99 research outputs found

    Fate of conjugated natural and synthetic steroid estrogens in crude sewage and activated sludge batch studies

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    This document is the unedited author's version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Environmental Science & Technology, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work see http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es801952h.Steroids are excreted from the human body in the conjugated form but are present in sewage influent and effluent as the free steroid, the major source of estrogenic activity observed in water courses. The fate of sulfate and glucuronide conjugated steroid estrogens was investigated in batch studies using activated sludge grown on synthetic sewage in a laboratory-scale Husmann simulation and crude sewage from the field. A clear distinction between the fate of sulfate and glucuronide conjugates was observed in both matrices, with sulfated conjugates proving more recalcitrant and glucuronide deconjugation preferential in crude sewage. For each conjugate, the free steroid was observed in the biotic samples. The degree of free steroid formation was dependent on the conjugate moiety, favoring the glucuronide. Subsequent degradation of the free steroid (and sorption to the activated sludge solid phase) was evaluated. Deconjugation followed the first order reaction rate with rate constants for 17α-ethinylestradiol 3-glucuronide, estriol 16α-glucuronide, and estrone 3-glucuronide determined as 0.32, 0.24, and 0.35 h respectively. The activated sludge solid retention time over the range of 3−9 days had 74 to 94% of sulfate conjugates remaining after 8 h. In contrast, a correlation between increasing temperature and decreasing 17α-ethinylestradiol 3-glucuronide concentrations in the activated sludge observed no conjugate present in the AS following 8 h at 22 °C Based on these batch studies and literature excretion profiles, a hypothesis is presented on which steroids and what form (glucuronide, sulfate, or free) will likely enter the sewage treatment plant.EPSR

    HUMAN METABOLISM OF CYPROHEPTADINE

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    ABSTRACT Gas-liquid chromatographic and mass. nuclear magnetic resonance. and infrared spectrometric techniques were utilized to identify some of the metabolites of cyproheptadine in the urine of human subject

    Couples that work full time and are happily married : myth or reality?

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    Este trabalho apresenta parte de uma pesquisa quantitativa cujo principal objetivo foi avaliar a satisfação no casamento de homens e mulheres que optaram por relacionamentos de duplo trabalho. Participaram do estudo 222 homens e 222 mulheres casados/as, funcionários/as em diversas instituições públicas de Brasília - DF. A maior concentração de respondentes de ambos os sexos está na faixa etária entre 31 a 40 anos. Os participantes responderam a um questionário demográfico e à Escala de Ajustamento Diádico - DAS. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos participantes está satisfeita com seus relacionamentos, sendo que as mulheres apresentaram média de satisfação inferior à dos homens. Quanto à percepção do futuro do relacionamento, ficou evidente o comprometimento de homens e mulheres em investirem na manutenção do casamento. Os resultados questionam a idéia vigente de falência do casamento e da família e apontam para uma transformação das relações. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThis paper presents part of a quantitative research regarding marriages in which men and women are engaged in full time work. The main objective was to evaluate marital satisfaction in dual worker couples. Subjects were 222 married men and 222 married women that work in several public institutions in Brasilia - DF. The majority of the participants were between 31 to 40 years old. They answered a demographic questionnaire and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale - DAS. Results showed that the majority of participants were satisfied with their relationships although women presented lower satisfaction scores then men. Regarding the perception of the future of the relationship, the results showed that subjects were committed to preserve their marriage. These data question current ideas that marriages and families are outmoded and point in the direction of a transformation in interpersonal relationships

    What Makes Entrepreneurs Happy? Determinants of Satisfaction Among Founders

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    This study empirically investigates factors influencing satisfaction levels of founders of new ventures, using a representative sample of 1,107 Dutch founders. We relate entrepreneurial satisfaction (with income, psychological burden and leisure time) to firm performance, motivation and human capital. Founders with high levels of specific human capital are more satisfied with income than those with high levels of general human capital. Intrinsic motivation and that of combining responsibilities lowers stress and leads to more satisfaction with leisure time. Women are more satisfied with their income than men, even though they have a lower average monthly turnover

    T4-Related Bacteriophage LIMEstone Isolates for the Control of Soft Rot on Potato Caused by ‘Dickeya solani’

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    The bacterium ‘Dickeya solani’, an aggressive biovar 3 variant of Dickeya dianthicola, causes rotting and blackleg in potato. To control this pathogen using bacteriophage therapy, we isolated and characterized two closely related and specific bacteriophages, vB_DsoM_LIMEstone1 and vB_DsoM_LIMEstone2. The LIMEstone phages have a T4-related genome organization and share DNA similarity with Salmonella phage ViI. Microbiological and molecular characterization of the phages deemed them suitable and promising for use in phage therapy. The phages reduced disease incidence and severity on potato tubers in laboratory assays. In addition, in a field trial of potato tubers, when infected with ‘Dickeya solani’, the experimental phage treatment resulted in a higher yield. These results form the basis for the development of a bacteriophage-based biocontrol of potato plants and tubers as an alternative for the use of antibiotics

    Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

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    BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700
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