A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

Effect of Size, Content and Shape of Reinforcements on the Behavior of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) Under Tension

The objective of this research was to investigate the mechanical behavior of metal matrix composites (MMCs) 6061 aluminum, reinforced with silicon carbide particles, under unidirectional tensile loading by finite element analysis. The effects of particle’s shape, size and content on the tensile properties of the composites were studied and compared with each other. In addition, stress and strain distributions and possible particle fracture or debonding were investigated. It was found that, among different shapes, a certain shape of reinforcement particle provided better tensile properties for MMCs and, within each shape category, composites with smaller particle size and higher particle content (20%) also showed better properties. It was also found that when the reinforcement content was 10%, the effects of shape and size of the particles were negligible. Not only interfacial length between the reinforcement and matrix materials, but also state of matrix material, due to the presence of the reinforcement particles, affected the stiffness of the MMCs. In almost all of the cases, except for MMCs with triangular particles, when the stress increased, with the increase in the applied positive displacement, the stress distributions remained unchanged

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of <it>Bersama engleriana</it> leaves in nicotinamide/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present investigation was aimed at evaluating the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of the aqueous and methanolic extracts from <it>Bersama engleriana</it> leaves in streptozotocin/nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced type 2 diabetic rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Animals were orally treated for 4 consecutive weeks with <it>Bersama engleriana</it> extracts at doses of 300 or 600 mg/kg. The anti-diabetic effect was examined by measuring blood glucose (BG) at 0, 1, 14 and 28 days after STZ-NA treatment and, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) levels at sacrifice (day 29). Glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg) was used for comparison.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>STZ-NA-induced diabetic rats showed moderate to significant increases in the levels of BG, TG, TC, LDL-C while body weight, HDL-C levels and relative weights of liver and pancreas were decreased compared to controls (non diabetic rats). Administration of the plant extracts to STZ-NA diabetic rats resulted in a significant decrease in BG, TG, TC and LDL-C and the dose 600 mg/kg of the methanolic extract was the most effective; HDL-C level was markedly increased after four weeks compared to untreated diabetic rats. A dose-dependent increase in the relative weights of the diabetogenic organs was observed in the <it>Bersama engleriana</it> groups. It can be also noticed that the methanolic extract, especially the dose 600 mg/kg (p<0.001), produced more effects than glibenclamide and aqueous extract. Rats treated with glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg) generally gave lower results compared to groups treated with plant extracts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results of the present study showed that <it>Bersama engleriana</it> extracts and especially its methanolic extract possess antidiabetogenic properties and beneficial effects on diabetic hyperlipidemia. All these effects could be due to the bioactive components revealed in the <it>Bersama engleriana</it> extracts such as triterpenes and phenols and which could justify its ethnomedical use.</p