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We have developed a technique for absolute measurements of electron density in pulse-repetitive microwave discharges in air. The technique is based on the time-resolved absolute intensity of a nitrogen spectral band belonging to the Second Positive System, the kinetic model and the detailed particle balance of the N2C3Πu (ν = 0) state. This new approach bridges the gap between two existing electron density measurement methods (Langmuir probe and Stark broadening). The electron density is obtained from the time-dependent rate equation for the population of N2C3Πu (ν = 0) using recorded waveforms of the absolute C3Πu → B3Πg (0-0) band intensity, the forward and reflected microwave power density. Measured electron density waveforms using numerical and approximated analytical methods are presented for the case of pulse repetitive planar surface microwave discharge at the aperture of a horn antenna covered with alumina ceramic plate. The discharge was generated in air at 11.8 Torr with a X-band microwave generator using 3.5 μs microwave pulses at peak power of 210 kW. In this case, we were able to time resolve the electron density within a single 3.5 μs pulse. We obtained (9.0 ± 0.6) × 1013 cm-3 for the peak and (5.0 ± 0.6) × 1013 cm-3 for the pulse-average electron density. The technique presents a convenient, non-intrusive diagnostic method for local, time-defined measurements of electron density in short duration discharges near atmospheric pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the refraction effects in the weak shock wave (SW) dispersion on an interface with a temperature variation between two mediums are described. In the case of a finite-gradient boundary, the effect of the SW dispersion is remarkably stronger than in the case of a step change in parameters. In the former case the vertical component of velocity for the transmitted SW (the refraction effect) must be taken into account. Results of comparative calculations based on the two-dimensional model corrected for the refraction effect show significant differences in the shapes of the dispersed SW fronts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we are presenting the full characterization of a supersonic flowing CO2/N2/Ar discharge at static pressures of 1–20 Torr and Mach number 2.15. In all aspects besides the flow speed and gas temperature, these conditions correspond to Martian entry plasma. Plasma parameters were determined by optical emission spectroscopy techniques. The gas and vibrational temperature were found from analysis of the rotational and vibrational spectra of the CO B 1Σ+-A 1Π Ångstrom system, respectively. The electron density was determined from the absolute intensity of the N2 C 3Πu-B 3Πg second positive system. A kinetic model for the discharge was developed to calculate the electron density and compared with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed characterization of a microwave cavity discharge in the supersonic flow of Ar/H2/Air mixtures at static pressures of 1–10 Torr and Mach number 2 is mostly based on emission spectroscopy techniques. In the conditions close to real combustion environments, effects of hydrogen and air admixture to plasma parameters and population of excited species in the discharge are demonstrated. The effects resulting in ionization loss are discussed from the aspects of dominant mechanisms and consequences for the plasma assisted hydrogen oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a strong spherical expanding shock wave interacting with the finite-gradient interface between neutral cold gas and weakly ionized plasma. We want to see how the interaction with the interface can alter the shock structure compared to the case of its free propagation through the media with the exponentially varying density. From our comparative calculations based on the 2D model, we found substantial difference in the shock structure including strong deformation of the shock front followed with its gradual flattening and the redirection in its propagation. There are a number of factors that can be used to control this phenomenon in order to strengthen or lessen the effect. The calculations can be made on any scale, limited with the requirement for the shock wave to be strong. The study points at the possibility in certain applications to avoid the shock wave with its redirection rather than attenuation. The results can be applicable to optimization of the energy deposition into the supersonic flux, the drag reduction in hypersonic flight, in the detonation theory, and combustion through the control of the ignition conditions, and for environmental improvements through sonic boom reduction. Cartesian coordinates were used in order to visualize the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interaction of shock waves with a weakly ionized gas generated by discharges has been studied. An additional thermal mechanism of the shock wave dispersion on the boundary between a neutral gas and discharge has been proposed [A. Markhotok, S. Popovic, and L. Vuskovic, Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas, March 19–22, 2007 (NIST, Gaitersburg, MD, 2007)]. This mechanism can explain a whole set of thermal features of the shock wave-plasma interaction, including acceleration of the shock wave, broadening or splitting of the deflection signals and its consecutive restoration. Application has been made in the case of a shock wave interacting with a laser induced plasma. The experimental observations support well the results of calculation based on this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone is one of the most common sites of breast cancer metastasis. Metastases are often associated with bone destruction and are a major cause of morbidity. We examined structural bone changes induced by metastatic tumor in bone biopsies from 33 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (20 from patients with pathological femoral fracture and 13 with no fracture) and 20 normal controls. In all metastatic biopsies bone remodeling was shown to be tumor volume-dependent. Bone resorption and bone formation were biphasic with both increasing at earlier stages of metastatic bone disease and decreasing later on. A comparison of patients with fracture and no fracture did not reveal statistically significant differences in the extent of bone destruction or trabecular thinning. Bone histomorphometry showed limited ability to explain the higher bone volume loss in fracture patients (decreases of 42% and 25%, respectively, in fracture and nonfracture patients compared with controls). However, changes in bone quality, including increased disconnectivity and decreased connectivity, as evaluated by node-strut analysis, suggested that there were more structural changes in the fracture compared with the nonfracture group. The nonfracture group included six patients with no radiological evidence of bone metastasis (occult metastasis). They showed a higher tumor volume and a twofold lower eroded surface compared with the rest of the group. The decrease in bone volume (14% lower than controls) was below the limit of X-ray detection. Because we observed no increase in osteoclast-related parameters and no correlation between osteoclast surface and eroded surface, we believe that, in occult metastasis, osteoclastic bone resorption is not an important factor in overall bone resorption. Quantitatively, the eroded surface in direct contact with tumor cells was threefold higher than the osteoclast surface in occult metastasis, whereas the rest of the metastatic group (27 of 33) showed predominantly osteoclast-mediated eroded surface. Node-strut analysis on occult metastasis revealed a significant increase in disconnectivity without a concomitant significant decrease in bone volume and trabecular thinning. We conclude that, in occult metastasis, bone resorption may be more osteoclast-independent and other mechanisms involving the tumor cells may be more prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the results of a detailed analysis of planar shock waves propagating along a cylindrical glow discharge. Evidence that shock propagation velocity along the centerline of a cylindrical glow discharge has to be much higher in the cathode region than in the positive column to account for the measured propagation time; Mechanism for anomalous shock propagation velocity.

Focuses on a study of shell calcifications of the oyster ostrea edulis using X-ray powder diffraction. When was it sampled; Details on the developmental stages; Examination of the first gastrula stage; Manifestation of shell formation.

Introduction Case management (CM) is accepted as the most recommended approach for the treatment of people with severe mental illnesses (SMI) in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) in whole Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) in the last 3 years. Objective All team members of CMHC Prijedor are certificated case managers. Part of our daily activities is work with and for the users included in CM (mostly with schizophrenia or similar disorders) using multidisciplinary approach to find best possible solutions of both treatment and rehabilitation for users that we are in charge. In this moment CMHC cares for 12 mostly younger users involved in the CM. Aims To show advantages as well as obstacles of the CM. Methods Case study of young user with schizoaffective disorder included in the CM in the last 2 years. Results Improvements in user's daily activities and using of the remaining capacities with confrontation of partial or entire poor responses of most other community services. Conclusions CM has many advantages for the user involved in it, mostly medical and psychological (adequate treatment followed by users wishes, avoidance of hospitalization, improving existing or building new skills, use of remaining capacities, planed activities, minimize of the psychopharmacological treatment, social skills and more new contacts with people, etc.). But, still are existing the obstacles in the community mostly considering employment and social care as an part of the stigmatization of the people with SMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levitation of objects above a microwave horn is demonstrated. High-power microwave pulses generate a low-temperature, diffuse plasma on the surface of the horn window. The thermal effect of the surface plasma brings about a localized increase in the pressure and results in a vertical flow of air, thus levitating the object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative type of subcritical streamer discharge, generated by bursts of focused microwave (MW) radiation in transverse electromagnetic mode with wavelength of 10 cm, pulse duration of 40 µs, and intensity of 5.6 × 10[sub 4] W/cm², was initiated at the surface of a polymer foil at 420 Torr in air. The MW field of a quasioptical beam was three times lower than the critical breakdown field. Exposure of a polymer foil to the discharge caused a transition from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction People with schizophrenia are in greater risk for various physical deseases than general population. It is one of causes of earlier death in this population group. Objectives In past 5 years has been noticed that physical health (PhyH) of users with schizophrenia and similar disorders was not monitored regularly by family doctors (FD) in Health Center (HC) Prijedor even is known greater risk for some diseases such as diabetes (DM), hypertension (HT), coronary disease (CD) or width gain (WG). Aim Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) need continuously work on better care for the users with schizophrenia in all services in HC especially by FD. Method There were conducted two courses for 12 FD teams in HC Prijedor (March and June 2013). FD had training from prevalence of ten most common physical diseases and interventions aimed at their prevention. Also, we provided to every team a brochure about those topics. Patients with schizophrenia (n=30), age 20-55 years were monitored regularly in period of 6 months (June-December 2013) for 11 PHyH parameters: weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, ECG, blood glucose, cholesterol (total, LDL and HDL), triglycerides and prolactine, Results FD were found on our patients hypertension (n=8), dyslipidemia (n=13), DM (n=3) and non-symptomatic hyperprolactinemia (n=4). Most of them (n=17) were obese. Conclusions Collaborative work between CMHC and FD were successful in the detecting of physical diseases in patients with schizophrenia. Also, new quality connections between FD and their patients were established. It is a stimulus for further enhancement of our cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the law of shock wave refraction for a class of extended interfaces with continuously variable gradients. When the interface is extended or when the gas parameters vary fast enough, the interface cannot be considered as sharp or smooth and the existing calculation methods cannot be applied. The expressions we derived are general enough to cover all three types of the interface and are valid for any law of continuously varying parameters. We apply the equations to the case of exponentially increasing temperature on the boundary and compare the results for all three types of interfaces. We have demonstrated that the type of interface can increase or inhibit the shock wave refraction. Our findings can be helpful in understanding the results obtained in energy deposition experiments as well as for controlling the shock-plasma interaction in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines alterations in cardiac output after partial cord occlusion in fetal sheep. Results suggest that the almost simultaneous closure of arterial and venous umbilical vessels altered the flow pattern in the umbilical artery and decreased placental blood perfusion. It did not change the blood flow volume rate through the ductus venosus (DV) and, as a result, the DV shunting rate was increased.

The air plasma effluent of an arc-seed microwave torch is used to kill bacterial spores contained inside an envelope. The torch is operated at a 60-Hz periodic mode (with about 40% duty cycle) and runs stably at a low airflow rate (e.g., 0.3931/s). The images of plasma torch plumes show that the arc loop of the discharge prolongs from the electrodes by nearly 3 cm and microwave energizes the charge particles along the arc loop considerably. The emission spectroscopy of the torch indicates that the plasma effluent contains an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen. Bacillus cereus is chosen for the biological agent in the decontamination experiment. The experiment and the decontamination efficacy of this torch are presented. The averaged temperature inside the envelope is measured to be less than 40 °C, thus ruling out the thermal decontamination mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The dehydrated ion exchange polymer membranes plated with silver were found to bend under the low voltage by the two of the authors of this paper, H.T. and F.N., before (J. Membr. Sci. 243 (2004) 229). They speculated that the shift of silver layer on one surface of the ion exchange polymer membrane onto the opposite surface of it by the imposed applied voltage induced its bending. However, our latest investigation suggests that such a phenomenon of silver layer shift does not occur. Instead, the silver layer exhibits the reversible redox reaction of 4Ag+O2 =2Ag2O by the polarity change of applied voltage, and it appears to be heavily involved in the bending induction. Furthermore, our investigation strongly suggested that the dehydrated ion exchange polymer membrane is actually in the not so completely dehydrated state, namely, a minute quantity of water is still contained in the ion exchange polymer membrane that has undergone the dehydration treatment. In this study, we concluded that a minute quantity of water inside ion exchange polymer membrane and the occurrence of redox reaction of silver on its surface play the critical roles for its bending induction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Coprecipitates, Ni(OH)2 + 2Fe(OH3 , were milled in a planetary mill, using an agate bowl and balls (99.9% SiO2), and then heated at a maximum temperature of 573 or 773 K. The Mossbauer spectra at 298 K of the ball-milled samples (not heated) showed the superposition of two quadrupole doublets. After heating at 573 K, the superposition of two doublets was preserved at 298 K with a slight increase in the quadrupole splitting for the sample ball-milled for 64 h. After heating at 573 K, the ball-milled samples showed at 80 K a central quadrupole doublet and a sextet with very broad lines. All the samples heated to 573 K were amorphous for according to X-ray diffraction while those heated to 773 K exhibited crystalline NiFe2O4 with broadened diffraction lines. At 298 K, superposition of two sextets in the Mossbauer spectra was observed for the samples obtained after heating at 773 K, indicating the presence of nickel ferrite as a single phase. The average sizes of NiFe2O4 crystallites were in the nanosize range (8-12 nm). The Fourier transform infrared spectra of the samples heated at 773 K showed two very strong bands with positions at 601-603 and 408-411 cm-1, which can be ascribed to NiFe2O4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anastomosing hemangioma (ah) is a rare subtype of primary vascular tumour that can, clinically and radiologically, present similarly to malignant renal tumours such as renal cell carcinoma (rcc) and angiosarcoma. Rarely seen in the genitourinary system, the ah we report here occurred in a 40-year-old male patient diagnosed initially with rcc based on imaging and successfully treated by laparoscopic left radical nephrectomy, with adrenal sparing and perihilar lymph node dissection. The pathologic diagnosis of ah can be challenging on small biopsy specimens; we therefore opine that it is appropriate to excise these lesions to facilitate diagnosis and definitively exclude common renal cancers. However, in this review, we describe some radiologic and pathologic distinctions between ah and malignant tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented that describes the control of bleeding in a patient with haemophilia A who underwent supracondylar amputation.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the simultaneous measurement of three serological markers of chlamydial infection in women with tubal factor infertility (TFI) and spontaneous miscarriage. Serum was collected from 87 patients (33 with TFI and 54 with spontaneous miscarriage) and analyzed for the presence of IgG and IgA antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis MOMP antigen (Dia.Pro) and IgG antibodies to chlamydial heat shock protein 60 (cHSP60) antigen (Medac). We determined a high degree (64.5 %) of seropositivity against chlamydial antigens in our study population. The prevalence of persistent chlamydial infection has tended to be higher in the group of patients with TFI (41.4 %) than in patients with spontaneous miscarriage (21.3 %). The serum level of IgA, as a marker of active infection, was statistically higher in the TFI group with persistent infection than in the corresponding spontaneous miscarriage group ( p = 0.008), while the serum level of IgG showed no statistically significant differences compared with the spontaneous miscarriage group with persistent infection ( p = 0.227). Also, using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we found that the serum level of IgA has the ability to discriminate patients with persistent chlamydial infection between the TFI and miscarriage groups, with a sensitivity and specificity of 74.3 % and 71.4 %, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first study which, besides the already confirmed linkage between serologic evidence of persistent chlamydial infection and TFI, also confirmed associations between spontaneous miscarriage and serologic evidence of persistent chlamydial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Evidence suggests that dysregulation of energy-sensing pathways closely associates with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development. The metabolic regulation is largely controlled by 5′-AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) which is activated through phosphorylation by LKB1.Methods:The expression of LKB1 was determined by reverse transcription-PCR using 10 clinical clear cell RCC (ccRCC) samples and their adjacent normal renal parenchyma, and by immunohistochemical staining of two tissue microarrays containing 201 ccRCC and 26 normal kidney samples. Expression of LKB1 was knocked down in human ccRCC 786-O cells (shLKB1) and compared with cells expressing scrambled control shRNA (shControl). AMPK signalling, proliferation, invasion, and VEGF secretion was measured. The cells were subcutaneously injected into mice to determine tumour growth in vivo.Results:At the protein and transcript levels, a significant reduction in LKB1 expression in tumour compared with normal tissue was found. In vitro, knockdown of LKB1 resulted in reduced AMPK signalling and increased cellular proliferation, invasion, and VEGF secretion compared with shControl cells. In vivo, growth of shLKB1 ccRCC xenografts in nude mice was significantly increased compared with shControl xenografts.Conclusion:Collectively, our results suggest that LKB1 acts as a tumour suppressor in most sporadic cases of ccRCC and that underexpression of LKB1 is a common event in the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate cardiac autonomic control in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and thymoma. Materials and methods: The study was performed on 21 patients with MG and thymoma and the same number of matched healthy volunteers. Standard cardiovascular reflex tests according to Ewing and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) at rest was applied. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) at rest was assessed using a 20-minute ECG recording (normalized low- and high-frequency bands—LFnu-RRI, HFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI) Time-domain analysis of HRV was derived from 24-hour ECG monitoring. Results: Overall autonomic score according to Ewing was significantly increased in patients with MG and thymoma (p <0.05), mostly due to parasympathetic dysfunction. Time-domain parameters representing the overall and long-term sympathetic activity of HRV did not differ significantly between the two groups (p >0.05), but there was a significant decrease in measures of the short-term vagal variations in HRV (p <0.01). HFnu-RRI was lower, while LFnu-RRI and LF/HF-RRI were higher in patients with MG and thymoma in comparison to healthy controls but these differences were not of statistical significance (p >0.05). BRS at rest was highly significantly reduced in patients group (p <0.01). Conclusions: Our results showed mainly parasympathetic cardiac impairment in patients with myasthenia gravis and thymoma. Since autonomic dysfunction may lead to cardiac conduction abnormalities and sudden death, the investigation of autonomic nervous system function in these patients may be significant in everyday clinical practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A nonthermal low temperature air plasma jet is characterized and applied to study the plasma effects on oral pathogens and biofilms. Experiments were performed on samples of six defined microorganisms' cultures, including those of gram-positive bacteria and fungi, and on a cultivating biofilm sample of Streptococcus mutans UA159. The results show that the plasma jet creates a zone of microbial growth inhibition in each treated sample; the zone increases with the plasma treatment time and expands beyond the entire region directly exposed to the plasma jet. With 30s plasma treatment twice daily during 5 days of biofilm cultivation, its formation was inhibited. The viability of S. mutans cells in the treated biofilms dropped to below the measurable level and the killed bacterial cells concentrated to local regions as manifested by the fluorescence microscopy via the environmental scanning electron microscope. The emission spectroscopy of the jet indicates that its plasma effluent carries an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen, providing catalyst for the observed plasma effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 154 food composite samples from the 2008 total diet study in Quebec City were analysed for bisphenol A (BPA), and BPA was detected in less than half (36%, or 55 samples) of the samples tested. High concentrations of BPA were found mostly in the composite samples containing canned foods, with the highest BPA level being observed in canned fish (106 ng g−1), followed by canned corn (83.7 ng g−1), canned soups (22.2–44.4 ng g−1), canned baked beans (23.5 ng g−1), canned peas (16.8 ng g−1), canned evaporated milk (15.3 ng g−1), and canned luncheon meats (10.5 ng g−1). BPA levels in baby food composite samples were low, with 2.75 ng g−1 in canned liquid infant formula, and 0.84–2.46 ng g−1 in jarred baby foods. BPA was also detected in some foods that are not canned or in jars, such as yeast (8.52 ng g−1), baking powder (0.64 ng g−1), some cheeses (0.68–2.24 ng g−1), breads and some cereals (0.40–1.73 ng g−1), and fast foods (1.1–10.9 ng g−1). Dietary intakes of BPA were low for all age–sex groups, with 0.17–0.33 µg kg−1 body weight day−1 for infants, 0.082–0.23 µg kg−1 body weight day−1 for children aged from 1 to 19 years, and 0.052–0.081 µg kg−1 body weight day−1 for adults, well below the established regulatory limits. BPA intakes from 19 of the 55 samples account for more than 95% of the total dietary intakes, and most of the 19 samples were either canned or in jars. Intakes of BPA from non-canned foods are low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rakocevic Stojanovic V, Peric S, Lavrnic D, Popovic S, Ille T, Stevic Z, Basta I, Apostolski S. Leptin and the metabolic syndrome in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Acta Neurol Scand: 2010: 121: 94–98. © 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard. Objectives – To evaluate serum leptin concentration and its relation to metabolic syndrome (MSy) in non-diabetic patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Materials and methods – This study included 34 DM1 patients, and the same number of healthy subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Results – DM1 patients had increased BMI and insulin resistance, and increased leptin and insulin concentrations, but the other features of MSy such as diabetes, glucose intolerance and hypertension were not detected in DM1 patients. Serum leptin levels were higher in patients with DM1 than in healthy controls (8.5 ± 6.6 ng/ml vs 3.6 ± 2.9 ng/ml in men, and 13.9 ± 10.0 ng/ml vs 10.9 ± 6.9 ng/ml in women, respectively). In DM1 patients, leptin levels correlated with BMI, fasting insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA) ( P < 0.01). Conclusions – The leptin overproduction correlated with insulin resistance in DM1 patients but the significance of this finding remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness and mechanism of a low temperature air plasma torch in clotting blood are explored. Both blood droplets and smeared blood samples were used in the tests. The treated droplet samples reveal how blood clotting depends on the distance at which the torch operated, and for how long the droplets have been exposed to the torch. Microscopy and cell count of smeared blood samples shed light on dependencies of erythrocyte and platelet counts on torch distance and exposure time. With an increase of torch distance, the platelet count of treated blood samples increases but is less than that of the control. The flux of reactive atomic oxygen (RAO) and the degree of blood clotting decreased. With an increase of exposure time, platelet count of treated samples decreased, while the degree of clot increased. The correlation among these dependencies and published data support a blood clotting mechanism that RAO as well as other likely reactive oxygen species generated by the plasma torch activate erythrocyte-platelets interactions and induces blood coagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: The treatment of bone metastases in breast cancer is traditionally based upon the receptor status of the primary tumour. However, retrospective studies have shown significant discordance in receptor expression between primary and metastatic tumours. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prospectively assess the incidence of discordant receptor status in primary and metastatic disease and evaluate the role of bone marrow biopsies for the reassessment of receptor status. Materials and methods: Nine patients with known bone metastases were assessed with both a radiologically guided bone biopsy and a bone marrow aspirate and trephine. The oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status of these samples was assessed and compared with the primary breast cancer. Bone and bone marrow samples were also evaluated for HER2/neu status and compared with the status of the primary tumour if available. Results: Tumour cells were found in six of the nine bone metastasis specimens and five of the nine bone marrow samples. A discordance rate for the oestrogen receptor was seen in five of nine patients (56%) and for the progesterone receptor in four patients (44%). There seemed to be a correlation between bone and bone marrow biopsies. Conclusion: The receptor discordance rate in this study was similar to previous retrospective studies. It seems that bone marrow biopsy may be a simple, safe and well-tolerated way to obtain tissue to reassess the receptor status of metastatic breast cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous studies have suggested that the multiple transplants might be equally metabolically efficient to a single regimen for human adult islets. The aim of this study was to compare immunological and metabolic parameters after each of the two regimens of human fetal islets (HFI). Group A single transplants (n = 9) had 180 ± 20 × 1000 HFI equivalents (IEQs) implanted via a single intramuscular injection. In group B multiple transplants (n = 8) islets were implanted by three consecutive injections of 60 ± 10 × 1000 IEQs at 7-day intervals. We analyzed the immunological parameters of CD4/CD8 T lymphocyte ratios; islet cell antibodies (ICAs) and insulin antibodies (IAs). We estimated insulin secreting capacity (ISC) as the metabolic parameter. We observed that the CD4 +/CD8 + T-cell ratio increased, peaking on day 90, in similar fashion in both groups: day −1: A = 1.18 ± 0.03 versus B = 1.19 ± 0.04; on day 90: A = 1.79 ± 0.09, versus B = 1.75 ± 0.08 (P = NS) immediately before the decrease in C-peptide levels. Thereafter the ratios rapidly decreased without statistical differences. The levels of ICAs did not change. The levels of IAs, which were increased before transplant, then decreased without statistical differences between the groups. The values of ISC increased after transplant and then decreased similar to the T-cell ratio. Our results demonstrated that regimens of multiple and single HFIs did not show differences in the kinetics of the immunological response presumably mediating graft destruction. The CD4/CD8 ratio increased as the C-peptide level decreased, peaking on day 90 at the time of a decrease in C-peptide. These results may be useful for clinical studies of HFIs for type 1 diabetic patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A tomographic numerical method based on the two-dimensional Radon formula for a cylindrical cavity has been employed for obtaining spatial distributions of the argon excited levels. The spectroscopy measurements were taken at different positions and directions to observe populations of excited species in the plasmoid region and the corresponding excitation temperatures. Excited argon states are concentrated near the tube walls, thus, confirming the assumption that the post discharge plasma is dominantly sustained by travelling surface wave. An automated optical measurement system has been developed for reconstruction of local plasma parameters of the plasmoid structure formed in an argon supersonic flowing microwave discharge. The system carries out angle and distance measurements using a rotating, flat mirror, as well as two high precision stepper motors operated by a microcontroller-based system and several sensors for precise feedback control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]