Use of gas plasmas to increase breakdown strengths in polycarbonatefilm/foil capacitors

It is shown that the electrical breakdown voltages of polycarbonate film/metal foil capacitors can be increased. This can be achieved by briefly exposing the metal foil in these spirally wound film foil sections to a low-pressure, low-temperature gas plasma. Exposure of tin/lead foil to a 96% CF₄/4% O₂ gas plasma for four min, for example, produced >500% increase in breakdown voltage of sealed polycarbonate capacitors     

Prognostic factors in muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with radiotherapy: an immunohistochemical study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognostic role of p53, Ki-67 and p21 for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with curative intent by radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 131 patients (24 women and 107 men, median age 72 years, range 40-86) with transitional cell carcinoma (T2-T4) treated with external definitive pelvic radiotherapy between 1985 and 1994. Paraffin-embedded pretreatment biopsies from the patients were examined for the presence of p53, p21 and Ki-67, detected by immunohistochemistry, and related to tumour stage, grade and patient survival. RESULTS: The expression of p53 protein correlated positively with the detection of Ki-67 (P < 0.05) but did not correlate with p21. None of the immunohistochemical variables (p53, p21 or Ki-67) correlated with T category and only Ki-67 correlated with histological grade. Patients with > 5% p21 expression tended to live longer than those with < 5% (P = 0.09). In a multivariate analysis, the T category (T2/T3 vs. T4), histological grade (2 vs. 3) and p21 expression (< or = 5% vs. > 5%) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. CONCLUSION: Further investigation is warranted in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing different types of treatment p21 seems to play an independent prognostic role in these patients, in addition to T category and grade.     

Influence of gas composition on recurrence of atelectasis after a reexpansion maneuver during general anesthesia

BACKGROUND: Atelectasis, an important cause of impaired gas exchange during general anesthesia, may be eliminated by a vital capacity maneuver. However, it is not clear whether such a maneuver will have a sustained effect. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of gas composition on reappearance of atelectasis and impairment of gas exchange after a vital capacity maneuver. METHODS: A consecutive sample of 12 adults with healthy lungs who were scheduled for elective surgery were studied. Thirty minutes after induction of anesthesia with fentanyl and propofol, the lungs were hyperinflated manually up to an airway pressure of 40 cmH2O. FIO2 was either kept at 0.4 (group 1, n = 6) or changed to 1.0 (group 2, n = 6) during the recruitment maneuver. Atelectasis was assessed by computed tomography. The amount of dense areas was measured at end-expiration in a transverse plane at the base of the lungs. The ventilation-perfusion distributions (VA/Q) were estimated with the multiple inert gas elimination technique. The static compliance of the total respiratory system (Crs) was measured with the flow interruption technique. RESULTS: In group 1 (FIO2 = 0.4), the recruitment maneuver virtually eliminated atelectasis for at least 40 min, reduced shunt (VA/Q < 0.005), and increased at the same time the relative perfusion to poorly ventilated lung units (0.005 < VA/Q < 0.1; mean values are given). The arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) increased from 137 mmHg (18.3 kPa) to 163 mmHg (21.7 kPa; before and 40 min after recruitment, respectively; P = 0.028). In contrast to these findings, atelectasis recurred within 5 min after recruitment in group 2 (FIO2 = 1.0). Comparing the values before and 40 min after recruitment, all parameters of VA/Q were unchanged. In both groups, Crs increased from 57.1/55.0 ml.cmH2O-1 (group 1/group 2) before to 70.1/67.4 ml.cmH2O-1 after the recruitment maneuver. Crs showed a slow decrease thereafter (40 min after recruitment: 61.4/60.0 ml.cmH2O-1), with no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The composition of inspiratory gas plays an important role in the recurrence of collapse of previously reexpanded atelectatic lung tissue during general anesthesia in patients with healthy lungs. The reason for the instability of these lung units remains to be established. The change in the amount of atelectasis and shunt appears to be independent of the change in the compliance of the respiratory system.     

Monolithic integration of DFB laser with spot-size transformer forhighly efficient laser fibre coupling

The monolithic integration of a mushroom type InGaAs-InGaAsP MQW DFB laser with a spot-size transformer based on a two-layer lateral taper is reported. Highly efficient coupling to a butt-joined dispersion shifted singlemode fibre with a coupling loss down to 0.9 dB and large alignment tolerances was achieved, maintaining the good spectral characteristics of an isolated DFB-laser structure     

Oral malodor in dogs: measurement using a sulfide monitor

In 28 dogs, oral malodor was assessed organoleptically (0-3 scale) and by measurement of volatile sulfur components (VSC), using two positions ('intraoral' and 'tooth surface') for sampling VSC. Significant correlations were found between: intraoral and tooth surface VSC collection positions (p < 0.0001) and between organoleptic and tooth surface VSC data (p < 0.0001). VSC measurement is a sensitive, repeatable and non-subjective method of assessing oral malodor in dogs.     

Production of hydroxyl radicals in contracting skeletal muscle of cats

Reactive oxygen species increase during exhaustive contraction of skeletal muscle, but characterization of the specific species involved and their rates of production during nonexhaustive muscle contraction have not been investigated. We hypothesized that the production rate of hydroxyl radical (.OH) increases in contracting muscle and that this rate is attenuated by pretreatment with deferoxamine (Def) or dimethylthiourea (DMTU). We measured the rate of production of .OH before, during, and after 5 min of intermittent static contraction of the triceps surae muscles in cats (n = 6) using the formation of p-, m-, and o-tyrosines by hydroxylation of phenylalanine. L-Phenylalanine (30 mg/kg i.v.) was administered to each animal 3 min before contraction. Blood samples were collected from the popliteal vein 1 min before contraction; 1, 3, and 4.5 min during contraction; and 1 min after contraction. During and after contraction, the cumulative production rates of p-, m-, and o-tyrosines were elevated by 42.84 +/- 5.41, 0.25 +/- 0.04, and 0.21 +/- 0.03 nmol.min-1.g-1, respectively, compared with noncontracting triceps surae muscles. Pretreatment with Def (10 mg/kg i.v.; n = 5) or DMTU (10 mg/kg i.v.; n = 4) decreased the cumulative rates of production of p-, m-, and o-tyrosines during and after contraction. Additionally, the rate of tyrosine production increased in proportion to the percentage of maximal tension developed by the triceps surae muscles. These results directly demonstrate that .OH is produced in vivo in the skeletal muscle of cats during intermittent static contraction and that production can occur before the onset of fatigue.     

Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Do I have them in my practice?

The long term sequelae of childhood sexual abuse include many symptoms commonly encountered in general practice settings. Guidelines to empathic history taking, comprehensive assessment, and an overview of management are presented, together with a contextual background.     

The prospects for using the genetically engineered surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) expressed by recombinant poxvirus strains as the basis for vaccines against hepatitis B

The use of a recombinant poxvirus (RPV) strain, expressing HBsAg in the process of reproduction in different bioreactor systems under stationary and bioreactor conditions of cultivation, made it possible to obtain highly purified HBsAg. The identity and purity of HBsAg was confirmed by the analysis of its amino acid composition, SDS electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, electron microscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Good prospects of the use of RPV-expressed gene engineering HBsAg as the basis vaccines against hepatitis B was demonstrated in 10 experimental batches of vaccine. All batches of the preparation had pronounced immunogenicity and were safe and nontoxic in animal experiments. The ID50 of experimental batches did not exceed 211 ng/ml, which, according to the data of comparative experiments, was lower than, or equal to, corresponding values of analogous foreign commercial preparations, based on plasma or yeast HBsAg.     

Ewald Hering und die Gegenfarbtheorie

Ewald Hering's color-opponent-theory is still considered one of the foundations of the visual sciences. Prior to Hering, Hermann v. Helmholtz introduced a theory of color appearance, which was based primarily on the physical aspects of the stimulus. In contrast to Helmholtz, Hering's theory strongly emphasized the subject's perception of color. As a consequence, Hering considered Helmholtz' theory inadequate. Contrary to some historical accounts, he did not object to Helmholtz's three-receptor explanation for color-mixture. Instead of Helmholtz' fundamental colors red, green, and blue, Hering suggested that the colors possess opponent character: blue-yellow; red-green; and, black-white. Helmholtz, on the other hand, refused to accept Hering's theory. Finally, a student with Helmholtz, Johannes v. Kries, developed the so-called “zone-theory”, which combines both, Young-Helmholtz's and Hering's theory at different stages of the visual information processing system.