Recirculating packed-bed biofilm photobioreactor combined with membrane ultrafiltration as advanced wastewater treatment.

Packed-bed biofilm photobioreactor combined with ultrafiltration membrane was investigated for intensifying the process for secondary wastewater effluent treatment. Cylindrical glass carriers were used as supporting material for the microalgal-bacterial biofilm, which developed from indigenous microbial consortium. Glass carriers allowed adequate growth of the biofilm with limited suspended biomass. Stable operation was achieved after a start-up period of 1000 h, where supernatant biopolymer clusters were minimized and complete nitrification was observed. After that time, biomass productivity was 54 ± 18 mg·L-1·day-1. Green microalgae Tetradesmus obliquus and several strains of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria and fungi were identified. Combined process exhibited COD, nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates of 56 ± 5%, 12 ± 2% and 20 ± 6%, respectively. Membrane fouling was mainly caused by biofilm formation, which was not effectively mitigated by air-scouring aided backwashing.

Misdiagnosed Malignant Tumor on an Ischemic Limb.

INTRODUCTION: Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is a rare variety of melanoma typically located on distal areas of the body. Due to its presentation, it can be confused with a vascular ulcer. CASE REPORT: The authors present the case of a 68-year-old man who smokes with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, who was referred to the vascular clinic with complaints of intermittent claudication and a developing ulcer on his heel. After formulating an accurate wound care plan and performing revascularization surgery, the ulcer did not heal. At this point, the wound was biopsied and melanoma diagnosis was confirmed. After melanoma surgery, direct closure of the wound with a split-thickness skin graft was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rare pathology, misdiagnosis of ALM may prolong initiation of appropriate treatment and reduce the overall survival rate. Biopsies should be performed on nonhealing ulcers despite appropriate wound management and/or revascularization procedures.

Recurrent hematuria caused by nutcracker syndrome.

A 26-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of left flank pain, and proteinuria and hematuria were detected during urinalysis. A renal ultrasound did not reveal any disorder, and after performing a computed tomography angiography scan, compression of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta was seen. This compression is known as Nutcracker syndrome. From among the different treatment options available, it was decided, with patient consensus, to use open surgical management, performing a transposition of the left renal vein to a more distal level in the inferior vena cava. The immediate postoperative care progressed without complications and the symptoms resolved; after 1 year of surveillance, the patient continues to be asymptomatic. Nutcracker syndrome is a rare phenomenon, with few cases described. There are different therapeutic options for the treatment of Nutcracker syndrome, such as open surgery, endovascular treatment, or conservative treatment; because of the low prevalence of this syndrome, there are no sufficiently large series at present or with the necessary long-term surveillance to decide on the most suitable treatment. Distal transposition of the left renal vein in the inferior cava vein has proved to offer good long-term results, and this option offers a higher chance of resolution without the need for as many postsurgery controls as would be required with endovascular treatment.

[Implications of the REACH registry for vascular surgery]. / Implicaciones del registro REACH para la cirugía vascular.

Because of the increase in life expectancy, peripheral artery disease (PAD) has become a major health problem. A study performed in Spain in persons aged more than 65 years old found an overall prevalence of PAD of 9.9%. The most important risk factors for PAD were smoking, diabetes mellitus, advanced age, hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Treatment includes smoking cessation, exercise, statins, platelet antiaggregants, cilostazol or hemorheologic agents, and revascularization techniques. Data from the Spanish arm of REACH indicate that the PAD subgroup shows the poorest control of blood pressure and cholesterol and that use of platelet antiaggregants and statins is lowest in these patients, indicating that therapeutic and preventive strategies are not being correctly applied.