Hearing loss after erythromycin therapy

We describe the case of a patient who developed bilateral loss of hearing during intravenous treatment with erythromycin. Predisposing factors may have been reduced renal and hepatic function and treatment with diuretics and aminoglycosides. Recovery was late, but hearing was probably restored to almost pre-treatment level. Patients receiving high doses of erythromycin should, as a routine, be questioned about hearing loss and tinnitus.     

Guidelines for surgical procedures after liver transplantation

The ability to acquire a motor and cognitive skill was investigated in 26 patients with schizophrenia and 26 normal participants using repeated testing on the Tower of Toronto puzzle. Seven patients with defective performance were retested using additional trials and immediate feedback designed to facilitate problem solving. A component analysis of performance was used based on J. R. Anderson's (1987) model of cognitive skill learning. Patients exhibited a performance deficit on both motor and cognitive skills. However, their acquisition rate was similar to that of normal participants on most parameters, indicating that skill learning suffered little or no impairment. Performance deficit was accounted for by poor problem-solving ability, explicit memory, and general intellectual capacities. It was remediable in some, but not all, patients. Remediation failure was also related to severe defects of cognitive functions.     

Association of the glycogen synthase locus on 19q13 with NIDDM in Pima Indians

Skeletal muscle glycogen synthase (encoded by GYS1 on chromosome 19q13.3) is the rate-limiting enzyme in insulin-mediated non-oxidative glucose disposal. Our previous studies have demonstrated an impairment of insulin-stimulated GYS1 activities in insulin-resistant Pima Indians, and associations of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with the GYS1 locus were reported recently in Finnish and Japanese populations. We have performed linkage and association analyses of GYS1 and seven additional DNA markers on 19q with NIDDM, and with parameters of insulin action in the Pima Indians. We have found a significant association of NIDDM with GYS1 genotypes (p = 0.009), and with common GYS1 alleles (p = 0.022) in the Pima Indians. We have performed a detailed comparative analysis of the GYS1 gene, mRNA, and protein product in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant Pima Indians. No mutations in GYS1 coding sequences were detected; nor did we find alterations of GYS1 mRNA expression or of its basal enzymatic activity in insulin-resistant Pima Indians. These results contrasted with a 25% reduction of immunoreactive protein in insulin-resistant subjects as detected by Western blotting with an antibody specific for the C-terminal end of GYS1 (t-test p = 0.024; Wilcoxon's rank-sum test, p = 0.04). Because no mutations were detected in the DNA encoding this epitope, the difference in immunoreactivity may reflect post-translational modification(s) of the protein rather than a difference in the gene itself, or it could have occurred by chance. We conclude that our data do not indicate alterations in the GYS1 gene as the cause for the observed association, and that a different locus near GYS1 may be the contributing genetic element.     

Mechanical properties of (α+β)-titanium alloys with different structures in the temperature range +20°C to −196°C

Institute of the Physics of Metals, Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Translated from Metallovedenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 12, pp. 17–20, December, 1993.     

Solar duct for lighting and ventilation Santa Amalia building Barcelona -Spain

The Santa Amalia building in Barcelona is a block of six flats incorporating a duct by which ligth is sent to the kitchens - previously without natural ligthing- and also allows natural ventilation. Moreover, the passive solar gains obtained from the extensive glazed surfaces and the conservation of internal heat gains, along with a high degree of isulation, give energy saving of 68% for heating.     

Growth kinetics of silver chloride precipitation in a Na2O-B2O3 glass investigated by means of small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy

The kinetics of silver chloride cluster formation in a sodium borate glass heat treated isothermally at different temperatures above the glass transition temperature has been studied with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It is established that the size distributions of particle number and particle volume have bimodal shapes, i.e. the system of AgCl droplets consists of two populations with significantly different mean radii. The bimodality of the size distribution functions is confirmed by results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) even if different techniques of sample preparation are used. The resolution limits of the TEM techniques applied amount to 2 nm and are comparable with the smallest particle diameters detectable by the SAXS method. The evolution of the size distributions is discussed in the framework of the theories of nucleation, growth and Ostwald ripening.     

A magnetometer system to estimate location and size of long,horizontal ferrous rods

An experimental instrument is described which explicitly estimates location of ferrous rods parallel to a plane of measurement by analyzing simultaneous magnetic field and position data. The instrument consists of a unit containing a fluxgate magnetometer, position sensor and signal-conditioning circuits, connected to a unit containing a microprocessor, displays and associated electronics. An operator scans the sensor unit over the measurement surface, and the microprocessor estimates location, rod length and diameter. Experiments to estimate the parameters of horizontal typical reinforcing rods under a horizontal plane showed that the axis position could be estimated with an error of less than 0.5 cm, the length with a precision of <5 cm (<3.5%) and the depth with a precision of <0.4 cm at depths of 8 to 18 cm. Estimation of rod diameter was unreliable due to the presence of substantial remanent magnetization     

Metallurgical parameters,mechanical properties and machinability of ductile cast iron

Results on the effect of solidification cooling rate on the microstructure, mechanical properties and machinability of spheroidal graphite (SG) iron have been presented. The effect of ferritic heat treatment on the same properties has been also investigated. The microstructural observation, tensile properties and hardness values of the present SG iron has been developed. The tool life criterion was used as a measure of machinability. It was found that during turning of SG iron by using a single point cutting tool, its life increased with decreasing the solidification cooling rate for both sand and metal moulds. The tool life was found to be significantly affected by the variation of nodule characteristics. A decrease in tool life due to an increase of nodule count was observed. The tool life was found to be directly proportional to the ductility of SG iron whether for the as cast or ferritic heat-treated ingots.