Opisthorchis felineus infection, risks, and morbidity in rural Western Siberia, Russian Federation

The liver fluke, Opisthorchis felineus, is widely distributed throughout Europe and large parts of the Russian Federation. In Western Siberia, information about opisthorchiasis is lacking although infection may lead to severe liver and bile duct diseases. We aimed to assess the current prevalence of O. felineus infection along with associated risk factors and morbidity in rural Western Siberia.; We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional study in the rural Shegarskiy district, Tomsk Oblast, Russian Federation. All household members (≥ 7 years) present on the survey day were enrolled (n = 600). Two stool samples per person were examined for helminth eggs, using PARASEP (DiaSys Ltd, UK). The number of eggs per gram (EPG) of feces was recorded. Each study participant was interviewed to determine risk factors, using a pre-tested questionnaire. An abdominal ultrasonography examination of liver and bile ducts was performed with a mobile, high resolution ultrasound device. In total, 488 persons completed assessments (two stool samples, completed questionnaires); of those, 436 individuals had an ultrasonography (US) examination.; We observed a prevalence of O. felineus infection of 60.2%. Significant risk factors for infection were the consumption of river fish (odds ratio from adjusted analysis [aOR] 2.4, 95% CI 1.52-3.95, p<0.001), particularly stock fish (OR from multivariable analysis [mOR] 3.2, 95% CI 2.63-3.80, p<0.001), smoked fish (mOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.24-1.72, p<0.001), frozen fish (mOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.29-2.02, p<0.001), and raw fish (mOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.05-1.84, p = 0.02); and fishing activities (mOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.03-1.43, p = 0.019). Women had a higher risk of infection than men. Infection was associated positively with age and negatively with socio-economic status. The respondents' general awareness of opisthorchiasis was quite high (93.2%), but their knowledge about infection transmission and prevention was insufficient. Children aged 7-18 years old had a lower level of awareness compared to adults. The abdominal ultrasonography results demonstrated a strong association between O. felineus infection and gallbladder stones (mOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.33-6.04, p = 0.007) and periductal fibrosis of intrahepatic bile ducts (mOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.08-3.46, p = 0.026).; O. felineus infection is highly prevalent in rural regions of Western Siberia, and associated with severe hepatobiliary pathology. Identified risk factors will be used to develop a comprehensive targeted O. felineus infection control program

In-doped gallium oxide micro- and nanostructures: morphology, structure, and luminescence properties

The influence of indium doping on morphology, structural, and luminescence properties of gallium oxide micro- and nanostructures is reported. Indium-doped gallium oxide micro- and nanostructures have been grown by thermal oxidation of metallic gallium in the presence of indium oxide. The dominant morphologies are beltlike structures, which in many cases are twisted leading to springlike structures, showing that In diffusion in Ga2O3 influences the microstructure shapes. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy has revealed the presence of twins in the belts, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has detected a segregation of indium impurities at the edges of planar structures. These results suggest that indium plays a major role in the observed morphologies and support the assumption of a layer by layer model as growth mechanism. An additional assessment of indium influence on the defect structure has been performed by cathodoluminescence in the SEM, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy

Investigation of the corrosion behaviour of U-Al material test reactor fuel elements in repository-relevant solutions and characterisation of the secondary phases formed

The safe embedding of direct-disposed irradiated U-Al material test reactor fuel elements is the main requirement of final disposal. To clarify the behaviour under these conditions corrosion experiments with non-irradiated fuel elements and with aluminium as cladding material were performed. The results are used to explain the corrosion mechanism and characterise the corrosion products formed. Twelve corrosion experiments were performed in different media (MgCl$_{2}$-brine, NaCl-brine and granite water), with iron additives (Fe$^{0}$, Fe$^{II}$) and with différent surface-to-volume ratios at 90°C under anaerobic conditions. The highest corrosion rate was determined in the MgCl$_{2}$-brine with iron additives. A non-irradiated plate of the U-Al fuel element had a higher corrosion rate than an aluminium plate. The corrosion products formed in the MgCl$_{2}$-brine were investigated with FTIR, XRD, SEM and ICP-MS. The main elements of thé secondary phases are magnesium and aluminium. All dissolved aluminium and uranium precipitated in the secondary phases. The corrosion products consist mainly of bishofite and of Mg-Al-hydrotalcite. The latter compound was identified for the frst time in corrosion experiments with aluminium and non-irradiated U-Al plates. To investigate the hydrotalcite properties with respect to final disposal conditions, ion-exchanged experiments with iodide, caesium and americium were performed as well as stability experiments. CO$_{3}$-hydrotalcite and Cl-hydrotalcite are able to exchange these ions. CO$_{3}$-hydrotalcite is stable in a wide pH field, but in the MgCl$_{2}$-brine a Cl-hydrotalcite is formed immediately. These properties make hydrotalcites attractive as possible backfill material

A methods project of a literature lesson on the topic "What lies behind an action?" (a story by V. P. Astafyev, "A horse with a pink mane" in the 6th form)

The article presents a brief abstract of the lesson on V. Astafyev's story "The Horse with the Pink Mane" in the 6th form. The aims, content and forms of teaching depend on the educational program and the age characteristics of the children. The analysis of the text at the lesson is based on the consideration of a system of characters built on the principle of contrast and the image of the main character. The lesson stimulates actualization of moral issues in the process of talking with students (the truth and lies, misdemeanor and punishment, the law of love and the law of justice, the value of the family in a person's life, etc.). The lesson employs a variety of forms and methods of work: working with associations, teacher's story, conversation, analysis of illustrations, work with a mental map, creating a visual presentation of the characters via the coats of arms of two families. The lesson's tasks are creative

Formation of hydrotalcite-like compounds during corrosion experiments on MTR-FE-Al cladding

Adsorption of chlorinated organic compounds (COC) on activated charcoal and determination of ionic chlorine by gas chromatography were used for assessment of water pollution by COC. Content of adsorbing COC was the following (micrograms CI-/l): in river water 10-470, in drinking water 10-1180, in underground water 90-150; content of volatile COC was (micrograms CI-/l): in drinking water 2-117, in underground water 14-16

A methods project of a literature lesson on the topic "What lies behind an action?" (a story by V. P. Astafyev, "A horse with a pink mane" in the 6th form)

The article presents a brief abstract of the lesson on V. Astafyev's story "The Horse with the Pink Mane" in the 6th form. The aims, content and forms of teaching depend on the educational program and the age characteristics of the children. The analysis of the text at the lesson is based on the consideration of a system of characters built on the principle of contrast and the image of the main character. The lesson stimulates actualization of moral issues in the process of talking with students (the truth and lies, misdemeanor and punishment, the law of love and the law of justice, the value of the family in a person's life, etc.). The lesson employs a variety of forms and methods of work: working with associations, teacher's story, conversation, analysis of illustrations, work with a mental map, creating a visual presentation of the characters via the coats of arms of two families. The lesson's tasks are creative

Characterisation of secondary products of uranium-aluminium material test reactor fuel element corrosion in repository-relevant brine

Corrosion experiments with non-irradiated uranium-aluminium fuel elements were performed in MgCl2-rich brine. Distribution analysis of corroded material showed that about 90% of the initially available metallic U and Al precipitated. Investigations of these secondary corrosion products provided that one component is a Mg-Al-Cl-hydrotalcite. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V