Resonant Transport in Nb/GaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs Microstructures

Resonant transport in a hybrid semiconductor-superconductor microstructure grown by MBE on GaAs is presented. This structure experimentally realizes the prototype system originally proposed by de Gennes and Saint-James in 1963 in \emph{all}-metal structures. A low temperature single peak superimposed to the characteristic Andreev-dominated subgap conductance represents the mark of such resonant behavior. Random matrix theory of quantum transport was employed in order to analyze the observed magnetotransport properties and ballistic effects were included by directly solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations.Comment: 7 pages REVTeX, 4 figures, to be published by World Scientific in Proceedings of International Symposium on Mesoscopic Superconductivity and Spintronics (NTT R&D Center Atsugi, Japan, March 2002

I-surfaces with one T-singularity

We classify normal stable surfaces with KX2=1, pg= 2 and q= 0 with a unique singular point which is a non-canonical T-singularity, thus exhibiting two divisors in the main component and a new irreducible component of the moduli space of stable surfaces M¯ 1 , 3

Sequential bilateral cochlear implant: long-term speech perception results in children first implanted at an early age

Purpose: The study aims to assess the benefit of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in children with congenital bilateral profound hearing loss, submitted to the first implant at an early age. Methods: We enrolled all the bilateral sequential cochlear implanted children who received the first implant within 48 months and the second within 12 years of age at our Institution. The children were submitted to disyllabic word recognition tests and Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) assessment using the OLSA matrix sentence test with the first implanted device (CI1), with the second implanted device (CI2), and with both devices (CIbil). Furthermore, we measured the datalogging of both devices. Then we calculated the binaural SRT gain (b-SRTgain) and checked the correlations between speech perception results and the b-SRTgain with the child’s age at CI1 and CI2, DELTA and the datalogging reports. Results: With the bilateral electric stimulation, we found a significant improvement in disyllabic word recognition scores and in SRT. Moreover, the datalogging showed no significant differences in the time of use of CI1 and CI2. We found significant negative correlations between speech perception abilities with CI2 and age at CI2 and DELTA, and between the SRT with CI1 and the b-SRTgain. Conclusions: From this study we can conclude that in a sequential CI procedure, even if a short inter-implant delay and lower ages at the second surgery can lead to better speech perception with CI2, children can benefit from bilateral stimulation independently of age at the second surgery and the DELTA

Vitamin E as Adjuvant in Emulsified Vaccine for Chicks

Abstract Mineral oil was partially replaced with D, L-α-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) in bacterial and viral inactivated emulsified vaccines. Vitamin E increased the immune response to the viral antigen (Newcastle disease virus) used but not to the bacterial antigen (Escherichia coli) when its presence in the oil phase did not exceed 30%. Inoculated vitamin E may have enhanced the immune response by interacting with the immune-competent cells involved in the inflammatory reaction that followed inoculation of emulsified vaccines

Structure and Strength of Dislocation Junctions: An Atomic Level Analysis

The quasicontinuum method is used to simulate three-dimensional Lomer-Cottrell junctions both in the absence and in the presence of an applied stress. The simulations show that this type of junction is destroyed by an unzipping mechanism in which the dislocations that form the junction are gradually pulled apart along the junction segment. The calculated critical stress needed for breaking the junction is comparable to that predicted by line tension models. The simulations also demonstrate a strong influence of the initial dislocation line directions on the breaking mechanism, an effect that is neglected in the macroscopic treatment of the hardening effect of junctions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Expression of progesterone receptor membrane component-1 in bovine reproductive system during estrous cycle

Several reports suggest the participation of progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) in progesterone signaling in the reproductive system. This study aimed at investigating the presence and localization of PGRMC1 in bovine ovary, oviduct and uterus, during the follicular and luteal phases of the estrous cycle. In the ovary, PGRMC1 has been detected in surface germinal epithelium, granulosa cells, theca cells and in the germinal vesicle of the oocytes at all stages of folliculogenesis. In the corpus luteum the expression of PGRMC1 was influenced by the stage of the estrous cycle. In the oviducts and in the uterus horns, PGRMC1 was immunolocalized in the luminal epithelium, in the muscle layer cells and in the endothelial cells. In the uterus, PGRMC1 was intensely localized also in the glandular endometrium. However, in the oviducts and in the uterus horns, the localization of PGRMC1 was independent on the stage of the estrous cycle and on whether evaluating the ipsilateral or the contralateral organ. In conclusion, the present immunohistochemical study showed that PGRMC1 is located in various compartments of the bovine female reproductive organs. With the exception of the corpora lutea, PGRMC1 localization showed similar pattern during different stages of the estrous cycle