[Evaluation of sandfly control measures].

Collections of sandflies were made between May 2005 and April 2006. The results were compared with those from collections undertaken between April 2001 and September 2002, in order to evaluate the measures used to decrease the density of these insects in Recanto Marista, municipality of Doutor Camargo, State of Paraná. The collections were carried out by Falcão traps inside domiciles and hen sheds, from 10 p.

Work-life balance and subjective well-being: the mediating role of need fulfilment.

The relationship between work-life balance (WLB) (i.e. the perceived sufficiency of the time available for work and social life) and well-being is well-documented.

Motivation, affect, and hemispheric asymmetry: power versus affiliation.

In 4 experiments, the authors examined to what extent information related to different social needs (i.e., power vs.

Terahertz radiation from bacteriorhodopsin reveals correlated primary electron and proton transfer processes.

The kinetics of electrogenic events associated with the different steps of the light-induced proton pump of bacteriorhodopsin is well studied in a wide range of time scales by direct electric methods. However, the investigation of the fundamental primary charge translocation phenomena taking place in the functional energy conversion process of this protein, and in other biomolecular assemblies using light energy, has remained experimentally unfeasible because of the lack of proper detection technique operating in the 0.1- to 20-THz region.

HPA system regulation and adult attachment anxiety: individual differences in reactive and awakening cortisol.

Early life experiences can influence hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation in adulthood, in both animals and humans. In humans, they have also been shown to influence adult attachment styles. However, the relationship between adult attachment styles and HPA axis regulation is largely unexplored.

Near-field-induced tunability of surface plasmon polaritons in composite metallic nanostructures.

We numerically study near-field-induced coupling effects in metal nanowire-based composite nanostructures. Our multi-layer system is composed of individual gold nanowires supporting localized particle plasmons at optical wavelengths, and a spatially separated homogeneous silver slab supporting delocalized surface plasmons. We show that the localized plasmon modes of the composite structure, forming so-called magnetic atoms, can be controlled over a large spectral range by changing the thickness of the nearby metal slab.

Subpopulations of malignant gliomas in pediatric patients: analysis of the HIT-GBM database.

Pediatric malignant gliomas represent a heterogeneous group of tumors. This publication reviews data from the first three HIT-GBM protocols. One important question is whether it makes sense to include both histologically confirmed high-grade glial tumors (HGG), and radiologically confirmed diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas in a single study.

CRT1, an Arabidopsis ATPase that interacts with diverse resistance proteins and modulates disease resistance to turnip crinkle virus.

Plant immunity frequently involves the recognition of pathogen-encoded avirulence (avr) factors by their corresponding plant resistance (R) proteins. This triggers the hypersensitive response (HR) where necrotic lesions formed at the site(s) of infection help restrict pathogen spread. HRT is an Arabidopsis R protein required for resistance to turnip crinkle virus (TCV).

Amplitude and phase characterization of weak blue ultrashort pulses by downconversion.

We present difference-frequency generation cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating, a new method of characterizing the amplitude and phase of weak ultrashort pulses in the blue spectral region. The method uses the spectrally resolved downconversion signal of the blue pulse and a fully characterized reference pulse with a lower center frequency. The amplitude and phase of the blue test pulse are retrieved from the corresponding spectrogram and electric field of the reference pulse with an interactive Fourier-transform algorithm.

Pulse characteristics of an optical parametric oscillator pumped by sub-30-fs light pulses.

We obtained nearly transform-limited light pulses of 34 fs near 1.2 microm by pumping an optical parametric oscillator with a 2-mm-long KTP crystal by 26-fs pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser. The average power of the pulses that were obtained was greater than 50 mW, at an 80-MHz repetition rate.

Efficient intracavity generation of visible pulses in a femtosecond near-infrared optical parametric oscillator.

We have achieved efficient simultaneous intracavity doubling of the signal frequency and sum-frequency generation between the signal and the pump in a periodically poled LiNbO(3) femtosecond optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser. The responsible mechanisms are second-, third-, and fourth-order quasi-phase matching (QPM). An ~56% poling duty cycle permits efficient even-order QPM.

[Evaluation of sandfly control measures in northern Paraná State, Brazil].

Sandfly captures from April 2001-September 2002 were compared to those from October 1996-September 1997 and October 1998-April 2000 in order to evaluate control procedures conducted in Recanto Marista in the county of Doutor Camargo, Paraná State, Brazil. Sandflies were captured with Falcão traps twice a month, both in the domiciles and henhouses, from 10 PM to 2 AM. In 2001-2002, 199,821 sandflies were captured, with an hourly average of 1,625.

[Psychosocial factors in psoriasis. A pilot study].

Background: The successful treatment of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis depends not only on the method of therapy but also on psychosocial factors.

Methods And Results: A pilot study was performed on 22 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis. The psychosocial stress, psychiatric features and their changes were assessed over a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation stay in a specialty clinic.

The origin of magnetic polarizability in metamaterials at optical frequencies - an electrodynamic approach.

We explain the origin of the electric and particular the magnetic polarizabiltiy of metamaterials employing a fully electromagnetic plasmonic picture. As example we study an U-shaped split-ring resonator based metamaterial at optical frequencies. The relevance of the split-ring resonator orientation relative to the illuminating field for obtaining a strong magnetic response is outlined.

How do personality systems interact in patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and urticaria?

The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristic personality system interaction in patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and urticaria. The differences between these three disease groups were examined with respect to various psychological variables and deviations from a group of healthy controls. A total of 56 patients with atopic dermatitis (n=21), psoriasis (n=20) and urticaria (n=15) were tested with the "Assessment of Personality Functioning in Therapy" Inventory, which consists of psychometric scales for basic needs (affiliation, achievement, power), enactment of needs-related behaviour, stress, emotional dispositions, cognitive styles and various self-regulation functions.

Correlation effects in disordered metallic photonic crystal slabs.

We analyze the influence of correlations on the optical properties of disordered metallic photonic crystal slabs experimentally and theoretically. Different disorder models with different nearest-neighbor correlations are considered. We present a theory that allows us to quantitatively calculate the optical properties of the different samples.

On the reinterpretation of resonances in split-ring-resonators at normal incidence.

We numerically study the spectral response of 'U'-shaped split-ring-resonators at normal incidence with respect to the resonator plane. Based on the evaluation of the near-field patterns of the resonances and their geometry-dependent spectral positions, we obtain a comprehensive and consistent picture of their origin. We conclude that all resonances can be understood as plasmonic resonances of increasing order of the entire structure.

Combined treatment with exercise training and acarbose improves metabolic control and cardiovascular risk factor profile in subjects with mild type 2 diabetes.

Objective: The effect of exercise training and acarbose on glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and phenotype was investigated in mild type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Sixty-two men and women with type 2 diabetes were randomized to 12 weeks of structured exercise training with or without acarbose treatment or to acarbose alone. Glycemic control was determined by HbA(1c) (A1C), insulin sensitivity (M value) by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, and regional fat distribution by computerized tomography and dual X-ray absorptiometry.

Maintenance treatment with interferon-gamma and low-dose cyclophosphamide for pediatric high-grade glioma.

Background: The prognosis of high-grade glioma in children is poor.

Purpose: Interferon-gamma may increase the immune surveillance of glioma cells. Earlier clinical evidence had shown that low dose cyclophosphamide (CPM) increased immune response.

Role of radiotherapy in supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor in young children: results of the German HIT-SKK87 and HIT-SKK92 trials.

Purpose: To assess the outcome of young children with supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (stPNET) treated by intensive postoperative chemotherapy alone compared with treatment with chemotherapy and delayed radiotherapy (RT).

Patients And Methods: From 1987 to 1992, children younger than 3 years of age with stPNET were enrolled in the HIT-SKK87 trial in Germany and Austria. After surgery, low-risk patients received maintenance chemotherapy before RT.

Validation of the Multidimensional Affect and Pain Survey (MAPS).

Unlabelled: The concurrent construct validity of the Multidimensional Affect and Pain Survey (MAPS) was determined in a sample of 100 oncology outpatients. As recommended by Jensen, we examined the frequency pattern of correlations between MAPS and standard questionnaires that reached a criterion level of significance. As predicted, the 17 subclusters in the MAPS Somatosensory Pain supercluster showed a higher mean frequency of criterion correlations with the 4 sensory-related groups of items from the MPQ and, equally important, a lower frequency of criterion correlations with unrelated constructs, POMS, and the MPQ Affective Class.

Exercise training decreases the concentration of malonyl-CoA and increases the expression and activity of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase in human muscle.

The study was designed to evaluate whether changes in malonyl-CoA and the enzymes that govern its concentration occur in human muscle as a result of physical training. Healthy, middle-aged subjects were studied before and after a 12-wk training program that significantly increased VO2 max by 13% and decreased intra-abdominal fat by 17%. Significant decreases (25-30%) in the concentration of malonyl-CoA were observed after training, 24-36 h after the last bout of exercise.

Comparative genomic analyses in Asparagus.

Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) belongs to the monocot family Asparagaceae in the order Asparagales. Onion (Allium cepa L.