Automated assays for trace elements and ferritin measurement in saliva of pigs: Analytical validation and a pilot application to evaluate different iron status.

The aim of this study was to validate automated methods to measure iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and ferritin in pig saliva samples. A complete analytical validation was performed of all assays. In addition, these methods were applied to saliva of Fe supplemented (n = 22) and non-supplemented (n = 20) piglets. All assays were able to measure these biomarkers in pig saliva with adequate precision, accuracy and high sensitivity and, in case of trace elements without needing a deproteinization pre-process. The group of piglets supplemented with Fe presented significantly higher levels of ferritin and Zn in saliva. In conclusion, the automated assays evaluated were able to measure Fe, Zn, Cu and ferritin in saliva of pigs, and in case of trace elements, they have the advantage of not needing a deproteinization pre-treatment and thus these analytes can be measured in a simple and fast manner.

Enhanced phosphorus removal from sewage in mesocosm-scale constructed wetland using zeolite as medium and artificial aeration.

Phosphorus (P) contained in sewage maybe removed by mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (MCW), although removal efficiency is only between 20% and 60%. P removal can be enhanced by increasing wetland adsorption capacity using special media, like natural zeolite, operating under aerobic conditions (oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) above +300 mV). The objective of this study was to evaluate P removal in sewage treated by MCW with artificial aeration and natural zeolite as support medium for the plants. The study compared two parallel lines of MCW: gravel and zeolite. Each line consisted in two MCW in series, where the first MCW of each line has artificial aeration. Additionally, four aeration strategies were evaluated. During the operation, the following parameters were measured in each MCW: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and ORP. Phosphate (PO4(-3) - P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total suspended solids (TSS) and ammonium. (NH4(+) - N) were evaluated in influents and effluents. Plant growth (biomass) and proximate analysis for P content into Schoenoplectus californicus were also performed. The results showed that PO4(-3) - P removal efficiency was 70% in the zeolite medium, presenting significant differences (p < .05) with the results obtained by the gravel medium. Additionally, aeration was found to have a significant effect (p < .05) only in the gravel medium with an increase in up to 30% for PO43 - P removal. Thus, S. californicus contributed to 10-20% of P removal efficiency.

Effect of organic load and nutrient ratio on the operation stability of the moving bed bioreactor for kraft mill wastewater treatment and the incidence of polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis.

This paper studies the effect of organic load rate (OLR) and nutrient ratio on operation stability of the moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) for kraft mill wastewater treatment, analyzing the incidence of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. The MBBR operating strategy was to increase OLR from 0.25 ± 0.05 to 2.41 ± 0.19 kg COD m(-3) d(-1) between phases I and IV. The BOD(5):N:P ratio (100:5:1 and 100:1:0.2) was evaluated as an operation strategy for phases IV to V. A stable MBBR operation was found when the OLR was increased during 225 days in five phases. The maximum absolute fluorescence against the proportion of cells accumulating PHA was obtained for an OLR of 2.41 ± 0.19 kg COD m(-3)d(-1) and a BOD(5):N:P relationship of 100:1:0.2. The increase of PHA biosynthesis is due to the increased OLR and is not attributable to the increased cell concentration, which is maintained constant in stationary status during bioreactor biosynthesis.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) biosynthesis from kraft mill wastewaters: biomass origin and C:N relationship influence.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of PHA biosynthesis from kraft mill effluent using the batch system evaluating the biomass origin and C:N relationship influence. To evaluate feasibility, batch assays were carried out. Also, two levels of the BOD5:N:P relationship (100:5:1 and 100:1:0.2) and three different sludge origins were considered. Inocula were obtained from activated sludge treatment plants for a) sewage (SAS), b) paper mill (PAS) and c) kraft (KAS). The results show that the maximum Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal was 80.5% and 59.7% respectively using KAS as inoculum. In these assays, kinetics constants were 17.9±3.2 mg L(-1) and 46.5±1.2 d(-1) for (KCOD) and (rmax), respectively under a BOD5:N:P relationship of 100:5:1. The maximum PHA accumulation was obtained under a BOD5:N:P relationship of 100:1:0.2 on the third day of batch assays using PAS sludge with 25.72% of the cells accumulating PHA and on the fifth day in batch using SAS and KAS sludge with 25.85% and 30.40% of cells accumulating PHA, respectively. Yields obtained for the 100:1:0.2 relationships ranged from 0.10-0.14 mg PHA mg(-1) COD.

Patrón de alteraciones en la radiografía de tórax de niños hospitalizados por infección causada por virus influenza A (H1N1) / Pattern of chest radiographic abnormalities in children hospitalized because of influenza H1N1 virus infection

The first cases of H1N1- type Influenza virus infection in humans were reported in 2009, and since then, it rapidly expanded and became pandemic. At that time, an 88.5 percent increase in emergency consultations was observed in our institution, including adults and children and H1N1- type Influenza virus infection was clinically diagnosed in 10,048patients, 45.6 percent of them with laboratory confirmation. A total of 59 child, 33 girls and 26 boys, aged between 1 month and 15.5 years old, needed hospitalization. The average of hospitalization time was 3.9 days, 9 patients required intensive unit care and 4 of them mechanical ventilation. No fatal cases were registered in this series. Associated infection was confirmed in 15 patients: VRS (5), bacterial (9) and Mycoplasma (1). The most frequent radiological pattern was bilateral interstitial lung involvement (72 percent). A mixed interstitial/alveolar pattern was observed in 78 percent of patients with proven bacterial super infection. The purpose of this review is to describe the radiological pattern observed in children who needed hospitalization due to of H1Nl- type Influenza virus infection, during epidemic last year.

El año 2009 aparecieron los primeros casos de influenza humana causada por virus influenza A H1N1, propagándose como pandemia. En nuestra institución se observó 88,5 por ciento de aumento en consultas de urgencia, adultos y niños; se diagnosticaron 10.048 pacientes como influenza A H1N1 (45,6 por ciento confirmación de laboratorio). La media de edad fue 13 años. Se hospitalizaron 59 niños (edad: 1 mes - 15 años 7 meses), 33 niñas y 26 niños. El tiempo promedio de hospitalización fue de 3,9 días; 9 pacientes requirieron UTIy 4 ventilación mecánica. No hubo mortalidad en esta serie. Se demostró sobreinfección por VRS (5), infección bacteriana (9) y Mycoplasma (1). El patrón radiológico predominante en los niños hospitalizados correspondió a compromiso intersticial (72 por ciento) y el 28 por ciento presentó hiperinsuflación pulmonar. Los niños con infección bacteriana asociada presentaron mayoritariamente (78 por ciento) patrones radiológicos mixtos y de relleno alveolar. El propósito de esta revisión es conocer los patrones radiológicos en los niños que requirieron hospitalización por infección virus influenza A H1N1 en nuestra institución, durante la epidemia del año recién pasado.

Operational factors and nutrient effects on activated sludge treatment of Pinus radiata kraft mill wastewater.

The biodegradability of Pinus radiata bleached kraft mill wastewater by an activated sludge treatment during a period of 280 days was evaluated. The effect of varying hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the range of 48 to 4.5 h and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition on removal of biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (TSS and VSS), total phenolic compounds, tannin and lignin and reduction of toxicity was investigated. Removal of BOD5 was higher than 90% when HRT varied from 16 to 6 h, but decreased when HRT was less than 6 h. Similar performance was observed for COD removal, which was about 60% when HRT was varied from 16 to 6 h. Removal of total phenolic compounds and tannin and lignin was seriously affected by HRT. N and P addition to maintaining a ratio of 100:5:0.3 provided optimal BOD5, COD and suspended solids removal when HRT varied from 16 to 7 h, and no toxicity (using Daphnia) was detected in the treated effluent. When HRT was less than 6 h, the system showed destabilisation and pH, COD, BOD5 and suspended solids removal decreased.

Eficacia de itraconazol en dermatomicosis: comparación de dos esquemas posológicos con método doble ciego / Itraconazole efficacy in dermatomycoses

A 40 enfermos con dermatomicosis se les administraron dos esquemas posológicos de itraconazol (100 mg./día-14 días: grupo A - y 200 mg./día - 7 días: grupo B) seleccionados por el método de doble ciego. De los 37 enfermos evaluados (hubo 3 abandonos) el 100 por ciento obtuvo mejoría significativa o remisión clínica completa (en ambos grupos igual respuesta). Los estudios micológicos microscópicos directos fueron negativos en el 65 por ciento de los casos (grupo A: 32,5 por ciento - grupo B: 32,5 por ciento) al finalizar el tratamiento y los cultivos se negativizaron en el 86,4 por ciento de los pacientes (grupo A: 43,2 por ciento - grupo B: 43,2 por ciento). No se demostró diferencia significativa con los dos esquemas posológicos ensayados

Eficacia de itraconazol en dermatomicosis: comparación de dos esquemas posológicos con método doble ciego / Itraconazole efficacy in dermatomycoses

A 40 enfermos con dermatomicosis se les administraron dos esquemas posológicos de itraconazol (100 mg./día-14 días: grupo A - y 200 mg./día - 7 días: grupo B) seleccionados por el método de doble ciego. De los 37 enfermos evaluados (hubo 3 abandonos) el 100 por ciento obtuvo mejoría significativa o remisión clínica completa (en ambos grupos igual respuesta). Los estudios micológicos microscópicos directos fueron negativos en el 65 por ciento de los casos (grupo A: 32,5 por ciento - grupo B: 32,5 por ciento) al finalizar el tratamiento y los cultivos se negativizaron en el 86,4 por ciento de los pacientes (grupo A: 43,2 por ciento - grupo B: 43,2 por ciento). No se demostró diferencia significativa con los dos esquemas posológicos ensayados (AU)

Dopaminergic and serotonergic activity in the hypothalamus during early and late pregnancy.

Push-pull cannulae were implanted into the arcuate nucleus of pregnant or ovariectomized (OVX) rats, and the perfusate samples were analyzed for biogenic amines and their metabolites. Injection of pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, resulted in a decrease in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in the samples, and detectable amounts of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT), which were usually not measurable prior to injection. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan resulted in a sharp increase in 5-HIAA and 5-HT levels in the perfusates, and no change in DOPAC levels. Push-pull perfusion was done between midnight and 06.00 h on day 8 and 16 of pregnancy. In those rats which showed a nocturnal prolactin (PRL) surge on day 8, 5-HIAA levels were very high compared to those that did not, or compared to those on day 16, which had chronic low PRL levels. DOPAC levels were not significantly different in the 3 groups. Perfusion of medial basal hypothalamic (MBH) fragments taken from mother rats on day 8 of pregnancy during the PRL surge spontaneously released more DA or 5-HT than did fragments taken on day 16 at the same time of day. These results suggest that serotonergic activity in the MBH is higher on day 8 of pregnancy, in parallel with the occurrence of PRL surges, than on day 16 when no surges are present. Dopaminergic activity, as measured by DOPAC levels in push-pull samples, does not appear to be different between the two days.