Application of ATAD technology for digesting sewage sludge in small towns: Operation and costs.

In an economic context marked by increasing energy costs and stricter legislation regarding the landfill disposal of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sewage sludge, and where biomethanization is difficult to implement in small WWTPs, an efficient alternative is required to manage this polluting waste. This study shows that autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) is a feasible technique for treating sewage sludge in small- and medium-sized towns. The experiments were carried out at pilot scale on a cyclical basis and in continuous mode for nine months. The main results showed an optimal hydraulic retention time of 7 days, which led to an organic matter removal of 34%. The sanitized sludge meets the microbial quality standards for agronomic application set out in the proposed European sewage sludge directive. An economic assessment for the operation of ATAD technology was carried out, showing a treatment cost of €6.5/ton for dewatered sludge.

Cage-like effect in Au-Pt nanoparticle synthesis in microemulsions: a simulation study.

The different distributions of metals in bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized in microemulsions were studied by computer simulation. The simulations demonstrated that if the difference between the reduction potentials of both metals is about 0.15-0.3 V, the compartmentalization of the reaction media causes the accumulation of slower reduction reactants in the microemulsions droplets, which favours the chemical reaction like a cage effect: increasing the local concentration of the slower reduction metal salt gives rise to a faster reduction, so the differences in reduction rates of both metals are attenuated. A more coincidental reduction of both metals deeply affects the nanoparticle structure, causing a better mixed alloy. This effect will be more pronounced when the concentration is higher and the intermicellar exchange rate is faster. This means that for any fixed microemulsion the nanoparticle structure can be modified by changing the reactant concentration: the core can be enriched in the faster reduction metal by lower concentrations, and the shell can be enriched in the slower metal by higher concentrations. Based on these observations, this study suggests a route to help experimentalists better create nanoparticles with a pre-defined structure.

Use of organic acids in the composting of municipal solid waste: a pilot-scale study.

Compost made from municipal solid waste (MSW) contains heavy metals that can interfere with the use of organic amendment in soil. In order to find effective ways to reduce the potential risk of heavy metals, we have investigated a novel approach by use of organic acid during MSW composting. Citric and oxalic acid dissolutions (0.25 mol x (-1)) were used at determined ratios (kg dried MSW: cm(3) acid). Cr and Ni concentrations were similar in compost, independent of acid contribution. By contrast, Cu concentrations decreased by 63% (at citric acid ratio 1:15), 65% (at citric acid ratios 1:20 and 1:40) and 83% (at oxalic acid ratio 1:40); furthermore, Pb concentrations reduced by 71% (at citric acid ratios 1:20 and 1:40 and at oxalic acid ratio 1:40) and Zn concentrations reduced by 67% (at citric acid ratios 1:10 and 1:20) and 70% (at oxalic acid ratio 1:40). The total metal mass decreased by an average of 12% in the compost fraction, whereas the total percentage of the residual fraction increased by an average of 20%. The acid addition in the studied ratios improved compost quality without negatively influencing biostabilization.

[Opinions of family doctors on the involvement of patients in the taking of decisions: a study with focus groups]. / Opiniones de los médicos de familia acerca de la implicación de los pacientes en la toma de decisiones: un estudio con grupos focales.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what family doctors think about various aspects of patient involvement in clinical decision making in Primary Care. DESIGN: Qualitative study using focus groups. LOCATION: Primary Care. PARTICIPANTS: Family physicians with and without expertise in clinical communication. METHODS: Three focus groups were developed, involving 6-8 professionals per group, and took part in two meetings. The conversations were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The discussion was analysed using literature-based categories and other emerging from the text, encoding the information and making an inductive interpretation. RESULTS: Family physicians refer mainly to involving the patient in decisions by proposing a plan tailored to the knowledge of patient problems and then verifying their approval or rejection. However, some professionals ponder whether this could be classified as patient involvement, questioning the real role that both players would take at the time of deciding. CONCLUSIONS: The explanation of how family physicians would involve the patient in decisions clashes with the most widespread theories on the subject and, also opposes the view of patients who would like to be involved more actively. Taking into account discordant reflections on the relevance of considering this process as real patient involvement, it is necessary to describe a realistic theoretical model that allows further development of strategies to improve the attitude and training of professionals to patient involvement in clinical decisions.

Assessment of a wide array of contaminants of emerging concern in a Mediterranean water basin (Guadalhorce river, Spain): Motivations for an improvement of water management and pollutants surveillance.

This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of 185 organic contaminants (regulated pollutants and contaminants of emerging concern; CECs) in surface and groundwater of the Guadalhorce River basin (southern Spain) providing the most detailed dataset regarding organic pollution presented so far in this area. Up to 63 contaminants were detected in a monitoring campaign conducted in March 2016. Most contaminants were detected more frequently in surface water where they generally present higher concentrations suggesting the prevalence of wastewater discharges into streams as the main pollutant sources. In general, hydrophobic CECs presented the highest frequencies of detection and concentrations, which can be a consequence of several factors: (1) hydrophobic compounds show a higher retardation factor, which result, along with a continuous contaminant input, in a widespread and homogeneous distribution. In contrast, hydrophilic contaminants are more easily transported by water flows towards the lower basin and potentially accumulate as driven by groundwater flow and because of low renewal rates in the detrital aquifers caused by re-pumping and irrigation return flows in agricultural lands; (2) hydrophobic CECs studied in this research are mainly personal care products and organophosphate esters flame retardants and plasticizers, which are present in many different products and are used in large amounts; Also, (3) use of biosolids (reclaimed sewer sludge) as fertilizer for crops is potentially an additional diffuse source of organic pollutants in the study area contributing to a widespread distribution, especially for hydrophobic compounds. Obtained results highlight the need to better define the potential risk of non-regulated contaminants in water resources as well as the great impact of untreated wastewater discharges.

Critical nucleus size effects on nanoparticle formation in microemulsions: a comparison study between experimental and simulation results.

Monte Carlo simulations were performed to study the influence of critical nucleus size on nanoparticle formation in microemulsions. It was found that critical nucleus size strongly affected nucleation and growth rates, as well as final nanoparticle sizes. An increase of critical nucleus leads to a slower nucleation process. In contrast, it gives rise to acceleration of the growth process. Final nanoparticle sizes increase as the critical nucleus value increases. It is predicted that this dependence will be less pronounced when a high reactant concentration is used. We have compared the simulation results with experimental data taken from different authors. Good agreement between the two kinds of results supports the conclusions of this paper.

[Risk factors for infection in total knee artrhoplasty, including previously unreported intraoperative fracture and deep venous thrombosis]. / Factores de riesgo para la infección en prótesis de rodilla, incluyendo la fractura intraoperatoria y la trombosis venosa profunda, no descritos previamente.

PURPOSE: To carry out a statistical analysis on the significant risk factors for deep late infection (prosthetic joint infection, PJI) in patients with a knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A retrospective observational case-control study was conducted on a case series of 32 consecutive knee infections, using an analysis of all the risk factors reported in the literature. A control series of 100 randomly selected patients operated in the same Department of a University General Hospital during the same period of time, with no sign of deep infection in their knee arthroplasty during follow-up. Statistical comparisons were made using Pearson for qualitative and ANOVA for quantitative variables. RESULTS: The significant (p>0.05) factors found in the series were: Preoperative previous knee surgery, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, inflammatory arthritis. INTRAOPERATIVE: prolonged surgical time, inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis, intraoperative fractures. Postoperative secretion of the wound longer than 10 days, deep palpable haematoma, need for a new surgery, and deep venous thrombosis in lower limbs. Distant infections cutaneous, generalized sepsis, urinary tract, pneumonia, abdominal. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of intraoperative fractures and deep venous thrombosis as significantly more frequent factors in infected TKAs. Other previously described risk factors for TKA PJI are also confirmed.

Distribution of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers in the cat thalamus.

Neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity was studied in the thalamus of the cat using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. The densest network of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the nucleus (n.) paraventricularis anterior. In the anterior, intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei, as well as in the n. geniculatum medialis, n. geniculatum lateralis, n. habenularis lateralis, n. medialis dorsalis, n. lateralis posterior and n. pulvinar a low density of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers was observed. Neuropeptide Y-like fibers were totally absent in the n. ventralis lateralis, n. ventralis medialis, n. ventralis postero-medialis and n. ventralis postero-lateralis. In addition, neuropeptide Y-like perikarya were found in the n. parafascicularis, n. suprageniculatus, n. geniculatum lateralis ventralis, n. medialis dorsalis and n. lateralis posterior.

Cefminox versus Cefoxitin in Hysterectomy Prophylaxis : Clinical Efficacy and Serum and Tissue Concentrations.

This phase III, prospective, randomised, open, controlled clinical trial compared the efficacy of single-dose cefminox (2g) versus triple-dose cefoxitin (2g every 4 hours) as antibiotic prophylaxis in 112 women undergoing gynaecological surgery (vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy). Peak, intraoperative and trough serum concentrations were determined for both antibiotics, as well as their concentrations in myometrial tissue in a subset of patients from the study (22 patients from the cefminox group and 18 from the cefoxitin group). Clinical response was satisfactory in all women treated with cefminox (59 of 59) and in 52 of 53 patients treated with cefoxitin. Fever-related morbidity, hospital stay and adverse reactions were similar in both groups. Peak serum concentrations were 132.3 mg/L for cefminox and 82.2 mg/L for cefoxitin. 12-hour concentrations were 2.82 mg/L for cefminox and 2.17 mg/L for cefoxitin, and were higher than the respective minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for pathogens commonly associated with this pathology. Uterine tissue concentrations were 24.5 and 41.6 mg/L for cefminox and cefoxitin, respectively, and also clearly exceeded MIC. It was shown that the use of a single preoperative dose of cefminox was similar in efficacy to 3 doses of cefoxitin administered every 4 hours, and that the serum and tissue concentrations attained provide adequate antibiotic coverage. In view of the general trend towards the use of a single dose for prophylaxis, cefminox offers a new alternative for antibiotic prophylaxis in gynaecological surgery.

[The influence of hygiene and cultural characteristics of the family environment on dietary patterns of school children]. / Influencia de los aspectos higiénico-culturales del entorno familiar en los patrones dietéticos del niño escolar.

BACKGROUND: The diet of school aged children constitutes one of the basic pillars on which the health of an individual may be placed. The influence of the parents in dietary habits of children is absolute. The aim of the present study was to analyze what hygienic-cultural aspects of the familial environment are most linked to the diet of school children. METHODS: A study of non paired cases and controls was carried out in 48 children of 6-7 years of age (cases) with maximum consumption of cold meats and minimum consumption of vegetables and lettuce (universe = 131 children) versus a double control group of 34 children with inverse dietary patterns and 83 children who did not fulfill inclusion criteria of cases. Personal cleanliness and washing habits, attitudes towards television viewing, parental consumption of cigarettes and alcohol and sex education were also analyzed. RESULTS: Multivariant analysis identified a smoking father as a risk factor of worse diet (OR = 3.3, p = 0.016), with sex education received at home being associated with a decrease of 70% in the probability of having a bad diet (OR = 0.3, p = 0.016) on using the restricted control group. The smoker father was the only circumstance associated to bad diet on including the remaining children of the universe as controls (OR = 2.6, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The diet of school children seems to be related with the global attitude of the family with regard to health. Smoking habit of the father may represent a negative marker of food preferences with regard to quality of diet.

Immunocytochemical study of parvalbumin fibers and cell bodies in the rat hipothalamus.

The distribution of parvalbumin (PA) cell bodies and fibers in the hypothalamus of the rat was studied using a monoclonal antibody and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. The densest clusters of immunoreactive perikarya were observed in the nuclei mamillare medialis, arcuatus and dorsomedialis hypothalami, whereas the corpus mamillare lateralis had the lowest density. The densest network of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the corpus mamillare lateralis and nucleus arcuatus. The corpus mamillare medialis contained a moderate number of PA fibers, whereas the nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami had the lowest density of immunoreactive fibers. In addition, a large number of immunoreactive fibers was found in the tractus opticus and the tractus mamillo-thalamicus. Essentially, the distribution of PA in the rat hypothalamus after using a monoclonal antibody seems to be broader in comparison with previous studies carried out in the same diencephalic region of the rat. The presence of PA in several nuclei of the rat hypothalamus suggests that this protein could be directly or indirectly involved in neuroendocrine, limbic and visual functions.

[FICTION as a new tool to early lung cancer diagnosis]. / Desarrollo de la técnica de FICTION como nueva herramienta para el diagnóstico precoz de cáncer de pulmón.

Lung cancer is one of the most frequent causes of cancer death in Western countries. Overall 5-year survival rate is lower than 15% mainly due to the late diagnosis of the disease. Primary prevention (reduction of tobacco consumption) and more effective methods for early detection are needed. Some studies have recently shown that low-dose spiral computed tomography (CT) is a useful technique to the detection of pulmonary malignant nodules in early stages. Studies are developing to evaluate its efficacy in series of high-risk patients. A new cytogenetic technique has been developed: the FICTION technique (Fluorescence Immunophenotyping and Interphase Cytogenetics as a Tool for the Investigation of Neoplasms). This technique allows the simultaneous study of immunophenotypic markers and genetic abnormalities present in tumour cells. The goal of our project is optimise this technique in sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from lung cancer patients. The overall goal of this project is evaluate the usefulness of this technique, together with the new radiological techniques, in early detection programs of lung cancer in high-risk patients. In the present study we review the cytogenetic studies on lung cancer carried out in the recent years. We also introduce the basic methodological aspects that will be developed in our project.

Scaling in complex systems: a link between the dynamics of networks and growing interfaces.

We consider growing interfaces as dynamical networks whose nodes are the discrete points of the interface and the edges the physical interactions among them. We map the points of the interface formed at each time into a graph by means of a visibility algorithm. As the corresponding interfaces grow, their visibility graphs change over time. We show that the visibility graphs are all scale free for each time. We use the variance of the node degrees as a measure of the dynamical properties of these graphs. This magnitude reveals an unexpected scaling behaviour of these graphs in both the number of nodes and time. This enables to define three robust exponents that characterize any type of dynamics with more detail than the classical scaling analysis applied directly to the physical interfaces. To check the feasibility of this approach we study and classify six different dynamical processes and estimate their critical exponents. We conclude that the dynamics of physical systems far from equilibrium can be determined by its corresponding visibility network. Indeed, this methodology is able to discern among dynamical processes that hitherto have been classified in the same universality class according to the scaling analysis of their interfaces.