Value of reversed saphenous vein in minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft procedures

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft procedures are gaining acceptance for revision as well as primary coronary revascularization. When suitable, the left and right internal mammary arteries are preferred as bypass conduits; in other cases, the greater saphenous vein, used for standard coronary artery bypass graft procedures, may be useful to revascularize coronary artery branches during minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft procedures. METHODS: We used the greater saphenous vein on three occasions during minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft procedures (1) to revascularize the left anterior descending coronary artery by anastomosis to the left axillary artery in the infraclavicular region, (2) as an extension to the left internal mammary artery to reach the left anterior descending coronary artery, and (3) as a bridge from the splenic artery to bypass the distal right coronary artery. RESULTS: Postoperatively, all 3 patients had relief from symptoms of coronary artery insufficiency and none has been readmitted to the hospital with symptoms. Angiography or thallium studies were not performed to confirm graft patency because all patients were elderly and the risks of these procedures were considered to outweigh their potential benefit. CONCLUSIONS: The greater saphenous vein is a potential bypass conduit for use in minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass graft procedures as well as for coronary artery bypass graft procedures.     

The (1–3, 1–4)‐β‐Glucanases in Malting Barley: Enzyme Survival and Genetic and Environmental Effects

Eighteen barley genotypes used in Brazilian malting barley breeding programs were characterized in relation to (1–3, 1–4)‐β‐glucanase activity in green and kilned malt. They were tested to determine the loss of enzyme activity during kilning in the malting process and the environmental effects on enzyme activity were measured. The genotypes analyzed showed great variation regarding the enzyme activity in both kinds of malt, in a range from 531.94 to 934.31 U/kg in green malt, and from 187.02 to 518.40 U/kg in dry malt. The mean enzyme activity loss during kilning was close to 60%, very similar to the results obtained in other studies. The loss among genotypes varied from 8.04% to 71.54%. The enzyme activity varied significantly under the different environments tested, showing existence of environmental effects on the genotypes analyzed. Embrapa 127 was the genotype that exhibited the highest enzyme activity in finished malt although it had shown a low activity in green malt, reflecting a negligible loss of activity during kilning. The data indicate promising results to malting barley breeding due to the wide variability exhibited by genotypes as to enzyme activity and levels of isoenzyme with high thermostability.     

Dibenzothiophene HDS Over Sulphided CoMo on High‐Silica USY Zeolites

USY faujasites (SiO₂/Al₂O₃ = 12, 30 and 80) were used as hydrodesulphurization (HDS) catalyst supports. Mo, Co and P were impregnated at two concentrations: ～12.5, ～3 and ～1.6 mass %; ～18, ～5.5 and ～2.2 mass % (CL and HL series, respectively). Surface acidity decreased after Co‐Mo‐P deposition. Sulphided catalysts were tested in dibenzothiophene (DBT) HDS (320°C, 5.59 MPa). The HDS rate slightly increased with both SiO₂ content and Co‐Mo‐P loading. High selectivity to hydrogenated products suggested deficient Mo promotion in CL solids. Improved Mo promotion by Co (HL series) could be responsible for higher activity and marked selectivity to desulphurization to biphenyl.     

Structure and bonding of ArClF: Intermolecular potential surface

The ground-state potential surface of the Ar-ClF complex is determined by restricted coupled-cluster with single and double excitations and a noniterative perturbation treatment of triple excitation (RCCSD(T)) calculations, using augmented correlation consistent basis sets supplemented with an additional set of midbond functions. Three local minima are found for the Ar-ClF, which correspond to linear Ar-Cl-F and Ar-F-Cl configurations and a near T-shaped structure. The well depths and the equilibrium distances are 283.62 cm⁻¹ at 3.84 Å and 128.96 cm⁻¹ at 4.31 Å for the linear ones and 173.13 cm⁻¹ at 3.58 Å for the one at θ = 107.5°. Bound-state calculations are carried out and the linear Ar-Cl-F structure is found to be the most stable one, in accordance with the experiment. Dissociation energies, intermolecular distances, and vibrational frequencies are computed and compared with available experimental data.     

The anti-symmetry principle for quasi-static crack propagation in Mode III

In this note we study a basic propagation criterion for quasi-static crack evolution in Mode III. Using classical techniques of complex analysis, the assumption of stable growth is expressed in terms of the parameters defining the elastic field around the tip. We explore the consequences of the local condition obtained and analyse its role as a crack propagation law. In particular, we herein extend to bounded domains a number of results previously obtained for the whole plane.     

Unipolar current transport through metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures,supplied with barrier contacts,in the diffusion limit

The diffusion-limited unipolar current density-voltage (j?V) dependencies through semi-insulating materials supplied with two barrier contacts have been computed. Two cases are treated. In the first, the sum of the two quiescent barrier thicknesses is less than the specimen thickness. Here there are three successive j?V regimes: At low voltages $\text{(}\text{less than}\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{th}}\text{=}\text{kT}\text{e}\text{),j∞V}$, at medium voltages, j∞√V, and at high voltages $\text{j∞}\text{V}\text{L}$ but much less in magnitude than the true ohmic current density. In the second case, the sum of the two quiescent barrier thicknesses exceeds the specimen thickness and the j∞ρV does not develop; only the two linear regimes are obtained separated by a short transitional interval over which the current is generally sublinear. The analysis is meant to apply to the practical cases of wide bandgap, insulating materials supplied with either rectifying or poorly characterized electrodes and to emphasize that a $\text{j∞}\text{V}\text{L}$ regime may develop that can easily be misinterpreted as Ohm's Law.     

Small-molecule vacuum processed melamine-C60, organic field-effect transistors

The transfer of benchtop knowledge into large scale industrial production processes represents a challenge in the field of organic electronics. Large scale industrial production of organic electronics is envisioned as roll to roll (R2R) processing which nowadays comprises usually solution-based large area printing steps. The search for a fast and reliable fabrication process able to accommodate the deposition of both insulator and semiconductor layers in a single step is still under way. Here we report on the fabrication of organic field effect transistors comprising only evaporable small molecules. Moreover, both the gate dielectric (melamine) and the semiconductor (C₆₀) are deposited in successive steps without breaking the vacuum in the evaporation chamber. The material characteristics of evaporated melamine thin films as well as their dielectric properties are investigated, suggesting the applicability of vacuum processed melamine for gate dielectric layer in OFETs. The transistor fabrication and its transfer and output characteristics are presented along with observations that lead to the fabrication of stable and virtually hysteresis-free transistors. The extremely low price of precursor materials and the ease of fabrication recommend the evaporation processes as alternative methods for a large scale, R2R production of organic field effect transistors.     

Non-digestible fraction of cooked bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar Bayo Madero suppresses colonic aberrant crypt foci in azoxymethane-induced rats

The non-digestible fraction (NDF) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar Bayo Madero was evaluated for its chemopreventive effect on azoxymethane (AOM) induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats. Diets containing cooked beans (CB) or its non-digestible fraction (NDF) were fed to 72 male rats after 2 azoxymethane injections (15 mg kg(-1) of body weight once a week for 2 weeks). ACF number, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and β-glucuronidase activity were measured in colon sections from rats sacrificed 7 weeks after the last AOM injection. Food intake and weight gain of rats were unaffected by CB and NDF. CB and NDF suppressed the AOM-induced formation of ACF (0.8 and 1.5 ACF/distal zone, respectively vs. 6.6 ACF/distal zone based on methylene blue stain) and lowered β-glucuronidase activity in cecal, colonic and fecal content compared to AOM group. SCFA production was not significantly different among fecal, cecal and colonic content. These results indicate that CB and NDF from Bayo Madero provide direct chemoprotection against early stage of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer in rats.     

Effect of acid treatment on extraction yield and gel strength of gelatin from whiptail stingray (Dasyatis brevis) skin

Food Science and Biotechnology - Chemical properties of fish gelatins differ from those of conventional mammalian sources, representing an attractive technological alternative for the food...