Lateral ion implant straggle and mask proximity effect

Lateral scattering of retrograde well implants is shown to have an effect on the threshold voltage of nearby devices. The threshold voltage of both NMOSFETs and PMOSFETs increases in magnitude for conventional retrograde wells, but for triple-well isolated NMOSFETs the threshold voltage decreases for narrow devices near the edge of the well. Electrical data, SIMS, and SUPREM4 simulations are shown that elucidate the phenomenon.     

Effect of postoperative mydriatics on the iris

PURPOSE: To assess the role postoperative mydriatics play after extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in causing iris modifications and in controlling inflammation. SETTING: Outpatients Department, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland. METHODS: The prospective study comprised 136 patients who had standardized ECCE. Half the patients used a mydriatic for 2 weeks postoperatively. Anterior chamber activity, pain, and eye redness were evaluated at 2 weeks postoperatively; pupil shape, peripheral anterior synechias, IOL position, and iris adhesions, at 6 weeks. RESULTS: Iris-lens adhesions were significantly more common in the group using a mydriatic. There was no difference between the two groups in postoperative inflammation. CONCLUSION: Mydriatics should not be used routinely after ECCE with posterior chamber IOL implantation.     

Importance of proximal femoral fractures in elderly patients. Results of a prospective study of 61 patients

In a prospective study we found good results concerning postoperative complications (21%), perioperative lethality (3.2%) and lethality during hospital stay (6.5%) after implantation of dynamic hip screws (DHS) in patients with per- and subtrochanteric fractures of the femur. The ability to walk, as well as housing and social care postoperatively and follow-up for at least six months after dismissal demonstrates the importance of these fractures for the elderly. One of three patients needs professional care, 21% at home, 13% in nursing homes. Six months after operation the lethality is nearly 20%, i.e. three times higher than in hospital. These are the essential data for all techniques of osteosynthesis used in patients with these fractures, which could only be documented in prospective studies.     

Nonlinear protein binding and enzyme heterogeneity: effects on hepatic drug removal

The kinetics of substrate removal by the liver and the resulting nonlinear changes in unbound fraction along the flow path at varying input drug concentrations were examined by a model simulation study. Specifically, we varied the binding association constant, KA, and the Michaelis-Menten constants (Km and Vmax) to examine the steady state drug removal (expressed as hepatic extraction ratio E) and changes in drug binding for (i) unienzyme systems and (ii) simple, parallel metabolic pathways; zonal metabolic heterogeneity was also added as a variable. At low KA, E declined with increasing input drug concentration, due primarily to saturation of enzymes; only small differences in binding were present across the liver. At high KA, a parabolic profile for E with concentration was observed; changes in unbound fraction between the inlet and the outlet of the liver followed in parallel fashion. Protein binding was the rate-determining step at low input drug concentrations, whereas enzyme saturation was the rate-controlling factor at high input drug concentration. Heterogeneous enzymic distribution modulated changes in unbound fraction within the liver and at the outlet. Despite marked changes in unbound fraction occurring within the liver for different enzymic distributions, the overall transhepatic differences were relatively small. We then investigated the logarithmic average unbound concentration and the length averaged concentration as estimates of substrate concentration in liver in the presence of nonlinear drug binding. Fitting of simulated data, with and without assigned random error (10%), to the Michaelis-Menten equation was performed; fitting was repeated for simulated data obtained with presence of a specific inhibitor of the high-affinity, anteriorly distributed pathway. Results were similar for both concentration terms: accurate estimates were obtained for anterior, high affinity pathways; an overestimation of parameters was observed for the lower affinity posteriorly distributed pathways. Improved estimations were found for posteriorly distributed pathways upon inhibition with specific inhibitors; with added random error, however, the improvement was much decreased. We applied the method for fitting of several sets of metabolic data obtained from rat liver perfusion studies performed with salicylamide (SAM) (i) without and (ii) with the presence of 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (DCNP), a SAM sulfation inhibitor. The fitted results showed that SAM sulfation was a high-affinity high-capacity pathway; SAM glucuronidation was of lower affinity but comparable capacity as the sulfation pathway, whereas SAM hydroxylation was of lower affinity and lower capacity.     

Process issues in treatment: Application to sexual offender programs.

How critical is the therapeutic alliance in the treatment of sexual offenders? To date such process issues have been neglected in the field of sex offender treatment. This article reviews the literature on the influence on behavior change of therapist features, clients' perceptions, and the therapeutic alliance. Among the many therapist features identified as helpful are empathy, warmth, and being directive and rewarding. Therapists who are aggressively confrontational appear not to foster beneficial changes in their clients. These issues are directly related to treatment issues faced by therapists who work with sexual offenders, such as dealing with cognitive distortions, lack of empathy, and lack of motivation to change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparation of glucose oxidase immobilized in different carriers using radiation polymerization

Glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) was immobilized on different polymeric materials using different immobilization techniques (entrapping by γ‐irradiation, and covalent binding using epichlorohydrin). Studies were carried out to increase the thermal stability of glucose oxidase (GOD) for different applications. The activity and stability of the resulting biopolymers have been compared with those of free GOD. The effect of different polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylamide (PVA/PAAm) compositions of the copolymer carrier on the enzymatic activity of the immobilized GOD was studied. The maximum enzymatic activity was obtained with the composition ratio of PVA/PAAm of 60:40. The behaviour of the free and immobilized enzyme was analysed as a function of pH. A broadening in the pH profile (5.5–8) was observed for immobilized preparations. The activity and stability of the resulting biopolymers produced by immobilization of GOD onto different carriers have been compared, in both aqueous and organic media, with those of the free GOD. The enzyme's tolerance toward both heat and organic solvent was enhanced by immobilization onto polymers. The addition of different concentrations of organic solvents (10–50%, v/v) to the enzyme at higher temperature (60 °C) was found to stabilize the enzyme molecule. The strongest stabilizing effect on the enzymatic activity was achieved at a concentration of 10%. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry