A dispersed fluorescence andab initioinvestigation of the X̃B12 and ÃA12 electronic states of the PH2 molecule

In this work, the X2B1 and A2A1 electronic states of the phosphino (PH2) free radical have been studied by dispersed fluorescence and ab initio methods. PH2 molecules were produced in a molecular free-jet apparatus by laser vaporizing a silicon rod in the presence of phosphine (PH3) gas diluted in helium. The laser-induced fluorescence, from the excited A2A1 electronic state down to the ground electronic state, was dispersed and analyzed. Ten (upsilon1upsilon2upsilon3) vibrationally excited levels of the ground electronic state, with upsilon1 < or = 2, upsilon2 < or = 6, and upsilon3 = 0, have been observed. Ab initio potential-energy surfaces for the X2B1 and A2A1 electronic states have been calculated at 210 points. These two states correlate with a 2Pi(u) state at linearity and they interact by the Renner-Teller coupling and spin-orbit coupling. Using the ab initio potential-energy surfaces with our RENNER computer program system, the vibronic structure and relative intensities of the A2A1 --> X2B1 emission band system have been calculated in order to corroborate the experimental assignments.

Equilibrium Structure and Spectroscopic Constants of Difluorovinylidene: An ab Initio Study

Highly correlated ab initio calculations with large basis sets are reported for difluorovinylidene, F(2)CC. Based on CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ results and taking core correlation effects properly into account, a reliable theoretical equilibrium geometry is derived: r(e)(CC) = 134.74(10) pm, r(e)(CF) = 131.00(10) pm, and angle(e)(FCC) = 123.23(10) degrees. The error bars are estimated from analogous comparative calculations on the equilibrium structures of the CF(2), C(2), and C(3) species. Correlated harmonic [CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ] and anharmonic [CCSD(T)/TZ2Pf] force fields provide theoretical values for the fundamental vibrational wavenumbers which are in excellent agreement with those measured previously in an argon matrix. Many spectroscopic constants of F(2)CC are predicted. In addition, the energy of F(2)CC relative to difluoroethyne (FCCF) and the barrier to isomerization from F(2)CC to FCCF have been reinvestigated by means of the present high-level ab initio calculations. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

High PAI activity with correlation to triglyceride and HDL cholesterol values in patients with coronary artery disease with no difference in survivors of myocardial infarction

The fibrinolytic capacity of blood depends mainly on the amount of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) activity. Previous studies linked high PAI activity or low t-PA activity with the development of atherosclerosis and thromboembolic diseases. Yet, there are conflicting reports in the literature as to whether there is higher PAI activity in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) than in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) without previous MI. In this retrospective study, t-PA activity, t-PA antigen, and PAI activity before and after a venous occlusion test (VOT) of 10 min were assessed in 109 patients with angiographically documented CAD, in two subgroups of CAD patients with (n = 66) or without (n = 43) previous MI, and in subgroups of CAD patients according to their triglyceride levels and other risk factors. The mean values of t-PA activity in the whole patient group showed a 100-fold increase and a 3.1-fold increase in t-PA antigen after VOT (0.03 +/- 0.03 to 3.0 +/- 6.8 U/ml and 16.5 +/- 6.9 to 51.0 +/- 25.4 ng/ml, p < 0.05). PAI activity was 24.4 +/- 11.0 before and 19.6 +/- 13.2 U/ml after VOT. Within the CAD group, no difference was found between patients without MI and survivors of previous MI in PAI activity before VOT (24.6 +/- 10.7 vs. 24.3 +/- 11.3 U/ml) and after VOT (19.0 +/- 12.1 vs 20.0 +/- 14.0 U/ml), or t-PA activity before (0.03 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.04 U/ml) and after VOT (2.8 +/- 7.0 vs. 3.2 +/- 6.7 U/ml). In 39.4% of CAD patients elevated plasma PAI activity before VOT (> 25 U/ml) was found. This subgroup of patients represented the highest PAI activity after VOT (p < 0.05), the lowest t-PA activity after VOT (p < 0.001), and the highest triglyceride levels (p < 0.05). In 11% of the patients, a small increase in t-PA activity (less than 0.5 U/ml) after VOT was seen. This group showed the lowest t-PA antigen after VOT (p < 0.001) and the highest fibrinogen level (p < 0.05). Both subgroups showed the same distribution among patients with and without MI. CAD patients with triglyceride levels over 200 mg/dl had the highest PAI activity values before VOT (28.3 +/- 11.8 U/ml; p < 0.01) and after VOT (24.9 +/- 13.2 U/ml; p < 0.01), resulting in low t-PA activity after VOT (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Glomerular lipidosis in the dog

With both light-microscopy and electron-microscopy, glomerular lipidosis in the dog appears in two forms which can freely pass into each other: 1. A nodular non-compressing form, and 2. and expansive compressing form. The focal areas are completely surrounded by a basal membrane. The covering podocytes are basically unchanged. The primary site of lipid deposition is the mesangial cell, not the endothelial cell.

Isolation of influenza viruses from exotic and Central European birds

In the course of a study which was made in order to contribute to the knowledge about influenza viruses in birds, 18 strains of avian Influenza-A-subtypes were isolated from cloaca swabs. From the Central European bird species, one strain of Influenza A/England/62 was isolated from a mallard. All other species of birds obtained from three different biotopes from Austria and Hungary showed negative results. The other 17 influenza strains were isolated from imported birds from Senegal. Nine of these strains corresponded to subtype A/duck/England/62, five to subtype duck/England/56. One isolated strain showed a relation to A/duck/England/56 in terms of the hemagglutinin and to chicken/Brescia/1902 in terms of the neuraminidase. Two other strains reacted best with antisera against duck/England/62 in the hemagglutination inhibition test; the neuraminidase inhibition test showed a relation to subtype quail/Italy/65. The Newcastle disease-Virus was not isolated in any sample.

Equilibrium Structure and Spectroscopic Constants of Dichloroethyne: An ab Initio Study

High-level ab initio calculations with large basis sets are reported for dichloroethyne, ClCCCl. Based on CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ results, an empirically corrected theoretical equilibrium geometry is derived: re(CC) = 1.2025(6) A and re(CCl) = 1.635(5) A. Correlated harmonic (CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ) and anharmonic (MP2/TZ2Pf) force fields provide theoretical predictions for the fundamental vibrational wavenumbers and many other spectroscopic constants for the four most important isotopomers of dichloroethyne. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Ab Initio Calculations and High-Resolution Spectroscopy of the Bending Pentad of SiH2D2 in the 10-16 µm Region

The SiH2D2 asymmetric top has nine vibrational modes, five of them forming a pentad strongly perturbed by Coriolis interactions. High-level ab initio calculations of SiH2D2 have been performed which yield numerous spectroscopic parameters related to the harmonic and anharmonic force fields. The bending pentad comprising nu4(A1), nu7(B1), nu5(A2), nu9(B2), and nu3(A1) has been studied by high-resolution Fourier transform spectroscopy; the region 600-1050 cm-1 has been investigated with a resolution of ca. 4 x 10(-3) cm-1. Raman BOXCARS spectroscopy has been used for the infrared inactive nu5 band. The Raman apparatus function was 0.0054 cm-1. Assignments of about 4000 transitions including all bands have been made, mostly employing ground state combination differences techniques, and a global fit has been performed. The fundamentals nu4 (681.624 cm-1), nu7 (742.640 cm-1), nu5 (842.381 cm-1), nu9 (859.750 cm-1), and nu3 (942.741 cm-1) are strongly coupled by A-, B-, and C-type Coriolis interactions, and ab initio predictions of these interaction parameters were used to set up a network of interactions that was refined by the experimental data. The global standard deviation for the entire body of data is 7.1 x 10(-4) cm-1. Satisfactory synthetic spectra which are very sensitive to relative signs of dipole moment derivatives and Coriolis interaction constants were obtained with the guidance of ab initio calculations. Finally, fair to good agreement of experimental and ab initio calculated molecular parameters was obtained. For the first time, a complete analysis of the pentad of SiH2D2 in the 10-16 µm region has been carried out. A full set of rovibrational parameters is given for these five interacting levels, including first and second order Coriolis interaction constants. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

A simplified functional assay for protein C in plasma samples

The important role of protein C (PC) in the regulation of hemostasis has been appreciated since the description of patients who were deficient in PC and presented with severe thromboembolic events. The potentially fatal complications associated with PC-deficiency require an early and reliable identification of those patients affected with this inherited disorder. The present study introduces a test procedure for the functional assessment of PC in plasma samples. The test utilizes the thrombin/thrombomodulin complex to achieve complete and rapid formation of activated PC whose proteolytic capacity is subsequently determined with a chromogenic substrate. Homogenate obtained from rabbit lung effectively substituted the purified component thrombomodulin in the assay system. This new approach simplifies the test procedure without losing specificity and accuracy. Proteases, such as plasmin, streptokinase and urokinase did not influence the assay and the inhibitory effect of heparin on the PC-activation could easily be overcome by the addition of protamine sulphate. The PC-activity in a group of unselected patients (n = 50), who did not reveal any abnormalities in global coagulation tests, amounted to 100 +/- 12% (mean +/- SD) with a range from 54 to 143% when analyzed in comparison to a plasma pool constituted from healthy volunteers. Since the synthesis of PC depends on the availability of vitamin K, patients receiving phenprocoumon have also been analyzed. These patients (n = 103) presented 40 +/- 11% residual PC-activity accompanied by a concomitant decrease in PC-antigen levels to 43 +/- 10% (mean +/- SD). The test described is specific, sensitive, less time-consuming and can be performed on a routine basis.

Resistance of gram-negative bacilli and staphylococci from blood cultures to aminoglycoside antibiotics. Comparison of 3 in vitro investigations from Austria 1982-1988

A total of 790 blood culture isolates was collected during 3 study periods in 1982/83, 1984/85 and 1987/88. Staphylococci were the most frequent bacteria in the first two periods (56.5% and 63%, respectively). During the last period, E. coli was the most frequent of all species (27%). Differences in the distribution of bacteria between the laboratories were considerable. In one laboratory in Vienna, coagulase-negative staphylococci dominated in all 3 study periods (32%, 33% and 47%). Susceptibility against gentamicin, tobramycin and netilmicin (MIC less than or equal to 4 mg/l), as well as against amikacin (MIC less than or equal to 8 mg/l) were determined by a microdilution method. The resistance rates against gentamicin (G) were 25%, 21% and 25%, against tobramycin (T) 27%, 19% and 25%, against netilmicin (N) 6%, 4% and 19%, and against amikacin (A), 5%, 2% and 19%. Most resistant strains were staphylococci (G 26%-41%, T 26%-46%, N 3%-31%, A 3%-36%), whereas gram-negative bacilli were more susceptible (G 12%-14%, T 7%-11%, N 7%-9%, A 1%-7.5%). The increase of resistance against netilmicin and amikacin in staphylococci was most striking. Nearly all those strain could be attributed to one laboratory in Vienna. Most of them were coagulase-negative staphylococci. In the first study period, the most frequent pattern was resistance against gentamicin and tobramycin, whereas in the last period resistance to all 4 aminoglycosides dominated. The study demonstrates considerable local differences in antibiotic resistance. Monitoring of antibiotic resistance in collaborative studies using standardized methods should be a valuable tool in planning strategies for controlling an epidemic spread of resistance.