Assessment of the concentration of nitric oxide in exhaled air (FeNO) in primary school children in Krakow and Ruzomberk in relation to air pollution in these cities.

The measurement of the exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a recognized biomarker in the detection and monitoring of airway inflammatory infections, this including asthma. Due to its simplicity, and noninvasiveness, it is more and more widely used in diagnostics of children. Few studies indicate the relationship between FeNO and atmospheric air pollution. The goal of the following study was the measuring of FeNO for 8-9 year old children in Krakow and Ruzomberok and relating the results of these measurements to the level of air pollution in the PM10 and PM2,5 range. 250 children aged 8-9 (125 in Krakow and 125 in Ruzomberok) attending third grades of primary schools, have constituted the research group. The measurement has been taken in accordance with the applicable standards with the application of a MediSOFT Belgium analyzer with a disposable head with an antibacterial filter. The results of the measurements have been referred to the PM10 and PM2,5 concentration of particulate matter in the air. Within the group of 125 children participating in the study in Krakow, the FeNO levels were normal for 104 (83.2%) children and increased for 21 (16.8%) children. During the period of the study, the average PM10 concentration was 55,7 µg/m3 and PM2,5 was 37.0 µg/m3. As far as the group of 125 children examined in Ruzomberok, the FeNO levels were correct (5-20 ppb) for 114 (91,2%) children and increased (21-55) for 11 child­ren (8.8%). During the period of the study, the average PM10 concentration was 24.1 µg/m3 and PM2,5 was 15.4 µg/m3. As one can see from the comparison, 1.9 times more increased FeNO levels have been recorded in Krakow than in Ruzomberok (18.6 vs 8.8%), and, within the range of the heavily increased values (>50 ppb), this difference was as much as 4 times greater (3.2% vs 0.8%). These results correlate with the PM10 and PM2,5 levels in Krakow, which are respectively 2.3 and 2.4 times higher than those in Ruzomberok

NEDA—NEutron Detector Array

The NEutron Detector Array, NEDA, will form the next generation neutron detection system that has been designed to be operated in conjunction with γ-ray arrays, such as the tracking-array AGATA, to aid nuclear spectroscopy studies. NEDA has been designed to be a versatile device, with high-detection efficiency, excellent neutron-γ discrimination, and high rate capabilities. It will be employed in physics campaigns in order to maximise the scientific output, making use of the different stable and radioactive ion beams available in Europe. The first implementation of the neutron detector array NEDA with AGATA 1π was realised at GANIL. This manuscript reviews the various aspects of NEDA

The new neutron multiplicity filter NEDA and its first physics campaign with AGATA

A new neutron multiplicity filter NEDA, after a decade of design, R&D and construction, was employed in its first physics campaign with the AGATA spectrometer. Properties and performance of the array are discussed

Zastosowanie nanostruktur platyny, palladu i srebra we wzmocnionej powierzchniowo spektroskopii Ramana

Zgodnie z wiedzą literaturową w nanostrukturach platyny oraz palladu możliwe jest wzbudzanie plazmonów powierzchniowych falami z zakresu widzialnego, a zatem możliwe jest ich zastosowanie we wzmocnionej powierzchniowo spektroskopii Ramana (SERS). Ponadto oba metale wykazują bardzo dobre właściwości katalityczne, dzięki czemu potencjalnie umożliwiają wzmocnienie sygnału ramanowskiego pochodzącego od produktów reakcji dla których są katalizatorami. W pracy przedstawiono i porównano uzyskane wzmocnienie sygnału ramanowskiego pochodzącego od rodaminy 6G osadzonej na nanostrukturach platyny, palladu oraz srebra, które zostały wytworzone metodą osadzania metalu z roztworu na miedzianym podłożu

Nanomateriały SERS-aktywne wykorzystywane w badaniach markerów nowotworowych

W artykule zaprezentowano metody otrzymywania nanomateriałów wykorzystywanych we wzmocnionej powierzchniowo spektroskopii Ramana (SERS). Scharakteryzowano powierzchnie zsyntetyzowanych materiałów oraz ich efektywność we wzmacnianiu sygnału Ramana substancji referencyjnej, rodaminy 6G. Przedstawiono dotychczasowe dane bibliograficzne dotyczące zastosowania wzmocnionej spektroskopii Ramana do detekcji związków będących markerami chorób nowotworowych oraz substancji, które potencjalnie mogą służyć jako markery w stanach chorobowych

Preparatyka materiałów SERS-aktywnych

W artykule opisano opracowane metody preparatyki różnego typu materiałów zawierających nanocząstki srebra na potrzeby Wzmocnionej Powierzchniowo Spektroskopii Ramana (SERS). W pracy przedstawiono preparatykę koloidów srebra stabilizowanych za pomocą PVP (poliwinylopirolidon) oraz preparatykę koloidu srebra umieszczonego w materiale polimerowym

Design and Test of a High-speed Flash ADC Mezzanine Card for High-resolution and Timing Performance in Nuclear Structure Experiments

International audienceThis board will be part of the upgrade for the new electronics for the EXOGAM2 (HP-Ge detector array) and NEDA (BC501A-based neutron detector array), therefore it was necessary to deal with the problem of providing a sampling card with high resolution for new gamma spectroscopy experiments while sampling at very high rates, with a broad bandwidth in order to preserve the shape for further analysis. Pulse shape analysis is of paramount importance in neutron detectors, such as NEDA, based on scintillators that are sensitive to γ-rays as well. High resolution and high speed are often two parameters which conform a trade-off and it is hard to achieve both simultaneously. The aforementioned constraints and the urge of building new sampling electronics to improve the signal analysis in nuclear physics experiments, led to the development of this FADC mezzanine This involves sampling rates up to 250 Msps preserving a high resolution of 11.3 effective bits in order to satisfy the experiment demands. In this work is described the design and the test bench proposed for a proper high speed ADC characterization system and the results obtained up to now

Testing of the PARIS LaBr3-NaI phowich detector with high energy gamma-rays

International audienceWe report on tests of LaBr3:Ce-NaI:Tl phoswich detectors with $\gamma$-rays at various $\gamma$-ray energies, up to 22.56 MeV, using radioactive sources and nuclear reactions induced by proton beams delivered by accelerators at IFJ PAN Kraków and PLF Mumbai. Two-dimensional analysis of complex waveforms recorded with digital electronics is compared to analog discrimination methods. Both approaches allow to resolve the LaBr3:Ce and NaI:Tl signal components, and to construct clean associated $\gamma$-ray spectra. A digital algorithm to be implemented for the PARIS scintillator array is investigated