We present a fast algorithm for the calculation of elastostatic fields in locally isotropic composites. The method uses an integral equation approach due to Sherman, combined with the fast multipole method and an adaptive quadrature technique. Accurate solutions can be obtained with inclusions of arbitrary shape at a cost roughly proportional to the number of points needed to resolve the interface

Abstract in UndeterminedThe amount of fat of a bird is a fundamental metric commonly used by avian biologists in studies of migration, winter energy management and condition. The methods used for estimating fat content range from simply measuring body mass and subtracting the estimated lean mass, visual scoring of subcutaneous fat deposits, to destructive extraction using a Soxhlet apparatus. We u

AIMS: To determine the basal pharmacokinetics, lung uptake and plasma cortisol suppression for two commonly prescribed inhaled corticosteroids. METHODS: Twenty-one subjects (13 healthy and 8 mild asthmatic patients) received fluticasone propionate via a chlorofluorocarbon-propelled pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) (healthy subjects only) and Diskus and budesonide via Turbuhaler, 1000 microg

PURPOSE: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is reported to reduce the frequency of seizures in children and adults without causing serious side effects. However, clinical observation of swallowing difficulties in 2 children treated with VNS made further investigation necessary. METHODS: Seven patients aged 4-18 years and treated with VNS for 6-14 months were investigated with videoradiography during ba

A powerful alternative to glucose oxidase as anode material in implantable biofuel cells is presented: Cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) from the ascomycete Myriococcum thermophilum (MtCDH) catalyzes the electrochemical oxidation of glucose, lactose, and cellobiose over a broad pH range. Current densities of more than 1 mA . cm(-2) can be reached when MtCDH is wired to an Os redox polymer in the pres

We report on the realization of a quantum dot in a modulation doped InGaAs/InP heterostructure by electron beam lithography and chemical wet etching. Using etched trench defined in-plane gates and a local top gate, the tunneling barriers, electron density, and electrostatic potential of the dot can be tuned. Electrical measurements reveal clear Coulomb blockade behavior of the electron transport t

1 The grass Festuca ovina is an important constituent of the species-rich 'alvar' grasslands on the Baltic island of Oland. Levels of allozyme polymorphism are high and variation is known to be correlated with habitat variation (soil moisture, pH and depth). 2 A 9-year field experiment on species diversity provided replicate plots (in three sites) that had been subjected to six different experimen

Radiography of the epididymis, vas deferens and vesicle was formed in 72 subjects admitted for sterility. The technique employed, its indications, and the results achieved are discussed. Several examples are presented.

In six healthy volunteers we have estimated the pharmacokinetic parameters of the anti factor Xa (AXa) and anti factor IIa (AIIa) activities of a LMW heparin, Logiparin. For the AXa the following parameters were estimated in a 1-compartment model (mean and 95% confidence limits in brackets): elimination half life 82 minutes (60-127 min), absorption half life (s.c. inj.) 200 minutes (137-368 min),

For the first time, ortho- and meta-halo-substituted anilines were successfully condensed with formaldehyde to dihalo-substituted analogues of Trögers base. By using paraformaldehyde and TFA, yields of 2-85% of these potential supramolecular building blocks were obtained. Even the inconceivable achievement of condensing anilines unsubstituted in para-position to analogues of Trögers base was succe

Stabilization of beta-catenin by inhibition of its phosphorylation is characteristic of an activation of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway and is associated with various human carcinomas. It contrasts to an as yet incompletely characterized action of an alternative noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway on neoplastic transformation. The aim of the present study was to test the effects o

A lab-on-a-chip device that enables positioning of single or small ensembles of cells on an aperture in close proximity to a mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) modified sensing electrode has been developed and characterized. The microchip was used for the detection of Ca(2+)-dependent quantal catecholamine exocytosis from single as well as small assemblies of rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. The frequ

Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8; approved symbol SLC16A2) facilitates cellular uptake and efflux of 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3). Mutations in MCT8 arc associated with severe psychomotor retardation, high serum T3 and low 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) levels. Here we report three novel MCT8 mutations. Two subjects with the F501 del mutation have mild psychomotor retardation with slightly elev

Objective: We studied what patients with acute coronary heart disease (CHD) considered the three most stressful factors experienced during the month before testing and what they attributed their heart disease to. Methods: We studied the occurrence and severity of physiologic, psychologic, and psychosocial stressors in 117 patients with acute CHD and 117 referents, not diagnosed with CHD, matched b

Objective: To elucidate variations in tissue ultrastructure and incidence of pathology between fibromodulin (FM)-null mice and wild-type (WT) animals. Design: FM-null and WT siblings from different age groups were compared. Serial sections were made through paraffin-embedded whole knees and investigated histologically. Additionally, medial femoral condyle peaks from sibling pairs were investigated

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of small, strongly correlated clusters, described by a Hubbard Hamiltonian, by propagating in time the Kadanoff-Baym equations within the Hartree-Fock, second Born, GW, and T-matrix approximations. We compare the results to exact numerical solutions. We find that the time-dependent T matrix is overall superior to the other approximations, and is in good agreeme

The present status of prompt particle emission from high-spin states in the mass A~60 region is shortly summarized. The focus lies on recent results from a GAMMASPHERE experiment, which aimed at the combined in-beam high-resolution spectroscopy of light charged particles and γ rays. More detailed studies of known cases as well as the identification of new cases of discrete prompt proton and α-part