Heart transplantation in Finland 1985-1995

BACKGROUND: Clearance of large molecules from the interstitial space is an important function of lymphatics and is affected by local pathologic changes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the clearance rate of interstitially injected albumin is correlated to tumour characteristics and outcome in women with invasive breast cancer. METHOD: In a consecutive series of women coming to biopsy for suspected breast cancer, technetium-tagged albumin was injected into the tissue adjacent to the palpable mass. The isotope disappearance rate was measured over two hours. Also assessed were the maximum vessel density (MVD-using Factor VIII polyclonal antisera), the proliferation rate (using Ki-67 antisera), node status, tumour size, histologic and nuclear grade, mitotic rate, and p53 and c-erbB-2 oncoproteins. All patients were followed until relapse and for a minimum of 10 years. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, an association between relapse-free survival and isotope clearance rate was suggested (p = 0.024). The best outcome was seen in patients with the least isotope clearance. Node status, size, histologic and nuclear grade, and mitotic rate correlated with survival. MVD did not correlate with survival and was inversely related to the isotope clearance rate. Tumour proliferation rate, and the c-erbB-2 and p53 oncoproteins did not relate to outcome. CONCLUSION: The role of lymphatics in breast cancer is difficult to study. Measurement of interstitial clearance may be a useful technique and could be a prognostic factor.     

Analysis of a MEMS transmission line

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sound waveguide is considered as a transmission line for RF signals. We analyze a device geometry of a straight one-dimensional microsize silicon rod, where a longitudinal acoustic wave is generated and detected using capacitive transducers. Linear, isotropic, and nondispersive acoustic-wave propagation is assumed. Based on the calculation of the electromechanical impedance, an electrical equivalent model is derived for the acoustic transmission line. A numerical example and a comparison to measured properties of a MEMS-transmission-line resonator shows that the characteristic impedance level of the waveguide is typically high, which causes challenges for matched termination. Solutions to overcome the matching problems are discussed.     

Allotype-associated differences in concentrations of human IgA2

A prospective clinical trial comparing adverse postmyelographic effects and myelographic quality of metrizamide and iohexol was conducted. Using a predetermined, randomized assignment, 24 horses exhibiting neurologic signs were administered either metrizamide (180 mgl/ml) or iohexol (180 mgl/ml) via cerebellomedullary puncture. Each horse was evaluated postmyelographically for adverse effects. Myelographic quality was assessed by a numerical scoring method. Adverse effects were observed more frequently with metrizamide (21) compared with iohexol (6) myelography (p < 0.05). Seizures, intensification of preexisting neurologic signs and prolonged anesthetic recovery were the most common complications after myelography. There was no difference in myelographic quality (p > 0.05). We conclude that iohexol is safer than metrizamide for equine myelography and that quality myelograms can be obtained with either contrast medium.     

Detection of serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with chlamydial and nonchlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease by the IPAzyme Chlamydia and enzyme immunoassay

A novel serological test, IPAzyme Chlamydia (Savyon Diagnostics Ltd., Beer Sheva, Israel), was compared with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the ability to detect serum immunoglobulin G and A antibodies in the diagnosis of acute chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease. In comparison with cell culture, which is the "gold standard," IPAzyme Chlamydia and EIA exhibited sensitivities of 63 and 68% and specificities of 76 and 87%, respectively. Thus, IPAzyme Chlamydia offers no advantages over the EIA, and neither serological test can be recommended for the diagnosis of acute Chlamydia trachomatis infection. So far, conventional cell culture remains the most reliable diagnostic test for chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease.     

Electrostatic image theory for two anisotropic half-spaces

An image solution for the canonical electrostatic problem of a point charge in an anisotropic half-space bounded by another anisotropic half-space is presented. The image source is obtained in operator form by using Fourier-transformed Maxwell equations and transmission line theory. After applying Heaviside operator calculus the image operator can be interpreted as a combination of a point charge and a sector of planar charge. The new theory is shown to coincide with the previously known image solutions of less general anisotropic media. In addition to being applicable to any physically feasible anisotropic medium of electrostatics, the method can be used for steady-current conductivity problems via a duality transformation.     

Spatial distibution and temporal accumulation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,dibenzofurans, and biphenyls in the Gulf of Finland

Dated sediment cores and surface sediments were analyzed from the Gulf of Finland, a part of the Baltic Sea, to study the sources, levels, distribution, and total amounts of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The gulf was found to be severely polluted, with PCDD/F sum concentrations as high as 101000 ng/kg and 479 ng/kg WHO-TEQ in dry weight. The source of pollution was the former manufacturing and use of a chlorophenol based wood preservative along the Kymijoki River. It was estimated thatthe impacted sedimentary area stretched a distance of 75 km away out from the coast and that the PCDD/F sum load attributed to the wood preservative source was 1770 kg of PCDD/Fs or 12.4 (+/-2.8) kg WHO-TEQ. The surface sediments contained 24-66% of the maximum concentrations present in the 1960-1970s, showing that the river still acts as a significant PCDD/F source and may contribute to the high levels in fish. Moreover, the reduced PCDD/F and PCB concentrations were partly due to the dilution by increased dry matter deposition. PCBs were uniformly distributed over the gulf, and the PCB load in the polluted area was 2020 kg or 0.14 kg WHO-TEG.     

In vitro fermentation of cereal dietary fibre carbohydrates by probiotic and intestinal bacteria

A range of probiotic and other intestinal bacteria were examined for their ability to ferment the dietary fibre carbohydrates β‐glucan, xylan, xylo‐oligosaccharides (XOS) and arabinoxylan. β‐Glucan was fermented by Bacteroides spp and Clostridium beijerinckii but was not fermented by lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, enterococci or Escherichia coli. Unsubstituted xylan was not fermented by any of the probiotic bacteria examined. However, many Bifidobacterium species and Lactobacillus brevis were able to grow to high yields using XOS. XOS were also efficiently fermented by some Bacteroides isolates but not by E coli, enterococci, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens or by the majority of intestinal Lactobacillus species examined. Bifidobacterium longum strains were able to grow well using arabinoxylan as the sole carbon source. These organisms hydrolysed and fermented the arabinosyl residues from arabinoxylan but did not substantially utilise the xylan backbone of the polysaccharide. Arabinoxylan was not fermented by lactobacilli, enterococci, E coli, C perfringens or C difficile and has potential to be an applicable carbohydrate to complement probiotic Bif longum strains in synbiotic combinations. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Determination of specific heat of phenol formaldehyde resol resins by differential scanning calorimetry

The specific heat, Cp, was determined by DSC on a series of resol-type phenol formaldehyde resins with varying phenol formaldehyde molar ratio. The extrapolated Cp values at 25°C vary between 1.181-1.206 kJ · kg^?1 K^?1 and the dCp/dT ratio was found to be 0.0042kJ · kg^?1K^?2 in the temperature range of 70–125°C.     

Distillability of extracted mixed-birch tall oil

Chemical and physical properties of tall oil made in the CSR process and distillation results of three different types of distillation plants are presented. Chemically extracted, mixed-birch, tall oil differs remarkably from the normal Scandinavian crude tall oil. The extracted oil deviates from the normal, unextracted, mixed-birch tall oil with respect to the smaller unsaponifiable amount and the fatty acid esters. The amount of resin acid is small in extracted mixed-birch tall oil. The quantity of fatty acids, especially that of saturated fatty acids, is large. Distillation of extracted mixed-birch tall oil is most successful in a distillation plant where thin film evaporators are used.     

Solving parity games by a reduction to SAT

This paper presents a reduction from the problem of solving parity games to the satisfiability problem in propositional logic (SAT). The reduction is done in two stages, first into difference logic, i.e. SAT combined with the theory of integer differences, an instance of the SAT modulo theories (SMT) framework. In the second stage the integer variables and constraints of the difference logic encoding are replaced with a set of Boolean variables and constraints on them, giving rise to a pure SAT encoding of the problem. The reduction uses Jurdziński?s characterisation of winning strategies via progress measures. The reduction is motivated by the success of SAT solvers in symbolic verification, bounded model checking in particular. The paper reports on prototype implementations of the reductions and presents some experimental results.