Current approach to the management of gastrinoma and insulinoma in adults with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I

Although there is a recent increase in the use of the isolated pancreatic islets of the rat in the transplantation and functional studies, there has been no detailed quantitative assessment on the size and cellular constituents of islets after the isolation procedure. The present work was undertaken to study the size classes of the isolated islets and the morphometry of their cellular populations. Islets of the rat pancreas were isolated by using the intraductal collagenase digestion technique, the most commonly used procedure for the isolation of pancreatic islets. Different endocrine cells of the isolated islets were stained by immunoperoxidase staining techniques. The distribution of the cellular constituents of the isolated islets was similar to that of the intact islets of the normal pancreas; A, D, and PP cells were peripherally arranged around the centrally located B cells. However, morphometric quantitative study showed that the percent volume and percent number of A, D, and PP cells of the isolated islets were lower than those of the corresponding intact ones. Further, the mean true diameter of the isolated islets was lower than that of the intact ones. These data indicate loss of islet cells during the process of isolation. Most of the lost cells were from the periphery of islets. This may provide an explanation for the incomplete metabolic control and recurrence of hyperglycemia encountered after isolated islet transplantation in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. It seems that further refinements of the isolation techniques are necessary to obtain islet tissue with total cellular integrity, before a complete success in transplantation could be achieved.     

The Future of the Refractory Industry, with a Chinese Perspective

Globalization is a reality resulting in many changes in the refractory industry. In this paper some of the threats and opportunities, which are influencing the future prosperity of the refractory industry on a worldwide basis, are being evoked. Some key technical and management issues are underlined, in terms of adjusting the productivity-quality-cost to the customers requirements ; producing unshapes versus shapes; innovations supported by research; international profile for the import-export game; training and education. Consequences for China, who does play a dominant role due to the size of its internal market （ customers demand） and the magnitude of its production capability （including raw materials availability）, are being drawn.     

Kinetics of the oxidation of ilmenite

The oxidation of ilmenite (FeTiO₃) in air and dry oxygen was investigated over the temperature interval 600 to 970°C. Dense platelets of ilmenite crystals as well as powder samples of ilmenite were oxidized. The weight data were recorded employing a thermobalance. The oxidation kinetics of ilmenite platelets were parabolic except for the initial stages during which logarithmic kinetics were observed. For powder samples the logarithmic rate law was followed primarily. The logarithmic rate law was attributed to free penetration of oxygen through cracks and short-circuit paths. The activation energies associated with the logarithmic rate law were nearly one-half of those obtained from parabolic oxidation. The growth morphology of the products of oxidation of ilmenite was observed with a scanning electron microscope. The effect of growth morphology on the kinetics is discussed, and a probable reaction mechanism is suggested for the oxidation of ilmenite.     

UNION: underwater intelligent operation and navigation

The main goal of the UNION ESPRIT Basic Research Action is to develop methods for increasing the autonomy and intelligence of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The project focuses mainly on the development of coordinated control and sensing strategies for combined manipulator and vehicle systems. Both fundamental theories and methods for the design of these heterogeneous systems are investigated. A complex canonical mission in the field of offshore inspection maintenance and repair tasks was chosen as an integration guideline of all the results     

Back-end soft and hard defect monitoring using a single test chip

The objective of this paper is to present a mixed test structure designed to characterize yield losses due to hard defect and back-end process variation (PV) at die and wafer level. A brief overview of the structure, designed using a ST-Microelectronics’ 130 nm technology, is given. This structure is based on a SRAM memory array for detecting hard defects. Moreover each memory cell can be configured in the Ring Oscillator (RO) mode for back-end PV characterization. The structure is tested in both modes (SRAM, RO) using a single test flow. The test data analysis method is presented and applied to experimental results to confirm the ability of the structure to monitor PV and defect density.     

Characterization of bonding and crystalline phases in fluxed pellets using peat moss and bentonite as binders

Pellets in the basicity range of 0.2 to 1.6 were produced from specular hematite concentrates using bentonite or peat moss as a binder. Specific pellet basicities were achieved through the addition of (1) limestone and (2) a combination of dolomite and limestone. Mineralogical study and microanalysis of the bonding and crystalline phases were done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). In limestone-fluxed pellets with bentonite as a binder, although formation of calcium ferrite was noted at the basicity of 0.8, its formation in appreciable quantities was delayed until the basicity of 1.6. For the pellets produced with a combination of dolomite and limestone, even at the basicity of 1.6, only minor amounts of this phase were present. In these pellets, some magnesioferrites were formed which did not conform to the stoichiometric composition (MgOFe₂O₂), but they were quite deficient in MgO. The silicate glass phases, which essentially provided the bonding in the pellets, showed a two-zone structure: (1) magnesian-ferruginous and (2) glass containing high quantities of Si and Ca. However, in pellets with only limestone addition, the zoned structure was less prevalent, probably due to low Mg content. The results indicate that using peat moss in conjunction with limestone, pellet sticking can be minimized at higher basicities. The factors influencing the pellet bonding and the change in the physical and chemical properties of these pellets are discussed.     

Expression of arachidonate platelet-type 12-lipoxygenase in human rheumatoid arthritis type B synoviocytes

Pathogenic intestinal spirochetes cause damage to the intestinal mucosa of humans and animals by an unknown mechanism. The purpose of this study was to assess the pathogenic intestinal spirochetes Serpulina hyodysenteriae, Serpulina pilosicoli, and Brachyspira aalborgi and the non-pathogenic commensal intestinal spirochetes Serpulina innocens and Treponema succinifaciens for protease activity. A partially heat stable, subtilisin-like, serine protease was identified in the outer membrane of all spirochetes and thus may be essential for survival in the intestinal environment. The outer membrane protease may indirectly contribute to intestinal damage caused by pathogenic spirochetes during association with the mucosal surface of the host.     

A new class of wine pigments generated by reaction between pyruvic acid and grape anthocyanins

A new class of stable red pigments detected in grape pomace was analysed by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. They were shown to be pyruvic acid derivatives of genuine grape anthocyanins by synthesis experiments. The major product was identified by NMR (1H, NOE, HSQC, HMBC) experiments as the malvidin-3-monoglucoside pyruvic acid adduct. Its formation results from cyclisation between C-4 and the hydroxyl group at C-5 of the original flavylium moiety with the double bond of the enolic form of pyruvic acid, followed by dehydration and rearomatisation steps. This type of reaction leads to increased colour stability. Various yeast metabolites other than pyruvic acid were shown to react with grape anthocyanins following this mechanism, suggesting that it may be an important route of conversion into stable pigments during the maturation and ageing of wine.     

Linoleic acid peroxidation by Solanum tuberosum lipoxygenase was activated in the presence of human 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein

The present investigation describes the ability of human 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) to activate a plant 5-lipoxygenase. The presence of an active recombinant human FLAP in the 100000xg membrane fraction of infected Sf9 cells led to a specific increase in 9-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HPOD) synthesis (+68%) or in 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE) synthesis (+68%), after action of Solanum tuberosum tuber 5-lipoxygenase (S.t.LOX) on linoleic acid (natural plant lipoxygenase substrate) or on arachidonic acid. On the contrary, the presence of non-transfected membranes obtained from non-infected Sf9 cells led to an inhibition of lipoxygenase activity. MK-886, a potent inhibitor of leukotriene biosynthesis, blocked the FLAP dependent S.t.LOX activation after preincubation with FLAP transfected membranes. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a recombinant human FLAP can stimulate a lipoxygenase other than mammalian 5-lipoxygenase (S.t.LOX) by using different polyunsaturated fatty acids as substrates.     

Evidence for widespread Wolbachia infection in isopod crustaceans: molecular identification and host feminization

Wolbachia are maternally inherited, intracellular, alpha proteobacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods. They cause three kinds of reproductive alterations in their hosts: cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis and feminization. There have been many studies of the distribution of Wolbachia in arthropods, but very few crustacean species are known to be infected. We investigated the prevalence of Wolbachia in 85 species from five crustacean orders. Twenty-two isopod species were found to carry these bacteria. The bacteria were found mainly in terrestrial species, suggesting that Wolbachia came from a continental environment. The evolutionary relationships between these Wolbachia strains were determined by sequencing bacterial genes and by interspecific transfers. All the bacteria associated with isopods belonged to the Wolbachia B group, based on 16S rDNA sequence data. All the terrestrial isopod symbionts in this group except one formed an independent clade. The results of interspecific transfers show evidence of specialization of Wolbachia symbionts to their isopod hosts. They also suggest that host species plays a more important role than bacterial phylogeny in determining the phenotype induced by Wolbachia infection.