Reactivity and electronic structure of aluminum clusters: The aluminum-nitrogen system

The stability of anionic aluminum–nitrogen clusters has been examined and Al2N−, Al3N−2,Al5N−2, Al6N−3, Al8N−3, and Al9N−2 are found to be particularly stable. Theoreticaldensity functional calculations on neutral and anionic AlnN (n=1–8) clusters were performed and the stability and reaction energetics with oxygen examined. Clusters requiring less than 5.7 eV to remove an electron and an Al atom are shown to be resistant to the reaction with oxygen

Appearance of bulk properties in small tungsten oxide clusters

Contrary to the conventional understanding that atomic clusters usually differ in properties and structure from the bulk constituents of which they are comprised, we show that even a dimer of tungsten oxide (WO3)2 possesses bulklike features and the geometry of a small cluster containing only 4 tungsten and 12 oxygen atoms bears the hallmarks of crystalline tungsten oxide, WO3. This observation, based on a synergistic approach involving mass distributions under quasisteady state conditions, photoelectron spectroscopy, and first principles molecular orbital theory, not only illustrates the existence of a class of strongly covalent or ionic materials whose embryonic forms are tiny clusters but also lends the possibility that a fundamental understanding of complex processes such as catalyticreactions on surfaces may be achieved on an atomic scale with clusters as model systems

Halothane hepatitis with renal failure treated with hemodialysis and exchange transfusion

A 38-year-old white female, hepatitis B antigen negative, developed fluminating hepatic failure associated with oliguria and severe azotemia after two halothane anesthesia and without exposure to other hepatotoxic drugs or blood transfusions. She was treated with multiple hemodialysis and exchange blood transfusion. The combined treatment corrected the uremic abnormalities and improved her level of consciousness. The liver and kidney function gradually improved, and she made a complete recovery, the first recorded with hepatic and renal failure under these post-anesthetic conditions. Further evaluation of this combined treatment used for this patient is warranted. © 1974 The Japan Surgical Society

Nudges and other moral technologies in the context of power: Assigning and accepting responsibility

Strawson argues that we should understand moral responsibility in terms of our practices of holding responsible and taking responsibility. The former covers what is commonly referred to as backward-looking responsibility , while the latter covers what is commonly referred to as forward-looking responsibility . We consider new technologies and interventions that facilitate assignment of responsibility. Assigning responsibility is best understood as the second- or third-personal analogue of taking responsibility. It establishes forward-looking responsibility. But unlike taking responsibility, it establishes forward-looking responsibility in someone else. When such assignments are accepted, they function in such a way that those to whom responsibility has been assigned face the same obligations and are susceptible to the same reactive attitudes as someone who takes responsibility. One family of interventions interests us in particular: nudges. We contend that many instances of nudging tacitly assign responsibility to nudgees for actions, values, and relationships that they might not otherwise have taken responsibility for. To the extent that nudgees tacitly accept such assignments, they become responsible for upholding norms that would otherwise have fallen under the purview of other actors. While this may be empowering in some cases, it can also function in such a way that it burdens people with more responsibility that they can (reasonably be expected to) manage

Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the staging and evaluation of treatment response in a patient with Castleman's disease: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Castleman's disease is a rare lymphatic polyclonal disorder that is characterised by unicentric or multicentric lymph node hyperplasia and non-specific symptoms and signs including fever, asthenia, weight loss, enlarged liver and abnormally high blood levels of antibodies.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 74-year-old man with Castleman's disease. The disease was detected with a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan and a fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/CT study; diagnosis was made with histopathology. After treatment with surgical excision followed by chemotherapy, the disease response was evaluated using both diagnostic techniques. However, only the PET study was able to identify the spread of the disease to the abdominal lymph nodes, which were both enlarged and normal size, and, after treatment, to evaluate the disease response.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on the results of previous case reports and on those of the present study, it seems that Castleman's disease has a high glucose metabolic activity. Therefore, the use of PET can be considered appropriate in order to stage or restage the disease and to evaluate the response of the disease to treatment.</p