Ethnic and sex differences in children's depressive symptoms.

This study examined ethnic and sex differences in children's depressive symptoms, along with hypothesized mediators of those differences (academic achievement, peer acceptance), in a follow-up of African American (n = 179) and Euro-American (n = 462) children in Grades 3 to 5. African American boys reported more depressive symptoms than African American girls, and Euro-American boys and girls. Also, depressive symptoms of African American boys increased over time whereas depressive symptoms of the other groups decreased or remained stable. Academic and social competence deficits were associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms across the school year, although only academic achievement scores emerged as a unique predictor of increases in depressive symptoms over time. Neither academic nor social competence mediated the SexA xA ethnicity interaction in changes in children's depressive symptoms.     

Expression of mutated glucocerebrosidase alleles in human cells

Gaucher disease is a heterogeneous disease characterized by impaired activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase. This heterogeneity is attributed to a large number of mutations in the corresponding gene. In order to test the biochemical properties of some mutations prevalent among Israeli populations, the normal human glucocerebrosidase cDNA and cDNAs carrying mutations N370S, L444P, D409H, recTL, recNcil, P415R and 84GG were coupled to the T7 RNA polymerase promoter in a vaccinia virus- derived expression vector (pTM-1). Recombinant viruses were produced and used to infect human tissue culture cells. RNA and protein stability, recognition by anti-glucocerebrosidase monoclonal antibodies and intracellular enzymatic activity were measured. The results demonstrated that the D409H allele directed synthesis of cytoplasmic RNA with decreased stability compared with its normal counterpart or other mutated forms. The D409H and L444P mutated proteins had lower stability than that of their normal counterpart, while the recNcil- mutated protein was more stable. Only glucocerebrosidase forms harboring leucine at position 444 were recognized by the anti- glucocerebrosidase monoclonal antibodies used (8E4 and 2C7). Measurements of enzymatic activity of the recombinant proteins in cells loaded with a fluorescent glucosylceramide demonstrated that the N370S mutated enzyme had activity similar to that of the normal enzyme. The other mutated enzymes exhibited varying degrees of activities, generally corresponding to the phenotypes with which they are associated. The results presented demonstrate the use of the vaccinia virus-derived expression system and of loading living cells with fluorescent substrate as efficient tools for studying mutants in Gaucher disease and in other lysosomal diseases.      

The interpersonal consequences of inflated self-esteem in an inpatient psychiatric youth sample

This study tested R. F. Baumeister, L. Smart, and J. M. Boden's (1996) theory of inflated self-esteem with an inpatient psychiatric youth sample. Participants were assessed on their self-reported self-esteem, self-reported interpersonal problems, and peer rejection (measured by evaluations from 3 or 4 peers). Consistent with the hypotheses, those with low self-esteem reported the most interpersonal problems, followed consecutively by the moderate self-esteem group and then the high self-esteem group, who reported the fewest interpersonal problems. Also in line with the hypotheses, those with low and high self-esteem were rejected by their peers when compared with the moderate self-esteem group. Thus, the high self-esteem group was rejected by their peers but did not themselves report interpersonal problems. These findings provide further support for Baumeister et al.'s theory and generalize the theory to a clinical setting.     

High level expression of active human prothrombin in a vaccinia virus expression system.

We have worked out an efficient and time saving procedure for the expression of recombinant human prothrombin. The glycoprotein was expressed in the vaccinia virus expression system in several mammalian cell lines. The kidney cell lines Vero and BHK and the human cell line Hela were found to efficiently secrete prothrombin. Expression level of 3-4 micrograms of factor II per 10(6) cells per day corresponding to 18-23 mU per 10(6) cells per day were achieved. Since the expression levels obtained with the vaccinia virus/Vero cell system were comparable to those obtained in amplified transformed CHO cells it provides an alternative system for the efficient expression of human prothrombin and may allow to further elucidate structure-function relationships of (pro)thrombin and its various effectors.     

带快照的混合数据库系统设计与应用

随着对海量数据处理的广泛需求,对数据库系统的性能也提出了更高的要求.本文介绍了一种带快照的混合数据库系统的设计.它在传统数据库系统基于磁盘存储的基础上,选择部分需被频繁或快速访问的数据以快照的形式组织在主存中,从而兼顾了处理海量数据和快速响应用户访问要求两方面的需求.最后,简要给出了一个在地理信息系统中的应用实例.     

Increased systolic daily ambulatory blood pressure in adult women born preterm

We have studied 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and kidney function in three groups of adult women: (1) born full term but with birth weights below the 3rd percentile for gestational age (n =18), (2) born preterm before gestational week 33 (median birth weight 1,250 g, range 950–2,040 g) (ex-preterm, n =14), and (3) those born full term with normal birth weights (comparison group n =17). We have previously published the results from the study. We recalculated the daily ambulatory blood pressure and redefined the time interval from 6:00–24:00 to 8:00–20:00, since this better corresponds to daily active life. We found significantly increased mean daily systolic ambulatory blood pressure in the ex-preterm group. The result supports the suggestion that disturbance and/or disruption of the normal prenatal milieu seem to affect arterial blood pressure in adult life.     

The effect of ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy of incompetent perforator veins on venous clinical severity and disability scores

PURPOSE: Current techniques to treat venous ulcerations and patients with severe lipodermatosclerosis include the elimination of incompetent perforator veins by open surgical ligation and division or by subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery. An alternative and less invasive means to obliterate perforator veins is ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy (UGS). We hypothesize that UGS is a clinically effective means of eliminating perforator veins and results in improvement of the clinical state (scores) without the complications associated with other more invasive methods. METHODS: Between January 2000 and March 2004, UGS was used to treat chronic venous insufficiency in 80 limbs of 68 patients. This was a clinical series of patients who had perforator incompetence and no previous surgery for venous disease < or = 2 years of their UGS procedure. Most had perforator disease without coexisting axial reflux of the saphenous or deep venous systems. Color flow duplex scanning was used to identify incompetent perforator veins in the calf, and duplex guidance was used to inject each perforator with the liquid sclerosant sodium morrhuate (5%). Patients were restudied by duplex scanning up to 5 years after treatment. Clinical results were determined by Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) and Venous Disability Score (VDS) before and after treatment. RESULTS: Of the 80 limbs treated with UGS, 98% of incompetent perforators were successfully obliterated at the time of treatment, and 75% of limbs showed persistent occlusion of perforators and remained clinically improved with a mean follow-up of 20.1 months. According to the CEAP classification, there were 46.2% with limb ulceration or C6, 1.2% C5, 28.7% C4, 17.5% C3, and 6.2% C2 with pain isolated to the site of the perforator(s). Of those who returned for follow-up, the VCSSs changed from a median of 8 before treatment (95% confidence interval [CI], 3 to 15) to a median of 2 after treatment (95% CI, 0 to 7) (P < .01). Likewise, VDSs dropped from a median of 4 before treatment (95% CI, 1 to 3) to 1 after treatment (95% CI, 0 to 2) (P < .01). There were no cases of deep vein thrombosis involving the deep vein adjacent to the perforator injected. One patient had skin complications with skin necrosis. Perforator recurrence was found more frequently in those with ulcerations than those without. CONCLUSION: UGS is an effective and durable method of eliminating incompetent perforator veins and results in significant reduction of symptoms and signs as determined by venous clinical scores. As an alternative to open interruption or subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery, UGS may lead to fewer skin and wound healing complications. Perforator recurrence occurs particularly in those with ulcerations, and therefore, surveillance duplex scanning after UGS and repeat injections may be needed.