Modeling and verification of the double frequency effect using a MEMS device

The derivation, verification, and implication of the nonlinear dynamic and frequency response of electrostatic actuator due to the double frequency effect (DFE) were reported in this study. In particular, an extra mode called half mode was observed and measured in various studies. However, a complete in-depth discussion of the effect was not reported in the past. In the present study, a second-order dynamical equation was adapted firstly to model the dynamic and frequency response of electrostatic actuator where typical harmonic input signal with a dc bias was used. Secondly, by solving the equation, complex waveform in dynamic response and an extra half mode in frequency response due to the double frequency effect can be observed and discussed. To verify the simulated result, an electrostatic driving device was fabricated using PolyMUMPS^© process. Note that in frequency response, when dc bias is equal to the amplitude of ac signal, simulated and experimental results indicated that the amplitude of half mode was one-fourth of first mode.     

A novel InP/InGaAs TEBT for ultralow current operations

A novel InP/InGaAs tunneling emitter bipolar transistor (TEBT) is fabricated and demonstrated. The studied device exhibits a very small collector-emitter offset voltage of 40 mV and an extremely wide operation regime. The operation region is larger than 11 decades in magnitude of collector current (10/sup -12/ to 10/sup -1/A). A current gain of 3 is obtained even if the device is operated at an ultralow collector current of 3.9 /spl times/ 10/sup -12/A (1.56 /spl times/ 10/sup -7/A/cm/sup 2/). Furthermore, the common-emitter breakdown voltage of the studied device is higher than 2 V. Consequently, the studied device shows a promise for low supply voltage, and low-power consumption circuit applications.     

Concurrent error detection in array multipliers forGF(2m) fields

Based on Lee-Lu-Lee's array multipliers and the RESO method, a concurrent error detection scheme in array multipliers for GF(2^m ) fields is presented and only one clock cycle is added. The fault tolerant capability in such array multipliers is also included and only two extra clock cycles are required     

Sucralfate attenuates gastric mucosal lesions and increased vascular permeability induced by ischaemia and reperfusion in rats

Recent evidence suggests that oxygen-derived free radicals are involved in mediating gastric microvascular and parenchymal cell injuries induced by ischaemia and reperfusion. Therefore, the effect of the locally acting anti-ulcer drug, sucralfate, was studied on ischaemia and reperfusion (e.g. induced gastric lesions, intraluminal bleeding, changes in vascular permeability and non-protein sulfhydryl levels in the rat stomach). Allopurinol was used as a known standard antioxidant drug. Rats were subjected to 30 min of gastric ischaemia in the presence of 100 mmol/L hydrochloric acid and reperfusion periods of 15, 30 or 60 min duration. The gastric lesions were assessed microscopically under an inverted microscope. The vascular permeability was quantified by measuring the extravasated Evans blue in the stomach. There were significantly greater numbers of gastric lesions, intraluminal bleeding and leakage of Evans blue during all reperfusion periods as compared with those of ischaemia, with maximum effects occurring at 60 min following reperfusion. Pretreatment with sucralfate (31.25-250 mg/kg, p.o.) or allopurinol (12.5-50 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before the procedure, dose-dependently reduced the gastric lesions, intraluminal bleeding, and decreased the vascular permeability induced by ischaemia and reperfusion. Furthermore, sucralfate dose-dependently reverses the ischaemia and reperfusion-induced depletion of mucosal non-protein sulfhydryl levels and inhibited the superoxide radical production in both cell-free xanthine-xanthine oxidase and in the stimulated polymorphonuclear cellular systems. These results suggest that the protection produced by sucralfate against gastric injury may be due to its antioxidant effects.     

Sacrospinous colpopexy in the management of uterovaginal prolapse

The tet(M) genes were characterized from 84 isolates of 10 different bacterial species isolated from the periodontal pockets of 16 patients with periodontal disease. A 740 bp polymerase chain reaction product from the hypervariable region of the tet(M) structural gene was cleaved with the restriction enzymes AluI and HinfI. Three different restriction patterns were identified for each of the two enzymes. By DNA sequencing, using a direct solid-phase automated sequencing method, the isolates could be grouped into 3 different clusters of tet(M) subtypes. The internal DNA homology within each subtype was 98-100%; the homology between clusters was 89-94%. Two different subtypes were identified in 9 of 10 bacterial species, and the remaining species had 3 different subtypes. One of the subtypes (M3) was seen mainly in the anaerobic isolates. This subtype was different from all earlier sequenced structural tet(M) genes present in the Genbank. Most patients had two different subtypes of tet(M), and a third subtype was seen in the 3 patients who exhibited the greatest variety of tetracycline-resistant bacterial species. It appears that the presence of one subtype of the tet(M) gene within a patient or bacterial species does not prevent the acquisition of another subtype of the same gene. This study identified a new subtype of the tet(M) gene and grouped it into 3 distinct yet highly homologous genetic subtypes.     

Retinal vessel dilatation and elongation precedes diabetic macular oedema

Rolandic discharge (RD), noted in the electroencephalography (EEG) of patients with benign epilepsy in childhood with centrotemporal spikes (BECCT) has several unique features. One feature is that the amount or frequency of RDs does not correlate well with the incidence of seizures in BECCT although it is a key finding in the diagnosis of this epileptic syndrome. In this study, we examined the efficacy of antiepileptic drugs focusing on the disappearance of RDs in relationship with seizure control. Forty patients with BECCT who were not medically treated prior to this study were randomly sorted into three groups. Twenty patients were assigned for clonazepam (CZP) treatment, 10 patients for valproate (VPA) and the remaining 10 patients for carbamazepine (CBZ). Each drug was administered for 4 consecutive weeks. EEGs were recorded twice during the study, before and 4 weeks after the medication trial. The effects of each treatment on RDs were assessed. RDs disappeared in 15 of the 20 cases treated with CZP (75%) within 4 weeks while the same was observed in only one of the 10 cases treated with VPA (10%). CBZ failed to demonstrate any effect on RD. In the group treated with CZP, there were no differences in seizure incidence, seizure type and blood concentration of CZP between the patients whose RDs disappeared and those whose RDs remained.     

Somatic deletion of the imprinted 11p15 region in sporadic persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy is specific of focal adenomatous hyperplasia and endorses partial pancreatectomy

Sporadic persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI) or nesidioblastosis is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by profound hypoglycemia due to inappropriate hypersecretion of insulin. An important diagnostic goal is to distinguish patients with a focal hyperplasia of islet cells of the pancreas (FoPHHI) from those with a diffuse abnormality of islets (DiPHHI) because management strategies differ significantly. 16 infants with sporadic PHHI resistant to diazoxide and who underwent pancreatectomy were investigated. Selective pancreatic venous sampling coupled with peroperative surgical examination and analysis of extemporaneous frozen sections allowed us to identify 10 cases with FoPHHI and 6 cases with DiPHHI. We show here that in cases of FoPHHI, but not those of DiPHHI, there was specific loss of maternal alleles of the imprinted chromosome region 11p15 in cells of the hyperplastic area of the pancreas but not in normal pancreatic cells. This somatic event is consistent with a proliferative monoclonal lesion. It involves disruption of the balance between monoallelic expression of several maternally and paternally expressed genes. Thus, we provide the first molecular explanation of the heterogeneity of sporadic forms of PHHI such that it is possible to perform only partial pancreatectomy, limited to the focal somatic lesion, so as to avoid iatrogenic diabetes in patients with focal adenomatous hyperplasia.     

Anti-D in a D-positive renal transplant patient

PURPOSE: We report a case of postoperative reparalysis in the recovery room, following nebulized epinephrine. The patient was pharmacologically reversed with edrophonium after paralysis with rocuronium. CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 12-yr-old girl developed postoperative reparalysis following the intraoperative administration of rocuronium. A total of 0.92 mg.kg-1 rocuronium was administered. After surgery, pharmacological reversal was achieved with 20 mg edrophonium with 0.15 mg atropine sulfate iv 35 min after the last administration of rocuronium. Muscular relaxation was monitored using an ulnar peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS). After reversal, a full train-of-four and sustained tetanus at 50 Hz were present. In the recovery room, following nebulized epinephrine, the patient became apneic. The patient was paralyzed and an ulnar PNS demonstrated only one faint twitch. The paralysis was reversed with 1.5 mg neostigmine with 0.3 mg glycopyrrolate. CONCLUSION: Postoperative reparalysis following rocuronium may be a cause of postoperative respiratory distress. The definitive diagnosis is made using PNS and observing the response to pharmacological reversal. Nebulized epinephrine may have a previously undescribed role in the development of postoperative reparalysis.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among haemodialysis patients in Pune (western India)

Vascular injuries may occur as complications of elbow dislocation and usually involve the brachial artery. A case report is presented in which only the radial artery was compromised as a result of the dislocation.