Zirconium preconcentration from zircon raffinate using gamma radiation-induced polymerization of reduced graphene oxide composite.

Zirconium is commonly used as a cladding material for nuclear reactors. The purity of the zirconium material seeks to control reactor efficiency. A novel composite of reduced graphene oxide-grafted polyacrylic acid, malic acid, and trioctylamine (rGO-g-PAA-MA/TOA) was prepared using in situ radical polymerization with gamma radiation at a dose of 25 KGy from a Co cell to preconcentrate zirconium Zr(IV) from zircon raffinate.

Hepatic fibrosis and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as predictors of response to HCV treatment and factors associated with serum AFP normalisation after treatment.

Background And Study Aim: Elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can be seen in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and liver cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma and were negatively associated with treatment response. However, factors associated with its changes are not identified. We aimed in this study to verify a cut-off value for AFP as a predictor of response to standard of care (SOC) antiviral therapy in Egyptian chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients and identify factors associated with its changes post treatment.