35S]Guanosine-5''-O-(3-thio)triphosphate binding as a measure of efficacy at human recombinant dopamine D4.4 receptors: actions of antiparkinsonian and antipsychotic agents

Great progress has been made in the last 10 years in the understanding of the various types of viral hepatitis, and new viruses, concepts, therapies, preventive measures, and control strategies have been recognized. Even more agents, vaccines, and drugs will be discovered or developed in the future, and pediatricians increasingly will be expected to provide guidance to patients and to the community on the importance and use of these new tools.     

Picosecond photodiffraction in semiconductor multiquantum wells and microcavities

We study the transient gratings photogenerated in the picosecond regime in three families of structures, namely : - structures of thickness in the order of one micron, including quantum wells (GaAs/GaAlAs, CdTe/ CdZnTe). A transmission modulation due to the electric field has been observed. We show that, in accordance with our calculations, this modulation is screened faster than 10 ps at a fluence of a few µJ/cm2. - A structure including GalnAs/GalnAsP MQWS in a cavity. This structure shows a top diffraction efficiency of 2.5 × 10-² at 1.55 µm for an energy of excitation in the order of 100 µJ/cm2. The diffraction efficiency exhibits several oscillations due to Fabry-Pårot effects. By introducing cavity effects in our model, we show that the diffraction efficiency is amplified by more than a factor 2 with respect to the no-cavity case. Calculations show that the diffraction efficiency may reach 6 × 10-² around 1.625 µm, for a front mirror reflectivity of 90 %. - Structures including bulk GaAs microcavities. The risetime is lower or in the order of 1 ps while the diffraction efficiency attains 1 %, with an average power of 4 mW (i.e. an energy of 2 µJ/cm²/pulse), compatible with a commutation of packets at 80 MHz.     

Review of Psychologie de la famille.

Reviews the book, Psychologie de la famille by Monique V. G. Morval (1985). Morval presents a book with two views: the first looks at the axis of the family in light of systemic approaches and the second centers on the cycle of family life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neuropsychological and psychosocial effects of the FMR-1 full mutation: Case report of monozygotic twins discordant for the fragile X syndrome.

An extensive evaluation was conducted with 16-yr-old monozygotic twins concordant for the fragile X full mutation but discordant for mental retardation. The clearly affected twin had an IQ score of 47; 77% of her neuropsychological z scores were at least 2 SDs below average. Her sister had an IQ score of 105 and average neuropsychological performance. However, each girl demonstrated relative verbal strengths and visual-spatial weaknesses. Their parents rated each girl as having significant problems with attention, conduct, anxiety-withdrawal, and hyperactivity. The girls did not rate themselves as having significant anxiety. These findings are consistent with group data on females with fragile X and demonstrate the wide range of effects associated with the fragile X full mutation. This case report implicates the importance of a psychosocial phenotype of fragile X independent of cognitive ability level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Control of neuronal morphogenesis by homeoproteins: consequences for the making of neuronal networks

The authors investigated the relationship between plasma lipids and the risk for cortical infarction (61 cases) and transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) (35 cases) compared with matched controls. They observed a maximal increase of total cholesterol, of very low-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, total apolipoprotein (Apo), B,LDL-Apo B and Apo-A1, and small size high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and large size HDL whose separation was not possible. In contrast they observed a decrease of HDL-ApoE, a distribution of LDL in a single fraction and the presence of LDL of low weight in the group with cortical infarction with or without cardiac arrhythmias. For the first time, we describe a decrease of the HDL-ApoE/total ApoE ratio. TIA differed from the former group by a low level of HDL and the lack of abnormalities of Apo-A1, distribution of small and large size HDL, and in the distribution and the weight of LDL. These data suggest that previously demonstrated differences in LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels between patients with ischaemic stroke and control subjects may apply to patients with cortical infarction, and that in TIA there are changes in the distribution and the weight of LDL.     

Cationic ring-opening polymerization of hexamethylcyclodisilazane: General aspects and tentative mechanisms

The ring-opening polymerization of hexamethylcyclodisilazane (D_2NMe), initiated by methyl triflate in 1,2-dichloroethane, forms in the first, fast kinetic step both linear polymer and cyclic dimer (D_4NMe). Subsequently a slow depolymerization process occurs leading to exclusively cyclotrisilazane (D_3NMe). On the basis of kinetic measurements carried out using an adiabatic calorimetric technique and complementary experiments, mechanisms of both propagation, cyclization and back-biting reactions are proposed. The influence of the reaction temperature was also studied; it is demonstrated that, at low temperature, polymerization does not lead to cyclic oligomer formation. In such conditions, the polymerization presents a ‘living’ character.     

Nitrogen dioxide effect in the reduction of nitric oxide by propane in oxidizing atmosphere

The role of nitrogen dioxide in the selective reduction of NO by propane over a Cu-MFI zeolite is investigated. NO₂ and NO reductions were carried out under similar conditions of reaction. In the presence of oxygen, the reduction of NO by C₃H₈ does not differ significantly from that of NO₂. In the absence of oxygen, the reduction of NO₂ by propane occurs with a partial decomposition of the nitric dioxide molecule. Such a decomposition leads to the formation of oxygen, which is responsible for the increase in catalytic activity by comparison with the same reaction performed with NO. NO₂ formed and released in the gas phase during the reduction of NO by propane in the presence of oxygen does not play a predominant role in the catalytic process.     

Stability of ruthenium catalysts supported on TiO2 or ZrO2 in catalytic wet air oxidation

The stability of ruthenium catalysts supported on TiO₂ and ZrO₂ were studied in the wet air oxidation of aqueous solution of succinic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids taken as model effluent and on real effluents from the paper-pulp industry. Catalyst recycling experiments were conducted in batch reactor and long-term stability tests were conducted in trickle-bed reactor. In all experiments, ruthenium and support materials were perfectly stable to leaching, sintering and fouling. Ruthenium catalysts experienced a weak deactivation as they were exposed to air, e.g., in recycling experiments however the loss of activity occurred only after the first exposure and was completely reversible upon catalyst reduction. The deactivation was attributed to an over-oxidation of the catalyst surface particularly noticeable in the case of very small Ru-clusters (1 nm).     

Aerobic selective oxidation of (hetero)aromatic primary alcohols to aldehydes or carboxylic acids over carbon supported platinum

The synthesis of substituted benzaldehydes, benzoic acids, heterocyclic aromatic aldehydes and acids has been studied via the oxidation of the aromatic alcohols with air under mild pressure (<20 bar) at 100 °C, in the presence of a 1.95 wt.% Pt/C catalyst. The solvent was found to play the most important role in determining the selectivity of the oxidation products. Changing the solvent enabled tuning the reaction either to the aldehyde (pure dioxane), or the carboxylic acid (dioxane/aqueous solution without or with addition of sodium hydroxide). This oxidation method allowed to effectively oxidize many substituted benzylalcohols with various electron-releasing or -attracting groups (NO₂, Me, OMe, Cl, Br, OH, phenyl, …) and heterocyclic alcohols including nitrogen and sulphur atoms (2-thiophenemethanol, 2- and 4-pyridine methanol compounds).