Measurement of the ultrasonic properties of human coronary arteries in vitro with a 50-MHz acoustic microscope

Ultrasonic attenuation coefficient, wave propagation speed and integrated backscatter coefficient (IBC) of human coronary arteries were measured in vitro over the -6 dB frequency bandwidth (36 to 67 MHz) of a focused ultrasound transducer (50 MHz, focal distance 5.7 mm, f/number 1.7). Corrections were made for diffraction effects. Normal and diseased coronary artery sub-samples (N = 38) were obtained from 10 individuals at autopsy. The measured mean ± SD of the wave speed (average over the entire vessel wall thickness) was 1581.04 ± 53.88 m/s. At 50 MHz, the average attenuation coefficient was 4.99 ± 1.33 dB/mm with a frequency dependence term of 1.55 ± 0.18 determined over the 36- to 67-MHz frequency range. The IBC values were: 17.42 ± 13.02 (sr.m)-1 for thickened intima, 11.35 ± 6.54 (sr.m)-1 for fibrotic intima, 39.93 ± 50.95 (sr.m)-1 for plaque, 4.26 ± 2.34 (sr.m)-1 for foam cells, 5.12 ± 5.85 (sr.m)-1 for media and 21.26 ± 31.77 (sr.m)-1 for adventitia layers. The IBC results indicate the possibility for ultrasound characterization of human coronary artery wall tissue layer, including the situations of diseased arteries with the presence of thickened intima, fibrotic intima and plaque. The mean IBC normalized with respect to the mean IBC of the media layer seems promising for use as a parameter to differentiate a plaque or a thickened intima from a fibrotic intima.

Arctic Sea : Behring Strait : sheet III 1853 : additions to 1855

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

South America east coast : sheet III : Cabo do Norte to Maranham

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Brazil : River Pará (the eastern branch of the R. Amazona)

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Yang-Tse-Kiang : from the sea to Nanking

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Mer des Indes : côte occidentale de l'Hindoustan de Bombay à Calicut : Archipel des Laquedives

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Islands in the Southern Indian Ocean

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

The South Shetland and South Orkney Islands with the tracks of the several discoverers 1819 to 1843

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

South Pacific Ocean

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Bay of Bengal : a survey of the sea face of the Soondurbuns

Kartta kuuluu A. E. Nordenskiöldin kokoelmaan

Breathing pattern and thoracoabdominal motion during exercise in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) present breathing pattern and thoracoabdominal motion abnormalities that may contribute to exercise limitation. Twenty-two men with stable COPD (FEV1 = 42.6 ± 13.5% predicted; age 68 ± 8 years; mean ± SD) on usual medication and with at least 5 years of diagnosis were evaluated at rest and during an incremental cycle exercise test (10 watts/2 min). Changes in respiratory frequency, tidal volume, rib cage and abdominal motion contribution to tidal volume and the phase angle that measures the asynchrony were analyzed by inductive respiratory plethysmography at rest and during three levels of exercise (30-50, 70-80, and 100% maximal work load). Repeated measures ANOVA followed by pre-planned contrasts and Bonferroni corrections were used for analyses. As expected, the greater the exercise intensity the higher the tidal volume and respiratory frequency. Abdominal motion contributed to the tidal volume increase (rest: 49.82 ± 11.19% vs exercise: 64.15 ± 9.7%, 63.41 ± 10%, and 65.56 ± 10.2%, respectively, P < 0.001) as well as the asynchrony [phase angle: 11.95 ± 7.24° at rest vs 22.2 ± 15° (P = 0.002), 22.6 ± 9° (P < 0.001), and 22.7 ± 8° (P < 0.001), respectively, at the three levels of exercise]. In conclusion, the increase in ventilation during exercise in COPD patients was associated with the major motion of the abdominal compartment and with an increase in the asynchrony independent of exercise intensity. It suggests that cycling exercise is an effective way of enhancing ventilation in COPD patients.

Antiphonarium (MS A.ö.II.29, Ilmajoen antifonarium)

Complete critical and codicological description of the book and its contents available in the Codices Fennici -database.

The debt crisis: a re-appraisal

The 1980s' debt crisis is a landmark in developing economies' growth and stabilization. According to the most quoted empirical articles, external shocks and vicissitudes gave rise to crisis just because of delays in stabilization policies, engendered by internal conflicts and institutional immaturity. I review some of these papers, and find out some problems - in the measurement of shocks and foreign indebtedness, namely - whose corrections lead to opposite results: external shocks and foreign indebtedness explain that crisis regardless of domestic policies. At the same time, the strong correlation of income distribution to terms of trade changes and foreign indebtedness suggest that inequality may have contributed differently to that crisis: either through an economic channel, or through a political channel based on delays in reforms.

The new international financial crisis: causes, consequences and perspectives

The paper investigates the recent financial crisis within a historical and comparative perspective having in mind that it is ultimately a confidence crisis, initially associated to a chain of high risk loans and financial innovations that spread thorough the international system culminating with impressive wealth losses. The financial market will eventually recover from the crisis but the outcome should be followed by a different and more disciplined set of international institutions. There will be a change on how we perceive the widespread liberal argument that the market is always efficient, or at least, more efficient than any State intervention, overcoming the false perception that the State is in opposition to the market. A deep financial crisis brings out a period of wealth losses and an adjustment process characterized by price corrections (commodities and equity price deflation) and real effects (recession and lower employment), and a period of turbulences and end of illusions is in place.

Vetus Testamentum, pars.

Ce volume a été relié avec le BnF, Ms., Latin 104 pour former une bible complète, mais il semble que ces deux manuscrits ont été réalisés séparément, à une date et par un atelier différent. F. B, plusieurs notes du XIIIe siècle de mains différentes : au centre du feuillet : "Anno MCIII (sic) setagesimo IIII fu la fami per tutto lu mundu, et vauze lu tumenu de lu granu tr. XII" ; "Pahnutius humilis servus vestre sanctitatis".Au bas du feuillet : "Pahnutius humilis servus vestre sanctitatis" ; "Religioso viro venerabili abbati Santi Stephani de Nemore, salutem in Domino" ; "apnutius". F. 1, titre du XIIIe siècle : "Incipit epistula sancti Jeronimi presbiteri ad Paulinum de studio Scripturarum." Le manuscrit contient : Genesis (4) ; Exodus (20v) ; Levit. (34) ; Numeri (44v) ; Deuteron. (59) ; Josue (73) ; Judices (81v) ; Ruth (90) ; Reg. I-IV (91) ; Isaias (136) ; Jeremias (152) ; Baruch (170v) ; Jeremiae Lament. et Oratio (173, 174v) ; Ezechiel (175) ; Daniel (191v) ; XII Proph. min. (199).Avec prologues et « capitula » (sauf aux f. 90, 136, 152, 175, 192 et 199) . Quelques leçons en marge. F. 1-3v: Frater Ambrosius tua mihi munuscula perferens destulit...-... scripti sunt libri in latinum eos transferre sermonem. Explicit prefatio.F. 3v, tablesF. 4-124. "In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram ...-... et percutiam terram anathemate. Explicit Malachias propheta.