Intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility of estrogen and progesterone receptor enzyme immunoassay in breast cancer cytosol samples--a Swedish multicenter study. Swedish Society of Cancer Study Group

Estrogen and progesterone receptor analysis results were compared within and between six laboratories in Sweden using frozen breast cancer cytosol samples, and the same technique (enzyme immunoassay, Abbott Laboratories). The concordance in receptor status (positive vs. negative) was excellent (98.4% (571/580)). The discordant results were attributable to values near cut-off (n = 4) or outliers (n = 5), the latter probably being due to analytical errors. One laboratory reported significantly higher ER concentrations than the others; thus caution should be observed when comparing absolute values from different centers. For PgR there were similar differences between the laboratories. However, the intra- and inter-laboratory differences were small compared with the overall variability in ER and PgR content between different samples in a large database. The range of the median intra-laboratory coefficient of variation was 11-23% for ER and 12-19% for PgR, indicating that there is room for improvement in the quality of assay performance.     

Serum Proteomics in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: Peripheral Blood Immune Response to Treatment

In this real-world study, the aims were to prospectively evaluate the expression of inflammatory proteins in serum collected from head and neck cancer patients before and after treatment, and to assess whether there were differences in expression associated with treatment modalities. The mixed study cohort consisted of 180 patients with head and neck cancer. The most common tumor sites were the oropharynx (n = 81), the oral cavity (n = 53), and the larynx (n = 22). Blood tests for proteomics analysis were carried out before treatment, 7 weeks after the start of treatment, and 3 and 12 months after the termination of treatment. Sera were analyzed for 83 proteins using an immuno-oncology biomarker panel (Olink, Uppsala, Sweden). Patients were divided into four treatment groups: surgery alone (Surg group, n = 24), radiotherapy with or without surgery (RT group, n = 94), radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin (CRT group, n = 47), and radiotherapy with concomitant targeted therapy (RT Cetux group, n = 15). For the overall cohort, the expression levels of 15 of the 83 proteins changed significantly between the pretreatment sample and the sample taken 7 weeks after the start of treatment. At 7 weeks after the start of treatment, 13 proteins showed lower expression in the CRT group compared to the RT group. The majority of the inflammatory proteins had returned to their pretreatment levels after 12 months. It was clearly demonstrated that cisplatin-based chemoradiation has immunological effects in patients with head and neck cancer. This analysis draws attention to several inflammatory proteins that are of interest for further studies.     

From briefing,through scenario,to debriefing: the maritime instructor’s work during simulator-based training

Simulator-based training in maritime education is an illustrative and paradigmatic example of how the introduction of high-end technologies creates new challenges for instructors: using simulators in educational settings for teaching skills that must be transferred to a professional work practice. This study draws on ethnographic fieldwork and video recordings of learning activities in a maritime navigation course to investigate the instructional challenges and opportunities for connecting general learning lessons to practical situations in different phases of simulator-based training. In particular, taking on a situated action approach, the research questions concern how the participants are orienting towards general instructions from the prospective briefing phase in the subsequent scenario and debriefing phases of training, considering how the social and material resources in the simulator environment organize the learning activities. The results show that connecting the general to the specifics of navigational situations is a continuous instructional achievement that is maintained throughout all stages of training, from briefing, through scenario, to debriefing. Hence, the results are stressing the importance for both in-scenario instructions and post-simulation debriefing in order to facilitate learning towards a profession. Moreover, the results emphasize how technologies in the simulator environment offer opportunities for instructors to continuously monitor, correct and assess the students’ activities towards the learning outcomes.     

Simple determination of all capacitances for a set of parallelmicrostrip lines

A fast and moderately accurate method to describe the complicated dependence on design and process parameters of coupling capacitances between a set of parallel lines is presented in this paper. It involves only one circuit-dependent parameter at a time. This is accomplished by calculating the capacitance coefficient matrix through inversion of a potential coefficient matrix with much simpler dependence on geometry. Self elements are approximately independent of the presence of other lines, and mutual elements do not depend on linewidths or interfering lines as long as the ground is sufficiently far away. The potential coefficients are derived by inverting one- or two-line capacitance matrices that are either theoretically calculated or determined by measurements on integrated circuit (IC) test structures. Look-up tables for a specific IC process can then be constructed with only linewidth as the parameter for self potential elements and distance between line centers as parameter for mutual potential elements. General algorithms have been derived for microstrip on one or two layers of dielectric     

Sweden's research and development program for thermal energy storage

Environmental and energy aspects in built-up environments are the main R&D issues for the support of the Swedish Council for Building Research for the first years of the 1990s. The proposed budget for energy storage, including special support measures for protection of the environment, is 24 million SEK. The Council also proposes increased support for pilot projects, experimental buildings, procurement of new technologies, and international collaboration. A thermal energy store is a decisive element in an efficient energy system. It must be aimed at balancing subsequent fluctuating supply and demand requirements for heating and cooling purposes. The different principles of energy storage underground are described and discussed, as well as the technical and economic results of storage in the ground, water, and aquifers. There is great potential for efficient heating and cooling storage underground. Research activities have been carried out on a broad front and full-scale plants have been in operation for the past six years. Effective energy storage can reduce primary energy production and contribute to a better environment. To face present and future environmental demands, R&D activities will continue to concentrate on the second generation of storage systems. These activities will include further support towards full-scale plants, thus improving the technological and economic conditions and emphasizing the role of storage in future energy systems.     

Effect of H2S on Fe corrosion in CO2-saturated brine

The effect of H₂S at ppm level concentrations on iron corrosion in 3 wt% NaCl solutions saturated with CO₂ in the temperature range of 25–85 °C is examined using electrochemical and surface science techniques. Small H₂S concentrations (5 ppm) have an inhibiting effect on corrosion in the presence of CO₂ at temperatures from 25 to 55 °C. At 85 °C, however, 50 ppm H₂S is needed to provide significant corrosion inhibition. At higher H₂S concentrations, the corrosion rate increases rapidly, while still remaining below the rate for the H₂S-free solution. Characterization of the iron surfaces after corrosion was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. A sulfur peak (S2p) is observed at a binding energy of 161.8 eV in all cases, attributable to disulfide (\textS₂^2-) ({\text{S}}_{2}^{2-}) formation. Corrosion protection in the temperature range 25–55 °C can be attributed to Fe(II) bonded to S and O. At 85 °C, protection of the iron surface is most likely due to FeS₂ formation. Morphological changes on the iron surface after exposure to H₂S containing solutions were observed by SEM. A thin protective film was seen after exposure to solutions containing 5 ppm H₂S at 25 °C, while at 85 °C, with the addition of 50 ppm H₂S to CO₂-saturated brine solution, a dense protective film was formed on the iron surface.     

The combi heat store— a combined rock cavern/borehole heat store

Since 1988, Sweden and Finland have collaborated bilaterally on thermal energy storage with respect to information exchange and collaborative R&D projects. The two countries have both investigated underground thermal energy storage for nearly two decades, and have similar bedrock—the Fenno-Scandian granitic rocks. This paper reviews the work performed in the field of combined rock cavern and borehole heat stores, concerned with construction technology, costs and design principles. One example is an asymmetric store, in the form of 40- to 60-m-long horizontal boreholes between two rock caverns, with the caverns themselves comprising only about 10% of the total storage volume. This design has a specific cost of $US0.40 million/ GWh and $US0.24 million/ GWh for storage capacities of 6 GWh and 36 GWh, respectively. Half of the total construction cost relates to the rock cavern part of the store.     

Influences of weather,cultivar and fertiliser rate on grain protein polymer accumulation in field‐grown winter wheat,and relations to grain water content and falling number

BACKGROUND: The reasons for variations in the amount and size distribution of polymeric protein in mature wheat, related to bread‐making quality, are not fully understood and can be sought during the protein polymer formation period of grain maturation. The present study was aimed at investigating the accumulation and polymerisation of grain storage proteins during grain maturation and their relations to changes in falling number and grain water content in four cultivars of field‐grown winter wheat. RESULTS: Proteins were accumulated and polymerised similarly during grain development independently of cultivation environment, cultivar and fertiliser rate. A 3–6 day delay in maturity among cultivars led to a 3–12 day delay in protein accumulation during early grain development. An increase in nitrogen fertiliser rate from 160 to 200 kg N ha^?1 resulted in a 20% increase in the amount of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐unextractable protein. Precipitation just before grain harvesting led to 40–50% increases in grain water content and 8–34% decreases in the amount of SDS‐unextractable monomeric protein. At increased grain water contents the fertiliser rate was negatively related to the amount of grain SDS‐unextractable protein. CONCLUSION: Accumulation and polymerisation of grain storage proteins are predetermined events in wheat. Grain moisture content is negatively related to grain storage protein polymerisation, although the rate of decrease is influenced by the fertiliser regime. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry