Increased dietary oxalate does not increase urinary calcium oxalate saturation in hypercalciuric rats

BACKGROUND: Human calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis may occur if urine is supersaturated with respect to the solid-phase CaOx. In these patients, dietary oxalate is often restricted to reduce its absorption and subsequent excretion in an effort to lower supersaturation and to decrease stone formation. However, dietary oxalate also binds intestinal calcium which lowers calcium absorption and excretion. The effect of increasing dietary oxalate on urinary CaOx supersaturation is difficult to predict. METHODS: To determine the effect of dietary oxalate intake on urinary supersaturation with respect to CaOx and brushite (CaHPO4), we fed 36th and 37th generation genetic hypercalciuric rats a normal Ca diet (1.2% Ca) alone or with sodium oxalate added at 0.5%, 1.0%, or 2.0% for a total of 18 weeks. We measured urinary ion excretion and calculated supersaturation with respect to the CaOx and CaHPO4 solid phases and determined the type of stones formed. RESULTS: Increasing dietary oxalate from 0% to 2.0% significantly increased urinary oxalate and decreased urinary calcium excretion, the latter presumably due to increased dietary oxalate-binding intestinal calcium. Increasing dietary oxalate from 0% to 2.0% decreased CaOx supersaturation due to the decrease in urinary calcium offsetting the increase in urinary oxalate and the decreased CaHPO4 supersaturation. Each rat in each group formed stones. Scanning electron microscopy revealed discrete stones and not nephrocalcinosis. X-ray and electron diffraction and x-ray microanalysis revealed that the stones were composed of calcium and phosphate; there were no CaOx stones. CONCLUSION: Thus, increasing dietary oxalate led to a decrease in CaOx and CaHPO4 supersaturation and did not alter the universal stone formation found in these rats, nor the type of stones formed. These results suggest the necessity for human studies aimed at determining the role, if any, of limiting oxalate intake to prevent recurrence of CaOx nephrolithiasis.     

Framing as a theory of media effects

Research on framing is characterized by theoretical and empirical vagueness. This is due, in part, to the lack of a commonly shared theoretical model underlying framing research. Conceptual problems translate into operational problems, limiting the comparability of instruments and results. In this paper I systematize the fragmented approaches to framing in political communication and integrate them into a comprehensive model. I classify previous approaches to framing research along two dimensions: the type of frame examined (media frames vs. audience frames) and the way frames are operationalized (independent variable or dependent variable). I develop a process model of framing, identifying four key processes that should be addressed in future research: frame building, frame setting, individual-level processes of framing, and a feedback loop from audiences to journalists.     

Expression and distribution of leptospiral outer membrane components during renal infection of hamsters

The outer membrane of pathogenic Leptospira species grown in culture media contains lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a porin (OmpL1), and several lipoproteins, including LipL36 and LipL41. The purpose of this study was to characterize the expression and distribution of these outer membrane antigens during renal infection. Hamsters were challenged with host-derived Leptospira kirschneri to generate sera which contained antibodies to antigens expressed in vivo. Immunoblotting performed with sera from animals challenged with these host-derived organisms demonstrated reactivity with OmpL1, LipL41, and several other proteins but not with LipL36. Although LipL36 is a prominent outer membrane antigen of cultivated L. kirschneri, its expression also could not be detected in infected hamster kidney tissue by immunohistochemistry, indicating that expression of this protein is down-regulated in vivo. In contrast, LPS, OmpL1, and LipL41 were demonstrated on organisms colonizing the lumen of proximal convoluted renal tubules at both 10 and 28 days postinfection. Tubular epithelial cells around the luminal colonies had fine granular cytoplasmic LPS. When the cellular inflammatory response was present in the renal interstitium at 28 days postinfection, LPS and OmpL1 were also detectable within interstitial phagocytes. These data establish that outer membrane components expressed during infection have roles in the induction and persistence of leptospiral interstitial nephritis.     

Technique for repair of Descemet membrane detachment

Tuberculous infection of the esophagus is a rare disease and usually occurs secondary to tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy. We report a 74-year-old woman presenting with dysphagia and weight loss. The chest radiograph showed punctuated calcifications lining from the right hilar region to the paracardiac region. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 0.5 x 5 cm lesion localized in the 25th cm of the esophagus covered partly with normal mucosa, partly demonstrating ulcerous areas. Biopsy revealed granulomatous infiltrates being tuberculoid in type. Thorax CT showed a calcified lymph node at the right hilum. The patient did not give consent to therapy and died 1 month later.     

Recent developments in two-pack water-based epoxy coatings

In recent years new curing agent technology has been developed which allows water-based curing agents to be introduced into high performance coating, these are classified according to the type of epoxy resin used. Type I utilises low molecular weight, liquid epoxy resins and Type II pre-formed dispersions of higher molecular weight solid epoxy resins. The chemical composition of the binder of water-borne epoxy coatings plays a critical role in their performance properties, hence some of the structural properties of the amine hardeners will be reviewed. New curing agents will be discussed which demonstrate the versatility these products can offer to the coating formulator. Performance data of clear coats and anti-corrosive primers confirm the applicability of the new systems for the long term protection of steel and concrete surfaces.     

Effect of X-rays on poly(vinylidene fluoride) in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was irradiated with X-rays produced by a nonmonochromatic (MgKα) source and the structural and electronic PVDF surface modifications were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Changes in the shape and intensity of the C_1s and F_1s lines show that a PVDF degradation consisting of the polymer defluorination takes place. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 67:2125–2129, 1998     

生态安全背景下的城市生态建设再思考

快速城市化伴随各类环境污染、生物多样性质量下降、生态系统服务功能退化、疾病蔓延等城市问题,直接威胁着城市生态安全乃至人类生命健康.基于对"生态"一词源流与内涵的梳理,倡导汲取传统生态智慧,运用"生命观、动态观、系统观"辨析和破解城市生态建设及管理方法中存在的问题与误区.结合上海生态实践,通过营建以乡土植物和土著动物为主...     

金属推型V-带无级变速箱损耗机理仿真部分1:带组摩擦造成的转矩损失

以推型金属带为基体的无级变速箱(CVT)的动力传递效率低于有级变速箱,大家已往认识到采用CVT改进发动机/负荷匹配新取得的燃料经济性的好处有被取消的趋势.本组三篇论文详细阐述了发生在作为第一级用来取得效率改进的带传动中损耗机理的研究.已经进行试验研究了涉及推型金属V-带CVT空载和低载的转矩损失.本第一篇论文述及发生在金属带CVT由于带推块和带间相对运动造成主要转矩损失的新分析方法.本研究考虑到其他研究中的新发现并改进了金属V-带的设计.本文中采用几种不同的试验方法提供的实验数据推荐了转矩损失的数字模型.本组第二篇论文阐述了由于带轮变形的许多附加转矩损失机理.在第三篇论文中阐述了根据本文的发现提出带滑动损失的分析.     

不同硅/铝比ZSM-5分子筛对烷烃和环烷烃催化裂解性能的影响

以硅/铝摩尔比（n(SiO2)/n(Al2O3)=24的ZSM 5分子筛为母体,通过酸处理脱铝制备了具有不同硅/铝摩尔比(50、85、110、140)的ZSM-5分子筛,通过X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、氨气程序升温脱附(NH3-TPD)、吡啶红外吸附(Py-FTIR)、N₂吸附-脱附等手段对其进行表征,考察其应用于正辛烷和乙基环己烷催化裂解反应的性能差异。结果表明,正辛烷和乙基环己烷的转化率与ZSM-5分子筛硅/铝比存在较好的对应关系,即硅/铝比越低、酸量越高,转化率越高;但ZSM-5分子筛硅/铝比低、酸量过多会导致非选择性副反应发生,降低目的产物低碳烯烃收率和选择性。不同硅/铝比ZSM-5分子筛在正辛烷和乙基环己烷催化裂解反应中显示出不同的催化性能,对于相同碳数的烷烃正辛烷和乙基环己烷,由于其分子结构不同,所适宜的硅/铝比不同;在相同硅/铝比分子筛条件下,环烷烃乙基环己烷的总体反应活性低于相对应的直链烷烃正辛烷;正辛烷在ZSM-5-85分子筛上具有更优异的催化裂解反应性能,乙基环己烷在ZSM-5-50分子筛上具有更优异的催化裂解反应性能。     

Mixed convection in laminar film flow of a micropolar fluid

In this paper, the steady mixed convection boundary layer in laminar film flow of a micropolar fluid is considered. The resulting nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations are solved numerically using an efficient implicit finite-difference scheme. The numerical results obtained for the skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number, as well as the velocity, angular velocity or microrotation and temperature profiles are presented in tables and figures for different values of the material parameter K and the Richardson number Ri when the Prandtl number Pr = 0.7 and Pr = 1.