The Schottky electron emitter is the most frequently used electron source in electron microscopes. A suppressor electrode around the emitter is usually employed to prevent emission from the shank of the cathode. A concept of operating the Schottky emitter without the suppressor electrode is proposed with the aim of lowering the potential of the extractor electrode. Simulation results show that ...

BACKGROUND/AIM Nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl) is a cobalamin-based anti-tumor agent. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic parameters of NO-Cbl following intravenous administration in dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four dogs received 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg intravenous bolus doses of NO-Cbl, with a 14-day washout period between doses. Blood samples were collected at baseline and post-dosi...

OBJECTIVES We assessed long-term trends in ethylene oxide (EtO) worker exposures for the purposes of exposure surveillance and evaluation of the impacts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1984 and 1988 EtO standards. METHODS We obtained exposure data from a large commercial vendor and processor of EtO passive dosimeters. Personal samples (87,582 workshift [8-hr] and 4...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level. Increasing evidences show aberrant expression of miRNAs in varieties of diseases. Targeting the dysregulated miRNAs with small molecule drugs has become a novel therapy for many human diseases, especially cancer. Here, we proposed a novel computational approach to identi...

Thymosin 1 (T 1), a naturally occurring thymic peptide, primes dendritic cells (DCs) for antifungal T-helper type 1 resistance through Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling. AsTLR9signalingalsoactivatesthe immunosuppressive pathway of tryptophan catabolism via indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), we examined T 1 for possible induction of DC-dependent regulatory effects. T 1 affected T-helper cell...

BACKGROUND Fibre treatment often produces gaseous symptoms which have been attributed to fermentation by colonic bacteria with increased gas production. Effects of fibre ingestion on intestinal gas flow are unexplored. AIMS We aimed to test the hypothesis that consumption of a high fibre diet retards gas transit. SUBJECTS Ten healthy volunteers participated. METHODS To investigate the eff...

Determining the prevalence of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) in different populations has proved difficult, with estimates varying between one in 4000 to one in 40,000. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of PCD in a well-defined highly consanguineous Asian population in the UK. Over a 15-year period all patients suspected of having PCD in the Asian population of Bradford, UK...

Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) is a ubiquitous mold and is the most common cause of invasive aspergillosis, an important source of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. Using cytokine flow cytometry, we assessed the magnitude of functional CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses following stimulation with Aspergillus antigens. Relative to those seen with cytomegalovirus (CMV) or superantigen sti...

Since the first reports on surgical repair of macular holes, postoperative face-down posturing (FDP) has been part of the management regime. However, prone positioning is unpleasant for patients, and has adverse effects. Over the last decade some vitreoretinal surgeons have reduced the duration of FDP, or even abandoned it altogether. There have been few non-randomised, and even fewer randomise...