dbExpress--Borland新的数据库接口技术

dbExpress是Borland新的跨平台的数据库访问接口，用来访问面向SQL的数据库管理系统。本文比较了该数据访问接口和现在了标准之间的不同，并简单介绍了该接口的抽象层结构和设计其驱动程序的基本知识。     

Influence of Avicel PH-301 on the compressibility of alpha-methyldopa and phenobarbitone in direct compression

The aim of this work was to investigate the compressibility behavior of alpha-methyldopa and phenobarbitone using a Korsch EK0 instrumented eccentric tablet machine, with force-time and force-displacement curves constructed and applied to calculate different compressional values to study the compressional behavior. The results of this work revealed a difference in compressibility behavior between the two drugs during the compressional process. alpha-Methyldopa gave an abnormal compressional curve with high friction in the pre- and postcompressional phases. A residual force could be seen on the lower punch. Furthermore, capping and sticking were observed visually during tablet pressing, indicating poor compressibility behavior. In the case of phenobarbitone, no friction was observed in the precompressional phase, but there was higher friction in the postcompressional phase, especially in the ejection phase. The compressibility of the drugs was improved by the addition of Avicel PH-301 and magnesium stearate.     

Precise interferometric length and phase-change measurement of gauge blocks based on reproducible wringing

A modern fringe-pattern-analyzing interferometer with a resolution of 1 x 10(-9) and without exclusion of systematic uncertainties owing to optic effects of less than 1 nm was used to test a new method of interferometric length measurement based on a combination of the reproducible wringing and slave-block techniques. Measurements without excessive wringing film error are demonstrated for blocks with nominal lengths of 2-6 mm and with high surface flatness. The uncertainty achieved for these blocks is less than 1 nm. Deformations of steel gauge blocks and reference platens, caused by wringing forces, are investigated, and the necessary conditions for reproducible wringing are outlined. A subnanometer uncertainty level in phase-change-correction measurements has been achieved for gauge blocks as long as 100 mm. Limitations on the accuracy standard method of interferometric length measurements and shortcomings of the present definition of the length of the material artifact are emphasized.     

Modified smectitic Tunisian clays used in the formulation of high performance lubricating greases

Two smectitic Tunisian clays were organically modified by exchange reaction with dioctadecyl dimethylammonium chloride (DODMA) and hexadecyl benzyl dimethylammonium chloride (HBDMA). The resulting organoclays were used in the formulation of lubricating greases. The results of the performance tests applied to the obtained greases showed that their physicochemical and mechanical characteristics are in conformity with the extreme-pressure (EP) greases specifications. The obtained greases present good EP properties with only 0.5% EP additives. The smectitic clays used could constitute a raw material in the formulation of high performance lubricating greases.     

Closure of the patent ductus arteriosus by means of cardiac catheterization

Authors report their results with transcatheter closure of patent arterial duct during a period of 1 year. Thirty patients underwent the procedure at the mean age of 5.22 yrs (range 5 mos-22.3 yrs) and mean bodyweight of 19.1 kg (range 5.8-73 kg). There were 9 males and 21 females. The diagnosis of the patent arterial duct was established by physical examination and noninvasive techniques. The procedures were attempted in all patients above 5 kg bodyweight with patent arterial duct and normal pulmonary artery pressure, irrespective of the shunt-size. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia in one session with the diagnostic cardiac catheterisation. Transcatheter closure was successful in 29 patients. In one patient the device embolized into the left pulmonary artery, snaring was unsuccessful, surgical closure of the patent duct and removal of the device took place uneventfully. Control aortography 15 minutes after the coil placement showed insignificant residual shunt through the patent duct in 8 patients (27%), while echocardiography at 1 month proved complete closure in all. The patients were followed by noninvasive methods. No mortality was observed. Authors emphasize the low risk and cost-effectiveness of the procedure. They stress the importance of the patients selection. Authors applied the technique for the first time and introduced it to the regular patient-care practice in Hungary.     

Cisapride in neurologically impaired children with chronic constipation

The efficacy of cisapride as a treatment for chronic constipation in children with severe brain damage was studied in 20 children. Each subject was randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with either cisapride (N = 10) or placebo (N = 10) for 12 weeks. Stool habits, total gastrointestinal transit time, colonic segmental transit times, and anorectal motility were evaluated in all children before and at the end of the treatment period. Although cisapride significantly (P < 0.05) increased stool frequency from baseline to week 12 and no significant change was documented in the placebo group, the mean change in stool frequency per week from baseline to 12 week was not significantly different between the two treatment groups. The use of laxatives or suppositories was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased by cisapride, but remained unchanged in the placebo group. Furthermore, cisapride significantly (P < 0.05) reduced rectal compliance but had no effect on total gastrointestinal transit time and colonic segmental transit times. In summary, in neurologically impaired children with chronic constipation, cisapride increased bowel frequency but did not alter the delay in total and segmental gastrointestinal transit times.     

Sexual behaviour and multiple infections in drug abusers

We have studied the prevalence and the serological profile of HBV, HCV, HDV and HIV infections in 137 Italian subjects addicted to the intravenous use of heroine and correlated the virological findings with sexual behaviour. HBV and HCV viremia were also measured in 114 patients. Anti-HCV was detected in 81% of the addicts, and one or more markers of HBV infection were detected in 62.8% (4.4% were carriers of HBsAg, 58.4% had evidence of past HBV infection and 13.1% of the latter also had HDV markers). Anti-HIV was positive in 23.4%; 26% of those positive for anti-HCV and 4.6% of those positive for HBV markers had no other viral marker: none had only anti-HIV. HBV-DNA was negative in the carriers of HBsAg, and HCV-RNA was not detected in any of the HBsAg carriers who also had circulating anti-HCV. Overall, 34% of the anti-HCV positive addicts had HCV-RNA in their blood. The prevalence of the virus infection correlated with the duration of drug addiction but not with sexual behaviour, and sexual behaviour did not influence the acquisition of any virus. HCV infection was most frequent and probably the first infection to occur, but exposure to HBV was also common despite a low rate of HBsAg carriage. The prevalence of HDV infection was high (50%) in the HBsAg carriers, while the overall prevalence of HIV was lower (23%) than expected. Lack of HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA in carriers of HBV with anti-HCV in serum may indicate that HBV and HCV mutually inhibit their own replication.     

Endocannabinoids: endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligands with neuromodulatory action

The existence of an endogenous cannabinoid system was demonstrated conclusively with the discovery of endogenous brain constituents capable of activating the cannabinoid receptors functionally. These compounds are synthesized by neuronal cells and inactivated through re-uptake and enzymatic hydrolysis by both neurons and astrocytes. In analogy with the endorphins they can be referred to as endocannabinoids. Apart from the identification of their metabolic pathways, research carried out in the past six years has focused on the possible cellular and molecular targets for the actions of endocannabinoids. These studies have confirmed a similarity between the endocannabinoids and the psychoactive substance in marijuana, delta9(-)-tetrahydrocannabinol, and have suggested a role for endocannabinoids in the modulation of neurotransmitter action and release.     

Hamiltonian-type Lyapunov functions

A flexible and systematic way for the construction of Lyapunov functions which lends itself to the use of nonlinear programming techniques is presented. The class of Lyapunov functions obtained is shown to be energy functions (Hamiltonians) for an equivalent system.