Microplastic pollution in sediments of tropical shallow lakes.

Forty-eight tropical shallow lakes (depth ≤ 4 m) across a climatic gradient were assessed for microplastic (MPs; <5 mm) pollution based on MPs concentrations in archive samples from lake shore sediments. The MPs were classified by type (fragments or fibres), colour (yellow, black, red, green, blue, white, and transparent), size (0.55 to 4.

Calibration with virtual standards for monitoring biodiesel production using a miniature NIR spectrometer.

This work describes the use of virtual standards as calibration samples in an innovative multivariate calibration approach for the on-line monitoring of alkyl-esters content during biodiesel production process using a miniature near infrared (NIR) spectrometer. For comparison purposes, a partial least squares (PLS) model was built using synthetic blends prepared in laboratory with different concentrations of oil, glycerol, biodiesel, and ethanol and resulted in a satisfactory predictive ability (root mean square error of prediction, RMSEP, of 1.51% w/w).

Quality of life and physical activity in intensive care professionals from middle São Francisco.

Objective: The objective was to assess the level of physical activity (LPA) and the quality of life QL of the professionals who work in ICU.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Adult ICUs. LPA was assessed by the International Questionnarie of Physical Activity--short form (IQPA-SF) and the QL by the Medical Outcomes Study 36 (SF-36) questionnaire.

Effects of electrical muscle stimulation early in the quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle of critically ill patients.

Background: Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is applied to critically ill patients in order to improve their muscle strength, thereby preventing hypotrophy and promoting functional recovery.

Objective: To assess the effects of early EMS on the range of movement of the ankle joint, and on thigh and leg circumference in critically ill patients.

Methods: This is a prospective randomized clinical trial comprising 11 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Atypical distribution of small nodules on high resolution CT studies: patterns and differentials.

Accurate diagnosis of lung disease with high resolution CT is challenging and relies on a pattern-based approach coupled with knowledge of the distribution of the abnormalities in the lung parenchyma. Some findings and distributions of small nodules are specific for certain diseases, but atypical patterns have been described, especially for granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Unusual HRCT aspects that involve the coalescence of small nodules have been termed the "sarcoid galaxy sign" and the "sarcoid cluster sign".