220 research outputs found
Minimal versus conventional cardiopulmonary bypass: assessment of intraoperative myocardial damage in coronary bypass surgery
Objective: Minimal extracorporeal circulation (mini-ECC) is a new technology, consisting of a centrifugal pump, an oxygenator, and a modified suction system. The main advantage of mini-ECC is the reduction of tubing length (reduction of the priming volume). Additional beneficial effects are a decrease of coagulation cascade and a reduction of blood transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. We compared the intraoperative and early postoperative myocardial damage and outcome of patients who underwent CABG surgery with conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or mini-ECC. Methods: One hundred and thirty-six consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery at our institution were prospectively studied. Fifty-four patients (39.7%) were operated with mini-ECC. Patient characteristics were similar in both groups. The most interesting intraoperative details as well as in-hospital outcome were assessed. Results: There was no difference in mortality between the two groups. Cross-clamping time was similar in both groups (p = 0.07). Defibrillation was required in one patient in the mini-ECC group (1.9%) and in 38 patients (46.3%) in the CPB group (p < 0.001). In the mini-ECC group, the requirement of inotropic support and incidence of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower than in the CPB group. Postoperative creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) and cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) were significantly lower in the mini-ECC group (p < 0.05). Duration of ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit and total hospitalization time were significantly shorter in patients operated with mini-ECC (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Mini-ECC is a safe procedure and is followed by a diminished release of CK-MB and cTnI than after CPB. Postoperative recovery is accelerated following mini-ECC and there is a significantly lower incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillatio
Magnetic quantum critical point and superconductivity in UPt3 doped with Pd
Transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements have been carried out on
the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3 doped with small amounts of Pd. We find
that the critical Pd concentration for the emergence of the large-moment
antiferromagnetic phase is ~0.6 at.%Pd. At the same Pd content,
superconductivity is completely suppressed. The existence of a magnetic quantum
critical point in the phase diagram, which coincides with the critical point
for superconductivity, provides evidence for ferromagnetic spin-fluctuation
mediated odd-parity superconductivity, which competes with antiferromagnetic
order.Comment: 4 pages (includes 3 figures); postscript fil
Magnetic quantum critical point and superconductivity in UPt3 doped with Pd
Transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements have been carried out on
the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3 doped with small amounts of Pd. We find
that the critical Pd concentration for the emergence of the large-moment
antiferromagnetic phase is ~0.6 at.%Pd. At the same Pd content,
superconductivity is completely suppressed. The existence of a magnetic quantum
critical point in the phase diagram, which coincides with the critical point
for superconductivity, provides evidence for ferromagnetic spin-fluctuation
mediated odd-parity superconductivity, which competes with antiferromagnetic
order.Comment: 4 pages (includes 3 figures); postscript fil
Magnetism in heavy-fermion U(Pt,Pd)3 studied by mSR
We report mSR experiments carried out on a series of heavy-electron
pseudobinary compounds U(Pt1-xPdx)3 (x<=0.05). For x<=0.005 the zero-field muon
depolarisation is described by the Kubo-Toyabe function. However the
temperature variation of the Kubo-Toyabe relaxation rate does not show any sign
of the small-moment antiferromagnetic phase with TN~6 K (signalled by neutron
diffraction), in contrast to previous reports. The failure to detect the small
ordered moment suggests it has a fluctuating (> 10 MHz) nature, which is
consistent with the interpretation of NMR data. For 0.01<=x<=0.05 the muon
depolarisation in the ordered state is described by two terms of equal
amplitude: an exponentially damped spontaneous oscillation and a Lorentzian
Kubo-Toyabe function. These terms are associated with antiferromagnetic order
with substantial moments. The Knight-shift measured in a magnetic field of 0.6
T on single-crystalline U(Pt0.95Pd0.05)3 in the paramagnetic state shows two
signals for B perpendicular to c, while only one signal is observed for B||c.
The observation of two signals for B perpendicular to c, while there is only
one muon localisation site (0,0,0), points to the presence of two spatially
distinct regions of different magnetic response.Comment: 25 pages including 12 figures (PS), J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, in
prin
Progress in the Development of Mo-Au Transition-Edge Sensors for X-Ray Spectroscopy
X-ray microcalorimeters using transition-edge sensors (TES) show great promise for use in astronomical x-ray spectroscopy. We have obtained very high energy resolution (2.8 electronvolts at 1.5 kiloelectronvolts and 3.7 electronvolts at 3.3 kiloelectronvolts) in a large, isolated TES pixel using a Mo/Au proximity-effect bilayer on a silicon nitride membrane. We will discuss the performance and our characterization of that device. In order to be truly suitable for use behind an x-ray telescope, however, such devices need to be arrayed with a pixel size and focal-plane coverage commensurate with the telescope focal length and spatial resolution. Since this requires fitting the TES and its thermal link, a critical component of each calorimeter pixel, into a far more compact geometry than has previously been investigated, we must study the fundamental scaling laws in pixel optimization. We have designed a photolithography mask that will allow us to probe the range in thermal conductance that can be obtained by perforating the nitride membrane in a narrow perimeter around the sensor. This mask will also show the effects of reducing the TES area. Though we have not yet tested devices of the compact designs, we will present our progress in several of the key processing steps and discuss the parameter space of our intended investigations
Evidence for a two component magnetic response in UPt3
The magnetic response of the heavy fermion superconductor UPt_3 has been
investigated on a microscopic scale by muon Knight shift studies. Two distinct
and isotropic Knight shifts have been found for the field in the basal plane.
While the volume fractions associated with the two Knight shifts are
approximately equal at low and high temperatures, they show a dramatic and
opposite temperature dependence around T_N. Our results are independent on the
precise muon localization site. We conclude that UPt_3 is characterized by a
two component magnetic response.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Assessment of welfare of finishing beef cattle kept on different types of floor after short- or long-term housing
International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations for a veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in veterinary practice. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as an important diagnostic test to reach the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. However, given that the diagnosis requires the exclusion of other differentials for seizures, the parameters for MRI examination should allow the detection of subtle lesions which may not be obvious with existing techniques. In addition, there are several differentials for idiopathic epilepsy in humans, for example some focal cortical dysplasias, which may only apparent with special sequences, imaging planes and/or particular techniques used in performing the MRI scan. As a result, there is a need to standardize MRI examination in veterinary patients with techniques that reliably diagnose subtle lesions, identify post-seizure changes, and which will allow for future identification of underlying causes of seizures not yet apparent in the veterinary literature.
There is a need for a standardized veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol which will facilitate more detailed examination of areas susceptible to generating and perpetuating seizures, is cost efficient, simple to perform and can be adapted for both low and high field scanners. Standardisation of imaging will improve clinical communication and uniformity of case definition between research studies. A 6–7 sequence epilepsy-specific MRI protocol for veterinary patients is proposed and further advanced MR and functional imaging is reviewed
Muon-spin-rotation study of the effect of Zn substitution on magnetism in YBa2Cu3Ox
The magnetic properties of YBa2(Cu0.96Zn0.04)3Ox were studied in detail by means of muon spin rotation and relaxation for 6.0≤x≤6.92. The complete magnetic phase diagram was mapped out and a disordered magnetic state was found to persist between x=6.4 and x≃6.7 (metallic transition), in contrast with pure YBa2Cu3Ox. The appearance of this magnetic state is attributed to the effect of Zn on the doped hole dynamics and might be associated with the freezing of local moments due to Zn (6.43≤x≤6.88), which were also detected here, in the paramagnetic state
Emergence of Respiratory Streptococcus agalactiae Isolates in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Streptococcus agalactiae is a well-known pathogen for neonates and immunocompromized adults. Beyond the neonatal period, S. agalactiae is rarely found in the respiratory tract. During 2002–2008 we noticed S. agalactiae in respiratory secretions of 30/185 (16%) of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The median age of these patients was 3–6 years older than the median age CF patients not harboring S. agalactiae. To analyze, if the S. agalactiae isolates from CF patients were clonal, further characterization of the strains was achieved by capsular serotyping, surface protein determination and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). We found a variety of sequence types (ST) among the isolates, which did not substantially differ from the MLST patterns of colonizing strains from Germany. However serotype III, which is often seen in colonizing strains and invasive infections was rare among CF patients. The emergence of S. agalactiae in the respiratory tract of CF patients may represent the adaptation to a novel host environment, supported by the altered surfactant composition in older CF patients
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