The P1073 medical information bus

The P1073 medical information bus (MIB) family of three proposed IEEE standards, which provide vendor-independent interconnection and interoperability of medical devices and computer systems, is described. The MIB uses a layered network architecture that is compatible with International Standards Organization/Open Systems Interconnection (ISO/OSI) specifications. The standards primarily focus on the acute care environment at the patient's bedside, particularly when this environment is in the intensive care area of the hospital. However, the MIB is suitable for use in other areas such as the operating room or the general ward. The bus can also interface to any general clinical equipment for simple data communication and control purposes     

Empirical Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale in Patients With Social Anxiety Disorder.

The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE; M. R. Leary, 1983a) is often used to assess fear of negative evaluation, the core feature of social anxiety disorder. However, few studies have examined its psychometric properties in large samples of socially anxious patients. Although the BFNE yields a single total score, confirmatory factor analysis indicated a 2-factor solution to be more appropriate, with the 1st factor consisting of all straightforwardly worded items (BFNE-S) and the 2nd of all reverse-scored items (BFNE-R). Support was obtained for the convergent and discriminant validity of the BFNE and BFNE-S, but not the BFNE-R. These results suggest that standard scoring of the BFNE may not be optimal for patients with social anxiety disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health and performance of Holstein calves that suckled or were hand-fed colostrum and were fed one of three physical forms of starter

Intake of colostrum by neonatal calves and early transition to calf starter are two important factors in successful calf programs. Thirty-one Holstein calves were used to determine health and performance of calves that were 1) allowed to remain with their dams for 3 d and suckle (suckled calves) or were removed from their dams and fed colostrum only by bottle (bottle calves); and were 2) fed ground, pelleted, or textured starters, formulated to be isonitrogenous. Bottle calves were removed from their dams at birth, fed 2.84 L of colostrum, placed in individual hutches, and fed 1.89 L of colostrum 12 h after the first feeding. Suckled calves were removed from their dams after 3 d and placed in individual hutches. Once calves were housed in hutches, they were fed 2 L of whole milk twice daily and were provided starters and water beginning on d 3. Calves were weighed at birth and weekly for 6 wk. Blood samples were obtained at birth, 24 h, and weekly for serum protein determination. Starter intake, fecal scores, and electrolyte treatments were recorded daily. Weaning began when calves had consumed 0.68 kg starter for 2 d consecutively. There were no differences in treatment means between suckled and bottle calves for total gain, grain consumption, days with fecal scores >2, or electrolyte treatments per calf. Average days to weaning was greater for bottle calves compared with suckled calves. Mean serum protein concentration at 24 h was greater for bottle (6.0 g/dl) compared with suckled calves (5.8 g/dl) and only 2 of 15 bottle calves had serum protein concentrations <5.0 g/dl compared with 6 of 16 suckled calves. For starter treatments, calves fed textured starter consumed more total grain, were weaned earlier, and weighed more at 6 wk of age than calves fed pelleted starter. Based on 24-h serum protein concentrations, transfer of passive immunity was greater for bottle calves compared with suckled calves.     

Plasma levels of estrogen, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone following castration and estradiol implant

Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and estrogen were studied serially in 20 patients before and after hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Ten patients received an implant of estradiol-17 beta (100 mg) at the time of operation. Ten patients who did not receive an implant acted as controls. Patients recorded the severity of vasomotor symptoms before and after hysterectomy. In those patients who did not receive an implant, plasma estrogen levels fell from a mean preoperative level of 18.1 +/- 10.4 ng/100 ml to 8.7 +/- 1.4 ng/100 ml by 24 hours after oophorectomy and they remained in this range for the 6 months of the study. No significant change in the plasma estrogen level was noted after oophorectomy in those patients who received an implant. The implant prevented the rise in gonadotropin levels and the appearance of vasomotor symptoms seen in those patients who underwent oophorectomy without an implant. Insertion of an implant into oophorectomized patients caused the plasma estrogen level to return to premenopausal levels within 2 weeks and the gonadotropin levels to premenopausal values within 6 weeks. Hot flashes were alleviated within 2 to 6 days. The usefulness of this type of therapy in preventing the appearance of vasomotor symptoms at the time of oophorectomy in premenopausal patients is confirmed.     

Morphology and kinetics of the hamster sperm acrosome reaction

The morphology and kinetics of the normal acrosome reaction were examined in vitro using hamster sperm incubated in detoxified sera. The reaction involved either swelling and elevation or crenulation and fragmentation of the acrosomal cap. Swelling and elevation occurred during both normal and degenerative reactions, as reported by others. Crenulation with subsequent fragmentation of the cap was observed during normal reactions. Early crenulation of the acrosome could be induced by cold shock (5 degrees C, 25 minutes), but this did not decrease the incubation time required (at 37 degrees C) for completion of the normal reaction. In appropriate sera, the occurrence of normal and degenerative acrosome reactions in motile sperm was significantly separated in time to study the reactions independently. The duration of the normal reaction, i.e., the time between the first morphological change in the acrosome (initiation)until the actual detachment of the cap (termination) was estimated to be 20 minutes. Saline dilution of these sera delayed initiation of the reaction and increased the duration of the reaction once it had started. Data from cold-shock and serum dilution experiments indicate that the mechanisms which govern the initiation and termination of the normal reaction are independently variable, and further suggest that initiation involves a change in membrane permeability and that termination includes membrane vesiculation.     

Comparison of Ozone Efficiency for Manganese Oxidation Between Raw and Settled Water

Ozone was tested at the Moores Bridges WTP as a replacement for chlorine for oxidizing dissolved manganese. Two points of ozone application were tested, raw and settled water. Dissolved manganese appeared to be much more readily oxidized with a lower ozone dose when ozone was applied to the settled water than when it was applied the raw water. Apparently the TOC concentration of the water affected ozone's ability to oxidize manganese by exerting an ozone demand which must be overcome. Because of the results of the pilot testing, a decision was made to ozonate settled water rather than raw water to oxidize the manganese.