Removal of Al (III) and Fe (III) from binary system and industrial effluent using chitosan films.

Adsorption of Al (III) and Fe (III) onto chitosan films from individual and binary systems were investigated. The matrix effect was evaluated using an industrial effluent of the scrubber of gases from the production process of Al2(SO4)3. The adsorption study was carried out by response surface methodology to optimize the adsorption operation as a function of pH (3, 4.5 and 6) and film dosage (FD) (100, 200 and 300 mg L-1).The possible interactions film-ions were investigated by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and dispersive energy X-ray spectroscopy. The more suitable conditions for all experimental designs were the FD values in 100 mg L-1and pH 4.5.The adsorption capacity of Fe (III) in the individual and binary systems were 140.2 mg g-1 and 132.3 mg g-1 respectively; however, in the experiment conducted on the real effluent, the adsorption capacity was reduced to 66.30 mg g-1.Already to Al (III), the adsorption capacities in the individual and binary systems were 665.5 mg g-1 to 621.2 mg g-1 respectively, and when the operation was performed using real effluent the adsorption capacity was reduced to 275.7 mg g-1.

Benign osteoblastoma of the temporal bone: case report and literature review.

We report a case of benign osteoblastoma of the temporal bone and a review of the literature. Osteoblastoma is a rare bony tumor that usually develops in the long bones or in the vertebral column. To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case of benign osteoblastoma confined to the temporal bone, and it is the second such reported case to include facial paralysis as the initial symptom. Result of computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging scan, and angiography are reported. The diagnosis and management of this type of lesion are also discussed.

Factors associated with length of stay in a mid-sized, urban hospice.

A recent study by Frantz et al. investigated the relationship between length of stay (LOS) and several factors in a small, rural hospice and found significant differences in LOS by primary physician specialty, referral source, and diagnosis (American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, March/April 1999). The purpose of the present study was to replicate and extend the Frantz et al. study in a midsized, urban hospice setting and to examine the relationship of LOS with additional variables, such as living status, discharge status, race, and religion. Significant differences in LOS by gender, diagnosis, physician specialty, referral source, type of insurance, living status, and discharge status were found. No significant differences in LOS were found by race, religion, and place of death. Results are interpreted in the light of previous research findings regarding LOS and in the context of the sample size. Strategies are suggested for increasing patients' LOS.

Factors in hospice patients' length of stay.

Many hospice patients are referred comparatively late in the course of their disease progression, therefore minimizing the time of services to the patient, caregivers, and families. Untimely referrals can create organizational, clinical, and emotional problems for all involved; a better understanding of the factors related to length of stay (LOS) in hospice is necessary. This study investigated the relationship between LOS and selected variables. There were significant differences in LOS by diagnosis, physician type, and referral source. No significant differences were found in LOS by gender or insurance type. Factors related to LOS can assist hospices in identifying those particular patients more likely to have longer stays. Additionally, administrators may tailor their programs to meet the needs of the individual hospice.

Acute epiglottitis in adults. Analysis of 129 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical features of acute epiglottitis in adults and to identify factors associated with airway intervention. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Northern California health maintenance organization. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 129 patients aged 18 years or older with laryngoscopically confirmed acute epiglottitis admitted from November 1986 through October 1991. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 47 years (range, 18 to 85 years) and the male-to-female ratio was 1.8 to 1.0 (P < .001). The most common symptoms were sore throat (95%) and odynophagia (94%); the most common signs were muffled voice and evidence of pharyngitis. Nineteen patients (15%) received airway intervention, including seven with tracheotomy and 12 with endotracheal intubation. The remaining 110 patients recovered fully without airway intervention. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with airway intervention were stridor (relative risk [RR], 6.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 22.9) and sitting erect (RR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.3 to 16.1). Six (12%) of 52 blood cultures yielded Haemophilus influenzae type b. Major complications occurred in six patients (5%), but no deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: Most adults who have acute epiglottitis can be managed conservatively and have low morbidity and mortality.

Acute epiglottitis: changing epidemiologic patterns.

We determined incidence of acute epiglottitis in the Northern California Region of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program during an 11-year period, from 1980 through 1990. The health plan membership is representative of the ethnicity, age, sex, and occupation of the Northern California population. The study included 135 children and 258 adults. Annual incidence in adults was relatively stable, ranging from 1.16 to 2.12 cases per 100,000. Annual incidence in children, however, decreased from 3.47 cases per 100,000 in 1980 to 0.63 cases per 100,000 in 1990. The ratio of annual incidence in children to that in adults decreased from 2.6 in 1980 to 0.4 in 1990. This changing epidemiologic pattern may be the effect of the Hemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib), which was first given to children in 1985. Acute epiglottitis, classically considered a disease of children, is now becoming a disease of adults.

Sources of ammonium in oat leaves treated with tabtoxin or methionine sulfoximine.

Excised 7-day-old oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Jaycee) leaves were incubated in media containing 7.1 millimolar KNO(3) and 0.15 millimolar tabtoxin or 1 millimolar methionine sulfoximine (MSO) to investigate the sources of the observed ammonium accumulated. Tabtoxin and MSO are known inhibitors of glutamine synthetase, the first enzyme in the primary pathway of ammonium assimilation. During a 4- to 6-hour incubation, there was little net change in protein or total amino acid concentration. Alanine, aspartate/asparagine, and glutamate/glutamine decreased markedly under these treatments, whereas several other amino acids increased. Exogenous (15)N from K(15)NO(3) was taken up and incorporated into the nitrate and ammonium fractions of leaves treated with tabtoxin or MSO. This result and the high in vitro activities of nitrate reductase indicated that reduction of nitrate was one source of the accumulated ammonium. Leaves incubated under 2% O(2) to reduce photorespiration accumulated only about 13% as much ammonium as did those under normal atmospheres. We conclude that most of the tabtoxin- or MSO-induced ammonium came from photo-respiration, and the remainder was from nitrate reduction.

Effect of centrifugation on amniotic fluid phospolipid recovery.

Amniotic fluid lecithin and sphingomyelin were determined quantitatively in 33 samples obtained throughout the last trimester. Each sample was divided into three parts and each part was centrifuged at different relative forces prior to extraction. It is shown that centrifugation always removes considerable amounts of both lecithin and sphingomyelin from the supernatant towards the end of pregnancy, but very little at the beginning of the last trimester. The fatty acid composition of amniotic fluid lecithin, studied by gas liquid chromatography, indicate that surface active lecithin is lost by centrifugation of the fluid prior to extraction.