Search

The suitability was investigated of the segmental perfusion technique under an occluding balloon (which prevents the contamination of the test segment by upper digestive secretions and pancreatic proteolytic enzymes) for measuring immunoglobulin A (IgA) and serum albumin outputs into the jejunal lumen. The influence of the perfusion rate and of the transintestinal water movements in the 40 cm long test segment was studied in 11 healthy subjects. IgA and serum albumin outputs did not differ significantly when the same isotonic solution was perfused at rates of 5 or 10 ml/min, nor when water absorption was stimulated by the presence of glucose. A possible artefact linked to intestinal wall distension by the occluding balloon was evaluated in eight subjects with complete exocrine pancreas insufficiency. IgA and serum albumin outputs obtained under the occluding balloon were compared with those found with the triple non-occlusive method. Care was taken to achieve a similar flow rate and solute composition of the fluid entering the test segments with both techniques in each subject. Under these conditions, IgA and serum albumin outputs measured with both methods did not differ significantly. These findings validate the use of the segmental perfusion technique under an occluding balloon to measure IgA and serum albumin outputs into the human small intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The localization of hyaluronectin has been studied in normal skin and in basal cell carcinoma. In fetal skin it is abundant in the dermis but absent from the epidermis, and in adult skin it is totally absent except in the hair sheaths and bulbs. In basal cell carcinoma it is abundant only in the stroma reaction. The presence of this protein in mesenchymatous tissues seems to be linked to zones of physiological or neoplastic proliferation. Hyaluronectin is a protein which is biochemically characterized by its affinity for hyaluronic acid (Delpech, 1980; Delpech & Halavent, 1981). It has been purified from nervous system extracts and a specific antiserum was obtained which has allowed us to establish that this protein is identical to the mesenchyme associated antigen (MAA) which we have previously described (Delpecb et al., 1978, 1979). It is abundant in fetal skin and intestine and it reappears in considerable quantity in adult tumours (Delpech et al., 1979). In carcinomas it is present in the areas of mesenchymal proliferation which comprise the stroma reaction. In the current investigation we have studied hyaluronectin in skin and in basal cell carcinoma, a tumour which develops from undifferentiated epithelial germs. This choice was based on the ready accessibility and high frequency of these tumours and because around the epithelial lobules there is a stroma reaction which may be a model for carcinogenesis (Pinkus, 1979). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serum levels of hyaluronic acid (sHA) were measured using an affinoimmunoenzymatic assay in patients with distal (n = 16) and proximal (n = 15) progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and in 31 controls. The severity of PSS was evaluated using a standardized organ-involvement score. The mean sHA was significantly higher in the patients with PSS than in controls (means ±SD: 80±43.4 μg/1 vs. 42.3±19.1 μg/1, P <0.001). sHA was significantly higher in patients with proximal PSS than in patients with distal PSS (106.4±44.6 μg/1 vs. 55.4±23.8 μg/1, P <0.001). A positive correlation was found between sHA and the disease score (r=0.67, P <0.001). sHA was also correlated with lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (r=0.70, P <0.001), but only in those patients who had abnormal lung function, and therefore presumably had lung PSS involvement. We suggest that sHA could be an indicator of the degree of systemic involvement in PSS. Its prognostic value and possible use in the follow up of patients with PSS remain to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of acid compounds during the manufacture of ceramic tiles is strongly related to the presence of precursors in the raw materials and/or fuels used, with some exceptions such as the production of thermal NOX. The stages with the potential to produce significant emissions of these compounds have been identified as the suspension spray drying and tile firing stages. The monitoring of emission levels of acid pollutants in these stages has turned in a great importance issue from a regulatory and industrial aspect. The DREAM project (https://www.spire2030.eu/dream) will tackle the regulation of acidic emissions focusing in the firing stage. The initial stages of the project have made it possible to identify the design requirements for the monitoring system. This will allow the control of acid pollutants emissions and other key parameters such as pressure, flow, temperature and humidity. One of the tasks developed has been the review and compilation of current emissions monitoring systems detailing technical specifications such as: position (in situ or extractive), measurement principle and frequency. The future policy trends in air pollution are encouraging the continuous monitoring across the European industry. The present document assesses the advantages regarding environmental impact control, highlighting the main challenges for the ceramic tile industry.

Following the energy crisis in 1980, many saving technologies have been investigated with attempts to implement them into various industries, one of them is the field of ceramic production. In order to comply with energy saving trends and environmental issues, the European ceramic industry sector has developed energy efficient systems which reduced significantly production time and costs and reduced total energy consumption. The last achievement is of great importance as the energy consumption of the ceramic process accounts for a significant percentage of the total production costs. More precisely, the firing stage consumes the highest amount of energy during the whole ceramic production process. The use of roller kilns, fired by natural gas, involves a loss of 50% of the input energy via the flue gas and the cooling gas exhausts. This review paper briefly describes the production process of the different ceramic products, with a focus on the ceramic sector in Europe. Due to the limited on waste heat recovery in the ceramic industry, other high temperature waste heat recovery applications are considered in the paper, such as in concrete and steel production, which could have a potential use in the ceramic industry. The state of the art technologies used in the ceramics industry are reviewed with a special interest in waste heat recovery from the ceramic process exhaust stacks and energy saving technologies.

Presents a letter to the editor regarding implications of hyaluronan in various physiological functions.