Membrane separation of indigenous noroviruses from sewage sludge and treated wastewater.

In this study, feasibility of membrane separation for the removal of indigenous noroviruses (NVs) is evaluated. The indigenous NV gene was never detected from ultrafiltration (UF) permeates of sewage sludge and treated wastewater. Indigenous NV gene was also not detected from permeates of sewage sludge and treated wastewater by microfiltration (MF) with a pore size of 0.1 microm (MF0.1). Even though the pore size of MF (0.1 microm) was much larger than the diameter of virus particle (approximately 30-40nm), more than 4-log10 reduction value (LRV) at maximum was achieved by membrane separation with MF0.1. NV genes were often detected from permeates of sewage sludge and treated wastewater by MF with a pore size of 0.45 microm (MF0.45), although the maximum log10 reduction values were more than 3.59 for sewage sludge and more than 2.90 for treated wastewater. It is important to verify factors determining the removal efficiency of viruses with MF membranes.     

The effect of topical corticosteroids on refractive outcome and corneal haze after photorefractive keratectomy

BACKGROUND: The effect of topical corticosteroids after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) remains a matter of some controversy. Refractive effects may be different according to the amount of myopia and timing of instillation. METHODS: Two groups of patients were studied: Study A consisted of 215 eyes (128 patients) with PRK (mean baseline myopia, -6.53 +/- 2.22 D) that received no corticosteroids (No Corticosteroid Group) unless significant regression or corneal haze appeared (Delayed Corticosteroid Group), and in Study B, we randomly assigned eyes to the Initial Corticosteroid Group (mean baseline myopia, -6.39 +/- 1.84 D) or the No/delayed Corticosteroid Group (mean baseline myopia -5.78 +/- 2.02 D). Clinical results after PRK for low-to-moderate and high myopia were compared. RESULTS: In the first group, 70.9% (73 eyes) of moderately myopic eyes (mean, -4.56 +/- 1.10 D) belonged to the No Corticosteroid Group that had a mean refraction of -5.39 +/- 1.77 D. Delayed Corticosteroid Group eyes were more myopic (mean, -7.52 +/- 2.10 D), and showed more severe haze than those in the No Corticosteroid Group. In study B, only in high myopes with more than -6.00 D (mean, -7.76 +/- 1.15 D) did refraction and corneal haze outcomes show significant difference between the Initial Corticosteroid Group and the No/delayed Corticosteroid Group. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of topical corticosteroids after PRK were less in moderate myopes compared to high myopes. Delayed instillation of corticosteroids did not reverse the regression or haze whereas initial instillation showed a beneficial effect on high myopes but not on moderate myopes.     

Longitudinal weight changes, length of survival, and energy requirements of long-term care residents with dementia

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that institutionalized patients with dementia, who frequently have feeding problems and require supervised and assisted feeding, would lose more weight during their residency than nondemented, independently functioning residents and have compromised survival. To test this hypothesis, we examined the survival and longitudinal changes in weight of two cohorts of institutionalized residents with dementia and compared these cohorts with a cohort of nondemented residents. We also measured the resting energy expenditures of a subset of the subjects with dementia as an indicator of their energy needs. DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study with retrospective baseline chart review and subsequent follow-up of monthly weights and mortality over 4 years. SETTING: A 725-bed long-term care institution with specified levels of care. SUBJECTS: Two cohorts of residents with dementia, one consisting of subjects who required total care throughout their institutional stay (n = 31) and another group who did not initially require total care (n = 48); these were compared with a cohort with normal mentation who were functionally independent in their daily activities (n = 26). The total number of subjects was 105. MEASUREMENTS: Demographics, medical problems, and medications by chart review; functional and mental status evaluations; longitudinal monthly weights and mortality for the 48-month study period; and resting energy expenditures by indirect calorimetry. MAIN RESULTS: Residents with dementia had lower weights on admission and throughout their stay than nondemented, independently functioning residents, and they were more likely to have a weight loss of 10 lbs or more at some point during the 4-year study period. However, their mean weights did not change during the study period. The mean survival from admission of those demented residents who died was more than 3 years. Resting energy expenditures of women residents with advanced dementia were 12% lower than predicted from the Harris Benedict equations. CONCLUSION: Dementia is not necessarily associated with unremitting weight loss during institutionalization despite the frequent occurrence of feeding difficulties and temporary weight loss. This may be caused partly by the lower than expected resting energy expenditures and, hence, energy needs of affected residents as their dementia progresses. Demented residents weighed significantly less than nondemented, independently functioning residents throughout their institutional stay. Nevertheless, nursing staff are able to maintain weight and survival for extended periods even in very impaired residents.     

Effect of light source spectral modulation on wavelength interrogation in fiber Bragg grating sensors and its reduction

In the fiber Bragg grating sensing using a superluminescent diode as the light source and an arrayed waveguide grating as the wavelength interrogator, the wavelength measurement error due to the spectral modulation of the superluminescent diode is theoretically formulated and quantitatively analyzed by computer simulation. It is shown that the wavelength measurement errors produced with the use of real superluminescent diodes are in very good agreement with the theoretical results. In order to reduce the wavelength measurement error due to the spectral modulation of superluminescent diode, two different types of remedies are proposed that utilize the temperature switching of superluminescent diode and that adjust the bandwidths of fiber Bragg grating and arrayed waveguide grating, and their efficacies are experimentally demonstrated together with good quantitative agreement with the theoretical calculation.     

Geochemical characteristics of the Yufuin outflow plume, Beppu hydrothermal system, Japan

Thermal water at Yufuin (Kyushu Island, Japan) is tapped through about 820 shallow wells and used mainly for hot-spring bathing purposes. Chemical and isotopic data for fluids from wells and fumaroles in Yufuin and Beppu indicate that the thermal activity at Yufuin represents a dilute, westward-flowing hydrothermal outflow plume from the Beppu hydrothermal system. Two other (eastward-flowing) outflow plumes have long been recognized at Beppu, but the Yufuin outflow plume is first recognized here. The Yufuin outflow plume is apparently a mixture of two end-member fluids: (1) deep high-temperature (250–300°C) fluid from the Beppu system having high chloride concentration (1400–1600 mg/L) and a δ¹⁸O value near −6.0%, and (2) meteoric water having low chloride concentration (≤7 mg/L) and a δ¹⁸O value near −9.2%.A permeable conduit for the vertical and lateral transport of deep fluid from the Beppu system is provided by the Yufuin Fault zone, which extends westward from the southern flank of Mt. Tsurumi volcano to the town of Yufuin. Stable isotope ratios and chloride concentrations for shallow groundwaters near the eastern end of the fault, at an elevation near 700 m, are consistent with those required for the low-chloride meteoric end-member of the Yufuin thermal waters. Recharge of this meteoric water, as well as mixing with the Beppu deep fluid, may occur along the Yufuin Fault. Enthalpy-chloride relations indicate additional conductive heating of the Yufuin waters, in the amount of 350–500 kJ/kg beyond that which can be accounted for by mixing between Beppu deep fluid and meteoric water. This could be a result of conductive heating with convection to a depth of 1–2 km. Estimates of the magnitude of the heat source for the Beppu hydrothermal system should take into account the heat being discharged at Yufuin.     

Ulcerative colitis with skip lesions at the mouth of the appendix: a clinical study

OBJECTIVE: We examined the clinical characteristics of ulcerative colitis patients who demonstrated endoscopically discontinuous lesions at the mouth of the appendix. METHODS: Of patients with initial or recurrent active ulcerative colitis who underwent total colonoscopy during the past 3 yr at Osaka City General Hospital, we selected those who had skip lesions in the mouth of the appendix before treatment, and examined their gender, age, disease type, sites of lesions, inflammatory reaction, severity of disease, effects of treatment, and posttreatment course. RESULTS: Discontinuous lesions at the mouth of the appendix were found in 10 patients, who had the following common clinical features: the major lesion was usually present in the lower part of the large bowel including the rectum, many of the patients had suffered an initial attack only, all patients had mild disease, and many of the patients responded quite satisfactorily to treatment with salicylazosulfapyridine. CONCLUSION: Numerous patients with ulcerative colitis with discontinuous lesions at the mouth of the appendix were observed and their clinical characteristics were examined. Determination of the clinical significance of skip lesions in the appendix will contribute to elucidation of the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis.     

Stabilization of bioethanol recovery with silicone rubber‐coated ethanol‐permselective silicalite membranes by controlling the pH of acidic feed solution

In order to produce highly concentrated bioethanol by pervaporation using an ethanol‐permselective silicalite membrane, techniques to suppress adsorption of succinic acid, which is a chief by‐product of ethanol fermentation and causes the deterioration in pervaporation performance, onto the silicalite crystals was investigated. The amount adsorbed increased as the pH of the aqueous succinic acid solution decreased. The pervaporation performance also decreased with decreasing pH when the ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid were separated. Using silicalite membranes individually coated with two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was significantly improved in the pH range of 5 to 7, when compared with that of non‐coated silicalite membranes in ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid. Moreover, when using a silicalite membrane double‐coated with the two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was stabilized at lower pH values. In the separation of bioethanol by pervaporation using the double‐coated silicalite membrane, removal of accumulated substances having an ultraviolet absorption maximum at approximately 260 nm from the fermentation broth proved to be vital for efficient pervaporation. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry