A porous, distensible, tubular membrane which incorporates albumin and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF), and is potentially utilizable as a bioactive small-diameter vascular prosthesis, was ...fabricated by a combined spraying, phase-inversion technique using a suspension of albumin and bFGF into a polyetherurethane-urea (Biomer) solution in dimethylacetamide (DMA). Scanning electron microscopy showed a material with an open-cell trabecular structure and small particles of albumin and/or bFGF entrapped in the bulk of the polyurethane trabeculae. The material released albumin and bFGF at an approximately constant rate for at least 2 weeks. The bFGF initially incorporated in the polymer remained biologically active as shown by in-vitro proliferation of human endothelial cells.
Sea level oscillations are the superposition of many contributions, among which the main are astronomic and meteorological low-frequency tides. In Ligurian Sea meteo-tide components, being most ample ...than astronomic fluctuations, drive water exchange in harbours. The present note shows first results about port of Genoa concerning a coherency study between atmospheric variation and corresponding sea level adjustment (meteorological tide). The newtonian forecasting method of meteorological tides is based on measurements of time elapsing between barometric sea level unbalance (?g) and its meteorological tide compensation (inverse barometer component). Meteorological tide component is independent on the Earth-Moon-Sun gravitational relationships, moreover parameters related to the shifted water mass are too many to describe the phenomenon analytically (basin topography, barometric strength position and time, chemical water quality, off-shore sea circulation, etc.); then, meteorological tide cant be accurately foreseen by atmospheric pressure measurements only. A gravimeter can detect the geodetic unbalance starting time and a tide-gauge can detect the newtonian compensation (tide wave) coming time. The difference between these two times is the meteorological tide delay. An opportune statistic of this delay provides an experimental law typical for each harbour to forecast the meteo-tide compensation wave delay. This paper describes the methodological procedure adopted and first evidences of the phenomenon in Genoa harbour.
The physiopathological changes observed in uraemia are briefly described and an account is given pharmacological considerations relevant to the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia and muscle ...relaxation, The anaesthesiological management of 20 kidneys transplants (17 from living donors and 3 from cadavers) is explained. Steps taken for intra-operative care and protection of the transplanted organ to aid its function recovery are explained.
The effects of cimetidine and ranitidine, alone or combined with sulglycotide or carbenoxolone, and those of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 were investigated on mucosal lesions induced in ...pylorus-ligated rats. The drugs were administered orally after pylorus ligation; 3 hr later the animals were killed, the stomachs removed and examined for the presence of mucosal lesions. Volume, pH, total acidity, pepsin, free and barrier mucus were determined. H2-antagonists both at nonantisecretory and antisecretory doses failed to prevent gastric mucosal lesions or to affect significantly mucus and pepsin. Sulglycotide and carbenoxolone inhibited pepsin secretion, the latter enhanced barrier mucus and both reduced lesion severity. A nearly complete prevention of mucosal damage was observed after anti-secretory doses of cimetidine plus sulglycotide or carbenoxolone. Data obtained compared with those of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 suggest that mucus and pepsin might have a partial role in ulcer prevention.
The use of an InGaAs/InGaAs tensile-strained-barrier MQW active layer is an interesting approach to achieve polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) at the 1.55 /spl mu/m ...wavelength. This work reports on the design and experimental results obtained on MQW structures grown by LP-MOCVD and characterized for their optical and structural quality. SOA devices made from these layers show a dichroism below 1 dB with signal fiber-to-fiber gains up to 20 dB, confirming the good optical and electrical quality of the structure.
