Construction and performance of a multiparameter focal plane detector for use on a QMG/2 magnetic spectrometer

The design, construction and performance of a modular, two pressure focal plane detector, 550 mm long, 1000 mm deep and with an active height of 60 mm are described. The detector has been operated with ions ranging from 50 MeV ¹H to 200 MeV ³⁶S. Typical results achieved are 0.5 mm and 0.3° for the spatial and angular resolutions, and 0.7% and 3% for the total energy and energy loss measurements. A height signal is also provided.     

Symptom correlates of attentional improvement following hospitalization for a first episode of affective psychosis

BACKGROUND: This study examined patients with a first-episode of affective psychosis during acute and compensated states in order to determine whether changes in attentional functioning over time were accompanied by changes in the severity of psychotic or affective symptoms. METHODS: Attentional performance was measured in patients (n = 27) using the degraded-stimulus continuous Performance Test (CPT) and symptoms were assessed at the time of index hospitalization, and 2 months after discharge. A comparison group of normal volunteers (n = 31) also performed the CPT two months apart. RESULTS: Patients performed significantly worse than controls at the initial testing but not at follow-up. The improvement in attentional performance significantly correlated with decreased severity of manic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest attentional dysfunction is a state-dependent characteristic of mania, and may provide an additional measure of clinical improvement following treatment.     

Intracellular sequestration of sodium by a novel Na+/H+ exchanger in yeast is enhanced by mutations in the plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Insights into mechanisms of sodium tolerance

Sodium tolerance in yeast is disrupted by mutations in calcineurin, a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, which is required for modulation of Na+ uptake and efflux mechanisms. Five Na+-tolerant mutants were isolated by selecting for suppressors of calcineurin mutations, and mapped to the PMA1 gene, encoding the plasma membrane H+-ATPase. One mutant, pma1-alpha4, which has the single amino acid change Glu367 --> Lys at a highly conserved site within the catalytic domain of the ATPase, was analyzed in detail to determine the mechanism of Na+ tolerance. After exposure to Na+ in the culture medium, 22Na influx in the pma1 mutant was reduced 2-fold relative to control, consistent with a similar decrease in ATPase activity. Efflux of 22Na from intact cells was relatively unchanged in the pma1 mutant. However, selective permeabilization of the plasma membrane revealed that mutant cells retained up to 80% of intracellular Na+ within a slowly exchanging pool. We show that NHX1, a novel gene homologous to the mammalian NHE family of Na+/H+ exchangers, is required for Na+ sequestration in yeast and contributes to the Na+-tolerant phenotype of pma1-alpha4.     

Transoesophageal echocardiographic assessment of haemodynamic function during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

We have measured cardiovascular changes associated with insufflation of carbon dioxide and the reverse Trendelenburg position during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, using transoesophageal echocardiography in 13 healthy patients. End-tidal carbon dioxide values increased after insufflation of carbon dioxide, with values significantly (P < 0.05) increased after lateral tilt positioning. Creation of a pneumoperitoneum was associated with increases (P < 0.05) in left ventricular end-systolic wall stress, concomitant with increases (P < 0.01) in peak airway pressure and systemic arterial pressure. In addition, left ventricular end-diastolic area decreased (P < 0.05) after reverse Trendelenburg positioning. Left ventricular ejection fraction was maintained throughout the study.     

Real-time X-ray diffraction study at different scan rates of phase transitions for dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine in KSCN

A questionnaire survey was carried out to examine the attitudes and practices of Australian and New Zealand intensivists with regard to brain death and organ donation. A return rate of 82.5% was achieved. Fifty-eight per cent had written evidence of their own wishes to donate organs and 94% would agree to donation from a dependent. At least one intensivist is involved in certifying brain death on 95% of occasions. Intensivists are involved in the request for organ donation over 90% of the time although one-third do not believe that it is their role to request organ donation. Although two-thirds believe that the family should always be approached for organ donation, another 52 out of 254 indicated that it was their (the intensivist's) role to decide if families should be asked for organ donation. Possible reasons for not requesting are language or other communication problems, perceptions of cultural differences and degrees of family distress. Twenty per cent of respondents do not provide haemodynamic support before brain death confirmation. Australian and New Zealand intensivists overwhelmingly support the concept of brain death, current methods of confirmation of brain death, organ donation and transplantation. Possible reasons behind loss of potential donors include decisions not to resuscitate both before and after brain death is confirmed. Perceptions of family grief and cultural differences clearly inhibit requests for organ donation. A very few units have an effective policy on approaching families about organ donation. Intensivists have almost exclusive control over requests for organ donation and thus bear a full professional responsibility for this element of hospital practice.     

Study of the beta -delayed neutron decay of 18N

The shortage of suitable liver donors for children has motivated the use of ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) grafts for transplantation in urgent situations. However, survival after ABO-I liver grafts has been reported at about 30% as compared with 80% in cases of ABO-identical or -compatible liver grafts. This difference has been attributed to antibody-mediated, hyperacute or chronic liver rejection, due to preformed ABO antibodies (alloantibodies). In this study, we report our results with ABO-I livers in children without alloantibodies at the time of transplantation. From January 1988 to June 1993, 143 OLT were performed in 122 children. Eight children received 8 ABO-I liver grafts. Of these, 7 patients were included in the study. All 7 were alloantibody free before OLT. Five children were spontaneously alloantibody free, while in 2 children, the plasma alloantibodies were eliminated before and after transplantation using intravenous infusion of specific blood group antigens of the donor blood group (soluble antigens). Immunosuppression consisted of a triple-drug treatment combining CsA, AZA, and steroids. The follow-up period was between 10 and 48 months. One child died from a surgical complication. Six children survived, but 1 died 10 months later from intestinal obstruction. There were no graft losses and no episodes of hyperacute or chronic rejection. The graft and patient survival rate was 71%. There was a 28% incidence of rejection, but all were mild (requiring steroid boluses only). Our results suggest that the absence of ABO alloantibodies at the time of and after transplantation can protect ABO-I liver grafts against antibody-mediated rejection, whether hyperacute or chronic, and that soluble antigens are effective in eliminating alloantibodies in children.     

Ultrasonography, CT and MRI of retropharyngeal ganglioneuroma: a very rare neoplasm in adults

Ganglioneuroma, a rare benign tumour, very occasionally presents in adult life. We report a case with the additional unusual feature of a retropharyngeal location.     

Retroviral display of antibody fragments; interdomain spacing strongly influences vector infectivity

Five different single-chain antibody fragments (scFv) against human cell-surface antigens were displayed on murine ecotropic retroviral vectors by fusing them to the Moloney SU envelope glycoprotein. The spacing between the scFv and the SU glycoprotein was varied by fusing the scFv to residue +7 or to residue +1 of Moloney SU and by inserting linker sequences of different lengths between the domains. All of the chimeric envelopes were efficiently incorporated into vector particles and could bind to human cells through their displayed antibody fragments, but did not infect them. The spacing between the scFvs and the SU glycoproteins had no significant effect on the efficiency of envelope expression or viral incorporation and did not affect the binding properties of the chimeric envelopes, nor did it influence the efficiency of targeted gene delivery to human cells by scFv-displaying vectors. However, on murine fibroblasts the infectivity of vectors incorporating the chimeric envelopes was strongly influenced by the length of the interdomain spacer. The titers were very low when the single-chain antibodies were fused through a tripeptide linker to SU residue +7 and were greatly enhanced (up to 10(5)-fold) when they were fused to SU residue +1 through a heptapeptide linker. These results point to the importance of steric interactions between the domains of chimeric envelope glycoproteins and may have implications for retroviral vector design for human gene therapy.