The results showed that the studied process reduced considerably

The results showed that the studied process reduced considerably the additives migration. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012″
“Background: Human parechovirus (HPeV) infections of the central nervous system (CNS) in children can be associated with severe outcomes such as neonatal sepsis-like illness, meningitis, or paralysis. We sought to determine the prevalence of HPeV CNS infections and clinical presentation

in children from the United States.

Methods: Frozen nucleic acid extracts from enterovirus-negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained at the Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, in Kansas City from 2006 (n = 242), 2007 (n = 324), and 2008 (n = 218) were tested by 2-step HPeV real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. HPeV genotype was determined by sequencing the VP3/VP1 junction. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from medical records.

Results: Overall HPeV was SNS-032 detected in 58/780 (7%) of tested CSF samples; 4/218 (2%) in 2006, 54/320 (17%) in 2007, and 0/242 (0%) in 2008. HPeV (17%) and enterovirus (20%) detection were comparable in 2007. HPeV-3 genotype was detected in 52/53 specimens successfully sequenced. Detection was seasonal (June-October). HPeV-3-CNS-infection occurred at a mean age of 6.6 +/- 4.4

weeks and predominantly in males (71%). The most common clinical presentation was sepsis-like syndrome (66%). The most common symptoms BI 2536 cost were irritability (98%), fever (95%), and nonspecific rash (58.6%), while neurologic manifestations were rare (5%).

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first multiyear prevalence report of HPeV CNS infection in the United States. HPeV CNS infection was detected mostly in male infants with

sepsis-like illness during the late summer/autumn season. Routine seasonal CSF testing in infants for HPeV plus enterovirus may improve etiologic detection and clinical management of infantile sepsis-like presentations.”
“We evaluated the prevalence of human bocavirus and KI and WU polyomaviruses in pediatric intensive care patients with and without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). The prevalence of these viruses was 5.1%, 0%, and 2.6%, respectively, in children with LRTI and 4.8%, 4.8%, and 2.4%, respectively, in those https://www.selleckchem.com/products/DAPT-GSI-IX.html without LRTI.”
“A series of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles have been synthesized employing various template/functional monomer/crosslinking monomer ratio and characterized in detail to elucidate the correlation between the synthetic conditions used and the properties (e.g., particle size and template binding properties) of the obtained nanoparticles. In brief, the presence of propranolol (template) in the polymerization mixture turned out to be a critical factor on determination of the size as well as the binding properties of the imprinted nanoparticles.

DesignA prospective cross-sectional study of older Black and Whit

DesignA prospective cross-sectional study of older Black and White patients presenting for outpatient cancer treatment.

MethodsParticipants were surveyed on questions assessing pain severity, knowledge and experience of pain, self-efficacy for pain treatment, satisfaction with pain treatment, and additional social, health, and demographic characteristics. A series selleck chemicals of hierarchical regression

models were specified to examine predictors of cancer pain knowledge and experience.

ResultsEducation, race, and trust were significant predictors of pain knowledge, whereas self-efficacy for pain, pain interference, and pain severity were indicators of the experience of cancer pain.

ConclusionsKnowledge and experience of (cancer) pain Dorsomorphin mw are contingent upon a myriad of social and clinical factors that are not exclusive but rather coexisting determinants of health. Understanding older adults’ knowledge of pain may begin to diminish the imparities in the diagnosis and treatment of pain among this growing diverse population of older adults. It may similarly allow for programs to be tailored to fit the specific needs of the patient in the treatment and management

of their cancer pain.”
“Diallel analysis was used to obtain information on combining ability, heterosis, estimates of genetic distances by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and on their correlations with heterosis, for the popcorn varieties RS 20, UNB2, CMS 43, CMS 42, Zelia, UEM J1, UEM M2, Beija-Flor, and Vicosa, which were crossed to obtain all possible combinations, without reciprocals. The genitors and the 36 F(1) hybrids were evaluated in field trials in Maringa during two growing seasons in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Based on the results, strategies for further studies were developed, including the construction of composites by joining varieties with high general combining ability for grain yield (UNB2 and CMS 42) with those with high general combining ability for popping expansion (Zelia, RS 20 and UEM

M2). Based learn more on the RAPD markers, UEM J1 and Zelia were the most genetically distant and RS 20 and UNB2 were the most similar. The low correlation between heterosis and genetic distances may be explained by the random dispersion of the RAPD markers, which were insufficient for the exploitation of the popcorn genome. We concluded that an association between genetic dissimilarity and heterosis based only on genetic distance is not expected without considering the effect of dominant loci.”
“Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tumour size on recurrence and progression in a population-based series of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancers. Material and methods. Clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with primary Ta/bladder cancer were registered.

Conclusions: The present study was carried out in a period of vul

Conclusions: The present study was carried out in a period of vulnerability for cervical buy BTSA1 patients up to six months from the start of treatment. The cancer itself, surgery and adjuvant therapy and their side effects together had an effect on quality of life. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Immobilized Cu(2+) ions affinity cellophane-poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA)-grafted membranes have been prepared through three steps. The first step was introducing of epoxy groups to its chemical Structure through

grafting process with PGMA. Factors affecting the grafting process have been studied and grafting percentage (GP) up to 233%, has been obtained. The second step was converting the introduced epoxy groups to sulfonic ones. It was found that maximum amount of sulfonic groups (2.7 mmol/g) was obtained with minimum GP (46.08%). PKC inhibitor The third and last step was the immobilization of Cu(2+) ions into sulfonated grafted membranes obtained from the previous step. Maximum amount of immobilized Cu(2+) ions was found to be 60.9 ppm per grain of polymer. The verification of the grafting and sulfonation steps has been performed through characterization of the obtained membrane using FTIR, TGA, and EDAX analysis. Finally, Cu(2+)-immobilized

membranes have been evaluated in separation of P-galactosidase (beta-Gal) enzyme from its mixture with bovine serum albumin (BSA) in different pH medium. Maximum protein adsorption, for both proteins, has been obtained at pH range 4-4.5; as 90 and 45%, for beta-Gal SHP099 clinical trial and BSA, respectively. The results showed high affinity toward beta-Gal separation although BSA concentration (0.5%) is 20-folds of beta-Gal (0.025%,). (C) 2008 Wiley, Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 111: 2647-2656, 2009″
“P>Rae1 performs multiple functions in animal systems, acting in interphase as an mRNA export factor and during mitosis as a mitotic checkpoint and spindle assembly regulator. In this study we characterized multiple functions

of Rae1 in plants. Virus-induced gene silencing of Nicotiana benthamiana Rae1, NbRae1, which encodes a protein with four WD40 repeats, resulted in growth arrest and abnormal leaf development. NbRae1 was mainly associated with the nuclear envelope during interphase, and NbRae1 deficiency caused accumulation of poly(A) RNA in the nuclei of leaf cells, suggesting defective mRNA export. In the shoot apex, depletion of NbRae1 led to reduced mitotic activities, accompanied by reduced cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity and decreased expression of cyclin B1, CDKB1-1, and histones H3 and H4. The secondary growth of stem vasculature was also inhibited, indicating reduced cambial activities. Differentiated leaf cells of NbRae1-silenced plants exhibited elevated ploidy levels.

Furthermore they will incorporate patient-specific anatomical mod

Furthermore they will incorporate patient-specific anatomical models obtained from patient imaging

and uploaded onto the simulator to ensure face reliability and validity assurance. Training in a clean, safe environment with proximate feedback and performance analysis will help accelerate the learning curve and therefore improve patients’ safety and outcomes in order to maximize the benefits of innovative access procedures such as NOTES. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“BACKGROUND: The focus of this paper is the ultrasound-assisted synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) from caffeic acid and phenyl ethanol in a continuous packed-bed bioreactor. Immobilized Novozym (R) 435 (from Candida antarctica) is used as the catalyst. A three-level-three-factor Box-Behnken PF-02341066 concentration design and a response surface methodology (RSM) are employed to evaluate the effects of temperature, flow rate, and ultrasonic power on the percentage molar conversion of CAPE.

RESULTS: Based on ridge max analysis, it is concluded that the optimum condition for synthesis is reaction temperature 72.66 degrees C, flow rate 0.046 mL min(-1), and ultrasonic

power 1.64 W cm(-2). The expected molar conversion value is 97.84%. An experiment performed under these optimal conditions resulted in a molar conversion of 92.11 +/- 0.75%. The enzyme in the bioreactor was found to be learn more stable for at least 6 days.

CONCLUSIONS: The lipase-catalyzed synthesis of CAPE by an ultrasound-assisted packed-bed bioreactor uses mild reaction conditions. Enzymatic synthesis of CAPE is suitable for use in the nutraceutical and food production industries. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry”
“Antenatal steroids (AS) have been shown to enhance fetal maturation in preterms and to improve outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of AS in premature severely intrauterine growth restricted infants. The electronic data of 149 inborn, single infants born 24 to 31 6/7 weeks of GA and with a BW <= 3rd percentile were reviewed. Infants

with congenital anomalies and syndromes were excluded. We compared the outcome of those who received 2 doses of AS (group A, 87 infants) with those who did not receive AS (group PLX4032 in vivo B, 62 infants). Sixty-eight infants in group A and 53 in group B were discharged home alive. AS did not improve the neonatal outcome, with the exception of a better cord pH and 5-min Apgar and we did not observe a significant difference in the Griffith’s test at 2 years of corrected age, although there was a trend to a higher incidence of severe global delay in the steroid group. In view of the potential cerebral and CVS risks associated with high circulating steroids, the indications for AS in such a population need to be re-evaluated.

The separation factor at 40 degrees C reached 38 4, and the perme

The separation factor at 40 degrees C reached 38.4, and the permeation flux was 128.0 g m-2 h-1. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012″
“Purpose: To compare the imaging time and image quality obtained with whole-heart

coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography performed with five- and 32-channel coils in healthy subjects and determine the accuracy PND-1186 of MR angiography performed with 32-channel coils in the detection of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materials and Methods: The institutional review board approved the study protocol, and all participants provided written informed consent. The authors studied 10 healthy subjects and 67 patients suspected of having CAD who were scheduled for coronary angiography. Unenhanced 1.5-T coronary MR angiography was performed with five-and 32-channel coils in healthy subjects and with 32-channel coils in patients. Clinically significant CAD was defined as a diameter reduction of at least 50% at coronary angiography. The sensitivity and specificity of coronary MR angiography were calculated.

Results: The mean imaging time was substantially reduced from 12.3 minutes +/- 4.2 (standard deviation) with five-channel coils to 6.3 minutes +/- 2.2 with www.selleckchem.com/products/blebbistatin.html 32-channel coils, with equivalent image quality scores.

Acquisition of MR angiograms was completed in all 67 patients, with a mean imaging time of 6.2 minutes +/- 2.8. The prevalence of CAD in the study population was 58% (39 of the 67 patients). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves as determined at vessel-and patient-based analyses were 0.91 and 0.90, respectively; the sensitivity and specificity at vessel-based analysis were 86% and 93%, respectively.

Conclusion: Whole-heart coronary MR angiography performed at 1.5 T with 32-channel coils permits noninvasive detection of CAD with substantially reduced imaging HKI-272 price time. This noninvasive approach can be an alternative to multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography for ruling out obstructive CAD in patients who have a contraindication to contrast material and in young

subjects who are at higher risk from ionizing radiation. (C) RSNA, 2011″
“Hepatic hydrothorax is defined as a significant pleural effusion in patients with liver cirrhosis and without underlying cardiopulmonary diseases. Treatment of hepatic hydrothorax remains a challenge at present.

Herein we share our experiences in the treatment of 12 patients with hepatic hydrothorax by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Repair of the diaphragmatic defects, or pleurodesis by focal pleurectomy, talc spray, mechanical abrasion, electro-cauterization or injection was administered intraoperatively, and tetracycline intrapleural injection was used postoperatively for patients with prolonged (> 7 d) high-output (> 300 ml/d) pleural effusion.

Petiole and midrib base present 15-20 vascular bundles The blade

Petiole and midrib base present 15-20 vascular bundles. The blade is hypostomatic, dorsiventral and shows staurocytic stomatal complex, subepidermis and oil idioblasts. The stem possesses medullary vascular bundles; a typical endodermis is not observed, as it occurs in other Piper species.”
“Memories are thought to be encoded as a distributed representation in the neocortex. The medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC) has been shown to support the expression of memories that initially depend on the hippocampus (HPC), yet the mechanisms by which the HPC and mPFC access the distributed representations

in the neocortex are unknown. By measuring phase synchronization of local field potential (LFP) oscillations, we found that learning initiated changes in neuronal communication of the HPC and mPFC with click here the lateral entorhinal cortex(LEC), an area that HM781-36B mouse is connected with many other neocortical regions. LFPs were recorded simultaneously from the three brain regions while rats formed an association between an auditory stimulus(CS) and eyelid stimulation(US) in a trace eyeblink conditioning paradigm, as well as during retention 1 month following learning. Over the course of learning, theta oscillations in the LEC and mPFC became strongly synchronized following presentation of the CS on trials in which rats exhibited a conditioned response (CR), and this

strengthened synchronization was also observed during remote retention. GW4869 mouse In contrast, CS-evoked theta synchronization

between the LEC and HPC decreased with learning. Our results suggest that communication between the LEC and mPFC are strengthened with learning where as the communication between the LEC and HPC are concomitantly weakened, suggesting that enhanced LEC-mPFC communication may be a neuronal correlate for theoretically proposed neocortical reorganization accompanying encoding and consolidation of a memory.”
“The efficacy of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery to produce weight loss has been well-documented, but few studies have measured the key components of energy balance, food intake, and energy expenditure longitudinally.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats on a high-fat diet underwent either RYGB, sham operation, or pair feeding and were compared to chow-fed lean controls. Body weight and composition, food intake and preference, energy expenditure, fecal output, and gastric emptying were monitored before and up to 4 months after intervention.

Despite the recovery of initially decreased food intake to levels slightly higher than before surgery and comparable to sham-operated rats after about 1 month, RYGB rats maintained a lower level of body weight and fat mass for 4 months that was not different from chow-fed age-matched controls. Energy expenditure corrected for lean body mass at 1 and 4 months after RYGB was not different from presurgical levels and from all other groups.

Results: The preponderance of the evidence supported an associati

Results: The preponderance of the evidence supported an association of acculturation with poor dietary quality and obesity. These associations appeared to be modified by several socioeconomic and demographic factors and were not always linear. The association between acculturation and T2D is unclear.

Conclusions: Longitudinal studies and more sophisticated analytic approaches are needed

to better understand www.selleckchem.com/products/ldk378.html if and how acculturation affects health-disparity outcomes in Latinos. Tailoring interventions to the acculturation level of individuals is likely to help reduce health disparities in Latinos. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;93(suppl):1163S-7S.”
“Oocyte quality has long been considered as a main limiting factor for in vitro fertilization (IVF). In the past Blasticidin S in vivo decade, extensive observations demonstrated that the mitochondrion plays a vital role in the oocyte cytoplasm, for it can provide adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for fertilization and preimplantation embryo development and also act as stores of intracellular calcium and proapoptotic factors. During the oocyte maturation, mitochondria are characterized by distinct changes of their distribution pattern from being homogeneous to heterogeneous, which is correlated with the cumulus

apoptosis. Oocyte quality decreases with the increasing maternal age. Recent studies have shown that low quality oocytes have some age-related dysfunctions, which include the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, increase of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damages, chromosomal aneuploidies, the incidence of apoptosis, and changes in mitochondrial gene expression. All these dysfunctions Dinaciclib manufacturer may cause a high level of developmental retardation and arrest of preimplantation embryos. It has been suggested that these mitochondrial changes may arise from excessive reactive

oxygen species (ROS) that is closely associated with the oxidative energy production or calcium overload, which may trigger permeability transition pore opening and subsequent apoptosis. Therefore, mitochondria can be seen as signs for oocyte quality evaluation, and it is possible that the oocyte quality can be improved by enhancing the physical function of mitochondria. Here we reviewed recent advances in mitochondrial functions on oocytes.”
“In a model study, polyethylene was preoxidized and incubated for a period of 7 months at 40 degrees C in two different municipal solid waste leachates. During the postexperimental analyses, specific attention was paid to the carbonyl species and carboxylic acid depletion during the environmental exposure because it is well known that carboxylic acids are believed to be a potential substrate for the development of microorganisms. The results showed that the carbonyl as well as the carboxylic acid depletion observed follows first-order kinetics. The biofilm formation was characterized using a suite of analytical techniques, and its formation was compared with the carboxylic acid and carbonyl depletion profile.

In addition, the new copy number variation syndromes are often as

In addition, the new copy number variation syndromes are often associated with variable outcomes, ranging from normal to severely affected individuals. This means that the microarray-based analysis introduced routinely in prenatal diagnosis needs to answer the question: are laboratory staff, clinical geneticists and counselors really experienced enough to manage these new scenarios?”
“Recently, we reported that syn-4,6-dimethyldodecanal is the male sex pheromone and the trail-following

pheromone of the Termopsidae Zootermopsis nevadensis and Zootermopsis angusticollis. In this article, we describe the syntheses of the mixture of the four stereoisomers of 4,6-dimethyldodecanal using a synthetic pathway where the key step is a Wittig reaction between methyl 4-methyl-5-oxo-pentanoate and 1-methylheptyl-triphenylphosphonium iodide, and of (+/-)-syn-4,6-dimethyldodecanal starting from 3,5-dimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one. Selleck GSK1210151A Direct GC-MS comparison of these synthetic samples with the natural pheromone

allowed its unambiguous identification.”
“Expert Rev. Proteomics 10(2), 135-149 (2013) A major ambition of proteomics is the provision of assays that can diagnose disease and monitor therapies. These assays are required to be sensitive and specific for individual Tubastatin A in vitro proteins, and in most cases to quantify more than one protein in the same sample. The two main technologies currently used for proteomics assays are based on mass spectrometry and panels of affinity molecules such as antibodies. In the first part of this review the most sensitive existing assays based on these technologies are described and compared with the gold standard of ELISA. Analytical sensitivity is defined and related to the limit of detection, and analytical specificity is defined and shown to depend on molecular proofreading steps, similar to those applied in living systems whenever there is a need for high fidelity. It is shown that at present neither mass spectrometry nor panels of affinity molecules offer the necessary PND-1186 in vivo combination

of sensitivity and specificity required for multiplexed assays. In the second part of this review the growing numbers of assays that use additional proofreading steps to combine sensitivity with specificity are described. These include assays based on proximity ligation and slow off-rate modified aptamers. Finally the review considers what improvements might be possible in the near future, and concludes that further development of proteomics assays incorporating advanced proofreading steps are most likely to provide the necessary combination of sensitivity and specificity, without incurring high development costs.”
“The hydrodistilled essential oils of Ocimum basilicum L. cvs. ‘Vikarsudha’ and ‘CIM-Soumya’, Ocimum sanctum L. cvs. ‘Green’ (CIM-Ayu) and ‘Purple’, Ocimum gratissimum L.

Women with type 1 diabetes showed higher GV, with a 2-fold higher

Women with type 1 diabetes showed higher GV, with a 2-fold higher risk of hyperglycemic spikes during the day, than healthy pregnant women or GDM ones. GDM women had only slightly higher GV parameters than healthy controls. HbA1c did not correlate with GV indicators in type 1 diabetes or GDM pregnancies. We provided new evidence of the importance of certain GV indicators in pregnant women with GDM or type 1 diabetes and recommended the use of CGM specifically in these populations.”
“Objective-To characterize veterinarian-client communication with undisclosed standardized clients

(USCs) during discussions regarding euthanasia of a pet

Design-Descriptive study

Procedures-During 2 clinic visits 2 cases (a geriatric dog with worsening arthritis and a cat with inappropriate urination) designed to stimulate discussion regarding euthanasia Pevonedistat in vitro of a pet were presented by different USCs (individuals trained to consistently present a particular case to veterinarians without disclosing their identity) Discussions were audio recorded and analyzed by use of the measure of patient-centered communication (MPCC [a tool to assess and score physician communication behaviors]) Veterinarian

and client statements were classified by means of 3 patient-centered components exploring both the disease and the illness experience understanding the whole person and finding common ground

Results-60 usable recorded discussions were obtained (31 veterinarians 30 discussions/case) Overall MPCC scores were significantly lower for the Givinostat datasheet geriatric dog case For both cases veterinarians scored highest on finding common ground and lowest on exploring both the disease and the illness experience Lack of exploration of client feelings ideas and expectations

and the effect of the illness on the animal s function resulted in low scores among veterinarians

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results indicated that the use of USCs and the MPCC are feasible methods for analysis of veterinarian-client communication during companion animal euthanasia discussions Findings suggested that some veterinarians do not fully explore client concerns or facilitate client involvement in euthanasia decision making (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010 237 1275-1287)”
“Objectives: HKI-272 The incidence of invasive fungal infections has increased considerably in recent years. The aim of this study was to present a suitable early diagnostic procedure in immunocompromised patients, using a molecular assay.

Methods: From September 2005 to January 2007, 310 immunosuppressed patients were followed for fungal infections for a 6-month period. EDTA-anticoagulant whole blood specimens were collected prospectively once per week and stored at -20 degrees C until use in molecular assays.

Results: Molecular assays were positive in 55 (17.7%) patients. The etiologic agents were Candida albicans (67.3%), Aspergillus flavus (20.0%), Aspergillus fumigatus (7.

The enhanced transmissions at the surface regions are related to

The enhanced transmissions at the surface regions are related to the removal of absorption modes at 640 and 440 nm for GaAs and GaN materials, respectively.”
“An unusual sickness in mules at Batrasi camp, District Mansehra, Pakistan, was reported. Twelve animals died with in 2-3 days after showing the clinical symptoms confusing with colic and nervous disorders. Animals did not respond to any treatment.

A team of veterinary doctors/researchers from institute visited the place and collected the samples and information in all aspects related to any selleck chemicals disease occurrence on epidemiological basis. Animals were also showing symptoms confusing with rabies. Brain samples were collected for rabies testing. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by amplifying “”N”" region gene and mouse inoculation test (MIT) were performed and results showed that disease was nothing except rabies and RT-PCR is the rapid and sensitive method for diagnosis of rabies virus as compared to other conventional methods of diagnosis. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Two new flavonoid compounds were isolated from Astragalus bombycinus Boiss.

and identified as quercetin-3,7-di-O–glucopyranoside 4-O–rhamnopyranoside and 5,2,4-trihydroxy-flavone-8-C–arabinopyranoside-7-O–glucopyranoside. In addition, apigenin, apigenin-7-O–glucopyranoside, apigenin 7-O-gentobioside, luteolin, luteolin-7-O–glucopyranoside, quercetin-3,7-di-O–glucopyranoside, quercetin-3-O–glucopyranoside-7-O–rhamnopyranoside and daidzein were also isolated and identified. The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was performed click here by chromatographic, chemical and spectroscopic methods. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities were also determined for the four consecutive extracts of the plant.”
“The role 17DMAG of dimensionality on the electronic performance of thermoelectric devices is clarified using the Landauer formalism, which shows that the thermoelectric coefficients are related to the transmission, T(E), and how the conducting channels,

M(E), are distributed in energy. The Landauer formalism applies from the ballistic to diffusive limits and provides a clear way to compare performance in different dimensions. It also provides a physical interpretation of the “”transport distribution,”" a quantity that arises in the Boltzmann transport equation approach. Quantitative comparison of thermoelectric coefficients in one, two, and three dimensions shows that the channels are utilized more effectively in lower dimensions. To realize the advantage of lower dimensionality, however, the packing density must be very high, so the thicknesses of the quantum wells or wires must be small. The potential benefits of engineering M(E) into a delta function are also investigated. When compared with a bulk semiconductor, we find the potential for similar to 50% improvement in performance.