A sustainable approach toward mechanical recycling unsortable post-consumer WEEE: Reactive and non-reactive compatibilization.

While near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in post-consumer waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recycling accurately separates white or clear polymers, 40% containing dark plastics, termed 'unsortable WEEE,' are excluded from sorting lines and therefore incinerated or landfilled, causing environmental concerns. This study investigates the potential of using non-reactive and reactive copolymers as compatibilizers to enhance the performance of unsortable WEEE plastics free of brominated flame retardants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such copolymers have been explored as a solution for improving the compatibility of unsortable WEEE polymer blends. Initial trials with 4% of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer (SEBS-13) and SEBS-30-g-(maleic anhydride) copolymer (SEBS-30-g-MA MA) as compatibilizers showed insufficient results compared to virgin commercial polymers. However, the addition of higher concentrations of compatibilizers (i.e. up to 20 wt%) and the use of a SEBS having a higher styrene content (i.e. SEBS-30) improved the mechanical properties of the material, causing it to transition from brittle to ductile. This behavior was found more pronounced for the 20% non-reactive SEBS-30, for which the SEM analysis showed reduced phase segregation and revealed a more homogeneous fracture surface. This was further supported by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis, which showed evidence of an interaction between one or more polymer phases. With a room temperature performance equivalent to that of virgin conventional polymers, the SEBS-30 compatibilization approach has made it possible to consider using unsortable WEEE streams as recycled materials in commercial applications.

Mosquito salivary gland protein preservation in the field for immunological and biochemical analysis.

Mosquito salivary proteins are involved in several biological processes that facilitate their blood feeding and have also been reported to elicit an IgG response in vertebrates. A growing number of studies have focused on this immunological response for its potential use as a biological marker of exposure to arthropod bites. As mosquito saliva collection is extremely laborious and inefficient, most research groups prefer to work on mosquito salivary glands (SGs). Thus, SG protein integrity is a critical factor in obtaining meaningful data from immunological and biochemical analysis. Current methodologies rely on an immediate freezing of SGs after their collection. However, the maintenance of samples in a frozen environment can be hard to achieve in field conditions. In this study, SG proteins from two mosquito species (Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae s.s.) stored in different media for 5 days at either +4°C or room temperature (RT) were evaluated at the quantitative (i.e., ELISA) and qualitative (i.e., SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting) levels. Our results indicated that PBS medium supplemented with an anti-protease cocktail seems to be the best buffer to preserve SG antigens for 5 days at +4°C for ELISA analysis. Conversely, cell-lysis buffer (Urea-Thiourea-CHAPS-Tris) was best at preventing protein degradation both at +4°C and RT for further qualitative analysis. These convenient storage methods provide an alternative to freezing and are expected to be applicable to other biological samples collected in the field.

Influence of fluoride, hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid on the corrosion resistance of commercially pure titanium.

Titanium is widely used in dental implantology and orthopaedics due to its excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. However, it has been reported that Ti is sensitive to F(-), H(2)O(2) and lactic acid. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the corrosion resistance of CP-Ti disks after 9 days immersion in different test solutions, based on artificial saliva containing F(-) (0.5% and 2.5%), H(2)O(2) (0.1% and 10%) and/or lactic acid. Because activated macrophages and bacteria can also release locally some of these oxidative compounds, we investigated the role of these cells when plated onto titanium disks. The surface roughness (R(a)) was highly increased when titanium disks were immersed in artificial saliva containing F(-), H(2)O(2) and lactic acid. After 21 days of cell culture, R(a) was significantly increased on disks incubated with activated-J774.2 cells or Streptococcus mitis. AFM appeared to be more sensitive than SEM in evaluating the corrosion of the titanium. Chemical species, either environmental or those released by macrophages and bacteria, can provoke a marked attack of the titanium surface.

Production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies against Haemophilus parasuis and study of their protective role in mice.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Haemophilus parasuis were obtained by the fusion of SP2/0-Ag14 murine myeloma cells and spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with a whole-bacterial-cell suspension (WC) of H. parasuis strain SW124 (serotype 4). Two MAbs showing strong reactivity in ELISA were further characterized using SDS-PAGE and Western-blot assays. Different treatments of the WC indicated that MAbs 4D5 and 4G9 identified epitopes of proteinic and polysaccharidic nature, respectively. Electron microscopic examination revealed that, unlike the proteinic epitopes, the lipopolysaccharidic epitopes were exposed on the surface of the cell. Using coagglutination, Western-blot and dot-blot assays it was found that both MAbs recognized common epitopes of all the reference strains and field isolates of H. parasuis. None of the other bacteria tested reacted with the MAbs. These results indicated that both the proteinic and polysaccharidic antigens carried species-specific epitopes. It is suggested that these MAbs may potentially be useful for identification of H. parasuis isolates as well as for developing serological diagnostic tools. MAbs 4D5 and 4G9 were unable to kill H. parasuis in vitro in the presence of complement. However, an enhanced bacterial clearance from blood was observed in mice inoculated with either of the MAbs. Highly significant protection was observed in mice using MAb 4G9. This is believed to be the first report of MAbs capable of identifying common species-specific antigens of H. parasuis and of their implication in protection against challenge infection in mice.

Development of a new serological test for serotyping Haemophilus parasuis isolates and determination of their prevalence in North America.

Haemophilus parasuis causes polyserositis in swine. Fifteen serovars have been characterized by immunodiffusion test, but many field strains are not typeable. Isolates (n = 300) of H. parasuis from animals in North America were serotyped by a new indirect hemagglutination test. The test was rapid and effective for serotyping of H. parasuis, and serovars 4, 5, 13, and 7 were the most prevalent serotypes.

[Ecology and transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans]. / Ecologie et mode de transmission de Mycobacterium ulcerans.

Mycobacterium ulcerans is an environmental pathogen concerning mainly the tropical countries; it is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, which has become the third most important mycobacterial disease. In spite of water-linked epidemiological studies to identify the sources of M. ulcerans, the reservoir and the mode of transmission of this organism remain elusive. To determine the ecology and the mode of transmission of M. ulcerans we have set up an experimental model. This experimental model demonstrated that water bugs were able to transmit M. ulcerans by bites. In insects, the bacilli were localized exclusively within salivary glands, where it could both multiply contrary to other mycobacteria species. In another experimental study, we report that the crude extracts from aquatic plants stimulate in vitro the growth of M. ulcerans as much as the biofilm formation by M. ulcerans has been observed on aquatic plants. Given that the water bugs are essentially carnivorous, it is difficult to imagine a direct contact in the contamination of aquatic bugs and plants. It seems very likely that an intermediate host exists. In an endemic area of Daloa in Côte d'Ivoire, our observations were confirmed.

[Antibody avidity: use for the diagnosis of HIV early infection]. / Avidité des anticorps: application au diagnostic d'infection récente à VIH1.

Determination of IgG avidity is useful to distinguish primary infection from reactivation or reinfection in viral, parasitic or bacterial infections. For diagnosis of HIV type 1 primary infection, the detection of IgM antibodies is often useless since they are also found in chronic infection. The usual serology (Elisa, western-blot, p24 antigen) may present no interest if done too late (more than 2 or 3 months after infection). Therefore, we have developed a test to determine the avidity of anti-HIV1 antibodies, using 1 M guanidine as denaturing agent. We have adapted the measurement of avidity to the Axsym automatic system for a routine use. Indeed, since requests for avidity determinations are sporadic, the use of microplates is not convenient. Using this assay, we found a low avidity (less than 50%) in immunocompetent and recent infected patients (less than 6 months), compared to old infected patients (more than 12 months) who had high avidity (80 to 100%). However, early treated patients (in the 6 months after contamination) had also low avidities but with a slower development of antibody maturation (8 to 27 months versus 2 to 8 months in non treated patients). To conclude, the determination of the anti-HIV1 avidity, according to the proper procedures explained here (notion of treatment and/or serious immunodepression), may help the physician to date the infection in each new infected patient who might benefit from an early treatment.

Evaluation of counterimmunoelectrophoresis for serotyping Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates and detection of type-specific antigens in lungs of infected pigs.

A rapid, simple, and accurate counterimmunoelectrophoresis technique was developed for serotyping cultures of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae as well as for detection of their type-specific antigens in the lung tissues of infected pigs. The counterimmunoelectrophoresis test correctly identified all of the reference antigens and more than 99% of 1,200 field isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae representing the 12 established serotypes within 1 h. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis and coagglutination tests did not differ broadly in sensitivity from each other. Both procedures were more rapid and more sensitive than immunodiffusion and indirect hemagglutination tests. A total of 355 lung tissue samples (130 lungs of pigs that died because of acute respiratory problems, 125 lungs of pigs from herds with chronically infected pleuropneumonia, and 100 lungs from apparently healthy pigs at the slaughterhouse) were examined for the presence of A. pleuropneumoniae type-specific antigens by counterimmunoelectrophoresis, coagglutination, and immunodiffusion tests. A. pleuropneumoniae type-specific antigen was found in all 55 samples from which the bacteria had earlier been isolated and in 27 specimens in which they had not been found. Detection of antigen in the lung tissues by coagglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis tests was found to be much simpler and much more rapid than conventional culture isolation. Both counterimmunoelectrophoresis and coagglutination tests were found extremely useful in the diagnosis of acute cases of porcine pleuropneumonia. However, these techniques were able to detect only some of the chronically infected carrier pigs.

Continuous flow quantification of total mercury in whole blood, plasma, erythrocytes, and urine by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

Mercury determination in blood and urine can be performed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPAES) after dilution in an ammonia buffer and reduction by sodium borohydride. The proposed method does not need an oxidative mineralization. The sample is not nebulized into the torch, but the mercury vapor, after collection in a reactor vial, is swept into the plasma by the argon carrier gas using the described glass apparatus.

Cross-reactivity and antigenic heterogeneity among Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains of serotypes 4 and 7.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains of serotypes 4 and 7 were studied for their antigenic properties by means of agglutination, coagglutination, indirect hemagglutination, immunodiffusion, and counterimmunoelectrophoresis tests. Strains of serotype 4 showed cross-reactivity with those of serotype 7 in various serological tests. Serotype 7 strains were antigenically heterogeneous and shared common antigens with several other serotypes. By using boiled whole-cell saline extract as the antigen in the immunodiffusion test, serotype 7 strains could be divided into four subgroups. Subgroup I strains did not have antigens in common with other serotypes, whereas subgroup II strains had antigens in common with serotype 4; subgroup III strains had antigens in common with serotype 10, and subgroup IV had antigens in common with serotypes 1, 9, and 11. The indirect hemagglutination test using unheated whole-cell saline extract as the antigen detected serotype-specific activity. Quantification of serotype-specific and group-specific antigens by coagglutination and immunodiffusion tests was found useful for identifying strains that belonged to serotype 4 or 7.

[Assay of total mercury in blood, plasma and erythrocytes by emission spectrometry-induced plasma HF (SEPIHF)]. / Dosage du mercure total dans le sang, le plasma et les érythrocytes par spectrométrie d'émission--plasma induit HF (SEPIHF).

The mercury quantification in blood can be performed by ICPAES after dilution in an ammonia buffer and reduction by sodium borohydride. The proposed method does not need mineralization. The sample is not nebulized in the torch but the mercury vapor, after collection in a reactor vial, is swept into the plasma by the carrier gas (argon) using the described glass apparatus, and quantified at lambda = 253.65 nm.

Quantification of desferrioxamine in blood plasma by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

A sensitive method, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, is used to measure desferrioxamine in blood plasma. The desferrioxamine is transformed into its iron chelate, ferrioxamine, which is extracted into benzyl alcohol, then re-extracted into HCl (0.5 mol/L), which is used as the sample for the spectroscopy. For a 0.5-mL plasma sample, the detection limit (1 microgram/mL) suffices for following the concentration of desferrioxamine in plasma after its subcutaneous or intramuscular injection (40 mg per kg of body weight). Neither blood pigments nor trace metals interfere.

Psychological impact of neurotrauma in the acute care setting.

Meeting the psychological needs of neurotrauma patients in the acute care setting is a challenging experience. Nurses must be aware of and cope with their own emotional responses to devastating losses experienced by the spinal cord injured and head trauma patients. Specific interventions for neurology patients can be designed to minimize the psychological trauma imposed by intensive care units. Assisting the patient through the initial crisis period and establishing short-term, realistic goals is crucial. The acute care setting and the successful management of psychological needs are the foundation the neurotrauma patient builds on as he begins the long, arduous journey through the rehabilitation process.

Models of family-centered care in one acute care institution.

Focus on the emotional responses and needs of critically ill patients has grown to encompass a focus on their families as well. Moos notes that the family as well as the patient faces a number of adaptive tasks in the crisis of serious illness. These include managing the hospital environment, keeping reasonable emotional balance, negotiating relationships with the treatment staff, preserving self-image, preserving a relationship with the patient, and preparing for an uncertain future. The complexity of these tasks and the coping skills needed to master them speaks to the role of the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist in the acute care setting. This article has highlighted some activities of psychiatric clinical nurse specialists working with families in the acute care setting. Included have been support groups, indirect models, contracting, professional families, VIP/VRP families, families in the intensive care setting, and families in transition from intensive care to floor care. All emphasize the importance and needs of the family as well as the patient during hospitalization in an acute care setting.