Permeation of Zidovudine and Probenecid from Oily Bases Containing Alcohols Through Rat Skin

Permeation of zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) and probenecid from oily bases containing an alcohol through rat skin was examined. Isopropyl myristate (IPM), as an oily vehicle, showed a penetration enhancing effect for AZT and probenecid. Ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol were used as additives in IPM and were examined for their own permeation and the enhancing effect on the permeation of AZT and probenecid. The skin permeation of AZT and probenecid from IPM was enhanced by addition of the alcohol in IPM. The degree of the enhancement was decreased with increasing lipophilicity of the alcohol used. me permeation rate of the drug from those systems was shown to be governed by penetration-enhancing effects of the oily base and alcohol, and the penetration of the alcohol itself through the skin.     

Strain analysis of moving objects using a Fourier transform grid method

There is no good method to measure the shape and the strain distributions of a structure changing with time. We have previously proposed the Fourier transform grid method (FTGM) to measure the three-dimensional shape and surface strain distributions of stationary objects by analysing the two-dimensional grating images recorded with two cameras. In the stereoscopic method, it is very important to determine the accurate geometric parameters of the camera system. In this paper, the positions and the directions of cameras are accurately determined using the FTGM applied to images of a reference object on which a two-dimensional grating is drawn. Applications for analysing shape and strain distributions of vibrating rubber plates and a moving human skin are shown.     

Semiconductor photonic functional devices

Recent advances in semiconductor photonic functional devices based on the nonlinearities of laser diodes (LDs) are reviewed. Because the current research is driven primarily by the needs of optical fiber communications systems, most devices are made of InGaAsP and operate at wavelengths of between 1.3 and 1.55 μm, the wavelength window in which optical fibers have their most favorable properties. Minimum loss is at 1.55 μm, and zero dispersion is at 1.3 μm. AlGaAs devices operating at around 0.85 μm have also been reported. Two types of optical bistability-absorptive and dispersive-are explained, and devices based on them are described. Switching characteristics of bistable devices are discussed. Tunable wavelength converters and filters are also examined. Applications to all-optical communication and to optical switching systems are considered. Directions for future development are indicated     

Head-to-head polymers: 33. Bromination of cis-1,4-polybutadiene to head-to-head poly(vinyl bromide)

Cis-1,4-polybutadiene (PB) in a 0.5% solution of a solvent mixture of dichloromethane and 1,2-dibromoethane or tetrahydrofuran was quantitatively brominated with elemental bromine at 0°C under careful exclusion of oxygen to head-to-head poly(vinyl bromide). Partially brominated PB has a structure of random or block sequences of butadiene units in the polymer depending on the bromination solvent but shows no stereospecificity in the CHBrCHBr-dyads. Partially brominated PB with block structure showed a microphase-separated morphology over a wide range of composition. Microphase separation is less pronounced for the more random structure of butadiene units. I.r and ¹³C n.m.r. spectroscopy of the partially brominated PB was used to follow the progress of the bromination.     

The heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of finned tube banks in forced convection (effects of fin height on pressure drop characteristics)

In recent years the requirement for the reduction of energy consumption has been increasing to solve the problems of global warming and the shortage of petroleum resources. For example, in the power generation field, as thermal power generation occupied 60% of the power generation demand, considerable improvement of the thermal efficiency is required. This paper describes the pressure drop characteristics of finned tube banks used for heat exchangers in thermal power generation that were clarified by testing serrated finned tube banks with different fin heights for improved heat transfer and conventional spiral finned tube banks with different fin heights, and an equation to predict pressure drop which is necessary for the heat exchanger design is proposed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 35(3): 179–193, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20112     

Enhancing heat transfer ability of drag reducing surfactant solutions with static mixers and honeycombs

Solutions containing drag reducing additives also show reduced heat transfer which limits their use in district heating and cooling recirculation systems where heat exchange is critical. In this study, static mixers A and B and honeycombs were installed at the entrance to a heat exchanger to break the solution microstructure temporarily and thereby enhancing their heat transfer ability when passing through the heat exchanger. The effectiveness of the destructive devices in enhancing the heat transfer ability of drag reducing cationic and mixed zwitterionic/anionic surfactant solutions was investigated together with the microstructure recovery time and pressure drop penalty paid for the heat transfer enhancement.     

Granular Reasoning Using Zooming In & Out: Part 2. Aristotle's Categorical Syllogism

The concept of granular computing is applied to Aristotle's categorical syllogism. Such kind of reasoning is called granular reasoning in this paper. For the purpose, two operations called zooming in & out are introduced to reconstruct granules of possible worlds.     

Low-cycle fatigue behavior of Sn-Ag, Sn-Ag-Cu, and Sn-Ag-Cu-Bi lead-free solders

Low-cycle fatigue (LCF) tests on as-cast Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-1Bi, and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-3Bi solders was carried out using a noncontact strain-controlled system at 20°C with a constant frequency of 0.1 Hz. The addition of Cu does not significantly affect the fatigue life of eutectic Sn-Ag solder. However, the fatigue life was significantly reduced with the addition of Bi. The LCF behavior of all solders followed the Coffin-Manson relationship. The fatigue life of the present solders is dominated by the fracture ductility and can be described by the ductility-modified Coffin-Manson’s relationship. Steps at the boundaries of dendrite phases were the initiation sites for microcracks for Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu, and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-1Bi solders, while for Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-3Bi solder, cracks initiated along both the dendrite boundaries and subgrain boundaries in the dendrite phases. The linking of these cracks and the propagation of cracks inside the specimen occurred both transgranularly through eutectic phases and intergranularly along dendrite boundaries or subgrain boundaries.     

Premixed flame propagating into a narrow channel at a high speed, part 2: Transient behavior of the properties of the flowing gas inside the channel

The behavior of a premixed flame propagating from a chamber into a narrow channel at a high speed was examined using high speed and instantaneous schlieren photography, ion current measurement with electrostatic probes, and temperature measurement with an optical method. From detailed measurements of flames passing through the channel, flame extinguishment in the channel, no matter whether transient or not, was found to occur due to quenching of the reacting gas by rapid turbulent mixing with cold fresh mixture at the downstream of the contraction region and by heat transfer to the cold channel walls. Extinguishment must occur when these heat losses exceed the heat released by the chemical reaction of the flowing mixture.     

Prediction of spinal cord ischemia with a retrievable stent graft on endovascular treatment for a case of thoracic aortic aneurysm

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacokinetics and absolute bioavailability of ciprofloxacin in 12 critically ill patients receiving continuous enteral feeding. Design: a prospective, cross-over study. SETTING: 12-bed surgical intensive care unit in a University Hospital. PATIENTS: 12 stable critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation and receiving continuous enteral feeding (Normoreal fibres) without diarrhea or excessive residual gastric contents ( < 200 ml/4 h). None had gastro-intestinal disease, renal insufficiency (estimated creatinine clearance > or = 50 ml/min) or was receiving medications that could interfere with ciprofloxacin absorption or metabolism. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The study was carried out after the fourth (steady state) b. i. d. intravenous (i. v.) 1-h infusion of 400 mg and the second b. i. d. nasogastric (NG) dose of 750 mg (crushed tablet in suspension). Plasma concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The median (range) peak concentration after i. v. infusion was 4.1 (1.5-7.4) mg/l, and that after NG administration was 2.3 (0.7-5.8) mg/l, occurring 1.25 (0.75-3.33) h after dosing. The median [range] areas under plasma concentration-time curves were similar for the two administration routes (10.3 [3.3-34.6] and 8.4 [3.6-53.4] for i.v. infusion and NG administration, respectively). Ciprofloxacin bioavailability ranges from 31 to 82 % (median, 44%). CONCLUSIONS: In tube-fed critically ill patients, a switch to the NG ciprofloxacin after initial i. v. therapy to simplify the treatment of severe infections is restricted to those for whom serial assessments of ciprofloxacin levels are routinely available.