Recent developments in surface complexation modeling

Editorial to special section on surface complexation modeling containing papers presented during the session “Recent developments in surface complexation modelling: trace element speciation and reactive transport modelling” at the 12th International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (ICOBTE), which took place 16–20 June 2013 in Athens, Georgia, USA

The Elderly Poor in the EU’s New Member States. ENEPRI Research Reports No. 60, November 2008

To what extent is the financial position of the elderly in the NMS more vulnerable than that of the old member states (or the EU-15), due to a rather unfavourable starting point and the possible impact of pension reforms? This is the main issue of the current research report. It tries to delineate the vulnerability of the income position of elderly people in the NMS, in relation to the demographic, socio-economic and institutional context of these countries. More specifically, the report focuses on: - the current level of income of the elderly in the NMS, and the degree of relative poverty; - the way this position is related to the educational and labour market status of the elderly in the NMS, their retirement behaviour, institutional arrangements (notably the pension system), and demographic developments; - specific problems regarding the income position of possibly ‘marginal’ elderly groups in the NMS (such as single elderly female pensioners)

Ligament Reconstruction in Congenital Absence of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament: A Case Report

Congenital absence of the cruciate ligament is an extremely rare condition that was first reported in Giorgi's radiographic study in 1956. The authors report on a case of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction performed on a 21-year-old female patient with congenital anterior cruciate ligament absence. We also discuss radiographic evidence that could provide clues to the congenital absence and possible difficulties that may be encountered during surgery with a review of the relevant literature

Lixiviação e absorção de Pb pelo feijão-de-porco assistido pela aplicação de EDTA no solo

Lead (Pb) is one of the main soil contaminants. It is also of difficult phytoremediation due to its low solubility and high retention on soil particles. EDTA application to soil is a strategy to increase heavy metal phytoextraction, but such chelants usually cause phytotoxicity and metal leaching side effects. Therefore, these research work objectives were to evaluate the effects of single (0.5 g kg-1) and split (0.25 + 0.25 g kg-1) EDTA application on Pb uptake by jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis L.) as well as on Pb vertical movement in a Pb contaminated soil material. Two sets of experiments were carried out under greenhouse conditions: in the first one, plants were grown in 3L-pots filled with a Pb-contaminated soil to evaluate Pb uptake by plants; for the second experiment, PVC-columns (42 cm height) were used to evaluate soil Pb leaching: the upper half-column (20 cm) was filled up with Pb-contaminated soil (1800 mg kg-1) whereas the lower half-column (20 cm) was filled with clean soil. Ten 60 mm-rainfalls with a duration of five hours were simulated by dropping distilled water on the top of columns, and leachates were collected for chemical analysis. Plants did not show any visual Pb toxicity symptoms or reduction in dry matter yield. Nevertheless, Pb uptake by jack beans regarded as total plant Pb accumulation was higher in EDTA-treated plants. Vertical Pb movement was observed mostly for the single EDTA application. EDTA addition to the soil favor Pb-phytoextraction by jack beans and the split EDTA application decrease the metal leaching, indicating less risk of environmental contamination.O chumbo (Pb) é um dos principais contaminantes de solo. Os processos de remediação são dificultados devido à alta retenção do elemento às partículas do solo. A utilização do EDTA para aumentar a fitoextração dos metais do solo tem apresentado bons resultados. Contudo, os quelantes podem causar efeitos indesejáveis como a fitotoxidez e a lixiviação do metal. Nesse sentido, avaliou-se o efeito da aplicação única (0,5 g kg-1) e parcelada de EDTA (0,25 + 0,25 g kg-1) na absorção de Pb pelas plantas de feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformis L.) e na movimentação vertical de Pb em solo contaminado, sob condições de casa de vegetação. Em um experimento, as plantas foram crescidas em vasos contendo 3 L de solo contaminado por Pb. No outro, utilizaram-se colunas de PVC com 42 cm de altura, preenchendo-se os primeiros 20 cm com solo contaminado com 1800 mg kg-1de Pb, seguido de outros 20 cm, com amostra de solo não contaminado. Nesse experimento, foram feitas dez lixiviações com água em volume equivalente a uma chuva de 60 mm cada. As plantas não apresentaram sintomas visuais de toxicidade de Pb, nem diferença na produção de massa seca do feijão em função dos tratamentos aplicados. No entanto, a absorção de Pb foi superior para as plantas que receberam EDTA. Houve movimentação vertical de Pb no solo, principalmente devido à aplicação única de EDTA. A adição de EDTA ao solo auxilia a fitoextração de Pb por plantas de feijão-de-porco e que o parcelamento do EDTA diminui a lixiviação do metal, mostrando se menos agressivo ao ambiente

Szociodemográfiai hatótényezők vizsgálata unipoláris major depresszió kezelésében egy utánkövetéses klinikai vizsgálatban | Study of socio-demographic factors in the treatment of unipolar major depression in a follow-up clinical trial

Absztrakt: Bevezetés: A depresszió korunk egyik legelterjedtebb megbetegedése, jelenleg több mint 300 millió embert érint világszerte. A depresszió kialakulásában és lefolyásában több szociodemográfiai kockázati tényező van hatással. Célkitűzés: A klinikailag diagnosztizált unipoláris major depresszió kezelésében és remissziójában szerepet játszó szociodemográfiai tényezők vizsgálata. Módszer: Az adatgyűjtés 2016-ban történt, a marosvásárhelyi 1. Sz. Pszichiátriai Klinikán, a résztvevők az év folyamán, jelentősebb komorbid fizikai vagy más pszichiátriai zavar nélkül regisztrált páciensek voltak. A szociodemográfiai tényezők vizsgálatára önkitöltős saját kérdőívet alkalmaztunk, amely nem, életkor, lakókörnyezet, iskolai végzettség, családi állapot, foglalkoztatottság és munka nélkül eltöltött időszak változóit mérte fel. Az unipoláris major depresszió diagnózis megállapításában a DSM-5, a súlyosság értékelésében és állapotkövetésre a Hamilton Depresszió Skála 17 tételes magyar változatát alkalmaztuk. A minta életkor szerinti eloszlása 18–65 év közötti felnőtt, 44 férfi (28,9%) és 108 nő (71,1%); 66 fekvő- és 86 járóbeteg. A páciensek 12 héten keresztül gyógyszeres kezelést kaptak, és HAM-D-17-tesztelésen vettek részt beutaláskor, nyolc és 12 hét után. Eredmények: A terápia hatására a depresszióskálán elért pontszámok jelentősen csökkentek a nyolc hét, valamint a 12 hét kezelés után. A nem, az életkor és a lakókörnyezet nem befolyásolta a kezelést, de a felsőfokú végzettséggel rendelkező betegeknél a kezelés végén a depressziós tünetek kisebb mértékben voltak kimutathatóak. A házas betegek depressziópontszámai kisebbek voltak, mint a nem házas betegeké, az alkalmazottaké pedig kisebbek, mint a tartósan munka nélkülieké. Következtetés: Az unipoláris major depresszió SSRI-kezelésének eredményességét a családi állapot és foglalkoztatottság a remisszió prediktoraiként jelentősen befolyásolták, így ezekben az esetekben a pszichoterápiás beavatkozás szükségessége javasolt. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(43): 1715–1722. | Abstract: Introduction: Depression is one of the most widespread illnesses of our time, currently affecting more than 300 million people worldwide. Literature identifies several socio-demographic risk factors in the development of the depression. Aim: We aim to examine the socio-demographic factors involved in the remission of clinically diagnosed unipolar major depression. Method: Data collection was performed during 2016, at the 1st Psychiatric Clinic from Tirgu Mures. Participants were patients reporting no other physical or psychiatric disorder. Self-reporting questionnaire assessed socio-demographic factors, such as gender, age, neighborhood, education, marital status, employment, and unemployed period. DSM-5 criteria were used in diagnosis, and the severity and status tracking was assessed with the 17-item version of the Hamilton Depression Scale. The age distribution of the sample was between 18–65 years of age, 44 male (28.9%) and 108 female (71.1%), 66 inpatients and 86 outpatients. Patients received medication for 12 weeks, and were involved in HAM-D 17 testing when hospitalized, at 8 and 12 weeks. Results: Scores of depression decreased significantly after 8 and 12 weeks of the treatment. Gender, age, and neighborhood did not influence the treatment, but patients with high education manifested less depressive symptoms at the end of treatment. Among married patients depression score was lower than among unmarried, and employees showed lower depression scores comparing to long-term unemployed patients. Conclusion: Marital status and employment were relevant predictors of remission, proving a significant effect on the treatment outcomes. Thus, psychotherapeutic intervention is recommendable in the case of single and unemployed patients. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(43): 1715–1722