Extensive Treatments Research Articles

Treatment of Cystic Epithelial Downgrowth With Intralesional Administration of Mitomycin C

To report a case of postoperative cystic epithelial downgrowth treated with needle aspiration and intralesional administration of mitomycin C. Case report. A 60-year-old woman with a history of right cataract surgery 7 years ago presented with decreased vision of 1/60. The reduced vision was diagnosed secondary to a large acquired cystic epithelial downgrowth on the surface of the iris occluding the pupil. The cystic epithelial downgrowth was treated with aspiration and intralesional administration of mitomycin C solution. There was no evidence of recurrence on follow-up 1 year after the procedure. Treatment of acquired cystic epithelial downgrowth with needle aspiration and intralesional administration of mitomycin C resulted in a satisfactory outcome without undertaking more extensive and invasive surgical treatments.

Natural history of treatment outcomes of permanent first molars: A study of sealant effectiveness

Few studies have used insurance claims data to retrospectively assess the natural history--a natural process or flow of events without any special interventions--and treatment outcomes of teeth with dental sealants. The authors constructed treatment outcome trees (TOTs) from the Iowa Medicaid claims and eligibility data (1996-2000) of continuously enrolled 6-year-old children who routinely used Medicaid dental services. The authors used the TOTs to compare the restorative treatments of sealed permanent first molars with those of nonsealed permanent first molars. Forty percent of routine utilizers received a sealant during the four-year period. Overall, 25 percent of molars received at least one restoration. Sealed molars were less likely to receive further restorative treatment than were nonsealed molars (13 versus 29 percent). Sealed molars had fewer extensive restorative treatments (crowns, endodontic therapy and extractions) than did nonsealed molars. The median time to restorative treatment of the sealed molars also was greater than that of the nonsealed molars. All four first molars had comparatively similar patterns of subsequent care. Permanent first molars with sealants received less subsequent restorative treatment than did those without sealants. TOTs are useful tools for identifying necessary outcome information needed for program evaluations. Greater use of sealants could reduce the need for subsequent treatment and prolong the time until treatment may be necessary for permanent first molars.

Long-term impacts of extensification of grassland management on biodiversity and productivity in upland areas. A review

Modern rural policies that incorporate agricultural and environmental aims within the broader framework of sustainable rural development are being formulated to address the problem of declines in grassland biodiversity and the destruction of sensitive landscapes and habitats in Europe. Extensification is the process of reducing fertiliser inputs, management intensity and stocking rates, and is central to these sustainable rural policies. However, research in the Less Favoured Areas of Europe has been fragmented and highly variable reflecting the different uses and requirements of our upland areas. Information is needed to determine the nature and timescale of changes in such systems, and whether extensive management is sustainable in the long-term. This paper presents results from a range of grassland extensification experiments across Europe, mainly within the European Union, over the past 30 years that quantify the impacts on soil, plant and animal components of the system. All have the common theme of changing the focus of land management from solely the agricultural product to include a broader range of ecological and environmental objectives. Beneficial changes in biodiversity resulted from more extensive management treatments, but at the cost of reductions in total animal output, and in some cases a reduction in individual animal performance. However, it is clear that it is a long-term process to achieve many of these changes in biodiversity, and this must be recognised by policy makers. We recommend that future extensification studies adopt an approach that will allow their results to be applied throughout Europe.

Short-term changes in soil nutrients and vegetation biomass and nutrient content following the introduction of extensive management in upland sown swards in Scotland, UK

Agri-environmental policy changes promote more extensive grazing management but the temporal responses of soil nutrients and vegetation biomass and quality to reductions in grazing intensity are still unresolved. We measured soil nutrients and the biomass and nutrient content of vegetation over 5 years following the introduction of extensive management treatments at three sites in Scotland, UK. Five unfertilised treatments, representing different levels of extensive management, were established on existing sown perennial ryegrass/white clover swards. One treatment was ungrazed (UN) and the others had sward surface height treatments of 4 or 8 cm during two grazing season treatments, summer and autumn, within each year in a factorial combination (4/4, 4/8, 8/8, 8/4 cm). A further treatment, representative of current more intensive systems, received an annual total of 140 kg N ha−1 plus maintenance P and K and was grazed by sheep to maintain a sward surface height of 4 cm (4F). When compared with more intensive management, there was little effect of 5 years of extensive management on soil nutrients at any of the three sites. The extensive treatments created swards with different above-ground biomass during the season, thus changing the balance between the litter and excretal routes for the recycling of plant nutrients. When expressed relative to treatment 4F, the proportion of live dry mass and N, P and K contents in sown species was on average higher in swards maintained at 4 cm in summer than at 8 cm, and there was evidence of a decline over time in the latter treatments. The proportion of unsown species in live mass increased over time in the unfertilised treatments, and the increase was most rapid in the ungrazed treatment. Nutrient contents of the vegetation in unfertilised swards were lower than those in fertilised swards, and changes over 5 years in the different management treatments differed between sites. However nutrient contents remained above levels that could adversely affect sheep performance throughout this period. Agri-environment schemes that promote extensive grazing management will change vegetation biomass and nutrients but are unlikely to reduce soil nutrients in the short term.

Brain cancer and sexual health: A case report

Cancer patients often encounter sexual concerns during the diagnosing, treatment, and recovery phase of their illness. However, the sexual concerns of these patients are often overlooked. Brain cancer patients are no exception to this oversight. A case report of a 39-year-old patient with a history of high-grade anaplastic astrocytoma presented to the Sexual Health Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center complaining of vaginal discharge and several months of amenorrhea. Although the patient was administered extensive aggressive antineoplastic treatments, her disease rapidly progressed. Despite the patient's terminal illness she continued to have normal sexual thoughts, feelings, and desires; however, she had difficulty discussing these issues with her partner and caregiver, who was her mother. An examination by the sexual medicine gynecologist noted no clinical signs of genital infections; however, there was minimal vaginal atrophy. Her sexual health laboratory evaluation was extensively abnormal. Her treatment consisted of intravaginal non-hormonal moisturizers and vaginal lubricants, counseling, and sexual education. The patient successfully engaged in sexual contact with her partner by the third counseling session. Almost all oncology patients have sexual concerns during or following cancer treatment. These patients should be referred to comprehensive sexual health programs for treatment, if available.

Facial psoriasis: comparison of patients with and without facial involvement

Background Facial involvement in psoriasis has received little attention in standard descriptions of the disease because the face has long been thought of as rarely involved. A few reports have suggested that facial involvement might be a sign of severe psoriasis. However, there have been no comparison studies on the severity of psoriasis between patients with and without facial involvement. Objective We sought to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of facial involvement, and to compare the severity of psoriasis between the patients with and without facial psoriasis. Methods A total of 282 consecutive patients with psoriasis seen in our psoriasis clinic between May 2002 and November 2002 were enrolled in this study. Results Facial involvement was a marker of severe psoriasis. The face was often involved for patients with long duration or early onset of disease; with nail or joint involvement; and those requiring more extensive treatments. Patients with facial involvement were found to have more frequent pruritus, positive family history, and history of Koebner response. Conclusion Early recognition of facial psoriasis as a marker of severe disease can contribute to treatment of patients with psoriasis.

Weekly administration of docetaxel in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer: a pilot study on Japanese patients.

Although treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is difficult, a single-agent weekly dose of docetaxel has been reported as a promising regimen for patients with HRPC. The purpose of this study was the investigation of the efficacy of docetaxel for Japanese patients with HRPC. Ten patients with HRPC were treated with weekly docetaxel at Tsukuba University Hospital and were evaluated for the responses with respect to serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), tumor size and survival. Considering the ethnic balance, the dose of docetaxel was reduced to 30 mg/m(2) weekly compared with 36 mg/m(2) in the study reported previously. A biochemical response (>50% decrease in PSA) was observed in five patients (56%; 5/9) with an average time to progression of 4.5 months. In two partial responders as determined by PSA, respective metastatic lesions in bone and soft tissue were also improved. The estimated median survival duration was 6 months. Most of these responses were accompanied by a significant reduction in the requirement for analgesic agents. No severe toxicity of this regimen was observed, except for gastric ulcer in one patient who was excluded from the evaluation. Weekly administration of docetaxel as a single agent was associated with a high rate of PSA reduction. This treatment is feasible for patients with HRPC, even those who have a poor performance status and extensive prior treatments.

F. Scott Fitzgerald in the twenty-first century

This thought-provoking collection explores significant new facets of an American author of lasting international stature. As the author of some of the most compelling short stories ever written, two of the central novels in American literature, and some of the most beautiful prose ever penned, F. Scott Fitzgerald is read and studied all over the world. Sixty-two years after his death, his works - protean, provocative, multilayered, and rich - continue to elicit spirited responses. This collection grew out of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Conference that convened in Princeton at the centennial of this author's birth. Bringing together dozens of the world's leading scholars and commentators, the conference and the book celebrate the ever-growing legacy of Fitzgerald's art. The subjects of these 19 essays reflect the contributors' wish to shine new light on less-frequently discussed aspects of Fitzgerald's work. Topics include Fitzgerald's Princeton influences and his expression of Catholic romanticism; his treatments of youth culture, the devil, and waste; parallels in the work of Mencken, Cather, and Murakami; and the ways gender, pastoral mode, humor, and the Civil War are variously presented in his work. One illustrated summary examines Fitzgerald's effect on popular culture through his appearance in the comics. Two broad overviews - one on Fitzgerald's career and another on the final developments in the author's style - round out the collection. The international scope of the contributors to this volume reflects Fitzgerald's worldwide reputation and appeal. With extensive treatments of This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Last Tycoon, and the Pat Hobby stories, this collection makes an unusual and significant contribution to the field of Fitzgerald studies.

Clinically Significant Facial Edema After Extensive Treatment With Purpura-Free Pulsed-Dye Laser

BACKGROUND Long-pulsed pulsed-dye lasers permit treatment of facial erythema and telangiectasia with purpura-free technique, which may be more comfortable for the patient than purpura-inducing treatment. However, there are anecdotal reports of treatment-associated discomfort even when purpura is not elicited. OBJECTIVE To determine whether patients experience clinically significant erythema, edema, and pain after purpura-free treatment with pulsed-dye laser. METHODS In this prospective, controlled study, subjects included 15 patients who were undergoing purpura-free treatment of diffuse erythema and fine telangiectasia of at least half the facial surface area with purpura-free pulsed-dye, and it included 15 age, gender, and skin-type matched control subjects who were undergoing similar treatments but with the induction of trace to mild purpura. Patients were seen in person and were surveyed by phone regarding symptoms and signs during their postoperative courses. RESULTS Postoperative erythema of a mean 3.3-days duration and 3.4/5.0 intensity was reported by 73% (11 of 15) of the purpura-free patients. Among purpura patients, the duration was 5.6 days. The intensity was 4.0, and again, 73% of patients reported this finding. Postoperative edema occurred among 87% of purpura-free patients, but such edema occurred in all of the purpura patients, in whom it lasted longer and was more intense. Symptomatic eye swelling and uncom-fortable/painful edema were seen in 27% and 20%, respectively, of purpura-free patients, but in 40% and 53% of purpura patients. Among purpura-free patients receiving fewer than 250 laser pulses per treatment, erythema and edema lasted less than 1 day and 2.5 days, whereas the mean durations were 3.4 and 5.0 days for purpura-free patients receiving greater than 250 pulses. CONCLUSION Extensive purpura-free treatment for erythema and telangiectasia of the face with the long-pulsed pulsed-dye laser can lead to clinically significant erythema, edema, and discomfort in patients. The duration, magnitude, and frequency of these undesired effects are markedly less with purpura-free treatment compared with purpura-inducing treatment and are also less for less extensive purpura-free treatments.

Physical functioning of elderly cancer patients prior to diagnosis and following initial treatment.

Using an instrument to measure physical functioning that was normed to the U.S. population, data were obtained from patients with a new diagnosis of breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. Two questions were addressed: (a) after controlling for age, and number of comorbid conditions, do site and stage of cancer predict functional limitations prior to diagnosis; (b) using age adjusted national norms on physical functioning, how well do age, number of comorbid conditions, stage, treatment and cluster of symptoms (pain, fatigue, and insomnia) explain changes in physical function between 3 months prior to and 8 weeks following diagnosis? Patients 65 years of age and older were accrued from 24 community oncology settings. Consenting patients were interviewed within 8 weeks of initial treatment. The SF-36 was used to measure physical functioning. Comorbidity and symptom experience were assessed through patient report and site and stage of cancer from record audits. Prior to diagnosis of cancer, patients were comparable in physical functioning to the U.S. population aged 55-64, a full decade younger than the sample of cancer patients. Site and stage of disease did not account for variations in physical functioning prior to diagnosis. Compared against national norms, patients with more extensive treatments (surgery plus adjuvant therapy) reported greater loss in functioning. Pain, fatigue, and insomnia had a consistent and significant effect on losses in functioning unrelated to patients' treatments or their comorbid conditions. Site and stage of cancer prior to diagnosis do not affect functioning. Older cancer patients report higher functioning than their counterparts in the U.S. population. Changes in functioning following diagnosis varied by cancer site. Treatments were related to loss in functioning, but comorbidity was not. Pain, fatigue, and insomnia were significant and independent predictors of change in patient functioning. This underscores the importance of interventions to manage symptoms early in the course of treatment for individuals.

Needle aspiration and endodiathermy treatment of epithelial inclusion cyst of the iris

PURPOSE: To report a case of recurrent epithelial inclusion cyst of the iris treated with needle aspiration and endodiathermy. METHODS: Case report. A 27-year-old man with a history of congenital cataracts, congenital nystagmus, cataract surgery in each eye at 3 years of age, and a long-standing iris epithelial cyst presented with decreased vision of 20/400 in the better seeing left eye. The reduced vision was diagnosed secondary to growth of the iris inclusion cyst over the pupil. RESULTS: The iris cyst, which occluded the chamber angle and pupil, was treated with aspiration, separation of the cyst wall from the cornea, and endodiathermy. Twelve months after cyst surgery, no evidence existed of epithelial cyst regrowth. The visual function was significantly improved, although Snellen visual acuity was unchanged at 20/400. CONCLUSION: The minimal invasiveness of needle aspiration and diathermy can result in a satisfactory outcome without undertaking more extensive and invasive surgical treatments for epithelial inclusion cysts of the anterior chamber.

The Human Person and Political Life

The Thomist 65 (2001): 505-27 THE HUMAN PERSON AND POLITICAL LIFE1 ROBERT SOKOLOWSKI The Catholic University ofAmerica Washington, D.C. IWISH TO DISCUSS the relationship between the human person and political life. My remarks will be a venture into political philosophy. This branch of philosophy has been shortchanged in Catholic philosophy in the past century, during the Thomistic revival following the encyclical Aetemi Patris of Pope Leo XIII in 1879. In the departmental structure and the philosophical curricula that prevailed in many Catholic colleges and universities during the first two thirds of the twentieth century, political philosophy would usually be located not in philosophy departments but in political science. In seminary programs, there was effectively no political philosophy whatsoever. The philosophy manuals of the early and middle part ofthe century covered political philosophy, if they treated it at all, as a division of ethics. In the great manual written by Joseph Gredt, O.S.B., for example, entitled Elementa philosophiae Aristotelico-Thomisticae,2 one finds extensive treatments oflogic, epistemology, philosophy ofnature, philosophical psychology, metaphysics, theodicy, and ethics, but in the nearly one thousand pages of the two volumes, there are only some 1 An earlier draft of this paper was presented at a symposium that both honored Pope John Paul II and marked the university career of Jude P. Dougherty, Dean Emeritus of the School of Philosophy, The Catholic University of America. The symposium was held on November 17-18, 2000, and was sponsored by the School of Philosophy and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. 2JosephGredt, O.S.B., ElementaPhilosophiaeltristotelico-'Ihomisticae, 2 vols. (Freiburg: Herder, 1953). 505 506 ROBERT SOKOLOWSKI twenty pages, at the very end of the second volume, devoted to "civil society," and this brief section terminates with a two-page treatment de bello, on war. This long philosophical work, therefore, does not end peacefully, and it clearly does not offer a solution to the political problem. It is true that some of the most important twentieth-century Catholic philosophers devoted much of their work to political philosophy: Jacques Maritain wrote such books as Man and the State, The Person and the Common Good, Things that are Not Caesar's, Integral Humanism, Freedom in the Modern World (the French title was Du regime temporel et de la liberte}, and Scholasticism and Politics (Principes d'une politique humaniste}, all of which deal with politics, andYves R. Simon wrote The Philosophy of Democratic Government among other titles in political thought, but these two authors were the exception rather than the rule. At Louvain's Higher Institute for Philosophy, for example, there was no representation of political philosophy. Jacques LeClercq wrote in social ethics and social philosophy, but not in political thought as such. What was done in political philosophy added up to a relatively small achievement in this field, compared, say, with the work that was done in metaphysics, philosophy of science, ethics, and the philosophy of man. This lack of interest is rather strange, since political life originally provided the context for philosophy, in the life ofSocrates and in the writings ofboth Plato and Aristotle. The lack of concern with political philosophy should provoke our curiosity and perhaps even our wonder. At the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first, a particularly impressive group of Catholic thinkers in Paris has addressed issues in political philosophy. Pierre Manent is the most conspicuous of these, but one must also mention Remi Brague, Alain Besan~on, and Terence Marshall. Their work has been influenced by Raymond Aron and Leo Strauss. We should also call to mind the work, in the United States, of Ernest Fortin, A. A. (Boston College}, James Schall, S.J. (Georgetown}, Francis Canavan, S. J. (Fordham}, and Charles N. THE HUMAN PERSON AND POLITICAL LIFE 507 R. McCoy (Catholic University), but it is interesting to note that all these persons were or are academically "housed" not in philosophy but in departments of politics, or, in the case of Fortin, in theology. There were other thinkers who approached social and political problems, such asJohn Courtney Murray, S.J., and John A. Ryan in the United States and Denis Fahey and Edward Cahill...

Effect of varying physical properties of porous, surface modified bioactive glass 45S5 on osteoblast proliferation and maturation

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of porous bioactive glass (45S5) substrate characteristics on the expression and maintenance of the osteoblastic phenotype. We cultured ROS 17/2.8 cells on substrates with different pore size and porosity for periods up to 14 days and analyzed the characteristics of the cells and extracellular matrix. Results of the study show that the glass substrates supported the proliferation and growth of osteoblast-like cells. Although the morphologies of the cells differed on the various substrates, their shape and the extent of membrane ruffling suggested that they maintained high levels of metabolic activity. Cells on all substrates expressed high levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and produced extracellular matrices that mineralized to form nonstoichiometric, carbonated, calcium-deficient apatites. An important finding was that at a given porosity of 44 %, the pore size neither directed nor modulated the in vitro expression of the osteoblastic phenotype. In contrast, porosity did affect cellular function. We noted that at an average pore size of 92 μm, as the porosity increased from 35 to 59 %, osteoblast activity was reduced. As designed in this experiment, an increase in the porosity led to a corresponding increase in total surface area of the specimens. With increasing porosity and surface area, glass reactions in the media may persist for longer durations at higher intensities, thereby affecting local media composition. As such, we suggest that extensive conditioning treatments before cell seeding can reduce this effect. Our results also revealed that the expression of the osteoblastic phenotype is enhanced by the ongoing glass dissolution. The reaction pathway at the origin of this effect still needs to be elucidated. Taken together, the findings support the overall hypothesis that in vitro cell activity can be controlled by a careful selection of substrate properties. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 52, 783–796, 2000.

The Culture of Using Animals in Literature and the Case of José Emilio Pacheco

In his article, "The Culture of Using Animals in Literature and the Case of José Emilio Pacheco," Randy Malamud argues that the animal poetry of Mexican writer José Emilio Pacheco, compiled in his 1985 collection Album de zoología (trans. 1993 by Margaret Sayers Peden as An Ark for the Next Millennium) embodies a vast literary account of a range of animals. This book represents one of the most extensive treatments of animals by any modern poet, and one of the most sensitive and ambitious attempts to craft a discourse that facilitates an approach to animals on their own terms -- representing their authentic existence and consciousness, in a poetic that assumes and preserves the integrity and dignity of the subjects, and unlike most representations in culture and literature which clearly exploit or coopt animals in the service of our own aesthetic agendas. Malamud situates Pacheco's poetry against an unrelated but provocative strain of Mesoamerican spirituality, one that embodies a fervent conviction in the integrity and the importance of animals and "animal souls," suggesting a template for a potentially compelling trope that will allow people to regard animals in ways that transcend our cultural preconceptions.

What determines severity among patients with painful functional bowel disorders?

OBJECTIVE: For patients with painful functional bowel disorders (FBD), physicians frequently make diagnostic and treatment decisions based on the severity of the pain reported; patients with severe painful complaints may receive extensive diagnostic tests and treatments. Therefore, it would be important to determine what clinical factors contribute to the judgment of severity among patients with FBD. The aim of this study was to identify the psychosocial, behavioral, and physiological (visceral sensitivity) factors that predicted severity in patients with moderate to severe FBD. METHODS: Two hundred eleven female patients with moderate or severe FBD, as determined by the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index, entered a multicenter treatment trial at the University of North Carolina and the University of Toronto. Patients filled out diary cards and were given questionnaires and physiological testing (rectal sensitivity using barostat). Analysis of covariance and logistic regression adjusting for demographic factors were performed to determine which factors distinguished patients at study entry with moderate from those with severe FBD. RESULTS: Patients with severe FBD were characterized by greater depression and psychological distress, poorer physical functioning and health-related quality of life, more maladaptive coping strategies, and greater health care utilization. There was a trend for patients with severe FBD to have lower rectal sensation thresholds. Regression analysis indicated that severity was best predicted by behavioral features: poorer daily physical function, difficulties related to eating, more phone calls to the physician, and more days in bed for GI symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patient illness behaviors are best correlated with severity in FBD. The use of psychopharmacological agents ( e.g., antidepressants) and psychological treatments to treat psychiatric comorbidity and to improve behavioral coping styles is recommended. Training to help medical physicians identify and respond to psychosocial and behavioral features of these conditions is likely to improve patient satisfaction with their care and the clinical outcome.

What determines severity among patients with painful functional bowel disorders?

For patients with painful functional bowel disorders (FBD), physicians frequently make diagnostic and treatment decisions based on the severity of the pain reported; patients with severe painful complaints may receive extensive diagnostic tests and treatments. Therefore, it would be important to determine what clinical factors contribute to the judgment of severity among patients with FBD. The aim of this study was to identify the psychosocial, behavioral, and physiological (visceral sensitivity) factors that predicted severity in patients with moderate to severe FBD. Two hundred eleven female patients with moderate or severe FBD, as determined by the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index, entered a multicenter treatment trial at the University of North Carolina and the University of Toronto. Patients filled out diary cards and were given questionnaires and physiological testing (rectal sensitivity using barostat). Analysis of covariance and logistic regression adjusting for demographic factors were performed to determine which factors distinguished patients at study entry with moderate from those with severe FBD. Patients with severe FBD were characterized by greater depression and psychological distress, poorer physical functioning and health-related quality of life, more maladaptive coping strategies, and greater health care utilization. There was a trend for patients with severe FBD to have lower rectal sensation thresholds. Regression analysis indicated that severity was best predicted by behavioral features: poorer daily physical function, difficulties related to eating, more phone calls to the physician, and more days in bed for GI symptoms. We conclude that patient illness behaviors are best correlated with severity in FBD. The use of psychopharmacological agents (e.g., antidepressants) and psychological treatments to treat psychiatric comorbidity and to improve behavioral coping styles is recommended. Training to help medical physicians identify and respond to psychosocial and behavioral features of these conditions is likely to improve patient satisfaction with their care and the clinical outcome.

Structure and function in rhodopsin: destabilization of rhodopsin by the binding of an antibody at the N-terminal segment provides support for involvement of the latter in an intradiscal tertiary structure.

A monoclonal anti-rhodopsin antibody (B6-30N), characterized by Hargrave and coworkers [Adamus, G., Zam, Z. S., Arendt, A., Palczewski, K., McDowell, J. M. & Hargrave, P. (1991) Vision Res. 31, 17-31] as recognizing a short peptide sequence at the N terminus, failed to bind to rhodopsin when the latter was solubilized in dodecylmaltoside (DM). Of the detergents tested thus far, DM affords maximum stability to rhodopsin. Solubilization of rhodopsin in cholate allowed binding of the antibody, but the binding caused destabilization as evidenced by the accelerated loss of absorbance at 500 nm. The result provides support for the earlier conclusion that the N-terminal segment is an integral part of a tertiary structure in the intradiscal domain of native rhodopsin coupled to a tertiary structure in the transmembrane domain. Additional comparative studies on the stability of rhodopsin in different detergents were carried out after direct solubilization from rod outer segments and after extensive treatments to remove the endogenous phospholipids. Purification of rhodopsin in DM resulted in essentially quantitative removal of endogenous phospholipids. When rhodopsin thus purified was treated with the above antibody in DM and in cholate, enhanced destabilization (5-fold) was observed in the latter detergent.

Molecular Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Edition (Atkins, P. W.; Friedman, R. S.)

This text is a thorough revision of the second edition, which appeared in 1983. The new edition continues to present extensive treatments of quantum principles and methods, atomic and molecular str...

Predictors for outcome of a multi-modal cognitive behavioural treatment program for low back pain patients — a 12-month follow-up study

Low back pain patients ( n=142) on sick leave for at least 8 weeks were given a multi-modal cognitive behavioural treatment program (MMCBT) that lasted for 4 weeks. Before treatment, all patients were tested with a comprehensive test battery. The outcome at 12-month follow-up was predictable from the pretest, but only when combining medical and psychological data. Patients who returned to work (Returners, 50%) in the MMCBT group were characterised by less pain, more psychological strength, were evaluated by the physiotherapist as having a good prognosis for return to work, and were less educated. Patients who did not return to work (Non-returners) in the MMCBT group felt tense and unfit, felt hopelessness concerning the future, were less physically active, thought their complaints would worsen if they continued working, and reported fewer difficulties driving a car. Returners to work (58%) in the randomised control group ( n=81), who received ordinary physical therapy, were characterised by high levels of energy, less subjective health complaints, less exhaustion for a condition test, and did not work in positions giving a constant load on the back. There was no significant differences between number of patients who had returned to work in the MMCBT and the control group. Non-returners in the control group lacked energy, trained less regularly, worked in occupations that gave an almost constant load on the back, and did not expect to be back to work in the course of a couple of weeks. It seems to be important to develop further diagnostic tools to identify those who might benefit from extensive or specific treatments.

Effects of age hardening on magnetic and transport properties of Mg–1.3 wt% Ce alloys

A Mg–1.3 wt% Ce alloy has been isothermally heat treated at 423 K and the transport and magnetic properties are investigated. This alloy is known to have distinct age hardening behavior and its age hardened microstructure has been studied in detail. The transport properties depend on the early stage of precipitation which is difficult to define by transmission electron microscopy. The scattering sites of electrons are not identical to precipitates, but consist of strain fields induced by the precipitates, solute atoms, dislocations and vacancies. The resistivity was found to increase initially with aging time and then decrease. The highest resistivity was obtained from a specimen aged for 3.6 ks. This aging time is far less than that of 1800 ks which gives the maximum hardness. On the other hand, magnetic properties correlate with the later stages of the precipitation. In particular, the imaginary part of the magnetic susceptibility is related to macroscopic formation of precipitates. The imaginary part of the magnetic susceptibility of the alloys seems to be generated by eddy current loss. The imaginary part of the magnetic susceptibility increases monotonically with aging time but it may decrease for extensive aging treatments beyond 3600 ks.