Low Incidence of Contrast Induced Nephropathy after Coronary Angiography in Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Treated with Prophylactic Continuous Veno-venous Hemofiltration

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased risk of in-hospital morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to find out whether continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) after coronary angiography in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is associated with a lower incidence of CIN than that reported in the literature. Methods: All patients with CKD who underwent coronary angiography in the Chest Disease Hospital, Kuwait, between January 2004 and December 2005 were treated by CVVH after the procedure. Renal function was assessed before and after the procedure. Results: A total of 98 patients were enrolled in the study, 52 (53.1%) of whom were males. Their mean age was 60.7 years. Before the procedure, the mean serum creatinine level was 4.65 mg/dl and the mean creatinine clearance (Cr Cl) was 18.04 ml/min. Patients underwent CVVH for a mean duration of 21.3 hours, after a mean time-interval of 44.3 min. Their mean serum creatinine was 4.57 mg/dl at discharge (within the first week after the procedure) and 4.78 mg/dl at 15 days after the procedure. Mean Cr Cl was 18.52 ml/min at discharge and 17.62 ml/min at 15 days after the procedure. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean serum creatinine and Cr Cl values before and after the procedure. However, one patient (1.02%) developed CIN and ended on regular hemodialysis. The in-hospital mortality was 0%. Conclusion: Patients with advanced CKD who undergo coronary angiography may be protected from further deterioration in their renal function after exposure to radiological contrast material if the procedure is immediately followed by CVVH. A randomized controlled clinical trial is needed to verify our encouraging results. Keywords: contrast induced nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, continuous venovenous hemofiltratio

Vesicles in solutions of hard rods

The surface free energy of ideal hard rods near curved hard surfaces is determined to second order in curvature for surfaces of general shape. In accordance with previous results for spherical and cylindrical surfaces it is found that this quantity is non-analytical when one of the principal curvatures changes signs. This prohibits writing it in the common Helfrich form. It is shown that the non-analytical terms are the same for any aspect ratio of the rods. These results are used to find the equilibrium shape of vesicles immersed in solutions of rod-like (colloidal) particles. The presence of the particles induces a change in the equilibrium shape and to a shift of the prolate-oblate transition in the vesicle phase diagram, which are calculated within the framework of the spontaneous curvature model. As a consequence of the special form of the energy contribution due to the rods these changes cannot be accounted for by a simple rescaling of the elastic constants of the vesicle as for solutions of spherical colloids or polymers.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Effects of dietary supplementation of soybean lecithin on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and serum profiles of broilers fed fried soybean oil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soybean lecithin in broiler diets formulated with either fried or non-fried soybean oils (as an energy source), on growth performance, digestibility, and some serum parameters. A total of 600 broilers (50% male) were assigned to 4 experimental groups (with 10 replicates of 15 birds each): (i) group (S) fed with soybean oil only, (ii) group (SL) fed with soybean oil + lecithin (0.035% in feed), (iii) group (F) fed with fried soybean oil only, and iv) group (FL) fed with fried soybean oil + lecithin (0.035% in feed). The results showed that fried soybean oil in broilers diets had the same effects on the analysed parameters as the non-fried oil. Broilers that received lecithin with fried soybean oil (group FL) exhibited significantly higher body weights (1.228 vs. 1.210, p<0.05 and 1.935 vs. 1.917 kg, p<0.05) than group F in the last two experimental periods (22-28 and 29-35 d), respectively. On the contrary, the addition of soybean lecithin to diets formulated with either fried or non-fried soybean oil resulted in a significant increase in weight of some carcass cuts (thigh, breast) and a significant decrease in some visceral organs (intestine, liver, viscera), without affecting the digestibility parameters here assessed. Our findings revealed that the addition of soybean lecithin to standard soybean oil (group SL) significantly decreased serum TG (77.16 vs. 83.46, p<0.05) compared to group S. In conclusion, it was possible to use recovered frying soybean oil in broiler diets without a negative impact on growth performance and serum triglyceride level, while these parameters were improved by the addition of soybean lecithin

Infrared vision for artwork and cultural heritage NDE studies: principles and case studies

This text briefly presents the basis of 'infrared vision' in the context of cultural heritage studies. Infrared vision here encompasses near-infrared as well as thermal infrared schemes of inspection. The theory is briefly presented and attention is then focused on several non-destructive evaluation (NDE) case studies in cultural heritage: painting artwork, under-painting lettering retrieval and the investigation of Egyptian pyramids through the ScanPyramids Mission, led by the Faculty of Engineering of Cairo University and the HIP (Heritage Innovation Preservation) Institute

Creation of super-high-flux photo-neutrons and gamma-rays > 8 MeV using a petawatt laser to irradiate high-Z solid targets

We report the creation of super-high-flux gamma-rays with energy >8 MeV and photo-neutrons via the (g,n) reaction near giant dipole resonance energies (8 - 20 MeV), using the ~130 J Texas Petawatt laser to irradiate high-Z (Au, Pt, Re, W) targets of mm - cm thickness, at laser intensities up to ~5x1021W/cm2. We detected up to ~ several x 1012 gamma-rays > 8 MeV (~3% of incident laser energy) and ~ 1010 photo-neutrons per shot. Due to the short pulse and narrow gamma-ray cone (~17o half-width) around laser forward, the peak emergent gamma-ray flux >8 MeV reached ~1027 gammas/cm2/sec, and the peak emergent neutron flux reached ~1020 neutrons/cm2/sec. Such intense gamma-ray and neutron fluxes are among the highest achieved for short-pulse laser experiments. They will facilitate the study of nuclear reactions requiring super-high-flux of gamma-rays or neutrons, such as the creation of r-process elements. These results may also have far-reaching applications for nuclear energy, such as the transmutation of nuclear waste.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Role of Buffalo Production in Sustainable Development of Rural Regions

Rice is the main summer crop in Egypt. It is a cash exportable crop that provides a main source of income to the Egyptian farmers and the national econ- omy. However, the farmers used to burn the rice straw at the farm borders and violate the law that forbids such action, which causes socio-economic negative externalities due to the generated smoke from burning. The smoke generated from burning is straw produced as byproduct of cultivated around 0.75 million ha of rice crop in Egypt, causes social costs due to the probability of premature-mortality and morbidity of rural and urban individuals and livestock. To conduct an economic assessment of such negative externalities a field research was conducted. A targeted ration of chopped rice-straw mixed with dissolved urea and molasses at 2% and 3% of weight, respectively, was fed to buffalo-feeder calves for meat production at 40% of the S.E. of the daily ration with a concentrate feed mix of 60% S.E. Such ration was compared with a control ration of dray chopped rice straw with the same proportion of concentrate feed mix. Two feed-response models were estimated for comparison of the two rations on the growth of the buffalo feeder calves for meat production. The Cobb-Douglas response function was the best fitted form according to the economic logic, significance of estimated parameters and the magnitude of R-2. The study derived the production elasticity, marginal daily gain, the value of marginal product from both estimated feed response functions. The economic marketing weight that maximizes the gross margin above the feed costs was esti- mated under the response model of treat rice straw feeding plan (targeted ration). It reached around 518 Kg live weight, while under the control ration it was only around 384 Kg. The larger market weight of treated rice straw ration was due to higher production elasticity, faster marginal daily gain, better marginal feed con- version and higher palatability of the ration than the control one. Egypt imports of red meat reached about 600 million dollars, due to lack of sufficient feed supply that constrained expansion in red meat production. Therefore, providing treated rice straw feed would provide additional source of livestock feeds which would provide additional 80,000 tons’ carcass weight from fed buffalo calves, which currently are slaughtered as rearing veal calves (60-80 days old). The estimated income gener- ated from one buffalo fed calves reached 50% of the average annual per capita income in Egypt. Such program would also stop the social costs stems from probable premature death and/or morbidity of human and livestock when burning rice straw. The study presented a proposed institutional program to introduce such technology into Egyptian agricultural sector

Advances in surface EMG signal simulation with analytical and numerical descriptions of the volume conductor

Surface electromyographic (EMG) signal modeling is important for signal interpretation, testing of processing algorithms, detection system design, and didactic purposes. Various surface EMG signal models have been proposed in the literature. In this study we focus on 1) the proposal of a method for modeling surface EMG signals by either analytical or numerical descriptions of the volume conductor for space-invariant systems, and 2) the development of advanced models of the volume conductor by numerical approaches, accurately describing not only the volume conductor geometry, as mainly done in the past, but also the conductivity tensor of the muscle tissue. For volume conductors that are space-invariant in the direction of source propagation, the surface potentials generated by any source can be computed by one-dimensional convolutions, once the volume conductor transfer function is derived (analytically or numerically). Conversely, more complex volume conductors require a complete numerical approach. In a numerical approach, the conductivity tensor of the muscle tissue should be matched with the fiber orientation. In some cases (e.g., multi-pinnate muscles) accurate description of the conductivity tensor may be very complex. A method for relating the conductivity tensor of the muscle tissue, to be used in a numerical approach, to the curve describing the muscle fibers is presented and applied to representatively investigate a bi-pinnate muscle with rectilinear and curvilinear fibers. The study thus propose an approach for surface EMG signal simulation in space invariant systems as well as new models of the volume conductor using numerical methods

Study of the unknown HONO daytime source at a European suburban site during the MEGAPOLI summer and winter field campaigns

International audienceNitrous acid measurements were carried out during the MEGAPOLI summer and winter field campaigns at SIRTA observatory in Paris surroundings. Highly variable HONO levels were observed during the campaigns, ranging from 10 ppt to 500 ppt in summer and from 10 ppt to 1.7 ppb in winter. Significant HONO mixing ratios have also been measured during daytime hours, comprised between some tenth of ppt and 200 ppt for the summer campaign and between few ppt and 1 ppb for the winter campaign. Ancillary measurements, such as NOx , O3 , photolysis frequencies, meteorological parameters (pressure, temperature, relative humidity , wind speed and wind direction), black carbon concentration , total aerosol surface area, boundary layer height and soil moisture, were conducted during both campaigns. In addition, for the summer period, OH radical measurements were made with a CIMS (Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometer). This large dataset has been used to investigate the HONO budget in a suburban environment. To do so, calculations of HONO concentrations using PhotoStationary State (PSS) approach have been performed, for daytime hours. The comparison of these calculations with measured HONO concentrations revealed an underestimation of the calculations making evident a missing source term for both campaigns. This unknown HONO source exhibits a bell-shaped like average diurnal profile with a maximum around noon of approximately 0.7 ppb h−1 and 0.25 ppb h−1 , during summer and winter respectively. This source is the main HONO source during daytime hours for both campaigns. In both cases, this source shows a slight positive correlation with J (NO2) and the product between J (NO2) and soil moisture. This original approach had, thus, indicated that this missing source is photolytic and might be heterogeneous occurring at ground surface and involving water content available on the ground. Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 2806 V. Michoud et al.: Study of the unknown HONO daytime sourc

Immunohistochemical evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast carcinoma in Jordan

INTRODUCTION: Although breast carcinoma (BC) is the most common malignancy affecting Jordanian females and the affected population in Jordan is younger than that in the West, no information is available on its biological characteristics. Our aims in this study are to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and Her-2/neu overexpression in BC in Jordan, and to compare the expression of these with other prognostic parameters for BC such as histological type, histological grade, tumor size, patients' age, and number of lymph node metastases. METHOD: This is a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Pathology at Jordan University of Science and Technology. A confirmed 91 cases of BC diagnosed in the period 1995 to 1998 were reviewed and graded. We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of ER, PR, and Her-2. Immunohistochemical findings were correlated with age, tumor size, grade and axillary lymph node status. RESULTS: Her-2 was overexpressed in 24% of the cases. The mean age of Her-2 positive cases was 42 years as opposed to 53 years among Her-2 negative cases (p = 0.0001). Her-2 expression was inversely related to ER and PR expression. Her-2 positive tumors tended to be larger than Her-2 negative tumors with 35% overexpression among T3 tumors as opposed to 22% among T2 tumors (p = 0.13). Her-2 positive cases tended to have higher rates of axillary metastases, but this did not reach statistical significance. ER and PR positive cases were seen in older patients with smaller tumor sizes. CONCLUSION: Her-2 overexpression was seen in 24% of BC affecting Jordanian females. Her-2 overexpression was associated with young age at presentation, larger tumor size, and was inversely related to ER and PR expression. One-fifth of the carcinomas were Her-2 positive and ER negative. This group appears to represent an aggressive form of BC presenting at a young age with large primary tumors and a high rate of four or more axillary lymph node metastases