Tool Thanks Research Articles

Nuklearmedizinische Diagnostik beim CRPS I

A three-phase bone scan, before conventional radiography shows morphological changes in CRPS 1, represents a valuable diagnostic tool thanks to the depiction of pathognomonic findings and the localisation ability in all 3 phases. It must be interpreted within the clinical context. In late or subsequent stages the lack of scintigraphic uptake seems to represent the end of the active disease process. The role of three-phase bone scintigraphy in CRPS I is to support or even confirm the diagnosis, given its various presentations. Furthermore, it enables exclusion of other diagnoses such as arthritis, benign or malignant bony lesions, or even metabolic bone diseases such as Paget's disease, particularly if an integrated SPECT/CT is added. Moreover, the earlier the diagnosis is finally established and treatment of CRPS I is initiated, the better the prognosis. Therefore, bone scintigraphy potentially has a major impact on patient management of this disorder.

A Proposed Method for Thermal Specific Bioimaging and Therapy Technique for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumors by Using Magnetic Nanoparticles

The objective of this research program is to develop a novel, noninvasive, low-cost infrared (8–12 μm spectral range) imaging technique that would improve upon current methods using nanostructured core/shell magnetic/noble metal-based imaging and therapies. The biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles are able to produce heat under AC magnetic field. This thermal radiation propagates along the tissue by thermal conduction reaching the medium's (tissue's) surface. The surface temperature distribution is acquired by a thermal camera and can be analyzed to retrieve and reconstruct nanoparticles' temperature and location within the tissue. The technique may function as a diagnostic tool thanks to the ability of specific bioconjugation of these nanoparticles to tumor's outer surface markers. Hence, by applying a magnetic field, we could cause a selective elevation of temperature of the targeted nanoparticles up to 5∘C, which detects the tumor. Furthermore, elevating the temperature over 65∘C and up to 100∘C stimulates a thermo ablating interaction which causes a localized irreversible damage to the cancerous site with no harm to the surrounding tissue. While functioning as a diagnostic tool, this procedure may serve as a targeted therapeutic tool under thermal feedback control as well.

Noninvasive ratio indexes to evaluate fibrosis staging in chronic hepatitis C: role of platelet count/spleen diameter ratio index.

Noninvasive evaluation of fibrosis is an on-going effort in the management of chronic hepatitis C. This study was planned to noninvasively evaluate fibrosis staging. We evaluated the biochemical, functional [aminopyrine breath test (ABT)] and ultrasonographic variables of 75 chronic hepatitis C patients. Clinical [body mass index (BMI)], biochemical [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and platelets (PLT)] and ratio indexes, together with the ABT, showed a higher relationship with fibrosis: initial (score<or=2) versus evident (score>2) fibrosis: BMI (24+/-2 vs. 26+/-2, P=0.0007), AST (56+/-36 vs. 88+/-65, P=0.0159), ALT (92+/-54 vs. 139+/-108, P=0.0290), PLT (220+/-64 vs. 173+/-61, P=0.0007), PLT/spleen diameter ratio (PLT/SPD) (2133+/-786 vs. 1540+/-681, P=0.0003), AST/platelet count ratio index (APRI) (0.80+/-0.87 vs. 1.51+/-1.47, P=0.0010), ABT%d/h30 min (10.8+/-4.5 vs. 7.6+/-3.8, P=0.0007), ABT%d/cum120 min (8.9+/-3.3 vs. 6.5+/-3.1, P=0.0007). Considering the differences between fibrosis score 2 and 3 patients, BMI, ABT and PLT/SPD ratio proved to be statistically significant. Multivariate stepwise analysis (with and without BMI) identified two models for distinguishing between initial and evident fibrosis: Model 1: -0.569+(BMIx0.107)+(APRIx0.169)-(PLT/SPDx0.304), and Model 2: 2.376+( APRIx0.152)-(ABTd/h30x0.043)-(PLT/SPDx0.249). These models showed concordance in identifying or ruling out evident fibrosis in 76% and 78.7% of the patients respectively. The PLT/SPD ratio also showed 78.7% concordance with the histological score. These results suggest that noninvasive evaluation of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C may be considered an effective tool thanks to the use of an inexpensive, reproducible ratio index.

MOVPE - a dangerous dance?

As MOVPE moves into a production line tool thanks to nitrides, all eyes turn to the silicon industry's approach to safety. But compound has its own peculiar problems, which emerged from the audience comments and questions at an expert panel talk.

TTS/SIMON Power Log - A Simulation Tool ForEvaluating Electrical Train Power Supply Systems

TTS/SIMON (Liden[l]) is a train traffic simulation tool owned by Banverket. TTS/SIMON was developed by AF-Industriteknik and has been in use nationally as well as internationally since 1992. Early 1997 saw the dawn of a new and important module of TTS/SIMON, the Power Log. Power Log is an evaluation tool to be used when dimensioning future power supply systems as well as determining problem areas in existing systems. Power Log is a fast simulation tool thanks to a few simplifications made in the calculating algorithms. The major simplification is that the voltage in the contact lines is considered constant independently of the present electrical load, which means that very heavy differential equation calculations are avoided. The practical consequence of this is that large train power supply systems can be evaluated in short time with relatively small computers. The simplifications made in the calculating algoritms of course means that the results are not exact, which has never been the objective. The results, however, are good enough to determine problem areas, that in turn can be evaluated in a more exact simulation program. Transactions on the Built Environment vol 34, © 1998 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509 428 Computers in Railways