Surfactant replacement therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome from viral pneumonia

A modified natural surfactant was administered to a patient with life-threatening adult respiratory distress syndrome caused by viral pneumonia. Subsequently, there was a marked improvement in gas exchange. In order to assess the mechanism for improved oxygenation, computed tomography of the lungs was done. Quantitative analysis of the scans taken before and after surfactant administration indicates that improvement in gas exchange was largely due to the expansion of underinflated and collapsed lung areas. Although this is a single case report, it provides insight into the possible beneficial effect of instilled surfactant in severe respiratory distress from viral pneumonia.     

Increased concentrations of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in cases with breast cancer--results from a case-control study

Organochlorines are persistent and highly lipophilic environmental contaminants which bioaccumulate in the food chain. Some of these chemicals, 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), have been suggested to be of significance in the aetiology of breast cancer. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an anti-oestrogen in animal studies and should be thus lower the risk of breast cancer. The other isomers of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) or the chemically related polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) have not been tested regarding carcinogenesis of the breast. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether PCDDs or PCDFs influence the risk for breast cancer. Consecutive patients who underwent surgery for a breast disease between 1993 and 1995 were recruited for the study. Cases were 22 patients with infiltrative breast cancer and controls were 19 patients operated for a benign breast disease during the same time period. Approximately 10 g of breast tissue free from tumour was taken from the specimen and frozen until analysis. Fat was extracted, cleaned and analysed with a high-resolution gas chromatograph coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer. Median concentrations of octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) were 598 (170-14,880) and 396 (103-1,847) pg/g lipid in the cases and in the controls, respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for other risk factors for breast cancer increased odds ratio (OR) was obtained for OCDD: 401-1000 pg/g lipid yielded OR 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-39, > 1000 pg/g lipid gave OR 5.2, CI 0.4-72. When the lipid OCDD variable was examined as a continuous risk factor there was a 1.09 (9%), CI 0.95-1.25, increase in the adjusted OR for breast cancer per 100 unit (pg/g lipid) increase in OCDD. No differences were found between cases and controls for the other six tested PCDDs. Mean concentration of TCDD was in the cases 3.6 (1.0-7.9) and in the controls 3.3 (1.1-6.3) pg/g lipid. For PCDFs no significant differences were found between cases and controls. The results were not changed if oestrogen or progesterone receptor status, S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy were considered. Breast tissue concentration of OCDD was increased in cancer patients, whereas the concentrations of other PCDDs and PCDFs were equal in cases and controls.     

Well-posedness of dual-phase-lagging heat conduction equation: higher dimensions

The dual-phase-lagging heat conduction equation is shown to be of one unique solution for a finite region of dimension n (n?2) under Dirichlet, Neumann or Robin boundary conditions. The solution is also found to be stable with respect to initial conditions. The work is of fundamental importance in applying the dual-phase-lagging model for the microscale heat conduction of high-rate heat flux.     

南化大化肥硝铵库屋面施工防渗漏措施

南化大化肥硝铵库工程 ,于 2 0 0 0年 2月 15日开工 ,2 0 0 0年 10月 10日竣工 ,混凝土杯形基础 ,主体结构为单层、单跨、装配式的排架结构 ,30ｍ预应力折线形屋架 ,大型屋面板 ,氯化聚乙烯防水卷材 ,建筑面积为 162 0ｍ2 。氯化聚乙烯防水卷材是防水新型材料 ,由于防水性能好 ,施工方便 ,近几年得到了广泛的应用 ,在实际操作中往往由于施工人员对操作规程不甚了解 ,或虽有所了解 ,但没有认真对待 ,造成这样那样的质量问题 ,硝铵库作为一个储物库房 ,对防渗漏的要求高 ,那么施工中怎样避免出现渗漏现象 ,确保工程质量呢 ?1　做好施工准备检…