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The present study aims at identifying and analyzing challenges and prospects related to the use of pseudoelastic shape memory alloys for well-established double shear connections in timber engineer...

Fungi decay helps wood produce efficient electricity under mechanical stimuli, boosting energy efficiency of future buildings., Producing electricity from renewable sources and reducing its consumption by buildings are necessary to meet energy and climate change challenges. Wood is an excellent “green” building material and, owing to its piezoelectric behavior, could enable direct conversion of mechanical energy into electricity. Although this phenomenon has been discovered decades ago, its exploitation as an energy source has been impaired by the ultralow piezoelectric output of native wood. Here, we demonstrate that, by enhancing the elastic compressibility of balsa wood through a facile, green, and sustainable fungal decay pretreatment, the piezoelectric output is increased over 55 times. A single cube (15 mm by 15 mm by 13.2 mm) of decayed wood is able to produce a maximum voltage of 0.87 V and a current of 13.3 nA under 45-kPa stress. This study is a fundamental step to develop next-generation self-powered green building materials for future energy supply and mitigation of climate change.

Climate change including the more frequent occurrence and increased intensity of extreme climate events are important drivers of disaster events. This causality is accompanied by the fact that long-term impacts of climate change are connected with a high-level of uncertainty: complex interactions, feedback loops and underlying nonlinear effects that describe the consequences in this dynamic context. Special modelling approaches are required to increase understanding of these connections with climate change and related global issues, like environmental, social, economic and political matters. Resilience is a concept that can be used when tackling climate change impacts and decrease vulnerabilities. The holistic concept goes parallel with the understanding of “managing risks instead of managing disasters”! This contribution elaborates now this line of thought and characterizes a risk-oriented modelling and design-oriented perspective. We present overviews on climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), respectively, and the related frameworks and methods. Finally, we consider the links between the ESPREssO project with the PLACARD experience as coordination action. Similarities and differences are characterized in detail. Based on this specific comparison, we propose a solution-oriented approach which might overcome the distinctions regarding the different approaches of the projects towards a transformational resilience management perspective, summarizing synergies and gaps as an example for integrative risk assessment beyond ESPREssO. We conclude with a comprehensive framework based on the 5 priority areas (referred as “mission”, terminology introduced in the Horizon Europe Framework) included in the final document of ESPREssO, which could be seen as an example for an integrative risk management combining quantitative and qualitative approaches.

The goal of the current study was to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of mycowood as a high quality tone-wood, obtained from Norway spruce by treatment of the white rot fungus Physisporinus vitreus as a function of the treatment time. In focus was the stiffness to weight ratio, which is often considered a main criterion for tone-wood selection. The vibro-mechanical properties were tested by non-destructive methods. The change of color and density were also measured after 4–12 months of fungal incubation. Density decreased up to 5% after 12 months of fungal treatment. Sound velocity was measured in small size specimens by means of the free-free vibration approach, while in large specimens the air-coupled ultrasound method was applied. The two techniques gave similar results and indicated that the sound velocity decreased in mycowood. Internal damping was increased in mycowood to a higher extent than the reduction in the specific modulus of elasticity (E/ρ) and thus the sound velocity in the material. The sound velocity was decreasing with increasing incubation times and scattering of data with this regard was larger in the transversal than in the longitudinal direction. The sound radiation coefficient and the characteristic impedance were enhanced in mycowood and its color was more brownish and richer in tone., Holzforschung, 70 (6), ISSN:0018-3830, ISSN:1437-434X

Aim: To report survival and morbidity until discharge in preterm infants < 501 g with life support started immediately after birth. Methods/study design: Cohort study of all preterm infants with birthweights < 501 g born in three tertiary perinatal centres between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2001 (gestational age (GA) 25.2 [21.0–30.7] wk; birthweight 435 [290–500] g; median [range]). Results: A total of 107 infants with birthweights

BACKGROUND Proteasome inhibition through the administration of Velcade is a viable chemotherapeutic strategy that is approved to treat multiple myeloma and is being evaluated for efficacy against prostate cancer. Currently, the apoptotic pathways that contribute to this anticancer response are poorly understood. Our goal is to test the extent to which proteasome inhibition modulates apoptosis through death receptor pathways. METHODS Several prostate cancer cell lines and primary prostate epithelial cells (PrECs) were used as models. The death receptor pathway was activated by the expression of Fas ligand (FasL) or addition of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in the presence or absence of proteasome inhibitors. The apoptotic response was quantified by annexin V, TUNEL and nuclear condensation assays. Western blot analysis was conducted to quantify protein levels and enzyme assays were used to measure caspase activity. RESULTS Proteasome inhibition markedly sensitized prostate cancer cells to apoptosis initiated by Fas ligand (FasL) or TRAIL. In the presence of either death ligand, procaspase-8 processing occurred, but led to minimal amounts of active caspase-8. The addition of Velcade, however, led to robust active caspase-8 protein abundance and activity. In the presence of Velcade the caspase-8 p18 subunit half-life increased from 22 min to over 2 hr. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that proteasome inhibition can sensitize cells to apoptosis elicited by tumor necrosis factor ligands and retarding caspase-8 degradation provides one explanation for this activity. This study suggests that the clinical efficacy of Velcade may result, at least in part, from the activity of death ligands. Prostate 68: 200–209, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

OPTRA is currently developing a Risley Prism Universal Pointing System (RPUPS): a highly customizable cued beamsteering system. The RPUPS consists of a visible or infrared cueing imager co-aligned with an optical beam steering system’s pointing-field-of-regard. The cueing imager is used to identify a region-of-interest within its wide field-of-view, via a wireless tablet device. The tablet user can choose to manually or automatically, identify and track regions-of-interest. The optical beam steering system uses a matched pair of Risley Prisms to direct an interrogating optical system’s instantaneous-field-of-view onto the identified region-of-interest. The tablet updates the user with real time information from both the cueing imager and the interrogating optical system. Risley prism material and geometry choices provide operating wavelength, aperture size, and field-of-regard flexibility for this front-end pointing component. Back-end components may be receive-only, transmit-only, or transmit/receive combinations. The flexibility of the RPUPS allows for mission specific customization where applications include but are not limited to: synthetic foveated imaging, spectroscopic probes and laser (LIDAR) ranging and tracking. This paper will focus on the design and anticipated applications of the RPUPS.

The proliferation of lasers has led to their widespread use in applications ranging from short range standoff chemical detection to long range Lidar sensing and target designation operating across the UV to LWIR spectrum. Recent advances in high energy lasers have renewed the development of laser weapons systems. The ability to measure and assess laser source information is important to both identify a potential threat as well as determine safety and nominal hazard zone (NHZ). Laser detection sensors are required that provide high dynamic range, wide spectral coverage, pulsed and continuous wave detection, and large field of view. OPTRA, Inc. and Tufts have developed a custom ROIC smart pixel imaging sensor architecture and wavelength encoding optics for measurement of source wavelength, pulse length, pulse repetition frequency (PRF), irradiance, and angle of arrival. The smart architecture provides dual linear and logarithmic operating modes to provide 8+ orders of signal dynamic range and nanosecond pulse measurement capability that can be hybridized with the appropriate detector array to provide UV through LWIR laser sensing. Recent advances in sputtering techniques provide the capability for post-processing CMOS dies from the foundry and patterning PbS and PbSe photoconductors directly on the chip to create a single monolithic sensor array architecture for measuring sources operating from 0.26 – 5.0 microns, 1 mW/cm2 – 2 kW/cm2.

We present the design of a highly stable, compact system that achieves the frequency stabilization of a distributed feedback laser diode to an excited-state argon transition at 1.323 μm. The argon atomic reference is generated in a miniature hollow cathode lamp. A small a/c magnetic field is used to Zeeman split the transition and both right- and left-circularly polarized light are used to generate the error discriminant signal and cancel laser relative intensity noise. The output does not contain any frequency modulated components and has been measured to have long-term frequency stability of better than 8×10−11 (20 kHz) with the Allan Variance technique.

Commentary to:Anti-ErbB4 targeted therapy combined with radiation therapy in prostate cancer: Results of in-vitro and in-vivo studiesAKIVA VEXLER, GHALIB LIDAWI, VERED LOEW, ITAY BARNEA, VICTORIYA KARAUSH, ALEXANDER SHTABSKY, RAMI BEN-YOSEF

For this review, 78 publications for use of fluconazole in children below 1 year of age were evaluated with a total of 726 patients. The range of fluconazole dosage was 2-50 mg/kg/day with 162 days as maximum duration of treatment. According to the present experience, fluconazole seems to be an efficacious and well tolerated therapy against systemic candidosis and candidemia in children below 1 year of age, including neonates and very low birth-weight infants (VLBWI). The recommended daily dosage is 6 mg/kg. In patients with impaired renal function, the daily dose should be reduced in accordance with the guidelines given for adults. In neonates during the first two weeks of life, this dosage should be administered only every 72 hours. In weeks two to four of life, the same dose should be given every 48 hours. After that daily dosing is appropriate. This posology is derived from the age-related pharmacokinetics of fluconazole with a higher volume of distribution and a prolonged plasma elimination half life especially during the first month of life. Drug monitoring during treatment should be performed to ensure therapeutic plasma concentrations of fluconazole within a range between 4 and 20 micrograms/ml. The benefit of fluconazole should be investigated in prospective studies for treatment of systemic candidosis with administration of higher dosages as well as for early empiric therapy in VLBWI.

Zusammenfassung. Aus der Hefepilzkolonisation des Darmtraktes ergeben sich fur die therapeutische und prophylaktische Anwendung von Polyenantimykotika (Nystatin, Amphotericin B) unterschiedliche Konsequenzen: Abwehrgeschadigten, neutropenischen Patienten sollten sie langfristig wahrend erhohter Mykoserisiken verabreicht werden. Die Dosierung richtet sich nach dem Alter, der Funktionstuchtigkeit des Gastrointestinaltraktes und dem Grundleiden des Patienten. Beim abwehrkompetenten Menschen sollte dagegen die kommensale Hefepilzfiora nicht ohne klinische Indikation medikamentos unterdruckt werden, da eine dauerhafte Eradikation von Hefen im Darmtrakt nicht moglich ist. Die Pilze treten — wenn auch zunachst in geringer Menge — etwa 5–14 Tage nach Therapieende erneut in den Faeces auf. Der Einflus oral applizierter Polyenantimykotika last sich im Darmlumen nach kurzer Zeit beobachten. Nystatin- und Amphotericin-B-Spiegel liegen ab 2., spatestens 3. Tag kontinuierlich wahrend der Verabreichung und maximal 10 Tage nach Therapieende in effektiven Konzentrationen im Stuhl vor. Parallel dazu ist das Vorkommen von Hefen in den Faeces deutlich vermindert oder unter die Nachweisgrenze von Pilzkulturen gesunken. Eine langfristige orale Anwendung von Polyenantimykotika bei unklaren klinischen Beschwerden abwehrkompetenter Patienten ohne massiven intestinalen Hefepilzbefall ist nicht gerechtfertigt. Summary. On the basis of intestinal yeast colonization different consequences for therapeutic and prophylactic administration of polyene antimycotics have to be drawn. Immunocompromised neutropenic patients should orally receive polyene antifungal drugs (nystatin or amphotericin B) for a long time during the period of increased risk for systemic candidosis. The level of daily dosing is dependent on age, physiological status of the gastrointestinal tract, and underlying disease of the patient. In immunocompetent persons the normal commensal yeast flora should not be suppressed by antifungal chemoprophylaxis if no clinical indications are present, because permanent eradication of yeast in the intestinal tract ist not attainable. About 5 to 15 days after finishing the administration of polyene antimycotics the fungi are detectable again in the faeces in low quantities. The influence of orally administered polyene drugs in the intestinal tract may be detected shortly after starting the application. Thus efficient concentrations of nystatin and amphotericin B are continuously present in the faeces 24 to 48 hours after beginning until 2 to 10 days after finishing the administration. During this time the quantity of yeast in the faeces is evidently reduced or not longer detectable by fungal culture. The oral administration of polyene antimycotics for a long

OPTRA is developing a compact, wide field standoff diffuse reflectance spectrometer for trace explosive detection from a safe standoff. This system is comprised of two key components: a Risley scanner and an infrared tunable laser based spectrometer. The Risley scanner is a mature technology, which uses a pair of matched prisms to steer a laser beam anywhere inside a cone. The compact size, low operating power, and large field of view of the Risley scanner make it the ideal solution for rapidly scanning the laser over the field. The infrared tunable laser spectrometer utilizes a low-cost quartz crystal tuning fork (QCTF) in place of a traditional infrared detector. The large Q-factor of the QCTF enables high sensitivity, low noise detection of explosive signatures even for low concentrations and large standoffs. By coupling this demonstrated technology with a mature Risley scanner design, the field can be scanned both spatially and spectrally. Pairing this data with sophisticated algorithms results in a map of explosives in the field. This paper presents OPTRA's breadboard spectrometer design along with the TNT and RDX spectra it produced.

Background Quinazoline-based α1-adrenoceptor antagonists suppress tumor growth by inducing apoptosis via an α1-adrenoceptor-independent action. Anoikis is a unique mode of apoptosis consequential to insufficient cell-matrix interactions. Objective This study investigated the apoptotic effect of novel quinazoline-based compounds on human renal cancer cells. Design, setting, and participants Two cell lines were used: renal cell carcinoma (RCC) 786-0, harboring a von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor-suppressor gene mutation with a highly angiogenic phenotype, and Caki cells (no VHL mutation). Measurements The lead compound DZ-50 (10μM) led to significant inhibition of tumor-cell adhesion, migration, and invasion at a lower dose than doxazosin (25μM) in both RCC lines. Results and limitations Doxazosin induced death-receptor-mediated apoptosis, while DZ-50 led to anoikis via targeting of the focal adhesion complex and AKT signaling that subsequently increased RCC susceptibility to caspase-8-mediated apoptosis. Both quinazoline compounds, doxazosin and DZ-50, significantly reduced RCC metastatic potential in vivo. Conclusions Quinazoline-based drugs trigger anoikis in RCC by targeting the focal adhesion survival signaling. This potent antitumor action against human RCC suggests a novel quinazoline-based therapy targeting renal cancer.

Inducing apoptosis via the extrinsic death receptor pathway is an attractive anti-cancer treatment strategy, however, numerous cancer cells exhibit significant resistance to death ligand stimuli. Here, we investigated the anti-neoplastic capability of proteasome inhibition, through the administration of Velcade, to synergize with a death receptor agonist in vivo. The death ligand-resistant LNCaP prostate xenograft model was utilized. Tumors were established and mice were treated with Velcade, TRAIL (TNF-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand) or the combined regimen. Only mice treated with a combination of Velcade and TRAIL was tumor growth inhibited with a corresponding loss of the hemorrhagic phenotype, decreased tumor cell proliferation and increased tumor cell apoptosis. Next, to determine if the extrinsic pathway is critical for mediating the anti-tumor efficacy that can be achieved in some cell types with Velcade treatment alone, the death receptor sensitive PC-3 xenograft model was used. PC-3 tumors exhibited a 54% decrease in tumor volume in response to Velcade, while c-FLIP overexpressing PC-3 xenografts were resistant to the treatment. These findings suggest that the extrinsic apoptotic pathway can mediate the anti-tumor effects of Velcade and support the therapeutic use of proteasome inhibition in combination with a death receptor stimulus in the treatment of prostate cancer.

We evaluated gene expression profiles after inducing differentiation in cultured interstitial cystitis and control urothelial cells.Bladder biopsies were taken from patients with interstitial cystitis and controls, that is women undergoing surgery for stress incontinence. Primary cultures were grown in keratinocyte growth medium with supplements. To induce differentiation in some plates the medium was changed to Dulbecco's modified Eagle's minimal essential medium-F12 (Media Tech, Herndon, Virginia) with supplements. RNA was analyzed with Affymetrix(R) chips. Three patients with nonulcerative interstitial cystitis were compared with 3 controls.After inducing differentiation 302 genes with a described function were altered at least 3-fold in interstitial cystitis and control cells (p0.01). Functions of the 162 up-regulated genes included cell adhesion (eg claudins, occludin and cingulin), urothelial differentiation, the retinoic acid pathway and keratinocyte differentiation (eg skin cornified envelope components). The 140 down-regulated transcripts included genes associated with basal urothelium (eg p63, integrins beta4, alpha5 and alpha6, basonuclin 1 and extracellular matrix components), vimentin, metallothioneins, and members of the Wnt and Notch pathways. When comparing interstitial cystitis control cells after differentiation, only 7 genes with a described function were altered at least 3-fold (p0.01). PI3, SERPINB4, CYP2C8, EFEMP2 and SEPP1 were decreased, and AKR1C2 and MKNK1 were increased in interstitial cystitis cases.Differentiation associated changes occurred in interstitial cystitis and control cells. Comparing interstitial cystitis vs control cases revealed few differences. This study may have included patients with interstitial cystitis and minimal urothelial deficiency, and/or we may have selected cells that were most robust in culture. Also, the abnormal urothelium in interstitial cystitis cases may be due to post-translational changes and/or to the bladder environment.

Lasers for defense applications continue to grow in power and fill in new portions of the spectrum, expanding the laser eye safety hazard, particularly to aircrew and aviation safety. The Laser Event Recorder Program within Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) seeks to develop a low cost, self-contained laser sensor able to detect, warn and record laser exposures that hazard aircrew vision. The spectral and temporal range of hazardous lasers (400 to 1600 nm and pulsed to continuous) has presented a challenge in the past. However, diffractive optics and imaging technologies have enabled a solution to this growing threat. This paper will describe the technical requirements for the Laser Event Recorder, which are based on ANSI Z136.1 laser safety standards and common to its use on any platform. To support medical and operational laser eye protection, the LER extracts and records laser wavelength, radiant exposure, exposure duration, pulse structure, latitude, longitude, altitude and time of laser exposure. Specific performance and design issues of the LER prototype will be presented in a companion paper. In this paper, fundamental challenges to the requirements encountered during the first two years of research, development and successful outdoor testing will be reviewed. These include discrimination against all outdoor light levels and the impact of atmospheric beam propagation on accuracy of the radiant exposure determination. Required accuracy and response time of the determination of whether a laser exposure exceeds the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) will be described. Ongoing efforts to coordinate laser exposure reporting and medical management will also be discussed.

The primary objective of this effort is to develop a low-cost, self-powered, and compact laser event recorder and warning sensor for the measurement of laser events. Previously we reported on the technology and design of the Laser Event Recorder. In this paper we describe results from a series of ground and airborne tests of the Laser Event Recorder.

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest inflammatory processes may be involved in the development or progression of prostate cancer. Chemokines are a family of cytokines that can play several roles in cancer progression including angiogenesis, inflammation, cell recruitment, and migration. METHODS Real-time quantitative RT-PCR, in situ RNA hybridization, laser capture microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and cDNA array based technologies were used to examine CXCL14 (BRAK) expression in paired normal and tumor prostate. To determine the role CXCL14 expression has on cancer progression, LAPC4 cells were engineered to overexpress mouse or human CXCL14, and xenograft studies were performed. RESULTS CXCL14 RNA expression was observed in normal and tumor prostate epithelium and focally in stromal cells adjacent to cancer. CXCL14 mRNA was significantly upregulated in localized prostate cancer and positively correlated with Gleason score. CXCL14 levels were unchanged in BPH specimens. LAPC4 cells expressing CXCL14 resulted in a 43% tumor growth inhibition (P = 0.019) in vivo compared to vector only xenografts. CONCLUSIONS CXCL14 mRNA upregulation is a common feature in prostate cancer. The finding that CXCL14 expression inhibits tumor growth suggests this gene has tumor suppressive functions. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The primary objective of this effort is to develop a low-cost, self-powered, and compact laser event recorder and warning sensor for the measurement of laser events. The target requirements are to measure the wavelength, irradiance, pulse length, pulse repetition frequency, duration and scenery image for each event and save the information in a time and location stamped downloadable file. The sensor design is based on a diffraction grating, low-cost optics, CCD array technology, photodiodes, integral global positioning sensor, and signal processing electronics. The sensor has applications in laser safety, video surveillance and pattern recognition.

We present our work towards developing a compact reflector telescope (CRT) for short-range (1 to 50 m) standoff Raman LIDAR applications, including a standoff Raman measurement employing our telescope wiht a commercial off the shelf (COTS) laser, spectrometer, and Raman edge filter. This development effort was funded through an SBIR contract from the Department of Energy. The application of this technology is standoff assessment of chemical spills. The CRT system includes a small Galilean telescope to deliver the excitation beam to the surface under investigation; the benefit of the delivery optics is a smaller laser spot at the target and significantly enhanced throughput relative to systems which rely on the divergence of the excitation laser beam. The CRT itself is a 10-inch Cassegrain optimized for this short standoff range with motor-driven focus adjustment. We executed a Raman measurement of acetone at a standoff of 2 m using a Midwest Laser 325 nm helium cadmium laser, an Ocean Optics USB2000 grating spectrometer (with uncooled CCD), and an Omega edge filter. We present the results overlayed with published reference spectra. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported standoff Raman measurement performed with an uncooled CCD detector.

Now that modern medicine can provide increasing chances of cure to patients with formerly incurable disorders, therapy-related complications play the key role in outcome. Thus, among opportunistic infections, severe candidiasis remains a challenge. A multidisciplinary panel of 20 investigators was formed to find a consensus on antifungal strategies for various underlying conditions in neutropenic and non-neutropenic patients. To record their preferences, the investigators used an anonymous voting system. Among antifungal agents, fluconazole emerged as the major alternative to the classic amphotericin B, being therapeutically at least equivalent but clearly less toxic. Factors that restrict the use of fluconazole include pretreatment with azoles, involvement of resistant species like Candida krusei, and an inability to exclude aspergillosis. Flucytosine can be reasonably combined with both amphotericin B and fluconazole. Within the limited antifungal armamentarium, amphotericin B lipid formulations and itraconazole also appear useful and require further investigation. The general consensus of the group is that antifungal agents should be administered at sufficient dosages, rather early, and often empirically.

We present a new hyperspectral imaging system for the long wave infrared (LWIR) based on a tunable first-order Fabry-Perot Scanning Spectrometer (FPSS). The FPSS operates over 8 O 12 micrometers with a spectral resolution of 1% of the wavelength. The FPSS has a 22 degree field of view and a spatial resolution of 0.11 degrees. The key components of the FPSS system are the collection optics, a tunable Fabry-Perot etalon, optical position sensors, a closed-loop positioning system, an uncooled microbolometer focal plane array, a digital frame grabber card, and a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI).

A number of optical techniques are available to perform active standoff trace explosive detection. Integrating a laser scanner provides the ability to detect explosives over a wide area as well as to assess the full extent of a threat. Risley prism laser-beam steering systems provide a robust alternative to conventional scanner solutions and are ideal for portable and mobile systems due to their compact size, low power, large field-of-view, and fast scan speed. The design of a long-wave infrared Risley prism-scanned diffuse reflectance spectroscopy system along with data obtained from a prototype system is presented for both simulant and live explosive materials.

The preceding chapters have dealt with the anatomical structure and degradation of wood, and with the examination, identification and mode of life of individual wood-decay fungi and their effects on the stability and fracturesafety of trees. These aspects are of fundamental importance when assessing the current status of a fungus-infected tree. However, when the spatial extent of a decay is approaching the critical failure criterion of t/R = 0.3 (Mattheck and Breloer 1994), the arborist must ask, when assessing the tree, how quickly will the decay advance in the future. As already mentioned in Section 3.2.3, it is very difficult to estimate the actual speed of decay column expansion in the living tree, because the various factors influencing the degradation capacity of the fungus are so diverse. On the basis of rots which had reached a dangerous extent in the living tree and where the time of infection could be approximately dated, it was found that fungi such as Ustulina deusta or Meripilus giganteus need at least 20-30 years before they impair the stability and fracture-safety of a tree. However, this estimate should not be regarded as a binding standard. Great differences are observed in any host-fungus interaction, and thus necessarily in the advance of a decay, depending on the tree species, the general condition of the tree and the aggressiveness of the fungus.

The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of typical chest radiography findings - (1) uniform improvement, (2) asymmetrical improvement, (3) no improvement or (4) interstitial emphysema - after therapeutic use of surfactant and to analyse clinical course and outcome. Chest radiographs of 138 infants of very low birth weight treated with surfactant were analysed. Twenty-eight infants with a diagnosis other than typical respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), i. e., sepsis, congenital pneumonia and congenital malformation, were excluded. In 110 patients with clinical and radiological evidence of typical RDS (median gestational age 28 weeks, median birth weight 1070 g) adequate chest radiographs from before and within 72 h after surfactant treatment were available. The time of surfactant application ranged between 1 and 12 h after birth. The most common finding after surfactant treatment was uniform or asymmetrical improvement of pulmonary aeration (80 of 110 patients). Patients with uniform clearing had the best long-term outcome. Asymmetrical clearance was often localised on the right side or in central regions of the lung, and usually disappeared after retreatment with surfactant without clinical significance. In 11 patients no change in aeration was found and retreatment was absolutely ineffective. Development of pulmonary inter- stitial emphysema after surfactant treatment was a grave prognostic sign: 73 % of these infants died within the first 2 weeks of life compared with 10 % of those with uniform or asymmetrical improvement of ventilation.

The authors present a study focused on the feasibility of using holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal wavelength filters for hyperspectral imaging (HSI). For this study, stacks of these filters were fabricated in the visible wavelength range of 600 to 800 nm. These filters were demonstrated to have a number of properties useful for HSI applications, including uniform reflection efficiency of 80% across a 35 mm optical aperture, polarization insensitivity for normal incidence, spectral resolution of 10 nm, and fast switching times on the order of microseconds. In addition, the ability to modulate each filter in the stack at a different frequency allows for spectral multiplexing, thus enabling synchronous detection and demodulation of the image data. Although the filters in their current state show promise for HSI applications, techniques to further improve performance in terms of viewing angle range and transmission throughput are presented. Finally, a system level integration of such a stack into the prototype drive and detection unit is discussed.

A new technique is presented for obtaining gas concentration by measuring the slope of the anomalous dispersion at a resonance. We describe the equations that govern this process using a Lorentz model and show that the slope of the anomalous dispersion is directly related to the absorption coefficient. The slope is obtained from an interferometric setup and a frequency modulation spectroscopy technique. Experimental data are presented that illustrate this technique for two different sample cells containing water vapor.

Summary The influence of higher doses of orotic acid on the serum bilirubin level of premature infants was investigated following studies with a lower dose. 102 premature infants were treated with a daily dose of 300 mg of orotic acid from the 1st-6th day after birth. An equal number of children served as a control group. The serum level for the indirect bilirubin that was analysed from the 3rd-6th day of life could be statistical significantly decreased by the administration of orotic acid. Blood exchange transfusions were necessary only four times with the administration of orotic acid, whereas blood exchange transfusions were required in 30 premature infants of the control group. The question of eventual side effects and the supposed mode of action of the orotic acid are discussed.

To summarize, it can be stated that the CPAP-test is, so to speak, a therapy ‘ex juvantibus’ and enables an exact indication for the application of the CPAP-therapy. In our experience the CPAP-test is positive in several respiratory disorders of the newborn, not only in the RDS. Probably, the basis of all these disorders is a functional R-L shunt, and in all these disorders the CPAP-therapy is indicated.

The clinical, roentgenological and pathologicanatomical findings in 101 deceased premature and newborn infants, delivered in the years 1968–1971, have been studied by transferring the data on to punch cards for the purposes of comparison and analysis. A full or partial conformity of the X-Ray findings with the pathologic-anatomic diagnosis was found in 72 cases. It has been concluded that a distinct radiomorphologic substrate is often caused by a combination of various pathologic-anatomical changes.

Between 1981 and 1986 Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from blood cultures, CSF, meconium/stools or external swabs from 18 newborn infants of two neonatal intensive care units (ICU) in adjacent pediatric clinics of Dresden. The epidemiological and clinical data of infants and their mothers, as well as microbiological and laboratory, x-ray, EEG and ultrasonic findings, are presented. All infants had an early onset of their disease. Cases were classified as granulomatosis infantiseptica (three cases), sepsis (three cases), meningitis (eight cases) and listerial infection without distinct organ manifestations (four cases), respectively. As far as the predominant symptoms at admission were concerned, no typical clinical signs of neonatal listeriosis could be evaluated. Cases with manifest clinical infections had an overall mortality rate of 21% (3/14) despite the immediate initiation of antibiotic therapy; at discharge, a further five patients showed neurological residuals. Serotyping and phagetyping have proved to be methods for recognition or exclusion of epidemiological relationships.

Coal gasification is virtually an unused process. The reasons for this are obscure, but the ramifications are quite clear. The rising gas prices have certainly shown that there is little economic reason for avoiding this process. The procedure for coal gasification is relatively waste free. By mixing coal with steam and oxygen, in a high-temperature and pressure gasifier, a gas will result. A scrubbing and purification process will then refine the organic matter into high BTU gas and by-products. It is the use of these by-products, as well as the gas, that insures a waste free and feasible process. The feasibility of this process is based on a number of factors. Economics and environmental controls are the most significant factors which must be considered. When these factors are properly addressed, the synthane process will prove to be a viable answer when considering the energy problem.

Hinkel, G. K., Kintzel, H.-W., Schwarze, R. and Hiindel, A. (Paediatric Hospital, Medical Academy “Carl Gustav Carus”, Department of Neonatology, Dresden, GDR). Enzyme inductor combination to prevent hyperbilirubinaemia in premature infants. Acta Paediatr Scand, 63: 393, 1974.–In the management of physiologic hyperbilirubinemia in newborn infants, phenobarbital and nicethamide (diethylnicotinamide), as an enzyme inductor combination, are found to have a cumulative effect and, consequently, are clearly superior to the use of phenobarbital alone. Four different dosages were compared and the most favourable variant proved to be phenobarbital, 10 mg/kg body weight pro die from day 1 to day 3 (after birth), combined with nicethamide, 100 mg/kg per diem from day 1 to day 4. Exchange transfusion was no longer necessary in 400 premature infants who had received this type of prophylactic combination and thus the routine use of this inductor regimen can now be recommended.

Summary Fifty-two mature newborn were treated with a daily dose of 200 mg of orotic acid from their 1st to their 5th day of life. An equally large number of untreated children served as a control group. Contrary to the premature infants, in the mature newborn no decrease in the serum bilirubin was achieved by administration of orotic acid. The question of the possible mode of action of the orotic acid is discussed.