Descriptive study of ultrasound images of the upper airway obtained after insertion of laryngeal mask

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate clinical usefulness of ultrasound images of the upper airway in order to check correct laryngeal mask placement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted on patients scheduled for abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia, in whom the patency of the upper airway was ensured using an Ambu^®AuraGain^TM laryngeal mask. An ultrasound scan was performed of the upper-airway in the cranio-caudal direction and with longitudinal scans in the anterior midline and parasagittal axis, in three moments: before, after inserting and after removing the mask. All recorded images were evaluated in a second time by a radiologist-expert in upper airway ultrasound. Subsequently, the ultrasound data were related to the clinical difficulty of the insertion and presence of air leaks.

RESULTS

Data was collected from 30 patients (20 females and 10 males) being operated on for abdominal hysterectomy (15), eventroplasty (6), uterine myomectomy (3), and umbilical (4) and inguinal herniorrhaphy (2). The blind insertion of the masks did not present difficulties in 24 (80%) patients. Air leakage was detected in 8 (26.7%) patients, which was moderate in 7 cases and severe in one of them. The ultrasound findings confirmed good mask placement in 22 (73.3%) patients. Anatomical airway changes after laryngeal mask extraction were only observed in 3 (12%) patients, all of them minor. There was a statistically significant association (P<.05) between difficulty in inserting the device and the level of air leakage.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper airway ultrasound is a useful diagnostic method to evaluate laryngeal mask placement. Laryngeal oedema was not observed after removal of the device.

Paracetamol and salicylic acid removal from contaminated water by microalgae

The biomass growth, pharmaceutical removal and light conversion efficiency of Chlorella sorokiniana under the presence of paracetamol (PC) and salicylic acid (SaC) were assessed and compared at two different concentrations of these pharmaceuticals (I: 25 mg l^-1, II: 250 mg l^-1). Microalgae were resistant to these concentrations and, moreover, their growth was significantly stimulated (p ≤ 0.05) under these drugs (biomass concentration increased above 33% PCI, 35% SaCI, 13% PCII and 45% SaCII, as compared with the respective positive controls). At the steady state of the semicontinuous culture, C. sorokiniana showed removal efficiencies above 41% and 69% for PCI and PCII, respectively; and above 93% and 98% for SaCI and SaCII, respectively. Under an irradiance of 370 μE m^-2 s^-1, higher quantum yields were reached by microalgae under the presence of drugs, either at dose I or II, than by the respective positive controls. These results point to C. sorokiniana as a robust strain for the bioremediation of paracetamol and salicylic acid concentrated wastewaters.

Learning from other people's fear: amygdala-based social reference learning in social anxiety disorder

BACKGROUND

Social anxiety disorder involves fear of social objects or situations. Social referencing may play an important role in the acquisition of this fear and could be a key determinant in future biomarkers and treatment pathways. However, the neural underpinnings mediating such learning in social anxiety are unknown. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined social reference learning in social anxiety disorder. Specifically, would patients with the disorder show increased amygdala activity during social reference learning, and further, following social reference learning, show particularly increased response to objects associated with other people's negative reactions?

METHOD

A total of 32 unmedicated patients with social anxiety disorder and 22 age-, intelligence quotient- and gender-matched healthy individuals responded to objects that had become associated with others' fearful, angry, happy or neutral reactions.

RESULTS

During the social reference learning phase, a significant group × social context interaction revealed that, relative to the comparison group, the social anxiety group showed a significantly greater response in the amygdala, as well as rostral, dorsomedial and lateral frontal and parietal cortices during the social, relative to non-social, referencing trials. In addition, during the object test phase, relative to the comparison group, the social anxiety group showed increased bilateral amygdala activation to objects associated with others' fearful reactions, and a trend towards decreased amygdala activation to objects associated with others' happy and neutral reactions.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest perturbed observational learning in social anxiety disorder. In addition, they further implicate the amygdala and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex in the disorder, and underscore their importance in future biomarker developments.

Nutrients and pharmaceuticals removal from wastewater by culture and harvesting of Chlorella sorokiniana

This work aimed to study both the removal of nutrients and pharmaceuticals, namely salicylic acid or paracetamol, from water by the culture of Chlorella sorokiniana. The removal of nutrients was nearly complete at the end of the batch culture; above 70% for nitrates and 89% for phosphates in the semicontinuous culture. The pharmaceuticals removal kinetics were 2.3 times greater for the salicylic acid than paracetamol, reaching volumetric efficiencies above 93% for salicylic acid in the semicontinuous culture. Finally, to separate the microalgae biomass from treated water, metal salts, synthetic polyelectrolytes and a biopolymer were tested as coagulants-flocculants. The best flocculation results were achieved with AlCl3 (95.23% with 200mgg(-1), 1min incubation time). However, given that resulting flocs had different characteristics, flocculants must be chosen on the basis of the subsequent use of the biomass.

Four New Ladybug Species Belonging to Decadiomus Chapin (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Puerto Rico

While searching for native natural enemies attacking invasive insect pests in Puerto Rico, we found four undescribed ladybug species belonging to the Caribbean ladybug genus Decadiomus Chapin. In this article, we describe the following species from Puerto Rico: Decadiomus seini n. sp., Decadiomus ramosi n. sp., Decadiomus hayuyai n. sp., and Decadiomus martorelli n. sp. Illustrations of the dorsal habitus, shape of prosternal carinae, and drawings of male and female genitalia are presented. We also present a key for Diomini of Puerto Rico and discuss their importance as potential biocontrol agents.

Sprint, agility, strength and endurance capacity in wheelchair basketball players

The aims of the present study were, firstly, to determine the reliability and reproducibility of an agility T-test and Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test; and secondly, to analyse the physical characteristics measured by sprint, agility, strength and endurance field tests in wheelchair basketball (WB) players. 16 WB players (33.06 ± 7.36 years, 71.89 ± 21.71 kg and sitting body height 86.07 ± 6.82 cm) belonging to the national WB league participated in this study. Wheelchair sprint (5 and 20 m without ball, and 5 and 20 m with ball) agility (T-test and pick-up test) strength (handgrip and maximal pass) and endurance (Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test) were performed. T-test and Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test showed good reproducibility values (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.74-0.94). The WB players' results in 5 and 20 m sprints without a ball were 1.87 ± 0.21 s and 5.70 ± 0.43 s and with a ball 2.10 ± 0.30 s and 6.59 ± 0.61 s, being better than those reported in the literature. Regarding the pick-up test results (16.05 ± 0.52 s) and maximal pass (8.39 ± 1.77 m), players showed worse values than those obtained in elite players. The main contribution of the present study is the characterization of the physical performance profile of WB players using a field test battery. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the agility T-test and the aerobic Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test are reliable; consequently they may be appropriate instruments for measuring physical fitness in WB.

Effects of Larval Density and Habitat Drying on Developmental Success of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Urban Rain Pools: Evidence From Field and Experimental Studies

Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae develop synchronously after rainfall events in ephemeral or temporary pools, where they occasionally attain very high abundance. The aims of the current study were to analyze the response of life history parameters such as daily larval mortality, time to pupation, and adult size of Oc. albifasciatus to increasing larval density under controlled conditions, and to analyze the relationships of daily larval mortality with density and environmental variables (drying rate, temperature, and season) in urban rain pools in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An exponential increase in mortality was observed at high larval densities under controlled conditions. Development times and adult size (wing length) differed between males and females, and were also affected by density. Development times extended for 0.36 d for each order of magnitude of increase in larval density, and wing length decreased 0.0021 mm per additional larva in 600 cm(2). Larval density in the field varied from <1 larva per square meter to nearly 1100 larvae per square meter. Daily larval mortality values in the field were variable (0.02-0.91), positively related to the drying rate, and exhibited seasonal differences. No significant relation with larval density or temperature was found in the field. It remains to be established whether the density-independent mortality observed in this study is a generalized pattern of Oc. albifasciatus populations in Buenos Aires Province or a pattern restricted only to urban habitats.

Kinetics of the PO4-P adsorption onto soils and sediments from the Mondego estuary (Portugal)

In order to assess the status of a North Atlantic Ocean Ecoregion (Mondego system, Portugal) after the implementation of a management programme, a study on PO4-P sorption was carried out. Considering that sorption velocity markedly determines the systems promptness to phosphorus external loading, the kinetics of the sorption of PO4-P onto estuarine sediments and the upstream agricultural soils was studied. The pseudo-second order kinetic equation gave an appropriate description of PO4-P sorption onto these soils and sediments, allowing for a quantitative comparison. For soils, the kinetic constants (k2*, μg(-1) g h(-1)) ranged between 0.007 and 0.017 μg(-1) g h(-1) while, in the case of sediments these ranged between 0.008 and 0.012 μg(-1) g h(-1). Results showed that the reduction of water residence time after the management action was relevant for the system status, affecting its reaction capacity to phosphorus loading.

Selection of native freshwater microalgae and cyanobacteria for CO2 biofixation

One of the technologies available for coping with problems related to the rise in atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide is CO2 biofixation with microalgae or cyanobacteria. The selection of native strains that grow well at the specific site where the technology is to be used will increase the success possibilities of such a technology. Thus, with the aim of finding a suitable local variety for use in a CO2 biofixation system, three recently isolated freshwater strains, Scenedesmus sp., Chlorogonium sp. and Synechocystis sp. were studied. Chlorella sorokiniana was used as a control strain. All the strains were grown under the same culture conditions for seven days of batch culture, and various growth and CO2 biofixation parameters were determined. Synechocystis sp. showed the highest specific growth rate at 1.75 per day (l/d). Results for CO2 biofixation ranged between 0.650 and 0.953 g of carbon dioxide per litre per day (g CO2/l/d), but differences among native strains were noted, although they were not statistically significant. However, Synechocystis sp. was selected as the most suitable strain for CO2 biofixation, owing to its good capacity to use light in dense cultures, an essential requirement for sustainable commercial systems.

Feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of poultry blood with maize residues

The potential of anaerobic digestion for the treatment of poultry blood was evaluated in batch assays at laboratory scale and in a mesophilic semi-continuously fed digester. The biodegradability test performed on poultry blood waste showed a strong inhibition. Maize residues were used as co-substrate to overcome inhibition thanks to nitrogen dilution. Under batch operation, increasing the maize concentration from 15% to 70% (volatile solids (VS) basis) provided an increase of biogas from 130±31 to 188±21 L CH4/kg VS. In the semi-continuous mesophilic anaerobic digester, the biogas yield was 165±17 L CH4/kg VS fed, as a result of strong volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation. Although physical modifications of maize particles were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), an incomplete degradation was confirmed from analysis of digestates. Furthermore, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that along with VFA build-up, an accumulation of non-degraded materials took place.

Effects of thermal heterogeneity and egg mortality on differences in the population dynamics of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) over short distances in temperate Argentina

In temperate regions, the seasonal dynamics of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) is mainly influenced by temperature, whereas the probability of local extinction depends on the egg mortality during the cold season. The aim of the current study was to assess the importance of temperature and egg mortality in determining the differences in the oviposition dynamics of Ae. aegypti between favorable and less favorable areas in Buenos Aires City (Argentina). Year-round temperature dynamics were monitored, and oviposition dynamics were experimentally studied with ovitraps at two sites. Daily egg mortality values were calculated from a previous study performed at the same sites. The relative contribution of the differences in temperature and egg mortality between sites to the oviposition dynamics was assessed by means of a mathematical stochastic population dynamics model for Ae. aegypti. The results showed higher temperature and lower daily egg mortality at the site where higher oviposition activity was recorded. A larger influence of temperature than of egg mortality on population abundance during most of the activity season was detected in the results of the simulations. Our results showed a temperature gradient that relates to the distance to the Río de la Plata river and contributes to explaining the spatial heterogeneity in Ae. aegypti population abundances previously reported. The hypothesis of local extinctions because of egg mortality during the winter was not supported by the present analysis. The differences between field oviposition dynamics and simulation results suggest that rainfall might also be an important variable under extremely dry conditions.

Gasification of rice straw in a fluidized-bed gasifier for syngas application in close-coupled boiler-gasifier systems

The feasibility and operation performance of the gasification of rice straw in an atmospheric fluidized-bed gasifier was studied. The gasification was carried out between 700 and 850 °C. The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (A/F) for rice straw was 4.28 and air supplied was 7-25% of that necessary for stoichiometric combustion. Mass and power balances, tar concentration, produced gas composition, gas phase ammonia, chloride and potassium concentrations, agglomeration tendencies and gas efficiencies were assessed. Agglomeration was avoided by replacing the normal alumina-silicate bed by a mixture of alumina-silicate sand and MgO. It was shown that it is possible to produce high quality syngas from the gasification of rice straw. Under the experimental conditions used, the higher heating value (HHV) of the produced gas reached 5.1 MJ Nm(-3), the hot gas efficiency 61% and the cold gas efficiency 52%. The obtained results prove that rice straw may be used as fuel for close-coupled boiler-gasifier systems.

Abstract A73: Improving colorectal cancer surveys for New Mexico Hispanics

The goal of this research is to produce Spanish- and English-language versions of a colorectal cancer (CRC) risk factor survey that is easily answered by the three main Hispanic sub-populations in New Mexico - US-born and Mexico-born Mexican Americans and native Spanish New Mexicans. We began by conducting an in-depth review of validated surveys covering the domains of demographics, acculturation, personal and family medical history, diet, height and weight, physical activity, smoking and alcohol use. We next evaluated how New Mexico Hispanics interpret and comprehend survey questions and recall information to answer the questions. Our methodology included, in-person field interviewing of self-identified Hispanics age 40 years and older using cognitive-interviewing techniques. All interviews were conducted by a trained, bilingual interviewer. The survey was tested, revised and retested in a new group of participants who met the eligibility requirements. Three results are highlighted here. First, in a novel approach to reconstructing life histories of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity as indicators of energy balance over time, participants reconstructed their body size (height and weight for BMI estimates), work and leisure time physical activity patterns at age 15, 30, 50 years of age and during the previous year. We noted that respondents a) did not easily understand that the activity levels represented a range of physical exertion from none to vigorous, and b) felt they could not select a level if they had not done any of the example activities listed. The instructions were revised to explain the range and the description of the activity levels simplified incorporating the activities our respondents reported performing. Second, the descriptions provided in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and CRC screening questions were confusing. Descriptions were simplified for GI cancer risk questions (e.g. familial polypsis, history of polyps) and the CRC screening questions were replaced with modified versions of Behavioral Health Risk Factor Surveillance Survey questions. Last, a memory aide was designed to help the respondents answer the life history questions. The memory aid and revised versions of life history questions, were tested in a second round of field interviews. The memory aid was determined to be an effective method for reconstructing not only body size and activity pattern history, but also lifetime patterns of cigarette smoking and alcohol use. There is a critical need for this CRC survey in our state, where the incidence of CRC among Hispanics is equal to or higher than the incidence in non-Hispanic Whites.

Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A73.

Co-firing of coal and manure biomass: a TG-MS approach

Manure is a rich organic waste which, apart from its traditional use as a fertilizer, could be used as a bioenergy feedstock. In this sense, its utilization as a sole fuel or its co-combustion together with coal would be a choice for the management of this sort of biowaste. However, little is known about the behavior of this biowaste when submitted to high-temperature energy-conversion processes. Thus, the separate combustion of swine manure and coal and their co-combustion (10% dried weight of manure) were studied by simultaneous TG/MS dynamic runs. TG-MS analysis was successfully used as an easy rapid tool to assess the combustion of manure, alone or together with coal. Furthermore, non-isothermal kinetic analysis showed that the Arrhenius activation energy corresponding to the combustion of the blend (125.8-138.9 kJ/mol) was only slightly higher than that of manure (106.4-114.4 kJ/mol) or coal (107.0-119.6 kJ/mol).

Dengue epidemics and human mobility

In this work we explore the effects of human mobility on the dispersion of a vector borne disease. We combine an already presented stochastic model for dengue with a simple representation of the daily motion of humans on a schematic city of 20 × 20 blocks with 100 inhabitants in each block. The pattern of motion of the individuals is described in terms of complex networks in which links connect different blocks and the link length distribution is in accordance with recent findings on human mobility. It is shown that human mobility can turn out to be the main driving force of the disease dispersal.

[Spinal cord protection during open and endovascular surgery in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta diseases]

In recent decades great advances have been made in surgical procedures for treating thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta defects. Associated mortality and morbidity rates have dropped considerably, mainly in major reference centers, but nonetheless continue to be significant. The need for new strategies to reduce mortality and morbidity has made endovascular approaches an attractive alternative for high-risk surgical patients. The most feared complications of these procedures include paraparesis and paraplegia, which have devastating consequences on patients' quality of life. We provide an updated review of the pathophysiology of spinal cord ischemia in open and endovascular surgery, as well as perioperative measures designed to protect the spinal cord in both types of procedure.

Digestion of cattle manure: thermogravimetric kinetic analysis for the evaluation of organic matter conversion

Anaerobic digestion of cattle manure was studied under thermophilic and mesophilic conditions with the purpose of evaluating the effect of temperature on the quality of the final digestate. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric kinetic analysis was applied for assessing organic matter conversion of biological stabilization. The mathematical approximation proves to be a useful tool for evaluating the differences attained during biological degradation. The anaerobic digestion of the organic substrate resulted in a reduction of the activation energy value obtained from the different applied kinetic models. Results obtained from thermal kinetic analysis were in accordance with those from the monitoring of the anaerobic digestion process. The higher values of methane yield reported for the mesophilic digestion in comparison to that of the thermophilic indicated a greater capability of the former process in the utilization of substrate and thus a higher conversion of organic matter which can be quantified by the activation energy value.

Mercury partition in the interface between a contaminated lagoon and the ocean: the role of particulate load and composition

After having estimated the patterns of flow to the ocean and found some seasonal and tidal differences, mainly with regard to the relative importance of dissolved and particulate fractions, mercury partitioning at the interface between a contaminated lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean was investigated during four tidal cycles in contrasting season and tidal regimes. Mercury was found to be located predominantely in the particulate fraction throughout the year, contributing to its retention within the system. Seasonal conditions, variations in marine and fluvial signals and processes affecting bed sediment resuspension influenced the character and concentration of suspended particulate matter in the water column. Variation in the nature, levels and partitioning of organic carbon in the particulate fraction affected levels of particulate mercury as well as mercury partitioning. These results highlight the dominant role of suspended particulate matter in the distribution of anthropogenic mercury and reinforce the importance of competitive behavior related to organic carbon in mercury scavenging.

Anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of slaughterhouse waste (SHW): influence of heat and pressure pre-treatment in biogas yield

Mesophilic anaerobic digestion (34+/-1 degrees C) of pre-treated (for 20 min at 133 degrees C, >3 bar) slaughterhouse waste and its co-digestion with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) have been assessed. Semi-continuously-fed digesters worked with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 36 d and organic loading rates (OLR) of 1.2 and 2.6 kg VS(feed)/m(3)d for digestion and co-digestion, respectively, with a previous acclimatization period in all cases. It was not possible to carry out an efficient treatment of hygienized waste, even less so when OFMSW was added as co-substrate. These digesters presented volatile fatty acids (VFA), long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and fats accumulation, leading to instability and inhibition of the degradation process. The aim of applying a heat and pressure pre-treatment to promote splitting of complex lipids and nitrogen-rich waste into simpler and more biodegradable constituents and to enhance biogas production was not successful. These results indicate that the temperature and the high pressure of the pre-treatment applied favoured the formation of compounds that are refractory to anaerobic digestion. The pre-treated slaughterhouse wastes and the final products of these systems were analyzed by FTIR and TGA. These tools verified the existence of complex nitrogen-containing polymers in the final effluents, confirming the formation of refractory compounds during pre-treatment.

Thermogravimetric analysis of biowastes during combustion

The combustion of sewage sludge (SS), animal manure (AM) and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) was assessed and compared with that of a semianthracite coal (SC) and of a PET waste by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Differences were found in the TG curves obtained for the combustion of these materials accordingly to their respective proximate analysis. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric data were used to assess the kinetics of the combustion of these biowastes. The present paper reports on the application of the Vyazovkin model-free isoconversional method for the evaluation of the activation energy necessary for the combustion of these biowastes. The activation energy related to SS combustion (129.1 kJ/mol) was similar to that corresponding to AM (132.5 kJ/mol) while the OFMSW showed a higher value (159.3 kJ/mol). These values are quite higher than the one determined in the same way for the combustion of SC (49.2 kJ/mol) but lower than that for the combustion of a PET waste (165.6 kJ/mol).