Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis

A microscale Western blotting system based on separating sodium-dodecyl sulfate protein complexes by capillary gel electrophoresis followed by deposition onto a blotting membrane for immunoassay is described. In the system, the separation capillary is grounded through a sheath capillary to a mobile X-Y translation stage which moves a blotting membrane past the capillary outlet for protein deposition. The blotting membrane is moistened with a methanol and buffer mixture to facilitate protein adsorption. Although discrete protein zones could be detected, bands were broadened by ～1.7-fold by transfer to membrane. A complete Western blot for lysozyme was completed in about one hour with 50 pg mass detection limit from low microgram per milliliter samples. These results demonstrate substantial reduction in time requirements and improvement in mass sensitivity compared to conventional Western blots. Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis shows promise to analyze low volume samples with reduced reagents and time, while retaining the information content of a typical Western blot.     

The effect of microwaves on nutrient value of foods

Microwave cooking has gained considerable importance as an energy‐saving, convenient, and time‐saving cooking method. This article reviews the state of the art of microwave cooking and the existing published data on the effects of microwave cooking on nutritive values of moisture, protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals, and vitamins. Most reports indicated that microwave cooking resulted in higher moisture losses compared with conventional methods. Overall, the nutritional effects of microwaves on protein, lipid, and minerals appear minimal. There is no report on the effects of microwaves on carbohydrate fraction in foods. A large amount of data is available on the effects of microwaves on vitamins. It is concluded that there are only slight differences between microwave and conventional cooking on vitamin retention in foods. In conclusion, no significant nutritional differences exist between foods prepared by conventional and microwave methods. Any differences reported in the literature are minimal.     

Dose-dense therapy with weekly 1-hour paclitaxel infusions in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel administered as a 1-hour infusion on weekly basis, without interruption, to patients with metastatic breast cancer who had received prior therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with metastatic breast cancer received sustained weekly paclitaxel therapy at an initial dose of 100 mg/m2 until disease progression. Prior therapy included adjuvant only (n=17), metastatic only (n=7), or both (n=6). Eighteen patients had received prior anthracycline therapy, 12 of whom had demonstrated progression of disease within 12 months of it. All patients were assessable for efficacy; 29 patients were assessable for toxicity. Pharmacokinetic studies of paclitaxel were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 469 weekly paclitaxel infusions were administered to 30 patients (median, 14 infusions/patient). The median delivered dose-intensity was 91 mg/m2/wk (range, 80 to 108). The overall response rate was 53% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34% to 72%), with 10% complete responses (CRs) and 43% partial responses (PRs). Median response duration was 7.5 months (range, 2 to 11+). Responses were observed in nine of 18 (50%) patients with prior anthracycline therapy, including six of 12 (50%) with disease progression on anthracycline within 1 year (three of four within 6 months). Therapy was well tolerated and remarkable for a lack of overall and cumulative myelosuppression. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in four patients; febrile neutropenia was not observed. Peripheral neuropathy prohibited dose escalation above 100 mg/m2, and grade 3 neuropathy was observed in two of 21 patients at < or = 100 mg/m2. CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel therapy is active and well tolerated in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Weekly therapy should be considered as a current clinical option for these patients and should be incorporated into future comparative clinical trials.     

Effects of parent involvement in isolation or in combination with peer tutoring on student self-concept and mathematics achievement.

The present study examined the effects of a home-based, parent involvement (PI) intervention and the reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT) intervention on the self-concept and mathematics achievement of academically at-risk urban elementary school students. Seventy-two 4th- and 5th-grade students evidencing difficulties in mathematics were selected. Students were assigned randomly to 3 conditions: PI?+?RPT, PI, and practice control (PC). Student self-concept reports showed that students in the PI?+?RPT and PI conditions reported higher ratings of scholastic and behavior conduct than controls. Students in the PI?+?RPT conditions perceived themselves as more socially confident than did PI or PC students. Mathematics findings indicated that students who received PI?+?RPT displayed higher levels of accurate mathematics computations on a curriculum-based measure than PI or PC students. PI?+?RPT students also had significantly higher scores on a standardized measure of mathematics computation than PC students. The relationships between the PI intervention components and school adjustment were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward defining a neuropsychology of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: Performance of children and adolescents from a large clinically referred sample.

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is known to have neuropsychological consequences that are evident from psychological tests and measures of school failure. However, most available data are based on studies of preadolescent children. For a developmental perspective, older (≥15 years) and younger (     

Effect of composition and structure modification of SnOx films on the electron secondary emission

By the use of different r.f. sputtering parameters, SnO_x films with different values of x (0.9 ? x < 1.8) were deposited and a variety of maximum secondary electron emission yields δ_m was obtained. Values of δ_m higher than that for bulk SnO₂ were observed in the films (e.g. δ_m = 5.4 at E_m = 500 eV compared with δ_m = 3.2 at 650 eV for bulk SnO₂). A direct correlation between x (determined by Auger electron spectroscopy) and the probability that an electron escapes from the surface of the SnO_x film was found. δ_m increase with increasing O₂ partial pressure p_O2 for any r.f. sputtering power.     

How violent are fast controls?, II

For a linear autonomous system, if a state is reachable from zero in some time duration, then it is reachable within any positive time duration. However, the norm of the control that steers the zero state to the given reachable state increases as the available control time shrinks. This paper gives the asymptotics of minimalL ^p -norm controls as the time duration goes to zero; there are also some further remarks for other related norms. This author was supported in part by the NNSF of China and the Trans-Century Training Programme Foundation for the Talents of the State Education Commission of China. Part of the work was done while this author was visiting the Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee. He would like to thank Professor S. M. Lenhart for her hospitality.     

Review of studies that compare the quality of cardiovascular care in HMO versus non-HMO settings

OBJECTIVES: The authors compared the quality of cardiovascular care in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) versus traditional insurance arrangements through an analysis of existing literature. METHODS: Data were derived from all peer-reviewed studies published through November 1995 that used process or outcome measures to evaluate the quality of cardiovascular care in HMO versus non-HMO settings. A standardized form was used to extract information from each study on: condition studied, study time frame, type of study design, type of comparison groups, characteristics of patients and physicians, process and outcome measures used, data collection methods, reliability and validity of quality measurements, risk adjustment techniques, findings about quality of care, summary of other findings, study limitations, and other comments that explained the context of the research. RESULTS: Seven of the 11 studies that examined process measures for cardiovascular care in HMO versus non-HMO patients found more differences in one or more process measures that favored HMOs than non-HMOs. Seven of the 10 studies that examined outcome measures found no statistically significant differences in patient care between HMO and non-HMO settings. The other three studies presented contradictory results. CONCLUSIONS: The existing literature suggests that the outcomes of care for cardiovascular conditions do not differ between HMO and non-HMO settings, although selected measures of the process of cardiovascular care are actually better in HMO than in non-HMO settings.     

Mitochondrial DNA deletions associated with aging and presbyacusis

BACKGROUND: The membrane hypothesis of aging proposes an association between reactive oxygen metabolites and aging processes. Reactive oxygen metabolites are a normal by-product of oxidative phosphorylation and are also formed under conditions of ischemia, hypoperfusion, and as a result of environmental contaminants. Among the many detrimental activities of reactive oxygen metabolites, also known as free oxygen radicals, is direct damage to mitochondrial DNA. Progressive accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage renders cells unable to conduct oxidative phosphorylation reactions effectively, thereby leading to a bioenergetically deficient cell. Over time, mitochondrial DNA damage accumulates and leads to cellular dysfunction with subsequent organ failure, aging, and ultimately, death. This sequence forms the basis of the membrane hypothesis of aging. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the membrane hypothesis of aging may be involved in the development of presbyacusis. DESIGN: Fischer rats from 4 age groups were tested for auditory sensitivity using the auditory brainstem response. Brain, stria vascularis, and auditory nerve tissues were harvested and mitochondrial DNA was amplified to identify the highly conserved cytochrome b and ND1-16S ribosomal RNA segment of the NADH genes, as well as a 4834-base pair (bp) deletion associated with aging. SUBJECTS: Fischer rats (n=28) from 4 age groups were used: young (2-4 months [n=9]), mid-young (9-11 months [n=5]), mid-old (18-20 months [n=5]), and old (30-34 months [n=9]). RESULTS: The results demonstrate a progressive reduction in auditory sensitivity with age. The mitochondrial DNA studies identify a significant increase in the presence of the 4834-bp deletion in the aged subjects compared with the young. CONCLUSIONS: These findings raise the possibility that the 4834-bp deletion may be associated with presbyacusis, as well as with aging.