Using Polarized Spectroscopy to Investigate Order in Thin-Films of Ionic Self-Assembled Materials Based on Azo-Dyes.

Three series of ionic self-assembled materials based on anionic azo-dyes and cationic benzalkonium surfactants were synthesized and thin films were prepared by spin-casting. These thin films appear isotropic when investigated with polarized optical microscopy, although they are highly anisotropic. Here, three series of homologous materials were studied to rationalize this observation. Investigating thin films of ordered molecular materials relies to a large extent on advanced experimental methods and large research infrastructure. A statement that in particular is true for thin films with nanoscopic order, where X-ray reflectometry, X-ray and neutron scattering, electron microscopy and atom force microscopy (AFM) has to be used to elucidate film morphology and the underlying molecular structure. Here, the thin films were investigated using AFM, optical microscopy and polarized absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that by using numerical method for treating the polarized absorption spectroscopy data, the molecular structure can be elucidated. Further, it was shown that polarized optical spectroscopy is a general tool that allows determination of the molecular order in thin films. Finally, it was found that full control of thermal history and rigorous control of the ionic self-assembly conditions are required to reproducibly make these materials of high nanoscopic order. Similarly, the conditions for spin-casting are shown to be determining for the overall thin film morphology, while molecular order is maintained.

[Slimming behavior among Danes assessed by telephone interviews in 1992 and 1998]. / Danskernes slankeadfaerd målt ved telefoninterview i 1992 og 1998.

INTRODUCTION: With the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity, it is assumed that slimming is on the increase. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the prevalence of slimming attempts, the methods used, and whether the weight loss was maintained. METHODS: Two independent telephone interviews were conducted in 1992 and in 1998. About 1200 adults selected at random were entered in each survey in a balanced design, which ensured an equal distribution of age, gender, and geographical regions in Denmark. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity increased from 10% to 13% between 1992 and 1998. The proportion of subjects who had been slimming at least once in their lives increased from 45% to 47%, with a distribution of 25% in the underweight, 38% in those of normal weight, 54% of the overweight, and 76% of the obese (p < 0.0001). The use of anti-obesity medicine on prescription and support by a primary care physician or dietician increased with increasing body mass index. Subjects who chose to change their diet or increase their physical activity were more successful in achieving and maintaining a weight loss than those who did not. Changes in diet rose significantly from 1992 to 1998, whereas the use of prescription medicine and over-the-counter protein formulas and supplements decreased. The use of prescription medicine by subjects of normal weight decreased from 11% to 2%. CONCLUSION: About half of all adult Danes have been on a slimming diet. Those who choose to change their diet or increase physical activity are more successful in achieving a weight loss and maintaining it. Notably, one in four underweight subjects have been on a slimming diet, and one in four obese subjects have never dieted, particularly obese males. The use of prescription slimming compounds by individuals of normal weight seems to be a decreasing problem.

Pulmonary deposition of particles in welders: on-site measurements.

The authors used integrating nephelometers to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microm (PM2.5) in the breathing zone and PM2.5 mass deposition in the airways of 6 welders at their place of work. The authors also measured stationary PM2.5 measurements. The between-subject variation in deposition of PM2.5 mass was approximately 1/3 of the within-subject variation. Smokers had a significantly higher total respiratory system deposition than nonsmokers. The PM2.5 deposition for a given amount of exhaled air was dependent on PM2.5 concentration levels. The estimated total amount of PM2.5 deposited in the respiratory system of the subjects was approximately 1 mg/day.

Mobilization of Bacillus thuringiensis plasmid pTX14-3.

The Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) plasmid pTX14-3 has been reported to contain a gene, mob14-3, with considerable homology to genes encoding mobilization proteins from other gram-positive bacteria. We have used the aggregation-mediated conjugation system recently discovered in Bti to compare the mobilization kinetics of different derivatives of plasmid pTX14-3. Plasmid pTX14-3 has been found to replicate by the rolling-circle mechanism and to contain a locus suppressing the formation of high-molecular-weight DNA. We found that deleting a DNA fragment containing this locus increased the transfer frequency about twofold. The mobilization frequency of the plasmid containing the intact mob14-3 gene did not indicate a mobilization-enhancing activity of the encoded polypeptide. However, the presence of the mob14-3 gene seemed to increase the stability of the plasmid in exponential growth.

[Protection of domestic animals from infectious diseases in an economic community without control at the interior borders--an orientation]. / Schutz der Haustiere vor ansteckenden Krankheiten in einer EG ohne Kontrolle an den inneren Grenzen--eine Orientierung.

In relation to the plans for introducing the free inner market in the Member States of the EEC the principles for the future veterinary control of domestic animals and animal products are described. The traditional frontier control will be replaced by official primary control at the place of production (herd of origin, slaughter house, dairy etc.). The technical conditions are described: Effective disease surveillance and notification, eradication and control schemes for contagious diseases, control of animals in relation to trade. Decentralized veterinary control stations have the best possibility to carry out these functions. They should be staffed and equipped with special regard to the structure of the animal population and the production systems in the area concerned. The EEC-Commission has the task to coordinate and standardize this work with the national veterinary services. It is essential that this work functions identically everywhere in the Community. The herd owner should introduce common measures for protecting his animals against infectious diseases. This could be done by veterinary advisers within the frame of voluntary animal health schemes.

Respirators and respiratory care.

The intellectual and technological roots of respirators and respiratory care may be traced back hundreds of years. The clinical evolution has taken the better part of a century, and it has been most closely linked to the development of open-chest surgery. Resuscitation and the treatment of poliomyelitis also have contributed ideas and technology to this evolution. If its successful performance had depended only on respirators, open-chest surgery would have become clinical routine 50-80 years ago. In fact, many factors had to be under control, many modes of treatment had to be available, before the breakthrough in open-chest surgery could occur. The most important factor may have been the effective control of sepsis and hemorrhage. Open-chest surgery forced the change from single-agent deep anesthesia with spontaneous ventilation to a balanced technique, using multiple drugs or agents, with controlled ventilation. Open-chest surgery also necessitated that physicians specialize in anesthesiology. Scandinavian scientists and physicians have contributed greatly to the field of respirators and respiratory care, as has the specialty of anesthesiology.

Afterload reduction and preload augmentation improve the anesthetic management of patients with cardiac failure and valvular regurgitation.

Data were collected from 17 patients with valvular regurgitation and ventricular failure who were about to undergo prosthetic replacement of an insufficient cardiac valve. Awake control hemodynamic measurements revealed that these patients came to the operating room with a high systemic vascular resistance of 38 units and low cardiac and stroke volume indices of 2.2 L/min/m2 and 30 ml/beat/m2, respectively. A preanesthetic infusion of nitroprusside together with almost 2 L of lactated Ringer's solution caused vascular resistance to decrease to 19 units (normal) while filling pressure remained high. As a result, while the combined therapy continued, neither the induction of anesthesia nor surgical stimulation produced cardiovascular deterioration; in fact, cardiac index measured above 3.1 L/min/m2 and stroke volume index above 40 ml/beat/m2 throughout anesthesia and surgery. We conclude, therefore, that the combination of afterload reduction and preload augmentation provides the best possible environment within which to conduct the anesthetic management of patients with valvular regurgitation and ventricular failure.

The possible utilization of nuclear pockets of lymphocytes in the diagnosis of enzootic bovine leucosis.

A comparative study of the presence of lymphocytosis and nuclear pockets in lymphocytes was carried out using blood samples from animals belonging to herds with bovine enzootic leucosis and from herds free from leucosis. It was found that there was a correlation between the presence of such nuclear projections in a certain percentage of the lymphocytes and a state of lymphocytosis. As this correlation seemed to be independent of the aetiology of the lymphocytosis, it was not considered possible to employ the demonstration of nuclear pockets as a more specific tool in the diagnosis of bovine enzootic leucosis than the lymphocyte counts in themselves.