Mid-infrared GaSb-based EP-VCSELl emitting at 2.63 μm

Electrically-pumped GaSb-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers emitting up to 2.63 μm at room temperature are reported. The whole structure was grown monolithically in one run by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. This heterostructure is composed of two n-doped AlAsSb/GaSb DBRs, a type-I GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb multiquantum- well active region and an InAsSb/GaSb tunnel junction. A quasi-CW (1 μs, 5 %) operation was obtained at room temperature for 35 μm-diameter devices with threshold current of 85 mA.     

Air damping of high performance resonating micro-mirrors with angular vertical comb-drive actuators

Microsystem Technologies - The maximum scan angle amplitude of resonating micro-mirrors, intended for micro-projection display applications is limited by air damping. Three-dimensional transient...     

Linkage of proximal myotonic myopathy to chromosome 3q

We performed genetic linkage analysis in nine German proximal myotonic myopathy (PROMM) families using DNA-markers D3S1541 and D3S1589 from the region of the recently discovered gene locus of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) on chromosome 3q. Two-point analysis supplied an lod score of 5.9. We conclude that a gene causing PROMM is located on chromosome 3q. PROMM and DM2 may be allelic disorders or may be caused by closely linked genes.     

Molecular and phenotypic characterization of genotypic Candida albicans subgroups and comparison with Candida dubliniensis and Candida stellatoidea

There have been increased reports of the isolation of unusual genotypic groups of Candida albicans (groups C and D) based on a well-defined genotypic method; this method uses cellular DNA digested with the EcoRI enzyme and the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) generated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The aim of the present study was to use additional molecular tools to characterize these unusual strains and to compare them with authentic strains of C. dubliniensis, a recently delineated species, and type I C. stellatoidea. The RFLPs of PCR products generated from the intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) region did not differentiate among C. albicans genotypes A, B, and C and type I C. stellatoidea. However, this method did differentiate the C. albicans genotype D strains, which were identical to C. dubliniensis. The RFLPs generated by HaeIII digestion of the PCR products of the V3 region of the 25S rRNA gene (rDNA) could differentiate the same groups as RFLP analysis of the PCR amplicon of the ITS region. C. albicans genotype B isolates have been shown to have a transposable intron in the 25S rDNA, whereas genotype A isolates do not; C. dubliniensis strains also have an intron that is larger than that in genotype B C. albicans strains but that is in the same location. PCR designed to span this region resulted in a single product for C. albicans genotype A (450 bp), B (840 bp), type 1 C. stellatoidea (840 bp), and C. dubliniensis (1,080 bp), whereas the C. albicans genotype C isolates had two major products (450 and 840 bp). All C. albicans genotype D isolates gave a PCR product identical to that given by C. dubliniensis. These results indicate that those strains previously designated C. albicans genotype D are in fact C. dubliniensis, that no differences were found between type 1 C. stellatoidea and C. albicans genotype B strains, and that the C. albicans genotype C strains appear to have the transposable intron incompletely inserted throughout the ribosomal repeats in their genomes. The results of the antifungal susceptibility testing of 105 of these strains showed that, for fluconazole, strains of C. dubliniensis were significantly more susceptible than strains of each of the C. albicans genotypes (genotypes A, B, and C). The flucytosine susceptibility results indicated that strains of C. albicans genotype A were significantly less susceptible than either C. albicans genotype B or C. albicans genotype C strains. These results indicate that there is a correlation between the Candida groups and antifungal susceptibility.     

Cloning and characterization of a novel upstream untranslated exon of the mouse Fgf-1 gene

Several recent studies have reported that there is an imbalance of increased oxidant status and decreased antioxidant system in women with preeclampsia and that factor might contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. The following study examined blood levels of some of the antioxidants (glutathione, glutathione-peroxidase and -SH groups) as markers of lipid peroxidation in women with preeclampsia compared with normal gestation. Blood levels of these antioxidants were found significantly decreased in women with preeclampsia, which allowed us to speculate that there were abnormally increased levels of lipid peroxides. We believe that lipid peroxides are toxic compounds that damage endothelial cells, increase peripheral vasoconstriction and increase thromboxane synthesis and decrease prostacyclin synthesis. We consider that lipid peroxides are not the cause but the effect of oxidative stress induced by ischaemic placenta and leukocytes activation, so the contribute but not induce pathogenesis in preeclampsia.     

A program system interpreting recording of long-latency evoked potentials

An algorithm and a personal computer program for automatic distinguishing between EEC records containing evoked and no potentials, based on the detected invariants reflecting experts' experience in evoked potential analysis have been developed. The efficiency of the programme (its high accuracy and speed, low volume) has been demonstrated in the system for automatic determination of the hearing level by long-latent evoked potentials. It is easily modifiable to identify evoked potentials from other modalities (visual, somatosensory ones) in the systems using the traditional and/or up-to-date computerized EEC equipment.     

Elegant emergency medicine

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension due to a spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a rare but increasingly recognized cause of postural headaches. The exact cause of these CSF leaks often remains unknown. The authors treated a 32-year-old man with a unique cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. He suffered an excruciating headache that was exacerbated by his being in an upright position. The results of four-vessel cerebral angiography were negative; however, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain revealed pachymeningeal enhancement and hindbrain herniation. A presumptive diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension was made. Myelography revealed extrathecal contrast material ventral to the cervical spinal cord as well as an unusual midline bone spur at C5-6. The patient's symptoms did not resolve with the application of epidural blood patches, and he subsequently underwent an anterior approach to the C5-6 spur. After discectomy, a slender bone spur that had pierced the thecal sac was found. After its removal, the dural rent was closed using two interrupted prolene sutures. The patient was discharged home 2 days later. On follow up his symptoms had resolved, and on MR imaging the pachymeningeal enhancement had resolved and the cerebellar herniation had improved slightly.