Effect of Intermittent Thoracic Paravertebral Block on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Following Thoracoscopic Radical Resection of the Lung Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

Purpose: To explore the benefits of ultrasound-guided intermittent thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) combined with intravenous analgesia (PCIA) in alleviating postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) during video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Patients and Methods: 120 patients with lung carcinoma undergoing VATS were included and divided into three groups: group S (single TPVB+PCIA), group I (intermittent TPVB+PCIA), and group P (PCIA). The patients' NRS scores, postoperative hydromorphone hydrochloride consumption, and intramuscular injection of bucinnazine hydrochloride were recorded. The incidence of PONV and complications were documented. Results: Compared with the group P, both group I and group S had significantly lower static NRS scores from 1-48 hours after the operation (P <0.05), and the dynamic NRS score of group I at the 1-48 hours after the operation were significantly decreased (P <0.05). Compared with the group P, the proportion of patients with PONV in group I was significantly lower (P <0.05), while there was no significant difference in group S. Moreover, the hospitalization period of patients in group I was significantly reduced compared with the other two groups (P <0.01), and the patient satisfaction was significantly increased compared with the group P (P <0.05). Conclusion: Intermittent TPVB combined with PCIA can reduce the postoperative pain and the occurrence of PONV.

Utilization of lime-dried sludge for eco-cement clinker production: effects of different feeding points.

Co-processing lime-dried sludge (LDS) in cement kilns is an appropriate technique to solve the problem of LDS disposal and promote the sustainable development for cement industry. However, there were limited studies that investigated the effects of feeding points on product quality and cement kiln emissions. In this study, simulated experiments were conducted by dividing the feeding points into high-temperature zones (HTZs) and raw mill (RM). Cement quality and major cement kiln emission characteristics were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that in terms of burnability, compressive strength and microstructure, the optimum co-processing amount of LDS were 9 wt% when feeding at RM, while 6% when feeding at HTZs. Meanwhile, the organic emissions of RM samples were mainly low environmental risk compounds of amides and nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds. Inorganic gaseous pollutions of NOX and SO2, respectively, were 8.11 mg/g DS and 12.89 mg/g DS, compared with 7.61 mg/g DS and 4.44 mg/g DS for HTZs. However, all the cement kiln emissions concentration were still much lower than standard requirements. Overall, RM had a bigger LDS co-processing capacity and higher, but acceptable, cement kiln emissions. Feeding LDS via RM could dispose larger amounts of sludge and provide more alternative materials for cement manufacturing.

The effect of lime-dried sewage sludge on the heat-resistance of eco-cement.

The treatment and disposal of sewage sludge is a growing problem for sewage treatment plants. One method of disposal is to use sewage sludge as partial replacement for raw material in cement manufacture. Although this process has been well researched, little attention has been given to the thermal properties of cement that has had sewage sludge incorporated in the manufacturing process. This study investigated the fire endurance of eco-cement to which lime-dried sludge (LDS) had been added. LDS was added in proportions of 0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% (by weight) to the raw material. The eco-cement was exposed to 200, 400, or 600 °C for 3 h. The residual strength and the microstructural properties of eco-cement were then studied. Results showed that the eco-cement samples suffered less damage than conventional cement at 600 °C. The microstructural studies showed that LDS incorporation could reduce Ca(OH)(2) content. It was concluded that LDS has the potential to improve the heat resistance of eco-cement products.

Characteristics of ammonia emission during thermal drying of lime sludge for co-combustion in cement kilns.

Thermal drying was used to reduce sludge moisture content before co-combustion in cement kilns. The characteristics of ammonia (NH3) emission during thermal drying of lime sludge (LS) were investigated in a laboratory-scale tubular dry furnace under different temperature and time conditions. As the temperature increased, the NH3 concentration increased in the temperature range 100-130°C, decreased in the temperature range 130-220°C and increased rapidly at >220°C. Emission of NH3 also increased as the lime dosage increased and stabilized at lime dosages>5%. In the first 60 min of drying experiments, 55% of the NH3 was released. NH3 accounted for about 67-72% of the change in total nitrogen caused by the release of nitrogen-containing volatile compounds (VCs) from the sludge. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the main forms of nitrogen in sludge were amides and amines. The addition of lime (CaO) could cause conversion of N-H, N-O or C-N containing compounds to NH3 during the drying process.

Start-up of completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite enhanced by hydrophilic-modified carbon fiber.

In order to assess the effects of the surface hydrophilicity of supports on the biofilm formation and evaluate the performance of completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR), unmodified activity carbon fibers (ACFs) and ACFs hydrophilic modified by heat treatment were used as supports. CANON process was initiated in a SBBR from conventional activated sludge. An operation temperature of 32 ± 2 °C, dissolved oxygen (DO) level at 1.5 mg L⁻¹ and free ammonia (FA) concentration with 3.98-15.93 mg L⁻¹ were maintained in the SBBR. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and Boehm's neutralizing titration exhibited that modified ACFs had more oxygen-containing groups than unmodified ACFs. Larger biofilm growth on the modified surfaces examined by scanning electron microscopy and biofilm's total dry weight, and the biofilm on the modified surfaces were more active, compared with those on the unmodified surfaces. This study demonstrates the hydrophilic-modified ACFs have better biological affinity than unmodified ACFs. Maximal total nitrogen removal rate of 0.088 k g N m⁻³ day⁻¹ was achieved for the CANON process on day 80, indicating the CANON process was successfully started up. Apart from supports, the strategies of DO supplying and controlling FA concentration were also keys in starting up the CANON process within a shorter period.

Bacillus qingdaonensis sp. nov., a moderately haloalkaliphilic bacterium isolated from a crude sea-salt sample collected near Qingdao in eastern China.

A moderately haloalkaliphilic, Gram-positive bacterium, designated as strain CM1(T), was isolated from a crude sea-salt sample collected near Qingdao in eastern China. Strain CM1(T) was found to grow optimally at 37 degrees C and pH 9.0. It was shown to be aerobic, rod-shaped and capable of growth at salinities of 2.5-20 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 12 %). The genomic DNA G+C content was about 48 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(17 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0) and the major isoprenoid quinones were MK-7(H(2)) and MK-6(H(2)). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that CM1(T) is a member of the genus Bacillus and has less than 95.2 % gene sequence similarity to the most closely related strain, Bacillus salarius BH169(T). Its DNA-DNA reassociation value with respect to B. salarius BH169(T) was 35.4 %. On the basis of phenotypic and molecular properties, strain CM1(T) represents a novel Bacillus species, for which the name Bacillus qingdaonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CM1(T) (=CGMCC 1.6134(T)=JCM 14087(T)).

Halococcus qingdaonensis sp. nov., a halophilic archaeon isolated from a crude sea-salt sample.

A Gram-negative, extremely halophilic, coccoid archaeal strain, CM5(T), was isolated from a crude sea-salt sample collected near Qingdao, China. The organism grew optimally at 35-40 degrees C and pH 6.0 in the presence of 20 % (w/v) NaCl. Its colonies were red in colour and it could use glucose as a sole carbon source for growth. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of CM5(T) was most closely related to those of Halococcus species. Its pattern of antibiotic susceptibility was similar to those of other described Halococcus species. Biochemical tests revealed no sign of H(2)S production or gelatin liquefaction. The main polar lipids of strain CM5(T) were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol methylphosphate and sulfated diglycosyl diether. No phosphatidylglycerol sulfate was present. The DNA G+C content of strain CM5(T) was 61.2 mol% and it gave DNA-DNA reassociation values of 33.7, 57.1 and 29.6 %, respectively, with Halococcus salifodinae DSM 8989(T), Halococcus dombrowskii DSM 14522(T) and Halococcus morrhuae ATCC 17082(T). Based on its morphological and chemotaxonomic properties and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence data, we propose that CM5(T) should be classified within a novel species, Halococcus qingdaonensis sp. nov., with strain CM5(T) (=CGMCC 1.4243(T)=JCM 13587(T)) as the type strain.