Linkage disequilibrium mapping of the gene for Margarita Island ectodermal dysplasia (ED4) to 11q23

Margarita Island ectodermal dysplasia (ED4) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by unusual facies, dental anomalies, hypotrichosis, palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and onychodysplasia, syndactyly, and cleft lip/cleft palate. We have used an affected-only DNA-pooling strategy to carry out linkage disequilibrium mapping of the ED4 gene to 11q23. Haplotype analysis of four complex Margarita Island ED4 families localized the ED4 gene to an approximately 1-2-Mb interval spanned by just two YACs.     

Cerebrospinal fluid selenium and chromium levels in patients with Parkinson's disease

We compared CSF and serum levels of selenium and chromium, measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, in 28 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 43 matched controls. The CSF and serum levels of these trace metals did not differ significantly between PD patients and controls. CSF selenium and chromium levels were not correlated with age, age at onset, duration of the disease, scores of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale of the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. Although antiparkinsonian therapy did not influence significantly the CSF levels of selenium, PD patients not treated with levodopa had significantly higher CSF selenium levels than controls (p < 0.01). It is possible that increased CSF selenium levels could indicate an attempt of protection against oxidative stress. The normality of CSF and serum chromium levels suggest that these values are not related with the risk for PD.     

Crystallization of S-layer protein lattices on surfaces and interfaces

A review is given on the structure, chemistry, and assembly of crystalline bacterial cell surface layers (S-layers). S-layers composed of single protein or glycoprotein species represent the most common cell surface structures observed in prokaryotic organisms. Isolated S-layer proteins possess the intrinsic property for recrystallization into isoporous monomolecular arrays in suspension and at a broad spectrum of surfaces (e.g. silicon, metals, polymers) and interfaces (e.g. air–liquid interface or lipid films). The well-defined arrangement of functional groups on S-layer lattices allows the binding of functional molecules (e.g. enzymes, antibodies, ligands) and particles in defined regular arrays. S-layers also represent templates for the formation of inorganic nanocrystal superlattices (e.g. Au, CdS, Pt) as required for molecular electronics and non-linear optics. Finally, S-layers can be used as the structural basis for a biomolecular construction kit involving all major species of biological molecules for applications in molecular nanotechnology, nanobiotechnology and biomimetics.     

Psychoanalysis and hypnoanalysis: A professional history and a challenge.

Describes the professional development and work of the present author, including her involvement with psychoanalysis, work with hypnosis, and clinical work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comorbidity of anxiety and depression in youth: Treatment implications.

Reviews the empirical literature on the comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders in youth, emphasizing prevalence of comorbidity, difficulties in assessment and measurement, familial factors, and developmental differences. The nature of anxiety and of depression in youth is examined (e.g., differentiating cognitive deficiencies from cognitive distortions), and treatment recommendations are presented from a cognitive-behavioral framework. Components of the treatment include affective education, enactive programming, addressing reinforcement difficulties, correcting cognitive distortions, and enhancing problem-solving skills. Peer and familial factors are discussed. Successful treatment of comorbid children relies on a flexible application of these strategies with consideration of the developmental level and particular symptom constellation of the individual child. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New diketopyrrolopyrrole based D–A–D π-conjugated molecules: Synthesis,optical, electrochemical,morphological and photovoltaic properties

Two solution processable donor–acceptor, π-conjugated molecules that consist of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) central acceptor unit with dibenzofuran (DPP-DBF) or acenaphtene (DPP-ACN) donor substituents, were prepared by Suzuki coupling reaction. The optical, electrochemical and film forming properties of these D–A–D molecules were investigated and used as active materials in bulk heterojunction solar cells.     

Polyazines and Polyazomethines with Didodecylthiophene Units for Selective Dispersion of Semiconducting Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Polymer wrapped single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been demonstrated to be a very efficient technique to obtain high purity semiconducting SWNT solutions. However, the extraction yield of this technique is low compared to other techniques. Poly‐alkyl‐thiophenes have been reported to show higher extraction yield compare to polyfluorene derivatives. Here, the affinity for semiconducting SWNTs of two polymers with a backbone containing didodecylthiophene units interspersed with N atoms is reported. It is demonstrated that one of the polymers, namely, poly(2,5‐dimethylidynenitrilo‐3,4‐didodecylthienylene) (PAMDD), has very high semiconducting SWNT extraction yield compared to the poly(3,4‐didodecylthienylene)azine (PAZDD). The dissimilar wrapping efficiency of these two polymers for semiconducting SWNTs is attributed to the interplay between the affinity for the nitrogen atoms of the highly polarizable walls of SWNTs and the mechanical flexibility of the polymer backbones. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements demonstrate the presence of metallic tubes and SWNT bundles in the sample selected with PAZDD and higher purity of SWNT‐PAMDD samples. The high purity of the semiconducting SWNTs selected by PAMDD is further demonstrated by the high performance of the solution‐processed field‐effect transistors (FETs) fabricated using a blade coating technique, which exhibit hole mobilities up to 33.3 cm² V^?1 s^?1 with on/off ratios of 10⁶.     

Technological learning in bioenergy systems

The main goal of this article is to determine whether cost reductions in different bioenergy systems can be quantified using the experience curve approach, and how specific issues (arising from the complexity of biomass energy systems) can be addressed. This is pursued by case studies on biofuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Sweden, global development of fluidized bed boilers and Danish biogas plants. As secondary goal, the aim is to identify learning mechanisms behind technology development and cost reduction for the biomass energy systems investigated. The case studies reveal large difficulties to devise empirical experience curves for investment costs of biomass-fuelled power plants. To some extent, this is due to lack of (detailed) data. The main reason, however, are varying plant costs due to differences in scale, fuel type, plant layout, region etc. For fluidized bed boiler plants built on a global level, progress ratios (PRs) for the price of entire plants lies approximately between 90–93% (which is typical for large plant-like technologies). The costs for the boiler section alone was found to decline much faster. The experience curve approach delivers better results, when the production costs of the final energy carrier are analyzed. Electricity from biofuelled CHP-plants yields PRs of 91–92%, i.e. an 8–9% reduction of electricity production costs with each cumulative doubling of electricity production. The experience curve for biogas production displays a PR of 85% from 1984 to the beginning of 1990, and then levels to approximately 100% until 2002. For technologies developed on a local level (e.g. biogas plants), learning-by-using and learning-by-interacting are important learning mechanism, while for CHP plants utilizing fluidized bed boilers, upscaling is probably one of the main mechanisms behind cost reductions.