Effect of a poloxamer 407-based thermosensitive gel on minimization of thermal injury to diaphragm during microwave ablation of the liver.

AIM: To assess the insulating effect of a poloxamer 407 (P407)-based gel during microwave ablation of liver adjacent to the diaphragm. METHODS: We prepared serial dilutions of P407, and 22.5% (w/w) concentration was identified as suitable for ablation procedures. Subsequently, microwave ablations were performed on the livers of 24 rabbits (gel, saline, control groups, n = 8 in each). The P407 solution and 0.9% normal saline were injected into the potential space between the diaphragm and liver in experimental groups. No barriers were applied to the controls. After microwave ablations, the frequency, size and degree of thermal injury were compared histologically among the three groups. Subsequently, another 8 rabbits were injected with the P407 solution and microwave ablation was performed. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) in serum were tested at 1 d before microwave ablation and 3 and 7 d after operation. RESULTS: In vivo ablation thermal injury to the adjacent diaphragm was evaluated in the control, saline and 22.5% P407 gel groups (P = 0.001-0.040). However, there was no significant difference in the volume of ablation zone among the three groups (P \u3e 0.05). Moreover, there were no statistical differences among the preoperative and postoperative gel groups according to the levels of ALT, AST, BUN and Cr in serum (all P \u3e 0.05). CONCLUSION: Twenty-two point five percent P407 gel could be a more effective choice during microwave ablation of hepatic tumors adjacent to the diaphragm. Further studies for clinical translation are warranted

Accelerating the Deactivation of \u3cem\u3eSalmonella enterica\u3c/em\u3e Serovar Newport and \u3cem\u3eEscherichia coli\u3c/em\u3e O157:H7 in Dairy Manure by Modifying pH or Temperature

To assess methods for control of disease-causing bacteria in animal manures prior to field application, we manipulated the temperature or adjusted pH of dairy manure to high (3.5 to 5) or low (10 to 12) values with aluminum sulfate or hydrated lime, and inoculated the manure with Salmonella enterica serovar Newport or Escherichia coli O157:H7, then incubated the manure at ambient temperature. At pH 4.2, S. Newport was eliminated within 6 days; however at pH \u3e4.2 S. Newport was suppressed only temporarily and recovered to concentrations near the unamended controls. pH required to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 was 4.5. Both pathogens were killed by pH 11.0. The pathogens were eliminated within 2 weeks when inoculated manure was incubated at 37°C, whereas at 22°C and 4°C, the organisms persisted for much longer periods. S. Newport survived for over 300 days at 4°C, which has implications for manure spreading in colder seasons

Differentiation between temporary and real non-clearability of biotinylated IgG antibody by avidin in mice

Although an increasing number of antibody conjugates are being used in the clinic, there remain many unmet needs in antibody targeting. Normal tissue background is one of the key issues that limits the therapeutic efficacy and the detection sensitivity. Background reduction coupled with dose increase may provide the required target accumulation of the label or toxin at an acceptable normal tissue background. However, the knowledge about the in vivo interaction between antibody and a clearing agent is currently inadequate for designing a rational clearance regimen or system. The current investigation focuses on the clearability of antibody for background reduction, an important topic to antibody targeting in general. The investigation employs pretargeting as a research tool and avidin as a model clearing agent. By comparing the effects of natural clearance at a longer post-injection time and avidin clearance, we demonstrated that avidin clearance is much more effective. By directly attaching avidin to a biotinylated antibody prior to injection, we found that the biotinylated antibody in blood, once bound to the clearing agent, can be removed from the circulation immediately and completely, while the real non-clearable antibody without biotin stays. The study of multiple avidin injections confirmed that the presence of clearable biotinylated antibodies after an avidin injection is due to their temporary inaccessibility and subsequent return from tissue compartments. The collective clearance efficiency of 91% by three avidin injections indicates a continuous IV infusion would be recommended to remove all of the biotinylated IgG molecules. In conclusion, the use of antibody pretargeting as a tool in this study has improved understanding of the incomplete clearance by avidin and can aid in overcoming this obstacle

Neutron diffraction study of the magnetic order in NdMn2Ge1.6Si0.4

Here we report a detailed investigation of NdMn2Ge1.6Si0.4; this forms part of our investigation of the magnetic order across the NdMn2Ge2−xSix (x = 0–2.0) series by magnetometry, x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction over the temperature range 6–465 K. On decreasing the temperature from 465 K, NdMn2Ge1.6Si0.4 exhibits four magnetic transitions: (i) from paramagnetism to intralayer antiferromagnetism AFl at TIntraN ~ 430 K; (ii) AFl to canted ferromagnetism Fmc at TInterC ~ 330 K; (iii) Fmc to conical magnetic ordering of the Mn sublattice Fmi at Tcc ~ 178 K and (iv) Fmi(Mn) to Fmi(Mn)+F(Nd) at TNdC ~ 72 K

Granica ireverzibilnosti vrpce Bi2223/Ag u snažnim magnetskim poljima

The magnetoresistance of a (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+y Ag sheathed tape was measured in the temperature range 15 K ≤ T ≤ 120 K and magnetic field B ≤ 15 T applied perpendicular to the broader surface of tape. Throughout the explored field range, the onset of resistivity shows Arrhenius behaviour ρ ∝ exp(−U∗(1 − T /Tcs)/kBT B0.5) where U∗ is the sample dependent constant, and Tcs is the temperature somewhat higher than the temperature of the resistivity onset. The observed resistance variation can be attributed to a thermally activated flux flow in a highly viscous vortex-liquid regime characterized by a plastic deformation of vortices. Experimentally determined resistive irreversibility line Birr vs. Tirr follows the power-law dependence Birr(Tirr) ∝ (Tcs/Tirr − 1)2 which can be derived from the exponential behaviour of resistivity. Our Birr(Tirr) data can also be fitted by the combination of the Josephson coupling model and depinning of pancake vortices. This fit provides very reasonable values for Bc2, Bc1, Bc, ξab and λab of Bi2223 compound, and removes the unphysical divergence of Birr(T → 0) resulting from the above power-law fit.Mjerili smo magnetootpor (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+y vrpce obložene srebrom za temperature 15 K ≤ T ≤ 120 K i u magnetskim poljima B ≤ 15 T okomitim na širu plohu vrpce. U svim poljima početak otpora pokazuje Arrheniusovo ponašanje ρ ∝ exp(−U∗(1 − T /Tcs)/kBT B0.5), gdje je U∗ konstanta ovisna o uzorku, a Tcs je temperatura nešto viša od temperature pojave otpora. Primijetili smo da se ovisnost otpornosti može pripisati termički pobuđenom tečenju toka u jako viskoznom području tekućine magnetskih vrtloga karakteriziranom plastičnim deformacijama magnetskih vrtloga. Eksperimentalno određena otporna linija ireverzibilnosti Birr(Tirr) slijedi potencijsku ovisnost Birr(Tirr) ∝ (Tcs/Tirr − 1)2 koja se može izvesti iz eksponencijalnoe ovisnosti otpornosti. Naši Birr(Tirr) podaci isto tako mogu se prilagoditi modelu Josephsonovog vezanja i otpinjanja magnetskih vrtloga–palačinki. Ova prilagodba daje razumne vrijednosti parametara Bc2, Bc1, Bc, ξab i λab Bi2223 spoja, te uklanja nefizikalnu divergenciju Birr(T → 0) koja se dobiva iz potencijske ovisnosti

Granica ireverzibilnosti vrpce Bi2223/Ag u snažnim magnetskim poljima

The magnetoresistance of a (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+y Ag sheathed tape was measured in the temperature range 15 K ≤ T ≤ 120 K and magnetic field B ≤ 15 T applied perpendicular to the broader surface of tape. Throughout the explored field range, the onset of resistivity shows Arrhenius behaviour ρ ∝ exp(−U∗(1 − T /Tcs)/kBT B0.5) where U∗ is the sample dependent constant, and Tcs is the temperature somewhat higher than the temperature of the resistivity onset. The observed resistance variation can be attributed to a thermally activated flux flow in a highly viscous vortex-liquid regime characterized by a plastic deformation of vortices. Experimentally determined resistive irreversibility line Birr vs. Tirr follows the power-law dependence Birr(Tirr) ∝ (Tcs/Tirr − 1)2 which can be derived from the exponential behaviour of resistivity. Our Birr(Tirr) data can also be fitted by the combination of the Josephson coupling model and depinning of pancake vortices. This fit provides very reasonable values for Bc2, Bc1, Bc, ξab and λab of Bi2223 compound, and removes the unphysical divergence of Birr(T → 0) resulting from the above power-law fit.Mjerili smo magnetootpor (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+y vrpce obložene srebrom za temperature 15 K ≤ T ≤ 120 K i u magnetskim poljima B ≤ 15 T okomitim na širu plohu vrpce. U svim poljima početak otpora pokazuje Arrheniusovo ponašanje ρ ∝ exp(−U∗(1 − T /Tcs)/kBT B0.5), gdje je U∗ konstanta ovisna o uzorku, a Tcs je temperatura nešto viša od temperature pojave otpora. Primijetili smo da se ovisnost otpornosti može pripisati termički pobuđenom tečenju toka u jako viskoznom području tekućine magnetskih vrtloga karakteriziranom plastičnim deformacijama magnetskih vrtloga. Eksperimentalno određena otporna linija ireverzibilnosti Birr(Tirr) slijedi potencijsku ovisnost Birr(Tirr) ∝ (Tcs/Tirr − 1)2 koja se može izvesti iz eksponencijalnoe ovisnosti otpornosti. Naši Birr(Tirr) podaci isto tako mogu se prilagoditi modelu Josephsonovog vezanja i otpinjanja magnetskih vrtloga–palačinki. Ova prilagodba daje razumne vrijednosti parametara Bc2, Bc1, Bc, ξab i λab Bi2223 spoja, te uklanja nefizikalnu divergenciju Birr(T → 0) koja se dobiva iz potencijske ovisnosti

Asymptotic and optimal Liouville properties for Wolff type integral systems

This article examines the properties of positive solutions to fully nonlinear systems of integral equations involving Hardy and Wolff potentials. The first part of the paper establishes an optimal existence result and a Liouville type theorem for the integral systems. Then, the second part examines the decay rates of positive bound states at infinity. In particular, a complete characterization of the asymptotic properties of bounded and decaying solutions is given by showing that such solutions vanish at infinity with two principle rates: the slow decay rates and the fast decay rates. In fact, the two rates can be fully distinguished by an integrability criterion. As an application, the results are shown to carry over to certain systems of quasilinear equations.Comment: 28 pages, author's final version incorporating reviewer comments and suggestion