Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
A lumbar puncture (LP), also called a spinal tap, is an invasive outpatient procedure used to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the subarachnoid space in the spine. (This test is similar to a blood test, in which a needle is inserted into an artery to collect blood for testing.)
How does a lumbar puncture work?
Your brain and spinal cord are surrounded and bathed by a clear fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid is produced in the ventricles of the brain and circulates through the subarachnoid space of the brain and spinal cord (see Anatomy of the Spine).
During a lumbar puncture, a hollow needle is inserted through the skin in the lower back. The needle passes between the vertebrae and into the spinal canal. A lumbar puncture can be used to:
collect CSF for testing to detect disease conditions
measure CSF pressure to detect hydrocephalus
deliver contrast dye to the spinal canal during a myelogram
deliver anesthetic numbing agents to the spinal cord
treat/relieve hydrocephalus
control CSF pressure and relax the brain during surgery
What does a lumbar puncture show?
Many conditions can be detected in the CSF including:
infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
bleeding (subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke)
viral infection (encephalitis)
tumors (lymphoma, cancer)
autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis
Who performs the test?
This test is performed by a doctor in the office or in the hospital.
important role in water quality management
many tributaries fall within the district’s area of operations, which include many Corps managed dams, lakes, rivers and reservoirs.Responsible environmental stewardship of these vital natural resources begins with sound water management.
The management of water resources by the Corps seeks to improve, restore, conserve, and protect the physical, chemical, and biological quality of the water for natural and human use.
The success of the District’s water quality management program is attributed to a commitment to four functional categories: water quality monitoring and assessment; project water quality management planning; technical support; and program development and evaluation.
Data collection is an important part of this program and Hargrave and his team are usually in the field taking water samples at various sites several times per month using sophisticated testing equipment.
Water quality data is essential to understanding and effectively managing the aquatic resources of the District’s projects. Data samples provide the critical information needed to effectively develop, implement and evaluate water quality management activities at various project sites.
WATERCHECK
can provide the ultimate peace of mind with our water testing experts and quality lab analysis. Find out today if your water is safe, in a few simple steps.
Collect a sample of your water
It’s as easy as filling a few bottles with your water sample and completing a short form.
Ship it to our laboratory
Return your kit to our laboratory using guaranteed next-day delivery or drop the kit off if you are in the neighborhood.
Receive your in-depth report
We’ll give you an easy-to-read report that has all of your results compared side-by-side with National EPA Standards. If you need help with the results
In short, a city or well water test from us is of the highest caliber because meet and surpass the most stringent of government safety guidelines every day. If you think something is wrong with your water supply, dont guess. Test!
Sewage Sampling May Preview Virus Trends
New cases. Percentage of the population that’s been tested. Presumed recoveries. Hospitalizations. Deaths. This is how the nation is keeping its finger on the pulse of a pandemic with no definitive end in sight.
Results of those who’ve been tested for the coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, lag. Not everyone who has the virus is getting tested. And the breakdown in which test results are reported — county-by-county and ZIP code — fail to reflect a detailed account of what the virus is doing in small cities, towns and rural communities.
What about the people out there who aren’t seeking testing because they’re not seriously ill, they’re asymptomatic, or they don’t get tested either because they do not have a medical provider or their provider does not have tests?
“What the research on the wastewater is intended to do is look at the amount of virus in the wastewater system knowing that when the virus gets into someone’s body, their body actually produces more of the virus, not only in their nasal passages and then their saliva, but they actually also produce more viruses throughout their gut,” Noble said. “It’s really
What I’m saying is that there’s an opportunity for the wastewater to give us a different picture of what’s going on in the entire population because we recognize that there’s a whole portion of the population in any given town that’s being missed because they might be mildly ill or asymptomatic.”
What is the Efficiency of a Heat Pump?
A ground source heat pump can produce 3 to 4 kilowatts (kW) of heat for every 1 kW of electricity it consumes. Using freely available heat energy from the ground, it achieves higher efficiency than any other heating system.
By creating 3 to 4 times the amount of energy it consumes, a heat pump can reduce a property’s heating costs by around two-thirds compared to direct electric heating. Also efficient with times of electricity consumption, a ground source system is able to run when electricity is at its lowest cost or carbon.
What determines the efficiency of a heat pump installation?
The efficiency of a ground source heat pump installation can be influenced or improved by:
The insulation of the property
A well-designed system and installation
The heat source that is used
The heating distribution system and its size (radiators or underfloor heating)
The efficiency of a heat pump is implied by a measurement known as the Coefficient of Performance (CoP). This is the ratio between how much energy the heat pump produces and how much electrical energy it consumes. The Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCoP) is generally used as a year-round and realistic measurement – it’s based on CoP at different conditions and a standardised climate.
How efficient is a heat pump compared to a boiler?
While modern condensing boilers can be over 90% efficient, a ground source heat pump can achieve efficiencies of 400%. The difference in efficiency is significant. That is because, unlike boilers, heat pumps produce more energy than they consume.