Due to anthropogenic actions, the presence of pollutants in water bodies, such as toxic metals, are increasingly negatively affecting water quality, biodiversity and sustainable goals worldwide. Therefore, decentralization of water pollution monitoring with low-cost devices, such as using smartphones, suggests an innovative green technology for in situ and real-time control. In this study, a Handheld Smartphone Spectrophotometry System (HSSS) was developed to estimate copper and iron concentration water samples. The system mainly comprises a portable commercial spectrometer (GoSpectro) that can measure the spectrum of light in the visible region. The HSSS LOD and LOQ for copper were equal to 0.589 and 1.784 mg/L, respectively, and 0.479 and 1.450 mg/L, respectively for iron. In addition, the results of copper and iron concentrations in samples with unknown concentrations using HSSS were close to the Benchtop Spectrophometer (BS). Finally, HSSS performance showed to be a new green technology for water quality management with potential applications for monitoring water resources and also providing further possibilities to measure other pollutants by the same technique, in addition to metals.
Environmental Pollutants , Metals, Heavy , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Copper/analysis , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Environmental Pollutants/analysis , Iron/analysis , Metals, Heavy/analysis , Smartphone , Spectrum Analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Water Pollution/analysis
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the world's fastest-growing class of waste. WEEE contain a large amount of precious materials that have aroused the interest to develop new recycling technologies. Hence, effective recycling strategies are extremely necessary to promote the proper handling of these materials as well as for environmentally sound recovery of secondary raw resource. This paper reviews important existing methods and emerging technologies in WEEE management, with special emphasis in characterization, extraction and reclamation of precious materials from waste computer and mobile phones. Traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies still play a central role in the recovery of metals. More recently, emerging greener recycling technologies using microorganisms (i.e. biometallurgical), plasma arc fusion method and pretreatments (i.e. ultrasound and mechanochemical technologies) combined with other recycling methods (e.g. hydrometallurgical), and using less toxic solvents such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have also been attempted to recycle metals from computer and mobile phone scrap. The role of analytical method development, especially using spectroanalytical methods for chemical inspection and e-waste sorting process at industrial applications is also discussed. This confirmed that most direct sampling techniques such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and X-ray fluorescence (XFR) have several advantages over traditional sorting methods including rapid analytical response, without use of chemical reagents or waste generation, and greater reclamation of precious and critical materials in the WEEE stream.
Cell Phone , Electronic Waste , Waste Management , Computers , Recycling
The reproductive biology and embryonic development of Typhlopidae have rarely been explored. This family of snakes includes mostly oviparous species with uterine egg retention, but the morphology and development of embryos remain unknown. This work aimed to describe the embryonic development of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus from the northeast of Argentina. For this purpose, embryos from intrauterine eggs of gravid females and eight post-ovipositional eggs incubated in the laboratory were analyzed. Embryonic stages, corresponding to the early, mid and advanced development, and a hatchling were described. The main organs and systems form during the period of intrauterine embryonic retention. Comparing to other snakes, differences in the development of cranial structures such as encephalic vesicles and mandibular and maxillary processes were identified. After oviposition the development and differentiation of the tissues and organs completes, the body scales develop, the characteristic pattern of pigmentation establishes and the embryo grows and consumes the yolk. On average, the incubation period lasts 55 days. Differences in the stage of development at oviposition among females of different populations were observed. Embryonic retention could extend up to advanced stages of development.
Embryonic Development , Oviposition/physiology , Snakes/embryology , Snakes/physiology , Uterus/physiology , Animals , Argentina , Embryo, Nonmammalian/anatomy & histology , Female
Objetivo: Estudio de la metodología empleada en el diagnóstico de las demencias en España y valoración del tratamiento más frecuente desde el punto de vista de la geriatría. Material y método: Se realizó un censo exhaustivo, cerrado el 31-10-2004, de recursos asistenciales para la atención geriátrica especializada de la demencia. Posteriormente, se realizó un estudio transversal. Los centros fueron distribuidos y validados por representantes autonómicos de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología (SEGG). Resultados: En general, el programa de atención a la demencia más utilizado en España es la psicoestimulación (el 59% de los centros), mientras que el principal protocolo específico es el de nutrición (el 81% de los centros), seguido por el de movilidad y cribado de depresión (el 75 y el 73%, respectivamente). Los tratamientos farmacológicos más difundidos entre los centros españoles son los fármacos anticolinesterásicos y los neurolépticos, usados en el 33 y el 32% de los pacientes, respectivamente. Además, los principios activos específicos para la demencia más utilizados son: donepezilo, rivastigmina y memantina (el 12, el 11 y el 8% de los pacientes, respectivamente). Conclusiones: La atención especializada de la demencia en España presenta una alta heterogeneidad entre centros, lo que implica una variabilidad importante de la calidad asistencial que reciben los pacientes con demencias. Así, el tratamiento de los pacientes es uno de los puntos que se debe mejorar. Los hospitales son los centros en los que se trata de manera específica a los pacientes demenciados empleando anticolinesterásicos. Por el contrario, en las residencias y otros centros se tiende a utilizar fármacos neurolépticos
Objective: To study the methodology employed for the diagnosis of dementia in Spain and to evaluate the most commonly used pharmacologic treatments in geriatric services. Material and method: We performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The health facilities for the specialized geriatric care of dementia in Spain were included in an exhaustive census closed on 31st October, 2004. The centers were classified and corroborated by representatives from the autonomous communities forming part of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Results: In general, the most frequently used therapeutic modality for dementia in Spain is psychostimulation (59% of the centers), while the main specific protocol is nutrition (81% of the centers), followed by mobility and early detection of depression (75% and 73%, respectively). The main pharmacological treatment in Spanish centers is the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (33% of patients) and neuroleptic drugs (32% of patients). The drugs most commonly used are donepezil, rivastigmine and memantine (12%, 11% and 8% of patients, respectively). Conclusions: The specialized care of dementia in Spain shows wide heterogeneity among centers, suggesting substantial variation in the quality of care received by these patients. Thus, the treatment of patients with dementia is one of the points that should be improved. Hospitals tend to treat patients with dementia with specific treatment consisting of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. In contrast, nursing homes and other centers tend to use neuroleptic drugs
Aged , Humans , Health Services Accessibility , Old Age Assistance , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/therapy , Cross-Sectional Studies , Spain
Relato de um caso de intoxicacao por iodoformio causada pelo uso de gaze iodoformada a 5 por cento para tamponamento de hemorragia difusa em cavidade pelvica, apos amputacao abdomino-perineal por adenocarcinoma de reto. Apos 24 horas em uso do iodoformio apresentou desorientacao, tremores, febre, ictericia e choque hemodinamico. Nao respondeu ao tratamento para encefalopatia hepatica nem a antibioticoterapia empirica para sepse...
Humans , Male , Aged , Iodoformium/poisoning , Bandages , Iodoformium/adverse effects , Iodoformium/therapeutic use
