Characteristic odour in the blood reveals ovarian carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ovarian carcinoma represents about 4% of all cancers diagnosed in women worldwide. Mortality rate is high, over 50%, mainly due to late diagnosis. Currently there are no acceptable screening techniques available, although ovarian cancer belongs to the group of malignancies for which mortality could be dramatically reduced by early diagnosis.</p> <p>In a recently published study, we clearly demonstrated that human ovarian carcinoma tissues can be characterized by a specific odour, detectable by a trained dog. Another recent study confirmed these results using an electronic nose.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the present work, we examined whether the cancer-specific odour can also be found in the blood. Two specially trained dogs were used. Both ovarian cancer tissues and blood from patients with ovarian carcinoma were tested.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The tissue tests showed sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95%, while the blood tests showed sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 98%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study strongly suggests that the characteristic odour emitted by ovarian cancer samples is also present in blood (plasma) taken from patients with the disease. This finding opens possibilities for future screening of healthy populations for early diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma. A future challenge is to develop a sensitive electronic nose for screening of ovarian carcinoma by testing the blood/plasma to detect the disease at a stage early enough for treatment to be effective.</p

The Scandinavian multicenter hemodynamic evaluation of the SJM Regent aortic valve

Background: 112 patients who received small and medium sized St.Jude Regent heart valves (19-25 mm) at 7 Scandinavian centers were studied between January 2003 and February 2005 to obtain non-invasive data regarding the hemodynamic performance at rest and during Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) testing one year after surgery. Material and methods: 46 woman and 66 men, aged 61.8 +/- 9.7 (18-75) years, were operated on for aortic regurgitation (17), stenosis (65), or mixed dysfunction (30). Valve sizes were 19 mm (6), 21 mm (33), 23 mm (41), 25 mm (30). Two patients receiving size 27 valves were excluded from the hemodynamic evaluation. Pledgets were used in 100 patients, everted mattress in 66 and simple interrupted sutures in 21. Valve orientation varied and was dependent on the surgeons' choice. 34 patients (30.4%) underwent concomitant coronary artery surgery. Results: There were two early deaths (1.8%) and three late deaths, one because of pancreatic cancer. Late events during follow-up were: non structural dysfunction (1), bleeding (2), thromboembolism (2). At one year follow up 93% of the patients were in NYHA classes 1-2 versus 47.8% preoperatively. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed in a total of 66 and maximal peak stress was reached in 61 patients. During DSE testing, the following statistically significant changes took place: Heart rate increased by 73.0%, cardiac output by 85.5%, left ventriclular ejection fraction by 19.6%, and maximal mean prosthetic transvalvular gradient by 133.8%, whereas the effective orifice area index did not change. Left ventricular mass fell during one year from 215 +/- 63 to 197 +/- 62 g (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The Dobutamine test induces a substantial stress, well suitable for echocardiographic assessment of prosthesis valve function and can be performed in the majority of the patients. The changes in pressure gradients add to the hemodynamic characteristics of the various valve sizes. In our patients the St. Jude Regent valve performed satisfactory at rest and under pharmacological stress situation

Attempted break-up of Rodinia at 850 Ma: geochronological evidence from the Seve-Kalak Superterrane, Scandinavian Caledonides

Lower thrust sheets of the Scandinavian Caledonides derive from the margin of Baltica, which was imbricated during Early Palaeozoic closure of oceans formed during separation of the Baltica, Laurentia and Siberia cratons. At Vistas (Kebnekaise Mts), the Seve Nappe Complex preserves rare lenses of a dolerite-intruded granite formed by anatexis during emplacement of gabbro into metasedimentary rocks. Ion microprobe U-Pb dating of prismatic zircons from the granite yielded an age of 845 +/- 14 Ma (mean square weighed deviation (MSWD) 1.15), interpreted to date magmatic crystallization. Cores of complex crystals indicate protolith ages of 1778 +/- 11 Ma (MSWD 0.86); one core yielded an Archaean age. From narrow rims, a 605 +/- 42 Ma metamorphic age is obtained, and is interpreted to reflect the emplacement of the extensive Vendian rift magmatic dolerite dyke swarm. The age pattern allows correlation with a previously dated magmatic complex within the equivalent Kalak Nappe Complex 300 km to the north. Bimodal magmatic complexes with this age pattern do not occur within the basement of the Caledonide foreland, nor elsewhere within the Baltic Shield. However, recent reinterpretations of the Knoydartian event in Scotland as rift related invites correlation with the West Highland Granite Gneiss, which intruded Moine metasedimentary rocks at c. 870 Ma. In Central Taimyr, 850-900 Ma granites of continental crustal derivation and with 1800-1900 Ma Sm-Nd model age occur associated with c. 740 Ma plagiogranites. Using recent palaeogeographical reconstructions, we interpret the evidence of 850-900 Ma magmatism, in Scandinavia, Scotland and Taimyr as bimodal rift magmatism in connected arms during an attempted break-up of Rodinia

Manipulations of Oral Medications in Paediatric Neurology and Oncology Care at a Swedish University Hospital : Health Professionals' Attitudes and Sources of Information

Oral administration of medications to children requires age-appropriate dosage forms and strengths. In this study, we: (i) assessed the extent of oral dosage form manipulations, (ii) documented how it is carried out, and (iii) examined the attitudes and sources of information regarding the handling from healthcare professionals. Prospective reviews of electronic records, ward observations, and clinician surveys were performed at a paediatric neurology ward and a paediatric oncology ward in Sweden during April to May of 2018. Approximately 15% of oral medications were manipulated for the studied patient group (median age 12.9 years in oncology, 5.8 years in neurology) with approximately 30% of the patients having an enteral feeding tube. Manipulations were performed both to obtain an appropriate dose from, for example, a fraction of the original tablet or to obtain a powder that could be used to prepare a slurry for administration through enteral feeding tubes. Risks identified were related to patient safety such as cross contamination, suboptimal absorption/pharmacokinetics and inaccurate dose. When examining the working environment of nurses, we observed safe handling of hazardous substances but the nurses occasionally experienced stress and a fear of making mistakes due to absence of information. Paediatricians experienced a lack of time to search for proper information on manipulations. As a step towards improving safety in paediatric medication, we suggest the introduction of clinical pharmacists into the team and further evaluating the possibilities of using more ready-to-administer medications with necessary product information and pharmacovigilance support

Socioeconomic cost of AML in Sweden—A population‐based study using multiple nation‐wide registers

Abstract Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with a high economic and clinical burden. Recently novel therapies have been added to standard treatment regimens. Here, we evaluated the economic impact of AML up until the introduction of these novel therapies. Individual data on 2954 adult patients diagnosed from 2007 to 2015 from five Swedish national population‐based registers were used, enabling analyses from diagnosis to either death or 5‐year follow‐up for survival, inpatient and outpatient costs, costs of prescribed drugs, sick leave, and early retirement. Costs per patient were stratified by age group, treatment options, and FLT3‐ITD status. The expected 5‐year costs per patient differed substantially between age groups. Patients aged 18–59 years had an expected mean cost per patient of €170,748, while age groups 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and >80 years incurred an expected mean cost of €92,252, €48,344, and €24,118, respectively, over 5 years. Patients <60 years undergoing stem cell transplantation had the highest costs (€228,525 over 5 years). About 60% of costs for these patients were from hospitalizations and 20% from sick leave and early retirement; cost per day was highest from the first admission to complete remission. This study provides a baseline for socioeconomic evaluations of novel therapies in AML in Sweden

A randomized study of coronary artery bypass surgery performed with the Resting Heart™ System utilizing a low vs a standard dosage of heparin.

OBJECTIVES: Allogeneic blood transfusion and reoperation for postoperative bleeding after the coronary artery bypass grafting have a negative impact on the patient outcome. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of reduced doses of heparin and protamine on the patient outcome, using a heparin-coated mini-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing elective first-time CPB were prospectively randomized either to have a reduced systemic heparinization [activated clotting time (ACT) = 250 s] or to a control group perfused with a full heparin dose (ACT = 420 s). Blood transfusions, ventilation time, early postoperative bleeding, ICU stay, reoperations for bleeding, postoperative cognitive status and the level of mobilization were registered. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were randomized to the control group, 27 patients to the low-dose group and 4 patients were excluded because of protocol violations. Four patients in the control group received a total of 10 units of packed red blood cells, and in the low-dose group, no transfusions were given, P = 0.046. No patient was reoperated because of bleeding. The ICU stay was significantly shorter in the low-dose group (8.4 vs 13.7 h, P = 0.020), less dependent on oxygen on the first postoperative day (78 vs 97%, P = 0.034), better mobilized (89 vs 59%, P = 0.006) and had less pain (visual analogue scale 2.0 vs 3.5, P = 0.019) compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a mini-CPB system combined with a low dose of heparin reduced the need for blood transfusions and may facilitate the faster mobilization of the patients

An overview of wheel–rail interface related research in the European project INNOTRACK including issues in technical and economical validation

The INNOTRACK project (www.innotrack.eu) is a European research project within the 6th Framework Programme. The aim of the INNOTRACK project is to deliver innovative track-related solutions to reduce life cycle costs and improve the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety of the rail sector. The current paper gives an overview of work in INNOTRACK of relevance for the CM2009 conference. The work presented in this paper focuses on innovative processes and methodologies. Topics discussed concern rail selection, installation, inspection and maintenance and also the optimisation of switches and crossings. Finally a discussion on technical, logistical and economical verifications of proposed solutions is presented. Many of the topics included in this overview paper are presented in detail in other contributions to the CM2009 conference

An overview of wheel–rail interface related research in the European project INNOTRACK including issues in technical and economical validation

The INNOTRACK project (www.innotrack.eu) is a European research project within the 6th Framework Programme. The aim of the INNOTRACK project is to deliver innovative track-related solutions to reduce life cycle costs and improve the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety of the rail sector. The current paper gives an overview of work in INNOTRACK of relevance for the CM2009 conference. The work presented in this paper focuses on innovative processes and methodologies. Topics discussed concern rail selection, installation, inspection and maintenance and also the optimisation of switches and crossings. Finally a discussion on technical, logistical and economical verifications of proposed solutions is presented. Many of the topics included in this overview paper are presented in detail in other contributions to the CM2009 conference