Fertilization in vitro. A review over the medical indications and suggestion to unified guidelines for public fertility clinics in Denmark

Medical indications for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) internationally and in Denmark are reviewed. Reports from large international centres document that tubal infertility, unexplained infertility, endometriosis and male infertility are equally good indications for IVF. Traditionally, tubal infertility has been the only medical indication qualifying for IVF treatment within the National Health Service in Denmark. Thus, in this country, couples with unexplained and male infertility and with endometriosis have to pay up to 25,000 D.Kr. per IVF-ET treatment in private fertility clinics. Since there is no scientific basis for this discrimination, it is urged that the present rules are changed, so that couples with unexplained and male infertility and endometriosis are also allowed IVF treatment free of charge in the public fertility clinics.     

Expression of a human homeobox-containing gene is regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 in bone cells

The seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of Enhydra fluctuans and Marsilea quadrifolia, two edible semi-aquatic plants, was studied in order to promote their consumption as green leafy vegetables. Both plants had a high crude protein content throughout all harvesting seasons. Enhydra fluctuans had a low ash content and was a good source of beta-carotene (3.7 to 4.2 mg/100 g on a fresh weight basis). Marsilea quadrifolia exhibited wide fluctuations between seasons and was not very promising in nutrient composition when compared to other commonly used green leafy vegetables.     

Transformer modelling for distribution system studies. II. Additionof models to YBUS and ZBUS

For pt.I see ibid., vol.7, no.2, p.567-74 (1992). A distribution transformer modeling procedure is discussed which represents the distribution transformer with a minimum of input data for network, load, and fault studies thereby allowing the transformer to be routinely included as part of the distribution network. How these transformer methods are used in the formation of Y_BUS and Z _BUS system models is described     

Planning prompts and indexed terms in textbook search tasks.

Text search is a type of strategic reading that involves locating specific goal-relevant information. Previous research has indicated that college and high school students often exhibit inefficient or unsuccessful text-search performance. Consequently, the effects of 2 manipulations on text-search performance were investigated: (1) the presence of indexed terms in a text-search task and (2) the use of a planning prompt before beginning a task. 34 college students engaged in 6 text-search tasks. Half of these tasks contained terms that could be used in an index; half required that a search term be generated. Half of the subjects were randomly assigned to a prompt condition in which they were prompted to plan their search before beginning each task. The results indicated that a planning prompt raised the success level of search performance, as did the presence of terms that were searchable in the textbook's index. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

VRCTC-310--a novel compound of purified animal toxins separates antitumor efficacy from neurotoxicity

Two purified animal venom toxins, crotoxin and cardiotoxin, have been combined to produce a unique natural product (VRCTC-310) currently under investigation as an antitumor agent by the National Cancer Institute. In vitro, it has demonstrated cytotoxic disease specificity and a unique mechanism of action when submitted to COMPARE analysis. In vivo, tolerance was developed to the neurotoxic properties of crotoxin which allowed comparison of several schedules of fixed and escalating daily i.m. doses to mice bearing s.c. Lewis Lung carcinoma. An 83% inhibition of tumor growth was achieved using an escalating dose schedule starting at 1.8 mg/kg and reaching 6.3 mg/kg/day on day 20. Although some irritation around the sites of i.m. injection was noted, animal weight loss was negligible and there were no other signs of adverse toxicity. This natural product represents a new, membrane interactive anticancer agent which produces a unique spectrum of cytotoxicity in vitro and which has demonstrated interesting in vivo antitumor efficacy.     

Granulation tissue polyposis associated with carcinoid tumours of the small intestine

We report two patients with ileal carcinoid tumours which were associated with polyps due to mucosal granulation tissue proliferation. In both cases the tumours had extensively infiltrated the small bowel wall and mesentery, and one had hepatic metastases. The mucosal surface of each specimen showed numerous, pale brown, sessile polyps which were restricted to the intestinal segment involved by carcinoid tumour, although not always closely related to neoplastic cells. The polyps were formed by the proliferation of capillaries, smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and electronmicroscopy.     

Robust stabilization for uncertain time-delay systems containingsaturating actuators

A class of uncertain time-delay systems containing a saturating actuator is considered. These systems are characterized by delayed state equations (including a saturating actuator) with norm-bounded parameter uncertainty (possibly time varying) in the state and input matrices. The delay is assumed to be constant bounded but unknown. Using a Razumikhin approach for the stability of functional differential equations, upper bounds on the time delay are given such that the considered uncertain system is robustly stabilizable, in the case of constrained input, via memoryless state feedback control laws. These bounds are given in terms of solutions of appropriate finite dimensional Riccati equations     

Effect of material characteristics of polyolefins on weld line morphology and its correlation to mechanical properties

The effect of a weld line on the tensile, tensile impact and environmental stress cracking properties of a number of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) samples has been investigated. The observed mechanical behaviour has been correlated to material properties, and also to the weld line morphology. PE samples differed in branching, molar mass (Mw) and molar mass distribution (MWD), whereas the PP samples differed in nucleation. The morphology of the weld line formed in injection moulding was analysed by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The mechanical strength was studied by tensile, tensile impact and constant tensile stress methods. In polyethylene samples with a high Mw, the weld line area was seen through the skin layer to the shear layer, and even down to the beginning of the core layer. The effect of a high Mw on morphological changes was diminished by a broad MWD. Short chain branching limited the morphological change solely to the skin layer. Both PP samples were morphologically rather homogeneous. The weld line created a V-notch on the surface that acted as a crack initiator in mechanical tests and thus reduced the mechanical strength of the weld line samples. The V-notch mainly hid the effect of the morphology on the mechanical properties. © 1998 Chapman & Hall