Thermography Sensor to Assess Motor and Sensitive Neuromuscular Sequels of Brain Damage.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to observe the validity, diagnostic capacity, and reliability of the thermographic technique in the analysis of sensitive and motor sequelae in patients with chronic brain damage. METHOD: A longitudinal descriptive observational study was performed. Forty-five people with impairment in at least one anatomical region participated in and completed this study. All patients who had become infected by SARS-CoV-2 in the past year were excluded. Thermographic measurement was conducted, and the Modified Ashworth Scale and Pressure Pain Threshold was analyzed. RESULTS: A high correlation between two times of thermography data was observed. The Spearman correlations obtained between the Ashworth score on each leg and the temperature given by thermography were all significant. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite the above, the Spearman correlations obtained between the PPT in each leg and the temperature offered by thermography were not significant in any of the measurements. For this reason, thermography is a potential tool for the diagnosis and assessment of neuromuscular motor sequelae, but not for sensitive sequelae, after brain injury. Nevertheless, for the time being, no statistical relationship has been observed between the data reported by thermography and PPT; thus, future studies are needed to further investigate these results.

Lactate- and acetate-based biohydrogen production through dark co-fermentation of tequila vinasse and nixtamalization wastewater: Metabolic and microbial community dynamics.

The aim of this work was to study the metabolic and microbial community dynamics during dark co-fermentation of 80% tequila vinasse and 20% nixtamalization wastewater (w/w). Batch co-fermentations were performed in a 3-L well-mixed reactor at 35 °C and pH 5.5. In correspondence to Illumina MiSeq sequencing and reactor monitoring, changes in metabolites and microbial communities were characterized by three main stages: (i) a first stage during which lactate and acetate producers dominated and consumed the major part of fermentable carbohydrates, (ii) a second stage in which lactate and acetate were consumed by emerging hydrogen-producing bacteria (HPB) in correlation with bioH2 (100 NmL/L-h or 1200 NmL/Lreactor) and butyrate production, and (iii) a third stage during which non-HPB outcompeted HPB after bioH2 production ceased. Altogether, the results of this study suggest that cooperative interactions between lactate producers and lactate- and acetate-consuming HPB could be attributed to lactate- and acetate-based cross-feeding interactions.

Competitive kinetics versus stopped flow method for determining the degradation rate constants of steroids by ozonation.

Steroids are classified as endocrine disrupting chemicals; they are persistent with low biodegradability and are hardly degraded by conventional methods. Ozonation process has been effective for steroids degradation and the determination of the kinetics is a fundamental aspect for the design and operation of the reactor. This study assessed two methods: competitive kinetics and stopped flow, for determining the degradation kinetics of two steroids, estradiol (E2) and ethinylestradiol (EE2) in spiked water. Experiments were performed at pH 6, 21 °C, and using tertbutyl alcohol as scavenger of hydroxyl radicals; competitive kinetics method used sodium phenolate as reference compound. For the stopped flow, the experiments were performed in a BioLogic SFM-3000/S equipment. For both methods, the second order rate constants were in the order of 10(6) and 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) for E2 and EE2 respectively. The competitive kinetics can be applied with assurance and reliability but needing an additional analysis method to measure the residual concentrations. Stopped flow method allows the evaluation of the degradation kinetics in milliseconds and avoids the use of additional analytical methodologies; this method allows determining the reaction times on line. The methods are applicable for degradation of other emerging contaminants or other steroids and could be applied in water treatment at industrial level. Finally, it is important to consider the resources available to implement the most appropriate method, either competitive kinetics or the stopped-flow method.

Influence of alkalinity and VFAs on the performance of an UASB reactor with recirculation for the treatment of Tequila vinasses.

The main problem linked to the stability of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors during the treatment of Tequila vinasse is the high acidity and the null alkalinity present in this effluent. This research evaluates the effect of alkalinity and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration on the performance of an UASB reactor with recirculation of the effluent for removing organic matter and biogas production from Tequila vinasses. Recirculation of the effluent reduces the impact of VFAs and organic matter concentration present in the influent, inducing the stability of the reactor. The UASB reactor was operated during 235 days at organic loading rates from 2.5 to 20.0 kg m(-3) d(-1), attaining a removal efficiency of COD greater than 75% with a methane yield of 335 ml CH4 g(-1) COD at SPT, maintaining a ratio of VFAs/Alk ≤ 0.5. Therefore, an optimal ratio of VFAs/Alk was established for the system operating in stable conditions for the treatment of Tequila vinasses. Under these conditions, the alkalinity was recuperated by the system itself, without the addition of external alkalinity.

An assessment of an anaerobic filter packed with a low-cost material for treating domestic wastewater.

The lack of available technologies that assembled both the technical and economical characteristics for domestic wastewater treatment is a major problem for rural communities. In response to this issue, a technical assessment of an up-flow anaerobic filter (UAF) was carried out in the laboratory to treat domestic wastewater. Tezontle, a volcanic rock, was used as the packing media and as the support for the biofilm. It was selected due to its abundance, low cost and high porosity. The UAF assessment was based on an experimental design of two variables, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and temperature, with three and four levels of operation, respectively. Each test at HRT of 12, 18 and 24 h was carried out at temperatures of 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C. Methane production rates were 32.4, 110 and 191 mL of CH4/g of chemical oxygen demand removed for HRT of 12, 18 and 24 h, respectively, at a temperature of 35 degrees C. In order to reach a high removal of organic matter (higher than 80%) the optimum operational conditions for the UAF were HRT = 24 h and T = 35 degrees C. The temperature was the determining factor for achieving the greatest removal efficiencies in the UAF.

Determination of black carbon in fine particles using a semi-continuous method at two sites in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, during 2007.

The black carbon is a pollutant species primarily emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels (diesel). Their concentrations associated to PM2.5 were monitoring at two sites in the city of Guadalajara. From January to May (except April), downtown site shown 2.7, 2.6, 4.0 and 2.3 times higher monthly concentrations. The dry season two showed higher concentrations respect to at least one of the others seasons (p < 0.0001) at each site, probably due to atmospheric conditions less favorable for the dispersal of pollutants. During the 24 h period were observed at the year two peaks of concentrations: the highest morning peak and lower night peak, both probably related to anthropogenic activity.

Elemental contribution to the mass of PM2.5 in Guadalajara City, Mexico.

The seasonal behavior of the mass of PM(2.5) and its elemental components and their contribution to the mass of the particles is described for two different sites in Guadalajara City. The average mass of the particles for the entire study period at the two sites, Centro and Miravalle (1.3 and 1.8 mg, respectively), showed significant differences (p<0.05), while differences (p<0.05) between seasons (rainy and dry season) only occurred at Miravalle. The total elemental contribution to the mass of the particles was 1.97% in Miravalle and 2.05% at Centro, with Iron and Titanium the largest contributors and most abundant elements for both sites. Likewise, the monthly contribution per element with respect to the monthly mass of all elements was estimated. The results revealed that the elements that present the biggest contribution to this mass were Iron, Titanium, Zinc and Magnesium. Iron was the largest contributor at both sites. At Miravalle, the contribution oscillated between 56 and 58% from January to June, while at Centro it oscillated between 55 and 40% for the same period of time.

Estudio comparativo entre un proceso fisicoquímico y uno biológico para tratar agua residual de rastro / Comparative study between A physicochemical and A biological process to treat slaughterhouse wastewater / Estudo comparativo entre uM proceSso fisico-químico E uMO biológico para tratar agua residual de MATADOURO MUNICIPAL

Se llevó a cabo un estudio comparativo a nivel de laboratorio entre un proceso fisicoquímico y uno biológico para el tratamiento de agua residual de matadero (rastro) municipal. Para el proceso fisicoquímico de coagulación-floculación se utilizó sulfato de aluminio como coagulante y un polímero aniónico como auxiliar de la floculación. La mayor eficiencia de remoción alcanzada de demanda química de oxígeno (DQO) fue del 94% con una dosis de 250mg·l-1 de sulfato de aluminio y una dosis de polímero de 5mg·l-1 a un pH=4. Por otro lado, el proceso biológico se desarrolló en un sistema anaerobio/aerobio (An/Ar) secuencial, compuesto por un filtro anaerobio (FA) y un reactor aerobio por lotes (SBR). El FA operó con cargas orgánicas (CO) en un intervalo 3,7-16,5kg·m-3·d-1, las eficiencias de remoción de DQO variaron entre 50 y 81% y fueron inversamente proporcionales al valor de la CO. La degradación de la materia orgánica (MO) en el SBR mostró una cinética de seudo primer orden con respecto a la concentración de MO. La remoción de la DQO por el proceso biológico (FA+SBR) fue del 97% para un tiempo de retención hidráulico (TRH) de 20h para el FA y de 9h de aireación para el SBR.

A comparative study between physicochemical and biological processes to treat slaughterhouse wastewater was carried out at the laboratory level. The physicochemical treatment consisted of a coagulation-flocculation process, using alum as coagulant and an anionic polymer as flocculant. The best observed chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was 94% with 250mg·l-1 of alum and 5mg·l-1 of anionic polymer and pH=4. On the other hand, the biological process consisted of sequentially coupled anaerobic/aerobic (An/Ar) treatments using an anaerobic filter (AF) and a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), respectively. The AF operated with organic loadings (OL) ranging from 3.7 to 16.5kg·m-3·d-1. The efficiencies of COD removal ranged 50-81% and were inversely proportional to the OL value. The organic matter (OM) degradation by aerobic treatment in the SBR followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with respect to OM concentration. The removal of COD by the coupled AF+SBR was 97% at a hydraulic retention time of 20h in the AF and 9h of aeration in the SBR.

Realizou-se um estudo comparativo entre um processo físico-químico e outro biológico para o tratamento de água residual de matadouro municipal em nível de laboratório. Para o processo físico-químico de coagulação-floculação se utilizou sulfato de alumínio como coagulante e um polímero aniônico como auxiliar da floculação. A maior eficiência de remoção alcançada de demanda química de oxigênio (DQO) foi de 94% com uma dose de 250mg·l-1 de sulfato de alumínio e uma dose de polímero de 5mg·l-1 a um pH=4. Por outro lado, o processo biológico se desenvolveu em um sistema anaeróbio/aeróbio (An/Ar) seqüencial, composto por um filtro anaeróbio (FA) e um reator aeróbio por lotes (SBR). O FA operou com cargas orgânicas (CO) em um intervalo 3,7-16,5kg·m-3·d-1, as eficiências de remoção de DQO variaram entre 50 e 81% e foram inversamente proporcionais ao valor da CO. A degradação da matéria orgânica (MO) no SBR mostrou uma cinética de pseudo-primeira ordem em relação à concentração de MO. A remoção da DQO pelo processo biológico (FA+SBR) foi de 97% para um tempo de retenção hidráulica (TRH) de 20h para FA e de 9h para o SBR.