Because many companies already have a 100% continuous casting ratio, further capacity increase is possible only by extensive revamping of existing machines or new investment. However, because of area ...restrictions expansion is difficult or sometimes impossible. It may not be easy to install additional casters without having the disadvantage of long steel transport distances from the existing steel plant to the new continuous casting machines. The compact caster concept described in this paper is designed to enable steelmakers to increase production without this disadvantage.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
CEKLJ, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In a conventional twin caster, a wide slab is divided into two small slabs by a divider in the centre of the mould. Both slabs use the same oscillating device and therefore must be cast at the same ...speed. In the event of a irregularity, the casting conditions for both strands have to be changed according to the needs of the failed strand. Furthermore, independent dynamic adjustment of slab cooling for each strand is not possible.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
CEKLJ, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
493.
Inclusion-body myositis Askanas, Valerie; Engel, W. King
Neurology,
01/2006, Letnik:
66, Številka:
1_suppl_1
Journal Article
This review emphasizes new advances in seeking the pathogenic mechanisms of sporadic inclusion-body myositis and hereditary inclusion-body myopathy syndromes. Clinical and pathologic similarities and ...differences between sporadic and hereditary forms are described. Hypotheses are presented regarding the possible causes and consequences of abnormally accumulated intramyofiber beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) (including beta-amyloid protein and C- and N-terminal epitopes), hyperphosphorylated tau, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, apolipoprotein E, prion protein, ubiquitin, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and its 43-kD associated protein, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta. Also increased are beta APP mRNA and prion protein mRNA. Striking similarities between the pathology of muscle specimens from sporadic inclusion-body myositis and samples from the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease in regard to Congo red positivity and accumulations of several proteins are discussed. Because most of the proteins that pathologically accumulate throughout the abnormal muscle fibers also accumulate focally at normal human neuromuscular junctions, the possible "junctionalization" of nonjunctional nuclei as a pathogenic mechanism in the muscle fiber is discussed.
When people speak about consciousness, they distinguish various types and different levels, and they argue for different concepts of cognition. This complicates the discussion about artificial or ...machine consciousness. Here we take a bottom-up approach to this question by presenting
a family of robot experiments that invite us to think about consciousness in the context of artificial agents. The experiments are based on a computational model of sensorimotor contingencies. It has been suggested that these regularities in the sensorimotor flow of an agent can explain raw
feels and perceptual consciousness in biological agents. We discuss the validity of the model with respect to sensorimotor contingency theory and consider whether a robot that is controlled by knowledge of its sensorimotor contingencies could have any form of consciousness. We propose that
consciousness does not require higher-order thought or higher-order representations. Rather, we argue that consciousness starts when (i) an agent actively (endogenously triggered) uses its knowledge of sensorimotor contingencies to issue predictions and (ii) when it deploys this capability
to structure subsequent action.
Recently, an ultrasonic instrument intended for root end preparation during periapical surgery has become commercially available. This study evaluated root end preparations in 30 extracted human ...teeth, comparing those prepared with ultrasonic instrumentation to teeth prepared in a traditional manner with a microhandpiece and to teeth prepared using a combination of the microhandpiece and the ultrasonic instrument. Specimens were evaluated for size of preparation, preparation debridement, and time required for preparation. Preparations with the ultrasonic device were found to be significantly smaller than the other techniques evaluated. Traditional and combined techniques resulted in greater debridement under the conditions of the study, and only the combined technique demonstrated an increase in time required for preparation. Ultrasonic instrumentation may provide significant advantages in the treatment of deeply fluted roots when an isthmus is present by reducing the risk of root perforation.
Using three well-characterized polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against prion protein (PrP), we demonstrated a strong concentration of PrP at human neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Applying double ...and triple fluorescence-labeling, we found that PrP immunoreactivity exactly co-localized with alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BT) identified acetylcholine receptors, as well as with the high junctional concentrations of beta-amyloid precursor protein, beta-amyloid protein, desmin, ubiquitin and dystrophin. Therefore, PrP was considered to be located on the postsynaptic muscle membrane. At all NMJs identified by bound alpha-BT, strong PrP immunoreactivity was obtained with all PrP antibodies. This appears to be the first demonstration of PrP concentrated at human NMJs.
Sporadic inclusion-body myositis (IBM) is the most common, progressive muscle disease of older individuals. We investigated the presence of BACE1 and BACE2—two β secretases that cleave ...amyloid-β-precursor protein—in muscle-biopsy samples from patients with IBM and from controls. On immunofluorescence, BACE1 and BACE2 co-localised with amyloid β in IBM vacuolated muscle fibres, but were not found in controls. Immunoblotting showed increased BACE2 but not BACE1 in patients with IBM compared with controls. Our study suggests that both of these proteases might participate in processing of amyloid-β-precursor protein in IBM muscle fibres.
Introduction
Gender-specific immune responses have been found after trauma-hemorrhage. Male and female sex hormones seem to be responsible for this gender dimorphism. Alterations in sex hormone ...receptor expression in mice appear to contribute to the immunomodulatory effect of sex hormones after blood loss. The effect of surgical trauma on the expression of sex hormone receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients, however, remains unknown.
Materials and methods
PBMCs were obtained from 14 patients (7 men and 7 women) undergoing major abdominal surgery preoperatively and 2 h postoperatively. The expression of the androgen and the estrogen α- and β- receptors were determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). β-Actin was used as housekeeping gene.
Results
The results indicate that surgical trauma has no influence on the expression of the androgen receptor and the estrogen receptors α and β in male and female patients.
Discussion
The data demonstrate that, in contrast to mice, no alterations in the expression of androgen and estrogen hormone receptors were evident after surgery in patients. Thus, differences in the expression of sex hormone receptors do not appear to be responsible for the gender-specific immune response after surgery.
