High-level genetic diversity in the vapD chromosomal region of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori isolates from different patients are characterized by diversity in the nucleotide sequences of individual genes, variation in genome size, and variation in gene order. Genetic diversity is particularly striking in vacuolating cytotoxin (vacA) alleles. In this study, five open reading frames (ORFs) were identified within a 4.2-kb region downstream from vacA in H. pylori 60190. One of these ORFs was closely related to the virulence-associated protein D (vapD) gene of Dichelobacter nodosus (64.9% nucleotide identity). A probe derived from vapD of H. pylori 60190 hybridized with only 19 (61.3%) of 31 H. pylori strains tested. Sequence analysis of the vapD region in vapD-negative H. pylori strains revealed that there were two different families of approximately 0.5-kb DNA segments, which were both unrelated to vapD. The presence of vapD was not associated with any specific family of vacA alleles. These findings are consistent with a recombinational population structure for H. pylori.     

Einfluß von HCl und Cl2 auf die Hochtemperaturkorrosion des 2 1/4 Cr 1 Mo-Stahls in Atmosphären mit hohen Sauerstoffdrücken

Influence of HCl and Cl₂ on high temperature corrosion of 2 1/4Cr 1 Mo Steel in atmospheres with high oxygen pressures The oxidation of the 2 1/4 Cr 1 Mo steel was investigated at 773 K in oxidizing He-O₂-HCl atmospheres. The addition of HCl to He-O₂ atmospheres leads to accelerated oxidation rates. Below porous and cracked oxide scales condensed chlorides are formed. At low HCl pressures 0–1000 vppm the “active oxidation” is determining the corrosion process; i.e. oxidation of evaporating chlorides within the oxide scale. For higher HCl contents 1000–3000 vppm the corrosion behaviour changes to paralinear; i.e. simultaneous parabolic oxide growth and linear mass loss by chloride evaporation.     

Nicotine gum and behavioral treatment in smoking cessation.

120 Ss (who smoked a mean of 30.5 cigarettes/day) were assigned either to intensive behavioral treatment, to nicotine gum in a low-contact treatment, or to the intensive behavioral plus nicotine gum treatment. At each assessment, Ss reported the number of cigarettes smoked in the previous 24 hrs and provided blood samples; assessments were conducted at 0, 3, 12, 26, and 52 wks. Results show that the combined treatment produced higher abstinence rates than the other 2 conditions at all assessments. These differences were significant at 3, 12, and 26 wks, but not at 52 wks. Nicotine dependence was assessed by blood cotinine levels, scores on a dependence scale, and by number of cigarettes smoked at pretreatment. It was found that Ss with high blood cotinines were more likely to be helped by nicotine gum treatment than were less dependent Ss. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Magnetostatic wave devices for UHF band applications

Magnetostatic surface wave (MSSW) devices made with pure and gallium-substituted yttrium-iron garnet (Ga:La-YIG) films are described. These devices include nondispersive and dispersive delay lines, band-pass filters, oscillators, and resonators. By controlling the magnitude of the bias magnetic field and the temperature of operation, it is possible to tune these devices over a wide frequency range extending from 0.3 to 4 GHz and from 3 to 18 GHz using Ga:La-YIG and pure YIG films, respectively.These devices could be used in pulse compression radar, microscan receivers, complicated Fourier transform processors, and fundamental oscillator circuits. In this paper, we briefly show results for pure YIG devices tunable in C and X bands and discuss, in detail, the performance of the Ga:La-YIG devices for UHF applications.     

The Effect of Nanoparticle Shape on the Photocarrier Dynamics and Photovoltaic Device Performance of Poly(3‐hexylthiophene):CdSe Nanoparticle Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

The charge separation and transport dynamics in CdSe nanoparticle:poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) blends are reported as a function of the shape of the CdSe‐nanoparticle electron acceptor (dot, rod, and tetrapod). For optimization of organic photovoltaic device performance it is crucial to understand the role of various nanostructures in the generation and transport of charge carriers. The sample processing conditions are carefully controlled to eliminate any processing‐related effects on the carrier generation and on device performance with the aim of keeping the conjugated polymer phase constant and only varying the shape of the inorganic nanoparticle acceptor phase. The electrodeless, flash photolysis time‐resolved microwave conductivity (FP‐TRMC) technique is used and the results are compared to the efficiency of photovoltaic devices that incorporate the same active layer. It is observed that in nanorods and tetrapods blended with P3HT, the high aspect ratios provide a pathway for the electrons to move away from the dissociation site even in the absence of an applied electric field, resulting in enhanced carrier lifetimes that correlate to increased efficiencies in devices. The processing conditions that yield optimum performance in high aspect ratio CdSe nanoparticles blended with P3HT result in poorly performing quantum dot CdSe:P3HT devices, indicating that the latter devices are inherently limited by the absence of the dimensionality that allows for efficient, prolonged charge separation at the polymer:CdSe interface.     

Composite Propellant Based on a New Nitrate Ester

Composite propellants based on the solid nitrate ester 2,3‐hydroxymethyl‐2,3‐dinitro‐1,4‐butanediol tetranitrate (SMX) were theoretically and experimentally examined and compared to formulations based on ammonium perchlorate (AP). Thermochemical equilibrium calculations show that aluminized SMX‐based formulations can achieve theoretical sea level specific impulse values upwards of 260 s. Both ignition sensitivity (tested via drop weight impact, electrostatic discharge, and BAM friction) and physical properties (hardness and thermal properties) are comparable to those of the AP‐based formulations. However, the SMX‐based formulation could be detonated using a high explosive donor charge in contact with the propellant. Differential scanning calorimetry of the SMX‐based propellant indicated an exotherm onset of 140 °C, which corresponds to the known decomposition temperature of SMX. The propellant has a high burning rate of 1.57 cm s⁻¹ at 6.89 MPa, with a pressure exponent of 0.85. This high pressure sensitivity might be addressed using various energetic and/or stabilizing additives. With good performance and high density, SMX‐based composite propellants may offer a promising perchlorate‐free alternative to existing AP‐based formulations.     

Imiquimod, a patient-applied immune-response modifier for treatment of external genital warts

Genital human papillomavirus infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Imiquimod is a new agent, an immune-response modifier, that has been demonstrated to have potent in vivo antiviral and antitumor effects in animal models. The present prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of daily patient-applied imiquimod for up to 16 weeks for the treatment of external genital warts. Wart recurrence was investigated during a 12-week treatment-free follow-up period. In the intent-to-treat analysis, baseline warts cleared from 49 of 94 (52%) patients treated with 5% imiquimod cream, 13 of 90 (14%) patients treated with 1% imiquimod cream, and 3 of 95 (4%) vehicle-treated patients; the differences between the groups treated with vehicle and imiquimod were significant (P < 0.0001). For subjects who completed the follow-up period, recurrence rates after a complete response were 19% (9 of 48 patients) in the 5% imiquimod cream group, 17% (2 of 12) in the 1% imiquimod cream group, and 0% (0 of 3) in the vehicle-treated group. There were no systemic reactions, although local skin reactions (generally of mild or moderate severity) were common, particularly in the 5% imiquimod cream group. Local reactions caused two patients to discontinue treatment. The most frequently reported local skin reactions were erythema, excoriation or flaking, and erosion. Patient-applied 5% imiquimod cream is effective for the treatment of external genital warts and has a favorable safety profile.     

Ex vivo expansion with stem cell factor and interleukin-11 augments both short-term recovery posttransplant and the ability to serially transplant marrow

The characterization of many cytokines involved in the control of hematopoiesis has led to intense investigation into their potential use in ex vivo culture to expand progenitor numbers. We have established the optimum ex vivo culture conditions that allow substantial amplification of transient engrafting murine stem cells and which, simultaneously, augment the ability to sustain serial bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Short-term incubation of unfractionated BM cells in liquid culture with stem cell factor (SCF) and interleukin-11 (IL-11) produced a 50-fold amplification of clonogenic multipotential progenitors (CFU-A). Following such ex vivo expansion, substantially fewer cells were required to rescue lethally irradiated mice. When transplanted in cell doses above threshold for engraftment, BM cells expanded ex vivo resulted in significantly more rapid hematopoietic recovery. In a serial transplantation model, unmanipulated BM was only able to consistently sustain secondary BMT recipients, but BM expanded ex vivo has sustained quaternary BMT recipients that remain alive and well more than 140 days after 4th degree BMT. These results show augmentation of both short-term recovery posttransplant and the ability to serially transplant marrow by preincubation in culture with SCF and IL-11.