Yeast opsonization in newborn infants and its relationship to parental atopy

Sera from 30 of 303 (9.9%) unselected term newborn infants were deficient in their ability to opsonize heat-killed baker's yeasts, an incidence which is almost double that seen in adults. Genetic influence is important in some since the mothers of 10 infants with defective opsonization showed the same defect, but it was not related to the sex or race of the infant or to the atopic state of the parents. In others the defect could be due to a functional maturation delay of the complement system, but not to inhibitory factors in neonatal serum since correction of opsonization was achieved with subopsonizing amounts of normal sera. Significantly more infants had sera with high opsonizing capacity (greater than 80% yeasts phagocytosed) when compared with adults; perhaps antibody independent immune mechanisms like this are important in the newborn. This study shows that a common specific immunodeficiency which may predispose to severe infection or atopy can be identified at birth.     

Application of coronal discharge to measure biophysical gas flow

Studies and results on an ion beam produced at atmospheric pressure between a cathode point, a square diaphragm and a collector plane (anode) are presented. It is shown that the I(V) (characteristic at this device can become monotonous if a current feed back is applied to the diaphragm. Dimensions of beam impact are not affected by the electrostatical wind. The shape of the beam is given by calculation of electrostatical ion repulsion. This transducer allows gas flow measurement, this flow being a function of the current difference on the two half anodes. Theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experiments.     

Successful transcatheter embolic control of massive hematobilia secondary to liver biopsy

A 43-year-old female alcoholic had massive hematobilia secondary to arterial trauma of a liver biopsy. The arterial bleeding site was successfully embolized through an angiographic catheter with Gelfoam sponge. No liver ischemia occurred and the patient has remained well.     

Cervical orthoses effect on cervical spine motion: roentgenographic and goniometric method of study

Movement of the cervical spine in the sagittal plane was studied in ten normal subjects from 20 to 30 years of age without and with four different cervical orthoses: (1) polyethylene Camp plastic collar with chin and occiput piece, (2) plastizote Philadelphia collar, (3) four-poster and (4) SOMI (sternal occipital mandibular immobilization). The effect of the orthoses on restricting sagittal motion was measured simultaneously using roentgenographic and bubble goniometric methods. The subject was immobilized in a straight back chair to eliminate trunk motion, and lateral cervical spine films were taken of each subject in neutral, flexion and extension without and with each orthotic device. Distortion forces exerted on the orthotic devices were standardized by measurement of pressures at the chin and occiput. Roentgenographic measurements of flexion and extension and anteroposterior displacement of the cervical spine were compared to the measurements obtained by bubble goniometry. The four-poster and SOMI were found to be most effective in restricting extension and flexion respectively. The polyethylene and plastizote orthoses were significantly less effective in restricting motion. The bubble goniometer is an adequate clinical tool in assessing overall flexion-extension of the cervical spine but is not so precise and does not give information on the degree of motion at an individual vertebral level.     

The electromagnetic response of a heterogeneous layer modeled bytwo thin sheets in a uniformly conducting half-space

Limitations of the thin-sheet method introduced by Price (1949) are pointed out. It is shown that the variety of structures that can be modeled with the thin-sheet technique can be increased by modeling a heterogeneous layer with two thin sheets. One sheet is located on the surface and represents the upper portion of the thickness of the anomalous region, and the second sheet is embedded in the Earth and represents the lower portion of the thickness of the anomalous region. Numerical results are obtained for a representative model using both one and two thin sheets, and the results are compared. Numerical results are obtained for a representative model for both the exact and the approximate dual-thin-sheet model