Charged-particle multiplicity near midrapidity in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[SNN]=56 and 130 GeV

We present the first measurement of pseudorapidity densities of primary charged particles near midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)] = 56 and 130 GeV. For the most central collisions, we find the charged-particle pseudorapidity density to be dN/deta|(|eta|<1) = 408+/-12(stat)+/-30(syst) at 56 GeV and 555+/-12(stat)+/-35(syst) at 130 GeV, values that are higher than any previously observed in nuclear collisions. Compared to proton-antiproton collisions, our data show an increase in the pseudorapidity density per participant by more than 40% at the higher energy.

Chloride ions formation during degradation of organochloride compounds using TiO2 deposited on glass microspheres

Aqueous solutions containing 200 mg/dm3 of p,p'-DDT and methoxychlor were photodegraded for 60 min in UV/TiO2/O2 system and chloride ions concentration and pH were measured. From 60 to 80% of the investigated pesticides were eliminated after treatment. Over 27% of chlorine atoms were splitted off for methoxychlor and 10% for p,p'-DDT. The experimental data suggest, that chlorine atoms were removed from the -CCl3 moiety but the chlorine atoms bound to aromatic ring were left intact at this step of photodegradation.

Enhanced susceptibility in LNiO3 perovskites ( L = La,Pr,Nd,Nd0.5Sm0. 5)

The temperature dependence of the resistivity rho(T) and of the dc magnetic susceptibility chi(T) were measured on high-quality LNiO3 (L = La,Pr,Nd,Nd0.5Sm0.5) samples synthesized under high oxygen pressure. Subtraction of the rare-earth contribution to chi(T) allows the presentation of the evolution of the susceptibility of the NiO3 array from Pauli to Curie-Weiss paramagnetism with decreasing bandwidth. A metal-insulator transition occurring at a temperature T(t) = T(N) is first order for L = Pr and Nd; it becomes second order and produces no anomaly in chi(-1)(T) at a T(t)>T(N) for L = Nd0.5Sm0.5. In the antiferromagnetic domain T<T(N), the chi(T) curve for the NiO3 array resembles that of a paramagnet.

[14-year experience with surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis]

The authors discuss their own 14-year experience with surgical treatment of the chronic pancreatitis. They treated 64 patients of a mean age of 43 years. An abdominal pain, persisting in all patients, constituted the main indication to surgery. Forty patients underwent pancreatic enterostomy with Puestow technique, 19 patients resections of various extension, and 5 patients underwent pancreatic duodenostomy. Mortality rate in pancreatic enterostomy and pancreatic duodenostomy was 2.5% whereas mortality rate in resections was 5.3%. Complications were noted in 27.5% and 36.8% of patients, respectively. Pain was completely abolished or markedly reduced in 90% of patients. Forty eight (77.4%) out of 62 patients were identified and followed up. According to commonly used criteria, positive late results were achieved in 56.2% of patients, moderate in 29.2%, and poor result in 14.6% of the treated patients.