Endoscopic treatment of Barrett esophagus

The purpose of the treatment of Barrett epithelium in the distal oesophagus is to reduce or even eliminate the increased risk of malignant degeneration in it. This can be achieved by removing the Barrett epithelium, whether or not dysplastic, and to have it replaced by normal squamous epithelium. Drug treatment or surgical antireflux treatment of Barrett epithelium has hardly any effect on the length of the Barrett epithelium or on the occurrence of malignancy. Various forms of endoscopic ablative therapy (laser coagulation, multipolar electrocoagulation, photodynamic therapy and argon plasma coagulation), in combination with antireflux treatment enable removal of the Barrett epithelium with regeneration of squamous epithelium. However, islets of Barrett epithelium may be found beneath the regenerated squamous epithelium and there is also the possibility of malignant potential of pluripotent stem cells left behind in the oesophagus. Future studies will have to afford insight into long-term results, the costs, the side effects of the various methods of treatment and the quality of life of patients during and after treatment of the Barrett oesophagus.     

Improving students' perceptions of a mathematics assignment by increasing problem completion rates: Is problem completion a reinforcing event?

Sought to determine whether adding and interspersing brief computation problems would improve elementary students' perceptions of an assignment that was part of their curricula. 30 6th-grade students were given 8 min per assignment to work computation problems on a mathematics assignment containing 25 4-digit by 1-digit problems (control condition) and an assignment containing 25 similar problems plus 9 interspersed 1-digit plus 1-digit problems (experimental condition). As expected, total problem completion rates were higher on the experimental assignment. When presented with a choice for their 3rd assignment, significantly more students chose the experimental assignment, even though it contained more problems. Results showed that interspersing additional tasks that take relatively less time to complete can improve students' preference for assignments without reducing assignment demands (i.e., watering down the curricula). Discussion focuses on future applied and theoretical research related to task completion as a reinforcing event, schedules of reinforcement, student preference, and student choice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Wasps are the cause of an increasing mastitis problem in dairy cattle in Israel

The purpose of this study was to estimate if the erythropoietin (EPO) concentration in cord arterial blood can be an indicator of a fetal risk. We studied EPO concentration measured by enzyme immonoassay in ten patient groups: (1) control group with healthy newborns (n = 72); (2) neonates born by elective caesarean section (n = 16); (3) newborns with acidosis at birth (n = 12); (4) newborns with 1-min-Apgar < 7 (n = 8); (5) preterm neonates (n = 25); (6) newborns with gestational age > or = 242 weeks (n = 19); (7) neonates born to mothers with hypertension (n = 16); (8) newborns with signs of fetal distress in CTG (n = 29); (9) neonates born to mothers with diabetes (n = 19), divided into two subgroups: diabetes White A-D (n = 8) and gestational diabetes (n = 11); (10) neonates born to mothers with diabetes White A-D and with acidosis at birth (n = 7). The geometric mean was 26.4 mU/ml in the control group. EPO levels was found significantly increased (p < 0.01) in the following groups: (3) newborns with acidosis (52 mU/ml); (6) newborns with gestational age > or = 242 weeks (63.5 mU/ml); (8) newborns with signs of fetal distress in CTG (47.1 mU/ml); (9) neonates born to mothers with diabetes White A-D (47.7 mU/ml); (10) neonates born to mothers with diabetes White A-D and with acidosis at birth (> 64 mU/ml). We came to the conclusion that the cord arterial EPO concentration indicates a chronic fetal hypoxia and a longer duration of hypoxia before birth.     

Barrett and Depinet versus McClelland.

Discusses G. V. Barrett and R. L. Depinet's (see record 1992-03797-001) and D. C. McClelland's (1973) interpretation of the literature regarding competence testing. It is argued that to understand the meaning of correlation coefficients and other statistical indices, one needs to know more than its size and statistical significance. Research and computer models are needed that systematically investigate the effect of not meeting statistical assumptions and real world variables and conditions that influence the spread and distribution of measures of individual differences on both predictor and criterion variables. It is these factors that determine the correlation coefficients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beatrice H. Barrett (1929-2003).

Presents the obituary for Beatrice H. Barrett (1929-2003). Dr. Barrett trained residents in psychiatry and pediatrics while conducting research at the Institute for Psychiatric Research at Indiana University and maintained a private practice. Her first published operant conditioning study demonstrated reduction in clinical symptoms using laboratory apparatus, and was reprinted in seven collections of experimental and applied behavior analysis. Dr. Barrett also influenced countless professionals and nonprofessionals through enced lectures and presentations, activist participation in organizations, and service on editorial boards-often with blunt criticism of the status quo. In the 1960s and 1970s, she was a rare woman in a mostly man's world of experimental science, and she served as a role model for women throughout her career. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

转炉应用增热剂提升废钢比的生产实践

结合铁水条件,分析了应用动力煤作增热剂提高转炉废钢比的可行性,同时研究了加动力煤对转炉冶炼周期、冶炼操作以及钢水硫含量的影响,形成了先加废钢、铁水,后随头批渣料加入动力煤的工艺,成功将50 t转炉废钢比在短时间内提升了6%～7%。实践证明,以动力煤做增热剂提高转炉废钢比是可行的,同时该工艺所带来的经济和社会效益显著,有利于缓解当前钢铁企业巨大的成本和环境压力。     

Esophageal cancer on the increase. Is Barrett esophagus the cause?

At the Dept of Surgery, Lund University, during the 10-year period 1985-95, 54 patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction (17 with Barrett's epithelium, and 37 without) underwent oesophageal resection: oesophagectomy and gastric pull-up (n = 10), extended total gastrectomy (n = 37), or oesophageal resection and interposition of colon (n = 2) or jejunum (n = 5). Hospital mortality was 3.7% (2/54), and the mean duration of hospitalisation 13 days (range, 9-42). Long-term survival was significantly better in the Barrett's oesophagus subgroup than in the carcinoma of the cardia (non-Barrett's oesophagus) subgroup, the respective rates being 50% vs. 10% (p = 0.0052; Log rank test). The better survival in the Barrett's oesophagus subgroup is probably to be explained by the earlier stage of disease among these patients, in turn due to a history of gastro-oesophageal reflux, whereas the predominant symptom in the cardia carcinoma subgroup was dysphagia.     

The problem with problem solving

PURPOSE: We conducted a prospective study of patients with primary pterygia to analyze surgically-induced astigmatic changes following pterygium surgery and their relation to pterygium morphology and size. METHODS: One hundred twenty-three eyes of 123 adult patients with primary pterygia were evaluated. Pterygium was graded according to morphology and the extent of corneal encroachment. Manifest refraction was performed preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Patients underwent either the bare sclera technique of pterygium excision or conjunctival grafting. Surgery was performed by one surgeon. Olsen's method of vector decomposition was used to analyze surgically-induced astigmatism. RESULTS: The mean magnitude of preoperative astigmatism was 0.99 D, with vector decomposition revealing a relative flattening of the cornea in the horizontal meridian. Astigmatism of 1.00 D or more was seen when the pterygium exceeded 3.5 mm beyond the limbus. Postoperatively, a steepening of the cornea in the horizontal meridian was demonstrated, the magnitude of which was related to pterygium size (P = 0.0001). ANOVA testing showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) when pterygia were divided according to morphology. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that pterygium excision induces a reversal of pterygium-related corneal flattening. A strong correlation was also found between the horizontal extent of pterygium encroachment and astigmatic change following surgery.     

承钢提高转炉煤气回收率实践

对承钢转炉煤气系统进行简要介绍,分析转炉煤气回收现状及存在问题,并对系统优化过程及优化后的转炉煤气回收情况进行了阐述。