Biomedical subjects

John E Greenleaf

Publications and source records attributed to John E Greenleaf.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Environmentally benign hardness removal using ion-exchange fibers and snowmelt.

Many industrial unit operations and unit processes require near-complete removal of hardness to avoid scaling in heat-transfer equipment, fouling in membranes, and high consumption of detergents and sequestering chemicals in cooling and wash water. Lime softening and cation exchange are the most commonly used processes practiced to date for hardness removal. Herein, we report and discuss the results and attributes of a new hardness removal process using ion-exchange fibers (IX-fibers). Most importantly, the process uses harvested snowmelt (or rainwater) as the regenerant chemical along with sparged carbon dioxide. Consequently, the spent regenerant does not contain a high concentration of aggressive chemicals such as sodium chloride or acid like traditional ion-exchange processes nor does the process produce voluminous sludges similar to lime softening. The bulk of carbon dioxide consumed during regeneration remains sequestered in the aqueous phase as alkalinity. IX-fibers form the heart of the process. They are essentially thin cylindrical polymeric strands 10-20 microm in diameter. The weak-acid carboxylate functional groups reside near to the surface of these cylindrical fibers. Low intraparticle diffusional resistance is the underlying reason IX-fibers are amenable to efficient regeneration with snowmelt sparged with carbon dioxide. When the carbon dioxide partial pressure is increased to 6.8 atm, over 90% calcium desorption efficiency is obtained. On the contrary, commercial weak-acid ion-exchange resins in spherical bead forms are ineffective for regeneration with carbon-dioxide-sparged snowmelt due to extremely slow ion-exchange kinetics involving counter-transport of Ca2+ and H+.

Acids, Noncarboxylic↗

PubMed2005

Well-head arsenic removal units in remote villages of Indian subcontinent: field results and performance evaluation.

Since 1997, over 135 well-head arsenic removal units have been installed in remote villages in the Indian state of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh. Every component of the arsenic removal treatment system including activated alumina sorbent is procured indigenously. Each unit serves approximately 200-300 households and contains about 100 L of activated alumina. No chemical addition, pH adjustment or electricity is required for operating these units. The arsenic concentration in the influent varies from around 100 microg/L to greater than 500 microg/L. In the treated water, arsenic concentration is consistently below 50 microg/L. The units are capable of removing both arsenites and arsenates from the contaminated groundwater for several months, often exceeding 10,000 bed volumes. In the top portion of the column, the dissolved iron present in ground water is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen into hydrated Fe(III) oxides or HFO particles which in turn selectively bind both As(III) and As(V). Upon exhaustion, these units are regenerated by caustic soda solution followed by acid wash. The arsenic-laden spent regenerant is converted into a small volume sludge (less than 500 g) and contained over a coarse sand filter in the same premise requiring no disposal. Many units have been operating for several years without any significant operational difficulty. The treated water is used for drinking and cooking. Most importantly, the villagers are responsible for the day to day operation and the upkeep of the units.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2004

Airline chair-rest deconditioning: induction of immobilisation thromboemboli?

Air passenger miles will likely double by year 2020. The altered and restrictive environment in an airliner cabin can influence haematological homeostasis in passengers and crew. Flight-related deep venous thromboemboli (DVT) have been associated with at least 577 deaths on 42 of 120 airlines from 1977 to 1984 (25 deaths/million departures), whereas many such cases go unreported. However, there are four major factors that could influence formation of possible flight-induced DVT: sleeping accommodations (via sitting immobilisation); travellers' medical history (via tissue injury); cabin environmental factors (via lower partial pressure of oxygen and lower relative humidity); and the more encompassing chair-rest deconditioning (C-RD) syndrome. There is ample evidence that recent injury and surgery (especially in deconditioned hospitalised patients) facilitate thrombophlebitis and formation of DVT that may be exacerbated by the immobilisation of prolonged air travel. In the healthy flying population, immobilisation factors associated with prolonged (>5 hours) C-RD such as total body dehydration, hypovolaemia and increased blood viscosity, and reduced venous blood flow (pooling) in the legs may facilitate formation of DVT. However, data from at least four case-controlled epidemiological studies did not confirm a direct causative relationship between air travel and DVT, but factors such as a history of vascular thromboemboli, venous insufficiency, chronic heart failure, obesity, immobile standing position, more than three pregnancies, infectious disease, long-distance travel, muscular trauma and violent physical effort were significantly more frequent in DVT patients than in controls. Thus, there is no clear, direct evidence yet that prolonged sitting in airliner seats, or prolonged experimental chair-rest or bed-rest deconditioning treatments cause DVT in healthy people.

Aircraft↗

PubMed2004

Human physiological responses to cold exposure.

Thermal energy is transferred within and between bodies via several avenues, but for most unprotected human cold exposures, particularly during immersion, convective heat loss dominates. Lower tissue temperatures stimulate thermoreceptors, and the resultant afferent flow elicits autonomic homoeostatic responses (thermogenesis and vasoconstriction) that regulate body temperature within a narrow range. The most powerful effector responses occur when both superficial and deep thermoreceptors are cooled simultaneously, but thermoeffector activation can also occur as a result of peripheral cooling alone. The responses to cold, and the hazards associated with cold exposure, are moderated by factors which influence heat production and heat loss, including the severity and duration of cold stimuli, accompanying exercise, the magnitude of the metabolic response, and individual characteristics such as body composition, age, and gender. Cold stress can quickly overwhelm human thermoregulation with consequences ranging from impaired performance to death. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the human physiological responses to acute cold exposure.

Body Temperature Regulation↗

PubMed2004

Plasma volume and blood viscosity during 4 h sitting in a dry environment: effect of prehydration.

BACKGROUND: Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism are potential problems for travelers, including those who fly. We hypothesized that prehydration with an electrolyte-glucose beverage (EGB) would be better than water for maintaining body fluid balance and preventing increased blood viscosity in immobilized men. METHODS: There were 12 healthy men (24-38 yr) who participated in crossover trials of prehydration using EGB and H2O as well as a control condition (Con) with no prehydration. Fluid intake was set at 6 ml x kg(-1) body weight (mean 418 ml). For each trial, subjects sat for 4 h at a dry-bulb temperature of 23.0-23.5 degrees C and a relative humidity of 18-36%. Plasma volume (PV) and whole blood viscosity (Bvis) were determined every hour; routine laboratory hematological tests, urine volume, and body weight were recorded at 2 h and 4 h. RESULTS: For Con, subjects lost approximately 110 ml h(-1); at 2 h, PV had decreased significantly by 3.4%, and Bvis had increased significantly by 9.3%, with no further change at 4 h. For prehydration, retention of the consumed fluid at 2 h was significantly higher for EGB (57%) than for H2O (38%), while both drinks prevented significant change in PV and Bvis. There were no significant differences between trials in coagulation variables, but Bvis measured at higher shear rates for EGB were significantly attenuated compared with Con. CONCLUSION: EGB and water prevented the increase of blood viscosity that occurred without prehydration. EGB was better than water for maintaining body fluid balance and preventing hypovolemia.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Direct and indirect methods for determining plasma volume during thermoneutral and cold-water immersion.

Plasma volume (PV), determined indirectly from changes in haematocrit (Hct) and haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), underestimates the absolute PV change (Evans blue dye) during thermoneutral immersion. Since PV changes during cold-water immersion have only been determined indirectly, we hypothesised that a similar underestimation may occur. Therefore, we compared the indirectly-measured PV with a direct-tracer dilution method (Evans blue dye column elution) in seven healthy males, during three, 60-min exposures: air (control; 21.2 degrees C), thermoneutral immersion (34.5 degrees C) and cold-water immersion (18.6 degrees C). During thermoneutral immersion, the directly-measured PV increased by 16.2 (1.4)% (P<0.05) and the indirectly-measured by 8.5 (0.8)% (P<0.05), with the latter underestimating the former by 43 (9.1)% (P<0.05). During cold immersion, the direct PV decreased by 17.9 (3.0)% (P<0.05) and the indirect by 8.0 (1.2)% (P<0.05), with the latter representing a 52 (6.8)% (P<0.05) underestimation of the direct PV change. Directionally-equivalent underestimations of PV change occur when using the indirect method during both thermoneutral and cold-water immersion. The assumptions inherent in the indirect method (constant F-cell ratio) appear to be violated during water immersion.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Heart rate and blood pressure during initial LBNP do not discriminate higher and lower orthostatic tolerant men.

High (n = 7, 25 +/- 2 yr) and low (n = 8, 26 +/- 3 yr) lower body negative pressure (LBNP) tolerant men were exposed to -15 mmHg (for 12 min) followed by -50 mmHg (for 21 min) to test the hypothesis that heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) data from acute exposure to LBNP would not discriminate between the higher and lower tolerance men. Central venous pressure (CVP), HR, and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures measured before and at 15-s intervals during LBNP and calculated mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP), and work of the heart (HW) were analyzed using ANOVA (p < or = 0.05). There were no significant changes in HR, SBP, DBP, MAP, PP, or HW during exposure to -15 mmHg LBNP. Throughout -50 mmHg LBNP, there were no significant changes in SBP, MAP, PP, or HW, but HR increased significantly (high tolerance by 30%, low tolerance by 40%) with no difference between groups. Diastolic blood pressure changed by +7.6 % (NS) in the high group and by -3.3% (NS) in the low group; the initial exposure to -50 mmHg resulted in a significant difference between groups for the first 45 s. Central venous pressure decreased significantly at -15 mmHg (high group by -33%, low group by -38 %) and at -50 mmHg (high group by -70%, low group by -73%) with no difference between groups. Thus, HR and BP responses at -15 and -50 mmHg of LBNP for 30 min do not discriminate between the high and low tolerant men and questions the validity and usefulness of the clinical stand test to predict orthostatic tolerance.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Arsenic removal using a polymeric/inorganic hybrid sorbent.

A fixed-bed sorption process can be very effective in removing trace concentrations of arsenic from contaminated groundwater provided: the sorbent is very selective toward both As(III) and As(V) species; the influent and treated water do not warrant any additional pre- or post- treatment; pH and composition of the raw water with respect to other electrolytes remain unchanged besides arsenic removal, and the sorbent is durable with excellent attrition resistance properties. In addition, the sorbent should be amenable to efficient regeneration for multiple reuse. This study reports the results of an extensive investigation pertaining to arsenic removal properties of a polymeric/inorganic hybrid sorbent. Each hybrid sorbent particle is essentially a spherical macroporous cation exchanger bead within which agglomerates of nanoscale hydrated Fe oxide (HFO) particles have been uniformly and irreversibly dispersed using a simple chemical-thermal treatment. The new sorbent, referred to as hybrid ion exchanger or HIX, combines excellent mechanical and hydraulic properties of spherical polymeric beads with selective As(III) and As(V) sorption properties of HFO nanoparticles at circum-neutral pH. Comparison of the results of fixed-bed column runs between the new sorbent and the polymeric anion exchanger confirmed that both As(V) and As(III) were removed very selectively with HIX. Equally important, no pH adjustment, pre- or post-treatment was warranted. Besides the absence of arsenic, the treated water composition was identical to that of influent water. HIX was amenable to efficient in situ regeneration with caustic soda and could subsequently be brought into service following a short rinse with carbon dioxide sparged water. During fixed-bed column runs, intraparticle diffusion was identified as the primary rate-limiting step for both As(III) and As(V) sorption. Repeated use of the same HIX particles during various laboratory investigations provided strong evidence that the new sorbent possesses excellent attrition resistance properties and retains its arsenic removal capacity over cycles.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2002

Histologic analysis of radiofrequency energy chondroplasty.

Two types of radiofrequency energy are currently used for chondroplasty: thermal and ablative. The primary mode of operation for monopolar radiofrequency energy is thermal, whereas the primary mode for bipolar radiofrequency energy is ablation. The safety of radiofrequency energy in articular cartilage is investigated because these treatment modalities can result in injury of target and surrounding tissues. Histologic analysis is used to assess this degree of damages and the efficacy of these techniques, but the accuracy and relevance of the results are affected by the design and duration of the analysis. A review of recent studies using different methods of histologic analysis of articular cartilage subject to radiofrequency energy techniques is presented.

Cartilage↗

PubMed2002

The exercise and environmental physiology of extravehicular activity.

Extravehicular activity (EVA), i.e., exercise performed under unique environmental conditions, is indispensable for supporting daily living in weightlessness and for further space exploration. From 1965-1996 an average of 20 h x yr(-1) were spent performing EVA. International Space Station (ISS) assembly will require 135 h x yr(-1) of EVA, and 138 h x yr(-1) is planned for post-construction maintenance. The extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), used to protect astronauts during EVA, has a decreased pressure of 4.3 psi that could increase astronauts' risk of decompression sickness (DCS). Exercise in and repeated exposure to this hypobaria may increase the incidence of DCS, although weightlessness may attenuate this risk. Exercise thermoregulation within the EMU is poorly understood; the liquid cooling garment (LCG), worn next to the skin and designed to handle thermal stress, is manually controlled. Astronauts may become dehydrated (by up to 2.6% of body weight) during a 5-h EVA, further exacerbating the thermoregulatory challenge. The EVA is performed mainly with upper body muscles; but astronauts usually exercise at only 26-32% of their upper body maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). For a given ground-based work task in air (as opposed to water), the submaximal VO2 is greater while VO2max and metabolic efficiency are lower during ground-based arm exercise as compared with leg exercise, and cardiovascular responses to exercise and training are also different for arms and legs. Preflight testing and training, whether conducted in air or water, must account for these differences if ground-based data are extrapolated for flight requirements. Astronauts experience deconditioning during microgravity resulting in a 10-20% loss in arm strength, a 20-30% loss in thigh strength, and decreased lower-body aerobic exercise capacity. Data from ground-based simulations of weightlessness such as bed rest induce a 6-8% decrease in upper-body strength, a 10-16% loss in thigh extensor strength, and a 15-20% decrease in lower-body aerobic exercise capacity. Changes in EVA support systems and training based on a greater understanding of the physiological aspects of exercise in the EVA environment will help to insure the health, safety, and efficiency of working astronauts.

Arm↗