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We examined the results of 1,835 magnetic field measurements in German residences conducted between November 1997 and September 1999. The measurements were part of an epidemiological study on the relationship between magnetic fields and childhood leukemia. We performed a fixed-location measurement of the magnetic field at 50 Hz and 16 2/3 Hz (frequency of the German railway system) over 24 h in the child's bedroom in the residence of each study participant. In addition, we conducted a second 24 h-measurement in the living room at 50 Hz, and spot measurements while walking through all rooms of the respective dwelling. Median 50 Hz magnetic fields above 0.2 muT were found to be infrequent in Germany (only 1.4% of all residences). Fields produced by high-voltage power lines (123-420 kV) were lower than expected: the median magnetic field was above 0.2 muT in only 8 (32.0%) of 25 residences located 50 m or closer to a high-voltage power line indicating that power lines in Germany are usually run well below the maximum power load. We found that magnetic fields were correlated with the type of residence and higher magnetic fields were measured in apartment buildings. There was also some evidence for a positive correlation between magnetic fields and traffic density and an inverse association between magnetic fields and family net income. The 24 h-magnetic field measurements correlated well with the spot measurements (r>0.7). However, when dichotomized with a cut-off point of 0.2 muT, there was only a poor agreement between the two measurement methods. A loss of the strength of the association after categorization was also observed when comparing the arithmetic mean and median of the same 24 h-measurement. In summary, these analyses give a valuable overview of magnetic field distributions in German residences.

Cardiac index, total peripheral resistance, blood, plasma and serum viscosity in patients with peripheral vascular disease were measured pre-, intra- and postoperatively. Besides plasma and serum viscosity, most obviously blood viscosity decreased during anaesthesia and operation. The decrease of blood viscosity is caused mainly by the falling haematocrit. Red blood cell aggregation occuring under low-flow conditions is decreased. Thus blood viscosity additionally is diminished at least in the area of low shear rates. Corresponding haemodynamic measurements revealed that decreasing viscosity improves cardiac index and total pressure resistance if normovolaemia exists, but in general is masked by anaesthesia and operation.

A new developed partial artificial heart system is presented, which allows pulsatile perfusion of vital organs. The results presented reveal the possibility to duplicate pressure curves and peak systolic pressure in the perfused area-similar to physiological preoperative measurements. The kidney function remains intact. Angiographically there is no damage of the kidney vessels evident. The results are compared with datas of other investigators. Especially there opinion about the disturbance of renal flow and function under nonpulsatile conditions are critically evaluated. A possible connnection between the postoperative renal failure after cardio-pulmonary bypass and non-pulsatile perfusion and other pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed.

The ganglioneuroma is a rare, benign tumor of the small bowel. The clinical symptomatology and morphology of the tumor are presented in detail. The differences in histopathology between ganglioneuroma and eosinophilic granulomatous polyp are discussed. Therapy should be resection of the tumor.

Increased blood and plasma viscosity was found in patients with chronic arterial occlusion in comparison with healthy probands. The measurements were done at high and low shear rates. Parenteral pentoxifylline (Trental) lowered blood and plasma viscosity of patients significantly, especially when measured at low shear rates. Application of bencyclane (Fludilat) produced variable results. A definite connection between rheological changes and alterations of the protein fractions in plasma could not be established.

In the presented paper the management of stoma-patients has been discussed. Two topics had to be seen, first the psychological guidance of the patient and his reentry into society and second the management of the stoma itself. Beside of the sometimes unavoidable complications the patients are often molested by preventable inconviences as skin-irritation, soiling, and odors. New progresses have been made by the development of scentless skin pelottes and adhesive folias. With a new adhesive tissue which avoids the contact between the skin and the adhesive folia we can prevent the skin irritations previously nearly unavoidable.