Interaction of alcohol and smoking in the pathogenesis of upper digestive tract cancers - possible chemoprevention with cysteine

Background: Alcohol consumption and smoking are the main causes of upper digestive tract cancers. These risk factors account for over 75% of all cases in developed countries. Epidemiological studies have shown that alcohol and tobacco interact in a multiplicative way to the cancer risk, but the pathogenetic mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Strong experimental and human genetic linkage data suggest that acetaldehyde is one of the major factors behind the carcinogenic effect. In the digestive tract, acetaldehyde is mainly formed by microbial metabolism of ethanol. Acetaldehyde is also a major constituent of tobacco smoke. Thus, acetaldehyde from both of these sources may have an interacting carcinogenic effect in the human upper digestive tract. Aims: The first aim of this thesis was to investigate acetaldehyde production and exposure in the human mouth resulting from alcohol ingestion and tobacco smoking in vivo. Secondly, specific L-cysteine products were prepared to examine their efficacy in the binding of salivary acetaldehyde in order to reduce the exposure of the upper digestive tract to acetaldehyde. Methods: Acetaldehyde levels in saliva were measured from human volunteers during alcohol metabolism, during tobacco smoking and during the combined use of alcohol and tobacco. The ability of L-cysteine to eliminate acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism and tobacco smoking was also investigated with specifically developed tablets. Also the acetaldehyde production of Escherichia coli - an important member of the human microbiota - was measured in different conditions prevailing in the digestive tract. Results and conclusions: These studies established that smokers have significantly increased acetaldehyde exposure during ethanol consumption even when not actively smoking. Acetaldehyde exposure was dramatically further increased during active tobacco smoking. Thus, the elevated aerodigestive tract cancer risk observed in smokers and drinkers may be the result of the increased acetaldehyde exposure. Acetaldehyde produced in the oral cavity during ethanol challenge was significantly decreased by a buccal L-cysteine -releasing tablet. Also smoking-derived acetaldehyde could be totally removed by using a tablet containing L-cysteine. In conclusion, this thesis confirms the essential role of acetaldehyde in the pathogenesis of alcohol- and smoking-induced cancers. This thesis presents a novel experimental approach to decrease the local acetaldehyde exposure of the upper digestive tract with L-cysteine, with the eventual goal of reducting the prevalence of upper digestive tract cancers.

Variations in paediatric upper respiratory surgery rates within and between two Nordic countries

Lasten ylähengitystiekirurgia (kita-nielurisojen poisto ja tärykalvon putkitus) on länsimaissa erittäin yleistä. Leikkausten lukumäärät vaihtelevat niin kansallisesti kuin kansainvälisestikin, mutta selvää syytä näille eroille ei tiedetä. Hoitosuositusten merkitys käytäntöihin on kyseenalaistettu ja voi olla, ettei hoitosuosituksia noudateta. Leikkaukset saattavat aiheuttaa lapsipotilaille psykologisen vamman, ja lisäksi niihin sisältyy komplikaatioiden, jopa kuoleman, vaara. Jotta haittoja voidaan välttää, on tärkeää tunnistaa ne lapset, jotka hyötyvät leikkauksesta. Ongelma on paitsi lääketieteellinen, myös taloudellinen: ylähengitystiekirurgiasta aiheutuu merkittäviä kuluja. Leikkausmäärien arvioiminen on tärkeää, jotta leikkauskäytäntöjä voidaan järkeistää. Tässä väitöskirjatyössä tutkittiin ylähengitystieleikkausten määriä Suomessa ja Norjassa sekä näiden kahden maan välillä. Aiempaa tutkimusta aiheesta ei kummassakaan maassa ole tehty. Kitarisanpoiston, välikorvan putkituksen, tärykalvopiston, nielurisanpoiston ja kita- ja nielurisanpoiston leikkausmäärät saatiin kansallisista tietokannoista. Lukuja verrattiin ko. maan lasten lukumäärään, maantieteelliseen sijoittumiseen sekä lasten ikään ja sukupuoleen. Lisäksi leikkausmääriä arvioitiin suhteessa korva-, nenä- ja kurkkulääkäreiden sekä yleislääkäreiden määrään, maantieteelliseen sijoittumiseen ja lääkäreiden ikään ja sukupuoleen. Leikkausten määrissä havaittiin suurta vaihtelua niin Suomessa kuin Norjassa. Suomessa suurimmat erot leikkausmäärissä löydettiin läntisen ja itäisen miljoonapiirin välillä. Läntisessä piirissä tehtiin lähes kaksin kertaa enemmän leikkauksia kuin itäisessä piirissä. Norjassa suurimmat erot olivat pohjoisen ja itäisen piirin välillä. Pohjoisessa piirissä tehtiin kaksinkertainen määrä leikkauksia itäiseen piirrin verrattuna. Suomessa tehtiin tutkimuksen koko aikavälillä enemmän kitarisanpoistoja kuin Norjassa, mutta ko. leikkausten määrä oli maassamme selvästi laskussa. Vuonna 2002 Suomessa tehtiin 2,5 kertaa enemmän kitarisanpoistoja kuin Norjassa. (Kita)nielurisanpoistoja tehtiin kuitenkin Suomessa vähemmän kuin Norjassa. Näiden leikkausten määrät pysyivät tutkimuksen aikavälillä Suomessa samalla tasolla, kun Norjassa leikkausmäärät hieman nousivat. Suomalaisia lapsia leikattiin keskimäärin paljon nuorempina kuin norjalaisia lapsia. Tutkimuksessa ei löydetty selitystä ylähengitystieleikkausten määrän suurelle vaihtelulle Suomessa ja Norjassa tai maiden välillä. Kuitenkin Suomessa tehtyjen kitarisanpoistojen huomattavan vähenemisen myötä maiden ylähengitystieleikkausten määrät lähenivät toisiaan.

Teacher quality in upper secondary science education in Australia

Science education has been the subject of increasing public interest over the last few years. While a good part of this attention has been due to the fundamental reshaping of school curricula and teacher professional standards currently underway, there has been a heightened level of critical media commentary about the state of science education in schools and science teacher education in universities. In some cases, the commentary has been informed by sound evidence and balanced perspectives. More recently, however, a greater degree of ignorance and misrepresentation has crept into the discourse. This chapter provides background on the history and status of science teacher education in Australia, along with insights into recent developments and challenges.

Prevalence, codetection and seasonal distribution of upper airway viruses and bacteria in children with acute respiratory illnesses with cough as a symptom

Most studies exploring the role of upper airway viruses and bacteria in paediatric acute respiratory infections (ARI) focus on specific clinicaldiagnoses and/or do not account for virus–bacteria interactions. We aimed to describe the frequency and predictors of virus and bacteria codetection in children with ARI and cough, irrespective of clinical diagnosis. Bilateral nasal swabs, demographic, clinical and risk factor data were collected at enrollment in children aged <15 years presenting to an emergency department with an ARI and where cough was a symptom. Swabs were tested by polymerase chain reaction for 17 respiratory viruses and seven respiratory bacteria. Logistic regression was used to investigate associations between child characteristics and codetection of the organisms of interest. Between December 2011 and August 2014, swabs were collected from 817 (93.3%) of 876 enrolled children, median age 27.7 months (interquartile range13.9–60.3 months). Overall, 740 (90.6%) of 817 specimens were positive for any organism. Both viruses and bacteria were detected in 423 specimens (51.8%). Factors associated with codetection were age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for age <12 months = 4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0, 7.9; age 12 to <24 months = 6.0, 95% CI 3.7, 9.8; age 24 to <60 months = 2.4, 95% CI 1.5, 3.9), male gender (aOR 1.46; 95% CI 1.1, 2.0), child care attendance (aOR 2.0; 95% CI 1.4, 2.8) and winter enrollment (aOR 2.0; 95% CI 1.3, 3.0). Haemophilus influenzae dominated the virus–bacteria pairs. Virus–H. influenzae interactions in ARI should be investigated further, especially as the contribution of nontypeable H. influenzae to acute and chronic respiratory diseases is being increasingly recognized.

Dynamical processes in the stratosphere and upper troposphere and their influence on the distribution of trace gases in the polar atmosphere

Transport plays an important role in the distribution of long-lived gases such as ozone and water vapour in the atmosphere. Understanding of observed variability in these gases as well as prediction of the future changes depends therefore on our knowledge of the relevant atmospheric dynamics. This dissertation studies certain dynamical processes in the stratosphere and upper troposphere which influence the distribution of ozone and water vapour in the atmosphere. The planetary waves that originate in the troposphere drive the stratospheric circulation. They influence both the meridional transport of substances as well as parameters of the polar vortices. In turn, temperatures inside the polar vortices influence abundance of the Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC) and therefore the chemical ozone destruction. Wave forcing of the stratospheric circulation is not uniform during winter. The November-December averaged stratospheric eddy heat flux shows a significant anticorrelation with the January-February averaged eddy heat flux in the midlatitude stratosphere and troposphere. These intraseasonal variations are attributable to the internal stratospheric vacillations. In the period 1979-2002, the wave forcing exhibited a negative trend which was confined to the second half of winter only. In the period 1958-2002, area, strength and longevity of the Arctic polar vortices do not exhibit significant long-term changes while the area with temperatures lower than the threshold temperature for PSC formation shows statistically significant increase. However, the Arctic vortex parameters show significant decadal changes which are mirrored in the ozone variability. Monthly ozone tendencies in the Northern Hemisphere show significant correlations (|r|=0.7) with proxies of the stratospheric circulation. In the Antarctic, the springtime vortex in the lower stratosphere shows statistically significant trends in temperature, longevity and strength (but not in area) in the period 1979-2001. Analysis of the ozone and water vapour vertical distributions in the Arctic UTLS shows that layering below and above the tropopause is often associated with poleward Rossby wave-breaking. These observations together with calculations of cross-tropopause fluxes emphasize the importance of poleward Rossby wave breaking for the stratosphere-troposphere exchange in the Arctic.

Combined Tevatron upper limit on gg->H->W+W- and constraints on the Higgs boson mass in fourth-generation fermion models

We combine results from searches by the CDF and D0 collaborations for a standard model Higgs boson (H) in the process gg->H->W+W- in p=pbar collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV. With 4.8 fb-1 of integrated luminosity analyzed at CDF and 5.4 fb-1 at D0, the 95% Confidence Level upper limit on \sigma(gg->H) x B(H->W+W-) is 1.75 pb at m_H=120 GeV, 0.38 pb at m_H=165 GeV, and 0.83 pb at m_H=200 GeV. Assuming the presence of a fourth sequential generation of fermions with large masses, we exclude at the 95% Confidence Level a standard-model-like Higgs boson with a mass between 131 and 204 GeV.

A split cassette attachment for recording all the reflections on the upper level Weissenberg photographs either as elongated or as contracted spots

A split-cassette arrangement has been incorporated in the Weissenberg camera for recording all reflections on the upper level photographs either as elongated or as contracted spots. This arrangement employs two semicylindrical cassettes which are separated by a horizontal plane. These half-cassettes are translated in opposite directions. A suitable split-cassette attachment has been constructed for the Unicam Weissenberg goniometer S-35 The subject of 'displaced-film' Weissenberg photograph is also discussed.

Why Don't Students Talk? Causes of Foreign Language Communication Apprehension in English Classes: A Comparison of High Apprehensive and Low Apprehensive Upper Secondary Students.

OBJECTIVES. Oral foreign language skills are an integral part of one's social, academic and professional competence. This can be problematic for those suffering from foreign language communication apprehension (CA), or a fear of speaking a foreign language. CA manifests itself, for example, through feelings of anxiety and tension, physical arousal and avoidance of foreign language communication situations. According to scholars, foreign language CA may impede the language learning process significantly and have detrimental effects on one's language learning, academic achievement and career prospects. Drawing on upper secondary students' subjective experiences of communication situations in English as a foreign language, this study seeks, first, to describe, analyze and interpret why upper secondary students experience English language communication apprehension in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. Second, this study seeks to analyse what the most anxiety-arousing oral production tasks in EFL classes are, and which features of different oral production tasks arouse English language communication apprehension and why. The ultimate objectives of the present study are to raise teachers' awareness of foreign language CA and its features, manifestations and impacts in foreign language classes as well as to suggest possible ways to minimize the anxiety-arousing features in foreign language classes. METHODS. The data was collected in two phases by means of six-part Likert-type questionnaires and theme interviews, and analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The questionnaire data was collected in spring 2008. The respondents were 122 first-year upper secondary students, 68 % of whom were girls and 31 % of whom were boys. The data was analysed by statistical methods using SPSS software. The theme interviews were conducted in spring 2009. The interviewees were 11 second-year upper secondary students aged 17 to 19, who were chosen by purposeful selection on the basis of their English language CA level measured in the questionnaires. Six interviewees were classified as high apprehensives and five as low apprehensives according to their score in the foreign language CA scale in the questionnaires. The interview data was coded and thematized using the technique of content analysis. The analysis and interpretation of the data drew on a comparison of the self-reports of the highly apprehensive and low apprehensive upper secondary students. RESULTS. The causes of English language CA in EFL classes as reported by the students were both internal and external in nature. The most notable causes were a low self-assessed English proficiency, a concern over errors, a concern over evaluation, and a concern over the impression made on others. Other causes related to a high English language CA were a lack of authentic oral practise in EFL classes, discouraging teachers and negative experiences of learning English, unrealistic internal demands for oral English performance, high external demands and expectations for oral English performance, the conversation partner's higher English proficiency, and the audience's large size and unfamiliarity. The most anxiety-arousing oral production tasks in EFL classes were presentations or speeches with or without notes in front of the class, acting in front of the class, pair debates with the class as audience, expressing thoughts and ideas to the class, presentations or speeches without notes while seated, group debates with the class as audience, and answering to the teacher's questions involuntarily. The main features affecting the anxiety-arousing potential of an oral production task were a high degree of attention, a large audience, a high degree of evaluation, little time for preparation, little linguistic support, and a long duration.

Upper mass limit for neutron star stability against black hole formation

Starting from the exact general relativistic expression for the total energy of selfgravitating spherically distributed matter and using the minimum energy priciple, we calculate the upper mass limit for a neutron star to be 3.1 solar masses.

Nature of chemistry in the national frame curricula for upper secondary education in Finland, Norway and Sweden

The aim of this study was to discover how current chemistry syllabi in the frame curricula for up- per secondary education in three Nordic countries (Finland, Norway, and Sweden) take into account topics related to the nature of chemistry. By qualitative content analysis, the statements related to the nature of chemistry were divided into categories. Conclusions and implications for improving the frame curricula under study were made by comparing results with research into the nature of science. Chemistry syllabi from the Nordic frame curricula analyzed take into account the aims related to the nature of chemistry in a very similar manner. The ideas that should be made more explicit in all of the analyzed curricula are: i) the limits of the chemical models and theories, ii) the relationship between chemistry and other natural sciences, iii) the importance of creativity in chemical research, iv) the concepts of evidence in science texts, v) the social nature of chemical research, and vi) chemistry as a technological practice.

Vortex dynamics and upper critical fields in ultrathin Bi films

Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of quench condensed, superconducting, ultrathin Bi films in a magnetic field are reported. These I-V's show hysteresis for all films, grown both with and without thin Ge underlayers. Films on Ge underlayers, close to superconductor-insulator transition, show a peak in the critical current, indicating a structural transformation of the vortex solid. These underlayers, used to make the films more homogeneous, are found to be more effective in pinning the vortices. The upper critical fields (B-c2) of these films are determined from the resistive transitions in perpendicular magnetic field. The temperature dependence of the upper critical field is found to differ significantly from Ginzburg-Landau theory, after modifications for disorder.