An interactive image analysis system has been developed to analyse and quantify the percentage of motile filaments and the individual linear velocities of organisms. The technique is based on the "difference" image between two digitized images taken from a time-lapse video recording 80 s apart which is overlaid on the first image. The bright lines in the difference image represent the paths along which the filaments have moved and are measured using a crosshair cursor controlled by the mouse. Even short exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation strongly impairs the motility of the gliding cyanobacterium Phormidium uncinatum, while its velocity is not likewise affected. These effects are not due to either type I (free radical formation) or type II (singlet oxygen production) photodynamic reactions, since specific quenchers and scavengers, indicative of these reactions, failed to be effective.

Cell Movement↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Results of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children].

We retrospectively evaluated the outcome from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in 149 children of all age groups. Only 7 children experienced ventricular fibrillation. 47 children (31.5%) died immediately. Further 47 children died within 24 hours of their arrest, 24 (16.1%) survived longer than 24 hours after CPR but not until discharge. Only 31 children (20.8%) survived to discharge, 5 with severe neurologic sequelae, attributable to the arrest or resuscitation efforts. Cardiopulmonary arrests in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit carried the worst prognosis. Better results were obtained out-of-hospital, in the OR or on the pediatric floor. Long-term survival rate did not correlate with age, or type of administered catecholamine. None of the children receiving calcium survived. This large study confirms the poor outcome of CPR in children.

Calcium↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Orientation of Paramecium under the conditions of weightlessness.

A cell culture of Paramecium with a precise negative gravitaxis was exposed to 4 x l0(-6) g during a parabolic flight of a sounding rocket for 6 min. Computer image analysis revealed that without gravity stimulus the individual swimming paths remained straight. In addition, three reactions could be distinguished. For about 30 s, paramecia maintained the swimming direction they had before onset of low gravity. During the next 20 s, an approximate reversal of the swimming direction occurred. This period was followed by the expected random swimming pattern. Similar behavior was observed under the condition of simulated weightlessness on a fast-rotating clinostat. Control experiments on the ground under hyper-gravity on a low-speed centrifuge microscope and on a vibration test facility proved that the observed effects were caused exclusively by the reduction of gravity.

Acceleration↗