Relationship between scattered intensity and separation for particles in an evanescent field.

We describe measurements of the scattering of visible light from an evanescent field by both spherical particles (R = 1-10 mum) that are glued to atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers, and by sharp tips (R < 60 nm) that were incorporated onto the cantilevers during manufacture. The evanescent wave was generated at the interface between a flat plate and an aqueous solution, and an atomic force microscope was used to accurately control the separation, h, between the particle and the flat plate. We find that, for sharp tips, the intensity of scattered light decays exponentially with separation between the tip and the plate all the way down to h approximately 0.

Massive star formation in 100,000 years from turbulent and pressurized molecular clouds.

Massive stars (with mass m* > 8 solar masses Mmiddle dot in circle) are fundamental to the evolution of galaxies, because they produce heavy elements, inject energy into the interstellar medium, and possibly regulate the star formation rate. The individual star formation time, t*f, determines the accretion rate of the star; the value of the former quantity is currently uncertain by many orders of magnitude, leading to other astrophysical questions. For example, the variation of t*f with stellar mass dictates whether massive stars can form simultaneously with low-mass stars in clusters.

Prolonged allograft survival in TNF receptor 1-deficient recipients is due to immunoregulatory effects, not to inhibition of direct antigraft cytotoxicity.

TNF-alpha and lymphotoxin (LT)alpha have been shown to be important mediators of allograft rejection. TNF-R1 is the principal receptor for both molecules. Mice with targeted genetic deletions of TNF-R1 demonstrate normal development of T and B lymphocytes but exhibit functional defects in immune responses.

A method for the amidation of recombinant peptides expressed as intein fusion proteins in Escherichia coli.

The increasing use of peptides as pharmaceutical agents, especially in the antiviral and anti-infective therapeutic areas, requires cost-effective production on a large scale. Many peptides need carboxy amidation for full activity or prolonged bioavailability. However, this modification is not possible in prokaryotes and must be done using recombinant enzymes or by expression in transgenic milk.

Comparison of physiological and radiological screening for lung volume reduction surgery.

Physiological and radiological criteria are both used to identify candidates for LVRS. This study compares the predictive value of these screening techniques among patients with homogeneous (Ho) and heterogeneous (He) emphysema. Preoperative inspiratory lung conductance (G(Li)) during spontaneous breathing and quantitative radioisotope V/Q scan (QVQS) results were available for 48 of 50 patients undergoing bilateral LVRS for emphysema.

Surveillance transbronchial lung biopsies: implication for survival after lung transplantation.

Objectives: We wished to determine whether early rejection after lung transplantation as assessed by surveillance transbronchial biopsy predicts for survival.

Methods: Between 1990 and 1997, 96 consecutive patients had lung transplantation: 89 had a minimum 1-month follow-up. For 71 consecutive patients we have 1-year follow-up and for 69 patients we have the results of the first 3 biopsies.

Bipolar Molecular Outflows Driven by Hydromagnetic Protostellar Winds.

We demonstrate that magnetically collimated protostellar winds will sweep ambient material into thin, radiative, momentum-conserving shells whose features reproduce those commonly observed in bipolar molecular outflows. We find that the typical position-velocity and mass-velocity relations occur in outflows in a wide variety of ambient density distributions, regardless of the time histories of their driving winds.

Hyaluronan fragments synergize with interferon-gamma to induce the C-X-C chemokines mig and interferon-inducible protein-10 in mouse macrophages.

Hallmarks of chronic inflammation and tissue fibrosis are increased influx of activated inflammatory cells, mediator release, and increased turnover and production of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent evidence has suggested that fragments of the ECM component hyaluronan play a role in chronic inflammation by inducing macrophage expression of chemokines. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), an important regulator of macrophage functions, has been shown to induce the C-X-C chemokines Mig and IP-10.

Relatives children say.

In an experiment designed to elicit restrictive relatives clauses, 28 children ranging in age from 2; 2 to 3; 10 provided a corpus of communicatively appropriate relative clauses. In evaluating this corpus, we found that most children produced mostly adult relative clauses most of the time. Detailed study of these utterances uncovered a few error patterns, which we analyzed in light of several considerations (e.

Production of biologically active salmon calcitonin in the milk of transgenic rabbits.

Salmon calcitonin (sCT) is an example of one of the many bioactive peptides that require amidation of the carboxy terminus for full potency. We describe a method for the production of amidated sCT in the mammary gland of transgenic rabbits. Expression of a fusion protein comprising human alpha lactalbumin joined by an enterokinase cleavable linker to sCT was directed to the mammary gland under the control of the ovine beta lactoglobulin promoter.

Stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in rat liver by hyaluronan fragments.

Hepatic injury and chronic wounding are characterized by increased synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins including hyaluronan (HA). Recently, it has been recognized that low-molecular-weight fragments of HA, but not native HA (e.g.

Limitations of epidemiologically based needs assessment. The case of prostatectomy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to make epidemiologically based estimates of the prevalent and incident "need" for prostatectomy for lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as the numbers of men who would both benefit from and want the operation.

Methods: The methods involved a consensus panel, a two-stage postal survey of 1,480 men aged 55 years or older from eight general practices to the northwest of London, United Kingdom, and a multistate life table.

Results: The overall response rate was 69% (initial survey: 78%, follow-up survey: 88%).

Hyaluronan fragments induce nitric-oxide synthase in murine macrophages through a nuclear factor kappaB-dependent mechanism.

Activated macrophages play a critical role in controlling chronic tissue inflammation through the release of a variety of mediators including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, active lipids, reactive oxygen, and nitrogen species. The mechanisms that regulate macrophage activation in chronic inflammation are poorly understood. A hallmark of chronic inflammation is the turnover of extracellular matrix components, and recent work has suggested that interactions with the extracellular matrix can exert important influences on macrophage effector functions.

Hyaluronan (HA) fragments induce chemokine gene expression in alveolar macrophages. The role of HA size and CD44.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan constituent of extracellular matrix. In its native form HA exists as a high molecular weight polymer, but during inflammation lower molecular weight fragments accumulate. We have identified a collection of inflammatory genes induced in macrophages by HA fragments but not by high molecular weight HA.

Heart failure: the Cinderella of cardiology?

Heart failure is common and has a high mortality. These factors alone should make it an important public health issue. But the advent of new approaches to diagnosis and expensive forms of treatment have increased this importance to public health professionals.

Hyaluronan fragments activate an NF-kappa B/I-kappa B alpha autoregulatory loop in murine macrophages.

Macrophages play an important role in the acute tissue inflammatory response through the release of cytokines and growth factors in response to stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Macrophage inflammatory effector functions are also influenced by interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Such macrophage-ECM interactions may be important in regulating chronic inflammatory responses.

The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on general health status and on the use of prostatectomy.

Our objective was to determine the extent to which lower urinary tract symptoms affect the general health status of men and contribute to the decision to undergo surgery. A cross-sectional population survey using postal questionnaires was conducted in the North West Thames health region, followed by a prospective cohort study of men undergoing prostatectomy (North West Thames and Oxford regions). The subjects in the first survey were 221 men aged 55 and over with previously reported mild, moderate or severe urinary symptoms; subjects in the second study were 388 men undergoing prostatectomy.

Lactation is disrupted by alpha-lactalbumin deficiency and can be restored by human alpha-lactalbumin gene replacement in mice.

Mice carrying either a deletion of the murine alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-lac) gene (null allele) or its replacement by the human alpha-lac gene (humanized allele) have been generated by gene targeting. Homozygous null females are alpha-lac-deficient, produce reduced amounts of thickened milk containing little or no lactose, and cannot sustain their offspring. This provides definitive evidence that alpha-lac is required for lactose synthesis and that lactose is important for milk production.

Health care sought and received by men with urinary symptoms, and their views on prostatectomy.

Background: Urinary symptoms are common among middle aged and elderly men.

Aim: A study was undertaken to describe the health care sought by men aged 55 years and over with urinary symptoms, the action taken by general practitioners and urologists, and the men's views on prostatectomy.

Method: A postal questionnaire was sent to 516 men aged 55 years and over in the North West Thames Regional Health Authority, with previously identified mild, moderate or severe urinary symptoms.

Urinary symptoms: prevalence and severity in British men aged 55 and over.

Objective: To measure the prevalence and severity of urinary symptoms among men aged 55 and over in the British population.

Design: Cross sectional population survey using a postal questionnaire.

Setting: North West Thames health region.

Appropriate indications for prostatectomy in the UK--results of a consensus panel.

Study Objective: The use of formal consensus development to determine appropriate indications for prostatectomy and to identify factors underlying clinical decisions about appropriateness is described.

Design: A nominal group technique was used.

Settings: The study took place in an academic research institution.