5%, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic pre-treatment is an effective method for biological sludge
disintegration even at very low ultrasonic density levels. It leads to increased anaerobic biodegradability but deteriorates the filterability characteristics of biological sludge. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry”
“Purpose: Balloon expandable stents may on occasion be deployed in close proximity to the anchoring barbs of endovascular grafts. The aim of this study was to determine the risk and effect of balloon perforation by anchoring barbs and to assess whether these risks are different if the PI3K Inhibitor Library solubility dmso balloon is protected by a covered stent mounted upon it.
Methods: A bench-top model was developed to mimic
the penetration of anchoring barbs into the lumen of medium sized blood vessels. The model allowed variation of angle and depth of vessel penetration. Both bare balloons and those with covered stents mounted upon them were tested in the model to determine whether there was a risk of perforation and which factors increased or decreased this risk.
Results: All combinations of barb angle and depth caused balloon perforation but this was most marked when the barb was placed perpendicular to the long axis of the balloon. When the deployment of covered p38 MAPK signaling pathway stents was attempted balloon perforation occurred in some cases but full stent deployment was achieved in
all cases where the perforation was in the portion of the balloon covered by the stent. The only situation in which stent deployment failed was where the barb was intentionally placed in the uncovered selleck compound portion of the balloon. This resulted in only partial deployment of the stent.
Conclusions: Balloon rupture is a distinct possibility when deploying balloon-expandable stems in close proximity to anchoring barbs. Care should be taken in this circumstance to ensure that the barb is well away from the uncovered portion of the balloon. (C) 2012 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The role of the kidney in controlling and maintaining plasma potassium levels in the normal range requires the presence and activity of renal potassium channels, and their importance has been highlighted in patients with Bartter syndrome harboring mutations in the ROMK (Kir1.1, KCJN1) channel and hyperkalemia. However, the kidney expresses far more potassium channels than ROMK. Their functions are slowly emerging from studies in animal models and human rare inherited disorders that allow a better understanding of the plethora of functions that potassium channels fulfill in the kidney. Three recent studies shed light on the function of 2 members of the family of voltage-gated potassium channels.