Modern electronic and chemical thermometers used in the axilla are inaccurate

Rectal and axillary temperatures were measured simultaneously in 83 children using three different thermometer devices providing 166 pairs of results. In the first series consisting of 22 febrile children (44 measurements) and 20 afebrile children (40 measurements), the rectal mercury measurement was compared to an axillary mercury and axillary Tempa-DOT thermometer. The axillary mercury had sensitivity of 14/22 (64%) and specificity of 20/20 (100%) while the Tempa-DOT had sensitivity of 15/22 (68%) and specificity of 19/20 (95%). In the second series comprising 21 febrile children (42 measurements) and 20 afebrile children (40 measurements) the axillary mercury had sensitivity of 11/21 (52%) and specificity of 20/20 (100%) while the electronic thermometer had sensitivity of 10/21 (48%) and specificity of 20/20 (100%). Regardless of the thermometer used, the axilla is a poor alternative to rectal measurements in the diagnosis of fever. CONCLUSION: Mercury-free thermometers, when used in the axilla are as poor alternatives to rectal measurements as mercury-in-glass thermometers.     

嵌入式系统大屏幕LED点阵显示器

本系统的设计思路是：用单片机对整个系统进行总体控制。其中显示字模数据由单片机输入显存，点阵的点亮过程由其他电路自动完成。其特点是：点阵的动态显示过程不占用CPU的时间，这就使CPU能更有效地控制管理其他设备的工作流程。     

Chloramphenicol antibody causing interference in antibody detection and identification tests

Investigation of the serum of three patients with positive antibody detection tests demonstrated the cause in each to be an antibody against chloramphenicol, a bacteriostatic agent used in commercial red blood cell reagents. Washing of these red cells prior to use prevented agglutination. All three examples of anti-chloramphenicol antibody were IgM and were in low titer when tested at room temperature and 37 C in saline. Two of the antibodies bound complement. The possibility of an antibody to an ingredient of the commercial preservative solution should be considered if problems are encountered in tests with unwashed commercial red blood cell reagents.     

Identification and characterization of a novel human aldose reductase-like gene

We have identified a novel human protein that is highly homologous to aldose reductase (AR). This protein, which we called ARL-1, consists of 316 amino acids, the same size as AR, and its amino acid sequence is 71% identical to that of AR. It is more closely related to the AR-like proteins such as mouse vas deferens protein, fibroblast growth factor-regulated protein, and Chinese hamster ovary reductase, with 81, 82, and 83%, respectively, of its amino acid sequence identical to the amino acid sequence of these proteins. The cDNA of ARL-1 was expressed in Escherichia coli to obtain recombinant protein for characterization of its enzymatic activities. For comparison, the cDNA of human AR was also expressed in E. coli and analyzed in parallel. These two enzymes differ in their pH optima and salt requirement, but they act on a similar spectrum of substrates. Similar to AR, ARL-1 can efficiently reduce aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, and it is less active on hexoses. While AR mRNA is found in most tissues studied, ARL-1 is primarily expressed in the small intestines and in the colon, with a low level of its mRNA in the liver. The ability of ARL-1 to reduce various aldehydes and the locations of expression of this gene suggest that it may be responsible for detoxification of reactive aldehydes in the digested food before the nutrients are passed on to other organs. Interestingly, ARL-1 and AR are overexpressed in some liver cancers, but it is not clear if they contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease.     

Effect of radiographic positioning on interpretation of cubital joint congruity in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain effects of x-ray beam centering and limb position on apparent congruity of a normal cubital joint (elbow). ANIMALS: 6 skeletally mature male Treeing Walker Coonhounds without physical, radiographic, or gross evidence of elbow abnormalities. PROCEDURE: Relative movement among humerus, radius, and ulna and measured joint space width on mediolateral and craniocaudal radiographic views was compared, using various x-ray beam centering and limb positions. RESULTS: Highest agreement and greatest certainty on subjective determination of congruity was for the flexed 90 degrees mediolateral radiographic view with the x-ray beam centered on the elbow. Distortion artifact of the proximal ulnar measurements was significant when the x-ray beam was centered on the midpoint of the radius. On the mediolateral view, the humeroradial joint space became significantly wide when the elbow was flexed. On the craniocaudal view, maximal humeroradial joint space width was obtained when the x-ray beam bisected the angle of the joint or was angled +30 degrees toward the humerus. CONCLUSIONS: Artifact distortion of joint width affected objective and subjective assessment of elbow congruity when the limb was placed in extreme flexion or extension or when the x-ray beam was not centered over the area of interest. Optimal visualization of the humeroradial joint space on the craniocaudal view was achieved when the x-ray beam bisected the angle of the elbow or was slightly angled toward the humerus. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Elbow congruity was best assessed on the flexed 90 degrees lateral radiographic view with the x-ray beam centered on the joint.     

Spinal cord herniation after stabbing injury

The commercially available spray management valve provided consistent flow rates when used with hand-compression sprayer systems. The 15-psi spray management valve maintained a constant flow rate of 180, 150, and 155 ml/min in combination with a fine 45 degrees flat fan nozzle and Hudson. B&G, and Chapin hand-compression sprayers, respectively. The 30-psi spray management valve maintained a constant flow rate and adequate spray-on time when combined with the coarse flat fan nozzle for each of the 3 hand-compression sprayers tested.     

Flexible Backbone Aromatic Polyimide Adhesives

Continuing research at Langley Research Center on the synthesis and development of new inexpensive flexible aromatic polyimides as adhesives has resulted in a material identified as LARC-F-SO₂ with similarities to polyimidesulfone (PISO₂) and other flexible backbone polyimides recently reported by Progar and St. Clair. Also prepared and evaluated was an endcapped version of PISO₂. These two polymers were compared with LARC-TPI and LARC-STPI, polyimides researched in our laboratory and reported in the literature.

The adhesive evaluation, primarily based on lap shear strength (LSS) tests, involved preparing adhesive tapes, conducting bonding studies and exposing lap shear specimens to 204°C air for up to 1000 hrs and to a 72-hour water boil. LSS tests at RT, 177°C and 204°C were performed before (controls) and after these exposures. The type of adhesive failure as well as the Tg was determined for the fractured specimens.

The results indicate that LARC-TPI provides the highest LSSs, 33 MPa at RT, 30 MPa at 177°C, and 26 MPa at 204°C. LARC-F-SO₂, LARC-TPI and LARC-STPI all retain their strengths after thermal exposure for 1000 hrs and PISO₂ retains greater than 80% of its control strengths.

Most of the four adhesive systems showed reduced strengths for all test temperatures although they still retained a high percentage of their original strength (<60%) except for one case.

The predominant failure mode was cohesive with no significant change in the Tgs.

Although the LARC-F-SO₂ could not be prepared in diglyme alone as the solvent, the properties of the resulting adhesive were notable. The darkening of the adhesive during bonding was typical of systems which utilize amide solvents.     

Reversal of pretreatment hypotension and control of hemorrhage in trauma patients by a simple device

The injection of a suspension of Walker 256 carcinoma cells into the carotid artery of rats produced a model of hematogenously spread cerebral metastases. Most animals died from massive extracerebral tumors of the head and jaw; brain tumors were present in only one-quarter. External carotid artery ligation prior to tumor inoculation did not increase the incidence of fatal brain tumor. When cyclophosphamide, 15 mg/kg, was injected as a single dose on the fourteenth day after tumor inoculation, most of the extracerebral tumor disappeared. Fifty percent of the animals so treated were cured of tumor, but 90% of the remainder died of large intracerebral tumors. Severe cytopathic changes resulting from cyclophosphamide were present in extracerebral or choroid plexus tumors but were mild or nonexistent in intracerebral tumors. These selective effects of cyclophosphamide suggest that water-soluble agents are less effective against tumor in the brain than against extracerebral tumors despite the fact that metastatic tumor breaks down the blood-brain barrier.     

Contribution of muscle proteinases to meat tenderization

The exact mechanisms involved in the postmortem meat tenderization process and the nature of changes associated with improvement in tenderness are complex and not fully understood. Based on the relevant evidence thus far obtained, the focus of this review is on clarifying the factors affecting meat tenderness, particularly the toughening and tenderness phases, possible endogenous proteinases involved in meat tenderization and how these proteinases contribute to meat tenderization. Of the different biochemical and ultrastructural changes occurring in the meat tenderization process, myofibril disruption at the Z-disk and contractile proteins are discussed in detail. This myofibril disruption can perhaps be ascribed to the synergistic action of calcium-dependent proteinases (both mu- and m-calpains) and lysosomal proteinases, especially the cathepsins B and L.