Charge motion in the conductive layer can cause depletion on large length scales, making electron confinement in the dot impossible, and can give rise to noise that can overwhelm the single-electron charging signal. Results of capacitance versus gate bias measurements to characterize this conductive layer are presented. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3610524]“
“The omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, is an important building block of the CNS, and its availability GDC-0973 price during pregnancy and lactation may influence maternal mental health and, later, childhood developmental outcomes. Epidemiological

and observational studies have supported a role for omega-3 fatty acids in optimizing child development and maternal mental health. However, results of randomized intervention studies have not consistently shown beneficial effects for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy and lactation. This review summarizes the biological plausibility, as well as the available evidence from observational and randomized controlled trials, of omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy

and lactation.”
“Brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a measure of endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability. selleck chemical Endothelial nitric oxide controls vascular tone and is likely to modify the ventricular muscle coupling mechanism. The Selleck BKM120 association between left ventricular mass and FMD is not well understood. We assessed the association between left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and FMD in participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). MESA is a population-based study of 6814 adults free of clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline who were recruited from six US clinics. LVMI (left ventricular mass per body surface area) and FMD

were measured in 2447 subjects. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the association. The subjects had a mean age of 61.2 +/- 9.9 years, 51.2% females with 34.3% Caucasians, 21.6% Chinese, 19.4% African Americans and 24.7% Hispanics. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.4 +/- 4.8 kgm(-2), 9.4% had diabetes, 11% were current smokers and 38% hypertensives. The mean +/- s.d. LVMI was 78.1 +/- 15.9 gm(-2) and mean +/- s.d. FMD was 4.4% +/- 2.8%. In univariate analysis, LVMI was inversely correlated with FMD (r=-0.20, P < 0.0001). In the multivariable analysis, LVMI was associated with FMD (beta coefficient (se)=-0.50 (0.11), P < 0.001 (0.5 gm(-2) reduction in LVMI per 1% increase in FMD)) after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking, weight, statin use, antihypertensive medication use, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.