Defining the positive tilt test: a study of healthy adults with moderate acute blood loss

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To define a set of orthostatic vital signs that minimize the frequency of false-positives among healthy individuals while maximizing sensitivity in detecting acute moderate blood loss and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this optimized tilt test in detecting acute moderate blood loss. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION: Postural vital signs were recorded in a standardized manner before and after 450-mL phlebotomy. Paired comparisons were done for a variety of criteria for a positive tilt test using receiver-operating characteristic curves. SETTING AND TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred forty-five healthy euvolemic adult volunteer blood donors were tested at three community blood donation centers over a one-year period. Subjects were prospectively divided into group 1 (less than age 65; 301) and group 2 (age 65 or older; 44). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: For each combination of pulse and blood pressure in group 1, a change in pulse alone had the same or higher sensitivity with at least the same specificity. Pulse alone was similarly superior in group 2 compared with previously published combinations of pulse and blood pressure. Even the optimized tilt test had limited sensitivity in detecting acute moderate blood loss with high specificity. CONCLUSION: In applying the tilt test to young adults without cardiovascular disease, pulse measurement usually is all that is necessary.     

The refinement of retinotectal projection on tectal whole mount during the regeneration of the goldfish optic nerve labeled with DiI anterogradely

Radiographic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the procedures of choice in the diagnosis of patients with suspected pituitary gland abnormalities. Several cases are presented where the diagnostic value of such procedures in patients with diseases affecting the pituitary gland is demonstrated.     

Chinese and American college students'' body-image: perceived body shape and body affect

We established an in vitro model of the phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by human peripheral blood monocytes to evaluate the subsequent inhibition of intracellular replication of the organism. Highly purified T cells (94% CD3(+)/CD16(-)) or natural killer (NK) cells (96% CD16(+)/CD3(-)) isolated by Percoll discontinuous density gradient of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were incubated with M. tuberculosis-infected monocyte monolayers. Monocytes were lysed immediately and at 4, 7, and 10 d after infection for quantification of intracellular replication, which was assessed by quantitative plating techniques as colony-forming units (CFU). Whereas control monocytes permitted intracellular replication, T cells activated monocytes to kill 77% (p < 0.01) of intracellular M. tuberculosis compared with control monocytes by 10 d after infection. NK cells activated monocytes to kill 84% (p < 0.01) of M. tuberculosis in comparison with control monocytes. Lymphokine (IL-2)-activated-killer (LAK) cells were capable of activating monocytes to kill 97% (p < 0.01) of the intracellular organisms compared with control monocytes. In purified protein derivative (PPD)-positive donors, PPD-specific-CD4(+) lymphocytes stimulated monocytes to kill intracellular M. tuberculosis in a Class II major histocompatibility complex-restricted manner. In contrast, in PPD-negative donors, CD4(-) lymphocytes activated monocytes in a genetically unrestricted manner. Both T cell supernatant and NK cell supernatant generated from cocultivation with M. tuberculosis-infected monocytes also activated monocytes to augment mycobactericidal function. In conclusion, T cells, NK cells, LAK cells, and their supernatants activated mycobactericidal function of monocytes, although these pathways of activation differed in terms of antigenic specificity and genetic restriction.     

Mild traumatic brain injury--the Fife perspective

Excretion was studied of catecholamines and diphenilamine (DOPA) in 310 patients with carcinoma of the stomach and large intestine and 43 patients with non-malignant diseases. The oncological patients showed decrease in activity of the mediator link of the sympathoadrenal system (SAS) as well as its reserves but there was no association with sex, age, location or histological structure. Three types of SAS functioning were identified, such as compensation, overstrain and emaciation. Surgical intervention led to activation of the hormonal link and exhaustion of the system's reserves. Two kinds of sympathoadrenal response to stress were described--adequate and inadequate. In the former type, phases of stress remain as they are, unchanged, as are time periods of formation thereof, while under the latter one time periods of the phases formation or formation thereof get disordered.     

High oil- and polyphenol-producing species of the northwest

The examination of plant species for their potential as renewable sources of industrial raw materials, conducted at the Northern Regional Research Center, has been extended to include 110 species from North Dakota (ND), Colorado (CO), and Oregon (OR), U.S.A. Plant samples were collected and analyzed for yields of “oil,” “polyphenol,” “hydrocarbon” and crude protein as well as for botanical characteristics. Data are presented only for the relatively high-yielding species. Oil and hydrocarbon extracts of plants that yielded at least 3.0% oil (dry, ash-free, plant sample basis) and/or at least 0.4% hydrocarbon were analyzed for classes of constituents. Oils of such species were saponified to determine yields of fatty acids and unsaponifiable matter. Hydrocarbon was examined for the presence of rubber, gutta and/or waxes. Polyisoprenes were analyzed for average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. Even when compared to about 1000 species previously analyzed in this program, seven of the species yielded high amounts of oil (7.1–11.1%) plus substantial amounts of polyphenol (10.0–19.7%). Of these, six are evergreen trees or shrubs and one is a nonwoody perennial. Another seven species yielded substantial amounts of oil (5.4–6.6%), of which five gave 17.1–24.7% polyphenol. The most notable oil-producing species wereJuniperus scopulorum (11.1%),Pinus albicaulis (10.1%),Pinus flexilis (9.3%),Pinus mugo (8.4%),Liatris punctata (8.0%) andJuniperus communis (7.8%). Crude protein contents for all 22 species were low (4.2%) to moderate (10.4%). Maximum hydrocarbon content for the 22 selected species reported was only 0.5%. The highest total amount of oil, polyphenol, hydrocarbon and crude protein was 38.9% forAcer ginnala. Data obtained in this study are discussed with respect to those from species previously analyzed in this program.     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a bubble column with an organic liquid

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer data in Soltrol-130 (a mixture of C₉+ iso-paraffins) were measured in a 0.305 m diameter bubble column. The gas holdup structure (i.e., the contributions to holdup from the small and large bubble fractions of the dispersion) for this hydrocarbon liquid in the churn turbulent flow regime was analyzed using the dynamic gas disengagement technique. The validity of the assumption of axially uniform gas holdup structure was checked. Literature correlations were found inadequate to explain the observed gas holdup and the volumetric mass transfer coefficients for Soltrol-130. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient per unit volume of large bubbles is shown to be independent of superficial gas velocity for the fully developed churn turbulent regime. The present hydrodynamic and mass transfer data in the churn turbulent regime should be useful in the design and scale-up of bubble columns used in organic process industries.     

γ-Butyrolactone-ethylene carbonate based electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

-Butyrolactone-ethylene carbonate (BL-EC) mixtures have been investigated as electrolytes for Li-ion batteries using LiPF₆ and LiBF₄ as lithium salt. The thermal stability of the electrolytes in a large range of temperatures (–90 °C to 40 °C) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). From the results of these experiments, the phase diagram of the BL-EC system has been determined. It is characterised by a eutectic point at –56.3 °C and a molar fraction in EC: x _EC = 0.1. A metastable compound has been demonstrated below –90 °C at x _EC = 0.4. Conductivity measurements of BL-EC solutions, in the presence of LiPF₆ and LiBF₄, indicate that LiPF₆ in the eutectic mixture is the most conducting electrolyte in the range of temperatures investigated (–30 °C to room temperature). Nevertheless, at low temperature, LiBF₄ based electrolytes compete well with LiPF₆, especially when the amount of EC in the mixture is as high as x _EC = 0.5. Moreover, recrystallisation of the salt below –20 °C is avoided when LiBF₄ is used as salt. A large increase in viscosity of the solvent mixture is observed when a salt is added, but the increase is lower for LiBF₄ than LiPF₆. When EC is added to BL at constant salt concentration (1 M), the conductivity of LiPF₆ solutions decreases more rapidly than LiBF₄ solutions. This has been attributed, at least partially, to the dissociating power of EC. The electrochemical windows of BL-EC (equimolar) mixtures in the presence of LiPF₆ and LiBF₄ are comparable but it is shown that the solvents oxidation rate at high potentials is lower when LiBF₄ is used.     

Fourier transform Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of silk fibroin

The chemical and conformational structures of Bombyx mori silk were studied with the complementary techniques of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The Fourier transform Raman spectrum of silk showed strong bands for the photosensitive aromatic amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. Intensive UV/ozone irradiation reduced the Raman intensities of the amide III band and the tyrosine signals due to peptide chain scission of the silk polymer and the photochemical changes in the tyrosine residues on the silk molecules. However, the Raman spectroscopy changes for tryptophan were less clearly defined because of peak overlapping with other amino acid signals and the low concentration of tryptophan. The Fourier transform infrared (attenuated total reflectance) technique, coupled with second‐derivative spectroscopy analysis, demonstrated a decrease in the crystallinity degree and tyrosine content of UV/ozone‐irradiated silk, as indicated by changes in the Fourier transform infrared bands of amide III doublet and tyrosine signals. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1999–2004, 2005     

Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of High Oleic Safflower Oils (Carthamus tinctorius,Var. CW88-OL and CW99-OL)

Chemical composition and physical properties of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL cultivars of high oleic safflower seeds and their hexane‐extracted oils were determined. Dry‐based seed composition of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL was: moisture = 4.29 and 4.23 %, oil = 42.29 and 46.44 %, Crude protein = 20.94 and 16.41 %, neutral detergent fiber = 28.11 and 28.49 %, ash = 1.55 and 2.01 %, phosphorus content = 2033 and 3995 mg/kg, respectively. Major fatty acids in oils were ~78 % oleic (O), ~13 % linoleic (L), ~5 % palmitic (P) and ~2 % stearic (St) acids, for both cultivars. The main triacylglycerols were OOO (~50 %), OOL (~20 %), SOL + OPO (~10 %), and LLP (~5 %). The oil composition of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL in main minor components was: α‐tocopherol = 582 and 551 mg/kg, total sterols = 3996 and 3362 mg/kg, phospholipids = 22 and 21 mg/kg and wax content = 70 and 74 mg/kg. For both cultivars, density and viscosity of the oils between 25 and 55 °C varied from 903.4 to 912.6 kg/m³ and 63 to 23 mPa.s showing linear and exponential behaviors, respectively. The refractive index was 1.4694. The CIELab color parameters were: 89.69 and 89.53 (L*), ?3.72 and ?3.07 (a*), and 47.28 and 47.78 (b*) (CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL, respectively). Thus, the high oil content of the seeds and nutritional quality of the oil accompanied by low levels of waxes and phospholipids makes the cultivars studied promising for producers and consumers.