Transcranial Doppler and cortical microcirculation at increased intracranial pressure and during the Cushing response: an experimental study on rabbits

The effect of increased intracranial pressure on the flow velocity of the basilar artery was measured with transcranial ultrasonic Doppler in New Zealand White rabbits under alpha-chloralose anesthesia and artificial respiration. Laser Doppler flowmetry served to study changes of the cortical microcirculation. The results confirm a high inverse correlation of the diastolic flow velocity, the pulsatility index, and the resistance index with the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). During acute intracranial hypertension, however, these parameters do not show a good correlation with the local cortical blood flow. The absence of a correlation was evident over a wide CPP range down to values of 35 mm Hg. Only at CPP values below this critical threshold is the microcirculation impaired. The threshold is reached at pulsatility index values of more than 2.0 and at resistance index values of more than 0.8. Therefore, transcranial Doppler indices permit the detection of critical reductions of microcirculatory blood flow. The Cushing reaction occurred with a constant time lag of 5.5 +/- 0.7 seconds after the loss of CPP. The Cushing reaction did not establish systolic blood flow, which remained below the functional threshold, as concluded from the temporary loss of somatosensory evoked potentials.     

Upregulation of osteopontin expression in renal cortex of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats is mediated by bradykinin

The model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in Wistar rats was used to study the expression of osteopontin during development of diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes was confirmed by serum glucose levels exceeding 16 mmol/l during the experimental period of 12 weeks. During this period of time, diabetic nephropathy developed, as characterized by a reduced glomerular filtration rate (2.7 +/- 0.3 ml/min in controls vs. 1.7 +/- 0.1 ml/min in diabetic rats) and proteinuria (8.3 +/- 1.7 mg/24 h in controls vs. 22.0 +/- 4 mg/24 h in diabetic rats). Northern blot analysis revealed a time-dependent upregulation of renal cortical osteopontin expression reaching 138 +/- 6% of control levels after 2 weeks and 290 +/- 30% (mean +/- SE, n = 6-9) after 12 weeks. By immunostaining, the increased osteopontin expression could be located to the tubular epithelium of the renal cortex. Chronic treatment of animals with ramipril (3 mg/kg) during the 12-week experimental period led to a further increase in osteopontin mRNA expression in diabetic animals, amounting to 570 +/- 73% (mean +/- SE, n = 6) of controls. Increased levels of osteopontin were not associated with accumulation of monocyte/macrophages that were identified by the cell type specific monoclonal antibody ED-1. The increased osteopontin expression in ramipril-pretreated rats was abolished by application of the bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist, icatibant (0.5 mg/kg). In addition, increased osteopontin expression in diabetic rats, which did not receive any treatment after STZ injection, could as well be reduced by icatibant given for the final 2 weeks of the experimental period. These data suggest that a strong bradykinin B2-receptor-mediated upregulation of osteopontin occurs during the pathogenesis of experimental diabetic nephropathy in rats.     

变压器行业采用IEC标准综述

论述了做好IEC工作的意义 ,较全面地介绍了变压器行业采用IEC标准现状和IEC标准制、修订动态 ,提出了采用IEC标准建议     

A preclinical study of the effect of the animal polysaccharide chonsurid on reparative osteogenesis of the jaws

Experimental studies making use of morphological and x-ray methods demonstrated that in comparison with control (filling of mandibular bone defects with blood clots) chonsuride, an animal polysaccharide, promoted earlier filling of postoperative bone cavities with connective tissue replacement of this tissue with coarse-fiber bone tissue. Secondary restructuring and mineralization of bone regenerate were enhanced as well.     

Musk xylene: analysis, occurrence, kinetics, and toxicology

1,3-Dimethyl-2,4,6-trinitro-5-tert.-butylbenzene (musk xylene, MX), a synthetic musk, is often used in fragrances and soaps to substitute the natural musk. MX belongs to the common group of nitromusk compounds. The main environmental intake of MX occurs after sewage introduction. The consumption of fish and drinking water as well as the use of body care and perfumed household products could lead to an ingestion of this substance in humans. Although the acute oral and dermal toxicity of MX is low, some hint for the carcinogenic potential of MX was found in one animal experiment. These findings and the high potential of MX as environmental contaminant, it is stable against biological and chemical degradation and it is highly lipophil, raised considerable attention in the field of environmental medicine. Biological monitoring and the toxicology of MX, which previously has been described to occur in human milk, human fat tissue, as well as human blood samples, are of central interest. The aim of this article is to summarize the data on the analysis, occurrence, kinetics, and toxicology of MX. As there is a lack of knowledge on human toxicity and human carcinogenicity of MX, a final evaluation of the toxicological data with regard to public health is still impossible. Nevertheless, in view of the published data about MX, there is no evidence for any substantial human risk at the moment.     

Numerical Investigation of Plunging Density Current

When a buoyant inflow of higher density enters a reservoir, it sinks below the ambient water and forms an underflow. Downstream of the plunge point, the flow becomes progressively diluted due to the fluid entrainment. The entrainment rate is strongly dependent on the Richardson number and reaches a constant value well downstream of the plunge point. This study is concerned with the analysis of the plunging phenomenon and the determination of the entrainment. A k-ε model including buoyancy effects, both in a sloping and a diverging channel, is used to reproduce the main flow characteristics. A relation between the depth at the plunge point in a channel of constant width and in a diverging channel is established, and theoretical results for the calculation of the dense layer thickness are provided. The latter indicates that the spreading rate of the dense layer in a diverging channel is a function of both the entrainment rate and the channel width. The predictions of the plunge line location are in agreement with most semiempirical equations.     

Examinations with the Cardiff Acuity Test

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) can exist as polarized cells and are capable of secreting interleukin-6 (IL-6), yet it has not been determined if this IL-6 is secreted in a polarized fashion. Using the non-transformed rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell line grown on microporous membrane inserts, we have determined that these cells were capable of secreting IL-6 preferentially to the basal surface when stimulated basally with IL-1 beta. In contrast, stimulation of the cells with TNF-alpha resulted in an equal level of IL-6 secretion to the apical and basal surfaces, regardless of whether the cells were stimulated by the apical or basal route. Experiments designed to test the permeability of the IEC-6 cell layer to apically added sodium fluorescein confirmed that neither IL-1 beta nor TNF-alpha altered the integrity of the cell layer after three days. These results suggest that IEC may have the capacity to secret IL-6 in different patterns depending upon the stimulation received. This would allow communication between the IEC and lamina propria cells via basal secretion and rapid communication between IEC via apical secretion.     

Computer-assisted diagnosis of acute azotemia

We designed a computer program to make diagnostic suggestions in cases of acute azotemia. The performance of the program was tested in a retrospective manner on 63 patients with acute azotemia. The program correctly identified 90 of 94 diagnoses and made 20 false positive diagnostic suggestions. A revised version of the program correctly identified 94 of 94 diagnoses and made 4 false negative suggestions. The justification for this kind of diagnostic aid is discussed.