Psychological disorder and mortality in French older adults: do social relations modify the association?

The possible modifying effect of social relations on the association between depression and mortality was examined in a community-based cohort study. A total of 3,777 randomly selected persons 65 years of age and older in southwest France were followed over a 5-year period from 1988 in the Personnes Agees Quid (PAQUID). At study entry, the prevalence of elevated depressive symptomatology was 12.9% for men and 14.7% for women, and the reported relative isolation was 14.1% for men and 26.0% for women. During a total of 16,984 person-years of follow-up, 849 deaths occurred. Among participants with high levels of depressive symptomatology, the age-adjusted mortality rate ratio was 2.10 (95% confidence interval 1.7-2.7) in men and 1.76 (95% confidence interval 1.4-2.3) in women. When compared with individuals with the most connections, men and women with few social network connections were also at increased risk of mortality: age-adjusted rate ratio = 2.69 (95% confidence interval 1.9-3.8) for men and 1.56 (95% confidence interval 1.0-2.4) for women. Satisfaction with social support had a small but nonsignificant effect on mortality risk. For women, the excess risks due to depressive symptoms and few network connections are observed only in the 65- to 74-year age group, after adjusting for health and health behaviors. Social relations did not significantly modify the depression-mortality associations for either men or women, although the depression-mortality effect was reduced by 12.8% in men. The latter findings do not appear to be compatible with the buffering hypothesis, whereby we would expect social relations to decrease the depression-mortality association. Nonetheless, there are independent effects from these two factors, and older men who are depressed and not socially connected are at increased risk of dying earlier.     

Infrared Reflection Spectroscopy and Effective Medium Modeling of As-Anodized and Oxidized Porous Silicon Carbide

We present a study of the infrared reflectance of porous silicon carbide (PSC) formed by the electrochemical dissolution of silicon carbide substrates of both 6H and 4H polytypes. The reflectance from n-PSC, both as-anodized and passivated, is reported for the first time. The passivation of PSC has been accomplished using a short thermal oxidation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) reflectance spectroscopy is employed ex situ after different stages of the thermal oxidation process. The characteristics of the reststrahlen band normally observed in bulk SiC are altered by anodization; further changes in the reflectance spectra occur following oxidation for different periods of time. An effective medium theory model that includes air, SiC and SiO₂ as component materials is shown to characterize the observed changes in the reflectance spectra after different stages of PSC oxidation.     

Therapist experience and the stresses of psychotherapeutic work.

A questionnaire survey of 227 licensed psychologists (aged 27–76 yrs) identified 5 stress factors associated with the nature of psychotherapeutic work (maintaining the therapeutic relationship, scheduling, professional doubt, overinvolvement, and personal depletion) and 5 associated with patient behaviors (negative affect, resistance, psychopathological symptoms, suicidal threats, and passive-aggressive behaviors). Less stress was reported by older Ss and those with moderate caseloads. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immobilization of acrylamide-modified oligonucleotides by co-polymerization

A flexible chemistry for solid phase attachment of oligonucleotides is described. Oligonucleotides bearing 5'-terminal acrylamide modifications efficiently co-polymerize with acrylamide monomers to form thermally stable DNA-containing polyacrylamide co-polymers. Co-polymerization attachment is specific for the terminal acrylamide group. Stable probe-containing layers are easily fabricated on supports bearing exposed acrylic groups, including plastic microtiter plates and silanized glass. Attachment can be accomplished using standard polyacrylamide gel recipes and polymerization techniques. Supports having a high surface density of hybridizable oligonucleotide (approximately 200 fmol/mm2) can be produced.     

Application of dried blood spot specimens for serologic subtyping of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in Thailand

Dried blood spot (DBS) specimens were assessed as an alternative to plasma for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) serotyping by V3 loop peptide enzyme immunoassay. Nested PCR capable of distinguishing HIV-1 subtypes B and E was used as the reference standard. Ninety-two percent of DBS samples were typeable as either HIV-1 subtype B or E. Serotype results with DBS and plasma were identical for 254 of 257 specimens. A simple DBS collection method provides a convenient alternative for conducting HIV-1 serotype surveillance while retaining sensitivity and specificity.     

Fimbriae of Bacteroides nodosus: protein engineering of the structural subunit for the production of an exogenous peptide

The pattern of sequence variation between Bacteroides nodosusfimbrial subuits of different serotypes suggests a degree offlexibility, which might be exploited for protein engineeringapproaches for the expression of other peptides. We have testedthis using the well-characterized peptide epitope from VP1 offoot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), residues 144–159:LRGDLQVLAQKVARTL (strain 01-BFS). Using bacterial codon usage,several oligonucleotides were designed for the substitutionof this sequence internally at hypervariable regions of thefimbrial subunit (aligned for maximum homology), and for itsaddition at the carboxy-terminus with a diglycine spacer asa flexible hinge. Following site-directed mutagenesis in phageM13, the modified genes were placed under P_L promoter controland placed in a broad host range vector. Analysis of the variantproteins expressed in E.coli showed that these substitutionsaffected, to varying extents, recognition by both anti-fimbrialand anti-FMDV antibodies, indicating that hypervariable region2 is a major antigenic determinant of the fimbrial subunit andthat local stereochemical effects can influence antibody bindingto the FMDV peptide antigenic determinant. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa,viable transformants could only be obtained with the mutantgene encoding the carboxy-terminal graft. These cells providedfimbrial preparations comprised of the modified subunit. Thisthen constitutes the prototype for the development of a generalexpression system for the production of vaccine epitopes andother bioactive peptides. Furthermore, there is considerablescope for further modification of the system, for example byengineering specific chemical or protease cleavage sites forrelease of the grafted peptide. Alternatively, the fimbriaethemselves may serve as a useful supramoleuclar carrier or adjuvantfor immune provocation.     

Molecular cloning, cDNA sequence analysis, and chromosomal localization of mouse Pkd2

The gene responsible for the second form of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, PKD2, has recently been identified. We now describe the cloning, genomic localization, cDNA sequence, and expression analysis of its murine homologue, Pkd2. The cloned cDNA sequence is 5134 bp long and is predicted to encode a 966-amino-acid integral membrane protein with six membrane-spanning domains and intracellular NH2 and COOH termini. Pkd2 is highly conserved with 91% identity and 98% similarity to polycystin-2 at the amino acid level. Pkd2 mRNA is widely expressed in mouse tissues. Pkd2 maps to mouse Chromosome 5 and is excluded as a candidate gene for previously mapped mouse mutations resulting in a polycystic kidney phenotype.