Postviral gastroparesis: presentation, treatment, and outcome

We describe the clinical features and long-term outcome of 11 children who had persistent gastroparesis after an acute viral illness, eight of whom tested positive for rotavirus. Gastric emptying was delayed in the 10 children evaluated with scintigraphy. Antroduodenal manometry confirmed postprandial antral hypomotility in 10 subjects. All children recovered within 6 to 24 months.     

Detection of skin cancer by classification of Raman spectra

Skin lesion classification based on in vitro Raman spectroscopy is approached using a nonlinear neural network classifier. The classification framework is probabilistic and highly automated. The framework includes a feature extraction for Raman spectra and a fully adaptive and robust feedforward neural network classifier. Moreover, classification rules learned by the neural network may be extracted and evaluated for reproducibility, making it possible to explain the class assignment. The classification performance for the present data set, involving 222 cases and five lesion types, was 80.5%+/-5.3% correct classification of malignant melanoma, which is similar to that of trained dermatologists based on visual inspection. The skin cancer basal cell carcinoma has a classification rate of 95.8%+/-2.7%, which is excellent. The overall classification rate of skin lesions is 94.8%+/-3.0%. Spectral regions, which are important for network classification, are demonstrated to reproduce. Small distinctive bands in the spectrum, corresponding to specific lipids and proteins, are shown to hold the discriminating information which the network uses to diagnose skin lesions.     

Potentials and challenges of peer-to-peer based content distribution

Multimedia content currently accounts for over three quarters of all Internet traffic. This increase in traffic volume and content availability derives from a paradigm shift from the traditional text and picture based Web, to more resource demanding audio and video content. A controversial driver for this development is content distribution systems based on peer-to-peer overlay networks. Flooding the Internet with often illegal content, these networks now pose challenges to all actors in the value chain. However, if viewed as surmountable challenges in an evolutionary path, peer-to-peer technology has the potential of increasing efficiency in content distribution and unleashing resources to form scalable and resilient overlay networks of unprecedented dimensions.

In this paper we examine the potentials and challenges of peer-to-peer technology in content distribution, and analyse how, and under which circumstances, peer-to-peer technology can be used to increase the efficiency of multimedia services. The paper provides an up-to-date overview of the development of peer-to-peer networks as well as describing the economics laws governing their use. To conclude the study, the paper analyses Skype, a well known telecommunications service utilising the peer-to-peer technology, as well as demonstrating the benefits of peer-to-peer based content distribution using empirical data from the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.     

Increased response to antigen and histamine release in smaller sensitized canine bronchi

Presynaptic alpha 2-autoreceptors in mouse atria were characterized in terms of the alpha 2A, alpha 2B, alpha 2C and alpha 2D subtypes. Segments of the atria were preincubated with 3H-noradrenaline and then superfused and stimulated electrically. The affinity of up to 16 antagonists for the autoreceptors was assessed as (1) pEC30% values. i.e. concentrations that increased previously autoinhibited release of 3H-noradrenaline (120 pulses, 3 Hz) by 30%, and (2) pKd values against the release-inhibiting effect of 5-bromo-6-(2-imidazolin-2-ylamino)-quinoxaline (UK 14,304) under conditions of no or little autoinhibition (2 trains of 20 pulses, 50 Hz, train interval 120 s). The pKd values correlated well with the pEC30% values (r = 0.98; P < 0.001; slope of regression line 0.93), indicating that UK 14,304 and released noradrenaline modulated the release of noradrenaline through pharmacologically identical receptors. Comparison with antagonist affinities for (1) prototypic native alpha 2 radioligand binding sites, (2) radioligand binding sites in COS cells transfected with alpha 2 subtype genes, and (3) previously classified presynaptic alpha 2-autoreceptors-all taken from the literature-indicated that the mouse atrial autoreceptors corresponded to the alpha 2D subtype. For example, the pKd values at mouse atrial auto-receptors correlated closely with pKd values at native alpha 2D binding sites in the bovine pineal gland (r = 0.96; P < 0.001); with pKd values at alpha 2D binding sites in COS cells transfected with the rat alpha 2D gene (r = 0.85; P < 0.01); and with pKd values at guinea-pig cerebral and atrial and mouse cerebral alpha 2D-autoreceptors (r = 0.96-0.98; P < 0.001). The antagonist pKd values at mouse atrial autoreceptors correlated less with pKd values at alpha 2A, alpha 2B and alpha 2C sites. It is concluded that the presynaptic alpha 2-autoreceptors in mouse atria are alpha 2D. This identification supports the hypothesis that at least the majority of alpha 2-autoreceptors belong to the alpha 2A/D pair of orthologous alpha 2-adrenoceptors.     

What attendance rate can be achieved for Pap smear screening? A case-control study of the characteristics of non-attenders and results of reminder efforts

OBJECTIVE: To understand participation failures in a national Pap smear screening programme by studying characteristics of non-attenders and results of further reminder efforts. DESIGN: A case-control and an intervention study. SETTING: The community health centre in the town of Hafnarfj?rdur, Iceland. SUBJECTS: The target population comprised 2510 women aged 35-69, who were invited regularly every second year for cervical cancer screening. MAIN RESULTS: 2241 (89.3%) had attended screening during the preceding five years, 102 (4.1%) had never attended, and 167 (6.7%) had attended previously but not during the preceding five years. Women with a mental disorder and those who had never married were more likely not to attend. The most usual explanations given by non-attenders were that they did not like to participate, or they felt they did not need to, some of them because their uterus had been removed. Of the non-attenders 29 (10.8%) came for a Pap smear after repeated reminding efforts. CONCLUSIONS: Total participation rate in cervical cancer screening programmes in Iceland is high. When efforts are taken to lower the non-attendance rate it has to be kept in mind that many women are unwilling or unable to participate in such preventive measures.     

Pitting Potentials of Aluminium Alloys

The pitting potential of the following aluminum alloys in 3% sodium chloride solution was measured using potentiodynamic and potentionstatic methods: Al-2.7 Mg with 0–0.47% Cr, Al-2.7 Mg with 0–0.94% Mn, Al-2.7 Mg-0.43 Mn with 0–0.31% Cr, Al-4.7 Mg-0.13 Cr-0.78 Mn, Al-51 Mg with 0.1 and 0.3% Sb, Al 2S-1/2H (commercial aluminum) super pure Al (99,99% Al). The results show that the pitting potential is not much affected by the alloying elements. The pitting potetial decreases with increasing content of magnesium and increases slightly with increasing content of manganese up to a certain point. The nature and amount of secondary phases do not seem to have any marked influence upon the pitting potential.     

Basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid. Risk of recurrence according to adequacy of surgical margins

PURPOSE: To examine all basal cell carcinomas of the eyelid diagnosed in Iceland during a 25-year period, paying special attention to the surgical margins of excision in relation to recurrence. Based on the results a simple, clinically relevant method of classifying the surgical margin is proposed. METHODS: All histologically proven basal cell cancer specimens from eyelids were reviewed retrospectively. The surgical excision margins were classified as radical, marginal or intralesional. RESULTS: Recurrence risk was low when the tumor had a surgical margin described as radical or marginal. The recurrence rate was 38% when the margin was intralesional. CONCLUSION: By assessing the surgical margins by this method, which is easy to apply, better understanding between the pathologist and the surgeon may be achieved.     

TRENDS IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION AND TRADE IN PETROCHEMICALS

The United States, Western Europe, Japan and other historically important producers of commodity petrochemicals have lost the cost advantage in the world markets to certain energy rich industrially developing nations. This wilt cause major restructuring of the world industry. Here we report on a quantitative study of the trends and limits of future changes in the production and trade in petrochemicals     

Surface properties of polymers treated with tetrafluoromethane plasma

Polymer films of poly(ethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, and cellophane were surface treated with tetrafluoromethane plasma under different time, power, and pressure conditions. Contact angles for water and methylene iodide and surface energy were analyzed with a dynamic contact angle analyzer. The stability of the treated surfaces was investigated by washing them with water or acetone, followed by contact angle measurements. The plasma treatments decreased the surface energies to 2–20 mJ/m² and consequently enhanced the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the materials. The treated surfaces were only moderately affected after washing with water and acetone, indicating stable surface treatments. The chemical composition of the material surfaces was analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and revealed the incorporation of about 35–60 atomic % fluorine atoms in the surfaces after the treatments. The relative chemical composition of the C ls spectra's showed the incorporation of —CHF— groups and highly nonpolar —CF₂— and —CF₃ groups in the surfaces and also —CH₂—CF₂— groups in the surface of polypropylene. The hydrophobicity and oleophobicity improved with increased content of nonpolar —CF₂—, —CF₃, and —CH₂—CF₂— groups in the surfaces. For polyester and polypropylene, all major changes in chemical composition, advancing contact angle, and surface energy are attained after plasma treatment for one minute, while longer treatment time is required for cellophane. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 1591–1601, 1997     

Determination of biotin in low‐temperature fish‐meal processed from different species by means of a microbiological method using Lactobacillus plantarum as test organism

Determination of biotin content in 10 fish‐meals produced from different species was performed by a microbiological assay using Lactobacillus plantarum as test organism. The contents of biotin in the fish‐meal samples ranged between 0.36 and 0.80 mg kg⁻¹. Most of the fish‐meals contained approximately 0.4 mg biotin kg⁻¹. The highest value was found in meal processed from sand eel (Ammodytes marinus). The precision of the assay showed a 2.7% relative standard deviation. Recovery using addition of biotin to the fish‐meal ranged between 93 and 95%. Testing of extraction procedure suggested that hydrolysis in 1.5 M H₂SO₄ at 121 °C for 3 h is sufficient for biotin to be liberated from proteins and amino acids. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry