Toward global advancement of medicine: the International Society of Nephrology experience

BACKGROUND: Since its foundation in 1960, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) has pursued the worldwide advancement of education, science and patient care in nephrology. This goal was achieved by means of the Society's journal and the organization of international congresses and symposia. In order to better reach its colleagues and patients in economically less developed countries, the ISN expanded its activities as of 1980 by a large number of specific programs aimed at these regions. METHODS: The first phase of activities included teaching programs, fellowship and visiting scholar programs, and the provision of travel grants to enhance accessibility to the ISN congresses. A second phase consisted of the creation of a library enhancement program, a commission on acute renal failure and--to improve the organization and efficiency--a central commission on global advancement of nephrology (COMGAN). Currently, a third phase has been entered in which all activities have been intensified: (1) under the guidance of COMGAN, supported by a large number of teaching programs and fact finding missions; (2) by establishing a renal sister program; and (3) by initiating commissions on informatics and on clinical trials. RESULTS: As a result, the ISN has reached most parts of the world, previously deprived of contact with renal science and renal patient care. The fellowship program now counts 160 fellows, who spend one or two years in training. The library enhancement program reaches 218 institutions worldwide. ISN membership has soared over the past two years with over 2,500 new members, mostly in the developing countries. They receive Kidney International and other relevant forms of information. Thus far, 135 pairs of renal units in developing and developed countries have been linked for support on a more continuous basis. ISN-sponsored congresses, symposia, and courses are being held in increasing numbers in the developing world. In many of its activities, the ISN closely collaborates with sister organizations, which also contribute financially. In total, the ISN spends annually over $1 million US from its own budget on the programs described above. CONCLUSION: The various programs and initiatives are proving helpful in advancing renal medicine in areas in need. Expansion into supporting similar programs within other medical subspecialties is being explored.     

Roles of Sexual Objectification Experiences and Internalization of Standards of Beauty in Eating Disorder Symptomatology: A Test and Extension of Objectification Theory.

This study extends the literature on eating disorder symptomatology by testing, based on extant literature on objectification theory (B. L. Fredrickson & T. Roberts, 1997) and the role of sociocultural standards of beauty (e.g., L. J. Heinberg, J. K. Thompson, & S. Stormer, 1995), a model that examines (a) links of reported sexual objectification experiences to eating disorder-related variables and (b) the mediating roles of body surveillance, body shame, and internalization of sociocultural standards of beauty. Consistent with hypotheses, with a sample of 221 young women, support was found for a model in which (a) internalization of sociocultural standards of beauty mediated the links of sexual objectification experiences to body surveillance, body shame, and eating disorder symptoms, (b) body surveillance was an additional mediator of the link of reported sexual objectification experiences to body shame, and (c) body shame mediated the links of internalization and body surveillance to disordered eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative Study of TiAu-Based TES Microcalorimeters with Different Geometries

Seven microcalorimeters with different geometries have been tested and their performance is compared. The study, for TiAu TESs with a Cu absorber, indicates the presence of so-called constant voltage noise and internal thermal fluctuation noise. The constant voltage noise is not changed by a normal metal pattern on the TES, or by a magnetic field. The energy resolution of the detectors, having different heat capacities, is 2.5 and 5.0 eV (at 5.9 keV).      

Eine rechnergesteuerte Schnellmethode zur Bestimmung von Harnstoff in Milcherzeugnissen: Magermilchpulver unterschiedlicher Provenienz

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die enzymatische Harnstoff-Bestimmung in Sprühmagermilchpulvern auf ein rechnergesteuertes photometrisches Analysensystem übertragen. Die einfach zu handhabende Probenvorbereitung verleiht dem Analysensystem einen hohen Grad an Rationalität. Die flüssigen Proben wurden direkt oder nach Ultrafiltration für die Harnstoff-Bestimmung eingesetzt. Die Wiederholbarkeit bei der Probenvorbereitung ausgedrückt als Variationskoeffizient betrug im Mittel 0,69%, die Standardabweichung bei aufeinanderfolgenden Testansätzen 0,115–0,135 bei einem durchschnittlichen Gehalt von 5,4–5,5 mg Harnstoff/100 ml Magermilch. Die Methode wurde an einem umfangreichen Probenmaterial von 147 Magermilchpulvern, die nach saisonalen (Januar bis Oktober) Kriterien ausgewählt wurden, erprobt. Es wurde auf diese Weise ein breiter Überblick über die jahreszeitabhängigen Harnstoffgehalte in Sprühmagermilchpulvern unterschiedlicher Herkunft erhalten. Die Harnstoffgehalte sind von Februar bis Mai nahezu konstant (0,25–0,26%), steigen von Juni bis Oktober aber auf Werte von 0,32% an.

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A rapid computer aided method for the determination of urea in dairy products — skim milk powder

Summary The enzymatic determination of urea in spray-dried skim milk powders was transferred to a computer aided photometric analysing system. Sample preparation is optimal using ultrafiltration, but the direct use of a milk sample is also possible with this system. The precision including sample preparation as coefficient of variation was about 0.69%, the standard deviation of the assay was 0.115–0.135 at an average content of 5.4–5.5 mg urea per 100 ml skim milk. The method was tested on 147 spray-dried skim milk powders, which were of varying origin and collected at different times of the year (Jan.-Oct.). In this way a representative survey for the urea content of a great number of skim milk powders was possible. It was also shown, that the urea content is highly affected by season. It is very constant from February to May (0.25–0.26%), and rises from June to October up to nearly 0.32%.

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Herrn Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Lembke, Institut für Virusforschung und experimentelle Medizin, D-2420 Eutin-Siebek zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Bestimmung von Aspartam und seinem Cyclisierungsprodukt Diketopiperazin in Desserterzeugnissen mittels HPLC

Zusammenfassung Vorgestellt wird eine HPLC-Methode zur Bestimmung von Aspartam und seinem Cyclisierungsprodukt Diketopiperazin in verschiedenen kakao-,emulgator- und verdickungsmittelhaltigen Dessert-Pulvern. Das Verfahren zeichnet sich durch gute Reproduzierbarkeit und hohe Wiederfindungsraten aus. Das Ausmaß der Bildung von Diketopiperazin bzw. des Abbaus von Aspartam nach der Zubereitung von Desserterzeugnissen unter Wärmeeinwirkung wird über HPLC ermittelt. In sauren Desserts (pH 3) auf Gelatinebasis wurde keine Bildung von Diketopiperazin festgestellt, während in kakao- und milchhaltigen Desserts von pH 6 ein 20–35%iger Abbau von Aspartam beobachtet wurde.

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Determination of aspartame and its degradation product, diketopiperazine, in desserts by high-performance liquid chromatography. Investigations on heat stability of aspartame

Summary A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is described to determine aspartame and its degradation product, diketopiperazine (DKP), in various cacao powder, emulsifier and thickening agents containing dessert powders with improved reproducibility and a high recovery rate. Moreover, the extent of the formation of DKP and the degradation of aspartame in heat-treated dessert products were investigated by means of HPLC. In acidified (pH 3) gelatin-based desserts no formation of DKP was observed at all, whereas in dessert products containing milk or cacao with pH 6, the degradation of aspartame rose to 20–35%.

     

Ultramicrohardness experiments on vapour-deposited films of pure metals and alloys

The ultramicrohardness of thin alloy films is determined by indentation experiments at very low loads. The indentation apparatus is briefly described. We measured the hardness of a number of pure metal films, either vapour deposited or magnetron sputtered. In addition, a detailed study was made of the composition dependence of the hardness of the six binary alloy systems of AgAuCu and AuCoNi. These films were prepared by high vacuum vapour deposition. The thickness of all the films was 1 μm.The hardness data were interpreted with the help of the metastable alloy phase diagram, e.g. as obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The results are discussed in terms of the blocking of the motion of dislocations, solid solution hardening, compound formation, grain size reduction due to alloying, and differences in atomic radii.     

“Open” systems relaying

This paper describes a development in relaying hardware and philosophy which has been made possible by DSPs and industrial grade PCs. Details are given of a prototype design capable of being assembled and configured by a utility and results of tests on this prototype using the RTDS at the Manitoba HVDC Research Centre are presented. The project is a joint effort between the University of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro     

Characterization of natriuretic activity from posterior pituitary lobes

Previous studies have indicated the existence of natriuretic factors of hormonal nature with the posterior pituitary gland as a possible site of origin. It was in this light that a series of experiments was designed to examine the posterior pituitary for such factors. Acetic acid extracts of porcine and bovine posterior pituitary lobe tissue were subjected to gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. Several fractions in the molecular size range of 1000 were obtained which possessed potent natriuretic activity as assayed in rats. The activity of these fractions maximally increased sodium excretion to 6-8 muequiv./min, a 10- to 40-fold increase above control, when administered intraperitoneally to hydropenic, conscious rats. However, oxytocin and vasopressin, present in the posterior pituitary are natriuretic. These hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay, and invariably only those fractions which contained vasopressin and (or) oxytocin possessed natriuretic activity. Moreover, the extent of the natriuresis could be accounted for by the vasopressin and (or) oxytocin content of the test fractions. The natriuretic property of this material was abolished by treatment with thioglycollate. Further purification of natriuretic fractions by ion exchange resins, thin-layer chromatography and isoelectric focusing failed to resolve natriuretic activity from vasopressin and oxytocin. Similar results were observed following analysis of fractions isolated by gel filtration of acetic acid extracts of ventral hypothalamus tissue. The natriuretic fractions isolated from hypothalamic tissue were indistinguishable from oxytocin and vasopressin. These experiments suggest that the natriuretic activity in neurohypophyseal extracts can be attributed to oxytocin and vasopressin.