Effects of endothelin-3 on water and sodium excretion during extracellular volume expansion

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of an IV dose of endothelin-3 (ET-3) (5 ng Kg-1 min-1) on mean arterial pressure (MAP), on diuresis and natriuresis in control and in volume expanded anesthetized rats. A systemic infusion of ET-3 in normal rats (Group I) increased MAP and produced a trend of increasing diuresis, without changes in natriuresis. A 10% body weight expansion (Group II) increased diuresis and natriuresis without changes in MAP. The simultaneous infusion of ET-3 and expansion with saline (Group III) resulted in an increase in MAP, an enhanced diuretic response, and a natriuresis of similar magnitude to that observed in Group II. These results suggest that the diuresis produced by a low dose of exogenous ET-3 in control rats, is independent of sodium excretion. Furthermore, the enhanced diuresis caused by ET-3 during expansion is greater than the addition of ET-3 and expansion effects, suggesting that new mechanisms are triggered in order to maintain volume and salt homeostasis in this state.     

Long-term effects of perindopril on metabolic parameters and the heart in the spontaneously hypertensive/NIH-corpulent rat with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hypertension

The spontaneously hypertensive/NIH-corpulent (SHR/N-cp) rat is a genetic model that exhibits both non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and hypertension. To determine the impact of long-term treatment with the long-acting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril (PE) on the glucose metabolism, lipid levels, and heart in this model, studies were performed in three groups of SHR/N-cp rats maintained on a diet containing 54% carbohydrate with 18% sucrose and 36% starch. One group of obese rats received PE (0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg body weight/d) for 3 to 4 months, a second group of obese rats received no treatment, and a third group of lean rats were used as controls. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased gradually in both untreated obese and lean rats, with lean animals showing slightly higher levels compared with untreated obese rats. By contrast, SBP was reduced to normal levels in PE-treated obese rats throughout the treatment period. Compared with lean rats, obese rats showed significantly higher body weight and fasting serum levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG). However, no significant differences were observed in these metabolic parameters between PE-treated and untreated obese rats. Plasma renin activity measured at the end of the treatment period was significantly higher in PE-treated rats compared with untreated obese and untreated lean rats. The mean heart weight and left ventricular weight, expressed in absolute terms or indexed to body weight, were significantly lower in PE-treated versus untreated obese and untreated lean rats. To further determine whether glucose metabolism is directly affected by PE treatment, in vitro glycogen synthesis was evaluated in isolated soleus muscles obtained from three additional groups of animals. The basal rate of muscle glycogen synthesis was significantly lower in obese compared with lean rats (P < .05), but did not differ between PE-treated and untreated obese rats. Maximal insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis increased threefold in PE-treated obese rats, but this increase did not differ from the increases observed in untreated obese and lean rats. In conclusion, the present study shows that long-term PE treatment in obese SHR/N-cp rats with NIDDM and hypertension effectively controlled systemic arterial pressure and resulted in a significant reduction in left ventricular weight. However, these favorable effects of PE were not associated with significant improvement in glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperlipidemia in this model. PE also had no direct stimulatory effects on either basal or insulin-mediated glycogen synthesis in the isolated soleus muscle of obese rats, perhaps because of the severe insulin-resistant state of the animals. Our results support the clinical observations that antihypertensive therapy with ACE inhibitors has neutral effects on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with combined hypertension and NIDDM.     

Impact of cholesterol reduction on peripheral arterial disease in the Program on the Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias (POSCH)

BACKGROUND: Few lipid/atherosclerosis intervention trials have assessed the impact of cholesterol reduction on peripheral arterial disease. The 838 patients evaluated in the Program on the Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias (POSCH) trial represent more than the total number of patients in the seven previously reported studies. METHODS: Peripheral arterial disease in POSCH was assessed by progression of clinical disease, serial changes in the systolic blood pressure ankle/brachial index (ABI), and changes on sequential peripheral arteriograms. RESULTS: At the time of formal closure of the POSCH trial on July 19, 1990, claudication or limb-threatening ischemia was exhibited in 72 of 417 control group (CG) patients and in 54 of 421 intervention group (IG) patients (IG relative risk [RR] 0.702, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.169 to 1.000, p = 0.049). With additional follow-up evaluation to September 30, 1994, clinical peripheral arterial disease was evident in 91 CG patients and 64 IG patients (RR 0.656, 95% CI 0.200 to 0.903, p = 0.009). At the 5-year follow-up evaluation, an ABI of less than 0.95 was present in 41 of 120 CG patients and in 24 of 126 IG patients, all of whom had an ABI of 0.95 or greater at baseline (RR in the IG of 0.557, 95% CI 0.360 to 0.863, p < 0.01). No appreciable differences were noted in the progression or regression of arteriographic peripheral arterial disease between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Effective cholesterol reduction in POSCH led to statistically significant differences between the control and the intervention groups in the development of clinically evident peripheral arterial disease and in the ABI values, but not in the peripheral arteriograms. Additional studies need to assess the correlation between peripheral arterial changes and coronary arterial changes and clinical atherosclerosis events. Intervention trials that study peripheral arterial disease have intrinsic value in the evaluation of the impact of risk factor modification on progression of atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease.     

Picosecond mid-IR laser induced surface damage on Gallium Phosphate (GaP) and Calcium Fluoride(CaF<Subscript>2</Subscript>)

Picosecond mid-IR USPL induced surface damage on a Gallium Phosphate (GaP) and Calcium Fluoride (CaF₂) is reported. A semiconductor GaP and a dielectric material CaF₂, that are transparent over3–10μm, were exposed to one picosecond mid-IR light (4.7μm) to investigate laser-induced surface morphological changes on the target The initiation of damage along the polishing scratch line of GaP and the random location of damage digs on the CaF₂ suggests that the mid-IR picosecond laser-induced damage on targets started from intrinsic surface defects. Multiple pulse irradiations produced periodic corrugated surface structures (ripples) perpendicular to the polarization of light on both GaP and CaF₂. In terms of the orientation and the spacing between ripples, observed ripples have common features with previously reported ripples.     

Estimating Travel Times of Field Engineers

BT's Work Manager platform uses a dynamic scheduler to plan the daily jobs of field engineers. In order to produce reliable schedules, Work Manager requires accurate estimates about the time an engineer spends on travelling from one job location to the next (inter-job time) and how much time is required to complete a job. We have developed a generic platform called Intelligent Travel Time Estimation and Management System (ITEMS) that we have used to derive a specialised version for modelling the behaviour of BT's mobile workforce. This travel time estimation system (TTE) receives job data every night and learns a new estimation model on a daily basis. When a new estimation model significantly differs from the currently used model, the new estimation model is automatically uploaded into Work Manager. The estimation algorithm has been used in a loosely coupled trial for about two years. Currently, we are undertaking trials of TTE — a tightly coupled Web-based system that fully automates the learning and management of estimation models, providing a graphical user interface that displays rich detail about the travel patterns of BT's mobile workforce. During the trial period we have observed that using TTE can quickly improve the accuracy of travel time estimates by up to 10%. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Charging effect of Si nanocrystals in gate oxide near gate on MOS capacitance

MOS structure with Si nanocrystals embedded in the gate oxide close to the gate has a much larger capacitance compared to a similar MOS structure without the nanocrystals. However, charge trapping in the nanocrystals reduces the capacitance dramatically, and after most of the nanocrystals are charged up the capacitance is much smaller than that of the MOS structure without nanocrystals. An equivalent-capacitance model is proposed to explain the phenomena observed.     

Electrochemical performance of Ba0.5Sr0.5CoxFe1−xO3−δ (x = 0.2–0.8) cathode on a ScSZ electrolyte for intermediate temperature SOFCs

Intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials (Ba, Sr)Co_xFe_1−xO_3−δ [x = 0.2–0.8] (BSCF), were synthesized by a glycine-nitrate process (GNP) using Ba(NO₃)₂, Sr(NO₃)₂, Co(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, and Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O as starting materials and glycine as an oxidizer and fuel. Electrolyte-supported symmetric BSCF/GDC/ScSZ/GDC/BSCF cells consisting of porous BSCF electrodes, a GDC buffer layer, and a ScSZ electrolyte were fabricated by a screen printing technique, and the electrochemical performance of the BSCF cathode was investigated at intermediate temperatures (500–700 °C) using AC impedance spectroscopy. Crystallization behavior was found to depend on the pH value of the precursor solution. A highly acidic precursor solution increased the single phase perovskite formation temperature. In the case of using a precursor solution with pH 2, a single perovskite phase was obtained at 1000 °C. The thermal expansion coefficient of BSCF was gradually increased from 24 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ for BSCF (x = 0.2) to 31 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ (400–1000 °C) for BSCF (x = 0.8), which resulted in peeling-off of the cathode from the GDC/ScSZ electrolyte. Only the BSCF (x = 0.2) cathode showed good adhesion to the GDC/ScSZ electrolyte and low polarization resistance. The area specific resistance (ASR) of the BSCF (x = 0.2) cathode was 0.183 Ω cm² at 600 °C. The ASR of other BSCF (x = 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) cathodes, however, was much higher than that of BSCF (x = 0.2).     

Analysis of singularities from modulus maxima of complex wavelets

Complex-valued wavelets are normally used to measure instantaneous frequencies, while real wavelets are normally used to detect singularities. We prove that the wavelet modulus maxima with a complex-valued wavelet can detect and characterize singularities. This is an extension of the previous wavelet work of Mallat and Hwang on modulus maxima using a real wavelet. With this extension, we can simultaneously detect instantaneous frequencies and singularities from the wavelet modulus maxima of a complex-valued wavelet. Some results of singularity detection with the modulus maxima from a real wavelet and an analytic complex-valued wavelet are compared. We also demonstrate that singularity detection methods can be employed to detect the corners of a planar object.