Search

The article focuses on the growing tension between youth sports and religious commitments, particularly Sunday worship, as families navigate the demands of competitive athletics. Topics include the impact of packed sports schedules on children's well-being and faith, the increasing exclusivity of elite Catholic school sports, and the challenge of balancing athletic participation with spiritual life.

Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) subtype α and π are differentially expressed in adult liver tissue. Objective of the study was if GST α and p may serve as predictive markers for liver surgery, especially transplantations. 13 patients receiving living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and their corresponding donors were analyzed for standard serum parameters (ALT, AST, gGT, bilirubin) as well as GST-α and -π before LDLT and daily for 10 days after LDLT. Patients (R) and donors (D) were grouped according to graft loss (R1/D1) or positive outcome (R2/D2) and above named serum parameters were compared between the groups. R1 showed significantly increased GST-α and significantly lower GST-π levels than R2 patients or the donors. There was a positive correlation between GST-α and ALT, AST as well as bilirubin and a negative correlation to γGT. However, γGT correlated positively with GST-π. Graft failure was associated with combined low GST-π levels in donors and their recipients before living donor liver transplantation. Our data suggest that high GST-α serum levels reflect ongoing liver damage while GST-P indicates the capacity and process of liver regeneration. Additionally, GST-π may be useful as marker for optimizing donor and recipient pairs in living donor liver transplantation.

A loss of the glutamate transporter EAAT2 has been reported in the neoplastic transformation of astrocytic cells and astrocytoma. The RNA expression of EAAT2 and five 5'-regulatory splice variants was investigated to identify alterations of the post-transcriptional EAAT2 gene regulation in human astrocytic tumours.Three known (EAAT2, HBGTII, and HBGTIIC) and two novel (EAAT2/3 and EAAT2/31) EAAT2 transcripts originating from alternative splicing of 5'-regulatory sequences were subject to an RNA expression analysis using reverse transcription and competitive PCR. Specimens of astrocytoma World Health Organisation (WHO) grade I-IV in 14 patients and control brain tissue obtained from three normal persons were studied.The main EAAT2 RNA was found to be equally expressed in normal human brain and astrocytic tumour samples. By contrast, the expression pattern of four 5'-variants of the transporter transcript was altered in the investigated series of astrocytoma compared with normal brain. HBGTII, HBGTIIC, and EAAT2/3 were amplified from seven and four tumours and one sample, respectively. EAAT2/31 was expressed in none of the tumour specimens studied.In conclusion, in astrocytic tumours of different histopathological grades there was a substantial reduction of RNA splicing events in EAAT2. The impairment of EAAT2 splicing indicates an altered expression which is not primarily involved in the tumorigenesis but may contribute to some biological properties of astrocytoma such as oedema, necrosis, and tumour related seizures.

Solar cells based on CISCuT grown Cu-In-S absorber layers obtained efficiencies of about 6% in small areas. The CISCuT process for Cu-In-S absorber layer preparation starts from an metallurgical grade Cu tape. On this tape a thin In layer is electrochemically deposited in a continuous roll to roll process. The following sulphurisation step - also in a continuous roll to roll process - is characterised by a short reaction time of a few seconds and a relatively high process temperature of about 600°C under normal pressure in N2atmosphere. Special conditions in the sulphurisation process lead to a well defined layer sequence of different Cu-In-S phases inside the grown layer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) based quantitative phase analysis of KCN etched CISCuT absorber layers shows the phases CuInS2, CuIn5S8and Cu/In δ-phase. The measurements correspond to transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX) determined phase constitutions and sublayer thickness. Additional investigations with RAMAN-spectroscopy as well as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and secondary neutrals mass spectrometry (SNMS) give a consistent idea of the layer sequences and the impurity distribution inside the film system. As far as we know we describe here, for the first time, such an absorber structure possibly with advantages for further solar cell developments.

Extensive computations of the total Mie scattering coefficient K have been carried out using the IBM 701 electronic data processing machine. The detailed results show very clearly the nature as well as the complexity of the scattering coefficient. K has been computed for size parameters 0≤α≤30 in steps of Δα=0.1 and for 5 indexes of refraction n=1.33, 1.40, 1.44, 1.486, and 1.50. The results of the computations considered correct to 5 significant figures are listed in tables and displayed in figures.

SummaryThe thermal structure of the stratosphere and ionosphere is more elaborate than has heretofore been assumed. No appreciable rise in temperature up to 30 km is indicated from direct observations. A temperature of 50°C at a height of 50 km is supported by the results on anomalous sound propagation, and of research on ozone and meteors, as well as by the theory of atmospheric tides. At heights around 50 to 80 km, the temperature again falls to −70°C, and afterwards rises again to somewhere between 60°C and 160°C at a height of 100 km. At heights around 200 to 250 km, the temperature is probably between 160°C and 560°C. In the polar regions at 100 km, the temperature is about −40°C, showing the marked difference due to latitude. A new definition for the concept of temperature in the upper atmosphere is given, since allowance must be made for radiation density.

A suitable nomenclature for atmospheric strata as well as a clear definition of the boundaries is proposed. The necessity of such a new classification is stressed. The atmosphere is divided into an inner and an outer atmosphere; from the latter particles may escape. The inner atmosphere is divided into three spheres—troposphere, stratosphere, and ionosphere—with each sphere in turn being subdivided into 3 or 4 layers. The new classification is based upon the thermal structure of the atmosphere.' Boundaries of each layer are fixed by a sudden change of lapse rate.The bottom layer, the ground layer, the advection layer, and the tropopause layer are subdivisions of the troposphere. The advantages gained by defining a separate tropopause layer as part of the troposphere are discussed in detail. Its upper boundary is assumed to be situated at 12 km over temperate latitudes. The stratosphere, consisting of an isothermal layer, a warm layer, and an upper mixing layer, extends from 12 to 80 km. The atmosphere between 80 and 800 km is occupied by the ionosphere, the subdivisions of which are the E-layer, the Flayer and the atomic layer. Above that height the exosphere exists.

Approximation formulas are derived for small spherical aerosols (r < λ) by using the series expansion of the exact solution (Mie theory). The first three terms of the series are given for real, complex, and infinite indices of refraction. The new formulas allow for computing the scattering and absorption coefficients for small aerosols more simply and faster than the Mie formulas. The error of our approximation formulas is determined, and it is found that the useful size range is extended by about a factor 2.

The basic Mie formulas are explained and several useful scattering functions are defined, such as the angular Mie scattering coefficients iθ and the Mie phase function pM. Finally, the scattering pattern for the forward, sideward, and backward area is surveyed, based on data for the refractive index n=1.33.

The refractive index of standard air has been tabulated for the range 0.2 to 20.0 μ, namely, 0.2(0.01)0.8; 0.8(0.1)2.0; 2.0(0.5)10.0; 10(1)20 μ. The values are based on Edlen’s formula. For computations of Rayleigh scattering, the scattering cross sections, the mass and volume scattering coefficients have been tabulated for the same values of wavelength as for the refractive index. The optical thickness and the transmissivity of the standard atmosphere is given next, and finally, the mean scattering coefficient for visual observations which is β_v=1.23×10^−7 (cm^−1).