• Advances in environmental research
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.127-137
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• 2017

Cotton is the major fiber crop in Pakistan that accounts for 2% of total national gross domestic product (GDP). After picking of cotton, the dry stalks are major organic waste that has no fate except burning to cook food in villages. Present research focuses use of cotton stalks as feedstock for biochar production, its characterization and effects on soil characteristics. Dry cotton stalks collected from agricultural field of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan were combusted under anaerobic conditions at $450^{\circ}C$. The physicochemical analysis of biochar and cotton stalks show higher values of % total carbon, phosphorus and potassium concentrations in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The concentration of nitrogen was decreased in biochar. Similarly biochar had greater values of fixed carbon that suggest its role for carbon sequestration and as a soil amendment. The fourier transformation infrared spectroscopic spectra (FTIR) of cotton stalks and biochar exposed more acidic groups in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The newly developed functional groups in biochar have vital role in increasing surface properties, cation exchange capacity, and water holding capacity, and are responsible for heavy metal remediation in contaminated soil. In a further test, results show increase in the water holding capacity and nutrient retention by a sandy soil amended with biochar. It is concluded that cotton stalks can be effectively used to prepare biochar.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.281-287
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• 2017

Background: Various techniques have been introduced to decrease complications during nasotracheal intubation. A common practice is to use nasal packing with a cotton stick and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. However, this procedure can be painful to patients and can damage the nasal mucosa. Xylometazoline spray can induce effective vasoconstriction of the nasal mucosa without direct nasal trauma. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of these two methods. Methods: Patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 40 each): xylometazoline spray group or epinephrine packing group. After the induction of general anesthesia, patients allocated to the xylometazoline spray group were treated with xylometazoline spray to induce nasal cavity mucosa vasoconstriction, and the epinephrine packing group was treated with nasal packing with two cotton sticks and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. The number of attempts to insert the endotracheal tube into the nasopharynx, the degree of difficulty during insertion, and bleeding during bronchoscopy were recorded. An anesthesiologist, blinded to the intubation method, estimated the severity of epistaxis 5 min after intubation and postoperative complications. Results: No significant intergroup difference was observed in navigability (P = 0.465). The xylometazoline spray group showed significantly less epistaxis during intubation (P = 0.02). However, no differences were observed in epistaxis 5 min after intubation or postoperative epistaxis (P = 0.201). No inter-group differences were observed in complications related to nasal intubation and nasal pain. Conclusion: Xylometazoline spray is a good alternative to nasal packing for nasal preparation before nasotracheal intubation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.226-230
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• 2012

방사선 사고시 피폭환자로부터 채취된 스메어 시료의 전알파 방사능 측정법을 수립하였으며 이를 바탕으로 피폭환자의 후속조치 절차를 확립하였다. 국내방사선사고 대응기관에서 사용중인 스메어용 면봉을 이용하여 계측 절차를 검증하였다. 액체섬광계수기를 이용하여 표준선원을 점적한 시료의 계측 결과 20% 이내에서 인증값과 잘 일치하였으며, 채취 조건은 세정제 등을 이용하는 것이 더 높은 스메어 효율을 보였다. 액체섬광계수법 특성상 소광현상의 영향을 배제하기 위해 건조 등의 최소한의 전처리가 필요 할 것으로 판단되었다. 계측결과를 바탕으로 방사선비상시 피폭환자에 대한 의료적 처치 기준 및 선량평가 절차를 수립하였다.