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Particularly in developing countries, lower birthweight may be associated with higher neonatal mortality, and deliveries frequently take place at home where scales are not always available. Therefore, surrogate measurements for birthweight are necessary as a primary screening measure. The aim of this study was to determine whether newborn chest and arm circumferences can predict birthweight less than 2000g.

Reduction of a mixture containing [PtCl2(cod)], aromatic isocyanide (RNC; R = 2,6-xylyl (Xyl), 2,4,6-mesityl (Mes)), diphosphine (Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2; n = 5 (dpppn), n = 6 (dpphx)), and NH4PF6 by sodium amalgam (<1%) afforded trigonal-antiprismatic hexanuclear platinum(0) clusters encapsulating two mercury(0) atoms, [Hg2Pt6(μ-RNC)6(μ-diphos)3] (diphos = dpphx, R = Xyl (6a); diphos = dpppn, R = Xyl (8a), Mes (8b)). Complexes 6a and 8a were characterized by X-ray crystallographic analyses to demonstrate that two triangular platinum(0) units, {Pt3(μ-RNC)3}, are connected by three diphosphine ligands with long methylene chains to form a closed cage of the cluster-based metallocryptand, in which two mercury(0) atoms are incarcerated with a notably short Hg−Hg distance. In complex 8a (n = 5), the centroids of the two Pt(0) triangles are linearly arranged with respect to the Hg−Hg axis to form a pseudo-D3-symmetrical Hg2Pt6 antiprismatic cluster core (average Pt−Pt = 2.6719 Å, average Pt−Hg = 2.9417 Å, and Hg−Hg = 2.8424(2) Å). In contrast, in complex 6a (n = 6) the two triplatinum planes glide away from the dimercury axis to lose the D3 symmetry (average Pt−Pt = 2.639 Å, average Pt−Hg = 2.923 Å, and Hg−Hg = 2.826(2) Å). The electronic structures of the Pt3Hg2Pt3 cluster frameworks are discussed on the basis of molecular orbital calculations with EHMO and DFT methods. Hg2Pt6 clusters with an incomplete open-cage structure, [Hg2Pt6(μ-RNC)6(RNC)2(μ-diphos)2] (diphos = dpphx, R = Xyl (7a); diphos = dpppn, R = Mes (9b)), were also isolated as minor products and were transformed into the closed-cage clusters 6a and 8b by treatment with an equivalent diphosphine ligand. By using dppb (n = 4), an open-cage mixed-metal cluster with a single mercury atom, [HgPt6(μ-RNC)6(RNC)2(μ-dppb)2] (R = Xyl (10a), Mes (10b)), was obtained as the sole product. When the aliphatic isocyanide t-BuNC was used in the reduction with dpphx, the Hg2Pt6 mixed-metal cluster was not produced, and instead, the PtHgPt trinuclear complex [HgPt2(μ-dpphx)3] (11) was obtained in a low yield and was characterized by X-ray crystallography to demonstrate the linear trinuclear structure with a considerable attractive Pt−Hg interaction (average Pt−Hg = 2.7930 Å and Pt−Hg−Pt = 179.591(3)°). The electronic structures of 11 are also discussed.

Reaction of [Pt(XylNC)4](PF6)2 with NaBH4 in the presence of 2,7-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,8-naphthyridine (dpnapy) afforded a diplatinum(0) metallocryptate with a tightly encapsulated sodium ion in a pseudo-D3 helical cage, [Pt2Na(μ-dpnapy)3(XylNC)2](PF6) (4a; XylNC = 2,6-xylyl isocyanide). The three linear dpnapy ligands in complex 4a are bundled by a sodium ion through six Na−N bonds, and two Pt⁰(XylNC) fragments cap each end of the double-tripodal {(dpnapy)3Na}⁺ unit through three Pt−P bonds. Each electron-rich platinum(0) center adopts a tetrahedral geometry with 18 valence electrons. An analogous dipalladium(0) complex, [Pd2Na(μ-dpnapy)3(XylNC)2](PF6) (4b), was prepared by reaction of [Pd3(XylNC)6] with dpnapy and NaPF6. The terminal isocyanide ligands of complexes 4a,b were readily replaced by CO (1 atm) to give [M2Na(μ-dpnapy)3(CO)2](PF6) (M = Pt (4c), Pd (4d)). In the presence of H⁺ ions, the electron-rich diplatinum metallocryptate 4a interestingly demonstrated successive encapsulation of protons as platinum-bound hydrides, resulting in the formation of [Pt2Na(H)(μ-dpnapy)3(XylNC)2](PF6)2 (5) and [Pt2Na(H)2(μ-dpnapy)3(XylNC)2](PF6)3 (6). Complexes 5 and 6 were isolated from alternative reactions of [Pt3(XylNC)6] with dpnapy and NaPF6 in the presence of regulated amounts of HPF6. Whereas the structures of 5 and 6 are closely similar to that of 4a, one and two hydrides are trapped into the small room comprised of the {Pt(PCN)3Na} framework in complexes 5 and 6, respectively. The hydride attached to the Pt center at the opposite site of isocyanide with the Pt atom deformed slightly toward trigonal-bipyramidal geometry. The structure of 5 is asymmetric with the hydride fixed onto a platinum center, and any site-exchange behavior of the hydride was not observed even in solution. The hydride encapsulation in 5 drags the encountered platinum atom inside by ca. 0.17 Å and causes slight but appreciable distortion around the central Na ion with an average Na−N distance of 2.42 Å for the Pt⁰ side and 2.54 Å for the PtH side. The structural distortion caused by the hydride encapsulation might have influenced the other Pt center to be less reactive and stabilize the asymmetric structure of 5. Electrochemical measurements for 4a, 5, and 6 were performed to reveal that complex 4a underwent two irreversible one-electron oxidation processes at Epa¹ = −0.14 V (vs Ag/Ag⁺) and 0.15 V, corresponding to Pt⁰2 → Pt⁰Pt^I → Pt^I2 with some concomitant structural changes, and the hydride encapsulation made the Pt center redox inactive in 5 and 6, as Pt⁰(PtH) → Pt^I(PtH) (5) and (PtH)2 were redox silent (6).

Axial ligand exchange reactions of [Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(XylNC)2](PF6)2 (1) with monoisocyanide molecules afforded a series of linear triplatinum complexes, [Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(RNC)2](PF6)2 (R = 2,4,6-mesityl (2), tert-butyl (4), 4-tolyl (5)) and [Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(XylNC)(t-BuNC)](PF6)2 (3), which were characterized by spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic, and absorption (EXAFS) analyses. With the increase of π-acidity of the terminal isocyanide, the Pt−Pt bond length became longer due to electron transfer from the Pt3 core to the isocyanide group. Terminal ligand exchange reactions of 1 with bulky aromatic bisisocyanides (bisNCn) led to successful isolation of the rigid-rod triplatinum cluster polymers formulated as {[Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(bisNCn)](PF6)2}n (bisNCn = 2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenylene-1,4-bisisocyanide (bisNC1) (7a), 3,3‘,5,5‘-tetramethylbisphenylene-4,4‘-bisisocyanide (bisNC2) (7b)). The structure of compound 7a, determined by X-ray crystallography, was composed of the linear, metal−metal bonded {Pt3(μ-dpmp)2}²⁺ fragments (av Pt−Pt = 2.699 Å) covalently connected by the bisisocyanide molecules, resulting in an infinite rigid-rod polymeric structure. By using less bulky bisisocyanides, the ligand exchange reaction stopped at the formation of the triplatinum cluster dimers [(bisNCn)Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(bisNCn)Pt3(μ-dpmp)2(bisNCn)](PF6)4 (bisNCn = phenylene-1,4-bisisocyanide (bisNC3) (8a), 2,5-dimethylphenylene-1,4-bisisocyanide (bisNC4) (8b)), which were characterized by EXAFS analyses to involve the weakly metal−metal bonded Pt3 fragments (av Pt−Pt = 2.85 Å). The rigid-rod polymer 7a was demonstrated to be quite reactive even in heterogeneous systems toward H⁺, NO⁺, tetracyanoethylene (tcne), and electron-deficient alkynes, to afford the cluster polymers formulated as {[Pt3(μ-H)(μ-dpmp)2(bisNC1)](BF4)3}n (13), {[Pt3(μ-NO)2(μ-dpmp)2(bisNC1)](BF4)4}n (14), {[Pt3(μ-C12N8)(μ-dpmp)2(bisNC1)](PF6)2}n (15), and {[Pt3(μ-R¹C2R²)(μ-dpmp)2(bisNC1)](PF6)2}n (16a, R¹ = H, R² = CO2CH3; 16b, R¹ = R² = CO2CH3). The structures of the polymers 13−16 were estimated on the basis of the X-ray crystallographic and spectroscopic analyses for the related reference complexes [Pt3(μ-H)(μ-dpmp)2(XylNC)2]³⁺ (9), [Pt3(μ-NO)2(μ-dpmp)2(RNC)2](BF4)4 (10, R = Xyl, Mes), [Pt3(μ-C12N8)(μ-dpmp)2(RNC)2](PF6)2 (11, R = Xyl, Mes), and [Pt3(μ-R¹C2R²)(μ-dpmp)2(XylNC)2](PF6)2 (12, R¹ = H or COOCH3, R² = COOCH3).

To clarify the relationship between the clinical characteristics and the effects of high frequency jet ventilation based on the differences in the speed of deterioration in severe asthmatic patients who required intubation and mechanical ventilation, we classified 37 severe asthmatics into two groups (acute onset group: n= 20, intubated within 24 hours; slow onset group: n= 17, intubated over 3 days) and measured the arterial blood gas values, the duration of mechanical ventilation, and the peak inspiratory pressure during synchronized intermittent mechanical ventilation with or without high frequency jet ventilation. The acute onset group showed a significantly higher incidence of cyanosis (75 vs. 41, p< 0.05), an acute loss of consciousness (90 vs. 53, p< 0.05), severe mixed acidosis with extreme hypercapnoea (pH 7.11 ± 0.19, PaCO294.1 ± 10.7 mmHg, BE −8.3 ± 1.7 mEq/1), and a more elevated peak inspiratory pressure (59.7 ± 1.8 mmHg vs. 41.1 ± 1.8 mmHg, p< 0.05) during synchronized intermittent mechanical ventilation at admission, compared with the slow onset group (p< 0.05). The slow onset group required a more prolonged mechanical ventilation than the acute onset group (5.4 ± 4.0 vs. 3.0 ± 2.4 days, p< 0.05), in spite of a lower peak inspiratory pressure than that observed in the acute onset group, because of either a large amount of secretion or an infection in the airway. Both the high peak inspiratory pressure and the severe mixed acidosis with markedly elevated hypercapnoea were significantly reduced by the application of high frequency jet ventilation between the intra- and the inter-groups. These findings thus indicated the existence of significant differences in the clinical features and pathogenesis of airway hyperreactivity between these two groups, and the application of high frequency jet ventilation to the status asthmaticus was thus found to be effective.

Aim To demonstrate the efficacy of a petrolatum based calcium ointment applied to the lower lid skin in the management of dry eye. MethodsIn a controlled double masked study, the effects of water free petrolatum ointment containing calcium carbonate (10% w/w) on tear functional factors and ocular surface vital staining in dry eye patients were observed. Petrolatum without calcium carbonate served as control. Patients were instructed to place ointment to the lower lid skin twice a day. Evaluation of subjective complaints, fluorescein and rose bengal staining patterns, blink rate, tear evaporation and tear break up time (BUT) were performed before and 3 months after treatment. In order to demonstrate the movement of petrolatum from the skin to the tear film, petrolatum containing 1% sodium fluorescein was placed on the lower lid of four healthy volunteers, and the concentration of fluorescein in the tear film was followed up to 6 hours using an anterior fluorometer. Results Subjective symptoms significantly improved in both the calcium group (p=0.001) and control (p=0.012), while only the calcium group demonstrated a significant improvement in fluorescein (p=0.043), rose bengal (p=0.021) scores, and blink rate (p=0.004). Tear evaporation also significantly decreased in both the calcium group (p=0.0004) and control (0.043). BUT did not improve in either group. Conclusion Petrolatum based calcium ointment significantly improved symptoms, tear dynamics, and ocular surface staining in dry eye patients. However, some of the therapeutic effects may be due to lipids in the petrolatum vehicle. Petrolatum applied to the lower lid skin is an effective drug delivery system for slowly releasing drugs to the ocular surface.

Aim To evaluate the efficacy of autologous serum application for the treatment of dry eye in Sjögren's syndrome. Methods The stability of essential components (EGF, vitamin A, and TGF-β) in preserved serum were examined following preservation at 4°C and -20°C. In a primary clinical trial, 12 patients with Sjögren's syndrome were treated with autologous serum (diluted to 20% with sterile saline) for 4 weeks, and vital staining of the ocular surface was compared before and after treatment. The effects of serum on mucin (MUC-1) expression were observed in cultured conjunctival epithelial cells in vitro. Results EGF, vitamin A, and TGF-β were well preserved for up to 1 month in the refrigerator at 4°C and up to 3 months in the freezer at -20°C. Rose bengal and fluorescein scores improved significantly from the initial scores of 5.3 and 5.6 to 1.7 and 2.5 after 4 weeks, respectively. The additive effect of human serum for cultured conjunctival epithelial cells showed significant MUC-1 upregulation on the cell surface. Conclusion Autologous serum application is a safe and efficient way to provide essential components to the ocular surface in the treatment of dry eye associated with Sjögren's syndrome.

An environmental control system including a growth chamber was constructed to study the feasibility of growing plants under low total pressures relating to crop production in space and CELSS. The system could control temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, and total and partial pressures. The chamber was cylindrical, and 63.5cm in diameter and 50cm in height. Thirty samples of leaf vegetables such as spinach could be grown in the chamber by hydroponics under artificial lights. This system could control total pressure, O2and CO2partial pressures separately, and consequently maintained them at constant during a growth experiment of spinach at a total pressure of 50kPa. Spinach(Spinacia oleraceaL.), which was grown under the atmospheric pressure(101kPa), was transplanted in the chamber and exposed to various pressure conditions, and its photosynthetic rate was measured. Photosynthetic photon flux density(PPFD) was maintained at 120μmolm−2s−1and the light period was set at 14h. Volume of nutrient solution was 9ℓ, and pH was 6.0 and electric conductivity was 2.2mS/cm. The setting values of temperature and relative humidity(RH) were 20°C and 73 to 75%, respectively. The result indicated that photosynthetic rates of spinach at 50 and 75kPa were almost the same as that at 100kPa.

Background: No egg white products have been clearly proven to be hypoallergenic. The role of egg white proteins in allergic reactions to eggs is still debatable. Objective: This study was designed to determine the importance of ovomucoid, an egg white protein, in the development of allergies to egg white. Methods: We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge in subjects with high levels of IgE antibodies for egg white to compare the allergenicities of heated and ovomucoid-depleted egg white, freeze-dried egg white, and heated egg white. Levels of IgE antibodies for egg white, ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme were measured in serum by RAST. Results: Twenty-one of 38 subjects with positive challenge responses to freeze-dried egg white had negative challenge responses to heated egg white, whereas 16 of 17 subjects (94.1%) with positive responses to heated egg white did not respond to the heated and ovomucoid-depleted egg white challenge. The subjects with positive challenge responses to freeze-dried egg white tended to have higher IgE antibody values to ovomucoid than those with negative responses. IgE antibody levels to ovomucoid were significantly higher in subjects with positive responses to a challenge with heated egg white than in those with no response. There were no significant differences in the levels of IgE antibodies to the other proteins, except ovomucoid, in the negative-response and positive-response groups in challenge tests with freeze-dried and heated egg white. Conclusion: The heated and ovomucoid-depleted egg white preparation was less allergenic than heated or freeze-dried preparations. Ovomucoid has a more important role in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions to egg white than other proteins in egg white. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;100:171-6.)

The purpose of this study was to measure thoracic epidural pressure at the time of insertion of an epidural needle. The pressure was measured using a closed pressure measurement system after insertion of a Tuohy needle at the T7–8intervertebral level. This system is unique because it has a pressure transducer equipped with a device which regulates flow through the transducer and prevents the heparinized saline in the system from being evacuated into the epidural space due to sudden pressure change. As reported previously, high negative epidural pressures, up to −60 mmHg, were observed at the moment of epidural puncture. However, the pressure became positive in about 30 sec in 12 of the 13 patients, and stabilized at +3.7 ± 3.2 mmHg (mean ± SD) within 90 sec. Similar results were observed when the procedure was repeated within a few minutes to the same patients. This suggests that negative epidural pressures at the moment of epidural puncture are artifacts induced by tenting of the durai membrane. Subsequent adaptation of the surrounding tissue results in restoration of the normal positive epidural pressure.

Inductive Josephson logic (IJL) is realized by using Josephson junctions as a kind of nonlinear inductance. The operational principle of inductive Josephson logic is studied from a very simple example and generalized to multiple Josephson inductive logic devices. Concepts offorward andbackward are introduced to describe the states of the operations. IJLs operate in terms of current or flux; they are suitable to be used in connection with other flux-control Josephson circuit devices such as DC SQUID or DCFP. Some circuit devices based on the principle of inductive Josephson logic are given as examples of IJL logic functions.

Summary—To determine the roles of endogenously released tachykinins (substance P [SP] and neurokinin A [NKA]) in the human bronchial tissues, we studied the effects of tachykinin antagonist FK224 on bronchial smooth muscle contraction induced by SP, NKA and capsaicin in an organ bath. FK224 (10−6M and 10−5M, respectivly) significantly inhibited NKA‐induced contraction and 10−5M FK224 shifted the dose‐response curve to more than one log unit higher concentration. Because SP‐ and capsaicin‐induced contractions were small, we pretreated the tissues with the neutral endopeptidase inhibitor phosphoramidon (10−5M), which inhibits degradation of exogenous tachykinins in order to potentiate the contractions. FK224 (10−5M) significantly inhibited SP‐induced contraction and it shifted the dose‐response curves to about one log unit higher concentration. FK224 (10−5M) also significantly inhibited capsaicin‐induced contraction and it shifted the dose‐response curves to more than one log unit higher concentration. In contrast, FK224 (10−5M) did not affect on acetylcholine‐, histamine‐, and leukotriene D4‐induced contraction. These results suggest that FK224 is a tachykinin receptor antagonist in the human bronchial smooth muscle, and that capsaicin‐induced contraction is due to endogenously released tachykinin‐like substances in the human bronchus.

Hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies against cowpox virus (CPV) and vaccinia virus (VV) were established to examine the specific and cross-reactive antigenic determinants of these viruses. Monoclonal antibodies against CPV (LB red strain) and VV (Lister strain and Ikeda strain) were classified into several groups on the basis of the results of immunofluorescence and haemagglutination inhibition tests. It was suggested that the groups defined above include the group of antibodies reacting with each of known major antigens of poxvirus, i.e. nucleoprotein (NP) antigen, heat labile and stable complex (LS) antigen, haemagglutinin (HA), cell surface antigen (CSA) and type A inclusion body (A).

A modification is proposed to the traditional design of a fast floating point multiplication circuit such that instead of just performing A × B where A and B are m bits long, it is also capable of performing C × x0 and D × x1 where C and D are still m bits long but x0 and x1 are m/2 bits long using about the same amount of hardware resources but in two thirds of the time. Such a circuit is called a spilt multiplier. The Letter shows how such a split multiplier can be used to compute division and Y/&squarelg;(X) accurately and quickly.