Breast-feeding protects against respiratory syncytial virus infections

Eight out of 115 infants admitted to hospital with respiratory syncytial (RS) virus infection had been breast-fed compared with 46 out of 167 controls; this difference was statistically significant. Twenty-one specimens of human colostrum were examined, and all contained RS virus neutralising activity. Specific IgA and IgG were detected in 18 specimens, whereas IgM was detected in none. The titre of IgA antibody was usually higher and correlated more closely to the titre of neutralising activity than that of IgG. Infants inhale milk feeds and regurgitate them through the nose, and the IgA collecting in the respiratory tract might protect against severe respiratory infection. Alternatively, if severe RS virus illness is a sign of hypersensitivity to the virus breast-feeding might protect the infant from an early sensitising infection.     

Development of the Eco-Cascade- cell reactor

The development of multicompartment rotating cylinder electrode reactors for the removal of metal from aqueous solutions is described. Such reactors approximate to a cascade of continuously stirred tank reactors and the results illustrate that, for electrodeposition of copper powder from acid sulphate solutions, high overall conversions (about 98%) may be realised, with low exit metal concentrations (about 1 mg dm^–3) and reasonable current efficiencies (65–87%).Nomenclature A electroactive surface area (cm²) - C _in inlet concentration of metal (mg dm^–3) - C _out outlet concentration of metal (mg dm^–3) - C _reactor reactor concentration of metal (mg dm^–3) - f _R fractional conversion - (f _R)n overall fractional conversion - F Faraday=96 500 (C mol^–1) - I _L limiting current (A) - k _l mass transfer coefficient (cms^–1) - m weight of metal (g) - M molecular weight of metal - n number of reactor elements in the cascade - N volumetric flow rate (cm³ s^–1) - z electron change - dm/dt rate of removal of metal (gs^–1) This paper was presented, in part, at the Electrochemical Reaction Engineering Symposium, Southampton University, April (1979).     

Formation oftrans-12,13-epoxy-9-hydroperoxy-trans-10-octadecenoic acid from 13-L-hydroperoxy-cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid catalyzed by either a soybean extract or cysteine-FeC13

A soybean extract or an ethanolic solution of cysteine and ferric chloride catalyzed the conversion of 13-L-hydroperoxy-cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid to numerous products among which wastrans-12,13-epoxy-9-hydroperoxy-trans-10-octadecenoic acid. When this fatty acid was treated further with the cysteine-ferric chloride solution, 9-hydroxy-12,13-epoxy-10-octadecenoic and 9-oxo-12,13-epoxy-10-octadecenoic acids were formed. Thus,trans-12,13-epoxy-9-hydroperoxy-trans-10-octadecenoic acid probably is an intermediate in the formation of the latter two compounds. Additionally, theerythro andthreo isomers oftrans-12,13-epoxy-11-hydroperoxy-cis-9-octadecenoic acid tenatatively were identified as products. Presented in part at the 13th World Congress, International Society for Fat Research, Marseilles, France, August 30-September 4, 1976, and the AOCS Meeting, Chicago, September 1976.     

Magnetic and superconducting properties of niobium oxides

Low temperature magnetic susceptibilities of niobium oxides have been measured. A homogeneous sample of NbO prepared by arc melting and checked by using X-ray and metallographic techniques exhibits no ferromagnetism but becomes superconducting at 1.20°K.     

UV vapor generation for determination of selenium by heated quartz tube atomic absorption spectrometry

A new vapor generation technique utilizing UV irradiation coupled with atomic absorption for the determination of selenium in aqueous solutions is described. In the presence of low molecular weight organic acid solutions, inorganic selenium(IV) is converted by UV irradiation to volatile selenium species, which are then rapidly transported to a heated quartz tube atomizer for detection by atomic absorption spectrometry. Optimum conditions for photochemical vapor generation and interferences from concomitant elements were investigated. Identification of the volatile products using cryotrapping GC/MS analysis revealed that inorganic selenium(IV) is converted to volatile selenium hydride, selenium carbonyl, dimethyl selenide, and diethyl selenide in the presence of formic, acetic, propionic, and malonic acids, respectively. In acetic acid solution, the efficiency of generation was estimated to be 50 +/- 10%. No interference from Ni(2+) and Co(2+) at concentrations of 500 and 100 mg L(-)(1), respectively, was evident. A detection limit of 2.5 microg L(-)(1) and a relative sensitivity of 1.2 microg L(-)(1) (1% absorption) with a precision of 1.2% (RSD, n = 11) at 50 microg L(-)(1) were obtained.     

The role of the self-concept and the social context in determining the behavior of power holders: Self-construal in intergroup versus dyadic dispute resolution negotiations.

In this work, the authors explored how a person's view of himself or herself might determine his or her use of power in a complex dispute resolution negotiation. In 3 studies of asymmetric power in negotiations, the authors demonstrated that the impact of power on motivation and behavior is moderated by both a person's self-view and the social context. In Study 1, the results revealed that in a one-on-one dispute, powerful individuals primed to hold an interdependent (as opposed to independent) self-construal are more generous in resolving their disputes with low-powered opponents. Study 2 replicated this finding but revealed a different pattern in intergroup disputes, in which powerful interdependent teams of negotiators are actually less generous than are independent teams. Study 3 provided a conceptual replication of Study 2, with the use of chronic measures of self-construal and self-reported measures of behavior. Results suggest that an interdependent self-construal may lead to a more benevolent use of power in dyadic conflicts but more exploitive uses of power in intergroup conflicts. Implications for the understanding of power and self-construal are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Active Integrated Antenna Design Using a Contact-Less, Proximity Coupled, Differentially Fed Technique

A novel contact-less, differential feeding technique suitable for integrated active antenna design is demonstrated. This technique utilizes an odd mode signal to generate fringing fields on either side of a microstrip gap under the antenna. This allows electromagnetic energy to be efficiently coupled from the transmission lines to the radiating antenna. In a balanced integrated antenna amplifier configuration, the proposed non-contact feeding method removes the need for any balun or power combining network. Hence in theory, a compact RF front-end design with lower losses can be realized. This feeding method has been successfully applied to the design of simple passive microstrip patch antennas and active integrated antennas (AIA). Simulated and measured results are also included to validate the proposed feeding concept and antenna designs. The performance of the proposed differential feeding technique on a simple microstrip patch antenna has been systematically studied. The study suggests that the proposed proximity method is broadband in nature, allowing antennas operating at different resonant frequencies to be swapped without the need to change the feed dimensions and without degrading the matching performance