Search

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Erhebung von Perspektiven palliativversorgender Hausärzte (HÄ)1 an der Schnittstelle zur SAPV und Verbesserungsvorschläge. Methodik Querschnittliche Befragung von HÄ aus acht Kassenärztlichen Vereinigungen (KV). Quantitative Analyse von 1144 Fragebögen zu Verbesserungsvorschlägen und qualitative Analyse von 187 Freitextkommentaren. Ergebnisse Eine bessere Qualifikation ambulanter Pflegedienste wurde am häufigsten (91,7 %) als wichtige Rahmenbedingung für die hausärztliche Palliativversorgung (PV) genannt. Die 187 Freitextkommentare adressierten vielschichtige Dimensionen hausärztlich erlebter PV: HÄ betonen ihre zentrale Rolle; die Beurteilung der SAPV-Einbindung variiert von Ressource bis zur hausärztlichen Ausgrenzung aus der Versorgung und Kompetenzabschreibung. Schlussfolgerung Geäußerte Lösungsansätze für empfundene Defizite sollten Gehör finden, wenn sie zu einer effizienten Deckung des PV-Bedarfs beitragen: bessere Qualifizierung der Pflegedienste; Vermeidung von Ausgrenzung von HÄ aus der Versorgung bei SAPV-Einbindung; bessere Vernetzung aller Akteure.

Kisspeptin (KP) is a major regulator of reproductive functions. It has also been shown to be involved in the metabolic changes associated with obesity. According to the well-established concept of prenatal programming, environmental factors can influence physiological and behavioral systems at the early stages of development. Thus, we hypothesized that in pregnant women, obesity can be associated with alterations in the levels of KP. We also assumed that the observed changes in obese mothers' blood (MB) would be reflected in the umbilical cord blood (CB).We collected MB and CB from obese and nonobese women and analyzed the differences in metabolic and hormonal profiles, including KP concentration, using commercially available assays.We found that the level of KP was increased in the MB and CB of obese patients compared to nonobese subjects (p0.05). A strong correlation was observed between the concentration of KP in MB and CB (r=0.8343; p0.01). Moreover, we detected that the differences in the adipokine profile observed in the MB were not reflected in CB.Our results indicate that blood KP concentration can serve as a valuable marker in pregnant women. However, further studies are needed to understand the alterations of this peptide in obese pregnant woman and their potential effects on offspring.

Since 2007, patients receiving palliative care have been entitled to specialised outpatient palliative care (SAPV). Until now, the quality of care of the SAPV was only regionally focussed or in relation to individual SAPV teams. A nationwide analysis of outcome quality is still awaited. The organisation and design of structures and processes vary greatly from region to region, which complicates a comparative assessment of implementation. One way to measure the quality of the heterogeneous structures and processes is to collect patient-reported outcomes. Here, it is possible to use symptom burden, quality of care and patient satisfaction with SAPV care, since patients' quality of life is a central focus of SAPV care. This article is part of the research project SAVOIR, which is funded by the G-BA Innovation Fund.For this prospective longitudinal survey of the outcome quality of SAPV, structured data were collected at two measurement points (t42 SAPV teams agreed to participate in the study. They recruited a total of 964 patients at measurement time tThe SAPV patients recruited from a total of nine KV regions reported a reduced symptom burden and a high level of satisfaction with SAPV and rated the quality of care provided by SAPV as high.

Normal iron metabolism is an inherent feature of maintaining homeostasis. There is a wide range of iron disorders, which arise from iron deficiency or overload. In addition, disturbances in iron metabolism are observed in the course of numerous chronic diseases. Since iron is an essential constituent of hemoglobin, different types of anemia are clinical manifestations of both iron deficit or excess. This seemingly contradictory statement may be elucidated by the presence of hepcidin. Hepcidin is a primary regulator of iron metabolism in the human body. By promoting ferroportin degradation, hepcidin decreases the amount of iron in the circulation due to iron sequestration in the tissues and reduced intestinal absorption. Altered hepcidin concentration is a compensatory mechanism aimed at restoring iron homeostasis in various physiologic states, including pregnancy. However, hepcidin may also participate in the pathophysiologic background of hereditary hemochromatosis, anemia of chronic disease, myelodysplastic syndromes or β-thalassemia. Moreover, hepcidin is an acute-phase protein involved in innate immunity reactions. In our paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the physiologic and pathophysiologic functions of hepcidin. We present current knowledge on the structure, physiologic role and its expression control, as well as demonstrate the contribution of hepcidin in a state of illness. We also summarize the significance of hepcidin in normal and complicated pregnancy. Emphasizing the alterations in hepcidin upon treatment of specific diseases and their position in certain pathomechanisms, we support clinicians with practical aspects related to hepcidin.

The aim of the study was to determine effects of administration of simethicone and a multi-strain synbiotic on the crying behaviour of colicky babies. The study design consisted of an open-label, two parallel treatment group study involving 87 infants aged 3-6 weeks with infantile colic (defined as crying episodes lasting 3 or more hours per day and occurring at least 3 days per week within 3 weeks prior to enrolment) randomly, unequally [1:1.5] assigned to receive simethicone (n=33) or a multi-strain synbiotic (n=54) orally for 4 weeks. The multi-strain synbiotic contained Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-14, Lacticaseibacillus casei R0215, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lp-115, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, Ligilactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04, Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071, Bifidobacterium longum R0175 and fructooligosaccharides). Primary outcome measures were the responder rates (effect ≥50% reduction from baseline) of the measures ‘crying days last 3 weeks’, ‘average evening crying duration last 3 weeks’ and ‘reduction of average number of crying phases per day last three weeks’ at the end of treatment. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT 04487834. Significantly higher responder rates (effect ≥50% reduction from baseline) of the multi-strain synbiotic compared to simethicone were found for the measures ‘crying days last 3 weeks’ (72% vs 18%, P

Recreational winter swimming in cold sea water evokes body responses to regularly repeated cold water immersion. However, the understanding of adaptive changes is still limited and data regarding very short-term exposure to severe cold stress are scarce. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of regular active cold water exposure on resting blood elements and erythropoietin in male and female cold water swimmers (CWSs). Thirty four healthy subjects (18 men and 16 women) aged 50.0 ± 12.2 years were swimming in cold sea water during winter season at least twice a week. The average water temperature was 9.5°C in October, 1.0°C in January and 4.4°C at the end of April. Fasting blood samples were taken within the first weeks of October, January and April. Serum erythropoietin (EPO), complete blood count (CBC) including evaluation of: red blood cells (RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC indices), white blood cells (WBC count with WBC differential), platelets (PLT count), serum folate and serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) were determined. Between October and April an increase was observed in the following parameters: RBC (from 4.8 x 10

Chandler, Lalonde, Sokol, and Hallett created the Personal Persistence Interview in an effort to determine how persons defend their sense of personal persistence. In other words, these researchers wanted to determine the means by which one’s present self and past self can remain subjectively similar in spite of change. A modified version of that research tool is presently used to obtain narratives not only of personal persistence but also of its absence. As of yet, there are no open-ended descriptions of how and why one’s past and present self-experience could be wholly different. These narratives are colloquially presented as they relate to change, time, and culture. Maturation and perspectival changes putatively induced more than half the sample of 177 college-aged participants to report an absence of personal persistence. Still, others, also acknowledging substantial change, continued to feel personally persistent. Change within early and late modernity, as well as change as it is expressed in theories of self, will be compared with change as it is present in these life narratives.

Purpose: Flattening filter free (FFF) beams generated by medical linear accelerators are today clinically used for stereotactical and non-stereotactical radiotherapy treatments. Such beams differ from the standard flattened beams (FF) in the high dose rate and the profile shape peaked on the beam central axis. Definition of new parameters as unflatness and slope for FFF beams has been proposed based on a renormalization factor for FFF profiles. The present study aims to assess the dosimetric differences between FFF beams generated by linear accelerators from different vendors, and to provide renormalization and parameter data of the two kinds of units. Methods: Dosimetric data from two Varian TrueBeam and two Elekta Versa HD linear accelerators, all with 6 and 10 MV nominal accelerating potentials, FF and FFF modes have been collected. Renormalization factors and related fit parameters according to Fogliata et al. [“Definition of parameters for quality assurance of flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams in radiation therapy,” Med. Phys. 39, 6455–6464 (2012)] have been evaluated for FFF beams of both units and energies. Unflatness and slope parameters from profile curves were evaluated. Dosimetric differences in terms of beam penetration and near-the-surface dose were also assessed. Results: FFF profile parameters have been updated; renormalization factors and unflatness from the Varian units are consistent with the published data. Elekta FFF beam qualities, different from the Varian generated beams, tend to express similar behaviour as the FF beam of the corresponding nominal energy. TPR20,10 for 6 and 10 MV FF and FFF TrueBeam beams are 0.665, 0.629 (6 MV) and 0.738, 0.703 (10 MV). The same figures for Versa HD units are 0.684, 0.678 (6 MV) and 0.734, 0.721 (10 MV). Conclusions: Renormalization factor and unflatness parameters evaluated from Varian and Elekta FFF beams are provided, in particular renormalization factors table and fit parameters.

The CRESST-III experiment searches for direct interactions of dark matter with ordinary matter. The main event signature would be a nuclear recoil inside one of the scintillating CaWO4 crystals. Operating the crystals as cryogenic calorimeters provides a phonon signal as measure of the deposited energy. The simultaneous readout of both signals is used to actively discriminate backgrounds. CRESST-III focuses on the sub-GeV/c2 mass region where the sensitivity is driven by the threshold. In the first data taking campaign of CRESST-III from 2016-2018 an unprecedented low threshold of 30.1 eV for nuclear recoils was obtained. In this contribution, we will report the status of the experiment and the latest results.

Fundamental flame characteristics derived from counterflow flames are routinely used in chemical kinetic model optimization and validation. This paper reports an experimental and computational investigation aimed at understanding and quantifying the source of uncertainties associated with such characterization of extinction limits of fuel–air mixtures, ranging from low extinction strain rate methane–air flames to high-extinction strain rate ethylene–air flames. In the experiments, two pairs of convergent nozzles with exit diameters of 7.9 mm and 14.5 mm were used to introduce opposed jets of nonpremixed fuel and air to establish a planar flame in the counterflow mixing region. Velocity profiles and extinction data were measured using both LV and PIV setups. Experiments were conducted at various nozzle separation distances to investigate potential differences in axial velocity profiles along the axial and radial directions and the corresponding local extinction strain rates. The slope of axial velocity in the axial and radial directions at the air outlet boundary was found to increase with decreasing nozzle separation distance. The variation of local extinction strain rate with changes in separation distance was within the uncertainty of experimental data. Using a C1–C4 chemical kinetic model, quasi one-dimensional computations have been performed to quantify the experimentally determined boundary condition effects on the predicted extinction strain rate of counterflow flames.

Overproduction of cytokines by T helper 2 (Th2) cells in the lung is thought to be a cause of asthma. Here we report that innate lymphocytes termed lung natural helper (LNH) cells are a T cell-independent source of Th2 cell-type cytokines in protease allergen-treated lungs. LNH (Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-kit(+/lo)CD25(+)CD127(+)) cells, when stimulated by IL-33 plus IL-2, IL-7, or thymic stroma lymphopoietin (TSLP), produced large amounts of IL-5 and IL-13. Intranasal administration of protease allergen papain induced eosinophil infiltration and mucus hyperproduction in the lung of wild-type and Rag1(-/-) mice, but not in Rag2(-/-)Il2rg(-/-) mice that lack LNH cells. LNH cell depletion inhibited papain-induced airway inflammation in Rag1(-/-) mice whereas adoptive transfer of LNH cells enabled Rag2(-/-)Il2rg(-/-) mice to respond to papain. Treatment of lung explants with papain induced IL-33 and TSLP production by stroma cells and IL-5 and IL-13 production by LNH cells. Thus, LNH cells are critical for protease allergen-induced airway inflammation.

An experimental study was performed to characterize the effects of vitiation due to combustion-air preheating on dual-mode scramjet combustion.Major combustion vitiation species (H2O andCO2)were added to the freestreamof an electrical-resistance-heated, direct-connect facility simulating Mach 5 flight enthalpy. With clean, dry air, the combustor operated in the supersonic mode at fuel equivalence ratios below 0.22, and in the subsonic mode for equivalence ratios above 0.26. Hysteresis was observed in the dual-mode transition region between 0.22 and 0.26, as the mode of combustion was dependent on whether the fuel rate was increasing or decreasing. Adding increasing amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide to the freestream decreased combustor pressures by 10 to 30% for the same fuel equivalence ratio. Vitiation also caused transition between supersonic and subsonic combustion to occur at a higher fuel equivalence ratio thanwith clean air. This work represents the first direct evaluation of the effect of testmedium vitiation on dual-mode scramjet combustion atMach 5 enthalpy simulation in the same facility. The results indicate the importance of accounting for test-medium vitiation when extrapolating from ground-testing to flight, particularly in the dual-mode transition region between subsonic and supersonic combustion regimes.

Zusammenfassung Elektronenoptische Untersuchungen eines Virus, das aus Huhnerkuken isoliert worden war, die an einer ulzerativen Enteritis erkrankt waren, ergaben eine mittlere Grose von 666 A (Streuung 29 A) im Negativ-Kontrast. Das Virus gehort in die Gruppe der „spharischen” Viren mit kubischer Symmetrie des Capsids. Der Innenkorper des Nucleocapsids hat einen Durchmesser von 400 A (Streuung 21 A). Das Virus besitzt keine Hulle. Aufgrund dieser Eigenschaften steht es als Chloroform- und Ather-resistentes Virus der REO-Virusgruppe nahe. Die Feinstruktur des Viruscapsids konnte nicht einwandfrei aufgeklart werden. Das Capsid des Virions weist eine ausere Lage von morphologischen Einheiten sowie eine innere Schale auf. Die morphologischen Einheiten erscheinen vom kompakten Typ. Ihr Durchmesser betragt etwa 40 A, die Abstande zwischen den Einheiten etwa 30 A. Ihre Zahl betragt vermutlich 122 oder 132. Summary Structure of a new avian orphan virus Electron-microscopical studies of a virus isolated from chicks suffering from an ulcerative enteritis showed a medium sized particle of 666 A (deviation 29 A) in negative contrast. The virus belongs to the group of spherical viruses with cubic symmetry of capsids. The inner body of the nucleocapsid has a diameter of 400 A (deviation 21 A). The virus has no envelope. These characters place the virus with the chloroform and ether-resistant viruses of the REO virus group. The fine structure of the virus capsid could not be definitely elucidated. The capsid has an external part composed of morphological units and also an inner nucleus. The morphological units are of the compact type, about 40 A in diameter with a 30 A interval between them. Their number is probably 122 or 132. Resume La structure d'un nouveau virus aviaire «orphan» L'etude au microscope electronique d'un virus isole a partir de poulets atteints d'une entente ulcereuse donnerent une dimension moyenne de 666 A (deviation 29 A) au contraste negatif. Le virus appartient au groupe des virus spheriques avec symetrie cubique des capsides. Le corps interne du nucleocapside a un diametre de 400 A (deviation 21 A). Le virus ne possede pas d'enveloppe. Sur la base de ces proprietes ce virus resistant au chloroforme et a l'ether est proche du groupe REO. La structure fine du capside ne put pas etre eclaircie d'une maniere definitive. Le capside presente une couche externe d'unites morphologiques ainsi qu'une coque interne. Les unites morphologiques se presentent sous le type compact. Leur diametre atteint environ 40 A, l'intervalle entre les unites est d'environ 30 A. Leur nombre est probablement de 122 ou 132. Resumen Estructura de un nuevo virus aviar huerfano Los estudios eptico-electronicos de un virus, aislado a partir de pollitos que padecian una enteritis ulcerativa, dieron un tamano medio de 666 A (dispersion 29 A) en el contraste negativo. El virus pertenece al grupo de los «esfericos» con simetria cubica del capside. El cuerpo interior del nucleocapside tiene un diametro de 400 A (dispersion 21 A). Debido a estas propiedades, como virus cloroformo y eterresistente se halla proximo al grupo REO. La microestructura del capside virico no se pudo reconocer de forma irrecusable. El capside del vibrion ostenta una situacion exterior de unidades morfologicas, asi como una corteza interior. Las unidades morfologicas parecen pertenecer al tipo compacto. Su diametro alcanza unos 40 A, las distancias entre las unidades unos 30 A. Su cantidad asciende probablemente a 122 o 132.

Zusammenfassung Nachdem im ersten Teil dieser Arbeit die verschiedenen inapparenten Virusinfektionen des Geflugels besprochen wurden, wird im zweiten Teil uber Untersuchungen zur Charakterisierung eines gegen Chloroform und ather resistenten RNS-Virus des Geflugels berichtet, das in der Grosenordnung der REO-Viren liegt und Eigenschaften dieser Virusgruppe besitzt, jedoch Unterschiede in seiner Feinstruktur aufweist. Es ist pH-labil und wird durch 2wertige Magnesiumionen in der Warme nicht stabilisiert, sondern beschleunigt inaktiviert. Durch Abkuhlung auf — 30° C erfolgt in einer 1molaren MgCl2-Losung eine Inaktivierung von 99% des Virus. Es weist eine “buoyant density” von 1,38 im Casiumchlorid-H2O-Dichtegradienten auf. Das Virus vermehrt sich in Huhnerembryonieren- und Fibroblasten-Kulturen mit einem cytopathischen Effekt, der in Synzytienbildung und der Formation von polymorphen, intraplasmatischen Einschlussen besteht. Es bildet Plaques mit unscharfem Rand in diesen Zellkulturen. In einer Anzahl heterologer Zellkulturen konnte weder eine Vermehrung noch ein cytopathischer Effekt nachgewiesen werden. Das Virus ist im bebruteten Ei und mittels des Plaquetestes titrierbar. Eine spezifische Neutralisation des Agens durch Hyperimmunserum von parenteral infizierten Huhnern konnte nur mit Hilfe eines Plaque-Reduktionstestes nachgewiesen werden. Plaque-Reduktionsteste mit spezifischen Antiseren gegen REO-Virus Typ 1, 2 und 3 sowie gegen Fahey-Crawley-Virus verliefen negativ. Das Virus ruft in der Zellkultur keine Hamadsorption hervor und hamagglutiniert nicht Erythrozyten einer Anzahl von Tierarten. Nach artifizieller Infektion des Embryos kommt es zu keinem Anstieg der Fermente GOT, LDH, MDH und Aldolase in der Allantoisflussigkeit im Verlauf der Infektion, wie dies von anderen Virusinfektionen des Embryos bekannt ist. In erwachsenen Huhnern konnten durch perorale Infektion mit dem Virus keine signifikanten Krankheitserscheinungen ausgelost werden. Das Virus konnte wahrend des Ablaufs der Infektion uber mehrere Tage aus Lunge und Leber infizierter Tiere isoliert werden und war uber 3 Wochen standig im Kot und den caecalen Tonsillen nachweisbar. Von infizierten Eintagskuken erkrankte ein Teil der Tiere nach subkutaner und intrakardialer Inokulation hoher Virusdosen. Erkrankte Tiere wiesen degenerative Herde und zellige Infiltrationen in der Leber auf. Aus veranderten Lebern wurde das Virus reisoliert. Subkutan, intraperitoneal und intrazerebral inokulierte Saugmause zeigten weder Krankheitserscheinungen noch spezifische histopathologische Veranderungen. Summary Inapparent viral infections in poultry and their significance in relation to an agent isolated for the first time Part II. Studies on a new poultry virus This part describes a new virus isolated from poultry. It is an RNA virus, resistant to chloroform and ether and its size puts it with the REO viruses, with which is shares similar properties except for differences in its fine structure. Its cultural, biochemical and physical properties are described. By the plaque reduction test it was not possible to find any relationship to REO viruses of groups 1, 2 and 3 or to the Fahey-Crawley virus. Twelve-week old cockerels, infected orally, showed no ill effects but excreted the virus in the droppings for three weeks. A proportion of day-old chicks infected subcutaneously or intracardially became ill and showed foci of degeneration and infiltration in the liver. The virus could be isolated from affected livers. No effects were produced when the virus was inoculated s. c., i. p., or i. c. into suckling mice. Resume Viroses inapparentes de la volaille et leur signification en consideration d'un nouvel agent isole 2eme partie Apres avoir decrit dans la premiere partie de ce travail les differentes viroses inapparentes de la volaille, nous rapportons dans cette deuxieme partie la caracterisation d'un virus RNA de la volaille, resistant au chloroforme et a l'ether, dont la grosseur et les proprietes se rapprochent des REO-virus, avec cependant des differences dans la structure fine. On decrit ses proprietes culturelles, biochimiques et physiques. Par le test de reduction des plaques, nous n'avons decele de parente serologique ni avec les REO-virus du type 1, 2 et 3, ni avec le virus de Fahey-Crawley. Des coqs de 12 semaines, infectes par voie orale, ne montrerent aucun signe de maladie, mais excreterent le virus dans les matieres fecales pendant 3 semaines. Des poussins d'un jour ont ete infectes par voie sous-cutanee et intra-cardiaque; une partie d'entre eux tomba malade et presenta des foyers de degenerescence et des infiltrations cellulaires du foie. On parvint a reisoler le virus dans les foies endommages. Des bebe-souris inoculees se developperent normalement. Resumen Infecciones virosicas en las aves y su importancia, bajo la consideracion de un agente aislado por vez primera Parte II Despues de que en la parte primera de este trabajo se describieron las mas diversas infecciones virosicas inaparentes en aves, en la parte segunda se informa sobre estudios para caracterizar un virus ribonucleico aviar, resistente frente al cloroformo y eter, que es del tamano de los virus REO y tiene las caracteristicas de este grupo de virus, pero que sin embargo evidencia diferencias en su microestructura. Describense sus propiedades culturales, bioquimicas y fisicas. En la prueba de reduccion de placas no se pudo probar ningun parentesco serologico con los virus REO tipos 1, 2 y 3, asi como tampoco con el virus Fahey-Crawley. Los gallos de 12 semanas de edad, infectados por via oral, no mostraban sintomas nosologicos, ahora que eliminaban el virus con las heces durante 3 semanas. De los pollitos de un dia de edad infectados, una parte de los animales enfermo tras inoculacion subcutanea e intracardiaca. Los pollitos enfermos presentaban focos degenerativos e infiltraciones celulares en el higado. De los higados alterados se reaislo el virus. — Los ratones lactantes inoculados se desarrollaron con normalidad.

The writer as star: On Karl May’s strategies of generating fame This essay seeks to contribute to the subject of generating fame in one’s lifetime in literature. It begins by exploring the conditions and strategies which need to be present, in order to reach the highest level of fame — stardom — in one’s lifetime. In contrast to other areas such as film, music, sport, theatre and the like, literature has struggled to produce stars. However, at the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth century — that is, long before the advent of the film star — Karl May was the incarnation of a writer who fulfilled all the significant requirements which constitutes a star. He was endowed with the double body and an organised following of supporting fans, and he possessed a media presence as well the required continuity — albeit one that was limited in time.

Zusammenfassung: An drei Cryptococcus-neoformans-Stammen wurden elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Darstellung ihrer Kapsel durchgefuhrt. Mittels polykationischem Ferritin gelang die kontrastreiche Markierung der Polysaccharidkapsel auf der Basis einer zytochemisch-physikalischen Reaktion zwischen den negativen Ladungstragern der Extrazellularschicht und dem kationischen Marker. Zusatzlich konnten extrazellular fibrillare Strukturen differenziert werden, an die eine Anlagerung von Ferritin nicht erfolgt war. Geringfugige methodische Variationen verringerten die Ferritinmarkierung erheblich, eine einstundige Hitzebehandlung hob sie ganz auf. Dagegen traten unmarkierte Bestandteile verstarkt in den Vordergrund. Bei dem Versuch einer Interpretation dieser elektronenoptischen Befunde wurde die Moglichkeit diskutiert, das die Kapsel von Cryptococcus neoformans einen von dem leicht ablosbaren Polysaccharid zu unterscheidenden Anteil mit fibrillarem Aufbau enthalt, der evtl. im Sinne eines Stutzgerustes fur die Ein- und Anlagerung des loslichen Kapsel-Antigens fungiert. Summary: Ultrastructural research on the capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans. For ultrastructural visualization of their capsule, three Cryptococcus neoformans-strains were treated cytochemically with a polycationized derivative of ferritin. This marker binds electrostatically to the anionic sites of polysaccharide capsules. After treatment, the yeast cells were covered with a dense irregular layer of ferritin granules. Moreover, fibrillary components could be detected extracellularly, which did not bind cationic ferritin. Slight methodical variations, e. g. pretreatment of the yeasts by heat, led to an intensification of these structures, whereas binding of ferritin decreased or was abolished, respectively. These findings indicate that the capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans apparently consists of two different components: one seems to bind cationic ferritin, is easily removable, and equivalent to the soluble polysaccharide antigen found in serum and liquor during Cryptococcus-infection, and a second fibrillary one is possibly acting as a supporting framework for the soluble component.

Time-resolved pressure measurements in a dual-mode scramjet isolator were examined to investigate the potential for using the measurements for shock train leading-edge detection. Changes in the pressure magnitude, standard deviation levels, and frequency content were observed as the shock train advanced upstream past each pressure measurement station. Three detection criteria were defined and examined: 1) 150% of the normalized pressure magnitude upstream of combustion influences, 2) 150% of the normalized pressure standard deviation level upstream of combustion influences, and 3) the maximum value of the normalized pressure standard deviation. Another method of shock train leading-edge detection involved the examination of the frequency content of the pressure signal using power spectra analysis. Results indicated that the second detection criterion provided the earliest method of shock train detection as the shock train moved upstream, followed by the first and third criteria. Also, the frequency content of the pressure signals significantly changed near the shock train leading edge. However, a comparison of this method to the three criteria first examined showed that it did not provide earlier shock train detection.

Tests performed on urethral secretion and morning urine specimen identified the causative micro-organism in 143 of 164 males with non-gonococcal urethritis. In 59 patients (36%) there was an infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, in 48 (29.2%) with Ureaplasma urealyticum in significantly high bacterial counts (greater than or equal to 10(4) KbU/ml) urethral secretion (greater than or equal to 10(3) KbU/ml first urine sample), and in a further 18 patients (11%) double infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Other causative organisms such as Mycoplasma hominis, enterococci, streptococci of groups A and B, enterobacteria and Trichomonas were isolated in 18 patients (11%). In 21 patients (12.8%) no causative organism was demonstrated. In several instances, Chlamydia was demonstrated in ureaplasma-negative non-gonococcal urethritis, while Ureaplasma was demonstrated in Chlamydia-negative cases. In cases of urethritis caused by Chlamydia gonorrhoeal urethritis was more frequent in the past history than when urethritis was due to Ureaplasma. Treatment with tetracyclines led to clinically and microbiologically good results in 77% of patients with Ureaplasma urethritis, in 64% of patients with Chlamydia urethritis. Adnexial infections such as prostatitis and epididymitis were among the complications seen.

An experimental study was conducted to characterize the influence of combustion air preheater major vitiate species (H 2 O and CO 2 ) on scramjet combustion. These species were added to an initially clean airflow that was supplied by an electrically heated facility. With dry air, the scramjet combustor operated in the supersonic mode at an equivalence ratio in the range of 0.25-0.32 and transitioned to dual mode over an equivalence ratio range of 0.35-0.37. At an equivalence ratio of 0.27, the combustor operated in the supersonic mode for three cases: 1) dry air, 2) air vitiated with 5% H 2 O by mole, and 3) air vitiated with 5% H 2 O and 2.5% CO 2 by mole. In the second case, the combustor pressure distribution decreased 10% relative to dry air and, in the third case, another 2% decrease was measured. At an equivalence ratio of 0.35, the combustor operated in the dual mode with dry air, but in the supersonic mode with 7 % H 2 O. This is the first demonstration of mode transition solely caused by test gas vitiation. It is therefore important to account for such effects when extrapolating from vitiated ground testing to flight.

Personal persistence, the subjective perception of self-sameness through time, is implied or explicitly asserted in nearly all modern theories of self and identity. Recently, personal persistence has become the subject of inquiry and argument, most directly due to Galen Strawson, who recently described himself as experiencing a distinct series of non-defective and non-pathological selves, each phenomenologically independent of the other. Using a combination of previously published, modified, and newly constructed measures, the present study, in an attempt to provide empirical information relevant to the theoretical treatments of personal persistence, assembled an assessment battery of assumptively intercorrelated personal persistence measures, which collectively provided dichotomous, linear, quantitative, and qualitative information about the experience of self-persistence in a sample of 177 mostly female college students between the ages of 18 and 44 years.

Every new field of investigation requires a guiding scheme or frame. Its purpose is to provide a heuristic for discovery and a structure for organizing information. Neither the World Health Organization's public health nor a biosocial model of violence are adequate for providing a protoscientific frame for conceptualizing violent acts. This essay suggests a master metaphor-Burke's Dramatism-through which to deepen and expand our knowledge of violence and what must be done to reduce its toll. An illustrative example is presented. Language: en

A Mach 2, hydrogen-air combustor with an unswept 10-deg ramp fuel injector was experimentally and numerically studied for a simulated flight Mach number near 5. Numerical modeling was performed using the Viscous Upwind Algorithm for Complex Flow Analysis code, and results were compared against experimental wall-pressure distributions, fuel plume images, and fuel plume velocity measurements. The model matched wall-pressure distributions well for the case of fuel-off and fuel-air mixing. For a fuel-air reacting case, pressure was matched well in the upstream third of the duct. Downstream, however, the pressure rise as a result of combustion was underpredicted. Based on the fuel plume imaging and velocity measurements, fuel plume shape was matched well for both the mixing and reacting cases. However, plume size, penetration, and centerplane axial growth were generally underpredicted by the model. The full extent of the velocity reduction caused by thermal choking was also not predicted. Despite these findings, the numerical model performed better than a previous model developed by the investigators. It was proposed that differences between the present numerical model and experiment stemmed from numerical underprediction of fuel-air turbulent mixing, and this resulted in underprediction of heat release.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate low-field MR imag- ing of the lung parenchyma in com- parison with postero-anterior (PA) and lateral chest radiographs (CR). One hundred one prospectively ran- domized patients who had received routine CR were additionally exam- ined with magnetic resonance imag- ing (MRI) at 0.2 T. Utilized se- quences were: constructive interfer- ence in steady state (CISS), true fast imaging in steady state precession (True-FISP) and T1-weighted spin- echo (T1SE). Consensus reading of two observers was performed for CR. Three other observers analyzed hardcopies of the MRI examinations for each sequence independently. The individual results for the com- parisons between the sequences and CR were calculated using kappa co- efficients with their corresponding confidence intervals. Additionally, an interobserver analysis was per- formed.The proportions of agree- ment for the three sequences com- pared with CR were high, with 0.93 for CISS, 0.89 for True-FISP and 0.91 for T1SE. The kappa coeffi- cients and the corresponding confi- dence intervals were 0.81 (0.68; 0.95) for CISS, 0.72 (0.57; 0.88) for True-FISP and 0.78 (0.65; 0.92) for T1SE. Concerning CISS, differences between MRI and CR were mainly related to advantages resulting from cross-sectional imaging. The small- est 95% lower confidence bound of the three kappa measures for com- paring the MR readers with each other was 0.97, indicating a high in- terobserver agreement. Low-field MRI of the lung parenchyma using the CISS sequence is well compa- rable with chest radiography and demonstrates slight advantages resulting from the cross-sectional imaging technique.

The effect of chemically active sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) particles and inert silica particles on suppression of laminar, non-premixed counterflow methane-air flames is investigated. In experiments, the NaHCO3 particles are separated into size ranges of

Achieving high ease of use demands that an iterative design-evaluation-redesign process be followed. User interface evaluations and, sometimes, design work as well, require the participation of many target users, who often collaborate in the use of the product. In many cases, project members and potential users are spread worldwide, making face-to-face interaction difficult and expensive. Given these conditions and the ever-present consideration of keeping travel expenses down, human factors engineers and human-computer interaction experts are adopting a methodology that involves performing user interface design and assessment activities remotely, thus avoiding prohibitive travel costs while maintaining a high level of customer involvement. This paper presents a survey of various types of remote usability activities and some of the types of tools that are being used, and it describes a case study in which this methodology was applied; that is, the design of the Design Solutions application for the IBM Customer Connect portal.

M ANY ground test facilities for studying dual-mode scramjet (DMSJ) propulsion rely on stagnation enthalpy simulationvia combustion of hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuel. This heating process results in levels of vitiates in the test flow, such as water and carbon dioxide, that are not present in atmospheric air. The effects of these vitiates on DMSJ performance and operability must therefore be understood if accurate extrapolations to flight can be made. The Supersonic Combustion Facility [1] provides a unique opportunity to study such effects since the facility is electrically heated and supplies a test gas that is free of combustion generated vitiates. However, water vapor, in the form of steam, and carbon dioxide can be added to the flow to examine the effects these vitiates have on a DMSJ. Previous work to study vitiation effects has been performed using up to 7% H2O and 2.5% CO2, both by mole [1]. However, these results were only obtained over a limited range of fuel equivalence ratios and the study did not fully investigate mode-transition with a precombustion shock train due to the lack of a flowpath isolator. The present study was conducted with vitiate levels closer to those encountered in combustion heated facilities and with an isolator installed. Reference [2] provides details of the new configuration. Basically it consists of the DMSJ of [1], a rectangular, direct connect combustor with a single ramp fuel injector, and a new constant area, rectangular isolator that is ten duct heights long. This Note reports on experimental pressure measurements in the scramjet combustor at twovitiated conditions and compares the resultswith that of clean air. Water and carbon dioxide levels are examined such that the effects of water vapor vitiation can be isolated for conditions that are representative of a methane combustion heated facility operating at Mach 5 simulation. Trends in the data are examined, particularly with respect to the effect vitiates have on the mode-transition characteristics of the DMSJ.

We examined an association between ghrelin, including its major isoforms, interleukin-6 (IL-6), body mass index (BMI), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in male overweight patients with essential hypertension. Twenty hypertensive male patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension (EH) before starting drug treatment and 22 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Fasting total plasma ghrelin (TGhr), acyl ghrelin (AGhr), des-acyl ghrelin (DGhr) and IL-6 were determined and correlations between studied parameters were calculated. We found significantly lower total plasma ghrelin and higher plasma IL-6 in hypertensives when compared with the control. In patients with hypertension the negative correlations were found: between TGhr and BMI, DGhr and BMI, TGhr and MAP, and between DGhr and MAP. IL-6 positively correlated with BMI and MAP in hypertensive subjects. No correlations between all forms of ghrelin and IL-6 were noted. The changes in plasma ghrelin and IL-6 contribute independently to the elevated blood pressure in essential hypertension. Negative correlation of DGhr and MAP may suggest its hemodynamic involvement in regulation of blood pressure.

Process monitoring and modelling can contribute to fostering the industrial relevance of additive manufacturing. Process related temperature gradients and thermal inhomogeneities cause residual stresses, and distortions and influence the microstructure. Variations in wall thickness can cause heat accumulations. These occur predominantly in filigree part areas and can be detected by utilizing off-axis thermographic monitoring during the manufacturing process. In addition, numerical simulation models on the scale of whole parts can enable an analysis of temperature fields upstream to the build process. In a microscale domain, modelling of several exposed single hatches allows temperature investigations at a high spatial and temporal resolution. Within this paper, FEM-based micro- and macroscale modelling approaches as well as an experimental setup for thermographic monitoring are introduced. By discussing and comparing experimental data with simulation results in terms of temperature distributions both the potential of numerical approaches and the complexity of determining suitable computation time efficient process models are demonstrated. This paper contributes to the vision of adjusting the transient temperature field during manufacturing in order to improve the resulting part's quality by simulation based process design upstream to the build process and the inline process monitoring.

In the past decade, several chromosomal regions have been analyzed for linkage with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). There have been conflicting results regarding the involvement of X-chromosomal regions in harboring susceptibility genes for BPAD. Recently, a new candidate gene (SYBL1) for BPAD has been described on Xq28. SYBL1, which maps to the Xq pseudoautosomal region (PAR), encodes a member of the synaptobrevin family of proteins involved in synaptic vesicle docking, exocytosis, and membrane transport. A subsequent case-control association study, including 110 US-American patients with BPAD and 119 unrelated controls, investigated a potential etiological role of a novel polymorphism (GC transversion) in a regulatory region of the SYBL1 gene. In this analysis, the C allele showed a statistical trend to be more frequent in males with BPAD than in respective controls (P = 0.06). This finding prompted us to verify whether a similar effect was also present in a larger German sample of 164 unrelated patients with BPAD (148 patients with BP I disorder, 16 patients with BP II disorder) and 267 controls. We observed a significantly increased frequency of genotypes homozygous for the C allele in females with BPAD in comparison with controls (P = 0.017). Thus, our data strengthen the role of the SYBL1 gene as a candidate gene for BPAD. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Friedrich Wilhelm Hacklander, a succesful 19th century German writer — he published more than twenty thousand printed pages — was 19 years old when the Nuremberg-Furth railway was opened in the winter of 1835. His first report on the new means of transport dates back to the year 1842, he dealt with the theme for the last time in 1875. Twenty-six texts written by one single author thus give a literary insight into more than thirty years of railway history. Hacklander was an ardent traveller, and for this reason the railway first appears in travel reports wich are initially characterized by adventure and technology but then take on the form of poetic travel pictures. But the railway plays a role in his other prose works too. It surfaces as a peripheral, secondary or central theme in many of Hacklander’s novels, narratives, short stories, humourous sketches etc. The station and the railway compartment are favourite topoi, the figure of the railway engineer coins a new type of hero.

Current nosography classifies major psychoses as separate disorders, but their symptomatological presentation during illness episodes largely overlaps and diagnoses may change during a lifetime. Few analyses of major psychoses symptomatology have been performed so far because of the large number of subjects needed to obtain stable factors. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to identify the symptomatologic structure common to major psychoses based on lifetime symptoms. Two thousand and forty-one inpatients affected by schizophrenic (n=1008), bipolar (n=563), major depressive (n=352), delusional (n=108) and psychotic not otherwise specified disorder (n=210) were rated for lifetime symptoms using the Operational Criteria Checklist for Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) and included in a factorial analysis. Four factors were obtained, the first consisted of excitement symptoms, the second comprised psychotic features (delusions and hallucinations), the third comprised depression and the fourth disorganization. When scored by the OPCRIT checklist, major psychoses symptomatology is composed of excitement, depressive, delusion and disorganization symptoms.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a common side effect of long-term medication with typical neuroleptics. TD presents itself by abnormal involuntary movements and may lead to a potentially disabling and chronic clinical course. A vast majority of patients suffering from schizophrenia are smokers. Smoking has been reported to induce the activity of the CYP1A2 enzyme, which is an established metabolic pathway within the disposition of antipsychotics. Recently, a C-->A genetic polymorphism in the first intron of the CYP1A2 gene was reported to influence CYP1A2 activity in smokers. Subsequently, a pharmacogenetic study in 85 U.S. patients with schizophrenia (44 smokers, 41 individuals with unknown smoking status) showed the C/C genotype to be associated with higher TD severity (measured by the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, AIMS) than the A/C or A/A genotype. This finding prompted us to investigate whether this effect was also present in a larger German sample of 119 patients with schizophrenia (82 smokers, 37 individuals with unknown smoking status). However, we could not replicate the reported association. The median AIMS scores did not differ between individuals with the A/A, A/C, or C/C genotypes. In an additional analysis, we compared the genotypic and allelic distribution among individuals grouped according to the criteria established by Schooler and Kane [1982: Arch Gen Psychiatry 39:486-487] (persistent TD vs. absent TD). We did not observe a differential genotypic or allelic distribution between the two diagnostic groups. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis that the C-->A polymorphism in the CYP1A2 gene is involved in the etiology of TD in the German population.

To demonstrate the feasibility of portal dosimetry with an amorphous silicon mega voltage imager for flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams by means of the GLAaS methodology and to validate it for pretreatment quality assurance of volumetric modulated arc therapy (RapidArc).The GLAaS algorithm, developed for flattened beams, was applied to FFF beams of nominal energy of 6 and 10 MV generated by a Varian TrueBeam (TB). The amorphous silicon electronic portal imager [named mega voltage imager (MVI) on TB] was used to generate integrated images that were converted into matrices of absorbed dose to water. To enable GLAaS use under the increased dose-per-pulse and dose-rate conditions of the FFF beams, new operational source-detector-distance (SDD) was identified to solve detector saturation issues. Empirical corrections were defined to account for the shape of the profiles of the FFF beams to expand the original methodology of beam profile and arm backscattering correction. GLAaS for FFF beams was validated on pretreatment verification of RapidArc plans for three different TB linacs. In addition, the first pretreatment results from clinical experience on 74 arcs were reported in terms of γ analysis.MVI saturates at 100 cm SDD for FFF beams but this can be avoided if images are acquired at 150 cm for all nominal dose rates of FFF beams. Rotational stability of the gantry-imager system was tested and resulted in a minimal apparent imager displacement during rotation of 0.2 ± 0.2 mm at SDD = 150 cm. The accuracy of this approach was tested with three different Varian TrueBeam linacs from different institutes. Data were stratified per energy and machine and showed no dependence with beam quality and MLC model. The results from clinical pretreatment quality assurance, provided a gamma agreement index (GAI) in the field area for six and ten FFF beams of (99.8 ± 0.3)% and (99.5 ± 0.6)% with distance to agreement and dose difference criteria set to 3 mm/3% with 2 mm/2% thresholds, GAI resulted (95.7.0 ± 2.3)% and (97.2 ± 2.1)%.The GLAaS methodology, introduced in clinical practice for conventional flattened photon beams for machine, IMRT, and RapidArc quality assurance, was successfully adapted for FFF beams of Varian TrueBeam Linac. The detector saturation effects could be eliminated if the portal images acquired at 150 cm for all nominal dose rates of FFF beams.

Die von Cannon-Spoor et al. 1982 fur Forschungszwecke entwickelte Pramorbide Anpassungsskala (PAS) hat international Bedeutung erlangt. Sie soll messen, bis zu welchem Grad soziale Entwicklungsziele pramorbide erreicht wurden. In dieser Arbeit wird mit ersten Daten zur Reliabilitat und Validitat die deutsche Version vorgelegt. Bei einer Stichprobe schizophrener und schizoaffektiver Patienten (n=86) und gesunden Eltern der Patienten (n=38) wurden neben der DSM-IV-Diagnose PAS- und PANSS-Daten sowie Angaben zum Krankheitsverlauf erhoben. Die Reliabilitatsschatzung mittels Cronbachs α lag auch fur die Subskalen zwischen 0,809 und 0,931. Hohe PAS-Scores, die eine schlechte pramorbide Anpassung reprasentieren, korrelierten jeweils signifikant mit niedrigem Alter bei Krankheitsbeginn, hohen PANSS-Werten, schleichendem Krankheitsbeginn, langer Dauer der stationaren Behandlung und schwerem Krankheitsverlauf. Der PAS-Schwellenwert lag zwischen gesunden und kranken Probanden bei 0,23, ein eher ungunstiger Krankheitsverlauf zeichnete sich bei PAS-Werten > 0,53 ab. Die Vorhersagewahrscheinlichkeit fur die Schizophrenie lag bei PAS-Werten > 0,23 bei OR=27,9 (95% CI 9,39–82,89). Die vorgelegten Befunde stimmen mit der bisherigen Literatur uberein.

Interactions of fine droplets of water and water/NaOH solutions with a steady, laminar counterflow methane/air nonpremixed flame are investigated experimentally and numerically. A water atomizer generating a polydisperse distribution of droplet sizes with a median diameter of 20 lm is used in experiments with steady feed rate. Comparisons of the measured flame extinction condition as a function of droplet mass fraction in the air stream indicate a trend similar to that predicted previously using 20 lm monodisperse water droplets. The hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian numerical model previously developed is generalized to include polydisperse distribution of drop sizes; however, the differences seen between experiments and the numerical predictions at high water mass fractions could not be attributed to variation in size distribution alone. Present experiments support the conclusions of an earlier modeling work that on a mass basis, fine water mist can be as effective as the now-banned gaseous fire suppressant halon 1301. Inclusion of NaOH in water (up to 17.5% by mass) is shown to significantly enhance the fire suppression ability of water by complementing its thermal effects with chemical catalytic radical recombination effects of NaOH.

A technique for full-field measurement of surface temperature and in-plane strain using a single-grid imaging technique was demonstrated on a sample subjected to thermally induced strain. The technique is based on digital imaging of a sample marked by an alternating line array of La 2 O 2 S:Eu +3 thermographic phosphor and chromium illuminated by a uv lamp. Digital images of this array in unstrained and strained states were processed wing a modified spin filter. Normal strain distribution was determined by combining unstrained and strained grid images using a single-grid digital moire technique. Temperature distribution was determined by digitally dividing images of phosphor intensity at two wavelengths. Combined strain and temperature measurements demonstrated on the thermally heated sample were Δe =± 250 μe and ΔT=± 5 K, respectively, with a spatial resolution of 0.8 mm