Comparative severity of respiratory lesions of sialodacryoadenitis virus and Sendai virus infections in LEW and F344 rats

In several chronic diseases, lesions are more severe in LEW rats than in F344 rats. To determine whether or not acute viral diseases also are more severe in LEW rats than in F344 rats, we inoculated 6-7-week-old LEW and F344 rats with 10(7.2) cell culture infective units of sialodacryoadenitis virus or 10(4.7) infective units of Sendai virus. Twenty-four rats of each strain were given each virus. Lesions in nasal passages, tracheas, intrapulmonary airways, and pulmonary alveoli in 6 or 12 rats inoculated with each virus were assessed by scoring 5, 10, and 14 days after inoculation. Both viruses caused typical patchy necrotizing rhinitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, and bronchiolitis, with multifocal pneumonitis, in rats of both strains. Mean lesion indices for LEW rats given sialodacryoadenitis virus were significantly different from those for F344 rats for nasal passages on days 10 (0.999 vs. 0.680) and 14 (0.736 vs. 0.278), bronchi on day 5 (0.479 vs. 0.361), and alveoli on day 5 (0.677 vs. 0.275). Lesion indices for LEW rats given Sendai virus were significantly different from those for F344 rats for nasal passages on days 10 (1.000 vs. 0.611) and 14 (0.778 vs. 0.583); trachea on day 10 (0.625 vs. 0.028); bronchi on days 5 (0.476 vs. 0.331), 10 (0.123 vs. 0.013), and 14 (0.038 vs. 0); and alveoli on days 5 (0.413 vs. 0.114) and 10 (0.185 vs. 0.020). Thus, at the tested doses, both viruses caused more severe respiratory tract lesions in LEW rats than in F344 rats.     

III-V nitrides for electronic and optoelectronic applications

Recent developments in III-V nitride thin-film materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications are reviewed. The problems that are limiting the development of these materials and devices made from them are discussed. The properties of cubic boron nitride, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, AlN/GaN solid solutions and heterostructures, and indium nitride are discussed. It is pointed out that the lack of a suitable substrate, with the possible exception of SiC for AlN, is a problem of considerable magnitude. This is compounded by the presence of shallow donor bands in GaN and InN which are apparently caused by N vacancies. The question of whether these vacancies occur (if they do) as a result of intrinsic or extrinsic (as a result of deposition) nonstoichiometry has not been answered. However, the recent advances in the fabrication of p-type GaN and a p-n junction light emitting diode via the electron beam stimulation of the Mg dopant are very encouraging and may considerably advance the technology of this material. This would indicate that self-compensation effects, similar to those observed in ZnO and ZnSe, may not be present in the III-V nitrides, since cubic BN (cBN) AlN and now GaN have been reportedly doped both n- and p-type     

Segmented force plate (SFP) software package for clinical use

A gait analysis system is described. It is designed for clinical use as well as research purposes. The system is simple to operate and can be used by non-computer specialist. The design philosophy is straightforward and allows for easy adaptation to other systems. Samples of the output are presented.     

Empirical assessment of a threshold model for sylvatic plague.

Plague surveillance programmes established in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, during the previous century, have generated large plague archives that have been used to parameterize an abundance threshold model for sylvatic plague in great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) populations. Here, we assess the model using additional data from the same archives. Throughout the focus, population levels above the threshold were a necessary condition for an epizootic to occur. However, there were large numbers of occasions when an epizootic was not observed even though great gerbils were, and had been, abundant. We examine six hypotheses that could explain the resulting false positive predictions, namely (i) including end-of-outbreak data erroneously lowers the estimated threshold, (ii) too few gerbils were tested, (iii) plague becomes locally extinct, (iv) the abundance of fleas was too low, (v) the climate was unfavourable, and (vi) a high proportion of gerbils were resistant. Of these, separate thresholds, fleas and climate received some support but accounted for few false positives and can be disregarded as serious omissions from the model. Small sample size and local extinction received strong support and can account for most of the false positives. Host resistance received no support here but should be subject to more direct experimental testing.     

Anion Sensing Porphyrin Functionalized Nanoparticles

Disulfide and dithiocarbamate functionalized porphyrins have been synthesized and used as protecting ligands for gold nanoparticle formation either via ligand substitution reactions or by direct synthesis. These nanoparticles have been shown to recognize anions via changes in the absorbance spectrum of the surface adsorbed porphyrin moieties. Association constants, derived from quantitative titrations, indicate a remarkable surface enhancement effect where the surface bound porphyrins bind anions much more strongly than the free receptor in solution.     

Perils of Using Hurricane Katrina to Teach Engineering Ethics

Katrina is a case the complexity of which makes it hard to use. It is also a case unlikely to repay the trouble of using it. According to IPET's current understanding of what happened, probably the final word, the engineering decision-making was probably too diffuse to make an interesting ethics case.     

Prophylactic effects of recombinant human superoxide dismutase in neonatal lung injury

To determine if recombinant human Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (rhSOD) would prevent acute lung injury caused by hyperoxia and barotrauma, 26 newborn piglets were studied. Ten piglets were hyperventilated (arterial PCO2 15-20 Torr) with 100% O2 for 48 h. A second group received identical treatment for 4 h (n = 2) or 48 h (n = 8) but was given 5 mg/kg of rhSOD intratracheally at time 0. Six piglets were normally ventilated (arterial PCO2 40-45 Torr) for 48 h with 21% O2. Pulmonary function and tracheal aspirates were examined at time 0 and at 24 and 48 h, and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed at 48 h. In piglets treated with hyperoxia and hyperventilation, lung compliance decreased 42%, and tracheal aspirates showed an increase in neutrophil chemotactic activity (32%), total cell counts (135%), elastase activity (93%), and albumin concentration (339%) over 48 h (P < 0.05). All variables were significantly lower in rhSOD-treated piglets and comparable to normoxic control values. Surfactant remained active in all groups. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that at 48 h significant rhSOD was distributed homogeneously in terminal airways. Adding rhSOD to tracheal aspirates of hyperoxic hyperventilated piglets did not alter neutrophil chemotaxis, suggesting that rhSOD protected the lung by reducing the production of chemotactic mediators. Results indicate that acute lung injury caused by 48 h of hyperoxia and hyperventilation is significantly ameliorated by prophylactic intratracheal administration of rhSOD.