A Quanticalc clinical comparison of professional efficiency in manual supragingival calculus debridement.

The Quanticalc (QC) dental scaler permits the assessment of work effort expended by professionals in removing supragingival calculus from the teeth. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of two professionals in scaling calculus under controlled clinical conditions in like populations. One-hundred and thirty-one subjects were randomly assigned to two professionals, A and B, for QC scaling of their six Volpe-Manhold Index (VMI) teeth. VMI assessments were carried out by a separate examiner prior to QC cleaning. The QC was used to record total developed force, total strokes and force/stroke used in calculus debridement. Results demonstrated significant differences in scaling efficiency between the two professionals. These results further demonstrate the potential utility of the QC and like devices in assisting in the instruction of professionals toward the development of more efficient manual scaling procedures.

In vivo recovery and survival of monoclonal-antibody-purified factor VIII concentrates.

In response to reports of discrepant in vitro assays of high-purity concentrates, a double-blind crossover study of in vivo recovery and half-life of two brands of monoclonal-antibody-purified factor VIII concentrates (Monoclate and Hemofil-M) was performed in 23 patients with hemophilia A. In vivo recoveries were close to values predicted from the labelled unitage when plasma samples were assayed by a one-stage method. When a two-stage assay was used, lower recoveries were calculated and the recovery with Hemofil-M was slightly but significantly lower than that with Monoclate. The concentrates were re-assayed in vitro by the two-stage method. Monoclate (which is assayed by the manufacturer using a two-stage method) contained 97% of the labelled potency and Hemofil-M (which is assayed by the manufacturer using a one-stage method) contained 81% of the labelled potency. Differences in in vitro and in vivo assay methods contribute to disparities between expected and observed factor VIII recovery. Clearance of Hemofil-M was significantly faster than that of Monoclate, but volume of distribution at the steady state, mean residence time, and plasma half-disappearance times of the two concentrates were not significantly different.

Photorefractive adaptive filter structure with 40-dB interference rejection.

A new architecture for photorefractive adaptive filtering is introduced. This architecture is based on the principle of time-integrating correlator with a photorefractive material as the time-integrating photosensor. A compact and rugged system is achieved by using the same Bragg cell as both the delay line for computing correlation values and the delay to which the tap weights are applied. In this way a self-aligning structure is achieved. Semiconductor photorefractive materials are used with 1.2-1.3-microm wavelength injection lasers to achieve fast response, low power, and a compact structure. Tests of an experimental system demonstrated >40-dB rejection of narrow-band interference with a transient response time constant of 70micros.

Multiple feather follicle cysts in a wild turkey.

A hunter-killed wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) was submitted for examination because of numerous 2 to 30 mm diameter, yellowish, hard nodules in the skin. The nodules were confined to the skin and did not involve subcutaneous tissues. Nodules consisted of dilated feather follicles packed with a caseous tan to pale yellow material. Histologically, affected feather follicles were markedly dilated and filled with laminated keratin debris. The lesions were determined to be multiple feather follicle cysts of unknown etiology.

Subungual exostosis.

A review of the literature and two case reports of subungual exostosis are presented herein. This benign bony overgrowth, usually caused by trauma, is often misdiagnosed and sometimes mistaken for a malignancy. It is our intention to stimulate interest in and alert the practitioner to this entity so that he can include subungual exostosis in his differential diagnosis of digital lesions.

Guided acoustic traveling wave lens for high-speed optical scanners.

Acoustic traveling wave lenses are useful devices to improve the performances of acoustooptical scanners and other optical scanners. A guided acoustic wave version of the traveling wave lens has been investigated for potential reduction of the power consumption of acoustic traveling wave lenses. Resolution gain as high as 35 has been demonstrated. The smallest focused spot which has been experimentally observed is less than 18 microm. Approximately a factor of 25 in device power saving is feasible over the bulk version devices. Smaller focal spot as well as higher resolution gain is possible according to the theoretical studies. To realize the ultimate guided acoustic traveling wave lens performances, a design procedure is outlined together with a list of potential materials for the optimal design of such devices.

Porokeratosis plantaris discreta.

Sire the basis for this study. All cases were clinically diagnosed as porokeratosis plantaris discreta (PPD). Biopsies were done in fifteen cases. Of these, eleven were confirmed as PPD and four had histopathologic features of a wart. Porokeratosis plantaris dicreta is a localized plantar hyperkeratosis that is resistant to therapy. It is often mistaken for a wart. PPD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of keratotic lesions on the sole.