Lung Function Profiles among Individuals with Nonmalignant Asbestos-related Disorders

AbstractBackgroundInhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to adverse health effects on the lungs. This study describes lung function profiles among individuals with nonmalignant asbestos-related disorders (ARDs).MethodsThe study population was from the Workers' Compensation (Dust Diseases) Board of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Lung function measurements were conducted in males with asbestosis (n = 26), diffuse pleural thickening (DPT; n = 129), asbestosis and DPT (n = 14), pleural plaques only (n = 160) and also apparently healthy individuals with a history of asbestos exposure (n = 248). Standardized spirometric and single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) measurements were used.ResultsMean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 66.7 (10.3) years for all participants. Current and ex-smokers among all participants comprised about 9.0% and 54.8%, respectively. Median pack-years (SD) of smoking for ex- and current-smokers were 22.7 (19.9). Overall 222 participants (38.6%) and 139 participants (24.2%) had forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) measurements < 80% predicted, and 217 participants (37.7%) had FEV1/FVC results < 70%. A total of 249 individuals (43.8%) had DLco values < 80% predicted and only 75 (13.2%) had DLco/VA results < 80% predicted. A total of 147 participants (25.6%) had peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements < 80% predicted. The presence of ARDs lowered the lung function measurements compared to those of healthy individuals exposed to asbestos.ConclusionLung function measurement differs in individuals with different ARDs. Monitoring of lung function among asbestos-exposed populations is a simple means of facilitating earlier interventions

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF CONCRETE PERFORMANCE

This study was experimental in nature and conducted with the view to make comparison between two samples. The first sample consisted of concrete with rice husk ash mixed in it and the other sample was without such addition. The first test conducted to test the performance was simple measurements. The results show that for the sample without addition of rice husk ash, the density was 2355.97 and for included sample, the density was 2354.44 with insignificant differences (t-stat= 0.766, P&gt;.05). For V-B test, the sample without addition of rice husk as was 8.34 and for include sample, it was 8.01. The differences for V-B for both samples were statistically insignificant (t-stat=1.431, P&gt;.05). The slump test without for the sample without addition of rice husk was 12.75 and for included sample, it was 18.56. The difference was statistically significant (t-stat=2.455, P&lt;.05). The compressive strength for excluded sample was 24.32 and for included sample was 20.01. The results were statistically insignificant (t-value= 1.13, P&gt;.05). For flexural strength test, for excluded sample, the average score was 9.02 and for included sample, the average score was 9.19. The difference was statistically insignificant (t-stat=1.45, P&gt;.05). Overall, the results lead to the conclusion that there are insignificant differences of addition of rice husk ash in concrete

Line-defect-induced bending and splitting of self-collimated beams in two-dimensional photonic crystals

We show that line defects can give rise to the bending and splitting of self-collimated beams in two-dimensional photonic crystals from the equifrequency contour calculations and the finite-difference time-domain simulations. The power ratio between two split self-collimated beams can be controlled systematically by varying the radii of rods or holes in the line defect. We also show that the bending and controllable splitting of self-collimated beams can be useful in steering the flow of light in photonic crystal integrated light circuits. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.This work was partially supported by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) through the Quantum Photonic Science Research Center

Duplexer using microwave photonic band gap structure

We propose a frequency selective duplexer using microwave photonic band gap (PBG) structures. It uses two different PBGs to control the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the microwave region. In this structure, an additional narrow reflection band appears in the transmission spectrum when the PBG structure is not properly located relative to the T junction. By considering multiple reflections, it is proved that this additional reflection band in each PBG structure results from the interference between the input wave and the reflected wave from the other PBG structure. An effective way to prevent this interference effect is also discussed

Experimental demonstration of self-collimation of spoof surface plasmons

We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that spoof surface plasmons (SSPs) can propagate without diffraction, i.e., self-collimation (SC) of SSPs. To excite and detect SSPs on a structured brass surface, we employed a pair of monopole antennas. The scanned horizontal and vertical field intensity distributions of the SSPs reveal a narrow Gaussian envelope at the SC frequency. While the Gaussian SSP is well maintained, being prevented from spreading during lengthy propagation, SSPs with frequencies below or above the SC frequency diverge. We examine the possibility of steering self-collimated SSPs

Učinak dodataka prehrani acetaminofena i vitamina C na stres i upalni odgovor u korejske autohtone pasmine goveda cijepljene protiv slinavke i šapa - kratko priopćenje

This study evaluated the effect of a combination of acetaminophen and vitamin C (CAV) for reduction of stress and inflammatory responses in calves vaccinated with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine. Twenty-five calves were divided into five groups of 5 calves. The negative control was non-vaccination and non-drug treatment. The positive control, and experimental groups I, II and III were vaccinated with FMD vaccine and treated with CAV at concentrations of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kg/ton feed, respectively, for five consecutive days post-vaccination. On day 5 post-treatment, serum cortisols and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly decreased in all treatment groups compared with the positive control (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in serum cortisol and TNF-α levels between experimental groups I and II and the negative control. The results from this study suggest that CAV may be a useful drug for control of the stress and inflammation caused by FMD vaccination in calves.U ovom se radu istražuje učinak kombinacije acetaminofena i vitamina C (CAV) na smanjenje stresa i upalnog odgovora u teladi cijepljene protiv slinavke i šapa. Ukupno 25 životinja podijeljeno je u pet skupina po pet životinja. Životinje u negativnoj kontrolnoj skupini nisu cijepljene i nisu dobile dodatke prehrani. Životinje u pozitivnoj kontrolnoj skupini i pokusnim skupinama I, II i III cijepljene su cjepivom protiv slinavke i šapa i dobile su dodatak prehrani CAV u koncentracijama od 0,0, 0,5, 1,0 i 2,0 kg/toni hrane, pet uzastopnih dana poslije cijepljenja. Peti dan nakon tretmana serumski kortizol i faktor nekroze tumora alfa (TNF-α) bili su znakovito smanjeni u svim pokusnim skupinama u usporedbi s pozitivnom kontrolnom skupinom (P<0,05). Nije bilo znakovite razlike u vrijednostima serumskog kortizola i TNF-α između pokusne skupine 1 i 2 i negativne kontrolne skupine. Rezultati ovoga istraživanja upućuju na to da bi CAV mogao biti koristan u kontroli stresa i upale uzrokovane cjepivom protiv slinavke i šapa u teladi

Coupling characteristics of surface modes in truncated two-dimensional photonic crystals

On 1 February, 1994 the Republic of Austria concluded the Accession Treaty and on 1 January, 1995 became a full member of the European Union. Membership obliged Austrians to ‘provide’ the Community with appropriate personnel to take up different posts in various EU authorities, as well as in the European Parliament. The most important issue was to alter particular statutory regulations and the Austrian Constitution to adjust to the new situation.The paper aims at presenting the Austrian solutions in this matter in the context of European Union law, with particular emphasis on regulations which are uncommon or specific to the Republic of Austria. The matter of interest is the constitutional practice of EU member states and the reader’s perspective is taken into account. The latter approach not only evaluates the Austrian solutions in the context of the electoral law to the European Parliament contained in the Election Code, but could also suggest some ideas in regard to prospective amendments. The authors would, in particular, like to pay attention to two issues: the lowering of the voting age, and the single constituency electoral system. The Austrian solutions might be valuable to refer to in the countries where a system of correspondence voting is just being introduced. These resolutions are particularly interesting taking into consideration prospective, possible amendments to the electoral laws of the EU member states.Republika Austrii, 1 lutego 1994 r. podpisała traktat akcesyjny i z dniem 1 stycznia 1995 r. stała się pełnoprawnym członkiem Unii Europejskiej. Członkostwo zobowiązało Austriaków do “dostarczenia” Wspólnocie odpowiednich osób do objęcia różnych stanowisk w różnych unijnych organach. Nie inaczej było także w przypadku Parlamentu Europejskiego. Ważnym aspektem stało się dostosowanie poszczególnych norm ustawowych i własnej konstytucji do nowych rozwiązań. Celem niniejszego opracowania jest właśnie przedstawianie austriackich rozwiązań w tym temacie na tle rozwiązań europejskich, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem unormowań rzadko spotykanych lub wręcz odrębności sytemu Republiki Austrii. Rzecz wydaje się być interesująca zarówno z punktu widzenia praktyki ustrojowej państw członkowskich Unii Europejskiej, jak i z punktu widzenia czytelnika. To drugie podejście pozwoli na ocenę austriackich rozwiązań na tle niedawno wprowadzonej ordynacji wyborczej do PE zawartej w Kodeksie Wyborczym, ale również może podsunąć pewne pomysły, co do przyszłych nowelizacji. Autorzy zwrócili szczególną uwagę na dwa rozwiązania: obniżenie cenzusu wieku czynnego prawa wyborczego oraz jednookręgowy system wyborczy. Austriackie doświadczenia mogą być również pomocne państwom, które wprowadzają możliwość głosowania korespondencyjnego. Są to propozycje szczególnie interesujące z punktu widzenia przyszłych, możliwych nowelizacji systemów wyborczych państw członkowskich

Coupling characteristics of surface modes in truncated two-dimensional photonic crystals

We investigate the coupling properties of localized modes between two identical truncated triangular photonic crystals composed of air holes in a dielectric background. The frequency of even parity modes varies more sensitively to the distance between the truncated faces of the crystals; i.e., the coupling distance. This behavior is explained in terms of photonic bands and spatial distribution of fields. This localized mode with even parity is shown to be a good guided mode from the finite-difference time-domain simulation. The guided range can be tuned by varying the coupling distance and the degree of truncation. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.This work was partially supported by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation through the Quantum Photonic Science Research Center

A Case of Hypereosinophilic Syndrome with Bladder Involvement in a 7-Year-Old Boy

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is characterized by the presense of hypereosinophilia with evidence of target organ damage. We report a patient diagnosed with eosinophilic cystitis and HES. A 7 year old boy had hematuria, dysuria, and increased urinary frequency for 1 day. Laboratory examinations revealed hypereosinophilia (eosinophils, 2,058/µL), hematuria, and proteinuria. Abdominal sonography revealed diffuse and severe wall thickening of the bladder. The patient was treated initially with antibiotics. However, his symptoms did not improve after 7 days. A computed tomography scan demonstrated severe wall thickening of the bladder and the hypereosinophilia persisted (eosinophils, 2,985/µL). The patient complained of chest discomfort, dyspnea, epigastric pain, and vomiting on hospital day 10. Parasitic, allergic, malignancy, rheumatologic, and immune workups revealed no abnormal findings. Chest X-rays, electrocardiography, and a pulmonary function test were normal; however, the hypereosinophilia was aggravated (eosinophils, 3,934/µL). Oral deflazacort was administered. A cystoscopic biopsy showed chronic inflammation with eosinophilic infiltration. The patient’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary symptoms improved after 6 days of steroids, and he was discharged. The eosinophil count decreased dramatically (182/µL). The hypereosinophilia waxed and waned for 7 months, and the oral steroids were tapered and stopped. This case describes a patient diagnosed with eosinophilic cystitis and HES