Exploration

In 20 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, we studied prospectively systemic blood activation, blood loss, and the need for donor blood when using an extracorporeal circuit equipped at random with one of two different venous reservoirs. In 10 patients we used an open venous reservoir system (ORS) consisting of a hard shell venous reservoir with an integral cardiotomy filter, and in 10 patients we used a closed reservoir system consisting of a collapsible venous reservoir and separate cardiotomy reservoir. Concentrations of complement 3a, elastase, thromboxane B2, and fibrin degradation products showed a biphasic course, especially in ORS patients. During bypass, we observed a first peak of levels of complement 3a, thromboxane B2, fibrin degradation products, and elastase, which was higher in ORS patients than in patients with the closed system, because their blood continuously contacted the foreign materials of the filter and air in the open reservoir, which was avoided in the closed reservoir. Intensive blood-foreign material contact also caused the highest (p < 0.05) hemolysis in ORS patients. The larger amount of hemolytic products in ORS patients theoretically resulted in a temporary decrease in capacity of their Kupffer cells to clear endotoxin released after aortic declamping. This theory might explain the significantly (p < 0.01) higher second peak of activated products after declamping that was observed in ORS patients. Due to increased blood activation, the largest (p < 0.001) amount of shed blood loss, greatest (p < 0.05) need for colloid-crystalloid infusion, and largest (not significant) need for donor blood were found in ORS patients (0.8 +/- 0.4 versus 0.2 +/- 0.2 units of packed cells).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Recommender Systems have emerged to guide users in the task of efficiently browsing/exploring a large product space, helping users to quickly identify interesting products. However, suggestions generated with traditional Recommender Systems usually do not produce diverse results, though it has been argued that diversity is a desirable feature. The study of diversity aware Recommender Systems has become an important research challenge in recent years, drawing inspiration from diversification solutions for Information Retrieval. However, we argue it is not enough to adapt Information Retrieval techniques towards Recommender Systems, as they do not place the necessary importance to factors such as serendipity, novelty and discovery which are imperative to Recommender Systems. In this report, we propose a diversification technique for Recommender Systems that generates a diversified list of results which not only balances the trade-off between quality (in terms of accuracy) and diversit...

Background Increasingly, laparoscopic biliary surgeons are undertaking laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration for patients with cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. In laparoscopic common bile duct exploration a flexible choledochoscope is ordinarily used, and with this instrument the surgeon usually fails to remove large impacted stones. In contrast with use of a rigid nephroscope it is possible to remove all common bile duct stones irrespective of size and degree of impaction. The present study evaluates the efficiency of rigid nephroscope for managing common bile duct stones laparoscopically. Methods In the present study laparoscopic common bile duct exploration for stones was performed in 80 patients via standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy port sites. Patients with a common bile duct diameter >10 mm were included in this study. The rigid nephroscope was passed through the epigastric port and negotiated into the common bile duct through a choledochotomy. Stones were removed with graspers. Large hard stones were fragmented by pneumatic lithotripsy. Results Of the 80 patients treated in this manner, 72 (90%) had multiple common bile duct calculi, and 8 (10%) had a solitary common bile duct calculus. Mean common bile duct diameter was 15.3 mm (range: 10–37 mm). Conversion to open common bile duct exploration was necessary in 1 case (1.25%) because of difficult dissection secondary to extensive dense adhesions. In 7 patients (8.75%) a pneumatic lithotripter was used to fragment stones. Choledochotomy was managed by placing a T-tube in 21 (26.25%) patients, by effecting primary closure in 58 (72.5%) patients, and by choledochoduodenostomy in 1 (1.25%) patient. The mean operative time in this series was 83 min (range: 53–135 min). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.2 days (range: 3–19 days). One patient (1.25%) developed cholangitis 5 months after laparoscopic common bile duct exploration; the cause was a residual common bile duct stone. Conclusions A rigid nephroscope can be used for managing all types of common bile duct calculi irrespective of site, size, composition, or degree of impaction. Its use can be expected to become the standard for laparoscopic common bile duct exploration, especially for removing large calculi from a dilated common bile duct.

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https://lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/naturgemaelde_kulturforschung_kolonialprogramm_die_reisen_der_brueder_schlagintweit_in_indien_und_dem_himalaya?nav_id=8409

Die Forschungsreisen der drei Gebrüder Schlagintweit nach Indien und Hochasien während der 1850er Jahre im Dienste des preußischen Königs und der britischen Ostindienkompanie gehören zu den wichtigsten und zugleich kontroversesten Explorationsvorhaben in der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Ihre Expedition führte zu einer einzigartigen Sammlung von Aufzeichnungen und Artefakten aus Süd-und Zentralasien-insgesamt über 40.000 Objekte der Natur-und Kulturgeschichte aus den bereisten Gebieten. Die Brüder gründeten mit den Sammlungen ein heutzutage vergessenes "Indisches Museum" im Schloss Monbijou in Berlin, das nach ihrer Rückkehr 1857 für einige Jahre fortbestand. In seinem Buch über die Reisen der Brüder Schlagintweit behandelt Moritz von Brescius neben der Rolle deutscher Forscher im kolonialen Indien insbesondere das soziale und wissenschaftliche ‚Innenleben' der heterogenen Expeditionsgruppe und arbeitet die eminente Bedeutung indischer Partner, Wegführer und Übersetzer für die Realisierung der Mission heraus. Sein Vortrag schließt mit Reflexionen über das enge Verhältnis der Schlagintweits zu Alexander von Humboldt, ihrem wichtigsten Förderer, und zum Konzept des Humboldt Forums.

The processing of seismic profiles recorded in 1990 and the reprocessing of older seismic data was the main work undertaken in 1991. The intensive interpretation of these profiles influenced by well-data provided the basis for independant reviews carried out by BEB, swisspetrol and the evaluation of new plays. In the form of special projects, two review studies of the whole of Switzerland werer carried out (gas geochemistry, reservoir properties). In a third project the potential of coal bed methane in Switzerland was evaluated

Purpose: To compare thickness measurements of the central 6.0 mm of the cornea obtained with the Orbscan® II topography system and topographical ultrasound pachymetry. Setting: School of Optometry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. Methods: In 24 right eyes, pachymetric measurements were taken at the center and 1.2 mm and 3.0 mm on the superior and inferior hemimeridians. A 1‐sample t test was applied to assess the significance of the relationship between Orbscan II and ultrasound methods. The relationship between the 2 was assessed by analyzing regression and plotting the differences against the mean corneal thickness. Orbscan II data were analyzed in 3 ways: (1) without the application of an acoustic equivalent correction factor; (2) with a correction factor of 0.92, as recommended by the manufacturer; (3) with correction using the equations derived in this study. The data were systematically compared with those of ultrasound pachymetry. Results: Before the cor...