Ventilation and hypoxic ventilatory responsiveness in Chinese-Tibetan residents at 3,658 m

When breathing ambient air at rest at 3,658 m altitude, Tibetan lifelong residents of 3,658 m ventilate as much as newcomers acclimatized to high altitude; they also ventilate more and have greater hypoxic ventilatory responses (HVRs) than do Han ("Chinese") long-term residents at 3,658 m. This suggests that Tibetan ancestry is advantageous in protecting resting ventilation levels during years of hypoxic exposure and is of interest in light of the permissive role of hypoventilation in the development of chronic mountain sickness, which is nearly absent among Tibetans. The existence of individuals with mixed Tibetan-Chinese ancestry (Han-Tibetans) residing at 3,658 m affords an opportunity to test this hypothesis. Eighteen men born in Lhasa, Tibet, China (3,658 m) to Tibetan mothers and Han fathers were compared with 27 Tibetan men and 30 Han men residing at 3,658 m who were previously studied. We used the same study procedures (minute ventilation was measured with a dry-gas flowmeter during room air breathing and hyperoxia and with a 13-liter spirometer-rebreathing system during the hypoxic and hypercapnic tests). During room air breathing at 3,658 m (inspired O2 pressure = 93 Torr), Han-Tibetans resembled Tibetans in ventilation (12.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 11.5+/- 0.5 l/min BTPS, respectively) but had HVR that were blunted (63 +/- 16 vs. 121 +/- 13, respectively, for HVR shape parameter A) and declined with increasing duration of high-altitude residence. During administered hyperoxia (inspired O2 pressure = 310 Torr) at 3,658 m, the paradoxical hyperventilation previously seen in Tibetan but not Han residents at 3,658 m (11.8 +/- 0.5 vs. 10.1 +/- 0.5 l/min BTPS) was absent in these Han-Tibetans (9.8 +/- 0.6 l/min BTPS). Thus, although longer duration of high-altitude residence appears to progressively blunt HVR among Han-Tibetans born and residing at 3, 658 m, their Tibetan ancestry appears protective in their maintenance of high resting ventilation levels despite diminished chemosensitivity.     

Sequencing and characterization of the coat protein and 3' non-coding region of a new sweet potato potyvirus

A cDNA library was constructed from viral genomic RNA purified from sweet potato plants affected by "Sweet Potato Chlorotic Dwarf disease" in an attempt to clarify the etiology of this viral complex in Argentina. By sequence analysis, some of the obtained clones were found to belong to sweet potato feathery mottle potyvirus (SPFMV), to a closterovirus and to a new potyvirus. A cDNA clone of 1,103 bp representing the coat protein cistron and 3' non-coding region of the newly identified potyvirus was further characterized. The sequence contained an ORF of 855 nucleotides with a coding capacity of 285 amino acids, followed by a 3' untranslated tail of 248 nucleotides. The core and C-terminal regions have sequences well conserved among potyviruses. Furthermore, amino acid sequence comparisons of the capsid protein with those of other described potyviruses showed 63% homology with SPFMV, 68 to 70% with two different isolates of sweet potato latent potyvirus (SPLV), 57% with sweet potato G potyvirus (SPGV) and 73% with potato virus Y (PVY). These data allowed us to propose the inclusion of this virus as a new member of the family Potyviridae, genus Potyvirus with the designation sweet potato mild speckling potyvirus (SPMSV).     

Toe transplantation for isolated index finger amputations distal to the proximal interphalangeal joint

Functional deficit following single distal index finger amputations has been considered insignificant, and reconstruction is usually not recommended. Herein, 19 cases of second toe transplantation for reconstruction of isolated index finger amputation distal to the proximal interphalangeal joint are presented with long-term functional results. There are 14 men and 5 women. The average age was 26 years. The toe transplantations were performed either as a primary procedure (5 patients) while the wounds were still open or as a secondary procedure (14 patients) after the wounds healed. In 11 patients, the dominant hand was involved. All toes survived completely, although re-exploration was required in three cases (16 percent). The functional evaluation included (1) sensory recovery, where the average static and moving two-point discrimination were 8 mm (range 4 to 15 mm) and 6 mm (range 2 to 15 mm); (2) motor function, where the average of index-thumb pulp-to-pulp pinch compared with the normal hand was 67.5 percent (range 36 to 96 percent); (3) average range of motion in index finger joints (extension/flexion), where metacarpophalangeal joint was 14/90, proximal interphalangeal joint was 0/94, and distal interphalangeal joint was 19/38; and (4) functional and cosmetic results, where percentage of involvement in daily activities and functional capacity of the reconstructed index were 69 percent and 70.5 in average, respectively, over a total score of 100. Average scores of aesthetic appearance and acceptability of donor-site deformity were 74 and 87.5 over a total score of 100, respectively. Toe transplantation for distal index finger amputations improved hand function when performed in selected patients with specific job requirements or high motivation.     

The Norwegian banks in the Nordic consortia: a case of international strategic alliances in banking

Despite the scholarly interest in joint ventures and strategicalliances, the consortium bank movement represents and under-researchedphase in postwar banking history. From 1964 to the early 1980s,many of the largest banks in the world, including the Nordicbanks, entered into international strategic alliances. Almostall of these alliances are now defunct and thus we are lookingat the growth and demise of an organizational form. We followthe Norwegian banks in the Nordic consortia and find that domesticrivals do not cooperate but international rivals do. Legal prohibitionsin the Nordic countries on entry by foreign banks underpinnedthe cooperation. The cooperation broke down when, as a resultof deregulation, the Nordic banks could establish operationsin each other's domestic markets and when domestic mergers disruptedexisting international alliances.     

气流中制备二氧化氯的方法及设备

本发明提出了以无机酸（如盐酸）、次氯酸盐（如次氯酸钠）和亚氯酸盐（如亚氯酸钠）为原料，在含有载气流（最好为空气）的反应介质中生产二氧化氯的方法和装置，生产的二氧化氯含水量低，可用于氧化处理对水敏感的物质。