Reliability of computer-generated prediction tracing.

The reliability of a commercially available computer prediction program (Quick Ceph II) was evaluated using pretreatment and posttreatment cephalograms of 30 patients who were treated during an active period of growth. The computer prediction was compared with the actual treatment result, and the growth forecast with the computer program was compared with the growth forecast using a manual method. Using paired student's t-tests, predictions for 5 of the 10 variables measured were found to be statistically reliable. Comparing the relative accuracy of growth prediction in terms of absolute values, the computer came closer to the actual result in four of the nine variables, while the manual method came closer in three variables. Predictions for the other two variables were virtually the same using both methods. The manual method of prediction was sufficient to give a reasonably good graphic representation of growth changes to create a VTO. However, the computer offers the added advantages of quicker access to information and somewhat greater accuracy in producing the tracing, as well as its use in patient education.

Moving target tracking using symbolic registration.

This correspondence describes a moving target tracking (MTT) algorithm that performs image registration and motion analysis between pairs of images from a passive sensor. Unlike previously reported moving target indicators that operate at the signal level, the registration and motion analysis in the MTT is totally performed at a symbolic level. The operation of the MTT is demonstrated by simulation results obtained from applications of the algorithm to infrared images.

Impact of sampled data on an optical joint transform correlator.

Coherent optical systems are well known for performing certain operations such as Fourier and Fresnel transformation and pattern recognition. The basis for pattern recognition in many coherent optical systems is the correlator. This paper discusses the effect of undersampling in an optical joint transform correlator which has a sampled-data input, detectors of size 1 x i resolution elements in the Fourier plane, and detectors of size 1 x 1 resolution elements in the correlation plane, where i is an integer. After the undersampling, it is shown that the correlation plane still contains the needed data, the shape of the correlation surfaces are unchanged, and the different correlation terms just move closer together. It is shown that the penalty for undersampling is that the amount of input data must be reduced by a factor of i. It is also shown that a digital simulation using a discrete Fourier transform gives an accurate prediction of the optical correlator performance. Results from the simulation are given to verify the theory.

Errors and omissions in diagnostic records on admission of patients to a nursing home.

The primary and secondary diagnoses for 100 geriatric patients consecutively admitted to a nursing home were reviewed for accuracy and omissions. Primary diagnoses were identified as the direct basis for nursing home admission. Other physical, biochemical or behavioral disorders requiring continued therapeutic care were identified as secondary diagnoses. A comparison was made of the diagnosis offered by the referring physician and the diagnosis as determined by the medical staff of the nursing home immediately after admission. In 64 percent, the secondary diagnoses were either lacking or inaccurate. The extraordinarily inadequate medical performance with respect to identifying the primary clinical and therapeutic problems of the chronically ill aged was remarkably consistent, regardless of the source of the patient's referral, whether from a general or psychiatric hospital, a private home, or another nursing home. The results of this study revealed a significant degree of unpreparedness and malaise in some members of the medical profession concerning the care of the chronically ill aged, particularly when such patients demonstrate behavioral disorders superimposed upon physical disease. Failure to identify the patient's needs through diagnosis must result in poor, inadequate or inappropriate treatment programs.

Complete amino acid analysis of peptides and proteins after hydrolysis by a mixture of sepharose-bound peptidases.

Incubation with a mixture of Sepharose-bound peptidases was shown to result in the quantitative release of amino acids from certain peptides and S-aminoethylated proteins. Subtraction of the low background values of amino acids generated by the enzymes enables amino acid ratios of corticotrophin-(1-24)-tetracosapeptide to be determined with a standard deviation on repeat digestions of 3-5%. Good values were obtained for amino acids that are completely or partially destroyed on acid hydrolysis, i.e. tryptophan, tyrosine, serine, asparagine and glutamine. Experiments with peptides containing d-amino acids showed that the enzyme mixture is stereospecific and could therefore be used to detect the presence of d-residues in peptides. The enzyme mixture completely hydrolyses peptide fragments obtained after Edman degradation and should therefore be useful for determining sequences of peptides containing acid-labile amino acid residues. The activities of the bound enzymes were unaltered over a period of 7 months and they provide a simple, reproducible procedure for the quantitative determination of amino acids in peptides and proteins containing l-amino acids.

Serum Bacteriostasis of Staphylococcus aureus.

Serum bacteriostasis of Staphylococcus aureus was characterized quantitatively and quantitatively. Bacteriostasis was proportional to the concentration of serum. Reproducibility was good; freezing and thawing did not materially affect the end point. Four of six different strains, including the propagating S. aureus strain for phage 73 which does not produce coagulase, were susceptible to serum bacteriostasis in similar titers; two were not susceptible at all. All six strains were effective inhibitors of bacteriostasis. Active and inactive coagulase were also inhibitors. In contrast to sensitive S. aureus, S. epidermidis and Streptococcus salivarius were not uniformly susceptible to bacteriostasis by different serums. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella montevideo, S. zymogenes, and Diplococcus pneumoniae were not susceptible. Among gram-positive bacteria, only D. pneumoniae inhibited S. aureus bacteriostasis. Agglutinins of S. aureus and nonspecific substances such as lysozyme, beta-lysin, C-reactive protein, and transferrin were not responsible for S. aureus serum bacteriostasis. After diethylaminoethyl column fractionation of serum, the bacteriostatic principle was eluted in proximity to blood group antibody; immunoglobulins A, G, and M appeared to be present in bacteriostatic fractions. It is suggested that S. aureus bacteriostasis by serum is due to natural antibody and that inhibitory reactions with pneumococci and coagulase are due to common antigens.