S-L-G (solid-liquid-gas) phase transition of cocoa butter in supercritical CO2

Phase equilibrium data (solid-liquid-gas) for cocoa butter and carbon dioxide were determined in view if their importance in design of PGSS (particles from gas saturated solutions) micronization process. The mutual solubility in the system cocoa butter/CO2 was measured by the static-analytic method in the temperature range of 30-80 °C and pressure range of 1-30 MPa. The experiments on solid-liquid (S-L) transition for cocoa butter in the presence of carbon dioxide were performed by the modified capillary method in a high pressure optical cell. For the production of finely dispersed cocoa butter by expanding CO2-saturated solutions, the initial guess indicates that the starting conditions should be near the liquefaction curve in order to allow the solid-liquid region to be reached after expansion

Multi-year interlaboratory exercises for the analysis of illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater:development of a quality control system

Thirty-seven laboratories from 25 countries present the development of an inter-laboratory testing scheme for the analysis of seven illicit drug residues in standard solutions, tap- and wastewater. Almost 10 000 concentration values were evaluated: triplicates of up to five samples and 26 laboratories per year. The setup was substantially improved with experiences gained across the six repetitions (e.g. matrix type, sample conditions, spiking levels). From this, (pre-)analytical issues (e.g. pH adjustment, filtration) were revealed for specific analytes which resulted in formulation of best-practice protocols for inter-laboratory setup and analytical procedures. The results illustrate the effectiveness of the inter-laboratory setup to assess laboratory performance in the framework of wastewater-based epidemiology. The exercise proved that measurements of laboratories were of high quality (>80% satisfactory results for six out of seven analytes) and that analytical follow-up is important to assist laboratories in improving robustness of wastewater-based epidemiology results

A review of the renal system and diurnal variations of renal activity in livestock

Kidneys are the main organs regulating water-electrolyte homeostasis in the body. They are responsible for maintaining the total volume of water and its distribution in particular water spaces, for electrolyte composition of systemic fluids and also for maintaining acid-base balance. These functions are performed by the plasma filtration process in renal glomeruli and the processes of active absorption and secretion in renal tubules, all adjusted to an 'activity-rest' rhythm. These diurnal changes are influenced by a 24-hour cycle of activity of hormones engaged in the regulation of renal activity. Studies on spontaneous rhythms of renal activity have been carried out mainly on humans and laboratory animals, but few studies have been carried out on livestock animals. Moreover, those results cover only some aspects of renal physiology. This review gives an overview of current knowledge concerning renal function and diurnal variations of some renal activity parameters in livestock, providing greater understanding of general chronobiological processes in mammals. Detailed knowledge of these rhythms is useful for clinical, practical and pharmacological purposes, as well as studies on their physical performance

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Adaptation of seismic civil engineering standards to the design of structures under the excitations from mine tremors

W artykule przedstawiono metodykę adaptacji klasycznych norm projektowania antysejsmicznego do projektowania budowli na wstrząsy górnicze. Szczegółowo opisano aktualną postać adaptacji europejskiej normy sejsmicznej Eurokod 8 do projektowania budowli narażonych w okresie eksploatacji na działanie wstrząsów górniczych na terenie LGOM oraz podano algorytm stosownego podejścia do celów projektowania w specjalnie zaplanowanych strefach sejsmicznych LGOM. Powiązanie prognozowanej intensywności wstrząsów górniczych z projektowymi przyspieszeniami podłoża rozwiązano, zakładając poziomą składową prędkości drgań gruntu jako najlepszy parametr intensywności ruchu wstrząsów górniczych. Jako kryterium ekwiwalentnej intensywności wstrząsów górniczych o zadanym poziomie prędkości podłoża i wymuszeń sejsmicznych o zadanym projektowym przyspieszeniu przyjęto założenie o tych samych względnych przemieszczeniach oscylatorów (budowli) poddanych wstrząsom górniczym i wymuszeniom zgodnym z Eurokodem 8. Założenie to zgodne jest z nowoczesną metodologią w projektowaniu budowli na wpływy sejsmiczne, będącą tzw. podejściem przemieszczeniowym.This paper presents a methodology of adaptation of the classic, seismic and civil engineering standards to the design of structures subjected to mine tremors. Actual form of adaptation of the European Seismic Code Eurocode 8 for this purpose, and the special algorithm for choosing a suitable approach for planning in the special LGOM seismic zones, were presented in detail. The forecasted tremor intensity is linked with the designed seismic acceleration, assuming that the horizontal velocity is the best parameter of the mining tremor intensity. An approach of the same oscillator (building) displacements and the design (Eurocode 8) displacements was taken. It corresponds to the modern approach of seismic structural design (so called displacement approach)

Zawartosc miedzi w trawach na terenie Fabryki Kabli 'Zalom' w Szczecinie jako kryterium wyboru kierunku zagospodarowania wytworzonej biomasy

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań nad zawartością miedzi w nadziemnych organach traw porastających gleby na terenie Fabryki Kabli „Załom” w Szczecinie. Z uwagi na silne zanieczyszczenie gleb miedzią, wytwarzana biomasa roślin charakteryzuje się wysoką zawartością tego metalu, co ogranicza możliwość jej zagospodarowania. Utrzymywanie trwałego zadarnienia na tym terenie odgrywa ogromną rolę w ograniczaniu możliwości przedostawania się zanieczyszczeń w głąb gleby.The copper content in above-ground part of grasses which cover the soils on sites differently contaminated with this element on the area of Cable Factory „Załom” in Szczecin, was presented in this paper. Due to high copper content in soil, the concentration of this element in produced plant biomass is also high what substantially limited the possibility of its management. Permanent grass cover on contaminated area is very useful to reducing heavy metals’ migration into deeper layers of soil profile