No abstract available

[en] A study was conducted under field conditions at Masii to examine maize response to a combined application of cattle manure and nitrogen (N) in a sandy soil. The treatments consisted of 0, 10 and 20 tons of manure per hectare (t ha^-1) applied in a brand along the maize rows. the manure was combined with 0, 30, 60 and 120 kg N ha^-1 all applied at planting in the first year, and o, 40, 90 and 150 kg N ha^-1 split into two applications in the second year. Maize plants grown without either manure or nitrogen were stunted and yellow. Grain yields were low ranging from 175 to 246 kg ha^-1, in the two years of study when no manure or fertilizer was applied. Application of 10 t ha^-1 of manure alone increased the grain yield to a maximum of 1529 kg ha^-1. Grain yield increased significantly with combined application of manure and nitrogen to 3145 kg ha^-1, when a combination of 20 t ha^-1 of manure and 120 kg N ha^-1 was applied in the year. Even the a yield plateau could not be attained. The study indicated that low soil fertility is a major limitation to maize growth and production in the study area. Maize production can be improved by application of manure or nitrogen, however, higher yields could be achieved when manure and nitrogen are applied in combination

[en] A parallel, bench-scale study was undertaken to study the effect of grinding/blending biological solids followed by subsequent aeration for 24-hours on overall sludge production. This was compared to a completely-mixed system from which solids were wasted directly back to the aeration basin. In essence, both treatment trains employed total recycle of the waste biological solids, except that the solids from Train 2 were ground and aerated prior to re-introduction. The bench-scale reactors were continuously operated from November through December 2000 and from January through April 2001. Temperature of the wastewater during the first and second runs was maintained at 14^o C and 25^o C, respectively. Each parallel train was fed synthetic wastewater at a flow rate of approximately 2.25 gallons per day resulting in a hydraulic detention time of approximately 13 hours. Samples of the influent, effluent, and mixed liquor were collected weekly and the following analyses were performed: COD, pH, temperature, total solids, suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, dissolved solids, and oxygen uptake rate (OUR). Results of the study indicate that the system in which the solids were ground and re-aerated produced less sludge than the conventional system. Substrate removal rates were the same for both systems. Statistical analyses using the analysis of variance indicated the results were significant at the 95 % confidence level. (author)

[en] The efficiency of two covered lagoons, designed to treat the residues of the pig production farms P-3 and T-2.1 _belonging to the Association of Pig Producers of Yucatan, Mexico was evaluated, in order to verify the feasibility of implementing this technology in Cuba. The physical-chemical and microbiological indicators of the effluents were determined and the moment of their entrance and their removal from the digesters, and upon their exit from the stabilization lagoon. The digester of farm P-3 could remove more than 90 % of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and up to 71 % of the total suspended solids (TSS) present; while the digester of farm T-2.1 reached a removal of 78 % of the COD and 62 % of TSS. The sanitary analyses indicated that the total coliform bacteria showed an important decrease, from 2,4 x 108 to 1,7 x 103 in farm P-3 and from 4,2 x 107 to 2,7 x 103 in farm T-2.1. In both lagoons, the helminth eggs showed a reduction of 100 %. It is concluded that the covered lagoons had an adequate performance in the treatment of pig production residues, and that this technology is feasible to be used in Cuba. (author)

[en] Classical scintigraphic evaluation of a radioactive bolus through the oesophagus is based on regions of interest and time/activity curves, which only gives information about the total time required for it to cross the organ. Instantaneous parameters can be obtained if the exact position (centroid) of the bolus is known. For that, one needs to know the co-ordinates of the centre of mass of the bolus radioactivity distribution. From this, one can obtain velocity at each time. Obtaining such a new parameter would be important, to try to determine whether the anatomical differences among the 3 thirds of the oesophagus have a functional correspondence or not. We have studied 5 normal volunteers (4 males, 1 female, 33-68 yo). Each volunteer swallowed (unique swallowing) 40 MBq of 99mTc-phytate in 10 ml water. Eighty frames (0.3 sec) were acquired in a scintillation camera. External marks were used to separate the pharynx from the oesophagus. Images were transformed into bitmap by means of a Sophy Medical processing module and analysed by means of the algorithm, which determines the co-ordinates of the centroid (horizontal and vertical) for each frame and instant velocities through the organ. Different velocities were found in typical evaluations. Curves representing the different positions of the bolus C and the correspondent different Vs were obtained. Different velocities of the bolus were detected during the pharyngeal phase, and proximal, mid and distal parts of the oesophagus. Larger studies are necessary, but it seems that the velocity of a radioactive bolus changes in the different parts of the oesophagus. It is reasonable to say that there is a functional correspondence to the anatomical differences in the organ (Au)

[en] A six session study on the response of maize to boma manure was conducted on farmer's field in Wamuyu, Machakos District in the Eastern province of Kenya to; a) determine the yield response of maize to application of boma manure in the 0^-100 t ha^-1 range, b)evaluate the benefits of banding of boma manure as compared with broadcasting, c)determine the residual response to boma manure application; d)compare the response of boma manure with that of inorganic fertiliser. The soil on the experimental site was a well drained ,dark red, loamy sand with an average of 16.64 mg kg^-1 extractable P and 0.065 % total N in the 0^-1 cm depth. Maize grain yield and total dry matter markedly increased with increasing rates of boma manure while placement method and interaction between placement and rate of application effect. A combined analysis indicated that there was no significant increase in grain yield above the rate of 40 t ha ^-1 of manure. Using inorganic fertiliser at the rate of 20 kg N ha^-1 + 20 kg P ha^-1 was found to be the best option in terms of economic benefits. The residual effects of the manure were, however, still very evident in the last season, indicating that more benefits would have been obtained from manure over a number of succeeding seasons, especially from the high rates (60^-100 t ha^-1)

[en] A rising quality of life with high rate of resource consumption have an unintended and negative impact on environment, generating waste hulk with far beyond handling capacities of mankind. The threat of water famine looms greatest as our rivers are poisoned due to urbanization and industrialization. To combat against water pollution and to find sustainable solution for the same, globally, we have embraced Green chemistry approach which is one of the Waste Management and Treatment Strategies. In the present investigation we have studied different parameters for the effective adsorption of heavy metal pollutant employing dry cow dung powder as a natural adsorbent. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Palliative stenting of malignant colonic obstruction may be complicated by stent migration. Stents that migrate into the rectum cannot be passed with bowel movements and frequently cause obstruction. We present two simple means to retrieve stents from the rectum using fluoroscopic guidance. These techniques were used successfully without complication in four stent migrations

[en] A 750,000 l digester located in Roppen/Austria was studied over a 2-year period. The concentrations and amounts of CH₄, H₂, CO₂ and H₂S and several other process parameters like temperature, retention time, dry weight and input of substrate were registered continuously. On a weekly scale the pH and the concentrations of NH₄⁺-N and volatile fatty acids (acetic, butyric, iso-butyric, propionic, valeric and iso-valeric acid) were measured. The data show a similar pattern of seasonal gas production over 2 years of monitoring. The consumption of VFA and not the hydrogenotrophic CH₄ production appeared to be the limiting factor for the investigated digestion process. Whereas the changes in pH and the concentrations of most VFA did not correspond with changes in biogas production, the ratio of acetic to propionic acid and the concentration of H₂ appeared to be useful indicators for reactor performance. However, the most influential factors for the anaerobic digestion process were the amount and the quality of input material, which distinctly changed throughout the year