The arterioportal fistula syndrome: clinicopathologic features, diagnosis, and therapy

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Arterioportal fistulas (APFs) are rare vascular disorders of the mesenteric circulation. The aim of this study was to determine the etiology, anatomical location, and main symptom at presentation of APFs, and analyze the various modes of treatment. METHODS: The etiology, clinical presentation, radiographs, and treatment of 12 patients with APFs are reported in detail, and another 76 cases published since 1980 are reviewed. RESULTS: APFs result from trauma (n = 25, 28%), iatrogenic procedures (n = 14, 16%), congenital vascular malformations (n = 13, 15%), tumor (n = 13, 15%), aneurysm (n = 12, 14%), and other causes (n = 11, 12%). The origin of APFs is the hepatic artery in the majority of patients (n = 56, 65%). The main symptoms at presentation are lower or upper gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 29, 33%), ascites (n = 23, 26%), heart failure (n = 4.5%), or diarrhea (n = 4.5%). Radiological intervention provides definitive treatment in 42% (n = 33) of patients, whereas the remainder are treated by surgery alone (n = 27, 31%) or a combination of radiological intervention and surgery (n = 8, 9%). CONCLUSIONS: APFs result in a protean syndrome variously combining portal hypertension and other hemodynamic imbalances (heart failure, intestinal ischemia). Single or multiple interventional radiological procedures using arterial and/or venous approaches allow definitive treatment of most APFs. With increasing technological advances, it is anticipated that surgery will only be indicated in rare instances after failure of radiological intervention(s).     

Temperature effects on the mass flow rate in the SBI and similar heat‐release rate test equipment

In various medium‐to‐large‐scale fire test equipments like the ISO room corner test (RC), and more recently, the single burning item test (SBI) the mass flow rate measurement of the combustion gases plays a key role in the determination of the heat‐release rate and smoke‐production rate. With the knowledge of the velocity profile and the temperature of the flow, the mass flow rate is obtained by measuring the velocity on the axis of the duct. This is done by means of a bi‐directional probe based on the pitot principle. However, due to the variation of the mean temperature and the temperature gradient in any cross section of the duct, introduced by ever changing combustion gas temperatures, the velocity nor the density profile are constant in time. This paper examines the resulting uncertainty on the mass flow rate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A survey on the occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins in Bavarian cereals from the 1987 harvest

Summary Bavarian cereals and wheat flour from the 1987 harvest were analysed for nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and for T-2 toxin and zearalenone (ZEA) by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent as say (ELISA). The study included 190 field samples of wheat, barley, rye and oat with visibly damaged ears, 45 samples of wheat intended for feed production and two series of wheat flour (type 550) and whole wheat flour collected in October 1987 and June 1988. The field samples examined showed a high DON contamination of wheat (87%) with an average of 3.96 mg/kg and a maximum of 43.8 mg/kg. Mean levels between 0.33 mg/kg and 0.27 mg/kg DON could be detected in barley, rye and oat. Of the wheat samples, 58% contained ZEA with a maximum of 1.560 mg/kg. The highest levels of ZEA were detected in samples which also showed high concentrations of DON. The NIV and T-2 toxin levels were comparatively low. Thirty percent of the samples showed NIV concentrations between 0.04 mg/kg and 0.29 mg/kg and 38% contained between 0.005 and 0.60 mg/kg of T-2. In the wheat samples for feed production, only DON was detected with an average of 0.190 mg/kg and a maximum of 0.75 mg/kg. The highest DON levels (0.58 mg/kg) from October 1987 were found in the wheat flour samples which were lower than the highest DON concentration (3.24 mg/kg) detected in the samples collected during June 1988. This fact was probably due to a substantial amount of non-contaminated wheat from 1986. The toxin concentrations in the whole wheat flour were not higher than in the type 550 flour. The regional distribution of the mean DON concentrations showed the highest levels in Middle and Lower-Franconia.

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Vorkommen von Fusarium Mykotoxinen in bayerischem Getreide der Ernte 1987

Zusammenfassung Cerealien und Weizenmehle der bayerischen Ernte 1987 wurden mittels hochauflösender Flüssigchromatographie (HPLC) auf Nivalenol (NIV) und Deoxynivalenol (DON) Bowie mit Enzymimmunoassay auf T-2 Toxin und Zearalenon (ZEA) analysiert. Die Untersuchungen umfaßten 190 Feldproben von Weizen, Gerste, Roggen und Hafer, die alle optisch erkennbaren Fusarienbefall aufwiesen, 45 Futterweizenproben Bowie zwei Probenserien von Weizenmehlen der Type 550 und Vollkornweizenmehlen, die im October 1987 und im Juni 1988 gezogenwurden. — Die Untersuchungen der Feldproben ergaben eine hohe DON-Kontamination des Weizens (87%) mit einem durchschnittlichen Gehalt von 3,96 mg/kg und einem Maximalgehalt von 43,8 mg/kg. In Gerste, Roggen und Hafer konnten durchschnittlich zwischen 0,33 mg/kg und 0,27 mg/kg DON-nachgewiesen werden. 58% der Winterweizenproben wiesen Zearalenon mit einem Maximalgehalt von 1,56 mg/kg auf. Die höchsten ZEA-Werte wurden in Proben ermittelt, die gleichzeitig einen hohen DON-Gehalt aufwiesen. Die Konzentrationen von NIV und T-2 Toxin waren vergleichsweise niedrig. 30% der Proben hatten NIV-Gehalte zwischen 0,04 mg/kg und 0,29 mg/kg und 38% enthielten T-2 Toxin zwischen 0,005 mg/kg und 0,06 mg/kg. In den Futterweizenproben konnte DON als einziges Toxin mit einem Gehalt von durchschnittlich 0,19 mg/kg und maximal 0,75 mg/kg festgestellt werden. Die Weizenmehle, die im October 1987 gezogen wurden, wiesen maximal 0,58 mg/kg DON auf. Die Gehalte lagen damit medriger als die der Mehlproben vom Juni 1988, die maximal 3,24 mg/kg und durchschnittlich 0,26 mg/kg DON enthielten. Dieser Sachverhalt könnte auf Anteile von nicht kontaminiertem Weizen der Ernte 86 an den im October gezogenen Mehlproben zurückgeführt werden. Die Toxingehalte der Vollkornmehle waren nicht höher als die der Weizenmehle der Type 550. Die höchsten Durchschnittsgehalte von DON wurden in Mittel- und Unterfranken festgestellt.

     

The influence of the ion content of whey on the pH-activity profile of the β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae

The pH-dependence of the reaction kinetics of lactase (β-galactosidase) from Aspergillus oryzae in different reaction media is presented in terms of a two-parameter model. The lactase from A. oryzae seems to have replaced the A. niger lactase on the market owing to a better activity/price ratio and may be utilised for lactose hydrolysis in acid as well as in neutral milk products. Its pH optimum is around pH 4.5. However, in the neutral pH-range its activity depended strongly on the salt content of the substrate solution. For example, its activity in whey (pH 6.5) fell to only 30% of its expected activity in a pure lactose solution at the same pH. The whey effect was the same for both soluble and immobilised lactase. The two parameter kinetic model, which included a term for competitive product inhibition gave excellent agreement with experimental data, and may thus be useful for the prediction of reactor performance with this enzyme.     

Electron-phonon coupling in A3C60: Contributions from intermolecular modes

An accurate tight-binding fit to the full valence-conduction band region in K₃C₆₀ is used to generate deformation potentials for several phonon modes, including the optic intermolecular vibrations and librations that have not been investigated previously. The resulting electron-phonon coupling constants indicate coupling that is likely to be crucial in understanding electronic transport in the fullerides, and will provide contributions to superconducting pairing. Results for the intramolecularA _g (2) “pentagonal pinch” mode suggests nonadiabatic behavior for this (and possibly other) very high frequency modes.     

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors. A clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study of 12 cases

The gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor (GAN tumor) is an uncommon stromal tumor of the intestinal tract and retroperitoneum first described by Herrera and associates in 1984. Distinction of GAN tumors from other gastrointestinal stromal tumors is based on electron microscopic findings. Thus far there have been 12 reported cases. We present an additional 12 GAN tumors, identified by us during 4 years. There were seven male and five female patients and they ranged in age from 10 to 85 years (mean: 58 years). Sites of the tumors were stomach (three), jejunum (two), ileum (four), mesentery (one), and retroperitoneum (two). Eight of the tumors measured > 10 cm in greatest dimension. Usually well circumscribed, the neoplasms were tan to light pink, sometimes hemorrhagic, and soft. There was a variety of histologic patterns including fascicles, palisades, and whorls. Mitotic activity varied from 0 to 23 mitosis per 10 high-power fields (HPF). Using a panel of 10 immunohistochemical stains, only vimentin was consistently positive. There was neuron-specific enolase reactivity in six and S-100 protein reactivity in two cases. All muscle markers were negative. Ultrastructural studies showed neuron-like cells with long axonic cytoplasmic processes ending in bulbous synapse-like structures containing dense-core neurosecretory granules and clear vesicles. Basement membrane was absent. These features are reminiscent of ganglia of the intestinal autonomic nervous system. The patients were followed for 5-125 months (mean of 26 months). Tumor recurred or metastasized to the liver in seven patients (58%) and four patients died with tumor. There were correlations between tumor size (> 10 cm), mitotic count (at least five per 10 HPF), and aggressive behavior.     

SAP NetWeaver: Slicing the fridge

Zusammenfassung Das Schlagwort NetWeaver ist seit einiger Zeit in unserer Branche en vogue. Wie so oft, ist es nicht leicht, Marketingaspekte vom informatischen Wesensgehalt zu unterscheiden. Dieser Beitrag m?chte hier helfen.     

Numerical investigation of the error on flow measurements due to exhaust gas heating and cooling in the SBI‐configuration

The possible flow measurement error due to heating or cooling of exhaust gases in the Single‐Burning‐Item (SBI) test is estimated from numerical experiments. It is illustrated that there is no one‐to‐one correspondence between the velocity profile shape and the instantaneous Reynolds number, due to the time‐dependent temperature and density profile evolution in the exhaust gas pipe. A non‐ambiguous relation is found between the velocity profile shape and an ‘effective’ Reynolds number, based on the turbulent viscosity. Maximum variations of the velocity correction factors, relating the mean velocity to the velocity on the pipe axis, are found to be in the order of 2% for limiting circumstances for the SBI test. The primary effect is caused by instantaneous Reynolds number variations. The effect of heating or cooling of the flow by the hot or cold pipe is noticeable, too. The statements are proved to be valid independent of the computational grid, the turbulence model and the time steps taken to obtain the numerical solutions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.