[Chronic HBV infection in patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes]. / Przewlekle zakazenie HBV u chorych z zespolami proliferacyjnymi.

Treatment of patients with neoplastic diseases of the lymphatic or lymphoreticular system and HBV infection can lead to reactivation of viral infection. Assessment of HBs antigen among this group is insufficient for the diagnosis of chronic HBV infection. Current research suggests the necessity of determining anti-HBc, antiHBs and HBV-DNA. Elimination of HBV as well as the influence of the virus on hepatocytes is associated with increased inflammatory and necrotic changes in the liver. Understandable, therefore, becomes a possibility of significant damage to hepatocytes caused by HBV during chemoimmunotherapy. Ofparticular importance in the reactivation of HBV are glicocorticosteroids acting as suppressants of the immune system and rituximab activating B cell apoptosis. Reactivation of HBV may occur in more than 60% of patients with positive HBs antigen and in approximately 50% of patients without HBsAg. Early therapy with nucleo(z)tide analogues significantly reduces the incidence ofHBV reactivation.

Electron beam technology for multipollutant emissions control from heavy fuel oil-fired boiler.

The electron beam treatment technology for purification of exhaust gases from the burning of heavy fuel oil (HFO) mazout with sulfur content approximately 3 wt % was tested at the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology laboratory plant. The parametric study was conducted to determine the sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) removal efficiency as a function of temperature and humidity of irradiated gases, absorbed irradiation dose, and ammonia stoichiometry process parameters. In the test performed under optimal conditions with an irradiation dose of 12.4 kGy, simultaneous removal efficiencies of approximately 98% for SO2, and 80% for NO(x) were recorded. The simultaneous decrease of PAH and one-ringed aromatic hydrocarbon (benzene, toluene, and xylenes [BTX]) concentrations was observed in the irradiated flue gas. Overall removal efficiencies of approximately 42% for PAHs and 86% for BTXs were achieved with an irradiation dose 5.3 kGy. The decomposition ratio of these compounds increased with an increase of absorbed dose. The decrease of PAH and BTX concentrations was followed by the increase of oxygen-containing aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations. The PAH and BTX decomposition process was initialized through the reaction with hydroxyl radicals that formed in the electron beam irradiated flue gas. Their decomposition process is based on similar principles as the primary reaction concerning SO2 and NO(x) removal; that is, free radicals attack organic compound chains or rings, causing volatile organic compound decomposition. Thus, the electron beam flue gas treatment (EBFGT) technology ensures simultaneous removal of acid (SO2 and NO(x)) and organic (PAH and BTX) pollutants from flue gas emitted from burning of HFO. This technology is a multipollutant emission control technology that can be applied for treatment of flue gas emitted from coal-, lignite-, and HFO-fired boilers. Other thermal processes such as metallurgy and municipal waste incinerators are potential candidates for this technology application.