Membranous duodenal stenosis

The experience of our 16 patients treated for membranous duodenal stenosis is reported. Their treatment and course was analysed in a retrospective study. Eight patients were operated on within the first 16 days of life and in the remaining group surgery was performed at 1 month to 4 y of age. The presenting symptom leading to diagnosis was, in all but one case, non-bile-stained vomiting. Associated malformations were found in all but four patients, mostly morbus Down. The operative procedure performed was a partial excision of the duodenal membrane and a duodenoplasty in 10 patients, a duodenojejunostomy in 5 patients, and a duodenoplasty only in 1 patient. The postoperative course was without lethal complications. One late stricture in an anastomosis occurred. We conclude that in its presentation, duodenal stenosis differs from duodenal atresia, and can often be misinterpreted, resulting in a late diagnosis, and should be reported as a separate entity.     

Histologically confirmed changes on CT of reoperated low-grade astrocytomas

During a 15-year period 37 patients with primary low-grade astrocytoma have been operated upon twice in our institute. CT and histological data at the time of the first and second operations were compared. The majority of primary astrocytomas showed as a low-density area without contrast enhancement; minimal, mainly marginal enhancement was present in six cases. At reoperation 10 tumours were histologically unchanged; the corresponding CT studies displayed a nonenhancing lesion, although insignificant contrast uptake could be seen in three cases. There were 18 tumours which had transformed into anaplastic astrocytoma: CT before repeat surgery showed more or less marked enhancement. In all nine cases which progressed into glioblastoma multiforme strong contrast enhancement was seen on CT at the time of recurrence. Although the grade of contrast uptake varied, the appearance of or increase in enhancement was a sign of some degree of anaplastic change, particularly convincing in cases of dedifferentiated glioblastoma multiforme.     

A 44-GHz monolithic waveguide plane-wave amplifier with improvedunit cell design [using pHEMTs]

A 44-GHz monolithic waveguide plane-wave amplifier (PWA) with improved unit cell design is presented in this paper. The unit cell is a two-stage direct-coupled design and satisfies size, bistability, and stability requirements of the waveguide PWA. The ultra-compact unit cell had a cell size of 0.8 mm², and showed a small-signal gain of 8 dB and an output power of 15 dBm at 44 GHz with a corresponding dc-to-RF efficiency of 10%. A monolithic waveguide PWA using these unit cells showed a “flange-to-flange” gain of 5 dB, an output power of 0.3 W, and an efficiency of 2% at 44 GHz     

Implicit processing in the cued recall of young and old adults.

Reports 2 cued recall experiments in which younger and older Ss studied target words varying in number of preexperimental associates. In Exp 1, targets were studied in either the absence or presence of meaning-related context cues, with recall always prompted by the cues. In the absence of context, words with smaller sets of associates were easier to recall than those with larger sets, but this effect was reduced for older Ss. The presence of a study context cue facilitated recall and eliminated the effect of associative set size for both ages. In Exp 2, targets were studied and tested in the presence of unrelated words. In this situation, words with smaller sets of associates were less likely to be recalled than words with larger sets; again the effect was reduced for older Ss. The results are interpreted as an age decrement in processing implicitly activated information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The heroic cancer patient: A critical analysis of the relationship between illusion and mental health.

Examines, in the context of cancer illness, S. E. Taylor and J. D. Brown's (see record 1988-16903-001) claim that mental health is to a degree predicated on illusory beliefs about the self, one's control, and the future. The Heroic Model (HM), a stance toward cancer characterized by belief that positive thoughts and feelings, a fighting spirit, and an optimistic outlook will promote cancer remission, is presented as paradigmatic of Taylor and Brown's thesis. Strong and weak formulations of the HM (the former affirming a direct influence of mental states over physical processes, and the latter affirming indirect effects only) are examined with respect to their potential adaptive value as true or false beliefs, with different consequences for well-being. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vapor pressures of Y,Ba, Cu precursors for the growth of YBa2Cu3O7 by MOVPE

The vapor pressures of theβ-diketonates Y(THD), Ba(THD), and Cu(THD), commonly used as precursors for MOVPE of YBa₂Cu₃O₇, and Y(MCP) were measured at different temperatures. A time-resolved static method recording the pressure vs. time at constant temperature was used, permitting us to deduce the vapor pressure even if the materials tend to decompose. The values of the constants of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation log₁₀p(T)/p ₀=A-B/T are,A=11.7, 8.7, 8.27, 16.6 andB=4359, 2654, 3602, and 6453 K for Y(THD), Y(MCP), Ba(THD), and Cu(THD), respectively withp ₀= 1 Pa and temperatureT in K. The thermal stability of the sources was measured and are discussed.     

SINGLE-CRYSTALS AS AN INDICATOR OF FATIGUE DAMAGE

Abstract— The possibility of using specially prepared single crystals as indicators of fatigue damage is outlined. Results are described of an analysis of deformation patterns developed in the single-crystal indicator surface, under fatigue and static loading. It is shown that the density and direction of deformation bands correlate with the number of loading cycles.     

Attentional cues in chronic schizophrenia: Abnormal disengagement of attention.

M. I. Possner's 1980 reaction time (RT) paradigm was used to examine the engagement and disengagement operations of visual selective attention in patients with schizophrenia. In the 1st experiment 14 medicated, chronic schizophrenic Ss (diagnosed by criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-I]), and 15 age-matched normal and control Ss made a speeded response to a target preceded by a valid, and invalid, or no cue. Control Ss showed the expected advantage and disadvantage in RT for valid and invalid cues, which suggests intact engagement and disengagement operations. For schizophrenic Ss, valid cues also enhanced RT, but invalid cues did not slow RT. Similar results were found in the 2nd experiment. The failure of unpredictable, invalid cues to inhibit RT in chronic schizophrenia may be related to an abnormality in the disengagement operation of selective attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)