Identification of Key Factors Influencing the Choice of the Type of Vaginal Pessary for Women Presenting with Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Semi-Directive Interviews and Development of an Algorithm.

(1) Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) can be managed using a vaginal pessary. However, the decision-making process whereby health professionals choose the right pessary is unclear. The objective of this study was to focus on the experience of experts in pessary use and to propose an algorithm.

Supra-threshold deficits in normal hearing military recruits exposed to impulse noise.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of impulse noise exposure on various proxy measures of cochlear synaptopathy in young military recruits. A total of 27 military recruits with exposure to firearm and artillery noise and 13 non exposed participants were recruited. All presented with normal hearing thresholds and the presence of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs).

Novel mixed integer optimization sparse regression approach in chemometrics.

Sparse mathematical modelling plays an increasingly important role in chemometrics due to its interpretability and prediction power. While many sparse techniques used in chemometrics rely on L penalization to create sparser models, Mixed Integer Optimization (MIO) achieves sparsity by imposing constraints directly in the model. In this paper, we develop an intuitive and flexible robust sparse regression framework using MIO.

The Effort Required to Comprehend a Short Documentary in Noise: A Comparison of Younger and Older Francophones.

Speech processing is more effortful under difficult listening conditions. Using a dual-task paradigm, it has been shown that older adults deploy more listening effort than younger adults when performing a speech recognition task in noise. Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether a dual-task paradigm could be used to investigate differences in listening effort for an audiovisual speech comprehension task.

Addendum to "Process development for elemental recovery from PGM tailings by thermochemical treatment: Preliminary major element extraction studies using ammonium sulphate as extracting agent" [Waste Manage. 50 (2016) 334-345].

In a recent paper, a promising two-stage process for the extraction of major elements from Platinum Group Metals (PGM) was presented (Mohamed et al., 2016). This process involved solid-solid thermochemical treatment of tailings with ammonium sulphate (stage one), followed by an optimised acid dissolution step (stage two).

Process development for elemental recovery from PGM tailings by thermochemical treatment: Preliminary major element extraction studies using ammonium sulphate as extracting agent.

Mine tailings can represent untapped secondary resources of non-ferrous, ferrous, precious, rare and trace metals. Continuous research is conducted to identify opportunities for the utilisation of these materials. This preliminary study investigated the possibility of extracting major elements from South African tailings associated with the mining of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) at the Two Rivers mine operations.

Synthesis of high-purity precipitated calcium carbonate during the process of recovery of elemental sulphur from gypsum waste.

We recently showed that the production of elemental sulphur and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from gypsum waste by thermally reducing the waste into calcium sulphide (CaS) followed by its direct aqueous carbonation yielded low-grade carbonate products (i.e. <90 mass% as CaCO3).

Conversion of calcium sulphide to calcium carbonate during the process of recovery of elemental sulphur from gypsum waste.

The production of elemental sulphur and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from gypsum waste can be achieved by thermally reducing the waste into calcium sulphide (CaS), which is then subjected to a direct aqueous carbonation step for the generation of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and CaCO3. H2S can subsequently be converted to elemental sulphur via the commercially available chemical catalytic Claus process. This study investigated the carbonation of CaS by examining both the solution chemistry of the process and the properties of the formed carbonated product.

Comparison of CO2 capture by ex-situ accelerated carbonation and in in-situ naturally weathered coal fly ash.

Natural weathering at coal power plants ash dams occurs via processes such as carbonation, dissolution, co-precipitation and fluid transport mechanisms which are responsible for the long-term chemical, physical and geochemical changes in the ash. Very little information is available on the natural carbon capture potential of wet or dry ash dams. This study investigated the extent of carbon capture in a wet-dumped ash dam and the mineralogical changes promoting CO2 capture, comparing this natural phenomenon with accelerated ex-situ mineral carbonation of fresh fly ash (FA).

[Screening strategy and diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes. Proposals of the GGOLFB].

For nearly 50 years, the strategy of screening and the diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes have been the subject of endless controversies. They differ between countries and from one center to another, mainly because of the lack of hard data allowing to define glycemic thresholds at which a therapeutic management is needed. Recently, a large observational study has demonstrated the existence of a robust relationship between maternal blood sugar and several fetomaternal perinatal complications.

[Screening strategy and diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes. Proposals of the GGOLFB].

For nearly 50 years, the strategy of screening and the diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes have been the subject of endless controversies. They differ between countries and from one center to another, mainly because of the lack of hard data allowing to define glycemic thresholds at which a therapeutic management is needed. Recently, a large observational study has demonstrated the existence of a robust relationship between maternal blood sugar and several fetomaternal perinatal complications.

Multiband sensor using thick holographic gratings for sulfur detection by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Detection of sulfur by optical emission spectroscopy generally presents some difficulties because the strongest lines are in the vacuum UV below 185 nm and therefore are readily absorbed by oxygen molecules in air. A novel concept for a low-cost and efficient system to detect sulfur using near-IR bands by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is here proposed. This concept is based on customized thick holographic gratings as spectral filtering elements.

Predicting in vivo starch digestibility coefficients in newly weaned piglets from in vitro assessment of diets using multivariate analysis.

The study was based on correlating a dataset of in vivo mean starch digestibility coefficients obtained in the immediate post-weaning phase of piglets with a range of dietary in vitro variables. The paper presents a model that predicts (R2 0.71) in vivo average starch digestibility coefficients in the 0.

Assessment of cross-flow filtration for the size fractionation of freshwater colloids and particles.

This research has evaluated the ability of cross-flow filtration (CFF) to perform correct size fractionation of natural aquatic colloids (materials from 1nm to 1mum in size) and particles (>1mum) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM). SEM provided very clear images at high lateral resolution (ca. 2-5nm), whereas AFM offered extremely low resolution limits (sub-nanometer) and was consequently most useful for studying very small material.

Physicochemical changes to starch granules during micronisation and extrusion processing of wheat, and their implications for starch digestibility in the newly weaned piglet.

Two trials were performed to assess changes in the physicochemical properties of precisely processed (micronised v. extruded) wheats, prior to inclusion in piglet diets. The in vitro data obtained were subsequently related to biological responses of newly weaned piglets over 14 days.

Physicochemical properties and nutritional quality of raw cereals for newly weaned piglets.

The digestibility of the starch component of raw cereals in newly weaned piglets is highly variable. Reasons for this must be elucidated if the most suitable cereals are to be used. A novel approach was employed, which consisted of assessing the physicochemical properties (rapid visco analysis, water absorption and solubility indices, particle size distribution and in vitro amylolytic digestion) of eight raw cereals contained within piglet diets and subsequently relating this in vitro data to the biological responses of weaned piglets.

Use of chemometrics and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of major and minor elements in aluminum alloys.

In the present work, quantitative analysis of major and minor elements in aluminum alloys is investigated using chemometrics and laser-induced plasma spectroscopy with a commercially available laser-induced breakdown (LIBS) spectrometer. Multivariate calibrations use the entire signal matrix for all elements in a single multivariate regression model. This enables accounting for the correlation between variables often referred to as matrix effects in conventional univariate modeling.

A window into different cultural worlds: young children's everyday activities in the United States, Brazil, and Kenya.

A powerful means to understand young children's normative development in context is to examine their everyday activities. The daily activities of 79 children (3 years old) were observed, for 20 hr each, in their usual settings. Children were selected from 4 cultural groups: European American and African American (Greensboro, United States), Luo (Kisumu, Kenya), and European descent (Porto Alegre, Brazil), evenly divided by social class.

Interlaboratory study of a NACE method for the determination of R-timolol content in S-timolol maleate: assessment of uncertainty.

Analyses of statistical variance were applied to evaluate the precision and practicality of a CD-based NACE assay for R-timolol after enantiomeric separation of R- and S-timolol. Data were collected in an interlaboratory study by 11 participating laboratories located in Europe and North America. General qualitative method performance was examined using suitability descriptors (i.

Visualisation of natural aquatic colloids and particles -- a comparison of conventional high vacuum and environmental scanning electron microscopy.

The applicability of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM; imaging of hydrated samples) and conventional high vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM; imaging of dried samples at high vacuum) for the observation of natural aquatic colloids and particles was explored and compared. Specific attention was given to the advantages and limitations of these two techniques when used to assess the sizes and morphologies of complex and heterogeneous environmental systems. The observation of specimens using SEM involved drying and coating, whereas ESEM permitted their examination in hydrated form without prior sample preparation or conductive coating.

Direct and indirect identification of the formation of hydroxyaluminosilicates in acidic solutions.

Morin-aluminium fluorescence and membrane filtration were successfully applied to the indirect identification of the formation of hydroxyaluminosilicates (HAS) in acidic solutions of varying pH and of known concentrations of aluminium (Al) and silicic acid (Si(OH)(4)). It was proven to be especially useful in providing evidence of the strong competition between Si(OH)(4) and Al(OH)(3) to condense with hydroxyaluminium templates to form HAS in preference to Al(OH)(3(s)). The aggregation and stability of HAS and Al(OH)(3(s)) were dependent upon both the pH and the [Al] of the solution.

Detection of illegal clenbuterol use in calves using hair analysis. Application in meat quality control.

This study describes a real-life situation involving nine calves, 106 days old, which received oral doses of clenbuterol administered through their milk. Powdered skim milk containing 6.7 mg of clenbuterol was given daily for fifteen days under supervision (i.

In vitro cellular responses from sheep draining lymph node cells after subcutaneous inoculation with Salmonella abortusovis.

Salmonella abortusovis infection leads to ovine abortion. The basis for immunity against this infection is unknown. Immune responses were studied from prescapular lymph node (PSLN) cells of sheep infected with either a subcutaneous inoculation of virulent (15/5) or a vaccine (Rv6) strain and compared with those of uninfected sheep.

Flow cytometric analysis of the reactivity of workshop monoclonal antibodies on sheep lymph node cells, after infection with Salmonella abortusovis.

Of the 302 monoclonal antibodies included in the Third Workshop on Ruminant Leukocyte Antigens, 167 have been tested for their reactivity on uninfected and Salmonella-infected sheep lymph node leukocytes using FACS analysis. Only 47 of them showed specificities which could be related to those of some control monoclonal antibodies, such as the anti-CD5, anti-Ig light chain and anti-MHC Class II monoclonal antibodies.