Responses to 9/11 reveal opportunities— and barriers—for commercial ADR

The fallout for conflict resolution professionals from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, strikes at the core of their existence: What do they do? What do they provide? Maria R. Volpe and Staci Strobl, of New York, have been looking broadly at the question of “deliverables” since 9/11. They discuss the business ADR aspects of that research, and provide lessons the profession should have learned.     

Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism

In Austria, neonatal screening for congenital hypothyreosis has been introduced since 1976 as a part of the national screening program for inborn errors of metabolism. Capillary blood spots are collected on filter paper from all newborns on day 3 to 5 and are subsequently investigated with a delayed fluorescence-immunoassay (DELFIA) for the determination of TSH. Since 1992 we have detected 105 patients with congenital hypothyreosis among 365,120 newborns. The recall rate of the primary TSH screening is about 0.35%. Only primary (thyroidal) hypothyreosis, but not secondary and tertiary (pituitary and hypothalamic) types of hypothyreosis are detected by the primary TSH newborn screening. As TSH is physiologically high during the first 2 days of life, the trend to early hospital discharge will result in a significant increase of the recall rate in future.     

FULLSPECTRUM: a new PV wave making more efficient use of the solar spectrum

The project FULLSPECTRUM — an Integrated Project (IP) in the terminology of the European Commission — pursues a better exploitation of the FULL solar SPECTRUM by (1) further developing concepts already scientifically proven but not yet developed and (2) by trying to prove new ones in the search for a breakthrough in photovoltaic (PV) technology. More specific objectives are the development of: (a) III–V multijunction cells (MJC), (b) solar thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) converters, (c) intermediate band (IB) materials and cells (IBC), (d) molecular-based concepts (MBC) for full PV utilisation of the solar spectrum and (e) manufacturing technologies (MFG) for novel concepts including assembling. MJC technology towards 40% efficiency will be developed using lower cost substrates and high light concentration (up or above 1000 suns). TPV is a concept with a theoretically high efficiency limit because the entire energy of all the photons is used in the heating process and because the non-used photons can be fed back to the emitter, therefore helping in keeping it hot. In the IBC approach, sub-bandgap photons are exploited by means of an IB. Specific IB materials will be sought by direct synthesis suggested by material-band calculations and using nanotechnology in quantum dot (QD) IBCs. In the development of the MBC, topics such as the development of two-photon dye cells and the development of a static global (direct and diffuse) light concentrator by means of luminescent multicolour dyes and QDs, with the radiation confined by photonic crystals, will be particularly addressed. MFG include optoelectronic assembling techniques and coupling of light to cells with new-optic miniconcentrators.     

Characterization of Synthetic and Naturally Occurring Clays by 27Al and 29Si Magic-Angle Spinning NMR Spectroscopy

Magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MASNMR) spectroscopy (²⁷Al) detected the coordination of Al in clays containing as little as 0.26% Al₂O₃. The ²⁹Si MASNMR of fluorphlogopite showed three distinct Si chemical environments which suggested short-range ordering. Synthetic laponite and mica-montmorillonite showed broad ²⁹Si resonances indicative of short-range disorder. A saponite showed four ²⁹Si resonances. Considerable insight into the short-range ordering of clays can be gained by ²⁷Al and ²⁹Si MASNMR.     

Alterations in T cell receptor and signal transduction molecules in melanoma patients

We have recently described molecular changes in T cells from tumor-bearing patients that are associated with depressed immune function. The present work investigates changes in T-cell signal transduction proteins including the T-cell receptor-zeta (TCR-zeta) chain and receptor-associated tyrosine kinases in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. A marked decrease in the expression of the TCR-zeta chain was observed in the peripheral blood T cells of 19 (43%) of 44 patients. Decreases in several tyrosine kinases were found in 12 (57%) of 21 patients tested. T cells from patients with diminished TCR-zeta chain expression also showed statistically significant differences in cytokine production pattern, with lower interleukin 2 and IFN-zeta production compared with normal subjects and melanoma patients with normal TCR-zeta chain status. The overall survival of melanoma patients with low TCR-zeta chain expression was significantly shorter than that of patients with normal TCR-zeta chain expression (P = 0.0013). TCR-zeta-deficient patients showed a trend toward having faster growing tumors. There was no correlation between the pretreatment TCR-zeta chain status and albumin or performance status. These findings suggest that alterations in T-cell function occur commonly in melanoma patients and may be independent predictors of clinical outcome.     

The receptor-destroying enzyme of influenza C virus is required for entry into target cells

The hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) protein of influenza C viruses possesses an acetylesterase activity, which appears essential for replication, as determined by reduced infectivity after inhibition of the viral enzyme [Vlasak et al., J. Virol. 63, 2056-2062 (1989)]. Analysis revealed the absence of virus-specific RNA and protein synthesis in infected cells after inhibition of the receptor-destroying enzyme. In addition, hemolytic activity was reduced after incubation of influenza C/JJ/50 virus with diisopropyl-fluorophosphate or 3,4-dichloro-isocoumarin. Further analysis revealed that inhibition of hemolysis depends on virus and erythrocyte concentrations. It is suggested that an active receptor-destroying enzyme is required for entry of influenza C virus into target cells at a step prior to fusion of the viral and cellular membrane. Our data indicate that cleavage of receptors bound to the HE protein is a prerequisite for the low pH-triggered conformational change required for fusion.     

Renal pyelectasis in fetuses and neonates: diagnostic value of renal pelvis diameter in pre- and postnatal sonographic screening

OBJECTIVE: Pre- and postnatal pyelectasis detected by sonographic screening is of questionable pathologic importance. Therefore, we defined the natural course and diagnostic value of renal pelvis diameter (RPD) during fetal life and the neonatal period as such dilatation was revealed on routine sonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Routine sonography in pregnant women was obtained between gestational weeks 22 and 30. Sonograms were obtained for 1021 fetuses, of which 15 could not be followed up as neonates. The remaining 1006 fetuses also underwent neonatal sonography. All neonates with an RPD larger than 5 mm were followed up sonographically. Neonates with an RPD larger than 9 mm or persistent widening (> 5-9 mm) were examined by voiding cystourethrogram, radionuclide renogram, or both. RESULTS: Thirty fetuses (3%) had an RPD larger than 5 mm. Nine of these fetuses also had an RPD larger than 5 mm as neonates. Of these nine neonates, one had bilateral grade II vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) and two had urinary tract obstructions (one posterior urethral valve and one ureteropelvic junction obstruction). Forty-nine neonates whose results on fetal sonograms had been normal showed an RPD larger than 5 mm on neonatal sonograms. Grade III VUR was found in one boy, and ureteropelvic junction obstruction was found in two boys. The kidneys of 54 neonates who showed an RPD larger than 5 mm without urinary tract obstruction were followed up until an RPD of 0-5 mm was evident. RPD normalized within 1 year of birth, whether VUR was present or not. Symptomatic urinary tract infection was diagnosed in 17 infants who had no renal pelvis dilatation seen on pre-or postnatal screening during the observation period. Seven of the 17 neonates had VUR. Conversely, none of the infants with pre- postnatal dilatation presented with symptomatic urinary tract infection. However, in one neonate an asymptomatic urinary tract infection without VUR was diagnosed by routine urinalysis. CONCLUSION: In our study, we linked renal pelvis dilatation on pre- and postnatal sonograms to obstructive uropathies rather than to vesicoureteric reflux. Prenatal sonography proved less sensitive than postnatal sonography in revealing obstructive uropathies. An RPD smaller than 10 mm on neonatal sonography was of no pathologic significance because renal collecting systems normalized spontaneously in all infants within 1 year of birth. These neonates and infants had no significant risk for urinary tract infection and did not need further evaluation.     

Resilience of riparian vegetation after restoration measures on River Inn

River restoration is widely applied, although its effects are poorly understood, and degraded habitats might be difficult to improve. Moreover, there is a lack of monitoring as well as few systematic comparisons of restoration methods. This study presents results of a 4‐year monitoring on River Inn (southern Germany) investigating restoration by gravel or sand addition or embankment removal. The results were compared with reference sites that represent the pre‐restoration conditions. At the landscape scale, we analysed vegetation types based on aerial photographs, whereas at a smaller scale, we undertook vegetation surveys and evaluated species composition, growth, and life form, as well as the proportion of the target vegetation. After 4 years, the data indicated a “negative resilience” of the vegetation back to the state prior to restoration. The structural analysis revealed an extensive spread of reed at expense of bare soil. Thus, the species composition largely regressed to the pre‐restoration conditions, and neither annuals nor other pioneer species showed a long‐term benefit of river restoration. There were differences among the three restoration treatments after 2 years, but no longer after 4 years. However, the river restoration had three positive outcomes: (a) There was a temporary benefit for pioneer vegetation that most likely replenished the seed bank of the respective species, (b) the valuable reed communities showed resilience, and (c) the measures allowed some practical learning as expected for adaptive restoration.