Albuterol metered dose inhaler performance under hyperbaric pressures

Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionINTRODUCTION: The stimulus for this presentation was an asthma attack suffered on the first dive by a victim of a severe industrial electrical burn. The patient's response to albuterol metered dose inhaler (MDI) treatment given at depth was felt to have been poor. We thus wondered what the output of these devises (chlorofluorocarbon or CFC) was at therapeutic depth versus normobaria. As the current MDIs were being phased out of use we also wondered what the comparable output characteristics of the replacement MDIs (hydrofluoroalkane or HFA) would be. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dose and aerosol particle size and number delivered by MDIs were measured in a hyperbaric chamber at pressures ranging from one atmosphere absolute (1 ATA, 0 feet of seawater, fsw, 101 kPa) to three ATA (66 fsw, 304 kPa). Mass delivered was measured by a Sartorius B120 analytical balance, and particle size analysis by a TSI 3080L electrostatic classifier with a TSI 3776 ultrafine condensation particle counter. RESULTS: Dose delivery per actuation by CFC and long canister HFA powered MDIs was 13±1% and 12±1% less, respectively, at 3 ATA compared to 1 ATA. However, dose delivery by short canister HFA MDIs was not significantly changed with pressure. The geometric mean diameters of nano particles from the CFC and short canister HFA MDIs decreased from 50 nm at 0 fsw to 32 nm at 66 fsw whereas the long canister HFA aerosol diameters were not affected. The numbers of nanometer size particles delivered at 66 fsw were only 4-7% of those delivered at 0 fsw for the CFC and long canister HFA MDIs; whereas for the short canister HFAs it was 26%. CONCLUSIONS: The doses of albuterol and the sizes and numbers of aerosol particles emitted from albuterol MDIs actuated in a hyperbaric environment vary by canister type; CFC MDI loss is probably unimportant

Direct high-precision measurement of the magnetic moment of the proton

The spin-magnetic moment of the proton $\mu_p$ is a fundamental property of this particle. So far $\mu_p$ has only been measured indirectly, analysing the spectrum of an atomic hydrogen maser in a magnetic field. Here, we report the direct high-precision measurement of the magnetic moment of a single proton using the double Penning-trap technique. We drive proton-spin quantum jumps by a magnetic radio-frequency field in a Penning trap with a homogeneous magnetic field. The induced spin-transitions are detected in a second trap with a strong superimposed magnetic inhomogeneity. This enables the measurement of the spin-flip probability as a function of the drive frequency. In each measurement the proton's cyclotron frequency is used to determine the magnetic field of the trap. From the normalized resonance curve, we extract the particle's magnetic moment in units of the nuclear magneton $\mu_p=2.792847350(9)\mu_N$. This measurement outperforms previous Penning trap measurements in terms of precision by a factor of about 760. It improves the precision of the forty year old indirect measurement, in which significant theoretical bound state corrections were required to obtain $\mu_p$, by a factor of 3. By application of this method to the antiproton magnetic moment $\mu_{\bar{p}}$ the fractional precision of the recently reported value can be improved by a factor of at least 1000. Combined with the present result, this will provide a stringent test of matter/antimatter symmetry with baryons.Comment: published in Natur

Subjective face recognition difficulties, aberrant sensibility, sleeping disturbances and aberrant eating habits in families with Asperger syndrome

BACKGROUND: The present study was undertaken in order to determine whether a set of clinical features, which are not included in the DSM-IV or ICD-10 for Asperger Syndrome (AS), are associated with AS in particular or whether they are merely a familial trait that is not related to the diagnosis. METHODS: Ten large families, a total of 138 persons, of whom 58 individuals fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for AS and another 56 did not to fulfill these criteria, were studied using a structured interview focusing on the possible presence of face recognition difficulties, aberrant sensibility and eating habits and sleeping disturbances. RESULTS: The prevalence for face recognition difficulties was 46.6% in individuals with AS compared with 10.7% in the control group. The corresponding figures for subjectively reported presence of aberrant sensibilities were 91.4% and 46.6%, for sleeping disturbances 48.3% and 23.2% and for aberrant eating habits 60.3% and 14.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: An aberrant processing of sensory information appears to be a common feature in AS. The impact of these and other clinical features that are not incorporated in the ICD-10 and DSM-IV on our understanding of AS may hitherto have been underestimated. These associated clinical traits may well be reflected by the behavioural characteristics of these individuals

The Influence of Education and Socialization on Radicalization: An Exploration of Theoretical Presumptions and Empirical Research

Background and Objective: Research into radicalization does not pay much attention to education. This is remarkable and possibly misses an important influence on the process of radicalization. Therefore this article sets out to explore the relation between education on the one hand and the onset or prevention of radicalization on the other hand. Method: This article is a theoretical literature review. It has analyzed empirical studies-mainly from European countries-about the educational aims, content and style of Muslim parents and parents with (extreme) right-wing sympathies. Results: Research examining similarity in right-wing sympathies between parents and children yields mixed results, but studies among adolescents point to a significant concordance. Research also showed that authoritarian parenting may play a significant role. Similar research among Muslim families was not found. While raising children with distrust and an authoritarian style are prevalent, the impact on adolescents has not been investigated. The empirical literature we reviewed does not give sufficient evidence to conclude that democratic ideal in and an authoritative style of education are conducive to the development of a democratic attitude. Conclusion: There is a knowledge gap with regard to the influence of education on the onset or the prevention of radicalization. Schools and families are underappreciated sources of informal social control and social capital and therefore the gap should be closed. If there is a better understanding of the effect of education, policy as well as interventions can be developed to assist parents and teachers in preventing radicalization. © 2011 The Author(s)