Cardioinotropic Effects in Subchronic Intoxication of Rats with Lead and/or Cadmium Oxide Nanoparticles

Subchronic intoxication was induced in outbred male rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections with lead oxide (PbO) and/or cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles (NPs) 3 times a week during 6 weeks for the purpose of examining its effects on the contractile characteristics of isolated right ventricle trabeculae and papillary muscles in isometric and afterload contractions. Isolated and combined intoxication with these NPs was observed to reduce the mechanical work produced by both types of myocardial preparation. Using the in vitro motility assay, we showed that the sliding velocity of regulated thin filaments drops under both isolated and combined intoxication with CdO–NP and PbO–NP. These results correlate with a shift in the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms towards slowly cycling β–MHC. The type of CdO–NP + PbO–NP combined cardiotoxicity depends on the effect of the toxic impact, the extent of this effect, the ratio of toxicant doses, and the degree of stretching of cardiomyocytes and muscle type studied. Some indices of combined Pb–NP and CdO–NP cardiotoxicity and general toxicity (genotoxicity included) became fully or partly normalized if intoxication developed against background administration of a bioprotective complex.     

多关节测量臂的小生境混沌优化校准

多关节测量臂是一种便携式的坐标测量设备,它由一系列的旋转关节组成。为了提高多关节测量臂的测量精度和可重复性水平,必须对其运动学参数进行校准。首先,利用小生境的混沌优化算法提出了一种新的运动学校准方法以及一种混合目标的运动学校准函数,它考虑了诸如单点测量实验、容积性测量实验等多种性能测量实验的实验结果,然后,采用Levenberg Marquardt(L-M)算法和小生境混沌优化算法应用于运动学参数校准。小生境混沌优化算法显示出了优于L-M算法的性能。实验结果表明:使用NCOA算法校准后,测量误差的标准差始终优于LMA算法,并且校准前后多关节测量臂的测量精度提高了40倍。采用L-M算法和小生境混沌优化算法应用于运动学参数校准。小生境混沌优化算法显示出了优于L-M算法的性能。     

空间级联可调谐光滤波器方式实现光分插复用器

提出一种采用空间级联可调谐光滤波器方式实现的OADM.该器件不但具有集成度高、体积小、插入损耗低、信道间插入损耗差异小的特点,而且能够在控制电路的作用下灵活选择上下路波长及其数量,为构建灵活、高性能的WDM网络提供了选择.     

Development of a new method for determination of exopolysaccharide quantity in fermented milk products and its application in technology of kefir production

An easy-to-use method for quantitative analysis of bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) was developed. The acid treatment was resultant in removing proteins and lactose and allowed to avoid long-term operation as dialysis. It was shown that, as opposed to anthron and phenol–sulphuric acid methods, reducing sugars method after EPS hydrolysis with glucose as standard provided reliable results, no matter to the EPS monosaccharide composition.     

基于BP神经网络算法的Ti-6Al-4V激光NiAl-VC合金化的工艺研究

为了进一步提高Ti-6Al-4V的性能,以满足其在工程中更广泛的运用,研究了在Ti-6Al-4V激光NiAl-VC合金化的工艺。以改变激光功率、激光扫描速度和粉末质量含量比例进行了工艺实验,采用BP神经网络(BP-NN)算法,建立了合金化层性能与工艺参数之间的关系模型,并通过验证实验表明预测效果良好,具有可行性。采用BP-NN算法进行了模拟实验,分析了不同工艺参数条件对合金化层深度、宽度、平均硬度、最高硬度的影响规律。本研究对Ti-6Al-4V激光NiAl-VC合金化的实践应用具有指导意义和参考价值。     

Effect of recombinant erythropoietin on hospital admissions, readmissions, length of stay, and costs of dialysis patients

To examine the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on hospital utilization, hospital costs, and Medicare reimbursements for hospital care, a longitudinal, matched cohort study was conducted using Medicare claims data of 23,806 Medicare-eligible, dialysis patients who received rHuEPO, did not have a transplant, and were alive for 18 mo or longer and 22,720 controls matched on age, sex, race, cause of ESRD, and dialysis modality. The relative odds (rHuEPO versus control) of admission for all causes and for specific causes over 9 mo, adjusted for admission in the prior 9 mo and the per patient change in total admissions, inpatient days, hospital costs, and Medicare hospital payments between the prior 9-mo period and the subsequent 9-mo period was examined. The adjusted relative odds (95% confidence interval) of admission (rHuEPO versus control) was: higher and statistically significant for all causes, 1.08 (1.03 to 1.14); seizure, 1.52 (1.28 to 1.75); vascular access revision, 1.11 (1.06 to 1.17), and heart failure, 1.17 (1.09 to 1.26); higher but not statistically significant for angina, 1.09 (0.99 to 1.20) and stroke, 1.08 (0.86 to 1.31); and lower but not statistically significant for myocardial infarction, 0.91 (0.72 to 1.10); peripheral vascular disease, 0.81 (0.60 to 1.02); anemia, 0.86 (0.56 to 1.17); and depression, 0.89 (0.37 to 1.40). The mean change per 1,000 patients in admissions was less by 38 (P = 0.03) because of fewer readmissions, and in days was 1,309 less (P < 0.001), for patients treated with rHuEPO versus controls. The mean change per patient in hospital costs was $371 less and was statistically significant (P = 0.03) and in Medicare hospital payments was $132 less but was not statistically significant (P = 0.43) for patients treated with rHuEPO versus controls. rHuEPO was associated with an increase in the probability of hospital admission (particularly admissions potentially related to adverse effects) but a decrease in readmissions, overall admissions, hospital days, and cost to hospitals in this cohort of patients surviving for 18 mo. Although not realized short term, Medicare savings from potential rHuEPO-related reductions in hospital care may be long term through future adjustments in diagnosis-related group-based hospital payment.     

Moult speed predicts pairing success in male harlequin ducks

The bright plumage of male ducks in sexually dichromatic species is thought to have evolved through intense sexual selection. This study examined the relationship between the timing and speed of moult into this bright plumage and subsequent mating success of male harlequin ducks, Histrionicus histrionicus. Males that moulted relatively slowly had a lower chance of establishing a pair bond than others. The timing of moult was unrelated to whether a male obtained a mate. Moult speed and timing were not correlated within individual males, but were significantly repeatable in individual males over 2 years. Moult speed probably reflects the condition of males, whereas timing of moult is more likely to be related to the distance to an individual's breeding area, which determines the timing of arrival to the moulting grounds. In waterfowl species that have been studied, males usually form dominance hierarchies before pairing and females tend to choose dominant males. We suggest that male harlequin ducks that moult slowly are poor-quality individuals, which are relegated to subordinate status and are unlikely to attract a mate the following autumn. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Textures in nanostructured metals processed by severe plastic deformation

This work demonstrates and analyzes the experimental results of the crystallographic texture formation processes in pure metals with a different type of crystal lattice, which were subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) applying various techniques such as high pressure torsion (HPT) and equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP). This article is based on a presentation made in “ICOTOM-13: Textures of Materials” held at Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, August 26–30, 2002, organized by The Korean Institute of Metals and Materials BK21 Division of Materials Education and Research (Seoul National University) and Texture Control Laboratory (Seoul National University).