Observation of Mollow Triplets with Tunable Interactions in Double Lambda Systems of Individual Hole Spins.

Although individual spins in quantum dots have been studied extensively as qubits, their investigation under strong resonant driving in the scope of accessing Mollow physics is still an open question. Here, we have grown high quality positively charged quantum dots embedded in a planar microcavity that enable enhanced light-matter interactions. Under a strong magnetic field in the Voigt configuration, individual positively charged quantum dots provide a double lambda level structure. Using a combination of above-band and resonant excitation, we observe the formation of Mollow triplets on all optical transitions. We find that when the strong resonant drive power is used to tune the Mollow-triplet lines through each other, we observe anticrossings. We also demonstrate that the interaction that gives rise to the anticrossings can be controlled in strength by tuning the polarization of the resonant laser drive. Quantum-optical modeling of our system fully captures the experimentally observed spectra and provides insight on the complicated level structure that results from the strong driving of the double lambda system.

Evaluation of the reliability of the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index and the Cutaneous Assessment Tool-Binary Method in juvenile dermatomyositis among paediatric dermatologists, rheumatologists and neurologists.

BACKGROUND: The Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI) and Cutaneous Assessment Tool-Binary Method (CAT-BM) have been shown to be reliable and valid outcome measures to assess cutaneous disease in adult dermatomyositis (DM) and juvenile DM (JDM), respectively. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the CDASI and CAT-BM for use by paediatric dermatologists, paediatric rheumatologists and paediatric neurologists in patients with JDM. METHODS: Five paediatric dermatologists, five paediatric rheumatologists and five paediatric neurologists each evaluated 14 patients with JDM using the CDASI, CAT-BM, and skin Physician Global Assessment (PGA) scales. Inter-rater reliability, intra-rater reliability, construct validity and completion time were compared. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability for CDASI activity and damage scores was good to moderate for paediatric dermatologists and rheumatologists, but poor for paediatric neurologists. The inter-rater reliability for CAT-BM activity scores was moderate for paediatric dermatologists and rheumatologists, but poor for paediatric neurologists and poor across all specialties for damage scores. Intra-rater reliability for the CDASI and CAT-BM activity and damage scores was moderate to excellent for paediatric dermatologists, rheumatologists and neurologists. Strong associations were found between skin PGA activity and damage scores and CDASI or CAT-BM activity and damage scores, respectively (P < 0·002). The CDASI had a mean completion time of 5·4 min compared with that for the CAT-BM of 3·1 min. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm the reliability of the CDASI activity and damage scores and the CAT-BM activity scores when used by paediatric dermatologists and rheumatologists in assessing JDM. Significant variation existed in the paediatric neurologists' scores.

EPIC: an evaluation of the psychological impact of early-phase clinical trials in cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression in patients with cancer is associated with decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. However, these are often overlooked and untreated. Early-phase clinical trials (EPCTs) recruit patients with advanced cancers who frequently lack future treatment options, which may lead to increased anxiety and depression. Despite this, EPCTs do not routinely consider psychological screening for patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study explored levels of anxiety and depression alongside impact of trial participation in the context of EPCTs. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire were completed at the point of EPCT consent, the end of screening and at pre-specified time points thereafter. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients (median age 56 years; median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 1) were recruited. At consent, 57 patients returned questionnaires; 39% reported clinically relevant levels of anxiety whilst 18% reported clinically relevant levels of depression. Sixty-three percent of patients experiencing psychological distress had never previously reported this. Males were more likely to be depressed (P = 0.037) and females were more likely to be anxious (P = 0.011). Changes in anxiety or depression were observed after trial enrolment on an individual level, but not significant on a population level. CONCLUSIONS: Patients on EPCTs are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression but may not seek relevant support. Sites offering EPCTs should consider including psychological screening to encourage a more holistic approach to cancer care and consider the sex of individuals when tailoring psychological support to meet specific needs.

The relationship between the orientation of the glenoid and tears of the rotator cuff.

Our aim was to determine the most repeatable three-dimensional measurement of glenoid orientation and to compare it between shoulders with intact and torn rotator cuffs. Our null hypothesis was that glenoid orientation in the scapulae of shoulders with a full-thickness tear of the rotator cuff was the same as that in shoulders with an intact rotator cuff. We studied 24 shoulders in cadavers, 12 with an intact rotator cuff and 12 with a full-thickness tear. Two different observers used a three-dimensional digitising system to measure glenoid orientation in the scapular plane (ie glenoid inclination) using six different techniques. Glenoid version was also measured. The overall precision of the measurements revealed an error of less than 0.6 degrees. Intraobserver reliability (correlation coefficients of 0.990 and 0.984 for each observer) and interobserver reliability (correlation coefficient of 0.985) were highest for measurement of glenoid inclination based on the angle obtained from a line connecting the superior and inferior points of the glenoid and that connecting the most superior point of the glenoid and the most superior point on the body of the scapula. There were no differences in glenoid inclination (p = 0.34) or glenoid version (p = 0.12) in scapulae from shoulders with an intact rotator cuff and those with a full-thickness tear. Abnormal glenoid orientation was not present in shoulders with a torn rotator cuff.

Chemical Considerations for an Updated National Assessment of Brackish Groundwater Resources.

Brackish groundwater (BGW) is increasingly used for water supplies where fresh water is scarce, but the distribution and availability of such resources have not been characterized at the national scale in the United States since the 1960s. Apart from its distribution and accessibility, BGW usability is a function of the chemical requirements of the intended use, chemical characteristics of the resource, and treatment options to make the resource compatible with the use. Here, we discuss relations between these three chemical factors using national-scale examples and local case studies. In a preliminary compilation of BGW data in the United States, five water types accounted for the major-ion composition of 70% of samples. PHREEQC calculations indicate that 57-77% of samples were oversaturated with respect to barite, calcite, or chalcedony. In the study, 5-14% of samples had concentrations of arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, or uranium that exceeded drinking-water standards. In case studies of the potential use of BGW for drinking water, irrigation, and hydraulic fracturing, PHREEQC simulations of a hypothetical treatment process resembling reverse osmosis (RO) showed that BGW had the potential to form various assemblages of mineral deposits (scale) during treatment that could adversely affect RO membranes. Speciation calculations showed that most boron in the irrigation example occurred as boric acid, which has relatively low removal efficiency by RO. Results of this preliminary study indicate that effective national or regional assessments of BGW resources should include geochemical characterizations that are guided in part by specific use and treatment requirements.

A bacterial phenylalanine aminotransferase lacking pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as cofactor.

A bacterium has been isolated from soil which metabolises phenylalanine initially through the action of a phenylalanine aminotransferase. This enzyme has been purified by conventional techniques and affinity chromatography and shown to be unusual among aminotransferases in not containing pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as cofactor.

Quality and age of shallow groundwater in the Bakken Formation production area, Williston Basin, Montana and North Dakota.

The quality and age of shallow groundwater in the Bakken Formation production area were characterized using data from 30 randomly distributed domestic wells screened in the upper Fort Union Formation. Comparison of inorganic and organic chemical concentrations to health based drinking-water standards, correlation analysis of concentrations with oil and gas well locations, and isotopic data give no indication that energy-development activities affected groundwater quality. It is important, however, to consider these results in the context of groundwater age. Most samples were recharged before the early 1950s and had 14C ages ranging from <1000 to >30,000 years. Thus, domestic wells may not be as well suited for detecting contamination associated with recent surface spills as shallower wells screened near the water table. Old groundwater could be contaminated directly by recent subsurface leaks from imperfectly cemented oil and gas wells, but horizontal groundwater velocities calculated from 14C ages imply that the contaminants would still be less than 0.5 km from their source. For the wells sampled in this study, the median distance to the nearest oil and gas well was 4.6 km. Because of the slow velocities, a long-term commitment to groundwater monitoring in the upper Fort Union Formation is needed to assess the effects of energy development on groundwater quality. In conjunction with that effort, monitoring could be done closer to energy-development activities to increase the likelihood of early detection of groundwater contamination if it did occur.

Selective opioid antagonist effects on opioid-induced inhibition of release of norepinephrine in guinea pig cortex.

Opioid agonists with selectivity for mu, delta and kappa-receptors have each been shown to inhibit the K+-stimulated release of [3H]norepinephrine (NE) from slices of guinea pig cortex maintained in vitro. In order to provide further evidence that each of these types of opioid receptor can regulate the release of NE in this tissue, experiments with receptor-type selective opioid antagonists have been conducted. In initial experiments, the selectivity of the antagonists for specific types of opioid receptors in the cortex of the guinea pig in an incubation medium of the same composition as that used for release studies was confirmed. The delta-receptor selective antagonist, ICI 174,864, prevented the inhibitory actions of the delta-selective agonist, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE), but had little effect on the inhibitory actions of the mu-selective agonist, Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-MePhe-Gly-ol (DAMGO), or the kappa-selective agonist, U-50,488H. In contrast, the kappa-selective antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) prevented the inhibitory actions of U-50,488H, but had little effect on the inhibitory actions of DPDPE or DAMGO. The greater potency of the partially mu-selective antagonist, naloxone, in reversing the effects of DAMGO relative to those of DPDPE or U-50,488H was confirmed. These results support the conclusion that mu- delta- and kappa-opioid receptors each exert a negative regulatory effect on the stimulated release of NE in the cortex of the guinea pig.

The effect of histidine ammonia-lyase on some murine tumours.

The histidine ammonia-lyase from bacterial strain CAMR 5315 was partially purified to assess its effect on the growth of murine tumours. This strain was selected as the source after an extensive screening programme for histidine ammonia-lyases. The enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulphate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-150. The enzyme reduced circulating L-histidine levels in Wistar rats and in mice persisted with a half-life of 6-7 h. Neither LDH virus nor chemical modification with ethylacetimidate increased the half-life as observed with L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase. The enzyme was tested in mice against Ehrlich carcinoma, L5178Y lymphoblastic leukaemia, Mc/S sarcoma, B16 melanoma, P8157 mastocytoma, P1798 lymphosarcoma and the Gardner 6C3HED lymphosarcoma. The only tumours to show sensitivity to the enzyme were the Mc/S sarcoma against which a 65% increase in life span was observed at the highest enzyme dose, 1000 U/kg on alternate days over 14 days and the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma where cures were obtained at 250 U/kg on alternate days over 14 days, but only at inocula levels of 10(5) and 10(3) cells/animal respectively.

Observed sleep/wakefulness and severity of dementia in an Alzheimer's disease special care unit.

BACKGROUND: This study tested the hypothesis that behaviorally defined sleep disturbance among residents in a Special Care Unit (SCU) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) was related to the severity of their dementia. Previously, sleep laboratory studies have reported such relationships when sleep has been recorded polysomnographically over several nights. Observational studies of sleep have not shown such relationships, presumably because of the impression involved in determining sleep/wake state behaviorally. METHODS: Nightly sleep data based on observations made every two hours by nursing staff for a period of 13 to 18 months were examined for 47 AD residents with a mean age of 80.7 +/- 6.5 years. Level of dementia and functional capacity were assessed with the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) and the Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL). RESULTS: Data indicated that these SCU residents experienced a moderately disturbed night of sleep an average of 24% +/- 10% of their nights in the facility and a severely disturbed night of sleep on 7% +/- 6% of those nights. More profound dementia was associated with more sleep disturbance; however, incapacity in ADLs, age, gender, and psychoactive medications were unrelated to such disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that patterns of relationships noted between laboratory-based measures of sleep and variables such as severity of dementia can be detected using behavioral observations of sleep, provided that the number of nights of observation are sufficiently large to offset the measurement error involved in their use.

The Safe Dates Project: theoretical basis, evaluation design, and selected baseline findings.

Approximately 20% of adolescents have experienced violence from a dating partner. The Safe Dates Project tests the effects of a program on the primary and secondary prevention of dating violence among adolescents living in a rural North Carolina county. The program being evaluated aims to prevent dating violence by changing dating violence norms, gender stereotyping, conflict-management skills, help-seeking, and cognitive factors associated with help-seeking. School activities include a theater production, a 10-session curriculum, and a poster contest. Community activities include special services for adolescents in violent relationships and community service provider training. A pretest-posttest experimental design with random allocation of 14 schools to treatment condition was used to test study hypotheses. Data were collected in schools using self-administered questionnaires. Eighty-one percent (n = 1,967) of the eighth- and ninth-graders in the county completed baseline questionnaires, and 91% of those adolescents completed follow-up questionnaires. The sample is 75.9% Caucasian and 50.4% female. Baseline data indicate that 25.4% and 8.0% of this sample have been victims of nonsexual and sexual dating violence, respectively, and 14.0% and 2.0% have been perpetrators of nonsexual and sexual dating violence, respectively. Consistent with other adolescent dating violence studies, both boys and girls report being victims and perpetrators of dating violence. Control and treatment groups are similar at baseline on all demographic, mediating, and outcome variables. Findings suggest that dating violence is prevalent among adolescents and that prevention programs are warranted.

Forced sexual intercourse and associated health-risk behaviors among female college students in the United States.

This study analyzed data from the 1995 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS) to assess the prevalence of lifetime rape among female college students and to examine the association between rape and health-risk behaviors. The NCHRBS used a mail questionnaire to assess health-risk behaviors among a nationally representative sample of undergraduate students. Twenty percent of female students reported ever having been forced to have sexual intercourse, most often during adolescence. When analyses controlled for demographic characteristics, female students who had ever been raped were significantly more likely than those who had not to report a wide range of health-risk behaviors. These results highlight a need to improve rape prevention and treatment programs for female adolescents.

Factors affecting transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti by anopheline mosquitoes. 3. Uptake and damage to ingested microfilariae by Anopheles gambiae, An. arabiensis, An. merus and An. funestus in east Africa.

Laboratory observations were made on the uptake of microfilariae (mf) of Wuchereria bancrofti by Anopheles gambiae, An. arabiensis, An. merus and An. funestus. Over host mf densities ranging from 450/ml to 1735 mf/ml neither the percentage of mosquitoes ingesting mf nor the mean number of mf per mosquito was correlated to host mf density. All mosquito species damaged mf during ingestion but the proportion harmed was independent of host mf density. The mean proportion damaged was 0.67 in An. gambiae, 0.51 in An. merus, 0.47 in An. Arabiensis and 0.26 in An. funestus. A comparison of the mean number of undamaged mf ingested and the number of larvae in the thoracic muscles revealed that not all undamaged mf were able to reach the thoracic muscles.

Effects of pertussis toxin on opioid regulation of catecholamine release from rat and guinea pig brain slices.

Opioid agonists selective for mu-, delta-, and kappa-receptors are all capable of regulating the stimulated release of noradrenaline from three terminal fields (cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum) of the noradrenergic projections from locus coeruleus in the guinea pig brain. Intracerebroventricular injections of pertussis toxin abolished the ability of a mu-selective agonist and of a delta-selective agonist to inhibit stimulated noradrenaline release, but left unaffected the concentration-related inhibition of NE release by a kappa agonist. Thus, mu- and delta-receptors have been shown to be coupled to their effector system in these noradrenergic neurons via guanyl nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) which are sensitive to pertussis toxin, while kappa-receptors in the same neurons appear to be coupled through a different mechanism which is significantly less sensitive to pertussis toxin. In contrast to opioid receptor regulation of noradrenaline release in guinea pig hippocampus, mu-, but not delta- or kappa-agonists are capable of regulation of stimulated noradrenaline release from rat hippocampus and cortex, and kappa-, but not mu- or delta-agonists are capable of inhibiting the stimulated release of dopamine from rat striatum and cortex. Pertussis toxin injections significantly attenuated mu-agonist inhibition of noradrenaline release, but had no effect on the ability of a kappa-selective agonist to regulated dopamine release, confirming the insensitivity of the kappa-receptor-effector coupling system to pertussis toxin.

The role of the long head of the biceps brachii in superior stability of the glenohumeral joint.

We studied seven patients who had isolated loss of the proximal attachment of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii, documented operatively or with magnetic resonance imaging, in order to identify and measure superior translation of the humeral head on the glenoid. Four true anteroposterior radiographs were made of both shoulders, before and after the operation, with 0, 45, 90, and 120 degrees of humeral abduction in the scapular plane. Four patients were managed with arthroscopic acromioplasty with an open biceps tenodesis; one, with open biceps tenodesis alone; and one, with debridement of a ruptured biceps stump; the remaining patient was managed non-operatively. Two to six millimeters of superior translation of the humeral head was noted in each patient in all positions of humeral abduction except 0 degrees. This translation was significant compared with the contralateral (control) shoulder. Kappa statistical analysis showed excellent reproducibility and interobserver reliability of the technique of radiographic measurement. The results of this study support the role of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii as a stabilizer of the humeral head in the glenoid during abduction of the shoulder in the scapular plane.

Soft-tissue injury as an indication of child abuse.

We reviewed the hospital records of 371 children who were suspected of having been physically abused. Our purpose was to determine specific features that might be used to distinguish injuries resulting from abuse from accidental injuries. Soft-tissue injuries were found in 341 (92 per cent) of these children. Ecchymoses were most common, accounting for 555 (62 per cent) of 892 soft-tissue injuries, and very few had a suspicious pattern. Only thirty-four (9 per cent) of the children had a radiographically documented fracture, but radiography was performed for only thirty-seven (10 per cent) of the patients and it rarely was done unless a fracture was clinically obvious. The patterns of injury were age-specific. The forty-four children who were nine months old or less had an average of only one soft-tissue injury; thirty soft-tissue injuries involved the head or face, and seven (16 per cent) of the children had a burn. These children were the most severely injured: two (5 per cent) died and twenty (45 per cent) had a fracture. The sixty-one children who were ten months to two years and eleven months old had an average of two soft-tissue injuries; fifty-four soft-tissue injuries involved the head or face, and nine (15 per cent) of the children had a burn. A fracture was found in eight (13 per cent) of these children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The effects of ulnar axial malalignment on supination and pronation.

BACKGROUND: Forearm fractures are common injuries in both adults and children. Despite efforts to obtain anatomical alignment, axial rotational malunions occur, resulting in a decreased range of motion and a poor appearance. The objective of this study was to quantify loss of forearm rotation after simulation of ulnar malunions in supination and pronation. METHODS: Six fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities (mean age at the time of death, 79.4+/-2.8 years) were used to quantify loss of forearm rotation after simulation of axial rotational malunions of the ulna. First, maximum forearm rotation in supination and pronation was measured at torques of 6.8, 13.6, and 20.4 kilograms-centimeter applied with use of a custom jig. Following a midshaft ulnar osteotomy, a custom adjustable internal fixation plate was used to simulate axial rotational malunions of the ulna of 0, 15, 30, and 45 degrees in both directions. Measurements in supination and pronation were then repeated at the prespecified torques. Analysis of variance, with a p value of 0.05, was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In all instances, a decrease in forearm rotation after simulation of the ulnar rotational malunion was accompanied by an increase in rotation in the opposite direction. Supination and pronation were significantly influenced, whereas the total arc of rotation was not affected by ulnar rotational malunion. At a torque of 20.4 kilograms-centimeter, pronation malunions of 15, 30, and 45 degrees resulted in a mean loss of supination (and standard error of the mean) of 5+/-1, 11+/-1, and 20+/-1 degrees, respectively, and supination malunions of 15, 30, and 45 degrees resulted in a mean loss of pronation of 4+/-1, 10+/-2, and 18+/-4 degrees, respectively. The ratio of the simulated rotational malunion to the loss of motion was larger than one. CONCLUSIONS: Ulnar rotational malunions do not lead to a significant change in the total arc of forearm rotation. Instead, loss of motion in one direction is accompanied by increased motion in the opposite direction. Even with a 45-degree ulnar rotational malunion, forearm rotation decreases no more than 20 degrees.

A new dynamic testing apparatus to study glenohumeral joint motion.

A dynamic shoulder testing apparatus has been developed to examine unconstrained glenohumeral joint motion in human cadaveric full upper extremities. Six computer-controlled hydraulic cylinders are used to simulate muscle action, while the corresponding tendon excursions and six-degree of freedom joint motion are measured. Trials showed that the testing apparatus creates highly reproducible glenohumeral joint motion in the scapular plane. The apparatus can be used to examine the function of the shoulder musculature and capsuloligamentous structures during normal and pathologic motion at the glenohumeral joint.

Paget's disease of the bone presenting as an apparent oral antral fistula.

Paget's disease of the bone is a chronic, slowly progressive condition commonly evidenced by bowing of the legs and enlargement of the skull. Its lesions are usually multiple and result in thickened but weakened areas within the involved bones. A case of Paget's disease presented as an apparent oral antral fistula. The patient also exhibited other signs and symptoms of the disease.

Follow-up results of supportive versus behavioral therapy for illicit drug use.

Follow-up data (mean 9 months) were obtained for 74 subjects who had been treated for a mean of 8 months and 17 sessions in a controlled comparison of Behavioral vs Supportive Counselling for drug abuse. Based on urinalysis, self-report, and family report, all subjects (100%) were actively using drugs at pre-treatment. During the last month of treatment, 81% of the Supportive treatment subjects and 44% of the Behavioral treatment subjects were using drugs at least once. At the follow-up month, drugs were used at least once by 71% of the Supportive vs 42% of Behavioral subjects. When drug use was measured in terms of the number of days of use per month, Supportive counselled subjects did not decrease drug use either by the end of treatment or at follow-up; for Behavioral subjects, drug use decreased by 63% by the end of treatment and by 73% at follow-up. Alcohol use, and days worked/or in school showed a similar pattern of greater improvement for the Behavioral treatment being maintained at the follow-up. These results indicate a substantial treatment-specific reduction of drug usage that endures after treatment is discontinued. The present favorable results appear attributable to the inclusion of family/significant others in therapy and the use of reinforcement contingent on urinalysis results.