bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel materials for moist wound management: Alginate-psyllium hybrid fibres
Authors: Mahsood R. , Miraftab M. 
Published: May 2014

Objective: To assess the feasibility of producing high absorbing, high gelling hybrid fibres made from alginate and psyllium. Method: Three methods of psyllium extraction were attempted: the hot, cold and hydrolysed method. The extracted psyllium was sieved before addition to the alginate dope. To assess feasibility, each dope was in turn extruded on a bench-top extruder and then on a pilot-size wet extruder. Calcium chloride solution was used as the coagulation medium for all the extrusions. The produced fibres were subsequently assessed for their linear density, tensile strength, absorption characteristics and swelling behaviour. Optical microscopy was also used to illustrate hybrid fibre swelling behaviour under different conditions Results: This feasibility study has shown that hybrid fibres can be produced when using different methods of psyllium extraction, proving the feasibility of the proposed methodology. However, based on physical and functional assessment of the fibres, it was found that the cold water extraction method leads to better hybrid fibres with superior tensile properties, liquid absorption and swelling, which would render them most suitable for heavily exudating wounds. Conclusion: The cold water route is found to be the most effective way of producing polysaccharide-based hybrid fibres. This method is also the least expensive, both in terms of room temperature preparations and functional effectiveness, using only 0.75% psyllium. This fibre is therefore recommended for wound dressing applications. Declaration of interest: There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
A guide to reading scientific journal articles
Authors: Sibson Lynda 
Published: May 2014

This article provides an overview of how to read and review a journal article for a range of purposes. Articles are read for a variety of reasons, such as to support the review of a specific subject area, for a research study or academic research. Reading articles on a regular basis will not only improve your academic reading skills but also will begin to develop your skills in critical analysis of journal articles and their application to practice. A breakdown is provided of different aspects of an article with some suggested questions to ask in order to ensure that you get the most from the article. Several types of journal article are outlined, including case studies, literature reviews and research articles. Also highlighted are some of the pitfalls when reading articles and suggestions for ways to develop confidence in critical reading and share expertise and experience to inform clinical practice.
Managing childhood fever in a prehospital setting
Authors: Cook Kerry 
Published: May 2014

In 2007, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) produced guidelines on feverish illness in children concentrating specifically on assessment and initial management in children under 5 years. Fever has been identified as one of the most common reasons for children to be taken to their GP or the emergency department and a principal rationale for admission to children's wards. Usually fever indicates some underlying viral or bacterial infection, which is predominantly self-limiting. However, a few are serious in nature requiring urgent treatment, such as meningitis, septicaemia, urinary tract infection and pneumonia. It is imperative that prehospital health practitioners (paramedic technicians, emergency care practitioners, nurse practitioners) have an ability to think critically about the potential aetiologies displaying this clinical feature, an understanding of current evidence-based management guidelines and a commitment to standardize practice. The aim of this article is to explore and incorporate the NICE guidelines into an appraisal of the ill child presenting with a fever, using the SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) model of assessment (Weed, 1969) for structure. Furthermore, the physiology of fever will be outlined briefly to provide baseline underpinning knowledge and understanding.
Q waves: do they indicate full thickness infarcts?
Authors: Hitt Andy 
Published: May 2014

The link between pathological Q waves and myocardial necrosis was first observed at autopsy in the early 20th century, an observation that has continued to influence ECG interpretation to the present day. As students we are taught that pathological Q waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG) represent permanent, full thickness myocardial necrosis thus implying that the damage is done and subsequent treatment futile: but could advancing technology challenge this widely held perception? With the development of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) the question regarding the significance of Q waves has been asked at a new level. The purpose of this article is to compare theory, pathological observations, CMRI/PET studies and to discuss how myocardial stunning and hibernation are influencing our perception of the Q wave. There are many factors that can influence QRS manifestation which may or may not exhibit Q waves that are permanent or transient, sinister or benign and by oversimplifying the significance of these Q waves many patients could be denied life changing treatment.
A review of trauma patients taken to hospital by air ambulance
Authors: Whittingham Eleanor , Bleetman Tony 
Published: May 2014

Introduction Doctors are being introduced on air ambulance services in the UK. Meaningful assessment of air ambulance services is difficult owing to inter-service variation. County air ambulance (CAA) (rebranded as Midland's Air Ambulance after this article was written) progressively introduced doctors into their service from 2006 providing an opportunity to gather data and quantify the sample size that will be required to assess their impact on patient survival. Method CAA trauma alerts to Selly Oak Hospital (the main receiving hospital for the service) between 1 January 2006-30 June 2007 were reviewed. Crew composition, mission data and patient notes were examined and the abbreviated injury score 98 and injury severity score were used to calculate the probability of survival. Survival outcome was ascertained at 90 days. Data analysis included survival analysis; Cox regression; logistic regression; tests for association (CI 95%, P<0.05). Post-hoc power calculations were undertaken. Results 299 cases were identified, 186 met the inclusion criteria. The probability of survival ranged between 5.56-99.48%. There was no statistically significant association found between crew composition and survival (P=0.355) and post-hoc power calculations showed 54 258 events would be required to assess this. If accepting 80% power and assuming our proportion of 14% mortality ± 5%, 800 events would be required in each arm of future studies. Conclusions Our post-hoc power calculations revealed that a national or multi-centre study is needed to assess this aspect of aircrew composition in order to prove or discount associations between crew composition and survival at 90 days. Now that a power estimate is available, designing adequately powerful studies will be possible; enabling monitoring the increasing deployment of this expensive resource and examining the effect of doctors on air ambulances. This is of increasing importance to assess as medically-led air ambulance missions increase.
The neurological outcome of post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Authors: Stancil Stewart A 
Published: May 2014

EMS personnel immediately see the results of resuscitation failures, but rarely are they able to see the long-term positive outcomes of their efforts. Paramedics are occasionally involved in successful cardiopulmonary codes. They have insight into the situation by seeing the location and events surrounding the emergency first-hand, but without having much awareness of the long progression to recovery or of specifically how their team's interventions may have aided that recovery. During medical school, the author had the opportunity to follow such patients and observe their progression daily through the emergency department (ED), intensive care unit (ICU), hospital medical wards, and finally to discharge. This case report discusses the neurological recovery of Mr L, a patient who was successfully resuscitated from a cardiopulmonary code. The case report will highlight his recovery, as well as examine some of the interventions that were made at the prehospital and emergency department level that played a positive role in the patient's recovery. To focus on the specific components of the case which are relevant to EMS, only information essential to the case discussion is presented.
Is the role of the paramedic lecturer practitioner fit for purpose?
Authors: Lavender David 
Published: May 2014

Lecturer practitioners have been in existence in nursing since the late 1980s ( Elcock, 1998 , Ramage, 2004 ). Since then the role has been developed and refined, but the overarching concept has remained the same: that is to support students and staff in their workplace ( Redwood et al, 2002 ). Paramedic education has moved into the higher education arena, and with it comes the responsibilities of supervising and managing students in clinical practice. The lecturer practitioner role is currently one of the ways in which this issue is tackled. Within this literature review the role of the lecturer practitioner in the wider health care context is considered, followed by an examination of the successes and problems encountered in the role. An evaluation of future strategies to improve the role then ensues followed by a discussion section that relates the identified literature to paramedic practice. The overall conclusion is that the lecturer practitioner role is suitable for paramedic practice but some adjustments should be made to the nursing model in order to accommodate the peculiarities of paramedic practice.
Sexually transmitted infections: impact in the remote and overseas environment
Authors: Osborne Stephen 
Published: May 2014

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and remote areas workers have a direct relationship more so than in other workforces. Overseas and migrant workers appear to be affected by these types of infectious diseases in greater numbers than in other workforces (apart from the commercial sex industry) for a differing number of reasons. The relative loneliness and isolation, being away from spouses or regular partners for long periods of time, and relative high disposable income associated with the work all contribute to a large proportion of workers engaging in risky sexual practices whilst away on projects. The contracting of these infectious diseases obviously has a cost to the worker, their families, health services, and also to their employer in terms of family cohesion, treatment, and possible lost productivity/time. It is important that greater preventative measures are required to ease the suffering and cost to all concerned.
Paramedic attitudes to deliberate self-harming behaviour in Ireland
Authors: O'Sullivan Brian 
Published: May 2014

The National Suicide Research Foundation tells us there were 12 210 presentations of deliberate self harm (DSH) to emergency departments in the Republic of Ireland in 2012 ( National Suicide Research Foundation, 2012 ). They note the highest rate of DSH was among 15–19-year-olds. The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussions and reflections among paramedics around DSH, to identify beliefs around this issue and perhaps, to challenge some of these beliefs. The paramedic may be the first point of contact for increasing numbers of mental health patients. Our focus is on repairing physical injuries with little attention being given to the patient's experience
Topical diclofenac: formulations for treating inflammatory pain
Authors: Banning Maggi 
Published: May 2014

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used for symptom control in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and soft tissue injuries. Topical formulations of diclofenac are preferred as they are associated with good efficacy but do not have the potentially serious adverse effects involving the gastrointestinal and renal systems. Numerous studies have shown that topical diclofenac can be a practical alternative method of treatment for patients with OA of the knee, acute blunt trauma, as well as soft tissue injury involving the ankle, knee or shoulder without causing major adverse effects. Numerous topical formulations of diclofenac are available. Mobigel has been recently launched in the UK and has an improved pharmacokinetic profile with greater plasma concentrations than commonly used diclofenac formulations such as DHEP plaster. In addition, Mobigel is well tolerated and its use is enhanced by the convenient packaging, non-greasy formulation and ease of application.
Bedtime Blues: The Child with Nocturnal Enuresis
Authors: Eirew Rosalind 
Published: May 2014

Loving and nurturing any child to adulthood is not easy. Patience and emotional maturity are needed to cope with a person who wets the bed, smells and has behavioural problems possibly related to this. Add a family unable to afford a washing machine, a dryer or even clean bed linen and a picture of gross misery for child and parent emerges. Rosalind Eirew describes the causes and management of bedwetting in children.
Understanding Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Pullen Mandy 
Published: May 2014

Ulcerative colitis affects more than 80000 people in Britain, and about 5000 people develop the disease each year (Stafford-Miller, 1993). Ulcerative colitis is more common among whites than blacks and the prevalence in Jewish people is three to five times that in gentiles (Kelly, 1992). It affects men and women equally (Irving and Jones, 1993), and most commonly occurs in the age range 20-40 years. In the most familial pattern, two or more children of a first-degree relative are affected (Kelly, 1992). The disease is also reported to be more common in identical twins than in single births (Phillips, 1995a).
Including pneumococcal vaccine in the childhood schedule: Primary health professionals'; views
Authors: Chantler Tracey , Yu Ly-Mee , Newton Sarah , Diggle Linda 
Published: May 2014

Routine use of a heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in infants in the United States has resulted in a decrease of pneumococcal disease. In the UK the Department of Health has announced plans to immunize all children against pneumococcal disease. Aim: To evaluate primary health professionals’ knowledge of pneumococcal disease and their opinions about the acceptability of the inclusion of PCV7 in the routine childhood vaccine schedule. Methods: A postal survey was conducted in Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority, UK. An anonymous questionnaire containing knowledge and attitudinal questions was sent to 2750 primary care professionals involved in immunization. This included general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses and health visitors. Results: A total of 543 primary health professionals responded and their mean ‘pneumococcal disease and vaccination knowledge score’ was 60% (SD 16.61%). The incidence of pneumococcal disease was perceived to be highest in the elderly; only 14% (71/543) recognized it was highest in infants. Although 70% (372/531) thought pneumococcal disease presented a serious risk for babies, 55% were unsure about the necessity of adding PCV7 to the routine schedule and 7% considered it unnecessary. Practice nurses were most uncomfortable about administering three injections simultaneously (P<0.001); and more likely to believe that giving three injections would cause a baby too much pain and distress (P<0.001). Conclusion: Primary health professionals’ are unconvinced of the necessity for infant pneumococcal vaccination and concerned about administering multiple injections simultaneously. Multi-faceted educational strategies addressing both attitudinal and knowledge barriers need to be developed to facilitate the introduction of PCV7.
Conference 2008
Authors: Munson Elleen 
Published: May 2014

Planning for this year's national practice nurse conference has been in progress for the past 5 years. The time has flown and, with it, our Welsh practice nurse organizing committee has grown to seven-strong. We are fortunate enough to have practice nurses attending the conference from across the UK, and coming from countries as far away as New Zealand and possibly Canada and Australia. We would very much like to offer you all a warm Welsh welcome to the City Hall in Cardiff on 9th–11th July 2008.
An important advance
Authors: Benison Líam 
Published: May 2014

As you return from your summer breaks and the kids go back to school, this September also marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the UK immunization programme. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been introduced into the childhood schedule to protect girls up to age 18 years from two strains of this virus which cause over 70% of cases of cervical cancer.
Electrochemical Functionalization in Wavefunction Engineering of Epitaxial Graphene
Authors: Sarkar Santanu 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTChemical modification of graphene web has attracted strong interest in engineering a band gap in graphene and in altering its magnetic and solubility properties. Electrochemical methods to functionalize graphene have emerged as attractive protocols to covalently modify graphene. Kolbe reaction, which involves the electrochemical oxidation of arylacetates (generation of α-naphthylmethyl radicals, in our present case), allows reversible grafting of radicals to graphene surface; the electro-erasing of the functional groups leads to graphene at its nearly pristine state. The surface coverage can be controlled from densely-packed (ideal as organic dielectrics) to sparsely functionalized surface (ideal for introducing reasonable band gap in graphene) with well-ordered structural patterning of the functional groups on EG surface by fine adjustment of electrochemical conditions. Such a control of the layer structure and packing of the functional groups over the graphene surface is an essential issue in the development of graphene chemistry.
Occurrence and origin of rhythmic sedimentary rocks on Mars
Authors: Lewis Kevin W. , Aharonson Oded 
Published: May 2014

AbstractSedimentary rocks preserved on the surface of Mars represent a natural archive of past climate conditions. Although the details of their formation often remain poorly constrained, the recent detection of rhythmic bedding patterns in the Arabia Terra region suggests the influence of orbital variations on sedimentary deposition. Here we detail a number of new sites which exhibit quasiperiodic stratigraphic variations, demonstrating their occurrence throughout the equatorial region of the planet. We characterize these recorded signals as well as the local geomorphic context and structural attributes. Two cyclic units are identified within Gale crater, the landing site of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, enabling estimation of possible formation timescales for the geologic units that may be studied in situ by the rover. We find a general lack of fluvial features in connection with rhythmic geologic units, contrasting these sites with the aperiodic deltaic stratigraphy found at Eberswalde crater. Possible formation scenarios and their climatic implications are discussed for the diverse set of quasiperiodic sedimentary units. We propose multiple depositional pathways for recording cyclic climate changes, including repeated evaporitic precipitation from groundwater discharge in topographic lows as well as largely anhydrous accumulation of atmospheric dust for deposits outside of confined basins. The preservation of orbital signals in sediments distributed across a wide range of geographic settings suggests a pervasive influence on Martian climate conditions through time.
Measuring xenon in human plasma and blood by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Thevis Mario , Piper Thomas , Geyer Hans , Thomas Andreas , Schaefer Maximilian S. , Kienbaum Peter , Schänzer Wilhelm 
Published: May 2014

RATIONALEDue to the favorable pharmacokinetic properties and minimal side effects of xenon, its use in modern anesthesia has been well accepted, and recent studies further demonstrated the intra‐ and postoperative neuro‐, cardio‐, and reno‐protective action of the noble gas. Since the production of the hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) and its downstream effector erythropoietin as well as noradrenalin reuptake inhibition have been found to play key roles in this context, the question arose as to whether the use of xenon is a matter for doping controls and preventive doping research. The aim of the present study was hence to evaluate whether the (ab)use of xenon can be detected from doping control samples with the instrumentation commonly available in sports drug testing laboratories.METHODSPlasma was saturated with xenon according to reported protocols, and the target analyte was measured by means of gas chromatography/time‐of‐flight and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with headspace injection. Recording the accurate mass of three major xenon isotopes at m/z 128.9048, 130.9045 and 131.9042 allowed for the unequivocal identification of the analyte and the detection assay was characterized concerning limit of detection (LOD), intraday precision, and specificity as well as analyte recovery under different storage conditions.RESULTSXenon was detected in fortified plasma samples with detection limits of approximately 0.5 nmol/mL to 50 nmol/mL, depending on the type of mass spectrometer used. The method characteristics of intraday precision (coefficient of variation <20%) and specificity demonstrated the fitness‐for‐purpose of the analytical approach to unambiguously detect xenon at non‐physiological concentrations in human plasma and blood. Eventually, authentic plasma and blood samples collected pre‐, intra‐, and post‐operative (4, 8, and 24 h) were positively analyzed after storage for up to 30 h, and provided proof‐of‐concept for the developed assay.CONCLUSIONSIf relevant to doping controls, xenon can be determined from plasma and blood samples, i.e. common specimens of routine sports drug testing in the context of Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) analyses. Optimization of sampling and analytical procedures will allow the detection limit to be further improved and potentially enable accurate quantification of the anesthetic agent. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fishing with empathy: knowing fish and catching them on the Kemi River in Finnish Lapland
Authors: Krause Franz 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTThis paper develops an argument on the empathetic relationship between hunter and prey, as applied to the relations between small-scale fishers and fish. Drawing on ethnographic material from the Kemi River, and recent work on fishing, it suggests that although fishers often do not see the fish, they know their whereabouts and movements through an empathetic engagement with the fish. People on the Kemi do not see fish as merely the animal itself, but include in their empathetic relationship the behaviour and environment of the fish. An analysis of popular fishing techniques used subsequently illustrates that they represent what can be called an inversion of the fish's life story.