Study of the operative conditions and the optimum amount of municipal incinerator bottom ash for the obtainment of ceramic floor tiles.

The idea of reusing municipal incinerator bottom ash (MIBA), the residue from incinerating municipal solid wastes, fits nicely in a circular economy scheme, which leads to an avoided impact of landfill disposal, and at the same time reduces the demand of natural resources. Past studies have attempted to add 20 to 60% MIBA for ceramic production, and resulted in some inspiring success. Focused on delivering quality interior and exterior floor tiles meeting industrial standards, this study investigated the operative conditions and the optimum amount of MIBA in the mix. In this study, only the kaolinite clay and MIBA were used. Before making specimens, raw materials of clay and MIBA underwent SEM, EDS, and TCLP tests to determine their chemical contents. Six sets of specimens with different replacement levels of MIBA (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30%) were then prepared. These specimens were fired at 1000°C, 1050°C,1100°C, and 1150°C and the products underwent a series of mechanical tests to verify their performance. NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) were also used to determining the organic compound structure after each specimens' crystallization. Research results showed that proper mix of MIBA up to 20% could result in quality tiles complying with specifications for interior and exterior flooring applications at certain kiln temperatures, while the specimens with 30% MIBA failed to meet either bending strength or size shrinkage requirement at all four kiln temperatures, and could not deliver a satisfactory result.

Sexual dysfunction in males following low anterior resection.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in males one year after undergoing low anterior resection and to determine whether health care professionals discuss sexual issues with patients after surgery. BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction in males may be a complication after low anterior resection for rectal cancer, but few studies have explored this issue in Taiwan. DESIGN: A descriptive comparison study design. METHODS: A descriptive comparison design was used, and a group of 133 participants underwent a low anterior resection procedure for rectal cancer. The results were compared with those of a group of males who underwent colectomy (n = 58) for colon cancer. The following instruments were used: the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function, personal demographics and medical variables. RESULTS: The results showed that the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among the low anterior resection patients was 97·0% (129/133), and the erectile dysfunction prevalence was 75·9% (44/58) for the males who underwent colectomy. The generalised linear model showed that after controlling for hypertension and stoma, the low anterior resection group had worse sexual function than those in the colectomy group, and stoma was also a factor that impacted patients' sexual function. The results also revealed that only 32·8-35·3% of health care providers talked about sexual dysfunction with people who have rectal cancer prior to surgery. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that men who have undergone low anterior resection have a high risk of sexual dysfunction and that health care professionals infrequently discuss these issues with patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: When patients are diagnosed with rectal cancer and before they undergo surgery, an assessment and discussion of sexual function issues should be incorporated into standard care. Continued follow-up after hospital discharge and evaluations of sexual function are vital factors for male postoperative rectal cancer patients.

Comparison of professional values between nursing students in Taiwan and China.

BACKGROUND: People in both Taiwan and China originally descended from the Han Chinese, but the societies have been separated for approximately 38 years. Due to different political systems, variations exist in healthcare and nursing education systems in Taiwan and China. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the professional values of nursing students in Taiwan and China. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was applied in this study. The Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised was used to measure the professional values of the students. The questionnaire was distributed to eligible undergraduate students in a classroom setting. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the first investigator's university. Participants were informed that completion and return of the questionnaire was voluntary, and confidentiality was ensured by keeping the responses anonymous. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample included 292 Taiwanese students and 654 Chinese students. FINDINGS: A total of 11 individual Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised items showed significant differences between the two groups. These results reflect the differences in the perceived importance of these items between the groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the mean overall scores for the Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised (p = .766) and three subscales (all p > .05). CONCLUSION: There are some differences in professional values between nursing students in Taiwan and China. Given the increasingly frequent and close interactions between Taiwan and China and the globalization of nursing, understanding these differences may help nursing educators identify students' perceptions of their professional values and support the development of strategies to improve weaknesses in professional values.

Micro-observations of different types of nano-Al2O3on the hydration of cement paste with sludge ash replacement.

In recent years, sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants have become important in developing countries. Consequently, the amount of sewage sludge produced by these countries has been gradually increasing, and determining how to properly recycle this sludge is becoming an important topic for researchers. In this study, to expand the recyclability of sewage sludge ash (SSA) in engineering applications, two types of nano-aluminium oxides (Al2O3), MC2A and MC2R, were added to SSA/cement paste and mortar specimens. The MC2R type (γ phase) had a smaller particle size and larger specific surface area than the MC2A type (α phase). The results indicate that the addition of nano-Al2O3to SSA/cement paste can effectively improve the hydration products of the paste. Moreover, the amount of hydration products increased as the amount of nano-Al2O3added to the SSA/cement paste increased. The test results indicate that MC2A nano-Al2O3can more uniformly distribute in the paste body and improve the hydration of cement than MC2R nano-Al2O3. Thus, more calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel and calcium aluminate hydrate (C-A-H) salts were produced, and the strength of the specimens was improved. This study suggests that MC2A nano-Al2O3is preferable to MC2R nano- Al2O3for SSA/cement specimen applications.