Research activity and the association with mortality.

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were to describe the key features of acute NHS Trusts with different levels of research activity and to investigate associations between research activity and clinical outcomes. METHODS: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Comprehensive Clinical Research Network (CCRN) funding and number of patients recruited to NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) portfolio studies for each NHS Trusts were used as markers of research activity. Patient-level data for adult non-elective admissions were extracted from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (2005-10). Risk-adjusted mortality associations between Trust structures, research activity and, clinical outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: Low mortality Trusts received greater levels of funding and recruited more patients adjusted for size of Trust (n = 35, 2,349 £/bed [95% CI 1,855-2,843], 5.9 patients/bed [2.7-9.0]) than Trusts with expected (n = 63, 1,110 £/bed, [864-1,357] p<0.0001, 2.6 patients/bed [1.7-3.5] p<0.0169) or, high (n = 42, 930 £/bed [683-1,177] p = 0.0001, 1.8 patients/bed [1.4-2.1] p<0.0005) mortality rates. The most research active Trusts were those with more doctors, nurses, critical care beds, operating theatres and, made greater use of radiology. Multifactorial analysis demonstrated better survival in the top funding and patient recruitment tertiles (lowest vs. highest (odds ratio & 95% CI: funding 1.050 [1.033-1.068] p<0.0001, recruitment 1.069 [1.052-1.086] p<0.0001), middle vs. highest (funding 1.040 [1.024-1.055] p<0.0001, recruitment 1.085 [1.070-1.100] p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Research active Trusts appear to have key differences in composition than less research active Trusts. Research active Trusts had lower risk-adjusted mortality for acute admissions, which persisted after adjustment for staffing and other structural factors

Alternative low-cost adsorbent for water and wastewater decontamination derived from eggshellwaste: an overview

As the current global trend towards more stringent environmental standards, technical applicability and cost-effectiveness became key factors in the selection of adsorbents for water and wastewater treatment. Recently, various low-cost adsorbents derived from agricultural waste, industrial by-products or natural materials, have been intensively investigated. In this respect, the eggshells from egg-breaking operations constitute significant waste disposal problems for the food industry, so the development of value-added by-products from this waste is to be welcomed. The egg processing industry is very competitive, with low profit margins due to global competition and cheap imports. Additionally, the costs associated with the egg shell disposal (mainly on landfill sites) are significant, and expected to continue increasing as landfill taxes increase. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview on the development of low-cost adsorbents derived from eggshell by-products

Evaluation of the Chloride Requirement of the Broiler Breeder Hen Avaliação da Exigência de Cloro para Matrizes Pesadas

Two experiments wore conducted to evaluate the chloride requirement of the broiler breeder hen. Experiments were conducted for a twelve-week period and seven experimental diets wore fed. The diets contained the following dietary chloride levels: 0. 040, 0. 047, 0. 054, 0.060, 0.073, 0.09g, and 0. 174%. Sodiam bicarbonate was used to maintain a constant level of sodium. Levels of dietary chloride below 0.054% reduced EF; EW, & EC (ED X (EW-shell wt). Also, the highest level of dietary chloride reduced all characteristics. Dietary chloride did not have a significant effect on body weight gain or fertility and hatchability of eggs. The Nationa/ Research Council (1994) suggests that the broller breeder hen have daily chloride intake of 185 milligrams per hen per day. In Experiments 1 and 2 the requirement was 96.1 mg/hen/day and 101. 1 mg/hen/day for EP, 116.1 mg/hen/day and 148.3 mg/hen/day for maximum EW, and 95.9 mg/hen/day and 109. 5 mg/hen/day for EC, respectively.<br>Foram conduzidos dois experimentos para avaliar o requerimento de cloro para matrizes pesadas. O período experimental foi de doze semanas e foram testadas sete rações. As racões continham os seguintes níveis de cloro: 0,040, 0,047, 0,054, 0,060, 0,073, 0,099 e 1,74%. Foi utilizado o bicarbonato de sódio para se manter um nível constante de sódio. Os níveis de cloro abaixo de 0,054% reduziram a produção, o peso e o conteúdo dos ovos, o mesmo ocorrendo com o nível mais alto de cloro na ração. Os níveis de cloro não exerceram um efeito significativo sobre o peso corporal, fertilidade e eclodibilidade dos ovos. ONRC (1994) sugere um nível de 185mg de cloro por dia para matrizes pesadas. Nos experimentos 1 e 2, o requerimento encontrado foi de 96,1 mg/ave/dia e 101,1 mg/ave/dia para produção de ovos, 116,1 mg/ave/dia e 148,3 mg/ave/dia para peso máximo dos ovos e 95,9 mg/ave/dia e 109,5 mg/ave/dia para conteúdo do ovo, respectivamente