An x-ray streak camera system uses a laser triggered photo-conductive switch to synchronize the high voltage ramp applied to its sweep plates to the photo-excitation of a sample. This technique allows the jitter. between successive sweeps to be kept below 100 fs compared to over 1 ps:using classical methods. By accumulating a stable pulsed x-ray signal over many sweeps, a very high dynamic range c

There is no consensus on the appropriate cut-off level for the ratio between forced expiratory volume and vital capacity (FEV1/VC) for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Application of a fixed ratio of 0.7 carries the risk of false positive diagnoses in elderly subjects and false negative diagnoses in younger subjects. The use of the lower limit of normal (LLN) of an in

The proto-oncogene SKI is highly expressed in human myeloid leukemia and also in murine hematopoietic stem cells. However, its operative relevance in these cells remains elusive. We have over-expressed SKI to define its intrinsic role in hematopoiesis and myeloid neoplasms, which resulted in a robust competitive advantage upon transplantation, a complete dominance of the stem and progenitor compar

Tabulations of binary systematic and nonsystematic polynomial convolutional encoders with an optimum distance profile for rate 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 are given. The reported encoders are found by computer searches that optimize over the weight spectra. The free distances for rate 1/3 and 1/4 are compared with Heller's (1968) and Griesmer's (1960) upper bounds

Background and Objectives Thiopentone, a short-acting barbiturate, has been introduced as premedication for intubation in newborn infants. The objectives of this study were to assess the pharmacokinetics of thiopentone in newborn infants, and to unravel whether placental transfer of the drug should be taken into account if administered to infants exposed to it during delivery. Methods Plasma conce

Accounting based measures of exposure to macroeconomic shocks in exchange rates, interest rates and inflation do not capture the economic effects on the corporation of such shocks. We suggest measures that conceptually are coefficients in a multiple regression. The coefficients capture the sensitivity of a firm's real value or cash flows to unanticipated changes in each variable holding other vari

Background: Walking and cycling to school could be an important regular source of physical activity in growing children. The aim of this 12 months prospective observational study was thus to evaluate the effect of self-transportation to school on bone mineral accrual and gain in bone width in pre-pubertal children, both traits independently contributing to bone strength. Methods: Ninety-seven girl

Microvascular dysfunction in the brain, characterized by vasoconstriction, vascular occlusion, and disruption of the blood brain barrier, may adversely affect outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because of its vasodilating and antiaggregative properties, nitric oxide (NO) produced by nitric oxide synthase in the endothelium (eNOS) is a key regulator of vascular homeostasis. The objecti