Replication of microchannel structures in WC-Co feedstock using elastomeric replica moulds by hot embossing process.

Hot embossing is a net shaping process that is able to produce the micro-components of polymers with intrinsic and complex shapes at lower cost compared with machining and injection moulding. However, the emboss of hard metals, such as WC-Co, is more challenging due to their high thermal conductivity and ease of agglomeration. Thus, a WC-Co alloy mixed with a wax-based binder feedstock was selected.

National experience with extracranial carotid artery aneurysms: epidemiology, surgical treatment strategy, and treatment outcome.

Objective: Extracranial carotid artery aneurysms (CAAs) are rare but confer risk of stroke, rupture, and local symptoms. Few cases have been reported, even from large centers, and therefore knowledge of the disease is limited. The purpose of this study was to review epidemiology, surgical treatment, and outcomes of CAAs in a nationwide setting using the Swedish National Registry for Vascular Surgery (Swedvasc).

Very urgent carotid endarterectomy confers increased procedural risk.

Background And Purpose: Current Swedish guidelines recommend that carotid endarterectomy should be performed within 14 days of a qualifying neurological event, but it is not clear if very urgent surgery after an event is associated with increased perioperative risk. The aim of this study was to determine how the time between the event and carotid endarterectomy affects the procedural risk of mortality and stroke.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed data on all patients who underwent carotid endarterectomies for symptomatic carotid stenosis between May 12, 2008, and May 31, 2011, with records in the Swedish Vascular Registry (Swedvasc).

Walking performance and health-related quality of life after surgical or endovascular invasive versus non-invasive treatment for intermittent claudication--a prospective randomised trial.

Objectives: Despite limited scientific evidence for the effectiveness of invasive treatment for intermittent claudication (IC), revascularisation procedures for IC are increasingly often performed in Sweden. This randomised controlled trial compares the outcome after 2 years of primary invasive (INV) versus primary non-invasive (NON) treatment strategies in unselected IC patients.

Materials/methods: Based on arterial duplex and clinical examination, IC patients were randomised to INV (endovascular and/or surgical, n = 100) or NON (n = 101).

The effects of non-selective, preferential-selective and selective COX-inhibitors on the growth of experimental and human tumors in mice related to prostanoid receptors.

Earlier observations on cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors (NSAIDs) restricting tumor growth were re-evaluated by comparing the effects of non-selective, preferential selective and selective derivatives of COX-inhibitors on tumor growth in mouse models with either prostaglandin-sensitive (MCG-101, human tumors) and -insensitive transplants (K1735-M2). Tumor growth, with and without provision of a classical cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin), was related to tumor content of COX-1/COX-2 protein as well as to EP1-EP4 and prostacyclin receptor expression. Mouse serum amyloid protein (SAP) was measured as an indicator of systemic inflammation, which relates to pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Effects of three months of low molecular weight heparin (dalteparin) treatment after bypass surgery for lower limb ischemia--a randomised placebo-controlled double blind multicentre trial.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that long-term postoperative dalteparin (Fragmin), Pharmacia Corp) treatment improves primary patency of peripheral arterial bypass grafts (PABG) in lower limb ischemia patients on acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatment.

Design: Prospective randomised double blind multicenter study.

Materials And Methods: Using a computer algorithm 284 patients with lower limb ischemia, most with pre-operative ischemic ulceration or partial gangrene, from 12 hospitals were randomised, after PABG, to 5000 IU dalteparin or placebo injections once daily for 3 months.

Multicenter clinical experience with large core soft tissue biopsy without vacuum assistance.

The increasing interest in accurate pretreatment diagnosis of solid tumours by morphology, immunohistochemistry, genetics and molecular biology requires clinicians to obtain undamaged large core biopsies. Simultaneously, medical imaging and surgery give priority to minimal tissue injury, affordable technology and optimal patient compliance. A new large core soft tissue biopsy device has been developed to meet the above criteria.

[Thoracic and abdominal aorta aneurysms demand an experienced team work].

Patients with combined aneurysms in the thoracic and abdominal aorta need to be treated at experienced centres. These complicated aneurysms are today treated with various combinations of open and/or endovascular techniques. The complexity of the interventions is associated with high morbidity and mortality.

Predictors of treatment outcome in intermittent claudication.

Objective: To derive formulae to predict the likely 12-month health-related quality of life outcome following different treatments for intermittent claudication (IC).

Design: A prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Materials: One hundred and seventy-one unselected patients with stable IC were sequentially randomized to invasive therapy, supervised physical training or observation.

Treatment efficacy of intermittent claudication by invasive therapy, supervised physical exercise training compared to no treatment in unselected randomised patients II: one-year results of health-related quality of life.

Objective: to compare the effectiveness of invasive therapy, supervised physical training and no treatment in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with intermittent claudication (IC).

Design: a prospective, randomised, controlled study.

Materials: a total of 253 unselected patients with stable IC were sequentially randomised into 3 balanced treatment groups.

Treatment efficacy of intermittent claudication by surgical intervention, supervised physical exercise training compared to no treatment in unselected randomised patients I: one year results of functional and physiological improvements.

Objectives: to compare the effect of surgery, exercise and simple observation on maximum exercise power in claudicants.

Design: prospective, randomised study.

Methods: a total of 264 unselected claudicants were randomised to supervised exercise training, invasive treatment (open surgical or endovascular procedures) or observation.

Effect of cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide synthase inhibitors on tumor growth in mouse tumor models with and without cancer cachexia related to prostanoids.

The potential interaction between cyclooxygenase (Cox) and NO metabolic pathways in the control of local tumor growth was evaluated. Mice bearing either a sarcoma-derived tumor (C57B1; MCG 101) or a malignant melanoma (C3H/HeN; K1735-M2) were used. These models were principally different because they demonstrate, in tumor hosts, conditions with and without cancer cachexia, seemingly related to high and low production of prostanoids, respectively.

Are cytokines possible mediators of cancer cachexia?

The possible role of cytokines in the development of cancer cachexia was reviewed from the literature. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) can elicit many but not all host changes seen in cancer cachexia, including loss of appetite, loss of body weight, and the induction of acute-phase protein synthesis. However, these cytokines are not always demonstrated in the circulation of the cancer patients.

Effects related to indomethacin prolonged survival and decreased tumor-growth in a mouse-tumor model with cytokine dependent cancer cachexia.

Tumor-bearing mice with two different locally growing malignant tumors (epithelial like, MCG 101; malignant melanoma, K1735-M2) were used to evaluate the putative role of prostaglandins for survival and local tumor growth in experimental cancer. Daily systemic injections of indomethacin (1 mu g/g bw) were used to block prostaglandin production in normal and T-cell deficient tumor-bearing nude mice. Tumor progression was determined by measurements of tumor weight, DNA-synthesis, cell cycle kinetics in vivo and in vitro (flow cytometry), tumor tissue concentrations of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) and tumor tissue gene expression of growth regulating factors (IL-1 alpha, IL-6, TNF alpha, A,B-PDGF, EGF, VEGF, bFGF, TGF beta(3), angiogenin and transferrin receptor).

Anti-inflammatory treatment may prolong survival in undernourished patients with metastatic solid tumors.

Eicosanoids may be important factors for tumor cell proliferation, metastatic formation, and development of cancer cachexia. The present study has evaluated the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment on tumor progression in clinical cancer. Patients (n = 135) with insidious or overt malnutrition due to generalized malignancy (various kinds of solid tumors) and an expected survival of more than 6 months were randomized by a computer-based algorithm to receive placebo, prednisolone (10 mg twice daily), or indomethacin (50 mg twice daily) p.

Expression of interleukin-6 in tumor-bearing mice with cytokine dependent cachexia.

Increased production of IL-6 in tumor-bearing mice occured in a variety of host-tissues including tumor tissue. Elevated IL-6 transcription in tumor-bearing mice occured in the tumor, liver, kidney and the small intestine, and was associated with increased concentration in the circulation of bioactive IL-6 of normal size (almost-equal-to 20 000 kDa) in addition with two larger but biologically inactive serum fractions containing immune-reactive IL-6. These inactive complexes were not explained by circulating inhibitor(s).

Imaging of polypoid endoluminal growing bile duct tumors.

We reviewed the radiological documents and protocols of 196 cases of bile duct tumors examined over a period of 12 years: 20 of them (10.2%) presented with a polypoid endoluminal growth. The aim of this study was to provide a better knowledge about the radiological features of this less frequent kind of tumor.

Acute-phase proteins in response to tumor growth.

This study has evaluated the relationship between tumor growth and induction of acute-phase proteins. It has also determined whether an intact cellular immunity is obligatory for a fully expressed acute-phase plasma protein response in the presence of a highly antigenic tumor. Quantitatively, acute-phase responses (protein synthesis, plasma concentrations, hepatic RNA content, anorexia) were proportional to tumor burden.

The role of the adrenals in the acute phase response to interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the adrenals, particularly the glucocorticoids, in the acute phase response following daily injections for 5 days of recombinant human interleukin-1 alpha,beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha). Adult weight-stable freely fed or pair-fed (to cytokine-injected mice) mice (C57Bl/6J) with and without adrenals were used. Adrenalectomized animals showed a sensitivity to both IL-1 alpha and -1 beta (40 ng IL-1/day) greater than 10-fold higher than that of normal mice (420 ng IL-1/day) in regard to mortality and anorexia.

Co-variation between walking ability and circulatory alterations in patients with intermittent claudication.

Unselected patients (n = 183) with subjective symptoms of intermittent claudication were examined clinically and by various circulatory tests (calf blood-flow, ankle, toe pressures). The aims of the present study were to evaluate to what extent the central or peripheral circulation is limiting in unselected patients with subjective symptoms of intermittent claudication, to determine the co-variation between the maximum walking capacity and traditional haemodynamical measures mentioned above and to evaluate to what extent a traditional bicycle ergometer exercise test and treadmill walking test give similar information regarding maximum performance. Eighty-five per cent of all patients were or had been smokers and 16% were diabetics.

Effects of indomethacin, cytokines, and cyclosporin A on tumor growth and the subsequent development of cancer cachexia.

C57BL/6J mice bearing a low or undifferentiated rapidly growing tumor were treated daily with either i.p. injections of the recombinant cytokines interleukin(IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta (21 ng/g), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (21 ng/g) or s.