The size and number density of free volume domains in the PVP-PEG blends were determined as functions of blend composition and relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere, which controls the amount of absorbed water. Correlating the free volume, adhesion behaviors, and tensile properties of the blends, the range of free volume favoring pressure-sensitive adhesion in examined compositions was established.

(C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 2408-2421, 2011″
“The molecular dynamics simulation (MD) method has been widely applied to the investigation of the thermal conductivity of single crystalline materials during last decade but no report on the thermal conductivity of polycrystalline solids by direct MD simulation with three-dimensional polycrystalline structure JIB-04 solubility dmso is found so far. In this paper, the

periodic configuration of nanocrystalline argon for MD JQEZ5 mouse simulation is constructed based on the Voronoi tessellation method. The thermal conductivity of both perfect single crystal and nanocrystalline bulk argon are calculated by the Green-Kubo method. The results are compared with experiments as well as MD simulation results reported by others. The thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline argon with the average grain size of 5 nm is much lower than that of the corresponding perfect single crystal at temperatures between 10 and 70 K. The reduction can be attributed to grain boundary thermal resistance due to large number of grain interfaces in polycrystalline argon, as well as their limitation on the phonon mean free path. The magnitude of estimated grain boundary thermal resistance at different temperatures is on the scale of 10(-9) m(2)K/W. The grain boundary thermal resistance is larger at lower temperature. This report demonstrates that the thermal property of polycrystalline materials see more can be investigated by MD simulation. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3510523]“
“PURPOSE:

To compare visual function after phacoemulsification with implantation of a multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) or a monofocal IOL.

SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

METHODS: This study comprised patients with unilateral cataract who had phacoemulsification with implantation of an AcrySof ReSTOR SA60D3 multifocal IOL (multifocal group) or an AcrySof SA60AT single-piece monofocal IOL (monofocal group). Postoperative visual function, including uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuity; uncorrected (UNVA), corrected (CNVA), and distance-corrected near visual acuity; and contrast sensitivity were evaluated 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months postoperatively. Patient-reported vision and spectacle independence in the 2 groups were also compared.

However, S. feacalis reduced gradually from 550 cfu/ml to zero at the 10(th) h. Mechanism of action of the extract on the organism inhibited was also carried out. Results showed that potassium ions were continuously leaked throughout the time of interaction (24 h) between the extract and the susceptible organisms. Result of the phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, tanins anthraquinone, phlobatanin, CP-456773 supplier and alkaloids. The percentage yield of the plant as recorded is 4.6%.”
“Epilepsy is responsible for falls that are not systematically associated with seizures and that therefore suggest postural impairment. There are very few studies of postural control in

patients with epilepsy and none of them focus on temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), although part of the vestibular cortex is located in the temporal cortex. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of postural control in a homogeneous population of patients with complex partial TLE. Twenty-six patients with epilepsy and 26 age-matched healthy controls underwent a sensory organization test combining six conditions, with and without sensory conflicting situations. Patients with epilepsy displayed

poorer postural control, especially in situations where vestibular information is necessary EPZ5676 to control balance. In addition to potential antiepileptic drug side effects, vestibular dysfunction could be related to the temporal pathology. Our study allows for a better understanding of the mechanism underlying falls in this population of patients. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“We present a case of pacemaker artifact on 12-lead electrocardiogram that was initially interpreted as malfunction of the patient’s dual-chamber cardiac selleck chemical pacemaker. It was ultimately determined to arise from an extracardiac gastric pacemaker, which had been inserted for refractory, severe diabetic gastroparesis. Proper functioning of both devices was confirmed, and settings were adjusted to test for interdevice interference. This is a report of a patient with both cardiac pacemaker and a gastric pacemaker. We review the literature

on patients with multiple pacemaker devices, and conclude with several practical considerations for their care. (PACE 2011; 13)”
“Pyrometric measurements of radiance to determine temperature have been performed on shock physics experiments for decades. However, multi-wavelength pyrometry schemes sometimes fail to provide credible temperatures in experiments, which incur unknown changes in sample emissivity, because an emissivity change also affects the spectral radiance. Hence, for shock physics experiments using pyrometry to measure temperatures, it is essential to determine the dynamic sample emissivity. The most robust way to determine the normal spectral emissivity is to measure the spectral normal-hemispherical reflectance using an integrating sphere.

In this article, the surgical options for the management of patients with FAP and Lynch syndrome are discussed.”
“Flame-retardant polyvinylchloride (FRPVC), typically used in cable Alvespimycin mw insulation and jacketing construction for multi-purpose reactor (MPR) at Atomic Energy Authority of as well as carbon-black FRPVC (CB-FRPVC) and nonflame-retardant PVC and CB-PVC materials produced by Egyptian Electrical Cable

Company (EECC), have been irradiated up to 160 KGy, at room temperature with a (60)Co gamma source. Free-volumes and thermal stability of irradiated and nonirradiated PVC samples have been examined using positron annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, the mechanical properties: tensile strength and elongation at break were examined. Considerable presence of flame-retardant and carbon black additives in CB-FRPVC sample led to both quenching and inhibition of Ps formation. The mechanical and thermal Characterization showed that irradiation of PVC samples up to 80 KGy effectively induced cross-linking to maxima. Higher doses then after results in degradation and thus a decrease in mechanical strength. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 199-206, 2009″
“In semen, bacteria’s isolation from a pure culture is complex, laborious and easily alterable

STI571 mw by the presence of antibiotics and inhibitors. We developed a PCR technique to detect the presence of the enterotoxigenic (ETEC) and verotoxigenic Escherichia call (VTEC) (strains with high prevalence in the swine industry) in semen by adapting the protocols developed by Zhang et al. (2007) and Yilmaz et al. (2006). We artificially AG-014699 solubility dmso inoculated extended semen samples at different infective concentrations of bacteria (from 10(2) to 10(8) bacteria ml(-1)) with two enterotoxigenic and verotoxigenic strains, and performed two multiplex and one conventional PCR. This technique proved to be a quick, useful and reliable tool to detect the presence of ETEC and VTEC up to an infective

dose of 10(5) bacteria ml(-1) in semen. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Over the past decade, monoclonal antibodies have dramatically impacted the treatment of haematological malignancies, as evidenced by the effect of rituximab on the response rate and survival of patients with follicular and diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Currently, only two monoclonal antibodies – the anti-CD33 immunotoxin gemtuzumab ozogamicin and the CD52-directed antibody alemtuzumab – are approved for treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia in older patients and B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, respectively. Although not approved for such treatment, alemtuzumab is also active against T cell prolymphocytic leukaemia, cutaneous T cell lymphoma and Sezary syndrome, and adult T cell leukaemia and lymphoma.

MI, TVR, CVA, and stent thrombosis were not significantly different between the two groups. Incidences of all-cause death and MACCE were lower in the OCL than in the NCL group (all-cause

death: 10.9 % vs 31.5 %, P < 0.05; MACCE: 27.7 % vs 46.2 %, Belnacasan P < 0.05). After adjusting for patient characteristics, NCL remained at significantly higher risk compared with OCL for in-hospital and all-cause death (P = 0.001, respectively), and MACCE were not significantly different (odds ratio 1.95, 95 % confidence interval 0.94-4.08; P = 0.07) between groups. Initial multivessel PCI was associated with significantly increased risk of in-hospital death, all-cause death, and MACCE, which was somewhat attenuated in a multivariable model, but the numerically excessive risk with NCL still persisted.”
“Objective: To assess the prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in older adults using the head impulse test (HIT) and to assess the independent influence of HIT abnormalities on gait speed and fall risk in older individuals.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Tertiary care academic mTOR inhibitor medical center.

Patients: Fifty community-dwelling individuals age 70 and older.

Interventions: HIT (abnormal HIT defined as right or left HIT abnormality), visual acuity, monofilament testing, and grip strength.

Main Outcome Measures: Gait speed on a 4-meter walk and a

history of falls (including number of falls) in the last 1 and 5 years.

Results: The participants’ mean age was 77 years (range, 70-95 yr); 52% were female subjects. Fifty percent of participants had an abnormal HIT. An abnormal HIT was significantly associated with a 0.23 m/s reduction in gait speed (p = 0.042), Cytoskeletal Signaling inhibitor 0.44 more falls in the last 1 year (p = 0.047), and a 5-fold increase in the odds of falling in the last 5 years (p = 0.024) in multivariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, and other balance and fall risk factors.

Conclusion: We observed that half of the community-dwelling older individuals in

our study had evidence of vestibular dysfunction, which was significantly associated with gait speed and fall risk in adjusted analyses. Screening for vestibular impairment using the simple HIT and directing targeted vestibular therapy may be important to reduce gait impairment and fall risk in older individuals.”
“Objective. To describe the unusual course of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) after pump implantation for intrathecal baclofen (ITB) administration in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)-related dystonia.

Design. Case series based on data collected from 1996 to 2005.

Setting. Movement disorders clinic, university hospital.

Patients. A total of 54 patients with CRPS-related dystonia who were treated with ITB.

Results. A high incidence (76%) and prolonged course (median 18 days, range 2 days to 36 months) of PDPH was found.

While the term overlap syndrome has been defined as the comorbid association of COPD and OSA, the interaction between asthma and OSA has not been integrated yet nosologically; in this

review, the latter will be called alternative overlap syndrome. In an effort to bolster further investigations in this area, an integrated, lumping nomenclature for OSA in the setting of OLD is proposed here-OLDOSA (obstructive lung disease and obstructive sleep apnoea) syndrome.”
“Background.

US soldiers injured in Iraq, and civilian burn trauma patients are treated at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research. Burn patients experience extrem pain during wound care, and they typically receive opioid analgesics and anxiolytics for debridement. Virtual Reality (VR) has been applied as an adjunct to opioid analgesics for procedural pain. We describe the first use of ketamine Selleck Entinostat combined with immersive VR to reduce excessive pain during wound care.

Case Report.

A 21-year-old male US Army soldier stationed in Iraq, and a 41-year-old civilian male sustained a 13% and 50% total body surface area (TBSA) burn, respectively. Each patient

received 40 mg ketamine intraveneous (IV) for wound care. Using a within-subject design, nurses conducted half of a painful segment of wound care treatments with no VR and the other half with immersive VR. Graphic pain rating scores for each of the two treatment conditions served GSK2126458 inhibitor as the dependent variables.

Results.

Compared to ketamine + no VR, both patients reported less pain during ketamine + VR for all three pain ratings. Both patients

rated wound care during no VR as “”no fun at all”", but those same patients rated wound care during virtual reality as either “”pretty fun”" or “”extremely fun”", and rated nausea as either “”mild”" or “”none”".

Conclusions.

Results from these first two cases suggest that a moderate dose of ketamine combined with immersive virtual reality distraction may be an effective multimodal analgesic regimen for reducing acute procedural pain during severe selleck burn wound cleanings.”
“Immigration from high tuberculosis (TB) prevalence countries has a substantial impact on the epidemiology of TB in receiving countries with low TB incidence. Cross-border migration offers an ideal opportunity for active case finding that will result in a lower caseload in the host country and a reduced spread of disease to both the indigenous and migrant populations. Screening strategies can start ‘offshore’, thereby indirectly assisting and empowering public health systems in the source countries, or be performed at ports of entry with or without long-term engagement of ‘onshore’ facilities and systems to provide either preventive therapy or surveillance for reactivation of latent TB.

CONCLUSIONS: Improvements selleck products in ultrasonographic technology have led to lower threshold beta-hCG values for ultrasonographic visualization of early intrauterine gestational structures. However, discriminatory levels for serum beta-hCG levels were higher than values currently used in practice. (Obstet Gynecol 2013;121:65-70) DOI: http://10.1097/AOG.0b013e318278f421″
“The HuIFNA16, HuIFNB1, and BoIFNG genes encoding human alpha 16, beta-interferons and bovine gamma-interferon were cloned under the control of the yeast Pichia pastoris AOX1 gene promoter. The yeast strains producing heterologous interferons intracellularly and extracellularly were constructed.

There was no effect of high level of heterologous protein synthesis on the yeast P. pastoris cell growth, unlike yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The considerable part of the heterologous interferons was detected in the yeast P. pastoris soluble protein fraction but not in the “”inclusion bodies.”" The treatment of human beta-interferon with endoglycosidase H showed that protein was expressed in glycosylated and unglycosylated forms. On the strength of these data, the hypothesis was suggested that

the more effective heterologous gene expression in yeast P. pastoris and enhanced resistance of the methylotrophic yeast to negative effects of recombinant proteins was due to the special features of its metabolism.”
“OBJECTIVE: To estimate the relationship between hormonal parameters of diminished ovarian reserve and the incidence of aneuploid

blastocysts.

METHODS: This prospective cohort trial was learn more performed in a private in vitro fertilization clinic. Three hundred seventy-two patients underwent in vitro fertilization with blastocyst biopsy and aneuploidy screening of all 23 chromosome pairs. Patients were divided into groups based on baseline hormonal ovarian reserve. Group 1 included normal ovarian reserve (n=279) and group 2 included diminished ovarian reserve with day 2 or 3 follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) more than 10 milli-international units/mL, antimullerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less (n=93), or both. Patients with diminished ovarian reserves were further subdivided into three groups. Group Sapitinib in vivo A included FSH more than 10milli-international units and antimullerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less (n=25); group B included FSH more than 10 milli-international units/mL and antimullerian hormone more than 1 ng/mL (n=34); and group C included antimullerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less and day 3 FSH less than 10 milli-international units/L (n=34).

RESULTS: Group 2 (diminished ovarian reserve) had a higher percentage of aneuploid blastocysts (66% compared with 51.7%; P<.05) and all aneuploid blastocyst cycles (35.1% compared with 14.3%; P<.001) than group 1 (normal ovarian reserve).

The variations of C2 VAG in these 45 patients include the following: type I 53 (58.9 %), PFTα molecular weight type II 16 (17.8 %) type III 13 (14.4 %), and type IV 8 (8.9 %). Transpedicle screws of C2 were used in types I, III, and IV VAGs (n = 74); translaminar screws were inserted in type II subgroup (n = 16). Postoperative CT scans showed that there were two pedicle screws violated into the artery groove, and no translaminar screw breached into the vertebrae canal. All the other screws were in right position. None of the 45 patients had severe complications such as spinal cord injury, dura tear, and infection.

Thin-slice CT scan along the C2 pedicle

direction to analysis the variations of C2 VAG can help choose an individual screw placement method (transpedicle or translaminar) with minimal complication for C2 screw fixation.”
“Purpose

of review

To provide a summary of recent advances in the pathophysiology Z-IETD-FMK datasheet of rheumatoid arthritis.

Recent findings

Highlights include further elucidation of the relationship between the shared epitope, smoking and anticitrullinated protein/peptide antibody generation, including identification of putative citrullinated auto-antigens; and a hypothesis linking citrullinating oral bacteria and anticitrullinated protein/peptide antibody generation. Important work on signalling within regulatory T cells has identified sequestration of protein kinase C theta away from the immune synapse as critical for suppressive activity; TNF alpha exposure interferes with protein kinase C theta compartmentalisation, explaining its inhibition of regulatory T cell function. Platelet microparticles have emerged as important pro-inflammatory mediators via their stimulatory effects on fibroblast-like synoviocytes. The mechanisms by which fibroblast-like synoviocyte invade are becoming elucidated, and recent work suggests the capacity of these cells to migrate from joint to joint, potentially explaining the evolution of clinical rheumatoid arthritis.

Summary

Our

knowledge of rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis continues to expand. The last year has seen some key findings, including the identification of novel, potentially tractable targets for further therapeutic research.”
“To determine the efficacy of total disc replacement Sotrastaurin (TDR) for the treatment of cervical spondylosis associated with atypical symptoms.

In this retrospective study, patients with myelopathy and/or radiculopathy related to cervical spondylosis that were treated with TDR were contacted by phone. Atypical symptoms involved in the questionnaire included dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, tinnitus, palpitations, hypomnesia, and abdominal discomfort. The severity of each atypical symptom was evaluated separately based on an numerical rating scale. The radiographs and charts before and after the surgery were reviewed.

195). One-way analysis of variance showed that canals instrumented with ProTaper F4 showed maximum reduction in VRF resistance compared with control uninstrumented group.

Conclusions. Profile 6% taper instruments offer the advantage of maximum debridement without significant reduction in root fracture resistance. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2010; 109: e105-e110)”
“A modified eighth-order Landau potential was proposed for the BaTiO3 single crystal by taking account into the quantum mechanical

effects at low temperature. While all existing thermodynamic potentials for BaTiO3 fail to accurately describe the pressure dependence of ferroelectric transition temperatures, the temperature and hydrostatic pressure phase diagram constructed using the modified potential shows excellent agreement with experimental measurements selleck inhibitor by Ishidate, Abe, Takahashi, and Mori [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2397 (1997)]. On the basis of the new proposed Landau potential, we calculated the dielectric coefficients, spontaneous polarizations, temperature-electric field phase diagram, and piezoelectric coefficients, all in good agreement well with existing Emricasan clinical trial experimental data. (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3504194]“
“In this study, a new sorbent, a poly(acryl-amide-co-itaconic acid) [P(AAm-co-IA)]/activated charcoal (AC) composite,

was prepared by the aqueous polymerization QNZ molecular weight of acrylamide and itaconic acid in the presence of AC with N,N’-methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker and potassium

persulfate as an initiator. The P(AAm-co-IA)/AC composite sorbent showed a fair capacity to adsorb the cationic dye methylene blue. The maximum sorption capacity, as studied at 23, 37, and 50 degrees C and determined with the Langmuir isotherm model, was found to be 909.0, 312.5, and 192.3 mg/g, respectively. For an initial concentration of 5 mg/L, the kinetic uptake data were studied with various kinetic models. The pseudo-second-order equation was found to fairly fit the uptake data with a regression value of 0.999. The dye uptake increased with the pH of the sorbate solution, and the optimum pH was found to be in the range of 7-10. Intraparticle diffusion was also observed to take place, and the coefficient of intraparticle diffusion was evaluated to be 26.51 x 10(-2) mg g(-1) min(-1/2). The various thermodynamic parameters were also determined to predict the nature of the uptake process. The sorption process was found to be spontaneous, as indicated by a negative standard free energy change. The negative standard enthalpy change suggested an exothermic nature for the uptake. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 2525-2532, 2011″
“Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate TMJ arthroplasty with auricular cartilage grafts in patients with osteoarthritis, refractory to previous surgical and nonsurgical treatment.

Study design.

It fails, however, to explain the transversal GF(T) data. Both experimental and theoretical data show that nanocrystalline silicon can have an isotropic piezoresistive effect of the order of 40% of the maximum response of crystalline silicon. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3599881]“
“Objective. The purpose of this study was to present a new surgical

preservation technique for teeth with incomplete vertical root fracture.

Study design. Seventeen patients selleck compound with 1 endodontically treated maxillary anterior tooth in which an incomplete vertical root fracture involving only the buccal side was suspected underwent a flap elevation procedure to visualize the pattern of bone loss and assess

the type of root fracture. If the preoperative diagnosis was confirmed, a groove following the fracture line was prepared using retro-tips driven by an ultrasonic device and sealed with mineral trioxide aggregate after filling of the bone defect with calcium sulfate.

Results. A total of 10 vertical root fracture repair procedures were performed. At 12 months’ follow-up, all cases showed PF-6463922 mw clinical and radiographic success. After 33 months, 7 patients were available for a follow-up: 5 cases remained successful, and 2 teeth (lateral incisors) failed.

Conclusions. The present surgical approach for preservation of teeth with incomplete vertical root fracture demonstrated satisfactory results regarding clinical outcome. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2010;110:e45-e52)”
“Glossophaga soricina is a widespread Neotropical nectarivorous BTK inhibitor mouse bat. We characterized 10 microsatellite loci isolated from a shotgun genomic library. We analyzed tissues from wing membrane of 67 individuals collected from two populations of Central Brazil (Brasilia and Alto

Paraiso). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 20, and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.015 to 0.666 and from 0.016 to 0.915, respectively. The high combined probability of genetic identity (4.369 x 10(-8)) and probability of paternity exclusion (0.996) showed that these microsatellite loci would be useful for population genetic structure and parentage studies in natural populations of G. soricina.”
“Ab initio calculations, based on pseudopotentials and density functional theory, have been performed to investigate the atomic geometry and electronic structures of calcium fluoride (CaF2) on the Si(001) surface. We have considered the experimentally observed (2 x 1) and (3 x 1) reconstructions with different bonding configurations of the CaF2 molecule on the Si(001) surface. Our total energy calculations suggest that the (3 x 1) structure is slightly more preferable than the (2 x 1). The key structural parameters and electronic surface properties of their most stable structures have been discussed.

01; 95%CI

= 0.53-1.93; P = 0.971). Comparison of overall survival of patients did not show significant differences. We suggest that XRCC1Arg194Trp and XRCC1Arg399Gln polymorphisms are involved in susceptibility for developing astrocytomas and glioblastomas.”
“Xenotransplantation of porcine islets into diabetic non-human primates is characterized by (i) an initial massive graft loss possibly due to the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction and (ii) the requirement of intensive, clinically unfriendly immunosuppressive therapy. We investigated whether the transgenic expression of a human complement-regulatory protein (hCD46) on porcine islets would improve the outcome of islet xenotransplantation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Cynomolgus monkeys. NF-��B inhibitor Immunosuppression consisted WH-4-023 of thymoglobulin, anti-CD154 mAb for costimulation blockade, and mycophenolate

mofetil. Following the transplantation of islets from wild-type pigs (n = 2) or from 1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pigs (n = 2), islets survived for a maximum of only 46 days, as evidenced by return to hyperglycemia and the need for exogenous insulin therapy. The transplantation of islets from hCD46 pigs resulted in graft survival and insulin-independent normoglycemia in four of five monkeys for the 3 months follow-up of the experiment. One normalized recipient, selected at random, was followed for > 12 months. Inhibition of complement activation by the expression of hCD46 on the pig islets did not substantially reduce the initial loss of islet mass, rather was effective in limiting antibody-mediated

rejection. This resulted in a reduced need for immunosuppression to preserve a sufficient islet mass to maintain normoglycemia long-term.”
“Multiple-walled carbon nanotube (CNT)-and carbon black (CB)-polymer composites have been fabricated by mechanical mixing with different loadings, the polymeric matrix being identical between the two series of samples. The main focus of this work is to report measurements of physical properties of these mixtures in ambient conditions and to discuss the origin of similarities and differences among them according the kind of carbonaceous filler. The uniform dispersion of the carbonaceous phase in the dielectric matrix was selleck chemicals probed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The good dispersibility of the filler particle is also reflected in the much lower conduction threshold observed for CNT-containing samples than in the CB composites. This is likely due to the high aspect ratio of the CNTs. Mechanical properties show that the storage modulus of the two kinds of samples is close to the modulus value of the neat styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), independent of filler content over a wide range of compositions (phi<0.1) encompassing the percolation threshold.