Evaluation of Major and Trace Elements Present in Extracted Humic Acid from Bog Peat

The human consumption of humic acid is increasingly relevant therefore the knowledge of exact composition is essential. To make a step in that direction we present gap filling results obtained from three different element analytical investigations of humic acid extracted from fen peat examined in the Carpathian Basin. Prompt-gamma activation (PGAA), neutron activation analytical method (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis was carried out. After presenting and explaining the essence of used analytical methods we show some collected spectra and a table where all the concentration of the iden- tified elements are presented with the corresponding measurement errors. All together 42 elements were identified. PACS.78.70.En, 78.70. Nx,78. 90.+t X-ray emission spectra and fluorescence, Neutroninelastic scattering, Other topics in optical properties, condensed matter aspect.

Intraoperative localization and preservation of reading in ventral occipitotemporal cortex

Resective surgery in language-dominant ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOTC) carries the risk of causing impairment to reading. As it is not on the lateral surface, it is not easily accessible for intraoperative mapping and extensive stimulation mapping can be time consuming. Here we assess the feasibility of using task-based electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings intraoperatively to help guide stimulation mapping of reading in vOTC. In 11 patients undergoing extraoperative, intracranial seizure mapping we recorded induced broadband gamma activation (70 - 150 Hz) during a visual category localizer. Word-responsive cortex localized in this manner showed a high sensitivity (72%) to stimulation-induced reading deficits, and the confluence of ECoG and stimulation positive sites appears to demarcate the visual word form area. In two additional patients, with pathologies necessitating resections in language-dominant vOTC, task-based functional mapping was performed intraoperatively using subdural ECoG, alongside direct cortical stimulation. Cortical areas critical for reading were mapped and successfully preserved, while enabling pathological tissue to be completely removed. Data collection is possible in <3 minutes and initial intraoperative data analysis takes <3 minutes, allowing for rapid assessment of broad areas of cortex. Eloquent cortex in ventral visual cortex can be rapidly mapped intraoperatively using ECoG. This method acts to guide high-probability targets for stimulation, with limited patient participation, and can be used to avoid iatrogenic dyslexia following surgery.

Non-destructive characterization of bronze objects from Ráksi and the Pusztasárkánytó depot find

Eight ornaments and a dagger were analyzed using completely non-destructive techniques to determine their alloy compositions and to draw conclusions about the production technology. Prompt-gamma activation analysis and time-of-flight neutron diffraction proved that the studied objects are tin-bronzes. Difference was observed in the amounts of ore-related minor components (arsenic, silver, nickel) of the objects belonging to the two distinct archaeological sites. Based on the diffraction analysis of the microstructure, the objects are casts that were exposed to different degrees of manufacturing to reach their final forms.

ANALYSIS OF URANIUM MOBILITY AND CONCENTRATION PROCESS IN OBJECTS OF ENVIRONMENT AND PATIENTS’ KIDNEY STONES IN KHARKIV REGION

The specific activity of 235U and content of native uranium for the Kharkiv region in drinking water, soil, roots, the leaf of hydrophyte “Pistia stratiotes” and the samples of kidney stones obtained from patients with urolithiasis were measuring by using gamma activation analysis on linac accelerator of NSC KIPT. The whole sample contained alpha-emitter uranium.

Revealing hidden features of a Japanese articulated iron lobster via non-destructive local element analysis and 3D imaging

We present a workflow to non-destructively determine the elemental compositions of internal volumes of interest enclosed within complex-shaped objects, by combining 3D X-ray or neutron imaging, prompt-gamma activation analysis, and...

Correction for neutron self-shielding and gamma-ray self-absorption in prompt-gamma activation analysis for large and irregularly shaped samples

Prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA) has been extended and validated to measure large and irregularly shaped samples. The detailed sample geometry was implemented in the MCNP-model of the setup and accurate matrix-effect corrections were obtained.