Treatment of food processing wastes for the production of medium chain fatty acids via chain elongation

The production of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) through reverse β-oxidation was investigated both on synthetic and real substrates. From preliminary batch tests emerged that caproic acid was maximized under an acetate/ethanol molar ratio of 5:1 at neutral pH. This ratio was then adopted in different semi-continuous tests operating with different amounts of the two reactants. It emerged that the MCFAs yield reached the maximum level of 6.7% when the total molar substrate amount was around 40–45 mmol/d, while the process was inhibited for values higher than 400 mmol/d. Semi-continuous tests using real waste as substrates, namely food waste condensate, cheese whey, and winery wastewater, confirmed the results obtained with the synthetic substrates. Better performances were obtained when an adequate molar ratio of the acetate and the electron-donor compound was naturally present. Therefore, a MCFAs yield of 25% and 10.5% was obtained for condensate of food waste and acidic cheese whey, respectively. Regarding MCFAs composition, caproic acid was the dominant form but small concentrations of octanoic acid were also found in the tests where ethanol was the electron donor (synthetic substrates and food waste condensate). Octanoic acid was not produced in test where lactic acid represented the electron donor molecules (cheese whey). Condensate and synthetic samples were dominated by Pseudoclavibacter caeni with an abundance of 38.19% and 33.38% respectively, while Thomasclavelia (24.13%) and Caproiciproducens (11.68%) was the most representative genus in acidic cheese whey sample

Supportive treatment for cast nephropathy in patients with multiple myeloma; a pilot study

Introduction: Cast nephropathy is a prevalent cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with myeloma. Objectives: The aim of this study is to define the outcome of a standardized supportive therapy for cast nephropathy. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of the outcome of cast nephropathy in a University hospital for a period of five years. Data analysed; serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; mL/min/1.73 m2 BSA) and need for dialysis. Standardized therapy with the aim of preventing/removing tubular casts; fluid administration and mannitol to increase urine flow, sodium bicarbonate to alkalize the urine and low dose steroid to reduce peritubular inflammation. Statistical analysis: Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney test according to data distribution. A two-tailed P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Survival curve was drawn according to Kaplan and Meier. Results: Twenty-seven cases were reviewed. Upon admission, mean serum creatinine was 7.1±4.9 mg/dL and mean eGFR 6±4 mL/min/1.73 m2 BSA; 30% of patients had oligo-anuria. Diagnosis of cast nephropathy was presumptive in 23 patients, and renal biopsy proven in four. Hemodialysis was required by 10 (37%) patients, two of whom continued dialysis after discharge. At discharge, serum creatinine was 3.7±2.5 mg/dL and eGFR 20±13 mL/min/1.73 m2 BSA (P=0.002), and after a median of 3.4 months, the values were 2.9±2.1 mg/dL and 35±32 mL/min/1.73 m2 BSA, respectively. Patient survival was 60% after 24 months. Conclusion: Administration of fluid, mannitol, sodium bicarbonate and low-dose steroid may improve the outcome of cast nephropathy. Despite the fact that the study has many limitations, its findings could be the base for prospective controlled trials on cast nephropathy and could be useful in those countries where the expensive extracorporeal treatments are not available

Electron structure, Zitterbewegung, and the new non-linear Dirac-like equation

The recent literature shows a renewed interest, with various independent approaches, in the classical theories for spin. Considering the possible interest of those results, at least for the electron case, we purpose in this paper to explore their physical and mathematical meaning, by the natural and powerful language of Clifford algebras (which, incidentally, will allow us to unify those different approaches). In such theories, the ordinary electron is in general associated to the mean motion of a point-like "constituent" Q, whose trajectory is a cylindrical helix. We find, in particular, that the object Q obeys a new, non-linear Dirac-like equation, such that --when averaging over an internal cycle (which corresponds to linearization)-- it transforms into the ordinary Dirac equation (valid for the electron as a whole).Comment: LaTeX; 19 pages; this is a corrected version of work appeared partly in Hadronic J. 18 (1995) 97 and partly in Phys.Lett. B318 (1993) 48

EXODONTIA DE TERCEIRO MOLAR E PROCEDIMENTO RESTAURADOR EM PACIENTE PORTADOR DE HIV: RELATO DE CASO

O atendimento a pacientes portadores do vírus HIV é um assunto preocupante na área odontológica, visto que é uma forma, ainda que pouco comum, de adquirir a doença, pois durante os procedimentos odontológicos existe grande contato com sangue e saliva. O objetivo com o presente relato foi demonstrar a necessidade de exodontia de terceiros molares em casos em que a reabilitação restauradora proximal do segundo molar se faz necessária. Paciente do sexo masculino, 55 anos, leucoderma, portador do vírus HIV, procurou a clínica integrada de Odontologia da Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina de Joaçaba com a finalidade de melhorar sua saúde bucal. Nas consultas seguintes, observou-se uma lesão cariosa localizada nas faces proximais dos dentes 27 e 28, ou seja, na face distal do 27 e na face mesial do 28. Optou-se então, pela exodontia do elemento 28. Após a extração, a conduta adotada para a resolução da lesão cariosa na face distal do elemento 27 foi o procedimento restaurador, em que se optou pela resina composta, pois o dente não apresentava grande perda de estrutura ou comprometimento de regiões anatômicas de reforço, como cúspide e cristas marginais. Nesse contexto, para proporcionar melhor qualidade de saúde bucal, em alguns casos se torna necessário realizar a exodontia de alguns elementos para possibilitar a manutenção de outros. Além disso, a resina composta tem o papel de reabilitar as condições orais do paciente de forma duradoura e harmoniosa, gerando bem-estar e conforto. O atendimento ao paciente portador do vírus HIV exige atenção aos cuidados com biossegurança buscando evitar uma contaminação cruzada, porém esses pacientes portadores do vírus HIV, quando sua saúde não apresentar complicações sistêmicas, podem ser atendidos sem restrição em relação aos procedimentos odontológicos.Palavras-chave: Síndrome de Imunodeficiência Adquirida. Cirurgia bucal. Cárie dentária

Factores que determinan la acción de chatear por celular mientras se camina

1 recurso en línea (97 páginas) : ilustraciones, figuras, tablas.El presente trabajo de investigación estudia los factores que determinan la acción de chatear mientras se camina, con el propósito de analizar sus causas, desde la perspectiva de los usuarios, y plantear medidas que ayuden a mitigar la conducta de chatear mientras se camina de los peatones. La metodología usada tuvo dos perspectivas basadas en la aplicación de una encuesta a una muestra representativa de la población. En primer lugar, se hizo un análisis empírico a partir de la obtención de barras apiladas divergentes, para un conjunto de indicadores de variables latentes, basados en indicadores de tipo Likert. En segundo lugar, tomando los datos de un experimento de preferencias declaradas, mediante un proceso iterativo, se hizo la estimación de modelos de tipo Logit multinomial a través del software de uso libre Biogeme. De esta manera se pudo concluir que los factores determinantes de la conducta de chatear mientras se caminan están relacionados con características sociales del individuo, políticas de tránsito, características de la infraestructura urbana, características socio-económicas de las personas, así como las características propias del uso del teléfono de cada individuo.Bibliografía y webgrafía: páginas 94-97.PregradoIngeniero de Transport

Vibration based structural assessment of the rehabilitation intervention in r.c. segmental bridge

A vibration based structural assessment campaign was carried out on a r.c. segmental bridge in North East Italy. The bridge has a cantilever static scheme, fixed at the top of the piers and with a hinge at the centre of the span. The particular configuration of the hinge consists in a couple of steel elements, each one composed by a tongue and groove joint. Since the year 1960, the hinge was subjected to consumption and degradation, that caused a malfunctioning of the device. An intervention of rehabilitation of the bridge led to a reinforcement of the existing hinges with the coupling of new metallic devices: new tongue and groove hinges were applied, that by one side allow the horizontal displacements and rotation, by the other side strongly reduce the relative vertical displacements of the two parts of the bridge. A dynamic test campaign was set up in order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. The principal dynamic parameters were calculated and analysed with respect to the intervention that was realized. The tests clearly showed the effectiveness of the intervention, and helped the designer to have a better understanding of the structural behaviour of the bridge

Vibration based structural assessment of the rehabilitation intervention in r.c. segmental bridge

A vibration based structural assessment campaign was carried out on a r.c. segmental bridge in North East Italy. The bridge has a cantilever static scheme, fixed at the top of the piers and with a hinge at the centre of the span. The particular configuration of the hinge consists in a couple of steel elements, each one composed by a tongue and groove joint. Since the year 1960, the hinge was subjected to consumption and degradation, that caused a malfunctioning of the device. An intervention of rehabilitation of the bridge led to a reinforcement of the existing hinges with the coupling of new metallic devices: new tongue and groove hinges were applied, that by one side allow the horizontal displacements and rotation, by the other side strongly reduce the relative vertical displacements of the two parts of the bridge. A dynamic test campaign was set up in order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. The principal dynamic parameters were calculated and analysed with respect to the intervention that was realized. The tests clearly showed the effectiveness of the intervention, and helped the designer to have a better understanding of the structural behaviour of the bridge

Utilizzo di uno strumento di simulazione caduta massi per la quantificazione del ruolo protettivo di due foreste alpine

Tra i diversi servizi ecosistemici che le foreste dell\u2019arco alpino forniscono, risulta essere particolarmente importante la funzione di protezione nei confronti dei pe- ricoli naturali, quali valanghe e caduta massi. Per conservare e massimizzare questa specifica funzione,la gestione forestale deve essere mirata e raggiungere particolari obiettivi strutturali, per cui \ue8 fondamentale l\u2019individuazione e l\u2019analisi delle foreste di protezione. Il presente studio, condotto in due aree delle dolomiti bellunesi, ana- lizza la funzione protettiva svolta da popolamenti forestali in cui \ue8 presente e attivo il fenomeno della caduta massi. Sono state applicate due diverse metodologie di analisi. Il primo approccio \ue8 basato sul calcolo della Cumulative Basal Area (CbA), indice dell\u2019area basimetrica cumulata. Questo indice integra le informazioni di lunghezza del pendio boscato, diametro medio del popolamento forestale e densit\ue0 dello stesso. Il secondo approccio \ue8 basato su simulazioni effettuate tramite l\u2019utilizzo del software Rockyfor3D, dai cui output sono stati calcolati tre indici che quantificano l\u2019effetto protettivo dei popolamenti forestali (BARI, MIRI ed ORPI). Le due aree di studio sono risultate altamente protettive con entrambe le metodologie. Tuttavia i due approcci confrontati hanno fornito informazioni differenti, evidenziando le potenzialit\ue0 del secondo metodo. Potendo implementare nelle simulazioni dati spazializzati sulle condizioni di rugosit\ue0 superficiale e della topografia, cos\uec come la presenza di necromassa a terra, l\u2019applicabilit\ue0 di Rockyfor3D risulta interessante per valutare gli impatti di diversi disturbi naturali sul ruolo protettiv

Bendable grating for monochromatization in the extreme-ultraviolet

Broadband light monochromatization in the extreme ultraviolet requires typically the use of diffraction gratings at grazing incidence, where the grating is rotated and eventually translated to perform the wavelength scanning. Several configurations have been proposed, using plane or concave gratings with uniform or variable line spacing. We propose here a low-cost experimental setup in which a thin plane diffraction grating is bended to an almost cylindrical shape to perform at the same time the spectral selection and the focalization of the selected spectral component. In such a way, the number of optical elements needed to realize the monochromator is reduced to two: the grating and the focusing mirror. A bendable grating has been tested in the 13-50 eV region, very good focal properties have been measured with very low residual aberrations. Furthermore, the shape of the bended surface has been measured using a wavefront sensor in order to confirm the effectiveness of the bending technique. The proposed solution can be used to achieve monochromatization both in large-scale facilities such as FELs or synchrotrons, but also in table-top setups, such as those exploiting high- order harmonic generation, that are often used for the preparatory phase of experiments to be later performed at FEL facilities