Suppression of the internal electric field effects in ZnO/Zn(0.7)Mg(0.3)O quantum wells by ion-implantation induced intermixing.

Strong suppression of the effects caused by the internal electric field in ZnO/ZnMgO quantum wells following ion-implantation and rapid thermal annealing, is revealed by photoluminescence, time-resolved photoluminescence, and band structure calculations. The implantation and annealing induces Zn/Mg intermixing, resulting in graded quantum well interfaces. This reduces the quantum-confined Stark shift and increases electron-hole wavefunction overlap, which significantly reduces the exciton lifetime and increases the oscillator strength.

An audit to examine patient views on CNS-led stoma-care services.

Clinical nurse specialists in stoma care are an important resource for patients and staff. Addenbrooke's NHS Trust undertook an audit to determine patient satisfaction with the standard of service provided in its stoma-care department. Particular attention was paid to the role of stoma-care clinical nurse specialists in care provision.

Lesbian battering: the relationship between personality and the perpetration of violence.

The occurrence of violence in lesbian relationships challenges societal stereotypes of women and traditional, sociopolitical theories of domestic violence. This article proposes that a multidimensional theory of partner abuse, which incorporates an emphasis on individual personality dynamics, is needed to more fully understand the heterogeneity of batterers. The relationship between psychopathology, sociocultural factors, and battering in lesbian relationships is examined and dynamics related to the borderline and narcissistic disorders are highlighted. In order to improve our understanding of domestic violence and provide effective treatment, we must continue to pursue critical thinking and research regarding the role of personality dynamics, and the relationship between these dynamics and other variables.

Asparagine-linked glycoprotein biosynthesis in rat brain: identification of glucosidase I, glucosidase II, and and endomannosidase (glucosyl mannosidase).

Previous studies from this laboratory provided evidence, largely based upon the presence of a novel alpha-D-mannosidase, suggesting that the biosynthesis of N-linked glycoproteins may be different in brain as compared to other tissues (Tulsiani, D. R. P., and Touster, O. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 13,081-13,087). In the present report we describe studies on the enzymes involved in early processing reactions. These studies indicate that the brain, like other tissues, contains glucosidases I and II. The two glucosidases were separated as distinct activities with some overlapping by chromatography on a DE-52 column. The differential inhibition studies and substrate specificity studies support our conclusion that, as in other tissues, rat brain glucosidase I cleaves alpha 1,2-linked terminal glucosyl residues, whereas glucosidase II prefers alpha 1,3-linked glucosyl residues. In addition to these two processing glucosidases, we have characterized an endo enzyme (glucosyl mannosidase) in rat brain. The endomannosidase cleaves a disaccharide (glucosyl alpha 1,3-mannose) from monoglucosylated oligosaccharides (GlcMan7-9GlcNAc). Little or no activity was observed when di- or triglucosylated oligosaccharide was used as a substrate. The pH optimum of the glucosyl mannosidase is 6.2-6.8. The enzyme appears to be an intrinsic microsomal membrane component, since washing of the microsomal membranes with salt solution did not release the enzyme in soluble form. A mixture of Triton X-100 and sodium deoxycholate is required for complete solubilization of the enzyme. The solubilized enzyme is eluted from a Bio-Gel A-1.5m column as a single peak with an apparent molecular weight of 380,000.

Rat epididymal alpha-D-mannosidase: purification, carbohydrate composition, substrate specificity, and antibody production.

Two alpha-D-mannosidases have previously been identified in rat epididymis. This communication reports the purification and characterization of the "acid" alpha-D-mannosidase. The enzyme was purified over 1000-fold to near homogeneity by acetone and (NH4)2SO4 precipitation followed by ion-exchange and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 220,000 by gel filtration. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the native enzyme under two conditions of buffer and pH showed a single band when stained for protein while electrophoresis under denaturing conditions resulted in bands of apparent Mr 60,000 and 31,000. The enzyme is a glycoprotein containing about 5.6% hexose. In addition to mannose (3.1%) and glucosamine (2.0%), the enzyme also contained small amounts of glucose, fucose, and galactose. Chemical analysis indicated the absence of sialic acid. The substrate specificity of the purified enzyme was investigated using linear and branched mannose-containing oligosaccharides. The enzyme cleaved linear oligosaccharides [Man(alpha 1-2)Man(alpha 1-2)Man(alpha 1-3)Man(beta 1-4)GlcNAc and Man(alpha 1-2)Man(alpha 1-3)Man(beta 1-4)GlcNAc] very efficiently. However, little or no activity was observed toward high mannose oligosaccharides (Man9GlcNAc through Man5GlcNAc) or the branched trimannosyl derivative Man3GlcNAc. This specificity is very similar to that observed with rat kidney lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase. Additional evidence that the epididymal enzyme is essentially a lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase is the fact that polyclonal antibody prepared against the purified epididymal enzyme cross-reacted with lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase from several rat tissues and with acidic alpha-D-mannosidase of a human cell line, results suggesting that the antibody will be useful in studying the biosynthesis and turnover of lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidases in at least two species.

Physician behaviour and compliance.

Four major components are involved in physician behaviour that may impact on patient compliance with treatment regimens: compassion, communication, activating patient self-motivation and shared responsibility with the patient. An attitude of concern coupled with hope and interest in the patient's future well-being effect compliance. Other facets of compliance may be outside the physician's control: factors within the patient or within the environment and factors intrinsic to hypertension in itself suggest that physician behaviour is the factor most easily controlled by the physician to enhance compliance.

Why patients should keep their own records.

Too many people now have access to confidential medical information. Patients are becoming justifiably wary and the doctor-patient relationship is deteriorating. We can avert the developing crisis by allowing patients to keep their own medical records at home. This will ensure that confidentiality is respected and that patients continue to trust their doctors.

KIE: Coleman maintains that patients are becoming less trusting of physicians, and less willing to provide personal information relevant to their care, because too many people have access to confidential medical records at the same time that the patient has no such access. The author believes that only those directly concerned with the medical care of patients should have access to medical information without the patient's consent. He recommends that patients be allowed to keep their own medical records at home, bringing them to the hospital or the physician as needed.