Sulfur analysis of Bolu-Mengen lignite before and after microbiological treatment using reductive pyrolysis and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Atmospheric pressure-temperature programmed reduction coupled with on-line mass spectrometry (AP-TPR/MS) is used for the first time on microbiologically treated coal samples as a technique to monitor the degree of desulfurization of the various sulfur functionalities. The experimental procedure enables the identification of both organic and inorganic sulfur species present in the coal matrix. A better insight in the degradation of the coal matrix and the accompanying processes during the AP-TPR experiment is obtained by a quantitative differentiation of the sulfur. The determination of the sulfur balance for the reductive pyrolysis gives an overview of the side reactions and their relative contribution in the total process. The volatile sulfur species are unambiguously identified using AP-TPR off-line coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In this way, fundamental mechanisms and reactions that occur during the reductive pyrolysis could be quantified, explaining the differences in AP-TPR recoveries. Therefore, this study gives a clearer view on the possibilities and limitations of AP-TPR as a technique to monitor sulfur functionalities in coal

ππ\pi\pi scattering S wave from the data on the reaction π−p→π0π0n\pi^-p\to\pi^0\pi^0n

The results of the recent experiments on the reaction $\pi^-p\to\pi^0\pi^0n$ performed at KEK, BNL, IHEP, and CERN are analyzed in detail. For the I=0 $\pi\pi$ S wave phase shift $\delta^0_0$ and inelasticity $\eta^0_0$ a new set of data is obtained. Difficulties emerging when using the physical solutions for the $\pi^0\pi^0$ S and D wave amplitudes extracted with the partial wave analyses are discussed. Attention is drawn to the fact that, for the $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant mass, m, above 1 GeV, the other solutions, in principle, are found to be more preferred. For clarifying the situation and further studying the $f_0(980)$ resonance thorough experimental investigations of the reaction $\pi^-p\to\pi^0\pi^0n$ in the m region near the $K\bar K$ threshold are required.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Meson-Meson Scattering in the Quark Model: Spin Dependence and Exotic Channels

We apply a quark interchange model to spin-dependent and exotic meson-meson scattering. The model includes the complete set of standard quark model forces, including OGE spin-orbit and tensor and scalar confinement spin-orbit. Scattering amplitudes derived assuming SHO and Coulomb plus linear plus hyperfine meson wavefunctions are compared. In I=2 pi pi we find approximate agreement with the S-wave phase shift from threshold to 1.5 GeV, where we predict an extremum that is supported by the data. Near threshold we find rapid energy dependence that may reconcile theoretical estimates of small scattering lengths with experimental indications of larger ones based on extrapolation of measurements at moderate kpi^2. In PsV scattering we find that the quark-quark L*S and T forces map into L*S and T meson-meson interactions, and the P-wave L*S force is large. Finally we consider scattering in J^PC-exotic channels, and note that some of the Deck effect mechanisms suggested as possible nonresonant origins of the pi_1(1400) signal are not viable in this model.Comment: 51 pages, 10 figures, uses epsf.sty epsfig.st

Occupational exposure to dusts and risk of renal cell carcinoma

Background: Occupational exposures to dusts have generally been examined in relation to cancers of the respiratory system and have rarely been examined in relation to other cancers, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Although previous epidemiological studies, though few, have shown certain dusts, such as asbestos, to increase renal cancer risk, the potential for other occupational dust exposures to cause kidney damage and/or cancer may exist. We investigated whether asbestos, as well as 20 other occupational dust exposures, were associated with RCC risk in a large European, multi-center, hospital-based renal case-control study.Methods: General occupational histories and job-specific questionnaires were reviewed by occupational hygienists for subject-specific information. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) between RCC risk and exposures were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Results: Among participants ever exposed to dusts, significant associations were observed for glass fibres (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1-3.9), mineral wool fibres (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2-5.1), and brick dust (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0-2.4). Significant trends were also observed with exposure duration and cumulative exposure. No association between RCC risk and asbestos exposure was observed. Conclusion: Results suggest that increased RCC risk may be associated with occupational exposure to specific types of dusts. Additional studies are needed to replicate and extend findings. © 2011 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved

Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi'nde bulaşıcı hastalık bildirimlerini geliştirmek için laboratuvar tanılarının kullanımı ve bulaşıcı hastalıklar bildirim komitesinin rolü

Aim: To evaluate the contribution of serology laboratory data into communicable disease notifications and the role of hospital's Communicable Disease Notification Committee in improving clinicians' notifications in Ege University Hospital in January 2007;amp;#8211; July 2008. Material and Methods: The study is an operational study with two interventions: Finding cases of notifiable disease using serology laboratory data, notifying them and trying to increase clinicians' notifications by making feed-back to clinics through committee meetings. The numbers and ratios of cases notified have been compared with chi-square test. Results: The ratio of cases notified from Ege University Hospital among notifications from all facilities in Izmir has increased from 0.6% to 8.5% (p=0.0000). This ratio significantly increased for brucellosis, mumps, measles, syphilis, hepatitis A, B, C. Clinicians' notification rate has increased by 12 times, from 1.3% to 15.4% (p=0.0000). Clinicians have notified brucellosis, hepatitis A and B significantly more. Clinics that had not notified before have started to notify and there was an increase in the types of disease notified. Conclusion: Laboratory data have made an important contribution to notifications. Committee meetings have been effective in improving clinicians' notifications. Active surveillance based on laboratory data and feed-back to clinics about cases they did not notify could provide a solution to the undernotification problem.Amaç: Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi'nde Ocak 2007-Temmuz 2008 döneminde serolojik laboratuvar tanılarının bulaşıcı hastalık bildirimi amaçlı kullanımını ve hastanenin Bulaşıcı Hastalıklar Bildirim Komitesinin klinisyen bildirimlerini arttırmadaki rolünü değerlendirmek. Yöntem ve Gereç: Hastanenin bulaşıcı hastalık bildirimlerini arttırmaya yönelik müdahale tipi bir araştırmadır. Müdahalenin iki ayağı bulunmaktadır: Seroloji laboratuvarında saptanan bildirimi zorunlu bulaşıcı hastalık olgularının aktif sürveyans yapılarak belirlenip İstatistik Birimi'nce bildirimlerinin yapılması ve komite toplantıları aracılığıyla kliniklere geri bildirim yapılarak klinisyenlerin bildirimlerinin arttırılmaya çalışılması. Bildirilen olgu sayıları ve bildirim oranlarındaki artış ki-kare testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: İl genelinde yapılan bildirimler içinde hastanenin payı %0,6'dan %8,5'e çıkmıştır (p=0,0000). Bruselloz, kabakulak, kızamıkçık, sifiliz ve hepatit A, B, C özelinde de hastanenin payında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı artış bulunmuştur. Klinisyenlerin bildirim oranı %1,3'ten % 15,4'e çıkarak 12 kat artış göstermiştir (p=0,0000). Klinisyenlerin bruselloz, hepatit A ve hepatit B hastalıklarını bildirme oranlarında anlamlı artışlar saptanmıştır. Daha önceden bildirim yapmayan klinikler bildirim yapmaya başlamış ve bildirilen hastalık çeşitlerinde de artış gözlenmiştir. Sonuç: Laboratuvar verilerinin bildirimlere önemli katkısı olmuştur. Komite toplantıları, klinisyenlerin bildirimlerini arttırmada etkili olmuştur. Olgu sayısı yüksek olan sağlık kurumlarında laboratuvar temelli aktif sürveyans yapılması ve kliniklere bildirmedikleri olgularla ilgili geri bildirim yapılması, bulaşıcı hastalık bildirimlerindeki eksikliği gidermek için bir çözüm olabilir

Anomalous magnetic diffraction of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8/Ag/Pb SNS′ Josephson junctions

Proximity Josephson junctions have been formed on cleavage steps of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (BSCCO) single crystals. In-plane, BSCCO/Ag/Pb junctions on such steps show RSJ-type Josephson behavior with supercurrent densities as high as 104 A cm-2 and an IcRn product of 5 mV is observed as theoretically predicted for these junctions. However, c-axis, out-of-plane junctions exhibit no measurable Josephson coupling. Instead, a BCS-like gap structure of 25 mV with a nonzero conductance at zero bias is observed for this kind of junctions. Furthermore, magnetic field dependence of the critical current is studied at low temperatures. Magnetic diffraction pattern is anomalous and decays rapidly to zero with magnetic field at around 300 G. Possible explanations for the anomalous diffraction data have been proposed and discussed in detail