Metallothionein-I-transgenic mice are not protected from acute cadmium-metallothionein-induced nephrotoxicity

Mice pretreated with Zn have increased renal metallothionein (MT) levels and are protected from CdMT nephrotoxicity. To determine whether MT is important in this Zn-induced protection against CdMT-induced nephrotoxicity, MT-transgenic mice that have high levels of MT in their kidneys (10-fold over control mice) have been studied to determine whether they are resistant to CdMT-induced nephrotoxicity. Mice were injected with CdMT (0.1-0.6 mg Cd/kg, iv) and kidney injury was evaluated 24 hr later. CdMT produced renal toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. At a nephrotoxic dose of CdMT (0.4 mg Cd/kg), urinary protein and glucose excretion were increased 30- and 60-fold, respectively, in control mice. However, similar increases in protein and glucose excretion were also observed in MT-transgenic mice. CdMT also induced a similar dose-dependent proximal tubular cell necrosis in both control and MT-transgenic mice in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of control mice with Zn (100 micromol/kg, sc x 2 days) increased renal MT to levels similar to those of untreated MT-transgenic mice and protected against CdMT-induced renal injury. Furthermore, when Zn (25-100 micromol/kg, sc) was given immediately before CdMT injection (i.e., without preinduction of MT), it was still effective in preventing CdMT nephrotoxicity. We conclude that Zn-induced protection against CdMT nephrotoxicity does not appear to be due to induction of renal MT.     

Gastric pacing improves emptying and symptoms in patients with gastroparesis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: No effective treatment is available for patients with gastroparesis refractory to standard medical therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gastric pacing on gastric electrical activity, gastric emptying, and symptoms in patients with gastroparesis. METHODS: Nine patients with gastroparesis participated in this study. Four pairs of cardiac pacing wires were implanted on the serosa of the stomach. The protocol consisted of two portions: a temporary inpatient study period and an outpatient study for a period of 1 month or more. RESULTS: Gastric pacing entrained the gastric slow wave in all subjects and converted tachygastria in 2 patients into regular 3-cpm slow waves. Gastric emptying was significantly improved after the outpatient treatment with gastric pacing. The gastric retention at 2 hours was reduced from 77.0% +/- 3.3% to 56.6% +/- 8.6% (P < 0.05). Symptoms of gastroparesis were substantially reduced at the end of the outpatient treatment (1.51 +/- 0.46 vs. 2.84 +/- 0.61; P < 0.04). Eight of 9 patients no longer relied on jejunostomy tube feeding, and no adverse events were noted related to the pacing unit. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric pacing seems to be able to improve symptoms of gastroparesis and to accelerate gastric emptying in patients with gastroparesis. More controlled studies are necessary to further investigate the role of gastric pacing in clinical practice.     

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正我们告诉大家,如何综合运用Adobe Camera Raw与Photoshop的各项功能,打造一幅完美的具备专业效果的肖像照片。软件准备:Photoshop CS6学习目标:使用特殊模糊滤镜在保留细节的前提下美化皮肤,使用快速选择工具选择并美白牙齿和眼睛。操作耗时:15分钟     

Electrodeposition of copper into high aspect ratio PCB micro-via using megasonic agitation

This paper presents the use of micro-particle imaging velocimetry (micro-PIV) to analyse fluid flow and hence ion replenishment in PCB micro-via during the electroplating process. The cross section of a PCB via is fabricated in PMMA to allow optical access to the sample. Fluid flow within two 1:1 aspect ratio blind micro-vias, one with straight side walls and the other with tapered side walls were compared. Flow is also analysed in a 1:1 aspect ratio through via. Flow rates measured using micro-PIV are used to validate simulated flow models. The results show that there are increased flow rates within the blind via with tapered side walls. This goes some way to explaining the improved electroplating results obtained in industry when tapered vias are used. Initial experimental results using megasonic streaming to remove bubbles from blind micro-via and promote ion transportation within high aspect ratio PCB micro-via to enhance electrodeposition are also reported.     

A review of selected thermal management solutions for military electronic systems

Thermal management of electronics is vital to the successful design, manufacture, and tactical operation of a variety of military electronic systems. Designs employ all modes of heat transfer including: conduction, natural and forced convection, aerodynamic heating, radiation, and two-phase heat transfer. A variety of heat sinks and heat exchange devices are employed, including the use of cold plates, electronic chassis coldwalls, compact heat exchangers, air-cycle and vapor-cycle refrigeration systems, phase change materials, thermoelectric devices, and heat pipes. This paper describes several military electronic systems on a variety of platforms and discusses the thermal management issues involved in the design of the thermal control systems. Specific examples are employed in the paper to emphasize the variety of thermal management problems encountered and the solution techniques employed.     

Progress in CdZnTe substrate producibility and critical drivers of IRFPA yield originating with CdZnTe substrates

With the goal of maximizing the yield of infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs), Santa Barbara Research Center’s (SBRC) Infrared Materials Producibility Program (IRMP) has focused on assessing and improving the quality, yield, and throughput of CdZnTe substrates. A baseline detector lot was fabricated to identify the critical drivers of IRFPA yield coming from the substrates and to evaluate the quality and yield of the current vendor base for CdZnTe substrates. Substrate induced defects and impurities that can potentially affect device performance and operability were carefully mapped out in detail on 44 × 67 mm² size substrates, received from IRMP substrate vendors as well as SBRC. This paper will report on the correlations found between this substrate characterization data base and the IRFPA level defect distributions. Key results from these correlation studies are: (1) extended defects found on the substrates with the Nakagawa etch correlated well with responsivity reduction in the final IRFPA; (2) cross-hatch patterns that were evident in the responsivity map correlated well with similar features seen by x-ray topography on LPE double layers; and (3) a possible correlation of device performance (leakage current at 78K) with copper and lithium impurities in the substrate. Recent initiatives toward improving the quality and yield of the substrate growth process have focused on improving purity in the pre-growth charge preparation, modification of growth parameters to reduce defects and scaling up of the vertical Bridgman growth process from its current 67 mm diameter boule size to 92 mm diameter boules. Promising initial results from the large diameter boule growth process will be shown. The 92 mm diameter CdZnTe boule (6 kg charge) shows two predominant single crystal grains encompassing 75% of boule volume. Defect characterization of boules grown under baseline and modified conditions is discussed.     

Large-scale system testing of a power system dynamic equivalencingprogram

This paper presents the results of applying the EPRI Dynamic Equivalencing Program to a large-scale system test case of the New York Power Pool. The effects of coherent generator selection, network reduction, generator aggregation, and generator modeling on the accuracy of the reduced models are investigated     

High-speed 8:1 multiplexer and 1:8 demultiplexer implemented withAlGaAs/GaAs HBTs

An 8:1 multiplexer (MUX) and 1:8 demultiplexer (DMUX) implemented with AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors are described. The circuits were designed for lightwave communications, and were demonstrated to operate at data rates above 6 Gb/s. These are among the fastest 8-b MUX-DMUX circuits ever reported. Each contains about 600 transistors and consumes about 1.5 W. The pair provides features such as resettable timing, data framing, and clock recovery circuitry, and a built-in decision circuit on the DMUX. Emitter-coupled logic (ECL) compatible input/output (1/O) signals are available. The circuits were implemented with bi-level current mode logic (CML) and require a -5.2-V power supply and a +1-V bias for ECL compatibility     

Estimation of Regional Scale Evapotranspiration Through Analysis of Satellite Thermal-infrared Data

Since the mid 70's the LANDSAT series of satelites has acquired visible and near-infrared observations of the earth at a frequency and spatial resolution suitable for agriculture assessment purposes. More recently satellite systems have acquired high precision thermalinfrared data relating to surface thermal properties and moisture status. A data set from the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission [1] illustrates the potential applications of such data for inferring evapotranspiration on a regional scale. Methods described previously [2] are utilized to estimate evapotranspiration rates, yielding results which are consistent with surface measurements of pan evaporation.