Intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome in pancreatitis, paediatrics, and trauma

Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is an important contributor to early organ dysfunction in trauma and sepsis. However, relatively little is known about the impact of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in general internal medicine, pregnant patients, and those with obesity or burns. The aim of this paper is to review the pathophysiologic implications and treatment options for IAH in these specific situations. A MEDLINE and PubMed search was performed and the resulting body-of-evidence included in the current review on the basis of relevance and scientific merit. There is increasing awareness of the role of IAH in different clinical situations. Specifically, IAH will develop in most (if not all) severely burned patients, and may contribute to early mortality. One should avoid over-resuscitation of these patients with large volumes of fluids, especially crystalloids. Acute elevations in IAP have similar effects in obese patients compared to non-obese patients, but the threshold IAP associated with organ dysfunction may be higher. Chronic elevations in IAP may, in part, be responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity-related co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, pseudotumor cerebri, pulmonary dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and abdominal wall hernias. At the bedside, measuring IAP and considering IAH in all critical maternal conditions is essential, especially in preeclampsia/eclampsia where some have hypothesized that IAH may have an additional role. IAH in pregnancy must take into account the precautions for aorto-caval compression and has been associated with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Recently, IAP has been associated with the cardiorenal dilemma and hepatorenal syndrome, and this has led to the recognition of the polycompartment syndrome. In conclusion, IAH and ACS have been associated with several patient populations beyond the classical ICU, surgical, and trauma patients. In all at risk conditions the focus should be on the early recognition of IAH and prevention of ACS. Patients at risk for IAH should be identified early through measurements of IAP. Appropriate actions should be taken when IAP increases above 15 mm Hg, especially if pressures reach above 20 mm Hg with new onset organ failure. Although non-operative measures come first, surgical decompression must not be delayed if these fail. Percutaneous drainage of ascites is a simple and potentially effective tool to reduce IAP if organ dysfunction develops, especially in burn patients. Escharotomy may also dramatically reduce IAP in the case of abdominal burns

Culturability and viability of Salmonella typhimurium during photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5 under solar simulated irradiation

Culturability and viability techniques such as plate count on solid agar (PC), Most Probable Number (MPN) and Direct Viable Count-Fluorescence in Situ Hybridation (DVC FISH) were used to study the inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium by photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5. In the presence of only simulated solar irradiation (500 W·m−2), S. typhimurim showed that both culturability measured by MPN and viability (measured by DVC FISH) underwent just a slight decreasing of 2 and 1 log respectively after 240 min of light exposition while culturability measured by PC did not show any change. Results after 48 h of dark conditions did not reveal re-growth. However, when experiment was carried out in the presence of 2 mg L−1 of Fe3+ and 20 mg L−1 of H2O2 and pH 5.5, culturability was strongly affected after 240 min of simulated solar irradiation; nevertheless, viability was only slightly altered (~1 log). During dark period of 48 h changes on culturability and viability were not observed. On the other hand, it was also found that sugar metabolism was affected rather the amino-acids in S. typhimurium cells irradiated at different times upon photo-Fenton conditions. These findings might suggest for the first time that photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5 could induce viable but nonculturable state (VBNC) on waterborne S. typhimurium and that probably sugar metabolism damage could activate the VBNC state.Fil: Rengifo Herrera, Julian Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Ciencias Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Castaño, Olga L.. Universidad del Valle. Grupo de Investigación en Procesos de Oxidación Avanzada para Química y Tratamientos Biológicos; ColombiaFil: Sanabria, Irma Janeth. Universidad del Valle. Grupo de Investigación en Procesos de Oxidación Avanzada para Química y Tratamientos Biológicos; Colombi

A Sruvey of Opinions Pertaining to the Development of Composition Skill at the Typewriter

This study attempted to analyze and synthesize the opinions of a randomly selected sample of typewriting teachers pertaining to the development of composition skill at the typewriter, in first-year typewriting. An opinionnaire was mailed to one hundred randomly selected secondary typewriting instructors and of the returns received, seventy- five were usable. The findings of this study revealed the majority of teachers believed the following about composition at the typewriter: 1. A need exists for standards and guidelines in methodology and for a comprehensive booklet on developing composition skill. 2. A student\u27s typewriting rate (speed and accuracy) affects the amount he will use the skill outside the classroom. 3. When presented immediately after keyboard presentation, composition forces the student to type on the word and phrase level before he is ready to do so. 4. Composition is a good motivational device, it should be a goal of every first-year typewriting course, and it gives the teacher insight into the students\u27 interests, feelings and general attitudes. 5. The most valuable outcomes from composition are it equips the student with the ability to think at the typewriter, it encourages the student to make decisions on his own, and it induces creativity. The researcher recommends that methodology and grading standards be established and made available to the classroom typewriting teacher. Publication of a comprehensive, easily adaptable composition booklet would also be of value. Composition exercises should be an Integrated part of the typewriting teacher\u27s lesson plans

Body Composition, Protein Deposition, and Efficiency of Lysine Utilization of Growing Pigs Fed Crystalline or Protein-Bound Lysine

Two 4-week experiments were conducted to determine body composition and lysine utilization for protein deposition (PD) in barrows and gilts. Thirty-two growing pigs (16 barrows and 16 gilts; average initial body weight of 40.4 lb) were used in each experiment. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of seven dietary treatments. Four pigs (two barrows and two gilts) were killed at the start and the remaining pigs were killed at the end of the experiments to determine body composition. There were two replications per treatment in each experiment for a total of four replications. Dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (0.55% lysine) and diets containing 0.65, 0.75, and 0.85% lysine that were achieved by adding lysine to the basal diet from either soybean meal (SBM) or L-lysine•HCl (crystalline). Body protein concentration was greater (P \u3c 0.01) in pigs fed the 0.75% crystalline- supplemented diet than in pigs fed SBM at the same concentration. Gilts had greater (P = 0.05) body lysine concentration than barrows. Body PD and lysine deposition increased linearly with dietary lysine concentration (P \u3c 0.01), but were not different between the two sources of lysine (SBM vs crystalline, respectively) at the same concentration. Barrows and gilts had similar PD and lysine deposition. Body fat concentration decreased (P \u3c 0.01) as the dietary lysine concentration increased for both lysine sources; however, fat deposition was not affected by diet. Water deposition increased with dietary lysine concentration (P = 0.05). Body ash content was similar in pigs fed crystalline or SBM-lysine. The results suggest that PD of growing pigs fed lysine from SBM is similar to that of pigs fed crystalline lysine. Pigs fed 0.75% or 0.85% total lysine (0.20% or 0.30% from SBM) had greater (P \u3c 0.05) efficiency of lysine utilization than pigs fed crystalline-supplemented diets at the same concentration. Gilts utilized lysine from SBM more efficiently than barrows (P \u3c 0.05) at the dietary lysine concentration of 0.75 and 0.85%. The results indicate no significant differences in PD of pigs fed supplemented diets from L-lysine•HCl and soybean meal. However, it appears that the efficiency of lysine utilization of gilts fed diets supplemented with SBM-bound lysine is greater than that of barrows. Supplementing low-protein diets with crystalline amino acids at adequate concentrations can offer environmental benefits towards reducing nitrogen excretion without affecting protein deposition

Body Composition, Protein Deposition, and Efficiency of Lysine Utilization of Growing Pigs Fed Crystalline or Protein-Bound Lysine

Two 4-week experiments were conducted to determine body composition and lysine utilization for protein deposition (PD) in barrows and gilts. Thirty-two growing pigs (16 barrows and 16 gilts; average initial body weight of 40.4 lb) were used in each experiment. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of seven dietary treatments. Four pigs (two barrows and two gilts) were killed at the start and the remaining pigs were killed at the end of the experiments to determine body composition. There were two replications per treatment in each experiment for a total of four replications. Dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (0.55% lysine) and diets containing 0.65, 0.75, and 0.85% lysine that were achieved by adding lysine to the basal diet from either soybean meal (SBM) or L-lysine•HCl (crystalline). Body protein concentration was greater (P \u3c 0.01) in pigs fed the 0.75% crystalline- supplemented diet than in pigs fed SBM at the same concentration. Gilts had greater (P = 0.05) body lysine concentration than barrows. Body PD and lysine deposition increased linearly with dietary lysine concentration (P \u3c 0.01), but were not different between the two sources of lysine (SBM vs crystalline, respectively) at the same concentration. Barrows and gilts had similar PD and lysine deposition. Body fat concentration decreased (P \u3c 0.01) as the dietary lysine concentration increased for both lysine sources; however, fat deposition was not affected by diet. Water deposition increased with dietary lysine concentration (P = 0.05). Body ash content was similar in pigs fed crystalline or SBM-lysine. The results suggest that PD of growing pigs fed lysine from SBM is similar to that of pigs fed crystalline lysine. Pigs fed 0.75% or 0.85% total lysine (0.20% or 0.30% from SBM) had greater (P \u3c 0.05) efficiency of lysine utilization than pigs fed crystalline-supplemented diets at the same concentration. Gilts utilized lysine from SBM more efficiently than barrows (P \u3c 0.05) at the dietary lysine concentration of 0.75 and 0.85%. The results indicate no significant differences in PD of pigs fed supplemented diets from L-lysine•HCl and soybean meal. However, it appears that the efficiency of lysine utilization of gilts fed diets supplemented with SBM-bound lysine is greater than that of barrows. Supplementing low-protein diets with crystalline amino acids at adequate concentrations can offer environmental benefits towards reducing nitrogen excretion without affecting protein deposition

Culturability and viability of Salmonella typhimurium during photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5 under solar simulated irradiation

Culturability and viability techniques such as plate count on solid agar (PC), Most Probable Number (MPN) and Direct Viable Count-Fluorescence in Situ Hybridation (DVC FISH) were used to study the inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium by photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5. In the presence of only simulated solar irradiation (500 W·m−2), S. typhimurim showed that both culturability measured by MPN and viability (measured by DVC FISH) underwent just a slight decreasing of 2 and 1 log respectively after 240 min of light exposition while culturability measured by PC did not show any change. Results after 48 h of dark conditions did not reveal re-growth. However, when experiment was carried out in the presence of 2 mg L−1 of Fe3+ and 20 mg L−1 of H2O2 and pH 5.5, culturability was strongly affected after 240 min of simulated solar irradiation; nevertheless, viability was only slightly altered (~1 log). During dark period of 48 h changes on culturability and viability were not observed. On the other hand, it was also found that sugar metabolism was affected rather the amino-acids in S. typhimurium cells irradiated at different times upon photo-Fenton conditions. These findings might suggest for the first time that photo-Fenton process at pH 5.5 could induce viable but nonculturable state (VBNC) on waterborne S. typhimurium and that probably sugar metabolism damage could activate the VBNC state.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicada

Intermediation for technology diffusion and user innovation in a developing rural economy:a social learning perspective

Technology intermediaries are seen as potent vehicles for addressing perennial problems in transferring technology from university to industry in developed and developing countries. This paper examines what constitutes effective user-end intermediation in a low-technology, developing economy context, which is an under-researched topic. The social learning in technological innovation framework is extended using situated learning theory in a longitudinal instrumental case study of an exemplar technology intermediation programme. The paper documents the role that academic-related research and advisory centres can play as intermediaries in brokering, facilitating and configuring technology, against the backdrop of a group of small-scale pisciculture businesses in a rural area of Colombia. In doing so, it demonstrates how technology intermediation activities can be optimized in the domestication and innofusion of technology amongst end-users. The design components featured in this instrumental case of intermediation can inform policy making and practice relating to technology transfer from university to rural industry. Future research on this subject should consider the intermediation components put forward, as well as the impact of such interventions, in different countries and industrial sectors. Such research would allow for theoretical replication and help improve technology domestication and innofusion in different contexts, especially in less-developed countries

Photo-Fenton process at natural conditions of pH, iron, ions, and humic acids for degradation of diuron and amoxicillin

Effect of ferric ions at concentrations typically found in natural waters (0.05 to 1.06 mg L−1) and low H2O2 concentrations (between 0.5 and 17.9 mg L−1) on simulated sunlight-induced (300 W m−2) photo-Fenton degradation at initial neutral pH (7.0) of amoxicillin and diuron in Milli-Q water was studied using an rotatable central composite experimental design 22 with a central and two axial points. H2O2 concentration was the parameter playing the key role on the degradation of both pollutants. Despite that initial pH was 7.0 in Milli-Q water, this latter decreased rapidly in the first minutes, reaching values of 3.5 and 5.0 for diuron and amoxicillin respectively after 15 min of simulated sunlight irradiation. In contrast, in presence of bicarbonate/carbonate (HCO3 −/CO3 =), fluoride (F−), and humic acids (HAs) at concentrations found often in surface and well waters with ferric ion and H2O2 concentrations of 0.3 and 9.7 and 15.2 mg L−1 respectively, both pollutants exhibited a strong degradation keeping the circumneutral pH. Amoxicillin and diuron degradation byproducts found by HPLC/MS were compatible with HO• and/or CO3 –• radical attack. Several photo-induced processes such as photo-Fenton (by dissolved ferric-HA complexes), heterogeneous photocatalysis (by colloidal iron), UV-B H2O2 photolysis, irradiated-dissolved organic matter, and their reactions with pollutants would be the main oxidative route responsible of degradations. These findings demonstrated that it could be possible using iron concentrations often found in natural waters to oxidize via photo-Fenton processes among other events, organic pollutants at natural pH conditions.Fil: Buitrago, Jose L.. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira; ColombiaFil: Sanabria, Janeth. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Gútierrez Zapata, Héctor M.. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Urbano Ceron, Frankly J.. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses; ColombiaFil: García Barco, Alejandra. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira; ColombiaFil: Osorio Vargas, Paula Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira; Colombia. Universidad del Bio Bio; ChileFil: Rengifo Herrera, Julian Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas; Argentin