Heart transplantation in Finland 1985-1995

BACKGROUND: Clearance of large molecules from the interstitial space is an important function of lymphatics and is affected by local pathologic changes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the clearance rate of interstitially injected albumin is correlated to tumour characteristics and outcome in women with invasive breast cancer. METHOD: In a consecutive series of women coming to biopsy for suspected breast cancer, technetium-tagged albumin was injected into the tissue adjacent to the palpable mass. The isotope disappearance rate was measured over two hours. Also assessed were the maximum vessel density (MVD-using Factor VIII polyclonal antisera), the proliferation rate (using Ki-67 antisera), node status, tumour size, histologic and nuclear grade, mitotic rate, and p53 and c-erbB-2 oncoproteins. All patients were followed until relapse and for a minimum of 10 years. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, an association between relapse-free survival and isotope clearance rate was suggested (p = 0.024). The best outcome was seen in patients with the least isotope clearance. Node status, size, histologic and nuclear grade, and mitotic rate correlated with survival. MVD did not correlate with survival and was inversely related to the isotope clearance rate. Tumour proliferation rate, and the c-erbB-2 and p53 oncoproteins did not relate to outcome. CONCLUSION: The role of lymphatics in breast cancer is difficult to study. Measurement of interstitial clearance may be a useful technique and could be a prognostic factor.     

Analysis of a MEMS transmission line

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sound waveguide is considered as a transmission line for RF signals. We analyze a device geometry of a straight one-dimensional microsize silicon rod, where a longitudinal acoustic wave is generated and detected using capacitive transducers. Linear, isotropic, and nondispersive acoustic-wave propagation is assumed. Based on the calculation of the electromechanical impedance, an electrical equivalent model is derived for the acoustic transmission line. A numerical example and a comparison to measured properties of a MEMS-transmission-line resonator shows that the characteristic impedance level of the waveguide is typically high, which causes challenges for matched termination. Solutions to overcome the matching problems are discussed.     

Allotype-associated differences in concentrations of human IgA2

A prospective clinical trial comparing adverse postmyelographic effects and myelographic quality of metrizamide and iohexol was conducted. Using a predetermined, randomized assignment, 24 horses exhibiting neurologic signs were administered either metrizamide (180 mgl/ml) or iohexol (180 mgl/ml) via cerebellomedullary puncture. Each horse was evaluated postmyelographically for adverse effects. Myelographic quality was assessed by a numerical scoring method. Adverse effects were observed more frequently with metrizamide (21) compared with iohexol (6) myelography (p < 0.05). Seizures, intensification of preexisting neurologic signs and prolonged anesthetic recovery were the most common complications after myelography. There was no difference in myelographic quality (p > 0.05). We conclude that iohexol is safer than metrizamide for equine myelography and that quality myelograms can be obtained with either contrast medium.     

Modification of phenol–formaldehyde resol resins by lignin,starch, and urea

Lignin‐based chemicals, starch, and urea were used as modifiers for phenol–formaldehyde resol resins. The effects of the addition stage of the modifiers used in the synthesis of the resins and the type of modification reagent on the structures of the resins and their molar masses and reactivities were investigated. The modifications with corn starch and lignin promoted condensation; this was verified by increased molar masses and high ratios of methylene bridges to the sum of free ortho and para aromatic groups with respect to the corresponding reference resin without a modification reagent. The later the modifier was added to the resin condensation mixture, the more methylene bridges were formed with respect to the amounts of free ortho and para aromatic groups. In addition, when urea or wheat starch was added in the later condensation stage, the final condensation also reached high stages. The modifications with lignosulfonate and starch, as well as the early addition of urea, enhanced p–p′ bridge structures. The lowest condensation stage and, therefore, the highest reactivity were found when wheat starch was added with the starting reagents. The curing heat of the wheat‐starch‐modified resins decreased according to the deferred addition point of starch. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 582–588, 2003     

Determination of specific heat of phenol formaldehyde resol resins by differential scanning calorimetry

The specific heat, Cp, was determined by DSC on a series of resol-type phenol formaldehyde resins with varying phenol formaldehyde molar ratio. The extrapolated Cp values at 25°C vary between 1.181-1.206 kJ · kg^?1 K^?1 and the dCp/dT ratio was found to be 0.0042kJ · kg^?1K^?2 in the temperature range of 70–125°C.     

Additive manufacturing in the spare parts supply chain

As additive manufacturing (AM) evolves to become a common method of producing final parts, further study of this computer integrated technology is necessary. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the potential impact of additive manufacturing improvements on the configuration of spare parts supply chains. This goal has been accomplished through scenario modeling of a real-life spare parts supply chain in the aeronautics industry. The spare parts supply chain of the F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet was selected as the case study because the air-cooling ducts of the environmental control system are produced using AM technology. In total, four scenarios are investigated that vary the supply chain configurations and additive manufacturing machine specifications. The reference scenario is based on the spare parts supplier's current practice and the possible future decentralization of production and likely improvements in AM technology. Total operating cost, including downtime cost, is used to compare the scenarios. We found that using current AM technology, centralized production is clearly the preferable supply chain configuration in the case example. However, distributed spare parts production becomes practical as AM machines become less capital intensive, more autonomous and offer shorter production cycles. This investigation provides guidance for the development of additive manufacturing machines and their possible deployment in spare parts supply chains. This study contributes to the emerging literature on AM deployment in supply chains with a real-world case setting and scenario model illustrating the cost trade-offs and critical requirements for technology development.     

Safety Considerations during Different Stages of a Project Life Cycle in the Manufacturing Industry

At sites with multiple employers, efficient safety management is essential to ensure safety for both customers and providers. However, implementing effective safety management is challenging, particularly for companies that provide services. Provider companies encounter difficulties managing the safety of service projects for many reasons, including the variety of customers and changes in work environment. Proper preparation and integration of safety into the different project life cycle stages improves safety, but the topic has not received much attention to date. This article discusses the integration of safety considerations into service projects. Material was collected from Finnish manufacturing companies via interviews and a questionnaire. The results show that systematic methods for developing and producing services have not been adopted in the provider companies, but these are often implemented as a result of practical experience. On the other hand, providers and customers both believed that safety is taken into account during different stages of a given service project—safety issues were to some extent taken into account during the tendering and contract stages of a project, and preventive safety measures were commonly implemented during the delivery of services. However, safety performance often was not evaluated after completion of work. For this reason, companies may not have an accurate estimation of each other's safety performance in these types of multi‐employer situations. The results of this study can be used in provider organizations to help systematize safety considerations during service projects and to focus efforts on the most essential points of service project safety management.     

Processing intrusion detection alert aggregates with time series modeling

The main use of intrusion detection systems (IDS) is to detect attacks against information systems and networks. Normal use of the network and its functioning can also be monitored with an IDS. It can be used to control, for example, the use of management and signaling protocols, or the network traffic related to some less critical aspects of system policies. These complementary usages can generate large numbers of alerts, but still, in operational environment, the collection of such data may be mandated by the security policy. Processing this type of alerts presents a different problem than correlating alerts directly related to attacks or filtering incorrectly issued alerts.We aggregate individual alerts to alert flows, and then process the flows instead of individual alerts for two reasons. First, this is necessary to cope with the large quantity of alerts – a common problem among all alert correlation approaches. Second, individual alert’s relevancy is often indeterminable, but irrelevant alerts and interesting phenomena can be identified at the flow level. This is the particularity of the alerts created by the complementary uses of IDSes.Flows consisting of alerts related to normal system behavior can contain strong regularities. We propose to model these regularities using non-stationary autoregressive models. Once modeled, the regularities can be filtered out to relieve the security operator from manual analysis of true, but low impact alerts. We present experimental results using these models to process voluminous alert flows from an operational network.     

Engineered Multifunctional Albumin‐Decorated Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for FcRn Translocation of Insulin

The last decade has seen remarkable advances in the development of drug delivery systems as alternative to parenteral injection‐based delivery of insulin. Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)‐mediated transcytosis has been recently proposed as a strategy to increase the transport of drugs across the intestinal epithelium. FcRn‐targeted nanoparticles (NPs) could hijack the FcRn transcytotic pathway and cross the epithelial cell layer. In this study, a novel nanoparticulate system for insulin delivery based on porous silicon NPs is proposed. After surface conjugation with albumin and loading with insulin, the NPs are encapsulated into a pH‐responsive polymeric particle by nanoprecipitation. The developed NP formulation shows controlled size and homogeneous size distribution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show successful encapsulation of the NPs into pH‐sensitive polymeric particles. No insulin release is detected at acidic conditions, but a controlled release profile is observed at intestinal pH. Toxicity studies show high compatibility of the NPs with intestinal cells. In vitro insulin permeation across the intestinal epithelium shows approximately fivefold increase when insulin is loaded into FcRn‐targeted NPs. Overall, these FcRn‐targeted NPs offer a toolbox in the development of targeted therapies for oral delivery of insulin.     

Results of Finnish national survey on EU legislation concerning computer work

The European Directive on computer work (VDU 90/270/EEC) is implemented in the Finnish Government Decree. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the legislation and its applications in practice. The quantitative method used an online questionnaire. The respondents were employers (N = 934), employees (N = 1872) and occupational health care (OHC) units (N = 289). The majority of all these three groups considered the provisions clear and easy to understand, comprehensive, and easy to comply with. The provisions had a great impact on preventing mental overloading, arranging sight tests at the employer's cost, and on the refunding of eyeglasses for computer work. Most employers felt they did not need any more specific provisions, whereas half of the employees and OHC professionals would have liked the provisions to be more detailed. More explicit and specific regulations were also needed for practice applications in particular, as well as for the refunding of the costs of special eyeglasses for computer work. A total of 59% of the employers reported that costs of glasses are refunded, whereas the figure for employees was clearly lower (37%). OHC professionals reported that the costs of glasses were refunded in 82% of their customer workplaces. The practical conclusion is that employees' sight examinations and compensation for eyeglasses should be promoted in computer work. Moreover, ergonomic applications are best carried out in co-operation with OHC personnel.