Embolization with temporary balloon occlusion of the internal carotid artery and in vivo proton spectroscopy improves radical removal of petrous-tentorial meningioma

A highly vascular petroclival meningioma supplied by tentorial branches of the internal carotid artery was embolized by temporary balloon occlusion of the parent vessel distal to the tumor, followed by obliteration of the tumor vascularity with polyvinyl alcohol particles. Subsequently, in vivo proton spectroscopy showed necrosis of a large portion of the tumor and helped determine the timing of surgery. Both innovative techniques considerably facilitated the subsequent radical excision of the tumor with no neurological morbidity.     

Rat mature sympathetic neurones derive neurotrophin 3 from peripheral effector tissues

In a previous study we have demonstrated that endogenous neurotrophin 3 (NT3) is required for the survival of most sympathetic neurones in postnatal rats. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of NT3 on sympathetic neurones is not known. Neither is it understood whether NT3 is retrogradely transported from peripheral tissues or acts locally in an autocrine fashion. In the present study, NT3-mRNA was quantified in sympathetic effector tissues and NT3 protein was localized in intact and lesioned sympathetic nerves in rats. NT3-mRNA is expressed and developmentally regulated in many effector tissues including mesenteric arteries, salivary gland, heart and kidney but hardly detectable in the superior cervical ganglia of adult animals. The majority of sympathetic neurones express immunoreactivity for TrkA and TrkC in both neonatal and adult rats. Sympathetic somata are normally immunoreactive for NT3, but the immunoreactivity is abolished by systemic administration of NT3 antibodies or axotomy of postganglionic neurones, suggesting an accumulation of NT3 from extraneuronal sources. Furthermore, the detection of NT3-immunoreactivity in the internal carotid nerve as early as 3 h following a compression and only on the distal side indicates endogenous NT3 is retrogradely transported by sympathetic neurones. These studies provide evidence indicating that NT3, like nerve growth factor, is an effector tissue-derived neurotrophic factor for sympathetic neurones both during development and in the adult animal. Thus, we have provided a clear example that one type of neurone derives, through a retrograde transport mechanism, two neurotrophic factors simultaneously from its peripheral effector tissues.     

Familial transmission of a serious disease--producing group A streptococcus clone: case reports and review

Invasive group A streptococcus (GAS) infections are emerging diseases; however, person-to-person transmission of invasive GAS producing life-threatening infection has been observed rarely. We report a small intrafamilial cluster of life-threatening GAS infections. A previously healthy 47-year-old father developed necrotizing fasciitis of the neck. Two days later, his 16-year-old daughter developed streptococcal angina, pneumonia, and pleural empyema. Both patients had signs of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis revealed that the M6 strains of GAS isolated from the father and daughter had identical patterns. Cases of person-to-person transmission of invasive GAS infection reported in the literature are also reviewed.     

Study on the structure and gasification characteristics of selected South African bituminous coals in fluidised bed gasification

The gasification characteristics of three South African bituminous coals were investigated in a bubbling fluidised bed reactor. The three coals are similar in rank, but two are inertinite-rich coals and the third has a high vitrinite content. The microstructural characteristics of the parent coals and their resultant chars were determined using XRD, FT-IR, Raman and petrographic analysis. The microstructural changes that occurred in the organic (maceral) and the inorganic (mineral) fractions of the selected coals were evaluated. The change in the carbon structure was correlated to the proportions of inertinite and vitrinite macerals in the coals. High vitrinite content resulted in an increase in the order of the disordered carbon structure after gasification and this leads to greater graphitised ordered carbon structures. While a high inertinite content resulted in low or no structural transformation of the chemical structure. The transformation of inorganic mineral constituents of the coal was correlated to the amount of inertinite present in the selected coals. Higher proportions of inertinite macerals and inertinitic chars resulted in higher proportions of melted minerals. Char samples with low proportions of organic matter resulted in higher proportion of melted minerals covering the char surface.     

“ITD”时域识别法在某钢厂连铸机振动机构上的应用

本文对“ITD”时域识别法做了研究,修正了前人的采样定理,提出了一种新的模态检验方法,并进行了计算机模拟验证,最后,用该方法对某厂二炼钢厂连铸机振动机构进行了识别。     

Ultrasonic welding using tie-layer materials. part II: Factors affecting the lap-shear strength of ultrasonic welds

The influence of tie-layer Melt Flow Index on the lap-shear strength of ultrasonic welds in oriented polypropylene (OPP) has been evaluated. The tie-layer Melt Flow Index was varied from 0.03 dg/min to 2600 dg/min; the highest lap-shear strength properties were obtained using tie-layers that had melt flow index values between 30 and 100 dg/min. When using low Melt Flow Index tie-layers, hot spot formation and concomitant changes in fusion zone and heat-affected-zone dimensions produced stress concentrations that promoted failure in oriented polypropylene material away from the bondline region. When very high Melt Flow Index (2600 dg/min) tie-layers were used, the mode of failure during lap-shear testing was a mix of cohesive, in oriented polypropylene, and adhesive failure. The molecular weight of material at the bondline was not markedly affected by the thermal cycle produced during ultrasonic welding. Only the flash ejected when using low Melt Flow Index tie-layers exhibited any evidence of degradation; it is suggested that the ejected flash may have been degraded because of a combination of thermal, cavitation, and thermo-oxidative processes.     

Lycopene from two food sources does not affect antioxidant or cholesterol status of middle-aged adults

Background

Epidemiological studies have reported associations between reduced cardiovascular disease and diets rich in tomato and/or lycopene. Intervention studies have shown that lycopene-containing foods may reduce cholesterol levels and lipid peroxidation, factors implicated in the initiation of cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine whether consumption of lycopene rich foods conferred cardiovascular protection to middle-aged adults as indicated by plasma lipid concentrations and measures of ex vivo antioxidants.

Methods

Ten healthy men and women consumed a low lycopene diet with no added lycopene (control treatment) or supplemented with watermelon or tomato juice each containing 20 mg lycopene. Subjects consumed each treatment for three weeks in a crossover design. Plasma, collected weekly was analyzed for total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride concentrations and for the antioxidant biomarkers of malondialdehyde formation products (MDA), plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP). Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed Procedure and associations between antioxidant and lipid measures were identified by Pearson's product moment correlation analysis.

Results

Compared to the control diet, the lycopene-containing foods did not affect plasma lipid concentrations or antioxidant biomarkers. Women had higher total cholesterol, HDL-C and triglyceride concentrations than did the men. Total cholesterol was positively correlated to MDA and FRAP while HDL-C was positively correlated to MDA and GPX. GPX was negatively correlated to triglyceride concentration.

Conclusions

The inclusion of watermelon or tomato juice containing 20 mg lycopene did not affect plasma lipid concentrations or antioxidant status of healthy subjects. However, plasma cholesterol levels impacted the results of MDA and FRAP antioxidant tests.     

Analysis on flow stress of magnesium alloys during high temperature deformation

The flow stress of magnesium alloys during hot compression at different temperatures and strain rates was studied by experiments.Materials used were AZ91D alloys in as-cast,homogeneous treatment states,AZ31 and ZK60 alloys in as-cast state. The results show that the thermal simulation curves of different alloys differ from one another at the same deforming condition.The general curves of AZ31 and AZ91D alloys have the character of dynamic recrystallization.There are increase of true stress,drastic fallin...     

空冷发电厂的热力设计与分析

本文对热力发电厂的汽轮机排汽冷却系统进行了评估。作者编制了计算机程序,并对海勒式空冷系统做了计算,结果显示了塔高、水流速与空气流量、冷却塔与散热器投资以及经济效益的关系。