ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lactose intolerance is a frequent condition in certain populations. Different methods for diagnosis exist. There is scarce literature regarding Lactose Quick Test (LQT) and concordance with other methods for lactose intolerance diagnosis in children. METHODS: Prospectively, we included children who underwent gastroduodenoscopy for evaluation of abdominal pain. We obtained a duodenal sample for LQT and blood sample for genetic test to evaluate LCT C>T-13910 variant. Later, patients underwent breath test with lactose, to evaluate malabsorption. We evaluated the concordance between the three different tests. KEY RESULTS: We included 46 patients, 56.5% women. Mean age was 13.2 years (range 9-18 years). 66.6% of patients had lactose malabsorption according to breath test; 64.4% were homozygous CC; and 91.3% had hypolactasia (mild or severe) according to LQT. None of the patients with normolactasia had altered breath test. Genetic test had a substantial agreement (k = 0.675) with breath test and fair agreement (k = 0.301) with LQT. LQT had fair agreement (k = 0.348) with breath test. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Genetic test had better concordance with breath test than LQT to diagnose lactose malabsorption, however, none of the patients with normal LQT had lactose malabsorption. In patients who undergo gastroduodenoscopy to study abdominal pain, it seems reasonable to perform LQT, and, in those with hypolactasia, to perform breath test.
Subject(s)
Breath Tests , Genetic Testing , Genotype , Lactase/genetics , Lactose Intolerance/diagnosis , Adolescent , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Lactose Intolerance/genetics , Male , Polymorphism, Single NucleotideABSTRACT
Biomass retention, required for high rate anaerobic wastewater treatment, can be accomplished coupling an anaerobic bioreactor with membrane filtration. However, low flux seems to be a common factor when operating anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs). Modification of biomass properties may represent a strategy for improving membrane flux. The addition of flocculants was tested as a tool for flux increase. Six different products were tested in dead-end filtration experiments. Based on the results, two products were selected for cross-flow tests. The one presenting better performance (Nalco MPE50) was tested in a laboratory-scale continuous AnMBR. Results show that the flocculant was able to substantially increase flux. Indeed, the flux-increasing effect was observed for several weeks after flocculant addition. Therefore, the use of flocculants seems to be an interesting tool to cope with temporary increases in required flux.
Subject(s)
Bioreactors , Membranes, Artificial , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Anaerobiosis , Flocculation , Time FactorsABSTRACT
La litotripsia extracorpórea constituye el tratamiento de elección de la mayoría de los cálculos de la vía urinaria. En nuestro país existe un importante número de máquinas especialmente concentradas en el centro del país que han demostrado la eficacia de esta excelente alternativa terapéutica. En Enero de 1994 se constituyó la Unidad de Litotripsia de la Clínica de la Mutual de Seguridad de Calama (ULMC), y se comenzó un trabajo cooperativo con otros centros del Norte Grande de Chile, con lo cual nuestros pacientes no tienen que desplazarse grandes distancias para acceder a esta tecnología. Se presentan los resultados de esta experiencia cooperativa