Title: Spill Science & Technology Bulletin

Title: Spill Science & Technology Bulletin

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: Impact Factor

? Roulia, M., Chassapis, K., Fotinopoulos, C., Savvidis, T. and Katakis, D. (2003), Dispersion and sorption of oil spills by emulsifier-modified expanded perlite. Spill Science & Technology Bulletin, 8 (5-6), 425-431.

Full Text: 2003\Spi Sci Tec Bul8, 425.pdf

Abstract: Three grain sizes of expanded perlite were modified with emulsifiers and their potential usefulness in combating oil spills was studied. The tests in the laboratory show that when this perlite is added to a water-oil mixture, the light perlite particles move on the surface spreading over it very quickly (in fractions of a second). It seems that the emulsifier disperses the oil, but at the same time it disperses the perlite particles. At the end there is an emulsion and also perlite particles saturated with it. The usefulness in combating oil spills at sea depends on the following characteristics: (a) With emulsifier-modified perlite some of the oil can be removed (in the form of emulsion), whereas with emulsifiers only this is not possible. Simultaneously the spill is dispersed quickly, before spreading. (b) The action is quick even with a calm sea. Self-mixing is inherent to the process. (c) The action is quick and limited to the surface, where the perlite particles float. There is little waste of the emulsifier in the bulk of the sea. (C) 2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Emulsifiers, Expanded Perlite, Fractions, Light, Modified, Natural Glass, Oil, Oil Spill Dispersion, Oil Spills, Particles, Perlite, Silicate-Glasses, Sorption, Spreading, Surface, Waste, Water

Saito, M., Ishii, N., Ogura, S., Maemura, S. and Suzuki, H. (2003), Development and water tank tests of sugi bark sorbent (SBS). Spill Science & Technology Bulletin, 8 (5-6), 475-482.

Full Text: S\Spi Sci Tec Bul8, 475.pdf

Abstract: Development of the oil sorbent (oil adsorption material) made of organic waste material were initiated in order to provide the resources for marine oil spill response with less environmental load and cost. After some screening, it was found that the fiber of Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) bark has potential to be excellent oil sorbent because of its hydrophobic and oleophilic character. As this bark fiber Sugi bark sorbent (SBS) can be used with enclosing cotton sheet, the products consist of completely organic materials. When the bark fibers were dried of larger size, SBS had increased absorbency. SBS performed equivalent absorbency (picking up at most 13.4 times their own weight in bunker A) as conventional polypropylene sorbent in laboratory experiments. Experiments conducted in water tanks confirmed that some shape of SBSs such as S25, S50, B6S14 and M50 could successfully work for recovering oil in small wave and current, which would be expected as production models. After all, S50 and M50 were improved into commercial products, which started to be released in 2001 at Japan.

Keywords: Sugi Bark Sorbent (SBS), Sorbent Uptake Rates, Laboratory Studies, Modified SBS, Simulated Studies in Water Tanks with Oil Absorption, Comparison to Polypropylene Sorbents

Title: Spinal Cord

ISO Abbreviated Title: Spinal Cord

JCR Abbreviated Title: Spinal Cord

ISSN: 1362-4393

Issues/Year: 12

Journal Country England

Language: English

Publisher: Stockton Press

Publisher Address: Houndmills, Basingstoke RG21 6XS, Hampshire, England

Subject Categories:

Clinical Neurology Orthopedics: Impact Factor 0.953, 86/138 (2002)

Lin, K.H., Chuang, C.C., Kao, M.J., Lien, I.N. and Tsauo, J.Y. (1997), Quality of life of spinal cord injured patients in Taiwan: A subgroup study. Spinal Cord, 35 (12), 841-849.

Full Text: S\Spi Cor35, 841.pdf

Abstract: The major purposes of this study were to assess the quality of life (QOL) of spinal cord injured patients, and to assess the possible factors affecting the QOL. The survey was conducted from 1992-1993 by mailed questionnaires to members of Spinal Cord Injury Association of the Republic of China. There were 347 quality responses with the mean age of 37.5±10.2 years old and the mean duration of illness of 7.8±6.8 years. The questionnaire included five domains, physical mobility, environment-transportation: psychosocial adjustment, education, and economics for a total of 39 items. Each item contained a rating of ‘importance’ and ‘satisfaction’. The quality of life index (QLI) was calculated by multiplying the satisfaction score with the importance score, then dividing by the possible highest score. The major results included: (1) the subjects had mild to moderate dissatisfaction with most items in five domains except psychosocial adjustment, (2) quality of life in those with complete tetraplegia (QLI =-0.41) and incomplete tetraplegia (QLI =-0.31) was significantly lower than that of those with complete paraplegia (QLI =-0.13) and incomplete paraplegia (QLI =-0.04), (3) both the severity of injury, and the post-injury working status were the major factors affecting the life quality of spinal cord injured patients in Taiwan.

Keywords: Of-Life, Psychosocial Adjustment, Illness Scale, Rehabilitation, Community, Quality of Life, Spinal Cord Injury, Taiwan

Dijkers, M.P.J.M. (2003), Searching the literature for information on traumatic spinal cord injury: The usefulness of abstracts. Spinal Cord, 41 (2), 76-84.

Full Text: S\Spi Cor41, 76.pdf

Abstract: Study design: Systematic review of abstracts of published papers presumed to contain information on chronic pain in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objectives: To determine to what degree papers on SCI are abstracted in such a way that they can be retrieved, and evaluated as to the paper’s applicability to a reader’s questions.

Setting: US-academic department of rehabilitation medicine.

Methods: 868 abstracts published in Medline were independently examined by two out of 13 screeners, who answered four questions on the subjects and nature of the paper with ‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘insufficient information’. Frequency of ratings ‘insufficient information’, and screener agreement were evaluated as affected by screener and abstract/paper characteristics.

Results: Screeners could not determine whether the paper dealt with persons with traumatic SCI for 37% of abstracts, whether chronic pain was a topic could not be determined in 18%. Physicians were less willing than other disciplines to assign ‘insufficient information’. Screener agreement was better than chance, but not at the level suggested for quality measurement. Screener discipline and task experience did not make a difference, nor did abstract length, structure, or decade of publication of the paper.

Conclusion: Authors need to improve the quality of abstracts to make retrieval and screening of relevant papers more effective and efficient.

Sponsorship: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Keywords: Abstracting and Indexing, Publications, Bibliometrics, Spinal Cord Injury, Pain, Original Research Articles, Structured Abstracts, Clinical-Trials, High Agreement, Low Kappa, Quality, Journals, Accuracy, Paradoxes, Medline

? Berney, S., Bragge, P., Granger, C., Opdam, H. and Denehy, L. (2011), The acute respiratory management of cervical spinal cord injury in the first 6 weeks after injury: A systematic review. Spinal Cord, 49 (1), 17-29.

Full Text: 2011\Spi Cor49, 17.pdf

Abstract: Study design: Systematic review. Objectives: Identify, evaluate, and synthesize evidence regarding the effectiveness of various treatment strategies for the respiratory management of acute tetraplegia. Setting: Melbourne, Australia. Methods: A search of multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cinahl, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, http://www.guideline.gov and http://www.icord.org/scire) was undertaken accompanied by the reference lists of all relevant articles identified. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the PEDro Scale. Descriptive analysis was performed. Results: Twenty-one studies including 1263 patients were identified. The majority of the studies were case series (n = 13). A variety of interventions were used for the management of respiratory complications. Mortality (ARR = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18, 0.61), the incidence of respiratory complications (ARR = 0.36, 95% CI (0.08, 0.58)), and requirement for a tracheostomy (ARR = 0.18, 95% CI (-0.05, 0.4)) were significantly reduced by using a respiratory protocol. A clinical pathway reduced duration of mechanical ventilation by 6 days 95% CI (-0.56, 12.56), intensive care unit length of stay by 6.8 days 95% CI (0.17-13.77) and costs. Intubation, mechanical ventilation, and tracheostomy are the mainstay of respiratory management for complete injuries above the level of C5. Conclusion: This review showed a clinical pathway with a structured respiratory protocol that includes a combination of treatment techniques provided regularly is effective in reducing respiratory complications and cost. The overall study quality was moderate and further studies using specific interventions that target respiratory complications are associated with specific regions of the cervical spine using more methodologically rigorous designs are required. Spinal Cord (2011) 49, 17-29; doi: 10.1038/sc.2010.39; published online 20 April 2010.

Keywords: Acute, Analysis, Care, Case Series, Cochrane, Complications, Costs, Databases, Design, Effectiveness, Embase, Incidence, Injury, Intensive Care, Intensive Care Unit, Interventions, Length of Stay, Management, Mechanical Ventilation, Methods, Mortality, Patients, Protocol, Pulmonary Complications, Respiratory, Respiratory Management, Review, Scale, Science, Spinal Cord Injury, Spine, Systematic, Systematic Review, Tetraplegia, Tracheostomy, Traumatic Quadriplegia, Treatment, Trials, Web of Science