Thickness effects of a carbon-supported platinum catalyst layer on the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in sulfuric acid solution

The influence of the thickness of a carbon-supported platinum catalyst layer on the oxygen reduction reaction (orr) has been studied in sulfuric acid solution by means of a thin-film rotating disk electrode. Pronounced changes in the Pt utilization, electrode activity and the orr kinetics have been observed upon varying the catalyst layer thickness. The thicker film electrode exhibits a higher Pt utilization efficiency and higher activity, and promotes the orr kinetics at potentials relevant to fuel cell operations. The participation of Pt surfaces not in contact with the electrolyte solution in electrochemical reactions via the spillover of adsorbed hydrogen and oxygen species, is proposed to be responsible for the changes. The thicker catalyst layer is likely to modify the Pt particle–particle distance by providing shared Pt sites between adjacent carbon supports, to improve the surface density of active catalyst particles per single carbon support by sharing adjacent catalyst sites, and to increase the ratio of the particle surfaces free of blocking anions to the catalyst|electrolyte interface surfaces. The carbon-supported platinum catalyst layer becomes active at 0.90 V vs RHE only when the catalyst layer is thicker than 1 μm. To provide reasonable activity, the minimum catalyst layer thickness should be around 2–4 μm. These results should be considered in the design of the cathode catalyst layer of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.     

滤网式脑保护装置下颈动脉狭窄支架置入术的临床研究

目的探讨颈动脉支架置入术中滤网式脑保护装置的有效性及安全性。方法19例颈动脉狭窄患者在滤网脑保护装置下使用自膨胀支架行颈动脉支架置入术。观察脑栓塞的发生和所回收的过滤网。术后短期随访。结果19例滤网式脑保护装置下颈动脉支架置入术均成功实施,回收的过滤伞中8个发现组织碎片,无手术死亡及症状性脑梗塞并发症。临床短期随访无脑缺血发生。结论脑保护装置下支架置入术治疗颈动脉狭窄是安全和有效的。     

Carotid intima-media thickness in Parkinson's disease.

There have been a few studies and inconsistent results regarding the coincidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and atherosclerotic diseases, such as cerebrovascular disease. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a known marker for subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the carotid IMT between PD patients and controls. We studied 43 patients with PD and 86 matched controls. The carotid IMT in PD patients was significantly smaller than in controls (0.796 +/- 0.179 mm vs. 0.913 +/- 0.237 mm, P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the carotid IMT was inversely associated with the duration of levodopa medication and the severity of PD. These results suggest that PD patients have a lower risk of atherosclerosis.     

兔腹主动脉球囊成形术后狭窄过程中内皮素的动态变化及卡托普利的治疗作用

目的　观察内膜损伤后血管狭窄的主要病理变化和此过程中血浆内血管内皮素(endothelin ,ET)水平的动态变化及局部动脉组织内ET反应性 (ET immunoreaction ,ET IR) ,探讨卡托普利 (Captopril)对动脉球囊损伤后狭窄的影响。方法　大耳白兔 4 8只 ,依术后处死时间不同 (6h和 1、3、7、15、2 2d)按随机表法随机分为 6组 ,每组 8只 ,其中 3只为内膜损伤 (手术组 )、3只为损伤 卡托普利治疗 (治疗组 ) ,2只为对照组。术前及术后均采静脉血 ,手术组及治疗组置入微球囊导管于腹主动脉内制备内膜损伤模型。治疗组术前 1d给予卡托普利 2mg·kg-1·d-1直至处死当日。放射免疫法检测术前、术后血浆内ET水平 ,处死后取模型动脉血管 ,观察血管内膜厚度及管腔病理变化 ,免疫组织化学法检测动脉组织内ET反应。结果　手术组各时间段血浆ET水平 [平均值 (139 17± 16 86 )ng/L) ]和治疗组各时间段血浆ET水平 [平均值 (12 2 16± 13 5 6 )ng/L]均较术前 [平均值 (111 2 4±11 39)ng/L]升高 (P <0 0 1和P <0 0 5 ) ,手术组术后各时间段血浆ET水平比治疗组及对照组有明显升高 (P值均 <0 0 1) ,而治疗组与对照组术后血浆ET水平无显著性差异 ;手术组动脉内膜有不同程度增厚 ,主要以血管平滑肌细胞 (vascularsmoothmusclec     

Assessment of myocardial viability in rats: Evaluation of a new method using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and Gd-DOTA at high magnetic field.

The aim of this study was to detect salvageable peri-infarction myocardium by MRI in rats after infarction, using with a double contrast agent (CA) protocol at 7 Tesla. Intravascular superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles and an extracellular paramagnetic CA (Gd-DOTA) were used to characterize the peri-infarction zone, which may recover function after reperfusion occurs. Infarcted areas measured from T1-weighted (T1-w) images post Gd-DOTA administration were overestimated compared to histological TTC staining (52% +/- 3% of LV surface area vs. 40% +/- 3%, P=0.03) or to T2-w images post SPIO administration (41% +/- 4%, P=0.04), whereas areas measured from T2-w images post SPIO administration were not significantly different from those measured histologically (P=0.7). Viable and nonviable myocardium portions of ischemically injured myocardium were enhanced after diffusive Gd-DOTA injection. The subsequent injection of vascular SPIO nanoparticles enables the discrimination of viable peri-infarction regions by specifically altering the signal of the still-vascularized myocardium.     

面神经颅外段血供的应用解剖学研究

目的探讨面神经颅外段的动脉来源及分布. 方法 15例新鲜尸体头颈部标本经双侧颈总动脉插管,加压注入红色乳胶或过氯乙烯填充剂,观察面神经颅外段的血供来源及分布. 结果面神经营养动脉来源于耳后动脉的茎乳动脉、颞浅动脉面神经支、面横动脉、颈外动脉上面神经支、颈外动脉下面神经支、面动脉后面神经支和面动脉前面神经支,其外径分别为(0.8±0.2) mm、(0.9±0.4) mm、(1.9±0.3) mm、(1.0±0.2) mm、(1.1±0.4) mm、(1.0±0.2) mm和(1.1±0.6) mm.各营养动脉除营养面神经外还发出分支相互吻合,构成了丰富的面神经血管网. 结论了解面神经颅外段动脉血供来源及分布,为避免腮腺咬肌区手术损伤面神经营养血管提供了解剖学基础.     

Petrous internal carotid aneurysm causing epistaxis: balloon embolization with preservation of the parent vessel

Summary A patient with severe, recurrent posterior epistaxis was shown at angiography to have an aneurysm of the petrous portion of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Since childhood, she had had pain related to eustachian tube blockage by the aneurysm. An endovascular balloon embolization of the aneurysm was successful with preservation of the parent artery. The treatment resulted in resolution of the symtpoms. The report confirms the usefulness of an angiographic protocol in evaluating vascular problems.     

耳源性脑疝25例临床分析

耳源性脑疝25例,抢救成功者19例。采用单纯脑脓肿穿刺抽脓抢救脑疝6例,仅1例成功;开颅减压术抢救脑疝20例,18例抢救成功。本组临床实践和文献报道都说明耳源性脑疝一旦发生应即刻行开颅减压术,能卓有成效地抢救生命     

Serum IgA and IgG functional antibodies and their subclasses to Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular antigen found in two aged‐matched cohorts of children with and without otitis media with effusion

Serum IgA and IgG functional antibodies and their subclasses to Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular antigen found in two aged‐matched cohorts of children with and without otitis media with effusion The relationship between acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion (OME) is uncertain and the aetiology of OME is multifactorial. Otitis media with effusion may be an inflammatory condition; both bacteria and viral infections could play a part in this inflammation. The four bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Staphylococcus aureus and Branhamella catarrhalis cause 60% of the infections whereas S. pneumoniae accounts for up to 35%. IgA provides the dominant surface response to polysaccharide and lipopolysaccharide antigens, of which IgA₂ is the main subclass. Once the mucosa has been breached, most protection is provided by IgG. IgG₂ acts mainly against bacterial capsular antigens. This study looked at two groups of 50 children with and without OME who were aged between 3 and 10 years. The aims were to determine if, firstly, the levels of the serum immunoglobulins were different in the two groups, secondly whether these children made the appropriate antibody response to the capsular antigen to S. pneumoniae (PCP), and finally if there was a delay in the maturity of the IgA response. The total IgG, IgA and all subclass levels were measured using radial immunodiffusion. Levels of functional IgA and IgG were measured using ELISAs (25 patients in each group). The results were analysed with non‐parametric tests. The immunoglobulin levels were within the normal levels for both groups. There were very good correlations between the IgG total anti‐PCP and the IgG₂ anti‐PCP (R > 0.9, p = 0.001). There was a good correlation between the levels of both IgG total and IgG₂ anti‐PCP against IgA total anti‐PCP in both groups (R > 0.85, p > 0.01). This confirms a normal antibody response between both groups of patients. The ages of the controls and patients (50 samples) were correlated with increasing titres of circulating functional antibodies (P = 0.001). This is highly suggestive of a normal age‐related response. In conclusion, the findings were contradictory to our original hypothesis that there is a subtle difference in surface protection between children with and without OME. We believe that a previous history of recurrent acute otitis media is unrelated to the development of OME after 3 years of age.