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Useful Instrument (useful + instrument)
Selected AbstractsAn algorithm for the pharmacological treatment of depressionACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2010J. Spijker Spijker J, Nolen WA. An algorithm for the pharmacological treatment of depression. Objective:, Non-response to treatment with antidepressants (AD) is a clinical problem. Method:, The algorithm for pharmacological treatment of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline for depression is compared with four other algorithms. Results:, The Dutch algorithm consists of five subsequent steps. Treatment is started with one out of many optional ADs (step 1); in case of non-response after 4,10 weeks, best evidence is for switching to another AD (step 2); next step is augmentation with lithium as the best option (step 3); the next step is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (step 4); and finally electroconvulsive therapy (step 5). There are major differences with other algorithms regarding timing of augmentation step, best agents for augmentation and role of MAOI. Conclusion:, Algorithms for AD treatment vary according to national and local preferences. Although the evidence for most of the treatment strategies is rather meagre, an AD algorithm appears to be an useful instrument in clinical practice. [source] The Brøset violence checklist (BVC)ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2002Phil Woods Objective:, The Brøset violence checklist (BVC) is a short-term violence prediction instrument assessing confusion, irritability, boisterousness, verbal threats, physical threats and attacks on objects as either present or absent. The aim of this paper is to describe the evolution and usefulness of the BVC. Method:, This paper reviews studies on the BVC and discusses implications for further research. Results:, Empirical research has shown that it has moderate sensitivity and high specificity with an adequate inter-rater reliability. Conclusion:, The BVC is a useful instrument for predicting inpatient violence within the next 24-h period. The psychometric properties of the instrument are satisfactory. Results from ongoing studies will give important information on cultural differences, the validity of the BVC in less well staffed wards, the clinical use of the checklist and its ability to predict violence throughout all the hospital stay. [source] Towards effective Lagrangians for adelic stringsFORTSCHRITTE DER PHYSIK/PROGRESS OF PHYSICS, Issue 5-7 2009Article first published online: 20 MAR 200, B. Dragovich Abstract p-Adic strings are important objects of string theory, as well as of p-adic mathematical physics and nonlocal cosmology. By a concept of adelic string one can unify and simultaneously study various aspects of ordinary and p-adic strings. By this way, one can consider adelic strings as a very useful instrument in the further investigation of modern string theory. It is remarkable that for some scalar p-adic strings exist effective Lagrangians, which are based on real instead of p-adic numbers and describe not only four-point scattering amplitudes but also all higher ones at the tree level. In this work, starting from p-adic Lagrangians, we consider some approaches to construction of effective field Lagrangians for p-adic sector of adelic strings. It yields Lagrangians for nonlinear and nonlocal scalar field theory, where spacetime nonlocality is determined by an infinite number of derivatives contained in the operator-valued Riemann zeta function. Owing to the Riemann zeta function in the dynamics of these scalar field theories, obtained Lagrangians are also interesting in themselves. [source] Swarms of microearthquakes associated with the 2005 Vulcanian explosion sequence at Volcán de Colima, MéxicoGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010Vyacheslav M. Zobin SUMMARY The swarms of microearthquakes, that appeared at Volcán de Colima, México before and after its large 2005 Vulcanian explosions, are discussed. The study of 966 microearthquakes is based on the seismic records of short-period seismic station EZV4 situated at a distance of 1.7 km from the crater. Three samples of microearthquakes were selected: the seismic records associated with a single 2005 September 16 large explosion, and the seismic records associated with two sequences of large explosions, the 2005 March 10 and 13 explosions and the 2005 May 30 and June 2, 5 and 7 explosions. These explosions were seven of 15 large explosions (E, 1011 J) that occurred during the 2005 explosive sequence. The microearthquake waveforms were identified as the records of rockfalls and microexplosions. The explosive microearthquakes represent from 84 to 89 per cent of the total number of microearthquakes with the readable waveforms. The dominant frequencies of the explosive microearthquakes were 2.8 Hz for the 2005 March explosion sequence and 2005 September 16 explosion, and 1.3, 2.0 and 2.8 Hz for the 2005 May-June explosion sequence. Energy of microexplosions that generated the microearthquake waveforms ranged from 104 to 7 × 107 J. The force component, corresponding to the largest microexplosive events, was estimated at a level from 3.1 × 107 to 3.6 × 108 N. The appearance of microearthquakes before large volcanic explosions and the sharp increase in their rate of appearance some hours before an explosion makes them a useful instrument for volcano monitoring. [source] Features associated with treatment failure in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis and predictive value of the model of end-stage liver disease,,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Aldo J. Montano-Loza Autoimmune hepatitis may fail to respond to corticosteroid therapy, but the frequency and bases for this outcome are uncertain. We aimed to determine the frequency and nature of treatment failure in patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis, define features associated with its occurrence, and assess if the model for end-stage liver disease can predict this outcome. Patients failing conventional corticosteroid regimens were compared to patients who responded to similar regimens. Fourteen of 214 patients (7%) failed corticosteroid treatment. Patients who failed therapy were younger (33 ± 3 years versus 48 ± 1 years, P = 0.0008), had higher serum levels of bilirubin at accession (4.1 ± 0.9 mg/dL versus 2.3 ± 0.2 mg/dL, P = 0.02), presented acutely more frequently (43% versus 14%, P = 0.01), and had a higher frequency of HLA (human leukocyte antigen) DRB1*03 (93% versus 53%, P = 0.004) than did patients who achieved remission. An alternative disease (fatty liver disease) emerged in only 1 patient who failed therapy (7%). Scores determined by the model of end-stage liver disease at presentation of patients who failed treatment were higher than those of who achieved remission (16 ± 1 versus 10 ± 0.3 points, P < 0.0001), and score greater than 12 points had greater sensitivity (97%) and specificity (68%) for treatment failure than did HLA DRB1*03 or other features. Conclusion: Onset at an early age, acute presentation, hyperbilirubinemia, and presence of HLA DRB1*03 characterize patients who fail corticosteroid treatment. The model for end-stage liver disease may be a useful instrument for identifying patients prone to this outcome. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.) [source] High score on the Relative Stress Scale, a marker of possible psychiatric disorder in family carers of patients with dementiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2007Ingun Ulstein Abstract Objective To compare the scores on the Relative Stress Scale (RSS) with those on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and to establish a cut-off score for RSS in order to distinguish carers with symptoms of psychiatric disorders from those without. Methods One hundred and ninety-four carers of 194 patients suffering from dementia according to ICD-10 were included in the study. Burden of care was assessed by the 15-items RSS, and psychiatric symptoms by means of the GHQ-30 and the 30-items GDS. A case score above 5 on GHQ and above 13 on GDS were used to define carers with probable psychiatric morbidity. Sensitivity (SS), specificity (SP), accuracy and likelihood ratio for a positive test (LR+) were calculated for different cut-points of the RSS. Results Fifty-six percent of the carers had a GHQ score above 5, and 22% had a GDS score above 13. A two-step cluster analysis using 192 of the 194 carers, identified three groups of carers; a low risk group for psychiatric morbidity (LRG), 82 carers with GHQ,,,5 and GDS,,,13; a medium risk group (MRG), 69 carers with GHQ,>,5 and GDS,,,13; and a high-risk group (HRG), 40 carers with GHQ,>,5 and GDS,>,13. The optimal RSS cut-off to distinguish between the LRG and the others was,>,23 (SS 0.72, SP 0.82, accuracy 0.76, LR,+,4.0), whereas the optimal cut-off to separate the HRG from the others was,>30 (SS 0.74, SP 0.87, accuracy 0.84, LR,+,5.7). Conclusion The RSS is a useful instrument to stratify carers according to their risk of psychiatric morbidity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Factor structure of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in older patients with major depressionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2002Alastair J. Flint Abstract Objective Symptomatic anxiety has prognostic significance in major depression. In theory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) should be a useful instrument for measuring the severity of symptomatic anxiety in late-life depression. However, the dimensional structure of the HADS has not been evaluated in elderly depressed patients; it is not known whether the scale actually functions as a bidimensional measure of anxiety and depression in this population. The purpose of this exploratory study, therefore, was to examine the factor structure of the HADS in older patients with major depression. Method The HADS was completed by 213 patients, aged 60 years or older, with DSM-III-R unipolar major depression. Principal components analysis was performed on the full 14-item HADS and on each of its subscales. Results Two distinct factors, which corresponded to the instrument's depression and anxiety subscales, emerged. The two-factor structure proved reasonably stable when the study group was randomly divided into two halves. Analysis of the subscales resulted in a single factor for each. The subscales had high internal reliability. Conclusions These findings confirm that the HADS functions as a bidimensional measure of depression and anxiety in older patients with major depression. The results suggest that the HADS is a valid instrument for measuring severity of anxiety, independent of other depressive symptoms, in this population. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ADHD rating scale IV: psychometric properties from a multinational study as clinician-administered instrumentINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005S. Zhang Abstract The development of rating scales for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has traditionally focused on parent- or teacher-rated scales. However, clinician-based instruments are valuable tools for assessing ADHD symptom severity The ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD RS), clinician administered and scored, has been validated as a useful instrument to assess ADHD symptoms among American children and adolescents. In this study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the scale in a recent clinical trial conducted mainly in Europe with over 600 children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. The trial was conducted in 11 European countries plus Australia, Israel, and South Africa. Results based on data in the study indicate that this version of the scale has acceptable psychometric properties including inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, convergent and divergent validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. There were low-to-moderate ceiling and floor effects. The psychometric properties were comparable with other validated scales for assessing ADHD symptom severity. These results were consistent across the 14 countries participating in this trial. Overall, the data from this study support the use of the ADHD RS as a clinician-rated instrument for assessing the severity of ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents in Europe. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Expressed Emotion about children: reliability and validity of a Camberwell Family Interview for Childhood (CFI-C)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2000Adolescent Psychiatry, Stephen Scott Senior Lecturer in Child Abstract A Camberwell Family Interview for Childhood (CFI-C) was developed by adding questions about the family impact of the child's problems to a semi-structured interview on child psychiatric symptoms. The whole CFI-C took under an hour to administer; the questions about family impact added 15,20 minutes. The inter-rater reliability was good (kappa 0.64,1.0). Mothers of 25 boys aged four to nine years referred with disruptive behaviour, and 25 matched controls were interviewed twice in five months. Test-retest stability was fair to good (kappa 0.36,1.0). Discriminant validity between referred and control samples was strong for critical comments, positive comments and warmth, but not significant for emotional overinvolvement or hostility. The same three scales showed strong discriminant validity between child symptom domains, being strongly correlated with conduct symptoms (kappa = 0.49,0.71) but not emotional symptoms (kappa = 0.10,0.17). Sensitivity to change with treatment was shown by a reduction in the mean number of critical comments from 4.7 to 2.9, an increase in positive comments from 2.3 to 3.9, and an increased score on the warmth scale from 2.1 to 2.6. The CFI-C is a useful instrument for the study of the relationship between parenting style and child psychiatric symptoms. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Transnational Governance in Global Finance: The Principles for Stable Capital Flows and Fair Debt Restructuring in Emerging Markets1INTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 3 2010Raymond Ritter This paper analyzes and assesses the "Principles for Stable Capital Flows and Fair Debt Restructuring in Emerging Markets," which have emerged as an important instrument for crisis prevention and crisis resolution in the international financial system. The paper argues that, notwithstanding their low profile, the Principles which were jointly agreed between key sovereign debtors and their private creditors in 2004 have proved to be a useful instrument in spite of their voluntary and non-binding nature. Indeed, an increasing number of sovereign debtors and private creditors have adopted the Principles' recommendations on transparency and the timely flow of information, close dialogue, "good faith" actions, and fair treatment. The paper, taking a rational choice perspective, appraises the Principles as the product of a transnational public-private partnership as well as a soft mode of governance. Moreover, it shows how the Principles have moved somewhat along the continuum of soft law and hard law toward the latter. Finally, the paper makes the case that the Principles and their design features can provide some lessons for the current international policy debate on codes of conduct in global financial regulation. [source] Item selection and content validity of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool for non-verbal adultsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2009Céline Gélinas Abstract Title.,Item selection and content validity of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool for non-verbal adults. Aim., This paper is a report of the item selection process and evaluation of the content validity of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool for non-verbal critically ill adults. Background., Critically ill patients experience moderate to severe pain in the intensive care unit. While critical care clinicians strive to obtain the patient's self-report of pain, many factors compromise the patient's ability to communicate verbally. Pain assessment methods often need to match the communication capabilities of the patient. In non-verbal patients, observable behavioural and physiological indicators become important indices for pain assessment. Method., A mixed method study design was used for the development of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool in 2002,2003. More specifically, a four-step process was undertaken: (1) literature review, (2) review of 52 patients' medical files, (3) focus groups with 48 critical care nurses, and interviews with 12 physicians, and (4) evaluation of content validity with 17 clinicians using a self-administered questionnaire. Results., Item selection was derived from different sources of information which were convergent and complementary in their content. An initial version of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool was developed including both behavioural and physiological indicators. Because physiological indicators received more criticism than support, only the four behaviours with content validity indices >0·80 were included in the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool: facial expression, body movements, muscle tension and compliance with the ventilator. Conclusion., Item selection and expert opinions are relevant aspects of tool development. While further evaluation is planned, the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool appears as a useful instrument to assess pain in critically ill patients. [source] I-CAN: A New Instrument to Classify Support Needs for People with Disability: Part IJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2009Vivienne C. Riches Background, The supports paradigm has shifted focus from assessing competence and deficits among people with disabilities to identifying supports needed to live meaningful and productive lives in inclusive settings. Consequently, a rigorous and robust system is required that is capable of accurately determining the type and intensity of support needed and of allocating resources accordingly. The aim of the present study was to develop such a system to identify and classify support needs of people with disabilities based on the conceptual framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) [WHO, The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), Author, Geneva, 2001], and the supports concept [Mental Retardation: Definition, Classification and Systems of Support, 9th edn (1992), 10th edn (2002), American Association on Mental Retardation, Washington, DC). Method, A total of 1012 individuals with disabilities who were supported by accommodation and day programme organizations across the eastern states of Australia were assessed. The instrument was used in a team setting involving the person, their family and friends and staff as appropriate. Version 1 was administered with 595 people with disability. This version was refined according to qualitative and quantitative analyses. Another 342 individuals were assessed using Version 2, resulting in a combined data set for 936 individuals. Version 3 was then trialled with a further 76 individuals with disabilities. Results, Ten domain scales in Health and Well Being (HWB) and Activities and Participation (A&P) were explored and refined. The scales effectively discriminated a range of intensities of support for people with various disabilities, with the highest support needs generally recorded by individuals with multiple disabilities who were ageing. The instrument can be used to develop a profile of needed supports across the domain scales. These measure current and predicted support needs, and contribute to future planning. The team approach proved beneficial in this regard. Conclusions, The I-CAN is a useful instrument for effectively assessing the support needs of people with a disability using a person centred approach. It is effective in identifying support needs across health and well-being areas, and activities of daily living. [source] Validity of an instrument to measure the impact of valve heart disease on the patient's daily lifeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7 2007Kátia Melissa Padilha RN Aim., This study was to verify the psychometric properties of the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life, an instrument for measuring the impact of illness in the daily life of the heart valve disease patient, related to its construct validity, criterion-related validity and reliability. Methods., One hundred and twenty heart valve disease outpatients were enrolled. Data were submitted to descriptive analysis, factor analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results., The factor analysis generated four factors that explained 58% of the variance in response to the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life. Weak to moderate correlation was measured between the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life total score and two of its factors and the General Measure of Impact of illness, indicating criterion-related validity. A Cronbach's alpha of 0·74 was measured. Conclusion., The results of the current study confirm both the construct and criterion validity and the internal consistency of the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life. Future studies are necessary to confirm its reliability and provide a better understanding of the meaning of the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life dimensions, as well as to evaluate its response to health interventions. Relevance to clinical practice., The Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life could be a useful instrument to measure the impact of heart valve disease and to evaluate the response to health interventions. [source] Validation of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home InstrumentJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 12 2006Linda YK Lee MNurs Aim., To assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument. Background., Resident's satisfaction has been regarded by the literature as a gold standard for quality of nursing home care. Accurate assessment of resident's satisfaction can provide valuable information for implementation of quality nursing home care. However, there is not a validated Chinese tool to serve the purpose. Design., A cross-sectional descriptive survey design. Methods., Content validity of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument was assessed by the use of expert panel. Construct validity of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument was determined by assessing the correlation between satisfaction with other theoretically related constructs. Internal consistency and stability of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument were determined by Cronbach's method and two-week test,retest reliability. The six-factor structure of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis. Testing was performed on a cluster sample of 330 residents from 16 nursing homes in Hong Kong. Results., The Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument demonstrated good content validity by having content validity index of 0·93. High construct validity of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument was supported by its significant correlation with depression (r = ,0·42, P = 0·000), health-related quality of life (physical component) (r = 0·16, P = 0·042), health-related quality of life (mental component) (r = 0·41, P = 0·000) and global quality of care (r = 0·49, P = 0·000). The Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and good stability by having Cronbach's alpha of 0·79 and intra-class correlation coefficient of 0·94, respectively. The six-factor structure of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument was not fully supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions., The Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument is a useful instrument for assessing satisfaction of cognitively intact Chinese nursing home residents. Findings provided initial evidence on its validity and reliability. Further empirical testing is recommended to explore its factor structure. Relevance to clinical practice., The Chinese version of the Satisfaction with the Nursing Home Instrument can provide guidance to enhance delivery of high-quality nursing home care for the Chinese population. [source] Information, labelling, and vertical coordination: an analysis of the Italian meat supply networksAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Alessandro Banterle After the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis, the European Union (EU) introduced mandatory and voluntary labelling for meat products to reduce the food safety concerns of consumers and to ensure a better distribution of liability among agents of the meat supply chain. The purpose of this article is to evaluate whether voluntary traceability labelling, introduced by Regulation 1760/2000, can be considered a useful instrument for both the producers and consumers of meat products. Attention is focused on the vertical coordination effects of introducing voluntary labelling along the beef chain and on the interest the Italian consumer shows in labelled information on meat products. Two surveys were conducted: one addressing Italian meat organizations that signed voluntary labelling agreements and the other a sample of 1,025 Italian consumers. With regard to supply, the survey revealed that improved traceability led to a better redistribution of liability among the agents of the meat supply chain and to a strengthening of vertical agreements. Regarding the consumers, the results showed a notable consumer interest in the labelled information such as the meat origin and the information related to the system of cattle breeding, cattle feeding, and the date of slaughtering. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., [source] Ultrastructure of Gnathostomaria lutheri Ax (Gnathostomulida: Scleroperalia).I.MARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 1-2 2001An Hypothesis About the Origin of Micropodia in Scleroperalian Sperm Abstract. Initially described as an aberrant taxon of turbellarian flatworms, the Gnathostomulida were recognized as a distinct phylum by Rupert Riedl already in 1969. Yet these microscopic, non-segmented marine worms remain organisms of enigmatic phylogenetic affiliation, and although they are often the dominant invertebrate taxon in detritus-rich, oxygen-poor sands, our knowledge of their biology is still very scanty. About 90 gnathostomulid species are known to date; they are grouped in two orders, one with two suborders. Sperm structure, often a useful instrument for clarifying evolutionary pathways in metazoan taxa, differs so widely between the orders and suborders that sperm phylogeny within the Gnathostomulida also remains uncertain. We here report on the ultrastructural features of a peculiar type of sperm, the aflagellar "megasperm" of Gnathostomaria lutheri, and discuss new and older interpretations of sperm cytology of the taxon. [source] Design and creation of an experimental program of advanced training in reconstructive microsurgeryMICROSURGERY, Issue 6 2006Andrés R. Lorenzo M.D. In this study, we design an experimental protocol for the purpose of enhancing performance in training in microsurgery. It is based on five free tissue transfer exercises in rat (epigastric cutaneous flap, saphenous fasciocutaneous flap, epigastric neurovascular flap, saphenous muscular flap, and hindlimb replantation), which simulate the principal clinical procedures of reconstructive microsurgery. The first part of the study consists of an anatomical review of the flaps of 5 rats and in the second part we have carried out the free transfer of flaps on 25 rats divided into 5 groups. To differentiate between them, we have created a mathematical function, referred to as difficulty in a microsurgical exercise, which has enabled us to establish a scale of progression for training, ranging form the easiest to the most difficult. As a conclusion, we believe that this protocol is a useful instrument as it allows for a more precise assessment of microsurgical capacity due to enhanced accuracy in the reproduction of global procedures and the fact that the quantification of progress in training is based on clinical monitoring after 7 days. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2006. [source] ECG Manifestations of Multiple Electrolyte Imbalance: Peaked T Wave to P Wave ("Tee-Pee Sign")ANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Amer M. Johri M.D. The surface electrocardiogram (ECG) is a useful instrument in the detection of metabolic disturbances. The accurate characterization of these disturbances, however, may be considerably more difficult when more than one metabolic abnormality is present in the same individual. While "classic" ECG presentations of common electrolyte disturbances are well described, multiple electrolyte disturbances occurring simultaneously may generate ECG abnormalities that are not as readily recognizable. We report a case of hyperkalemia, with concurrent hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia resulting in (1) peaking of the T wave, (2) a prominent U wave, and (3) prolongation of the descending limb of the T wave such that it overlapped with the next P wave. In this particular ECG from a patient with combined electrolyte imbalance, we have dubbed the unusual appearance of the segment between the peak of the T wave to the next P wave as the "tee-pee" sign. [source] A useful instrument for parotidectomyANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 3 2010Jacob Ng FRACS No abstract is available for this article. [source] Quantitative Analysis of Human Platelet Adhesions Under a Small-Scale Flow DeviceARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 4 2010Katsuko S. Furukawa Abstract To realize real-time evaluation of human platelet adhesions onto material surfaces with small volumes of human platelet suspensions, we developed an apparatus consisting of a modified cone and plate-type viscometer, combined with an upright epi-fluorescence microscope. The apparatus allowed real-time evaluation of platelet,material interactions and the initial event of thrombus formation, using small platelet suspension volumes (7.5 µL) under shear flow conditions. To study the dynamic behavior of platelet,material interaction, we chose five representative opaque and transparent materials: acrylate resin (AC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvynylchrolide (PVC), glass, and a monolayer of human normal umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (EC) on glass under shear flow conditions. The values of adhesiveness of human platelets to the test materials in descending order were as follows: AC > PTFE > PVC > glass > human EC. Under this new small-scale flow system, we could obtain highly reproducible data, which were comparable with results from a previously developed large-scale flow system. Therefore, the newly developed cone and plate-type rheometer is a useful instrument for testing and screening materials, and allows precise quantitative evaluation of human platelet adhesion. [source] How we do it: Jain Tonsil ,A' Frame , a solution to slipping rodsCLINICAL OTOLARYNGOLOGY, Issue 3 2005K. Parmod Jain Keypoints ,,Tonsillectomy is the commonest ENT procedure performed in UK. ,,A Boyle-Davis mouth gag with tongue blade is used to keep the mouth open during the surgery. ,,Draffin bipod rods are commonly used to keep the gag in place. ,,These rods can slip during the procedure and can cause considerable harm especially when laser is in use. ,,The tonsil ,A' frame is a useful instrument to overcome the disadvantages of other suspension devices. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||