Vascular syndromes in liver cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis is associated with multiple vascular syndromes affecting almost all body systems. Many of these syndromes are directly related to impaired liver function and sometimes reversible after liver transplantation while others arise secondary to portal hypertension and ascites. Altered expression of angiogenic and vasoactive compounds (most importantly nitric oxide), endothelial dysfunction, dysregulated neurohormonal control, and systemic inflammatory state play differential roles in mediating homeostatic instability and abnormal vasogenic response.

Contribution of a new generation field-emission scanning electron microscope in the understanding of a 2099 Al-Li alloy.

Aluminum-lithium alloys are widespread in the aerospace industry. The new 2099 and 2199 alloys provide improved properties, but their microstructure and texture are not well known. This article describes how state-of-the-art field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) can contribute to the characterization of the 2099 aluminum-lithium alloy and metallic alloys in general.

Successful treatment of chylous ascites secondary to sarcoidosis with methotrexate.

A 39-year-old African American woman with sarcoidosis developed chylous ascites. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed extensive thoracic, mesenteric, and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Initial therapy with corticosteroids was unsuccessful in managing ascites and she needed frequent large-volume paracentesis for symptomatic relief.

Simulation and quantitative assessment of homogeneous and inhomogeneous particle distributions in particulate metal matrix composites.

Reinforcement distributions play an important role in various aspects of the processing and final mechanical behaviour of particulate metal matrix composites (PMMCs). Methods for quantifying spatial distribution in such materials are, however, poorly developed, particularly in relation to the range of particle size, shape and orientation that may be present in any one system. The present work investigates via computer simulations the influences of particle morphology, homogeneity and inhomogeneity on spatial distribution measurements obtained by finite-body tessellation.

Secondary phase distribution analysis via finite body tessellation.

The concept of a Dirichlet tessellation has been extended to that of a 'finite body' tessellation to provide a more meaningful description of the spatial distribution of non-spherical secondary phase bodies on two-dimensional sections. A finite body tessellation consists of a network of cells constructed from the interfaces of each individual secondary phase body such that every point within a cell is closer to the corresponding body than to any other. Spatial distribution related cell characteristics derived from Dirichlet tessellations have been extended to finite body tessellations.

Fibronectin: its relationship to basement membranes. I. Light microscopic studies.

Fibronectin is a large molecular weight glycoprotein which has been shown to be associated with cell surfaces, extracellular fluids, and connective tissues. Its possible relationship with basement membranes remains controversial. To define this relationship, the distribution of this antigen was evaluated by light microscopic immunoperoxidase techniques in kidney, skin, skeletal muscle, gastrointestinal tract and parietal yolk sac carcinoma.