Trends and variations in neonatal length of in-hospital stay in Canada

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the possible mechanisms involved in prolongation of bleeding time in pre-eclamptic patients receiving a magnesium sulfate infusion to prevent convulsions. Eighteen pre-eclamptic patients near term or at term (4 cases 33 to 35 weeks; the remainder > 36 weeks) were studied. Fifteen of them received magnesium sulfate infusion; 3 did not and served as controls. Bleeding time (modified Ivy method with Surgicutt), platelet count, platelet aggregation pattern, as well as serum arachidonic acid metabolites [thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and 6-Keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-Keto-PGF1 alpha)] werde done on admission to the labor floor (before magnesium infusion) and repeated at discontinuation of the infusion, 12-24 hours postpartum; the controls received the second test 24 hours postpartum. Thirteen of 15 patients receiving magnesium sulfate had an increase in bleeding time from an average of 6 minutes 31 seconds to 11 minutes 56 seconds, an 82% rise (p < 0.004). In 2 there was a decrease. Among the 3 controls the averages were 6 minutes 38 seconds and 6 minutes 3 seconds. The total magnesium given ranged from 52.5 to 145 grams. Platelet counts averaged 251,000/mm3 (range 145,000-519,000). Platelet aggregation pattern done in 11 patients and was normal and unchanged after magnesium in 10 of the patients with increased bleeding time and one control. TxB2 and 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha levels did not change significantly either after magnesium administration (688 and 135 pgm/ml, to 654 and 117) or in controls (695 and 230 pgm/ml, to 445 and 225). Likewise, the ratio of these 2 substances did not change in either group (6.3 to 6.6, and 4.2 to 2.2). There was no correlation between duration of infusion or total magnesium given and directions of small changes observed. This study confirms a prior preliminary observation that magnesium sulfate infusion, as currently used to prevent eclamptic convulsions, induces a significant prolongation of bleeding time. This effect is mediated neither by changes in platelets count or aggregation pattern, nor by changing the level or ratios of serum arachidonic acid metabolites (TxB2 and 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha). Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism of this clinically important observation of increased bleeding following magnesium sulfate infusion.     

Suppressive effect of corticosteroids on the gene expression of interleukin-5 and eosinophil activation in asthmatics

Although cortico steroids are effective anti-inflammatory agents in ameliorating asthma symptoms and bronchial hperreactivity, their mechanism of action is unknown. Interleukin (IL)-5 is known to play a key role in regulating eosinophil proliferation and activation. Therefore, we examined the changes of IL-5 mRNA expressions in PBMC semi-quantitatively with RT-PCR as well as serum ECP levels and MCH-PC20 values in asthmatics before and after being treated with corticosteroids. The results revealed that there were significant decrease in the level of IL-5 mRNA and serum ECP concentration after therapy (P < 0.05) and there was remarkable improvement in the values of MCH-PC20 and FEV1% (P < 0.05). It was also found that the changes of serum ECP levels or MCH-PC20 values were accompanied by a reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression (r = 0.5426 or 0.4857, P < 0.05). These results suggested that the therapeutic effects of corticosteroids in asthma may result from modulation of IL-5 gene expression with consequent inhibition of eosinophil activation.     

A multi-agent decision support system for stock trading

A distributed problem solving system can be characterized as a group of individual cooperating agents running to solve common problems. As dynamic application domains continue to grow in scale and complexity, it becomes more difficult to control the purposeful behavior of agents, especially when unexpected events may occur. This article presents an information and knowledge exchange framework to support distributed problem solving. From the application viewpoint the article concentrates on the stock trading domain; however, many presented solutions can be extended to other dynamic domains. It addresses two important issues: how individual agents should be interconnected so that their resources are efficiently used and their goals accomplished effectively; and how information and knowledge transfer should take place among the agents to allow them to respond successfully to user requests and unexpected external situations. The article introduces an architecture, the MASST system architecture, which supports dynamic information and knowledge exchange among the cooperating agents. The architecture uses a dynamic blackboard as an interagent communication paradigm to facilitate factual data, business rule, and command exchange between cooperating MASST agents. The critical components of the MASST architecture have been implemented and tested in the stock trading domain, and have proven to be a viable solution for distributed problem solving based on cooperating agents     

宽带无源光网络(BPON)关键技术的发展与研究

宽带无源光网络（BPON）是实现宽带、多业务接入的理想物理平台，本文介绍了BPON网络的发展，重点讨论了将ATM技术和PON技术相结合的APON系统及其升级系统SuperPON的基本结构和关键技术，对最近兴起的将以太技术和PON技术相结合的EPON系统的基本概念和工作原理也进行了阐述，并对未来BPON技术的发展进行了展望。     

利用框架理论对信号进行重建

在Hilbert空间中讨论了框架的一些重要的性质,定义了一个框架算子,并讨论了该算子的性质。根据实际问题构造了一框架,使信号在此框架下的投影正好为非均匀采样值。给出了一种框架界的估计方法和重建原信号的迭代算法,最后,用仿真验证了此算法的有效性。     

R22替代制冷剂的生产控制评价

本文详细介绍了R2 2替代制冷剂的生产过程控制和整机可靠性评价 ,并介绍了一些具体做法。     

8096/8098单片机集成开发系统

本集成开发环境集编辑、编译、调试和运行于一体,模拟了MCS-96系列单片机的指令系统,并给教学、实验、应用、科研和单片机的开发提供了强有力的手段。     

浅淡恶劣环境中可控震源的使用方法

本文着重介绍了可控震源的防寒问题以及在复杂地区作业的施工方法.     

浅析2020年前美军事战略重点的转变--从装备发展看美国军事战略重点可能的变化

美国21世纪前期的军事战略重点将是争夺外空优势，夺取制天权和制信息权。分析了美国夺取外空优势的原因，及其为夺取外空优势在国家政策、航天发展和技术准备等方面采取的措施。     

黄河下游游荡性河道整治方案研究

小浪底水库投入运用后，黄河下游水沙条件的变化，使游荡性河道整治出现了新情况，新问题。下一步治理应注意积极修建新布点工程，完成具有关键性导流作用的续建工程，确定适应新情况的设计治导线，积极开展新结构试验和观测研究。