Effects of granisetron with doxorubicin or epirubicin on ECG intervals

Commercially available serotonin-type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists (ondansetron, granisetron, and tropisetron) have shown no clinically significant adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. In the dose-ranging evaluation of dolasetron, computer-generated ECGs revealed clinically asymptomatic prolongations of ECG intervals. We performed a clinical trial in which the possible changes in ECG intervals following a single 3-mg i.v. injection of granisetron and an injection of either doxorubicin or epirubicin were registered using computerized ECG analysis in cancer patients. A total of 30 patients who were designated to receive 3 mg granisetron i.v. for the prophylaxis of emesis induced by doxorubicin or epirubicin were entered into the study. Computer-generated ECG tracings were obtained before treatment, following the injection of 3mg granisetron, and immediately after doxorubicin or epirubicin injection. The mean PR interval duration increased from 160 to 166 ms after granisetron infusion (P=0.02). Doxorubicin and epirubicin did not potentiate this change. There was no statistically significant change in cardiac rhythm, QRS duration, or QTc intervals. The observed minor changes in the PR time following i.v. injection of granisetron do not seem to be of clinical relevance.     

Sunset science. I. The mock mirage

A previously unrecognized phenomenon, which we call the mock mirage, produces inverted images of the Sun and Moon near the horizon when the observer looks downward through a thermal inversion. No ducting is involved; the rays can be concave toward the Earth throughout their length, with a radius of curvature larger than the radius of the Earth. Quite mild inversions produce surprisingly large effects, which increase with the height of the observer. Although the phenomenon has frequently been photographed, published pictures have been misinterpreted. Finally, we distinguish between features that are due to waves on inversion layers and the larger features that are due to the inversions themselves.     

Knowledge‐related challenges and solutions in GSD

A number knowledge‐related challenges may complicate the work in global software development (GSD) projects. In practice, even a small amount of missing knowledge may cause an activity to fail to create and transfer information which is critical to later functions, causing these later functions to fail. Thus, knowledge engineering holds a central role in order to succeed with globally distributed product development. Furthermore, examining the challenges faced in GSD from a cognitive perspective will help to find solutions that take into account the knowledge needs of different stakeholders in GSD and thus help to establish conditions for successful GSD projects. In this paper, we will discuss these challenges and solutions based on an extensive literature study and practical experience gained in several international projects over the last decade. Altogether, over 50 case studies were analysed. We analysed the challenges identified in the cases from a cognitive perspective for bridging and avoiding the knowledge gaps and, based on this analysis, we will present example solutions to address the challenges during the GSD projects. We will conclude that through understanding both the nature of GSD and the KE challenges in depth, it will be possible for organizations to make their distributed operations successful.     

Vertical elliptical coronas caused by pollen

Near-forward scattering by cloud droplets is known to give rise to colored rings, centered on the Sun or the Moon, which are called the corona. Because of the spherical shape of the droplets, the corona can be circular. A Finnish amateur astronomers' network has found a corona, in a seemingly cloudless sky, with a regular vertically elliptical shape. The aspect ratio of these ellipses changes with the altitude of the Sun or the Moon. Some brightening in the coronas has also been reported. Because of observations of high pollen concentrations at the time of occurrence of these coronas, we propose that some coronas can be explained as a result of scatteringbybirch pollen grains, which are more or less spheroidal. To explain other observed coronas, pollen grains with more complicated shapes, such as pine and spruce pollen grains, must be invoked. Our analysis is limited to spheroidal grains, for which the Fraunhofer theory gives analytical expressions of simple form. The more complicated shapes require numerical simulations or laboratory experiments, which we have not done.     

Philips experiences in global distributed software development

Global software development is increasingly common. Main expected benefits are improvements in time-to-market efficiency and access to greater—and less costly—resources. A number of problems are still to be solved before the full potential of global development can be obtained. This paper describes the experience of over 10 years of global distributed development at Philips, derived from about 200 projects. We discuss the experience and lessons learnt from multi-site development. Main lessons learned are that explicit agreements and ways of working should be defined for the following areas needing the most attention; team coordination and communication, requirements and architectures, integration, and configuration management. In addition, we discuss the experience gained from subcontracting software development to suppliers. Main lesson learned from subcontracting software development is the need for explicit attention and ways of working with respect to selection of suppliers, specification of the work to be subcontracted and establishment and content of the contract.     

Correlation of patient and staff doses in interventional cardiology

The purpose of this study was to measure staff radiation doses in representative institutions of five European countries performing coronary angiographies (CA) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCA), as well as to investigate any correlation with patient doses. Patient doses were recorded in terms of dose-area product (DAP). Staff doses were measured by thermoluminescence dosemeters placed on the operator's left shoulder and left foot. Radiation protection measures were also recorded. Third quartile shoulder and foot doses were 90 and 66 microSv in CA, and 157 and 173 microSv in PTCA, respectively. Shoulder dose was poorly correlated with DAP in CA (R2 = 0.29) and only moderately correlated in PTCA (R2 = 0.69). DAP and foot dose correlation was poor both in CA (R2 = 0.16) and in PTCA (R2 = 0.02). Protective measures taken by staff varied between countries, which may explain the poor correlation of patient and staff radiation doses.     

Scattering from rough thin films: discrete-dipole-approximation simulations

We investigate the wave-optical light scattering properties of deformed thin circular films of constant thickness using the discrete-dipole approximation. Effects on the intensity distribution of the scattered light due to different statistical roughness models, model dependent roughness parameters, and uncorrelated, random, small-scale porosity of the inhomogeneous medium are studied. The suitability of the discrete-dipole approximation for rough-surface scattering problems is evaluated by considering thin films as computationally feasible rough-surface analogs. The effects due to small-scale inhomogeneity of the scattering medium are compared with the analytic approximation by Maxwell Garnett, and the results are found to agree with the approximation.     

Corrosion protection of anisotropically conductive adhesive joined flip chips

Corrosion is a common cause of failure in electronic devices. Conformal coatings may be used to prevent corrosion of electronics packages. Water and contaminants are thus not in direct contact with the package surface, which may improve resistance to corrosion. However, it is important to study the effects of corrosion on both coating materials and on the electronics itself. The protection method and the level of protection can then be selected.This study presents a salt spray test of anisotropically conductive adhesive joined flip chip components on FR-4 substrate, where half of the test samples were parylene C coated. A dramatic difference was seen between these two test lots. Parylene C proved to be an excellent barrier against salt spray. The test lots without conformal coating suffered severe corrosion, and were thus considerably less reliable. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed the reasons for the failures in the non-coated test samples. The main reason was found to be severe corrosion of the nickel layer. There were no failures among the parylene C coated test samples during the 3000 h test. Moisture absorption of the FR-4 substrate material is also studied in this paper. Both plain FR-4 and parylene C coated FR-4 materials were studied. These tests were performed both at room temperature and in boiling water.     

Vitamin A concentration in breast adipose tissue of breast cancer patients

Vitamin A concentration in breast adipose tissue as a risk factor for breast cancer was studied by assessing the vitamin A concentration in breast adipose tissue of women with benign breast disease (n = 45) and of those with breast cancer (n = 36). No significant differences in vitamin A concentration between the two groups were found either in premenopausal or postmenopausal subjects. The same was true with the dietary intake of vitamin A in these two groups of women. The vitamin A concentration in breast adipose tissue had a significant correlation with the dietary intake in breast cancer cases only (r = 0.42, p < 0.01). The present results support the previous suggestion that vitamin A is unlikely to be related to the risk of breast cancer.