Fast screening of solid electrolytes: a high throughput solid state NMR probe.

In this article we describe the construction of a high throughput solid state NMR probe for a fast and reliable determination of the NMR line width of a given nuclear species within a solid material. Since the NMR line width scales with the inverse of the mobility of the studied species and hence its ionic conductivity, this approach allows a fast screening of the material's promise as a solid electrolyte. The functionality of the approach is exemplified by the determination of the (7)Li-NMR line width of a set of 30 different liquid and solid Li-containing samples.

[Emergencies in vascular surgery--a major challenge for the local infrastructure]. / Gefäßchirurgische Notfälle--eine große Herausforderung an die lokale Infrastruktur.

INTRODUCTION: Emergencies in vascular surgery are often life-threatening and require a timely and prompt treatment. Little information is available in the literature about which demands must be made for this on the personnel and infrastructural resources of a hospital. METHODS: All vascular surgical emergency operations of the Surgical University Hospital of Munich - Grosshadern over a period of 2 years were evaluated concerning the emergency category, the leading clinical symptomatology, the genesis, the affected stream area, the intervention time, as well as the need for postoperative intensive medical care. RESULTS: The prevailing procedures were arterial operations (76 %). Ischaemia with 37 % and bleeding with 29 % were the leading clinical symptomatology. Thrombotic events (34 %) showed the most frequent genesis followed by embolism (13 %), stenosis (11 %), aneurysms (10 %) and iatrogenic impairments (10 %). 68 % of the emergencies were treated outside of the daytime working hours. A total of 77 % of the patients needed intensive care treatment or observation after surgery. CONCLUSION: The spectrum and the frequency of emergencies in vascular surgery make high demands on local infrastructure of the hospital and require a fair number of intensive care beds and an adequate and highly trained staff. Only under these conditions can a high quality of treatment be guaranteed for the sometimes life-threatened patients.

Stress, Emotions, and Motivational States Among Traditional Dancers in New Zealand and Japan.

This study used a reversal theory framework to examine motivational dominance and changes in motivational state, arousal, stress, and emotions among members of traditional Japanese (Nihon Odori Sports Science (NOSS)) and New Zealand (Kapa Haka) dance groups. Eighty-four participants (50 in Japan and 34 in New Zealand) completed questionnaires on each variable before and after a dance class. The findings indicated that the Kapa Haka dancers were significantly more playful and arousal-seeking than the NOSS dancers. They also reported higher overall arousal, preferred arousal, and effort during performance while the NOSS dancers became more serious afterward. Data on emotions matched those of arousal in that the Kapa Haka dancers felt significantly more excited and provocative after the session. The NOSS dancers were more relaxed and placid, both overall and after dancing. These patterns were consistent with the dancers' respective motivational states and motivational dominance, and suggest that both dances can be effective in reducing negative affect. They also suggest that psychological effects are dependent upon performers' personal and cultural affiliation with the two dance forms.

Myocardial revascularization in patients with poor ventricular function.

Eighty patients with evidence of impaired ventricular function by ventriculography were reviewed. On the basis of the ejection fraction, these patients were divided into three groups. Those with ejection fractions less than 0.2 were considered in very poor condition, those with ejection fractions of 0.2 to 0.4 were considered in poor condition, and those with ejection fractions with between 0.4 and 0.6 were considered fair. Suitability of vessels for bypassing and the presence or absence of collateral cirulation on the cinearteriograms was also noted for possible influence on result. Operative mortality rate in patients having complete repair, defined as bypassing all major vessels with significant obstruction, was 7 per cent. In 26 patients having incomplete repair, the operative mortality was 30 per cent. However, the late mortality rate was not favorably influenced by complete repair, 75 per cent are in improved or good clinical condition, as compared with 65 per cent in the incomplete repair group. As patients with impairment of ventricular contractility are at high risk, it is believed that they should continue to be evaluated on an individual basis for bypass surgery and not categorically denied treatment.

Treatment of severe coronary artery disease with 5, 6, and 7 saphenous vein bypasses: review of 131 consecutive patients.

One hundred thirty-one consecutive patients who received 5, 6, and 7 bypass grafts are analyzed. Ages ranged from 31 to 74 years. The male-to-female ratio was 7:1. As an indication of severity of disease, 25% were classified as having impending myocardial infarction and 46.6% were classified in New York Heart Association Functional Class IV. Left ventricular function was impaired in 37.4%, and 30% of the patients had left main coronary obstruction. Nonfatal perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in 4.6%. The hospital mortality was 3%. One hundred percent follow-up (5 to 55 months) revealed 4 late deaths, 3 presumably of cardiac origin. Only 7 patients in the postoperative follow-up group have complained of angina; 1 has since undergone successful reoperation.

The treatment of postperfusion bleeding using epsilon-aminocaproic acid, cryoprecipitate, fresh-frozen plasma, and protamine sulfate.

The evaluation of excessive hemorrhage was carried out in 774 patients after cardiopulmonary bypass. Excessive hemorrhage was defined in any adult patient as chest tube drainage of more than 600 ml within the first eight hours after operation. Using the prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen level, and tri-F titer tests, it was possible to differentiate medical from surgical bleeding. Hyperfibrinolytic bleeding was the most frequently identifiable coagulation disorder and occurred in 159 patients (20%). All these patients were successfully treated with Amicar (epsilon-aminocaproic acid) alone, or with Amicar supplemented with cryoprecipitate or fresh-frozen plasma. Three patients (0.4%) were noted to have residual heparin and required additional protamine sulfate. Five patients (0.6%) had normal coagulation studies and required immediate reexploration. The overall blood consumption per patient was 2.1 units of packed cells. Whole blood and platelets were not used.

[Synthesis and analgesic effect of 2-aryliminomethylquinolines]. / Synthese und analgetische Wirkung von 2-Aryliminomethylchinolinen.

2-Aryliminomethylquinolines were synthesized by the condensation of quinoline-2-carbaldehyde with the corresponding anilines. The compounds were evaluated for analgesic activity using the acetic acid writhing test. Some of them showed significant inhibition of the writhing syndrome. The most potent compound 3b was approximately as active as aminophenazone in the writhing and the hot-plate method.

Different types of asynchronous music and effects on performance of basketball foul shot.

48 undergraduate women performed basketball foul shots with and without background music. Slow music, fast music, and music personally selected by subjects did not significantly affect shooting performance.

[Physiological and pathophysiological role of histamine in the gastrointestinal tract]. / Rola histaminy w przewodzie pokarmowym w stanach fizjologii i patologii.

In this paper, the authors discuss problems concerning the role played by histamine in various physiological and pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract. The synthesis and metabolism of histamine is described. Apart from participation in many physiological processes, e.g. secretion of gastric juice, histamine takes part in many pathological reactions occurring in celiac disease, food allergy and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Interactive Effects of CO(2) and O(2) in Soil on Root and Top Growth of Barley and Peas.

Barley and pea plants were grown under several regimens of different compositions of soil atmosphere, the O(2) concentration varying from 0 to 21% and the CO(2) concentration from 0 to 8%. In absence of CO(2), the effect of O(2) on root length in barley was characterized by equal root lengths within the range of 21 to 7% O(2) and a steep decline between 7 and 0%. In peas, while showing the same general response, the decline occurred between 14 and 7% O(2). Root numbers of the seminal roots of barley decreased already with reduction in O(2) concentration from 21 to 14%. Dry matter production was affected somewhat differently by O(2) and CO(2) concentration. Dry matter production in barley was reduced at 14% O(2) while root length decreased between 7 and 0%. In peas, dry matter production was favored by low CO(2) concentrations except where there was no oxygen. At 21% O(2), increasing CO(2) concentrations did not seem to affect root length up to concentrations of 2% CO(2). At 8% CO(2), root length was decreased. The inter-active effects of CO(2) and O(2) are characterized by a reduced susceptibility to CO(2) at O(2) values below 7%, and a very deleterious effect of 8% CO(2) at 7% O(2).

The evaluation of hemorrhage in cardiac patients who have undergone extracorporeal circulation.

The present study defines excessive bleeding in patients who undergo cardiopulmonary bypass, and evaluates the use of coagulation testing to predict those patients that bleed excessively. Evaluation of 774 consecutive patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery was carried out. Cardiopulmonary bypass consisted of a bloodless prime and a Harvey bubble oxygenator. In the postoperative period, excessive hemorrhage was defined as that exceeding 600 ml chest tube drainage in the first eight hours. One hundred and sixty-three patients (21%) were noted to be in this category. Excessive bleeding postoperatively was best predicted by a PTT greater than 45 seconds, a PT greater than 19 seconds, a fibrinogen level less than 225 mg/dl and a TFT equal to or less than 1:32. These laboratory findings occur singly or in combination. The assessment of platelet, numbers or function and fibrin(ogen) split products were of no prognostic value. Using these criteria, the re-exploration rate for excessive hemorrhage and/or tamponade was 0.6 per cent (5 out of 774 patients). No preoperative laboratory test of hemostatic function was useful in predicting coagulopathies resulting from cardiopulmonary bypass.