Financial strain, received support, anticipated support, and depressive symptoms in the People's Republic of China.

The purpose of this study is to examine the interface between financial strain, informal received economic support, informal anticipated financial support, and psychological distress in later life. Data provided by a large probability sample of older adults in the People's Republic of China reveal that the relationship between financial difficulty and psychological distress is stronger for older adults who receive more economic assistance. However, the results involving anticipated support are in the opposite direction. More specifically, the association between financial problems and psychological distress is lower for older adults who believe that others stand ready to help in the future should the need arise. A detailed theoretical rationale is developed to explain these results. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiovascular effects of conventional sulfonylureas and glimepiride

Sulfonylureas have, in the past, been reported to have adverse cardiovascular effects. Glimepiride is a new sulfonylurea. In spite of stimulating less insulin secretion, it has, depending on the species, equal or higher blood glucose decreasing activity and according to preliminary studies less cardiovascular activity than glibenclamide. Further studies were performed to confirm the lower cardiovascular activity of glimepiride. The IC50 for inhibition of rilmakalim-activated KATP channel currents in isolated ventricular myocytes was 31.6 nM for glimepiride and 6.8 nM for glibenclamide. In endotoxin shock-rats at a dose of 1 x 2 mg/kg i.v., glibenclamide induced a significantly higher blood pressure increase than glimepiride. At two i.v. doses of 20 mg/kg 4 min apart, in normal rats, glibenclamide produced signs of ischemia in the ECG in nearly all animals, glimepiride almost none, in diabetic rats, glibenclamide produced in all animals a lethal cardiogenic shock preceeded by serious ECG changes, glimepiride only in one fifth of the animals. In open-chest dogs, on intracoronary infusion of equieffective blood glucose-lowering doses, glibenclamide, gliclazide and glimepiride all reduced coronary blood flow, increased coronary resistance, depressed the mechanical activity of the heart, enhanced myocardial O2-extraction, reduced the serum potassium level and induced a moderate endocardial ST-segment elevation, but glimepiride to a significantly less extent than glibenclamide and gliclazide. The presented data confirm that glimepiride at equivalent blood glucose decreasing doses has less cardiovascular activity than conventional sulfonylureas.     

The attrition dilemma: Toward a new strategy for psychotherapy research.

Presents an analysis of the attrition dilemma in psychotherapy research and reviews the methods used to compensate for data loss. It is argued that attrition is not ultimately a problem of bias but a problem of lack of information. A reformulation is offered that integrates single-case studies with traditional group comparison methodology in an attempt to find optimal causal relations of treatments to outcomes. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure effects of double D-amino acid replacements: a nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism study using amphipathic model helices

D-Amino acid replacements and the determination of resulting structural changes are a useful tool to recognize amphipathic helices in biologically active peptides such as neuropeptide Y and corticotropin-releasing factor. In this paper the secondary structures of one amphipathic alpha-helical peptide and its double D-amino acid analog have been determined by means of 1H NMR and CD spectroscopies under equivalent conditions. The chemical shifts (NH and C alpha H) and the analysis of nuclear Overhauser effects show a split of the continuous helix for the all-L peptide into two helices at the position of double D-amino acid replacement. Hydrogen exchange rates correlate with water accessibilities in the hydrophobic/hydrophilic face and confirm the amphipathic helical structure in the all-L peptide as well as in its double D-amino acid analog. A significantly accelerated hydrogen isotope exchange rate is observed for the D-Ala9 backbone proton, implying an increased flexibility at that position. These results show that the incorporation of an adjacent pair of D-amino acids only causes a local change in structure and flexibility, which makes the double D replacement interesting as a tool for specific helix-disturbing modifications to search for helical conformations in biologically active peptides.     

构建柏林都市区的未来--分散型集中

15年前柏林城市规划的定义与现在完全不同.至今,柏林的两个组成部分还有不同的规划理念:一方面,在西柏林.规划严格控制在划定的50平方公里两百万居民的边线范围内;另一方面,在前东德首都的东柏林.所有活动集中在有限的中心地区以展示其首都功能.而柏林周边地区没有包含在任何区域规划系统内.这样的结果导致东、西柏林以及柏林同周边乡镇有完全不同的生活方式.     

Fibre-polarimeter based on grating taps

The fabrication of novel tilted fibre Bragg gratings coupling light out of the fibre core into two different directions is demonstrated. These gratings in combination with a fibre based quarter waveplate are used to form a high-speed fibre polarimeter for real-time polarisation monitoring.