Comparison of oxidation efficiency of disperse dyes by chemical and photoelectrocatalytic chlorination and removal of mutagenic activity

Degradation of Disperse Orange 1, Disperse Red 1 and Disperse Red 13 dyes has been performed using electrochemical oxidation on Pt electrode, chemical chlorination and photoelectrochemical oxidation on Ti/TiO(2) thin film electrodes in NaCl or Na(2)SO(4) medium. 100% discoloration was obtained for all tested methods after 1 h of treatment. Faster color removal was obtained by photoelectrocatalytic oxidation in 0.1 mol L(-1) NaCl pH 4.0 under UV light and an applied potential of +1.0V (vs SCE reference electrode), which indicates also values around 60% of TOC removal. The conventional chlorination method and electrochemical oxidation on Pt electrode resulted in negligible reduction of TOC removal. All dyes showed positive mutagenic activity in the Salmonella/microsome assay with the strain TA98 in the absence and presence of S9 (exogenous metabolic activation). Nevertheless, there is complete reduction of the mutagenic activity after 1 h of photoelectrocatalytic oxidation, suggesting that this process would be good option to remove disperse azo dyes from aqueous media. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of sunscreen compounds from swimming pool water using self-organized TiO2 nanotubular array electrodes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efficiency of bioaugmentation in the removal of organic matter in aquaculture systems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Surgical treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma

The objective of this study was to analyze the outcome of surgical treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma. To that end, we evaluated 14 adult patients so treated between 1981 and 2009 at the Botucatu School of Medicine University Hospital, in the city of Botucatu, Brazil. Data were collected from the medical records of the patients. Ten patients (71%) presented with simple pulmonary aspergilloma, and 4 (29%) presented with complex pulmonary aspergilloma. Hemoptysis was the most common symptom, and tuberculosis was the most prevalent preexisting lung disease. Two patients (14%) underwent surgery on more than one occasion. There were no intraoperative deaths. Half of the patients developed postoperative complications, prolonged air leak and empyema being the most common.

Correção e prevenção da deformidade em flexão da articulação antebraquiocárpica em cães, decorrente do alongamento do antebraço pelo método de Ilizarov

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar os resultados dos tratamentos cirúrgico e preventivo da deformidade em flexão da articulação antebraquiocárpica, decorrentes do alongamento simultâneo do rádio e ulna pelo método de Ilizarov. Foram utilizados 12 cães, sem raça definida, adultos, com peso entre 19 e 28kg, divididos em quatro grupos segundo os tratamentos: A - alongamento ósseo, B - alongamento ósseo e posterior alongamento tendíneo, C - alongamento ósseo e estabilização da articulação antebraquiocárpica, D - sem alongamento. O fixador básico empregado em todos os grupos foi composto por dois anéis e quatro hastes telescópicas, porém no grupo C foi incluído um semi-anel distal fixando a articulação antebraquiocárpica. Os animais dos grupos A, B e C foram submetidos a 28 dias de alongamento, 60 dias de fase neutra com fixador e 45 dias sem o fixador. Os cães do grupo D, considerados como controle, foram submetidos à fixação e osteotomia e não foram alongados. Mesmo com o emprego de exercícios passivos alternados com esparadrapo estendendo-se dos coxins à porção cranial do anel, os animais dos grupos A e B desenvolveram, durante o período de distração, gradual e progressiva contratura em flexão da articulação antebraquiocárpica, que persistiu mesmo após a remoção do fixador. Nos cães do grupo B, ao término do período sem fixador, efetuaram-se alongamento dos tendões flexores, secção dos tecidos periarticulares e capsulotomia. Eles foram observados por mais 45 dias. O tratamento cirúrgico, tecnicamente difícil de ser feito, permitiu a correção da contratura. No grupo C, o tratamento preventivo com o semi-anel distal evitou a contratura, mas durante a fase de alongamento houve tendência à flexão dos dígitos. Os cães do grupo D não desenvolveram contratura. Foi possível concluir que medidas preventivas, como o emprego do semi-anel nos metacarpianos, são importantes para evitar o desenvolvimento de contratura durante o alongamento do antebraço em cães.

Uso da máscara laríngea descartável em adenotonsilectomias

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A intubação traqueal associada a operações das vias aéreas faz com que complicações como laringoespasmo, broncoespasmo e períodos de redução da saturação de oxigênio sejam frequentemente relatados em adenotonsilectomias, procedimento que, por sua natureza, eleva a incidência de tais complicações. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a ocorrência de problemas respiratórios comparando-se o uso da máscara laríngea (ML) descartável com a intubação orotraqueal em adenotonsilectomias. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 204 pacientes pediátricos submetidos a anestesia geral para adenotonsilectomias e alocados em dois grupos, aleatoriamente: grupo Cânula Traqueal (CT, n = 100) e grupo Máscara Laríngea (ML, n = 104). Foram observados os níveis de saturação de pulso de oxigênio (SpO2) após a indução anestésica (SpO2-1), após o estabelecimento de campo operatório (SpO2-2), ao término do procedimento cirúrgico (SpO2-3), três minutos após a retirada do dispositivo respiratório (SpO2-4) e na admissão da sala de recuperação anestésica (SpO2-5). As complicações respiratórias foram relatadas. RESULTADOS: Os valores médios e os desvios padrão de SpO2 nos grupos CT e ML foram, respectivamente: SpO2-1: 98,9 ± 1,0 e 98,7 ± 0,8 (p > 0,25); SpO2-2: 97,4 ± 1,0 e 94,9 ± 4,3 (p < 0,001); SpO2-3: 96,9 ± 1,1 e 97,2 ± 1,1 (p = 0,037); SpO2-4: 91,7 ± 9,0 e 95,2 ± 2,2 (p < 0,001); SpO2-5: 94,0 ± 2,1 e 95,8 ± 2,6 (p < 0,001). No grupo ML, em 12 pacientes, foi necessária alguma manobra para ajuste do dispositivo e correção de vazamento durante o ato operatório. A ML foi substituída pela CT em quatro pacientes. As complicações respiratórias foram similares entre os grupos. CONCLUSÕES: Adenotonsilectomias em pacientes pediátricos com o emprego da ML, em comparação com a CT, resulta em menores valores de SpO2 intraoperatórios e, eventualmente, necessidade de substituição da ML pela CT. Apesar de a ML viabilizar a cirurgia, pela segurança, o uso da CT é preferível.

Three-dimensional magnetic resonance reconstruction images before and after surgical therapy of spontaneous canine brain tumors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Case-case-control study of risk factors for nasopharyngeal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a medical-surgical intensive care unit

Nasopharyngeal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) often precedes the development of nosocomial infections. In order to identify risk factors for MRSA colonization, we conducted a case-case-control study, enrolling 122 patients admitted to a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). All patients had been screened for nasopharyngeal colonization with S. aureus upon admission and weekly thereafter. Two case-control studies were performed, using as cases patients who acquired colonization with MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), respectively. For both studies, patients in whom colonization was not detected during ICU stay were selected as control subjects. Several potential risk factors were assessed in univariate and multivariable (logistic regression) analysis. MRSA and MSSA were recovered from nasopharyngeal samples from 27 and 10 patients, respectively. Independent risk factors for MRSA colonization were: length-of-stay in the ICU (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.12, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]=1.06-1.19, p<0.001) and use of ciprofloxacin (OR=5.05, 95%CI=1.38-21.90, p=0.015). The use of levofloxacin had a protective effect (OR=0.08, 95%CI=0.01-0.55, p=0.01). Colonization with MSSA was positively associated with central nervous system disease (OR=7.45, 95%CI=1.33-41.74, p=0.02) and negatively associated with age (OR=0.94, 95%CI=0.90-0.99, p=0.01). In conclusion, our study suggests a role for both cross-transmission and selective pressure of antimicrobials in the spread of MRSA.

2 END-TO-SIDE NEURORRHAPHIES AND NERVE GRAFT WITH REMOVAL OF THE EPINEURAL SHEATH - EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS

We have studied a new type of end-to-side nerve repair in rats. The healthy (donor) nerve was not divided but an epineural window was created. In our experiment, a nerve graft bridged the tibial nerve to the distal end of the divided peroneal nerve. Electrophysiological studies showed electrical impulses conducted through both end-to-side nerve junctions. Histological studies demonstrated axons leaving the lateral surface of the healthy (donor) nerve. Based on these observations, we suggest that end-to-side neurorrhaphy from a healthy nerve may bridge a neural deficit.

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.

Partial urethral obstruction of rabbit urinary bladder: stereological evidence that the increase in muscle content is mostly driven by changes in number, rather than size, of smooth muscle cells

The effects of partial urethral obstruction on the detrusor muscle of rabbit urinary bladder were investigated using stereological sampling and estimation tools. Twelve female Norfolk rabbits (2.5-3.0 kg body weight) were divided into four groups: 3, 7 and 12 weeks after surgical intervention to produce a standard partial obstruction and unobstructed controls. Following removal, bladder axes (craniocaudal, dorsoventral and laterolateral) and organ weights were recorded. Bladders were prepared for light microscopy by multistage random sampling procedures. Stereological methods were used to estimate the volume of muscle and the packing density and total number of myocyte nuclei in each bladder. We also estimated mean myocyte volume and the mean cross-sectional area and length of myocytes. Group comparisons were made by one-way analysis of variance. Changes in bladder axes were mainly laterolateral and craniocaudal. Mean bladder weight increased roughly six-fold by 3 weeks and 17-fold by 12 weeks and was accompanied, on average, by 12- and 33-fold increases in total muscle volume. These variables did not differ at 3 and 7 weeks post-obstruction. Increases in muscle content were not accompanied by changes in packing densities but were associated with increases in the total numbers of myocyte nuclei (13-fold by 3 weeks, 28-fold by 12 weeks). Mean myocyte volume did not vary significantly between groups but cells in obstructed groups were shorter and wider. These findings support the notion that partial outflow obstruction leads to an increase in the number, but not mean volume, of myocytes. If due solely to myocyte mitosis, the total of 43 x 10(8) cells found at 12 weeks could be generated by the original complement of 15 x 10(7) cells if an average of only 2.1 x 10(6) new cells was produced every hour. In reality, even this modest proliferation rate is unlikely to be achieved because myocyte proliferation rates are very low and it is possible that new myocytes can arise by differentiation of mesenchymal or other precursor cells.

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.