Effects of wasted anesthetic gases on human lymphocytes – A genetic study

AbstractInformation on potential genetic damage in humans after exposure to waste anaesthetic gases in Egyptian hospitals is scarce. To evaluate the possible genotoxic effects of waste anaesthetic gases, the chromosomal aberrations [CA] and the sister chromatid exchange [SCE] tests, were studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes in 26 operating room personnel (exposed group) currently employed at Tanta University hospitals, in comparison to a group of 13 non-exposed persons (control group), matched by age, sex and smoking habits. The results showed a statistically significant increase in chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchange in the exposed persons in comparison to controls. Also it suggests that exposure to waste anaesthetic gases has the potential to cause changes in human genome

Direct Design of Reinforced Concrete Skew Slabs

This thesis presents the results of an experimental and theoretical study of reinforced concrete skew slabs designed using the elastic stress fields in conjunction with the yield criterion for reinforced concrete slabs. The elastic stress field is obtained from finite element program using uncracked stiffness and the yield criterion adopted is given by (M*x - Mx + M*a cos2alpha ) (M*alpha sin2alpha - My) - (Mxy + Ma*sinalpha cosalpha)2 = 0 where Mx, My and Mxy are the elastic applied bending and torsion moments normal to the x and y axis at the ultimate load. M*x and M*a are the ultimate flexural moment capacities of the section normal to the x and skew axis respectively and a is the angle of skew between x and a axis. The experimental work was conducted on a "large scale" skew slabs. The models included slabs of uniform thickness and ribbed slabs. The major parameters were the angle of skew and the arrangement of steel in the slab viz orthogonal or skew directions. The theoretical work was done using the nonlinear finite element program based on the isoparametric Mindlin element. In order to allow for the development of cracks through the thickness, the "layer approach" was adopted. Nonlinear effects due to the yielding of steel, cracking and crushing of concrete were included. A nonlinear finite element program was used to study the spread of yielded zones in the slab, the effect of fixing the direction of crack at its first appearance, prediction of the true deflection at working loads from the elastic deflection at working loads and a careful study of the yield criterion itself. The results show that the design procedure adopted is viable but care has to be taken to ensure that punching shear failure does not occur at obtuse corners

Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block: A Comparative Study to Assess its Analgesic Efficacy in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Aortic Coarctation Repair

Background: Effective postoperative analgesia is an important aspect of both anesthetic practice and postoperative outcomes. Thoracotomy for the repair of coarctation of the aorta is a painful surgical procedure; inadequate postoperative analgesia may result in postoperative respiratory complications with the possible prolonged need for oxygen therapy. In addition, paradoxical hypertension is a well-recognized complication of repair. We hypothesize that erector spinae plane block (ESPB) by providing adequate analgesia and blocking sympathetic stimulation may reduce opioid consumption, accelerate weaning of oxygen therapy, and reduce the incidence of early postoperative paradoxical hypertension. Material and methods: Open-labeled randomized controlled trial carried out on 40 patients divided into two groups. Group (B) received ESPB before the skin incision and group (C), the control group received no block. Results: Patients who received ESPB had significantly less intraoperative fentanyl consumption than the control group (P-value<0.001), and significantly less postoperative fentanyl consumption by 50% than the control group in the first 12 hours 2.025 ±0.273 μg/kg and 4.05 ±0.527 μg/kg respectively (P-value<0.001). while there was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding the incidence of postoperative vasodilator infusion for paradoxical hypertension (P-value=0.054), the pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) (P-value=0.06) nor the time to wean oxygen supply (P-value=0.49).  Conclusion: Erector spinae plane block effectively reduces postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing repair of coarctation of the aorta. However, it did not significantly accelerate weaning from oxygen therapy nor reduce the incidence of vasodilator use for postprocedural hypertension

Treatment of Industrial Oil and Soap Wastewater by Using the Application of Electrocoagulation Process

Electrocoagulation (EC) treatment of oily and soap industrial wastewater was studied in this paper. Operating parameters such as operating time, medium pH, voltage density, and electrode material and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are being investigated in oil and soap removal efficiencies. The maximum efficiency of COD removal is achieved using aluminum electrodes was 96.92%. The performance of EC using aluminum as the electrode exhibited better COD and oil-grease (O&G) removal than the iron electrode. EC is an extremely promising industrial wastewater treatment technique because it is simple, economic and less sludge production technology, especially for oil and soap wastewater. The optimum conditions to achieve high COD removal efficiency of about 96.92% in 30 min was found to be in using initial pH value range 2–3, and a voltage of 20 volts

Avaliação da sorção de lindano sobre carvão ativado derivado de palha de arroz e biomassa fúngica de Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Rice straw was used for preparation of activated carbon using chemical activation by impregnation with concentrated H3 PO4 followed by pyrolysis at 500 º C for 2h. Physicochemical properties were investigated by several procedures; elemental analysis, scan electron microscope and porosity characteristics. Batch experimental mode was applied for adsorption and biosorption studies. A matrix effect analysis is applied to correlate the lindane adsorption or biosorption capacity to the agitation time, initial levels of lindane and carbon dose or biosorbent concentration. The Scanning Electron Microscope images equipped with Energy-dispersive X-ray reflect the enhancement of thermo-chemical activation by H3 PO4 in increasing the porosity of AC. Sorption behavior of Lindane by Activated Carbon (AC) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium, respectively have been studied to compare the obtained results in order to consider cost effective method for agriculture wastewater treatment. The adsorption capacity and distribution coefficients were determined for the adsorption system as a function of sorbate concentration. Under the studied concentrations, the adsorption of lindane by AC and its biosorption by Phanerochaete chrysosporium match to Langmuir as well as Freundlich isotherms. Afterword, adsorption and biosorption behavior was assessed by calculation of constants for each isothermal model. Finally, Biosorption of Lindane by Phanerochaete chrysosporium showed higher and faster removal compared with AC derived from rice straw.Utilizou-se palha de arroz para a preparação de carvão ativado por ativação química por impregnação com H3PO4 concentrado seguido de pirólise a 500 ºC por 2h. As propriedades físico-químicas foram investigadas por vários procedimentos; Análise elementar, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e características de porosidade. O modo experimental em lote foi aplicado para estudos de adsorção e biossorção. Uma análise de efeito de matriz é aplicada para correlacionar a capacidade de adsorção ou de biossorção de lindano com o tempo de agitação, os níveis iniciais de lindano e dose de carbono ou concentração de biossorvente. As imagens do microscópio eletrônico de varredura, equipadas com raios X de dispersão de energia, refletem o aumento da ativação termoquímica por H3PO4 no aumento da porosidade de AC. O comportamento de sorção do Lindano por Carvão Ativado (AC) e Phanerochaete chrysosporium, respectivamente, tem sido estudado para comparar os resultados obtidos, a fim de considerar o método de custo efetivo para o tratamento de águas residuais da agricultura. A capacidade de adsorção e os coeficientes de distribuição foram determinados para o sistema de adsorção em função da concentração de sorbato. Sob as concentrações estudadas, a adsorção de lindano por AC e sua biossorção por Phanerochaete chrysosporium combinam-se a Langmuir assim como isotermas de Freundlich. O comportamento de adsorção e biossorção foi avaliado por cálculo de constantes para cada modelo isotérmico. Finalmente, a Biossorção de Lindano por Phanerochaete chrysosporium mostrou maior e mais rápida remoção comparada com AC derivada de palha de arroz

Assessment of left atrial function in dilated cardiomyopathy patients using speckle-tracking echocardiography

Background: The available methods to assess left atrial function (LAF) have some limitations as angle dependence and opposite distortion. The objective of the current study was to evaluate LAF in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) of ischemic (IDCM) and non-ischemic etiologies (NIDCM) using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Methods: 52 patients with systolic heart failure were included in our study; 27 with IDCM and 25 with NIDCM along with 15 healthy controls. All patients underwent conventional echocardiography, tissue doppler imaging, and speckle tracking echocardiography. The later modality was used to compare left atrial function in IDCM and NIDCM groups. Results: We found the left atrial maximum volume and the left atrial total emptying volume to be higher in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy compared to healthy patients (52.19 ± 6.01 vs.  21.87 ± 1.69 cm3/m2; p <0.001 and 28.67 ± 4.34 vs. 15.67 ± 2.02 cm3/m2, respectively). Conversely, left atrial emptying index and left atrial active ejection fraction were lower in patients with DCM compared to healthy controls (9.60 ± 2.29 vs. 8.27 ± 3.01 cm3/m2; p< 0.001 and 23 ± 2.56 vs. 37.47 ± 3.54 %; p<0.001, respectively). When comparing the IDCM group with NIDCM patients, we found no significant difference in left atrial maximum volume and left atrial active emptying volume. However, the NIDCM patients had significantly lower left atrial total emptying volume, and left atrial active ejection fraction (8.93 ± 1.86 vs. 9.60 ± 2.29 cm3/m2 and 23 ± 2.56 vs. 31.19 ± 1.66 %; p<0.001). on comparing strain function, DCM patients had lower systolic (28.22 ± 3.84 vs. 60.87 ± 3.07 %, p<0.001), and left atrial systolic strain rate (-2.66 ± 0.45 vs. -3.81 ± 0.35; p = 0.003) compared to healthy controls. All strains and strain rates were significantly lower in NIDCM patients compared to IDCM patients.   Conclusion: STE is a promising method for evaluating LAF in DCM patients. Patients with DCM had significantly lower left atrial systolic and late diastolic strains and strain rates compared to healthy patients. Moreover, NIDCM could be differentiated from IDCM by having more impairment in the LA dynamic reservoir and booster pump function