Police deaths in New York and London during the twentieth century.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidences and causes of occupational police deaths in New York City in the United States and Greater London in the United Kingdom during the twentieth century. To assess the relation between overall societal violence and violence directed toward police officers in these metropolitan areas. DESIGN AND SETTING: Ecological study of New York and London from 1900 through 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intentional and unintentional occupational police mortality rates for New York and London were estimated for each decade. The general population homicide rates of both New York and London were assessed for their correlation with their respective intentional occupational police mortality rates. RESULTS: During the 20th century, 585 police officers in New York and 160 police officers in London died while participating in law enforcement activities. New York had markedly greater intentional police mortality rates compared to London throughout most of the 20th century, but these differences decreased significantly by the end of the century. Intentional gunshot wounds comprised 290 police deaths in New York, but only 14 police deaths in London. In New York, gun shot wounds (both intentional and unintentional) accounted for more occupational police deaths (51.6%) than did all other injury mechanisms combined. In London, motor vehicle collision was the most common cause (47.5%) of occupational police death. There were no apparent correlations between the general population homicide rates and intentional police mortality rates in either New York (r(2) = 0.05, 95% CI -0.77 to 0.81) or London (r(2) = 0.34, 95% CI -0.61 to 0.89). CONCLUSIONS: During the 20th century, both intentional and unintentional occupational police mortality rates were significantly greater in New York compared to London. These differences are likely from several socioeconomic, cultural, and occupational factors. The declines in police deaths in New York during the latter part of the 20th century indicate that at least some measures taken by the New York Police Department have been successful at significantly reducing the incidence of both intentional and unintentional police deaths.

Two-dimensional synthetic aperture imaging in the optical domain.

In scan-mode synthetic aperture imaging radar, spatial resolution in a range is given by a frequency-swept waveform, whereas resolution in the orthogonal direction is derived from the record of phase as the beam footprint executes linear motion over the object. We demonstrate here what is to our knowledge the first two-dimensional imaging that uses exactly this process in the optical domain for a 1 cm x 1 cm object with 90 mumx170 mum resolution.

Blind data restoration with an extracted filter function.

A method for performing blind deconvolutions on degraded images and data has been developed. The technique uses a power law relation applied to the Fourier transform of the degraded data to extract a filter function. This filter function closely resembles the point-spread function of the system and can be used to restore and enhance higher-frequency content. The process is noniterative and requires only that the point-spread function be space invariant and the transfer function be real. The algorithm has been validated by direct comparisons by use of a pseudoinverse filter with known transfer functions.

[Computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography in tuberculous spondylitis. A review of the literature and the authors' own observations]. / Computertomographie und Magnetresonanztomographie bei tuberkulöser Spondylitis. Literaturübersicht und eigene Beobachtungen.

PURPOSE: The findings of tuberculous spondylitis in MRT have been described extensively. Nevertheless the diagnostic value of both methods in the diagnosis of this severe manifestation of the tuberculous disease was not yet defined definitely. MATERIALS: We performed a review of the recent literature and a retrospective analysis of the findings in ten patients with proven tuberculous spondylitis. Here we evaluated 10 CT and 6 MRT. RESULTS: Major findings in computed tomography (n = 10) were osseous sequestration (8/10), subperiosteal bone apposition (6/10), abscess of the surrounding tissue. (8/10) and calcification of the masses (3/10). In all cases which were examined by MRT (n = 6) marrow edema was seen. Affection of the soft tissue was described by means of MRT in 5/6 patients. All patients showed rim enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: MRT shows signs of infection (bone marrow edema) which is an early but rather unspecific finding. The commonness of osseous lesions in advanced tuberculous spondylitis suggests a benefit of computed tomography in the later stages. Both methods are complementary in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous and non-specific spondylitis.

Sensitizing capacity of azole derivatives: Part III. Investigations with anthelmintics, antimycotics, fungicides, antithyroid compounds, and proton pump inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: More than hundred azole derivatives are used today for different purposes. The majority possess antimycotic, antibacterial, anthelmintic, and antiprotozoal properties. They are used as agricultural fungicides; topical antimycotics, and, for example, in antidandruff cosmetics. More recently the antithyroid and antiulcerative activity of certain imimidazoles and benzimidazoles also has been proven, which led to the introduction of proton pump inhibitors and antithyroid drugs to the market. OBJECTIVE: Case reports from the literature and experimental studies suggest that some of the azole derivatives possess a distinct sensitizing potency. Occupational exposure either in the pharmaceutical manufacture or in the pesticide's application by farmers caused allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). However, experimental studies in guinea pigs to determine their sensitizing capacity have been performed only sporadically. METHOD: Guinea pigs were sensitized by a modified Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) method, with 35 azoles used as agricultural fungicides, proton pump inhibitors, antimycotics, antithyroid agents, antiprotozoals, antimicrobials, anthelmintics, and wood preservatives. RESULTS: Four azoles exhibited a strong sensitizing capacity, 3 a moderate, and 11 a weak sensitizing capacity. Seventeen derivatives remained negative. Among the strong sensitizers were the 3 proton pump inhibitors omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole, as well as the antithyroid drug carbimazole. The latter displayed the highest sensitizing power (mean response = 2.50) of all 62 azole derivatives investigated in the present and the 2 previous experimental studies. CONCLUSION: As long as the strong sensitizing azoles are used only systemically the risk of acquiring contact hypersensitivity is low. However, if the idea should arise to use them topically, for example in ointments, tinctures, or lotions against fungal infections, skin problems will probably be observed abundantly.

Influence of Seidel distortion on combining beams from a phased telescope array.

When beams from an array of a focal telescopes are presented to a beam-combining telescope, tilt errors of the beam wave fronts with respect to the combined wave front place limits on the achievable field of view (FOV); these limits, to the best of our knowledge, have not previously been correctly described in the literature. We show that if the front-end telescopes have just the right Seidel distortion coefficient, then tilt error does not limit the FOV. If this is not the case, at least small FOV's can still be obtained, even if the FOV is not centered on the on-axis direction.

Stacked-grid Collimators Described with Dimensionless Parameters.

The properties of a one-dimensional stacked-grid collimator can be specified by two dimensionless parameters. This is useful because a two-dimensional collimator can usually be described as two one-dimensional collimators. Plots are given that show normal-incidence transmission and FWHM angular response in terms of these parameters. Transmission is calculated with Fourier optics instead of the Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral.

Deriving the Coltman Correction for Transforming the Bar Transfer Function to the Optical Transfer Function (or the Contrast Transfer Function to the Modulation Transfer Function).

The Coltman series for obtaining the optical transfer function from measurements of the bar transfer function is mathematically derived. The bar transfer function rather than the contrast transfer function is defined so that the relation remains valid when an image exhibits phase reversal.

[Implantation of oxidized, regenerated cellulose for prevention of recurrence in surgical therapy of carpal tunnel syndrome]. / Einsatz von oxidierter, regenerierter Zellulose zur Rezidivprophylaxe bei der chirurgischen Therapie des Karpaltunnelsyndroms.

Recurrences and persistent symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome after its surgical treatment is most commonly due to inadequacies of the first procedure, recurrent tenosynovialitis and in particular adhesion formation between the median nerve and its surrounding tissue and scars. Because of the encouraging experiences with oxidized regenerated cellulose (INTERCEED) as an absorbable adhesion-barrier in abdominal surgery, we began using INTERCEED in carpal tunnel surgery. In nine patients who underwent division of the flexor retinaculum combined with epineurotomy or synovialectomy, we covered the median nerve with a monolayer of INTERCEED. According to our good experiences concerning handling, compatibility and recovery, the application of INTERCEED might potentially reduce the recurrence rate in carpal tunnel surgery.

The impaired driver: hospital and police detection of alcohol and other drugs of abuse in motor vehicle crashes.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of drugs of abuse and alcohol use in admitted drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and to determine the rate of police detection of alcohol and drug use in these motorists. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of hospitalized drivers involved in MVCs and review of corresponding police reports. SETTING: Two Level I trauma centers in a large metropolitan region. PARTICIPANTS: All MVC drivers/motorcycle operators admitted to the trauma service from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 1990. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The records of 634 injured motorists were reviewed; 200 (32% of the 625 patients with serum alcohol levels) were legally drunk (serum alcohol of 100 mg/dL or more), and 132 (22.6% of the 585 urine drug screens) had positive urine drug screens. Cocaine was the most prevalent drug of abuse, present in 51 patients (8.7%). Two hundred eighty-five patients (45.0%) were considered impaired (alcohol of 100 mg/dL or more and/or positive drug screen), representing almost half of all motorists admitted. The impaired motorists were younger, more often male, less likely to use a seat belt or helmet, and had higher Injury Severity Scores than their unimpaired counterparts. Police reports were available for 446 patients, 139 (31.2%) of whom were legally drunk and 67 (15%) of whom had positive drug screens, yielding an overall impairment rate of 46.2%. Only 34 (16.5%) patients were cited for driving under the influence. CONCLUSION: An exceedingly high rate of impairment existed in this population of seriously injured motorists in a metropolitan region, the majority of whom were not charged by the police. Although alcohol is the most prevalent source of driver impairment, other drugs of abuse are also important contributors to this problem.

The Caenorhabditis elegans genome sequencing project: first steps in automation.

Novel biochemical processes using magnetic particles have been automated to provide a robotic system to perform processes for large-scale shotgun sequencing.

The autologous stump plasty. Treatment for bony overgrowth in juvenile amputees.

Autologous stump capping is a procedure designed to prevent bony overgrowth in skeletally immature amputation stumps. All 19 capping procedures in the lower extremities were successful after an average follow-up of 7.3 years. All patients use their prostheses, and no secondary operations have been needed for stump problems. Of the 31 cap-plasties of the humerus, six required re-operation. The overall failure rate of 12% is low compared with the failure rate of re-amputation.

[The significance of passive smoking in pregnancy]. / Stellenwert des Passivrauchens in der Schwangerschaft.

It is unclear whether passive smoking has any deleterious effects on pregnancy. The few investigations performed up to date seem to imply that passively inhaled cigarette smoke has teratogenic potential. To examine the extent of passive smoking during pregnancy detailed smoking histories were obtained from 442 pregnant women. Whereas only one in five women smoked actively during pregnancy, one in three women had a history of passive smoking. In additional 101 pregnant women serum-cotinine levels were determined. With this additional parameter it was possible to make a much more detailed determination of actual exposure to tobacco smoke than by using history alone.

[Experiences with the tumor markers Ca 125 and plasma ribonuclease in ovarian cancer]. / Erfahrungen mit den Tumormarkern Ca 125 und Plasma-Ribonuklease beim Ovarialkarzinom.

The tumor markers Ca 125 and serum ribonuclease were determined simultaneously in 35 patients with primary ovarian cancer during therapy and follow-up. In patients with second-look operation, Ca 125 and ribonuclease correlated well with the presence of metastases. In our experience the marker Ca 125 appeared to be superior to serum ribonuclease levels. Recurrence may be detected equally well with both markers.

Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome: normal degradation of proteodermatan sulfate, proteokeratan sulfate and heparan sulfate.

It had been suggested that Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome may be due to the deficiency of a specific sulfatase and/or a protease involved in proteoglycan degradation. The ability of Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen fibroblasts to endocytose and degrade 3H-leucine- and 35S-sulfate-labelled proteodermatan sulfate and 35S-sulfate-labelled proteokeratan sulfate, respectively, was therefore investigated. The turnover of cell-associated 35S-sulfate-labelled heparan sulfate was also followed. In all these experiments Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen fibroblasts behaved normally.