Helium bubbles, 1-2 nm in diameter, are observed. When h is greater than 25 nm, hardnesses of irradiated multilayers barely change, whereas radiation hardening is more significant at smaller h. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the formation of a thin layer of Nb(3)Al Crenolanib chemical structure intermetallic phase along the Al/Nb interface as a consequence

of radiation induced intermixing. The dependence of radiation hardening on h is interpreted by using a composite model considering the formation of the hard Nb(3)Al intermetallic layer. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3138804]“
“Background/aims: The frequency of HLA markers associated with rapid progression to AIDS was evaluated in Brazilian patients with AIDS exhibiting or not toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC).

Methods: 98 AIDS patients (25 with TRC, 43 with anti-T. gondii antibodies but without TCR, and

30 without anti-T. gondii antibodies and without TCR) were studied.

Results: The HLA-B35 was significantly increased in TRC group (p = 0.0038).

Conclusion: The presence of HLA-B35 may simultaneously predispose to progression to AIDS and TRC.”
“Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent organic pollutants that are detected in humans worldwide. Laboratory animal studies have shown that PFAAs are associated with immunotoxic effects. However, epidemiological studies investigating the role of PFAAs, in particular PFAAs with longer chains Selleckchem Mizoribine than perfluorooctanoic acid, are scarce. We investigated associations between prenatal exposure to PFAAs, including long-chain compounds, and infant allergic diseases at 12 and 24 months in a large study population. The participants included mothers and their infants who enrolled in the Hokkaido Study on Environment and GSK3326595 clinical trial Children’s Health 2003-2009. Eleven PFAAs were measured in maternal plasma taken at 28-32 weeks of gestation using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem

mass spectrometry. Characteristics of participants and information on infant allergic diseases were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and medical records. At 24 months, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (first vs. fourth quartiles) for eczema in association with higher maternal perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) levels was 0.62 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45, 0.86). After stratification by gender, the adjusted ORs in female infants from mothers with higher maternal perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and PFTrDA levels were also statistically significant (PFUnDA: OR = 0.50; 95% CI, 030, 0.81; PFTrDA: OR = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.23, 0.64). Our findings suggest that lower prenatal exposure to PFTrDA may decrease the risk of developing eczema in early childhood, only in female infants. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.