Rapid-synthesis of zeolite T via sonochemical-assisted hydrothermal growth method.

PubMed

Jusoh, Norwahyu; Yeong, Yin Fong; Mohamad, Maisarah; Lau, Kok Keong; M Shariff, Azmi

2017-01-01

Sonochemical-assisted method has been identified as one of the potential pre-treatment methods which could reduce the formation duration of zeolite as well as other microporous and mesoporous materials. In the present work, zeolite T was synthesized via sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment prior to hydrothermal growth. The durations for sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment were varied from 30min to 90min. Meanwhile, the hydrothermal growth durations were ranged from 0.5 to 3days. The physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were characterized using XRD, FESEM, FTIR and BET. As verified by XRD, the samples synthesized via hydrothermal growth durations of 1, 2 and 3days and sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment durations of 60min and 90min demonstrated zeolite T structure. The samples which underwent sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment duration of 60min yielded higher crystallinity with negligible change of zeolite T morphology. Overall, the lengthy synthesis duration of zeolite T has been successfully reduced from 7days to 1day by applying sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment of 60min, while synthesis duration of 0.5days via sonochemical-assisted pre-treatment of 60min was not sufficient to produce zeolite T structure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison between Rinse and Crush-and-Rub Sampling for Aerobic Bacteria Recovery from Hatching Eggs after Sanitization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study compared surface and deep eggshell aerobic bacteria recovered by rinse and crush-and-rub sampling methods for commercial hatching eggs after treatments with sanitizers. Eggs were arranged into 5 treatments consisting of three sanitizers, Water, and No-treatment. Sanitizers were Hydrogen...

Comparison between rinse and crush-and-rub sampling for aerobic bacteria recovery from broiler hatching eggs after sanitization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study compared surface and deep eggshell aerobic bacteria recovered by rinse and crush-and-rub sampling methods for commercial hatching eggs after treatment with sanitizers. Eggs were arranged into 5 treatments consisting of No-treatment, Water, and three sanitizers. Sanitizers were Hydrogen ...

Detection of oxidative hair treatment using fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Witt, Silvana; Wunder, Cora; Paulke, Alexander; Verhoff, Marcel A; Schubert-Zsilavecz, Manfred; Toennes, Stefan W

2016-08-01

In assessing abstinence from drug or alcohol abuse, hair analysis plays an important role. Cosmetic hair treatment influences the content of deposited drugs which is not always detectable during analysis. Since oxidation of melanin leads to an increase in fluorescence, a microscopic method was developed to distinguish natural from cosmetically treated hair. For validation, natural hair samples were treated with different types of cosmetics and inspected by fluorescence microscopy. Hair samples from 20 volunteers with documented cosmetic treatment and as a proof of concept 100 hair samples from forensic cases were analyzed by this method. Apart from autofluorescence with excitation at 365 nm, no obvious fluorescence was observed in untreated hair samples. Tinting and a natural plant product had no influence on fluorescence, but dyeing procedures including oxidation led to a marked increase in fluorescence. Proof of cosmetic treatment was achieved in hair samples from the 20 volunteers. In 100 forensic cases, 13 samples were characterized as oxidatively treated, which was in accordance with the respective disclosure except for one case where treatment was not admitted. This fluorescence microscopic procedure proved to be fast, easy, and reliable to identify oxidatively treated hair samples, which must be considered especially in evaluating cases of negative drug results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using pilot data to size a two-arm randomized trial to find a nearly optimal personalized treatment strategy.

PubMed

Laber, Eric B; Zhao, Ying-Qi; Regh, Todd; Davidian, Marie; Tsiatis, Anastasios; Stanford, Joseph B; Zeng, Donglin; Song, Rui; Kosorok, Michael R

2016-04-15

A personalized treatment strategy formalizes evidence-based treatment selection by mapping patient information to a recommended treatment. Personalized treatment strategies can produce better patient outcomes while reducing cost and treatment burden. Thus, among clinical and intervention scientists, there is a growing interest in conducting randomized clinical trials when one of the primary aims is estimation of a personalized treatment strategy. However, at present, there are no appropriate sample size formulae to assist in the design of such a trial. Furthermore, because the sampling distribution of the estimated outcome under an estimated optimal treatment strategy can be highly sensitive to small perturbations in the underlying generative model, sample size calculations based on standard (uncorrected) asymptotic approximations or computer simulations may not be reliable. We offer a simple and robust method for powering a single stage, two-armed randomized clinical trial when the primary aim is estimating the optimal single stage personalized treatment strategy. The proposed method is based on inverting a plugin projection confidence interval and is thereby regular and robust to small perturbations of the underlying generative model. The proposed method requires elicitation of two clinically meaningful parameters from clinical scientists and uses data from a small pilot study to estimate nuisance parameters, which are not easily elicited. The method performs well in simulated experiments and is illustrated using data from a pilot study of time to conception and fertility awareness. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Novel Electrokinetic Microfluidic Detector for Evaluating Effectiveness of Microalgae Disinfection in Ship Ballast Water

PubMed Central

Maw, Myint Myint; Wang, Junsheng; Li, Fabo; Jiang, Jinhu; Song, Younan; Pan, Xinxiang

2015-01-01

Ship ballast water treatment methods face many technical challenges. The effectiveness of every treatment method usually is evaluated by using large scale equipment and a large volume of samples, which involves time-consuming, laborious, and complex operations. This paper reports the development of a novel, simple and fast platform of methodology in evaluating the efficiency and the best parameters for ballast water treatment systems, particularly in chemical disinfection. In this study, a microfluidic chip with six sample wells and a waste well was designed, where sample transportation was controlled by electrokinetic flow. The performance of this microfluidic platform was evaluated by detecting the disinfection of Dunaliella salina (D. salina) algae in ballast water treated by sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) solution. Light-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LICF) intensity was used to determine the viability of microalgae cells in the system, which can be operated automatically with the dimension of the detector as small as 50 mm × 24 mm × 5 mm. The 40 µL volume of sample solution was used for each treatment condition test and the validity of detection can be accomplished within about five min. The results show that the viability of microalgae cells under different treatment conditions can be determined accurately and further optimal treatment conditions including concentrations of NaClO and treatment time can also be obtained. These results can provide accurate evaluation and optimal parameters for ballast water treatment methods. PMID:26516836

[DNA quantification of blood samples pre-treated with pyramidon].

PubMed

Zhu, Chuan-Hong; Zheng, Dao-Li; Ni, Rao-Zhi; Wang, Hai-Sheng; Ning, Ping; Fang, Hui; Liu, Yan

2014-06-01

To study DNA quantification and STR typing of samples pre-treated with pyramidon. The blood samples of ten unrelated individuals were anticoagulated in EDTA. The blood stains were made on the filter paper. The experimental groups were divided into six groups in accordance with the storage time, 30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24h after pre-treated with pyramidon. DNA was extracted by three methods: magnetic bead-based extraction, QIAcube DNA purification method and Chelex-100 method. The quantification of DNA was made by fluorescent quantitative PCR. STR typing was detected by PCR-STR fluorescent technology. In the same DNA extraction method, the sample DNA decreased gradually with times after pre-treatment with pyramidon. In the same storage time, the DNA quantification in different extraction methods had significant differences. Sixteen loci DNA typing were detected in 90.56% of samples. Pyramidon pre-treatment could cause DNA degradation, but effective STR typing can be achieved within 24 h. The magnetic bead-based extraction is the best method for STR profiling and DNA extraction.

What’s Important to the Patient?: Informational Needs of Patients Making Decisions about Hepatitis C Treatment

PubMed Central

Evon, Donna M.; Golin, Carol E.; Stoica, Teodora; Jones, Rachel; Willis, Sarah; Galanko, Joseph; Fried, Michael W.

2017-01-01

Background & Objectives Multiple treatment options with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are now available for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Study aims were to understand (1) The informational topics patients want to have to make informed treatment decisions; (2) The importance patients place on each topic; and (3) The topics patients prioritize as most important. Methods Mixed methods study utilizing two samples recruited from an academic liver center. Participants were not currently on treatment. Sample I (n=45) free-listed all informational topics deemed important to decision-making. Raw responses were coded into several broad and subcategories. Sample II (n=38) rated the importance of the subcategories from Sample I and ranked their highest priorities on two surveys, one containing topics for which sufficient research existed to inform patients (“static”), and the other containing topics that would require additional research. Results The topics listed by Sample I fell into 6 broad categories with 17 total subcategories. The most oft-cited informational topics were harms of treatment (100%), treatment benefits (62%) and treatment regimen details (84%). Sample II rated 16 of 17 subcategories as “pretty important’ or “extremely important.” Sample II prioritized (1) viral cure, (2) long-term survival, and (3) side effects on the survey of topics requiring additional research, and (1) liver disease, (2) lifestyle changes, and (3) medication details on the second survey of the most important static topics patients needed. Conclusions Patients weighed several informational topics to make an informed decision about HCV treatment. These findings lay the groundwork for future patient-centered outcomes research in HCV and patient-provider communication to enhance patients’ informed decision-making regarding DAA treatment options. PMID:27882509

Combustion water purification techniques influence on OBT analysing using liquid scintillation counting method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Varlam, C.; Vagner, I.; Faurescu, I.

In order to determine organically bound tritium (OBT) from environmental samples, these must be converted into water, measurable by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). For this purpose we conducted some experiments to determine OBT level of a grass sample collected from an uncontaminated area. The studied grass sample was combusted in a Parr bomb. However usual interfering phenomena were identified: color or chemical quench, chemiluminescence, overlap over tritium spectrum because of other radionuclides presence as impurities ({sup 14}C from organically compounds, {sup 36}Cl as chloride and free chlorine, {sup 40}K as potassium cations) and emulsion separation. So the purification of themore » combustion water before scintillation counting appeared to be essential. 5 purification methods were tested: distillation with chemical treatment (Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and KMnO{sub 4}), lyophilization, chemical treatment (Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and KMnO{sub 4}) followed by lyophilization, azeotropic distillation with toluene and treatment with a volcanic tuff followed by lyophilization. After the purification step each sample was measured and the OBT measured concentration, together with physico-chemical analysis of the water analyzed, revealed that the most efficient method applied for purification of the combustion water was the method using chemical treatment followed by lyophilization.« less

A field test of point relascope sampling of down coarse woody material in managed stands in the Acadian Forest

Treesearch

John C. Brissette; Mark J. Ducey; Jeffrey H. Gove

2003-01-01

We field tested a new method for sampling down coarse woody material (CWM) using an angle gauge and compared it with the more traditional line intersect sampling (LIS) method. Permanent sample locations in stands managed with different silvicultural treatments within the Penobscot Experimental Forest (Maine, USA) were used as the sampling locations. Point relascope...

Developments in Sampling and Analysis Instrumentation for Stationary Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nader, John S.

1973-01-01

Instrumentation for the measurement of pollutant emissions is considered including sample-site selection, sample transport, sample treatment, sample analysis, and data reduction, display, and interpretation. Measurement approaches discussed involve sample extraction from within the stack and electro-optical methods. (BL)

HPLC-DAD method development and validation for the quantification of hydroxymethylfurfural in corn chips by means of response surface optimisation.

PubMed

Salvatierra Virgen, Sara; Ceballos-Magaña, Silvia Guillermina; Salvatierra-Stamp, Vilma Del Carmen; Sumaya-Martínez, Maria Teresa; Martínez-Martínez, Francisco Javier; Muñiz-Valencia, Roberto

2017-12-01

In recent years, there has been an increased concern about the presence of toxic compounds derived from the Maillard reaction produced during food cooking at high temperatures. The main toxic compounds derived from this reaction are acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The majority of analytical methods require sample treatments using solvents which are highly polluting for the environment. The difficulty of quantifying HMF in complex fried food matrices encourages the development of new analytical methods. This paper provides a rapid, sensitive and environmentally-friendly analytical method for the quantification of HMF in corn chips using HPLC-DAD. Chromatographic separation resulted in a baseline separation for HMF in 3.7 min. Sample treatment for corn chip samples first involved a leaching process using water and afterwards a solid-phase extraction (SPE) using HLB-Oasis polymeric cartridges. Sample treatment optimisation was carried out by means of Box-Behnken fractional factorial design and Response Surface Methodolog y to examine the effects of four variables (sample weight, pH, sonication time and elution volume) on HMF extraction from corn chips. The SPE-HPLC-DAD method was validated. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.82 and 2.20 mg kg -1 , respectively. Method precision was evaluated in terms of repeatability and reproducibility as relative standard deviations (RSDs) using three concentration levels. For repeatability, RSD values were 6.9, 3.6 and 2.0%; and for reproducibility 18.8, 7.9 and 2.9%. For a ruggedness study the Yuden test was applied and the result demonstrated the method as robust. The method was successfully applied to different corn chip samples.

Linear combinations come alive in crossover designs.

PubMed

Shuster, Jonathan J

2017-10-30

Before learning anything about statistical inference in beginning service courses in biostatistics, students learn how to calculate the mean and variance of linear combinations of random variables. Practical precalculus examples of the importance of these exercises can be helpful for instructors, the target audience of this paper. We shall present applications to the "1-sample" and "2-sample" methods for randomized short-term 2-treatment crossover studies, where patients experience both treatments in random order with a "washout" between the active treatment periods. First, we show that the 2-sample method is preferred as it eliminates "conditional bias" when sample sizes by order differ and produces a smaller variance. We also demonstrate that it is usually advisable to use the differences in posttests (ignoring baseline and post washout values) rather than the differences between the changes in treatment from the start of the period to the end of the period ("delta of delta"). Although the intent is not to provide a definitive discussion of crossover designs, we provide a section and references to excellent alternative methods, where instructors can provide motivation to students to explore the topic in greater detail in future readings or courses. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High prevalence of Salmonella spp. in wastewater reused for irrigation assessed by molecular methods.

PubMed

Santiago, Paula; Jiménez-Belenguer, Ana; García-Hernández, Jorge; Estellés, Rosa Montes; Hernández Pérez, Manuel; Castillo López, M Angeles; Ferrús, María Antonia; Moreno, Yolanda

2018-01-01

Salmonella spp. is one of the most important causal agents of food-borne illness in developed countries and its presence in irrigation water poses a risk to public health. Its detection in environmental samples is not easy when culture methods are used, and molecular techniques such as PCR or ribosomal rRNA probe hybridization (Fluorescent in situ Hybridization, FISH) are outstanding alternatives. The aim of this work was to determine the environmental risk due to the presence of Salmonella spp. in wastewater by culture, PCR and FISH. A new specific rDNA probe for Salmonella was designed and its efficiency was compared with the rest of methods Serotype and antibiotic resistance of isolated strains were determined. Forty-five wastewater samples (collected from two secondary wastewater treatment plants) were analysed. Salmonella strains were isolated in 24 wastewater samples (53%), two of them after disinfection treatment. Twenty-three Salmonella strains exhibited resistance to one or more antimicrobial agent. Analysis of wastewater samples yielded PCR positive results for Salmonella in 28 out of the 45 wastewater samples (62%). FISH analysis allowed for the detection of Salmonella in 27 (60%) samples. By using molecular methods, Salmonella was detected in four samples after disinfection treatment. These results show the prevalence of Salmonella in reclaimed wastewater even after U.V. disinfection, what is a matter of public health concern, the high rates of resistance to antibiotics and the adequacy of molecular methods for its rapid detection. FISH method, with SA23 probe developed and assayed in this work provides a tool for detecting Salmonella in water within few hours, with a high rate of effectiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Swine Waste Treatment Systems▿

PubMed Central

Jindal, Archana; Kocherginskaya, Svetlana; Mehboob, Asma; Robert, Matthew; Mackie, Roderick I.; Raskin, Lutgarde; Zilles, Julie L.

2006-01-01

Chlortetracycline and the macrolide tylosin were identified as commonly used antimicrobials for growth promotion and prophylaxis in swine production. Resistance to these antimicrobials was measured throughout the waste treatment processes at five swine farms by culture-based and molecular methods. Conventional farm samples had the highest levels of resistance with both culture-based and molecular methods and had similar levels of resistance despite differences in antimicrobial usage. The levels of resistance in organic farm samples, where no antimicrobials were used, were very low by a culture-based method targeting fecal streptococci. However, when the same samples were analyzed with a molecular method detecting methylation of a specific nucleotide in the 23S rRNA that results in resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (MLSB), an unexpectedly high level of resistant rRNA (approximately 50%) was observed, suggesting that the fecal streptococci were not an appropriate target group to evaluate resistance in the overall microbial community and that background levels of MLSB resistance may be substantial. All of the feed samples tested, including those from the organic farm, contained tetracycline resistance genes. Generally, the same tetracycline resistance genes and frequency of detection were found in the manure and lagoon samples for each commercial farm. The levels of tetracycline and MLSB resistance remained high throughout the waste treatment systems, suggesting that the potential impact of land application of treated wastes and waste treatment by-products on environmental levels of resistance should be investigated further. PMID:17041160

Treatment of Nuclear Data Covariance Information in Sample Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swiler, Laura Painton; Adams, Brian M.; Wieselquist, William

This report summarizes a NEAMS (Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation) project focused on developing a sampling capability that can handle the challenges of generating samples from nuclear cross-section data. The covariance information between energy groups tends to be very ill-conditioned and thus poses a problem using traditional methods for generated correlated samples. This report outlines a method that addresses the sample generation from cross-section matrices.

Effects of euthanasia method on stable-carbon and stable-nitrogen isotope analysis for an ectothermic vertebrate.

PubMed

Atwood, Meredith A

2013-04-30

Stable isotope analysis is a critical tool for understanding ecological food webs; however, results can be sensitive to sample preparation methods. To limit the possibility of sample contamination, freezing is commonly used to euthanize invertebrates and preserve non-lethal samples from vertebrates. For destructive sampling of vertebrates, more humane euthanasia methods are preferred to freezing and it is essential to evaluate how these euthanasia methods affect stable isotope results. Stable isotope ratios and elemental composition of carbon and nitrogen were used to evaluate whether the euthanasia method compromised the integrity of the sample for analysis. Specifically, the stable isotope and C:N ratios were compared for larval wood frogs (Rana sylvatica  =  Lithobates sylvaticus), an ectothermic vertebrate, that had been euthanized by freezing with four different humane euthanasia methods: CO2, benzocaine, MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate), and 70% ethanol. The euthanasia method was not related to the δ(13)C or δ(15)N values and the comparisons revealed no differences between freezing and any of the other treatments. However, there were slight (non-significant) differences in the isotope ratios of benzocaine and CO2 when each was compared with freezing. The elemental composition was altered by the euthanasia method employed. The percentage nitrogen was higher in CO2 treatments than in freezing, and similar (non-significant) trends were seen for ethanol treatments relative to freezing. The resulting C:N ratios were higher for benzocaine treatments than for both CO2 and ethanol. Similar (non-significant) trends suggested that the C:N ratios were also higher for animals euthanized by freezing than for both CO2 and ethanol euthanasia methods. The euthanasia method had a larger effect on elemental composition than stable isotope ratios. The percentage nitrogen and the subsequent C:N ratios were most affected by the CO2 and ethanol euthanasia methods, whereas non-significant trends suggested that benzocaine and CO2 altered the stable isotope ratios. It appears that the use of MS-222 and freezing with dry ice are the most appropriate euthanasia methods for ectothermic vertebrates. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identification and analysis of damaged or porous hair.

PubMed

Hill, Virginia; Loni, Elvan; Cairns, Thomas; Sommer, Jonathan; Schaffer, Michael

2014-06-01

Cosmetic hair treatments have been referred to as 'the pitfall' of hair analysis. However, most cosmetic treatments, when applied to the hair as instructed by the product vendors, do not interfere with analysis, provided such treatments can be identified by the laboratory and the samples analyzed and reported appropriately for the condition of the hair. This paper provides methods for identifying damaged or porous hair samples using digestion rates of hair in dithiothreitol with and without proteinase K, as well as a protein measurement method applied to dithiothreitol-digested samples. Extremely damaged samples may be unsuitable for analysis. Aggressive and extended aqueous washing of hair samples is a proven method for removing or identifying externally derived drug contamination of hair. In addition to this wash procedure, we have developed an alternative wash procedure using 90% ethanol for washing damaged or porous hair. The procedure, like the aqueous wash procedure, requires analysis of the last of five washes to evaluate the effectiveness of the washing procedure. This evaluation, termed the Wash Criterion, is derived from studies of the kinetics of washing of hair samples that have been experimentally contaminated and of hair from drug users. To study decontamination methods, in vitro contaminated drug-negative hair samples were washed by both the aqueous buffer method and a 90% ethanol method. Analysis of cocaine and methamphetamine was by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Porous hair samples from drug users, when washed in 90% ethanol, pass the wash criterion although they may fail the aqueous wash criterion. Those samples that fail both the ethanolic and aqueous wash criterion are not reported as positive for ingestion. Similar ratios of the metabolite amphetamine relative to methamphetamine in the last wash and the hair is an additional criterion for assessing contamination vs. ingestion of methamphetamine. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DNA extraction methods for detecting genetically modified foods: A comparative study.

PubMed

Elsanhoty, Rafaat M; Ramadan, Mohamed Fawzy; Jany, Klaus Dieter

2011-06-15

The work presented in this manuscript was achieved to compare six different methods for extracting DNA from raw maize and its derived products. The methods that gave higher yield and quality of DNA were chosen to detect the genetic modification in the samples collected from the Egyptian market. The different methods used were evaluated for extracting DNA from maize kernels (without treatment), maize flour (mechanical treatment), canned maize (sweet corn), frozen maize (sweet corn), maize starch, extruded maize, popcorn, corn flacks, maize snacks, and bread made from corn flour (mechanical and thermal treatments). The quality and quantity of the DNA extracted from the standards, containing known percentages of GMO material and from the different food products were evaluated. For qualitative detection of the GMO varieties in foods, the GMOScreen 35S/NOS test kit was used, to screen the genetic modification in the samples. The positive samples for the 35S promoter and/or the NOS terminator were identified by the standard methods adopted by EU. All of the used methods extracted yielded good DNA quality. However, we noted that the purest DNA extract were obtained using the DNA extraction kit (Roche) and this generally was the best method for extracting DNA from most of the maize-derived foods. We have noted that the yield of DNA extracted from maize-derived foods was generally lower in the processed products. The results indicated that 17 samples were positive for the presence of 35S promoter, while 34% from the samples were positive for the genetically modified maize line Bt-176. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of various surface treatment methods on the bond strength of the heat-pressed ceramic samples.

PubMed

Saraçoğlu, A; Cura, C; Cötert, H S

2004-08-01

This in vitro study was conducted to evaluate the interaction between the shear bond strength and the surface treatment method for a commercial dental ceramic. Ninety bonded ceramic units were manufactured for this study. Each unit was made by luting two cylinder-shaped ceramic samples to each other with a resin-composite luting agent. The units were then divided into nine groups, containing 10 units in each group. Samples from each group were treated with one of the following: etching with 4.9% hydrofluoric acid for 10, 20 and 40 s, 9.5% hydrofluoric acid for 10, 20 and 40 s, 40% orthophosphoric acid for 40 s, air abrasion with alumina in 50-microm particles, and grinding with a high-speed diamond bur. The treated samples were then silanated and luted with a resin-composite luting agent. The luted units were then loaded to failure. Two samples from each group were neither silanated nor luted after the surface treatment procedure, and morphological changes obtained by various surface treatment regimens were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. A statistically significant difference was observed among the mean shear bond strengths of the groups prepared with different surface treatment techniques (P = 0.00). Hydrofluoric acid appeared to be the most suitable chemical medium to produce a reliable ceramic bond. Etching time and concentration of the acidic medium were also observed as important prognostic variates. Orthophosphoric acid treatment was observed to be the least effective surface treatment method on the heat-pressed ceramic samples. Physical applications such as bur grinding and air blasting maintained stronger bonds than the orthophosphoric acid, while producing weaker bonds than surfaces treated with hydrofluoric acid in all concentrations and etching periods. The effect of the silane priming agent was not considered in this study. Copyright 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Second-order non-linear optical studies on CdS microcrystallite-doped alkali borosilicate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hao; Liu, Qiming; Wang, Mingliang; Zhao, Xiujian

2007-05-01

CdS microcrystal-doped alkali borosilicate glasses were prepared by conventional fusion and heat-treatment method. Utilizing Maker fringe method, second-harmonic generation (SHG) was both observed from CdS-doped glasses before and after certain thermal/electrical poling. While because the direction of polarization axes of CdS crystals formed in the samples is random or insufficient interferences of generated SH waves occur, the fringe patterns obtained in samples without poling treatments showed no fine structures. For the poled samples, larger SH intensity has been obtained than that of the samples without any poling treatments. It was considered that the increase of an amount of hexagonal CdS in the anode surface layer caused by the applied dc field increased the SH intensity. The second-order non-linearity χ(2) was estimated to be 1.23 pm/V for the sample poled with 2.5 kV at 360 °C for 30 min.

Depressive Symptoms and Mental Health Treatment in an Ethnoracially Diverse College Student Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Steve; Archambeau, Olga G.; Deliramich, Aimee N.; Kim, Bryan S. K.; Chiu, Pearl H.; Frueh, B. Christopher

2011-01-01

Objectives: To study (a) the prevalence of depressive symptoms and (b) the utilization of mental health treatment in an ethnoracially diverse sample consisting primarily of Asian Americans, European Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Participants: Five hundred eighty-nine college students. Method: A questionnaire packet that…

Effect of Cambi Thermal Hydrolysis Process-Anaerobic digestion treatment on concentrations on phthalate plasticisers in wastewater sludge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The impact of the recently implemented Cambi Thermal Hydrolysis Process™-Anaerobic Digestion (TH-AD) solids treatment method on concentrations of 4 phthalate plasticisers in wastewater sludge samples was explored in this study. Samples were analysed for diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), diisodecyl phthal...

Evaluation of dry heat treatment of soft wheat flour for the production of high ratio cakes.

PubMed

Keppler, S; Bakalis, S; Leadley, C E; Sahi, S S; Fryer, P J

2018-05-01

An accurate method to heat treat flour samples has been used to quantify the effects of heat treatment on flour functionality. A variety of analytical methods has been used such as oscillatory rheology, rheomixer, solvent retention capacity tests, and Rapid Visco Analysis (RVA) in water and in aqueous solutions of sucrose, lactic acid, and sodium carbonate. This work supports the hypothesis that heat treatment facilitates the swelling of starch granules at elevated temperature. Results furthermore indicated improved swelling ability and increased interactions of flour polymers (in particular arabinoxylans) of heat treated flour at ambient conditions. The significant denaturation of the proteins was indicated by a lack of gluten network formation after severe heat treatments as shown by rheomixer traces. Results of these analyses were used to develop a possible cake flour specification. A method was developed using response surfaces of heat treated flour samples in the RVA using i) water and ii) 50% sucrose solution. This can uniquely characterise the heat treatment a flour sample has received and to establish a cake flour specification. This approach might be useful for the characterisation of processed samples, rather than by baking cakes. Hence, it may no longer be needed to bake a cake after flour heat treatment to assess the suitability of the flour for high ratio cake production, but 2 types of RVA tests suffice. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Treatment Integrity Assessment Methods for Behavioral Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Seong A.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the similarity of outcomes from three different treatment integrity (TI) methods, and to identify the method which best corresponded to the assessment of a child's behavior. Six raters were recruited through individual contact via snowball sampling. A modified intervention component list and 19 video clips…

Alloy catalysts for fuel cell-based alcohol sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghavidel, Mohammadreza Zamanzad

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are attractive from both economic and environmental standpoints for generating renewable energy and powering vehicles and portable electronic devices. There is a great interest recently in developing DEFC systems. The cost and performance of the DEFCs are mainly controlled by the Pt-base catalysts used at each electrode. In addition to energy conversion, DEFC technology is commonly employed in the fuel-cell based breath alcohol sensors (BrAS). BrAS is a device commonly used to measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and enforce drinking and driving laws. The BrAS is non-invasive and has a fast respond time. However, one of the most important drawback of the commercially available BrAS is the very high loading of Pt employed. One well-known and cost effective method to reduce the Pt loading is developing Pt-alloy catalysts. Recent studies have shown that Pt-transition metal alloy catalysts enhanced the electroactivity while decreasing the required loadings of the Pt catalysts. In this thesis, carbon supported Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu electrocatalysts were synthesized by different methods and the effects of heat treatment and structural modification on the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) activity, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability of these samples were thoroughly studied. Finally, the selected Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu samples with the highest EOR activity were examined in a prototype BrAS system and compared to the Pt/C and Pt 3Sn/C commercial electrocatalysts. Studies on the Pt-Mn catalysts produced with and without additives indicate that adding trisodium citrate (SC) to the impregnation solution improved the particle dispersion, decreased particle sizes and reduced the time required for heat treatment. Further studies show that the optimum weight ratio of SC to the metal loading in the impregnation solution was 2:1 and optimum results achieved at pH lower than 4. In addition, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that the optimum heat treatment temperature was 700 °C where a uniform ordered PtMn intermetallic phase was formed. Although the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) decreased due to the heat treatment, the EOR activity of Pt-Mn samples was improved. Moreover, it was shown that the heat-treated samples prepared in the presence of SC showed superior the EOR activity compared to the samples made without SC. The Pt-Cu/C alloys were produced by three different methods: impregnation, impregnation in the presence of sodium citrate and microwave assisted polyol methods. These studies showed that the polyol method was the optimum method to produce the Pt-Cu alloy. The XRD analysis indicates that the heat treatment at 700 °C developed catalysts rich in the PtCu and PtCu3 ordered phases. The highest EOR activity was measured for the Pt-Cu/C-POL (sample made by the polyol method) and heat treated at 700 °C for 1h. Comparing the EOR activity of the Pt-Cu and Pt-Mn samples also demonstrates that the heat treated Pt-Cu/C-POL sample showed higher EOR activity compared to the Pt-Mn samples. These results indicate that the benefits of thermally treating alloy nanoparticles could outweigh any activity losses that may occur due to the particle size growth and the ECSA loss. Besides, accelerated stress tests (ASTs) illustrate that the heat treatment improved the durability of the Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu samples. The durability and EOR activity of the heat treated Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu samples was similar or better than commercial samples. On the other hand, the ORR activity of Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu after the heat treatment was slightly lower than the commercial samples but the ORR activity loss can be compensated by the economic benefits from using the lower Pt loading. Finally, studying the alcohol sensing characteristic of different samples shows that the heat treated Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu catalysts could be used for the ethanol sensing. Additionally, among the different commercial samples tested for ethanol sensing, Pt-Sn/C showed the highest sensitivity but with slightly higher standard deviation. Further studies on the Pt- Cu/C and Pt-Mn/C samples indicate that the heat treatment improved the sensitivity of these samples and the highest normalized sensitivity among all the samples belonged to the Pt- Cu/C-POL (sample produced by polyol method) and heat treated at 700 °C. It can be concluded that the heat treated Pt-Mn and Pt-Cu samples could be used as an alternative to replace Pt black in commercial sensors which would dramatically decrease the Pt loading. This could reduce the price and increase the sensitivity of commercial alcohol sensors.

A novel analysis method for paired-sample microbial ecology experiments

DOE PAGES

Olesen, Scott W.; Vora, Suhani; Techtmann, Stephen M.; ...

2016-05-06

Many microbial ecology experiments use sequencing data to measure a community s response to an experimental treatment. In a common experimental design, two units, one control and one experimental, are sampled before and after the treatment is applied to the experimental unit. The four resulting samples contain information about the dynamics of organisms that respond to the treatment, but there are no analytical methods designed to extract exactly this type of information from this configuration of samples. Here we present an analytical method specifically designed to visualize and generate hypotheses about microbial community dynamics in experiments that have paired samplesmore » and few or no replicates. The method is based on the Poisson lognormal distribution, long studied in macroecology, which we found accurately models the abundance distribution of taxa counts from 16S rRNA surveys. To demonstrate the method s validity and potential, we analyzed an experiment that measured the effect of crude oil on ocean microbial communities in microcosm. Our method identified known oil degraders as well as two clades, Maricurvus and Rhodobacteraceae, that responded to amendment with oil but do not include known oil degraders. Furthermore, our approach is sensitive to organisms that increased in abundance only in the experimental unit but less sensitive to organisms that increased in both control and experimental units, thus mitigating the role of bottle effects .« less

A novel analysis method for paired-sample microbial ecology experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olesen, Scott W.; Vora, Suhani; Techtmann, Stephen M.

Many microbial ecology experiments use sequencing data to measure a community s response to an experimental treatment. In a common experimental design, two units, one control and one experimental, are sampled before and after the treatment is applied to the experimental unit. The four resulting samples contain information about the dynamics of organisms that respond to the treatment, but there are no analytical methods designed to extract exactly this type of information from this configuration of samples. Here we present an analytical method specifically designed to visualize and generate hypotheses about microbial community dynamics in experiments that have paired samplesmore » and few or no replicates. The method is based on the Poisson lognormal distribution, long studied in macroecology, which we found accurately models the abundance distribution of taxa counts from 16S rRNA surveys. To demonstrate the method s validity and potential, we analyzed an experiment that measured the effect of crude oil on ocean microbial communities in microcosm. Our method identified known oil degraders as well as two clades, Maricurvus and Rhodobacteraceae, that responded to amendment with oil but do not include known oil degraders. Furthermore, our approach is sensitive to organisms that increased in abundance only in the experimental unit but less sensitive to organisms that increased in both control and experimental units, thus mitigating the role of bottle effects .« less

Exact tests using two correlated binomial variables in contemporary cancer clinical trials.

PubMed

Yu, Jihnhee; Kepner, James L; Iyer, Renuka

2009-12-01

New therapy strategies for the treatment of cancer are rapidly emerging because of recent technology advances in genetics and molecular biology. Although newer targeted therapies can improve survival without measurable changes in tumor size, clinical trial conduct has remained nearly unchanged. When potentially efficacious therapies are tested, current clinical trial design and analysis methods may not be suitable for detecting therapeutic effects. We propose an exact method with respect to testing cytostatic cancer treatment using correlated bivariate binomial random variables to simultaneously assess two primary outcomes. The method is easy to implement. It does not increase the sample size over that of the univariate exact test and in most cases reduces the sample size required. Sample size calculations are provided for selected designs.

Development of an analytical microbial consortia method for enhancing performance monitoring at aerobic wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Razban, Behrooz; Nelson, Kristina Y; McMartin, Dena W; Cullimore, D Roy; Wall, Michelle; Wang, Dunling

2012-01-01

An analytical method to produce profiles of bacterial biomass fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was developed employing rapid agitation followed by static incubation (RASI) using selective media of wastewater microbial communities. The results were compiled to produce a unique library for comparison and performance analysis at a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). A total of 146 samples from the aerated WWTP, comprising 73 samples of each secondary and tertiary effluent, were included analyzed. For comparison purposes, all samples were evaluated via a similarity index (SI) with secondary effluents producing an SI of 0.88 with 2.7% variation and tertiary samples producing an SI 0.86 with 5.0% variation. The results also highlighted significant differences between the fatty acid profiles of the tertiary and secondary effluents indicating considerable shifts in the bacterial community profile between these treatment phases. The WWTP performance results using this method were highly replicable and reproducible indicating that the protocol has potential as a performance-monitoring tool for aerated WWTPs. The results quickly and accurately reflect shifts in dominant bacterial communities that result when processes operations and performance change.

No major differences found between the effects of microwave-based and conventional heat treatment methods on two different liquid foods.

PubMed

Géczi, Gábor; Horváth, Márk; Kaszab, Tímea; Alemany, Gonzalo Garnacho

2013-01-01

Extension of shelf life and preservation of products are both very important for the food industry. However, just as with other processes, speed and higher manufacturing performance are also beneficial. Although microwave heating is utilized in a number of industrial processes, there are many unanswered questions about its effects on foods. Here we analyze whether the effects of microwave heating with continuous flow are equivalent to those of traditional heat transfer methods. In our study, the effects of heating of liquid foods by conventional and continuous flow microwave heating were studied. Among other properties, we compared the stability of the liquid foods between the two heat treatments. Our goal was to determine whether the continuous flow microwave heating and the conventional heating methods have the same effects on the liquid foods, and, therefore, whether microwave heat treatment can effectively replace conventional heat treatments. We have compared the colour, separation phenomena of the samples treated by different methods. For milk, we also monitored the total viable cell count, for orange juice, vitamin C contents in addition to the taste of the product by sensory analysis. The majority of the results indicate that the circulating coil microwave method used here is equivalent to the conventional heating method based on thermal conduction and convection. However, some results in the analysis of the milk samples show clear differences between heat transfer methods. According to our results, the colour parameters (lightness, red-green and blue-yellow values) of the microwave treated samples differed not only from the untreated control, but also from the traditional heat treated samples. The differences are visually undetectable, however, they become evident through analytical measurement with spectrophotometer. This finding suggests that besides thermal effects, microwave-based food treatment can alter product properties in other ways as well.

No Major Differences Found between the Effects of Microwave-Based and Conventional Heat Treatment Methods on Two Different Liquid Foods

PubMed Central

Géczi, Gábor; Horváth, Márk; Kaszab, Tímea; Alemany, Gonzalo Garnacho

2013-01-01

Extension of shelf life and preservation of products are both very important for the food industry. However, just as with other processes, speed and higher manufacturing performance are also beneficial. Although microwave heating is utilized in a number of industrial processes, there are many unanswered questions about its effects on foods. Here we analyze whether the effects of microwave heating with continuous flow are equivalent to those of traditional heat transfer methods. In our study, the effects of heating of liquid foods by conventional and continuous flow microwave heating were studied. Among other properties, we compared the stability of the liquid foods between the two heat treatments. Our goal was to determine whether the continuous flow microwave heating and the conventional heating methods have the same effects on the liquid foods, and, therefore, whether microwave heat treatment can effectively replace conventional heat treatments. We have compared the colour, separation phenomena of the samples treated by different methods. For milk, we also monitored the total viable cell count, for orange juice, vitamin C contents in addition to the taste of the product by sensory analysis. The majority of the results indicate that the circulating coil microwave method used here is equivalent to the conventional heating method based on thermal conduction and convection. However, some results in the analysis of the milk samples show clear differences between heat transfer methods. According to our results, the colour parameters (lightness, red-green and blue-yellow values) of the microwave treated samples differed not only from the untreated control, but also from the traditional heat treated samples. The differences are visually undetectable, however, they become evident through analytical measurement with spectrophotometer. This finding suggests that besides thermal effects, microwave-based food treatment can alter product properties in other ways as well. PMID:23341982

Effects of sterilization treatments on the analysis of TOC in water samples.

PubMed

Shi, Yiming; Xu, Lingfeng; Gong, Dongqin; Lu, Jun

2010-01-01

Decomposition experiments conducted with and without microbial processes are commonly used to study the effects of environmental microorganisms on the degradation of organic pollutants. However, the effects of biological pretreatment (sterilization) on organic matter often have a negative impact on such experiments. Based on the principle of water total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, the effects of physical sterilization treatments on determination of TOC and other water quality parameters were investigated. The results revealed that two conventional physical sterilization treatments, autoclaving and 60Co gamma-radiation sterilization, led to the direct decomposition of some organic pollutants, resulting in remarkable errors in the analysis of TOC in water samples. Furthermore, the extent of the errors varied with the intensity and the duration of sterilization treatments. Accordingly, a novel sterilization method for water samples, 0.45 microm micro-filtration coupled with ultraviolet radiation (MCUR), was developed in the present study. The results indicated that the MCUR method was capable of exerting a high bactericidal effect on the water sample while significantly decreasing the negative impact on the analysis of TOC and other water quality parameters. Before and after sterilization treatments, the relative errors of TOC determination could be controlled to lower than 3% for water samples with different categories and concentrations of organic pollutants by using MCUR.

Quantifying Isoniazid Levels in Small Hair Samples: A Novel Method for Assessing Adherence during the Treatment of Latent and Active Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Gerona, Roy; Wen, Anita; Chin, Aaron T.; Koss, Catherine A.; Bacchetti, Peter; Metcalfe, John; Gandhi, Monica

2016-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from an infectious pathogen worldwide and the most prevalent opportunistic infection in people living with HIV. Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) reduces the incidence of active TB and reduces morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients independently of antiretroviral therapy. However, treatment of latent or active TB is lengthy and inter-patient variability in pharmacokinetics and adherence common. Current methods of assessing adherence to TB treatment using drug levels in plasma or urine assess short-term exposure and pose logistical challenges. Drug concentrations in hair assess long-term exposure and have demonstrated pharmacodynamic relevance in HIV. Methods A large hair sample from a patient with active TB was obtained for assay development. Methods to pulverize hair and extract isoniazid were optimized and then the drug detected by liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). The method was validated for specificity, accuracy, precision, recovery, linearity and stability to establish the assay’s suitability for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Hair samples from patients on directly-observe isoniazid-based latent or active TB therapy from the San Francisco Department of Public Health TB clinic were then tested. Results Our LC/MS-MS-based assay detected isoniazid in quantities as low as 0.02ng/mg using 10–25 strands hair. Concentrations in spiked samples demonstrated linearity from 0.05–50ng/mg. Assay precision and accuracy for spiked quality-control samples were high, with an overall recovery rate of 79.5%. In 18 patients with latent or active TB on treatment, isoniazid was detected across a wide linear dynamic range. Conclusions An LC-MS/MS-based assay to quantify isoniazid levels in hair with performance characteristics suitable for TDM was developed and validated. Hair concentrations of isoniazid assess long-term exposure and may be useful for monitoring adherence to latent or active TB treatment in the setting of HIV. PMID:27191185

Sample size calculation in economic evaluations.

PubMed

Al, M J; van Hout, B A; Michel, B C; Rutten, F F

1998-06-01

A simulation method is presented for sample size calculation in economic evaluations. As input the method requires: the expected difference and variance of costs and effects, their correlation, the significance level (alpha) and the power of the testing method and the maximum acceptable ratio of incremental effectiveness to incremental costs. The method is illustrated with data from two trials. The first compares primary coronary angioplasty with streptokinase in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, in the second trial, lansoprazole is compared with omeprazole in the treatment of reflux oesophagitis. These case studies show how the various parameters influence the sample size. Given the large number of parameters that have to be specified in advance, the lack of knowledge about costs and their standard deviation, and the difficulty of specifying the maximum acceptable ratio of incremental effectiveness to incremental costs, the conclusion of the study is that from a technical point of view it is possible to perform a sample size calculation for an economic evaluation, but one should wonder how useful it is.

Determination of human pharmaceuticals in pre- and post-sewage treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahrim, Nurfaizah Abu; Abdullah, Md. Pauzi; Aziz, Yang Farina Abdul

2013-11-01

In this present work, an analytical method based on solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) in positive electrospray ionisation mode was successfully applied to real samples for the determination of human pharmaceuticals in pre- and post-sewage treatment samples. The ten target compounds selected in this study include acetaminophen, theophylline, caffeine, metoprolol, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, prednisolone, ketoprofen, norgestrel and simvastatin. Acetaminophen, theophylline and caffeine were present at all five raw sewage samples. In addition, this work provides the first report on the investigation and detection of theophylline in sewage treatment plant (STP) samples in Malaysia.

Assessing cellulolysis in passive treatment systems for mine drainage: a modified enzyme assay.

PubMed

McDonald, Corina M; Gould, W Douglas; Lindsay, Matthew B J; Blowes, David W; Ptacek, Carol J; Condon, Peter D

2013-01-01

A modified cellulase enzyme assay was developed to monitor organic matter degradation in passive treatment systems for mine drainage. This fluorogenic substrate method facilitates assessment of exo-(1,4)-β-D-glucanase, endo-(1,4)-β-D-glucanase, and β-glucosidase, which compose an important cellulase enzyme system. The modified method was developed and refined using samples of organic carbon-amended mine tailings from field experiments where sulfate reduction was induced as a strategy for managing water quality. Sample masses (3 g) and the number of replicates ( ≥ 3) were optimized. Matrix interferences within these metal-rich samples were found to be insignificant. Application of this modified cellulase assay method provided insight into the availability and degradation of organic carbon within the amended tailings. Results of this study indicate that cellulase enzyme assays can be applied to passive treatment systems for mine drainage, which commonly contain elevated concentrations of metals. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

The potential impact of recruitment method on sample characteristics and treatment outcomes in a psychosocial trial for women with co-occurring substance use disorder and PTSD.

PubMed

Winhusen, Theresa; Winstanley, Erin L; Somoza, Eugene; Brigham, Gregory

2012-01-01

Recruitment method can impact the sample composition of a clinical trial and, thus, the generalizability of the results, but the importance of recruitment method in substance use disorder trials has received little attention. The present paper sought to address this research gap by evaluating the association between recruitment method and sample characteristics and treatment outcomes in a substance use disorder trial. In a multi-site trial evaluating Seeking Safety (SS), relative to Women's Health Education (WHE), for women with co-occurring PTSD (either sub-threshold or full PTSD) and substance use disorders, one site assessed the method by which each participant was recruited. Data from this site (n=106), which recruited participants from newspaper advertising and clinic intakes, were analyzed. Participants recruited through advertising, relative to those from the clinic, had significantly higher levels of baseline drug use and higher rates of meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for full PTSD. Results suggest that the effectiveness of SS in decreasing PTSD symptoms was greater for participants recruited through advertising relative to those recruited from the clinic. Conversely, the results revealed a significant treatment effect in the clinic-recruited participants, not seen in the advertising-recruited participants, with SS, relative to WHE, participants being more likely to report past week drug use during the follow-up phase. Recruitment method may impact sample composition and treatment effects. Replication of this finding would have important implications for substance use disorder efficacy trials which often utilize advertising to recruit participants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing non-inferiority of a new treatment in three-arm clinical trials with binary endpoints.

PubMed

Tang, Nian-Sheng; Yu, Bin; Tang, Man-Lai

2014-12-18

A two-arm non-inferiority trial without a placebo is usually adopted to demonstrate that an experimental treatment is not worse than a reference treatment by a small pre-specified non-inferiority margin due to ethical concerns. Selection of the non-inferiority margin and establishment of assay sensitivity are two major issues in the design, analysis and interpretation for two-arm non-inferiority trials. Alternatively, a three-arm non-inferiority clinical trial including a placebo is usually conducted to assess the assay sensitivity and internal validity of a trial. Recently, some large-sample approaches have been developed to assess the non-inferiority of a new treatment based on the three-arm trial design. However, these methods behave badly with small sample sizes in the three arms. This manuscript aims to develop some reliable small-sample methods to test three-arm non-inferiority. Saddlepoint approximation, exact and approximate unconditional, and bootstrap-resampling methods are developed to calculate p-values of the Wald-type, score and likelihood ratio tests. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate their performance in terms of type I error rate and power. Our empirical results show that the saddlepoint approximation method generally behaves better than the asymptotic method based on the Wald-type test statistic. For small sample sizes, approximate unconditional and bootstrap-resampling methods based on the score test statistic perform better in the sense that their corresponding type I error rates are generally closer to the prespecified nominal level than those of other test procedures. Both approximate unconditional and bootstrap-resampling test procedures based on the score test statistic are generally recommended for three-arm non-inferiority trials with binary outcomes.

Dried Blood Spot Analysis Suitable for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Voriconazole, Fluconazole, and Posaconazole

PubMed Central

van der Elst, Kim C. M.; Span, Lambert F. R.; van Hateren, Kai; Vermeulen, Karin M.; van der Werf, Tjip S.; Greijdanus, Ben; Kosterink, Jos G. W.; Uges, Donald R. A.

2013-01-01

Invasive aspergillosis and candidemia are important causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised and critically ill patients. The triazoles voriconazole, fluconazole, and posaconazole are widely used for the treatment and prophylaxis of these fungal infections. Due to the variability of the pharmacokinetics of the triazoles among and within individual patients, therapeutic drug monitoring is important for optimizing the efficacy and safety of antifungal treatment. A dried blood spot (DBS) analysis was developed and was clinically validated for voriconazole, fluconazole, and posaconazole in 28 patients. Furthermore, a questionnaire was administered to evaluate the patients' opinions of the sampling method. The DBS analytical method showed linearity over the concentration range measured for all triazoles. Results for accuracy and precision were within accepted ranges; samples were stable at room temperature for at least 12 days; and different hematocrit values and blood spot volumes had no significant influence. The ratio of the drug concentration in DBS samples to that in plasma was 1.0 for voriconazole and fluconazole and 0.9 for posaconazole. Sixty percent of the patients preferred DBS analysis as a sampling method; 15% preferred venous blood sampling; and 25% had no preferred method. There was significantly less perception of pain with the DBS sampling method (P = 0.021). In conclusion, DBS analysis is a reliable alternative to venous blood sampling and can be used for therapeutic drug monitoring of voriconazole, fluconazole, and posaconazole. Patients were satisfied with DBS sampling and had less pain than with venous sampling. Most patients preferred DBS sampling to venous blood sampling. PMID:23896473

Detection of protozoa in water samples by formalin/ether concentration method.

PubMed

Lora-Suarez, Fabiana; Rivera, Raul; Triviño-Valencia, Jessica; Gomez-Marin, Jorge E

2016-09-01

Methods to detect protozoa in water samples are expensive and laborious. We evaluated the formalin/ether concentration method to detect Giardia sp., Cryptosporidium sp. and Toxoplasma in water. In order to test the properties of the method, we spiked water samples with different amounts of each protozoa (0, 10 and 50 cysts or oocysts) in a volume of 10 L of water. Immunofluorescence assay was used for detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Toxoplasma oocysts were identified by morphology. The mean percent of recovery in 10 repetitions of the entire method, in 10 samples spiked with ten parasites and read by three different observers, were for Cryptosporidium 71.3 ± 12, for Giardia 63 ± 10 and for Toxoplasma 91.6 ± 9 and the relative standard deviation of the method was of 17.5, 17.2 and 9.8, respectively. Intraobserver variation as measured by intraclass correlation coefficient, was fair for Toxoplasma, moderate for Cryptosporidium and almost perfect for Giardia. The method was then applied in 77 samples of raw and drinkable water in three different plant of water treatment. Cryptosporidium was found in 28 of 77 samples (36%) and Giardia in 31 of 77 samples (40%). Theses results identified significant differences in treatment process to reduce the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. In conclusion, the formalin ether method to concentrate protozoa in water is a new alternative for low resources countries, where is urgently need to monitor and follow the presence of theses protozoa in drinkable water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gross alpha and beta activity analyses in urine-a routine laboratory method for internal human radioactivity detection.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaowen; Zhao, Luqian; Qin, Hongran; Zhao, Meijia; Zhou, Yirui; Yang, Shuqiang; Su, Xu; Xu, Xiaohua

2014-05-01

The aim of this work was to develop a method to provide rapid results for humans with internal radioactive contamination. The authors hypothesized that valuable information could be obtained from gas proportional counter techniques by screening urine samples from potentially exposed individuals rapidly. Recommended gross alpha and beta activity screening methods generally employ gas proportional counting techniques. Based on International Standards Organization (ISO) methods, improvements were made in the evaporation process to develop a method to provide rapid results, adequate sensitivity, and minimum sample preparation and operator intervention for humans with internal radioactive contamination. The method described by an American National Standards Institute publication was used to calibrate the gas proportional counter, and urine samples from patients with or without radionuclide treatment were measured to validate the method. By improving the evaporation process, the time required to perform the assay was reduced dramatically. Compared with the reference data, the results of the validation samples were very satisfactory with respect to gross-alpha and gross-beta activities. The gas flow proportional counting method described here has the potential for radioactivity monitoring in the body. This method was easy, efficient, and fast, and its application is of great utility in determining whether a sample should be analyzed by a more complicated method, for example radiochemical and/or γ-spectroscopy. In the future, it may be used commonly in medical examination and nuclear emergency treatment.Health Phys. 106(5):000-000; 2014.

Validation and Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Method To Measure Miltefosine in Leishmaniasis Patients Using Dried Blood Spot Sample Collection

PubMed Central

Rosing, H.; Hillebrand, M. J. X.; Blesson, S.; Mengesha, B.; Diro, E.; Hailu, A.; Schellens, J. H. M.; Beijnen, J. H.

2016-01-01

To facilitate future pharmacokinetic studies of combination treatments against leishmaniasis in remote regions in which the disease is endemic, a simple cheap sampling method is required for miltefosine quantification. The aims of this study were to validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify miltefosine in dried blood spot (DBS) samples and to validate its use with Ethiopian patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Since hematocrit (Ht) levels are typically severely decreased in VL patients, returning to normal during treatment, the method was evaluated over a range of clinically relevant Ht values. Miltefosine was extracted from DBS samples using a simple method of pretreatment with methanol, resulting in >97% recovery. The method was validated over a calibration range of 10 to 2,000 ng/ml, and accuracy and precision were within ±11.2% and ≤7.0% (≤19.1% at the lower limit of quantification), respectively. The method was accurate and precise for blood spot volumes between 10 and 30 μl and for Ht levels of 20 to 35%, although a linear effect of Ht levels on miltefosine quantification was observed in the bioanalytical validation. DBS samples were stable for at least 162 days at 37°C. Clinical validation of the method using paired DBS and plasma samples from 16 VL patients showed a median observed DBS/plasma miltefosine concentration ratio of 0.99, with good correlation (Pearson's r = 0.946). Correcting for patient-specific Ht levels did not further improve the concordance between the sampling methods. This successfully validated method to quantify miltefosine in DBS samples was demonstrated to be a valid and practical alternative to venous blood sampling that can be applied in future miltefosine pharmacokinetic studies with leishmaniasis patients, without Ht correction. PMID:26787691

Generalizability of causal inference in observational studies under retrospective convenience sampling.

PubMed

Hu, Zonghui; Qin, Jing

2018-05-20

Many observational studies adopt what we call retrospective convenience sampling (RCS). With the sample size in each arm prespecified, RCS randomly selects subjects from the treatment-inclined subpopulation into the treatment arm and those from the control-inclined into the control arm. Samples in each arm are representative of the respective subpopulation, but the proportion of the 2 subpopulations is usually not preserved in the sample data. We show in this work that, under RCS, existing causal effect estimators actually estimate the treatment effect over the sample population instead of the underlying study population. We investigate how to correct existing methods for consistent estimation of the treatment effect over the underlying population. Although RCS is adopted in medical studies for ethical and cost-effective purposes, it also has a big advantage for statistical inference: When the tendency to receive treatment is low in a study population, treatment effect estimators under RCS, with proper correction, are more efficient than their parallels under random sampling. These properties are investigated both theoretically and through numerical demonstration. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Japan

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-05

collagen, we are conducting research on the immobilization, through chemical bond rather than physical absorption , of collagen on synthetic material...of a large number of samples are conducted by using automated apparatus and enzymatic reagents, it is natural to devise a method to use natural...improvement of enzymatic analytical methods ; 3) development of reaction system and instrumentation system; 4) research on sample treatment methods ; and

A pretreatment method for grain size analysis of red mudstones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zaixing; Liu, Li'an

2011-11-01

Traditional sediment disaggregation methods work well for loose mud sediments, but not for tightly cemented mudstones by ferric oxide minerals. In this paper, a new pretreatment method for analyzing the grain size of red mudstones is presented. The experimental samples are Eocene red mudstones from the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin. The red mudstones are composed mainly of clay minerals, clastic sediments and ferric oxides that make the mudstones red and tightly compacted. The procedure of the method is as follows. Firstly, samples of the red mudstones were crushed into fragments with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 mm in size; secondly, the CBD (citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite) treatment was used to remove ferric oxides so that the cementation of intra-aggregates and inter-aggregates became weakened, and then 5% dilute hydrochloric acid was added to further remove the cements; thirdly, the fragments were further ground with a rubber pestle; lastly, an ultrasonicator was used to disaggregate the samples. After the treatment, the samples could then be used for grain size analysis or for other geological analyses of sedimentary grains. Compared with other pretreatment methods for size analysis of mudstones, this proposed method is more effective and has higher repeatability.

[Frequency of Candida in root canals of teeth with primary and persistent endodontic infections].

PubMed

Bernal-Treviño, Angel; González-Amaro, Ana María; Méndez González, Verónica; Pozos-Guillen, Amaury

Microbiological identification in endodontic infections has focused mainly on bacteria without giving much attention to yeasts, which, due to their virulence factors, can affect the outcomes of root canal treatment. To determine the frequency of Candida in anaerobic conditions in root canals with primary and persistent endodontic infection, as well as to evaluate a microbiological sampling method using aspiration compared to the traditional absorption method with paper points. Fifty microbiological samples were obtained from teeth of 47 patients requiring endodontic treatments, due to either primary or persistent infections. Two microbiological sampling methods were used: an aspiration method, and the traditional paper point absorption method. In each of these methods, two types of medium were used (M 1 -M 4 ). Samples were cultured under anaerobic conditions until reaching 0.5 McFarland turbidity, and then inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose, as well as on anaerobic enriched blood agar plates. Macroscopic and microscopic observations of the colonies were performed. The germ-tube test, growth on CHROMagar, and biochemical identification were performed on the isolated yeasts. Fungal infection was found in 18 (36%) samples out of the 50 teeth evaluated. In the 18 samples positive for fungal infection, 15 out of 36 (41.6%) teeth were taken from a primary infection, and 3 out of 14 (21.4%) from a persistent infection. The aspiration method using Sabouraud dextrose medium recovered a greater diversity of species. Yeasts frequency was higher in teeth with primary infections compared to teeth with persistent infections. The predominant yeast species was Candida albicans. The aspirating sampling method was more efficient in the recovery of Candida isolates than the traditional absorption method. Copyright © 2018 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Postmortem aging and freezing and thawing storage enhance ability of early deboned chicken pectoralis major muscle to hold added salt water.

PubMed

Zhuang, H; Savage, E M

2012-05-01

The effects of postdeboning aging and frozen storage on water-holding capacity (WHC) of chicken breast pectoralis major muscle were investigated. Broiler breast muscle was removed from carcasses either early postmortem (2 h) or later postmortem (24 h). Treatments included: no postdeboning aging; 1-d postdeboning aging at 2°C, 7-d postdeboning aging (2-h deboned meat only), and 6-d storage at -20°C plus 1-d thawing at 2°C (freezing and thawing treatment, 2-h deboned meat only). The WHC was determined by cooking loss, drip loss, a filter paper press method (results were presented as expressible fluid), and a salt-induced swelling and centrifugation method (results were presented as percentage of salt-induced water gain). There were no differences for WHC estimated by cooking loss and expressible fluid between the treatments. Only the freezing and thawing treatment resulted in a significant increase in drip loss. The average percentage of salt-induced water gains by the 24-h deboned samples, postdeboning aged 2 h samples, and frozen 2 h sample, which did not differ from each other, were significantly higher than that by the 2-h deboned sample. These results indicate that regardless of method (carcass aging vs. postdeboning aging) and time (aging for 1 d vs. for 7 d), postmortem aging more than 1 d does not affect WHC of the early deboned samples measured by dripping, cooking, and pressing. However, postmortem carcass aging, postdeboning aging, and freezing and thawing storage can significantly enhance the ability of chicken breast meat to hold added salt water or WHC measured by the salt-induced swelling and centrifuge method.

Propensity Scores in Pharmacoepidemiology: Beyond the Horizon.

PubMed

Jackson, John W; Schmid, Ian; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2017-12-01

Propensity score methods have become commonplace in pharmacoepidemiology over the past decade. Their adoption has confronted formidable obstacles that arise from pharmacoepidemiology's reliance on large healthcare databases of considerable heterogeneity and complexity. These include identifying clinically meaningful samples, defining treatment comparisons, and measuring covariates in ways that respect sound epidemiologic study design. Additional complexities involve correctly modeling treatment decisions in the face of variation in healthcare practice, and dealing with missing information and unmeasured confounding. In this review, we examine the application of propensity score methods in pharmacoepidemiology with particular attention to these and other issues, with an eye towards standards of practice, recent methodological advances, and opportunities for future progress. Propensity score methods have matured in ways that can advance comparative effectiveness and safety research in pharmacoepidemiology. These include natural extensions for categorical treatments, matching algorithms that can optimize sample size given design constraints, weighting estimators that asymptotically target matched and overlap samples, and the incorporation of machine learning to aid in covariate selection and model building. These recent and encouraging advances should be further evaluated through simulation and empirical studies, but nonetheless represent a bright path ahead for the observational study of treatment benefits and harms.

Quantifying viruses and bacteria in wastewater—Results, interpretation methods, and quality control

USGS Publications Warehouse

Francy, Donna S.; Stelzer, Erin A.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Brady, Amie M.G.; Mailot, Brian E.; Spencer, Susan K.; Borchardt, Mark A.; Elber, Ashley G.; Riddell, Kimberly R.; Gellner, Terry M.

2011-01-01

Membrane bioreactors (MBR), used for wastewater treatment in Ohio and elsewhere in the United States, have pore sizes small enough to theoretically reduce concentrations of protozoa and bacteria, but not viruses. Sampling for viruses in wastewater is seldom done and not required. Instead, the bacterial indicators Escherichia coli (E. coli) and fecal coliforms are the required microbial measures of effluents for wastewater-discharge permits. Information is needed on the effectiveness of MBRs in removing human enteric viruses from wastewaters, particularly as compared to conventional wastewater treatment before and after disinfection. A total of 73 regular and 28 quality-control (QC) samples were collected at three MBR and two conventional wastewater plants in Ohio during 23 regular and 3 QC sampling trips in 2008-10. Samples were collected at various stages in the treatment processes and analyzed for bacterial indicators E. coli, fecal coliforms, and enterococci by membrane filtration; somatic and F-specific coliphage by the single agar layer (SAL) method; adenovirus, enterovirus, norovirus GI and GII, rotavirus, and hepatitis A virus by molecular methods; and viruses by cell culture. While addressing the main objective of the study-comparing removal of viruses and bacterial indicators in MBR and conventional plants-it was realized that work was needed to identify data analysis and quantification methods for interpreting enteric virus and QC data. Therefore, methods for quantifying viruses, qualifying results, and applying QC data to interpretations are described in this report. During each regular sampling trip, samples were collected (1) before conventional or MBR treatment (post-preliminary), (2) after secondary or MBR treatment (post-secondary or post-MBR), (3) after tertiary treatment (one conventional plant only), and (4) after disinfection (post-disinfection). Glass-wool fiber filtration was used to concentrate enteric viruses from large volumes, and small volume grab samples were collected for direct-plating analyses for bacterial indicators and coliphage. After filtration, the viruses were eluted from the filter and further concentrated. The final concentrated sample volume (FCSV) was used for enteric virus analysis by use of two methods-cell culture and a molecular method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Quantitative PCR (qPCR) for DNA viruses and quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for RNA viruses were used in this study. To support data interpretations, the assay limit of detection (ALOD) was set for each virus assay and used to determine sample reporting limits (SRLs). For qPCR and qRT-PCR the ALOD was an estimated value because it was not established according to established method detection limit procedures. The SRLs were different for each sample because effective sample volumes (the volume of the original sample that was actually used in each analysis) were different for each sample. Effective sample volumes were much less than the original sample volumes because of reductions from processing steps and (or) from when dilutions were made to minimize the effects from PCR-inhibiting substances. Codes were used to further qualify the virus data and indicate the level of uncertainty associated with each measurement. Quality-control samples were used to support data interpretations. Field and laboratory blanks for bacteria, coliphage, and enteric viruses were all below detection, indicating that it was unlikely that samples were contaminated from equipment or processing procedures. The absolute value log differences (AVLDs) between concurrent replicate pairs were calculated to identify the variability associated with each measurement. For bacterial indicators and coliphage, the AVLD results indicated that concentrations <10 colony-forming units or plaque-forming units per 100 mL can differ between replicates by as much as 1 log, whereas higher concentrations can differ by as much as 0.3 log. The AVLD results for viruses indicated that differences between replicates can be as great as 1.2 log genomic copies per liter, regardless of the concentration of virus. Relatively large differences in molecular results for viruses between replicate pairs were likely due to lack of precision for samples with small effective volumes. Concentrations of E. coli, fecal coliforms, enterococci, and somatic and F-specific coliphage in post-secondary and post-tertiary samples in conventional plants were higher than those in post-MBR samples. In post-MBR and post-secondary samples, concentrations of somatic coliphage were higher than F-specific coliphage. In post-disinfection samples from two MBR plants (the third MBR plant had operational issues) and the ultraviolet conventional plant, concentrations for all bacterial indicators and coliphage were near or below detection; from the chlorine conventional plant, concentrations in post-disinfection samples were in the single or double digits. All of the plants met the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System required effluent limits established for fecal coliforms. Norovirus GII and hepatitis A virus were not detected in any samples, and rotavirus was detected in one sample but could not be quantified. Adenovirus was found in 100 percent, enterovirus in over one-half, and norovirus GI in about one-half of post-preliminary wastewater samples. Adenovirus and enterovirus were detected throughout the treatment processes, and norovirus GI was detected less often than the other two enteric viruses. Culturable viruses were detected in post-preliminary samples and in only two post-treatment samples from the plant with operational issues.

Decomposition of diverse solid inorganic matrices with molten ammonium bifluoride salt for constituent elemental analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Hara, Matthew J.; Kellogg, Cyndi M.; Parker, Cyrena M.

Ammonium bifluoride (ABF, NH4F·HF) is a well-known reagent for converting metal oxides to fluorides and for its applications in breaking down minerals and ores in order to extract useful components. It has been more recently applied to the decomposition of inorganic matrices prior to elemental analysis. Herein, a sample decomposition method that employs molten ABF sample treatment in the initial step is systematically evaluated across a range of inorganic sample types: glass, quartz, zircon, soil, and pitchblende ore. Method performance is evaluated across the two variables: duration of molten ABF treatment and ABF reagent mass to sample mass ratio. Themore » degree of solubilization of these sample classes are compared to the fluoride stoichiometry that is theoretically necessary to enact complete fluorination of the sample types. Finally, the sample decomposition method is performed on several soil and pitchblende ore standard reference materials, after which elemental constituent analysis is performed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Elemental recoveries are compared to the certified values; results indicate good to excellent recoveries across a range of alkaline earth, rare earth, transition metal, and actinide elements.« less

Effect of blanching treatments on antioxidant activity of frozen green capsicum (Capsicum annuum L. var bell pepper) using radical scavenging activity (DPPH) assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizzuddin, Norafida; Abdullah, Aminah

2016-11-01

Blanching treatments are needed to deactivate enzymes in frozen vegetables. Antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay were evaluated in steaming, boiling water, and microwave blanching at different temperature, time and microwave power level on frozen green capsicum. Green capsicum was chosen for frozen treatment compared to other capsicum with different maturity index because of the firm texture. The objective of this study was to compare the antioxidant activity of frozen green capsicum between conventional and Oxi Count Kit® assay for DPPH radical scavenging activity. Results showed frozen green capsicum blanched using microwave at high level/90 seconds (sample J) contained higher level of DPPH in both conventional method and Oxi Count Kit® compared to other treatments. However, there were no significant differences between sample J and fresh sample (sample A). Overall, the sequences from highest to lowest in blanching treatments for both DPPH conventional method, and DPPH Oxi Count Kit® were J (microwave high level/90 seconds) > A (Fresh) > H (Microwave Medium Level/120 seconds) > D (Boiling Water 80°C/150 seconds) > K (Microwave High Level/120 seconds) > I (Microwave Medium Level/150 seconds) > F (Microwave Low Level/150 seconds)> B (Steam 100°C/150 seconds) > E (Boiling Water 100°C /120 seconds) > G (Microwave Low Level /180 seconds)> C (Steam 100°C/180 seconds). Almost all frozen green capsicum samples showed no significant differences for comparison between test using DPPH conventional method and Oxi Count Kit®. Frozen storage for 0, and 3rd months showed no significant differences which indicate no changes on antioxidant activity during frozen storage at -18°C.

Dispersed particle extraction--a new procedure for trace element enrichment from natural aqueous samples with subsequent ICP-OES analysis.

PubMed

Bauer, Gerald; Neouze, Marie-Alexandra; Limbeck, Andreas

2013-01-15

A novel sample pre-treatment method for multi trace element enrichment from environmental waters prior to optical emission spectrometry analysis with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) is proposed, based on dispersed particle extraction (DPE). This method is based on the use of silica nanoparticles functionalized with strong cation exchange ligands. After separation from the investigated sample solution, the nanoparticles used for the extraction are directly introduced in the ICP for measurement of the adsorbed target analytes. A prerequisite for the successful application of the developed slurry approach is the use of sorbent particles with a mean size of 500 nm instead of commercially available μm sized beads. The proposed method offers the known advantages of common bead-injection (BI) techniques, and further circumvents the elution step required in conventional solid phase extraction procedures. With the use of 14.4 mL sample and addition of ammonium acetate buffer and particle slurry limits of detection (LODs) from 0.03 μg L(-1) for Be to 0.48 μg L(-1) for Fe, with relative standard deviations ranging from 1.7% for Fe and 5.5% for Cr and an average enrichment factor of 10.4 could be achieved. By implementing this method the possibility to access sorbent materials with irreversible bonding mechanisms for sample pre-treatment is established, thus improvements in the selectivity of sample pre-treatment procedures can be achieved. The presented procedure was tested for accuracy with NIST standard reference material 1643e (fresh water) and was applied to drinking water samples from the vicinity of Vienna. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Addiction and treatment experiences among active methamphetamine users recruited from a township community in Cape Town, South Africa: a mixed-methods study

PubMed Central

Meade, Christina S.; Towe, Sheri L.; Watt, Melissa H.; Lion, Ryan R.; Myers, Bronwyn; Skinner, Donald; Kimani, Stephen; Pieterse, Desiree

2015-01-01

Background Since 2000, there has been a dramatic increase in methamphetamine use in South Africa, but little is known about the experiences of out-of-treatment users. This mixed-methods study describes the substance use histories, addiction symptoms, and treatment experiences of a community-recruited sample of methamphetamine users in Cape Town. Methods Using respondent driven sampling, 360 methamphetamine users (44% female) completed structured clinical interviews to assess substance abuse and treatment history and computerized surveys to assess drug-related risks. A sub-sample of 30 participants completed in-depth interviews to qualitatively explore experiences with methamphetamine use and drug treatment. Results Participants had used methamphetamine for an average of 7.06 years (SD=3.64). They reported using methamphetamine on an average of 23.49 of the past 30 days (SD=8.90); 60% used daily. The majority (90%) met ICD-10 criteria for dependence, and many reported severe social, financial, and legal consequences. While only 10% had ever received drug treatment, 90% reported that they wanted treatment. In the qualitative interviews, participants reported multiple barriers to treatment, including beliefs that treatment is ineffective and relapse is inevitable in their social context. They also identified important motivators, including desires to be drug free and improve family functioning. Conclusion This study yields valuable information to more effectively respond to emerging methamphetamine epidemics in South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries. Interventions to increase uptake of evidence-based services must actively seek out drug users and build motivation for treatment, and offer continuing care services to prevent relapse. Community education campaigns are also needed. PMID:25977205

Characterization of oily sludge from a Tehran oil refinery.

PubMed

Heidarzadeh, Nima; Gitipour, Saeid; Abdoli, Mohammad Ali

2010-10-01

In this study, oily sludge samples generated from a Tehran oil refinery (Pond I) were evaluated for their contamination levels and to propose an adequate remediation technique for the wastes. A simple, random, sampling method was used to collect the samples. The samples were analyzed to measure Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and heavy metal concentrations in the sludge. Statistical analysis showed that seven samples were adequate to assess the sludge with respect to TPH analyses. The mean concentration of TPHs in the samples was 265,600 mg kg⁻¹. A composite sample prepared from a mix of the seven samples was used to determine the sludge's additional characteristics. Composite sample analysis showed that there were no detectable amounts of PAHs in the sludge. In addition, mean concentrations of the selected heavy metals Ni, Pb, Cd and Zn were 2700, 850, 100, 6100 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. To assess the sludge contamination level, the results from the analysis above were compared with soil clean-up levels. Due to a lack of national standards for soil clean-up levels in Iran, sludge pollutant concentrations were compared with standards set in developed countries. According to these standards, the sludge was highly polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons. The results indicated that incineration, biological treatment and solidification/stabilization treatments would be the most appropriate methods for treatment of the sludges. In the case of solidification/stabilization, due to the high organic content of the sludge, it is recommended to use organophilic clays prior to treatment of the wastes.

Cooling Rate Study of Nickel-Rich Material During Thermal Treatment and Quench

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Fransua; Murguia, Silvia Briseno (Editor)

2016-01-01

To investigate quench cracking that results from water quenching after heat treatment of binary and Ni-rich material, cooling rates of specimens were measured during quenching and hardness post-thermal treatment. For specific applications binary Ni-Ti is customarily thermally treated and quenched to attain desired mechanical properties and hardness. However, one problem emerging from this method is thermal cracking, either during the heat treatment process or during the specimen's application. This can result in material and equipment failure as well as financial losses. The objective of the study is to investigate the internal cooling rate of 60-NiTi during quenching and determine possible factors causing thermal cracking. Cubic (1 in.3) samples of both material were heat treated in air at 1000 deg C for 2 hrs and quenched in room temperature water using two methods: (1) dropped in the water and (2) agitated in the water. Hardness of the two fore-mentioned methods was measured post heat treatment. Results indicate that the quenching method had an effect on cooling rate during quenching but hardness was observed to be essentially the same through the thickness of the samples.

Clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline: A new method for treatment efficacy clustering in longitudinal data.

PubMed

Schramm, Catherine; Vial, Céline; Bachoud-Lévi, Anne-Catherine; Katsahian, Sandrine

2018-01-01

Heterogeneity in treatment efficacy is a major concern in clinical trials. Clustering may help to identify the treatment responders and the non-responders. In the context of longitudinal cluster analyses, sample size and variability of the times of measurements are the main issues with the current methods. Here, we propose a new two-step method for the Clustering of Longitudinal data by using an Extended Baseline. The first step relies on a piecewise linear mixed model for repeated measurements with a treatment-time interaction. The second step clusters the random predictions and considers several parametric (model-based) and non-parametric (partitioning, ascendant hierarchical clustering) algorithms. A simulation study compares all options of the clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline method with the latent-class mixed model. The clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline method with the two model-based algorithms was the more robust model. The clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline method with all the non-parametric algorithms failed when there were unequal variances of treatment effect between clusters or when the subgroups had unbalanced sample sizes. The latent-class mixed model failed when the between-patients slope variability is high. Two real data sets on neurodegenerative disease and on obesity illustrate the clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline method and show how clustering may help to identify the marker(s) of the treatment response. The application of the clustering of longitudinal data by using an extended baseline method in exploratory analysis as the first stage before setting up stratified designs can provide a better estimation of treatment effect in future clinical trials.

Differentiation of organic and non-organic winter wheat cultivars from a controlled field trial by crystallization patterns.

PubMed

Kahl, Johannes; Busscher, Nicolaas; Mergardt, Gaby; Mäder, Paul; Torp, Torfinn; Ploeger, Angelika

2015-01-01

There is a need for authentication tools in order to verify the existing certification system. Recently, markers for analytical authentication of organic products were evaluated. Herein, crystallization with additives was described as an interesting fingerprint approach which needs further evidence, based on a standardized method and well-documented sample origin. The fingerprint of wheat cultivars from a controlled field trial is generated from structure analysis variables of crystal patterns. Method performance was tested on factors such as crystallization chamber, day of experiment and region of interest of the patterns. Two different organic treatments and two different treatments of the non-organic regime can be grouped together in each of three consecutive seasons. When the k-nearest-neighbor classification method was applied, approximately 84% of Runal samples and 95% of Titlis samples were classified correctly into organic and non-organic origin using cross-validation. Crystallization with additive offers an interesting complementary fingerprint method for organic wheat samples. When the method is applied to winter wheat from the DOK trial, organic and non-organic treated samples can be differentiated significantly based on pattern recognition. Therefore crystallization with additives seems to be a promising tool in organic wheat authentication. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rapid, single-step most-probable-number method for enumerating fecal coliforms in effluents from sewage treatment plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munoz, E. F.; Silverman, M. P.

1979-01-01

A single-step most-probable-number method for determining the number of fecal coliform bacteria present in sewage treatment plant effluents is discussed. A single growth medium based on that of Reasoner et al. (1976) and consisting of 5.0 gr. proteose peptone, 3.0 gr. yeast extract, 10.0 gr. lactose, 7.5 gr. NaCl, 0.2 gr. sodium lauryl sulfate, and 0.1 gr. sodium desoxycholate per liter is used. The pH is adjusted to 6.5, and samples are incubated at 44.5 deg C. Bacterial growth is detected either by measuring the increase with time in the electrical impedance ratio between the innoculated sample vial and an uninnoculated reference vial or by visual examination for turbidity. Results obtained by the single-step method for chlorinated and unchlorinated effluent samples are in excellent agreement with those obtained by the standard method. It is suggested that in automated treatment plants impedance ratio data could be automatically matched by computer programs with the appropriate dilution factors and most probable number tables already in the computer memory, with the corresponding result displayed as fecal coliforms per 100 ml of effluent.

Factors affecting the recovery of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 from cooling tower water systems.

PubMed

Lu, H F; Tsou, M F; Huang, S Y; Tsai, W C; Chung, J G; Cheng, K S

2001-09-01

A total of 20 water samples collected from the cooling towers at 20 different sites were analyzed under various conditions for the presence of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. A comparative assessment was performed to evaluate methods of sample collection (spray drops, beneath water at 20- to 40-cm depth, and water outlet), concentration (filtration and centrifugation), acid buffer treatment (no treatment, treatment for 3, 5, and 15 min), and CO2 incubation or candle jar incubation. The reduction in viable colonies and false negative rate were compared for the different factors. No quantitative differences in isolation of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was found among samples collected from water at a depth of 20 to 40 cm, from water outlet, and from spray drops. Treatment in an acid buffer for 15 min significantly reduced the recovery rate, with a reduction in bacterial counts of about 40%, compared with a 3-min (12%) or a 5-min (25%) treatment. Acid buffer treatment for 3 or 5 min reduced the overgrowth of commensal flora. This treatment improved the selectivity but not the sensitivity for L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Colonies on plates incubated at 37 degrees C in a candle jar with a humidified atmosphere grew better than those incubated at 35 degrees C with 5% CO2. These results demonstrate that methods of sample collection, concentration, and incubation, but not collection site, can affect the isolation rate for L. pneumophila serogroup 1.

Rapid assessment of Schistosoma mansoni: the validity, applicability and cost-effectiveness of the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling method in Uganda

PubMed Central

Brooker, Simon; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Myatt, Mark; Stothard, J. Russell; Fenwick, Alan

2007-01-01

Summary Rapid and accurate identification of communities at highest risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis is key for sustainable control. Although school questionnaires can effectively and inexpensively identify communities with a high prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium, parasitological screening remains the preferred option for S. mansoni. To help reduce screening costs, we investigated the validity of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) in classifying schools according categories of S. mansoni prevalence in Uganda, and explored its applicability and cost-effectiveness. First, we evaluated several sampling plans using computer simulation and then field tested one sampling plan in 34 schools in Uganda. Finally, cost-effectiveness of different screening and control strategies (including mass treatment without prior screening) was determined, and sensitivity analysis undertaken to assess the effect of infection levels and treatment costs. In identifying schools with prevalence ≥50%, computer simulations showed that LQAS had high levels of sensitivity and specificity (>90%) at sample sizes <20. The method also provides an ability to classify communities into three prevalence categories. Field testing showed that LQAS where 15 children were sampled had excellent diagnostic performance (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 96.4%, positive predictive value: 85.7% and negative predictive value: 92.3%). Screening using LQAS was more cost-effective than mass treating all schools (US$ 218 vs. US$ 482 / high prevalence school treated). Threshold analysis indicated that parasitological screening and mass treatment would become equivalent for settings where prevalence exceeds 50% in 75% of schools and for treatment costs of US$ 0.19 per schoolchild. We conclude that, in Uganda, LQAS provides a rapid, valid, and cost-effective method for guiding decision makers in allocating finite resources for the control of schistosomiasis. PMID:15960703

Rapid assessment of Schistosoma mansoni: the validity, applicability and cost-effectiveness of the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling method in Uganda.

PubMed

Brooker, Simon; Kabatereine, Narcis B; Myatt, Mark; Russell Stothard, J; Fenwick, Alan

2005-07-01

Rapid and accurate identification of communities at highest risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis is key for sustainable control. Although school questionnaires can effectively and inexpensively identify communities with a high prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium, parasitological screening remains the preferred option for S. mansoni. To help reduce screening costs, we investigated the validity of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) in classifying schools according to categories of S. mansoni prevalence in Uganda, and explored its applicability and cost-effectiveness. First, we evaluated several sampling plans using computer simulation and then field tested one sampling plan in 34 schools in Uganda. Finally, cost-effectiveness of different screening and control strategies (including mass treatment without prior screening) was determined, and sensitivity analysis undertaken to assess the effect of infection levels and treatment costs. In identifying schools with prevalences > or =50%, computer simulations showed that LQAS had high levels of sensitivity and specificity (>90%) at sample sizes <20. The method also provides an ability to classify communities into three prevalence categories. Field testing showed that LQAS where 15 children were sampled had excellent diagnostic performance (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 96.4%, positive predictive value: 85.7% and negative predictive value: 92.3%). Screening using LQAS was more cost-effective than mass treating all schools (US$218 vs. US$482/high prevalence school treated). Threshold analysis indicated that parasitological screening and mass treatment would become equivalent for settings where prevalence > or =50% in 75% of schools and for treatment costs of US$0.19 per schoolchild. We conclude that, in Uganda, LQAS provides a rapid, valid and cost-effective method for guiding decision makers in allocating finite resources for the control of schistosomiasis.

Economic evaluation of an experience sampling method intervention in depression compared with treatment as usual using data from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Simons, Claudia J P; Drukker, Marjan; Evers, Silvia; van Mastrigt, Ghislaine A P G; Höhn, Petra; Kramer, Ingrid; Peeters, Frenk; Delespaul, Philippe; Menne-Lothmann, Claudia; Hartmann, Jessica A; van Os, Jim; Wichers, Marieke

2017-12-29

Experience sampling, a method for real-time self-monitoring of affective experiences, holds opportunities for person-tailored treatment. By focussing on dynamic patterns of positive affect, experience sampling method interventions (ESM-I) accommodate strategies to enhance personalized treatment of depression-at potentially low-costs. This study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of an experience sampling method intervention in patients with depression, from a societal perspective. Participants were recruited between January 2010 and February 2012 from out-patient mental health care facilities in or near the Dutch cities of Eindhoven and Maastricht, and through local advertisements. Out-patients diagnosed with major depression (n = 101) receiving pharmacotherapy were randomized into: (i) ESM-I consisting of six weeks of ESM combined with weekly feedback regarding the individual's positive affective experiences, (ii) six weeks of ESM without feedback, or (iii) treatment as usual only. Alongside this randomised controlled trial, an economic evaluation was conducted consisting of a cost-effectiveness and a cost-utility analysis, using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) as outcome, with willingness-to-pay threshold for a QALY set at €50,000 (based on Dutch guidelines for moderate severe to severe illnesses). The economic evaluation showed that ESM-I is an optimal strategy only when willingness to pay is around €3000 per unit HDRS and around €40,500 per QALY. ESM-I was the least favourable treatment when willingness to pay was lower than €30,000 per QALY. However, at the €50,000 willingness-to-pay threshold, ESM-I was, with a 46% probability, the most favourable treatment (base-case analysis). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results. We may tentatively conclude that ESM-I is a cost-effective add-on intervention to pharmacotherapy in outpatients with major depression. Netherlands Trial register, NTR1974 .

Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics: Development of a new approach to sample wastewater-based microplastics.

PubMed

Ziajahromi, Shima; Neale, Peta A; Rintoul, Llew; Leusch, Frederic D L

2017-04-01

Wastewater effluent is expected to be a pathway for microplastics to enter the aquatic environment, with microbeads from cosmetic products and polymer fibres from clothes likely to enter wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). To date, few studies have quantified microplastics in wastewater. Moreover, the lack of a standardized and applicable method to identify microplastics in complex samples, such as wastewater, has limited the accurate assessment of microplastics and may lead to an incorrect estimation. This study aimed to develop a validated method to sample and process microplastics from wastewater effluent and to apply the developed method to quantify and characterise wastewater-based microplastics in effluent from three WWTPs that use primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes. We applied a high-volume sampling device that fractionated microplastics in situ and an efficient sample processing procedure to improve the sampling of microplastics in wastewater and to minimize the false detection of non-plastic particles. The sampling device captured between 92% and 99% of polystyrene microplastics using 25 μm-500 μm mesh screens in laboratory tests. Microplastic type, size and suspected origin in all studied WWTPs, along with the removal efficiency during the secondary and tertiary treatment stages, was investigated. Suspected microplastics were characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, with between 22 and 90% of the suspected microplastics found to be non-plastic particles. An average of 0.28, 0.48 and 1.54 microplastics per litre of final effluent was found in tertiary, secondary and primary treated effluent, respectively. This study suggests that although low concentrations of microplastics are detected in wastewater effluent, WWTPs still have the potential to act as a pathway to release microplastics given the large volumes of effluent discharged to the aquatic environment. This study focused on a single sampling campaign, with long-term monitoring recommended to further characterise microplastics in wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surge Block Method for Controlling Well Clogging and Sampling Sediment during Bioremediation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Wei-min; Watson, David B; Luo, Jian

2013-01-01

A surge block treatment method (i.e. inserting a solid rod plunger with a flat seal that closely fits the casing interior into a well and stocking it up and down) was performed for the rehabilitation of wells clogged with biomass and for the collection of time series sediment samples during in situ bioremediation tests for U(VI) immobilization at a the U.S. Department of Energy site in Oak Ridge, TN. The clogging caused by biomass growth had been controlled by using routine surge block treatment for18 times over a nearly four year test period. The treatment frequency was dependent of themore » dosage of electron donor injection and microbial community developed in the subsurface. Hydraulic tests showed that the apparent aquifer transmissivity at a clogged well with an inner diameter (ID) of 10.16 cm was increased by 8 13 times after the rehabilitation, indicating the effectiveness of the rehabilitation. Simultaneously with the rehabilitation, the surge block method was successfully used for collecting time series sediment samples composed of fine particles (clay and silt) from wells with ID 1.9 10.16 cm for the analysis of mineralogical and geochemical composition and microbial community during the same period. Our results demonstrated that the surge block method provided a cost-effective approach for both well rehabilitation and frequent solid sampling at the same location.« less

Evaluation of toxicity and estrogenicity of the landfill-concentrated leachate during advanced oxidation treatment: chemical analyses and bioanalytical tools.

PubMed

Wang, Guifang; Lu, Gang; Zhao, Jiandi; Yin, Pinghe; Zhao, Ling

2016-08-01

Landfill-concentrated leachate from membrane separation processes is a potential pollution source for the surroundings. In this study, the toxicity and estrogenicity potentials of concentrated leachate prior to and during UV-Fenton and Fenton treatments were assessed by a combination of chemical (di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dibutyl phthalate were chosen as targets) and biological (Daphnia magna, Chlorella vulgaris, and E-screen assay) analyses. Removal efficiencies of measured di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dibutyl phthalate were more than 97 % after treatment with the two methods. Biological tests showed acute toxicity effects on D. magna tests in untreated concentrated leachate samples, whereas acute toxicity on C. vulgaris tests was not observed. Both treatment methods were found to be efficient in reducing acute toxicity effects on D. magna tests. The E-screen test showed concentrated leachate had significant estrogenicity, UV-Fenton and Fenton treatment, especially the former, were effective methods for reducing estrogenicity of concentrated leachate. The EEQchem (estradiol equivalent concentration) of all samples could only explain 0.218-5.31 % range of the EEQbio. These results showed that UV-Fenton reagent could be considered as a suitable method for treatment of concentrated leachate, and the importance of the application of an integrated (biological + chemical) analytical approach for a comprehensive evaluation of treatment suitability.

INFLUENCE OF INTRAMUSCULAR FAT LEVEL ON ORGANOLEPTIC, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF IRRADIATED PORK. II. LOW-TEMPERATURE LONG-TIME PRE-IRRADIATION HEAT TREATMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bray, R.W.; Weckel, K.G.; Evans, G.W.

1964-02-01

Pork muscle (longissimus dorsi) was graded in three marbling levels by both visual appraisal and ether-extraction analysis of total fat. A low- temperature (121 deg F, gradually increasing to 191 deg F), long-time (19-hr) heat treatment was used for enzyme inactivation. Samples were packed under vacuum in rigid containers and irradiated to 4.5 Mrad with gamma radiation. Irradiated and frozen control samples were evaluated at intervals over a 180-day period. The heat treatment caused excessive connective-tissue breakdown as evidenced by a soft, dry texture. Marbling level had no significant effect on consumer-panel judgments of irradiated or frozen control samples (servedmore » plain, without bread). Lower degrees of marbling were preferred in irradiated sandwich items. Irradiated samples were less preferred than frozen control samples in both plain and sandwich form. Hunter L (color) values a/sub L/ (redness), hue, and saturation attributes were increased by irradiation treatment. Hunter L and b/sub L/ (yellowness) values of highly marbled irradiated sample-s were elevated. Highly marbled samples displayed greater tenderness qualities, as evidenced by mechanical tenderness measurements. Expressible moisture values were decreased by marbling degree and radiation treatment and increased by advancing storage time. As a measure of oxidation rancidity, thiobarbituric acid values were increased by increasing levels of marbling and advancing storage time, but were not influenced by preservation method. No significant differences in pH values due to marbling level or preservation method were detected. Bacteriologic counts of randomly selected irradiated samples indicated that they were commercially sterile (average of 57 colonies/g of sample). Methylene blue stains of colonles revealed Micrococcus. Frozen (control) samples contained moderate numbers of colonies (av. 2300 colonies per g of sample). Micrococcus colonies were again predominant, but a few colonles of film yeasts were also seen. Irradiated samples were negative for thermophilic anaerobic spores producing gas. Control samples were positive, containing gram-negative rods, Escherichia coli, and gram- positive cocci. (BBB)« less

A Molecular Approach to Nested RT-PCR Using a New Set of Primers for the Detection of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Protease Gene.

PubMed

Zarei, Mohammad; Ravanshad, Mehrdad; Bagban, Ashraf; Fallahi, Shahab

2016-07-01

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) is the etiologic agent of AIDS. The disease can be transmitted via blood in the window period prior to the development of antibodies to the disease. Thus, an appropriate method for the detection of HIV-1 during this window period is very important. This descriptive study proposes a sensitive, efficient, inexpensive, and easy method to detect HIV-1. In this study 25 serum samples of patients under treatment and also 10 positive and 10 negative control samples were studied. Twenty-five blood samples were obtained from HIV-1-infected individuals who were receiving treatment at the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) research center of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran. The identification of HIV-1-positive samples was done by using reverse transcription to produce copy deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) and then optimizing the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Two pairs of primers were then designed specifically for the protease gene fragment of the nested real time-PCR (RT-PCR) samples. Electrophoresis was used to examine the PCR products. The results were analyzed using statistical tests, including Fisher's exact test, and SPSS17 software. The 325 bp band of the protease gene was observed in all the positive control samples and in none of the negative control samples. The proposed method correctly identified HIV-1 in 23 of the 25 samples. These results suggest that, in comparison with viral cultures, antibody detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs), and conventional PCR methods, the proposed method has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of HIV-1.

Sensory quality of broiler breast meat influenced by low atmospheric pressure stunning, deboning time and cooking methods.

PubMed

Schilling, M W; Radhakrishnan, V; Vizzier-Thaxton, Y; Christensen, K; Williams, J B; Joseph, P

2015-06-01

Stunning method (low atmospheric pressure stunning, LAPS and electrical stunning, ES), deboning time (0.75 h and 4 h), and cooking method (baking, frying, and sous vide) were evaluated for their impact on the descriptive sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of breast meat (n=576, 144 birds per stunning × deboning time combination). Sensory evaluation was conducted by trained descriptive (n=8) and consumer (n=185) panels. On average, no differences (P>0.05) existed in the sensory acceptability of fried and sous vide cooked broiler breast treatment combinations. However, for oven-baking, the LAPS treatment that was deboned at 4 h was more acceptable (P<0.05) than other treatments and the ES and LAPS 4 h samples had greater (P<0.05) acceptability for texture than their ES and LAPS 0.75 h counterparts. Since consumers were highly variable in their liking of chicken breast treatments, consumers were grouped into clusters for each cooking method based on liking and preference. Cluster analysis data revealed that the largest groups of consumers liked (score≥6.0) all chicken breast treatments, but a larger proportion of consumers liked the 4 h LAPS and ES treatments when compared to the 0.75 h LAPS and ES treatments for all cooking methods. In addition, the consumers who indicated that baked chicken breast was highly acceptable preferred (P<0.05) 4 h LAPS over the 4 h ES samples. Based on sensory results, chicken breast meat from all stunning and deboning method combinations was highly acceptable to the majority of consumers, but the LAPS 4 h treatment had enhanced sensory characteristics when baked. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Application of drug testing using exhaled breath for compliance monitoring of drug addicts in treatment.

PubMed

Carlsson, Sten; Olsson, Robert; Lindkvist, Irene; Beck, Olof

2015-04-01

Exhaled breath has recently been identified as a possible matrix for drug testing. This study explored the potential of this new method for compliance monitoring of patients being treated for dependence disorders. Outpatients in treatment programs were recruited for this study. Urine was collected as part of clinical routine and a breath sample was collected in parallel together with a questionnaire about their views of the testing procedure. Urine was analyzed for amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, buprenorphine, methadone and opiates using CEDIA immunochemical screening and mass spectrometry confirmation. The exhaled breath was collected using the SensAbues device and analyzed by mass spectrometry for amphetamine, methamphetamine, diazepam, oxazepam, tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, buprenorphine, methadone, morphine, codeine and 6-acetylmorphine. A total of 122 cases with parallel urine and breath samples were collected; 34 of these were negative both in urine and breath. Out of 88 cases with positive urine samples 51 (58%) were also positive in breath. Among the patients on methadone treatment, all were positive for methadone in urine and 83% were positive in breath. Among patients in treatment with buprenorphine, 92% were positive in urine and among those 80% were also positive in breath. The questionnaire response documented that in general, patients accepted drug testing well and that the breath sampling procedure was preferred. Compliance testing for the intake of prescribed and unprescribed drugs among patients in treatment for dependence disorders using the exhaled breath sampling technique is a viable method and deserves future attention.

Improved sample preparation and rapid UHPLC analysis of SO2 binding carbonyls in wine by derivatisation to 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.

PubMed

Jackowetz, J N; Mira de Orduña, R

2013-08-15

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is essential for the preservation of wines. The presence of SO2 binding compounds in musts and wines may limit sulphite efficacy leading to higher total SO2 additions, which may exceed SO2 limits permitted by law and pose health risks for sensitive individuals. An improved method for the quantification of significant wine SO2 binding compounds is presented that applies a novel sample treatment approach and rapid UHPLC separation. Glucose, galacturonic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, acetoin and acetaldehyde were derivatised with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and separated using a solid core C18 phase by ultra high performance liquid chromatography. Addition of EDTA to samples prevented de novo acetaldehyde formation from ethanol oxidation. Optimised derivatisation duration enhanced reproducibility and allowed for glucose and galacturonic acid quantification. High glucose residues were found to interfere with the recovery of other SO2 binders, but practical SO2 concentrations and red wine pigments did not affect derivatisation efficiency. The calibration range, method accuracy, precision and limits of detection were found to be satisfactory for routine analysis of SO2 binders in wines. The current method represents a significant improvement in the comprehensive analysis of SO2 binding wine carbonyls. It allows for the quantification of major SO2 binders at practical analyte concentrations, and uses a simple sample treatment method that prevents treatment artifacts. Equipment utilisation could be reduced by rapid LC separation while maintaining analytical performance parameters. The improved method will be a valuable addition for the analysis of total SO2 binder pools in oenological samples. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparing adult cannabis treatment-seekers enrolled in a clinical trial with national samples of cannabis users in the United States

PubMed Central

McClure, Erin A.; King, Jacqueline S.; Wahle, Aimee; Matthews, Abigail G.; Sonne, Susan C.; Lofwall, Michelle R.; McRae-Clark, Aimee L.; Ghitza, Udi E.; Martinez, Melissa; Cloud, Kasie; Virk, Harvir S.; Gray, Kevin M.

2017-01-01

Background Cannabis use rates are increasing among adults in the United States (US) while the perception of harm is declining. This may result in an increased prevalence of cannabis use disorder and the need for more clinical trials to evaluate efficacious treatment strategies. Clinical trials are the gold standard for evaluating treatment, yet study samples are rarely representative of the target population. This finding has not yet been established for cannabis treatment trials. This study compared demographic and cannabis use characteristics of a cannabis cessation clinical trial sample (run through National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network) with three nationally representative datasets from the US; 1) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, and 3) Treatment Episodes Data Set – Admissions. Methods Comparisons were made between the clinical trial sample and appropriate cannabis using sub-samples from the national datasets, and propensity scores were calculated to determine the degree of similarity between samples. Results Results showed that the clinical trial sample was significantly different from all three national datasets, with the clinical trial sample having greater representation among older adults, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, adults with more education, non-tobacco users, and daily and almost daily cannabis users. Conclusions These results are consistent with previous studies of other substance use disorder populations and extend sample representation issues to a cannabis use disorder population. This illustrates the need to ensure representative samples within cannabis treatment clinical trials to improve the generalizability of promising findings. PMID:28511033

Identification of gamma-irradiated papaya, melon and watermelon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marín-Huachaca, Nélida S.; Mancini-Filho, Jorge; Delincée, Henry; Villavicencio, Anna Lúcia C. H.

2004-09-01

Ionizing radiation can be used to control spoilage microorganisms and to increase the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables in replacement for the treatment with chemical fumigants. In order to enforce labelling regulations, methods for detecting the irradiation treatment directly in the produce are required. Recently, a number of detection methods for irradiated food have been adopted by the Codex Comission. A rapid screening method for qualitative detection of irradiation is the DNA Comet Assay. The applicability of the DNA Comet Assay for distinguishing irradiated papaya, melon, and watermelon was evaluated. The samples were treated in a 60Co facility at dose levels of 0.0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0kGy. The irradiated samples showed typical DNA fragmentation whereas cells from non-irradiated ones appeared intact. In addition to the DNA Comet Assay also the half-embryo test was applied in melon and watermelon to detect the irradiation treatment.

Modification of chemical reactivity of enzymatic hydrolysis lignin by ultrasound treatment in dilute alkaline solutions.

PubMed

Ma, Zhuoming; Li, Shujun; Fang, Guizhen; Patil, Nikhil; Yan, Ning

2016-12-01

In this study, we have explored various ultrasound treatment conditions for structural modification of enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL) for enhanced chemical reactivity. The key structural modifications were characterized by using a combination of analytical methods, including, Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 H NMR), Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) method. Chemical reactivity of the modified EHL samples was determined by both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and their reactivity towards formaldehyde. It was observed that the modified EHL had a higher phenolic hydroxyl group content, a lower molecular weight, a higher reactivity towards formaldehyde, and a greater antioxidant property. The higher reactivity demonstrated by the samples after treatment suggesting that ultrasound is a promising method for modifying enzymatic hydrolysis lignin for value-added applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Comorbidity on Treatment of Anxious Children and Adolescents: Results from a Large, Combined Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapee, Ronald M.; Lyneham, Heidi J.; Hudson, Jennifer L.; Kangas, Maria; Wuthrich, Viviana M.; Schniering, Carolyn A.

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of comorbid disorders on the degree of change and the endpoint of cognitive-behavioral treatment in anxious young people. Method: Data on 750 children 6 to 18 years old were compiled from different samples within one clinic. All children had a primary anxiety disorder and…

Designing clinical trials to test disease-modifying agents: application to the treatment trials of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Xiong, Chengjie; van Belle, Gerald; Miller, J Philip; Morris, John C

2011-02-01

Therapeutic trials of disease-modifying agents on Alzheimer's disease (AD) require novel designs and analyses involving switch of treatments for at least a portion of subjects enrolled. Randomized start and randomized withdrawal designs are two examples of such designs. Crucial design parameters such as sample size and the time of treatment switch are important to understand in designing such clinical trials. The purpose of this article is to provide methods to determine sample sizes and time of treatment switch as well as optimum statistical tests of treatment efficacy for clinical trials of disease-modifying agents on AD. A general linear mixed effects model is proposed to test the disease-modifying efficacy of novel therapeutic agents on AD. This model links the longitudinal growth from both the placebo arm and the treatment arm at the time of treatment switch for these in the delayed treatment arm or early withdrawal arm and incorporates the potential correlation on the rate of cognitive change before and after the treatment switch. Sample sizes and the optimum time for treatment switch of such trials as well as optimum test statistic for the treatment efficacy are determined according to the model. Assuming an evenly spaced longitudinal design over a fixed duration, the optimum treatment switching time in a randomized start or a randomized withdrawal trial is half way through the trial. With the optimum test statistic for the treatment efficacy and over a wide spectrum of model parameters, the optimum sample size allocations are fairly close to the simplest design with a sample size ratio of 1:1:1 among the treatment arm, the delayed treatment or early withdrawal arm, and the placebo arm. The application of the proposed methodology to AD provides evidence that much larger sample sizes are required to adequately power disease-modifying trials when compared with those for symptomatic agents, even when the treatment switch time and efficacy test are optimally chosen. The proposed method assumes that the only and immediate effect of treatment switch is on the rate of cognitive change. Crucial design parameters for the clinical trials of disease-modifying agents on AD can be optimally chosen. Government and industry officials as well as academia researchers should consider the optimum use of the clinical trials design for disease-modifying agents on AD in their effort to search for the treatments with the potential to modify the underlying pathophysiology of AD.

Effects of sous-vide method at different temperatures, times and vacuum degrees on the quality, structural, and microbiological properties of pork ham.

PubMed

Jeong, Kiyoung; O, Hyeonbin; Shin, So Yeon; Kim, Young-Soon

2018-04-10

This study evaluated the influence of different factors on pork hams cooked by sous-vide method. The quality and structural and microbiological properties of the treated samples were compared with those of controls. Samples were subjected to treatment at different combinations of temperature (61 °C or 71 °C), time (45 or 90 min), and vacuum degree (98.81% or 96.58%). The control sample was air packaged and boiled for 45 min in boiling water. Temperature and vacuum degree affected quality properties, while the effect of time was limited. Samples cooked at 61 °C showed higher moisture content, redness, and pink color of the meat juice, whereas samples cooked at 71 °C showed higher cooking loss rate, lightness, and volatile basic nitrogen values. Texture analysis indicated tenderer meat for the treatment group than the control. No microbial growth was detected in any treatment groups. Meat cooked at 61 °C and 98.81% vacuum showed more spacious arrangement of meat fiber. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple Comparisons of Observation Means--Are the Means Significantly Different?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahidy, T. Z.

2009-01-01

Several currently popular methods of ascertaining which treatment (population) means are different, via random samples obtained under each treatment, are briefly described and illustrated by evaluating catalyst performance in a chemical reactor.

Sucrose and color profiles in sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) juice analyzed by UFLC-ELSD and Synapt High-Definition Mass Spectrometry during radiation treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Roberta B.; de Aguiar, Claudio Lima; Galaverna, Renan; Baptista, Antonio S.; Eberlin, Marcos N.; Arthur, Valter

2016-04-01

This work evaluated the effect of electron beam irradiation (E-beam) on sugarcane juice and compared the results with preliminary tests performed on sugarcane juice treated with gamma irradiation. The samples were irradiated at 5, 10 and 20 kGy doses and results were compared wile control samples without irradiation. The results showed a significant increase (p≤0.05) of phenolic compounds in both treatments. We also observed increased contents of reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) for the samples irradiated with gamma rays and E-beam measured by the DNS methods. However, there was no significant difference of sugars content measured by chromatographic analyses performed in the sugarcane juice treated with E-beam. Therefore reducing sugars content could be overestimated by the DNS method because salts in sugarcane juice. The treatments were able to reduce sugarcane juice ICUMSA color intensity in both treatments with irradiation. E-beam reduced sugarcane juice color by roughly 49% compared the control, while gamma irradiation reduced it by 30%.

Physicochemical properties of foal meat as affected by cooking methods.

PubMed

Lorenzo, José M; Cittadini, Aurora; Munekata, Paulo E; Domínguez, Rubén

2015-10-01

The present study deals with the effect of four different cooking techniques (roasting, grilling, microwave baking and frying with olive oil) on physicochemical parameters (cooking loss, WHC, texture and colour) and lipid oxidation (by TBARS measurement) of foal meat. Thermal treatments induced water loss (P<0.001), being lower in foal steaks cooked in the grill (25.8%) and higher in foal samples cooked in the microwave (39.5%). As it was expected, all the cooking methods increased TBARS index, since high temperature during cooking seems to cause an increase of the lipid oxidation in foal steaks. Statistical analysis displayed that WHC was affected (P<0.001) by thermal treatment, since the smallest WHC values were observed in samples from microwave treatment. Thermal treatment also caused a significant (P<0.001) increase in the force needed to cut the foal steaks. Regarding colour parameter, cooking led to an increase of L*-value (lightness) and b*-value (yellowness), while a*-value (redness) markedly decreased in all samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing Two Methods of Cryotherapy and Intense Pulsed Light with Triamcinolone Injection in the Treatment of Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars: A Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Meymandi, Simin Shamsi; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Rezazadeh, Azadeh

2016-10-01

Keloid and hypertrophic scars are abnormal manifestations of wounds that occur following skin injuries in the form of local proliferation of fibroblasts and increased production of collagen. There are several ways to cure these scars; treatment must be selected based on the nature of the scars. In this clinical trial, two methods-cryotherapy and intense pulsed light (IPL)-are compared in the treatment of scars, and the results are presented in terms of improvement level, complications, and patient satisfaction. This clinical trial was conducted in southeastern Iran. The intervention group included scars that underwent the IPL method and the control group, which consisted of scars that were subjected to cryotherapy. In both methods, intralesional corticosteroid injection was administered. To select samples, the easy sampling method was used. To determine the expected outcomes, the criteria determined in the Vancouver scar scale were used. Data were analyzed using the Mix Model, chi-square test, and t test. In this study, 166 samples of keloid and hypertrophic scars were cured using two methods (Cryotherapy, 83; IPL, 83). The recovery rate was higher in the Cryotherapy group than in the IPL group ( p  > 0.05), and the incidence of complications was also higher in the Cryotherapy group (14.5% vs. 12%). Moreover, patients were more satisfied, although not significantly so, with the cryotherapy method ( p  = 0.09). Both methods were highly successful in curing scars; participants were totally satisfied with both methods.

Which is the best method of sterilization of tumour bone for reimplantation? a biomechanical and histopathological study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Introduction Sterilization and re-usage of tumour bone for reconstruction after tumour resection is now gaining popularity in the East. This recycle tumour bone needs to be sterilized in order to eradicate the tumour cells before re-implantation for limb salvage procedures. The effect of some of these treatments on the integrity and sterility of the bone after treatment has been published but there has yet been a direct comparison between the various methods of sterilization to determine the one method that gives the best tumour kill without compromising the bone's structural integrity. Method This study was performed to evaluate the effect of several sterilization methods on the mechanical behavior of human cortical bone graft and histopathology evaluation of tumour bone samples after being processed with 4 different methods of sterilization. Fresh human cortical tumour bone is harvested from the diaphyseal region of the tumour bone were sterilized by autoclave (n =10); boiling (n =10); pasteurization (n =10); and irradiation (n =10). There were also 10 control specimens that did not receive any form of sterilization treatment. The biomechanical test conducted were stress to failure, modulus and strain to failure, which were determined from axial compression testing. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) was performed on these results. Significance level (α) and power (β) were set to 0.05 and 0.90, respectively. Results ANOVA analysis of 'failure stress', 'modulus' and 'strain to failure' demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05) between treated cortical bone and untreated specimens under mechanical loading. 'Stress to failure' was significantly reduced in boiled, autoclaved and irradiated cortical bone samples (p < 0.05). 'Modulus' detected significant differences in the boiled, autoclaved and pasteurization specimens compared to controls (p < 0.05). 'Strain to failure' was reduced by irradiation (p < 0.05) but not by the other three methods of treatments. Histopathology study revealed no viable tumour cell in any of four types of treatment group compared to the untreated control group. Conclusions Sterilization of cortical bone sample by pasteurization and to a lesser extent, irradiation does not significantly alter the mechanical properties when compared with untreated samples. Mechanical properties degrade with the use of high temperature for sterilization (boiling). All methods of sterilization gave rise to 100 percent tumour kill. PMID:20831801

The effects of heat treatment on physical properties and surface roughness of red-bud maple (Acer trautvetteri Medw.) wood.

PubMed

Korkut, Derya Sevim; Guller, Bilgin

2008-05-01

Heat treatment is often used to improve the dimensional stability of wood. In this study, the effects of heat treatment on physical properties and surface roughness of red-bud maple (Acer trautvetteri Medw.) wood were examined. Samples obtained from Düzce Forest Enterprises, Turkey, were subjected to heat treatment at varying temperatures and durations. The physical properties of heat-treated samples were compared against controls in order to determine their; oven-dry density, air-dry density, and swelling properties. A stylus method was employed to evaluate the surface characteristics of the samples. Roughness measurements, using the stylus method, were made in the direction perpendicular to the fiber. Three main roughness parameters; mean arithmetic deviation of profile (Ra), mean peak-to-valley height (Rz), and maximum roughness (Rmax) obtained from the surface of wood, were used to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on the surface characteristics of the specimens. Significant differences were determined (p>0.05) between surface roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, Rmax) at three different temperatures and three periods of heat treatment. The results showed that the values of density, swelling and surface roughness decreased with increasing temperature treatment and treatment times. Red-bud maple wood could be utilized successfully by applying proper heat treatment techniques without any losses in investigated parameters. This is vital in areas, such as window frames, where working stability and surface smoothness are important factors.

The Preference for Internet-Based Psychological Interventions by Individuals Without Past or Current Use of Mental Health Treatment Delivered Online: A Survey Study With Mixed-Methods Analysis

PubMed Central

Mattsson, Susanne; Olsson, Erik Martin Gustaf

2016-01-01

Background The use of the Internet has the potential to increase access to evidence-based mental health services for a far-reaching population at a low cost. However, low take-up rates in routine care indicate that barriers for implementing Internet-based interventions have not yet been fully identified. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the preference for Internet-based psychological interventions as compared to treatment delivered face to face among individuals without past or current use of mental health treatment delivered online. A further aim was to investigate predictors of treatment preference and to complement the quantitative analyses with qualitative data about the perceived advantages and disadvantages of Internet-based interventions. Methods Two convenience samples were used. Sample 1 was recruited in an occupational setting (n=231) and Sample 2 consisted of individuals previously treated for cancer (n=208). Data were collected using a paper-and-pencil survey and analyzed using mixed methods. Results The preference for Internet-based psychological interventions was low in both Sample 1 (6.5%) and Sample 2 (2.6%). Most participants preferred psychological interventions delivered face to face. Use of the Internet to search for and read health-related information was a significant predictor of treatment preference in both Sample 1 (odds ratio [OR] 2.82, 95% CI 1.18-6.75) and Sample 2 (OR 3.52, 95% CI 1.33-9.29). Being born outside of Sweden was a significant predictor of preference for Internet-based interventions, but only in Sample 2 (OR 6.24, 95% CI 1.29-30.16). Similar advantages and disadvantages were mentioned in both samples. Perceived advantages of Internet-based interventions included flexibility regarding time and location, low effort, accessibility, anonymity, credibility, user empowerment, and improved communication between therapist and client. Perceived disadvantages included anonymity, low credibility, impoverished communication between therapist and client, fear of negative side effects, requirements of computer literacy, and concerns about confidentiality. Conclusions Internet-based interventions were reported as the preferred choice by a minority of participants. The results suggest that Internet-based interventions have specific advantages that may facilitate help-seeking among some individuals and some disadvantages that may restrict its use. Initiatives to increase treatment acceptability may benefit from addressing the advantages and disadvantages reported in this study. PMID:27302200

Lagrangian sampling of wastewater treatment plant effluent in Boulder Creek, Colorado, and Fourmile Creek, Iowa, during the summer of 2003 and spring of 2005--Hydrological and chemical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Larry B.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Schnoebelen, Douglas J.; Flynn, Jennifer L.; Brown, Gregory K.; Furlong, Edward T.; Glassmeyer, Susan T.; Gray, James L.; Meyer, Michael T.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Taylor, Howard E.; Zaugg, Steven D.

2011-01-01

This report presents methods and data for a Lagrangian sampling investigation into chemical loading and in-stream attenuation of inorganic and organic contaminants in two wastewater treatment-plant effluent-dominated streams: Boulder Creek, Colorado, and Fourmile Creek, Iowa. Water-quality sampling was timed to coincide with low-flow conditions when dilution of the wastewater treatment-plant effluent by stream water was at a minimum. Sample-collection times corresponded to estimated travel times (based on tracer tests) to allow the same "parcel" of water to reach downstream sampling locations. The water-quality data are linked directly to stream discharge using flow- and depth-integrated composite sampling protocols. A range of chemical analyses was made for nutrients, carbon, major elements, trace elements, biological components, acidic and neutral organic wastewater compounds, antibiotic compounds, pharmaceutical compounds, steroid and steroidal-hormone compounds, and pesticide compounds. Physical measurements were made for field conditions, stream discharge, and time-of-travel studies. Two Lagrangian water samplings were conducted in each stream, one in the summer of 2003 and the other in the spring of 2005. Water samples were collected from five sites in Boulder Creek: upstream from the wastewater treatment plant, the treatment-plant effluent, and three downstream sites. Fourmile Creek had seven sampling sites: upstream from the wastewater treatment plant, the treatment-plant effluent, four downstream sites, and a tributary. At each site, stream discharge was measured, and equal width-integrated composite water samples were collected and split for subsequent chemical, physical, and biological analyses. During the summer of 2003 sampling, Boulder Creek downstream from the wastewater treatment plant consisted of 36 percent effluent, and Fourmile Creek downstream from the respective wastewater treatment plant was 81 percent effluent. During the spring of 2005 samplings, Boulder Creek downstream from the wastewater treatment plant was 40 percent effluent, and Fourmile Creek downstream from that wastewater treatment plant was 28 percent effluent. At each site, 300 individual constituents were determined to characterize the water. Most of the inorganic constituents were detected in all of the stream and treatment-plant effluent samples, whereas detection of synthetic organic compounds was more limited and contaminants typically occurred only in wastewater treatment-plant effluents and at downstream sites. Concentrations ranged from nanograms per liter to milligrams per liter.

Heterogeneity Moderates Treatment Response among Patients with Binge Eating Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sysko, Robyn; Hildebrandt, Tom; Wilson, G. Terence; Wilfley, Denise E.; Agras, W. Stewart

2010-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore heterogeneity and differential treatment outcome among a sample of patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Method: A latent class analysis was conducted with 205 treatment-seeking, overweight or obese individuals with BED randomized to interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), behavioral weight loss…

Determination of proline in honey: comparison between official methods, optimization and validation of the analytical methodology.

PubMed

Truzzi, Cristina; Annibaldi, Anna; Illuminati, Silvia; Finale, Carolina; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

The study compares official spectrophotometric methods for the determination of proline content in honey - those of the International Honey Commission (IHC) and the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) - with the original Ough method. Results show that the extra time-consuming treatment stages added by the IHC method with respect to the Ough method are pointless. We demonstrate that the AOACs method proves to be the best in terms of accuracy and time saving. The optimized waiting time for the absorbance recording is set at 35min from the removal of reaction tubes from the boiling bath used in the sample treatment. The optimized method was validated in the matrix: linearity up to 1800mgL(-1), limit of detection 20mgL(-1), limit of quantification 61mgL(-1). The method was applied to 43 unifloral honey samples from the Marche region, Italy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dispersion of Co/CNTs via strong electrostatic adsorption method: Thermal treatment effect

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akbarzadeh, Omid, E-mail: omid.akbarzadeh63@gmail.com; Abdullah, Bawadi, E-mail: bawadi-abdullah@petronas.com.my; Subbarao, Duvvuri, E-mail: duvvuri-subbarao@petronas.com.my

The effect of different thermal treatment temperature on the structure of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Co particle dispersion on CNTs support is studied using Strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA) method. The samples tested by N{sub 2}-adsorption, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). N{sub 2}-adsorption results showed BET surface area increased using thermal treatment and TEM images showed that increasing the thermal treatment temperature lead to flaky CNTs and defects introduced on the outer surface and Co particle dispersion increased.

Optimization of a Viability PCR Method for the Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Samples.

PubMed

Agustí, Gemma; Fittipaldi, Mariana; Codony, Francesc

2018-06-01

Rapid detection of Listeria and other microbial pathogens in food is an essential part of quality control and it is critical for ensuring the safety of consumers. Culture-based methods for detecting foodborne pathogens are time-consuming, laborious and cannot detect viable but non-culturable microorganism, whereas viability PCR methodology provides quick results; it is able to detect viable but non-culturable cells, and allows for easier handling of large amount of samples. Although the most critical point to use viability PCR technique is achieving the complete exclusion of dead cell amplification signals, many improvements are being introduced to overcome this. In the present work, the yield of dead cell DNA neutralization was enhanced by incorporating two new sample treatment strategies: tube change combined with a double light treatment. This procedure was successfully tested using artificially contaminated food samples, showing improved neutralization of dead cell DNA.

Propensity-score matching in the cardiovascular surgery literature from 2004 to 2006: a systematic review and suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Austin, Peter C

2007-11-01

I conducted a systematic review of the use of propensity score matching in the cardiovascular surgery literature. I examined the adequacy of reporting and whether appropriate statistical methods were used. I examined 60 articles published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006. Thirty-one of the 60 studies did not provide adequate information on how the propensity score-matched pairs were formed. Eleven (18%) of studies did not report on whether matching on the propensity score balanced baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the matched sample. No studies used appropriate methods to compare baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the propensity score-matched sample. Eight (13%) of the 60 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of matched data when estimating the effect of treatment on the outcomes. Two studies used appropriate methods for some outcomes, but not for all outcomes. Thirty-nine (65%) studies explicitly used statistical methods that were inappropriate for matched-pairs data when estimating the effect of treatment on outcomes. Eleven studies did not report the statistical tests that were used to assess the statistical significance of the treatment effect. Analysis of propensity score-matched samples tended to be poor in the cardiovascular surgery literature. Most statistical analyses ignored the matched nature of the sample. I provide suggestions for improving the reporting and analysis of studies that use propensity score matching.

Effect of shot peening on the microstructure of laser hardened 17-4PH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhou; Jiang, Chuanhai; Gan, Xiaoyan; Chen, Yanhua

2010-12-01

In order to investigate the influence of shot peening on microstructure of laser hardened steel and clarify how much influence of initial microstructure induced by laser hardening treatment on final microstructure of laser hardened steel after shot peening treatment, measurements of retained austenite, measurements of microhardness and microstructural analysis were carried out on three typical areas including laser hardened area, transitional area and matrix area of laser hardened 17-4PH steel. The results showed that shot peening was an efficient cold working method to eliminate the retained austenite on the surface of laser hardened samples. The surface hardness increased dramatically when shot peening treatments were carried out. The analyses of microstructure of laser hardened 17-4PH after shot peening treatment were carried out in matrix area and laser hardened area via Voigt method. With the increasing peening intensity, the influence depth of shot peening on hardness and microstructure increased but the surface hardness and microstructure did not change when certain peening intensity was reached. Influence depth of shot peening on hardness was larger than influence depth of shot peening on microstructure due to the kinetic energy loss along the depth during shot peening treatment. From the microstructural result, it can be shown that the shot peening treatment can influence the domain size and microstrain of treated samples but laser hardening treatment can only influence the microstrain of treated samples.

The structural properties of barium cobalt hexaferrite powder prepared by a simple heat treatment method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chauhan, Chetna, E-mail: chetna.chauhan@nirmauni.ac.in; Jotania, Rajshree, E-mail: rbjotania@gmail.com

2016-05-06

The W-type barium hexaferrite was prepared using a simple heat treatment method. The precursor was calcinated at 650°C for 3 hours and then slowly cooled to room temperature in order to obtain barium cobalt hexaferrite powder. The prepared powder was characterised by different experimental techniques like XRD, FTIR and SEM. The X-ray diffractogram of the sample shows W-and M phases. The particle size calculated by Debye Scherrer formula. The FTIR spectra of the sample was taken at room temperature by using KBr pallet method which confirms the formation of hexaferrite phase. The morphological study on the hexaferrite powder was carriedmore » out by SEM analysis.« less

Effect of chemical sanitizer combined with modified atmosphere packaging on inhibiting Escherichia coli O157:H7 in commercial spinach.

PubMed

Lee, Sun-Young; Baek, Seung-Youb

2008-06-01

Escherichia coli O157:H7 contaminated spinach has recently caused several outbreaks of human illness in the USA and Canada. However, to date, there has been no study demonstrating an effective way to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 in spinach. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of chemical sanitizers alone or in combination with packaging methods such as vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on inactivating E. coli O157:H7 in spinach during storage time. Spinach inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 was packaged in four different methods (air, vacuum, N(2) gas, and CO(2) gas packaging) following treatment with water, 100 ppm chlorine dioxide, or 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 5 min at room temperature and stored at 7+/-2 degrees C. Treatment with water did not significantly reduce levels of E. coli O157:H7 in spinach. However, treatment with chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite significantly decreased levels of E. coli O157:H7 by 2.6 and 1.1 log(10)CFU/g, respectively. Levels of E. coli O157:H7 in samples packaged in air following treatments grew during storage time, whereas levels were maintained in samples packaged in other packaging methods (vacuum, N(2) gas, and CO(2) gas packaging). Therefore there were significant differences (about 3-4 log) of E. coli O157:H7 populations between samples packed in air and other packaging methods following treatment with chemical sanitizers after 7 days storage. These results suggest that the combination of treatment with chlorine dioxide and packaging methods such as vacuum and MAP may be useful for improving the microbial safety of spinach against E. coli O157:H7 during storage.

A Comparison of Single Sample and Bootstrap Methods to Assess Mediation in Cluster Randomized Trials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pituch, Keenan A.; Stapleton, Laura M.; Kang, Joo Youn

2006-01-01

A Monte Carlo study examined the statistical performance of single sample and bootstrap methods that can be used to test and form confidence interval estimates of indirect effects in two cluster randomized experimental designs. The designs were similar in that they featured random assignment of clusters to one of two treatment conditions and…

The tick biocontrol agent Metarhizium brunneum (= M. anisopliae) (strain F52) does not reduce non-target arthropods

PubMed Central

Keesing, Felicia; Ostfeld, Richard S.

2017-01-01

Previous studies have found that Met52®, which contains the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum, is effective in reducing the abundance of Ixodes scapularis, the tick vector for the bacterium causing Lyme disease and for other tick-borne pathogens. Given widespread interest in effective, safe methods for controlling ticks, Met52 has the potential to be used at increasing scales. The non-target impacts of Met52, as applied for tick control, have not yet been assessed. A Before-After-Control-Impact experiment was conducted to assess the effects of Met52 on non-target arthropods in lawn and forest habitats typical of residential yards. Ground-dwelling arthropods were collected using bulk sampling of soil and litter, and pitfall sampling. Arthropods were sampled once before and twice after treatment of plots with either Met52 or water (control). Multivariate general linear models were used to jointly model the abundance of arthropod orders. For each sampling method and post-spray sampling occasion, Akaike Information Criterion values were used to compare the fits of two alternative models: one that included effects of period (before vs. after spray), habitat (lawn vs. forest), and treatment (Met52 vs. control), versus a nested null model that included effects of period, and habitat, but no treatment effect. The null model was consistently better supported by the data. Significant effects were found of period and habitat but not treatment. Retrospective power analysis indicated the study had 80% power to detect a 50% reduction in arthropod abundance, as measured by bulk samples taken before versus one week after treatment. The deployment of Met52 in suburban settings is unlikely to cause meaningful reductions in the abundance of non-target arthropods. PMID:29155838

Comparison of the effect of different surface treatments on the bond strength of different cements with nickel chromium metal alloy: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Kapoor, Saumya; Balakrishnan, Dhanasekar

2017-01-01

Background For success of any indirect metal restoration, a strong bond between cement and the intaglio surface of metal is imperative. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the effect of different surface treatment on the tensile and shear bond strength of different cements with nickel–chromium alloy. Material and Methods 120 premolars were sectioned horizontally parallel to the occlusal surface to expose the dentin. Wax patterns were fabricated for individual tooth followed by casting them in nickel chromium alloy. 60 samples were tested for tensile bond strength, and the remaining 60 for shear bond strength. The samples were divided into three groups (of 20 samples each) as per the following surface treatment: oxidation only, oxidation and sandblasting, or oxidation, sandblasting followed by application of alloy primer. Each group was subdivided into 2 subgroups of 10 samples each, according to the bonding cement i.e RM-GIC and resin cement. Samples were subjected to thermocycling procedure followed by evaluation of bond strength. Results Two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the means of tensile and shear bond strength across type of surface treatment and cement, followed by post hoc parametric analysis. For all tests ‘p’ value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Conclusions The surface treatment of oxidation and sandblasting followed by application of alloy primer offered the maximum tensile and shear bond strength for both RM GIC and resin cement. Resin cement exhibited greater tensile and shear bond strength than RM-GIC for all the three surface treatment methods. Key words:Resin cement, resin modified glass ionomer cement, oxidation, sandblasting, alloy primer, tensile bond strength, shear bond strength, universal testing machine. PMID:28828160

Simultaneous determination of seven multiclass veterinary antibiotics in surface water samples in the Republic of Korea using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Chung, Hyung Suk; Choi, Jeong-Heui; Abd El-Aty, A M; Lee, Young-Jun; Lee, Han Sol; Kim, Sangdon; Jung, Hee-Jung; Kang, Tae-Woo; Shin, Ho-Chul; Shim, Jae-Han

2016-12-01

A simultaneous determination method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was developed to detect and quantify the presence of seven multiclass veterinary antibiotics (13 compounds in total) in surface water samples, which included the effluents of livestock wastewater and sewage treatment plants, as well as the reservoir drainage areas from dense animal farms. The pH of all water samples was adjusted to 2 or 6 before solid-phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges. The developed method was fully validated in terms of linearity, method detection limit, method quantitation limit, accuracy, and precision. The linearity of all tested drugs was good, with R 2 determination coefficients ≥ 0.9931. The method detection limits and method quantitation limits were 0.1-74.3 and 0.5-236.6 ng/L, respectively. Accuracy and precision values were 71-120 and 1-17%, respectively. The determination method was successfully applied for monitoring water samples obtained from the Yeongsan River in 2015. The most frequently detected antibiotics were lincomycin (96%), sulfamethazine (90%), sulfamethoxazole (88%), and sulfathiazole (50%); the maximum concentrations of which were 398.9, 1151.3, 533.1, and 307.4 ng/L, respectively. Overall, the greatest numbers and concentrations of detected antibiotics were found in samples from the effluents of livestock wastewater, sewage treatment plants, and reservoir drainage areas. Diverse veterinary antibiotics were present, and their presence was dependent upon the commercial sales and environmental properties of the analytes, the geographical positions of the sampling points, and the origin of the water. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gene expression profiling of whole blood: Comparison of target preparation methods for accurate and reproducible microarray analysis

PubMed Central

Vartanian, Kristina; Slottke, Rachel; Johnstone, Timothy; Casale, Amanda; Planck, Stephen R; Choi, Dongseok; Smith, Justine R; Rosenbaum, James T; Harrington, Christina A

2009-01-01

Background Peripheral blood is an accessible and informative source of transcriptomal information for many human disease and pharmacogenomic studies. While there can be significant advantages to analyzing RNA isolated from whole blood, particularly in clinical studies, the preparation of samples for microarray analysis is complicated by the need to minimize artifacts associated with highly abundant globin RNA transcripts. The impact of globin RNA transcripts on expression profiling data can potentially be reduced by using RNA preparation and labeling methods that remove or block globin RNA during the microarray assay. We compared four different methods for preparing microarray hybridization targets from human whole blood collected in PAXGene tubes. Three of the methods utilized the Affymetrix one-cycle cDNA synthesis/in vitro transcription protocol but varied treatment of input RNA as follows: i. no treatment; ii. treatment with GLOBINclear; or iii. treatment with globin PNA oligos. In the fourth method cDNA targets were prepared with the Ovation amplification and labeling system. Results We find that microarray targets generated with labeling methods that reduce globin mRNA levels or minimize the impact of globin transcripts during hybridization detect more transcripts in the microarray assay compared with the standard Affymetrix method. Comparison of microarray results with quantitative PCR analysis of a panel of genes from the NF-kappa B pathway shows good correlation of transcript measurements produced with all four target preparation methods, although method-specific differences in overall correlation were observed. The impact of freezing blood collected in PAXGene tubes on data reproducibility was also examined. Expression profiles show little or no difference when RNA is extracted from either fresh or frozen blood samples. Conclusion RNA preparation and labeling methods designed to reduce the impact of globin mRNA transcripts can significantly improve the sensitivity of the DNA microarray expression profiling assay for whole blood samples. While blockage of globin transcripts during first strand cDNA synthesis with globin PNAs resulted in the best overall performance in this study, we conclude that selection of a protocol for expression profiling studies in blood should depend on several factors, including implementation requirements of the method and study design. RNA isolated from either freshly collected or frozen blood samples stored in PAXGene tubes can be used without altering gene expression profiles. PMID:19123946

A general approach for sample size calculation for the three-arm 'gold standard' non-inferiority design.

PubMed

Stucke, Kathrin; Kieser, Meinhard

2012-12-10

In the three-arm 'gold standard' non-inferiority design, an experimental treatment, an active reference, and a placebo are compared. This design is becoming increasingly popular, and it is, whenever feasible, recommended for use by regulatory guidelines. We provide a general method to calculate the required sample size for clinical trials performed in this design. As special cases, the situations of continuous, binary, and Poisson distributed outcomes are explored. Taking into account the correlation structure of the involved test statistics, the proposed approach leads to considerable savings in sample size as compared with application of ad hoc methods for all three scale levels. Furthermore, optimal sample size allocation ratios are determined that result in markedly smaller total sample sizes as compared with equal assignment. As optimal allocation makes the active treatment groups larger than the placebo group, implementation of the proposed approach is also desirable from an ethical viewpoint. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Viscosity of alkaline suspensions of ground black and white pepper samples: An indication or an identification of high dose radiation treatment?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiber, G. A.; Leffke, A.; Mager, M.; Helle, N.; Bögl, K. W.

1994-11-01

Forty-nine pepper samples were taken from retail food stores of different cities in Germany. Most of the black and all white pepper samples showed high viscosity values after jellification in alkaline solution. After irradiation with a γ-ray dose of 6 kGy, viscosity was largely reduced in each case. Some black pepper samples showed a low viscosity level already before irradiation. However, thermoluminescence analysis did not reveal any sign for irradiation treatment prior to examination. Furthermore, the low viscosity level of these samples could not be correlated with a low starch content. It is concluded that the viscosity levels of irradiated white pepper samples clearly reveal high dose irradiation treatment. In case of black peppers it is judged that the method can be used to screen for irradiated samples since it is fast, easy and cheap. However, a positive result should be confirmed by another technique, e.g. thermoluminescence.

Boron detection from blood samples by ICP-AES and ICP-MS during boron neutron capture therapy.

PubMed

Linko, S; Revitzer, H; Zilliacus, R; Kortesniemi, M; Kouri, M; Savolainen, S

2008-01-01

The concept of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) involves infusion of a (10)B containing tracer into the patient's bloodstream followed by local neutron irradiation(s). Accurate estimation of the blood boron level for the treatment field before irradiation is required. Boron concentration can be quantified by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), spectrofluorometric and direct current atomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES) or by prompt gamma photon detection methods. The blood boron concentrations were analysed and compared using ICP-AES and ICP-MS to ensure congruency of the results if the analysis had to be changed during the treatment, e.g. for technical reasons. The effect of wet-ashing on the results was studied in addition. The mean of all samples analysed with ICP-MS was 5.8 % lower than with ICP-AES coupled to wet-ashing (R (2) = 0.88). Without wet-ashing, the mean of all samples analysed with ICP-MS was 9.1 % higher than with ICP-AES (R (2) = 0.99). Boron concentration analysed from whole blood samples with ICP-AES correlated well with the values of ICP-MS with wet-ashing of the sample matrix, which is generally considered the reference method. When using these methods in parallel at certain intervals during the treatments, reliability of the blood boron concentration values remains satisfactory, taking into account the required accuracy of dose determination in the irradiation of cancer patients.

[Determination of iodine and its species in plant samples using ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Lin, Li; Chen, Guang; Chen, Yuhong

2011-07-01

A method was established for the determination of iodine and its species in plant samples using ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP/ MS). Alkaline extraction and IC-ICP/MS were applied as the sample pre-treatment method and the detection technique respectively, for iodate and iodide determination. Moreover, high-temperature pyrolysis absorption was adopted as the pre-treatment method for total iodine analysis, which finally converted all the iodine species into iodide and measured the iodide by IC-ICP/MS. The recoveries of iodine for alkaline extraction and high-temperature pyrolysis absorption were 89.6%-97.5% and 95.2%-111.2%, respectively. The results were satisfactory. The detection limit of iodine was 0.010 mg/kg. The iodine and its speciation contents in several kinds of plant samples such as seaweeds, kelp, cabbage, tea leaf and spinach were investigated. It was shown that the iodine in seaweeds mainly existed as organic iodine; while the ones in kelp, cabbage, tea leaf and spinach mainly existed as inorganic iodine.

Crystal-face-selective adsorption of Au nanoparticles onto polycrystalline diamond surfaces.

PubMed

Kondo, Takeshi; Aoshima, Shinsuke; Hirata, Kousuke; Honda, Kensuke; Einaga, Yasuaki; Fujishima, Akira; Kawai, Takeshi

2008-07-15

Crystal-face-selective adsorption of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was achieved on polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) surface via the self-assembly method combined with a UV/ozone treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of crystal-face-selective adsorption on an inorganic solid surface. Hydrogen-plasma-treated BDD samples and those followed by UV/ozone treatment for 2 min or longer showed almost no adsorption of AuNP after immersion in the AuNP solution prepared by the citrate reduction method. However, the samples treated by UV/ozone for 10 s showed AuNP adsorption on their (111) facets selectively after the immersion. Moreover, the sample treated with UV/ozone for 40-60 s showed AuNP adsorption on the whole surface. These results indicate that the AuNP adsorption behavior can be controlled by UV/ozone treatment time. This phenomenon was highly reproducible and was applied to a two-step adsorption method, where AuNPs from different batches were adsorbed on the (111) and (100) surface in this order. Our findings may be of great value for the fabrication of advanced nanoparticle-based functional materials via bottom-up approaches with simple macroscale procedures.

Persistence of α-cypermethrin residues in milk of lactating donkeys (Equus asinus) using UHPLC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Chirollo, Claudia; Radovnikovic, Anita; Veneziano, Vincenzo; Marrone, Raffaele; Pepe, Tiziana; Danaher, Martin; Anastasio, Aniello

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to measure the persistence of residues of the pyrethroid insecticide α-cypermethrin (ACYP) in the milk of lactating donkeys following pour-on treatment. Milk was collected from animals (n = 7) before the treatment and at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 84 h post-treatment. The last sampling was taken 7 days post-treatment (168 h). Milk samples were analysed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The analytical method was validated following requirements of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. All samples showed levels of ACYP below the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 20 μg kg(-1) established for bovine milk (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010). The results demonstrate that there is minimal partitioning of ACYP into milk in lactating donkeys from pour-on treatment.

A systematic study of the effect of low pH acid treatment on anti-drug antibodies specific for a domain antibody therapeutic: Impact on drug tolerance, assay sensitivity and post-validation method assessment of ADA in clinical serum samples.

PubMed

Kavita, Uma; Duo, Jia; Crawford, Sean M; Liu, Rong; Valcin, Joan; Gleason, Carol; Dong, Huijin; Gadkari, Snaehal; Dodge, Robert W; Pillutla, Renuka C; DeSilva, Binodh S

2017-09-01

We developed a homogeneous bridging anti-drug antibody (ADA) assay on an electro chemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) platform to support the immunogenicity evaluation of a dimeric domain antibody (dAb) therapeutic in clinical studies. During method development we evaluated the impact of different types of acid at various pH levels on polyclonal and monoclonal ADA controls of differing affinities and on/off rates. The data shows for the first time that acids of different pH can have a differential effect on ADA of various affinities and this in turn impacts assay sensitivity and drug tolerance as defined by these surrogate controls. Acid treatment led to a reduction in signal of intermediate and low affinity ADA, but not high affinity or polyclonal ADA. We also found that acid pretreatment is a requisite for dissociation of drug bound high affinity ADA, but not for low affinity ADA-drug complexes. Although we were unable to identify an acid that would allow a 100% retrieval of ADA signal post-treatment, use of glycine pH3.0 enabled the detection of low, intermediate and high affinity antibodies (Abs) to various extents. Following optimization, the ADA assay method was validated for clinical sample analysis. Consistencies within various parameters of the clinical data such as dose dependent increases in ADA rates and titers were observed, indicating a reliable ADA method. Pre- and post-treatment ADA negative or positive clinical samples without detectable drug were reanalyzed in the absence of acid treatment or presence of added exogenous drug respectively to further assess the effectiveness of the final acid treatment procedure. The overall ADA results indicate that assay conditions developed and validated based on surrogate controls sufficed to provide a reliable clinical data set. The effect of low pH acid treatment on possible pre-existing ADA or soluble multimeric target in normal human serum was also evaluated, and preliminary data indicate that acid type and pH also affect drug-specific signal differentially in individual samples. The results presented here represent the most extensive analyses to date on acid treatment of a wide range of ADA affinities to explore sensitivity and drug tolerance issues. They have led to a refinement of our current best practices for ADA method development and provide a depth of data to interrogate low pH mediated immune complex dissociation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid detection of Escherichia coli and enterococci in recreational water using an immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate technique

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bushon, R.N.; Brady, A.M.; Likirdopulos, C.A.; Cireddu, J.V.

2009-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine a rapid method for detecting Escherichia coli and enterococci in recreational water. Methods and Results: Water samples were assayed for E. coli and enterococci by traditional and immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate (IMS/ATP) methods. Three sample treatments were evaluated for the IMS/ATP method: double filtration, single filtration, and direct analysis. Pearson's correlation analysis showed strong, significant, linear relations between IMS/ATP and traditional methods for all sample treatments; strongest linear correlations were with the direct analysis (r = 0.62 and 0.77 for E. coli and enterococci, respectively). Additionally, simple linear regression was used to estimate bacteria concentrations as a function of IMS/ATP results. The correct classification of water-quality criteria was 67% for E. coli and 80% for enterococci. Conclusions: The IMS/ATP method is a viable alternative to traditional methods for faecal-indicator bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: The IMS/ATP method addresses critical public health needs for the rapid detection of faecal-indicator contamination and has potential for satisfying US legislative mandates requiring methods to detect bathing water contamination in 2 h or less. Moreover, IMS/ATP equipment is considerably less costly and more portable than that for molecular methods, making the method suitable for field applications. ?? 2009 The Authors.

Evaluation of DNA extraction methods for the analysis of microbial community in biological activated carbon.

PubMed

Zheng, Lu; Gao, Naiyun; Deng, Yang

2012-01-01

It is difficult to isolate DNA from biological activated carbon (BAC) samples used in water treatment plants, owing to the scarcity of microorganisms in BAC samples. The aim of this study was to identify DNA extraction methods suitable for a long-term, comprehensive ecological analysis of BAC microbial communities. To identify a procedure that can produce high molecular weight DNA, maximizes detectable diversity and is relatively free from contaminants, the microwave extraction method, the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) extraction method, a commercial DNA extraction kit, and the ultrasonic extraction method were used for the extraction of DNA from BAC samples. Spectrophotometry, agarose gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) analysis were conducted to compare the yield and quality of DNA obtained using these methods. The results showed that the CTAB method produce the highest yield and genetic diversity of DNA from BAC samples, but DNA purity was slightly less than that obtained with the DNA extraction-kit method. This study provides a theoretical basis for establishing and selecting DNA extraction methods for BAC samples.

Sample Selection in Randomized Experiments: A New Method Using Propensity Score Stratified Sampling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tipton, Elizabeth; Hedges, Larry; Vaden-Kiernan, Michael; Borman, Geoffrey; Sullivan, Kate; Caverly, Sarah

2014-01-01

Randomized experiments are often seen as the "gold standard" for causal research. Despite the fact that experiments use random assignment to treatment conditions, units are seldom selected into the experiment using probability sampling. Very little research on experimental design has focused on how to make generalizations to well-defined…

Development and evaluation of the photoload sampling technique

Treesearch

Robert E. Keane; Laura J. Dickinson

2007-01-01

Wildland fire managers need better estimates of fuel loading so they can accurately predict potential fire behavior and effects of alternative fuel and ecosystem restoration treatments. This report presents the development and evaluation of a new fuel sampling method, called the photoload sampling technique, to quickly and accurately estimate loadings for six common...

Effects of concentrated and dephytinized wheat bran and rice bran addition on bread properties.

PubMed

Özkaya, Berrin; Baumgartner, Burcu; Özkaya, Hazım

2018-02-01

Wheat bran and rice bran were concentrated in terms of dietary fiber and were dephytinized by two different methods (fermentation and hydrothermal). Untreated, concentrated, concentrated-dephytinized by fermentation method, and concentrated-dephytinized by hydrothermal method bran samples were each incorporated into flour at levels of 0, 10, 15, and 20%, and their effects on bread properties were investigated. Unprocessed wheat bran and rice bran addition decreased the volume yield, and the specific volume of the bread depends on the incorporation level. A further decrease was observed with the addition of concentrated bran. However, the dephytinization treatments slightly improved these values. The same pattern was observed for the total number of cells and the total cell area of bread crumbs. Both wheat bran and rice bran were observed to cause a darker crumb color, and the effects of bran samples on crumb color were more pronounced after the dephytinization treatment. The addition of concentrated wheat bran and rice bran significantly increased hardness, as well as decreasing springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience of the bread, depending on the bran levels. Although dephytinization treatments enhanced the textural properties of bread, these results were still inferior to those obtained using bread produced with untreated bran. Regarding the dephytinization treatments, the influence of fermentation treatment on bread properties was slightly beneficial compared to hydrothermal treatment. Consumption of dietary fiber offers a range of health benefits. Cereal bran has great potential as a dietary fiber source. However, this bran's high phytic acid content and adverse effects on bread quality limit that potential. It is possible to obtain high dietary fiber and low phytic acid bran samples through bran concentration and dephytinization treatments. The dephytinization treatment is an effective method for degradation of phytic acid. The negative effects of wheat bran and rice bran on bread quality decreased significantly following the dephytinization treatments. This study demonstrated that fiber-enriched bread with low phytic acid content and acceptable texture can be produced using concentrated and dephytinized bran. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Treatment selection in a randomized clinical trial via covariate-specific treatment effect curves.

PubMed

Ma, Yunbei; Zhou, Xiao-Hua

2017-02-01

For time-to-event data in a randomized clinical trial, we proposed two new methods for selecting an optimal treatment for a patient based on the covariate-specific treatment effect curve, which is used to represent the clinical utility of a predictive biomarker. To select an optimal treatment for a patient with a specific biomarker value, we proposed pointwise confidence intervals for each covariate-specific treatment effect curve and the difference between covariate-specific treatment effect curves of two treatments. Furthermore, to select an optimal treatment for a future biomarker-defined subpopulation of patients, we proposed confidence bands for each covariate-specific treatment effect curve and the difference between each pair of covariate-specific treatment effect curve over a fixed interval of biomarker values. We constructed the confidence bands based on a resampling technique. We also conducted simulation studies to evaluate finite-sample properties of the proposed estimation methods. Finally, we illustrated the application of the proposed method in a real-world data set.

Sample Size Calculations for Micro-randomized Trials in mHealth

PubMed Central

Liao, Peng; Klasnja, Predrag; Tewari, Ambuj; Murphy, Susan A.

2015-01-01

The use and development of mobile interventions are experiencing rapid growth. In “just-in-time” mobile interventions, treatments are provided via a mobile device and they are intended to help an individual make healthy decisions “in the moment,” and thus have a proximal, near future impact. Currently the development of mobile interventions is proceeding at a much faster pace than that of associated data science methods. A first step toward developing data-based methods is to provide an experimental design for testing the proximal effects of these just-in-time treatments. In this paper, we propose a “micro-randomized” trial design for this purpose. In a micro-randomized trial, treatments are sequentially randomized throughout the conduct of the study, with the result that each participant may be randomized at the 100s or 1000s of occasions at which a treatment might be provided. Further, we develop a test statistic for assessing the proximal effect of a treatment as well as an associated sample size calculator. We conduct simulation evaluations of the sample size calculator in various settings. Rules of thumb that might be used in designing a micro-randomized trial are discussed. This work is motivated by our collaboration on the HeartSteps mobile application designed to increase physical activity. PMID:26707831

Preparations of PbSe quantum dots in silicate glasses by a melt-annealing technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, D. W.; Cheng, C.; Zhang, Y. N.; Xu, Z. S.

2014-11-01

Silicate glass containing PbSe quantum dots (QDs) has important prospective applications in near infra-red optoelectronic devices. In this study, single-stage and double-stage heat-treatment methods were used respectively to prepare PbSe QDs in silicate glasses. Investigation results show that the double-stage heat-treatment is a favorable method to synthesize PbSe QDs with strong photoluminescence (PL) intensity and narrow full weight at half maximum (FWHM) in PL peak. Therefore, the method to prepare PbSe QDs was emphasized on the double-stage heat-treatment. Transmission electron microscopy measurements show that the standard deviations of the average QD sizes from the samples heat-treated at the development temperature of 550 °C fluctuate slightly in the range of 0.6-0.8 nm, while this deviation increases up to 1.2 nm for the sample with the development temperature of 600 °C. In addition, the linear relationship between the QD size and holding time indicates that the crystallization behavior of PbSe QDs in silicate glasses is interface-controlled growth in early stage of crystallization. The growth rates of PbSe QDs are determined to be 0.24 nm/h at 550 °C and 0.72 nm/h at 600 °C. In short, the double-stage heat-treatment at 450 °C for 20 h followed by heat-treatment at 550 °C for 5 h is a preferred process for the crystallization of PbSe QDs in silicate glass. Through this treatment, PbSe QDs with a narrow size dispersion of 5.0 ± 0.6 nm can be obtained, the PL peak from this sample is highest in intensity and narrowest in FWHM among all samples, and the peak is centered on 1575 nm, very close to the most common wavelength of 1550 nm in fiber-optic communication systems.

Detection of Irradiation Treatment of Foods Using DNA `Comet Assay'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Hasan M.; Delincée, Henry

1998-06-01

Microgel electrophoresis of single cells (DNA comet assay) has been investigated to detect irradiation treatment of some food samples. These samples of fresh and frozen rainbow trout, red lentil, gram and sliced almonds were irradiated to 1 or 2 kGy using 10 MeV electron beam from a linear accelerator. Rainbow trout samples yielded good results with samples irradiated to 1 or 2 kGy showing fragmentation of DNA and, therefore, longer comets with no intact cells. Unirradiated samples showed shorter comets with a significant number of intact cells. For rainbow trout stored in a freezer for 11 days the irradiated samples can still be discerned by electrophoresis from unirradiated samples, however, the unirradiated trouts also showed some longer comets besides some intact cells. Radiation treatment of red lentils can also be detected by this method, i.e. no intact cells in 1 or 2 kGy irradiated samples and shorter comets and some intact cells in unirradiated samples. However, the results for gram and sliced almond samples were not satisfactory since some intact DNA cells were observed in irradiated samples as well. Probably, incomplete lysis has led to these deviating results.

Anthelmintic Intake on the Nutritional Status, Hemoglobin Content, and Learning Achievement of the Elementary School Student in Sukarami Palembang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartati; Aryanti, S.; Muherman, S. Y.

2017-03-01

The main purpose study was to find out the effect of once a year of 400 mg albendazole on the nutritional status and learning achievement of elementary school students in Sukarami Palembang. Methods study used quasi experimental research with non -equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. This study was conducted in Palembang, South Sumatera for one year. Samples of this study were 1914 students deriving from a systematic stratified random sampling and divided into 2 groups: 986 students for the treatment samples were given 400 mg albendazole and 928 students for the controlled samples were given placebo. The result of this study found that there was a decrease in the prevalence of worm infection both in the treatment and controlled samples. However the number of infected students in the treatment samples decreased. The implication research is the drug albendazole worm declared as the most effective drug to treat intestinal worm infections.

ctDNA Determination of EGFR Mutation Status in European and Japanese Patients with Advanced NSCLC: The ASSESS Study.

PubMed

Reck, Martin; Hagiwara, Koichi; Han, Baohui; Tjulandin, Sergei; Grohé, Christian; Yokoi, Takashi; Morabito, Alessandro; Novello, Silvia; Arriola, Edurne; Molinier, Olivier; McCormack, Rose; Ratcliffe, Marianne; Normanno, Nicola

2016-10-01

To offer patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC appropriate EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, mutation testing of tumor samples is required. However, tissue/cytologic samples are not always available or evaluable. The large, noninterventional diagnostic ASSESS study (NCT01785888) evaluated the utility of circulating free tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA) from plasma for EGFR mutation testing. ASSESS was conducted in 56 centers (in Europe and Japan). Eligible patients (with newly diagnosed locally advanced/metastatic treatment-naive advanced NSCLC) provided diagnostic tissue/cytologic and plasma samples. DNA extracted from tissue/cytologic samples was subjected to EGFR mutation testing using local practices; designated laboratories performed DNA extraction/mutation testing of blood samples. The primary end point was level of concordance of EGFR mutation status between matched tissue/cytologic and plasma samples. Of 1311 patients enrolled, 1288 were eligible. Concordance of mutation status in 1162 matched samples was 89% (sensitivity 46%, specificity 97%, positive predictive value 78%, and negative predictive value 90%). A group of 25 patients with apparent false-positive plasma results was overrepresented for cytologic samples, use of less sensitive tissue testing methodologies, and smoking habits associated with high EGFR mutation frequency, indicative of false-negative tumor results. In cases in which plasma and tumor samples were tested with identical highly sensitive methods, positive predictive value/sensitivity were generally improved. These real-world data suggest that ctDNA is a feasible sample for EGFR mutation analysis. It is important to conduct mutation testing of both tumor and plasma samples in specialized laboratories, using robust/sensitive methods to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatments that target the molecular features of their disease. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase II Trials for Heterogeneous Patient Populations with a Time-to-Event Endpoint.

PubMed

Jung, Sin-Ho

2017-07-01

In this paper, we consider a single-arm phase II trial with a time-to-event end-point. We assume that the study population has multiple subpopulations with different prognosis, but the study treatment is expected to be similarly efficacious across the subpopulations. We review a stratified one-sample log-rank test and present its sample size calculation method under some practical design settings. Our sample size method requires specification of the prevalence of subpopulations. We observe that the power of the resulting sample size is not very sensitive to misspecification of the prevalence.

Study on the TOC concentration in raw water and HAAs in Tehran's water treatment plant outlet.

PubMed

Ghoochani, Mahboobeh; Rastkari, Noushin; Nabizadeh Nodehi, Ramin; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Nasseri, Simin; Nazmara, Shahrokh

2013-11-12

A sampling has been undertaken to investigate the variation of haloacetic acids formation and nature organic matter through 81 samples were collected from three water treatment plant and three major rivers of Tehran Iran. Changes in the total organic matter (TOC), ultraviolet absorbance (UV254), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) were measured in raw water samples. Haloacetic acids concentrations were monitored using a new static headspace GC-ECD method without a manual pre-concentration in three water treatment plants. The average concentration of TOC and HAAs in three rivers and three water treatment plants in spring, summer and fall, were 4, 2.41 and 4.03 mg/L and 48.75, 43.79 and 51.07 μg/L respectively. Seasonal variation indicated that HAAs levels were much higher in spring and fall.

Treatment of Bottled Liquid Waste During Remediation of the Hanford 618-10 Burial Ground - 13001

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faulk, Darrin E.; Pearson, Chris M.; Vedder, Barry L.

2013-07-01

A problematic waste form encountered during remediation of the Hanford Site 618-10 burial ground consists of bottled aqueous waste potentially contaminated with regulated metals. The liquid waste requires stabilization prior to landfill disposal. Prior remediation activities at other Hanford burial grounds resulted in a standard process for sampling and analyzing liquid waste using manual methods. Due to the highly dispersible characteristics of alpha contamination, and the potential for shock sensitive chemicals, a different method for bottle processing was needed for the 618-10 burial ground. Discussions with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)more » led to development of a modified approach. The modified approach involves treatment of liquid waste in bottles, up to one gallon per bottle, in a tray or box within the excavation of the remediation site. Bottles are placed in the box, covered with soil and fixative, crushed, and mixed with a Portland cement grout. The potential hazards of the liquid waste preclude sampling prior to treatment. Post treatment verification sampling is performed to demonstrate compliance with land disposal restrictions and disposal facility acceptance criteria. (authors)« less

A new shock wave assisted wood preservative injection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, K. S.; Ravikumar, G.; Lai, Ram; Jagadeesh, G.

Preservative treatment of many tropical hard woods and bamboo pose severe problem. A number of wood preservatives (chemical formulations toxic to wood decay/ destroying organisms like fungi, wood destroying termites, marine borers etc.) and wood impregnating techniques are currently in use for improving bio resistance of timber and bamboo and thereby enhancing service life for different end uses. How ever, some species of tropical hardwoods and many species of bamboo are difficult to treat, posing technical problems. In this paper we report preliminary results of treatment of bamboo with a novel Shockwave assisted injection treatment. Samples (30×2.5×1.00 cm) of an Indian species of bamboo Dendrocalamus strictus prepared from defect free culms of dry bamboo are placed in the driven section of a vertical shock tube filled with the 4Coppepr-Chrome-Arsenic(CCA) preservative solution.The bamboo samples are subjected to repeated shock wave loading (3 shots) with typical over pressures of 30 bar. The results from the study indicate excellent penetration and retention of CCA preservative in bamboo samples. The method itself is much faster compared to the conventional methods like pressure treatment or hot and cold process.

Sample size and power considerations in network meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Network meta-analysis is becoming increasingly popular for establishing comparative effectiveness among multiple interventions for the same disease. Network meta-analysis inherits all methodological challenges of standard pairwise meta-analysis, but with increased complexity due to the multitude of intervention comparisons. One issue that is now widely recognized in pairwise meta-analysis is the issue of sample size and statistical power. This issue, however, has so far only received little attention in network meta-analysis. To date, no approaches have been proposed for evaluating the adequacy of the sample size, and thus power, in a treatment network. Findings In this article, we develop easy-to-use flexible methods for estimating the ‘effective sample size’ in indirect comparison meta-analysis and network meta-analysis. The effective sample size for a particular treatment comparison can be interpreted as the number of patients in a pairwise meta-analysis that would provide the same degree and strength of evidence as that which is provided in the indirect comparison or network meta-analysis. We further develop methods for retrospectively estimating the statistical power for each comparison in a network meta-analysis. We illustrate the performance of the proposed methods for estimating effective sample size and statistical power using data from a network meta-analysis on interventions for smoking cessation including over 100 trials. Conclusion The proposed methods are easy to use and will be of high value to regulatory agencies and decision makers who must assess the strength of the evidence supporting comparative effectiveness estimates. PMID:22992327

Enantioselective determination of representative profens in wastewater by a single-step sample treatment and chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Caballo, C; Sicilia, M D; Rubio, S

2015-03-01

This manuscript describes, for the first time, the simultaneous enantioselective determination of ibuprofen, naproxen and ketoprofen in wastewater based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method uses a single-step sample treatment based on microextraction with a supramolecular solvent made up of hexagonal inverted aggregates of decanoic acid, formed in situ in the wastewater sample through a spontaneous self-assembly process. Microextraction of profens was optimized and the analytical method validated. Isotopically labeled internal standards were used to compensate for both matrix interferences and recoveries. Apparent recoveries for the six enantiomers in influent and effluent wastewater samples were in the interval 97-103%. Low method detection limits (MDLs) were obtained (0.5-1.2 ng L(-1)) as a result of the high concentration factors achieved in the microextraction process (i.e. actual concentration factors 469-736). No analyte derivatization or evaporation of extracts, as it is required with GC-MS, was necessary. Relative standard deviations for enantiomers in wastewater were always below 8%. The method was applied to the determination of the concentrations and enantiomeric fractions of the targeted analytes in influents and effluents from three wastewater treatment plants. All the values found for profen enantiomers were consistent with those previously reported and confirmed again the suitability of using the enantiomeric fraction of ibuprofen as an indicator of the discharge of untreated or poorly treated wastewaters. Both the analytical and operational features of this method make it applicable to the assessment of the enantiomeric fate of profens in the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating ethanol-based sample preservation to facilitate use of DNA barcoding in routine freshwater biomonitoring programs using benthic macroinvertebrates.

PubMed

Stein, Eric D; White, Bryan P; Mazor, Raphael D; Miller, Peter E; Pilgrim, Erik M

2013-01-01

Molecular methods, such as DNA barcoding, have the potential to enhance biomonitoring programs worldwide. Altering routinely used sample preservation methods to protect DNA from degradation may pose a potential impediment to application of DNA barcoding and metagenomics for biomonitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates. Using higher volumes or concentrations of ethanol, requirements for shorter holding times, or the need to include additional filtering may increase cost and logistical constraints to existing biomonitoring programs. To address this issue we evaluated the efficacy of various ethanol-based sample preservation methods at maintaining DNA integrity. We evaluated a series of methods that were minimally modified from typical field protocols in order to identify an approach that can be readily incorporated into existing monitoring programs. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected from a minimally disturbed stream in southern California, USA and subjected to one of six preservation treatments. Ten individuals from five taxa were selected from each treatment and processed to produce DNA barcodes from the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI). On average, we obtained successful COI sequences (i.e. either full or partial barcodes) for between 93-99% of all specimens across all six treatments. As long as samples were initially preserved in 95% ethanol, successful sequencing of COI barcodes was not affected by a low dilution ratio of 2∶1, transfer to 70% ethanol, presence of abundant organic matter, or holding times of up to six months. Barcoding success varied by taxa, with Leptohyphidae (Ephemeroptera) producing the lowest barcode success rate, most likely due to poor PCR primer efficiency. Differential barcoding success rates have the potential to introduce spurious results. However, routine preservation methods can largely be used without adverse effects on DNA integrity.

Evaluating Ethanol-based Sample Preservation to Facilitate Use of DNA Barcoding in Routine Freshwater Biomonitoring Programs Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates

PubMed Central

Stein, Eric D.; White, Bryan P.; Mazor, Raphael D.; Miller, Peter E.; Pilgrim, Erik M.

2013-01-01

Molecular methods, such as DNA barcoding, have the potential to enhance biomonitoring programs worldwide. Altering routinely used sample preservation methods to protect DNA from degradation may pose a potential impediment to application of DNA barcoding and metagenomics for biomonitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates. Using higher volumes or concentrations of ethanol, requirements for shorter holding times, or the need to include additional filtering may increase cost and logistical constraints to existing biomonitoring programs. To address this issue we evaluated the efficacy of various ethanol-based sample preservation methods at maintaining DNA integrity. We evaluated a series of methods that were minimally modified from typical field protocols in order to identify an approach that can be readily incorporated into existing monitoring programs. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected from a minimally disturbed stream in southern California, USA and subjected to one of six preservation treatments. Ten individuals from five taxa were selected from each treatment and processed to produce DNA barcodes from the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI). On average, we obtained successful COI sequences (i.e. either full or partial barcodes) for between 93–99% of all specimens across all six treatments. As long as samples were initially preserved in 95% ethanol, successful sequencing of COI barcodes was not affected by a low dilution ratio of 2∶1, transfer to 70% ethanol, presence of abundant organic matter, or holding times of up to six months. Barcoding success varied by taxa, with Leptohyphidae (Ephemeroptera) producing the lowest barcode success rate, most likely due to poor PCR primer efficiency. Differential barcoding success rates have the potential to introduce spurious results. However, routine preservation methods can largely be used without adverse effects on DNA integrity. PMID:23308097

Simplified sample treatment for the determination of total concentrations and chemical fractionation forms of Ca, Fe, Mg and Mn in soluble coffees.

PubMed

Pohl, Pawel; Stelmach, Ewelina; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna

2014-11-15

A simpler, and faster than wet digestion, sample treatment was proposed prior to determination of total concentrations for selected macro- (Ca, Mg) and microelements (Fe, Mn) in soluble coffees by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Samples were dissolved in water and acidified with HNO3. Precision was in the range 1-4% and accuracy was better than 2.5%. The method was used in analysis of 18 soluble coffees available on the Polish market. Chemical fractionation patterns for Ca, Fe, Mg and Mn in soluble coffees, as consumed, using a two-column solid-phase extraction method, determined Ca, Mg and Mn were present predominantly as cations (80-93% of total content). This suggests these elements are likely to be highly bioaccessible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A predictive approach to selecting the size of a clinical trial, based on subjective clinical opinion.

PubMed

Spiegelhalter, D J; Freedman, L S

1986-01-01

The 'textbook' approach to determining sample size in a clinical trial has some fundamental weaknesses which we discuss. We describe a new predictive method which takes account of prior clinical opinion about the treatment difference. The method adopts the point of clinical equivalence (determined by interviewing the clinical participants) as the null hypothesis. Decision rules at the end of the study are based on whether the interval estimate of the treatment difference (classical or Bayesian) includes the null hypothesis. The prior distribution is used to predict the probabilities of making the decisions to use one or other treatment or to reserve final judgement. It is recommended that sample size be chosen to control the predicted probability of the last of these decisions. An example is given from a multi-centre trial of superficial bladder cancer.

Molecular cancer classification using a meta-sample-based regularized robust coding method.

PubMed

Wang, Shu-Lin; Sun, Liuchao; Fang, Jianwen

2014-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that machine learning based molecular cancer classification using gene expression profiling (GEP) data is promising for the clinic diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Novel classification methods with high efficiency and prediction accuracy are still needed to deal with high dimensionality and small sample size of typical GEP data. Recently the sparse representation (SR) method has been successfully applied to the cancer classification. Nevertheless, its efficiency needs to be improved when analyzing large-scale GEP data. In this paper we present the meta-sample-based regularized robust coding classification (MRRCC), a novel effective cancer classification technique that combines the idea of meta-sample-based cluster method with regularized robust coding (RRC) method. It assumes that the coding residual and the coding coefficient are respectively independent and identically distributed. Similar to meta-sample-based SR classification (MSRC), MRRCC extracts a set of meta-samples from the training samples, and then encodes a testing sample as the sparse linear combination of these meta-samples. The representation fidelity is measured by the l2-norm or l1-norm of the coding residual. Extensive experiments on publicly available GEP datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is more efficient while its prediction accuracy is equivalent to existing MSRC-based methods and better than other state-of-the-art dimension reduction based methods.

Partially Identified Treatment Effects for Generalizability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Wendy

2017-01-01

Recent methods to improve generalizations from nonrandom samples typically invoke assumptions such as the strong ignorability of sample selection, which is challenging to meet in practice. Although researchers acknowledge the difficulty in meeting this assumption, point estimates are still provided and used without considering alternative…

Degradation Analysis of NBR and Epichlorohydrin Rubber by New Micro Analysis Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katoh, Hisao; Kamoto, Ritsu; Murata, Jun

The degradation analysis of NBR and Epichlorohydrin rubber was carried out by infrared micro spectroscopy (μ-IR) and micro sampling mass spectrometry (μ-MS) which gives information on the scission and crosslinking of rubber molecules. Samples were prepared by three different treatments, heat as well as ultra violet (UV) and electron beam (EB) irradiations. It was found for NBR vulcanizates that the heat treatment induced the oxidation, scission and crosslinking of rubber molecules. By the UV treatment, chain scission and crosslinking accompanied by a slight oxidation were induced. The EB treatment enhanced the crosslinking, however, the extent of oxidation was negligible. For Epichlorohydrin rubber vulcanizates, the heat treatment accelerated chain scission rather than crosslinking. On the other hand, the oxidation and crosslinking were induced by the UV and EB treatments.

HPLC-MS/MS methods for the determination of 52 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aqueous samples.

PubMed

Gremmel, Christoph; Frömel, Tobias; Knepper, Thomas P

2017-02-01

Two quantitative methods using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were developed to determine perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in aqueous samples. The first HPLC-MS/MS method was applied to 47 PFASs of 12 different substance classes with acidic characteristics such as perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs), as well as precursor substances and biotransformation intermediates (e.g., unsaturated fluorotelomer carboxylic acids). In addition, 25 13 C-, 18 O-, and 2 H-labeled PFASs were used as internal standards in this method. The second HPLC-MS/MS method was applied to fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols as these compounds have physicochemical properties different from those of the previous ones. Accuracy between 82% and 110% and a standard deviation in the range from 2% to 22% depending on the substances were determined during the evaluation of repeatability and precision. The method quantification limit after solid-phase extraction ranged from 0.3 to 199 ng/L depending on the analyte and matrix. The HPLC-MS/MS methods developed were suitable for the determination of PFASs in aqueous samples (e.g., wastewater treatment plant effluents or influents after solid-phase extraction). These methods will be helpful in monitoring campaigns to evaluate the relevance of precursor substances as indirect sources of perfluorinated substances in the environment. In one exemplary application in an industrial wastewater treatment plant, FTOHs were found to be the major substance class in the influent; in particular, 6:2-FTOH was the predominant compound in the industrial samples and accounted for 74% of the total PFAS concentration. The increase in the concentration of the transformation products of FTOHs in the corresponding effluent, such as fluorotelomer carboxylic acids, unsaturated fluorotelomer carboxylic acids, n:3 polyfluorinated saturated carboxylic acids (n indicates the number of nonfluorinated carbon atoms), and PFCAs, indicated biotransformation of FTOHs or their derivatives during wastewater treatment. However, only 33 mol% of the total amount of PFASs present in the influent was quantified in the corresponding effluent. Graphical abstract Method development of an HPLC-MS/MS multi-method for the determination of PFASs in aqueos samples.

A comprehensive overview on the structure and comparison of magnetic properties of nanocrystalline synthesized by a thermal treatment method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naseri, Mahmoud Goodarz; Halimah, M. K.; Dehzangi, Arash; Kamalianfar, Ahmad; Saion, Elias B.; Majlis, Burhanuddin Y.

2014-03-01

This study reports the simple synthesis of MFe2O4 (where M=Zn, Mn and Co) nanostructures by a thermal treatment method, followed by calcination at various temperatures from 723 to 873 K. Poly(vinyl pyrrolidon) (PVP) was used as a capping agent to stabilize the particles and prevent them from agglomeration. The pyrolytic behaviors of the polymeric precursor were analyzed by use of simultaneous thermo-gravimetry analyses (TGA) and derivative thermo-gravimetry (DTG) analyses. The characterization studies were conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the presence of metal oxide bands for all the calcined samples. Magnetic properties were demonstrated by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), which displayed that the calcined samples exhibited different types of magnetic behavior. The present study also substantiated that magnetic properties of ferrite nanoparticles prepared by the thermal treatment method, from viewing microstructures of them, can be explained as the results of the two important factors: cation distribution and impurity phase of α-Fe2O3. These two factors are subcategory of the preparation method which is related to macrostructure of ferrite. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy showed the existence of unpaired electrons ZnFe2O4 and MnFe2O4 nanoparticles while it did not exhibit resonance signal for CoFe2O4 nanoparticles.

CBT for Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Differential Changes in Selective Attention between Treatment Responders and Non-Responders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legerstee, Jeroen S.; Tulen, Joke H. M.; Dierckx, Bram; Treffers, Philip D. A.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Utens, Elisabeth M. W. J.

2010-01-01

Background: This study examined whether treatment response to stepped-care cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) is associated with changes in threat-related selective attention and its specific components in a large clinical sample of anxiety-disordered children. Methods: Ninety-one children with an anxiety disorder were included in the present…

The Impact of Five Missing Data Treatments on a Cross-Classified Random Effects Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoelzle, Braden R.

2012-01-01

The present study compared the performance of five missing data treatment methods within a Cross-Classified Random Effects Model environment under various levels and patterns of missing data given a specified sample size. Prior research has shown the varying effect of missing data treatment options within the context of numerous statistical…

Effects of varying degrees of doneness on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in chicken and beef satay.

PubMed

Jinap, S; Mohd-Mokhtar, M S; Farhadian, A; Hasnol, N D S; Jaafar, S N; Hajeb, P

2013-06-01

The study was carried out to determine the effect of cooking method on Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines (HAs) concentration in grilled chicken and beef (satay). Six common HAs were investigated: 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinolone (IQ), 2amino 3,4dimethylimidazo [4,5f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8 trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-3,7,8trimethylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx), and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Chicken and beef satay samples were grilled to medium and well done level of doneness. Charcoal grilled (treatment A), microwave pre-treatment prior to grilling (treatment B), and microwave-deep fried (treatment C) were applied to beef and chicken satay samples. The satay samples which were microwaved prior to grilling (B) showed significantly (p<0.05) lower HAs concentration as compared to those charcoal grilled (A). Both medium and well done cooked beef and chicken satay samples that were microwaved and deep fried (C) as an alternative method to grilling were proven to produce significantly lesser HAs as compared to charcoal-grilled (A) and microwaved prior to grilling (B). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation sampling can reduce bias in health care database studies: an illustration using influenza vaccination effectiveness.

PubMed

Nelson, Jennifer Clark; Marsh, Tracey; Lumley, Thomas; Larson, Eric B; Jackson, Lisa A; Jackson, Michael L

2013-08-01

Estimates of treatment effectiveness in epidemiologic studies using large observational health care databases may be biased owing to inaccurate or incomplete information on important confounders. Study methods that collect and incorporate more comprehensive confounder data on a validation cohort may reduce confounding bias. We applied two such methods, namely imputation and reweighting, to Group Health administrative data (full sample) supplemented by more detailed confounder data from the Adult Changes in Thought study (validation sample). We used influenza vaccination effectiveness (with an unexposed comparator group) as an example and evaluated each method's ability to reduce bias using the control time period before influenza circulation. Both methods reduced, but did not completely eliminate, the bias compared with traditional effectiveness estimates that do not use the validation sample confounders. Although these results support the use of validation sampling methods to improve the accuracy of comparative effectiveness findings from health care database studies, they also illustrate that the success of such methods depends on many factors, including the ability to measure important confounders in a representative and large enough validation sample, the comparability of the full sample and validation sample, and the accuracy with which the data can be imputed or reweighted using the additional validation sample information. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of lead onto smectite from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Mhamdi, M; Galai, H; Mnasri, N; Elaloui, E; Trabelsi-Ayadi, M

2013-03-01

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of a new method of adsorption using membrane filtration to determine the maximum amount of lead adsorbed by clay and investigate the behavior of the clay after adsorption of the said metal. Treatment of wastewater contaminated with heavy metals depends on the characteristics of the effluent, the amount of final discharge, the cost of treatment, and the compatibility of the treatment process. The process of adsorption of heavy metals by clays may be a simple, selective, and economically viable alternative to the conventional physical-chemical treatment. This is justified by the importance of the surface developed by this material, the presence of negative charges on the said surface, the possibility of ion exchange taking place, and its wide availability in nature. The removal of lead from wastewater was studied by using the adsorption technique and using clay as the adsorbent. A method was optimized for adsorption through a membrane approaching natural adsorption. This new method is simple, selective, and the lead adsorption time is about 3 days. The various properties of clay were determined. It was observed that the cation exchange capacity of the clay was 56 meq/100 g of hydrated clay for the raw sample and 82 meq/100 g for the purified sample. The total surface area determined by the methylene blue method was equal to 556 and 783 m(2)/g for the raw and purified samples, respectively. The adsorption kinetics depends on several parameters. The Pb(II) clay, obeys the Langmuir, Freundlich, and the Elovich adsorption isotherms with high regression coefficients. The use of this adsorbent notably decreases the cost of treatment. It was concluded that clay shows a strong adsorption capacity on Pb(II), the maximum interaction occurring with purified clay treated at high concentration of lead. It is proposed that this adsorption through a membrane be extended for the treatment of effluents containing other metals.

Comparison of Standard Culture-Based Method to Culture-Independent Method for Evaluation of Hygiene Effects on the Hand Microbiome

PubMed Central

Leff, J.; Henley, J.; Tittl, J.; De Nardo, E.; Butler, M.; Griggs, R.; Fierer, N.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Hands play a critical role in the transmission of microbiota on one’s own body, between individuals, and on environmental surfaces. Effectively measuring the composition of the hand microbiome is important to hand hygiene science, which has implications for human health. Hand hygiene products are evaluated using standard culture-based methods, but standard test methods for culture-independent microbiome characterization are lacking. We sampled the hands of 50 participants using swab-based and glove-based methods prior to and following four hand hygiene treatments (using a nonantimicrobial hand wash, alcohol-based hand sanitizer [ABHS], a 70% ethanol solution, or tap water). We compared results among culture plate counts, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted directly from hands, and sequencing of DNA extracted from culture plates. Glove-based sampling yielded higher numbers of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but had less diversity in bacterial community composition than swab-based sampling. We detected treatment-induced changes in diversity only by using swab-based samples (P < 0.001); we were unable to detect changes with glove-based samples. Bacterial cell counts significantly decreased with use of the ABHS (P < 0.05) and ethanol control (P < 0.05). Skin hydration at baseline correlated with bacterial abundances, bacterial community composition, pH, and redness across subjects. The importance of the method choice was substantial. These findings are important to ensure improvement of hand hygiene industry methods and for future hand microbiome studies. On the basis of our results and previously published studies, we propose recommendations for best practices in hand microbiome research. PMID:28351915

Diagnostic Accuracy and Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Methods for Detection of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in a Post-Treatment Setting in Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Kepha, Stella; Kihara, Jimmy H.; Njenga, Sammy M.; Pullan, Rachel L.; Brooker, Simon J.

2014-01-01

Objectives This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya. A cost analysis also explores the cost implications of collecting samples during school surveys when compared to household surveys. Methods Stool samples were collected from children (n = 652) attending 18 schools in Bungoma County and diagnosed by the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC coprological methods. Sensitivity and additional diagnostic performance measures were analyzed using Bayesian latent class modeling. Financial and economic costs were calculated for all survey and diagnostic activities, and cost per child tested, cost per case detected and cost per STH infection correctly classified were estimated. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various survey parameters on cost estimates. Results Both diagnostic methods exhibited comparable sensitivity for detection of any STH species over single and consecutive day sampling: 52.0% for single day Kato-Katz; 49.1% for single-day Mini-FLOTAC; 76.9% for consecutive day Kato-Katz; and 74.1% for consecutive day Mini-FLOTAC. Diagnostic performance did not differ significantly between methods for the different STH species. Use of Kato-Katz with school-based sampling was the lowest cost scenario for cost per child tested ($10.14) and cost per case correctly classified ($12.84). Cost per case detected was lowest for Kato-Katz used in community-based sampling ($128.24). Sensitivity analysis revealed the cost of case detection for any STH decreased non-linearly as prevalence rates increased and was influenced by the number of samples collected. Conclusions The Kato-Katz method was comparable in diagnostic sensitivity to the Mini-FLOTAC method, but afforded greater cost-effectiveness. Future work is required to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of STH surveillance in different settings. PMID:24810593

A comparison of soil organic matter physical fractionation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duddigan, Sarah; Alexander, Paul; Shaw, Liz; Collins, Chris

2017-04-01

Selecting a suitable physical fractionation to investigate soil organic matter dynamics from the plethora that are available is a difficult task. An initial investigation of four different physical fractionation methods was conducted (i) Six et al. (2002); (ii) Zimmermann et al. (2007); (iii) Sohi et al. (2001); and (iv) Plaza et al. (2013). Soils used for this were from a long-term organic matter field plot study where a sandy loam soil was subjected to the following treatments: Peat (Pt), Horse Manure (H), Garden Compost (GCf), Garden Compost at half rate (GCh), and a bare plot control (BP). Although each of these methods involved the isolation of unique fractions, in the interest of comparison, each fraction was categorised as either being (i) physically protected (i.e. in aggregates); (ii) chemically protected (such as in organo-mineral complexes); or (iii) unprotected by either of these mechanisms (so-called 'free' organic matter). Regardless of the fractionation method used, a large amount of the variation in total C contents of the different treated soils is accounted for by the differences in unprotected particulate organic matter. When comparing the methods to one another there were no consistent differences in carbon content in the physically protected, chemically protected, or unprotected fractions as operationally defined across all the five organic matter treatments. Therefore fractionation method selection, for this research, was primarily driven by the practicalities of conducting each method in the lab. All of the methods tested had their limitations, for use in this research. This is not a criticism of the methods themselves but largely a result of the lack of suitability for these particular samples. For example, samples that contain a lot of gravel can lead to problems for methods that use size distribution for fractionation. Problems can also be encountered when free particulate organic matter contributes a large proportion of the sample, leaving insufficient sample for further fractionation. This highlights the need for an understanding of the nature of your sample prior to method selection.

Gathering Opinions on Depression Information Needs and Preferences: Samples and Opinions in Clinic Versus Web-Based Surveys

PubMed Central

Bernstein, Matthew T; Sexton, Kathryn A; Katz, Alan; Beatie, Brooke E

2017-01-01

Background There has been limited research on the information needs and preferences of the public concerning treatment for depression. Very little research is available comparing samples and opinions when recruitment for surveys is done over the Web as opposed to a personal invitation to complete a paper survey. Objective This study aimed to (1) to explore information needs and preferences among members of the public and (2) compare Clinic and Web samples on sample characteristics and survey findings. Methods Web survey participants were recruited with a notice on three self-help association websites (N=280). Clinic survey participants were recruited by a research assistant in the waiting rooms of a family medicine clinic and a walk-in medical clinic (N=238) and completed a paper version of the survey. Results The Clinic and Web samples were similar in age (39.0 years, SD 13.9 vs 40.2 years, SD 12.5, respectively), education, and proportion in full time employment. The Clinic sample was more diverse in demographic characteristics and closer to the demographic characteristics of the region (Winnipeg, Canada) with a higher proportion of males (102/238 [42.9%] vs 45/280 [16.1%]) and nonwhites (Aboriginal, Asian, and black) (69/238 [29.0%] vs 39/280 [13.9%]). The Web sample reported a higher level of emotional distress and had more previous psychological (224/280 [80.0%] vs 83/238 [34.9%]) and pharmacological (202/280 [72.1%] vs 57/238 [23.9%]) treatment. In terms of opinions, most respondents in both settings saw information on a wide range of topics around depression treatment as very important including information about treatment choices, effectiveness of treatment, how long it takes treatment to work, how long treatment continues, what happens when treatment stops, advantages and disadvantages of treatments, and potential side effects. Females, respondents with a white background, and those who had received or felt they would have benefited from therapy in the past saw more information topics as very important. Those who had received or thought they would have benefited in the past from medication treatment saw fewer topics as important. Participants in both groups expressed an interest in receiving information through discussion with a counselor or a physician, through written brochures, or through a recommended website. Conclusions The recruitment strategies were helpful in obtaining opinions from members of the public with different concerns and perspectives, and the results from the two methods were complementary. Persons coping with emotional distress and individuals not specifically seeking help for depression would be interested in information to answer a wide range of important questions about depression treatment. The Clinic sample yielded more cultural diversity that is a closer match to the population. The Web sample was less costly to recruit and included persons who were most interested in receiving information. PMID:28438729

Experiences of Opium Dependents from Performance of Methadone Centers of Kerman, Iran

PubMed Central

Banazadeh Mahani, Nabi; Kheradmand, Ali; Abedi, Heidarali

2009-01-01

Background: To assess patients' satisfaction and to evaluate methadone therapy program, it is important to understand the experiences of opium dependents during the treatment period in methadone centers and determine the quality of this program and revise standards based on that. This study aimed to describe the nature and structure of patients' experiences during treatment in methadone centers. Methods: This was a qualitative method using phenomenology. Sampling was purposive and the participants were selected from opium dependents referred to Kerman methadone centers during 2007. Sampling continued until data saturation and the sample size was 32. Colaizzi's method was applied for data analysis. Findings: The findings of this study included 27 codes categorized in four main groups: experiences of structure, personnel, patients, and regulations. These four categories showed the main structure of experiences in methadone centers. Conclusion: Lack of treatment centers in near-by cities or the problems of those centers suggest that it is necessary to establish new centers or solve the problems of centers in near-by cities. The type of patients referring to the centers plays a role in treatment process. The regular presence of physicians and other personnel and their concerns and care for patients as well as longer working hours of the centers have roles in patients' satisfaction and increase of consistency with treatment. Discussing the rules and regulations of the center with patients including the obligatory of daily reference to the center to obtain medicine and injections sound necessary. Also, it is necessary to find ways for solving problems of urine tests. PMID:24494087

Ethanol and sodium acetate as a preservation method to delay degradation of environmental DNA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ladell, Bridget A.; Walleser, Liza R.; McCalla, S. Grace; Erickson, Richard A.; Amberg, Jon J.

2018-01-01

Environmental DNA (eDNA) samples that are collected from remote locations depend on rapid stabilization of the DNA. The degradation of eDNA in water samples is minimized when samples are stored at ≤ 4 °C. Developing a preservation technique to maintain eDNA integrity at room temperature would allow a wider range of locations to be sampled. We evaluated an ethanol and sodium acetate solution to maintain the integrity of the DNA samples for the time between collection and lab testing. For this evaluation, replicate water samples taken from a tank housing Asian carp were placed on ice or held at room temperature. At both temperatures, water samples were left untreated or were preserved with an ethanol and sodium acetate solution (EtOH–NaAc). Every day for 6 days following collection, a subset of the samples was removed from each preservation method and DNA was extracted and nuclear and mitochondrial markers were assayed with qPCR. Results showed comparable persistence of DNA between iced samples without the EtOH–NaAc treatment and samples that received EtOH–NaAc treatment that were kept at room temperature. We found that DNA can be amplified from preserved samples using an EtOH–NaAc solution after up to 7 days at room temperature.

A critical review on characterization strategies of organic matter for wastewater and water treatment processes.

PubMed

Tran, Ngoc Han; Ngo, Huu Hao; Urase, Taro; Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong

2015-10-01

The presence of organic matter (OM) in raw wastewater, treated wastewater effluents, and natural water samples has been known to cause many problems in wastewater treatment and water reclamation processes, such as treatability, membrane fouling, and the formation of potentially toxic by-products during wastewater treatment. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on the methods for characterization and quantification of OM in water samples in relation to wastewater and water treatment processes including: (i) characterization based on the biodegradability; (ii) characterization based on particle size distribution; (iii) fractionation based on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties; (iv) characterization based on the molecular weight (MW) size distribution; and (v) characterization based on fluorescence excitation emission matrix. In addition, the advantages, disadvantages and applications of these methods are discussed in detail. The establishment of correlations among biodegradability, hydrophobic/hydrophilic fractions, MW size distribution of OM, membrane fouling and formation of toxic by-products potential is highly recommended for further studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and analysis of three-arm trials with negative binomially distributed endpoints.

PubMed

Mütze, Tobias; Munk, Axel; Friede, Tim

2016-02-20

A three-arm clinical trial design with an experimental treatment, an active control, and a placebo control, commonly referred to as the gold standard design, enables testing of non-inferiority or superiority of the experimental treatment compared with the active control. In this paper, we propose methods for designing and analyzing three-arm trials with negative binomially distributed endpoints. In particular, we develop a Wald-type test with a restricted maximum-likelihood variance estimator for testing non-inferiority or superiority. For this test, sample size and power formulas as well as optimal sample size allocations will be derived. The performance of the proposed test will be assessed in an extensive simulation study with regard to type I error rate, power, sample size, and sample size allocation. For the purpose of comparison, Wald-type statistics with a sample variance estimator and an unrestricted maximum-likelihood estimator are included in the simulation study. We found that the proposed Wald-type test with a restricted variance estimator performed well across the considered scenarios and is therefore recommended for application in clinical trials. The methods proposed are motivated and illustrated by a recent clinical trial in multiple sclerosis. The R package ThreeArmedTrials, which implements the methods discussed in this paper, is available on CRAN. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An evaluation of root resorption after orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

Thomas, E; Evans, W G; Becker, P

2012-08-01

Root resorption is commonly seen, albeit in varying degrees, in cases that have been treated orthodontically. In this retrospective study the objective was to compare the amount of root resorption observed after active orthodontic treatment had been completed with one of three different appliance systems, namely, Tip Edge, Modified Edgewise and Damon. The sample consisted of pre and post-treatment cephalograms of sixty eight orthodontic cases. Root resorption of the maxillary central incisor was assessed from pre- and post- treatment lateral ce phalograms using two methods. In the first, overall tooth length from the incisal edge to the apex was measured on both pre and post-treatment lateral cephalograms and root resorption was recorded as an actual millimetre loss of tooth length. There was a significant upward linear trend (p = 0.052) for root resorption from the Tip Edge Group to the Damon Group. In the second method root resorption was visually evaluated by using the five grade ordinal scale of Levander and Malmgren (1988). It was found that the majorty of cases in the sample came under Grade 1 and Grade 2 category of root resorption. Statistical evaluation tested the extent of agree ment in this study between visual measurements and actual measurements and demonstrated a significant association (p = 0.018) between the methods.

Colorimetric measurement of carbohydrates in biological wastewater treatment systems: A critical evaluation.

PubMed

Le, Chencheng; Stuckey, David C

2016-05-01

Four laboratory preparations and three commercially available assay kits were tested on the same carbohydrate samples with the addition of 14 different interfering solutes typically found in wastewater treatment plants. This work shows that a wide variety of solutes can interfere with these assays. In addition, a comparative study on the use of these assays with different carbohydrate samples was also carried out, and the metachromatic response was clearly influenced by variation in sample composition. The carbohydrate content in the supernatant of a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAMBR) was also measured using these assays, and the amount in the different supernatant samples, with and without a standard addition of glucose to the samples, showed substantial differences. We concluded that the carbohydrates present in wastewater measured using these colorimetric methods could be seriously under- or over-estimated. A new analytical method needs to be developed in order to better understand the biological transformations occurring in anaerobic digestion that leads to the production of soluble microbial products (SMPs) and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Stability Enhancement Method for Centrifugal Compressors using Active Control Casing Treatment System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yuanyang; Xiao, Jun; Li, Liansheng; Yang, Qichao; Liu, Guangbin; Wang, Le

2015-08-01

The centrifugal compressors are widely used in many fields. When the centrifugal compressors operate at the edge of the surge line, the compressor will be unstable. In addition, if the centrifugal compressor runs at this situation long time, the damage will be occurred on compressor. There are some kinds of method to improve and enlarge the range of the centrifugal compressors, such as inlet guide vane, and casing treatment. For casing treatment method, some structures have been researched, such as holed recirculation, basic slot casing treatment and groove casing treatment. All these researches are the passive methods. This paper present a new stability enhancement method based Active Control Casing Treatment (ACCT). All parts of this new method are introduced in detail. The control strategy of the system is mentioned in the paper. As a research sample, a centrifugal compressor having this system is researched using CFD method. The study focuses on the effect of the active control system on the impeller flow. The vortex in impeller is changed by the active control system. And this leads to the suppression of the extension of vortex blockage in impeller and to contribute to the enhancement of the compressor operating range.

Combined sample collection and gas extraction for the measurement of helium isotopes and neon in natural waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roether, Wolfgang; Vogt, Martin; Vogel, Sandra; Sültenfuß, Jürgen

2013-06-01

We present a new method to obtain samples for the measurement of helium isotopes and neon in water, to replace the classical sampling procedure using clamped-off Cu tubing containers that we have been using so far. The new method saves the gas extraction step prior to admission to the mass spectrometer, which the classical method requires. Water is drawn into evacuated glass ampoules with subsequent flame sealing. Approximately 50% headspace is left, from which admission into the mass spectrometer occurs without further treatment. Extensive testing has shown that, with due care and with small corrections applied, the samples represent the gas concentrations in the water within ±0.07% (95% confidence level; ±0.05% with special handling). Fast evacuation is achieved by pumping on a small charge of water placed in the ampoule. The new method was successfully tested at sea in comparison with Cu-tubing sampling. We found that the ampoule samples were superior in data precision and that a lower percentage of samples were lost prior to measurement. Further measurements revealed agreement between the two methods in helium, 3He and neon within ±0.1%. The new method facilitates the dealing with large sample sets and minimizes the delay between sampling and measurement. The method is applicable also for gases other than helium and neon.

Sterilization Effect of Wet Oxygen Plasma in the Bubbling Method.

PubMed

Tamazawa, Kaoru; Shintani, Hideharu; Tamazawa, Yoshinori; Shimauchi, Hidetoshi

2015-01-01

A new low-temperature sterilization method to replace the ethylene oxide gas sterilization is needed. Strong bactericidal effects of OH and O2H radicals are well known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sterilization effect of wet oxygen ("O2+H2O") plasma in the bubbling method, confirming the effect of humidity. Sterility assurance was confirmed by using a biological indicator (Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC7953, Namsa, USA). One hundred and eight samples (10(5) spores/carrier) were divided into three groups of 36 in each for treatment with a different type of gas (O2, O2+H2O, Air+H2O). Plasma processing was conducted using a plasma ashing apparatus (13.56 MHz, PACK-3(®), Y. A. C., Japan) under various gas pressures (13, 25, 50 Pa) and gas flows (50, 100, 200 sccm). Fixed plasma treatment parameters were power at 150 W, temperature of 60 ℃, treatment time of 10 min. The samples after treatment were incubated in trypticase soy broth at 58 ℃ for 72 h. The negative culture rate in the "O2+H2O" group was significantly (Mantel-Haenszel procedure, p<0.001) higher than in the other gas groups. It is suggested that the significant sterilization effect of the "O2+H2O" group depends on the bubbling method which is the method of introducing vapor into the chamber. The bubbling method seems able to generate OH and O2H radicals in a stable way.

A practical method for extending the biuret assay to protein determination of corn-based products.

PubMed

Liu, Zelong; Pan, Junhui

2017-06-01

A modified biuret method suitable for protein determination of corn-based products was developed by introducing a combination of an alkaline reagent with sodium dodecyl sulfate (reagent A) and heat treatments. The method was tested on seven corn-based samples. The results showed mostly good agreement (P>0.05) as compared to the Kjeldahl values. The proposed method was found to enhance the accuracy of prediction on zein content using bovine serum albumin as standard. Reagent A and sample treatment were proved to effectively improve protein solubilization for the thermally-dried corn-based products, e.g. corn gluten meal. The absorbance was stable for at least 1-h. Moreover, the whole measurement of protein content only needs 15-20min more than the traditional biuret assay, and can be performed in batches. The findings suggest that the proposed method could be a timesaving alternative for routine protein analyses in corn processing factories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of methods commonly used in biomedicine for treatment versus control comparison of very small samples.

PubMed

Ristić-Djurović, Jasna L; Ćirković, Saša; Mladenović, Pavle; Romčević, Nebojša; Trbovich, Alexander M

2018-04-01

A rough estimate indicated that use of samples of size not larger than ten is not uncommon in biomedical research and that many of such studies are limited to strong effects due to sample sizes smaller than six. For data collected from biomedical experiments it is also often unknown if mathematical requirements incorporated in the sample comparison methods are satisfied. Computer simulated experiments were used to examine performance of methods for qualitative sample comparison and its dependence on the effectiveness of exposure, effect intensity, distribution of studied parameter values in the population, and sample size. The Type I and Type II errors, their average, as well as the maximal errors were considered. The sample size 9 and the t-test method with p = 5% ensured error smaller than 5% even for weak effects. For sample sizes 6-8 the same method enabled detection of weak effects with errors smaller than 20%. If the sample sizes were 3-5, weak effects could not be detected with an acceptable error; however, the smallest maximal error in the most general case that includes weak effects is granted by the standard error of the mean method. The increase of sample size from 5 to 9 led to seven times more accurate detection of weak effects. Strong effects were detected regardless of the sample size and method used. The minimal recommended sample size for biomedical experiments is 9. Use of smaller sizes and the method of their comparison should be justified by the objective of the experiment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of serum levels of imatinib mesylate in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: validation and application of a new analytical method to monitor treatment compliance

PubMed Central

Rezende, Vinícius Marcondes; Rivellis, Ariane Julio; Gomes, Melissa Medrano; Dörr, Felipe Augusto; Novaes, Mafalda Megumi Yoshinaga; Nardinelli, Luciana; Costa, Ariel Lais de Lima; Chamone, Dalton de Alencar Fisher; Bendit, Israel

2013-01-01

Objective The goal of this study was to monitor imatinib mesylate therapeutically in the Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP). A simple and sensitive method to quantify imatinib and its metabolite (CGP74588) in human serum was developed and fully validated in order to monitor treatment compliance. Methods The method used to quantify these compounds in serum included protein precipitation extraction followed by instrumental analysis using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The method was validated for several parameters, including selectivity, precision, accuracy, recovery and linearity. Results The parameters evaluated during the validation stage exhibited satisfactory results based on the Food and Drug Administration and the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) guidelines for validating bioanalytical methods. These parameters also showed a linear correlation greater than 0.99 for the concentration range between 0.500 µg/mL and 10.0 µg/mL and a total analysis time of 13 minutes per sample. This study includes results (imatinib serum concentrations) for 308 samples from patients being treated with imatinib mesylate. Conclusion The method developed in this study was successfully validated and is being efficiently used to measure imatinib concentrations in samples from chronic myeloid leukemia patients to check treatment compliance. The imatinib serum levels of patients achieving a major molecular response were significantly higher than those of patients who did not achieve this result. These results are thus consistent with published reports concerning other populations. PMID:23741187

Applications of asymptotic confidence intervals with continuity corrections for asymmetric comparisons in noninferiority trials.

PubMed

Soulakova, Julia N; Bright, Brianna C

2013-01-01

A large-sample problem of illustrating noninferiority of an experimental treatment over a referent treatment for binary outcomes is considered. The methods of illustrating noninferiority involve constructing the lower two-sided confidence bound for the difference between binomial proportions corresponding to the experimental and referent treatments and comparing it with the negative value of the noninferiority margin. The three considered methods, Anbar, Falk-Koch, and Reduced Falk-Koch, handle the comparison in an asymmetric way, that is, only the referent proportion out of the two, experimental and referent, is directly involved in the expression for the variance of the difference between two sample proportions. Five continuity corrections (including zero) are considered with respect to each approach. The key properties of the corresponding methods are evaluated via simulations. First, the uncorrected two-sided confidence intervals can, potentially, have smaller coverage probability than the nominal level even for moderately large sample sizes, for example, 150 per group. Next, the 15 testing methods are discussed in terms of their Type I error rate and power. In the settings with a relatively small referent proportion (about 0.4 or smaller), the Anbar approach with Yates' continuity correction is recommended for balanced designs and the Falk-Koch method with Yates' correction is recommended for unbalanced designs. For relatively moderate (about 0.6) and large (about 0.8 or greater) referent proportion, the uncorrected Reduced Falk-Koch method is recommended, although in this case, all methods tend to be over-conservative. These results are expected to be used in the design stage of a noninferiority study when asymmetric comparisons are envisioned. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of micro-organism-detaching efficacy from meat samples by spindle or stomacher treatment and quality analysis of suspensions.

PubMed

Kim, S-J; Kim, D-K; Kang, D-H

2016-04-01

We investigated and compared the efficacy of a new apparatus for detaching micro-organisms from meat samples. The efficacy of Spindle and stomacher in detaching micro-organisms from meat samples was evaluated. Also, evaluation of appropriateness of suspensions generated by both methods for carrying out molecular biological analysis was implemented. A nearly identical correlation and high R(2) were obtained between Spindle and stomacher in Aerobic Plate Count (APC), and no significant differences were observed in detachment of three major foodborne pathogens. The suspension generated by the Spindle showed lower turbidity and total protein concentration. Also, significantly different threshold cycles were observed in Real-time PCR analysis using suspensions generated by both methods. The Spindle shows nearly identical efficacy with stomacher treatment in detaching micro-organisms from meat samples. Furthermore, the high quality of suspensions generated by the Spindle, in terms of turbidity and total protein assay, allows for a lower threshold cycle than stomached suspension in Real-time PCR. The Spindle could be an alternative method for detaching micro-organisms, yielding a higher quality of suspensions which may be better suited for further molecular microbiological analysis. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Data acquisition system for chemical kinetic studies

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yu-zhen; Zhou, Xin; Zang, Xiang-sheng

1989-01-01

A microcomputer-interfaced data acquisition system for chemical kinetics (interfacing with laboratory analogue instruments) has been developed. Analogue signals from instruments used in kinetics experiments are amplifed by a wide-range adjustable high-gain operational amplifier and smoothed by an op-based filter, and then digitized at rates of up to 104 samples per channel by an ADC 0816 digitizer. The ADC data transfer and manipulation routine was written in Assembler code and in high-level language; the graphics package and data treatment package is in Basic. For the various sampling speeds, all of the program can be written using Basic-Assembler or completely in Assembler if a high sampling rate is needed. Several numerical treatment methods for chemical kinetics have been utilized to smooth the data from experiments. The computer-interfaced system for second-order chemical kinetic studies was applied to the determination of the rate constant of the saponification of ethyl acetate at 35°C. For this specific problem, an averaging treatment was used which can be called an interval method. The use of this method avoids the diffcully of measuring the starting time of the reaction. Two groups of experimental data and results were used to evaluate the systems performance. All of the results obtained are in agreement with the reference value. PMID:18925219

Measurement of tritium with plastic scintillator surface improvement with plasma treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshihara, Y.; Furuta, E.; Ohyama, R.I.

2015-03-15

Tritium is usually measured by using a liquid scintillation counter. However, liquid scintillator used for measurement will become radioactive waste fluid. To solve this issue, we have developed a method of measuring tritium samples with plasma-treated plastic scintillator (PS)sheets (Plasma method). The radioactive sample is held between 2 PS sheets and the whole is enclosed in a a low-potassium glass vial. With the Plasma method of 2-min plasma treatment, we have obtained measurement efficiency of 48 ± 2 % for 2 min measurement of tritium except for tritiated water. The plasma treatment makes the PS surface rough and hydrophilic whichmore » contributes to improve the contact between tritium and PS. On the other hand, it needed almost 6 hours to obtain constant measurement efficiency. The reason was that the dry-up handling in the vial needed longer time to vaporize H{sub 2}O molecules than in the air. We tried putting silica gel beads into vials to remove H{sub 2}O molecules from PS sheet surface quickly. The silica gel beads worked well and we got constant measurement efficiency within 1-3 hours. Also, we tried using other kinds of PS treated with plasma to obtain higher measurement efficiencies of tritium samples.« less

Comparative study between chemical and atmospheric pressure plasma jet cleaning on glass substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfa, Rizan Rizon; Ahmad, Mohd Khairul; Fhong, Soon Chin; Sahdan, Mohd Zainizan; Nayan, Nafarizal

2017-01-01

The atmospheric pressure plasma jet with low frequency and argon as working gas is presented in this paper to demonstrate its application for glass substrate clean and modification. The glass substrate clean by atmospheric pressure plasma jet is an efficient method to replace other substrate clean method. A comparative analysis is done in this paper between substrate cleaned by chemical and plasma treatment methods. Water contact angle reading is taken for a different method of substrate clean and period of treatment. Under the plasma treatment, the sample shows low surface adhesion due to having the surface property of super hydrophilic surface 7.26°. This comparative analysis is necessary in the industrial application for cost production due to sufficient time and method of substrate clean.

Use of Non-invasive Uterine Electromyography in the Diagnosis of Preterm Labour

PubMed Central

Lucovnik, M.; Novak-Antolic, Z.; Garfield, R.E.

2012-01-01

Predictive values of methods currently used in the clinics to diagnose preterm labour are low. This leads to missed opportunities to improve neonatal outcomes and, on the other hand, to unnecessary hospitalizations and treatments. In addition, research of new and potentially more effective preterm labour treatments is hindered by the inability to include only patients in true preterm labour into studies. Uterine electromyography (EMG) detects changes in cell excitability and coupling required for labour and has higher predictive values for preterm delivery than currently available methods. This methodology could also provide a better means to evaluate various therapeutic interventions for preterm labour. Our manuscript presents a review of uterine EMG studies examining the potential clinical value that this technology possesses over what is available to physicians currently. We also evaluated the impact that uterine EMG could have on investigation of preterm labour treatments by calculating sample sizes for studies using EMG vs. current methods to enrol women. Besides helping clinicians to make safer and more cost-effective decisions when managing patients with preterm contractions, implementation of uterine EMG for diagnosis of preterm labour would also greatly reduce sample sizes required for studies of treatments. PMID:24753891

Ultratrace level determination and quantitative analysis of kidney injury biomarkers in patient samples attained by zinc oxide nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Manpreet; Alabanza, Anginelle; Gonzalez, Lorelis E.; Wang, Weiwei; Reeves, W. Brian; Hahm, Jong-In

2016-02-01

Determining ultratrace amounts of protein biomarkers in patient samples in a straightforward and quantitative manner is extremely important for early disease diagnosis and treatment. Here, we successfully demonstrate the novel use of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) in the ultrasensitive and quantitative detection of two acute kidney injury (AKI)-related protein biomarkers, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-8, directly from patient samples. We first validate the ZnO NRs-based IL-8 results via comparison with those obtained from using a conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent method in samples from 38 individuals. We further assess the full detection capability of the ZnO NRs-based technique by quantifying TNF-α, whose levels in human urine are often below the detection limits of conventional methods. Using the ZnO NR platforms, we determine the TNF-α concentrations of all 46 patient samples tested, down to the fg per mL level. Subsequently, we screen for TNF-α levels in approximately 50 additional samples collected from different patient groups in order to demonstrate a potential use of the ZnO NRs-based assay in assessing cytokine levels useful for further clinical monitoring. Our research efforts demonstrate that ZnO NRs can be straightforwardly employed in the rapid, ultrasensitive, quantitative, and simultaneous detection of multiple AKI-related biomarkers directly in patient urine samples, providing an unparalleled detection capability beyond those of conventional analysis methods. Additional key advantages of the ZnO NRs-based approach include a fast detection speed, low-volume assay condition, multiplexing ability, and easy automation/integration capability to existing fluorescence instrumentation. Therefore, we anticipate that our ZnO NRs-based detection method will be highly beneficial for overcoming the frequent challenges in early biomarker development and treatment assessment, pertaining to the facile and ultrasensitive quantification of hard-to-trace biomolecules.Determining ultratrace amounts of protein biomarkers in patient samples in a straightforward and quantitative manner is extremely important for early disease diagnosis and treatment. Here, we successfully demonstrate the novel use of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) in the ultrasensitive and quantitative detection of two acute kidney injury (AKI)-related protein biomarkers, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-8, directly from patient samples. We first validate the ZnO NRs-based IL-8 results via comparison with those obtained from using a conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent method in samples from 38 individuals. We further assess the full detection capability of the ZnO NRs-based technique by quantifying TNF-α, whose levels in human urine are often below the detection limits of conventional methods. Using the ZnO NR platforms, we determine the TNF-α concentrations of all 46 patient samples tested, down to the fg per mL level. Subsequently, we screen for TNF-α levels in approximately 50 additional samples collected from different patient groups in order to demonstrate a potential use of the ZnO NRs-based assay in assessing cytokine levels useful for further clinical monitoring. Our research efforts demonstrate that ZnO NRs can be straightforwardly employed in the rapid, ultrasensitive, quantitative, and simultaneous detection of multiple AKI-related biomarkers directly in patient urine samples, providing an unparalleled detection capability beyond those of conventional analysis methods. Additional key advantages of the ZnO NRs-based approach include a fast detection speed, low-volume assay condition, multiplexing ability, and easy automation/integration capability to existing fluorescence instrumentation. Therefore, we anticipate that our ZnO NRs-based detection method will be highly beneficial for overcoming the frequent challenges in early biomarker development and treatment assessment, pertaining to the facile and ultrasensitive quantification of hard-to-trace biomolecules. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Typical SEM images of the ZnO NRs used in the biomarker assays are provided in Fig. S1. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08706f

EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL PROCESSING AND OXIDE ETHYLENE STERILIZATION ON CORTICAL AND CANCELLOUS RAT BONE: A LIGHT AND ELECTRON SCANNING MICROSCOPY STUDY

PubMed Central

Castiglia, Marcello Teixeira; da Silva, Juliano Voltarelli F.; Frezarim Thomazini, José Armendir; Volpon, José Batista

2015-01-01

To evaluate, under microscopic examination, the structural changes displayed by the trabecular and cortical bones after being processed chemically and sterilized by ethylene oxide. Methods: Samples of cancellous and cortical bones obtained from young female albinus rats (Wistar) were assigned to four groups according to the type of treatment: Group I- drying; Group II- drying and ethylene oxide sterilization; III- chemical treatment; IV- chemical treatment and ethylene oxide sterilization. Half of this material was analyzed under ordinary light microscope and the other half using scanning electron microscopy. Results: In all the samples, regardless the group, there was good preservation of the general morphology. For samples submitted to the chemical processing there was better preservation of the cellular content, whereas there was amalgamation of the fibres when ethylene oxide was used. Conclusion: Treatment with ethylene oxide caused amalgamation of the fibers, possibly because of heating and the chemical treatment contributed to a better cellular preservation of the osseous structure. PMID:26998450

An Improved Computational Technique for Calculating Electromagnetic Forces and Power Absorptions Generated in Spherical and Deformed Body in Levitation Melting Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zong, Jin-Ho; Szekely, Julian; Schwartz, Elliot

1992-01-01

An improved computational technique for calculating the electromagnetic force field, the power absorption and the deformation of an electromagnetically levitated metal sample is described. The technique is based on the volume integral method, but represents a substantial refinement; the coordinate transformation employed allows the efficient treatment of a broad class of rotationally symmetrical bodies. Computed results are presented to represent the behavior of levitation melted metal samples in a multi-coil, multi-frequency levitation unit to be used in microgravity experiments. The theoretical predictions are compared with both analytical solutions and with the results or previous computational efforts for the spherical samples and the agreement has been very good. The treatment of problems involving deformed surfaces and actually predicting the deformed shape of the specimens breaks new ground and should be the major usefulness of the proposed method.

The photoload sampling technique: estimating surface fuel loadings from downward-looking photographs of synthetic fuelbeds

Treesearch

Robert E. Keane; Laura J. Dickinson

2007-01-01

Fire managers need better estimates of fuel loading so they can more accurately predict the potential fire behavior and effects of alternative fuel and ecosystem restoration treatments. This report presents a new fuel sampling method, called the photoload sampling technique, to quickly and accurately estimate loadings for six common surface fuel components (1 hr, 10 hr...

Effects of processing and in vitro proteolytic digestion on soybean and yambean hemagglutinins.

PubMed

Ojimelukwe, P C; Onuoha, C C; Obanu, Z A

1995-06-01

Some conventional processing methods were applied on yambean and soybean seeds and flour samples. They include soaking fermentation, cooking whole seeds in the presence and absence of trona, autoclaving and dry heat treatment of flour samples. Hemagglutinating activity was assayed for after processing treatments. The hemagglutinating proteins from these seeds were classified based on their solubility properties. Effects of the presence of 0.01% concentration of trypsin, pepsin and proteases on agglutination of human red blood cells were also evaluated. Most processing methods, particularly cooking whole seeds for 1-2 h, soaking and fermentation, reduced hemagglutinating activity on cow red blood cells. Size reduction accompanied by heat treatment was effective in eliminating hemagglutination. Both the albumin and globulin fractions of the soybean showed hemagglutinating activity but only the albumin fraction of the yambean had agglutinating properties. Proteolytic action of proteases was more effective in reduction of hemagglutinating activity than that of trypsin and pepsin.

The effect of dilution and the use of a post-extraction nucleic acid purification column on the accuracy, precision, and inhibition of environmental DNA samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mckee, Anna M.; Spear, Stephen F.; Pierson, Todd W.

2015-01-01

Isolation of environmental DNA (eDNA) is an increasingly common method for detecting presence and assessing relative abundance of rare or elusive species in aquatic systems via the isolation of DNA from environmental samples and the amplification of species-specific sequences using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Co-extracted substances that inhibit qPCR can lead to inaccurate results and subsequent misinterpretation about a species’ status in the tested system. We tested three treatments (5-fold and 10-fold dilutions, and spin-column purification) for reducing qPCR inhibition from 21 partially and fully inhibited eDNA samples collected from coastal plain wetlands and mountain headwater streams in the southeastern USA. All treatments reduced the concentration of DNA in the samples. However, column purified samples retained the greatest sensitivity. For stream samples, all three treatments effectively reduced qPCR inhibition. However, for wetland samples, the 5-fold dilution was less effective than other treatments. Quantitative PCR results for column purified samples were more precise than the 5-fold and 10-fold dilutions by 2.2× and 3.7×, respectively. Column purified samples consistently underestimated qPCR-based DNA concentrations by approximately 25%, whereas the directional bias in qPCR-based DNA concentration estimates differed between stream and wetland samples for both dilution treatments. While the directional bias of qPCR-based DNA concentration estimates differed among treatments and locations, the magnitude of inaccuracy did not. Our results suggest that 10-fold dilution and column purification effectively reduce qPCR inhibition in mountain headwater stream and coastal plain wetland eDNA samples, and if applied to all samples in a study, column purification may provide the most accurate relative qPCR-based DNA concentrations estimates while retaining the greatest assay sensitivity.

Use of deferiprone for the treatment of hepatic iron storage disease in three hornbills.

PubMed

Sandmeier, Peter; Clauss, Marcus; Donati, Olivio F; Chiers, Koen; Kienzle, Ellen; Hatt, Jean-Michel

2012-01-01

3 hornbills (2 Papua hornbills [Aceros plicatus] and 1 longtailed hornbill [Tockus albocristatus]) were evaluated because of general listlessness and loss of feather glossiness. Because hepatic iron storage disease was suspected, liver biopsy was performed and formalin-fixed liver samples were submitted for histologic examination and quantitative image analysis (QIA). Additional frozen liver samples were submitted for chemical analysis. Birds also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under general anesthesia for noninvasive measurement of liver iron content. Serum biochemical analysis and analysis of feed were also performed. Results of diagnostic testing indicated that all 3 hornbills were affected with hepatic iron storage disease. The iron chelator deferiprone was administered (75 mg/kg [34.1 mg/lb], PO, once daily for 90 days). During the treatment period, liver biopsy samples were obtained at regular intervals for QIA and chemical analysis of the liver iron content and follow-up MRI was performed. In all 3 hornbills, a rapid and large decrease in liver iron content was observed. All 3 methods for quantifying the liver iron content were able to verify the decrease in liver iron content. Orally administered deferiprone was found to effectively reduce the liver iron content in these 3 hornbills with iron storage disease. All 3 methods used to monitor the liver iron content (QIA, chemical analysis of liver biopsy samples, and MRI) had similar results, indicating that all of these methods should be considered for the diagnosis of iron storage disease and monitoring of liver iron content during treatment.

The Effects of Cognitive--Behavioral Therapy on Trait Anger and Paranoid Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Prendes, A. Antonio; Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Debra M. Hernandez

2009-01-01

Objective: This study evaluates a cognitive-behavioral anger treatment approach to reduce anger and paranoid ideation on men (n = 32) in treatment for anger problems and compares levels of paranoid ideation with a sample of men ( n = 27) who sought mental health treatment for non-anger issues. Method: A pre- and posttest design is used to evaluate…

Microwave or autoclave treatments destroy the infectivity of infectious bronchitis virus and avian pneumovirus but allow detection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

PubMed

Elhafi, G; Naylor, C J; Savage, C E; Jones, R C

2004-06-01

A method is described for enabling safe transit of denatured virus samples for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification without the risk of unwanted viable viruses. Cotton swabs dipped in avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) or avian pneumovirus (APV) were allowed to dry. Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza viruses were used as controls. Autoclaving and microwave treatment for as little as 20 sec destroyed the infectivity of all four viruses. However, both IBV and APV could be detected by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR after autoclaving and as long as 5 min microwave treatment (Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza viruses were not tested). Double microwave treatment of IBV and APV with an interval of 2 to 7 days between was tested. After the second treatment, RT-PCR products were readily detected in all samples. Swabs from the tracheas and cloacas of chicks infected with IBV shown to contain infectious virus were microwaved. Swabs from both sources were positive by RT-PCR. Microwave treatment appears to be a satisfactory method of inactivating virus while preserving nucleic acid for PCR identification.

POPULATION PHARMACOKINETICS OF ENROFLOXACIN AND ITS METABOLITE CIPROFLOXACIN IN THE GREEN SEA URCHIN (STRONGYLOCENTROTUS DROEBACHIENSIS) FOLLOWING INTRACOELOMIC AND IMMERSION ADMINISTRATION.

PubMed

Phillips, Brianne E; Harms, Craig A; Lewbart, Gregory A; Lahner, Lesanna L; Haulena, Martin; Rosenberg, Justin F; Papich, Mark G

2016-03-01

Sea urchin mass mortality events have been attributed to both infectious and noninfectious etiologies. Bacteria, including Vibrio spp. and Pseudoalteromonas spp., have been isolated during specific mortality events. Aquarium collection sea urchins are also subject to bacterial infections and could benefit from antimicrobial treatment, but pharmacokinetic studies have been lacking for this invertebrate group until recently. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin in the green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) after intracoelomic injection and medicated bath immersion administration. The utility of a population pharmacokinetic method using nonlinear mixed effects modeling (NLME) was also evaluated. Thirty sea urchins were assigned to either the injection or immersion group. Twelve study animals and three untreated controls were utilized for each administration method: enrofloxacin 10 mg/kg intracoelomic injection or a 6-hr enrofloxacin 10 mg/L immersion. Each animal was sampled four times from 0 to 120 hr. Water samples were collected during immersion treatment and posttreatment time points in both groups. Hemolymph and water sample drug concentrations were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using an NLME population pharmacokinetic method. Enrofloxacin concentrations were fit to a two-compartment model with first-order input for the intracoelomic injection group. The enrofloxacin elimination half-life (t½), peak hemolymph concentration (CMAX), and area under the curve (AUC) were 38.82 hr, 90.92 μg/ml, and 1,199 hr·μg/ml, respectively. Enrofloxacin was modeled to a one-compartment model with first-order input for the immersion treatment. The enrofloxacin t½, CMAX, and AUC were 33.46 hr, 0.48 μg/ml, and 32.88 hr·μg/ml, respectively. Ciprofloxacin was detected in trace concentrations in all hemolymph samples, indicating minimal production of this metabolite. The concentrations of enrofloxacin achieved far exceeded minimum inhibitory concentrations reported for teleost pathogens. No adverse effects were associated with enrofloxacin administration by either treatment method or from hemolymph sampling.

Diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of alternative methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya.

PubMed

Assefa, Liya M; Crellen, Thomas; Kepha, Stella; Kihara, Jimmy H; Njenga, Sammy M; Pullan, Rachel L; Brooker, Simon J

2014-05-01

This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC methods for detection of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in a post-treatment setting in western Kenya. A cost analysis also explores the cost implications of collecting samples during school surveys when compared to household surveys. Stool samples were collected from children (n = 652) attending 18 schools in Bungoma County and diagnosed by the Kato-Katz and Mini-FLOTAC coprological methods. Sensitivity and additional diagnostic performance measures were analyzed using Bayesian latent class modeling. Financial and economic costs were calculated for all survey and diagnostic activities, and cost per child tested, cost per case detected and cost per STH infection correctly classified were estimated. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various survey parameters on cost estimates. Both diagnostic methods exhibited comparable sensitivity for detection of any STH species over single and consecutive day sampling: 52.0% for single day Kato-Katz; 49.1% for single-day Mini-FLOTAC; 76.9% for consecutive day Kato-Katz; and 74.1% for consecutive day Mini-FLOTAC. Diagnostic performance did not differ significantly between methods for the different STH species. Use of Kato-Katz with school-based sampling was the lowest cost scenario for cost per child tested ($10.14) and cost per case correctly classified ($12.84). Cost per case detected was lowest for Kato-Katz used in community-based sampling ($128.24). Sensitivity analysis revealed the cost of case detection for any STH decreased non-linearly as prevalence rates increased and was influenced by the number of samples collected. The Kato-Katz method was comparable in diagnostic sensitivity to the Mini-FLOTAC method, but afforded greater cost-effectiveness. Future work is required to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of STH surveillance in different settings.

An improved method for total organic iodine in drinking water.

PubMed

Sayess, Rassil; Reckhow, David A

2017-01-01

A concise, rapid, and sensitive method is developed to measure organically-bound iodine in water. Total organic iodine (TOI) is used as an integrative surrogate that reflects the amount of iodinated organics in a water sample and is quantified using a refined method that builds on previous adsorption and detection approaches. The proposed method combines adsorption, combustion, and trapping of combustion products, with an offline inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for iodide detection. During method development, three analytical variables (factors) were varied across two levels each in order to optimize the method for iodine recovery: 1) the sample pH prior to adsorption on the granular activated carbon (GAC); 2) the amount of base addition to the trap solution; and 3) composition of the ICP-MS wash solution. These factors were tested with solutions of eight iodinated model organic compounds, two iodinated inorganic compounds, and field water samples using a full factorial experimental design. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and related statistical methods were deployed to identify the best combination of conditions (i.e., treatment) that results in the most complete recovery of iodine from the model compounds and the highest rejection of inorganic iodine. The chosen treatment for TOI measurement incorporates a sample pH of less than 1 prior to adsorption onto the GAC, a solution of 2% (v/v) tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) for trapping of combustion products, and a TMAH wash solution of 0.1% (v/v) for the ICP-MS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Principle component analysis (PCA) for investigation of relationship between population dynamics of microbial pathogenesis, chemical and sensory characteristics in beef slices containing Tarragon essential oil.

PubMed

Alizadeh Behbahani, Behrooz; Tabatabaei Yazdi, Farideh; Shahidi, Fakhri; Mortazavi, Seyed Ali; Mohebbi, Mohebbat

2017-04-01

Principle component analysis (PCA) was employed to examine the effect of the exerted treatments on the beef shelf life as well as discovering the correlations between the studied responses. Considering the variability of the dimensions of the responses, correlation coefficients were applied to form the matrix and extract the eigenvalue. Antimicrobial effect was evaluated on 10 pathogenic microorganisms through the methods of hole-plate diffusion method, disk diffusion method, pour plate method, minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration. Antioxidant potential and total phenolic content were examined through the method of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. The components were identified through gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Barhang seed mucilage (BSM) based edible coating containing 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% (w/w) Tarragon (T) essential oil mix were applied on beef slices to control the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Microbiological (total viable count, psychrotrophic count, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and fungi), chemical (thiobarbituric acid, peroxide value and pH) and sensory characteristics (odor, color and overall acceptability) analysis measurements were made during the storage periodically. PCA was employed to examine the effect of the exerted treatments on the beef shelf life as well as discovering the correlations between the studied responses. Considering the variability of the dimensions of the responses, correlation coefficients were applied to form the matrix and extract the eigenvalue. The PCA showed that the properties of the uncoated meat samples on the 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th days of storage are continuously changing independent of the exerted treatments on the other samples. This reveals the effect of the exerted treatments on the samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are Patent Medicine Vendors Effective Agents in Malaria Control? Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling to Assess Quality of Practice in Jigawa, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Berendes, Sima; Adeyemi, Olusegun; Oladele, Edward Adekola; Oresanya, Olusola Bukola; Okoh, Festus; Valadez, Joseph J.

2012-01-01

Background Patent medicine vendors (PMV) provide antimalarial treatment and care throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and can play an important role in the fight against malaria. Their close-to-client infrastructure could enable lifesaving artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to reach patients in time. However, systematic assessments of drug sellers’ performance quality are crucial if their role is to be managed within the health system. Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) could be an efficient method to monitor and evaluate PMV practice, but has so far never been used for this purpose. Methods In support of the Nigeria Malaria Booster Program we assessed PMV practices in three Senatorial Districts (SDs) of Jigawa, Nigeria. A two-stage LQAS assessed whether at least 80% of PMV stores in SDs used national treatment guidelines. Acceptable sampling errors were set in consultation with government officials (alpha and beta <0.10). The hypergeometric formula determined sample sizes and cut-off values for SDs. A structured assessment tool identified high and low performing SDs for quality of care indicators. Findings Drug vendors performed poorly in all SDs of Jigawa for all indicators. For example, all SDs failed for stocking and selling first-line antimalarials. PMV sold no longer recommended antimalarials, such as Chloroquine, Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine and oral Artesunate monotherapy. Most PMV were ignorant of and lacked training about new treatment guidelines that had endorsed ACTs as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. Conclusion There is urgent need to regularly monitor and improve the availability and quality of malaria treatment provided by medicine sellers in Nigeria; the irrational use of antimalarials in the ACT era revealed in this study bears a high risk of economic loss, death and development of drug resistance. LQAS has been shown to be a suitable method for monitoring malaria-related indicators among PMV, and should be applied in Nigeria and elsewhere to improve service delivery. PMID:22984555

Comparison of the ion exclusion chromatographic method with the Monier-Williams method for determination of total sulfite in foods.

PubMed

Kim, H J

1989-01-01

Experimental data comparing the alkali extraction/ion exclusion chromatographic method with the Monier-Williams method for determination of total sulfite are presented in (a) enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning systems, (b) vegetables containing naturally occurring sulfite, and (c) a carbohydrate-type food additive, erythorbic acid. Excellent agreement, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.99, was observed in fresh potato samples homogenized with sulfite and allowed to react for different time intervals (enzymatic browning system). A good overall correlation was observed in dehydrated, sulfited apple samples heated for different times (nonenzymatic browning system); however, as heating time increased, higher results were obtained by the Monier-Williams method than by the alkali extraction/ion exclusion chromatographic method. The results of determining sulfite in the alkali trapping solution following acid distillation or acid treatment without heat suggested that this deviation was due to a fraction of sulfite bound to the browning reaction products in such a way that it was released by acid distillation but not by alkali extraction or acid treatment without heat. Similar behavior was demonstrated in cabbage with naturally occurring sulfite, which was released by acid distillation but not by alkali extraction or acid treatment without heat. The ion exclusion chromatographic method could overcome interference by the volatile caramelization reaction products in the Monier-Williams determination of erythorbic acid.

Validation sampling can reduce bias in healthcare database studies: an illustration using influenza vaccination effectiveness

PubMed Central

Nelson, Jennifer C.; Marsh, Tracey; Lumley, Thomas; Larson, Eric B.; Jackson, Lisa A.; Jackson, Michael

2014-01-01

Objective Estimates of treatment effectiveness in epidemiologic studies using large observational health care databases may be biased due to inaccurate or incomplete information on important confounders. Study methods that collect and incorporate more comprehensive confounder data on a validation cohort may reduce confounding bias. Study Design and Setting We applied two such methods, imputation and reweighting, to Group Health administrative data (full sample) supplemented by more detailed confounder data from the Adult Changes in Thought study (validation sample). We used influenza vaccination effectiveness (with an unexposed comparator group) as an example and evaluated each method’s ability to reduce bias using the control time period prior to influenza circulation. Results Both methods reduced, but did not completely eliminate, the bias compared with traditional effectiveness estimates that do not utilize the validation sample confounders. Conclusion Although these results support the use of validation sampling methods to improve the accuracy of comparative effectiveness findings from healthcare database studies, they also illustrate that the success of such methods depends on many factors, including the ability to measure important confounders in a representative and large enough validation sample, the comparability of the full sample and validation sample, and the accuracy with which data can be imputed or reweighted using the additional validation sample information. PMID:23849144

Physical and Mathematical Methods for Removing Organic Interference from Optical Isotope Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsiao, G.; Chappellet-Volini, L.; Vu, D.

2012-12-01

Portable high precision isotope analyzers using CRDS technology have greatly increased the use of stable isotopes in hydrological, oceanographic, and ecological studies over the past five years. However studies of some water samples yielded incorrect isotopic values indicating some form of spectroscopic interference. Subsequent work has shown that waters derived from some plants containing interfering alcohols but meteoric waters are not affected. The initial approach to handling such samples was to use spectroscopic anomalies to identify and flag affected samples for later analysis by non-optical methods. This presentation will examine the approaches developed within the past year to allow for accurate analysis of such samples by optical methods. The first approach uses an advanced spectroscopic model to identify and quantify alcohols present in the sample. The alcohol signal is incorporated into the overall fit of the measure spectra to calculate the concentration of the individual isotopes. It was found that the δ18O value could be calculated with high accuracy, the result for the δ2H value was sufficient for many applications. The second approach uses physical treatment of the sample to break down the organic molecules into non-interfering species. The liquid sample is injected into a flash vaporizer then the vapor travels through a cartridge for physical treatment prior to analysis by CRDS. Inside the cartridge the organic molecules undergo oxidation at high temperature in the air carrier gas when exposed to the catalyst. This approach is highly effective for ethanol solutions as high as 5% as well as for the complex mixtures of alcohols found in plants. Comparison of the results of both of these methods will be compared with tertiary techniques such as IRMS where possible.

Study of the efficiency of some water treatment unit that present in houses in Erbil city-Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toma, Janan. Jabbar.; Hanna, Aveen. Matti.

2017-09-01

Many people in Erbil city started more than two decade to put special treatment units in their houses to purified water to become safer for drinking uses. The aim of this study was determine the efficiency of six kind water treatment units which include (two replicate of Crystal Water Purifier, So-Safe Water Filter, R O Water Purifier, Kontec Water Purified and Al-Kawther Purified Water). Water samples were collected in two sites one before and other after treatment unit. Each sample was collect with three replication during May to October-2016. Analyzed for Major cations concentration (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), anions concentration (nitrate and chloride) and hydrogen ion concentration (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity and total hardness by using standard methods. The water quality index values for all raw water sample befor and after treatment was good and excellent respectively for drinking purposes. Efficiency of So-Safe Water Filter was 66.32% it means was more efficiency than others special water treatment units while in RO Water Purifier was 27.14%, means less efficiency than other water purifier water under this study. Values for major cations, anions and others chemicals characteristics in the water samples after treatment became lower concentrations than befor treatment, likely an indication that these were removed by treatment. According to guideline of world health organization all of variables except total hardness befor treatment are safe and suitable for drinking purposes.

Determination of selected neurotoxic insecticides in small amounts of animal tissue utilizing a newly constructed mini-extractor.

PubMed

Seifertová, Marta; Čechová, Eliška; Llansola, Marta; Felipo, Vicente; Vykoukalová, Martina; Kočan, Anton

2017-10-01

We developed a simple analytical method for the simultaneous determination of representatives of various groups of neurotoxic insecticides (carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and α-endosulfan and β-endosulfan and their metabolite endosulfan sulfate) in limited amounts of animal tissues containing different amounts of lipids. Selected tissues (rodent fat, liver, and brain) were extracted in a special in-house-designed mini-extractor constructed on the basis of the Soxhlet and Twisselmann extractors. A dried tissue sample placed in a small cartridge was extracted, while the nascent extract was simultaneously filtered through a layer of sodium sulfate. The extraction was followed by combined clean-up, including gel permeation chromatography (in case of high lipid content), ultrasonication, and solid-phase extraction chromatography using C 18 on silica and aluminum oxide. Gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was used for analyte separation, detection, and quantification. Average recoveries for individual insecticides ranged from 82 to 111%. Expanded measurement uncertainties were generally lower than 35%. The developed method was successfully applied to rat tissue samples obtained from an animal model dealing with insecticide exposure during brain development. This method may also be applied to the analytical treatment of small amounts of various types of animal and human tissue samples. A significant advantage achieved using this method is high sample throughput due to the simultaneous treatment of many samples. Graphical abstract Optimized workflow for the determination of selected insecticides in small amounts of animal tissue including newly developed mini-extractor.

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine artificial sweeteners in environmental waters.

PubMed

Salas, Daniela; Borrull, Francesc; Fontanals, Núria; Marcé, Rosa Maria

2015-06-01

Artificial sweeteners are food additives employed as sugar substitutes which are now considered to be emerging organic contaminants. In the present study, a method is developed for the determination of a group of artificial sweeteners in environmental waters. Considering the polar and hydrophilic character of these compounds, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography is proposed for their separation as an alternative to traditional reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Two stationary phases with different chemistry were compared for this purpose. For the detection of the analytes, high-resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) was employed to take advantage of its benefits in terms of reliable quantification and confirmation for the measurement of accurate masses. Solid-phase extraction was chosen as the sample treatment, in which the extract in a mixture of NH4OH:MeOH:ACN (1:4:15) was directly injected into the chromatographic system, simplifying the analytical procedure. The optimized method was validated on river and waste water samples. For example, in the case of effluent water samples, limits of detection ranged from 0.002 to 0.7 μg/L and limits of quantification ranged from 0.004 to 1.5 μg/L. Apparent (whole method) recoveries ranged from 57 to 74% with intra-day precision (%RSD, n = 5) ranging from 6 to 25%. The method was successfully applied to water samples from different rivers in Catalonia and different waste water treatment plants in Tarragona. Acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharine and sucralose were found in several samples.

Buccal Swabbing as a Noninvasive Method To Determine Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Microbial Community Structures in the Rumen

PubMed Central

Kirk, Michelle R.; Jonker, Arjan; McCulloch, Alan

2015-01-01

Analysis of rumen microbial community structure based on small-subunit rRNA marker genes in metagenomic DNA samples provides important insights into the dominant taxa present in the rumen and allows assessment of community differences between individuals or in response to treatments applied to ruminants. However, natural animal-to-animal variation in rumen microbial community composition can limit the power of a study considerably, especially when only subtle differences are expected between treatment groups. Thus, trials with large numbers of animals may be necessary to overcome this variation. Because ruminants pass large amounts of rumen material to their oral cavities when they chew their cud, oral samples may contain good representations of the rumen microbiota and be useful in lieu of rumen samples to study rumen microbial communities. We compared bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community structures in DNAs extracted from buccal swabs to those in DNAs from samples collected directly from the rumen by use of a stomach tube for sheep on four different diets. After bioinformatic depletion of potential oral taxa from libraries of samples collected via buccal swabs, bacterial communities showed significant clustering by diet (R = 0.37; analysis of similarity [ANOSIM]) rather than by sampling method (R = 0.07). Archaeal, ciliate protozoal, and anaerobic fungal communities also showed significant clustering by diet rather than by sampling method, even without adjustment for potentially orally associated microorganisms. These findings indicate that buccal swabs may in future allow quick and noninvasive sampling for analysis of rumen microbial communities in large numbers of ruminants. PMID:26276109

40 CFR 63.457 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... port locations and gas stream properties. For purposes of selecting vent sampling port locations and... sampling line into the stack and secure it with the tip slightly lower than the port height. Start the pump... ketone, and propionaldehyde mass flow rates (kg/Mg ODP) entering the biological treatment system...

40 CFR 63.457 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... port locations and gas stream properties. For purposes of selecting vent sampling port locations and... sampling line into the stack and secure it with the tip slightly lower than the port height. Start the pump... ketone, and propionaldehyde mass flow rates (kg/Mg ODP) entering the biological treatment system...

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the US

EPA Science Inventory

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Asp...

Methods of biological fluids sample preparation - biogenic amines, methylxanthines, water-soluble vitamins.

PubMed

Płonka, Joanna

2015-01-01

In recent years demands on the amount of information that can be obtained from the analysis of a single sample have increased. For time and economic reasons it is necessary to examine at the same time larger number of compounds, and compounds from different groups. This can best be seen in such areas as clinical analysis. In many diseases, the best results for patients are obtained when treatment fits the individual characteristics of the patient. Dosage monitoring is important at the beginning of therapy and in the full process of treatment. In the treatment of many diseases biogenic amines (dopamine, serotonin) and methylxanthines (theophylline, theobromine, caffeine) play an important role. They are used as drugs separately or in combination with others to support and strengthen the action of other drugs - for example, the combination of caffeine and paracetamol. Vitamin supplementation may be also an integral part of the treatment process. Specification of complete sample preparation parameters for extraction of the above compounds from biological matrices has been reviewed. Particular attention was given to the preparation stage and extraction methods. This review provides universal guidance on establishing a common procedures across laboratories to facilitate the preparation and analysis of all discussed compounds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characterization of calcium phosphate powders originating from Phyllacanthus imperialis and Trochidae Infundibulum concavus marine shells.

PubMed

Tămăşan, M; Ozyegin, L S; Oktar, F N; Simon, V

2013-07-01

The study reports the preparation and characterization of powders consisting of the different phases of calcium phosphates that were obtained from the naturally derived raw materials of sea-shell origins reacted with H3PO4. Species of sea origin, such as corals and nacres, attracted a special interest in bone tissue engineering area. Nacre shells are built up of calcium carbonate in aragonite form crystallized in an organic matrix. In this work two natural marine origin materials (shells of echinoderm Sputnik sea urchin - Phyllacanthus imperialis and Trochidae Infundibulum concavus mollusk) were involved in the developing powders of calcium phosphate based biomaterials (as raw materials for bone-scaffolds) by hotplate and ultrasound methods. Thermal analyses of the as-prepared materials were made for an assessment of the thermal behavior and heat treatment temperatures. Samples from both sea shells each of them prepared by the above mentioned methods were subjected to thermal treatments at 450 °C and 850 °C in order to evaluate the crystalline transformations of the calcium phosphate structures in the heating process. By X-ray diffraction analyses various calcium phosphate phases were identified. In Sputnik sea urchins originated samples were found predominantly brushite and calcite as a small secondary phase, while in Trochidae I. concavus samples mainly monetite and HA phases were identified. Thermal treatment at 850 °C resulted flat-plate whitlockite crystals - β-MgTCP [(Ca, Mg)3 (PO4)2] for both samples regardless the preparation method (ultrasound or hotplate) or the targeted Ca/P molar ratio according with XRD patterns. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy were involved more in the characterization of these materials and the good correlations of the results of these methods were made. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of point counts and territory mapping for detecting effects of forest management on songbirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newell, Felicity L.; Sheehan, James; Wood, Petra Bohall; Rodewald, Amanda D.; Buehler, David A.; Keyser, Patrick D.; Larkin, Jeffrey L.; Beachy, Tiffany A.; Bakermans, Marja H.; Boves, Than J.; Evans, Andrea; George, Gregory A.; McDermott, Molly E.; Perkins, Kelly A.; White, Matthew; Wigley, T. Bently

2013-01-01

Point counts are commonly used to assess changes in bird abundance, including analytical approaches such as distance sampling that estimate density. Point-count methods have come under increasing scrutiny because effects of detection probability and field error are difficult to quantify. For seven forest songbirds, we compared fixed-radii counts (50 m and 100 m) and density estimates obtained from distance sampling to known numbers of birds determined by territory mapping. We applied point-count analytic approaches to a typical forest management question and compared results to those obtained by territory mapping. We used a before–after control impact (BACI) analysis with a data set collected across seven study areas in the central Appalachians from 2006 to 2010. Using a 50-m fixed radius, variance in error was at least 1.5 times that of the other methods, whereas a 100-m fixed radius underestimated actual density by >3 territories per 10 ha for the most abundant species. Distance sampling improved accuracy and precision compared to fixed-radius counts, although estimates were affected by birds counted outside 10-ha units. In the BACI analysis, territory mapping detected an overall treatment effect for five of the seven species, and effects were generally consistent each year. In contrast, all point-count methods failed to detect two treatment effects due to variance and error in annual estimates. Overall, our results highlight the need for adequate sample sizes to reduce variance, and skilled observers to reduce the level of error in point-count data. Ultimately, the advantages and disadvantages of different survey methods should be considered in the context of overall study design and objectives, allowing for trade-offs among effort, accuracy, and power to detect treatment effects.

Rethinking non-inferiority: a practical trial design for optimising treatment duration.

PubMed

Quartagno, Matteo; Walker, A Sarah; Carpenter, James R; Phillips, Patrick Pj; Parmar, Mahesh Kb

2018-06-01

Background Trials to identify the minimal effective treatment duration are needed in different therapeutic areas, including bacterial infections, tuberculosis and hepatitis C. However, standard non-inferiority designs have several limitations, including arbitrariness of non-inferiority margins, choice of research arms and very large sample sizes. Methods We recast the problem of finding an appropriate non-inferior treatment duration in terms of modelling the entire duration-response curve within a pre-specified range. We propose a multi-arm randomised trial design, allocating patients to different treatment durations. We use fractional polynomials and spline-based methods to flexibly model the duration-response curve. We call this a 'Durations design'. We compare different methods in terms of a scaled version of the area between true and estimated prediction curves. We evaluate sensitivity to key design parameters, including sample size, number and position of arms. Results A total sample size of ~ 500 patients divided into a moderate number of equidistant arms (5-7) is sufficient to estimate the duration-response curve within a 5% error margin in 95% of the simulations. Fractional polynomials provide similar or better results than spline-based methods in most scenarios. Conclusion Our proposed practical randomised trial 'Durations design' shows promising performance in the estimation of the duration-response curve; subject to a pending careful investigation of its inferential properties, it provides a potential alternative to standard non-inferiority designs, avoiding many of their limitations, and yet being fairly robust to different possible duration-response curves. The trial outcome is the whole duration-response curve, which may be used by clinicians and policymakers to make informed decisions, facilitating a move away from a forced binary hypothesis testing paradigm.

Method development for the analysis of ionophore antimicrobials in dairy manure to assess removal within a membrane-based treatment system.

PubMed

Hurst, Jerod J; Wallace, Josh S; Aga, Diana S

2018-04-01

Ionophore antimicrobials are heavily used in the livestock industries, both for preventing animal infection by coccidia protozoa and for increasing feed efficiency. Ionophores are excreted mostly unmetabolized and are released into the environment when manure is land-applied to fertilize croplands. Here, an analytical method was optimized to study the occurrences of five ionophore residues (monensin, lasalocid, maduramycin, salinomycin, and narasin) in dairy manure after solid-liquid separation and further treatment of the liquid manure by a membrane-based treatment system. Ionophore residues from the separated solid manure (dewatered manure) and suspended solids of manure slurry samples were extracted using ultrasonication with methanol, followed by sample clean-up using solid phase extraction (SPE) and subsequent analysis via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The use of an ethyl acetate and methanol (1:1 v:v) mixture as an SPE eluent resulted in higher recoveries and lower method quantitation limits (MQL), when compared to using methanol. Overall recoveries from separated solid manure ranged from 73 to 134%. Liquid manure fractions were diluted with Nanopure™ water and cleaned up using SPE, where recoveries ranged from 51 to 100%. The developed extraction and LC-MS/MS methods were applied to analyze dairy manure samples subjected to an advanced manure treatment process involving a membrane-based filtration step (reverse osmosis). Monensin and lasalocid were detected at higher concentrations in the suspended solid fractions (4.40-420 ng/g for lasalocid and 85-1950 ng/g for monensin) compared to the liquid fractions (

An impact of moss sample cleaning on uncertainty of analytical measurement and pattern profiles of rare earth elements.

PubMed

Dołęgowska, Sabina; Gałuszka, Agnieszka; Migaszewski, Zdzisław M

2017-12-01

The main source of rare earth elements (REE) in mosses is atmospheric deposition of particles. Sample treatment operations including shaking, rinsing or washing, which are made in a standard way on moss samples prior to chemical analysis, may lead to removing particles adsorbed onto their tissues. This in turn causes differences in REE concentrations in treated and untreated samples. For the present study, 27 combined moss samples were collected within three wooded areas and prepared for REE determinations by ICP-MS using both manual cleaning by shaking and triple rinsing with deionized water. Higher concentrations of REE were found in manually cleaned samples. The comparison of REE signatures and shale-normalized REE concentration patterns showed that the treatment procedure did not lead to fractionation of REE. All the samples were enriched in medium rare earth elements, and the δMREE factor remained practically unchanged after rinsing. Positive anomalies of Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er and Yb were observed in both, manually cleaned and rinsed samples. For all the elements examined, analytical uncertainty was below 3.0% whereas sample preparation uncertainty computed with ANOVA, RANOVA, modified RANOVA and range statistics methods varied from 3.5 to 29.7%. In most cases the lowest s rprep values were obtained with the modified RANOVA method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hot-Alkaline DNA Extraction Method for Deep-Subseafloor Archaeal Communities

PubMed Central

Terada, Takeshi; Hoshino, Tatsuhiko; Inagaki, Fumio

2014-01-01

A prerequisite for DNA-based microbial community analysis is even and effective cell disruption for DNA extraction. With a commonly used DNA extraction kit, roughly two-thirds of subseafloor sediment microbial cells remain intact on average (i.e., the cells are not disrupted), indicating that microbial community analyses may be biased at the DNA extraction step, prior to subsequent molecular analyses. To address this issue, we standardized a new DNA extraction method using alkaline treatment and heating. Upon treatment with 1 M NaOH at 98°C for 20 min, over 98% of microbial cells in subseafloor sediment samples collected at different depths were disrupted. However, DNA integrity tests showed that such strong alkaline and heat treatment also cleaved DNA molecules into short fragments that could not be amplified by PCR. Subsequently, we optimized the alkaline and temperature conditions to minimize DNA fragmentation and retain high cell disruption efficiency. The best conditions produced a cell disruption rate of 50 to 80% in subseafloor sediment samples from various depths and retained sufficient DNA integrity for amplification of the complete 16S rRNA gene (i.e., ∼1,500 bp). The optimized method also yielded higher DNA concentrations in all samples tested compared with extractions using a conventional kit-based approach. Comparative molecular analysis using real-time PCR and pyrosequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes showed that the new method produced an increase in archaeal DNA and its diversity, suggesting that it provides better analytical coverage of subseafloor microbial communities than conventional methods. PMID:24441163

Autonomous water sampling for long-term monitoring of trace metals in remote environments.

PubMed

Kim, Hyojin; Bishop, James K B; Wood, Todd J; Fung, Inez Y

2012-10-16

A remotely controlled autonomous method for long-term high-frequency sampling of environmental waters in remote locations is described. The method which preserves sample integrity of dissolved trace metals and major ions for month-long periods employs a gravitational filtration system (GFS) that separates dissolved and particulate phases as samples are collected. The key elements of GFS are (1) a modified "air-outlet" filter holder to maximize filtration rate and thus minimize filtration artifacts; and (2) the direct delivery of filtrate to dedicated bottle sets for specific analytes. Depth and screen filter types were evaluated with depth filters showing best performance. GFS performance is validated using ground, stream, and estuary waters. Over 30 days of storage, samples with GFS treatment had average recoveries of 95 ± 19% and 105 ± 7% of Fe and Mn, respectively; without GFS treatment, average recoveries were only 16% and 18%. Dissolved major cations K, Mg, and Na were stable independent of collection methodology, whereas Ca in some groundwater samples decreased up to 42% without GFS due to CaCO(3) precipitation. In-field performance of GFS equipped autosamplers is demonstrated using ground and streamwater samples collected at the Angelo Coast Range Reserve, California from October 3 to November 4 2011.

Spectrophotometric analyses of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in water.

PubMed

Shi, Cong; Xu, Zhonghou; Smolinski, Benjamin L; Arienti, Per M; O'Connor, Gregory; Meng, Xiaoguang

2015-07-01

A simple and accurate spectrophotometric method for on-site analysis of royal demolition explosive (RDX) in water samples was developed based on the Berthelot reaction. The sensitivity and accuracy of an existing spectrophotometric method was improved by: replacing toxic chemicals with more stable and safer reagents; optimizing the reagent dose and reaction time; improving color stability; and eliminating the interference from inorganic nitrogen compounds in water samples. Cation and anion exchange resin cartridges were developed and used for sample pretreatment to eliminate the effect of ammonia and nitrate on RDX analyses. The detection limit of the method was determined to be 100 μg/L. The method was used successfully for analysis of RDX in untreated industrial wastewater samples. It can be used for on-site monitoring of RDX in wastewater for early detection of chemical spills and failure of wastewater treatment systems. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Protein-ligand docking using FFT based sampling: D3R case study.

PubMed

Padhorny, Dzmitry; Hall, David R; Mirzaei, Hanieh; Mamonov, Artem B; Moghadasi, Mohammad; Alekseenko, Andrey; Beglov, Dmitri; Kozakov, Dima

2018-01-01

Fast Fourier transform (FFT) based approaches have been successful in application to modeling of relatively rigid protein-protein complexes. Recently, we have been able to adapt the FFT methodology to treatment of flexible protein-peptide interactions. Here, we report our latest attempt to expand the capabilities of the FFT approach to treatment of flexible protein-ligand interactions in application to the D3R PL-2016-1 challenge. Based on the D3R assessment, our FFT approach in conjunction with Monte Carlo minimization off-grid refinement was among the top performing methods in the challenge. The potential advantage of our method is its ability to globally sample the protein-ligand interaction landscape, which will be explored in further applications.

Ultraviolet-C Irradiation: A Novel Pasteurization Method for Donor Human Milk

PubMed Central

Christen, Lukas; Lai, Ching Tat; Hartmann, Ben; Hartmann, Peter E.; Geddes, Donna T.

2013-01-01

Background Holder pasteurization (milk held at 62.5°C for 30 minutes) is the standard treatment method for donor human milk. Although this method of pasteurization is able to inactivate most bacteria, it also inactivates important bioactive components. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate ultraviolet irradiation as an alternative treatment method for donor human milk. Methods Human milk samples were inoculated with five species of bacteria and then UV-C irradiated. Untreated and treated samples were analysed for bacterial content, bile salt stimulated lipase (BSSL) activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and fatty acid profile. Results All five species of bacteria reacted similarly to UV-C irradiation, with higher dosages being required with increasing concentrations of total solids in the human milk sample. The decimal reduction dosage was 289±17 and 945±164 J/l for total solids of 107 and 146 g/l, respectively. No significant changes in the fatty acid profile, BSSL activity or ALP activity were observed up to the dosage required for a 5-log10 reduction of the five species of bacteria. Conclusion UV-C irradiation is capable of reducing vegetative bacteria in human milk to the requirements of milk bank guidelines with no loss of BSSL and ALP activity and no change of FA. PMID:23840820

Incineration or autoclave? A comparative study in isfahan hospitals waste management system (2010).

PubMed

Ferdowsi, Ali; Ferdosi, Masoud; Mehrani, Mohammd Javad

2013-03-01

Medical wastes are among hazardous wastes and their disposal requires special methods prior to landfilling. Medical wastes are divided into infected and non-infected wastes and the infected wastes require treatment. Incineration is one of the oldest methods for treatment of medical wastes, but their usage have faced wide objections due to emission of hazardous gases such as CO2 and CO as well as Carcinogenic gases such as Dioxins and Furans which are generated as a result of incomplete combustion of compositions like PVCs. Autoclave is one the newest methods of medical wastes treatment which works based on wet disinfection. The statistical population in this descriptive, comparative study includes hospitals located in Isfahan city and the sample hospitals were selected randomly. To environmentally evaluate the Autoclave method, TST (time, steam, temperature) and Spore tests were used. Also, samples were made from incinerator's stack gases and their analyses results were compared with WHO standards. TST and spore tests results were negative in all cases indicating the success of treatment process. The comparison of incinerator's stack gases with WHO standards showed the high concentration of CO in some samples indicating the incomplete combustion. Also, the incineration efficiency in some cases was less than 99.5 percent, which is the efficiency criterion according to the administrative regulations of wastes management law of Iran. No needle stick was observed in Autoclave method during the compaction of bags containing wastes, and the handlers were facing no danger in this respect. The comparison of costs indicated that despite higher capital investment for purchasing autoclave, its current costs (e.g. maintenance, etc) are much less than the incineration method. Totally, due to inappropriate operation of incinerators and lack of air pollution control devices, the use of incinerators doesn't seem rational anymore. Yet, despite the inefficiency of autoclaves in treatment of bulky wastes such as Anatomical wastes, their usage seems logic considering the very low amounts of such wastes. Also, considering the amount of generated wastes in Isfahan hospitals, a combination of centralized and non-centralized autoclaves is recommended for treatment of infected wastes. Mobile autoclaves may also be considered according to technical and economical conditions. It must not be forgotten that the priority must be given to the establishment of waste management systems particularly to personnel training to produce less wastes and to well separate them.

Effects of sample treatments on genome recovery via single-cell genomics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clingenpeel, Scott; Schwientek, Patrick; Hugenholtz, Philip

2014-06-13

It is known that single-cell genomics is a powerful tool for accessing genetic information from uncultivated microorganisms. Methods of handling samples before single-cell genomic amplification may affect the quality of the genomes obtained. Using three bacterial strains we demonstrate that, compared to cryopreservation, lower-quality single-cell genomes are recovered when the sample is preserved in ethanol or if the sample undergoes fluorescence in situ hybridization, while sample preservation in paraformaldehyde renders it completely unsuitable for sequencing.

ANALYSIS OF ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS IN SAMPLES FROM TURKISH PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY ENDODONTIC INFECTIONS AND FAILED ENDODONTIC TREATMENT BY REAL-TIME PCR SYBR GREEN METHOD

PubMed Central

Ozbek, Selcuk M.; Ozbek, Ahmet; Erdogan, Aziz S.

2009-01-01

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of Enterococcus faecalis in primary endodontic infections and failed endodontic treatments using real-time PCR and to determine the statistical importance of the presence of E. faecalis in a Turkish population with endodontic infections. Material and Methods: E. faecalis was investigated from 79 microbial samples collected from patients who were treated at the Endodontic Clinic of the Dental School of Atatürk University (Erzurum, Turkey). Microbial samples were taken from 43 patients (Group 1) with failed endodontic treatments and 36 patients (Group 2) with chronic apical periodontitis (primary endodontic infections). DNA was extracted from the samples by using a QIAamp® DNA mini-kit and analyzed with real-time PCR SYBR Green. Results: E. faecalis was detected in 41 out of 79 patients, suggesting that it exists in not less than 61% of all endodontic infections when the proportion test (z= -1.645,

Low temperature method for the production of calcium phosphate fillers

PubMed Central

Calafiori, Anna Rita; Marotta, Marcello; Nastro, Alfonso; Martino, Guglielmo

2004-01-01

Background Calcium phosphate manufactured samples, prepared with hydroxyapatite, are used as either spacers or fillers in orthopedic surgery, but these implants have never been used under conditions of mechanical stress. Similar conditions also apply with cements. Many authors have postulated that cements are a useful substitute material when implanted in vivo. The aim of this research is to develop a low cristalline material similar to bone in porosity and cristallinity. Methods Commercial hydroxyapatite (HAp) and monetite (M) powders are mixed with water and compacted to produce cylindrical samples. The material is processed at a temperature of 37–120 degrees C in saturated steam to obtain samples that are osteoconductive. The samples are studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Vickers hardness test (HV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and porosity evaluation. Results The X-ray diffractions of powders from the samples show patterns typical of HAp and M powders. After thermal treatment, no new crystal phase is formed and no increase of the relative intensity of the peaks is obtained. Vicker hardness data do not show any relationship with treatment temperature. The total porosity decreases by 50–60% according to the specific thermal treatment. Scanning electron microscopy of the surfaces of the samples with either HAp 80%-M 20% (c) or Hap 50%-M 50% (f), show cohesion of the powder grains. Conclusions The dissolution-reprecipitation process is more intesive in manufactured samples (c) and (f), according to Vickers hardness data. The process occurs in a steam saturated environment between 37 degrees and 120 degrees C. (c) (f) manufactured samples show pore dimension distributions useful to cellular repopulation in living tissues. PMID:15035671

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric and microbiological analyses on irradiated chicken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parlato, A.; Calderaro, E.; Bartolotta, A.; D'Oca, M. C.; Giuffrida, S. A.; Brai, M.; Tranchina, L.; Agozzino, P.; Avellone, G.; Ferrugia, M.; Di Noto, A. M.; Caracappa, S.

2007-08-01

Ionizing radiation is widely used as treatment technique for food preservation. It involves among others reduction of microbial contamination, disinfestations, sprout inhibition and extension of shelf life of food. However, the commercialization of irradiated food requires the availability of reliable methods to identify irradiated foodstuffs. In this paper, we present results on the application to irradiated chicken of this method, based on the detection, in muscle and skin samples, of the peaks of ions 98 Da and 112 Da, in a ratio approximately 4:1, typical of radiation induced 2-dodecylcyclobutanones (2-DCB). Aim of the work was also to study the time stability of the measured parameters in samples irradiated at 3 and 5 kGy, and to verify the efficacy of the treatment from a microbiological point of view. Our results show that, one month after irradiation at 3 kGy, the method is suitable using the skin but not the muscle, while the measured parameters are detectable in both samples irradiated at 5 kGy. The microbial population was substantially reduced even at 3 kGy.

Improved sample treatment for the determination of fructooligosaccharides in milk related products by liquid chromatography with electrochemical and refractive index detection.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Gómez, R; Jiménez-Díaz, I; Zafra-Gómez, A; Morales, J C

2015-11-01

A simple and reliable method for the determination of the fructooligosaccharides (FOS) kestose (GF2), nystose (GF3), fructofuranosylnystose (GF4), in the presence of fructose, glucose and lactose in dairy products is proposed. The most relevant advantages of the proposed method are the simultaneous determination of the most common FOS in enriched products and a reduction of the time required for sample treatment since the method consists merely in addition of a precipitation solution for the removal of lipids and proteins. Furthermore, the method saves a substantial amount of reagents compared with other methods and sample manipulation is reduced. Two chromatographic separations are proposed. The first one is carried out on an amino phase column for liquid chromatography with refractive index detection (HPLC-RI) (concentration of analytes higher than 0.1 mg mL(-1)) and the second one on an anion-exchange Carbopac PA-1 column for high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) (concentration of FOS lower than 0.1 mg mL(-1)). The method was validated by recovery assays with spiked samples using matrix-matched calibration. The limits of quantification of the method ranged from 1.2 to 2.0 µg mL(-1) for HPAEC-PAD and from 140 to 200 µg mL(-1) for HPLC-RI, while inter- and intra-day variability was under 3.5% in all cases. The proposed method was applied to the determination of compounds in supplemented milk, infant formulas and milk related juices with good recoveries in all cases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishing the feasibility of direct observation in the assessment of tics in children with chronic tic disorders.

PubMed

Himle, Michael B; Chang, Susanna; Woods, Douglas W; Pearlman, Amanda; Buzzella, Brian; Bunaciu, Liviu; Piacentini, John C

2006-01-01

Behavior analysis has been at the forefront in establishing effective treatments for children and adults with chronic tic disorders. As is customary in behavior analysis, the efficacy of these treatments has been established using direct-observation assessment methods. Although behavior-analytic treatments have enjoyed acceptance and integration into mainstream health care practices for tic disorders (e.g., psychiatry and neurology), the use of direct observation as a primary assessment tool has been neglected in favor of less objective methods. Hesitation to use direct observation appears to stem largely from concerns about the generalizability of clinic observations to other settings (e.g., home) and a lack of consensus regarding the most appropriate and feasible techniques for conducting and scoring direct observation. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate and establish a reliable, valid, and feasible direct-observation protocol capable of being transported to research and clinical settings. A total of 43 children with tic disorders, collected from two outpatient specialty clinics, were assessed using direct (videotape samples) and indirect (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale; YGTSS) methods. Videotaped observation samples were collected across 3 consecutive weeks and two different settings (clinic and home), were scored using both exact frequency counts and partial-interval coding, and were compared to data from a common indirect measure of tic severity (the YGTSS). In addition, various lengths of videotaped segments were scored to determine the optimal observation length. Results show that (a) clinic-based observations correspond well to home-based observations, (b) brief direct-observation segments scored with time-sampling methods reliably quantified tics, and (c) indirect methods did not consistently correspond with the direct methods.

Comparing concentration methods: parasitrap® versus Kato-Katz for studying the prevalence of Helminths in Bengo province, Angola.

PubMed

Mirante, Clara; Clemente, Isabel; Zambu, Graciette; Alexandre, Catarina; Ganga, Teresa; Mayer, Carlos; Brito, Miguel

2016-09-01

Helminth intestinal parasitoses are responsible for high levels of child mortality and morbidity. Hence, the capacity to diagnose these parasitoses and consequently ensure due treatment represents a factor of great importance. The main objective of this study involves comparing two methods of concentration, parasitrap and Kato-Katz, for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitoses in faecal samples. Sample processing made recourse to two different concentration methods: the commercial parasitrap® method and the Kato-Katz method. We correspondingly collected a total of 610 stool samples from pre-school and school age children. The results demonstrate the incidence of helminth parasites in 32.8% or 32.3% of the sample collected depending on whether the concentration method applied was either the parasitrap method or the Kato-Katz method. We detected a relatively high percentage of samples testing positive for two or more species of helminth parasites. We would highlight that in searching for larvae the Kato-Katz method does not prove as appropriate as the parasitrap method. Both techniques prove easily applicable even in field working conditions and returning mutually agreeing results. This study concludes in favour of the need for deworming programs and greater public awareness among the rural populations of Angola.

Occurrence and distribution of oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants in different treatment stages of a sewage treatment plant.

PubMed

Liang, Kang; Shi, Fengqiong; Liu, Jingfu

2018-01-01

Oligomeric organophosphate esters (OOPEs) like 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)-propane-1,3-diyltetrakis (2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate (V6), resorcinol bis(diphenylphosphate) (RDP) and bisphenol A bis(diphenylphosphate) (BDP), are widely used as alternatives of Deca-BDE in plastic and electronic consumer products. However, studies on the environmental occurrence and fate of OOPEs are very scarce. This work studied the occurrence, distribution and fate of V6, BDP and RDP during the different treatment stages of a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Beijing, China. To accomplish this, a method to analyze trace V6, BDP and RDP in suspended solids samples and aqueous samples of sewage and sludge was developed by using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Using this method, BDP and RDP were detected for the first time in suspended solids of sewage and sludge with a concentration of 2.06-5.82 ng/g dry weight and 0.44-3.45 ng/g dry weight, respectively, whereas their concentration level in the aqueous phase of these samples were below the detection limits of the method. However, V6 was detected in all treatment stages of the STP, with concentrations in the range of 10.2-27.1 ng/L in aqueous phase and 0.40-1.73 ng/g dw in solid phase. Mass balance results indicated that 75.6% of the original V6 mass flow was discharged along with effluent, while 83.3% and 72.2% of the initial RDP and BDP mass flow were lost due to biodegradation, respectively. Nevertheless, compared to the 14 widely used monomeric organophosphate esters (MOPEs), the concentration levels of OOPEs in this studied STP were relatively low. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of iodine in bread and fish using the iodide ion-selective electrode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steiner, J.B.

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for use of the ion-selective electrode (ISE) as a method for measuring the iodine content in bread and fish. Ashing methods, sample preparation and electrode responses were evaluated. The iodine values obtained using the iodide electrode were compared to iodine values obtained by the arsenic-cerium method (As-Ce). Ashing methods were used in preparing bread and haddock for iodine analysis by the ISE. The values were compared to unashed samples measured by the ISE. Electrode response to iodide was examined by varying the sample pH, measuring electrode equilibrium times, and comparingmore » direct measurement in ppm to iodide values obtained by the method of known addition. Oyster reference tissue with a known iodine concentration was used to determine rates of recovery. For the As-Ce procedure, an alkaline dry ash for two hour followed by colorimetric analysis at 320 nm was recommended. The study showed that the pre-treatment of bread and fish was necessary for ISE measurement. The iodine values obtained by the ISE in the analysis of oyster reference tissue, haddock and bread were not in agreement with their corresponding As-Ce values. Further work needs to be done to determine an ashing procedure that has minimal iodide loss an/or develop sample treatments that will improve the reliability and precision of iodine values obtained using the ion-selective electrode.« less

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE): comparison of the performance in classification of ecstasy tablets. Part 2.

PubMed

Bonadio, Federica; Margot, Pierre; Delémont, Olivier; Esseiva, Pierre

2008-11-20

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) is assessed as an alternative to liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) currently used for 3,4-methylenedioxymethampethamine (MDMA) profiling. Both methods were compared evaluating their performance in discriminating and classifying samples. For this purpose 62 different seizures were analysed using both extraction techniques followed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). A previously validated method provided data for HS-SPME, whereas LLE data were collected applying a harmonized methodology developed and used in the European project CHAMP. After suitable pre-treatment, similarities between sample pairs were studied using the Pearson correlation. Both methods enable to distinguish between samples coming from the same pre-tabletting batches and samples coming from different pre-tabletting batches. This finding emphasizes the use of HS-SPME as an effective alternative to LLE, with additional advantages such as sample preparation and a solvent-free process.

Dried blood spot assay for the quantification of phenytoin using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Villanelli, Fabio; Giocaliere, Elisa; Malvagia, Sabrina; Rosati, Anna; Forni, Giulia; Funghini, Silvia; Shokry, Engy; Ombrone, Daniela; Della Bona, Maria Luisa; Guerrini, Renzo; la Marca, Giancarlo

2015-02-02

Phenytoin (PHT) is one of the most commonly used anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorders. The large amount of plasma required by conventional methods for drug quantification makes mass spectrometry combined with dried blood spot (DBS) sampling crucial for pediatric patients where therapeutic drug monitoring or pharmacokinetic studies may be difficult to realize. DBS represents a new convenient sampling support requiring minimally invasive blood drawing and providing long-term stability of samples and less expensive shipment and storage. The aim of this study was to develop a LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of PHT on DBS. This analytical method was validated and gave good linearity (r(2)=0.999) in the range of 0-100mg/l. LOQ and LOD were 1.0mg/l and 0.3mg/l, respectively. The drug extraction from paper was performed in a few minutes using a mixture composed of organic solvent for 80%. The recovery ranged from 85 to 90%; PHT in DBS showed to be stable at different storage temperatures for one month. A good correlation was also obtained between PHT plasma and DBS concentrations. This method is both precise and accurate and appears to be particularly suitable to monitor treatment with a simple and convenient sample collection procedure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topochemical Analysis of Cell Wall Components by TOF-SIMS.

PubMed

Aoki, Dan; Fukushima, Kazuhiko

2017-01-01

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is a recently developing analytical tool and a type of imaging mass spectrometry. TOF-SIMS provides mass spectral information with a lateral resolution on the order of submicrons, with widespread applicability. Sometimes, it is described as a surface analysis method without the requirement for sample pretreatment; however, several points need to be taken into account for the complete utilization of the capabilities of TOF-SIMS. In this chapter, we introduce methods for TOF-SIMS sample treatments, as well as basic knowledge of wood samples TOF-SIMS spectral and image data analysis.

[Determination of bisphenol A, tetrabromobisphenol A and alkylphenols in water samples of sewage treatment plant using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Ding, Jie; Zhang, Shenghu; Liu, Jining; Zhou, Linjun; Chen, Guosong; Shi, Lili

2014-05-01

Bisphenol A, tetrabromobisphenol A and alkylphenols have received much attention in recent years because of their endocrine disrupting effects to aquatic ecosystem. The fate of these compounds in sewage treatment plant which is important to deal with this kind of compounds has significance on the study of exposure levels of the target compounds in the environment, and the development of analytical method is the basis on the above study. An analytical method based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) with negative ionization mode has been developed for measuring bisphenol A, tetrabromobisphenol A and six alkylphenols in raw and treated sewage samples. The target compounds were separated on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (150 mm x 2.1 mm, 3.5 microm) with mobile phases of acetonitril and 0.02% (v/v) ammonia. Analyte confirmations were performed under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode and the eight compounds were separated within 11 min. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 1 - 100 microg/L (R2 > or = 0.998). The quantification limits of the eight compounds were 2.0 - 20 ng/L. The recovery experiments were performed with samples spiked at the levels of 0.2, 2 and 20 microg/L, and the recoveries for the target compounds were in the range of 64.3%-118.0%, 65.9% - 100.5% and 70.3%-102.7% (RSD < 7.1%, n = 3), respectively. Based on the analytical method, the raw and treated sewage samples from an industrial park of Jiangsu Province were analyzed. Five compounds were detected in the water outlet in the range of 11.9-3 015.3 ng/L. It shows that the method is simple, selective, sensitive and can be used to analyze the water samples of sewage treatment plant containing alkylphenols.

A Comparison of Analytical and Data Preprocessing Methods for Spectral Fingerprinting

PubMed Central

LUTHRIA, DEVANAND L.; MUKHOPADHYAY, SUDARSAN; LIN, LONG-ZE; HARNLY, JAMES M.

2013-01-01

Spectral fingerprinting, as a method of discriminating between plant cultivars and growing treatments for a common set of broccoli samples, was compared for six analytical instruments. Spectra were acquired for finely powdered solid samples using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier transform near-infrared (NIR) spectrometry. Spectra were also acquired for unfractionated aqueous methanol extracts of the powders using molecular absorption in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible (VIS) regions and mass spectrometry with negative (MS−) and positive (MS+) ionization. The spectra were analyzed using nested one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA) to statistically evaluate the quality of discrimination. All six methods showed statistically significant differences between the cultivars and treatments. The significance of the statistical tests was improved by the judicious selection of spectral regions (IR and NIR), masses (MS+ and MS−), and derivatives (IR, NIR, UV, and VIS). PMID:21352644

Using Non-experimental Data to Estimate Treatment Effects

PubMed Central

Stuart, Elizabeth A.; Marcus, Sue M.; Horvitz-Lennon, Marcela V.; Gibbons, Robert D.; Normand, Sharon-Lise T.

2009-01-01

While much psychiatric research is based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs), where patients are randomly assigned to treatments, sometimes RCTs are not feasible. This paper describes propensity score approaches, which are increasingly used for estimating treatment effects in non-experimental settings. The primary goal of propensity score methods is to create sets of treated and comparison subjects who look as similar as possible, in essence replicating a randomized experiment, at least with respect to observed patient characteristics. A study to estimate the metabolic effects of antipsychotic medication in a sample of Florida Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia illustrates methods. PMID:20563313

Evaluation of rapid and simple techniques for the enrichment of viruses prior to metagenomic virus discovery.

PubMed

Hall, Richard J; Wang, Jing; Todd, Angela K; Bissielo, Ange B; Yen, Seiha; Strydom, Hugo; Moore, Nicole E; Ren, Xiaoyun; Huang, Q Sue; Carter, Philip E; Peacey, Matthew

2014-01-01

The discovery of new or divergent viruses using metagenomics and high-throughput sequencing has become more commonplace. The preparation of a sample is known to have an effect on the representation of virus sequences within the metagenomic dataset yet comparatively little attention has been given to this. Physical enrichment techniques are often applied to samples to increase the number of viral sequences and therefore enhance the probability of detection. With the exception of virus ecology studies, there is a paucity of information available to researchers on the type of sample preparation required for a viral metagenomic study that seeks to identify an aetiological virus in an animal or human diagnostic sample. A review of published virus discovery studies revealed the most commonly used enrichment methods, that were usually quick and simple to implement, namely low-speed centrifugation, filtration, nuclease-treatment (or combinations of these) which have been routinely used but often without justification. These were applied to a simple and well-characterised artificial sample composed of bacterial and human cells, as well as DNA (adenovirus) and RNA viruses (influenza A and human enterovirus), being either non-enveloped capsid or enveloped viruses. The effect of the enrichment method was assessed by both quantitative real-time PCR and metagenomic analysis that incorporated an amplification step. Reductions in the absolute quantities of bacteria and human cells were observed for each method as determined by qPCR, but the relative abundance of viral sequences in the metagenomic dataset remained largely unchanged. A 3-step method of centrifugation, filtration and nuclease-treatment showed the greatest increase in the proportion of viral sequences. This study provides a starting point for the selection of a purification method in future virus discovery studies, and highlights the need for more data to validate the effect of enrichment methods on different sample types, amplification, bioinformatics approaches and sequencing platforms. This study also highlights the potential risks that may attend selection of a virus enrichment method without any consideration for the sample type being investigated. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

OXYGEN-18 STUDY OF SO2 OXIDATION IN RAINWATER BY PEROXIDES

EPA Science Inventory

A new analytical method was developed for the determination of oxygen isotope ratios in peroxides in rainwater. In the method, rainwater samples were quantitatively degassed of dissolved air by a combined treatment of evacuation, ultrasonic agitation, and helium sparging (VUS), f...

The effects of water sample treatment, preparation, and storage prior to cyanotoxin analysis for cylindrospermopsin, microcystin and saxitoxin.

PubMed

Kamp, Lisa; Church, Jennifer L; Carpino, Justin; Faltin-Mara, Erin; Rubio, Fernando

2016-02-25

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms occur in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, and reservoirs, and in brackish waters throughout the world. The wide variety of cyanotoxins and their congeners can lead to frequent exposure of humans through consumption of meat, fish, seafood, blue-green algal products and water, accidental ingestion of contaminated water and cyanobacterial scum during recreational activities, and inhalation of cyanobacterial aerosols. Cyanotoxins can also occur in the drinking water supply. In order to monitor human exposure, sensitive analytical methods such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry are often used. Regardless of the analytical method of choice, some problems regularly occur during sample collection, treatment, storage, and preparation which cause toxin loss and therefore underestimation of the true concentration. To evaluate the potential influence of sample treatment, storage and preparation materials on surface and drinking water samples, the effects of different types of materials on toxin recovery were compared. Collection and storage materials included glass and various types of plastics. It was found that microcystin congeners LA and LF adsorbed to polystyrene, polypropylene, high density polyethylene and polycarbonate storage containers, leading to low recoveries (<70%), cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxin did not adsorb to the containers tested. Therefore, this study shows that glass or polyethylene terephthalate glycol containers are the materials of choice for collection and storage of samples containing the cyanotoxins cylindrospermopsin, microcystins, and saxitoxin. This study also demonstrated that after 15 min chlorine decreased the concentration of microcystin LR to <40%, microcystin LA and saxitoxin to <15%, therefore quenching of drinking water samples immediately upon sample collection is critical for accurate analysis. In addition, the effect of various drinking water treatment chemicals on toxin recovery and the behavior of those chemicals in the enzyme linked immunosorbent assays were also studied and are summarized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface and treated waters of Louisiana, USA and Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Boyd, Glen R; Reemtsma, Helge; Grimm, Deborah A; Mitra, Siddhartha

2003-07-20

A newly developed analytical method was used to measure concentrations of nine pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in samples from two surface water bodies, a sewage treatment plant effluent and various stages of a drinking water treatment plant in Louisiana, USA, and from one surface water body, a drinking water treatment plant and a pilot plant in Ontario, Canada. The analytical method provides for simultaneous extraction and quantification of the following broad range of PPCPs and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: naproxen; ibuprofen; estrone; 17beta-estradiol; bisphenol A; clorophene; triclosan; fluoxetine; and clofibric acid. Naproxen was detected in Louisiana sewage treatment plant effluent at 81-106 ng/l and Louisiana and Ontario surface waters at 22-107 ng/l. Triclosan was detected in Louisiana sewage treatment plant effluent at 10-21 ng/l. Of the three surface waters sampled, clofibric acid was detected in Detroit River water at 103 ng/l, but not in Mississippi River or Lake Pontchartrain waters. None of the other target analytes were detected above their method detection limits. Based on results at various stages of treatment, conventional drinking-water treatment processes (coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation) plus continuous addition of powdered activated carbon at a dosage of 2 mg/l did not remove naproxen from Mississippi River waters. However, chlorination, ozonation and dual media filtration processes reduced the concentration of naproxen below detection in Mississippi River and Detroit River waters and reduced clofibric acid in Detroit River waters. Results of this study demonstrate that existing water treatment technologies can effectively remove certain PPCPs. In addition, our study demonstrates the importance of obtaining data on removal mechanisms and byproducts associated with PPCPs and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals in drinking water and sewage treatment processes.

A cost-benefit analysis of methods for the determination of biomass concentration in wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Hernandez, J E; Bachmann, R T; Edyvean, R G J

2006-01-01

The measurement of biomass concentration is important in biological wastewater treatment. This paper compares the accuracy and costs of the traditional volatile suspended solids (VSS) and the proposed suspended organic carbon (SOC) methods. VSS and SOC values of a dilution system were very well correlated (R(2)=0.9995). VSS and SOC of 16 samples were determined, the mean SOC/VSS ratio (0.52, n=16, sigma=0.01) was close to the theoretical value (0.53). For costing analysis, two hypothetical cases were analysed. In case A, it is assumed that 108 samples are analysed annually from two continuous reactors. Case B represents a batch experiment to be carried out in 24 incubated serum bottles. The savings, when using the SOC method, were 11,987 pounds for case A and 90 pounds for case B. This study suggests the use of SOC method as a time saving and lower cost biomass concentration measurement.

Depression Treatment Among Rural Older Adults: Preferences and Factors Influencing Future Service Use

PubMed Central

Kitchen, Katherine A.; McKibbin, Christine L.; Wykes, Thomas L.; Lee, Aaron A.; Carrico, Catherine P.; McConnell, Katelynn A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate depression treatment preferences and anticipated service use in a sample of adults aged 55 years or older who reside in rural Wyoming. Sixteen participants (mean age = 59) completed 30- to 60-minute, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative methods were used to characterize common themes. Social/provider support and community gatekeepers were perceived by participants as important potential facilitators for seeking depression treatment. In contrast, perceived stigma and the value placed on self-sufficiency emerged as key barriers to seeking treatment for depression in this rural, young-old sample. Participants anticipated presenting for treatment in the primary care sector and preferred a combination of medication and psychotherapy for treatment. Participants were, however, more willing to see mental health professionals if they were first referred by a clergy member or primary care physician. PMID:24409008

Buprenorphine Treatment for Probationers and Parolees

PubMed Central

Gordon, Michael S.; Kinlock, Timothy W.; Schwartz, Robert P.; Couvillion, Kathryn A.; Sudec, Laura J.; O’Grady, Kevin E.; Vocci, Frank J.; Shabazz, Hamin

2014-01-01

Background Pharmacotherapy studies involving buprenorphine have rarely been conducted with US community corrections populations. This is one of the first reports of buprenorphine treatment outcomes of adult opioid-dependent probationers and parolees. Methods This longitudinal study examined the 3-month treatment outcomes for a sample of probation and parole clients (N=64) who received community-based buprenorphine treatment. Results Approximately two-thirds of the sample (67%) were still in treatment at three months post-baseline. Furthermore, there was a significant decline in the number of self-reported heroin use days and crime days from baseline to three months post-baseline. While there was not a significant reduction in reincarcerations, there was no evidence that they had increased. Conclusions Given that buprenorphine is approved by the FDA as a safe, effective treatment for opioid use disorders, individuals on parole or probation should have the opportunity to benefit from it through community-based programs. PMID:24701967

The efficiency of concentration methods used to detect enteric viruses in anaerobically digested sludge

PubMed Central

Prado, Tatiana; Guilayn, Wilma de Carvalho Pereira Bonet; Gaspar, Ana Maria Coimbra; Miagostovich, Marize Pereira

2013-01-01

The presence of enteric viruses in biosolids can be underestimated due to the inefficient methods (mainly molecular methods) used to recover the viruses from these matrices. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the different methods used to recover adenoviruses (AdV), rotavirus species A (RVA), norovirus genogroup II (NoV GII) and the hepatitis A virus (HAV) from biosolid samples at a large urban wastewater treatment plant in Brazil after they had been treated by mesophilic anaerobic digestion. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for spiking experiments to compare the detection limits of feasible methods, such as beef extract elution and ultracentrifugation. Tests were performed to detect the inhibition levels and the bacteriophage PP7 was used as an internal control. The results showed that the inhibitors affected the efficiency of the PCR reaction and that beef extract elution is a suitable method for detecting enteric viruses, mainly AdV from biosolid samples. All of the viral groups were detected in the biosolid samples: AdV (90%), RVA, NoV GII (45%) and HAV (18%), indicating the viruses' resistance to the anaerobic treatment process. This is the first study in Brazil to detect the presence of RVA, AdV, NoV GII and HAV in anaerobically digested sludge, highlighting the importance of adequate waste management. PMID:23440119

Use of Occult Blood Detection Cards for Real-Time PCR-Based Diagnosis of Schistosoma Mansoni Infection

PubMed Central

Schunk, Mirjam; Kebede Mekonnen, Seleshi; Wondafrash, Beyene; Mengele, Carolin; Fleischmann, Erna; Herbinger, Karl-Heinz; Verweij, Jaco J.; Geldmacher, Christof; Bretzel, Gisela; Löscher, Thomas; Zeynudin, Ahmed

2015-01-01

Background In Schistosoma mansoni infection, diagnosis and control after treatment mainly rely on parasitological stool investigations which are laborious and have limited sensitivity. PCR methods have shown equal or superior sensitivity but preservation and storage methods limit their use in the field. Therefore, the use of occult blood detection cards (fecal cards) for easy sampling and storage of fecal samples for further PCR testing was evaluated in a pilot study. Methodology Stool specimens were collected in a highly endemic area for S. mansoni in Ethiopia and submitted in an investigator-blinded fashion to microscopic examination by Kato-Katz thick smear as well as to real-time PCR using either fresh frozen stool samples or stool smears on fecal cards which have been stored at ambient temperature for up to ten months. Principal Findings Out of 55 stool samples, 35 were positive by microscopy, 33 and 32 were positive by PCR of frozen samples and of fecal card samples, respectively. When microscopy was used as diagnostic “gold standard”, the sensitivity of PCR on fresh stool was 94.3% (95%-CI: 86.6; 100) and on fecal cards 91.4% (95%-CI: 82.2; 100). Conclusions The use of fecal cards proved to be a simple and useful method for stool collection and prolonged storage prior to PCR based diagnosis of S. mansoni infection. This technique may be a valuable approach for large scale surveillance and post treatment assessments PMID:26360049

Use of Occult Blood Detection Cards for Real-Time PCR-Based Diagnosis of Schistosoma Mansoni Infection.

PubMed

Schunk, Mirjam; Kebede Mekonnen, Seleshi; Wondafrash, Beyene; Mengele, Carolin; Fleischmann, Erna; Herbinger, Karl-Heinz; Verweij, Jaco J; Geldmacher, Christof; Bretzel, Gisela; Löscher, Thomas; Zeynudin, Ahmed

2015-01-01

In Schistosoma mansoni infection, diagnosis and control after treatment mainly rely on parasitological stool investigations which are laborious and have limited sensitivity. PCR methods have shown equal or superior sensitivity but preservation and storage methods limit their use in the field. Therefore, the use of occult blood detection cards (fecal cards) for easy sampling and storage of fecal samples for further PCR testing was evaluated in a pilot study. Stool specimens were collected in a highly endemic area for S. mansoni in Ethiopia and submitted in an investigator-blinded fashion to microscopic examination by Kato-Katz thick smear as well as to real-time PCR using either fresh frozen stool samples or stool smears on fecal cards which have been stored at ambient temperature for up to ten months. Out of 55 stool samples, 35 were positive by microscopy, 33 and 32 were positive by PCR of frozen samples and of fecal card samples, respectively. When microscopy was used as diagnostic "gold standard", the sensitivity of PCR on fresh stool was 94.3% (95%-CI: 86.6; 100) and on fecal cards 91.4% (95%-CI: 82.2; 100). The use of fecal cards proved to be a simple and useful method for stool collection and prolonged storage prior to PCR based diagnosis of S. mansoni infection. This technique may be a valuable approach for large scale surveillance and post treatment assessments.

Effects of texturization due to chemical etching and laser on the optical properties of multicrystalline silicon for applications in solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vera, D.; Mass, J.; Manotas, M.; Cabanzo, R.; Mejia, E.

2016-02-01

In this work we carried out the texturization of surfaces of multicrystalline silicon type-p in order to decrease the reflection of light on the surface, using the chemical etching method and then a treatment with laser. In the first method, it was immersed in solutions of HF:HNO3:H2O, HF:HNO3:CH3COOH, HF:HNO3:H3PO4, in the proportion 14:01:05, during 30 seconds, 1, 2 and 3 minutes. Subsequently with a laser (ND:YAG) grids were generated beginning with parallel lines separated 50μm. The samples were analyzed by means of diffuse spectroscopy (UV-VIS) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM) before and after the laser treatment. The lowest result of reflectance obtained by HF:HNO3:H2O during 30 seconds, was of 15.5%. However, after applying the treatment with laser the reflectance increased to 17.27%. On the other hand, the samples treated (30 seconds) with acetic acid and phosphoric acid as diluents gives as a result a decrease in the reflectance values after applying the laser treatment from 21.97% to 17.79% and from 27.73% to 20.03% respectively. The above indicates that in some cases it is possible to decrease the reflectance using jointly the method of chemical etching and then a laser treatment.

Reduction of aflatoxin in rice by different cooking methods.

PubMed

Sani, Ali Mohamadi; Azizi, Eisa Gholampour; Salehi, Esmaeel Ataye; Rahimi, Khadije

2014-07-01

Rice (Oryza sativa Linn) is one of the basic diets in the north of Iran. The aim of present study was to detect total aflatoxin (AFT) in domestic and imported rice in Amol (in the north of Iran) and to evaluate the effect of different cooking methods on the levels of the toxin. For this purpose, 42 rice samples were collected from retail stores. The raw samples were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique for toxin assessment and then submitted to two different cooking methods including traditional local method and in rice cooker. After treatment, AFT was determined. Results show that the average concentration of AFT in domestic and imported samples was 1.08 ± 0.02 and 1.89 ± 0.87 ppb, respectively, which is lower than national and European Union standards. The highest AFT reduction (24.8%) was observed when rice samples were cooked by rice cooker but the difference with local method was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). © The Author(s) 2012.

The choice of sample size: a mixed Bayesian / frequentist approach.

PubMed

Pezeshk, Hamid; Nematollahi, Nader; Maroufy, Vahed; Gittins, John

2009-04-01

Sample size computations are largely based on frequentist or classical methods. In the Bayesian approach the prior information on the unknown parameters is taken into account. In this work we consider a fully Bayesian approach to the sample size determination problem which was introduced by Grundy et al. and developed by Lindley. This approach treats the problem as a decision problem and employs a utility function to find the optimal sample size of a trial. Furthermore, we assume that a regulatory authority, which is deciding on whether or not to grant a licence to a new treatment, uses a frequentist approach. We then find the optimal sample size for the trial by maximising the expected net benefit, which is the expected benefit of subsequent use of the new treatment minus the cost of the trial.

Application of mass spectrometry based electronic nose and chemometrics for fingerprinting radiation treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Sumit; Variyar, Prasad S.; Sharma, Arun

2015-01-01

Volatile compounds were isolated from apples and grapes employing solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and subsequently analyzed by GC/MS equipped with a transfer line without stationary phase. Single peak obtained was integrated to obtain total mass spectrum of the volatile fraction of samples. A data matrix having relative abundance of all mass-to-charge ratios was subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to identify radiation treatment. PCA results suggested that there is sufficient variability between control and irradiated samples to build classification models based on supervised techniques. LDA successfully aided in segregating control from irradiated samples at all doses (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 kGy). SPME-MS with chemometrics was successfully demonstrated as simple screening method for radiation treatment.

Sample preparation for the analysis of isoflavones from soybeans and soy foods.

PubMed

Rostagno, M A; Villares, A; Guillamón, E; García-Lafuente, A; Martínez, J A

2009-01-02

This manuscript provides a review of the actual state and the most recent advances as well as current trends and future prospects in sample preparation and analysis for the quantification of isoflavones from soybeans and soy foods. Individual steps of the procedures used in sample preparation, including sample conservation, extraction techniques and methods, and post-extraction treatment procedures are discussed. The most commonly used methods for extraction of isoflavones with both conventional and "modern" techniques are examined in detail. These modern techniques include ultrasound-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, supercritical fluid extraction and microwave-assisted extraction. Other aspects such as stability during extraction and analysis by high performance liquid chromatography are also covered.

Does ibuprofen treatment in patent ductus arteriosus alter oxygen free radicals in premature infants?

PubMed

Akar, Melek; Yildirim, Tulin G; Sandal, Gonca; Bozdag, Senol; Erdeve, Omer; Altug, Nahide; Uras, Nurdan; Oguz, Serife S; Dilmen, Ugur

2017-04-01

Introduction Ibuprofen is used widely to close patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants. The anti-inflammatory activity of ibuprofen may also be partly due to its ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. We evaluated the interaction between oxidative status and the medical treatment of patent ductus arteriosus with two forms of ibuprofen. Materials and methods This study enrolled newborns of gestational age ⩽32 weeks, birth weight ⩽1500 g, and postnatal age 48-96 hours, who received either intravenous or oral ibuprofen to treat patent ductus arteriosus. Venous blood was sampled before ibuprofen treatment from each patient to determine antioxidant and oxidant concentrations. Secondary samples were collected 24 hours after the end of the treatment. Total oxidant status and total antioxidant capacity were measured using Erel's method. This prospective randomised study enrolled 102 preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus. The patent ductus arteriosus closure rate was significantly higher in the oral ibuprofen group (84.6 versus 62%) after the first course of treatment (p=0.011). No significant difference was found between the pre- and post-treatment total oxidant status and total antioxidant capacity in the groups. Discussion Ibuprofen treatment does not change the total oxidant status or total antioxidant capacity. We believe that the effect of ibuprofen treatment in inducing ischaemia overcomes the scavenging effect of ibuprofen.

Tests of a High Temperature Sample Conditioner for the Waste Treatment Plant LV-S2, LV-S3, HV-S3A and HV-S3B Exhaust Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flaherty, Julia E.; Glissmeyer, John A.

2015-03-18

Tests were performed to evaluate a sample conditioning unit for stack monitoring at Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) exhaust stacks with elevated air temperatures. The LV-S2, LV-S3, HV-S3A and HV-S3B exhaust stacks are expected to have elevated air temperature and dew point. At these emission points, exhaust temperatures are too high to deliver the air sample directly to the required stack monitoring equipment. As a result, a sample conditioning system is considered to cool and dry the air prior to its delivery to the stack monitoring system. The method proposed for the sample conditioning is a dilutionmore » system that will introduce cooler, dry air to the air sample stream. This method of sample conditioning is meant to reduce the sample temperature while avoiding condensation of moisture in the sample stream. An additional constraint is that the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard states that at least 50% of the 10 μm aerodynamic diameter (AD) particles present in the stack free stream must be delivered to the sample collector. In other words, depositional loss of particles should be limited to 50% in the sampling, transport, and conditioning systems. Based on estimates of particle penetration through the LV-S3 sampling system, the diluter should perform with about 80% penetration or better to ensure that the total sampling system passes the 50% or greater penetration criterion.« less

A Tool for Estimating Variability in Wood Preservative Treatment Retention

Treesearch

Patricia K. Lebow; Adam M. Taylor; Timothy M. Young

2015-01-01

Composite sampling is standard practice for evaluation of preservative retention levels in preservative-treated wood. Current protocols provide an average retention value but no estimate of uncertainty. Here we describe a statistical method for calculating uncertainty estimates using the standard sampling regime with minimal additional chemical analysis. This tool can...

Human Health Screening and Public Health Significance of Contaminants of Emerging Concern Detected in Public Water Supplies

EPA Science Inventory

The source water and treated drinking water from twenty five drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) across the United States were sampled in 2010 – 2012. Samples were analyzed for 247 contaminants using 15 chemical and microbiological methods. Most of these contaminants are no...

The importance of quality control in validating concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern in source and treated drinking water samples.

EPA Science Inventory

A national-scale survey of 247 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including organic and inorganic chemical compounds, and microbial contaminants, was conducted in source and treated drinking water samples from 25 treatment plants across the United States. Multiple methods w...

Exploratory and Confirmatory Analysis of the Trauma Practices Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Carlton D.; Sprang, Ginny

2009-01-01

Objective: The present study provides psychometric data for the Trauma Practices Questionnaire (TPQ). Method: A nationally randomized sample of 2,400 surveys was sent to self-identified trauma treatment specialists, and 711 (29.6%) were returned. Results: An exploratory factor analysis (N = 319) conducted on a randomly split sample (RSS) revealed…

ADHD Medication Use in a Population-Based Sample of Twins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reich, Wendy; Huang, Hongyan; Todd, Richard D.

2006-01-01

Objective: To determine treatment patterns for youth attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a general population sample of 1,610 twins. Method: Twin pairs ages 7 to 17 years and parents ascertained from birth records in the state of Missouri were interviewed using the Missouri Assessment of Genetics Interview for Children…

Detection of triclocarban and two co-contaminating chlorocarbanilides in US aquatic environments using isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Sapkota, Amir; Heidler, Jochen; Halden, Rolf U

2007-01-01

The antimicrobial compound triclocarban (TCC; 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide; CAS# 101-20-2) is a high-production-volume chemical, recently suggested to cause widespread contamination of US water resources. To test this hypothesis, we developed an isotope dilution liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method for ultratrace analysis of TCC (0.9 ng/L detection limit) and analyzed low-volume water samples (200 mL) along with primary sludge samples from across the United States. All river water samples (100%) collected downstream of wastewater treatment plants had detectable levels of TCC, as compared to 56% of those taken upstream. Concentrations of TCC (mean+/-standard deviation) downstream of sewage treatment plants (84+/-110 ng/L) were significantly higher (P<0.05; Wilcoxon rank sum test) than those of samples taken upstream (12+/-15 ng/L). Compared to surface water, mean TCC concentrations found in dried, primary sludge obtained from municipal sewage treatment plants in five states were six orders of magnitude greater (19,300+/-7100 microg/kg). Several river samples contained a co-contaminant, identified based on its chromatographic retention time, molecular base ion, and MS/MS fragmentation behavior as 4,4'-dichlorocarbanilide (DCC; CAS# 1219-99-4). In addition to TCC and DCC, municipal sludge contained a second co-contaminant, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorocarbanilide (TetraCC; CAS# 4300-43-0). Both newly detected compounds were present as impurities (0.2%(w/w) each) in technical grade TCC (99%). Application of the new method for chlorocarbanilide analysis yielded TCC occurrence data for 13 US states, confirmed the role of sewage treatment plants as environmental inputs of TCC, and identified DCC and TetraCC as previously unrecognized pollutants released into the environment alongside TCC.

The Use of Dried Blood Spots for Pharmacokinetic Monitoring of Vemurafenib Treatment in Melanoma Patients.

PubMed

Nijenhuis, Cynthia M; Huitema, Alwin D R; Marchetti, Serena; Blank, Christian; Haanen, John B A G; van Thienen, Johannes V; Rosing, Hilde; Schellens, Jan H M; Beijnen, Jos H

2016-10-01

Pharmacokinetic monitoring is increasingly becoming an important part of clinical care of tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. Vemurafenib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits mutated serine/threonine protein kinase B-Raf (BRAF) and is approved for the treatment of adult patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between dried blood spot (DBS) and plasma concentrations of vemurafenib to enable the use of DBS sampling, which is a minimally invasive form of sample collection. In total, 43 paired plasma and DBS samples (in duplicate) were obtained from 8 melanoma patients on vemurafenib therapy and were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma concentrations were predicted from the DBS concentrations using 2 methods: (1) individual hematocrit correction and blood cell-to-plasma partitioning and (2) the calculated slope explaining the relationship between DBS and plasma concentrations (without individual hematocrit correction). Vemurafenib DBS concentrations and plasma concentrations showed a strong correlation (r = 0.964), and the relationship could be described by ([vemurafenib]plasma = [vemurafenib]DBS /0.64). The predicted plasma concentrations were within ±20% of the analyzed plasma concentrations in 97% and 100% of the samples for the methods with and without hematocrit correction, respectively. In conclusion, DBS concentrations and plasma concentrations of vemurafenib are highly correlated. Plasma concentrations can be predicted from DBS concentration using the blood cell-to-plasma partition and the average hematocrit value of this cohort (0.40 L/L). DBS sampling for pharmacokinetic monitoring of vemurafenib treatment can be used in clinical practice. © 2016, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Shockwave-Loading-Induced Enhancement of T c in Superconducting Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8+δ

DOE PAGES

Liu, Tiansheng; He, Chao; Wang, Fengying; ...

2017-07-27

Here, we report a shockwave method for altering the properties of the superconductor material Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8+δ (Bi2212). We find that the superconducting transition temperature (T c) increases from 84 K for the pristine sample to 94 K for the sample treated at a temperature and pressure of ~1200 K and ~31 GPa, respectively. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy characterizations indicate that this T c enhancement arises from a phase transition from pristine Bi2212 to a mixture of superconducting Bi2212 and semiconducting Bi 2Sr 2CuO 6+δ (Bi2201) during the shockwave treatment. The shockwave-treated sample exhibits n-type semiconductormore » properties (with an on-off ratio ~5), in contrast to the pure metallic pristine sample. This study offers an alternative route for modifying the superconducting properties via a shockwave treatment. Furthermore, this method may provide a new approach for studying other temperature- and pressure-sensitive materials.« less

Electrical transport property, thermal stability and oxidation resistance of single crystalline β-Zn4Sb3 prepared using the Bi-Sn mixed-flux method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shuping; Li, Decong; Chen, Zhong; Tang, Yu; Shen, Lanxian; Deng, Shukang

2017-12-01

Single crystal samples β-Zn4Sb3 have been prepared by using Bi-Sn mixed-flux method. The obtained crystals exhibit p-type conduction behavior with carrier concentration varying from 4.40 × 1019 to 18.12 × 1019 cm-3 as carrier mobility changes from 25.8 to 61.5 cm2 V-1 s-1 at room temperature. Electrical transport properties of the samples were optimized by Bi-Sn co-doped, which brought by Bi-Sn mixed-flux. And the maximal power factor of 1.45 × 10-3 W m-1 K-2 is achieved at 510 K for the sample with Bi flux content x = 0.5. Consequently, the oxidation resistance of the sample was determined by exploring the effects of heat treatment in air on electrical transport properties and thermal stability, which the single crystalline β-Zn4Sb3 still possess an excellent oxidation resistance and thermal stability after the heat treatment process.

Synthesis and properties of silver nanoparticles in sodium bismuth borate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patwari, D. Rajeshree; Eraiah, B.

2018-04-01

Rare earth doped Sodium Bismuth Borate glass samples with silver chloride were prepared by melt quenching method. X-Ray diffraction pattern was used to confirm the amorphous nature of the samples. UV-Visible Spectra was recorded to study the optical properties. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak was observed due to the formation of silver nanoparticles before and after heat treatment and the presence of silver nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-Visible Spectral studies and transmission electron microscopy. The surface plasmon resonance band became wider and red shifted after longer heat treatment.

Predictors of Treatment Response to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Parkinson's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobkin, Roseanne D.; Rubino, Jade Tiu; Allen, Lesley A.; Friedman, Jill; Gara, Michael A.; Mark, Margery H.; Menza, Matthew

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of treatment response to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression in Parkinson's disease (PD). Method: The sample comprised 80 depressed ("DSM-IV" criteria) adults with PD (60% male) and their caregivers who participated in an National Institutes of Health-sponsored…

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the United States and implications for human health

EPA Science Inventory

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Aspe...

Evaluating Predictors of Program Attrition among Women Mandated into Batterer Intervention Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttell, Frederick P.; Powers, Dolores; Wong, Asia

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate pretreatment differences between treatment completers and dropouts among a large sample of women ordered into a 26-week batterer intervention program (BIP). Method: The study employed a nonequivalent, control-group design (comparing program completers to dropouts) in a secondary analysis…

Correction of gene expression data: Performance-dependency on inter-replicate and inter-treatment biases.

PubMed

Darbani, Behrooz; Stewart, C Neal; Noeparvar, Shahin; Borg, Søren

2014-10-20

This report investigates for the first time the potential inter-treatment bias source of cell number for gene expression studies. Cell-number bias can affect gene expression analysis when comparing samples with unequal total cellular RNA content or with different RNA extraction efficiencies. For maximal reliability of analysis, therefore, comparisons should be performed at the cellular level. This could be accomplished using an appropriate correction method that can detect and remove the inter-treatment bias for cell-number. Based on inter-treatment variations of reference genes, we introduce an analytical approach to examine the suitability of correction methods by considering the inter-treatment bias as well as the inter-replicate variance, which allows use of the best correction method with minimum residual bias. Analyses of RNA sequencing and microarray data showed that the efficiencies of correction methods are influenced by the inter-treatment bias as well as the inter-replicate variance. Therefore, we recommend inspecting both of the bias sources in order to apply the most efficient correction method. As an alternative correction strategy, sequential application of different correction approaches is also advised. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimizing the implementation of the target motion sampling temperature treatment technique - How fast can it get?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuomas, V.; Jaakko, L.

This article discusses the optimization of the target motion sampling (TMS) temperature treatment method, previously implemented in the Monte Carlo reactor physics code Serpent 2. The TMS method was introduced in [1] and first practical results were presented at the PHYSOR 2012 conference [2]. The method is a stochastic method for taking the effect of thermal motion into account on-the-fly in a Monte Carlo neutron transport calculation. It is based on sampling the target velocities at collision sites and then utilizing the 0 K cross sections at target-at-rest frame for reaction sampling. The fact that the total cross section becomesmore » a distributed quantity is handled using rejection sampling techniques. The original implementation of the TMS requires 2.0 times more CPU time in a PWR pin-cell case than a conventional Monte Carlo calculation relying on pre-broadened effective cross sections. In a HTGR case examined in this paper the overhead factor is as high as 3.6. By first changing from a multi-group to a continuous-energy implementation and then fine-tuning a parameter affecting the conservativity of the majorant cross section, it is possible to decrease the overhead factors to 1.4 and 2.3, respectively. Preliminary calculations are also made using a new and yet incomplete optimization method in which the temperature of the basis cross section is increased above 0 K. It seems that with the new approach it may be possible to decrease the factors even as low as 1.06 and 1.33, respectively, but its functionality has not yet been proven. Therefore, these performance measures should be considered preliminary. (authors)« less

Estimating statistical uncertainty of Monte Carlo efficiency-gain in the context of a correlated sampling Monte Carlo code for brachytherapy treatment planning with non-normal dose distribution.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, Nitai D; Sampson, Andrew J; Deniz, Daniel; Alm Carlsson, Gudrun; Williamson, Jeffrey; Malusek, Alexandr

2012-01-01

Correlated sampling Monte Carlo methods can shorten computing times in brachytherapy treatment planning. Monte Carlo efficiency is typically estimated via efficiency gain, defined as the reduction in computing time by correlated sampling relative to conventional Monte Carlo methods when equal statistical uncertainties have been achieved. The determination of the efficiency gain uncertainty arising from random effects, however, is not a straightforward task specially when the error distribution is non-normal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the applicability of the F distribution and standardized uncertainty propagation methods (widely used in metrology to estimate uncertainty of physical measurements) for predicting confidence intervals about efficiency gain estimates derived from single Monte Carlo runs using fixed-collision correlated sampling in a simplified brachytherapy geometry. A bootstrap based algorithm was used to simulate the probability distribution of the efficiency gain estimates and the shortest 95% confidence interval was estimated from this distribution. It was found that the corresponding relative uncertainty was as large as 37% for this particular problem. The uncertainty propagation framework predicted confidence intervals reasonably well; however its main disadvantage was that uncertainties of input quantities had to be calculated in a separate run via a Monte Carlo method. The F distribution noticeably underestimated the confidence interval. These discrepancies were influenced by several photons with large statistical weights which made extremely large contributions to the scored absorbed dose difference. The mechanism of acquiring high statistical weights in the fixed-collision correlated sampling method was explained and a mitigation strategy was proposed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of Viable Cryptosporidium parvum in Soil by Reverse Transcription–Real-Time PCR Targeting hsp70 mRNA ▿

PubMed Central

Liang, Zhanbei; Keeley, Ann

2011-01-01

Extraction of high-quality mRNA from Cryptosporidium parvum is a key step in PCR detection of viable oocysts in environmental samples. Current methods for monitoring oocysts are limited to water samples; therefore, the goal of this study was to develop a rapid and sensitive procedure for Cryptosporidium detection in soil samples. The efficiencies of five RNA extraction methods were compared (mRNA extraction with the Dynabeads mRNA Direct kit after chemical and physical sample treatments, and total RNA extraction methods using the FastRNA Pro Soil-Direct, PowerSoil Total RNA, E.Z.N.A. soil RNA, and Norgen soil RNA purification kits) for the direct detection of Cryptosporidium with oocyst-spiked sandy, loamy, and clay soils by using TaqMan reverse transcription-PCR. The study also evaluated the presence of inhibitors by synthesis and incorporation of an internal positive control (IPC) RNA into reverse transcription amplifications, used different facilitators (bovine serum albumin, yeast RNA, salmon DNA, skim milk powder, casein, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium hexametaphosphate, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi) to mitigate RNA binding on soil components, and applied various treatments (β-mercaptoethanol and bead beating) to inactivate RNase and ensure the complete lysis of oocysts. The results of spiking studies showed that Salmonella cells most efficiently relieved binding of RNA. With the inclusion of Salmonella during extraction, the most efficient mRNA method was Dynabeads, with a detection limit of 6 × 102 oocysts g−1 of sandy soil. The most efficient total RNA method was PowerSoil, with detection limits of 1.5 × 102, 1.5 × 103, and 1.5 × 104 C. parvum oocysts g−1 soil for sandy, loamy, and clay samples, respectively. PMID:21803904

Combining Land Use Information and Small Stream Sampling with PCR-Based Methods for Better Characterization of Diffuse Sources of Human Fecal Pollution

EPA Science Inventory

Diffuse sources of human fecal pollution allow for the direct discharge of waste into receiving waters with minimal or no treatment. Traditional culture-based methods are commonly used to characterize fecal pollution in ambient waters, however these methods do not discern between...

Compressive strength of human openwedges: a selection method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follet, H.; Gotteland, M.; Bardonnet, R.; Sfarghiu, A. M.; Peyrot, J.; Rumelhart, C.

2004-02-01

A series of 44 samples of bone wedges of human origin, intended for allograft openwedge osteotomy and obtained without particular precautions during hip arthroplasty were re-examined. After viral inactivity chemical treatment, lyophilisation and radio-sterilisation (intended to produce optimal health safety), the compressive strength, independent of age, sex and the height of the sample (or angle of cut), proved to be too widely dispersed [ 10{-}158 MPa] in the first study. We propose a method for selecting samples which takes into account their geometry (width, length, thicknesses, cortical surface area). Statistical methods (Principal Components Analysis PCA, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, Multilinear regression) allowed final selection of 29 samples having a mean compressive strength σ_{max} =103 MPa ± 26 and with variation [ 61{-}158 MPa] . These results are equivalent or greater than average materials currently used in openwedge osteotomy.

Coupling pervaporation to AAS for inorganic and organic mercury determination. A new approach to speciation of Hg in environmental samples.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rivas, C; Muñoz-Olivas, R; Camara, C

2001-12-01

The design and development of a new approach for Hg speciation in environmental samples is described in detail. This method, consisting of the coupling of pervaporation and atomic absorption spectrometry, is based on a membrane phenomenon that combines the evaporation of volatile analytes and their diffusion through a polymeric membrane. It is proposed here as an alternative to gas chromatography for speciation of inorganic and organic Hg compounds, as the latter compounds are volatile and can be separated by applying the principles mentioned above. The interest of this method lies in its easy handling, low cost, and rapidity for the analysis of liquid and solid samples. This method has been applied to Hg speciation in a compost sample provided by a waste water treatment plant.

On "an experimental evaluation of sensorimotor patterning": a critique.

PubMed

Zigler, E; Seitz, V

1975-03-01

A critique was presented of a study by Neman, Roos, McCann, Menolascino, and Heal (1975) in which a sensorimotor training method of treatment for retarded children was evaluated. They presented evidence which they interpreted as support for the effectiveness of this treatment method in benefiting their sample of retarded individuals. Many shortcomings of the Neman et al. study were pointed out in the areas of evaluating the theoretical rationale underlying the treatment, subject selection, procedure, statistical analyses, and interpretation of the findings. In addition, the problems raised by the premature release of the findings to the press were discussed. Special note was made of the potential harmful effects of this publicity on retarded children and their families. The important role and responsibility of the National Association for Retarded Citizens in endorsing and recommending treatment methods for retarded individuals was also discussed.

[Case of polyparasitism with long-term abdominal pain in a patient].

PubMed

Doğan, Nihal; Koçman, Nazmiye Ulkü

2013-01-01

It is known that infections caused by intestinal protozoa and helminths affect over 3.5 million people worldwide. In this case report, a patient with complaints of stomach ache for a long time who received thermal treatment is presented. During this thermal treatment, diarrhoea occurred and multiparasitism was diagnosed with two helminths; pseudoparasitism and multiprotozoa, simultaneously. Stool samples were collected from the patient on three consecutive days and one day after the treatment. All of the samples were prepared with formalin-ether sedimentation techniques after macroscopic and direct microscopic investigation. Cellophane-tape method for Enterobius vermicularis and Taenia spp. and Erlich-Ziehl-Neelsen staining method for coccidian parasites were used. At least four preparations were performed for each sample and serum physiologic, lugol' solution and trichrome stain were used for microscopic investigations.The motile segment she brought was investigated microscopically with Indian ink and identified as Taenia saginata. Under direct microscopy, Blastocystis hominis, Endolimax nana and Fasciola hepatica were seen. By formalin-ether sedimentation techniques, Ascaris lumbricoides, Fasciola hepatica, Blastocystis hominis, Endolimax nana and Entamoeba coli were identified. In recent years, intestinal parasitism is rarely seen in our city; therefore, multiparasitism in an adult and immunocompetent patient is interesting.

The effect of ozonization on furniture dust: microbial content and immunotoxicity in vitro.

PubMed

Huttunen, Kati; Kauhanen, Eeva; Meklin, Teija; Vepsäläinen, Asko; Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta; Hyvärinen, Anne; Nevalainen, Aino

2010-05-01

Moisture and mold problems in buildings contaminate also the furniture and other movable property. If cleaning of the contaminated furniture is neglected, it may continue to cause problems to the occupants even after the moisture-damage repairs. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of high-efficiency ozone treatment in cleaning of the furniture from moisture-damaged buildings. In addition, the effectiveness of two cleaning methods was compared. Samples were vacuumed from the padded areas before and after the treatment. The microbial flora and concentrations in the dust sample were determined by quantitative cultivation and QPCR-methods. The immunotoxic potential of the dust samples was analyzed by measuring effects on cell viability and production of inflammatory mediators in vitro. Concentrations of viable microbes decreased significantly in most of the samples after cleaning. Cleaning with combined steam wash and ozonisation was more effective method than ozonising alone, but the difference was not statistically significant. Detection of fungal species with PCR showed a slight but nonsignificant decrease in concentrations after the cleaning. The immunotoxic potential of the collected dust decreased significantly in most of the samples. However, in a small subgroup of samples, increased concentrations of microbes and immunotoxicological activity were detected. This study shows that a transportable cleaning unit with high-efficiency ozonising is in most cases effective in decreasing the concentrations of viable microbes and immunotoxicological activity of the furniture dust. However, the method does not destroy or remove all fungal material present in the dust, as detected with QPCR analysis, and in some cases the cleaning procedure may increase the microbial concentrations and immunotoxicity of the dust. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incineration or Autoclave? A Comparative Study in Isfahan Hospitals Waste Management System (2010)

PubMed Central

Ferdowsi, Ali; Ferdosi, Masoud; Mehrani, Mohammd Javad

2013-01-01

Introduction: Medical wastes are among hazardous wastes and their disposal requires special methods prior to landfilling. Medical wastes are divided into infected and non-infected wastes and the infected wastes require treatment. Incineration is one of the oldest methods for treatment of medical wastes, but their usage have faced wide objections due to emission of hazardous gases such as CO2 and CO as well as Carcinogenic gases such as Dioxins and Furans which are generated as a result of incomplete combustion of compositions like PVCs. Autoclave is one the newest methods of medical wastes treatment which works based on wet disinfection. Methods: The statistical population in this descriptive, comparative study includes hospitals located in Isfahan city and the sample hospitals were selected randomly. To environmentally evaluate the Autoclave method, TST (time, steam, temperature) and Spore tests were used. Also, samples were made from incinerator’s stack gases and their analyses results were compared with WHO standards. Findings: TST and spore tests results were negative in all cases indicating the success of treatment process. The comparison of incinerator’s stack gases with WHO standards showed the high concentration of CO in some samples indicating the incomplete combustion. Also, the incineration efficiency in some cases was less than 99.5 percent, which is the efficiency criterion according to the administrative regulations of wastes management law of Iran. No needle stick was observed in Autoclave method during the compaction of bags containing wastes, and the handlers were facing no danger in this respect. The comparison of costs indicated that despite higher capital investment for purchasing autoclave, its current costs (e.g. maintenance, etc) are much less than the incineration method. Discussion: Totally, due to inappropriate operation of incinerators and lack of air pollution control devices, the use of incinerators doesn’t seem rational anymore. Yet, despite the inefficiency of autoclaves in treatment of bulky wastes such as Anatomical wastes, their usage seems logic considering the very low amounts of such wastes. Also, considering the amount of generated wastes in Isfahan hospitals, a combination of centralized and non-centralized autoclaves is recommended for treatment of infected wastes. Mobile autoclaves may also be considered according to technical and economical conditions. It must not be forgotten that the priority must be given to the establishment of waste management systems particularly to personnel training to produce less wastes and to well separate them. PMID:23678340

Methodology Series Module 10: Qualitative Health Research

PubMed Central

Setia, Maninder Singh

2017-01-01

Although quantitative designs are commonly used in clinical research, some studies require qualitative methods. These designs are different from quantitative methods; thus, researchers should be aware of data collection methods and analyses for qualitative research. Qualitative methods are particularly useful to understand patient experiences with the treatment or new methods of management or to explore issues in detail. These methods are useful in social and behavioral research. In qualitative research, often, the main focus is to understand the issue in detail rather than generalizability; thus, the sampling methods commonly used are purposive sampling; quota sampling; and snowball sampling (for hard to reach groups). Data can be collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs) or focus group discussions (FGDs). IDI is a one-to-one interview with the participant. FGD is a method of group interview or discussion, in which more than one participant is interviewed at the same time and is usually led by a facilitator. The commonly used methods for data analysis are: thematic analysis; grounded theory analysis; and framework analysis. Qualitative data collection and analysis require special expertise. Hence, if the reader plans to conduct qualitative research, they should team up with a qualitative researcher. PMID:28794545

Methodology Series Module 10: Qualitative Health Research.

PubMed

Setia, Maninder Singh

2017-01-01

Although quantitative designs are commonly used in clinical research, some studies require qualitative methods. These designs are different from quantitative methods; thus, researchers should be aware of data collection methods and analyses for qualitative research. Qualitative methods are particularly useful to understand patient experiences with the treatment or new methods of management or to explore issues in detail. These methods are useful in social and behavioral research. In qualitative research, often, the main focus is to understand the issue in detail rather than generalizability; thus, the sampling methods commonly used are purposive sampling; quota sampling; and snowball sampling (for hard to reach groups). Data can be collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs) or focus group discussions (FGDs). IDI is a one-to-one interview with the participant. FGD is a method of group interview or discussion, in which more than one participant is interviewed at the same time and is usually led by a facilitator. The commonly used methods for data analysis are: thematic analysis; grounded theory analysis; and framework analysis. Qualitative data collection and analysis require special expertise. Hence, if the reader plans to conduct qualitative research, they should team up with a qualitative researcher.

The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry can be used for dose estimation in irradiated pork

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Oca, M. C.; Bartolotta, A.; Cammilleri, M. C.; Giuffrida, S. A.; Parlato, A.; Di Noto, A. M.; Caracappa, S.

2009-07-01

Food safety can be improved using ionizing radiation to reduce food spoilage and to extend its shelf life. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been validated by the European Community as a powerful method to identify irradiated food containing fat. The preliminary goals of our research were: (i) to set up this method, based on the detection of radiation induced 2-dodecylcyclobutanones (2-DCB) in pork muscle samples and (ii) to check the microbiological efficacy of the treatment. The main objective was to render the GC/MS a quantitative technique for dose estimation, through the measurement of the 2-DCB concentration in the irradiated sample. Our results show that the reduction of the microbial population is substantially reduced even at 2 kGy, and that a clear identification of irradiated samples can be achieved also one month after irradiation at 2 kGy in frozen-stored samples. The 2-DCB concentration showed a linear dependence on dose in the range 1-10 kGy, no matter the origin of the sample; a unique calibration function was obtained, that allowed dose estimation in irradiated pork samples. A retrospective evaluation on the quality of the treatment could be carried out this way.

Single grating x-ray imaging for dynamic biological systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, Kaye S.; Paganin, David M.; Parsons, David W.; Donnelley, Martin; Yagi, Naoto; Uesugi, Kentaro; Suzuki, Yoshio; Takeuchi, Akihisa; Siu, Karen K. W.

2012-07-01

Biomedical studies are already benefiting from the excellent contrast offered by phase contrast x-ray imaging, but live imaging work presents several challenges. Living samples make it particularly difficult to achieve high resolution, sensitive phase contrast images, as exposures must be short and cannot be repeated. We therefore present a single-exposure, high-flux method of differential phase contrast imaging [1, 2, 3] in the context of imaging live airways for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) treatment assessment [4]. The CF study seeks to non-invasively observe the liquid lining the airways, which should increase in depth in response to effective treatments. Both high spatial resolution and sensitivity are required in order to track micron size changes in a liquid that is not easily differentiated from the tissue on which it lies. Our imaging method achieves these goals by using a single attenuation grating or grid as a reference pattern, and analyzing how the sample deforms the pattern to quantitatively retrieve the phase depth of the sample. The deformations are mapped at each pixel in the image using local cross-correlations comparing each 'sample and pattern' image with a reference 'pattern only' image taken before the sample is introduced. This produces a differential phase image, which may be integrated to give the sample phase depth.

A Plasmid Containing the Human Metallothionein II Gene Can Function as an Antibody-assisted Electrophoretic Biosensor for Heavy Metals

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-16

this agarose gel-based method might be useful in heavy metal bioavailability testing of aqueous samples from a variety of sources ( water treatment ...key biological proteins that protect cells from heavy metal poisoning. The gel-based method may be utilized in water treatment facilities or on...currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 20 Feb 2015 2. REPORT TYPE

Comparison of concentration methods for rapid detection of hookworm ova in wastewater matrices using quantitative PCR.

PubMed

Gyawali, P; Ahmed, W; Jagals, P; Sidhu, J P S; Toze, S

2015-12-01

Hookworm infection contributes around 700 million infections worldwide especially in developing nations due to increased use of wastewater for crop production. The effective recovery of hookworm ova from wastewater matrices is difficult due to their low concentrations and heterogeneous distribution. In this study, we compared the recovery rates of (i) four rapid hookworm ova concentration methods from municipal wastewater, and (ii) two concentration methods from sludge samples. Ancylostoma caninum ova were used as surrogate for human hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus). Known concentration of A. caninum hookworm ova were seeded into wastewater (treated and raw) and sludge samples collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Brisbane and Perth, Australia. The A. caninum ova were concentrated from treated and raw wastewater samples using centrifugation (Method A), hollow fiber ultrafiltration (HFUF) (Method B), filtration (Method C) and flotation (Method D) methods. For sludge samples, flotation (Method E) and direct DNA extraction (Method F) methods were used. Among the four methods tested, filtration (Method C) method was able to recover higher concentrations of A. caninum ova consistently from treated wastewater (39-50%) and raw wastewater (7.1-12%) samples collected from both WWTPs. The remaining methods (Methods A, B and D) yielded variable recovery rate ranging from 0.2 to 40% for treated and raw wastewater samples. The recovery rates for sludge samples were poor (0.02-4.7), although, Method F (direct DNA extraction) provided 1-2 orders of magnitude higher recovery rate than Method E (flotation). Based on our results it can be concluded that the recovery rates of hookworm ova from wastewater matrices, especially sludge samples, can be poor and highly variable. Therefore, choice of concentration method is vital for the sensitive detection of hookworm ova in wastewater matrices. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patient perspectives on low level light therapy and laser therapies for rosacea-associated persistent facial redness.

PubMed

McGinley, Meagan; Alinia, Hossein; Kuo, Sandy; Huang, Karen E; Feldman, Steven R

2014-12-13

There are no definitive treatments of facial redness for rosacea. All treatments aim to alleviate symptoms. Patients' perspectives of two emerging modalities, Low level light therapy and laser treatments are not well characterized. The purpose is to further understand rosacea patients unmet needs about these modalities, Methods: The publicly accessible, online rosacea forum was accessed at august 2013. Stratified random sampling method has done to identify a 10% sample of total 27,051 posts. The Posts were published in the "Laser and IPL therapy" and "Low level light therapy" forums were qualitatively analyzed. Patients discussed a variety of topics, but most commonly discussed effectiveness (34.2%), treatment education (19.3%), and adverse effects (18%). Relationship with the health care provider (9.9%), cost (8.1%), execution of treatments (8.1%) and convenience of treatments (2.5%) were less commonly discussed, but contributed to patients' decisions about utilizing laser and light therapies. Online forums are utilized to fulfill patients' desire for educational, empathic and collaborative relationship. Patients' adherence to laser and light therapies will likely increase if costs are reduced, reduction in redness is consistent with their expectations, and if physicians empower them through education on device choices and managing adverse effects.

Effect of Venom from the Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on the Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

PubMed

Yu, Huahua; Li, Rongfeng; Chen, Xiaolin; Yue, Yang; Xing, Ronge; Liu, Song; Li, Pengcheng

2015-09-24

The silkworm Bombyx mori L. (B. mori) has a significant impact on the economy by producing more than 80% of the globally produced raw silk. The exposure of silkworm to pesticides may cause adverse effects on B. mori, such as a reduction in the production and quality of silk. This study aims to assay the effect of venom from the jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on growth, cuticle and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the silkworm B. mori by the leaf dipping method. The experimental results revealed that the four samples caused neither antifeeding nor a lethal effect on B. mori. The sample SFV inhibited B. mori growth after 6 days of treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The samples SFV, DSFV and Fr-1 inhibited the precipitation and synthesis of chitin in the cuticle after 12 and 14 days of treatment. In the case of the four samples, the AChE was significantly improved after 14 days of treatment.

Browning control of fresh-cut lettuce by phytoncide treatment.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Hee; Kim, Han-Bit; Chung, Hun-Sik; Moon, Kwang-Deog

2014-09-15

Phytoncide essential oil derived from pine leaves was applied for the control of enzymatic browning of fresh-cut lettuce. Changes in the browning characteristics of cut lettuce treated with phytoncide in an water or ethanol solution (1%, v/v) at 10°C were investigated for 12days at 4°C. Other samples dipped in distilled water or 95% ethanol were used as the controls. The samples treated with phytoncide in an ethanol solution showed significantly higher L* values and lower a* values, ΔE values, browning index, phenolic compounds, and enzyme activities (PPO, POD, PAL) related to browning. The samples dipped in distilled water showed the opposite tendency. On the basis of changes in the browning characteristics, anti-browning effects of each treatment, phytoncide in an ethanol solution was the most effective treatment applied. These results suggest that phytoncide treatment could be used as an effective method for controlling enzymatic browning in fresh-cut lettuce. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in wastewater samples in north-eastern Tunisia.

PubMed

Moslah, Bilel; Hapeshi, Evroula; Jrad, Amel; Fatta-Kassinos, Despo; Hedhili, Abderrazek

2017-04-07

Pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) and drugs of abuse (DAs) are two classes of contaminants of emerging concern that have attracted great concern and interest by the scientific community during the last two decades. Numerous studies have revealed their presence in treated urban wastewaters. This is mainly due to the fact that some compounds are not efficiently removed during wastewater treatment processes, and are thus able to reach the aquatic environment through wastewater discharge and reuse practices. The application of an optimized multi-residue method for the simultaneous confirmation and quantification of licit and illicit drugs has been investigated in influent and effluent wastewater samples from seven wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in north-eastern Tunisia. Analysis was performed through ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Out of 12 pharmaceutical compounds analyzed, 11 of them were detected mainly in effluent wastewaters. In both matrices, antibiotics and β-blockers were the most detected groups. This suggests that these compounds show noticeable resistance against biological treatment in WWTPs. The estimated concentrations of antibiotics in effluents ranged from ca. 35 ng/L to 1.2 μg/L. However, all five studied illicit drugs were detected, mainly in influent wastewaters. Forensic investigation performed on people suspected to be drug abusers covering all Tunisian cities was conducted by monitoring an epidemiological study of human urine samples surveying rate of consumption for illicit drugs. Hence, these preliminary results confirmed the presence of illicit drugs in the influent wastewater samples. For example, quantification ranges for cocaine were found to be 25-450 ng/L in influent wastewater samples. Significant differences for cocaine consumption across the two sampling methods were observed. Consequently, we conclude that the analyses in wastewater are more reflective of the real levels of illicit drug consumption. Moreover, the cost for chromatographic analysis is lower than the screening test methods for human biological specimen, particularly staffing, which are likely to be much lower.

Introducing automation to the molecular diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection: A comparative study of sample treatments, DNA extraction methods and real-time PCR assays.

PubMed

Abras, Alba; Ballart, Cristina; Llovet, Teresa; Roig, Carme; Gutiérrez, Cristina; Tebar, Silvia; Berenguer, Pere; Pinazo, María-Jesús; Posada, Elizabeth; Gascón, Joaquim; Schijman, Alejandro G; Gállego, Montserrat; Muñoz, Carmen

2018-01-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become a useful tool for the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The development of automated DNA extraction methodologies and PCR systems is an important step toward the standardization of protocols in routine diagnosis. To date, there are only two commercially available Real-Time PCR assays for the routine laboratory detection of T. cruzi DNA in clinical samples: TCRUZIDNA.CE (Diagnostic Bioprobes Srl) and RealCycler CHAG (Progenie Molecular). Our aim was to evaluate the RealCycler CHAG assay taking into account the whole process. We assessed the usefulness of an automated DNA extraction system based on magnetic particles (EZ1 Virus Mini Kit v2.0, Qiagen) combined with a commercially available Real-Time PCR assay targeting satellite DNA (SatDNA) of T. cruzi (RealCycler CHAG), a methodology used for routine diagnosis in our hospital. It was compared with a well-known strategy combining a commercial DNA isolation kit based on silica columns (High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit, Roche Diagnostics) with an in-house Real-Time PCR targeting SatDNA. The results of the two methodologies were in almost perfect agreement, indicating they can be used interchangeably. However, when variations in protocol factors were applied (sample treatment, extraction method and Real-Time PCR), the results were less convincing. A comprehensive fine-tuning of the whole procedure is the key to successful results. Guanidine EDTA-blood (GEB) samples are not suitable for DNA extraction based on magnetic particles due to inhibition, at least when samples are not processed immediately. This is the first study to evaluate the RealCycler CHAG assay taking into account the overall process, including three variables (sample treatment, extraction method and Real-Time PCR). Our findings may contribute to the harmonization of protocols between laboratories and to a wider application of Real-Time PCR in molecular diagnostic laboratories associated with health centers.

Follow-up of the fate of imazalil from post-harvest lemon surface treatment to a baking experiment.

PubMed

Vass, Andrea; Korpics, Evelin; Dernovics, Mihály

2015-01-01

Imazalil is one of the most widespread fungicides used for the post-harvest treatment of citrus species. The separate use of peel during food preparation and processing may hitherto concentrate most of the imazalil into food products, where specific maximum residue limits hardly exist for this fungicide. In order to monitor comprehensively the path of imazalil, our study covered the monitoring of the efficiency of several washing treatments, the comparison of operative and related sample preparation methods for the lemon samples, the validation of a sample preparation technique for a fatty cake matrix, the preparation of a model cake sample made separately either with imazalil containing lemon peel or with imazalil spiking, the monitoring of imazalil degradation into α-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol because of the baking process, and finally the mass balance of imazalil throughout the washing experiments and the baking process. Quantification of imazalil was carried out with an LC-ESI-MS/MS set-up, while LC-QTOF was used for the monitoring of imazalil degradation. Concerning the washing, none of the addressed five washing protocols could remove more than 30% of imazalil from the surface of the lemon samples. The study revealed a significant difference between the extraction efficiency of imazalil by the EN 15662:2008 and AOAC 2007.1 methods, with the advantage of the former. The use of the model cake sample helped to validate a modified version of the EN 15662:2008 method that included a freeze-out step to efficiently recover imazalil (>90%) from the fatty cake matrix. The degradation of imazalil during the baking process was significantly higher when this analyte was spiked into the cake matrix than in the case of preparing the cake with imazalil-containing lemon peel (52% vs. 22%). This observation calls the attention to the careful evaluation of pesticide stability data that are based on solution spiking experiments.

Miniaturized Temperature-Controlled Planar Chromatography (Micro-TLC) as a Versatile Technique for Fast Screening of Micropollutants and Biomarkers Derived from Surface Water Ecosystems and During Technological Processes of Wastewater Treatment.

PubMed

Ślączka-Wilk, Magdalena M; Włodarczyk, Elżbieta; Kaleniecka, Aleksandra; Zarzycki, Paweł K

2017-07-01

There is increasing interest in the development of simple analytical systems enabling the fast screening of target components in complex samples. A number of newly invented protocols are based on quasi separation techniques involving microfluidic paper-based analytical devices and/or micro total analysis systems. Under such conditions, the quantification of target components can be performed mainly due to selective detection. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate that miniaturized planar chromatography has the capability to work as an efficient separation and quantification tool for the analysis of multiple targets within complex environmental samples isolated and concentrated using an optimized SPE method. In particular, we analyzed various samples collected from surface water ecosystems (lakes, rivers, and the Baltic Sea of Middle Pomerania in the northern part of Poland) in different seasons, as well as samples collected during key wastewater technological processes (originating from the "Jamno" wastewater treatment plant in Koszalin, Poland). We documented that the multiple detection of chromatographic spots on RP-18W microplates-under visible light, fluorescence, and fluorescence quenching conditions, and using the visualization reagent phosphomolybdic acid-enables fast and robust sample classification. The presented data reveal that the proposed micro-TLC system is useful, inexpensive, and can be considered as a complementary method for the fast control of treated sewage water discharged by a municipal wastewater treatment plant, particularly for the detection of low-molecular mass micropollutants with polarity ranging from estetrol to progesterone, as well as chlorophyll-related dyes. Due to the low consumption of mobile phases composed of water-alcohol binary mixtures (less than 1 mL/run for the simultaneous separation of up to nine samples), this method can be considered an environmentally friendly and green chemistry analytical tool. The described analytical protocol can be complementary to those involving classical column chromatography (HPLC) or various planar microfluidic devices.

Detection of Legionella spp. by a nested-PCR assay in air samples of a wastewater treatment plant and downwind distances in Isfahan

PubMed Central

Mirzaee, Seyyed Abbas; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Hajizadeh, Yaghob; Nabavi, BiBi Fatemeh; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2015-01-01

Background: Wastewater contains a variety of pathogens and bio -aerosols generated during the wastewater treatment process, which could be a potential health risk for exposed individuals. This study was carried out to detect Legionella spp. in the bio -aerosols generated from different processes of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Isfahan, Iran, and the downwind distances. Materials and Methods: A total of 54 air samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of Legionella spp. by a nested- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. A liquid impingement biosampler was used to capture bio -aerosols. The weather conditions were also recorded. Results: Legionella were detected in 6% of the samples, including air samples above the aeration tank (1/9), belt filter press (1/9), and 250 m downwind (1/9). Conclusion: The result of this study revealed the presence of Legionella spp. in air samples of a WWTP and downwind distance, which consequently represent a potential health risk to the exposed individuals. PMID:25802817

Buccal swabbing as a noninvasive method to determine bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic microbial community structures in the rumen.

PubMed

Kittelmann, Sandra; Kirk, Michelle R; Jonker, Arjan; McCulloch, Alan; Janssen, Peter H

2015-11-01

Analysis of rumen microbial community structure based on small-subunit rRNA marker genes in metagenomic DNA samples provides important insights into the dominant taxa present in the rumen and allows assessment of community differences between individuals or in response to treatments applied to ruminants. However, natural animal-to-animal variation in rumen microbial community composition can limit the power of a study considerably, especially when only subtle differences are expected between treatment groups. Thus, trials with large numbers of animals may be necessary to overcome this variation. Because ruminants pass large amounts of rumen material to their oral cavities when they chew their cud, oral samples may contain good representations of the rumen microbiota and be useful in lieu of rumen samples to study rumen microbial communities. We compared bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community structures in DNAs extracted from buccal swabs to those in DNAs from samples collected directly from the rumen by use of a stomach tube for sheep on four different diets. After bioinformatic depletion of potential oral taxa from libraries of samples collected via buccal swabs, bacterial communities showed significant clustering by diet (R = 0.37; analysis of similarity [ANOSIM]) rather than by sampling method (R = 0.07). Archaeal, ciliate protozoal, and anaerobic fungal communities also showed significant clustering by diet rather than by sampling method, even without adjustment for potentially orally associated microorganisms. These findings indicate that buccal swabs may in future allow quick and noninvasive sampling for analysis of rumen microbial communities in large numbers of ruminants. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Influence of surface treatment on shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets.

PubMed

Brunharo, Ione Helena Vieira Portella; Fernandes, Daniel Jogaib; de Miranda, Mauro Sayão; Artese, Flavia

2013-01-01

The shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to micro-hybrid and micro-particulate resins under different surface treatment methods was assessed. Two hundred and eighty test samples were divided into 28 groups (n = 10), where 140 specimens were filled with Durafill micro-particulate resin and 140 with Charisma composite. In 140 samples, a coupling agent (silane) was applied. The surface treatment methods were: Phosphoric and hydrofluoric acid etching, sodium bicarbonate and aluminum oxide blasting, stone and burs. A Universal Instron Machine was used to apply an occlusal shear force directly to the resin composite bracket surface at a speed of 0.5 mm/min. The means were compared using analysis of variance and multivariate regression to assess the interaction between composites and surface treatment methods. Means and standard deviations for the groups were: Sodium bicarbonate jet 11.27 ± 2.78; burs 9.26 ± 3.01; stone 7.95 ± 3.67; aluminum oxide blasting 7.04 ± 3.21; phosphoric acid 5.82 ± 1.90; hydrofluoric acid 4.54 ± 2.87, and without treatment 2.75 ± 1.49. An increase of 1.94 MPa in shear bond strength was seen in Charisma groups. Silane agent application reduced the Charisma shear bond strength by 0.68 Mpa, but increased Durafill means for bicarbonate blasting (0.83), burs (0.98) and stone drilling (0.46). The sodium bicarbonate blasting, burs and stone drilling methods produced adequate shear bond strength and may be suitable for clinical use. The Charisma micro hybrid resin composite showed higher shear bond means than Durafill micro particle composite.

Double propensity-score adjustment: A solution to design bias or bias due to incomplete matching.

PubMed

Austin, Peter C

2017-02-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used to reduce the effects of confounding when using observational data to estimate the effects of treatments. Matching allows one to estimate the average effect of treatment in the treated. Rosenbaum and Rubin coined the term "bias due to incomplete matching" to describe the bias that can occur when some treated subjects are excluded from the matched sample because no appropriate control subject was available. The presence of incomplete matching raises important questions around the generalizability of estimated treatment effects to the entire population of treated subjects. We describe an analytic solution to address the bias due to incomplete matching. Our method is based on using optimal or nearest neighbor matching, rather than caliper matching (which frequently results in the exclusion of some treated subjects). Within the sample matched on the propensity score, covariate adjustment using the propensity score is then employed to impute missing potential outcomes under lack of treatment for each treated subject. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that the proposed method resulted in estimates of treatment effect that were essentially unbiased. This method resulted in decreased bias compared to caliper matching alone and compared to either optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone. Caliper matching alone resulted in design bias or bias due to incomplete matching, while optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone resulted in bias due to residual confounding. The proposed method also tended to result in estimates with decreased mean squared error compared to when caliper matching was used.

Double propensity-score adjustment: A solution to design bias or bias due to incomplete matching

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Propensity-score matching is frequently used to reduce the effects of confounding when using observational data to estimate the effects of treatments. Matching allows one to estimate the average effect of treatment in the treated. Rosenbaum and Rubin coined the term “bias due to incomplete matching” to describe the bias that can occur when some treated subjects are excluded from the matched sample because no appropriate control subject was available. The presence of incomplete matching raises important questions around the generalizability of estimated treatment effects to the entire population of treated subjects. We describe an analytic solution to address the bias due to incomplete matching. Our method is based on using optimal or nearest neighbor matching, rather than caliper matching (which frequently results in the exclusion of some treated subjects). Within the sample matched on the propensity score, covariate adjustment using the propensity score is then employed to impute missing potential outcomes under lack of treatment for each treated subject. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we found that the proposed method resulted in estimates of treatment effect that were essentially unbiased. This method resulted in decreased bias compared to caliper matching alone and compared to either optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone. Caliper matching alone resulted in design bias or bias due to incomplete matching, while optimal matching or nearest neighbor matching alone resulted in bias due to residual confounding. The proposed method also tended to result in estimates with decreased mean squared error compared to when caliper matching was used. PMID:25038071

Utilizing Big Data and Twitter to Discover Emergent Online Communities of Cannabis Users

PubMed Central

Baumgartner, Peter; Peiper, Nicholas

2017-01-01

Large shifts in medical, recreational, and illicit cannabis consumption in the United States have implications for personalizing treatment and prevention programs to a wide variety of populations. As such, considerable research has investigated clinical presentations of cannabis users in clinical and population-based samples. Studies leveraging big data, social media, and social network analysis have emerged as a promising mechanism to generate timely insights that can inform treatment and prevention research. This study extends a novel method called stochastic block modeling to derive communities of cannabis consumers as part of a complex social network on Twitter. A set of examples illustrate how this method can ascertain candidate samples of medical, recreational, and illicit cannabis users. Implications for research planning, intervention design, and public health surveillance are discussed. PMID:28615950

Visual and digital comparative tooth colour assessment methods and atomic force microscopy surface roughness.

PubMed

Grundlingh, A A; Grossman, E S; Shrivastava, S; Witcomb, M J

2013-10-01

This study compared digital and visual colour tooth colour assessment methods in a sample of 99 teeth consisting of incisors, canines and pre-molars. The teeth were equally divided between Control, Ozicure Oxygen Activator bleach and Opalescence Quick bleach and subjected to three treatments. Colour readings were recorded at nine intervals by two assessment methods, VITA Easyshade and VITAPAN 3D MASTER TOOTH GUIDE, giving a total of 1782 colour readings. Descriptive and statistical analysis was undertaken using a GLM test for Analysis of Variance for a Fractional Design set at a significance of P < 0.05. Atomic force micros copy was used to examine treated ename surfaces and establish surface roughness. Visual tooth colour assessment showed significance for the independent variables of treatment, number of treatments, tooth type and the combination tooth type and treatment. Digital colour assessment indicated treatment and tooth type to be of significance in tooth colour change. Poor agreement was found between visual and digital colour assessment methods for Control and Ozicure Oxygen Activator treatments. Surface roughness values increased two-fold for Opalescence Quick specimens over the two other treatments, implying that increased light scattering improved digital colour reading. Both digital and visual colour matching methods should be used in tooth bleaching studies to complement each other and to compensate for deficiencies.

[Stability of disintegration in health food].

PubMed

Ma, Lan; Zhao, Xin; Zhou, Shuang; Yang, Dajin

2012-11-01

To study the change of disintegration of different formulation samples which stored in the artificial climate box or room temperature and provide the technical support for health food monitoring. According to the method of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and British Pharmacopoeia. Appendix XII A. Disintegration 2010. Disintegration of the non-accelerate, accelerated after 1, 2 and 3 months samples were determined by the disintegrator, respectively. Sample properties, the ingredients of the samples, the proportions of the capsule and treatment methods have some effect on the stability of the disintegration. The disintegration time of health food will be changed particularly after they were accelerated under the condition of (38 +/- 1) degrees C/75% RH. Especially the disintegration time of soft capsules were significantly prolonged. The composition and properties of samples were the main factors that affected the disintegration.

Large-scale pesticide testing in olives by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry using two sample preparation methods based on matrix solid-phase dispersion and QuEChERS.

PubMed

Gilbert-López, Bienvenida; García-Reyes, Juan F; Lozano, Ana; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo R; Molina-Díaz, Antonio

2010-09-24

In this work we have evaluated the performance of two sample preparation methodologies for the large-scale multiresidue analysis of pesticides in olives using liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The tested sample treatment methodologies were: (1) liquid-liquid partitioning with acetonitrile followed by dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up using GCB, PSA and C18 sorbents (QuEChERS method - modified for fatty vegetables) and (2) matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) using aminopropyl as sorbent material and a final clean-up performed in the elution step using Florisil. An LC-MS/MS method covering 104 multiclass pesticides was developed to examine the performance of these two protocols. The separation of the compounds from the olive extracts was achieved using a short C18 column (50 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.) with 1.8 microm particle size. The identification and confirmation of the compounds was based on retention time matching along with the presence (and ratio) of two typical MRM transitions. Limits of detection obtained were lower than 10 microgkg(-1) for 89% analytes using both sample treatment protocols. Recoveries studies performed on olives samples spiked at two concentration levels (10 and 100 microgkg(-1)) yielded average recoveries in the range 70-120% for most analytes when QuEChERS procedure is employed. When MSPD was the choice for sample extraction, recoveries obtained were in the range 50-70% for most of target compounds. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of real olives samples, revealing the presence of some of the target species in the microgkg(-1) range. Besides the evaluation of the sample preparation approaches, we also discuss the use of advanced software features associated to MRM method development that overcome several limitations and drawbacks associated to MS/MS methods (time segments boundaries, tedious method development/manual scheduling and acquisition limitations). This software feature recently offered by different vendors is based on an algorithm that associates retention time data for each individual MS/MS transition, so that the number of simultaneously traced transitions throughout the entire chromatographic run (dwell times and sensitivity) is maximized. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heparin removal by ecteola-cellulose pre-treatment enables the use of plasma samples for accurate measurement of anti-Yellow fever virus neutralizing antibodies.

PubMed

Campi-Azevedo, Ana Carolina; Peruhype-Magalhães, Vanessa; Coelho-Dos-Reis, Jordana Grazziela; Costa-Pereira, Christiane; Yamamura, Anna Yoshida; Lima, Sheila Maria Barbosa de; Simões, Marisol; Campos, Fernanda Magalhães Freire; de Castro Zacche Tonini, Aline; Lemos, Elenice Moreira; Brum, Ricardo Cristiano; de Noronha, Tatiana Guimarães; Freire, Marcos Silva; Maia, Maria de Lourdes Sousa; Camacho, Luiz Antônio Bastos; Rios, Maria; Chancey, Caren; Romano, Alessandro; Domingues, Carla Magda; Teixeira-Carvalho, Andréa; Martins-Filho, Olindo Assis

2017-09-01

Technological innovations in vaccinology have recently contributed to bring about novel insights for the vaccine-induced immune response. While the current protocols that use peripheral blood samples may provide abundant data, a range of distinct components of whole blood samples are required and the different anticoagulant systems employed may impair some properties of the biological sample and interfere with functional assays. Although the interference of heparin in functional assays for viral neutralizing antibodies such as the functional plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT), considered the gold-standard method to assess and monitor the protective immunity induced by the Yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccine, has been well characterized, the development of pre-analytical treatments is still required for the establishment of optimized protocols. The present study intended to optimize and evaluate the performance of pre-analytical treatment of heparin-collected blood samples with ecteola-cellulose (ECT) to provide accurate measurement of anti-YFV neutralizing antibodies, by PRNT. The study was designed in three steps, including: I. Problem statement; II. Pre-analytical steps; III. Analytical steps. Data confirmed the interference of heparin on PRNT reactivity in a dose-responsive fashion. Distinct sets of conditions for ECT pre-treatment were tested to optimize the heparin removal. The optimized protocol was pre-validated to determine the effectiveness of heparin plasma:ECT treatment to restore the PRNT titers as compared to serum samples. The validation and comparative performance was carried out by using a large range of serum vs heparin plasma:ECT 1:2 paired samples obtained from unvaccinated and 17DD-YFV primary vaccinated subjects. Altogether, the findings support the use of heparin plasma:ECT samples for accurate measurement of anti-YFV neutralizing antibodies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance of Traditional and Molecular Methods for Detecting Biological Agents in Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

USGS Report - To reduce the impact from a possible bioterrorist attack on drinking-water supplies, analytical methods are needed to rapidly detect the presence of biological agents in water. To this end, 13 drinking-water samples were collected at 9 water-treatment plants in Ohio...

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Stilbenes from Grape Canes.

PubMed

Piñeiro, Zulema; Marrufo-Curtido, Almudena; Serrano, Maria Jose; Palma, Miguel

2016-06-16

An analytical ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method has been optimized and validated for the rapid extraction of stilbenes from grape canes. The influence of sample pre-treatment (oven or freeze-drying) and several extraction variables (solvent, sample-solvent ratio and extraction time between others) on the extraction process were analyzed. The new method allowed the main stilbenes in grape canes to be extracted in just 10 min, with an extraction temperature of 75 °C and 60% ethanol in water as the extraction solvent. Validation of the extraction method was based on analytical properties. The resulting RSDs (n = 5) for interday/intraday precision were less than 10%. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied in the analysis of 20 different grape cane samples. The result showed that grape cane byproducts are potentially sources of bioactive compounds of interest for pharmaceutical and food industries.

[A Simultaneous Determination Method with Acetonitrile-n-Hexane Partitioning and Solid-Phase Extraction for Pesticide Residues in Livestock and Marine Products by GC-MS].

PubMed

Yoshizaki, Mayuko; Kobayashi, Yukari; Shimizu, Masanori; Maruyama, Kouichi

2015-01-01

A simultaneous determination method was examined for 312 pesticides (including isomers) in muscle of livestock and marine products by GC-MS. The pesticide residues extracted from samples with acetone and n-hexane were purified by acetonitrile-n-hexane partitioning, and C18 and SAX/PSA solid-phase extraction without using GPC. Matrix components such as cholesterol were effectively removed. In recovery tests performed by this method using pork, beef, chicken and shrimp, 237-257 pesticides showed recoveries within the range of 70-120% in each sample. Validity was confirmed for 214 of the target pesticides by means of a validation test using pork. In comparison with the Japanese official method using GPC, the treatment time of samples and the quantity of solvent were reduced substantially.

Occurrence of Legionella in wastewater treatment plants linked to wastewater characteristics.

PubMed

Caicedo, C; Beutel, S; Scheper, T; Rosenwinkel, K H; Nogueira, R

2016-08-01

In recent years, the occurrence of Legionella in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) has often been reported. However, until now there is limited knowledge about the factors that promote Legionella's growth in such systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical wastewater parameters that might be correlated to the concentration of Legionella spp. in WWTP receiving industrial effluents. For this purpose, samples were collected at different processes in three WWTP. In 100 % of the samples taken from the activated sludge tanks Legionella spp. were detected at varying concentrations (4.8 to 5.6 log GU/mL) by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method, but not by the culture method. Statistical analysis with various parameters yielded positive correlations of Legionella spp. concentration with particulate chemical oxygen demand, Kjeldahl nitrogen and protein concentration. Amino acids were quantified in wastewater and activated sludge samples at concentrations that may not support the growth of Legionella, suggesting that in activated sludge tanks this bacterium multiplied in protozoan hosts.

Effect of food processing on degradation of hexachlorocyclohexane and its isomers in milk

PubMed Central

Singh, Sujatha; Nelapati, Krishnaiah

2017-01-01

Aim: To study the effect of different food processing techniques on the degradation of organochlorine compounds (α, β, ɣ and δ hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCH)) residues in both natural and fortified samples of milk. Materials and Methods: Raw milk samples are collected from the local areas of Hyderabad, India. Naturally and fortified milk samples (HCH) were subjected to various food processing techniques, pasteurization (63ºC for ½ h), sterilization (121ºC for 15 min) and boiling for 5 min and analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method for multiresidue analysis of pesticides in milk with slight modification. Results: The final mean residual concentration of pesticide in milk after heat processing and percentage of degradation were calculated with respective treatments. Conclusion: Heat treatments are highly effective on reduction of mean residual concentration of HCH in milk. In which Sterilization and boiling proved to be more effective in degradation of HCH isomers. PMID:28435187

Electronic gaming machines and gambling disorder: a cross-cultural comparison between Brazil and the United States

PubMed Central

Medeiros, Gustavo Costa; Leppink, Eric W.; Yaemi, Ana; Mariani, Mirella; Tavares, Hermano; Grant, Jon E.

2015-01-01

Aims The objective of this paper is to perform a cross-cultural comparison of gambling disorder (GD) due to electronic gaming machines (EGM), a form of gambling that may have a high addictive potential. Our goal is to investigate two treatment-seeking samples of adults collected in Brazil and the United States, countries with different socio-cultural backgrounds. This comparison may lead to a better understanding of cultural influences on GD. Methods The total studied sample involved 733 treatment-seeking subjects: 353 men and 380 women (average age = 45.80, standard deviation ±10.9). The Brazilian sample had 517 individuals and the American sample 216. Subjects were recruited by analogous strategies. Results We found that the Brazilian sample was younger, predominantly male, less likely to be Caucasian, more likely to be partnered, had a faster progression from recreational gambling to GD, and were more likely to endorse chasing losses. Conclusion This study demonstrated that there are significant differences between treatment-seeking samples of adults presenting GD due to EGM in Brazil and in the United States. These findings suggest that cultural aspects may have a relevant role in GD due to EGM. PMID:26474662

HMO membership, treatment, and mortality risk among prostatic cancer patients.

PubMed Central

Greenwald, H P; Henke, C J

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVES. Treatment and mortality risk were compared between prostate cancer patients receiving care in fee-for-service settings and those receiving care in a health maintenance organization (HMO). METHODS. Two samples were obtained from a population-based tumor registry. Patients in the first sample (n = 201) were interviewed shortly after diagnosis to obtain data on income, education, overall health status, and expenditures for health status, and expenditures for health care. These data were combined with information from the tumor registry on cancer stage, age, treatment, place of residence, and source of care. Only tumor registry data were obtained for most patients in the second sample (n = 962). For both samples, survival time was monitored for up to 80 months. RESULTS. Multivariate analysis of data from the interviewed sample indicated that HMO patients were less likely to receive surgery but more likely to receive radiation therapy than were those in fee-for-service settings. Mortality risk was lower for the HMO patients than for those in fee-for-service plans. Findings based on the second sample were nearly identical. CONCLUSIONS. This study suggests that HMOs may offer important advantages to lower-income patients at risk for specific life-threatening diseases. PMID:1636829

A methodological pilot: parenting among women in substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Lewin, Linda; Farkas, Kathleen; Niazi, Maryam

2014-01-01

Mothers who abuse substances are likely to have insecure emotional attachment with their children, placing their children at risk for social-emotional and psychiatric conditions. Sobriety does not inevitably improve parenting. We tested recruitment methods, audiovisual (AV) recording procedures, the protocol for identifying child abuse risk, the coding of mother-child interactions, and retention of the sample for repeated measures as the first phase in examining mother-child relational quality of women in substance abuse treatment. This innovative study involved AV recordings to capture the in-vivo mother-child interactional behaviors that were later coded and analyzed for mean scores on the 64-item Parent-Child Relational Quality Assessment. Repeated measurement was planned during treatment and two months after discharge from treatment. The pilot involved a small sample (n = 11) of mother-child (<6 years) dyads. Highest and lowest ratings of interaction behaviors were identified. Mothers showed less enthusiasm and creativity but matched their child's emotional state. The children showed appropriate motor skill items and attachment behaviors. The dyad coding showed less mutual enjoyment between the mother and child. Eight of the participants could not be located for the second measurement despite multiple contact methods. AV recordings capture rich, descriptive information that can be coded for interactional quality analysis. Repeated measurement with this cohort was not feasible, thus needing to assess for additional/more frequent contacts to maintain the sample.

ALK in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Pathobiology, Epidemiology, Detection from Tumor Tissue and Algorithm Diagnosis in a Daily Practice

PubMed Central

Hofman, Paul

2017-01-01

Patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) harboring an ALK rearrangement, detected from a tissue sample, can benefit from targeted ALK inhibitor treatment. Several increasingly effective ALK inhibitors are now available for treatment of patients. However, despite an initial favorable response to treatment, in most cases relapse or progression occurs due to resistance mechanisms mainly caused by mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of ALK. The detection of an ALK rearrangement is pivotal and can be done using different methods, which have variable sensitivity and specificity depending, in particular, on the quality and quantity of the patient’s sample. This review will first highlight briefly some information regarding the pathobiology of an ALK rearrangement and the epidemiology of patients harboring this genomic alteration. The different methods used to detect an ALK rearrangement as well as their advantages and disadvantages will then be examined and algorithms proposed for detection in daily routine practice. PMID:28805682

ALK in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Pathobiology, Epidemiology, Detection from Tumor Tissue and Algorithm Diagnosis in a Daily Practice.

PubMed

Hofman, Paul

2017-08-12

Patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) harboring an ALK rearrangement, detected from a tissue sample, can benefit from targeted ALK inhibitor treatment. Several increasingly effective ALK inhibitors are now available for treatment of patients. However, despite an initial favorable response to treatment, in most cases relapse or progression occurs due to resistance mechanisms mainly caused by mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of ALK. The detection of an ALK rearrangement is pivotal and can be done using different methods, which have variable sensitivity and specificity depending, in particular, on the quality and quantity of the patient's sample. This review will first highlight briefly some information regarding the pathobiology of an ALK rearrangement and the epidemiology of patients harboring this genomic alteration. The different methods used to detect an ALK rearrangement as well as their advantages and disadvantages will then be examined and algorithms proposed for detection in daily routine practice.

Ultraviolet-C Irradiation: A Novel Pasteurization Method for Donor Human Milk.

PubMed

Christen, Lukas; Lai, Ching Tat; Hartmann, Ben; Hartmann, Peter E; Geddes, Donna T

2013-01-01

Holder pasteurization (milk held at 62.5°C for 30 minutes) is the standard treatment method for donor human milk. Although this method of pasteurization is able to inactivate most bacteria, it also inactivates important bioactive components. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate ultraviolet irradiation as an alternative treatment method for donor human milk. Human milk samples were inoculated with five species of bacteria and then UV-C irradiated. Untreated and treated samples were analysed for bacterial content, bile salt stimulated lipase (BSSL) activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and fatty acid profile. All five species of bacteria reacted similarly to UV-C irradiation, with higher dosages being required with increasing concentrations of total solids in the human milk sample. The decimal reduction dosage was 289±17 and 945±164 J/l for total solids of 107 and 146 g/l, respectively. No significant changes in the fatty acid profile, BSSL activity or ALP activity were observed up to the dosage required for a 5-log10 reduction of the five species of bacteria. UV-C irradiation is capable of reducing vegetative bacteria in human milk to the requirements of milk bank guidelines with no loss of BSSL and ALP activity and no change of FA.

Co-liquefaction with acetone and GC analysis of volatile compounds in exhaled breath as lung cancer biomarkers

PubMed Central

Jouyban, Abolghasem; Djozan, Djavanshir; Mohammadandashti, Parastou; Alizadeh-Nabil, Aliakbar; Ghorbanpour, Hooshangh; Khoubnasabjafari, Maryam; Mohammadzadeh, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Introduction: A simple, rapid and low cost method for enrichment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from exhaled breath (EB) is presented. Methods: A 1000 mL home-made extraction device was filled with EB. The VOCs were extracted and condensed in 0.5 mL acetone. Recognition of volatiles in the real studied EB samples was performed by a GC-MS. Results: The method displays an extraction efficiency of >86% with the enrichment factor of 1929 for octanal. Limits of detection and quantification, and linear dynamic range were 0.008, 0.026 and 0.026-400 ng/mL respectively. Analysis of real samples showed the existence of more than 100 compounds in EB of healthy volunteers and patients with lung cancer before and after treatment. Exhaled octanal concentration was significantly higher in lung cancer patient than in healthy volunteers and lung cancer patient after treatment. Conclusion: Having used the proposed approach, high extraction recovery (up to 86%) was attained for the lung cancer marker, octanal, as an important biomarker. Our findings on smaples of EB of healthy controls and patients with lung cancer before and after treatment provide complelling evidence upon the effectiveness of the developed method. PMID:28752074

Reiki Therapy for Symptom Management in Children Receiving Palliative Care: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Thrane, Susan E; Maurer, Scott H; Ren, Dianxu; Danford, Cynthia A; Cohen, Susan M

2017-05-01

Pain may be reported in one-half to three-fourths of children with cancer and other terminal conditions and anxiety in about one-third of them. Pharmacologic methods do not always give satisfactory symptom relief. Complementary therapies such as Reiki may help children manage symptoms. This pre-post mixed-methods single group pilot study examined feasibility, acceptability, and the outcomes of pain, anxiety, and relaxation using Reiki therapy with children receiving palliative care. A convenience sample of children ages 7 to 16 and their parents were recruited from a palliative care service. Two 24-minute Reiki sessions were completed at the children's home. Paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were calculated to compare change from pre to post for outcome variables. Significance was set at P < .10. Cohen d effect sizes were calculated. The final sample included 8 verbal and 8 nonverbal children, 16 mothers, and 1 nurse. All mean scores for outcome variables decreased from pre- to posttreatment for both sessions. Significant decreases for pain for treatment 1 in nonverbal children ( P = .063) and for respiratory rate for treatment 2 in verbal children ( P = .009). Cohen d effect sizes were medium to large for most outcome measures. Decreased mean scores for outcome measures indicate that Reiki therapy did decrease pain, anxiety, heart, and respiratory rates, but small sample size deterred statistical significance. This preliminary work suggests that complementary methods of treatment such as Reiki may be beneficial to support traditional methods to manage pain and anxiety in children receiving palliative care.

Experiential sampling in the study of multiple personality disorder.

PubMed

Loewenstein, R J; Hamilton, J; Alagna, S; Reid, N; deVries, M

1987-01-01

The authors describe the application of experiential sampling, a new time-sampling method, to the assessment of rapid state changes in a woman with multiple personality disorder. She was signaled at random intervals during study periods and asked to provide information on alternate personality switches, amnesia, and mood state. The alternates displayed some characteristics that were as different as those occurring between separate individuals studied previously with this method. There were notable discrepancies between the self-report study data and information reported during therapy hours. The authors conclude that the phenomenology of multiple personality disorder is frequently more complex than is suspected early in the course of treatment.

Atomic Force Microscope Investigations of Bacterial Biofilms Treated with Gas Discharge Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandervoort, Kurt; Zelaya, Anna; Brelles-Marino, Graciela

2012-02-01

We present investigations of bacterial biofilms before and after treatment with gas discharge plasmas. Gas discharge plasmas represent a way to inactivate bacteria under conditions where conventional disinfection methods are often ineffective. These conditions involve biofilm communities, where bacteria grow embedded in an exopolysaccharide matrix, and cooperative interactions between cells make organisms less susceptible to standard inactivation methods. In this study, biofilms formed by the opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa were imaged before and after plasma treatment using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Through AFM images and micromechanical measurements we observed bacterial morphological damage and reduced AFM tip-sample surface adhesion following plasma treatment.

Plasma impregnation of wood with fire retardants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pabeliña, Karel G.; Lumban, Carmencita O.; Ramos, Henry J.

2012-02-01

The efficacy of chemical and plasma treatments with phosphate and boric compounds, and nitrogen as flame retardants on wood are compared in this study. The chemical treatment involved the conventional method of spraying the solution over the wood surface at atmospheric condition and chemical vapor deposition in a vacuum chamber. The plasma treatment utilized a dielectric barrier discharge ionizing and decomposing the flame retardants into innocuous simple compounds. Wood samples are immersed in either phosphoric acid, boric acid, hydrogen or nitrogen plasmas or a plasma admixture of two or three compounds at various concentrations and impregnated by the ionized chemical reactants. Chemical changes on the wood samples were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) while the thermal changes through thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Plasma-treated samples exhibit superior thermal stability and fire retardant properties in terms of highest onset temperature, temperature of maximum pyrolysis, highest residual char percentage and comparably low total percentage weight loss.

Long-Term High-Temperature Stability of Directionally Grown [Bi2Ba2O4]p[CoO2] Rods

PubMed Central

Diez, Juan C.; Madre, María A.; Torres, Miguel A.; Rasekh, Shahed; Sotelo, Andrés

2017-01-01

[Bi2Ba2O4]p[CoO2] thermoelectric ceramics have been successfully grown from the melt using the laser floating zone method, followed by a thermal treatment at 700 °C under air between 0 and 1532 h. The microstructural, thermoelectric, and mechanical properties were evaluated as a function of the thermal treatment length. Microstructure has shown that as-grown samples are composed of thermoelectric grains, together with a relatively high amount of secondary phases. Thermal treatment decreased the number and amount of secondary phases, producing nearly single-phase samples after 384 h. Consequently, the thermoelectric properties evaluated through the power factor showed a slight increase with the thermal treatment length, mainly due to the decrease of electrical resistivity, while the Seebeck coefficient was nearly unchanged. On the other hand, flexural strength was practically constant after 24 h thermal treatment. PMID:28772506

Pharmacogenetics in cancer therapy - 8 years of experience at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia.

PubMed

Cavic, Milena; Krivokuca, Ana; Boljevic, Ivana; Brotto, Ksenija; Jovanovic, Katarina; Tanic, Miljana; Filipovic, Lana; Zec, Manja; Malisic, Emina; Jankovic, Radmila; Radulovic, Sinisa

2016-01-01

Pharmacogenetics is a study of possible mechanism by which an individual's response to drugs is genetically determined by variations in their DNA sequence. The aim of pharmacogenetics is to identify the optimal drug and dose for each individual based on their genetic constitution, i.e. to individualize drug treatment. This leads to achieving the maximal therapeutic response for each patient, while reducing adverse side effects of therapy and the cost of treatment. A centralized pharmacogenetics service was formed at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (IORS) with the aim to provide a personalized approach to cancer treatment of Serbian patients. Analyses of KRAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer, EGFR mutations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, CYP2D6 polymorphism in breast cancer, DPD polymorphism in colorectal cancer and MTHFR polymorphism in osteosarcoma have been performed by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Mutation testing analyses were successful for 1694 KRAS samples and 1821 EGFR samples, while polymorphism testing was successful for 9 CYP2D6 samples, 65 DPD samples and 35 MTHFR samples. Pharmacogenetic methods presented in this paper provide cancer patients in Serbia the best possible choice of treatment at the moment.

Evaluation of subset matching methods and forms of covariate balance.

PubMed

de Los Angeles Resa, María; Zubizarreta, José R

2016-11-30

This paper conducts a Monte Carlo simulation study to evaluate the performance of multivariate matching methods that select a subset of treatment and control observations. The matching methods studied are the widely used nearest neighbor matching with propensity score calipers and the more recently proposed methods, optimal matching of an optimally chosen subset and optimal cardinality matching. The main findings are: (i) covariate balance, as measured by differences in means, variance ratios, Kolmogorov-Smirnov distances, and cross-match test statistics, is better with cardinality matching because by construction it satisfies balance requirements; (ii) for given levels of covariate balance, the matched samples are larger with cardinality matching than with the other methods; (iii) in terms of covariate distances, optimal subset matching performs best; (iv) treatment effect estimates from cardinality matching have lower root-mean-square errors, provided strong requirements for balance, specifically, fine balance, or strength-k balance, plus close mean balance. In standard practice, a matched sample is considered to be balanced if the absolute differences in means of the covariates across treatment groups are smaller than 0.1 standard deviations. However, the simulation results suggest that stronger forms of balance should be pursued in order to remove systematic biases due to observed covariates when a difference in means treatment effect estimator is used. In particular, if the true outcome model is additive, then marginal distributions should be balanced, and if the true outcome model is additive with interactions, then low-dimensional joints should be balanced. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of Dephytinization by Fermentation and Hydrothermal Autoclaving Treatments on the Antioxidant Activity, Dietary Fiber, and Phenolic Content of Oat Bran.

PubMed

Özkaya, H; Özkaya, B; Duman, B; Turksoy, S

2017-07-19

Fermentation and hydrothermal methods were tested to reduce the phytic acid (PA) content of oat bran, and the effects of these methods on the dietary fiber (DF) and total phenolic (TP) contents as well as the antioxidant activity (AA) were also investigated. Fermentation with 6% yeast and for 6 h resulted in 88.2% reduction in PA content, while it only resulted in 32.5% reduction in the sample incubated for 6 h without yeast addition. The PA loss in autoclaved oat bran sample (1.5 h, pH 4.0) was 95.2% while it was 41.8% at most in the sample autoclaved without pH adjustment. In both methods, soluble, insoluble, and total DF contents of samples were remarkably higher than the control samples. Also for TP in the oat bran samples, both processes led to 17% and 39% increases, respectively, while AA values were 8% and 15%, respectively. Among all samples, the autoclaving process resulted in the lowest PA and the greatest amount of bioactive compounds.

Sampling enhancement for the quantum mechanical potential based molecular dynamics simulations: a general algorithm and its extension for free energy calculation on rugged energy surface.

PubMed

Li, Hongzhi; Yang, Wei

2007-03-21

An approach is developed in the replica exchange framework to enhance conformational sampling for the quantum mechanical (QM) potential based molecular dynamics simulations. Importantly, with our enhanced sampling treatment, a decent convergence for electronic structure self-consistent-field calculation is robustly guaranteed, which is made possible in our replica exchange design by avoiding direct structure exchanges between the QM-related replicas and the activated (scaled by low scaling parameters or treated with high "effective temperatures") molecular mechanical (MM) replicas. Although the present approach represents one of the early efforts in the enhanced sampling developments specifically for quantum mechanical potentials, the QM-based simulations treated with the present technique can possess the similar sampling efficiency to the MM based simulations treated with the Hamiltonian replica exchange method (HREM). In the present paper, by combining this sampling method with one of our recent developments (the dual-topology alchemical HREM approach), we also introduce a method for the sampling enhanced QM-based free energy calculations.

A non-destructive method for quantifying small-diameter woody biomass in southern pine forests

Treesearch

D. Andrew Scott; Rick Stagg; Morris Smith

2006-01-01

Quantifying the impact of silvicultural treatments on woody understory vegetation largely has been accomplished by destructive sampling or through estimates of frequency and coverage. In studies where repeated measures of understory biomass across large areas are needed, destructive sampling and percent cover estimates are not satisfactory. For example, estimates of...

Moment-to-Moment Transfer of Positive Emotions in Daily Life Predicts Future Course of Depression in Both General Population and Patient Samples

PubMed Central

Höhn, Petra; Menne-Lothmann, Claudia; Peeters, Frenk; Nicolson, Nancy A.; Jacobs, Nele; Derom, Catherine; Thiery, Evert; van Os, Jim; Wichers, Marieke

2013-01-01

Objective Positive affect (PA) is closely linked to prevention of, and recovery from, depression. Previous studies have investigated PA reactivity to pleasant situations with respect to its protective properties in relation to mood disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine, and replicate, whether moment-to-moment transfer of PA in daily life (PA persistence) is relevant to the prediction of future course of depression. Method Individuals from three different studies (one general population sample (n=540), and two patient samples (n=43 and n=50) with matching controls (n=39 and n=21, respectively)) participated in an Experience Sampling Method (ESM) study. Time-lagged multilevel analyses were used to assess the degree of transfer (or persistence) of momentary positive affective states over time, in relation to naturalistic outcome (study 1) or treatment outcome (studies 2 and 3). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90R) in sample 1 and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) in samples 2 and 3. Results In study 1, participants with greater momentary PA persistence were less likely to show depressive symptoms at follow-up. In study 2, patients were more likely to respond to treatment if they displayed greater momentary PA persistence, particularly in those with recurrent depression. In study 3, patients with greater momentary PA persistence were similarly more likely to respond to treatment, especially when treated with imipramine rather than placebo. Conclusion The ability to transfer PA from one moment to the next is an important factor in the prevention of and recovery from depressive symptoms. Patients with recurrent depression and those who receive antidepressants rather than placebo may benefit most from this effect. The results suggest that treatment-induced improvement in depression is mediated by increased levels of momentary transfer of PA in daily life, acquisition of which may be contingent on duration of exposure to depressive experience. PMID:24086602

HIV Risks, Testing, and Treatment in the Former Soviet Union: Challenges and Future Directions in Research and Methodology.

PubMed

Saadat, Victoria M

2015-01-01

The dissolution of the USSR resulted in independence for constituent republics but left them battling an unstable economic environment and healthcare. Increases in injection drug use, prostitution, and migration were all widespread responses to this transition and have contributed to the emergence of an HIV epidemic in the countries of former Soviet Union. Researchers have begun to identify the risks of HIV infection as well as the barriers to HIV testing and treatment in the former Soviet Union. Significant methodological challenges have arisen and need to be addressed. The objective of this review is to determine common threads in HIV research in the former Soviet Union and provide useful recommendations for future research studies. In this systematic review of the literature, Pubmed was searched for English-language studies using the key search terms "HIV", "AIDS", "human immunodeficiency virus", "acquired immune deficiency syndrome", "Central Asia", "Kazakhstan", "Kyrgyzstan", "Uzbekistan", "Tajikistan", "Turkmenistan", "Russia", "Ukraine", "Armenia", "Azerbaijan", and "Georgia". Studies were evaluated against eligibility criteria for inclusion. Thirty-nine studies were identified across the two main topic areas of HIV risk and barriers to testing and treatment, themes subsequently referred to as "risk" and "barriers". Study design was predominantly cross-sectional. The most frequently used sampling methods were peer-to-peer and non-probabilistic sampling. The most frequently reported risks were condom misuse, risky intercourse, and unsafe practices among injection drug users. Common barriers to testing included that testing was inconvenient, and that results would not remain confidential. Frequent barriers to treatment were based on a distrust in the treatment system. The findings of this review reveal methodological limitations that span the existing studies. Small sample size, cross-sectional design, and non-probabilistic sampling methods were frequently reported limitations. Future work is needed to examine barriers to testing and treatment as well as longitudinal studies on HIV risk over time in most-at-risk populations.

Analysis of hepatitis C NS5A resistance associated polymorphisms using ultra deep single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing.

PubMed

Bergfors, Assar; Leenheer, Daniël; Bergqvist, Anders; Ameur, Adam; Lennerstrand, Johan

2016-02-01

Development of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) resistance against direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), including NS5A inhibitors, is an obstacle to successful treatment of HCV when DAAs are used in sub-optimal combinations. Furthermore, it has been shown that baseline (pre-existing) resistance against DAAs is present in treatment naïve-patients and this will potentially complicate future treatment strategies in different HCV genotypes (GTs). Thus the aim was to detect low levels of NS5A resistant associated variants (RAVs) in a limited sample set of treatment-naïve patients of HCV GT1a and 3a, since such polymorphisms can display in vitro resistance as high as 60000 fold. Ultra-deep single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing with the Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) RSII instrument was used to detect these RAVs. The SMRT sequencing was conducted on ten samples; three of them positive with Sanger sequencing (GT1a Q30H and Y93N, and GT3a Y93H), five GT1a samples, and two GT3a non-positive samples. The same methods were applied to the HCV GT1a H77-plasmid in a dilution series, in order to determine the error rates of replication, which in turn was used to determine the limit of detection (LOD), as defined by mean + 3SD, of minority variants down to 0.24%. We found important baseline NS5A RAVs at levels between 0.24 and 0.5%, which could potentially have clinical relevance. This new method with low level detection of baseline RAVs could be useful in predicting the most cost-efficient combination of DAA treatment, and reduce the treatment duration for an HCV infected individual. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of sampling and short isolation methodologies on the recovery of human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica from pig tonsils.

PubMed

Van Damme, Inge; Berkvens, Dirk; De Zutter, Lieven

2012-07-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sampling (swab samples compared to destructive samples) on isolation rates of human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica from pig tonsils. Moreover, the relative efficiency of different rapid, routinely applicable isolation methods was evaluated. Therefore, swab and destructive samples from tonsils of 120 pigs at slaughter were analyzed in parallel using direct plating and different enrichment methods. Salmonella-Shigella-desoxycholate-calcium chloride (SSDC) agar, cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar, and Yersinia enterocolitica chromogenic medium (YeCM) were used as selective agar media. For enrichment, irgasan-ticarcillin-potassium chlorate (ITC) broth and peptone-sorbitol-bile (PSB) broth were incubated at 25°C for 48 h. Overall, 55 tonsils (45.8%) were positive for Y. enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3. Recovery was significantly higher using the destructive method compared to the swabbing method. Direct plating resulted in 47 and 28 Y. enterocolitica-positive destructive and swab samples, respectively. Alkali treatment of PSB and ITC enrichment broths significantly increased recovery of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from destructive tonsil samples. The performance of YeCM for qualitative and quantitative isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils was equal to SSDC and CIN. In conclusion, direct plating and ISO 10273: 2003 with minor modifications are suitable and rapid methods for isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from destructive tonsil samples.

Avoidant Coping and Treatment Outcome in Rape-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leiner, Amy S.; Kearns, Megan C.; Jackson, Joan L.; Astin, Millie C.; Rothbaum, Barbara O.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study investigated the impact of avoidant coping on treatment outcome in rape-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Adult women with rape-related PTSD (N = 62) received 9 sessions of prolonged exposure (PE) or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The mean age for the sample was 34.7 years, and race…

Family Factors Predict Treatment Outcome for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peris, Tara S.; Sugar, Catherine A.; Bergman, R. Lindsey; Chang, Susanna; Langley, Audra; Piacentini, John

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine family conflict, parental blame, and poor family cohesion as predictors of treatment outcome for youths receiving family-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (FCBT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: We analyzed data from a sample of youths who were randomized to FCBT (n = 49; 59% male; M age = 12.43 years) as…

Age of Alcohol-Dependence Onset: Associations with Severity of Dependence and Seeking Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hingson, Ralph W.; Heeren, Timothy; Winter, Michael R.

2007-01-01

Objective: We explored whether people who become alcohol dependent at younger ages are more likely to seek alcohol-related help or treatment or experience chronic relapsing dependence. Methods: In 2001-2002 the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism completed a face-to-face interview survey with a multistage probability sample of 43…

Determination of esters in glycerol phase after transesterification of vegetable oil.

PubMed

Hájek, Martin; Skopal, Frantisek; Kwiecien, Jirí; Cernoch, Michal

2010-06-30

In biodiesel production, glycerol is formed as a side product and it is contained in the glycerol phase. This phase contains (besides glycerol): water, soaps, alcohol, traces of catalyst and glycerides and the remaining esters. In this paper, a new method for the determination of esters in the glycerol phase is introduced. The determination enables the minimization of the losses of biodiesel within the production process. It is based on the gradient RP-LC method (water and acetonitrile) with refractometric detection. The analysis is easy and the samples do not need any treatment (only dilution by water) and has a low detection limit. The results of this method were compared with the results of two other published methods: isocratic HPLC and GC. The disadvantage of these two methods is that they need extensive treatment of the sample, which takes many hours, and they are able to determine only the sum of esters. The new method is reliable, much faster and able to differentiate esters of almost each higher fatty acid (e.g. linoleic, linolenic, strearic alkyl ester) in the glycerol phase. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of nifurtimox treatment of chronic Chagas disease by means of several parasitological methods.

PubMed

Muñoz, Catalina; Zulantay, Inés; Apt, Werner; Ortiz, Sylvia; Schijman, Alejandro G; Bisio, Margarita; Ferrada, Valentina; Herrera, Cinthya; Martínez, Gabriela; Solari, Aldo

2013-09-01

Currently, evaluation of drug efficacy for Chagas disease remains a controversial issue with no consensus. In this work, we evaluated the parasitological efficacy of Nifurtimox treatment in 21 women with chronic Chagas disease from an area of endemicity in Chile who were treated according to current protocols. Under pre- and posttherapy conditions, blood (B) samples and xenodiagnosis (XD) samples from these patients were subjected to analysis by real-time PCR targeting the nuclear satellite DNA of Trypanosoma cruzi (Sat DNA PCR-B, Sat DNA PCR-XD) and by PCR targeting the minicircle of kinetoplast DNA of T. cruzi (kDNA PCR-B, kDNA PCR-XD) and by T. cruzi genotyping using hybridization minicircle tests in blood and fecal samples of Triatoma infestans feed by XD. In pretherapy, kDNA PCR-B and kDNA PCR-XD detected T. cruzi in 12 (57%) and 18 (86%) cases, respectively, whereas Sat DNA quantitative PCR-B (qPCR-B) and Sat DNA qPCR-XD were positive in 18 cases (86%) each. Regarding T. cruzi genotype analysis, it was possible to observe in pretherapy the combination of TcI, TcII, and TcV lineages, including mixtures of T. cruzi strains in most of the cases. At 13 months posttherapy, T. cruzi DNA was detectable in 6 cases (29.6%) and 4 cases (19.1%) by means of Sat DNA PCR-XD and kDNA PCR-XD, respectively, indicating treatment failure with recovery of live parasites refractory to chemotherapy. In 3 cases, it was possible to identify persistence of the baseline genotypes. The remaining 15 baseline PCR-positive cases gave negative results by all molecular and parasitological methods at 13 months posttreatment, suggesting parasite response. Within this follow-up period, kDNA PCR-XD and Sat DNA qPCR-XD proved to be more sensitive tools for the parasitological evaluation of the efficacy of Nifurtimox treatment than the corresponding PCR methods performed directly from blood samples.

Evaluation of Nifurtimox Treatment of Chronic Chagas Disease by Means of Several Parasitological Methods

PubMed Central

Muñoz, Catalina; Zulantay, Inés; Apt, Werner; Ortiz, Sylvia; Schijman, Alejandro G.; Bisio, Margarita; Ferrada, Valentina; Herrera, Cinthya; Martínez, Gabriela

2013-01-01

Currently, evaluation of drug efficacy for Chagas disease remains a controversial issue with no consensus. In this work, we evaluated the parasitological efficacy of Nifurtimox treatment in 21 women with chronic Chagas disease from an area of endemicity in Chile who were treated according to current protocols. Under pre- and posttherapy conditions, blood (B) samples and xenodiagnosis (XD) samples from these patients were subjected to analysis by real-time PCR targeting the nuclear satellite DNA of Trypanosoma cruzi (Sat DNA PCR-B, Sat DNA PCR-XD) and by PCR targeting the minicircle of kinetoplast DNA of T. cruzi (kDNA PCR-B, kDNA PCR-XD) and by T. cruzi genotyping using hybridization minicircle tests in blood and fecal samples of Triatoma infestans feed by XD. In pretherapy, kDNA PCR-B and kDNA PCR-XD detected T. cruzi in 12 (57%) and 18 (86%) cases, respectively, whereas Sat DNA quantitative PCR-B (qPCR-B) and Sat DNA qPCR-XD were positive in 18 cases (86%) each. Regarding T. cruzi genotype analysis, it was possible to observe in pretherapy the combination of TcI, TcII, and TcV lineages, including mixtures of T. cruzi strains in most of the cases. At 13 months posttherapy, T. cruzi DNA was detectable in 6 cases (29.6%) and 4 cases (19.1%) by means of Sat DNA PCR-XD and kDNA PCR-XD, respectively, indicating treatment failure with recovery of live parasites refractory to chemotherapy. In 3 cases, it was possible to identify persistence of the baseline genotypes. The remaining 15 baseline PCR-positive cases gave negative results by all molecular and parasitological methods at 13 months posttreatment, suggesting parasite response. Within this follow-up period, kDNA PCR-XD and Sat DNA qPCR-XD proved to be more sensitive tools for the parasitological evaluation of the efficacy of Nifurtimox treatment than the corresponding PCR methods performed directly from blood samples. PMID:23836179

Plant Disease Severity Assessment-How Rater Bias, Assessment Method, and Experimental Design Affect Hypothesis Testing and Resource Use Efficiency.

PubMed

Chiang, Kuo-Szu; Bock, Clive H; Lee, I-Hsuan; El Jarroudi, Moussa; Delfosse, Philippe

2016-12-01

The effect of rater bias and assessment method on hypothesis testing was studied for representative experimental designs for plant disease assessment using balanced and unbalanced data sets. Data sets with the same number of replicate estimates for each of two treatments are termed "balanced" and those with unequal numbers of replicate estimates are termed "unbalanced". The three assessment methods considered were nearest percent estimates (NPEs), an amended 10% incremental scale, and the Horsfall-Barratt (H-B) scale. Estimates of severity of Septoria leaf blotch on leaves of winter wheat were used to develop distributions for a simulation model. The experimental designs are presented here in the context of simulation experiments which consider the optimal design for the number of specimens (individual units sampled) and the number of replicate estimates per specimen for a fixed total number of observations (total sample size for the treatments being compared). The criterion used to gauge each method was the power of the hypothesis test. As expected, at a given fixed number of observations, the balanced experimental designs invariably resulted in a higher power compared with the unbalanced designs at different disease severity means, mean differences, and variances. Based on these results, with unbiased estimates using NPE, the recommended number of replicate estimates taken per specimen is 2 (from a sample of specimens of at least 30), because this conserves resources. Furthermore, for biased estimates, an apparent difference in the power of the hypothesis test was observed between assessment methods and between experimental designs. Results indicated that, regardless of experimental design or rater bias, an amended 10% incremental scale has slightly less power compared with NPEs, and that the H-B scale is more likely than the others to cause a type II error. These results suggest that choice of assessment method, optimizing sample number and number of replicate estimates, and using a balanced experimental design are important criteria to consider to maximize the power of hypothesis tests for comparing treatments using disease severity estimates.

Development of a short form Social Interaction Anxiety (SIAS) and Social Phobia Scale (SPS) using nonparametric item response theory: the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6.

PubMed

Peters, Lorna; Sunderland, Matthew; Andrews, Gavin; Rapee, Ronald M; Mattick, Richard P

2012-03-01

Shortened forms of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) were developed using nonparametric item response theory methods. Using data from socially phobic participants enrolled in 5 treatment trials (N = 456), 2 six-item scales (the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6) were developed. The validity of the scores on the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6 was then tested using traditional methods for their convergent validity in an independent clinical sample and a student sample, as well as for their sensitivity to change and diagnostic sensitivity in the clinical sample. The scores on the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6 correlated as well as the scores on the original SIAS and SPS, with scores on measures of related constructs, discriminated well between those with and without a diagnosis of social phobia, providing cutoffs for diagnosis and were as sensitive to measuring change associated with treatment as were the SIAS and SPS. Together, the SIAS-6 and the SPS-6 appear to be an efficient method of measuring symptoms of social phobia and provide a brief screening tool.

Method for the determination of carboxylic acids in industrial effluents using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with injection port derivatization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Makoś, Patrycja; Fernandes, Andre; Boczkaj, Grzegorz

2017-09-29

The paper presents a new method for the determination of 15 carboxylic acids in samples of postoxidative effluents from the production of petroleum bitumens using ion-pair dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with injection port derivatization. Several parameters related to the extraction and derivatization efficiency were optimized. Under optimized experimental conditions, the obtained limit of detection and quantification ranged from 0.0069 to 1.12μg/mL and 0.014 to 2.24μg/mL, respectively. The precision (RSD ranged 1.29-6.42%) and recovery (69.43-125.79%) were satisfactory. Nine carboxylic acids at concentrations ranging from 0.10μg/mL to 15.06μg/mL were determined in the raw wastewater and in samples of effluents treated by various oxidation methods. The studies revealed a substantial increase of concentration of benzoic acids, in samples of wastewater after treatment, which confirms the need of carboxylic acids monitoring during industrial effluent treatment processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distribution of the two-sample t-test statistic following blinded sample size re-estimation.

PubMed

Lu, Kaifeng

2016-05-01

We consider the blinded sample size re-estimation based on the simple one-sample variance estimator at an interim analysis. We characterize the exact distribution of the standard two-sample t-test statistic at the final analysis. We describe a simulation algorithm for the evaluation of the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis at given treatment effect. We compare the blinded sample size re-estimation method with two unblinded methods with respect to the empirical type I error, the empirical power, and the empirical distribution of the standard deviation estimator and final sample size. We characterize the type I error inflation across the range of standardized non-inferiority margin for non-inferiority trials, and derive the adjusted significance level to ensure type I error control for given sample size of the internal pilot study. We show that the adjusted significance level increases as the sample size of the internal pilot study increases. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

EGFR mutation status of paired cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastases.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Ye, Xin; Xu, Yan; Chen, Minjiang; Zhong, Wei; Sun, Yun; Yang, Zhenfan; Zhu, Guanshan; Gu, Yi; Wang, Mengzhao

2016-12-01

Central nervous system (CNS) is the prevalent site for metastases in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-relapsed NSCLC patients. To understand the EGFR mutation status in paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples after EGFR-TKI treatment failure might be useful to guide the treatment of intra- and extracranial tumors in those patients. Paired CSF and plasma samples were collected from seven NSCLC patients with CNS metastases after EGFR-TKI failure. EGFR mutations were tested by amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) methods. Gefitinib concentrations were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). EGFR mutations were detected in all seven CSF samples, including three of E19-Del, three of L858R and one of E19-Del&T790M by both methods. On the other hand, majority of the matched plasma samples (5/7) were negative for EGFR mutations by both methods. The other two plasma samples were positive for E19-Del&T790M by ddPCR, and one of them had undetectable T790M by ARMS. Gefitinib concentration in CSF was much lower than that in plasma (mean CSF/plasma ratio: 1.8 %). After EGFR-TKI failure, majority of the NSCLC patients with CNS metastases remained positive detection of EGFR sensitive mutations in CSF, but much less detection in the matched plasma. Significantly low exposure of gefitinib in CSF might explain the intracranial protection of the EGFR sensitive mutation positive tumor cells.

Occurrence of Selected Pharmaceutical and Organic Wastewater Compounds in Effluent and Water Samples from Municipal Wastewater and Drinking-Water Treatment Facilities in the Tar and Cape Fear River Basins, North Carolina, 2003-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrell, G.M.

2009-01-01

Samples of treated effluent and treated and untreated water were collected at 20 municipal wastewater and drinkingwater treatment facilities in the Tar and Cape Fear River basins of North Carolina during 2003 and 2005. The samples were analyzed for a variety of prescription and nonprescription pharmaceutical compounds and a suite of organic compounds considered indicative of wastewater. Concentrations of these compounds generally were less than or near the detection limits of the analytical methods used during this investigation. None of these compounds were detected at concentrations that exceeded drinking-water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Bromoform, a disinfection byproduct, was the only compound detected at a concentration that exceeded regulatory guidelines. The concentration of bromoform in one finished drinking-water sample, 26 micrograms per liter, exceeded North Carolina water-quality criteria. Drinking-water treatment practices were effective at removing many of the compounds detected in untreated water. Disinfection processes used in wastewater treatment - chlorination or irradiation with ultraviolet light - did not seem to substantially degrade the organic compounds evaluated during this study.

Characterization, modeling and physical mechanisms of different surface treatment methods at room temperature on the oxide and interfacial quality of the SiO2 film using the spectroscopic scanning capacitance microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Kin Mun

In this article, a simple, low cost and combined surface treatment method [pre-oxidation immersion of the p-type silicon (Si) substrate in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and post oxidation ultra-violet (UV) irradiation of the silicon-dioxide (SiO2) film] at room temperature is investigated. The interface trap density at midgap [Dit(mg)] of the resulting SiO2 film (denoted as sample 1A) is quantified from the full width at half-maximum of the scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) differential capacitance (dC/dV) characteristics by utilizing a previously validated theoretical model. The Dit(mg) of sample 1A is significantly lower than the sample without any surface treatments which indicates that it is a viable technique for improving the interfacial quality of the thicker SiO2 films prepared by wet oxidation. Moreover, the proposed combined surface treatment method may possibly complement the commonly used forming gas anneal process to further improve the interfacial quality of the SiO2 films. The positive shift of the flatband voltage due to the overall oxide charges (estimated from the probe tip dc bias at the peak dC/dV spectra) of sample 1A suggests the presence of negative oxide fixed charge density (Nf) in the oxide. In addition, an analytical formula is derived to approximate the difference of the Nf values between the oxide samples that are immersed in H2O2 and UV irradiated from their measured SCM dC/dV spectra. Conversely, some physical mechanisms are proposed that result in the ionization of the SiO- species (which are converted from the neutral SiOH groups that originate from the pre-oxidation immersion in H2O2 and ensuing wet oxidation) during the UV irradiation as well as the UV photo-injected electrons from the Si substrate (which did not interact with the SiOH groups). They constitute the source of mobile electrons which partially passivate the positively charged empty donor-like interface traps at the Si-SiO2 interface.

The Therapeutic Workplace to Promote Treatment Engagement and Drug Abstinence in Out-of-Treatment Injection Drug Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Holtyn, August F.; Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O.; Strain, Eric C.; Schwartz, Robert P.; Leoutsakos, Jeannie-Marie S.; Silverman, Kenneth

2014-01-01

Objective Determine if employment-based reinforcement can increase methadone treatment engagement and drug abstinence in out-of-treatment injection drug users. Method This study was conducted from 2008–2012 in a therapeutic workplace in Baltimore, MD. After a 4-week induction, participants (N=98) could work and earn pay for 26 weeks and were randomly assigned to Work Reinforcement, Methadone & Work Reinforcement, and Abstinence, Methadone & Work Reinforcement conditions. Work Reinforcement participants had to work to earn pay. Methadone & Work Reinforcement, and Abstinence, Methadone, & Work Reinforcement participants had to enroll in methadone treatment to work and maximize pay. Abstinence, Methadone, & Work Reinforcement participants had to provide opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples to maximize pay. Results Most participants (92%) enrolled in methadone treatment during induction. Drug abstinence increased as a graded function of the addition of the methadone and abstinence contingencies. Abstinence, Methadone & Work Reinforcement participants provided significantly more urine samples negative for opiates (75% versus 54%) and cocaine (57% versus 32%) than Work Reinforcement participants. Methadone & Work Reinforcement participants provided significantly more cocaine-negative samples than Work Reinforcement participants (55% versus 32%). Conclusion The therapeutic workplace can promote drug abstinence in out-of-treatment injection drug users. PMID:24607365

Severity of club drug dependence and perceived need for treatment among a sample of adult club drug users in Shanghai, China

PubMed Central

Ding, Yingying; He, Na; Shoptaw, Steven; Gao, Meiyang; Detels, Roger

2013-01-01

Purpose Examine the severity of club drug dependence and perceived need for treatment, and further identify their determinants among a sample of club drug users in Shanghai, China. Methods 276 club drug users were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Severity of dependence on club drugs was measured using the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). Results 69.9% reported dependence on club drugs (i.e., SDS≥4) and 36.6% reported severe dependence (i.e., SDS≥6). One eighth (12.7%) perceived need for drug treatment. Severe dependence on club drugs was more likely among those who reported recent use of ecstasy and those who had more depressive symptoms, but less likely among those reporting recent use of methamphetamine. Perceived need for treatment was more likely among those who lived with a spouse or boy/girlfriend, but less likely among those had prior drug treatment experience and more severe club drug dependence. Conclusions Our findings suggest that educational activities should be implemented to raise public awareness about the powerful addictive properties of club drugs, along with efforts to reduce stigma towards drug abuse and psychiatric disorders. Programs to motivate drug users to seek treatment and encourage treatment linkage are urgently needed. PMID:23715971

Improving the analysis of composite endpoints in rare disease trials.

PubMed

McMenamin, Martina; Berglind, Anna; Wason, James M S

2018-05-22

Composite endpoints are recommended in rare diseases to increase power and/or to sufficiently capture complexity. Often, they are in the form of responder indices which contain a mixture of continuous and binary components. Analyses of these outcomes typically treat them as binary, thus only using the dichotomisations of continuous components. The augmented binary method offers a more efficient alternative and is therefore especially useful for rare diseases. Previous work has indicated the method may have poorer statistical properties when the sample size is small. Here we investigate small sample properties and implement small sample corrections. We re-sample from a previous trial with sample sizes varying from 30 to 80. We apply the standard binary and augmented binary methods and determine the power, type I error rate, coverage and average confidence interval width for each of the estimators. We implement Firth's adjustment for the binary component models and a small sample variance correction for the generalized estimating equations, applying the small sample adjusted methods to each sub-sample as before for comparison. For the log-odds treatment effect the power of the augmented binary method is 20-55% compared to 12-20% for the standard binary method. Both methods have approximately nominal type I error rates. The difference in response probabilities exhibit similar power but both unadjusted methods demonstrate type I error rates of 6-8%. The small sample corrected methods have approximately nominal type I error rates. On both scales, the reduction in average confidence interval width when using the adjusted augmented binary method is 17-18%. This is equivalent to requiring a 32% smaller sample size to achieve the same statistical power. The augmented binary method with small sample corrections provides a substantial improvement for rare disease trials using composite endpoints. We recommend the use of the method for the primary analysis in relevant rare disease trials. We emphasise that the method should be used alongside other efforts in improving the quality of evidence generated from rare disease trials rather than replace them.

Methodological quality of meta-analyses on treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study using the AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool

PubMed Central

Ho, Robin ST; Wu, Xinyin; Yuan, Jinqiu; Liu, Siya; Lai, Xin; Wong, Samuel YS; Chung, Vincent CH

2015-01-01

Background: Meta-analysis (MA) of randomised trials is considered to be one of the best approaches for summarising high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of treatments. However, methodological flaws in MAs can reduce the validity of conclusions, subsequently impairing the quality of decision making. Aims: To assess the methodological quality of MAs on COPD treatments. Methods: A cross-sectional study on MAs of COPD trials. MAs published during 2000–2013 were sampled from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effect. Methodological quality was assessed using the validated AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool. Results: Seventy-nine MAs were sampled. Only 18% considered the scientific quality of primary studies when formulating conclusions and 49% used appropriate meta-analytic methods to combine findings. The problems were particularly acute among MAs on pharmacological treatments. In 48% of MAs the authors did not report conflict of interest. Fifty-eight percent reported harmful effects of treatment. Publication bias was not assessed in 65% of MAs, and only 10% had searched non-English databases. Conclusions: The methodological quality of the included MAs was disappointing. Consideration of scientific quality when formulating conclusions should be made explicit. Future MAs should improve on reporting conflict of interest and harm, assessment of publication bias, prevention of language bias and use of appropriate meta-analytic methods. PMID:25569783

Analysis of sewage sludge using an experimental prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (pgnaa) set-up with an am-be source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idiri, Z.; Redjem, F.; Beloudah, N.

2016-09-01

An experimental PGNAA set-up using a 1 Ci Am-Be source has been developed and used for analysis of bulk sewage sludge samples issued from a wastewater treatment plant situated in an industrial area of Algiers. The sample dimensions were optimized using thermal neutron flux calculations carried out with the MCNP5 Monte Carlo Code. A methodology is then proposed to perform quantitative analysis using the absolute method. For this, average thermal neutron flux inside the sludge samples is deduced using average thermal neutron flux in reference water samples and thermal flux measurements with the aid of a 3He neutron detector. The average absolute gamma detection efficiency is determined using the prompt gammas emitted by chlorine dissolved in a water sample. The gamma detection efficiency is normalized for sludge samples using gamma attenuation factors calculated with the MCNP5 code for water and sludge. Wet and dehydrated sludge samples were analyzed. Nutritive elements (Ca, N, P, K) and heavy metals elements like Cr and Mn were determined. For some elements, the PGNAA values were compared to those obtained using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) methods. Good agreement is observed between the different values. Heavy element concentrations are very high compared to normal values; this is related to the fact that the wastewater treatment plant is treating not only domestic but also industrial wastewater that is probably rejected by industries without removal of pollutant elements. The detection limits for almost all elements of interest are sufficiently low for the method to be well suited for such analysis.

Multiresidue analysis of 24 Water Framework Directive priority substances by on-line solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in environmental waters.

PubMed

Rubirola, Adrià; Boleda, Mª Rosa; Galceran, Mª Teresa

2017-04-14

This paper reports the development of a fully multiresidue and automated on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) - liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of 24 priority substances (PS) belonging to different classes (pesticides, hormones or pharmaceuticals) included in the Directive 2013/39/UE and the recent Watch List (Decision 2015/495) in water samples (drinking water, surface water, and effluent wastewaters). LC-MS/MS conditions and on-line SPE parameters such as sorbent type, sample and wash volumes were optimized. The developed method is highly sensitive (limits of detection between 0.1 and 1.4ngL -1 ) and precise (relative standard deviations lower than 8%). As part of the method validation studies, linearity, accuracy and matrix effects were assessed. The main advantage of this method over traditional off-line procedures is the minimization of tedious sample preparation increasing productivity and sample throughput. The optimized method was applied to the analysis of water samples and the results revealed the presence of 16 PS in river water and effluent water of wastewater treatment plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of commercial kit based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid detection of low levels of uninjured and injured Salmonella on duck meat, bean sprouts, and fishballs in Singapore.

PubMed

Lim, Hazel Sin Yue; Zheng, Qianwang; Miks-Krajnik, Marta; Turner, Matthew; Yuk, Hyun-Gyun

2015-06-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of the commercial kit based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in comparison with the International Organization for Standardization method for detecting uninjured and sublethally injured Salmonella cells artificially inoculated at levels of 10(0) and 10(1) CFU/25 g on raw duck wing, raw mung bean sprouts, and processed fishballs. Injured cells were prepared by a heat treatment for duck wings and fishball samples and a chlorine treatment for bean sprout samples. Additionally, a validation study was performed on naturally contaminated food samples sold in Singapore. A total of 110 samples of each commodity were analyzed in this study. Regardless of inoculum levels, the detection by the commercial LAMP kit showed 100% sensitivity and specificity for both inoculated and uninoculated samples compared with the International Organization for Standardization method, with the exception of bean sprout samples. Only 20% of bean sprout samples inoculated with 10(0) CFU/25 g injured Salmonella cells were positive by using the commercial LAMP-based kit. However, all negative samples became positive following a secondary enrichment in Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium with soy broth or after concentration by centrifugation. These results suggest that secondary enrichment or centrifugation should be considered as an additional step to increase the sensitivity of the commercial LAMP-based kit with low numbers of injured target cells in samples with high background microflora (such as mung bean sprouts). The validation study also showed that the commercial LAMP-based kit provided 91% sensitivity and 95% specificity for naturally contaminated samples. Thus, this study demonstrates that the commercial LAMP-based kit might be a cost-effective method, as this system could provide rapid, accurate detection of both uninjured and injured Salmonella cells on raw duck wings, raw mung bean sprouts, and processed fishballs in less than 26 h.

Research on identification and determination of mixed pesticides in apples using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Chen; Li, Yongyu; Peng, Yankun; Xu, Tianfeng; Dhakal, Sagar; Chao, Kuanglin; Qin, Jianwei

2015-05-01

Residual pesticides in fruits and vegetables have become one of the major food safety concerns around the world. At present, routine analytical methods used for the determination of pesticide residue on the surface of fruits and vegetables are destructive, complex, time-consuming, high cost and not environmentally friendly. In this study, a novel Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) method with silver colloid was developed for fast and sensitive nondestructive detection of residual pesticides in fruits and vegetables by using a self-developed Raman system. SERS technology is a combination of Raman spectroscopy and nanotechnology. SERS can greatly enhance the Raman signal intensity, achieve single-molecule detection, and has a simple sample pre-treatment characteristic of high sensitivity and no damage; in recent years it has begun to be used in food safety testing research. In this study a rapid and sensitive method was developed to identify and analyze mixed pesticides of chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin and acetamiprid in apple samples by SERS. Silver colloid was used for SERS measurement by hydroxylamine hydrochloride reduced. The advantages of this method are seen in its fast preparation at room temperature, good reproducibility and immediate applicability. Raman spectrum is highly interfered by noise signals and fluorescence background, which make it too complex to get good result. In this study the noise signals and fluorescence background were removed by Savitzky-Golay filter and min-max signal adaptive zooming method. Under optimal conditions, pesticide residues in apple samples can be detected by SERS at 0.005 μg/cm2 and 0.002 μg/cm2 for individual acetamiprid and thiram, respectively. When mixing the two pesticides at low concentrations, their characteristic peaks can still be identified from the SERS spectrum of the mixture. Based on the synthesized material and its application in SERS operation, the method represents an ultrasensitive SERS performance in apple samples detection without sample pre-treatment, which indicates that it could be served as a useful means in monitoring pesticide residues.

Determination of pyridostigmine bromide and its metabolites in biological samples.

PubMed

Zhao, Bin; Moochhala, Shabbir M; Lu, Jia; Tan, Donna; Lai, Mui Hoon

2006-01-01

Pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is a quartenary ammonium compound that inhibits the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by competitive reversible binding to acetylcholinesterase. PB is used for the symptomatic treatment of myasthenia gravis and has been applied as a prophylaxis against nerve agents. Many studies on PB have involved the reliance on techniques that extract and quantify PB in biological samples. This article presents an overview of the currently applied methodologies for the determination of PB and its metabolites in various biological samples. Articles published from January 1975 to the July 2005 were taken into consideration for the discussion of the metabolism and analytical method of PB. HPLC and GC methods have been used and discussed in most of the references cited in this review. Other methods such as RIA and CE that have been recently reported are also mentioned in this article. Basic information about the type of sample used for analysis, sample preparation, chromatographic column, mobile phase, detection mode and validation data are summarized in a table.

Assessment of the sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay as an early sputum biomarker of response to tuberculosis treatment.

PubMed

Friedrich, Sven O; Rachow, Andrea; Saathoff, Elmar; Singh, Kasha; Mangu, Chacha D; Dawson, Rodney; Phillips, Patrick Pj; Venter, Amour; Bateson, Anna; Boehme, Catharina C; Heinrich, Norbert; Hunt, Robert D; Boeree, Martin J; Zumla, Alimuddin; McHugh, Timothy D; Gillespie, Stephen H; Diacon, Andreas H; Hoelscher, Michael

2013-08-01

An accurate biomarker is urgently needed to monitor the response to treatment in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a commercially available real-time PCR that can be used to detect Mycobacterium-tuberculosis-specific DNA sequences in sputum samples. We therefore evaluated this assay with serial sputum samples obtained over 26 weeks from patients undergoing treatment for tuberculosis. We analysed sputum samples from 221 patients with smear-positive tuberculosis enrolled at two sites (Cape Town, South Africa, and Mbeya, Tanzania) of a multicentre randomised clinical trial REMoxTB of antituberculosis treatment on a weekly basis (weeks 0 to 8), then at weeks 12, 17, 22, and 26 after treatment initiation. The Xpert MTB/RIF results over time were compared with the results of standard smear microscopy and culture methods. We obtained and analysed 2741 sputum samples from 221 patients. The reduction in positivity rates with Xpert MTB/RIF were slower than those with the standard methods. At week 8, positive results were obtained for 62 (29%) of 212 sputum samples with smear microscopy, 46 (26%) of 175 with solid culture (Löwenstein-Jensen medium), 77 (42%) of 183 with liquid culture (Bactec MGIT960 system), and 174 (84%) of 207 with Xpert MTB/RIF; at 26 weeks, positive results were obtained for ten (5%) of 199, four (3%) of 157, seven (4%) of 169, and 22 (27%) of 83 sputum samples, respectively. The reduction in detection of quantitative M tuberculosis DNA with Xpert MTB/RIF correlated with smear grades (ρ=-0·74; p<0·0001), solid culture grades (ρ=-0·73; p<0·0001), and time to liquid culture positivity (ρ=0·73; p<0·0001). Compared with the combined binary smear and culture results as a reference standard, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay had high sensitivity (97·0%, 95% CI 95·8-97·9), but poor specificity (48·6%, 45·0-52·2). The poor specificity precludes the use of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay as a biomarker for monitoring tuberculosis treatment, and should not replace standard smear microscopy and culture. Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Medical Research Council, German Ministry of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of odor concentration from mechanical-biological treatment piles using static chamber and wind tunnel with different wind speed values.

PubMed

Szyłak-Szydłowski, Mirosław

2017-09-01

The basic principle of odor sampling from surface sources is based primarily on the amount of air obtained from a specific area of the ground, which acts as a source of malodorous compounds. Wind tunnels and flux chambers are often the only available, direct method of evaluating the odor fluxes from small area sources. There are currently no widely accepted chamber-based methods; thus, there is still a need for standardization of these methods to ensure accuracy and comparability. Previous research has established that there is a significant difference between the odor concentration values obtained using the Lindvall chamber and those obtained by a dynamic flow chamber. Thus, the present study compares sampling methods using a streaming chamber modeled on the Lindvall cover (using different wind speeds), a static chamber, and a direct sampling method without any screens. The volumes of chambers in the current work were similar, ~0.08 m 3 . This study was conducted at the mechanical-biological treatment plant in Poland. Samples were taken from a pile covered by the membrane. Measured odor concentration values were between 2 and 150 ou E /m 3 . Results of the study demonstrated that both chambers can be used interchangeably in the following conditions: odor concentration is below 60 ou E /m 3 , wind speed inside the Lindvall chamber is below 0.2 m/sec, and a flow value is below 0.011 m 3 /sec. Increasing the wind speed above the aforementioned value results in significant differences in the results obtained between those methods. In all experiments, the results of the concentration of odor in the samples using the static chamber were consistently higher than those from the samples measured in the Lindvall chamber. Lastly, the results of experiments were employed to determine a model function of the relationship between wind speed and odor concentration values. Several researchers wrote that there are no widely accepted chamber-based methods. Also, there is still a need for standardization to ensure full comparability of these methods. The present study compared the existing methods to improve the standardization of area source sampling. The practical usefulness of the results was proving that both examined chambers can be used interchangeably. Statistically similar results were achieved while odor concentration was below 60 ou E /m 3 and wind speed inside the Lindvall chamber was below 0.2 m/sec. Increasing wind speed over these values results in differences between these methods. A model function of relationship between wind speed and odor concentration value was determined.

COMPENDIUM OF METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Second Edition of the Compendium has been prepared to provide regional, state and local environmental regulatory agencies with step-by-step sampling and analysis procedures for the determination of selected toxic organic pollutants in ambient air. It is designed to assist those persons responsible for sampling and analysis of toxic organic pollutants in complying with the requirements of Title III of the Clean Air Act. This revised Compendium presents a set of 17 methods in a standardized format with a variety of applicable sampling methods, as well as several analytical techniques, for specific classes of organic pollutants, as appropriate to the specific pollutant compound, its level, and potential interferences. Consequently, this treatment allows the user flexibility in selecting alternatives to complement his or her background and laboratory capability. Information

Atomic-absorption spectrochemical analysis for ultratrace elements in geological materials by hydride-forming techniques: Selenium.

PubMed

Sighinolfi, G P; Gorgoni, C

1981-03-01

A method based on hydride generation for the AAS determination of selenium at nanogram levels in geological materials is described. The sample is decomposed by aqua regia attack in a sealed Teflon bomb. After treatment with hydrochloric acid, selenium is converted into hydrogen selenide by reaction with sodium borohydride and determined by AAS. Matrix interference effects have been investigated, but though they are rarely significant, the standard-additions method is recommended. The absolute sensitivity of the method is about 2.0 ng of Se (in 10 ml of solution). Detection limits of about 5-10 ng in a 1.0-g sample have been achieved with the use of "Suprapure" reagents. The selenium content of some USGS, CRPG and ANRT reference samples is reported.

Fertility disturbances of dimethylacetamide and glycerol in rooster sperm diluents: Discrimination among effects produced pre and post freezing-thawing process.

PubMed

Abouelezz, F M K; Sayed, M A M; Santiago-Moreno, J

2017-09-01

With avian sperm cryopreservation protocols, the most widely used cryoprotectants (CPAs) are the glycerol (GLY; in gradual freezing: in-straw freezing method), and the dimethylacetamide (DMA; in pellets by plunging into liquid nitrogen: in-pellet rapid freezing method). Use of both methods results in a small portion of thawed live sperm with lesser fertilizing ability compared with the semen samples immediately after collection. This study was conducted to assess the pre-freezing damage occurring to the sperm due to the interaction with the cryoprotectants (CPAs) GLY (8%) and DMA (5%), as well as the post-freezing damage resulting from both freezing methods Data for each treatment, in fresh and frozen-thawed samples, were compared for sperm motility, fertilizing capacity and sperm-egg penetration holes/germinal disc (SP holes/GD). Hens (n=50) were artificially inseminated (10 hens/treatment) six times with 3day intervals between inseminations. The treatment of fresh sperm with DMA led to a reduction (P<0.05) in the count of SP holes/GD (21.4) and the fertility rate (66.7%). The addition and elimination of GLY in fresh samples resulted in a lesser (P<0.05) number of SP holes/GD (11.8) and the fertility rate (i.e., 50.0%). The number of SP-holes/GD was least in frozen-thawed samples using both DMA and GLY (14.2 and 9.2, respectively). The fertility rate when using semen frozen with DMA in- pellets was greater (P<0.05) than with use of semen that had been frozen using GLY in straws (46.4% compared with 31.3%). The reduction in fertility compared with the control when semen was cryopreserved using GLY was 64.1%; the GLY addition and elimination was responsible for two thirds of this reduction. The reduction in fertility when using semen cryopreserved with DMA was 46.7%; half of the reduction was attributed to the treatment with DMA. In conclusion, the mechanical damage attributed to the process for reducing GLY concentrations was more harmful to sperm fertilizing capacity than the toxicity of DMA and freeze/thaw process. For both freezing methods, the amount of sperm cryo-damage was similar, when the damage attributed to the CPA addition and elimination process was excluded. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical significance of monitoring ESR1 mutations in circulating cell-free DNA in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer patients

PubMed Central

Takeshita, Takashi; Yamamoto, Yutaka; Yamamoto-Ibusuki, Mutsuko; Inao, Toko; Sueta, Aiko; Fujiwara, Saori; Omoto, Yoko; Iwase, Hirotaka

2016-01-01

Background The measurement of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) may transform the management of breast cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance of sequential measurements of ESR1 mutations in primary breast cancer (PBC) and metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Results ESR1 mutations ratio in the PBC groups was used as the minimum cutoff for determining increases in cfDNA ESR1 mutation ratio. An increase in cfDNA ESR1 mutations was found in 13 samples of cfDNA from 12 (28.6%) out of 42 MBC patients. A total of 10 (83.3%) out of 12 MBC patients with increase cfDNA ESR1 mutations showed a poor response to treatment. In survival analysis, increase cfDNA ESR1 mutations may predict a shorter duration of post-endocrine-therapy effectiveness (P = 0.0033). Methods A total of 119 patients (253 plasma samples) with breast carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Cases were selected if archival plasma samples were available from PBC before and after treatment and from MBC gathered more than twice at the time of progression. cfDNA was isolated from the 77 PBC patients (154 plasma samples) and from the 42 MBC patients (99 plasma samples). To investigate any changes in each cfDNA ESR1 mutation before and after treatment, we analyzed the difference with cfDNA ESR1 mutations ratio in the first blood sample using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Conclusions We demonstrate that ddPCR monitoring of the recurrent ESR1 mutation in cfDNA of MBC patients is a feasible and useful method of providing relevant predictive information. PMID:27102299

The Effect of Femtosecond Laser Treatment on the Effectiveness of Resin-Zirconia Adhesive: An In Vitro Study

PubMed Central

Vicente Prieto, María; Gomes, Ana Luisa Caseiro; Montero Martín, Javier; Alvarado Lorenzo, Alfonso; Seoane Mato, Vicente; Albaladejo Martínez, Alberto

2016-01-01

Introduction: When aesthetics is compromised, dental ceramics are excellent materials for dental restorations; owing to their optical properties and biocompatibility, zirconia ceramics are particularly interesting. Self-adhesive resin cements are the most suitable for bonding to zirconia ceramics, but traditional adhesive chemistry is ineffective and surface treatments are required to improve the adhesive bonding between resin and zirconia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of femtosecond laser treatment on the shear bond strength (SBS) of self-adhesive resin cement on zirconia surfaces and to contrast it with other different surface conditioning methods. Methods: Sixty square-shaped zirconia samples were divided randomly into four groups (n = 15) according to their surface conditioning method: the NT group - no surface treatment; the APA25 group - airborne abrasion with 25 μm alumina particles; the TSC group - tribochemical silica coating, and the FS group - femtosecond laser irradiation (800 nm, 4 mJ, 40 fs/pulse, 1 kHz). Self-adhesive resin cements were bonded at the centre of samples, and after 72 hours, they were tested for SBS with a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min, until fracture. Five zirconia surfaces for each group were subjected to a surface morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The failure modes were noted and a third of the specimens were prepared to morphological analysis. Results: The NT group showed lower SBS values than the other groups. Femtosecond laser treatment demonstrated higher values than the control and APA25 groups and similar values to those of the TSC group. In the APA25 group, the surface conditioning method had values close to those of the TSC group, but lower than those obtained with femtosecond laser treatment. Conclusion: The treatment of zirconia with femtosecond laser irradiation created a consistent and profound surface roughness, improving the adhesive effectiveness of the zirconia-resin interface. PMID:28491255

Comparison of strategies for the isolation of PCR-compatible, genomic DNA from a municipal biogas plants.

PubMed

Weiss, Agnes; Jérôme, Valérie; Freitag, Ruth

2007-06-15

The goal of the project was the extraction of PCR-compatible genomic DNA representative of the entire microbial community from municipal biogas plant samples (mash, bioreactor content, process water, liquid fertilizer). For the initial isolation of representative DNA from the respective lysates, methods were used that employed adsorption, extraction, or precipitation to specifically enrich the DNA. Since no dedicated method for biogas plant samples was available, preference was given to kits/methods suited to samples that resembled either the bioreactor feed, e.g. foodstuffs, or those intended for environmental samples including wastewater. None of the methods succeeded in preparing DNA that was directly PCR-compatible. Instead the DNA was found to still contain considerable amounts of difficult-to-remove enzyme inhibitors (presumably humic acids) that hindered the PCR reaction. Based on the isolation method that gave the highest yield/purity for all sample types, subsequent purification was attempted by agarose gel electrophoresis followed by electroelution, spermine precipitation, or dialysis through nitrocellulose membrane. A combination of phenol/chloroform extraction followed by purification via dialysis constituted the most efficient sample treatment. When such DNA preparations were diluted 1:100 they did no longer inhibit PCR reactions, while they still contained sufficient genomic DNA to allow specific amplification of specific target sequences.

Complementary nonparametric analysis of covariance for logistic regression in a randomized clinical trial setting.

PubMed

Tangen, C M; Koch, G G

1999-03-01

In the randomized clinical trial setting, controlling for covariates is expected to produce variance reduction for the treatment parameter estimate and to adjust for random imbalances of covariates between the treatment groups. However, for the logistic regression model, variance reduction is not obviously obtained. This can lead to concerns about the assumptions of the logistic model. We introduce a complementary nonparametric method for covariate adjustment. It provides results that are usually compatible with expectations for analysis of covariance. The only assumptions required are based on randomization and sampling arguments. The resulting treatment parameter is a (unconditional) population average log-odds ratio that has been adjusted for random imbalance of covariates. Data from a randomized clinical trial are used to compare results from the traditional maximum likelihood logistic method with those from the nonparametric logistic method. We examine treatment parameter estimates, corresponding standard errors, and significance levels in models with and without covariate adjustment. In addition, we discuss differences between unconditional population average treatment parameters and conditional subpopulation average treatment parameters. Additional features of the nonparametric method, including stratified (multicenter) and multivariate (multivisit) analyses, are illustrated. Extensions of this methodology to the proportional odds model are also made.

Determination of N-nitrosodimethylamine in drinking water by UPLC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Wang, Wanfeng; Hu, Jianying; Yu, Jianwei; Yang, Min

2010-01-01

The method for detecting N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in drinking water using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was improved by optimizing the clean-up procedure to remove the matrix interference in pretreatment process, and was then applied to a survey of NDMA in both raw and finished water samples from five water treatment plants in South China. The NDMA concentrations ranged from 4.7 to 15.1 ng/L in raw water samples, and from 4.68 to 46.9 ng/L in finished water. The NDMA concentration in raw water was found to be related with nitrite concentration, and during the treatment, the NDMA concentration increased following ozonation but decreased after subsequent activated carbon treatment.

The assessment of personality disorders: implications for cognitive and behavior therapy.

PubMed

Van Velzen, C J; Emmelkamp, P M

1996-08-01

This article reviews the comorbidity of personality disorders (PDs) and Axis I disorders and discusses implications for assessment and treatment. Pros and cons of various assessment methods are discussed. The co-occurrence of PDs with Axis I disorders is considerable; roughly half of patients with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders or eating disorders received a PD diagnosis. Comorbidity models are discussed and implications for assessment and treatment are provided. Regarding the impact of PDs on cognitive-behavioral treatment outcome for Axis I disorders, conflicting results are found due to differences in assessment methods, treatment strategies, and patient samples. It is argued that additional Axis I pathology should be taken into account when studying the impact of PDs on treatment outcome for the target Axis I disorders. Finally, it is argued that the interpersonal behavior of the PD patient and the therapeutic relationship deserve more attention in the assessment and treatment of patients with PDs.

Effects of yeast, fermentation time, and preservation methods on tarhana.

PubMed

Gurbuz, Ozan; Gocmen, Duygu; Ozmen, Nese; Dagdelen, Fatih

2010-01-01

The physicochemical properties of tarhana soup produced with different dough treatments, fermentation times, and preservation methods were examined. Tarhana doughs were prepared with yogurt (control) or baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fermented for 3 days. Samples were taken at 24, 48, and 72 hr. Samples were then preserved via one of four methods: sun dried, dried in the shade, vacumn dried, and frozen. Frozen samples produced lower organic acid levels after 72 hr of fermentation in both control (0.68 g/100 g) and yeast (0.61 g/100 g) applications than samples that were dried (0.94 g/100 g control samples; 0.81 g/100 g samples with yeast). Increasing fermentation time resulted in a significant effect on the formation of organic acid in the tarhana (p < .01). At 72 hr of fermentation, total acidity increased 11%, 17%, and 23% for tarhana samples vacumn-dried, sun-dried, and dried in the shade, respectively. Preservation methods also affected the moisture, ash, crude protein, total acidity, pH, salt, fat, reducing sugar levels, and the sensory assestment of tarhana soup (p < .01). Sensory characteristics were not significantly affected by baker's yeast in any of the preservation methods used (p > .01). However, sensory scores for tarhana prepared from the samples dried in a sheltered area showed a reduction in color desireablilty as the fermentation time increased. The soup prepared from frozen tarhana (72 hr fermentation, with yeast) had the highest scores with respect to color, mouth feel, flavor, and overall acceptability. Vacuum-dried samples' scores in these areas were also high in comparison to the two other drying methods.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Detected at Four U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Rachel E. Rosenberg; Micallef, Shirley A.; Gibbs, Shawn G.; Davis, Johnnie A.; He, Xin; George, Ashish; Kleinfelter, Lara M.; Schreiber, Nicole A.; Mukherjee, Sampa; Joseph, Sam W.

2012-01-01

Background: The incidence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections is increasing in the United States, and it is possible that municipal wastewater could be a reservoir of this microorganism. To date, no U.S. studies have evaluated the occurrence of MRSA in wastewater. Objective: We examined the occurrence of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) at U.S. wastewater treatment plants. Methods: We collected wastewater samples from two Mid-Atlantic and two Midwest wastewater treatment plants between October 2009 and October 2010. Samples were analyzed for MRSA and MSSA using membrane filtration. Isolates were confirmed using biochemical tests and PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by Sensititre® microbroth dilution. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) screening, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed to further characterize the strains. Data were analyzed by two-sample proportion tests and analysis of variance. Results: We detected MRSA (n = 240) and MSSA (n = 119) in 22 of 44 (50%) and 24 of 44 (55%) wastewater samples, respectively. The odds of samples being MRSA-positive decreased as treatment progressed: 10 of 12 (83%) influent samples were MRSA-positive, while only one of 12 (8%) effluent samples was MRSA-positive. Ninety-three percent and 29% of unique MRSA and MSSA isolates, respectively, were multidrug resistant. SCCmec types II and IV, the pvl gene, and USA types 100, 300, and 700 (PFGE strain types commonly found in the United States) were identified among the MRSA isolates. Conclusions: Our findings raise potential public health concerns for wastewater treatment plant workers and individuals exposed to reclaimed wastewater. Because of increasing use of reclaimed wastewater, further study is needed to evaluate the risk of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in treated wastewater. PMID:23124279

IMPACT: a whole-exome sequencing analysis pipeline for integrating molecular profiles with actionable therapeutics in clinical samples

PubMed Central

Hintzsche, Jennifer; Kim, Jihye; Yadav, Vinod; Amato, Carol; Robinson, Steven E; Seelenfreund, Eric; Shellman, Yiqun; Wisell, Joshua; Applegate, Allison; McCarter, Martin; Box, Neil; Tentler, John; De, Subhajyoti

2016-01-01

Objective Currently, there is a disconnect between finding a patient’s relevant molecular profile and predicting actionable therapeutics. Here we develop and implement the Integrating Molecular Profiles with Actionable Therapeutics (IMPACT) analysis pipeline, linking variants detected from whole-exome sequencing (WES) to actionable therapeutics. Methods and materials The IMPACT pipeline contains 4 analytical modules: detecting somatic variants, calling copy number alterations, predicting drugs against deleterious variants, and analyzing tumor heterogeneity. We tested the IMPACT pipeline on whole-exome sequencing data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) lung adenocarcinoma samples with known EGFR mutations. We also used IMPACT to analyze melanoma patient tumor samples before treatment, after BRAF-inhibitor treatment, and after BRAF- and MEK-inhibitor treatment. Results IMPACT Food and Drug Administration (FDA) correctly identified known EGFR mutations in the TCGA lung adenocarcinoma samples. IMPACT linked these EGFR mutations to the appropriate FDA-approved EGFR inhibitors. For the melanoma patient samples, we identified NRAS p.Q61K as an acquired resistance mutation to BRAF-inhibitor treatment. We also identified CDKN2A deletion as a novel acquired resistance mutation to BRAFi/MEKi inhibition. The IMPACT analysis pipeline predicts these somatic variants to actionable therapeutics. We observed the clonal dynamic in the tumor samples after various treatments. We showed that IMPACT not only helped in successful prioritization of clinically relevant variants but also linked these variations to possible targeted therapies. Conclusion IMPACT provides a new bioinformatics strategy to delineate candidate somatic variants and actionable therapies. This approach can be applied to other patient tumor samples to discover effective drug targets for personalized medicine. IMPACT is publicly available at http://tanlab.ucdenver.edu/IMPACT. PMID:27026619

Quantifying Fungal Viability in Air and Water Samples using Quantitative PCR after Treatment with Propidium Monoazide (PMA)

EPA Science Inventory

A method is described to discriminate between live and dead cells of the infectious fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus, Mucor racemosus, Rhizopus stolonifer and Paecilomyces variotii. To test the method, conidial suspensions were heat inactivated at 85oC or held ...

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of fluoroquinolone resistance associated with DNA gyrase mutations in Francisella tularensis, including in tularaemia patients with treatment failure.

PubMed

Sutera, V; Hoarau, G; Renesto, P; Caspar, Y; Maurin, M

2017-09-01

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are highly effective for treating tularaemia, a zoonosis caused by Francisella tularensis, but failures and relapses remain common in patients with treatment delay or immunocompromised status. FQ-resistant strains of F. tularensis harboring mutations in the quinolone-resistance determining region (QRDR) of gyrA and gyrB, the genes encoding subunits A and B of DNA gyrase, have been selected in vitro. Such mutants have never been isolated from humans as this microorganism is difficult to culture. In this study, the presence of FQ-resistant mutants of F. tularensis was assessed in tularaemia patients using combined culture- and PCR-based approaches. We analyzed 42 F. tularensis strains and 82 tissue samples collected from 104 tularaemia cases, including 32 (30.7%) with FQ treatment failure or relapse. Forty F. tularensis strains and 55 clinical samples were obtained before any FQ treatment, while 2 strains and 15 tissue samples were collected after treatment. FQ resistance was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the bacterial strains, and by newly developed PCR-based methods targeting the gyrA and gyrB QRDRs for both the bacterial strains and the clinical samples. None of the F. tularensis strains displayed an increased MIC compared with FQ-susceptible controls. Neither gyrA nor gyrB QRDR mutation was found in bacterial strains and tissue samples tested, including those from patients with FQ treatment failure or relapse. Further phenotypic and genetic resistance traits should be explored to explain the poor clinical response to FQ treatment in such tularaemia patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of intestinal protozoa infection among school-aged children on Pemba Island, Tanzania, and effect of single-dose albendazole, nitazoxanide and albendazole-nitazoxanide

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Pathogenic intestinal protozoa infections are common in school-aged children in the developing world and they are frequently associated with malabsorption syndromes and gastrointestinal morbidity. Since diagnosis of these parasites is difficult, prevalence data on intestinal protozoa is scarce. Methods We collected two stool samples from school-aged children on Pemba Island, Tanzania, as part of a randomized controlled trial before and 3 weeks after treatment with (i) single-dose albendazole (400 mg); (ii) single-dose nitazoxanide (1,000 mg); (iii) nitazoxanide-albendazole combination (1,000 mg–400 mg), with each drug given separately on two consecutive days; and (iv) placebo. Formalin-fixed stool samples were examined for the presence of intestinal protozoa using an ether-concentration method to determine the prevalence and estimate cure rates (CRs). Results Almost half (48.7%) of the children were diagnosed with at least one of the (potentially) pathogenic protozoa Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar and Blastocystis hominis. Observed CRs were high for all treatment arms, including placebo. Nitazoxanide showed a significant effect compared to placebo against the non-pathogenic protozoon Entamoeba coli. Conclusions Intestinal protozoa infections might be of substantial health relevance even in settings where they are not considered as a health problem. Examination of a single stool sample with the ether-concentration method lacks sensitivity for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa, and hence, care is indicated when interpreting prevalence estimates and treatment effects. PMID:23289920

Accuracy of Diagnostic Methods and Surveillance Sensitivity for Human Enterovirus, South Korea, 1999–2011

PubMed Central

Hyeon, Ji-Yeon; Hwang, Seoyeon; Kim, Hyejin; Song, Jaehyoung; Ahn, Jeongbae; Kang, Byunghak; Kim, Kisoon; Choi, Wooyoung; Chung, Jae Keun; Kim, Cheon-Hyun; Cho, Kyungsoon; Jee, Youngmee; Kim, Jonghyun; Kim, Kisang; Kim, Sun-Hee; Kim, Min-Ji

2013-01-01

The epidemiology of enteroviral infection in South Korea during 1999–2011 chronicles nationwide outbreaks and changing detection and subtyping methods used over the 13-year period. Of 14,657 patients whose samples were tested, 4,762 (32.5%) samples were positive for human enterovirus (human EV); as diagnostic methods improved, the rate of positive results increased. A seasonal trend of outbreaks was documented. Genotypes enterovirus 71, echovirus 30, coxsackievirus B5, enterovirus 6, and coxsackievirus B2 were the most common genotypes identified. Accurate test results correlated clinical syndromes to enterovirus genotypes: aseptic meningitis to echovirus 30, enterovirus 6, and coxsackievirus B5; hand, foot and mouth disease to coxsackievirus A16; and hand, foot and mouth disease with neurologic complications to enterovirus 71. There are currently no treatments specific to human EV infections; surveillance of enterovirus infections such as this study provides may assist with evaluating the need to research and develop treatments for infections caused by virulent human EV genotypes. PMID:23876671

Sample size and power estimation for studies with health related quality of life outcomes: a comparison of four methods using the SF-36.

PubMed

Walters, Stephen J

2004-05-25

We describe and compare four different methods for estimating sample size and power, when the primary outcome of the study is a Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) measure. These methods are: 1. assuming a Normal distribution and comparing two means; 2. using a non-parametric method; 3. Whitehead's method based on the proportional odds model; 4. the bootstrap. We illustrate the various methods, using data from the SF-36. For simplicity this paper deals with studies designed to compare the effectiveness (or superiority) of a new treatment compared to a standard treatment at a single point in time. The results show that if the HRQoL outcome has a limited number of discrete values (< 7) and/or the expected proportion of cases at the boundaries is high (scoring 0 or 100), then we would recommend using Whitehead's method (Method 3). Alternatively, if the HRQoL outcome has a large number of distinct values and the proportion at the boundaries is low, then we would recommend using Method 1. If a pilot or historical dataset is readily available (to estimate the shape of the distribution) then bootstrap simulation (Method 4) based on this data will provide a more accurate and reliable sample size estimate than conventional methods (Methods 1, 2, or 3). In the absence of a reliable pilot set, bootstrapping is not appropriate and conventional methods of sample size estimation or simulation will need to be used. Fortunately, with the increasing use of HRQoL outcomes in research, historical datasets are becoming more readily available. Strictly speaking, our results and conclusions only apply to the SF-36 outcome measure. Further empirical work is required to see whether these results hold true for other HRQoL outcomes. However, the SF-36 has many features in common with other HRQoL outcomes: multi-dimensional, ordinal or discrete response categories with upper and lower bounds, and skewed distributions, so therefore, we believe these results and conclusions using the SF-36 will be appropriate for other HRQoL measures.

Evaluation of one-step luminescent cyanoacrylate fuming.

PubMed

Khuu, Alicia; Chadwick, Scott; Spindler, Xanthe; Lam, Rolanda; Moret, Sébastien; Roux, Claude

2016-06-01

One-step luminescent cyanoacrylates have recently been introduced as an alternative to the conventional cyanoacrylate fuming methods. These new techniques do not require the application of a luminescent post-treatment in order to enhance cyanoacrylate-developed fingermarks. In this study, three one-step polymer cyanoacrylates: CN Yellow Crystals (Aneval Inc.), PolyCyano UV (Foster+Freeman Ltd.) and PECA Multiband (BVDA), and one monomer cyanoacrylate: Lumikit™ (Crime Scene Technology), were evaluated against a conventional two-step cyanoacrylate fuming method (Cyanobloom (Foster+Freeman Ltd.) with rhodamine 6G stain). The manufacturers' recommended conditions or conditions compatible with the MVC™ 1000/D (Foster+Freeman Ltd.) were assessed with fingermarks aged for up to 8 weeks on non-porous and semi-porous substrates. Under white light, Cyanobloom generally gave better development than the one-step treatments across the substrates. Similarly when viewed under the respective luminescent conditions, Cyanobloom with rhodamine 6G stain resulted in improved contrast against the one-step treatments except on polystyrene, where PolyCyano UV and PECA Multiband gave better visualisation. Rhodamine 6G post-treatment of one-step samples did not significantly enhance the contrast of any of the one-step treatments against Cyanobloom/rhodamine 6G-treated samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effects of a zinc-hydroxyapatite toothpaste on enamel erosion: SEM study

PubMed Central

Colombo, Marco; Beltrami, Riccardo; Rattalino, Davide; Mirando, Maria; Chiesa, Marco; Poggio, Claudio

2016-01-01

Summary Aim The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the protective effects of a zinc-hydroxyapatite toothpaste against an erosive challenge produced by a soft drink (Coca-Cola) using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Methods Forty specimens were assigned to 4 groups of 10 specimens each (group 1: no erosive challenge, no toothpaste treatment, group 2: erosive challenge, no toothpaste treatment, group 3: erosive challenge, fluoride toothpaste treatment, group 4: erosive challenge, zinc-hydroxyapatite toothpaste treatment). The surface of each specimen was imaged by SEM. A visual rating system was used to evaluate the condition of the enamel surface; results were analyzed by nonparametric statistical methods. Results Statistically significant differences were found between the samples untreated and those immersed in Coca-Cola (group 1, 2); the highest grade of damage was found in group 2, while the lowest grade was recorded in the samples of group 4. Comparing the groups, the two analyzed toothpaste tended to protect in different extend. Conclusions In this study treatment of erosively challenged enamel with Zn-Hap toothpaste showed a clear protective effect. This was greater than the effect observed for a normal fluoride toothpaste and confirmed the potential benefit the Zn-HAP technology can provide in protecting enamel from erosive acid challenges. PMID:28149449

Examination of the operator and compensator tank role in urban wastewater treatment using activated sludge method.

PubMed

Mokhtari Azar, Akbar; Ghadirpour Jelogir, Ali; Nabi Bidhendi, Gholam Reza; Zaredar, Narges

2011-04-01

No doubt, operator is one of the main fundaments in wastewater treatment plants. By identifying the inadequacies, the operator could be considered as an important key in treatment plant. Several methods are used for wastewater treatment that requires spending a lot of cost. However, all investments of treatment facilities are usable when the expected efficiency of the treatment plant was obtained. Using experienced operator, this goal is more easily accessible. In this research, the wastewater of an urban community contaminated with moderated, diluted and highly concentrated pollution has been treated using surface and deep aeration treatment method. Sampling of these pilots was performed during winter 2008 to summer 2009. The results indicate that all analyzed parameters were eliminated using activated sludge and surface aeration methods. However, in activated sludge and deep aeration methods in combination with suitable function of operator, more pollutants could be eliminated. Hence, existence of operator in wastewater treatment plants is the basic principle to achieve considered efficiency. Wastewater treatment system is not intelligent itself and that is the operator who can organize even an inefficient system by its continuous presence. The converse of this fact is also real. Despite the various units and appropriate design of wastewater treatment plant, without an operator, the studied process cannot be expected highly efficient. In places frequently affected by the shock of organic and hydraulic loads, the compensator tank is important to offset the wastewater treatment process. Finally, in regard to microbial parameters, existence of disinfection unit is very useful.

A novel quantitation approach for maximizing detectable targets for offensive/volatile odorants with diverse functional groups by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yong-Hyun; Kim, Ki-Hyun

2016-07-01

A multitude of analytical systems are needed to analyze diverse odorants with various functionalities. In this study, an experimental method was developed to assess the maximum covering range of odorants using a single experimental setup consisting of a thermal desorber-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. To this end, a total of 20 offensive odorants (aldehyde, ketone, ester, alcohol, aromatic, sulfide, amine, and carboxyl) were selected and tested by a single system. The analytical results of standards and environmental samples were evaluated in a number of respects. In the analysis of the standards, all targets were quantified via Carbopack (C + B + X) tube sampling while operating the thermal desorber at -25 °C. The method detection limits of 18 targets (exception of 2 out of the 20 targets: acetaldehyde and methanethiol) were excellent (mean 0.04 ± 0.03 ppb) in terms of their odor threshold values (74.7 ± 140 ~ 624 ± 1,729 ppb). The analysis of organic fertilizer plant samples at a pig farm (slurry treatment facility, compost facility, and ambient air) confirmed the presence of 18 odorants from 0.03 ppb (dimethyldisulfide, ambient sample) to 522 ppb (methyl ethyl ketone, slurry treatment facility). As such, our method allowed simultaneous quantitation of most key odorants with sufficient reliability and sensitivity.

Spatially resolved in vivo plant metabolomics by laser ablation-based mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) techniques: LDI-MSI and LAESI

PubMed Central

Bartels, Benjamin; Svatoš, Aleš

2015-01-01

This short review aims to summarize the current developments and applications of mass spectrometry-based methods for in situ profiling and imaging of plants with minimal or no sample pre-treatment or manipulation. Infrared-laser ablation electrospray ionization and UV-laser desorption/ionization methods are reviewed. The underlying mechanisms of the ionization techniques–namely, laser ablation of biological samples and electrospray ionization–as well as variations of the LAESI ion source for specific targets of interest are described. PMID:26217345

Sample size determination for equivalence assessment with multiple endpoints.

PubMed

Sun, Anna; Dong, Xiaoyu; Tsong, Yi

2014-01-01

Equivalence assessment between a reference and test treatment is often conducted by two one-sided tests (TOST). The corresponding power function and sample size determination can be derived from a joint distribution of the sample mean and sample variance. When an equivalence trial is designed with multiple endpoints, it often involves several sets of two one-sided tests. A naive approach for sample size determination in this case would select the largest sample size required for each endpoint. However, such a method ignores the correlation among endpoints. With the objective to reject all endpoints and when the endpoints are uncorrelated, the power function is the production of all power functions for individual endpoints. With correlated endpoints, the sample size and power should be adjusted for such a correlation. In this article, we propose the exact power function for the equivalence test with multiple endpoints adjusted for correlation under both crossover and parallel designs. We further discuss the differences in sample size for the naive method without and with correlation adjusted methods and illustrate with an in vivo bioequivalence crossover study with area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax) as the two endpoints.

Improvements in dose calculation accuracy for small off-axis targets in high dose per fraction tomotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hardcastle, Nicholas; Bayliss, Adam; Wong, Jeannie Hsiu Ding

2012-08-15

Purpose: A recent field safety notice from TomoTherapy detailed the underdosing of small, off-axis targets when receiving high doses per fraction. This is due to angular undersampling in the dose calculation gantry angles. This study evaluates a correction method to reduce the underdosing, to be implemented in the current version (v4.1) of the TomoTherapy treatment planning software. Methods: The correction method, termed 'Super Sampling' involved the tripling of the number of gantry angles from which the dose is calculated during optimization and dose calculation. Radiochromic film was used to measure the dose to small targets at various off-axis distances receivingmore » a minimum of 21 Gy in one fraction. Measurements were also performed for single small targets at the center of the Lucy phantom, using radiochromic film and the dose magnifying glass (DMG). Results: Without super sampling, the peak dose deficit increased from 0% to 18% for a 10 mm target and 0% to 30% for a 5 mm target as off-axis target distances increased from 0 to 16.5 cm. When super sampling was turned on, the dose deficit trend was removed and all peak doses were within 5% of the planned dose. For measurements in the Lucy phantom at 9.7 cm off-axis, the positional and dose magnitude accuracy using super sampling was verified using radiochromic film and the DMG. Conclusions: A correction method implemented in the TomoTherapy treatment planning system which triples the angular sampling of the gantry angles used during optimization and dose calculation removes the underdosing for targets as small as 5 mm diameter, up to 16.5 cm off-axis receiving up to 21 Gy.« less

[Meta-analysis of needle-knife treatment on cervical spondylosis].

PubMed

Kan, Li-Li; Wang, Hai-Dong; Liu, An-Guo

2013-11-01

To assess the efficacy of cervical spondylosis by needle-knife treatment according to the correlated literature of RCT,to compare advantages of needle-knife treatment. Randomized Controlled Trials about needle-knife treatment of cervical spondylosis were indexed from Chinese HowNet (CNKI) and Wanfang (WF) from 2000 to 2012, then were analyzed the efficacy by Review Manager 5.1 software. A total of 13 RCT literatures and 1 419 patients were included. The methods of included studies were poor in quality evaluation because of large sample and multi-center RCT studies was lacked, randomization method was not accurate enough, diagnostic criteria and efficacy evaluation were various, only four studies described long-term efficacy, most of the literature didn't describe the adverse event and fall off,all studies did not use the blind method. The Meta analysis outcome showed overall efficiency of needle-knife therapy was better than acupuncture and traction. Needle-knife therapy compared with Acupuncture, the total RR = 0.19, 95% confidence interval was (0.15, 0.24), P < 0.000.01. Compared with traction therapy the total RR = 1.30, 95% confidence intervalwas (1.18,1.42), P < 0.00001. Compared with acupuncture therapy,the overall effectiveness of needle-knife therapy is higher;compared with traction therapy, although,needle-knife therapy has a high overall effectiveness, but because of the loss of total sample size, the outcome RCT researches to confirm.

Measurement of lumefantrine and its metabolite in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

PubMed

Khalil, Insaf F; Abildrup, Ulla; Alifrangis, Lene H; Maiga, Deogratius; Alifrangis, Michael; Hoegberg, Lotte; Vestergaard, Lasse S; Persson, Ola Per-Eric; Nyagonde, Nyagonde; Lemnge, Martha M; Theander, Thor G; Bygbjerg, Ib C

2011-01-05

Artemether-lumefantrine (ARM-LUM) has in recent years become the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in many Sub-Saharan African countries. Vigorous monitoring of the therapeutic efficacy of this treatment is needed. This requires high-quality studies following standard protocols; ideally, such studies should incorporate measurement of drug levels in the study patients to exclude the possibility that insufficient drug levels explain an observed treatment failure. Several methods for measuring lumefantrine (LUM) in plasma by HPLC are available; however, several of these methods have some limitations in terms of high costs and limited feasibility arising from large required sample volumes and demanding sample preparation. Therefore, we set out to develop a simpler reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method based on UV detection for simultaneous measurement of LUM and its major metabolite the desbutyl LUM (DL) in plasma. Halofantrine was used as an internal standard. Liquid-liquid extraction of samples was carried out using hexane-ethyl acetate (70:30, v/v). Chromatographic separation was carried out on a Synergi Polar-RP column (250 mm × 300 mm, particle size 4 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-0.1M ammonium acetate buffer adjusted to pH 4.9 (85:15%, v/v). Absorbance of the compounds was monitored at 335 nm using a reference wavelength of 360 nm. Absolute extraction recovery for LUM and DL were 88% and 90%, respectively. Inter- and intraday coefficients of variation for LUM and DL were ≤ 10%. The lower limits of quantification for LUM and DL were 12.5 and 6.5 ng/ml, respectively. After validation, the methodology was transferred to a local laboratory in Tanga Tanzania and samples from a small subset of malaria patients were analysed for LUM. The method appears to be applicable in settings with limited facilities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of organo-zinc based fungicides in timber treatments employing gas chromatographic analysis with mass selective detection and/or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rimmer, D A; Johnson, P D; Bradley, S D

2001-09-14

A method for the determination of zinc octoate (zinc 2-ethylhexanoate) and acypetacs zinc in occupational hygiene samples and wood treatments formulations is described. The zinc carboxylates are liquid-liquid partitioned between toluene and 1 M HCl, with the liberated acids being extracted into the toluene and zinc (chloride) into the acid. The carboxylic acids are then methylated using trimethylsilyldiazomethane-methanol and the resultant methyl esters are selectively and sensitively analysed by gas chromatography with mass selective detection (GC-MS). Alternatively, the zinc content of the acid extract can be analysed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). GC-MS is the preferred method of analysis for zinc octoate, where a single analyte (methyl-2-ethylhexanoate) is produced for analysis. Because acypetacs zinc contains a complex mixture of carboxylates, quantitative GC-MS analysis of the methyl esters produced is impractical and ICP-AES is the preferred method for quantitation. In this case, GC-MS can be used to confirm the identity of the product used. The analysis of occupational hygiene samples (cotton pads, gloves and socks as well as Tenax tubes and GF/A filters) spiked with metal carboxylates is demonstrated. Recoveries around 70-90% and reproducibilities of 5-23% (n=6-8) were typically achieved for the determination of tin octoate (a surrogate for zinc octoate) at spiking levels ranging from 4 to 190 microg per sampling device. Recoveries around 102-106% and reproducibilities of 10-12% (n=5-6) were typically achieved for acypetacs zinc at spiking levels ranging from 100 mg per sampling device. Reaction yields for the octoate methylation reaction were in the region of 85-87%. The method was used to monitor for occupational exposure to zinc octoate and acypetacs zinc during the application of wood treatments to fences.

Selected problems with boron determination in water treatment processes. Part I: comparison of the reference methods for ICP-MS and ICP-OES determinations.

PubMed

Kmiecik, Ewa; Tomaszewska, Barbara; Wątor, Katarzyna; Bodzek, Michał

2016-06-01

The aim of the study was to compare the two reference methods for the determination of boron in water samples and further assess the impact of the method of preparation of samples for analysis on the results obtained. Samples were collected during different desalination processes, ultrafiltration and the double reverse osmosis system, connected in series. From each point, samples were prepared in four different ways: the first was filtered (through a membrane filter of 0.45 μm) and acidified (using 1 mL ultrapure nitric acid for each 100 mL of samples) (FA), the second was unfiltered and not acidified (UFNA), the third was filtered but not acidified (FNA), and finally, the fourth was unfiltered but acidified (UFA). All samples were analysed using two analytical methods: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results obtained were compared and correlated, and the differences between them were studied. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between the concentrations obtained using the ICP-MS and ICP-OES techniques regardless of the methods of sampling preparation (sample filtration and preservation). Finally, both the ICP-MS and ICP-OES methods can be used for determination of the boron concentration in water. The differences in the boron concentrations obtained using these two methods can be caused by several high-level concentrations in selected whole-water digestates and some matrix effects. Higher concentrations of iron (from 1 to 20 mg/L) than chromium (0.02-1 mg/L) in the samples analysed can influence boron determination. When iron concentrations are high, we can observe the emission spectrum as a double joined and overlapping peak.

Application of real-time PCR for total airborne bacterial assessment: Comparison with epifluorescence microscopy and culture-dependent methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinsoz, Thomas; Duquenne, Philippe; Greff-Mirguet, Guylaine; Oppliger, Anne

Traditional culture-dependent methods to quantify and identify airborne microorganisms are limited by factors such as short-duration sampling times and inability to count non-culturable or non-viable bacteria. Consequently, the quantitative assessment of bioaerosols is often underestimated. Use of the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) to quantify bacteria in environmental samples presents an alternative method, which should overcome this problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a real-time Q-PCR assay as a simple and reliable way to quantify the airborne bacterial load within poultry houses and sewage treatment plants, in comparison with epifluorescence microscopy and culture-dependent methods. The estimates of bacterial load that we obtained from real-time PCR and epifluorescence methods, are comparable, however, our analysis of sewage treatment plants indicate these methods give values 270-290 fold greater than those obtained by the "impaction on nutrient agar" method. The culture-dependent method of air impaction on nutrient agar was also inadequate in poultry houses, as was the impinger-culture method, which gave a bacterial load estimate 32-fold lower than obtained by Q-PCR. Real-time quantitative PCR thus proves to be a reliable, discerning, and simple method that could be used to estimate airborne bacterial load in a broad variety of other environments expected to carry high numbers of airborne bacteria.

Applicability of the direct injection liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric analytical approach to the sub-ngL-1 determination of perfluoro-alkyl acids in waste, surface, ground and drinking water samples.

PubMed

Ciofi, Lorenzo; Renai, Lapo; Rossini, Daniele; Ancillotti, Claudia; Falai, Alida; Fibbi, Donatella; Bruzzoniti, Maria Concetta; Santana-Rodriguez, José Juan; Orlandini, Serena; Del Bubba, Massimo

2018-01-01

The applicability of a direct injection UHPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of several perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in a wide range of water matrices was investigated. The method is based on the direct injection of 100µL of centrifuged water sample, without any other sample treatment. Very good method detection limits (0.014-0.44ngL -1 ) and excellent intra and inter-day precision (RSD% values in the range 1.8-4.4% and 2.7-5.7%, respectively) were achieved, with a total analysis time of 20min per sample. A high number of samples - i.e. 8 drinking waters (DW), 12 ground waters (GW), 13 surface waters (SW), 8 influents and 11 effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP IN and WWTP OUT ) were processed and the extent of matrix effect (ME) was calculated, highlighting the strong prevalence of |ME| < 20%. The occurrence of |ME| > 50% was occasionally observed only for perfluorooctanesulphonic and perfluorodecanoic acids. Linear discriminant analysis highlighted the great contribution of the sample origin (i.e. DW, GW, SW, WWTP IN and WWTP OUT ) to the ME. Partial least square regression (PLS) and leave-one-out cross-validation were performed in order to interpret and predict the signal suppression or enhancement phenomena as a function of physicochemical parameters of water samples (i.e. conductivity, hardness and chemical oxygen demand) and background chromatographic area. The PLS approach resulted only in an approximate screening, due to the low prediction power of the PLS models. However, for most analytes in most samples, the fitted and cross-validated values were such as to correctly distinguish between | ME | higher than 20% or below this limit. PFAAs in the aforementioned water samples were quantified by means of the standard addition method, highlighting their occurrence mainly in WWTP influents and effluents, at concentrations as high as one hundred of µgL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring Self-Perceived Growth in a Clinical Sample of Severely Traumatized Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glad, Kristin Alve; Jensen, Tine K.; Holt, Tonje; Ormhaug, Silje Morup

2013-01-01

Objective: The aims of this study were threefold: (1) examine the prevalence of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) among severely traumatized youth, (2) systematically describe the PTG reported, and (3) study the course of PTG from pre- to post-treatment. Method: The sample consisted of 148 severely traumatized Norwegian youth (M age = 15, SD = 2.2, 79.1%…

[Investigation of Coxiella burnetii contamination in commercial milk and PCR method for the detection of C. burnetii in egg].

PubMed

Hirai, Akihiko; Kaneko, Seiji; Nakama, Akiko; Ishizaki, Naoto; Odagiri, Megumi; Kai, Akemi; Sadamasu, Kenji; Shinkai, Takayuki; Yano, Kazuyoshi; Morozumi, Satoshi

2005-06-01

A total of 244 milk samples collected from supermarkets in Tokyo were examined for contamination with Coxiella burnetii. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 131 (53.7%) of the samples by nested PCR. PCR-positive samples were injected into immunosuppressed A/J strain mice. Of the 22 PCR-positive milk samples tested, none resulted in isolation of C. burnetii from the mice. Heat-treatment was sufficient to inactivate C. burnetii in commercial milk. In addition, a PCR detection method for C. burnetii in chicken egg was developed. Egg yolk was added to an equal volume of 1 mol/L of NaCl phosphate buffer and homogenized for removal of protein and lipid. After centrifugal separation, the supernatant was removed, and template DNA in the precipitate was extracted using SDS, proteinase K and NaI. Using such prepared samples, 3.2 x 10(1) C. burnetii particles in 1 g of egg yolk could be detected by nested PCR. All of 200 chicken egg samples collected from supermarkets in Tokyo were negative for C. burnetii by the nested PCR method.

Sample size for post-marketing safety studies based on historical controls.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-te; Makuch, Robert W

2010-08-01

As part of a drug's entire life cycle, post-marketing studies are an important part in the identification of rare, serious adverse events. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun to implement new post-marketing safety mandates as a consequence of increased emphasis on safety. The purpose of this research is to provide exact sample size formula for the proposed hybrid design, based on a two-group cohort study with incorporation of historical external data. Exact sample size formula based on the Poisson distribution is developed, because the detection of rare events is our outcome of interest. Performance of exact method is compared to its approximate large-sample theory counterpart. The proposed hybrid design requires a smaller sample size compared to the standard, two-group prospective study design. In addition, the exact method reduces the number of subjects required in the treatment group by up to 30% compared to the approximate method for the study scenarios examined. The proposed hybrid design satisfies the advantages and rationale of the two-group design with smaller sample sizes generally required. 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantitative and qualitative studies of silica in different rice samples grown in north of Iran using UV-vis, XRD and IR spectroscopy techniques.

PubMed

Samadi-Maybodi, Abdolraouf; Atashbozorg, Ebrahim

2006-11-15

Silicon is an essential trace element and is found in vegetables, fruits, cereals, water, pasta and rice (Oryza sativa). In this work, the silica content of different types of rice grains were measured. Here, we used the heteropoly blue photometric method with a double beam UV-vis spectrophotometer to determine the amount of silicon in rice samples (n=7) that were collected in the north of Iran. The samples were digested with wet-ashing method by microwave-assisted heating and then treated with ammonium molybdate to produce a yellow color compound in acidic solution (ca. pH 1.2) and then reduced to give a heteropoly compound with a blue color. Analyses were performed using standard addition method and absorbance values were measured with double beam UV-vis spectrophotometer at lambda(max)=815nm. Results indicated that the silica content was 307-451mg/kg for the samples. X-ray diffraction patterns and infra-red spectra were obtained from rice samples without any sample treatment.

Patients' and parents' expectations of orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

Hiemstra, Renske; Bos, Annemieke; Hoogstraten, Johan

2009-12-01

To investigate the expectations of children and their primary care-givers towards orthodontic treatment and to compare the results with those of a UK sample. A questionnaire survey of children and their primary care-givers attending for their first consultation. The Department of Orthodontics at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), the Netherlands. A total of 168 subjects (84 patients and 84 parents) completed the questionnaire. The children were aged 10 to 14 years. The responses of the children and parents and differences between boys and girls were examined using parametric statistical methods. The data from the Dutch sample were compared with a similar UK sample. Patients and parents shared similar expectations of orthodontic treatment, with the exception of expectations of having a brace fitted at the first appointment, orthodontic treatment involving headgear, any problems with orthodontic treatment, duration of orthodontic treatment and concerning reactions from the public. Among the child participants, boys and girls only differed in their expectations of orthodontic treatment involving jaw surgery. Differences between Dutch and English participants were found regarding the first visit, type of orthodontic treatment, reactions from the public, and pain and problems with orthodontic treatment. Since the expectations of patients and their parents differ on several aspects, effective communication between the orthodontist, patient and parent is considered to be essential. Our hypothesis that Dutch patients' and parents' expectations of orthodontic treatment differ from the expectations of English patients and parents was supported.

Net alkalinity and net acidity 2: Practical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

2005-01-01

The pH, alkalinity, and acidity of mine drainage and associated waters can be misinterpreted because of the chemical instability of samples and possible misunderstandings of standard analytical method results. Synthetic and field samples of mine drainage having various initial pH values and concentrations of dissolved metals and alkalinity were titrated by several methods, and the results were compared to alkalinity and acidity calculated based on dissolved solutes. The pH, alkalinity, and acidity were compared between fresh, unoxidized and aged, oxidized samples. Data for Pennsylvania coal mine drainage indicates that the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5-4) or near neutral (pH 6-7); ??? 25% of the samples had pH values between 5 and 6. Following oxidation, no samples had pH values between 5 and 6. The Standard Method Alkalinity titration is constrained to yield values >0. Most calculated and measured alkalinities for samples with positive alkalinities were in close agreement. However, for low-pH samples, the calculated alkalinity can be negative due to negative contributions by dissolved metals that may oxidize and hydrolyze. The Standard Method hot peroxide treatment titration for acidity determination (Hot Acidity) accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete degassing of CO2 and oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates either the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. The Hot Acidity directly measures net acidity (= -net alkalinity). Samples that had near-neutral pH after oxidation had negative Hot Acidity; samples that had pH < 6.3 after oxidation had positive Hot Acidity. Samples with similar pH values before oxidation had dissimilar Hot Acidities due to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. Hot Acidity was approximately equal to net acidity calculated based on initial pH and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the initial alkalinity. Acidity calculated from the pH and dissolved metals concentrations, assuming equivalents of 2 per mole of Fe and Mn and 3 per mole of Al, was equivalent to that calculated based on complete aqueous speciation of FeII/FeIII. Despite changes in the pH, alkalinity, and metals concentrations, the Hot Acidities were comparable for fresh and most aged samples. A meaningful "net" acidity can be determined from a measured Hot Acidity or by calculation from the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved metals concentrations. The use of net alkalinity = (Alkalinitymeasured - Hot Aciditymeasured) to design mine drainage treatment can lead to systems with insufficient Alkalinity to neutralize metal and H+ acidity and is not recommended. The use of net alkalinity = -Hot Acidity titration is recommended for the planning of mine drainage treatment. The use of net alkalinity = (Alkalinitymeasured - Aciditycalculated) is recommended with some cautions. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the fatigue performance of porous metallic biomaterials produced by Selective Laser Melting.

PubMed

Van Hooreweder, Brecht; Apers, Yanni; Lietaert, Karel; Kruth, Jean-Pierre

2017-01-01

This paper provides new insights into the fatigue properties of porous metallic biomaterials produced by additive manufacturing. Cylindrical porous samples with diamond unit cells were produced from Ti6Al4V powder using Selective Laser Melting (SLM). After measuring all morphological and quasi-static properties, compression-compression fatigue tests were performed to determine fatigue strength and to identify important fatigue influencing factors. In a next step, post-SLM treatments were used to improve the fatigue life of these biomaterials by changing the microstructure and by reducing stress concentrators and surface roughness. In particular, the influence of stress relieving, hot isostatic pressing and chemical etching was studied. Analytical and numerical techniques were developed to calculate the maximum local tensile stress in the struts as function of the strut diameter and load. With this method, the variability in the relative density between all samples was taken into account. The local stress in the struts was then used to quantify the exact influence of the applied post-SLM treatments on the fatigue life. A significant improvement of the fatigue life was achieved. Also, the post-SLM treatments, procedures and calculation methods can be applied to different types of porous metallic structures and hence this paper provides useful tools for improving fatigue performance of metallic biomaterials. Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) are increasingly being used for producing customized porous metallic biomaterials. These biomaterials are regularly used for biomedical implants and hence a long lifetime is required. In this paper, a set of post-built surface and heat treatments is presented that can be used to significantly improve the fatigue life of porous SLM-Ti6Al4V samples. In addition, a novel and efficient analytical local stress method was developed to accurately quantify the influence of the post-built treatments on the fatigue life. Also numerical simulation techniques were used for validation. The developed methods and techniques can be applied to other types of porous biomaterials and hence provide new and useful tools for improving and predicting the fatigue life of porous biomaterials. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental investigation of wastewater treatment using electron beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emami-Meibodi, M.; Parsaeian, M. R.; Amraei, R.; Banaei, M.; Anvari, F.; Tahami, S. M. R.; Vakhshoor, B.; Mehdizadeh, A.; Fallah Nejad, N.; Shirmardi, S. P.; Mostafavi, S. J.; Mousavi, S. M. J.

2016-08-01

Electron beam (EB) is used for disinfection and treatment of different types of sewage and industrial wastewater. However, high capital investment required and the abundant energy consumed by this process raise doubts about its cost-effectiveness. In this paper, different wastewaters, including two textile sewages and one municipal wastewater are experimentally studied under different irradiation strategies (i.e. batch, 60 l/min and 1000 m3/day) in order to establish the reliability and the optimum conditions for the treatment process. According to the results, EB improves the efficiency of traditional wastewater treatment methods, but, for textile samples, coagulation before EB irradiation is recommended. The cost estimation of EB treatment compared to conventional methods shows that EB has been more expensive than chlorination and less expensive than activated sludge. Therefore, EB irradiation is advisable if and only if conventional methods of textile wastewater treatment are insufficient or chlorination of municipal wastewater is not allowed for health reasons. Nevertheless, among the advanced oxidation processes (AOP), EB irradiation process may be the most suitable one in industrial scale operations.

Quantitative detection of powdered activated carbon in wastewater treatment plant effluent by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

PubMed

Krahnstöver, Therese; Plattner, Julia; Wintgens, Thomas

2016-09-15

For the elimination of potentially harmful micropollutants, powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption is applied in many wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). This holds the risk of PAC leakage into the WWTP effluent and desorption of contaminants into natural water bodies. In order to assess a potential PAC leakage, PAC concentrations below several mg/L have to be detected in the WWTP effluent. None of the methods that are used for water analysis today are able to differentiate between activated carbon and solid background matrix. Thus, a selective, quantitative and easily applicable method is still needed for the detection of PAC residues in wastewater. In the present study, a method was developed to quantitatively measure the PAC content in wastewater by using filtration and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which is a well-established technique for the distinction between different solid materials. For the sample filtration, quartz filters with a temperature stability up to 950 °C were used. This allowed for sensitive and well reproducible measurements, as the TGA was not affected by the presence of the filter. The sample's mass fractions were calculated by integrating the mass decrease rate obtained by TGA in specific, clearly identifiable peak areas. A two-step TGA heating method consisting of N2 and O2 atmospheres led to a good differentiation between PAC and biological background matrix, thanks to the reduction of peak overlapping. A linear correlation was found between a sample's PAC content and the corresponding peak areas under N2 and O2, the sample volume and the solid mass separated by filtration. Based on these findings, various wastewater samples from different WWTPs were then analyzed by TGA with regard to their PAC content. It was found that, compared to alternative techniques such as measurement of turbidity or total suspended solids, the newly developed TGA method allows for a quantitative and selective detection of PAC concentrations down to 0.1 mg/L. The method showed a linearity coefficient of 0.98 and relative standard deviations of 10%, using small water sample volumes between 0.3 and 0.6 L. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrahigh Pressure Processing Produces Alterations in the Metabolite Profiles of Panax ginseng.

PubMed

Lee, Mee Youn; Singh, Digar; Kim, Sung Han; Lee, Sang Jun; Lee, Choong Hwan

2016-06-22

Ultrahigh pressure (UHP) treatments are non-thermal processing methods that have customarily been employed to enhance the quality and productivity of plant consumables. We aimed to evaluate the effects of UHP treatments on ginseng samples (white ginseng: WG; UHP-treated WG: UWG; red ginseng: RG; UHP-treated RG: URG; ginseng berries: GB; and UHP-treated GB: UGB) using metabolite profiling based on ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-linear trap quadrupole-ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-IT-MS/MS) and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). Multivariate data analyses revealed a clear demarcation among the GB and UGB samples, and the phenotypic evaluations correlated the highest antioxidant activities and the total phenolic and flavonoid compositions with the UGB samples. Overall, eight amino acids, seven organic acids, seven sugars and sugar derivatives, two fatty acids, three notoginsenosides, three malonylginsenosides, and three ginsenosides, were identified as significantly discriminant metabolites between the GB and UGB samples, with relatively higher proportions in the latter. Ideally, these metabolites can be used as quality biomarkers for the assessment of ginseng products and our results indicate that UHP treatment likely led to an elevation in the proportions of total extractable metabolites in ginseng samples.

Method Description, Quality Assurance, Environmental Data, and other Information for Analysis of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater-Treatment-Plant Effluents, Streamwater, and Reservoirs, 2004-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Smith, Steven G.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Buxton, Herbert T.; Furlong, Edward T.

2010-01-01

Abstract Wastewater-treatment-plant (WWTP) effluents are a demonstrated source of pharmaceuticals to the environment. During 2004-09, a study was conducted to identify pharmaceutical compounds in effluents from WWTPs (including two that receive substantial discharges from pharmaceutical formulation facilities), streamwater, and reservoirs. The methods used to determine and quantify concentrations of seven pharmaceuticals are described. In addition, the report includes information on pharmaceuticals formulated or potentially formulated at the two pharmaceutical formulation facilities that provide substantial discharge to two of the WWTPs, and potential limitations to these data are discussed. The analytical methods used to provide data on the seven pharmaceuticals (including opioids, muscle relaxants, and other pharmaceuticals) in filtered water samples also are described. Data are provided on method performance, including spike data, method detection limit results, and an estimation of precision. Quality-assurance data for sample collection and handling are included. Quantitative data are presented for the seven pharmaceuticals in water samples collected at WWTP discharge points, from streams, and at reservoirs. Occurrence data also are provided for 19 pharmaceuticals that were qualitatively identified. Flow data at selected WWTP and streams are presented. Between 2004-09, 35-38 effluent samples were collected from each of three WWTPs in New York and analyzed for seven pharmaceuticals. Two WWTPs (NY2 and NY3) receive substantial inflows (greater than 20 percent of plant flow) from pharmaceutical formulation facilities (PFF) and one (NY1) receives no PFF flow. Samples of effluents from 23 WWTPs across the United States were analyzed once for these pharmaceuticals as part of a national survey. Maximum pharmaceutical effluent concentrations for the national survey and NY1 effluent samples were generally less than 1 ug/L. Four pharmaceuticals (methadone, oxycodone, butalbital and metaxalone) in samples of NY3 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 3.4 to greater than 400 ug/L. Maximum concentrations of oxycodone (1,700 ug/L) and metaxalone (3,800 ug/L) in samples from NY3 effluent exceeded 1,000 ug/L. Three pharmaceuticals (butalbital, carisoprodol, and oxycodone) in samples of NY2 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 2 to 11 ug/L. These findings suggest that current 2 manufacturing practices at these PFFs can result in pharmaceutical concentrations from 10 to 1,000 times higher than those typically found in WWTP effluents.

The role of multifamily therapy in promoting retention in treatment of alcohol and cocaine dependence.

PubMed

Conner, K R; Shea, R R; McDermott, M P; Grolling, R; Tocco, R V; Baciewicz, G

1998-01-01

The authors present a model for incorporating multifamily therapy in the treatment of chemical dependency and investigate the association of family participation in multifamily therapy group with treatment retention in a sample of 164 alcohol- and/or cocaine-dependent outpatients. Results indicate that level of family attendance at a multifamily group strongly predicted completion of short-term and long-term out-patient treatment. Effects were greater for cocaine-dependent than for alcohol-dependent subjects in analyses of short-term treatment retention. Multifamily therapy may be a powerful method to engage patients families in treatment and promote treatment retention, especially in the early, intensive phases of treatment for cocaine dependency.

Adolescent Male Conduct-Disordered Patients in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Examining the "Limited Prosocial Emotions" Specifier.

PubMed

Sakai, Joseph T; Mikulich-Gilbertson, Susan K; Young, Susan E; Rhee, Soo Hyun; McWilliams, Shannon K; Dunn, Robin; Salomonsen-Sautel, Stacy; Thurstone, Christian; Hopfer, Christian J

2016-01-01

To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the DSM-5-defined conduct disorder (CD) with limited prosocial emotions (LPE) among adolescents in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, despite the high rates of CD in this population. We tested previously published methods of LPE categorization in a sample of male conduct-disordered patients in SUD treatment (n=196). CD with LPE patients did not demonstrate a distinct pattern in terms of demographics or co-morbidity regardless of the categorization method utilized. In conclusion, LPE, as operationalized here, does not identify a distinct subgroup of patients based on psychiatric comorbidity, SUD diagnoses, or demographics.

Investigations into the Anti-Felting Properties of Sputtered Wool Using Plasma Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M. Borghei, S.; Shahidi, S.; Ghoranneviss, M.; Abdolahi, Z.

2013-01-01

In this research the effects of mordant and plasma sputtering treatments on the crystallinity and morphological properties of wool fabrics were investigated. The felting behavior of the treated samples was also studied. We used madder as a natural dye and copper sulfate as a metal mordant. We also used copper as the electrode material in a DC magnetron plasma sputtering device. The anti-felting properties of the wool samples before and after dying was studied, and it was shown that the shrink resistance and anti-felting behavior of the wool had been significantly improved by the plasma sputtering treatment. In addition, the percentage of crystallinity and the size of the crystals were investigated using an X-ray diffractometer, and a scanning electron microscope was used for morphological analysis. The amount of copper particles on the surface of the mordanted and sputtered fabrics was studied using the energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) method, and the hydrophobic properties of the samples were examined using the water drop test. The results show that with plasma sputtering treatment, the hydrophobic properties of the surface of wool become super hydrophobic.

Analytical method development for the determination of emerging contaminants in water using supercritical-fluid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection.

PubMed

Del Carmen Salvatierra-Stamp, Vilma; Ceballos-Magaña, Silvia G; Gonzalez, Jorge; Ibarra-Galván, Valentin; Muñiz-Valencia, Roberto

2015-05-01

An analytical method using supercritical-fluid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection for the determination of seven emerging contaminants-two pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine and glyburide), three endocrine disruptors (17α-ethinyl estradiol, bisphenol A, and 17β-estradiol), one bactericide (triclosan), and one pesticide (diuron)-was developed and validated. These contaminants were chosen because of their frequency of use and their toxic effects on both humans and the environment. The optimized chromatographic separation on a Viridis BEH 2-EP column achieved baseline resolution for all compounds in less than 10 min. This separation was applied to environmental water samples after sample preparation. The optimized sample treatment involved a preconcentration step by means of solid-phase extraction using C18-OH cartridges. The proposed method was validated, finding recoveries higher than 94 % and limits of detection and limits of quantification in the range of 0.10-1.59 μg L(-1) and 0.31-4.83 μg L(-1), respectively. Method validation established the proposed method to be selective, linear, accurate, and precise. Finally, the method was successfully applied to environmental water samples.

Comparison of Standard Culture-Based Method to Culture-Independent Method for Evaluation of Hygiene Effects on the Hand Microbiome.

PubMed

Zapka, C; Leff, J; Henley, J; Tittl, J; De Nardo, E; Butler, M; Griggs, R; Fierer, N; Edmonds-Wilson, S

2017-03-28

Hands play a critical role in the transmission of microbiota on one's own body, between individuals, and on environmental surfaces. Effectively measuring the composition of the hand microbiome is important to hand hygiene science, which has implications for human health. Hand hygiene products are evaluated using standard culture-based methods, but standard test methods for culture-independent microbiome characterization are lacking. We sampled the hands of 50 participants using swab-based and glove-based methods prior to and following four hand hygiene treatments (using a nonantimicrobial hand wash, alcohol-based hand sanitizer [ABHS], a 70% ethanol solution, or tap water). We compared results among culture plate counts, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted directly from hands, and sequencing of DNA extracted from culture plates. Glove-based sampling yielded higher numbers of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but had less diversity in bacterial community composition than swab-based sampling. We detected treatment-induced changes in diversity only by using swab-based samples ( P < 0.001); we were unable to detect changes with glove-based samples. Bacterial cell counts significantly decreased with use of the ABHS ( P < 0.05) and ethanol control ( P < 0.05). Skin hydration at baseline correlated with bacterial abundances, bacterial community composition, pH, and redness across subjects. The importance of the method choice was substantial. These findings are important to ensure improvement of hand hygiene industry methods and for future hand microbiome studies. On the basis of our results and previously published studies, we propose recommendations for best practices in hand microbiome research. IMPORTANCE The hand microbiome is a critical area of research for diverse fields, such as public health and forensics. The suitability of culture-independent methods for assessing effects of hygiene products on microbiota has not been demonstrated. This is the first controlled laboratory clinical hand study to have compared traditional hand hygiene test methods with newer culture-independent characterization methods typically used by skin microbiologists. This study resulted in recommendations for hand hygiene product testing, development of methods, and future hand skin microbiome research. It also demonstrated the importance of inclusion of skin physiological metadata in skin microbiome research, which is atypical for skin microbiome studies. Copyright © 2017 Zapka et al.

Comparison of Two Different Methods Used for Semen Evaluation: Analysis of Semen Samples from 1,055 Men.

PubMed

Dinçer, Murat; Kucukdurmaz, Faruk; Salabas, Emre; Ortac, Mazhar; Aktan, Gulsan; Kadioglu, Ates

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is a difference between gravimetrically and volumetrically measured semen samples and to assess the impact of semen volume, density, and sperm count on the discrepancy between gravimetric and volumetric methods. This study was designed in an andrology laboratory setting and performed on semen samples of 1,055 men receiving infertility treatment. Semen volume was calculated by gravimetric and volumetric methods. The total sperm count, semen density and sperm viability were also examined according to recent version of World Health Organization manual. The median values for gravimetric and volumetric measurements were 3.44 g and 2.96 ml respectively. The numeric difference in semen volume between 2 methods was 0.48. The mean density of samples was 1.01 ± 0.46 g/ml (range 0.90-2.0 g/ml). The numeric difference between 2 methods gets higher as semen volume increases (p < 0.001). Gravimetric and volumetric semen volume measurements were strongly correlated for all samples and for each subgroup of semen volume, semen density and sperm count, with minimum correlation coefficient of 0.895 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the gravimetric measurement provides higher results than volumetric one and numeric differences between 2 methods increase as semen volume increases. However, further studies are needed to offer the use of gravimetrical method, which was thought to minimize laboratory errors, particularly for a high amount of semen samples. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical Isotope Labeling LC-MS for Monitoring Disease Progression and Treatment in Animal Models: Plasma Metabolomics Study of Osteoarthritis Rat Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Deying; Su, Xiaoling; Wang, Nan; Li, Yunong; Yin, Hua; Li, Liang; Li, Lanjuan

2017-01-01

We report a chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method generally applicable for tracking metabolomic changes from samples collected in an animal model for studying disease development and treatment. A rat model of surgically induced osteoarthritis (OA) was used as an example to illustrate the workflow and technical performance. Experimental duplicate analyses of 234 plasma samples were carried out using dansylation labeling LC-MS targeting the amine/phenol submetabolome. These samples composed of 39 groups (6 rats per group) were collected at multiple time points with sham operation, OA control group, and OA rats with treatment, separately, using glucosamine/Celecoxib and three traditional Chinese medicines (Epimedii folium, Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Bushen-Huoxue). In total, 3893 metabolites could be detected and 2923 of them were consistently detected in more than 50% of the runs. This high-coverage submetabolome dataset could be used to track OA progression and treatment. Many differentiating metabolites were found and 11 metabolites including 2-aminoadipic acid, saccharopine and GABA were selected as potential biomarkers of OA progression and OA treatment. This study illustrates that CIL LC-MS is a very useful technique for monitoring incremental metabolomic changes with high coverage and accuracy for studying disease progression and treatment in animal models.

Chemical Isotope Labeling LC-MS for Monitoring Disease Progression and Treatment in Animal Models: Plasma Metabolomics Study of Osteoarthritis Rat Model

PubMed Central

Chen, Deying; Su, Xiaoling; Wang, Nan; Li, Yunong; Yin, Hua; Li, Liang; Li, Lanjuan

2017-01-01

We report a chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method generally applicable for tracking metabolomic changes from samples collected in an animal model for studying disease development and treatment. A rat model of surgically induced osteoarthritis (OA) was used as an example to illustrate the workflow and technical performance. Experimental duplicate analyses of 234 plasma samples were carried out using dansylation labeling LC-MS targeting the amine/phenol submetabolome. These samples composed of 39 groups (6 rats per group) were collected at multiple time points with sham operation, OA control group, and OA rats with treatment, separately, using glucosamine/Celecoxib and three traditional Chinese medicines (Epimedii folium, Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Bushen-Huoxue). In total, 3893 metabolites could be detected and 2923 of them were consistently detected in more than 50% of the runs. This high-coverage submetabolome dataset could be used to track OA progression and treatment. Many differentiating metabolites were found and 11 metabolites including 2-aminoadipic acid, saccharopine and GABA were selected as potential biomarkers of OA progression and OA treatment. This study illustrates that CIL LC-MS is a very useful technique for monitoring incremental metabolomic changes with high coverage and accuracy for studying disease progression and treatment in animal models. PMID:28091618

Implementation of Electronic Health Records and Entrepreneurial Strategic Orientation in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Organizations

PubMed Central

Fields, Dail; Riesenmy, Kelly; Blum, Terry C.; Roman, Paul M.

2015-01-01

Objective: This research studied the relationships of the components of entrepreneurial strategic orientation (ESO) with implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) within organizations that treat patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Method: A national sample of 317 SUD treatment providers were studied in a period after the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was enacted (2009) and meaningful use EHR requirements were established (2010), but before implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The study sample was selected using stratified random sampling and was part of a longitudinal study of treatment providers across the United States. Results: After we controlled for potentially confounding variables, four components of ESO had a significant relationship with EHR implementation. Levels of slack resources in an organization moderated the relationship of ESO with meaningful use of EHRs, increasing the strength of the relationship for some components but reducing the strength of others. Conclusions: From a policy and practice perspective, the results suggest that training and education to develop higher levels of ESO within SUD treatment organizations are likely to increase their level of meaningful use of EHRs, which in turn may enhance the integration of SUD treatment with primary medical providers, better preparing SUD treatment providers for the environmental changes of the Affordable Care Act. PMID:26562603

Treatment Decision-Making Capacity in Children and Adolescents Hospitalized for an Acute Mental Disorder: The Role of Cognitive Functioning and Psychiatric Symptoms

PubMed Central

Sabatello, Ugo; Lapponi, Elisa; Pace, Giulia; Ferrara, Mauro; Ferracuti, Stefano

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: This study was conducted to assess treatment decision-making capacity (TDMC) in a child and adolescent psychiatric sample and to verify possible associations between TDMC, psychiatric symptom severity, and cognitive functioning. Methods: Twenty-two consecutively recruited patients hospitalized for an acute mental disorder, aged 11–18 years, underwent measurement of TDMC by the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). The MacCAT-T interview focused on patients' current treatment, which comprised second-generation antipsychotics (45.5%), first-generation antipsychotics (13.6%), antiepileptic drugs used as mood stabilizers or lithium carbonate (45.5%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (32%), and benzodiazepines (18%). We moreover measured cognitive functioning (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III) and psychiatric symptom severity (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale v 4.0). Results: Patients' TDMC varied within the sample, but MacCAT-T scores were good in the sample overall, suggesting that children and adolescents with severe mental disorders could be competent to consent to treatment. The TDMC proved independent of psychiatric diagnosis while being positively associated with cognitive functioning and negatively with excitement. Conclusion: The MacCAT-T proved feasible for measuring TDMC in a child and adolescent psychiatric sample. TDMC in minors with severe mental disorders was not necessarily impaired. These results deserve reconsidering the interplay between minors and surrogate decision-makers as concerning treatment decisions. PMID:27935747

Analysis of imazaquin in soybeans by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Guo, C; Hu, J-Y; Chen, X-Y; Li, J-Z

2008-02-01

An analytical method for the determination imazaquin residues in soybeans was developed. The developed liquid/liquid partition and strong anion exchange solid-phase extraction procedures provide the effective cleanup, removing the greatest number of sample matrix interferences. By optimizing mobile-phase pH water/acetonitrile conditions with phosphoric acid, using a C-18 reverse-phase chromatographic column and employing ultraviolet detection, excellent peak resolution was achieved. The combined cleanup and chromatographic method steps reported herein were sensitive and reliable for determining the imazaquin residues in soybean samples. This method is characterized by recovery >88.4%, precision <6.7% CV, and sensitivity of 0.005 ppm, in agreement with directives for method validation in residue analysis. Imazaquin residues in soybeans were further confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of imazaquin residues in soybean samples grown in an experimental field after treatments of imazaquin formulation.

Extraction Methods in Soil Phosphorus Characterisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soinne, Helena

2010-05-01

Extraction methods are widely used to assess the bioavailability of P and to characterise soil P reserves. Even though new and more sophisticated methods to characterise soil P are constantly developed the use of extraction methods is not likely to be replaced because of the relatively simple analytical equipment needed for the analysis. However, the large variety of extractants, pre-treatments and sample preparation procedures complicate the comparison of published results. In order to improve our understanding of the behaviour and cycling of P in soil, it is important to know the role of extracted P in the soil P cycle. The knowledge of the factors affecting the analytical outcome is a prerequisite for justified interpretation of the results. In this study, the effect of sample pre-treatment and properties of the used extractant on extractable molybdate-reactive phosphorus (MRP) and molybdate-unreactive phosphorus (MUP) was studied. Furthermore, the effect of sample preparation procedures prior the analysis on measured MRP and MUP was studied. Two widely used sequential extraction procedures were compared on their ability to show management induced differences on soil P. These results revealed that pre-treatments changed soil properties and air-drying was found to affect soil P, particularly extractable MUP, thought to represent organic P, by disrupting organic matter. This was evidenced by an increase in the water-extractable small-sized (<0.2 µm) P that, at least partly, took place at the expense of the large-sized (>0.2 µm) P. In addition to the effects of sample pre-treatment, the results showed that extractable organic P was sensitive to the chemical nature of the used extractant and to the sample preparation procedures employed prior to P analysis, including centrifugation and filtering of soil suspensions. Filtering may remove a major proportion of extractable MUP; therefore filtering cannot be recommended in the characterisation of solubilised MUP. However, extractants having high ionic strength may cause the organic molecules to collapse during centrifugation and thus affect the recovered concentration of MUP. These findings highlight the importance of characterising the nature of the MUP extracted with different extractants and acknowledging the sensitivity of MUP to analytical procedures when comparing published results. Widely used sequential fractionation procedures proved to be able to detect land-use -derived differences in the distribution of P among fractions of different solubilities. The results of this study demonstrate that, although the extraction methods do not reveal the biogeochemical function of a given P pool in soil, the extraction methods can be used to detect changes in soil P pools with different solubilities. To obtain the most benefit from extraction methods, we need a better understanding of the biological availability of P and the role of extracted P fraction in the P cycle in soils from different environments (climatic and weather) and land-uses.

Minimization of Residual Stress in an Al-Cu Alloy Forged Plate by Different Heat Treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Ya-Bo; Shao, Wen-Zhu; Jiang, Jian-Tang; Zhang, Bao-You; Zhen, Liang

2015-06-01

In order to improve the balance of mechanical properties and residual stress, various quenching and aging treatments were applied to Al-Cu alloy forged plate. Residual stresses determined by the x-ray diffraction method and slitting method were compared. The surface residual stress measured by x-ray diffraction method was consistent with that measured by slitting method. The residual stress distribution of samples quenched in water with different temperatures (20, 60, 80, and 100 °C) was measured, and the results showed that the boiling water quenching results in a 91.4% reduction in residual stress magnitudes compared with cold water quenching (20 °C), but the tensile properties of samples quenched in boiling water were unacceptably low. Quenching in 80 °C water results in 75% reduction of residual stress, and the reduction of yield strength is 12.7%. The residual stress and yield strength level are considerable for the dimensional stability of aluminum alloy. Quenching samples into 30% polyalkylene glycol quenchants produced 52.2% reduction in the maximum compressive residual stress, and the reduction in yield strength is 19.7%. Moreover, the effects of uphill quenching and thermal-cold cycling on the residual stress were also investigated. Uphill quenching and thermal-cold cycling produced approximately 25-40% reduction in residual stress, while the effect on tensile properties is quite slight.

[Change in soil enzymes activities after adding biochar or straw by fluorescent microplate method].

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-Lan; Chen, Li-Jun; Duan, Zheng-Hu; Wu, Zhi-Jie; Sun, Cai-Xia; Wang, Jun-Yu

2014-02-01

The present work was aimed to study soil a-glucosidase and beta-glucosidase activities of and red soils based on fluorescence detection method combined with 96 microplates with TECAN Infinite 200 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader. We added biochar or straw (2.5 g air dry sample/50g air dry soil sample) into and red soils and the test was carried under fixed temperature and humidity condition (25 degrees C, 20% soil moisture content). The results showed that straw addition enhances soil alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucosidase activities, beta-glucosidase activity stimulated by rice straw treatment was higher than that of corn straw treatment, and activity still maintains strong after 40 days, accounting for increasing soil carbon transformation with straw inputting. Straw inputting increased soil nutrients contents and may promote microbial activity, which also lead to the increase oin enzyme Straw inputting increased soil nutrients contents and may promote microbial activity, which also lead to the increase oin enzyme activities. Different effects of straw kinds may be related to material source that needs further research. However, biochar inputting has little effect on soil alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucosidase activity. Biochar contains less available nutrients than straw and have degradation-resistant characteristics. Compared with the conventional spectrophotometric method, fluorescence microplate method is more sensitive to soil enzyme activities in suspension liquid, which can be used in a large number of samples. In brief, fluorescence microplate method is fast, accurate, and simple to determine soil enzymes activities.

Determination of six sulfonamide antibiotics, two metabolites and trimethoprim in wastewater by isotope dilution liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Le-Minh, Nhat; Stuetz, Richard M; Khan, Stuart J

2012-01-30

A highly sensitive method for the analysis of six sulfonamide antibiotics (sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine and sulfamethoxazole), two sulfonamide metabolites (N(4)-acetyl sulfamethazine and N(4)-acetyl sulfamethoxazole) and the commonly co-applied antibiotic trimethoprim was developed for the analysis of complex wastewater samples. The method involves solid phase extraction of filtered wastewater samples followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectral detection. Method detection limits were shown to be matrix-dependent but ranged between 0.2 and 0.4 ng/mL for ultrapure water, 0.4 and 0.7 ng/mL for tap water, 1.4 and 5.9 ng/mL for a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) mixed liquor, 0.7 and 1.7 ng/mL for biologically treated effluent and 0.5 and 1.5 ng/g dry weight for MBR activated sludge. An investigation of analytical matrix effects was undertaken, demonstrating the significant and largely unpredictable nature of signal suppression observed for variably complex matrices compared to an ultrapure water matrix. The results demonstrate the importance of accounting for such matrix effects for accurate quantitation, as done in the presented method by isotope dilution. Comprehensive validation of calibration linearity, reproducibility, extraction recovery, limits of detection and quantification are also presented. Finally, wastewater samples from a variety of treatment stages in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant were analysed to illustrate the effectiveness of the method. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of pical Root Resorption in Incisors after Fixed Orthodontic Treatment with Standard Edgewise and Straight Wire (MBT) Method

PubMed Central

Zahed Zahedani, SM; Oshagh, M; Momeni Danaei, Sh; Roeinpeikar, SMM

2013-01-01

Statement of Problem: One of the major outcomes of orthodontic treatment is the apical root resorption of teeth moved during the treatment. Identifying the possible risk factors, are necessary for every orthodontist. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the rate of apical root resorption after fixed orthodontic treatment with standard edgewise and straight wire (MBT) method, and also to evaluate other factors effecting the rate of root resorption in orthodontic treatments. Materials and Method: In this study, parallel periapical radiographs of 127 patients imaging a total of 737 individual teeth, were collected. A total of 76 patients were treated by standard edgewise and 51 patients by straight wire method. The periapical radiographs were scanned and then the percentage of root resorption was calculated by Photoshop software. The data were analyzed by Paired-Samples t-test and the Generalized Linear Model adopting the SPSS 15.0. Results: In patients treated with straight wire method (MBT), mean root resorption was 18.26% compared to 14.82% in patients treated with standard edgewise technique (p< .05). Male patients had higher rate of root resorption,statistically significant (p< .05). Age at onset of treatment, duration of treatment, type of dental occlusion, premolar extractions and the use of intermaxillary elastics had no significant effect on the root resorption in this study. Conclusion: Having more root resorption in the straight wire method and less in the standard edgewise technique can be attributed to more root movement in pre-adjusted MBT technique due to the brackets employed in this method. PMID:24724131

Parasite contamination (helminth eggs) in sludge treatment plants: definition of a sampling strategy.

PubMed

Gaspard, Philippe G; Schwartzbrod, Janine

2003-03-01

The use of sludge in agriculture must be carried out according to many guidelines, especially regarding a precise knowledge of the pathogenic microorganisms it contains. The control of the produced sludge requires a sampling strategy that is representative of the contamination present in the sludge. Thus, we evaluated the distribution of helminth eggs in sludge to determine how to sample and at what frequency. Two plants were studied, firstly we studied sludge that was undergoing biological treatment (anaerobic digestion, prolonged aeration), secondly we evaluated the dehydration step (centrifugation and filter press). The helminth egg concentrations were measured over short periods (between 5 minutes and 7 hours) and for periods of over 24 hours (7 to 28 days). The results showed that there was much homogeneity in periods of less than 7 hours, thus it was advisable to take grab samples. An appropriate sample weight was 30 g dry matter, because this allowed an analysis in triplicate when testing treatment processes according to standards of France, (less than 3 viable eggs/10 g dry matter). Determination of the egg concentration in the plants during periods of over 24 hours showed that the parasite flow was stable. In some cases, large variations were due to the treatment processes (storage or thickening, mixing of different sludges). These results have been confirmed with the study of 6 other plants during a one year period. Thus, the recommended sampling frequency can be limited to every 3 to 6 months, by adapting the sampling methods to the characteristics of the plant.

Surface modification of polypropylene based particle foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreier, P.; Trassl, C.; Altstädt, V.

2014-05-01

This paper deals with the modification of the surface properties of expanded polypropylene (EPP). EPP is a semi-hard to soft elastic thermoplastic foam. The characteristic surface of EPP shows process-related steam nozzle imprints and gussets. Therefore EPP does not satisfy the quality requirements for visible automotive applications. In order to meet these demands, plastic surfaces are usually enhanced with functional or decorative coatings, e.g. textiles, plastic films or paint. The coating of plastics with low surface energies such as PP often leads to adhesion problems by reason of the missing polar and functional groups. This paper gives an evaluation of activation and pre-treatment methods of EPP, with the aim to identify the most suitable pre-treatment method. For this purpose five typical surface treatment methods - flame treatment, corona, fluorination, atmospheric and low-pressure plasma - were performed on EPP samples. As a comparison criterion the maximum increase in the adhesion force between a polyurethane-based coating and the modified EPP substrate was selected. Moreover the influence of the selected pre-treatment method on the increase in the total surface energy and its polar component was investigated by the drop shape analysis method. The results showed that the contact angle measurement is a suitable method to determine the polar and disperse fractions of the surface tension of EPP. Furthermore, all performed methods increased the adhesion of EPP.

Simultaneous determination of fluoroquinolones in environmental water by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with direct injection: A green approach.

PubMed

Denadai, Marina; Cass, Quezia Bezerra

2015-10-30

This work describes an on-line multi-residue method for simultaneous quantification of ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, gemifloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin in superficial and wastewater samples. For that, an octyl restricted-access media bovine serum albumin column (RAM-BSA C8) was used for sample clean-up, enrichment and analysis with quantitation carried out by tandem mass spectrometry. For water samples volumes of only 500μL the method provided good selectivity, extraction efficiency, accuracy, and precision with quantification limits in the order of 20-150ngL(-1). Out of the six fluoroquinolones only ciprofloxacin (195ngL(-1)) and norfloxacin (270ngL(-1)) were quantified in an influent sample of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of São Carlos (SP, Brazil). None were found in the superficial water samples analyzed. The capability of injecting native sample in an automated mode provides high productivity and represents a greener approach in environmental sample analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biocompatibility of metal injection molded versus wrought ASTM F562 (MP35N) and ASTM F1537 (CCM) cobalt alloys.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Sago, Alan; West, Shari; Farina, Jeff; Eckert, John; Broadley, Mark

2011-01-01

We present a comparative analysis between biocompatibility test results of wrought and Metal Injection Molded (MIM) ASTM F562-02 UNS R30035 (MP35N) and F1537 UNS R31538 (CCM) alloy samples that have undergone the same generic orthopedic implant's mechanical, chemical surface pre-treatment, and a designed pre-testing sample preparation method. Because the biocompatibility properties resulting from this new MIM cobalt alloy process are not well understood, we conducted tests to evaluate cytotoxicity (in vitro), hemolysis (in vitro), toxicity effects (in vivo), tissue irritation level (in vivo), and pyrogenicity count (in vitro) on such samples. We show that our developed MIM MP35N and CCM materials and treatment processes are biocompatible, and that both the MIM and wrought samples, although somewhat different in microstructure and surface, do not show significant differences in biocompatibility.

Effect of Product Dimensions and Surface Browning Method on Salmonella Contamination in Frozen, Surface-Browned, Breaded Chicken Products Treated with Antimicrobials.

PubMed

Moschonas, Galatios; Geornaras, Ifigenia; Stopforth, Jarret D; Woerner, Dale R; Belk, Keith E; Smith, Gary C; Sofos, John N

2015-12-01

Not-ready-to-eat breaded chicken products formulated with antimicrobial ingredients were tested for the effect of sample dimensions, surface browning method and final internal sample temperature on inoculated Salmonella populations. Fresh chicken breast meat portions (5 × 5 × 5 cm), inoculated with Salmonella (7-strain mixture; 5 log CFU/g), were mixed with (5% v/w total moisture enhancement) (i) distilled water (control), (ii) caprylic acid (CAA; 0.0625%) and carvacrol (CAR; 0.075%), (iii) CAA (0.25%) and ε-polylysine (POL; 0.5%), (iv) CAR (0.15%) and POL (0.5%), or (v) CAA (0.0625%), CAR (0.075%) and POL (0.5%). Sodium chloride (1.2%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0.3%) were added to all treatments. The mixtures were then ground and formed into 9 × 5 × 3 cm (150 g) or 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm (50 g) portions. The products were breaded, browned in (i) an oven (208 °C, 15 min) or (ii) deep fryer (190 °C, 15 s), packaged, and stored at -20 °C (8 d). Overall, maximum internal temperatures of 62.4 ± 4.0 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 46.0 ± 3.0 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) were reached in oven-browned samples, and 35.0 ± 1.1 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 31.7 ± 2.6 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) in fryer-browned samples. Irrespective of formulation treatment, total (after frozen storage) reductions of Salmonella were greater (P < 0.05) for 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm oven-browned samples (3.8 to at least 4.6 log CFU/g) than for 9 × 5 × 3 cm oven-browned samples (0.7 to 2.5 log CFU/g). Product dimensions did not (P ≥ 0.05) affect Salmonella reductions (0.6 to 2.8 log CFU/g) in fryer-browned samples. All antimicrobial treatments reduced Salmonella to undetectable levels (<0.3 log CFU/g) in oven-browned 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm samples. Overall, the data may be useful for the selection of antimicrobials, product dimensions, and surface browning methods for reducing Salmonella contamination. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Economic Intervention and Parenting: A Randomized Experiment of Statewide Child Development Accounts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nam, Yunju; Wikoff, Nora; Sherraden, Michael

2016-01-01

Objective: We examine the effects of Child Development Accounts (CDAs) on parenting stress and practices. Methods: We use data from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment. SEED OK selected caregivers of infants from Oklahoma birth certificates using a probability sampling method, randomly assigned caregivers to the treatment (n = 1,132)…

Handling Missing Data in Educational Research Using SPSS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheema, Jehanzeb

2012-01-01

This study looked at the effect of a number of factors such as the choice of analytical method, the handling method for missing data, sample size, and proportion of missing data, in order to evaluate the effect of missing data treatment on accuracy of estimation. In order to accomplish this a methodological approach involving simulated data was…

Impact of Long-Term Treatment with Ivermectin on the Prevalence and Intensity of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections

PubMed Central

Moncayo, Ana Lucia; Vaca, Maritza; Amorim, Leila; Rodriguez, Alejandro; Erazo, Silvia; Oviedo, Gisela; Quinzo, Isabel; Padilla, Margarita; Chico, Martha; Lovato, Raquel; Gomez, Eduardo; Barreto, Mauricio L.; Cooper, Philip J.

2008-01-01

Background Control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections relies on the periodic and long-term administration of anthelmintic drugs to high-risk groups, particularly school-age children living in endemic areas. There is limited data on the effectiveness of long-term periodic anthelmintic treatment on the prevalence of STHs, particularly from operational programmes. The current study investigated the impact of 15 to 17 years of treatment with the broad-spectrum anthelmintic ivermectin, used for the control of onchocerciasis, on STH prevalence and intensity in school-age and pre-school children. Methods and Findings A cross-sectional study was conducted in communities that had received annual or twice-annual ivermectin treatments and geographically adjacent communities that had not received treatment in two districts of Esmeraldas Province in Ecuador. Stool samples were collected from school-age children and examined for STH infection using the Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration methods. Samples were collected also from pre-school children and examined by the formol-ether concentration method. Data on risk factors for STH infection were collected by parental questionnaire. We sampled a total of 3,705 school-age children (6–16 years) from 31 treated and 27 non-treated communities, and 1,701 pre-school children aged 0–5 years from 18 treated and 18 non-treated communities. Among school-age children, ivermectin treatment had significant effects on the prevalence (adjusted OR =  0.06, 95% CI 0.03–0.14) and intensity of Trichuris trichiura infection (adjusted RR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.11–0.70), but appeared to have no impact on Ascaris lumbricoides or hookworm infection. Reduced prevalence and intensities of T. trichiura infection were observed among children not eligible to receive ivermectina, providing some evidence of reduced transmission of T. trichiura infection in communities receiving mass ivermectin treatments. Conclusion Annual and twice-annual treatments with ivermectin over a period of up to 17 years may have had a significant impact on T. trichiura infection. The present data indicate that the long-term control of onchocerciasis with ivermectin may provide additional health benefits by reducing infections with trichuriasis. The addition of a second anthelmintic drug such as albendazole may be useful for a long-term effect on A. lumbricoides infection. PMID:18820741

Effects of Bacterial Inactivation Methods on Downstream Proteomic Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Andy; Merkley, Eric D.; Clowers, Brian H.

2015-05-01

Inactivation of pathogenic microbial samples is often necessary for the protection of researchers and to comply with local and federal regulations. By its nature, biological inactivation causes changes to microbial samples, potentially affecting observed experimental results. While inactivation induced damage to materials such as DNA has been evaluated, the effect of various inactivation strategies on proteomic data, to our knowledge, has not been discussed. To this end, we inactivated samples of Yersinia pestis and Escherichia coli by autoclave, ethanol, or irradiation treatment to determine how inactivation changes liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry data quality as well as apparent protein contentmore » of cells. Proteomic datasets obtained from aliquots of samples inactivated by different methods were highly similar, with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging from 0.822 to 0.985 and 0.816 to 0.985 for E. coli and Y. pestis, respectively, suggesting that inactivation had only slight impacts on the set of proteins identified. In addition, spectral quality metrics such as distributions of various database search algorithm scores remained constant across inactivation methods, indicating that inactivation does not appreciably degrade spectral quality. Though overall changes resulting from inactivation were small, there were detectable trends. For example, one-sided Fischer exact tests determined that periplasmic proteins decrease in observed abundance after sample inactivation by autoclaving (α = 1.71x10-2 for E. coli, α = 4.97x10-4 for Y. pestis) and irradiation (α = 9.43x10-7 for E. coli, α = 1.21x10-5 for Y. pestis) when compared to controls that were not inactivated. Based on our data, if sample inactivation is necessary, we recommend inactivation with ethanol treatment with secondary preference given to irradiation.« less

Are patent medicine vendors effective agents in malaria control? Using lot quality assurance sampling to assess quality of practice in Jigawa, Nigeria.

PubMed

Berendes, Sima; Adeyemi, Olusegun; Oladele, Edward Adekola; Oresanya, Olusola Bukola; Okoh, Festus; Valadez, Joseph J

2012-01-01

Patent medicine vendors (PMV) provide antimalarial treatment and care throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and can play an important role in the fight against malaria. Their close-to-client infrastructure could enable lifesaving artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to reach patients in time. However, systematic assessments of drug sellers' performance quality are crucial if their role is to be managed within the health system. Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) could be an efficient method to monitor and evaluate PMV practice, but has so far never been used for this purpose. In support of the Nigeria Malaria Booster Program we assessed PMV practices in three Senatorial Districts (SDs) of Jigawa, Nigeria. A two-stage LQAS assessed whether at least 80% of PMV stores in SDs used national treatment guidelines. Acceptable sampling errors were set in consultation with government officials (alpha and beta <0.10). The hypergeometric formula determined sample sizes and cut-off values for SDs. A structured assessment tool identified high and low performing SDs for quality of care indicators. Drug vendors performed poorly in all SDs of Jigawa for all indicators. For example, all SDs failed for stocking and selling first-line antimalarials. PMV sold no longer recommended antimalarials, such as Chloroquine, Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine and oral Artesunate monotherapy. Most PMV were ignorant of and lacked training about new treatment guidelines that had endorsed ACTs as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. There is urgent need to regularly monitor and improve the availability and quality of malaria treatment provided by medicine sellers in Nigeria; the irrational use of antimalarials in the ACT era revealed in this study bears a high risk of economic loss, death and development of drug resistance. LQAS has been shown to be a suitable method for monitoring malaria-related indicators among PMV, and should be applied in Nigeria and elsewhere to improve service delivery.

Characterization Results For The 2013 HTF 3H Evaporator Overhead Samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Washington, A. L. II

2013-12-04

This report tabulates the radiochemical analysis of the 3H evaporator overhead sample for {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, and {sup 129}I to meet the requirements in the Effluent Treatment Project (ETP) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) (rev. 6). This report identifies the sample receipt date, preparation method, and analysis performed in the accumulation of the listed values. All data was found to be within the ETP WAC (rev. 6) specification for the Waste Water Collection Tanks (WWCT).

Characterization Results for the 2014 HTF 3H & 2H Evaporator Overhead Samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Washington, A.

2015-05-11

This report tabulates the radiochemical analysis of the 3H and 2H evaporator overhead samples for 137Cs, 90Sr, and 129I to meet the requirements in the Effluent Treatment Project (ETP) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) (rev. 6). This report identifies the sample receipt date, preparation method, and analysis performed in the accumulation of the listed values. All data was found to be within the ETP WAC (rev. 6) specification for the Waste Water Collection Tanks (WWCT).

Gas discharge plasma treatment of poly(ethylene glycol-co-1,3/1,4 cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) for enhanced paint adhesion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salapare, Hernando S., E-mail: hssalapare@up.edu.ph; Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila City 1000; College of Science, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Intramuros, Manila City 1002

Low-energy hydrogen-ions and tetrafluoromethane-ions produced from a gas discharge ion source were irradiated to poly(ethylene glycol-co-1,3/1,4 cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) (PETG) sheets for enhancing paint adhesion. The ion beams were characterized using a cast steel mass spectrometer, while the untreated and treated samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, and profilometry. The paint adhesion was determined by using the standard method for evaluating adhesion by knife [ASTM D6677-07, Standard Test Method for Evaluating Adhesion by Knife (ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2012)] and was correlated with the calculation of the work of adhesion derived frommore » the Young–Dupré equation. After plasma treatment, a significant decrease in the contact angle was observed in all samples, except for the CF{sub 4} ion-treated samples with the discharge current of 3 mA and an irradiation time of 30 min. At longer irradiation times, the treated samples showed lesser changes in the contact angle measurement. The increase in the average and root-mean-square surface roughness was observed on the samples after plasma treatment. The samples treated with either H{sub 2} or CF{sub 4} ions for 15 min showed a direct correlation between the discharge current and surface roughness. The samples treated for 30 min showed no significant correlation between the surface roughness and discharge current, which can be attributed to the possible melting of the samples since PETG has a low melting point. The observation made in this study on the relationship of wettability and surface roughness is consistent with the Wenzel wetting mode. Scanning electron micrographs showed surface etching on the hydrogen ion-treated samples while no significant surface changes were observed for the CF{sub 4} ion-treated samples. In general, paint adhesion was stronger for samples that exhibited enhanced wettability and high work of adhesion. The optimal work of adhesion to double the paint adhesion performance was at least 84.79 mN/m. The increase in the surface roughness after the treatment provided an increased friction between the paint and the PETG surface. The increase in the paint adhesion was also due to the covalent, hydrogen, and van der Waals bonding that are typically observed for highly wettable surfaces.« less

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid.

PubMed

van Staden, J F; Mashamba, Mulalo G; Stefan, Raluca I

2002-09-01

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid is proposed. A solution of 0.1 mol L(-1) sodium chloride is used as carrier. Titration is achieved by aspirating acetic acid samples between two strong base-zone volumes into a holding coil and by channelling the stack of well-defined zones with flow reversal through a reaction coil to a potentiometric sensor where the peak widths were measured. A linear relationship between peak width and logarithm of the acid concentration was obtained in the range 1-9 g/100 mL. Vinegar samples were analysed without any sample pre-treatment. The method has a relative standard deviation of 0.4% with a sample frequency of 28 samples per hour. The results revealed good agreement between the proposed sequential injection and an automated batch titration method.

Determination of ruthenium in pharmaceutical compounds by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Jia, Xiujuan; Wang, Tiebang; Bu, Xiaodong; Tu, Qiang; Spencer, Sandra

2006-04-11

A graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) spectrometric method for the determination of ruthenium (Rh) in solid and liquid pharmaceutical compounds has been developed. Samples are dissolved or diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) without any other treatment before they were analyzed by GFAA with a carefully designed heating program to avoid pre-atomization signal loss and to achieve suitable sensitivity. Various inorganic and organic solvents were tested and compared and DMSO was found to be the most suitable. In addition, ruthenium was found to be stable in DMSO for at least 5 days. Spike recoveries ranged from 81 to 100% and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was determined to be 0.5 microg g(-1) for solid samples or 0.005 microg ml(-1) for liquid samples based a 100-fold dilution. The same set of samples was also analyzed by ICP-MS with a different sample preparation method, and excellent agreement was achieved.

A microdestructive capillary electrophoresis method for the analysis of blue-pen-ink strokes on office paper.

PubMed

Calcerrada, Matías; González-Herráez, Miguel; Garcia-Ruiz, Carmen

2015-06-26

This manuscript describes the development of a capillary electrophoresis (CE) method for the detection of acid and basic dyes and its application to real samples, blue-pen-ink strokes on office paper. First, a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed for the separation of basic and acid dyes, by studying the separation medium (buffer nature, pH and relative amount of additive) and instrumental parameters (temperature, voltage and capillary dimensions). The method performance was evaluated in terms of selectivity, resolution (above 5 and 2 for acid dyes and basic dyes, respectively, except for two basic dye standards), LOD (lower than 0.4 mg/L) and precision as intraday and interday RSD values of peak migration times (lower than 0.6%). The developed method was then applied to 34 blue pens from different technologies (rollerball, ballpoint, markers) and with different ink composition (gel, water-based, oil-based). A microdestructive sample treatment using a scalpel to scratch 0.3mg of ink stroke was performed. The entire electropherogram profile allowed the visual discrimination between different types of ink and brands, being not necessary a statistical treatment. A 100% of discrimination was achieved between pen technologies, brands, and models, although non-reproducible zones in the electropherograms were found for blue gel pen samples. The two different batches of blue oil-based pens were also differentiated. Thus, this method provides a simple, microdestructive, and rapid analysis of different blue pen technologies which may complement the current analysis of questioned documents performed by forensic laboratories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of spray application methods for navel orangeworm control in almonds.

PubMed

Markle, James C; Niederholzer, Franz Ja; Zalom, Frank G

2016-12-01

Gear Up/Throttle Down (GUTD) and Inward Only strategies represent potential alternatives to conventional airblast applications to reduce spray drift. This study evaluates Inward Only and a modified version of GUTD in almonds, the largest US tree crop, at the recommended hull split treatment timing for control of navel orangeworm (NOW), the key almond insect pest. Conventional treatment produced the most drift (15.6% of total bifenthrin load), while the GUTD and Inward Only treatments produced only 7.6 and 9.7% respectively. For all methods, 92-94% of the drift was found in the first 15.2 m downwind of the orchard. NOW control was lower for the Inward Only treatment compared with the GUTD and conventional treatments. NOW control was consistently lower at 4.88 m height relative to 2.44 m in all treatments, reflecting the reduced deposition higher in the tree canopy recorded in deposition samples. While Inward Only treatments reduced spray drift relative to the conventional application method, poorer control of NOW, the key insect pest of almonds, in the Inward Only treatment would likely limit its voluntary use by growers. However, GUTD holds promise for use at the hull split treatment timing to address spray drift. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification of irradiated refrigerated poultry with the DNA comet assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villavicencio, A. L. C. H.; Araújo, M. M.; Marin-Huachaca, N. S.; Mancini-Filho, J.; Delincée, H.

2004-09-01

Food irradiation could make a significant contribution to the reduction of food-borne diseases caused by harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and parasites. In fact these organisms cause an increasing number of diseases and eventually deaths all over the world, also in industrialized countries. Radiation processing has the advantage that in addition to eliminating pathogens, thereby enhancing food safety, it also extends shelf life through destruction of spoilage organisms. The DNA molecule because of its big size is an easy target for ionizing radiation, therefore, changes in DNA offer potential to be used as a detection method for the irradiation treatment. In our study, poultry has been irradiated and changes in DNA analyzed by the Comet Assay. Samples were packed in plastic bags and irradiated. Doses were 0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5kGy. Immediately after irradiation the samples were returned to the refrigerator (4°C). Samples were analyzed 1 and 10 days after irradiation. This method proved to be an inexpensive and rapid screening technique for qualitative detection of irradiation treatment.

African American Patients Seeking Treatment in the Public Sector: Characteristics of Buprenorphine v. Methadone Patients

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Shannon Gwin; Kelly, Sharon M.; Gryczynski, Jan; Myers, C. Patrick; Jaffe, Jerome H.; O’Grady, Kevin E.; Olsen, Yngvild K.; Schwartz, Robert P.

2011-01-01

Background To expand its public-sector treatment capacity, Baltimore City made buprenorphine treatment accessible to low-income, largely African American residents. This study compares the characteristics of patients entering methadone treatment v. buprenorphine treatment to determine whether BT was attracting different types of patients. Methods Participants consisted of two samples of adult heroin-dependent African Americans. The first sample was newly-admitted to a health center or a mental health center providing buprenorphine (N=200), and the second sample was newly-admitted to one of two hospital-based methadone programs (N=178). The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and the Friends Supplemental Questionnaire were administered at treatment entry and data were analyzed with logistic regression. Results BT participants were more likely to be female (p=.017) and less likely to inject (p=.001). Participants with only prior buprenorphine treatment experience were nearly five time more likely to enter buprenorphine than methadone treatment (p<.001). Those with experience with both treatments were more than twice as likely to enter BT (OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.11–6.62; p=.028). In the 30 days prior to treatment entry, BT participants reported more days of medical problems (p=.002) and depression (p=.044), and were more likely to endorse a lifetime history of depression (p<.001). Conclusion Methadone and buprenorphine treatment provided in the public sector may attract different patient subpopulations. Providing buprenorphine treatment through drug treatment programs co-located with a health and mental health center may have accounted for their higher rates of medical and psychiatric problems and appears to be useful in attracting a diverse group of patients into public-sector funded treatment. PMID:21962726

Does Introducing Imprecision around Probabilities for Benefit and Harm Influence the Way People Value Treatments?

PubMed

Bansback, Nick; Harrison, Mark; Marra, Carlo

2016-05-01

Imprecision in estimates of benefits and harms around treatment choices is rarely described to patients. Variation in sampling error between treatment alternatives (e.g., treatments have similar average risks, but one treatment has a larger confidence interval) can result in patients failing to choose the option that is best for them. The aim of this study is to use a discrete choice experiment to describe how 2 methods for conveying imprecision in risk influence people's treatment decisions. We randomized a representative sample of the Canadian general population to 1 of 3 surveys that sought choices between hypothetical treatments for rheumatoid arthritis based on different levels of 7 attributes: route and frequency of administration, chance of benefit, serious and minor side effects and life expectancy, and imprecision in benefit and side-effect estimates. The surveys differed in the way imprecision was described: 1) no imprecision, 2) quantitative description based on a range with a visual graphic, and 3) qualitative description simply describing the confidence in the evidence. The analyzed data were from 2663 respondents. Results suggested that more people understood imprecision when it was described qualitatively (88%) versus quantitatively (68%). Respondents who appeared to understand imprecision descriptions placed high value on increased precision regarding the actual benefits and harms of treatment, equivalent to the value placed on the information about the probability of serious side effects. Both qualitative and quantitative methods led to small but significant increases in decision uncertainty for choosing any treatment. Limitations included some issues in defining understanding of imprecision and the use of an internet survey of panel members. These findings provide insight into how conveying imprecision information influences patient treatment choices. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effect of acid detergent fiber in hydrothermally pretreated sewage sludge on anaerobic digestion process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takasaki, Rikiya; Yuan, Lee Chang; Kamahara, Hirotsugu; Atsuta, Youichi; Daimon, Hiroyuki

2017-10-01

Hydrothermal treatment is one of the pre-treatment method for anaerobic digestion. The application of hydrothermal treatment to sewage sludge of wastewater treatment plant has been succeeded to enhance the biogas production. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively clarify the effect of hydrothermal treatment on anaerobic digestion process focusing on acid detergent fiber (ADF) in sewage sludge, which is low biodegradability. The hydrothermal treatment experiment was carried out for 15 minutes between 160 °C and 200 °C respectively. The ADF content was decreased after hydrothermal treatment compared with untreated sludge. However, ADF content was increased when raising the treatment temperature from 160 °C to 200 °C. During batch anaerobic digestion experiment, untreated and treated sludge were examined for 10 days under 38 °C, and all samples were fed once based on volatile solids of samples. From batch anaerobic digestion experiment, as ADF content in sewage sludge increased, the total biogas production decreased. It was found that ADF content in sewage sludge influence on anaerobic digestion. Therefore, ADF could be one of the indicator to evaluate the effect of hydrothermal treatment to sewage sludge on anaerobic digestion.

Substance Use and Treatment Outcomes Among Spanish-Speaking Latino/as from Four Acculturation Types

PubMed Central

Serafini, Kelly; Wendt, Dennis C.; Ornelas, India J.; Doyle, Suzanne R.; Donovan, Dennis M.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the association of acculturation with substance use treatment outcomes in a sample of treatment-seeking Latino/as (N = 405). Method The study used data from a multisite randomized controlled trial of a culturally-adapted version of Motivational Enhancement Therapy delivered in Spanish. Berry et al.’s (1987) acculturation model was used to divide the sample into four types (Integrated, Assimilated, Separated, Marginalized), based on Bicultural Involvement Questionnaire scores. One-way ANOVAs, chi-squared tests, and repeated-measures regression were used to examine baseline acculturation, post-treatment outcomes, and follow-up outcomes. Results All participants were of Latino/a background and 88.4% of the sample was male. Participants with greater acculturation to American culture (i.e., Integrated and Assimilated acculturation types) reported more substance use and associated problems at baseline (χ2(3) = 20.5, p <.001), with the Integrated type reporting the highest percentage of substance use disorder symptoms and problems (67.6%). No significant differences in substance use were detected among acculturation types post-treatment or at follow-up. Conclusions Although the Integrated and Assimilated acculturation types were associated at baseline with more substance use and associated problems, all acculturation types seemed to benefit at post-treatment from an evidence-based culturally-adapted treatment. PMID:28068121

Small-scale enzymatic digestion of glycoproteins and proteoglycans for analysis of oligosaccharides by LC-MS and FACE gel electrophoresis.

PubMed

Estrella, Ruby P; Whitelock, John M; Roubin, Rebecca H; Packer, Nicolle H; Karlsson, Niclas G

2009-01-01

Structural characterization of oligosaccharides from proteoglycans and other glycoproteins is greatly enhanced through the use of mass spectrometry and gel electrophoresis. Sample preparation for these sensitive techniques often requires enzymatic treatments to produce oligosaccharide sequences for subsequent analysis. This chapter describes several small-scale methods for in-gel, on-blot, and in-solution enzymatic digestions in preparation for graphitized carbon liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, with specific applications indicated for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and N-linked oligosaccharides. In addition, accompanying procedures for oligosaccharide reduction by sodium borohydride, sample desalting via carbon microcolumn, desialylation by sialidase enzyme treatment, and small-scale oligosaccharide species fractionation are included. Fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE) is another useful method to isolate derivatized oligosaccharides. Overall, the modularity of these techniques provides ease and flexibility for use in conjunction with mass spectrometric and electrophoretic tools for glycomic research studies.

Soft tissue decomposition of submerged, dismembered pig limbs enclosed in plastic bags.

PubMed

Pakosh, Caitlin M; Rogers, Tracy L

2009-11-01

This study examines underwater soft tissue decomposition of dismembered pig limbs deposited in polyethylene plastic bags. The research evaluates the level of influence that disposal method has on underwater decomposition processes and details observations specific to this scenario. To our knowledge, no other study has yet investigated decomposing, dismembered, and enclosed remains in water environments. The total sample size consisted of 120 dismembered pig limbs, divided into a subsample of 30 pig limbs per recovery period (34 and 71 days) for each treatment. The two treatments simulated non-enclosed and plastic enclosed disposal methods in a water context. The remains were completely submerged in Lake Ontario for 34 and 71 days. In both recovery periods, the non-enclosed samples lost soft tissue to a significantly greater extent than their plastic enclosed counterparts. Disposal of remains in plastic bags therefore results in preservation, most likely caused by bacterial inhibition and reduced oxygen levels.

Affiliation with Delinquent Peers as a Mediator of the Effects of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Delinquent Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Ryzin, Mark J.; Leve, Leslie D.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the ability of delinquent peer affiliation to mediate the effects of multidimensional treatment foster care (MTFC; Chamberlain, 2003) on girls' delinquent behavior. Method: This study used a sample of girls from 2 cohorts (N = 166; M = 15.31 years old at baseline, range 13-17 years; 74% European American, 2% African…

Aqueous Humor Levels of Different Interleukins 1-β, 2, 6 and 10, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Uveitis Treated with Adalimumab

PubMed Central

Hernández Garfella, María Luisa; Palomares Fort, Paula; Román Ivorra, José Andrés; Cervera Taulet, Enrique

2015-01-01

Purpose: To assess changes in aqueous humor levels of different interleukins (IL), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with uveitis treated with adalimumab. Methods: In this study, 24 aqueous humor samples including 12 pre- and post-treatment samples from 6 patients with uveitis treated with subcutaneous adalimumab and 12 samples from patients with cataracts (serving as controls) were evaluated. The levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and VEGF were measured using a Luminex® 200™ flow cytometer (Merckmillipore, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Alemania) and a highly sensitive ELISA system. Results: The levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 in the aqueous humor before and after treatment with adalimumab did not show significant differences. Aqueous VEGF levels significantly reduced after treatment with adalimumab (P = 0.028). Aqueous TNF-α levels did not significantly change after treatment with adalimumab, however the post-treatment level was significantly higher in patients as compared to control subjects (P = 0.032). IL-2 showed significantly higher levels in uveitis patients before treatment as compared to controls (P = 0.024), while its post-treatment levels were almost normalized. Conclusion: Decrease in the aqueous humor levels of VEGF and IL-2 after treatment with systemic adalimumab indicates that anti-TNF-α therapy induces modifications of some inflammatory mediators involved in the pathogenesis of uveitis. Aqueous humor samples may be useful to assess the effect of adalimumab on intraocular inflammation through measurement of cytokines. PMID:26005553

Solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods for residual solvent assessment in seized cocaine and heroin.

PubMed

Cabarcos, Pamela; Herbello-Hermelo, Paloma; Álvarez-Freire, Iván; Moreda-Piñeiro, Antonio; Tabernero, María Jesús; Bermejo, Ana María; Bermejo-Barrera, Pilar

2016-09-01

A simple sample pre-treatment method based on solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been optimized and validated for the assessment of 15 residual solvents (2-propanol, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, acetone, ethyl acetate, benzene, hexane, methylcyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, m-xylene, propyl acetate, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, dichloromethane, and ethylbenzene) in seized illicit cocaine and heroin. DMSO and DMF as sample diluents were found to offer the best residual solvent transference to the head space for further adsorption onto the SPME fiber, and the developed method therefore showed high sensitivity and analytical recovery. Variables affecting SPME were fully evaluated by applying an experimental design approach. Best conditions were found when using an equilibration time of 5 min at 70 °C and headspace sampling of residual solvents at the same temperature for 15 min. Method validation, performed within the requirements of international guidelines, showed excellent sensitivity, as well as intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy. The proposed methodology was applied to 96 cocaine samples and 14 heroin samples seized in Galicia (northwestern Spain) within 2013 and 2014.

A Bayesian sequential design with adaptive randomization for 2-sided hypothesis test.

PubMed

Yu, Qingzhao; Zhu, Lin; Zhu, Han

2017-11-01

Bayesian sequential and adaptive randomization designs are gaining popularity in clinical trials thanks to their potentials to reduce the number of required participants and save resources. We propose a Bayesian sequential design with adaptive randomization rates so as to more efficiently attribute newly recruited patients to different treatment arms. In this paper, we consider 2-arm clinical trials. Patients are allocated to the 2 arms with a randomization rate to achieve minimum variance for the test statistic. Algorithms are presented to calculate the optimal randomization rate, critical values, and power for the proposed design. Sensitivity analysis is implemented to check the influence on design by changing the prior distributions. Simulation studies are applied to compare the proposed method and traditional methods in terms of power and actual sample sizes. Simulations show that, when total sample size is fixed, the proposed design can obtain greater power and/or cost smaller actual sample size than the traditional Bayesian sequential design. Finally, we apply the proposed method to a real data set and compare the results with the Bayesian sequential design without adaptive randomization in terms of sample sizes. The proposed method can further reduce required sample size. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluating optimal therapy robustness by virtual expansion of a sample population, with a case study in cancer immunotherapy

PubMed Central

Barish, Syndi; Ochs, Michael F.; Sontag, Eduardo D.; Gevertz, Jana L.

2017-01-01

Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, exhibiting spatial and temporal variations that pose challenges for designing robust therapies. Here, we propose the VEPART (Virtual Expansion of Populations for Analyzing Robustness of Therapies) technique as a platform that integrates experimental data, mathematical modeling, and statistical analyses for identifying robust optimal treatment protocols. VEPART begins with time course experimental data for a sample population, and a mathematical model fit to aggregate data from that sample population. Using nonparametric statistics, the sample population is amplified and used to create a large number of virtual populations. At the final step of VEPART, robustness is assessed by identifying and analyzing the optimal therapy (perhaps restricted to a set of clinically realizable protocols) across each virtual population. As proof of concept, we have applied the VEPART method to study the robustness of treatment response in a mouse model of melanoma subject to treatment with immunostimulatory oncolytic viruses and dendritic cell vaccines. Our analysis (i) showed that every scheduling variant of the experimentally used treatment protocol is fragile (nonrobust) and (ii) discovered an alternative region of dosing space (lower oncolytic virus dose, higher dendritic cell dose) for which a robust optimal protocol exists. PMID:28716945

Controllable synthesis of (NH4)Fe2(PO4)2(OH)·2H2O using two-step route: Ultrasonic-intensified impinging stream pre-treatment followed by hydrothermal treatment.

PubMed

Dong, Bin; Li, Guang; Yang, Xiaogang; Chen, Luming; Chen, George Z

2018-04-01

(NH 4 )Fe 2 (PO 4 ) 2 (OH)·2H 2 O samples with different morphology are successfully synthesized via two-step synthesis route - ultrasonic-intensified impinging stream pre-treatment followed by hydrothermal treatment (UIHT) method. The effects of the adoption of ultrasonic-intensified impinging stream pre-treatment, reagent concentration (C), pH value of solution and hydrothermal reaction time (T) on the physical and chemical properties of the synthesised (NH 4 )Fe 2 (PO 4 ) 2 (OH)·2H 2 O composites and FePO 4 particles were systematically investigated. Nano-seeds were firstly synthesized using the ultrasonic-intensified T-mixer and these nano-seeds were then transferred into a hydrothermal reactor, heated at 170 °C for 4 h. The obtained samples were characterized by utilising XRD, BET, TG-DTA, SEM, TEM, Mastersizer 3000 and FTIR, respectively. The experimental results have indicated that the particle size and morphology of the obtained samples are remarkably affected by the use of ultrasonic-intensified impinging stream pre-treatment, hydrothermal reaction time, reagent concentration, and pH value of solution. When such (NH 4 )Fe 2 (PO 4 ) 2 (OH)·2H 2 O precursor samples were transformed to FePO 4 products after sintering at 650 °C for 10 h, the SEM images have clearly shown that both the precursor and the final product still retain their monodispersed spherical microstructures with similar particle size of about 3 μm when the samples are synthesised at the optimised condition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Point-of-Care Autofluorescence Imaging for Real-Time Sampling and Treatment Guidance of Bioburden in Chronic Wounds: First-in-Human Results

PubMed Central

DaCosta, Ralph S.; Kulbatski, Iris; Lindvere-Teene, Liis; Starr, Danielle; Blackmore, Kristina; Silver, Jason I.; Opoku, Julie; Wu, Yichao Charlie; Medeiros, Philip J.; Xu, Wei; Xu, Lizhen; Wilson, Brian C.; Rosen, Cheryl; Linden, Ron

2015-01-01

Background Traditionally, chronic wound infection is diagnosed by visual inspection under white light and microbiological sampling, which are subjective and suboptimal, respectively, thereby delaying diagnosis and treatment. To address this, we developed a novel handheld, fluorescence imaging device (PRODIGI) that enables non-contact, real-time, high-resolution visualization and differentiation of key pathogenic bacteria through their endogenous autofluorescence, as well as connective tissues in wounds. Methods and Findings This was a two-part Phase I, single center, non-randomized trial of chronic wound patients (male and female, ≥18 years; UHN REB #09-0015-A for part 1; UHN REB #12-5003 for part 2; clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01378728 for part 1 and NCT01651845 for part 2). Part 1 (28 patients; 54% diabetic foot ulcers, 46% non-diabetic wounds) established the feasibility of autofluorescence imaging to accurately guide wound sampling, validated against blinded, gold standard swab-based microbiology. Part 2 (12 patients; 83.3% diabetic foot ulcers, 16.7% non-diabetic wounds) established the feasibility of autofluorescence imaging to guide wound treatment and quantitatively assess treatment response. We showed that PRODIGI can be used to guide and improve microbiological sampling and debridement of wounds in situ, enabling diagnosis, treatment guidance and response assessment in patients with chronic wounds. PRODIGI is safe, easy to use and integrates into the clinical workflow. Clinically significant bacterial burden can be detected in seconds, quantitatively tracked over days-to-months and their biodistribution mapped within the wound bed, periphery, and other remote areas. Conclusions PRODIGI represents a technological advancement in wound sampling and treatment guidance for clinical wound care at the point-of-care. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01651845; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01378728 PMID:25790480

Quantitative determination of total cesium in highly active liquid waste by using liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry.

PubMed

Do, Van-Khoai; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Takamura, Yuzuru; Surugaya, Naoki; Kuno, Takehiko

2018-06-01

A sensitive analytical method for determination of total cesium (Cs) in highly active liquid waste (HALW) by using modified liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) is developed in this study. The instrument is modified to measure radioactive samples in a glove box. The effects of important factors, including pulsed voltage sequence and nitric acid concentration, on the emission of Cs are investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.005 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, respectively. The achieved LOD is one order lower than that of recently developed spectroscopic methods using liquid discharge plasma. The developed method is validated by subjecting a simulated HALW sample to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The recoveries obtained from a spike-and-recovery test are 96-102%, implying good accuracy. The method is successfully applied to the quantification of Cs in a real HALW sample at the Tokai reprocessing plant in Japan. Apart from dilution and filtration of the HALW sample, no other pre-treatment process is required. The results agree well with the values obtained using gamma spectrometry. The developed method offers a reliable technique for rapid analysis of total Cs in HALW samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cost-efficient designs for three-arm trials with treatment delivered by health professionals: Sample sizes for a combination of nested and crossed designs

PubMed Central

Moerbeek, Mirjam

2018-01-01

Background This article studies the design of trials that compare three treatment conditions that are delivered by two types of health professionals. The one type of health professional delivers one treatment, and the other type delivers two treatments, hence, this design is a combination of a nested and crossed design. As each health professional treats multiple patients, the data have a nested structure. This nested structure has thus far been ignored in the design of such trials, which may result in an underestimate of the required sample size. In the design stage, the sample sizes should be determined such that a desired power is achieved for each of the three pairwise comparisons, while keeping costs or sample size at a minimum. Methods The statistical model that relates outcome to treatment condition and explicitly takes the nested data structure into account is presented. Mathematical expressions that relate sample size to power are derived for each of the three pairwise comparisons on the basis of this model. The cost-efficient design achieves sufficient power for each pairwise comparison at lowest costs. Alternatively, one may minimize the total number of patients. The sample sizes are found numerically and an Internet application is available for this purpose. The design is also compared to a nested design in which each health professional delivers just one treatment. Results Mathematical expressions show that this design is more efficient than the nested design. For each pairwise comparison, power increases with the number of health professionals and the number of patients per health professional. The methodology of finding a cost-efficient design is illustrated using a trial that compares treatments for social phobia. The optimal sample sizes reflect the costs for training and supervising psychologists and psychiatrists, and the patient-level costs in the three treatment conditions. Conclusion This article provides the methodology for designing trials that compare three treatment conditions while taking the nesting of patients within health professionals into account. As such, it helps to avoid underpowered trials. To use the methodology, a priori estimates of the total outcome variances and intraclass correlation coefficients must be obtained from experts’ opinions or findings in the literature. PMID:29316807

Isolation of PCR quality microbial community DNA from heavily contaminated environments.

PubMed

Gunawardana, Manjula; Chang, Simon; Jimenez, Abraham; Holland-Moritz, Daniel; Holland-Moritz, Hannah; La Val, Taylor P; Lund, Craig; Mullen, Madeline; Olsen, John; Sztain, Terra A; Yoo, Jennifer; Moss, John A; Baum, Marc M

2014-07-01

Asphalts, biochemically degraded oil, contain persistent, water-soluble compounds that pose a significant challenge to the isolation of PCR quality DNA. The adaptation of existing DNA purification protocols and commercial kits proved unsuccessful at overcoming this hurdle. Treatment of aqueous asphalt extracts with a polyamide resin afforded genomic microbial DNA templates that could readily be amplified by PCR. Physicochemically distinct asphalt samples from five natural oil seeps successfully generated the expected 291 bp amplicons targeting a region of the 16S rRNA gene, illustrating the robustness of the method. DNA recovery yields were in the 50-80% range depending on how the asphalt sample was seeded with exogenous DNA. The scope of the new method was expanded to include soil with high humic acid content. DNA from soil samples spiked with a range of humic acid concentrations was extracted with a commercial kit followed by treatment with the polyamide resin. The additional step significantly improved the purity of the DNA templates, especially at high humic acid concentrations, based on qPCR analysis of the bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The new method has the advantages of being inexpensive, simple, and rapid and should provide a valuable addition to protocols in the field of petroleum and soil microbiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phytoremediation of wastewater containing lead (Pb) in pilot reed bed using Scirpus grossus.

PubMed

Tangahu, Bieby Voijant; Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah Sheikh; Basri, Hassan; Idris, Mushrifah; Anuar, Nurina; Mukhlisin, Muhammad

2013-01-01

Phytoremediation is a technology to clean the environment from heavy metals contamination. The objectives of this study are to threat Pb contaminated wastewater by using phytoremediation technology and to determine if the plant can be mention as hyperaccumulator. Fifty plants of Scirpus grossus were grown in sand medium and 600 L spiked water in various Pb concentration (10, 30 and 50 mg/L) was exposed. The experiment was conducted with single exposure method, sampling time on day-1, day-14, day-28, day-42, day-70, and day-98. The analysis of Pb concentration in water, sand medium and inside the plant tissue was conducted by ICP-OES. Water samples were filtered and Pb concentration were directly analyzed, Pb in sand samples were extracted by EDTA method before analyzed, and Pb in plant tissues were extracted by wet digestion method and analyzed. The results showed that on day-28, Pb concentration in water decreased 100%, 99.9%, 99.7%, and the highest Pb uptake by plant were 1343, 4909, 3236 mg/kg for the treatment of 10, 30, and 50 mg/L respectively. The highest BC and TF were 485,261 on day-42 and 2.5295 on day-70 of treatment 30 mg/L, it can be mentioned that Scirpus grossus is a hyperaccumulator.

VALIDATION OF MICROSATELLITE MARKERS FOR USE IN GENOTYPING POLYCLONAL PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTIONS

PubMed Central

GREENHOUSE, BRYAN; MYRICK, ALISSA; DOKOMAJILAR, CHRISTIAN; WOO, JONATHAN M.; CARLSON, ELAINE J.; ROSENTHAL, PHILIP J.; DORSEY, GRANT

2006-01-01

Genotyping methods for Plasmodium falciparum drug efficacy trials have not been standardized and may fail to accurately distinguish recrudescence from new infection, especially in high transmission areas where polyclonal infections are common. We developed a simple method for genotyping using previously identified microsatellites and capillary electrophoresis, validated this method using mixtures of laboratory clones, and applied the method to field samples. Two microsatellite markers produced accurate results for single-clone but not polyclonal samples. Four other microsatellite markers were as sensitive as, and more specific than, commonly used genotyping techniques based on merozoite surface proteins 1 and 2. When applied to samples from 15 patients in Burkina Faso with recurrent parasitemia after treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, the addition of these four microsatellite markers to msp1 and msp2 genotyping resulted in a reclassification of outcomes that strengthened the association between dhfr 59R, an anti-folate resistance mutation, and recrudescence (P = 0.31 versus P = 0.03). Four microsatellite markers performed well on polyclonal samples and may provide a valuable addition to genotyping for clinical drug efficacy studies in high transmission areas. PMID:17123974

Statistical methods for astronomical data with upper limits. I - Univariate distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, E. D.; Nelson, P. I.

1985-01-01

The statistical treatment of univariate censored data is discussed. A heuristic derivation of the Kaplan-Meier maximum-likelihood estimator from first principles is presented which results in an expression amenable to analytic error analysis. Methods for comparing two or more censored samples are given along with simple computational examples, stressing the fact that most astronomical problems involve upper limits while the standard mathematical methods require lower limits. The application of univariate survival analysis to six data sets in the recent astrophysical literature is described, and various aspects of the use of survival analysis in astronomy, such as the limitations of various two-sample tests and the role of parametric modelling, are discussed.

Automation of ⁹⁹Tc extraction by LOV prior ICP-MS detection: application to environmental samples.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Rogelio; Leal, Luz; Miranda, Silvia; Ferrer, Laura; Avivar, Jessica; García, Ariel; Cerdà, Víctor

2015-02-01

A new, fast, automated and inexpensive sample pre-treatment method for (99)Tc determination by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection is presented. The miniaturized approach is based on a lab-on-valve (LOV) system, allowing automatic separation and preconcentration of (99)Tc. Selectivity is provided by the solid phase extraction system used (TEVA resin) which retains selectively pertechnetate ion in diluted nitric acid solution. The proposed system has some advantages such as minimization of sample handling, reduction of reagents volume, improvement of intermediate precision and sample throughput, offering a significant decrease of both time and cost per analysis in comparison to other flow techniques and batch methods. The proposed LOV system has been successfully applied to different samples of environmental interest (water and soil) with satisfactory recoveries, between 94% and 98%. The detection limit (LOD) of the developed method is 0.005 ng. The high durability of the resin and its low amount (32 mg), its good intermediate precision (RSD 3.8%) and repeatability (RSD 2%) and its high extraction frequency (up to 5 h(-1)) makes this method an inexpensive, high precision and fast tool for monitoring (99)Tc in environmental samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TU-AB-BRC-11: Moving a GPU-OpenCL-Based Monte Carlo (MC) Dose Engine Towards Routine Clinical Use: Automatic Beam Commissioning and Efficient Source Sampling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tian, Z; Folkerts, M; Jiang, S

Purpose: We have previously developed a GPU-OpenCL-based MC dose engine named goMC with built-in analytical linac beam model. To move goMC towards routine clinical use, we have developed an automatic beam-commissioning method, and an efficient source sampling strategy to facilitate dose calculations for real treatment plans. Methods: Our commissioning method is to automatically adjust the relative weights among the sub-sources, through an optimization process minimizing the discrepancies between calculated dose and measurements. Six models built for Varian Truebeam linac photon beams (6MV, 10MV, 15MV, 18MV, 6MVFFF, 10MVFFF) were commissioned using measurement data acquired at our institution. To facilitate dose calculationsmore » for real treatment plans, we employed inverse sampling method to efficiently incorporate MLC leaf-sequencing into source sampling. Specifically, instead of sampling source particles control-point by control-point and rejecting the particles blocked by MLC, we assigned a control-point index to each sampled source particle, according to MLC leaf-open duration of each control-point at the pixel where the particle intersects the iso-center plane. Results: Our auto-commissioning method decreased distance-to-agreement (DTA) of depth dose at build-up regions by 36.2% averagely, making it within 1mm. Lateral profiles were better matched for all beams, with biggest improvement found at 15MV for which root-mean-square difference was reduced from 1.44% to 0.50%. Maximum differences of output factors were reduced to less than 0.7% for all beams, with largest decrease being from1.70% to 0.37% found at 10FFF. Our new sampling strategy was tested on a Head&Neck VMAT patient case. Achieving clinically acceptable accuracy, the new strategy could reduce the required history number by a factor of ∼2.8 given a statistical uncertainty level and hence achieve a similar speed-up factor. Conclusion: Our studies have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of our auto-commissioning approach and new efficient source sampling strategy, implying the potential of our GPU-based MC dose engine goMC for routine clinical use.« less

Massive processing of pyro-chromatogram mass spectra (py-GCMS) of soil samples using the PARAFAC2 algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cécillon, Lauric; Quénéa, Katell; Anquetil, Christelle; Barré, Pierre

2015-04-01

Due to its large heterogeneity at all scales (from soil core to the globe), several measurements are often mandatory to get a meaningful value of a measured soil property. A large number of measurements can therefore be needed to study a soil property whatever the scale of the study. Moreover, several soil investigation techniques produce large and complex datasets, such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) which produces complex 3-way data. In this context, straightforward methods designed to speed up data treatments are needed to deal with large datasets. GC-MS pyrolysis (py-GCMS) is a powerful and frequently used tool to characterize soil organic matter (SOM). However, the treatment of the results of a py-GCMS analysis of soil sample is time consuming (number of peaks, co-elution, etc.) and the treatment of large data set of py-GCMS results is rather laborious. Moreover, peak position shifts and baseline drifts between analyses make the automation of GCMS programs data treatment difficult. These problems can be fixed using the Parallel Factor Analysis 2 (PARAFAC 2, Kiers et al., 1999; Bro et al., 1999). This algorithm has been applied frequently on chromatography data but has never been applied to analyses of SOM. We developed a Matlab routine based on existing Matlab packages dedicated to the simultaneous treatment of dozens of pyro-chromatograms mass spectra. We applied this routine on 40 soil samples. The benefits and expected improvements of our method will be discussed in our poster. References Kiers et al. (1999) PARAFAC2 - PartI. A direct fitting algorithm for the PARAFAC2 model. Journal of Chemometrics, 13: 275-294. Bro et al. (1999) PARAFAC2 - PartII. Modeling chromatographic data with retention time shifts. Journal of Chemometrics, 13: 295-309.

Matching on the Disease Risk Score in Comparative Effectiveness Research of New Treatments

PubMed Central

Wyss, Richard; Ellis, Alan R.; Brookhart, M. Alan; Funk, Michele Jonsson; Girman, Cynthia J.; Simpson, Ross J.; Stürmer, Til

2016-01-01

Purpose We use simulations and an empirical example to evaluate the performance of disease risk score (DRS) matching compared with propensity score (PS) matching when controlling large numbers of covariates in settings involving newly introduced treatments. Methods We simulated a dichotomous treatment, a dichotomous outcome, and 100 baseline covariates that included both continuous and dichotomous random variables. For the empirical example, we evaluated the comparative effectiveness of dabigatran versus warfarin in preventing combined ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. We matched treatment groups on a historically estimated DRS and again on the PS. We controlled for a high-dimensional set of covariates using 20% and 1% samples of Medicare claims data from October 2010 through December 2012. Results In simulations, matching on the DRS versus the PS generally yielded matches for more treated individuals and improved precision of the effect estimate. For the empirical example, PS and DRS matching in the 20% sample resulted in similar hazard ratios (0.88 and 0.87) and standard errors (0.04 for both methods). In the 1% sample, PS matching resulted in matches for only 92.0% of the treated population and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.89 and 0.19, respectively, while DRS matching resulted in matches for 98.5% and a hazard ratio and standard error of 0.85 and 0.16, respectively. Conclusions When PS distributions are separated, DRS matching can improve the precision of effect estimates and allow researchers to evaluate the treatment effect in a larger proportion of the treated population. However, accurately modeling the DRS can be challenging compared with the PS. PMID:26112690

Determination of uranium in tap water by ICP-MS.

PubMed

El Himri, M; Pastor, A; de la Guardia, M

2000-05-01

A fast and accurate procedure has been developed for the determination of uranium at microg L(-1) level in tap and mineral water. The method is based on the direct introduction of samples, without any chemical pre-treatment, into an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Uranium was determined at the mass number 238 using Rh as internal standard. The method provides a limit of detection of 2 ng L(-1) and a good repeatability with relative standard deviation values (RSD) about 3% for five independent analyses of samples containing 73 microg L(-1) of uranium. Recovery percentage values found for the determination of uranium in spiked natural samples varied between 91% and 106%. Results obtained are comparable with those found by radiochemical methods for natural samples and of the same order for the certified content of a reference material, thus indicating the accuracy of the ICP-MS procedure without the need of using isotope dilution. A series of mineral and tap waters from different parts of Spain and Morocco were analysed.

Surface modification for bonding between amalgam and orthodontic brackets.

PubMed

Wongsamut, Wittawat; Satrawaha, Sirichom; Wayakanon, Kornchanok

2017-01-01

Testing of methods to enhance the shear bond strength (SBS) between orthodontic metal brackets and amalgam by sandblasting and different primers. Three hundred samples of amalgam restorations (KerrAlloy ® ) were prepared in self-cured acrylic blocks, polished, and divided into two groups: nonsandblasted and sandblasted. Each group was divided into five subgroups with different primers used in surface treatment methods, with a control group of bonded brackets on human mandibular incisors. Following the surface treatments, mandibular incisor brackets (Unitek ® ) were bonded on the amalgam with adhesive resin (Transbond XT ® ). The SBS of the samples was tested. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) and failure modes were then determined under a stereo-microscope. Two-way analysis of variance, Chi-square, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to calculate the correlations between and among the SBS and ARI values, the failure modes, and surface roughness results. There were statistically significant differences of SBS among the different adhesive primers and sandblasting methods ( P < 0.05). The sandblasted amalgam with Assure Plus ® showed the highest SBS ( P < 0.001). Samples mainly showed an ARI score = 1 and mix-mode failure. There was a statistically significant difference of surface roughness between nonsandblasted amalgam and sandblasted amalgam ( P < 0.05), but no significant differences among priming agents ( P > 0.05). Using adhesive primers with sandblasting together effectively enhances the SBS between orthodontic metal brackets and amalgam. The two primers with the ingredient methacryloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) monomer, Alloy Primer ® and Assure Plus ® , were the most effective. Including sandblasting in the treatment is essential to achieve the bonding strength required.

Specific detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes in Spanish wastewater treatment plants by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and PCR.

PubMed

Moreno, Yolanda; Ballesteros, Lorena; García-Hernández, Jorge; Santiago, Paula; González, Ana; Ferrús, M Antonia

2011-10-01

Listeria monocytogenes detection in wastewater can be difficult because of the large amount of background microbiota and the presence of viable but non-culturable forms in this environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate a Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) assay combined with Direct Viable Count (DVC) method for detecting viable L. monocytogenes in wastewater samples, as an alternative to conventional culture methods. 16S rRNA sequence data were used to design a specific oligonucleotide probe. In order to assess the suitability of the method, the assays were performed on naturally (n=87) and artificially (n=14) contaminated samples and results were compared to those obtained with the isolation of cells on selective media and with a PCR method. The detection limit of FISH and PCR assays was 10(4) cells/mL without enrichment and 10 cells/mL after enrichment. A total of 47 samples, including 3 samples from effluent sites, yielded FISH positive results for L. monocytogenes. Using DVC-FISH technique, the presence of viable L. monocytogenes cells was detected in 23 out of these 47 FISH positive wastewater samples. PCR and culture methods yielded 27 and 23 positive results, respectively. According to these results, FISH technique has the potential to be used as a sensitive method for the detection and enumeration of L. monocytogenes in environmental wastewater samples. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confidence intervals for a difference between lognormal means in cluster randomization trials.

PubMed

Poirier, Julia; Zou, G Y; Koval, John

2017-04-01

Cluster randomization trials, in which intact social units are randomized to different interventions, have become popular in the last 25 years. Outcomes from these trials in many cases are positively skewed, following approximately lognormal distributions. When inference is focused on the difference between treatment arm arithmetic means, existent confidence interval procedures either make restricting assumptions or are complex to implement. We approach this problem by assuming log-transformed outcomes from each treatment arm follow a one-way random effects model. The treatment arm means are functions of multiple parameters for which separate confidence intervals are readily available, suggesting that the method of variance estimates recovery may be applied to obtain closed-form confidence intervals. A simulation study showed that this simple approach performs well in small sample sizes in terms of empirical coverage, relatively balanced tail errors, and interval widths as compared to existing methods. The methods are illustrated using data arising from a cluster randomization trial investigating a critical pathway for the treatment of community acquired pneumonia.

Treatment of atomic and molecular line blanketing by opacity sampling. [atmospheric optics - stellar atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. R.; Krupp, B. M.

1975-01-01

An opacity sampling (OS) technique for treating the radiative opacity of large numbers of atomic and molecular lines in cool stellar atmospheres is presented. Tests were conducted and results show that the structure of atmospheric models is accurately fixed by the use of 1000 frequency points, and 500 frequency points is often adequate. The effects of atomic and molecular lines are separately studied. A test model computed by using the OS method agrees very well with a model having identical atmospheric parameters computed by the giant line (opacity distribution function) method.

Dynamics of blood plasma by spectropolarimetry and biochemical techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voloshynska, Katerina; Ilashchuka, Tetjana; Prydij, Olexander; Gruia, Maria

2014-08-01

The aim of the study was to establish objective parameters of the field of laser and incoherent radiation of different spectral ranges (UV, visible, IR) as a non-invasive optical method of interaction with different samples of biological tissues and fluids of patients to determine the dynamics of metabolic syndrome and choosing the best personal treatment. As diagnostic methods have been used ultraviolet spectrometry samples of blood plasma in the liquid state, infrared spectroscopy middle range (2,5 - 25 microns) dry residue of plasma polarization and laser diagnostic technique of thin histological sections of biological tissues.

Spectropolarimetry of blood plasma in optimal molecular targeted therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voloshynska, Katerina; Ilashchuk, Tetjana; Yermolenko, Sergey

2015-02-01

The aim of the study was to establish objective parameters of the field of laser and incoherent radiation of different spectral ranges (UV, visible, IR) as a non-invasive optical method of interaction with different samples of biological tissues and fluids of patients to determine the dynamics of metabolic syndrome and choosing the best personal treatment. As diagnostic methods have been used ultraviolet spectrometry samples of blood plasma in the liquid state, infrared spectroscopy middle range (2,5 - 25 microns) dry residue of plasma polarization and laser diagnostic technique of thin histological sections of biological tissues.

Gram staining.

PubMed

Coico, Richard

2005-10-01

Named after Hans Christian Gram who developed the method in 1884, the Gram stain allows one to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria on the basis of differential staining with a crystal violet-iodine complex and a safranin counterstain. The cell walls of Gram-positive organisms retain this complex after treatment with alcohol and appear purple, whereas gram-negative organisms decolorize following such treatment and appear pink. The method described here is useful for assessing bacterial contamination of tissue culture samples or for examining the Gram stain status and morphological features of bacteria isolated from mixed or isolated bacterial cultures.

Gram staining.

PubMed

Coico, R

2001-05-01

Named after Hans Christian Gram who developed the method in 1884, the Gram stain allows one to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria on the basis of differential staining with a crystal violet-iodine complex and a safranin counterstain. The cell walls of Gram-positive organisms retain this complex after treatment with alcohol and appear purple, whereas gram-negative organisms decolorize following such treatment and appear pink. The method described here is useful for assessing bacterial contamination of tissue culture samples or for examining the Gram stain status and morphological features of bacteria isolated from mixed or isolated bacterial cultures.

Annealed importance sampling with constant cooling rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovannelli, Edoardo; Cardini, Gianni; Gellini, Cristina; Pietraperzia, Giangaetano; Chelli, Riccardo

2015-02-01

Annealed importance sampling is a simulation method devised by Neal [Stat. Comput. 11, 125 (2001)] to assign weights to configurations generated by simulated annealing trajectories. In particular, the equilibrium average of a generic physical quantity can be computed by a weighted average exploiting weights and estimates of this quantity associated to the final configurations of the annealed trajectories. Here, we review annealed importance sampling from the perspective of nonequilibrium path-ensemble averages [G. E. Crooks, Phys. Rev. E 61, 2361 (2000)]. The equivalence of Neal's and Crooks' treatments highlights the generality of the method, which goes beyond the mere thermal-based protocols. Furthermore, we show that a temperature schedule based on a constant cooling rate outperforms stepwise cooling schedules and that, for a given elapsed computer time, performances of annealed importance sampling are, in general, improved by increasing the number of intermediate temperatures.

Treatment of atomic and molecular line blanketing by opacity sampling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. R.; Krupp, B. M.

1976-01-01

A sampling technique for treating the radiative opacity of large numbers of atomic and molecular lines in cool stellar atmospheres is subjected to several tests. In this opacity sampling (OS) technique, the global opacity is sampled at only a selected set of frequencies, and at each of these frequencies the total monochromatic opacity is obtained by summing the contribution of every relevant atomic and molecular line. In accord with previous results, we find that the structure of atmospheric models is accurately fixed by the use of 1000 frequency points, and 100 frequency points are adequate for many purposes. The effects of atomic and molecular lines are separately studied. A test model computed using the OS method agrees very well with a model having identical atmospheric parameters, but computed with the giant line (opacity distribution function) method.

Contaminants of emerging concern in the lower Stillaguamish River Basin, Washington, 2008-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Richard J.; Moran, Patrick W.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Sevigny, Jennifer M.; Pope, Judy M.

2014-01-01

A series of discrete water-quality samples were collected in the lower Stillaguamish River Basin near the city of Arlington, Washington, through a partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. These samples included surface waters of the Stillaguamish River, adjacent tributary streams, and paired inflow and outflow sampling at three wastewater treatment plants in the lower river basin. Chemical analysis of these samples focused on chemicals of emerging concern, including wastewater compounds, human-health pharmaceuticals, steroidal hormones, and halogenated organic compounds on solids and sediment. This report presents the methods used and data results from the chemical analysis of these samples

40 CFR 141.88 - Monitoring requirements for lead and copper in source water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., and collection methods: (i) Groundwater systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry... to install source water treatment under § 141.83(b)(2). (i) A water system using only groundwater...

40 CFR 141.88 - Monitoring requirements for lead and copper in source water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., and collection methods: (i) Groundwater systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry... to install source water treatment under § 141.83(b)(2). (i) A water system using only groundwater...

40 CFR 141.88 - Monitoring requirements for lead and copper in source water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., and collection methods: (i) Groundwater systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry... to install source water treatment under § 141.83(b)(2). (i) A water system using only groundwater...

40 CFR 63.694 - Testing methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... determine treatment process required HAP biodegradation efficiency (Rbio) for compliance with standards... procedures to minimize the loss of compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption... compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption during the sample collection, storage...

40 CFR 63.694 - Testing methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... determine treatment process required HAP biodegradation efficiency (Rbio) for compliance with standards... procedures to minimize the loss of compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption... compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption during the sample collection, storage...

40 CFR 63.694 - Testing methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... determine treatment process required HAP biodegradation efficiency (Rbio) for compliance with standards... procedures to minimize the loss of compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption... compounds due to volatilization, biodegradation, reaction, or sorption during the sample collection, storage...

Diethylstilbestrol in fish tissue determined through subcritical fluid extraction and with GC-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Qinghui; Shi, Nianrong; Feng, Xiaomei; Lu, Jie; Han, Yuqian; Xue, Changhu

2016-06-01

As the key point in sex hormone analysis, sample pre-treatment technology has attracted scientists' attention all over the world, and the development trend of sample preparation forwarded to faster and more efficient technologies. Taking economic and environmental concerns into account, subcritical fluid extraction as a faster and more efficient method has stood out as a sample pre-treatment technology. This new extraction technology can overcome the shortcomings of supercritical fluid and achieve higher extraction efficiency at relatively low pressures and temperatures. In this experiment, a simple, sensitive and efficient method has been developed for the determination of diethylstilbestrol (DES) in fish tissue using subcritical 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a) extraction in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After extraction, freezing-lipid filtration was utilized to remove fatty co-extract. Further purification steps were performed with C18 and NH2 solid phase extraction (SPE). Finally, the analyte was derived by heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA), followed by GC-MS analysis. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimizing the extraction condition, and the optimized was as follows: extraction pressure, 4.3 MPa; extraction temperature, 26°C; amount of co-solvent volume, 4.7 mL. Under this condition, at a spiked level of 1, 5, 10 μg kg-1, the mean recovery of DES was more than 90% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 10%. Finally, the developed method has been successfully used to analyzing the real samples.

An evaluation of inferential procedures for adaptive clinical trial designs with pre-specified rules for modifying the sample size.

PubMed

Levin, Gregory P; Emerson, Sarah C; Emerson, Scott S

2014-09-01

Many papers have introduced adaptive clinical trial methods that allow modifications to the sample size based on interim estimates of treatment effect. There has been extensive commentary on type I error control and efficiency considerations, but little research on estimation after an adaptive hypothesis test. We evaluate the reliability and precision of different inferential procedures in the presence of an adaptive design with pre-specified rules for modifying the sampling plan. We extend group sequential orderings of the outcome space based on the stage at stopping, likelihood ratio statistic, and sample mean to the adaptive setting in order to compute median-unbiased point estimates, exact confidence intervals, and P-values uniformly distributed under the null hypothesis. The likelihood ratio ordering is found to average shorter confidence intervals and produce higher probabilities of P-values below important thresholds than alternative approaches. The bias adjusted mean demonstrates the lowest mean squared error among candidate point estimates. A conditional error-based approach in the literature has the benefit of being the only method that accommodates unplanned adaptations. We compare the performance of this and other methods in order to quantify the cost of failing to plan ahead in settings where adaptations could realistically be pre-specified at the design stage. We find the cost to be meaningful for all designs and treatment effects considered, and to be substantial for designs frequently proposed in the literature. © 2014, The International Biometric Society.

Degradation products from naturally aged paper leaves of a 16th-century-printed book: a spectrochemical study.

PubMed

Bronzato, Maddalena; Calvini, Paolo; Federici, Carlo; Bogialli, Sara; Favaro, Gabriella; Meneghetti, Moreno; Mba, Miriam; Brustolon, Marina; Zoleo, Alfonso

2013-07-15

In this work, we present a wide-range spectrochemical analysis of the degradation products from naturally aged paper. The samples obtained from wash waters used during the de-acidification treatment of leaves from a 16th-century-printed book were analysed through NMR, IR, Raman UV/Vis, EPR and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy and HPLC-MS and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis. By these methods we also studied some of the previous samples treated by acidification (sample AP) and catalytic hydrogenation (sample HP). Crossing all the data, we obtained precise indications about the main functional groups occurring on the degraded, water-soluble cellulose oligomers. These results point out that the chromophores responsible for browning are conjugated carbonyl and carboxyl compounds. As a whole, we show that the analysis of wash waters, used in the usual conservation treatments of paper de-acidification, gives much valuable information about both the conservation state of the book and the degradation reactions occurring on the leaves, due to the huge amount of cellulose by-products contained in the samples. We propose therefore this procedure as a new very convenient general method to obtain precious and normally unavailable information on the cellulose degradation by-products from naturally aged paper. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In vitro starch digestibility, pasting and textural properties of mung bean: effect of different processing methods.

PubMed

Kaur, Maninder; Sandhu, Kawaljit Singh; Ahlawat, RavinderPal; Sharma, Somesh

2015-03-01

Mung bean was subjected to different processing conditions (soaking, germination, cooking and autoclaving) and their textural, pasting and in vitro starch digestibility characteristics were studied. A significant reduction in textural properties (hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness) after cooking and autoclaving treatment of mung bean was observed. Flours made from differently processed mung bean showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in their pastin g characteristics. Peak and final viscosity were the highest for flour from germinated mung bean whereas those made from autoclaved mung bean showed the lowest value. in vitro starch digestibility of mung bean flours was assessed enzymatically using modified Englyst method and the parameters studied were readily digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), resistant starch (RS) and total starch (TS) content. Various processing treatments increased the RDS contents of mung bean, while the SDS content was found to be the highest for soaked and the lowest for the autoclaved sample. Germinated sample showed higher amount of digestible starch (RDS + SDS) as compared to raw and soaked samples. Flours from raw and soaked samples showed significantly low starch hydrolysis rate at all the temperatures with total hydrolysis of 29.9 and 31.2 %, respectively at 180 min whereas cooked and autoclaved samples showed high hydrolysis rates with 50.2 and 53.8 % of these hydrolyzing within 30 min of hydrolysis.

Concurrent Lactic and Volatile Fatty Acid Analysis of Microbial Fermentation Samples by Gas Chromatography with Heat Pre-treatment.

PubMed

Darwin; WipaCharles; Cord-Ruwisch, Ralf

2018-01-01

Organic acid analysis of fermentation samples can be readily achieved by gas chromatography (GC), which detects volatile organic acids. However, lactic acid, a key fermentation acid is non-volatile and can hence not be quantified by regular GC analysis. However the addition of periodic acid to organic acid samples has been shown to enable lactic acid analysis by GC, as periodic acid oxidizes lactic acid to the volatile acetaldehyde. Direct GC injection of lactic acid standards and periodic acid generated inconsistent and irreproducible peaks, possibly due to incomplete lactic acid oxidation to acetaldehyde. The described method is developed to improve lactic acid analysis by GC by using a heat treated derivatization pre-treatment, such that it becomes independent of the retention time and temperature selection of the GC injector. Samples containing lactic acid were amended by periodic acid and heated in a sealed test tube at 100°C for at least 45 min before injecting it to the GC. Reproducible and consistent peaks of acetaldehyde were obtained. Simultaneous determination of lactic acid, acetone, ethanol, butanol, volatile fatty acids could also be accomplished by applying this GC method, enabling precise and convenient organic acid analysis of biological samples such as anaerobic digestion and fermentation processes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Quantitation of Mycotoxins Using Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS).

PubMed

Busman, Mark

2018-05-01

Ambient ionization represents a new generation of MS ion sources and is used for the rapid ionization of small molecules under ambient conditions. The combination of ambient ionization and MS allows the analysis of multiple food samples with simple or no sample treatment or in conjunction with prevailing sample preparation methods. Two ambient ionization methods, desorptive electrospray ionization (DESI) and direct analysis in real time (DART) have been adapted for food safety application. Both ionization techniques provide unique advantages and capabilities. DART has been used for a variety of qualitative and quantitative applications. In particular, mycotoxin contamination of food and feed materials has been addressed by DART-MS. Applications to mycotoxin analysis by ambient ionization MS and particularly DART-MS are summarized.

Characterization of rock thermal conductivity by high-resolution optical scanning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Popov, Y.A.; Pribnow, D.F.C.; Sass, J.H.; Williams, C.F.; Burkhardt, H.

1999-01-01

We compared thress laboratory methods for thermal conductivity measurements: divided-bar, line-source and optical scanning. These methods are widely used in geothermal and petrophysical studies, particularly as applied to research on cores from deep scientific boreholes. The relatively new optical scanning method has recently been perfected and applied to geophysical problems. A comparison among these methods for determining the thermal conductivity tensor for anisotropic rocks is based on a representative collection of 80 crystalline rock samples from the KTB continental deep borehole (Germany). Despite substantial thermal inhomogeneity of rock thermal conductivity (up to 40-50% variation) and high anisotropy (with ratios of principal values attaining 2 and more), the results of measurements agree very well among the different methods. The discrepancy for measurements along the foliation is negligible (<1%). The component of thermal conductivity normal to the foliation reveals somewhat larger differences (3-4%). Optical scanning allowed us to characterize the thermal inhomogeneity of rocks and to identify a three-dimensional anisotropy in thermal conductivity of some gneiss samples. The merits of optical scanning include minor random errors (1.6%), the ability to record the variation of thermal conductivity along the sample, the ability to sample deeply using a slow scanning rate, freedom from constraints for sample size and shape, and quality of mechanical treatment of the sample surface, a contactless mode of measurement, high speed of operation, and the ability to measure on a cylindrical sample surface. More traditional methods remain superior for characterizing bulk conductivity at elevated temperature.Three laboratory methods including divided-bar, line-source and optical scanning are widely applied in geothermal and petrophysical studies. In this study, these three methods were compared for determining the thermal conductivity tensor for anisotropic rocks. For this study, a representative collection of 80 crystalline rock samples from the KTB continental deep borehole was used. Despite substantial thermal inhomogeneity of rock thermal conductivity and high anisotropy, measurement results were in excellent agreement among the three methods.

Music therapy as a non-pharmacological treatment for epilepsy.

PubMed

Liao, Huan; Jiang, Guohui; Wang, Xuefeng

2015-01-01

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. Currently, the primary methods of treatment include pharmacological and surgical treatment. However, approximately one-third of patients exhibit refractory epilepsy. Therefore, a novel approach to epilepsy treatment is necessary. Several studies have confirmed that music therapy can be effective at reducing seizures and epileptiform discharges, thus providing a new option for clinicians in the treatment of epilepsy. Although the underlying mechanism of music therapy is unknown, it may be related to resonance, mirror neurons, dopamine pathways and parasympathetic activation. Large sample, multicenter, randomized double-blind and more effectively designed studies are needed for future music therapy studies.

Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge for Point-of-Use Water Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, Alexander; Byrns, Brandon; Shannon, Steven; Knappe, Detlef

2012-10-01

Treatment of biological and chemical contaminants is an area of growing global interest where atmospheric pressure plasmas can make a significant contribution. Addressing key challenges of volume processing and operational cost, a large volume 162 MHz coaxial air-plasma source has been developed.footnotetextByrns (2012) J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 45 (2012) 195204 Because of VHF ballasting effects, the electric discharge is maintained at a steady glow, allowing formation of critical non-equilibrium chemistry. High densities, ne = 10^11-10^12, have been recorded. The atmospheric nature of the device permits straightforward and efficient treatment of water samples. [H^+] concentrations in 150 milliliter tap water samples have been shown to increase by 10^5 after five minutes of discharge exposure. Recent literature has demonstrated that increasing acidity is strongly correlated with a solution's ability to deactivate microbial contaminants.footnotetextTraylor (2011) J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 44 (2011) 472001 The work presented here will explore the impact of treatment gas, system configuration, and power density on water disinfection and PFC abatement. An array of plasma diagnostics, including OES and electrical measurements, are combined with post-process water analysis, including GC-MS and QT analysis of coliform and E.coli bacteria. Development of volume processing atmospheric plasma disinfection methods offers promise for point-of-use treatments in developing areas of the world, potentially supplementing or replacing supply and weather-dependent disinfection methods.

A Comparison of pical Root Resorption in Incisors after Fixed Orthodontic Treatment with Standard Edgewise and Straight Wire (MBT) Method.

PubMed

Zahed Zahedani, Sm; Oshagh, M; Momeni Danaei, Sh; Roeinpeikar, Smm

2013-09-01

One of the major outcomes of orthodontic treatment is the apical root resorption of teeth moved during the treatment. Identifying the possible risk factors, are necessary for every orthodontist. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of apical root resorption after fixed orthodontic treatment with standard edgewise and straight wire (MBT) method, and also to evaluate other factors effecting the rate of root resorption in orthodontic treatments. In this study, parallel periapical radiographs of 127 patients imaging a total of 737 individual teeth, were collected. A total of 76 patients were treated by standard edgewise and 51 patients by straight wire method. The periapical radiographs were scanned and then the percentage of root resorption was calculated by Photoshop software. The data were analyzed by Paired-Samples t-test and the Generalized Linear Model adopting the SPSS 15.0. In patients treated with straight wire method (MBT), mean root resorption was 18.26% compared to 14.82% in patients treated with standard edgewise technique (p< .05). Male patients had higher rate of root resorption,statistically significant (p< .05). Age at onset of treatment, duration of treatment, type of dental occlusion, premolar extractions and the use of intermaxillary elastics had no significant effect on the root resorption in this study. Having more root resorption in the straight wire method and less in the standard edgewise technique can be attributed to more root movement in pre-adjusted MBT technique due to the brackets employed in this method.

Double inverse-weighted estimation of cumulative treatment effects under nonproportional hazards and dependent censoring.

PubMed

Schaubel, Douglas E; Wei, Guanghui

2011-03-01

In medical studies of time-to-event data, nonproportional hazards and dependent censoring are very common issues when estimating the treatment effect. A traditional method for dealing with time-dependent treatment effects is to model the time-dependence parametrically. Limitations of this approach include the difficulty to verify the correctness of the specified functional form and the fact that, in the presence of a treatment effect that varies over time, investigators are usually interested in the cumulative as opposed to instantaneous treatment effect. In many applications, censoring time is not independent of event time. Therefore, we propose methods for estimating the cumulative treatment effect in the presence of nonproportional hazards and dependent censoring. Three measures are proposed, including the ratio of cumulative hazards, relative risk, and difference in restricted mean lifetime. For each measure, we propose a double inverse-weighted estimator, constructed by first using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to balance the treatment-specific covariate distributions, then using inverse probability of censoring weighting (IPCW) to overcome the dependent censoring. The proposed estimators are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. We study their finite-sample properties through simulation. The proposed methods are used to compare kidney wait-list mortality by race. © 2010, The International Biometric Society.

Assessment of real-time PCR method for detection of EGFR mutation using both supernatant and cell pellet of malignant pleural effusion samples from non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Shin, Saeam; Kim, Juwon; Kim, Yoonjung; Cho, Sun-Mi; Lee, Kyung-A

2017-10-26

EGFR mutation is an emerging biomarker for treatment selection in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, optimal mutation detection is hindered by complications associated with the biopsy procedure, tumor heterogeneity and limited sensitivity of test methodology. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic utility of real-time PCR using malignant pleural effusion samples. A total of 77 pleural fluid samples from 77 NSCLC patients were tested using the cobas EGFR mutation test (Roche Molecular Systems). Pleural fluid was centrifuged, and separated cell pellets and supernatants were tested in parallel. Results were compared with Sanger sequencing and/or peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-mediated PCR clamping of matched tumor tissue or pleural fluid samples. All samples showed valid real-time PCR results in one or more DNA samples extracted from cell pellets and supernatants. Compared with other molecular methods, the sensitivity of real-time PCR method was 100%. Concordance rate of real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing plus PNA-mediated PCR clamping was 98.7%. We have confirmed that real-time PCR using pleural fluid had a high concordance rate compared to conventional methods, with no failed samples. Our data demonstrated that the parallel real-time PCR testing using supernatant and cell pellet could offer reliable and robust surrogate strategy when tissue is not available.

Acute memory deficits in chemotherapy-treated adults.

PubMed

Lindner, Oana C; Mayes, Andrew; McCabe, Martin G; Talmi, Deborah

2017-11-01

Data from research on amnesia and epilepsy are equivocal with regards to the dissociation, shown in animal models, between rapid and slow long-term memory consolidation. Cancer treatments have lasting disruptive effects on memory and on brain structures associated with memory, but their acute effects on synaptic consolidation are unknown. We investigated the hypothesis that cancer treatment selectively impairs slow synaptic consolidation. Cancer patients and their matched controls were administered a novel list-learning task modelled on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Learning, forgetting, and retrieval were tested before, and one day after patients' first chemotherapy treatment. Due to difficulties recruiting cancer patients at that sensitive time, we were only able to study 10 patients and their matched controls. Patients exhibited treatment-dependent accelerated forgetting over 24 hours compared to their own pre-treatment performance and to the performance of control participants, in agreement with our hypothesis. The number of intrusions increased after treatment, suggesting retrieval deficits. Future research with larger samples should adapt our methods to distinguish between consolidation and retrieval causes for treatment-dependent accelerated forgetting. The presence of significant accelerated forgetting in our small sample is indicative of a potentially large acute effect of chemotherapy treatment on forgetting, with potentially clinically relevant implications.

The application of SRF vs. RDF classification and specifications to the material flows of two mechanical-biological treatment plants of Rome: Comparison and implications.

PubMed

Di Lonardo, Maria Chiara; Franzese, Maurizio; Costa, Giulia; Gavasci, Renato; Lombardi, Francesco

2016-01-01

This work assessed the quality in terms of solid recovered fuel (SRF) definitions of the dry light flow (until now indicated as refuse derived fuel, RDF), heavy rejects and stabilisation rejects, produced by two mechanical biological treatment plants of Rome (Italy). SRF classification and specifications were evaluated first on the basis of RDF historical characterisation methods and data and then applying the sampling and analytical methods laid down by the recently issued SRF standards. The results showed that the dry light flow presented a worst SRF class in terms of net calorific value applying the new methods compared to that obtained from RDF historical data (4 instead of 3). This lead to incompliance with end of waste criteria established by Italian legislation for SRF use as co-fuel in cement kilns and power plants. Furthermore, the metal contents of the dry light flow obtained applying SRF current methods proved to be considerably higher (although still meeting SRF specifications) compared to those resulting from historical data retrieved with RDF standard methods. These differences were not related to a decrease in the quality of the dry light flow produced in the mechanical-biological treatment plants but rather to the different sampling procedures set by the former RDF and current SRF standards. In particular, the shredding of the sample before quartering established by the latter methods ensures that also the finest waste fractions, characterised by higher moisture and metal contents, are included in the sample to be analysed, therefore affecting the composition and net calorific value of the waste. As for the reject flows, on the basis of their SRF classification and specification parameters, it was found that combined with the dry light flow they may present similar if not the same class codes as the latter alone, thus indicating that these material flows could be also treated in combustion plants instead of landfilled. In conclusion, the introduction of SRF definitions, classification and specification procedures, while not necessarily leading to an upgrade of the waste as co-fuel in cement kilns and power plants, may anyhow provide new possibilities for energy recovery from waste by increasing the types of mechanically treated waste flows that may be thermally treated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on transferrin serum levels in patients with chronic periodontitis

PubMed Central

Shirmohamadi, Adileh; Chitsazi, Mohamad Taghi; Faramarzi, Masoumeh; Salari, Ashkan; Naser Alavi, Fereshteh; Pashazadeh, Nazila

2016-01-01

Background. Transferrin is a negative acute phase protein, which decreases during inflammation and infection. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate changes in the transferrin serum levels subsequent to non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontal disease. Methods. Twenty patients with chronic periodontitis and 20 systemically healthy subjects without periodontal disease, who had referred to Tabriz Faculty of Dentistry, were selected. Transferrin serum levels and clinical periodontal parameters (pocket depth, clinical attachment level, gingival index, bleeding index and plaque index) were measured at baseline and 3 months after non-surgical periodontal treatment. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistical methods (means ± standard deviations). Independent samples t-test was used to compare transferrin serum levels and clinical variables between the test and control groups. Paired samples t-test was used in the test group for comparisons before and after treatment. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results. The mean transferrin serum level in patients with chronic periodontitis (213.1 ± 9.2 mg/dL) was significantly less than that in periodontally healthy subjects (307.8 ± 11.7 mg/dL). Three months after periodontal treatment, the transferrin serum level increased significantly (298.3 ± 7.6 mg/dL) and approached the levels in periodontally healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The decrease and increase in transferrin serum levels with periodontal disease and periodontal treatment, respectively, indicated an inverse relationship between transferrin serum levels and chronic periodontitis. PMID:27651883

Job Satisfaction Differences between Primary Health Care and Treatment Sectors: An Experience from Iran

PubMed Central

Bagheri, Shokoufe; Janati, Ali; Kousha, Ahmad; Sadeghi-Bazargani, Homayoun; Asghari-Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Farahbakhsh, Mostafa

2013-01-01

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of job satisfaction and its predictors among primary health care and treatment sectors' staff in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Methods: This comparative study was conducted in East Azerbaijan Province,Iran in 2011. A questionnaire survey was performed on 420 staff from health care and treatment sectors using multi-stage proportional cluster sampling method. Job satisfaction was measured in five aspects namely: structural and managerial; individual; social; work-itself; environmental and welfare job satisfaction factors.The job satisfaction measurement score was normalized to fall into a range of zero to 100. Statistical analyses were performed using Friedman and independent sample t-tests. Results: Overall satisfaction in health and treatment sectors was moderate with a mean score above 50. Hospital General Practitioners reported significantly higher job satisfaction score (mean ± SD=57.34 ± 17.02) compared to health care center General Practitioners (mean ± SD= 31.74±14.99). The highest satisfaction scores belonged to individual factors both in health care sector staff (64.83±18.50) and treatment sector staff (63.55±17.44). The lowest job satisfaction was observed with environmental and welfare factors (38.47±19.86 and 36.83±19.86, respectively). Conclusion: The job satisfaction significantly differs between primary health care and treatment sectors. Based on the results, environmental and welfare factors may be targeted to improve the job satisfaction in public health care system. PMID:24688957

Evaluation of a real-time quantitative PCR method with propidium monazide treatment for analyses of viable fecal indicator bacteria in wastewater samples

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA is currently evaluating rapid, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods for determining recreational water quality based on measurements of fecal indicator bacteria DNA sequences. In order to potentially use qPCR for other Clean Water Act needs, such as updating cri...

Endocrine active chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals of concern in surface water, wastewater-treatment plant effluent, and bed sediment, and biological characteristics in selected streams, Minnesota-design, methods, and data, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Kathy E.; Langer, Susan K.; Barber, Larry B.; Writer, Jeff H.; Ferrey, Mark L.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.; Furlong, Edward T.; Foreman, William T.; Gray, James L.; ReVello, Rhiannon C.; Martinovic, Dalma; Woodruff, Olivia R.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Brown, Greg K.; Taylor, Howard E.; Ferrer, Imma; Thurman, E. Michael

2011-01-01

This report presents the study design, environmental data, and quality-assurance data for an integrated chemical and biological study of selected streams or lakes that receive wastewater-treatment plant effluent in Minnesota. This study was a cooperative effort of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Cloud State University, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Colorado. The objective of the study was to identify distribution patterns of endocrine active chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other organic and inorganic chemicals of concern indicative of wastewater effluent, and to identify biological characteristics of estrogenicity and fish responses in the same streams. The U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed water, bed-sediment, and quality-assurance samples, and measured or recorded streamflow once at each sampling location from September through November 2009. Sampling locations included surface water and wastewater-treatment plant effluent. Twenty-five wastewater-treatment plants were selected to include continuous flow and periodic release facilities with differing processing steps (activated sludge or trickling filters) and plant design flows ranging from 0.002 to 10.9 cubic meters per second (0.04 to 251 million gallons per day) throughout Minnesota in varying land-use settings. Water samples were collected from the treated effluent of the 25 wastewater-treatment plants and at one point upstream from and one point downstream from wastewater-treatment plant effluent discharges. Bed-sediment samples also were collected at each of the stream or lake locations. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pharmaceuticals, phytoestrogens and pharmaceuticals, alkylphenols and other neutral organic chemicals, carboxylic acids, and steroidal hormones. A subset (25 samples) of the bed-sediment samples were analyzed for carbon, wastewater-indicator chemicals, and steroidal hormones; the remaining samples were archived. Biological characteristics were determined by using an in-vitro bioassay to determine total estrogenicity in water samples and a caged fish study to determine characteristics of fish from experiments that exposed fish to wastewater effluent in 2009. St. Cloud State University deployed and processed caged fathead minnows at 13 stream sites during September 2009 for the caged fish study. Measured fish data included length, weight, body condition factor, and vitellogenin concentrations.

Design and Weighting Methods for a Nationally Representative Sample of HIV-infected Adults Receiving Medical Care in the United States-Medical Monitoring Project

PubMed Central

Iachan, Ronaldo; H. Johnson, Christopher; L. Harding, Richard; Kyle, Tonja; Saavedra, Pedro; L. Frazier, Emma; Beer, Linda; L. Mattson, Christine; Skarbinski, Jacek

2016-01-01

Background: Health surveys of the general US population are inadequate for monitoring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because the relatively low prevalence of the disease (<0.5%) leads to small subpopulation sample sizes. Objective: To collect a nationally and locally representative probability sample of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care to monitor clinical and behavioral outcomes, supplementing the data in the National HIV Surveillance System. This paper describes the sample design and weighting methods for the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) and provides estimates of the size and characteristics of this population. Methods: To develop a method for obtaining valid, representative estimates of the in-care population, we implemented a cross-sectional, three-stage design that sampled 23 jurisdictions, then 691 facilities, then 9,344 HIV patients receiving medical care, using probability-proportional-to-size methods. The data weighting process followed standard methods, accounting for the probabilities of selection at each stage and adjusting for nonresponse and multiplicity. Nonresponse adjustments accounted for differing response at both facility and patient levels. Multiplicity adjustments accounted for visits to more than one HIV care facility. Results: MMP used a multistage stratified probability sampling design that was approximately self-weighting in each of the 23 project areas and nationally. The probability sample represents the estimated 421,186 HIV-infected adults receiving medical care during January through April 2009. Methods were efficient (i.e., induced small, unequal weighting effects and small standard errors for a range of weighted estimates). Conclusion: The information collected through MMP allows monitoring trends in clinical and behavioral outcomes and informs resource allocation for treatment and prevention activities. PMID:27651851

Aspergillus spp. prevalence in different Portuguese occupational environments: What is the real scenario in high load settings?

PubMed

Viegas, Carla; Faria, Tiago; Caetano, Liliana Aranha; Carolino, Elisabete; Gomes, Anita Quintal; Viegas, Susana

2017-10-01

The genus Aspergillus is one of the most prevalent regarding fungi in several highly contaminated occupational environments. The goal of the current study was to assess the prevalence of Aspergillus spp. in different settings, focusing on those where a higher load of fungal contamination is expected according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. A specific protocol to ensure a more accurate assessment of the exposure to Aspergillus spp. is proposed aimed at allowing a detailed risk characterization and management. Two wastewater treatment plants, one wastewater elevation plant, four waste treatment plants, three cork industries, five slaughter houses, four feed industries, one poultry pavilion, and two swineries, all located in the outskirts of Lisbon, were assessed. In total, 125 air samples and 125 surface samples were collected and analysed by culture-based methods. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect fungal presence in 100 samples, targeting the Aspergillus sections Circumdati, Flavi, and Fumigati. The highest prevalence of Aspergillus spp. was found in wastewater treatment plants (69.3%; 31.1%), waste treatment plants (34.8%; 73.6%), and poultry feed industry (6.3%; 26.1%), in air and surfaces, respectively. Aspergillus spp. was also prevalent in cork industry (0.9%; 23.4%), slaughter houses (1.6%; 17.7%), and swineries (7.4%; 9.5%), in air and surfaces, respectively. The Aspergillus sections more prevalent in the air and surfaces of all the assessed settings were the Nigri section (47.46%; 44.71%, respectively), followed by Fumigati (22.28%; 27.97%, respectively) and Flavi (10.78%; 11.45%, respectively) sections. Aspergillus section Fumigati was successfully amplified by qPCR in 18 sampling sites where the presence of this fungal species had not been identified by conventional methods. It should be highlighted that the occupational exposure burden is due not only to the Aspergillus load, but also to the toxigenic potential of this genus. Based on our results, a protocol relied in the application of conventional and molecular methods in parallel is herein suggested aimed at allowing a better risk characterization and management.

Community-Level Physiological Profiling of Microbial Communities in Constructed Wetlands: Effects of Sample Preparation.

PubMed

Button, Mark; Weber, Kela; Nivala, Jaime; Aubron, Thomas; Müller, Roland Arno

2016-03-01

Community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) using BIOLOG® EcoPlates™ has become a popular method for characterizing and comparing the functional diversity, functional potential, and metabolic activity of heterotrophic microbial communities. The method was originally developed for profiling soil communities; however, its usage has expanded into the fields of ecotoxicology, agronomy, and the monitoring and profiling of microbial communities in various wastewater treatment systems, including constructed wetlands for water pollution control. When performing CLPP on aqueous samples from constructed wetlands, a wide variety of sample characteristics can be encountered and challenges may arise due to excessive solids, color, or turbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of different sample preparation methods on CLPP performed on a variety of aqueous samples covering a broad range of physical and chemical characteristics. The results show that using filter paper, centrifugation, or settling helped clarify samples for subsequent CLPP analysis, however did not do so as effectively as dilution for the darkest samples. Dilution was able to provide suitable clarity for the darkest samples; however, 100-fold dilution significantly affected the carbon source utilization patterns (CSUPs), particularly with samples that were already partially or fully clear. Ten-fold dilution also had some effect on the CSUPs of samples which were originally clear; however, the effect was minimal. Based on these findings, for this specific set of samples, a 10-fold dilution provided a good balance between ease of use, sufficient clarity (for dark samples), and limited effect on CSUPs. The process and findings outlined here can hopefully serve future studies looking to utilize CLPP for functional analysis of microbial communities and also assist in comparing data from studies where different sample preparation methods were utilized.

Adaptive allocation for binary outcomes using decreasingly informative priors.

PubMed

Sabo, Roy T

2014-01-01

A method of outcome-adaptive allocation is presented using Bayes methods, where a natural lead-in is incorporated through the use of informative yet skeptical prior distributions for each treatment group. These prior distributions are modeled on unobserved data in such a way that their influence on the allocation scheme decreases as the trial progresses. Simulation studies show this method to behave comparably to the Bayesian adaptive allocation method described by Thall and Wathen (2007), who incorporate a natural lead-in through sample-size-based exponents.

Facile synthesis of magnetic carbon nitride nanosheets and its application in magnetic solid phase extraction for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oil samples.

PubMed

Zheng, Hao-Bo; Ding, Jun; Zheng, Shu-Jian; Zhu, Gang-Tian; Yuan, Bi-Feng; Feng, Yu-Qi

2016-01-01

In this study, we proposed a method to fabricate magnetic carbon nitride (CN) nanosheets by simple physical blending. Low-cost CN nanosheets prepared by urea possessed a highly π-conjugated structure; therefore the obtained composites were employed as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbent for extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible oil samples. Moreover, sample pre-treatment time could be carried out within 10 min. Thus, a simple and cheap method for the analysis of PAHs in edible oil samples was established by coupling magnetic CN nanosheets-based MSPE with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) for eight PAHs ranged from 0.4 to 0.9 ng/g. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 15.0%. The recoveries of PAHs for spiked soybean oil samples ranged from 91.0% to 124.1%, with RSDs of less than 10.2%. Taken together, the proposed method offers a simple and cost-effective option for the convenient analysis of PAHs in oil samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analytical methods for the determination of personal care products in human samples: an overview.

PubMed

Jiménez-Díaz, I; Zafra-Gómez, A; Ballesteros, O; Navalón, A

2014-11-01

Personal care products (PCPs) are organic chemicals widely used in everyday human life. Nowadays, preservatives, UV-filters, antimicrobials and musk fragrances are widely used PCPs. Different studies have shown that some of these compounds can cause adverse health effects, such as genotoxicity, which could even lead to mutagenic or carcinogenic effects, or estrogenicity because of their endocrine disruption activity. Due to the absence of official monitoring protocols, there is an increasing demand of analytical methods that allow the determination of those compounds in human samples in order to obtain more information regarding their behavior and fate in the human body. The complexity of the biological matrices and the low concentration levels of these compounds make necessary the use of advanced sample treatment procedures that afford both, sample clean-up, to remove potentially interfering matrix components, as well as the concentration of analytes. In the present work, a review of the more recent analytical methods published in the scientific literature for the determination of PCPs in human fluids and tissue samples, is presented. The work focused on sample preparation and the analytical techniques employed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved sample treatment for the determination of insoluble soap in sewage sludge samples by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Cantarero, Samuel; Zafra-Gómez, A; Ballesteros, O; Navalón, A; Vílchez, J L; Crovetto, G; Verge, C; de Ferrer, J A

2010-09-15

A new selective and sensitive method for the determination of insoluble fatty acid salts (soap) in sewage sludge samples is proposed. The method involves a clean up of sample with petroleum ether, the conversion of calcium and magnesium insoluble salts into soluble potassium salts, potassium salts extraction with methanol, and a derivatization procedure previous to the liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FLD) analysis. Three different extraction techniques (Soxhlet, microwave-assisted extraction and ultrasounds) were compared and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was selected as appropriate for our purpose. This allowed to reduce the extraction time and solvent waste (50 mL of methanol in contrast with 250 mL for Soxhlet procedure). The absence of matrix effect was demonstrated with two standards (C(13:0) and C(17:0)) that are not commercials and neither of them has been detected in sewage sludge samples. Therefore, it was possible to evaluate the matrix effect since both standards have similar environmental behaviour (adsorption and precipitation) to commercial soaps (C(10:0)-C(18:0)). The method was successfully applied to samples from different sources and consequently, with different composition. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regenerative Medicine for Battlefield Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

used immunohistochemical staining of BMP-4 and HGF after treatment with BMP-4/HGF or unamputated limb tissue extract. Sample slides were de- waxed in...Cambridge, MA) primary antibodies were applied on samples separately and incubated overnight at 40 C. After washing the slides in 1x PBS, HRP conjugate...and other dictionaries such as LocusLink and (3) Hidden Markov Models and N-gram, machine - learning methods, to identify biological entities not

Utilizing the Zero-One Linear Programming Constraints to Draw Multiple Sets of Matched Samples from a Non-Treatment Population as Control Groups for the Quasi-Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yuan H.; Yang, Yu N.; Tompkins, Leroy J.; Modarresi, Shahpar

2005-01-01

The statistical technique, "Zero-One Linear Programming," that has successfully been used to create multiple tests with similar characteristics (e.g., item difficulties, test information and test specifications) in the area of educational measurement, was deemed to be a suitable method for creating multiple sets of matched samples to be…

[Research on fast detecting tomato seedlings nitrogen content based on NIR characteristic spectrum selection].

PubMed

Wu, Jing-zhu; Wang, Feng-zhu; Wang, Li-li; Zhang, Xiao-chao; Mao, Wen-hua

2015-01-01

In order to improve the accuracy and robustness of detecting tomato seedlings nitrogen content based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), 4 kinds of characteristic spectrum selecting methods were studied in the present paper, i. e. competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), Monte Carlo uninformative variables elimination (MCUVE), backward interval partial least squares (BiPLS) and synergy interval partial least squares (SiPLS). There were totally 60 tomato seedlings cultivated at 10 different nitrogen-treatment levels (urea concentration from 0 to 120 mg . L-1), with 6 samples at each nitrogen-treatment level. They are in different degrees of over nitrogen, moderate nitrogen, lack of nitrogen and no nitrogen status. Each sample leaves were collected to scan near-infrared spectroscopy from 12 500 to 3 600 cm-1. The quantitative models based on the above 4 methods were established. According to the experimental result, the calibration model based on CARS and MCUVE selecting methods show better performance than those based on BiPLS and SiPLS selecting methods, but their prediction ability is much lower than that of the latter. Among them, the model built by BiPLS has the best prediction performance. The correlation coefficient (r), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and ratio of performance to standard derivate (RPD) is 0. 952 7, 0. 118 3 and 3. 291, respectively. Therefore, NIR technology combined with characteristic spectrum selecting methods can improve the model performance. But the characteristic spectrum selecting methods are not universal. For the built model based or single wavelength variables selection is more sensitive, it is more suitable for the uniform object. While the anti-interference ability of the model built based on wavelength interval selection is much stronger, it is more suitable for the uneven and poor reproducibility object. Therefore, the characteristic spectrum selection will only play a better role in building model, combined with the consideration of sample state and the model indexes.

Thermal Behavior and Structural Study of SiO₂/Poly(ε-caprolactone) Hybrids Synthesized via Sol-Gel Method.

PubMed

Vecchio Ciprioti, Stefano; Tuffi, Riccardo; Dell'Era, Alessandro; Dal Poggetto, Francesco; Bollino, Flavia

2018-02-10

SiO₂-based organic-inorganic hybrids (OIHs) are versatile materials whose properties may change significantly because of their thermal treatment. In fact, after their preparation at low temperature by the sol-gel method, they still have reactive silanol groups due to incomplete condensation reactions that can be removed by accelerating these processes upon heating them in controlled experimental conditions. In this study, the thermal behavior of pure SiO₂ and four SiO₂-based OIHs containing increasing amount (6, 12, 24 and 50 wt %) of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) has been studied by simultaneous thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The FTIR analysis of the gas mixture evolved at defined temperatures from the samples submitted to the TG experiments identified the mechanisms of thermally activated processes occurring upon heating. In particular, all samples already release ethanol at low temperature. Moreover, thermal degradation of PCL takes place in the richest-PCL sample, leading to 5-hexenoic acid, H₂O, CO₂, CO and ε-caprolactone. After the samples' treatment at 450, 600 and 1000 °C, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed that they were still amorphous, while the presence of cristobalite is found in the richest-PCL material.

WATER QUALITY MONITORING OF PHARMACEUTICALS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The demand on freshwater to sustain the needs of the growing population is of worldwide concern. Often this water is used, treated, and released for reuse by other communities. The anthropogenic contaminants present in this water may include complex mixtures of pesticides, prescription and nonprescription drugs, personal care and common consumer products, industrial and domestic-use materials and degradation products of these compounds. Although, the fate of these pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater treatment facilities is largely unknown, the limited data that does exist suggests that many of these chemicals survive treatment and some others are returned to their biologically active form via deconjugation of metabolites.Traditional water sampling methods (i.e., grab or composite samples) often require the concentration of large amounts of water to detect trace levels of PPCPs. A passive sampler, the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS), has been developed to integratively concentrate the trace levels of these chemicals, determine the time-weighted average water concentrations, and provide a method of estimating the potential exposure of aquatic organisms to these complex mixtures of waterborne contaminants. The POCIS (U.S. Patent number 6,478,961) consists of a hydrophilic microporous membrane, acting as a semipermeable barrier, enveloping various solid-phase sorbents that retain the sampled chemicals. Sampling rates f

An approach to the interpretation of Cole-Davidson and Cole-Cole dielectric functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias, T. P.; Vilão, G.; Reis, João Carlos R.

2017-08-01

Assuming that a dielectric sample can be described by Debye's model at each frequency, a method based on Cole's treatment is proposed for the direct estimation at experimental frequencies of relaxation times and the corresponding static and infinite-frequency permittivities. These quantities and the link between dielectric strength and mean molecular dipole moment at each frequency could be useful to analyze dielectric relaxation processes. The method is applied to samples that follow a Cole-Cole or a Cole-Davidson dielectric function. A physical interpretation of these dielectric functions is proposed. The behavior of relaxation time with frequency can be distinguished between the two dielectric functions. The proposed method can also be applied to samples following a Navriliak-Negami or any other dielectric function. The dielectric relaxation of a nanofluid consisting of graphene nanoparticles dispersed in the oil squalane is reported and discussed within the novel framework.

16 CFR 1630.63 - Suspension of washing requirements for carpets and rugs with alumina trihydrate in the backing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of Carpets and Rugs (FF 1-70) at § 1630.4(b)(1)(ii) provides that if a carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the sample or oversized... specimens either 10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1996 of the...

16 CFR 1630.63 - Suspension of washing requirements for carpets and rugs with alumina trihydrate in the backing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of Carpets and Rugs (FF 1-70) at § 1630.4(b)(1)(ii) provides that if a carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the sample or oversized... specimens either 10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1996 of the...

16 CFR 1630.63 - Suspension of washing requirements for carpets and rugs with alumina trihydrate in the backing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of Carpets and Rugs (FF 1-70) at § 1630.4(b)(1)(ii) provides that if a carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the sample or oversized... specimens either 10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1996 of the...

16 CFR 1630.63 - Suspension of washing requirements for carpets and rugs with alumina trihydrate in the backing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of Carpets and Rugs (FF 1-70) at § 1630.4(b)(1)(ii) provides that if a carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the sample or oversized... specimens either 10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1996 of the...

Randomized algorithms for high quality treatment planning in volumetric modulated arc therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu; Dong, Bin; Wen, Zaiwen

2017-02-01

In recent years, volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) has been becoming a more and more important radiation technique widely used in clinical application for cancer treatment. One of the key problems in VMAT is treatment plan optimization, which is complicated due to the constraints imposed by the involved equipments. In this paper, we consider a model with four major constraints: the bound on the beam intensity, an upper bound on the rate of the change of the beam intensity, the moving speed of leaves of the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) and its directional-convexity. We solve the model by a two-stage algorithm: performing minimization with respect to the shapes of the aperture and the beam intensities alternatively. Specifically, the shapes of the aperture are obtained by a greedy algorithm whose performance is enhanced by random sampling in the leaf pairs with a decremental rate. The beam intensity is optimized using a gradient projection method with non-monotonic line search. We further improve the proposed algorithm by an incremental random importance sampling of the voxels to reduce the computational cost of the energy functional. Numerical simulations on two clinical cancer date sets demonstrate that our method is highly competitive to the state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of both computational time and quality of treatment planning.

Helminth Fauna in Captive European Gray Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) in Germany.

PubMed

Bindke, Johanna Daniela; Springer, Andrea; Böer, Michael; Strube, Christina

2017-01-01

Captive as well as free-ranging wolves, which are currently recolonizing Germany, may harbor a variety of gastrointestinal parasites. This study investigated endoparasites in captive European gray wolves ( Canis lupus lupus ) using coproscopical methods. Fecal samples were collected monthly between October 2012 and November 2013 from 18 wolf enclosures in 14 German zoological gardens, representing 72 individual wolves. In total, 1,041 fecal samples including 26 bulk samples were analyzed by the sedimentation and flotation method. The most frequently detected egg morphotypes included five nematodes [Ancylostomatidae ( Ancylostoma or Uncinaria spp.), Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris vulpis , and Capillaria / Eucoleus spp.], one cestode (Taeniidae) and one trematode ( Alaria alata ). 44.76% of all samples were positive for at least one of these egg morphotypes. Overall, Ancylostomatidae showed the highest frequency (30.84% of all samples), followed by Capillaria/Eucoleus spp. (19.88%), Toxocara canis (5.19%), taeniids (3.75%), Trichuris vulpis and Alaria alata (3.65% each), and Toxascaris leonina (1.25%). As fecal samples were collected from the environment and could not be assigned to individual wolves, sample results were combined per zoo and month. General linear mixed models were employed to analyze the effect of season and management factors on the occurrence of Ancylostomatidae, Capillaria/Eucoleus spp., Toxocara canis and taeniids. No statistically significant effect of season was found, whereas anthelmintic treatment negatively affected Ancylostomatidae egg excretion. Detected parasites and their prevalences are comparable to previous studies on wolf parasitism conducted elsewhere in Europe. As many of the most prevalent helminths are of zoonotic importance, routine anthelmintic treatment of captive wolves should be recommended.

Adolescent Substance Treatment Engagement Questionnaire for Incarcerated Teens

PubMed Central

Martin, Rosemarie A.; Stein, Lynda A.R.; Clair, Mary; Cancilliere, Mary Kathryn; Hurlbut, Warren; Rohsenow, Damaris J.

2016-01-01

Background Treatment engagement is often measured in terms of treatment retention and drop out, resource utilization, and missed appointments. Since persons may regularly attend treatment sessions but not pay close attention, actively participate, or comply with the program, attendance may not reflect the level of effort put into treatment. Teens in correctional settings may feel coerced to attend treatment, making it necessary to develop measures of treatment involvement beyond attendance. This study describes the development and validation of the Adolescent Substance Treatment Engagement Questionnaire (ASTEQ), Teen and Counselor versions. Methods The psychometric properties of the ASTEQ were examined in a sample of incarcerated teens (N = 205) and their counselors. Principal component analysis was conducted on teen and counselor versions of the questionnaire. Results Scales of positive and negative treatment engagement were found, reflecting both overt behaviors (joking around, talking to others) and attitudes (interest in change). Significant correlations with constructs related to treatment attitudes and behaviors, and misbehaviors (including substance use) demonstrate good concurrent and predictive validity. Teen and counselor ratings of engagement produced validity correlations in the medium effect size range. Conclusions These measures comprise a valid and reliable method for measuring treatment engagement for incarcerated teens. PMID:26021405

Evaluation of the orthodontic treatment need in a paediatric sample from Southern Italy and its importance among paediatricians for improving oral health in pediatric dentistry

PubMed Central

Ierardo, Gaetano; Corridore, Denise; Di Carlo, Gabriele; Di Giorgio, Gianni; Leonardi, Emanuele; Campus, Guglielmo-Giuseppe; Vozza, Iole; Polimeni, Antonella; Bossù, Maurizio

2017-01-01

Background Data from epidemiological studies investigating the prevalence and severity of malocclusions in children are of great relevance to public health programs aimed at orthodontic prevention. Previous epidemiological studies focused mainly on the adolescence age group and reported a prevalence of malocclusion with a high variability, going from 32% to 93%. Aim of our study was to assess the need for orthodontic treatment in a paediatric sample from Southern Italy in order to improve awareness among paediatricians about oral health preventive strategies in pediatric dentistry. Material and Methods The study used the IOTN-DHC index to evaluate the need for orthodontic treatment for several malocclusions (overjet, reverse overjet, overbite, openbite, crossbite) in a sample of 579 children in the 2-9 years age range. Results The most frequently altered occlusal parameter was the overbite (prevalence: 24.5%), while the occlusal anomaly that most frequently presented a need for orthodontic treatment was the crossbite (8.8%). The overall prevalence of need for orthodontic treatment was of 19.3%, while 49% of the sample showed one or more altered occlusal parameters. No statistically significant difference was found between males and females. Conclusions Results from this study support the idea that the establishment of a malocclusion is a gradual process starting at an early age. Effective orthodontic prevention programs should therefore include preschool children being aware paediatricians of the importance of early first dental visit. Key words:Orthodontic treatment, malocclusion, oral health, pediatric dentistry. PMID:28936290

A novel green analytical procedure for monitoring of azoxystrobin in water samples by a flow injection chemiluminescence method with off-line ultrasonic treatment.

PubMed

Yang, Xin-an; Zhang, Wang-bing

2013-01-01

A simple and green flow injection chemiluminescence (FI-CL) method for determination of the fungicide azoxystrobin was described for the first time. CL signal was generated when azoxystrobin was injected into a mixed stream of luminol and KMnO4 . The CL signal of azoxystrobin could be greatly improved when an off-line ultrasonic treatment was adopted. Meanwhile, the signal intensity increases with the analyte concentration proportionally. Several variables, such as the ultrasonic parameters, flow rate of reagents, concentrations of sodium hydroxide solution and CL reagents (potassium permanganate, luminol) were investigated, and the optimal CL conditions were obtained. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of 1-100 ng/mL for azoxystrobin was obtained and the detection limit (3σ) was determined as 0.13 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation was 1.5% for 10 consecutive measurements of 20 ng/mL azoxystrobin. The method has been applied to the determination of azoxystrobin residues in water samples. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An epidemiological study of enteric viruses in sewage with molecular characterization by RT-PCR and sequence analysis.

PubMed

Arraj, A; Bohatier, J; Aumeran, C; Bailly, J L; Laveran, H; Traoré, O

2008-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess the presence and seasonal frequency of various enteric viruses in wastewater treatment. The detection of astrovirus, norovirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and rotavirus was carried out by molecular analyses in concentrated water samples collected over 18 months at the entrance and exit of an activated sludge sewage treatment plant. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results were confirmed by sequencing, and comparative phylogenetic analysis was performed on the isolated strains. Genomes of human astrovirus and human rotavirus were identified in 26/29 and 11/29 samples of raw sewage, respectively, and in 12/29 and 13/29 treated effluent samples, respectively. Some rotavirus sequences detected in environmental samples were very close to those of clinical strains. Noroviruses, enteroviruses and HAV were not detected during the study period. This could be related to the small sample volume, to the sensitivity of the detection methods or to local epidemiological situations. Frequent detection of viral RNA, whether infectious or not, in the exit effluent of sewage treatment indicates wide dispersion of enteric viruses in the environment. Consequently, viral contamination resulting from the use of these treated waters is a risk that needs to be addressed.