321 research outputs found
Randomized, double-blind comparison of patient-controlled epidural infusion vs nurse-administered epidural infusion for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing colonic resection
Background. There is little published evidence of the analgesic efficacy of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) for postoperative pain relief. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of epidural infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% and fentanyl 4 ÎĽg ml-1 administered by either PCEA with a background infusion or nurse-administered continuous epidural infusion (CEI) after major intra-abdominal surgery. Methods. In a double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 205 adult patients undergoing colonic resection by laparotomy received either PCEA or CEI. Pain scores were recorded via a fourpoint verbal rating scale at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery. The administration of epidural top-ups and systemic analgesia over the same period was also recorded, and patient satisfaction questionnaires completed. Results. The median area under the curve of pain against time was significantly lower in the PCEA group (2 vs 24, P<0.001) as were median summary pain scores on movement (0.67 vs 1.33, P<0.001). Significantly fewer patients in the PCEA group received one or more epidural top-ups (13 vs 36%, P=0.0002) or any systemic analgesics (41 vs 63%, P=0.0021). Patients in the PCEA group were significantly more likely to be very satisfied than in the CEI group (76 vs 43%, P<0.0001). Conclusions. PCEA provides greater analgesic efficacy than CEI for postoperative analgesia after major intra-abdominal surgery, and a decreased requirement for physician or nurse intervention
Evaluation of the efficiency of Isohelix TM and Rayon swabs for recovery of DNA from metal surfaces
Published online: 12 November 2020Purpose We investigated the recovery and extraction efficiency of DNA from three metal surfaces (brass, copper, steel) relevant to forensic casework, and plastic (control) using two different swabbing systems; Rayon and Isohelix™ swabs, with sterile water and isopropyl alcohol respectively, as the wetting solutions. Methods Twenty nanograms of human genomic DNA were applied directly to Isohelix™ and Rayon swabs; and to the metal and plastic substrates. All substrates were left to dry for 24 h, followed by single wet swabbing and extraction with the DNA IQ™ System. DNA extracts were quantified using real time quantitative PCR assays with SYBR green chemistry. Results DNA was extracted from directly seeded Isohelix™ swabs with a high efficiency of 98%, indicating effective DNArelease from the swab into the extraction buffer. In contrast, only 58% of input DNA was recovered from seeded Rayon swabs, indicating higher DNA retention by these swabs. Isohelix™ swabs recovered 32 – 53% of DNA from metal surfaces, whilst the Rayon swabs recovered 11—29%. DNA recovery was lowest from copper and highest from brass. Interestingly, Rayon swabs appeared to collect more DNA from the plastic surface than Isohelix™ swabs, however, due to the lower release of DNA from Rayon swabs they returned less DNA overall following extraction than Isohelix™ swabs. Conclusion These results demonstrate that DNA samples deposited on metal surfaces can be more efficiently recovered using Isohelix™ swabs wetted with isopropyl alcohol than Rayon swabs wetted with sterile water, although recovery is affected by the substrate type.Dan O. M. Bonsu, Denice Higgins, Julianne Henry, Jeremy J. Austi
Climate change refugia for the flora and fauna of England
A variety of evidence suggests that species have, in the past, been able to withstand the effects of climatic change in localised environments known as refugia, where specific environmental conditions acted as a buffer against broader-scale climatic changes.
Therefore, an important question for conservation is whether refugia might exist under current and future anthropogenic climate change. If there are areas that are likely to remain relatively climatically stable and so enable species to persist despite climate change making surrounding areas unsuitable, identifying and protecting these places will be an important part of future conservation strategies.
This report is part of a project that is investigating this question. The report was commissioned to identify the characteristics of potential refugia, to investigate evidence for the existence of contemporary refugia by analysing patterns of local persistence and disappearance of over 1000 species across a range of taxa, and to identify sites in England with the potential to function as refugia for different taxonomic groups at a range of spatial scales
Dakota Gold®-brand dried distiller’s grains with solubles: effects on finishing performance and carcass characteristics
A 153-day trial was conducted using
345 heifers to determine optimal level of
Dakota Gold dried distiller’s grains with
solubles (DDGS) in finishing diets based
on steam-flaked corn. Diets contained six
levels of DDGS: 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%,
60%, and 75%. DDGS affected average
daily gain, final weight and hot carcass
weight, all of which increased with 15%
DDGS and then decreased as additional
DDGS was added. Growth performance of
heifers fed 30% DDGS was similar to those
fed no DDGS. In general, heifers were
overfinished, with 61% being Yield Grade
3 or greater and 83% grading Choice or
Prime. Backfat tended to decrease with
addition of DDGS, and kidney, pelvic, and
heart fat and marbling scores tended to be
greatest for intermediate levels of DDGS.
Percentage of carcasses grading Choice or
Prime tended to be lower for heifers fed 60
or 75% DDGS
Charge dynamics and "ferromagnetism" of A1-xLaxB6 (A=Ca and Sr)
Ferromagnetism has been reported recently in La-doped alkaline-earth
hexaborides, A1-xLaxB6 (A=Ca, Sr, and Ba). We have performed the reflectivity,
Hall resistivity, and magnetization measurements of A1-xLaxB6. The results
indicate that A1-xLaxB6 can be regarded as a simple doped semimetal, with no
signature of an excitonic state as suggested by several theories. It is also
found that the surface of as-grown samples (10 micrometer in thickness) has a
different electronic structure from a bulk one, and a fairly large number of
paramagnetic moments are confined in this region. After eliminating these
paramagnetic moments at the surface, we could not find any evidence of an
intrinsic ferromagnetic moment in our samples, implying the possibility that
the ferromagnetism of A1-xLaxB6 reported so far is neither intrinsic.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
Evaluation of Ralgro® on pasture and subsequent feedlot performance and carcass merit of mexican crossbred steers
A pasture/feedlot field study was conducted
to evaluate the effects of a single
Ralgro® implant during the stocker phase on
steer grazing performance and subsequent
feedlot performance and carcass merit. A
total of 2,764 steers of Mexican origin averaging
449 lb were assembled in Texas and
shipped to Kansas, where they grazed on
three intensively-early-stocked Flint Hills
pastures. At initial processing, the steers
were individually weighed and randomly
assigned to either a non-implanted control
group or a Ralgro implant group. Ralgro
steers gained more (23 lb; P<0.01) than
controls during the 82- to 93-day grazing
phase. Following the grazing phase, all steers
were shipped to a commercial feedlot in
southwestern Kansas where steers from each
pasture were individually weighed and given
a single Component E-S® implant. Immediately
after processing, steers from each
pasture were sorted into either a light- or
heavy-weight pen, regardless of pasture
implant treatment, resulting in six feedlot
pens. Days on feed ranged from 127 to 197.
Control steers gained faster (P<0.01) during
the feedlot phase; however, Ralgro steers had
higher cumulative weight gains across the
combined pasture and feedlot phases
(P<0.01) and averaged three fewer days on
feed (P<0.05). There were no significant
differences for marbling, fat thickness, ribeye
area, KPH fat, or yield grade. Ralgro
steers had lower (P<0.05) quality grades
because of a higher incidence (P<0.001) of
steers with B and C carcass maturities
Molecular cloning and transcriptional regulation of ompT , a ToxR-repressed gene in Vibrio cholerae
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72189/1/j.1365-2958.2000.01699.x.pd
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