9,570 research outputs found
The physiological expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the human colon
Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed in the colonic epithelium in both inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Nitric oxide (NO), the product of this enzyme, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of both conditions. However, there are conflicting data on whether iNOS is expressed in the normal, uninflamed human colon. To evaluate the expression of iNOS in histologically normal, non-inflamed human colonic mucosa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the expression of iNOS in 17 histologically normal specimens obtained at colectomy performed for colorectal neoplasia. In addition, 16 endoscopic mucosal biopsies, taken from normal individuals, were also evaluated. Eleven surgical specimens and 16 endoscopic biopsies from patients with refractory ulcerative colitis were used as inflammatory controls. All types of specimens expressed iNOS mRNA. Immunoblotting revealed a protein of approximately 130 kDa consistent with iNOS in mucosal extracts of 77% of normal individuals, and 85% of diseased controls. Immunolabelling localised this protein to the surface epithelium in most of the normal specimens and also to the crypt epithelium and inflammatory cells in the diseased controls. These findings provide evidence that iNOS is often expressed in the surface epithelium of non-inflamed human colon, suggesting that it is induced by local luminal factors, such as bacterial lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin). The resultant NO produced at this site might act as an oxidative barrier, reducing bacterial translocation and providing a means of defence against pathogenic microorganisms
Bonding machine for forming a solar array strip
A machine is described for attaching solar cells to a flexable substrate on which printed circuitry has been deposited. The strip is fed through: (1) a station in which solar cells are elevated into engagement with solder pads for the printed circuitry and thereafter heated by an infrared lamp; (2) a station at which flux and solder residue is removed; (3) a station at which electrical performance of the soldered cells is determined; (4) a station at which an encapsulating resin is deposited on the cells; (5) a station at which the encapsulated solar cells are examined for electrical performance; and (6) a final station at which the resulting array is wound on a takeup drum
Correlation Between Time And Frequency Domain Polarisation Measurements For Transformer Moisture Assessment
Preventative diagnosis and maintenance of transformers has become more popular in recent times in order to improve the reliability of electric power systems. A number of transformers have recently been tested using Return Voltage (RV) and Dielectric Dissipation Factor (tan-sigma) measurements in the time and frequency domain, respectively. This paper outlines a circuit model which describes the dielectric behaviour of the transformer insulation system and has been parameterised from the frequency domain data. This model was then used to simulate RV and Polarisation-Depolarisation current (PDC) results. Some recommendations about the diagnosis of the transformers have been proposed
First excitations in two- and three-dimensional random-field Ising systems
We present results on the first excited states for the random-field Ising
model. These are based on an exact algorithm, with which we study the
excitation energies and the excitation sizes for two- and three-dimensional
random-field Ising systems with a Gaussian distribution of the random fields.
Our algorithm is based on an approach of Frontera and Vives which, in some
cases, does not yield the true first excited states. Using the corrected
algorithm, we find that the order-disorder phase transition for three
dimensions is visible via crossings of the excitations-energy curves for
different system sizes, while in two-dimensions these crossings converge to
zero disorder. Furthermore, we obtain in three dimensions a fractal dimension
of the excitations cluster of d_s=2.42(2). We also provide analytical droplet
arguments to understand the behavior of the excitation energies for small and
large disorder as well as close to the critical point.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure
Hysterectomy, endometrial destruction, and levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (Mirena) for heavy menstrual bleeding : systematic review and meta-analysis of data from individual patients
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Hysterectomy, endometrial ablation, and levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (Mirena) for treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding : cost effectiveness analysis
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
For which patients is attending a pre-operative education session most important in a total hip and knee replacement ERAS pathway?
Objectives: Optimising the psychological status of patientsâ pre-surgery through education is recommended by the Enhanced
Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Society. However, despite this; the majority of the current evidence base does not confirm that preoperative education reduces length of stay in total hip or knee replacement pathways. The aim of this study is to compare length of
stay between patients who attended an education class prior to elective total hip or knee replacement surgery, compared to those who
did no
A quadratic stability result for singular switched systems with application to anti-windup control
In this note we consider the problem of determining
necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a common quadratic Lyapunov function for a pair of stable linear
time-invariant systems whose system matrices are of the form A, AâghT , and where one of the matrices is singular. We then apply this result in a study of a feedback system with a
saturating actuator
Percolation of satisfiability in finite dimensions
The satisfiability and optimization of finite-dimensional Boolean formulas
are studied using percolation theory, rare region arguments, and boundary
effects. In contrast with mean-field results, there is no satisfiability
transition, though there is a logical connectivity transition. In part of the
disconnected phase, rare regions lead to a divergent running time for
optimization algorithms. The thermodynamic ground state for the NP-hard
two-dimensional maximum-satisfiability problem is typically unique. These
results have implications for the computational study of disordered materials.Comment: 4 pages, 4 fig
Random manifolds in non-linear resistor networks: Applications to varistors and superconductors
We show that current localization in polycrystalline varistors occurs on
paths which are, usually, in the universality class of the directed polymer in
a random medium. We also show that in ceramic superconductors, voltage
localizes on a surface which maps to an Ising domain wall. The emergence of
these manifolds is explained and their structure is illustrated using direct
solution of non-linear resistor networks
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