Northampton Community College

About: Northampton Community College is a education organization based out in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 3410 authors who have published 4582 publications receiving 130398 citations. The organization is also known as: Northampton County Area Community College.

Novel concept of multi-channel fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensor

Abstract: A novel multi-channel fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is reported. The sensing structure consists of a single-mode optical fiber, covered with a thin gold layer, which supports a surface plasmon (SP), and a Bragg grating. The Bragg grating induces coupling between the forward-propagating fundamental core mode and the back-propagating SP-cladding mode. As the SP-cladding modes are highly sensitive to changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium, the changes can be accurately measured by spectroscopy of these hybrid modes. Multichannel capability is achieved by employing a sequence of Bragg gratings of different periods and their reading via the wavelength division multiplexing. Theoretical analysis and optimization based on the coupled-mode theory (CMT) is carried out and performance characteristics of the sensor are determined.

Inherited Lack of Transcobalamin II in Serum and Megaloblastic Anaemia: a Further Patient

Abstract: Summary. We have studied a patient, unrelated to the patients previously described, with inherited lack of the vitamin B12 binding protein Transcobalamin II. Severe haematological abnormalities were found within a few weeks of birth and responded to treatment with both vitamin B12 and folic acid. He was maintained in partial remission with such treatment until adolescence, except for a time in early childhood when folic acid alone was given and he suffered severe neurological deterioration. At the age of 18 years he was admitted to hospital because of convulsions; the deoxyuridine suppression test showed intracellular deficiency of B12 despite a normal serum B12 and normal haemoglobin concentration. His serum failed to promote the uptake of radioactive B12 by bone marrow cells, and analysis of serum B12 binding proteins demonstrated the lack of Transcobalamin II. Treatment with injections of 1000 μg of B12 three times weekly corrected the abnormality shown in the deoxyuridine suppression test; following this treatment, together with changes in anticonvulsive therapy, he remains healthy without occurrence of further convulsions, and is haematologically normal.

Trading strategies in the Italian interbank market

Abstract: Using a data set which includes all transactions among banks in the Italian money market, we study their trading strategies and the dependence among them. We use the Fourier method to compute the variance–covariance matrix of trading strategies. Our results indicate that well defined patterns arise. Two main communities of banks, which can be coarsely identified as small and large banks, emerge.

Observations on the development of congestive heart failure in Irish wolfhounds with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abstract: Records of previous electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic examinations of 39 Irish wolfhounds with cardiac failure, obtained during a 10-year survey, were examined to establish whether previously detected abnormalities might be prognostic indicators for the development of congestive heart failure (CHF) due to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in later life. Eighteen dogs (46 per cent) had had atrial fibrillation (AF) at their first examination. Other ECG abnormalities detected at previous examinations were ventricular and supraventricular premature contractions, first and second degree atrioventricular block, P mitrale and left anterior fascicular and right bundle branch blocks. All 39 dogs had developed AF by the time of onset of CHF. The mean age at which CHF was diagnosed was 77 months in males and 86 months in females. The mean age at which AF was first detected was 45 months in males and 59 months in females, and the mean time from the first detection of AF to CHF was 27 months in males and 24 months in females. Previous echocardiographic examinations in eight dogs, over a period of up to five years, revealed progressive left atrial and left ventricular dilatation. Fractional shortening was reduced to below the normal range at the onset of CHF compared with previous examinations in three cases but increased in five. It appears, therefore, that certain ECG abnormalities, especially AF, and/or progressive ventricular and atrial dilatation, may be indicators of 'occult' DCM in wolfhounds.