Realization and Tests of Prototype Fluxgate Magnetic Sensors for the ITER Neutral Beam Injectors.

In the ITER neutral beam injectors (NBI), the presence of an external variable magnetic field generated by the ITER tokamak itself, could deflect the ion beam during acceleration and cause a loss of beam focusing. For this reason, the ion source, the accelerator and the neutralizer will be shielded from external magnetic field by means of a passive magnetic shield and a system of active correction and compensation coils (ACCC). The ACCC will operate in a feedback control loop and thus require the measurement of magnetic field inside the NBI vessel. Magnetic sensors for this application must be capable of measuring DC and slow variable magnetic fields, and be vacuum-compatible, radiation-hard and robust, since they will be subjected to neutron flux produced by fusion reactions in the tokamak and inaccessible for maintenance. This paper describes the realization and tests of fluxgate magnetic sensors prototypes specifically designed for this purpose before the installation in MITICA and ITER.

[Diagnostic work with the conflict axis of the OPD-CA: Empirical results on inpatients and outpatients]. / Diagnostische Arbeit mit dem Befundbogen der Konfliktachse der OPD-KJ: Empirische Ergebnisse an stationären und ambulanten Patient_innen.

Diagnostic work with the conflict axis of the OPD-CA: Empirical results on inpatients and outpatients Abstract. In recent years, the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD-CA) is increasingly being used in child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy. This article presents the conflict axis of the OPD-CA, which contains an operationalization of seven psychodynamic conflicts and the processing modes assigned to them. It describes empirical comparisons of the conflict axis ratings and the structure rating in a group of outpatient and inpatient children and adolescents (total N = 186, 12.7 years, 54 % female). The findings in the total sample show that diagnosis-specific gender differences are disappearing, and that male and female patients have largely similar intrapsychic development-impairing conflicts. Patients in inpatient treatment in a child and adolescent psychiatry institution, however, more often show a self-conflict and, as expected, have a lower structural level than patients of the same age in outpatient psychotherapy. The number of highly stressful events before the start of therapy is also significantly higher in this group, which may have contributed to the structural deficits. For outpatients, there is a strikingly higher level of guilt and identity conflicts. In both samples, the mode of processing the conflicts is largely passive. Based on these findings, possible implications for therapeutic practice are discussed.

Magnetic permeability as a predictor of the artefact size caused by orthodontic appliances at 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVES: Artefacts caused by orthodontic attachments limit the diagnostic value and lead to removal of these appliances before magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic permeability can predict the artefact size. There is no standardised approach to determine the permeability of such attachments. The aim was to establish a reliable approach to determine artefact size caused by orthodontic attachments at 1.5 T MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Artefact radii of 21 attachments were determined applying two prevalent sequences of the head and neck region (turbo spin echo and gradient echo). The instrument Ferromaster (Stefan Mayer Instruments, Dinslaken) is approved for permeability measurements of objects with a minimum size (d = 20 mm, h = 5 mm). Eleven small test specimens of known permeability between 1.003 and 1.431 were produced. They are slightly larger than the orthodontic attachments. Their artefacts were measured and cross tabulated against the permeability. The resulting curve was used to compare the orthodontic attachments with the test bodies. RESULTS: Steel caused a wide range of artefact size of 10-74 mm subject to their permeability. Titanium, cobalt-chromium and ceramic materials produced artefact radii up to 20 mm. Measurement of artefacts of the test bodies revealed an interrelationship according to a root function. The artefact size of all brackets was below that root function. CONCLUSIONS: The permeability can be reliably assessed by conventional measurement devices and the artefact size can be predicted. The radiologist is able to decide whether or not the orthodontic attachments should be removed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study clarifies whether an orthodontic appliance must be removed before taking an MRI.

Occupational exposure to mould and microbial metabolites during onion sorting--insights into an overlooked workplace.

Manual sorting of onions is known to be associated with a bioaerosol exposure. The study aimed to gain an initial indication as to what extent manual sorting of onions is also associated with mycotoxin exposure. Twelve representative samples of outer onion skins from different onion origins were sampled and analyzed with a multimycotoxin method comprising 40 mycotoxins using a single extraction step followed by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Six of the 12 samples were positive for mycotoxins. In those samples, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1, and B2 were observed in quantitatively detectable amounts of 3940 ng/g for fumonisin B1 and in the range of 126-587 ng/g for deoxynivalenol and 55-554 ng/g for fumonisin B2. Although the results point to a lower risk due to mycotoxins, the risk should not be completely neglected and has to be considered in the risk assessment.

Relevance of grade 1 gray-scale ultrasound findings in wrists and small joints to the assessment of subclinical synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical relevance of grade 1 findings on gray-scale ultrasound (GSUS) of the joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We examined the wrists and small joints of 100 patients with early or established RA and 30 healthy controls, using GSUS and power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS). Independent clinical assessment of all joints for tenderness and swelling according to the European League Against Rheumatism examination technique was performed. Joints with grade 1 findings on GSUS were identified, and associations with swelling, pain, and findings on PDUS were assessed. Grade 1 findings on GSUS in patients with early RA were reassessed after 6 months of antirheumatic treatment. RESULTS: Grade 1 results represented the majority of all GSUS findings in patients with RA and were also frequently recorded in healthy controls. Grade 1 GSUS findings were not associated with tenderness, swelling, or positive results on PDUS. In comparison to joints with grade 2 and grade 3 findings on GSUS, joints with grade 1 findings were less likely to respond to treatment. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that grade 1 findings on GSUS have limited clinical relevance.

Domestic mite antigens in floor and airborne dust at workplaces in comparison to living areas: a new immunoassay to assess personal airborne allergen exposure.

OBJECTIVES: Allergens produced by domestic mites (DM) are among the most common allergic sensitizers and risk factors for asthma. To compare exposure levels between workplaces and living areas a new assay able to measure airborne DM antigen concentrations was developed. METHODS: At workplaces and in living areas, 213 floor dust samples and 92 personal inhalable dust samples were collected. For sensitive quantification of DM antigens, a new enzyme immunoassay (EIA) based on polyclonal antibodies to Dermatophagoides farinae extract was developed. Reactivity of five house dust mite and four storage mite species was tested. All dust samples were tested with the new EIA and with the Der f 1 and Der p 1-EIAs (Indoor Biotechnologies, UK) which detect major allergens from D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus by monoclonal antibodies. Samples below the detection limit in the DM-EIA were retested in an assay variant with a fluorogenic substrate (DM-FEIA). RESULTS: The newly developed DM-EIA detects antigens from all nine tested domestic mite species. It has a lower detection limit of 200 pg/ml of D.farinae protein, compared to 50 pg/ml for the DM-FEIA. DM antigens were detected by DM-EIA/FEIA in all floor dust and 80 (87%) of airborne samples. Der f 1 was found in 133 (62%) floor dust and in only 6 airborne samples, Der p 1 was found in 70 (33%) of floor samples and in one airborne sample. Der f 1 and DM concentrations were highly correlated. DM-antigens were significantly higher in inhalable airborne samples from textile recycling, bed feather filling, feed production, grain storage and cattle stables in comparison to living areas. CONCLUSIONS: A new sensitive EIA directed at DM antigens was developed. DM antigen quantities were well correlated to Der f 1 values and were measurable in the majority (87%) of airborne dust samples. Some workplaces had significantly higher DM antigen concentrations than living areas.

Evaluation of settled floor dust for the presence of microbial metabolites and volatile anthropogenic chemicals in indoor environments by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS methods.

This study reports on detection of a large number of biological and anthropogenic pollutants using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS technologies in settled floor dust (SFD). The latter technique was applied to obtain a general picture on the presence of microbial as well as non-microbial volatile organic compounds, whereas the targeted LC-MS/MS analysis focused on identification of species specific secondary metabolites. In the absence of moisture monitoring data the relevance of finding of stachybotrylactam and other metabolites of tertiary colonizers are confined only to accidental direct exposure to SFD. To the best of our knowledge 30 of the 71 identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are newly reported in SFD matrix. Coordinated application of "AMDIS and Spectconnect" was found beneficial for the evaluation and identification of prime volatile pollutants in complex environmental samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) of peak areas of 18 microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) resulted in identification of nonanal as potential MVOC marker. Two more volatiles toluene and 1-tetradecanol though had discriminative influence, are not regarded as MVOC markers, considering their probable alternate origin from paints and cosmetics, respectively.

Thymosin beta4 is an essential paracrine factor of embryonic endothelial progenitor cell-mediated cardioprotection.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged myocardial ischemia results in cardiomyocyte loss despite successful revascularization. We have reported that retrograde application of embryonic endothelial progenitor cells (eEPCs) provides rapid paracrine protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Here, we investigated the role of thymosin beta4 (Tbeta4) as a mediator of eEPC-mediated cardioprotection. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vitro, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation in the absence or presence of eEPCs with or without Tbeta4 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transfection. In vivo, pigs (n=9 per group) underwent percutaneous left anterior descending artery occlusion for 60 minutes on day 1. After 55 minutes of ischemia, control eEPCs (5x10(6) cells) or cells transfected with Tbeta4 shRNA when indicated or 15 mg Tbeta4 alone were retroinfused into the anterior interventricular vein. Segmental endocardial shortening in the infarct zone at 150-bpm atrial pacing, infarct size (triphenyl tetrazolium chloride viability and methylene blue exclusion), and inflammatory cell influx (myeloperoxidase activity) were determined 24 hours later. Survival of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes increased from 32+/-4% to 90+/-2% after eEPC application, an effect sensitive to shRNA transfection compared with Tbeta4 (45+/-7%). In vivo, infarct size decreased with eEPC application (38+/-4% versus 54+/-4% of area at risk; P<0.01), an effect abolished by Tbeta4 shRNA (62+/-3%). Segmental subendocardial shortening improved after eEPC treatment (22+/-3% versus -3+/-4% of control area) unless Tbeta4 shRNA was transfected (-6+/-4%). Retroinfusion of Tbeta4 mimicked eEPC application (infarct size, 37+/-3%; segmental endocardial shortening, 34+/-7%). Myeloperoxidase activity (3323+/-388 U/mg in controls) was decreased by eEPCs (1996+/-546 U/mg) or Tbeta4 alone (1455+/-197 U/mg) but not Tbeta4 shRNA-treated eEPCs (5449+/-829 U/mg). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that short-term cardioprotection derived by regional application of eEPCs can be attributed, at least in part, to Tbeta4.

[Children in family mediation: A practice model]. / Das Praxismodell des Familien-notruf München zum Einbezug der Kinder in die Mediation.

The authors briefly describe the history of family mediation under the perspective of the role of the children in the process of mediation. They state that originally children were not directly included. But through empirical studies and different higher escalated families asking for help by mediation, the inclusion of children got an important issue in theory and practice. The discussion began with the question in which phases of the mediation process the children should be included - it went to the issue of the age of the children - and the authors propose to take the amount of escalation in the family as the most important point of reference to decide if and how the children should be included. They suggest to diagnose the loss of responsibility and autonomy of the parents on a nine level scale (from F. Glasl) with the parents and to decide and negotiate with them how the children will be included. They describe five different settings of inclusion of the children.

[Familiy mediation within the counselling system]. / Praxis der Familienmediation in der Beratung.

Family mediation has been established as a method of resolving family conflicts within the counselling system. Unfortunately there existed only rare information about the real presence and efficacy of family mediation services within this system. 726 counselling centres from all over the country participated at the present study, which was outlined to evaluate their supply of family mediation and the use of it. The results show that nearly one third of the centres are offering family mediation as a regular service to their clients, and that mediative skills are quite frequently used by the counselling professionals. Centres, which offer a regular service of mediation, have an obviously higher percentage of honorary staff, indicating that this service might have a more fragile status. Each centre, which conducted mediation, had an average mediation caseload of 32 in 2003, which means a percentage of 7 percent of all counselling cases treated in this year. These mediations needed an average treatment of 7 hours. Most frequent cases in mediation are separated married or separated non-married parents with 2 children. In most cases, family mediation was used to regulate conflicts in separation, divorce or post divorce, mainly concerned with issues of child custody. In contrast to the researchers' expectations, children were introduced at the mediation process only rarely. The need for mediation in the local population was rated much higher than the factual demand for and the factual supply of mediation. Based on the outcomes of the study, some recommendations are made: for the improvement of the supply of family mediation, for the expansion of the issues to which mediation is offered, and for strengthening the approaches to include children into the mediation process.