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AbstractImpaired parental reflective functioning (PRF), i.e. difficulties in understanding one’s child in terms of mental states, may constitute a risk for children’s development and wellbeing. Impaired PRF has been linked to parental psychopathology, however no study has investigated PRF in adult patients with personality disorders (PDs). We examined PRF in a sample of adult outpatients with diagnosed PDs compared with healthy controls (HCs), and explored associations between PRF and symptoms of psychopathology and interpersonal problems in parents with PD. A convenience sample of treatment-seeking outpatients with PDs (n = 34) were assessed with questionnaires measuring PRF (The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ)), symptoms of psychopathology (Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL-90-R)) and interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)). PRF scores were compared with reported means of HCs (n = 156) pooled from a previous study. Parents with PD reported higher levels of pre-mentalizing and lower levels of certainty about mental states compared with HCs. Both groups reported high levels of interest and curiosity and did not differ significantly in this regard. Exploratory analyses showed that low levels of certainty about mental states was associated with high levels of depressive and psychotic symptoms and submissive types of interpersonal problems (social-avoidance and non-assertiveness). Our findings provide preliminary evidence that patients with PD have impairments in PRF compared with HCs. The findings stress the importance of assessing the multidimensional nature of PRF in parents with PD.

Fossil oral ejecta that exclusively contain bivalved calcitic lower jaws of ammonites (=aptychi) from Late Jurassic Solnhofen-type deposits of southern Germany are described. Based on the symphysis length of aptychi the ammonite shell diameters were reconstructed, ranging from 5 to 170 mm. To identify the potential ammonite predator published reports on stomach contents, coprolites and ammonite-palaeopathology were critically assessed. Implementation of the actualistic approach, together with some functional considerations, includes the identification of modern cephalopod predators with a focus on the modern Nautilus, and the distribution of vomiting behaviour among them. Stomach fluid pH is also important because species with an alkaline stomach pH are unable to dissolve calcareous hardparts and have to orally eject such material. Herein, we regard coleoids with an opportunistic diet as the most likely producers of the aptychi-bearing regurgitalites. This is based on finds of aptychi in the stomachs of the two coleoids Plesioteuthis and Trachyteuthis. They were likely fast, highly manoeuvrable swimmers. Both share a strong, triangular-shaped jaw apparatus that could possibly crush ammonite shells as well as arms equipped with suckers to hold their prey. Circumstantial evidence for coleoids as the producers comes from the alkaline pH of the stomach fluids of modern coleoids. Supplementary material: Data for lamellaptychi are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4695002 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spaceborne radar altimetry over ice sheets has exclusively focused on assessing volume changes through changes in surface elevation. For use in mass balance calculations, these measurements are supplemented with surface property information derived from regional climate models with limited large‐scale observational validation. Simultaneously, the strength at which a radar signal is reflected from the surface contains information on these same near‐surface properties. Here we show that a quantitative interpretation of European (ESA) CryoSat‐2 and French/Indian (CNES/ISRO) SARAL surface echo powers yields timeseries of pan‐Greenland wavelength‐scale roughness and surface density. Individually, the CryoSat‐2 and SARAL results strive toward providing an observational lens to enhance our current understanding of the surface processes affecting ice sheet mass balance and validate their representation by computational models. Taken together, they highlight how diversity in currently operational and future radar satellite altimetry missions can shed light on near‐surface vertical heterogeneity. For three decades, satellite‐based radar altimeters have been measuring areas of thickening and thinning across the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS). From these measurements we can calculate a mass balance, which is an important component in quantifying Greenland's contribution to global mean sea level rise. However, this calculation requires knowing ice sheet surface density. Even though predictable with specialized computer programs, observations are needed to ensure the computer results are accurate. In this study, we use three different radar data sets from two different satellites, to measure the surface density and roughness of the GrIS based on the strength of the radar altimetry surface echoes. As expected, surface roughness increases toward the ice sheet margin and in the vicinity of faster flowing ice. Surface density varies through time and space but appears strongly influenced by melt events (e.g., summer 2012). By comparing measurements between satellites, we can start piecing together how density changes vertically in the near surface; reflecting the processes operating at the time (i.e., snow fall, melting, melt percolation). These observations are the first step toward providing a new data set for refining the computer programs used to project Greenland evolution into the future. In‐depth knowledge of near‐surface density is crucial for altimetry ice sheet mass balance estimatesWe provide the first, monthly, pan‐Greenland observations of surface roughness and density between 2013 and 2018Dual‐frequency results reflect deposition, melting, and percolation processes through their influence on vertical density heterogeneity In‐depth knowledge of near‐surface density is crucial for altimetry ice sheet mass balance estimates We provide the first, monthly, pan‐Greenland observations of surface roughness and density between 2013 and 2018 Dual‐frequency results reflect deposition, melting, and percolation processes through their influence on vertical density heterogeneity

We calculate, based on first-order perturbation theory, the total and differential ionization probabilities from a dynamic periodic Rydberg wave packet of a given η-shell exposed to a train of femtosecond laser pulses. The total probability is shown to depend crucially on the laser repetition rate: For certain frequencies the ionization probability vanishes, while for others it becomes very large. The origin of this effect is the strong dependence of the ionization probability on the Stark quantum number. Correspondingly, the angular electronic distribution also changes significantly with the increasing number of pulses for certain repetition rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a feature of the Rydberg blockade mechanism which occurs between two initially excited circular Rydberg atoms. When both atoms are exposed to weak time-dependent electric fields, it is shown that the intrashell dynamics of each atom is strongly modified by the presence of the other. Three characteristic dynamical regimes are identified with separating radii which both scale linearly with principal quantum number n for otherwise constant field parameters. A region of conditional entangled electron dynamics is separated from the outer asymptotic region of independent atom dynamics through a conditional radius, Rc. An inner region, where both atoms becomes locked in their initial state, is again separated from the conditional region by a smaller blocking radius, Rb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A population-based insurance claims database was used to examine cellulitis incidence, anatomical sites of infection, complicating diagnoses, source of health service, and recurrence rates. Insurance claim files were searched for cellulitis ICD-9-CM codes 681.0–682.9. Complications of cellulitis including erysipelas, lymphadenitis, lymphangitis, and necrotizing fasciitis were also identified by ICD-9-CM codes. We found a cellulitis incidence rate of 24·6/1000 person-years, with a higher incidence among males and individuals aged 45–64 years. The most common site of infection was the lower extremity (39·9%). The majority of patients were seen in an outpatient setting (73·8%), and most (82·0%) had only one episode of cellulitis during the 5-year period studied. There was a very low incidence of cellulitis complications, including necrotizing fasciitis. Cellulitis is fairly common, usually treated in outpatient settings, and is infrequently complicated by erysipelas, lymphadenitis, lymphangitis, or necrotizing fasciitis.

Background: Nonmelanoma skin cancer occurs frequently in organ transplant recipients, but the relative importance of different immunosuppressive therapy regimens is unclear. Objective: We studied the risk of skin cancer in the complete, single-center Norwegian cohort of kidney and heart transplant recipients (n = 2561). Methods: We determined cancer risk estimation by means of standardized incidence ratios and multivariate Cox regression. Results: Transplant recipients had an increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (65-fold), malignant melanoma (3-fold), and Kaposi's sarcoma (84-fold), and of lip SCC (20-fold), compared with the general population. After adjustment for age, kidney transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisolone had a significantly (2.8 times) higher risk of cutaneous SCC relative to those receiving azathioprine and prednisolone. After adjustment for age and type of immunosuppressive regimen, heart transplant recipients had a significantly (2.9 times) higher risk than kidney transplant recipients. Conclusion: The risk of cutaneous SCC, malignant melanoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and lip SCC is increased in kidney and heart transplant recipients. The risk of posttransplant cutaneous SCC is related to the degree of immunosuppression caused by long-term immunosuppressive therapy. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;40:177-86.)

Iodixanol is a new nonionic, dimeric contrast medium. With the addition of 18 mmol/l Na+and 0.3 mmol/l Ca++to iodixanol 320 mg I/ml a plasma-isotonic solution was obtained. The purpose was to evaluate the suitability of iodixanol for use in cardioangiography by determining the diagnostic efficacy, patient tolerability, and cardiac and renal side-effects. Initially, 14 patients with coronary artery disease were examined using iodixanol. A double-blind, randomized study was then performed in 72 patients, comparing iodixanol and iohexol. Serum and urine were sampled before the examination, and one and 2 days after. The diagnostic information was good and the number of adverse events low with iodixanol. The patients reported significantly less of a sensation of warmth following injection of iodixanol than iohexol. Our results also indicate that iodixanol 320 mg I/ml influences renal function to a lesser degree than does iohexol 350 mg I/ml. We therefore conclude that isotonic iodixanol is a safe contrast medium for use in cardioangiography.

Myocardial metabolism was studied during coronary vasodilatation by carbocromen during atrial pacing in patients with coronary arteriosclerotic disease. Coronary sinus flow was measured by the continuous infusion thermodilution technique. Carbocromen increased myocardial flow by the same amount at rest and during pacing‐induced tachycardia. The administration of carbocromen did not interfere with myocardial oxygen consumption, free fatty acid (FFA) uptake, pulmonary or systemic hemodynamics. Atrial pacing above the anginal threshold increased lactate and hypoxanthine excretion to the coronary sinus, but to a greater extent during carbocromen treatment. Thus, carbocromen is a specific coronary vasodilator acting independently of pacing induced vasodilatation. Metabolic data indicate a small but unfavourable effect on ischemic metabolism which might be due to a “coronary steal”.

1,1',3,3'-Tetraphenyloxaldiamidrazone, C26H24N6, crystallizes in the monoclinic system: space groupP21/c,a= 13.946(1) Å,b= 5.706(1) Å,c= 17.109(1) Å, ß = 125.31(1) °,Dm= 1.254,Dc= 1.259 gcm-3 andZ= 2. Intensities were obtained from ?–2? scans with a Syntex automated diffractometer using graphite-monochromated MoKa radiation. The structure was solved by direct methods. Full-matrix least-squares refinement of all positional and thermal (anisotropic for the nonhydrogen atoms and isotropic for the hydrogen atoms) parameters using 2022 reflections [I>2s(itI)] converged at a conventionalR of 0.041. The molecule is characterized by a conjugated pi system which includes the central N=C-C=N moiety and two of the four aniline groups. No intermolecular and only weak intramolecular hydrogen bonds are present.

In a six-year period (1982–1987), 248 patients were treated with 297 procedures (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, PTCA) on 282 vessels. Two hundred and fifty-nine (87.2%) of the procedures in 210 (76.7%) of the patients appeared successful angiographically. Thirty-eight procedures were unsuccessful due to failure to pass the stenosis in 18 patients, dissection or occlusion of the treated vessel in 11, and significant residual stenosis in 9 patients. Emergency operations were performed after 11 (3.7%) of the procedures. Two patients died postoperatively. Myocardial infarction was seen in 13 patients, of whom 4 developed pathologic Q-waves in their ECG. Restenosis occurred in 60 (28.6%) of the patients. In the last year of the study, the patients selected for PTCA were in a poorer state angiographically, but the results of PTCA were better, without any increase of the complication rate. Our results, which are in accordance with others, support the concept that PTCA is a relatively safe procedure with a primary success rate of almost 90 per cent. However, approximately one third of the patients developed restenosis, which in most cases occurred within 3 months.

Summary: The effect of adrenaline on myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) during selective and non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade was examined in 26 patients with angina pectoris. Cardiac venous flow was measured by thermodilution and blood was sampled for metabolic studies. Thirteen patients were given atenolol 62.5 µg/kg i.v. and the other 13 patients pindolol 7.5 µg/kg i.v. Measurements were repeated before and during infusion of adrenaline 0.1 µg/kg/min. Compared to the control situation, adrenaline increased MVO2 more in atenolol-treated (39%) than in pindolol-treated patients (11%). This was partly due to augmented external cardiac work. Arterial FFA was considerably increased in the atenolol group (105%), but was unchanged in the pindolol group, suggesting an additional metabolic mechanism. Thus, adrenaline stimulation, which is comparable to that found in acute myocardial infarction, increases MVO2 more during selective than non-selective beta-blockade.

Allograft vascular disease is a significant cause of death of cardiac transplant recipients after the first year of transplantation. With few exceptions, angina pectoris does not develop and objective examinations, including coronary angiography, are necessary to diagnose coronary arteriopathy. Between 1983 and 1994, 214 heart transplantations in 211 patients were performed in our unit. All survivors had coronary angiography performed yearly. Thirty patients had significant localized arterial stenoses. Twelve patients with critical stenosis were accepted for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Five patients underwent retransplantation due to progressive graft vascular disease with development of congestive heart failure. Conventional revascularization with transluminal coronary angioplasty can safely be performed with primary good results. In selected patients, retransplantation is an option if patients otherwise fulfil standard criteria for cardiac transplantation.

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency in adults in associated with reduced muscular strength and peak oxygen uptake (peak VO"2). How these variables are influenced by long-term somatropin therapy in adults with childhood onset GH-deficiency has not been precisely defined. The effect of somatropin treatment in 20 childhood onset GH-deficient adults on muscular strength, maximal exercise capacity, and hormonal response to exercise were therefore examined in a double-blind placebo-controlled study with recombinant human GH (rhGH, 12 @mg/kg/day) for 6 months, followed by 36 months of open-labeled uninterrupted therapy, after which treatment was stopped for 9 months. After 6 months of treatment, exercise capacity increased significantly, as assessed by time to exhaustion [mean change (95% CI) 0.8 (0.2, 1.4) min, P<0.05], total (accumulated) work [11.6 (0.8, 22.4) kJ P<0.05] and peak Vo"2 [2.6 (0.3, 4.9) ml/kg/min, P<0.01], whereas no significant changes were observed during placebo. This effect on exercise capacity remained unchanged during long-term somatropin treatment, mainly due to increased capacity among patients with isolated GH deficiency. Nine months after stopping treatment, peak Vo"2 decreased by 11% from 32.8+/-2.5 to 29.1+/-2.1 ml/kg/min (P<0.05). Maximal muscular handgrip strength was not affected by treatment. Long-term GH therapy resulted in decreased respiratory exchange value (R value) at rest and during exercise (P<0.001), suggesting a metabolic role with increased fat combustion. Resting and submaximal noradrenaline levels decreased during somatropin treatment (P<0.05), while no effect was observed for other exercise-induced hormonal responses, including adrenaline, insulin, prolactin, renin, and ACTH. We conclude that somatropin therapy to childhood onset GH deficient adults has a favourable effect on exercise capacity and may have a potentially beneficial effect on plasma catecholamines.

Summary: The parmacokinetics of disopyramide (DP) in 10 patients with imminent to moderate cardiac failure has been studied and compared with the results in normal volunteers. The biological half life of rapid distribution (T1/2 α) and of elimination (T1/2 β) were increased (11.14.4 min and 9.74.2 h, respectively). Total body clearance (Clt) was decreased (0.4670.215 ml min−1 kg−1), and the volume of distribution (Vd) was slightly reduced (0.6100.1361 kg−1), probably due to the lower cardiac index. After oral administration, the time to peak serum concentration was increased (13989 min), and the mean peak serum concentration (2.40.8% dose 1−1) was also higher than reported in normal subjects. Comparison of the areas under the concentration versus time curves after intravenous and oral administration (AUC i. v. and AUC oral) showed that DP was almost completely absorbed, its bioavailability being 97.515.0%.

Eight patients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation in Norway during 1984, with retransplantation in one case. The age range of the 5 men and 3 women was 19-53 years. The preoperative diagnosis was cardiomy-opathy in 6 patients, ischaemic heart disease in one, and a combination of the two disorders in one patient. The immunosuppressive regimen, with cyclosporin A and low-dose prednisolone, and the treatment of graft rejection, followed the Stanford University protocol. There was no operative mortality. Three patients died shortly after the transplantation, 2 of them after about a week from acute rejection; in one of these 2 cases a second transplant was made, but was followed by pulmonary and renal complications. The third death occurred about 10 weeks postop-eratively, from donor heart failure due to Toxoplasma myocarditis. The 5 survivors are clinically in good condition.

Abstract. Gullestad L, Nordal K, Forfang K, Ihlen H, Hostmark A, Berg KJ, Cheng H, Schwartz MS, Geiran 0, Simonsen S (Rikshospitalet University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, and Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA). Post‐transplant hyperlipidaemia: low‐dose lovastatin lowers atherogenic lipids without plasma ac‐cumulation of lovastatin. 1 Intern Med 1997; 242: 483‐490.

To investigate if the intrinsic sympathomimetic activity of pindolol could modify its beta-blocking effects on the responses to an adrenaline infusion, 10 healthy volunteers were studied. At an interval of 1–4 weeks each subject received pindolol and atenolol in randomized order before the infusion of adrenaline 0.06 µg·kg-1·min-1.

Of 1025 patients (912 men, 113 women) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and were followed up for a mean of 7.4 years, 45 (4.4%) had diabetes mellitus. (The prevalence of diabets in the general Norwegian population is 1.8-2%). Early mortality was not significantly greater among diabetics than in non-diabetics (2.2 vs 3.1%, odds ratio - OR - 0.44, confidence interval - CI - 0.05-3.56). Diabetic patients had no increased risk of perioperative myocardial infarction (OR = 0.87, CI 0.36-2.10) or of low-output syndrome necessitating intraortic balloon pumping (OR = 0.42, CI 0.55-3.05), and no excess incidence of late non-fatal myocardial infarction (relative risk = 0.69, CI 0.10-1.28) or late chronic heart failure (OR = 2.50, CI 0.5-11.0). Long-term mortality was increased in the diabetic patients (relative risk 1.87, CI 1.60-2.14). Thus diabetes did not entail heightened risk of early mortality, perioperative myocardial infarction or low-output syndrome. Nor was there excess risk of recurrent angina pectoris, late non-fatal myocardial infarction or chronic heart failure among the diabetic patients, but the late mortality risk was increased.

Mathisen P, Hall C, Simonsen S. Comparative study of atrial peptides ANF (1-98) and ANF (99-126) as diagnostic markers of atrial distension in patients with cardiac disease. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1993; 53: 41-49.To evaluate the possible role of atrial natriuretic peptides ANF (1-98) and ANF (99––126) as diagnostic parameters of atrial distension, measurements of peptide levels were performed in 47 patients with chronic ischaemic and/or left sided valvular heart disease. Plasma samples were drawn from the pulmonary artery (PA) and superior vena cava (SVC) during diagnostic right heart catheterization. Forty of the patients also underwent left heart haemodynamic measurements, and in 28 patients two dimensional echocardiography with determination of left atrial diameter was performed.Enhanced plasma concentrations of both peptides were observed with increasing severity of heart failure assessed by the NYHA classification. Mean plasma levels of both peptides were closely correlated to mean pulmonary artery pressure (ANF (1-98): n=47, r=0.69 (SVC)/r=0.72 (PA), p<0.0001; ANF (99-126): n=46, r=0.75 (SVC)/r=0.68 (PA), p<0.0001) and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (ANF (1-98): n=47, r=0.69 (SVC)/r=0.72 (PA), p<0.0001; ANF (99-126): n=46, r=0.70 (SVC)/r=0.64 (PA), p<0.0001). Positive correlations were also obtained between peptide levels and mean right atrial pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. When patients with high right atrial pressures (n=2) were excluded from analysis, a significant correlation was found between peptide levels and echocardiography assessed left atrial diameter.The present study demonstrates the close correlation between concentrations of both atrial peptides and cardiopulmonary haemodynamics in patients with chronic heart disease. The findings support the view that plasma levels of ANF (1-98) and ANF (99-126) are equally good indicators of atrial distension in these patients.

The crystal and molecular structure of bicyclo[2,2,1]hept-5-ene-2,3-endo-dicarboxylic acid, C9H10O4, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The crystals are monoclinic:P21/c,a = 11·009(5),b = 7·394(5),c = 10·479(5) Å, ß = 98 ° 22'(3) andZ = 4. The least-squares refinement of 1826 diffractometer reflexions resulted in a conventionalR of 0·074. Bond distances and angles of the bicyclo [2,2, 1]hept-5-ene ring system agree well with other recently published structures of this type, including similar asymmetry of bond distances. Hydrogen bonding of the acid groups occurs between the molecules so as to form infinite chains in the direction of thea-axis. Large anisotropic thermal motions of the oxygen atoms of one carboxylic acid group are, presumably, the result of differences in hydrogen-bonding geometry.

In a double-blind, randomized, two-group study of 99 ‘high-risk’ patients mainly with coronary artery disease, the non-ionic contrast medium, Amipaque (metrizamide), was compared with the ionic medium, Isopaque Coronar (meglumine-Na-Ca-metrizoate) in cinecardioangiography. In evaluating the influence of the contrast media on the left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), the material was divided into 2 groups, 55 patients with a basal LVEDP of 15 mmHg or less and 44 with an LVEDP above this level. In the former group LVEDP increased significantly after injection of the contrast medium into the left ventricle, but significantly less (p=0.006) after Amipaque than after Isopaque Coronar. In the patients with a basal LVEDP above 15 mmHg, no significant change occurred in LVEDP after left ventriculography with any of the 2 contrast media. No serious complications occurred.

Duplex scanning, i.e. combined real time ultrasonography and pulsed Doppler velocity measurement, of the inferior vena cava and portal vein was performed in 85 patients subjected to routine left and right heart catheterization. Mean blood velocity and volume blood flow in the inferior vena cava were found to be pulsatile, reflecting both cardiac action and respiration. Different flow patterns could be related to various heart conditions. The cross-sectional area of the inferior vena cava was also pulsatile, the normal variation with respiration being partial collapse during inspiration and maximum distension at end expiration. In the majority of patients, portal vein flow showed variation with respiration only, maximum flow occurring during expiration. The flow patterns found in the two veins were well in accordance with previous invasive findings in animals. It is concluded that duplex scanning is a useful tool in the assessment of abdominal venous return.

Duplex scanning of the lower thoracic aorta was performed on 67 patients subjected to routine left and right heart catheterization with estimation of cardiac output ad modum Fick. Adequate Doppler signals from the lower thoracic aorta were obtained in 59 patients (88%), 26 of whom had aortic valve abnormality. A high correlation was found between the Doppler and Fick findings (r=0.89), with a regression line intercepting close to zero (cardiac output = 1.76 × Doppler flow+0.05). The presence of aortic valve abnormality did not seem to influence the accuracy of the Doppler flow results. It is concluded that Doppler flowmetry in the lower thoracic aorta is a useful method in estimation of resting cardiac output, especially in patients with aortic valve lesions making Doppler flowmetry in the ascending aorta impossible.

Tetrahedral and octahedral cobalt(II), and square and octahedral nickel(II) complexes of 1,2-bis(2′-imidazolin-2′-yl)benzene, 1,2-bis(2′-imidazolin-2′-yl)ethane, and some imidazoline ring methyl substituted ligands are reported. The structures are confirmed by three X-ray structural analyses, magnetism, and electronic and vibrational (conventional and far i.r.) spectroscopy. Both cisand transoctahedral complexes of the type M(ligand)2(NCS)2[M = Co(II), Ni(II)] have been characterized, and none of these exhibit splitting of the v(CN)(NCS) absorption in the i.r. spectrum at room temperature. Low temperature studies reveal splitting of the v(CN) band in the cisisomers. Both 13C and 15N satellite absorption is identified. The delocalization of the double bond in the imidazoline rings in these complexes is discussed in terms of the i.r. and X-ray data.

Eighty-five patients subjected to routine heart catheterization, were examined with duplex scanning of the inferior vena cava and portal vein. Volume blood flow in the two veins was estimated and compared with Fick measured cardiac output and duplex measured flow in the lower thoracic aorta. Inferior vena caval and portal vein flow were found to comprise approximately 30 to 40 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, of cardiac output, but with a large dispersion of individual percentages. A high correlation (r=0.88) was found between the sum of inferior vena caval and portal vein flow and duplex measured flow in the lower thoracic aorta, the sum of flow in the two veins comprising approximately 90 per cent of lower thoracic aortic flow. It is concluded that duplex scanning seems to be a useful method in estimating volume blood flow in both the inferior vena cava and portal vein.

We use remotely sensed ice velocities in combination with observations of surface elevation and glacier area change to investigate the dynamics of Hagen Bræ, North Greenland in high detail over the last 35 years. From our data, we can establish for the first time that Hagen Bræ is a surge‐type glacier with characteristics of both Alaskan‐ and Svalbard‐type surging glaciers. We argue that the observed surge was preconditioned by the glacier geometry and triggered by englacially stored meltwater. At present, the glacier is in a transitional state between active and quiescence phases and is not building up to its pre‐surge geometry. We suggest that the glacier is adjusting to the loss of its floating section, general thinning, and changes in fjord conditions that occurred over the study period which are unrelated to the surge behavior. The high temporal resolution of the ice velocity data gives insight to the sub‐annual glacier flow. Thirty‐five years of remotely sensed data document the recent dynamics and surge cycle of Hagen Bræ in high detailWe argue that the surge was preconditioned by geometry but triggered by englacially stored meltwaterThe onset of the observed surge was abrupt while its termination was gradual

Restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was demonstrated in 61 (29%) of 210 successfully treated patients. Mostly it occurred within 4 months after treatment and in arteries less than 3 mm in diameter. Careful clinical follow-up is therefore particularly important early after angioplasty of smaller arteries. Redilation can be performed without increased risk of restenosis.

Cerebrovascular complications were registered in 11 patients (0.21) of 5 339, consecutively submitted to coronary angiography with the nonionic contrast medium iohexol (Omnipaque). Six of the patients had diseases predisposing them to thromboembolic complications, 3 of whom earlier had symptoms of cerebral stroke. Excluding these 6, the incidence of cerebral thromboembolic events was 0.10 in patients with no predisposing diseases. Precise catheterization technique and some anticoagulation and antiplatelet activity therapy are definite precautions against these complications, while the role of the contrast medium is still debated.

The acute haemodynamic effects of the new calcium antagonist isradipine have been studied in ten hypertensive cardiac transplant recipients. Isradipine 0.01 mg·kg-1 was given IV during right heart catheterization and noninvasively automatic blood pressure measurements.

AbstractNon‐melanoma skin cancer is frequent in organ transplant recipients. The risk of post‐transplant cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in Norwegian heart transplant recipients (n= 148) and kidney transplant recipients (n= 1020) on triple immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisolone, transplanted between 1983 and 1992, were studied. After adjustment for age at transplantation in multivariable Cox models, heart transplant recipients had a significantly 2.8‐times higher risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma relative to kidney transplant recipients. The risk relative to the general population (standardized incidence ratio) was higher in heart transplant recipients than in kidney transplant recipients. The results indicate that heart transplant recipients are more likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer than kidney transplant recipients, probably due to the higher doses of cyclosporine and azathioprine after heart transplantation used at our center in the study period.