Lummus clean fuels from coal

This report compares two direct, catalytic, hydroliquefaction processes - H-Coal and Lummus Clean Fuels From Coal (LCFFC). These processes are compared for two sets of operating conditions. In the first, the reactors are operated to produce a product suitable for use as fuel oil (fuel oil mode). In the second, the operating conditions are more severe, so the resulting product slates more closely resemble crude oil (syncrude mode). The comparisons are performed using conceptual designs based on single point run data, with a design basis of 25,000 tpd (moisture-free basis) of Illinois No. 6 coal. Although all cost comparisons are well within the estimated 25% accuracy of the estimates, LCFFC shows generally lower costs. Three types of economic evaluation are performed: computation of internal rate of return (IRR) with product values set to estimated market value, computation of overall average product cost ($/MM Btu) with the discount rate set at 20%, and calculation of average product cost with naphtha credited at estimated market value and the discount rate set at 20%. H-Coal has a lower cost only in the fuel oil mode analysis with naphtha valued at market price. The processes are also compared with respect to the potential for commercialization and anticipated operability differences. It is concluded that the lower hydrogen content of LCFFC product may offset its advantage of lower cost if it is used as refinery feed, and that the design of the LCFFC reactor may make it harder to control. Suggestions for future research are presented

A dedicated surveillance network for congenital toxoplasmosis in Greece, 2006-2009: Assessment of the results

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Acute infections in pregnant women may be transmitted to the fetus and cause severe illness. The purpose of this study was to establish a dedicated surveillance network (DSN) for congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) in Greece, in order to assess the birth prevalence of CT. Methods. A DSN of thirty clinicians was established for reporting CT cases from hospitals throughout Greece. The clinicians were selected on the basis that there was a high possibility the suspected cases would be referred to them from district hospitals or private clinics. Suspected cases of CT were reported on a monthly basis with a zero reporting card during a surveillance period from April 2006 to December 2009. A questionnaire was sent for any suspected case to record information including demographic parameters, clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory results. Serological and molecular confirmation of cases was performed by the Pasteur Hellenic Institute. All newborns suspected of CT received treatment and were serologically and clinically followed up for one year. Results: The monthly response rate reached 100%, although only after reminders sent to 65% of the participant physicians. Sixty-three suspected CT cases were recorded by the DSN during the study period including fourteen confirmed and seven probable cases. Ten cases (47.6%) presented with symptoms at birth. Chorioretinitis was the most prominent manifestation, occurring in five symptomatic CT cases (50%). No other symptoms appeared by the end of the one year clinical follow up. No case was recorded by the existing surveillance system of the Hellenic Center of Disease Control and Prevention (HCDCP) during the same time period. Birth prevalence was estimated at 0.45, 0.51 and 0.51 per 10,000 births for 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. The incidence rate of symptomatic CT at birth was estimated at 0.10 cases per 10,000 births per year in Greece (for the period 2007-2009). Conclusion: The DSN for CT proved to be more sensitive than the classical notification system, easy in application and very efficient in reporting rare diseases such as CT. Similar DSNs could be used to provide useful information on other rare diseases. © 2012 Aptouramani et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd