Psychosocial intervention during the course of cancer is still being controversially disputed in psychosomatic studies. Immunological and endocrinological parameters can serve as links in observing ...the influence of the interactive processes involved.
The approach to determine whether psychotherapeutic intervention can lead to an improved quality of life on the one hand, and to a change in immune defenses in breast cancer patients as well, employed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and optimistic self-efficacy (OKE) as well as evaluating lymphocyte subpopulations, lymphocyte proliferation and NK cell activity. Fifty-three breast cancer patients were offered the chance to participate in a psychosocial intervention group. Twenty-three accepted the offer. Randomized sampling of the group participants was determined twice by using the 30 EORTC QLQ-C30 parameters. In addition, immune function was measured before beginning (T1) and after completing the group intervention sessions (T2). This data was compared with that of the declining group.
The analysis of the individual EORTC parameters in the pre- and post-comparison showed a decrease in "emotional strain" and an increase in "all-around quality of life" at the T2 test period. NK cell activity was increased at T2 as well in the participating group and was higher than that of the declining group both at T1 and T2 testing times.
Participation in the psychosocial intervention group resulted in a marked decrease in the emotional strain and an increase in the quality of life. The increased NK-cell activity with lowered T-cell activation in comparison to the decliners hints at a coherence between coping behaviour and changes of the immunological cell function. The results of this study will be investigated further in a greater sample.
A retrospective of the Darmstadt database system project, also known as DASDBS, is presented. The project is aimed at providing data management support for advanced applications, such as ...geo-scientific information systems and office automation. Similar to the dichotomy of RSS and RDS in System R, a layered architectural approach was pursued: a storage management kernel serves as the lowest common denominator of the requirements of the various applications classes, and a family of application-oriented front-ends provides semantically richer functions on top of the kernel. The lessons that were learned from building the DASDBS system are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the following issues: the role of nested relations, the experiences with using object buffers for coupling the system with the programming-language environment and the learning process in implementing multilevel transactions.< >
We examine the status of massive gauge theories, such as those usually obtained by spontaneous symmetry breakdown, from the viewpoint of causal (Epstein-Glaser) renormalization. The BRS formulation ...of gauge invariance in this framework, starting from canonical quantization of massive (as well as massless) vector bosons as fundamental entities, and proceeding perturbatively, allows one to rederive the reductive group symmetry of interactions, the need for scalar fields in gauge theory, and the covariant derivative. Thus the presence of higgs particles is explained without recourse to a Higgs(-Englert-Brout-Guralnik-Hagen-Kibble) mechanism. Along the way, we dispel doubts about the compatibility of causal gauge invariance with grand unified theories.
Measurement of scanner-dependent differences in PCTDI for conventional and spiral CT and evaluation of PCTDI/100 mAs in eight spiral CT scanners of the latest generation.
Central PCTDI was evaluated ...in a PMMA phantom for different scan lengths of conventional and spiral CT in four scanners. Central and peripheral PCTDI/100 mAs, average dose and the quotient between peripheral and central PCTDI/100 mAs were measured with a dedicated 10 cm ionisation chamber positioned within a PMMA phantom using the parameters of a standardised liver protocol and a high-resolution inner ear protocol for eight spiral CT scanners.
Depending on scanner type and scan length PCTDI for the spiral mode is in a range between 11.3% higher and 4.3% lower than that for the conventional mode. PCTDI/100 mAs varies considerably between different CT scanners. For the standardised liver protocol PCTDI/100 mAs varies up to a factor of 2, for the inner ear protocol up to a factor of 4.
Even in comparable modern CT scanners there are considerable protocol and scanner-dependent differences in PCTDI/100 mAs. The values for his own scanner should be known to each CT user so that he can develop a dose-optimised, patient and problem-orientated examination strategy.
MRI can demonstrate pathology of joint disease in the early course of rheumatoid arthritis prior to destructions seen on conventional radiographs. In a prospective study, we tried to develop a ...systematical classification of joint pathology demonstrated by MRI, which would be essential for scoring the course of the disease.
Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints of 48 patients suffering from early rheumatoid arthritis (mean disease duration: 6.4 months) were evaluated by MRI using a high-resolution transmitter-receiver coil. Examinations included 2 mm sliced T2-, T1- and gadolinium enhanced T1-SE sequences in coronal and axial orientation. In consideration of pathological findings on MRI and histopathogenetical pathways of destruction in rheumatoid arthritis a MR-score (0-5) was established.
This allowed to score each joint examined: score 0 (normal) in 47.8%/49.5%, score 1 in 35.5%/50.5%, score 2 in 4.2%/0%, score 3 in 10.8%/0%, score 4 in 1.5%/0% of the metacarpophalangeal/interphalangeal joints, respectively.
Using the MR-score a relative individual destruction number can be calculated, which may be used to follow up patients in the early course of rheumatoid arthritis (e.g. drug therapy studies). The presented MR scoring system has to be evaluated further in longitudinal studies and must be correlated to radiographical and clinical findings.
Physics with ARGUS Böckmann, P.; Drews, G.; Gläser, R. ...
Physics reports,
1996, Letnik:
276, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The impact of the ARGUS experiment to elementary particle physics is reviewed. More than ten years of data taking has allowed ARGUS to contribute significantly to our understanding of beauty and ...charmed hadrons, τ Leptons, ϒ mesons, ϒϒ interactions and fragmentation processes. In particular the ARGUS measurements of CKM matrix elements opened up a new window on the Standard Model.
Summary
The relationship between the forces applied during laryngoscopy and cardiovascular changes were studied in patients undergoing laryngoscopy with or without intubation. This enabled us to ...differentiate between the cardiovascular effects of laryngoscopy and the effects of tracheal intubation. The forces applied during laryngoscopy were only weakly related to the cardiovascular changes, whereas tracheal intubation had a major influence. The many difficulties encountered in interpreting results from these studies are discussed. It is concluded that tracheal intubation causes more cardiovascular changes than laryngoscopy in routine uncomplicated procedures.
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