E-beam fluorinated CVD graphene:XPS study on stability and NHadsorption doping effect.

Graphene exhibits promise in gas detection applications despite its limited selectivity. Functionalization with fluorine atoms offers a potential solution to enhance selectivity, particularly towards ammonia (NH+) molecules. This article presents a study on electron-beam fluorinated graphene (FG) and its integration into gas sensor platforms.

Does Fibula Free Flap Harvesting Affect Donor Site of Patients in Facial Reconstructions: A Gait Analysis Study.

Background: Vascularized fibula free flap (VFFF) remains gold standard for reconstruction of bony defects of the maxilla or mandible. Research and publications in recent years essentially focused on the evolution and improvement of the recipient reconstructed area but very few concerning the donor site morbidity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze walking ability of patients following VFFF operation and to determine if there are long term walking disabilities.

Self-Assembly of Soot Nanoparticles on the Surface of Resistively Heated Carbon Microtubes in Near-Hexagonal Arrays of Micropyramids.

Almost regular hexagonal arrays of microscopic pyramids consisting of soot nanoparticles are formed on the surface of graphitized hollow filaments, which are resistively heated to ∼1800-2400 °C under an Ar atmosphere containing trace amounts of oxygen (∼300 ppm). At higher temperatures ( > 2300 °C, approximately) the soot particles are represented mainly by multishell carbon nano-onions. The height and width of the pyramids are strongly dependent on the temperature of the resistive heating, diminishing from 5 to 10 μm at ≈ 1800 °C to ∼1 μm at 2300-2400 °C.

Questions and Emotions of Minors After Terrorist Attacks: A Qualitative Study Using Data from a Belgian Youth-Helpline.

Until now, there is little research on the experiences of indirectly exposed minors after terrorist attacks. This study sheds light on the emotions and questions of such indirectly exposed minors. A qualitative content analysis of secondary data gained from Awel, a youth-helpline, was performed until saturation.

Covalent Functionalization by Cycloaddition Reactions of Pristine Defect-Free Graphene.

Based on a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy study, we present a direct visualization of a cycloaddition reaction performed for some specific fluorinated maleimide molecules deposited on graphene. Up to now, it was widely admitted that such a cycloaddition reaction can not happen without pre-existing defects. However, our study shows that the cycloaddition reaction can be carried out on a defect-free basal graphene plane at room temperature.

Asymptomatic Lambert-Eaton syndrome.

Introduction: All descriptions of the Lambert-Eaton syndrome are based on symptomatic patients. We incidentally encountered electromyographic evidence of this syndrome in a patient being studied for another reason. The patient had controlled hypothyroidism and smoked for 9 pack-years but never had symptoms of weakness or had evidence of cancer.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism of all-epitaxial β-Fe-Ge/diamond-Ge/β-Fe-Ge trilayers.

We report on the first all-epitaxial ferromagnet/inorganic semiconductor/ferromagnet hybrid heterostructure that exhibits (i) a Ge barrier of diamond crystal structure, (ii) room-temperature ferromagnetic electrodes and (iii) very smooth interfaces. Both bottom- and top-Fe-Ge electrodes exhibit tiny in-plane magnetic anisotropies dominated by a magnetocrystalline contribution of six-fold symmetry originating from the hexagonal symmetry of the B82 (Ni2In) β-Fe-Ge phase. A key result is the absence of any magnetic coupling between these soft-magnetic electrodes for Ge barrier thickness as low as ~2.

AAEM case report #5: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A 40-year-old man presented with a gradual onset of gait unsteadiness and weakness in the arms. The stretch reflexes were normal in the upper extremities but hyperactive in the lower extremities with bilateral Babinski signs. A myelogram revealed a partial obstruction at C-5-6.

Onset, natural history and outcome in idiopathic adult motor neuron disease.

Cases of adult-onset idiopathic motor neuron disease (MND) identified from January 1970 through December 1986 were studied in a defined area of California. The patients were followed prospectively throughout the illness in 99% of cases. Among 708 cases aged 25-74 years at onset, the most common type (86%) was typical, sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SporALS).

AAEM minimonograph #14: The influence of temperature in clinical neurophysiology.

AAEM MINIMONOGRAPH # 14 Temperature affects biologic and neurophysiologic processes and is, therefore, always well controlled in in vitro experiments. Its role is equally important in the clinical laboratory but has often been neglected. Lower temperature cause slower nerve conduction velocities (NCVs), and increased amplitudes of muscle and nerve potentials.

M wave changes with temperature in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and disorders of neuromuscular transmission.

Local cooling of the muscle resulted in significant increases in M wave surface areas in patients with ALS, myasthenia gravis, the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, and also in controls. The most striking increases were seen in patients with early ALS who had minimal lower motor neuron involvement and/or little defect on neuromuscular transmission and patients with the myasthenic syndrome. Patients with myasthenia gravis had intermediate increases between these groups and the controls; there was a larger increase in M wave surface area in myasthenia gravis compared with controls but this could be accounted for by improvement in neuromuscular transmission.

Lower motor neuron syndromes defined by patterns of weakness, nerve conduction abnormalities, and high titers of antiglycolipid antibodies.

We studied 74 patients with progressive, asymmetrical lower motor neuron syndromes. Clinical features of these patients, including age, sex, disease duration, patterns of weakness, and reflex changes, were evaluated by review of records. In each patient the clinical features were compared to the type of nerve conduction abnormalities and to the specificities of high-titer serum antiglycolipid antibodies.

Trial of octacosanol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Octacosanol was tried in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Neurologic and pulmonary function evaluations showed no benefit.

The treatment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis with interferon: a case report.

A child with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) received intraventricular alpha interferon (IFN) as experimental treatment. The course was monitored by colleagues in pediatric neurology, neuro-opthalmology and clinical psychology, also by monthly EEGS and brain CT scans. Two courses of IFN were administered.

Motor neurone disease: towards better care.

Even in the most severe forms of motor neurone disease--progressive bulbar palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--the symptoms and disabilities from progressive paralysis may be relieved in many patients by various symptomatic treatments. Quality of life may be improved even in the terminal stage, when narcotic administration should be considered. The physician's proper role is to offer and carefully supervise these treatments, not withhold them.

Passive transfer experiments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

To test the hypothesis that a serum factor might play a role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, whole plasma obtained by plasmapheresis from patients with the disease was injected daily intraperitoneally into mice for periods of up to three months. Similar experiments were carried out with an isolated immunoglobulin fraction. Control experiments were carried out simultaneously.

Clinical and subclinical oculomotor findings in the Eaton-Lambert syndrome.

Five patients with the Eaton-Lambert syndrome were examined neuro-ophthalmologically. Three were studied using electro-oculographic saccadic velocity recordings. Four complained of blurred vision and all complained of ptosis during the course of their disease.

Plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive drug therapy in the Eaton-Lambert syndrome.

Five patients with Eaton-Lambert syndrome (ELS) without associated malignancy were first treated by plasmapheresis alone, and subsequently by plasmapheresis combined with prednisone and azathioprine therapy. Three of the five were also treated by the immunosuppressive drugs alone. Although all three therapeutic regimens resulted in some clinical and electromyographic (EMG) improvement, the greatest improvement was seen during plasmapheresis combined with prednisone and azathioprine.