The sequence and X-ray structure of the trypsin from Fusarium oxysporum

The trypsin from Fusarium oxysporum is equally homologous totrypsins from Streptomyces griseus, Streptomyces erythraeusand to bovine trypsin. A DFP (diisopropylfluorophosphate) inhibitedform of the enzyme has been crystallized from 1.4 M Na₂SO₄,buffered with citrate at pH 5.0–5.5. The crystals belongto space group P2₁ with cell parameters a=33.43 Å, b=67.65Å, c=39.85 Å and ß=107.6°. There isone protein molecule in the asymmetric unit. X-ray diffractiondata to a resolution of 1.8 Å were collected on film usingsynchrotron radiation. The structure was solved by molecularreplacement using models of bovine and S.griseus trypsins andrefined to an R-factor of 0.141. The overall fold is similarto other trypsins, with some insertions and deletions. Thereis no evidence of the divalent cation binding sites seen inother trypsins. The covalently bound inhibitor molecule is clearlyvisible.     

Accuracy of knowledge of family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Compared 292 undergraduates' reports of their parents' and grandparents' histories of 6 medical disorders (atherosclerosis, heart attack, hypertension, kidney disease, migraine headaches, and stroke) with the parents' reports. Ss also completed measures assessing frequency of contact with parents, comfort in discussing health matters with parents, and importance of health to Ss; Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale; and the Health Locus of Control Scale. Results show moderate agreement concerning the parents' health, especially when reports were negative, but substantial disagreement concerning the grandparents' health. Demographic and personality variables did not predict accuracy of Ss' reports of parental hypertension, the most frequently reported disorder. Among the disorders, differences in agreement of reporting arose; the most salient condition, heart attack, had the highest agreement for both parents and grandparents. Results suggest that caution is necessary in evaluating family health information from Ss in research and from target individuals in prevention programs. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents' knowledge of medical terminology and family health history.

Compared 309 youths (aged 10.4–15.7 yrs) and their parents with respect to comprehension of terms for 7 common medical disorders: heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis, ulcer, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. For two-thirds of the adolescents, accuracy of reporting of these disorders among the parents and grandparents was assessed. Results indicate considerable variation among disorders with respect to both comprehension of terms and accuracy of family health history. Adolescents' age was a major predictor of knowledge of medical terms. Age was not related to accuracy of family health information. Adolescents' level of accuracy regarding family health history was generally similar to that of previous adult samples, suggesting that family health information is acquired and retained at an early age. Adolescents were more accurate concerning parents' compared with grandparents' history of hypertension. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological intervention and medical utilization in children and adolescents of low-income families.

Studied the effect on medical utilization when psychological care was provided to 63 children and adolescents whose low-income families were members of a completely subsidized health program. Comparisons of medical visits were made over a 2-yr period for 3 groups: a treatment group of registrants receiving psychological services; a control group matched with the treatment group according to age, sex, ethnicity, medical utilization, and psychological distress; and a group matched only by age, sex, and ethnicity. Results indicate that registrants who received psychological treatment had significant decreases in overall medical utilization, whereas there were no decreases in the other 2 groups. Findings are consistent with earlier research but extend the pattern of results into younger populations as well as low-income families. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inaccuracy of family health information: Implications for prevention.

Highlights the relevance of family health history information for secondary and possibly primary prevention and discusses the complications of interaction of multiple risk factors, such as the lack of knowledge of family health history for adoptees and inaccurate knowledge of family health history for nonadoptees. Conflicts between the rest of the family's right to medical confidentiality and the individual's need to know about health risks for which he or she may show increased susceptibility are noted. Implications of inaccurate information for self-directed and public health prevention are discussed, and confidentiality and other reasons for maintaining nondisclosure are considered. It is contended that research and progress in prevention will likely accelerate, continuing to alter the traditional view from one of the individual with a personal health history to one in which individuals share a familial (genetic?+?shared environment?+?similar behavior patterns) risk with others, who may also benefit from preventive programs. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compression densitification of beech wood plasticized with anhydrous ammonia

Compression densitification of ammonia plasticized beech wood is shown to yeild mechanical properties comparable to the best tropical woods. Continued research leading to effective moisture stabilization of the new products is required in order to utilize the outlined production method commercially.

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Résumé Le bois est plastifié par adsorption d'ammoniac. Après désorption de l'ammoniac, la substance du bois retrouve ses propriétés de résistance. Par l'utilisation de cette méthode de plastification temporaire découverte aux Etats-Unis, on a pu montrer que le bois est susceptible de prendre de fortes courbures permanentes. L'étude décrite ici a été entreprise afin de déterminer si le bois de bouleau danois à l'état plastifé peut être densifié par compression perpendiculaire au grain de sorte qu'il constitute un matériau de construction à résistance mécanique accure. On est parti de la présomption que si la paroi de la cellule était réellement plastifiée, le bois densifié devrait montrer des propriétés mécaniques proportionnelles à sa densité après désorption de l'ammoniac. Les résultats expérimentaux ont montré que la densification par compression du bois de bouleau plastifié à l'ammoniac possède des propriétés mécaniques comparables aux meilleurs bois tropicaux. Il s'impose de poursuivre les recherches quant à la stabilisation effective de ces nouveaux produits avant de commercialiser la méthode de production indiquée.

     

Microwave systems applications in deep space telecommunications andnavigation: Space Exploration Initiative architectures

The US Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) calls for the charting of a new and evolving manned course to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The fundamental SEI support objectives are to provide the mission with means to monitor and control mission elements, acquire engineering, science, and navigation data, compute state vectors and navigate, and move these data efficiently and automatically between mission nodes for timely analysis and decision-making. Microwave links provide the means to communicate between system nodes, and the essential radio metrics to navigate; later, these probably will be augmented with optical links. The general mission telecommunications and navigation support requirements and resulting architectures for SEI mission support are described, and then the implications of these on the role of microwave technology in these architectures, particularly for Mars exploration support, are discussed