A study of patient-related characteristics and outcome after moderate injury

The purpose of all injury care is to restore patients' pre-injury functioning and to facilitate the return to normal activities. The aim of this prospective study was to describe and analyse psychiatric factors and other patient-related characteristics which influence long-term results after moderate injuries. One hundred and sixty-nine injured patients were randomized to go through a comprehensive psychosocial research protocol and to participate in the 12 month follow up. The 49 patients lost to follow-up differed significantly from all other patients. They were more often single, blue-collar workers with a lower educational level and had a less favourable psychosocial background, including alcohol abuse. The 120 patients who completed the follow-up were divided in two groups: the non-recovered group (NR, N = 58), patients reporting limitations in performing their work and/or limitations in carrying out housework and/or in social life, and the recovered group (R, N = 62), patients reporting full recovery or only minor limitations in exercise or sports 12 months after the injury. The NR patients were older (P < 0.05), had a slightly higher injury Severity Score (P < 0.01) and showed signs of depression both during the acute post-injury period and at 1 year follow up (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that measurements of pain and depression during the acute post-injury period were associated with the functional outcome after 12 months. Co-operation between injury and psychiatric units should be developed to identify patients needing psychosocial or psychiatric support during the early phase of rehabilitation.     

Transendothelial insulin transport is not saturable in vivo. No evidence for a receptor-mediated process

The redistribution of spin-labeled phospholipid analogs across the plasma membrane of HepG2 cells, either in suspension or grown as monolayers, was investigated. After incorporation into the outer membrane leaflet spin-labeled aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) moved rapidly to the inner monolayer, whereas the analog of phosphatidylcholine (PC) disappeared more slowly from the outer leaflet. The fast, inward movement of the aminophospholipids was abolished after adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-depletion of cells, suggesting the presence of an aminophospholipid translocase in the plasma membrane of these cells. Compared with human red blood cells, the activity of the aminophospholipid translocase is two orders of magnitude higher in HepG2 cells. From these data, a transverse phospholipid asymmetry can be inferred with the aminophospholipids mainly concentrated on the inner monolayer and the choline-containing phospholipids on the outer leaflet. The relevance of the enrichment of PC in the outer membrane leaflet for the formation and composition of the bile is discussed.     

A new method for diffusion measurement in polymeric films based on a stacked sheet concept

PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate a simple, yet well defined, method to measure diffusion in semi-solids, i.e. polymeric materials. METHODS: The method was based on a concept where equivalent discs of polymeric films were cut and stacked on top of each other. The diffusion process was allowed to proceed unidimensionally through the stack of films perpendicular to the film surface. After an appropriate time, the stack was analysed disc by disc with respect to solute content and from the concentration profile so obtained the diffusion coefficient was calculated. RESULTS: An all-in-one device was developed, manufactured in stainless-steel, that cuts circular discs and stores each one successively in a "stack" in the cell compartment. CONCLUSIONS: Data from a silicone based system shows that the method, although simple, is accurate and reproducible.     

以可编程DSP架构应对TD-SCDMA以及TD-LTE带来的设计挑战

中国作为目前世界上最大的移动市场,对于移动标准的发展,希望制定不同于西方的自己的标准。这就是目前的3G标准TD-SCDMA以及未来的4G标准TD-LTE。在2006年初,中国政府宣布TD-SCDMA正式成为中国的3G移动通信的标准。在2009年,世界最大的移动运营商中国移动宣布将提供基于TD-SCDMA为标准的3G服务;同时,中国联通以及中国电信分别将以WCDMA以及CDMA-2000标准推出3G服务。这就意味着,中国在接下来的时间将会同时存在3种不同的3G网络。显而易见的是,中国的3G服务的启动要远远晚于西方世界。中国移动明白不可能只是依靠TD-SCDMA来确保其目前领先的地位。因此,中国移     

Neural Networks Based Colour Measuring for Process Monitoring and Control in Multicoloured Newspaper Printing

This paper presents a neural networks based method and a system for colour measurements on printed halftone multicoloured pictures and halftone multi-coloured bars in newspapers. The measured values, called a colour vector, are used by the operator controlling the printing process to make appropriate ink feed adjustments to compensate for colour deviations of the picture being measured from the desired print. By the colour vector concept, we mean the CMY or CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) vector, which lives in the three- or four-dimensional space of printing inks. Two factors contribute to values of the vector components, namely the percentage of the area covered by cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks (tonal values) and ink densities. Values of the colour vector components increase if tonal values or ink densities rise, and vice versa. If some reference values of the colour vector components are set from a desired print, then after an appropriate calibration, the colour vector measured on an actual halftone multicoloured area directly shows how much the operator needs to raise or lower the cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink densities to compensate for colour deviation from the desired print. The 18 months experience of the use of the system in the printing shop witnesses its usefulness through the improved quality of multicoloured pictures, the reduced consumption of inks and, therefore, less severe problems of smearing and printing through.     

Relationship of passive cigarette-smoking to sudden infant death syndrome

The smoking habits of 56 families who lost babies to the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were compared to those of 86 control families. A higher proportion of SIDS mothers smoked both during pregnancy (61% vs. 42%) and after their babies were born (59% vs. 37%). SIDS mother also smoked a significantly greater number of cigarettes than controls. Exposure to cigarette smoke ("passive smoking") appears to enhance the risk of SIDS for reasons not known.