[Is olfactory function impaired in moderate height?]. / Verschlechtert sich das Riechvermögen beim Aufenthalt in moderater Höhe?

BACKGROUND: The human sense of smell seems to be influenced by the surrounding barometric pressure. These factors appear to be especially important during flights, for example, in order to recognize the smell of fire etc. Thus, questions are whether pilots or passengers exhibit an impaired smell sensitivity when tested at moderate heights, or, whether changes in humidity would affect the sense of smell. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Using climate chambers, odor discrimination and butanol odor thresholds were tested in 77 healthy normosmic volunteers (5 female, 72 male; aged 25+/-8 years from 18 up to 53 years) under hypobaric (2 700+/-20 m, 20 degrees C+/-1 K, rh=50+/-5%) and hyperbaric, (10+/-0.5 m (2 bar)) and different humidity conditions (30 vs. 80%, 20 degrees C+/-1 K, normobaric). During all conditions cognitive performance was tested. RESULTS: Among other effects, olfactory sensitivity was impaired at threshold, but not suprathreshold level, in a hypobaric compared to a hyperbaric milieu, and thresholds were lower in humid, compared to relatively dry conditions. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, environmental conditions modulate the sense of smell, and may, consecutively, influence results from olfactory tests. During flight hypobaric conditions, mild hypoxia and dry air may cause impaired sensitivity of smell.

Optical microcavities formed by semiconductor microtubes using a bottlelike geometry.

We report on the realization of optical microtube resonators with a bottlelike geometry. The measured eigenenergies and the measured axial field distributions of the modes can be described by a straight and intuitive model using an adiabatic separation of the circulating and the axial propagation. The dispersion of the axial mode energies follows a photonic quasi-Schrödinger equation including a quasipotential which can be determined for the actual geometry of the microtube in a precise and simple way. We show that tailoring the geometry of the microtube bottle resonators enables the realization of a wide variety of mode distributions and dispersion relations.

Optical modes in semiconductor microtube ring resonators.

We demonstrate optical modes in InGaAs/GaAs microtubes acting as optical ring resonators. Self-supporting microtubes were fabricated by optical lithography and wet-etching processes utilizing the self-rolling mechanism of strained bilayers. The optical modes were probed by the photoluminescence of InAs quantum dots embedded in the tube's wall. In this novel microtube ring resonator we find a spectrum of sharp modes. They are in very good agreement with the theoretical results for a closed thin dielectric waveguide.

[Maternal mortality in HELLP syndrome in Bavaria 1983-1992]. / Mütterliche Mortalität bei HELLP-Syndrom in Bayern 1983-1992.

150 cases of maternal death were registered in Bavaria from 1.1.1983-31.12.1992. 15 women (10%) died in the puerperal period due to preeclampsia. 14 of these patients either had single or complete laboratory findings in HELLP-Syndrom. Anamnesis, age, parity, nationality, way of delivery and causes of death are analysed. To improve the prognosis of patients with HELLP-Syndrom early diagnosis and immediate delivery are necessary. First signs of pre-eclampsia require regular liver-enzymes and platelet controls. In the occurrence of right upper abdominal pain in the second half of pregnancy precise diagnostics and close supervision in hospital is mandatory.

[Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder after radiotherapy]. / Spontane Harnblasenruptur nach Strahlentherapie.

The spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare life threatening event. There are often difficulties in making the diagnosis. A case of spontaneous rupture of the bladder 6 years after radiation therapy for uterus cancer is reported. An early surgical exploration including the closing of the rupture, peritoneal lavage and continuous vesical drainage will save the life of the patient.

A 100-element ultrasonic circular array for endoscopic application in medicine and NDT.

In this paper we focus on a new developed ultrasonic circular array for endoscopic application in medicine and NDT. The new device consists of 100 strip elements. The diameter of this array is just 10 mm. The arrays are conceived for frequencies between 3.5 and 7.5 MHz, the band width has an amount of 50%. The mathematical algorithm, monochromatic and broadband simulations of the soundfield are shown and problems with grating lobes are discussed. Furthermore the process of manufacturing is discussed and partially depicted. We present the final results and ultrasonic images obtained from tissue aquivalent phantoms representing medical application and from special test specimens representing NDT- Application.

[Maternal mortality]. / Mütterliche Mortalität.

PIP: Trends in maternal mortality in East and West Germany, England and Wales, and Austria are examined for the period 1953-1987. Differences in the registration of maternal mortality in these countries are discussed.^ieng