Subcutaneous soft tissue tumours at the site of implanted microchips in mice

An experiment using 4279 CBA/J mice of two generations was carried out to investigate the influence of parental preconceptual exposure to X-ray radiation or to chemical carcinogens. Microchips were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsolateral back for unique identification of each animal. The animals were kept for lifespan under standard laboratory conditions. In 36 mice a circumscribed neoplasm occurred in the area of the implanted microchip. Females were significantly more frequently affected than male mice. An influence of age or different treatment on the s.c. tumour incidence in two mice generations could not be observed. Macroscopically, firm, pale white nodules up to 25 mm in diameter with the microchip in its center were found. Microscopically, soft tissue tumours such as fibrosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were detected.     

Alternatives for assessing the electrical integrity of inductionmotors

The use of periodic inspection methods for early detection of motor deterioration is addressed. Two alternatives to traditional procedures that are appropriate for detecting stator-winding deterioration in three-phase induction motors of the sizes commonly found in the process industries are presented. The use of an effective-negative-sequence impedance as a predictor of incipient failure is recommended     

Biocides used in building materials and their leaching behavior to sewer systems.

There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban areas. We investigated sources and pathways of biocides significant for the pollution of storm water runoff. Main sources seem to be building envelopes, i.e. facades (paints, plasters) and roof sealing membranes. First results from a defined urban catchment drained by a separated sewer system without any agricultural activities reveal a substantial occurrence. Even after the first flush, concentrations of terbutryn, carbendazim, mecoprop as well as Irgarol 1051 and its metabolite exceeded the Swiss water quality standard of 0.1 microg/L. In laboratory experiments, leaching of mecoprop used as a root protection agent in bitumen sheets for roof waterproofing was determined. The concentrations differed in 16 different sheets two orders of magnitude, depending on the product composition. Using optimized products, it is expected to be the most efficient and sustainable way to reduce the environmental impact. To understand transport dynamics and environmental risk, further storm water events will be analyzed. Based on the ongoing project URBIC, first measures will be proposed to limit the release to surface and ground water.     

7.5 Gb/s monolithically integrated clock recovery circuit using PLLand 0.3-μm gate length quantum well HEMT's

A monolithically integrated clock recovery (CR) circuit making use of the phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit technique and enhancement/depletion AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well-high electron mobility transistors (QW-HEMT's) with gate lengths of 0.3 μm has been realized. A novel preprocessing circuit was used. In the PLL a fully-balanced varactorless VCO was applied. The VCO has a center oscillating frequency of about 7.7 GHz and a tuning range greater than 500 MHz. A satisfactory clock signal has been obtained at a bit rate of about 7.5 Gb/s. The power consumption is less than 200 mW at a supply voltage of -5 V     

Augmented platelet aggregation as predictor of reocclusion after thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction

RATIONALE: Reocclusion after thrombolysis diminishes the benefits of early reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). No clinical or laboratory variables have been identified as predictors for reocclusion yet. METHODS AND RESULTS: To evaluate hemostatic variables as potential risk determinants platelet aggregation (PA, representing platelet activity), thrombin/antithrombin complexes (TAT, representing thrombin generation), and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1, representing endogenous fibrinolysis) were determined in 31 patients with AMI at 0, 1, 2. and 12 h after the start of thrombolysis as well as at hospital discharge. Reocclusion (defined as reinfarction or angiographically confirmed, clinically silent coronary reocclusion) occurred in 5 patients within 5-14 days and in 8 patients within 1 year. TAT plasma concentrations were lower in patients with reocclusion than in those without (9.9+/-5.7 vs. 22.9+/-22.2 ng/ml at 2 h, 6.5+/-3.1 vs. 1 1.2+/-6.4 ng/ml at 12 h, means+/-SD, p <0.05 each). Neither concentration nor activity of PAI-1 in plasma differed between both patient groups. However, both slope and maximum of PA (induced by 2 micromol/l ADP) were augmented in patients with reocclusion (slope: 39.4+/-1.7 vs. 32.5+/-7.4 at 2 h, p <0.001; 42.6+/-2.6 vs. 36.6+/-8.9 at 12 h, p <0.01). Results were independent of the thrombolytic agent used (alteplase or reteplase). A PA slope at 2 h higher than the average slope before thrombolysis (37.2+/-5.7) could be identified as best predictor for early (within 5-14 d, p=0.017, sensitivity 1.00, specificity 0.69) and late reocclusion (within 1 y, p=0.009, 0.88 and 0.74, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Increased PA following coronary thrombolysis appears to be associated with early and late reocclusion. This marker could be useful in identifying patients who may benefit from more aggressive antiplatelet (such as GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists), interventional, or both strategies.     

Quality of subcutaneous,intermuscular and intramuscular fat tissue using elevated quantities of medium chain fatty acids in pig fattening

The present study comprised fat tissue samples of 46 (partly 23) pig carcasses randomly obtained from each one of four production systems: common fattening, pigs fattened on a low-fat diet and pigs grown on diets enriched with medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) in low or high amounts (0.3% and 3.6% C₈ with C₁₄, respectively). As models for subcutaneous, intermuscular and intramuscular fat tissues, back fat, dissected belly fat tissue and belly meat were used. In all fat tissues, the contents of MCFA were significantly elevated only with the high dietary content of MCFA, with a preferential retention of the MCFA in the storage tissues. In the MCFA supplemented groups, linoleic acid contents were slightly lower in subcutaneous and intermuscular fat as compared to the control group, in the group with the low-fat diet linoleic acid was considerably lower in all tissues. In spite of the only marginal differences in fatty acid pattern, the penetrometrically assessed firmness of backfat as well as the oxidative resistance of back and belly fat were almost twice as high in the high-MCFA group as in the other groups. In the low-fat group, water content of the back fat (16.9%) was higher than the average of the other groups (14.5%). The implications for routing assessment of fat tissue properties at slaughter plants are discussed.     

A modified model and algorithm for flow‐enhanced crystallization—Application to fiber spinning

The graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) monomer onto polyethylene‐coated polypropylene (PE‐co‐PP) nonwoven fabric was carried out by the mutual irradiation method. The general peculiarities of the grafting have been studied by gravimetric, scanning electron microscope (SEM), mechanical properties, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods. The influence of absorbed dose, dose rate, as well as the monomer concentration on the degree of grafting has been determined. Metal ions uptake of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ by the grafted fabrics was evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 3240–3245, 2006     

Recent elevation changes of Svalbard glaciers derived from ICESat laser altimetry

We have tested three methods for estimating 2003-2008 elevation changes of Svalbard glaciers from multi-temporal ICESat laser altimetry: (a) linear interpolation of crossover points between ascending and descending tracks, (b) projection of near repeat-tracks onto common locations using Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and (c) least-squares fitting of rigid planes to segments of repeat-track data assuming a constant elevation change rate. The two repeat-track methods yield similar results and compare well to the more accurate, but sparsely sampled, crossover points. Most glacier regions in Svalbard have experienced low-elevation thinning combined with high-elevation balance or thickening during 2003-2008. The geodetic mass balance (excluding calving front retreat or advance) of Svalbard's 34,600 km² glaciers is estimated to be −4.3 ± 1.4 Gt y⁻¹, corresponding to an area-averaged water equivalent (w.e.) balance of −0.12 ± 0.04 m w.e. y⁻¹. The largest ice losses have occurred in the west and south, while northeastern Spitsbergen and the Austfonna ice cap have gained mass. Winter and summer elevation changes derived from the same methods indicate that the spatial gradient in mass balance is mainly due to a larger summer season thinning in the west and the south than in the northeast. Our findings are consistent with in-situ mass balance measurements from the same period, confirming that repeat-track satellite altimetry can be a valuable tool for monitoring short term elevation changes of Arctic glaciers.     

Gramazio Kohler Research,Automated Diversity: New Morphologies of Vertical Urbanism

Automated fabrication techniques are currently largely confined to the production of discrete objects or building elements. To notch up the potential of robotics for architectural design, it is necessary to start to push the limits and experiment at a larger urban scale. Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler are pioneers in this field. Here, with Jan Willmann , they describe the research that they are undertaking as part of the Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) located at the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC) and ETH Zurich, in which robotic fabrication technologies are employed to realize 1:50 physical models of mixed-use high-rise structures that are unique in their spatial layouts.