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Optimum compression to ventilation ratios in CPR under realistic, practical conditions: a physiological and mathematical analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a practical formula for the optimum ratio of compressions to ventilations in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The optimum value of a variable is that for which a desired result is maximized. Here the desired result is assumed to be either oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues or a combination of oxygen delivery and waste product removal. METHOD: Equations describing oxygen delivery and blood flow during CPR as functions of the number of compressions and the number of ventilations delivered over time were developed from principles of classical physiology. These equations were solved explicitly in terms of the compression/ventilation ratio and evaluated for a wide range of conditions using Monte Carlo simulations. RESULTS: As the compression to ventilation ratio was increased from 0 to 50 or more, both oxygen delivery and the combination of oxygen delivery with blood flow increased to maximum values and then gradually declined. For variables typical of standard CPR as taught and specified in international guidelines, maximum values occurred at compression/ventilation ratios near 30:2. For variables typical of actual lay rescuer performance in the field, maximal values occurred at compression/ventilation ratios near 60:2. CONCLUSION: Current guidelines overestimate the need for ventilation during standard CPR by two to four-fold. Blood flow and oxygen delivery to the periphery can be improved by eliminating interruptions of chest compression for these unnecessary ventilations.

Blood Gas Analysis↗

mRNA expression of components of the IGF system and of GH and insulin receptors in ovaries of broiler breeder hens fed ad libitum or restricted from 4 to 16 weeks of age.

An evaluation of the insulin-like growth factors (IGF) system in the ovaries of heavy breeder hens during the growing phase was performed to measure the effect of feed restriction. The transcripts of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF receptor (IGF-R), two IGF binding proteins (IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-5), GH receptor (GH-R) and insulin receptor (I-R) were measured by RT-PCR at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age in the ovaries of ad libitum fed and feed restricted hens. The transcripts of all genes screened were detected in all feed regime groups and at all ages sampled. However, no significant overall effects of feed restriction on these transcripts were found despite the marked difference in body growth (200% at 16 weeks of age). Similarly there were no significant age effects except for the expression of GH-R-that showed a decrease after 8 weeks of age (P<0.01). Although feed restriction seems to have a relatively limited effect on the expression of these components of the ovarian IGF system in juveniles, a more detailed determination is necessary to determine possible changes nearer to sexual maturity (16 weeks of age onwards). It is concluded that components of the IGF system, GH or insulin may not be involved in the mechanisms that, through restricted feeding, alter ovarian development and function during growth to enable better reproductive performance during lay.

Aging↗

The influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus and bacitracin on layer performance of chickens and cholesterol content of plasma and egg yolk.

1. The influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus alone or in combination with zinc bacitracin on the performance of laying hens was monitored over a period of 4 months. 2. Lactobacillus acidophilus improved egg production, food conversion and reduced the cholesterol concentration in the eggs, but zinc bacitracin had no effect when administered alone. 3. In combination, bacitracin had an adverse effect on the otherwise beneficial activity of the culture.

Animal Feed↗

Effects on dietary phosphorus of treating cottonseed meal with crystalline ferrous sulphate for the prevention of brown yolk discolouration.

1. Two experiments were carried out to examine whether the adverse effects on laying hen performance of treating cottonseed meal (CSM) with crystalline ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (FSH) to prevent brown yolk discolouration, was a consequence of iron reducing the availability of dietary phosphorus. Two batches of CSM, with different free gossypol and cyclopropenoid fatty acid contents, were treated with FSH at a 4:1 weight ratio of iron to free gossypol, and incorporated into diets at 300 g/kg with or without supplementation with sodium dihydrogen phosphate (SHP), and fed to hens. 2. FSH treatment of CSM reduced food intake and egg production. Although performance was improved by supplementing the FSH-treated CSM diets with SHP, it was still poorer than that achieved by hens fed a non-CSM control diet. 3. Brown yolk discolouration was prevented by treatment of CSM with FSH. Additional phosphorus did not produce any significant effects on brown colour development in yolks, indicating that the bioavailable gossypol content of the diets had not been altered; however, chemical analyses showed an apparent increase in the free gossypol content of the diets with the inclusion of SHP, suggesting that the assay gives misleading results.

Animal Feed↗

Effect of size and timing of photoperiod increase on age at first egg and subsequent performance of two breeds of laying hen.

1. ISA Brown and Shaver 288 pullets were changed from 8 h to 8, 10, 13 or 16 h photoperiods at 42, 63, 84, 105, 126 or 142 d of age. 2. Age at first egg (AFE) was curvilinearly affected by the size and timing of the change in photoperiod. AFE was advanced most by a photoperiod change from 8 to 13 h made at 63 or 84 d. ISA birds were generally more responsive than Shaver to the photoperiod changes. 3. Longer photoperiods significantly increased survivors' egg production, but decreased liveability to 504 d. so that eggs per hen housed were unaffected. Retarding AFE by 10 d reduced survivors' egg numbers by 7.0, but increased mean egg weight by 1.26 g. Egg output by Shaver birds was unaffected by AFE, but that of ISA was curvilinearly affected, with an apogee at an AFE of 135 d. In both breeds, egg weight and egg output were greater following an early or late, rather than a mid-term photostimulation. 4. Photoperiod significantly increased mean daily food intake during lay by 1.26 g/h. A 10 d retardation in AFE resulted in a reduction in food intake of 1 g/d. Efficiency of food conversion deteriorated according to the square of the photoperiod, and changed curvilinearly according to age at photostimulation. Food conversion efficiency improved by 0.05 g/g for each 10 d delay in AFE. 5. Shell quality was unaffected by AFE, but deteriorated with increasing photoperiod and was curvilinearly affected by age at photostimulation with the smallest shell weights associated with photostimulation at 63 d. The incidence of double-yolked (DY) egg production increased with photoperiod and decreased with delayed photostimulation. There was an exponential regression of DY eggs on AFE. 6. Body weight at first egg increased by 75 g/d delay in AFE, but body weight at 504 d of age was unaffected by AFE, photoperiod or age at photostimulation. Body weight gain during lay increased by 15 g/h increase in photoperiod, decreased by 6 g per 10 d delay in photostimulation and by 40 g per 10 d delay in AFE. Fat content at 504 d increased by about 10 g/kg and by 23 g/bird for each 10 d delay in AFE. 7. Mortality in lay increased by 0.8%/h increase in photoperiod, but was unaffected by either age at photostimulation or AFE.

Aging↗

Effect of feeding clinoptilolite (zeolite) on the performance of three strains of laying hens.

1. One hundred and twenty 16-week-old single combed pullets of three strains were fed on a diet containing 135 g protein/kg with or without 50 g clinoptilolite/kg in a trial with 20 hens per treatment. Sterile river sand replaced clinoptilotile in the control diet in order to keep the diets isoenergetic. The hens were individually caged in a naturally ventilated laying house and fed one of the two diets for ten 28-d periods. 2. Significant dietary effects of feeding clinoptilolite were observed with number of eggs laid per hen, shell thickness, efficiency of food utilisation and droppings moisture content. No significant dietary effects between treatments were observed with body weight, age at first egg, egg weight. Haugh units, food intake/hen and rate of amino acid absorption of radioactive lysine and methionine into the bloodstream. Significant differences between strains were observed with regard to all parameters except food intake/hen. There were no significant strain X clinoptilolite interactions.

Animals↗

Effect of dried tomato pulp on the performance and egg traits of laying hens.

1. Grouped laying hens were fed on experimental diets containing dried tomato pulp (DTP) at inclusion rates up to 120 g/kg and two control diets (A and A+Carophyll). 2. The addition of DTP did not significantly affect egg production, food consumption and efficiency, egg weight and shell thickness. 3. There was a significant improvement in the egg yolk colour in treatments containing DTP. However, this improvement was significantly lower in comparison to the diet which contained carophyll.

Animal Feed↗

Effect of probiotic supplementation on laying hen diets on yield performance and serum and egg yolk cholesterol.

The effects of dietary supplementation of a commercial probiotic (BioPlus 2B) on daily feed consumption, egg yield, egg weight, specific gravity, body weight, feed conversion ratio, serum and egg yolk cholesterol, and serum trigylceride in layer hens were investigated. In 12 replicates, 480 27-week-old Brown-Nick layers were fed with diets containing 0, 250, 500 or 750 mg kg(-1) probiotic for 90 days. When compared with the controls, supplementation of 250, 500 and 750 mg kg(-1) probiotic increased egg production, but decreased the damaged egg ratio (p < 0.05), egg yolk cholesterol and serum cholesterol (p < 0.001) levels. In addition, serum triglyceride levels were reduced by using 500 and 750 mg kg(-1) probiotic supplementation (p < 0.001). Feed conversion ratios were positively affected by supplementation of 250 and 500 mg kg(-1) probiotic compared with controls (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the control and all treatment groups on feed consumption, egg weight, specific gravity, body weight, and egg yolk weight.

Animal Feed↗

Chicken industry strategies for control of tumor virus infections.

Marek's disease (MD) and lymphoid leukosis (LL) are two distinct viral diseases that cause tumor mortality in chickens. Marek's disease, being horizontally transmitted, is controlled through biosecurity measures and vaccination. Prevention of early exposure before vaccine immunity is established is most important. Some multi-house growing farms have converted to all single-age placements to break the ongoing cycle of transmission. Vaccination against MD involves either in ovo or day-old administration of live vaccine, including single or multiple serotype products. Field viruses appear to adapt over time and become resistant to the prevalent vaccine. The Rispens vaccine (CVI-988) has shown good efficacy against recently emerging very virulent MD strains in the U.S. Genetic resistance of the host to MD and control of other immunosuppressive diseases also affects MD susceptibility. Lymphoid leukosis is primarily vertically transmitted and therefore controlled by elimination of shedder hens at the primary breeder level. Depending upon the genetic type, commercial performance of laying hens may be greatly improved by eradication of the LL virus from the breeding stock.

Animals↗

Effect of bird cage space and dietary metabolizable energy level on production parameters in laying hens.

A study was conducted to assess the effects of varying cage spaces on a commercial laying hen strain fed differing levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) for 15 wk. Four cage space allowances (342, 413, 516, and 690 cm2/hen) were combined with 3 levels of dietary ME (2,800, 2,850, and 2,900 kcal of ME/kg) in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement. Each treatment was assigned to 6 replicate cages for a total of 72 cages in randomized complete block design. Feed intake and metabolizable energy intake were significantly (P < 0.01) greater for hens housed at 690 cm2/hen compared with those housed at 413 and 342 cm2/hen, but not those housed at 516 cm2/hen, across all dietary ME levels. Egg production and egg mass were significantly (P < 0.001) improved for hens housed at 690 cm2/ hen in contrast to other cage spaces and across all energy levels. There were no interaction effects of ME levels on laying hen performance at varying cage space except for body weight change. Hens housed at 516 cm2/ hen and fed 2,800 kcal of ME/kg exhibited the greatest weight change, which was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than those fed other levels of ME at the same cage space. Hens housed at 690 cm2/hen had significantly (P < 0.05) greater ME efficiency of egg production than hens housed at other cage spaces. Hens fed the diet with 2,900 kcal of ME/kg had significantly (P < 0.001) greater ME digestibility compared with those fed 2,800 or 2,580 kcal of ME/ kg with differences of 107 and 118 kcal of ME/kg, respectively. There were no significant effects of ME levels observed except ME digestibility, and no significant effects of cage space allowance on egg weight, hen weight, bone ash, or maintenance energy intake. It is evident that decreasing the number of birds per cage and increasing cage space allowance per hen had an overall positive effect on performance.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

The Dix-Hallpike test and the canalith repositioning maneuver.

The Dix-Hallpike test and the canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM) are used to diagnose and treat benign positional vertigo (BPV). Dix-Hallpike is the standard procedure for diagnosis of BPV, but if the horizontal canal is not tested for BPV and the Dix-Hallpike is only carried out once, the condition may not be diagnosed and appropriately treated. We describe our method of testing for BPV and treating it with CRM. The Dix-Hallpike test involves rapidly moving the patient from a sitting position to "head hanging," where the patient's head is at least 10 degrees below horizontal. This is performed initially for the posterior semicircular canals. If these movements fail to elicit vertigo and nystagmus, tests of the horizontal semicircular canals are performed by laying the patient on each side. Importantly, if there is no vertigo or nystagmus elicited by testing the horizontal semi-circular canals, the posterior semicircular canals are tested again. It appears that being held in the head hanging positions and then left and right lateral positions will often allow the canaliths to collect such that the Dix-Hallpike test will become positive. Failure to repeat the tests of the posterior semicircular canals may result in a falsely negative test. Testing the horizontal canals and repeating the Dix-Hallpike test will reduce the likelihood of patients undergoing extra testing or other consequences of misdiagnosis. If, during any of this testing, a movement elicits vertigo or nystagmus, the appropriate CRM is then carried out.

Diagnostic Techniques, Otological↗

Unified optimization criterion for energy converters.

We propose a unified optimization criterion for energy converters. It represents the best compromise between energy benefits and losses for a specific job and neither an explicit evaluation of entropies nor the consideration of environmental parameters are required. For all considered systems the criterion predicts a performance regime laying between those of maximum efficiency and maximum useful energy. Such regime has been invoked as optimum not only in macroscopic heat engines but also in some molecular motors.

Journal Article↗

Problems in using health survey questionnaires in older patients with physical disabilities. Can proxies be used to complete the SF-36?

BACKGROUND: The SF-36 Health Survey questionnaire has been proposed as a generic measure of health outcome. However, poor rates of return and high levels of missing data have been found in elderly subjects and, even with face-to-face interview, reliability and validity may still be disappointing, particularly in cognitively impaired patients. These patients may be the very patients whose quality of life is most affected by their illness and their exclusion will lead to biased evaluation of health status. A possible alternative to total exclusion is the use of a proxy to answer on the patient's behalf, but few studies of older people have systematically studied patient-proxy agreement. OBJECTIVE: To compare the agreement between patients, lay and professional proxies when assessing the health status of patients with the SF-36. METHODS: The SF-36 was administered by interview to 164 cognitively normal, elderly patients (Mini-mental State Examination 24 or more) referred for physical rehabilitation. The SF-36 was also completed by a patient-designated lay proxy (by post) and a professional proxy. Agreement between proxies and patients was measured by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and a bias index. RESULTS: Professional proxies were better able to predict the patients' responses than were the lay proxies. Criterion levels of agreement (ICC 0.4 or over) were attained for four of the eight dimensions of the SF-36 by professional proxies, but for only one dimension by lay proxies. In professional proxies, the magnitude of the bias was absent or slight (<0.2) for six of the eight dimensions of the SF-36 with a small (0.2-0.49) negative bias for the other two. Lay proxies showed a negative bias (i.e. they reported poorer function than did the patients themselves) for seven of the eight dimensions of the SF-36 (small in two and moderate (0.5-0.79) in five). CONCLUSIONS: For group comparisons using the SF-36, professional proxies might be considered when patients cannot answer reliably for themselves. However, in the present study, lay proxy performance on a postal questionnaire showed a strong tendency to negative bias. Further research is required to define the limitations and potentials of proxy completion of health status questionnaires.

Aged↗

Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations: pathological phenomena?

BACKGROUND: Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are common in narcolepsy. However, the prevalence of these phenomena in the general population is uncertain. METHOD: A representative community sample of 4972 people in the UK, aged 15-100, was interviewed by telephone (79.6% of those contacted). Interviews were performed by lay interviewers using a computerised system that guided the interviewer through the interview process. RESULTS: Thirty-seven per cent of the sample reported experiencing hypnagogic hallucinations and 12.5% reported hypnopompic hallucinations. Both types of hallucinations were significantly more common among subjects with symptoms of insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness or mental disorders. According to this study, the prevalence of narcolepsy in the UK is 0.04%. CONCLUSIONS: Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations were much more common than expected, with a prevalence that far exceeds that which can be explained by the association with narcolepsy. Hypnopompic hallucinations may be a better indicator of narcolepsy than hypnagogic hallucinations in subjects reporting excessive daytime sleepiness.

Adolescent↗

Project Universal Preschool Vision Screening: a demonstration project.

OBJECTIVES: Visual disorders among preschool-aged children are common, yet screening is infrequent. The purpose of this project was to implement the vision screening recommendations proposed by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and National Eye Institute Vision Screening in the Preschool Child Task Force: monocular visual acuity and stereopsis testing. METHODS: Four sites fully participated in the implementation of the task force recommendations with 3- and 4-year-old children. Two of the sites worked with primary care practices (testing performed by staff); 2 worked with community-based programs (testing performed by lay volunteers). Each site tracked number of children screened by age, as well as proportion testable, referred, and with documented follow-up evaluation. RESULTS: Variations in implementation of the recommendations were observed. Successful screening among 3-year-olds ranged from 70% to 93%; referral rates were 1% to 41%, and follow-up rates were 29% to 100%. Successful screening among 4-year-olds ranged from 88% to 98%; referral rates were 2% to 40%, and follow-up rates were 41% to 100%. The proportion of 3-year-olds who were treated was significantly different between the community-based sites (n = 20) and the primary care sites (n = 2). Similarly, the proportion of 4-year-olds who were treated was significantly different between the community-based sites (n = 36) and the primary care sites (n = 11). CONCLUSION: . The variability across pilot sites in numbers successfully screened and numbers referred suggests that all aspects of preschool vision screening need thorough review before the goal of universal preschool vision screening can be realized.

Child Health Services↗

Response of laying hens to supplemental niacin.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of supplemental niacin on laying hen performance and liver fat and egg cholesterol content. In Experiment 1, 16 replicate groups of four adjacently caged birds were fed corn and soybean meal diets calculated to contain 22, 44, 66, or 132 mg supplemental niacin/kg (23.2, 38.7, 57.0, and 143 mg/kg niacin by analysis). Egg production, egg weight, feed intake, and eggshell quality were assessed each 28 days through a 364-day trial period. After 280 days, cholesterol content on three eggs per replicate was measured. At the end of the study, one bird per replicate was killed for subjective scoring of liver fat content. In Experiment 2, 24 birds from the control treatment (22 mg/kg supplemental niacin) of Experiment 1 were retained and fed for a subsequent 28-day period. Over this time, eight birds were each fed diets containing 22, 522, or 1,022 mg/kg supplemental niacin. Egg cholesterol content was measured in eggs collected on the last 3 days of the study. In Experiment 1, birds fed 66 or 132 mg/kg supplemental niacin/kg produced more eggs (P less than .05) than birds fed 22mg/kg. Niacin supplementation affected shell quality (P less than .05). Dietary niacin level had no effect on egg cholesterol content of liver lipid evaluation. In Experiment 2, supplementary niacin levels up to 1,022 mg/kg, which more closely stimulates therapeutic levels used for humans, again failed to affect egg cholesterol content.

Animal Feed↗

[Guidelines for basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation of adult patients. European Resuscitation Council].

In this article, 15 experts from six countries present an abridged version of the 1998 European Resuscitation Council guidelines for adult basic life support. Persons trained in advanced life support should use these guidelines together with the guidelines for advanced life support, also published in this journal. There are a few changes from the previous guidelines published in 1993. The ventilation tidal volume has been reduced to 400-600 ml, and the chest compression frequency has been increased to 100 min-1. In Norway, but not in the rest of Europe, the evaluation of the circulation by a pulse check has been eliminated in basic, but not in advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is due to reports that pulse checks performed by lay rescuers require much time with poor specificity and sensitivity. Finally, in evaluating the patient's own ventilation the differentiation between agonal gasps and regular breaths is stressed.

Adult↗