Search

Spermatozoa harbour a complex and environment-sensitive pool of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs)1, which influences offspring development and adult phenotypes1–7. Whether spermatozoa in the epididymis are directly susceptible to environmental cues is not fully understood8. Here we used two distinct paradigms of preconception acute high-fat diet to dissect epididymal versus testicular contributions to the sperm sncRNA pool and offspring health. We show that epididymal spermatozoa, but not developing germ cells, are sensitive to the environment and identify mitochondrial tRNAs (mt-tRNAs) and their fragments (mt-tsRNAs) as sperm-borne factors. In humans, mt-tsRNAs in spermatozoa correlate with body mass index, and paternal overweight at conception doubles offspring obesity risk and compromises metabolic health. Sperm sncRNA sequencing of mice mutant for genes involved in mitochondrial function, and metabolic phenotyping of their wild-type offspring, suggest that the upregulation of mt-tsRNAs is downstream of mitochondrial dysfunction. Single-embryo transcriptomics of genetically hybrid two-cell embryos demonstrated sperm-to-oocyte transfer of mt-tRNAs at fertilization and suggested their involvement in the control of early-embryo transcription. Our study supports the importance of paternal health at conception for offspring metabolism, shows that mt-tRNAs are diet-induced and sperm-borne and demonstrates, in a physiological setting, father-to-offspring transfer of sperm mitochondrial RNAs at fertilization.A study shows that epididymal spermatozoa are sensitive to preconception diet, identifies mitochondrial tRNAs and their fragments as sperm-borne factors and demonstrates epigenetic inheritance of mitochondrial tRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The system proposed to measure the tritium to deuterium ratio on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a high-resolution neutron spectrometer, partly composed of a system of three Thin-foil Proton Recoil (TPR) spectrometers. This system works on the principle of converting neutrons into protons using a thin foil of polyethylene, which is then detected in silicon detectors to obtain the scattering angles and energy spectrum of the protons. The objective of this article is to show the benefit of artificial intelligence for improving a simple TPR system model written in Python to an accuracy approaching MCNP simulations, while significantly decreasing the computational cost. The first step was to model a polyethylene converter to obtain the energy-angle distribution of outgoing protons for a given incident neutron beam. When compared with MCNP, this simplified model was found to fail to account for proton energy and angular scattering. Therefore, in a second step, two neural networks were successfully trained to include these effects based on the output data of the TRIM code, assuming Gaussian distributions. The Python model was able to produce results very close (differences up to a few percent) to those obtained with MCNP by integrating these neural networks. To extend the study, the energy spectra of the protons could be obtained and subsequently used to obtain information on the ratio of deuterium and tritium in the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fusion devices, the X-ray plasma emissivity contains essential information on the magnetohydrodynamic activity, the magnetic equilibrium and on the transport of impurities, in particular for tokamaks in the soft X-ray (SXR) energy range of 0.1–20 keV. In this context, tomography diagnostics are a key method to estimate the local plasma emissivity from a given set of line-integrated measurements. Unfortunately, the reconstruction problem is mathematically ill-posed, due to very sparse and noisy measurements, requiring an adequate regularization procedure. The goal of this paper is to introduce, with a didactic approach, some methodology and tools to develop an X-ray tomography algorithm. Based on a simple 1D tomography problem, the Tikhonov regularization is described in detail with a study of the optimal reconstruction parameters, such as the choice of the emissivity spatial resolution and the regularization parameter. A methodology is proposed to perform an in situ sensitivity and position cross-calibration of the detectors with an iterative procedure, by using the information redundancy and data variability in a given set of reconstructed profiles. Finally, the basic steps to build a synthetic tomography diagnostics in a more realistic tokamak environment are introduced, together with some tools to assess the capabilities of the 2D tomography algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavitation bubbles can be seeded from a plasma following optical breakdown, by focusing an intense laser in water. The fast dynamics are associated with extreme states of gas and liquid, especially in the nascent state. This offers a unique setting to probe water and water vapor far-from equilibrium. However, current optical techniques cannot quantify these early states due to contrast and resolution limitations. X-ray holography with single X-ray free-electron laser pulses has now enabled a quasi-instantaneous high resolution structural probe with contrast proportional to the electron density of the object. In this work, we demonstrate cone-beam holographic flash imaging of laser-induced cavitation bubbles in water with nanofocused X-ray free-electron laser pulses. We quantify the spatial and temporal pressure distribution of the shockwave surrounding the expanding cavitation bubble at time delays shortly after seeding and compare the results to numerical simulations. Cavitation bubbles show many nonlinear characteristics of liquid and gas phase. Here the authors demonstrate coherent diffractive imaging of cavitation bubble using infrared pump and XFEL probe and discuss the formation and evolution of the bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sputter deposition is a versatile and industrially important deposition technique for thin films, with increasing demand for matching the characteristics of thin film materials to specific requirements. The actual film properties are largely determined by sputtering parameters such as pressure conditions, temperature and power settings. By means of various X-ray diffraction and scattering techniques, it is shown that the characterization of film formation and growth is feasible in real time at synchrotron sources, thus adding an important dimension to the fundamental understanding of the evolution of thin film microstructure. In particular, grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering, grazing incidence X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray reflectometry are used in a complementary manner to study the influence of deposition temperature and substrate choice on the crystallization kinetics and growth of polycrystalline BaTiO 3 films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Stand-alone zero-profile devices have already proven safety, and a reduced dysphagia rate was assumed. So far, no level-one evidence is available to prove the proposed advantages of zero-profile implants in multilevel procedures. The aim of this RCT was to compare the clinical and radiological outcome of a zero-profile spacer versus cage + plate in two-level ACDF. Methods: Consecutive patients with contiguous two-level cDD were randomly assigned either to the interventional group (zero-profile device) or to the control group (cage + plate). Primary endpoint of the study was the prevalence of dysphagia at 24 months. Disability, progress of adjacent segment degeneration, fusion status and loss of correction were analyzed as secondary outcome measure. Primary outcome parameter was statistically analyzed by Chi-square test. Results: Forty-one patients met inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to the interventional and the control group. Dysphagia was frequent in either group at 3 months FU favoring interventional group (p = 0.078). At final FU, less patients of the interventional group complained about dysphagia, but the difference was not significant. No relevant differences at final FU were recorded for NPDI, loss of correction and adjacent-level degeneration. Fusion rate was slightly lower in the interventional group. Discussion: Two-level ACDF either by a stand-alone zero-profile spacer or cage + plate is safe. Using a zero-profile cage dysphagia was infrequent at 24 months, but the value did not reach statistical significance in comparison with the cage + plate. Hence, this randomized trial was not able to prove the proposed clinical superiority for dysphagia rates for zero-profile anchored spacer in two-level cDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Unfallchirurg 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.)

A multi-machine study has been carried out to investigate the impact of a strongly bounded wave propagation domain on the Lower Hybrid current drive, a condition which occurs principally in high aspect ratio tokamaks. In this regime, the condition of kinetic resonance can be far above the upper boundary of the propagation domain, and may not be achieved by the usual toroidal upshift. Therefore no tail of fast electrons can be pulled out from the thermal bulk. Nevertheless, while tokamak plasmas are in principle almost transparent to the wave in this regime so-called "unbridgeable spectral gap", full current drive is well achieved for the two tokamaks considered in this study, TRIAM-1M (Zushi et al. Nucl Fusion 43:1600, 2003) and WEST (Bourdelle et al. Nucl Fusion 55:063017, 2015), both characterized by a very large aspect ratio R / a > 5.5 . The case of the high aspect ratio tokamak HL-2A (Liu et al. Nucl Fusion 45:S239, 2005) for which the wave propagation domain has also an upper boundary, but close to the resonance condition, is considered by comparison. First principles modeling of the rf-driven current and the fast electron bremsstrahlung using the ALOHA/C3PO/LUKE/R5-X2 chain of codes shows unambiguously that the spectral gap must be already filled at the separatrix in order to reproduce quantitatively observations and some important parametric dependencies. This result is an important milestone in the physics understanding of the Lower Hybrid current drive, highlighting the existence of a powerful and likely universal alternative mechanism to bridge the spectral gap, that is not related to toroidal magnetic refraction. With an initially broad power spectrum, lobes with low parallel refractive indexes that carry most of the plasma current can be absorbed in almost single pass, restoring the full validity of the ray-tracing approximation for describing the propagation of the Lower Hybrid wave in cold plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomography diagnostics represent an essential tool in tokamaks to infer the local plasma properties using line-integrated measurements from one or several cameras. In particular, soft X-rays (SXR) in the energy range 0.1–20 keV can provide valuable information on magnetohydrodynamic activity, magnetic equilibrium or impurity transport. Heavy impurities like tungsten (W) are a major source of concern due to significant radiation losses in the plasma core, thus they have to be kept under acceptable concentrations. Therefore, 2D SXR tomography diagnostics become crucial to estimate the W concentration profile in the plasma, quantify the W poloidal distribution and identify relevant impurity mitigation strategies. In this context, a synthetic diagnostic becomes a very valuable tool (1) to study the tomographic reconstruction capabilities, (2) to validate diagnostic design as well as (3) to assess the error propagation during the reconstruction process and impurity transport analysis. The goal of this contribution is to give some highlights on recent studies related to each of these three steps, for the development of SXR synthetic diagnostic tools in tokamak plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of experiments concerning the irradiation of copper and Cu-10% Ga alloys by pulsed fluxes of deuterium plasma (DP) and deuterium ions (DI) performed using a Plasma Focus (PF) unit are presented. The technique of investigation is described. Damage and deformation effects in the surface layers of the mentioned materials after the irradiation of each material in two modes are studied. In one case, the irradiation is performed by a pulsed deuterium plasma at a power density of qpl = 107 W/cm2 and at pulse duration of τpl = 100 ns. In another case, the pulsed fluxes of deuterium ions at qi = 108–1011 W/cm2, τi = 50 ns act simultaneously with a dense deuterium plasma at qpl = 108–109 W/cm2, τpl = 100 ns. Under a less severe irradiation mode (only plasma flux), the levels of damage in the case of both materials are close to each other. In the melted surface layer (SL), there are an undulated surface, craters, and micropores. Under the influence of thermal stresses, a plastic deformation is observed in the SL of the alloy, whereas in the case of pure copper this process is not observed under this irradiation mode. Damage to both materials in a more severe irradiation mode with the pulsed fluxes of deuterium ions and deuterium plasma is enhanced and accompanied by the SL erosion and sometimes by a deposition of microparticles of elements contained in the functional materials of the PF chamber onto the irradiated surface. The most significant damage is observed in the SL of Cu–10% Ga alloy, which, along with the action of powerful plasma beam fluxes, experiences a shock-wave impact. In this irradiation mode, plastic deformation is observed in the SL of each of the materials under consideration. In the case of pure copper (at q = 108–109 W/cm2), the plastic deformation is observed in separate local microvolumes of SL, whereas in the case of copper-gallium alloy at q = 1010–1011 W/cm2 this process occurs within the entire irradiated SL. In this case, plastic deformation occurs both under the action of shock-wave mechanical loads and under the action of thermal stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storage of greywater is controversial for environmental and health reasons. Artificial greywater was assessed after 2 and 7 days of storage time. Two different greywater pollutant strengths were statistically compared at each storage time. A negative significant (p < 0.05) correlation was evident with increasing storage time for the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand for more than 2 days. However, the concentrations of 5-day biochemical oxygen and chemical oxygen demands reduced significantly at 2 days of storage when compared with freshly prepared greywater. Biodegradability (5-day biochemical oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand ratio) decreased significantly after storage to between 0.14 and 0.39. The nitrification process was improved significantly with increasing storage time concerning low strength greywater with a significant increase in the removal of ammonia-nitrogen and a non-significant decrease in the removal of nitrate-nitrogen. The correlation was significantly positive between ammonia-nitrogen and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand for stored greywater, while it was significantly negative between total suspended solids and both 5-day biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen. Significant reductions in colour, total suspended solids and turbidity were correlated positively with storage time. Precipitation of dissolved metals was suspected to occur in storing greywater by binding the inorganic components with the sediment and collide surfaces through adsorption, allowing a significant drop in concentrations of dissolved and undissolved metals with increasing storage time through sedimentation. Synthetic greywater of low mineral pollution had significantly higher removals for almost all concentrations compared with those for high concentrations. More advanced technologies for high trace element removal are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the possibilities to perform aneutronic fusion in Plasma Focus (PF) devices have been presented. For this purpose, an idea of doping plasma by means of laser ablation of a solid boron target during discharge in PF-24 was presented. Some estimates have been made, based on the processes occurring during the discharge in the PF system with gas injection using a fast gas valve, indicating that this method allows the generation of hydrogen–boron plasma. The yield of the 11B(p,α)αα reaction was calculated. The results presented in this paper show that this yield is high enough to register and measure the alpha particles emitted from the plasma column consisting boron and hydrogen. The estimates were made for the parameters characteristic for PF-24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile industries are responsible for one of the major environmental pollution problems in the world, because they release undesirable dye effluents. Textile wastewater contains dyes mixed with various contaminants at a variety of ranges. Therefore, environmental legislation commonly obligates textile factories to treat these effluents before discharge into the receiving watercourses. The treatment efficiency of any pilot-scale study can be examined by feeding the system either with real textile effluents or with artificial wastewater having characteristics, which match typical textile factory discharges. This paper presents a critical review of the currently available literature regarding typical and real characteristics of the textile effluents, and also constituents including chemicals used for preparing simulated textile wastewater containing dye, as well as the treatments applied for treating the prepared effluents. This review collects the scattered information relating to artificial textile wastewater constituents and organises it to help researchers who are required to prepare synthetic wastewater. These ingredients are also evaluated based on the typical characteristics of textile wastewater, and special constituents to simulate these characteristics are recommended. The processes carried out during textile manufacturing and the chemicals corresponding to each process are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of experiments were carried out using the middle energy (dense) plasma focus device PF-24 with deuterium as a working gas under pressure in a range between 2 and 5 mbar for 17 kV of charging voltage. The relationship between these operating deuterium pressures in reference to the total neutron yield (Yn) was estimated. The 5-phase Lee code was used to simulate the measured discharge current and neutron yield (Yn) using a phenomenological beam-target neutron generating mechanism, which was incorporated in the model. Comparison of the Yn versus pressure using fitted model parameters was made at each point of pressure. The good agreement between measured and computed Yn values was achieved for discharges with lower neutron emission. The measured Yn (below 2.6 × 109 n/discharge—the median value) has been reproducible by the model for 73% of simulated discharges, while above the median value its prediction were incorrect. The kinetic plasma parameters which were measured and computed using the Lee code for different pressures are: the time to a current sheath collapse (tc), the average axial current sheath velocity (vz) and the so called velocity factor (RF). Good agreement was found in the whole range of deuterium pressures between the computed and measured results for these kinematic quantities. Presented findings in this work suggest that the character of neutron emission is more complex than it would seem from classical interpretation of neutron production based on a beam-target model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-regression, hydrologic sensitivity and hydrologic model simulations were applied to quantify the climate change and anthropogenic intervention impacts on the Lower Zab River basin (LZRB). The Pettitt, precipitation-runoff double cumulative curve (PR-DCC) and Mann-Kendall methods were used for the change points and significant trend analyses in the annual streamflow. The long-term runoff series from 1979 to 2013 was first divided into two main periods: a baseline (1979-1997) and an anthropogenic intervention period (1998-2013). The findings show that the mean annual streamflow changes were consistent using the three methods. In addition, climate variability was the main driver, which led to streamflow reduction with contributions of 66-97% during 2003-2013, whereas anthropogenic interventions caused reductions of 4-34%. Moreover, to enhance the multi-model combination concept and explore the simple average method (SAM), Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV), Génie Rural a Daily 4 parameters (GR4J) and Medbasin models have been successfully applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal treatment of injuries of the thoracolumbar spine should rely on a thorough analysis of instability, indicated by fracture morphology and clinical factors such as the neurologic status. The existing classification schemes, such as the Magerl or the TLICS classification, are either too complex for everyday use, do not consider the neurologic status or over-simplify the influence of fracture morphology on the grade of instability. To overcome these drawbacks, the international spine society AOSpine has developed a new classification system, based mainly upon the Magerl and the TLICS classification. This new AOSpine classification differentiates three main types of injury: Type A lesions are compression lesions to the anterior column, Type B lesions are distraction lesions of either the anterior or the posterior column, and Type C lesions are translatory instable lesions of both the anterior and the posterior column. Subgroups further divide the Type A and B lesions. The neurologic injury is classified in five steps ranging from a transient neurologic deficit to a complete spinal cord injury. Additional modifiers, which affect treatment strategy, such as osteoporosis or ankylosing diseases can be described. Evaluation of intra- and interobserver reliability has revealed promising results. The simplified application of the classification in combination with a reliable recommendation for treatment (AOSIS) has already resulted in a wide spread of this new AOSpine classification system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because spinal cord injuries can have fatal consequences for injured race car drivers, prehospital treatment of spinal injuries is a major concern in motor sports. A structured procedure for assessing trauma patients and their treatment should follow established ABCDE principles. Only then, a stable patient could be further examined and appropriate measures can be undertaken. For patients in an acute life-threatening condition, rapid transport must be initiated and should not be delayed by measures that are not indicated. If a competitor must first be extricated from the racing vehicle, the correct method of extrication must be chosen. To avoid secondary injury to the spine after a racing accident, in-line extrication from the vehicle and immobilization of the patient are standard procedures in motor sports and have been used for decades. Since immobilization can be associated with disadvantages and complications, the need for immobilization of trauma patients outside of motor sports medicine has become the subject of an increasing number of reports in the scientific literature. Even in motor sports, where specific safety systems that offer spinal protection are present, the indications for spinal immobilization need to be carefully considered rather than being blindly adopted as a matter of course. The aim of this article is to use recent literature to present an overview about the treatment of spinal injuries in motor sports. Further, we present a new protocol for indications for immobilizing the spine in motor sports that is based on the ABCDE principles and takes into account the condition of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even low-energy trauma can lead to serious fractures of the spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). These patients have a greater risk of suffering from neurological impairment and this can also occur after a delay of several days. Newly occurring back pain in AS patients without any recognized trauma should be treated as a fracture unless proven otherwise. This highlights the importance of accurate clinical and radiological examinations, which should be repeated at short intervals, especially if the patient complains of indefinable pain or shows neurological symptoms. Simple X-ray examinations of the spine are usually not sufficient to exclude a fracture, particularly in the junction zones. A computed tomography (CT) scan should be carried out in any case and if in doubt, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in fat-suppressed short inversion time inversion recovery (STIR) weighting should also be performed. Surgical treatment of AS injuries is the safest and most effective method of treatment. Immediate stabilization of the fracture site enables early mobilization, which can avoid the risk of complications due to longer immobilization. In addition, in this way the neurological status can be effectively improved. Nevertheless, the surgical treatment of cervical spine fractures in AS is very challenging. The primary surgical procedure of choice is posterior long segment spinal fusion. Due to kyphotic deformities and risk of pulmonary and cardiac comorbidities, primary ventral plating is usually not indicated. If the posterior fusion is long enough, there is usually no need for an additional secondary anterior procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fracture classification in orthopedics and trauma surgery is relevant for communication between surgeons, patient treatment as well as for scientific research. To choose the correct classification of the injury, a precise and structured radiological analysis of the injury is necessary. Ideally, classification systems should be simple, reproducible and should highlight the injury characteristics relevant for the adequate planning of treatment. As an introduction to the thematic issue on 'Injuries of the cervical spine', this overview article introduces the various classification systems used for allocation of injuries and fractures of the upper and lower cervical spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comprehensive intraoperative transesophageal echcardiography (TEE) includes various measurements for quantification of cardiac chambers and valves based on multiple two dimensional (2D) standard views. Due to shortness of time during cardiac surgery most centres in Germany only carry out problem focussed intraoperative examinations which does not allow the complete repertoire of measurements to be exhausted. The aim of this study was to investigate which measurements for cardiac chamber and valve quantification can be performed with the acquisition of a real-time 3D full volume (RT-3D-FV) data set and to compare these measurements with those based on standard 2D views.Materials and Methods: In patients undergoing elective surgical mitral valve repair a comprehensive 2D TEE examination according to the guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) was performed after induction of anesthesia. Additionally, a RT-3D-FV TEE data set based on the midesophageal four chamber view was recorded (iE 33, Philips, Netherlands). All measurements of the 2D TEE and the RT-3D-FV dataset (Qlab) were performed offline by two independent examiners.Results: After approval by the local ethic committee and obtaining written informed consent 50 patients (31 male and 19 female) with a mean age of 59.4 ± 11.5 years were enrolled in this study. All measurements recommended for chamber and valve quantification could be performed on the basis of the RT-3D-FV data set except for measurements of the sinus of Valsalva and the sinotubular junction. There was good correlation between the results of the two methods.Conclusions: For intraoperative problem focussed TEE examinations the acquisition of an additional RT-3D-FV TEE data set allows accurate measurement of most of the recommended chamber and valve quantification parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In November 2005 a complex, multimodal anesthesia fast-track protocol (FTP) was introduced for elective cardiac surgery patients in the Cardiac Center of the University of Leipzig which included changing from an opioid regime to remifentanil and postoperative treatment in a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit. The goal was to speed up recovery times while maintaining safety and improving costs.Method: A total of 421 patients who underwent the FTP and were treated in the special recovery room were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were compared with patients who had been treated by a standard protocol (SP) prior to instituting the FTP. Primary outcomes were time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and treatment costs.Results: The times to extubation were significantly shorter in the FTP group with 75 min (range 45-110 min) compared to 900 min (range 600-1140 min) in the SP group. Intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay were also significantly shorter in the FTP group (p<0.01). The reduction of treatment costs of intensive care for FTP patients was 53.5% corresponding to savings of EUR 738 per patient in the FTP group compared with the SP group.Conclusions: The Leipzig fast-track protocol for cardio-anesthesia including the central elements of switching opiate therapy to remifentanil and switching patient recovery to a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit, shortened therapy times, is safe and economically effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher levels of fibrinogen or cholesterol were associated with improved hearing recovery in SSHL patients after treatment with HELP-apheresis (Heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation apheresis). The present trial was performed to demonstrate HELP-related effects on relevant metabolic and inflammatory parameters in the context of SSHL treatment. In the framework of a single arm non-controlled trial, we investigated the variation of metabolic and inflammatory parameters using HELP-apheresis for a defined group of 100 patients with SSHL. Based on cut off inclusion criteria (Serum LDL-cholesterol >1.6 g/l and/or fibrinogen >2.0 g/l, SSHL in minimum three frequencies more than 30 dB, time after event not longer than 6 days), the protocol followed a strict time line with one single shot HELP-apheresis and follow-up monitoring including laboratory parameters at six defined time points. If HELP-apheresis could not effect improvement of hearing on day 5, additional corticosteroid treatment was applied. Concentration of anti-inflammatory IL-10 increased while other proinflammatory parameters declined. Serum levels of all measured sterols and apolipoproteins decreased significantly. None of the investigated parameters were suitable to predict hearing improvement of the patients. Levels of fibrinogen and LDL-cholesterol were not prognostic for outcome after HELP-apheresis. A significant ( p < 0.001) increase of anti-inflammatory IL-10 after apheresis was notable, while most of the proinflammatory parameters declined. Despite the limited validity of a single arm non-controlled trial, these alterations on immune modulating factors indicate possible secondary pleiotropic effects caused by HELP-apheresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on level I evidence, postoperative platinum-based radiochemotherapy (PORCT) is the recommended standard of care in defined risk situations after resection of squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx (LHSCC). The value of the addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiation in intermediate and high risk situations other than extracapsular spread or R1-/R2 resection is still debated. From 1993 to 2009, 555 patients (median follow-up: 24.4 months) with advanced LHSCC (UICC stages III-IVB) were treated in a curative intent. Patient data were continuously documented in the county of Leipzig cancer registry and were retrospectively analyzed as mono institutional survey. PORCT was introduced into the standard procedures in 2004, but also applied before in selected cases. Based on this paradigm shift, the patient population was divided into two comparative groups treated before and after 2004. 361 patients were treated before 2004. 43.8 % received primary surgery (OP) + postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) and 20.2 % OP + PORCT. 194 patients were treated after 2004: 21.1 % received OP + PORT and 35.6 % OP + PORCT. Regarding the PORCT groups, 20.6 % received cisplatin plus 5FU before 2004 which shifted to 59.4 % after 2004. The 3-year tumor-specific-survival rate of the whole cohort was improved from 47 to 60 % ( p = 0.006). The subgroup treated with OP + PORT or PORCT improved from 56.1 to 68.5 % ( p = 0.028). Localization proved to be a significant and independent factor. Only patients with advanced laryngeal cancer had significant improved survival ( p < 0.01), while the improvement for hypopharyngeal cancer patients was not significant ( p < 0.2). After 2004, there was a slight increase (+10.2 %) of primary radiochemotherapy (pRCT) due to stronger selection if R0 > 5 mm-resectability is unlikely. Standardised use of PORCT and pRCT considering clear indications showed to be significantly involved in improved survival in advanced LHSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main stages of the plasma current sheath (PCS) dynamics on two plasma focus (PF) facilities with different geometries of the electrode system, PF-3 (Filippov type) and PF-1000 (Mather type), were studied by analyzing the results of the current and voltage measurements. Some dynamic characteristics, such as the PCS velocity in the acceleration phase in the Mather-type facility (PF-1000), the moment at which the PCS reaches the anode end, and the plasma velocity in the radial stage of plasma compression in the PF-3 Filippov-type facility, were determined from the time dependence of the inductance of the discharge circuit with a dynamic plasma load. The energy characteristics of the discharge circuit of the compressing PCS were studied for different working gases (deuterium, argon, and neon) at initial pressures of 1.5-3 Torr in discharges with energies of 0.3-0.6 MJ. In experiments with deuterium, correlation between the neutron yield and the electromagnetic energy deposited directly in the compressed PCS was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition-metal complexes have long attracted interest for fundamental chemical reactivity studies and possible use in solar energy conversion. Electronic excitation, ligand loss from the metal centre, or a combination of both, creates changes in charge and spin density at the metal site that need to be controlled to optimize complexes for photocatalytic hydrogen production and selective carbon-hydrogen bond activation. An understanding at the molecular level of how transition-metal complexes catalyse reactions, and in particular of the role of the short-lived and reactive intermediate states involved, will be critical for such optimization. However, suitable methods for detailed characterization of electronic excited states have been lacking. Here we show, with the use of X-ray laser-based femtosecond-resolution spectroscopy and advanced quantum chemical theory to probe the reaction dynamics of the benchmark transition-metal complex Fe(CO)5 in solution, that the photo-induced removal of CO generates the 16-electron Fe(CO)4 species, a homogeneous catalyst with an electron deficiency at the Fe centre, in a hitherto unreported excited singlet state that either converts to the triplet ground state or combines with a CO or solvent molecule to regenerate a penta-coordinated Fe species on a sub-picosecond timescale. This finding, which resolves the debate about the relative importance of different spin channels in the photochemistry of Fe(CO)5 (refs 4, 16,17,18,19 and 20), was made possible by the ability of femtosecond X-ray spectroscopy to probe frontier-orbital interactions with atom specificity. We expect the method to be broadly applicable in the chemical sciences, and to complement approaches that probe structural dynamics in ultrafast processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principal Component Analysis has been employed in order to find correlations between different quantities (related to spectroscopy in visible range, neutron yield and the time derivative of the current) describing Z-pinch plasma in the PF-1000 installation. Set of measurements in various plasma conditions has been taken into account. Strong correlation between level of impurity content and neutron yield has been found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of measurements of magnetic fields in the plasma pinching region during the compression of the deuterium plasma current sheath (PCS) at the PF-1000 plasma focus facility are presented. The fine structure of the PCS (shock wave-magnetic piston) and its variations in the course of plasma compression toward the facility axis are studied using magnetic probes and laser interferometry. The radial distributions of the plasma density and current in the PCS are compared. It is shown that, in the shock wave region, the electron density of the compressed plasma is on the order of ∼10 cm, whereas the PCS current is almost entirely concentrated in the magnetic piston region-a plasma layer with an electron density of less than 10 cm. Efficient transportation of the current by the PCS into the axial region of the facility in discharges with a high neutron yield ( Y > 10 neutrons/shot) is detected. It is shown that the total neutron yield is well described by the dependence Y ≈ (1.5-3) × 10 I, where I is the pinch current (in MA) flowing within the region r ≤ 13 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-weekly (R)-CHOP therapy is one of the standard treatmentS for elderly patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma, but it is only feasible with supportive G-CSF treatment. In the trials of the DSHNHL, either unpegylated G-CSF was given daily over 7 or 10 days or pegylated G-CSF was applied at day 4 of each cycle. These schedules were planned on the basis of simulations of a biomathematical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model. By analysing the observed data, we investigated whether our model predictions were correct and whether even better schedules can be proposed. We used data on 249 matched patients of two prospective trials, RICOVER-60 and PEGFILGRASTIM. The three G-CSF-schedules showed similar outcomes regarding leukocytopenia, infections and days in hospital, with pegylated G-CSF having slightly but not significantly better scores in all three endpoints. Regarding pegylated G-CSF, the best timing is predicted to be any day between days 4 and 7. With respect to unpegylated G-CSF, the starting day is less important, but it should be continued until the end of each cycle.The three G-CSF-schedules are interchangeable in (R)-CHOP-14 for elderly patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Our model correctly predicts time courses of leukocytes. Further model predictions are presented, which can be tested in subsequent clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Ophthalmologe 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 frontier orbital energies of four different functionalized perylene bisimide derivatives, PBI-Ph(iPr), PBI-H, PBI-F and PBI-Cl, were directly determined by UV-photo electron spectroscopy (UPS) and inverse photo electron spectroscopy (IPES) and are compared to the results from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and optical absorption spectroscopy (UV/VIS). The optical spectra reveal significant differences between monomeric species in solution and assembled molecules in the condensed state for the nearly planar PBI-H and PBI-F, which are attributed to significant π- π stacking interactions in the condensed phase. In contrast, for PBIs with bulky substituents or twisted core, i.e. 2,6-isopropylphenyl substituents at the imide positions (PBI-Ph(iPr)) or four chlorine substituents at perylene bay positions (PBI-Cl), similar spectra are observed in solution and in the condensed state, which suggests the absence of strong intermolecular π- π stacking interactions. An entirely different result is obtained for the HOMO/LUMO energy values obtained from UPS/IPES and CV measurements which do not reveal a significant impact of intermolecular π- π stacking interactions. When comparing CV and UPS/IPES results, an accentuated deviation was observed for the perylene bisimide derivatives as compared to correlations found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incomplete burst fractures resulting from compression forces are the main entity of spinal burst fractures. A neurological deficit in correlation with incomplete spinal burst fractures is scarce but it is important to exclude type B or C fracture within the scope of radiological diagnostics. German-speaking surgeons prefer to operate on this type of spinal fracture, whereas under special conditions conservative management might be a treatment option as well. Surgical treatment options are stabilization techniques using isolated posterior, isolated anterior or combined posterior/anterior approaches. Due to the insufficient evidence regarding the treatment of incomplete spinal burst fractures, current treatment is based on the surgeon's knowledge and level of education. Recently published treatment guidelines for spinal fractures of the DGU Working Group on Spine Surgery might support surgeons regarding their decision process. The long-term objective is to establish national and international treatment guidelines based on randomized studies with a high level of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapse of malignant disease remains the major complication in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC). In this study, we investigated the predictive value of disease-specific markers (DSMs), donor chimerism (DC) analysis of unsorted (UDC) or CD34+ sorted cells and Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) expression. Eighty-eight patients with AML or MDS were monitored after allogenic HCT following 2 Gy total-body irradiation with (n=84) or without (n=4) fludarabine 3 × 30 mg/m2, followed by cyclosporin A and mycophenolate mofetil. DSMs were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and WT1 expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Chimerism analysis was performed on unsorted or CD34+ sorted cells, by FISH or short tandem repeat polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-one (24%) patients relapsed within 4 months after HCT. UDC, CD34+ DC and WT1 expression were each significant predictors of relapse with sensitivities ranging from 53 to 79% and specificities of 82-91%. Relapse within 28 days was excluded almost entirely on the basis of WT1 expression combined with CD34+ DC kinetics. Monitoring of WT1 expression and CD34+ DC predict relapse of AML and MDS after RIC-HCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Unfallchirurg 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.)

Copyright of Der Unfallchirurg 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.)

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the activity of anthracycline rechallenge using pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) previously treated with conventional anthracyclines.Methods: Pooled individual data from four prospective trials were used, and the primary end point of the pooled analysis was clinical benefit rate (CBR). The studies comprised 935 patients, of whom 274 had received PLD in the metastatic setting after prior exposure to conventional anthracyclines (rechallenge population).Results: The majority of patients were heavily pretreated. Previous anthracycline therapy was administered in the adjuvant (14%) or metastatic setting (46%), or both (40%). The overall CBR from rechallenge with PLD was 37.2% (95% CI, 32.4-42.0). In univariate analyses, the CBR was significantly higher in patients with less exposure to prior chemotherapy, in taxane-naive patients, and in patients with a favourable Eastern Cooperative Group performance status of 0 vs 1 vs 2 (53.3 vs 35.5 vs 18.2%; P<0.001). In multivariate analyses, performance status proved to be the only independent predictor of the CBR achieved with PLD rechallenge (P=0.038). There was no statistically significant difference in CBR regarding the setting, cumulative dose of and/or resistance to prior anthracyclines, or time since prior anthracycline administration.Conclusion: Anthracycline rechallenge using PLD is effective in patients with MBC who have a favourable performance status, regardless of setting, resistance, cumulative dose or time since prior conventional anthracycline therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) is essential for treatment planning in carbon ion therapy and for understanding the biological effects of high-LET radiation. As this quantity depends on many factors, both its experimental determination and the assessment of its uncertainty are not trivial. For the limiting case of zero dose, where the RBE takes its maximum value RBEα, we present in this article a simple empirical-based approach to estimate its uncertainty. A Gaussian error calculus is applied to equally take into account both uncertainties from experiments with high- and low-LET radiation. From a theoretical point of view, we then infer, using a simple Monte Carlo model, the distribution of RBEα values. This illustrates why the conventional error propagation approach is inappropriate in some cases. In these cases, likewise also the error estimates have to be obtained with a more sophisticated approach. Uncertainties of RBE, visualized by error bars, are of importance for treatment planning and also for setting up a precision goal for predicting biophysical models such as the local effect model. [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.)

This paper examines whether multiple regression analysis and neural network models can be applied successfully for the indirect prediction of the runoff treatment performance with water quality indicator variables in an experimental storm water detention system rig. Five biologically mature experimental storm water detention systems with different designs treating concentrated gully pot liquor (spiked with dog droppings) were assessed. The systems were located on The King’s Buildings campus at The University of Edinburgh and were monitored for a period of 18 months. Multiple regression analyses indicated a relatively successful prediction of the biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids for most systems, but due to a relatively weak correlation between the predictors and both microbial indicators, multiple regression analyses were not applied for the prediction of intestinal enterococci and total coliform colony-forming units. However, artificial neural network models predicted microbial counts relatively well for most detention systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to assess the role of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. in experimental, mature, and temporarily flooded vertical flow wetland filters treating urban runoff rich in organic matter. During the experiment, ammonium chloride was added to sieved concentrated road runoff to simulate primary treated urban runoff contaminated with nitrogen. Five days at 20°C N-allylthiourea biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies were relatively lower for planted than unplanted filters. Moreover, there was no significant difference for BOD removal for all filters under fluctuating inflow concentrations of sulfate. The nitrogen removal performances of planted filters were more efficient and stable throughout the seasons compared to those of unplanted filters. A substantial load of nitrogen (approximately 500 mg per filter) was removed by harvesting P. australis. Plant uptake was the main removal mechanism for nitrogen during high concentrations (10 mg/L) of ammonia-nitrogen in the urban runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]