Resistance measurements and vortex fluctuations in two-dimensional superconducting films

Recently theories of vortex fluctuations in two-dimensional superconducting films have been compared to the experimentally determined power law dependence of voltage on current and to the temperature-dependent resistance in small applied fields. Here an alternative interpretation of the power law and a practical difficulty of flux pinning for measurements in small fields are pointed out. To illustrate these points, experimental examples are presented for very homogeneous granular aluminum films.     

Internal carotid artery narrowing in children with retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe the association between narrowing of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and retropharyngeal abscess in children. METHODS: Neck CT scans from 13 consecutive children with suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess were evaluated retrospectively for asymmetric ICA diameters at the level of the abscess. Clinical status at the time of illness was established via a chart review. Twenty control CT scans obtained from pediatric patients with normal imaging findings were evaluated prospectively to determine symmetry and size of the ICA. RESULTS: Mean diameter of the normal ICA, contralateral to the retropharyngeal abscess, was 5 mm (range, 3-8 mm), while mean diameter ipsilateral to the abscess was 3 mm (range, 1-5 mm). The diameters of the normal and abnormal ICAs were statistically significantly different. All children were neurologically normal. The right and left ICAs in children with normal CT findings in the neck were symmetrical in diameter. CONCLUSION: Despite dramatic narrowing of the ICA ipsilateral to retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess, no children in this series had neurologic deficits, suggesting that such narrowing is a common, benign, and, most likely, incidental imaging finding.     

CTLA4 mediates antigen-specific apoptosis of human T cells

The regulation of T cell-mediated immune responses requires a balance between amplification and generation of effector function and subsequent selective termination by clonal deletion. Although apoptosis of previously activated T cells can be induced by signaling of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, these molecules do not appear to regulate T-cell clonal deletion in an antigen-specific fashion. We demonstrate that cross-linking of the inducible T-cell surface molecule CTLA4 can mediate apoptosis of previously activated human T lymphocytes. This function appears to be antigen-restricted, since a concomitant signal T-cell receptor signal is required. Regulation of this pathway may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to delete antigen-specific activated T cells.     

Physical fitness, physical activity, and functional limitation in adults aged 40 and older

PURPOSE: A cohort of middle-aged and older men and women were followed for an average of 5.5 yr to examine the association between physical fitness, physical activity, and the prevalence of functional limitation. METHODS: The participants received medical assessments between 1980 and 1988 and responded to a mail-back survey regarding functional status in 1990. RESULTS: Among 3495 men and 1175 women over 40 yr of age at baseline, 350 (7.5%) reported at least one functional limitation in daily or household activities at follow-up. The prevalence of functional limitation was higher among women than men. Physically fit and physically active participants reported less functional limitation than unfit or sedentary participants. After controlling for age and other risk factors, the prevalence of functional limitation was lower for both moderately fit (odds ratio = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2-0.6) and high fit men (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.2-0.4), compared with low fit men. Corresponding figures for women were 0.5 (0.3-0.7) and 0.3 (0.2-0.5) for moderately fit and high fit women. The association between physical activity and functional limitation was similar to the data for physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS: These data support a protective effect of physical fitness and physical activity on functional limitation among older adults and extend this protective effect to middle-aged men and women.     

Correlation of reactivity with chemical structure: Thermal hydrogenation of gas oils

The relationship between chemical structure and reactivity for thermal hydroprocessing was studied for five gas oils derived from Alberta bitumens. Chemical structure was characterized by combining data from ¹ H and ¹³ C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, class fractionation, and elemental analysis to calculate structural parameters. Thermal hydrotreating was performed in a continuous-flow stirred reactor at 420 and 440°C, 13.9 MPa hydrogen pressure, and 1.5 h¹ LHSV. Conversion of the 343–525°C boiling fraction of the gas oils was correlated with the concentration of naphthenic methylene groups in the feed. Formation of methane and ethane was dependent on the degree of condensation of the aromatic rings in the feed oils. Thermal desulfurization was highly correlated with the amount of saturates in the feed, and the aromaticity of the resin fraction. Hydrogen consumption increased with the aromaticity of the gas oil…     

Autocatalytic reactions in the isothermal,continuous stirred tank reactor: Isolas and other forms of multistability

Autocatalytic reactions are often complicated, and analyses of their behaviour in open systems can seem too particular to permit useful generalisation. We study here the simplest of circumstances (uniform temperatures and concentrations in the isothermal CSTR) and the simplest of reaction schemes: (i) quadratic autocatalysis (A + B→2B); and (ii) cubic autocatalysis (A + 2B→3B). The catalyst B may be stable or have a finite lifetime (B→ inert products). Allowing for this finite lifetime adds another dimension to the interest.The phenomena encountered include multistability, hysteresis, critical extinctions, critical ignitions, and anomalous relaxation times (though infinite values do not arise). Patterns of stationary states as function of residence time can show isolas and mushrooms. All these aspects yield to simple algebraic analysis. The presence of the catalyst B in the inflow can make qualitative differences of a kind parallelled by an additional, non-catalytic reaction of the same stoichiometry (e.g. A→B). Invoking the reversibility of the reactions neither increases nor diminishes their variety, and thermodynamic considerations have little to do with the many different patterns of reactivity displayed.The local stability of the various stationary states has also been characterized. Quadratic autocatalysis shows limited variety (stable node, stable focus); cubic autocatalysis generates all the kinds of stationary state possible in a two-variable system. Again all the algebra is straightforward if not always simple. Sustained oscillatory behavior (limit cycles) also occur.All these remarks relate to isothermal systems, but there are the most striking parallels between isothermal autocatalysis and the exothermic, first-order reaction in the CSTR. Behaviour with an autocatalyst of complete stability corresponds to perfect heat insulation (adiabatic operation) in the non-isothermal, exothermic system.     

A comparison of symptoms used by mothers and nurses to identify an infant with colic

In this survey research a comparison was made between symptoms used by mothers and nurses which led them to think the baby might be "colicky." Two questionnaires, one for mothers and one for nurses, were used to collect the data. The mothers most frequently selected passes gas rectally, clenches fists, draws-up legs, cries late afternoon and evening, holds body straight, and wants to be held. The nurses selected mother states baby is inconsolable, cries more than 4 hours in 24, draws up legs and wants to feed but won't. Parents believed the colic to be related to a variety of factors; these included baby's eating behaviour, maternal anxiety, baby's and mother's diets, and baby's stress. Ten parents reported pain and screaming as symptoms of colic.     

Video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis. Validation of a new minimally invasive lumbar spinal fusion technique in the rabbit and nonhuman primate (rhesus) models

STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric anatomic and in vivo survival animal studies were performed to develop a new arthrodesis technique for the lumbar spine. OBJECTIVES: To examine the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of a minimally invasive lumbar intertransverse process arthrodesis technique using an osteoinductive growth factor (rhBMP-2) delivered in a collagen sponge carrier. The technique was first developed using a rabbit model and modified for the nonhuman primate (rhesus monkey), a larger animal with the most similar bone biology to humans. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The morbidity of conventional posterolateral lumbar intertransverse process arthrodesis includes graft donor site morbidity; paraspinal muscle devascularization, denervation, and scarring and nonunion in up to 36% of patients. Minimally invasive anterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis techniques have been developed, but these often require a metal implant and carry risks to major vessels and development of retrograde ejaculation. A minimally invasive technique for posterolateral intertransverse process arthrodesis has not been described previously. METHODS: In Part 1, we examined seven New Zealand white rabbits and five rhesus monkeys at necropsy and during nonsurvival surgeries to determine the best access routes and to develop special instruments for video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis. In Part 2, 38 New Zealand white rabbits underwent L4-L5 intertransverse process arthrodesis: the "OPEN" group (n = 16) underwent a standard open muscle-splitting approach using rhBMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein) and collagen as a bone graft substitute; the "video-assisted control" group (n = 6) underwent video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis with the collagen implant only (no growth factor); and the "video-assisted-BMP" group (n = 16) underwent video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis with rhBMP-2 and collagen as the graft material. In Part 3, rhesus monkeys (n = 4) underwent video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis using rhBMP-2 and collagen after laminectomy of L4-L5. RESULTS: In Part 1, we identified expedient, minimally invasive routes to the intertransverse process interval appropriate for each species: an intermuscular approach for the rabbit and a lateral, extramuscular approach for the rhesus monkey. In Part 2, all rabbits in the OPEN and video-assisted-BMP groups achieved solid intertransverse process lumbar fusions when assessed at 10 weeks. There were no neurologic impairments nor any difference between the two groups in the frequency of postoperative infection or other complications. None of the animals in the video-assisted control group showed evidence of fusion. In Part 3, exposure, decortication and grafting with rh-BMP-2 and collagen was accomplished successfully in all four monkeys through the video-assisted minimally invasive approach without complications. CONCLUSION: Video-assisted lateral intertransverse process arthrodesis is a feasible, effective, and safe method of lumbar spinal fusion in the rabbit and rhesus monkey. Use of this arthrodesis procedure will minimize the morbidity of paraspinal muscle denervation and devascularization seen with open intertransverse process fusion techniques, and the use of an osteoinductive growth factor will eliminate the problem of graft donor site morbidity and possibly increase the chances for successful fusion.