Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the soluble 14 kDa beta-galactoside-binding lectin from bovine heart

The soluble 14 kDa beta-galactoside-binding lectin from bovine heart, a member of the S-type lectin family, has been crystallized in a form suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystals, in the absence of a saccharide ligand, diffract beyond 2.5 A resolution. They are obtained from polyethylene glycol 6000 at pH 6.0. Crystals grow as monoclinic plates, space group P2(1), with cell dimensions: a = 35.47 A, b = 64.33 A, c = 58.78 A and beta = 91.7 degrees. The asymmetric unit contains two molecules related by a 2-fold non-crystallographic axis. Two lectin monomers in the asymmetric unit give a Vm of 2.4 A3/Da, i.e. a solvent content of approximately 50%. The complex of lectin with the saccharide ligand, N-acetyllactosamine, crystallizes in the space group P2(1)2(1)2 with cell dimensions: a = 63.55 A, b = 82.13 A and c = 62.39 A. Crystals of this complex diffract beyond 2.0 A resolution. Two complexes in the asymmetric unit lead to a Vm value of 2.8 A3/Da (57% solvent).     

Cardiac tamponade as a presentation of primary hypothyroidism in a young woman

Pericardial effusion (PE) as a hypothyroidism associated sign, is something that can be found with relative frequency; nevertheless, cardiac tamponade (CT) as the first sign of this disease may be considered exceptional especially in young patients. We report a 31 years old woman with clinical symptoms and signs of CT that in the forward workshop was diagnosed of primary hypothyroidism as cause of the CT. We shortly describe the case and review the literature, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge of CT trigger factors in myxedematous PE, as well as its usual benign evolution with hormonal treatment, without recurrences of the CT after pericardiocentesis is performed. This justify a conservative approach, in spite of the slow resolution of the PE what can take as long as 1.5 years.     

Nonpigmented fixed drug eruption from pseudoephedrine

The biotransformation of oxazepam by Bifidobacterium bifidum was studied. The major metabolite was purified by chromatographic methods and found to be desmethyldiazepam using NMR, IR and other physicochemical data.     

Synthesis of heterocyclic metal complexes and their evaluation as marine antifoulants

4-Amino-3-thio-1,24-triazolidine (L₁) and 4-amino-5-thio-1,3,4-thiadiazole (L_II) as well as their metal complexes of the general formulae ML_I·2H₂O and ML_IICl (M; Pb(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II)) were prepared. With Sn(II), we obtained Sn(L_I)₂·2H₂O and SnL_IICl, respectively. The structures of the compounds were identified through elemental analysis, and IR and UV spectra measurements, in addition to thermal analysis in case of the metal complexes. The antifouling properties of the compounds were tested by their incorporation into paint formulations which were applied to PVC substrates and tested in water from Alexandria western harbour. When the compounds were added at 17·5% by volume, the coated panels were fouled after 3 months of immersion. The addition of 6·7% by volume of tributyltin oxide to 15·8% of the prepared compounds in one formulation elevated the paint efficiency and prevented fouling for 11 months. Paint containing solely tributyltin oxide at the same concentration was inactive against algae.     

Peer consultation groups for psychologists in private practice: A national survey.

We report the results of the first national survey of psychologists in private practice regarding their participation in peer consultation groups. The sample (71% return) was drawn from 800 randomly selected psychologists listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. We found that 23% of the sample currently belonged to peer consultation groups, and 24% had belonged in the past. Of those not currently in groups, 61% expressed the desire to belong if one were available. There were virtually no significant demographic differences between current members and nonmembers. We examined the following group characteristics: formation, length of existence, size, membership, leadership, theoretical orientation, range of experience, time and place, content, and group process. Groups tended to be small, informal, and leaderless; however, we found great variation among groups on all dimensions. Findings also showed a high degree of satisfaction with membership. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

SAR-retrieved wind in polar regions-comparison with in situ data and atmospheric model output

European remote sensing (ERS) satellites synthetic aperture radar (SAR) wind retrievals using CMOD-IFR2 are, for the first time, retrieved in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) and in Arctic coastal areas and compared with in situ observations from reseach vessels (RVs) and output from a high-resolution atmospheric model. The root mean squares (rms) of the comparisons were 1.6 m s/sup -1/ and 2 m s/sup -1/, respectively. The spatial variation of the SAR wind fields established a decrease in wind speed close to the ice edge for the late summer situations where the wind was along the ice edge with the ice to the left. This decrease is believed to be due to changes in atmospheric stability, possibly through development of an internal boundary layer caused by the cold ice cover and melt water. Lower wind speed near the ice edge is confirmed by the atmospheric model and the in situ observations. Furthermore, good results are obtained from SAR wind retrieval in leads when compared with model output during a cold-air outbreak. Routine measurements in the MIZ are useful for estimating the wind stress, and therefore SAR may play an important role in this region. Finally, the identification of a jet out from Hinlopen Strait in the Svalbard region and low wind wakes along the coast in the SAR-retrieved wind field is confirmed by in situ observations as the RV moves through the region. The jet is also confirmed by the atmospheric model, which is able to reproduce the situation.     

A 3.3-mW /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator for UMTS in 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS with 70-dB dynamic range in 2-MHz bandwidth

A quadrature fourth-order, continuous-time, /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator with 1.5-b quantizer and feedback digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) receiver chain is presented. It achieves a dynamic range of 70 dB in a 2-MHz bandwidth and the total harmonic distortion is -74 dB at full-scale input. When used in an integrated receiver for UMTS, the dynamic range of the modulator substantially reduces the need for analog automatic gain control and its tolerance of large out-of-band interference also permits the use of only first-order prefiltering. An IC including an I and Q /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator, phase-locked loop, oscillator, and bandgap dissipates 11.5 mW at 1.8 V. The active area is 0.41 mm/sup 2/ in a 0.18-/spl mu/m 1-poly 5-metal CMOS technology.     

Evaluation of a compound probability model with tower-mountedscatterometer data

Six months of data from the YSCAT94 experiment conducted at the CCIW WAVES research platform on Lake Ontario, Canada, are analyzed to evaluate a compound probability model. YSCAT was an ultrawideband small footprint (≈1 m) microwave scatterometer that operated at frequencies of 2-18 GHz, incidence angles from 0° to 60°, both h-pol and v-pol, and which tracked the wind using simultaneous weather measurements. The probability distribution function of the measured instantaneous backscattered amplitude (p(a)) is compared to theoretical distributions developed from-the composite model and a simple wave spectrum. Model parameters of the resulting Rayleigh/generalized lognormal distribution probability density function (pdf) (C, a₁ , and a₂) are derived directly from the data and are found to demonstrate relationships with wind speed, incidence angle, and radar frequency     

Electromigration-induced damage in bamboo Al interconnects

Depletion and hillock formation were examined in-situ in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) during electromigration of bamboo Al interconnect segments. Hillocks formed directly at the anode ends of the segments by epitaxial addition of Al at the bottom Al/TiN interface. Depletion occurred nonuniformly from the cathode end and stopped once the distance between the leading void and the hillock reached the critical length for electromigration at the given current density. A modified equation for the drift velocity is proposed, which includes the effect of nonuniform depletion and predicts that interconnects with nonuniform depletion are more reliable than those with uniform depletion.