Use of a "composite" vascular access graft in a young child on hemodialysis

Although arterio-venous fistulae (AVF) are currently considered to be the first choice of permanent vascular access for hemodialysis, there are some patients who are not candidates for fistulae and synthetic grafts provide other options. The Thoratec (Vectra) polyurethane vascular access graft is a new prosthetic graft that may be cannulated within days of insertion due to "self-sealing" properties. However, a tendency for kinking at the suture site due to the strong elasticity of this graft, leading to undesirable complications such as thrombosis, have been reported. We describe a surgical modification of the anastomosis by interposing a segment of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft (ePTFE, Venaflo) between the native vessels and the polyurethane graft sections in a pediatric patient. This modification may overcome the kinking complication associated with use of the polyurethane graft and the resulting thrombosis.     

Morphological redescription and phylogenetic assessment of Spauligodon aspiculus (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) infecting the white‐spotted gecko,Tarentola annularis (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

Thirty white‐spotted geckos, Tarentola annularis, from the South Sinai desert in Egypt, were examined for helminth parasites. Spauligodon aspiculus was observed to infect 19 geckos with 63.33% as a prevalence of parasitic infection. The present nematode species is separated from congeners by morphological and metrical characteristics such as lateral alae, aspinose filamentous tail, and no spicule, and three pairs of caudal papillae with posterior pair excluded from envelopment by the caudal alae in the male worms, and knobbed eggs, and postbulbar vulva in females. It compared morphometrically with other Spauligodon species described previously and showed few differences in measurements. Molecular characterization based on the partial 28S rRNA nuclear ribosomal gene sequence showed that there was a close identity, up to 72%, with other sequences retrieved from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the parasite sequence in conjunction with existing data facilitates the investigation of the placement of this pharyngodonid species within Oxyuridae. The present species is deeply embedded in the genus Spauligodon with close relationships to previously described Spauligodon nicolauensis (gb| JN619349.1, and JF829243.1) as more related sister taxa. This study highlights the importance of combining genetic and morphological data with taxonomy in pharyngodonid species.     

A study of the delay effect in SOCl2 batteries

Electrical and microstructural properties of the passive layers formed on lithium in SOCl₂ containing different additives (PVC, inorganic salts, cathode additives) were studied. LiCl crystals were found to be cubic, octahedral or needle-like. Typical passive layer thicknesses were 1–20 µm. The electrical properties of the passive layer were explained by referring to the space charge model of SEI conduction. It was pointed out that impedance spectroscopy may be selectively used as a non-destructive method for estimation of the galvanostatic behaviour of lithium batteries. The best results, as regards the elimination of the delay effect, were obtained with a combination of organic and inorganic electrolyte additives.     

Inward and outward rectifying potassium currents in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mediated by endogenous and heterelogously expressed ion channels

Disruption of genes encoding endogenous transport proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has facilitated the recent cloning, by functional expression, of cDNAs encoding K+ channels and amino acid transporters from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana [1-4]. In the present study, we demonstrate in whole-cell patch clamp experiments that the inability of trk1deltatrk2delta mutants of S. cerevisiae to grow on submillimolar K+ correlates with the lack of K+ inward currents, which are present in wild-type cells, and that transformation of the trk1deltatrk2delta double-deletion mutant with KAT1 from Arabidopsis thaliana restores this phenotype by encoding a plasma membrane protein that allows large K+ inward currents. Similar K+ inward currents are induced by transformation of a trk1 mutant with AKT1 from A. thaliana.     

Inhibition of TNF alpha improves survival in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis

The best method for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and assessment of fracture risk is currently considered to be bone densitometry. The most commonly used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) methods may sometimes not predict bone mass accurately in every skeletal site, are expensive and not widely available. The recent development of computed analysis of a plain radiograph of the hand might provide a practical, inexpensive and rapid method for evaluation of bone mineral status. In this study we evaluated 20 healthy premenopausal and 660 postmenopausal women. In 36 of these subjects a second evaluation was carried out after 2 years of therapy with calcium supplements. The internal and external diameters of the second metacarpal and the metacarpal and ultradistal radial bone density were evaluated using a technical device developed in our laboratory and marketed by NIM, Verona, Italy (Osteoradiometer). The radiographic images, captured by a video camera, were digitized and studied by computed analysis. In 150 subjects bone density at the level of the lumbar spine, femur, and ultradistal and proximal radius was also measured by DXA techniques. Both external (D) and internal (d) diameters increase significantly with age and years since menopause (YSM), whereas metacarpal index (D--d/D) and metacarpal and ultradistal radial bone density decrease significantly with age and YSM. The ratio between metacarpal bone mineral content and the cortical area (volumetric metacarpal bone density) did not change with age. Significant correlations were found between radiometric findings and DXA measurements. The best correlation coefficients were between bone density measured at the level of the ultradistal radius by DXA and radiographic absorptiometry. In the 2-year follow-up study, a 4.9% and 6.2% decline in radial metacarpal bone density respectively were observed, but the difference was statistically significant only for the latter. In conclusion, computed radiogrammetry is closely correlated with all DXA measurements and may be useful in screening of large populations, providing a simple, inexpensive and sufficiently precise method for evaluation of bone mineral status. Further studies are warranted for assessing the accuracy of radiogrammetry for longitudinal investigations and its capacity to predict fracture risk.     

Mutations sensitizing yeast cells to the start inhibitor nalidixic acid

The regulatory step Start in the cell cycle of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is inhibited by nalidixic acid (Nal). To study this inhibition, mutations were identified that alter the sensitivity of yeast cells to Nal. Nal-sensitive mutations were sought because the inhibitory effects of Nal on wild-type cells are only transient, and wild-type cells naturally become refractory to Nal. Three complementation groups of Nal-sensitive mutations were found. Mutations in the first complementation group were shown to reside in the ARO7 gene, encoding chorismate mutase; tyrosine and phenylalanine synthesis was inhibited by Nal in these aro7 mutants, whereas wild-type chorismate mutase was unaffected. These aro7 alleles demonstrate ‘recruitment’, by mutation, of an innately indifferent protein to an inhibitor-sensitive form. The Nal-sensitive aro7 mutant cells were used to show that the resumption of Nal-inhibited nuclear activity and cell proliferation takes place while cytoplasmic Nal persists at concentrations inhibitory for the mutant chorismate mutase. Mutations in the second complementation group, nss2 (Nal-supersensitive), increased intracellular Nal concentrations, and may simply alter the permeability of cells to Nal. The third complementation group was found to be the ERG6 gene, previously suggested to encode the ergosterol biosynthetic enzyme sterol methyltransferase. Mutation or deletion of the ERG6 gene had little effect on the inhibition of Start by Nal, but prevented recovery from this inhibition. Mutation of ERG3, encoding another ergosterol biosynthetic enzyme, also caused Nal sensitivity, suggesting that plasma membrane sterol composition, and plasma membrane function, mediates recovery from Nal-mediated inhibition of Start.     

Influence of Panthenol, Chlorphenesin and Lignocatne on the Rheological Properties of Solidified Sodium Stearate-Based Sticks(SSSS)

The influence of three topically active drugs, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin and Lignocaine on the rheological properties of some SSSS bases containing glycerol, propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) or PEG 600 as humectants, was investigated using a Ferranti-Shirley cone plate viscometer, in an attempt to throw further light on the possibility of using solidified sodium stearate based sticks as topical dosage form.

-Panthenol generally lowered the static and dynamic yield values of the various investigated SSSS bases except those containing less than 17.5% PG in which these parameters increased as a result of inclusion of the drug. Thixotropic breakdown was much lower in medicated sticks than in the corresponding bases; PG-formulated sticks also offered an exception in this respect. Panthenol also lowered the plastic viscosity of all the investigated SSSS bases.

-Chlorphenesin generally increased the static and dynamic yield values of PG-formulated stick bases; in presence of other humectants, these parameters were much less affected by the addition of the drug. Again, thixotropic breakdown was appreciably increased by addition of this drug to PG-formulated SSSS bases; glycerol and PEG 600-formulated stick bases reacted variably to the addition of the drug, according to humectant concentration, whereas PEG 400-formulated ones showed no significant change in their thixotropic breakdown. Chlorphenesin lowered the plastic viscosity of PG and glycerol-formulated SSSS bases and did not modify that of bases containing polyethylene glycols as humectants.

-Lignocaine generally increased the static and dynamic yield values of PG-formulated stick bases, especially at high humectant concentrations; with other humectants, these parameters were lowered to different extents due to inclusion of this medicament in the sticks. Lignocaine increased the thixotropic breakdown of PG-formulated stick bases and lowered this parameter appreciably in the case of PEG 400-formulated bases; no well defined influence of the drug on this parameter was noticed in the case of bases containing any ofthe two other humectants. The plastic viscosity of all investigated SSSS bases was lowered in presence of Lignocaine.

An interpretation was advanced to the observed phenomena whenever possible.     

Dual-Band Antenna Array with Reduced Mutual-Coupling for Wearable Wireless Communication Applications

In this paper, dual-band wearable microstrip patch antenna printed on FR4-substrate is designed and fabricated for wearable wireless communications. A star-shaped monopole Ω antenna connected to 50 Ω transmission line, backed by partial ground plane is used. The antenna dimensions are optimized for wideband radiation characteristics. Different types of dielectric substrates are investigated for wideband wearable applications. The proposed antenna printed on jeans textile substrate introduces an impedance matching bandwidth of 7.3 GHz with maximum gain of 5 dBi. The effect of mutual coupling between two parallel patches, two opposite patches and two orthogonal patches on their radiation characteristics are investigated. High isolation is achieved for two orthogonal patches placed away from each other by 0.3λ with a rectangular strip etched between them and cutting in the ground plane. The isolation is below ? 29 dB within the frequency band. The structure achieves impedance matching bandwidth of 1.8 GHz in 1st-band and 4.8 GHz in 2nd-band with maximum gains of 8.5 dBi and 5.3 dBi, respectively. A prototype element is fabricated, measured and the radiation characteristics coincide with the simulated results. The structure is simple, light-weight, and is suitable for WAN applications in the frequency band from 2 GHz to 7 GHz. The effect of human body tissue on the radiation characteristics of the antenna array is investigated.