A catalogue of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) from India

A catalogue of aphidiine parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) associated with various aphids species occurring in India was compiled. The present catalogue with 125 species under 22 genera has been further reinforced with not only all the latest taxonomic changes but also host names, host plants, distribution in India etc

Performance evaluation of an RDB and an ORDB: A comparative study using the BUCKY benchmark

This paper highlights the functionality of object-based database systems by comparing the performance of relational database (RDB) and object-relational database (ORDB) systems. The study focuses on assessing the efficiency of database systems based on query processing and object complexity. We conducted an experiment that includes running the queries on the RDB and ORDB that were used in the BUCKY benchmark and implemented on Oracle 11g. The findings of this research show that the performance of both database systems depends on various factors, such as the size and type of databases, the schema and query structures, the number of tuples scanned in tables, indexes as well as the environment, in which the experiment was carried out

Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a narrative review

The role of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in the management of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis has come under the spotlight following the development of the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) technique. Previous indications for BAV were limited to symptom palliation and as a bridge to definitive therapy for patients undergoing conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). In the TAVI era, BAV may also be undertaken to assess the ‘therapeutic response’ of a reduction in aortic gradient in borderline patients often with multiple comorbidities, to assess symptomatic improvement prior to consideration of definitive TAVI intervention. This narrative review aims to update the reader on the current indications and practical techniques involved in undertaking a BAV procedure. In addition, a summary of the haemodynamic and clinical outcomes, as well as the frequently encountered procedural complications is presented for BAV procedures conducted during both the pre-TAVI and post-TAVI era

Collaboration and competition in the advancement of next generation communications : Japan, Korea, and China defining the future of wireless industry

制度:新 ; 報告番号:甲2666号 ; 学位の種類:博士(学術) ; 授与年月日:2008/6/16 ; 早大学位記番号:新483

Some aspects of gastro-oesophageal reflux in anaesthetized sheep

Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a serious problem associated with ruminant anaesthesia. The results of the present investigation of this problem are summarised below.Management of animals prior to and during anaesthesia influenced the incidence of reflux. Depriving the sheep of food and water for 24 hours prior to induction of anaesthesia significantly reduced the incidence of reflux. The occurrence of reflux was also influenced by the positioning of the animal during anaesthesia. Dorsal recumbancy with the head tilted down was the most vulnerable position. In this position reflux occurred in 100% of cases as compared with right lateral recumbancy with head up position where the occurrence of reflux was only 12%.Intraruminal pressure built up during anaesthesia was monitored over a period of 60 minutes. Two planes of anaesthesia, light and deep, were maintained for two 30 minute periods in a single anaesthetic session. Intraruminal pressure build up in deep followed by light anaesthesia was significantly greater than that in light followed by deep anaesthesia. The maximum pressure gradient between the rumen and thoracic oesophagus and the occurrence of reflux were recorded and it was found that only 24% of refluxes were associated with the maximum pressure gradient. The intraruminal pressure build up in the starved sheep was significantly lower when compared with that of the unstarved sheep.The effects of intraruminal insufflation on the occurrence of reflux were investigated and it was found that the intraruminal pressure required to produce reflux was unusually high (about 40 mmHg) in comparison with pressures that can be built up during normal periods of anaesthesia lasting for 2-3 hours.The influence of halothane anaesthesia on the motor functions of the oesophagus and rumen was studied using manometric and electromyographic techniques in both light and deep planes of anaesthesia. The motility of these organs was frequently present in light anaesthesia while it was almost totally abolished in deep anaesthesia. The oesophageal pressure waves in light anaesthesia were always peristaltic in nature, the velocity being 25 cm/sec.A zone of high pressure was detected at the gastro-oesophageal junction in the anaesthetized sheep using balloon tip catheter and a pull through technique. The length of this zone was 2.9 cm. The resting LOS pressure measured by balloon tip catheter was significantly greater than that measured by open tip catheter. The resting LOS pressure was not significantly influenced by the depth of anaesthesia. The LOS usually contracted prior to rumen contraction in light anaesthesia. In deep anaesthesia, when the oesophageal and ruminal contractions were totally abolished, the LOS still showed rhythmic fluctuation in baseline pressure.The response of LOS to an increase in intraruminal pressure was studied. The LOS pressure was also increased with the increase of intraruminal pressure. The occurrence of reflux was associated with diminished LOS pressure.The influence of pentagastrin, atropine sulphate and propranolol hydrochloride on LOS pressure was studied. The LOS pressures were increased within one minute of pentagastrin injection while after atropine, the pressure was decreased within one minute. These changes in LOS pressure however were not statistically significant. Propranolol (after atropine) also had no significant influence on LOS pressure.The motor activities of the oesophagus, gastro-oesophageal junction and reticulorumen were studied by electromyography (EMG). These activities in the cervical oesophagus were characterised by individual spikes in light anaesthesia which were almost abolished in deep anaesthesia. The reticular and ruminal EMGs comprised of regular spike bursts, the reticular bursts usually preceded the ruminal ones. These activities were usually present in light anaesthesia while in deep anaesthesia they were totally abolished. The electromyographic activity of the gastro-oesophageal junction was characterised by continuous spike discharges which were present in both light and deep planes of anaesthesia.The influence of intravenous anaesthetic agents (pentobarbitone, thiopentone, chloral hydrate-magnesium sulphate and alphaxalone/ alphadolone) on the intraruminal pressure build up, oesophageal and ruminal motility and gastro-oesophageal reflux was studied. The largest intraruminal pressure build up was found in alphaxalone/ alphadolone anaesthesia and the smallest with thiopentone anaesthesia. The highest incidence of reflux was found with thiopentone (70%) and the lowest with alphaxalone/alphadolone (40%) anaesthesia.The barbiturates (pentobarbitone and thiopentone) caused total abolition of oesophageal and ruminal motor functions in both light and deep planes of anaesthesia. These activities, however, were frequently present in light chloral hydrate and alphaxalone/alphadolone anaesthesia. The direction of the oesophageal pressure waves in these studies was peristaltic

Improving the outcomes of kidney transplantation from deceased organ donors

This thesis sought to improve our understanding of how kidneys become injured as a consequence of organ donation, with the aim of improving the outcomes of transplantation. Every year, hundreds of patients on the waiting list die whilst awaiting a kidney transplant. With an ever-increasing demand for suitable organs, supply cannot keep up with the pressures on the transplant waiting list. As a consequence the transplant community are forced to use organs that previously would not have been considered suitable for transplant, including from older donors with additional comorbidities. This thesis aimed to develop an understanding as to how the kidney becomes injured during the donation process, identifying which key cellular homeostatic processes are disturbed as a consequence of donation. The thesis outlines the experimental development of rodent models of organ donation replicating the donation process for donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors and also the development of a kidney ischaemia reperfusion injury (IRI) model. Proteomics was subsequently used to identifying global protein alterations in the kidney as a consequence of brain death and ischemia reperfusion injury using bioinformatics tools to identify involvement of cellular pathways. The results indicated alterations in mitochondrial function and metabolic homeostasis occurring following brain death. Alterations in cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function were then confirmed using metabolomics and mitochondrial functional assays. I subsequently evaluated how alterations in cellular hypoxia and the hypoxia inducible factor system is altered in the brain dead organ donor kidney and aimed to target this system as a means of conditioning the brain dead organ donor to prevent mitochondrial and metabolic mediated injury to kidney cells following brain death. This involved exploring the role of prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors, including dimethyloxalylglycine, on mitochondrial function and whether this could be a therapeutic target in organ donation. This thesis provides important insights into the mechanism of injury of kidneys following brain death, providing evidence that even before procurement and preservation in the DBD donor alterations in mitochondrial function and metabolic homeostasis occur. I provide preliminary data on the use of prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors in altering mitochondrial function. I also outline my involvement in other ongoing projects in organ donation and machine perfusion that also aim to improve the outcomes of deceased donor kidney and liver transplantation