Grief work with substance abusers

This article focuses on the implementation and outcome of a grief group study conducted with substance abusers. Group participants were chosen through a stratified random sampling from a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. Control and experimental groups were used to test the efficacy of grief group therapy. Study results indicated that treatment group participants were significantly less depressed and better able to resolve painful feelings about their losses. The grief group approach is generic and can be modified to meet the needs of varied target groups. The distinctive approach and the empirical results both were completed by a clinician without disrupting the facility, patients or clinician's daily practices.

Cloning and expression of the beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase gene of Lactobacillus casei in Escherichia coli K-12

Lactose metabolism in Lactobacillus casei 64H is associated with the presence of plasmid pLZ64. This plasmid determines both phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase uptake of lactose and beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase. A shotgun clone bank of chimeric plasmids containing restriction enzyme digest fragments of pLZ64 DNA was constructed in Escherichia coli K-12. One clone contained the gene coding for beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase on a 7.9-kilobase PstI fragment cloned into the vector pBR322 in E. coli strain chi 1849. The beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase enzyme isolated from E. coli showed no difference from that isolated from L. casei, and specific activity of beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase was stimulated 1.8-fold in E. coli by growth in media containing beta-galactosides. A restriction map of the recombinant plasmid was compiled, and with that information, a series of subclones was constructed. From an analysis of the proteins produced by minicells prepared from transformant E. coli cells containing each of the recombinant subclone plasmids, it was found that the gene for the 56-kilodalton beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase was transcribed from an L. casei-derived promoter. The gene for a second protein product (43 kilodaltons) was transcribed in the opposite direction, presumably under the control of a promoter in pBR322. The relationship of this second product to the lactose metabolism genes of L. casei is at present unknown.

Polyurethane Reaction Injection Molding: Process, Materials, and Properties

Reaction injection molding includes aspects of polymerization reactor analysis as well as melt injection molding. Processing can be broken down into several unit operations: metering and machine performance, impingement mixing, mold filling, curing and mold design. Commercial RIM machines have been used successfully for non-filler systems. The results are generally satisfactory. Reactants are usually allowed to circulate through the mixhead, or even through impingement nozzles, such that uniform temperature control and appropriate agitation of reactants can be obtained. Most heads can switch from the recycle to injection mode under high pressure operation, to minimize the lead/lag problem. The mixing chamber is self-cleaned at the end of each shot by a hydraulically driven piston which pushes out all the residue mixture from the mixhead after mold filling. Flow rate/flow area can be adjusted externally by the nozzle size adjuster. Flow rate also can be controlled by the pressure setting. Two or four streams impingement mixing is the common mixing technology used in the present RIM machines. Static or impingement type after-mixers have been used extensively to improve the mixing. Mold filling seems not to be a problem for conventional RIM operation if mold design is appropriate. The typical pressure inside the mold cavity during filling is less than 350 kPa. With the help of slight foaming during curing, RIM polyurethanes usually have excellent, depression-free surfaces. A number of qualitative descriptions of automotive type RIM have appeared, and some basic studies of the process are being carried out. However, as yet there does not appear to be a complete understanding of how the process influences the structure and properties of the polymer formed. The majority of RIM parts have been made in the 140–300 MPa flexural modulus range for fascia applications, where appearance, weight-reduction, and impact resistance are the most important criteria. A representative formulation used to produce automotive fascia by reaction injection molding consists of a polyether/polyester polyol with molecular weight in the range of 1000–3000, a short chain extender like ethylene glycol, 1,4-butane diol or a diamine and a modified derivative of 1,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, MDI. The need for further weight reduction to meet government mileage requirements, and for improved corrosion and impact resistance, makes the extension of RIM materials to other external automotive body components increasingly attractive. For these applications, there will be several new requirements: flexural moduli in the 700–4000 MPa range to provide dimensional stability, but still with the desirable impact strength; a low thermal coefficient of linear expansion to allow satisfactory mating with sheet metal surfaces. An increased thermal stability would also be required for parts that would be painted and baked on the car, or for applications such as hoods with higher in-use thermal exposure.

Presence of a single enzyme catalyzing the pyrophosphorolysis of UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose in Bifidobacterium bifidum

The enzyme preparation catalyzing the pyrophosphorolyses of UDP-glucose and UDPgalactose almost at the same rate was purified about 900-fold from Bifidobacterium bifidum grown on glucose medium. The two activities were always associated with each other, and their activity ratio was always constant throughout the purification steps. The final preparations was revealed homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. There was no significant difference in thermal stabilities of the two activities. From these results it was concluded that the UDPglucose and UDPgalactose pyrophosphorylase activities in B. bifidum are catalyzed by a single enzyme protein.