Use of ultrasonic degradation to study the molecular weight influence of polymeric admixtures for mortars

International audienceThe aim of this paper is to provide a methodology to study the influence of the molecular weight of polysaccharidic admixtures on mortar properties. A wide range of admixtures with different molecular weight and constant structure was prepared. This has been made possible by the use of ultrasonic treatment, a simple, effective, and without additive method. It appears that cellulose and guar gum derivatives, used as water retention agents, exhibit a significant molecular weight reduction according to the ultrasonic treatment duration. The water retention capacity of the mortars mixed with ultrasonically degraded admixture solutions increases with molecular weight for a same admixture. However, comparing water retention values obtained with similar molecular weight of a same family shows that effectiveness of polysaccharides as water retention agent is not linearly linked to their molecular weight

Kidney biopsy in the military hospital of morocco: Complications and histopathological findings

Epidemiological studies on renal biopsies are necessary to establish the pattern and trends of renal diseases in a particular geographic area. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records, histopathology findings and complications of renal biopsy in a region of Morocco. We studied a total of 130 native kidney biopsies taken between January 2008 and January 2012. All biopsies were examined by light microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy. There were 86 males (66.2%) and 44 females (33.8%), with a mean patient age of 44.82 ± 17.86 (range 8-86) years. The most common indications of renal biopsy was nephritic syndrome (61.5%), followed by renal failure of unknown etiology (30.8%) and asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (5.4%). Primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) was found in 60 (46.2%) of the patients. Among the PGN cases, the most common one was membranous nephropathy (MN) (12.3%). Secondary glomerular disease (SGN) accounted for 48 (36.9%) of the cases. The most common SGN was lupus nephritis (LN) (10%). Tubulointerstitial disease [13 (10%)] and vascular disease [9 (6.9%)] were less common. The most common complications of the procedure were pain at the biopsy site in 12.3%, gross hematuria in 12.3%, perirenal hematoma in 7.7% and hematuria requiring nephrectomy in 0.8% of the patients. The most common indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic syndrome, MN was the most frequent PGN and LN was the most frequent SGN in our report

A model to calculate cardiac output in hemodialysis patients by thermodilution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>The Blood Temperature Monitor module (BTM) is used to measure recirculation by thermodilution in dialysis. Numerous studies have confirmed its interest in the measuring of the vascular access flow. In this letter we describe a model to calculate cardiac output in dialysis by the BTM.</p