The adsorption of two anionic dyes, Remazol Black B (RB5) and Acidol Red 2BE-NW (AR42), onto a microporous activated carbon felt was investigated. The characterization of carbon surface chemistry by X-ray microanalysis, Boehm titrations, and pH-PZC measurements indicates that the surface oxygenated groups are mainly acidic. The rate of adsorption depends on the pH and the experimental data fit the intraparticle diffusion model. The pore size distribution obtained by DFT analysis shows that the mean pore size is close to 1nm, which indicates that a slow intraparticle diffusion process control the adsorption. The adsorption isotherms were measured for different pH values. The Khan and the Langmuir-Freundlich models lead to the best agreement with experimental data for RB5 and AR42, respectively. These isotherm simulations and the pH dependence of adsorption show that the adsorption capacity is mainly controlled by nondispersive electrostatic interactions for pH values below 4. The adsorption kinetics, the irreversibility of the process, and the influence of the pH indicate that the rate of adsorption in this microporous felt proceeds through two steps. The first one is fast and results from direct interaction of dye molecules with the external surface of the carbon material (which account for 10% of the whole surface area); in the second, slow step, the adsorption rate is controlled by the slow diffusion of dye molecules into the narrow micropores. The influence of temperature on the adsorption isotherms was studied and the thermodynamic parameters were obtained. They show that the process is spontaneous and exothermic.

In 2002, the Italian guidelines for eligibility of patients for intestinal transplantation (ITx) were defined as: life-threatening complications of home parenteral nutrition (HPN), lack of venous access for HPN, locally invasive tumors of the abdomen, Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) with a high risk of mortality, primary disease-related poor quality of life (QoL) despite optimal HPN. Our aim was to identify potential candidates for ITx according to these national guidelines among patients managed by a medical referral center for CIF. Records of patients who received HPN were reviewed. CIF was considered reversible or irreversible (energy by HPN <50% or >50% basal energy expenditure). Patients with irreversible CIF were considered eligible for ITx in the absence of a contraindication, as are used for solid organs Tx. From 1986 to 2003 among 64 patients who met the entry criteria 23 showed reversible and 41 irreversible, CIF. Twenty-one patients with irreversible CIF had an indication for ITx, but eight had also contraindications; thus 13 were eligible, including intestinal pseudo-obstruction (n = 6), mesenteric ischemia (n = 3), Crohn's (n = 2), radiation enteritis (n = 1), and desmoid (n = 1). Indications for ITx included HPN liver failure (n = 2), lack of venous access (n = 2), CIF with high risk of mortality (n = 3), very poor QoL (n = 6 including 5 with pseudo-obstruction). According to the Italian guidelines for ITx, 31% of patients with irreversible CIF managed by a medical referral center were eligible for ITx. Primary disease-related poor QoL was the indication in half of them. Studies on the QoL after ITx are required to allow patients to make an educated decision.

INTRODUCTION:The non-disease-specific SF-36 instrument was applied to detect changes in quality of life among patients at a single center who were receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for intestinal failure. METHODS:All HPN patients completed the questionnaire during routine visits. The SF-36 examines eight domains (scores: 0% to 100%): physical functioning (PF), role-functioning physical (RP), body pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), as well as role-functioning emotional (RE) and mental health (MH). Patient responses were standardized for the sex- and age-matched group scores of the healthy population by calculating the Z-score: (healthy population mean score - patient raw score)/healthy population standard deviation (reduced value: Z-score < -1). A difference in a domain score was considered significant in the individual patient if it was greater than the 90% confidence interval for healthy subjects and if it produced a change in Z-score category. General, sociodemographic, underlying disease and HPN-related factors were collected. RESULTS:For 31 enrolled adult patients, the baseline mean Z-score was reduced in five domains: PF, RP, BP, GH and SF. Twenty patients underwent a second SF-36 assessment 10 +/- 2 months later: the HRQOL worsened in eight and improved in 10 (no. worsened domains > no. improved or vice versa). The worsened subgroup showed a decrease in body mass index (P =.104), an increase in the number of HPN infusions per week (P =.065), and a greater incidence of intestinal motility disorders (P =.161), of liquid oral diet (P =.027), and of nycturia (P =.028). CONCLUSIONS:The SF-36 instrument reflecting the generic HRQOL assessment may be a suitable tool for patients on HPN.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the peroxidation potential of fat emulsions in all-in-one. solutions (AIOs).METHODS:. Three 20% emulsions were compared: soybean oil (SO; 60% polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs], alpha-tocopherol:PUFAs = 0.44) soybean plus medium-chain triacylglycerol (SO-MCT; 31% PUFAs, alpha-tocopherol:PUFAs = 0.35), and olive oil (00; 21% PUFAS, alpha-tocopherol:PUFAs = 1.42). For each emulsion, six AIO solutions were prepared by adding 250 mL of emulsion to a lipid-free solution. Lipid peroxide (LPX) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were evaluated in fat emulsions, lipid-free solutions, and AIOs immediately (TO) and 24 h (T24) after lipid addition Statistical analysis was done with analysis of variance.RESULTS. Fat emulsion LPX in SO-MCT was lower than that in SO (P = 0.015) and 00 (P = 0.024); LPX in SO was greater than that in 00 (P = 0.013); MDA in SO was greater than that in SO-MCT (P = 0.001) and 00 (P = 0.013); and MDA in SO-MCT was greater than that in 00 (P = 0,001). In comparison with MDA at AIO-T0, MDA at AIO-T24 increased in SO (P = 0.005) and SO-MCT (P < 0.001) and decreased in 00 (F = 0.003); at AIO-T24, LPX was greater in SO, but not significantly.CONCLUSIONS: In AIO bags, LPX occurred within 24 h after the addition of the lipid emulsion and seemed to be directly related to the PUFA content and inversely related to the alpha-tocopherol:PUFA ratio of the emulsion. (C) Elsevier Inc. 2003.

BACKGROUND:Comparisons between safety and efficacy of home parenteral nutrition and of intestinal transplantation for treatment of chronic intestinal failure derived from observational studies. AIMS:To present the 16-year experience of home parenteral nutrition by the Chronic Intestinal Failure Centre of Bologna University. PATIENTS:A total of 40 adult patients were enrolled between 1986 and 2001. METHODS:Safety indices: survival and cause of death, catheter-related bloodstream infection, deep vein thrombosis, liver disease. Efficacy indices: nutritional and rehabilitation status, quality of life (SF36 instrument), re-hospitalisation rate. STATISTICS:Kaplan-Maier analysis and Cox model for survival probability and risk factors; logistic regression for catheter-related bloodstream infection risk factors. RESULTS:Survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 97, 82 and 67% respectively. Survival was higher in patients < or = 40 years. One death was home parenteral nutrition-related. Incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection: 0.30/year home parenteral nutrition, was lower in patients treated by a specialized nursing protocol. Incidence of deep vein thrombosis was 0.05/year home parenteral nutrition. Hepatosteatosis occurred in 55%. Body weight remained stable or increased in 80%. Rehabilitation was total or partial in 74%. Re-hospitalisation rate was 0.70/year home parenteral nutrition. Quality of life scored significantly lower than in healthy populations in six out of eight domains. CONCLUSIONS:Home parenteral nutrition is a safe and efficacious therapy for chronic intestinal failure. Survival compares favourably with survival after intestinal transplantation.

Oral rehydration solutions containing rice maltodextrins (R-ORS) have been reported to be more effective than glucose-based ORS in reducing intestinal losses in infectious diarrhea. To evaluate the effect of R-ORS in patients with total colectomy and high intestinal output, a perspective open noncontrolled study was performed on 13 adult patients who consumed 1 l/day of R-ORS for 7 days. Body weight, daily ileal and urinary output, serum electrolytes, aldosterone and renin activity were measured the day before (day 0) and on the last day of the study (day 7). Net changes (mean +/- SE) from day 0-7 showed an increase of urine Na (40 +/- 16 mmol/day, p < 0.04) and K (24 +/- 8 mmol/day, p < 0.02). Body weight increased in seven patients. Serum renin activity decreased (-0.60 +/- 0.26 ng/ml/min) in these patients but not in the six patients in whom body weight remained unchanged (0.19 +/- 0.07 ng/ml/min; p < 0.03). Ileal and urinary volume remained stable. In patients with high ileal output, R-ORS supplementation improved Na and K balance. The association of increased body weight with decreased serum renin concentrations suggests that a positive water balance also occurred.

A multiwire proportional chamber has been employed in a fast logic system to select a trigger according to the number of outgoing particles in π+N→N+3π, (5π, 7π) interactions. Efficiencies of 99% in the selection of events with numbers of particles ≥1 and ≥2 have been achieved with two planes in coincidence at 90°. The present paper describes the multiwire proportional chamber and the associated electronics and discusses their behaviour.

Experiments were carried out to determine the thermodynamic transport coefficients (Lp, σ, ω) of cellulose acetate membranes, as well as the relationship between these coefficients and the conditions in which the membranes are prepared, the study being extended to a new type of membrane that was recently perfected. The relationship between the rejection and the reflection coefficients of these membranes was also studied. The experiments confirmed that the evaporation phase and the heating phase of the preparation have a rather marked effect on the transport coefficients of cellulose acetate membranes, σ values were found to be very low compared with rejection values, due probably to the modifications that the pressure induces in the structure of the membrane during the rejection determination.

Selectivity coefficients, free exchange energies and enthalpies between 5°C and 45°C of different anion resins with functional groups of the amino type were determined for the SO−4/Cl− system in a range of bulk salinities lying between 6 x 10−3 and 2.4 N

The possibility of using the electrodialysis process for the desalination of brackish waters having a high silica content, was investigated. The apparent transport numbers of silica through an anion membrane, under controlled hydrodynamic and chemical experimental conditions, were measured.