Microminiaturized, biopotential conditioning system (MBCS)

Multichannel, medical monitoring system allows almost complete freedom of movement for subject during monitoring periods. System comprises monitoring unit (biobelt), transmission line, and data acquisition unit. Belt, made of polybenzimidizole fabric, is wrapped around individual's waist and held in place by overlapping sections of Velcro closure material

Influence of cluster exposure on fruit composition and wine quality of Seyval blanc grapes

Experiments were conducted in 1981 and 1982 to investigate the influence of duster exposure on fruit composition, wine quality, and incidence of bunch rot (Botrytis cinerea PERS.) of the French-American hybrid grape cultivar Seyval blanc. Berry sampling from 4 exposure categories (western exposure, eastern exposure, partial shade, and full shade) indicated highest °Brix, pH and tartrate, and lowest titratable acidity (TA) and malate in the exposed fruit post veraison. Total acidity and malate were highest in exposed fruit between fruit set and veraison. Exposure of the fruit also reduced the incidence of bunch rot during the 1981 season. Wine quality differences were small and not statistically significant, although wines vinted from exposed fruit tended to score higher. Canopy management practices that optimize fruit exposure would be helpful in maximization of fruit and wine quality

Orthocomplementation and compound systems

In their 1936 founding paper on quantum logic, Birkhoff and von Neumann postulated that the lattice describing the experimental propositions concerning a quantum system is orthocomplemented. We prove that this postulate fails for the lattice L_sep describing a compound system consisting of so called separated quantum systems. By separated we mean two systems prepared in different ``rooms'' of the lab, and before any interaction takes place. In that case the state of the compound system is necessarily a product state. As a consequence, Dirac's superposition principle fails, and therefore L_sep cannot satisfy all Piron's axioms. In previous works, assuming that L_sep is orthocomplemented, it was argued that L_sep is not orthomodular and fails to have the covering property. Here we prove that L_sep cannot admit and orthocomplementation. Moreover, we propose a natural model for L_sep which has the covering property.Comment: Submitted for the proceedings of the 2004 IQSA's conference in Denver. Revised versio

Analysis of the relationship between grapevine cultivars, sports and clones via DNA fingerprinting

DNA fingerprinting utilizing RAPD polymorphisms was employed to investigate the relationship among 16 grapevine cultivars and sports thought to have arisen from these cultivars. From 53 primers, a total of 464 bands were generated, of which 29 % were common to all genotypes tested. Cluster analysis classified all tested cultivars into two main groups (Vitis vinifera L. and V. x Labruscana Bailey) as expected. No polymorphism was detected among known clones of Chardonnay (Ch. clone 7, Ch. clone 78 and Ch. Geneva clone) or Pinot noir (P. n. clone 29, P. n. Geneva clone and P. n. Pernand). Pinot Meunier, Pinot gris, and Gamay Beaujolais displayed patterns indistinguishable from Pinot noir. Auxerrois and Melon showed unique patterns and may be classified as distinct cultivars. Chardonnay clone 7 shared 84 % of its bands with Pinot noir. There was more than 97 % RAPD amplicon homology between Niagara and two supposed sports, and between Concord and a red-fruited sport. Taking into account the error rate in scoring RAPD bands, the evidence is against the hypothesis that the three sports are distinct cultivars. While RAPD banding patterns could not distinguish between known clones, they were useful for distinguishing between phenotypically similar cultivars and for assessing the origins of cultivars thought to have originated as sports

Normothermic machine perfusion of ischaemically damaged porcine kidneys with autologous, allogeneic porcine and human red blood cells

In porcine kidney auto-transplant models, red blood cells (RBCs) are required for ex-vivo normothermic machine perfusion (NMP). As large quantities of RBCs are needed for NMP, utilising autologous RBCs would imply lethal exsanguination of the pig that is donor and recipient-to-be in the same experiment. The purpose of this study was to determine if an isolated porcine kidney can also be perfused with allogeneic porcine or human RBCs instead. Porcine kidneys, autologous and allogeneic blood were obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Human RBCs (O-pos), were provided by our transfusion laboratory. Warm ischaemia time was standardised at 20 minutes and subsequent hypothermic machine perfusion lasted 1.5–2.5 hours. Next, kidneys underwent NMP at 37°C during 7 hours with Williams’ Medium E and washed, leukocyte depleted RBCs of either autologous, allogeneic, or human origin (n = 5 per group). During perfusion all kidneys were functional and produced urine. No macroscopic adverse reactions were observed. Creatinine clearance during NMP was significantly higher in the human RBC group in comparison with the allogeneic group (P = 0.049) but not compared to the autologous group. The concentration of albumin in the urine was significantly higher in the human RBC group (P <0.001) compared to the autologous and allogeneic RBC group. Injury marker aspartate aminotransferase was significantly higher in the human RBC group in comparison with the allogeneic group (P = 0.040) but not in comparison with the autologous group. Renal histology revealed glomerular and tubular damage in all groups. Signs of pathological hyperfiltration and microvascular injury were only observed in the human RBC group. In conclusion, perfusion of porcine kidneys with RBCs of different origin proved technically feasible. However, laboratory analysis and histology revealed more damage in the human RBC group compared to the other two groups. These results indicate that the use of allogeneic RBCs is preferable to human RBCs in a situation where autologous RBCs cannot be used for NMP

House of Delegates, American Pharmaceutical Association. Minutes of the First Session

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