Studsvik (Germany)

Shareable abstractThe organisation and implementation of long-term home noninvasive ventilation treatment for COPD patients across Europe is complex and heterogeneous. Further research and experience sharing is required to optimise and align the patient pathway.https://bit.ly/3M3r566

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Long-term home non-invasive ventilation (LTH-NIV) improves the prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. However, differences in care delivery may impact the benefit of LTH-NIV. This systematic review aimed to evaluate how LTH-NIV is delivered to COPD patients and the impact of delivery modalities on health outcomes. <bold>Methods:</bold> EMBASE and PubMed were systematically searched for studies reporting primary data of LTH-NIV initiation or additional home-based interventions aiming to improve health and organizational outcomes in COPD patients, published between 1990 and 2024 (PROSPERO ID CRD42025648464). <bold>Results:</bold> We identified 44 eligible articles, predominantly from Europe (n=36). Of these, 7 studies examined the organization of LTH-NIV delivery and 5 explored alternative care modalities, namely outpatient or home initiation (n=2), outpatient follow-up (n=1), and telemonitoring (n=3). Alternative care modalities showed promise; outpatient initiation and adaptation significantly improved health-related quality of life (severe respiratory insufficiency questionnaire after 3 months; +5.7, p=0.001), remote monitoring delayed hospital readmissions (by 151 days, p<0.05) and reduced 12-month readmission rate (-21.7%, p=0.023), and home initiation showed cost-saving (-€4769, p<0.001). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Despite increasing use of LTH-NIV for COPD patients and the promising benefits of alternative care delivery models, research in this area is limited. Further studies are needed to optimize home-based care strategies and improve patient outcomes.

The burden of abdominal wound failure can be profound. Recent clinical guidelines have highlighted the heterogeneity of laparotomy closure techniques. The aim of this study was to investigate current midline closure techniques and practices for prevention of surgical site infection (SSI). An online survey was distributed in 2021 among the membership of the European Society of Coloproctology and its partner societies. Surgeons were asked to provide information on how they would close the abdominal wall in three specific clinical scenarios and on SSI prevention practices. A total of 561 consultants and trainee surgeons participated in the survey, mainly from Europe (n= 375, 66.8%). Of these, 60.6% identified themselves as colorectal surgeons and 39.4% as general surgeons. The majority used polydioxanone for fascial closure, with small bite techniques predominating in clean-contaminated cases (74.5%, n= 418). No significant differences were found between consultants and trainee surgeons. For SSI prevention, more surgeons preferred the use of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) alone over MBP and oral antibiotics combined. Most surgeons preferred 2% alcoholic chlorhexidine (68.4%) or aqueous povidone-iodine (61.1%) for skin preparation. The majority did not use triclosan-coated sutures (73.3%) or preoperative warming of the wound site (78.5%), irrespective of level of training or European/non-European practice. Abdominal wound closure technique and SSI prevention strategies vary widely between surgeons. There is little evidence of a risk-stratified approach to wound closure materials or techniques, with most surgeons using the same strategy for all patient scenarios. Harmonization of practice and the limitation of outlying techniques might result in better outcomes for patients and provide a stable platform for the introduction and evaluation of further potential improvements.

To evaluate the proportion of blood samples diagnosed with reticulocytosis without anaemia in cats and dogs and report the aetiology and mortality rate of affected animals. Retrospective multicentre study including haematological examination of 3956 cats and 11,087 dogs admitted to seven German veterinary clinics (2012 to 2014). The proportion of blood samples with reticulocytosis without anaemia was calculated, and after exclusion of multiple measurements of the same animal, clinical data were evaluated. Animals with reticulocytosis without anaemia were classified as healthy or diseased, and diseased patients were assigned to 12 disease groups. Pretreatment (i.e. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, dipyrone) was recorded. The proportion of blood samples with reticulocytosis without anaemia was 3·1% (124/3956) in cats and 4·4% (492/11,087) in dogs. Overall, 1·8% (2/111) of cats and 1·5% (7/458) of dogs with reticulocytosis without anaemia were healthy. Blood loss/anaemia, cardiac/respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal disorders and inflammatory disorders as well as cancer were the most frequent underlying diseases. Pretreatment was noted in 39·5% (43/111) of cats and 42·4% (194/458) of dogs. The mortality rate was 37·8% (42/111) in cats and 29·7% (136/458) in dogs with reticulocytosis without anaemia; the median survival time in non-survivors was 1day (range: 0 to 376 days in cats, 0 to 444 days in dogs). In both species, reticulocytosis without anaemia was observed in a low proportion of blood samples (dogs>cat). Though a bias towards sick animals is possible in our sample, reticulocytosis without anaemia was mainly seen in diseased animals and associated with a mortality rate of approximately one-third of patients.

The50Cr(d, n)51Mn and54Fe(d, n)55Co reactions have been studied at an incident deuteron energy of 5.5 MeV. Angular distributions of neutron groups to a number of low-lying levels in the residual nuclei have been recorded. Time-of-flight techniques have been used to record neutron spectra. A liquid scintillator with pulse-shape discrimination property has been used as neutron detector. DWBA calculations have been performed and relative spectroscopic strengths determined for transitions with variousl p values. The ratios between spectroscopic strengths forl p =3 andl p =1 transitions were found to be considerably larger than corresponding ratios obtained from the (3He,d) reactions. Two-step stripping processes competing with the direct stripping process are suggested as explanation of the discrepancy between the (d, n) and the (3He,d) results.

In experiments on mice, rabbits, and piglets the distribution of uranium was studied at different times after exposure. Uranium was administered by inhalation (mice) and through the skin (rabbits and piglets). These investigations show that the uptakes of uranium in different organs of the three species are highly dependent on the amounts administered. There seems to be a saturation effect in the spleen and bone tissue whenever the uranium concentration in the blood exceeds a certain level. The effect in the kidney is completely different. If, in a series of animals, the quantity of uranium is continuously increased, the uptakes by the kidneys increase more rapidly than the quantities administered. This observation seems to be consistent with the toxic effects of uranium on the capillary system in the renal cortex. Polyphloretin phosphate, a compound which reduces permeability, was investigated with respect to its effect on the uptake of uranium deposited in skin wounds in rabbits and piglets. It significantly reduced the absorption of uranium, even from depots in deep wounds. The findings are discussed with reference to the routine screening of persons exposed to uranium at AB Atomenergi.

Abstract In the Kopparberg county, small sulphide ores containing sphalerite, galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite as well as a gangue of calcite, baryte and fluorite are known around Boda and on the island Solleron in Lake Siljan. The ore has developed around tectonized zones in Ordovician limestones as disseminations or as hydrothermal veinfillings with alternating layers of ore minerals and gangue. A replacement of matrix by sulphides has also occurred locally in the Obolus conglomerate, the lowest member of the sedimentary formation. The sphalerite shows colloform banding and the colour of the different zones varies from black or dark brown to light yellow. As a rule the dark zones are narrow and have a much higher iron content than the light coloured zones. Important exceptions are some dark black-brown, iron poor narrow zones which have a comparatively high copper content. The formation of the colloform banded sphalerite is discussed and it is assumed that the zinc sulphide has been precipitated as a gel or a...

THE thermal expansion coefficients for uranium boride (UB2) and β-uranium silicide (USi2) have been determined by X-ray powder methods with a high-temperature camera. The mean values for the expansion coefficients between room temperature and 205° C. for different directions in the lattice are summarized in Table 1.