Slags from roasting of antimony ore in the Brioude-Massiac (France) area used as aggregates: An early example of circular economy.

Towards the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, France was the world's largest producer of antimony, especially due to the rich deposits in the Brioude-Massiac area. Even though all the mining and smelting activities are long gone, there are still some remains of those activities. The most original of those is the use of roasting slags as aggregates in former plant walls or industrial building. They are macroscopically characterised by a black or red colour with a vesicular aspect similar to natural pozzolanas. Common petrography and mineralogy tools have been used to characterise those slags: optical mineralogy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). To gain an insight into their mineral complexity, a QEMSCAN map has been produced. The mineralogy is typical of high-temperature slags: cristobalite, quartz, mullite, fayalite-forsterite series and spinel. The antimony content is quite high, up to seven percent, under the form of various antimony oxides and native antimony.

Nebulized medication is not associated with nosocomial infections. A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Nebulized devices are commonly used in the treatment of respiratory infection, and other respiratory diseases. It has been reported nosocomial infections in cystic fibrosis patients as a result of the use of contaminated devices. However, little is known about nosocomial infections secondary to aerosolized therapy in COPD patients admitted for acute exacerbation. METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients (13 males) were included. All of them received aerosolized medication. Each patient used their own facemask and nebulizer cup, which were stored in the room after its use. Samples from nebulizer cups were obtained on days 0, 4 and 7. In addition, sputum samples were obtained on day 0 (prior to any nebulization) and on day 7, and cultivated in enriched media. RESULTS: Only nine nebulizer cups had positive microbiological cultures. Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated in all cases. Sputum samples could be obtained in 27 patients. None grew CoNS after 7 days of aerosolized therapy. Gram-negative non-fermenting bacilli were isolated in three patients without concomitant grown in nebulizer cups. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find any nosocomial infection related to aerosolize medications in COPD patients admitted for acute exacerbation.

Estudio sobre lactancia materna y hábitos bucales incorrectos de succión al año de edad / Study on breast feeding and incorrect sucking habits in one-year old children

Se estudiaron 200 madres y sus respectivos niños de un año de edad, en la Isla de la Juventud, para conocer tiempo de lactancia, prevalencia de hábitos bucales incorrectos de succión, relación entre el tiempo de lactancia y hábitos, así como la relación entre lactancia e inestabilidad psicológica y entre ésta y hábitos. Se encontró un déficit de lactancia entre las madres jóvenes, 26,4 por ciento en las edades de 16 a 20 años; alta prevalencia de hábitos bucales (69 por ciento ) donde el tete aparece en el 57,5 por ciento . Gran relación existía entre el tiempo de lactancia y la afectación por hábitos (ninguna lactancia, 91,3 por ciento de afectados contra 41,1 por ciento en los lactantes por 6 o más meses); alta relación entre el tiempo de lactancia y la inestabilidad psicológica (82,69 por ciento de inestables para ninguna lactancia), así como 60,78 por ciento en los lactados por 6 y más meses. La mayor prevalencia de hábitos ocurrió en los inestables psicológicamente (71,53 por ciento )