EoP250. Recent advances in transparent ferroelectric ceramics research and applications

1992

Abstract The studies of field-induced lattice rearrangement and field-induced phase transition (PT), laser beam effects in transparent ferroelectric ceramics (TFC), dopant and radiation effects in PLZT, Kerr effect demonstration and application of an intracavity matrix-addressed spatial-time modulator are discussed.

Event-Related Potentials and Autonomic Responses to a Change in Unattended Auditory Stimuli

1992

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses to occasional pitch and rise-time changes in a task-irrelevant auditory stimulus repeating at short intervals were measured while the subject performed a difficult intellectual task (Raven Matrices). It was found that deviant stimuli elicited the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the ERP even when they elicited no ANS response. There was no significant difference in the mismatch negativity between trials in which the skin conductance response was or was not elicited. The pitch deviant tone also elicited heart rate deceleration, whereas the rise-time deviant tone tended to elicit a later heart rate accele…

A reanalysis of branching fractions of charmed mesonsD 0,D + andD s +

1992

We combine highly complementary information on branching fractions of charmed mesonsD0,D+ andDs+ coming from two experiments both yielding doublecharm samples. The NA 32 experiment provided exclusive branching fractions for channels with at least two charged decay products while a recent Mark III paper provides results on inclusive charm decay properties. The knowledge of channels withK0's in the former is used to recalculate the charged multiplicity distribution in the latter. We obtain 〈nch〉=2.25±0.08 forD0, 〈nch〉=1.96±0.08 forD+ and 〈nch〉=2.41±0.38 forDs+. In turn the knowledge of the charged multiplicity improves the overall normalization of exclusive branching fractions. This reanalysi…

Analysis of T-Lymphocyte Subsets After Phytohemagglutinin Stimulation in Normal and Type 1 Diabetic Mothers and Their Infants

1992

Our aim was to investigate the immunological status of diabetic pregnancy, which is an overlap of diabetic immunity abnormalities and the immunological modifications normally occurring during pregnancy. METHOD: We studied lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphokine production, after 96 h of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation, from normal and Type I diabetic pregnant women at delivery time and from the respective cord blood. RESULTS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from both normal and Type I diabetic mothers showed an increase in CD8+ and a decrease in CD4+ cells compared to the respective cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC). Moreover, Type I PBMC showed a lower number of “activate…

Deliberate Arterial Hypotension Does Not Reduce Intraocular Pressure in Pigs

1992

Among the accepted advantages of general anesthesia in ophthalmic surgery is improved control of intraocular pressure (IOP). Although standard textbooks advocate deliberate arterial hypotension to facilitate intraocular surgery by reducing IOP, scientific proof of such an effect is lacking. The authors investigated effects of induced arterial hypotension on IOP in an anesthetized porcine model. Forty-two piglets were anesthetized with piritramide, were placed in the prone position, and had the anterior chamber of one eye punctured with a small Teflon cannula to measure IOP. Six pigs were used in a pilot study to establish dose-response relationships for the hypotensive agents; 36 pigs were …

Stellenwert der MR-Tomographie bei akuten Schulterluxationen

1992

24 patients up to two weeks after primary traumatic shoulder dislocation were examined at 0.5 and 1.5 T. Surgical and/or arthroscopic correlation was available in 13, CT-arthrographic correlation in 16 patients. A joint effusion allowing sufficient evaluation of the capsulolabral complex was present in 21/24 (87.5%) cases. 11/14 patients with combined dislocated detachments of the glenoid labrum and capsular lesions were subsequently operated upon. Marrow edema of the humeral head was found in 16/19 Hill-Sachs lesions and in 4/5 fractures of the greater tuberosity. Two patients presented with a lesion of the long biceps tendon associated with rotator cuff tears and were also subsequently op…

Lepton-hadron correlations to $$\mathcal{O}(\alpha _s^2 )$$ in (2+1) jet production at electron-proton colliders

1992

We present one-loop corrected\(\mathcal{O}(\alpha _s^2 )\) results on the four parity-conserving structure functions that describe deep inelastic (2+1)-jet production at high energy electron-proton colliders.

Use of NOAA-AVHRR NDVI data for environmental monitoring and crop forecasting in the Sahel. Preliminary results

1992

Abstract Several studies have shown that the NDVI calculated from NOAA-AVHRR data is related to annual rainfall and primary productivity in Sahelian areas. Such correlations, however, are affected by several environmental factors and have been tested only with data accumulated during rainy seasons, which is not ideal for the prediction of crop yield. In the present study a methodology of NOAA AVHRR data processing is presented which utilizes NDVI computed only in the first part of some rainy seasons and statistically takes into account the geographical variability in land resources and atmospheric conditions. From the first results of the application of the methodology in Niger, its potenti…

Structure of a bidisperse polymer brush: Monte Carlo simulation and self-consistent field results

1992

Using the bond-fluctuation model, Monte Carlo simulations are performed for polymer brushes composed of chains of two different chain lengths under good solvent condition. Profiles of monomer density and free end density, chain linear dimensions, and average monomer position along a chain are studied. Quantities measured in the simulations are derived from the analytic self-consistent field (SCF) theory and compared with the simulation data. The structural properties can be quite accurately described by the theory only when both the long and short chains are stretched

Analysis of small-angle scattering patterns from a commercial Al-Li alloy by means of a model incorporating a repulsive step potential

1992

Abstract Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements are reported for a commercial Al-8·49%Li-51% Cu (atomic composition) alloy solution treated at 520°C and thermally aged for several times at several temperatures. Data have been analysed by means of a model of ellipsoidal precipitate particles previously proposed by some of us and by a modification of this model where, in the interparticle interference term, allowance is made for interactions between the precipitate particles at longer range than previously. This was achieved by the introduction, in addition to the hard-sphere interaction potential, of a potential step. Our fits indicate that the precipitate particles interact through a rep…

Direct observation and thermal transformations of dications derived from dibenzotropylium ions

1992

Abstract Carboxylic acid 1 and its derivatives 2 , 3 treated with triflic acid below −20°C afford the dications 1H 2+2- 3H 2+2. Cyclodehydration above 20°C (or in the gas-phase, CIMS of 3 ) leads to the diprotonated ketone 4H 2+2.

The termination of the vein of ?Labb�? and its microsurgical significance

1992

Information about the termination of the inferior anastomotic vein of Labbé is of crucial importance in the subtemporal neurosurgical approach and its modifications. An intradural course has been observed in all cases. The vein of Labbé reaches in 3/4th the anterior third of the transverse sinus, in 73% of all cases tracing a so-called tentorial sinus. By dissecting the vein of Labbé out of its dural bed and shifting its fixation point, microsurgical access is facilitated considerably.

Interpretation of epicardial mapping by means of computer simulations: Applications to calcium, lidocaine and to BRL 34915

1992

The aim of this work was to compare experimental investigations on effects of lidocaine, calcium and, BRL 34915 on reentries to simulated data obtained by use of a model of propagation based on the Huygens' construction method already described in previous works. Calcium and lidocaine effects are investigated on anisotropic conduction conditions. In both cases, reduction in conduction velocities are observed. In lidocaine case, a refractory area is located along the longitudinal axis. In agreement with experimental electrical mapping, the simulations show that the stabilization of reentrant excitation is mainly due to the existence of this refractory area around which the reentrant circuit …

HIGH-FIELD MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING (MRI) OF THE RABBIT KNEE

1992

International audience

Characterization of gramicidin A in an inverted micellar environment. A combined high-performance liquid chromatographic and spectroscopic study

1992

We have investigated the conformational adaptability of gramicidin A incorporated into reverse micelles of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane/water, a so far unexplored "host" membrane-mimetic model system for this peptide. A high-performance liquid chromatographic strategy previously developed for the study of gramicidin in phospholipid vesicles and normal micelles [Bañó et al. (1989) FEBS Lett. 250, 67; Bañó et al. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 886] has been successfully extended to this system. The method has permitted the separation of peptide conformational species, namely, double-stranded dimers and monomers, and an accurate quantitation of their proportion in the invert…

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of catechol estrogens

1992

Abstract Catecholestrogens (CCEs), namely 2- or 4-hydroxyestradiol and hydroxyestrone, are highly polar, reactive, and extremely labile estrogen metabolites in many experimental conditions. For these reasons, indirect assay methods mainly have been used. Some experimental evidence suggests that CCEs are synthesized and biologically active mostly in target cells. At this level, unfortunately, the indirect assays cannot be used. We present a method of gas Chromatographic/mass spectral (GC/MS) analysis for the identification of individual CCEs; the major fragmentation ions of authentic estrogen standards as trimethylsilylether derivatives, and the MS patterns of the major CCEs, namely, 2-hydro…

Meson production inp+U, O+U and S+U interactions at 200 GeV/nucleon

1992

Meson production in proton, oxygen and sulphur interactions with uranium targets at 200 GeV/nucleon is studied. We measure the inclusive meson cross-section d σ/dPT2 and its evolution fromp+U to S+U. The cross-section fitted with an exponential gives an inverse slopePT0 of the order of 210 MeV/c. As a function of the neutral transverse energy,PT0 values show a slight rise followed by a plateau. The normalized difference (σ+−σ−)/σ− between positive and negative meson cross-sections is found to increase withET.

CD2-mediated autocrine growth of herpes virus saimiri-transformed human T lymphocytes.

1992

Herpes virus saimiri (HVS) immortalizes T lymphocytes from a variety of primates and causes acute T cell lymphomas and leukemias in nonnatural primate hosts. Here we have analyzed the requirements for growth of three HVS-transformed human T cell lines. The cells expressed the phenotype of activated T cells: two were CD4+, and one was CD8+. All three cells responded to all allogeneic human cell lines tested with enhanced proliferation, production of interleukin 2 (IL-2), and increased expression of the IL-2 receptor. Binding of CD2 to its ligand CD58 was the critical event mediating stimulation because: (a) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to CD2 and to CD58, but not to a variety of other surfac…

High temperature neutron diffraction study of sodium di-tin tri-phosphate

1992

Abstract High temperature high resolution neutron diffraction study of the crystal chemistry of NaSn 2 (PO 4 ) 3 has been completed, at four different temperatures, applying the Rietveld method to the experimental neutron diffraction profile of a synthetic crystalline powder. Below the phase transition (∼860 K) the space group has been determined to be R3 which changes to R3c in the high temperature phase. No chemical bond breaks through the transition. The change in temperature makes the SnO 6 polyhedra rotate around the three fold axis in both structures. The PO 4 polyhedra rotate strictly around the two fold axis in the high temperature phase, but around the [0001] direction in the low t…

The carbonates of the Permian Lakes of North Massif central, France

1992

During the Permian, large fluvio-lacustrine basins occurred within the West European Hercynian chain. The deposits were mainly detrital (conglomerates, sandstones and pelites). The two studied sites, Couy borehole and Aumance basin contain several dolomitic beds alternating with pelites containing Ostracods. The carbonate layers constitute various dolomitized facies with dolosparite, laminated and bituminous dolomites, oolites, oncolites and stromatolites, and pedological nodules. Microfacies are varied. The dolomite crystals can be either isolated rhombs scattered in pelites or rhombs and xenomorphic crystals cementing sandstones; in dolomicrites, dolomicrosparites and dolosparites, crysta…

Crystalloid Lysozyme Inclusions in Paneth Cells of Vitamin A-Deficient Rats

1992

The effect of vitamin A-deficiency on jejunal Paneth cells in rats was investigated. Crystalloid particles were observed in secretion granules of Paneth cells from 6 out of 8 rats with vitamin A-deficiency. The particles were similar to those found in Paneth cells under other experimental conditions. Using an immuno-electron-microscopic technique we demonstrated a clear lysozyme immunoreactivity of these particles. In 2 vitamin A-deficient rats tubular structures have been detected in addition to the crystalloid particles. Crystalloid particles or tubular structures were not detectable in a control group of 8 vitamin A-supplemented rats. The morphological alterations of Paneth cells may be …

Biochemical, morphological, and functional aspects of systemic and local vitamin A deficiency in the respiratory tract.

1992

Evidence for the time-temperature superposition principle from Monte-Carlo simulations of the glass transition in two-dimensional polymer melts

1992

The bond fluctuation model on a square lattice with a bond-length dependent potential exhibits in simulations of slow cooling a kinetic glass transition where the system falls out of equilibrium. Extending previous work, the relaxation functions of gyration radius and end-to-end distance, and the bond autocorrelation function of the polymers are presented and related to the time-dependent displacements of inner monomeric units and center of gravity of the whole chains, respectively. Over a wide temperature range the data can be collapsed on master curves satisfying the time-temperature superposition principle for Rouse dynamics.

Physiological properties of malignant tumours

1992

It is generally accepted that tumour microcirculation, blood flow, oxygen and nutrient supply, tissue pH distribution, and the bioenergetic status--factors which are usually closely linked and which define the so-called metabolic microenvironment--can markedly influence the therapeutic response of malignant tumours to conventional irradiation, chemotherapy, other non-surgical treatment modalities, and the cell proliferation activity within the tumours. Currently available information on the parameters defining the metabolic micromilieu in human tumours is presented in this paper. According to these data, significant variations in these relevant factors are likely to occur between different …

Functionality transfer from C8 to C9 in sesquiterpenes. Synthesis of the named Herbolide E from artemisin.

1992

Abstract The key intermediate 6 was obtained in five steps from artemisin (1). The spectroscopic characteristics of the synthetic product 7a reveal that the proposed structure for the natural herbolide E must be revised.

Correction parameters in X-ray fluorescence analysis applying the limit dilution method (LDM)

1992

This paper is a study of the interelemental effect and its correction based on the mathematical model used to develop LDM in XRF analysis. A “compensation coefficient” is defined which is obtained from the quotient of the mass absorption coefficients of the problem and the standard (μs*/μp*). This coefficient compensates the effects produced by interactions between the analyt and the interferences and therefore acts as a correction factor for the interelemental effect within this theoretical model. The model itself establishes a simple relation of the “compensation coefficient” and the Y/H correction parameters for the unknown and the standard. An algorithm is proposed for calculating the “…

Effects of Tolazoline and Prostacyclin on Pulmonary Hypertension in Infants After Cardiac Surgery

1992

Objective To evaluate the hemodynamic effects of tolazoline and prostacyclin in infants with pulmonary vasospasm after cardiac surgery. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Pediatric ICU. Patients The cohort consisted of 42 infants and children with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension who underwent corrective surgery and were monitored postoperatively using pulmonary artery catheters. Fourteen infants (2 to 12 months old) in this group required postoperative treatment with tolazoline or prostacyclin. Interventions Tolazoline was administered as a bolus of 0.5 mg/kg for treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension or acute pulmonary hypertensive crisis. If its effective…

Continental late Pliocene paleoclimatic history recorded in the Bresse Basin (France)

1992

International audience; We present results to show that the Beaune P & C borehole, cored in the Bresse Basin (France), records late Pliocene climatic variations. Pollen analysis allows precise correlations with northern and southern European stratigraphies. Using Kukla et al.'s (1981) climate index, we show that cold climate phases occur during the Brunssumian, at around 3.2, 3.6 and 5.2 Myr B.P., respectively, in agreement with Atlantic core results. The onset of a general cooling trend is felt early in the Reuverian, at about 3 Myr B.P. which corresponds to the end of a warm event characterized by high percentages of oak. This is followed by minor climatic pulses of increasing magnitude s…

Detection of central pulmonary artery thromboemboli by transesophageal echocardiography in patients with severe pulmonary embolism.

1992

Transthoracic echocardiography generally provides only indirect signs of pulmonary embolism. In contrast, with transesophageal echocardiography the thromboembolus itself can be visualized in the central parts of the pulmonary artery. The aims of our study were to evaluate, first, the incidence of central pulmonary artery thromboemboli in patients with severe pulmonary embolism, and second, the accuracy of the echocardiographic diagnosis. Our study group comprised 60 patients with proved severe pulmonary embolism. All patients were examined by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The echocardiographic findings concerning the absence or presence of central pulmonary artery thro…

Electron microscopy of a double helical tubular filament in keyhole limpet (Megathura crenulata) hemolymph.

1992

A approximately 25 nm hollow double helical filament has been detected ultrastructurally in the cell-free supernatant from hemolymph of the keyhole limpet Megathura crenulata (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia: Fissurellidae). Subsequently, much higher concentrations of this material were found in the cell pellet from hemolymph. Both negative staining and thin sectioning have been performed in an attempt to obtain a preliminary structural characterization of this new filament. It is proposed that the filaments are released or secreted from blood hemocytes in response to bleeding, but it has not been possible to define absolutely an intracellular organelle containing this material. It is shown that …

Mossbauer study on the distribution of iron in high coercivity chromium dioxide particles

1992

/sup 57/Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy is applied to determine the level of iron doping in high-coercivity CrO/sub 2/ particles. It is found that, compared with the conventional preparation process, the particles contain an increased amount of Fe/sup 3+/ ions in the CrO/sub 2/ crystal lattice, giving rise to higher magnetocrystalline anisotropy. This is reflected in coercivities up to over 900 Oe. All samples contain as a secondary iron-containing phase some (Cr/sub 1-x/Fe/sub x/)/sub 2/O/sub 3/. The valence of the iron doping is predominantly +3; very weak signals in the Mossbauer spectra suggest the existence of Fe/sup 4+/ in an amount 2-3% of the total number of iron atoms. >

The deltoid muscle: an electromyographical analysis of its activity in arm abduction in various body postures

1992

We have carried out an electromyographical examination of the activity of five different regions of the deltoid muscle during abduction/adduction in various body postures with different biomechanical actions of arm gravity. The results show that the deltoid action is highly differentiated in its different regions and is not restricted only to the generation of an abducting moment in the shoulder joint. There is obviously a biomechanical contribution, mainly by its spinal and clavicular regions, to the stabilization of the glenohumeral joint and to the control of the selected plane of abduction.

Mealtime versus nighttime acid inhibition

1992

This study was carried out in order to compare the effects of mealtime and bedtime regimens of ranitidine on gastric acidity. Fifteen duodenal ulcer patients in clinical remission were randomized to receive in single-blind fashion either placebo, ranitidine 300 mg at night (2200 hr) or ranitidine 150 mg three times a day given before each of the three daily meals (1800, 0800 and 1200 hr). Over 24 hr, the two active treatments produced a significantly greater acid inhibition than placebo, while the single daily regimen was superior to the three times a day regimen of ranitidine in terms of both rise in pH values (P less than 0.001) and duration of action expressed as time spent above 3.0 pH …

Studies on bucephalid digeneans parasitising molluscs and fishes in Finland. II. The description of Rhipidocotyle fennica n. sp. and its discriminati…

1992

Rhipidocotyle fennica n. sp. (= Rhipidocotyle Type A of Taskinen et al., 1991) from the intestine of Esox lucius in central Finland is described and compared by means of a principal components analysis (PCA) with R. campanula (= Rhipidocotyle Type B of Taskinen et al., 1991). Its cercaria develops in the bivalve Anodonta anatina and the metacercaria occurs in the skin and fins of Rutilus rutilus. The metacercaria is discriminated from that of R. campanula by PCA and is described along with aspects of the chaetotaxy of the cercaria. The new species is distinguished from R. campanula, R. kovalae, R. papillosa and R. septpapillata.

Assay for O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase using oligonucleotides containing O6-methylguanine in a BamHI recognition site as substrate

1992

Abstract Double-stranded oligonucleotides, 40 bases in length containing an O 6 -methylguanine in a Bam HI restriction site, were developed as substrates for the determination of human O 6 -alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (AGT). The assay proved highly sensitive and quantitative. After incubation of the 5′-end-labeled oligonucleotides with cell homogenates of peripheral blood lymphocytes, the DNA was digested with Bam HI. Cleavage with this restriction enzyme did not occur in the O 6 -methylguanine-containing oligonucleotide unless the fragment was repaired. The cleaved oligonucleotide was separated from the intact parent oligonucleotide by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatogr…

Fat-storing cells of the rat liver synthesize and secrete C1-esterase inhibitor; modulation by cytokines.

1992

During liver fibrogenesis, fat-storing cells transform into myofibroblast-like cells and produce increasing amounts of extracellular matrix proteins. Because fat-storing cells produce α2-macroglobulin, an important serine protease inhibitor (serpin), we investigated whether fat-storing cells also synthesize C1-esterase inhibitor, another important serpin. C1-esterase inhibitor synthesis was studied in rat fatstoring cells at day 0, 3 and 7 after isolation by biosynthetic labeling, immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Messenger RNA was examined by Northern-blot analysis. C1-esterase inhibitor gene expression and synthesis were detectable in fresh…