Two models, namely; Freund-Chason and Guisbiers-Van Overschelde-Wautelet were found to be in agreement with the experimental results in that for the thicknesses less than 30 nm, Guisbiers-Van Overschelde-Wautelet is dominant but for higher than 30 nm, variation in stress follows Freund-Chason model. Therefore, the thickness around 30 nm could be considered as coalescence thickness. Surprisingly, this transition thickness is the same thickness that Guisbiers-Van Overschelde-Wautelet

and Freund-Chason models intersect. Negligible residual stress and high conductance of 30 nm Pd thin film reveal the importance of this Entinostat ic50 transition thickness in microelectronic technology. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3505725]“
“Methods: Samples were prospectively collected during pacemaker and defibrillator generator extractions for elective replacements, upgrades, or pocket infections. The devices were placed in an ultrasonicator for 5 minutes and the fluid sent for culture, along with swab and tissue cultures.

Results: Eighty-two patients with pacemakers (n = 46) or defibrillators (n = 36) underwent generator explantation, 66 of these for elective reasons and 16 for Selleck Torin 2 pocket infection. In patients with

pocket infection, 15 (94%) received a definitive bacterial diagnosis using a combination of all three-culture modalities. Cultures were positive in 15 sonicated fluid, 13 tissue, and 11 swab samples, with Staphylococcus aureus and other skin flora commonly seen. In asymptomatic

patients, 14 (21%) had positive cultures. Cultures were positive in 11 sonicated fluid, eight tissue, and two swab samples. Skin flora was commonly seen, but three of the sonicated fluid cultures grew gram-negative rods. No patients with asymptomatic colonization developed clinical infection during the follow-up period.

Conclusions: Ultrasonication is an inexpensive and simple technique that improves the bacteriologic diagnosis of device pocket infections. It also identifies a significant proportion of patients with asymptomatic colonization, although this is not a marker RG-7388 of future pocket infection. (PACE 2011; 34:143-149).”
“Optimum protease production of 518 U by Bacillus subtilis DM-04 in submerged fermentation was attained by response surface method. An alkaline protease, exists as zwitterionic form at pH 7.0 was purified to 23.5-fold by a combination of cation and anion exchange chromatography, ethanol precipitation followed by reverse-phase HPLC. The purified protease (Alzwiprase) contributes 29.0% of overall extracellular proteases of B. subtilis DM-04, has a subunit molecular mass of 16.9 kDa and exists as a monomer. It shows optimum activity at 45 degrees C and pH 10.0, respectively. The K(m) and V(max) values of Alzwiprase towards casein were determined as 59 mu M and 336 mu g min(-1), respectively.