Fecal long chain fatty acids and colon cancer risk

To determine whether excretion of high concentrations of long chain fatty acids might be associated with high colon cancer risk, we compared concentrations of major long chain fatty acids in the feces of four populations at different risk for colon cancer. Concentrations of C18:1 were found to be significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in the feces of the two high risk populations than in the feces of the two low risk populations.     

What is learned during automatization? The role of attention in constructing an instance.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 20(6) of Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition (see record 2008-10475-001). In the aforementioned article, the Appendix on page 1050 was incomplete. The complete Appendix is presented in the erratum.] Seven experiments with 372 Ss were conducted to examine the role of attention in automatization. Ss searched 2-word displays for members of a target category in divided-attention, focused-attention, and dual-task conditions. The main issue was whether attention conditions would affect what Ss learned about co-occurrences of the words in the displays. The attention hypothesis, derived from the instance theory of automaticity, predicts learning of co-occurrences in divided-attention and dual-task conditions in which Ss attend to both words but not in focused-attention conditions in which Ss only attend to 1 word. The data supported the attention hypothesis and therefore the instance theory. [A correction concerning this article appears in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition, 1994(Nov), Vol 20(6), 1390. The Appendix was incomplete and the complete Appendix is presented.] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perioperative ischaemia in aortic surgery: combined epidural/general anaesthesia and epidural analgesia vs general anaesthesia and i.v. analgesia

PURPOSE: The goal of this randomized study was to determine whether combined general and epidural anaesthesia with postoperative epidural analgesia, compared with general anaesthesia and postoperative intravenous analgesia, reduced the incidence of perioperative myocardial ischaemia in patients undergoing elective aortic surgery. METHOD: Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group (EPI, n = 48) received combined general and epidural anaesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia for 48 hrs. The other group (GA, n = 51) received general anaesthesia followed by postoperative intravenous analgesia. Anaesthetic goals were to maintain haemodynamic stability (+/- 20% of preoperative values), and a stroke volume > 1 ml.kg-1. A Holter monitor was attached to each patient the day before surgery. Leads 11, V2, and V5 were monitored. Myocardial ischaemia was defined as ST segment depression > 1 mm measured at 80 millisec beyond the J point or an elevation of 2 mm 60 millisec beyond the J point which lasted > 60 sec. An event that lasted > 60 sec but returned to the baseline for > 60 sec and then recurred, was counted as two separate events. The Holter tapes were reviewed by a cardiologist blind to the patient's group. RESULTS: There were no demographic differences between the two groups. Myocardial ischaemia was common; it occurred in 55% of patients. In hospital, preoperative ischaemia was uncommon (GA = 3, EPI = 8). Intraoperative ischaemia was common (GA = 18, EPI = 25). Mesenteric traction produced the largest number of ischaemic (GA = 11, EPI = 11) events. Postoperative ischaemia was most common on the day of surgery. Termination of epidural analgesia produced a burst of ischaemia (60 events in 9 patients). CONCLUSION: Combined general and epidural anaesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia do not reduce the incidence of myocardial ischaemia or morbidity compared with general anaesthesia and postoperative intravenous analgesia.     

Varicella susceptibility and vaccination strategies in young adults

BACKGROUND: Varicella infection causes substantial morbidity in young adults. Most military basic trainees are 18 to 21 years old, yet the Army has no varicella vaccination policy. We therefore determined varicella susceptibility in a population of Army basic trainees, examined variables that might predict antibody status, and developed a vaccination strategies model. METHODS: Fifteen-hundred ninety-five trainees completed a demographic and historical questionnaire. Varicella antibody status was determined on 1201 volunteers. These data plus information from the literature were used to construct a decision tree of vaccination strategies that was applied to the total population of Army basic trainees in 1995 (n = 65,298). RESULTS: Fifty (4.2 percent) of 1201 soldiers were antibody negative. Trainees who lived with no or 1 sibling while growing up were most likely to be seronegative (P < 0.01). The positive predictive value of a history of varicella was 98.5 percent, whereas the negative predictive value of a negative history of varicella was 23 percent. In the vaccination strategies model, serologically testing soldiers with a negative history of varicella and vaccinating those without protective antibodies was the most cost-effective approach. CONCLUSIONS: In young adults a positive varicella history accurately predicts immunity, but verification of a negative history with antibody testing is recommended before vaccination.     

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been controversial, however, with increasing experience the results of the procedure in these patients have improved. Earlier reports of poor result may have been secondary to advanced tumor and poor patient selection. Careful patient selection and preoperative assessment of tumor characteristic is essential before offering LT to these patients. Results of LT in carefully selected cases may be similar to patients receiving LT for other reasons. In cirrhotic patients LT may offer a better long-term survival than liver resection.     

运营商级服务分配交换机

美国Ciena公司推出的CN4350以太网服务分配交换机，是一款运营商级别的以太网平台，专为电信运营商和有线服务供应商设计，能协助其在一个汇聚包网络中为民用及商业用户提供视频、语音和数据服务，其中包括高价值的以太网专线与局域网(LAM服务。与基于企业级交换机和路由器的三重服务体系结构相比，CN4350最多可把资本及运营成本降低70％。