Protective Effect of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning in Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, in a Model of Thoracoabdominal Aorta Approach

Background: Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm open surgery is accompanied by a significant incidence of renal failure due to renal ischemia. The effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) in renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury during a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm open repair approach was examined on an animal model. Materials and methods: Three groups of rats underwent the following operations respectively: (a) Sham operation in control group; (b) Renal IR injury produced by subphrenic aortic cross-clamping (45/45 min IR), in IR group; (c) The same renal IR injury following RIPC produced by a brief occlusion of the infrarenal aorta (15/15 min IR) in RIPC group. Levels of lactate, base excess, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in selective blood samples from the left renal vein, while levels of MDA were measured in samples of kidney tissues. Results: Renal blood base excess was significantly reduced in IR and RIPC groups as compared to sham group, but it was significantly higher in RIPC compared to the IR group (-7.69 ± 0.62 versus -15.15 ± 0.86, P < 0.001). Renal blood lactate was significantly increased in both IR and RIPC groups as compared to the sham group, but it was significantly lower in RIPC group compared to IR group (6.76 ± 0.19 versus 11.99 ± 0.33, P < 0.001). Renal blood MDA was increased in both IR and RIPC groups compared to the sham group, but it was significantly less compared in the RIPC group compared to IR group (1.55 ± 0.38 versus 2.94 ± 0.16, P = 0.002). Finally, kidney tissue MDA was increased in both IR and RIPC groups versus sham group, but it was significantly lower in RIPC group compared to the IR group (5.92 ± 0.82 versus 13.98 ± 2.41, P = 0.005). Conclusions: RIPC induced by a temporary infrarenal aortic occlusion decreased the IR renal injury caused by subphrenic aortic cross-clamping. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Office of Saline Water Reports

Rpeort describing the electrodialysis process as a possible practical means for demineralizing saline waters. The tests described in the report are used to determine the effects of operating the process under field conditions, to provide estimates of the cost of demineralizing brackish waters on a large scale, and as a means of planning further needed research in this field

An analysis of the relationship between the linear hammer speed and the thrower applied forces during the hammer throw for male and female throwers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the cable force and linear hammer speed in the hammer throw and to identify how the magnitude and direction of the cable force affects the fluctuations in linear hammer speed. Five male (height: 1.88 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 106.23 ± 4.83 kg) and five female (height: 1.69 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 101.60 ± 20.92 kg) throwers participated and were required to perform 10 throws each. The hammer's linear velocity and the cable force and its tangential component were calculated via hammer head positional data. As expected, a strong correlation was observed between decreases in the linear hammer speed and decreases in the cable force (normalised for hammer weight). A strong correlation was also found to exist between the angle by which the cable force lags the radius of rotation at its maximum (when tangential force is at its most negative) and the size of the decreases in hammer speed. These findings indicate that the most effective way to minimise the effect of the negative tangential force is to reduce the size of the lag angle