Defect structure and chemical diffusion in nickel sulfide β-Ni3S2

The chemical composition, defect structure, and diffusion in nickel sulfide -Ni₃S₂ have been investigated in H₂S-H₂ mixtures containing between 1 and 65% H₂S between 560 and 700°C. Gravimetric, density, and X-ray studies were carried out. In the thermodynamically stable compound the ratio of Ni/S varied between 1.3 and 1.75. The X-ray examination showed a step change in the lattice parameter at the Ni/S ratio 1.4. A linear dependence of the density values (between 5.5 and 6.2 g/cm³) on the composition was observed. On the basis of the chemical composition and density measurements the number of nickel and sulfur atoms in 1 cm³ were determined. It has been shown that the Ni₃S₂ phase is defected in both anion and cation sublattices and that its chemical formula may be described as follows: Ni_3±yS_2x, where y 2x. It has been found that in the mixture containing 10% H₂S the process of defect formation is determined by their diffusion in the sulfide. The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient is described by the equation D = 13.15 exp(-30,000/RT) cm²/sec. No dependence of D on the sulfur partial pressure was observed, but this may be due to the relatively large uncertainties in the measurement of the diffusion coefficients.     

High-temperature oxidation of directionally solidified Ni-Cr-Nb-AI (γ/γ′-δ) eutectic alloys

The oxidation of Ni-23.1Nb-4.4Al and Ni-19.7Nb-6 Cr-2.5Al alloys in air at temperatures in the range 870–1100°C has been studied for times up to 168 hr, in the as-cast, slowly cooled, and directionally solidified forms. The oxidation rate decreases with increasing temperature for the ternary alloy, and this appears to be due to the increasing tendency to establish a continuous Al₂O₃ layer at the metal surface, although at no temperature in this range is a complete layer established. At the lowest temperature the -Ni₃Nb lamellae are preferentially oxidized, with fingers of oxide extending into the metal, but at 900°C and above a continuous single-phase 8-free layer is established at the metal surface very early in the oxidation. The oxidation rate of the quaternary alloy increases with increasing temperature. At the lower temperatures a continuous Al₂O₃ layer is established at the metal surface, but at the highest temperature the aluminum oxidizes internally and a continuous layer is not established, internal oxidation penetrating down the lamellae. It appears that niobium, like chromium, is able to promote the formation of external Al₂O₃ layers; if this fact is accepted, the beneficial role of chromium in these alloys is difficult to explain.     

Mechanisms of Na2SO4-induced accelerated oxidation

The effect of sodium sulphate coatings on the oxidation of cobalt-base alloys at 900°C in oxygen at 1 atm pressure has been studied. The oxidation of pure cobalt is rather slower with a sodium sulphate coating than without; and this is also true of cobalt-chromium alloys. However, the oxidation of cobalt-tungsten alloys is accelerated by the presence of a sodium sulphate layer: a porous CoO scale develops, with an accumulation of a tungsten-rich oxide at the metal surface. Cobalt-molybdenum alloys suffer an even greater acceleration, and unlike the tungsten-containing alloys the rate does not fall as the oxide at the surface becomes protective, possibly due to the higher volatility of MoO_s. It is possible to produce a similar rapid corrosion of pure cobalt with sodium sulphate-sodium tungstate coating.It is concluded that basic fluxing of CoO does not take place, either because there is no salt-soluble anionic species analogous to the nickelate ion, or because it is stable at salt basicities higher than those reached in these experiments. The accelerated attack in the presence of tungsten or molybdenum is thought to be due to acid fluxing of the cobalt.Chromium has little effect on the acid fluxing of cobalt-tungsten alloys until the chromium-content is high enough for the establishment of a continuous Cr₂O₃ layer; this does not then suffer accelerated attack in the presence of sodium sulphate.A sodium carbonate layer has a similar accelerating effect on the tungsten and molybdenum containing alloys except that there is an incubation period before rapid attack commences. This may be associated with the decomposition of the salt with the evolution of CO₂.     

The effect of internal stable nitride and oxide dispersion on the high temperature oxidation of FeCr alloys

The behaviour of FeCr alloys containing either a dispersed nitride or oxide phase is examined. Fe-12, 14 or 18% Cr containing 0.5 or 1 wt% Ti were used. The oxide dispersion was introduced by an internal oxidation treatment using a 50/50 Cr/Cr₂O₃ mixture in a sealed quartz capsule at 1100 or 1200°C. Internal nitrides were produced by nitridation in either an 80/20 or a 90/10 H₂/N₂ mixture at 1150°C. Subsequent oxidation tests of the treated alloys were carried out isothermally at 900, 1000 and 1100°C, or by thermal cycling (3 h cycles) at 1100°C.The dispersed nitride phase is not as effective in improving the oxidation resistance as corresponding dispersed oxides. Considerable particle coarsening is observed and the nitrides tend to dissociate and are converted to oxide near to the alloy/scale interface.     

Interpretation time of serial chest CT examinations with stacked-metaphor workstation versus film alternator

PURPOSE: Interpretation time of serial staging chest CT cases, which each contained current and previous examinations, with a simple prototype workstation called filmstack was experimentally compared with interpretation time with a film alternator. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The filmstack displayed a "stack" of sections for each examination; user controls allowed rapid selection of preset attenuation windows and both synchronized and unsynchronized scrolling. Eight radiologists were timed as they used the filmstack and the film alternator to interpret four ergonomically complex serial CT cases. RESULTS: All reports dictated on the basis of findings with filmstack and film were of acceptable clinical accuracy. The time to examine a case with filmstack was significantly faster than the time with film, including the time to load and unload the alternator (99% confidence [P = .01]). There was no statistically significant difference in interpretation time between filmstack and prehung film. CONCLUSION: Use of a low-cost stacked CT workstation with a single 1,024 x 1,024 monitor is an effective means of interpreting cases that require comparison of multiple CT examinations.     

Augmentation of facial soft-tissue defects with Alloderm dermal graft

The aim of the study was TPS diagnostic value determination in the serum of women with breast cancer as compared with MCA and CA 15-3. The relationship between the serum concentration of these antigens and patient age, clinical stage, histological grade, presence of metastases to lymph nodes and histological type of neoplasm was evaluated. Studies were conducted on the sera of 139 women before surgical procedure aged 28-81, treated in the Clinic of Oncology, at Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań. The TPS concentration was determined using the "BEKI Diagnostics" immunoenzymatic method, MCA - by the "Roche" test and CA 15-3 concentration was determined by the "Abbott" immunofluorescent test. The study showed significantly higher levels of TPS, CA 15-3 and MCA in women with cancer, compared with values in healthy women and women with mastopathy. The highest median of concentration and frequency of occurrence was obtained for TPS. A correlation between enhancement of TPS and CA 15-3 concentration with clinical stage was observed. A similar connection was noted in women with metastases to the lymph nodes. Serum MCA concentration results did not demonstrate the above effects. The study suggests, that in estimating the clinical condition of women with breast cancer, the simultaneous determination of TPS with CA 15-3 seems to be a more useful prognostic factor than TPS or CA 15-3 with MCA.     

Legal framework of postgraduate nursing education in spain

Being part of the first report of the SEEIUC Forum on the training of nurses in critical care units, this article shows the different postgraduation training paths which Spanish legislation establishes. The "Titulos Oficiales de Especialización Profesional" ("Official Degrees on Professional Specialization") settle the seven nursing specialties regulated by the Decreto 992/1987. Following a second path, "Titulos de Postgraduado no Oficiales" ("Non-official postgraduation degrees"), every University acknowledged by the LRU and creating them as their Own Degrees, may organize Master courses, University experts, University specialists and Postgraduation university degrees, according to their autonomy. So that this autonomous offer is as homogeneous as possible, there is an interuniversity agreement which encompasses 24 national universities and gathers the general criteria for the academic organization of such courses. The report is completed by an analysis of the training offer for critical care nursing, developed during the 1995/1996 course in Spain.     

Magnito-, electro- and echocardiography in detecting symptoms of the "hypertensive heart"

The study compared diagnostic potential of magnetocardiography (MCG), electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echo-CG) in 18 patients with arterial hypertension (AH). 32 healthy males served as control. Elements of MCG from normal subjects have been analyzed morphologically in 36 points of precordial leads. Left ventricular hypertrophy was registered at echo-CG, MCG, ECG in 11 (61%), 16 (84%) and 7 (34%) of the AH patients, respectively. Left atrial hypertrophy was discovered primarily by echo-CG and MCG. Defects in ventricular repolarization were recorded by MCg in 7 (39%) patients basing on MCG, echo-CG and rarely ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. MCG is recommended as an effective tool in diagnosis of "hypertensive heart".     

The use of Haemophilus influenzae type b-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine mixed with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in Gambian infants

In preparation for an efficacy trial of PRP-T Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine, 251 Gambian infants were randomized to receive three doses of PRP-T and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccines at 2, 3 and 4 months of age, either by separate injections, or combined in the same syringe. One month after the third dose, there was no difference between anti-PRP levels in those infants who received the vaccines separately (GMT 5.83 micrograms ml-1), and those who received the vaccines combined (GMT 5.57 micrograms ml-1). The proportions achieving levels of 1.0 microgram ml-1 were 89% and 92% in the "separate" and "combined" vaccine groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups in levels of antibody to diphtheria or tetanus. Geometric mean titres of antibody directed against pertussis antigens in the "separate" and "combined" groups were as follows: pertussis toxin 14.2 and 13.1 ELISA units (EU) ml-1; filamentous haemagglutinin 12.2 and 9.7 EU ml-1; pertactin 17.2 and 9.0 EU ml-1 (P < 0.05), fimbrial 2/3 antigens 449 and 364 EU ml-1. The combination of PRP-T and DTP in the syringe prior to administration is safe and immunogenic. The lower levels of anti-pertussis antibody are of unknown clinical significance.     

The lactulose breath hydrogen test and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

OBJECTIVES: To i) document the sensitivity and specificity of a combined scintigraphic/lactulose breath hydrogen test for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and ii) investigate the validity of currently accepted definitions of an abnormal lactulose breath hydrogen test based on "double peaks" in breath hydrogen concentrations. METHODS: Twenty-eight subjects were investigated with culture of proximal small intestinal aspirate and a 10-g lactulose breath hydrogen test combined with scintigraphy. Gastroduodenal pH, the presence or absence of gastric bacterial overgrowth, and the in vitro capability of overgrowth flora to ferment lactulose were determined. RESULTS: Sensitivity (16.7%) and specificity (70.0%) of the lactulose breath hydrogen test alone for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth were poor. Combination with scintigraphy resulted in 100% specificity, because double peaks in serial breath hydrogen concentrations may occur as a result of lactulose fermentation by cecal bacteria. Sensitivity increased to 38.9% with scintigraphy, because a single rise in breath hydrogen concentrations, commencing before the test meal reaches the cecum, may occur in this disorder. Sensitivity remained suboptimal irrespective of the definition of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth used, the nature of the overgrowth flora, favorable luminal pH, the presence of concurrent gastric bacterial overgrowth, or the in vitro ability of the overgrowth flora to ferment lactulose. CONCLUSIONS: Definitions of an abnormal lactulose breath hydrogen test based on the occurrence of double peaks in breath hydrogen concentrations are inappropriate. Not even the addition of scintigraphy renders this test a clinically useful alternative to culture of aspirate for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.