Vacuum-assisted thermal drying of wastewater treatment sludge.

Sludge drying is one of the main problems of wastewater treatment plants. It is very important to facilitate the drying process in terms of drying efficiency, time duration, and cost of the processes, so that transportation and dumping of sludge will accordingly be realized effectively. In this study, vacuum assisted thermal drying was studied.

[Effect of video-based education on anxiety and satisfaction of patients undergoing spinal anesthesia].

Background: Providing sufficient information during a preanesthetic interview may help improve patient understanding and decrease anxiety related to spinal anesthesia. We investigated the effect of video-based education on anxiety and satisfaction in patients about to undergo spinal anesthesia.

Methods: A total of 198 patients scheduled for minor elective surgery under spinal anesthesia were prospectively enrolled.

Optimization of treatment leachates from young, middle-aged and elderly landfills with bipolar membrane electrodialysis.

In this study, a bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) process, which is thought to be an effective treatment method for leachate, was evaluated for leachates of three different ages ('young', 'middle-aged' and 'elderly'). The leachates were pretreated to eliminate membrane fouling problems prior to the BMED process. Experimental studies were carried out to determine optimal operating conditions for the three differently aged leachates in the BMED process.

The effect of passive exposure to tobacco smoke on perioperative respiratory complications and the duration of recovery.

Background: The incidence of perioperative respiratory complications and postoperative care unit recovery time investigated in patients with passive tobacco smoke exposure according to the degree of exposure.

Methods: Total 270 patients ranging in age from 18 to 60 years with the ASA physical status I or II exposed and not exposed to passive tobacco smoke received general anesthesia for various elective surgical operations evaluated for the study. Patients divided into two groups as exposed and non-exposed to passive tobacco smoke, those exposed to passive smoke are also divided into two groups according to the degree of exposure.

The Surgical Strategy for the Intraorbital Foreign Bodies.

Purpose: Four patients with intraorbital foreign bodies admitting to our clinic between 2001 and 2011 are presented. Their clinical and radiologic findings and surgical strategies are discussed.

Objective: The success of surgery for the intraorbital foreign bodies largely depends on the determination of the exact localization of them.

[The effect of passive exposure to tobacco smoke on perioperative respiratory complications and the duration of recovery].

Background: The incidence of perioperative respiratory complications and postoperative care unit recovery time investigated in patients with passive tobacco smoke exposure according to the degree of exposure.

Methods: Total 270 patients ranging in age from 18 to 60 years with the ASA physical status I or II exposed and not exposed to passive tobacco smoke received general anesthesia for various elective surgical operations evaluated for the study. Patients divided into two groups as exposed and non-exposed to passive tobacco smoke, those exposed to passive smoke are also divided into two groups according to the degree of exposure.

Postoperative patients in the intensive care unit: Identifying those who do not really need it.

Purpose: We evaluated severity-scoring systems as predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) need and created a new model for identifying postoperative patients who do not really need ICU.

Materials And Methods: The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM), and Simplified Acute Physiology Score III scores of 100 postoperative patients were calculated, and cutoff values for necessary ICU admission were obtained. Criteria for a "necessary admission" were death, length of stay more than 48 hours, need for vasoactive agents, or mechanical ventilation for more than 24 hours.

Comparison Between Ultrasonography-Guided Popliteal Sciatic Nerve Block and Spinal Anesthesia for Hallux Valgus Repair.

Background: We aimed to compare the efficacy, postoperative pain scores, adverse effects, additional analgesic requirements, and patient satisfaction scores of ultrasonography-guided sciatic nerve block by popliteal approach with spinal anesthesia for hallux valgus correction surgery.

Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for hallux valgus correction surgery were enrolled in this prospective randomized study. Unilateral spinal block was performed on patients in the spinal anesthesia group.

Factors Affecting Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Relatives of Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Aim: To determine the incidences of anxiety and depression in relatives of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and to investigate the relationships between psychological symptoms and demographic features of the patients and their relatives.

Methodology: Relatives of 78 ICU patients were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic features of patients and their relatives were recorded.

[Incidence of chronic pain after ingunial hernia repair].

Objectives: The percentage of chronic pain in adults having inguinal hernia repair is 5-35%. Although this pain is thought to be related to some reasons, there is not an exact conclusion about this. In this study, the aim was to point out the incidence of chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair and determination of the risk factors.

Effects of dexmedetomidine and propofol on sedation in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery in a fast-track recovery room setting.

Purpose: We aim to compare the effects of propofol and dexmedetomidine infusions on extubation times, hemodynamic and respiratory functions, complication rates and patient satisfaction scores in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using a fast-track anesthesia regimen for early extubation.

Methods: We enrolled 64 patients who underwent CABG surgery. Dexmedetomidine (min 0.

Acute Back Pain Following Surgery under Spinal Anesthesia.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors having a role in the occurrence of acute back pain following spinal anesthesia.

Methods: Six hundred and forty-nine patients who underwent surgery under spinal anesthesia were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Patients' age, sex, BMI, ASA physical status, educational status, history of back pain, spinal needle radius, spinal interspace level of intervention, method of approach for spinal anesthesia, position during spinal anesthesia, angle of puncture with respect to the spinal ligaments, magnitude of pain during intervention, number of lumbar punctures, number of bony contacts, amount of bupivacaine administered intrathecally, type of surgical procedure, surgical position, duration of the surgery, and duration of anesthesia parameters were recorded.

A prospective randomized double-blind study on the effects of the temperature of irrigation solutions on thermoregulation and postoperative complications in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of irrigation solutions, administered at either 21 or 37 °C in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), on hypothermia and related postoperative complications such as late emergence and late recovery from anesthesia, shivering, lactic acidosis, and excess bleeding.

Methods: Sixty patients who were scheduled for PCNL were enrolled in this prospective randomized double-blind study. Irrigation solutions at room temperature were administered to patients in group R (30 patients), and warmed irrigation solutions were administered to patients in group W (30 patients).

Impact of obturator nerve block on the short-term recurrence of superficial bladder tumors on the lateral wall.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the recurrence rates of patients with bladder tumors on the lateral wall undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor(TUR-BT) with or without obturator nerve block (ONB) and to investigate the impact of ONB on the effective tumor resection on the lateral bladder wall.

Materials And Methods: All patients who underwent TUR-BT under spinal anesthesia within the three-year study period in the study center were reviewed retrospectively. Among these, 68 patients who had been diagnosed with de novo lateral bladder wall tumor and included in low risk group 1n accord with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) classification, undergone complete resection were enrolled into the study.

Detection of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci from Rectal Swab Samples by Becton-Dickinson GeneOhm VanR assay and Culture at ICU of a Tertiary Care Center in Turkey.

Objectives: Vancomycin resistance is due to change in ligase enzyme that destroys the binding of the drug. The gold standard is culture; but now molecular methods have also been developed. The aim was to detect the VRE rate at ICUs by culture and BD GeneOhm™ VanR and compare the results of both assays.

Clinical and microbiological evaluation of eight patients with isolated Achromobacter xylosoxidans.

Achromobacter xylosoxidans causes infections in patients with underlying disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate Achromobacter xylosoxidans cases. Eight patients were included, 5 infections and 3 colonizations.

A statistical evaluation of the potential genotoxic activity in the surface waters of the Golden Horn Estuary.

The potential genotoxic activity in the surface waters of the Golden Horn Estuary was statistically evaluated utilizing a combination of appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests. The genotoxic activities that were associated with the water samples were determined by the SOS chromotest microplate assay. This assay utilizes β-galactosidase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and four different solvent controls, to generate reliable results when corrected induction factors (CIF) are used as quantitative measurements of genotoxic activity.

Decolorization and COD reduction of UASB pretreated poultry manure wastewater by electrocoagulation process: a post-treatment study.

The performance of electrocoagulation (EC) technique for decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction of anaerobically pretreated poultry manure wastewater was investigated in a laboratory batch study. Two identical 15.7-L up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors were first run under various organic and hydraulic loading conditions for 216 days.

Co-composting kinetics of rose processing waste with OFMSW.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the kinetics of co-composting of rose processing waste (RPW) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). Experimental data was obtained from 65-L batch reactors. Mixtures settled up with different ratios of RPW, OFMSW, inoculation, and bulking agent.

Treatment of leachate by electrocoagulation using aluminum and iron electrodes.

In this paper, treatment of leachate by electrocoagulation (EC) has been investigated in a batch process. The sample of leachate was supplied from Odayeri Landfill Site in Istanbul. Firstly, EC was compared with classical chemical coagulation (CC) process via COD removal.

Reduction of COD in wastewater from an organized tannery industrial region by Electro-Fenton process.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have led the way in the treatment of aqueous waste and are rapidly becoming the chosen technology for many applications. In this paper, COD reduction potential of leather tanning industry wastewaters by Electro-Fenton (EF) oxidation, as one of the AOPs, was experimentally evaluated. The wastewater sample was taken from an outlet of an equalization basin in a common treatment plant of an organized tannery industrial region in Istanbul, Turkey.

Recent years status of sediment bed of Golden Horn (Istanbul) after year 1999.

Golden Horn is an estuary in Istanbul. It has connection with Marmara Sea directly and with Black Sea via Bosphorus, and was polluted by different kinds of industrial plants up to 1999. In addition to this, municipal wastewater of around one million people has been discharged to here.

Primary productivity in the Golden Horn.

The shores of the Golden Horn--once most important seaport of the region--represented throughout history a romantic and recreational venue. This tributary to the Bosphorus, however, became seriously polluted with the extensive industrialization and rapid population growth in Istanbul over the past century. Two main tributaries, the Alibeykoy and the Kagithane, dumped both liquid and solid waste from residential areas and industry (small and large-scale) into the Golden Horn.

Anaerobic digestion and methane generation potential of rose residue in batch reactors.

In the study, anaerobic digestion of residues from rose oil industry was investigated by using a laboratory scale completely mixed batch reactor in volume of 10 L and 4 small reactors in volume of 400 mL. Ten liters reactor isolated with a water jacket and 0.4 L reactors settled into a water bath were operated at 35 +/- 1 degrees C.

The addition of droperidol or clonidine to epidural tramadol shortens onset time and increases duration of postoperative analgesia.

Purpose: To compare tramadol alone and the combinations of either tramadol-clonidine or tramadol-droperidol with regard to analgesic and adverse effects.

Methods: After Ethic's Committee approval and patient informed consent were obtained, epidural catheters were inserted preoperatively at the L(3-4) interspace in 90 ASA physical status I-II adult patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Anesthesia was standardized.