Anisotropic excitonic effects in the energy loss function of hexagonal boron nitride

We demonstrate that the valence energy-loss function of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) displays a strong anisotropy in shape, excitation energy and dispersion for momentum transfer q parallel or perpendicular to the hBN layers. This is manifested by e.g. an energy shift of 0.7 eV that cannot be captured by single-particle approaches and is a demonstration of a strong anisotropy in the two-body electron-hole interaction. Furthermore, for in-plane directions of q we observe a splitting of the -plasmon in the M direction that is absent in the K direction and this can be traced back to band-structure effects.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Risk of thrombosis and bleeding in gynecologic cancer surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This study aimed to provide procedure-specific estimates of the risk of symptomatic venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in the absence of thromboprophylaxis, following gynecologic cancer surgery.Data sources: We conducted comprehensive searches on Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for observational studies. We also reviewed reference lists of eligible studies and review articles. We performed separate searches for randomized trials addressing effects of thromboprophylaxis and conducted a web-based survey on thromboprophylaxis practice.Study eligibility criteria: Observational studies enrolling ≥50 adult patients undergoing gynecologic cancer surgery procedures reporting absolute incidence for at least 1 of the following were included: symptomatic pulmonary embolism, symptomatic deep vein thrombosis, symptomatic venous thromboembolism, bleeding requiring reintervention (including reexploration and angioembolization), bleeding leading to transfusion, or postoperative hemoglobin <70 g/L.Methods: Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility, performed data extraction, and evaluated risk of bias of eligible articles. We adjusted the reported estimates for thromboprophylaxis and length of follow-up and used the median value from studies to determine cumulative incidence at 4 weeks postsurgery stratified by patient venous thromboembolism risk factors. The GRADE approach was applied to rate evidence certainty.Results: We included 188 studies (398,167 patients) reporting on 37 gynecologic cancer surgery procedures. The evidence certainty was generally low to very low. Median symptomatic venous thromboembolism risk (in the absence of prophylaxis) was <1% in 13 of 37 (35%) procedures, 1% to 2% in 11 of 37 (30%), and >2.0% in 13 of 37 (35%). The risks of venous thromboembolism varied from 0.1% in low venous thromboembolism risk patients undergoing cervical conization to 33.5% in high venous thromboembolism risk patients undergoing pelvic exenteration. Estimates of bleeding requiring reintervention varied from <0.1% to 1.3%. Median risks of bleeding requiring reintervention were <1% in 22 of 29 (76%) and 1% to 2% in 7 of 29 (24%) procedures.Conclusion: Venous thromboembolism reduction with thromboprophylaxis likely outweighs the increase in bleeding requiring reintervention in many gynecologic cancer procedures (eg, open surgery for ovarian cancer and pelvic exenteration). In some procedures (eg, laparoscopic total hysterectomy without lymphadenectomy), thromboembolism and bleeding risks are similar, and decisions depend on individual risk prediction and values and preferences regarding venous thromboembolism and bleeding

Tranexamic acid for the prevention of postpartum bleeding in women with anaemia: study protocol for an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is responsible for about 100,000 maternal deaths every year, most of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces bleeding by inhibiting the enzymatic breakdown of fibrin blood clots. TXA decreases blood loss in surgery and reduces death due to bleeding after trauma. When given within 3 h of birth, TXA reduces deaths due to bleeding in women with PPH. However, for many women, treatment of PPH is too late to prevent death. Over one third of pregnant women in the world are anaemic and many are severely anaemic. These women have an increased risk of PPH and suffer more severe outcomes if PPH occurs. There is an urgent need to identify a safe and effective way to reduce postpartum bleeding in anaemic women. METHODS/DESIGN: The WOMAN-2 trial is an international, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to quantify the effects of TXA on postpartum bleeding in women with moderate or severe anaemia. Ten thousand women with moderate or severe anaemia who have given birth vaginally will be randomised to receive 1 g of TXA or matching placebo by intravenous injection immediately (within 15 min) after the umbilical cord is cut or clamped. The primary outcome is the proportion of women with a clinical diagnosis of primary PPH. The cause of PPH will be described. Data on maternal health and wellbeing, maternal blood loss and its consequences, and other health outcomes will be collected as secondary outcomes. The main analyses will be on an 'intention-to-treat' basis, irrespective of whether the allocated treatment was received. Results will be presented as appropriate effect estimates with a measure of precision (95% confidence intervals). Subgroup analyses will be based on the severity of anaemia (moderate versus severe) and type of labour (induced or augmented versus spontaneous). A study with 10,000 patients will have over 90% power to detect a 25% relative reduction from 10 to 7.5% in PPH. The trial will be conducted in hospitals in Africa and Asia. DISCUSSION: The WOMAN-2 trial should provide reliable evidence for the effects of TXA for preventing postpartum bleeding in women with anaemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN62396133 . Registered on 7 December 2017; ClincalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03475342 . Registered on 23 March 2018

Possibilities and limitations for herb procuction in Nordic countries

Budabest, Hungary 8-11 July, 2001vokEKO/Karil

Ecophysiological studies for optimizing field growing methods of Bergenia sp.

vokMTT Mikkel

Optimization of the fermentation of Bergenia sp. green leaves

Appendix 1. Recommendation for the fermentation process of Bergenia leaf yieldThe leaves of the commonly known decorative perennial, Bergenia species have several interesting biological activities. The green leaves contain arbutin up to 22 % (d.w.), a compound, which is used in cosmetic industry as a skin-whitening agent in humans. Tea prepared from the naturally fermented black leaves is used as beverage called Siberian tea or Mongolian tea in Russian ethno medicine. The fermented green leaves of Bergenia crassifolia are appearing to meet the criteria of being adaptogen. For the utilization of these new possibilities of Bergenia species during 2012–2014 several studies were carried out in SPECICROP project for elaborating a semi-industrial fermentation process of Bergenia leaf yield. The experiments were carried out in MTT Agrifood Research Finland Mikkeli with cooperation of St.-Petersburg Institute of Pharmacy, St-Petersburg, Russia. On the base of these experiments we elaborated the optimized parameters of the fermentation process and described a technological recommendation suitable for small size farm entrepreneurs.201

Maitohorsman (Ebilobium angustifolium) fermentoinnin optimointi

Maitohorsman (Epilobium angustifolium L.) fermentoiduista lehdistä valmistettua teetä (Ivan tsaj, Ivan-tee, Koporjen tee) käytetään Venäjälle perinteisesti vatsahaavojen, mahakatarrin ja nukkumisvaikeuksien hoitoon. Ivan-teen aineksen perinteinen valmistusmenetelmä sisältää useita käsityötä vaativia vaiheita. Vuosien 2012–14 aikana SPECICROP-hankkeessa tehtiin useita koesarjoja, joissa fermentoitua teetä valmistettiin maitohorsman versoista. Kokeet tehtiin Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskuksessa (nykyisin Luonnonvarakeskus) Mikkelissä yhteistyössä Venäjällä toimivan Pietarin Farmasia-Instituutin kanssa. Tuloksien pohjalta todettiin, että Ivan-tee voidaan valmistaa kaupallisessa mittakaavassa maitohorsman 40 cm pitkistä tuoreista versoista. Koetulosten pohjalta tuotantoprosessin eri vaiheet optimoitiin ja ne esitellään ehdotetussa tuotantomenetelmässä. Kuvattu menetelmä sopii pienen yrityksen olosuhteisiin.201

Eri alkuperää olevien ruusujuurikantojen (Rhodiola rosea) vertailu Suomen kasvigeenivarakokoelmassa

Samalla kun ruusujuuren viljelyyn ottoa testattiin, kerättiin Mikkeliin kokoelma ruusujuurikantoja eri puolilta maailmaa. Kokeen tarkoituksena oli vertailla ruusujuurikantojen eroja juuren biomassan ja kahden vaikuttavan aineen (salidrorosidi ja rosaviini) suhteen sekä valita näistä parhaimmat jatkoviljelyyn. Vertailussa oli 11 suomalaista, kahdeksan skandinaavista, 5 keskieurooppalaista ja kaksi venäläistä kantaa. Vaikuttavien aineiden analyysit tehtiin Expert Bio Ltd -laboratoriossa Pietarissa. Ruusujuurikantojen juuren tuorepainot vaihtelivat välillä 0,32–2,74 kg per kasvi. Keskieurooppalaiset kannat kasvattivat suurimmat juuret: 1,93 kg/kasvi (vaihteluväli 1,3–2,74 kg). Seuraavaksi suurimmat juuret kasvoivat skandinaavisilla kannoilla (keskiarvo 1,17 kg ja vaihteluväli 0,78–1,66 kg). Suomalaisten ruusujuurikantojen juuret olivat pienimmät (keskiarvo 0,79 kg ja vaihteluväli 0,32–1,30 kg). Altailainen ruusujuurikanta kasvatti samankokoiset juuret kuin suomalaiset kannat (keskiarvo 0,76 kg). Salidrosidi-pitoisuudet olivat skandinaavisilla ja Altain kannoilla alle 1,0 %, kun suomalaisilla a keskieurooppalaisilla kannoilla vastavva luku oli 1,3–1,4 %. Tilastollisesti merkitsevää eroa pitoisuuksissa ei kuitenkaan ollut. Skandinaaviset ja keskieurooppalaiset kannat sisälsivät keskimäärin 1,0–1,15 % kokonaisrosaviinia. Suomalaiset ruusujuurikannat sisälsivät rosaviinia keskimäärin enemmän, 1,5 %. Huomattavasti korkeampi arvo mitattiin Altain ruusujuurikannalla: 2,4 % (P<0.001). Kuusi ruusujuurikantaa, joiden salidrosidi- ja kokonaisrosaviinipitoisuudet olivat korkeat, valittiin talletettavaksi Suomen viralliseen lääkekasvien geenivarakokoelmaan.201