Ascitic fluid analysis in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Ascites in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a poorly characterized subgroup of malignancy-related ascites. Not only the underlying liver disease, but also the tumor growth and spread contributes to the ascites formation. The authors differentiated ascites in HCC from other types of ascites. METHODS: The authors analyzed the ascitic fluid of 185 consecutive patients (89 liver cirrhosis, 33 HCC, 31 peritoneal carcinomatosis, 22 liver metastases, 10 spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). RESULTS: Each subgroup showed a typical pattern. Compared with the cirrhotic patients, those with HCC showed a higher frequency of positive cytologic findings (4 of 33 versus 0/89, P < 0.004), elevated fibronectin concentration (10/33 versus 8/89, P < 0.004), and elevated polymorphonuclear cell count (10/33 versus 5/89 P < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of patients with ascites and HCC patients showed signs of peritoneal infiltration with positive cytologic findings and increased concentration of fibronectin. Moreover, neutrocytic ascites without signs of superinfection is relatively common (30%).     

Comparison of two Varieties of Microcrystalline Cellulose as Filler-Binders II. Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets

In tests of direct-compression hydrochlorothiazide tablets prepared with either of two varieties of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH 101 and Avicel PH 102), PH 102 tablets had better mechanical properties (owing to lower compressibility of mixtures and greater Interparticle bonding), while PH 101 tablets released the active principle faster. These differences are related to observed differences In tablet micropore structure.     

GRAIN SORGHUM WAX AS AN EDIBLE COATING FOR GELATIN-BASED CANDIES1

Gelatin-based candies were coated with medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil or MCT oil combined with grain sorghum or carnauba wax (8.7% w/w of oil). Compared with uncoated samples, oil/sorghum wax and oil/carnauba wax coatings were equally effective in reducing protein solubility of candies in water (25C) and differences between initial and final diameters of candies subjected to melting. At 0, 5, and 10 days of storage (over calcium sulfate), the candies were evaluated by sensory panelists for surface reflection, pink color, clarity, chalkiness, firmness, adhesiveness, chewiness, cohesiveness, sweetness, sourness, fruit flavor, off-flavor, and aftertaste. Firmness, adhesiveness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and sourness scores increased (P<0.05) linearly with storage time. Samples treated with sorghum or carnauba wax were less shiny, more opaque, chalkier, and had more intense off-flavor and aftertaste than uncoated samples. Samples treated with the laboratory-extracted sorghum wax rated lower than carnauba wax-treated samples for surface reflection, clarity, chalkiness, off-flavor, and aftertaste.     

Ocular toxocariasis

Toxocara canis is a preventable cause of intraocular inflammation and visual loss ... caused by the larvae of toxocara canis usually occurring in children and young adults following accidental ingestion of the larvae from infected dogs. Treatment of ocular toxocariasis can include a combination of cryopexy and photocoagulation, with vitrectomy surgery utilized in the more serious cases.     

Long-term evaluation of endodontic and periodontal treatment

One hundred and ninety-five teeth in 35 patients with periodontitis who had received both endodontic and periodontal treatment were evaluated 9 years after endodontic treatment and 8 years after periodontal treatment. Some 91.4% of cases were well maintained and 8.6% showed a deterioration in their periodontal condition. Twelve of the 195 teeth with endodontic treatment were lost, eight for periodontal reasons, three as a result of fracture and one because of caries, and the periodontal condition of 10 teeth had worsened. An apical lesion formed on one tooth. The results indicate that the risk of endodontic failure in this group of 195 teeth is very low, and that there is little risk of tooth loss for periodontal reasons, provided that the patients receive supportive periodontal treatment.     

Contribution of listeners' approaching motion to auditory distance perception.

Of the several sources of acoustic information for distance perception, those arising from motion of the listener or sound source have received little attention. This motion-related information (recently called acoustic tau) is described, and experiments evaluating its utilization are presented. Accuracy and consistency at walking to the locations of briefly presented sounds were better when people listened while walking than while standing still. Manipulations of the sound to simulate shorter or longer target distances produced appropriate undershooting but not overshooting. The results indicate that people use motion-related acoustic information about distance to guide their locomotor actions, although they do not take full advantage of this information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics of aperture coupled microstrip antennas withvarious radiating patches and coupling apertures

A full wave moment method is applied to the analysis of aperture coupled microstrip antennas, in which all components of the electric and equivalent magnetic surface currents are considered. The electric current distributions on the rectangular patch for different coupling aperture positions are presented with their radiation patterns. The effects of the coupling aperture shape and size on the input impedance and radiation performance are also discussed. As an example of new radiators, slotted patches are studied, and it is shown that they can be used to achieve dual-frequency operation     

Three-dimensional anatomical model-based segmentation of MR brainimages through principal axes registration

Model-based segmentation and analysis of brain images depends on anatomical knowledge which may be derived from conventional atlases. Classical anatomical atlases are based on the rigid spatial distribution provided by a single cadaver. Their use to segment internal anatomical brain structures in a high-resolution MR brain image does not provide any knowledge about the subject variability, and therefore they are not very efficient in analysis. The authors present a method to develop three-dimensional computerized composite models of brain structures to build a computerized anatomical atlas. The composite models are developed using the real MR brain images of human subjects which are registered through the principal axes transformation. The composite models provide probabilistic spatial distributions, which represent the variability of brain structures and can be easily updated for additional subjects. The authors demonstrate the use of such a composite model of ventricular structure to help segmentation of the ventricles and cerebrospinal fluid of MR brain images. Here, a composite model of ventricles using a set of 22 human subjects is developed and used in a model-based segmentation of ventricles, sulci, and white matter lesions. To illustrate the clinical usefulness, automatic volumetric measurements on ventricular size and cortical atrophy for an additional eight alcoholics and 10 normal subjects were made. The volumetric quantitative results indicated regional brain atrophy in chronic alcoholics     

Propagation of ultra-wide-band electromagnetic pulses throughdispersive media

We develop an efficient method for the analysis of ultra-wide-band (UWB) electromagnetic pulses (e.g., double-exponential pulse) propagating through a waveguide or cold plasma (i.e., the ionosphere). First we show that the inverse Fourier-transform representations for the electric and magnetic fields satisfy second order, nonhomogeneous, ordinary, differential equations. These differential equations are solved analytically, thereby yielding closed-form expressions involving incomplete Lipschitz-Hankel integrals (ILHIs). The ILHIs are computed using efficient convergent and asymptotic series expansions. We demonstrate the usefulness of the ILHI expressions by comparing them with the fast Fourier-transform technique (FFT). Because of the long tails associated with UWB pulses, a large number of sample points are required in the FFT, to avoid aliasing errors. In contrast, the ILHI expressions provide accurate and efficient numerical results, regardless of the number of points computed. An asymptotic series representation for the ILHIs is also employed, to obtain a relatively simple, late-time approximation for the transient fields. This approximate late-time expression is shown to accurately model the waveform over a large portion of its time history