Study of the excitation functions of27Al(n, α)24Na,27Al(n,p)27Mg and28Si(n,p)28Al reactions

Cross sections for the reactions²⁷Al(n, p)²⁷Mg and²⁸Si(n,p)²⁸Al were measured by activation method between 13.40 and 14.83 MeV neutron energy. An accuracy of about 4% was achieved using the²⁷Al(n, α)²⁴Na reaction as a reference at 14.1 MeV where the relative excitation function has also been measured. Results obtained were compared to a recent compilation and that calculated by the Hauser-Feshbach model. Using the back-shifted level density formula and taking into account the contribution of the separated levels, the calculations were extended to the energy range from the threshold to 18 MeV. A structure was observed in the²⁷Al(n, α)²⁴Na reaction cross section curve around 14 MeV neutron energy.     

The Hungarian periconceptional service as a model for community genetics

OBJECTIVES: This review describes the methods and results of the Hungarian periconceptional service consisting of counselling, examinations and medical interventions. (The term periconceptional is used instead of preconceptional because the early postconceptional period is also involved to this service.) METHODS: The service was based on three steps: check-up examination of reproductive health (i.e., preconceptional screenings), a 3-month preparation for conception, dispensed and/or supervised by qualified nurses, and a better protection in early pregnancy for the most sensitive early development of the embryo for voluntary and eligible couples. RESULTS: Experiences from the coordinating centre of the Hungarian periconceptional service are summarized between February 1, 1984, and January 31, 1999, thus 15 years. Participants with positive family histories, case histories and subjects with genito-urinary infections had a more effective flow towards secondary care. Infertile couples were diagnosed and treated sooner. The periconceptional service is effective for the introduction of periconceptional folic acid-containing multivitamin supplementation and for the reduction of smoking and alcohol consumption in females in the preconceptional period. The rate of major congenital abnormalities (20.6 per 1,000) was significantly lower than expected. CONCLUSIONS: The periconceptional service is feasible and has many benefits. Thus, proper preparation for conception is the earliest and probably the most important effort to prevent genetic diseases.     

In vitro study of antibiotic effect on bacterial adherence to acrylic intraocular lenses

Implantation of artificial intraocular lenses into the eye during ophthalmic surgical procedures ensures an unliving surface on which bacterial pathogens may attach and form biofilms. Despite antibiotic treatment bacteria growing in biofilms might cause inflammation and serious complications. In this study the adhesive ability of 7 Staphylococcus aureus and 11 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) strains to the surface of acrylic intraocular lenses had been examined by the ultrasonic method. In untreated cases adhesion of the S. aureus and CNS strains did not differ significantly. We could not demonstrate significant differences between the adhesive ability of the standard strains and the clinical isolates. In this study a single – 60 min long – antibiotic (ciprofloxacin and tobramycin) treatment had been applied, that correlate well with the single or intermittant antibiotic prophylaxis of patients. Ciprofloxacin administration was able to reduce significantly the number of attached cells on the surface of acrylic lenses both in the case of S. aureus and CNS strains. Dependence of the effect from concentration could also be demonstrated. Tobramycin treatment was able to inhibit significantly the attachment of S. aureus cells. Despite the debate on antibiotic prophylaxis we presented in our experiments that a single antibiotic administration can decrease the attachment of bacterial cells to the surface of acrylic intraocular lenses, and might be effective in the prevention of postoperative endophthalmitis, that is a rare but serious complication of ophthalmic surgery.     

Simulations of petawatt-class few-cycle optical-parametric chirped-pulse amplification, including nonlinear refractive index effects

We present three-dimensional simulations of optical-parametric chirped-pulse amplification stages for a few-cycle petawatt-class laser. The simulations take into account the effects of depletion, diffraction, walk-off, quantum noise, and the nonlinear refractive index (n(2)). In the absence of n(2) effects, we show these stages can generate 3.67J pulses supporting 4fs transform-limited pulse durations. Adding the nonlinear refractive index to the simulation, the energy output is reduced by ~11% and the bandwidth narrows by ~129nm, increasing the Fourier limit by ~17.5%.     

A new approach for development of rugged sample preparation of metabolites of albendazole in cow milk

Sample preparation is the critical step in analysis of residues in biological samples. The development of a ragged method is time-consuming, because a huge number of parameters must be checked. To reduce the number of experiments Taguchi's method was applied in the sample preparation of metabolites of albendazole. During the experiments 11 controllable and 7 noise factors were investigated. From the influence of controllable and noise factors on recovery and standard deviation, conditions for the sample preparation and recovery could be concluded with high accuracy and reliability.     

Catalytic destruction of brominated aromatic compounds studied in a catalyst microbed coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The capability of solid porous catalysts has been studied for the destruction or modification of halogenated aromatic compounds contaminating the pyrolysis oil of recycled plastics from electronic waste. A fast and simple experimental procedure is carried out using a micropyrolyser coupled to GC-MS in such a way that catalyst microbed was placed in the sample tube of the pyrolyser. The pyrolysis products of polycarbonate blended with a frequently applied flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and epoxy resin containing TBBPA monomer units have been analysed, and the brominated components were compared with the thermal decomposition products of TBBPA and its diallyl ether. When TBBPA vapour passes through molecular sieve 4A a slight debromination and a partial cleavage of bisphenol A into phenols occur. Over molecular sieves of larger pore size (13X and NaY zeolite) an important decrease of TBBPA amount is observed indicating effective trapping ability of these catalysts of basic character for brominated aromatic compounds. A total chemical modification of the vapour was achieved by Al-MCM-41 catalyst that split TBBPA into bromophenols. Analogous results were obtained by carrying out similar experiments on diallyl ether of TBBPA. Moreover, it was revealed that brominated bisphenol A compounds are modified essentially the same way, either evaporated or evolved from a polycarbonate blend or produced by pyrolysis from an epoxy resin.     

New facile tandem route to oxo- and thioxo[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridinium salts

2-Arylsulfanyl- and benzylsulfanylpyridinium N-arylimides (2), easily available from tetrazolo[1,5-b]pyridinium salts (1), participate in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with aryl isothiocyanates and aryl isocyanates to result in formation of fused thioxo- and oxo[1,2,4]triazolium salts (5 and 12), respectively. This transformation is interpreted as a regular 1,3-cycloaddition followed by spontaneous elimination of the aryl- or benzylsulfanyl group. Formation of these triazolium salts can be followed--under appropriate reaction conditions--by ring-opening reactions to afford some new triazolyldienes (6). Recognition of the intermediate participation of the thiolate anion along the pathway 1 --> 5 allowed elaboration of a simple procedure to 5 implying a tandem reaction sequence.     

Competitive processes associated to the interaction of a cavitand derivative with caffeic acid

Abstract

The interaction of caffeic acid and a newly synthesised cavitand derivative was investigated by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy in tetrahydrofuran–water matrix. The temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants was determined first, then the thermodynamic parameters were calculated using the van’t Hoff equation. Absorption measurements highlighted entropy-controlled formation of cavitand–caffeic acid complexes with 1:2 stoichiometry. It was proved by fluorescence measurements that caffeic acid dimerisation is followed by the formation of cavitand–caffeic acid complexes with 1:2 stoichiometry. It was also shown that both the caffeic acid dimerisation and the formation of 1:2 complexes are controlled by the entropy gain. PL signal is preferred to use for analytical application in this particular case.