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The study examines the use of macrobeads for the controlled-release of bacteria. Macrobeads were prepared by an easy dripping-technique using 20/80 wt/wt chitosan-starch blends and sodium tripolyphosphate as cross-linking agent. The resulting polymeric matrix was examined by SEM, XRD, TGA, and solid-RMN. The swelling-equilibrium, thermal behaviour, crystallinity, and size of macrobeads were affected by the autoclave-sterilization. The diameter of the sterilized xerogel was c.a. 1.6 mm. The results suggested that ionotropic-gelation and neutralization were the mechanisms underlying hydrogel formation. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) were loaded into macrobeads separately or co-inoculated. Bacteria loaded macrobeads were dried and stored. Bacteria survived at least 12 months in orders of 109 CFU of A. brasilense/g and 108 CFU of P. fluorescens/g. Bacterial release in sterile saline solution tended to a super Case-II transport mechanism. Polymeric-matrix release efficiently both PGPB in natural soils, which uncovers their potential for the formulation of novel and improved biofertilizers.

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During the last years there has been a growing need of developing innovative tools that can help small to medium sized enterprises to predict business failure as well as financial crisis. In this study we present a novel hybrid intelligent system aimed at monitoring the modus operandi of the companies and predicting possible failures. This system is implemented by means of a neural-based multi-agent system that models the different actors of the companies as agents. The core of the multi-agent system is a type of agent that incorporates a case-based reasoning system and automates the business control process and failure prediction. The stages of the case-based reasoning system are implemented by means of web services: the retrieval stage uses an innovative weighted voting summarization of self-organizing maps ensembles-based method and the reuse stage is implemented by means of a radial basis function neural network. An initial prototype was developed and the results obtained related to small and medium enterprises in a real scenario are presented.

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The aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of a continuous monitoring system for the analysis of the mass concentration of PCDD/Fs from stationary sources. Data was acquired from a modern, state of the art, hazardous waste thermal treatment plant for a period of more than 2 years using a commercial available continuous monitoring system. The study consisted of a total of 16 samples, collected in periods from 1 week to 2 months resulting in an average of 360 m³ sampled flue gas per sample. The study showed the system was able to confirm that for a period of more than 2 years the plant was complying with the limit of 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3). In addition, the data showed the typical fingerprint of such installations which is useful for example in impact studies. Long-term samples were compared to five short-term samples (6 h) collected every 6 months during the study period. Principal component analysis was applied to PCDD/Fs obtained data as useful statistical tool to find out trends and similarities between different samples. Improvement in terms of representativeness of data was achieved through continuous assessment since the starts of the project. The obtained data was further used to determine the emission factor for this activity and the total annual PCDD/Fs release to the atmosphere.

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Objetivos. Cuantificar la incidencia de extubaciones no programadas (ENP) en una unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) polivalente y determinar los factores de riesgo. Método. Estudio observacional, prospectivo y analítico realizado en una UCI polivalente de 8 camas durante un período de 6 meses. Los 79 participantes se eligieron por orden consecutivo de ingreso. Los criterios de inclusión fueron que estuviesen sometidos a ventilación mecánica (VM) durante al menos durante 12h y que pasaran por la fase de destete de VM. Se valoró edad, días con tubo endotraqueal (TET), días de estancia en la UCI, fase de destete de VM y nivel de sedación y/o agitación mediante la escala sedación agitación de Riker y el índice pronóstico APACHE II. Se calculó la densidad de incidencia para ENP y se compararon las variables medidas en el grupo de pacientes extubados y no extubados mediante el test de comparación de la U de Mann-Whitney. Resultados. De los 79 casos que constituyeron la muestra, se constataron 15 casos (18,9%) de ENP, de los que el 76,9% ocurrió durante la fase de destete. Un 73,3% (11 casos) se debió a autoextubación, un 20% (3 casos) por causa accidental y un 6,6% (un caso) por obstrucción del TET. La edad menor o igual a 60 años fue un factor de riesgo, no objetivándose relación con otros factores a estudio: días de estancia, días con TET y APACHE. Conclusiones. Los pacientes en riesgo de ENP se caracterizan por una edad más joven y un estado de agitación según la escala Riker. Las ENP ocurren, generalmente, cuando el paciente se encuentra durante la fase de destete del ventilador(AU)

Objectives. To identify the incidence of unplanned extubations (UE) in a general intensive care unit (ICU) and associated risk factors. Methods. An analytical, observational and prospective study was performed in an eight-bed general ICU over a 6-month period. The participants consisted of 79 consecutive patients who underwent mechanical ventilation for 12h or more and who were under the ventilator weaning phase. The variables studied were age, days of endotracheal intubation, length of stay in the ICU, weaning phase and the APACHE II prognostic score; the degree of sedation and/or agitation was evaluated using Riker's Sedation-Agitation Scale. The incidence density of UEs was calculated and the variables measured in the extubated and non-extubated groups were compared using the Mann Whitney U-test. Results. Among the 79 patients studied, UE occurred in 15 (18.9%). Of these events, 76.9% occurred during the ventilator weaning phase. There were 11 cases (73.3%) of self-extubations, three cases (20%) of accidental removal and one case (6.6%) of endotracheal tube obstruction. Age equal to or less than 60 years was a risk factor. No relationship was found with the remaining factors studied: days of hospital stay, days of endotracheal intubation or APACHE score. Conclusions. Patients at risk for UE were younger and showed agitation on the Riker scale. UEs usually occurred during the ventilator weaning phase(AU)

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OBJECTIVES: To identify the incidence of unplanned extubations (UE) in a general intensive care unit (ICU) and associated risk factors. METHODS: An analytical, observational and prospective study was performed in an eight-bed general ICU over a 6-month period. The participants consisted of 79 consecutive patients who underwent mechanical ventilation for 12 h or more and who were under the ventilator weaning phase. The variables studied were age, days of endotracheal intubation, length of stay in the ICU, weaning phase and the APACHE II prognostic score; the degree of sedation and/or agitation was evaluated using Riker's Sedation-Agitation Scale. The incidence density of UEs was calculated and the variables measured in the extubated and non-extubated groups were compared using the Mann Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Among the 79 patients studied, UE occurred in 15 (18.9%). Of these events, 76.9% occurred during the ventilator weaning phase. There were 11 cases (73.3%) of self-extubations, three cases (20%) of accidental removal and one case (6.6%) of endotracheal tube obstruction. Age equal to or less than 60 years was a risk factor. No relationship was found with the remaining factors studied: days of hospital stay, days of endotracheal intubation or APACHE score. CONCLUSIONS: Patients at risk for UE were younger and showed agitation on the Riker scale. UEs usually occurred during the ventilator weaning phase.

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In recent years, incineration has been demonstrated to be a commercially available technology for hazardous waste (HW) disposal (Richter and Johnke, 2004). However, because of the potential adverse effects of toxic emissions, waste incinerators are still an important cause for concern for the public. In spite of that, compliance with current EU emissions has vastly reduced the probability of adverse health effects (Glorennec et al., 2005). With respect to metals, a number of studies have shown that these elements are emitted by industrial, medical and municipal waste incinerators (Schumacher et al., 1997; Rimmer et al., 2006). Filter ash is an especially problematic residue because it contains high metal concentrations (Lisk et al., 1989). After combustion in modern HW incinerators (HWIs), metals contained in HW are mainly collected in bottom and fly ash, with only small quantity of metals being discharged from the stack as particulate matter or vapor (Jung et al., 2004). However, the atmospheric emission of these elements is a matter of concern.

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Introducción. Desde el año 1989 utilizamos la técnica descrita por Lichtenstein para el tratamiento de la hernia crural. Con el objetivo de evaluar los resultados de la técnica, se han incluido todos los pacientes en el presente estudio. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudian prospectivamente 224 pacientes (228 herniorrafias) intervenidos entre junio de 1989 y junio de 1999; 178 fueron mujeres (79,4 por ciento). La edad media fue de 57,7 años (rango, 16-98). La intervención fue urgente en el 32,9 por ciento de los casos, y el 5,3 por ciento de éstos necesitó resección intestinal. Se empleó anestesia general en 161 casos (70,5 por ciento), regional en 58 (25,6 por ciento), y local en 9 (3,9 por ciento). Se utilizó polipropileno monofilamento en todos los casos. El seguimiento medio mediante exploración periódica es de 57 meses (rango, 1-120). Resultados. La estancia media fue de 3,5 días. Se produjeron complicaciones locales en 15 casos (6,6 por ciento), e intolerancia a la prótesis en un caso (0,4 por ciento); un paciente (0,4 por ciento) precisó reintervención por protrusión de la malla con dolor persistente; una hernia (0,4 por ciento) recidivó; una paciente (0,4 por ciento) intervenida de urgencia falleció; 3 pacientes (1,3 por ciento) han presentado posteriormente hernia inguinal del mismo lado. Conclusiones. Creemos que la herniorrafia crural con prótesis cilíndrica es la técnica de elección en la hernia crural, si bien en los casos de hernia recidivada o incarcerada pueden contemplarse otras alternativas (AU)

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Introducción. El objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar los resultados de la reparación de las hernias recidivadas de la región inguinal mediante abordaje preperitoneal y colocación de una prótesis amplia de malla de polipropileno, siguiendo las técnicas descritas por Nyhus y Stoppa. Pacientes y método. Se estudian prospectivamente 72 pacientes tratados de 76 hernias recidivadas de la región inguinal (74 inguinales y 4 crurales) mediante esta técnica, entre marzo de 1990 y diciembre de 1998. En 8 casos (4 pacientes) la hernia fue bilateral. El número de intervenciones previas osciló entre 1 y 4. Se comentan aspectos técnicos. Resultados. El período de seguimiento oscila entre 2 meses y 8,7 años (media 3,9 años). Las complicaciones observadas han sido: infección de la herida en un 2,6 por ciento (n = 2), seroma en un 1,3 por ciento (n = 1) e íleo en un 1,3 por ciento (n = 1). No se han presentado complicaciones hemorrágicas, intolerancia a la malla, ni orquitis isquémica. Tampoco ha habido mortalidad postoperatoria y hasta el momento no se ha producido ninguna recidiva. Conclusiones. Con el abordaje preperitoneal y la colocación de una malla de polipropileno monofilamemto se obtienen unos buenos resultados que nos permiten considerar esta técnica como de elección en el tratamiento de las hernias recidivadas de la región inguinal (AU)

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