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Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) offer a promising alternative to psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments for depression. This paper aims to present a practical guide for its clinical implementation based on evidence from the literature as well as on the experience of a group of leading German experts in the field.The current evidence base for the use of rTMS in depression was examined via review of the literature. From the evidence and from clinical experience, recommendations for the use of rTMS in clinical practice were derived. All members of the of the German Society for Brain Stimulation in Psychiatry and all members of the sections Clinical Brain Stimulation and Experimental Brain Stimulation of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Mental Health were invited to participate in a poll on whether they consent with the recommendations.Among rTMS experts, a high consensus rate could be identified for clinical practice concerning the setting and the technical parameters of rTMS treatment in depression, indications and contra-indications, the relation of rTMS to other antidepressive treatment modalities and the frequency and management of side effects.

Der chronische Ruckenschmerz ist das Hauptsymptom der postmenopausalen Osteoporose. Dieser mindert die Mobilitat und Lebensqualitat der Patientinnen. Die Hypothese der vorliegenden Arbeit war, dass neben der Basistherapie ein Analgetikum notwendig ist. Gepruft werden sollte weiterhin, ob eine peripher wirksame oder zentral wirksame Analgesie zu bevorzugen ist. Es wurden 3 Patientengruppen prospektiv pseudorandomisiert verglichen. Gruppe 1 erhielt Alendronat, Vitamin D und Calcium, Gruppe 2 wurde zusatzlich mit Ibuprofen behandelt, Gruppe 3 erhielt als zusatzliches Analgetikum Tramadol. Bei 117 Patientinnen mit einer postmenopausalen Osteoporose wurden vor und 26 Wochen nach Therapie die Schmerzintensitat mittels visueller Analogskala (VAS) und die Lebensqualitat mittels IOF-Qualeffo 41 (International Osteoporosis Foundation-Quality of Life Questionaire 41) erfasst. In keiner Untersuchungsgruppe wurden therapieassoziierte Komplikationen beobachtet. Zum Nachuntersuchungszeitpunkt hatte sich die Lebensqualitat signifikant in den Gruppen 2 und 3 gegenuber der Kontrolle gebessert (p

Hemolysis in non- or rarely transfused patients with sickle cell disease may lead to higher iron stores. We prospectively studied their iron stores by using SQUID biomagnetic liver susceptometry. Liver iron concentration (LIC) and liver/spleen volume were measured at the Hamburg low T C -SQUID biosusceptometer facility in a total of 34 pediatric patients (age: 2–18 years). In vivo LIC values were measured in the normal range (median LIC = 185 μg/g-liver, range: 6–636 μg/g), with 21% of the patients having sub-normal LIC

The International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) has just celebrated its 30th anniversary. The growth of psychosocial oncology has been exponential, and this relatively new field is becoming a core service that focuses on prevention, reducing the burden of cancer, and enhancing the quality of life from time of diagnosis, through treatment, survivorship, and palliative care. Looking back over the past 30 years, we see that cancer care globally has evolved to a new and higher standard. Today, 'cancer care for the whole patient' is being accomplished with an evidence-based model that addresses psychosocial needs and integrates psycho-oncology into the treatment and care of patients. The President's Plenary Session in Lisbon, Portugal, highlighted the IPOS Mission of promoting global excellence in psychosocial care of people affected by cancer through our research, public policy, advocacy, and education. The internationally endorsed IPOS Standard of Quality Cancer Care, for example, clearly states the necessity of integrating the psychosocial domain into routine care, and that distress should be measured as the sixth vital sign after temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and pain. The plenary paper also discussed the global progress being made in Europe, North America, and Australia in providing quality cancer care for the whole patient. Collaborative partnerships between IPOS and organizations such as the European Partnership Action Against Cancer and the World Health Organization are essential in building capacity for the delivery of high-quality psycho-oncology services in the future.

Objectives To determine the effects of a 12-week, home-based resistance exercise program on strength, body composition, and activities of daily living (ADLs) in men and women with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease and to design an ADL-based resistance exercise prescription template. Design Double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Setting Testing in a university setting; exercise in patients' homes. Participants Twenty CMT patients who volunteered. Intervention Subjects progressively strength trained at home 3 d/wk for 12 weeks. Main outcome measures Timed ADLs, isometric strength, and body composition. Results Absolute strength was greater in men with CMT in only 4 of 10 baseline measures (P Conclusions Resistance training improved strength and ADLs equally in men and women. We designed an exercise prescription recommendation, based on ADL performance.

The etiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss is still unclear and is thought to result from disturbances of microcirculation, infectious causes, or autoimmune disorders. So far standard therapy did not show clear improvement over spontaneous remission rate, which is assumed to be about 50% [Nakashima et al., Acta. Otolaryngol. Stockh. 514:14-16, 1994; Schuknecht and Donovan, Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 243:1-15, 1986; Harris and Sharp, Laryngoscope 100:516-524, 1990; Mayot et al., Clin. Immunol. Immunopath. 68:41-45, 1993; Gussen, Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 85:94-100, 1976]. Elevated blood viscosity due to high fibrinogen levels is supposed to cause decreased cochlear blood flow and thus initiate sudden hearing loss. The specific lowering of fibrinogen immediately decreases plasma viscosity exactly to the desired extent and should lead to improved cochlear blood flow [Suckfull et al., Acta. Otolaryngol 119:763-766, 1999; Suckfull, Lancet 360:1811-1817, 2002; Walch et al., Laryngol. Rhino. Otol. 75:641-645, 1996; Suckfull et al., Otol. Neurotol. 23:309-311, 2002]. In a prospective uncontrolled pilot study on 36 patients with unilateral sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) we tried to establish that 1-3 specific fibrinogen aphaereses alone improve recovery of hearing and that it is possible to lower fibrinogen to the target of 80-100 mg/dl without important side effects. Pure tone audiometry was carried out immediately before and after each aphaeresis as well as at 2 and 4 weeks and 6 months after treatment. Sixteen patients recovered spontaneously before undergoing fibrinogen adsorption. All 20 aphaeresis patients improved during immunoadsorption; in 60% of patients auditory thresholds returned to normal after the first immunoadsorption and treatment could be discontinued, in another 20% of patients complete recovery was reached after 4 weeks. The mean plasma fibrinogen concentration of the 20 patients before the first aphaeresis session was 308.1 +/- 51.5 mg/dl. Immediately after the first treatment session, the fibrinogen concentration was lowered to 100.7 +/- 25.3 mg/dl (P < 0.001). The second and third sessions also showed highly significant reductions in plasma fibrinogen. No important side effects were seen. In conclusion, specific fibrinogen adsorption is a promising new treatment modality that should be tested in a prospective, randomized controlled trial in patients with sudden hearing loss.

Resistance exercise and creatine supplementation independently improve strength and function in patients with certain neuromuscular diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of resistance training with and without creatine supplementation on muscle, strength, and function in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. Twenty patients with CMT consumed 5 g/day creatine or placebo while participating in resistance training for 12 weeks. Energy metabolites, muscle fiber type and size, strength, and timed activities of daily living were measured before and after training. There were no differences between creatine or placebo groups for any outcome. For the groups combined, exercise training increased type I muscle fiber diameter (48.2 +/- 14.2 microm vs. 55.4 +/- 14.8 microm), strength, and activities of daily living (ADL) times. Thus, patients respond to resistance training with muscle fiber adaptations, and improvements in strength and function. Creatine was not beneficial.

Data of 507 granulocyte donations from 183 donors were evaluated. No severe granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-related side-effects were observed. Three donors complained of severe itching following infusion of hydroxyethyl starch (HES). A high proportion (85%) of the donors stated that they would donate granulocytes again. The mean granulocyte yield was 4.3 x 10(10). High-molecular-weight HES resulted in a significantly higher yield compared with low-molecular-weight HES. Mild, but no severe, adverse transfusion reactions were observed in 16% of the recipients. A leucocyte alloimmunization rate of 24% was found. G-CSF stimulation and transfusion of G-CSF-mobilized granulocytes were well tolerated by donors and recipients, respectively.

A study is presented on changes in the structure and the chemical composition of antimony-doped semiconducting glazes before and after exposure to AC and DC electric fields in outdoor conditions and in the laboratory using the rotating-wheel-dip (RWD) test. Surface sensitive techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion-mass spectrometry (SIMS) were employed to characterize the materials. Aging in the form of crater building, surface cracking and pitting as well as formation of a tin oxide rich layer took place under both AC and DC exposure. However, the damage was much more severe under DC voltage. Similar aging changes could be obtained in the laboratory after only a few days of the RWD test. In the field, leakage currents were monitored for evaluating the electrical performance of the samples. On new samples, the currents varied only slightly depending on weather conditions. However, during rainfall periods the leakage currents on samples exposed to DC voltage for a longer period were significantly increased compared to the new state, while the currents on AC exposed samples remained unchanged. No flashovers occurred during the 4-month testing. Thermal runaway on samples exposed to DC voltage in the field caused the appearance of black spots in the glaze. Their origin and chemical composition are still under investigation.

Results from a measurement of the reaction 2H(+,pp)  at T+ = 239 MeV are presented. Because two protons were detected, the measurement was sensitive to events which involved both nucleons in a substantial way. Differential distributions are compared to the predictions of simple models. An integrated cross section for SCX (single charge exchange), with the emmision of two protons each with kinetic energy >25 MeV, is presented

This paper presents a large solid angle measurement of the positive pion absorption cross section on 4 He and its decomposition into partial channels. The total absorption cross sections at incident pion kinetic energies of Tp1570, 118, 162, and 239 MeV are 3565, 5264, 5165, and 2762 mb, respectively. These values are lower than those reported in some previous experiments. At all pion energies a large fraction of the absorption cross section is due to multinucleon channels. @S0556-2813~98!03108-2#

Results from a 4p solid angle measurement of the reaction p 14 He! pppn at incident pion energies of Tp15 70, 118, 162, 239, and 330 MeV are presented. Integrated cross sections are given for the reactions where three nucleons participate, leading to energetic ( ppp )o r ( ppn ) final states, and for states where four nucleons are involved ( pppn ). The two three-nucleon absorption modes were investigated in particular, and an energy dependent isospin ratio of the cross sections of s ppn /s ppp 53.661.3, 2.660.5, 1.860.3, 1.460.2, and 1.860.6 was determined from 70 to 330 MeV. The differential cross sections were described by a complete set of eight independent variables and compared to simple cascade and phase space models. From this analysis the contributions from initial state interactions to the multinucleon absorption cross sections were found to be more important at higher pion energies, while those from final state interactions are stronger at lower energies. However, both mechanisms combined were found to account for not more than one-third of the total pppn multinucleon yield. The remaining strength is reasonably well reproduced by phase space models, but shows a dependence on the incident pion’s orbital angular momentum. The isospin structure of the ( ppp ) and ( ppn ) final states is not understood, nor are some structures in their distributions. The four-nucleon yield ( pppn ) was found to be weak ~1‐8 % of the total absorption cross section! and shows no evidence for a ‘‘double-D’’ excitation. @S0556-2813~97!03210-X#

The distributions of protons after the absorption of positive pions by 3 He at 118, 162 and 239 MeV are presented. A decomposition of the three-nucleon cross section in terms of initial state interactions and other processes is given, based upon simple models. A clear signal of initial state interactions is visible in the data, diminishing at the lower energies.

A Large Acceptance Detector System (LADS) has been designed and built at the Paul Scherrer Institute to study multiparticle final states following pion-nucleus absorption. It consists of a 28-sector cylinder of plastic scintillators of 1.6 m active length and 1.4 m diameter, two cylindrical wire chambers, and two 14-sector plastic scintillator end-caps which close each end. The nearly 4π solid angle coverage of this detector minimizes uncertainties associated with extrapolations over unmeasured regions of phase space. The design and the performance of the LADS detector are presented.

Experimental spectra from the coincident detection of three nucleons after the pion absorption in 4He are displayed. The presence of a mechanism with four nucleons participating in the absorption process is made obvious. The total cross-sections for this absorption mode are: σabs4NA = (1.0 ± 0.2) mb at Tπ = 120 MeV and σabs4NA = (2.18 ± 0.65) mb at Tπ = 210 MeV .

to examine the effect of cycle phase or a low dose oral contraceptive on exercise performance in young women.As controls, 15 men were tested twice by a maximal treadmill test (Vo2 max) and by an endurance run 14 d apart to determine performance variability from causes other than hormonal fluctuations. Ten women ages 18-30 were then tested for Vo2 max and endurance in the same way in both the follicular and the luteal phase (random order, ovulation assessed by sonography). They were then randomly assigned to placebo (n = 3) or oral contraceptive (1 mg norethindrone and 35 micrograms ethinyl oestradiol) (n = 7) for 21 days. Tests were repeated during the first and third weeks of treatment. Vo2 max and endurance tests were compared in the men and control cycle of the women by using independent t tests on percent change. The data for both cycles in the women were analysed by repeated measures ANOVA.There was no difference in per cent change in total test time, Vo2 max, or breathing frequency between the men and women in either test. Data obtained during the Vo2 max test revealed no difference between the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle for total test time [11.8 (SD 2.3) v 12.6 (2.3) min], Vo2 [41.6 (12.1) v 39.7 (11.4) ml.kg-1.min-1], or breathing frequency [26.8 (3.5) v 27.3 (9.9) breaths.min-1] respectively, or during the first and third weeks of treatment [total test time 12.0 (2.5) v 12.8 (2.4) min; Vo2 37.3 (7.4) v 41.0 (12.4) ml.kg-1.min-1; breathing frequency 27.8 (4.2) v 27.7 (3.4) breaths.min-1, respectively]. Data obtained during the endurance test revealed no difference between the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle for total test time [20.5 (15.7) v 16.2 (8.5) min], Vo2 [37.5 (9.4) v 32.9 (8.1) ml.kg-1.min-1], or breathing frequency [32.0 (6.0) v 33.2 (5.1) breaths.min-1, respectively], or during the first and third weeks of treatment [total test time 32.3 (34.9) v 30.6 (30.1) min; Vo2 33.9 (10.1) v 35.2 (8.6) ml.kg-1.min-1; breathing frequency 34.0 (5.9) v 34.8 (5.3) breaths.min-1, respectively].Neither cycle phase nor a low dose oral contraceptive containing 1 mg norethindrone adversely affects performance during a maximal treadmill test or endurance run.The authors examined the effect of cycle phase or a low dose oral contraceptive on the exercise performance of young women. As controls, 15 men were tested twice by a maximal treadmill test and by an endurance run 14 days apart to determine performance variability from causes other than hormonal fluctuations. 10 women aged 18-30 were then tested by maximal treadmill test and endurance in the same manner in both the follicular and luteal phase. They were then randomly assigned to placebo or oral contraceptive for 21 days. Tests were repeated during the first and third weeks of treatment. Maximal treadmill test and endurance tests were compared in the men and control cycle of women using independent t tests on percent change. Neither cycle phase nor a low dose oral contraceptive containing 1 mg norethindrone was found to adversely affect performance during a maximal treadmill test or endurance run.

The emission of nn-, np-, nd- and nt-pairs following π − -capture in gaseous 4 He has been studied in a coincidence experiment. Quasifree 2N-absorption is the dominant absorption mechanism with a ratio of r = 4.0 −1.5 +0.8 for absorption on a nucleon pair with isospin I = 0 and I = 1. Also collinear processes involving more than two nucleons have been observed, including NN final-state interaction with small relative momenta as well as emission of deuterons and tritons. Upper limits are given for phase-space-distributed, i.e. non-collinear 3N- and nnd-emission.

The pnn and dn final states after the absorption of stopped pions in $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ have been measured in a kinematically complete experiment covering the whole phase space. Proton-neutron, deuteron-neutron, and neutron-neutron coincidences have been detected with a charged-particle hodoscope and large-area time-of-flight counters. For the first time, triple coincidences between the pionic K x rays and two particles have been measured thus selecting absorption from the atomic 1s state. It has been found that the absorption is dominated by the two-nucleon mechanism (2NA) on isoscalar nucleon pairs as indicted by the measured ratio of 6.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.1 for back-to-back correlated nn and pn pairs. A substantial amount of the three-body final state pnn is affected by the final-state interaction (FSI) or leads to the two-particle final state dn. Ratios of 3.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4 for 2NA to FSI and of 4.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6 for the pnn to the dn final state are measured. No evidence has been found for three-nucleon absorption with an upper limit of %/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}_{\mathrm{stop}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$.

History and clinical findings A 43-year-old woman was admitted after a suicide attempt with 1.5 g atenolol. Physical and neurological examination showed no abnormality, but psychiatric examination revealed symptoms of a major depression. Four weeks prior to admission a valsartan-hydrochlorothiazide combination had been added to the antihypertensive medication. Investigations Laboratory tests, electrocardiography, chest-x-ray, electroencephalography and cranial computerised tomography showed no abnormality. Diagnosis and course The depressive disorder resolved within ten days after discontinuation of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide without specific treatment. Blood pressure was normal under treatment with metoprolol. Conclusion Depressive drug reactions can produce a substantial morbidity. This case of a drug induced affective disorder should heighten the awareness of unusual reactions to valsartan-hydrochlorothiazide therapy.

Measurements have been made of [pi][sup +] absorption on [sup 3]He at [ital T][sub [pi]][sup +]=118, 162, and 239 MeV using the Large Acceptance Detector System. The nearly 4[pi] solid angle coverage of this detector minimizes uncertainties associated with extrapolations over unmeasured regions of phase space. The total absorption cross section is reported. In addition, the total cross section is divided into components in which only two or all three nucleons play a significant role in the process. These are the first direct measurements of the total and three nucleon absorption cross sections.

The optimum conditions for the fabrication of semi‐insulating InP epitaxial layers grown by metalorganic chemical‐vapor deposition are investigated in a comparative study of the structural, electrical, and diffusive properties of Fe‐ and Ti‐doped material. Thermally stable InP:Fe layers with resistivities approaching the intrinsic limit can be prepared in an environment of n‐type material if the Fe concentration does not exceed but is close to its solubility limit of 8×1016 cm−3 at 640 °C. In contact with p‐type layers, however, semi‐insulating characteristics of InP:Fe turn out to be difficult to reproduce because of a pronounced interdiffusion of Fe and p‐type dopants. Here, Ti doping of InP is shown to be a useful scheme for the fabrication of high‐resistivity layers. New processes for the deposition of InP:Ti using (C5H5)2Ti(CO)2 and Ti[N(CH3)2]4 as metalorganic precursors are described in detail. Ti is found to compensate up to 2×1016 cm−3 of shallow acceptors in metalorganic chemical‐vapor‐phase‐deposition‐grown InP. Ti‐doped InP layers containing more electrically active deep Ti donors than net shallow acceptors exhibit semi‐insulating characteristics with a resistivity of 5×106 Ω cm. Codoping of InP:Fe with Ti turns out to be a universal process for the preparation of thermally stable high‐resistivity layers. If the material is appropriately grown, Fe+Ti doping compensates both excess shallow donors and excess shallow acceptors up to concentrations of 8×1016 and 2×1016 cm−3, respectively. In contrast to InP:Fe, resistivities in excess of 107 Ω cm are obtained in contact with both symmetric n‐ and p‐type current injecting contacts. Moreover, codoping of semi‐insulating InP:Fe with Ti is found to suppress the interdiffusion of Fe and p‐type dopants. Therefore, the outdiffusion and accumulation of Fe in other regions of complex device structures can be significantly reduced. The interdiffusion of Fe and p‐type dopants as well as its suppression by additional doping with Ti, finally, is studied in detail, which enables a comprehensive model accounting for this phenomenon to be developed.

The purpose of this study was to profile waist-to-hip ratios and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in mildly-obese younger American women. Sixty sedentary, nonsmoking, premenopausal, healthy women 21 to 51 years of age participated in the study. Peak oxygen consumption (VO2), percent body fat, waist-to-hip ratios, and lipid profiles were determined. Subjects were then grouped according to waist-to-hip ratio for statistical analyses, wherein android had waist-to-hip ratios of >m 0.8 (n = 19) and gynoid < 0.8 (n = 41), respectively. The groups were not different with respect to age, peak VO2, and body mass. Gynoid had lower blood pressure at rest and during maximal exercise compared to android. Additionally, gynoid had lower percentage body fat, smaller subscapular and suprailiac skinfold measurements, and waist circumference than android. Android had higher total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, apoprotein B, and insulin compared to gynoid. HDL-C was not different between the groups. Significant correlations of low-to-moderate magnitude were observed between % fat and blood pressure, and between waist-to-hip ratio and cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, apoprotein B, and insulin. Subscapular skinfolds were related to blood pressure and cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and apoprotein B. A positive relationship existed between insulin and blood pressure and triglycerides while a negative relationship existed between HDL-cholesterol and blood pressure. These data suggest that centralized obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing CVD as evidenced by higher blood pressure, less desirable lipid profiles, and higher serum insulin.

The presence and functional role of the cyclic nucleotide signal transduction system was investigated in platelets from patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Platelets from certain patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia showed decreased expression of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, and platelets from two such patients were studied in some detail. These platelets had very little if any cGMP-dependent protein kinase but a normal level of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. They also contained a normal level of VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, a specific substrate of both cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase), as well as a functionally intact prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP-mediated VASP phosphorylation. In contrast, sodium nitroprusside-stimulated VASP phosphorylation was severely impaired in these cGMP-dependent protein kinase-deficient platelets, despite an exaggerated cGMP response to sodium nitroprusside. Furthermore, whereas selective activation of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase by 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cGMP strongly inhibited the ADP- or thrombin-evoked calcium mobilization from intracellular stores in normal platelets, this agonist-evoked calcium response was not inhibited by the cGMP analog in cGMP-dependent protein kinase-deficient platelets. The results demonstrate a defect in the nitrovasodilator-/cGMP-regulated signal transduction system in human platelets from some patients with myeloproliferative disorders, and underscore that a cGMP-dependent protein kinase regulatory system, distinct from that of cAMP-dependent protein kinase or other cGMP-dependent effectors is operative in normal human platelets.

The distribution of Fe implanted at medium (1–4×1014 cm−2) and low (2×1012 cm−2) doses into InGaAs and annealed with or without a cap is investigated and the degree of compensation of such implanted regions is assessed. Secondary ion mass spectrometry profiles of low dose implanted Fe reveal a substantial role of the capping layer. Fe concentrations below as well as above the estimated metal vacancy concentration produced by implantation are observed. The effect of the cap strongly depends on the wet chemical surface preparation before insulator deposition. A correlation of the magnitude of the Fe accumulation at the InGaAs surface with defect related photoluminescence intensity is established. On the basis of the substitutional‐interstitial diffusion model the barrier effects of the various caps for host and dopant atoms are analyzed. The best semi‐insulating properties were obtained for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition SiO2 caped samples using a H2SO4:H2O2:H2O=1:1:125 surface preparation before...

Because of incresing problems due to the general non-acceptance of the application of open radioactivity in modern industrial research an investigation was made concerning the possibility of replacing radiotracers by inactive substances activated by photons after sampling. As an example, investigations in the glass-processing industry was selected. The results were confirmed by the radiotracer experiment performed in parallel. The data obtained were in good agreement.

The angular distribution of nucleons from a kinematically complete measurement of pions absorbed in {sup 3}H on nucleon pairs with isospin {ital T}=0 and {ital T}=1 at incident pion energies of 119, 206, and 300 MeV are presented. The {ital T}=0 data are quite similar to pion absorption data in deuterium. The integrated absorption cross sections scale within errors with the number of isoscaler neutron-proton pairs. The {ital T}=1 cross sections, which correspond to absorption on dineutrons, are an order of magnitude smaller. The angular distributions for isovector absorption show a significant asymmetry, indicating interference effects between amplitudes with or without {Delta} isobars in the intermediate states. The existence of a significant three-nucleon absorption component is established. The integrated absorption cross sections for processes involving two and three nucleons were determined. The neutron and proton momentum probability densities in {sup 3}H were determined from the spectator recoil resulting from quasifree two-nucleon pion absorption.

The structural properties of GaAs, InAs, GaP, and InP implanted by Fe or Ti at 150 keV/400 keV and doses of 1012–1×1015 cm−2 and the depth distribution of the implants are comparatively studied before and after annealing with and without a Si3N4 cap. Results of Rutherford backscattering, x‐ray double‐crystal diffractometry, and secondary‐ion mass spectroscopy experiments are presented. Fe redistributes strongly in all materials upon annealing, Ti does not redistribute at all. The driving force of redistribution of Fe is not classical diffusion but reaction with implantation‐induced defects and stoichiometric imbalances. The actual defect chemistry of the as‐implanted arsenides is found to be fundamentally different from the as‐implanted phosphides since in the latter case the mass ratio of the constituents is much larger and the specific energy for amorphization is much lower. Consequently, redistribution of Fe in the phosphides and the arsenides differs qualitatively from each other.

Human evolutionary research in Eastern Germany, limited in this paper to the origins and evolution of Pleistocene man, has mainly focused during the last decade on theoretical aspects of the evolution of man and human society from multiple and interdisciplinary perspectives. An interdisciplinary working group «Probleme der Menschwerdung» was founded in 1977. About 30 specialists from various fields have discussed problems of the origins and evolution of man and human society under interdisciplinary aspects. The activities, difficulties and results of this cooperation will be outlined in this paper. There will also be given a progress report on the disciplinary initiated research on local sites as well as on general aspects and problems.

Low leakage current p+/n step junctions with mechanically stable ohmic contacts to p+ layer are fabricated on n‐InP wafers simultaneously by a simple procedure consisting of vacuum evaporation of Ni, Zn, and Au followed by a short heat treatment at 340 °C. Current‐voltage and capacitance‐voltage measurements, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and deep level transient spectroscopy are employed to characterize the diodes fabricated and to understand their structure.

Human serum and low density lipoproteins (LDLs) were shown to inactivate endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) by testing the effect of LPS interactions with serum or LDL on the activation of human monocytes. Sera and LDL preparations from four patients with familial hypercholesterolemia were used to demonstrate the inhibition of LPS from inducing interleukin-1 release. Before LDL removal by immunoapheresis, the patients' sera were able to inactive approximately fivefold more LPS than after LDL removal. The LPS-inactivating capacity lost during apheresis could essentially be retrieved in the LDL-rich eluate from the immunoadsorption columns. Because patients were treated frequently with immunoapheresis, their LDL levels before LDL removal were not markedly elevated. These patients' sera before LDL removal were shown to inactivate amounts of LPS comparable to those inactivated by the sera from three healthy volunteers. LDL prepared by ultracentrifugation showed similar LPS inactivation as LDL prepared by immunoapheresis. We conclude that the inhibition of LPS-induced monocyte activation by human serum is dependent to a large extent on the LDL fraction. LDLs were demonstrated to inhibit LPS from inducing interleukin-1 release by human monocytes.

A large acceptance detector system (LADS) has been designed and built at the Paul Scherrer Institute to study multi-particle final states after pion-nucleus absorption. It consists of a 28-sector cylinder of plastic scintillator of 1.6 m active length and 1.5 m diameter, and two cylindrical wire chambers; two 14-sector endcaps of plastic scintillator close each end.

Pion absorption processes involving three nucleons have been investigated in 3 He with positive and negative pions of 64, 119, 162 and 206 MeV kinetic energy. The most important of these processes is characterized by a constant phase-space density and has comparable integrated cross sections for π + and π − with a Δ-resonance-like dependence on the pion energy. This process constitutes up to one third of the total absorption cross section. The total absorption cross section has been determined by adding up the measured cross sections for all the observed absorption channels.

The redistribution of Fe and Ti implanted into InP and its recrystallization is studied using various thermal annealing techniques. Fe and Ti profiles are measured by secondary‐ion mass spectroscopy and recrystallization by Rutherford backscattering channeling. Ti shows absolutely superior thermal stability under any circumstances as compared to Fe. Iron always accumulates at the surface and at a depth of approximately twice the projected range Rp. After high‐dose implantation Fe additionally accumulates in the 0.8Rp region. At similar doses Ti still shows no diffusion and only faint accumulation between the surface and Rp.

Eine Methode zur chirurgischen Unterstutzung einer forcierten Gaumennahterweiterung wird beschrieben. Hierbei werden gezielte Osteotomien im Bereich der Ansatzstelle des Processus zygomaticus der Maxilla und des dorsalen und mittleren Abschnittes des harten Gaumens durchgefuhrt. Die Ergebnisse an 14 patienten werden exemplarisch dargestellt. Bei fast allen Patienten erfolgte nach anschliesender Zahnbogenkoordination eine operative Korrektur der sagittalen und/oder vertikalen Kieferrelation. Die chirurgisch-orthopadische Gaumennahterweiterung erwies sich als effiziente und schmerzarme Methode zum praoperativen Ausgleich von transversalen Kieferdiskrepanzen und erleichterte das spatere operative Vorgehen.

Spectra of energetic protons above 35 MeV have been measured following negative muon capture from rest in Ca. The spectrum extends to the kinematic limit near 93 MeV, with a branching ratio of (2.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ per capture above 40 MeV. Nuclear cascade calculations of the proton and neutron spectra in this energy region are presented and are consistent with the measured proton spectrum when capture on correlated pp and np pairs in the nucleus is included. The ratio of capture on np to pp pairs is 6.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.6, which is consistent with results from pion capture.

Chronic pain is the main symptom of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This can decrease mobility and quality of life of the patients. The hypothesis of this study was that administration of an adjuvant pain medication is essential additionally to the basic therapy. The second question was if a recommendation can be formulated whether a peripheral or a central acting pain medication is more effective to prevent osteoporosis induced chronic pain.Three pseudorandomised patient groups were prospectively compared. Group 1 was treated with alendronate, vitamin D, and calcium. Group 2 also received ibuprofen, and group 3 also received tramadol. In 117 women suffering from postmenopausal osteoporosis, quality of life was measured before and 26 weeks after therapy using the International Osteoporosis Foundation Qualeffo-41 score, and pain intensity was measured using a visual analogue scale.No therapy-associated complications were observed during the study. After 26 weeks, quality of life significantly increased in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1 (p0.001). Pain intensity decreased in group 1 by only 6 points, whereas it decreased in group 2 by 31 points and in group 3 by 24 points. Pain relief was significantly different between the treatment groups and the control group and between the treatment groups themselves (p0.001 and p0.01).We conclude that pain therapy with an almost peripherally acting drug such as ibuprofen can reduce osteoporosis-associated chronic pain better than a centrally acting pain medication such as tramadol. It therefore can be recommended to prescribe ibuprofen rather than tramadol for treating osteoporosis-associated chronic pain in postmenopausal women if the specific risk for gastrointestinal side effects is considered.

SUMMARY: In patients with pathologically altered erythrocytes, red blood cell exchange is a very efficient therapeutic measure without important side effects. With increasing migration more patients with e.g. severe malaria or sickle cell anemia have to be treated. In minor or bidirectional ABO-mismatched stem cell transplantations after reduced intensity conditioning, hemolysis can be prevented by prophylactic erythrocytapheresis. Other rare indications for red blood cell exchange are advanced erythropoietic protoporphyria and babesiosis. Sickle cell anemia can be treated with hydroxyurea. Transfusions are administered when necessary, but this results in iron overload in the long term. An expensive but safe and very efficient treatment alternative is red blood cell exchange. In cases with stroke, acute chest syndrome and other severe complications, erythrocytapheresis reproducibly breaks the vicious circle of sickling and increasing oxygen deficiency. At the same time one can aim at an exact end hematocrit. In severe malaria, erythrocytapheresis both reduces parasite load to the designated extent and reconstitutes reduced oxygen transport capacity without serious adverse effects. Here we describe our experience of erythrocytapheresis in long-term prophylaxis of complications in sickle cell anemia and sickle cell thalassemia patients. The documentation of improved iron balance was carried out by liver susceptometry.

We have measured double and triple coincidences following π + and π − absorption on 4 He at various pion energies. Differential and integrated cross sections are determined for all possible absorption channels. We study and compare the two-nucleon absorption on nucleon pairs with isospin I = 0 and I = 1. In the dNN final-state two absorption mechanisms are identified, one with only one spectator nucleon and one with phase-space behavior. The existence of a three-nucleon absorption component with a spectator nucleon is established and a four nucleon phase-space-like contribution is also identified and found to be small. The total absorption cross section is directly determined by adding the integrated cross sections of all measured reaction channels.

Level of physical activity has been found to be an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. Because lifestyle and dietary habits are frequently established by early adulthood, we examined the physical activity, physical fitness, body composition, plasma lipids, and diets of a group of second-year medical students. Medical students were studied because of the presumption that they were knowledgeable about exercise and appropriate diet and would have future influence on their patients. A questionnaire which assessed physical activity was returned by 69 (89%) of the 80 students. Over 50% reported no hard or very hard physical activity either during the week or on weekends. Three subjects were smokers. Body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and plasma lipids were assessed in 20 subjects selected at random from the 69. Five of the 15 men, but none of the five women, had greater-than-desirable body fat. Cardiovascular fitness was at least average compared to normal values, but three had hypertension at rest and 12 had hypertensive responses to exercise. Seven of the men had LDL cholesterol above 130 mg/dl and three had LDL:HDL ratios greater than 3. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.5, p = 0.02) between hard/very hard activity assessed by questionnaire and VO2max and a negative correlation (r = 0.4, p = 0.05) between VO2max and percent fat. All 20 subjects reported above average to severe amounts of stress. Analysis of a 48-hr diet record of 22 students showed an average consumption of 47% carbohydrates, 17% protein, and 36% fat. The polyunsaturated/saturated ratio was 0.43.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

For the production of planar devices of any kind each type requires a seperate tool—the set of masks. The present and future masking techniques must cope with structures and separating distances which become increasingly smaller. Furthermore, the number of masks necessary for a set increases and the area required for individual systems as well as the diameter of the processed silicon wafers become larger. Attempts are made to cut work and time in the fabrication of masks and at the same time improve the quality. This is possible by the use of data processing systems for disentanglement, placement and design of the layout. In the fabrication of master artworks automatic machines are commonly used. Currently employed step-and-repeat machines are of the second generation. They show a number of improvements. New methods for processing emulsion and metal film masks become increasingly important. Interesting possibilities suggest themselves in the preparation of masks for semiconductor components by employing holographic and electron beam methods.

This paper will report on a 9K ECL array with a 99.6ps propagation delay. The chip is ECL 10K or 100K compatible, consumes 20W typical and has 256 logic pins plus 64 supply pins.