Nitrous oxide "analgesia": resemblance to opiate action

Nitrous oxide produced a dose-related "analgesia" in mice (median effective dose, 55 percent). The analgesia was evaluated by means of a phenylquinone writhing test. Narcotic antagonists or chronic morphinization reduced nitrous oxide analgesia. Either nitrous oxide releases an endogenous analgesic or narcotic antagonists have analgesic antagonist properties heretofore unappreciated.     

Effect of lactic acid on nucleation morphology and surface roughness of electroless Ni–P deposition in nanoscale

The present work aims to study effect of lactic acid concentration as complexing agent on surface roughness and nucleation morphology of electroless N?CP deposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used to study nucleation morphology and surface roughness of deposition. Deposition process started at some initial priority growing centres independently distributed on the substrate. We found that the morphology and surface roughness of deposition strongly depends on the complexing agent concentration. Morphology of initial deposited centres with no concentration of lactic acid was in coniform structure. By increasing the complexing agent concentration, the structure of initial growing centres changed from coniform to nodular shape and the surface roughness of depositions decreased.     

IPAS: a design framework for analysis,synthesis and optimization of image processing applications for heterogenous computing architectures

Recent trends in the image processing field have led to the use of more heterogeneous hardware architectures. The reason for this increase is that specialized cores, compared to standard CPUs, offer a more efficient way of achieving image processing applications. Specialized cores have less power, resource, and area consumption. On the other hand, designing such a heterogenous system with specialized cores is a challenging, error-prone and time-consuming task. Therefore, new frameworks are necessary for bringing an image processing application onto a given target platform by means of a tool chain. Some frameworks exist, but they do not address each need of a heterogeneous image processing application. Common weaknesses are (1) the low utilization of the image processing domain, (2) the inflexibility of the programming paradigms for different hardware architectures. Therefore, we define our own domain-specific design language called IPOL. To automate the derivation and optimization process, a synthesis tool named Image Processing Architecture Synthesis was created. This tool will be the focus of this work.     

真空缓冷铸渣机冷却炉渣选铜的研究

介绍了真空缓冷炉渣的工艺矿物学特性。试验研究结果表明，该炉渣属于中等可碎性偏难，硬度系数在８￣１６之间，在磨矿细度为－０．０１６ｍｍ占８９％时，粗、扫选抛尾粗精矿再磨再选，以Ｚ－２００、ＳＮ－９和丁胺为混合捕收剂，最终得到铜精矿产率为４．５９％，精矿含铜２３．４８％，含金５．８ｇ／ｔ，铜回收率为８３．７０％；尾矿含铜０．２２％，含金０．１８ｇ／ｔ。     

A new approach to the Noack volatility test

This paper reports on the method and preliminary results of a significant modification of the Noack volatility test. This modification permits collection and examination of the volatile products as well as of the residue. The analysis of such volatiles by chromatography and spectroscopy revealed surprising information that is especially relevant in the face of increasingly difficult automotive and heavy duty engine emission limitations. The data also showed very close agreement with the Unified Test Method for the Noack Volatility Test now covered by CEC L-40-T-87. Important to operators, the authors' modified Noack apparatus avoids the use of the toxic Wood's Metal of the earlier Noack apparatus.     

Risk factors for high blood lead levels among the general population in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus (FK506) may represent a major advance in the management of allograft rejection after solid organ transplantation. In August 1994 a European heart transplantation pilot study was initiated to assess the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus when administered exclusively through an oral route. METHODS: Eighty-two heart transplant recipients were randomized to treatment (2:1 ratio) with either tacrolimus- (n=54) or cyclosporine-based therapy (n=28). RESULTS: No significant differences were evident between the two treatment groups in either rejection or survival rates at 1 year. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the freedom from rejection were 26.3% and 18.5%, respectively, for the tacrolimus and cyclosporine treatment groups (p=.444). Survival rates were 79.6% and 92.9% (p=.125). At 3 of the 5 centers, patients received antithymocyte globulin during the immediate postoperative period and fared better than those who did not (with acute rejection-free rates of 49.2% and 26.7% for tacrolimus and cyclosporine, respectively [p=.080], as opposed to 7.1% and 8.3% [p=.965]; patient survival rates of 84.6% and 93.3% [p=.382] vs 75.0% and 92.3% [p=.243]). The overall rates of infection, impaired renal function (31.5% vs 21.4%), and glucose intolerance (7.0% vs 4.3%) did not differ significantly between the tacrolimus and cyclosporine treatment groups. Tacrolimus seemed to possess an advantage with regard to a reduced requirement for antihypertensive therapy (59.5% vs 87.5%, p=.025). CONCLUSIONS: Immunosuppression with oral tacrolimus provides a viable alternative to treatment with cyclosporine, particularly when administered in conjunction with antibody therapy. Further studies are warranted to optimize the administration of tacrolimus in this indication.     

Vacuum punch biopsy of the breast with a stereotaxic guide. A new procedure for percutaneous diagnostic biopsy based on 120 cases

PURPOSE: To test the capabilities of vacuum core biopsy (VCB) in the diagnosis of mammographically indeterminate lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 120 patients (131 lesions) were examined using VCB with 14G or 11G vacuum core. RESULTS: VCB was mostly performed because of indeterminate microcalcifications (67 cases) or soft tissue densities/architectural distortion (64 cases). 112 benign changes, 14 DCIS and 5 invasive carcinomas were found. Excellent accuracy was achieved (presently 100%), since complete excision of small lesions/areas (< or = 1 cm) or partial excision of larger lesions was possible. No relevant hematomas or infections occurred. Patients tolerated the painless procedure very well. DISCUSSION: This report confirms our previous experiences. This method promises to replace diagnostic open biopsy of indeterminate or suspicious nonpalpable lesions.     

Head trauma: CT scan interpretation by radiology residents versus staff radiologists

The determination of diagnostic features in recorded heart sounds was investigated with Carpentier-Edwards (CE) bioprosthetic valves. Morphological features, extracted using the Choi-Williams distribution, achieved between 96 and 61% correct classification. The time-scale wavelet-transform feature set achieved 100% correct classification with native valve populations, and 87% with the CE replacements.