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An electric field applied to a liquid saturated microporous media causes the moving of the liquid in one direction. This phenomenon is known as electroosmosis. The reverse case, a liquid flowing through a porous media, creates a current which is called streaming current. We recently performed cell measurements in which a sample of impregnated rock separates two chambers. The chambers are pressurised. Then a potential difference is applied by the help of two electrodes located in the two chambers.

Resume But de cette etude Le but de cette etude etait d’evaluer l’impact a long terme des complications chirurgicales sur la survie du transplant renal. Patients et methode Il s’agit d’une etude retrospective monocentrique sur 145 transplantations renales consecutives au CHU de Poitiers entre mars 1986 et fevrier 1995. Nous avons recueilli retrospectivement des donnees concernant le donneur, le receveur, l’anatomie du transplant, la transplantation et ses suites immediates et les complications chirurgicales. Resultats Il y a eu un total de 67 complications chirurgicales survenues chez 54 patients (38,3 %) durant la periode de suivi, c’est-a-dire 14,4 ± 6,23 ans en moyenne. Le taux de complications chirurgicales par transplantation etait de 47,5 % (IC95 % 36,4–58,6). L’incidence toutes complications confondues etait de 23,48 complications pour 100 000 patients-annees. Les complications urologiques representaient 58,2 % de l’ensemble des complications contre 26,9 % pour les complications parietales et 14,9 % pour les complications vasculaires. Les complications vasculaires avaient un impact pejoratif sur la survie du transplant (HR = 17,442, p Conclusion Ce travail n’a pas montre d’impact des complications urologiques traitees sur la survie du transplant.

Research on coronary artery atherosclerosis in humans is limited by our inability to carry out controlled experiments and by the long time required for lesions to develop. Fortunately, animal models of arterial pathology can give results comparable to those obtained in clinical trials, and provide important information about vascular responses to injury. These experimental models have become indispensable to our understanding of how coronary arteries interact with medical devices, and, in particular, to our understanding of the genesis of neointima formation. The models serve as the first stage in evaluating the safety and efficacy of new devices. They have a number of advantages: disease pathophysiology can be simulated; confounding variables can be closely controlled; and quantitative data can be obtained in a short period of time. The large variety of animal models used to study restenosis reflects the lack of an ideal model. Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages. This article contains a review of the principal animal models used to investigate restenosis, their main characteristics, and their advantages and disadvantages relative to clinical models, and discusses the factors that have to be taken into account in conceiving the ideal animal model or designing the perfect study.

Two categories of renal disorders associated with monoclonal gammopathies are to be distinguished, according to the characteristics of the underlying B-cell clone. The first group of renal diseases always occurs in the setting of high tumor mass with production of large amounts of monoclonal immunoglobulins. The main complication is the so-called myeloma cast nephropathy, which almost invariably complicates high tumor mass myeloma. The second group includes all renal disorders caused by a monoclonal immunoglobulin secreted by a nonmalignant B-cell clone, and currently referred as a "monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS)". This term was introduced to distinguish monoclonal gammopathies that are responsible for the development of kidney damage from those that are truly benign. The spectrum of renal diseases in MGRS is wide and its classification relies on the localization of renal lesions, either glomerular or tubular, and on the pattern of ultrastructural organization of immunoglobulin deposits. Physicochemical characteristics of the pathogenic monoclonal immunoglobulin are probably involved in their propensity to deposit or precipitate in the kidney, as illustrated by the high rate of recurrence of each specific type after kidney transplantation. Early diagnosis and efficient chemotherapy targeting the causal B-cell clone are mandatory to improve renal prognosis and patient survival.

Background andobjectivesThecalcimimeticcinacalcet reduced therisk of death or cardiovascular (CV) events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) who were receiving hemodialysis. To determine whether the lower risk in younger patients might be due to lower baseline CV risk and more frequent use of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone (kidney transplantation, parathyroidectomy, and commercial cinacalcet use), this study examined the effects of cinacalcet in older ($65 years, n=1005) and younger (,65 years, n=2878) patients. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) was a global, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled trial in 3883 prevalent patients on hemodialysis, whose outcomes included death, major CV events, and development of severe unremitting HPT. The age subgroup analysis was prespecified. ResultsOlderpatients hadhigher baselineprevalenceof diabetesmellitusandCV comorbidity. Annualizedrates of kidney transplantation and parathyroidectomy were .3-fold higher in younger relative to older patients and were more frequent in patients randomized to placebo. In older patients, the adjusted relative hazard (95% confidence interval) for the primary composite (CV) end point (cinacalcet versus placebo) was 0.70 (0.60 to 0.81); in younger patients, the relative hazard was 0.97 (0.86 to 1.09). Corresponding adjusted relative hazards for mortality were 0.68 (0.51 to 0.81) and 0.99 (0.86 to 1.13). Reduction in the risk of severe unremitting HPT was similar in both groups. Conclusions In the EVOLVE trial, cinacalcet decreased the risk of death and of major CV events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe HPT who were receiving hemodialysis. Effect modification by age may be partly explained by differences in underlying CV risk and differential application of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 10: ccc–ccc, 2015. doi: 10.2215/CJN.07730814

Coronary artery disease remains a major problem for Western societies. The advent of percutaneous interventions, including stents has brought clinical care to a new level of efficacy, yet problems remain. Restenosis following stenting in human coronary arteries appears at last to be yielding to therapeutic strategies, especially drug eluting stents. Because therapeutic percutaneous coronary intervention is widely dominated by the intracoronary stent, restenosis therapies must include the stented coronary artery. Animal models and in particular the porcine coronary model seem to represent the human coronary artery reaction to stenting. It mimics several clinical conditions including thrombosis and neointimal formation. A key question in the era of intravascular technologies is how well this and other models can predict clinical events. This paper discusses the models and their application.

This work shows that the transfer current recorded during a chronoamperometry of an electrodiffusion test is not governed by a simple law of conduction (Ohm's law), but it is influenced by the electrical double layer which is quantified by the parameter χ. Taking into account the effect of this double layer, we suggest a model that allows us to extract the transfer current generated by chloride diffusion. The flux of chloride ions is obtained without dosage in the downstream of the electrodiffusion cell, but from simple chronoamperometry.

A quantification of electrical double layer influence on chlorides electrodiffusion process in concrete is presented. The modelling is carried out at a microscopic scale of a concrete capillary. The study, which is based on electrical magnitudes engendered by transfers (density of current, potential, space charge density and conductivity), shows the generation of an induced electrical field opposed to the external field imposed. Simulations of the distribution of these parameters through a pore with variable section have shown that when the pores are small, more the opposition of the induced field to the electrodiffusion flux is efficient. Furthermore, the study reveals the existence of two time scales: – τ D characterizes the transfer process, it depends mainly on the nature of the chemical species present in pore solution, – τ c corresponds to the charge establishing time at the interface capillary wall-pore solution. It depends mainly on the electrical double layer capacity.

The authors have developed titanium oxide-based functionally graded materials (FGMs) offering special properties of high relative permittivity and photocatalysing capability. In the experiment reported, four such FGMs, sintered at furnace temperatures of 673, 873, 1073 and 1273 °K, were examined for their electrical behaviour, particularly relative permittivity and dielectric loss tangent. The measurement frequencies used were 0.25 ∼ 50 MHz. The paper concludes with a discussion of whether these materials can be used as photocatalyses for the sake of improving the environment. This would open up new applications for FGMs in the area of field relaxation and photocatalysis.

A metal/liquid interface corrosion-reaction model is developed for the flow electrification of low-conductivity liquids in metal pipes. In the proposed model, impurity anions participate in a corrosion reaction at the wall, leaving a net positive ion concentration in the diffuse electrical double layer. Convection of this positive charge constitutes the streaming current. Theoretical calculations for the convected space charge density demonstrate a velocity-dependent entrance effect that diminishes in pipes of larger radii, in agreement with experimental data for heptane in stainless steel pipes. Far downstream, the proposed model also correctly predicts that the convected space charge density falls with increasing pipe radius. As in previous work, the convected space charge density far downstream, (I/Qecb)∞, is found to be linear with the ζ-potential. However, the proposed model is self-consistent in that the ζ-potential arises as part of the calculation and is not an adjustable constant characteristic o...

It is a known fact that very high potentials can be generated during the flow of dielectric liquids, especially for hydrocarbons and liquefied gas. For such liquids the flow is highly turbulent. In the first part of this study, the mechanism of charge formation is analysed by taking the effect of the eddy diffusivity into account. These are two-phase flows and the influence of the ratio liquid/gas on the charge generated is explored. The second part of the study is experimental. The electrical potentials generated during the various phases of the unloading of a tanker are measured. A potential of /spl sim/3 kV is observed inside the pipe at the beginning of the unloading process. >

An analysis is presented of the fluctuations of the potential difference between two parts of metallic tube insulated to each other and through which a dielectric liquid is flowing with a turbulent flow. First, the phenomenon of the convection of the double layer appearing at the contact solid/liquid and in the case of a turbulent flow is described. Then, the expected reasons of the potential fluctuations existing are proposed. Equipment is developed to measure the potential difference, and the experiments are presented and discussed. >

Screening for early-stage asymptomatic cancers (e.g., breast and colon) to prevent late-stage malignancies has been widely accepted. However, although atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart attack and stroke) accounts for more death and disability than all cancers combined, there are no national screening guidelines for asymptomatic (subclinical) atherosclerosis, and there is no government or healthcare-sponsored reimbursement for atherosclerosis screening. Parts I and II of this consensus statement elaborated on new discoveries in the field of atherosclerosis that led to the concept of the vulnerable patient. These landmark discoveries, along with the new diagnostic and therapeutic options, have set the stage for the next step: translation of this knowledge into a new practice of preventive cardiology. The identification and the treatment of the vulnerable patient are the focus of this consensus statement.

Identifying plaque morphology and surface characteristics, especially for the carotid arteries, has proven important for revealing stroke pathogenesis. Imaging modalities that provide such information now exist and can monitor the progression of the diseased vessel, along with the effects of drugs on atherosclerotic plaque. This chapter summarizes the imaging tools to visualize and characterize vulnerable and stable atherosclerotic carotid plaque.

Plasma cell dyscrasias are characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of a single clone of B cells which is responsible for the secretion of a monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) or Ig subunit that can deposit in tissues. They can cause a wide range of renal diseases. Light-chain amyloidosis—renal presentation is usually with proteinuria, often progressing to nephrotic syndrome. A progressive decline in renal function may occur, leading finally to endstage renal failure. Diagnosis is made by the detection of monoclonal gammopathy and free light-chain excess in the serum (90% of cases), in combination with biopsy evidence of amyloid-forming light-chain deposits. Myeloma—renal failure is found at presentation in 20% of patients, occurs in 50% at some time, and is most commonly caused by cast nephropathy, with renal biopsy typically showing ‘fractured’ casts. Chemotherapy should be introduced promptly. Light-chain, light- and heavy-chain, and heavy-chain deposition disease—collectively known as monoclonal Ig deposition diseases, present with proteinuria and renal failure. Diagnosis is by renal biopsy. Treatment strategy is based on chemotherapy (bortezomib-based regimens) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in selected cases. Fibrillary glomerulonephritis and immunotactoid glomerulopathy—usual presentation is with nephrotic syndrome, microscopic haematuria, and hypertension. Immunotactoid glomerulopathy usually responds to chemotherapy. Cryoglobulinaemia—type II (‘essential mixed’) may present with proteinuria, haematuria, hypertension, and gradually declining renal function, or with an acute nephritic picture. Renal biopsy typically reveals membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with massive subendothelial deposits. Treatment involves antiviral agents and/or immunosuppression. Tumour lysis syndrome—a life-threatening metabolic emergency that occurs in patients with haemopathies with high cell turnover, mostly at the onset of chemotherapy. Treatment is based on saline diuresis (if possible), rasburicase, and haemodialysis (if required).

15-HETE is an arachidonic acid derivative issued from the 15 lipoxygenase pathway. This fatty acid possesses immunomodulatory capabilities since it was reported that it generates CD8 + suppressor T-cells either in vitro or ex vivo. The aim of the present report was to study if the suppressive capabilities of 15-HETE were able to influence the onset of the NZB/NZW Fl auto-immune disease. For that purpose we produced 15-HETE and injected the eicosanoid twice a week to NZB/WFI mice for 40 weeks. During the 15-HETE treatment of the animals it was observed an augmentation of the proliferative response of lectin-stimulated splenocytes (at weeks 20 and 30) then the thymidine uptake decreased (at week 40). In fact we observed that among 15-HETE treated mice the evolution of the nephropathy was not changed, the 'glomerular activity score' remained the same for the treated animals compared to controls. On the contrary antinuclear antibodies occurred earlier even if in some experiments the generation of CD8 + cells was demonstrated.

The smoking process is a batch one with long duration processing (some hours). Deposition of smoke particles can be enhanced by electrostatic precipitation. However, a better knowledge of the fundamental physics is needed to optimize the process. We carried out experimental and numerical studies to obtain essential information on the smoke flow. First, experiments physically characterized the wood smoke. These measures lead us to study the turbulent two-phase flow using an algebraic slip model. The main coupling with electrical forces is taken into account through the slip velocity. Various assumptions were tested concerning the coupled phenomena in order to build an algorithm that is able to simulate these phenomena. Numerical resolutions are compared with data from the literature on a simple electrostatic precipitator (three wires between two plates). Simultaneously, experiments were performed on a simplified scaled-down model. of the smoking process (wires and one plate). The results of particle image velocimetry show clearly that the electrostatic precipitation phenomenon is effective above a threshold voltage and is significantly influenced by geometry of electrodes. Experiments and numerical resolutions underwent a validation phase. A small-size industrial demonstrator, of which the promising results will not be discussed in this paper, was conceived by exploiting the presented works.

The Cantor's Dust method of fractal analysis has been used to describe the regularity of fracture patterns in geological materials seen on a two-dimensional surface. This linear method of analysis is well adapted to a determination of two-dimensional phenomena. The determination of the fractal dimension, D, indicates that it varies regularly as a function of the orientation of the analysis direction. This is taken to indicate that there is a relation, unexplained as yet, between the regularity of the fracture pattern and the forces which produced it. The use of the Cantor's Dust method on naturally fractured materials ranging in dimension from 3 mm to 45 m in maximum dimension indicates the fractal nature of the fractures found in natural materials. The analysis method can also be used to identify local variations in the stress field which caused failure, such as the fractures in a feldspar compared to those in the host granite, etc. The method appears to be a sensitive descriptive measure of the failure patterns in rocks.

Human coronary artery research is limited by an inability to control experiments and by the slowness of lesion development. Animal arterial injury models offer an opportunity for understanding restenosis mechanisms and for testing new treatments for safety and efficacy. In these models the pathophysiological aspects of disease can be simulated, variables can be controlled, and statistical data accrued in short time periods. The ideal animal restenosis model should have comparable human coronary anatomy, histology, and physiology. It should closely mimic human restenosis pathophysiology and reliably predict the outcome of human clinical trials. Other ideal characteristics include availability, inexpensive to acquire and maintain, and easy to handle. Many animal models have been used for restenosis studies. This variety comes because the ideal animal model does not exist. Each animal model has advantages and disadvantages. This chapter discusses the principal animal models described for restenosis studies, their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages compared with humans, and the considerations necessary for proximity to and ideal animal model and study design.

This paper deals with experimental measurements of the ionic wind velocity of 3 types of corona discharges in air at atmospheric pressure: a DC surface discharge established between two wires flush mounted on the wall of a dielectric, a DC volume discharge in a point-to-grid geometry and an AC surface barrier discharge generated by application of a sine HV between two electrodes flush mounted on both side of a dielectric. The measurement of the ionic wind velocity profiles allows to determine the mechanical power induced by each discharge, and then the electromechanical efficiency of each device.

As far as Static Electrification diagnosis in transformers is concerned, previous works have shown that the commonly applied measurements (leakage currents, Electrostatic Charging Tendency or ageing test for tan˜) were not completely reliable. As part of the research program of Electricite de France, a prototype of a new sensor dedicated to characterization of the phenomenon, when pressboard-oil insulation is present, has been developed with the University of Poitiers. To simulate the pressboard-made channels inside transformer, this device consists in a small pressboard with facilities for measuring reliable parameters related to the generation (accumulated charge) and leakage (leakage current) phases of the phenomenon. As it was likely to be installed on a real transformer, the sensor has been inserted, for its development, in a loop representing at a small- scale the oil path in a transformer with "on line" conductivity and moisture content monitoring. This complete setup has made it possible to investigate the parameters behaviour with regard to oil temperature and velocity during transient and steady states with and without flow. A first electrical model for the electro-kinetics of the sensor has been deduced from the analysis of the results. This device seems a promising tool to predict electrostatic hazards and to derive criteria for Static Electrification diagnosis in transformers.

Theoretical and numerical investigations have been conducted to evaluate the on-set conditions of flow electrification induced electrohydrodynamic secondary flow in smooth pipe and pipe with multiple cylinders in cross flow conditions. The nondimensional parameters control flow electrification and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow were derived from the mass conservation, momentum conservation, energy conservation, charged particle transport and Poisson's equations for liquid flow. For single-phase flow of liquid, in addition to conventional dimensionless numbers for flow heat and mass transfers (Re, Ra, Pr, Sc), and EHD flow (E/sub t0/, E/sub t/spl epsi//), new variables the Debye number D/sub b/, ion drift number F/sub E/ are defined. The results show that the EHD number based on the space charge density /spl Gt/ Re/sup 2/ is required for the inducing EHD secondary flow in the downstream of pipe for single phase flow. The results also show that the change in relaxation time should be used only when F/sub E//spl Gt/1 and F/sub E//spl Gt/ReSc/sub i/ conditions. We propose that the Debye number D/sub b/, Re and Sc/sub i/ replace the change relaxation time for the transient change relaxation estimation in fluid flow. The effect of flow on the electrification is also expressed in terms of diffusion Reynolds number of ions.

When a liquid with good insulating properties flows through a pipe an electrical charge is generated. In the author's previous investigations of charge volume in such cases, the charge was found to depend on the product of (1) the quantity of dissociated ions in the liquid and (2) the quantity of energy required to transfer these ions to the interface and there to adsorb them. It therefore became apparent that whereas the liquid's conductivity depends on the positive and negative charges contained in it, the charging tendency is determined solely by the quantity of dissociated ions. Here, the authors discuss the equation they have derived from factors (1) and (2) above, and test this equation by curve fitting. Finally, they deduce the relation between the conduction activation energy thus determined and streaming current. >

The authors analyze the effect of the temperature, and the natural conductivity of the liquid on the flow electrification of dielectric liquids. When the temperature is changing, the specific absorption on the wall, as well as the conductivity, vary. It is then possible to express the evolution of the flow electrification in terms of these two parameters. A special device has been perfected in which the liquid flows in a circular loop. The charge convected in pipes of several radii and two materials were measured for flows of liquid heptane at different temperatures. >

There are many renal diseases associated with monoclonal gammopathies. They are heterogeneous in nature and are not always related to the presence of the M component in serum and/or urine. It is particularly important to determine the exact types of immunoglobulin deposited and their monotypy/monoclonality, using specific anti-light chain (LC) conjugates and, in some instances, anti-heavy chain (HC) subclass conjugates. Light microscopy alone may enable the pathologist to define a pattern of renal injury but rarely to define a disease. The histologic pattern and identification of monotypic immunoglobulin deposits in renal tissue are in some cases sufficient for the diagnosis of AL amyloidosis, type I cryoglobulinic glomerulonephritis or ‘Randall type’ MIDD. Electron microscopy is particularly valuable for the precise localization of immunoglobulin deposits and for determining the pattern of deposition: organized, homogeneous (non-organized) or mixed. New entities in the broad spectrum of monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition diseases are emerging from electron microscopy studies of renal diseases related to monoclonal gammopathies. We propose here a comprehensive classification for diseases featuring the deposition in tissues of monoclonal Ig.

Non-amyloid glomerulopathies characterized by Congo-red negative organized immunoglobulin (Ig) deposits display two characteristic patterns by electron microscopy (EM); either randomly arranged (pseudo-amyloid) fiibrils or microtubules usually larger and ordered in parallel arrays 1–23. It is currently unclear whether this morphological distinction is relevant. Certain investigators consider that such a distinction is of no clinical or pathophysiological basis, and propose that fiibrillar and microtubular Ig deposits are merely variants of the same glomerulopathy, referred to as fiibrillary-immunotactoid GN3,1 5,1 g,2o They also advocate that this diagnosis should be limited to patients with primary renal disorders, thus excluding patients with monoclonal gammopathy, systemic diseases or lymphoproliferative disorders3,7. Others suggest that distinguishing immunotactoid (IT) GN and FGN is critical 10,12–14,19 In immunotactoid GN, defiined by the presence of orderly arranged microtubules usually more than 30 nm in width, glomerular Ig are often monotypic. Immunotactoid GN may be associated with monoclonal gammopathy and/or hematological malignancy with improved renal prognosis after chemotherapy6,10,13,14 On the contrary, in FGN the diameter of fiibrils is less than 30 nm and these patients present without underlying hematological disease5,8,12,13,22,23 Moreover, a predominance of polyclonal IgG4 in glomerular deposits has been reported in FGN 12,16,23, but not in immunotactoid GN3,6,14.

The experimental evidence of the electrical double layer (EDL) at the dielectric liquid-solid interface is an important question. It is a fundamental problem which has given several physical models and numerous industrial applications concerning electrical engineering (transformers, wet cables and capacitors). The thermal step technique, recently, has shown its great sensitivity in measuring space charge in several geometries, particularly in cables. This method has been tried here in order to verify the assumptions made in models established several years ago.

The concept of functionally gradient materials (FGMs) has emerged recently in Japan. Application fields for such materials are found in mechanical, chemical, biological and electrical engineering. In electrical engineering, they have utilisation potential in feeler sensors, resistors, magnetic shields, lossless optical fibres and superconductors. Hitherto two kinds of techniques have been available for the manufacture of FGMs: chemical and physical vapour deposition methods. Physical vapour deposition methods include sputtering and injection of ions. This paper proposes a new physical manufacturing method developed by the authors: a progressive and gradual introduction of additives. The method itself is explained and the materials produced by it are examined with respect to their resistivity and heat emitting properties. >

An equation is introduced to express the electrification current in insulating liquids. In the experiments concerning the electrification-inhibiting effect of ionic and nonionic additives used with transformer oil, nonionic additives were found to perform better. Further tests were made with 11 different nonionic additive agents (of the polyoxyethylene type) having known chemical structures in order to investigate the relation of structure and performance. In the case of interface activation agents belonging to the polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, and polyoxyethylene oleyl ether groups, the level of electrification was found to rise with an increase in HLB (the balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bases). In the case of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, electrification diminishes despite the rise in HLB. The reason for this would seem to lie in the special properties of the phenyl base. >

A probe has been perfected which establishes a relation between the velocity of a laminar flow of a dielectric liquid and the current due to the convection of a part of the electrical diffuse layer. In the first part of the paper, the theoretical diffuse layer appearing on a flat plate and for a liquid at rest is computed. Then, when the liquid is moving the electric charge convected and the potential difference between two points of the plate are obtained. The second part of the paper describes the probe, and a series of experiments performed all along a cross section. >

It is well known that titanium materials can be used as photocatalysers for the adsorption of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In Osaka, such materials are already being tested on the surfaces of pavements and building walls. They are also used in anti-bacteria tiles in operating theatres. In the field of electrical engineering, too, the high relative permittivity of titanium allows these materials to play an important role in two areas: firstly as field relaxation agents, and secondly as high-voltage insulators to enhance the performance capacity of machinery. To meet the strenuous demands that these electrical uses place on the materials, two recourses are available to material designers: either the development of new materials, or the control of electrical fields within existing ones. The authors of this paper have attempted to manufacture a material permitting the control of field forces by taking advantage of properties of functionally graded materials (FGMs). The basic idea behind this is to guard against damage to machinery by bringing about relaxation in those parts where field forces are too high and increasing forces in parts where they are too low. The FGMs described in this paper are combined from titanium oxide and Korean kaolin. They allow a graded change in relative permittivity between the two surfaces. The paper compares the relative permittivities of these FGMs with those of 15 kinds of uniform material. There is a concluding discussion on the field relaxation effect.

An experimental investigation has been conducted to study the effect of gravity direction on the EHD (electrohydrodynamically) induced surface wave phenomena on the surface of dielectric diesel oil thin films under wire-plate barrier discharges. Diesel oil used is dielectric constant /spl epsiv//sub s/=2.2 and conductivity /spl sigma/=5/spl times/10/sup -5/ /spl mu/S/m and positive dc (on/off) high voltage was imposed on the plate electrode. Experiments are conducted for the applied voltage from 0 to 29 kV and gravity to corona wire (horizontal electric field) direction from (co-field) to 90 (cross-field) degrees. The experimental results show that: (1) The oil film wire and an expanding depression surface wave initiated with short time delay when voltage is off to on under cross-field cases. After another short delay, hydraulic jump imploding wave is also generated. (2) For voltage on to off in cross-field case, T-L type expanding wave is generated with short delay time and then imploding wave is formed behind T-L type waves. (3) For the co-field case, expanding wave without imploding wave formation in voltage off to one conditions was observed, and T-L type wave with imploding wave was observed in on to off conditions. The wave propagation speed is always higher in the gravitation direction.

The authors of this paper have previously developed a successive layer accretion method based on vacuum filtration, for the manufacture of functionally graded materials (FGMs) by a progressive lamination procedure. For this, they have been granted a U.S. Patent. Using this method, it is possible to manufacture FGMs with thicknesses ranging from several millimetres to several centimetres. The authors have previously manufactured functionally graded materials consisting of iron (III) oxide-kaolin, copper oxide-kaolin and titanium oxide-kaolin, using the said successive layer accretion method. The manufactured FGMs were examined using an SEM to investigate their grading characteristics. Electrical properties such as resistivity, permittivity and permeability were also measured. In the present paper, they report results of permittivity and resistivity measurements conducted on an FGM consisting of titanium oxide and kaolin.

The 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics software ESTET developed at the RandD center of Electricite de France has been used to simulate flow electrification in power transformers. To take into account the phenomena, extensions in ESTET were carried out concerning the introduction of the Poisson equation for electric potential, the migration of fluid particles in electric field, the dissociation-recombination of the ionic species in chemical equilibrium and the electric force in the Navier-Stokes equations. The interfacial charge transfer law is derived from the H. Walmsley's model but involves ionic concentrations of both sides of the interface. Transient and steady state simulations, in good agreement with experimental data, show that some parameter sets lead to great gradients of potential in the pressboard which might be the cause of the hazardous discharges observed in power transformers.

The theoretical aim of maintenance cyclosporine monotherapy (mCsA) after kidney transplantation is to reduce the incidence of the metabolic complications of corticosteroids and to minimize the adverse effects of excessive long-term immunosuppression. This study was performed in low-immunological-risk cadaveric kidney transplant recipients to evaluate the risks and benefits of mCsA and the long-term graft survival, and to determine the factors predicting success of this policy.The multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 329 Caucasian patients receiving mCsA out of 728 first cadaveric kidney transplant recipients. The inclusion criteria were: HLA antibodiesor =25%, serum creatinine200 micromol/L, and no rejection or only one rejection episode. At the end of the study, we compared the group of patients successfully treated with mCsA (successful group) with those requiring additional immunosuppressive agents (unsuccessful mCsA group).Overall patient and graft survival rates for the 728 first cadaveric graft were 92% and 64%, respectively, at 8 years. Out of 329 patients enrolled in mCsA, 240 were maintained on this treatment and 89 were withdrawn (3 deaths, 18 graft losses, 68 functional grafts). The 8-year graft survival in the 329 enrolled mCsA patients was 84%, 95% in the successful mCsA group, and 70% in the unsuccessful mCsA group. Multivariate analysis showed that the factors predicting success of mCsA were: donor age40 years (P = 0.001), serum creatinine at mCsA initiation125 micromol/L (P = 0.02), no rejection episode before mCsA initiation (P = 0.005), and glomerulopathy as the primary renal disease (P = 0.001).Numerous kidney transplant recipients with a low immunological risk and good and stable renal function may benefit from discontinuation of prednisone and azathioprine in order to reduce the complications related to these drugs. This therapeutic approach had no adverse impact on the overall long-term graft survival for "low risk" and successful patients.

A technique of electrical decontamination of soil using electrokinetic phenomenal has been developed. The method is based on the application of an electric field between electrodes placed in the ground. By this process it is possible either to remove pollutants contaminating the soil or to contain them to that they do not spread to the surrounding subsoil. The paper discuses the principal mechanisms, which can induce the motion of contaminants under the effect of the electric field: electromigration, electroosmosis and electrophoresis. The results of several experiments are presented. The rate of extracted pollutant increases as the electric field intensity increases and as pore thickness decreases. The importance of 3D morphological analysis of soil emphasized.

The treatment of diesel particle deposit, using a surface dielectric barrier discharge, is investigated. Main results show that, in the presence of diesel particle deposit, discharge current and averaged electric power decrease gradually with the treatment duration. During the treatment process, the microdischarges are intense locally. At the end of the treatment, the discharge behavior is similar to the one obtained with a clean dielectric surface.

The occurrence of kidney diseases was very rarely reported in heavy chain diseases (HCD). At variance with gamma and alpha HCD in which there is no free light chain secretion, about two-thirds of mu HCD patients have urinary Bence Jones (BJ) proteins. We report on a 66 year-old man affected with typical mu HCD who developed renal failure after a 3-year follow-up. He had presented with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with bone marrow vacuolated plasma cells, serum mu HCD protein and serum and urine BJ protein. After an apparent hematological remission following fludarabine therapy, anemia and blood hyperlymphocytosis recurred together with microscopic hematuria, proteinuria and increased creatininemia. Kidney biopsy showed numerous tubular eosinophilic casts which stained for kappa chain determinants by immunofluorescence and an interstitial infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells. The hematological and renal condition improved after reinitiation of chemotherapy. This appears to be the first documented report of a light chain-dependent visceral complication in HCD.

A female patient has suffered from Behçet's disease (BD) for 15 years. During one recurrent episode proteinuria and microscopic hematuria were discovered. Renal biopsy revealed focal segmental glomerulopathy with IgA deposits. Renal involvement in BD is uncommon and includes amyloidosis, crescentic glomerulonephritis and IgA nephropathy. BD is a cause of secondary IgA nephropathy. Immunologic features of the two diseases, particularly increased serum IgA, are reviewed.

We report the case of a 53 year-old woman with paroxystic hypertension and digital ischemia. The only triggering factor was chronic intoxication by a nasal vasoconstrictor:fenoxazoline. The worsening of the lesions required amputation of the third phalanx of the 3rd and 5th finger and the pulp of the 4th finger of the left hand. The review of literature exhibits association between fenoxazoline intoxication and paroxystic hypertension, myocardial ischemia or stroke, but association between fenoxazoline intoxication and digital ischemia has never been reported. We emphasize the extreme caution necessary with the prescription and the chronic consumption of this kind of drug.