The Value of Radionuclide Cisternography in a Case of Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Leak.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is an infrequent cause of daily persistent orthostatic headache with an incidence of 5 to 100,000 persons/year. In very rare cases, no cause can be found and these conditions may be called spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSFL). Radionuclide cisternography (RNC) has played useful role in detecting CSFL.

Acute intake of fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum on gastrointestinal transit: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

Objectives: Dietary fibers, such as fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) have several gastrointestinal functions. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of acute ingestion of FOS and PHGG on the percentage of gastric emptying and small intestinal transit and to evaluate the effect of these dietary fibers on the levels of intestinal hormones-active glucagon-like peptide-1, pancreatic polypeptide, and gastric inhibitory peptide-and their effect on feelings of hunger and satiety and the desire to eat.

Methods: In this crossover, randomized controlled clinical trial, we compared the effects of these two fibers on gastrointestinal transit.

Assessment of the Potential of Using Nanofiltration Polymeric and Ceramic Membranes to Treat Refinery Spent Caustic Effluents.

Spent caustic effluents are very challenging due to their very hazardous nature in terms of toxicity as well as their extreme pH (approximately 12-14). Spent caustic has presented a challenge for wastewater treatment in refineries, due to its composition rich in mercaptans, sulfides and other aromatic compounds. To address such problems, membrane filtration was studied using real effluents from Sines Refinery, in Portugal.

Stability of Polymeric Membranes to UV Exposure before and after Coating with TiO Nanoparticles.

The combination of photocatalysis and membrane filtration in a single reactor has been proposed, since the photocatalytic treatment may degrade the pollutants retained by the membrane and reduce fouling. However, polymeric membranes can be susceptible to degradation by UV radiation and free radicals. In the present study, five commercial polymeric membranes were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation before and after applying a sol-gel coating with TiO nanoparticles.

Degradation of Neonicotinoids and Caffeine from Surface Water by Photolysis.

Along with rapid social development, the use of insecticides and caffeine-containing products increases, a trend that is also reflected in the composition of surface waters. This study is focused on the phototreatment of a surface water containing three neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin) and caffeine. Firstly, the radiation absorption of the target pollutants and the effect of the water matrix components were evaluated.

Anaerobic biodegradation of pharmaceutical compounds: New insights into the pharmaceutical-degrading bacteria.

Antibiotics and hormones are among the most concerning trace contaminants in the environment. Therefore, the present work aimed to identify anaerobic microorganisms with the ability to remove pharmaceutical products (PhPs) belonging to these two classes (ciprofloxacin, 17β-estradiol and sulfamethoxazole) under different anaerobic conditions, and to elucidate the bio-removal mechanisms involved. Ciprofloxacin was efficiently biodegraded under both nitrate- and sulfate-reducing conditions reaching a PhP removal superior to 80%, whereas 17β-estradiol was only biodegraded under nitrate-reducing conditions reaching a removal of 84%.

Assessment of a New Silicon Carbide Tubular Honeycomb Membrane for Treatment of Olive Mill Wastewaters.

Extremely high removals of total suspended solids and oil and grease were obtained when olive mill wastewaters were filtered using new silicon carbide tubular membranes. These new membranes were used at constant permeate flux to treat real olive mill wastewaters at pilot scale. The filtration conditions were evaluated and optimized in terms of the selection of the permeate flux and flux maintenance strategies employed-backpulsing and backwashing-in order to reduce fouling formation.

Bioremoval of priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by a microbial community with high sorption ability.

The treatment of large volumes of wastewater during oil refining is presently a challenge. Bioremediation has been considered an eco-friendly approach for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are one of the most hazardous groups of organic micropollutants. However, it is crucial to identify native PAH-removing microorganisms for the development of an effective bioremediation process.

Biogenic platinum and palladium nanoparticles as new catalysts for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds.

Pharmaceutical products (PhP) are one of the most alarming emergent pollutants in the environment. Therefore, it is of extreme importance to investigate efficient PhP removal processes. Biologic synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (Bio-Pt) has been reported, but their catalytic activity was never investigated.

Comparison of UV photolysis, nanofiltration, and their combination to remove hormones from a drinking water source and reduce endocrine disrupting activity.

A sequential water treatment combining low pressure ultraviolet direct photolysis with nanofiltration was evaluated to remove hormones from water, reduce endocrine disrupting activity, and overcome the drawbacks associated with the individual processes (production of a nanofiltration-concentrated retentate and formation of toxic by-products). 17β-Estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, estrone, estriol, and progesterone were spiked into a real water sample collected after the sedimentation process of a drinking water treatment plant. Even though the nanofiltration process alone showed similar results to the combined treatment in terms of the water quality produced, the combined treatment offered advantage in terms of the load of the retentate and decrease in the endocrine-disrupting activity of the samples.

Individual determinants of fish choosing in open-air street markets from Santo André, SP/Brazil.

The objective of this study was to identify the determinants of fish consumption in the population that attends open-air street markets in the city of Santo André, SP, Brazil.We performed a survey, covering approximately 482 people in 49 street markets.It consisted of free-answer questions, half open choice and half multiple-choice options, for the identification and evaluation of socioeconomic factors that facilitate and hinder fish consumption.

[Imaging for evaluation of urologic abnormalities in infants with fetal hydronephrosis: advances and controversies].

Recent advances in prenatal diagnosis resulted in an improvement of detection and management of urinary tract abnormalities. Prenatal ultrasonography allows to identify urological abnormalities that otherwise would not be seen until later in life, when complications occur. The voiding cystourethrogram can be reserved for selected patients.

Drinking water treatment of priority pesticides using low pressure UV photolysis and advanced oxidation processes.

This study reports the efficiency of low pressure UV photolysis for the degradation of pesticides identified as priority pollutants by the European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. Direct low pressure UV photolysis and advanced oxidation processes (using hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide) experiments were conducted in laboratory grade water, surface water, and groundwater. LP direct photolysis using a high UV fluence (1500 mJ/cm(2)) was found to be extremely efficient to accomplish the degradation of all pesticides except isoproturon, whereas photolysis using hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide did not significantly enhance their removal.