Determination of rhodamine b in cosmetics, candy, water, and plastic by a novel multiwalled carbon nanotube (mwcnt)@zinc oxide@magnetite nanocomposite for magnetic solid-phase extraction (mspe) with spectrophotometric detection

A new magnetic solid phase microextraction method (MSPE) was developed for the preconcentration of rhodamine B from plastics, cosmetics, and environmental samples before spectrophotometric analysis. A nanocomposite adsorbent containing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles was synthesized by a hydrothermal procedure. The new magnetic nanocomposite (MWCNTs@ZnO@Fe3O4) was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pH, sample volume, eluent type, adsorbent mass, influence of foreign species, and analyte-adsorbent and eluent contact times were optimized. The optimum pH was 3; adsorbent mass, 20 mg; sample volume, 50 mL; and eluent, 0.7 mL of ethanol. Recovery values exceeding 95% were obtained. The developed vortex assisted magnetic solid phase extraction method (VA-MSPE) was applied to practical analysis. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.83 & mu;g L-1 and 2.77 & mu;g L-1, respectively. The addition/recovery experiments were carried on several water samples to demonstrate acceptable recoveries

Optimization of arsenic removal from an acid mine drainage in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor

This study aims at optimizing the arsenic removal performance of a sulfidogenic anaerobic MBR treating acid mine drainage (AMD). The feed sulfate concentration was kept constant at 2,000 mg/L and ethanol concentration was decreased steadily from 1,500 mg COD/L to 500 mg COD/L. Metal concentrations were kept at 75 or 150 mg/L Fe, 25 mg/L Cu, 5 mg/L Zn, 5 mg/L Co, 5 mg/L Mn, 2.5 mg/L Ni and 2.5 mg/L As. High sulfide concentration led to dissolution of orpiment (As2S3) and low As removal efficiency. Later, decrease of sulfide concentration in the bioreactor resulted in increasing As removal efficiency over 99% due to formation of orpiment and co-precipitation of As with amorphous iron precipitates. Flux was increased up to around 10 L/(m2h) (LMH). It was concluded that heavy metals in the AMD behaved as a filtration aid and increased the sludge filterability, which was assessed by the regular analyses of supernatant filterability, specific resistance to filtration and capillary suction time. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Measurement of choroid thickness in pregnant women using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography

Objetivo: Investigar a espessura da coroide em gestantes saudáveis durante os diferentes trimestres utilizando tomografia de coerência óptica com profundidade de imagem aprimorada (EDI-OCT). Métodos: Este estudo prospectivo incluiu 90 gestantes saudáveis nos primeiro, segundo e terceiro trimestres da gravidez (grupos 1, 2 e 3, respectivamente) e 30 mulheres saudáveis não-gestantes (grupo 4) com faixa etária de 18-40 anos de idade. Foi realizada tomografia de coerência óptica espectral para estimar a espessura média da coroide. A espessura da coroide foi medida manualmente da borda externa do epitélio pigmentar da retina até o limite interno da esclera nas regiões subfoveal, 3 mm temporal e 3 mm nasal à fóvea utilizando EDI-OCT. As diferenças entre os grupos foram analisadas com o teste ANOVA unicaudal. Resultados: Houve diferença estatística significativa na espessura média da coroide entre os grupos 2 e 4 nas regiões subfoveal, temporal e nasal à fóvea (p=0,007; p<0,001; p=0,026, respectivamente). A espessura média da coroide no grupo 2 foi: 395 ± 80 µm, 338 ± 77 µm e 233 ± 61 µm nas regiões subfoveal, temporal e nasal à fóvea, respectivamente. Em comparação, a espessura média da coroide no grupo 4 foi de: 335 ± 86 µm, 275 ± 54 µm e 200 ± 53 µm, nas regiões subfoveal, temporal e nasal à fóvea, respectivamente. Não foi encontrada diferença estatística significativa entre os grupos 1-4 (p=0,214, p=0,177, p=0,094, respectivamente) e os grupos 3-4 (p=0,105, p=0,261, p=0,695 respectivamente), para todas as medidas. Conclusão: Nossos resultados sugerem que há espessamento da coroide nas regiões subfoveal, temporal e nasal à fóvea no segundo trimestre gestacional

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema and Conservative Therapies

WOS: 000269581400007Lymphedema is characterized by generalized or regional accumulation of protein-rich interstitial fluid that occurs as a consequence of congenital or acquired disruption of lymphatic circulation. Cancer-related lymphedema is the most common cause of secondary upper and lower extremity lymphedema. Secondary arm lymphedema is a chronic and disabling condition which affects a significant number of women who undergo breast cancer treatment. The incidence of breast cancer-related lymphedema was reported to be between 2.4 to 56%. Extensive surgical nodal clearing and irradiation are the most important risk factors for the development of lymphedema. Besides preventive approaches of treatment related complications and lymphedema, various therapeutic interventions have been proposed to treat this disabling condition. In the absence of well-designed randomized studies, consensus has not been attained concerning the appropriate treatment of lymphedema. Complex decongestive therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, self-adminitered lymphatic drainage, pneumatic pumps, laser therapy, oral pharmaceuticals, compression bandaging and garments, limb exercises and elevation are among the common conservative therapies used for managing lymphedema. This review overviews the risk factors, assessment methods, preventive approaches and treatment regimens that have been used for the management of lymphedema. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2009;55:30-35

Self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactor for textile industry wastewater treatment

The robustness of anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR) for synthetic textile wastewater treatment was investigated. Textile wastewater may contain high concentrations of NaCl and sulfate, hence their impact on the AnDMBR performance was investigated in detail. A dynamic membrane was formed on a 20-μm pore sized nylon support layer at a constant flux of around 8 LMH. In the absence of sulfate addition, total and filtered (soluble) COD averaged 96 ± 49 mg/L (91% removal) and 75 ± 35 mg/L (93% removal), respectively. Sulfate addition increased total COD in the permeate to 222 ± 68 mg/L (79% removal). Average SS concentration was lower than 30 mg/L in the permeate although its concentration in the bioreactor reached 10 g/L. Throughout the AnDMBR operation dye removal averaged >97%. Sludge filterability, which was assessed by specific resistance to filtration, supernatant filtration, capillary suction time and viscosity, decreased after sulfate addition. Organic and inorganic matters in the dynamic layer were characterized by SEM-EDS and FTIR analyses. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Process optimization and filtration performance of an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor treating textile wastewaters

The study aimed at investigating the performance of anaerobic dynamic MBR (AnDMBR) for the treatment of synthetic textile wastewater. A laboratory scale anaerobic bioreactor was operated to test nylon mesh support materials with different pore sizes (20 μm, 53 μm and 100 μm). The performances of the AnDMBR were evaluated with a stimulated wastewater containing 1,000 mg.L−1 COD and 100 mg.L−1 dye (Remazol Brilliant Violet 5R). To develop an effective dynamic cake layer on the support material, different operational strategies, i.e. high flux, continuous and intermittently biogas recycle were studied for process optimization and increase the filtration performances. Initially, the bioreactor was operated under continuous biogas recycle. Under this operation strategy, the cake layer was not formed, then intermittent biogas recycle was applied to improve the development of dynamic layer. Effluent SS decreased below 20 mg-SS.L−1 for all the tested different pore sized supports after the development of the cake layer. Almost complete color (>99%) and high COD removal efficiencies (95–97%) were observed. For all the three supports, the bioreactor was operated at fluxes of 5–15 L.(m2.h)−1 (LMH), which was quite high compared to conventional AnMBRs equipped with micro/ultra-filtration membranes. In order to better understand the formation and its structure, detailed cake layer characterization analyses were conducted with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM coupled Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP). Provided the formation of the cake layer, the comparable flux and removal performances with AnMBRs for all three tested support materials were possible. © 2020 Elsevier Lt

Association of Radiological Grading with Clinical Variables and Functional Status in Patients with Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis

WOS: 000264851900017Objective: The general opinion is that there is a disparity between symptoms and radiological abnormalities in osteoarthritis (OA), but some recent studies emphasize the potential contribution of underlying joint disease to the degree of pain and disability. Our aim was to assess the relationship between radiographic grading and demographic features, clinical variables and functional status in patients with hip and knee OA. Material and Methods: 128 patients (61.8 +/- 9.5 years, 84 knee and 44 hip OA) were included in the study. Demographic features, duration of disease and stiffness, and severity of pain were assessed using visual analog scale (VAS). Range of motion (ROM) measurements and radiological grading were performed. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) was used for evaluating pain, stiffness and physical functions, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) was used for evaluating general health status. These variables were compared between three groups based on Kellgren-Lawrence radiological grades (grade 2, 3, 4). Results: Age, body mass index, ROM values, VAS (p = 0.0001), WOMAC pain, function and total score (p = 0.007, p = 0.03 and p = 0.03 respectively), physical functioning, bodily pain, social functioning and emotional role of SF-36 (p = 0.007, p = 0.008, p = 0.02 and p = 0.009 respectively) were worsened according to radiological grade in knee OA. Duration of disease, ROM values, VAS (p = 0.006) and bodily pain subscale of SF-36 (p = 0.03) were worsened in hip OA; no significant difference was detected in WOMAC subscales and total score. Conclusion: Clinical variables, functional status and quality of life deteriorated with radiological grade in knee OA patients and this deterioration was significant in grade 4. However, this association, especially of functional status, could not be confirmed in hip OA patients

Comprehensive analysis of parotid mass: A retrospective study of 369 cases

Objective: To present the results of patients who underwent superficial or total parotidectomy because of parotid gland tumors in our tertiary care clinic