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Background: There are important unmet clinical needs to develop cell enrichment technologies to enable unbiased label-free isolation of both single cell and clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) manifesting heterogeneous lineage specificity. Here, we report a pilot study based on the microfluidic acoustophoresis enrichment of CTCs using the CellSearch CTC assay as a reference modality. Methods: Acoustophoresis uses an ultrasonic standing wave field to separate cells based on biomechanical properties (size, density, and compressibility), resulting in inherently label-free and epitope-independent cell enrichment. Following red blood cell lysis and paraformaldehyde fixation, 6 mL of whole blood from 12 patients with metastatic prostate cancer and 20 healthy controls were processed with acoustophoresis and subsequent image cytometry. Results: Acoustophoresis enabled enrichment and characterization of phenotypic CTCs (EpCAM+, Cytokeratin+, DAPI+, CD45–/CD66b–) in all patients with metastatic prostate cancer and detected CTC-clusters composed of only CTCs or heterogeneous aggregates of CTCs clustered with various types of white blood cells in 9 out of 12 patients. By contrast, CellSearch did not detect any CTC clusters, but detected comparable numbers of phenotypic CTCs as acoustophoresis, with trends of finding a higher number of CTCs using acoustophoresis. Conclusion: Our preliminary data indicate that acoustophoresis provides excellent possibilities to detect and characterize CTC clusters as a putative marker of metastatic disease and outcomes. Moreover, acoustophoresis enables the sensitive label-free enrichment of cells with epithelial phenotypes in blood and offers opportunities to detect and characterize CTCs undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitioning and lineage plasticity.

AbstractThe commercialisation of children’s and youth sports has experienced a significant rise in recent decades. Currently, there is a lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the implications of this commercialisation for Swedish youth participating in sport as well as family members directly involved in the youth sport experience. As such, the purpose of this study was to investigate parents’ perceptions of commercialisation processes in children and youth sports in Sweden. In particular, we sought to examine why some parents are willing to pay for commercial alternatives and how the increased commercialisation of youth sport are associated with youth sport participation. We also sought to investigate parents’ views about the impact of commercialised alternatives on coaches and voluntary sports clubs, both now and in the future. A total of nine focus group interviews were conducted, including a total of 48 parents (22 men and 26 women) strategically chosen based on their children’s participation in different strands of commercialised sports businesses. The findings indicate that the excessive demands from voluntary sports clubs combined with the desire to be considered a good parent appear to influence parents’ willingness to pay for commercialised businesses.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have suggested a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) at higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain. Whether this association is due to antioxidant vitamins or some other factors remains unclear. Objective: We studied the relation between the intake of antioxidant vitamins and CHD risk. Design: A cohort study pooling 9 prospective studies that included information on intakes of vitamin E, carotenoids, and vitamin C and that met specific criteria was carried out. During a 10-y follow-up, 4647 major incident CHD events occurred in 293 172 subjects who were tree of CHD at baseline. Results: Dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins was only weakly related to a reduced CHD risk after adjustment for potential nondietary and dietary confounding factors. Compared with subjects in the lowest dietary intake quintiles for vitamins E and C, those in the highest intake quintiles had relative risks of CHD incidence of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.00; P = 0.17) and 1.23 (1.04, 1.45; P = 0.07), respectively, and the relative risks for subjects in the highest intake quintiles for the various carotenoids varied from 0.90 to 0.99. Subjects with higher supplemental vitamin C intake had a lower CHD incidence. Compared with subjects who did not take supplemental vitamin C, those who took >700 mg supplemental vitamin C/d had a relative risk of CHD incidence of 0.75 (0.60, 0.93; P for trend < 0.001). Supplemental vitamin E intake was not significantly related to reduced CHD risk. Conclusions: The results suggest a reduced incidence of major CHD events at high supplemental vitamin C intakes. The risk reductions at high vitamin E or carotenoid intakes appear small. KEY WORDS Antioxidant, carotenoids, cohort, coronary heart disease, diet, Pooling Project of Cohort Studies on Diet and Coronary Disease, vitamin C, vitamin E

Background: Accumulating epidemiologic and molecular evidence suggest that inflammation is an important component in the etiology of prostate cancer. Macrophage-inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1), a member of the transforming growth factor [beta] superfamily, is thought to play an important role in inflammation by regulating macrophage activity. We examined whether sequence variants in the MIC-1 gene are associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Methods: The study population, a population-based case-control study in Sweden, consisted of 1383 prostate cancer case patients and 780 control subjects. From 94 of the control subjects, we constructed gene-specific haplotypes of MIC-1 and identified four haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): Exon1+25 (V9L), Exonl+142 (S48T), IVS1+1809, and Exon2+2423 (H6D). All study subjects were genotyped for the four SNPs, and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A statistically significant difference (P = .006) in genotype frequency was observed for the nonsynonymous change H6D (histidine to aspartic acid at position 6) between prostate cancer patients and control subjects. Carriers of the GC genotype, which results in the H6D change, experienced a lower risk of sporadic prostate cancer (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.97) and of familial prostate cancer (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.42 to 0.89) than the CC genotype carriers. In the study population, the proportion of prostate cancer cases attributable to the CC genotype was 7.2% for sporadic cancer and 19.2% for familial cancer. None of the other SNPs or haplotypes was associated with prostate cancer. Conclusion: This study shows an association between a nonsynonymous change (H6D) in the MIC-1 gene and prostate cancer. This finding supports the hypothesis that genetic variation in the inflammatory process contributes to prostate cancer susceptibility.

Background: Laboratory studies have shown that n-3 fatty acids inhibit and n-6 fatty acids stimulate prostate tumor growth, but whether the dietary intake of these fatty acids affects prostate cancer risk in humans remains unclear. Objective: We prospectively evaluated the association between intakes of [alpha]-linolenic (ALA; 18:3n-3), eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5n-3), docosahexaenoic (DHA; 22:6n-3), linoleic (LA; 18: 2n-6), and arachidonic (AA; 20:4n-6) acids and prostate cancer risk. Design: A cohort of 47 866 US men aged 40-75 y with no cancer history in 1986 was followed for 14 y. Results: During follow-up, 2965 new cases of total prostate cancer were ascertained, 448 of which were advanced prostate cancer. ALA intake was unrelated to the risk of total prostate cancer. In contrast, the multivariate relative risks (RRs) of advanced prostate cancer from comparisons of extreme quintiles of ALA from nonanimal sources and ALA from meat and dairy sources were 2.02 (95% CI: 1.35, 3.03) and 1.53 (0.88, 2.66), respectively. EPA and DHA intakes were related to lower prostate cancer risk. The multivariate RRs of total and advanced prostate cancer from comparisons of extreme quintiles of the combination of EPA and DHA were 0.89 (0.77, 1.04) and 0.74 (0.49, 1.08), respectively. LA and AA intakes were unrelated to the risk of prostate cancer. The multivariate RR of advanced prostate cancer from a comparison of extreme quintiles of the ratio of LA to ALA was 0.62 (0.45, 0.86). Conclusions: Increased dietary intakes of ALA may increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer. In contrast, EPA and DHA intakes may reduce the risk of total and advanced prostate cancer. KEY WORDS Diet, n-3 fatty acids, n-6 fatty acids, prostate cancer, cohort study

Background. Results of surgical treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) have been highly variable, probably because of patient selection. Therefore, a study of representative patients with this disease was performed. Methods. In a defined area of Sweden, 581 patients were analyzed. Clinical records and histopathologic findings were reviewed. The minimum follow-up time was 7 years. Prognostic factors were evaluated by the Cox proportional hazards model. Results. Evaluation of sex distribution, age, and anatomic site of the primary tumor showed that the patients were representative of all Swedish patients with CMM of the head and neck. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 64 years for both sexes. Fifty-three percent of the patients were women. Female patients had more tumors of the face than did male patients, whereas male patients were overrepresented among patients with tumors of the auricle-external ear canal and scalp-neck area. Localization to the face was observed in 68%, which is an overrepresentation of three to four times when skin surface is taken into consideration. Twenty-four percent of the patients had lentigo maligna melanoma. Only 33% of the patients had superficial spreading melanoma. In univariate analyses, sex, anatomic site of the primary tumor, histogenetic type, Clark level of invasion, and tumor thickness had prognostic power. In a multivariate analysis, tumor thickness, anatomic site of the primary tumor, and sex of the patient were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions. In representative patients with CMM of the head and neck, tumor thickness, anatomic site of the primary tumor, and sex of the patients were independent prognostic factors. Cancer 1993; 71:751-8.

AbstractDuring a project focusing on household waste a collaborative approach was deemed necessary. Researchers and stakeholders went through a series of workshops starting and ending with an appreciative inquiry which directed the ongoing action research process. This article discusses this process and presents a model for this methodology. Envisioning the results from the outset aided the collaborators’ action. Further, the workshop series formed a collaborative forum in which to discuss progress and issues that occurred during the process. Appreciative inquiry aided the collaborators and provided a starting and end point for the action research process.

AbstractFew intervention programmes focussing on increasing physical activity among children have been successful long term. It has also become increasingly common among scholars as well as politicians to advocate for organisations within a field to ‘join up’ to tackle social challenges. Research indicates that collaborative processes may entail challenges in implementing programmes informed by high quality knowledge. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine partner organisations’ conceptions about objectives of an alternative sports programme, how such objectives are meant to be achieved, and how such conceptions may affect children’s development of a physically active lifestyle. Qualitative content analysis revealed three underlying lines of thought regarding alternative activities for children, as follows: they should increase the member base through modifications; they should awaken the inherent desire to move through targeting motor skills; and they should transform sports clubs by providing an exercise arena. The article discusses how activities fail to consider children’s predisposing factors and what implications this has for the work of promoting children's physical activity. Finally, we suggest that partnerships would benefit from applying a multi-leveled ecological model when designing programmes.

Forced migrants are at risk of developing mental illness, yet challenges remain with underutilization of mental healthcare among this population. This study examined the implementation of the Refugee Health Screener-13 (RHS-13) in health assessment for forced migrants in eight primary health care centres in Stockholm Region, Sweden.

Background: Approximately 50% of the patients who globally seek help in psychiatry have been assessed with problematic substance use or been diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD). Given the high treatment gap for mental health care, in particular SUD, these individuals risk poorer treatment outcomes in psychiatry. Integrated treatment for psychiatric and SUD disorders has been proposed to reduce the treatment gap for SUD, but access to integrated treatment is low. Digital interventions addressing SUD in psychiatry could potentially make treatment available to patients who otherwise would not have access. In this study “digital interventions” comprise an umbrella term covering all kinds of interventions from minimal motivational app-based interventions to internet-based interventions with and without human guidance, up to remote sessions in telepsychiatry. This study aims to explore healthcare staff perceptions of referring patients to digital interventions for reducing problematic substance use, whether or not diagnosed as SUD, in the psychiatric outpatient setting. Method: The study was exploratory with a qualitative design. Data were collected in the Swedish outpatient psychiatry setting, via individual semi-structured interviews with managers, and focus groups with healthcare staff. An adapted form of phenomenological hermeneutical analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme was Encountering obstacles on the path to future implementation of digital interventions, with sub-themes: Lacking resourcesand Feeling concerned about technical solutions. The second theme was Searching for ways forward to achieve increased access to care, with sub-themes: Blended care could facilitate integrated careand Addressing variations in patients’ technical skills. The third theme was Taking steps towards the future, with sub-themes: Wanting to know more about digital interventionsand Formulating a vision for the future. Conclusions: The study reveals a concern that implementing digital interventions in psychiatry will create additional work or be technically challenging. The staff see significant advantages from the patient perspective, but they feel that they themselves need training in implementing digital interventions. In order to establish constructive implementation of digital interventions for SUD in psychiatry, staff attitudes and concerns need to be considered and addressed. This study was conducted within the Swedish healthcare system and the findings may not generalize to other countries with differing healthcare systems.

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The digital infrastructure literature provides important perspectives on the intrinsic relations between information systems in today's organisations. However, little attention has been paid to the challenges involved in providing requisite digital infrastructure services to organisations. In this paper, we argue digital infrastructure service providers operate in highly complex and uncertain environments. Rather than adopting a traditional approach to control, providers must therefore continuously negotiate a balance between control and drift as two complementary strategies. Our argument is based on a retrospective longitudinal case study of a Swedish infrastructure service team within a large international firm. Using the encounter-episode process model as structuring principle and focusing on the tension between control and drift, we analyse the evolution of the provider's efforts to manage a portfolio of digital infrastructure services over a period of ten years. Based on these analyses, we uncover the involved complexities and dynamics, how control efforts and drift were constituted and how the infrastructure services were managed by continuously balancing control and drift. In conclusion, we relate the findings to extant literature to discuss new insights into provider management of digital infrastructure services.

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AbstractIn this article we explore children’s experiences of a Sport for All Programme (SAP) in school. The purpose of the ‘Sport for All’ policy is to give children an opportunity to try different sports, with a focus on play and motor learning rather than organized competition. In this study, we approach children as active agents in constructing the SAP practice in line with the theoretical standpoint that children are competent social actors with agency. The study is based on repeated focus group interviews with 15 ten-year-old children (9 girls, 6 boys) participating in a SAP in the western part of Sweden. The children perceived the SAP as sessions with less emphasis on performance and without organized competitions; it was described as a ‘low threshold’ activity. However, the result showed that the SAP activity was not free from performance-oriented principles. The Sport for All pedagogy needs to consider and handle the consequences of competition principles, especially if the participating children and leaders have a performance ethos.

The palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana in the present-day south-central Andes is marked by tectonic activity related to subduction and terrane accretion. We present detrital zircon U-Pb data encompassing the Palaeozoic era in northern Chile and northwestern Argentina. Cathodoluminescence images reveal dominantly magmatic zircon barely affected by abrasion and displaying only one growth phase. The main age clusters for these zircon grains are Ediacaran to Palaeozoic with an additional peak at 1.3-0.9 Ga and they can be correlated with 'Grenvillian' age, and the Brasiliano, Pampean, and Famatinian orogenies. The zircon data reveal main transport from the nearby Ordovician Famatinian arc and related rocks. The Silurian sandstone units are more comparable with Cambrian units, with Brasiliano and Transamazonian ages (2.2-1.9 Ga) being more common, because the Silurian deposits were situated within or east of the (extinct) Famatinian arc. Hence, the arc acted as a transport barrier throughout Palaeozoic time. The complete suite of zircon ages does not record the accretions of exotic terranes or the Palaeozoic glacial periods. We conclude that the transport system along the palaeo- Pacific margin of Gondwana remained stable for c. 0.3 byr and that provenance data do not necessarily reflect the interior of a continent. Hence, inherited geomorphological features must be taken into account when detrital mineral ages are interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the introduction of the supplemental DS-157 form for nonimmigrant visa applications, initiated after the September 9, 2001 terrorist attack, to visit the U.S. For citizens of four countries, such as Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria, that are considered to be state sponsors of terrorism, the form is required of all applicants over the age of 16. It is also mentioned that the form ask people to fill the countries they visited in last ten years.

The article presents the author's views on U.S. conservatives' criticism on San Francisco, California's proposed ban on male circumcision. He provides a brief history of circumcision in the country which started as a way to prevent or treat masturbation that was believed to be a sinful act. He discusses several reasons why uncircumcised penises are not dirty and unhealthy contrary to popular myth. He offers several arguments to convince Conservatives to support San Francisco's proposal.

We have measured X-ray absorption and emission near the C 1s edge of graphite electrodes cycled in lithium-ion battery cells. Resonantly excited emission spectra of graphite electrodes exhibit features characteristic of both highly oriented pyrolytic graphite as well as polycrystalline graphite. Spectra of three electrodes cycled in two different electrolytes are presented and compared with spectra of the pristine electrode. A solid electrolyte interphase SEI was detected on the electrochemically cycled electrodes. By the use of selective excitation, resonant X-ray emission spectra of the SEI-species were obtained and compared to spectra of reference compounds. The SEI on the cycled graphite anode was shown to comprise lithium oxalate Li2C2O4, lithium succinate LiO2CCH2CH2CO2Li and lithium methoxide LiOCH3.

Studies in conventional murine models of HSV infection use immunologically naive animals. These models thus mimic primary infections rather than recurrent infections in humans. We have, therefore, used a newly developed mouse model that more closely mimics recurrent HSV infection in humans. In this model, the mice are infected, and zosteriform HSV-1 infection develops in the presence of a primed immune response using adoptive transfer of immunity (ATI) as we have described previously. Using the ATI mouse model, it has been shown that a more beneficial therapy for recurrent mucocutaneous HSV infection could be achieved by controlling both the viral replication and the inflammatory response to the virus. Topical treatment was initiated in this model at the time of first occurrence of symptoms and was given three times daily for 4 days. Topical treatment with ME-609 (which contains 5% acyclovir and 1% hydrocortisone) in the ATI mouse model was substantially more efficacious than 5% Zovirax® cream, 1% hydrocortisone or no treatment, respectively. The beneficial properties of ME-609 were also found to be superior to those of Zovirax cream when tested in the standard guinea pig model, representing a primary HSV infection. ME-609 represents a novel treatment principle of recurrent HSV infections and the present paper summarizes the preclinical and early clinical experience of ME-609.

Ex situ soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (SXAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the redox behavior of sodium-containing vanadium oxide (Na−VOx) nanotubes in a rechargeable Li battery context. This nanotubular material consists of scroll-like layers of vanadium oxide separated by structure-directing agents, in this case Na⁺ ions. As lithium ions are inserted into the Na−VOx nanotubes, the V 2p peak weight shifts toward lower energies. This effect can be seen in both the SXAS and XPS results. Average oxidation states could be obtained from the XPS results, and these agree well with those estimated from electrochemical measurements. At potentials below 2.0 V, there is a coexistence of V(V), V(IV), and V(III), which suggests that some of the vanadium is inaccessible to reduction during the first cycles.

Fast N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) acetylators may be at increased risk of colorectal cancer through the activation of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HA), which are produced by meat cooked at high temperatures and are found in cigarette smoke. A study of 500 incident colorectal cancer cases and population controls, matched for age, sex and general practitioner, was conducted in the UK to investigate this hypothesis. Usual meat intake and lifetime smoking habits were estimated using a detailed questionnaire administered by interview. Subjects also indicated how well cooked they ate their meat. Subjects were classified as fast or slow NAT2 acetylators on the basis of NAT2 genotype. Complete genotype data were available on 433 matched pairs. The risk of colorectal cancer showed a steady increase with meat intake, rising to an odds ratio of 1.51 [95% confidence interval (1.03, 2.23)] for the highest versus the lowest quartile, after adjustment for total energy intake, and this was even more pronounced for red meat [odds ratio 1.97 (1.30, 2.98)]. However, this effect was not influenced by the preference for well-done meat. Smoking was also associated with an increased risk [odds ratio 1.47 (1.10, 1.98) for ever- versus never-smokers]. In both cases and controls ∼40% of subjects were classified as fast acetylators, and the risks associated with (red) meat intake and smoking did not vary with NAT2 status. This study provides no support for the hypothesis that fast NAT2 acetylators are at increased risk of colorectal cancer, even if exposed to high levels of HA from well-cooked meat or smoking.

The paper proposes an optical device for add-drop multiplexing. The device is based on a Bragg grating assisted MZI configuration. In the Bragg grating three phase shifts are implemented to open up a proper one-channel transmission window. The analysis is based on the mode propagation theory. SiO2/Si planar lightwave circuits are currently the most promising technology for realising this kind of device.

Objective: Association between animal products and prostate cancer have been observed in numerous observational studies, but it is not clear whether the high fat content of these foods or some other component accounts for these associations. We examine these associations among 51,529 men who contributed detailed dietary data. Methods: Participants of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study completed a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire in 1986, and subsequently in 1990 and 1994. Other data on potential risk factors were collected at baseline and in subsequent questionnaires during follow-up. Between 1986 and 1996, 1897 total cases of prostate cancer (excluding stage A1) and 249 metastatic cancers were identified. We used pooled logistic regression for analyses of diet and prostate cancer. Results: Intakes of total meat, red meat, and dairy products were not associated with risk of total or advanced prostate cancer. An elevated risk for metastatic prostate cancer was observed with intake of red meat (relative risk (RR) = 1.6 for top vs. bottom quintile comparison, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0–2.5); this association was slightly attenuated after controlling for saturated and α-linolenic fatty acids (RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.88–2.5). Processed meats, bacon and beef, pork or lamb as a main dish each contributed to an elevated risk of metastatic prostate cancer. Dairy product intake increased risk of metastatic prostate cancer (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.91–2.2 for top vs. bottom quintile comparison), but no association remained after controlling for calcium and other fatty acids. A high intake in both red meat and dairy product was associated with a statistically significant two-fold elevation in risk of metastatic prostate cancer, compared to low intake of both products; however, most of the excess risk could be explained by known nutritional components of these foods. Conclusions: Intakes of red meat and dairy products appear to be related to increased risk of metastatic prostate cancer. While known nutrients, such as calcium and fatty acids, may explain most of the dairy association observed, it appears that a portion of the risk of metastatic prostate cancer associated with red meat intake remains unexplained.

Central Scania, southernmost Sweden, is penetrated by more than one hundred basaltic volcanic necks of Jurassic age. Pyroclastics, related to the volcanic necks, have been investigated to reveal the volcanic environment, and the eruptive character required to produce the pyroclastics. Based on textural and petrographical evidence, a Strombolian-type eruptive character is suggested. The sediment, a lapilli tuff, is clay altered due to early diagenetic processes, but traces of palagonite reveal a former basaltic composition of the lapilli tuff. The volcanoes were part of a monogenetic volcanic field and deposition of the pyroclastic sediment took place on land, probably close to oceanic water.

Successful competition of activated factor VII (FVIIa) with zymogen factor VII (FVII) for tissue factor (TF) and loading of the platelet surface with FVIIa are plausible driving forces behind the pharmacological effect of recombinant FVIIa (rFVIIa) in hemophilia patients. Thrombin generation measurements in platelet-rich hemophilia A plasma revealed competition for TF, which potentially could reduce the effective (r)FVIIa:TF complex concentration and thereby attenuate factor Xa production. However, (auto)activation of FVII apparently counteracted the negative effect of zymogen binding; a small impact was observed at endogenous concentrations of FVII and FVIIa but was virtually absent at pharmacological amounts of rFVIIa. Moreover, corrections of the propagation phase in hemophilia A required rFVIIa concentrations above the range where a physiological level of FVII was capable to downregulate thrombin generation. These data strongly suggest that rFVIIa acts independently of TF in hemophilia therapy and that FVII displacement by rFVIIa is a negligible mechanistic component.

Frequent consumption of meat has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Such a risk may be due to naturally occurring compounds in the meat, substances added to the meat, or agents formed during cooking. Concerning the latter alternative, mutagenic heterocyclic amines are multi-site animal carcinogens, but their relevance to human cancer has yet to be determined. In the present study, we made a population-based inventory of cooked meat dishes consumed in the county of Stockholm, ranked dishes according to cooking method and frequency of consumption and, in addition, determined levels of mutagenic activity in six commonly consumed fried meat dishes. Meat was consumed, on average, 493 times per year, giving 1.4 daily servings. Frying was the most common way to cook meat. When ranking meat dishes according to intake frequency, the top eight dishes were as follows: sausage, steak casserole, meatballs, pork chops, pork belly, bacon, ground beef patties, and, finally, mincemeat sauce. The frying sessions were performed under controlled conditions at four different temperatures, and we documented the degree of surface browning and measured mutagenic activity in six frequently eaten dishes (sausage, meatballs, pork chops, pork belly, ground beef patties, and minute beef). We found extracts from all six dishes to be mutagenic, and a mean daily dose of exposure was calculated, giving 862 revertants. This investigation leaves no doubt that a major portion of the total meat consumption is fried before ingestion and that fried meat dishes frequently consumed by an elderly population in Stockholm contain mutagenic substances. Furthermore, the study provides usable information for future epidemiological research in which it is necessary to disentangle the effect of meat per se from the effect of potentially carcinogenic heterocyclic amines.

UV measurements of young T-Tauri stars, resembling the Sun at an age of a few million years, have recently been made with the International Ultraviolet Explorer. They indicate that young stars emit up to 104times more UV than the present Sun. The implications for the origin and evolution of O2and O3in the prebiological palaeoatmosphere are presented here. The results of photochemical calculations indicate that the O2surface mixing ratio was a factor 104–106times greater than the standard value of 10−15. This new value reconciles the simultaneous existence of oxidized iron and reduced uranium.

The radioprotective effect of vasopressin-induced intestinal ischemia was investigated in pigs. A bolus injection in the cranial mesenteric artery, of a vasopressin solution, 0.05 IU/kg body weight, was followed by irradiation of the small intestine with 6 MV roentgen rays. Three different fraction schedules were used. Weight changes in the animals and the histologic appearance of their intestines were recorded two weeks after irradiation and compared with the findings in untreated animals. Intra-arterial vasopressin was very effective in protecting the intestine. Vasopressin treatment given before 2 fractions with relatively high radiation doses in a 6-fraction regimen was so effective that it may form the basis of a treatment model applicable in man.

Reactions from the rectal mucosa often give rise to troublesome side-effects during and after radiotherapy in the pelvic region. Local vasoconstriction in the rectal mucosa will cause an ischemia which will decrease the sensitivity of the mucosal cells to radiation and thereby these side-effects can be reduced. Triglycyl-lysine-vasopressin applied rectally in 1% Blanose solution gave in the present study significant radioprotection of the rectal mucosa in the doses of 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 mg. These doses are, however, very high. Triglycyl-lysine-vasopressin in 1.2% Natrosol solution in a dose of 128 μμg did not show any certain protective effects. However lysine-vasopressin in 1.2% Natrosol solution in a dose of 16 μμg gave significant radioprotection of the rectal mucosa. This dose level has in a previous study not given any significant effects on the systemic circulation. Lysine-vasopressin in Natrosol solution seems to be a suitable combination for further studies.

The aim of the present work was to simulate the chemical state of the surface of cold rolled steel sheet which results from some of the treatments used on a continuous annealing line (CAL, developed by Nippon Kokan). By using ESCA, GDOS, and SEM the surfaces of two different steels were characterised. One steel was a low alloyed, conventional deep drawing quality (DDQ) steel, the other a dual phase (DP) steel alloyed with manganese and silicon. The surface was studied after four different subprocesses: as received after cold rolling; after annealing and gas cooling; after water quenching; and after pickling. On annealing at high temperature in a protective atmosphere consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen the iron oxides are completely reduced. However, the elements manganese and silicon, which have high affinities to oxygen, will form oxides on the surface, distributed as discrete particles. The DP steel, which has a relatively high bulk concentration of manganese and silicon, exhibits a larger surface coverage of these oxides than the low alloyed DDQ steel. On water quenching the metallic part of the surface, consisting of iron, is reoxidised, forming a rather thick iron oxide film that almost covers the oxide islands. This thick film is unacceptable and must be removed by pickling. Simulation of the pickling process shows that the iron oxide formed during water quenching is completely removed. The surface after pickling consists of a thin iron oxide film formed during pickling and rinsing. The manganese and silicon oxide islands are not completely removed by pickling, as can be seen from the ESCA analyses and SEM. However, pickling reduces the difference in surface coverage of these oxides between the two types of steel.

Electrodegreasing of cold rolled steel sheets in an alkaline solution containing silicate was investigated by surface sensitive techniques. The influence of the contamination levels of the sheets and the solutions was studied. A model for the electrodegreasing mechanism is given: desorption of hydrocarbons from the surface occurs at polarization of the surface; readsorption is prevented by formation of microemulsions in the solution. Anodic electrocleaning gives a more efficient cleaning than cathodic degreasing. It is suggested that the number of bonds is reduced and the desorption from the surface is facilitated by oxidation of double bonds in the hydrocarbons adsorbed on the surface of the anode. Sodium silicate, Na2SiO2(OH)2, is deposited on the surface during electrodegreasing. More silicate is found after cathodic polarization than after anodic polarization. The precipitation at the cathode is explained by an increase in the pH value at the surface.

Heterocyclic amines are possible human carcinogens and fried meat is an important source of exposure in the Western diet. To study the effect of heterocyclic amines in humans, accurate assessment of individual food consumption is essential. Parameters influencing the intake include the amount and type of meat ingested, frequency of consumption, cooking method, cooking temperature and the duration of cooking. The aim of the present study was to develop a practical method for assessing individual intakes of specific heterocyclic amines in a large sample of people. This has been done by combining information on food consumption and laboratory findings of heterocyclic amines in food products. Diet was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire including photos of fried meat and, in all, 22 dishes were cooked and chemically analyzed. The method was employed in an elderly population in Stockholm to estimate the daily mean intake of the five heterocyclic amines 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). The total daily intake ranged from none to 1816 ng, with a mean intake of 160 ng, which is well below estimates reported previously. Highest amounts ingested were of PhIP (mean 72, range 0-865 ng/day) and MeIQx (mean 72, range 0-1388 ng/day), followed by DiMeIQx (mean 16, range 0-171 ng/day), while MeIQ and IQ were ingested only in very small amounts (mean <1 ng/day).

This study is the Swedish part of a world-wide transcultural and interdisciplinary study in elderly populations which addresses food habits, health and life-style. The aim of this paper is to present the general design including an analysis of non-response, and to identify risk-groups for intervention programmes. The study comprised 217 noninstitutionalized males (n= 73) and females (n= 144), aged 70 and over (mean age 78 years) in a small urban area. Home visits and clinical examinations with standard methods were used.The participation rate was 76%. Significant differences between non-respondents and respondents could be seen, which may be important when planning health promotion. On the basis of experiences during the examinations, a risk-group was identified for prospective and intervention study purposes, based on a multiple variable model and a clinical model.

The origin and evolution of the Earth's early atmosphere depend crucially on the dissipation time tNof the primitive solar nebula, SN. Using different theories of turbulence, we estimate that for a 0.1 M\cirċSN, tNis 2.5–8.3Myr. Because accretion times are usually much longer, we conclude that most planetary accretion must have occurred in a gas-free environment. Using new IUE data, a wavelength-dependent UV flux is constructed for the young Sun which is then used to study the photochemistry and concentrations of O, O2, O3, OH, H, HCO and formaldehyde H2CO in the Earth's early prebiological atmosphere.

The overaging treatment of a continuous annealing line was simulated in the laboratory. The chemical state of the surface of low carbon steel sheet was determined by using ESCA and SEM. The surfaces of a conventional, low alloyed deep drawing quality (DDQ) steel and a dual phase (DP) steel alloyed with Mn and Si were characterised in simulated and production line conditions. The influence of the surface state of the steels on the formation of surface phosphates was investigated. During overaging in the temperature range 200–400° C in a protective H2+ N2atmosphere iron oxide is reduced to metallic iron. The alloying elements manganese and silicon are oxidised. Silicon especially is markedly enriched on the surface, in the form of pure Si02, due to its high diffusibility. The manganese and silicon oxides form particles on the surface during the overaging treatment. The results indicate that iron oxide is dissolved in the particles. Sodium and calcium are also present in their oxide states on the surfaces of the production line sheets; they originate in the rinsing waters used. Temper rolling reduces the amount of surface oxide particles to about half the prerolling value. It is suggested that this is due to the stripping of particles from the surface and the pressing of particles into the steel matrix. The phosphating experiments show that the steel sheets treated in the simulation furnace and taken from the production line form surface phosphates readily. The phosphate crystals are small, uniform, and cover the entire surface.

In the past, it was generally assumed that the early atmosphere of the Earth contained appreciable quantities of methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3). This was the type of atmosphere believed to be the most suitable environment for chemical evolution, the nonbiological formation of complex organic molecules, the precursors of living systems. Photochemical considerations suggest that a CH4-NH3 dominated early atmosphere was probably very short-lived, if it ever existed at all. Instead, an early atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) is favored by photochemical as well as geological and geochemical considerations. Photochemical calculations also indicate that the total oxygen column density of the prebiological paleoatmosphere did not exceed 10-7 of the present atmospheric level.