Extracorporeal circulation causes release of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL).

Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) used during cardiac surgery causes activation of several inflammatory systems. These events are not fully understood but are responsible for complications during the immediate postoperative period. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a member of the expanding lipocalin family, has recently been described as an inflammatory protein. In this study, the release of NGAL into the circulation in 41 patients undergoing heart surgery with ECC was evaluated. A 4- to 5-fold elevation of the concentration of NGAL in plasma was observed during the immediate postoperative course with a rapid elimination during the first postoperative day. Four patients undergoing lung surgery (without ECC) were also studied. The plasma concentration of NGAL only increased with a factor of 1.1-2.2 over the operation. We conclude that NGAL is released into the circulation during heart surgery, probably as a result of the inflammatory activation of leukocytes initiated by the extracorporeal circulation

An upper bound on decoding bit-error probability with linear coding on extremely noisy channels

When concatenated coding schemes operate near channel capacity their component encoders may operate above capacity. The decoding bit-error performance of binary convolutional codes near and above capacity is investigate

Sexual Dysfunction and Reproductive Concerns in Young Men Diagnosed With Testicular Cancer: An Observational Study

INTRODUCTION: The survival rates for testicular cancer are excellent; still, there is a lack of knowledge regarding important survivorship issues, such as sexual dysfunction and reproductive concerns. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction and reproductive concerns and the potential association between these issues in young men ∼2 years after a diagnosis of testicular cancer. METHODS: Data were collected from 111 men (response rate = 50%) diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 16-39. Patients were identified via the Swedish National Quality Registry for Testicular Cancer and approached with a survey, including standardized measures of sexual function, reproductive concerns, body image, and health-related quality of life. The survey was sent to participants approximately 2 years after their cancer diagnosis. Clinical variables were collected from the registry. Predictors were identified by multivariable linear regression analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcomes were sexual function, assessed with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sexual Function and Satisfaction measure version 2.0, and reproductive concerns, assessed with the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer scale. RESULTS: Sexual dysfunction was reported by 26% of men, and a high level of reproductive concerns was reported by 28%. Lower satisfaction with sex life was associated with older age (β = -0.41), negative body image (β = -0.42), not having a partner (β = 4.8), and dissatisfaction with sex life before cancer (β = 8.31). Negative body image was associated with reproductive concerns in the dimensions of fertility potential (β = 0.06), partner disclosure (β = 0.08), and child's health (β = 0.07), whereas having had fertility preservation predicted higher levels of concerns with regard to personal health (β = 0.52) and achieving pregnancy (β = 0.53). Clinical variables did not predict either sexual function or reproductive concerns. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results show that the majority of young men diagnosed with testicular cancer do not report sexual dysfunction or reproductive concerns 2 years after diagnosis. A sizeable minority, however, does report dysfunction or reproductive concerns, which should be recognized in the follow-up care of this population. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: A strength of the study is the use of high-quality registry data and validated instruments. The lack of Swedish norms for sexual function and reproductive concerns is a possible limitation. CONCLUSION: A subgroup of young men treated for testicular cancer report sexual dysfunction or reproductive concerns approximately 2 years after diagnosis. Factors associated with these issues seem to mainly be psychological, rather than medical, nature. Ljungman L, Eriksson LE, Flynn KE, et al. Sexual Dysfunction and Reproductive Concerns in Young Men Diagnosed With Testicular Cancer: An Observational Study. J Sex Med 2019;16:1049-1059

Designing real-time, continuous emotion annotation techniques for 360° VR videos

With the increasing availability of head-mounted displays (HMDs) that show immersive 360° VR content, it is important to understand to what extent these immersive experiences can evoke emotions. Typically to collect emotion ground truth labels, users rate videos through post-experience self-reports that are discrete in nature. However, post-stimuli self-reports are temporally imprecise, especially after watching 360° videos. In this work, we design six continuous emotion annotation techniques for the Oculus Rift HMD aimed at minimizing workload and distraction. Based on a co-design session with six experts, we contribute HaloLight and DotSize, two continuous annotation methods deemed unobtrusive and easy to understand. We discuss the next challenges for evaluating the usability of these techniques, and reliability of continuous annotations

Nano-scratching resistance of highchromium white cast iron and its correlation with wear of cBN tool in machining

In this paper, a nano-scratch testing approach was used to measure and evaluate the abrasion wear resistance of high-chromium white cast irons in order to understand the wear mechanism in the interaction between the high-chromium white cast iron and the cBN cutting tool during the machining process. Scratch testing was performed on a nanoindentation instrument using a diamond indenter as the scratch tool. Linear multi-pass scratches in the same path were made on pre-worn surfaces of test materials. The correlation of the scratching resistance and tool wear measured from the machining is presented by the flank wear and maximum scratch depth. The appearance of the cutting edge on a cBN tool suggests that the abrasion wear is mainly related with a combined effect of the carbides and the matrix during machining the high-chromium white cast iron.Досліджено зносостійкість білих чавунів з високим вмістом хрому при використанні наноподряпання для того, щоб зрозуміти механізм зношування при взаємодії високохромістого білого чавуну і різального інструменту з КБН під час процесу обробки. Випробування наноподряпанням виконано на приладі для наноіндентування з використанням алмазного індентора. Лінійні багатопрохідні подряпини на одній і тій же ділянці було зроблено на попередньо зношених поверхнях матеріалів, що випробували. Кореляцію спротиву подряпанню і зносу інструменту, виміряних при точіння, визначено при порівнянні зносу фальца і максимальної глибини подряпини. Зовнішній вигляд ріжучої кромки на інструменті з cBN дозволяє припустити, що абразивний знос матеріалу в основному пов'язаний з взаємодією карбідів і матриці під час обробки високохромистого білого чавуну.Исследована износостойкость белых чугунов с высоким содержанием хрома при использовании наноцарапание для понимания механизма износа при взаимодействии высокохромистого белого чугуна и режущего инструмента из cBN во время процесса обработки. Испытания царапанием проводили на приборе наноиндентирования с использованием алмазного индентора. Линейные многопроходные царапины на одном и том же участке выполняли на предварительно изношенных поверхностях испытываемых материалов. Корреляция сопротивления царапанию и износа инструмента, измеренного при точении, показана при сравнении износа фланца и максимальной глубиной царапины. Внешний вид режущей кромки на инструменте из cBN свидетельствует о том, что абразивный износ в основном связан с взаимодействием карбидов и матрицы при обработке высокохромистого белого чугуна

Investigations of solutions of Einstein's field equations close to lambda-Taub-NUT

We present investigations of a class of solutions of Einstein's field equations close to the family of lambda-Taub-NUT spacetimes. The studies are done using a numerical code introduced by the author elsewhere. One of the main technical complication is due to the S3-topology of the Cauchy surfaces. Complementing these numerical results with heuristic arguments, we are able to yield some first insights into the strong cosmic censorship issue and the conjectures by Belinskii, Khalatnikov, and Lifschitz in this class of spacetimes. In particular, the current investigations suggest that strong cosmic censorship holds in this class. We further identify open issues in our current approach and point to future research projects.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, uses psfrag and hyperref; replaced with published version, only minor corrections of typos and reference

Detection and Identification of the Atypical Bovine Pestiviruses in Commercial Foetal Bovine Serum Batches

The recently emerging atypical bovine pestiviruses have been detected in commercial foetal bovine serum (FBS) of mainly South American origin so far. It is unclear how widely the viruses are presented in commercial FBS of different geographic origins. To further investigate the possible pestivirus contamination of commercially available FBS batches, 33 batches of FBS were obtained from ten suppliers and analysed in this study for the presence of both the recognised and the atypical bovine pestiviruses. All 33 batches of FBS were positive by real-time RT-PCR assays for at least one species of bovine pestiviruses. According to the certificate of analysis that the suppliers claimed for each batch of FBS, BVDV-1 was detected in all 11 countries and BVDV-2 was detected exclusively in the America Continent. The atypical pestiviruses were detected in 13 batches claimed to originate from five countries. Analysis of partial 5′UTR sequences showed a high similarity among these atypical bovine pestiviruses. This study has demonstrated, for the first time that commercial FBS batches of different geographic origins are contaminated not only with the recognised species BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, but also with the emerging atypical bovine pestiviruses

Intermediate inflation and the slow-roll approximation

It is shown that spatially homogeneous solutions of the Einstein equations coupled to a nonlinear scalar field and other matter exhibit accelerated expansion at late times for a wide variety of potentials $V$. These potentials are strictly positive but tend to zero at infinity. They satisfy restrictions on $V'/V$ and $V''/V'$ related to the slow-roll approximation. These results generalize Wald's theorem for spacetimes with positive cosmological constant to those with accelerated expansion driven by potentials belonging to a large class.Comment: 19 pages, results unchanged, additional backgroun