Coagulation in combination with anaerobic digestion for enhancement of resource recovery from faecal sludge.

Poorly managed faecal sludge (FS) poses significant challenges to public health and the environment. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of FS provides an effective method for energy recovery while reducing FS associated threats. Recognizing the critical role of the dewatering process before AD, this study investigates the synergistic application of chemical coagulation and mesophilic AD for synthetic FS treatment.

Electrocoagulation flotation as a municipal wastewater (pre-)treatment technology: Effect of weather conditions and current density.

Electrocoagulation (EC) is a promising compact alternative technology, despite its viability in municipal wastewater treatment (MWWT) is currently challenged by its energy-intensive and batch-mode operation. This study introduces an innovative continuous electrocoagulation flotation (ECF) design for MWWT. ECF shows promising pollutant removal efficiencies, with identical results using both iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) anodes.

Physiologic Effects and Symptoms Associated with Extended-Use Medical Mask and N95 Respirators.

Objectives: Compliance and tolerance of facemasks for extended periods are legitimate concerns. The goal of this study was to identify the physiologic and symptomatic effects of extended-use N95 filtering facepiece respirator (N95) compared with medical masks. We hypothesized that hospital personnel wearing medical masks alone would report fewer subjective complaints compared with personnel wearing an N95 with or without overlying medical mask.

Development and validation of a behavioural video coding scheme for detecting mental workload in manual assembly.

Manual assembly in the future workplace will put high demands on operators' cognitive processing. The development of mental workload (MWL) measures therefore looms large. Physiological gauges such as electroencephalography (EEG) show promising possibilities, but still lack sufficient reliability when applied in the field.

Removal of alkali and transition metal ions from water with hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents.

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents were used for the first time for the removal of metal ions from non-buffered water. It was shown that the extraction occurs via an ion exchange mechanism in which all transition metal ions could be extracted with high distribution coefficients, even for high Co concentrations and low DES/water mass ratios. Maximum extraction efficiency could be reached within 5 s and regeneration was possible.

Traditional Chemical Mapping of RNA Structure In Vitro and In Vivo.

Chemical probing is often used to gain knowledge on the secondary and tertiary structures of RNA molecules either free or engaged in complexes with ligands. The method monitors the reactivity of each nucleotide towards chemicals of various specificities reflecting the hydrogen bonding environment of each nucleotide within the RNA molecule. In addition, information can be obtained on the binding site of a ligand (noncoding RNAs, protein, metabolites), and on RNA conformational changes that accompanied ligand binding or perturbation of the environmental cues.

A mechanism for solvent extraction of first row transition metals from chloride media with the ionic liquid tetraoctylammonium oleate.

Aqueous waste streams of the metallurgical industry often contain considerable concentrations of metal salts. Previous research showed that the metal chloride salts of zinc(ii), manganese(ii) and iron(iii) can be recovered by solvent extraction using a sustainable and renewable fatty acid based ionic liquid as the extractant. In this paper, the extraction mechanism of Zn(ii), Co(ii) and Ni(ii) from chloride media has been studied systematically.

Methods for reducing sepsis mortality in emergency departments and inpatient units.

Background: As part of a zero-tolerance approach to preventable deaths, North Shore-LIJ Health System (North Shore-LIJ) leadership prioritized a major patient safety initiative to reduce sepsis mortality in 2009 across 10 acute care hospitals (an 11th joined later). At baseline (2008), approximately 3,500 patients were discharged with a diagnosis of sepsis, which ranked as the top All Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Group by number of deaths (N = 883). Initially, the focus was sepsis recognition and treatment in the emergency departments (EDs).

A method to map changes in bacterial surface composition induced by regulatory RNAs in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

We have adapted a method to map cell surface proteins and to monitor the effect of specific regulatory RNAs on the surface composition of the bacteria. This method involves direct labeling of surface proteins of living bacteria using fluorescent dyes and a subsequent separation of the crude extract by 2D gel electrophoresis. The strategy yields a substantial enrichment in surface proteins over cytoplasmic proteins.

Modifying the risk: once-a-day bathing "at risk" patients in the intensive care unit with chlorhexidine gluconate.

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) decreases hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that can cause colonization and infection. A standard approach is the bathing of all patients with CHG to prevent MRSA transmission. To decrease CHG utilization, this study assessed selective daily administration of CHG bathing to intensive care unit patients who had an MRSA-positive result or a central venous catheter.

Normalized stiffness ratios for mechanical characterization of isotropic acoustic foams.

This paper presents a method for the mechanical characterization of isotropic foams at low frequency. The objective of this study is to determine the Young's modulus, the Poisson's ratio, and the loss factor of commercially available foam plates. The method is applied on porous samples having square and circular sections.

The journey to zero.

This column explores some of the strategies employed on a journey to zero central line infections.

Current knowledge on regulatory RNAs and their machineries in Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major human pathogens, which causes numerous community-associated and hospital-acquired infections. The regulation of the expression of numerous virulence factors is coordinated by complex interplays between two component systems, transcriptional regulatory proteins, and regulatory RNAs. Recent studies have identified numerous novel RNAs comprising cis-acting regulatory RNAs, antisense RNAs, small non coding RNAs and small mRNAs encoding peptides.

[Two horses with neurological symptoms: could this be equine botulism?].

Symptoms, diagnosis and therapy of equine botulism are discussed by the presentation of two detailed reports of horses with neurological symptoms and the results of laboratory investigations over the period 2003-2008 in the Netherlands. In addition a brief summary of the available literature is presented. Prevailing symptoms of botulism in horses include paralysis of the tongue, salvation, dysphagia and paresis and paralysis of the skeletal muscles, as well as signs of colic.

[Practical questions in case of maternal death].

Every year, in France, about 70 women die during their pregnancy or the delivery. Any maternal death during labour is a traumatic event for the medical team and the family. The medical team has to face many "new" problems.

Aspirin (100 mg) used for prevention of pre-eclampsia in nulliparous women: the Essai Régional Aspirine Mère-Enfant study (Part 1).

Objective: To reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia in nulliparous women, in accordance with the suggestion of a recent meta-analysis that low dose aspirin might decrease this incidence by more than half if used early enough in and at a sufficient dose during pregnancy (more than 75 mg).

Design: Multicentre randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Twenty eight centres in Northern of France and one in Belgium.

Caste morphology and development in Termitogeton nr. planus (Insecta, Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae).

The termite family Rhinotermitidae displays a wide diversity in its patterns of social organization in castes. The genus Termitogeton probably branched off early in the evolution of this family. We studied the developmental pathways of a putative undescribed species from New Guinea, Termitogeton nr planus.

The Impact of Laparoscopic Surgery on Vaginal Hysterectomy.

The development of laparoscopic surgery may be used either to replace (laparoscopic hysterectomy, LH) or to extend the indications (laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy, LAVH) of the vaginal route. A 2-year (March 1991-March 1993) prospective study of the impact of laparoscopic surgery has been carried out by a group of surgeons experienced in both vaginal and laparoscopic surgery. The design of the study protocol was as follows: use the vaginal route whenever possible; select LH in women with very narrow vaginal access or LAVH to improve the feasibility and safety of vaginal hysterectomy in case of adnexal disease; and select laparotomy only when both laparoscopic and vaginal surgery are impossible.

[Results of tibial valgus osteotomy for internal femoro-tibial arthritis with an average 8-year follow-up].

One hundred and eighteen knees treated by valgus osteotomy for medial femorotibial osteoarthritis were reviewed with an average follow-up of 8 years (2-23 years). Seventy-four percent of the results were good and excellent after 5 years, 64% at 10 years and 61% after 10 years. The best results were observed in patients younger than 60 years, with femorotibial osteoarthritis not exceeding grade II of Ahlback's classification, and moderate femoropatellar osteoarthritis.

[The "hazards" of using a Gore-Tex sling in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence].

Objective: To analyze the use of the Gore-Tex in the treatment of exertion incontinence.

Methods: During 1991, two gynecology units used the Mouchel technique and a Goebell-Stoeckel type technique in 72 patients with exertion incontinence, alone in 36 and in combination with a cure for prolapsus in 36 others. Results were analyzed with the chi 2 squared test and the Student's test for paired series.

[Ovarian cysts: strategy and prognosis].

The management of an adnexal masses involves several steps: establish the diagnosis of organic ovarian cyst, avoiding a useless and iatrogenic surgery of a functional cyst, knowing that functional cysts may persist more than 3 months and may occur even on low-dose oral contraceptives; cure painful cysts, by ultrasound guided aspiration of some functional cysts or laparoscopic detorsion of twisted adnexae; exclude malignancy, with the help of ultrasound, Doppler and Ca-125 preoperatively, then laparoscopic examination and pathology; failed diagnosis of cancer becomes rare (1 out of 300 laparoscopic surgeries for ovarian cyst); the association of a benign ultrasound and Doppler pattern and of a Ca-125 lower than 35 mUI/ml is almost pathognomonic of a benign cyst; cure benign ovarian cysts with a minimum of surgical trauma; in our series, 84.4% of ovarian cysts are managed laparoscopically, 11.1% by elective laparotomy, 4.

Laryngotomy as a treatment for chronic laryngeal obstruction in cattle: a review of 130 cases.

One hundred and thirty cattle with chronic laryngeal obstruction were treated by surgery; the diagnostic and operative techniques are discussed. A simplified technique using local anaesthesia of the laryngeal area was used in sedated calves weighing up to 200 kg. Inhalation anaesthesia through a distal tracheotomy was needed in heavier animals.

Cardiovascular effects of low dose calcium chloride infusions during halothane anaesthesia in dorsally recumbent ventilated ponies.

The effects of calcium chloride administered at low infusion rates on the cardiovascular depression and the blood calcium balance were studied during a constant halothane anaesthesia in dorsally recumbent ventilated ponies. A pronounced cardiopulmonary depression characterized by decreases of all cardiac parameters and lowering of the mean arterial blood pressure was observed after the initial anaesthetic stabilization period of 30 minutes in the ponies. A significant decrease in the total calcium plasma concentration together with a constant ionized and complexed calcium fraction was present after the stabilization period.

Influence of digoxin followed by dopamine on the cardiovascular depression during a standard halothane anaesthesia in dorsally recumbent, ventilated ponies.

The influence of digoxin (0.01 mg/kg) given as an intravenous bolus followed by dopamine at different infusion rates (1.25, 2.