Production and decay of the heaviest nuclei (293,294)117 and (294)118.

Two years after the discovery of element 117, we undertook a second campaign using the (249)Bk+(48)Ca reaction for further investigations of the production and decay properties of the isotopes of element 117 on a larger number of events. The experiments were started in the end of April 2012 and are still under way. This Letter presents the results obtained in 1200 hours of an experimental run with the beam dose of (48)Ca of about 1.5×10(19) particles. The (249)Bk target was irradiated at two energies of (48)Ca that correspond to the maximum probability of the reaction channels with evaporation of three and four neutrons from the excited (297)117. In this experiment, two decay chains of (294)117 (3n) and five decay chains of (293)117 (4n) were detected. In the course of the long-term work, (249)Cf-the product of decay of (249)Bk (330 d)-is being accumulated in the target. Consequently, in the present experiment, we also detected a single decay of the known isotope (294)118 that was produced during 2002-2005 in the reaction (249)Cf((48)Ca,3n)(294)118. The obtained results are compared with the data from previous experiments. The experiments are carried out in the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, using the heavy-ion cyclotron U400.

Histological analysis of human meniscal allografts. A preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the biology of meniscal allograft transplantation in humans. In particular, little information is available about the phenotype of the cells that repopulate the allograft, whether an immune response is elicited against the graft, and whether the repopulating cells synthesize normal extracellular matrix components. METHODS: A small biopsy specimen of the meniscal allograft (twenty-eight menisci in twenty-five patients) and the adjacent synovial membrane (sixteen patients) was harvested during follow-up arthroscopy in patients who had undergone meniscal allograft transplantation at a mean of sixteen months earlier. Seventeen patients had undergone concomitant reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with an allograft. Normal menisci (unimplanted allografts) and synovial specimens from age-matched controls were examined as well. All twenty-eight meniscal allografts were examined histologically. Immunohistochemical analysis was carried out on ten menisci and nine synovial specimens with use of monoclonal antibodies to class-I and class-II major histocompatibility complex antigens, CD-8, CD-11b, and CD-19 epitopes, as well as other epitopes, to demonstrate immunogenic macromolecules, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, activated macrophages, and B-lymphocytes. RESULTS: Most of the specimens demonstrated incomplete repopulation with viable cells. The repopulating cells stained positively with phenotype markers for both synovial cells and fibroblasts. Polarized light microscopy demonstrated evidence of active remodeling of the matrix. The cells in frozen, unimplanted menisci stained positively for class-I and class-II human leukocyte antigens, indicating immunogenicity at the time of transplantation. Overall, nine of twelve specimens contained immunoreactive cells (B-lymphocytes or cytotoxic T-cells) in the meniscus or synovial tissue. However, only a small number of these cells was present. There was no evidence of frank immunological rejection. The clinical outcome (success or failure of the transplant) was not related to the overall histological score or to the presence of an immune response in the meniscal or synovial biopsy specimen. CONCLUSIONS: Human meniscal allograft transplants are repopulated with cells that appear to be derived from the synovial membrane; these cells appear to actively remodel the matrix. Although there is histological evidence of an immune response directed against the transplant, this response does not appear to affect the clinical outcome. The presence of histocompatibility antigens on the meniscal surface at the time of transplantation (even after freezing) indicates the potential for an immune response against the transplant. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Despite the absence of frank immunological rejection, a subtle immune reaction may affect the healing, incorporation, and revascularization of the graft. It is possible that the structural remodeling associated with cellular repopulation may render the meniscus more susceptible to injury.

The relationship of gender and family environment to eating disorder risk in adolescents.

Incidence and prevalence rates of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia among adolescents have steadily increased during the past decade. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of gender and family environment to the risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia in adolescents. The Family Environment Scale (FES; Moos & Moos, 1981) and the Setting Conditions for Anorexia Nervosa Scale (SCANS; Slade, Phil, & Dewey, 1986) were used to measure select components of family environment and risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia, respectively. Data were collected from 393 students attending a private secondary boarding school located in central New Jersey. Subjects represented 35 states and 25 countries, had a mean age of 16.3 years, were predominantly Caucasian (75.6%) with a Catholic (27.5%) or Protestant (26.5%) affiliation, and reported a family income in excess of $50,000 (63.9%). Multiple regression using a unique approach revealed a significant relationship between family environment and the risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia in adolescents (p < .01). The FES subscale of expressiveness was the only subscale found to have a significant relationship with the risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Female subjects displayed a greater risk than did males (p < .01). Finally, no significant interaction was found between family environment and gender on the risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia in adolescents. Simple correlation of the FES subscales was conducted by means of Pearson product moment and results indicated that lower cohesion, expressiveness, and organization were significantly associated with greater eating disorder risk (p < .01). Lower independence was significantly associated with increased eating disorder risk, but to a lesser degree (p < .05). Greater conflict (p < .01) and control (p < .05) were significantly associated with greater eating disorder risk.