La intervención sobre el tabaquismo en el enfermo ingresado en un hospital: ¿una asignatura pendiente? / The intervention on smoking in the patient admitted to a hospital. Is this a pending subject

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Study on the effect of beam propagation through atmospheric turbulence on standoff nanosecond laser induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements.

We report on an experimental study of the effect of atmospheric turbulence on laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurements. The characteristics of the atmosphere dictate specific performance constraints to this technology. Unlike classical laboratory LIBS systems where the distance to the sample is well known and characterized, LIBS systems working at several tens of meters to the target have specific atmospheric propagation conditions that cause the quality of the LIBS signals to be affected to a significant extent. Using a new LIBS based sensor system fitted with a nanosecond laser emitting at 1064 nm, propagation effects at distances of up to 120 m were investigated. The effects observed include wander and scintillation in the outgoing laser beam and in the return atomic emission signal. Plasmas were formed on aluminium targets. Average signal levels and signal fluctuations are measured so the effect of atmospheric turbulence on LIBS measurements is quantified.

An evaluation of the therapeutic programme conducted by the Southern Regional Alcohol-Abuse Treatment Centre: study on the programme's results one year after discharge from inpatient care.

Given the clinical and social problems caused by the consumption of alcohol in most industrialised countries, there is a strong need to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of integrated care programmes. In this study, the authors describe the results observed in 124 sequentially admitted subjects at various points throughout the course of the first year after their discharge from the Southern Regional Alcohol-Abuse Treatment Centre (CRAS) in Lisbon, Portugal. An inpatient stay at this unit of CRAS lasts for between 5 and 7 weeks and implies that the patient must submit him/herself to a therapeutic model which has been adapted from the Minnesota model. At the end of the year under study 44.3% of the patients were still abstinent, 40.3% were consuming alcohol and 15.4% did not reply. 51 patients (41.1% of the initial sample) were still in regular contact with CRAS for further treatment at that point. The variable that was found to possess the most significant association with a favourable outcome was adherence to the therapeutic programme over the course of that year.

Platinum-group elements: quantification in collected exhaust fumes and studies of catalyst surfaces.

Automotive catalytic converters, in which Pt, Pd and Rh (platinum-group elements; PGEs) are the active components for eliminating several noxious components from exhaust fumes, have become the main source of environmental urban pollution by PGEs. This work reports on the catalyst morphology through changes in catalyst surface by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) from fresh to aged catalytic converters. The distribution of these elements in the fresh catalysts analysed (Pt-Pd-Rh gasoline catalyst) is not uniform and occurs mainly in a longitudinal direction. This heterogeneity seems to be greater for Pt and Pd. PGEs released by the catalysts, fresh and aged 30,000 km, were studied in parallel. Whole raw exhaust fumes from four catalysts of three different types were also examined. Two of these were gasoline catalysts (Pt-Pd Rh and Pd-Rh) and the other two were diesel catalysts (Pt). Samples were collected following the 91,441 EUDC driving cycle for light-duty vehicle testing. The results show that at 0 km the samples collected first have the highest content of particulate PGEs and although the general tendency is for the release to decrease with increasing number of samples taken, exceptions are frequent. At 30,000 km the released PGEs in gasoline and diesel catalysts decreased significantly. For fresh gasoline catalysts the mean of the total amount released was approximately 100, 250 and 50 ng km(-1) for Pt, Pd and Rh, respectively. In diesel catalysts the Pt release varied in the range 400-800 ng km-1. After ageing the catalysts up to 30,000 km, the gasoline catalysts released amounts of Pt between 6 and 8 ng km(-1), Pd between 12 and 16 ng km(-1) and Rh between 3 and 12 ng km(-1). In diesel catalysts the Pt release varied in the range 108-150 ng km(-1). The soluble portion of PGEs in the HNO3 collector solution represented less than 5% of the total amount for fresh catalysts. For 30,000 km the total amount of soluble PGEs released was similar or slightly higher than for 0 km.

Quality control of decontaminating agents.

The present study evaluates the efficiency of the following decontaminating agents for the multiresistant, locally circulating bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa: glutaraldehyde 2%--makes A and B-, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde; povidone-iodine-makes A, B and C-; sodium hypochloride; chloroxylenol--makes A and B-; and lapire chloride. The 9027 ATCC strain was used as a standard. A modification of the method of Kelsey and Sykes (1) was used to evaluate decontaminating efficiency. Highly satisfactory results were obtained with glutaraldehide 2% A and B, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite. The results for povidone-iodine A, B and C were satisfactory but were unsatisfactory for chloroxylenol and lapirium chloride.

Mapping of platinum group metals in automotive exhaust three-way catalysts using laser-induced breakdown spectrometry.

The use of laser-induced breakdown spectrometry for spatial distribution analysis of platinum, rhodium, and palladium in car catalytic converters is discussed. Fresh converters were extracted from the car exhaust system, cut in pieces of an appropriate size, and analyzed for mapping purposes. Spectral detection, pulse energy, and beam focal conditions were optimized according to the ablation behavior of the material. Difficulties in distribution analysis caused by the complex elemental composition of the sample were overcome by an extensive spectral analysis using appropriate internal standards. Data on the spatial distribution of the active metals in both the axial and radial directions of the catalytic structures are presented.

Quality control of decontaminating agents

The present study evaluates the efficiency of the following decontaminating agents for the multiresistant, locally circulating bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa: glutaraldehyde 2

--makes A and B-, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde; povidone-iodine-makes A, B and C-; sodium hypochloride; chloroxylenol--makes A and B-; and lapire chloride. The 9027 ATCC strain was used as a standard. A modification of the method of Kelsey and Sykes (1) was used to evaluate decontaminating efficiency. Highly satisfactory results were obtained with glutaraldehide 2

A and B, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite. The results for povidone-iodine A, B and C were satisfactory but were unsatisfactory for chloroxylenol and lapirium chloride.

Quality control of decontaminating agents.

The present study evaluates the efficiency of the following decontaminating agents for the multiresistant, locally circulating bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa: glutaraldehyde 2

--makes A and B-, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde; povidone-iodine-makes A, B and C-; sodium hypochloride; chloroxylenol--makes A and B-; and lapire chloride. The 9027 ATCC strain was used as a standard. A modification of the method of Kelsey and Sykes (1) was used to evaluate decontaminating efficiency. Highly satisfactory results were obtained with glutaraldehide 2

A and B, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite. The results for povidone-iodine A, B and C were satisfactory but were unsatisfactory for chloroxylenol and lapirium chloride.

Laser induced breakdown spectrometry of vanadium in titania supported silica catalysts.

The capability of laser induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) for vanadium determination in a xV-2TiO(2)-SiO(2) catalyst is presented. The microplasma was generated onto the sample surface using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating in the second harmonic (532 nm). Laser produced plasmas were collected and detected using a charge-coupled device (CCD). In order to minimize the complex spectral interferences of emission lines and matrix effects a wide spectral range (210-660 nm) was studied. The focusing of the laser beam on the surface was optimized to improve the signal-to-background ratio, and consequently the limit of detection. The analytical lines selected were used to evaluate the calibration curve. The detection limit for V was estimated to be 38 mug g(-1) in 2TiO(2)-SiO(2). The method precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) was better than 6% in the concentration range 200-1000 mug g(-1).

[Biological safety in dentistry: development of a useful method for quality control of sterilization]. / Bioseguridad en odontología: desarrollo de una metodología útil para el control de calidad de esterilización.

534 autoclaves from Rosario dentist offices were controlled by a method developed in our laboratory, that consists in: a) a procedures instruction; b) a survey ; c) a colorimetric control; d) a biological control. By this method it is possible to detect the mistake in the autoclave function by only one step. The results showed that 86.90% of the autoclaves lacked thermometers, 76.60% lacked manual thermostats, 83.33% were automatic and 58.80% did not sterilize. It can be concluded the necessity of a periodic control by this method, the importance of a commercial quality control of the furnaces and the urgency of continuous education over biosafety concepts.

Bioseguridad en odontología: desarrollo de una metodología útil para el control de calidad de esterilización / [Biological safety in dentistry: development of a useful method for quality control of sterilization]

534 autoclaves from Rosario dentist offices were controlled by a method developed in our laboratory, that consists in: a) a procedures instruction; b) a survey ; c) a colorimetric control; d) a biological control. By this method it is possible to detect the mistake in the autoclave function by only one step. The results showed that 86.90

of the autoclaves lacked thermometers, 76.60

were automatic and 58.80

did not sterilize. It can be concluded the necessity of a periodic control by this method, the importance of a commercial quality control of the furnaces and the urgency of continuous education over biosafety concepts.

Bioseguridad en odontología: desarrollo de una metodología útil para el control de calidad de esterilización. / [Biological safety in dentistry: development of a useful method for quality control of sterilization]

534 autoclaves from Rosario dentist offices were controlled by a method developed in our laboratory, that consists in: a) a procedures instruction; b) a survey ; c) a colorimetric control; d) a biological control. By this method it is possible to detect the mistake in the autoclave function by only one step. The results showed that 86.90

of the autoclaves lacked thermometers, 76.60

lacked manual thermostats, 83.33

were automatic and 58.80

did not sterilize. It can be concluded the necessity of a periodic control by this method, the importance of a commercial quality control of the furnaces and the urgency of continuous education over biosafety concepts.

[Influenza in Rosario: seroepidemiology]. / Influenza en Rosario: seroepidemiología.

A seroepidemiologic investigation was carried out in order to remake the experience of the population of Rosario, Argentina, with different strains of virus influenza type A (prototype strains and minor variations). PR/8/34 (HO N1); FM/1/47 (H1 N1); R/1/62 (H2 N2); HK/1/68 (H3 N2); E/42/72 (H3 N2); PCh/1/73 (H3 N2). It could be established that the tested strains circulated in this City, probably while they prevale in other parts of the world. A 34,6% of recent infections for the prevalent strains could be estimated from the present investigations.

Influenza en Rosario: seroepidemiología / [Influenza in Rosario: seroepidemiology]

A seroepidemiologic investigation was carried out in order to remake the experience of the population of Rosario, Argentina, with different strains of virus influenza type A (prototype strains and minor variations). PR/8/34 (HO N1); FM/1/47 (H1 N1); R/1/62 (H2 N2); HK/1/68 (H3 N2); E/42/72 (H3 N2); PCh/1/73 (H3 N2). It could be established that the tested strains circulated in this City, probably while they prevale in other parts of the world. A 34,6

of recent infections for the prevalent strains could be estimated from the present investigations.

Influenza en Rosario: seroepidemiología. / [Influenza in Rosario: seroepidemiology]

A seroepidemiologic investigation was carried out in order to remake the experience of the population of Rosario, Argentina, with different strains of virus influenza type A (prototype strains and minor variations). PR/8/34 (HO N1); FM/1/47 (H1 N1); R/1/62 (H2 N2); HK/1/68 (H3 N2); E/42/72 (H3 N2); PCh/1/73 (H3 N2). It could be established that the tested strains circulated in this City, probably while they prevale in other parts of the world. A 34,6

of recent infections for the prevalent strains could be estimated from the present investigations.