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Experiments were conducted in a rotary kiln containing ilmenite particles to study the residence time distribution (RTD) of low-density particles, holdup, and bed depth profile. The variables include feed rate of solids, slope and rotational speed of the kiln, type and size of the tracer, and dam height. Correlations are presented for mean residence time, dispersion number, holdup, and steady-state throughput of solids in terms of the process variables. A simple method is proposed to estimate the dam height that gives rise to a flat profile of solids bed along the length of the kiln.

Forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, functional residual capacity, residual volume, total lung capacity, and single breath diffusing capacity measurements (effective alveolar volume, carbon monoxide transfer factor, and transfer coefficient) were measured in 247 young healthy adults (130 male, 117 female) aged 15-40 years living in Madras. Subjects were of Dravidian stock, living at sea level with rice as their staple diet. Regression equations were derived for men and women for predicting normal pulmonary function for young adults in South India. The values were similar to those reported for subjects from Western India and lower than those reported for North Indians and caucasians.

We shall prove below part of a conjecture made by Shigefumi Mori, David Morrison and Ian Morrison in the course of their investigations into the properties of isolated terminal cyclic quotient singularities of prime Gorenstein index in dimension four [1]. The reader of the present paper need have no knowledge of algebraic geometry, because we quickly reduce the problem to one about the geometry of numbers that can be solved by elementary calculations. The calculations are very lengthy and not quite routine, so what the reader does need is either patience, if he intends to check them, or faith, if he does not. We give only part of the calculations below. Full details may be obtained from the author.*

We consider a D7-brane probe of AdS$_{5}\times S^5$ in the presence of pure gauge $B$-field. In the dual gauge theory, the $B$-field couples to the fundamental matter introduced by the D7-brane and acts as an external magnetic field. The $B$-field supports a 6-form Ramond-Ramond potential on the D7-branes world volume that breaks the supersymmetry and enables the dual gauge theory to develop a non-zero fermionic condensate. We explore the dependence of the fermionic condensate on the bare quark mass $m_{q}$ and show that at zero bare quark mass a chiral symmetry is spontaneously broken. A study of the meson spectrum reveals a coupling between the vector and scalar modes, and in the limit of weak magnetic field we observe Zeeman splitting of the states. We also observe the characteristic $\sqrt{m_{q}}$ dependence of the ground state corresponding to the Goldstone boson of spontaneously broken chiral symmetry., 22 pages, 7 figures, references added, few typos corrected

This paper challenges eight “givens” that seem to form the dominant pedagogical worldview held by students and academics alike in management. While experience and reflection of the author is the foundation of this paper, it is buttressed by thoughts and findings expressed by scholars and thinkers from diverse fields. These eight “givens” are posed along with alternatives that fit with what a knowledge society demands resulting in eight dialectics.

In this paper, high-power electric propulsion options are surveyed in the context of cargo and piloted missions to Mars. A low-thrust trajectory optimization program (RAPTOR) is utilized to analyze this mission. Candidate thrusters are chosen based upon demonstrated performance in the laboratory. Hall, self-field magnetoplasmadynamic (MPDT), self-field lithium Lorentz force accelerator (LiLFA), arcjet, and applied-field LiLFA systems are considered for this mission. In this first phase of the study, all thrusters are assumed to operate at a single power level (regardless of the efficiency-power curve), and the thruster specific mass and powerplant specific mass are taken to be the same for all systems. Under these assumptions, for a 7.5 MW, 60 mT payload, piloted mission, the self-field LiLFA results in the shortest trip time (340 days) with a reasonable propellant mass fraction of 57% (129 mT). For a 150 kW, 9 mT payload, cargo mission, both the applied-field LiLFA and the Hall thruster seem reasonable choices with propellant mass fractions of 42 to 45 % (7 to 8 mT) . The Hall thrusters provide better trip times (530-570 days) compared to the applied-field LiLFA (710 days) for the relatively less demanding mission. Nomenclature

Enumeration of lymphocyte subsets has been widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of several haematological and immunological disorders. Various studies have demonstrated age, sex and racial differences in lymphocyte subset expression. Reference values are not available for Indian children and there is a need for this information to replace commonly used, but inappropriate, adult lymphocyte subset ranges.One hundred thirty-eight healthy children between 3 and 15 years of age, attending a local government school in Chennai, South India were Included in the study. Haemoglobin levels, and total and differential cell counts were determined using an automated counter and lymphocyte subsets were analysed by flowcytometry.The mean (SD) absolute lymphocyte count declined with age from 4338 (1031) at 3 years to reach a plateau of 3096 (914) at 11-13 years (p0.05). A significant decline was also observed in the absolute numbers of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ cells. However, the percentage values of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16/56+ cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio remained fairly stable across the age range.Our data would prove useful in interpreting disease-related changes in lymphocyte subsets in Indian children of different age groups. Age-related decrease in the absolute lymphocyte count as well as numbers of CD4 and CD8 cells was found to occur between the ages of 3 and 11 years. A normogram relating age to CD4 count has been developed.

Project groups have become an important means by which R&D organizations conduct their research. Scholars in organization studies note that for the effective conduct of research and development (R&D), decentralization of authority and an emphasis on interpersonal processes are better suited than a bureaucratic form of organization involving authority, structure, and division of labor. The primary purport of this report is to furnish empirical corroboration of this, through an ethnography of an R&D project group in an Indian federal organization.

Corrosion is an economic burden for the United States Air Force (USAF) since repair and maintenance operations undertaken to mitigate its effects on legacy aircraft are typically over-conservative due to the lack of a reliable methodology to predict the future effects of corrosion on structural performance. Therefore, a need exists for the quantitative evaluation of the effects of corrosion on such failure modes as structural fatigue. Quantitative evaluation will enable the safe and economical operations of aircraft. Pitting is among the commonly observed type of corrosion damage in aircraft structures, as the heterogeneous microstructures of high-strength aluminium alloys such as 2024 and 7075, widely used in the construction of legacy aircraft, render them highly susceptible to this type of localized corrosion. Accordingly, quantitative modeling of corrosion damage by pitting and its effects on the fatigue behavior of aluminium alloys has received considerable attention. In this study, the fracture surfaces of broken corrosion fatigue test specimens were examined in detail in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to develop an understanding of the nature of the transition of the corrosion damage into fatigue cracks. The purpose was to construct a quantitative data set of the corrosion damage metrics for use in developing and validating corrosion fatigue life prediction models. Available aluminum alloy 7075-T6 specimens, which had been subjected to varying levels of pitting corrosion, systematic characterization, and fatigue testing, were used for the fractographic investigation.

Our aim is to predict stock markets using information contained in articles published on the Web, mostly textual articles appearing in the leading and influential financial newspapers. From those articles the daily closing values of major stock market indices in Asia, Europe and America are predicted. Textual statements contain not only the effect but also why it happened. A prediction system has been built that uses data mining techniques and sophisticated keyword tuple counting and transformation to produce periodically forecasts in stock markets. Exploiting textual information in addition to numeric time series data increases the quality of the input, hence improved predictions are expected. The forecasts are available in real-time via the Internet Web site. The system's accuracy for this difficult but also extremely challenging application is highly promising.

During routine dissection of upper limb, a variation in the origin of radial artery was observed in a female cadaver of about 60 years. The radial artery is usually a smaller terminal branch of the brachial artery in the forearm. On the right side of the cadaver the radial artery was found to originate from second part of the axillary artery, whereas on the left side the origin of radial artery was found to be normal. This variant of radial artery has been rarely documented in literature. Accurate anatomy of radial artery and its variations have definite diagnostic, interventional, and surgical significance.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) causes persistent infantile diarrhoea. This nontoxigenic E. coli exhibits a complicated pathogenic mechanism in which its outer membrane proteins and type III secretory proteins damage intestinal epithelium and cause diarrhoea. In accordance with this, our previous study using HEp-2 cells demonstrated cytopathic effects caused by cell-free outer membrane preparations of EPEC. In this study, we report the extrusion of actin-positive strands from HEp-2 and Int 407 cells when treated with outer membrane preparations. An interesting observation of this work, perhaps relevant to the characteristic localized three-dimensional colony formation of EPEC, is the attachment of a wild type EPEC strain to these actin-positive strands.

Malnutrition induces a spectrum of immune abnormalities including a state of anergy in the host. This state is due to a decrease in CD4 + helper cells, diminished cytotoxic cell activity and reduction in production of lymphokines required for signal transduction. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the retrovirus known to cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), leads to a state of anergy by causing similar immunological changes. Micronutrient abnormalities, concomitant infections and genetic factors, etc., are some of the compounding co-factors which further contribute to the deterioration of the immune functions in AIDS patients. Reversal of these immune abnormalities would improve the quality of life of HIV-infected individuals.

Trimethyl phosphate (TMP) and acetylene were codeposited in nitrogen and argon matrices and adducts of these species were identified using infrared spectroscopy. Formation of the adducts was evidenced by shifts in the vibrational frequencies of the modes involving the TMP and acetylene submolecules. The structures of these adducts, energies and the vibrational frequencies were computed at the HF/6-31G** level. Both the experimental and computational studies indicated that two types of TMP-acetylene complexes were formed; one in which the hydrogen in acetylene was bonded to the phosphoryl oxygen and another in which the bonding was at the alkoxy oxygen of the phosphate. In addition to the primary hydrogen bonded interaction at the phosphoryl oxygen, this complex, also appeared to be stablilized by a secondary and weaker interaction involving a methyl hydrogen in TMP and the pi cloud in acetylene--a case of a H...pi interaction. The computed vibrational frequencies in the adducts agreed well with the observed frequencies for the modes involving the TMP submolecule, while the agreement was relatively poor for the modes involving the acetylene submolecule. The stabilization energies of these adducts, corrected for both zero-point energies and basis set superposition errors, were approximately 3 kcal/mol for the phosphoryl complex and, approximately 1 kcal/mol for the alkoxy complex.

This paper describes the application of a new scheme, that was developed for the solution of the MHD equations, to simulate magnetoplasmadynamic thruster (MPDT) flows. In this scheme, the entire set of flow and field equations are solved in a self-consistent conservation form, using accurate characteristics-splitting techniques which have been proven to be effective in computational fluid dynamics. Further improvements to the physical model, such as the inclusion of real equation of state, anomalous transport and multi-temperature effects, are essential for the realistic simulation magnetoplasmadynamic flows, and are implemented without affecting the underlying scheme. The solver, including the improved physical model, is then used to Research supported by NASA-JPL’s Advanced Propulsion Group.

For numerical simulations to be effective tools in plasma propulsion research, a higher order accurate solver that captures MHD shocks monotonically and works reliably for strong magnetic fields is needed. For this purpose, a characteristics based scheme for the MHD equations, with flux limiters to improve spatial accuracy, has been developed. In this method, the symmetric form of the MHD equations, accounting for waves propagating in all directions, is solved. The required eigensystem of axisymmetric MHD equations, with appropriate normalization, is presented. This scheme was validated against unsteady (Riemann problem) and force-free equilibrium (Taylor state) test cases. The capability of this method to simulate resistive plasma flows is demonstrated using a simple example.

The growing popularity of programmes aimed at empowering employees through changes in work practices has been well documented in the management literature (Conger and Kanungo, 1988; Osterman, 1994). However, as a research topic, empowerment appears to be a nascent area insofar as the prevailing definitions do not reflect a common or shared understanding of the process.

Prolonged interdelivery periods in preterm twin and triplet gestations have resulted in a good outcome for the fetus(es) remaining in utero. This is the second reported case of delayed delivery intervals in quadruplets who were born on 3 separate days. We report on a set of quadruplets following gonadotropin induction of ovulation, in which preterm delivery of the first infant occurred at 26 weeks' gestation. Active uterine contractions ceased and ultrasonography confirmed the remaining triplets to be in separate amniotic sacs with satisfactory heart rate tracings. With bed rest and tocolysis, the delivery of the second infant did not occur until 8 days later. After a further 36-h delay, placental abruption prompted cesarean delivery of the remaining twins. The first infant died of sequelae of prematurity at 7 months, while the remaining triplets survived and are neuro-developmentally normal 1 year after delivery. This report demonstrates the feasibility of prolonging the delivery interval of the fetus(es) in higher order multiple gestations, using tocolysis and watchful expectancy, after the preterm birth of one or more fetuses.

Take a bounded symmetric domain $D$ and an arithmetic subgroup $\Gamma$ of ${\rm Aut}(D)$. Take the quotient $D/\Gamma$, compactify and resolve the singularities. We study the fundamental group of the compact complex manifolds that result from this procedure, and in particular the case of Siegel modular threefolds., Comment: Plain TeX

In a multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled rescue trial conducted at 12 Canadian hospitals, two 5 ml/kg doses of a synthetic surfactant or air placebo were administered to 224 infants with birth weights of 500 to 749 gm who had established respiratory distress syndrome and an arterial/alveolar oxygen tension ratio of less than 0.22. The first dose was given between 2 and 24 hours of age; the second dose was given 12 hours later to the infants continuing to receive mechanical ventilation. Infants were stratified at study entry by birth weight and gender. Infants receiving synthetic surfactant showed significant improvements in alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient, arterial/alveolar oxygen tension ratio, and oxygen and ventilator requirements through day 7. In the group randomized to synthetic surfactant, significant improvements were seen in oxygen requirements at the first time point measured (2 hours; p = 0.02), in the alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient by the second time point measured (6 hours; p = 0.03), and in mean airway pressure after 6 hours. Overall mortality at 28 days was not significantly different in the two groups (50% vs 46%, air placebo group vs synthetic surfactant group; p = 0.586). Similarly, neither the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (37% vs 30%, air placebo group vs synthetic surfactant group; p = 0.089) nor the incidence of survival without BPD through 28 days (17% vs 26%, respectively; p = 0.070) was significantly different in the two groups. No significant differences in the incidence of safety-related outcomes or in adverse effects such as apnea or pulmonary hemorrhage were noted. These findings indicate that rescue therapy with synthetic surfactant results in physiologic improvements in very tiny premature infants, but improvements in overall mortality or other complications of respiratory distress syndrome were not documented in the sample evaluated.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 13 hospitals in Canada to assess whether two rescue doses of a synthetic surfactant (Exosurf Neonatal) would reduce mortality and morbidity rates in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome who weighed from 750 to 1249 gm. As part of the original trial design, double-blind follow-up evaluations were performed at 1-year adjusted age. A total of 118 patients who received air placebo and 114 patients who received synthetic surfactant were evaluated at 1 year. Growth and development in the two groups were equivalent. Scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were within the normal range for both groups (mental development index, 90 +/- 22 vs 92 +/- 22; psychomotor development index, 81 +/- 19 vs 87 +/- 22 for the air placebo and synthetic surfactant groups, respectively). However, in both groups the proportion of infants with any impairment (air placebo group, 43 of 118 (36%); synthetic surfactant group, 41 of 114 (36%) and severe impairment (air placebo group, 29 of 118 (25%); synthetic surfactant group, 21 of 114 (18%)) was substantial. We conclude that two rescue doses of synthetic surfactant in infants with RDS who weighed 750 to 1249 gm had no detrimental effect on developmental outcome or late morbidity. No long-term benefits to 12-months corrected age were observed with the use of surfactant in this weight class. Larger studies or meta-analyses of existing trials will be required to determine if there are any late outcome advantages associated with rescue use of synthetic surfactant in infants weighing 700 to 1249 gm.

The peptide, MKATKLVLGAVILGSTLLAGCSSN, corresponding to the N-terminal 24 amino acids of Braun's prolipoprotein, was used to study the lipid modification of prolipoprotein in Escherichia coli by measuring the rate of incorporation of either [2-3H]glycerol or [9,10-3H]palmitate from the corresponding labeled phosphatidylglycerol into the peptide. Using E. coli strains containing varying levels of prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl modification activities due to mutations in or overexpression of the gene involved in diacylglyceryl modification (lgt), we have shown that the activities based on the peptide assay correlated well with the prolipoprotein-based assay. Further, we have followed the fate of the lipid substrate, phosphatidylglycerol, during the modification reaction and found that lipid modification of prolipoprotein involves the transfer of diacylglyceryl moiety from phosphatidylglycerol to the sulfhydryl group of the cysteine residue with the concomitant formation of sn-glycerol 1-phosphate. This mechanism is contrary to the previously proposed two-step mechanism of an initial glyceryl transferase followed by O-acyl transfer (Chattopadhyay, P.K., and Wu, H.C. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 74, 5318-5322). Accordingly, the enzyme that catalyzes this activity has been named phosphatidylglycerol-prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase. The revised pathway for the lipoprotein biogenesis in bacteria consists of three successive reactions catalyzed by prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase, signal peptidase II, and apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase.

More recently, the emphasis has shifted to the ability of vendors in providing high quality rather than low cost software products and services from India. The present research is to explore key organisational and socio-technical factors which influence software quality, through case study of a leading midsize Indian software firm, which offers consulting and software services globally to some of the well known companies, specifically in the context of COTS (ERP) environment. Our research reveals that the factors such as requirements uncertainty, process maturity, communication and control, knowledge transfer and integration, trained personnel and infrastructure facilities have significant impact on achieving product quality. Based on our research, we suggest organisational factors have greater influence on achieving software quality. We present the implications for practice and directions for further research.

Maximal Expiratory Flow Rates such as Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), rates at 25%, 50% and 75% of forced vital capacity (V max 25%, V max 50% and V max 75%) and forced expiratory flow during the middle half of forced vital capacity (FEF 25-75%) were measured in 273 healthy non-smoking adults (144 males, 129 females) aged 15-63 years living in Madras. Regression equations were derived for men and women for predicting maximal expiratory flow rates for adults in South India. Expiratory Flow Rates at lower lung volumes in men were similar to those reported for caucasians, but higher than those reported for western Indian Subjects. However, in women the flow rates were similar to those of western Indians and lower than those of caucasians, probably due to indoor air pollution since childhood. These data may suggest that expiratory flow rates at lower lung volumes may not show ethnic variability.

A temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of Salmonella typhimurium that accumulated unmodified murein prolipoprotein at 42 degrees C but not at 30 degrees C was identified. In vivo and in vitro studies of the biosynthesis of Braun's lipoprotein revealed that this mutant (SE5221) was defective in the glyceryl modification of prolipoprotein. The ts mutation was mapped to 60.6 min of the S. typhimurium chromosome and was linked to argA and cysH. A clone with a 1.4-kilobase S. typhimurium DNA insert that complemented the ts mutation and restored the prolipoprotein modification activity both in vivo and in vitro was isolated. DNA sequencing of the complementing region revealed an open reading frame encoding a protein with 291 amino acids lacking NH2-terminal signal sequence. This open reading frame is immediately 5' to the thyA gene and is allelic to umpA of Escherichia coli. Wild-type strains harboring the cloned gene exhibited elevated levels of prolipoprotein modification activity. At the non-permissive temperature, the mutation affected both growth and viability, and the mutant cells exhibited anomalous cell morphology. The ts phenotype was suppressed by the introduction of a lpp::Tn10 mutation. These results suggest that the cloned gene encodes prolipoprotein glyceryl transferase (lgt), and in the wild-type background, this prolipoprotein modification enzyme is essential for the growth and viability of S. typhimurium.

Maximal expiratory flow rates such as peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), rates at 25%, 50% and 75% of vital capacity (VE max 25%, VE max 50%, VE max 75%) and forced expiratory flow during the middle half of forced vital capacity (FEF 25-75%) were recorded in 23 patients with tropical eosinophilia (TE) before and after treatment. The mean values of all flow rates were significantly lower (P0.001) in untreated TE patients compared to predicted values. After three weeks' treatment with diethylcarbamazine, although there was a significant rise in the mean values of all expiratory flow rates (P0.05) except VE max 75% (P0.2), all flow rates continued to be significantly lower (P0.01) at one month than predicted values.

Apnea of prematurity is a common problem in neonatal intensive care nurseries. Xanthines are used to treat apnea, but their mechanism of action is not clearly understood. To determine whether xanthines stimulated beta-endorphin (beta-ED) release in preterm infants, plasma beta-ED concentrations were measured in 27 infants with apnea of prematurity. These infants had a mean (+/- SD) birthweight of 1560 +/- 487 g, gestational age 31 +/- 2.5 weeks, and a postnatal age of 7.3 +/- 4.6 d. Twenty-five of the infants were treated with I.V. aminophylline 2.5 mg/kg/dose 4 times daily and 2 were treated orally with caffeine (10 mg/kg). Blood samples were collected prior to and 30 min after treatment with xanthines. Apneic spells greater than 15 sec were recorded and reviewed every 24 h using a Hewlett-Packard Merlin Monitor (Waltham, MA.) system. Infants were then stratified into responders (Group 1, n = 14) and nonresponders (Group 2, n = 13), with responders defined as showing more than 50% decrease in the frequency of apneic spells in the first 24 h of treatment. beta-ED were measured as previously described using a radioimmunoassay technique. In group 1, plasma beta-ED concentration increased significantly, (p = 0.0496) from pre-xanthine (24.4 +/- 12 pg/ml) to post xanthine (34.6 +/- 24 pg/ml) treatment, whereas in Group 2 the concentrations remained the same (23.3 +/- 5 pg/ml) and (22.6 +/- 4 pg/ml). Birthweight, gestational age, postnatal age, and diagnoses in both groups were compared and no significant differences were observed. Interestingly, xanthine treatment caused increased plasma beta-ED release when apneas decreased.

Maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) was measured in 256 healthy non-smoking adults (132 males, 124 females) aged 15-63 years living in Madras. The mean MVV (+/- SD) in males was 126.7 +/- 31.9 and in females 77.7 +/- 16.4. Regression equations were derived for men and women for predicting maximal voluntary ventilation for adults in South India. MVV in South Indians were similar to those reported for other Indian subjects, but lower than those reported for caucasians.

In an across study analysis of five multicenter, placebo-controlled trials of the synthetic surfactant, Exosurf Neonatal in infants weighing at least 700 gm, the incidence of clinical pulmonary hemorrhage was 1.9% in treated infants and 1.0% in control infants. To investigate whether a similar increase was also present histologically at postmortem examination, a blinded retrospective review of all autopsy reports from infants dying during these five trials was conducted. Pulmonary hemorrhage was present in 55% of 159 infants undergoing autopsy; the incidence was not different in infants treated with surfactant or air placebo. Birth weight was inversely related to the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage in both groups. Pulmonary pathologic findings significantly associated with pulmonary hemorrhage included pulmonary interstitial emphysema and necrotizing laryngotracheitis in both groups. In the surfactant group, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, and pneumothorax were significantly more frequent among those who developed pulmonary hemorrhage. In contrast to clinical diagnosis, pathologic diagnosis of pulmonary hemorrhage at autopsy was not more common in infants treated with Exosurf Neonatal.

The New Zealand (NZ) Mental Health (MH) sector has expanded rapidly over the last decade, and questions have been posed about the capacity of the MH workforce to meet demand in the forthcoming years. Accordingly, this study examines the recruitment policies, practices, barriers and opportunities of the MH sector of NZ. We find that apart from international trends such as a global shortage in the MH workforce, domestic demographic patterns pose rather unique challenges for recruitment into the sector. These include the dispersion of a thin rural population across far-flung areas and the multi-cultural nature of NZ society. Within the sector, recruitment processes differ between District Health Boards (DHBs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Given the impact of diverse entities such as education providers and the media, a sector-wide approach to recruitment into the MH workforce is necessitated. The application of the principles of business process management to recruitment is also called for.

Forty-one patients with untreated tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) were studied to determine whether there was any relationship between lower respiratory tract inflammation and either changes in lung function or abnormalities in chest roentgenograms. Total number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, consisting of alveolar macrophages, lymphocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils had significant negative correlations with transfer factor (TLCO) (r = 0.519, p less than 0.001), transfer coefficient (KCO) (r = 0.312, p less than 0.05) and total lung capacity (TLC) (r = 0.352, p less than 0.05). The absolute count of eosinophils in BAL fluid had a significant negative correlation with TLCO (r = 0.430, p less than 0.01) and KCO (r = 0.300, p = 0.05), but not with forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) or TLC. However, the absolute count of alveolar macrophages had a significant negative correlation with FVC (r = 0.343, p less than 0.05), FEV1 (r = 0.341, p less than 0.05) and TLC (r = 0.305, p less than 0.05), but not with TLCO or KCO. The total number of lymphocytes had a negative correlation with TLC (r = 0.315, p less than 0.05). There was no correlation between the types of cells recovered in BAL fluid and changes in chest radiographs as assessed by the ILO classification for occupational lung diseases. These data suggest that there may be a dissociation of pulmonary pathophysiological changes produced by different inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract. Macrophages and lymphocytes may produce more harm to the lung, as evidenced by significant negative correlations of these cells with lung volumes.

Although the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of chloral hydrate (CH) have been studied in healthy adults, no comprehensive studies have been done in neonates and young infants. Major physiological differences between these groups could greatly affect drug disposition. In this study the patient population (22 patients) was divided into three groups according to postconceptual age: group 1 = preterm infants (31-37 weeks), group 2 = fullterm infants (38-42 weeks) and group 3 = toddler-child patients (57-708 weeks). After receiving one 50 mg/kg oral dose of CH, the parent drug and its metabolites were determined by gas chromatography utilizing an electron capture detector. CH, contrary to what has been reported in the adult, was detectable for several hours after oral administration to patients in all three groups. A highly significant negative correlation was observed amongst the three groups for the half-life (t1/2) and area-under-the-curve for 0 to infinity values for trichloroethanol (TCE), the active metabolite responsible for the sedation effect. The t1/2 value for TCE in group 3 (9.67 h) was similar to that reported for the adult population, but in the less mature subjects it was approximately three (group 2: 27.8 h) to four times (group 1: 39.8 h) greater. Trichloroacetic acid had a remarkably long residence time in the study population after a single dose of CH. The concentration of this metabolite failed to decline even 6 days after dose. These issues should be carefully considered when CH administration is contemplated for clinical use in neonates, infants and children.

Bronchoalveolar lavage studies in 33 patients with acute untreated tropical eosinophilia have demonstrated intense eosinophilic alveolitis. Following treatment with a standard 3-week course of diethylcarbamazine, there was a significant fall in lung eosinophils (p less than 0.001). However, a mild alveolitis characterised by hypercellular lavage fluid due to a significant increase in absolute alveolar macrophages (p less than 0.001) and due to an increase in both the absolute number (p less than 0.01) and percentage of eosinophils (p = 0.02) was persisting at 1 month despite treatment. Long-term follow-up is essential to know the fate of alveolitis.

Fifty patients with tropical eosinophilia were studied clinically and physiologically, before and after a standard 3-week course of diethylcarbamazine. Before treatment the main physiological abnormality was a reduction in the carbon monoxide transfer factor. One month after the start of treatment most patients had shown a marked symptomatic improvement, but peripheral blood eosinophilia persisted in 52%, radiographic abnormalities in 44%, cough in 22% and chest signs in 8%. Significant improvement was noted in almost all aspects of lung function including blood gases, but the mean values for forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, transfer factor and transfer coefficient continued to be significantly lower than predicted values. This study demonstrates the incomplete reversal of clinical, haematological, radiological and physiological changes in tropical eosinophilia one month after starting a 3-week course of diethylcarbamazine.

This present study employs case study research to investigate the conditions for successful partnership development in relatively small markets such as Australia/NZ, where the prospective partner?vendor likely serves the manufacturer's competitors as well. We find the oligopolistic nature of the supplier industry can restrict partnership development, particularly in terms of the sharing of cost and financial information. However, the manufacturer is more willing to share sensitive financial information with its vendor when it perceives its true competition in the global market as being from outside the economic region. In such instances, the behaviour of the relationship can yet be shaped in terms of, for example, the manufacturer's need to carefully disengage itself from other suppliers and engage in a single-sourcing arrangement with the partner?vendor. Further, the spillover of technology developed jointly by the manufacturer and the vendor to the manufacturer's competitors can be viewed favourably under certain conditions.

Intact secretory granules isolated from bovine adrenal medulla express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity. Granule-associated TH sediments on continuous sucrose gradients with dopamine beta-hydroxylase, a marker for granule membranes, indicating that TH is associated with chromaffin granules. Membranes prepared from lysed granules retain TH, whereas granule contents are free of the enzyme. TH immunoreactivity was detected in granule membranes by immunoblot analysis using a polyclonal antiserum against TH. TH immunoreactivity cannot be removed from membranes by washes in high ionic strength buffers and is only partially removed from membranes by treatment with either urea or Na2CO3. TH can be removed from granule membranes by the detergents Nonidet P-40, Triton X-100, and 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate. Treatment of membranes with a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C did not remove TH, ruling out the possibility of a glycosyl phosphatidyl anchor. Fractionation of granule membranes by temperature-induced phase separation in Triton X-114 revealed that TH is recovered in phases in which integral (detergent phase) and hydrophobic (phospholipid phase) membrane proteins are typically found. By contrast, TH from adrenal cytosol fractionated exclusively into the aqueous phase along with other soluble proteins. Digestion of granules with various protease enzymes revealed that TH is resistant to degradation, suggesting that the enzyme is embedded within membranes. TH becomes phosphorylated when intact granules are exposed to the catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, indicating that at least the N-terminal region of TH is exposed on the cytoplasmic surface of granules. These results establish that a fraction of TH is an integral component of bovine granule membranes. The association of TH with granule membranes may play a role in coordinating TH activity and catecholamine release.