Congenital sialoblastoma (embryoma) associated with premature centromere division and high level of alpha-fetoprotein

Sialoblastoma is a rare, locally aggressive, and potentially malignant perinatal salivary tumor that predominantly affects the parotid glands. To date, 29 cases of sialoblastoma have been reported. We report a further case of sialoblastoma diagnosed at 37 weeks of gestation presenting with novel findings that are the premature centromere division and a high level of alpha-fetoprotein. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recycling of waste glass as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in concrete

Waste glass creates serious environmental problems, mainly due to the inconsistency of waste glass streams. With increasing environmental pressure to reduce solid waste and to recycle as much as possible, the concrete industry has adopted a number of methods to achieve this goal. The properties of concretes containing waste glass as fine aggregate were investigated in this study. The strength properties and ASR expansion were analyzed in terms of waste glass content. An overall quantity of 80 kg of crushed waste glass was used as a partial replacement for sand at 10%, 15%, and 20% with 900 kg of concrete mixes. The results proved 80% pozzolanic strength activity given by waste glass after 28 days. The flexural strength and compressive strength of specimens with 20% waste glass content were 10.99% and 4.23%, respectively, higher than those of the control specimen at 28 days. The mortar bar tests demonstrated that the finely crushed waste glass helped reduce expansion by 66% as compared with the control mix.     

Use of waste plastic in concrete mixture as aggregate replacement

Industrial activities in Iraq are associated with significant amounts of non-biodegradable solid waste, waste plastic being among the most prominent. This study involved 86 experiments and 254 tests to determine the efficiency of reusing waste plastic in the production of concrete. Thirty kilograms of waste plastic of fabriform shapes was used as a partial replacement for sand by 0%, 10%, 15%, and 20% with 800 kg of concrete mixtures. All of the concrete mixtures were tested at room temperature. These tests include performing slump, fresh density, dry density, compressive strength, flexural strength, and toughness indices. Seventy cubes were molded for compressive strength and dry density tests, and 54 prisms were cast for flexural strength and toughness indices tests. Curing ages of 3, 7, 14, and 28 days for the concrete mixtures were applied in this work. The results proved the arrest of the propagation of micro cracks by introducing waste plastic of fabriform shapes to concrete mixtures. This study insures that reusing waste plastic as a sand-substitution aggregate in concrete gives a good approach to reduce the cost of materials and solve some of the solid waste problems posed by plastics.     

Synthesis of linear low-density polyethylene-g-poly (acrylic acid)-co-starch/organo-montmorillonite hydrogel composite as an adsorbent for removal of Pb(Ⅱ) from aqueous solutions

The purpose of this work is to remove Pb(II) from the aqueous solution using a type of hydrogel composite. A hydrogel composite consisting of waste linear low density polyethylene, acrylic acid, starch, and organo-montmorillonite was prepared through emulsion polymerization method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Solid carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (CNMR)), silicon^-29 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (Si NMR)), and X-ray diffraction spectroscope ((XRD) were applied to characterize the hydrogel composite. The hydrogel composite was then employed as an adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) from the aqueous solution. The Pb(II)-loaded hydrogel composite was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ((XPS)). From XPS results, it was found that the carboxyl and hydroxyl groups of the hydrogel composite participated in the removal of Pb(II). Kinetic studies indicated that the adsorption of Pb(II) followed the pseudo-second-order equation. It was also found that the Langmuir model described the adsorption isotherm better than the Freundlich isotherm. The maximum removal capacity of the hydrogel composite for Pb(II) ions was 430 mg/g. Thus, the waste linear low-density polyethylene-g-poly (acrylic acid)-co-starch/organo-montmorillonite hydrogel composite could be a promising Pb(II) adsorbent.     

Assessing the recycling potential of industrial wastewater to replace fresh water in concrete mixes: application of polyvinyl acetate resin wastewater

This study presents the use of industrial wastewater released from polyvinyl acetate resin manufacturing plant to totally replace the fresh water in concrete composites. Seventy-two laboratory prepared concrete composites were tested to investigate the effect of using various PVAW/C ratios of 0.30, 0.35, 0.40, and 0.45 on the slump, compressive strength, flexural strength, and dry density of the concrete mixes. Results indicated a slight to moderate increase in compressive strength and hard density values compared to those of the control concrete made with fresh water at 7 and 28 day curing. On the contrary, a reduction in the slump values of the PVAW–concrete was observed compared to the slump of the control mixes. However, the slump values increased with increasing the PVAW/C ratios. On the other hand, the waste material leaching test revealed that none of the PVAW toxic constituents was detected. The findings of this work would form basic information for recycling PVAW in concrete mixes and indicate a potential alternative for diminution the adverse effects on the environment posed by the hazardous effluent of the polyvinyl acetate resin industry.     

Determination of the effects of temporal change in urban and agricultural land uses as seen in the example of the town of Akhisar, using remote sensing techniques

Today, as a result of erratic and unplanned urbanization, towns are rapidly becoming a mass of concrete and town-dwellers are suffocated by their busy and stressful professional lives. They feel a need for places where they can find breathing-space in their free time. Green areas within towns are important spaces where townspeople are able to carry out recreational activities. These places form a link between townspeople and nature. The importance of urban green areas is increasing with every passing day due to their social, psychological, ecological, physical and economic functions and their impact on the quality of towns. In this study it has been attempted to demonstrate the pressures of urban development on agricultural land by determining the changing land use situation over the years in the district of Akhisar. In this research, an aerial photograph from year 1939 and satellite images of the town from the years 2000 and 2007 were used. Land use changes in the region were determined spatially. As a result of this study, which aims to determine in which direction urbanization is progressing in the district, the importance of town planning emerges. This study will be informative for the local authorities in their future town planning projects. With its flat and almost flat fertile arable land, the district of Akhisar occupies an important position within the province of Manisa. From the point of view of olive production the region is one of Turkey's important centres. Fifty-five percent of the olive production in the province of Manisa is realized in Akhisar. However, the results of the present study show that while agricultural areas comprised 2.5805 km(2) in 1939, these had diminished to 1.5146 km(2) in the year 2000 and had diminished to 1.0762 km(2) in the year 2007 and residential area (dense) 0.449 km(2) occupied in 1939, in the year 2000 this had risen to 1.9472 and 2.3238 km(2) in the year 2007. This planless urbanization in the study area has led to great losses of farmland.     

Heavy metals in freshwater snails of Kuala Klawang's rice field,Negeri Sembilan,Malaysia

A study of heavy metal contents in freshwater snails from rice fields have been made. The results indicate that the levels of heavy metals, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd, are low and within the permissible limit of Malaysian Food Regulations. The results can serve as background data for further reference.