A method of predicting the image noise in paediatric multi-slice computed tomography images

The purpose of this study was to develop an equation with which to determine the tube current to be used in order to obtain a certain image noise level for differently sized children undergoing multi-slice computed tomography examination. The relationship between image noise and detector dose for different examination protocols was established for a LightSpeed Ultra, an eight slice CT from GEMS, using homogeneous water phantoms of different sizes. Three different anatomical areas (head, thorax and abdomen) were studied in 111 patients between 0 and 17 y of age. The mean ratio between the calculated and the measured noise in patient images was established for the different areas. Head examinations showed the best correlation (measured-to-calculated noise ratio = 1.01). In the thorax, the calculated noise was generally higher than the measured noise (ratio = 0.74), and in the abdomen, the opposite result was found (ratio = 1.20).     

Measurements of the Thermal Effusivity of a Drop-Size Liquid Using the Pulse Transient Hot-Strip Technique

The thermal effusivity of drop-size liquids was measured by the pulse transient hot-strip technique. A strip sensor, used as a thermometer and heat source, is deposited on a smooth surface of an electrically insulating background material – onto which an insulating liquid sample is applied, completely covering the strip probe. Experiments can be made controlling the thermal penetration depth to within some 10 μm of the liquid sample – here demonstrated by measuring a drop of water at about 1% uncertainty. Measurements were made on water and a series of silicone oils (kinematic viscosity from 5 to 50 cSt; 1 cSt = 10⁻⁶ m²· s⁻¹) in microgravity conditions using a 10 m drop tower (10⁻³ g, 1.4 s), to investigate if any potential natural convection in the liquid at normal gravity condition is present, influencing the results. However, no such influence was observed. Paper presented at the Fifteenth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 22–27, 2003, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Propulsion and mixing of small bowel contents after laparotomy in rat

Radioactive test substances were infused slowly into the duodenum of conscious rats via a permanent catheter starting 2, 12 and 24 h after a standardized laparotomy. Two differently labelled but otherwise identical test substances were used. The first test substance (125I-PVP) was infused for 4 h, the second (131I-PVP) for the remaining 1 h of the 5-hour infusion period. Immediately after the infusion the animals were killed, and the radioactivity emanating from each isotope was recorded from the excised bowel specimen. The bowel length passed by the border zone and the degree of overlap between the labels in this zone were taken as measures of propulsion and mixing, respectively. Propulsion and mixing were uninfluenced by laparotomy as measured 2--17, 12--17 and 24--29 h after laparotomy. The present findings indicate that laparotomy is not followed by a disturbance in the capability of the small bowel to transport and mix chyme, at least when no high demands with respect to chyme volume are required.     

Smoking tobacco, oral snuff, and alcohol in the etiology of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a population-based case-referent study in Sweden

BACKGROUND: This case-referent study was conducted to elucidate the role of selected exogenous agents in the etiology of head and neck cancer. The factors studied were tobacco smoking, alcohol intake, the use of moist oral snuff, dietary factors, occupational exposures, and oral hygiene. In this first report, the authors discuss the impact of tobacco smoking, the use of oral snuff, and alcohol consumption. METHODS: The study base was approximately 2 million person-years at risk and consisted of Swedish males age 40-79 years living in 2 geographic regions during the years 1988-1990. A total of 605 cases were identified in the base, and 756 controls were selected by stratified random sampling from population registries covering the base. RESULTS: Among those who were tobacco smokers at the time of the study, the relative risk of head and neck cancer was 6.5% (95% confidence interval, 4.4-9.5%). After cessation of smoking, the risk gradually declined, and no excess risk was found after 20 years. The relative risk associated with alcohol consumption of 50 grams or more per day versus less than 10 grams per day was 5.5% (95% confidence interval, 3.1-9.6%). An almost multiplicative effect was found for tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco smoking and alcohol intake had a strong interactive effect on the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Moderate alcohol intake (10-19 grams per day) had little or no effect among nonsmokers. No increased risk was found for the use of Swedish oral snuff.     

Hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene on a ruthenium catalyst: Influence of some reaction parameters

The formation of cyclohexene in the hydrogenation of benzene on a ruthenium catalyst has been studied in a slurry reactor. The reaction was performed in an alkaline aqueous phase in a stirred autoclave of stainless steel. The influence of reaction parameters, e.g. hydrogen pressure, alkali concentration, amount of catalyst and temperature was determined. The influence of poisoning of the catalyst by corrosion products is also discussed.     

Surface modifications of silicon nitride for cellular biosensor applications

Thin films of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) can be used in several kinds of micro-sized biosensors as a material to monitor fine environmental changes related to the process of bone formation in vitro. We found however that Si₃N₄ does not provide optimal conditions for osseointegration as osteoblast-like MG-63 cells tend to detach from the surface when cultured over confluence. Therefore Si₃N₄ was modified with self-assembled monolayers bearing functional end groups of primary amine (NH₂) and carboxyl (COOH) respectively. Both these modifications enhanced the interaction with confluent cell layers and thus improve osseointegration over Si₃N₄. Furthermore it was observed that the NH₂ functionality increased the adsorption of fibronectin (FN), promoted cell proliferation, but delayed the differentiation. We also studied the fate of pre-adsorbed and secreted FN from cells to learn more about the impact of above functionalities for the development of provisional extracellular matrix on materials interface. Taken together our data supports that Si₃N₄ has low tissue integration but good cellular biocompatibility and thus is appropriate in cellular biosensor applications such as the ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET). COOH and NH₂ chemistries generally improve the interfacial tissue interaction with the sensor and they are therefore suitable substrates for monitoring cellular growth or matrix deposition using electrical impedance spectroscopy.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of epilithic material in streams has a potential for monitoring impact from mining

There is an increasing demand for cost-effective methods for environmental monitoring, and here we assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on epilithic material from streams (material covering submerged stones) as a new method for monitoring the impact of pollution from mining and mining-related industries. NIRS, a routine technique in industry, registers the chemical properties of organic material on a molecular level and can detect minute alterations in the composition of epilithic material. Epilithic samples from 65 stream sites (42 uncontaminated and 23 contaminated) in northern Sweden were analyzed. The NIRS approach was evaluated by comparing it with the results of chemical analyses and diatom analyses of the same samples. Based on Principal Component Analysis, the NIRS data distinguished contaminated from uncontaminated sites and performed slightly betterthan chemical analyses and clearly betterthan diatom analyses. Of the streams designated a priori as contaminated, 74% were identified as contaminated by NIRS, 65% were identified by chemical analysis, and 26% were identified by diatom analysis. Unlike chemical analyses of water samples, NIRS data reflect biological impacts in the streams, and the epilithic material integrates impact over time. Given that, and the simplicity of NIRS-analyses, further studies to assess the use of NIRS of epilithic material as an inexpensive environmental monitoring method are justified.     

Gallium phosphide nanowires as a substrate for cultured neurons

Dissociated sensory neurons were cultured on epitaxial gallium phosphide (GaP) nanowires grown vertically from a gallium phosphide surface. Substrates covered by 2.5 microm long, 50 nm wide nanowires supported cell adhesion and axonal outgrowth. Cell survival was better on nanowire substrates than on planar control substrates. The cells interacted closely with the nanostructures, and cells penetrated by hundreds of wires were observed as well as wire bending due to forces exerted by the cells.     

Alkyl ether and enol ether analogs of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate,a pheromone component of the turnip moth,Agrotis segetum: probing a proposed bioactive conformation for chain-elongated analogs

In order to test a previous conclusion that chain-elongated analogs of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate(1), a pheromone component of the turnip moth,Agrotis segetum, adopt a loop conformation of the terminal alkyl chain in the bioactive conformation, a series of alkyl ether and enol ether analogs of1 and (Z)-5-dodecenyl acetate(2) have been synthesized and tested using singlecell electrophysiology. In these analogs a methylene group in positions 7 and 9 of1 and in positions 7 and 11 in2 have been replaced by an oxygen atom in order to energetically facilitate the formation of a loop conformation in the chain-elongated analogs. The electrophysiological results in combination with molecular mechanics (MM2 and MM3) calculated conformational energies show that the activity decreases of the chain-elongated ether analogs are significantly smaller than that for2 and that these activity decreases parallel the conformational energies for a loop formation of the terminal chains in the analogs. The results support our previous conclusion that the terminal chain of chain-elongated analogs of1 adopts a loop conformation in their bioactive conformations.