Influence of dietary iron deficiency on acute metal intoxication

The frequent difficulties encountered in the diagnosis of pediatric sarcomas, caused by the lack of observable differentiation at the light microscopic level, has led to the routine use of immunohistochemistry in pediatric surgical pathology. To a large degree the advent of this staining technique has led to the correct assessment of many perplexing lesions that previously would have been given inconclusive diagnoses. However, with increased usage and testing, it has become apparent that there are few, if any, "magic bullets" in immunohistochemistry for pediatric pathologists. Thus, it behooves diagnosticians to be careful in the usage of this technique, to be aware of possible discrepancies in its results, and to remember the ancillary nature of its application. The following article will review selected markers commonly used in pediatric surgical pathology, from both previous reports and the author's perspective, and will briefly consider several new phenotypic markers which have potential utility with childhood sarcomas.     

Creep fracture in Al-SiC metal-matrix composites

Creep fracture behaviour of pure aluminium-matrix composites with 10–30 vol% SiC particulates at 623 K is reported. A comparison of tensile and compression creep data shows the existence of a transition stress. Above this transition stress no steady state creep is observed in tension. This transition stress is related to a transition from intergranular to transgranular fracture. The origin of transition stress is perhaps associated with the diffusional relaxation of stress concentration at the matrix/particle interface by lattice diffusion. The intergranular creep fracture of composites appears to be similar to that of unreinforced aluminium and it is power-law creep controlled. The transgranular creep fracture occurs by void nucleation and growth. The nucleation strain for voids is quite small and hence the tertiary stage starts before the end of the primary stage. The ductile fracture models overestimate the strain to fracture and do not predict the observed stress dependence of strain to fracture.     

Inhibitory effect of parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) residue on growth of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes Mart Solms.) II. Relative effect of flower,leaf, stem,and root residue

The relative effect of residue of leaf, flower, stem, and root of parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) on growth of water hyacinth was studied. The inhibitory activity of the residue as shown by its effect on biomass and healthy leaf number (HLN) of treated plants was in the order: leaf and flower >stem >root. Total phenolic acids in the medium after 72 hr of suspending the plant part residue were maximum in flower followed by leaf, root, and stem, successively. The dry leaf powder (DLP) and dry flower powder (DFP) at and above 0.50% (w/v) and dry stem powder (DSP) at 1.00% (w/v) killed water hyacinth in about one month. Dry root powder (DRP) at the highest dose (1.25% w/v) reduced the growth of the treated plants drastically, but the plants recovered after about one month. The DSP at 0.50% (w/v) and DRP at 0.25–0.75% (w/v) supported growth of treated plants, probably due to lower levels of inhibitors, allowing utilization of constituents of the residue as nutrients. Using wheat seedlings as a reference material, it was observed that in aquaculture at different levels of parthenium plant parts residue, water hyacinth plants were much more sensitive to inhibitory activity. Thus, water hyacinth is suggested as a material for bioassay of inhibitory activity of the parthenium plant residue.     

Creatine kinase isoenzymes in serum from cord blood and the blood of healthy full-term infants during the first three postnatal days

Isoenzymes of creatine kinase (ATP:creatine phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.3.2; CK) were measured by electrophoresis in serum from cord blood and skin-puncture blood taken from 45 healthy full-term infants during the first three postnatal days. Mean total CK activities (in U/L at 30 degrees C) were 185 in cord samples, 536 in samples taken between 5--8 h postnatally, 494 between 24--33 h, and 288 in the 72-100 h samples. Values for all three isoenzymes increased to a peak over this period, with the highest values generally being found in the samples taken 5--33 h after birth; the subsequent decline was most rapid for CK-BB. Serum CK isoenzymes in cord samples and those taken at 72--100 h in the 11 babies delivered by cesarian section did not differ significantly from those of babies delivered vaginally. However the postnatal increases in total CK, CK-MM, and CK-MB (but not in CK-BB) were significantly greater in those patients born by vaginal delivery. The reasons for the increases in CK isoenzymes after birth are not clear, but our results and reported studies on the ontogeny of CK suggest that CK-MB cannot be regarded as a "cardiac-specific" isoenzyme in the neonatal period.     

Percussion Laser-Drilled Holes: Characteristics and Characterization Procedure

Percussion laser drilling, being a thermal process, produces holes having widely differing characteristics than that of the mechanically drilled holes. In the present study, on the percussion laser drilling of through holes in a nickel-based superalloy (SUPERNI 263A), 21 characteristics were identified, and the methods of their determination were proposed. The effect of peak power of laser pulses on the identified hole characteristics were studied.     

External stimuli response on a novel chitosan hydrogel crosslinked with formaldehyde

Keeping in mind the significance of hydrogels as an external stimuli sensitive super absorbing material, some transparent covalent hydrogels of chitosan were prepared by crosslinking with varying amounts of formaldehyde solution used as crosslinking agent. The characteristics of hydrogels were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and swelling experiments. The effect of crosslinking agent on water absorbency has been investigated. The hydrogels exhibited a relatively higher swelling ratio in the range of 2066–3306% and equilibrium water content (EWC) in the range of 95-38–97 06% at pH 7 and 35°C temperature. The influence of external stimuli such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength of the swelling media on equilibrium swelling properties has been observed. Hydrogels showed a typical pH and temperature responsive behaviour such as low pH and high temperature has maximum swelling while high pH and low temperature show minimum swelling. An increase in the ionic strength of swelling media caused a continuous decrease in the swelling of hydrogels at both acidic and basic pH.     

A conceptual approach to the estimation of societal willingness-to-pay for nuclear safety programs

The design, refurbishment and future decommissioning of nuclear reactors are crucially concerned with reducing the risk of radiation exposure that can result in adverse health effects and potential loss of life. To address this concern, large financial investments have been made to ensure safety of operating nuclear power plants worldwide. The efficacy of the expenditures incurred to provide safety must be judged against the safety benefit to be gained from such investments. We have developed an approach that provides a defendable basis for making that judgement.If the costs of risk reduction are disproportionate to the safety benefits derived, then the expenditures are not optimal; in essence the societal resources are being diverted away from other critical areas such as health care, education and social services that also enhance the quality of life. Thus, the allocation of society’s resources devoted to nuclear safety must be continually appraised in light of competing needs, because there is a limit on the resources that any society can devote to extend life.The purpose of the paper is to present a simple and methodical approach to assessing the benefits of nuclear safety programs and regulations. The paper presents the Life-Quality Index (LQI) as a tool for the assessment of risk reduction initiatives that would support the public interest and enhance both safety and the quality of life. The LQI is formulated as a utility function consistent with the principles of rational decision analysis. The LQI is applied to quantify the societal willingness-to-pay (SWTP) for safety measures enacted to reduce of the risk of potential exposures to ionising radiation. The proposed approach provides essential support to help improve the cost–benefit analysis of engineering safety programs and safety regulations.     

p53 codon 72 polymorphism in Taiwanese lung cancer patients: association with lung cancer susceptibility and prognosis

Previous studies have indicated that milrinone, a specific type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor, may be able to induce chloride secretion in cystic fibrosis (CF) tissues. We have now assessed the effect of this agent in vivo on the nasal epithelium of CF mutant mice and also in the nose and lungs of human subjects with CF. Wild-type mice showed a small hyperpolarization of the nasal potential difference (PD) in response to milrinone (100 microM, 1.6 +/- 0.6 mV, n = 8, P < 0.05). In contrast, CF mice carrying either the most common human mutation of the gene for the CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR), DeltaF508 (protein mislocalized), or the G551D mutation (protein normally localized) failed to demonstrate this response. Milrinone perfused alone had no significant effect on the baseline nasal PD of human subjects without CF (14.7 +/- 4.0 mV preperfusion; 15.3 +/- 4.6 mV postperfusion), but significantly (P < 0.05) augmented the hyperpolarization induced by a subsequently perfused low-chloride solution (with milrinone, 36.8 +/- 3.0 mV, n = 6; without milrinone, 18.1 +/- 2.2 mV, n = 19). In contrast, in human subjects with CF (n = 6), milrinone alone significantly (P < 0. 05) altered the nasal baseline PD (52.2 +/- 3.3 mV preperfusion; 57. 4 +/- 4.2 mV, postperfusion) but not the subsequent responses to the low-chloride solution (with milrinone, 1.1 +/- 2.2 mV, n = 4; without milrinone, 0.6 +/- 0.5 mV, n = 28) or to isoproterenol (100 microM). In a separate study in subjects (n = 6) with the DeltaF508 mutation, nasal coadministration of milrinone with isoproterenol produced no effect in the presence of amiloride and a low-chloride solution (-0.8 +/- 0.5 mV). This was also the case in the nasal epithelium of CF subjects (n = 4) carrying at least one G551D allele (-0.3 +/- 0.8 mV). Similarly, milrinone did not hyperpolarize the PD of either the tracheal (n = 6) or segmental (n = 6) airways of CF subjects (DeltaF508) when applied topically in vivo in the presence of amiloride, isoproterenol, or adenosine triphosphate (all 100 microM) in a low-chloride solution. These data do not support the use of milrinone to induce chloride secretion in CF airways in vivo.     

Design and development of bioinspired calcium phosphate nanoparticles of MTX: pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic evaluation

The aim of this investigation is the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by developing methotrexate-loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles (MTX-CAP-NP) and to evaluate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior in adjuvant induced arthritis model. The nanoparticles were synthesized by wet precipitation method and optimized by Box-Behnken experimental design. MTX-CAP-NPs were characterized by TEM, FTIR, DSC and XRD studies. The particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of the optimized nanoparticles were found to be 204.90?±?64?nm, ?11.58?±?4.80?mV, and 88.33?±?3.74%, respectively. TEM, FTIR, DSC and XRD studies revealed that the developed nanoparticles were nearly spherical in shape and the crystalline structure of CAP-NP was not changed after MTX loading. The pharmacokinetic studies revealed that MTX-CAP-NP enhanced bioavailability of MTX by 2.6-fold when compared to marketed formulation (FOLITRAX-10). Under pharmacodynamic evaluation, arthritic assessment, radiography and histopathology studies revealed that CAP has ability to regenerate cartilage and bone therefore, together with MTX, MTX-CAP-NPs have shown significant reduction in disease progression. The overall work demonstrated that the developed nanodelivery system was well tolerated and more effective than the marketed formulation.     

Numerical evaluation of the Hankel transform by using linear Legendre multi-wavelets

An efficient algorithm for evaluating the Hankel transform Fn(p) of order n of a function f(r) is given. As the continuous Legendre multi-wavelets forms an orthonormal basis for L²(R); we expand the part rf(r) of the integrand in its wavelet series reducing the Hankel transform integral as a series of Bessel functions multiplied by the wavelet coefficients of the input function. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method.