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Biomedical subjects

D W Peters

Publications and source records attributed to D W Peters.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of finite grating, waveguide width, and end-facet geometry on resonant subwavelength grating reflectivity.

Resonant subwavelength gratings (RSGs) offer narrowband high reflectivity with low-reflectivity sidebands. Analysis with the commonly used rigorous coupled-wave analysis assumes an RSG with infinite lateral extent and illumination by plane waves. This analysis is performed with a finite-difference semivectorial high-order accurate two-dimensional Helmholtz code that is able to simulate the entire finite RSG structure in the dimension of the grating vector. We study the effect of finite beam size on RSG reflectivity, resonant wavelength, and spectral response width. Independently, we study the effect of a finite RSG by varying the waveguide length and number of grating periods while fixing the beam size. We show that the placement of the waveguide end facets relative to the termination of the grating has a significant effect on the reflectivity and response width.

Journal Article↗

Recurrent environmentally triggered thrombophlebitis: a five-year follow-up.

Twenty disabled patients with recurrent intractable nontraumatic phlebitis were studied. The patients were divided into two groups and matched for age and severity. The control group was continued on their standard anticoagulant regime, bed rest and support hose. The other group was placed in an especially designed Environmental Control Unit (ECU) where all air, food and water could be controlled. These patients were taken off all medication and not fed until the leg pain and swelling disappeared, which was four to seven days. The patients then showed specific sensitivities to foods and ambient subthreshold doses of inhaled chemicals such as formaldehyde less than 0.2 ppm, phenol less than 0.0024 ppm, chlorine less than 0.33 ppm, petroleum alcohol less than 0.5 ppm and pesticide (2,4 DNP) less than 0.0134 ppm under controlled double-blind challenges. Eight out of 10 patients had their phlebitis reproduced in this manner. When in the symptom-free state, these patients were required to ride an exercycle at 150 kpm for one mile daily to demonstrate absence of phlebitis (none could walk across the room prior to examination). The five-year follow-up in the group showed two 48-hour episodes of phlebitis cleared by home bed rest and food abstenance. In contrast, the control group had more than 60 episodes of phlebitis at home and 41 episodes in the hospital. Medical costs in these comparable groups showed a differential of $20 per patient in the Environmental Control Unit treatment versus more than $20,000 per patient in the control group over the five-year follow-up.

Adult↗

Studies on oxidative phosphorylation and steroidogenesis by ovarian mitochondria after gonadotropic stimulation.

No differences in oxidative phosphorylation or in the per cent of [4-14C]progesterone were found in ovarian mitochondria of immature rats after treatment with 20 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) iv 30 min before killing. However, treatment of immature rats with 20 IU of PMSG sc 54 h prior to killing decreased the ADP:O ratio and increased the per cent of [4-14C]cholesterol conversion. Electron microscopic studies showed that mitochondria with lamellar cristae were prominent in ovaries of untreated rats, while large pleomorphic mitochondria and mitochondria with tubulovesicular cristae dominated in ovaries of PMSG-treated rats. Ovarian homogenates separated by zonal centrifugation showed three peaks od cytochrome oxidase activity which shifted to the heavier end of the gradient after PMSG treatment. These studies suggest that PMSG treatment influences ovarian mitochondria, possibly by stimulating the synthesis of additional functional components and/or the biogenesis of new mitochondria. Aminoglutethimide addition to bovine luteal mitochondria decreased steroidogenesis by 60% when succinate was used as substrate. However, there was a 16% increase in the ADP:O ratio, apparently due to a decrease in oxygen utilization. When oligomycin was added to luteal mitochondria, there was a 30% decrease in the ACP:O ratio but a 300% increase in [4-14C]cholesterol conversion. Dinitrophenol also decreased mitochondrial steroidogenesis. These results suggest that energy obtained from succinate oxidation can be diverted from phosphorylation to support steroidogenesis.

Age Factors↗

Selenium removal and mass balance in a constructed flow-through wetland system.

A field study on the removal of Se from agricultural subsurface drainage was conducted from May 1997 to February 2001 in the Tulare Lake Drainage District (TLDD) of San Joaquin Valley, California. A flow-through wetland system was constructed consisting of ten 15- x 76-m unlined cells that were continuously flooded and planted with either a monotype or combination of plants, including sturdy bulrush [Schoenoplectus robustus (Pursh) M.T. Strong], baltic rush (Juncus balticus Willd.), smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.), rabbitsfoot grass [Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.], salt-grass lDistichlis spicata (L.) Greene], cattail (Typha latifolia L.), tule [Schoenoplectus acutus (Muhl. ex Bigelow) A. Löve & D. Löve], and widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima L.). One cell had no vegetation planted. The objectives of this research were to evaluate Se removal efficiency of each wetland cell and to carry out a mass balance on Se. The inflow drainage water to the cells had average annual Se concentrations of 19 to 22 microg L(-1) dominated by selenate [Se(VI), 95%]. Average weekly water residence time varied from about 3 to 15 d for Cells 1 through 7 (target 7 d), 19 to 33 d for Cells 8 and 9 (target 21 d), and 13 to 18 d for Cell 10 (target 14 d). Average weekly Se concentration ratios of outflow to inflow ranged from 0.45 to 0.79 and mass ratio (concentration x water volume) from 0.24 to 0.52 for year 2000, that is, 21 to 55% reduction in Se concentration and 48 to 76% Se removal in mass by the wetland, respectively. The nonvegetated cell showed the least Se removal both in concentration and in mass. The global mass balance showed that on the average about 59% of the total inflow Se was retained within the cells and Se outputs were outflow (35%), seepage (4%), and volatilization (2%). Independent measurements of the Se retained in the cells totaled 53% of the total Se inflow: 33% in the surface (0-20 cm) sediment, 18% in the organic detrital layer above the sediment, 2% in the fallen litter, < 1% in the standing plants, and < 1% in the surface water. Thus, about 6% of the total Se inflow was unaccounted for in the internal compartments.

Agriculture↗