Relative sedimentation of hematopoietic progenitors in human cord blood, peripheral blood, and bone marrow as determined by counterflow centrifugal elutriation

OBJECTIVE: Although there have been many studies of the outcome of anorexia nervosa, methodological weaknesses limit their interpretation. The authors used a case-control design to try to improve knowledge about the outcome of anorexia nervosa. METHOD: All new female patients referred to an eating disorders service between Jan. 1, 1981, and Dec. 31, 1984, who had probable or definite anorexia nervosa were eligible for inclusion. Of these women, 86.4% (N = 70) were located and agreed to participate. The comparison group (N = 98) was a random community sample. All subjects were interviewed with a structured diagnostic instrument. RESULTS: A minority of the patients (10%) continued to meet the criteria for anorexia nervosa a mean of 12 years after initial referral. Even among those who no longer met these criteria, relatively low body weight and cognitive features characteristic of anorexia nervosa (perfectionism and cognitive restraint) persisted. The rates of lifetime comorbid major depression, alcohol dependence, and a number of anxiety disorders were very high. CONCLUSIONS: In the managed care/brief treatment era, therapeutic approaches with an excessive focus on weight gain that neglect the detection and treatment of associated psychological features and comorbidity may be inappropriate. Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychiatric disorder with substantial morbidity.     

Antilipid a monoclonal antibody HA-1A: immune complex clearance of endotoxin reduces TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 production

When the projecting point of saphenous nerve in second somatosensory cortex (S II) of cat was stimulated, the evoked potentials elicited by C-fiber inputs of saphenous nerve recorded in the primary somatosensory cortex (C-CEP) might be either inhibited or facilited according to whether the superficial and/or the deeper layer of the cortex was stimulated. The inhibition was expressed as a decrease of amplitude and prolongation of latency of C-CEP; while the facilitation, as an increase of amplitude and duration of C-CEP. When the superfaicial layer of S II was stimulated by weaker current, both inhibitory and facilitatory effects could be observed, but only inhibitory effect was observed, when the deep layer was stimulated. With the same intensity of stimulation, inhibitory effect was more pronounced when the deep layer rather than the superficial layer was stimulated. It is suggested that S II may play a role in the modulation of C-CEP of S I.     

Comparison of laparoscopic and minilap cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis

The charts of all patients with acute cholecystitis undergoing either laparoscopic or minilap cholecystectomy at the Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility between October 1, 1991, and August 15, 1993, were retrospectively reviewed. During that period, 54 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 45 patients had minilap procedures. The two groups had similar mean age, sex distribution, temperature, leukocyte count, gallbladder wall thickness, and duration of preoperative symptoms. While laparoscopic cholecystectomy took an average of 16 min longer to perform than minilap cholecystectomy, patients who had laparoscopic cholecystectomy had less blood loss, reduced postoperative narcotic needs, and shorter hospital stays.     

Fundamental Limitations of Continuous-Time Delta–Sigma Modulators Due to Clock Jitter

We examine noise due to clock jitter in single-loop low-pass continuous-time delta-sigma (Delta Sigma) modulators (CT-DSMs) employing nonreturn to zero (NRZ) feedback digital-to-analog converters (DACs). Using the discrete-time version of the Bode sensitivity integral, we derive a lower bound on jitter noise and its relationship to the noise transfer function (NTF) of the modulator. We show that NTFs with optimized zeros result in lower jitter noise than those with all zeros at the origin. We give intuition to a recent observation (arrived through numerical optimization) that NTFs with peaking in their passbands have lower jitter noise than maximally flat NTFs. We propose a design procedure that minimizes the sum of the quantization and jitter noise. The arguments regarding Delta Sigma analog-to-digital converters are extended to Delta Sigma DACs and measurement results are presented.     

Surface characterization of sprayed CuGa x In1−x Se2 layers

Small-area polycrystalline CuGa _x In_1–x Se₂-based solar cells produced in the laboratory have been reported with efficiencies up to 18.8%. This success at achieving high-efficiency devices has stimulated a parallel research effort to produce large-area modules based on the use of CuGa _x In_1–x Se₂ with reduced cost of production. One method that has potential to achieve these objectives is chemical spray pyrolysis. Preliminary studies have resulted in devices with efficiencies of 4–5%. Further improvements toward implementing higher-efficiency devices are expected to result from a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the chalcopyrite layers produced. In this work we have investigated, for the first time, the properties of these layers using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to identify the secondary phases and residual impurities present. The layers studied were for In/Ga mole ratios of x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 in CuGa _x In_1–x Se₂. The layers were also profiled by sputter etching away the surface of the layers and repeating the XPS measurements. The effects of annealing the layers in air, vacuum, and selenium vapor were also investigated.     

Access to hypertensive care. Effects of income, insurance, and source of care

BACKGROUND: This study examines the relationship between income, health insurance, and usual source of care characteristics and screening and management of hypertension. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey. Adult survey respondents constitute a sample representative of the total adult noninstitutionalized US population. Screening, follow-up care, and pharmacologic treatment for hypertension were examined among low income individuals, the uninsured, those without a usual source of care place, and those without a particular usual source of care physician. RESULTS: The uninsured, individuals without a usual source of care place, and those without a particular usual source of care physician received less screening, follow-up care, and pharmacologic treatment for hypertension. Income did not affect receipt of hypertensive care. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of health insurance and lack of a usual source of care are barriers to hypertensive care. Policies that increase access to health insurance or to usual source of care physicians may enable more individuals to attain control of hypertension.     

Thrombin-like enzyme from Lachesis muta muta venom: isolation and topographical analysis of its active site structure by means of the binding of amidines and guanidines as competitive inhibitors

A serine protease enzyme was purified from Lachesis muta muta venom, with 40% yield, by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and affinity chromatography on Sepharose-agmatin. Homogeneity of the enzyme preparation was demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the enzyme had a relative mol. wt of 45,000. The molar extinction coefficient at 280 nm was 62,127 (M x cm)-1. The enzyme hydrolysed Bz-Arg-Nan with Ks = 0.233 +/- 0.08 mM and kcat = 2.80 +/- 0.07 sec-1. All the amidines and guanidines tested for their inhibitory effect on thrombin-like enzyme behaved as competitive inhibitors of the enzyme with Ki values in the range 6.2 microM to 42.3 mM for amidines and 0.19 mM to 9.31 mM for guanidines. Dissociation constant values were analyzed in terms of the binding of the inhibitors with the subsite S1, the specificity pocket of the enzyme, Ki values were discussed in accordance with those for trypsin inhibition. beta-Naphthamidine was the strongest inhibitor, while guanidine was the weakest. The differences among the Ki values were interpreted in terms of the shape of the enzyme active site. For meta- and para-substituted benzamidinium ions a good correlation was found between log l/Ki and sigma Hammett values of the substituents. The substituent effects in the pi-electrons of the benzamidine ring were considered in the frame of Hückel molecular orbital theory. A model for the binding of p-benzamidine derivatives with the primary specificity S1 subsite of the enzyme active site was proposed.