FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis were applied to study the nylon 6–lithium salt systems. The DTA results show that lithium ions cause a significant reduction of the melting point of nylon–lithium salt samples. In addition, lithium salts can also prevent the crystallization of molten nylon in the cooling process. Temperature‐variable FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates that stronger hydrogen bonds form when nylon–lithium halide is molten. Such stronger hydrogen bonds in molten nylon lithium systems may account for the reduction of the melting point and delaying the crystallization of the amorphous nylon. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 2685–2690, 2000

Animal studies suggest that hyperglycaemia directly affects local blood flow and vascular reactivity. We studied the effects of 7 h of local forearm hyperglycaemia, on forearm (muscle) and skin microcirculatory blood flow in 12 healthy men. Furthermore, the effects of this local hyperglycaemia on forearm vasoreactivity to noradrenaline were studied. Using the perfused forearm technique, a local hyperglycaemia of approximately 16 mmol/l was induced by continuous intraarterial infusion of 5% glucose. All subjects received both glucose and placebo (0.9% NaCl) infusions on two different occasions, in random order and blinded for the subjects. Forearm (muscle) blood flow and vascular reactivity to noradrenaline were measured using venous occlusion plethysmography. Skin microcirculatory blood flow was evaluated using intravital capillary microscopy (nutritive blood flow) and laser-Doppler fluxmetry (thermoregulatory blood flow). Measurements were performed at baseline, after 4 h, and after 7 h of intraarterial glucose or placebo infusion. During local glucose infusion there was a slight increase in the levels of insulin, C-peptide, systemic glucose, and blood pressure, compared to the placebo experiments. No differences were observed in forearm blood flow and laser-Doppler flux ratio (infused: contralateral arm), as well as in capillary blood cell velocity between glucose and placebo experiments. Noradrenaline produced similar reductions in forearm blood flow ratio during glucose and placebo experiments. We conclude that in contrast to animal studies, local hyperglycaemia (approximately 16 mmol/l) for 7 h does not affect forearm macro and microcirculatory blood flow or vascular reactivity to noradrenaline in man.

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Background: Diabetic neuropathy (DNP) is a serious and common complication of diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence of around 30-50%. Aims:To describe the prevalence, severity and medical treatment of painful DNP (PDNP) experienced by patients treated in secondary care; to determine quality of life (QoL) impact and the relationship between severity of pain and severity of DNP. Methods:Cross-sectional, two-phase survey. First, a pain interview was conducted by telephone (219 DNP patients), which covered types of pain, location and duration.Secondly, 50 patients were visited at home. Patients completed the Brief Pain Inventory, the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Results: Prevalence of PDNP was 57.5%. Average and worst pain scores were 5.3±2.1 and 6.4±2.2, respectively (0-10 scale, 10 = worst pain imaginable). In 70% of patients, average pain was severe (score ≥5). Substantial interference by pain (score ≥4) was found in walking ability, sleep and normal activities. PDNP patients had a decreased QoL for all SF-36 domains (p≤0.01) except for health change.Moreover, symptoms of anxiety (36%) and depression (34%) were reported frequently.Medical treatment was prescribed in 46% of patients, in whom treatment was ineffective in 39%. Physical functioning scores were lower in patients with severe versus moderate DNP (p≤0.01). Conclusions:The prevalence of severe PDNP was high. Severity of DNP was not related to pain severity. PDNP was associated with loss of QoL and with symptoms of anxiety and depression. A considerable proportion of patients did not have medical treatment and, if treatment was given, its impact was disappointing. Medical treatment of PDNP was unsatisfactory and clearly needs to be improved.Eur Diabetes Nursing 2009; 6(2): 58-64

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