Creativity for the new millennium.

Introduces the journal's special section on creativity. Contributors were given a specific, common charge: to identify a person whose work is exemplary in its creativity and to analyze that person's creativity from the article author's particular theoretical perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New medicine for the new millennium

A case of amitriptyline-induced superficial erythema annulare centrifugum (EAC) is reported. Its singular characteristics are prominent epidermal manifestations, with clinical and histologic vesiculation, associated with vacuolar degeneration at the dermoepidermal junction; numerous arciform lesions, accompanied by diffuse erythema on rechallenge; quick change, more rapid than that usually described for EAC; and a short course, in contrast with the usual chronic evolution of EAC. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of EAC associated with amitriptyline intake.     

Ecoimmunonutrition: a challenge for the third millennium

Phospholipids constitute an important part of cellular membranes, and membrane fluidity and permeability are dependent on the fatty acid composition of the phospholipid. The composition, which changes with aging and disease is, to a large degree, influenced by nutrient supply. Phospholipids have been effective in protecting cellular membranes such as those of the gastrointestinal tract to an extent not much different from that observed with external supply of established mucosa-protective drugs such as misoprostol and sucralfate. Polar lipids have also been shown to be effective in preventing microbial translocation. The effect is further potentiated by an external supply of probiotic fibers such as pectin, guar gum, and oat gum. These and many other fibers also have documented strong mucosa preventive effects. Prebiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum have demonstrated a strong ability to preserve food and prevent spoilage. In addition, L. plantarum seems to not only preserve key nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, but also increases its content during storage conditions. L. plantarum alone or in combination with various fibers has demonstrated a strong ability to reduce and eliminate potentially pathogenic microorganisms both in vitro and in vivo. It has recently been shown that L. plantarum possesses the ability to adhere to and colonize intestinal mucosa. It seems unique among the lactobacilli for L. plantarum to use mannose-specific adhesins, uncommon among gram-positive, but common among gram-negative bacteria, which makes it possible that L. plantarum competes with gram-negative other potential pathogens for receptor sites at the mucosal cell surfaces. Additionally, L. plantarum seems to be effective in eliminating nitrate and producing nitric oxide. These functions of L. plantarum are among the reasons why it has been used in combination with various fibers and polar lipids to recondition the gastrointestinal mucosa. For the purpose of a L. plantarum-containing formula being produced and tried, a treatment policy is regarded as an extension of the immunonutrition program and called ecoimmunonutrition.     

The millennium criteria for the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis forms an active area of basic and clinical research, where important new knowledge about genetics and immunopathogenesis has surfaced over the past years, and where simultaneous development of new and innovative therapies is under way. However, the inclusion of any patient in an atopic dermatitis study, whether it is on its genetics, pathogenesis or therapy, requires a diagnosis which is irrefutable. Since there is no simple and also no complicated laboratory procedure to reach a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, different sets of clinical criteria have been developed for the purpose of making the diagnosis uniformly in different studies as well as in different study centers. The most commonly used are Hanifin and Rajka's set of diagnostic features, which have major and minor clinical criteria to be fulfilled in order to establish a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. Recent developments in the immunology of atopy have clearly established the major abnormality in this syndrome, the preferential production of allergen-specific IgE. In this contribution, it is suggested that the presence of such antibodies in a given patient should be a mandatory criterium for the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. Such a diagnostic test however establishes a diagnosis of atopic syndrome, not atopic dermatitis. Thus, for atopic dermatitis we have to rely, for the time being, on additional clinical criteria. The clinical features described in the literature are critically evaluated, and it is suggested that in addition to the mandatory presence of allergen-specific IgE, 2 of 3 principal criteria (pruritus, typical morphology and distribution, chronic or chronically relapsing) should be present for such a diagnosis. Finally, the minor features originally described by Hanifin and Rajka and later evaluated by others are revised and divided over 4 subcategories; a) related to subclinical eczema; b) related to dry skin; c) extra skin folds; and d) ophthalmological pathology. They are suggested to be used as additional criteria only, needed when clinical suspicion is high but the new mandatory and principal diagnostic criteria described here are inconclusive. For study purposes, we suggest that the mandatory and principal criteria are sufficient. They are now evaluated and validated in ongoing atopic dermatitis treatment studies.     

Periodontics in the next millennium

This article prognosticates where periodontology will be in the next millennium. The forecasting of such events is wrought with confusion because such predictions are shadowed by bias, dogmatism, prejudice, experiences, and opinions from either a closed or open mind. The results of the survey from 101 periodontists reflect opinions from varied backgrounds, years of clinical experience, and individual levels of success or failure. The responses cannot be tested for accuracy or duplicated by another survey except to wait out the test of time for the year 2025. Clinicians will be challenged to make decisions on accepting new techniques and concepts as these are brought into the therapeutic fold of periodontics. The clinician will be met with new possibilities as a paradigm shift is inevitable for periodontal practice in the next millennium. After all, who would have thought in the 1960s, the soft tissue augmentation era, that 22 years later in 1982, the regeneration of the lost attachment apparatus (alveolar bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament) would become a reality. This survey strongly suggests that by the end of the first quarter of the twenty-first century, local delivery of antimicrobials, growth and differentiation factors, and root biomodification agents will have a major impact on the practice of periodontics. One thing is certain, in the next millennium, considering the responses from this survey, a new era in periodontics will be here. By the year 2025, the research, development, and dissemination of new periodontal knowledge will be beyond the imagination from what was considered usual and customary for the twentieth century.     

Amalgam at the new millennium

Dental amalgam has served as an excellent and versatile restorative material for many years, despite periods of controversy. The authors review its history, summarize the evidence in regard to its performance and offer predictions for the future of this material. For the present, amalgam should remain the material of choice for economical direct restoration of posterior teeth. When esthetic concerns are paramount, tooth-colored materials, placed meticulously, can provide an acceptable alternative.     

Y2K问题测试及修复实例

昆钢四轧厂１９９４年投产的高速线材生产线年产钢材能力６０万ｔ，是昆钢钢材的主要生产线之一，其正常与否直接影响昆钢总公司的生产和经营，因此测试和改造四轧厂主轧线计算机系统的Ｙ２Ｋ问题成为昆钢解决Ｙ２Ｋ问题的一项主要工作。该系统采用美国ＧＥ公司的ＤＣＳ系统。下面谈谈该系统测试步骤、修复方法及体会。１测试测试对象：数据库管理主机ＤＫＵＳＤＢ和主工作站ＤＭ２Ｋ测试时间：１９９９年３月３１日测试步骤：（１）将主机ＤＫＵＳＤＢ和ＤＭ２Ｋ的ＣＭＯＳ系统时钟由１９９９年３月３１日改为２０００年３月３１日，存储此…     

Acquired heart valve pathology. An update for the millennium

Two inflammatory vascular diseases often show multinucleated macrophages: Takayasu's disease and Horton's disease. Takayasu's disease is a segmentary panarteritis most prominent in the adventitia. Lesions show an inflammatory infiltrate close to the external elastic lamina. Progressive stenosis of the artery, sometimes complicated by calcifying atheroma is the typical course. Horton's disease or temporal arteritis is another segmentary arteritis. Lesions show a mixed inflammatory infiltrate partly localized in the adventitia where there are T CD4+ lymphocytes secreting II-2 and IFN-gamma and also macrophages expressing TGF beta 1, IL-6 and IL-1 beta, and partly situated in the interior part of the wall, around the internal elastic lamina, and mostly made of macrophages and giant cells which produce TNF, collagenase and nitric oxide that are responsible for destruction of the wall. The variety and subtleness of some lesions do not always make a precise diagnosis possible. But any inflammatory vascular lesion, even slight, can reveal a systemic vasculitis.     

一种基于AHP的海上待泊区动态编排算法

为保障海上安全形势稳定,提高船舶进出港交通效率,海上交通相关管理部门研究建立了待泊区并投入使用.待泊区的使用需要提前进行申请,海事局进行编排和调度.针对船舶待泊区申请的编排需求,提出了一种基于AHP的待泊区动态编排算法,首先确立待泊区编排算法的主要影响因素,并为各因素依次建立隶属度函数,结合采用AHP层次分析法确定各影响因素的动态权系数,进而得到综合隶属度函数值,从而完成待泊区申请的动态智能编排,大大提升了海上船舶的通航效率.该算法具有编排过程高效、编排结果精准等优点,还能应对编排因素多变的特点,结合各个港口的实际情况和独特特征,对不同影响因素进行个性化配置,大大提升用户体验.