Two-colour liquid-crystal display

A 7-segment numeric display with electrically controlled colour has been realised which uses the field-dependent birefringence in nematic liquid crystals. The colours obtained are very bright, especially the red and green.     

The stroke syndrome of cortical vein thrombosis

Cortical vein thrombosis without sinus involvement is rarely diagnosed, although it may commonly be overlooked. We report four cases of cerebral venous thrombosis limited to the cortical veins. The diagnosis was made on surgical intervention in one patient and by angiography in three patients. Together with a survey of the published cases, the clinical and neuroimaging patterns of our patients allow delineation of several features suggestive of cortical venous stroke. Focal or generalized seizures followed by hemiparesis, aphasia, hemianopia, or other focal neurologic dysfunction in the absence of signs of increased intracranial pressure should suggest this possibility. Neuroimaging (CT, MRI) shows an ischemic lesion that does not follow the boundary of arterial territories and often has a hemorrhagic component, without signs of venous sinus thrombosis. Conventional angiography demonstrates no arterial occlusion but may show cortical vein thrombosis corresponding to the infarct, although these may also be nonspecific findings. The role of MR angiography, which is well-established in sinus thrombosis, remains to be assessed in patients with brain ischemia due to isolated cortical vein occlusion.     

Production and properties of a factor X-cellulose-binding domain fusion protein

A fusion protein, FX–CBD_Cex, which comprises factor Xwith a cellulose-binding domain (CBD_Cex) fused to its C-terminus,was produced in BHK cells. It was purified from the culturemedium by affinity chromatography on cellulose. FX–CBD_Cexcould be activated to FXa–CBD_Cex with Russell viper venom.FXa–CBD_Cex was as active as FXa against a chromogenicsubstrate and against proteins containing the Ile–Glu–Gly–Argsequence hydrolysed by FXa. FXa–CBD_Cex retained its activitywhen adsorbed to cellulose.     

Myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene expression in skeletal muscle from congenitally affected infants

Thiothrix spp., sulfide-oxidizing filamentous bacteria, were found to be a principal bacterial component of aquatic biofilms causing biofouling in selected municipal water storage tanks, private wells, and drip irrigation systems in Florida. Treatments of up to 200 ppm chlorine in the affected systems could not prevent return of the biofouling problem. The water originated from the upper Floridan aquifer and associated surficial aquifers in central and north Florida. Samples were examined where visible biofilms had a white, filamentous appearance, indicative of Thiothrix spp. The detection of Thiothrix spp. was confirmed by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and microbiological procedures. It was estimated through immunocytochemical procedures that Thiothrix spp. comprised 18% of the biofilm in the municipal water storage tanks. These observations confirm that specific biological and chemical interactions may induce physical changes leading to significant biofouling.     

Perceived parental social support and academic achievement: An attachment theory perspective.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 66(4) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2008-10478-001). This article, which appeared in the Personality and Individual Differences section was accepted for publication by Guest Editor Irwin Sarason. We wish to thank Professor Sarason for his help and to apologize for our oversight in not acknowledging this contribution.] Tested the extent to which parental social support predicted college GPA among undergraduates. A sample of 418 undergraduates completed the Social Provisions Scale—Parent Form (C. E. Cutrona; see record 1990-01422-001) and measures of family conflict and achievement orientation. American College Testing (ACT) Assessment Program college entrance exam scores (American College Testing Program, 1986) and GPA were obtained from the university registrar. Parental social support, especially reassurance of worth, predicted college GPA when controlling for academic aptitude (ACT scores), family achievement orientation, and family conflict. Support from parents, but not from friends or romantic partners, significantly predicted GPA. Results are interpreted in the context of adult attachment theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Current results of endoscopic sphincterotomy for lithiasis of the common bile duct

Between January 1989 and June 1990, endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in 308 consecutive patients with common bile duct stones (mean age: 74 years). Complete clearance of common bile duct was achieved at the first attempt in 65% of cases. This rate was significantly related to the size and the number of biliary stones. The success rate reached 97 percent after repeated endoscopic sessions (127 patients), mechanical lithotripsy (20 patients), extracorporeal or intracorporeal lithotripsy (18 and 11 patients, respectively). During the month following the endoscopic sphincterotomy, 39 patients (13%) developed one or more complications and 11 patients (3.7%) died. The complication rate was related to the time elapsed between biliary opacification and endoscopic sphincterotomy (P = 0.04) and between endoscopic sphincterotomy and total common bile duct clearance (P = 0.0007). No patient younger than 75 years died, but death occurred in 4.5% of the patients older than 75 years. Thirty patients (10%) developed endoscopic sphincterotomy-related complications. Cholangitis and bleeding were the most frequent complications (4 and 2%, respectively). Cholangitis occurred more frequently among the patients older than 75 (P < 0.05) or when transhepatic guided endoscopic sphincterotomy or intracorporeal lithotripsy was used (P < 0.005). Cholangitis led to death in 2 patients, 86 and 87 years old (0.7%). Endoscopic sphincterotomy related complications developed within 48 hours in all but 4 patients (2 patients with pancreatitis and 2 patients with cholecystitis).     

Identification of two novel LDL receptor gene defects in French-Canadian pediatric population: mutational analysis and biochemical studies

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is at least twofold more prevalent in French Canadians from Québec than in most Western populations. Although our recent data confirmed this high frequency of heterozygous FH in our pediatric population with hypercholesterolemia, none of the five established molecular defects for the French-Canadian population was detected in 29% of the unrelated French-Canadian children characterized by a persistent increase in LDL (low density lipoprotein receptor) cholesterol and a positive parental history of hyperlipidemia (Assouline et al., 1995). To probe for new mutations, six of these molecularly undiagnosed children were investigated as index patients. By using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing, two novel mutations were identified in two of these subjects: (1) 7-base pair (bp) duplication following nucleotide 681 (according to the cDNA sequence) in exon 4 (681ins7), which causes a frameshift, the introduction of a stop at codon 208, and premature chain termination, and (2) A to G change in exon 8 substituting a tyrosine for a cysteine at amino acid 354 (Y354C). A third subject carried the recently reported exon 10 mutation (Y468X), whereas the remaining three patients demonstrated various known polymorphisms with no effect on gene product. Rapid molecular assays were developed to detect the two new mutations as well as the Y468X mutation. Screening of our cohort showed heterozygosity in 1/88, in 2/88, and in 2/88 of patients for the 681ins7, the Y354C, and the Y468X mutations, respectively.     

B-mode-guided vector-A-mode versus A-mode biometry to determine axial length and intraocular lens power

Studies of nicotine replacement by 2 mg nicotine polacrilex gum (NG) have typically found that one half to one third of plasma nicotine in recent smokers is replaced. This 5-year study sought to find the extent of nicotine replacement among ex-smokers in the longer term and to identify a mechanism for this relationship. The sample was the special intervention group (N = 3923) in the Lung Health Study, a controlled clinical trial involving smoking cessation. The extent of nicotine replacement was assessed by levels of salivary cotinine. Cotinine levels of ex-smokers using NG after 1 year (219 +/- 149 ng/ml) were similar to those in continuing smokers (290 +/- 159 ng/ml). After 5 years, cotinine levels were the same for NG-using ex-smokers (316 +/- 276 ng/ml), NG-using smokers (309 +/- 240 ng/ml), and NG-non-using smokers (311 +/- 198 ng/ml). Salivary cotinine among NG users at 1 year was only weakly correlated with baseline cotinine levels prior to smoking cessation. Although NG users appear to re-establish cotinine levels characteristic of their smoking, the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear.     

A prospective randomized trial of topical soluble 0.1% indomethacin versus 0.1% diclofenac versus placebo for the control of pain following excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety and efficacy of topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the control of pain after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty informed patients were enrolled in a double-masked, randomized, comparative study and assigned to either 0.1% indomethacin, 0.1% diclofenac, or placebo treatment. Subjective postoperative pain, symptoms, re-epithelialization rate, and systemic medications were monitored for 2 days following photoablation. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo, 0.1% indomethacin solution significantly reduced pain on the day of surgery (D0) (P < .05), whereas 0.1% diclofenac did not reach a significant level (P = .46). At D0, analgesic intake by the oral route was significantly greater in the placebo group (P < .05). Severe photophobia was significantly less frequent in the group treated with 0.1% indomethacin (P < .05). Corneal wound healing was significantly delayed in the patients treated with 0.1% diclofenac at D2 as compared with other groups (P = .04). CONCLUSION: Topical 0.1% indomethacin solution helps control the pain induced by excimer laser photoablation of the cornea without any detrimental effect to the corneal epithelial wound healing.