Beam-splitting cube for fringe-projection, holographic, and shearographic interferometry

We describe a simple method in which the techniques of fringe-projection, holographic, and shearographic interferometry may be readily realized with a commercial beam-splitting cube, a laser source, and a beam expander. With the use of a computer algorithm, moiré fringes may be derived digitally from the fringes that are projected onto a reference surface and onto an object surface. Successful use of the beam-splitting cube for these optical methods is attributed to the refraction of the two split beams that exit from the two adjacent faces of the cube. By careful orientation of the cube, the two refracted light beams will converge and interfere, resulting in the formation of Young's interference fringes for the fringe-projection method. When the hypotenuse of the beam-splitting cube is placed nearly normal to an illuminated object, both the image and the mirror image of the object will be formed behind the cube where a camera is placed. This optical setup thus forms the basis for double-exposure holography when these two images are fully overlapped and for shearography when the images are slightly laterally displaced.

Pulsation, systolic thrill and murmur in femoral veins secondary to severe tricuspid regurgitation

We report on a case of pulsatile femoral veins with a systolic thrill and murmur in a 26-year-old patient who exhibited severe tricuspid regurgitation. The pulsatile nature of the veins may result from the 'ventricularization' of venous pressure with each pressure pulse. The observed systolic thrill and murmur may be due to the systolic reversal of substantial regurgitant flow in the venous system of the lower limbs. This case also demonstrates that severe tricuspid regurgitation can have far-reaching manifestations.

Maturational changes in peripheral lymphocyte subsets pertinent to monitoring human immunodeficiency virus-infected Chinese pediatric patients

On the basis of results of testing of 212 peripheral blood samples from ethnic Chinese individuals in five age groups, ranging from birth to adulthood, by standardized flow cytometry techniques, we studied the maturational processes that are pertinent to monitoring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected Chinese pediatric population. While the numbers of peripheral total white cells and percent lymphocytes declined from birth to adulthood, the percent CD3+ T lymphocytes was steady among all age groups studied. The numbers of CD3+ CD4+ (T-helper) cells decreased markedly after the first year of life, followed by a slower decline afterward and then a slight increase before adulthood. The trend for CD3+ CD8+(T-suppressor) cells, however, was an increase among individuals of all age ranges. The numbers of CD19+ CD3- (B cells) increased only during the first year of life and then declined steadily, while natural killer (NK) cells showed the opposite pattern. Comparison of the results with those of studies done with a Caucasian population showed that both peripheral T-helper and T-suppressor cell numbers were low after the first year of life in the Chinese pediatric population in comparison with those in a Caucasian pediatric population. Lower B-cell counts and higher NK-cell counts were seen after the first year of life in the Chinese population than in the Caucasian population. It is important that for each HIV-infected population normative ranges of the lymphocyte subset be established to monitor HIV-infected pediatric patients.

Simple method for direct determination of bending strains by use of digital holography

A computer-based technique is described for direct determination of bending strains in beam and plate structures. First a displacement-related phase-change map is constructed by digital holography and computer-vision techniques. Subsequently the computer generates an exact replica of the phase-change map, then overlays the two identical maps and, finally, rotates one of the maps through 180 degrees relative to the other in their planes about a point of interest. The local curvatures and the local twist of the bent surface at the point of interest are determined from the conic sections that are reconstructed from the algebraic sum of the phase changes at the vicinity of this point, thus permitting further calculation for determination of the local bending strains. When the need arises, bending moments and stresses may be determined concurrently. As the optical setup is simple, with computer-based data acquisition and processing, the entire system is user friendly, and rapid measurement is achieved.

Lymphocyte subpopulation reference ranges for monitoring human immunodeficiency virus-infected Chinese adults

Two hundred eight healthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1- and HIV type 2-seronegative Chinese adults (78 males and 130 females; mean age, 32 years; age range, 18 to 71 years) were analyzed for lymphocyte subsets by a standardized and quality-controlled flow cytometric immunophenotyping technique. While the leukocyte differential values were comparable to those found in studies of Caucasians, the means, medians, and 95% reference ranges of lymphocyte subsets were very different. The 95% reference ranges in absolute counts per microliter of whole blood (percentage of lymphocytes) for CD3+, CD3+ CD4+, CD3+ CD8+, CD3- CD19+ (B), and CD3- with CD16+ and/or CD56+ (NK) cells were 672 to 2,368 (54.8 to 83.0%), 292 to 1,366 (23.1 to 51.0%), 240 to 1,028 (17.9 to 47.5%), 82 to 560 (5.1 to 20.8%), and 130 to 938 (7.1 to 38.0%), respectively. CD3+ CD4+ cells showed significant sex difference (for males, mean of 702 [34.8%] and standard deviation of 258 [7.5%]; for females, mean of 728 [37.3%] and standard deviation of 254 [7.4%]) as well as an increase with age of 42 (1.6%) per decade. Investigations of the NK cell population did not show similar findings. Classification of HIV disease, treatment, and prophylactic regimens based on studies which relied heavily on estimations of lymphocyte subsets alone should be used with special caution for Chinese patients. Provided that adequate quality control measures are taken to ensure comparability of data, we recommend that these ranges be used on a day-to-day basis in laboratories that have not yet established their own reference ranges.

Rubrospinal tract in the Formosan monkey: HRP and autoradiographic studies

Neurons projecting from the red nucleus to the spinal cord in the Formosan monkey were identified with retrograde horseradish peroxidase and tritiated proline and fucose antegrade autoradiographic tracing methods. A topographic organization of projections from the red nucleus to the spinal cord was demonstrated. Medial and dorsal portions of the rostral red nucleus projected to the rostral half of the spinal cord. Neurons in the ventrolateral part of the red nucleus emitted fibers which terminated in the caudal half of the spinal cord. The spinal projections from the red nucleus are bilateral, but contralateral projection is dominant. These results indicated a well developed rubrospinal tract existence in the Formosan monkey.

Localization of fmrfamide-like immunoreactivity in the peripheral organs and its cross reaction with neuropeptide Y in the rat

The molluscan cardioexcitatory peptide (FMRFamide) is a tetrapeptide. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36 amino acid peptide. Functionally, NPY is classified as a co-transmitter in the vasculatures of many organs and shows potent vasoconstriction. Coexistence of FMRFamide with NPY has been demonstrated in the central nervous system. The localization and distribution of NPY in the peripheral organs have been demonstrated mainly by radioimmunoassay. The localization and distribution, however, have not been investigated by immunohistochemistry. Therefore we present and compare the distribution of NPY- and FMRFamide-like immunoactivities in several peripheral organs of rats. Analysis of these data will reflect whether there is a cross reaction of FMRFamide with NPY antiserum or not. We have demonstrated both NPY- and FMRFamide-like nerve fibers in the vasculatures of the kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, submandibular gland, lung and small intestine. The distribution pattern of these immuno-reactivities of the peripheral organs showed some extent of similarity. Radioimmunoassay indicated that FMRFamide possessed the ability to react with NPY-antiserum. This study demonstrated that the presence of FMRFamide immuno-reactivity in rat peripheral organs represents cross-reactivity of NPY with the FMRFamide anti serum. Such a result can be explained if antisera against NPY and FMRFamide recognize the carboxy-terminal sequence of -Arg-X-amide in the respective peptides.