4-Defect repair of grade 4 cystocele

PURPOSE: The 4-defect repair of grade 4 cystocele corrects discrete and severe deficiencies of vesicourethral support. We describe this technique used during pelvic reconstruction in 130 women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 3-year period 130 patients (age range 35 to 96 years) underwent repair of grade 4 cystocele using the 4-defect repair technique. Cystocele repair had been performed in 60 patients (46%) and hysterectomy had been performed in 85 (65%). A "goalpost incision" is used in the vaginal wall to facilitate separation of the wall from underlying perivesical fascia, entry into the retropubic space, and exposure of the urethropelvic ligament, cardinal ligament and perivesical fascia. The 4 polypropylene sutures are used to provide an anterior vaginal wall sling which is modified to incorporate perivesical fascia and cardinal ligaments. Central defect repair is achieved by approximation of the cardinal ligaments and midline plication of the perivesical fascia over absorbable mesh. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were available for followup which ranged from 6 to 42 months (mean 21). Repair of grade 4 cystocele was accompanied by other transvaginal repairs in 94 patients (83%), including rectocele repair in 81, hysterectomy in 22 and enterocele repair in 31. Of the patients 92% had excellent objective and subjective results for anatomical cystocele repair. Of the patients with preoperative stress urinary incontinence 90% had excellent or good subjective results. De novo urge incontinence was seen in 7% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The 4-defect repair technique relies on anatomical restoration of 4 distinct deficiencies of pelvic support and is highly effective for relief of symptoms of grade 4 cystocele.     

Fourier Transform Infrared Emission Spectroscopy of the C4Delta-X4Phi, G4Phi-X4Phi, and G4Phi-C4Delta Systems of TiCl

The emission spectrum of TiCl has been investigated in the 3000-12 000 cm-1 region at high resolution using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The bands were excited in a microwave discharge through a flowing mixture of TiCl4 and helium. The observed bands have been classified into three electronic transitions, C4Delta-X4Phi, G4Phi-X4Phi, and G4Phi-C4Delta. In the 3000-3500 cm-1 region, four bands with R heads at 3368.7, 3331.8, 3291.9, and 3243.4 cm-1 have been assigned as the 0-0 bands of the 1/2-3/2, 3/2-5/2, 5/2-7/2, and 7/2-9/2 subbands, respectively, of the C4Delta-X4Phi transition. To higher wavenumbers, four transitions with 0-0 R heads at 10 930.7, 10 921.3, 10 906.5, and 10 886.9 cm-1 have been assigned as the 3/2-3/2, 5/2-5/2, 7/2-7/2, and 9/2-9/2 subbands, respectively, of the G4Phi-X4Phi system of TiCl. Four additional bands with 0-0 R heads at 7568.8, 7596.4, 7622.2, and 7651.7 cm-1 have been identified as the 1/2-3/2, 3/2-5/2, 5/2-7/2, and 7/2-9/2 subbands of the G4Phi-C4Delta transition, respectively. A rotational analysis of a number of vibrational bands of these transitions has been obtained and molecular constants have been extracted. The lowest 4Phi state has been assigned as the ground state of TiCl, by analogy with our recent work on TiF (R. S. Ram and P. F. Bernath, J. Mol. Spectrosc., in press). The correspondence between the electronic states of TiCl, TiF, TiH, and Ti+ is also discussed. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press     

Ausscheidungsvorgänge während der Wärmebehandlung kupferhaltiger Stähle

Kupferzusätze in Stahl können in bezug auf Korrosionswiderstand und Festigkeit vorteilhaft sein. Es wurde der Einfluß von Kupfer auf die Korngröße, mechanische Eigenschaften und Mikrostruktur von quasi-binären Fe-Cu-Legierungen ermittelt. Der Verfestigungseffekt von Kupfer im abgeschreckten Stahl entsteht durch Kornverfeinerung, Mischkristallverfestigung (46 N/mm²/(% Cu)) und eventuell durch Ausscheidung von Kupfer während des Abkühlens. Es gilt einen linearen Zusammenhang zwischen Korngröße und Kupfergehalt. Zwischen einigen mechanischen Eigenschaften (Härte, Zugfestigkeit und Streckgrenze) und dem Kupfergehalt gilt aber nur ein linearer Zusammenhang, wenn keine Cu-Ausscheidung während des Abkühlens nach dem Lösungsglühen stattgefunden hat. Die eventuell auftretende Ausscheidungshärtung während der Abkühlung kann eine Erhöhung der Streckgrenze mit bis zu 130 N/mm² bewirken. Das Auftreten einer Ausscheidung während des Abkühlens wurde elektronenmikroskopisch nachgewiesen. Der theoretische Verfestigungsbeitrag wurde mit Hilfe dieser Messungen berechnet und stimmt gut mit den Ergebnissen überein. Mittels Jominy-Versuchen wurde die notwendige Abkühlungsgeschwindigkeit zur Vermeidung einer Ausscheidung wie folgt bestimmt: ln(Abk. Geschw.) [°C/s] = 1,98 · (% Cu) ? 0,08.     

Bruchverhalten hochfester martensitaushärtender Nickel-Kobalt-Molybdän-Stähle

Untersuchung des Bruchaussehens von Zugproben, Kerbschlagproben, Kerbzugproben sowie von Bauteilen aus dem hochfesten martensitaushärtenden Nickel-Molybdän-Stahl mit 0,015% C, 0,1% Si, 0,1% Mn, 0,01% P, 0,01% S, 0,15% Al, 12,5% Co, 3,75% Mo, 17,5% Ni und 1,7% Ti. Einflu$sZ der Wärmebehandlung und der Beanspruchungsart der Proben und Bauteile auf ihr mit Hilfe eines Rasterelektronenmikroskopes aufgenommenes Bruchaussehen. Erörterung der auftretenden Bruchmechanismen und Folgerungen für die Verwendung des Stahles.     

Längskräfte beim Warmtorsionsversuch

Beschreibung des Spannungszustandes beim Warmtorsionsversuch bei axial unverschieblich eingespannter Probe. Abschätzung der Längskräfte bei elastischer und elastisch-plastischer Torsion. Erklärung für das Auftreten von Druckkräften. Entwicklung eines quantitativ-qualitativen Modells zur Zerlegung der gemessenen Axialkraftkurve in ihre Zug- und Druckkomponente. Vorstellung einiger charakteristischer Kurventypen. Einfluß einer Vorspannung auf Längskräfte und Widerstandsmoment.     

10Cr4Ni4Mo4V轴承钢的高温性能

１０Ｃｒ４Ｎｉ４Ｍｏ４Ｖ钢的高温接触疲劳、高温硬度和高温冲击性能的试验结果表明，该轴承钢具有良好的高温硬度和冲击韧性，因残余压应力较高，碳化物细小，分布均匀，在２００℃接触疲劳寿命高于Ｃｒ４Ｍｏ４Ｖ钢。     

HOXD4 and regulation of the group 4 paralog genes

From an evolutionary perspective, it is important to understand the degree of conservation of cis-regulatory mechanisms between paralogous Hox genes. In this study, we have used transgenic analysis of the human HOXD4 locus to identify one neural and two mesodermal 3' enhancers that are capable of mediating the proper anterior limits of expression in the hindbrain and paraxial mesoderm (somites), respectively. In addition to directing expression in the central nervous system (CNS) up to the correct rhombomere 6/7 boundary in the hindbrain, the neural enhancer also mediates a three rhombomere anterior shift from this boundary in response to retinoic acid (RA), mimicking the endogenous Hoxd4 response. We have extended the transgenic analysis to Hoxa4 identifying mesodermal, neural and retinoid responsive components in the 3' flanking region of that gene, which reflect aspects of endogenous Hoxa4 expression. Comparative analysis of the retinoid responses of Hoxd4, Hoxa4 and Hoxb4 reveals that, while they can be rapidly induced by RA, there is a window of competence for this response, which is different to that of more 3' Hox genes. Mesodermal regulation involves multiple regions with overlapping or related activity and is complex, but with respect to neural regulation and response to RA, Hoxb4 and Hoxd4 appear to be more closely related to each other than Hoxa4. These results illustrate that much of the general positioning of 5' and 3' flanking regulatory regions has been conserved between three of the group 4 paralogs during vertebrate evolution, which most likely reflects the original positioning of regulatory regions in the ancestral Hox complex.     

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases

Polyphosphoinositides are involved in many signal transduction pathways in eukaryotic cells. The first committed step is catalysed by phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase leading to the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. In the last four years, ten cDNA molecules have been cloned which code isoforms of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase; some of which are highly related. Characteristically, they contain a C-terminal catalytic domain which is similar to that of (poly)phosphoinositide 3-kinases and to that of more distantly related lipid/protein kinases. Alignment has characterised cDNAs from Chaenorabditis, Dictyostelium and Schizostaphyloccus pombe as those of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases also. All these lipid kinases are related to the superfamily of protein kinases. Several amino acids are highly conserved in catalytic domains of lipid and protein kinases. Employing the catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase as template, these residues can be assigned functionally. On the basis of the alignment, a phylogenetic tree of the superfamily of phosphatidylinositol kinases has been constructed. Three families, the phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases, phosphoinositide 3-kinases, and the phosphatidylinositol related lipid/protein kinases, can be recognised. Each family comprises two subfamilies. The involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases in signal transduction processes is summarised and a new hypothesis for the function of their isoforms in polyphosphoinositide signalling is presented. The involvement of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases in formation of lipid-protein interactions with cytoskeleton proteins and the metabolism of polyphosphoinositide in the nucleus is discussed.     

Hochfeste martensitaushärtende Nickelstähle

Metallkundliche Grundlagen für die Entwicklung martensitaushärtender Nickelstähle allgemein und ihres kennzeichnenden Vertreters X 2 NiCoMo 18 8 5 mit rd. 0,02% C, 18% Ni, 8% Co, 5% Mo und Zusätzen an Aluminium und Titan. Mechanische Eigenschaften dieses Stahles (Kennwerte des Zugversuchs bei 20 °C und höheren Temperaturen, Kerbschlagzähigkeit bei 20 °C und niedrigeren Temperaturen, Dauerschwingfestigkeit, auch unter korrosiver Beanspruchung, Langzeitverhalten bei höheren Temperaturen und Bruchzähigkeit) in Abhängigkeit von den Bedingungen bei der Wärmebehandlung. Verhalten des Stahles beim Schweißen. Möglichkeiten zur Weiterentwicklung der Stähle.     

Cloning of adeno-associated virus type 4 (AAV4) and generation of recombinant AAV4 particles

We have cloned and characterized the full-length genome of adeno-associated virus type 4 (AAV4). The genome of AAV4 is 4,767 nucleotides in length and contains an expanded p5 promoter region compared to AAV2 and AAV3. Within the inverted terminal repeat (ITR), several base changes were identified with respect to AAV2. However, these changes did not affect the ability of this region to fold into a hairpin structure. Within the ITR, the terminal resolution site and Rep binding sites were conserved; however, the Rep binding site was expanded from three GAGC repeats to four. The Rep gene product of AAV4 shows greater than 90% homology to the Rep products of serotypes 2 and 3, with none of the changes occurring in regions which had previously been shown to affect the known functions of Rep68 or Rep78. Most of the differences in the capsid proteins lie in regions which are thought to be on the exterior surface of the viral capsid. It is these unique regions which are most likely to be responsible for the lack of cross-reacting antibodies and the altered tissue tropism compared to AAV2. The results of our studies, performed with a recombinant version of AAV4 carrying a lacZ reporter gene, suggest that AAV4 can transduce human, monkey, and rat cells. Furthermore, comparison of transduction efficiencies in a number of cell lines, competition cotransduction experiments, and the effect of trypsin on transduction efficiency all suggest that the cellular receptor for AAV4 is distinct from that of AAV2.     

4-Methylpyrazole--present status

We investigated the release of PGI2 and TXA2 by measuring their stable metabolites of 6-keto-PGF1a and TXB2 in the perfusate in the isolated rat heart after pretreatment with tetramethylpyrazine (TMP). Pretreatment with TMP (12 mg/kg, i.p.) 7 days before preparation produced a significant elevation of 6-keto-PGF1a from 2.30 +/- 0.65 ng/min/g of untreated controls to 3.8 +/- 0.77 ng/mir/g (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with TMP also decreased TXB2 release (p < 0.05 versus control).     

Prüfung der Härtbarkeit schwach einhärtender Stähle mit abgeänderten Stirnabschreckproben

Eignung der in DIN 50 191 genormten Probe sowie anderer Probenarten und Prüfverfahren zur Ermittlung der Härtbarkeit besonders von schwach einhärtenden Stählen. Entwicklung einer Stirnabschreckprobe mit zylindrischer Bohrung an der Stirnseite und einer zusätzlichen Querbohrung (zur Ableitung des Wasserstrahles und Verhütung von Luft- oder Wasserdampfansammlungen). Vergleich von Stirnabschreckhärtekurven und -streubändern, die mit solchen Proben und anderen Probenarten erhalten wurden.     

IL-12 induces growth of the IL-4-dependent CT4S line and has a synergistic effect on IL-4-induced CT4S proliferation

In the course of studies designed to explore the effect of interleukin 12 (IL-12) on the development of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), we observed that supernatants from IL-12-treated cultures of ocular antigen-specific lymphocytes induced proliferation of the interleukin 4 (IL-4)-dependent CT4S line. This result was surprising, as these supernatants were not expected to contain high levels of IL-4. We therefore explored the possibility that IL-12 itself, that remained in the supernatants, could induce proliferation of CT4S cells. In this series of experiments we demonstrate that CT4S cells proliferate to recombinant as well as to naturally produced IL-12, and that IL-4 and IL-12 synergize in supporting proliferation of CT4S cells. The proliferation induced by IL-12, as well as the synergistic effect with IL-4, can be reversed by neutralizing anti-IL-12 antibodies. Proliferation of CT4S can be abrogated completely by a combination of antibodies against IL-4 and IL-12. Our data have important implications for the use of CT4S as a specific bioassay for IL-4, since both IL-4 and IL-12 may be found together in at least some culture supernatants. Furthermore, our results suggest that the CT4S line (or a derivative selected from it) could be used as a bioassay for detection of IL-12 in combination with the specific antibodies.     

Determination of the diffusion coefficients of CuSO4, ZnSO4, and NiSO4 in aqueous solution

The diffusion coefficients of CuSO₄, ZnSO₄, and NiSO₄ in the aqueous solution systems of MSO₄ and MSO₄-H₂SO₄ were measured at 298 K using a diaphragm-cell method, and are listed as a function of molar concentrations of MSO₄ and H₂SO₄. It was found that the concentration dependencies of the diffusion coefficients for CuSO₄, ZnSO₄, and NiSO₄ in each single metal sulfate solution are very similar. The presence of H₂SO₄ generally causes a less significant concentration dependency of the diffusion coefficients of MSO₄. The concentration dependencies of the diffusion coefficients of CuSO₄ in aqueous solutions of CuSO₄ and CuSO₄-H₂SO₄ are attributed to the changes in the mean activity coefficient of CuSO₄ and the viscosity of the solutions. formerly Graduate Student, Department of Metallurgy, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan     

SnCl4-NH4Cl-HCl-H2O体系热力学分析

应用同时平衡原理和质量平衡原理对SnCl4-NH4Cl-HCl-H2O体系进行了热力学分析和计算，对于无法收集的相关(NH4)2SnCl6的热力学数据进行了估算，在此基础上绘制了SnCl4-NH4Cl-HCl-H2O体系在标准状态下各相关物种和pH之间的关系曲线。结果表明，溶液中的总铵浓度和体系的pH值是影响(NH4)2SnCl6或Sn(OH)4存在的重要参数。在该体系中，增大体系的酸度到6nol／L以上，体系中的Sn^4 既以(NH4)2SnCl6形式沉淀出来，这就为直接由含锡原料提取纯(NH4)2SnCl6，并用以取代SnCl4来制备ATO或ITO粉体提供了理论依据。     

CXCR4 and CD4 mediate a rapid CD95-independent cell death in CD4(+) T cells

AIDS is characterized by a progressive decrease of CD4(+) helper T lymphocytes. Destruction of these cells may involve programmed cell death, apoptosis. It has previously been reported that apoptosis can be induced even in noninfected cells by HIV-1 gp120 and anti-gp120 antibodies. HIV-1 gp120 binds to T cells via CD4 and the chemokine coreceptor CXCR4 (fusin/LESTR). Therefore, we investigated whether CD4 and CXCR4 mediate gp120-induced apoptosis. We used human peripheral blood lymphocytes, malignant T cells, and CD4/CXCR4 transfectants, and found cell death induced by both cell surface receptors, CD4 and CXCR4. The induced cell death was rapid, independent of known caspases, and lacking oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. In addition, the death signals were not propagated via p56(lck) and Gialpha. However, the cells showed chromatin condensation, morphological shrinkage, membrane inversion, and reduced mitochondrial transmembrane potential indicative of apoptosis. Significantly, apoptosis was exclusively observed in CD4(+) but not in CD8(+) T cells, and apoptosis triggered via CXCR4 was inhibited by stromal cell-derived factor-1, the natural CXCR4 ligand. Thus, this mechanism of apoptosis might contribute to T cell depletion in AIDS and might have major implications for therapeutic intervention.