Two-way communication between the conceptus and the mother during earlypregnancy is essential if the pregnancy is to survive. In this review, our primary focus is on biochemical communication...Full Text Available
Serious complications due to coronary artery fistulae have been described. Most authors recommend early intervention at the time of diagnosis. We present a case of a fistula originating from a dilated left coronary artery and draining into the right atrium, which was diagnosed prenatally by color Doppler echocardiography. During pregnancy, the echocardiographic findings remained unchanged, and there were no signs of heart failure. After birth, the fistula was confirmed by angiography. Additionally, a persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus and a very small ventricular septal defect were detected. The fistula was closed successfully by transcatheter coil embolization. At 17 months old the child was in good clinical condition. Prenatal diagnosis of coronary artery fistulae may be possible and may improve perinatal management and outcome. PMID:12047543
Reproductive parameters were monitored in 50 post-partum Bos indicus x Bos taurus animals located on four farms in two ecological zones of Panama. Progesterone (P_4) concentrations were measured in four of these animals twice a week and their reproductive organs palpated per rectum once a week until 60 days post-artificial-insemination or post-natural-service. The other 46 cows were palpated for earlypregnancy between days 45 and 60 post-service. The mean P_4 concentration in cows with palpable corpora lutea (CL) was 10.3#+-#4.0 nmol/L; when no Cl were detected, the mean P_4 level was 2.2#+-#1.6 nmol/L. Of the 46 animals palpated for earlypregnancy, 36 (70%) were found to be pregnant, one (2%) exhibited early embryonic death and one (2%) aborted; the other eight cows (17%) were anoestrous. The mean P_4 concentration in pregnant cows was 11.9#+-#4.0 nmol/L and the calving to ...
Ingestion of HTO during oocyte maturation and continued during pre-implantation time was found to depress decidual response. At birth these offspring also showed a decrease in brain cell number. When HTO was given during pregnancy only, the offspring at birth showed a similar deficit in brain cell number. Even so, we could not demonstrate a gross deficit in oocyte maturation when HTO was ingested during sexual maturity only; however, when further continued during pregnancy, the measured newborn parameters were most severely affected. In this group, cell-multiplication in the cerebrum was severely decreased, protein synthesis was decreased, and somatic growth was also highly significantly decreased. These experiments indicate that even a short-term exposure to HTO during earlypregnancy (pre-implantation) alters normal development to such an extent that it is still observable at birth. During embryonic ...
HIV-1 nonsubtype B variants account for the majority of HIV infections worldwide. Drug resistance in individuals who have never undergone antiretroviral therapy can lead to earlyfailure and...Full Text Available
We studied the dose-response effects of #gamma#-irradiation on the weight gains of the body and the brain in ICR mice exposed to various doses of "6"0Co #gamma#-irradiation ranging from 0 to 1.5 Gy on day 13 of pregnancy (E13). We found that 0.5 Gy #gamma#-irradiation caused a significant reduction in brain weight but not in body weight among 6-week-old mice. Higher doses (1.0, 1.5 Gy) seriously inhibited body and brain development, resulting in significantly low weights at 6 weeks of age. A significantly lower brain weight among fetuses exposed to 1.5 Gy was found as early as 24 hours after exposure, while significant reductions in the body weight of these same fetuses appeared 3 days after exposure. The effects of radiation on brain and body development were similar for both males and females. (author).
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone, secreted by the syncytiotrophoblast cells of the fertilized ovum, that enters the maternal circulation at the time of endometrial implantation. It is composed of two nonidentical subunits; ..cap alpha.. and ..beta.., with molecular weights of 14 kD and 23 kD, respectively. Human chorionic gonadotropin binds to the same receptor as hLH and displays the same biological response, namely, to stimulate the declining function of the corpus luteum to produce progestins and estrogen late in the menstrual cycle. The differences in the structures of hCG and hLH have been exploited to develop antibodies that can measure hCG specifically in the presence of hLH. Two-site antibody binding assays have been developed, based on a surface immunological concept of hCG epitopes, that involve four distinct regions to which antibodies against hCG can bind simultaneously. Antibody cooperative effects, in conjunction with kinetic advantages derived ...
Urinary tract calculi presenting during pregnancy are rare, with less than 0.1% of pregnancies being associated with stones, the vast majority being asymptomatic and a chance finding. We outline six...Full Text Available
The objective was to investigate the association of pregravid weight status, dietary restraint and psychosocial factors during pregnancy. We used data from the Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition...Full Text Available
Low back pain is common during pregnancy. However, the prevalence of symtomatic lumbar disc herniation is rare, and cauda equina syndrome due to disc herniation during pregnancy is even rarer. We report...Full Text Available
ABSTRACTQUESTION Montelukast is used more and more by my patients with asthma. Is it safe to use during pregnancy?ANSWER Cumulative data, including a...Full Text Available
Serum heat-stable alkaline phosphatase (HSAP) level in 649 cases of normal pregnancy and 164 cases of high-risk pregnancy is measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results indicate that the HSAP level in normal pregnancy increased proportionally with gestation weeks (r = 0.9843). In 33 cases of pregnancy induced hypertension and 21 cases of intrauterine fetal growth retardation, the HSAP level is significantly low. In 7 cases of neonatal asphyxia and 26 cases of fetal distress, the HSAP level in the mother's serum is also low. In 53 cases of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, the HSAP level is similar to those of normal pregnancy. This study illustrates that HSAP RIA can play an important role in the evaluation of placental function and fetal prognosis for cases of high-risk pregnancy.
IntroductionSpontaneous recurrent pneumothorax during pregnancy is a rare condition. Few cases have been reported previously in the literature. There is no universal guideline for...Full Text Available
From the beginning, one of the most useful applications of Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) is its use in evaluating the risk importance of changes to plant design, operations, or other plant conditions. Risk importance measures the impact of a change on the risk. Risk is defined as a combination of the likelihood of failure and consequence of the failure. The consequence can be safety system unavailability, core melt frequency, early release, or various other consequence measures. The goal in this PSA application is to evaluate the risk importance of an ISI process, as applied to plant piping systems. Two approaches can be taken in this evaluation: Current PSA Approach or the Blended Approach. Both are discussed here.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems can help organizations manage customer interactions more effectively. Like many new technologies, CRM has been accompanied by vendor hype and stories of implementation failure. Work on critical success factors (CSFs) should encourage more appropriate implementation practice; however many CSF studies conclude with a list of factors but provide little further guidance. In particular, there is a need for stronger theoretical models of the entire CRM innovation process which can be used by managers to understand better the underlying causes of success and failure. This paper adopts a novel approach to this problem by firstly developing a conceptual model of CRM innovation and then converting this model into a dynamic simulation model. Some early s...
The fatigue life variability of the #alpha#+#beta# titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo increased with decreasing stress level. The variability in life was found to be due to segregation of lives due to two failure mechanisms. A bimodal cumulative distribution model was shown to accurately describe the combined failure modes. The nominal failure processes for the two regimes were similar, with crack nucleation occurring in equiaxed #alpha#p particles, irrespective of life or stress level. However the variability in life was not controlled by the size of the crack-nucleating #alpha#p, but rather by the ability of the material to distribute deformation and avoid early crack nucleation.
Transplantation has emerged as the therapy of choice for many patients with end organ failure. One of the major goals is to tailor immunosuppressive therapy to the individual needs of every patient to balance the risk for rejection and over-immunosuppression. This will require diagnostic tools that can detect harmful processes in the allograft early, and that can be measured repeatedly. This review will consider recent advances in our understanding of the molecular nature of these processes and how this information is being utilized to design novel diagnostic assays to non-invasively monitor allografts. Highlighted is the need for large-scale prospective multi-centre studies to validate assays that show early promise in single centre studies.
1 Measurements of the binding of 12-alpha-[3H]-digoxin to the membranes of intact erythrocytes, erythrocytic 86rubidium uptake and intraerythrocytic sodium concentrations have been made in the red cells...Full Text Available
Trastuzumab increases survival amongst women with human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 receptor positive metastatic breast cancer, but maternal and fetal risks are associated with advanced disease and its treatment in pregnancy. We present a case of a primigravid with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer who received trastuzumab throughout pregnancy. She presented with cerebral metastases, requiring surgical decompression and resection. Reversible oligohydramnios developed during pregnancy. Fetal safety data on trastuzumab in pregnancy is limited, but case reports suggest a recurring pattern of (mostly reversible) oligohydramnios.
A test program was conducted under contract to Sandia National Laboratories to investigate water/steam effects on elevated temperature low cycle fatigue and creep-fatigue of Alloy 800. This report presents interpretation and analysis of the test results. Tubular specimens with water sealed inside were cycled to failure under strain control. Tests were conducted to 616K (650/sup 0/F) and 922K (1200/sup 0/F); some at 922K included tensile or compressive hold periods to simulate creep-fatigue conditions. The tubular specimens showed significantly lower lives than solid bar specimens cycled at equivalent strain ranges. Rough internal surfaces contributed to early crack initiation with these specimens. Inclusion of hold periods caused further large reductions in cycles to failure.
The first cardiac pacemaker implants occurred in the late 1950s and involved insertion of epicardial or epimyocardial leads and abdominal pulse generators. By the mid 1960s, cardiologists were making attempts to insert transvenous leads into the right ventricle. These early unipolar leads had large, polished, high polarization electrodes, no fixation device, and no lumen in which to place a stylet for lead positioning. The lead implantation procedures were usually long and the irradiation to both patient and operator excessive. Pulse generators were powered by zinc-mercury cells, which were large, unreliable, and prone to sudden output failure. Postoperative complications such as lead dislodgement, exit block, and premature power source failure were very common with most patients requiring...
BackgroundThere have been dramatic changes in the approach to screening for aneuploidy over the last 20 years. However, the approach to screening for other complications of pregnancy...Full Text Available
ObjectivesTo describe the prospects, achievements, challenges and opportunities for implementing intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Tanzania in...Full Text Available
Primary peritoneal pregnancy has been reported and debated for almost a century. Case reports using Studdiford's criteria and later modified criteria have substantiated the entity, but the pathogenesis...Full Text Available
In a study of 2387 employed women who had worked for more than three months of their pregnancy the data were extracted from a survey carried out on a national sample of births in France in 1981. Manual,...Full Text Available
The purpose of the present work was to study the pharmacokinetics and the protein binding (free fraction of the drug) of ceftriaxone (CTX) during pregnancy. Nine pregnant women (ages, 20 to 34 years)...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of maternal obesity on mode of delivery following induction of labour (IOL) for prolonged pregnancy and subsequent intrapartum and neonatal complications.DesignRetrospective...Full Text Available
Analysis of gestation length in an obstetric population of indigenous African women revealed a mean pregnancy duration of 274.8 days, which is similar to values recorded in women of African descent...Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnancy is accompanied by several hemodynamic, biochemical and hematological changes which revert to normal values after labor. The mean values of these parameters have...Full Text Available
The cytogenetic findings were analysed in a series of 500 pregnancies in which chorionic villi sampling was performed. In all cases a direct method was used, karyotyping being successful in 481 cases...Full Text Available
Severe pitting corrosion occurred in a horizontal steel pipeline used to transport multiphase fluid, including water, oil, and natural gas, after 2 months of service. The pitting corrosion rate was up to 42 mm/year. Chemical analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and EDAX showed that the corrosion products mainly consisted of Fe9S8, FeCO3, and NaCl. Calcium containing inclusions were also found in the matrix of the steel, which may accelerate corrosion. The earlyfailure was attributed to the high proportion of water, the slow flow velocity, and the use of unqualified material. (Author)
Westinghouse is currently conducting the pre-application licensing of the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS). One of the key aspects of the IRIS design is its safety-by-designTM philosophy and within this framework the PRA is being used as an integral part of the design process. The most ambitious risk-related goal for IRIS is to reduce the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) to within the exclusion area by demonstrating that the off-site doses are consistent with the US Protective Action Guidelines (PAGs) for initiation of emergency response so that the required protective actions would be limited to the exclusion area. As a first step, a model has been developed to provide a first order approximation of the Large Early Release Frequency (LERF) as a surrogate predictor of the off-site doses. A key-aspect of the LERF model development is the characterization of the possible paths of release. Four main categories have been historically pointed out: (1) ...
Unfamiliar male meadow voles induce pregnancy disruptions when they are in physical contact with females, but the presence of the female's original mate partially protects her from the blocking effects of an unfamiliar male. This research examines how behavioral interactions affect pregnancy disruptions by testing two hypotheses: a) original males protect females by reducing the aggressive interactions between females and strange males; and b) administration of clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist that decreases activity, aggression, and sexual motivation, will decrease the pregnancy-blocking ability of strange males. Strange males were more aggressive when the original sire was absent, indicating that this change in behavior may be related to their greater success in disrupting pregnancy. When injected with clonidine, males were less likely to block pregnancy, and they ...
Cadmium is a non-essential heavy metal found abundantly in the environment. Children of women exposed to cadmium during pregnancy display lower motor and perceptual abilities. High cadmium body burden in children is also related to impaired intelligence and lowered school achievement. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular basis of developmental neurotoxicity in the sensitive early life stages of animals. In this study, we explore neurological deficits caused by cadmium during early embryonic stages in zebrafish by examining regionalization of the neural tube, pattern formation and cell fate determination, commitment of proneural genes and induction of neurogenesis. We show that cadmium-treated embryos developed a smaller head with unclear boundaries between the brain subdivisions, particularly in the mid-hindbrain region. Embryos display normal anterior to posterior regionalization; however, the ...
The condition of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in wet storage at ten Soviet-designed research reactors has been assessed in the light of international experience in order to identify any associated safety issues. These reactors use Al-clad UO2-Al or U-Al alloy dispersion fuels of ?20% enrichment that were fabricated in Russia; the reactors have been in operation since 1955-70. Although originally sent for reprocessing, much of the SNF generated over the last 25-30 years has been stored in fuel storage pools (FSPs) of variable water quality. The external condition of wet-stored SNF assemblies from the reactors surveyed varied from significant failure due to galvanic corrosion that was driven by poor water quality, through gradual pitting caused by slightly impure water, to a stable condition of no observable change in the oxidized Al alloy surface of the irradiated fuel. SNF stability in wet storage seems to depend on three factors: Al being the sole metal in the FSP (to ...
Abstract Aims: This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with lispro (LP) versus regular insulin (RI) since before pregnancy. Methods: We performed a MEDLINE and EMBASE search. Abstracts (and full articles when appropriate) were reviewed by two independent researchers. Inclusion criteria were patients with T1DM, data on women treated with RI and LP since before pregnancy until delivery in the same article, at least five pregnancies in each group, and information on at least one pregnancy outcome. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle?Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for cohort studies. Results: Outcome data were summarized with Revman version 5.0 (ims.cochrane.org...
Practitioners who care for pregnant women face dilemmas when their patients use illicit drugs, reject medical recommendations, or cause fetal harm. Many ethics scholars characterize those situations as maternal-fetal conflicts. In conflict-based models, maternal rights are considered to conflict with fetal rights, or moral obligations owed to pregnant women are considered to conflict with those owed to their fetuses. I offer an alternative model of pregnancy ethics by applying relational and equality-based moral theories to situations of fetal harm by pregnant women. In this model, clinicians faced with ethical dilemmas should attempt to understand pregnant women and their decisions within their broad social networks and communities, ask how the clinician's personal standpoint influences outcomes judged to be ethical, and determine whether the clinician's ethical formulations reduce or enhance existing gender, class, or racial inequality. This model focuses on the ...
Death as a criterion (age distribution of occupational death; mean loss of life years due to radiation deaths); accidents at work (incidence of accidents of certain degrees of severity); total loss of working days due to accidents; occupational diseases; somatic and genetic radiation effects; radiation effects during pregnancy (incidence of pregnancies, ristes before implantation, hazards to the embryo, hazards to the foetus, total additional risk due to radiation exposure during pregnancy); age and sex dependence of risk figures; attempted formulation of an index of harm. (HP/orig.).
Abstract Background- Vitiligo, characterized by destruction of melanocytes, causes a patchy depigmentation of the skin. It has been hypothesized to have an autoimmune pathogenesis. Autoimmune disorders are more common among women and may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as recurrent abortions, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and pre-eclampsia. Objective- The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with vitiligo have increased rates of gestational complications. Methods- A retrospective comparative study was undertaken comparing pregnancy complications of patients with and without vitiligo. The population was composed of all singleton deliveries that occurred at the Soroka University Medical Center in Israel during the years 1988-2006. Women lack...
Biomass tensile and shear ultimate failure stresses were measured with the aim of identifying biomass 'weakest mode of failure' or 'natural fracture point' as a basis for future grinder designs. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) ultimate stresses were determined for Alamo and Kanlow varieties over ranges in maturity and moisture content. Alamo had greater ultimate tensile stress than Kanlow (P=0.0091), with mean values of 97.8 and 89.7MPa, respectively. Alamo had greater ultimate shear stress than Kanlow (P=0.0091), with mean values of 20.5 and 17.9MPa, respectively. Shear was the 'weakest mode of failure'. Grinders that use knives, shear bars, and mechanical pinch points that apply opposed-sliding actions are expected to be more energy efficient. Mean ultimate tensile stress and shear stress were significantly different between switchgrass varieties. A survey of ...
The study was performed for evaluating the risk effect of digital systems on the total plant. Based on risk monitor, a fault tree model for the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants (KSNPP), we integrate the fault-tree models for Digital Plant Protection System (DPPS) and Digital Engineered SaFety Actuation System (DESFAS) which are the most important safety-critical I and C systems in the KSNPP. In this study, however, three important factors (the probabilities of manual actuation failure, the software failure probability, and the watchdog timer fault coverage) are treated as the variables of the sensitivity study because quantification methodologies for these factors are not developed yet. Not only the unavailability of digital safety-critical system itself, but also the risk effect of digital systems on the total plant should be assessed to prove the safety of digital systems. The result of sensitivity study shows that the ...
In the years 2004 and 2005, Korea became a prospective nation noteworthy in the world through the epochal development of genetic engineering in our country. Obstinate or incurable diseases were expected to be healed in a few years by a Korean geneticist. So many worldwide patients of obstinate or incurable diseases took notice of the research outcomes and organized an aid association to collect supporting funds. World renowned journals such as 'Nature' and 'Science' published Dr. Hwang's theses. A long and distant way remedy to obstinate diseases seemed to be closer at hand so early. However, a stem cell fraud case emerged throughout the world in late 2005, the pride of the Korean people was destroyed. With this as a momentum, voices of self reflection by scientific circles were raised. The purpose of this study is not in finding the truth of the stem cell research but to propose an effective management and control measures for the future in planning, implementing, ...
BackgroundOxidative stress has been proposed as a mechanism linking the poor placental perfusion characteristic of preeclampsia with the clinical manifestations of...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of moderate aerobic physical activity in water on fetal cardiotocography patterns in sedentary pregnant women.MethodIn...Full Text Available
Smoking during pregnancy is widely known to increase health risks to the foetus, and understanding the quitting process during pregnancy is essential in order to realise national government targets. Qualitative studies have been used in order to gain a greater understanding of the quitting process and the objective of this systematic review was to examine and evaluate qualitative studies that have investigated the psychological and social factors around women attempting to quit smoking during pregnancy. Electronic databases and journals were searched with seven articles included in this review. The findings demonstrated that women were aware of the health risks to the foetus associated with smoking; however knowledge of potential health risks was not sufficient to motivate them to quit. Se...
Difficulty in recalling the names of people is very common in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, it is not known whether the difficulty in naming people in MCI reflects problems associated with lexical access or with semantic access. The aims of the present study were to investigate semantic and phonological access to proper names by use of a Tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) task in individuals with multidomain amnestic MCI, individuals with amnestic MCI, and healthy controls, as well as to study the relationships between TOT production and performance in a free recall verbal memory test. In the individuals with multidomain amnestic MCI, the main process affected was phonological access; failures in phonological access were related to deficits i...
Transcatheter coil embolization for coronary artery to left ventricular fistula was successfully performed in a neonate. At 30 weeks' gestation, fetal echocardiography showed a hypoplastic right ventricle with intact ventricular septum, absent pulmonary valve, tricuspid atresia, and marked distension of the right coronary artery. After birth, the neonate had congestive heart failure and the electrocardiogram showed myocardial ischemic changes in the left ventricular area. Aortography showed a dilated right coronary artery arising from the ascending aorta and draining into the left ventricle. Transcatheter coil embolization was carried out on the 9th day after birth. Since the procedure, no myocardial ischemic changes have been detected. Transcatheter coil embolization is a useful therapy for coronary artery fistula associated with myocardial ischemia. PMID:15564713
Background/Objectives: Cardiotoxic drug poisoning can lead to severe cardiac shock (CS) and death. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a well-established diagnostic and prognostic marker in heart failure but has never been assessed in patients with cardiotoxic drug poisoning. The aim of the study was to determine whether BNP could be useful for early stratification of patients admitted to intensive care unit. Methods: 30 consecutive patients experiencing shock and cardiotoxic drug exposure were enrolled in a prospective monocentric study and underwent at least two BNP measurements within the first 24 h after admission. Results: While BNP values on admission were poorly informative, subsequent BNP measurements (11 +- 6 h after admission) were significantly increased in patients with CS comp...
Earlyfailure of an induction-hardening carbon steel pipe, which was used to transport tailing slurry, was caused by pitting corrosion. The microstructure on the internal pipe surface layer was found being a mixture of martensite, pearlite and ferrite. In this work, the pitting corrosion behavior of each constitute in the microstructure of steel is investigated with electrochemical noise analyses; the electronic properties of passive films were studied with Mott-Schottky relationship. It is found that the passive films formed on the materials under investigation are highly disordered n-type semiconductors. The high-to-low pitting susceptibility is ferrite > martensite > pearlite. The pitting resistance is related to the semiconductive nature of the passive film formed on each constitute. The pitting susceptibility increases with the donor concentration in the passive films. (author)
A model for risk and reliability analysis of complex multifunctional production process systems is presented. The model employs Monte-Carlo and Markov Chain algorithms that uses a weighted index to train and simulate the fuzzy hazard data sets which represents failure outcomes of risk component transient and non-transient systems. Early simulation results shows that hazard rates and the risk of containment loss from typical floating production and storage offloading (FPSO)-Riser system for the risk components in parallel or series increases exponentially with time and decreases as safety ratings fraction increases. The reliability value decreases with time and safety fraction (SFAC) for all fuzzy hazard classifications. The results of the computed mean time before repair (MTBR) show that t...
It is uncertain if downregulation of ?-adrenoceptor signaling pathway is promoted by an enhanced adrenergic tone at an early stage of cardiac disease, or it develops secondary to detrimental local myocardial changes in advanced heart failure. We examined the integrity of ?-adrenoceptor signaling pathway upon chronic infusion of isoproterenol, a ?-adrenoceptor agonist, at a dose producing no structural left ventricular (LV) remodeling and systolic dysfunction. Subcutaneous isoproterenol infusion (400??g?kg?1?h?1 over 16?days) to guinea pigs using osmotic minipumps produced no change in cardiac weights, LV internal dimensions, myocyte cross-sectional area, extent of interstitial fibrosis, and basal contractile function. Isolated, perfused heart preparations from isoproterenol-treated guinea ...
Twenty-four patients were studied with both /sup 201/Tl-thallus chloride and /sup 99m/Tc-TBI scintigraphy following exercise. Comparison of the two agents in detecting segmental myocardial ischemia and scar was made in 18 patients with evidence of coronary artery disease on /sup 201/Tl-thallous chloride scintigraphy. Agreement between the two studies was observed in 77% (125 of 162) of left ventricular segments, suggesting that /sup 99m/Tc-TBI can be used as a myocardial perfusion agent. Limitations were related to early high background activity from lungs and liver. The high lung activity and early myocardial redistribution within the 1st hour contributed to the failure of /sup 99m/Tc-TBI to detect 16 segmental defects seen in the immediate post-exercise thallous chloride scan. Persistently high liver activity additionally affected accurate interpretation in the left ventricular segments close to the diaphragm. Improvement ...
The multiplanar neurosonographic examination of the fetus enables superb visualization of brain anatomy during pregnancy. The examination may be performed using a transvaginal or a transfundal approach and it is indicated in patients at high risk for CNS anomalies or in those with a suspicious finding during a routine examination. The purpose of this paper is to present a description of the normal brain and of abnormal findings usually diagnosed late in pregnancy, including malformations of cortical development, infratentorial anomalies, and prenatal insults.
The mobilization and distribution of previously deposited "2"3"9Pu was compared in pregnant rats (15 and 20 days of gestation) and nonpregnant controls. Pregnancy had little effect on "2"3"9Pu tissue burdens and only minimal activity appeared in the fetoplacental unit. Marked differences were observed in tracer "4"5Ca deposition patterns between the experimental groups.
BackgroundIntermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) is a key intervention in the national strategy for malaria control in Tanzania. SP, the current drug...Full Text Available
SummaryThe report describes successful management of 10 women in 2nd and 3rd pregnancy trimesters with EchiTab IgG antivenom after carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) envenoming. All...Full Text Available
Repetitive hydatidiform mole was observed in four pregnancies. The pregnancies presented with heavy bleeding and vomiting, but the post-evacuation courses were uncomplicated, with rapid regression of serum hCG levels. Cytogenetic investigations, analyses of restriction fragment length polymorphisms, and flow cytometry in three pregnancies were consistent with diploid, biparental conception as the origin of fetal tissue and molar and nonmolar villi. In one pregnancy, the analyses of cytogenetic markers suggested the coexistence of two different cell lines of dizygotic, biparental origin, whereas DNA analysis was consistent with a single conception. With incomplete genetic information, a hydatidiform mole with coexistent normal fetus is generally considered to result from dizygous twinning comprising an androgenetic complete mole and a normal conception. In the present gestations, the results based on ...
Twenty-four high-risk Ewing's sarcoma patients were treated on an intensive combined modality protocol including low-dose fractionated total body irradiaiton (TBI) and autologous bone marrow infusion (ABMI). Twenty patients (83%) achieved a complete clinical response to the primary and/or metastatic sites following induction therapy. The median disease-free interval was 18 months, and nine patients remain disease-free with a follow-up of 22 to 72 months. Local failure as a manifestation of initial relapse occurred in only three patients (15%), each having synchronous distant failure. Eight patients failed initially with only distant metastases, usually within 1-2 years following a complete clinical response. Two patterns of granulocyte recovery following consolidative therapy (including TBI and ABMI) were recognized. The time to platelet recovery was different for the groups with early and late granulocyte recovery. ...
In the past, Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS) still showed weaknesses during the employment in the damage diagnosis and/or earlyfailure detection of damages of roller bearings in transmissions of wind power plants. This is not only due to the insufficient consideration of the variable frequency of the wind power plants during the internal processing. The presently used methods of analysis result from the communication technology and are used successfully for years at frequency solid systems. Usually, only too few information are at the disposal to the supplier of CMS in order to parametrize their systems on the respective application particularly. An exact knowledge of the internal structure of the object to be diagnosed is compellingly necessary for a successful diagnosis so that a loadable statement based on the acquired measuring data base becomes possible. Furthermore, one must clarify the borders of the presently used systems. The ...
Purpose : To evaluate whether the early pulmonary irradiation can prevent or decrease the pulmonary damage and contribute to improve ultimate survival in paraquat lung. Materials and Methods : From Jun. 1987 to Aug. 1993, thirty patients with paraquat poisoning were evaluated. Fourteen of these patients were received pulmonary irradiation(RT). All of the patients ere managed with aggressive supportive treatment such as gastric lavage, forced diuresis, antioxidant agents and antifibrosis agents. Ingested amounts of paraquat were estimated into three groups(A: minimal < about 5cc, B: mouthful 5-50 cc, C: Large > 50cc). Pulmonary irradiation was started within 24 hours after admission(from day 1 to day 11 after ingestion of paraquat). Both whole lungs were irradiated with AP/PA parallel opposing fields using C0-60 teletherapy machine. A total of 10Gy(2Gy/fr. X 5 days)was delivered without correction of lung density. Results : In group A, all patients ...
The topics of these short lectures on the subject of cyclic stress were: Microstructural mechanisms of damage accumulation under a multistage cyclic stress until incipient cracking; influence of surface decarbonizing phenomena on the failure behaviour of steel construction parts subjected to cyclic stress; thermocyclic fatigue of pipe samples of austenitic steel 1.4436; studies on surface structuring, microstructure and fatigue in LCF area. The short lectures on effects of quasi-static and creep stress were: Shear fracture in AlMg alloys as a result of local plastic instability; study of formation and growth of pores for an early recognition of damage and the course of damage in heat-resistant steels under creep test; experimental and numeric studies of the infuence of the microstructure on the course of damage during shear fractures of steel; numerical modelling of ductile fractures on the basis of micromechanical models. Under the topic of ...
These three separate pamphlets provide background information, brief discussions of research findings, and guidelines and recommendations concerning selected aspects of diet. The first pamphlet discusses food additives and hyperactivity, focusing on both the Feingold theory and controlled experiments which do not support Feingold's clinical observations and case reports. (The Feingold theory claims that artificial food flavors and colors and antioxidant preservatives cause hyperactivity in genetically predisposed individuals.) The second pamphlet discusses fast food and the American diet as they are related to sound nutritional principles. The third pamphlet, focusing on alcohol use during pregnancy, lists principles and associated features of the fetal alcohol syndrome and presents research findings and recommendations concerning alcohol use during pregnancy. (RH)
The authors report a case of a cephalopagus conjoined twin that was diagnosed at 29 weeks of gestation despite the mother having had two ultrasounds done previously. The fetus had one head and face,...Full Text Available
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with significant perinatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality, and an increased risk of chronic disease later in adult life....Full Text Available
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an extremely uncommon cause of myocardial infarction, occurring predominantly in women during or after pregnancy. The exact aetiology...Full Text Available
Increased intrauterine prostaglandin (PG) production is crucial for the initiation of parturition. To investigate the mechanisms controlling intrauterine PG synthesis, we examined the expression of...Full Text Available
Case Report. A 37 years old patient at 40 weeks gestation presented with acute severe hypoxia with a seizure followed by fetal bradycardia. Caesarean section was performed under...Full Text Available
The mouth is an obvious portal of entry to the body, and oral health reflects and influences general health and well being. Maternal oral health has significant implications for birth outcomes and infant...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt is a priority to achieve an adequate nutritional status of iodine during pregnancy since iodine deficiency in this population may have repercussions on the mother during...Full Text Available
Out of nearly 900 women in a research study of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnancy, 8 were subsequently found not to be infected. Misdiagnoses could have resulted from (a) laboratory...Full Text Available
BackgroundGastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are mesenchymal tumors that develop in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and their diagnosis during pregnancy or puerperium...Full Text Available
BackgroundMother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV remains the main mode of acquisition of HIV in children. Transmission of HIV may occur during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding....Full Text Available
It is generally accepted that mammalian oocytes are frequently suffering from chromosome segregation errors during meiosis I, which have severe consequences, including pregnancy loss, developmental...Full Text Available
Thirteen fetuses (five twin, one triplet) were compromised by fetofetal transfusion syndrome in six pregnancies, five in the mid trimester, and one in the third trimester. This diagnosis, which was...Full Text Available
Aims: To ascertain why 19.6% of pregnancies in which a fetal renal anomaly has been detected fail to produce a surviving child, and whether antenatal diagnostic accuracy has altered since...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo examine the role of first trimester bacterial vaginosis (BV) and level of BV-associated microorganisms diagnosed using the Nugent’s Gram stain...Full Text Available
Arachidonic acid is metabolized by means of P450 isoenzyme(s) to form epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and their corresponding dihydroxy derivatives (DHETs). In the present study, we established the presence in human urine of 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-EETs and their corresponding DHETs by developing quantitative assays and using negative ion, chemical ionization GC/MS and octadeuterated internal standards. Urinary excretion of 8,9- and 11,12-DHET increased in healthy pregnant women compared with nonpregnant female volunteers. By contrast, excretion of 11,12-DHET and 14,15-DHET, but not the 8,9-DHET regioisomer, increased even further in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Intravenous administration of (3H)14,15-EET to three dogs markedly increased its DHET in plasma. The terminal half-life ranged from 7.9-12.3 min and the volume of distribution (3.5-5.3 liters) suggested limited distribution outside the plasma compartment. Negligible radioactivity was ...
BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnancy presents an enormous diagnostic challenge. The epidemiological and clinical relevance...Full Text Available
Background. It is currently recommended that diet of pregnant mothers contain 200–300 mg DHA/day. Aim. To determine whether DHA supplementation...Full Text Available
Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by chronic metabolic insults, including iron deficiency, that place the developing brain at risk and for memory impairment later in life. A behavioral...Full Text Available
BackgroundBacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition that is associated with preterm birth and acquisition of complex communities of vaginal bacteria that include several fastidious...Full Text Available
BackgroundArsenic (As) exposure during pregnancy induces oxidative stress and increases the risk of fetal loss and low birth weight.ObjectivesIn...Full Text Available
BackgroundBlue nevi that arise from the Müllerian tract are rare melanocytic lesions. Several histopathologic variants of cellular blue nevi have been described. The angiomatoid...Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnancies complicated by abnormal umbilical artery Doppler blood flow patterns often result in the baby being born both preterm and growth-restricted. These babies are...Full Text Available
Until now, monitoring of power transformers focussed mainly large generator and network transformers. Siemens goes a step ahead and provides a system especially developed and designed for small and medium power transformers, e.g. for the 100 kV level. This low cost version could be achieved by restriction to really necessary measuring quantities. This allows to realize also for small and medium power transformers an online monitoring including an estimation of aging and as an option an early warning to avoid unexpected failures. (orig.) [German] Die Ueberwachung (Monitoring) von Leistungstransformatoren war bisher vor allem fuer Maschinentransformatoren und grosse Netzkuppeltransformatoren in der Diskussion. Siemens geht einen Schritt weiter und stellt nun auch ein System bereit, das speziell fuer kleine und mittlere Leistungstransformatoren, z.B. der 110-kV-Spannungsebene, konzipiert ist. Diese kostenguenstige Variante wurde durch ...
Coilguns have demonstrated their capability to launch projectiles to 1 km/s, and there is interest in their application for long-range precision strike weapons. However, the incorporation of cooling systems for repetitive operation will impact the mechanical design and response of the future coils. To assess the impact of such changes, an evaluation of the ruggedness and reliability of the existing 50 mm bore coil designed in 1993 was made by repeatedly testing at stress levels associated with operation in a coilgun. A two-coil testbed has been built with a static projectile where each coil is energized by its own capacitor bank. Simulation models of the applied forces generated in this testbed have been created with the SLINGSHOT circuit code to obtain loads equivalent to the worst-case anticipated in a 50 mm coilgun that could launch a 236 g projectile to 2 km/s. Bench measurements of the seven remaining coils built in 1993 have been used to evaluate which coils were viable for ...
The feasibility of using desferrioxamine (DF), an iron chelator, as a therapeutic agent against paraquat (PQ/sup + +/) toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats was explored, based on the rationale of limiting toxic hydroxyl radical production from hydrogen peroxide by removing redox-active iron. Body weights, mortality, and lung histopathology were followed for periods up to 14 days after intraperitoneal injection of PQ/sup + +/ (20 or 25 mg/kg body weight) with or without concurrent daily subcutaneous injections of DF (300 mg/day). Animals receiving PQ/sup + +/ showed the expected typical patterns of mortality and of lung histopathology, namely: marked edema, subpleural hemorrhage, acute inflammation, perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates, sloughing of alveolar and bronchiolar lining cells, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. Desferrioxamine alone was non-toxic. Surprisingly, results when both PQ/sup + +/ and DF were administered indicated a failure of DF to ...
The feasibility of self-expanding nitinol stents for treatment of infragenicular arteries following unsuccessful balloon angioplasty was assessed. Options for lower limb percutaneous revascularization are limited, especially for complex vessel obstruction. Depending on the lesion and the experience of the interventionalist, the failure rate of balloon angioplasty (PTA) ranges between 10 and 40%. Until recently, no self-expanding stent for the use in the infragenicular arteries was available. This is the first report of the results for 18 consecutive patients who received 4F sheath compatible self-expanding nitinol stents following unsuccessful PTA or early restenosis. Twenty-four stents were implanted in 21 lesions for various indications residual stenosis >50% due to heavy calcification, flow-limiting dissection, occluding thrombus resistant to thrombolyis, thrombaspiration, and PTA, and early restenosis after ...
Gastrointestinal lymphomas are almost exclusively of a non Hodgkin's type. The Western form is characterized by a higher incidence of stomach location (50 %), a MALT type (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue) (40 %), a B-cell type (90 %), and a high grade (55 %). Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori is an important risk factor. Mediterranean lymphomas form a particular clinical and pathological entity with diffuse involvement of the small bowel and are frequently being associated with a chronic malabsorption disorder. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in early lymphomas, and the use of tetracyclines in early Mediterranean lymphomas, have been shown to induce durable remissions. For more advanced gastric lymphomas, treatment usually consists of anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by involved field radiotherapy. Surgery is usually reserved for complications such as perforation or bleeding, or in some selected cases for salvage after ...
No living analogue exists for the hypothetical early hominid hard/tough-seed, coarse-root-eating, and bone-crushing masticatory adaptation. To investigate possible microdamage/microwear to dental enamel caused by such usage, puncture-crushing experiments were carried out on single human teeth, using an Instron compression apparatus on the following six test materials: Makapansgat Limeworks chert (e.g., taphonomy), fresh steer longbone, mongongo nuts, Grewia berries, Carob beans, and wild-onion bulbs. Pairs of extracted unworn third molars were utilized, with one tooth acting as the control. The teeth were mounted, ultrasonically cleaned, and two-stage replicas made with a vinyl polysiloxane elastomer and araldite epoxy resin. After Instron loading and materials failure (1.2-395.0 kg) the test items and the crowns were prepared for comparison with scanning electron microscopy and dispersive x-ray elemental analysis and mapping. The results ...
Objective To determine whether a centralised telephone intervention reduces the incidence of death or admission for worsening heart failure in outpatients with chronic heart failure.Design...Full Text Available
Heart failure affects nearly 6 million Americans, with a half-million new cases emerging each year. Whereas up to 50% of heart failure patients die of arrhythmia, the diverse mechanisms underlying...Full Text Available
Failure of a dam is something we hope never happens. But if a failure occurs, it`s important to study the circumstances in order to expand our knowledge base, and then apply what we learn to other structures.
Heart failure has been singled out as an emerging epidemic, which could be the result of increased incidence and/or increased survival leading to increased prevalence. Knowledge of the responsibility...Full Text Available
BackgroundProvision of consumer information and patient education are considered an essential part of chronic disease management programmes developed for patients with heart failure....Full Text Available
Ultimate compressive strength and failure modes were studied using 24- ... to 81 % of the average ultimate compressive strength (UCS). Figure 1 (a) is the failure ...
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. CHF is marked by atrial and ventricular enlargement and reduced cardiac contractility, as well as an association...Full Text Available
Diagnostic accuracy of the currently available serum markers of cardiac injury, such as myoglobin, creatine kinase and its myocardial isoform, are altered in patients with renal failure. It is shown...Full Text Available
Transcription for a hybrid SV40 promoter-beta globin coding sequence recombinant initiates from both early-early (EE) and late-early (LE) SV40 start sites (EES and LES) in the absence of DNA replication....Full Text Available
Objectives To investigate whether maternal coffee and/or tea consumption during the last 6?months of pregnancy was associated with risk of childhood ALL. Methods Data on coffee and tea drinking during pregnancy from 337 case mothers and 697 control mothers were analyzed using unconditional multivariable logistic regression. A meta-analysis of our findings with those of previous studies was also conducted. Results There was little evidence of an overall association between maternal coffee consumption and risk of ALL: OR 0.89 (95% CI 0.61, 1.30), although there was some suggestion that higher levels of intake might increase the risk in children of non-smoking mothers: OR for 2+ cups/day?=?1.44 (95% CI 0.85, 2.42); this was supported by our meta-analysis. Risk was also elevated among cases wi...
Objectification theory contends that women are socialized to view their body as an object to be evaluated by others (Fredickson and Roberts 1997). In contrast, pregnancy may be a time that women are more attuned to their body?s functionality. Extending objectification theory, we investigate relationships among body surveillance, awareness and appreciation of body functionality, depressive symptoms, and prenatal health behaviors among an on-line sample of 156 predominantly White, middle-class pregnant women from throughout the U.S recruited through maternity stores, message boards, listservs, and snowballing techniques. We examine whether higher levels of awareness and appreciation of body functionality may attenuate, and thereby possibly protect women from the negative effects of high body...
Fetal MRI examines non-invasively the unborn fetus. Ultrafast MRI sequences effectively suppress fetal motion. Multiple case reports and studies have shown that fetal MRI is particularly helpful in the evaluation of the central nervous system. The high contrast-to-noise ratio, the high spatial resolution, the multiplanar capabilities, the large field of view and the simultaneous visualisation of fetal and maternal structures have proven to be advantageous. Fetal MRI is particularly helpful in the evaluation of the normal and pathological development of the brain. Despite the fact that no side effects have been reported or are to be expected, the use of MRI during pregnancy is still limited to the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging contrast media are not to be used as it passes the placenta. Ultrasound remains the primary screening modality for fetal pathology; fetal MRI can serve as an adjunct or second-line ...
Because of the superior tissue contrast, high spatial resolution, and multiplanar capabilities, fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can depict fetal brain pathologies with high accuracy. Pathological fetal brain development may result from malformations or acquired conditions. Differentiation of these etiologies is important with respect to managing the actual pregnancy or counseling future pregnancies. As a widened ventricular system is a common hallmark of both maldevelopment and acquired conditions, it may cause problems in the differential diagnosis. Fetal MRI can provide detailed morphological information, which allows refinement of the diagnosis of ventricular enlargement in a large number of cases. Systematic work-up of morphological details that may be recognized on MR images provides an approach for achieving a correct diagnosis in cases of ventricle enlargement. (orig.)
Maternal stress during pregnancy, particularly that combined with low socioeconomic status (SES), has been linked to an increased risk for impaired behavioural and emotional development and affective disorders in children. In animal models, acute periods of prenatal stress have profound effects on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function and behaviour. However, few studies have determined the impact of chronic exposure to stress in animal models. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chronic maternal stress (CMS) during the 2nd half of pregnancy and nursing on growth, locomotor behaviour and HPA axis function in juvenile guinea pig offspring. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a random combination of variable stressors every other day over the 2nd half of gestat...
The possible long term effects of chronic radiation exposure have been studied. Rats were given tritiated drinking water (3#mu#Ci/ml) before pregnancy, during pregnancy and threafter, continuously through 5 generations. The brains were studied at 30 and 120 days postnatally. Significant decreases in weight, DNA and protein contents of specific parts of the brain were found, the most pronounced decreases being in the diencephalon. The decreases in protein content were more pronounced than the decreases in DNA content; the decreases were also more pronounced at 30 days than at 120 days, and more pronounced in the fifth generation than in previous generations. An attempt was made to explain these complex phenomena on the basis of known periods of proliferation of various brain cells, damage to mothers themselves in each generation, and damage and repair of nucleic acids caused by radioactivity.
Preterm birth is a common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Many asymptomatic genital infections have been associated with preterm birth, but attempts to determine a causal relationship between specific infections and preterm birth have been disappointing. Treatment trials of specific infections have generally failed to show a positive effect, and in some trials have shown a deleterious effect. Although there is a strong association between the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis in pregnancy and preterm birth, randomized treatment trials have failed to show a benefit of treatment of these organisms. Treatment of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis or T. vaginalis to prevent preterm birth is not warranted. PMID:12112946
Power system components, especially components failure, can significantly affect the reliability of a power system. Data about failure rate in electrical products were obtained from products life testing and analyzed in order to predict reliability. The distribution curve fitting method was used to estimate failure probability. Ten relays of different life times have been used to illustrate the validity of this analytical technique. 3 refs., 3 tabs.
A survey was conducted of experience with steam generator tubes at nuclear power stations during 1976. Failures were reported at 25 out of 68 water-cooled reactors. The causes of these failures and the repair and inspection procedures designed to cope with them are summarized. Examination of the data indicates that corrosion was the major cause of steam generator tube failures. Improvements are needed in steam generator design, condenser integrity and secondary water chemistry control. (author).
This report documents the investigation regarding the failure of CPVC piping that was used to connect a solar hot water system to standard plumbing in a home. Details of the failure are described along with numerous pictures and diagrams. A potential failure mechanism is described and recommendations are outlined to prevent such a failure.
Extensive investigations and detailed analysis of the failure reason of 9DVN002ZV fan in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station showed that the fan destroy was caused by the failure of non-drive end bear. The direct cause of this bearing' failure was its improper assembly caused by improper maintenance procedure, and the root cause was too small internal radial clearance after mounting. The factor affecting bearing internal radial clearance, the relationship between clearance and operating life time and fan failure process were discussed. (authors)
The failure took place on a welded elbow pipe which exhibited a catastrophic transverse rupture. The failure was located on the welding HAZ region, parallel to the welding path. Branching cracks were detected at the edge of the rupture area. Deposits of corrosion products were also spotted. The optical microscope analysis showed the presence of transgranular failures which were related to the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and were predominantly caused by the welding residual stress. The significant difference in hardness between the welded area and the pipe confirmed the findings. Moreover, the failure was also caused by the low Mo content in the stainless steel pipe which was detected by means of spark emission spectrometer. (orig.)
Patients with heterotaxy syndrome often have complex cardiac and extracardiac anomalies requiring further detailed diagnostic evaluation. They often present severe cardiac failureearly in life. Newer radiological modalities in the form of spiral computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional reconstruction of spiral CT allow clear definition of the anatomy of these anomalies. A 59-year-old woman was diagnosed with polysplenia and multiple anomalies in an abdominal ultrasonography (US) during a control medical examination due to a trivial dietary mistake. She was then referred to our institution for further examination of these anomalies and an additional thoraco-abdominal computed tomography (CT) examination. The patient was totally asymptomatic at the time of admission. There was no significant past history and no abnormal laboratory data. We performed abdominal, pelvic and thoracic CT examinations using Somatom Siemens Emotion scanner. ...
In view of the anticipated increased use of atomic energy in industry, the possible long-term effects of chronic radiation exposure were studied in five generations of rats. Female rats (F_0) were given tritiated drinking water ("3HOH;3#mu#Ci/ml) from adolescence (60 days) until and throughout pregnancy. A separate study showed that the maximum radioactivity in the urine is reached in 30 days, and in the blood in 42 days. In the newborns, the highest specific activity was in the nucleic acid fraction, but total radioactivity was mainly due to the water (body fluids) compartment. No signs of radiation illness or increase in cataract formation in the mothers were observed. The food and water intake and body weight changes before pregnancy were normal. The course and the outcome of pregnancy were also normal. However, 60% of the newborns (F_1) exhibited hematomas, edemas, and subdural hemorrhages, which disappeared at 30 days ...
We performed a randomized trial to compare IVF outcomes in 54 poor responder patients undergoing a microdose leuprolide acetate (LA) protocol or a GnRH antagonist protocol incorporating a luteal phase E2 patch and GnRH antagonist in the preceding menstrual cycle. Cancellation rates, number of oocytes retrieved, clinical pregnancy rates (PR), and ongoing PRs were similar between the two groups.
S>Hydrogen-induced delayed failure in an alpha-beta titanium alloy (4Al-- 4Mn) was sensitive to microstructure. A quenched structure was less susceptible to delayed failure than aged or annealed structures. The tendency for delayed failure was magnified in all structures by an increase in hydrogen content or an increase in strength level. Hydrogen-induced delayed failure occurred by a process of crack initiation and controlled crack growth. Delayed failures resulting from creep were also encountered. Plastic strain resulting from creep tended to retard crack initiation. Changes occurring in material under static load prior to formation of cracks were reversible, as long as no appreciable plastic strain occurred, indicating stress-induced diffusion of hydrogen. Hydrogen-induced delayed failure disappeared at both high and low ...
Radio-biologists have pointed out a novel radiobiological phenomenon observed in many tumor and normal cell lines: hyper-radiosensitivity to very low-dose (H.R.S.) followed by induced radioresistance (I.R.R.) after a threshold dose of 0.1-0.3 Gy that depends on the cell line. Radioresistance at high dose (i.e. higher than 0.5 Gy) and metastatic potential of tumor cells are likely major factors of failure in radiotherapy. A careful review of literature suggests that: 1) radiotherapy does not increase the metastatic potential of tumor cells; 2) radioresistance at high dose and metastatic potential are not related. However, inside a given tumor cell line, highly metastatic clones may elicit more cells showing H.R.S; or are more radiosensitive at high dose than poorly metastatic ones. Recent data obtained from molecular techniques (comet and immunofluorescence assays) applied to single cells irradiated at very low radiation doses (1-100 mGy) suggest that DNA ...
Petro-Canada's Terra Nova offshore oil platform was designed with the expectation that its Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel would be taken off location for maintenance and modifications work within the first 10 years of operation. Petro-Canada's 2006 extended Turnaround project was initiated to prepare for the maintenance and transport of the FPSO. The project aimed to execute an extended turnaround in approximately 90 days. The cost of the project was estimated at $190.5 million. Shutdown occurred early on May 7, 2006 due to the failure of a generator gearbox. Staff were increased from 80 to 120 to complete critical preparation work. On June 17, the FPSO was disconnected and departed for Conception Bay. A turret cover plate was installed, and the FPSO began its voyage to a Rotterdam shipyard in the Netherlands. In order to complete the journey, a comprehensive marine transit manual and emergency ...
Background: EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) inhibitors confer clinical benefit in metastatic colorectal cancer when combined with chemotherapy. An emerging strategy to improve outcomes in rectal cancer is to integrate biologically active, targeted agents as triple therapy into chemoradiation protocols. Material and methods: cetuximab and bevacizumab have now been incorporated into phase I-II studies of preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for rectal cancer. The rationale of these combinations, early efficacy and toxicity data, and possible molecular predictors for tumor response are reviewed. Computerized bibliographic searches of Pubmed were supplemented with hand searches of reference lists and abstracts of ASCO and ASTRO meetings. Results: the combination of cetuximab and CRT can be safely applied without dose compromises of the respective treatment components. Disappointingly low rates of pathologic ...
Since the first operation of nuclear steam generator early 1960s, its performance requirements have been met but the steam generator problems have been met but the steam generator problems have been major cause of reducing the operational reliability, plant safety and availability. U-tube assembly of steam generator forms the primary system pressure boundary of the plant and have experienced several types of tube degradation problems. Tube failure and leakage resulting from the degradation will cause radioactive contamination of secondary system by the primary coolant, and this may lead to unplanned plant outages and costly repair operations such as tube plugging or steam generator replacement. For the case of steam generators for heavy water reactors, e.g. Wolsong 2, 3, and 4 NPP, a high cost of heavy water will be imposed additionally. During the plant operation, steam generator tubes can potentially be subject to adverse environmental ...
BackgroundDue to the high morbidity and mortality of fulminant hepatitis, early diagnosis followed by early effective treatment is the key for prognosis improvement. So far, little...Full Text Available
Abstract Background: Premature ovarian failure is diagnosed with a picture of amenorrhea, elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and age under 40 years. Twenty percent (20%) of patients with premature ovarian failure have a concomitant autoimmune disease. Cases of premature ovarian failure associated with Sj?gren syndrome have been reported in the literature. Patient and method: We report a case of a 42-year-old white woman with Sj?gren syndrome and premature ovarian failure who underwent a reversal of her premature ovarian failure and restoration of normal menses using an elimination diet protocol. The patient was diagnosed with her rheumatological condition in 2005 and started on disease-modifying antirheumatoid drugs, which were taken intermittently due to a concern over medicatio...
Breaker failure relaying has been generally achieved through the use of a current monitoring relay to determine whether current continues to flow into a fault after a breaker has been instructed to interrupt the circuit. If current continues to flow after a predefined period of time, the circuit breaker is considered to have failed. Steps must then be taken to trip the next set of upstream breakers in the power system to remove the faulted circuit and prevent system damage. However, with industrial power systems, this may be the utility`s breakers on the feeding transmission line. Regardless, breaker failure schemes must be designed to isolate both the faulted circuit and the failed circuit breaker. This paper discusses a new and innovative method of protecting a circuit breaker from the failure described above, plus other failures that go unprotected with conventional schemes, this providing total ...
Recessive mutations of the early phase change (epc) gene in maize affect several aspects of plant development. These mutations were identified initially because of...Full Text Available
Chronic heart failure (HF) is a cardiovascular disease of cardinal importance because of several factors: a) an increasing occurrence due to the aging of the population, primary and secondary prevention...Full Text Available
We describe a 59-year-old patient who developed acute renal failure because of rhabdomyolysis after extensive red fire ant bites. This case illustrates a serious systemic reaction that may occur from...Full Text Available
Refractory ascites can occur in patients with various conditions. Although several procedures based on the reinfusion of ascitic fluid have been reported after the failure of bed rest, salt and water...Full Text Available
Forty-six patients with end-stage renal failure were subjected to iliac crest biopsy before the initiation of a dialysis programme and regardless of the presence of skeletal symptoms....Full Text Available
BackgroundThe rhizomes of Cynodon dactylon are used for the treatment of heart failure in folk medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of hydroalcoholic...Full Text Available
Angiotensin II has adverse actions in heart failure including vasoconstriction, aldosterone secretion, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Valsartan, a potent specific angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, may produce beneficial effects in heart failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the steady-state pharmacokinetics of valsartan 40, 80, and 160 mg each given every 12 h for 7 days in heart failure patients. Eighteen patients with chronic stable heart failure and left ventricular ejection fractions power model, showed that doubling the dose increased the AUC and Cmax 1.8 times. The pharmacokinetics of valsartan are predictable in heart failure patients within the dose range of 40-160 mg BID. Age did not appear to have influenced the valsartan clearance in heart failure patients. The pharmacokinetic values were higher in heart ...
A mechanistic understanding of fracture in human bone is critical to predicting fracture risk associated with age and disease. Despite extensive work, a mechanistic framework for describing how the underlying microstructure affects the failure mode in bone is lacking.
BackgroundAlthough dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure (HF), the mechanism underlying DCM is not well understood. Previously, it has been demonstrated...Full Text Available
Background:The cardiac sodium–calcium exchanger (NCX1) is a key sarcolemmal protein for the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in the heart. Since heart failure...Full Text Available
Premature menopause, ovarian failure younger than 40 years of age, is relatively rare but may preclude childbearing for some women who delay attempts at fertility. We present five kindreds in which...Full Text Available
AimsTo determine the effect of exercise training on clinical events and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with systolic heart failure.Methods...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to ascertain whether all cervical cancer patients who received adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) for high risk of treatment failure after...Full Text Available
There is limited information about the true incidence of acute renal failure (ARF). Most studies could not quantify disease frequency in the general population as they are hospital-based and...Full Text Available
The reliability of an electrical power system is influenced by the operation of circuit-breaker (CB). A good indicator of circuit-breaker condition is its switching time. Based on it some of the critical circuit-breaker irregularities can be detected and removed before they develop to a failure. In this paper, the evaluation of time measurements (timings) in case of different failures will be carried out for two circuit-breaker solutions, i.e. with spring and hydraulic drive. Moreover, the relationships between switching time and failure type/location will be derived. Thereby, the influence of failure trend will also be taken into account. (author)
Presented are the results of the investigation of the kinetics and micromechanism of the failure in impact bending of oriented-crystallized specimens having the eutectic composition Ni_3Al-Ni_3Nb and of the bimetal composed of 45 steel + M3 copper. The failure kinetics was studied by high-speed filming, whereas the fractures were studied by electron fractography. The particularities of the failure of the laminar-type composite materials were found. Analyzed was the effect of the kinetic factors and the mechanism of failure upon its energy consumption.
... with the additional US funds supporting Islamic ... the FATA and NWFP, keeping Pakistan's government and ... Without these madrassas, the TTP is left ...
Aluminum electrolytic capacitors, with 1043 failures, are a good example. Also, categorization by size and voltage reveals such frequencies of occurrence as ...
... which extend beyond the upper airway. These include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorders, failure to thrive, and enuresis. Tonsillectomies ...
Stability concerns of the Par Pond Dam, an embankment structure in the Savannah River Site complex, resulted in a comprehensive evaluation of the state of its integrity. Specifically, excessive seepage through the embankment, slope failure due to an earthquake event as well as liquefaction potential of the embankment and the foundation are addressed and the potential of failure is evaluated. Lastly, remedial benefits of the addition of a berm structure are also assessed.
Heart failure goes beyond mechanical dysfunction and involves an interplay of multiple pathophysiologic mechanisms, including inflammation, tissue remodeling, neurohormonal and endocrine signaling, and interactions with the renal and nervous systems. This article highlights some novel biomarkers that may aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of acute heart failure, specifically focusing on ST2, endoglin, galectin-3, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase?associated lipocalin, midregional pro-adrenomedullin, chromogranin A, adiponectin, resistin, and leptin and their emerging clinical roles.
AimsThe prevalence and importance of liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in a large contemporary cohort of heart failure patients have not been systematically evaluated.Full Text Available
A case study is presented about the failure of a stainless steel blade reinforcing band in a steam turbine. The inspection results and analysis of samples of material are discussed. Being pitting corrosion and cracks the main defects found, a study of chemical composition and heat treatment state of the steel is made and findings are related to type of failure. (orig.)
1 The decreased binding of drugs and dyes to plasma proteins from male and female rats with acute renal failure has been investigated using equilibrium dialysis at 37 degrees C. 2 Acute renal failure...Full Text Available
Most of previous study for creep rupture of RPV lower head under severe accident condition, have been focused on global failure of RPV lower head. In contract, the local failure of the RPV nozzle region has not been studied in detail. The existence and features of nozzle failure in LAVA-ICI specimen of KAERI and LHF-4 specimen of Sandia National Lab., are observed. It is confirmed that the nozzle failure of LHF-4 specimen is due to the hoop stress in the RPV. The tensile tests in various temperatures and the creep rupture tests in various temperatures and stresses, are accomplished. The finite element analysis for LAVA-ICI experiment was confirmed, and the stress and deformation analysis results are used in LAVA-ICI experiment. 17 refs., 34 figs., 3 tabs. (Author)
In the field of Living Probabilistic Safety Assessment (LPSA) the reliability data updating is an important factor. In risk analysis equipment failure data is needed to estimate the frequencies of events contributing to risk posed by a facility. Five years data of emergency diesel generator (EDG) of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has been studied in this paper. The data updating process has been done by using two methods, i.e., the classical method and Bayesian method. The aim of using these methods is to calculate the operational failure rate (@l) and demand failure probability (p). The results show that the operational failure rate is 1.7E-3 per hour and the demand failure probability is 2.4E-2 demand per day for Daya Bay NPP. By comparing the results obtain from classical and Bayesi...
Connective tissue in biopsy specimens taken from the lower part of the uterine cervix in 40 pregnant women at various gestational ages was compared to that in similar biopsy specimens from 15 nonpregnant women. The concentrations of collagen, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid decreased during pregnancy. At the gestational age of 10 weeks, the collagen concentration was 70%, and at term 30%, of that in the nonpregnant cervix. After delivery, no further decrease was observed. The extractability of collagen increased during pregnancy, as well as during labor. Also, the water concentration increased. An increase in the collagenolytic activity was observed with advancing gestational age. The 2,4-dinitrophenyl-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gin-D-Arg hydrolytic activity (collagenase) and the concentration of leukocyte elastase increased gradually by a factor of 10. The physiologic importance of the collagen was also demonstrated, since the ...
Fetal nucleated cells within maternal blood represent a potential source of fetal genes obtainable by venipuncture. The authors used monoclonal antibody against the transferrin receptor (TIR) to identify nucleated erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of pregnant women. Candidate fetal cells from 19 pregnancies were isolated by flow sorting at 12 1/2-17 weeks gestation. The DNA in these cells was amplified for a 222-base-pair (bp) sequence present on the short arm of the Y chromosome as proof that the cells were derived from the fetus. The amplified DNA was compared with standardized DNA concentrations. In the case of the female fetus, DNA prepared from samples at 32 weeks of gestation and cord blood at delivery also showed the presence of the Y chromosomal sequence, suggesting Y sequence mosaicism or translocation. In 10/12 cases where the 222-bp band was absent, the fetuses were female. Thus, they were successful in detecting the Y chromosomal sequence in 75% of ...
When postpartum cervical biopsy specimens were compared with biopsy specimens from nonpregnant women, they revealed a 12-fold decrease in mechanical strength, a 50% reduction in the concentrations of collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycans, a 35% reduction in hyaluronic acid, an increase in collagen extractability, and a fivefold increase in collagenolytic activity. Primiparas with relatively high concentrations of collagen and hyaluronic acid had relatively long cervical dilatation times during established labor, suggesting a physiologic importance to these variables. This correlation was not found in multiparas, even though the mean values of the biochemical parameters tested were similar to those in primiparas. Second-trimester biopsy specimens taken from patients with cervical incompetence contained normal collagen concentrations, but relatively high collagen extractabilities and collagenolytic activities, exceeding normal postpartum values. A biopsy specimen that was tested ...
The effects of cocaine on the maternal and fetal pituitary-adrenal axis in vivo during pregnancy have not been reported. Six pregnant ewes and their fetuses underwent instrumentation at 113 to 119 days' gestation. Ewes were assigned to receive an intravenous bolus injection of vehicle or cocaine (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg.kg-1) at 124 to 136 days' gestation. Maternal arterial blood gases, fetal pH and fetal PCO2 were unchanged after injection of cocaine or vehicle. After administration of 2.0 mg.kg-1 cocaine, arterial fetal PO2 fell 3.2 +/- 1.72 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) at +5 minutes, returning to baseline by +15 minutes. Maternal and fetal adrenocorticotropin levels rose within 5 minutes after the highest cocaine dose (p less than 0.05). There was a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in maternal cortisol at all doses of cocaine and in fetal cortisol at +15 minutes after the 2.0 mg.kg-1. PMID:1847006
Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution has increasingly been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The evidence linking this exposure to congenital anomalies is still limited and controversial. This case-control study investigated the association between maternal exposure to ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 ?m (PM(10)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O(3)), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the occurrence of congenital heart disease in the population of Northeast England (1993-2003). Each case and control was assigned weekly average (weeks 3-8 of pregnancy) of pollutant levels measured by the closest monitor to the mother's residential postcode. Using exposure as both continuous and categorical variables, logistic regression models were constructed to quantify the adjusted odds ratios of exposure to air pollutants and the occurrence of each outcome group. We found exposure to ...
Microelectronic failure analysis (FA) has been an integral part of the development of state-of-the-art integrated circuits. FA of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) is moving from its infancy stage to assume an important role in the successful design, fabrication, performance and reliability analysis for this new technology. In previous work, the authors focused on the application of several techniques developed for integrated circuit analysis to an earlier version of a surface micromachined microengine fabricated at Sandia. Recently, they have identified important new failure modes in binary counters that incorporate a newer design of the microengine, using a subset of integrated circuit failure analysis techniques including optical microscopy, focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The primary failure mode they have identified is ...
The quality of the end product from andrology services continues to lack consistency and in some cases fails to meet the needs of the end users (patients or clinicians). Results of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes continue to show unacceptably wide variation for the results of a single specimen. Some laboratories are able to show that the results of semen analyses relate to both natural and assisted pregnancy and are therefore useful in the management of the infertile couple, whereas others claim that their value is limited to the identification of severe male factor infertility. With wide variation in standardisation of methodology, levels of staff training and quality assurance, it is entirely understandable that such discrepancies persist. The following article proposes that Qu...
... Do you certify Halal or Kosher meat? What fish feed do you allow? What levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found in organic fish? How can I be sure that organic products from abroad are really organic? Do you prosecute businesses that break the rules? Does the Soil Association carry out any routine testing of food? Do you test for GM material? Why do you allow additives in organic food? Is organic food fortified with vitamins and minerals? Why choose organic during pregnancy?...
This probabilistic analysis of WIPP TRUDOCK crane failure is based on two sources of failure data. The source for operator errors is the report by Swain and Guttman, NUREG/CR-1278-F, August 1983. The source for crane cable hook breaks was initially made by WIPP/WID-96- 2196, Rev. O by using relatively old (1970s) U.S. Navy data (NUREG-0612). However, a helpful analysis by R.K. Deremer of PLG guided the authors to values that were more realistic and more conservative, with the recommendation that the crane cable/hook failure rate should be 2.5 x 10-6 per demand. This value was adopted and used. Based on these choices a mean failure rate of 9.70 x 10-3(1/yr) was calculated. However, a mean rate by itself does not reveal the level of confidence to be associated with this number. Guidance to making confidence calculations came from the report by Swain and Guttman, who stated that ...
Polyethylene gas piping is expected to be in service for times on the order of 50 years depending on service conditions. Therefore research research on piping materials and pipes has two principal objectives: (a) developing methods for predicting when a pipe will fail and (b) improving the material for piping. The prediction of long time failure hinges on the development of short time test methods which relate to long time failure. The improvement in the behavior of current materials also hinges on the use of test methods of short duration relative to the anticipated life time of the pipe in service. One of the primary criterion for an acceptable test method is that it produces the same type of failure as is observed after long time failure in service. It has been found that P.E. pipe material fails in a brittle mode after long periods of time. The failure mode is called brittle ...
The TS-1 and TS-2 TREAT transient experiments subjected a low burnup (2 MWd/kg) and a medium burnup (58 MWd/kg), respectively, FFTF irradiated fuel pin to unprotected 5 cents/s overpower transient conditions. The fuel pin failure response was similar in the two tests, which demonstrated a large margin to failure (P/P_0 > 3) and a favorable upper level failure location. Thus, for these transient conditions, burnup effects on transient performance appeared to be minimal in the range tested. Pin disruption in the medium burnup TS-2 test was more severe due to the higher fission gas pressurization, but failure occurred at only a 5% lower power level than for the low burnup TS-1 fuel pin. Both tests exhibited axial extrusion of molten fuel to the region above the fuel column several seconds before pin failure, demonstrating a potentially beneficial inherent safety mechanism to delay ...
Airborne pollutants can cause failures in switching and computing equipment. This paper focuses on a subset of such pollutants - airborne fine particles (<2.5 [mu]m diameter). It begins by examining the extent to which different improvements in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems reduce indoor concentrations of fine particles. For each modification, the consequent reduction in soiling rate is derived. The concomitant increase in operating costs is also calculated. These costs are then compared with the costs of failures in telephone switching offices, leading to estimates of failure rate reductions that would make improvements cost-effective. Finally, the reduction in failures required to offset the costs of the improvements are compared with documented differences in failure rates between unimproved and improved environments. This study suggests that, in ...
This paper presents a method for the optimal design of high voltage transmission lines taking into consideration shielding and backflashover failure rates. The minimization of suitably defined performance indices, which relate the failures caused by lightning in a transmission line to both line insulation level and tower footing resistance, is aimed. Optimum values for both line insulation level and tower footing resistance are calculated. The method is applied on several operating Hellenic transmission lines of 150 and 400kV, respectively, carefully selected among others, due to their high failure rates during lightning thunderstorms. Special attention has been paid on open loop lines, where a possible failure could bring the system out of service causing significant problems. The obtained design parameters, which reduce the failure rates caused by lightning, are compared with the ...
A series of deletion mutants extending from -250 toward the capsite has been constructed in the early promoter region of the adenovirus 2 EIIa gene and tested both in vitro, and in vivo after transfection...Full Text Available
Sunbed use is associated with increased risk of melanoma. Younger people might be more susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation. We investigated the association between...Full Text Available
The changes in protein species synthesized during early Drosophila embryogenesis were characterized by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Of the 261 proteins scored, 68 (26%) show dramatic changes in...Full Text Available
AbstractStudies performed to identify early events of ovarian cancer and to establish molecular markers to support early detection and development of chemopreventive regimens have been...Full Text Available
Purpose.To estimate the prevalence of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in India.Methods.Of 7518 people aged 60 years and older...Full Text Available
Cognitive rehabilitation is an effective intervention for addressing cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia. Previous research has shown that the early application of Cognitive...Full Text Available
The origin of myofibroblasts or myofibroblastic cells in the desmoplastic stroma associated with carcinoma invasion has been controversial. In the early invasive area of a rectal adenocarcinoma reported...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe precise mechanisms involved in the initiation and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not known. Early stages of RA often have non-specific symptoms, delaying...Full Text Available
Early detection of precancerous tissue has significantly improved survival of most cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). Animal models designed to study the early stages of cancer are valuable...Full Text Available
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established endoscopic technique for ablating Barrett’s esophagus with high-grade dysplasia or early-stage intraepithelial neoplasia. The most common clinically...Full Text Available
The long-term impact of early stress on behavior and emotions is well documented in humans, and can be modeled in experimental animals. In mice, maternal separation during early postnatal development...Full Text Available
BackgroundPeak bone mass, attained by early adulthood, is influenced by genetic and life-style factors. Early infant feeding and duration of breastfeeding in particular, associate...Full Text Available
SUMMARYDendritic cells (DCs) in mucosal surfaces are early targets for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). DCs mount rapid and robust immune responses upon pathogen encounter....Full Text Available
In both humans and songbirds, infants learn vocalizations by imitating the sounds of adult tutors with whom they interact during an early sensitive period. Vocal learning occurs in few animal taxa;...Full Text Available
BackgroundOne-stage implant placement has clinically acceptable treatment outcomes. Among other advantages, it may allow investigation of early wound healing. The...Full Text Available
Higher plants use photoperiodic cues to regulate many aspects of development, including the transition from vegetative to floral development. The EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3)...Full Text Available
Instantaneous cross sectional flow velocity profiles from early mitral flow in 10 healthy men were constructed by time interpolation of the velocity data from each point in sequentially delayed two...Full Text Available
Early simian virus 40-specific mRNA was isolated from lytically infected and stably transformed cells and analyzed with respect to the 5'-terminal cap content. An analogous diversity of capped structures...Full Text Available
This study describes the formulations to optimize the time interval of inspections and/or replacements of equipment/parts taking into account the probability density functions (PDF) for failure rates and parameters of failure distribution functions (FDF) and evaluates the optimized results of these time intervals using our formulations by comparing with those using only representative values of failure rates and the parameters of FDF instead of using these PDFs. The PDFs are obtained with Bayesian method and the representative values are obtained with likelihood estimation method. However, any significant difference is not observed between both optimized results within our preliminary calculations. (author)
A wood/polymer composite was produced by impregnating Ramin wood with methyl methacrylate monomer and subsequently polymerizing it by gamma irradiation. To assess the improvement in compression strength of the wood caused by the polymer impregnation, a microbuckling compression failure mechanism was used to model the compression failure of the composite. Such a mechanism was found to predict a linear relationship between the compression strength and the percentage polymer impregnation (by weight). Uniaxial compression test results at 45({plus minus}5)% and 90({plus minus}5)% relative humidity levels, after being statistically analysed, showed that such a linear relationship was valid for up to 100% polymer impregnation. (author).
A wood/polymer composite was produced by impregnating Ramin wood with methyl methacrylate monomer and subsequently polymerizing it by gamma irradiation. To assess the improvement in compression strength of the wood caused by the polymer impregnation, a microbuckling compression failure mechanism was used to model the compression failure of the composite. Such a mechanism was found to predict a linear relationship between the compression strength and the percentage polymer impregnation (by weight). Uniaxial compression test results at 45(#+-#5)% and 90(#+-#5)% relative humidity levels, after being statistically analysed, showed that such a linear relationship was valid for up to 100% polymer impregnation. (author).
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has for over ten years provided materials testing and failure analysis services to various coal conversion and utilization facilities in the United States. ORNL was involved in these types of activities at all four of the major coal liquefaction pilot plants. This paper presents a summary of activities at Wilsonville over the past two and one-half years. Some details of these activities are discussed below. Failure analysis of elastomers, stainless steels, and alloys is discussed. 6 refs., 9 figs., 13 tabs.
The wind industry has experienced premature turbine component failures during the past years. With the increase in turbine size, these failures, especially those found in the major drivetrain components, i.e. main shaft, gearbox, and generator, have become extremely costly. Given that the gearbox is the most costly component in the drivetrain to fix, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated the Gearbox Reliability Collaborative (GRC) to determine the causes for premature gearbox failures and subsequently, recommend improvements to gearbox design, manufacture, and operational practices. The GRC has two identical test gearboxes, which are planned for a dynamometer and a field test, respectively.
There has been a steady increase in the number of revision total knee arthroplasties being performed in the United States. Hinge knee prostheses are used predominantly in complex primary or revision arthroplasties, often as salvage procedures. Significant improvement of the articulation between the rotating hinge mechanism and tibial component has decreased the stresses that contributed to earlier failures in previous generation designs. Two cases of fracture of the tibial metal post in the rotating hinge of a revision total knee arthroplasty were evaluated and treated at our institution within a 1-month period. We present our experience with this construct failure and subsequent patient management.
A fuel plate examination was conducted in the hot cell and canal to determine the possible failure modes for three plates leaking fission products. The plates were irradiated in the Extended Life Aluminide Fuel (ELAF) program in support of university research reactor goals to increase the limits presently allowed. The examination indicated pitting corrosion to be the failure mode. Other failure modes such as: (a) nonbonded swelling, (b) excessive fuel swelling, and (c) overheating of the plates were not observed.
Mission losses were incurred by an early warning satellite and a Milstar-2 communications satellite when their launch vehicles malfunctioned, the first, ...
Purpose of reviewTo summarize recent advances in the classification of preradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).Recent findingsFull Text Available
of the Intelligent Control System (ICS) for reusable rocket engines. .... the incoming measurements with corresponding estimates, a sensor failure can be ...
Several randomized studies have been completed in prostate cancer that show a benefit to immediate postoperative treatment in patients undergoing prostatectomy. In one of the studies, there was even...Full Text Available
Mangroves are disappearing rapidly worldwide despite their well documented biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Failure to link ecological processes and their societal benefits has...Full Text Available
The location of defective LMFBR fuel pins by the determination of gas tag isotopic ratios is discussed. The application of this method to the FFTF Reactor briefly described.
The coolant activity analysis to obtain the information about the fuel failure has been studied long before. And several codes have been developed to estimate the number of fuel failures through evaluating volatile and inert fission products release in coolant from the defective fuel. These codes use a fission product diffusion model coupled with a mass balance in the gap and coolant. But each code has a different model to assess fuel failure. In order to develop the model to estimate the number of fuel failures we analysis well-known code's models such as CHIRON, CADE, IODYNE, and CAAP and compare accuracy through Korean PWR activity data
Corrosion failures in circuits of foreign NPPs are considered. According to American statistics there are more corrosion failures in two-circuit NPPs than in NPPs with one circuit. Steam generators mostly suffer from ''corrosion denting''. Lately pitting corrosion becomes a potentially serious problem. Steam generator vertical tubes are mainly subjected to this corrosion type. Attention is drawn to intercrystalline corrosion. The causes of corrosion are described. The problem of optimization of structural materials is discussed to reduce corrosion failures as well as other methods of decreasing corrosion failures. Organization of nondestructive testing, increased requirements to water and steam purity are of great importance.
A general purpose Emergency Generator Set (EGS) is considered for a methodological study and related reliability behavior is analyzed. In particular in a procedure of reliability and availability analysis of a EGS, dependent failure events need a complex mathematical model as state-space model to be a accurately evaluated. Furthermore these dependent failure events are one of the most important reliability characteristic of EGS. This paper suggests a procedure for reliability calculations in presence of dependent failure based on the evaluation of a equivalent failure rate that can be fitted to a network reduction method by simple mathematical calculations. The simplified models analyzed show a good accuracy for a wide range of variation of main reliability characteristics of EGS and utility. The advantages obtained are very useful on reliability evaluation because the possibility of use of network ...
... position must not be penalized in their NCO Evaluation Report (NCOER). ... failure to perform MOS-, SQI-, or ASI-related duties after counseling. ...
The most frequent ultimate cause of death is myocardial arrest. In many cases this is due to myocardial hypoxia, generally arising from failure of the coronary macro- and microcirculation to deliver...Full Text Available
The last decade has produced an explosion in neuroscience research examining young children's early processing of language that has implications for education. Noninvasive, safe functional brain measurements have now been proven feasible for use with children starting at birth. In the arena of language, the neural signatures of learning can be documented at a remarkably early point in development, and these early measures predict performance in children's language and pre-reading abilities in the second, third, and fifth year of life, a finding with theoretical and educational import. There is evidence that children's early mastery of language requires learning in a social context, and this finding also has important implications for education. Evidence relating socioeconomic status (SES) ...
The AP-0 Target Hall Collection Lens is a pulsed device which focuses anti-protons just downstream of the Target. Since the angles at which the anti-protons depart the Target can be quite large, a very high focusing strength is required to maximize anti-proton capture into the downstream Debuncher Ring. The current design of the Collection Lens was designed to operate with a focusing gradient of 1,000 T/m. However, multiple failures of early devices resulted in lowering the normal operating gradient to about 750 T/m. At this gradient, the Lens design fares much better, lasting several million pulses, but ultimately still fails. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been performed on this Collection Lens design to help determine the cause and/or nature of the failures. The Collection Lens magnetic field is created by passing high current through a central conductor cylinder. A uniform current distribution through the cylinder ...
The mammalian placenta consists of different trophoblast cell types that assist in the variety of functions required for the maintenance of pregnancy. In rodents, labyrinthine trophoblasts of the placenta are especially important, because they are capable of differentiating into fused labyrinthine cells, which form the feto-maternal exchange surface. Even though the molecular signals triggering labyrinthine trophoblast differentiation are poorly understood, transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) has been shown to be present in the placental environment and alter trophoblast development. In this study, we investigated the effects of TGF-b on the differentiation of the labyrinthine trophoblast stem cell lines SM10 and HRP-1. RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that while the molecular expression of l...
BACKGROUNDLifestyle modifications are successfully employed to treat obese and overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aims of the current pilot study were (i) to compare the efficacy on reproductive functions of a structured exercise training (SET) programme with a diet programme in obese PCOS patients and (ii) to study their clinical, hormonal and metabolic effects to elucidate potentially different mechanisms of action.METHODSForty obese PCOS patients with anovulatory infertility underwent a SET programme (SET group, n = 20) and a hypocaloric hyperproteic diet (diet group, n = 20). Clinical, hormonal and metabolic data were assessed at baseline, and at 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Primary endpoint was cumulative pregnancy rate.RESULTSThe two groups had similar demogra...
Summary The aim of the study was to perform a retrospective review of records to test a possible significant association between sudden, modest weight loss (t-test and Wilcoxon test p values were 0.95 and 0.61, respectively. A Kolmogorov-?Smirnov test p value was 0.2139. A one-half standard deviation difference in time to delivery, approximately 2.5 days, was detectable with 0.95 probability. It was concluded that these data may be the first time this question has been investigated and provide evidence that sudden, modest weight loss at the end of pregnancy is not associated with shorter time to onset of natural labour.
A few studies have found poor semen quality in sons whose mothers have received fertility treatment, but it is unknown whether the poor semen quality is related to the infertility treatment or to infertility per se, for example, whether it is caused by hereditable factors. Using data from a population-based, Danish follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006, the authors of the present study examined whether sons of subfertile couples who had not received fertility treatment had poorer semen quality than sons of fertile couples. Among the 311 participants, an inverse association between parental waiting time to pregnancy and both semen volume and total sperm count was observed (p trend = 0.04 and p trend = 0.046, respectively). Semen volume in sons of subfertile parents (pregnant after ?1 ye...
The intrinsic fluorescence of clear amniotic fluid from third-trimester pregnancy is reported. The fluorescence intensity peaked at 405 nm when excited by ultraviolet light in the range of 310 to 360 nm. All of the 33 samples tested fluoresced, and their emission spectrum had the same shape, varying only in magnitude. Changing sample temperature (20 to 50 C) and sample pH (7.2 to 7.7) had little effect on the emission spectrum. The same fluorescence, with higher intensity, was observed when some newborn urine was tested. The fluorescence of amniotic fluid may provide a new tool to determine fetal age, fetal organ maturation, and fetal distress. (author).
Intra uterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a major complication of pregnancy, affecting ~5% to 10% of newborns. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is an organochlorine pesticide that consists of eight stereoisomers and g-isomer is the only isomer that possesses insecticidal activity. The aim of the present study was to analyze the OCP residues in maternal and cord blood of women and to assess the level of oxidative stress markers as well as to establish correlation with OCP levels. Fifty women delivering neonates with low birth weight (IUGR) and equal number of women delivering normal birth weight babies (control) were recruited. We have observed higher levels of g-HCH and T-HCH and increased oxidative stress markers in IUGR subjects versus control subjects. Significant correlations were also fou...
The possible long-term effects of chronic radiation exposure have been studied. Rats were given tritiated drinking water (3 #mu#Ci/ml) before and during pregnancy and thereafter continuously through five generations. The brains were studied at 30 and 120 days postnatally. Significant decreases in weight and DNA and protein contents of specific parts of the brain were found, the most pronounced decreases being in the diencephalon. The decrease in protein content were more pronounced than the decreases in DNA content; the decreases were also more pronounced at 30 days than at 120 days, and more pronounced in the fith generation than in previous generations.
Summary Although risk assessments are typically conducted on a chemical-by-chemical basis, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act required the US Environmental Protection Agency to consider cumulative risk of chemicals that act via a common mechanism of toxicity. To this end, we are conducting studies with mixtures of chemicals to elucidate mechanisms of joint action at the systemic level with the goal of providing a framework for assessing the cumulative effects of reproductive toxicants. Previous mixture studies conducted with antiandrogenic chemicals are reviewed briefly and two new studies are described. In all binary mixture studies, rats were dosed during pregnancy with chemicals, singly or in pairs, at dosage levels equivalent to approximately one-half of the ED50 for hypospadias or e...
Mammary glands are special tissue characterized by proliferation of the epithelium, during puberty and pregnancy and by programmed cell death, during involution. In this study, apoptosis was identified by TUNEL staining and then related to cell proliferation, as determined by Ki-67 staining. The apoptotic index was at its highest at 8 days of involution, whereas the proliferation index was at its highest during lactation. Caspase-3 was immunolocalised only in mast cells and along the basal membrane in the mammary tissue at -10 days from lambing, 150 days of lactation and at 8 days of involution. This finding could indicate that caspase-3 is not involved in sheep mammary gland apoptosis, but that other proteins - such as apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) - can trigger apoptosis, through the m...
The assessment and control of fetal exposure to radiation in the workplace is an issue that is complicated by both biological and political/social ramifications. As a result of the dramatic increase in the number of women employed as radiation workers during the past 10 years, many facilities using radioactive materials have instituted fetal protection programs with special requirements for female radiation workers. It is necessary, however, to ensure that any fetal protection program be developed in such a way as to be nondiscriminatory. A study has been initiated whose purpose is to balance the political/social and the biological ramifications associated with occupational protection of the developing embryo/fetus. Several considerations are involved in properly balancing these factors. These considerations include appropriate methods of declaring the pregnancy, training workers, controlling the dose to the embryo/fetus, measuring and calculating the dose to the ...
The failure of receivers has been one of the main operating problems at the White Cliffs solar thermal power plant. This Technical Note reports the results of an initial investigation that identifies the cause as having been their thermal fatiguing of the tube walls. The fatigue appears to be caused by unstable heat transfer at vapor qualities below the point where critical heat flux is generally exceeded. Methods for avoiding this problem are tested.
Failure of multiple components due to a common cause represents one of the most important issues in evaluation of system reliability or unavailability. The frequency of such events has relatively low expectancy, when compared to random failures, which affect individual components. However, in many cases the consequence is a direct loss of safety system or mitigative safety function. For this reason, the modeling of a common cause failure (CCF) and its presentation in fault tree structure is of the uttermost importance in probabilistic safety analyses (PSA). Amongst the different techniques available to reduce the impact of common cause failures, the most important operations related technique, is that of staggered testing. In the TAPP 3,4 Level-1 PSA it was found that the contribution of Common Cause Failures to the Core Damage Frequency (CDF) was significant. The Common Cause ...
The purpose of the Microelectronic Evaluation Laboratory at Sandia is to develop a program for evaluating CMOS LSI (complementary metal oxide silicon - large scale integrated) technology devices which are being used for the first time in a weapon system. These evaluations are based on accelerated aging studies and electrical tests to determine the reliability and life of the devices. In accelerated aging, specific, controlled stresses are applied to the device to accelerate time-to-failure. Data are used tin mathematical models to estimate life in acutal use. The stresses used for this technology are temperature and voltage. The devices are stored at temperatures with or without voltage applied (steady-state or cyclical) and periodically tested until at least 50% failures are encountered. Since most current technologies use epoxy-die-attachment, aging temperatures must be under 200/sup 0/C. This delays device failure, and a ...
Only a small number of radiation accidents in the United States have been severe enough to result in multi-organ failure (MOF). Medical details of selected medical misadministration and criticality cases are reviewed, with an emphasis on pathophysiology. The four criticality cases are particularly relevant for analysis of MOF, since medical treatment was supportive and did not appreciably alter the clinical evolution of radiation injury. PMID:15975871
This paper investigates the calculation of availability for parallel transmission lines (two or more) in the same tower or on the same right of way. As in many studies, the development of mathematical models is an important step. The models are justified using historical data and known characteristics of power system elements. A statistical method was used to generalize the failure rate and repair rate from real operating data. Application of the new model (which combines common-mode, simultaneous independent, and dependent outages) is discussed.
This report contains the results of a survey of reactor coolant pump shaft seal reliability. The survey sample is representatively large (approx. = 27% of total US commercial plant population) and includes the three industry seal suppliers (Bingham-Williamette, Byron Jackson, and Westinghouse). Operationally incurred/induced problems and seal redesign parameters are identified. Failure hypotheses in the form of fault trees have been developed to describe the failure mechanisms. Recommendations are made for seal reliability improvement.
The paper presents results of studies on the effect of heat treatment on strength and pattern of 40Kh steel impact failure. Loading levels corresponding to macroscopic spalling microdamage initiation in the material are determined for three initial states. Metallographic study on the spalling failure pattern for 40Kh steel in different initial states and data on microhardness measurement are presented.
Probabilistic assessment methods can be used to identify specific plant vulnerabilities. Application of such methods can also facilitate selection among system design alternatives available for safety enhancements. The quality of assessment results is however strongly dependent on realistic and accurate input data for modelling of system component behaviour and failure modes during conditions to be assessed. Use of conservative input data may not lead to results providing guidance on safety upgrades. Adequate input data for probabilistic assessments seems to be lacking for at least failure modes of some electrical components when exposed to a fire. This report presents an attempt to improve the situation with respect to such input data. In order to take advantage of information in existing documentation of fire incident occurrences some of the lessons learned from the fire at Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant on March 22, 1975 are discussed in ...
A historical overview of corrosion problems found in power plant condensers and mitigation procedures is presented. The paper is organized according to alloy type and failure mode. Alloys considered are copper-base alloys, stainless steels and titanium. Failure modes discussed include erosion-corrosion, sulfide attack, environmentally assisted cracking, galvanic corrosion, steam condensate corrosion, pitting corrosion, and dealloying. Mitigation procedures discussed include cathodic protection, ferrous ion injection, as well as tube cleaning and layup practices.
Power devices such as MOSFETSs and IGBTs, include parasitic structures that can give rise to destructive failures such as breakdown and latch-up. To determine a suitable strategy for device radiation hardening, simulation software like MEDICI-2D can be used to model the effects of technological modifications and device parameters that are difficult to measure experimentally. (authors).
On February 9, 1995 ComEd experienced a pipe type cable failure on 138kV line 13717. Line 1737 is a bulk power transmission cable circuit connecting The Fisk and Crawford generating stations located within city limits. The line is approximately 4.5 miles long and was originally installed in 1975. This line is forced cooled, has 2,500 KCMIL copper conductors with 505 mils of paper insulation in an 8 inch pritec coated steel pipe. The splices are constructed with Voltalit castings. The failure occurred approximately 3,500 feet from Crawford Station. It was easy to locate the failure since the cable joint casing was breached resulting in the loss of approximately 2,600--2,700 gallons of dielectric fluid. Upon field examination B Phase was determined to have failed. The failure occurred 12 inches inside the casing in an area where it was impossible to install a long connector or add an additional short ...
Reliability has an impact on wind energy project costs and benefits. Both life test data and field failure data can be used for reliability analysis. In wind energy industry, wind farm operators have greater interest in recording wind turbine operating data. However, field failure data may be tainted or incomplete, and therefore it needs a more general mathematical model and algorithms to solve the model. The aim of this paper is to provide a solution to this problem. A three-parameter Weibull failure rate function is discussed for wind turbines and the parameters are estimated by maximum likelihood and least squares. Two populations of German and Danish wind turbines are analyzed. The traditional Weibull failure rate function is also employed for comparison. Analysis shows that the three-parameter Weibull function can obtain more accuracy on reliability growth of wind turbines. This work will be ...
A 25m wind turbine blade was tested to failure when subjected to a flapwise load. With the test setup, it was possible to test the blade to failure at three diffe-rent locations. The objective of these tests is to learn about how a wind turbine blade fails when exposed to a large flapwise load and how failures propagate. The report shows also results from ultra sonic scan of the surface of the blade and it is seen to be very useful for the detection of defects, especially in the layer between the skin laminate and the load carrying main spar. Acoustic emission was successfully used as sensor for the detection of damages in the blade during the test. The report contains measurements of the total deflection of the blade, the local deflection of the skin and the load carrying main spar and also measurement of strain all as a function of the applied load and up to failure of the blade. The 'post ...
A modified boundary element approach was used to analyze the response of offshore piles subjected to external soil movements. The computer model employed to solve the pile-soil problem was able to model pile head and tip loading, and loading caused by lateral movement of soil. A nonlinear pile-soil interface element with the ability to represent a hardening or softening plastic response prior to reaching an ultimate state was incorporated. With the program, 4 failure modes can be determined: flow of the soil slide past an intact stationary pile; rotation of the pile with the soil at failure along the full pile length; translation of the pile with the sliding soil, resulting in failure of the supporting soil; and the long-pile mode, in which the maximum bending moment in the pile reaches the yield moment of the pile before complete development of the other 3 modes. Theoretical solutions for a realistic hypothetical offshore ...
As part of the Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability Program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory is developing a method that uses risk-based approaches to establish in-service inspection plans for nuclear power plant components. This method uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) results and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) techniques to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection. The Surry Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 was selected for pilot applications of this method. The specific systems addressed in this report are the reactor pressure vessel, the reactor coolant, the low-pressure injection, and the auxiliary feedwater. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components within these systems and relate the target risk to target failure probability values for individual components. These results will be used to guide the development of ...
A few studies have found poor semen quality in sons whose mothers have received fertility treatment, but it is unknown whether the poor semen quality is related to the infertility treatment or to infertility per se, for example, whether it is caused by hereditable factors. Using data from a population-based, Danish follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006, the authors of the present study examined whether sons of subfertile couples who had not received fertility treatment had poorer semen quality than sons of fertile couples. Among the 311 participants, an inverse association between parental waiting time to pregnancy and both semen volume and total sperm count was observed (p trend = 0.04 and p trend = 0.046, respectively). Semen volume in sons of subfertile parents (pregnant after > or =1 years) was 19% lower in comparison with that in sons of parents whose waiting time to pregnancy was 0-6 months (p = 0.02). Additionally, sperm ...
A few studies have found poor semen quality in sons whose mothers have received fertility treatment, but it is unknown whether the poor semen quality is related to the infertility treatment or to infertility per se, for example, whether it is caused by hereditable factors. Using data from a population-based, Danish follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006, the authors of the present study examined whether sons of subfertile couples who had not received fertility treatment had poorer semen quality than sons of fertile couples. Among the 311 participants, an inverse association between parental waiting time to pregnancy and both semen volume and total sperm count was observed (p trend = 0.04 and p trend = 0.046, respectively). Semen volume in sons of subfertile parents (pregnant after > or =1 years) was 19% lower in comparison with that in sons ofparents whose waiting time to pregnancy was 0-6 months (p = 0.02). Additionally, sperm concentration ...
Recurrent variceal bleeding due to liver cirrhosis led to treatment with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in a pregnant woman at 20 weeks` gestation. Fetal radiation exposure was estimated to be less than 10 mSv. The use of a graduated catheter allowed measurement of field size and reliable determination of the patient`s entrance dose. Radiation exposure of an approximated fetal dosage of 5.2 mSv did not justify abortion for medical reasons. Therefore, TIPS procedure is not generally contraindicated during pregnancy itself. TIPS placement may be a therapeutic option related to the severity of the underlying maternal disease, after radiation exposure of the fetus has been estimated. (orig.) [Deutsch] Bei rezidivierender Oesophagusvarizenblutung auf dem Boden einer Leberzirrhose wurde bei bestehender Schwangerschaft der 20. Woche ein transjugulaerer portosystemischer Stent-Shunt (TIPS) neu angelegt. Praeinterventionell wurde die zu erwartende ...
Whole-body retention and excretion following a single oral dose of radiolabeled lead (/sup 203/Pb) in chronically lead-exposed pregnant BK:W mice were examined over 10-13 days. This was compared with values in similarly treated nonpregnant females and in ip injected females. Whole-body and bone retention were greater in injected than in orally dosed nonpregnant females; gastrointestinal absorption was estimated from this difference. Whole-body retention in the pups was measured at birth and at the end of the experiment. Whole-body retentions in pregnant females and in their pups at birth were significantly raised after treatment at Gestational Day 17, but not after treatment at Gestational Day 11, 14, 20, 23, or 26. Pup body burdens at birth were significantly and positively correlated with maternal retention. Measurement of radioactivity in bone, kidney, brain, heart, and liver of adults at the end of the experiments showed significantly increased levels in bone and kidney from ...
Whole-body retention and excretion following a single oral dose of radiolabeled lead ("2"0"3Pb) in chronically lead-exposed pregnant BK:W mice were examined over 10-13 days. This was compared with values in similarly treated nonpregnant females and in ip injected females. Whole-body and bone retention were greater in injected than in orally dosed nonpregnant females; gastrointestinal absorption was estimated from this difference. Whole-body retention in the pups was measured at birth and at the end of the experiment. Whole-body retentions in pregnant females and in their pups at birth were significantly raised after treatment at Gestational Day 17, but not after treatment at Gestational Day 11, 14, 20, 23, or 26. Pup body burdens at birth were significantly and positively correlated with maternal retention. Measurement of radioactivity in bone, kidney, brain, heart, and liver of adults at the end of the experiments showed significantly increased levels in bone and kidney from females ...
Female rats were given tritiated drinking water (3 microCi/ml) from 30 days before mating up to and throughout pregnancy. At this low dose, the course and the outcome of pregnancy were normal. The differences between newborn body and cerebral weights of the treated rats and those of control animals were on the borderline of significance. In contrast, cerebral DNA and cerebral protein were highly significantly lower. In 30-35% of the treated population the DNA and protein values were more than 2 standard deviations (SD) below the mean values for the control population. Thus the number of the progeny of the mothers exposed to tritiated water that were considered to have outstandingly low levels of DNA and protein was 14-17 times greater than in the control group. The irradiated population also had 3-5% of severely affected individuals with cerebral DNA and protein values more than 2 SD below the mean of the experimental population. However, even ...
Influenza virus infection during pregnancy has been implicated as one of cause of premature delivery, abortion and stillbirth. We have reported that cultured human fetal membrane chorion cells undergoing apoptosis by influenza virus infection secrete unidentified heat-stable monocyte differentiation-inducing (MDI) factors. In this study, cellular, biological and immunochemical characteristics of MDI factors were investigated using human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and cell adhesion assays. The treatment of THP-1 cells with culture supernatants from the influenza virus-infected chorion cells induced the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction ability, which was inhibited by the addition of superoxide dismutase and diphenyleneiodonium chloride, an inhibitor for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase. The phenomenon was also observed in human peripheral blood monocytes and histiocytic leukemia U937 cells, but not in ...
This study was designed to quantitate the dose resulting from lead exposure during the critical periods of brain development during gestation by determining: (1) if blood lead concentration in rat dams is affected by pregnancy status or duration of lead exposure, (2) if lead concentration in fetuses is associated with the duration of dam exposure, (3) the rates of lead absorption and elimination in pregnant and nonpregnant dams; and (4) the effect that prebreeding exposure on lead kinetics in the dam and upon fetus blood lead concentrations. The results of experiments in which the dams' drinking water contained 50 mg/L lead indicate blood lead levels (after normalizing by water consumption on a body weight basis) of pregnant rats are significantly higher than blood lead levels of non-pregnant rats. Statistical differences in blood lead levels were observed by day 15 of gestation and continue through day 20 of gestation. These blood lead differences are not due to ...
The study presented in this thesis is a contribution about the analysis of failures modes of electrolytic capacitors and thyristors. The studied components are main elements of the protection system of the superconductive magnets of the LHC. The study of the ageing of the electrolytic capacitors has shown that their reliability is strongly related to their technological characteristic. Evolution of their principal indicator of ageing (ESR) can be modeled according to different laws chosen according to their running mode. It appears that the prediction of failure of these components other than that due to wear can be only statistical taking into account the many causes of failure involving various modes of failure. In order to be able to evaluate influence of the ageing of the electrolytic capacitors on a system, simple models taking into account this parameters as well as the effective temperature of ...
A series of six transient tests was performed on FFTF irradiated fuel pins to demonstrate their transient performance capability. The tests were performed in the TREAT reactor using sodium loops and instrumented test trains. The TEMECH computer code was used to design overpower transients which would simulate FFTF fuel pin thermal conditions during slow and fast unprotected transients. Some tests were run to substantial overpower levels but terminated prior to fuel pin failure, while other tests were intentionally extended to fuel failure to establish failure thresholds and characteristics. Post-test examination data provided significant cladding strain and fuel melting information used for performance code calibration and validation. These data showed that cladding damage caused by fuel melting is related to the steady state condition of the fuel.
The performance of steam generator tubes in water-cooled nuclear power reactors has been reviewed for 1979. Tube failures occurred at 38 of the 93 reactors surveyed. Causes of these failures and procedures designed to deal with them are described. The defect rate was twice that in 1978 but still lower than the two previous years. Methods being employed to detect defects include increasing use of multifrequency eddy-current testing and a trend to full-length inspection of all tubes. To reduce the incidence of tube failures by corrosion, plant operators are turning to full-flow condensate demineralization and more leak-resistant condenser tubes. (author).
Carbon steel is frequently used to construct concentrated sulphuric acid storage tanks. This paper discussed the corrosion performance of carbon steel tanks and outlined the underlying mechanisms responsible for major corrosion modes. Analyses of hydrogen grooving and dilute acid corrosion failure mechanisms were presented. Recent corrosion-induced leak failures were also discussed. The use of anodic protection and organic coatings as a corrosion control measure was also evaluated. The results of laboratory studies that were conducted to understand corrosion-induced failures showed that carbon steel electrodes exhibited transpassive corrosion at relatively high anodic potentials, while stainless steel electrodes exhibited transpassive corrosion at anodic potentials less than 1 V. It was concluded that corrosion-induced leaks can be prevented by using anodic protection and baked phenolic coating technologies. 23 refs., 9 ...
Design rules for robustness require insensitivity to local failure and the prevention of progressive collapse. This is often verified by applying the load case ''removal of a limited part of the structure''. This paper will evaluate typical structural systems for large-span timber roof structures against these requirements, comparing the results against typical reasons for damages and failures. Applying the finding that most failures of timber structures are not caused by random occurrences or local defects, but by global (repetitive) defects (e.g. from systematic mistakes), it is shown that the objective of load transfer-often mentioned as preferable-should be critically analysed for such structures. Based on these findings, proposals for structural systems and details towards a robust de...
The aim of the risk assessment consists of a comparative security evaluation for the SNR-300 and the PWR Biblis B. The failure analysis focusses on the reactor core; in addition, possible fission product release from the spent fuel pits is examined. By reliability analyses, the frequency of events leading to incidents is determined together with the probability of core destruction. In the accident analysis, the kind and frequency of failure of the activity barriers, i.e., primary system (reactorvessel) and inner and outer containment are investigated for the various incident sequences. The radionuclide release into the environment is classified into five different release categories. Besides internal failures, external causes (especially earthquakes and plane crashes) are considered under the aspect of their risk contribution. (RF).
Statement of problem Porcelain fracture associated with an implant-supported, metal ceramic crown or fixed partial denture occurs at a higher rate than in tooth-supported restorations, according to the literature. Implant-specific and patient-specific causes of ceramic failure have not been fully evaluated. Purpose The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the potential statistical predictors for porcelain fracture of implant-supported, metal ceramic restorations. Material and Methods Over a 6-month period, a consecutive series of patients having previously received implant-supported, metal ceramic fixed restorations were examined during periodic recall appointments. The number of supporting implants, number of dental units, type of restoration, date of prosthesis insertion, ...
This paper presents a probabilistic approach for structural robustness assessment for a timber structure built a few years ago. The robustness analysis is based on a structural reliability based framework for robustness and a simplified mechanical system modelling of a timber truss system. A complex timber structure with a large number of failure modes is modelled with only a few dominant failure modes. First, a component based robustness analysis is performed based on the reliability indices of the remaining elements after the removal of selected critical elements. The robustness is expressed and evaluated by a robustness index. Next, the robustness is assessed using system reliability indices where the probabilistic failure model is modelled by a series system of parallel systems.
Reference failures, and their increase in affectively negative conditions (known as affective reactivity of speech), are more frequently observed in schizophrenia patients than in normal controls, but no information is available comparing schizophrenia with depression, ie, a mental disorder closely linked to the concept of affective reactivity. To address this gap in the literature, the present study compared 24 schizophrenia inpatients, 21 unipolar depression inpatients and 21 normal controls. Two 10-minute conversational speech samples (1 on negative and 1 on positive memories) were collected from each patient. The transcripts of the audiotaped interviews were analyzed blindly for frequencies of 6 types of referential failures, employing the Communication Disturbances Index, adapted for ...
Premature Failure of a Riata Defibrillator Lead. A 63-year-old woman with a St. Jude Medical Riata 1570 right ventricular lead complained of intermittent hiccups 2 months after implant. Interrogation revealed elevated pacing threshold and diaphragmatic stimulation. Pacing and shock lead impedances remained stable. No inappropriate sensing was noted. Fluoroscopic examination of the lead revealed a thin radio-opaque wire seen between the 2 defibrillator coils away from the main body of the lead. After extraction, a tear in the insulation of the lead was noted allowing the inner wire to protrude. This case illustrates a novel mechanism of insulation failure without inappropriate sensing or impedance change.-(J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 22, pp. 1070-1072, September 2011)
In general, macroscopic material failure is a manifestation of irreversible changes at the microscopic level. Many tissues, which may appear to be macroscopically homogeneous, are, at a fundamental microscopic level, a composite material. For example, cornea is composed of a hyaluronic acid matrix in which layers of collagen fibers are overlaid in a crossing pattern. The points where the collagen fibers intersect are potential nucleation sites for microscopic defects, which under the action of tensile stress, nucleate, grow and coalesce to form macroscopic failure planes, or spall planes. Using a model based on microstructural evolution, this paper examines the failure process during photoablation. Specifically, the paper describes a physically motivated, micromechanical model based on the nucleation and growth of spherical voids. This model is then used to simulate photoablation of cornea. Potential for using this model to ...
Twenty-two out of 31 patients with chronic renal failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy before operation underwent non-invasive image diagnosis of parathyroid glands by computed tomography (CT), scintigraphy with /sup 201/TlCl and /sup 99m/TcO/sup 4 +/, and/or ultrasonography. CT visualized 39 of 45 parathyroid glands (86.7%), weighing more than 500 mg. Scintigraphy with a subtraction method using a computer performed the diagnosis in 19 of 27 glands (70.4%). Ultrasonography detected 21 of 27 glands (77.8%). Image diagnosis was also useful in the postoperative follow-up study. The non-invasive image diagnosis of parathyroid glands in patients with chronic renal failure is thus valuable for 1) definite diagnosis of secondary hyperparathyroidism, 2) localization, and 3) diagnosis for effectiveness of conservative treatment.
An availability assessment of the principal systems of the Heber Geothermal Power Plant has been carried out based on the final issue of the process descriptions, process flow diagrams, and the approved for design P and IDs prepared by Fluor Power Services, Inc. (FPS). The principal systems are those which contribute most to plant unavailability. The plant equivalent availability, considering forced and deferred corrective maintenance outages, was computed using a 91 state Markov model to represent the 29 principal system failure configurations and their significant combinations. The failure configurations and associated failure and repair rates were defined from system/subsystem availability assessments that were conducted using the availability assessments based on the EPRI GO methodology and availability block diagram models. The availability and unavailability ranking of the systems and major equipment is presented.
The reliability analysis of the Fast Flux Test Facility reactor shutdown system was reevaluated. Failure information based on five years of plant operating experience was used to verify original reliability numbers or to establish new ones. Also, system modifications made subsequent to performance of the original analysis were incorporated into the reevaluation. Reliability calculations and sensitivity analyses were performed using a commercially available spreadsheet on a personal computer. The spreadsheet was configured so that future failures could be tracked and compared with expected failures. A number of recommendations resulted from the reevaluation including both increased and decreased surveillance intervals. All recommendations were based on meeting or exceeding existing reliability goals. Considerable cost savings will be incurred upon implementation of the recommendations.
The reliability analysis of the Fast Flux Test Facility reactor shutdown system was reevaluated. Failure information based on five years of plant operating experience was used to verify original reliability numbers or to establish new ones. Also, system modifications made subsequent to performance of the original analysis were incorporated into the reevaluation. Reliability calculations and sensitivity analyses were performed using a commercially available spreadsheet on a personal computer. The spreadsheet was configured so that future failures could be tracked and compared with expected failures. A number of recommendations resulted from the reevaluation including both increased and decreased surveillance intervals. All recommendations were based on meeting or exceeding existing reliability goals. Considerable cost savings will be incurred upon implementation of the recommendations.
The purpose of this project was to develop improved dynamic failure models for brittle materials (primarily ceramics). The approach to developing these failure models was to establish a database (ACERAM) in which fundamental material properties and processing information could be directly correlated with ballistic performance data. Under this contract, a comprehensive literature search was conducted, many contacts were established in the armor/anti-armor research and development community, and database development was undertaken. A more limited project was also undertaken to assess and compare the effects of material properties and penetration mechanisms on the ballistic performance of depleted uranium and tungsten alloy penetrators.
Analyses were performed of the safety-related performance of the reactor protection system (RPS) at U.S. Westinghouse and General Electric commercial reactors during the period 1984 through 1995. RPS operational data from these reactors were collected from the Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System (NPRDS) and Licensee Event Reports (LER). The common-cause failure (CCF) modeling in the fault trees developed for these studies and the analysis and use of common-cause failure data were sophisticated, state-of-the-art efforts. The overall CCF effort helped to test and expand the limits of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's CCF methodology.
BackgroundAlthough self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) insertion is widely used for relief of malignant colorectal obstructions, the immediate technical and clinical failure rates of SEMSs and the associated risk factors remain largely unknown. ObjectiveTo identify rates and factors predictive of technical and clinical failure of SEMSs when their use is attempted for the decompression of malignant colorectal obstruction. DesignRetrospective chart review. SettingA tertiary-care academic medical center in South Korea. PatientsThis study involved a total of 412 patients with malignant colorectal obstruction in whom SEMS insertion was attempted. InterventionPlacement of colonic SEMSs. Main Outcome MeasurementsTechnical success and immediate and long-term clinical success rates. ResultsTechnical...
integrates multiple fisheries information systems to obtain a view of U.S. freshwater fish distribution. Information about NFDI National Framework for Early Detection, Rapid...
Mission losses were incurred by an early warning satellite and a Milstar-2 communications satellite when their launch vehicles malfunctioned, the first, ...
The immediate early gene Arc is emerging as a versatile, finely tuned system capable of coupling changes in neuronal activity patterns to synaptic plasticity, thereby optimizing information...Full Text Available
4) Expand to include client-server interaction (small-scale archive interactions with the goal of evaluating information management capabilities) -- Early ...
instrument is shown in Figure 4-9 The incoming radiation is focused onto ...... An early rocket-borne ultraviolet spectrometer of the Ebert type by ...
Four low activation alloy classes, two austenitic and two ferritic, have been incorporated into the MOTA-1B experiment in the FFTF reactor to provide an early assessment of the suitability of such alloys for reactor service.
The early and precise diagnosis, the prognosis, and the clinical management of multiple sclerosis, remain a considerable challenge. In recent years, the development of novel and powerful proteomic...Full Text Available
This paper reviews the historical aspects of nuclear physics. The scientific aspects of the early transuranium elements are discussed and arms control measures are reviewed. 11 refs., 14 figs. (LSP)
in early 1992 from Lord Corporation, were also found. For both the reflective and absorptive polyurethanes, the fresh paint fluoresces significantly ...
Weaning of beef calves is usually done abruptly and early compared to the natural weaning of the species, and is associated with simultaneous exposure of calves to a range of social and environmental...Full Text Available
Models can be useful at many different levels when considering complex issues such as biological control of mosquitoes. At an early stage, exploratory models are valuable in exploring the characteristics...Full Text Available
Background and AimsIt is well known that genome size differs among species. However, information on the variation and dynamics of genome size in wild populations and on the early...Full Text Available
We propose an approach to achieving early recognition of gesture patterns. Early recognition is a method for recognizing sequential patterns at their earliest stage. Therefore, in the case of gesture recognition, we can get a recognition result for human gestures before the gestures are finished. The most difficult problem in early recognition is knowing when the system has determined the result. Most traditional approaches suffer from this problem, since gestures are often ambiguous. At the start of a gesture, in particular, it is very difficult to determinate the recognition result since insufficient input data have been observed. Therefore, we have improved on the traditional approach by using a self-organizing map.
The purpose of this report is to provide management with performance data on key performance indicators selected from the FFTF Early Warning System performance indicators.
rotor flow field in which the main rotor operates. The majority of ..... early separation predicted by their CFD code was ...... Airfoil, AGARD Fluid Dynamics Panel ...
A growing number of environmental toxicants found in pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents are believed to have deleterious effects on development by disrupting hormone-sensitive processes....Full Text Available
Specialized olfactory lobe glomeruli relating to sexual or caste differences have been observed in at least five orders of insects, suggesting an early appearance of this trait in insect evolution....Full Text Available
PurposeEarly detection of appendicitis has increased due to development of computed tomography and ultrasonography, yet we are frequently meeting complicated appendicitis, including...Full Text Available
BackgroundAutofluorescence bronchoscopy is more sensitive than conventional bronchoscopy for detecting early airway mucosal lesions. Decreased specificity can lead...Full Text Available
Documents an early American industrial process of making blast furnace coke using techniques and equipment from the 19th century. Photographed at Bretz, WV.
Mutations in the Drosophila gene drop-dead (drd) result in early adult lethality and neurodegeneration, but the molecular identity of the drd...Full Text Available
Experience gained with a wide variety of missile injuries of the brain is presented. Clinical signs and intracranial pressure (ICP) studied in the early post-injury period have been correlated with...Full Text Available
Following a brief overview of the terrestrial distribution of boron in rocks, soil, and water, the history of the discovery, early utilization, and geologic origin of borate minerals is summarized....Full Text Available
BackgroundModern metal-on-metal hip resurfacing implants are being increasingly used for young and active patients, although the long-term outcome and failure mechanisms of these...Full Text Available
Albeit the considerable progress that has been made both in our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute renal failure (ARF) and in its treatment (continuous renal replacement therapies), the morbidity...Full Text Available
In a group of 32 patients with terminal renal failure the initial hypocalcaemia was corrected after two months' adequate maintenance haemodialysis. In seven patients hypercalcaemia occurred with a...Full Text Available
BackgroundIsoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice has been used in a number of studies to model human cardiac disease. In this study, we compared the transcriptional response...Full Text Available
Background and purpose It has been speculated that the prevalence of metal allergy may be higher in patients with implant failure. We compared the prevalence and cause of revisions following...Full Text Available
Aging is a risk factor for heart failure, which is a leading cause of death world-wide. Elderly patients are more likely than young patients to experience a myocardial infarction (MI) and are...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is a strong inverse relationship between final vessel diameter and subsequent risk of treatment failure after coronary stent deployment. The aim of this study was...Full Text Available
Progress is reported in the following areas: radioactivity control technology, FFTF sodium characterization system, corrosion and process control, and fuel failure monitoring systems for FFTF and CRBRP. (JWR)
BackgroundContrast-induced nephropathy is the leading cause of in-hospital acute renal failure. This side effect of contrast agents leads to increased morbidity, mortality, and health...Full Text Available
Xylem failure via gas embolism (cavitation) induced by water stress was investigated in the palm Rhapis excelsa (Thumb.) Henry. Xylem embolism in excised stems and petioles was detected...Full Text Available
Failures in cortical control of fronto-striatal neural circuits may underpin impulsive and compulsive acts. In this narrative review, we explore these behaviors from the perspective of neural processes...Full Text Available
Acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity is the most common drug-induced cause of acute liver failure in the United States. The only available treatment, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has a limited...Full Text Available
It is well known that the lightning protection of transmission lines is exclusively relying on their correct initial design. Although detailed engineering studies are usually performed by electric power utilities for the design of new transmission lines, there are reported cases where the design is based simply on tradition or on utilities' standardization policy. In this paper, the lightning protection of high-voltage transmission lines is faced as an optimization problem where optimum design parameters are calculated for the lines, relating their cost with the lightning failures' cost, aiming to reduce or even eliminate lightning failures. The optimization method considers all the available protection means, i.e. ground wires and surge arresters. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, it is applied on several operating Hellenic transmission lines of 150 kV carefully selected among others due to their ...
In this work, a model for determining the optimal inspection and replacement periods of the safety system in Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 is developed, which is to minimize economic loss caused by inadvertent trip and the system failure. This model uses cost benefit analysis method and the part for optimal inspection period considers the human error. The model is based on three factors as follows: (i) The cumulative failure distribution function of the safety system, (ii) The probability that the safety system does not operate due to failure of the system or human error when the safety system is needed at an emergency condition and (iii) The average probability that the reactor is tripped due to the failure of system components or human error. The model then is applied to evaluate the safety system in Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1. The optimal replacement periods which are calculated with ...
The pharmacokinetic parameters of amikacin and ceftazidime were assessed in four patients undergoing hemofiltration for septic shock. The parameters were assessed during hemofiltration and in the interim...Full Text Available
Bone remodeling is necessary to avoid microdamage accumulation, which could lead to whole-bone failure. Previous studies have shown that this bone-repair mechanism is triggered by osteocyte apoptosis....Full Text Available
BackgroundGene expression profiling and the analysis of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks may support the identification of disease bio-markers and potential drug targets....Full Text Available
Silver-haired bat rabies virus (SHBRV) infection induces a strong virus-specific immune response in the periphery of the host, but death is common due to the failure to open the blood-brain barrier...Full Text Available
Serial studies of iron transport in patients on maintenance dialysis showed normal or raised values in almost all subjects and a transient increase soon after the start of dialysis in three. These...Full Text Available
The presence of DNA-anti-DNA complexes in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was investigated by two new radioimmunoassays (RIA) developed for this purpose and by measuring the...Full Text Available
AIMS:To investigate the effect of carnitine supplementation on alcoholic malnourished rats' hepatic nitrogen content.METHODS:Malnourished rats, on...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThis studys examined the relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) and intimate partner violence screening (IPV) and management practices in the...Full Text Available
In this paper, an investigation was performed on a failure pressure vessel, which was as an anti-freezing heater for General Gas Storage and Distribution (SGZ) system. Evident and serious deformation was observed on the body of the vessel. A metallurgical investigation was conducted to establish the mechanism and cause of deformation of the anti-freezing heater at Daya Bay PWR station in China. The investigation, which was performed on specimens cut from the most serious area deformed of the vessel, included macroscopic examination and microscopy examination. The results of the examinations showed that some lamellar pearlite in the microstructure were already spheroidized. It was confirmed that the vessel was operated at high temperature. Stress analysis for the vessel was conducted. And it was confirmed that, in ideal conditions, the vessel would be deformed at around 420 C. The overall results of the investigation showed that the failure of ...
The probabilistic external events analysis performed for the Savannah River Site K-reactor PRA considered many different events which are generally perceived to be external'' to the reactor and its systems, such as fires, floods, seismic events, and transportation accidents (as well as many others). Events which have been shown to be significant contributors to risk include seismic events, tornados, a crane failure scenario, fires and dam failures. The total contribution to the core melt frequency from external initiators has been found to be 2.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} per year, from which seismic events are the major contributor (1.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} per year). Fire initiated events contribute 1.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} per year, tornados 5.8 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} per year, dam failures 1.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} per year and the crane failure scenario less than ...
The nephrotoxicity of cefoxitin was studied in a rat model of impaired renal function. Two levels of renal impairment were produced: "moderate," with blood urea concentrations of 100 to 150 mg/100 ml...Full Text Available
A micro-mechanistic understanding of bone fracture thatencompasses how cracks interact with the underlying microstructure anddefines their local failure mode is lacking, despite extensive research nthe response of bone to a variety of factors like aging, loading, and/ordisease.
Present methods for planning reliability improvement of launch vehicles are reviewed. A theoretical criterion for optimum allocation of resources for reliability improvement exists that requires equal marginal failure reduction for all elements to be impr...
The goal of this study was to evaluate topics used to troubleshoot circuit boards with known or suspected thermally intermittent components. Failure modes for thermally intermittent components are typically mechanical defects, such as cracks in solder paths or joints, or broken b...
Acetaminophen (APAP), a widely used analgesic and antipyretic that is considered to be relatively safe at recommended doses, is the leading cause of drug-induced liver failure in the United States....Full Text Available
The performance of more than 3,000 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico was observed during the passage of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. This event provided an opportunity to test the procedures used for platform analysis and design. A global bias was inferred for overall platform capacity and loads in the Andrew Joint Industry Project (JIP) Phase 1. It was predicted that the pile foundations of several platforms should have failed, but did not. These results indicated that the biases specific to foundation failure modes may be higher than those of jacket failure modes. The biases in predictions of foundation failure modes were therefore investigated further in this study. The work included capacity analysis and calibration of predictions with the observed behavior for 3 jacket platforms and 3 caissons using Bayesian updating. Bias factors for two foundation failure modes, lateral shear and ...
Research is in progress to obtain a satisfactory creep ductility for alloy 800 when used as heat exchanger material in sodium-cooled fast reactors (LMFBR). The creep test characteristics at present available show that a pronounced tendency to reduced elongation by creep failure may arise after prolonged testing in the 500-700 deg C temperature range. This phenomenon is now agreed to be primarily inherent to the conditions for Ni_3(Ti,Al) precipitation in the material and hence to the Ti and Al concentrations. By structural studies and hardness measurements on material subjected to creep tests and taken from a large number of castings, the relationship was established between the (Ti+Al) content and the structural hardness effect of Ni_3(Ti,Al) at 600 deg C. Below a certain Ti+Al concentration, no precipitation occurs and hence the creep ductility to failure can be improved considerably by limiting the allowed Ti+Al content in the material, ...
Myocarditis, often initiated by viral infection, may progress to autoimmune inflammatory heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Although cardiac myosin is a dominant autoantigen...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe elevated serum and peritoneal cytokine concentrations responsible for the systemic response syndrome (SIRS) and multiorgan failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis...Full Text Available
The measurement of bone loss in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis over a period of two and a half years is reported. The tendency to lose bone is a likely event in renal failure, but depends...Full Text Available
Failure of bone under monotonic and cyclic loading is related to the bone mineral density, the quality of the bone matrix and the evolution of microcracks. The theory of linear elastic fracture...Full Text Available
Background: The causes of elevated B-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are multifactorial. Renal dysfunction has been shown to affect BNP levels in some studies and...Full Text Available
Evaluating the systolic function of the left ventricle (LV) is important in the hemodynamic management of the critically ill patients with circulatory failure. Echocardiography is considered the standard...Full Text Available
Anxiety may cause adverse outcomes through physiologic pathways in patients with cardiac disease. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate anxiety and its correlates in persons with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF). The ...
The free radical theory of ageing posits that accrual of oxidative damage underlies the increased cellular, tissue and organ dysfunction and failure associated with advanced age. In support of this...Full Text Available
A case of severe intractable angina pectoris with normal angiography is presented. Following video assisted thoracic sympathectomy the patient died of heart failure. Microvascular cardiac amyloidosis...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting the failure of trials (<50% pain reduction in pain for trial period) to improve success rate of spinal...Full Text Available
BackgroundMale infertility is a common cause of reproductive failure in humans. In mice, targeted deletions of the genes coding for FKBP6 or FKBP52, members of the FK506 binding...Full Text Available
Due to the recent catastrophic energy system failures in California along with those in the North-Eastern US and Southern Canada, London, and Italy, the time has come to proclaim the failure of deregulation, privatization or liberalization and propose a new energy system. This book shows in the first section, how five precipitating forces led to the deregulation debacle in California: (1) major technological changes and commercialization, (2) regulatory needs mismatched to societal adjustments, (3) inadequate and flawed economic models, (4) lack of vision, goals, and planning leading to energy failures, and (5) failure and lack of economic regional development. The second half of the book, examines how 'civic market', new economic models, and planning for complexity as sustainable economic development transformed in California, the same five forces to create an 'agile energy ...
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is described as (1) failure of diaphragmatic closure at development, (2) presence of herniated abdominal contents into chest and (3) pulmonary hypoplasia. Usually,...Full Text Available
Procedures for {sup 131}I ablation in renal failure are not known. In one patient receiving dialysis, detailed dosimetry and health safety aspects were obtained. The results showed insignificant contamination of equipment, but a surprisingly significant reduction in biologic half-life of {sup 131}I due to efficient dialysis extraction. The data indicate that {sup 131}I ablation can be done safely and easily during dialysis but that much higher {sup 131}I doses must be used to achieve equivalent results to those obtained in patients with normal renal function.
Based on a detailed analysis of the inter-relationship in the current, voltage, electromagnetic torque and ratio of the difference between the speed of rotor and the speed of rotary magnetic field to the later in the motor, the root cause was point out, which leads to the protection fuses' failure of the motor in the starting stage, which drives the turbine-generator set to rotate at low speed before its startup. Two solutions to avoid the situation are proposed, too. (authors)
High strain fatigue problem in steam turbine. Cyclic stress strain hysteresis loops and stress relaxation behaviour in 16 h dwell period tests. Variation of stress and strain during tests under nominally strain controlled conditions. Definition of test conditions and of criteria for crack initiation and failure. Comparison of reverse bend and push pull failure data. (orig.) 891 RW/orig. 892 RKD.
The TS-1 and TS-2 Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) experiments were conducted on irradiated Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins to characterize their failure behavior when subjected to hypothetical 5%/s transient overpower conditions. The TS-1 test employed a near-fresh (2 MWd/kg) fuel pin, while the TS-2 test used a medium-burnup (58 MWd/kg) fuel pin. Transient conditions were closely matched between the two experiments to provide a direct comparison of burnup effects on the failure response.
Analytical models for predicting the deformation and failure of composite sandwich panels subjected to blast and projectile impact loading are presented in this paper. The analytical predictions of the transient deformations and damage initiation in the composite sandwich panels were compared with finite element solutions using ABAQUS Explicit. For the blast model, the predicted transient deformation of the sandwich panel was within 7%of FEA results, while the predicted damage initiation using Hashin's composite failure criteria was about 15%higher than FEA results in most cases. For the high velocity impact model, the predicted transient deformations were within 20%of FEA results.
Tube failures due to excessive flow-induced vibration must be avoided to assure the reliable performance of heat exchangers. Such components must be thoroughly analysed for vibration at the design stage. Several flow-induced vibration mechanisms are possible. In this paper, particular attention is given to fluidelastic instability of tube bundles subjected to liquid and two-phase cross-flow. The performance of ten operating heat exchanger components is reviewed to validate our recommended vibration analysis guidelines. Both tube failure histories and satisfactory performances are considered. The results show that a fluidelastic instability constant K=3.3 is a reasonable design criterion. (auth).
The nitric acid solution dissolving nuclear fuel material is transferred with the three way valve called VCV (VCV: vide-casse-vide in Fr.) using vacuum in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant. The initial VCV was not reliable because it had broken with in 1 or 2 years. The cause of failure was damage of the plastic diaphragms in the moving parts. Then, the new VCV valve with stainless-steel bellows was developed. There is no failure in moving parts in 20 years, therefore reliability is significantly improved. (author)
A large amount of radioactive waste has been stored safely at the Savannah River and Hanford sites over the past 46 years. The aim of this report is to review the experimental corrosion studies at Savannah River and Hanford with the intention of identifying the types and rates of corrosion encountered and indicate how these data contribute to tank failure predictions. The compositions of the High-Level Wastes, mild steels used in the construction of the waste tanks and degradation-modes particularly stress corrosion cracking and pitting are discussed. Current concerns at the Hanford Site are highlighted.
An integrated approach to the modelling of hydrogen assisted failure in 316L steel is presented. The approach includes experimental, fractographic, numerical and theoretical analysis of the phenomenon. The physical adequacy of the mechanical models of hydrogen embrittlement (notch extension model and notch cracking model) is discussed by comparing the virtual damage depth (theoretical) predicted by the models with the embrittled zone (microphysical) measured in the fractographic analysis by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, a numerical modelling of hydrogen diffusion is performed, concluding that bulk diffusion is not important in hydrogen embrittlement of 316L steel, so that hydrogen transport accelerated by the microdamage itself should be taken into account. (orig.)
Often, lifetime data come from experiments where failure times are grouped. The Weibull distribution is a popular distribution for modeling failure times. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) has outstanding large sample properties for the Weibull distribution. This article evaluates small sample properties of MLEs for grouped data. We evaluate sample size requirements for MLE asymptotic properties to take effect. We compare type I and type II censoring for pooled experiments and conclude that bias for the shape parameter estimate can be alarmingly high especially for type II censored data. Finally, we investigate the benefits of the pooled analysis.
Elastic and elasto-plastic modelling of indentation in CFRP cross-ply laminates has been performed. Detailed knowledge of the field solutions in the volume below the indentor forms the basis for the reported micromechanical interpretation of the observed damage in test specimens. The analysis shows that matrix cracks originate at sites of maximum tensile stress perpendicular to fibers. The predicted stress fields due to indentation show that stress concentrations occur in the interface between alternating plies. It is found that microcracking in this zone is a precursor to the observed failure. This analysis is supported by in-situ scanning electron microscopy during loading by a cylindrical indentor onto the laminate supported on a rigid substrate. The microscopy reveals microdamage in the region of interfacial tensile stress concentrations. The onset of indentation failure in these layered composites suggests that plastic interleaves would ...
Since the integrity of the containment penetrations was confirmed under accident management (AM) conditions in the former test, failure criteria tests and aerosol trapping tests were carried out using low-voltage modules and flange gaskets of an actual plant under severe accident (SA) conditions, without AM. The safety margin for failure temperature of the penetrations and the credit for fission product (FP) aerosol trapping effect along the leakage paths of the degraded penetrations were evaluated in the present tests. Failure temperature of the penetrations ranged from 270 to 300degC for low-voltage modules and 300 to 350degC for flange gaskets under 0.4 to 1.0 MPa conditions. Pressure dependency on failure temperature was small. This means that the safety margin of failure temperature under AM condition is more than 70degC. By introducing a equivalent leak area for the damaged ...
The 5'-terminal structures of human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) early region 2 (E2) mRNA were investigated. The E2 transcription unit has several interesting properties, including the presence of a TATA-like...Full Text Available
Epulopiscium sp. type B is an enormous intestinal symbiont of the surgeonfish Naso tonganus. Intracellular offspring production in Epulopiscium shares features with endospore formation. Here, we characterize the spoIIE homolog in Epulopiscium. The timing of spoIIE gene expression and presence of interacting partners suggest that the activation of ?(F) occurs early in Epulopiscium offspring development. PMID:21398534
Several early genes of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) encode proteins that mediate immune evasion by interference with the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) pathway of antigen presentation...Full Text Available
Three transcription units are present in the adenovirus type 2 region EII. Transcription units EIIaE and EIIaL encode the mRNA for the 72,000-dalton DNA binding protein, early and late in the lytic...Full Text Available
...notice de en es fr it nl European Commission Research Index aeronews All keywords Index feedback The number of documents that contain the keyword aeronews is: 1 EU Transport lsquo;AERONEWSrsquo; -good news for early detection of microdamage European Commission - lsquo;AERONEWSrsquo; -good news for early detection of microdamage ...
Recent nucleosynthesis calculations of Type II supernovae using advanced neutrino transport determine that the early neutrino winds are proton-rich. However, a fraction of the ejecta emitted at the same time is composed of neutron-rich pockets. In this paper we calculate the nucleosynthesis contribution from the neutron-rich pockets in the hot convective bubbles of a core-collapse supernova and show that they do not contribute significantly to the total nucleosynthesis.
A large inguino-scrotal hernia was detected in the early phase of a radionuclide bone scan performed for evaluation of a femoral neck fracture not visualized on plain x-rays. The patient was administered 1 GBq of Scrotal scintigraphy using "9"9"mTc-MDP and a regional three-phase bone scan of the pelvis, hips and proximal femora was obtained on the gamma camera. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd
BackgroundApoptosis is a major mode of hematological tumor death after radiation. Early detection of apoptosis may be beneficial for cancer adaptive treatment. 99mTc-HYNIC-annexinV...Full Text Available
The non-invasiveness of autofluorescence technology may reduce sampling error and time delay for histopathology diagnosis. We establish biophotonic methods and guidelines to visualize and interpret early epithelial tissue changes that signify disease. Flexible and rigid fiber endomicroscopy instrumentation design parameters feasible for translation towards clinical use are in development.
DescriptionThe overall aim of this application is to examine experimentally environmental influences on the pattern of senescence in birds. We plan to experimentally uncouple chronological age and reproductive effort and examine their effects on reproductive performance and lifespan. We also plan to examine experimentally how these relationships are influenced by nutritional conditions during early development. We will combine the organismal fitness measures of lifespan and reproductive performance with me [continued...
The impact of a single seizure on cognition remains controversial. We hypothesized that a single early life seizure (sELS) on rat post-natal day (P) 7 would alter only hippocampal-dependent...Full Text Available
Elution profiles of total lipoproteins, apolipoprotein B (apoB) concentrations in lipoproteins, and plasma triglyceride (TG) levels were examined in early-, late-, and non-lactating cows. Additionally, arteriovenous (A-V) differences were also measured to elucidate the uptake of TG and apoB-containing lipoproteins in mammary gland. Non-lactating cows showed three major peaks corresponding to triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) fraction, whereas both early- and late-lactating cows revealed two peaks corresponding to TRL and HDL. The peak area of TRL in early- and late-lactating cows were significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than that in non-lactating cows. The plasma TG levels and apoB-48 concentrations of TRL in early- and late-lactating cows were also significantly (p < 0.01) lower. Furthermore, early lactating ...
Childhood anxiety is impairing and associated with later emotional disorders. Studying risk factors for child anxiety may allow earlier identification of at-risk children for prevention efforts. This study applied an ecological risk model to address how early childhood anxiety symptoms, child temperament, maternal anxiety and depression symptoms, violence exposure, and sociodemographic risk factors predict school-aged anxiety symptoms. This longitudinal, prospective study was conducted in a representative birth cohort (n = 1109). Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized associations between risk factors measured in toddlerhood/preschool (age = 3.0 years) and anxiety symptoms measured in kindergarten (age = 6.0 years) and second grade (age = 8.0 years). Early child risk factors (anxiety symptoms and temperament) emerged as the most robust predictor for both parent-and child-reported anxiety outcomes and mediated the effects ...
Ionizing radiation dose levels due to home radon can rise to levels that would be illegal for workers in the nuclear industry. It is well known that radon levels within homes and from home to home, and also from month to month, vary considerably. To define an Isle of Man radon seasonal correction factor, readings were taken in eight homes over a 12 month period. An average island indoor exposure of 48 Bq m{sup -3} (range 4-518 Bq m{sup -3}) was determined from 285 homes selected from a cohort of 1300 families participating in the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) in the Isle of Man. This compares with a UK home average of 20 Bq m{sup -3} and a European Union average (excluding UK) of 68 Bq m{sup -3}. Ten homes of those measured were found to have radon levels above the National Radiological Protection Board 200 Bq m{sup -3} action level. There are 29 377 homes on the Isle of Man, suggesting that there could be some 900 or more homes ...
Measuring gene expression using microarrays is relevant to many areas of biology and medicine, such as follow up of developmental stages and diseases onset, and treatment study. Since there can be tens of thousands of distinct probes on an array, each micro array experiment can accomplish the equivalent number of genetic tests in parallel. Arrays have therefore dramatically accelerated many types of investigations. For example, microarrays can be used to identify stress response genes by comparing gene expression in challenged versus normal cells. In the Molecular and Cellular Biology lab (MCB), the micro array experiments are performed within the Genomic Platform, fully equipped to analyse either the behaviour of bacteria during long space flight, the effect of low dose ionising radiation on the developing organism in mice, or the human individual radiation sensitivity. For the low dose effect, two main stages of development are of interest; 1) the gastrula stage at which ionizing ...
Acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters play unique trophic roles in brain development. Accordingly, drugs and environmental toxicants that promote or interfere with neurotransmitter function evoke neurodevelopmental abnormalities by disrupting the timing or intensity of neurotrophic actions. The current review discusses three exposure scenarios involving acetylcholine systems: nicotine from maternal smoking during pregnancy, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and exposure to the organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF). All three have long-term, adverse effects on specific processes involved in brain cell replication and differentiation, synaptic development and function, and ultimately behavioral performance. Many of these effects can be traced to the sequence of cellular events surrounding the trophic role of acetylcholine acting on its specific cellular receptors and associated signaling cascades. However, for chlorpyrifos, additional ...
Changes in contents of the two kinds of neuropeptides have been measured in the brains of postnatal G57BL/6J strain mice that received accumulative doses of 0, 0.05, 0.10 or 0.30 Gy respectively in utero from tritium #beta#-irradiation during the mother mice's pregnancy from the 12.5th day of gestation to the day of delivery. Dose response relationship for alteration in somatostatin content due to exposure to 0.10 Gy or above was observed, and it was also noted that 0.30 Gy could cause decrease in arginine vasopressin in hypothalamus. These results were consistent with findings in research on brain development and reflex behavior in the literature. 0.10 Gy exposure may represent a threshold for exposure to tritiated water within the range from day 12.5 of gestation to the day of delivery using change in content of somatostatin in hypophysis as a parameter.
Pregnant rats in 11d and 16d of their pregnancy were given one-off whole body exposure by "1"3"7Cs #gamma# rays to 0.2, 0.4, 0.9 and 2.0 Gy, respectively. Changes were observed in conditioned drinking response and cerebrum hippocampi cone cell number of the baby rats exposed to the #gamma# rays in different periods of their embryo development. As a result, that pregnant rats exposed to "1"3"7Cs #gamma# rays in different pregnant periods may induce significant decrease in cerebrum hippocampi cone cell number and achieving rate of conditioned drinking response of the babies. The dose-response relationship can be described by Y=a-b log_1_0D. The achieving rate of conditioned drinking response were significantly correlated to cerebrum hippocampi cone cell number in the babies, and the achieving rate of conditioned drinking response of the babies exposed at pregnant 11d was lower than others exposed at pregnant 16d
The present study sought a biochemical explanation for retarded brain development in the heterozygous offspring of the phenylketonuric (PKU) mother. Two rat models of simulated maternal PKU, one induced by p-chloropheylalanine and phenylalanine and the other by phenylacetate, were employed in this investigation. Maternal PKU had no influence on cerebral concentrations of DNA, protein, and cholesterol, which were normal in the 2 d old pup. However, there was a noticeable disruption of the normal ganglioside pattern and a significant reduction of sialoglycoproteins. Concomitant with a delayed drop in the gangliosides Q/sub 1b/ and D_3, was a slower rise in M_1 and D/sub 1a/. At least 66% of sialoglycoproteins located on SDS-PAGE gel chromatograms, by radioactivity incorporated in vivo from radiolabeled N-acetylmannosamine and by ("3H) sialic acid released by neuraminidase from periodate-("3H) borohydride labeled glycoproteins, have mobilites of the cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and ...
To determine the efficacy and safety of Total Dose Infusion (TDI) of low molecular weight iron dextran for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia compared to oral iron replacement during pregnancy through improvement in hemoglobin (Hb) after intervention. Non-randomized control trial. A group of 100 pregnant women with gestational age greater than 12 weeks with confirmed diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia attending the antenatal clinics were enrolled in this study. Total dose iron infusion of low molecular iron dextran was given to these patients after calculating iron deficit, in a monitored in-patient setting. Control comprised of a second group of 50 pregnant females matched for age, parity and baseline hemoglobin, tolerant to oral iron supplementation (ferrous sulphate 200 mg three times a day) attending the antenatal clinics during the same period. Post-treatment hemoglobin levels of study group as well as the oral control group were determined between 3 to ...
In this report, we estimated the temperature of the pump rooms and reviewed the operability of the components under the loss of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition) system. The issues relevant to the HVAC system in the PSA (Probabilistic Safety Assessment) FT (Fault Tree) model are as follows: (1) Does the loss of the HVAC system bring about a function failure of other components? (2) Can the operator take action to reduce the temperature of the room in case of a HVAC function failure? At present, we do not know whether a component will lose its function or not under the loss of the HVAC. ASME Standard describes that a recovery action can be credited if the related recovery action is included in the procedure or there are similar recovery experiences in the plant. However, there is no description about the recovery action of the HVAC in the EOP (Emergency Operation Procedure) of the UCN3, 4 under the situation of a loss of the ...
The document represents a specific type of discussion of existing methodologies for the creation and application of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) in light of the EUR document summarizing requirements placed by Western European NPP operators on the future design of nuclear power plants. A partial goal of this discussion consists in mapping, from the PSA point of view, those selected design, operational and/or safety factors of future NPPs that may be entirely new or, at least, newly addressed. Therefore, the terms of reference for this stage were formulated as follows: Assess current level of knowledge and procedures in the analysis of factors and phenomena with a dominant influence upon operational safety of new generation reactors, especially in the following areas: (1) Phenomenology of failure types and mechanisms and reliability of conventional passive safety system components; (2) Phenomenology of failure types and mechanisms and ...
This paper presents a stochastic model and estimation procedure for analyzing the failure process of a repairable system. We consider repairable systems whose successive interfailure times reveal a significant dependence while showing an insignificant trend. Neither the renewal process nor the non-homogeneous Poisson process are adequate for modeling such failure processes. Especially when the interfailure times show a cyclic pattern, we may consider a switching of the regimes (states) governing the lifetime distribution of the system. We propose a Markov switching model describing the failure process for such a case. The model postulates that a finite number of states governs the distinct lifetime distributions, and the state makes transitions according to a discrete-time Markov chain. Each of the distinct lifetime distributions represents a failure type that may change after successive repairs. Our ...
The paper investigates early Soviet policies regarding the institution of waqf (charitable endowment) in Turkestan, questioning the issue of the post-colonial character of the early Soviet administration. After taking into consideration practices related to waqf management in modern Muslim states and European colonial empires, the paper briefly describes the tsarist administrative approach to the issue. We then address the ambiguity inherent in Soviet policies on waqf requisition and restitution during Civil War years. In the section that follows we deal with different groups of Muslim intellectuals that attempted to use the Soviet state in their mutual struggle over authority in Central Asian society and describe the creation and functioning of the bureaucracies responsible for managing w...
This longitudinal study examined a model of early school achievement in reading and math, as it varies by socioeconomic context, using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. A conceptual model was tested that included features of family stress, early parenting, and school readiness, through both a single-group analysis and also a multiple-group analysis. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of more advantaged and less advantaged families. Family stress and parenting were shown to operate differently depending on the socioeconomic context, whereas child-based school readiness characteristics were shown to operate similarly across socieodemographic contexts. Implications for intervention are discussed.
Six patients with diskitis following lumbar disk surgery were investigated by Computed Tomography (CT). Four patients underwent CT in a rather early phase of the disease (5-37 days after the onset of the symptoms): a posterior paravertebral fluid collection was always recognized, while the plain film was normal. Later on (2-4 months), the classical signs of diskitis were evident, with both CT and the plain film. The collection was always present at CT. A reintervention, performed on 3 patients, revealed the purulent content of the collections. It seems reasonable to suggest a relationship between the collection and the subsequent diskitis; the collection is probably an early sign of the disease. Its detection is of grat value, because it could allow an immediate and adequate therapy. The authors stress the usefulness of performing CT in an early phase on this kind of symptomatic patients.
There are no specific diagnostic tests or a gold standard method for measuring disease activity and outcome in spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Many different methods have been developed to assess the signs and symptoms in SpA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of scintigraphy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Bath Ankilosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in the evaluation of disease activity in early axial SpA diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty early MRI-positive axial SpA patients (23 males, 7 females) with a median age of 35 (18?55) years and a median duration of inflammatory low back pain of 24 (8?60) months were included in the study. In the patients with sacroiliitis, the sensitivity, specificity, and pos...
The early diagnosis of such disorders is of major importance because, in most cases, severe consequences can only be averted by early treatment. The value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in many orthopaedic and traumatological conditions is generally accepted. The value of MRI in this particular field is illustrated by typical case reports on common clinical problems [Deutsch] Der Fruehdiagnose von Erkrankungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters kommt grosse Bedeutung zu, da oftmals nur durch eine daraus resultierende Fruehbehandlung schwerwiegende Folgen vermieden werden koennen. Die Kernspintomographie (Magnetresonanztomographie=MRT) ist in zahlreichen orthopaedischen-traumatologischen Fragestellungen bereits etabliert. An ausgewaehlten Fallbeispielen haeufiger klinischer Problemstellungen soll in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Stellenwert der MRT dargestellt werden. (orig.)
Climate variability greatly affects animals through direct and indirect effects. Animals with slow reproductive adaptation to ecological changes such as large mammals are likely to have evolved mechanisms to anticipate early such impacts of climate variability on the environment. One of the adaptive mechanisms between reproductive costs and benefits in mammals affects parental investment through biases in sex ratio. Deer might be likely to show an early detection of climate variability because conception takes place in early autumn, but the main raising cost in deer concerns lactation, which takes place at the end of the following spring. The aim of this paper is to assess whether there is a relationship between global indices of climate variability such as El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (EN...
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common severe gastrointestinal emergency that affects premature newborns. This disease often has a rapid onset with few, if any, antecedent signs that can be used to reliably predict its occurrence. Its rapid onset and progression to death, as well as its severe morbidity when the infant survives, begs for early diagnostic tools that may be used in determining those infants who would be at greatest risk for development of the disease and for whom early preventative measures could be targeted. Although studies have suggested efficacy of several techniques such as breath hydrogen, inflammatory mediators in blood, urine or stool, and genetic markers, these all have drawbacks limiting their use. The application of newly developed "omic" approaches may provide biomarkers for early diagnosis and targeted prevention of this disease. PMID:19190533
This report is the user's manual of seismic system reliability analysis code SECOM2 (Seismic Core Melt Frequency Evaluation Code Ver.2) developed at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute for systems reliability analysis, which is one of the tasks of seismic probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of nuclear power plants (NPPs). The SECOM2 code has many functions such as: Calculation of component failure probabilities based on the response factor method, Extraction of minimal cut sets (MCSs), Calculation of conditional system failure probabilities for given seismic motion levels at the site of an NPP, Calculation of accident sequence frequencies and the core damage frequency (CDF) with use of the seismic hazard curve, Importance analysis using various indicators, Uncertainty analysis, Calculation of the CDF taking into account the effect of the correlations of responses and capacities of components, and Efficient sensitivity analysis by ...
Fourteen irradiated Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins were subjected to representative overpower transients in six flowing sodium loop experiments conducted in the TREAT reactor. The transient tests were extended to substantial overpower levels well beyond protected levels, with some tests intentionally run to failure to identify failure thresholds and characteristics. Test variables included transient ramp rate (5, 50, and 100 cents/s) and burnup (2 to 58 MWd/kg). Performance limits and failure characteristics were identified, and cladding strain and fuel melting data were obtained for development and verification of transient analysis codes. The test results demonstrated that FFTF Reference fuel pins are capable of surviving overpower levels well beyond the FFTF secondary Plant Protection System (PPS) trip limit of 1.25 times normal rated power. Based on analytical evaluations to interpolate and extrapolate test ...
The use of deuterium-tritium fuel in the Compact Ignition Tokamak will require applying remote handling technology for ex-vessel maintenance and replacement of machine components. Highly activated and contaminated components of the fusion devices auxiliary systems, such as diagnostics and RF heating, must be replaced using remotely operated maintenance equipment in the test cell. In-vessel remote maintenance included replacement of divertor and first wall hardware, faraday shields, and for an in-vessel inspection system. Provision for remote replacement of a vacuum vessel sector, toroidal field coil or poloidal field ring coil was not included in the project baseline. As a result of recent coil failures experienced at a number of facilities, the CIT project decided to reconsider the question of remote recovery from a coil failure and, in January of 1990, initiated a coil replacement study. This study focused on the technical requirements and ...
On February 20th 1998 Auckland, the biggest city of New Zealand, was nearly paralyzed by an extended power failure. On this day the last of four cables supplying the central business district failed and caused a five weeks lasting blackout. This failure has caused costs of 128.3 Mio NZ Dollar for the affected utility Mercury Energy Ltd. The official ministerial inquiry was published on July 21st 1998 and reproaches the utility in an unusual clear manner. (orig.) [Deutsch] Am 20. Februar 1998 wurde Auckland, die groesste Stadt Neuseelands, von einer folgenschweren Unterbrechung der Stromversorgung nahezu lahmgelegt. An diesem Tag fiel das letzte von vier 110-kV-Kabeln zur Versorgung des Innenstadtbereiches aus und verursachte damit einen 5 Wochen dauernden Stromausfall. Diese Versorgungsunterbrechung hat bisher Kosten in Hoehe von 128,3 Mio NZ Dollar (rd. 115,5 Mio DM) fuer den oertlichen Stromversorger Mercury Energy Limited verursacht. Der am ...
This paper demonstrates that a commercial-scale facility for encapsulating krypton-85 in zeolite-5A or glass at a 2000 MTHM per year nuclear fuel reprocessing plant can be designed to contain fragments and the 340 to 850 kCi krypton-85 inventory from an assumed catastrophic failure of the high pressure vessel. The vessel failure was assumed as a worst case and was not based on a detailed design evaluation or operating experience. The process design is based on existing commercial hot isostatic pressing technology operated at up to 40 times the scale required for krypton encapsulation. From the calculated process gas inventory in the pressure vessel and vessel design, the maximum explosive energy of 8.4 kg TNT and resulting vessel plug and fragment velocities were calculated. The facility Containment Cell housing the high pressure vessel was designed to contain the gases, fragments, and the shock wave energy calculated for a hypothetical vessel ...
The leakage behavior of containments beyond design conditions and knowledge of failure modes is required for evaluation of mitigation strategies for severe accidents, risk studies, emergency preparedness planning, and siting. These studies are directed towards assessing the risk and consequences of severe accidents. An accident sequence analysis conducted on a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), Mark I (MK I), indicated very high temperatures in the dry-well region, which is the location of the majority of electrical penetration assemblies. Because of the high temperatures, it was postulated in the ORNL study that the sealants would fail and all the electrical penetration assemblies would leak before structural failure would occur. Since other containments had similar electrical penetration assemblies, it was concluded that all containments would experience the same type of failure. The results of this study, however, show that ...
The purpose of this work was to investigate the role of chromium on hydrogen embrittlement of Ni-Cr-Fe alloys and thus to develop a better understanding of the low-temperature stress corrosion cracking (SCC) phenomenon. The effect of chromium on hydrogen embrittlement was examined using tensile tests followed by material evaluation via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light optical microscopy. Four alloys were prepared with chromium contents ranging from 6 to 35 wt pct. In the uncharged condition, ductility, as measured by the percent elongation or reduction in area, increased as the alloy chromium content increased. Hydrogen appeared to have only minor effects on the mechanical properties of the low-chromium alloys. The addition of hydrogen had a marked effect on the ductility of the higher-chromium alloys. In the 26 pct chromium alloy, the elongation to failure was reduced from 53 to 14 pct, with a change in fracture mode from mixed ductile dimple and ...
There are two kinds of uncertainties in safety assessment of engineering structures. One is of the nature of randomness, and the other fuzziness. Fuzzy uncertainties exist in defining certain structural performances, conditions, parameters, and their interrelationships. The theory of fuzzy sets should be employed to cope with the fuzzy uncertainties. In this paper, a general definition for structural failure considering the fuzzy uncertainties is introduced firstly. Failure of the structure is modelled by a fuzzy event, and described by the membership function. The limit state surface is then replaced by a fuzzy limit state zone, in which every point represents a state belonging to the failure with a certain degree of membership. Then a fuzzy optimization problem for solving the reliability index is formulated. In classical structural reliability theory, the reliability index is defined by the minimum distance from the ...
We present two new techniques that enhance conventional focused ion beam (FIB) system capabilities for integrated circuit (IC) analysis: in situ electrical biasing and voltage contrast imaging. We have used in situ electrical biasing to enable a number of advanced failure analysis applications including (1) real time evaluation of device electrical behavior during milling and deposition, (2) verification of IC functional modifications without removal from the FIB system, and (3) ultraprecision control for cross sectioning of deep submicron structures, such as programmed amorphous silicon antifuses. We have also developed FIB system voltage contrast imaging that can be used for a variety of failure analysis applications. The use of passive voltage contrast imaging for defect localization and for navigation on planarized devices will be illustrated. In addition, we describe new, biased voltage contrast imaging techniques and provide examples of ...
The effect of atmospheric pressure on tracking resistance of organic insulating materials were investigated in the range of 500 to 1007 hPa. The tracking resistance for Polycarbonate (PC), Modified Polyphenylene Oxide (M-PPO) and Paper Base Phenolic Resin Laminate (PL) increase with the decrease in atmospheric pressure. The scintillating discharges on these samples surface lead to the ignition. The tracking failure on these results from the ignition on the surface. For Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), the tracking resistance decrease with the decrease in atmospheric pressure. The discharges observed on the these surface are the glow-like. The discharge area spreads on the surface between the electrodes at the lower pressure. The failure on this group results from the carbonization by the discharges on the surface. However, the tracking resistance for Unsaturated Polyester Resins (UP) has no significant ...
The downstream failure of cable during winding, insulating, coil winding, and coil assembly is a significant issue in magnet production. The impact of these failures are costly both financially, and from the time to recover from this downstream failure. The current approach to cabling has been to visually inspect the cable for any gross defects during cabling. To date this has been effective in finding small defects such as crossovers for example, which drastically reduce the mechanical integrity of the strand, and thus the cable itself. But because of the large volume of cable which will be manufactured an automated flaw detection system which can inspect the cable and detect these type of defects will be needed. We have recently done an on-line experiment using an Eddy current system, and specialized Eddy current probes to inspect cable during manufacturing. We will present the results of our inspection demonstrating ...
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) features a three-loop, sodium-cooled 400 MWt mixed oxide fueled reactor designed for the irradiation testing of fuels and materials for use in liquid metal cooled fast reactors. To establish the ultimate capability of a particular fuel design and thereby generate information that will lead to improvements, many of the fuel irradiations are continued until a loss of cladding integrity (failure) occurs. When the cladding fails, fission gas escapes from the fuel pin and enters the reactor cover gas system. If the cladding failure permits the primary sodium to come in contact with the fuel, recoil fission products can enter the sodium. The presence of recoil fission products in the sodium can be detected by monitoring for the presence of delayed neutrons in the coolant. It is the present philosophy to not operate FFTF when a failure has occurred that permits fission fragments to enter the ...
The Reliability and Availability Data System (RADS) is a database and analysis code, developed by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). The code is designed to estimate industry and plant-specific reliability and availability parameters for selected components in risk-important systems and initiating events for use in risk-informed applications. The RADS tool contains data and information based on actual operating experience from U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. The data contained in RADS is kept up-to-date by loading the most current quarter's Equipment Performance and Information Exchange (EPIX) data and by yearly lods of initiating event data from licensee event reports (LERS). The reliability parameters estimated by RADS are (1) probability of failure on demand, (2) failure rate during operation (used to calculate failure to ...
For a reliable design against fatigue failure of high-temperature components of different types of the heat resistant material Alloy 800, verified parameters of the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour are required. These parameters were obtained by a scatterband evaluation of the results of low-cycle fatigue tests, using a computerized data bank which includes all available actual data sets. The results of the evaluation are presented as mean fatigue curves with the upper and lower boundary limits of the scatterbands. For the type Alloy 800 in the recrystallization annealed condition, the results cover a temperature range from 20 to 750deg C; for the solution annealed types they cover a temperature range from 20 to 950deg C. Specimens tested in HTR helium at high temperatures had longer lives than specimens tested in air. This effect was represented quantitatively by the ratio of the total strain ranges from tests in HTR helium and air as a function of test ...
One of the main applications of PSA studies is related to identification of the major key issues related to plant safety. In standard PSA one assumes a constant value for component failure rates by considering that the component doesn't experience any degradation that could affect its performance. Used in this manner, standard PSA tools do not adequately address important ageing issues, and this fact could have a significant impact on the conclusions drawn from PSA studies and applications, in conditions of operation of ageing plants. To obtain realistic results, it is necessary to consider in the PSA model the ageing effects, and to do that it is necessary to take into consideration the change in component failure rate as a function of component age. In case of ageing phenomena, this dependence causes the failure rate of a component (or a set of components) to increase in time as the component age increase. The paper ...
Background 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) has led to a global increase in severe respiratory illness. Little is known about kidney outcomes and dialytic requirements in critically ill patients infected with pandemic H1N1. Study Design Prospective observational study. Setting & Participants 50 patients with pandemic H1N1 admitted to any of 7 intensive care units in Manitoba, Canada, were prospectively followed. Outcome & Measurements Outcomes were kidney injury and kidney failure defined using RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage disease) criteria or need for dialysis therapy. Results The pandemic H1N1 group was composed of 50 critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1 with severe respiratory syndrome (47 confirmed cases, 3 probable). Kidney injury, kidney failure, a...
Some considerations regarding ice load in risk-based dam safety analysis are presented for small concrete dams. The most significant physical mechanisms leading to ice thrust on dams (such as thermal expansion and water level fluctuations) are outlined. Published literature on dam ice loads to examine ice load magnitude-return period relationships, sliding and overstressing failure mechanisms and structural performance criteria to resist ice loads, are also reviewed. Related loading combinations for structural safety evaluations were determined regarding the issue of simultaneity of ice loads with other events such as earthquakes. Parametric analyses were conducted on a small gravity dam section, 3m high, and a taller dam, 17.9 m high, to demonstrate the ultimate ice load carrying capability as a function of dam geometry and shear and tensile strengths of construction joints. Since the failure mechanism of a dam subjected to excessive ice loads ...
Materials and MethodsThe genomic effects of tumor-endothelial interactions in cancer are not yet well characterized. To study this interaction in breast...Full Text Available
The sequential events and the inflammatory mediators that characterize disease onset and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) are not well known. In this study, we evaluated the early pathologic events...Full Text Available
Over 30 months 9292 consecutive patients admitted to nine coronary care units with suspected myocardial infarction were considered for admission to a randomised double blind study comparing the effect...Full Text Available
Uterine sarcomas are a rare group of neoplasms with aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. They are classified into four main histological subtypes in order of decreasing incidence: carcinosarcomas,...Full Text Available
Memory consolidation requires transcription and translation of new protein. Arc, an effector immediate early gene, and zif268, a regulatory transcription factor, have been implicated in synaptic plasticity...Full Text Available
Randomized clinical trials are designed with stopping boundaries to guide data monitoring committees with their decision making concerning ongoing trials. In particular, when extremely positive results...Full Text Available
Early on, intriguing biological activities were found associated with the EETs using in vitro systems. Although the EETs other than the 5,6-isomer, are quite stable chemically,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is a lack of studies considering social disparity in oral health emanating from adolescents in low-income countries. This study aimed to assess socio-demographic...Full Text Available
Mouse lines with behavioral phenotypes relevant to symptoms in neurodevelopmental disorders may provide models to test hypotheses about disease etiology and to evaluate potential treatments....Full Text Available
Objective:This article examines relationships between reproductive onset and lifetime history of smoking, regular smoking, and nicotine dependence, and cannabis and other illicit...Full Text Available
In rats, expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos observed in the brain following male copulatory behavior relates mostly to the detection of olfactory information originating...Full Text Available
The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system represents an important alternative to viral integrating vector systems but may, as its viral counterparts, be subject to transcriptional silencing. To investigate...Full Text Available
Dental caries continues to be a common chronic disease among various population groups. Patient care can be improved with detection at the earliest stage. However, current techniques do not...Full Text Available
of early humanitarians, and the vivisectors turned to Rene Descartes (1596 1650 ) to justify ...A celebrated mathematician, physiologist, and psychologist, Descartes provided a general philosophy of the irrelevance of ethics to the ...Animals, according to Descartes, were insensible and irrational machines; moved, like clocks, but
IntroductionIrradiation of normal, non-malignant bone during cancer therapy can lead to atrophy and increased risk of fracture at several skeletal sites, particularly...Full Text Available
The oxytocin and prolactin responses to suckling were measured in 10 women in early (n = 5) and established lactation (n = 5). Oxytocin was released in a pulsatile manner during suckling in all women,...Full Text Available
Direct identification of group B streptococci from a selective broth medium was performed with the Phadebact streptococcus test to determine the feasibility of this technique for early detection of...Full Text Available
Totipotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into every cell type. Renewal of totipotent stem cells in the germline and cellular differentiation during early embryogenesis rely upon posttranscriptional...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that affects women of all ages. Like all progressive diseases, early and reliable diagnosis is the key for successful treatment and annihilation....Full Text Available
BackgroundLung cancer diagnosis in tissue material with commonly used histological techniques is sometimes inconvenient and in a number of cases leads to ambiguous conclusions. Frequently...Full Text Available
A total of 626 patients undergoing a prostaglandin-induced abortion, the majority in the second trimester, have been analysed for complications occurring during inpatient treatment. Of the last 155...Full Text Available
We investigated the role of early portal hypotensive pharmacotherapy in preventing the development of portal-systemic shunting in a portal hypertensive model of chronic murine schistosomiasis induced...Full Text Available
A 33-year-old man sustained an acute Achilles tendon rupture which was surgically repaired. Early nonweight-bearing range of motion and strengthening of the ankle and the repaired muscle unit was allowed...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic significance of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy-induced neutropenia with survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine...Full Text Available
Cervical cancer is known to metastasize primarily by the lymphatic system. Dissemination through lymphatic vessels represents an early step in regional tumor progression, and the presence of lymphatic...Full Text Available
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity and long-term disability of non-anomalous infants. Previous studies have identified a prior early spontaneous preterm birth as...Full Text Available
Background. Detection of subjects with early chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important because some will progress up to stage 5 CKD, and most are at high risk of cardiovascular morbidity...Full Text Available
PURPOSE: Visual loss following panretinal photocoagulation was found in the Diabetic Retinopathy and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Studies. This study was designed to test the hypothesis...Full Text Available
In terms of managing thrombotic disorders, genotype-based individualized patient care emerged as early as 1994 when the association of factor V Leiden (G1691A), and later, prothrombin (G20210A),...Full Text Available
The new percutaneous mitral valve repair techniques are at an early stage. Preliminary series show that they are feasible; however, they need to be further evaluated in comparison with contemporary...Full Text Available
Nineteen of 69 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty required immediate coronary surgery after the procedure. Six of these operations were planned as a result of angioplasty that failed without producing...Full Text Available
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB; Sanfilippo syndrome type B) is a metabolic disorder with devastating clinical characteristics starting in early childhood and leading to premature death. A...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe aim of the present article was to evaluate whether angiogenic parameters as assessed by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound (TVCD) may predict those prognostic factors...Full Text Available
Microglia provide immune surveillance for the brain through both the removal of cellular debris and protection against infection by microorganisms and “foreign” molecules. Upon...Full Text Available
NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) comprises about 80% of all lung cancer cases worldwide. Surgery is most effective treatment for patients with early-stage disease. However, 30%–55% of these...Full Text Available
Hypothalamic systems which regulate appetite may be permanently modified during early development. We have previously reported hyperphagia and increased adiposity in the adult offspring of rodents fed...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To examine primary care physicians' management of rheumatoid arthritis, ascertain the determinants of management and compare management with that recommended by a current practice panel....Full Text Available
The composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) was examined in the developing lens and optic cup (stages 11-16) of the long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis) using peroxidase immunocytochemistry....Full Text Available
Pancreatic islet transplantation into the liver provides a possibility to treat selected patients with brittle type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, massive early β-cell death increases the number...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlthough the World Health Organization had recommended that every child be vaccinated for Hepatitis B by the early 1980s, large multinational pharmaceutical companies held...Full Text Available
Life history theory proposes that early-life cues induce highly integrated responses in traits associated with energy partitioning, maturation, reproduction, and aging such that the individual phenotype...Full Text Available
Suppressed IL-12 production and maladaptive immune activation, both of which are ameliorated by successful highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), are thought to play important roles in the immunopathogenesis...Full Text Available
Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia accelerate both aging and cancer. Antidiabetic biguanides such as metformin decrease glucose, insulin and IGF-1 level. Metformin increases lifespan and prevents cancer...Full Text Available
SynopsisEarly detection of late onset neonatal sepsis, prior to obvious and potentially catastrophic clinical signs, is an important goal in neonatal medicine. Sepsis causes a...Full Text Available
Stargardt-like macular degeneration (STGD3) is an early onset, autosomal dominant macular degeneration. STGD3 is characterized by a progressive pathology, the loss of central vision, atrophy...Full Text Available
BackgroundRecessive mutations in guanylate cyclase-1 (Gucy2d) are associated with severe, early onset Leber congenital amaurosis-1(LCA1). Gucy2d...Full Text Available
A disk formation model during collapse of the protosolar nebula, yielding a low-mass protoplanetary disk is presented. The following subject areas are covered: (1) circumstellar disks; (2) conditions for the formation of stars with disks; (3) early evolution of the protoplanetary disk; and (4) temperature conditions and the convection in the protoplanetary disk.
On agar plates, daughter cells of Escherichia coli mutually slide and align side-by-side in parallel during the first round of binary fission. This phenomenon has been previously attributed...Full Text Available
BackgroundEarly exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important.Full Text Available
Ammonoids and conodonts, being characterized by exceptionally high background rates of origination and extinction, were vulnerable to global environmental crises, which characteristically intensified...Full Text Available
Zygotes of fucoid algae have long been studied as a paradigm for cell polarity. Polarity is established early in the first cell cycle and is then expressed as localized growth and invariant cell division....Full Text Available
The ternary complex factor (TCF) Elk-1 is a transcription factor that regulates immediate early gene (IEG) expression via the serum response element (SRE) DNA consensus site. Elk-1 is associated with...Full Text Available
Chickens were bursectomized in ovo on days 18, 19 or 20 of incubation or within 6 h of hatch and immunized at day 28 after hatch by an intravenous injection of sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The immune...Full Text Available
BackgroundAllergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD) is regarded as a T-cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. We studied the kinetics of the expression of CS-1 fibronectin,...Full Text Available
Early effects of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) on malignant glioma are characterized by reduction of the enhancement area and regression of the peritumoral edema radiologically. The aim of this study was to investigate the early histological changes of tumors and inflammatory cells after BNCT in the rat brain. Rats were treated with BNCT using boronophenylalanine (BPA) 7 days after implantation of C6 glioma cells. The tumors were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological examination at 4 days after BNCT. The mean tumor volumes were 39#+-#2 mm"3 in the BNCT group and 134#+-#18 mm"3 in the control group. In the BNCT group, tumor cells showed a less pleomorphic appearance with atypical nuclei and mitotic figures. The Ki-67 labeling index was 6.5%#+-#4.7% in the BNCT and 35%#+-#3.8% in the control group. The reactions of the inflammatory cells were examined with ED-1 as macrophage marker and OX42 as microglia marker. ...
Bone metastases of an Ewing's sarcoma were detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when bone scan, CT and plain films were still normal. This is due to the ability of MRI to detect intramedullary metastases before involvement of the cortex. (Auth.).
IntroductionRadiotherapy outcomes might be further improved by a greater understanding of the individual variations in normal tissue reactions that determine tolerance. Most published...Full Text Available
Non-cemented femoral fixation in hip arthroplasty has become the standard of practice in the USA. However, recent literature has brought attention to an increasing incidence of periprosthetic femur...Full Text Available
Background:The present study measured longitudinal changes in bone turnover markers in elderly patients with vertebral fracture and investigated the relationship among bone turnover...Full Text Available
A paradoxical metabolic imbalance in inorganic phosphate occurs from the early onset of diabetes and may lead to a reduction of high energy phosphates and tissue hypoxia. These changes take place in...Full Text Available
Spinal Ewing's sarcomas are rare and cause problems in differential diagnosis. The radiologic, nuclear medicine and CT findings in two children with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma are presented and problems in differential diagnosis discussed. Biopsy should be done early. (orig.).
In summer 2000, the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University began a demonstration project to digitize classic articles in neurosurgery from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The objective of...Full Text Available
Ripening of `Tydeman's Early' apples (Malus sylvestris L.) assessed by the occurrence of the respiratory climacteric was delayed by succinic acid 2,2-dimethyl hydrazide (B-9) but not...Full Text Available
The purpose of the meeting reported here was to develop a set of national evidence-based standards for assessing and managing patients with potentially resectable rectal cancer. This report represents...Full Text Available
Premature circuit clotting is a major problem in daily practice of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), increasing blood loss, workload, and costs. Early clotting is related to bioincompatibility,...Full Text Available
1. Paired or single recordings of paraventricular and/or supraoptic oxytocin cells at the beginning of suckling in urethane-anaesthetized rats enabled us to study cell recruitment and compare the characteristics...Full Text Available
This paper reviews the development of cerebral scintigraphy from its early days of planar imaging with simple technetium-99m labelled compounds to the recent revival of the technique in the form of...Full Text Available
Fish living in contaminated environments accumulate toxic chemicals in their tissues. Biomarkers are needed to identify the resulting health effects, particularly focusing on early changes at a subcellular...Full Text Available
Research on Be stars from the early work of Merrill and Struve to the present is reviewed, including recent observations from space. A number of models which have been proposed to explain the Be phenomenon are discussed, and the evolutionary status of Be stars is considered. 126 references.
BackgroundIn vitro data suggest that changes in myocardial substrate metabolism may contribute to impaired myocardial function in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM)....Full Text Available
Life-history theory predicts that traits involved in maturity, reproduction and survival correlate along a fast–slow continuum of life histories. Evolutionary theories and empirical results...Full Text Available
In multiple sclerosis (MS), oligodendrocyte and myelin destruction lead to demyelination with subsequent axonal loss. Experimental demyelination in rodents has highlighted the activation of the subventricular...Full Text Available
A method is presented to derive the absolute dimensions of early-type detached binaries by combining the observed parameters with results of evolutionary computations. The method is used to obtain the absolute dimensions of nine close binaries. We find that most systems have an initial masss ratio near 1.
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration is a progressive neurodegenerative syndrome that is the second most common cause of early-onset dementia. Mutations in the progranulin gene are a major cause of familial...Full Text Available
IntroductionVarious multigene predictors of breast cancer clinical outcome have been commercialized, but proved to be prognostic only for hormone receptor (HR) subsets overexpressing...Full Text Available
PurposeHyperglycemia and hypertension contribute to the development of diabetic retinopathy, and this may involve alterations in the normal retinal cell cycle. In this work, we examined...Full Text Available
Thiamin(e), also known as vitamin B1, is now known to play a fundamental role in energy metabolism. Its discovery followed from the original early research on the ‘anti-beriberi factor’...Full Text Available
Antimalarial drugs will be essential tools at all stages of malaria elimination along the path towards eradication, including the early control or “attack” phase to drive down transmission...Full Text Available
Methylphenidate (MPH) is commonly prescribed in childhood and adolescence for the treatment of attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorders. In rodents, MPH exposure during preadolescence...Full Text Available
BackgroundPathophysiological mechanisms involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are complex and none has identified reliable markers useful in routine patient evaluation....Full Text Available