Alternative component containing diesel fuel from different waste sources.

Mixtures with high fatty acid content are produced during vegetable oil and animal fat purification and paper production. These waste fractions can be converted into alternative fuels through several steps. The co-hydrogenation of waste polypropylene thermal cracked fraction or waste fatty acid mixture with unrefined gas oils is a potential solution for their conversion into hydrocarbons. The co-processing of these three different fractions was not yet investigated in these ratios. So the aim of the research work was to produce high quality diesel fuels and to study the occurring reactions and the interaction among these different compounds. The catalytic conversion of the mixture of unrefined gas oil, waste polypropylene cracked fraction (20 wt %) and waste fatty acid mixture (10, 20 and 30 wt %) was carried out on a commercial sulphided nickel-molybdenum-alumina catalyst. The effect of the feedstock compositions and the process parameters on the quantity and quality of the products was studied. The favourable process conditions to produce high quality diesel fuel blending components were selected (e.g., 10 wt % fatty acid waste, 360 °C temperature, 1.0 h-1 liquid hourly space velocity). The performance properties of this fuel were better than the conventional diesels', so their usage can be more environmentally friendly and lead to lower pollutant emission.

Male and female physical intimate partner violence and socio-economic position: a cross-sectional international multicentre study in Europe.

OBJECTIVES: This work explores the association between socio-economic position (SEP) and intimate partner violence (IPV) considering the perspectives of men and women as victims, perpetrators and as both (bidirectional). STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional international multicentre study. METHODS: A sample of 3496 men and women, (aged 18-64 years), randomly selected from the general population of residents from six European cities was assessed: Athens; Budapest; London; Östersund; Porto; and Stuttgart. Their education (primary, secondary and university), occupation (upper white collar, lower white collar and blue collar) and unemployment duration (never, ≤12 months and >12 months) were considered as SEP indicators and physical IPV was measured with the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales. RESULTS: Past year physical IPV was declared by 17.7% of women (3.5% victims, 4.2% perpetrators and 10.0% bidirectional) and 19.8% of men (4.1% victims, 3.8% perpetrators and 11.9% bidirectional). Low educational level (primary vs university) was associated with female victimisation (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 3.2; 1.3-8.0) and with female bidirectional IPV (4.1, 2.4-7.1). Blue collar occupation (vs upper white) was associated with female victimisation (2.1, 1.1-4.0), female perpetration (3.0, 1.3-6.8) and female bidirectional IPV (4.0, 2.3-7.0). Unemployment duration was associated with male perpetration (>12 months of unemployment vs never unemployed: 3.8; 1.7-8.7) and with bidirectional IPV in both sex (women: 1.8, 1.2-2.7; men: 1.7, 1.0-2.8). CONCLUSIONS: In these European centres, physical IPV was associated with a disadvantaged SEP. A consistent socio-economic gradient was observed in female bidirectional involvement, but victims or perpetrators-only presented gender specificities according to levels of education, occupation differentiation and unemployment duration potentially useful for designing interventions.

[Diagnosis of hematochezia in Abidjan Cocody University Hospital (Ivory Coast)]. / Diagnostic des rectorragies au centre hospitalier universitaire de Cocody à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)

AIM: To determine the prevalence of endoscopic lesions, according to age and location, in patients with rectal bleeding who underwent total colonoscopy. METHODS: Retrospective observational study examining records from the hepatogastroenterology department at the Cocody University Hospital (Abidjan) of colonoscopies for rectal examination from September 1, 1991, through August 15, 2007. The data collected and analyzed from the records included age, sex and colonoscopy results. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of 1,158 colonoscopies, 270 (23.3%) were performed for hematochezia: 105 women (mean age: 48.8 years ± 19.9 years, range: 10-96 years) and 165 men (mean age: 46 ± 14.2, range: 21-83 years) with a sex-ratio (M/F) of 1.57. Because colorectal cancer seems to occur at a younger age in Africa, patients were divided into two groups (aged 45 years: 139 [51.5%] and above 45 years: 131 [48.5%]). The abnormalities found were consistent with anal pathologies (16.3%), polyps (10.4%), diverticular disease (11.1%), colorectal inflammatory lesions (21.5%) and carcinoma (7%). Diverticula were significantly more common in those older than 45 years and inflammatory lesions in the younger group (p < 10(-3)). More than two thirds of the significant lesions were found in the distal colon (p < 10(-3)). CONCLUSION: The predominance of distal colon lesions suggests that exploration by flexible sigmoidoscopy can be performed in patients with low to moderate risk of colorectal cancer, with total colonoscopy reserved for the population at high risk.

[Personal experience with thermoablation of the endometrium with the Thermachoice balloon catheter]. / Nase zkusenosti s termoablací endometria balonovým katétrem Termachoice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our first experience with thermal balloon therapy of abnormal uterine bleeding. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague. METHODS: Ten procedures of balloon thermal endometrial ablations were performed between November 1998 and February 1999. From ten patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, 4 patients with concomitant polymorbidity (sclerosis multiplex, hypertension, hepatopathia, pyelonephritis) where more invasive intervention was not recommended or was contraindicated. Treatment entailed controlled heating of intrauterine balloon. Local anaesthesia-paracervical block with analgosedation was employed in 50% of procedures and general anaesthesia was employed in 50% of cases. Follow up after 3, 6, 12, 24 months is required. Success was defined as the reduction of menses to eumenorrhoea or less. RESULTS: Preliminary results after 6 months follow up are successful in 100%; in 5 (50%) cases we recorded amenorrhoea, in 2 (20%) cases hypomenorrhoea and in 3 (30%) cases eumenorrhoea. CONCLUSION: Thermal balloon endometrial ablation appears to be safe due to its minimal invasivity especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding with concomitant polymorbidity.