Experimental assessment of an indirect method to measure the post-combustion flue gas flow rate in waste-to-energy plant based on multi-point measurements.

In waste-to-energy plants, the determination of the flue gas flow rate in the post-combustion section is of the utmost importance, e.g., for the verification of the compliance to the minimum residence time requirements (tres>2s) or for the control of flue gas treatment reactant injection, but the harsh conditions (high temperature and content of pollutants) do not allow for a direct measurement. The present work reports an experimental assessment of an indirect approach to estimate the flue gas flow rate in the post-combustion section of a rotary kiln plant with reduced uncertainty. This method consists on the direct measurement of the flow rate at a "colder" section of the plant (the boiler outlet) combined to the simultaneous measurements of flue gas composition measurements upstream and downstream of the boiler. From these measurements it is then possible to determine the mass of false air and to retrieve the actual flue gas flow-rate in the post-combustion chamber. A massive experimental campaign has been conducted at a full-scale medical waste incinerator, in which flue gas flow rate was estimated at different waste loads and ambient conditions. The results show that the percentage of false air can be significant and simply neglecting it can lead to substantial under-performance of the plant. Issues related to the practical implementation of the methods are illustrated in detail and the possibility to extend the methodology towards an online determination of post-combustion flue gas flow rate is discussed.

Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: experience of a single center with a series of 174 patients.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for low rectal cancer is not considered a gold standard treatment due to the high conversion rate and the long operation time. METHODS: A retrospective review examined a surgical series of 174 laparoscopic low rectal resections involving total mesorectal excision (1995-2006), with particular reference to technical points as well as surgical and oncologic outcomes. Miles operations and partial mesorectal excisions were excluded. RESULTS: The cancer affected the low rectum in 110 cases and the medium rectum in 64 cases. A total of 68 patients were subjected to neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy. The anastomosis was mechanical for 83.3% of the cases and intersphinteric through the perineum for 16.6% of the cases. Protective ileostomy was performed in 112 cases. The conversion rate was 4.6%. The mesorectum remained intact in 91.6% of the cases and was partially interrupted in 15 of the cases. In no case was it totally discontinued. The postoperative morbidity rate was 16.7%, and the mortality rate was 0.57%. The incidence of anastomotic fistulas was 14.4%. The percentage was higher for males (18.6 vs 8.3%) and correlated with the low distance of the tumor from the anal verge (18.2 vs 7.8%) and the absence of a protection ileostomy (20.9 vs 10.7%). After an average follow-up period of 48.6 months (range, 24-149 months), six patients (3.44%) experienced a pelvic recurrence. The 5-year overall survival rate was 75.4%, and the disease-free survival rate was 61.9%. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for low rectal cancer is safe and effective, allowing surgical and oncologic outcomes similar to those reported for open surgery.

3-Carbonylacrylic derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents. Correlations between activity and reactivity toward cysteine.

A number of 3-carbonylacrylic acid derivatives were prepared, with a view to varying systematically the stereoelectronic environment of the conjugated double bond. The rates of reaction with cysteine were measured spectrophotometrically when possible or by stopped flow when very fast. Some of the final reaction products were isolated. Other properties examined were partition substituent constants and antimicrobial activity. On the basis of published data and these studies, the activity appears to be the combined effect of at least two mechanisms, one probably related to the effect of these structures on surface tension, the other to the electrophilic properties of the unsaturated system.

Percutaneous absorption of nicotinic acid derivatives in vitro.

The permeation rates through isolated epidermis of a homologous series of glycol, polyglycol, and alkyl esters of nicotinic acid were measured in vitro in a two-compartment diffusion cell assembly, using an isotonic buffered solution as the receiving phase. The esters were applied from aqueous solutions and also as the pure liquids. The results were consistent with those reported by other using compounds of equal or different structures either in vitro or in vivo. The experiments are compared in terms of partition equilibrium between vehicle and tissue and distribution from tissue to the receiving phase. It was demonstrated that the plateau observed in skin permeabilities of the compounds beyond a certain degree of lipophilicity is the result of the effect of water when used as the vehicle in the laboratory models.

[Thin-needle aspiration cytology of palpable lymph nodes. Analysis of 702 consecutive cases]. / La citologia per aspirazione con ago sottile di linfonodi palpabili. Analisi di 702 casi consecutivi.

Seven-hundred-two needle aspirates were taken from palpable lymph nodes between january 1982 and june 1987. Cytohistological correlation in about 70% of the preparations showed that the technique is capable of detecting neoplastic cells in 99% of metastases and in 90% of lymphoma cases. Certain technical aspects of smear preparation are pointed out with a view to reducing the percentage of inadequate samples (14% in the present series) and the position of the technique among other diagnostic procedures is discussed, with evaluation of advantages and limitations.

[Non-traumatic colic perforation in free peritoneum. Apropos of 61 cases]. / Perforazioni coliche non traumatiche in peritoneo libero. A proposito di 61 casi.

Sixty-one non-traumatic perforations in free peritoneum are reported. The principal aetiology is diverticulitis (35 cases) followed by cancer (22 cases). 18 derivations were carried out, 34 colectomies without anastomosis, 5 ideal colectomies and 4 diverticulectomies. Total mortality was 19.7-14% for diverticulitis, 22.2% for perforations at the cancer site, 50% from diastasic perforations. Stress is laid on the need to treat colic perforation by colectomy without anastomosis, confining derivation openeum. Sixty-one cases.

[Intra-abdominal rupture of varices of the round ligament: a rare cause of hemoperitoneum in patients with cirrhosis]. / La rottura intra-addominale di varici del ligamento rotondo: rara causa d'emoperitoneo nel cirrotico.

The authors report two cases of haemoperitoneum due to intra-abdominal rupture of the round ligament in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. A review of the literature on the subject reveals the rarity of such observations. The eventuality must be borne in mind, however, in the treatment of the haemorrhagic complications of portal hypertension in view of the associated high mortality. Simple ligature of the bleeding varix is the operation which offers the greatest possibility of survival.

[Traumatic chylothorax (apropos of a case following a closed vertebral-thoracic injury)]. / Chilotorace traumatico (a proposito di un caso consecutivo a trauma chiuso vertebro-toracico).

The authors report a case of chylothorax due to blunt trauma with fracture of the spine in a man aged 60. After mentioning the possible pathogenesis and clinics of the case shown, the Authors explain the treatment successfully adopted, that is, the ligature of thorax duct at his inlet in the thorax through right thoracotomy on the 5th intercostal space.

[Hepatic hemangioma in the neonate: description of a case treated surgically with favorable outcome]. / Emangioma epatico in età neonatale: descrizione di un caso trattato chirurgicamente con esito favorevole.

The authors describe a case of hepatic hemangioma in a newborn, treated by successful surgical resection. Neonatal hepatic hemangioma is able to produce congestive heart failure with high output, thrombocitopenia, spontaneous rupture with peritoneal hemorrhage and sudden death. The major symptoms are a palpable anterior abdominal mass, tachicardia, and congestive heart failure unrespansive to medical treatments; sometimes there are cutaneus hemangiomas. When diagnosis is made, surgical resection is necessary in the solitar hemangioma; for diffuse or multinodular hemangiomatosis radiotherapy, corticosteroids and hepaticartery ligation have been employed with some good results.