Multi-state models defined in terms of CD4 counts are useful for modelling HIV disease progression. A Markov model with six progressive CD4-based states and an absorbing state (AIDS) was used to estimate the cumulative probability of progressing to AIDS in 158 HIV-1 infected haemophiliacs with known seroconversion (SC) dates. A problem arising in such analysis is how to define CD4-based states, since this marker is subject to measurement error and short timescale variability. Four approaches were used: no smoothing, ad hoc smoothing (to move to a later/previous state two consecutive measurements to later/previous states are needed), kernel smoothing and random effects (RE) models. The estimates were compared with the Kaplan-Meier estimate based solely on data concerning time to AIDS. There was an apparent lack of agreement between the Kaplan-Meier and the "no smoothing" estimate. With the exception of the "no smoothing" method, "ad hoc", kernel and RE estimates fell within the range of the 95 per cent CIs of the Kaplan-Meier curve. Simulations demonstrated that the use of raw CD4 counts provides overestimated transition intensities. Compared to the kernel method, ad hoc is easier to implement and overcomes the problem of the choice of bandwidth. The RE approach leads to simple models, since it usually results in very few transitions to previous states, and can handle individuals with sparse data by smoothing their predictions towards the population mean. Ad hoc was the method that performed better, in terms of bias, than the other smoothing approaches.
During the last years, a number of assays have been developed aiming at predicting the most effective chemotherapy regimen for each individual, avoiding possible toxicity of ineffective drugs. In the present study we have used an in vitro chemosensitivity/chemoresistance assay in order to evaluate cytotoxic treatment in ovarian and breast cancer patients. The assay was applied in 77 ovarian and breast cancer samples and the observed in vitro responses to various chemotherapeutic drugs or combinations of drugs were then correlated to the in vivo responses and the overall clinical data of the examined patients. Direct comparison was possible for 25 cases. The overall positive predictive value of the assay was 50% and the negative predictive value was 57%. However, it was observed that the positive predictive value for ovarian patients was 69% and that the negative predictive value for breast patients was 100%. Therefore this study indicates that although in vitro chemosensitivity/chemoresistance is a valuable assay, further analysis and implications of other factors are required for a general evaluation of cytotoxic treatment for patients with ovarian and breast cancer.
In this case study, we describe the symptoms, neuropsychological testing, and brain pathology of a retired mason's assistant with cortical basal ganglionic degeneration (CBGD). CBGD is an extremely rare neurodegenerative disease that is categorized under both Parkinsonian syndromes and frontal lobe dementias. It affects men and women nearly equally, and the age of onset is usually in the sixth decade of life. CBGD is characterized by Parkinson's-like motor symptoms and by deficits of movement and cognition, indicating focal brain pathology. Neuronal cell loss is ultimately responsible for the neurological symptoms.
We present the results of a wide-aperture seismic onshore–offshore study (Crete Seismic Experiment) in the Cretan region as part of the Hellenic arc compressional system. Three seismic lines were carried out on and around the island of Crete in order to investigate the crustal structure of the region. Up to 119 three-component recording stations were deployed on each profile that observed seismic energy generated by a 48-l airgun array and eight 20-kg landshots. A total of 6208 shots were fired. Upon completing the fieldwork, the vertical components of all stations were evaluated; 300 Common-Receiver-Gather (CRG) sections of the ocean bottom seismographs (OBS) and land stations as well as 100 Common-Source-Gather (CSG) sections of the land shots and selected airgun shots were compiled and modeled in order to generate a 2D P-wave velocity–depth model for each profile. The accuracy of the model depends on the depth and position along the profiles and does not exceed 5% for both depth and P-wave velocity. We identified strong lateral variations in crustal and sedimentary thickness mainly in a north–south direction but also along strike (east–west). The crust is continental and has a maximum thickness of 32.5 km below northern central Crete. Its subdivision in an upper (vp = 5.8–6.3 km/s, locally up to 6.5 km/s) and a lower (vp = 6.4–6.9 km/s) part is justified by a first-order discontinuity with vp-velocity a contrast of up to 0.6 km/s. The eastern part of Crete shows a significantly thinner crust of 24 to 26 km. To the North, the crustal thickness decreases to 15 km below the central Cretan Sea. The prominent decrease of the Moho depth north of central Crete is interpreted to represent the northern end of a microcontinent that was subducted in Oligocene times and later surfaced by ‘buoyant escape’ (Sto¨ckhert et al., 1999; Thompson et al., 1999). The P–T–t–D history of the high-pressure rocks of Crete, Greece: denudation by buoyant escape. In: Exhumation Processes: Normal Faulting, Ductile Flow and Erosion. Ring, U., Lister, G.,Willet, S., Brandon, M. (Eds.), Spec. Publ. of the Geol. Soc. of London,p. 154]. To the south and southwest of the island, the continental crust gradually thins to a minimum of 17 km and atapproximately 100 km off the southern coast of Crete, it is in contact with oceanic crust below the Mediterranean Ridge. Upper mantle velocities were determined to be 7.7 km/s below the Cretan Sea and 8.0 km/s south of Crete. Below the continental Cretan crust, a 6- to 7-km-thick layer with vp-velocities between 6.6 and 7.1 km/s was identified on each line and could be followed by reflections to a depth of 42 km. It is decoupled from the overlying continental crust at central Crete and is interpreted as oceanic crust presently under subduction towards the NNE below the Aegean Sea.
Local Hall probe ac permeability and global dc SQUID magnetization measurements were used to construct the phase diagram of the vortex matter for two HgBa2CuO4+delta single crystals with different amounts of disorder. Emphasis was given near T-c and for low magnetic fields H-dc < 1 kOe. For the nearly optimally doped crystal with T-c = 94.8 K, the second peak line H-sp and the respective onset line H-min of the magnetization loops end at (T*, H*) = (88 K, 2 kOe) on the irreversibility line, while for the crystal of lower T-c (= 89.9 K) decreases monotonically and terminates just below T-c In addition, for the crystal with T-c = 89.9 K the local permeability measurements (as a function of temperature or dc magnetic field) revealed a peak in the screening current just below the onset of the diamagnetic screening. The possible sublimation character of the melting transition, the two-stage melting scenario and a Bragg to vortex glass transition are discussed. The different behaviours observed between the two crystals is attributed to the different amount of disorder.
The rapid development of information technology and the multiple usage of Information Systems make indisputable their appliance in all the sectors including the Nursing Service area. Information Systems that have been developed for the Nursing Service Administration are extremely useful in the processing and the categorisation of a large number of information, providing significant advantages such as information storage, information availability, information precision and reliability. In addition, the appliance of Information Systems provides important advantages in the administration of the nursing personnel's data, contributing to the improvement of the operating effectiveness of the Nursing Service. This paper describes the development and the evaluation of an Information System for the Nursing Service Administration that classifies all the information related to the nursing personnel and helps the administration to handle the appropriate nursing data. The method of Life Cycle Model was decided as the most appropriate for the development of the System, because of the important advantages that it offers. For the evaluation of our own designed system we based on the standards, which are used for evaluating Information Systems in general. The evaluation of this Information System is carried out by a survey among the undergraduate and the postgraduate students of the Nursing Department of the University of Athens and the Nursing Personnel of a number of Hospitals. Useful conclusions have been derived concerning those characteristics, which should be fulfilled by the system. Important conclusions have been also drown out concerning the dependencies of the variables under study, the future readjustments of the system, and the general perception of the newcomers in health profession towards the application of the information technology.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity and toxicity profile of dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin (EPI) and paclitaxel in advanced breast cancer (ABC). From January to September 1997, 41 patients with recurrent or metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Their median age was 57 (range, 33-77) years and median performance status 0 (range, 0-2). Twenty patients had received adjuvant chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic regimen consisted of 4 cycles of EPI 110 mg/m2 every 2 weeks followed by 4 cycles of paclitaxel, 225 mg/m2 over 3 hours every 2 weeks. G-CSF was administered prophylactically on days 2-10 of each cycle. 34 (83.0%)patients completed all 8 cycles of chemotherapy. A total of 304 cycles were administered, 259 (85.0%) of them at full dose. Thirty (10.0%) cycles were delivered with a delay. The relative median dose intensities of EPI and paclitaxel were 0.95. Most common grade 3-4 side effects were anemia (15.0%) neutropenia (12.0%), thrombocytopenia (5.0%), nausea/vomiting (10.0%), febrile neutropenia (7.5%), and alopecia (90.0%). Overall, 8 (19.5%) patients achieved a complete and 15 (36.5%) a partial response. Median duration of response was 8.4 (range, 3.1-15.5+) months. After a median follow-up of 18.5 months, median time to progression was 8.7 (range, 0.5-21+) months; median survival has not been reached yet. Dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with EPI and paclitaxel shows promising activity as first-line treatment in ABC. Randomized studies comparing this type of chemotherapy with the classical administration of the two drugs together every 3 weeks are ongoing.
Time series analysis of 6 nights of CCD observations of WZ Sge after it's unexpected superoutburst on July 23, 2001 has shown highly asymmetric periodic variations with a period 0.0566513(22)deg, full amplitude 0.218(4)m and a very high asymmetry M-m=0.670(9), a secondary minimum 0.38P after the main one. The initial epochs are Tmax=BJD 2452118.7483(3) and Tmin=BJD 52118.7670(2). The characteristics of the phase light curve are listed. In addition, we have found superhumps with a semi-amplitude of 0.021(2)m and an ephemeris Tmax,sh=BJD 2452117.6830(8)+0.057435(45)d E. Other peaks at 21 and 25 minutes possibly correspond to quasi-periodic oscillations with an effective semi-amplitude of 0.014m.
Rhinoviruses have been recently associated with the majority of asthma exacerbations for which current therapy is inadequate. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) has a central role in airway inflammation in asthma, and it is the receptor for 90% of rhinoviruses. Rhinovirus infection of airway epithelium induces ICAM-1. Desloratadine and loratadine are compounds belonging to the new class of H(1)-receptor blockers. Anti-inflammatory properties of antihistamines have been recently documented, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely defined.|We have investigated the effects of desloratadine and loratadine on rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 expression, mRNA upregulation, and promoter activation.|Cultured primary bronchial or transformed (A549) respiratory epithelial cells were pretreated with desloratadine and loratadine for 16 hours and infected with rhinovirus type 16 for 8 hours. ICAM-1 surface expression was evaluated with flow cytometry, and ICAM-1 mRNA was evaluated with specific RT-PCR. In A549 cells promoter activation was evaluated with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay, and binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B in nuclear extracts was evaluated with an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.|Desloratadine and loratadine (0.1-10 micromol/L) inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 upregulation in both primary bronchial or transformed (A549) respiratory epithelial cells. In A549 cells the 2 compounds showed a dose-dependent inhibition with similar efficacy (inhibitory concentration of 50%, 1 micromol/L). Desloratadine and loratadine also inhibited ICAM-1 mRNA induction caused by rhinovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner, and they completely inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 promoter activation. Desloratadine also inhibited rhinovirus-induced nuclear factor kappa B activation. Desloratadine and loratadine had no direct effect on rhinovirus infectivity and replication in cultured epithelial cells.|These effects are unlikely to be mediated by H(1)-receptor antagonism and suggest a novel mechanism of action that may be important for the therapeutic control of virus-induced asthma exacerbations.
Stacking faults appear to be the most common type of defect in inverted opals which are good candidates for photonic crystals with absolute gaps in the visible range of light. In this Letter we present for the first time a systematic study of the effect of stacking faults on the optical properties of self-assembled photonic crystals, by means of large-scale transmittance calculations for macroscopic slabs of inverted opals with randomly distributed stacking faults. We show that frequency gaps, as seen in optical transmission experiments, will in general appear wider in the presence of stacking faults. We attribute the above to Anderson localization of light due to disorder.
Concentrated polycrystalline DyBa2Cu3O6+cursive Greek chi compounds are studied by X-band EPR spectroscopy. A broad resonance line due to the highly anisotropic EPR spectrum of Dy3+ ions is identified on several specimens at low temperatures. Powder simulation of the EPR spectra complies with the ground Kramers doublet predicted by crystal field analysis of Dy3+ ions. Calculations of the second and fourth moments of the resonance lines due to the dipole-dipole interactions of Dy3+ indicate the presence of substantial exchange narrowing of the dipolar-broadened EPR linewidth.
The local ac and dc magnetic response in an untwinned YBa2Cu3O7-delta crystal has been measured using a microscopic Hall sensor. Due to the low pinning energy at elevated temperatures (near T-c), the ac response of the platelet-shaped crystal is governed by the geometrical barrier. From the field where the first vortex penetrates into the center of the crystal we estimated the first critical field (H-c1). The temperature variation of H-c1 near T-c is compatible with a strongly type-H superconductor, where the fluctuations in the order parameter (Psi) are those of an uncharged superfluid of the three dimensional XY model. In order to extract a reasonable value for the London penetration length at T=0 K, a value c(0)=3 is needed for the core contribution of the line energy of the vortex.
OBJECTIVE: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) among children may be a rare outcome of a delayed non-specific infection in situations of overall low herd immunity. We evaluated the hypothesis as to whether newly diagnosed ALL cases, compared to their controls, are characterized by lower herd immunity, as reflected in a more seronegative spectrum to several agents, with the exception of a strongly positive response to a single infectious agent, assumed to trigger ALL.
METHODS: The study included 94 incident cases of ALL, from all pediatric hematology-oncology units of Greece, and 94, matched for age and gender, controls hospitalized with minor non-infectious conditions. The past exposure to common infections was assessed using 10 serological markers.
RESULTS: There was little evidence for an association of ALL with the serology of any of the studied infectious agents among the very young children. In contrast, among children aged 5 years or older, leukemia was inversely associated with seropositivity to Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus-6, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and parvovirus B19.
CONCLUSIONS: Among children aged 5 years or older the risk of leukemia may be higher when the low herd immunity for several agents is challenged by late infection from an agent that, as a rule, would attack children at a younger age.
We evaluated the efficacy and tolerance of the combination of docetaxel and vinorelbine as first line treatment in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). These agents have different mechanisms of action and both are active in advanced breast cancer. Thirty-nine chemotherapy-naive for metastatic disease patients were treated on an out-patient basis with vinorelbine 20mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8 and docetaxel 85mg/m2 i.v. on day 8, every 3 weeks. Twenty-one (53.8%) patients had locoregional disease, 30 (76.9%) had distant metastases and 20 (51.3%) had visceral metastases. The intent-to-treat objective response rate (RR) was 48.75% (19 out of 39 patients; 95% confidence interval (CI), 32.4% to 65.2%). Four patients (10.25%) achieved a complete response (CR) (95% CI, 2.9% to 24.2%) and 15 (38.5%) a partial response (PR) (95% CI, 23.4% to 55.4%). The median duration of response was 4 months, the median time to progression (TTP) was 6 months and the median survival-time was 11.3 months. Grade 3 and/or 4 (3/4) anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 7.7% and 5.1% of patients, respectively. Twelve (30.7%) patients developed grade 3/4 neutropenia and 7 (17.9 %) were complicated with fever. Grade 3/4 diarrhea, nausea-vomiting, fatigue and constipation were not a problem. Alopecia was universal. Grade 3/4 neurotoxicity was evident in 2.6% of patients. None of the patients developed allergic reaction or fluid retention. There was one treatment-related death due to grade 4 neutropenia and sepsis. Conclusion: This combination of docetaxel and vinorelbine, a non-anthracycline-containing regimen, is a moderately effective regimen for the treatment of chemotherapy-naive breast cancer patients with metastases, causing only mild to moderate toxicity.
The g factors of the 2+1 and 4+1 states in 78,80,82,84,86Kr have been measured for tne first time, using Coulomb excitation of isotopic Kr beams and the transient field technique. The measured g factors of 2+1 states in 78.80.82Kr are well described, in both magnitude and progression with neutron number, by the IBA-II model. Whereas the lighter isotopes show a dominant collective structure with g factor values close to Z/A, the large g(2-1) = 1.12(14) value of 86Kr, with its closed N = 50 shell, is unequivocally dominated by specific proton configurations. The g factor of the 2+1 state in 84Kr, with two holes in the Ig9/2 neutron orbit, reflects both proton and neutron components in the wave function. In addition, the lifetimes of several 2+1 and 4+1 states were remeasured by the Doppler shift attenuation method, yielding values which, in some cases, differ from those in the literature.
Purpose, To develop the physiologically sound concept of fractal volume of drug distribution, nu (f) and evaluate its utility and applicability in interspecies pharmacokinetic scaling. Methods, Estimates for nu (f) of various drugs in different species were obtained from the relationship: nu (f) = (nu - V-pl) V-ap-V-pl/V-ap + Vpl where nu is the total volume of the species (equivalent to its total mass assuming a uniform density 1g/mL), V-pl is the plasma volume of the species and V-ap is the conventional volume of drug distribution. This equation was also used to calculate the fractal analogs of various volume terms of drug distribution (the volume of central compartment, V-c. the steady state volume of distribution, V-ss, and the volume of distribution following pseudodistribution equilibrium, V-z). The calculated fractal volumes of drug distribution were correlated with body mass of different mammalian species and allometric exponents and coefficients were determined. Results, The calculated values of nu (f) for selected drugs in humans provided meaningful and physiologically sound estimates for the distribution of drugs in the human body. For all fractal volume terms utilized, the allometric exponents were found to be either one or close to unity. The estimates of the allometric coefficients were found to be in the interval (0,1). These decimal values correspond to a fixed fraction of the fractal volume term relative to body mass in each one of the species. Conclusions. Fractal volumes of drug distribution scale proportionally to mass. This confirms the theoretically expected relationship between volume and mass in mammalian species.
In this paper we study a situation in which a broker must manage the procurement of a short-life-cycle product. As the broker observes demand for the item, she learns about the demand process. However, as is often the case in practice, it becomes either more difficult or more expensive to procure the item as the selling season advances. Thus, the broker must trade off higher procurement costs against the benefit of making ordering decisions with better information about demand. Problems of this type arise, for example, in the travel industry, where a travel agent's cost of procuring airline and hotel reservations increases as the date of a vacation package approaches. We develop a newsvendor-like characterization of the optimal procurement policy. In a numerical analysis, we demonstrate how broker procurements tend to cluster just before price increases and how brokers can benefit from explicitly considering the effects of information about demand in their ordering policies.
Nistazakis HE, Frantzeskakis DJ, Malomed BA, Kevrekidis PG. Head-on collisions of ring dark solitons. Physics Letters, Section A: General, Atomic and Solid State Physics [Internet]. 2001;285:157-164. Website
Nistazakis HE, Frantzeskakis DJ, Malomed BA, Kevrekidis PG. Head-on collisions of ring dark solitons. Physics Letters, Section A: General, Atomic and Solid State Physics [Internet]. 2001;285:157-164. Website
Preliminary evidence suggests that high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation may be effective in some patients with resistant Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. During the last 10 years, seven patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia have received transplants at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, four with autologous and three with allogeneic stem cells. Four patients achieved partial remission, and three patients have remained alive for at least 2 years. Our data confirm the feasibility of high-dose therapy in patients with macroglobulinemia and support the need for prospective studies of this modality in patients with chemosensitive disease.
Objective - The purpose of this study was to evaluate thyroid function and TSH and cortisol (F) secretion in hyperandrogenemic women with nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NC-CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (Group A) when compared with women with hyperandrogenemic symptoms (menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, acne, seborrhea and sterility) of other etiologies (Group B). Methods - Seventy-two women were subjected to stimulation of the adrenal cortex with i.v. ACTH administration in the early proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Basal plasma TSH, T3, T4, and FTI as well as basal and ACTH-stimulated plasma F and 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels were determined. Results - According to internationally accepted criteria and HLA haplotyping, we diagnosed 28 NC-CAH patients as well as affected heterozygotes of the disease. No significant difference was found in the plasma T3, T4, or FTI or F concentrations between the women of the two groups. On the contrary, plasma TSH levels were significantly lower in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency when compared to the women with hyperandrogenemic symptoms of other etiologies. Conclusion - The results of this study support a dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis due to altered ACTH secretion patterns.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the two main manifestations of adolescent egocentrism, that is, the imaginary audience and the personal fable, in relation to the frequency of risk behavior and risk perception. The contribution of this study is the empirical test of Elkind's Piagetian formulation (1967, 1978) about the relation between these factors, for the first time in a broad age range, with most of the existing egocentrism instruments, and for a variety of risk behaviors. ln a sample of 297 Greek adolescents 11-18 years old it was found that only certain dimensions of the personal fable had a positive correlation with the frequency of risk behavior and a negative correlation with risk perception. Contrary to our prediction, the imaginary audience in the form of heightened self-consciousness had a negative correlation with the frequency of risk behavior. Age and gender differences were also found. The limitations set by the somewhat low reliability of some egocentrism instruments are discussed, as well as a broader multivariate interpretation of adolescent risk-taking behavior, part of which is egocentrism. Finally, the implications of the results for health education programs are presented.
Clinical outcomes were assessed in 68 consecutive patients with multiple myeloma of high or intermediate tumor mass that had responded to VAD or dexamethasone-based therapy and were consolidated with early intensive therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Results were compared with those of 50 comparable patients who refused or were unable to receive intensive treatment for socioeconomic reasons. Following high-dose therapy, the rate of CR increased from 6 to 37%, with median survival prolonged by 10 months. Survival of 21 patients with disease converted from PR to CR (median 8.3 years) was significantly longer than that of similarly-treated patients who remained in PR (median 5.0 years). CR of myeloma represents the major surrogate marker of long survival and the primary goal of myeloablative treatment for patients in PR. Twelve of 18 patients with rapid reduction of myeloma protein (T1/2 < 0.5 months), and myeloma protein reduction to <1.0 g/dl after primary therapy achieved CR (67%), identifying pretransplant features favorable to intensive therapy. Among 35 patients with slower reduction or higher residual myeloma protein, CR occurred in eight patients (23%) (P < 0.01), for whom other treatments should be considered. The kinetics of response to initial therapy should be considered in selecting patients more likely to achieve CR and consequent long survival after intensive treatment.
The word ‘actually’ often refers to what is in fact the case, but it also often points to what would have been the case in a possible situation that is being envisaged. To capture such nuances, the formal languages discussed in the paper add subscripts to modal operators; in the model theory the subscripts allow an actuality operator to turn the evaluation of a formula to a world introduced by a preceding possibility or necessity operator having the same subscript. The paper covers both propositional and predicate logic and proves the completeness of axiomatizations that extend standard modal systems beginning with K.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether leisure activities modify the risk for incident dementia.
BACKGROUND: Although high educational and occupational attainments have been associated with reduced risk of incident dementia, the relation between leisure activities and dementia risk has not been adequately investigated.
METHODS: A total of 1,772 nondemented individuals aged 65 years or older, living in northern Manhattan, New York, were identified and followed longitudinally in a community-based cohort incidence study. Subjects' leisure activities at baseline were assessed, annual examinations with the same standardized neurologic and neuropsychological measures were performed for up to 7 years (mean 2.9 years), and incident dementia was assessed as the main outcome measure. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age, ethnic group, education, and occupation, were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of incident dementia associated with high leisure activities.
RESULTS: Of the 1,772 subjects, 207 became demented. The risk of dementia was decreased in subjects with high leisure activities (RR, 0.62; 95% CI 0.46 to 0.83). The association of high leisure with decreased RR of incident dementia was present even when baseline cognitive performance, health limitations interfering with desired leisure activities, cerebrovascular disease, and depression were considered.
CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that engagement in leisure activities may reduce the risk of incident dementia, possibly by providing a reserve that delays the onset of clinical manifestations of the disease.
We report that the intermediate amplitude delta Scuti star V 1162 Ori has changed its main pulsational period in the course of the year 2000. This new period change falls in a sequence of period changes observed during the last 5 years. While the average amplitude value of all our new data, 63 mmag, fits a cyclic amplitude variation suggested by Arentoft et al. (2001), splitting the data up in smaller subsets discloses significant deviations from regularity, with stretches of constant amplitude during short intervals of time. The new data show that the amplitude of one of the secondary frequencies, f2, has in 3 years dropped from more than 3 mmag to now about 1 mmag, and that the previously obtained f5 probably is a 1 d-1 alias of the real frequency. We present the newly acquired times of minimum and maximum light as support for subsequent observing campaigns. Based on observations obtained at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Athens University Observatory, the Danish 1.5 m telescope at ESO, La Silla, Chile, and Beersel Hills Observatory.
UNLABELLED: Two infants with recurrence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis are reported. Both patients developed HSV encephalitis during their neonatal period and were treated with iv acyclovir. Long-term oral acyclovir prophylaxis was given thereafter. At the age of 8 and 11 months respectively, both babies, while under oral acyclovir prophylaxis, presented a second episode of HSV encephalitis. An inadequate dose of suppressive oral acyclovir therapy may be responsible for the recurrence of encephalitis in these two babies. CONCLUSION: The present observations emphasise the need for very long follow-up of any infant who has suffered from neonatal herpes simplex virus encephalitis and the need for careful prospective controlled studies in order to define the appropriate treatment regimen (initial plus prophylaxis) for neonates with herpes simplex virus infections.
We study theoretically the local absorption spectra of single and double semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), in the linear regime. The three-dimensional confinement leads to an enhancement of the Coulomb correlations, while the spectra depend crucially on the size of the ‘local’ probe. We show that because of such Coulomb correlations the intensity of certain optical peaks as a function of the resolution can exhibit an unexpected non-monotonic behavior for spatial resolutions comparable with the excitonic Bohr radius. We finally discuss the optical near-field properties of coupled QDs for different coupling strengths.
We investigate optical near‐field spectra of single and coupled semiconductor quantum dots. An enhanced role for the Coulomb correlations is predicted, and it is shown that the spectra depend crucially on the spatial resolution of the “local” probe. The intensity of certain optical peaks as a function of the resolution exhibits an unexpected non‐monotonic behavior, which is identified as a fingerprint of Coulomb interactions in zero‐dimensional nanostructures.
To evaluate the safety and antiviral action of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in HIV-1 infection, we undertook a proof of concept study in 27 treatment-naive patients. Eligible patients comprised two groups: the IFN-alphaT group (n = 17), which received 5 MIU IFN-alpha s.c. daily for 32 consecutive days, and the IFN-alphaNT group (n = 10), which did not receive IFN-alpha prior to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which was commenced on day 28 in both groups. IFN-alphaTreatment was well tolerated in 14 of the 17 patients of the IFN-alphaT group who completed the study. The mean HIV RNA reduction in the IFN-alphaT group on day 14 was 1.1 log(10). Viral load suppression was inversely associated with baseline viral load (p = 0.031). Four weeks after initiation of HAART, IFN-alphaT and IFN-alphaNT group patients had 2.40 and 1.82 log(10) HIV RNA reduction from baseline, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no evidence of cross-resistance with existing antiretrovirals in patients with HIV-RNA rebound after initial plasma viral load decline > or = 1 log(10) during IFN-alpha monotherapy. Thus, low daily IFN-alpha exhibits potent anti-HIV-1 activity in vivo without serious adverse effects. These properties render IFN-alpha an attractive candidate for further assessment as a constituent of HAART.
Using relativistic, axisymmetric, ideal MHD, we examine the outflow from a disk around a compact object, taking into account the baryonic matter, the electron-positron/photon fluid, and the large-scale electromagnetic field. Focusing on the parameter regime appropriate to γ-ray burst outflows, we demonstrate, through exact self-similar solutions, that the thermal force (which dominates the initial acceleration) and the Lorentz force (which dominates farther out and contributes most of the acceleration) can convert up to ~50% of the initial total energy into asymptotic baryon kinetic energy. We examine how baryon loading and magnetic collimation affect the structure of the flow, including the regime where emission due to internal shocks could take place.
Using relativistic, axisymmetric, ideal MHD, we examine the outflow from a disk around a compact object, taking into account the baryonic matter, the electron-positron/photon fluid, and the large-scale electromagnetic field. Focusing on the parameter regime appropriate to γ-ray burst outflows, we demonstrate, through exact self-similar solutions, that the thermal force (which dominates the initial acceleration) and the Lorentz force (which dominates farther out and contributes most of the acceleration) can convert up to ~50% of the initial total energy into asymptotic baryon kinetic energy. We examine how baryon loading and magnetic collimation affect the structure of the flow, including the regime where emission due to internal shocks could take place.
Objective: To assess the usefulness of Mucin-like carcinoma-associated antigen (MCA) in monitoring pregnant patients with breast cancer. Study design: Maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) antigen values were measured by an enzyme immunoassay in 30 pregnant women during the second trimester, in 28 during the third and in 26 at parturition. Sera only from 26 women in the first trimester and from 26 healthy, non-pregnant women (controls) were also analyzed. Results: Maternal serum MCA concentrations increased significantly with gestational age (p<0.0001). The frequency of elevated serum values was 5% in the first, 35% in the second and 100% in the third trimester and at parturition. Antigen values in AF were markedly higher than those in MS (p<0.0001) and increased also significantly with advancing gestation (p<0.0001). A strong correlation was observed between MS and AF antigen values (r=0.77, p<0.0001). Maternal serum values at parturition were dependent on the mode of delivery, being higher in the cases who delivered vaginally, compared to those delivered by elective caesarean section (p<0.006). Conclusion: Our data suggest that pregnancy affects significantly maternal serum MCA. Consequently, MCA seems to be a non-reliable marker in monitoring pregnant patients. Copyright ?? 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
The theory of nonlinear dynamical systems (chaos theory), which deals with deterministic systems that exhibit a complicated, apparently random-looking behavior, has formed an interdisciplinary area of research and has affected almost every field of science in the last 20 years. Life sciences are one of the most applicable areas for the ideas of chaos because of the complexity of biological systems. It is widely appreciated that chaotic behavior dominates physiological systems. This is suggested by experimental studies and has also been encouraged by very successful modeling. Pharmacodynamics are very tightly associated with complex physiological processes, and the implications of this relation demand that the new approach of nonlinear dynamics should be adopted in greater extent in pharmacodynamic studies. This is necessary not only for the sake of more detailed study, but mainly because nonlinear dynamics suggest a whole new rationale, fundamentally different from the classic approach. In this work the basic principles of dynamical systems are presented and applications of nonlinear dynamics in topics relevant to drug research and especially to pharmacodynamics are reviewed. Special attention is focused on three major fields of physiological systems with great importance in pharmacotherapy, namely cardiovascular, central nervous, and endocrine systems, where tools and concepts from nonlinear dynamics have been applied.
We examine the optical properties of metals containing a periodic arrangement of nonoverlapping spherical mesopores, empty or filled with a dielectric material. We show that a slab of such a porous metal transmits light over regions of frequency determined by the dielectric constant of the cavities and the fractional volume occupied by them, with an efficiency, which is many orders of magnitude higher than predicted by standard aperture theory. Also, the system absorbs light efficiently over the said regions of frequency unlike the homogeneous metal.
PURPOSE: Preclinical and phase I clinical data suggest that 9-nitrocamptothecin (9NC) is an agent with potential anticancer activity. A phase II study was undertaken in order to evaluate the potential benefit of oral 9NC administration in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This was the first clinical study of 9NC in Europe.
METHODS: A total of 19 consecutive patients with locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma were enrolled (8 males and 11 females, aged 37-73 years). The patients were given 9NC orally five times a week, once a day. The end-points of this study were toxicity, objective response rate, subjective response rate (i.e. pain control, performance status and body weight), and survival.
RESULTS: An objective response was documented in 4 of the 14 evaluable patients (28.6%), while a subjective response was observed in 13 patients (92.9%). Overall median survival was 21 weeks (31 weeks in the group of 14 patients evaluable for response), and the 1-year survival was 16.7% and 23.1%, respectively. Toxicity leading to temporary discontinuation of 9NC was encountered in seven patients (36.8%), all related to a prior dose increase, while milder toxicity was observed in eight patients (42.1%).
CONCLUSIONS: 9NC administered orally to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer gave promising results, while the toxicity of the therapy was mild and readily overcome. A larger scale clinical trial should be organized in order to establish the potential benefit of 9NC in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
AIMS: Previous studies have shown an abnormal expression of cellular adhesion molecules and cytokines in chronic heart failure, which may be related to endothelial dysfunction characterizing this syndrome. Our study investigates the effects of physical training on serum activity of some peripheral inflammatory markers associated with endothelial dysfunction, such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serum levels of GM-CSF, MCP-1, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were determined in 12 patients with stable chronic heart failure (ischaemic heart failure: 6/12, dilated cardiomyopathy: 6/12, New York Heart Association: II-III, ejection fraction: 24+/-2%) before and after a 12-week programme of physical training in a randomized crossover design. In addition, the functional status of chronic heart failure patients was evaluated by using a cardiorespiratory exercise stress test to measure peak oxygen consumption. Physical training produced a significant reduction in serum GM-CSF (28+/-2 vs 21+/-2 pg. ml(-1), P<0.001), MCP-1 (192+/-5 vs 174+/-6 pg. ml(-1), P<0.001), sICAM-1 (367+/-31 vs 314+/-29 ng. ml(-1), P<0.01) and sVCAM-1 (1247+/-103 vs 1095+/-100 ng. ml(-1), P<0.01) as well as a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption (14.6+/-0.5 vs 16.5+/-0.5 ml. kg(-1)min(-1), P<0.005). A significant correlation was found between the training-induced improvement in peak oxygen consumption and percentage reduction in soluble adhesion molecules sICAM-1 (r=-0.72, P<0.01) and sVCAM-1 (r=-0.67, P<0.02). CONCLUSION: Physical training affects beneficially peripheral inflammatory markers reflecting monocyte/macrophage-endothelial cell interaction. Training-induced improvement in exercise tolerance is correlated with the attenuation of the inflammatory process, indicating that inflammation may contribute significantly to the impaired exercise capacity seen in chronic heart failure
The prevalence of TT virus (TTV) infection in various population groups from Athens, Greece, was assessed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using two primer sets from distinct regions of the genome: the conventional set derived from the open reading frame-1 (ORF-1) and the new, highly sensitive set targeting the region that includes the TATA signal localized upstream of ORF-2. Based on both primer sets, TTV DNA was detected in 42/50 (84.0%) healthy individuals, 42/50 (84.0%) chronic hepatitis C patients, 31/39 (79.5%) acute non-A-E hepatitis patients (group I), 14/16 (87.5%) renal failure patients with acute non-A-E hepatitis (group II), 47/50 (94.0%) intravenous drug users (IVDU), 36/50 (72.0%) hemophiliacs, and 21/31 (67.7%) hemodialysis patients. The presence of TTV was not associated with any particular risk group, and no differences were observed in relation to demographic, biochemical and virological characteristics between TTV DNA-positive and -negative patients. TTV did not seem to have a profound effect on the course of chronic C or acute non-A-E hepatitis either. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that TTV strains circulating in the greater metropolitan area of Athens belong not only to the G1 and G2 genotypes that are encountered worldwide, but also to G3 and to G5 that are found mainly in Europe and Asia, respectively. Further studies will shed light on the role of this highly prevalent virus.
A cross-sectional study was carried out in employees of 17 Greek companies with the aim of assessing the prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus, identifying associated prognostic/risk factors and evaluating the effectiveness of a questionnaire as a pre-screening tool. All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire and a random sample of them was asked to provide a blood sample for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to hepatitis C (anti-HCV) testing. Individual questions or combinations of them were evaluated in terms of their ability to detect HBV or HCV(+) cases. Of 9085 eligible employees, 6074 (67%) completed the questionnaire. Of 990 samples obtained, 19.9% were anti-HBc(+), 2.6% HBsAg(+) and 0.5% anti-HCV(+). All anti-HCV(+) cases had multiple parenteral risk factors. Multiple logistic regression identified associations between anti-HBc and older age, family members with chronic hepatitis, job category and history of transfusion before 1992. HBsAg(+) was associated with older age and history of transfusion before 1992. None of the risk/prognostic factors had sufficient sensitivity and specificity for HBV but report of at least one risk factor identified all HCV(+) cases. Anti-HCV screening of those with at least two parenteral risk factors not only identified all anti-HCV(+) cases but also resulted in 86% decrease in the screening cost. Under the light of recent treatment advances, targeted questionnaire-based screening of asymptomatic people may prove to be a cost-effective way to face hepatitis C.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is still associated with high morbidity and mortality even though there has been significant progress in the field of pancreatic surgery and postoperative follow-up. The pancreatoenteric anastomosis, regardless of the technique used, is a major cause for both morbidity and mortality after Whipple procedure. To overcome all problems resulting from anastomotic leakage, we used external drainage of the pancreatic duct.
METHODS: In 24 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our Department from 1986 to 1995, a modification to the standard Whipple procedure was performed. Instead of pancreaticoenteric anastomosis, external drainage of the pancreatic duct remnant was performed. The pancreatic duct was intubated with a silastic tube, the external end of which was sutured to the skin. All patients received substitution therapy with pancreatic enzymes.
RESULTS: Mortality in our group of patients was 4%. No complications due to the external drainage of the pancreatic duct were reported, while no patient developed diabetes mellitus after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS: External drainage of the pancreatic duct remnant can be used alternatively to pancreatoenteric anastomosis after pancreatoduodenectomy. The technique is safe and simple to perform and appears to reduce overall operative time. It may be an option for patients with significant comorbidity and/or intraoperative hemodynamic instability which mandates expeditious completion of the operation.
Human rhinoviruses (RVs) are the most common precipitants of asthma exacerbations. RV infection of bronchial epithelium results in local airway inflammation inducing eosinophil recruitment and activation. Induction of eosinophil chemoattractants could represent a central mechanism, as well as a prime target for intervention.|To assess the effect of RV infection on mRNA expression and production of eosinophil chemoattractants by bronchial epithelial cells in-vitro.|BEAS-2B cells were infected with major and minor RVs and the mRNA expression of IL-8, RANTES, MIP-1alpha, eotaxin, eotaxin-2, MCP-2, MCP-3 and MCP-4 was assessed by reverse transcription PCR. In cases where mRNA induction was observed, a fluoroimmunoassay was used to confirm protein production. To assess the virus-specificity of the observed reactions, cells were also exposed to inactivated RVs.|RV infection was able to up-regulate mRNA expression of IL-8, RANTES, MIP-1alpha, eotaxin and eotaxin-2, did not affect MCP-4, while MCP-2 and MCP-3 were not expressed either at baseline or after virus infection. Protein production was confirmed for IL-8, RANTES and eotaxin, but not for MIP-1alpha. When RVs were inactivated cytokine up-regulation was almost completely lost.|Infection of bronchial epithelial cells with RVs results in the production of a wide array of mediators that are able to chemoattract eosinophils. These include the eosinophil-specific molecules eotaxin and eotaxin-2, in addition to IL-8 and RANTES, which are the most abundant. Eosinophil recruitment after RV infection of bronchial epithelium could represent a central event in the pathogenesis of virus-induced asthma exacerbations.
Viral respiratory infections have been related to asthma in several ways. It is well established that viral common colds precipitate exacerbations of asthma. Severe bronchiolitis in early life is related to subsequent wheezing and therefore may represent a marker of susceptibility to asthma; alternatively, it could be involved in the initiation of the disease. Finally, it is possible that some infections may protect from the development of asthma and allergies by promoting a type-1 host response. However, whether respiratory or other viruses could mediate such a protective effect is debated. The design and implementation of novel anti- or proviral strategies targeting asthma depends on the resolution of these questions. This review presents current evidence on the epidemiologic correlations and proposed mechanisms for the involvement of viral infections in the development and progression of asthma.
A detailed analysis of the aftershock sequence of the September 7, 1999 Athens earthquake was performed in order to define the fault planes activated during this sequence and study the tectonic regime of the area. Calculated fault plane solutions were verified by the composite solutions and the application of the principal parameters method. The combined results indicate a uniform tectonic status in the western part of the aftershock area, with normal faulting of WNW-ESE trend and an average dip of 60Ί and a more complex one in the eastern part, where the azimuths of the activated fault planes vary and a transverse antithetic fault is also active. This variation could possibly imply a variation of the local stress field.
Seismic anisotropy, deduced from SKS splitting measured at 25 stations installed in the Aegean, does not show a homogeneous pattern. It is not restricted to the North Anatolian Fault but is distributed over a region several hundreds kilometers wide. Little anisotropy is observed in continental Greece or along the Hellenic arc; however, significant anisotropy is observed in the north Aegean Sea. Large values of delay times suggest that anisotropy is due to a long path within the upper mantle and to strong intrinsic anisotropy. Our results, both in fast polarization directions and in values of delay time, do not support the idea that anisotropy is associated with inherited tectonic fabric nor are they consistent with the present-day Aegean motion relative to an absolute frame. In contrast, the direction of fast polarization and the magnitude of delay times correlate well with the present-day strain rate observed at the surface deduced from both geodetic measurements and seismicity. This anisotropy is not horizontally restricted to major surface faults but is spread over a wide region.
An association between symptomatic carotid stenosis and recent infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae is reported. Thirty-five patients (20 symptomatic and 15 asymptomatic) with carotid stenosis of 70% to 90% underwent carotid endarterectomy. Endarterectomy was performed without patch and shunt; the average occlusion time of the internal carotid artery was 14 ±3 min. The atheromatic plaque and a portion of the thyroid artery were examined with polymerase chain reaction and peripheral vein blood was obtained for serologic detection of systematic infection, and lgG and lgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Twenty of 35 patients (57.1%) had increased titers of IgG antibodies to C. pneumoniae. Eight patients revealed IgG plus lgM antibodies; two of the eight had IgG, IgM, and positive findings on polymerase chain reaction. No C. pneumoniae was detected on the thyroid arteries. Sixty-five percent (13/20) of the patients with increased IgG antibodies to C. pneumoniae, 87.5% (7/8) with lgG + lgM, and 100% with lgG + lgM + positive polymerase chain reaction were symptomatic. Plaque morphology in association with symptoms did not reveal a significant correlation between soft plaques and symptoms, whereas the majority of the symptomatic patients had plaques of type III-V. Patients having recent contamination and positive polymerase chain reaction had a significant relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and symptomatic carotid disease. This supports the hypothesis that C. pneumoniae infection can produce a kind of instability of the carotid plaque. The results of this study demonstrate that patients with advanced atherosclerotic carotid disease have an increased incidence of C. pneumoniae infection. Recent infection could be responsible for instability of the carotid plaque, causing cerebral ischemic episodes.
The soft tissue profile has been studied extensively in orthodontics, primarily from lateral cephalometric radiographs, under the assumption that the form of the soft tissue outline largely determines the esthetics of the whole face. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative contribution of the shape of the soft tissue profile outline on the attractiveness of the face, as seen from the profile view. Pretreatment color profile facial photographs of 20 female patients were used. The photographs were scanned, and the soft tissue outlines were digitized. The average outline of the 20 original photographs was then calculated and used as a template for modifying the photographs with computer warping methods. This resulted in 20 warped photographs, all with the same soft tissue outline. Three additional photographs were constructed with 1 face-the composite average of the 20 original photographs-and 3 hairstyles from 3 of the original pictures. The photographs were printed and presented to 10 laypersons and 10 orthodontists for scoring. Scoring was performed on 2 occasions separated by at least 1 week. On the first occasion, the original photographs of 10 of the patients and the warped photographs of the other 10 patients were shown. At the next session, the remaining 10 original and 10 warped photographs were shown. The 3 composite photographs were interspersed with the 20 pictures shown to the judges in each scoring session. Judges were asked to score facial attractiveness on a scale of 0 to 10. The judges were unaware of both the computer modification of the photographs and the purpose of the study. Good agreement was noted between the judges, although the orthodontists tended to be more influenced by the profile outline than did the laypersons. The 3 averaged composite photographs were consistently given the highest scores. The modified photographs were given higher scores than their original counterparts, showing that facial attractiveness is influenced by soft tissue outline form. However, the score improvement was not sufficient to reach the level of the composite images, especially for faces initially judged as being unattractive. This shows that factors other than profile outline shape may be more influential in facial esthetics.
In this work we report on the crystal growth process, the crystal structure and the phase diagram of HgBa2CuO4+chi high T-e superconductor. Precise global DC magnetization measurements, using a SQUID magnetometer, have been performed, on two single crystals in magnetic fields parallel to the c-axis (H \ \ c) with T-c = 95 and 89.9 K, respectively. The irreversibility curve H-irr(T) decreases exponentially up to a temperature T* and after it changes slope abruptly. The magnetization curves at a fixed temperature as a function of magnetic field show two peaks, namely H-fp(T) and H-sp(T). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The g factors of the 4+1 and 6+1 states in 144,148Nd, the 4+1 state in 146Nd and the 6+1 , 8+1 , and 10+1 states in 150Nd have been measured for the first time by projectile Coulomb excitation coupled to the transient field technique. The g factors of the 2+1 states of 144,146,148,150Nd have been remeasured with high precision. The data clearly indicate that, while 148,150Nd are well described by collective excitations, the structure of the low lying levels in the lighter isotopes is dominated by the 2f7/2 neutron configuration.
Palynological studies of cored lacustrine sediments from the late Quaternary of Lake Kastoria, northern Greece, revealed a Late Glacial interval with abundant dinoflagellate cysts. Cyst assemblages include two identifiable species, Spiniferites cruciformis and Gonyaulax apiculata. The presence of the fresh water species G. apiculata is consistent with the lacustrine setting of these deposits, but that of S. cruciformis is anomalous. Previously, this species has only been recorded in abundance from presumed brackish marine sediments from the Black Sea and Marmara Sea sediments where geochemical data clearly record brackish salinities. Therefore, it has been regarded as a low salinity cyst type with a wide range of morphological variation that some workers have suggested to reflect salinity fluctuations. Specimens from Greece display only part of the range of morphological variability previously described from these (brackish) marine settings. Encountered morphological variation includes ellipsoidal/pentameral and cruciform endocyst shapes with rare intermediate shapes, and highly variable septa development. Specimens characterized by extremely reduced ornamentation known from (brackish) marine environments have not been recorded. Our records of S. cruciformis indicate that: (1) it could thrive in fresh water conditions; and (2) that apparently most of the strong morphological variations of the cysts are an intrinsic phenomenon for this taxon, and may only partly be linked to salinity variations as suggested earlier. We suggest that S. cruciformis essentially is a fresh water taxon, and that its records in (brackish) marine environments, with the exception of specimens with strongly reduced ornamentation, may be due to transportation, to short-lived fresh water surface conditions in such environments, or to tolerance of the species to brackish conditions.
The pharmacokinetics of cyclosporin (CsA) are unusual because of several heterogeneous features which include the presence of more than one conformer, considerable accumulation, in erythrocytes and lipoproteins, extensive plasma protein binding, distribution into deep tissues, biliary secretion and hepatic clearance involving a large number of metabolites. In this study, a stochastic compartmental model was developed to describe the heterogeneous elimination kinetics of CsA. This new approach relies on a probabilistic transfer model with a gamma distributed probability intensity coefficient for drug elimination. For comparative purposes both the stochastic model and compartmental deterministic models were fitted to real post infusion data from patients receiving CsA as a 2-hr intravenous infusion. The criteria for selecting the best model showed that the stochastic model, although simpler than the compartmental deterministic models, is more flexible and gives a better fit to the kinetic data of CsA than the compartmental deterministic models. The stochastic model with a random rate intensity coefficient adequately describes the heterogeneous pharmacokinetics of CsA.
In the present study we examine the notion ‘subject’ in finite clauses in Greek, a null-subject language, and we investigate the connection between the rich morphological marking of subject-agreement on the verb and the definition of this notion. We propose that ‘subject’ in Greek should be analysed as a discontinuous element which consists of a null nominal element in the SpecTP position satisfying the Extended Projection Principle (EPP), associated with a pro at the relevant theta-position inside the VP. We argue that this analysis has not only the theoretical advantage of maintaining the universally strong value of EPP, but also, perhaps more importantly, the descriptive advantage of providing a satisfactory explanation for a number of apparent idiosyncrasies of Greek constructions.
Haisjackl M, Hiesmayr M, Søgaard P, Kim WY, Jensen HK, Mortensen P, Pedersen AK, Kristensen BØ, Egeblad H, Chen L-C, et al.Subject Index Vol. 95, 2001. Cardiology. 2001;95:218–218.
We present a modified method of preparation of the new superconductor MgB2. The polycrystalline samples were characterized using X-ray and magnetic measurements. The surface barriers control the isothermal magnetization loops in powder samples. In bulk as prepared samples we always observed symmetric magnetization loops indicative of the presence of a bulk pinning mechanism. Magnetic relaxation measurements in the bulk sample reveal a crossover of surface barrier to bulk pinning.
A general method for the synthesis of enantiopure non-natural α-amino acids is described. The key intermediate tert-butyl (2S)-2-[bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-5-oxopentanoate was obtained from l-glutamic acid after suitable protection and selective reduction of the γ-methyl ester group by DIBALH. Wittig reaction of this chiral aldehyde with various ylides led to a variety of δ,ε-unsaturated α-amino acids. This methodology was applied to the synthesis of (S)-2-amino-oleic acid.
Binliff J, Evelpidou N, Farinetti E, Music B, Riznar I, Sbonias K, Sigalos L, Slapsak B, Stissi V, Vassilopoulos A. The Tanagra Survey - Report on the 2001 season. Pharos. 2001;IX:33-74.
Background: Thalidomide is effective in approximately 30% of patients with refractory multiple myeloma. Dexamethasone is active in 25% of patients with disease resistant to alkylating agents. We investigated the combination of thalidomide with dexamethasone as salvage treatment for heavily pretreated patients with multiple myeloma, in order to assess its efficacy and toxicity. Patients and methods: Forty-four patients with refractory myeloma were treated with thalidomide, 200 mg p.o. daily at bedtime, with dose escalation to 400 mg after 14 days, and dexamethasone, which was administered intermittently at a dose of 20 mg/m2 p.o. daily for four days on day 1-4, 9-12, 17-20, followed by monthly dexamethasone for four days. Patients' median age was 67 years. All patients were resistant to standard chemotherapy, 77% were resistant to dexamethasone-based regimens and 32% had previously received high-dose therapy. Results: On an intention-to-treat basis twenty-four patients (55%) achieved a partial response with a median time to response of 1.3 months. The thalidomide and dexamethasone combination was equally effective in patients with or without prior resistance to dexamethasone-based regimens and in patients with or without prior high-dose therapy. Toxicities were mild or moderate and consisted primarily of constipation, morning somnolence, tremor, xerostomia and peripheral neuropathy. The median time to progression for responding patients is expected to exceed 10 months and the median survival for all patients is 12.6 months. Conclusions: The combination of thalidomide with dexamethasone appears active in patients with refractory multiple myeloma. If this activity is confirmed, further studies of this combination as second-line treatment for patients resistant to conventional chemotherapy, and as primary treatment for patients with active myeloma, should be considered.
Ferroelectric domain kinetics on cleaved triglycine sulfate, quenched at different temperatures in the ferroelectric phase, is investigated in situ by scanning force microscopy in the dynamic contact mode. Thermally activated domain growth and dynamic scaling, in accordance with theoretical predictions for quenched disorder due to random-bond defects, is inferred from the temporal evolution of the spatial correlation functions and the related characteristic length scale.
The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intensive, tri-alkylator conditioning regimen, consisting of thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide (TBC), prior to autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to analyze factors associated with outcome. One hundred and twenty patients with MM received high-dose chemotherapy with TBC followed by autologous bone marrow (n = 24) or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation (n = 96). Fifty-four patients had chemosensitive disease and 66 had refractory disease at the time of transplantation. The overall response rate was 81% and the complete remission (CR) rate was 26%. Patients with chemosensitive disease had a CR rate of 52% vs 5% for patients with refractory disease. Multivariable analysis determined disease status at transplant as the factor most likely associated with long survival. Estimated median survival was 48, 35 and 9 months for patients with chemosensitive, primary refractory or disease in refractory relapse, respectively. Short interval from diagnosis to transplant among patients with primary refractory disease and younger age were also favorable prognostic factors for survival. Patients with refractory disease pre-transplant who achieved remission criteria rapidly after treatment had a worse outcome than the slow responders. Treatment-related mortality with the introduction of PBSC and better supportive care was 4.8%. In conclusion, TBC is an effective and relatively well-tolerated intensive conditioning regimen in patients with MM. A more favorable outcome was observed in patients with chemosensitive disease and with early treatment for primary refractory disease. TBC merits further study in these subgroups and comparison with alternative regimens in prospective studies is warranted.
Cat scratch disease (CSD) commonly manifests as regional self-limited lymphadenitis. However, dissemination of the infection to distant multiple sites may occur even in immunocompetent patients. We report a series of 11 children with fever and extralymphocutaneous manifestations of CSD, in order to highlight potential multiorgan involvement in patients with febrile CSD. To be eligible for enrollment, patients had to present with involvement of sites other than regional lymph nodes. The diagnosis was based on suggestive clinical criteria, histological findings and positive serology. The utilization of ultrasound imaging revealed hepatic lesions in 3 children and splenic lesions in 8 children, whereas osteolytic lesions were observed in 4 children by bone scan. Hepatic or splenic involvement was not suggested by clinical signs or biochemical investigation in 2/3 and 6/8 children, respectively. Bone involvement was supported either by relative symptoms or signs. Our findings indicate that, in the presence of fever, extralymphocutaneous manifestations have to be anticipated in patients with clinically suspected CSD. The systematic use of imaging modalities in patients with serologically documented Bartonella henselae infection could contribute to a better understanding of the clinical spectrum of CSD.
We present the results of multisite observations of the delta Scuti star V 1162 Ori. The observations were done in the period October 1999-May 2000, when 18 telescopes at 15 observatories were used to collect 253 light extrema during a total of 290 hours of time-series observations. The purpose of the observations was to investigate amplitude and period variability previously observed in this star, and to search for low-amplitude frequencies. We detect, apart from the main frequency and its two first harmonics, four additional frequencies in the light curves, all with low amplitudes (1-3 mmag). Combining the present data set with data obtained in 1998-99 at ESO confirms the new frequencies and reveals the probable presence of yet another pulsational frequency. All five low-amplitude frequencies are statistically significant in the data, but at least one of them (f5) suffers from uncertainty due to aliasing. Using colour photometry we find evidence for a radial main frequency (f1), while most or all low-amplitude frequencies are likely non-radial. We show that the main frequency of V 1162 Ori has variable amplitude and period/phase, the latter is also displayed in the O-C diagram from light extrema. The amplitude variability in our data is cyclic with a period of 282 d and a range of nearly 20 mmag, but earlier amplitude values quoted in the literature cannot be explained by this cyclic variation. O-C analysis including data from the literature show that the period of V 1162 Ori displays a linear period change as well as sudden or cyclic variations on a time scale similar to that of the amplitude variations. Based on observations obtained at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Athens University and Kryonerion Observatories, European Southern Observatories (ESO: applications ESO 62H-0110, 64H-0065 and 64L-0182), Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica (Brazil), Xinglong, Beersel Hills, Ege University, San Pedro Martir, Merate, Mt. Laguna, Siding Spring, Sierra Nevada, Braeside and Lick Observatories. Table 2 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/374/1056
V1162 Ori is a delta Scuti star with variable period and amplitude. To analyse data acquired in the years 1998-2000, the data were subdivided in smaller subsets to take the amplitude and period variability into account. Four different ways of subdividing the data discussed in the paper are outlined in this table 2. A database containing the observations of V1162 Ori is in preparation; it will be published in the Journal of Astronomical data (http://www.vub.ac.be/STER/JAD/jad.htm). (2 data files).
We present a theory of electron, electromagnetic, and elastic wave propagation in systems consisting of non-overlapping scatterers in a host medium. The theory provides a framework for a unified description of wave propagation in three-dimensional periodic structures, finite slabs of layered structures, and systems with impurities: isolated impurities, impurity aggregates, or randomly distributed impurities. We point out the similarities and differences between the different cases considered, and discuss the numerical implementation of the formalism.
Η παρούσα εισήγηση συντάχθηκε μετά από πρόσκληση του προέδρου της Ειδικής Συνοδικής Επιτροπής Βιοηθικής, νυν Σεβασμιωτάτου Μεσογαίας και Λαυρεωτικής κ. Νικολάου, ως συμμετοχή στον τόμο, τον οποίο αναμενόταν να εκδοθεί από την Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος για την υποβοηθούμενη αναπαραγωγή. Ωστόσο, λόγω της καθυστέρησης και αναβολή της έκδοσής αυτής, κρίθηκε σωστό να δημοσιευθεί στο περιοδικό Θεολογία. Οι απόψεις των ετεροδόξων εξετάσθηκαν και συμπεριλαμβάνονται ήδη στη διδακτορική διατριβή μας, ενώ πρωτότυπο είναι το μέρος που εξετάζει τις απόψεις των άλλων μονοθεϊστικών θρησκειών και αποτελεί παράμετρο που δεν είχε εξετασθεί έως τότε.
This article is based on the assumption that psychotherapy should operate as an open system in order to improve its effectiveness. This assumption originates from cybernetics and systems theory. The degree to which the "openings" in psychotherapy enhance its effectiveness must be put under systematic empirical investigation. The aim of this article is to discuss several examples of "openings" that reflect the systemic perspective of the cognitive-behavioral methods, as well as the postmodern approach to psychotherapy, in which the cognitive and the systemic aspects are interwoven. These "openings" are evident in the cognitive behavioral family therapy (three models are presented), as well as in the management of problematic situations in the school and in the community (consultation). Moreover, we elaborate on the systemic "openings" with regard to some central concepts of both the systemic and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, such as symptom, reinforcement, reframing, circular causality, and resistance.
We consider the combined problem of pricing and ordering for a perishable product with unknown demand distribution and censored demand observations resulting from lost sales, faced by a monopolistic retailer. We develop an adaptive pricing and ordering policy with the asymptotic property that the average realized profit per period converges with probability one to the optimal value under complete information on the distribution. The pricing mechanism is modeled as a multiarmed bandit problem, while the order quantity decision, made after the price level is established, is based on a stochastic approximation procedure with multiplicative updates.
Very little is known about genetic abnormalities involved in the development of pilocytic astrocytoma, the most frequently occurring brain tumour of childhood. We have analysed 48 pilocytic astrocytoma specimens using comparative genomic hybridization. Only five of 41 tumours from children showed abnormalities detectable by comparative genomic hybridization, and in each case this represented gain of a single chromosome. Interestingly, two of seven tumours from adults showed abnormalities, which were multiple and relatively complex. Six of the seven tumours showing abnormalities were from female patients (two adults and four children). The most frequently detectable abnormality was gain of 9q34.1-qter, which was present in three cases (two adult and one paediatric).
Testicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is an uncommon disease and its outcome following chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy has been variable. A retrospective analysis was performed on 26 patients with primary testicular lymphoma treated predominantly with anthracycline-based chemotherapy between 1984 and 1999. The patients' median age was 60 years (range 19-82 years) with 17 (65.4%) patients being older than 60 years. Four (15.4%) patients had constitutional B symptoms. There were 11 (42.3%) patients with high grade lymphoma, 12 (46.2%) with intermediate grade, 1 (3.8%) with low grade and 2 (7.7%) were not classified. According to the Ann-Anbor staging system, 18 patients (69.2%) had early (stage I/II) and 8 (30.8%) advanced (stage III/IV) disease. Chemotherapy was administered to 24 patients including 22 patients who received anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Two stage IEA patients were treated with orchidectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy to the regional lymph nodes without systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy alone resulted in a complete remission (CR) in 14 (58.3%) of 24 patients and partial remission in 1 (4.2%), amounting to an overall response rate (RR) of 62.5%. Of the 5 stage I patients who had chemotherapy on an adjuvant basis, 4 (80%) had CR/no evidence of disease. Of the 11 stage II patients, 8 (72.7%) achieved CR and 1 (9.1%) PR (overall RR of 81.8%). CR was obtained in 2 (25%) of 8 stage III/IV patients. Both patients remain disease free for 26 and 65 months. Excluding the 5 stage I patients, chemotherapy resulted in a CR in 10/19 (52.6%) patients and a PR in 1/19 (5.2%), inducing an overall RR of 57.8%. The mean duration of response was 75 months (range 8-145.5+ months). After a median follow-up of 87 months (range 0.13-145.5+ months) the median survival time was 31 months (range 0.13-145.5+ months) and the median time to progression (TTP) 17 months (range 0.13-145.5+ months). The median TTP was significantly higher in early disease compared to that of advanced disease (52 vs. 3 months, p = 0.02). Of the 3 patients who relapsed following disease-free status, CNS involvement occurred in 2 stage II patients and contralateral testis involvement in 1 stage IEA, respectively. The latter remained disease free for 2 years following orchidectomy alone. The other 2 patients who relapsed did not respond to salvage chemotherapy and died. There was no significant relationship between the values of LDH and β2-microglobulin with the outcome except for ESR which was significantly related with the CR (p = 0.005) or RR (p = 0.005). In conclusion, patients with primary testicular lymphoma have a poor outcome, despite the treatment with anthracycline-containing regimens. Treatment with anthracycline-based chemotherapy is recommended in patients at early stages. In advanced disease, more intensive or investigational regimens should be considered. Because the relapse rate in the CNS and contralateral testis is quite high in most studies, prophylactic CNS treatment and radiotherapy to the other testis should be included in the management of testicular lymphoma. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Germline mutations in BRCA1 gene account for varying proportions of breast/ovarian cancer families, and demonstrate considerable variation in mutational spectra coincident with ethnic and geographical diversity. We have screened for mutations the entire coding sequence of BRCA1 in 30 breast/ovarian cancer women with family history of two or more cases of breast cancer under age 50 and/or ovarian cancer at any age. Genomic DNA from patient was initially analyzed for truncating mutations in exon 11 with PTT followed by DNA sequencing. In the cases where no frameshift mutation was observed in exon 11, all other exons were screened with direct sequencing. Two novel (3099delT, 3277insG) and three already described (3741insA, 1623del5-TTAAA, 5382insC-twice) truncating mutations were identified. In addition, 6 point mutations (L771L, P871L, E1038G, K1183R, S1436S, S1613G) which are already classified as polymorphisms were identified. Three unclassified intronic variants (IVS16-68 G>A, IVS16-92 G>A, IVS18+65G>A) were also detected. These results show that BRCA1 deleterious mutations are present in a fraction (20%) of Greek breast/ovarian cancer families similar to other European countries. Mutations were detected in high- (>/=3 members) as well as in moderate-risk (2 members) families. This is the first report of BRCA1 mutation analysis in Greece
Non-African Burkitt's lymphoma is a rare disease among adults without AIDS. Among 1352 Greek adult patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 24 cases (1.8%) were classified as Burkitt's (BL) or Burkitt-like (BLL) lymphoma. Eleven cases fulfilled the criteria of BL and 13 of BLL. No statistical differences were found in the general characteristics of the two groups at the time of diagnosis. Extranodal involvement was a common finding in both groups and bulky disease (> 10 cm) was observed in almost one half of the patients. The majority of the patients were treated with intensive, although different, protocols. After induction treatment, complete remission (CR) was achieved in 14 patients (60.8%). CR was reached in all cases with stage I-II, while in stage IV the CR rate was 30.4%. The median overall survival was 27 months. The median survival for BL was 13 months compared to 27 months in the BLL group (P = 0.34). The data of the present retrospective analysis, indicated that there were not significant clinical differences between BL and BLL variants. Since BLL is still a non-reproducible category in the REAL classification, all BL variants must be treated uniformly with intensive protocols. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
AIMS: To assess the effect of simvastatin, hormone replacement therapy and their combination on soluble cell adhesion molecules and plasma lipids, in hypercholesterolaemic post-menopausal women with coronary artery disease. METHODS: We studied 16 post-menopausal women with coronary artery disease and hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol >200mg x dl(-1) and LDL cholesterol >130 mg x dl(-1)). We compared simvastatin (20 mg daily) with hormone replacement therapy (0.625 mg conjugated oestrogen and 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate daily) and their combination, in a randomized, crossover, placebo controlled study. Each treatment period was 8 weeks long with a 4 week washout interval between treatments. Circulating cell adhesion molecules and plasma lipids were evaluated at the end of each treatment period. RESULTS: All three active treatments--simvastatin, hormone replacement therapy and the combination therapy--significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol, compared to placebo (P<0.001). Only hormone replacement therapy, alone and in combination with simvastatin, significantly decreased lipoprotein(a) when compared to placebo (P<0.05), whereas simvastatin had no significant effect. Likewise, hormone replacement therapy and the combination therapy significantly reduced the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) plasma levels (P=0.03 and P=0.02, respectively), while simvastatin, which was superior to hormone replacement therapy in lowering total and LDL cholesterol, did not modify ICAM-1 levels; the combination therapy was not more effective than hormone replacement therapy alone in ICAM-1 reduction. Neither the effect, on any treatment when compared to placebo, of VCAM-1 nor E-selectin levels differed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Hormone replacement therapy may limit the inflammatory response to injury by modulating the expression of cell adhesion molecules from the endothelial cells, possibly in association with lipoprotein (a) reduction
To the purpose of investigating the changes effected on the game of volleyball by the enforcement of the new scoring rules we recorded the duration of each set, the match duration (MD) and the total match duration (TMD) of the games of the A1 and A2 categories of men and women for the 1997-1998 period in Greece, when the matches were played according to the old rules and the 1998-1999 period in Greece and Cyprus, after the enforcement of the new regulations. The reduction of the mean set duration and consequently of the mean game duration as well the reduction of the variability of the respective times was reasonably evident. This was followed by a greater percentage of games finishing with a score of 3-2. Countries with a marked difference of level exhibited different time characteristics. However the variability owed to the randomness of the set aggregate can only be eliminated by the specification of the number of sets played per game, while the variability of the set duration can be extinguished only by reverting the set to a fixed time duration. This will lead to volleyball games, which are both entertaining and fascinating to watch both on the court and on the TV. Keywords: Volleyball, match duration, set duration.
The determination of the alkaloids reserpine, rescinnamine and yohimbine based on a chemiluminogenic reaction with potassium permanganate in the presence of polyphosphoric acid is described. The investigation was carried out using a batch and a flow injection chemiluminometer. Both approaches were accurate and precise, allowing the measurement of reserpine within the ranges 0.100-3.00 and 0.050-3.00 micrograms ml-1 with RSD values for 1.00 microgram ml-1 of 1.91 and 0.33% (n = 8) with the batch and the flow injection manifold, respectively. The procedure was successfully applied to formulations after extraction of reserpine with chloroform, with recoveries from commercial formulations within the range 95.2-99.0%.
AIM: The aim of this study was to detect circulating anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibodies (anti-CEA) in breast cancer patients and to evaluate their clinical and prognostic significance.
METHODS: Fifty-two breast cancer patients and 28 controls were included in this study. Detection of anti-CEA antibodies was performed using a modified enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). Sensitivity, specificity and usefulness index of anti-CEA antibodies were compared to those of CEA. The correlation of anti-CEA antibodies with survival and recurrence-free survival was tested with univariate and multivariate analysis.
RESULTS: Anti-CEA was present in 57% of breast cancer patients and in 11% of controls. The sensitivity and usefulness index of anti-CEA were significantly better than those of CEA. The specificity of anti-CEA antibodies was less than that of CEA, the difference not being statistically significant. Anti-CEA antibodies were an independent statistically significant, favourable factor in recurrence-free survival.
CONCLUSION: Anti-CEA antibodies circulate in breast cancer patients. They could be used as a more sensitive tumour marker than CEA. Their presence is associated with improved recurrence-free survival. These results should be confirmed in a larger series.
Gemcitabine plus paclitaxel and paclitaxel plus carboplatin are active and well tolerated in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, showing similar rates of response and survival. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group conducted a randomized phase III trial comparing gemcitabine plus paclitaxel with paclitaxel plus carboplatin. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A received paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 plus carboplatin (area under the curve = 6) on day I. Group B received paclitaxel in identical fashion to group A plus gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. A minimum of two cycles and a maximum of six cycles was allowed. To date, 127 eligible patients (63 in group A and 64 in group B) have been randomized; the median follow-up time is 4.6 months. Preliminary results suggest that both combinations can be given in full doses and are well tolerated. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was mild but more prominent in group A (10% v 3%, respectively) while thrombocytopenia was not significant for either group. Moreover, severe neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, or cardiac toxicity has not been observed in the vast majority of patients in either group. Although patients in group B experienced higher response rates (37.5%) than those in group A (21.8%), the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Definite conclusions about this study cannot be made until more data are available. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
OBJECTIVES: Maternal serum soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were evaluated in preeclampsia to investigate whether these molecules could be helpful with regard to this pregnancy complication. STUDY DESIGN: The study population was composed of 30 preeclamptic patients with a mean gestational age of 35.5 ± 4.6 weeks and 20 age-matched and gestational age-matched normotensive uncomplicated pregnancies (controls). Blood samples from 7 of the 30 preeclamptic patients and 15 of the 20 controls in the second trimester were also analyzed. Data were analyzed by parametric methods. RESULTS: Significantly higher maternal serum sVCAM-1 levels were found in both groups of preeclamptic patients with and without fetal growth restriction (981 ± 145 ng/ml; n = 13;p < 0.0005 and 846 ± 84 ng/ml;p < 0.02, respectively) compared with controls (668 ± 186 ng/ml). In contrast, no significant difference was found in maternal serum sICAM-1 levels between preeclamptic and nonnotensive pregnancies, or in both adhesion molecules (1) in the controls between second and third trimester samples and (2) in the second trimester between pregnant women who developed preeclampsia later and gestational age-matched controls. CONCLUSION: These findings show a selective significant elevation of maternal serum sVCAM-1 in preeclampsia, with the highest values in cases complicated with fetal growth restriction, perhaps reflecting its angiogenic function. Hence, sVCAM-1 could be helpful in the diagnosis of this fetal complication in preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II scoring systems in a single intensive care unit (ICU), independent from the ICUs of the developmental sample; and to compare the performance of APACHE II and SAPS II by means of statistical analyses in such a clinical setting.
DESIGN: Prospective, cohort study.
SETTING: A single ICU in a Greek university hospital.
PATIENTS: In a time interval of 5 yrs, data for 681 patients admitted to our ICU were collected. The original exclusion criteria of both systems were employed. Patients <17 yrs of age were dropped from the study to keep compatibility with both systems. Eventually, a total of 661 patients were included in the analysis.
INTERVENTIONS: Demographics, clinical parameters essential for the calculation of APACHE II and SAPS II scores, and risk of hospital death were recorded. Patient vital status was followed up to hospital discharge.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Both systems showed poor calibration and underestimated mortality but had good discriminative power, with SAPS II performing better than APACHE II. The evaluation of uniformity of fit in various subgroups for both systems confirmed the pattern of underprediction of mortality from both models and the better performance of APACHE II over our data sample.
CONCLUSIONS: APACHE II and SAPS II failed to predict mortality in a population sample other than the one used for their development. APACHE II performed better than SAPS II. Validation in such a population is essential. Because there is a great variation in clinical and other patient characteristics among ICUs, it is doubtful that one system can be validated in all types of populations to be used for comparisons among different ICUs.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among competitive worries, sport confidence, and performance of young athletes. Participants were 143 young swimmers aged 11 to 12 years. The athletes completed trait and state questionnaires (competitive worries and sport confidence) in noncompetitive and competitive conditions, respectively. The results indicated: (a) significant relationships among trait and state characteristics and between trait General Self-confidence and performance ratings in both races as well as between performance ratings in Races 1 and 2; (b) significant differences in state variables among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait variables; (c) significant differences in performance among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait General Self-confidence and trait Positive Thinking in Race 1 and on variables trait General Self-confidence, state General Self-confidence, and state Positive Thinking Race 2; and (d) trait General Self-confidence and trait Confidence in Unfavorable Situations were the most important predictors of young swimmers’ performances. These results may be useful in application to competitive sports for young athletes. They may help in psychodiagnostic procedures and may be used for both the content and the direction of individual programs for psychological preparation of young athletes.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among competitive worries, sport confidence, and performance of young athletes. Participants were 143 young swimmers aged 11 to 12 years. The athletes completed trait and state questionnaires (competitive worries and sport confidence) in noncompetitive and competitive conditions, respectively. The results indicated: (a) significant relationships among trait and state characteristics and between trait General Self-confidence and performance ratings in both races as well as between performance ratings in Races 1 and 2; (b) significant differences in state variables among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait variables; (c) significant differences in performance among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait General Self-confidence and trait Positive Thinking in Race 1 and on variables trait General Self-confidence, state General Self-confidence, and state Positive Thinking Race 2; and (d) trait General Self-confidence and trait Confidence in Unfavorable Situations were the most important predictors of young swimmers’ performances. These results may be useful in application to competitive sports for young athletes. They may help in psychodiagnostic procedures and may be used for both the content and the direction of individual programs for psychological preparation of young athletes.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among competitive worries, sport confidence, and performance of young athletes. Participants were 143 young swimmers aged 11 to 12 years. The athletes completed trait and state questionnaires (competitive worries and sport confidence) in noncompetitive and competitive conditions, respectively. The results indicated: (a) significant relationships among trait and state characteristics and between trait General Self-confidence and performance ratings in both races as well as between performance ratings in Races 1 and 2; (b) significant differences in state variables among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait variables; (c) significant differences in performance among athletes with moderate or high and low scores on the trait General Self-confidence and trait Positive Thinking in Race 1 and on variables trait General Self-confidence, state General Self-confidence, and state Positive Thinking Race 2; and (d) trait General Self-confidence and trait Confidence in Unfavorable Situations were the most important predictors of young swimmers’ performances. These results may be useful in application to competitive sports for young athletes. They may help in psychodiagnostic procedures and may be used for both the content and the direction of individual programs for psychological preparation of young athletes.
We investigate the importance of metal-induced gap states for the tunneling of metal electrons through epitaxial insulator films. By introducing an imaginary part kappa to the wave vector in order to describe the decay of the wave function in the insulator, we obtain the complex band structure in the gap region. The spectrum of the decay parameters kappa is calculated for the semiconductors Si, Ge, GaAs, and ZnSe. in most cases, for large enough film thicknesses the tunneling is dominated by states of normal incidence on the interface. Possible exceptions are considered. Based on our conclusions, we discuss the spin-dependent tunneling in Fe/semiconductor/Fe (001) junctions.
The present study examines the genetic variability and the taxonomic relationships among five lacertid species, i.e. Podarcis taurica, P. milensis, P. peloponnesiaca, Lacerta graeca and Algyroides moreoticus, representing the three main genera of this family in Europe. The last four of the above species are endemic to Greece and three of them live sympatrically in Peloponnisos. These relationships were studied by allozyme analysis. Of the loci analyzed, the Mpi-1 locus was found to be a convenient molecular marker for discrimination of the genera Podarcis (allele a), Lacerta (allele b) and Algyroides (allele c). The values of Nei’s genetic distances between the examined species ranged from 0.025 to 0.484. According to the UPGMA-dendrogram plotted using the Nei’s genetic distances, two species groups are formed indicating that the genera Lacerta and Algyroides show a stronger relationship to one another than either does to Podarcis. These results are in agreement with DNA sequence data but are not in accordance with previous electrophoretic and immunological studies, which suggest that Lacerta is more closely related to Podarcis than to Algyroides. The studied Podarcis taxa were found to be close relatives (Nei’s distances <0.18), especially P. taurica and P. milensis. These values are lower than those usually given in the literature for the distinction of lacertid species.
Rhinoviruses are associated with the majority of asthma exacerbations. To date, the pathogenesis of virus-induced asthma exacerbations is still unclear, and no safe effective therapy is available. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has a central role in inflammatory cell recruitment to the airways in asthma and is the receptor for 90% of rhinoviruses. We have previously shown that rhinovirus infection of lower airway epithelium induces ICAM-1 expression by a transcriptional mechanism that is critically nuclear factor-kappaB-dependent.|The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of systemic (hydrocortisone [HC], dexamethasone [DM]) and topical (mometasone furoate [MF]) corticosteroids on rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 up-regulation.|Cultured primary bronchial or transformed (A549) respiratory epithelial cells were pretreated with corticosteroids for 16 hours and infected with rhinovirus type 16 for 8 hours. ICAM-1 surface expression was evaluated by flow cytometry. In A549 cells ICAM-1 messenger RNA was evaluated by specific reverse transcription-PCR and promoter activation by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay.|We observed inhibition of rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 up-regulation with corticosteroid pretreatment in both primary bronchial epithelial and A549 cells. In A549 cells systemic and topical corticosteroids demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition with similar efficacy (inhibitory concentration 50% 10(-10) mol/L, 10(-11) mol/L, and 10(-11) mol/L for HC, DM, and MF respectively). MF also inhibited ICAM-1 messenger RNA induction by rhinovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner. MF completely inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 promoter activation. HC, DM, and MF had no direct effect on rhinovirus infectivity and replication in cultured cells.|Corticosteroids decrease rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 up-regulation in respiratory epithelial cells and modulate pretranscriptional mechanisms. This effect may be important for the therapeutic control of virus-induced asthma exacerbations.
The magnetic critical behavior in the series La-0.67(BaxCa1-x)(0.33)MnO3 (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1) of manganese perovskites is studied by means of DC magnetic measurements. As Ca ions are substituted by the larger Ba ions, the transition temperature increases from 265 to 340 K as a result of structural changes. Arrott plots show that only in samples with x greater than or equal to 0.25 the magnetic properties follow the behavior expected for a conventional second-order ferromagnetic transition. The values of critical exponents (beta, gamma) estimated by modified Arrott plots are found to lie between those predicted for a 3D-Heisenberg model and those of mean field theory. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
We report here the results of a tomographic lithospheric study in the area of the Corinth and Evvia rifts (Greece), designed to constrain the mechanism of continental extension. Sixty seismological stations were deployed in the area for a period of 6 months, and 177 teleseismic events were recorded by more than five stations and gave more than 2000 travel time residuals (P and PKP phases), which were inverted to image the velocity structure down to 200 km depth. We use both a linear and a nonlinear method to invert the data set. The main result is a long-wavelength positive velocity anomaly located in the upper mantle, which is interpreted as the subducted African lithosphere. The subducted lithosphere is well defined from ∼7O km depth down to 200 km. From synthetic tests as well as from the amplitude of the anomaly (more than +7%) we conclude that the subduction continues below 200 km. In addition, a second positive velocity anomaly of about +4% from the surface down to 40 km depth, located north of the Gulf of Corinth, has been found. This is interpreted as the result of a crustal thinning of several kilometers (∼5 km), shifted to the north from the Gulf of Corinth and trending obliquily NW-SE. We suggest that this crustal thinning is mainly related to the Miocene widespread extension in the Aegean and that the Quaternary Corinth rift initiated where the crust was already thinned. The different styles of deformation of the eastern and western part of the rift are consistent with this interpretation. No clear velocity anomaly can be related to the Evvia rift.
We report a patient with a history of orchiectomy for Leydig cell tumor of the testis who developed Cushing syndrome. This syndrome was due to ectopic production of cortisol and was the primary feature of tumor recurrence. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.
In this study an attempt is made to investigate comprehensively the dynamics of a case of cyclogenesis over the Aegean Sea within the context of the potential vorticity. At early stages the cyclogenesis is manifested by a large scale development at the upper levels over Adriatic Sea and Yugoslavia associated with an upper tropospheric potential vorticity anomaly. At later stages a smaller scale development was generated over Aegean Sea associated with a low-level potential vorticity anomaly and a surface warm anomaly. By means of a two-dimensional potential vorticity inversion it is demonstrated that the scale, the position and the strength of the involved anomalies contribute to the surface development, however, the low-level potential vorticity anomaly seems to constitute the most significant feature, more likely to be associated with condensation.
The classical Blandford & Payne model for the magneto-centrifugal acceleration and collimation of a disc-wind is revisited and refined. In the original model, the gas is cold and the solution is everywhere subfast magnetosonic. In the present model the plasma has a finite temperature and the self-consistent solution of the MHD equations starts with a subslow magnetosonic speed which subsequently crosses all critical points, at the slow magnetosonic, Alfvén and fast magnetosonic separatrix surfaces. The superfast magnetosonic solution thus satisfies MHD causality. Downstream of the fast magnetosonic critical point the poloidal streamlines overfocus towards the axis and the solution is terminated. The validity of the model to disc winds associated with young stellar objects is briefly discussed.
The classical Blandford & Payne model for the magneto-centrifugal acceleration and collimation of a disc-wind is revisited and refined. In the original model, the gas is cold and the solution is everywhere subfast magnetosonic. In the present model the plasma has a finite temperature and the self-consistent solution of the MHD equations starts with a subslow magnetosonic speed which subsequently crosses all critical points, at the slow magnetosonic, Alfvén and fast magnetosonic separatrix surfaces. The superfast magnetosonic solution thus satisfies MHD causality. Downstream of the fast magnetosonic critical point the poloidal streamlines overfocus towards the axis and the solution is terminated. The validity of the model to disc winds associated with young stellar objects is briefly discussed.
A total of 55 Enterococcus faecalis and 21 Enterococcus faecium non-replicate isolates were obtained from routine clinical specimens, during a 1 year period, in a tertiary care hospital in Athens, Greece. The most common isolation site was the urinary tract (44% of E. faecalis and 33% of E. faecium isolates). No vancomycin resistance was detected. Ampicillin-resistant isolates did not produce beta-lactamase. High-level gentamicin resistance was detected in 22% and 0% of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates, respectively. The corresponding figures for high-level streptomycin resistance were 40% and 33%. The aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme gene aac(6')+aph(2") was detected by PCR in 10 of 12 high-level gentamicin-resistant E. faecalis isolates, and the ant(6)-I gene in all high-level streptomycin-resistant isolates of both species. DNA fingerprinting by PFGE grouped 31 of 55 E. faecalis isolates into 10 clusters, and 10 of 21 E. faecium isolates into two clusters, containing two to seven isolates each. Two E. faecalis PFGE types, comprising isolates expressing high-level aminoglycoside resistance, and not observed among non-high-level aminoglycoside-resistant strains, were disseminated in building A of the hospital. In contrast, high-level aminoglycoside resistance seemed to have been acquired nosocomially by a number of genotypically different E. faecium types. Molecular typing was therefore instrumental in understanding the differences in the mode of spread and acquisition of high-level aminoglycoside resistance among these two different enterococcal species.
Cerboni A, Ylonen M, Katsianis D, Varoutas D, Elnegaard NK, Olsen B, Ims L, Budry L. Economics of IMT-2000 3G mobile systems. Conference Record / IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference. 2000;1:236-240.
Guskos N, Likodimos V, Los S, Kempinski W, Stankowski J, Wabia M, Typek J, Blonska-Tabero A, Tabero P, Rychlowska-Himmel I. EPR study of Ni2 FeVO6-δ. Physica B: Condensed Matter [Internet]. 2000;284-288:1456-1458. WebsiteAbstract
The Bardeen model - the first regular black hole model in General Relativity - is reinterpreted as the gravitational field of a nonlinear magnetic monopole, i.e., as a magnetic solution to Einstein equations coupled to a nonlinear electrodynamics. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.
The g factors of the 21/+ and 31/- states in semi-magic 90Zr have been measured for the first time with the technique of Coulomb excitation of 90Zr beams in inverse kinematics in combination with transient magnetic fields. The resulting g factors, g(21/+) = +1.25(21) and g(31/3) = +0.986(56), are both consistent with a dominant g(9/2) proton configuration and a closed N = 50 neutron shell. The lifetime of the 21/+ state was measured by the Doppler shift attenuation method, ? = 0.126(3) ps. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.
GALEN-IN-USE is a European project that aims to promote greater European harmonization and to overcome the problems encountered in using traditional coding and classification systems. This paper presents the work done by the Greek Centre of Medical Informatics and Terminology, as a collaborating centre of GALEN-IN-USE(GIU), in order to apply GIU's tools to Greek Health Care System as well as the affect of this application in education.
Background: Gemcitabine and vinorelbine have shown activity in breast cancer. A phase II trial was initiated in order to evaluate the response rate (RR) and time to progression (TTP) of the combination of the two drugs in patients with metastatic breast cancer progressing after first-line taxane-based chemotherapy. Patients and methods: Thirty-one patients were treated with the combination of gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 days 1 + 8 and vinorelbine 30 mg/m2 days 1 + 8. The cycles were repeated every three weeks. Results: Of 27 evaluable patients 1 (4%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.1%-19%) achieved complete remission (CR), five (18%; 95% CI: 6%-38%) partial remission (PR), eleven (40%; 95% CI: 22%-61%) stable disease and ten patients progressed. The median duration of response was six months (range 4-10+) and the median duration of disease stabilization was five months (range 2-22+). With a median follow-up of 16 months (range 0.4-22+) the median TTP was 3.5 months (range 0.4-22+) and the median survival was 9.5 months (range 0.4-22+). Grade 3-4 toxicities were granulocytopenia 15 patients (48%), rash 3 patients (10%), neuropathy 1 patient (3%) and thrombocytopenia 1 patient (3%). In conclusion the combination of gemcitabine/vinorelbine in the doses administered in this group of patients had a response rate of 22% and needs to be further evaluated in metastatic breast cancer.
The paper argues, varying Cantor’s well-known set-theoretic reasoning, that the principle “(It is possible that p) iff (in some possible world, p)” leads to a paradoxical conclusion regarding how many possible worlds there are. The argument justifies some scepticism about whether there are possible worlds in any of the philosophical senses of the term (as opposed to the sense in which we talk about possible worlds in modal logic and which is minimally laden from a metaphysical viewpoint).
This work is a description of the water masses and circulation in the site of the CINCS (Pelagic–Benthic Coupling IN the Oligotrophic Cretan Sea) experiment in the southern boundary of the Cretan Sea, a region of recently renewed interest with respect to the hydrology of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin. Analysis of hydrological data from the study area reveals the presence of five water masses: local surface water and remotely advected Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) share the surface layers below them are Cretan Intermediate Water (CIW), between 50 and 150 dbar, Transition Mediterranean Waters (TMW) with its core located between 300–400 dbar, and the Cretan Deep Waters (CDW) occupying the depths below 800 dbar. The circulation over the coastal shelf and slope is dictated by the offshore semi-permanent mesoscale features that dominated the Cretan Sea in 1994–1995, forcing locally a shoreward flow. The hydrographic observations are verified by current-meter measurements from a mooring in the sampling area. The recorded velocity is generally towards the SE direction, seasonally modulated, reaching maximum speeds of 27 cm s−1. Analysis of the new data set has revealed a previously unobserved feature of the oceanographic characteristics of the region. Over the base of the Cretan Slope there occur lenses of water that are warmer and more saline than their surroundings. These lenses probably form on the shelf seasonally; their waters are rich in oxygen, and have a density that is higher than historical Cretan Deep Water values.
Background: The prognosis of platinum resistant ovarian cancer is very poor and the treatment of choice has not been clearly defined. Patients and methods: We conducted a phase II study with the combination of ifosfamide i.v. at 2.25 g/m2 (days 1, 2) and etoposide per os at 100 mg daily (days 1- 10) every four weeks. To be eligible for the study patients had to be resistant to platinum and paclitaxel pretreated. Results: Forty-one patients entered the study. The median interval from the previous chemotherapy was 3.9 months. The median number of previous chemotherapeutic regimens was 2. Severe toxicities included neutropenia (41% of patients), leukopenia (29%) and thrombocytopenia (13%). Thirty-five patients are assessable for response. Nine patients responded (22% of the eligible, 26% of the assessable), four of them demonstrated complete response to chemotherapy (10% and 12%, respectively), while three patients demonstrated stabilization of their progressive disease. After a median follow-up of 18 months, time to progression is 3 months (range 0.9-14.4), duration of response is 9 months (2.5-11) and median survival is 13 months (2.5-37.4+). Conclusions: The combination of ifosfamide with oral etoposide appears to have significant but manageable toxicity and encouraging efficacy in platinum resistant ovarian cancer.
Among all imaging modalities, magnetic resonance imaging provides the most useful information about the accurate staging of solitary bone plasmacytoma, the prediction of progression of asymptomatic multiple myeloma and the prognosis of symptomatic multiple myeloma. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging contributes to the differential diagnosis of compression fractures in patients with myeloma and can be used for assessment of response to treatment.
We present a number of data for the Pyrgos (W.Peloponnessos, Greece), which took place on 26 March1993 and caused considerable damage in the town ofPyrgos and the surrounding area. The local geologicaland neotectonic conditions are also outlined; they aremainly characterized by complex stratigraphicstructure and outcrop pattern, together with a largenumber of large active fault zones and/or isolatedfaults. The detailed damage recording in themeizoseismal area, which was based on the EMS-92,showed significant differentiation of damage from oneurban unit to another, regardless of the foundationformation. The correlation of the existing dataconfirmed the decisive impact of faults and fault zoneon intensity distributions. It was also clear that,the larger a fault zone, the greater was thedifference in intensity across that structure.
A number of repetitive DNA clones were generated from PCR amplifications of Indian muntjac genomic DNA using primer sequences derived from a white tailed deer satellite II DNA sequence. One clone (Mmv-0.7) was characterized and shown to be a cervid satellite II DNA clone. Multiple colored FISH studies with cervid satellite I (C5) and this satellite II clone (Mmv-0.7) to Chinese muntjac metaphase chromosomes localized both satellite DNAs at the pericentromeric regions of all chromosomes except for chromosome 3 and the Y chromosome, whereas chromosome 3 exhibited pericentromeric satellite II DNA only. Where distinguishable, the pericentromeric satellite II signals appeared terminally oriented with respect to satellite I. Six pairs of Chinese muntjac autosomes had interstitial satellite I sites with four of these autosomal pairs (chromosomes 1, 2 and two other smaller autosomal pairs) also exhibiting interstitial satellite II signals. An interstitial site on the X chromosome was found to have satellite II signals. For the Indian muntjac chromosomes, FISH studies revealed a pericentromeric hybridization for satellites I and II as well as 27 distinct interstitial hybridization sites, each having at least one of the satellite DNAs. These data were used to more precisely define the chromosome fusion-associated breakpoints that presumably led to the formation of the present-day Indian muntjac karyotype. It further hints at the possibility that the Indian muntjac karyotype may have evolved directly from a 2n = 70 ancestral karyotype rather than from an intermediate 2n = 46 Chinese muntjac-like karyotype.
Health informatics is a recently established and important multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary field that not only involves informatics but also medicine, nursing, engineering, biology and other-related subjects. A coordination of this field at a postgraduate level becomes important now in Europe where other European Community programs such as the Telematics for Health Care will require at the Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1999) and the Fifth Framework Programme (2000-2006) adequate human resources of higher potential and knowledge. A European M.Sc. course met all the above objectives. The curriculum was developed according to previous experiences in similar programmes. Recently the course has been organised on the basis of an Inter-University nature with the participation of 5 Greek Universities. The paper aims at providing a description of the new academic programme and a brief evaluation of the implementation phase.
This article focused on the investigation of the time characteristics of individual sets of volleyball matches in relation to their order in the match, the total number of sets in the game, the category of the teams and the sex of the players in two consecutive years, before and after the enforcement of the new regulations. All the matches from the corresponding leagues in Greece for 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 were taken into consideration giving a total of 1016 games. Besides the obvious conclusion that sets from games with a 3-0 final score are smaller in duration than sets form games with a 3-1 or 3-2 final score, it seems that the professionalism of the teams playing a volleyball match bears a strong relevance to set duration characteristics and interdependencies. Professional teams are able to display a more consistent performance throughout all the sets of the game. Based on the present inferences, as well as taking into consideration the requirements of a more rigorous presence of volleyball in the TV, where the time fluctuations of the duration of a volleyball match should be eliminated, it is proposed that the game of volleyball should be played with a fixed number of sets and that this number should be equal to four. Keywords: Volleyball, match duration, set duration.
We investigate theoretically the spatial dependence of the linear absorption spectra of single and coupled semiconductor quantum dots, where the strong three-dimensional quantum confinement leads to an overall enhancement of Coulomb interaction and, in turn, to a pronounced renormalization of the excitonic properties. We show that—because of such Coulomb correlations and the spatial interference of the exciton wave functions—unexpected spectral features appear whose intensity depends on spatial resolution in a highly nonmonotonic way when the spatial resolution is comparable with the excitonic Bohr radius. We finally discuss how the optical near-field properties of double quantum dots are affected by their coupling.
Local Hall dc-susceptibility and global dc-magnetization measurements are used in order to construct the vortex matter phase diagram for a HgBa2CuO4+x single crystal with T similar to 89.9 K. For T > T* = 82 K, the points where the step in rile local ac-susceptibility measurements and the anomaly in the de magnetization measurements occur fall on the same curve, indicating that the same phenomenon is observed in both cases. We modeled these points by a power law H-m(T) = H-o(1-T/T-c)(a), with a = 2.4 +/- 0.1 and H-o = 267 +/- 125 kOe. The local Nail ac-susceptibility data, below the "step" temperature, show a behavior which can be explained if we suppose that at the vicinity of the step a local peak in the J(c)(T) curve exists (so-called peak effect). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
We performed magnetic moment (m) relaxation measurements at low temperatures (5 less than or equal to T less than or equal to 20 K) in two single phase, c-axis-oriented polycrystalline Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta (2223) samples prepared under different conditions with different T-c's. The m versus t data show a logarithmic relation and by fitting them the J(c)(H, T) and U-c(H, T) variation were extracted. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The relaxation of the magnetic moment of a thin disk of YBa2Cu3O7-delta superconductor in a perpendicular magnetic field shows a logarithmic dependence on time for the examined temperature range T: 10-60 K. Data are analyzed within an analytical model. The temperature dependencies of the critical current j(c), and the pinning potential U-0, are estimated by fitting the relaxation data. Furthermore, the E versus j characteristics are quantitatively derived from the relaxation data at the circumference of the disk. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
{During the summer of 1993, a network of seismological stations was installed over a period of 7 weeks around the eastern Gulf of Corinth where a sequence of strong earthquakes occurred during 1981. Seismicity lies between the Alepohori fault dipping north and the Kaparelli fault dipping south and is related to both of these antithetic faults. Focal mechanisms show normal faulting with the active fault plane dipping at about 45° for both faults. The aftershocks of the 1981 earthquake sequence recorded by King et al. (1985) were processed again and show similar results. In contrast, the observations collected near the western end of the Gulf of Corinth during an experiment conducted in 1991 (Rigo et al.), and during the aftershock studies of the 1992 Galaxidi and the 1995 Aigion earthquakes (Hatzfeld et al. 1996; Bernard et al. 1997) show seismicity dipping at a very low angle (about 15°) northwards and normal faulting mechanisms with the active fault plane dipping northwards at about 30°. We suggest that the 8–12 km deep seismicity in the west is probably related to the seismic—aseismic transition and not to a possible almost horizontal active fault dipping north as previously proposed. The difference in the seismicity and focal mechanisms between east and west of the Gulf could be related to the difference in the recent extension rate between the western Gulf of Corinth and the eastern Gulf of Corinth, which rotated the faults dipping originally at 45° (as in the east of the Gulf) to 30° (as in the west of the Gulf).}
Take a formula of first-order logic which is a logical consequence of some other formulae according to model theory, and in all those formulae replace schematic letters with English expressions. Is the argument resulting from the replacement valid in the sense that the premisses could not have been true without the conclusion also being true? Can we reason from the model-theoretic concept of logical consequence to the modal concept of validity? Yes, if the model theory is the standard one for sentential logic; no, if it is the standard one for the predicate calculus; and yes, if it is a certain model theory for free logic. These conclusions rely inter alia on some assumptions about possible worlds, which are mapped into the models of model theory. Plural quantification is used in the last section, while part of the reasoning is relegated to an appendix that includes a proof of completeness for a version of free logic.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell neoplasm characterized by bone marrow infiltration with malignant plasma cells, which synthesize and secrete monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) fragments. Despite the considerable progress in the understanding of MM biology, the molecular basis of the disease remains elusive. The initial transformation is thought to occur in a post-germinal center B-lineage cell, carrying a somatically hypermutated Ig heavy chain (IGH) gene. This plasmablastic precursor cell colonizes the bone marrow, propagates clonally and differentiates into a slowly proliferating myeloma cell population, all under the influence of specific cell adhesion molecules and cytokines. Production of interleukin-6 by stromal cells, osteoblasts and, in some cases, neoplastic cells is an essential element of myeloma cell growth, with the cytokine stimulus being delivered intracellularly via the Jack-STAT and ras signaling pathways. While karyotypic changes have been identified in up to 50% of MM patients, recent molecular cytogenetic techniques have revealed chromosomal abnormalities in the vast majority of examined cases. Translocations mostly involve illegal switch rearrangements of the IGH locus with various partner genes (CCND1, FGFR3, c-maf). Such events have been assigned a critical role in MM development. Mutations in coding and regulatory regions, as well as aberrant expression patterns of several oncogenes (c-myc, ras) and tumor suppressor genes (p16, p15) have been reported. Key regulators of programmed cell death (BCL-2, Fas), tumor expansion (metalloproteinases) and drug responsiveness (topoisomerase II alpha) have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of this hematologic malignancy. A tumorigenic role for human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) was postulated recently, following the detection of viral sequences in bone marrow dendritic cells of MM patients. However, since several research groups were unable to confirm this observation, the role of HHV8 remains unclear. Translation of the advances in MM molecular biology into novel therapeutic strategies is essential in order to improve disease prognosis.
The relevance of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infections in liver pathology remains unclear. To investigate the epidemiology of GBV-C/HGV in Athens, Greece, sera from 512 subjects were screened for present and past markers of GBV-C/HGV infection using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a serological assay, respectively. GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected in 18/56 (32.1%), 12/42 (28.6%), and 16/55 (29.1%) patients with acute hepatitis B, C, or non-A-E, and in 5/58 (8.6%) and 18/68 (26.5%) patients with chronic hepatitis B or C, respectively, as well as in 50/133 (37.6%) hemodialysis patients and 10/100 (10%) healthy individuals. The data indicated that GBV-C/HGV seroprevalence is age-dependent; thus, GBV-C/HGV RNA and anti-E2 positivity were shown to be associated with younger age [odds ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0. 97-1.00, P = 0.017] and older age (odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05, P = 0.002), respectively. No significant associations were identified between GBV-C/HGV RNA status and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in either hepatitis or hemodialysis patients. Nevertheless, GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive acute non-A-E hepatitis patients were more likely to manifest a more severe clinical form of acute hepatitis (P = 0.024). Phylogenetic analysis of partial 5'-untranslated region sequences isolated from 18 viremic individuals showed that most GBV-C/HGV strains circulating in the greater metropolitan area of Athens belong to the 2a subgroup. A genetically diverse type 2 sequence that may represent a novel subtype within group 2 was also characterized.
Health informatics is a recently established and important multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary field that not only involves informatics but also medicine, nursing, engineering, biology and other-related subjects. A co-ordination of this field at a postgraduate level becomes important now in Europe where other European Community programs such as the Telematics for Health Care will require at the Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1999) and the Fifth Framework Programme (2000-2006) adequate human resources of higher potential and knowledge. A European M.Sc. course met all the above objectives. The curriculum was developed according to previous experiences in similar programmes. Recently the course has been organised on the basis of an Inter-University nature with the participation of 5 Greek Universities. The paper aims at providing a description of the new academic programme and a brief evaluation of the implementation phase.
We present a new version of a program for the calculation of the frequency band structure of an infinite photonic crystal, and of the transmission, reflection and absorption coefficients of light by a slab of this crystal. The crystal consists of a stack of identical slices parallel to a given surface; a slice may consist of a number of different components, each of which can be either a homogeneous plate or a multilayer of non-overlapping spherical particles of given periodicity parallel to the surface. The homogeneous media to the left and right of the slab may be different (have different real and positive dielectric functions and magnetic permeabilities).
Skarpetis MG, Koumboulis FN. Multi-Objective robust control for 4WS cars. System and Control: Theory and Applications, Electrical and Computer Eng. Series, World Scientific and Eng. Society Press. 2000:169–171.
This paper shows that some plausible assumptions about any object that has a name lead to the conclusion that the object could not have failed to exist. Considering the conclusion wrong, I argue that the source of the error is the principle “If something is the case, it could not have been impossible”, which occurs in some systems of modal logic; if an object did not exist, it would not be possible for it to exist.
The geopolitical situation creates the conditions which will allow the signing of treaties of friendship and cooperation between the Arab countries in the region and Israel. Unthreatened by the Iranian or Syrian export of “Islamic revolution” or “Kurdish terrorism” respectively, relieved of the “pan-Arab syndromes” caused by the non-resolution of the Palestinian problem, Arab governments in the region will no longer have any impediment to their promotion of long-range plans for cooperation with Israel, aiming at the development and prosperity of the region
We present BVRI CCD photometry for 12 RR Lyrae variables, including three newly discovered ones in the Oosterhoff type II globular cluster NGC 6426. New light curves and ephemerides are presented. The mean periods of the RRab and RRc variables whose light curves are analyzed in this work are <Pab>=0.70+/-0.02 days and <Pc>=0.34+/-0.03 days, respectively. The number ratio of the RRc type variables to the total number of RR Lyrae type variables is n(c)/n(ab+c)=0.36. The period-amplitude relation for fundamental-mode RR Lyrae variables (RRab) in NGC 6426 supports the recent conclusion of Clement & Shelton that this relation is not a function of metal abundance. Fourier decomposition of the light curves has been used to determine the mass, luminosity, and temperature for the RRc stars. Application of the formula of Jurcsik & Kovács, which relates Fourier parameters of RRab stars to [Fe/H], yielded the value [Fe/H]=-2.16+/-0.13 dex, which is compatible (given the errors) with the value -2.33+/-0.15 dex, derived from the red giant branch color index developed by Hatzidimitriou et al. From star counts along the horizontal branch (HB), we obtain the Lee et al. HB color distribution index, (B-R)/(B+V+R)=0.58+/-0.18. The HB of NGC 6426 resembles that of NGC 5053 and M68. We find almost no faint blue stars analogous to the ones constituting the extended HB in M15.
Four different parameter estimation criteria, the geometric mean functional relationship (GMFR), the maximum likelihood (ML), the perpendicular least-squares (PLS) and the non-linear weighted least squares (WLS), were used to fit a model to the observed data when both regression variables were subject to error. Performances of these criteria were evaluated by fitting the co-operative drug-protein binding Hill model on simulated data containing errors in both variables. Six types of data were simulated with known variances. Comparison of the criteria was done by evaluating the bias, the relative standard deviation (S.D.) and the root-mean-squared error (RMSE), between estimated and true parameter values. Results show that (1) for data with correlated errors, all criteria perform poorly; in particular, the GMFR and ML criteria. For data with uncorrelated errors, all criteria perform equally well with regard to the RMSE. (2) Use of GMFR and ML lead to lower values far S.D. but higher biases compared with WLS and PLS. (3) WLS performs less well when equal dispersion is applied to the two observed variables. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The evolution of photoluminescence (PL) spectra of single GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dots (QD) is studied as a function of laser excitation power and temperature. At very low powers, where multi‐exciton occupation of the QD can be excluded, an unexpected and pronounced spectral evolution is observed (large energy shifts and appearance of multiple emission lines). A similar evolution is observed at low excitation powers with increasing temperature. A model, taking into account the influence of the shallow, residual impurities in the environment of each QD, explains the observed spectral evolutions in terms of photo‐depletion of the QD and hopping of impurity‐bound carriers back into the QD. Theoretical calculations of the PL due to Nelectrons + 1 hole (Ne + 1h) QD states allow us to attribute the ≈︂2 meV spaced lines in the experimental spectra to the different charge states Ne + 1h, (N — 1) e + 1h, … of the QD.
Purpose: The combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin has become a widely used regimen in NSCLC due to phase II reports of moderate toxicity, reasonable activity and easy outpatient administration. Purpose of our present prospective study was to evaluate the dose-response relationship of paclitaxel. Patients and methods: Since July 1996, 198 patients with non-operable NSCLC and measurable disease without previous chemotherapy entered the trial. Ninety nine patients (group A) were randomized to receive paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 in three-hour infusion plus carboplatin dosed to an area under the concentration-time curve of 6 every 3 weeks and 99 (group B) to receive the same regimen with paclitaxel increased to 225 mg/m2. Eligibility criteria included WHO performance status 0-2, documented inoperable stage IIIA and IIIB, IV, no brain metastasis, no prior chemotherapy and adequate renal and hepatic function. Patients in both groups were well-matched with baseline disease characteristics. Results: In group A with 90 evaluable patients, the response rate was 25.6%(6 CR, 17 PR) whereas in group B with 88 evaluable patients, the response rate was 31.8% (3 CR, 25 PR), P = 0.733. Median time to progression favored the high-dose paclitaxel (4.3 vs. 6.4 months, P = 0.044). The median survival was 9.5 months for group A versus 11.4 months for group B (P = 0.16). The one-year survival was 37% for group A and 44% for group B (P = 0.35). The best prognostic factor for one-year survival was the response rate (P < 0.0001). With a relative dose intensity of paclitaxel 0.94 in both groups, neurotoxicity (P = 0.025) and leucopenia (P = 0.038) were more pronounced in group B patients. No toxic death was observed. Conclusions: Higher dose paclitaxel prolongs the median time to progression but causes more neurotoxicity and leucopenia. The better response rate, the longer overall and better one-year survival seen with the higher dose of paclitaxel are not statistically significant.
Objectives. Both paclitaxel and cisplatin have moderate activity in patients with metastatic or recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium, and the combination of these two agents has shown activity in a variety of solid tumors. We administered this combination to patients with metastatic or recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium to evaluate its activity and to define its toxicity. Methods. Twenty-four consecutive patients were treated on an outpatient basis with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 administered intravenously over a 3-h period followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2 administered intravenously with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support. The chemotherapy was repeated every 3 weeks for a maximum of six courses. Results. Sixteen patients (67%; 95% confidence interval, 4584%) achieved an objective response, including seven complete responses and nine partial responses. The median duration of response was 7 months, and the median times to progression and survival for all patients were 8.4 and 17.6 months, respectively. Some degree of neurotoxicity occurred in 44% of patients. Grade 3 or 4 toxicity included granulocytopenia in 22% of patients and peripheral neuropathy in 9%. Conclusion. The combination of paclitaxel with cisplatin with G-CSF support appears active in patients with metastatic or recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium. The significant incidence of neurotoxicity is of concern and alternative methods of administration of the two agents could be evaluated. (C) 2000 Academic Press.
BACKGROUND. The combination of paclitaxel with cisplatin or carboplatin has become the preferred chemotherapy regimen in the treatment of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Anthracyclines also have activity in this disease. We conducted a Phase II study by using the combination of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and epirubicin for the treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma. METHODS. Forty consecutive patients with optimally (n = 7) or suboptimally (n = 33) debulked advanced ovarian carcinoma (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stage III or IV) were treated with paclitaxel, 135 mg/m2, as a 3-hour intravenous infusion, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.), and epirubicin 50 mg/m2 i.v. every 3 weeks on an outpatient basis. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was administered at a dose of 5 μg/kg/day on Days 5-9. RESULTS. Among 28 patients with measurable disease, 24 (86%%) achieved an objective response including 19 complete and 5 partial responses. Among 18 patients who underwent reassessment laparotomy, pathologic complete response was confirmed in 9 patients. At a minimum follow-up of 40 months, the median overall survival had not been reached whereas the median time to progression for all patients was 18.7 months. The median remission duration for women with measurable disease who responded to treatment was 14 months. The treatment was well tolerated without toxic deaths; the most common toxicity was Grade 3/4 neutropenia that occurred in 30% of patients. Significant neuropathy (Grade 2 or higher) developed in only 8% of patients. CONCLUSIONS. The combination of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and epirubicin is a well tolerated outpatient regimen with significant activity in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma. (C) 2000 American Cancer society.
Recent results obtained within the framework of the international observational and research campaigns are reviewed. The main topics are following: magnetic cataclysmic variables: synchronization of the spin and orbital period of the white dwarf; observational evidence on the switching of the accretion from one pole to another; non-dipole configuration of the magnetic field; ``swingings'' of the orientation of the magnetic axis in the `` synchronous systems''; instability of the accretion and the ``red noise''; long-term luminosity changes; UV Cet - like flares; two-pole accretion in the intermediate polars; weakly- and non- magnetic cataclysmic variables: negative and positive superhumps in the nova-like variables; ``red noise'' and/or quasi-periodic oscillations; unprecedented switch of the superhump period in TT Ari; the luminosity dependence of the superhump period in BZ Cam and V725 Aql; long-term variations of the outburst characteristics of dwarf novae and luminosity of old novae - magnetic activity of the red secondary vs third body orbiting around a cataclysmic variable; symbiotic binaries: light curve variations in symbiotic novae and stars with a pulsating component; long-periodic pulsating variables: statistical study of the characteristics of the mean phase curves and of the individual cycles; additional classification criteria for the Mira-type and semi-regular stars. Some of the original papers are available at http://www.paco.odessa.ua/~il-a and http://ila.webjump.com
We study the effect of planar defects in phononic crystals of spherical scatterers. It is shown that a plane of impurity spheres introduces modes of vibration of the elastic field localized on this plane at frequencies within a frequency gap of a pure phononic crystal; these show up as sharp resonances in the transmittance of elastic waves incident on a slab of the crystal. A periodic arrangement of impurity planes along a given direction creates narrow impurity bands with a width which depends on the position of these bands within the frequency gap of the pure crystal and on the separation between the impurity planes. We show how a slight deviation from periodicity (one impurity plane is different from the rest) reduces dramatically the transmittance of elastic waves incident on a slab of the crystal.
The potential of photoacoustic spectroscopy to resolve the crystal field levels of Cu2+ ions in three polyamine copper complexes, aqua spermine copper sulfate trihydrate [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH(CH2)3 NH2·Cu2+·H2O]·SO42-·3H2O, norspermine copper sulfate trihydrate [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)3 NH2·Cu2+·SO42-]·3H2O, and homospermine copper sulfate dihydrate [NH2(CH2)3 NH(CH2)2NH(CH2)3 NH2·Cu2+·SO42-]·2H2O, has been explored along with UV/VIS and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Intense absorption is detected in the photoacoustic spectrum corresponding to the d-d transition band weakly traced in the corresponding optical spectrum. The observed fine structure photoacoustic lines are assigned to the individual d-d transitions of Cu2+ ions, which are further exploited to determine the diverse metal-ligand interaction of the studied compound employing simple crystal field analysis.
UNLABELLED: Plasma immunoreactive endothelin levels were determined in 31 children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis and it was examined whether these levels correlated with the severity of the disease. The study comprised 16 cystic fibrosis patients (mean (SD) age 13.0 (4.9) y) with impaired lung function (Group A), 15 cystic fibrosis patients (11.2 (5.5) y) with unimpaired lung function (Group B) and 28 healthy controls (10.6 (4.3) y) (Group C). The selection and classification of patients into groups was based on criteria including the grade of finger-clubbing, the Brasfield chest radiograph score and spirometric and arterial blood gas values. In all subjects, plasma immunoreactive endothelin, atrial natriuretic peptide, renin, serum aldosterone levels and serum and urine electrolytes were measured. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma endothelin levels were significantly higher in Group A (range 2.5-8.4 pg/ml, median 3.2 pg/ml) than those in Group B (1.3-3.8 pg/ml, median 2.0 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and Group C (1.5-3.5 pg/ml, median 2.5 pg/ml, p < 0.001), whereas they did not differ between groups B and C. They correlated positively with the severity of finger-clubbing, heart rate, arterial blood PCO2, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels and serum aldosterone levels and negatively with the arterial blood PO2, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and the Brasfield chest radiograph score. In multivariate regression analysis PO2 was the only independent factor found to significantly affect plasma endothelin levels. In conclusion, plasma immunoreactive endothelin levels are increased in cystic fibrosis patients with impaired pulmonary function and are related to the severity of the disease.
The aim of this paper, is to demonstrate the use of GIS technology in the study of knickpoints, by processing geographical, geomorphological and geological variables. The final result is the creation of different level databases and thematic maps and their combination in order to help scientists to deduce geomorphological conclusions. These GIS techniques help the user to locate probable knickpoints fast and accurately, minimizing the subjectivity of the processing. This methodology can be easily applied to any set of similar nature primary data, without any modifications. As a case study we used Leukadaisland (West Greece) because it gathers a variety of lithologies, a sufficient rain state, a polymorphic relief and tectonic activity. The result of this study is a field cross-tested method based on GIS techniques that can predict the exact point providing the coordinates (e.g. Longitute/Latitute) of possible knickpoints. Thedata that the user has to supply to the system is a good scale relief and the drainage system of the area.
Preliminary evidence suggests that rituximab, a chimeric antibody that targets CD20+ B cells, may be active in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM). In May 1999 we initiated a prospective trial during which patients with WM were treated with rituximab, 375 mg/m2, administered by IV infusion weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. Three months after completion of rituximab, patients without evidence of progressive disease received repeat 4-week courses of this agent. Twelve patients have been treated so far.Eight patients were previously untreated, 2 primary refractory and 2 were treated during resistant relapse. The median age was 77 years (range: 39 to 85 years), hemoglobin was < 10.0 gr/ dl in 5 patients, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly were present in 6 and 5 patients respectively. After the initial 4-week courses of rituximab responses were as follows: 75% reduction of IgM in 3 patients, 50% reduction of IgM in 2 patients, 25% reduction of IgM in 1 patient, stable disease in 4 patients and progressive disease in 2 patients. At least 50% reduction of IgM was noted in 3 of 8 previously untreated patients and in 2 of 4 pretreated patients. Among the 10 patients eligible for the second 4-week course of rituximab, 5 patients are évaluable so far: a 25% decrease of IgM was noted in two patients with stable disease after the first course of rituximab. Disappearance or significant reduction of lymphadenopathy or splenomegaly and of bone marrow lymphocytosis occurred in all responding patients. Treatment with rituximab was well tolerated: 3 patients developed grade 1,2 rigors and fever and 2 patients developed flushing. Our prospective study indicate that rituximab is an active and well torelated agent for the treatment of WM.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and the process of Cardiological Nursing Care Plans proposed to be used within an electronic patient record that can fulfill both nursing science and experience. The project is focused on the development of a clinical database capable of analysis to link control of nursing process with clinical outcome.
In order to assess the role of α-interferon or dexamethasone as maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma, 172 consecutive, previously untreated patients with disease of low or intermediate tumor mass received primary therapy with oral melphalan and intermittent, high-dose dexamethasone (MD), repeated monthly. Within 5 months, 84 responding patients were assigned at random to maintenance treatment with α-interferon (3 mU s.c. 3 x weekly) or dexamethasone (20 mg/m2 p.o. each morning for 4 days) repeated monthly until relapse. Upon relapse, MD was resumed for 2 cycles and second responses were maintained with 4-day courses of melphalan-dexamethasone until second relapse. Initial response was achieved in 88 patients (51%) after a median 0.7 month and no more than 3 courses of MD, a frequency of response similar to that observed previously with dexamethasone alone. There were identical median remissions of 10 months with interferon or dexamethasone, both maintenance regimens being associated with infrequent, mild, and reversible side effects. Significantly more patients responded again to resumption of MD after disease relapse to interferon (82%) than to dexamethasone (44%) (P = 0.001). The median remission from randomization to melphalan-resistant second relapse was 32 months for patients maintained initially on interferon compared to 19 months for those on dexamethasone (P = 0.01). These findings supported an advantage for interferon in remission maintenance by increasing the frequency of tumor recontrol with later treatment that included dexamethasone. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The validity of the rapid urease (CLO) test to diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with bleeding ulcers has been questioned. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the validity of the CLO test in comparison with histology in diagnosing H. pylori infection in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB), irrespective of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use.
METHODS: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed within 24 h of admission for all patients with UGB admitted to the Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, Athens, for a period of 12 months. Patients with variceal bleeding, previous gastric operation, recent treatment with proton pump inhibitors (< 2 months) and those with a history of H. pylori eradication therapy were excluded from the study. At least four biopsies (two from the antrum and two from the body) were obtained for the CLO test and histology (modified Giemsa).
RESULTS: Seventy-two consecutive patients (aged 18-90 years, 51 men, 21 women) were included. Forty-six patients (64%) used NSAID. Thirty-two patients (44%) were found to be positive for H. pylori infection by the CLO test, while 44 patients (61%) were found to be positive on histology (P<0.045, 95% CI, 0.004-0.331). The sensitivity and specificity of the CLO test were 68 and 93% respectively; positive and negative predictive values were 94 and 65%, respectively. The age of the patient and visible blood in the stomach did not influence results of either the CLO or histology.
CONCLUSIONS: The CLO test, performed within 24 h of hospital admission in patients with UGB, irrespective of NSAID use, is unreliable for the detection of H. pylori infection. The age of the patient and the presence of blood in the stomach do not seem to influence these results.
Human respiratory epithelial cells may act as antigen-presenting cells during respiratory viral infections. In addition to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, antigen presentation requires participation of costimulatory molecules. Here the authors investigated class I and class II antigens and B7-1 and B7-2 costimulatory molecule expression in human A549 pulmonary epithelial cells and primary bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) at baseline and after rhinovirus infection. Constitutive expression of MHC class I and B7-1 molecules was observed on both cell types. MHC class I molecules were up-regulated by rhinovirus infection, while B7-1 was up-regulated only on A549 cells. B7-2 molecules were constitutively expressed at a low level and were up-regulated by rhinovirus only on HBECs. Rhinovirus induction of antigen-presenting molecule expression on A549 cells was accompanied by cellular activation in terms of induction of release of the chemokines RANTES and Groalpha. These data show that respiratory epithelium expresses full antigen-presentation machinery and that rhinovirus infection up-regulates this expression.
Rhinoviruses (RVs) are the most common upper respiratory pathogens, inducing the majority of common colds worldwide. RV-related morbidity, although significant cumulatively, has been considered trivial for the individual patient. However, recent strong epidemiological associations of RVs with asthma exacerbations, including severe episodes requiring hospitalization, indicate that RV infections can result in serious disease. Current evidence supports the possibility that RVs infect the lower airways, inducing a local inflammatory response. Such evidence suggests that the role of RVs in other lower respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and cystic fibrosis, should be re-examined with polymerase chain reaction-based methodologies, which are considerably more sensitive than traditional, cell culture-based techniques. The mechanisms through which RVs induce lower airway disease are studied to understand the relative contributions of the epithelial, neurogenic and immune components in the antiviral response, and to permit the design and implementation of specific treatments.
Rhinoviruses are the major cause of the common cold and a trigger of acute asthma exacerbations. Whether these exacerbations result from direct infection of the lower airway or from indirect mechanisms consequent on infection of the upper airway alone is currently unknown. Lower respiratory infection was investigated in vitro by exposing primary human bronchial epithelial cells to rhinoviruses and in vivo after experimental upper respiratory infection of human volunteers. Bronchial infection was confirmed by both approaches. Furthermore, rhinoviruses induced production of interleukin-6, -8, and -16 and RANTES and were cytotoxic to cultured respiratory epithelium. This evidence strongly supports a direct lower respiratory epithelial reaction as the initial event in the induction of rhinovirus-mediated asthma exacerbations. The frequency of infection and the nature of the inflammatory response observed are similar to those of the upper respiratory tract, suggesting that rhinovirus infections may be one of the most important causes of lower in addition to upper respiratory disease.
We develop a formalism for the calculation of the frequency band structure of a phononic crystal consisting of nonoverlapping elastic spheres, characterized by Lamé coefficients which may be complex and frequency dependent, arranged periodically in a host medium with different mass density and Lamé coefficients. We view the crystal as a sequence of planes of spheres, parallel to and having the two-dimensional periodicity of a given crystallographic plane, and obtain the complex band structure of the infinite crystal associated with this plane. The method allows one to calculate, also, the transmission, reflection, and absorption coefficients for an elastic wave (longitudinal or transverse) incident, at any angle, on a slab of the crystal of finite thickness. We demonstrate the efficiency of the method by applying it to a specific example.
We present a method, based on the coherent potential approximation, for the treatment of disorder in photonic crystals. We apply the method to the study of light absorption by a three-dimensional array of plasma spheres distributed randomly in a host dielectric medium. We find that the effect of disorder on the absorbance of a thick slab of the material consisting of many layers of spheres is much less pronounced than in the corresponding case of a single layer of spheres.
The evolution of the paper-based to Computer-based Patient Records (CPR) or Electronic Patient Records (EPR) changes the way in which we have to perceive and deal with privacy and security issues. The education and awareness of the users and public of the selfsame issues hold a very important role. A survey was conducted by the Laboratory of Health Informatics of the University of Athens concerning the awareness of future health care professionals. The results are discussed further down and an attempt to define profiles of training courses on security is made.
The Cretan Basin can be characterized as a back-arc basin of the Hellenic Trench System, that is related to the subduction zone of the African Plate under the Eurasia Plate. The study area includes the narrow and relatively steep (gradient 1.5°) continental shelf of the island of Crete followed by the steep slope (2°–4°) and the rather flat deeper part of the Cretan basin (water depths >1700 m). Surficial sediments of the coastal zone are coarser and of terrigenous origin, while in deeper waters finer sediments, of biogenic origin, are more abundant. Sand-sized calcareous sediment accumulations, identified in middle-lower slope, may be attributed to the aggregation of seabed biogenic material related to the near bed current activity. High resolution profiles (3.5 kHz) taken from the inner shelf shows a typical sigmoid-oblique progradational configuration, implying prodelta sediment accumulation during the Holocene. In the upper-middle slope, sub-bottom reflectors indicate continuous sedimentation of alternating fine and/or coarse grained material. Small-scale gravity induced synsedimentary faults appeared, locally. In contrast, a series of gravity induced faults, identified in the lower slope, are associated with sediment instabilities due to seismotectonic activity. Sediment cores taken from the shelf-break consists of calcareous muddy sand with small amounts of terrigenous silt and fine sand, while the cores recovered from the middle slope has revealed a more homogeneous fine sediment texture of hemipelagic deposition. The prevailing accumulation processes in the southern margin of the Cretan basin are: (i) prodelta deposition in the inner-middle shelf; (ii) settling from bottom nepheloid layers in the shelf and upper slope; (iii) calcareous sediment formation due to settling from suspension and post accumulation aggregation (middle-lower slope); (iv) long-term episodic sediment gravity processes in the lower slope; and (v) to a lesser extent, redeposition from resuspension due to gravity processes and bottom currents.
We aimed to study maternal and infant serum leptin concentrations during the perinatal period and their relationship to the body weight of mothers and newborns. Serum leptin values were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) (R&D systems) in 26 healthy, term neonates during the first (N1) and fifth (N5) day after birth and were compared with serum leptin values in maternal blood (MS), amniotic fluid (AF), and umbilical cord (UC) at delivery. Twenty-five healthy, nonpregnant women, age and body weight-matched to the mothers, were used as controls (C). Infant serum leptin concentrations declined significantly after birth from UC to the N5 samples (p < 0.003). MS leptin values were significantly higher than UC, N1, N5, and C values (p < 0.001), while AF values were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.001). UC, but not MS leptin values correlated significantly with the birth weight of infants (r = 0.6; p < 0.03). The elevated values of leptin in maternal serum and the regressing pattern of infant leptin values after birth suggest an additional, probably placental source of this protein during pregnancy, possibly contributing to the regulation of fetal body weight.
Both E- and L-selectin are cell adhesion molecules. E-selectin is expressed by activated endothelial cells, whereas L-selectin by quiescent leukocytes and is rapidly cleaved off after activation. Both selectins take part in the first step of the 'adhesion cascade', the 'rolling of leukocytes', leading to the extravasation of the white cells to the sites of inflammation, infection or damage. For this reason their soluble forms (sE- and sL-selectin, respectively), are considered early and reliable markers of the immune activation and response. Moreover, sE-selectin has been reported to be a potent angiogenic factor and a reliable marker of infection and sepsis in neonates, as well as endothelial activation, while sL-selectin of the leukocyte function and maturity. Following informed maternal consent, we evaluated prospectively by ELISA, sE- and sL-selectin in the serum of 40 (19 females, 21 males), healthy, term, infection-free neonates, on the second and fifth day of life, and compared them with the respective values in 20 healthy adults (10 females, 10 males), with the purpose of examining the pattern of their values in the early postpartum days, and to establish reference values for both selectins. Values (mean±S.D.) of sE-selectin both on the second (139±48 ng/ml) and fifth day of life (111±35 ng/ml) were found to be highly increased, as compared with those in controls (48±13 ng/ml; P<4x10-11 and P<4x10-10, respectively), while sL-selectin values on both the second (674±223 ng/ml) and the fifth day of life (684±221 ng/ml), were significantly lower than those in controls (938±181 ng/ml); P<0.0001 and P<0.0003, respectively). A significant decrease was noted in sE-selectin values, from the second to the fifth day of life (P<10-7), while sL-selectin values showed no significant change in the same time interval. A strong correlation was found between values on the second and the fifth day of life of both sE- and sL-selectin (r(P)=0.885 and r(P)=0.813, respectively; P<0.00001). Neonatal values of both sE- and sL-selectin on the second or on the fifth day of life, did not depend on the perinatal factors, neonatal sex, or birth weight, mode of delivery, and maternal age or parity. In conclusion, in the very early neonatal period, our findings of highly increased sE-selectin, while low sL-selectin, suggest an immune and more specifically endothelial activation and an immature and decreased leukocyte function. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
The importance of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in human serum for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer is controversial. The IGF-1/PSA ratio may improve the performance of prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a prostate cancer marker. IGF-1, along with PSA and free PSA concentration, was measured in the serum of 34 patients with prostate cancer and in 131 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although IGF-1 concentration did not significantly differ between the groups, PSA/IGF-1 ratio could clearly distinguish the two groups. In patients with cancer but not in patients with BPH, IGF-1 concentration correlated with PSA and free PSA. The values of PSA and free PSA correlated with each other for both groups. Receivers Operating Curve (ROC) analysis indicated a better sensitivity to specificity ratio for PSA/IGF-1 than for PSA or Free/Total (F/T) PSA.
In the Health field, there is an increasing need to give the Health professional the opportunity to experiment on real situations without necessarily having to be in contact with the patient. In order for this to be achieved, there must be a virtual reality representation via a safe and user friendly system, such as a computer. This means that by using Simulation and modelling techniques new models have to be constructed which will portray the reality. The scope of this paper is to present a Simulation Model and Practical for Educating the General Public for the AIDS Epidemic. The model and the practical were developed by using the tools and applications created under the COAST project.
The reproductive strategy of Podarcis milensis exhibits some peculiarities when compared with other congeners. Males and females attain sexual maturity at a minimum body size of 47 and 42 mm SVL, respectively, both at an age of about one year. Podarcis milensis has a very small clutch size, with a mean of 1.73 and a range of 1-3 eggs, and produces multiple clutches annually. Both sexes exhibit a prolonged reproductive period extending from January to August.
Most patients with multiple myeloma (MM) present with symptoms, have evidence of generalized disease, and require chemotherapy promptly to reduce the malignant clone. Some patients present with a local symptom from a single plasmacytoma but no myeloma elsewhere. Such patients usually become free of symptoms after local radiotherapy. In patients with MM without symptoms, the diagnosis is made on the basis of screening laboratory tests. In patients with either solitary plasmacytoma of bone or asymptomatic MM, systemic treatment should be deferred until there is evidence of disease progression. (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.
In breast milk and paired serum from 70 lactating women and 40 of their term, infection-free neonates, on the 2nd and 5th day postpartum slCAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE- and sL-selectin were measured by ELISA and compared with those in 26 healthy adults (controls). Seven infant formulas and fresh milk from five cows were also analyzed. Human colostrum values of slCAM-1, sVCAM-1 (similar to those in maternal and control serum), sE-selectin and sL-selectin (~10 and ~100 times lower than in maternal and control serum) were significantly higher than those in milk, while they varied widely. None of the adhesion molecules was detected in fresh cow's milk or infant formulas. Exclusively breast-fed infants showed significantly higher values of slCAM-1 and sL-selectin on the 2nd day of life than those supplemented also with formula. Only slCAM-1 values correlated positively between colostrum and time-matched maternal serum. These findings show in human milk important amounts of slCAM-1 and sVCAM-1 but minimal amounts of sE- and sL-selectin, which could affect the immune system of the neonate.
We present results on spin-polarized electron transport from a ferromagnet to a two-dimensional electron gas system (2DEG). The investigated device consists of an injector and a collector contact made from ferromagnetic permalloy thin films with different coercive fields. That allows parallel or antiparallel magnetization of the contacts in different applied magnetic fields. The conducting medium is a 2DEG formed in an AlSb/InAs quantum well. Data from this device suggest that its resistance is controlled by two different types of spin-valve effect: the first is due to the ferromagnet-semiconductor contact resistance, determined by the zero-field spin-splitting in InAs, and the second is due to the propagation of electrons with a spin imbalance through the 2DEG without spin-scattering.
An experimental campaign was conducted at the lee side of a 1 km high steep mountain in order to study the development of strong downslope winds under favorable conditions, using combined remote and insitu instrumentation. The examination of the upstream atmospheric conditions reveals that the development of strong downslope winds is favored by a mean state critical layer or a significant decrease in static stability (such as at the top of a temperature inversion) at the proper height above the mountain top. Strong downslope winds could occur even for wind directions with a deviation of 60° off the axis perpendicular to the ridgeline, as long as the cross-mountain wind has a significant value (at least 7 ms-1). The developed disturbances are associated with intense downdrafts of the order of 4-5 ms-1 within the first 600 m above ground and characteristic vertical turbulent structures that were observed by sodar. The same phenomenon is observed not only during nighttime but also under unstable and neutral conditions of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) albeit with weaker intensity. Fourier analysis of the vertical velocity field demonstrated that the typical time period of intense disturbances was about 5 min. Further evidence is also provided for the application of the hydraulic-like theory under real atmospheric conditions. Copyright 2000 by the American Geophysical Union.
A simple reversed phase HPLC method suitable to study the interactions of alkylating agents with DNA is presented in this paper. DNA interaction is expressed as the % DNA peak size exclusion. The effects caused by the antitumor drugs melphalan, busulphan, and busulpan analogues on DNA were clearly observed through chromatographic data. The synthetic dimethanesulphonates of 2-tetradecyl-1,4-butanediol and 1,2-hexadecanediol were proved more potent than busulphan.
Five cases of acute neutropenic enterocolitis complicating taxane-based chemotherapy are described. During a 34-month period, our department administered 4,600 courses of taxane-based (paclitaxel and docetaxel) chemotherapy to 800 cancer patients. Seven to 10 days postchemotherapy in five patients (0.1% of the given courses), neutropenic fever, abdominal pain, rebound tenderness, and grade II-IV diarrhea (bloody in two cases) developed. Two patients had oral candidiasis, and in two others septic shock developed. Computed tomography scans of the abdomen revealed in all patients thickening of the colon wall and pericolic edema, and a pericolic abscess was revealed in three of them. Both clinical and radiologic findings supported the diagnosis of acute neutropenic enterocolitis. All patients were successfully treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. In conclusion, acute neutropenic enterocolitis is a severe complication of taxane-based chemotherapy. Early diagnosis and appropriate conservative treatment leads to complete recovery. Although rare, this infection is less often associated with other chemotherapeutic regimens.
A 52-year-old dentist with kappa light chain multiple myeloma relapsed 6 months after 180 mg/m2 melphalan and an autograft. A partial remission had been attained after the autograft. Relapse occurred while he was on dexamethasone maintenance therapy. Chemotherapy was not an option due to low blood counts. Thalidomide was administered at relatively high doses (escalated up to 700 mg daily and continued for 4 months). There was a prompt decline in urine protein from 6067 mg/day to 2177 mg/day within a month. The response continued to improve with achievement of near-complete remission within 6 months and a decline in urine protein to 413 mg/day. Subsequently, grade 3 neutropenia and peripheral neuropathy required dose reduction to 200 mg/day. Disease activity parameters continued to improve on the lower dose of thalidomide. Nine months after starting thalidomide, the patient is in near-complete remission, enjoys an excellent quality of life, and has returned to work. We conclude that thalidomide can effectively control myeloma relapsing after high-dose chemotherapy, and may be especially useful in resistant cases or those unable to tolerate further chemotherapy.
What is a Tarikat? What is their role in Turkey? To answer these questions the terms “Tarikat” (Islamic order) and “Cemaat” (Islamic community or group) and the differences between them will have to be clarified. Then their political and social functions will be illustrated.
Recent data suggest that thalidomide is active in approximately 30% of patients (pts) with refractory multiple myeloma. Between 7/99 and 7/00 we treated 38 pts with refractory myeloma with thalidomide 200 mg PO q.h.s, increased to 400 mg after two weeks (in absence of severe side effects), and intermittent dexamethasone 40 mg p.o. x 4 days on days 1-4, 9-12, 17-20 followed by monthly dexamethasone (days 1-4). Pts median age was 67 years (49 to 79 years). Immediately prior therapy has consisted of high-dose pulse dexamethasone (21 pts) or VAD (17pts). Twelve pts had previously received an autologous stem cell transplant. Fourteen pts were considered as primary refractory and 24 pts were treated during refractory relapse. Serum b2-microglobulin > 3.0 mg/dl was present in 66% of pts and elevated serum LDH in 26%. Among the 33 patients évaluable for response so far, 17 (52%) have achieved a partial response defined by reductions > 50% of serum monoclonal protein and/or by >75% of urine monoclonal protein. The time to response was short (median: 1.5 months, range 0.5 to 3 months). Side effects included constipation (75%), morning somnolence (54%), tremor (25%), dry skin/rash (18%), headache (14%) and peripheral neuropathy (7%). Our results indicate activity of the combination of thalidomide with dexamethasone in pts with multiple myeloma refractory to dexamethasone-based regimens. Pts accrual and follow up is ongoing in order to define the activity of this combination in pts'subsets and to assess the duration of response.
Aim: TPS concentrations were measured throughout normal pregnancy in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) in order to evaluate the usefulness of TPS in the follow-up of pregnancy breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods: Following informed consent, 30 pregnant women during the 2nd trimester, 28 during the 3rd and 26 at parturition were included in the study. For comparison, 28 women in the 1st trimester and 28 healthy, non pregnant women (controls) were also studied. Both MS and AF antigen values were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (BEKI Diagnostics). Results: Maternal serum TPS concentrations increased significantly with gestational age (p < 0.0001), being significantly higher in the 3rd trimester and during labor than those in the controls (p < 0.0001). Amniotic fluid TPS values were markedly elevated, compared with those in MS (p < 0.0001, paired-t-test), declining significantly from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester (p < 0.0015) and labor. Both MS and AF TPS values during labor depended on the mode of delivery, being higher in the cases terminated by vaginal delivery, compared to those by elective cesarean section. Conclusion: Maternal serum TPS values are influenced significantly by pregnancy, and thus, this antigen, as tumor marker seems to be reliable only during early pregnancy.
