Targeted surveillance to assess the presence of BSE in the age risk population of cattle slaughtered in Bursa, Turkey: preliminary results of an immunohistochemical detection study for the 2004-2005 period

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a member of the transmissible spongiform encepahlopathies, has been a notifiable disease in Turkey since 1997. In 2002, the BSE status of Turkey was assessed by the EU Scientific Steering Committee as "it is likely but not confirmed".This study presents the results of a targeted surveillance study to assess the presence of BSE in the age risk population of Bursa, Turkey. In the assessment procedure, the immunohistochemical detection of protease-resistant prion protein (PrP-Sc) was aimed at and applied to 420 brain tissues of cattle slaughtered in Bursa at an age of 30-months and older. None of the samples were positive for BSE

Polymeric electrochromics

Conducting polymers are excellent candidates for applications in displays, mirrors, windows, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, near-infrared devices and electrochromic devices. From these potential applications, in this article, we will focus on the electrochromic polymers and devices. Although several objective studies have been conducted in the last decade, bringing to light many advantages over other types of electrochromics, polymeric electrochromics have not yet received the industrial attention that they deserve. One of the most important and dazzling advantages of polymers over the other types of electrochromics is the ease of modification of a polymers backbone, that changes almost the entire properties of the material and switches many disadvantages into advantages. Our recent completion of the deficient third leg of additive primary colour space was a very good example of tailoring the polymer backbone. This discovery could be considered as one of the milestones of commercialization of polymeric electrochromics. In this article, we will also discuss the completion of the additive primary colours, red, green and blue (RGB), in polymeric electrochromics and their ways of commercialization

A Robust Electroactive n-Dopable Aromatic Polyketone

A new n-dopable polyketone, poly[(5-(2,5-dihexyl-4-(thiophen-2-yl)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)(4-ketophenyl)methanone] (PTK), is synthesized via Friedel-Crafts acylation. Though insulating in the neutral state, PTK becomes conductive upon electrochemical reduction. The stable, two-electron, fully reversible reduction is probed spectroelectrochemically and via in-situ conductivity measurements.

Prolonged Cholestasis due to Infection with Hepatitis A: Case Report

Atypical forms of hepatitis A infection may be seen in adults. Steroid therapy is an up-to-date treatment that can be applied in patients with prolonged cholestasis. In this report a patient with prolonged cholestasis after acute HAV infection has been presented

PEDOT/PAMPS: an electrically conductive polymer composite with electrochromic and cation exchange properties

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-l-propane sulfonate) (PAMPS) composite films were electrochemically prepared from a mixture of water and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and the polyelectrolyte, PAMPS. The presence of PAMPS in the PEDOT matrix was confirmed by spectroscopic and electrochemical methods. Depending on the current density, the conductivity of PEDOT/PAMPS free standing composite films reached values of 80 S/cm. Spectroelectrochemistry of neutralized PEDOT/PAMPS composite films showed a maximum absorption at 2.0 eV (615 nm) and a band gap of 1.65 eV, as calculated from the onset of the π–π* transition. Thin PEDOT/PAMPS composite films were found to switch rapidly between oxidized and reduced states in less than 0.4 s with an initial optical contrast of 76% at λmax: 615 nm. The morphology of the polymer composites demonstrates a cauliflower structure. Despite the high molecular weight of the polyelectrolyte, the film density was found to be similar to classical PEDOT (i.e., ca. 1.4 g/cm3), while the surface roughness averaged below 5%. As expected with the use of a sulfonated polyelectrolyte as dopant, cation exchange properties were observed with hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride as an active electrolyte