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The impact on the morphology nanoceramic materials generated from group 4 metal alkoxides ([M(OR)4]) and the same precursors modified by 6,6'-(((2-hydroxyethyl)azanediyl)bis(methylene))bis(2,4-di- tert-butylphenol) (referred to as H3-AM-DBP2 (1)) was explored. The products isolated from the 1:1 stoichiometric reaction of a series of [M(OR)4] where M = Ti, Zr, or Hf; OR = OCH(CH3)2(OPr i); OC(CH3)3(OBu t); OCH2C(CH3)3(ONep) with H3-AM-DBP2 proved, by single crystal X-ray diffraction, to be [(ONep)Ti( k4( O,O',O'',N)-AM-DBP2)] (2), [(OR)M(μ( O)- k3( O',O'',N)-AM-DBP2)]2 [M = Zr: OR = OPr i, 3·tol; OBu t, 4·tol; ONep, 5·tol; M = Hf: OR = OBu t, 6·tol; ONep, 7·tol]. The product from each system led to a tetradentate AM-DBP2 ligand and retention of a parent alkoxide ligand. For the monomeric Ti derivative (2), the metal was solved in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, whereas for the Zr (3-5) and Hf (6, 7) derivatives a symmetric dinuclear complex was formed where the ethoxide moiety of the AM-DBP2 ligand bridges to the other metal center, generating an octahedral geometry. High quality density functional theory level gas-phase electronic structure calculations on compounds 2-7 using Gaussian 09 were used for meaningful time dependent density functional theory calculations in the interpretation of the UV-vis absorbance spectral data on 2-7. Nanoparticles generated from the solvothermal treatment of the ONep/AM-DBP2 modified compounds (2, 5, 7) in comparison to their parent [M(ONep)4] were larger and had improved regularity and dispersion of the final ceramic nanomaterials.

US gas companies spend over $300 million annually detecting and repairing gas leaks in urban and suburban settings. The current approach is one of above-ground leak detection and pinpointing, followed by excavation, repair and restoration. The major cost incurred is typically that of digging and restoring the excavation site. The Gas Research Institute and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are funding a program at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Robotics Institute and Maurer Engineering to reduce the cost of repairing gas distribution mains using advanced remote and robotics technologies to provide up to 50% cost savings over conventional repair methods. Under this program, CMU has developed GRISLEE (Gasline Robotic Inspection System for Live Entry Environments), a coiled-tubing deployed, remotely controllable, modular leak-detection, inspection, surface-preparation and repair robot system for the real-time in situ spot repair of live 4 inch diameter distribution gas mains. The system is capable of repairing two or more leaks per day from a single excavation over a 2000 ft length under live conditions (i.e., without downtime of the gas main and thus no customer service interruption). The prototype system has undergone laboratory testing and proven the feasibility of its modular inspection, sensing, preparation, and repair technologies and systems. Field trials with multiple utilities will be carried out during late 2002.

The possible signaling role of prokineticin 2 (PK2) and its receptor, prokineticin receptor 2 (PKR2), on female reproduction was investigated. First, the expression of PKR2 and its co-localization with estrogen receptor (ERα) in the hypothalamus was examined. Sexually dimorphic expression of PKR2 in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus was observed. Compared to the male mice, there was more widespread PKR2 expression in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus in the female mice. The likely co-expression of PKR2 and ERα in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus was observed. The estrous cycles in female PK2-null, and PKR2-null heterozygous mice, as well as in PK2-null and PKR2-null compound heterozygous mice were examined. Loss of one copy of PK2 or PKR2 gene caused elongated and irregular estrous cycle in the female mice. The alterations in the estrous cycle were more pronounced in PK2-null and PKR2-null compound heterozygous mice. Consistent with these observations, administration of a small molecule PK2 receptor antagonist led to temporary blocking of estrous cycle at the proestrous phase in female mice. The administration of PKR2 antagonist was found to blunt the circulating LH levels. Taken together, these studies indicate PK2 signaling is required for the maintenance of normal female estrous cycles.

Diagnosing blunt cardiac injury (BCI) can be difficult. Many patients with mechanism for BCI are admitted to the critical care setting based on associated injuries; however, debate surrounds those patients who are hemodynamically stable and do not otherwise require a higher level of care. To allow safe discharge home or admission to a nonmonitored setting, BCI should be definitively ruled out in those at risk.This Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) practice management guideline (PMG) updates the original from 1998. English-language citations were queried for BCI from March 1997 through December 2011, using the PubMed Entrez interface. Of 599 articles identified, prospective or retrospective studies examining BCI were selected. Each article was reviewed by two members of the EAST BCI PMG workgroup. Data were collated, and a consensus was obtained for the recommendations.We identified 35 institutional studies evaluating the diagnosis of adult patients with suspected BCI. This PMG has 10 total recommendations, including two Level 2 updates, two upgrades from Level 3 to Level 2, and three new recommendations.Electrocardiogram (ECG) alone is not sufficient to rule out BCI. Based on four studies showing that the addition of troponin I to ECG improved the negative predictive value to 100%, we recommend obtaining an admission ECG and troponin I from all patients in whom BCI is suspected. BCI can be ruled out only if both ECG result and troponin I level are normal, a significant change from the previous guideline. Patients with new ECG changes and/or elevated troponin I should be admitted for monitoring. Echocardiogram is not beneficial as a screening tool for BCI and should be reserved for patients with hypotension and/or arrhythmias. The presence of a sternal fracture alone does not predict BCI. Cardiac computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging can be used to differentiate acute myocardial infarction from BCI in trauma patients.

We recently cared for two patients who experienced acute asthma with exposure to dander of the cotton top tamarin, a species of New World monkey. Both patients had serologic evidence for an IgE antibody to monkey dander as determined by RAST and a positive immediate skin test response to an extract prepared from monkey dander. Furthermore, by RAST we were able to determine that cotton top tamarin urine and newborn cotton top tamarin dander had antigens that reacted with IgE in the serum of the affected patients. Thus we report two patients with asthma to monkey dander that appears to be mediated by an IgE mechanism. We also found that serum from a subject exposed to another species of New World monkey, the capuchin, yielded a positive RAST to the cotton top tamarin, suggesting that allergenic cross-reactivity may exist between the two species.

The purpose of this report is to present laboratory and clinical studies with nitrofurantoin. This drug is a derivative of the nitrofurans and has the chemical formula N- (5-nitro-2-furfurylidene) -1-aminohydantoin. It was synthesized and shown to have antimicrobial activity by the Eaton Laboratories in 1952. Norfleet and others have shown that nitrofurantoin is particularly effective in urinary tract infections due to Proteus, that it is well tolerated, and that it does not have a marked effect on the bacterial flora of the bowel.* Because infections with Proteus, toleration of antimicrobial drugs, and the development of infections due to the derangement of bowel flora by antibiotics are three of the most pressing problems in large general hospitals, we felt that further investigation of nitrofurantoin was warranted.† Forty per cent of nitrofurantoin appears in the urine within six hours after it is administered by mouth; therefore, this study, as have been previous