Type fossil Mollusca (Hyolitha, Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda, Monoplacophora, and Gastropoda) in Field Museum / Gerald Glenn Forney -- and Matthew H. Nitecki --.

v.36(1976)

Type Graptolithina in Field Museum of Natural History / Robert H. Hansman -- and Matthew H. Nitecki --.

n.s. no.1(1979)

Antiquities from Boscoreale in Field Museum of Natural History / by Herbert F. De Cou. With preface and catalogue of iron implements by F. B. Tarbell.

v.7:no.4(1912)

Type fossil Coelenterata (except corals) in Field Museum of Natural History / Gerald Glenn Forney --, Matthew H. Nitecki --, and Daniel T. Jenkins --.

v.37:no.4(1977)

Catalogue of type and referred specimens of fossil corals in Field Museum of Natural History / [by] Phyllis N. Windle --, Ronald M. Augustynek -- [and] Matthew H. Nitecki --. [Patricia M. Williams, -- editor --]

v.32(1973)

The Discrimination of Colored Acrylic, Cotton, and Wool Textile Fibers Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy. Part 1 : In Situ Detection and Characterization of Dyes

Raman spectroscopy has been applied to characterize fiber dyes and determine the discriminating ability of the method. Black, blue, and red acrylic, cotton, and wool samples were analyzed. Four excitation sources were used to obtain complementary responses in the case of fluorescent samples. Fibers that did not provide informative spectra using a given laser were usually detected using another wavelength. For any colored acrylic, the 633-nm laser did not provide Raman information. The 514-nm laser provided the highest discrimination for blue and black cotton, but half of the blue cottons produced noninformative spectra. The 830-nm laser exhibited the highest discrimination for red cotton. Both visible lasers provided the highest discrimination for black and blue wool, and NIR lasers produced remarkable separation for red and black wool. This study shows that the discriminating ability of Raman spectroscopy depends on the fiber type, color, and the laser wavelength.

Octopus Standard Automated Perimetry, Pulsar Perimetry, Moorfields Motion Displacement Test and Heidelberg Retinal Tomography in Glaucoma Detection - A Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy

Purpose: To investigate the accuracy of 4 clinical instruments in the detection of glaucomatous damage. Methods: 102 eyes of 55 test subjects (Age mean = 66.5yrs, range = [39; 89]) underwent Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRTIII), (disc area<2.43); and standard automated perimetry (SAP) using Octopus (Dynamic); Pulsar (TOP); and Moorfields Motion Displacement Test (MDT) (ESTA strategy). Eyes were separated into three groups 1) Healthy (H): IOP<21mmHg and healthy discs (clinical examination), 39 subjects, 78 eyes; 2) Glaucoma suspect (GS): Suspicious discs (clinical examination), 12 subjects, 15 eyes; 3) Glaucoma (G): progressive structural or functional loss, 14 subjects, 20 eyes. Clinical diagnostic precision was examined using the cut-off associated with the p<5% normative limit of MD (Octopus/Pulsar), PTD (MDT) and MRA (HRT) analysis. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated for each instrument. Results: See table Conclusions: Despite the advantage of defining glaucoma suspects using clinical optic disc examination, the HRT did not yield significantly higher accuracy than functional measures. HRT, MDT and Octopus SAP yielded higher accuracy than Pulsar perimetry, although results did not reach statistical significance. Further studies are required to investigate the structure-function correlations between these instruments.

Rapid in vitro detection of HIV-1-specific antibody secretion by cells-culture with virus antigens

The present report describes an alternative method for in vitro detection of HIV-1 -specific antibody secretion in 24h of culture employing as stimulant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells the disrupted inactivated whole virus adsorbed onto microwells in a commercial ELISA kit plates. The results obtained from this technique have showed high sensitivity and specificity since it was capable of detecting HIV-1 infection early after birth. There were neither false-positivity nor false-negativity when blood samples obtained from HIV-1 seronegative asymptomatic individuals, and HIV-1 seropositive adult patients were analized. This rapid, low cost, simple, highly sensitive and specific assay can be extremely useful for early diagnosis of pediatric HIV infection.

Use of glass beads and CF 11 cellulose for removal of leukocytes from malaria-infected human blood in field settings

Passage of malaria infected blood through a two-layered column composed of acid-washed glass beads and CF 11 cellulose removes white cells from parasitized blood. However, because use of glass beads and CF 11 cellulose requires filtration of infected blood separately through these two resins and the addition of ADP, the procedure is time-consuming and may be inapropriate for use in the field, especially when large numbers of blood samples are to be treated. Our modification of this process yields parasitized cells free of contaminating leukocytes, and because of its operational simplicity, large numbers of blood samples can be processed. Our procedure also compares well with those using expensive commercial Sepacell resins in its ability to separate leukocytes from whole blood. As a test of usefulness in molecular biologic investigations, the parasites obtained from the blood of malaria-infected patients using the modified procedure yield genomic DNA whose single copy gene, the circumsporozite gene, efficiently amplifies by polymerase chain reaction.

GPs' role in the detection of psychological problems of young people: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Among young people, about one in three females and one in five males report experiencing emotional distress but 65-95% of them do not receive help from health professionals. AIM: To assess the differences among young people who seek help and those who do not seek help for their psychological problems, considering the frequency of consultations to their GP and their social resources. DESIGN OF STUDY: School survey. SETTING: Post-mandatory school. METHOD: Among a Swiss national representative sample of 7429 students and apprentices (45.6% females) aged 16-20 years, 1931 young people reported needing help for a problem of depression/sadness (26%) and were included in the study. They were divided into those who sought help (n = 256) and those who did not (n = 1675), and differences between them were assessed. RESULTS: Only 13% of young people needing help for psychological problems consulted for that reason and this rate was positively associated with the frequency of consultations to the GP. However, 80% of young people who did not consult for psychological problems visited their GP at least once during the previous year. Being older or a student, having a higher depression score, or a history of suicide attempt were linked with a higher rate of help seeking. Moreover, confiding in adults positively influenced the rate of help seeking. CONCLUSION: The large majority of young people reporting psychological problems do not seek help, although they regularly consult their GP. While young people have difficulties in tackling issues about mental health, GPs could improve the situation by systematically inquiring about this issue.

In vivo detection of brain Krebs cycle intermediate by hyperpolarized magnetic resonance.

The Krebs (or tricarboxylic acid (TCA)) cycle has a central role in the regulation of brain energy regulation and metabolism, yet brain TCA cycle intermediates have never been directly detected in vivo. This study reports the first direct in vivo observation of a TCA cycle intermediate in intact brain, namely, 2-oxoglutarate, a key biomolecule connecting metabolism to neuronal activity. Our observation reveals important information about in vivo biochemical processes hitherto considered undetectable. In particular, it provides direct evidence that transport across the inner mitochondria membrane is rate limiting in the brain. The hyperpolarized magnetic resonance protocol designed for this study opens the way to direct and real-time studies of TCA cycle kinetics.

Breath acetone to monitor life style interventions in field conditions: An exploratory study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether breath acetone concentration can be used to monitor the effects of a prolonged physical activity on whole body lipolysis and hepatic ketogenesis in field conditions. METHODS: Twenty-three non-diabetic, 11 type 1 diabetic, and 17 type 2 diabetic subjects provided breath and blood samples for this study. Samples were collected during the International Four Days Marches, in the Netherlands. For each participant, breath acetone concentration was measured using proton transfer reaction ion trap mass spectrometry, before and after a 30-50 km walk on four consecutive days. Blood non-esterified free fatty acid (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB), and glucose concentrations were measured after walking. RESULTS: Breath acetone concentration was significantly higher after than before walking, and was positively correlated with blood NEFA and BOHB concentrations. The effect of walking on breath acetone concentration was repeatedly observed on all four consecutive days. Breath acetone concentrations were higher in type 1 diabetic subjects and lower in type 2 diabetic subjects than in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Breath acetone can be used to monitor hepatic ketogenesis during walking under field conditions. It may, therefore, provide real-time information on fat burning, which may be of use for monitoring the lifestyle interventions.

Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis in field-based studies: a combined clinical and sonographic definition

A combined clinical and sonographic classification of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni to be used in field-based studies is proposed herein. Seven hundred forty one individuals out of 892 (83%), living in an area endemic for schistosomiasis in Brazil, have been ubmitted to clinical and ultrasound examinations. Based on two stool examinations the overall prevalence for schistosomiasis in this area was 73%. Abdominal palpation was performed with patients in dorsal decubit, during deep breath, by two experienced physicians and a portable ultrasound was used for the evaluation of liver fibrosis, portal collaterals and spleen size. Four groups of individuals were identified using data obtained by abdominal palpation and ultrasound examination: (1) palpable spleen and intense periportal thickening in 9 individuals (1.2%); (2) spleen not palpable and intense periportal thickening in 15 (2%); (3) palpable spleen with light to moderate periportal thickening in 32 (4.3%), and (4) palpable spleen with a normal liver on ultrasound in 30 (4%). The definition of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis in field-based studies as the finding of Schistosoma mansoni eggs in the stools in an individual with splenomegaly is not acceptable anymore. Abdominal ultrasound should be combined with clinical examination to accurately identify hepatosplenics in endemic areas for schistosomiasis.

Molecular approaches for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni: possible applications in the detection of snail infection, monitoring of transmission sites, and diagnosis of human infection

The detection of specific DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has proved extremely valuable for the analysis of genetic disorders and the diagnosis of a variety of infectious disease pathogens. However, the application to the detection of Schistosoma mansoni is rare, despite a recommendation of the World Health Organization that a major focus of research on schistosomiasis should be on the development and evaluation of new strategies and tools for control of the disease. In this context, a few studies were published for the detection of the parasite in snails, monitoring of cercariae in water bodies, and diagnosis of human infection. The present minireview describes sensitive and specific PCR based systems to detect S. mansoni, indicating possible applications in the detection of snail infection, monitoring of transmission sites, and diagnosis of human infection.

Potential value of biliary CEA assay in early detection of colorectal adenocarcinoma liver metastases.

Elevation of the biliary CEA level in patients with liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma has been reported. The aim of this study is to determine the potential value of biliary CEA assay in the early detection of liver metastases. Biliary and serum CEA levels were determined in patients operated on for a colorectal cancer and in control groups. Among 13 patients with liver metastases from colorectal carcinomas, biliary CEA levels were markedly elevated (> 40 ng/ml) in nine, moderately elevated (5-40 ng/ml) in two and normal (arbitrarily defined as < 5 ng/ml) in two. Of 28 patients with primary colorectal carcinoma without detectable hepatic secondaries, three had marked CEA elevation in the bile, 10 had moderate CEA elevation and 15 had normal levels. Among nine patients with non-malignant hepatobiliary pathology, there was one marked biliary CEA elevation, one moderate elevation and seven normal levels. None of the 13 individuals with no identified hepatobiliary pathology had elevated biliary CEA levels. The follow-up of patients with a primary colorectal tumour, no evidence of hepatic secondaries and a biliary CEA elevation is of particular interest. If subsequent appearance of liver metastases is found in such cases, intra-operative biliary CEA assay could be considered a valuable diagnostic test. Further studies will then have to prove the possible benefit of a specific treatment for this group of patients.