Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli: Their role in infection and patterns of susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. II. Little-known Fusobacterium species and miscellaneous genera

Twenty infrequently reported species of gram-negative anaerobic bacilli other than Fusobacterium nucleatum, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and members of the genus Bacteroides were studied with regard to their role in infection and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. In addition, the literature regarding the recovery of these organisms from both the normal flora and infections of humans was reviewed. During a six-year period at the Wadsworth Clinical Anaerobic Bacteriology Research Laboratory (Veterans Administration Wadsworth Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif.), 39 (6%) of 679 specimens obtained from anaerobic infections yielded "other gram-negative anaerobic bacilli" (OGNAB). Fusobacterium naviforme, Fusobacterium gonidiaformans, Fusobacterium varium, Fusobacterium mortiferum, and Fusobacterium russii were the most commonly isolated OGNAB. Most of the OGNAB tested were resistant to erythromycin, and most strains, except for F. varium, were susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics and clindamycin. Chloramphenicol and metronidazole were active against all strains of OGNAB tested. Certain Fusobacterium species are undoubtedly previously unrecognized members of the normal flora of the oropharynx, upper respiratory tract, or urogenital tract and may be present in infections derived from these floras.     

Martensitic transformations in Ti-Mo alloys

A detailed investigation has been made of the structure of alloys of the Ti-Mo system containing up to 10wt% Mo, water-quenched from the-phase region. With increase in molybdenum content, the martensite structure changes from hexagonal () to orthorhombic () at 4 wt% Mo, and at 10 wt% Mo, the structure is completely retained . For alloy compositions <4 wt% Mo, there is a diffusional component in the transformation of the -phase at the quench rates employed. There is a transition, with increase in molybdenum content, in morphology (from massive to acicular) and in substructure (from dislocations to twins). However, the transitions in crystallography, morphology and sub-structure are not directly related to one another except for an abrupt loss of dislocation substructure at the/ transition. The to crystallographic transition has the characteristics of a second order transformation, and evidence has been obtained of the existence of a spinodal within the metastable orthorhombic system. The orthorhombic martensites of Ti-6 and 8 wt% Mo decompose during quenching producing a fine modulated structure within the martensite plates, consistent with a proposed spinodal mode of decomposition.     

Non-T cell-mediated cytolysis of antibody-coated sheep red blood cells requires Mg++ but not Ca++: An argument against a conventional "stimulus-secretion" mechanism for cytolysis

"Stimulus-secretion" processes, and notably those in which the stimulus is provided by the formation of an antigen-antibody complex at the cell surface, require the presence of external Ca++. To test the possiblity that effector cells, in non-T cell mediated cytolysis, might be triggered to release a cytolytic product by a similar mechanism, we investigated the requirements of this phenomenon for divalent cations. We found that Ca++ is not sufficient, not necessary, and not inhibitory, whereas Mg++ is necessary and sufficient. Other cations were tested, and we found that Mn++ behaved like Mg++. The Ca++ data suggest that no conventional "stimulus-secretion" process is operative in non-T cell mediated cytolysis of antibody-coated sheep red blood cells.     

Changes in serum thyrotropin (TSH) in man during halofenate administration

Halofenate, a serum lipid-lowering agent which inhibits binding of thyroid hormone to thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), was administered daily for 14 days to 8 hypothyroid subjects with elevated TSH concentrations as a result of incomplete thyroxine (T4) therapy. Drug administration resulted in mean increases in serum dialyzable fraction T4 (DFT4) of 52% over pretreatment levels (P less than 0.01) and in dialyzable fraction triiodothyronine (DFT3) of 26% in 7 subjects, (P less than 0.01). During halofenate treatment in these 7 subjects, serum TSH concentrations decreased significantly (mean = 39%, P less than 0.01) when DFT4 and DFT3 were increased by halofenate. In only two subjects was there a convincing temporal relationship between increased serum absolute free T4 (AFT4) and decreased serum TSH concentrations. Contrary to what would be predicted from the "free hormone hypothesis", changes in serum TSH concentration in these hypothyroid patients appeared to relate primarily to changes in the free fraction of circulating T4 and T3 (DFT4, DFT3), rather than to alterations in AFT4 or AFT3. Halofenate did not alter serum TBG binding capacity. An eighth subject did not show increased DFT4 and DFT3 during halofenate treatment despite achievement of therapeutic serum levels of the agent; in this patient, serum TSH levels rose progressively throughout the period of inadequate T4 replacement and halofenate administration. In hypothyroid patients, short-term halofenate use suggests that the pituitary-thyroid hormone feedback circuit can respond to increases in serum DFT4 and DFT3 in the absence of detactable increases in absolute free hormone concentrations.     

Detecting improvement using Shewhart attribute control charts when the lower control limit is zero

In this paper, we present a method to monitor count data so as to be able to detect improvement when the counts are low enough to cause the lower limit to be zero. The method, which is proposed as an add-on to the conventional Shewhart control chart, consists in counting the number of samples in which zero defectives or zero defects per unit occur and signaling an increase in quality if k-in-a-row or 2-in-t samples have zero counts of defectives or zero defects per unit. This method enjoys some similarities to the very popular Shewhart control chart in that it is easy to design, understand and use. It is flexible, robust, and, like the Shewhart chart, yields detection frequencies that are optimal for very large shifts and good for other shifts. Some comparisons with traditional CUSUM charts are provided. Figures enabling Shewhart control chart users to easily design low-side add-on control charts are given for c and np charts.     

Health monitoring of marine composite structural joints using fibre optic sensors

This paper describes a methodology for the health monitoring of composite marine joint structures based on strain measurements under operational loading using embedded fibre Bragg grating sensors. Finite element modelling indicated that the presence of a disbond significantly altered the bond-line longitudinal strain distribution. This was verified qualitatively through an experimental test program. The experimental results are examined in relation to the FE predictions and the implications for a practical strain-based SHM system are discussed. A technique is developed, based on novel signal processing and statistical outlier detection. This enables the sensor measurements to be used for damage detection without reference to a high-fidelity numerical model of the structure which is often difficult and resource-intensive to generate. The technique is shown to provide successful damage diagnoses with an acceptable level of accuracy. Further improvement in diagnostic accuracy may be achieved by increasing the sensor density.     

Buried ordnance detection: electromagnetic modeling of munition-mounted radio frequency identification tags

In order to improve means for locating unexploded ordnance items (UXO) and significantly discriminating UXO from clutter, it is desired to tag ordnance items before they are delivered. The munition tagging envisioned will make use of current passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag technology. The tags will provide information on the munition's location and identity when the UXO tag interrogation module is brought nearby. Knowledge of the magnetic field's behavior is essential in understanding the designs required to transmit energy from the above-ground interrogator to the tag and from the tag back to the above-ground receiver. The munition, being a large metal structure in such close proximity to the tags, will affect their operation because of electromagnetic boundary conditions and the tags' specific circuitry. To this end, modeling of the magnetic fields was required. This paper presents the results of this modeling effort and includes experimental findings. The modeling efforts demonstrated that detection depths to 1 m would be achievable, provided the system is magnetically optimized.     

Older Adults as Adaptive Decision Makers: Evidence From the Iowa Gambling Task.

Older adults process emotional information differently than younger adults and may demonstrate less of a negativity bias on cognitive tasks. The Iowa Gambling Task designed by A. Bechara, H. Damasio, D. Tranel, and A. R. Damasio (1997) has been used to examine the integration of emotion and cognition in a risky-choice decision task and may give insight into differences in the decision-making strategies in younger and older adults. Eighty-eight younger adults (18-34 years) and 67 older adults (65-88 years) completed the Iowa Gambling Task. Using a theoretical decomposition of the task designed by J. R. Busemeyer and J. C. Stout (2002), the authors found that both groups were successful at solving the task but used very different strategies that reflected each group's strength. For younger adults, that strength was learning and memory. For older adults, that strength was an accurate representation of wins and losses (valence). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a psychophysiology of performance: Sport psychology principles dealing with anxiety.

In this applied case study during an off-season period, a unique and innovative internal imagery/video/electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback protocol was used to train visual attention and increase self-confidence of a collegiate baseball player struggling to recover from a serious eye injury. Results from the ensuing competitive season revealed that self-confidence increased and hitting and fielding performance improved dramatically. In the subsequent competitive season, without psychological skill training, hitting and fielding performance declined to preintervention levels. Although EEG biofeedback has been slow to gain acceptance among applied practitioners, used in conjunction with video and internal imagery, it appears to have potential as a tool for training visual attention in athletes within a variety of externally paced sports, such as baseball, softball, and racquet sports. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)