bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of introducing fibreoptic bronchoscopes on gas flow in laryngeal masks and tracheal tubes
Authors: BRIMACOMBE J. , DUNBAR‐REID K. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryThe laryngeal mask airway, reinforced laryngeal mask airway and tracheal tube were studied to determine (1) flow resistance during simulated inspiration and (2) the maximum size of fibreoptic scope which can he passed down the lumen at clinically useful ventilatory settings. In addition, the flow resistance imposed by the mask aperature bars was quantified. The laryngeal mask airway can accommodate a larger fibrescope than the corresponding sizes of reinforced laryngeal mask airway or tracheal tube. Mean (range)flow resistance was 2.3 (1.7‐35) times higher with the reinforced laryngeal mask airway compared to the laryngeal mask airway, 2.1 (1.2‐4.2) times higher with the tracheal tube compared with the laryngeal mask airway and 1.2 (0.7‐1.8) times lower with the tracheal compared with the reinforced laryngeal mask airway. Removal of the mask aperture bars resulted in a mean decrease in flow resistance of 3.6%. Our data have shown that the laryngeal mask airway can accommodate a larger fibrescope than either the reinforced laryngeal mask airway or tracheal tube at clinically useful ventilatory settings and that the current recommendations for maximum size of fibrescope should be revised.
Simulated difficult intubation
Authors: GATAURE P. S. , VAUGHAN R. S. , LATTO I. P. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryA randomised study was carried out to compare the efficacy of the gum elastic bougie and the stylet in a simulated difficult intubation. A laryngoscopy assessment, as described by Cormack and Lehane, was made in 100 patients. A Grade 3 view was then simulated. In the Bougie First Group (50 patients) two attempts were made to pass a gum elastic bougie and a tracheal tube into the trachea. If these first two attempts were not successful, two further attempts at intubation were allowed with a stylet placed in the tracheal tube. In the Stylet First Group (50 patients) the order was reversed. After two attempts the tube was correctly placed in the trachea in 96% of cases in the Bougie First Group compared to only 66% of cases in the Stylet First Group (p < 0.001). We recommend that a gum elastic bougie should be readily available and that anaesthetists should use it in preference to a stylet whenever a good view of the glottis is not immediately available.
Anaesthesia with the Boyle's bottle vaporizer
Authors: WHITE S. A. , STRUNIN L. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryHaving used the Boyle's bottle vaporizer apparatus out of necessity in a developing country, the concentration of agent that had been administered was investigated retrospectively. Three anaesthetic agents, halothane, isoflurane and enflurane, were measured at different temperatures, using a Boyle's anaesthetic machine and a Boyle's bottle in circuit with a Magill breathing system connected to a Rascal II Agent Monitor. Bubbling a fresh gas flow of 5 l.min−1 through the anaesthetic liquids generated concentrations in excess of 12%. Elevating the initial temperature of the vaporizer increased the delivered concentration, although this effect was short‐lived. Therapeutic concentrations of vapour were achieved for all three agents by avoiding bubbling and manipulating the ‘splitting ratio’ lever. The Boyle's bottle vaporizer may be used with modern anaesthetic agents such as halothane, isoflurane and enflurane. However, the limitations of and variations between vaporizers should be borne in mind. An agent monitor employed at the patient end of the circuit would be an important safety feature.
Safety and efficacy of the laryngeal mask airway A prospective survey of 1400 children
Authors: Lopez‐Gil M. , Brimacombe J. , Alvarez M. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryA survey of laryngeal mask airway usage in 1400 infants and children by ten trainee anaesthetists was undertaken to provide information about insertion and complication rates using the standard insertion technique and a limited range of standardised anaesthetic techniques. Placement was successful in 90% (1258/1400) at the first attempt, 8% (112/1400) at the second attempt and 2% (29/1400) required an alternative technique of insertion. One patient vomited during insertion and the procedure was abandoned, hut aspiration did not occur. The overall problem rate was 11.5% and there were significantly more problems during induction of anaesthesia (p < 0.02). Oxygen saturation decreased below 90% briefly on 23 occasions (1.7%). The incidence of problems was unrelated to the mode of ventilation, or whether isoflurane or total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol was used for maintenance. Most problems came with use of the size 1 laryngeal mask (p < 0.001). The subspecialty with the highest problem rate was ear, nose and throat surgery (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in problems with increasing experience (p < 0.001). There was no major morbidity associated with use of the device. We conclude that the laryngeal mask provides a safe and effective form of airway management for infants and children in the hands of supervised anaesthesia trainees both for spontaneous and controlled ventilation using either isoflurane or total intravenous anaesthesia.
A review of 560 Hickman catheter insertions
Authors: Ray S. , Stacey R. , Imrie M. , Filshie J. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryIndwelling, cuffed, tunnelled, central venous (Hickman) catheters are increasingly being used for venous access and the administration of chemotherapy for oncological patients. This paper reviews the technical problems associated with the percutaneous insertion of these catheters and the complications arising from their use. Five hundred and sixty catheters were inserted; 31.3% had complications at insertion, most commonly precipitation of an arrhythmia (13.9%). Arterial puncture occurred in 3.8% and pneumothorax in 1.6%. Catheters remained in place for a median period of 91 days. Forty percent of catheters were removed electively on completion of treatment; 30.2% required removal because of complications, which included sepsis, migration, thrombosis and blockage. Twenty percent of patients died with their catheter in place, 8.5% were still in situ and 1.6% were removed because of patient non compliance. Sepsis remains the commonest, long term complication, with staphylococcus epidermidis being the organism isolated most frequently. There were no catheter‐related deaths.
Monitoring neutrophil engraftment in allogeneic stem cell transplantation by flow cytometric analysis of neutrophil‐specific antigens NA1 and NA2
Authors: Inukai Takeshi , Uno Kanako , Taniguchi Kikuyo , Goi Kumiko , Tezuka Toru , Nemoto Atsushi , Takahashi Kazuya , Sato Hiroki , Akahane Koshi , Hirose Kinuko , Honna Hiroko , Kagami Keiko , Hiraoka Asako , Tanihiro Misae , Nakazawa Shinpei , Sugita Kanji 
Published: September 2007

SummaryNeutrophil‐specific antigen (NA) expression on neutrophils was analysed in 18 Japanese children before and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) with myeloablative regimen. Donor–recipient NA‐incompatibility was present in one of eight NA1/NA2 heterozygous patients and eight of 10 NA1/NA1 or NA2/NA2 homozygous patients. After allo‐SCTs from NA‐incompatible donors, a neutrophil recipient‐to‐donor conversion was confirmed in all cases. Conversion to donor NA type was complete before the absolute neutrophil count reached 0·1 × 109/l. These observations indicate that flow cytometric analysis of NA antigens is a simple and useful method for monitoring neutrophil engraftment in NA‐incompatible allo‐SCT.
The relationship between gonadotrophins, gonadal hormones and bone mass in men
Authors: Karim N. , MacDonald D. , Dolan A. L. , Fogelman I. , Wierzbicki A. S. , Hampson G. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryObjective  Inhibin A and B (Inh A and B), activin A (Act A) as well as FSH may play an important role in bone turnover in perimenopausal women. Data in men are lacking. The aim was to investigate the relationship between circulating concentrations of Inh B and Act A and FSH/LH/testosterone (T) and their contribution to bone mineral density (BMD) in a male population.Design and subjects  Cross‐sectional case‐control study of 156 men, 63 with osteoporosis and 93 controls, aged (mean [SD]) 57·7 [13·7] years.Measurements  Areal (aBMD) was measured at the femoral neck, total hip and lumbar spine. Volumetric BMD (vBMD) was calculated at the femoral neck and lumbar spine. Risk factors were assessed including the measurement of LH/FSH/T, Inh B and Act A.Results  After correction for age and body mass index (BMI), associations were found between Inh B and FSH (beta regression coefficient β = −0·326; P < 0·0001), T (β = −0·36; P = 0·019) and Act A (β = −0·4; P = 0·007) and between Inh B and LH (β = 0·23; P < 0·0001) in all patients. The controls had higher Inh B concentrations compared to the cases (Inh B: controls: 139 [86] pg/ml vs. cases 88 [51] pg/ml; P = 0·005). Act A tended to be lower in the controls (Act A: controls 0·63 [0·24] ng/ml vs. cases 0·75 [0·4] ng/ml; P = 0·056). Univariate regression analyses showed a positive association between Inh B and BMD (P < 0·01) at the lumbar spine and total hip. In contrast a negative association was seen between FSH and BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck (P < 0·01). In a partial multivariate regression model that included the gonadal factors only, a positive association was seen between Inh B and BMD at the hip (β = 0·088; P = 0·04). When all hormones including the gonadotrophins were entered in a full multivariate model, FSH and LH were found to be better predictors of BMD than Inh B or Act A in the controls and cases.Conclusions  These data suggest that the gonadal peptides and gonadotrophins may play a role in the maintenance of bone mass in men. Future confirmatory longitudinal studies are needed.
Growth hormone (GH) replacement in hypopituitary adults with GH deficiency evaluated by a utility‐weighted quality of life index: a precursor to cost–utility analysis
Authors: Kołtowska‐Häggström Maria , Kind Paul , Monson John P. , Jonsson Björn 
Published: September 2007

SummaryObjectives  To examine quality of life (QoL) measured by a utility‐weighted index in GH‐deficient adults on GH replacement and analyse the impact of demographic and clinical characteristics on changes in utilities during treatment.Design  Utilities for items in the QoL‐Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (QoL‐AGHDAutility) were estimated based on data obtained from the general population in England and Wales (E&W). These estimates were used to calculate QoL changes in GH‐treated patients and compare these with normative population values.Patients  A total of 894 KIMS patients (53% women) from E&W were followed for 1 to 6 years.Measurements  QoL‐AGHDAutility at baseline and at the last reported visit, total QoL‐AGHDAutility gain and QoL‐AGHDAutility gain per year of follow‐up.Results  QoL‐AGHDAutility in patients before GH treatment differed from the expected population values [0·67 (SD 0·174) vs. 0·85 (SD 0·038), P < 0·0001], constituting a mean deficit of –0·19 (SD 0·168). There was a difference in the mean QoL‐AGHDAutility deficit for men [–0·16 (SD 0·170)] and women [–0·21 (SD 0·162)] (P < 0·001). The main improvement occurred during the first year of treatment [reduction of a deficit to –0·07 (SD 0·163) (P < 0·001) in the total cohort]; however, patients’ utilities remained lower than those recorded for the general population during subsequent follow‐up (P < 0·001). Despite an observed impact of age, primary aetiology, disease onset and comorbidities on QoL‐AGHDAutility, all patients showed a similar beneficial response to treatment.Conclusions  QoL‐AGHDAutility efficiently monitors treatment effects in patients with GHD. The study confirmed the QoL‐AGHDAutility deficit before treatment and a similar QoL‐AGHDAutility gain observed after commencement of GH replacement in all patients.
Pretransplant serum FT3 levels in kidney graft recipients are useful for identifying patients with higher risk for graft failure
Authors: Rotondi Mario , Netti Giuseppe Stefano , Rosati Alberto , Mazzinghi Benedetta , Magri Flavia , Ronconi Elisa , Becherucci Francesca , Pradella Fabio , Salvadori Maurizio , Serio Mario , Romagnani Paola , Chiovato Luca 
Published: September 2007

SummaryObjective  End‐stage renal disease (ESRD) is a condition associated with thyroid disturbances both in function and morphology. Recent studies demonstrated that serum free triiodothyronine 3 (FT3) levels are negatively correlated with serum markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in patients with ESRD. However, no previous research evaluated serum thyroid function parameters in relation to kidney graft outcome, as we aim to do so in this study.Design  Serum FT3, free thyroxine 4 (FT4) and TSH levels were measured before transplantation in 196 kidney graft recipients.Results  The graft survival rate at 5 years for all patients was 92·3%. Kidney graft recipients with normally functioning grafts showed serum pretransplant thyroid parameters similar to patients who experienced graft failure. Life‐time analysis was performed after stratification of patients according to pretransplant serum FT3 levels < 3·1 pmol/l or > 3·1 pmol/l. A significantly different 5‐year death‐censored graft survival rate (93·9%vs. 76·5% for patients with normal or low FT3 levels, respectively; P < 0·01) and similar survival rate (death of patients with functioning grafts) (21·1%vs. 5·9%; P = 0·288) were observed. No similar feature was found for FT4 or TSH, suggesting that the effect is not related to hypothyroidism but rather dependent upon inappropriately low FT3 levels. Pretransplant serum FT3 levels were similar in patients who experienced early acute rejections as compared with nonrejector patients.Conclusions  The results of this study demonstrate that among patients with ESRD undergoing kidney transplantation, those displaying lower pretransplant serum FT3 levels are at higher risk for subsequent graft failure. The demonstration of a predictive value of serum FT3 levels for graft survival suggests that measurement of pretransplant serum FT3 levels might represent a clinically useful parameter to identify patients with increased risk for graft failure.
Androgens stimulate endothelial progenitor cells through an androgen receptor‐mediated pathway
Authors: Foresta Carlo , Zuccarello Daniela , De Toni Luca , Garolla Andrea , Caretta Nicola , Ferlin Alberto 
Published: September 2007

SummaryBackground and objective  Testosterone (T) treatment has recently been shown to induce an increase in the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) through a possible effect on bone marrow. Hypogonadotrophic hypogonadal (HH) men have low circulating EPCs that increase significantly after T treatment. Moreover, expression of the androgen receptor (AR) has been demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in these cells, suggesting that T might also have a direct effect on EPC function. In the present study we investigated the expression and function of the AR in human EPCs and the in vitro effect of androgens on EPC function.Design and patients  EPCs obtained from healthy male anonymous blood donors were analysed after androgen stimulation with and without AR antagonist administration (flutamide).Results  Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated the expression of AR mRNA and protein in human EPCs. Stimulation of these cells with the synthetic androgen methyltrienolone (R1881) caused AR translocation in the nucleus, suggesting its activation. Colony forming unit (CFU), proliferation and migration assays under different doses of R1881 demonstrated a dose‐dependent increase in EPC proliferation, migration and colony formation. All these effects are abolished by flutamide pretreatment.Conclusions  This study showed that the increase in the proliferation, migration and colony formation activity of EPCs induced by androgens is an AR‐mediated pathway. Androgen exerts these effects at concentrations that are physiologically present in men and therefore further studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of these effects in normal and pathological conditions.
Long‐term effects of crop rotation and fertilization on soil organic matter composition
Authors: Kaiser M. , Ellerbrock R. H. , Gerke H. H. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryLong‐term effects of crop rotation and fertilization are mostly observed with respect to the amount of soil organic matter (SOM) and measured in terms of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this paper, we analyze the SOM composition of samples from long‐term agricultural field experiments at sandy and clayey sites that include complex crop rotations and farm‐yard manure applications. The organic matter (OM) composition of the soil samples, OM(Soil), and that of sequentially extracted water, OM(W), and sodium pyrophosphate, OM(PY), soluble fractions was analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The fraction OM(PY) represented between 13 and 34% of SOC, about 10 times that of OM(W). Site specific differences in OM(Soil) composition were larger than those between crop rotations and fertilizer applications. The smaller C=O group content in FTIR spectra of OM(W) compared with OM(PY) suggests that analysis of the more stable OM(PY) fraction is preferable over OM(W) or OM(Soil) for identifying long‐term effects, the OM(Soil) and OM(W) fractions and the content of CH groups being less indicative. Farm‐yard manure application leads to a more similar content of C=O groups in OM(PY) between crop rotations and fertilizer plots at both sites. Short‐term effects from soil tillage or potato harvesting on composition of OM require further studies.
Support of benthic invertebrates by detrital resources and current autochthonous primary production: results from a whole‐lake 13C addition
Authors: SOLOMON CHRISTOPHER T. , CARPENTER STEPHEN R. , COLE JONATHAN J. , PACE MICHAEL L. 
Published: September 2007

Summary1. Secondary production of benthic invertebrates in lakes is supported by current autochthonous primary production, and by detritus derived from a combination of terrestrial inputs and old autochthonous production from prior seasons. We quantified the importance of these two resources for the dominant benthic insects in Crampton Lake, a 26 ha, clear‐water system.2. Daily additions of NaH13CO3 to the lake caused an increase in the stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) of the current primary production of phytoplankton and periphyton. We measured the response of four insect groups (taxon‐depth combinations) to this manipulation, quantifying their current autochthony (% reliance on current autochthonous primary production) by fitting dynamic mixing models to time series of insect δ13C.3. The δ13C of all four groups increased in response to the manipulation, although the magnitude of response differed by taxon and by depth, indicating differences in current autochthony. Odonate larvae (Libellulidae and Corduliidae) collected at 1.5 m depth derived 75% of their C from current autochthonous primary production. Chironomid larvae collected at 1.5, 3.5 and 10 m depths derived, respectively, 43%, 39% and 17% of their C from current autochthonous primary production.4. Both taxon‐specific diet preferences and depth‐specific differences in resource availability may contribute to differences in current autochthony. Our results demonstrate significant but incomplete support of insect production by current autochthony, and indicate that allochthonous inputs and old autochthonous detritus support a substantial fraction (25–83%) of insect production.
Fatty acid profiles of algae mark the development and composition of harpacticoid copepods
Authors: CARAMUJO MARIA‐JOSÉ , BOSCHKER HENRICUS T. S. , ADMIRAAL WIM 
Published: September 2007

Summary1. The value of algal fatty acids (FA) as diet biomarkers for benthic harpacticoid copepods was investigated. A high proportion of 18:1ω9 and 18:2ω6 FA was observed in the lipid reserve fraction of copepods fed with cyanobacteria. In contrast, a high proportion of 16:1ω7 and ω3 FA (including eicosapentaenoic) was present in the lipid reserve fraction of copepods grown on diatoms.2. Copepods that were grown on cyanobacteria showed reduced survival and took 26% more time to develop from the first copepodid stage to adult than copepods that were grown on diatoms. Copepods feeding on the cyanobacteria showed reduced FA content when compared with animals fed with diatoms. This reduction in FA content was more pronounced in the apolar lipid fraction (mainly reserve lipids) than in the polar (mainly structural) lipid fraction.3. The FA profiles of algae were used to calculate a function discriminating between diatoms and cyanobacteria. This function was applied to the FA profiles in the reserve lipid fraction of copepods and correctly classified copepod diet. 16:1ω7, 18:2ω6 and 20:5ω3 were the most important FA in the discriminant function. The suitability of this chemometric method to infer copepod diet was further tested by using algal class FA data from literature to derive the discriminant functions. The correct classification of the diet when the functions were applied to FA composition of the copepod reserve lipids suggests that this method may be employed in trophic web studies. 18:3ω3, 18:1ω9 and 16:1ω7 were the most important FA in the functions discriminating diatoms, cyanobacteria and green algae. The identification and quantification of the whole suit of 16:1ω7, 18:1ω9, 18:2ω6, 18:3ω3 and 20:5ω3 in trophic web studies is therefore of paramount importance to infer diet origin of aquatic herbivores.4. The FA profile of copepod polar lipids did not reflect that of the diet. The presence of long chain polyunsaturated FAs in the polar lipid fraction of copepods feeding on the cyanobacterium suggests that C18 FAs from the diet may be elongated and desaturated by the copepod. The ability to elongate and desaturated FAs may reduce the importance of some FAs as diet biomarkers while it may turn the copepods into valuable trophic intermediaries in transferring organic matter from microorganisms to higher trophic levels.
Ground roll attenuation using the S and x‐f‐k transforms
Authors: Askari Roohollah , Siahkoohi Hamid R. 
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACTGround roll, which is characterized by low frequency and high amplitude, is an old seismic data processing problem in land‐based seismic acquisition. Common techniques for ground roll attenuation are frequency filtering, f‐k or velocity filtering and a type of f‐k filtering based on the time‐offset windowed Fourier transform. These techniques assume that the seismic signal is stationary. In this study we utilized the S, x‐f‐k and t‐f‐k transforms as alternative methods to the Fourier transform. The S transform is a type of time‐frequency transform that provides frequency‐dependent resolution while maintaining a direct relationship with the Fourier spectrum. Application of a filter based on the S transform to land seismic shot records attenuates ground roll in a time‐frequency domain. The t‐f‐k and x‐f‐k transforms are approaches to localize the apparent velocity panel of a seismic record in time and offset domains, respectively. These transforms provide a convenient way to define offset or time‐varying reject zones on the separate f‐k panel at different offsets or times.