Obesity, hypertension and atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect on oxygen saturation of instilling a saline bolus into artificial airways prior to suctioning, as measured by pulse oximeter. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, single-case, counterbalanced design. SETTING: The surgical, medical and coronary intensive care units of a federal, teaching medical center. SUBJECTS: Subjects were 40 men, more than 40 years old, in need of intensive care nursing and mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were suctioned as needed for 24 hours. A 5-mL saline bolus was instilled every other time the subject was suctioned. Outcome measurements were done immediately before and after suctioning and at 1-minute intervals for 5 minutes after suctioning. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Noninvasive oxygen saturation values. RESULTS: The instillation of a saline bolus was found to have an adverse effect on oxygen saturation that worsened over time. Significant changes in oxygen saturation as a result of saline bolus instillation were found at 2,3,4 and 5 minutes after instillation. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that instilling saline prior to suctioning has an adverse effect on oxygen saturation. These results support the recommendation that the practice of instilling saline prior to suctioning should be abandoned as a routine procedure. More study is needed to investigate whether a specific group of patients may actually benefit from this procedure.     

Using two factor structures of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale for assessing adaptation to breast cancer

The validity and reliability of two factor structures of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale for assessing coping style was assessed by examining the relationship between the subscales, psychological distress, and quality of life (QOL) among Stage II and Stage IV breast cancer patients in four phases. First, MANOVAs assessed differences in coping, distress, and QOL across disease stages. Second, for each MAC factor structure, canonical correlation analyses assessed the relationship between coping styles, distress, and QOL, for each disease-stage group separately. Third, structural equation modeling (SEM) assessed the relationship among coping styles, distress, and QOL for all participants. Finally, the internal consistency of both MAC factor structures was assessed using Chronbach's alpha. The results were as follows: (1) significant differences across disease stages were found for coping styles using either the Watson or the Schwartz MAC subscales, but there were no differences in levels of distress or QOL; (2) for both MAC factor structures, coping style was found to be highly related to emotional distress and QOL, however, the strengths of the correlations between individual coping styles and distress/QOL indicators varied across disease stages; (3) SEM indicated that coping style was significantly related to distress and QOL when stage of disease was not considered, and that coping style and indicators of distress/QOL are separate, but highly correlated factors, as opposed to a single latent construct; and, (4) the Watson MAC subscales showed slightly better internal consistency than the Schwartz MAC subscales. Taken together, these findings highlight: (i) the validity of both MAC factor structures for clinical and research use with American breast cancer patients; (ii) the role of coping style as a mediator between disease stage and psychological distress and QOL; and, (iii) the need for refinement of certain Watson and Schwartz subscales.     

Utility of Albicans ID plate for rapid identification of Candida albicans in clinical samples. Rapid identification of Candida albicans

A clinical study was carried out in an attempt to assess the efficacy of a newly designed electric toothbrush compared to a conventional manual toothbrush using the American Dental Association's protocol for evaluating toothbrushes. An Oral-B 35 manual toothbrush, which served as the control, was compared to the Plaq & White125 electric toothbrush. Examinations were performed by two calibrated examiners at baseline, day 15 and day 30. Examinations included the gingival index, plaque index and bleeding index. Mean indices were calculated and compared between the two brushes using the repeated measures multiple analysis of variance. No statistically significant differences between the mean indices on the three examination days were observed following the use of the manual or the electric toothbrushes. The results of this study demonstrate that the electric toothbrush was numerically more effective than the manual toothbrush in reducing supragingival plaque levels, either before or after brushing, at each examination date compared to baseline plaque values. However, this difference was not statistically significant. This and other findings concluded that the Plaq & White toothbrush is comparable to the control ADA-accepted toothbrush.     

All-optical nonblocking M*M switchless connector with O( square root (M log M)) wavelengths and without wavelength changers

All-optical networks without switches are considered where the signals are routed based on wavelength only. 2 square root (M log/sub 2/( square root (2)M)) wavelengths are shown to be sufficient to build an M*M nonblocking connector without switches and without wavelength changers.<>     

Modelling and Simulation of Batch and Continuous Fluidized Bed Dryers

The performance of batch and continuous fluidized solids dryers has been modeled, with allowance for diffusional moisture transport in the dense phase particles and for interstitial gas-to-particle mass transfer within the dense phase, as well as for interphase exchange resistance between gas bubbles and the dense phase. Two types of boundary conditions are employed. Variations of the bed temperature and product moisture content in the bed with time are predicted numerically under various batch drying conditions. Exit product moisture contents, bed temperatures and outlet air humidities are also predicted for continuous drying at various mean residence times. The model can be used for homogeneous as well as bubbling fluidized bed drying. It can be used for a wide range of materials, including cereal grains and granular synthetic polymeric materials.     

Use of a transparent rabbit ear chamber in the study of biomaterials

Tests of biocompatibility are obligatory in the development of implants. Use of a polycarbonate transparent rabbit ear is a practical and relatively economical way of observing and documenting progressive interaction between potential prosthetic materials and granulation tissue. Fabrication of the chambers is technically straightforward and the surgical procedure involved in their insertion is simple and minimally invasive.