Search for Neutron Flux Generation in a Plasma Discharge Electrolytic Cell

Following some recent unexpected hints of neutron production in setups like high-voltage atmospheric discharges and plasma discharges in electrolytic cells, we present a measurement of the neutron flux in a configuration similar to the latter. We use two different types of neutron detectors, poly-allyl-diglicol-carbonate (PADC, aka CR-39) tracers and Indium disks. At 95% C.L. we provide an upper limit of 1.5 neutrons cm^-2 s^-1 for the thermal neutron flux at ~5 cm from the center of the cell. Allowing for a higher energy neutron component the largest allowed flux is 64 neutrons cm^-2 s^-1. This upper limit is two orders of magnitude smaller than what previously claimed in an electrolytic cell plasma discharge experiment. Furthermore the behavior of the CR-39 is discussed to point our possible sources of spurious signals.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Improving safety through non-technical skills in chemical plants: The validity of a questionnaire for the self-assessment of workers

This research is aimed at developing a questionnaire for the self-assessment of non-technical skills (NTS) leading to safety in the chemical sector and at analysing the properties of its scales in terms of construct validity. The research involved 269 Italian employees from three chemical plants of an international company, who occupied low\u2013medium levels in the organizational hierarchy. Results showed a good level of validity and reliability of the instrument and suggested that communication, situational awareness, decision-making, and fatigue/stress management are the four most important NTS for safety in the chemical sector

Stimulating Multiple-Demand Cortex Enhances Vocabulary Learning

It is well established that networks within multiple-demand cortex (MDC) become active when diverse skills and behaviors are being learnt. However, their causal role in learning remains to be established. In the present study, we first performed functional magnetic resonance imaging on healthy female and male human participants to confirm that MDC was most active in the initial stages of learning a novel vocabulary, consisting of pronounceable nonwords (pseudowords), each associated with a picture of a real object. We then examined, in healthy female and male human participants, whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of a frontal midline node of the cingulo-opercular MDC affected learning rates specifically during the initial stages of learning. We report that stimulation of this node, but not a control brain region, substantially improved both accuracy and response times during the earliest stage of learning pseudoword– object associations. This stimulation had no effect on the processing of established vocabulary, tested by the accuracy and response times when participants decided whether a real word was accurately paired with a picture of an object. These results provide evidence that noninvasive stimulation to MDC nodes can enhance learning rates, thereby demonstrating their causal role in the learning process. We propose that this causal role makes MDC candidate target for exper- imental therapeutics; for example, in stroke patients with aphasia attempting to reacquire a vocabulary

Fusarium spp en trigo, capacidad toxicogenica y quimiotaxonomia de las cepas aisladas en la Argentina

Se aislaron e identificaron 91 cepas de Fusarium spp (F graminearum, F equiseti, F moniliforme, F m var anthophilum, F acuminatum, F solani y F oxisporum) a partir de semillas de trigo pan procedentes de 17 localidades trigueras de la República Argentina. Mediante el cultivo de las mismas en arroz pelado y pulido se evaluó la producción de tricotecenos y zearalenona, a los efectos de revelar si existen diferencias regionales en cuanto a su presencia. Se detectaron cepas productoras de tricotecenos del grupo B y zearalenona, no habiéndose hallado productoras del grupo A. De las cepas evaluadas el 82,4% produjeron tricotecenos que se subdividieron en dos grupos: a) las cepas productoras de deoxinivalenol (DON) y su precursor 3 acetil-deoxinivalenol (AcDON) y b) las productoras de nivalenol (NIV) y su precursor 4 acetil-nivalenol o fusarenona-x (FUS-X). Los resultados demostraron que el 48,3% de las cepas fueron productoras de DON, el 7,7% de NIV y el 26,4% tuvieron la capacidad de producir simultaneamente DON y NIV en los cultivos. Al considerar exclusivamente las cepas de F graminearum el 89,4% fueron toxicogénicas, de ellas el 55,9% pertenecieron al quimiotipo DON, 10,3% al quimiotipo NIV y 33,8% produjeron DON y NIV. En cuanto a la zearalenona (ZEA) el 63,2% del total de las cepas fueron productoras de esta toxina, no existiendo ninguna relación entre los grupos DON y NIV con la producción de ZEA. La distribución de las cepas toxicogénicas de Fusarium spp observada en las distintas localidades de la República Argentina, permite inferir la existencia de diferencias regionales en el área triguera.In wheat seeds from 17 different wheat growing sites, 91 Fusarium spp strains (F graminearum, F equiseti, F moniliforme, F m var anthophilum, F acuminatum, F solani and F oxysporum) were isolated and identified. The production of trichothecenes and zearalenone was evaluated after growing them on peeled and polished rice to find out if there were any regional differences in their prevalence. Strains producing trichothecenes of the B group and zearalenone were detected; no producers of the A groups were found. From the strains studied, 82.4% produced trichothecenes, and could be divided into 2 groups: a), deoxynivalenol (DON) producing strains and its precursor 3 acetyldeoxynivalenol (AcDON); and b), nivalenol (NIV) producing strains and its precursor 4 acetylnivalenol or fusarenone-x (FUS-X). The results showed that 48.3% of the strains were DON producers, 7.7% NIV producers and 26.4% produced both DON and NIV. Eighty-nine point four percent Fgraminearum strains were toxigenic; among them 55.9% were DON chemotype, 10.3% NIV chemotype and 33.8% produced DON and NIV. Sixty-three point two percent of the strains also produced zearalenone (ZEA), no relation existing between the DON and NIV groups with regard to ZEA production. The finding of certain toxigenic strains in various sites in Argentina allows us to conclude that regional differences exist

Role of Nanoclays in Carbon stabilization in Andisols and Cambisols

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their consequent effect on global warming are an issue of global environmental concern. Increased carbon (C) stabilization and sequestration in soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the ways to mitigate these emissions. Here we evaluated the role of nanoclays isolated from soil on C stabilization in both a C rich Andisols and C depleted Cambisols. Nanoclays were analyzed for size and morphology by transmission electron microscopy, for elemental composition and molecular composition using pyrolysis-GC/MS. Moreover, nanoclays were treated with H2O2 to isolate stable SOM associated with them. Our result showed better nanoclay extraction efficiency and higher nanoclay yield for Cambisol compared to Andisols, probably related to their low organic matter content. Nanoclay fractions from both soils were different in size, morphology, surface reactivity and SOM content. Nanoclays in Andisols sequester around 5-times more C than Cambisols, and stabilized 6 to 8-times more C than Cambisols nanoclay after SOM chemical oxidation. Isoelectric points and surface charge of nanoclays extracted from the two soils was very different. However, the chemical reactivity of the nanoclay SOM was similar, illustrating their importance for C sequestration. Generally, the precise C stabilization mechanisms of both soils may be different, with nanoscale aggregation being more important in Andisols. We can conclude that independent of the soil type and mineralogy the nanoclay fraction may play an important role in C sequestration and stabilization in soil-plant systems

"Is this case of a very rare disease work-related?" A review of reported cases of Pacinian neuroma.

Objective In response to a request for a medicolegal opinion from an orthopaedic technician with pacinian neuroma of the hand, we conducted a systematic review of reported cases designed to assess whether this rare disease could be considered to be work-related.Methods We used Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, Google, and a manual search to identify reports of histologically confirmed pacinian neuroma of the hand manifesting after 15 years of age. Cases with available information (from article/authors) on personal history were considered eligible. We tabulated information on age/gender; localization and histopathologic features; signs/symptoms; history of local trauma; occupation, sports/hobbies or other physical exposures; right- or left-handedness; and outcome.Results We found 44 eligible cases (including the present referral). Of these, 21 (48%) followed a trauma [<6 months from onset/presentation (N=7); 0.5\u20132 years from onset (N=6); 652 years from onset (N=7); and timing unknown (N=1)] involving the same anatomic site. Three of these 21 traumas definitely occurred at work, and a further 2 cases occurred at the site of definite work-related repetitive microtrauma.Conclusions The results reinforce the concept that pacinian neuroma of the hand can follow local trauma or repetitive microtrauma. Implicated traumas were either recent or remote, and they sometimes occurred while performing manual tasks at work. We concluded that the referred case could plausibly be considered work-related

Risultati preliminari della campagna oceanografica CAFE_07 – Leg 3 nei Golfi di Napoli e Pozzuoli, Mar Tirreno Orientale

Vengono presentati i risultati preliminari della campagna oceanografica CAFE_07 - Leg 3, svoltasi nei Golfi di Napoli e Pozzuoli, nel Gennaio 2008, a bordo della Nave Oceanografica (N/O) URANIA del CNR. Lo scopo della campagna è stato l’acquisizione di profili sismici multicanale di elevata risoluzione dedicati allo studio stratigrafico-strutturale degli apparati vulcanici affioranti e sepolti nell’offshore Napoletano, ed il rilievo batimetrico di dettaglio dell’area sommersa. I dati raccolti sono consistiti in circa 800 km di profili sismici a riflessione multicanale di alta risoluzione, con acquisizione sismica simultanea da due sorgenti GI-gun operanti con potenza e frequenze differenti,mediante due cavi idrofonici. Durante la navigazione sono stati anche acquisiti profili sismici a riflessione monocanale di altissima risoluzione (sub-bottom CHIRP) e dati batimetrici mediante ecoscandaglio multifascio (multibeam). Il grid di acquisizione sismica multicanale è consistito in alcuni profili lunghi attraverso il Golfo di Napoli e da una fitta griglia di profili più corti, con interasse di circa 150 m, allo scopo di ottenere una copertura sismica quasi 3-D del Golfo di Pozzuoli. Questo set di dati costituisce una parte delle indagini di dettaglio richieste per la stesura di una proposta di perforazione del settore sommerso dei Campi Flegrei da sottomettere all’Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) ed è di supporto alla realizzazione di un progetto di perforazione profonda dei Campi Flegrei presentato all’International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). We present the preliminary results of the oceanographic cruise CAFE_07 – Leg 3, conducted in the Napoli and Pozzuoli Bays in January 2008, on board of the Research Vessel (R/V) URANIA of the CNR. The aim of the cruise was the acquisition of high resolution multi-channel seismic profiles to understand the stratigraphic-structural setting of the Pozzuoli Bay area, with specific reference to the major offshore volcanic features, as well as the acquisition of bathymetric data on the seafloor morphology of the Bay. About 800 km of seismic profiles were acquired simultaneously by two acquisition systems, each characterized by different seismic source and streamer configuration, operating at different frequency ranges. Moreover shallow high resolution seismic reflection profiles (sub-bottom CHIRP) and multibeam echo-sounder bathymetry data have been recorded. The seismic grid consisted in a number of assistant profiles acquired over the Bay of Naples, along with a dense network of profiles with average distance of about 150 m between navigation routes, in order to obtain a quasi 3-D seismic coverage of the Pozzuoli Bay. This data set represents a part of the requirements for on-site detailed investigations (“site survey”) that are necessary for the development of an Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) proposal dedicated to the offshore drilling of the Campi Flegrei and is a relevant complement in the site survey of an ongoing project that has been submitted to the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP)

Acceptability of Male Circumcision for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic

Male circumcision (MC) is an effective strategy to prevent HIV infection in heterosexual men. To our knowledge, there are no studies of the acceptability of this procedure in the Dominican Republic (DR). The main objective of this study was to assess the acceptability of MC to prevent HIV transmission among men ages 18 to 50 years in the Altagracia Province in the Dominican Republic. Because differences in culture and beliefs between Haitians and Dominicans could potentially influence their acceptability of MC, we conducted a comparative analysis based on national origin.A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 368 men. The questionnaire was divided in 3 sections: 1) Background demographics (including national origin), 2) Male circumcision and 3) Sexual health. Stratified and logistic multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the acceptability of MC.The sample consisted of 238 (65%) Dominicans and 130 (35%) Haitian immigrants. Almost all participants were uncircumcised (95%) and about half (52%) were single. The overall acceptability of MC was 29%. The number of men willing to be circumcised increased to 67% after an information session explaining the benefits of the procedure. 74% of men reported that they would be willing to circumcise their sons after hearing that information. In multivariate analysis, Haitian nationality (OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.01-3.41), knowing that circumcision improves hygiene (OR=2.78, 95% CI 1.29-6.0) and not believing that circumcision decreases sexual pleasure (OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.20-3.94) were associated with a higher acceptability of the procedure. Although age was not significantly associated with the willingness to be circumcised in the multivariate analysis, stratified analysis based on national origin suggested that younger Dominicans (<30 years of age) are more likely to accept the procedure when compared to their older counterparts (OR=2.17, 95% CI 1.14-4.12).An important number of sexually active men in the DR may be willing to be circumcised if educational resources detailing the benefits of the procedure are made available. These educational activities would constitute a great opportunity to teach about sexual health and reinforce safe sex practices