The dynamometer hub

The construction of the dynamometer hub is illustrated and explained, and its electrical and aviation motor tests, as well as those in free flight, described

Stieber Dynamometer Hub for Aircraft Propellers

The knowledge gained from previous experiments and reports was utilized for the construction of a dynamometer hub for 200 mkg (134.4 ft.-lb.) and 1200 kg (2646 lb.) thrust suited for a Liberty "12" engine. A reversing device is also described

Alternative antibody for the detection of CA125 antigen: a European multicenter study for the evaluation of the analytical and clinical performance of the Access (R) OV Monitor assay on the UniCel (R) Dxl 800 Immunoassay System

Background: Cancer antigen CA125 is known as a valuable marker for the management of ovarian cancer. Methods: The analytical and clinical performance of the Access OV Monitor Immunoassay System (Beckman Coulter) was evaluated at five different European sites and compared with a reference system, defined as CA125 on the Elecsys System (Roche Diagnostics). Results: Total imprecision (%CV) of the OV Monitor ranged between 3.1% and 8.8%, and inter-laboratory reproducibility between 4.7% and 5.0%. Linearity upon dilution showed a mean recovery of 100% (SD+8.1%). Endogenous interferents had no influence on OV Monitor levels (mean recoveries: hemoglobin 107%, bilirubin 103%, triglycericles 103%). There was no high-dose hook effect up to 27,193 kU/L. Clinical performance investigated in sera from 1811 individuals showed a good correlation between the Access OV Monitor and Elecsys CA125 (R = 0.982, slope = 0.921, intercept = + 1.951). OV Monitor serum levels were low in healthy individuals (n = 267, median = 9.7 kU/L, 95th percentile = 30.8 kU/L), higher in individuals with various benign diseases (n = 549, medians = 10.9-16.4 kU/L, 95th percentiles = 44.2-355 kU/L) and even higher in individuals suffering from various cancers (n = 995, medians= 12.4-445 kU/L; 95th percentiles = 53.4-4664 kU/L). Optimal diagnostic accuracy for cancer detection against the relevant benign control group by the OV Monitor was found for ovarian cancer {[}area under the curve (AUC) 0.898]. Results for the reference CA125 assay were comparable (AUC 0.899). Conclusions: The Access OV Monitor provides very good methodological characteristics and demonstrates an excellent analytical and clinical correlation with Elecsys CA125. The best diagnostic accuracy for the OV Monitor was found in ovarian cancer. Our results also suggest a clinical value of the OV Monitor in other cancers

Cadaveric renal transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh: a two and one-half-year experience with the point system.

From January 1, 1986 to July 30, 1988, 530 consecutive cadaver kidney transplantations were performed with patient selection by a point system that took into account time awaiting an organ, donor-recipient matching, degree of presensitization, and some less important factors. The effect of the system was to diminish judgmental factors in case selection which in the past, had probably operated to the disadvantage of "undesirable" potential recipients, including older ones. Primary 1-year graft survival (74%) and graft survival after retransplantation (71%) were lower than in the earlier time. However, the results with triple-drug therapy using CsA, AZA and P demonstrated 88% 1-year graft survival for primary graft recipients and 74% in highly sensitized patients, with comparable patient mortality. These latter observations provide some assurance that the concepts of equitable access and efficient utilization of a scarce resource are not mutually exclusive

Peter Borowsky, Member of the Department of History in Recurring Visits

Am 13. Oktober 2000 starb der Historiker Peter Borowsky, ein "Schüler" Fritz Fischers, im Alter von 62 Jahren. Nahezu vier Jahrzehnte hat er an der Universität Hamburg gewirkt: als Student, Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, Wissenschaftlicher Oberrat und Privatdozent für Neuere und Neueste Geschichte. Im Jahre 1996 wurde ihm der Titel "Professor" verliehen; eine Professorenstelle jedoch blieb ihm verwehrt. Als Autor auflagenstarker Geschichtswerke erreichte Peter Borowsky ein großes Publikum. Die gemeinsam mit Barbara Vogel und Heide Wunder verfasste, 1975 erstmals erschienene Einführung in die Geschichtswissenschaft ist bis heute ein wissenschaftlicher "Bestseller"; Borowskys Hitler-Biographie für Jugendliche und seine Überblicksdarstellungen zur Deutschen Geschichte nach 1945 erlebten ebenfalls zahlreiche Auflagen. Der Schwerpunkt seines Wirkens aber lag in der akademischen Lehre, in der er Herausragendes leistete. Generationen von Geschichtsstudierenden wurden von ihm unterrichtet, betreut und geprägt – an der Universität Hamburg wie am Smith College, Northampton/Massachusetts, wo der Gelehrte seit 1974 regelmäßig eine Gastprofessur wahrnahm. Die Partnerschaft zwischen diesen beiden Hochschulen wurde von Peter Borowsky geradezu verkörpert. Die akademischen Gedenkveranstaltungen zu seinen Ehren – im Februar 2001 an der Universität Hamburg und im folgenden Monat am Smith College – vermittelten davon einen bewegenden Eindruck. Eine Auswahl der dort sowie zuvor bei der Trauerfeier auf dem Friedhof Nienstedten gehaltenen Reden ist in diesem Heft zusammengefasst. Zeitgleich ist am 3. Juni 2003, dem 65. Geburtstag Peter Borowskys, eine umfangreiche Gedenkschrift erschienen, deren Titel Lebendige Sozialgeschichte Borowskys Forschungsfelder inhaltlich wie methodisch andeuten und zugleich seine besondere Art, Geschichte zu vermitteln, akzentuieren soll.On October 13, 2000 the historian Peter Borowsky, a "pupil" of Fritz Fischer, died at the age of 62. He has worked at the University of Hamburg for almost four decades: as a student, research assistant, senior scientific officer and private lecturer for modern and contemporary history. In 1996, he was awarded the title of "Professor"; however, he was denied a professorship. As an author of high-circulation historical works, Peter Borowsky reached a large audience. Written jointly with Barbara Vogel and Heide Wunder, the introduction to history first published in 1975 is still a scientific "best-seller"to this day; Borowsky\u27s Hitler biography for young people and his overview of German history after 1945 also experienced numerous editions. However, the focus of his work was on academic teaching, in which he achieved outstanding results. Generations of history students were taught, supervised and shaped by him - at the University of Hamburg as well as at Smith College, Northampton/Massachusetts, where the scholar has regularly held a visiting professorship since 1974. The partnership between these two universities was embodied by Peter Borowsky. The academic commemoration ceremonies in his honour - in February 2001 at the University of Hamburg and the following month at Smith College - conveyed a moving impression. A selection of the speeches given there and previously at the funeral service at the Nienstedten cemetery is summarized in this booklet. At the same time, an extensive commemorative volume was published on June 3, 2003, the 65th anniversary of Peter Borowsky\u27s birth, the title "Lebendige Sozialgeschichte. Borowskys Forschungsfelder" (Living Social History. Borowskys Research Fields) is intended to emphasize the content and methodology of Borowsky\u27s work and at the same time to accentuate his special way of conveying history

Liver transplantation: an unfinished product.

Liver transplantation has become an extraordinarily valuable and useful operation, but one that is not perfect and that has not been exploited to anything like its full potential. Better immunosuppression may become available soon as exemplified by developments with the Japanese drug, FK506. Improved preservation with the UW solution is already here. With these advantages, liver transplantation is certain to become far more widely used than at any time in the past. Examples were cited of innovative approaches using liver transplantation for the treatment of hepatic malignancies

Determinants of Capital Structure in Non-Financial Companies

In this paper, we evaluate firm-, industry- and country-specific factors determining a firm's capital structure. The empirical validity of several capital structure theories has been ambiguous so far. We shed light on the main drivers of leverage and depict differences in industry and country characteristics. Using a short panel data set with a large cross-section, we are able to show that firm size, industry leverage, industry growth and tax shield positively affect leverage ratios, while profitability and liquidity have negative impacts. Moreover, our model is an improvement over Rajan and Zingales' (1995) four-factor core model in terms of explaining data variation. The results are robust against different panel estimators, decompositions and over time

Sinnvoller Einsatz von Tumormarkern

Tumor markers refer to all detectable and measurable analytes which are able to indicate a solid tumor or contribute to its characterization or judgment concerning tumor spread and therapy efficacy. Among the markers, humoral circulating tumor substances, such as precursors of normal antigens, ectopically produced hormones or enzymes, ontogenetic old reactivated antigens, hybridoma-defined mucins and cytokeratins are of special interest. Up to now, no tumor specific biomarker has been detected, all markers known so far are physiological components of blood; thus, their diagnostic capacity is more related to quantity than to quality. The tumor marker concentration depends on the tumor blood supply and reflects tumor mass and tumor spread as a sum of marker expression, synthesis, release, the catabolism of the organism, as well as the marker excretion. Changes in biomarker levels without correlation to tumor load can be due to impairment of the liver and kidney function or due to invasive diagnostic methods (endoscopy, biopsy, ureteral catheter) or due to acute reactions on treatment (surgery, radio-chemotherapy). Due to problems with standardization between assays from different producers measuring the same antigen, interpretation of biomarkers of single measurements, such as PSA (prostate specific antigen), must be performed using assay specific reference ranges and interpretation of serial measurements must be performed using the identical assay. The test result has to be indicated together with the assay used (kit and producer). Among the potential indications for tumor marker determinations, the early detection or screening of a tumor is unrealistic - except PSA in prostate cancer detection. In rare cases, biomarkers can be helpful in tumor localization (HTG (human thyreoglobuline), PSA) and support of primary diagnosis, the knowledge about their prognostic relevance is increasing, the most widely used indication is therapy control and follow-up care in context with medical imaging. Provided that markers are critically selected following the localization of the tumor, that serial determinations are performed using the identical assay and that the clinical question is relevant, tumor markers contribute to a significant degree to diagnosis, prognosis, therapy control and early detection of metastatic or recurrent disease. Especially in the field of diagnostic oncology, the quality of the investigator is significantly linked to the quality of the test result

Technical performance and diagnostic utility of the new Elecsys (R) neuron-specific enolase enzyme immunoassay

This international multicenter study was designed to evaluate the technical performance of the new double-monoclonal, single-step Elecsys neuron-specific enolase (NSE) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and to assess its utility as a sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Intra and interassay coefficients of variation, determined in five control or serum specimens in six laboratories, ranged from 0.7 to 5.3 (interlaboratory median: 1.3%) and from 1.3 to 8.5 (interlaboratory median: 3.4%), respectively. Laboratory-to-laboratory comparability was excellent with respect to recovery and interassay coefficients of variation. The test was linear between 0.0 and 320 ng/ml (highest measured concentration). There was a significant correlation between NSE concentrations measured using the Elecsys NSE and the established Cobas Core NSE EIA II in all subjects (n=723) and in patients with lung cancer (n=333). However, NSE concentrations were systematically lower (approximately 9%) with the Elecsys NSE than with the comparison test. Based on a specificity of 95% in comparison with the group suffering from benign lung diseases (n=183), the cutoff value for the discrimination between malignant and benign conditions was set at 21.6 ng/ml. NSE was raised in 73.4% of SCLC patients (n=188) and was significantly higher (p<0.01) in extensive (87.8%) as opposed to limited disease (56.7%). NSE was also elevated in 16.0% of the cases with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, n=374). It is concluded that the Elecsys NSE EIA is a reliable and accurate diagnostic procedure for the measurement of NSE in serum samples. The special merits of this new assay are the wide measuring range (according to manufacturers declaration up to 370 ng/ml) and a short incubation time of 18 min

Combined numerical and experimental investigation of the micro-hydrodynamics of chevron-based textured patterns influencing conjunctional friction of sliding contacts

Reciprocating and low-speed sliding contacts can experience increased friction because of solid boundary interactions. Use of surface texturing has been shown to mitigate undue boundary friction and improve energy efficiency. A combined numerical and experimental investigation is presented to ascertain the beneficial effect of pressure perturbation caused by micro-hydrodynamics of entrapped reservoirs of lubricant in cavities of textured forms as well as improved micro-wedge flow. The results show good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental measurements using a precision sliding rig with a floating bed-plate. Results show that the texture pattern and distribution can be optimised for given conditions, dependent on the intended application under laboratory conditions. The translation of the same into practical in-field applications must be carried out in conjunction with the cost of fabrication and perceived economic gain. This means that near optimal conditions may suffice for most application areas and in practice lesser benefits may accrue than that obtained under ideal laboratory conditions