Post-mortem cardiac 3-T magnetic resonance imaging: visualization of sudden cardiac death?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (pmMRI) for the assessment of myocardial infarction and hypointensities on post-mortem T2-weighted images as a possible method for visualizing the myocardial origin of arrhythmic sudden cardiac death. BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death has challenged clinical and forensic pathologists for decades because verification on post-mortem autopsy is not possible. pmMRI as an autopsy-supporting examination technique has been shown to visualize different stages of myocardial infarction. METHODS: In 136 human forensic corpses, a post-mortem cardiac MR examination was carried out prior to forensic autopsy. Short-axis and horizontal long-axis images were acquired in situ on a 3-T system. RESULTS: In 76 cases, myocardial findings could be documented and correlated to the autopsy findings. Within these 76 study cases, a total of 124 myocardial lesions were detected on pmMRI (chronic: 25; subacute: 16; acute: 30; and peracute: 53). Chronic, subacute, and acute infarction cases correlated excellently to the myocardial findings on autopsy. Peracute infarctions (age range: minutes to approximately 1 h) were not visible on macroscopic autopsy or histological examination. Peracute infarction areas detected on pmMRI could be verified in targeted histological investigations in 62.3% of cases and could be related to a matching coronary finding in 84.9%. A total of 15.1% of peracute lesions on pmMRI lacked a matching coronary finding but presented with severe myocardial hypertrophy or cocaine intoxication facilitating a cardiac death without verifiable coronary stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: 3-T pmMRI visualizes chronic, subacute, and acute myocardial infarction in situ. In peracute infarction as a possible cause of sudden cardiac death, it demonstrates affected myocardial areas not visible on autopsy. pmMRI should be considered as a feasible post-mortem investigation technique for the deceased patient if no consent for a clinical autopsy is obtained.

Cell suspension culture and plant regeneration of a Brazilian plantain, cultivar Terra

The objective of this study was to establish cell suspension culture and plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis of a Brazilian plantain, cultivar Terra Maranhão, AAB. Immature male flowers were used as explant source for generating highly embryogenic cultures 45 days after inoculation, which were used for establishment of cell suspension culture and multiplication of secondary somatic embryos. Five semisolid culture media were tested for differentiation, maturation, somatic embryos germination and for plant regeneration. An average of 558 plants per one milliliter of 5% SCV (settled cell volume) were regenerated in the MS medium, with 11.4 µM indolacetic acid and 2.2 µM 6-benzylaminopurine. Regenerated plants showed a normal development, and no visible somaclonal variation was observed in vitro. It is possible to regenerate plants from cell suspensions of plantain banana cultivar Terra using MS medium supplemented with 11.4 µM of IAA and 2.2 µM of BAP.

Brief alcohol intervention as pragmatic intervention: Who is voluntarily taking an offered intervention?

Brief alcohol interventions (BAI) have shown the potential to decrease problematic alcohol use among adolescents and young adults. Most of the BAI studies have been efficacy trials designed to achieve high internal validity but have raised questions regarding the feasibility of large-scale implementation. Providing interventions for those voluntarily wanting them might offer an alternative, and studies using this design would be more similar to effectiveness studies. The present research compares randomly selected 20-year-old men who took part in a scientific trial (efficacy) with those who voluntarily sought an intervention (effectiveness). Sampling took place during army recruitment procedures that are mandatory for all males in Switzerland. At-risk drinking (20+ drinks per week, or more than one risky drinking occasion of 6+ drinks per month) was determined a posteriori; there was no screening. There were a higher percentage of at-risk drinkers in the volunteer arm at baseline, but at-risk drinkers did not differ from those in the trial arm on any of the assessed alcohol measures. This suggests that offering BAI on a large-scale, voluntary basis may reach at-risk drinkers as effectively as do more scientifically oriented trials, without needing to adhere to screening and stringent research procedures. Nevertheless, BAI was more effective for at-risk drinkers who were invited for trial participation versus those who volunteered. This could be due to behavior that is already consolidated and is difficult to change. Lacking further modifications, real-world implementations of BAI for young men may be less effective than randomized controlled trials designed to test the efficacy of BAI.

Inhibition of fas death signals by FLIPs.

The death receptor Fas is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family; upon interaction with its ligand it efficiently activates caspases and induces apoptosis. Despite abundant Fas surface expression, however, Fas death-signals are frequently interrupted. Many viruses express antiapoptotic proteins, including caspase inhibitors, Bcl-2 homologues and death-effector-domain-containing proteins that are termed FLIPs (FLICE [Fas-associated death-domain-like IL-1beta-converting enzyme]-inhibitory proteins). Cellular homologues of these inhibitors have been identified. Cellular FLIPs structurally resemble caspase-8 except that they lack proteolytic activity. FLIPs are highly expressed in tumor cells, T lymphocytes and healthy, but not injured, myocytes; this suggests a critical role of FLIPs as endogenous modulators of apoptosis.

Toxicokinetic modeling of folpet fungicide and its ring-biomarkers of exposure in humans.

A human in vivo toxicokinetic model was built to allow a better understanding of the toxicokinetics of folpet fungicide and its key ring biomarkers of exposure: phthalimide (PI), phthalamic acid (PAA) and phthalic acid (PA). Both PI and the sum of ring metabolites, expressed as PA equivalents (PAeq), may be used as biomarkers of exposure. The conceptual representation of the model was based on the analysis of the time course of these biomarkers in volunteers orally and dermally exposed to folpet. In the model, compartments were also used to represent the body burden of folpet and experimentally relevant PI, PAA and PA ring metabolites in blood and in key tissues as well as in excreta, hence urinary and feces. The time evolution of these biomarkers in each compartment of the model was then mathematically described by a system of coupled differential equations. The mathematical parameters of the model were then determined from best fits to the time courses of PI and PAeq in blood and urine of five volunteers administered orally 1 mg kg(-1) and dermally 10 mg kg(-1) of folpet. In the case of oral administration, the mean elimination half-life of PI from blood (through feces, urine or metabolism) was found to be 39.9 h as compared with 28.0 h for PAeq. In the case of a dermal application, mean elimination half-life of PI and PAeq was estimated to be 34.3 and 29.3 h, respectively. The average final fractions of administered dose recovered in urine as PI over the 0-96 h period were 0.030 and 0.002%, for oral and dermal exposure, respectively. Corresponding values for PAeq were 24.5 and 1.83%, respectively. Finally, the average clearance rate of PI from blood calculated from the oral and dermal data was 0.09 ± 0.03 and 0.13 ± 0.05 ml h(-1) while the volume of distribution was 4.30 ± 1.12 and 6.05 ± 2.22 l, respectively. It was not possible to obtain the corresponding values from PAeq data owing to the lack of blood time course data.

1010-005 Bloody Run Creek Watershed Final Report

The City of Marquette lies in the 65,000 acre Mississippi River watershed, and is surrounded by steep bluffs. Though scenic, controlling water runoff during storm events presents significant challenges. Flash-flooding from the local watershed has plagued the city for decades. The people of Marquette have committed to preserve the water quality of key natural resources in the area including the Bloody Run Creek and associated wetlands by undertaking projects to control the spread of debris and sediment caused by excess runoff during area storm events. Following a July 2007 storm (over 8” of rain in 24 hours) which caused unprecedented flood damage, the City retained an engineering firm to study the area and provide recommendations to eliminate or greatly reduce uncontrolled runoff into the Bloody Run Creek wetland, infrastructure damage and personal property loss. Marquette has received Iowa Great Places designation, and has demonstrated its commitment to wetland preservation with the construction of Phase I of this water quality project. The Bench Area Storm Water Management Plan prepared by the City in 2008 made a number of recommendations to mitigate flash flooding by improving storm water conveyance paths, detention, and infrastructure within the Bench area. Due to steep slopes and rocky geography, infiltration based systems, though desirable, would not be an option over surface based systems. Runoff from the 240 acre watershed comes primarily from large, steep drainage areas to the south and west, flowing to the Bench area down three hillside routes; designated as South East, South Central and South West. Completion of Phase I, which included an increased storage capacity of the upper pond, addressed the South East and South Central areas. The increased upper pond capacity will now allow Phase II to proceed. Phase II will address runoff from the South West drainage area; which engineers have estimated to produce as much water volume as the South Central and South East areas combined. Total costs for Phase I are $1.45 million, of which Marquette has invested $775,000, and IJOBS funding contributed $677,000. Phase II costs are estimated at $617,000. WIRB funding support of $200,000 would expedite project completion, lessen the long term debt impact to the community and aid in the preservation of the Bloody Run Creek and adjoining wetlands more quickly than Marquette could accomplish on its own.

Pontificale parisiense [Pontifical dit de Poitiers ou de Vierzon].

Sur le feuillet de garde A, cette note autographe de Mabillon : « Hic codex optimae notae scriptus est ante annos circiter octingentos. Multa scitu digna continet, maxime in triduo ante Pascha. In litaniis sabbati sancti fit supplicatio pro congregatione S. Petri, quem patronum habet Pictavensis ecclesia. Invocantur etiam in iisdem sanctus Hilarius et sancta Radegundis, qui praecipue ad ecclesiam Pictavensem pertinent ; sed nulla mentio de aliis sanctis ejusdem dioecesis. Haec scripsi XI kal. decembris an. 1695. — F. J. M. » Fol. 1 : « Benedictio episcoporum. — Consecratio ». Fol. 2 : « Oratio ad ordinandum praesbiterum. — Consecratio. ». Fol. 3 : « Oratio ad ordinandum diaconum. — Consecratio. » Fol. 4 : « Ordo qualiter in Romana ecclesia praesbiteri, diaconi, subdiaconi ordinandi sunt. » Fol. 5 : « Ordinatio subdiaconi ». Fol. 5v° : « Ordinatio ostiarii. » Fol. 6 : « Ordinatio lectoris ». Fol. 6v° : « Ordinatio exorcistae ». Fol. 7 : « Ordinatio acoliti ». Fol. 7v° : « Incipit ordo qualiter publice vel specialiter agitur modus paenitentiae secundum censuram ecclesiasticam, quod quarta feria quinquagesime inchoatur ». Fol. 8v° : « Confessio pura coram Deo et angelis et coram omnibus sanctis » : — de superbia (fol. 12) ; de inani gloria (fol. 13) ; de invidia (fol. 13 vo) ; de ira (fol. 14 vo) ; de tristitia (fol. 15) ; de avaricia (fol. 16) ; de ventris ingluvie (fol. 20) ; de luxuria (fol. 23). Fol. 40v° : « Missa pro paenitentibus et confitentibus, sive unus sive plures fuerint ». Fol. 43 : « Denunciatio scrutinii quod tertia ebdomada in quadragesima secunda feria iniciatur ». Fol. 43v° : « Oratio super electos ad catecuminum faciendum ». Fol. 44 : « Benedictio salis dandi caticuminis. » — Prières et exhortations aux catéchumènes. Explication des évangiles. Fol. 54-56 : Le Credo, en grec avec traduction latine au-dessus. La traduction est faite de mot à mot. Pour l'article grec, le traducteur s'est contenté de mettre au-dessus, dans le texte latin, ces lettres ar. (articulus). Fol. 58v° : Explication du Pater. Fol. 60v° : « Incipit missa primi scrutinii ». Fol. : 63 : « Alia missa de secundo scrutinio ». Fol. 66v° : « Missa de tertio scrutinio ». Fol. 70 : « Sabbato ante diem Palmarum ». Fol. 72 : « Dominica indulgentiae quae est dies Palmarum ». Fol. 73 : Les 36 premiers vers de la pièce Gloria, laus de Théodulfe, évêque d'Orléans (Henry Martin signale l'éd. qu'en a fait Duemmler dans les Poetae latini aevi carolini, t. I, p. 558 : « Gloria, laus et honor tibi sit, Christe redemptor, Cui puerile decus promsit osanna pium. Israhel es tu rex Davidis et inclita proles, Nomine qui in Domini, rex benedicte, venis... » Fol. 95 :« Feria II post Palmas ». Fol. 98v° : « Feria tertia ». Fol. 130 : « Feria V, quae est cena Domini ». Fol. 141v° : « Alia missa eodem die, si plures ad reconciliandum venerint ». Fol. 154 : « Missa chrismalis ». Fol. 160 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Denys, Quentin, Julien, Géréon, Hilaire, Martin, Aignan, Benoît, Cloud [Clodoald], Ste Geneviève. Fol. 170v° : « Benedictio chrismatis principalis ». Fol. 171 : « Exorcismus olei ad baptizandos ». Fol. 173v° : In cena Domini de Flavius, évêque: « Versus Flavii episcopi ad mandatum in cena Domini ». « Tellus a cethra jubilent in magni cena principis, Que protoplasti pectora vite purgavit ferculo ; Hac nocte factor omnium potenti sat mysterio Carnem suam cum sanguine in escam transfert anime. — Tellus. » Fol. 174 : « Item versus Bedae » (Bède). « Fuit Domini dilectus languens a Bethania Lazarus beatus sacris olim cum sororibus quas Jhesus eternus Amor diligebat plurimum Martham simul et Mariam, felices per secula. » Fol. 174v° : « Feria VI quae est Parasceve ». Fol. 192v° : « Pange lingua gloriosi Proelium certaminis ». Fol. 193 : « Incipit de sabbato sancto. — Ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 200v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Quentin, Cucuphat, Julien, Lucien, Hilaire, Martin, Benoît, Germain, Columban, Samson ; SStes Geneviève, Brigitte, Colombe, Radegonde, Aldegonde. — A noter aussi (fol. 201 vo) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut illum abbatem et cunctam congregationem sancti illius in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris... » Fol. 202 : « Benedictio cerei. — Exultet jam angelica turba coelorum. Exultent divina mysteria... », avec neumes. Fol. 208 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Hilaire, Martin, Ambroise, Maur, Maurille, Lezin, évêque d'Angers ; SStes Blandine, Nathalie. Fol. 210 : « Inde canitur hic versus : »« Urbs beata Hierusalem, dicta pacis visio, que construitur in celis vivis ex lapidibus... » Fol. 210v° : « Benedictio fontis ». Fol. 213 : vers « Tibi laus perennis auctor baptismatis... » Fol. 213v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Martin, Brice, Médard, Vaast, Germain, Marcel, Hilaire ; SStes Reine, Julienne, Gertrude, Colombe, Geneviève, Afre, Radegonde, Aldegonde, Darie, Brigitte, Paule. — A noter (fol. 215) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut congregationem sancti Petri in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris ». Fol. 223 : « Finit ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 227 : Le jour de Pâques. Fol. 230v° : « Feria II ». Fol. 241 : « Feria quinta ». Fol. 245v° : « Feria VI ». Fol. 248 : « Sabbato ». Fol. 252v° : « In octavis Paschae ». Fol. 256v° : « Missa in octavis Paschae pro baptizatis ». Fol. 257v° : « Missa pro parroechias in diebus paschalibus... ». Fol. 258v° : « Fides catholica continens credulitatem... » Fol. 269 : « Missa pro conjugibus sterilitate infecundis in procreatione prolis ». Fol. 273v° : « Orationes ad benedicendam aquam aspergendam in domo. — Exorcismus salis ». Fol. 274 : « Benedictio salis. — Exorcismus aque. — Benedictio aque ». Fol. 274v° : « Benedictio salis et aquae... » etc. Fol. 275 : « Exorcismus salis et aquae contra fulgura ». Fol. 276 : « Benedictio salis ad pecora. — Orationes ad clericum faciendum ». Fol. 276v° : « Benedictio putei ». Fol. 277 : « Benedictio frugum novarum ». Fol. 277v° : « Benedictio panis. — Oratio ad capillarum (sic). — Alia ad tonsorandum puerum ». Fol. 278 : « Oratio post tonsionem. — Oratio ad barbas tondendas ». Fol. 278 : « lncipit actio pontificalis ad... » . Le verso du feuillet 279 est tout à fait effacé. Neumes français, du IXe s., aux f. 202-204 (l'Exultet) ; addition du Xe s. au f. 203 v° (Bernard).

Hépatite B et migrants: doit-on mieux faire? [Hepatitis B and migrants: should we do better?].

More than 5% of the world's population lives with chronic hepatitis B. Migrants, particularly asylum seekers, are mostly from middle and high endemic regions. In Switzerland, however, no systematic screening of chronic hepatitis B is proposed to them. In a resolution published in 2010 the WHO encourages vaccination, but also screening of people at risk, as well as care of infected individuals. On the basis of a study conducted in asylum seekers in the canton of Vaud, prevalence of Ac antiHBc is estimated at 42% and HBsAg at 8%. Possible screening strategies and care are discussed in the light of these data. Identifying infected migrants would give them access to medical care and therefore lower the rate of complications, as well as the transmission of the virus between migrants and the local population.

Cross-sectional analysis of testosterone therapies in hypopituitary men on stable pituitary hormone replacement.

OBJECTIVE: The last decade has seen a proliferation in options for testosterone replacement. However, little is known as to the benefits of different treatment modalities. Our objective was to determine the testosterone prescription pattern and to examine the impact on various outcome measures. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 816 adult-onset hypopituitary males on stable pituitary replacement for at least 1 year were identified from the KIMS database. Patients were classified as either eugonadal (n = 106), or hypogonadal (n = 710) on intramuscular (IM, n = 558), oral (n = 74), transdermal (n = 61), and depot (n = 17) testosterone. RESULTS: After 1 year of stable pituitary replacement therapy, body composition, cardiovascular parameters, GH replacement and quality of life were not significantly different in androgen-replaced hypogonadal patients compared to eugonadal patients. There were no differences in outcome variables within the hypogonadal group according to the testosterone replacement regimen used and no difference in response to GH therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of hypopituitary patients in the last decade have received IM testosterone. Body composition, cardiovascular parameters, GH replacement and quality of life were not different between eugonadal and hypogonadal patients and were not differentially affected by the mode of testosterone replacement. These findings are reassuring that there is no major difference in response to different testosterone replacement regimens.

Diferenciação floral do abacaxizeiro cv. SNG-3 em função da idade da planta e da aplicação do carbureto de cálcio

Objetivando determinar a influência de carbureto de cálcio na diferenciação floral do abacaxizeiro, cv. SNG-3, nas condições de Rio Branco-AC, foi realizado um experimento, no período de 05/1999 a 12/2000, utilizando-se de mudas tipo filhote selecionadas por peso (250-300 gramas), plantadas em 12 de maio de 1999. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial, sendo combinados os fatores idades de indução (8; 10 e 12 meses após o plantio) e horários de aplicação manhã (7h 30 ± 20') e tarde (15h 30 ± 20'), além da testemunha (indução natural). A indução foi feita com carbureto de cálcio, em pedras com peso médio de 0,8 g/planta em única aplicação. O carbureto de cálcio estimulou a floração do abacaxizeiro, com melhor resposta, quando aplicado a partir dos 10 meses do plantio, antecipando a colheita em 100 dias. A indução floral mais tardia, aos 10 e 12 meses de idade, favorece a produção de frutos mais pesados, menos ácidos e com maior teor de sólidos solúveis, com ciclos de 475 dias a 558 dias, respectivamente. O horário de aplicação do carbureto de cálcio, pela manhã, influenciou a altura e a floração das plantas, sem alterar a qualidade (peso, acidez e SST) dos frutos de abacaxi cv. SNG-3.

Competitiveness Comparison of the Electricity Production Alternatives

The competitiveness comparison is carried out for merely electricity producing alternatives. In Finland, further construction of CHP (combined heat and power) power plants will continue and cover part of the future power supply deficit, but also new condensing power plant capacity will be needed. The following types of power plants are studied: - nuclear power plant, - coal-fired condensing power plant - combined cycle gas turbine plant, - peat-fired condensing power plant. - wood-fired condensing power plant - wind power plant The calculations have been made using the annuity method with a real interest rate of 5 % perannum and with a fixed price level as of March 2003. With the annual full load utilization time of 8000 hours the nuclear electricity would cost 23,7 ¤/MWh, the gas based electricity 32,3 ¤/MWh and coal based electricity 28,1 ¤/MWh. If the influence of emission trading is taken into account,the advantage of the nuclear power will still be improved. Inorder to study the impact of changes in the input data, a sensitivity analysis has been carried out. It reveals that the advantage of the nuclear power is quite clear. E.g. the nuclear electricity is rather insensitive tothe changes of the uranium price, whereas for natural gas alternative the rising trend of gas price causes the greatest risk.

Catalogue des manuscrits chinois de Touen-Houang. Volume IV, Nos 3501-4000 : fonds Pelliot chinois de la Bibliothèque nationale / [réd. sous la dir. de Michel Soymié ; publ. de l'Équipe de recherche sur les manuscrits de Dunhouang, École pratique des hautes études]

Collection : Publications hors série de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient