A review on thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW).

Plastic plays an important role in our daily lives due to its versatility, light weight and low production cost. Plastics became essential in many sectors such as construction, medical, engineering applications, automotive, aerospace, etc. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. Hence, a sustainable and an efficient plastic waste treatment is essential to avoid such issues. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical plastic waste treatment technique which can solve such pollution problems, as well as, recover valuable energy and products such as oil and gas. Pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW) has gained importance due to having better advantages towards environmental pollution and reduction of carbon footprint of plastic products by minimizing the emissions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide compared to combustion and gasification. This paper presents the existing techniques of pyrolysis, the parameters which affect the products yield and selectivity and identify major research gaps in this technology. The influence of different catalysts on the process as well as review and comparative assessment of pyrolysis with other thermal and catalytic plastic treatment methods, is also presented.

Intramuscular aripiprazole or haloperidol and transition to oral therapy in patients with agitation associated with schizophrenia: sub-analysis of a double-blind study.

OBJECTIVE: A sub-population analysis of 325 patients with agitation (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excited Component [PEC] score > or = 15 and < or = 32; score of > or = 4 on > or = 2 items) associated with schizophrenia in a randomized, double-blind study investigating the efficacy and tolerability of intramuscular (IM) aripiprazole 9.75 mg, IM haloperidol 6.5 mg, or IM placebo and the transition to oral therapy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Over 24 h, patients could receive up to three IM injections; the second and third administered > or = 2 and > or = 4 h, respectively, after the first, if deemed clinically necessary. Following IM treatment, oral aripiprazole or haloperidol was administered for 4 days. The primary efficacy measure was the mean change in PEC score from baseline at 2 h. RESULTS: At 2 h, mean improvements in PEC scores with IM aripiprazole (-8.0) were significantly greater versus IM placebo (-5.7; p < or = 0.01), and similar versus IM haloperidol (-8.3). Secondary efficacy measures also significantly improved with active IM treatment versus IM placebo. Continuation with oral treatment provided continued efficacy with both active treatments. The safety profiles of IM and oral aripiprazole were similar. The incidence of extrapyramidal symptom-related adverse events was 0% with IM aripiprazole, 1.6% with IM placebo and 16.5% with IM haloperidol. CONCLUSION: Intramuscular aripiprazole is effective in patients with acute agitation associated with schizophrenia, comparable to IM haloperidol, and enables convenient transfer to oral aripiprazole therapy.

Bacteriological and epidemiological findings during examination of the uterine content of ewes with retention of fetal membranes.

We included 92 pairs of ewes with or without retention of fetal membranes in a cohort study of 25 flocks in Southern Greece. We obtained two uterine content samples under aseptic conditions, by introducing a swab into the uterus of these ewes, on the 2nd-4th and the 5th-9th day after lambing. We used conventional bacteriological techniques to isolate and identify bacteria and to carry out antimicrobial agents susceptibility testing. The prevalence of bacterial intrauterine contamination among ewes with retention was 24% on the first and 46% on the second sampling (P < 0.0001) and that among ewes without retention was 8 and 2% (P > 0.05), respectively. Clinical signs accompanying the retention of fetal membranes were more frequently observed among ewes with intrauterine contamination than among those without (P = 0.0007). The odds of an ewe having an intrauterine contamination increased multiplicatively by 1.06 when the median duration of retention in the flock increased by 6 h. The principal bacteria isolated from the ewes with retention were Arcanobacterium pyogenes and Escherichia coli; 21% of 73 isolates tested were found resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent.

Characterisation of zeolitic materials with a HEU-type structure modified by transition metal elements: definition of acid sites in nickel-loaded crystals in the light of experimental and quantum-chemical results.

Nickel-loaded HEU-type zeolite crystals have been obtained by well-known synthetic procedures and characterised by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning-electron microscopy/ energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), FT-IR, diffuse reflectance UV/ Vis spectroscopy (DR(UV/Vis)S) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements as non-homoionic and non-stoichiometric substances containing exchangeable hydrated Ni2+ ions in the micropores and nickel hydroxide phases supported on the surface. Thermogravimetric analysis/differential gravimetry (TGA/DTG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) demonstrated that full dehydration below approximately 400 degrees C follows a clearly endothermic process, whereas at higher temperatures the zeolite is amorphised and finally partially recrystallised to Ni(Al,Si) oxides, detected by powder X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The solid acidity of NiHEU, initially determined by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of ammonia to be 8.93 mgg(-1) NH3, is attributed to the weak acid sites (fundamentally Lewis sites) resolved at approximately 183 degrees C, and to the strong acid sites (essentially Brønsted sites) resolved at approximately 461 degrees C in the TPD pattern. A more sophisticated study based on in situ/ex situ FT-IR with in situ/ex situ 27Al MAS NMR and pyridine (Py) as a probe molecule, revealed that the Lewis acid sites can be attributed primarily to Ni2+ ions, whereas the Brønsted ones can probably be associated with the surface-supported nickel hydroxide phases. The spectroscopic measurements in conjunction with powder XRD and 29Si MAS NMR data strongly suggest that distorted Al tetrahedra are formed during the dehydration process and Py chemisorption/complexation (NiHEU-Py), whereas the crystal structure is remarkably well preserved in the rehydrated material (NiHEU-Py/R). The structural, electronic, energetic and spectroscopic properties of all possible nickel(II) aqua and dihydroxy complexes absorbed in the zeolite micropores or supported on the zeolite surface were studied theoretically by density functional theory (DFT). The computed proton affinity, found to be in the range 182.0-210.0 kcalmol(-1), increases with increasing coordination number of the aqua and dihydroxy nickel(II) complexes.

Using virtual reality to teach special populations how to cope in crisis: the case of a virtual earthquake.

The unique characteristics of special populations such as pre-school children and Down syndrome kids in crisis and their distorted self-image were never studied before, because of the difficulty of crisis reproduction. This study proposes a VR setting that tries to model some special population's behaviour in the time of crises and offers them a training scenario. The sample population consisted of 30 pre-school children and 20 children with Down syndrome. The VR setting involved a high-speed PC, a VPL EyePhone 1, a MR toolkit, a vibrations plate, a motion capture system and other sensors. The system measured and modelled the typical behaviour of these special populations in a Virtual Earthquake scenario with sight and sound and calculated a VR anthropomorphic model that reproduced their behaviour and emotional state. Afterwards one group received an emotionally enhanced VR self-image as feedback for their training, one group received a plain VR self-image and another group received verbal instructions. The findings strongly suggest that the training was a lot more biased by the emotionally enhanced VR self-image than the other approaches. These findings could highlight the special role of the self-image to therapy and training and the interesting role of imagination to emotions, motives and learning. Further studies could be done with various scenarios in order to measure the best-biased behaviour and establish the most natural and affective VR model. This presentation is going to highlight the main findings and some theories behind them.

Possible serotonin syndrome associated with buspirone added to fluoxetine.

OBJECTIVE: To report the development of a possible serotonin syndrome in a patient taking buspirone and fluoxetine. CASE SUMMARY: A 37-year-old white man taking fluoxetine 20 mg/d for generalized anxiety disorder developed confusion, diaphoresis, incoordination, diarrhea, and myoclonus after buspirone was added to the drug regimen. DISCUSSION: Serotonin syndrome is a potentially lethal condition of serotonin hyperstimulation, which may develop rapidly or over the course of several weeks. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome typically occur following additions or increases of serotonin-enhancing drugs. Although buspirone has variable effects on post- and presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors that may reduce the risk of serotonin syndrome when administered as a single agent, it may cause an adverse reaction when given with other serotonergic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms consistent with serotonin syndrome may develop with the concurrent administration of buspirone and fluoxetine.

Stress and metabolic control in diabetes mellitus: methodological issues and an illustrative analysis.

RATIONALE: The purpose of this article was twofold: a) to review studies of stress and glycemic control in diabetes, and b) to present a data analysis that illustrates the complexities of investigating stress in relation to blood glucose. The literature review emphasized human studies and the strengths and weaknesses of alternative designs. Special consideration was given to longitudinal investigations, and an analysis of data from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) was presented to exemplify this approach. Nine individuals with Type 1 diabetes who participated in this project at the University of Iowa were studied over a period of 2 years. Stress was multiply measured (Life Experiences Survey, Hassles Scale, Perceived Stress Scale) as was blood glucose control (daily reflectance meter readings; monthly HbA1c). Within-subject time-series analyses and a combined longitudinal/cross-sectional model were used to analyze data. Two of the nine subjects manifested significant correlations between stress and HbA1c, and six subjects exhibited significant associations between stress and daily level or variability of glucose readings. The latter correlations varied in sign and appeared to cluster around specific individuals rather than a particular measure of stress or blood glucose. CONCLUSION: While the subjects may not represent the full spectrum of individuals with Type 1 diabetes, results were consistent with earlier longitudinal research in suggesting that the strength and direction of the relationship between stress and blood glucose control varies considerably between individuals.

The utility of the Brief MAST' and the CAGE' in identifying alcohol problems: results from national high-risk and community samples.

BACKGROUND: The CAGE and the Brief MAST questionnaires are widely used to screen for alcohol problems. We tested the performance of these instruments in 2 population-based groups: a high-risk sample composed of relatives of alcoholic subjects and a community sample consisting of families not selected for alcoholism (ie, alcohol dependence disorder). METHODS: A total of 3435 relatives of alcoholics and 795 control subjects were interviewed with the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA) semistructured interview in a multicenter collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism. The performance of "CAGE" and "Brief MAST" equivalent items in the SSAGA was characterized by their positive predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of the sample who screened positive. RESULTS: Both questionnaires performed well in the highrisk sample, where the base rate of alcoholism was 35%. However, in the community sample, where the 16% rate of alcoholism was comparable to that of the US population (14%), an acceptable positive predictive value could be achieved only through a substantial reduction in sensitivity. Results were similar when men were compared with women and when lifetime alcoholics were compared with current alcoholics. CONCLUSION: The "Brief MAST" and "CAGE" can be effective instruments to screen for significant alcohol problems in both community and high-risk patients; as expected, their positive predictive value increases with the base rate of alcoholism in the population being screened.

Segmenting radiographs of the hand and wrist.

The work presented in this paper concerns the development of computer-based techniques for the segmentation of hand-wrist radiographs and in particular those obtained for the TW2 method for the assessment of skeletal maturity (bone age). The segmentation method is based on the concept of regions and it consists of region growing and region merging stages. A bone extraction stage follows, which labels regions as either bone or background using heuristic rules based on the grey level properties of the scene. Finally, a technique is proposed for the segmentation of bone outlines which helps in identifying conjugated bones.

[AIDS and tuberculosis; a retrospective study in 225 patients with AIDS]. / AIDS en tuberculose; een retrospectief onderzoek bij 225 patiënten met AIDS.

Of 225 patients in whom AIDS was diagnosed in the period January 1982 to March 1988 at the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the tuberculosis incidence and the clinical and demographic characteristics were recorded retrospectively. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 18 patients (8%). The most frequent risk factor of AIDS-tuberculosis patients was intravenous drug abuse. The chest X-ray was frequently atypical and there were more extrapulmonary locations in comparison to patients with tuberculosis without AIDS. On September 1, 1988, 13 of the 18 patients had died. The response to tuberculostatic therapy was good. Our results are in agreement with comparable studies elsewhere. The expectation is that the tuberculosis incidence among AIDS patients will increase as more intravenous drug users become part of the whole AIDS patient population.