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The clinical significance of hypophosphatemia in cardiac surgery has not been investigated extensively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of postoperative hypophosphatemia and lactic acidosis in cardiac surgery patients at the time of intensive care unit (ICU) admission.A retrospective cohort study.At a single academic center.Patients who underwent nontransplant cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between August 2009 and December 2020.None.Serum phosphate and lactate levels were measured upon ICU admission in patients undergoing nontransplant cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. There were 681 patients in the low-phosphate (2.5 mg/dL) group and 2,579 patients in the normal phosphate group (2.5-4.5 mg/dL). A higher proportion of patients in the low phosphate group (26%; 179 of 681; 95% CI: 23-30) had severe lactic acidosis compared to patients in the normal phosphate group (16%; 417 of 2,579; 95% CI: 15-18). In an unadjusted logistic regression model, patients in the low phosphate group had 1.9-times the odds of having severe lactic acidosis (serum lactate ≥4.0 mmol/L) when compared to patients in the normal phosphate group (95% CI: 1.5-2.3), and still 1.4-times the odds (95% CI: 1.1-1.7) after adjusting for several possible confounders.Hypophosphatemia is associated with lactic acidosis in the immediate postoperative period in cardiac surgery patients. Future investigations will need to investigate it as a potential treatment target for lactic acidosis.

Cardiac dysfunction is common in the days after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may contribute to hypotension episodes, leading to worse outcomes. Little is known about cardiac function in the minutes and hours immediately following TBI. By using fluid percussion TBI in a swine model, we aimed to characterize the immediate post injury cardiac function.Intubated, anesthetized immature (25.8 ± 1.5 kg) female swine were subjected to severe fluid percussion TBI (4.2 ± 0.2 atm). Beginning at 45 min, simulating hospital arrival, all animals were resuscitated with normal saline (NS), mannitol, and phenylephrine as needed to maintain a cerebral perfusion pressure more than 60 mm Hg and intracranial pressure (ICP) less than 20 mm Hg. Primary outcomes of cardiac function were cardiac output measured by thermodilution and transesophageal echo measurements of cardiac function recorded at prespecified time points and tested for trends over time using linear regression with spline at the time of resuscitation onset. Secondary outcomes included hemodynamic measurements, ICP, and cerebral perfusion pressure.Eighteen animals were included. Post-TBI hemodynamic changes demonstrated an early decrease in mean arterial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure with a corresponding increase in heart rate and ICP. Immediately after injury, there was a significant decrease in both left atrial area and tissue Doppler imaging e' of the LV lateral wall. In addition, there was a simultaneous increase in LV end diastolic diameter and increase in E/e' ratio of the lateral mitral annulus. All other transesophageal echo measurements demonstrated no significant changes throughout the duration of the experiment.Traumatic brain injury is associated with cardiac dysfunction and increased mortality, however there is still a limited understanding of the hemodynamic and echocardiographic response associated with TBI. In this study we demonstrate the hemodynamic and echocardiographic changes in the early stages of TBI in swine. The authors hope that these results may help better understanding on the management of patients with severe head injury.

Cardiac anesthesiologists are commonly confronted with perioperative changes of serum lactate levels. Several mechanisms, including those iatrogenic, may play a role this finding. High dose insulin administration in the intraoperative setting can cause significant electrolyte disturbances such as hypophosphatemia, which may in turn result in severe lactic acidosis. We present two patients who required escalating insulin doses during cardiac surgery, and subsequently developed severe hypophosphatemia and lactic acidosis.

Depth profiling using surface sensitive analysis methods in combination with sputter ion etching is a common procedure for thorough material investigations, where clean surfaces free of any contamination are essential. Hence, surface analytic studies are mostly performed under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, but the cleanness of such UHV environments is usually overrated. Consequently, the current study highlights the in principle known impact of the residual gas on metal surfaces (Fe, Mg, Al, Cr and Zn) for various surface analytics methods, like X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low-energy ion scattering (LEIS). The investigations with modern, state-of-the-art equipment showed different behaviors for the metal surfaces in UHV during acquisition: (i) no impact for Zn, even after long time, (ii) solely adsorption of oxygen for Fe, slight and slow changes for Cr and (iii) adsorption accompanied by oxide formation for Al and Mg. The efficiency of different counter measures was tested and the acquired knowledge was finally used for ZnMgAl coated steel to obtain accurate depth profiles, which exhibited before serious artifacts when data acquisition was performed in an inconsiderate way.

International audience; Paris 7-Paris 12, CNRS UMR7583, 61 av. du G en eral de Gaulle, Abstract The Geostationary Fourier Imaging Spectrometer (GeoFIS) is proposed as part of the European Geostationary Tropospheric Pollution Explorer (GeoTroPE) mission. For this mission, two instruments are considered: one covering the thermal infrared region (GeoFIS) and one covering the ultraviolet-visible and near-infrared regions (GeoSCIA). The geostationary orbit (GEO) provides indeed a unique opportunity of monitoring tropospheric pollution and photochemistry on the regional and continental scales. In this paper, the scientific goals and requirements of GeoFIS are described.

Hydrogen permeation characteristics with steel samples, already electroplated with Zn or Zn–Cr are obtained. Alloy coatings with a thickness of 2.5 and 5.0 μm and various Cr content (3, 5 and 10 mass%) were prepared at conditions, close to industrial line trials. The investigations are performed in a conventional Devanathan–Stachurski cell in 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 solution, pH 6 at two current densities (30 and 300 mA cm −2 ). The Zn and Zn–Cr coatings are impermeable during hydrogenation at a low charging current density and they permeate small amounts of hydrogen when a high charging current density is applied. The amount of hydrogen permeating into the steel substrate is in orders of magnitude lower in comparison to a bare steel substrate. Therefore, Zn and Zn–Cr coatings protect steel effectively under conditions which cause hydrogen ingress. The influence of the thickness of the Zn and Zn–Cr coatings as well as the influence of the Cr content in the Zn–Cr alloy on the hydrogenation of the steel substrate is expressed by negligible differences in the hydrogen permeation rates. The hydrogen permeation through Zn and Zn–Cr coatings is not a continuous process. Fluctuations of the permeation current which could be associated with the specific dynamics of hydrogen bubbles at the cathode surface and with the catalytic and barrier properties of the alloy coatings, regarding hydrogen evolution and permeation are registered. More expressed fluctuations of the permeation current are recorded in the case of the Zn–Cr alloy. During the charging of the Zn or Zn–Cr coatings at a high current density permanent structural changes occur. Disintegration of a subsurface metal layer and oxidation of the Zn coatings is observed, accompanied by crack formation in the case of Zn–Cr alloys.

Giovanni Battista Morgagni is considered the Father of Pathology and contributed much to our early understanding of neuropathology. For example, he introduced the concept that diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease must be based on an exact understanding of the pathologic changes in anatomic structures. Additionally, he contributed to what would become the discipline of neurosurgery and, for example, performed trepanation for head trauma.It is the contributions of such early pioneers as Morgagni that our current understanding of the neurosciences is based.

Zn-Cr alloyed coatings electrochemically deposited are of high interest for leading steel manufacturing companies because of their novel properties and high corrosion resistance compared with conventional Zn coatings on steel. For tuning and optimizing the properties of the electrodeposited Zn-Cr coatings, a broad range of the deposition conditions must be studied. For this reason, two different types of material were investigated in this study, one with a low electrolyte temperature and one with an elevated electrolyte pH, compared with the standard values. Because different corrosion performance and delamination behaviour of the layers were observed for the two types, advanced surface analysis was conducted to understand the origin of this behaviour and to discover differences in the formation of the coatings. The topmost surface, the shallow subsurface region, and the whole bulk down to the coating-steel interface surface were analysed in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution scanning Auger electron spectroscopy to determine the elemental and the chemical composition. For better understanding of the resulting layer structure, multiple reference samples and materials were measured and their Auger and XPS spectra were fitted to the experimental data. The results showed that one coating type is composed of metallic Zn and Cr, with oxide residing only on the surface and interface, whereas the other type contains significant amounts of Zn and Cr oxides throughout the whole coating thickness.

Metal matrix composites with embedded multiwall-carbon nanotubes (MWNT) are attractive because MWNTs exhibit high intrinsic thermal conductivity. Thus to improve the thermal conductivity of a metal matrix, silver matrix composites with MWNT were prepared by “chemical” mixing, different active elements were introduced enhancing the bonding between inclusions and matrix. The evolution of the thermal conductivity and the coefficient of thermal expansion CTE as a function of the MWNT concentration and the presence of active elements cobalt, molybdenum or nickel in the silver matrix in Ag–X/MWNT composites are presented. A transition from weak to strong matrix/MWNT bonding is observed by adding active elements, the latter leading concomitantly to an increase in thermal conductivity and a decrease in CTE. The thermal conductivity was found to increase by up to 10% for a composition of 0.2 wt.% MWNT and cobalt as active element and a 6% decrease in CTE compared to a pure silver reference.

During several periods since 2005 the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on Envisat has performed observations dedicated to the region of the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS). For the duration of November/December 2005 global distributions of temperature and several trace gases from MIPAS UTLS-1 mode measurements have been retrieved using the IMK/IAA (Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung/Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía) scientific processor. In the UTLS region a vertical resolution of 3 km for temperaure, 3 to 4 km for H2O, 2.5 to 3 km for O3, 3.5 km for HNO3 and 3.5 to 2.5 km for N2O has been achieved. The retrieved temperature, H2O, O3, HNO3, N2O, and relative humidity over ice are intercompared with the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS/Aura) v2.2 data in the pressure range 316 to 0.68 hPa, 316 to 0.68 hPa, 215 to 0.68 hPa, 215 to 3.16 hPa, 100 to 1 hPa and 316 to 10 hPa, respectively. In general, MIPAS and MLS temperatures are biased within ±4 K over the whole pressure and latitude range. Systematic, latitude-independent differences of −2 to −4 K (MIPAS-MLS) at 121 hPa are explained by previously observed biases in the MLS v2.2 temperature retrievals. Temperature differences of −4 K up to 12 K above 10.0 hPa are present both in MIPAS and MLS with respect to ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) and are likely due to deficiencies of the ECMWF analysis data. MIPAS and MLS stratospheric volume mixing ratios (vmr) of H2O are biased within ±1 ppmv, with indication of oscillations between 146 and 26 hPa in the MLS dataset. Tropical upper tropospheric values of relative humidity over ice measured by the two instruments differ by ±20% in the pressure range ~146 to 68 hPa. These differences are mainly caused by the MLS temperature biases. Ozone mixing ratios agree within 0.5 ppmv (10 to 20%) between 68 and 14 hPa. At pressures smaller than 10 hPa, MIPAS O3 vmr are higher than MLS by an average of 0.5 ppmv (10%). General agreement between MIPAS and MLS HNO3 is within the range of −1.0 (−10%) to 1.0 ppbv (20%). MIPAS HNO3 is 1.0 ppbv (10%) higher compared to MLS between 46 hPa and 10 hPa over the Northern Hemisphere. Over the tropics at 31.6 hPa MLS shows a low bias of more than 1 ppbv (>50%). In general, MIPAS and MLS N2O vmr agree within 20 to 40 ppbv (20 to 40%). Differences in the range between 100 to 21 hPa are attributed to a known 20% positive bias in MIPAS N2O data.

Molecular templating in the sol–gel process represents a unique approach in production of uniform particles efficient as parts of sensors and other electrochemical devices. Major focus of this work was to produce a series of TiO2 thin films under otherwise constant conditions, but varying the molecular structure of the templates, and then relate these structural differences with electrochemical characteristics of the layers. This knowledge might be of practical importance in the design of optimised films for photo-responding sensors. The molecular template provides a reaction space, but also the basic particulate structure. It was demonstrated that templates from the family of non-ionic surfactants with variable lengths of hydrophilic chains may significantly affect the photoinduced electrochemical responses of the produced particles. Special attention was paid to the detailed structural and morphological description of the produced films. The key point of the study, the functional characterisation, was arranged as evaluation of the photoexcitation properties of the films with help of cyclic voltammetry, linear voltammetry, amperometry and open circuit potential measurements. It must be noted that these functional properties were clearly identified to be dependent on the structure of the templating molecules.

This paper presents extensive validation analyses of ozone observations from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) satellite instruments: the ACE Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) and the Measurement of Aerosol Extinction in the Stratosphere and Troposphere Retrieved by Occultation (ACE-MAESTRO) instrument. The ACE satellite instruments operate in the mid-infrared and ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectral regions using the solar occultation technique. In order to continue the long-standing record of solar occultation measurements from space, a detailed quality assessment is required to evaluate the ACE data and validate their use for scientific purposes. Here we compare the latest ozone data products from ACE-FTS and ACE-MAESTRO with coincident observations from satellite-borne, airborne, balloon-borne and ground-based instruments, by analysing volume mixing ratio profiles and partial column densities. The ACE-FTS version 2.2 Ozone Update product reports more ozone than most correlative measurements from the upper troposphere to the lower mesosphere. At altitude levels from 16 to 44 km, the mean differences range generally between 0 and +10% with a slight but systematic positive bias (typically +5%). At higher altitudes (45-60 km), the ACE-FTS ozone amounts are significantly larger than those of the comparison instruments by up to ~40% (typically +20%). For the ACE-MAESTRO version 1.2 ozone data product, agreement within ±10% (generally better than ±5%) is found between 18 and 40 km for the sunrise and sunset measurements. At higher altitudes (45-55 km), systematic biases of opposite sign are found between the ACE-MAESTRO sunrise and sunset observations. While ozone amounts derived from the ACE-MAESTRO sunrise occultation data are often smaller than the coincident observations (by as much as -10%), the sunset occultation profiles for ACE-MAESTRO show results that are qualitatively similar to ACE-FTS and indicate a large positive bias (+10 to +30%) in this altitude range. In contrast, there is no significant difference in bias found for the ACE-FTS sunrise and sunset measurements. These systematic effects in the ozone profiles retrieved from the measurements of ACE-FTS and ACE-MAESTRO are being investigated. This work shows that the ACE instruments provide reliable, high quality measurements from the tropopause to the upper stratosphere and can be used with confidence in this vertical domain

Non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (NPLD) has demonstrated equivalent antitumor activity to conventional doxorubicin and a significantly lower risk of cardiotoxicity when given as single agent or in combination with cyclophosphamide, but there is limited experience with the combination of NPLD and taxanes. This phase II study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the NPLD and docetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer.A total of 51 patients were treated with NPLD (60 mg/m(2)) and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) in 3-weeks intervals for up to eight cycles.The overall response rate was 50% and 78% of patients derived a clinical benefit. Median time to progression and overall survival were 10.0 months (95% CI, 6.9-13.1 months) and 25 months (95% CI, 22.1-29.8 months), respectively. Median duration of response was 12.0 months (95% CI 7.1-16.9). The treatment was generally well tolerated and associated with toxicities that were consistent with the known side-effects of the individual agents and of anthracycline/taxane combinations. There were no symptomatic cardiac averse events and mild asymptomatic LVEF changes were reported in five patients.The combination of NPLD and docetaxel is well tolerated and has high antitumour activity in MBC patients.

The electrochemical deposition of TiB 2 out of a NaCl–KCl–NaF–KBF 4 –K 2 TiF 6 electrolyte at 600 °C was tested on steel and molybdenum substrates using various current programs. The characterisation of the deposited layers has been carried out by X-ray diffraction methods, scanning electron microscopy and microhardness measurements. The pulse sequences and the current densities used influence in a significant way the homogeneity of the layers deposited, the crystal size, the texture and other physical properties like electrical and thermal conductivity. The microhardness range was up to 2900 HV, smooth and dense layers were prepared at a pulse frequency of 100 Hz.

Global distributions of profiles of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) have been retrieved from limb emission spectra recorded by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on Envisat covering the period September 2002 to March 2004. Individual SF6 profiles have a precision of 0.5 pptv below 25 km altitude and a vertical resolution of 4–6 km up to 35 km altitude. These data have been validated versus in situ observations obtained during balloon flights of a cryogenic whole-air sampler. For the tropical troposphere a trend of 0.230±0.008 pptv/yr has been derived from the MIPAS data, which is in excellent agreement with the trend from ground-based flask and in situ measurements from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division. For the data set currently available, based on at least three days of data per month, monthly 5° latitude mean values have a 1σ standard error of 1%. From the global SF6 distributions, global daily and monthly distributions of the apparent mean age of air are inferred by application of the tropical tropospheric trend derived from MIPAS data. The inferred mean ages are provided for the full globe up to 90° N/S, and have a 1σ standard error of 0.25 yr. They range between 0 (near the tropical tropopause) and 7 years (except for situations of mesospheric intrusions) and agree well with earlier observations. The seasonal variation of the mean age of stratospheric air indicates episodes of severe intrusion of mesospheric air during each Northern and Southern polar winter observed, long-lasting remnants of old, subsided polar winter air over the spring and summer poles, and a rather short period of mixing with midlatitude air and/or upward transport during fall in October/November (NH) and April/May (SH), respectively, with small latitudinal gradients, immediately before the new polar vortex starts to form. The mean age distributions further confirm that SF6 is destroyed in the mesosphere to a considerable degree. Model calculations with the Karlsruhe simulation model of the middle atmosphere (KASIMA) chemical transport model agree well with observed global distributions of the mean age only if the SF6 sink reactions in the mesosphere are included in the model.

Introduction: Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy characterized by progressive asymmetric extremity weakness, oropharyngeal dysphagia, and the potential for exaggerated sensitivity to neuromuscular blockers and respiratory compromise. The authors describe their management of a patient with IBM undergoing urgent orthopedic surgery. Case Presentation: An 81-year-old man with IBM suffered a left intertrochanteric femoral fracture after falling down stairs. His IBM caused progressive left proximal lower extremity, bilateral distal upper extremity weakness (left > right), and oropharyngeal dysphagia (solid food, pills). He denied dyspnea, exercise intolerance, and a history of aspiration. Because respiratory insufficiency resulting from diaphragmatic dysfunction and prolonged duration of action of neuromuscular blockers may occur in IBM, the authors avoided using a neuromuscular blocker. After applying cricoid pressure, anesthesia was induced using intravenous lidocaine, propofol, remifentanil followed by manual ventilation with inhaled sevoflurane in oxygen. Endotracheal intubation was accomplished without difficulty; anesthesia was then maintained using remifentanil and sevoflurane. The fracture was repaired with a trochanteric femoral nail. The patient was extubated without difficulty and made an uneventful recovery. Conclusions: In summary, there is a lack of consensus about the use of neuromuscular blockers in patients with IBM. The authors avoided these drugs and were able to easily secure the patient’s airway and maintain adequate muscle relaxation using a balanced sevofluraneremifentanil anesthetic. Clinical trials are necessary to define the pharmacology of neuromuscular blockers in patients with IBM and determine whether use of these drugs contributes to postoperative respiratory insufficiency in these vulnerable patients.

Stratospheric O3 profiles obtained by the satellite limb sounders Aura/MLS, ENVISAT/MIPAS, ENVISAT/GOMOS, SAGE-II, SAGE-III, UARS/HALOE are compared to coincident O3 profiles of the ground-based microwave radiometer SOMORA in Switzerland. Data from the various measurement techniques are within 10% at altitudes below 45 km. At altitudes 45–60 km, the relative O3 differences are within a range of 50%. Larger deviations at upper altitudes are attributed to larger relative measurement errors caused by lower O3 concentrations. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the O3 differences (satellite – ground station) are investigated by analyzing about 2300 coincident profile pairs of Aura/MLS (retrieval version 1.5) and SOMORA. The probability density function of the O3 differences is represented by a Gaussian normal distribution. The dependence of the O3 differences on the horizontal distance between the sounding volumes of Aura/MLS and SOMORA is derived. While the mean bias (Aura/MLS – SOMORA) is constant with increasing horizontal distance (up to 800 km), the standard deviation of the O3 differences increases from around 8 to 11% in the mid-stratosphere. Geographical maps yield azimuthal dependences and horizontal gradients of the O3 difference field around the SOMORA ground station. Coherent oscillations of O3 are present in the time series of Aura/MLS and SOMORA (e.g., due to traveling planetary waves). Ground- and space-based measurements often complement one another. We discuss the double differencing technique which allows both the cross-validation of two satellites by means of a ground station and the cross-validation of distant ground stations by means of one satellite. Temporal atmospheric noise in the geographical ozone map over Payerne is significantly reduced by combination of the data from SOMORA and Aura/MLS. These analyses illustrate the synergy of ground-based and space-based measurements.

Altitude profiles of ClONO2 retrieved with the IMK (Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung) science-oriented data processor from MIPAS/Envisat (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding on Envisat) mid-infrared limb emission measurements between July 2002 and March 2004 have been validated by comparison with balloon-borne (Mark IV, FIRS2, MIPAS-B), airborne (MIPAS-STR), ground-based (Spitsbergen, Thule, Kiruna, Harestua, Jungfraujoch, Izaña, Wollongong, Lauder), and spaceborne (ACE-FTS) observations. With few exceptions we found very good agreement between these instruments and MIPAS with no evidence for any bias in most cases and altitude regions. For balloon-borne measurements typical absolute mean differences are below 0.05 ppbv over the whole altitude range from 10 to 39 km. In case of ACE-FTS observations mean differences are below 0.03 ppbv for observations below 26 km. Above this altitude the comparison with ACE-FTS is affected by the photochemically induced diurnal variation of ClONO2. Correction for this by use of a chemical transport model led to an overcompensation of the photochemical effect by up to 0.1 ppbv at altitudes of 30–35 km in case of MIPAS-ACE-FTS comparisons while for the balloon-borne observations no such inconsistency has been detected. The comparison of MIPAS derived total column amounts with ground-based observations revealed no significant bias in the MIPAS data. Mean differences between MIPAS and FTIR column abundances are 0.11±0.12×1014 cm−2 (1.0±1.1%) and −0.09±0.19×1014 cm−2 (−0.8±1.7%), depending on the coincidence criterion applied. χ2 tests have been performed to assess the combined precision estimates of MIPAS and the related instruments. When no exact coincidences were available as in case of MIPAS – FTIR or MIPAS – ACE-FTS comparisons it has been necessary to take into consideration a coincidence error term to account for χ2 deviations. From the resulting χ2 profiles there is no evidence for a systematic over/underestimation of the MIPAS random error analysis.

In late September 2002, an Antarctic major stratospheric warming occurred, which led to a strong distortion of the southern polar vortex and to a split of its mid- and upper-stratospheric parts. Such an event had never before been observed since the beginning of regular Antarctic stratospheric temperature observations in the 1950s. The split is studied by means of nonoperational level-2 CH4, N2O, CFC-11, and O3 data, retrieved at the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research Karlsruhe (IMK) from high-resolution atmospheric limb emission spectra from the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on board the European research satellite, Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT). Retrieved horizontal and vertical distributions of CH4 and N2O show good consistency with potential vorticity fields of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis for the entire period under investigation, even for fine structures such as vortex filaments. Tracer correlation analysis suggests that mixing into the vortex had already occurred before the major warming and that vortex fragments were transported into the surrounding air masses on potential temperature levels above 400 K during the split. Correlation analysis of ozone with the source gases indicates slight ongoing ozone destruction in the lower-stratospheric vortex (below ∼500 K) after the beginning of the warming event.

Ozone volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles are measured by the Michelson Interferometer for passive atmospheric sounding (MIPAS) on ENVISAT. The data sets produced by the science data processor at Institut fur Meteorologic und Klimaforschung (IMK), Germany are compared with those obtained by halogen occultation experiment (HALOE) on UARS and by sub-millimetre radiometer (SMR) on ODIN. For the stratospheric measurements taken during September/October 2002, the three instruments show reasonable agreement, with global mean differences within 0.1-0.3 ppmv. The typical zonal mean differences are of 0.4 ppmv for HALOE and 0.6 ppmv for SMR (4-6%) in the ozone VMR peak region at 25-30 km near the equator, though larger differences of 0.8-1 ppmv (8-10%) are also observed in a small latitude-altitude region in the tropic. A positive bias of about 0.2-0.4 ppmv in the MIPAS data in the 35-40 km region has also been found. Further studies are under way to explain these differences.

Vertical profiles of O3 and NO2 abundances from the atmospheric instruments GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by the Occultation of Stars), MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding) and SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography) all on-board the recently launched European Space Agency (ESA) Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) are intercompared. These comparisons contribute to the validation of these data products by detecting systematic deviations, for example, wrong tangent height determinations, spectroscopic errors, and others. The cross comparison includes GOMOS data products retrieved by the GOMOS prototype processor from ACRI (Sophia Antipolis, France), the scientific SCIAMACHY data products from the Institute of Environmental Physics at University of Bremen (IUP) and the scientific MIPAS data products from the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research in Karlsruhe (IMK) and Institute of Astrophysics in Andalusia (IAA). Coincident measurements were identified by limiting the time difference to 100 min (duration of one orbit) and less than 500 km between two observation points. When lower stratospheric ozone is strongly depleted during polar spring, a homogeneity condition was further imposed on the satellite measurements by requiring an upper limit on the potential vorticity difference at the 475 K isentrope between both observations. Since geographically coincident NO2 measurements of the three instruments are performed during different times of the day and NO2 has a rather strong diurnal variability, matches of NO2 profiles were compared only where the solar zenith angle difference was below 5� . First results of the cross comparison show an agreement within 15% between 21 and 40 km altitude for O3 profiles and an agreement within 20% between 27 and 40 km altitude for NO2 profiles among the GOMOS, MIPAS and SCIAMACHY measurements. � 2005 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fragestellung: Ziel der Untersuchung war es, die Pravalenz von Gerinnungsstorungen bei Patientinnen mit drei oder mehr aufeinander folgenden, spontanen Fruhaborten zu evaluieren. Zusatzlich sollte ein moglicher Zusammenhang zwischen dem Vorliegen von Antiphospholipid-Autoantikorpern und einer hereditaren Thrombophilie bei Frauen mit habituellen Aborten untersucht werden. Material und Methodik: Bei 20 Patientinnen mit habitueller Abortneigung wurden die folgenden plasmatischen Gerinnungsuntersuchungen durchgefuhrt: Prothrombinzeit nach Quick, aktivierte Thromboplastinzeit (aPTT), Protein S, Protein C, Antithrombin III, Fibrinogen und Plasminogen. Zusatzlich erfolgte eine molekulargenetische Analyse zum Nachweis der Faktor-V-Leiden-Mutation und der Faktor-II-G20210 A-Mutation sowie eine serologische Untersuchung auf Antiphospholipid-Autoantikorper. Das Kontrollkollektiv bestand aus 20 gesunden Probandinnen ohne Abortanamnese mit mindestens einer unkomplizierten Schwangerschaft. Ergebnisse: Die Pravalenz der untersuchten Gerinnungsstorungen betrug 10 % (2/20 Patientinnen) im Studienkollektiv bzw. 15 % (3/20 Patientinnen) im Kontrollkollektiv. Fur keinen der plasmatischen Gerinnungsparameter konnte ein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen der Studien- und der Kontrollgruppe nachgewiesen werden. Beim Nachweis von Faktor-II- oder Faktor-V-Mutationen zeigte sich kein gehauftes Auftreten in einem der beiden untersuchten Kollektive. Ein Einfluss des Antiphospholipid-Autoantikorper-Status auf die Pravalenz hereditarer Gerinnungsstorungen konnte nicht beobachtet werden. Schlussfolgerung: Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen erscheint der Nutzen eines gezielten Screenings auf hereditare Gerinnungsstorungen einschlieslich molekulargenetischer Techniken bei Patientinnen mit habitueller Abortneigung ohne positive Familienanamnese fragwurdig. Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of haemostatic abnormalities and hypercoagulation mutations in women with a history of three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions and to investigate the influence of the antiphospholipid autoantibody status. Material and Methods: 20 non-pregnant habitual aborters were analysed for prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, plasminogen, protein S, protein C, antithrombin III, and antiphospholipid autoantibodies. Genetic analysis was performed to detect factor V Leiden mutation and factor II G20210A mutation. Twenty healthy non-pregnant multigravidae served as controls. Results: The incidence of haemostatic abnormalities or of factor II or V Leiden mutations did not differ significantly between women with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion and controls. In 9 of 20 women with recurrent spontaneous abortions antiphospholipid autoantibodies (APA) were detectable. APA-positive and APA-negative study patients revealed similar results with respect to the investigated coagulation values Conclusion: According to our observations a general screening for hereditary coagulation disorders or hypercoagulation mutations should not be included in the routine work-up of women with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions unless there is a history of familiar thrombophilia.

On 1 March 2002, the European research satellite Envisat has been successfully launched. The Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on board is a limb viewing mid-infrared high-resolution spectrometer. Among numerous atmospheric parameters, water vapor and temperature profiles will be retrieved from spectral data in an altitude range from 5 km up to the mesosphere. In this paper, we analyze MIPAS' potential for spatially resolved water vapor measurements in the tropical tropopause region. A detailed pre-launch retrieval study, which includes error sources like random noise, smoothing error and error contributions due to interfering species, has shown that significant results can be obtained down to 10 km. The achievable accuracy is between 10% and 20% depending on the altitude range. By making use of a finer sampling grid in the tangent altitude domain a vertical resolution as good as 1.5–2 km can be reached. The impact of thin cirrus clouds on the infrared spectra measured by MIPAS has been simulated.

Objective: Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) plays a central role in the control of implantation. We undertook this study to investigate the prevalence of LIF gene alterations in women with unexplained infertility and with recurrent failure of implantation after in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer. Patients and Methods: Forty five women with recurrent failure of implantation after IVF (group A), 50 with unexplained infertility (group B) and 105 fertile women (controls) were screened for LIF gene mutations. Standard genomic DNA extraction, PCR amplification of the LIF gene and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis were used to search for mutations which were subsequently confirmed by DNA sequencing. Results: In group A, one woman was identified as having a neutral LIF gene polymorphism in exon 3 without affecting protein conformation. In group B, one woman with a heterozygous mutation and one with a neutral polymorphism were detected. In controls, only one woman with a neutral polymorphism in the intron between exons 2 and 3 was found. The woman with a potentially functional LIF gene mutation in group B achieved an ongoing clinical pregnancy after ovarian superovulation. Discussion: Potentially functional mutations in the LIF gene do unfrequently occur in women with unexplained infertility and may play a role in the etiology of infertility. However, routine screening for LIF mutations or polymorphisms in these women is not justified for the low prevalence of gene alterations.

Aufgrund der verbesserten Kulturtechnik durch den Einsatz sequenzieller Medien ist es heute moglich, Embryonen 5 Tage nach Eizellgewinnung im Blastozystenstadium zu transferieren, was die Selektion von Embryonen mit einer guten Implantationschance erlaubt. In Deutschland muss die Auswahl der zu transferierenden Embryonen bereits im Pronukleusstadium getroffen werden. Das Deutsche Embryonenschutzgesetz verbietet die Kultur von mehr als 3 Embryonen. Es durfen nur so viele Embryonen kultiviert werden, wie auch wieder ubertragen werden sollen. Das bedeutet, dass bereits im Pronukleusstadium die Embryonen identifiziert werden mussen, die ein hohes Potenzial fur eine erfolgreiche Implantation besitzen. Da dies nur unzureichend moglich ist, ist in Deutschland keine hohere Implantationsrate als 10–15% pro Embryo zu erwarten. Die Implantationsraten nach Blastozystenkultur erreichen dagegen bis zu 50%. Eine hohe Schwangerschaftsrate kann jedoch nur erzielt werden, wenn mehrere Oozyten bzw. Zygoten vorhanden sind, aus denen in einem spateren Entwicklungsstadium eine Selektion moglich ist. Durch das hohe Implantationspotenzial von Blastozysten werden weniger Embryonen fur den Transfer benotigt, was die Inzidenz von Mehrlingsschwangerschaften erniedrigt. Unter deutschen Bedingungen vermag die Blastozystenkultur im Vergleich mit der konventionellen Kultur bis zum Tag 2 oder 3 die Schwangerschaftszahlen nicht zu steigern.

Die pramature Ovarialinsuffizienz bezeichnet das Erloschen der Ovarialfunktion vor Erreichen des 40. Lebensjahres. Die Grunde hierfur sind heterogen und im individuellen Fall haufig nicht sicher zu klaren. An einem Climacterium praecox leiden etwa 1% aller Frauen unter 40 Jahren und ca. 0,3% der Frauen unter 35 Jahren. Die ovarielle Reserve lasst sich durch verschiedene Laboruntersuchungen und Funktionstests (Bestimmung von FSH am Tag 3, Inhibin B, Clomiphencitrattest, Gonadotrophin-Releasing-Hormon- (GnRH)-Stimulationstest) bestimmen. Damit einher geht ein schlechtes Ansprechen der Ovarien bei der exogenen Zufuhr von Gonadotropinen. "Lowresponder" sind definiert als Zyklen oder Patientinnen, in denen oder bei denen sich trotz hoch dosierter Gonadotropinbehandlung im In-vitro-Fertilisations- (IVF-) bzw. im intrazytoplasmatischen Spermieninjektions- (ICSI-)Programm weniger als 4 Eizellen gewinnen lassen. Die bislang publizierten Studien, die den Zeitpunkt des Eintritts der Menopause nach einem Stimulationszyklus mit schlechtem Ansprechen untersucht haben, zeigen, dass es bei fast allen Frauen innerhalb kurzer Zeit zu einem progressiven ovariellen Funktionsverlust kommt und die Menopause fruher als in einer Kontrollgruppe eintritt. Ein "Low-responder-Zyklus" kann somit als das erstes Anzeichen einer beginnenden Ovarialinsuffizienz interpretiert werden.

OBJECTIVE The success of artificial reproductive techniques not only depends on the quality of oocytes and spermatozoa but also on the receptivity of the endometrium. The aim of this study was to assess the role of endometrial volume measurement by three-dimensional ultrasound in predicting the pregnancy rate (PR) in women receiving controlled ovarian hyperstimulation followed by intrauterine insemination. MATERIAL AND METHODS 104 patients having intrauterine insemination (IUI) were included in this prospective trial. Ovarian hyperstimulation was performed with gonadotropins in 73 % of patients and with clomiphene citrate (CC) in 27 % of patients. Endometrial thickness, pattern and three-dimensional volume were measured immediately before insemination. RESULTS In 104 IUI cycles a total of 14 clinical pregnancies were recorded (PR=13.5 %). The endometrial volume was 3.5 ml and was not significantly different in pregnant (4.0 +/- 1.5 ml) from non-pregnant women (3.4 +/- 1.9 ml). In the subgroup of women with an endometrial volume > or = 2 ml and trilaminar endometrium the pregnancy rate was 22 %, significantly higher than that in women without these two criteria (PR 6 %, p < 0.05). The negative predictive value of an endometrial volume < 2 ml for a clinical pregnancy after IUI was 96 %. Endometrial volume and thickness were significantly higher after ovarian hyperstimulation with gonadotropins (3.7 ml and 11.0 mm) than with CC (2.8 ml and 9.5 mm; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS An endometrial volume < 2 ml at the day of insemination is associated with a poor likelihood of pregnancy. Endometrial volume measured by 3D ultrasound is a new objective parameter to predict endometrial receptivity.

OBJECTIVE Due to the improvements in human embryo culture in the recent years, it is now possible to transfer embryos five days after oocyte retrieval and IVF or ICSI at the blastocyst stage with favorable implantation rates. In Germany it is illegal to cultivate more than 3 embryos, therefore the selection has to be done at the pronuclear stage. There we report our experiences of human blastocyst culture in a routine IVF/ICSI programme under the conditions of the German Embryo Protection Law. MATERIALS AND METHODS The data of 100 couples undergoing the IVF-ICSI programme at the University Clinic of Wurzburg were analysed prospectively. 14-18 hours after insemination or micro-injection two or three zygotes with the best pronuclear development were selected for further cultivation. Fertilized oocytes were cultured in sequential media and were then transferred into the uterus 5 days after oocyte recovery. The blastocysts were graded from 1-8. RESULTS In 100 cycles a total of 859 oocytes were collected, of whom 663 were fertilized and reached the pronuclear stage (median fertilization rate 88.9 %). 251 zygotes were selected at the PN stage. 51 % of the selected zygotes achieved the blastocyst stage after 5 days (grade 1-5), 28 % were morulae (grade 6-7) and 21 % of the embryos arrested in their development (grade 8). The clinical pregnancy rate was 26 %. Women who conceived had a significant better development of blastocysts on day 5 (grade 4 versus grade 6, P < 0.01) than those not achieving pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS In summary, under the current legal conditions in Germany, blastocyst culture cannot improve pregnancy rates as the rate of arrested embryos of over 20 % limits the chances of implantation.

OBJECTIVE Preferential secretion of Th1-like cytokine is mainly a property of monocyte derived dendritic cells (DC). Since normal early pregnancy is characterized by a shift towards a Th2-like cytokine pattern, it may be assumed that cytokine secretion by DC during early pregnancy could be modulated by the non-classical HLA molecules G and E present on invasive trophoblast. MATERIAL AND METHODS DC were cultivated from monocytes isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. DC were cocultured with K-562 leukemia cells lacking the class I and II HLA antigens transfected with either HLA-G or HLA-E or ultratransfected cells (controls) and the concentrations of IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-18 and TNF-alpha were measured in the supernatants by ELISA. RESULTS Coculture with ultratransfected cells resulted in a significant increase of the production of IL-8 and TNF-alpha by mature and immature DC and of IL-10 by immature DC (p < 0.01). When cocultured with HLA-G and HLA-E transfected K-562 cells, the secretion of IL-8 by immature and mature DC and that of IL-10 and TNF-alpha by immature DC was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased. The contact with HLA-G and HLA-E transfected cells had no effect on the production of IL-12p70 and IL-18 by DC. CONCLUSIONS These results show that DC react with an increased cytokine release upon contact with cells lacking HLA class I and II antigens. The suppressive effect of HLA-G and HLA-E on the secretion of TNF-alpha (Th1 cytokine), IL-10 (Th2 cytokine) and IL-8 (chemokine) by immature DC could be interpreted as further evidence for the central immunotolerance role of HLA-G and HLA-E during early pregnancy.

We report a 24-year-old woman with active acromegaly despite pituitary surgery and irradiation who received continuous octreotide LAR treatment for the control of GH excess throughout her pregnancy. The patient delivered a healthy girl following an uneventful pregnancy. Despite a substantial materno-fetal transfer of octreotide, postnatal development was normal with length parameters around the 50th percentile at 3 months of age. In almost all previously described cases (n = 13) octreotide was stopped after the diagnosis of pregnancy was established. No side-effects of mother or fetus have been reported. Octreotide treatment in pregnancy seems to be feasible and safe. Due to the still-limited number of reported cases, the potential benefits of octreotide treatment should be weighed carefully against its possible risks.

Im Gegensatz zu Frauen mit ausgetragenen Schwangerschaften finden sich bei Frauen mit wiederholten Aborten typische Veranderungen des zellularen und humoralen Immunsystems, die in erster Linie das uterine Kompartiment betreffen, jedoch in der peripheren Zirkulation nur zum Teil nachweisbar sind. Manche dieser Phanomene sind wahrscheinlich kausal am ungunstigen Ausgang der Schwangerschaft beteiligt, andere durften auf eine veranderte endokrine und parakrine Regulation im Verlauf des Abortgeschehens zuruckzufuhren sein. Zum Zeitpunkt der Implantation, in der Lutealphase des Konzeptionszyklus, findet man bei Frauen mit wiederholten Aborten, im Vergleich zu fertilen Frauen ohne Aborte, eine veranderte Population von Lymphozyten im Endometrium, eine erhohte Zahl und Aktivitat von CD16 + CD56 + -naturlichen Killerzellen (NK) und eine Verschiebung der von den T-Helferzellen (Th) produzierten Zytokine in Richtung der inflammatorischen Th-1-Zytokine (IL-2, IL-12, Interferon-γ). In der peripheren Zirkulation ist zum Zeitpunkt der Konzeption ebenfalls die Aktivitat der NK-Zellen und die Produktion von Th-1-Zytokinen durch T-Effektorzellen erhoht. Organspezifische, nichtorganspezifische und gerinnungsaktive Antikorper weisen auf eine generelle Aktivierung des humoralen Immunsystems hin. Zum Zeitpunkt eines erneuten Abortes ist die Tiefe der Trophoblastinvasion in das Myometrium meist ungenugend. Die Implantationsstelle enthalt eine erhohte Zahl von NK-Zellen, und die Produktion der antiinflammatorischen und protektiven Th-2-Zytokine (z. B. LIF, IL-4, IL-10) durch deziduale T-Zellen ist reduziert. Die genannten Phanomene sind zum Teil durch Immunisierung mit allogenen Lymphozyten, Gabe von Immunglobulinen oder Medikamente (Acetylsalicylsaure, Heparin, Prednison) therapeutisch beeinflussbar.