Исследование изменений твёрдости поверхности при азотировании сталей

Contact allergies are complex diseases, and one of the important challenges for public health and immunology. The German 'Federal Institute for Risk Assessment' hosted an 'International Workshop on Contact Dermatitis'. The scope of the workshop was to discuss new discoveries and developments in the field of contact dermatitis. This included the epidemiology and molecular biology of contact allergy, as well as the development of new in vitro methods. Furthermore, it considered regulatory aspects aiming to reduce exposure to contact sensitisers. An estimated 15-20% of the general population suffers from contact allergy. Workplace exposure, age, sex, use of consumer products and genetic predispositions were identified as the most important risk factors. Research highlights included: advances in understanding of immune responses to contact sensitisers, the importance of autoxidation or enzyme-mediated oxidation for the activation of chemicals, the mechanisms through which hapten-protein conjugates are formed and the development of novel in vitro strategies for the identification of skin-sensitising chemicals. Dendritic cell cultures and structure-activity relationships are being developed to identify potential contact allergens. However, the local lymph node assay (LLNA) presently remains the validated method of choice for hazard identification and characterisation. At the workshop the use of the LLNA for regulatory purposes and for quantitative risk assessment was also discussed

Photon vs. proton radiochemotherapy: Effects on brain tissue volume and perfusion

Neuro Imaging Researc

Maternal characteristics associated with the dietary intake of nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines in women of child-bearing age: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Multiple <it>N</it>-nitroso compounds have been observed in animal studies to be both mutagenic and teratogenic. Human exposure to <it>N</it>-nitroso compounds and their precursors, nitrates and nitrites, can occur through exogenous sources, such as diet, drinking water, occupation, or environmental exposures, and through endogenous exposures resulting from the formation of <it>N</it>-nitroso compounds in the body. Very little information is available on intake of nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines and factors related to increased consumption of these compounds.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using survey and dietary intake information from control women (with deliveries of live births without major congenital malformations during 1997-2004) who participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), we examined the relation between various maternal characteristics and intake of nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines from dietary sources. Estimated intake of these compounds was obtained from the Willet Food Frequency Questionnaire as adapted for the NBDPS. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the consumption of these compounds by self-reported race/ethnicity and other maternal characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Median intake per day for nitrates, nitrites, total nitrites (nitrites + 5% nitrates), and nitrosamines was estimated at 40.48 mg, 1.53 mg, 3.69 mg, and 0.472 μg respectively. With the lowest quartile of intake as the referent category and controlling for daily caloric intake, factors predicting intake of these compounds included maternal race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, household income, area of residence, folate intake, and percent of daily calories from dietary fat. Non-Hispanic White participants were less likely to consume nitrates, nitrites, and total nitrites per day, but more likely to consume dietary nitrosamines than other participants that participated in the NBDPS. Primary food sources of these compounds also varied by maternal race/ethnicity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Results of this study indicate that intake of nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines vary considerably by race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, and other characteristics. Further research is needed regarding how consumption of foods high in nitrosamines and <it>N</it>-nitroso precursors might relate to risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and chronic diseases.</p

Measuring thermoelectric transport properties of materials

In this review we discuss considerations regarding the common techniques used for measuring thermoelectric transport properties necessary for calculating the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT. Advice for improving the data quality in Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity (from flash diffusivity and heat capacity) measurements are given together with methods for identifying possible erroneous data. Measurement of the Hall coefficient and calculation of the charge carrier concentration and mobility is also included due to its importance for understanding materials. It is not intended to be a complete record or comparison of all the different techniques employed in thermoelectrics. Rather, by providing an overview of common techniques and their inherent difficulties it is an aid to new researchers or students in the field. The focus is mainly on high temperature measurements but low temperature techniques are also briefly discussed

Vergleich der Morphologie des Vokaltraktes beim Singen und Sprechen - eine MRT-basierte Untersuchung von 15 Gesangsstudenten

Hintergrund: Nach vorangegangenen Untersuchungen mit Etablierung einer Technik zur 3D-Vokaltrakt-Modellierung sollen in der vorliegenden Arbeit die spezifischen morphologischen Veränderungen des Vokaltraktes beim Singen analysiert werden, da wesentliche klangliche Eigenschaften professioneller Stimmen mit charakteristischen Einstellungen des Vokaltraktes verbunden werden.Material und Methoden: Fünfzehn Gesangsstudenten der Hochschule für Musik "Carl Maria v.Weber" Dresden (5 Tenöre und 10 Bässe) wurden aufgefordert in einem 3T MR Tomograf (Fa. Siemens) einen Ton für ca. 10 Sekunden auszuhalten.Dabei sollten die Vokale /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/ und /u/ auf der Tonhöhe A3 (220Hz) ausgehalten werden. Die Aufgabe wurde jeweils in zwei unterschiedlichen Phonationsarten gefordert. Zum einen in einer an das Sprechen angelehnten Stimmgebung, zum anderen in einer an den klassischen Gesang angelehnten Phonation. Eine anschl. 3D-Rekonstruktion der MR-Daten und weiterführende Messungen wurden ebenso wie eine Untersuchung von zusätzlich gewonnen Audioaufnahmen mittels Langzeit Spektrum Analyse (LTAS) durchgeführt.Ergebnisse: Für die Vokaltraktkonfiguration beim Singen zeigte sich im Vergleich zum Sprechen eine signifikante Absenkung des Kehlkopfes um durchschnittlich 7 mm, eine Tendenz zur Vergrößerung des endolaryngealen Volumens sowie eine teils deutliche Vergrößerung der Pharynxweite. Bei den Vokalen /a/, /o/ und /u/ zeigte sich dadurch eine Verminderung des Verhältnisses von innerer Kehlkopfweite zu Pharynxweite.Diskussion: Die mittels MRT erhobenen 3D-Datensätze der Gesangsstudenten zeigen deutliche Unterschiede der Vokaltraktkonfiguration beim Singen und beim Sprechen. Dabei scheint dem Verhältnis von Larynxeingangs- zu Pharynxweite eine besondere Bedeutung zuzukommen, wobei unsere Daten durch überproportionale Erweiterung des Pharynx eine Verkleinerung dieses Quotienten zeigen.Fazit: Der Untersuchungsansatz soll zur longitudinalen Untersuchung der artikulatorischen Anpassungen beispielsweise während des Gesangsstudiums und zum Vergleich mit professionellenSängern genutzt werden. Perspektivisch erhoffen sich die Autoren einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Vorhersage von stimmlichen Entwicklungen im gesangspädagogischen Bereich

Treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer with sunitinib during chronic hemodialysis.

Contains fulltext : 81063.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVES: To report on 2 cases of metastatic renal cell cancer treated with sunitinib during chronic hemodialysis. METHODS: Two patients who were receiving chronic hemodialysis were treated with escalating doses of sunitinib with close clinical and laboratory surveillance. RESULTS: The treatment toxicities were tolerable even after dose escalation. The first patient had a complete response after 5 treatment cycles and the second patient had stable disease after 13 treatment cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Sunitinib treatment is feasible and effective against metastatic renal cell cancer with the patient receiving chronic hemodialysis. Patients with terminal renal failure can be offered sunitinib treatment with close clinical and laboratory monitoring