Platelet Membrane and Calcium Control Abnormalities in Essential Hypertension

The mechanisms whereby intracellular calcium concentration is controlled are briefly reviewed. With the current knowledge of both calcium homeostasis and the function and properties of cellular Ca2+-target proteins / signal transduction systems, a dysfunction of cellular calcium metabolism is considered in relation to the pathogenesis of hypertension. Although the enhanced peripheral vascular resistance characteristic of hypertension is ultimately a function of Ca2+ availability for smooth muscle cell contraction, the platelet possesses many parallel biochemical and physiologic properties. Therefore, we have utilized the platelet as the cell model for investigating the role of Ca2+ in hypertension disorders. An overview of Ca2+-linked platelet processes altered in essential hypertension is presented, and an attempt is made to integrate these multiple aberrations in a fundamental membrane lesion. Am J Hypertens 1:42-46, 198

A unified quantum SO(3) invariant for rational homology 3-spheres

Given a rational homology 3-sphere M with |H 1 (M,ℤ)|=b and a link L inside M, colored by odd numbers, we construct a unified invariant I M,L belonging to a modification of the Habiro ring where b is inverted. Our unified invariant dominates the whole set of the SO(3) Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants of the pair (M,L). If b=1 and L=∅,I M coincides with Habiro's invariant of integral homology 3-spheres. For b>1, the unified invariant defined by the third author is determined by I M . Important applications are the new Ohtsuki series (perturbative expansions of I M ) dominating quantum SO(3) invariants at roots of unity whose order is not a power of a prime. These series are not known to be determined by the LMO invariant

Numerical simulations of MHD flow transition in ducts with conducting Hartmann walls : Limtech Project A3 D4 (TUI) (KIT Scientific Reports ; 7713)

Pressure-driven magnetohydrodynamic duct flows in a transverse, wall-parallel and uniform field have been studied by direct numerical. The conducting Hartmann walls give rise to a laminar velocity distribution with strong jets at the side walls, which are susceptible to flow instability. The onset of time-dependent flow as well as fully developed turbulent flow have been explored in a wide range of parameters

Managing a complex project using a Risk-Risk Multiple Domain Matrix

International audienceThis communication aims at presenting a clustering methodology applied to a complex project consisting of the delivery of three interdependent sub-systems. This enables small and complementary task forces to be constituted, enhancing the communication and coordination on transverse issues related to the complexity of the whole system. The problem is to gather and exploit data for such systems, with numerous and heterogeneous risks of different domains (product, process, organization). The method consists in regrouping actors through the clustering of the risks they own. The result is a highlight on important and transverse risk interdependencies, within and between projects. These should not be neglected in order to avoid potential severe issues, whether during the project or during the exploitation of its deliverable. An application on a real program of plant implementation in the CEA-DAM is presented, with a sensitivity analysis of the clustering results to the inputs and chosen configurations of the problem

Global Grid User Support Building a worldwide distributed user support infrastructure

The organisation and management of the user support in a global escience computing infrastructure such as EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-sciencE), a series of EU projects, is one of the challenges of the Grid. Given the widely distributed nature of the organisation, and the spread of expertise for installing, configuring, managing and troubleshooting the Grid middleware services, a standard centralised model could not be deployed in EGEE. This paper presents the model used in EGEE for building a reliable infrastructure for user, virtual organisation and operations support. A short overview of EGEE is given. The model for supporting a production quality infrastructure for scientific applications will be described in detail. The advantages of the chosen model will be presented and the possible difficulties will be discussed. In this paper we will also describe a scheme of how knowledge management can be used in Grid user support and first steps towards a realisation in the framework of the EGEE user support infrastructure

Endorthelium-modulated proliferation of medial smooth muscle cells: influence of angiotensin II and converting enzyme inhibition

This study investigated the role of the endothelium and angiotensin II (Ang II) in regulating medial smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. [3II]-thymidine incorporation into medial SMC of rat arteries was examined in vivo, using ballooned rat carotid arteries, as well as in vitro, using cultures of aortic tissue rings (organoids). In vivo, maximal medial [3H]-thymidine incorporation occurred within 3 days post-ballooning. In endothelium-denuded organoids, maximum medial DNA synthesis was achieved after 7 days of culture. [3H]-thymidine-labelling of SMC in intact organoids (with endothelium) increased minimally during culture, indicating that the endothelium provided protection with respect to medial proliferation under basal conditions (culture in the presence of 1% plasma-derived serum). Inclusion of 10−7 M Ang-II significantly elevated medial [3H] thymidine incorporation above that in control cultures. The stimulatory effect of Ang II was much more pronounced in intact organoids than in endothelium-denuded organoids, indicating synergistic growth regulation by Ang II and endothelium-derived factors. When organoids were cultured in the combined presence of Ang II and the ACE inhibitor cilazaprilat, labelling indices of intact organoids were also significantly increased above control, but to a lower level than those obtained in the presence of Ang II alone. However, for endothelium-denuded organoids, medial [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the combined presence of Ang II and cilazaprilat was not significantly different from that in untreated controls. Thus, cilazaprilat exerts both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent negative regulatory effects on medial SMC proliferatio

Knowledge Management and Semantics in Global Grid User Support

The organisation and management of the user support in a global escience computing infrastructure such as EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-sciencE), a series of EU projects, is one of the challenges of the Grid. Given the widely distributed nature of the organisation, and the spread of expertise for installing, configuring, managing and troubleshooting the Grid middleware services, a standard centralised model could not be deployed in EGEE. This paper presents the model used in EGEE for building a reliable infrastructure for user, virtual organisation and operations support. A short overview of EGEE is given. The model for supporting a production quality infrastructure for scientific applications will be described in detail. The advantages of the chosen model will be presented and the possible difficulties will be discussed. In this paper we will also describe a scheme of how knowledge management can be used in Grid user support and first steps towards a realisation in the framework of the EGEE user support infrastructure

Microbiological characterisation of community-acquired urinary tract infections in Bagamoyo, Tanzania: a prospective study

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in sub-Saharan Africa, but microbiological data to guide treatment decisions are limited. Hence, we investigated the bacterial aetiology and corresponding antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in outpatients with UTIs in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Urine samples from symptomatic individuals were subjected to microbiological examinations for bacterial species identification using conventional methods and disc diffusion-based resistance testing. Subsequently, urine samples were transferred to Germany for confirmatory diagnostics using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and automated resistance testing. Overall, 104 out of 270 (38.5%) individuals had a positive urine culture and 119 putative pathogens were identified. The most frequently detected bacteria were Escherichia coli (23%), Klebsiella spp. (7%), Enterobacter cloacae complex (3%) and Staphylococcus aureus (2%). E. coli isolates showed high resistance against cotrimoxazole (76%), ampicillin (74%), piperacillin (74%) and fluoroquinolones (37%), but widespread susceptibility to meropenem (100%), fosfomycin (98%), piperacillin/tazobactam (97%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (82%). The agreement between E. coli susceptibility testing results in Tanzania and Germany was ≥95%, except for piperacillin/tazobactam (89%) and ciprofloxacin (84%). Given the considerable resistance to frequently prescribed antibiotics, such as cotrimoxazole and fluoroquinolones, future research should explore the potential of oral alternatives (e.g., fosfomycin) for the treatment of UTIs in Tanzania

Effects of Orthogonal Rotating Electric Fields on Electrospinning Process

Electrospinning is a nanotechnology process whereby an external electric field is used to accelerate and stretch a charged polymer jet, so as to produce fibers with nanoscale diameters. In quest of a further reduction in the cross section of electrified jets hence of a better control on the morphology of the resulting electrospun fibers, we explore the effects of an external rotating electric field orthogonal to the jet direction. Through extensive particle simulations, it is shown that by a proper tuning of the electric field amplitude and frequency, a reduction of up to a $30 \%$ in the aforementioned radius can be obtained, thereby opening new perspectives in the design of future ultra-thin electrospun fibres. Applications can be envisaged in the fields of nanophotonic components as well as for designing new and improved filtration materials.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figure