Levels of functional impairment following a civilian disaster: The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire.

117 individuals (mean age 37.77 yrs) who were at the fire and 30 individuals (mean age 40.72 yrs) who were not at the fire (bereaved families and rescue workers) were assessed regarding objective stressfulness of their fire experience, subjective stressfulness, and intensity of psychological symptoms (the Psychiatric Evaluation Form, PEF) in a structured clinical interview approximately 1 yr after the fire. Ss also filled out the Symptom Checklist-90, Revised Version (SCL-90R). 88 Ss were followed-up at 2 yrs. The group as a whole was more impaired than comparison samples of normals but less impaired than outpatients. Ss at the fire were less impaired than those not at the fire, who were similar to outpatients on the PEF. The latter group improved significantly on several measures from 1 to 2 yrs postfire, whereas the group at the fire showed little change. Results are discussed in the context of the specific instruments and methodology used in the present study, impairment levels of other samples, and the nature of the particular disaster. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving the biodegradability of grain distillery wastewater for use as UASB substrate by combinations of ozonation/enzymatic pre-treatments.

The effect of ozonation and enzyme combination pre-treatments on the composition of grain distillery wastewater (GDWW) was investigated. Exposure of UASB granules to these pre-treated GDWW was evaluated by determining the effect on granule activity, visual appearance and lipid content of the granules. Pre-treatments involving a pre-ozonation step were found to be more effective in reducing the lipid and COD content of GDWW. The higher the lipid and COD reduction achieved by the pre-treatments the higher the granule activity after 24 d exposure, the lower the lipid content in the granule and the less severe the formation of an encapsulating layer.     

Focal cognitively mediated blood-flow activation in Alzheimer's disease patients.

Measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), estimated by the 133-Xe inhalation technique, in 7 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (mean age 65.6 yrs) and 7 normal elderly Ss (mean age 65.3 yrs) during the performance of a right–left discrimination task, a sensorimotor control task, and at normal rest. Significant focal task-related blood-flow activation, attributable primarily to the complex cognitive components of the cognitive task, was found in the normal and AD Ss. The determination of cognitively mediated activation was accomplished by using the blood-flow activation during sensorimotor task performance to account for most of the attentional and response requirements of the cognitive task. Although overall rCBFs were significantly higher for AD Ss, this did not result in a significant differential, cognitively mediated activation pattern. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Culture-positive tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected children

BACKGROUND: Adults infected by HIV have increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and progress more rapidly to disease. HIV and tuberculosis (TB) coinfection in children has been reported but often lacks bacterial confirmation. We report on the clinical picture, special investigations, clinical course and outcome of 14 children with HIV infection and culture-confirmed TB from a developing country. METHODS: The clinical records of all children, from 1992 to 1997, with HIV infection and culture-proved TB were reviewed. RESULTS: Fourteen (10.4%) of 135 children with vertically transmitted HIV infection, 93% <2 years of age, fit the criteria. Nonresolving pneumonia (4) and otorrhoea (6) were common complaints. A Mantoux test was positive (> or =15 mm) in 6 of 11 children. Extrapulmonary TB was present in 5 cases. Ear swabs were the source of M. tuberculosis culture in 3. Chest radiographs were abnormal in all with hilar and paratracheal lymphadenopathy present in 7. A source case with pulmonary TB was identified for 10. Susceptibility tests were done on 9 strains of which 1 was drug-resistant. Four children were culture-positive 4 to 10 months after initiation of TB treatment. Mortality was 21% and 3 were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In HIV-infected children the Mantoux skin test remains useful and culture specimens should be obtained from all sources. Response to treatment is unpredictable, and for this reason repeated cultures should be taken during treatment and a 9-month course of treatment considered.     

Optical and structural properties of ZnO/TiO2/ZnO multi-layers prepared via electron beam evaporation

We prepared a ZnO/TiO₂/ZnO multi-layer on quartz glass substrate via electron beam evaporation. Optical and structural properties of the ZnO/TiO₂/ZnO multi-layer were investigated. The TiO₂ buffer layer is found to improve the crystallinity of the ZnO thin film. A green emission of the ZnO thin film deposited on the TiO₂ buffer layer was significantly enhanced due to the increased defect concentration of oxygen vacancy. Photoluminesence spectra measured at 9 K revealed that a violet luminescence at 409 nm was attributed to the draft of the donor's defect levels in the ZnO thin film.     

Galvanostatic electrochemical reduction of pentoses

Electrochemical reduction of ribose and xylose has been studied in sodium sulphate solution and in phosphate buffers on amalgamated lead cathodes under conditions of galvanostatic electrolysis. The products after peracetylation were determined by gas chromatography. Over the catholyte pH range 8–11 high yields of the pentitols were obtained (84 and 75% for ribose and xylose, respectively). Regardless of the pH, 2-deoxypentitols were also formed in low yields (a few percent). Raising the temperature of the reaction to 45°C intensified the reduction 2 to 3 fold and, with xylose, the yield of xylitol was markedly increased. Large differences were observed between pH readings in the bulk solution and at the cathode. In unbuffered solutions these differences enhanced the rate of reduction of the pentoses autocatalytically.     

A prospective evaluation of children under the age of 5 years living in the same household as adults with recently diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis

Lung injury is a well-documented adverse effect of cardiopulmonary bypass. The mechanism of injury is not fully understood, but pulmonary hypoxia may be a factor. Post-operative pulmonary epithelial permeability (PEP) in ventilated versus non-ventilated lungs was measured within 2 h of return to the intensive care unit using a 99Tcm-diethylenetriamine pentaacetate aerosol technique. A portable scintillation detector system was required. Sodium iodide detectors have been used previously with this technique but are cumbersome. This study used mini caesium iodide detectors (Oakfield Instruments, Oxon, UK), which can be attached directly to the patient and are more suited to the intensive care setting. The clearance half-time from lung to blood (T1/2LB) was measured in 31 patients (62 lungs). The mean (+/- S.E.M.) clearance half-times were 42.3 +/- 2.7 and 45.7 +/- 3.8 min for non-ventilated and ventilated lungs respectively, with a mean difference of 3.4 +/- 3.1 min (P > 0.05). We conclude that, using this technique, no significant difference in PEP is observed between ventilated and non-ventilated lungs in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.     

聚二甲基硅氧烷表面波浪形微纳米沟槽的制备

采用空气等离子体氧化及单向应力释放法制备出近似平行排列的聚二甲基硅氧烷波浪形微纳米沟槽阵列,并阐述了经等离子体氧化的聚二甲基硅氧烷在单向应力释放中波浪形微纳米沟槽的形成机理及相应的影响因素。结果表明,波浪形沟槽的间距均随着等离子体氧化时间的延长而增大,较低速率的应力释放有利于沟槽的规整有序。