Multifocal ventricular tachycardia after resuscitation by direct current counter shock in a dog

Cardiac arrest occurred in a male Labrador Retriever dog weighing 27.8 kg during induction to anesthesia. Immediately after the failure of resuscitation by the external cardiac compression, thoracotomy was performed and open chest direct current (DC) counter shocks were applied with routine emergency medications. Then the dog recovered consciousness. Although cardiac rhythm just after resuscitation was sinus tachycardia with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, multifocal ventricular arrhythmia occurred 2 hr after resuscitation. This arrhythmia might be the result from reversible cardiac lesions due to DC counter shock.     

Osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor exhibits hypocalcemic effects in normal mice and in hypercalcemic nude mice carrying tumors associated with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy

In the present study, we attempted to determine the extent to which an anterior capsulorrhexis carried out during cataract surgery contracts postoperatively. The size of the continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis (CCC) was measured at the end of surgery and at the final follow-up examination in 52 eyes of 40 patients who underwent phacoemulsification/aspiration and implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL) with 6-mm optics. Images obtained by video during surgery and by slit-lamp microscopy were used to determine the CCC size with reference to the optics of the IOL. The average CCC size was 5.0 mm at the end of surgery; it contracted to 4.4 mm by the final postoperative examination. The contraction of the anterior capsule progressed rapidly in the first 50 days following surgery and then gradually thereafter. The extent of contraction was greater in older patients. The smaller the CCC size immediately after surgery, the more rapidly it contracted. The size of the capsulorrhexis contracted an average of 22% following cataract surgery. The contraction rate tended to be higher in older patients. The results suggest that the capsulorrhexis carried out in cataract surgery for elderly patients should be sufficiently large, but not larger than the optics size of the IOL.     

Formation and characterization of copper tetrakis (4-cumylphenoxy) phthalocyanine:perylene solar cells

Perylene-based bulk heterojunction solar cells with copper tetrakis (4-cumylphenoxy) phthalocyanine (Tc-CuPc) and heterojunction solar cells with copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) were produced and characterized. A device based on CuPc and perylene provided better efficiency, fill factor, short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage compared to those of a device based on Tc-CuPc and perylene. The Tc-CuPc:perylene structure was examined by transmission electron microscopy, which indicated mixtured microstructure. Energy levels of the molecules were calculated and discussed.     

Full-scale application of anaerobic digestion process with partial ozonation of digested sludge.

For improving sludge digestion and biogas recovery, a new anaerobic digestion process combined with ozonation was tested at a full-scale unit for 2 years and its performance was compared with a simultaneously operated conventional anaerobic digestion process. The new process requires two essential modifications, which includes ozonation for enhancing the biological degradability of sludge organics and concentrating of solids in the digester through a solid/liquid separation for extension of SRT. These modifications resulted in high VSS degradation efficiency of ca. 88%, as much as 1.3 times of methane production and more than 70% reduction in dewatered sludge cake production. Owing to accumulation of inorganic solids in the digested sludge, water content of the dewatered sludge cake also reduced from 80% to 68%. An energy analysis suggested that no supplemental fuel was necessary for the subsequent incineration of the cake from the new process scheme. The process is suitable to apply to a low-loaded anaerobic digestion tank, where power production is used.     

Biological activities and clinical application of M-CSF

The purpose of this paper is to describe the scope of published nursing research on the health of low-income women. Williams' (1990) model of the relationship between socioeconomic status and health was used as a framework for the analysis. This model includes three major components: Medical Care, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes. There is a body of published nursing research that addresses a range of health issues of low-income women. Our search of English language literature published between 1989 and 1995 retrieved 49 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the nursing studies examined a portion of Williams' model but did not address multiple components. The most frequently addressed component was Psychosocial Factors, particularly health practices, stress and coping, and social ties. Williams' model was an effective framework to classify nursing research. Results of our analysis suggest that further research is needed on the pathways by which low income influences health and on the effectiveness of nursing interventions.     

Enhancement of macrophage colony-stimulating factor-induced growth and differentiation of human monocytes by interleukin-10

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been reported to be a negative cytokine for monocytes/macrophages. In the present study, we showed that IL-10 is rather a positive cytokine and augments the growth and differentiation of human monocytes stimulated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Highly purified adherent human monocytes were cultured for 7 days with M-CSF in the presence or absence of IL-10. The number of recovered cells increased in the culture of monocytes with M-CSF + IL-10 compared to the culture with M-CSF alone. IL-10 alone was not enough to maintain the survival and differentiation of monocytes into macrophages. Morphological change cultured in M-CSF was also accelerated by addition of IL-10, and macrophages cultured in M-CSF + IL-10 were more elongated compared to macrophages cultured with M-CSF alone. Binding of 125I-M-CSF to monocytes incubated with M-CSF + IL-10 was about 1.7-fold higher than that to monocytes incubated with M-CSF alone. In accordance with the binding study, Northern blot analysis showed that the levels of the expression of c-fms, M-CSF receptor, mRNA in macrophages cultured in M-CSF + IL-10 were higher than that in macrophages cultured in M-CSF alone. Macrophages cultured in M-CSF + IL-10 expressed higher level of Fc gamma RI, II, III, and showed augmented Fc gamma receptor mediated phagocytosis. The former also produced higher level of H2O2 and O2-, when stimulated with zymosan, and of IL-6 when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide compared to the latter. These results taken together suggest that IL-10 augments the growth and differentiation of human monocytes cultured in M-CSF.     

Oxidation of ferrous iron by acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria from a stream receiving acid mine drainage

In this study, the oxidation of ferrous iron by the acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria was investigated by field survey and laboratory-scale batch and continuous experiments. The activity of the acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria was affected by pH, water temperature and concentration of glucose. The rate of oxidation of pyrite was accelerated by the acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria. The number of bacteria attached to the surface of a rotating biological disk changed with the ferrous iron loading.     

An aggressive nasal lymphoma accompanied by high levels of soluble Fas ligand

10 adults' performances on visual training through recognition of speech spectrograms were examined. All subjects completed the training within eight 1-hr. sessions. Success and retention of training were also evident in the subjects' performances on two posttests.     

Anaerobic digestion with partial ozonation minimises greenhouse gas emission from sludge treatment and disposal.

A novel anaerobic digestion process combined with partial ozonation on digested sludge was demonstrated for improving sludge digestion and biogas recovery by full-scale testing for 2 years and its performance was compared with a simultaneously operated conventional anaerobic digestion process. The novel process requires two essential modifications, which are ozonation for enhancing the biological degradability of sludge organics and concentrating of solids in the digester through a solid/liquid separation for extension of SRT. These modifications resulted in high VSS degradation efficiency of ca. 88%, as much as 1.3 times of methane production and more than 70% reduction in dewatered sludge cake production. Based on the performance, its energy demands and contribution for minimisation of greenhouse gas emission was evaluated throughout an entire study of sludge treatment and disposal schemes in a municipality for 130,000 p.e. The analysis indicated that the novel process with power generation from biogas would lead to minimal greenhouse gas emission because the extra energy production from the scheme was expected to cover all of the energy demand for the plant operation, and the remarkable reduction in dewatered sludge cake volumes makes it possible to reduce N2O discharge and consumption of fossil fuel in the subsequent sludge incineration processes.