Analysis of microtraces in invasive traumas using SEM/EDS.

Scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) is a proven forensic tool and has been used to analyze several kinds of trace evidence. A forensic application of SEM/EDS is the examination of morphological characteristics of tool marks that tools and instruments leave on bone. The microtraces that are left behind by these tools and instruments on the bone are, however, often ignored or not noticed at all. In this paper we will describe the use of SEM/EDS for the analysis of microtraces in invasive sharp-force, blunt-force and bone-hacking traumas in bone. This research is part of a larger multi-disciplinary approach in which pathologists, forensic anthropologists, toolmark and microtrace experts work together to link observed injuries to a suspected weapon or, in case of an unknown weapon, to indicate a group of objects that could have been used as a weapon. Although there are a few difficulties one have to consider, the method itself is rather simple and straightforward to apply. A sample of dry and clean bone is placed into the SEM sample chamber and brightness and contrast are set such that bone appears grey, metal appears white and organic material appears black. The sample is then searched manually to find relevant features. Once features are found their elemental composition is measured by an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). This method is illustrated using several cases. It is shown that SEM/EDS analysis of microtraces in bone is a valuable tool to get clues about an unknown weapon and can associate a specific weapon with injuries on the basis of appearance and elemental composition. In particular the separate results from the various disciplines are complementary and may be combined to reach a conclusion with a stronger probative value. This is not only useful in the courtroom but above all in criminal investigations when one have to know for what weapon or object to look for.

Role of fluorescence in situ hybridization in sequencing the tomato genome.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genome is being sequenced by a consortium of laboratories in 10 countries. Seventy-seven percent of the tomato genome (DNA) is located in repeat-rich, gene-poor, pericentric heterochromatin, while 23% of the genome is located in repeat-poor, gene-rich, distal euchromatin. It is estimated that approximately 90% of tomato's nuclear genes can be characterized by limiting the sequencing effort to euchromatin while avoiding the problems involved in sequencing the repetitive DNA in heterochromatin. Sequencing is being performed on tomato nuclear DNA cloned into bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is used to help direct the sequencing effort by cytologically demonstrating the location of selected BACs on tomato chromosomes. While mitotic metaphase chromosomes are too short and compact for this purpose, long pachytene chromosomes are ideal. BACs localized in euchromatin can be used confidently as anchors for the assembly of BAC contigs that extend through the euchromatic length of each chromosome arm. Another important role for FISH is identification of BACs near telomeres and near borders with pericentric heterochromatin to indicate that sequencing should not extend much further. This role of FISH is enhanced by our ability to estimate base pair distances between localized BACs and these chromosomal features. Finally, it is noteworthy that when BAC-FISH is combined with chromosomal in situ suppression (CISS) hybridization to block repeats and localize single/low copy sequences, the great majority of BACs localize to single sites. This observation is consistent with tomato being an ancient diploid.

Production of alien chromosome additions and their utility in plant genetics.

Breeding programs aiming at transferring desirable genes from one species to another through interspecific hybridization and backcrossings often produce monosomic and disomic additions as intermediate crossing products. Such aneuploids contain alien chromosomes added to the complements of the recipient parent and can be used for further introgression programs, but lack of homoeologous recombination and inevitable segregation of the alien chromosome at meiosis make them often less ideal for producing stable introgression lines. Monosomic and disomic additions can have specific morphological characteristics, but more often they need additional confirmation of molecular marker analyses and assessment by fluorescence in situ hybridization with genomic and chromosome-specific DNA as probes. Their specific genetic and cytogenetic properties make them powerful tools for fundamental research elucidating regulation of homoeologous recombination, distribution of chromosome-specific markers and repetitive DNA sequences, and regulation of heterologous gene expression. In this overview we present the major characteristics of such interspecific aneuploids highlighting their advantages and drawbacks for breeding and fundamental research.

Localization of jointless-2 gene in the centromeric region of tomato chromosome 12 based on high resolution genetic and physical mapping.

Abscission is a universal process whereby plants shed their organs, such as flowers, fruit and leaves. In tomato, the non-allelic mutations jointless and jointless-2 have been discovered as recessive mutations that completely suppress the formation of pedicel abscission zones. A high resolution genetic map of jointless-2 was constructed using 1,122 jointless F2 plants. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) marker RPD140 completely co-segregated with the jointless-2 locus and mapped in a 2.4 cM interval between RFLP markers CD22 and TG618. To chromosome walk to jointless-2, all three markers were used to screen a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and contigs were developed. Intensive efforts to expand and merge the BAC contigs were unsuccessful because of the highly repetitive sequence content on the distal ends of each contig. To determine the physical distance between and the orientation of the three contigs, we used high resolution pachytene fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping. The RPD140 contig was positioned in the centromeric region of chromosome 12 between two large pericentric heterochromatin blocks, about 50 Mb from the TG618 contig on the short arm and 10 Mb from the CD22 contig on the long arm, respectively. Based on high resolution genetic and physical mapping, we conclude that the jointless-2 gene is located within or near the chromosome 12 centromere where 1 cM is approximately 25 Mb in length.

HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behavior of pregnant Korean women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess HIV-AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behavior of pregnant Korean women before designing patient and public education programs. DESIGN: Pre-experimental cross-sectional survey. POPULATION, SAMPLE, SETTING, YEARS: Convenience sample of 409 women at six prenatal clinics in Seoul, Korea, in 1993. OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV-AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behavior. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires. FINDINGS: The women described high levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS risk factors but less knowledge about transmission of the virus, as well as attitudes of rejection toward unrelated people with HIV/AIDS; 16% provided condoms for their husband's use in extramarital sex, the primary risk behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Korean women are at risk for heterosexual transmission of HIV despite knowledge of risk factors. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Korean education programs for women should focus on modes of heterosexual transmission, care of individuals with HIV or AIDS, self-assessment of HIV-AIDS risk, and self protection.

Factors associated with hepatitis B vaccine response among dentists.

The objective of this study was to evaluate personal and immunization factors associated with serologic evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine response. A study was conducted using data from United States dentists participating from 1987 to 1991 in the Health Screening Program of the American Dental Association's annual session. This study included dentists (n = 507) who (1) received their most recent dose of HBV vaccine within the previous 10 months, (2) completed a core questionnaire, and (3) were tested for HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc) and were found not to have evidence of past or present infection. Non-responders were defined as dentists testing negative for all three markers (n = 100). Responders were defined as dentists having serological evidence of anti-HBs alone (n = 407). Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship of vaccine response to the variables sex, age, number of vaccine doses, site of vaccination, type of vaccine, and history of hepatitis. Vaccine response was most strongly associated with sex, age, and number of doses. Factors unrelated to vaccine response included type of vaccine and history of hepatitis. Adherence to the recommended number of doses and early vaccination are critical to adequate protection against hepatitis B infection of dentists, who are often exposed to blood and other body fluids.

[AIDS. The trend of HIV/AIDS and the nurse's role in AIDS care].

Since the first case of AIDS was found among male homosexuals, the AIDS related problem has been in the male homosexual population, but the AIDS trend is changing from homosexuals to heterosexuals, with the majority of cases in the general population. Even though currently the reported HIV/AIDS cases in Korea are only 324 in Korea, the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS is projected to increase greatly over the next few years. As the number of these cases increases, there will be a major strain on nursing care resources. Since there is no known cure, the only way of halting this epidemic is through the prevention of further infection. In various stages of HIV infection, different problems occur, calling for various specific services and nursing skills. Nurses must develop a strategy to alleviate the negative attitudes related to care of AIDS patients and anxiety and dislike for care of terminally ill patients. Also, nurses must be prepared for teaching the general population about prevention of AIDS, counseling individuals in risk of HIV infection, HIV testing, and transmission risks, and caring for AIDS patients using Hospice concepts in various settings.

Environmental hazard evaluation of amalgam scrap.

Amalgam scrap was subjected to two different Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extraction procedures to determine if it presents an environmental hazard. The results indicate that concentrations of mercury and silver in the extracts do not exceed the EPA's maximum allowable concentrations. It was concluded that amalgam scrap is not a hazardous solid waste. Proper handling of amalgam scrap disposal by recycling is, however, highly recommended.

Transamidase and collagenase activity in healthy and diseased human gingival tissues.

Transamidases are a class of calcium-dependent mammalian enzymes which cross-link proteins by catalyzing the formation of (gamma-glutamyl)-epsilon-lysine bonds. It is possible that these enzymes play an important anabolic role in tissue healing. This study was to quantitate transamidase activity in human gingival tissue and examine the relation between transmidase activity and degree of inflammation. Forty-four out of a total 120 collected human gingival specimens from healthy and diseased patients were selected based on histometric and microbiologic criteria. Specimens were minced and homogenized in 10 mM CaCl2 and then extracted for 30 min, in 50 mM tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5) containing 100 mM CaCl2. Following low speed centrifugation at 4 degrees C, the supernatant solution was assayed for both transamidase and collagenase activities by radioactive amine incorporation, and digestion of tritiated collagen, respectively. Appreciable levels of transamidase and collagenase activities in healthy gingivae were found. These enzyme activities were significantly elevated in the diseased and healing tissues. Unlike other transamidases, calcium was required in the enzyme extraction process.

[Study on the families' participation need for women in labor].

This study was done to suggest basic modifications in the present situation for the family of women in labour which is a separation management method. The study design was a descriptive study. The number of the subjects were 80. They were husbands, mothers in law, and mothers of women in labour who were full term and for whom there were no complications, either for the mother or the fetus. Data collection was done with a structured questionnaire which was analyzed using frequencies. The results were as follows, 1. Most of the subjects (95.0%) wanted to participate in the labour process. 2. The subjects wanted to support the women in labour by way of encouraging (95.0%), consoling (95.0%), listening to (75.0%), praying with (68.8%), hand holding (97.5%), stroking (63.8%), helping with respiration control (50.0%), maintaining relaxation (46.3%), changing position (58.8%), and illustration (58.8%). 3. The subjects answered that they expected their participation to have the effect of an easier labour course (52.5%), security for the women in labour (95.0%), and providing a better relationship between the women in labour (66.3%) and the new baby (55.0%). 4. The priority of the response as to who is the best supporter was husband, and mother of the women in labour in that order. It can be concluded that nurses maintained a management method which ignored the needs of the families of women in labour. If given consideration is to be given to these subjects, future programs should initiate ways to let the families participate in the labour process.

Human immunodeficiency virus type I. Infection among dentists.

The largest collection yet assembled of year-to-year data on the seroprevalence of antibody to HIV in practicing dentists confirms that dentists--along with other health care workers--remain at low risk for occupationally acquired HIV infection.

Factors affecting blood mercury concentrations in practicing dentists.

It has been suggested that mercury vapor may be transformed into highly toxic organomercury compounds by micro-organisms in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. If this hypothesis is correct, practicing dentists might be expected to have concentrations of organic mercury in their blood higher than that found in non-dentists. Blood mercury concentrations of practicing dentists and non-dentists were determined by means of cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Potential sources of mercury exposure were identified in both dentists and non-dentists through a questionnaire completed at the time of sampling. Concentrations of total and inorganic blood mercury were significantly higher in dentists than in non-dentists. The organomercury concentrations of the two groups were not statistically different (p greater than or equal to 0.05). The high concentration of inorganic mercury in the blood of dentists was not related to the organomercury level, suggesting that biotransformation of inorganic mercury to organomercury does not occur in vivo. However, the concentration of blood organomercury was positively correlated with the frequency of fish consumption. There was no correlation between the number of amalgam restorations and the concentration of inorganic blood mercury for both groups. Accidental mercury spills in the dental operatory may contribute most to the concentration of inorganic blood mercury in the blood of dentists.

[Factors influencing sexual satisfaction in women who have had a hysterectomy: a comparative group study].

This descriptive study was done to identify factors influencing sexual satisfaction in women who had had a hysterectomy and to compare these women who had not had a hysterectomy. The purpose was to contribute theoretical understanding on which to base nursing care planning. One group of subjects were 156 women who had had a hysterectomy, between one and 18 months post surgery, living with their spouse, having no complications, and menstruating before surgery. The other group of subjects were 282 healthy women who were living with their husbands and menstruating. The study tool consisted of 108 items including item concerning personal characteristics, characteristics related to the hysterectomy, husband's support, body image, emotions, attitude toward the sexual relationship, knowledge of sexuality, sexual behavior, and sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction was measured by a tool based on Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory. The range of the internal level of the study tool was from .5208 to .9462. Data collection was done during the period from June 20 to Aug. 20, 1989. The same questionnaire was used of data collection for both groups, but a mail survey method was used for the women who had had a hysterectomy, and an interview method was used for the women who had not had a hysterectomy. Data analysis was done using frequency, ratio, mean and S.D. for the characteristics of the subjects and level of sexual satisfaction. t-test or ANOVA was used for the differences between the groups with regard to the general and hysterectomy related characteristics. The relationship between the score for sex life related factors and the level of sexual satisfaction was analyzed using the Pearson Correlation, and the influencing factors on sexual satisfaction were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows; 1. Mean age and income level were the only general characteristics for the two groups that were significantly different. The mean age, and income level of the group who had had a hysterectomy were 45 years, and 1,150,000 won respectively, and for those who had not had a hysterectomy, 41 years and 999,000 won. 2. There was no statistical difference of the sexual satisfaction score between the two groups. 3. There was differences in the factors influencing sexual satisfaction between the two groups. Factors influencing sexual satisfaction for the group who had had a hysterectomy were husband's support (R = .5793, P = .000) and the women's Knowledge of sexuality (R = .6670, P = .000) (total variance: 33.56).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[An analytic study on influencing factors for sexual satisfaction in women who have had a hysterectomy].

This research was done to clarify the factors related to sexual satisfaction in women who have had a hysterectomy, and to identify which factors had statistically significant influence of sexual satisfaction of the subjects. The objective of this study was to identify the variables related to sexual adaptation which might be changed by nursing intervention. This was a cross-sectional descriptive correlation study. There were 230 subjects in the study, and they were selected by a convenient sampling method. The tool for this study was developed by the researcher through modification of the Dergatis Sexual Function Inventory (DSFI). A pilot study was done to determine the necessary modifications. Data collection was done between Sept. 1987 and Dec. 1987 using a mailed questionnaire. The characteristics of the subjects were as follows: The mean age of the subjects was 42.3 years and 204 (87.4%) of the subjects had nine or more years of education. The mean income of the subjects was 85.8870 won/month, and 179 (77%) of them were housewives. The mean number of pregnancies and children were 4.9 and 2.5 respectively. Oophorectomies were included in the surgery for 66 (28.7%) of the subjects. Only 12 (5.2%) were planning to have more children. Only 88 (38.3%) of the subjects had received information prior to the surgery regarding health problems related to the operation and less than half, 111 (48.3%), had received this kind of information before discharge. Lay persons were the source of information about the post-operation status for 196 (85.2%) of the subjects, but the content of the information did not significantly influence the sexual satisfaction score. Only 16 (7.0%) of the subjects said they regretted having a hysterectomy while 102 (44.3%) said they were pleased to have had a hysterectomy. Ninety (39.1%) of the subjects reported that their husbands had "stress" and 164 (71.3%) of the subjects reported "stress". The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. The mean score for sexual satisfaction of the subjects was 34.24 with a possible maximum score of 50.00. Eighty two (35.8%) were responded that they were satisfied with their sexual life but 61 (26.5%) were responded that they were dissatisfied with their sexual life.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[A study on the relationship between pre- and post-hysterectomy sexual behavior differences and the sexual satisfaction of women who have had a hysterectomy].

The objective of this study was to provide a basis for sexual counselling and education for women who have had a hysterectomy. This was a cross sectional descriptive correlation study. There were 230 subjects in the study. The time period from the hysterectomy varied from one month to eighteen months. The subjects were selected by a convenient sampling method. The tool for this study was developed by the researcher through a literature review, consultation from 36 women who have had a hysterectomy and nursing faculty. A pilot study was done to determine the necessary modifications. Data collection was done between Sept. 1987 and Dec. 1987 using a mailed questionnaire. The results of this study are summarized as follows; 1. The differences between pre-post hysterectomy sexual behavior in frequency was that all the sexual behaviors were decreased; the decreased rate of coitus was 20.7%, of kissing or embracing 10.9%, of fondling of sexual organs 8.7%, of female prone-position 3.3%, of petting 7.7%, of sexual day dream 1.0%. 2. For the low income group, the sexual behavior with the most significant decrease in frequency was fondling the sex organs (t = 2.21, p less than .05). For the housewife group, it was a decrease in the one of the female prone position (t = -2.02, p less than .05). For the group under the age of 39, it was petting (t = -2.13, p less than .05). The housewife group showed an increase in sexual day dreams as compared to the group having a job (t = -3.12, p less than .01). The group that did not received the post-op information, showed a significant decrease in kissing or embracing behavior (t = 2.73, p less than .01), and male prone position (t = -2.46, p less than .01), and also the group that did not receive the pre-op information showed a significant decrease of male prone position (t = -2.19, p less than .05), and also of petting (t = -2.95, p less than .01). 3. The relationship between sexual behavior pre-post hysterectomy differences and sexual satisfaction only showed a significant correlation for the sexual behavior of coitus (r = -2.012, p less than .001), and fondling of sex organs (r = -.1121, p less than .05). In conclusion, although there were a decrease in all sexual behavior after the hysterectomy, the difference between the pre hysterectomy sexual behavior and the post hysterectomy sexual behavior correlated with sexual satisfaction for only of the two behaviors.

Examination of blood levels of mercurials in practicing dentists using cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry.

The toxicity of mercury compounds in dentistry has been an issue of increasing concern. Relatively few data are available concerning the possible in vivo biotransformation of elemental mercury from dental amalgam into more toxic organic mercurials. The present study was designed to evaluate the existence of this in vivo pathway in dentists who work in a confined environment where metallic mercury vapor is constantly present. Two hundred five practicing dentists and 24 nondental controls were asked to participate in this study. The total, inorganic, and organic mercury contents of blood were determined by syringe-injection cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The student t-test indicates that the total and inorganic mercury levels in blood are significantly different between dentists and nondental controls at the significant level of p less than or equal to 0.05. The organomercurial levels are, however, insignificant at the same test level. This implies that high total and inorganic mercury levels are not correlated with high organomercurial levels in the blood of practicing dentists. Therefore, significant enzymatic conversion of inorganic to organic mercury compounds does not occur in vivo.

Studies of atomization from a graphite platform in graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry.

A theoretical model has been proposed for the transient characteristics of an atomic-absorption pulse generated by atomization from a graphite platform in a pulse-heated graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometer. The model has been used (with the aid of a computer program) to predict the effects of various factors on analyte atom populations as a function of time. The various factors studied were heating rate, initial temperature of the graphite tube wall, platform mass and thickness, and activation energy for the rate-determining step in the reaction sequence leading to atom formation. The results predicted by the model are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results obtained by using lead as the analyte element.

Phospholipids chiral at phosphorus: Fourier-transform infrared study on the gel-liquid crystalline transition of chiral thiophosphatidylcholine.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to study the structural properties of Rp, Sp, and Rp + Sp isomers of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-thiophosphocholine (DPPsC), in comparison with those of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). For the vibrational modes of acyl chains, isomers of DPPsC show similar temperature and phase dependence to DPPC. However, the Rp isomer of DPPsC exhibits several unique properties: the CH2 symmetric stretching band is unusually weak, the CH2 asymmetric stretching band is unusually narrow, and the CH2 wagging bands do not disappear completely at temperatures above the main transition. These differences could imply a tighter packing and be responsible for the unique phase-transition property of (Rp)-DPPsC. For the vibrational modes of the thiophosphodiester group, the frequency of the P-O stretching mode of DPPsC suggests that the POS- triad exists predominantly in the mesomeric form. This is in contrast to the structure of nucleoside phosphorothioates where charge localization at sulfur has been demonstrated [Iyengar, R., Eckstein, F., & Frey, P. A. (1984) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 106, 8309-8310]. This suggests that the different biophysical properties between isomers of DPPsC are not due to different charge distribution in the POS- triad or different geometry of charge distribution on the membrane surface. Instead, factors such as size or hydration property of oxygen and sulfur, as well as the different configuration at phosphorus, could be responsible for the differences in the conformation and packing of acyl chains, as revealed by the different properties in the CH2 stretching and wagging modes of DPPsC.