The usefulness of the timeliness of endoscopic sphincterotomy in severe acute pancreatitis of biliary origin

There are evidence indicating that endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy (ERCP+S) reduces the rate of complications in patients with severe acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP). The aim of this study was to analyze our experience in the treatment of severe ABP with ERCP+S and compare the evolution of the patients treated early (3 days or less following admission) with those treated late (after the 3rd day). A retrospective review of the clinical histories of the 16 patients with severe ABP treated with ERCP+S over the last two years is presented, analyzing their clinical features on admission and evolution. Biliary stones or biliary sludge was observed in 11 cases (69%). Nine patients had undergone early, and 7 late, ERCP+S. The patients of the latter group presented a greater number of complications during evolution than the former group (43% vs 0%; p = 0.025). The mortality of the patients of the late ERCP+S was also greater although without statistical significance (28.6% vs 0%; p = 0.15). No complication secondary to ERCP+S was detected. These findings confirm the fact that ERCP+S performed early in severe ABP significantly reduces the number of complications and is associated with a lower mortality.     

In times of survival, the right of silence

The purpose of this study was to assess cortical and cancellous bone responses to unilateral limb immobilization and, subsequently, to remobilization with exercise, in a young adult canine model. Right forelimbs of 14 1-2-year old mongrel dogs were immobilized in a non-weight-bearing position by a bandage for 16 weeks. Six control dogs were untreated. At 16 weeks, seven immobilized and three control dogs were euthanized. The remaining seven immobilized dogs began a recovery protocol consisting of 16 weeks of kennel confinement (without the right forelimb bandaged) followed by 16 weeks of treadmill exercise conducted three times per week. These seven dogs and three control dogs were euthanized at 48 weeks. Bone mineral density of the proximal radii was determined with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and humeral middiaphyseal cross-sectional areas were determined with computed tomography. Humeri were tested in cranio-caudal three-point bending to failure. Cancellous bone cores from the lateral humeral condyles had wet apparent density determined and were tested to failure in compression. Mechanical properties, bone density, and cross-sectional areas were compared between immobilized (right forelimb), contralateral weight bearing (left forelimb), and control forelimbs with Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc tests. At 16 weeks, bone mineral density, cortical load, yield, and stiffness as well as cancellous bone failure stress, yield stress, and modulus were significantly lower (p < 0.02) for immobilized limbs than control limbs. Immobilized limb cancellous bone mechanical properties were 28%-74% of control values, and cortical bone mechanical properties were 71%-98% of control values. After 32 weeks of remobilization, cortical and cancellous bone mechanical properties were not different from control values except that cortical bone failure stress and modulus were significantly higher (p < 0.01) between remobilized and control limbs. In summary, 16 weeks of forelimb immobilization was associated with significantly lower mechanical properties, and with greater differences in cancellous than cortical bone properties. Mechanical properties were not different from control values after 32 weeks of recovery that included 16 weeks of treadmill exercise.     

Area- and time-specific marginal capacity costs of electricity distribution

Marginal costs of electricity vary by time and location. In the past, researchers attributed the variations to factors related to electricity generation and transmission. These authors, however, have not analyzed possible variations in marginal distribution capacity costs (MDCC). The objectives of this paper are:

1. (i) to show that large MDCC variations are due to the dispersion in distribution capital expenditures by time and space,

2. (ii) to propose a method for quantifying the area- and time-specific MDCC in the presence of lumpy investments, and

3. (iii) to compare our MDCC estimates to those commonly used in the electric utility industry.

Our proposed method and its results were adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 1992 for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), the largest privately owned electric utility in the U.S.     

三峡水库减淤增容调度方式研究——多汛限水位调度方案

本文建议在汛期中小流量时（Q<35000m3/s），将坝前水位维持在148～151m；出现汛情且流量更较大后，将坝前水位降低到143m；入库流量大于35000m3/s且短期预报将出现大于十年一遇洪水时，预泄洪水到135m.按这一调度，汛期约80％时间可以维持在较高水位，一般洪水期。汛限水位143m不影响坝区通航，135m水位迎洪可大量增加防洪库客。到100年后可减淤30亿m3，增加防洪库容约40亿m3.变动回水区减淤40%，优化了坝区水沙搭配，可改善通航条件。降低库区洪水位，缓解防洪与移民的矛盾。可对发电带来较大好处：提高发电效益，减少粗沙过机。初期水库排沙比大于原方案，可减轻下游冲刷。同时，可减小三峡汛初泄水与鄱阳湖防洪的矛盾。     

自动力套管补贴加固技术及其在B125井的应用

随着油田开发时间的延长，油水井井下套管的损坏将越来越严重，套管故障井将越来越多，为了恢复套损井生产，将套管损坏所造成的损失降到最低，在配套波纹管补贴，水动力补贴，爆炸补贴等专门修套技术的基础上，通过认真调查研究，又配套了操作方便简单，适用套管损坏类型广的自动力套管补贴加固技术，使各种套管变形，套管断错（错开没有位移或位移量不大时）、套管破裂，误射孔井段封堵，已射开水层封堵等修井作业的难度进一步降低，从而进一步提高了修复井综合开发经济效益。     

The new intra-urban dynamics: Suburbanisation and functional specialisation in French cities

This article examines the relationships between the employment suburbanisation from central cities towards their suburbs, and the process of intra-urban specialisation that occurred simultaneously in the fifty largest French metropolitan areas. A methodology is proposed to identify urban subcentres and to analyse the effects of the intra-urban specialisations on suburbanisation patterns. We conclude that the specialisation of both subcentres and central cities has a significant effect on suburbanisation rates. Lastly, an intra-metropolitan shift/share analysis provides additional insights into the employment dynamics of central cities and suburbs during the last twenty years. Received: 25 July 2000 / Accepted: 29 May 2001     

编码解码芯片HD3-6408-9及其应用

编码解码芯片HD3 64 0 8 9是一种高性能的CMOS器件。这种大规模芯片主要由编码器和解码器两部分组成。在数据传输应用中 ,采用两个独立的单片机系统 ,利用编码解码芯片 (HD3 64 0 8 9)组成数字信号的接收、发送及显示部分来完成数据传输功能     

定向探测引信技术分析

从提高引信与战斗部配合效率出发 ,根据定向战斗部的战术技术性能 ,介绍了一种能够识别弹体周围 4个方向目标的定向探测引信 .分析了定向探测器的工作原理和目标方位识别的关键技术 ,并对探测天线的设计做了详细的分析和计算 .