Performance of Surgical Stress Index during Sevoflurane-Fentanyl and Isoflurane-Fentanyl Anesthesia

The performance of recently introduced Surgical Stress Index (SSI), based on heart rate and photoplethysmography, was estimated during sevoflurane-fentanyl and isoflurane-fentanyl anesthesia during surgical procedures. Forty ASA I–III patients were enrolled. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 2 μg kg−1 and thiopentone 3–5 mg kg−1. Tracheal intubation was performed 5 minutes after fentanyl bolus. Patients were randomly allocated to receive sevoflurane (n = 20) or isoflurane (n = 20) in 30% oxygen/air. State entropy was kept at 40–60, target being 50. During surgery, fentanyl boluses 1.5 μg kg−1 were given at 30–40-minute intervals. SSI increased significantly after intubation. During surgery, the decrease of SSI after fentanyl boluses was similar in sevoflurane and isoflurane groups but SSI values were higher in sevoflurane than in isoflurane group. Tracheal intubation, skin incision, and surgical stimuli increased SSI from baseline, indicating that nociceptive stimuli increase SSI. Fentanyl boluses during surgery decreased SSI, indicating that increasing analgesia decreases SSI

Lämmöneristeestä voi irrota haitallisia aineita huoneilmaan

Rakennusmateriaalit vaikuttavat sisäilman laatuun. Lämmöneristeinä voidaan käyttää esimerkiksi pellava- ja hamppueristeitä sekä lasi-, kivi- ja selluvillaa. Vertailussa agrokuitueristeet eivät olleet merkittäviä kemiallisten tai hiukkaspäästöjen lähteitä. Kosteuden vaikutuksiin on kuitenkin kiinnitettävä huomiota eristeitä valmistettaessa, varastoitaessa ja asennettaessa, koska korkea ilmankosteus edistää homeiden kasvua eristeessä.vo

International perspectives on psychosocial working conditions, mental health, and stress of dairy farm operators

Dairy farm operators-farmers, workers, and family members-are faced with many demands and stressors in their daily work and these appear to be shared across countries and cultures. Dairy operators experience high psychosocial demands with respect to a hard work and production ethos, economic influences, and social and environmental responsibility. Furthermore, both traditional and industrial farms are highly dependent on external conditions, such as weather, fluctuating markets, and regulations from government authorities. Possible external stressors include disease outbreaks, taxes related to dairy production, and recent negative societal attitudes to farming in general. Dairy farm operators may have very few or no opportunities to influence and control these external conditions, demands, and expectations. High work demands and expectations coupled with low control and lack of social support can lead to a poor psychosocial work environment, with increased stress levels, ill mental health, depression, and, in the worst cases, suicide. Internationally, farmers with ill mental health have different health service options depending on their location. Regardless of location, it is initially the responsibility of the individual farmer and farm family to handle mental health and stress, which can be of short- or long-term duration. This paper reviews the literature on the topics of psychosocial working conditions, mental health, stress, depression, and suicide among dairy farm operators, farm workers, and farm family members in an international perspective

Molecular analysis of meso- and thermophilic microbiota associated with anaerobic biowaste degradation

Peer reviewe

Empirical investigation to explore potential gains from the amalgamation of Phase Changing Materials (PCMs) and wood shavings

The reduction of gained heat, heat peak shifting and the mitigation of air temperature fluctuations are some desirable properties that are sought after in any thermal insulation system. It cannot be overstated that these factors, in addition to others, govern the performance of such systems thus their effect on indoor ambient conditions. The effect of such systems extends also to Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) systems that are set up to operate optimally in certain conditions. Where literature shows that PCMs and natural materials such as wood-shavings can provide efficient passive insulation for buildings, it is evident that such approaches utilise methods that are of a degree of intricacy which requires specialist knowledge and complex techniques, such as micro-encapsulation for instance. With technical and economic aspects in mind, an amalgam of PCM and wood-shavings has been created for the purpose of being utilised as a feasible thermal insulation. The amalgamation was performed in the simplest of methods, through submerging the wood shavings in PCM. An experimental procedure was devised to test the thermal performance of the amalgam and compare this to the performance of the same un-amalgamated materials. Comparative analysis revealed that no significant thermal gains would be expected from such amalgamation. However, significant reduction in the total weight of the insulation system would be achieved that, in this case, shown to be up to 20.94%. Thus, further reducing possible strains on structural elements due to the application of insulation on buildings. This can be especially beneficial in vernacular architectural approaches where considerably large amounts and thicknesses of insulations are used. In addition, cost reduction could be attained as wood shavings are significantly cheaper compared to the cost of PCMs

Hygienic quality of stem fractions of mechanically processed fibre hemp and linseed

Bast fibre is the most important fraction of bast fibre plants for technical products, i.e. thermal insulations and packaging materials. The hygienic quality of the various fractions of bast fibre plants is of interest in thermal insulations, because it may affect the quality of indoor air. Packaging materials may be associated e.g. with foodstuffs, which highlights the importance of hygienic quality. The aim of this study was to screen the hygienic quality, determined as microbial content, of mechanically fractionated fibre hemp and linseed plants harvested in the autumn before frost, after early frost and in spring. In addition, the possible correlation between microbes and ash was investigated. Two plant species, fibre hemp and linseed were studied. The plants were cultivated in Siuntio in southern Finland during the years 2002 and 2003, harvested in autumn or in spring and mechanically fractionated. The microbial contents of the fractions were examined by measuring the total number of microbes using Hygicult® growing slides. The microbial content of fractions of fibre hemp and linseed varied between 103 and 109 cfu/gdw. The fibre of hemp harvested after early frost or in spring had the lowest amount of moulds, but during winter and spring the amounts of bacteria and yeasts increased in hemp. Mechanically separated fibre and shive contained less microbes than the stalk. Ash contents of all examined samples of stems and stem fractions varied between 1% and 14%. The fibre after fractionating had a lower ash content (2.33.3%) than that of stems (4.46.9%) harvested in the autumn. The ash content of stem and shive decreased to 1.6% during winter, the ash content of fibre being even somewhat lower (0.9%). No correlation was observed between the contents of microbes and ash.;Niinikuitu on tärkein teknisiin sovelluksiin, kuten lämmöneristeisiinja pakkausmateriaaleihin käytettävä niinikuitukasvien jae. Niinikuitukasvien jakeiden hygieeninen laatu on tärkeää lämmöneristeissä, jotka voivat vaikuttaa sisäilman laatuun. Pakkausmateriaalit voivat olla yhteydessä esim. ruokaan, mikä korostaa hygieenisen laadun merkitystä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa syksyllä tai keväällä korjatun, mekaanisesti jakeistetun öljypellavan ja kuituhampun hygieenistä laatua, jota kuvattiin mikrobimäärän avulla. Lisäksi tutkittiin mikrobimäärien ja tuhkapitoisuuden mahdollista korrelaatiota. Tutkittavana oli kaksi kasvilajia, kuituhamppu ja öljypellava. Kasvit viljeltiin ja korjattiin Siuntiossa, Etelä- Suomessa vuosina 20022003. Korret korjattiin syksyllä ennen pakkasia, ensimmäisten pakkasten jälkeen tai keväällä, minkä jälkeen korret jakeistettiin mekaanisesti. Jakeiden kokonaismikrobimäärät selvitettiin Hygicult®- kastolevyillä. Jakeiden mikrobimäärät vaihtelivat 103 ja 109 välillä. Aikaisen pakkasen jälkeen tai keväällä korjatun kuituhampun niinikuitu sisälsi vähiten homeita, mutta talven ja kevään aikana bakteerien ja hiivojen määrä kasvoi. Mekaanisesti jakeistettu kuitu ja päistäre sisälsivät vähemmän mikrobeja kuin kokonainen korsi. Multakontaminaatiota pidetään yleisesti hygieniariskinä. Multakontaminaatio lisää korren tuhkapitoisuutta. Jakeiden tuhkapitoisuus vaihteli 1 ja 14 % välillä. Niinikuitujakeen tuhkapitoisuus oli alhaisempi kuin syksyllä korjatun korren tuhkapitoisuus. Korren ja päistäreen tuhkapitoisuus laski talven aikana 1,6 %, ja keväällä korjatusta korresta erotetun kuidun tuhkapitoisuus oli niitäkin alhaisempi (0,9 %). Mikrobi- ja tuhkapitoisuuksien välillä ei havaittu korrelaatiota

Properties and cleanability of new and traditional agricultural surface materials

The aim of the present study was to evaluate new and traditional surface materials for use in cattle barns. The evaluated concrete materials had different compositions and included different additives and coatings. Contact angle meter, optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy SEM were used for characterization of surface properties. Radiochemical methods and a biochemical adenosine triphosphate ATP method were used to determine cleanability. A specific methodological aim was to examine the correlations between these determination methods. A statistically significant difference was observed between contact angles of non-coated concretes, coated concretes and joint materials. In general, coatings smoothened surfaces and the joint materials were the roughest surfaces, as illustrated by profilometry and SEM. On the basis of the radiochemical determination methods, coatings improved the cleanability of concrete. An epoxy joint material was cleaned efficiently from the oil model soil and from the labelled feed soil when compared to the two cement-based joint materials. According to the results of the biochemical ATP method the manure test soil was cleaned better from a concrete including inorganic sealant than from the other materials examined. The cleanability results of oil model soil used in the radiochemical method correlated with the results of the test feed soil used in the biochemical ATP method. Both determination methods of cleanability appeared to be suitable for examining the cleanability of surfaces soiled with agricultural soils. Only the radiochemical determination gives detailed quantitative results, but it can be used only in laboratory studies. The results of this laboratory study will be used for selecting materials for a pilot study in a cattle barn.;Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää seitsemän erilaisenbetonimateriaalin koostumuksen ja pinnoitteen vaikutus niiden puhdistuvuuteen. Lisäksi tutkittiin kolmea erilaista saumausainetta. Pintaominaisuudet selvitettiin kontaktikulmamittarilla, optisella profilometrillä ja pyyhkäisyelektronimikroskoopilla (SEM). Puhdistuvuutta mitattiin radiokemiallisilla määritysmenetelmillä sekä biokemiallisella menetelmällä, joka perustuu ATP:n (adenosiinitrifosfaatti) määrän mittaamiseen. Likoina käytettiin laboratoriotutkimuksiin kehitettyjä mallilikoja ja luonnollisia maatalouden likoja. Sekä radiokemialliset määritysmenetelmät että ATP-menetelmä soveltuivat maatilalikojen puhdistuvuuden sekä likajäämien määrittämiseen pinnoilta. Radiokemialliset menetelmät antavat kvantitatiivisen tuloksen, mutta niitä voidaan käyttää ainoastaan laboratorio-olosuhteissa. Pinnoittamattomien ja pinnoitettujen betonien sekä saumausaineiden kontaktikulmat erosivat toisistaan. Karheusarvojen ja SEM-kuvien perusteella saumausaineet olivat karheimpia pintoja ja pinnoittaminen tasoitti betonipintoja. Radiokemiallisten puhdistuvuuskokeiden mukaan pinnoittaminen paransi myös puhdistuvuutta. ATP-menetelmällä ainoastaan tiivistetty betoni erosi muista materiaaleista se puhdistui lantaliasta parhaiten ensimmäisen puhdistuksen jälkeen. Epoksipohjainen saumausaine puhdistui öljymäisestä malliliasta parhaiten, kun saumausaineita verrattiin keskenään. Kokonaisuutena polyesteri-, akryyli- ja polyuretaanipinnoitetut näytteet puhdistuivat parhaiten. Pinnoittamista suositellaan tiloihin ja pinnoille, joilta vaaditaan hygieenisyyttä, esimerkiksi ruokintapöydille ja lypsyasemille

Microbial quality of linseed and fibre hemp plants during growing and harvest seasons

Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) and fi bre hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) can be used as raw materials in various applications. In this study, microbiological quality and meteorological measurements were made during the growing seasons and harvesting periods of 2001 and 2002. The microbiological analyses were carried out with Hygicult® TPC and Y&F dipslides, and with a surface spreading method using Plate Count and Potato Dextrose agars. During the growing season of 2001 the conditions were mostly humid, whereas the growing season of 2002 was rather dry and warmer than that of 2001. The lack of water during the growing season of 2002 affected the growth of the plants. In the case of both hemp and fl ax, the mould and bacterial contents (cfu gdw-1) increased markedly at the end of the growing season of 2001. During the growing season of 2002 the increase in mould and bacterial contents was noticeable but more constant throughout the whole growing season. At the end of the growing seasons, the mould and bacteria contents were higher in 2001 than in 2002. The genera of moulds identifi ed included Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor and Alternaria. The microbiological safety should be controlled during the whole production chain, beginning with the cultivation and harvesting periods.;Öljypellavaa ja kuituhamppua voidaan käyttää moniinteollisiin sovelluksiin. Tässä tutkimuksessa mitattiin pellavan ja kuituhampun korsien mikrobiologista laatua vuosien 2001 ja 2002 kasvukausien ja korjuun aikana. Mikrobiologisissa määrityksissä käytettiin Hygicult® TPC- ja Y&F -kastolevyjä ja pintaviljelymenetelmää. Kasvukauden 2001 aikana olosuhteet olivat pääasiassa kosteat, kun taas kasvukausi 2002 oli melko kuiva ja lämpimämpi kuin kasvukausi 2001. Homeiden ja bakteerien määrä kasveissa lisääntyi huomattavasti kasvukauden 2001 lopussa sekä hampussa että pellavassa. Myös kasvukauden 2002 lopussa home- ja bakteerimäärät lisääntyivät, mutta muutos oli tasaisempaa kuin vuoden 2001 kasvukauden aikana. Vuoden 2001 kasvukauden lopussa home- ja bakteeripitoisuudet olivat suurempia kuin 2002 kasvukauden lopussa. Kasveista tunnistettiin mm. seuraavia homesukuja: Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor ja Alternaria. Tulosten perusteella mikrobiologiseen turvallisuuteen on kiinnitettävä huomiota koko tuotantoketjussa viljelystä ja korjuukaudesta alkaen

Hygienic quality of stem fractions of mechanically processed fibre hemp and linseed

Bast fibre is the most important fraction of bast fibre plants for technical products, i.e. thermal insulations and packaging materials. The hygienic quality of the various fractions of bast fibre plants is of interest in thermal insulations, because it may affect the quality of indoor air. Packaging materials may be associated e.g. with foodstuffs, which highlights the importance of hygienic quality. The aim of this study was to screen the hygienic quality, determined as microbial content, of mechanically fractionated fibre hemp and linseed plants harvested in the autumn before frost, after early frost and in spring. In addition, the possible correlation between microbes and ash was investigated. Two plant species, fibre hemp and linseed were studied. The plants were cultivated in Siuntio in southern Finland during the years 2002 and 2003, harvested in autumn or in spring and mechanically fractionated. The microbial contents of the fractions were examined by measuring the total number of microbes using Hygicult® growing slides. The microbial content of fractions of fibre hemp and linseed varied between 103 and 109 cfu/gdw. The fibre of hemp harvested after early frost or in spring had the lowest amount of moulds, but during winter and spring the amounts of bacteria and yeasts increased in hemp. Mechanically separated fibre and shive contained less microbes than the stalk. Ash contents of all examined samples of stems and stem fractions varied between 1% and 14%. The fibre after fractionating had a lower ash content (2.33.3%) than that of stems (4.46.9%) harvested in the autumn. The ash content of stem and shive decreased to 1.6% during winter, the ash content of fibre being even somewhat lower (0.9%). No correlation was observed between the contents of microbes and ash.