Atrial Natriuretic Factor: Is It Responsible For Hyponatremia And Natriuresis In Neurosurgery?

To evaluate the presence of hyponatremia and natriuresis and their association with atrial natriuretic factor in neurosurgery patients. Methods: The study included 30 patients who had been submitted to intracranial tumor resection and cerebral aneurism clipping. Both plasma and urinary sodium and plasma atrial natriuretic factor were measured during the preoperative and postoperative time periods. Results: Hyponatremia was present in 63.33% of the patients, particularly on the first postoperative day. Natriuresis was present in 93.33% of the patients, particularly on the second postoperative day. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor was increased in 92.60% of the patients in at least one of the postoperative days; however, there was no statistically significant association between the atrial natriuretic factor and plasma sodium and between the atrial natriuretic factor and urinary sodium. Conclusion: Hyponatremia and natriuresis were present in most patients after neurosurgery; however, the atrial natriuretic factor cannot be considered to be directly responsible for these alterations in neurosurgery patients. Other natriuretic factors are likely to be involved.28215416

Novel Membrane Emulsification Method of Producing Highly Uniform Silica Particles Using Inexpensive Silica Sources

A membrane emulsification method for production of monodispersed silica-based ion exchange particles through water-in-oil emulsion route is developed. A hydrophobic microsieve membrane with 15 mu m pore size and 200 pm pore spacing was used to produce droplets, with a mean size between 65 and 240 pm containing acidified sodium silicate solution (with 4 and 6 wt% SiO2) in kerosene. After drying, the final silica particles had a mean size in the range between 30 and 70 mu m. Coefficient of variation for both the droplets and particles did not exceed 35%. The most uniform particles had a mean diameter of 40 mu m and coefficient of variation of 17%. The particles were functionalised with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and used for chemisorption of Cu(II) from an aqueous solution of CuSO4 in a continuous flow stirred cell with slotted pore microfiltration membrane. Functionalised silica particles showed a higher binding affinity toward Cu(II) than nontreated silica particles.UK Colloids 2011 - International Colloid and Surface Science Symposium, Jul 04-06, 2011, London, Englan

Influence of the respiratory physioterapy on intracranial pressure in severe head trauma patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate influence of the respiratory physiotherapy on intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with severe head trauma. METHOD: Thirty five patients with severe head trauma were included in the study.The patients were divided into three groups: ICP 0-10, 11-20 and 21-30 mmHg. The following variables were measured: ICP and mean arterial pressure. Cerebral perfusion pressure was calculated as the difference between mean arterial and intracranial pressure. RESULTS: Endotracheal aspiration increased ICP in all patients. The mean arterial pressure didn't change and cerebral perfusion pressure decreased, but remaning normal value. CONCLUSION: Respiratory physiotherapy maneuvers can be safely applied in patients with severe head trauma with ICP below 30 mmHg. More attention should be taken during endotracheal aspiration .OBJETIVO: Estudar a influência das manobras de fisioterapia respiratória na pressão intracraniana (PIC) dos pacientes com trauma craniencefálico grave. MÉTODO: Trinta e cinco pacientes com trauma craniencefálico grave foram incluídos no estudo, sendo divididos em três grupos: com PIC < 10, 11-20 e 21-30 mmHg. As variáveis monitorizadas foram: PIC e pressão arterial média. A pressão de perfusão cerebral foi calculada pela diferença de pressão arterial média e PIC. RESULTADOS: A manobra de aspiração traqueal causou aumento de PIC em todos os grupos. A pressão arterial média não teve alterações e a pressão de perfusão cerebral diminuiu pouco, porém mantendo valores normais. CONCLUSÃO: As manobras de fisioterapia respiratória podem ser usadas com segurança em pacientes com traumatismo craniencefálico grave, com PIC abaixo de 30 mmHg.Certo cuidado deve ser tomado durante a aspiração traqueal.11011

Neutron-rich fragments produced by in-flight fission of U-238

The production cross sections of neutron-rich fission residues in reactions induced by U-238 projectiles at 950A MeV impinging on Pb and Be targets are investigated at the Fragment Separator at GSI. These two targets allow us to investigate fission processes induced by two reaction mechanisms, Coulomb and nuclear excitations, and to study the role of these mechanisms in the neutron excess of the final fragments.Peer reviewe

βDelayed γRay spectroscopy of heavy neutron rich nuclei “south” of lead

Relativistic projectile fragmentation of a 208Pb primary beam has been used to produce neutron-rich nuclei with proton-holes relative to the Z = 82 shell closure, i.e., “south” of Pb. βDelayed γRay spectroscopy allows to investigate the structural properties of such nuclei with A ~ 195 → 205. The current work presents transitions de-exciting excited states in 204Au, which are the first spectroscopic information on this N = 125 isotone.Agramunt Ros, Jorge, [email protected] ; Algora, Alejandro, [email protected] ; Molina Palacios, Francisco Manuel, [email protected] ; Rubio Barroso, Berta, [email protected]

Preparation of liposomes: A novel application of microengineered membranes–From laboratory scale to large scale

This article was accepted for publication in the journal, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces [© Elsevier B.V.] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2013.07.066A novel ethanol injection method using microengineered nickel membrane was employed to produce POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and Lipoid® E80 liposomes at different production scales. A stirred cell device was used to produce 73 ml of the liposomal suspension and the product volume was then increased by a factor of 8 at the same transmembrane flux (140 l m−2 h−1), volume ratio of the aqueous to organic phase (4.5) and peak shear stress on the membrane surface (2.7 Pa). Two different strategies for shear control on the membrane surface have been used in the scaled-up versions of the process: a cross flow recirculation of the aqueous phase across the membrane surface and low frequency oscillation of the membrane surface (∼40 Hz) in a direction normal to the flow of the injected organic phase. Using the same membrane with a pore size of 5 μm and pore spacing of 200 μm in all devices, the size of the POPC liposomes produced in all three membrane systems was highly consistent (80–86 nm) and the coefficient of variation ranged between 26 and 36%. The smallest and most uniform liposomal nanoparticles were produced in a novel oscillating membrane system. The mean vesicle size increased with increasing the pore size of the membrane and the injection time. An increase in the vesicle size over time was caused by deposition of newly formed phospholipid fragments onto the surface of the vesicles already formed in the suspension and this increase was most pronounced for the cross flow system, due to long recirculation time. The final vesicle size in all membrane systems was suitable for their use as drug carriers in pharmaceutical formulations