Effect of ecabet sodium on Helicobacter pylori adhesion to gastric epithelial cells

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the rates of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality in a cohort of intoxicated ED patients 5 years after presentation and to compare them with those of non-intoxicated ED patients. METHODS: The study group comprised 150 consecutive ED patients who presented with intoxication (blood alcohol level higher than 100 mg/dL) in June 1986 and 50 control patients matched for age, sex, ED arrival time, and date. The setting was an urban university hospital ED. Morbidity and mortality over a 5-year follow-up period were measured using hospital ED and admission records from all state Level I trauma centers and computerized statewide databases. RESULTS: The 5-year mortality rate among alcohol-intoxicated patients was 2.4 times that of the comparison group (95% confidence interval, .3 to 18.9). The 5-year death rate among intoxicated patients aged 40 to 69 years was especially high (19%). Thirty-seven percent of the intoxicated patients made at least one alcohol-related ED revisit during the follow-up period, compared with 6% of the comparison group (P < .001). Intoxicated patients were more likely to revisit EDs because of suicidal behavior or domestic violence (P = .001). Admission to an alcohol detoxification unit during the follow-up period occurred in 24% of the intoxicated patients, compared with 10% of the sober controls (P = .03). At least one arrest for drunk driving occurred in 47% of the intoxicated group; the rate was lower, but still substantial, in the comparison group (20%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: A single alcohol-related ED visit is an important predictor of continued problem drinking, alcohol-impaired driving and, possibly, premature death.     

Some experimental findings in compression-after-impact (CAI) tests of CF/PEEK (APC-2) and conventional CF/epoxy flat plates

Compression-after-impact (CAI) tests have been conducted for quasi-isotropic thick plates with 48 plies by using the NASA method and on plates with 32 plies by using the SACMA method. Specimens are made of CF/PEEK (APC-2) and conventional CF/epoxy for the NASA plates and CF/epoxy for the SACMA plates. In the NASA CAI tests, the sequence of delamination buckling and its propagation is clearly revealed through various experimental techniques. One major technique is moiré topography, and the other is thermo-mechanical stress analysis with a high-accuracy infrared sensor. The arrest of delamination propagation just before catastrophic failure due to high fracture toughness is clearly captured by the moiré camera. This behavior provides good CAI values of CF/PEEK. The initial buckling properties of the delaminated region by the impact are then extensively discussed. Numerical predictions of initial buckling stress have been obtained by modelled geometry of the delaminated region simplified from its precise structure clarified by ultrasonic C-scanning. They agree fairly well with the experimental results. The in-plane stress distribution in the delaminated region before initial buckling is measured by an infrared stress graphic system. This compared favorably with finite element predictions. Two types of symmetric buckling modes with respect to the central plate surface, twin and single peak ones, are experimentally captured.     

Characterization of temporal response, spectral responsivity and its spatial uniformity in photoconductive diamond detectors

Three photoconductive diamond detectors with highly oriented diamond (HOD) films fabricated by the same process were characterized with respect to temporal response, spectral responsivity and its spatial uniformity over the wavelength range from 190 to 250 nm. Temporal measurements showed a drift in the baseline, suggesting the presence of deep level carrier traps. The responsivity of specimen No. 2 was more than twice those of the other two specimens, but it showed an unpredictable current fluctuation. It was found that the spatial uniformities of all the specimens were too low for radiometric purposes. A prominent peak, thought to be due to photoemission, was found in the responsivity spatial distribution of specimen No. 3 under a negative applied voltage.     

Endogenous adenosine exerts inhibitory effects upon the development of spreading depression and glutamate release induced by microdialysis with high K+ in rat hippocampus

Spreading depression (SD) is known to be involved in the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated neuronal damage. In urethane-anesthetized rats, we examined the release of adenosine and glutamate during SD induced by microdialysis of high K+ perfusate through the hippocampal CA1 area. The effects of endogenous adenosine upon SD were studied by applying an adenosine antagonist, theophylline (1 mM) and by a simultaneous application of adenosine uptake blockers, dipyridamole (DPR) (100 microM) and nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBI) (50 microM). The dialysates were sampled every 5 or 10 min and analyzed by HPLC. SD was identified by flattening of background EEg and disappearance of population spikes recorded from the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 area by a glass microelectrode. Adenosine and glutamate release was enhanced significantly in association with the occurrence of SD. Theophylline increased the release of glutamate and the incidence of SD and decreased the latency of the SD occurrence. DPR+NBI decreased the release of glutamate and the occurrence of SD, but increased extracellular adenosine concentration. The effects of DPR+NBI were blocked by application of a selective antagonist of adenosine A1 receptor, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 0.1 microM). These findings suggest that endogenous adenosine exerts inhibitory influences upon the development of SD and the glutamate release through the A1 receptor in rat hippocampus.     

Distributed architecture for energy management D-structure

Electric power systems are expanding in size and complexity, and the requirement for the energy management system (EMS) is becoming more important. In this computer control system, a single control computer is used mainly as the primary computer and its software is very complicated because of its hugh number of small, quick tasks to obtain high response speed. Therefore, much effort is needed to develop and modify the programs, and the responsiveness of this centralized architecture varies greatly when many faults occur in the power system. This paper describes a new distributed architecture for the EMS. Distributed processors execute the functions cooperatively with periodic access to the common bulletin board database in which information about the power system exist. This architecture facilitates the software development and maintenance, and it also enhances the performance by the parallel processing of the distributed functions.     

A far-infrared spectroscopic study of low temperature soft phonon mode in Tris-Sarcosine Calcium Chloride(TSCC)

Temperature dependences of the soft phonon frequency and the damping constant in Tris-Sarcosine Calcium Chloride (TSCC) single crystal have been investigated between 5K and 100K by using a Fourier-transform far-infrared spectrometer. It has been observed that the soft phonon frequency decreases gradually and the damping constant increases as the transition temperature is approached from below The damping constant varies from 7cm^-1 a 90K to less than 0.5cm^-1 at 5K. It has been found that the damping constant is approximately proportional to temperature below about 60K.