Nanoscale Quantum Solvation of para-H2 Around the Linear OCS Molecule Inside 4He Droplets

We present a microscopic analysis of the quantum solvation structures of para-H₂ around the OCS molecule when embedded in low temperature ⁴He droplets. The structures of clusters containing M=5 and 6 para-H₂ molecules are compared with corresponding structures for M=1 (OCS-H₂ complex) and M=17 (a full solvation shell), as well as with the clusters in the absence of helium. We find that the helium has negligible effect on the structures for the small and large OCS(H₂) _M clusters, but that it modifies the cluster structure for M=6. We discuss implications of these resugts for the onset of superfluidity in the solvating hydrogen shell and for spectroscopic measurements.     

Effect of supplement with lactic-acid producing bacteria on fatigue and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Disturbances in intestinal microbial ecology and in the immune system of the host have been implicated as a part of the pathogenesis in chronic fatigue syndrome. Probiotic lactic acid producing bacteria have been shown to prevent and alleviate gastrointestinal disturbances and to normalize the cytokine profile which might be of an advantage for patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei F19, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFB 1748 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 on fatigue and physical activity in CFS patients. Fifteen patients fulfilling the criteria set by international researchers in the field at the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 1994 for chronic fatigue syndrome, were included in the study. The patients had high fatigue severity scores and high disability scores. During the first two weeks baseline observations without treatment were assessed, succeeded by four weeks of intake of a probiotic product and a four-week follow-up period. The fatigue, health and physical activity was assessed by the use of the Visual Analogue Scales and the SF-12 Health Survey. Faecal samples were collected and the normal microflora was analysed. Neurocognitive functions improved during the study period while there were no significant changes in fatigue and physical activity scores. No major changes occurred in the gastrointestinal microflora. At the end of the study 6 of 15 patients reported that they had improved according to the assessment described. The findings in this study that improvement of health is possible to achieve should encourage further studies with interventions with probiotics in patients with CFS.     

The importance of the time factor in fire and rescue service operations in Sweden

The aim of the paper is to measure the benefits and costs for the society if the fire and rescue service is delayed by 5 and 10 min respectively. A 5 min longer turn-out time is often the difference between a full-time and a voluntary crew. A 10 min difference may represent what happens if a voluntary crew on the outskirts of the municipality is closed down and their services are taken over by the centrally located full-time staff. In Sweden a full-time staff costs USD 180,000 more per year and man on duty. When it comes to the costs of a longer turn-out time three items dominates: fires in buildings; road transport accidents; and drowning cases. These three account for 38% of the alarms but 97% of the damage increase if the rescue operation is delayed, whether it is for 5 or 10 min. For all these three items we have carried out calculations based on our own empirical material. To be allowed to fight fires using breathing apparatus Swedish legislation requires a minimum crew of five. For a municipality in Sweden with the average number and distribution of alarms a full time crew of five is not economically justifiable until it reaches a population of 30,000.     

Hauptkomponenten der 4-Methylsterin- und Triterpenfraktion von 12 Pflanzenfetten und ihr Einfluß auf die Sterinanalyse

Main Components of 4-Methyl-Sterol and Triterpene-Fraction of Twelve Vegetable Fats and their Influence on the Sterol Analysis 4-methylsterols and triterpenes are accompanying substances of the sterols in the unsaponifiable with partly very similar chromatographic properties. In 12 different vegetable fats both content and composition of the main components of these three substance groups were investigated and their influence on the sterol analysis was found out. For most fats a thin-layer chromatographic separation of the 4-methyl-sterols and triterpenes from the sterols is necessary to make possible an exact determination of the sterol content and the sterol composition by gas chromatography.     

Nutritional properties of fibre-rich barley products fed to broiler chickens

The chemical composition of roller-milled fractions of barley from a commercial plant was studied and a fraction rich in mixed-linked β-glucans selected. This fraction contained 560 g kg^?1 starch, 120 g kg^?1 crude protein, 170 g kg^?1 dietary fibre and 70 g kg^?1 mixed-linked β-glucans. An unprocessed, drum-dried or extrusion-cooked fraction was used as the major ingredient in diets for broiler chickens. The diets were fed with or without a supplementary fibre-degrading enzyme preparation in order to evaluate specifically the nutritional effects of the soluble dietary fibres. Processing significantly retarded growth, cumulative feed intake and feed conversion efficiency of the diets fed without enzyme supplementation, while the supplementation significantly improved all three parameters for each diet. Generally, processing decreased plasma triglycerides and total cholesterol and increased the ratio between high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and total cholesterol of chickens fed diets without enzyme supplementation. The enzyme supplementation increased the triglyceride and total cholesterol values and decreased the HDL/total cholesterol ratio, with more pronounced effects for chickens fed the processed diets.     

Freie und gebundene Sterine in rohen und raffinierten Palmölen,Teil III: Verhalten der sterinhaltigen Lipoproteine bei der Raffination

Free and Bound Sterols in Raw and Refined Palm Oils, Part III: Behaviour of Sterol Containing Lipoproteins during Refining Studies have been carried out about the behaviour of sterol containing lipoproteins during refining. By neutralization and bleaching they are partly separated together with the free fatty acids. One part, however, is splitted mainly during deodorization. Thus content and composition of lipoproteins are changed during refining. The sterols released from lipoproteins are determined together with free sterols. Because of their high cholesterol content increased cholesterol values can be found in sterol determination of refined palm oils.     

Evaluation and simple tuning of PID controllers with high-frequency robustness

An extensive study of robust and optimal tuning of PID controllers for stable non-oscillating plants is presented. It is built on a set of well defined criteria related to output performance, stability margins and control activity. Different interesting properties of the closed loop systems are observed. A set of simple tuning rules is based on these observations. These rules are compared to a couple of well established tuning methods and are shown to give well competitive results, especially when simplicity, low control activity and high-frequency robustness are emphasized. Derivative action is shown to improve performance significantly compared to PI control, with equal stability margin and a moderate increase of control activity, for most plants, including those with significant time delay.     

Dredging associated effects: maternally transferred pollutants and DNA adducts in feral fish

This study reports on the bioavailability, maternal transfer, and genotoxicity in feral fish of organic sediment pollutants. Northern pike (Esox lucius) and perch (Perca fluviatilis) were caught in a polluted bay before and during dredging activities and from reference areas. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in ovulating eggs to investigate if the bay sediment posed a threat to early life-stages of fish. On the basis of previous investigations in this area, the level of exposure via maternal transfer and diffusive uptake of water-borne pollutants after hatch is likely sufficient to cause abnormalities in early life-stages of fish. During dredging, hepatic DNA adducts were elevated in adult fish, demonstrating an increased release of genotoxic compounds, which may contribute to adverse effects in aquatic organisms for several years. Although no substantial increase of maternally transferred pollutants were observed during dredging, this is the first time a correlation between hepatic DNA adducts in fish and pollutant burden in their eggs is demonstrated. Our findings underline the importance of combining chemical and toxicological methods as well as a need for greater emphasis on other polycyclic aromatic compounds in environmental risk evaluations.