Aircraft soot from conventional fuels and biofuels during ground idle and climb-out conditions: Electron microscopy and X-ray micro-spectroscopy.

Aircraft soot has a significant impact on global and local air pollution and is of particular concern for the population working at airports and living nearby. The morphology and chemistry of soot are related to its reactivity and depend mainly on engine operating conditions and fuel-type. We investigated the morphology (by transmission electron microscopy) and chemistry (by X-ray micro-spectroscopy) of soot from the exhaust of a CFM 56-7B26 turbofan engine, currently the most common engine in aviation fleet, operated in the test cell of SR Technics, Zurich airport. Standard kerosene (Jet A-1) and a biofuel blend (Jet A-1 with 32% HEFA) were used at ground idle and climb-out engine thrust, as these conditions highly influence air quality at airport areas. The results indicate that soot reactivity decreases from ground idle to climb-out conditions for both fuel types. Nearly one third of the primary soot particles generated by the blended fuel at climb-out engine thrust bear an outer amorphous shell implying higher reactivity. This characteristic referring to soot reactivity needs to be taken into account when evaluating the advantage of HEFA blending at high engine thrust. The soot type that is most prone to react with its surrounding is generated by Jet A-1 fuel at ground idle. Biofuel blending slightly lowers soot reactivity at ground idle but does the opposite at climb-out conditions. As far as soot reactivity is concerned, biofuels can prove beneficial for airports where ground idle is a common situation; the benefit of biofuels for climb-out conditions is uncertain.

The Combination of APRI and ALBI Facilitates Preoperative Risk Stratification for Patients Undergoing Liver Surgery After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NeoCTx) is performed for most patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM). However, chemotherapy-associated liver injury (CALI) has been associated with poor postoperative outcome. To date, however, no clinically applicable and noninvasive tool exists to assess CALI before liver resection. METHODS: Routine blood parameters were assessed in 339 patients before and after completion of NeoCTx and before surgery. The study assessed the prognostic potential of the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), the albumin-bilirubin grade (ALBI), and their combinations. Furthermore, an independent multi-center validation cohort (n = 161) was included to confirm the findings concerning the prediction of postoperative outcome. RESULTS: Higher ALBI, APRI, and APRI + ALBI were found in patients with postoperative morbidity (P = 0.001, P = 0.064, P = 0.001, respectively), liver dysfunction (LD) (P = 0.009, P = 0.012, P < 0.001), or mortality (P = 0.037, P = 0.045, P = 0.016), and APRI + ALBI had the highest predictive potential for LD (area under the curve [AUC], 0.695). An increase in APRI + ALBI was observed during NeoCTx (P < 0.001). Patients with longer periods between NeoCTx and surgery showed a greater decrease in APRI + ALBI (P = 0.006) and a trend for decreased CALI at surgery. A cutoff for APRI + ALBI at - 2.46 before surgery was found to identify patients with CALI (P = 0.002) and patients at risk for a prolonged hospital stay (P = 0.001), intensive care (P < 0.001), morbidity (P < 0.001), LD (P < 0.001), and mortality (P = 0.021). Importantly, the study was able to confirm the predictive potential of APRI + ALBI for postoperative LD and mortality in a multicenter validation cohort. CONCLUSION: Determination of APRI + ALBI before surgery enables identification of high-risk patients for liver resection. The combined score seems to dynamically reflect CALI. Thus, APRI + ALBI could be a clinically relevant tool for optimizing timing of surgery in CRCLM patients after NeoCTx.

Validation of environmental transfer models and assessment of the effectiveness of countermeasures using data on (131)I releases from Chernobyl.

The studies undertaken by the (131)I Working Group, part of the International Atomic Energy Agency's EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) programme, were focused primarily on evaluating the predictive capability of environmental models. Particular emphasis was placed on applying models to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures.

[Fine-needle aspiration cytology. Aspects of a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure]. / Die Feinnadelpunktion. Aspekte einer minimal-invasiven Diagnosemethode.

All practicable applications of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for palpable tumors or non-palpable lesions guided with endoscopic and imaging procedures are presented. Multidisciplinary procedures and the technical and biological aspects of FNAC are presented. Indications and diagnostic challenges of FNAC on selected organs and neoplasms are discussed based on personal experience and the literature. Skilled and well-trained cytopathologists, the quality of the aspirate and the cytological preparation as well as supplementary immunocytochemical and molecular genetic analyses are mandatory for reliable diagnostic results. The indications and advantages of liquid-based techniques are discussed.

Heterogeneous reaction of NO2 on diesel soot particles.

Soot particles were collected from a diesel engine using a procedure that realistically mimics exhaust gas conditions in tailpipes and during dilution at room temperature. After being sampled, the particles were exposed to NO2 concentrations and relative humidity in ranges relevant for the troposphere using 13N as tracer. Gas-phase nitrous acid(HONO) and irreversibly bound (i.e., chemisorbed) species were the main reaction products with initial yields of 80-90% and about 10%, respectively. Neither NO nor HNO3 were detectable. The HONO formation increased with increasing engine load (i.e., with a decreasing air to fuel ratio, lambda). The reaction rates of HONO and chemisorbed NO2 increased with increasing NO2 concentration and did not depend on relative humidity. At the beginning of reaction, the uptake coefficient averaged over 3 min ranged from 5 x 10(-6) to 10(-5) for NO2 concentrations between 2 and 40 ppb. The HONO formation rates decreased with time, indicating consumption of reactive surface species, while the chemisorption rates remained almost constant. The total HONO formation potential of the particles was estimated to about 1.3 x 10(17) molecules/mg of diesel soot or to about 4.7 mg/kg of diesel fuel, indicating that the reaction between NO2 and diesel soot particles does not provide a significant secondary HONO source in the atmosphere. A Langmuir-Hinshelwood type reaction mechanism was proposed that adequately describes the observed results and also allows discussing important general features of reactions on soot.

[Advanced breast biopsy instrumentation (ABBI). Histopathologic evaluation of a new investigation method]. / Advanced breast biopsy instrumentation (ABBI). Histopathologische Evaluierung einer neuen Untersuchungsmethode.

The ABBI (advanced breast biopsy instrumentation) system has only recently been available for diagnostic excisional biopsy of small, non-palpable lesions of the breast. Between 1.1.1998 and 31.3.1999 this method was utilized in 40 patients with suspicious microcalcifications (n = 25), newly developed densities (n = 11) and a combination of microcalcifications and densities (n = 4). In 12 cases malignancy was diagnosed, in 11 cases a subsequent resection was performed. In every case sufficient tissue for diagnosis was obtained, in not a single case the diagnosis had to be revised in case of subsequent resection. Orientation within the specimen is accurate, the resection margins can be judged unequivocally. Any necessary special examinations can be performed on the resected tissue. In our experience, ABBI is a valuable and elegant tool for diagnosing small suspicious lesions of the breast.

[Diagnosis of malignant uterine tumors by transvaginal ultrasound]. / Diagnostik maligner Uterustumoren durch die transvaginale Sonographie.

Two hundred and three non-pregnant women who underwent diagnostic dilatation and curettage or hysterectomy were included in a prospective study designed to assess the accuracy of transvaginal sonography in conforming or excluding the presence of uterine cancer. All preoperative sonographic findings were compared with the final histological diagnosis. The predictive value of sonographic evidence of malignancy was 71.1% (32/45), the predictive value of benign disease was 95.6% (151/158). Sensitivity was 82.1% (32/39) and specificity 92.1% (151/164). Although sensitivity and specificity increased as compared to an earlier study using transabdominal ultrasound, we recommend dilatation and curettage in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Percutaneous angioscopy: improved technique.

Ten angioscopies with a pressure infusion set resulted in similar visualization times and irrigation volumes as 42 angioscopies with a specially constructed roller pump. Diagnostic image quality, however, was obtained almost exclusively with the roller pump. Three examinations were nondiagnostic. Total viewing time per patient was approximately 1 min with the roller pump and 2 min with the pressure infusion system. In the 30 patients examined, angioscopy changed the initially chosen form of therapy in 5 patients.

[Value of ultrasound in follow-up of biliary metal stents--initial results]. / Wertigkeit der Sonographie in der Kontrolle biliärer Metallstents--Erste Ergebnisse.

Self-expandable metallic biliary endoprostheses (= "stents") are an accepted therapeutic alternative in the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. The physiological direction of bile flow is re-established for a varying period of time. Sonography is an acutely available modality for the evaluation of symptomatic patients who are carriers of such endoprostheses. The cause of recurrent obstructive jaundice can be diagnosed quickly and a new intervention can be planned carefully.

[Ultrasound diagnosis of cervical lymph node tuberculosis]. / Sonographische Diagnostik der Halslymphknotentuberkulose.

Lymph node tuberculosis is the most frequent tuberculous manifestation in the otorhinolaryngological area. In 13 patients with histologically verified tuberculous lymphadenitis cervical sonographic examinations revealed characteristic findings. The sonographic features typical for this disease were multiple, enlarged, conglomerating roundish and oval lymph nodes. These lymph nodes were hypoechoic, exhibited dorsal sound amplification and had sharp margins. With caseation, however, there were blurred borders. In cold abscesses an inhomogeneous texture with inhomogeneous shadows was found. Differential diagnosis included non-specific abscess-forming lymphadenitis, lymph node metastases and malignant lymphoma. A tentative diagnosis of cervical lymph node tuberculosis may be made due to the polymorphous sonographic pattern if history and clinical findings are taken into account. A proper histological and microbiological work-up is still essential for confirmation of the sonographic diagnosis.

[Is the cryopreservation of sperm of young tumor patients reasonable?]. / Ist die Spermakryokonservation bei jungen Tumorpatienten sinnvoll?

Operation, retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, irradiation and chemotherapy may reduce the fertility potential of young male patients suffering from a malignant tumour. Prediction of the reversibility is difficult. Cryopreservation is a possibility to maintain the fertility of such patients. Unfortunately, the quality of the sperm is often reduced beforehand. The sperm motility is noticeably reduced by the freezing process. But the sperm preservation may help to reduce the psychological stress of the patients, thus improving their quality of life. Therefore, we recommend the use of the method liberally, although only few patients will make use of their sperm later. There has been no known teratogenicity to date. We report on our own experience with cryopreservation in 39 patients.

Purification and partial characterization of a novel lectin from elder (Sambucus nigra L.) fruit.

A previously unknown haemagglutinin, named Sambucus nigra agglutinin-III (SNA-III), has been purified from the fruit of the elder (Sambucus nigra). Whereas elder bark agglutinin I (SNA-I) is highly specific for terminal alpha 2,6-linked sialic acid residues, SNA-III displays a high affinity for oligosaccharides containing exposed N-acetylgalactosamine and galactose residues. Different N-terminal sequences and the amino acid composition distinguish the fruit lectin from elder bark agglutinin II (SNA-II), which shows a similar carbohydrate specificity. The 40-fold higher affinity of SNA-III for asialofetuin than for human asialo-alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and human asialotransferrin respectively suggests a preference for O-linked glycans. SNA-III occurs mainly as a monomeric glycoprotein, but tends to form di- and oligo-meric aggregates. This aggregation seems to mediate the multivalent interaction, leading to agglutination. SDS/PAGE revealed two major polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 32 and 33 kDa respectively. This heterogeneity is probably a result of proteolysis in the C-terminal region. Binding to concanavalin A and susceptibility to peptide: N-glycosidase F indicated the presence of N-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides.

[Differential diagnosis of cystic ovarian tumors by determination of estradiol in cystic aspirate]. / Differentialdiagnostik zystischer Ovarialtumoren durch Bestimmung von Ostradiol in Zystenpunktat.

Since ultrasound is routinely used in gynecologic practice, cystic ovarian tumours are detected and, as a result, more unnecessary operations are performed. The aim of our study was, to determine the value of measurement of intracystic oestradiol (E2) in the differential diagnosis of simple cystic ovarian tumours. 30 patients, who underwent a laparotomy for cystic ovarian tumour, had prior measurements of E2 content of the cystic fluid. In 7 functional cysts, E2 was higher than 3,700 pmol/l and in the 23 neoplastic cysts, E2 level was lower than 1,200 pmol/l. Our results and the review of the literature suggest, that E2 content of the intracystic fluid may help to differ between functional and neoplastic cystic ovarian tumours.

[Myoma in pregnancy--a case report and a literature review]. / Myome in der Schwangerschaft--ein Fallbericht und eine Literaturzusammenstellung.

We report the complications of uterine leiomyomas during pregnancy in a case report and a review of the literature. The major complication is the syndrome of painful myomas. Other problems are premature labor, abruptio placentae and postpartum hemorrhage. The method of delivery seems not to be influenced by uterine myomas. Leiomyomas are no contraindication for pregnancy, but intensive antenatal care is advised.