. The bio-oil derived from the auger reactor contained degradation products of the hemicelluloses of PKS, such as acetic acid, and furfural, whereas the fluidized bed reactor produced a bio-oil with high concentrations of acetic acid and phenol. The auger reactor temperature and the residence time of PKS in the auger reactor had an influence on the acetic acid concentration in the bio-oil, while their changes did not induce an observable trend on the phenol concentration in the bio-oil derived from the fluidized bed reactor. The maximum concentrations of acetic acid and phenol in bio-oil were ∼78 and 12 wt% dry basis, respectively. As a result, it was possible for the two-stage pyrolyzer to separately produce two different bio-oils in one operation without any costly fractionation process of bio-oils. - Highlights: • The two-stage pyrolyzer is composed of an auger and a fluidized bed reactor. • The two-stage pyrolyzer produced two different bio-oils in a single operation. • The maximum bio-oil yield of the two-stage pyrolysis was ∼56 wt%. • The maximum concentration of acetic acid in bio-oil was ∼78 wt% dry basis. • The maximum concentration of phenol in bio-oil was ∼12 wt% dry basis.

  7. TG-DSC method applied to drying characteristics of areca inflorescence during drying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Fei; Wang, Hui; Huang, Yulin; Zhang, Yufeng; Chen, Weijun; Zhao, Songlin; Zhang, Ming

    2017-10-01

    In this study, suitability of eight drying models available in literature on defining drying characteristics of areca inflorescence has been examined by non-linear regression analysis using the Statistic Computer Program. The coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) and the reduced chi-square (χ2) are used as indicators to evaluate the best suitable model. According to the results, the Verma et al. model gave the best results for explaining the drying characteristics of areca inflorescence. The drying process could be divided into three periods: rising rate, constant rate and the falling rate period. Fick's second law can describe the moisture transport during the food drying process that takes place in the falling rate period. The values of effective diffusivity during the drying of areca inflorescence ranged from 2.756 × 10-7 to 6.257 × 10-7 m2/s and the activation energy was tested for 35.535 kJ/mol. The heat requirement of areca inflorescence at 40-60 °C was calculated from 50.57 to 60.50 kJ/kg during the drying process.

  8. Primary pulmonary lymphoma-role of fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography in the initial staging and evaluating response to treatment - case reports and review of literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarwal, Krishan Kant; Dhanapathi, Halanaik; Nazar, Aftab Hasan; Kumar, Rakesh

    2016-01-01

    Primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) is an uncommon entity of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which accounts for <1% of all cases of lymphoma. We present two rare cases of PPL of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which underwent 18 fluorine fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography for initial staging and response evaluation after chemotherapy

  9. Phosphorus utilization by three rice varieties at different stages of growth in a vertisol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rastogi, A.K.; Mahajan, J.P.; Sinha, S.B.

    1981-01-01

    A pot experiment was conducted using labelled superphosphate to study the utilization of applied fertilizer phosphorus by three rice varieties, viz., Jaya, Ratna and Sona at tillering, flowering and harvesting stages. Total phosphorus uptake and phosphorus derived from fertilizer increased significantly with increasing level of phosphorus, but per cent utilization of applied phosphorus showed a reverse trend in all the three varieties at all the growth stages. Dry matter yield in general, increased significantly with increasing P levels in all the three varieties. Average soil-p uptake decreased with increasing levels of phosphorus at all the stages. (author)

  10. Waste glass melting stages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, L.D.; Dennis, T.; Elliott, M.L.; Hrma, P.

    1994-01-01

    Three simulated nuclear waste glass feeds, consisting of dried waste and glass frit, were heat treated for 1 hour in a gradient furnace at temperatures ranging from approximately 600 degrees C to 1000 degrees C. Simulated melter feeds from the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP), the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), and Kernforschungszentru Karlsruhe (KfK) in Germany were used. The samples were thin sectioned and examined by optical microscopy to investigate the stages of the conversion from feed to glass. Various phenomena were seen, such as frit softening, bubble formation, foaming, bubble motion and removal, convective mixing, and homogenization. The behavior of different feeds was similar, although the degree of gas generation and melt homogenization varied. 2 refs., 8 tabs

  11. Nutrient Changes and in Vitro Digestibility in Generative Stage of M10-BMR Sorghum Mutant Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Sriagtula

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to investigate the influences of generative stage on crude protein, crude fiber, ash, and crude fat contents as well as in-vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibilities of M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines. This research was arranged into a randomized block design with 2 factors. The first factor was M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines (Patir 3.1, Patir 3.2 and Patir 3.7 and the second factor was generative stages (flowering, soft dough and hard dough phase. The observed variables were proximate contents of stem, leaves and panicle of sorghum plant and in-vitro digestibility of whole plant. The results showed that leaves crude protein (CP was more influenced by M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines. Stems and panicles CP were influenced by the interaction between M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines and generative stages. Further generative stage reduced stems CP but increased panicles CP. Crude fiber (CF, ash, and ether extract (EE in leaves were not influenced by generative stages. Stems CF was influenced by M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines and generative stages, while stems EE was more influenced by generative stages. Stems ash content was influenced by the interaction between M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines and generative stages while panicles ash content was more influenced by generative stages. M-10 BMR sorghum mutant lines and hard dough phase increased in-vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibilities. Based on those findings, it can be concluded that the increased maturity reduces CP and CF contents so it increases in-vitro digestibilities.

  12. The Existence of Primary Age-Related Tauopathy Suggests that not all the Cases with Early Braak Stages of Neurofibrillary Pathology are Alzheimer's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giaccone, Giorgio

    2015-01-01

    The distinction between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Primary Age-Related Tauopathy (PART) is a hotly debated issue. As most lines of evidence support the tenet that tau pathology occurs downstream of amyloid-β deposition, it seems reasonable to consider PART as a separate disease process not necessarily related to Aβ and hence AD. Following this view, the early stages of neurofibrillary pathology may not always be the forerunner of diffuse neurofibrillary changes and AD. The ongoing debate further enhances the need for greater caution against any future predictions using tau cerebrospinal fluid and imaging biomarkers.

  13. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WOOD DRYING PROCESS COMPLETED IN THE SAWMILLS IN THE CITY OF SINOP, MATO GROSSO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinícius de Almeida dos Anjos

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Drying is the first and most important step in the process of wood industrialization and it aims to provide material with suitable characteristics for use. This operation must be planned and conducted the right way, because it determines the final product quality. This study aimed to characterize the drying process of wood made in sawmills in the city of Sinop, Mato Grosso, through qualitative and quantitative parameters, and identify common aspects and possible failures in the process. For this, data were collected through interviews in twelve sawmills in order to obtain information on the major species submitted to the drying process, drying methods, methods of stacking, consumer markets, methods of control of moisture content, major errors found in the drying yard or in the form of stacking, among others. The results show that Erisma uncinatum (cedrinho and Vochysia sp. (cambará are the main species subject to drying and marketed, especially in southern and southeastern Brazil. There were several flaws in the process as absence drying methods employing conventional chambers, lack of precise methods of controlling the final moisture content, improper stacking unaligned battens and drying patios with poor distribution of primary and secondary accesses.

  14. The use of secondary energy for the drying of forest industry sludges - instead of destroying sludges to produce net energy; Jaetelaempoejen kaeyttoe metsaeteollisuuslietteiden kuivauksessa - lietteiden haevittaemisestae nettoenergian tuottamiseen - KLY 01

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pirkonen, P [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    1999-12-31

    The amount of waste water sludges in chemical forest industry was in 1995/1996 about 400 000 t dry solid matter and 70 % of these substances were incinerated mainly in the bark boilers. The rest were landfilled. Bio-, primary- and DlP-sludges and concentrate from debarking plant were dried with two laboratory scale layer dryers and pilot scale drum dryer. Bark, saw dust and peat were used as reference materials. Saw dust dried fastest and primary sludge slowest but the differences in the drying time between the dried materials were not large. The final moisture content could be 50 % and for example flue gases could be used as drying medium. Typical surface area of layer dryer needed to dry 40 000 t sludge from the moisture of 75 % to the moisture of 50 % could be 150 m{sup 2} and the value of investment could be 3-4 million FIM. Next step could be drying of sludges in pilot scale using some factories as references to get an idea of the real drying costs. (orig.)

  15. The use of secondary energy for the drying of forest industry sludges - instead of destroying sludges to produce net energy; Jaetelaempoejen kaeyttoe metsaeteollisuuslietteiden kuivauksessa - lietteiden haevittaemisestae nettoenergian tuottamiseen - KLY 01

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pirkonen, P. [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    1998-12-31

    The amount of waste water sludges in chemical forest industry was in 1995/1996 about 400 000 t dry solid matter and 70 % of these substances were incinerated mainly in the bark boilers. The rest were landfilled. Bio-, primary- and DlP-sludges and concentrate from debarking plant were dried with two laboratory scale layer dryers and pilot scale drum dryer. Bark, saw dust and peat were used as reference materials. Saw dust dried fastest and primary sludge slowest but the differences in the drying time between the dried materials were not large. The final moisture content could be 50 % and for example flue gases could be used as drying medium. Typical surface area of layer dryer needed to dry 40 000 t sludge from the moisture of 75 % to the moisture of 50 % could be 150 m{sup 2} and the value of investment could be 3-4 million FIM. Next step could be drying of sludges in pilot scale using some factories as references to get an idea of the real drying costs. (orig.)

  16. The role of medical imaging in staging and followup of primary lung cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bragg, D.G.

    1986-01-01

    There has been a significant improvement in the rate of resectability of lung cancers, a situation that has resulted from improved preoperative staging. A large measure of this improvement has resulted from the application of CT and more recently, magnetic resonance imaging in this pre-surgical staging process. The application and evaluation of these imaging procedures has resulted in significant controversy. The size criteria of lymph nodes chosen in defining the abnormal mediastinal lymph node is responsible for part of the controversy. If the lymph node size is set below 2.0 cm, a higher false-positive rate must be accepted. In addition, chest wall extension is often inaccurately assessed with CT as is mediastinal invasion. The status of CT and MRI in staging the patient with lung cancer prior to surgery will be discussed in detail. It should be remembered that the ultimate goal of radiographic procedures in this staging process should be in determining which patients need mediastinoscopy prior to surgery and not in attempting to exclude patients from surgery. The appropriate formula for the application of CT and MRI will also be included. Finally, a recommendation for the post-treatment followup of the patient with lung cancer will also be presented. (Author)

  17. Usage of Heat Pump Dryer in Food Drying Process and Apple Drying Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gökhan Gürlek

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In Turkey, drying is achieved natural method by spreading out the material on the ground. In this way, there are many disadvantages like low quality and hygienic problems. The resulting loss of food quality in the dried products may have effect negatively trade potential and economical worth. For preventing the deterioration of the materials different types of drying methods have been developed. Low energy consumption applications are important for drying industry besides high product quality. For this purpose, heat pump dryer is gaining importance day by day in drying applications. In this study, the working principle of the heat pump dryer, heat pump types in the drying process and the heat pump dryer performance criteria will be considered. An example of application will be described using obtained results from apple drying operation that is conducted in the heat pump dryer.

  18. Primary production in a shallow water lake with special reference to a reed swamp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersen, F.Oe.

    1976-01-01

    Phytoplankton gross primary production ( 14 C method) in the shallow, eutrophic Danish Lake Arresoe in 1973 was 980 g C m -2 . Calculated net primary production was near zero. Macrophyte net primary production was measured by harvesting the maximum biomass, and above ground values were between 420 and 1325 g ash free dry wt m -2 , while below ground values were between 2480 and 8570 g ash free dry wt m -2 . The reed swamps were mapped on aerial photographs, and the composition of the macrophyte vegetation was determined. A comparison of macrophyte vegetation in 1944 and 1972 showed a reduction in species diversity, especially of submerged species. The seasonal variations in physical and chemical data indicated strong eutrophication in Arresoe. (author)

  19. Solar Drying and Sensory Attributes of Eland (Taurotragus oryx Jerky

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iva Kučerová

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A double-pass solar drier (DPSD and a laboratory oven (LO were used for thin-layer drying of eland and beef. Prior to drying, the physicochemical characteristics of the raw meat were determined, such as pH, dry matter content (%, Warner-Bratzler shear force (N, pigment concentration (mg·kg−1, weight loss during cooking (%, water holding capacity (%, colour (L,a,b, and crude fat content (%. Both meats were pretreated with traditional jerky marinade (TM, TM with fresh pineapple juice (TMP, TM with honey (TMH, and TM with Coca Cola© (TMCCL and compared to an untreated control (C. The sensory properties of the eland and beef jerky were assessed in a two-stage process. The surface colour values of the jerky samples were measured in the CIE L⁎  a⁎  b⁎ colour space and the effect of the different pretreatments on the overall combined colour (ΔE was calculated. Significant differences (p<0.05 between raw eland and beef samples were found in case of pH, pigment concentration, water holding capacity, crude fat content, and colour (L and b. Jerky from TMP pretreated meat had the highest scores for texture, colour, and taste. Generally, for both meats dried in both driers, TMH marinade was evaluated as the one with the highest total difference ΔE compared to meat dipped in TMP pretreatment, which had the lowest total difference ΔE.

  20. Analysis of triglyceride degradation products in drying oils and oil paints using LC–ESI-MS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dam, E.P.; van den Berg, K.J.; Proaño Gaibor, A.N.; van Bommel, M.

    An LC–ESI-MS method is presented as a novel approach for the study of aged drying oils and oil paints invarious stages of oxidation and hydrolysis. The method involves separation and detection of glyceridesand fatty acids on a reversed phase column using a polar gradient ranging from methanol/water

  1. Localized primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B cell lymphoma received a surgical approach: an analysis of prognostic factors and comparison of staging systems in 101 patients from a single institution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shengting; Wang, Li; Yu, Dong; Shen, Yang; Cheng, Shu; Zhang, Li; Qian, Ying; Shen, Zhixiang; Li, Qinyu; Zhao, Weili

    2015-08-15

    Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents the most common histological subtype of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma and is a heterogeneous group of disease. Prognostic characterization of individual patients is an essential prerequisite for a proper risk-based therapeutic choice. Clinical and pathological prognostic factors were identified, and predictive value of four previously described prognostic systems were assessed in 101 primary gastrointestinal DLBCL (PG-DLBCL) patients with localized disease, including Ann Arbor staging with Musshoff modification, International Prognostic Index (IPI), Lugano classification, and Paris staging system. Univariate factors correlated with inferior survival time were clinical parameters [age>60 years old, multiple extranodal/gastrointestinal involvement, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase and β2-microglobulin, and decreased serum albumin], as well as pathological parameters (invasion depth beyond serosa, involvement of regional lymph node or adjacent tissue, Ki-67 index, and Bcl-2 expression). Major independent variables of adverse outcome indicated by multivariate analysis were multiple gastrointestinal involvement. In patients unfit for Rituximab but received surgery, radical surgery significantly prolonged the survival time, comparing with alleviative surgery. Addition of Rituximab could overcome the negative prognostic effect of alleviative surgery. Among the four prognostic systems, IPI and Lugano classification clearly separated patients into different risk groups. IPI was able to further stratify the early-stage patients of Lugano classification into groups with distinct prognosis. Radical surgery might be proposed for the patients unfit for Rituximab treatment, and a combination of clinical and pathological staging systems was more helpful to predict the disease outcome of PG-DLBCL patients.

  2. Dry Etching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stamate, Eugen; Yeom, Geun Young

    2016-01-01

    generation) to 2,200 × 2,500 mm (eighth generation), and the substrate size is expected to increase further within a few years. This chapter aims to present relevant details on dry etching including the phenomenology, materials to be etched with the different recipes, plasma sources fulfilling the dry...

  3. Biometric parameters in different stages of primary angle closure using low-coherence interferometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yazdani, Shahin; Akbarian, Shadi; Pakravan, Mohammad; Doozandeh, Azadeh; Afrouzifar, Mohsen

    2015-03-01

    To compare ocular biometric parameters using low-coherence interferometry among siblings affected with different degrees of primary angle closure (PAC). In this cross-sectional comparative study, a total of 170 eyes of 86 siblings from 47 families underwent low-coherence interferometry (LenStar 900; Haag-Streit, Koeniz, Switzerland) to determine central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth (ACD), aqueous depth (AD), lens thickness (LT), vitreous depth, and axial length (AL). Regression coefficients were applied to show the trend of the measured variables in different stages of angle closure. To evaluate the discriminative power of the parameters, receiver operating characteristic curves were used. Best cutoff points were selected based on the Youden index. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicative values, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic accuracy were determined for each variable. All biometric parameters changed significantly from normal eyes to PAC suspects, PAC, and PAC glaucoma; there was a significant stepwise decrease in central corneal thickness, ACD, AD, vitreous depth, and AL, and an increase in LT and LT/AL. Anterior chamber depth and AD had the best diagnostic power for detecting angle closure; best levels of sensitivity and specificity were obtained with cutoff values of 3.11 mm for ACD and 2.57 mm for AD. Biometric parameters measured by low-coherence interferometry demonstrated a significant and stepwise change among eyes affected with various degrees of angle closure. Although the current classification scheme for angle closure is based on anatomical features, it has excellent correlation with biometric parameters.

  4. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Ophthalmology/Strabismus Ocular Pathology/Oncology Oculoplastics/Orbit Refractive Management/Intervention Retina/Vitreous Uveitis Focus On ... Dry Eye Sections What Is Dry Eye? Dry Eye Symptoms Causes of ...

  5. Recent developments in the management of dry age-related macular degeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buschini E

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Elisa Buschini, Antonio M Fea, Carlo A Lavia, Marco Nassisi, Giulia Pignata, Marta Zola, Federico M Grignolo Ospedale Oftalmico, Ophthalmic Section, Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Abstract: Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD, also called geographic atrophy, is characterized by the atrophy of outer retinal layers and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE cells. Dry AMD accounts for 80% of all intermediate and advanced forms of the disease. Although vision loss is mainly due to the neovascular form (75%, dry AMD remains a challenge for ophthalmologists because of the lack of effective therapies. Actual management consists of lifestyle modification, vitamin supplements, and supportive measures in the advanced stages. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study demonstrated a statistically significant protective effect of dietary supplementation of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper on dry AMD progression rate. It was also stated that the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, has protective effects. Other antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals (such as crocetin, curcumin, and vitamins B9, B12, and B6 are under evaluation, but the results are still uncertain. New strategies aim to 1 reduce or block drusen formation, 2 reduce or eliminate inflammation, 3 lower the accumulation of toxic by-products from the visual cycle, 4 reduce or eliminate retinal oxidative stress, 5 improve choroidal perfusion, 6 replace/repair or regenerate lost RPE cells and photoreceptors with stem cell therapy, and 7 develop a target gene therapy. Keywords: dry AMD, geographic atrophy, new AMD therapy

  6. Dry eye syndrome in aromatase inhibitor users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turaka, Kiran; Nottage, Jennifer M; Hammersmith, Kristin M; Nagra, Parveen K; Rapuano, Christopher J

    2013-04-01

    Aromatase inhibitors are frequently used as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. We observed that several patients taking aromatase inhibitors presented with severe dry eye symptoms, and we investigated whether there is a relationship between aromatase inhibitors and dry eyes in these patients. Retrospective chart review. Forty-one women. A computerized search of health records was performed to identify patients using anastrazole, letrozole and exemestane seen by the Cornea Service from August 2008 to March 2011. The results were compared with age-matched controls. Ocular surface changes among aromatase inhibitors users. Of the 41 women, 39 were Caucasians. Thirty-nine patients had breast cancer (95%), one patient had ovarian cancer (2.5%) and one had an unknown primary cancer. Mean age was 68 ± 11.3 years (range 47-95). Most common presenting symptoms were blurred vision in 28 (68%) patients, irritation/foreign body sensation in 12 (29%) patients, redness in 9 (22%) patients, tearing in 6 (22%) patients and photosensitivity in 2 (5%) patients. Mean Schirmer's test measurement was 11 ± 5.8 mm (range 0.5-20 mm). Blepharitis was noted in 68 of 82 eyes (73%), decreased or poor tear function in 24 eyes (29%), conjunctival injection in 18 eyes (22%) and superficial punctate keratitis in 12 eyes (29%). Among an age-matched population (45-95 years), dry eye syndrome was found in only 9.5% of patients. Because the prevalence of ocular surface disease signs and symptoms appears to be higher in study group than control patients, aromatase inhibitors might be a contributing factor to the dry eye symptoms. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2012 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  7. "APOPTOSIS COLOR." SCREENING STRATEGY FOR DIAGNOSIS EARLY STAGES OF PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Kovalevskaya

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: to develop a screening strategy for the early diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma.Patients and Methods: 1 group — 250 patients with suspected glaucoma (42–75 years, 2 — 250 with the 1st stage primary open-angle glaucoma (42–61, 3 — 3,000 healthy persons (35 to 50. Surveys: visometry, tonometry iCare, biomicroscopy, gonioscopy, pachymeria, ophthalmoscopy with a high dioptric lens of 60 D, standard automated perimetry of the SITA-Standard and SITA-SWAP program, assessing the color sensitivity according to the Famsworth-Munsell 100 HueTes method.Results: 1 group — SITA-SWAP: MD -2,55±0,7 dB, PSD 2,46±1,15 dB. Mansell test: TES = 58.6±18.7 (p<0.05, average level of color recognition; mild deficiency of color vision — 41–100 TES; by the RGB system: colors of the first order; tone in RGB (0–239: blue — 160; HCV: blue — 240; range of wavelengths: blue — 440–485 nm; frequency: blue — 620–680 THz. 2 group — on SITA-SWAP: MD — 5,13±1,3 dB, PSD 2,58±0,9 dB. Mansell test: TES = 86,9±21,8; average level of color recognition; mild deficiency of color vision; single deviations in the system of blue (azure, blue, blue; color I order (blue, III order (blue, azure; tone in RGB — (0–239: blue (azure, blue — 140, blue — 160; HCV — blue (azure, blue — 210, blue — 240; range of wavelengths: 450–500 nm (blue — 485–500, blue — 440–485; frequencies: 600–680 THz (blue — 600–620, blue — 620–680. Control group — SITA-SWAP within the norm, Mansell test: TES = 40,1±17,3 (p<0.05, medium level of color recognition, lack of color vision absent / mild, single deviations.Conclusion: in patients with glaucoma suspicion, the score of errors was higher than in the control group with Munsell test. In patients with glaucoma, the number of errors is greater than in patients with suspected glaucoma, and 2.2 times higher than in the control group.

  8. Ammonia Fiber Expansion Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis on Two Different Growth Stages of Reed Canarygrass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradshaw, Tamika C.; Alizadeh, Hasan; Teymouri, Farzaneh; Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E.

    Plant materials from the vegetative growth stage of reed canarygrass and the seed stage of reed canarygrass are pretreated by ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) and enzymatically hydrolyzed using 15 filter paper units (FPU) cellulase/g glucan to evaluate glucose and xylose yields. Percent conversions of glucose and xylose, effects of temperature and ammonia loading, and hydrolysis profiles are analyzed to determine the most effective AFEX treatment condition for each of the selected materials. The controls used in this study were untreated samples of each biomass material. All pretreatment conditions tested enhanced enzyme digestibility and improved sugar conversions for reed canarygrass compared with their untreated counterparts. Based on 168 h hydrolysis results using 15 FPU Spezyme CP cellulase/g glucan the most effective AFEX treatment conditions were determined as: vegetative growth stage of reed canarygrass—100°C, 60% moisture content, 1.2∶1 kg ammonia/kg of dry matter (86% glucose and 78% xylose) and seed stage of reed canarygrass—100°C, 60% moisture content, 0.8∶1 kg ammonia/kg of dry matter (89% glucose and 81% xylose). Supplementation by commercial Multifect 720 xylanase along with cellulase further increased both glucose and xylose yields by 10-12% at the most effective AFEX conditions.

  9. Raman mapping of mannitol/lysozyme particles produced via spray drying and single droplet drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pekka Pajander, Jari; Matero, Sanni Elina; Sloth, Jakob

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a model protein on the solid state of a commonly used bulk agent in spray-dried formulations. METHODS: A series of lysozyme/mannitol formulations were spray-dried using a lab-scale spray dryer. Further, the surface temperature of drying droplet....../particles was monitored using the DRYING KINETICS ANALYZER™ (DKA) with controllable drying conditions mimicking the spray-drying process to estimate the drying kinetics of the lysozyme/mannitol formulations. The mannitol polymorphism and the spatial distribution of lysozyme in the particles were examined using X......-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and Raman microscopy. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis was used for analyzing the Raman microscopy data. RESULTS: XRPD results indicated that a mixture of β-mannitol and α-mannitol was produced in the spray-drying process which was supported by the Raman analysis...

  10. Impact of lifestyle intervention on dry eye disease in office workers: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawashima, Motoko; Sano, Kokoro; Takechi, Sayuri; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2018-04-04

    To evaluate the effects of a 2-month lifestyle intervention for dry eye disease in office workers. Prospective interventional study (randomized controlled study). Forty-one middle-aged Japanese office workers (men, 22; women, 19; 39.2 ± 8.0 years) with definite and probable dry eye disease were enrolled and randomized to an intervention group (n = 22) and a control group (n = 19). The intervention aimed at modifying diet, increasing physical activity, and encouraging positive thinking. The primary outcome was change in dry eye disease diagnoses. Secondary outcome was change in disease parameters, including dry eye symptoms, as assessed using the Dry Eye-Related Quality of Life Score, corneal and conjunctival staining scores, tear break-up time, and Schirmer test results. A total of 36 participants (intervention group, 17; control group, 19) completed the study. The number of definite dry eye disease diagnoses decreased from four to none (p =.05), and the dry eye symptom score showed a significant decrease in the intervention group (p =.03). In contrast, the corneal and conjunctival staining scores, tear break-up time, and Schirmer test results did not differ significantly between groups. The 2-month lifestyle intervention employed in this study improved dry eye disease status among office workers, with a considerable decrease in subjective symptoms. Lifestyle intervention may be a promising management option for dry eye disease, although further investigation of long-term effects are required.

  11. Evaluation of drying models of apple (var. Ligol) dried in a fluidized bed dryer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaleta, Agnieszka; Górnicki, Krzysztof; Winiczenko, Radosław; Chojnacka, Aneta

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Three new drying models are formulated. ► The developed models are various modifications of the Page model. ► Nineteen models are used to describe the fluidized bed drying of apple. ► The Page model and formulated model is considered as the most appropriate. - Abstract: Three new drying models were formulated. The developed models are various modifications of the Page model. The models were used to describe the drying behaviour of apple (var. Ligol) dried in a fluidized bed dryer. The suitability of new models to describe the drying characteristics were compared to the accuracy of sixteen models available from the literature. The accuracies of the models were measured using the correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), and reduced chi-square (χ 2 ). Three new developed models described the drying characteristics of apple cubes satisfactorily (R > 0.997). The Page model and one of the empirical models formulated by the authors of this study can be considered as the most appropriate (R > 0.9977, RMSE = 0.0094–0.0167, χ 2 = 0.0001–0.0002). The effect of drying air temperature on the drying models parameters were also determined. The shrinkage of apple cubes during drying was measured to assess the changes in quality of dried apples

  12. Effect of drying conditions on drying kinetics and quality of aromatic Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rayaguru, Kalpana; Routray, Winny

    2010-12-01

    Pandanus amaryllifolius is a plant with aromatic leaves, which impart the characteristic flavour of aromatic rice. The quality of aromatic Pandanus leaves dried at low temperature (35 °C) and low RH (27%) in a heat pump dryer was evaluated and compared with those obtained from hot air drying at 45 °C. Thin-layer drying kinetics has been studied for both the conditions. To determine the kinetic parameters, the drying data were fitted to various semi-theoretical models. The goodness of fit was determined using the coefficient of determination, reduced chi square, and root mean square error. Aroma, colour, and overall acceptability determination of fresh and dried leaves were made using sensory evaluation. Drying of leaves took place mainly under the falling-rate period. The Page equation was found to be best among the proposed models to describe the thin-layer drying of Pandanus leaves with higher coefficient of determination. The effective moisture diffusivity values were also determined. The effect of low RH was prominent during the initial drying when the product was moist. The effect of temperature was prominent in the later part of drying, which acted as a driving force for moisture diffusion and hence the total drying time was reduced. Retention of aromatic compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline content was more in low temperature dried samples with higher sensory scores.

  13. Is thrombocytosis a valid indicator of advanced stage and high mortality of gynecological cancer?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Christen Bertel L; Eskelund, Christian W.; Siersma, Volkert Dirk

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Thrombocytosis has been associated with higher stage and mortality of cancer, however, the evidence is conflicting. We examined the stage distribution and prognosis of gynecologic cancer according to levels of prediagnostic platelet count. Methods: In a primary care resource with blood...... may have an important role in diagnosis and post-diagnostic control of gynecological cancer.......Objective: Thrombocytosis has been associated with higher stage and mortality of cancer, however, the evidence is conflicting. We examined the stage distribution and prognosis of gynecologic cancer according to levels of prediagnostic platelet count. Methods: In a primary care resource with blood...... cell counts from more than 500,000 individuals, we identified 581 women with a primary diagnosis of gynecological cancer. We divided the pre-diagnostic mean platelet count derived from the 3-year period prior to cancer diagnosis into three categories of thrombocytosis (no, 150–400 × 109 /L; mild, N400...

  14. Numerical analysis of single and multiple particles of Belchatow lignite dried in superheated steam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakrzewski, Marcin; Sciazko, Anna; Komatsu, Yosuke; Akiyama, Taro; Hashimoto, Akira; Kaneko, Shozo; Kimijima, Shinji; Szmyd, Janusz S.; Kobayashi, Yoshinori

    2018-03-01

    Low production costs have contributed to the important role of lignite in the energy mixes of numerous countries worldwide. High moisture content, though, diminishes the applicability of lignite in power generation. Superheated steam drying is a prospective method of raising the calorific value of this fuel. This study describes the numerical model of superheated steam drying of lignite from the Belchatow mine in Poland in two aspects: single and multi-particle. The experimental investigation preceded the numerical analysis and provided the necessary data for the preparation and verification of the model. Spheres of 2.5 to 30 mm in diameter were exposed to the drying medium at the temperature range of 110 to 170 °C. The drying kinetics were described in the form of moisture content, drying rate and temperature profile curves against time. Basic coal properties, such as density or specific heat, as well as the mechanisms of heat and mass transfer in the particular stages of the process laid the foundations for the model construction. The model illustrated the drying behavior of a single particle in the entire range of steam temperature as well as the sample diameter. Furthermore, the numerical analyses of coal batches containing particles of various sizes were conducted to reflect the operating conditions of the dryer. They were followed by deliberation on the calorific value improvement achieved by drying, in terms of coal ingredients, power plant efficiency and dryer input composition. The initial period of drying was found crucial for upgrading the quality of coal. The accuracy of the model is capable of further improvement regarding the process parameters.

  15. Oxidation mechanism of Fe–16Cr alloy as SOFC interconnect in dry/wet air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Zhi-Yuan; Wang, Li-Jun; Li, Fu-Shen; Chou, Kuo-Chih

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •A special thermodynamic description corresponding to the kinetics was applied. •We reported the relationships of degradation time with temperature and moisture. •”Turning time” in the Fe–16Cr alloy oxidation kinetic model was given. •The oxidation mechanism of Fe–16Cr alloy in the wet air was discussed. -- Abstract: Experimental study on the oxidation corrosions of Fe–16Cr alloy was carried out at 800–1100 °C under dry/wet air conditions. Faster oxidation rate was observed at higher temperature and water vapor content. The degradation time t d between two stages in oxidation process showed an exponential relationship with elevating corrosion temperature in dry air, and a linear relationship with the water content in the case of water vapor introduced to the system. The mechanism of oxidation corrosions of Fe–16Cr alloy was suggested by the Real Physical Picture (RPP) model. It was found that the break-away oxidation in stage II was controlled by diffusion at initial both in dry and wet air, then became linear with the exposure time, which implied that the oxidation rate was then controlled by chemical reaction of the interface between the metal and the oxidized scale. Moreover, the effect of water in the oxidation process is not only to supply more oxygen into system, but also to modify the structures of oxide scale due to the existence of hydrogen atom, which results in the accelerated corrosions

  16. Antioxidant effect of betel leaf extract on dry-cured fish

    OpenAIRE

    Kalaimani, N.; Muraleedharan, V.; Joseph, K.G.; Unnikrishnan Nair, T.S.

    1984-01-01

    The effect of betel leaf (Piper betle Linn.) extract on control of autoxidation of fat in dry fish has been studied. Oil sardine has been selected for experiments since it contains very high amount of fat. The treatments were given with 5% (w/v) betel leaf extract in water at different stages of salt curing. FFA, PV and TVN values of the samples were determined periodically to assess the keeping quality and autoxidation. The sample, prepared by dipping the fish in the extract immediately afte...

  17. Development and demonstration of calculation tool for industrial drying processes ''DryPack''; Udvikling og demonstration af beregningsvaerktoej til industrielle toerreprocesser ''DryPack''

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schneider, P.; Weinkauff Kristoffersen, J.; Blazniak Andreasen, M. [Teknologisk Institut, Aarhus (Denmark); Elmegaard, B.; Kaern, M. [Danmarks Tekniske Univ.. DTU Mekanik, Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Monrad Andersen, C. [Lokal Energi, Viby J. (Denmark); Grony, K. [SE Big Blue, Kolding (Denmark); Stihoej, A. [Enervision, Kolding (Denmark)

    2013-03-15

    In this project we have developed a calculation tool for calculating energy consumption in different drying processes - primarily drying processes with air. The program can be used to determine the energy consumption of a current drying process, after which it can be calculated how much energy can be saved by various measures. There is also developed a tool for the simulation of a batch drier, which calculates the drying of a batch depending on the time. The programs have demonstrated their usefulness in connection with three cases that are reviewed in the report. In the project measurements on four different dryers have been carried out, and energy consumption is calculated using ''DryPack''. With ''DryPack'' it is possible to find potential savings by optimizing the drying processes. The program package includes utilities for the calculation of moist air: 1) Calculation of the thermodynamic properties of moist air; 2) Device operation with moist air (mixing, heating, cooling and humidification); 3) Calculation of the relative change of the drying time by changing the process parameters; 4) IX-diagram at a temperature above 100 deg. C. (LN)

  18. Assessment of Osmotic Pre-Drying Treatment on Drying Rates of Fresh Tomato Fruits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. A. Idah

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of osmotic pre-drying treatments on drying rates of tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum at various drying temperatures. Fresh Roma tomato fruit samples were sliced to a thickness of 5 mm and the seeds were removed. Weight of 300 g was measured for each of the three replicates and immersed in a hypertonic solution of sucrose of different concentrations 40 and 60 oBrix each held for osmotic duration of 1 and 2 hours, drained for 10 min and then dried at 50, 60, and 70 oC in a mechanical dryer. Control samples were also weighed 300 g per replicate and dried at 50, 60, and 70 oC without pre-drying treatment. The initial moisture content of fresh tomato used was 94.5% (wb. Moisture loss of each sample was monitored and recorded hourly until the product has reached the desired final moisture content (≤ 7%.The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA and Duncan New Multiple range tests (DNMRT to ascertain the level of significance differences between the individual treatments and their interaction at p ≤ 0.05.The results show that at all the drying temperatures used, the control tomato samples exhibited the fastest drying rate with an average of 35.2 g/hr, samples pre-treated at 40 oBrix has an average drying rate of 26.6 g/hr, while samples pre-treated at 60 oBrix has the slowest drying rate of 25.2 g/hr. It was also revealed that samples subjected to 1 hour osmotic time have faster drying rates than those treated for 2 hours osmotic time.

  19. Well-plate freeze-drying

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trnka, Hjalte; Rantanen, Jukka; Grohganz, Holger

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Context: Freeze-drying in presence of excipients is a common practice to stabilize biomacromolecular formulations. The composition of this formulation is known to affect the quality of the final product. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate freeze-drying in well-plates as a h......Abstract Context: Freeze-drying in presence of excipients is a common practice to stabilize biomacromolecular formulations. The composition of this formulation is known to affect the quality of the final product. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate freeze-drying in well......-plates as a high throughput platform for formulation screening of freeze-dried products. Methods: Model formulations consisting of mannitol, sucrose and bovine serum albumin were freeze-dried in brass well plates, plastic well plates and vials. Physical properties investigated were solid form, residual moisture......, cake collapse and reconstitution time. Results: Samples freeze-dried in well-plates had an acceptable visual cake appearance. Solid form analysis by high throughput X-ray powder diffraction indicated comparable polymorphic outcome independent of the container. The expected increase in moisture level...

  20. Dry well cooling device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Hiroyuki.

    1997-01-01

    A plurality of blowing ports with introduction units are disposed to a plurality of ducts in a dry well, and a cooling unit comprising a cooler, a blower and an isolating valve is disposed outside of the dry well. Cooling air and the atmosphere in the dry well are mixed to form a cooling gas and blown into the dry well to control the temperature. Since the cooling unit is disposed outside of the dry well, the maintenance of the cooling unit can be performed even during the plant operation. In addition, since dampers opened/closed depending on the temperature of the atmosphere are disposed to the introduction units for controlling the temperature of the cooling gas, the temperature of the atmosphere in the dry well can be set to a predetermined level rapidly. Since an axial flow blower is used as the blower of the cooling unit, it can be contained in a ventilation cylinder. Then, the atmosphere in the dry well flowing in the ventilation cylinder can be prevented from leaking to the outside. (N.H.)

  1. Primary Meningeal Rhabdomyosarcoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manisha Palta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare primary brain malignancy, with scant case reports. While most reports of primary intracranial rhabdomyosarcoma occur in pediatric patients, a handful of cases in adult patients have been reported in the medical literature. We report the case of a 44-year-old male who developed primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma. After developing episodes of right lower extremity weakness, word finding difficulty, and headaches, a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI demonstrated a vertex lesion with radiographic appearance of a meningeal-derived tumor. Subtotal surgical resection was performed due to sagittal sinus invasion and initial pathology was interpreted as an anaplastic meningioma. Re-review of pathology demonstrated rhabdomyosarcoma negative for alveolar translocation t(2;13. Staging studies revealed no evidence of disseminated disease. He was treated with stereotactic radiotherapy with concurrent temozolamide to be followed by vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC systemic therapy.

  2. Primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palta, Manisha; Riedel, Richard F; Vredenburgh, James J; Cummings, Thomas J; Green, Scott; Chang, Zheng; Kirkpatrick, John P

    2011-01-01

    Primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare primary brain malignancy, with scant case reports. While most reports of primary intracranial rhabdomyosarcoma occur in pediatric patients, a handful of cases in adult patients have been reported in the medical literature. We report the case of a 44-year-old male who developed primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma. After developing episodes of right lower extremity weakness, word finding difficulty, and headaches, a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a vertex lesion with radiographic appearance of a meningeal-derived tumor. Subtotal surgical resection was performed due to sagittal sinus invasion and initial pathology was interpreted as an anaplastic meningioma. Re-review of pathology demonstrated rhabdomyosarcoma negative for alveolar translocation t(2;13). Staging studies revealed no evidence of disseminated disease. He was treated with stereotactic radiotherapy with concurrent temozolamide to be followed by vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC) systemic therapy.

  3. Primary Meningeal Rhabdomyosarcoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palta, Manisha; Riedel, Richard F.; Vredenburgh, James J.; Cummings, Thomas J.; Green, Scott; Chang, Zheng; Kirkpatrick, John P.

    2011-01-01

    Primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare primary brain malignancy, with scant case reports. While most reports of primary intracranial rhabdomyosarcoma occur in pediatric patients, a handful of cases in adult patients have been reported in the medical literature. We report the case of a 44-year-old male who developed primary meningeal rhabdomyosarcoma. After developing episodes of right lower extremity weakness, word finding difficulty, and headaches, a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a vertex lesion with radiographic appearance of a meningeal-derived tumor. Subtotal surgical resection was performed due to sagittal sinus invasion and initial pathology was interpreted as an anaplastic meningioma. Re-review of pathology demonstrated rhabdomyosarcoma negative for alveolar translocation t(2;13). Staging studies revealed no evidence of disseminated disease. He was treated with stereotactic radiotherapy with concurrent temozolamide to be followed by vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC) systemic therapy. PMID:21772793

  4. FDG-PET imaging for the staging and follow-up of small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schumacher, T.; Brink, I.; Mix, M.; Reinhardt, M.; Moser, E.; Nitzsche, E.; Herget, G.; Digel, W.; Henke, M.

    2001-01-01

    The staging procedures for small cell lung cancer do not differ appreciably from those for other forms of lung cancer. For practical purposes, the TNM stages are usually collapsed into a simple binary classification: limited disease and extensive disease. This study was performed to answer the question of whether fluorine-18 labelled 2-deoxy-2-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging permits appropriate work-up (including both primary and follow-up staging) of patients presenting with small cell lung cancer, as compared with currently recommended staging procedures. Thirty-six FDG-PET examinations were performed in 30 patients with histologically proven small cell lung cancer. Twenty-four patients were examined for primary staging while four were imaged for therapy follow-up only. Two patients underwent both primary staging and up to four examinations for therapy follow-up. Static PET imaging was performed according to a standard protocol. Image reconstruction was based on an ordered subset expectation maximization algorithm including post-injection segmented attenuation correction. Results of FDG-PET were compared with those of the sum of other staging procedures. Identical results from FDG-PET and the sum of the other staging procedures were obtained in 23 of 36 examinations (6 x limited disease, 12 x extensive disease, 5 x no evidence of disease). In contrast to the results of conventional staging, FDG-PET indicated extensive disease resulting in an up-staging in seven patients. In one patient in whom there was no evidence for tumour on conventional investigations following treatment, FDG-PET was suggestive of residual viability of the primary tumour. Furthermore, discordant results were observed in five patients with respect to lung, bone, liver and adrenal gland findings, although in these cases the results did not affect staging as limited or extensive disease. Moreover, FDG-PET appeared to be more sensitive for the detection of metastatic

  5. Incineration of dry burnable waste from reprocessing plants with the Juelich incineration process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dietrich, H.; Gomoll, H.; Lins, H.

    1987-01-01

    The Juelich incineration process is a two stage controlled air incineration process which has been developed for efficient volume reduction of dry burnable waste of various kinds arising at nuclear facilities. It has also been applied to non nuclear industrial and hospital waste incineration and has recently been selected for the new German Fuel Reprocessing Plant under construction in Wackersdorf, Bavaria, in a modified design

  6. Evaluation of 11C-choline PET/CT for primary diagnosis and staging of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: a pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sassa, Naoto; Yamamoto, Tokunori; Gotoh, Momokazu; Kato, Katsuhiko; Ikeda, Mitsuru; Shimamoto, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Seiichi; Abe, Shinji; Iwano, Shingo; Ito, Shinji; Naganawa, Shinji

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a pilot study to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of PET/CT with 11 C-choline (choline PET/CT) for primary diagnosis and staging of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UUT-UC). Enrolled in this study were 16 patients (9 men, 7 women; age range 51 - 83 years, mean ± SD 69 ± 10.8 years) with suspected UUT-UC. The patients were examined by choline PET/CT, and 13 underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy and partial cystectomy. Lymphadenectomy and chemotherapy were also performed as necessary in some of the patients. Of the 16 patients, 12 were confirmed to have UUT-UC (7 renal pelvis carcinoma and 5 ureteral carcinoma), 1 had malignant lymphoma (ureter), 1 had IgG4-related disease (ureter), and 2 had other benign diseases (ureter). Of the 16 study patients, 13 showed definite choline uptake in urothelial lesions, and of these, 11 had UUT-UC, 1 had malignant lymphoma, and 1 had IgG4-related disease. Three patients without choline uptake comprised one with UUT-UC and two with benign diseases. Of the 12 patients with UUT-UC, 3 had distant metastases, 2 had metastases only in the regional lymph nodes, and 7 had no metastases. Distant metastases and metastases in the regional lymph nodes showed definite choline uptake. The outcome in patients with UUT-UC, which was evaluated 592 - 1,530 days after surgery, corresponded to the patient classification based on the presence or absence of metastases and locoregional or distant metastases. Choline uptake determined as SUVmax 10 min after administration was significantly higher than at 20 min in metastatic tumours of UUT-UC (p < 0.05), whereas there was no statistically significant difference between the SUVmax values at 10 and those at 20 min in primary tumours of UUT-UC. This study suggests that choline PET/CT is a promising tool for the primary diagnosis and staging of UUT-UC. (orig.)

  7. Physical stage of photosynthesis charge separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yakovlev, A. G.; Shuvalov, V. A.

    2016-06-01

    An analytical review is given concerning the biophysical aspects of light-driven primary charge separation in photosynthesis reaction centers (RCs) which are special pigment-protein complexes residing in a cell membrane. The primary (physical) stage of charge separation occurs in the pico- and femtosecond ranges and consists of transferring an electron along the active A-branch of pigments. The review presents vast factual material on both the general issues of primary photosynthesis and some more specific topics, including (1) the role of the inactive B-branch of pigments, (2) the effect of the protein environment on the charge separation, and (3) the participation of monomeric bacteriochlorophyll BA in primary electron acceptance. It is shown that the electron transfer and stabilization are strongly influenced by crystallographic water and tyrosine M210 molecules from the nearest environment of BA. A linkage between collective nuclear motions and electron transfer upon charge separation is demonstrated. The nature of the high quantum efficiency of primary charge separation reactions is discussed.

  8. Stages of didactic games organizing in junior pupils’ foreign language teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Marchii-Dmytrash

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The feasibility of didactic games using as a method of educational activity organizingand learning of a foreign language in primary school in the context of realization theregularity and consistency principle are justified in the article. It is concretized the stages ofdidactic games organizing in foreign language teaching (preparatory, executive, analyticalcorrectiveand the tasks of each of them, and the impact of didactic games on the forming ofjunior pupils’ foreign language knowledge are defined.Key words: didactic game, method, educational activity, primary school, foreignlanguage, junior pupils, stages.

  9. Diurnal thermoregulatory responses in pregnant Yankasa ewes to the dry season in a tropical Savannah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaqub, Lukuman Surakat; Ayo, Joseph Olusegun; Kawu, Muhammad Umar; Rekwot, Peter Ibrahim

    2017-08-01

    The study investigated concomitant effect of gestation and high ambient temperature under a tropical environment on rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) responses in Yankasa ewes. Twenty Yankasa ewes, consisting of ten pregnant and ten non-pregnant ewes, were used for the study. Ewes were synchronised and bred, such that each gestation phase coincided with different periods of the dry-seasons, early-gestation (cold/harmattan), mid-gestation (peak hot-dry) and late-gestation (late hot-dry). The RT, RR and HR were recorded thrice, 2 days apart at middle of each gestation period at 06:00, 14:00 and 18:00 h, concurrently with dry- (DBT) and wet-bulb temperatures of the experimental pen. The DBT was positively correlated with RT, RR during the different gestation stages. The RT significantly (P ewes, with peak at 14:00 h. Values of RT and RR were higher (P ewes at mid- and late-gestation, respectively. Mean RT was lower (P ewes at early-gestation (cold-dry). The HR was (P ewes during the different gestation phases. In conclusion, ambient temperature and gestation concomitantly modulate diurnal thermoregulatory responses of the ewes to hot-dry season. Adequate measures should be adopted to mitigate adverse impact of prolonged high RR on the dam and the foetus during the peak of ambient temperature prevailing in the tropical Savannah environment.

  10. MODELLING OF THIN LAYER DRYING KINETICS OF COCOA BEANS DURING ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL DRYING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.L. HII

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Drying experiments were conducted using air-ventilated oven and sun dryer to simulate the artificial and natural drying processes of cocoa beans. The drying data were fitted with several published thin layer drying models. A new model was introduced which is a combination of the Page and two-term drying model. Selection of the best model was investigated by comparing the determination of coefficient (R2, reduced chi-square (2 and root mean square error (RMSE between the experimental and predicted values. The results showed that the new model was found best described the artificial and natural drying kinetics of cocoa under the conditions tested.

  11. Effect of surface coating with magnesium stearate via mechanical dry powder coating approach on the aerosol performance of micronized drug powders from dry powder inhalers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Qi Tony; Qu, Li; Gengenbach, Thomas; Larson, Ian; Stewart, Peter J; Morton, David A V

    2013-03-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of particle surface coating with magnesium stearate on the aerosolization of dry powder inhaler formulations. Micronized salbutamol sulphate as a model drug was dry coated with magnesium stearate using a mechanofusion technique. The coating quality was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Powder bulk and flow properties were assessed by bulk densities and shear cell measurements. The aerosol performance was studied by laser diffraction and supported by a twin-stage impinger. High degrees of coating coverage were achieved after mechanofusion, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Concomitant significant increases occurred in powder bulk densities and in aerosol performance after coating. The apparent optimum performance corresponded with using 2% w/w magnesium stearate. In contrast, traditional blending resulted in no significant changes in either bulk or aerosolization behaviour compared to the untreated sample. It is believed that conventional low-shear blending provides insufficient energy levels to expose host micronized particle surfaces from agglomerates and to distribute guest coating material effectively for coating. A simple ultra-high-shear mechanical dry powder coating step was shown as highly effective in producing ultra-thin coatings on micronized powders and to substantially improve the powder aerosolization efficiency.

  12. Nuclear spent fuel dry storage in the EWA reactor shaft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mieleszczenko, W.; Moldysz, A.; Hryczuk, A.; Matysiak, T.

    2001-01-01

    The EWA reactor was in operation from 1958 until February 1995. Then it was subjected to the decommissioning procedure. Resulting from a prolonged operation of Polish research reactors a substantial amount of nuclear spent fuel of various types, enrichment and degree of burnup have been accumulated. The technology of storage of spent nuclear fuel foresees the two stages of wet storing in a water pool (deferral period from tens to several dozens years) and dry storing (deferral period from 50 to 80 years). In our case the deferral time in the water environment is pretty significant (the oldest fuel elements have been stored in water for more than 40 years). Though the state of stored fuel elements is satisfactory, there is a real need for changing the storage conditions of spent fuel. The paper is covering the description of philosophy and conceptual design for construction of the spent fuel dry storage in the decommissioned EWA reactor shaft. (author)

  13. Analysis on energy consumption of drying process for dried Chinese noodles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zhenhua; Zhang, Yingquan; Zhang, Bo; Yang, Fuguang; Yu, Xiaolei; Zhao, Bo; Wei, Yimin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Energy analysis of a tunnel dryer for dried Chinese noodles is completed. • Energy saving performance of dryers with different inlet air was compared. • MND was developed and evaluated, and the efficiency and throughput was improved. - Abstract: Drying is an important operation during the production of dried Chinese noodles, and the energy consumption from drying accounts for approximately 60% of the total energy consumption during the manufacturing process. To investigate the energy consumption and throughput of dryers for dried Chinese noodles, experiments were conducted using a new 130-m long tunnel dryer with two lines of noodles (ND) and an old 60-m long tunnel dryer with five lines of noodles (OD). The energy saving effects of a modified new 130-m long tunnel dryer (MND), which was only modified through the inclusion of automatic control for temperature and humidity without any modifications to the oil heater or ND dryer structure, were also compared. The energy saving effect was determined from the enthalpy difference between the inlet and outlet humid air of the ND and MND. Finally, the MND was found to be better than ND in terms of energy efficiency and throughput, and trends for the future of noodle drying were discussed.

  14. Freeze drying method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coppa, N.V.; Stewart, P.; Renzi, E.

    1999-01-01

    The present invention provides methods and apparatus for freeze drying in which a solution, which can be a radioactive salt dissolved within an acid, is frozen into a solid on vertical plates provided within a freeze drying chamber. The solid is sublimated into vapor and condensed in a cold condenser positioned above the freeze drying chamber and connected thereto by a conduit. The vertical positioning of the cold condenser relative to the freeze dryer helps to help prevent substances such as radioactive materials separated from the solution from contaminating the cold condenser. Additionally, the system can be charged with an inert gas to produce a down rush of gas into the freeze drying chamber to also help prevent such substances from contaminating the cold condenser

  15. Dry process potentials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faugeras, P.

    1997-01-01

    Various dry processes have been studied and more or less developed in order particularly to reduce the waste quantities but none of them had replaced the PUREX process, for reasons departing to policy errors, un-appropriate demonstration examples or too late development, although realistic and efficient dry processes such as a fluoride selective volatility based processes have been demonstrated in France (CLOVIS, ATILA) and would be ten times cheaper than the PUREX process. Dry processes could regain interest in case of a nuclear revival (following global warming fears) or thermal wastes over-production. In the near future, dry processes could be introduced in complement to the PUREX process, especially at the end of the process cycle, for a more efficient recycling and safer storage (inactivation)

  16. What Is Dry Eye?

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Eye Health A-Z Symptoms Glasses & Contacts Tips & Prevention News Ask an Ophthalmologist Patient Stories Español Eye ... Eye Symptoms Causes of Dry Eye Dry Eye Treatment What Is Dry Eye? Leer en Español: ¿Qué ...

  17. Preservation of pathological tissue specimens by freeze-drying for immunohistochemical staining and various molecular biological analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuo, S; Sugiyama, T; Okuyama, T; Yoshikawa, K; Honda, K; Takahashi, R; Maeda, S

    1999-05-01

    Conditions of preserving DNA, RNA and protein in pathological specimens are of great importance as degradation of such macromolecules would critically affect results of molecular biological analysis. The feasibility of freeze-drying as a means of preserving pathological tissue samples for molecular analysis has previously been shown. In the present study, further tests on long-term storage conditions and analyses of freeze-dried samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry are reported. Rat chromosomal DNA of freeze-dried samples stored for 4 years showed slight degradation while RNA degradation was more prominently seen at an earlier stage of storage. However, these 4 year DNA and RNA samples were still able to serve as a template for some PCR and RT-PCR analyses, respectively. Overexpression of c-erbB-2 and p53 protein was demonstrated by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining using freeze-dried human breast cancer tissues. Although macromolecules in freeze-dried samples degrade to some extent during the preservation period, they should still be of value for certain molecular biological analyses and morphological examination; hence, providing more convenient and inexpensive ways of pathological tissue storage.

  18. Foam-mat drying technology: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardy, Z; Jideani, V A

    2017-08-13

    This article reviews various aspects of foam-mat drying such as foam-mat drying processing technique, main additives used for foam-mat drying, foam-mat drying of liquid and solid foods, quality characteristics of foam-mat dried foods, and economic and technical benefits for employing foam-mat drying. Foam-mat drying process is an alternative method that allows the removal of water from liquid materials and pureed materials. In this drying process, a liquid material is converted into foam that is stable by being whipped after adding an edible foaming agent. The stable foam is then spread out in sheet or mat and dried by using hot air (40-90°C) at atmospheric pressure. Methyl cellulose (0.25-2%), egg white (3-20%), maltodextrin (0.5-05%), and gum Arabic (2-9%) are the commonly utilized additives for the foam-mat drying process at the given range, either combined together for their effectiveness or individual effect. The foam-mat drying process is suitable for heat sensitive, viscous, and sticky products that cannot be dried using other forms of drying methods such as spray drying because of the state of product. More interest has developed for foam-mat drying because of the simplicity, cost effectiveness, high speed drying, and improved product quality it provides.

  19. Effects of forage maize type and maturity stage on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cone, J.W.; Gelder, van A.H.; Schooten, van H.A.

    2008-01-01

    An experiment with forage maize plants representing early and late-ripening types of Dry Down and Stay Green cultivar types was conducted to study the effects of cultivar and maturity stage on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and to investigate the validity of the generally supposed

  20. Recent advances in primary Sjogren's syndrome [version 1; referees: 3 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholas Holdgate

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Primary Sjögren’s syndrome, a chronic inflammatory process, is among the most commonly occurring rheumatologic diseases. The clinical hallmark of this disease is exocrine gland dysfunction, resulting predominately in dry eyes and dry mouth. However, the disease often extends beyond the exocrine glands to seriously affect other organs systems, such as the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system. Moreover, patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome develop non-Hodgkin’s B cell lymphoma at a substantially higher rate than the general population. New research has improved our understanding of disease mechanisms, with notable advances in our knowledge about the genetic susceptibility of disease, the molecular details of the chronic inflammatory response in the salivary glands, and the complex role of the type 1 interferon pathway. The pipeline of drugs under development for the treatment of primary Sjögren’s syndrome is enriched with novel biologics and small molecular entities targeting the pathogenic process. Herein, we summarize the latest advances in elucidating the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome and highlight new drugs in clinical development aiming to reverse the glandular dysfunction and favorably impact the systemic features of this disease.

  1. Combustor with two stage primary fuel tube with concentric members and flow regulating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, David Marchant; Whidden, Graydon Lane; Zolyomi, Wendel

    1999-01-01

    A combustor for a gas turbine having a centrally located fuel nozzle and inner, middle and outer concentric cylindrical liners, the inner liner enclosing a primary combustion zone. The combustor has an air inlet that forms two passages for pre-mixing primary fuel and air to be supplied to the primary combustion zone. Each of the pre-mixing passages has a circumferential array of swirl vanes. A plurality of primary fuel tube assemblies extend through both pre-mixing passages, with each primary fuel tube assembly located between a pair of swirl vanes. Each primary fuel tube assembly is comprised of two tubular members. The first member supplies fuel to the first pre-mixing passage, while the second member, which extends through the first member, supplies fuel to the second pre-mixing passage. An annular fuel manifold is divided into first and second chambers by a circumferentially extending baffle. The proximal end of the first member is attached to the manifold itself while the proximal end of the second member is attached to the baffle. The distal end of the first member is attached directly to the second member at around its mid-point. The inlets of the first and second members are in flow communication with the first and second manifold chambers, respectively. Control valves separately regulate the flow of fuel to the two chambers and, therefore, to the two members of the fuel tube assemblies, thereby allowing the flow of fuel to the first and second pre-mixing passages to be separately controlled.

  2. a comparative study of the drying rate constant, drying efficiency

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The drying rate constants for the solar dryer and open- air sun dried bitter leaf were 0.8 and ... of cost benefit but the poorest when other considerations ... J. I. Eze, National Centre for Energy Research and Development (NCERD), University of ...

  3. Carrageenan drying with dehumidified air: drying characteristics and product quality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Djaeni, M.; Sasongko, S.B.; Prasetyaningrum, Aji A A.A.; Jin, X.; Boxtel, van A.J.B.

    2012-01-01

    Applying dehumidified air is considered as an option to retain quality in carrageenan drying. This work concerns the effects of operational temperature, air velocity, and carrageenan thickness on the progress of drying and product quality when using dehumidified air. Final product quality and

  4. A Stage Matched Physical Activity Intervention in Military Primary Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-05-26

    tine. I Usually Do This .... Read my mail sitting down Ride the elevator Ride a power lawn mower Drive my car Telephone people Use the...dishwasher But I Could Do This ..■■ Read mail while I pace Take the stairs Use a push lawn mower Walk or ride a bike Walk to see them Wash dishes by...into your daily routine. Stage 1 Moving Right Along I Usually Do This Read my mail sitting down Ride the elevator Ride a power lawn mower Drive

  5. Comments to "Analysis of constant rate period of spray drying of slurry" by Liang et al., 2001

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Kåre; Jensen, Anker Degn; Sloth, Jakob

    2006-01-01

    In the study by Liang et al. [2001. Analysis of constant rate period of spray drying of slurry. Chemical Engineering Science 56, 2205-2213] the Darcy flow of liquid through a pore system of primary particles to the surface of a slurry droplet was applied for the constant rate period. Steep primary...... particle concentration gradients inside -25 mu m droplets with a primary particle size of 0.2 mu m were observed. Unfortunately, the boundary condition at the droplet surface for the parabolic second-order PDE did not conserve the solid mass in the droplet, and the plots for the primary particle...

  6. Method and apparatus for in-situ drying investigation and optimization of slurry drying methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Beth L.; Daniel, Claus; Howe, Jane Y.; Kiggans, Jr, James O.; Sabau, Adrian S.; Wood, III, David L.; Kalnaus, Sergiy

    2016-05-10

    A method of drying casted slurries that includes calculating drying conditions from an experimental model for a cast slurry and forming a cast film. An infrared heating probe is positioned on one side of the casted slurry and a thermal probe is positioned on an opposing side of the casted slurry. The infrared heating probe may control the temperature of the casted slurry during drying. The casted slurry may be observed with an optical microscope, while applying the drying conditions from the experimental model. Observing the casted slurry includes detecting the incidence of micro-structural changes in the casted slurry during drying to determine if the drying conditions from the experimental model are optimal.

  7. Desorption isotherms, drying characteristics and qualities of glace tropical fruits undergoing forced convection solar drying

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jamradloedluk, Jindaporn; Wiriyaumpaiwong, Songchai [Mahasarakham Univ. Khamriang, Kantarawichai, Mahasarakham (Thailand)

    2008-07-01

    Solar energy, a form of sustainable energy, has a great potential for a wide variety of applications because it is abundant and accessible, especially for countries located in the tropical region. Drying process is one of the prominent techniques for utilization of solar energy. This research work proposes a forced convection solar drying of osmotically pretreated fruits viz. mango, guava, and pineapple. The fruit cubes with a dimension of 1cm x 1cm x 1cm were immersed in 35% w./w. sucrose solution prior to the drying process. Drying kinetics, color and hardness of the final products obtained from solar drying were investigated and compared with those obtained from open air-sun drying. Desorption isotherms of the osmosed fruits were also examined and five mathematical models were used to fit the desorption curves. Experimental results revealed that solar drying provided higher drying rate than natural sun drying. Color of glace fruit processed by solar drying was more intense, indicated by lower value of lightness and higher value of yellowness, than that processed by sun drying. Hardness of the products dehydrated by both drying methods, however, was not significantly different (p>0.05). Validation of the mathematical models developed showed that the GAB model was most effective for describing desorption isotherms of osmotically pretreated mango and pineapple whereas Peleg's model was most effective for describing desorption isotherms of osmotically pretreated guava. (orig.)

  8. Raman mapping of mannitol/lysozyme particles produced via spray drying and single droplet drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajander, Jari Pekka; Matero, Sanni; Sloth, Jakob; Wan, Feng; Rantanen, Jukka; Yang, Mingshi

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effect of a model protein on the solid state of a commonly used bulk agent in spray-dried formulations. A series of lysozyme/mannitol formulations were spray-dried using a lab-scale spray dryer. Further, the surface temperature of drying droplet/particles was monitored using the DRYING KINETICS ANALYZER™ (DKA) with controllable drying conditions mimicking the spray-drying process to estimate the drying kinetics of the lysozyme/mannitol formulations. The mannitol polymorphism and the spatial distribution of lysozyme in the particles were examined using X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and Raman microscopy. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis was used for analyzing the Raman microscopy data. XRPD results indicated that a mixture of β-mannitol and α-mannitol was produced in the spray-drying process which was supported by the Raman analysis, whereas Raman analysis indicated that a mixture of α-mannitol and δ-mannitol was detected in the single particles from DKA. In addition Raman mapping indicated that the presence of lysozyme seemed to favor the appearance of α-mannitol in the particles from DKA evidenced by close proximity of lysozyme and mannitol in the particles. It suggested that the presence of lysozyme tend to induce metastable solid state forms upon the drying process.

  9. Estimated risk contribution for dry spent fuel storage cask

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, C.; Kirk, M.T.; Abramson, L.; Guttmann, J.; Hackett, E.; Simonen, F.A.

    2001-01-01

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is pursuing means to risk-inform its regulations and programs for dry storage of spent nuclear fuel. In pursuit of this objective, the NRC will develop safety goals and probabilistic risk assessments for implementing risk-informed programs. This paper provides one example method for calculating the risk of a dry spent fuel storage cask under normal and accident conditions. The example is on the HI-STORM 100 cask at a proposed site containing four thousand such casks. The paper evaluates the risk to the public by determining the likelihood a welded stainless steel container will leak. In addition, the study addresses the risk at a site where 4,000 casks may be stored until the U.S. Department of Energy accepts the casks for placement in a repository. The methods used employ the PRODIGAL computer code to assess the probability of a faulty weld on a stainless steel-welded canister. These analyses are only the initial stages of a comprehensive risk study that the NRC is performing in support of its regulatory initiatives. (author)

  10. Dry Separation of Palm Kernel and Palm Shell Using a Novel Five-Stage Winnowing Column System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohaya Mohamed Halim

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The conventional separation system for the recovery of palm kernel from its palm shell–kernel mixture using water as process media generates a considerable amount of waste effluent that harms the environment. The aim of this study is to develop a dry separation process for the recovery of palm kernel by using winnowing columns. A commercial system consisting of a series of five winnowing columns was developed and installed at a local palm oil mill. The system parameters, including column height, blower capacity, airflow rate and mesh screen size for shell removal, were studied and optimized to ensure good separation of kernel and shell in the column to enable collection of different sizes of kernel and shell at each column outlet. The performance of the separation process was evaluated in terms of its kernel losses, dirt content and kernel recovery rate. The average kernel losses based on oil palm fresh fruit bunches processed were found to vary from 0.11 to 0.30 wt %, with most of the values obtained being below the targeted limit of 0.30 wt %. The dirt content was in the range 4.56–6.03 wt %, which was mostly below the targeted limit of 5.5 wt %. The kernel recovery rate was in the range 5.69–6.89 wt %, with most of the values achieving the minimum targeted limit of 6.00 wt %. The system operates under completely dry conditions and, therefore, produces zero waste effluent.

  11. Stage of lactation and corresponding diets affect in situ protein degradation by dairy cows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schadt, I; Mertens, D R; Van Soest, P J; Azzaro, G; Licitra, G

    2014-12-01

    The influence of stage of lactation and corresponding diets on rates of protein degradation (kd) is largely unstudied. Study objectives were to measure and compare in situ ruminal kd of crude protein (CP) and estimate rumen CP escape (rumen-undegradable protein; RUP) of selected feeds by cows at 3 stages of lactation fed corresponding diets, and to determine the incubation times needed in an enzymatic in vitro procedure, using 0.2 units of Streptomyces griseus protease per percent of true CP, that predicted in situ RUP. Residue CP was measured after in situ fermentation for 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h of 5 protein sources and 3 total mixed rations, which were fed to the in situ cows. Two nonlactating (dry) cows and 2 cows each at 190 (mid) and 90 (peak) days of lactation were used. Each pair of cows was offered free-choice diets that differed in composition to meet their corresponding nutrient requirements. Diets had decreasing proportions of forages and contained (dry matter basis) 11.9, 15.1 and 16.4% CP and 54.3, 40.3 and 35.3% neutral detergent fiber, for dry, mid, and peak TMR (TMR1, TMR2, and TMR3), respectively. Intakes were 10.3, 21.4, and 23.8kg of dry matter/d, respectively. Kinetic CP fractions (extractable, potentially degradable, undegradable, or slowly degradable) were unaffected by treatment. Lag time and kd varied among feeds. The kd was faster for all feeds (0.136/h) when incubated in dry-TMR1 cows compared with mid-TMR2 (0.097/h) or peak-TMR3 (0.098/h) cows, and no differences in lag time were detected. Calculated RUP, using estimated passage rates for each cow based on intake, differed between dry-TMR1 (0.382) and mid-TMR2 (0.559) or peak-TMR3 (0.626) cows, with a tendency for mid-TMR2 to be different from peak-TMR3. Using the average kd and lag time obtained from dry-TMR1 to calculate RUP for mid-TMR2 and peak-TMR3 cows using their passage rates reduced RUP values by 6.3 and 9.5 percentage units, respectively. Except for that of herring meal

  12. Wood chip drying in connection with combined heat and power or solar energy in Finland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rinne Samuli

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available 20% of the Finnish district heating (DH power plant fuels are wood-based and the share is increasing. The wood fuel demand probably exceeds the potential supply in the future. The wood fuel drying with waste heat is one profitable opportunity to gain more wood fuel. If the drying energy can be produced with lower primary energy use than combusting the fuel directly, the drying potentially improves the system efficiency. In this study, the drying feasibility in the connection of a combined heat and power (CHP system, possibly with solar collectors, is calculated. The wood fuel heating can be increased profitably by 6%, using the heat from CHP for drying only when the marginal cost of the heat is low enough, i.e. the electricity price is high enough and there is free capacity after the DH demand. Although the drying is profitable, a larger heat storage can also increase the annual result similarly. The best investment choice depends on the plant properties. Here the optimal system enables 20% DH production cost savings. Solar heat may be profitable, when the solar heat has a 2–3% share of the annual heat demand. However, the dryer or larger storage tank are more profitable investments.

  13. Primary Life Stage Boron Isotope and Trace Elements Incorporation in Aposymbiotic Acropora millepora Coral under Ocean Acidification and Warming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henry C. Wu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Early-life stages of reef-building corals are vital to coral existence and reef maintenance. It is therefore crucial to study juvenile coral response to future climate change pressures. Moreover, corals are known to be reliable recorders of environmental conditions in their skeletal materials. Aposymbiotic Acropora millepora larvae were cultured in different seawater temperature (27 and 29°C and pCO2 (390 and 750 μatm conditions to understand the impacts of “end of century” ocean acidification (OA and ocean warming (OW conditions on skeletal morphology and geochemistry. The experimental conditions impacted primary polyp juvenile coral skeletal morphology and growth resulting in asymmetric translucent appearances with brittle skeleton features. The impact of OA resulted in microstructure differences with decreased precipitation or lengthening of fasciculi and disorganized aragonite crystals that led to more concentrations of centers of calcifications. The coral skeletal δ11B composition measured by laser ablation MC-ICP-MS was significantly affected by pCO2 (p = 0.0024 and water temperature (p = 1.46 × 10−5. Reconstructed pH of the primary polyp skeleton using the δ11B proxy suggests a difference in coral calcification site and seawater pH consistent with previously observed coral pH up-regulation. Similarly, trace element results measured by laser ablation ICP-MS indicate the impact of pCO2. Primary polyp juvenile Sr/Ca ratio indicates a bias in reconstructed sea surface temperature (SST under higher pCO2 conditions. Coral microstructure content changes (center of calcification and fasciculi due to OA possibly contributed to the variability in B/Ca ratios. Our results imply that increasing OA and OW may lead to coral acclimation issues and species-specific inaccuracies of the commonly used Sr/Ca-SST proxy.

  14. Drying kinetics and mathematical modeling of hot air drying of coconut coir pith.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernando, J A K M; Amarasinghe, A D U S

    2016-01-01

    Drying kinetics of coir pith was studied and the properties of compressed coir pith discs were analyzed. Coir pith particles were oven dried in the range of temperatures from 100 to 240 °C and the rehydration ability of compressed coir pith was evaluated by finding the volume expansion. The optimum drying temperature was found to be 140 °C. Hot air drying was carried out to examine the drying kinetics by allowing the coir pith particles to fluidize and circulate inside the drying chamber. Particle motion within the drying chamber closely resembled the particle motion in a flash dryer. The effective moisture diffusivity was found to increase from 1.18 × 10(-8) to 1.37 × 10(-8) m(2)/s with the increase of air velocity from 1.4 to 2.5 m/s respectively. Correlation analysis and residual plots were used to determine the adequacy of existing mathematical models for describing the drying behavior of coir pith. The empirical models, Wang and Singh model and Linear model, were found to be adequate for accurate prediction of drying behavior of coir pith. A new model was proposed by modifying the Wang and Singh model and considering the effect of air velocity. It gave the best correlation between observed and predicted moisture ratio with high value of coefficient of determination (R(2)) and lower values of root mean square error, reduced Chi square (χ(2)) and mean relative deviation (E%).

  15. Nitrogen limitation and slow drying induce desiccation tolerance in conjugating green algae (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta from polar habitats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Pichrtová

    Full Text Available Filamentous Zygnematophyceae are typical components of algal mats in the polar hydro-terrestrial environment. Under field conditions, they form senescent vegetative cells, designated as pre-akinetes, which are tolerant to desiccation and osmotic stress.Pre-akinete formation and desiccation tolerance was investigated experimentally under monitored laboratory conditions in four strains of Arctic and Antarctic isolates with vegetative Zygnema sp. morphology. Phylogenetic analyses of rbcL sequences revealed one Arctic strain as genus Zygnemopsis, phylogenetically distant from the closely related Zygnema strains. Algae were cultivated in liquid or on solidified medium (9 weeks, supplemented with or lacking nitrogen. Nitrogen-free cultures (liquid as well as solidified consisted of well-developed pre-akinetes after this period. Desiccation experiments were performed at three different drying rates (rapid: 10% relative humidity, slow: 86% rh and very slow; viability, effective quantum yield of PS II, visual and ultrastructural changes were monitored. Recovery and viability of pre-akinetes were clearly dependent on the drying rate: slower desiccation led to higher levels of survival. Pre-akinetes survived rapid drying after acclimation by very slow desiccation.The formation of pre-akinetes in polar Zygnema spp. and Zygnemopsis sp. is induced by nitrogen limitation. Pre-akinetes, modified vegetative cells, rather than specialized stages of the life cycle, can be hardened by mild desiccation stress to survive rapid drying. Naturally hardened pre-akinetes play a key role in stress tolerance and dispersal under the extreme conditions of polar regions, where sexual reproduction and production of dormant stages is largely suppressed.

  16. Relationship between sensory attributes and volatile compounds of polish dry-cured loin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Górska, Ewa; Nowicka, Katarzyna; Jaworska, Danuta; Przybylski, Wiesław; Tambor, Krzysztof

    2017-01-01

    Objective The aim of this work was to determine the relationship between objective sensory descriptors and volatile flavour compound composition of Polish traditional dry-cured loin. Methods The volatile compounds were investigated by using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). For sensory assessment, the quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) method was used. Results A total of 50 volatile compounds were found and assigned to 17 chemical families. Most of the detected volatile compounds derived from smoking, lipid oxidative reactions and seasoning (46.8%, 21.7%, and 18.9%, respectively). The dominant compounds were: aromatic hydrocarbon (toluene); alkanes (hexane, heptane, and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane); aldehyde (hexanal); alcohol (2-furanmethanol); ketone (3-hydroxy-2-butanone); phenol (guaiacol); and terpenes (eucalyptol, cymene, γ-terpinen, and limonene). Correlation analysis showed that some compounds derived from smoking were positively correlated with the intensity of cured meat odour and flavour and negatively with the intensity of dried meat odour and flavour, while terpenes were strongly correlated with odour and flavour of added spices. Conclusion The analysed dry-cured loins were characterized by specific and unique sensory profile. Odour and flavour of studied loins was mainly determined by volatile compounds originating from smoking, seasoning and lipid oxidation. Obtained results suggest that smoking process is a crucial stage during Polish traditional dry-cured loins production. PMID:27456422

  17. Relationship between sensory attributes and volatile compounds of polish dry-cured loin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Górska

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective The aim of this work was to determine the relationship between objective sensory descriptors and volatile flavour compound composition of Polish traditional dry-cured loin. Methods The volatile compounds were investigated by using solid phase microextraction (SPME and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS. For sensory assessment, the quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA method was used. Results A total of 50 volatile compounds were found and assigned to 17 chemical families. Most of the detected volatile compounds derived from smoking, lipid oxidative reactions and seasoning (46.8%, 21.7%, and 18.9%, respectively. The dominant compounds were: aromatic hydrocarbon (toluene; alkanes (hexane, heptane, and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane; aldehyde (hexanal; alcohol (2-furanmethanol; ketone (3-hydroxy-2-butanone; phenol (guaiacol; and terpenes (eucalyptol, cymene, γ-terpinen, and limonene. Correlation analysis showed that some compounds derived from smoking were positively correlated with the intensity of cured meat odour and flavour and negatively with the intensity of dried meat odour and flavour, while terpenes were strongly correlated with odour and flavour of added spices. Conclusion The analysed dry-cured loins were characterized by specific and unique sensory profile. Odour and flavour of studied loins was mainly determined by volatile compounds originating from smoking, seasoning and lipid oxidation. Obtained results suggest that smoking process is a crucial stage during Polish traditional dry-cured loins production.

  18. NP-59 SPECT/CT Imaging in Stage 1 Hypertensive and Atypical Primary Aldosteronism: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis of Clinicolaboratory and Imaging Features

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Chun Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. We retrospectively analyzed all primary aldosteronism (PA patients undergoing NP-59 SPECT/CT imaging with regard to their clinicolaboratory and imaging features, investigation, and outcomes. Material and Methods. 11 PA patients who presented to our hospital for NP-59 SPECT/CT imaging between April 2007 and March 2012 and managed here were analyzed. Results. Among 11 PA patients, eight (73% had stage 1 hypertension, three (27% stage 2 hypertension, four (36% normal plasma aldosterone concentration, nine (82% nonsuppressed plasma renin activity (PRA, six (55% normal aldosterone-renin-ratio (ARR, eight (73% serum potassium ≧3 mEq/L, seven (64% subclinical presentation, seven (64% negative confirmatory testing, and four (36% inconclusive results on CT scan and seven (64% on planar NP-59 scan. All 11 (100% patients had positive results on NP-59 SPECT/CT scan. Two (18% met typical triad and nine (82% atypical triad. Among nine atypical PA patients, three (33% had clinical presentation, six (67% subclinical presentation, six (67% negative confirmatory testing, and four (44% inconclusive results on CT scan and six (67% on planar NP-59 scan. All patients had improved outcomes. Significant differences between typical and atypical PA existed in PRA and ARR. Conclusions. NP-59 SPECT/CT may provide diagnostic potential in stage 1 hypertensive and atypical PA.

  19. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Finding Dental Care Home Health Info Health Topics Dry Mouth Saliva, or spit, is made by the salivary ... help keep teeth strong and fight tooth decay. Dry mouth, also called xerostomia (ZEER-oh-STOH-mee-ah), ...

  20. Infrared pre-drying and dry-dehulling of walnuts for improved processing efficiency and product quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    The walnut industry is faced with an urgent need to improve post-harvest processing efficiency, particularly drying and dehulling operations. This research investigated the feasibility of dry-dehulling and infrared (IR) pre-drying of walnuts for improved processing efficiency and dried product quali...

  1. Study on rapid bio-drying technology of cow dung with CaO2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaotian; Qu, Guangfei; Liu, Shugen; Xie, Ruosong; He, Yanhua

    2017-05-01

    Effect of CaO2 on cow dung rapid bio-drying technology was researched. A static aerobic composting system was applied to this experiment which combining natural ventilation with Turing in the process of composting. The physical characteristics of cow dung was observed and the compost temperature, moisture content, organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, potassium content was determined which in order to study the effect of CaO2 on rapid drying of cattle in the compost. In the initial stage of compost, adding CaO2 groups compared with the control group, the temperature rise faster, 4-6 days in advance to the thermophilic phase; at the end of composting, the CaO2 composition and moisture content decreased significantly to below 30%. The addition of CaO2 in fertilizer was shorten the composting time, extend the thermophilic phase, to provide sufficient oxygen meeting the growth needs of aerobic microorganisms. It convinced that the rapid bio-drying of dairy manure has a good effect and provided a new idea for the effective treatment of cow dung.

  2. Overt hypoadrenalism is uncommon in patients with stage 3 and 4 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of primary hypoadrenalism, as defined by a subnormal cortisol response to the 250 µg adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test, in patients with stage 3 and 4 lung cancer. Methods. Thirty patients with stage 3 and 4 bronchogenic carcinoma were prospectively ...

  3. Dry-run of site investigation planning using the manual for preliminary investigation in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akamura, Shigeki; Miwa, Tadashi; Tanaka, Tatsuya; Shiratsuchi, Hiroshi; Horio, Atsushi

    2011-01-01

    A stepwise site selection process has been adopted for geological disposal of HLW in Japan. Literature surveys, followed by preliminary investigations (PI) and, finally, detailed investigations in underground facilities will be carried out in the successive selection stages. In the PI stage, surface-based investigations such as borehole surveys and geophysical prospecting will be implemented. In order to conduct the PI appropriately and efficiently within a restricted timeframe and budget, planning and management of PI are very important. NUMO therefore compiled existing knowledge and experience in the planning and managing of investigations in the form of manuals to be used to improve and maintain internal expertise. The first editions of the two manuals were prepared on the basis of experience overseas, and then they were revised by taking technological environment, laws and regulation in Japan into consideration. This paper introduces the procedure of PI planning using manual as well as the results of the dry-run, with the Yokosuka area as a hypothetical PI area, where the monstraction study is under way. Based on the dry-run, applicability of the manual is checked and, at the same time, further revisions are made to improve the content. (author)

  4. Primary invasive squamous carcinoma of the vagina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pride, G.L.; Schultz, A.E.; Chuprevich, T.W.; Buchler, D.A.

    1979-01-01

    Forty-three cases of primary vaginal squamous cell cancer were treated at the University of Wisconsin Hospital between 1956 and 1971. These cases comprised of 1.2% of patients admitted to the University Hospital with female genital tract cancer. Evidence is presented to support a modification of the currently accepted FIGO staging system for vaginal carcinoma (Stage II disease). Radiation therapy using both external beam and brachyradium equivalents or interstitial implantation of suitable isotopes was an effective method for the treatment of patients having early and locally advanced invasive vaginal cancer. The 5-year absolute survival rate for the entire series was 37.2%. Absolute survival rate by modified FIGO clinical staging was 66% for Stages I and IIA, 31% for Stage IIB, 25% for Stage III, and 0% for Stage IV

  5. Dynamic QTL analysis and candidate gene mapping for waterlogging tolerance at maize seedling stage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalid A Osman

    Full Text Available Soil waterlogging is one of the major abiotic stresses adversely affecting maize growth and yield. To identify dynamic expression of genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL, QTL associated with plant height, root length, root dry weight, shoot dry weight and total dry weight were identified via conditional analysis in a mixed linear model and inclusive composite interval mapping method at three respective periods under waterlogging and control conditions. A total of 13, 19 and 23 QTL were detected at stages 3D|0D (the period during 0-3 d of waterlogging, 6D|3D and 9D|6D, respectively. The effects of each QTL were moderate and distributed over nine chromosomes, singly explaining 4.14-18.88% of the phenotypic variation. Six QTL (ph6-1, rl1-2, sdw4-1, sdw7-1, tdw4-1 and tdw7-1 were identified at two consistent stages of seedling development, which could reflect a continuous expression of genes; the remaining QTL were detected at only one stage. Thus, expression of most QTL was influenced by the developmental status. In order to provide additional evidence regarding the role of corresponding genes in waterlogging tolerance, mapping of Expressed Sequence Tags markers and microRNAs were conducted. Seven candidate genes were observed to co-localize with the identified QTL on chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 7 and 9, and may be important candidate genes for waterlogging tolerance. These results are a good starting point for understanding the genetic basis for selectively expressing of QTL in different stress periods and the common genetic control mechanism of the co-localized traits.

  6. Dry etching for microelectronics

    CERN Document Server

    Powell, RA

    1984-01-01

    This volume collects together for the first time a series of in-depth, critical reviews of important topics in dry etching, such as dry processing of III-V compound semiconductors, dry etching of refractory metal silicides and dry etching aluminium and aluminium alloys. This topical format provides the reader with more specialised information and references than found in a general review article. In addition, it presents a broad perspective which would otherwise have to be gained by reading a large number of individual research papers. An additional important and unique feature of this book

  7. Post-LASIK dry eye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shtein, Roni M

    2011-01-01

    Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a frequently performed corneal refractive surgery with excellent refractive outcomes. The most common complication of LASIK is dry eyes, with virtually all patients developing some degree of dryness in the immediate postoperative period. Identifying preoperative dry eyes, and conscientious attention and treatment in the perioperative time period, can lead to enhanced patient satisfaction and more accurate visual outcomes. Improved understanding of the development of dry eyes after LASIK will advance our understanding of the complex pathophysiology of dry eye disease. PMID:22174730

  8. Primary Sjögren′s syndrome without ocular involvement: A rare case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tushar Phulambrikar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sjögren′s Syndrome (SS is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder, characterized by the lymphocytic infiltration of lacrimal and salivary glands, giving rise to dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca and dry mouth (xerostomia. Primary Sjögren′s Syndrome commonly presents only with sicca manifestations; whereas, secondary Sjögren′s syndrome occurs in connection with other autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Primary Sjögren′s syndrome without ocular manifestation is rarely reported in the literature. Here we report a case of a 45-year-old female, who presented to us with complaints of dryness of mouth and dysphagia, without any ocular and systemic manifestations. On further evaluation she was diagnosed as a case of Primary Sjögren′s syndrome. With this case report, we intend to emphasize the importance of an early diagnosis of this disorder, along with a brief review of various diagnostic criteria.

  9. Oral omega-3 fatty acid treatment for dry eye in contact lens wearers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhargava, Rahul; Kumar, Prachi

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA) supplementation on dry eye symptoms, tear film tests, and conjunctival impression cytology in patients with contact lens wear-associated dry eye. In this randomized, double-blind, multicentric trial, contact lens wearers (n = 496) were randomized to receive either O3FAs or placebo capsules (corn oil) twice daily for 6 months. Subjects underwent examinations at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. At each visit, a questionnaire of dry eye symptoms and lens wear comfort was administered. Subjects further underwent measurement of tear film break-up time (TBUT) and a Schirmer test. Conjunctival impression cytology was performed by the transfer method. Improvement in symptoms and lens wear comfort were primary outcome measures. Changes from baseline in TBUT, Schirmer, and Nelson grade at 6 months were secondary outcome measures. The mean improvement in symptom score in the O3FA group was 4.7 ± 2 (2.0) as compared with 0.5 ± 2 (0.9) in the placebo group (P dry eye symptoms, improving lens wear comfort, and cytological changes in contact lens wearers.

  10. Evaluation of drying methods with respect to drying kinetics, mineral content and colour characteristics of rosemary leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arslan, Derya; Musa Ozcan, M.

    2008-01-01

    Rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis L., Lamiaceae) were dried by using sun, oven (50 deg. C) and microwave oven (700 W, 2450 MHz) drying methods. Microwave oven drying shortened the drying time more than 99% when compared to the sun and oven drying methods. K, Ca, Na, Mg and P were the most abundant elements in the rosemary samples. The mineral content of oven dried rosemary leaves was higher than that of the sun and microwave dried samples. The logarithmic and Midilli and Kuecuek models were shown to give a good fit to the sun and oven drying. The Page, Modified Page and Midilli and Kuecuek models have shown a better fit to the experimental microwave oven drying data of rosemary leaves. Microwave oven drying revealed optimum colour values. Oven drying resulted in a considerable decrease in the colour quality of the rosemary leaves

  11. Position emission tomography with or without computed tomography in the primary staging of Hodgkin's lymphoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hutchings, Martin; Loft, Annika; Hansen, Mads

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In order to receive the most appropriate therapy, patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) must be accurately stratified into different prognostic staging groups. Computed tomography (CT) plays a pivotal role in the conventional staging. The aim of the present study...... was to investigate the value of positron emission tomography using 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG-PET) and combined FDG-PET/CT for the staging of HL patients, and the impact on the choice of treatment. DESIGN AND METHODS: Ninety-nine consecutive, prospectively included patients had FDG-PET and CT...

  12. Comparison of T stage, N stage, multifocality, and bilaterality in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients according to the presence of coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin Young; Kim, Dong Wook; Park, Ha Kyung; Ha, Tae Kwun; Jung, Soo Jin; Kim, Do Hun; Bae, Sang Kyun

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to assess the relationship between coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis and T-N stages of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) by histopathological analysis. The study included 653 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for PTC at our hospital. Each case was classified as either Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), non-Hashimoto type of lymphocytic thyroiditis (NHLT), or normal according to the histopathology of thyroid parenchyma. Patient age, gender, surgical modality, location, T stage, N stage, multifocality and bilaterality were compared according to the histopathology. The prevalence of coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis was 25.8% (169/653); HT (7.5%, 49/653) and NHLT (18.3%, 120/653). There were no significant differences in T stage, N stage, multifocality and bilaterality with regard to coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis, regardless of whether HT and NHLT were considered collectively or discretely. Primary tumor size (p thyroiditis did not differ from those with normal parenchyma in terms of T stage, N stage, multifocality and bilaterality.

  13. The potato chips and dry mashed as products of potato rational processing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Mazur

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The percentage of potato processing for food products in the former Soviet Union decreased to 1%, at the same time in some countries of Europe and the USA the share of potato processing is 60-80%. Numerous works have shown the economic feasibility of potato processing for food products. Materials and methods. In laboratory and industrial conditions of the open stock company «Mashpishcheprod» (Maryina Gorka, Minsk region, Belarus researches have been conducted on increase of efficiency of technological processes potato processing. Sampling, preparation and conducting of tests were performed by standard and special methods of analysis. Results and discussion. Potato varieties suitable for the production of dry mashed potatoes and potatocrisps have been determined, acclimatization before processing ensures minimumthe content of the reducing sugars, which provide high quality of the finished product. Studies have shown that the process of kneading potato at temperatures close to cooking temperature is optimal, in which the process of destruction cells is hardly taking place. Pneumatic dryers for drying boiled potato provide high product quality due to the low temperature of heating and short contact of a powdered product with a drying agent. However, the contents of damaged cells in the finished product do not exceed 1.3-2.6%. The optimum modes and parameters of potato crisps production have been defined, the processes of cutting, blanching, treatment with salt, drying and roasting have been scientifically grounded, that provide a finished product with fat content not more than 27.7%. Conclusion. Economic expediency of processing the following varieties of potato Desire, Temp, Synthesis for dry mashed potato and potato crisps has been proved. The processes of kneading and drying potato are decisive stages of the processing, because they determine the number of destroyedcells in the finished product. Optimal parameters of production

  14. High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project, Final Test Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2014-02-27

    EPRI is leading a project team to develop and implement the first five years of a Test Plan to collect data from a SNF dry storage system containing high burnup fuel.12 The Test Plan defined in this document outlines the data to be collected, and the storage system design, procedures, and licensing necessary to implement the Test Plan.13 The main goals of the proposed test are to provide confirmatory data14 for models, future SNF dry storage cask design, and to support license renewals and new licenses for ISFSIs. To provide data that is most relevant to high burnup fuel in dry storage, the design of the test storage system must mimic real conditions that high burnup SNF experiences during all stages of dry storage: loading, cask drying, inert gas backfilling, and transfer to the ISFSI for multi-year storage.15 Along with other optional modeling, SETs, and SSTs, the data collected in this Test Plan can be used to evaluate the integrity of dry storage systems and the high burnup fuel contained therein over many decades. It should be noted that the Test Plan described in this document discusses essential activities that go beyond the first five years of Test Plan implementation.16 The first five years of the Test Plan include activities up through loading the cask, initiating the data collection, and beginning the long-term storage period at the ISFSI. The Test Plan encompasses the overall project that includes activities that may not be completed until 15 or more years from now, including continued data collection, shipment of the Research Project Cask to a Fuel Examination Facility, opening the cask at the Fuel Examination Facility, and examining the high burnup fuel after the initial storage period.

  15. Which patients benefit most from primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IIIC or IV ovarian cancer? An exploratory analysis of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer 55971 randomised trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Meurs, Hannah S.; Tajik, Parvin; Hof, Michel H. P.; Vergote, Ignace; Kenter, Gemma G.; Mol, Ben Willem J.; Buist, Marrije R.; Bossuyt, Patrick M.

    2013-01-01

    To investigate whether biomarkers consisting of baseline characteristics of advanced stage ovarian cancer patients can help in identifying subgroups of patients who would benefit more from primary surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We used data of the European Organisation for Research and

  16. Evaluation Yield of Sunflower (Farrokh cultivar under Effects of Conventional Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root Zone Drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Rezaei Estakhroeih

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Water shortage is the most important factors on crop production in the world. Several methods of deficit irrigation are solutions for reduction of irrigation water. To understand the effects of conventional deficit irrigation and partial root zone drying treatments on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of sunflower (Farrokh cultivar, one study was carried out. The research was conducted on Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in the spring of 2011. A factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with one control (full irrigation and 18 deficit irrigation treatments in three replications was considered. Deficit irrigation treatments were: conventional deficit irrigation (irrigation with %80, %60 and %40 ETP and partial root zone drying (irrigation with %80, %60 and %40 ETP. Every deficit irrigation treatment was conducted in three growth stage of sunflower (all periods of growth, vegetative growth stage and reproductive growth stage.The results showed that the conventional deficit irrigation treatments (irrigation with 80% ETP in vegetative growth had the highest plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and head diameter. Also, the maximum biological yield equal to49054, maximum grain yield is equal to 9934/3 and maximum oil yield is equal to 2441/2 kg per hectare in the conventional deficit irrigation treatments (irrigation with 80% ETP in vegetative growth occurred.The highest water use efficiency for grain yield is equal to 1/46,forbiological yield equal to7/21 and for dry forage yield is equal 5/7 kilograms per cubic meter of water. According to results,conventional deficit irrigation (irrigation with %80, %60 and %40 ETP is recommended on based.

  17. Dry deposition of polychlorinated biphenyls in urban areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holsen, T.M.; Noll, K.E.; Shiping Liu, Wenjhy Lee

    1991-01-01

    The PCB dry deposition flux was measured in Chicago with a greased, Mylar-covered smooth plate with a sharp leading edge pointed into the wind. The dry deposition flux of PCBs in Chicago averaged 3.8 μg/m 2 ·day between May and November 1989 and 6.0 μg/m 2 ·day for May and June 1990. A comparison of the PCB flux measured in Chicago to an estimated nonurban PCB flux shows that the flux of PCBs is up to 3 orders of magnitude higher in urban areas than in nonurban areas, indicating that Chicago and other urban areas near the Great Lakes must be considered as major source terms for deposition of PCBs into the lakes. The distribution of atmospheric PCBs between the gas and particle phase and the size distribution of particle-phase PCBs were also measured. The airborne PCB concentration as measured by the Noll rotary impactor (NRI) A stage (particles with aerodynamic diameters of > 6.5 μm) was higher in Chicago (0.94 ng/m 3 ) than in Los Angeles (0.52 ng/m 3 ), as was the mean particle-phase PCB concentration (47 vs 21 μg/g). PCBs were found to be associated with all sizes of atmospheric particles; however, their particle mass normalized concentration decreased with increasing particle size. PCBs associated with particles, particularly coarse particles, represented a significant fraction of the total PCB dry deposition flux even though PCBs in the ambient air were present primarily in the gas phase

  18. Pecan drying with silica gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghate, S.R.; Chhinnan, M.S.

    1983-07-01

    High moisture in-shell pecans were dried by keeping them in direct and indirect contact with silica gel to investigate their drying characteristics. In-shell pecans were also dried with ambient air from a controlled environment chamber and with air dehumidified by silica gel. Direct contact and dehumidified air drying seemed feasible approaches.

  19. Stage specificity and dose-response relationships for chromosome aberrations induced in mouse primary spermatocytes following X-irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuda, Y.; Tobari, I.; Utsugi, T.

    1986-05-01

    In this study, dose-response relationships were examined for chromosome aberrations observed at diakinesis-metaphase I of spermatocytes with X-irradiation at various stages of meiosis (diplotene, mid-pachytene, zygotene and leptotene). The frequencies of cells with X-ray-induced chromosome aberrations increased with dose at all stages in the applied range of 0.5-3.0 Gy and tended to increase as the irradiated stages descended after leptotene stage. In three stages, the frequencies increased exponentially with dose, but the rates of induction of chromosome breaks were markedly different depending on the stages at which spermatocytes were irradiated with X-rays. The rate of induction was the highest at diplotene and the lowest at leptotene, suggesting that diplotene spermatocytes had the highest radiosensitivity to the induction of chromosome breaks, followed by pachytene, zygotene and leptotene spermatocytes in that order. The dose-response relationships fitted well to linear equations for deletion-type aberrations at each stage, and to linear-quadratic equations for exchange-type aberrations at all stages except for leptotene. At leptotene, the chromatid exchanges were hardly observed, the aberrations being mainly consisted of iso-chromatid fragments. On the contrary, chromatid exchanges and iso-chromatide deletions were mainly observed at later stages (zygotene-diplotene).

  20. PADDY DRYING IN MIXED ADSORPTION DRYER WITH ZEOLITE: DRYING RATE AND TIME ESTIMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mochammad Djaeni

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the main problem of the rice stock and distribution in Indonesia is the quality degradation as indicated in unpleasant odor (smelly, stained, yellowness, and high percentage of broken rice. This is due to the low of paddy quality dried by from either direct sunlight or conventional fluidized bed dryer. As a result, the paddy cracks and breaks easily during milling in which causes the storage life being shorter as the enzymatic degradation by germ or fungi occurs. Air dehumidified with zeolite at drying medium temperature is potential to improve the quality of paddy. Zeolite is a material having high affinity to water vapor. In this case, the paddy and zeolite was mixed and fluidized with the air. The air will evaporate water from paddy, and at same time, the zeolite will adsorb water from air. Hence, the humidity of dryer can be kept low in which improves the driving force for drying. This work discusses the effect of presence of zeolite in the dryer, operational drying temperature, air velocity and relative humidity on drying rate of paddy. The results showed that increasing of zeolite as well as operational temperature increased the drying rate. In addition, using the model, the air dehumidification with zeolite and increase of air velocity can speed up drying time significantly at operational temperature below 80oC. This condition is very suitable for paddy drying since the quality degradation can be avoided.