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In this paper, we present modelling of spectroscopic ellipsometry data. The measured samples are thin films of copper oxides modified with the ion implantation method. The samples were prepared using reactive magnetron sputtering. Thin films of CuO and Cu4O3 were deposited and subjected to Cr ion implantation with an energy of 15 keV and a dose of 5 × 1016 ions/cm2. The decrease in crystallinity of the thin film as a result of the implantation was inspected with X-ray diffraction measurements. The implantation of Cr+ ions was simulated using the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter software by Ziegler and Biersack. Ion beam energy of 15 keV was simulated to estimate the distribution of Cr ions in the copper oxides thin films. Optical parameters, such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, and absorption coefficient of the thin films, were investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry. Multilayered models based on Tauc–Lorentz oscillators were developed for both oxides. Analysis of the optical properties showed that the ion implantation with Cr decreased the absorption of copper oxides thin films and the modelling proved that the material properties of top layers changed the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the characteristics, including morphology, physicochemical properties, and antibacterial properties, of silver nanocolloids obtained by D-glucose reduction. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized in accordance with the principles of green chemistry using D-glucose as a reductor. The obtained nanostructures were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Stability tests performed after 1 month of storage revealed that the colloids prepared with and without polyvinylpyrrolidone as a stabilizer had the same properties. Distribution of the nanoparticles was tested using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry by doping the silver colloids into a natural soap mass. The antibacterial activity of the soap containing silver nanoparticles was tested on dirty hands. The antibacterial activity test demonstrated that the novel green soap materials improved with D-glucose-reduced silver nanoparticles possessed better antibacterial properties than a pure soap, and thus, they could be recommended for quotidian use by dermatological patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay in 76 Ge are currently achieving the lowest background level and, in connection with the excellent energy resolution of germanium detectors, they exhibit the best discovery potential for the decay. Expansion to a ton scale of the active target mass is presently considered – in this case on-site production of the detectors may be an option. In this paper we describe the fabrication and characterization procedures of a prototype detector with a small p+ contact, which enhances the abilities of the pulse shape discrimination – one of the most important tools for background reduction. Simulations of the shapes of pulses from the detector were carried out and tuned, taking the advantage of the fact that all the parameters of the Ge crystal, cryostat and of the spectroscopic chain were known. As a result, the pulse shape analyses performed on the simulated and measured data agree very well. The worked out method allows to optimize geometry and crystal parameters in terms of pulse shape analysis efficiency, before the actual production of the detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply the theory of de Branges–Rovnyak spaces to describe kernels of some Toeplitz operators on the classical Hardy space H 2 . In particular, we discuss the kernels of the operators T f ¯ / f and T I ¯ f ¯ / f , where f is an outer function in H 2 and I is inner such that I (0) = 0 . We also obtain a result on the structure of de Branges–Rovnyak spaces generated by nonextreme functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) is one of the most important forest tree species in Europe, from both economic and ecological perspectives. Several studies indicate the possibility of using different species of the genus Quercus for afforestation of lands affected by industry, including trace-element polluted areas. The main objective of this research was to determine the Cd accumulation patterns of pedunculate oak seedlings subjected to various Cd treatments. Differences in Cd accumulation ability, mineral nutrients concentrations and observed damage upon Cd treatment of plants derived from different regions of origin are discussed. Obtained results suggest the possible use of pedunculate oak in cadmium phytostabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supersaturation of H2O during magma ascent leads to degassing of melt by formation and growth of vesicles that may power explosive volcanic eruptions. Here, we present experiments to study the effect of initially dissolved H2O concentration (cH2Oini) on vesicle formation, growth, and coalescence in phonolitic melt. Vesuvius phonolitic melts with cH2Oini ranging between 3.3 and 6.3 wt% were decompressed at rates of 1.7 and 0.17 MPa·s−1 and at temperatures ≥ 1323 K. Decompression started from 270 and 200 MPa to final pressures of 150–20 MPa, where samples were quenched isobarically. Optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopic measurements confirm that the glasses obtained were free of microcrystals and Fe-oxide nanolites, implying that the experiments were superliquidus and phase separation of the hydrous melt was homogeneous. A minimum number of the initially formed vesicles, defined by the number density normalized to vesicle-free glass volume (VND), is observed at ~ 5 wt% cH2Oini with a logVND of ~ 5 (in mm−3). The logVND increases strongly towards lower and higher cH2Oini by one order of magnitude. Furthermore, an important transition in evolution of vesiculation occurs at ~ 5.6 wt% cH2Oini. At lower cH2Oini, the initial VND is preserved during further decompression up to melt porosities of 30–50%. At higher cH2Oini, the initial vesicle population is erased at low melt porosities of 15–21% during further decompression. This observation is attributed to vesicle coalescence favored by low melt viscosity. In conclusion, cH2Oini determines the VND of initial phase separation and the evolution of vesiculation during decompression that controls the style of volcanic eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ascent of hydrous magma prior to volcanic eruptions is largely driven by the formation of H2O vesicles and their subsequent growth upon further decompression. Porosity controls buoyancy as well as vesicle coalescence and percolation, and is important when identifying the differences between equilibrium or disequilibrium degassing from textural analysis of eruptive products. Decompression experiments are routinely used to simulate magma ascent. Samples exposed to high temperature (T) and pressure (P) are decompressed and rapidly cooled to ambient T for analysis. During cooling, fluid vesicles may shrink due to decrease of the molar volume of H2O and by resorption of H2O back into the melt driven by solubility increase with decreasing T at P < 300 MPa. Here, we quantify the extent to which vesicles shrink during cooling, using a series of decompression experiments with hydrous phonolitic melt (5.3–3.3 wt% H2O, T between 1323 and 1373 K, decompressed from 200 to 110–20 MPa). Most samples degassed at near-equilibrium conditions during decompression. However, the porosities of quenched samples are significantly lower than expected equilibrium porosities prior to cooling. At a cooling rate of 44 K·s−1, the fictive temperature Tf, where vesicle shrinkage stops, is up to 200 K above the glass transition temperature (Tg), Furthermore, decreasing cooling rate enhances vesicles shrinkage. We assess the implications of these findings on previous experimental degassing studies using phonolitic melt, and highlight the importance of correctly interpreting experimental porosity data, before any comparison to natural volcanic ejecta can be attempted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (Ω, Σ, λ) be a finite complete measure space, (E, ξ) be a sequentially complete locally convex Hausdorff space and E′ be its topological dual. Let caλ (Σ, E) stand for the space of all λ-absolutely continuous measures m: Σ → E. We show that a uniformly bounded subset M of caλ (Σ, E) is uniformly λ-absolutely continuous if and only if for every equicontinuous subset D of E′, there exists a submultiplicative Young function φ such that the set {d(e′om)dλ:m∈M,e′∈D} is relatively weakly compact in the Orlicz space Lφ(λ). As a consequence, we present a generalized Vitali-Hahn-Saks theorem on the setwise limit of a sequence of λ-absolutely continuous vector measures in terms of Orlicz spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The (La,Mg)2Ni7-type alloys are candidates for hydrogen storage materials. In this study, mechanical alloying with subsequent annealing under the argon atmosphere at 1123 K for 0.5 h is applied to produce La1.5−xPrxMg0.5Ni7 and La1.5−xNdxMg0.5Ni7 alloys (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1). A shaker-type ball mill is used in the study. The objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of the amount of Pr or Nd in the La-Mg-Ni alloy on the electrochemical, hydrogenation and dehydrogenation properties of (La,Mg)2Ni7-type materials. The x-ray diffraction analysis reveals the formation of multi-phase structure materials. The obtained alloys were studied by a conventional Sievert’s type apparatus at 303 K. It has been observed that a chemical modification by Pr and Nd can affect the kinetics of the hydrogen absorption process and the maximum hydrogen storage capacity. Moreover, the stability of the electrochemical discharge capacity during cyclic work of the (La,Mg)2Ni7-type alloys is improved by a substitution with the La by Pr or Nd atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anaesthesist is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The motion of an electron and its spin are generally not coupled. However in a one-dimensional material with strong spin-orbit interaction (SOI) a helical state may emerge at finite magnetic fields, where electrons of opposite spin will have opposite momentum. The existence of this helical state has applications for spin filtering and cooper pair splitter devices and is an essential ingredient for realizing topologically protected quantum computing using Majorana zero modes. Here, we report measurements of a quantum point contact in an indium antimonide nanowire. At magnetic fields exceeding 3 T, the 2 e²/h conductance plateau shows a re-entrant feature toward 1 e²/h which increases linearly in width with magnetic field. Rotating the magnetic field clearly attributes this experimental signature to SOI and by comparing our observations with a numerical model we extract a spin-orbit energy of approximately 6.5 meV, which is stronger than the spin-orbit energy obtained by other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation sterilization eliminates microbiological infections but causes the degradation of the cell factor. The negative result of microbiological examination for tissue transplants is one of the conditions for approval for distribution in patients. The study attempts to verify impact of the presence of microbes onto material for transplant loss. In the 2011-2015 period, we analyzed 293 donors of skin and amnion. Microbiological sampling was performed. The total of 21 strains of bacteria, molds and fungi was identified in collected tissue. The widest spectrum of strains was found in skin (17), followed by amnia (8). The total number of positive findings was 147 and was again highest in skin (129), while the number of positive findings in amnia was 18 only. The general percentage of fungal infections was very low. The presence of fungal strains was only observed in allogeneic skin (2%). Large number of microorganisms isolated from the skin before sterilization was observed, so it seems impossible to use allogeneic intravital skin. However, the intravital application of allogeneic amnion obtained from cesarean section remains to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the influence of the chemical composition on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties of mechanically alloyed and sintered (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)- x wt.% HA composites. Mechanical alloying for 25 h of the Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr composition, followed by sintering under argon at 550 °C for 2 h, led to the formation of a bulk alloy with an ultrafine grained microstructure. With the increase of the hydroxyapatite content in the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)- x wt.% HA composite, a reduction of the grain sizes of the bulk material was noticeable. In the case of the bulk (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-10 wt.% HA composite, the grain sizes of approx. 60 nm have been recorded by atomic force microscopy. The final microstructure of the synthesized composites strongly influenced the mechanical and corrosion properties. The Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr alloy was characterized by higher average values of Young's modulus (36.6 GPa). In the case of the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-5 wt.% HA scaffolds with the porosity of 48%, the Young's modulus was equal to 7.1 GPa. The (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-10 wt.% HA composite was more corrosion resistant ( I = 5.849 × 10 A cm, E = −1.565 V versus SCE) than Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr alloy ( I = 4.838 × 10 A cm, E = −1.555 V versus SCE). The influence of hydrofluoric acid treatment on the corrosion behavior of the (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-5 wt.% HA composite was also investigated. The electrochemical test showed that the corrosion resistance of fluoride-treated specimens was higher, compared with the untreated samples in the Ringer's solution. In conclusion, fluoride-treated (Mg-4Y-5.5Dy-0.5Zr)-HA composites are biodegradable materials with adjustable mechanical and corrosive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of intraoperative echocardiography into clinical practice in the 1970's its use and utility in the perioperative period has become increasingly more evident. Especially in patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures intraoperative echocardiography has gained great diagnostic importance. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and epiaortic ultrasound are two important and complementing diagnostic modalities in this patient population. The clinical information obtained with intraoperative TEE in certain cases might have a direct impact on surgical decision-making and therefore may positively influence patient outcome. In patients undergoing non-cardiac surgical procedures, TEE can be a valuable tool in high-risk patients, in patients experiencing hemodynamic instability or in those suffering intraoperative cardiac arrest. Intraoperative TEE might allow a primary diagnosis of the underlying etiology and facilitate the institution of further therapeutic interventions. In addition TEE can be performed during ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and does not interfere with patient management. This review introduces the clinician to the current evidence of the impact of intraoperative echocardiography on intraoperative surgical decisions during surgical procedures. It helps the clinician to identify indications and realize the potential applications of intraoperative echocardiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medial layer of the arterial wall may play an important role in the regulation of water and solute transport across the wall. In particular, a high medial resistance to transport could cause accumulation of lipid-carrying molecules in the inner wall. In this study, the water transport properties of medial tissue were characterised in a numerical model, utilising experimentally obtained data for the medial microstructure and the relative permeability of different constituents. For the model, a new solver for flow in porous materials, based on a high-order splitting scheme, was implemented in the spectral/hp element library nektar++ and validated. The data were obtained by immersing excised aortic bifurcations in a solution of fluorescent protein tracer and subsequently imaging them with a confocal microscope. Cuboidal regions of interest were selected in which the microstructure and relative permeability of different structures were transformed to a computational mesh. Impermeable objects were treated fictitiously in the numerical scheme. On this cube, a pressure drop was applied in the three coordinate directions and the principal components of the permeability tensor were determined. The reconstructed images demonstrated the arrangement of elastic lamellae and interspersed smooth muscle cells in rat aortic media; the distribution and alignment of the smooth muscle cells varied spatially within the extracellular matrix. The numerical simulations highlighted that the heterogeneity of the medial structure is important in determining local water transport properties of the tissue, resulting in regional and directional variation of the permeability tensor. A major factor in this variation is the alignment and density of smooth muscle cells in the media, particularly adjacent to the adventitial layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in Polish elderly population and analyse its social and economic correlates based on the data from the PolSenior project, the first large-scale study of a representative group of Polish seniors. Design: A cross-sectional population-based study. Setting: All territorial provinces in Poland. Participants: 4482 community-dwelling respondents aged 65 years or above (women: n=2142, age=79.0±8.4 years; men: n=2340, age= 78.3±8.6 years). Measurements: The nutritional status of participants was assessed through the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (the revised MNA-SF). Out of social and economic correlates we evaluated age, sex, level of education, marital status, place of residence, living conditions and economic status. Economic status of the respondents was determined on the basis of questions on how well they could manage their own budgets. Those who could afford only the cheapest food or clothes were considered the group of self-reported poverty. Results: Frequency of malnutrition in the PolSenior population accounted for 7.5% (in 5.0% men and 9.0% women; p<0.001). The risk of malnutrition was present in 38.9% (33.3% men and 42.4% women; p<0.001). In our study female sex, older age, unmarried status, living in a rural area and self-reported poverty were independent correlates of malnutrition. Conclusions: Our data showed high prevalence of malnutrition and the risk of its development among the community-dwelling elderly people in Poland. Screening with MNA-SF should focus in particular on unmarried, poorly educated individuals, in late old age, living in rural areas and self-reporting a poor financial state, especially women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors presents the review of the literature concerning the pathogenesis, classification, risk factors as well as perspectives for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a progressive illness, which is the most common cause of blindness in developed countries. The degenerative changes associated with both forms (dry and wet AMD) occur in the central part of retina, the macula, but the exact aetiology is still not unclear. The pathogenesis of AMD includes: lipofuscine genesis, drusogenesis, and local inflammatory state, as well as neoangiogenesis. Multiple studies have assessed the role of genetic variants on AMD development and progression, especially with complement factor H (CFH) and age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2 ( ARMS2 ) genes, the two major susceptibility genes for AMD. The disease has been associated with light-induced oxidative damage, accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids, and has been linked to systemic factors such as smoking, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Also female gender, and a high body-mass index (BMI > 30) have been reported as the important demographic and environmental risk factors in AMD. The neovascular form of AMD is characterized by the formation of subretinal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and is the cause of most cases of blindness in the elders. Currently, the only approved treatment for dry AMD is the use of AREDS formulation. In the near future, it is likely that the treatment of dry AMD will be a combination of different drugs that will target the different pathways involved in the pathogenesis and progression of dry AMD. Exudative AMD is treated through injections of anti-VEGF A drugs as pegaptanib or ranibizumab and bevacizumab, which are considered the standard drugs. Aflibercept, or VEGF Trap-eye, is a novel compound derived from the native VEGF receptor (VEGFR) that binds to all VEGF and VEGF-B isoforms as well as to PlGF. It may be considered an attractive alternative to other anti-VEGF agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the widespread use of ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) as a proxy measure of personal exposure to UVR, the relationship between the two is not well-defined. This paper examines the effects of season and latitude on the relationship between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure. We used data from the AusD Study, a multi-centre cross-sectional study among Australian adults (18–75 years), where personal UVR exposure was objectively measured using polysulphone dosimeters. Data were analysed for 991 participants from 4 Australian cities of different latitude: Townsville (19.3°S), Brisbane (27.5°S), Canberra (35.3°S) and Hobart (42.8°S). Daily personal UVR exposure varied from 0.01 to 21 Standard Erythemal Doses (median = 1.1, IQR: 0.5–2.1), on average accounting for 5% of the total available ambient dose. There was an overall positive correlation between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure (r = 0.23, p ＜ 0.001). However, the correlations varied according to season and study location: from strong correlations in winter (r = 0.50) and at high latitudes (Hobart, r = 0.50; Canberra, r = 0.39), to null or even slightly negative correlations, in summer (r = 0.01) and at low latitudes (Townsville, r = −0.06; Brisbane, r = −0.16). Multiple regression models showed significant effect modification by season and location. Personal exposure fraction of total available ambient dose was highest in winter (7%) and amongst Hobart participants (7%) and lowest in summer (1%) and in Townsville (4%). These results suggest season and latitude modify the relationship between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure. Ambient UVR may not be a good indicator for personal exposure dose under some circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Prostate cancer (PCa) patients are often over-treated because of the lack of biomarkers needed to distinguish the lethal from the indolent form of PCa. YWHAZ was recently identified as a potential therapeutic target in castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). Therefore, this study focused on determining the prognostic significance of YWHAZ in localized PCa.Methods:YWHAZ expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from 213 men who underwent radical prostatectomy. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to assess the prognostic value of YWHAZ intensity.Results:High YWHAZ expression was strongly associated with high Gleason score at the time of diagnosis (P<0.001) and PSA relapse (P=0.001). Importantly, patients with high expression of YWHAZ had a higher risk of CRPC development (P=0.002) and reduced survival time (P=0.002).Conclusions:Our findings indicate that YWHAZ could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker in localized PCa to predict poor prognosis and to identify a subgroup of tumors, which might benefit from earlier adjuvant or YWHAZ-targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the space called the shark teeth is a topological IFS-attractor, that is, for every open cover of $$X = \bigcup\nolimits_{i = 1}^n {f_i (X)}$$, its image under every suitable large composition from the family of continuous functions { f, ..., f} lies in some set from the cover. In particular, there exists a space that is not homeomorphic to any IFS-attractor but is a topological IFS-attractor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quenching by spray cooling in the press line is a promising way to harden Al-Mg-Si alloys with regard to reducing profile distortion. For alloys such as EN AW-6082, high cooling rates are required. A device for spray cooling by means of water and compressed air was integrated into a 10 MN horizontal, hydraulic, short-stroke extrusion press. Various spray parameters were investigated. By using 32 water-air nozzles having a total water deposition rate of about 15 L/min and extruding with a profile velocity of 2.5 m/min, high mechanical properties were imparted to 30 mm diameter extruded rods. This arrangement ensures the extruded alloy is cooled to almost room temperature. Comparable properties can be achieved by water quenching, although the water consumption will be tenfold higher. The distribution of water deposition density on the profiles' surfaces was determined. It was shown that an adjustment of the water-air pressure ratio allows the final temperature of the profiles to be controlled over a wide range. Minimization of temperature gradients in the cross section of complex profiles allows profile distortions to be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baseline monitoring at the proposed enhanced gas recovery site in Altmark (Germany) was carried out in combination with theoretical and laboratory investigations to describe and predict the principles of expected stable carbon isotope and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) trends during CO injection in reservoirs. This provides fundamental data for site-specific characterisation for monitoring purposes. Baseline δC values at the Altmark site ranged between −1.8 and −11.5 ‰ and DIC values were about 2 mmol L. These baseline values form the basis for a theoretical study on the influences of the ambient reservoir conditions on the state of geochemical and isotope equilibrium of the reservoir fluids. Transferring this theoretical study to the Altmark site enables predictions on geochemical trends during potential injection. Assuming that CO would be injected at the Altmark site to pCO = 100 bar and with a δC of −30 ‰, at isotopic and geochemical equilibrium, δC values would approach this end-member, and DIC concentrations of 1,000 mmol L would be expected. Laboratory experiments were conducted at low pCO levels (4-35 bars) to mimic the approach of a CO plume at a monitoring well. These results support field investigations from other sites: that δC is a sensitive tool for monitoring CO migration in the subsurface and simultaneously allows quantification of geochemical trapping of CO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, up to 60% of patients experience post-surgery bowel dysfunction (PSBD). This retrospective review aimed to evaluate biofeedback therapy with regard to patients' symptoms of fecal incontinence (FI) and stool frequency. Methods: Patients with symptoms including frequency, urgency, FI, incomplete evacuation, failure to respond to dietary, medication or standard pelvic floor exercises (≥6 months) underwent biofeedback therapy between 2003 and 2006. Patients attended 3-4 sessions 1 week apart incorporating: anorectal function assessment; Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQL) and severity questionnaires; suggested coping strategies; dietary advice; bowel, food and exercise diary training; relaxation breathing; evacuation techniques; anal and pelvic floor muscle exercises using computerized visual feedback; and were reassessed at a final session following 4 weeks of home practice. Results: Nineteen CRC PSBD patients [anterior resection (3); ultra-low anterior resection (10); segmental colectomy (2); and proctocolectomy (4)], mean age: 64.1 (95% CI: 47.0-81.3) years, participated. FIQL scales improved significantly for lifestyle, coping and embarrassment but not depression. Incontinence severity and number of bowel motions significantly decreased. Satisfaction with results of therapy was high. Subjective bowel control rating improved. FIQL scores further improved 2 years later. Conclusion: The holistic biofeedback protocol for PSBD in CRC patients is successful in the short and medium term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Orthopäde is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this study was to analyse the dynamics of the Alnus and Corylus pollen seasons in Poland with reference to spatial and seasonal differentiation. Aerobiological monitoring was performed in 10 cities, in 1994–2007. Five characteristics defining the pollen season were considered: 1. beginning and end dates of the season phases (5, 25, 50, 75, 95% of annual totals), 2. pollen season duration (90% method), 3. skewness and 4. kurtosis of airborne pollen curves, and 5. annual pollen totals. The beginning of the Corylus pollen season in Warsaw started on the 53rd day of a year. The Alnus pollen season started 9.5 days (SE = 1.4) later. The start of the season for both taxa was delayed by 3.3 (SE = 0.5) days for each 100 km towards the east. The Corylus pollen season lasted about 15 days longer than the Alnus season. Season duration for both taxa decreased towards the east by 3.5 days (SE = 0.7) and towards the north by 1.3 days (SE = 0.6) for each 100 km. Seasonal dynamics of both taxa are skewed to the right. In cities located west of Warsaw the dynamics are more skewed (except at Szczecin, Wroclaw). Asymmetry decreases towards the east by 0.16/100 km. Almost all kurtosis values of pollen-season dynamics were positive and higher for Alnus. Kurtosis values for both taxa increase together with delay of the pollen season beginning by 4% per day ( p < 0.0001). Mean pollen total increases: for Corylus mainly towards the north (by 64%/100 km), for Alnus mainly towards the west (by 15%/100 km). Geographical location (longitude and latitude) determines: the start and duration of the pollen season, skewness of the pollen curve, and annual totals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anaesthesist is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Snowboarding has become a popular recreational and professional sport. Participants suffer a variety of injuries, especially of the extremities, that require medical evaluation. This article reviews the reported injuries to both leisure and elite athletes. To many, an injured extremity requires travel to a medical facility for accurate evaluation. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is an accurate and portable technology that can be used for real time, mountainside diagnoses of these injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We produce SO2 molecules with a centre of mass velocity near zero using a Stark decelerator. Since the initial kinetic energy of the supersonic SO2 molecular beam is high, and the removed kinetic energy per stage is small, 326 deceleration stages are necessary to bring SO2 to a complete standstill, significantly more than in other experiments. We show that in such a decelerator possible loss due to coupling between the motional degrees of freedom must be considered. Experimental results are compared with 3D Monte-Carlo simulations and the quantum state selectivity of the Stark decelerator is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored reasons for discordance in disclosure of faecal incontinence (FI) between 2 measurement instruments: the Self Administered Faecal Incontinence Questionnaire (SAFIQ) and the Cleveland Clinic Florida Fecal Incontinence Score (CCF-FI) Patients ≥18 years attending the urogynaecology ( n=135) and colorectal ( n=148) outpatient clinics at The Townsville Hospital, a referral centre serving regional North Queensland, Australia, were invited to complete the SAFIQ and answer questions from the CCF-FI asked by their treating doctor. Selected patients undertook semistructured interviews. 262 patients completed both questionnaires. The prevalence of FI in this population was 25.6% (SAFIQ) and 29.9% (CCF-FI). 24% disclosed FI on both instruments, 3.1% on SAFIQ only and 6.1% on CCF-FI only. Major reasons for non-disclosure were: FI historical but not current; problem not considered as FI by patient; SAFIQ too long; condition embarrassing; doctor considered too busy; patient wanted to focus on primary reason for consultation; and doctor explained that a one-off bout of uncontrollable diarrhoea was not FI. Interviewees reported they would respond to FI questions initiated by their general practitioner (GP) during regular consultations, or in a generic questionnaire in the GP’s surgery. GPs could identify patients with FI by initiating discussions during routine consultations. Such patients could then be referred to colorectal surgeons for treatment. A more specific definition of FI, which excludes historical data and isolated instances of diarrhoea, is desirable. A measurement instrument suitable for population surveys should contain simple language and acknowledge issues of embarrassment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prospective randomised study compared two palliative radiotherapy schedules for inoperable symptomatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After stratification, 100 patients were randomly assigned to 20 Gy/5 fractions (fr)/5 days (arm A) or 16 Gy/2 fr/day 1 and 8 (arm B). There were 90 men and 10 women aged 47-81 years (mean 66), performance status 1-4 (median 2). The major clinical characteristics and incidence and degree of initial disease-related symptoms were similar in both groups. Treatment effects were assessed using patient's chart, doctor's scoring of symptomatic change and chest X-ray. Study end points included degree and duration of symptomatic relief, treatment side effects, objective response rates and overall survival. A total of 55 patients were assigned to arm A and 45 to arm B. In all, 98 patients received assigned treatment, whereas two patients died before its termination. Treatment tolerance was good and did not differ between study arms. No significant differences between study arms were observed in the degree of relief of all analysed symptoms. Overall survival time differed significantly in favour of arm B (median 8.0 vs 5.3 months; P=0.016). Both irradiation schedules provided comparable, effective palliation of tumour-related symptoms. The improved overall survival and treatment convenience of 2-fraction schedule suggest its usefulness in the routine management of symptomatic inoperable NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of visual loss among people aged 65 and older. At present the origin of AMD still remains unknown. The objective was to evaluate the chosen lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in blood of patients with AMD. Sixty women aged 55-71 (mean age 65.1±5.7) were treated in the outpatient ophthalmological clinic for more than two years because of AMD. We evaluated total serum cholesterol (TCH), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDL), LDL-cholesterol (LDL), lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), apolipoprotein AI (Apo AI) and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) by direct spectrophotometry (Human and Randox standard kits, USA). We found a significant increase of TCH, LDL and TG (224.36±41.67 mg/dl, 159.02±39.66 mg/dl and 120.92±42.64 mg/dl), and a significant decrease of HDL (38.68±6.36 mg/dl) in the AMD patients when compared with the control group. We have not found a significant difference in the average TG level between the studied groups. The concentration of Apo B was markedly increased (164.66±46.46 mg/dl) and Apo AI concentration was markedly decreased (128.9±17.01 mg/dl) in the AMD patients when compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in the concentration of the Lp(a) between the two groups. The results of our present study could point to the fact that changes in the lipid metabolism could be one of the very important risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor suppressor p53 has two alternative effects, causing either cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. These different effects are supposed to be mediated by the transcriptional activation of different target genes. perp, encoding a transmembrane protein of the Pmp22 family, is a transcriptional p53 target exclusively upregulated in apoptotic cells. However, its role during normal development had remained largely unclear. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a zebrafish perp homolog. Upon overexpression in early zebrafish embryos, perp induces apoptosis. In addition, it contributes to p53-dependent and UV-induced cell death. However, during normal zebrafish development, perp displays a p53-independent and spatially restricted expression in specific cell types and tissues. Antisense-mediated loss of Perp function leads to increased apoptosis in perp-expressing cells of the developing skin and notochord. We conclude that, in contrast to its proapoptotic function in stressed cells, Perp plays an antiapoptotic role during normal zebrafish development to regulate tissue-specific cell survival.Cell Death and Differentiation (2005) 12, 52-64. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4401519 Published online 5 November 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like all other complex biological systems, proteins exhibit properties not seen in free amino acids (i.e., emergent properties). The present investigation arose from the deduction that proteins should offer a good model to approach the reverse phenomenon, namely top-down constraints experienced by protein residues compared to free amino acids. The crystalline structure of profilin Ib, a contractile protein of Acanthamoeba castellanii, was chosen as the object of study and submitted to 2-ns molecular dynamics simulation. The results revealed strong conformational constraints on the side chain of residues compared to the respective free amino acids. A Shannon entropy (SE) analysis of the conformational behavior of the side chains showed in most cases a strong decrease in the SE of the χ1 and χ2 dihedral angles compared to free amino acids. This is equivalent to stating that conformational constraints on the side chain of residues increase their information content and hence recognition specificity compared to free amino acids. In other words, the vastly increased information content of a protein relative to its free monomers is embedded not only in the tertiary structure of the backbone, but also in the conformational behavior of the side chains. The postulated implication is that both backbone and side chains, by virtue of being conformationally constrained, contribute to the recognition specificity of the protein toward other macromolecules and ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbulent pipe flow of a highly dilute aqueous cationic surfactant solution is investigated by means of a pulsed ultrasound Doppler method with special emphasis on the wall boundary layer. The velocity profiles are recorded for several Reynolds numbers at varying ages of the solution. The wall shear stress velocities uτ used for the normalization of the velocity profiles are determined by fitting the measured profiles to the universal linear velocity profile in the viscous sublayer. The theoretical pressure loss is then calculated from the numerical values of uτ and compared to the experimental values. Two different scaling methods are discussed for the velocity fluctuations concerning the correlation of the root-mean square values with the effect and the amount of drag reduction. It is shown that outer scaling with the mean velocity is appropriate for the detection of drag reduction in surfactant solutions, rather than inner scaling with the wall shear stress velocity, which is common practice in investigations of 'usual' turbulent flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxidase and laccase activities increased rapidly up to the formation of primordia and then declined throughout the entire stage of fruiting. In the case of Pleurotus ostreatus, the level of Mn-dependent peroxidase was very low in primordia and fruiting stages but gradually increased with the growth of the fruit-body, whereas no activity was detected in Pleurotus sajor-caju during all growth stages. Superoxide dismutase activity was observed mainly at the fruiting stages. These results show that changes in concentration of lignin-related enzymes are associated with the fruiting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to study the plastic crystalline region of several model n-alkane systems and a commercial paraffin wax. Results indicate that DMS provides a valuable complement to existing tools for locating plastic crystalline or rotator states and characterizing the pre-melting region containing these mesophases. DMS measurements demonstrate that the mechanical properties of plastic crystalline states in n-alkanes are difficult to isolate, and that observed viscoelasticity surrounding the mesophases is in great part due to transitions between phases, not the rotator phases themselves. This is indicated from DMS curves that show the dynamic moduli of rotator phases are inhibited from achieving equilibrium values due to the close proximity of successive transitions. Furthermore, study of a system in which stability of a single rotator phase has been extended through strategic blending of n-alkanes shows that dynamic mechanical properties return to near pre-mesophase values when sufficient opportunity following a transition is provided. These results demonstrate that many n-alkane blends can possess a short temperature interval over which the material oscillates between Hookean and viscous behavior, controlling their performance and possibly providing for new applications requiring changes in viscoelastic properties in a narrow temperature span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of a dilute solution of the cationic surfactant C14Sal on the flow past a cylinder was investigated by means of LDV and Toepler Schlieren optics for visualization of both the flow and structure of the fluid. At low Reynolds numbers the flow is similar to the Newtonian Kármán vortex street. The periodic vortex shedding disappears simultaneously with the occurrence of a shear-induced structure. The alteration of the turbulence characteristics is especially pronounced in the turbulent velocity fluctuations with the urms being many times over the values in water, whereas the vrms are drastically reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparison of two separation columns for high-capacity anion chromatography is presented. The distinctive feature of both packing materials is the structure of the alkyl-chain (spacer-group) between the polymer-backbone and the functional group. All other parameters, e.g. exchange capacity, functionality and length of the spacer-arm, are identical. The retention behavior of the so-called standard-anions is investigated on both columns under identical chromatographic conditions using an experimental design technique in the course of which the composition of the elution system applied is varied. The statistical treatment of the retention data offers the possibility to explain the different chromatographic behavior of both stationary phases, at least qualitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]