An electron-microscopic study of Herpetomonase sp. (Leptomonas pessoai)

The fine structure of the promastigotes of Herpetomonas sp. (Leptomonas pessoai) kept in a defined medium at 28 degrees C is described. This portozoon reveals several features in common with other trypanosomatids. A membrane-bounded organelle measuring 0.2 to 0.8 mum in diameter, similar to that described as peroxisome in Crithidia fasciculata, was also observed. A large cavity, located between the nucleus and the kinetoplast and containing vesicles and small particulate material is discussed in this paper.     

Polymer thermosetting organic light-emitting devices

We report a systematic study of novel single- and double-layer thermosetting light-emitting devices (LED's) based on triarytamines for hole transport layer and fluorenes for the emitting and electron transport layer. These devices possess high-thermal stability, high-quantum efficiency, and high-bandgap emission (blue and green). We have fabricated dot matrix displays based on analogs of these materials     

Mechanism of defect formation in low-dose oxygen implanted silicon-on-insulator material

The defects and microstructure of low-dose (<0.7 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻²), oxygen-implanted silicon-on-insulator (SIMOX) material were investigated as a function of implant dose and annealing temperature by plan-view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The threading-dislocations in low-dose (0.2∼0.3×10¹⁸ cm⁻²), annealed SIMOX originate from unfaulting of long (∼10 μm), shallow (0.3 μm), extrinsic stacking faults generated during the ramping stage of annealing. As dose increases, the defect density is reduced and the structure of the buried oxide layer evolves dramatically. It was found that there is a dose window which gives a lower defect density and a continuous buried oxide with a reduced density of Si islands in the buried oxide.     

Steroid sulphatase deficiency is the major cause of extremely low oestriol production at mid-pregnancy: a urinary steroid assay for the discrimination of steroid sulphatase deficiency from other causes

A method for determining whether a pregnant woman with an extremely low serum oestriol (ELSE) measurement of mid-trimester is carrying a fetus with steroid sulphatase deficiency or another more serious disorder is described. We undertook GC/MS analysis of steroids in random maternal urine samples and quantified oestriol, oestriol precursors (dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 5-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, 16 alpha-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and 5-androstene-3 beta, 16 alpha, 17 beta-triol), pregnanediol, and five other steroids largely unaffected by pregnancy (androsterone, etiocholanolone, tetrahydrocortisol, 5 alpha-tetrahydrocortisol and tetrahydrocortisone). Thirty-two samples collected from seven normal pregnant women between the 7th and 27th week of pregnancy and 22 from individuals with ELSE were analysed. Diagnostic ratios of excreted products were developed. These included ratios of oestriol and oestriol precursors to the cumulative value for the five non-pregnancy-related steroids and ratios of oestriol and oestriol precursors to pregnanediol and to each other. Our data demonstrated high 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroid excretion in all ELSE patients together with low urinary oestriol excretion, a situation only consistent with deficiency of steroid sulphatase. The normal individuals had high oestriol and low excretion of oestriol precursors. No patient in our series showed the low oestriol levels and low oestriol precursor values that would indicate a fetal adrenal abnormality as the underlying defect.