Removal of radionuclides from acid mine waters by retention on adsorbing materials

This study proposes a method for decontamination of acid drainage water from a uranium mine, as an alternative process to lime treatment. The research embodied the recovery of uranium with an ion-exchange resin, treatment of effluent resin with lime, or with inorganic adsorbents and biosorbents. The uranium decontamination level using the resin process was 94% and allowed the recovery of this element as a commercial product. Among the inorganic adsorbents studied, phosphogypsum was effective for Ra-226, Ra-228, and Pb-210 removal. Among the biosorbents, Sargassum sp.was superior in relation to its specific capacity to accumulate and remove Ra-226.

The acid-base impact of free water removal from, and addition to, plasma

Water, compared with plasma at a pH of 7.4, is a weak acid. The addition of free water to a patient should have an acidifying effect (dilutional acidosis) and the removal of it, an alkalinizing effect (concentrational alkalosis). The specific effects of free water loss or gain in a relatively complex fluid such as plasma has, to the authors' knowledge, not been reported. This information would be useful in the interpretation of the effect of changes in free water in patients. Plasma samples from goats were either evaporated in a tonometer to 80% of baseline volume or hydrated by the addition of distilled water to 120% of baseline volume. The pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide, sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, chloride, lactate, phosphorous, albumin, and total protein concentrations were measured. Actual base excess (ABE), standard bicarbonate, anion gap, strong ion difference, strong ion gap, unmeasured anions, and the effects of sodium, chloride, phosphate, and albumin changes on ABE were calculated. Most parameters changed 20% in proportion to the magnitude of dehydration or hydration. Bicarbonate concentration, however, increased only 11% in the evaporation trial and decreased only -2% in the dehydration trial. The evaporation trial was associated with a mild, but significant, metabolic alkalotic effect (ABE increased 3.2 mM/L), whereas the hydration trial was associated with a slight, insignificant metabolic acidotic effect (ABE decreased only 0.6 mM/L). The calculated free water ABE effect (change in sodium concentration) was offset by opposite changes in calculated chloride, lactate, phosphate, and albumin ABE effects.

Evaluation of color removal and degradation of a reactive textile azo dye on nanoporous TiO2 thin-film electrodes

The feasibility of the photobleaching of a textile azo dye, reactive orange 16 (C.I. 17757), in aqueous solution using titanium dioxide thin-film electrodes prepared by the sol-gel method was investigated. The best conditions for maximum photoelectrocatalytic degradation were found to be pH > 10 for Na2SO4 medium and pH < 6 for NaCl. In both situations, an applied potential of +1.0 V and low dye concentration are recommended, when 100% of color removal is obtained after 20 min of photoelectrocatalysis. The effects of side reaction pathway on the degradation rate of dye in sulfate and chloride medium were presented and the best performance are optimized to situations closed to that verified in the textile effluent. The influence of variables as applied potential, pH, supporting electrolyte and dye concentration on the kinetics of photoelectrochemical degradation also were investigated. Oxalic acid is identified by HPLC and UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods as the main degradation product generated after 180 min of photoelectrocatalysis of 4 x 10(-5) mol l(-1) dye in sodium sulphate pH 12 and NaCl pH 4.0 and a maximum reduction of 56 and 62% TOC was obtained, respectively. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of cyclosporin a on mechanical retention of dental implants previously integrated to the bone: A study in rabbits

Background: Immunosuppressive agents may induce severe changes on bone metabolism and may impair the osseointegration process during the implant healing. No data are available concerning the influence of cyclosporin A on dental implants previously integrated to the bone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cyclosporin A administration on the mechanical retention of bone previously integrated to dental implants.Methods: Eighteen female New Zealand rabbits were submitted to an implant surgery. Each animal received one commercial dental implant of 10 x 3.75 mm. After 12 weeks of an undisturbed healing period, six animals were randomly sacrificed and the removal torque test was performed (group A). In addition, six animals were submitted to a daily injection of cyclosporin A in a dosage of 10 mg/kg (group C), and six animals received saline solution as a control (group B). After 12 weeks of cyclosporin A administration, groups B and C were sacrificed and submitted to a removal torque test in which higher values can be interpreted as higher mechanical bone retention to the implant surface or higher osseointegration.Results: the removal torque results were 30.5 (+/- 9.8) Ncm for group A, 50.17 (+/- 17.5) Ncm for group B, and 26 (+/- 7.8) Ncm for group C. The statistical analysis showed significant differences between groups A and B (P < 0.05) and groups B and C (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Cyclosporin A administration may impair the mechanical retention of dental implants previously integrated to the bone.

Evaluation of autogenous bone grafts, particulate or collected during osteotomy with implant burs: Histologic and histomorphometric analysis in rabbits

Purpose: the aim of this study was to evaluate bone regeneration in bone cavities filled with particulate autogenous bone either harvest in blocks and subjected to milling procedures or collected during osteotomy with implant burs. Materials and Methods: In 12 rabbits, 3 noncritical unicortical cavities 7 mm in diameter were prepared with a trephine drill on the right tibia. The cavities were filled respectively with particulate autogenous bone achieved with a manual bone crusher ( particulate group), with particulate autogenous bone obtained using bone collector during osteotomy ( collected group), and with blood clot ( control group). Animals were sacrificed at 7, 15, and 30 days after surgery ( 4 animals for each time period). The sections were examined by histologic and histomorphometric analysis. Results: At 7 days, the samples were filled by coagulum, and bone particles were observed only in the collected (24%) and particulate groups (44.75%). At 15 days, there was connective differentiation in all groups, with presence of grafted bone particles and onset of newly formed bone in the collected (38.88%) and particulate groups (46.0%). At 30 days, there was bone fill ( immature trabecular bone) of the cavities in the control (50%), collected (64.63%) and particulate groups (66%). Conclusion: No significant difference was demonstrated between noncritical unicortical bone defects in rabbit tibiae filled with particulate bone harvested as a block and subjected to milling and those filled with bone collected during osteotomy with implant drills when the defects were observed up to 30 days following their creation.

Transverse skeletal base adaptations with Bionator therapy: A pilot implant study

The purpose of this randomized, controlled trial was to evaluate transverse skeletal base adaptations to Bionator therapy. The sample included 25 patients (15 male, 10 female) aged 6.9 to 11.2 years with Class II Division 1 malocclusion. The patients were randomly allocated to either a control (n = 11) or treatment (n = 14) group and followed longitudinally for approximately 12 months. Treatment consisted of a Bionator only, constructed to remain approximately 2 mm from the buccal dentition. Transverse maxillary and mandibular changes were evaluated cephalometrically according to 4 bilateral maxillary and 2 bilateral mandibular implants. Untreated Class II controls exhibited significant increases between posterior maxillary implants but no significant changes between the anterior maxillary or mandibular implants. There were no significant width differences between the control and treated groups before treatment. Posterior maxillary implant widths increased significantly (P < .05) in both groups, but the treated group showed significantly greater width increases than the control group. The treated group also showed greater increases between mandibular implants, but the differences were not statistically significant. These results suggest that transverse skeletal base adaptations occur as a result of Bionator therapy.

Comparison between gutta-percha and Resilon removal using two different techniques in endodontic retreatment

This study compared the remaining filling material and working time when removing gutta-percha/AH 26 and Resilon/Epiphany from root filled extracted teeth. The root fillings were removed using chloroform and two different rotary systems (K3 and Liberator files). The amount of residual filling material on the canal walls was imaged and measured using image analyzer software. The group filled with Resilon/Epiphany and retreated with K3 files demonstrated the least residual filling material on the walls (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the guttapercha/AH26 and Resilon/Epiphany groups when the Liberator files were used (p > 0.05). In the groups filled with Resilon/Epiphany, the filling was removed faster than groups filled with gutta-percha/AH 26 (p < 0.05). K3 rotary system was faster than Liberator to remove both gutta-percha and Resilon (p < 0.05). Resilon/ Epiphany was effectively removed with K3 or Liberator rotary files.