Sample records for early oxygenation improvement

  1. Clinical Meaning of Early Oxygenation Improvement in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome under Prolonged Prone Positioning

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Kwangha; Kim, Mi-Young; Yoo, Jung-Wan; Hong, Sang-Bum; Lim, Chae-Man

    2010-01-01

    Background/Aims Ventilating patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the prone position has been shown to improve arterial oxygenation, but prolonged prone positioning frequently requires continuous deep sedation, which may be harmful to patients. We evaluated the meaning of early gas exchange in patients with severe ARDS under prolonged (≥ 12 hours) prone positioning. Methods We retrospectively studied 96 patients (mean age, 60.1 ± 15.6 years; 75% men) with severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 150 mmHg) admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU). The terms "PaO2 response" and "PaCO2 response" represented responses that resulted in increases in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio of ≥ 20 mmHg and decreases in PaCO2 of ≥ 1 mmHg, respectively, 8 to 12 hours after first placement in the prone position. Results The mean duration of prone positioning was 78.5 ± 61.2 hours, and the 28-day mortality rate after MICU admission was 56.3%. No significant difference in clinical characteristics was observed between PaO2 and PaCO2 responders and non-responders. The PaO2 responders after prone positioning showed an improved 28-day outcome, compared with non-responders by Kaplan-Meier survival estimates (p < 0.05 by the log-rank test), but the PaCO2 responders did not. Conclusions Our results suggest that the early oxygenation improvement after prone positioning might be associated with an improved 28-day outcome and may be an indicator to maintain prolonged prone positioning in patients with severe ARDS. PMID:20195404

  2. Oxygen and Early Animal Evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, S.

    2012-12-01

    It is often hypothesized that the rise of animals was triggered by an increase in O2 levels in the atmosphere and oceans. However, this hypothesis is remarkably difficult to test, because the timing of animal divergences is poorly resolved, the physiology of early animals is often unknown, estimates of past pO2 levels come with large error bars, and causal relationships between oxygenation and animal evolution are difficult to establish. Nonetheless, existing phylogenetic, paleontological, and geochemical data indicate that the evolution of macroscopic animals and motile macrometazoans with energetically expensive lifestyles may be temporally coupled with ocean oxygenation events in the Ediacaran Period. Thus, it is plausible that ocean oxygenation may have been a limiting factor in the early evolution of macroscopic, complex, and metabolically aggressive animals (particularly bilaterian animals). However, ocean oxygenation and animal evolution were likely engaged in two-way interactions: Ediacaran oxygenation may have initially lifted a physiological barrier for the evolution of animal size, motility, and active lifestyles, but subsequent animal diversification in the Paleozoic may have also changed oceanic redox structures. Viewed in a broader context, the early evolutionary history of animals was contingent upon a series of events, including genetic preparation (developmental genetics), environmental facilitation (oceanic oxygenation), and ecological escalation (Cambrian explosion), but the rise of animals to ecological importance also had important geobiological impacts on oceanic redox structures, sedimentary fabrics, and global geochemical cycles.

  3. Low-oxygen waters limited habitable space for early animals.

    PubMed

    Tostevin, R; Wood, R A; Shields, G A; Poulton, S W; Guilbaud, R; Bowyer, F; Penny, A M; He, T; Curtis, A; Hoffmann, K H; Clarkson, M O

    2016-09-23

    The oceans at the start of the Neoproterozoic Era (1,000-541 million years ago, Ma) were dominantly anoxic, but may have become progressively oxygenated, coincident with the rise of animal life. However, the control that oxygen exerted on the development of early animal ecosystems remains unclear, as previous research has focussed on the identification of fully anoxic or oxic conditions, rather than intermediate redox levels. Here we report anomalous cerium enrichments preserved in carbonate rocks across bathymetric basin transects from nine localities of the Nama Group, Namibia (∼550-541 Ma). In combination with Fe-based redox proxies, these data suggest that low-oxygen conditions occurred in a narrow zone between well-oxygenated surface waters and fully anoxic deep waters. Although abundant in well-oxygenated environments, early skeletal animals did not occupy oxygen impoverished regions of the shelf, demonstrating that oxygen availability (probably >10 μM) was a key requirement for the development of early animal-based ecosystems.

  4. Improvement of arterial oxygenation in free-ranging moose (Alces alces) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The effect of intranasal oxygen and/or early reversal of xylazine with atipamezole on arterial oxygenation in free-ranging moose (Alces alces) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine with a cross-sectional clinical study on 33 adult moose was evaluated. Moose were darted from a helicopter with 3.37 mg etorphine, 15 mg acepromazine and 75 mg xylazine. Intranasal oxygen at a flow rate of 4 L/min and/or early reversal of xylazine with 7.5 mg atipamezole to improve oxygenation was evaluated, using four treatment regimens; intranasal oxygen (n = 10), atipamezole intramuscularly (n = 6), atipamezole intravenously (n = 10), or a combination of atipamezole intravenously and intranasal oxygen (n = 7). Arterial blood was collected 7–30 minutes (min) after darting, and again 15 min after institution of treatment and immediately analyzed using an i-STAT®1 Portable Clinical Analyzer. Results Before treatment the mean ± SD (range) partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) was 62 ± 17 (26–99) mmHg. Twenty-six animals had a PaO2 < 80 mmHg. Ten had a PaO2 of 40–60 mmHg and three animals had a PaO2 < 40 mmHg. Intranasal oxygen and intravenous administration of atipamezole significantly increased the mean PaO2, as did the combination of the two. In contrast, atipamezole administered intramuscularly at the evaluated dose had no significant effect on arterial oxygenation. Conclusions This study shows that intranasal oxygen effectively improved arterial oxygenation in immobilized moose, and that early intravenous reversal of the sedative component, in this case xylazine, in an opioid-based immobilization drug-protocol significantly improves arterial oxygenation. PMID:25124367

  5. Gradually Increased Oxygen Administration Improved Oxygenation and Mitigated Oxidative Stress after Resuscitation from Severe Hemorrhagic Shock.

    PubMed

    Luo, Xin; Yin, Yujing; You, Guoxing; Chen, Gan; Wang, Ying; Zhao, Jingxiang; Wang, Bo; Zhao, Lian; Zhou, Hong

    2015-11-01

    The optimal oxygen administration strategy during resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock (HS) is still controversial. Improving oxygenation and mitigating oxidative stress simultaneously seem to be contradictory goals. To maximize oxygen delivery while minimizing oxidative damage, the authors proposed the notion of gradually increased oxygen administration (GIOA), which entails making the arterial blood hypoxemic early in resuscitation and subsequently gradually increasing to hyperoxic, and compared its effects with normoxic resuscitation, hyperoxic resuscitation, and hypoxemic resuscitation in severe HS. Rats were subjected to HS, and on resuscitation, the rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 8): the normoxic, the hyperoxic, the hypoxemic, and the GIOA groups. Rats were observed for an additional 1 h. Hemodynamics, acid-base status, oxygenation, and oxidative injury were observed and evaluated. Central venous oxygen saturation promptly recovered only in the hyperoxic and the GIOA groups, and the liver tissue partial pressure of oxygen was highest in the GIOA group after resuscitation. Oxidative stress in GIOA group was significantly reduced compared with the hyperoxic group as indicated by the reduced malondialdehyde content, increased catalase activity, and the lower histologic injury scores in the liver. In addition, the tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 expressions in the liver were markedly decreased in the GIOA group than in the hyperoxic and normoxic groups as shown by the immunohistochemical staining. GIOA improved systemic/tissue oxygenation and mitigated oxidative stress simultaneously after resuscitation from severe HS. GIOA may be a promising strategy to improve resuscitation from HS and deserves further investigation.

  6. Improvement of arterial oxygenation in free-ranging moose (Alces alces) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine.

    PubMed

    Lian, Marianne; Evans, Alina L; Bertelsen, Mads F; Fahlman, Åsa; Haga, Henning A; Ericsson, Göran; Arnemo, Jon M

    2014-08-15

    The effect of intranasal oxygen and/or early reversal of xylazine with atipamezole on arterial oxygenation in free-ranging moose (Alces alces) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine with a cross-sectional clinical study on 33 adult moose was evaluated. Before treatment the mean±SD (range) partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) was 62±17 (26-99) mmHg. Twenty-six animals had a PaO2<80 mmHg. Ten had a PaO2 of 40-60 mmHg and three animals had a PaO2<40 mmHg. Intranasal oxygen and intravenous administration of atipamezole significantly increased the mean PaO2, as did the combination of the two. In contrast, atipamezole administered intramuscularly at the evaluated dose had no significant effect on arterial oxygenation. This study shows that intranasal oxygen effectively improved arterial oxygenation in immobilized moose, and that early intravenous reversal of the sedative component, in this case xylazine, in an opioid-based immobilization drug-protocol significantly improves arterial oxygenation.

  7. Early Cambrian oxygen minimum zone-like conditions at Chengjiang

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hammarlund, Emma U.; Gaines, Robert R.; Prokopenko, Maria G.; Qi, Changshi; Hou, Xian-Guang; Canfield, Donald E.

    2017-10-01

    The early Cambrian succession at Chengjiang contains the most diverse Cambrian fossil assemblage yet described, and contributes significantly to our understanding of the diversification of metazoans in the Cambrian ;explosion;. The Cambrian Period occupies a transitional episode of global ocean chemistry, following the oxygenation of the surface ocean and of shallow marine environments during the Ediacaran Period, but prior to the establishment of a predominantly oxygenated deep ocean in the mid-Paleozoic. Despite recent attention, a detailed understanding of the chemical conditions that prevailed in early Cambrian marine settings and the relationship of those conditions to early metazoan ecosystems is still emerging. Here, we report multi-proxy geochemical data from two drill cores through the early Cambrian (Series 2) Yu'anshan Formation of Yunnan, China. Results reveal dynamic water-column chemistry within the succession, which progressively shifted from euxinic to oxic conditions during deposition of the Yu'anshan Formation. The Chengjiang biota occurs in strata that appear to have been deposited under an oxygen-depleted water column that may have supported denitrification, as in modern oxygen-minimum zones. The oxygenated benthic environments in which the Chengjiang biota thrived were proximal to, but sharply separated from, the open ocean by a persistent anoxic water mass that occupied a portion of the outer shelf. Oxygen depletion in the lower water column developed dynamically in response to nutrient availability and possibly at lower thresholds of productivity due to lower atmospheric oxygen concentrations in Cambrian. These findings suggest that the frequent development of oxygen-limiting conditions in continental margin settings provided an environmental barrier that may have affected biogeographic, ecological and evolutionary development of early metazoan communities.

  8. Oxygen Administration Improves Survival but Worsens Cardiopulmonary Functions in Chlorine-exposed Rats.

    PubMed

    Okponyia, Obiefuna C; McGraw, Matthew D; Dysart, Marilyn M; Garlick, Rhonda B; Rioux, Jacqueline S; Murphy, Angela L; Roe, Gates B; White, Carl W; Veress, Livia A

    2018-01-01

    Chlorine is a highly reactive gas that can cause significant injury when inhaled. Unfortunately, its use as a chemical weapon has increased in recent years. Massive chlorine inhalation can cause death within 4 hours of exposure. Survivors usually require hospitalization after massive exposure. No countermeasures are available for massive chlorine exposure and supportive-care measures lack controlled trials. In this work, adult rats were exposed to chlorine gas (LD 58-67 ) in a whole-body exposure chamber, and given oxygen (0.8 Fi O 2 ) or air (0.21 Fi O 2 ) for 6 hours after baseline measurements were obtained. Oxygen saturation, vital signs, respiratory distress and neuromuscular scores, arterial blood gases, and hemodynamic measurements were obtained hourly. Massive chlorine inhalation caused severe acute respiratory failure, hypoxemia, decreased cardiac output, neuromuscular abnormalities (ataxia and hypotonia), and seizures resulting in early death. Oxygen improved survival to 6 hours (87% versus 42%) and prevented observed seizure-related deaths. However, oxygen administration worsened the severity of acute respiratory failure in chlorine-exposed rats compared with controls, with increased respiratory acidosis (pH 6.91 ± 0.04 versus 7.06 ± 0.01 at 2 h) and increased hypercapnia (180.0 ± 19.8 versus 103.2 ± 3.9 mm Hg at 2 h). In addition, oxygen did not improve neuromuscular abnormalities, cardiac output, or respiratory distress associated with chlorine exposure. Massive chlorine inhalation causes severe acute respiratory failure and multiorgan damage. Oxygen administration can improve short-term survival but appears to worsen respiratory failure, with no improvement in cardiac output or neuromuscular dysfunction. Oxygen should be used with caution after massive chlorine inhalation, and the need for early assisted ventilation should be assessed in victims.

  9. Atmospheric oxygen levels affect mudskipper terrestrial performance: implications for early tetrapods.

    PubMed

    Jew, Corey J; Wegner, Nicholas C; Yanagitsuru, Yuzo; Tresguerres, Martin; Graham, Jeffrey B

    2013-08-01

    The Japanese mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus), an amphibious fish that possesses many respiratory and locomotive specializations for sojourns onto land, was used as a model to study how changing atmospheric oxygen concentrations during the middle and late Paleozoic Era (400-250 million years ago) may have influenced the emergence and subsequent radiation of the first tetrapods. The effects of different atmospheric oxygen concentrations (hyperoxia = 35%, normoxia = 21%, and hypoxia = 7% O2) on terrestrial performance were tested during exercise on a terrestrial treadmill and during recovery from exhaustive exercise. Endurance and elevated post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC; the immediate O2 debt repaid post-exercise) correlated with atmospheric oxygen concentration indicating that when additional oxygen is available P. modestus can increase oxygen utilization both during and following exercise. The time required post-exercise for mudskippers to return to a resting metabolic rate did not differ between treatments. However, in normoxia, oxygen consumption increased above hyperoxic values 13-20 h post-exercise suggesting a delayed repayment of the incurred oxygen debt. Finally, following exercise, ventilatory movements associated with buccopharyngeal aerial respiration returned to their rest-like pattern more quickly at higher concentrations of oxygen. Taken together, the results of this study show that P. modestus can exercise longer and recover quicker under higher oxygen concentrations. Similarities between P. modestus and early tetrapods suggest that increasing atmospheric oxygen levels during the middle and late Paleozoic allowed for elevated aerobic capacity and improved terrestrial performance, and likely led to an accelerated diversification and expansion of vertebrate life into the terrestrial biosphere.

  10. Improved Zirconia Oxygen-Separation Cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walsh, John V.; Zwissler, James G.

    1988-01-01

    Cell structure distributes feed gas more evenly for more efficent oxygen production. Multilayer cell structure containing passages, channels, tubes, and pores help distribute pressure evenly over zirconia electrolytic membrane. Resulting more uniform pressure distribution expected to improve efficiency of oxygen production.

  11. Evolving Oxygen Landscape of the Early Atmosphere and Oceans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lyons, T. W.; Reinhard, C. T.; Planavsky, N. J.

    2013-12-01

    The past decade has witnessed remarkable advances in our understanding of oxygen on the early Earth, and a new framework, the topic of this presentation, is now in place to address the controls on spatiotemporal distributions of oxygen and their potential relationships to deep-Earth processes. Recent challenges to the Archean biomarker record have put an added burden on inorganic geochemistry to fingerprint and quantify the early production, accumulation, and variation of biospheric oxygen. Fortunately, a wide variety of techniques now point convincingly to photosynthetic oxygen production and dynamic accumulation well before the canonical Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Recent modeling of sulfur recycling over this interval allows for transient oxygen accumulation in the atmosphere without the disappearance of non-mass-dependent (NMD) sulfur isotope anomalies from the stratigraphic record and further allows for persistent accumulation in the atmosphere well before the permanent disappearance of NMD signals. This recent work suggests that the initial rise of oxygen may have occurred in fits and starts rather than a single step, and that once permanently present in the atmosphere, oxygen likely rose to high levels and then plummeted, in phase with the Paleoproterozoic Lomagundi positive carbon isotope excursion. More than a billion years of oxygen-free conditions in the deep ocean followed and set a challenging course for life, including limited abundances and diversity of eukaryotic organisms. Despite this widespread anoxia, sulfidic (euxinic) conditions were likely limited to productive ocean margins. Nevertheless, euxinia was sufficiently widespread to impact redox-dependent nutrient relationships, particularly the availability of bioessential trace metals critical in the nitrogen cycle, which spawned feedbacks that likely maintained oxygen at very low levels in the ocean and atmosphere and delayed the arrival of animals. Then, in the mid, pre-glacial Neoproterozoic

  12. Reactive Oxygen Species on the Early Earth and Survival of Bacteria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Balk, Melikea; Mason, Paul; Stams, Alfons J. M.; Smidt, Hauke; Freund, Friedemann; Rothschild, Lynn

    2011-01-01

    An oxygen-rich atmosphere appears to have been a prerequisite for complex, multicellular life to evolve on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the Universe. However it remains unclear how free oxygen first became available on the early Earth. A potentially important, and as yet poorly constrained pathway, is the production of oxygen through the weathering of rocks and release into the near-surface environment. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), as precursors to molecular oxygen, are a key step in this process, and may have had a decisive impact on the evolution of life, present and past. ROS are generated from minerals in igneous rocks during hydrolysis of peroxy defects, which consist of pairs of oxygen anions oxidized to the valence state -1 and during (bio) transformations of iron sulphide minerals. ROS are produced and consumed by intracellular and extracellular reactions of Fe, Mn, C, N, and S species. We propose that, despite an overall reducing or neutral oxidation state of the macroenvironment and the absence of free O2 in the atmosphere, organisms on the early Earth had to cope with ROS in their microenvironments. They were thus under evolutionary pressure to develop enzymatic and other defences against the potentially dangerous, even lethal effects of oxygen and its derived ROS. Conversely it appears that microorganisms learned to take advantage of the enormous reactive potential and energy gain provided by nascent oxygen. We investigate how oxygen might be released through weathering. We test microorganisms in contact with rock surfaces and iron sulphides. We model bacteria such as Deionococcus radiodurans and Desulfotomaculum, Moorella and Bacillus species for their ability to grow or survive in the presence of ROS. We examine how early Life might have adapted to oxygen.

  13. Increased intrapulmonary retention of radiolabeled neutrophils in early oxygen toxicity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rinaldo, J.E.; English, D.; Levine, J.

    1988-02-01

    Sequential lung injuries, such as oxygen toxicity followed by septicemia, are common during the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As these forms of vascular injury may be mediated in part by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), aberrant interactions between PMN and previously injured pulmonary endothelium are of both theoretical interest and clinical importance. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that early oxygen toxicity at a dose that injuries pulmonary endothelium relatively selectively alters intrapulmonary neutrophil kinetics. Unanesthetized rats breathing 1.0 atmospheres oxygen for 36 h showed ultrastructural endothelial damage but no edema, injury, or neutrophilic inflammation by histologic criteria.more » However, in these oxygen-toxic animals, whereas initial accumulation of radiolabeled PMN in lungs was normal, washout of PMN was abnormal at 120 min after infusion, at which point the pulmonary retention of radiolabeled PMN in the lungs of oxygen-treated animals was significantly higher than in control animals (139% of control, p less than 0.0096). Features of our methodology, including avoidance of osmotic stress and use of paired control animals, appear to have greatly enhanced the sensitivity of radiolabeled neutrophils for detecting a subtle abnormality of neutrophil-endothelial interactions. Our studies in the oxygen toxicity model provide the first demonstration in vivo of abnormal intrapulmonary neutrophil kinetics in early oxygen toxicity prior to the onset of histologic evidence of lung injury or inflammation.« less

  14. Oxygenation history of the Neoproterozoic to early Phanerozoic and the rise of land plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallace, Malcolm W.; Hood, Ashleigh vS.; Shuster, Alice; Greig, Alan; Planavsky, Noah J.; Reed, Christopher P.

    2017-05-01

    There has been extensive debate about the history of Earth's oxygenation and the role that land plant evolution played in shaping Earth's ocean-atmosphere system. Here we use the rare earth element patterns in marine carbonates to monitor the structure of the marine redox landscape through the rise and diversification of animals and early land plants. In particular, we use the relative abundance of cerium (Ceanom), the only redox-sensitive rare earth element, in well-preserved marine cements and other marine precipitates to track seawater oxygen levels. Our results indicate that there was only a moderate increase in oceanic oxygenation during the Ediacaran (average Cryogenian Ceanom = 1.1, average Ediacaran Ceanom = 0.62), followed by a decrease in oxygen levels during the early Cambrian (average Cryogenian Ceanom = 0.90), with significant ocean anoxia persisting through the early and mid Paleozoic (average Early Cambrian-Early Devonian Ceanom = 0.84). It was not until the Late Devonian that oxygenation levels are comparable to the modern (average of all post-middle Devonian Ceanom = 0.55). Therefore, this work confirms growing evidence that the oxygenation of the Earth was neither unidirectional nor a simple two-stage process. Further, we provide evidence that it was not until the Late Devonian, when large land plants and forests first evolved, that oxygen levels reached those comparable to the modern world. This is recorded with the first modern-like negative Ceanom (values <0.6) occurring at around 380 Ma (Frasnian). This suggests that land plants, rather than animals, are the 'engineers' responsible for the modern fully oxygenated Earth system.

  15. Renal Blood Flow, Glomerular Filtration Rate, and Renal Oxygenation in Early Clinical Septic Shock.

    PubMed

    Skytte Larsson, Jenny; Krumbholz, Vitus; Enskog, Anders; Bragadottir, Gudrun; Redfors, Bengt; Ricksten, Sven-Erik

    2018-06-01

    Data on renal hemodynamics, function, and oxygenation in early clinical septic shock are lacking. We therefore measured renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, renal oxygen consumption, and oxygenation in patients with early septic shock. Prospective comparative study. General and cardiothoracic ICUs. Patients with norepinephrine-dependent early septic shock (n = 8) were studied within 24 hours after arrival in the ICU and compared with postcardiac surgery patients without acute kidney injury (comparator group, n = 58). None. Data on systemic hemodynamics and renal variables were obtained during two 30-minute periods. Renal blood flow was measured by the infusion clearance of para-aminohippuric acid, corrected for renal extraction of para-aminohippuric acid. Renal filtration fraction was measured by renal extraction of chromium-51 labeled EDTA. Renal oxygenation was estimated from renal oxygen extraction. Renal oxygen delivery (-24%; p = 0.037) and the renal blood flow-to-cardiac index ratio (-21%; p = 0.018) were lower, renal vascular resistance was higher (26%; p = 0.027), whereas renal blood flow tended to be lower (-19%; p = 0.068) in the septic group. Glomerular filtration rate (-32%; p = 0.006) and renal sodium reabsorption (-29%; p = 0.014) were both lower in the septic group. Neither renal filtration fraction nor renal oxygen consumption differed significantly between groups. Renal oxygen extraction was significantly higher in the septic group (28%; p = 0.022). In the septic group, markers of tubular injury were elevated. In early clinical septic shock, renal function was lower, which was accompanied by renal vasoconstriction, a lower renal oxygen delivery, impaired renal oxygenation, and tubular sodium reabsorption at a high oxygen cost compared with controls.

  16. Magma Ocean Depth and Oxygen Fugacity in the Early Earth--Implications for Biochemistry.

    PubMed

    Righter, Kevin

    2015-09-01

    A large class of elements, referred to as the siderophile (iron-loving) elements, in the Earth's mantle can be explained by an early deep magma ocean on the early Earth in which the mantle equilibrated with metallic liquid (core liquid). This stage would have affected the distribution of some of the classic volatile elements that are also essential ingredients for life and biochemistry - H, C, S, and N. Estimates are made of the H, C, S, and N contents of Earth's early mantle after core formation, considering the effects of variable temperature, pressure, oxygen fugacity, and composition on their partitioning. Assessment is made of whether additional, exogenous, sources are required to explain the observed mantle concentrations, and areas are identified where additional data and experimentation would lead to an improved understanding of this phase of Earth's history.

  17. Lower early postnatal oxygen saturation target and risk of ductus arteriosus closure failure.

    PubMed

    Inomata, Kei; Taniguchi, Shinji; Yonemoto, Hiroki; Inoue, Takeshi; Kawase, Akihiko; Kondo, Yuichi

    2016-11-01

    Early postnatal hyperoxia is a major risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely premature infants. To reduce the occurrence of ROP, we adopted a lower early postnatal oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) target range (85-92%) from April 2011. Lower SpO 2 target range, however, may lead to hypoxemia and an increase in the risk of ductus arteriosus (DA) closure failure. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether a lower SpO 2 target range, during the early postnatal stage, increases the risk of DA closure failure. Infants born at <28 weeks' gestation were enrolled in this study. Oxygen saturation target range during the first postnatal 72 h was 84-100% in study period 1 and 85-92% in period 2. Eighty-two infants were included in period 1, and 61 were included in period 2. The lower oxygen saturation target range increased the occurrence of hypoxemia during the first postnatal 72 h. Prevalence of DA closure failure in period 2 (21%) was significantly higher than that in period 1 (1%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the lower oxygen saturation target range was an independent risk factor for DA closure failure. Lower early postnatal oxygen saturation target range increases the risk of DA closure failure. © 2016 Japan Pediatric Society.

  18. Affect of Early Life Oxygen Exposure on Proper Lung Development and Response to Respiratory Viral Infections

    PubMed Central

    Domm, William; Misra, Ravi S.; O’Reilly, Michael A.

    2015-01-01

    Children born preterm often exhibit reduced lung function and increased severity of response to respiratory viruses, suggesting that premature birth has compromised proper development of the respiratory epithelium and innate immune defenses. Increasing evidence suggests that premature birth promotes aberrant lung development likely due to the neonatal oxygen transition occurring before pulmonary development has matured. Given that preterm infants are born at a point of time where their immune system is also still developing, early life oxygen exposure may also be disrupting proper development of innate immunity. Here, we review current literature in hopes of stimulating research that enhances understanding of how the oxygen environment at birth influences lung development and host defense. This knowledge may help identify those children at risk for disease and ideally culminate in the development of novel therapies that improve their health. PMID:26322310

  19. Early hyperbaric oxygen treatment for nonarteritic central retinal artery obstruction.

    PubMed

    Menzel-Severing, Johannes; Siekmann, Ullrich; Weinberger, Andreas; Roessler, Gernot; Walter, Peter; Mazinani, Babac

    2012-03-01

    To compare hyperbaric oxygen treatment combined with hemodilution with hemodilution only in central retinal artery obstruction. Retrospective, nonrandomized case series. We reviewed records of all our patients diagnosed with central retinal artery obstruction between 1997 and 2010. In these patients, hyperbaric oxygen and hemodilution therapy had been administered routinely (oxygen group). Where hyperbaric oxygenation could not be performed, patients were underwent hemodilution only (control group). Patients with presenting visual acuity (VA) of up to 20/200 within 12 hours of onset were included in our analysis. Exclusion criteria included cilioretinal vessels or arteritic occlusion. The oxygen group comprised 51 patients, and the control group comprised 29 patients. Mean baseline VA was counting fingers (oxygen group) and 20/1000 (control group; P = .1). Most other potential confounders, including duration of symptoms, also did not differ significantly at baseline. In the oxygen group, mean VA improvement was 3 lines (P < .0001). This was sustained over a follow-up of 3 months (P = .01). In the control group, mean improvement was 1 line (P = .23 at discharge, P = .17 at follow-up). Differences between both groups were not significant (P = .07 at discharge, P = .26 at follow-up). The number of patients gaining 3 lines or more was 38.0% versus 17.9% at discharge (P = .06) and 35.7% versus 30.8% at follow-up (P = .76). We saw significant VA improvement after the combined treatment, but not when using hemodilution only. Confirming superiority of the combination treatment requires a randomized, prospective trial. A high number of nonresponders highlights the need to improve our understanding and treatment of hypoxia-related metabolic insults after central retinal artery obstruction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. New Views on the Early Evolution of Oxygen in the Galaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rebolo, R.; Israelian, G.; García López, R. J.

    We have performed a detailed oxygen abundance analysis of 23 metal-poor (-3.0 < [Fe/H] < -0.3) unevolved halo stars and one giant through the OH bands in the near UV, using high-resolution echelle spectra. Oxygen is found to be overabundant with respect to iron in these stars, with the [O/Fe] ratio increasing from 0.6 to 1 between [Fe/H] = -1.5 and -3.0. The behavior of the oxygen overabundance with respect to [Fe/H] is similar to that seen in previous works based on the OI IR triplet data (Abia & Rebolo 1989; Tomkin et al. 1992; Cavallo, Pilachowski, & Rebolo 1997). Contrary to the previously accepted picture, our oxygen abundances, derived from low-excitation OH lines, agree well with those derived from high-excitation lines of the triplet. For nine stars in common with Tomkin et al. we obtain a mean difference of 0.00 plus or minus 0.11dex with respect to the abundances determined from the triplet using the same stellar parameters and model photospheres. Our new results show a smooth extension of the Edvardsson et al.'s (1993) [O/Fe] versus metallicity curve to much lower abundances. The oxygen abundances of unevolved stars when compared with values in the literature for giants of similar metallicity imply that the latter may have suffered a process of oxygen depletion. It appears that unevolved metal-poor stars are better tracers of the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy. The extrapolation of our results to very low metallicities indicates that the ratio of oxygen to iron emerging from the first Type II SNe in the early Galaxy was indeed close to unity. The higher [O/Fe] ratios we find in dwarfs has an impact on the age determination of globular clusters, and suggest that current age estimates have to be reduced by about 1-2 Gyr.

  1. Expanded oxygen minimum zones during the late Paleocene-early Eocene: Hints from multiproxy comparison and ocean modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, X.; Thomas, E.; Winguth, A. M. E.; Ridgwell, A.; Scher, H.; Hoogakker, B. A. A.; Rickaby, R. E. M.; Lu, Z.

    2016-12-01

    Anthropogenic warming could well drive depletion of oceanic oxygen in the future. Important insight into the relationship between deoxygenation and warming can be gleaned from the geological record, but evidence is limited because few ocean oxygenation records are available for past greenhouse climate conditions. We use I/Ca in benthic foraminifera to reconstruct late Paleocene through early Eocene bottom and pore water redox conditions in the South Atlantic and Southern Indian Oceans and compare our results with those derived from Mn speciation and the Ce anomaly in fish teeth. We conclude that waters with lower oxygen concentrations were widespread at intermediate depths (1.5-2 km), whereas bottom waters were more oxygenated at the deepest site, in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean (>3 km). Epifaunal benthic foraminiferal I/Ca values were higher in the late Paleocene, especially at low-oxygen sites, than at well-oxygenated modern sites, indicating higher seawater total iodine concentrations in the late Paleocene than today. The proxy-based bottom water oxygenation pattern agrees with the site-to-site O2 gradient as simulated in a comprehensive climate model (Community Climate System Model Version 3), but the simulated absolute dissolved O2 values are low (< 35 µmol/kg), while higher O2 values ( 60-100 µmol/kg) were obtained in an Earth system model (Grid ENabled Integrated Earth system model). Multiproxy data together with improvements in boundary conditions and model parameterization are necessary if the details of past oceanographic oxygenation are to be resolved.

  2. Oxygen reservoirs in the early solar nebula inferred from an Allende CAI.

    PubMed

    Young, E D; Russell, S S

    1998-10-16

    Ultraviolet laser microprobe analyses of a calcium-aluminum-rich inclusion (CAI) from the Allende meteorite suggest that a line with a slope of exactly 1.00 on a plot of delta (17)O against delta (18)O represents the primitive oxygen isotope reservoir of the early solar nebula. Most meteorites are enriched in (17)O and (18)O relative to this line, and their oxygen isotope ratios can be explained by mass fractionation or isotope exchange initiating from the primitive reservoir. These data establish a link between the oxygen isotopic composition of the abundant ordinary chondrites and the primitive (16)O-rich component of CAIs.

  3. Oxygen reservoirs in the early solar nebula inferred from an allende CAI

    PubMed

    Young; Russell

    1998-10-16

    Ultraviolet laser microprobe analyses of a calcium-aluminum-rich inclusion (CAI) from the Allende meteorite suggest that a line with a slope of exactly 1.00 on a plot of delta17O against delta18O represents the primitive oxygen isotope reservoir of the early solar nebula. Most meteorites are enriched in 17O and 18O relative to this line, and their oxygen isotope ratios can be explained by mass fractionation or isotope exchange initiating from the primitive reservoir. These data establish a link between the oxygen isotopic composition of the abundant ordinary chondrites and the primitive 16O-rich component of CAIs.

  4. Skin oxygen tension is improved by immersion in oxygen-enriched water.

    PubMed

    Reading, S A; Yeomans, M; Levesque, C

    2013-12-01

    The perceived health and physiologic functioning of skin depends on adequate oxygen availability. Economical and easily used therapeutic approaches to increase skin oxygenation could improve the subjective appearance of the skin as well as support the management of some cutaneous conditions related to chronic hypoxic ischaemia (e.g. ulcerative wounds). We have tested the hypothesis that the O2 partial pressure of skin (PskO2 ) increases during immersion in water enriched with high levels of dissolved oxygen. A commercially available device was used to produce water containing 45 to 65 mg L(-1) of dissolved O2 . Young adults (YA; n = 7), older adults (OA; n = 13) and older adults with diabetes (OAD; n = 11) completed different experiments that required them to immerse their feet in tap water (<2 mg L(-1) of O2 ; control) or O2 -enriched water (O2 -H2 O; experimental) for 30 min. Transcutaneous oximetry was used to measure PskO2 for 20 min pre- and post-immersion. Pre-immersion mean (standard deviation) PskO2 on the plantar surface of the big toe was 75 (10), 67 (10) and 65 (10) mmHg in YA, OA and OAD, respectively. Post-immersion PskO2 was 244 (25), 193 (28) and 205 (28) mmHg for the same groups. We also show that post-immersion PskO2 varies by location and with advancing age. Water is an effective vehicle for transporting dissolved O2 across the skin surface and could be used as a basis for development of economical therapeutic approaches that improve skin oxygen tension to support skin health and function. © 2013 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

  5. Laminarin improves developmental competence of porcine early stage embryos by inhibiting oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Hao; Liang, Shuang; Yao, Xue-Rui; Jin, Yong-Xun; Shen, Xing-Hui; Yuan, Bao; Zhang, Jia-Bao; Kim, Nam-Hyung

    2018-04-23

    Laminarin (LMA), a β-glucan mixture with good biocompatibility, improves the growth performance and immune response when used as food additives and nutraceuticals. The aim of the present research was to explore the effects of LMA on porcine early stage embryo development, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the developmental competence of porcine early stage embryos was dramatically improved after LMA supplementation during the in vitro culture period. The presence of 20 μg/mL LMA during the in vitro culture period significantly improved cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rates, hatching rate, and total cell number in the blastocyst compared to that in the control group. Notably, LMA attenuated the intracellular reactive oxygen species generation induced by H 2 O 2 . Furthermore, LMA not only increased intracellular glutathione levels, but also ameliorated mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, the expression of a zygotic genome activation related gene (YAP1), pluripotency-related genes (OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2), and hatching-related genes (COX2, GATA4, and ITGA5) were up-regulated following LMA supplementation during porcine early stage embryo development. These results demonstrate that LMA has beneficial effects on the development of porcine early stage embryos via regulation of oxidative stress. This evidence provides a novel method for embryo development improvement associated with exposure to LMA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Improved arterial blood oxygenation following intravenous infusion of cold supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution.

    PubMed

    Grady, Daniel J; Gentile, Michael A; Riggs, John H; Cheifetz, Ira M

    2014-01-01

    One of the primary goals of critical care medicine is to support adequate gas exchange without iatrogenic sequelae. An emerging method of delivering supplemental oxygen is intravenously rather than via the traditional inhalation route. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gas-exchange effects of infusing cold intravenous (IV) fluids containing very high partial pressures of dissolved oxygen (>760 mm Hg) in a porcine model. Juvenile swines were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Each animal received an infusion of cold (13 °C) Ringer's lactate solution (30 mL/kg/hour), which had been supersaturated with dissolved oxygen gas (39.7 mg/L dissolved oxygen, 992 mm Hg, 30.5 mL/L). Arterial blood gases and physiologic measurements were repeated at 15-minute intervals during a 60-minute IV infusion of the supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution. Each animal served as its own control. Five swines (12.9 ± 0.9 kg) were studied. Following the 60-minute infusion, there were significant increases in PaO2 and SaO2 (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in PaCO2 (P < 0.05), with a corresponding normalization in arterial blood pH. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in core body temperature (P < 0.05) when compared to the baseline preinfusion state. A cold, supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution may be intravenously administered to improve arterial blood oxygenation and ventilation parameters and induce a mild therapeutic hypothermia in a porcine model.

  7. Early Oxygen-Utilization and Brain Activity in Preterm Infants

    PubMed Central

    de Vries, Linda S.; Groenendaal, Floris; Toet, Mona C.; Lemmers, Petra M. A.; Vosse van de, Renè E.; van Bel, Frank; Benders, Manon J. N. L.

    2015-01-01

    The combined monitoring of oxygen supply and delivery using Near-InfraRed spectroscopy (NIRS) and cerebral activity using amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) could yield new insights into brain metabolism and detect potentially vulnerable conditions soon after birth. The relationship between NIRS and quantitative aEEG/EEG parameters has not yet been investigated. Our aim was to study the association between oxygen utilization during the first 6 h after birth and simultaneously continuously monitored brain activity measured by aEEG/EEG. Forty-four hemodynamically stable babies with a GA < 28 weeks, with good quality NIRS and aEEG/EEG data available and who did not receive morphine were included in the study. aEEG and NIRS monitoring started at NICU admission. The relation between regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE), and quantitative measurements of brain activity such as number of spontaneous activity transients (SAT) per minute (SAT rate), the interval in seconds (i.e. time) between SATs (ISI) and the minimum amplitude of the EEG in μV (min aEEG) were evaluated. rScO2 was negatively associated with SAT rate (β=-3.45 [CI=-5.76- -1.15], p=0.004) and positively associated with ISI (β=1.45 [CI=0.44-2.45], p=0.006). cFTOE was positively associated with SAT rate (β=0.034 [CI=0.009-0.059], p=0.008) and negatively associated with ISI (β=-0.015 [CI=-0.026- -0.004], p=0.007). Oxygen delivery and utilization, as indicated by rScO2 and cFTOE, are directly related to functional brain activity, expressed by SAT rate and ISI during the first hours after birth, showing an increase in oxygen extraction in preterm infants with increased early electro-cerebral activity. NIRS monitored oxygenation may be a useful biomarker of brain vulnerability in high-risk infants. PMID:25965343

  8. Using Triple Oxygen Isotope Analyses of Biogenic Carbonate to Reconstruct Early Triassic Ocean Oxygen Isotopic Values and Temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibbons, J. A.; Sharp, Z. D.; Atudorei, V.

    2017-12-01

    The calcite-water triple oxygen isotope fractionation is used to determine isotopic equilibrium and ancient ocean oxygen isotopic values and temperatures. Unlike conventional δ18O analysis where the formation water's isotopic value is assumed, paired δ17O-δ18O measurements allow for the water's isotopic composition to be calculated because there is only one unique solution for equilibrium fractionation using Δ17O-δ18O values (where Δ17O=δ17O-0.528δ18O). To a first approximation, the calcite-water equilibrium fractionation factor, θ (where θ=ln17α/ln18α), varies with temperature by 0.00001/°. The calcite-water equilibrium fractionation line was determined at two temperatures, 30° and 0°, by using modern carbonate samples that formed in ocean water with a δ18O value of 0‰. The θ values for the 30° and 0° samples are 0.52515 and 0.52486, respectively. Oxygen values were measured using complete fluorination in nickel tubes with BrF5 as the reaction reagent. We calibrated all oxygen values to the SMOW-SLAP scale by measuring SMOW, SLAP, San Carlos olivine, NBS-18, NBS-19, and PDB. The triple oxygen isotope calcite-water equilibrium fractionation line was applied to well preserved Early Triassic ammonite shells from the Western United States. Based on paired δ17O-δ18O measurements, the samples did not form in equilibrium with an ice-free ocean with an oxygen isotopic value of -1‰ or the modern ocean value of 0‰. Assuming the calcite is still primary and formed in equilibrium with the ocean water, our data indicate that the δ18O value of the ocean in the early Triassic was 3-5‰ lower than modern. Samples from the Smithian thermal maximum formed in water 10° warmer than samples from after the thermal maximum. Paired δ17O-δ18O measurements of pristine ancient carbonates may provide a better understanding of past ocean conditions during climate change events.

  9. Improved Arterial Blood Oxygenation Following Intravenous Infusion of Cold Supersaturated Dissolved Oxygen Solution

    PubMed Central

    Grady, Daniel J; Gentile, Michael A; Riggs, John H; Cheifetz, Ira M

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND One of the primary goals of critical care medicine is to support adequate gas exchange without iatrogenic sequelae. An emerging method of delivering supplemental oxygen is intravenously rather than via the traditional inhalation route. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gas-exchange effects of infusing cold intravenous (IV) fluids containing very high partial pressures of dissolved oxygen (>760 mm Hg) in a porcine model. METHODS Juvenile swines were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Each animal received an infusion of cold (13 °C) Ringer’s lactate solution (30 mL/kg/hour), which had been supersaturated with dissolved oxygen gas (39.7 mg/L dissolved oxygen, 992 mm Hg, 30.5 mL/L). Arterial blood gases and physiologic measurements were repeated at 15-minute intervals during a 60-minute IV infusion of the supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution. Each animal served as its own control. RESULTS Five swines (12.9 ± 0.9 kg) were studied. Following the 60-minute infusion, there were significant increases in PaO2 and SaO2 (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in PaCO2 (P < 0.05), with a corresponding normalization in arterial blood pH. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in core body temperature (P < 0.05) when compared to the baseline preinfusion state. CONCLUSIONS A cold, supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution may be intravenously administered to improve arterial blood oxygenation and ventilation parameters and induce a mild therapeutic hypothermia in a porcine model. PMID:25249764

  10. Tracking Early Jurassic marine (de)oxygenation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Them, T. R., II; Caruthers, A. H.; Gill, B. C.; Gröcke, D. R.; Marroquín, S. M.; Owens, J. D.

    2017-12-01

    It has been suggested that the carbon cycle was perturbed during the Toarcian OAE (T-OAE) as observed in the carbon isotope record, and more recently other elemental cycles (e.g., Hg, Mo, Os, S). The most widely accepted hypothesis focuses on the emplacement of the Karoo-Ferrar large igneous province, outgassing of greenhouse gases, and subsequent feedbacks in the Earth system, which caused severe environmental change and biological turnover. Feedbacks to elevated atmospheric pCO2 include enhanced weathering rates, dissociation of methane clathrates, increased terrestrial methanogenesis, and widespread marine anoxia. The sequence of events related to the development and duration of marine anoxia are not well constrained for this time interval due to a lack of open-ocean geochemical records. In order to reconstruct the timing of marine deoxygenation during the Early Jurassic T-OAE, we have utilized thallium isotopes, a novel geochemical proxy from multiple anoxic basins in North America and Germany. Three sites representing a basin transect from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, and one site from the South German Basin, were chosen to reconstruct the thallium isotopic composition (ɛ205Tl) of the ocean. The ɛ205Tl composition of sediments deposited under anoxic and euxinic water columns records the global seawater ɛ205Tl composition, a function of the amount of manganese oxides that are precipitated. Increased geographic extent of marine anoxia will cause a decrease in manganese oxide precipitation and perturb the thallium system. Importantly, the inputs of thallium are nearly identical, thus changes in these fluxes cannot drive the observed perturbation. Our new Early Jurassic ɛ205Tl records suggest that the onset of marine deoxygenation occurred concurrently with Karoo-Ferrar magmatism in the late Pliensbachian and continued until after the T-OAE. These new data support a Karoo-Ferrar trigger of the T-OAE. However, thallium isotopes also suggest that

  11. Prone Positioning Improves Oxygenation in Adult Burn Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    Prone positioning improves oxygenation in adult burn patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome Diane F. Hale, MD, Jeremy W. Cannon, MD...Kevin K. Chung, MD, San Antonio, Texas BACKGROUND: Prone positioning (PP) improves oxygenation and may provide a benefit in patients with acute... positioning improves oxygenation in adult burn patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM

  12. Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Plateau Best Predicts Early Death in Heart Failure

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, James E.; Stringer, William W.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The responses of oxygen uptake efficiency (ie, oxygen uptake/ventilation = V˙o2/V˙e) and its highest plateau (OUEP) during incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with chronic left heart failure (HF) have not been previously reported. We planned to test the hypothesis that OUEP during CPET is the best single predictor of early death in HF. Methods: We evaluated OUEP, slope of V˙o2 to log(V˙e) (oxygen uptake efficiency slope), oscillatory breathing, and all usual resting and CPET measurements in 508 patients with low-ejection-fraction (< 35%) HF. Each had further evaluations at other sites, including cardiac catheterization. Outcomes were 6-month all-reason mortality and morbidity (death or > 24 h cardiac hospitalization). Statistical analyses included area under curve of receiver operating characteristics, ORs, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and Kaplan-Meier plots. Results: OUEP, which requires only moderate exercise, was often reduced in patients with HF. A low % predicted OUEP was the single best predictor of mortality (P < .0001), with an OR of 13.0 (P < .001). When combined with oscillatory breathing, the OR increased to 56.3, superior to all other resting or exercise parameters or combinations of parameters. Other statistical analyses and morbidity analysis confirmed those findings. Conclusions: OUEP is often reduced in patients with HF. Low % predicted OUEP (< 65% predicted) is the single best predictor of early death, better than any other CPET or other cardiovascular measurement. Paired with oscillatory breathing, it is even more powerful. PMID:22030802

  13. Material Gradients in Oxygen System Components Improve Safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Forsyth, Bradley S.

    2011-01-01

    Oxygen system components fabricated by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (TradeMark) (LENS(TradeMark)) could result in improved safety and performance. LENS(TradeMark) is a near-net shape manufacturing process fusing powdered materials injected into a laser beam. Parts can be fabricated with a variety of elemental metals, alloys, and nonmetallic materials without the use of a mold. The LENS(TradeMark) process allows the injected materials to be varied throughout a single workpiece. Hence, surfaces exposed to oxygen could be constructed of an oxygen-compatible material while the remainder of the part could be one chosen for strength or reduced weight. Unlike conventional coating applications, a compositional gradient would exist between the two materials, so no abrupt material boundary exists. Without an interface between dissimilar materials, there is less tendency for chipping or cracking associated with thermal-expansion mismatches.

  14. Early adaptation to oxygen is key to the industrially important traits of Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris during milk fermentation.

    PubMed

    Cretenet, Marina; Le Gall, Gwenaëlle; Wegmann, Udo; Even, Sergine; Shearman, Claire; Stentz, Régis; Jeanson, Sophie

    2014-12-03

    Lactococcus lactis is the most used species in the dairy industry. Its ability to adapt to technological stresses, such as oxidative stress encountered during stirring in the first stages of the cheese-making process, is a key factor to measure its technological performance. This study aimed to understand the response to oxidative stress of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363 at the transcriptional and metabolic levels in relation to acidification kinetics and growth conditions, especially at an early stage of growth. For those purposes, conditions of hyper-oxygenation were initially fixed for the fermentation. Kinetics of growth and acidification were not affected by the presence of oxygen, indicating a high resistance to oxygen of the L. lactis MG1363 strain. Its resistance was explained by an efficient consumption of oxygen within the first 4 hours of culture, leading to a drop of the redox potential. The efficient consumption of oxygen by the L. lactis MG1363 strain was supported by a coherent and early adaptation to oxygen after 1 hour of culture at both gene expression and metabolic levels. In oxygen metabolism, the over-expression of all the genes of the nrd (ribonucleotide reductases) operon or fhu (ferrichrome ABC transports) genes was particularly significant. In carbon metabolism, the presence of oxygen led to an early shift at the gene level in the pyruvate pathway towards the acetate/2,3-butanediol pathway confirmed by the kinetics of metabolite production. Finally, the MG1363 strain was no longer able to consume oxygen in the stationary growth phase, leading to a drastic loss of culturability as a consequence of cumulative stresses and the absence of gene adaptation at this stage. Combining metabolic and transcriptomic profiling, together with oxygen consumption kinetics, yielded new insights into the whole genome adaptation of L. lactis to initial oxidative stress. An early and transitional adaptation to oxidative stress was revealed for L

  15. Using Oxygen “Microbubbles” To Improve Radiation Therapy

    Cancer.gov

    Oxygen-carrying “microbubbles” could potentially improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer, findings from a study in mice suggest. Using the bubbles along with radiation slowed tumor growth more than radiation alone, as this NCI Cancer Currents post reports.

  16. Hyperspectral imaging for early detection of oxygenation and perfusion changes in irradiated skin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chin, Michael S.; Freniere, Brian B.; Lo, Yuan-Chyuan; Saleeby, Jonathan H.; Baker, Stephen P.; Strom, Heather M.; Ignotz, Ronald A.; Lalikos, Janice F.; Fitzgerald, Thomas J.

    2012-02-01

    Studies examining acute oxygenation and perfusion changes in irradiated skin are limited. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI), a method of wide-field, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, provides noninvasive, quantified measurements of cutaneous oxygenation and perfusion. This study examines whether HSI can assess acute changes in oxygenation and perfusion following irradiation. Skin on both flanks of nude mice (n=20) was exposed to 50 Gy of beta radiation from a strontium-90 source. Hyperspectral images were obtained before irradiation and on selected days for three weeks. Skin reaction assessment was performed concurrently with HSI. Desquamative injury formed in all irradiated areas. Skin reactions were first seen on day 7, with peak formation on day 14, and resolution beginning by day 21. HSI demonstrated increased tissue oxygenation on day 1 before cutaneous changes were observed (p<0.001). Further increases over baseline were seen on day 14, but returned to baseline levels by day 21. For perfusion, similar increases were seen on days 1 and 14. Unlike tissue oxygenation, perfusion was decreased below baseline on day 21 (p<0.002). HSI allows for complete visualization and quantification of tissue oxygenation and perfusion changes in irradiated skin, and may also allow prediction of acute skin reactions based on early changes seen after irradiation.

  17. A method of improving sensitivity of carbon/oxygen well logging for low porosity formation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Juntao; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Quanying

    Carbon/Oxygen (C/O) spectral logging technique has been widely used to determine residual oil saturation and the evaluation of water flooded layer. In order to improve the sensitivity of the technique for low – porosity formation, Gaussian and linear models are applied to fit the peaks of measured spectra to obtain the characteristic coefficients. Standard spectra of carbon and oxygen are combined to establish a new carbon /oxygen value calculation method, and the robustness of the new method is cross – validated with known mixed gamma ray spectrum. Formation models for different porosities and saturations are built using Monte Carlo method.more » The responses of carbon/oxygen which are calculated by conventional energy window method, and the new method is applied to oil saturation under low porosity conditions. The results show the new method can reduce the effects of gamma rays contaminated by the interaction between neutrons and other elements on carbon/oxygen ratio, and therefore can significantly improve the response sensitivity of carbon/oxygen well logging to oil saturation. The new method improves greatly carbon/oxygen well logging in low porosity conditions.« less

  18. A method of improving sensitivity of carbon/oxygen well logging for low porosity formation

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Juntao; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Quanying; ...

    2016-12-01

    Carbon/Oxygen (C/O) spectral logging technique has been widely used to determine residual oil saturation and the evaluation of water flooded layer. In order to improve the sensitivity of the technique for low – porosity formation, Gaussian and linear models are applied to fit the peaks of measured spectra to obtain the characteristic coefficients. Standard spectra of carbon and oxygen are combined to establish a new carbon /oxygen value calculation method, and the robustness of the new method is cross – validated with known mixed gamma ray spectrum. Formation models for different porosities and saturations are built using Monte Carlo method.more » The responses of carbon/oxygen which are calculated by conventional energy window method, and the new method is applied to oil saturation under low porosity conditions. The results show the new method can reduce the effects of gamma rays contaminated by the interaction between neutrons and other elements on carbon/oxygen ratio, and therefore can significantly improve the response sensitivity of carbon/oxygen well logging to oil saturation. The new method improves greatly carbon/oxygen well logging in low porosity conditions.« less

  19. The rise of oxygen in Earth's early ocean and atmosphere.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Timothy W; Reinhard, Christopher T; Planavsky, Noah J

    2014-02-20

    The rapid increase of carbon dioxide concentration in Earth's modern atmosphere is a matter of major concern. But for the atmosphere of roughly two-and-half billion years ago, interest centres on a different gas: free oxygen (O2) spawned by early biological production. The initial increase of O2 in the atmosphere, its delayed build-up in the ocean, its increase to near-modern levels in the sea and air two billion years later, and its cause-and-effect relationship with life are among the most compelling stories in Earth's history.

  20. Photoluminescence due to early stage of oxygen precipitation in multicrystalline Si for solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Higuchi, Fumito; Tajima, Michio; Ogura, Atsushi

    2017-07-01

    To analyze the early stage of oxygen precipitation in n-type multicrytalline Si, the spectral change of photoluminescence (PL) induced by thermal treatment at 450-650 °C was investigated in relation to the changes in excess donor and interstitial oxygen concentrations. We observed the characteristic PL bands in the near-band-edge region and sharp lines in the deep-level region in correspondence with the generation of thermal donors and new donors. The observed PL spectral variation is essentially the same as that in Czochralski-grown Si annealed at 450-650 °C.

  1. Improvement of wound healing by regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy in a rabbit model.

    PubMed

    Li, Y Z; Hu, X D; Lai, X M; Li, Y F; Lei, Y

    2018-01-01

    Development of drug therapies and other techniques for wound care have resulted in significant improvement of the cure rate and shortening of the healing time for wounds. A modified technique of regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RO-NPT) has been reported. To evaluate the efficacy and impact of RO-NPT on wound recovery and inflammation. Infected wounds were established on 40 adult female white rabbits, which were then randomized to one of four groups: O 2 group, regulated negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RNPT) group, regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RO-NPT) group and healthy control (HC) group. Each day, the O 2 group was treated with a constant oxygen supply (1 L/min) to the wound, while the RNPT group was treated with continuous regulated negative pressure (70 ± 5 mmHg) and the RNPT + O 2 group was treated with both. The HC group was treated with gauze dressing alone, which was changed every day. Leucocyte count, colony count and wound-healing rate were calculated. Levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 were evaluated by ELISA. RO-RNPT significantly decreased bacterial count and TNF-α level, and increased the wound-healing rate. IL-1β, IL-8 and leucocyte count had a tendency to increase in the early phase of inflammation and a tendency to decrease in the later phase of inflammation in the RO-RNPT group. RO-NPT therapy assisted wound recovery and inflammation control compared with the RNPT and oxygen-enriched therapies. RO-NPT therapy also increased levels of IL-1β and IL-8 and attenuated expression of TNF-α in the early phase of inflammation. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

  2. Improvement of AD Biosynthesis Response to Enhanced Oxygen Transfer by Oxygen Vectors in Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979.

    PubMed

    Su, Liqiu; Shen, Yanbing; Gao, Tian; Luo, Jianmei; Wang, Min

    2017-08-01

    In steroid biotransformation, soybean oil can improve the productivity of steroids by increasing substrate solubility and strengthen the cell membrane permeability. However, little is known of its role as oxygen carrier and its mechanism of promoting the steroid biotransformation. In this work, soybean oil used as oxygen vector for the enhancement of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) production by Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979 (MNR) was investigated. Upon the addition of 16% (v/v) soybean oil, the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K L a) value increased by 44%, and the peak molar yield of AD (55.76%) was achieved. Analysis of intracellular cofactor levels showed high NAD + , ATP level, and a low NADH/NAD + ratio. Meanwhile, the two key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, namely, isocitrate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, were upregulated after incubation with soybean oil. These enhancements induced by the increasing of oxygen supply showed positive effects on phytosterol (PS) bioconversion. Results could contribute to the understanding of effects of soybean oil as oxygen vector on steroid biotransformation and provided a convenient method for enhancing the efficiency of aerobic steroid biocatalysis.

  3. Oxygen Supplementation Improves Protein Milieu Supportive of Protein Synthesis and Antioxidant Function in the Cortex of Alzheimer's Disease Model Mice-a Quantitative Proteomic Study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hao; Hong, Xiaoyu; Li, Shuiming; Wang, Yong

    2017-10-01

    Protein synthesis has been reported to be impaired in early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previously, we found that oxygen supplementation improved cognitive function and reduced mitochondrial damage in AD model mice. In the present study, we examined the effects of supplemental oxygen treatment on protein synthesis and oxidative damage. The synthesis of numerous proteins involved in mRNA splicing, transcription regulation, and translation was found to be significantly upregulated in cortex tissues of AD model mice given a supplemental oxygen treatment (OT group), relative to those of non-treated control AD model mice (Ctrl group), suggesting that impairment in protein synthesis may be alleviated by increased oxygen inhalation. Methionine oxidation and oxidation levels in general were similar between the OT and Ctrl groups, indicating that the oxygen supplementation treatment did not cause increases in peptide oxidation levels. On the contrary, the OT group exhibited upregulation of several proteins associated with antioxidant defense. These results support further exploration into the development of supplementary oxygen treatment as a potential therapy for AD.

  4. Rheological effects of drag-reducing polymers improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation after traumatic brain injury in rats.

    PubMed

    Bragin, Denis E; Kameneva, Marina V; Bragina, Olga A; Thomson, Susan; Statom, Gloria L; Lara, Devon A; Yang, Yirong; Nemoto, Edwin M

    2017-03-01

    Cerebral ischemia has been clearly demonstrated after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, neuroprotective therapies have not focused on improvement of the cerebral microcirculation. Blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), prepared from high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, target impaired microvascular perfusion by altering the rheological properties of blood and, until our recent reports, has not been applied to the brain. We hypothesized that DRP improve cerebral microcirculation and oxygenation after TBI. DRP were studied in healthy and traumatized rat brains and compared to saline controls. Using in-vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy over the parietal cortex, we showed that after TBI, nanomolar concentrations of intravascular DRP significantly enhanced microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in peri-contusional areas, preserved blood-brain barrier integrity and protected neurons. The mechanisms of DRP effects were attributable to reduction of the near-vessel wall cell-free layer which increased near-wall blood flow velocity, microcirculatory volume flow, and number of erythrocytes entering capillaries, thereby reducing capillary stasis and tissue hypoxia as reflected by a reduction in NADH. Our results indicate that early reduction in CBF after TBI is mainly due to ischemia; however, metabolic depression of contused tissue could be also involved.

  5. Rheological effects of drag-reducing polymers improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation after traumatic brain injury in rats

    PubMed Central

    Kameneva, Marina V; Bragina, Olga A; Thomson, Susan; Statom, Gloria L; Lara, Devon A; Yang, Yirong; Nemoto, Edwin M

    2016-01-01

    Cerebral ischemia has been clearly demonstrated after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, neuroprotective therapies have not focused on improvement of the cerebral microcirculation. Blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), prepared from high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, target impaired microvascular perfusion by altering the rheological properties of blood and, until our recent reports, has not been applied to the brain. We hypothesized that DRP improve cerebral microcirculation and oxygenation after TBI. DRP were studied in healthy and traumatized rat brains and compared to saline controls. Using in-vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy over the parietal cortex, we showed that after TBI, nanomolar concentrations of intravascular DRP significantly enhanced microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in peri-contusional areas, preserved blood–brain barrier integrity and protected neurons. The mechanisms of DRP effects were attributable to reduction of the near-vessel wall cell-free layer which increased near-wall blood flow velocity, microcirculatory volume flow, and number of erythrocytes entering capillaries, thereby reducing capillary stasis and tissue hypoxia as reflected by a reduction in NADH. Our results indicate that early reduction in CBF after TBI is mainly due to ischemia; however, metabolic depression of contused tissue could be also involved. PMID:28155574

  6. Improved Oxygen-Beam Texturing of Glucose-Monitoring Optics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Bruce A.

    2006-01-01

    An improved method has been devised for using directed, hyperthermal beams of oxygen atoms and ions to impart desired textures to the tips of polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA] optical fibers to be used in monitoring the glucose content of blood. The improved method incorporates, but goes beyond, the method described in Texturing Blood-Glucose- Monitoring Optics Using Oxygen Beams (LEW-17642-1), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 4 (April 2005), page 11a. The basic principle of operation of such a glucose-monitoring sensor is as follows: The textured surface of the optical fiber is coated with chemicals that interact with glucose in such a manner as to change the reflectance of the surface. Light is sent down the optical fiber and is reflected from, the textured surface. The resulting change in reflectance of the light is measured as an indication of the concentration of glucose. The required texture on the ends of the optical fibers is a landscape of microscopic cones or pillars having high aspect ratios (microscopic structures being taller than they are wide). The average distance between hills must be no more than about 5 mso that blood cells (which are wider) cannot enter the valleys between the hills, where they would interfere with optical sensing of glucose in the blood plasma. On the other hand, the plasma is required to enter the valleys, and high aspect ratio structures are needed to maximize the surface area in contact with the plasma, thereby making it possible to obtain a given level of optical glucose-measurement sensitivity with a relatively small volume of blood. There is an additional requirement that the hills be wide enough that a sufficient amount of light can propagate into them and, after reflection, can propagate out of them. The method described in the cited prior article produces a texture comprising cones and pillars that conform to the average-distance and aspect-ratio requirements. However, a significant fraction of the cones and pillars are so

  7. Improved early outcome for end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy in children.

    PubMed

    McMahon, Anne-Marie; van Doorn, Carin; Burch, Michael; Whitmore, Pauline; Neligan, Sophie; Rees, Philip; Radley-Smith, Rosemary; Goldman, Allan; Brown, Katherine; Cohen, Gordon; Tsang, Victor; Elliott, Martin; de Leval, Marc R

    2003-12-01

    To review the impact of management changes on the early outcomes of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy in children. We conducted a retrospective study of all consecutive children with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy who received hospital treatment since 1992. Over the past 3 years the following management changes were made: (1) more aggressive use of mechanical cardiac assistance; (2) high priority listing for transplantation; and (3) ABO incompatible transplants for infants. Outcomes for 46 patients admitted between 1992 and 1999 (group I) were compared with 53 patients between 2000 and March 2003 (group II). In group I, 12 (26%) patients received mechanical support with recovery in 3 and transplantation in 5 (1 died). In group II, 19 (36%) patients received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, with recovery in 5 and transplantation in 12 (all survived). The use of mechanical assistance was associated with high morbidity related to bleeding, end-organ failure, and long-term mechanical ventilation. Five patients in group II received ABO incompatible transplants and all survived. There have been no episodes of rejection or need for increased immunosuppressive therapy. Hospital mortality has been significantly reduced (group I, 37% vs group II, 11%; P <.05). Recent refinements in the management of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy in children have significantly reduced early mortality. Identification of markers of early myocardial recovery and development of mechanical devices for longer term and more physiologic support are essential to achieve further improvements in outcome.

  8. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for traumatic brain injury

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health issue. The complexity of TBI has precluded the use of effective therapies. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been shown to be neuroprotective in multiple neurological disorders, but its efficacy in the management of TBI remains controversial. This review focuses on HBOT applications within the context of experimental and clinical TBI. We also discuss its potential neuroprotective mechanisms. Early or delayed multiple sessions of low atmospheric pressure HBOT can reduce intracranial pressure, improve mortality, as well as promote neurobehavioral recovery. The complimentary, synergistic actions of HBOT include improved tissue oxygenation and cellular metabolism, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Thus HBOT may serve as a promising neuroprotective strategy that when combined with other therapeutic targets for TBI patients which could improve long-term outcomes. PMID:22146562

  9. Intraportal islet oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Suszynski, Thomas M; Avgoustiniatos, Efstathios S; Papas, Klearchos K

    2014-05-01

    Islet transplantation (IT) is a promising therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The large number of islets required to achieve insulin independence limit its cost-effectiveness and the number of patients who can be treated. It is believed that >50% of islets are lost in the immediate post-IT period. Poor oxygenation in the early post-IT period is recognized as a possible reason for islet loss and dysfunction but has not been extensively studied. Several key variables affect oxygenation in this setting, including (1) local oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)), (2) islet oxygen consumption, (3) islet size (diameter, D), and (4) presence or absence of thrombosis on the islet surface. We discuss implications of oxygen-limiting conditions on intraportal islet viability and function. Of the 4 key variables, the islet size appears to be the most important determinant of the anoxic and nonfunctional islet volume fractions. Similarly, the effect of thrombus formation on the islet surface may be substantial. At the University of Minnesota, average size distribution data from clinical alloislet preparations (n = 10) indicate that >150-µm D islets account for only ~30% of the total islet number, but >85% of the total islet volume. This suggests that improved oxygen supply to the islets may have a profound impact on islet survivability and function since most of the β-cell volume is within large islets which are most susceptible to oxygen-limiting conditions. The assumption that the liver is a suitable islet transplant site from the standpoint of oxygenation should be reconsidered. © 2014 Diabetes Technology Society.

  10. Intraportal Islet Oxygenation

    PubMed Central

    Suszynski, Thomas M.; Avgoustiniatos, Efstathios S.

    2014-01-01

    Islet transplantation (IT) is a promising therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The large number of islets required to achieve insulin independence limit its cost-effectiveness and the number of patients who can be treated. It is believed that >50% of islets are lost in the immediate post-IT period. Poor oxygenation in the early post-IT period is recognized as a possible reason for islet loss and dysfunction but has not been extensively studied. Several key variables affect oxygenation in this setting, including (1) local oxygen partial pressure (pO2), (2) islet oxygen consumption, (3) islet size (diameter, D), and (4) presence or absence of thrombosis on the islet surface. We discuss implications of oxygen-limiting conditions on intraportal islet viability and function. Of the 4 key variables, the islet size appears to be the most important determinant of the anoxic and nonfunctional islet volume fractions. Similarly, the effect of thrombus formation on the islet surface may be substantial. At the University of Minnesota, average size distribution data from clinical alloislet preparations (n = 10) indicate that >150-µm D islets account for only ~30% of the total islet number, but >85% of the total islet volume. This suggests that improved oxygen supply to the islets may have a profound impact on islet survivability and function since most of the β-cell volume is within large islets which are most susceptible to oxygen-limiting conditions. The assumption that the liver is a suitable islet transplant site from the standpoint of oxygenation should be reconsidered. PMID:24876622

  11. Super Oxygen and Improved Water Vapor Barrier of Polypropylene Film with Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Nanocoatings.

    PubMed

    Song, Yixuan; Tzeng, Ping; Grunlan, Jaime C

    2016-06-01

    Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is widely used in packaging. Although its orientation increases mechanical strength and clarity, BOPP suffers from a high oxygen transmission rate (OTR). Multilayer thin films are deposited from water using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is combined with either poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or vermiculite (VMT) clay to impart high oxygen barrier. A 30-bilayer PEI/VMT nanocoating (226 nm thick) improves the OTR of 17.8 μm thick BOPP by more than 30X, rivaling most inorganic coatings. PEI/PAA multilayers achieve comparable barrier with only 12 bilayers due to greater thickness, but these films exhibit increased oxygen permeability at high humidity. The PEI/VMT coatings actually exhibit improved oxygen barrier at high humidity (and also improve moisture barrier by more than 40%). This high barrier BOPP meets the criteria for sensitive food and some electronics packaging applications. Additionally, this water-based coating technology is cost effective and provides an opportunity to produce high barrier polypropylene film on an industrial scale. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Cerebral oxygen metabolism in patients with early Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Borghammer, Per; Cumming, Paul; Østergaard, Karen; Gjedde, Albert; Rodell, Anders; Bailey, Christopher J; Vafaee, Manoucher S

    2012-02-15

    Decreased activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). This model would most likely predict a decrease in the rate of cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO(2)). To test this hypothesis, we compared CMRO(2) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) PET scans from PD patients and healthy controls. Nine early-stage PD patients and 15 healthy age-matched controls underwent PET scans for quantitative mapping of CMRO(2) and CBF. Between-group differences were evaluated for absolute data and intensity-normalized values. No group differences were detected in regional magnitudes of CMRO(2) or CBF. Upon normalization using the reference cluster method, significant relative CMRO(2) decreases were evident in widespread prefrontal, parieto-occipital, and lateral temporal regions. Sensory-motor and subcortical regions, brainstem, and the cerebellum were spared. A similar pattern was evident in normalized CBF data, as described previously. While the data did not reveal substantially altered absolute CMRO(2) in brain of PD patients, employing data-driven intensity normalization revealed widespread relative CMRO(2) decreases in cerebral cortex. The detected pattern was very similar to that reported in earlier CBF and CMRglc studies of PD, and in the CBF images from the same subjects. Thus, the present results are consistent with the occurrence of parallel declines in CMRO(2), CBF, and CMRglc in spatially contiguous cortical regions in early PD, and support the hypothesis that ETC dysfunction could be a primary pathogenic mechanism in early PD. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. The Association of Early Blood Oxygenation with Child Development in Preterm Infants with Acute Respiratory Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Karen E.; Keeney, Susan; Zhang, Lifang; Perez-Polo, Regino; Rassin, David K.

    2008-01-01

    The potential negative impact of early blood oxygenation on development of specific cognitive and motor outcomes in children born at very low birth weight (VLBW; 1000 − 1500g) has not been examined even though these infants are exposed to varying durations and amounts of oxygen as part of their neonatal care. While this is the largest group of preterm infants, they receive much less research attention than extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW < 1000g). Although neonatologists are questioning the routine use of oxygen therapy for all neonates, research has focused primarily on the more medically fragile ELBW infants. To date there are no systematic studies available to guide decision making for oxygen supplementation for a large segment of the preterm infant population. The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association between blood oxygenation in the first four hours of life and specific cognitive and motor skills in preterm infants with acute respiratory disorders but no severe intracranial insult using a selected cohort from a longitudinal study children recruited in 1991 and 1992 designed to examine the role of biological immaturity as defined by gestational age and parenting in development. From this cohort, 55 children had acute respiratory disorders without severe intracranial insult. Of these, 35 children had at least one partial pressure of oxygen obtained from arterial blood (PaO2) during the first four hours of life as part of their clinical care. Higher early PaO2 values were associated with lower impulse control and attention skills in the elementary school age period. Models that examined for relations between PaO2 values that also included birth weight and parenting quality across the first year of life revealed that higher PaO2 remained associated with impulse control but not attention skills. Birth weight was not associated with any outcomes. These results suggest that hyperoxia may be a risk factor for developmental

  14. A Bovine Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier as Pump Prime for Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Reduced Systemic Lactic Acidosis and Improved Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism During Low-flow in a Porcine Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-11-10

    1 A bovine hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier as pump prime for cardiopulmonary bypass: reduced systemic lactic acidosis and improved cerebral...2010 2. REPORT TYPE Final Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) June 2007 - November 2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A bovine hemoglobin-based oxygen...carrier as pump prime for cardiopulmonary bypass: reduced systemic lactic acidosis and improved cerebral oxygen metabolism during low-flow in a

  15. Oxidation of platinum nickel nanowires to improve durability of oxygen-reducing electrocatalysts

    DOE PAGES

    Alia, Shaun M.; Pylypenko, Svitlana; Dameron, Arrelaine; ...

    2016-01-12

    In this study, the impact of heat treating platinum-coated nickel (Pt-Ni) nanowires in oxygen is examined to determine the effect on oxygen reduction (ORR) activity and durability. Pt-Ni nanowires exhibit promising ORR mass activities (3 times greater than Pt nanoparticles, 1.5 times greater than U.S. Department of Energy target) both before and after potential cycling for all but the highest annealing temperatures explored. The annealing of Pt-Ni nanowires in oxygen with increasing temperature is found to reduce surface area and ORR activity in comparison to the untreated material, but also reduces activity losses following durability testing. Following potential cycling, unannealedmore » Pt-Ni nanowires show significant losses in surface area (23%) and specific activity (18%) while Pt-Ni nanowires annealed at 200°C show modest increases in surface area (2%) and specific activity (6%) after potential cycling. Increasing annealing temperatures also show a clear trend of decreasing Ni dissolution rates. While oxygen annealing has shown the ability to improve durability of Pt-Ni nanowires, significant Ni dissolution was observed in all samples and suggests oxide passivation while showing promise for improved durability, when employed by itself is insufficient to prevent all contamination concerns involving Ni dissolution.« less

  16. Deep breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure at a higher rate improve oxygenation in the early period after cardiac surgery--a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Urell, Charlotte; Emtner, Margareta; Hedenström, Hans; Tenling, Arne; Breidenskog, Marie; Westerdahl, Elisabeth

    2011-07-01

    In addition to early mobilisation, a variety of breathing exercises are used to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery. The optimal duration of the treatment is not well evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 30 versus 10 deep breaths hourly, while awake, with positive expiratory pressure on oxygenation and pulmonary function the first days after cardiac surgery. A total of 181 patients, undergoing cardiac surgery, were randomised into a treatment group, performing 30 deep breaths hourly the first postoperative days, or into a control group performing 10 deep breaths hourly. The main outcome measurement arterial blood gases and the secondary outcome pulmonary function, evaluated with spirometry, were determined on the second postoperative day. Preoperatively, both study groups were similar in terms of age, SpO(2), forced expiratory volume in 1s and New York Heart Association classification. On the second postoperative day, arterial oxygen tension (PaO(2)) was 8.9 ± 1.7 kPa in the treatment group and 8.1 ± 1.4 kPa in the control group (p = 0.004). Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) was 92.7 ± 3.7% in the treatment group and 91.1 ± 3.8% in the control group (p = 0.016). There were no differences in measured lung function between the groups or in compliance to the breathing exercises. Compliance was 65% of possible breathing sessions. A significantly increased oxygenation was found in patients performing 30 deep breaths the first two postoperative days compared with control patients performing 10 deep breaths hourly. These results support the implementation of a higher rate of deep breathing exercises in the initial phase after cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Improvement of Early Antenatal Care Initiation

    PubMed Central

    Oumudee, Nurlisa; Armeeroh, Masuenah; Nima, Niamina; Duerahing, Nurosanah

    2018-01-01

    Background: Although antenatal care (ANC) coverage has been increasing in low- and middle-income countries, the adherence to the ANC initiation standards at gestational age <12 weeks was inadequate including Thailand. The study aimed to improve the rate of early ANC initiation by training the existing local health volunteers (LHVs) in 3 southernmost provinces of Thailand. Methods: A clustered nonrandomized intervention study was conducted from November 2012 to February 2014. One district of each province was selected to be the study intervention districts for that province. A total of 124 LHVs in the intervention districts participated in the knowledge–counseling intervention. It was organized as half-day workshop using 2 training modules each comprising a 30-minute lecture followed by counseling practice in pairs for 1 hour. Outcome was the rate of early ANC initiation among women giving birth, and its association with intervention, meeting an LHV, and months after training was analyzed. Results: Of 6677 women, 3178 and 3499 women were in the control and intervention groups, respectively. Rates of early ANC were significantly improved after the intervention (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.43, P < .001) and meeting an LHV (adjusted OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.86-2.29, P < .001), but lower at 6 months after training (adjusted OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.60-0.96, P = .002). Almost all women (99.7%) in the intervention group who met an LHV reported that they were encouraged to attend early ANC. Conclusion: Training LHVs in communities by knowledge–counseling intervention significantly improved early ANC initiation, but the magnitude of change was still limited. PMID:29657959

  18. Improved Intratumoral Oxygenation Through Vascular Normalization Increases Glioma Sensitivity to Ionizing Radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McGee, Mackenzie C.; Hamner, J. Blair; Williams, Regan F.

    2010-04-15

    Purpose: Ionizing radiation, an important component of glioma therapy, is critically dependent on tumor oxygenation. However, gliomas are notable for areas of necrosis and hypoxia, which foster radioresistance. We hypothesized that pharmacologic manipulation of the typically dysfunctional tumor vasculature would improve intratumoral oxygenation and, thus, the antiglioma efficacy of ionizing radiation. Methods and Materials: Orthotopic U87 xenografts were treated with either continuous interferon-beta (IFN-beta) or bevacizumab, alone, or combined with cranial irradiation (RT). Tumor growth was assessed by quantitative bioluminescence imaging; the tumor vasculature using immunohistochemical staining, and tumor oxygenation using hypoxyprobe staining. Results: Both IFN-beta and bevaziumab profoundly affectedmore » the tumor vasculature, albeit with different cellular phenotypes. IFN-beta caused a doubling in the percentage of area of perivascular cell staining, and bevacizumab caused a rapid decrease in the percentage of area of endothelial cell staining. However, both agents increased intratumoral oxygenation, although with bevacizumab, the effect was transient, being lost by 5 days. Administration of IFN-beta or bevacizumab before RT was significantly more effective than any of the three modalities as monotherapy or when RT was administered concomitantly with IFN-beta or bevacizumab or 5 days after bevacizumab. Conclusion: Bevacizumab and continuous delivery of IFN-beta each induced significant changes in glioma vascular physiology, improving intratumoral oxygenation and enhancing the antitumor activity of ionizing radiation. Additional investigation into the use and timing of these and other agents that modify the vascular phenotype, combined with RT, is warranted to optimize cytotoxic activity.« less

  19. Postoperative inspiratory muscle training in addition to breathing exercises and early mobilization improves oxygenation in high-risk patients after lung cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Brocki, Barbara Cristina; Andreasen, Jan Jesper; Langer, Daniel; Souza, Domingos Savio R; Westerdahl, Elisabeth

    2016-05-01

    The aim was to investigate whether 2 weeks of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) could preserve respiratory muscle strength in high-risk patients referred for pulmonary resection on the suspicion of or confirmed lung cancer. Secondarily, we investigated the effect of the intervention on the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. The study was a single-centre, parallel-group, randomized trial with assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. The intervention group (IG, n = 34) underwent 2 weeks of postoperative IMT twice daily with 2 × 30 breaths on a target intensity of 30% of maximal inspiratory pressure, in addition to standard postoperative physiotherapy. Standard physiotherapy in the control group (CG, n = 34) consisted of breathing exercises, coughing techniques and early mobilization. We measured respiratory muscle strength (maximal inspiratory/expiratory pressure, MIP/MEP), functional performance (6-min walk test), spirometry and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), assessed the day before surgery and again 3-5 days and 2 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative pulmonary complications were evaluated 2 weeks after surgery. The mean age was 70 ± 8 years and 57.5% were males. Thoracotomy was performed in 48.5% (n = 33) of cases. No effect of the intervention was found regarding MIP, MEP, lung volumes or functional performance at any time point. The overall incidence of pneumonia was 13% (n = 9), with no significant difference between groups [IG 6% (n = 2), CG 21% (n = 7), P = 0.14]. An improved SpO2 was found in the IG on the third and fourth postoperative days (Day 3: IG 93.8 ± 3.4 vs CG 91.9 ± 4.1%, P = 0.058; Day 4: IG 93.5 ± 3.5 vs CG 91 ± 3.9%, P = 0.02). We found no association between surgical procedure (thoracotomy versus thoracoscopy) and respiratory muscle strength, which was recovered in both groups 2 weeks after surgery. Two weeks of additional postoperative IMT, compared with standard physiotherapy alone, did not preserve

  20. Improving oxygen therapy for children and neonates in secondary hospitals in Nigeria: study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Graham, Hamish R; Ayede, Adejumoke I; Bakare, Ayobami A; Oyewole, Oladapo B; Peel, David; Gray, Amy; McPake, Barbara; Neal, Eleanor; Qazi, Shamim; Izadnegahdar, Rasa; Falade, Adegoke G; Duke, Trevor

    2017-10-27

    Oxygen is a life-saving, essential medicine that is important for the treatment of many common childhood conditions. Improved oxygen systems can reduce childhood pneumonia mortality substantially. However, providing oxygen to children is challenging, especially in small hospitals with weak infrastructure and low human resource capacity. This trial will evaluate the implementation of improved oxygen systems at secondary-level hospitals in southwest Nigeria. The improved oxygen system includes: a standardised equipment package; training of clinical and technical staff; infrastructure support (including improved power supply); and quality improvement activities such as supportive supervision. Phase 1 will involve the introduction of pulse oximetry alone; phase 2 will involve the introduction of the full, improved oxygen system package. We have based the intervention design on a theory-based analysis of previous oxygen projects, and used quality improvement principles, evidence-based teaching methods, and behaviour-change strategies. We are using a stepped-wedge cluster randomised design with participating hospitals randomised to receive an improved oxygen system at 4-month steps (three hospitals per step). Our mixed-methods evaluation will evaluate effectiveness, impact, sustainability, process and fidelity. Our primary outcome measures are childhood pneumonia case fatality rate and inpatient neonatal mortality rate. Secondary outcome measures include a range of clinical, quality of care, technical, and health systems outcomes. The planned study duration is from 2015 to 2018. Our study will provide quality evidence on the effectiveness of improved oxygen systems, and how to better implement and scale-up oxygen systems in resource-limited settings. Our results should have important implications for policy-makers, hospital administrators, and child health organisations in Africa and globally. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617000341325

  1. Is oxygen required before atropine administration in organophosphorus or carbamate pesticide poisoning? – A cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Konickx, L. A.; Bingham, K.

    2014-01-01

    Background Early and adequate atropine administration in organophosphorus (OP) or carbamate insecticide poisoning improves outcome. However, some authors advise that oxygen must be given before atropine due to the risk of inducing ventricular dysrhythmias in hypoxic patients. Because oxygen is frequently unavailable in district hospitals of rural Asia, where the majority of patients with insecticide poisoning present, this guidance has significant implications for patient care. The published evidence for this advice is weak. We therefore performed a patient cohort analysis to look for early cardiac deaths in patients poisoned by anticholinesterase pesticides. Methods We analysed a prospective Sri Lankan cohort of OP or carbamate-poisoned patients treated with early atropine without the benefit of oxygen for evidence of early deaths. The incidence of fatal primary cardiac arrests within 3 h of admission was used as a sensitive (but non-specific) marker of possible ventricular dysrhythmias. Results The cohort consisted of 1957 patients. The incidence of a primary cardiac death within 3 h of atropine administration was 4 (0.2%) of 1957 patients. The majority of deaths occurred at a later time point from respiratory complications of poisoning. Conclusion We found no evidence of a high number of early deaths in an observational study of 1957 patients routinely given atropine before oxygen that might support guidance that oxygen must be given before atropine. The published literature indicates that early and rapid administration of atropine during resuscitation is life-saving. Therefore, whether oxygen is available or not, early atropinisation of OP- and carbamate-poisoned patients should be performed. PMID:24810796

  2. Oxygen and Oxygen Toxicity: The Birth of Concepts

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Hong; Traore, Kassim; Santo, Arben; Trush, Michael A.; Li, Y. Robert

    2018-01-01

    Molecular dioxygen (O2) is an essential element of aerobic life, yet incomplete reduction or excitation of O2 during aerobic metabolisms generates diverse oxygen-containing reactive species, commonly known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the one hand, ROS pose a serious threat to aerobic organisms via inducing oxidative damage to cellular constituents. On the other hand, these reactive species, when their generation is under homeostatic control, also play important physiological roles (e.g., constituting an important component of immunity and participating in redox signaling). This article defines oxygen and the key facts about oxygen, and discusses the relationship between oxygen and the emergence of early animals on Earth. The article then describes the discovery of oxygen by three historical figures and examines the birth of the concepts of oxygen toxicity and the underlying free radical mechanisms. The article ends with a brief introduction to the emerging field of ROS-mediated redox signaling and physiological responses. PMID:29707642

  3. An efficient optimization method to improve the measuring accuracy of oxygen saturation by using triangular wave optical signal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Gang; Yu, Yue; Zhang, Cui; Lin, Ling

    2017-09-01

    The oxygen saturation is one of the important parameters to evaluate human health. This paper presents an efficient optimization method that can improve the accuracy of oxygen saturation measurement, which employs an optical frequency division triangular wave signal as the excitation signal to obtain dynamic spectrum and calculate oxygen saturation. In comparison to the traditional method measured RMSE (root mean square error) of SpO2 which is 0.1705, this proposed method significantly reduced the measured RMSE which is 0.0965. It is notable that the accuracy of oxygen saturation measurement has been improved significantly. The method can simplify the circuit and bring down the demand of elements. Furthermore, it has a great reference value on improving the signal to noise ratio of other physiological signals.

  4. Early cavopulmonary anastomosis in very young infants after the Norwood procedure: impact on oxygenation, resource utilization, and mortality.

    PubMed

    Jaquiss, Robert D B; Ghanayem, Nancy S; Hoffman, George M; Fedderly, Raymond T; Cava, Joseph R; Mussatto, Kathleen A; Tweddell, James S

    2004-04-01

    The optimal timing of second-stage palliation after Norwood operations remains undefined. Advantages of early cavopulmonary anastomosis are early elimination of volume load and shortening the high-risk interstage period. Potential disadvantages include severe cyanosis, prolonged pleural drainage and hospitalization, and excess mortality. We reviewed our recent experience to evaluate the safety of early cavopulmonary anastomosis. Eighty-five consecutive patients undergoing post-Norwood operation cavopulmonary anastomosis were divided into group I (cavopulmonary anastomosis at <4 months; n = 33) and group II (cavopulmonary anastomosis at >4 months; n = 52). Groups were compared for age; size; early and late mortality; preoperative, initial postoperative, and discharge oxygen saturation; and duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, pleural drainage, and hospitalization. Group I patients were younger than group II patients (94 +/- 21 days vs 165 +/- 44 days, respectively; P <.001) and smaller (4.8 +/- 0.8 kg vs 5.8 +/- 0.9 kg; P <.001). The preoperative oxygen saturation was not different (group I, 75% +/- 10%; group II, 78% +/- 8%; P =.142). The oxygen saturation was lower immediately after surgery in group I compared with group II (75% +/- 7% vs 81% +/- 7%, respectively; P <.001) but not by discharge (group I, 79% +/- 4%; group II, 80% +/- 4%). Younger patients were ventilated longer (62 +/- 86 hours vs 19 +/- 42 hours; P =.001), in the intensive care unit longer (130 +/- 111 hours vs 104 +/- 94 hours; P =.049), hospitalized longer (12.5 +/- 11.5 days vs 10.3 +/- 14.8 days; P =.012), and required longer pleural drainage (106 +/- 45 hours vs 104 +/- 93 hours; P =.046). Hospital survival was 100% in both groups. Actuarial survival to 12 months was 96% +/- 4% for group I and 96% +/- 3% for group II. Early cavopulmonary anastomosis after the Norwood operation is safe. Younger patients are more cyanotic initially after surgery and have a longer

  5. Hemoglobin phase of oxygenation and deoxygenation in early brain development measured using fNIRS

    PubMed Central

    Watanabe, Hama; Shitara, Yoshihiko; Aoki, Yoshinori; Inoue, Takanobu; Tsuchida, Shinya; Takahashi, Naoto; Taga, Gentaro

    2017-01-01

    A crucial issue in neonatal medicine is the impact of preterm birth on the developmental trajectory of the brain. Although a growing number of studies have shown alterations in the structure and function of the brain in preterm-born infants, we propose a method to detect subtle differences in neurovascular and metabolic functions in neonates and infants. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to obtain time-averaged phase differences between spontaneous low-frequency (less than 0.1 Hz) oscillatory changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) and those in deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb). This phase difference was referred to as hemoglobin phase of oxygenation and deoxygenation (hPod) in the cerebral tissue of sleeping neonates and infants. We examined hPod in term, late preterm, and early preterm infants with no evidence of clinical issues and found that all groups of infants showed developmental changes in the values of hPod from an in-phase to an antiphase pattern. Comparison of hPod among the groups revealed that developmental changes in hPod in early preterm infants precede those in late preterm and term infants at term equivalent age but then, progress at a slower pace. This study suggests that hPod measured using fNIRS is sensitive to the developmental stage of the integration of circular, neurovascular, and metabolic functions in the brains of neonates and infants. PMID:28196885

  6. Biologically enhanced cathode design for improved capacity and cycle life for lithium-oxygen batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oh, Dahyun; Qi, Jifa; Lu, Yi-Chun; Zhang, Yong; Shao-Horn, Yang; Belcher, Angela M.

    2013-11-01

    Lithium-oxygen batteries have a great potential to enhance the gravimetric energy density of fully packaged batteries by two to three times that of lithium ion cells. Recent studies have focused on finding stable electrolytes to address poor cycling capability and improve practical limitations of current lithium-oxygen batteries. In this study, the catalyst electrode, where discharge products are deposited and decomposed, was investigated as it has a critical role in the operation of rechargeable lithium-oxygen batteries. Here we report the electrode design principle to improve specific capacity and cycling performance of lithium-oxygen batteries by utilizing high-efficiency nanocatalysts assembled by M13 virus with earth-abundant elements such as manganese oxides. By incorporating only 3-5 wt% of palladium nanoparticles in the electrode, this hybrid nanocatalyst achieves 13,350 mAh g-1c (7,340 mAh g-1c+catalyst) of specific capacity at 0.4 A g-1c and a stable cycle life up to 50 cycles (4,000 mAh g-1c, 400 mAh g-1c+catalyst) at 1 A g-1c.

  7. Facilitated Oxygen Chemisorption in Heteroatom-Doped Carbon for Improved Oxygen Reaction Activity in All-Solid-State Zinc-Air Batteries.

    PubMed

    Liu, Sisi; Wang, Mengfan; Sun, Xinyi; Xu, Na; Liu, Jie; Wang, Yuzhou; Qian, Tao; Yan, Chenglin

    2018-01-01

    Driven by the intensified demand for energy storage systems with high-power density and safety, all-solid-state zinc-air batteries have drawn extensive attention. However, the electrocatalyst active sites and the underlying mechanisms occurring in zinc-air batteries remain confusing due to the lack of in situ analytical techniques. In this work, the in situ observations, including X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, of a heteroatom-doped carbon air cathode are reported, in which the chemisorption of oxygen molecules and oxygen-containing intermediates on the carbon material can be facilitated by the electron deficiency caused by heteroatom doping, thus improving the oxygen reaction activity for zinc-air batteries. As expected, solid-state zinc-air batteries equipped with such air cathodes exhibit superior reversibility and durability. This work thus provides a profound understanding of the reaction principles of heteroatom-doped carbon materials in zinc-air batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Effects of two fractions of inspired oxygen during anesthesia on early postanesthesia oxygenation in healthy dogs.

    PubMed

    Martin-Flores, Manuel; Tseng, Chia T; Robillard, Steven D; Abrams, Brittany E; Campoy, Luis; Harvey, H Jay; Gleed, Robin D

    2018-02-01

    OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of 2 fractions of inspired oxygen (Fio 2 s) during anesthesia on postanesthesia Pao 2 and other measures of oxygen exchange. ANIMALS 22 healthy adult sexually intact female dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy by ventral midline celiotomy. PROCEDURES Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either oxygen (Fio 2 > 0.9 [100% oxygen]; n = 11; control group) or a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen (Fio 2 = 0.4; 11; 40% oxygen group) as the carrier gas for isoflurane while anesthetized. All dogs were allowed to breathe spontaneously while anesthetized. For each dog, the Pao 2 , Paco 2 , other indices of oxygenation, and extent of sedation were monitored at predetermined times during and for 1 hour after anesthesia. Measured variables were compared between the 2 treatment groups and over time within each treatment group. RESULTS None of the measured variables differed significantly between the control and 40% oxygen groups at any time during the postanesthesia period. Within each treatment group, the Paco 2 and extent of sedation decreased over time during the postanesthesia period. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that indices of oxygenation did not differ significantly between healthy dogs in which the Fio 2 was maintained at > 0.9 and those in which the Fio 2 was maintained at 0.4 while anesthetized for ovariohysterectomy. Thus, the addition of nitrogen to the carrier gas for an inhalant anesthetic conferred neither an advantage nor disadvantage in regard to oxygenation during the first hour of anesthesia recovery.

  9. Oxygen Compatibility of Brass-Filled PTFE Compared to Commonly Used Fluorinated Polymers for Oxygen Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Herald, Stephen D.; Frisby, Paul M.; Davis, Samuel Eddie

    2009-01-01

    Safe and reliable seal materials for high-pressure oxygen systems sometimes appear to be extinct species when sought out by oxygen systems designers. Materials that seal well are easy to find, but these materials are typically incompatible with oxygen, especially in cryogenic liquid form. This incompatibility can result in seals that leak, or much worse, seals that easily ignite and burn during use. Materials that are compatible with oxygen are easy to find, such as the long list of compatible metals, but these metallic materials are limiting as seal materials. A material that seals well and is oxygen compatible has been the big game in the designer's safari. Scientists at the Materials Combustion Research Facility (MCRF), part of NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), are constantly searching for better materials and processes to improve the safety of oxygen systems. One focus of this effort is improving the characteristics of polymers used in the presence of an oxygen enriched environment. Very few systems can be built which contain no polymeric materials; therefore, materials which have good impact resistance, low heat of combustion, high auto-ignition temperature and that maintain good mechanical properties are essential. The scientists and engineers at the Materials Combustion Research Facility, in cooperation with seal suppliers, are currently testing a new formulation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with Brass filler. This Brass-filled PTFE is showing great promise as a seal and seat material for high pressure oxygen systems. Early research has demonstrated very encouraging results, which could rank this material as one of the best fluorinated polymers ever tested. This paper will compare the data obtained for Brass-filled PTFE with other fluorinated polymers, such as TFE-Teflon (PTFE) , Kel-F 81, Viton A, Viton A-500, Fluorel , and Algoflon . A similar metal filled fluorinated polymer, Salox-M , was tested in comparison to Brass-filled PTFE to

  10. The influence of systemic hemodynamics and oxygen transport on cerebral oxygen saturation in neonates after the Norwood procedure.

    PubMed

    Li, Jia; Zhang, Gencheng; Holtby, Helen; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Cai, Sally; Humpl, Tilman; Caldarone, Christopher A; Redington, Andrew N; Van Arsdell, Glen S

    2008-01-01

    Ischemic brain injury is an important morbidity in neonates after the Norwood procedure. Its relationship to systemic hemodynamic oxygen transport is poorly understood. Sixteen neonates undergoing the Norwood procedure were studied. Continuous cerebral oxygen saturation was measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. Continuous oxygen consumption was measured by respiratory mass spectrometry. Pulmonary and systemic blood flow, systemic vascular resistance, oxygen delivery, and oxygen extraction ratio were derived with measurements of arterial, and superior vena cava and pulmonary venous gases and pressures at 2- to 4-hour intervals during the first 72 hours in the intensive care unit. Mean cerebral oxygen saturation was 66% +/- 12% before the operation, reduced to 51% +/- 13% on arrival in the intensive care unit, and remained low during the first 8 hours; it increased to 56% +/- 9% at 72 hours, still significantly lower than the preoperative level (P < .05). Postoperatively, cerebral oxygen saturation was closely and positively correlated with systemic arterial pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and arterial oxygen tension and negatively with oxygen extraction ratio (P < .0001 for all). Cerebral oxygen saturation was moderately and positively correlated with systemic blood flow and oxygen delivery (P < .0001 for both). It was weakly and positively correlated with pulmonary blood flow (P = .001) and hemoglobin (P = .02) and negatively correlated with systemic vascular resistance (P = .003). It was not correlated with oxygen consumption (P > .05). Cerebral oxygen saturation decreased significantly in neonates during the early postoperative period after the Norwood procedure and was significantly influenced by systemic hemodynamic and metabolic events. As such, hemodynamic interventions to modify systemic oxygen transport may provide further opportunities to reduce the risk of cerebral ischemia and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

  11. An Improved Approach for Analyzing the Oxygen Compatibility of Solvents and other Oxygen-Flammable Materials for Use in Oxygen Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harper, Susan A.; Juarez, Alfredo; Peralta, Stephen F.; Stoltzfus, Joel; Arpin, Christina Pina; Beeson, Harold D.

    2016-01-01

    Solvents used to clean oxygen system components must be assessed for oxygen compatibility, as incompatible residue or fluid inadvertently left behind within an oxygen system can pose a flammability risk. The most recent approach focused on solvent ignition susceptibility to assess the flammability risk associated with these materials. Previous evaluations included Ambient Pressure Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Mechanical Impact Testing (ASTM G86) and Autogenous Ignition Temperature (AIT) Testing (ASTM G72). The goal in this approach was to identify a solvent material that was not flammable in oxygen. As environmental policies restrict the available options of acceptable solvents, it has proven difficult to identify one that is not flammable in oxygen. A more rigorous oxygen compatibility approach is needed in an effort to select a new solvent for NASA applications. NASA White Sands Test Facility proposed an approach that acknowledges oxygen flammability, yet selects solvent materials based on their relative oxygen compatibility ranking, similar to that described in ASTM G63-99. Solvents are selected based on their ranking with respect to minimal ignition susceptibility, damage and propagation potential, as well as their relative ranking when compared with other solvent materials that are successfully used in oxygen systems. Test methods used in this approach included ASTM G86 (Ambient Pressure LOX Mechanical Impact Testing and Pressurized Gaseous Oxygen (GOX) Mechanical Impact Testing), ASTM G72 (AIT Testing), and ASTM D240 (Heat of Combustion (HOC) Testing). Only four solvents were tested through the full battery of tests for evaluation of oxygen compatibility: AK-225G as a baseline comparison, Solstice PF, L-14780, and Vertrel MCA. Baseline solvent AK-225G exhibited the lowest HOC and highest AIT of solvents tested. Nonetheless, Solstice PF, L-14780, and Vertrel MCA HOCs all fell well within the range of properties that are associated with proven oxygen system materials

  12. Oxygen and hydrogen peroxide in the early evolution of life on earth: in silico comparative analysis of biochemical pathways.

    PubMed

    Slesak, Ireneusz; Slesak, Halina; Kruk, Jerzy

    2012-08-01

    In the Universe, oxygen is the third most widespread element, while on Earth it is the most abundant one. Moreover, oxygen is a major constituent of all biopolymers fundamental to living organisms. Besides O(2), reactive oxygen species (ROS), among them hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), are also important reactants in the present aerobic metabolism. According to a widely accepted hypothesis, aerobic metabolism and many other reactions/pathways involving O(2) appeared after the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. In this study, the hypothesis was formulated that the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) was at least able to tolerate O(2) and detoxify ROS in a primordial environment. A comparative analysis was carried out of a number of the O(2)-and H(2)O(2)-involving metabolic reactions that occur in strict anaerobes, facultative anaerobes, and aerobes. The results indicate that the most likely LUCA possessed O(2)-and H(2)O(2)-involving pathways, mainly reactions to remove ROS, and had, at least in part, the components of aerobic respiration. Based on this, the presence of a low, but significant, quantity of H(2)O(2) and O(2) should be taken into account in theoretical models of the early Archean atmosphere and oceans and the evolution of life. It is suggested that the early metabolism involving O(2)/H(2)O(2) was a key adaptation of LUCA to already existing weakly oxic zones in Earth's primordial environment.

  13. Improving Early Reading: A Resource Guide for Elementary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    St. John, Edward P.; Loescher, Siri Ann

    Indiana's Early Intervention Grant Program (EIGP) provides funding for Reading Recovery and other early interventions focused on improvement in early reading programs (Grades 1-5). This resource guide provides information that schools in Indiana can use to plan for proposals for EIGP and other grant programs, such as comprehensive school reform…

  14. Methylene Blue Protects Astrocytes against Glucose Oxygen Deprivation by Improving Cellular Respiration

    PubMed Central

    Roy Choudhury, Gourav; Winters, Ali; Rich, Ryan M.; Ryou, Myoung-Gwi; Gryczynski, Zygmunt; Yuan, Fang; Yang, Shao-Hua; Liu, Ran

    2015-01-01

    Astrocytes outnumber neurons and serve many metabolic and trophic functions in the mammalian brain. Preserving astrocytes is critical for normal brain function as well as for protecting the brain against various insults. Our previous studies have indicated that methylene blue (MB) functions as an alternative electron carrier and enhances brain metabolism. In addition, MB has been shown to be protective against neurodegeneration and brain injury. In the current study, we investigated the protective role of MB in astrocytes. Cell viability assays showed that MB treatment significantly protected primary astrocytes from oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) & reoxygenation induced cell death. We also studied the effect of MB on cellular oxygen and glucose metabolism in primary astrocytes following OGD-reoxygenation injury. MB treatment significantly increased cellular oxygen consumption, glucose uptake and ATP production in primary astrocytes. In conclusion our study demonstrated that MB protects astrocytes against OGD-reoxygenation injury by improving astrocyte cellular respiration. PMID:25848957

  15. The Role of Staff in Quality Improvement in Early Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sims, Margaret; Waniganayake, Manjula

    2015-01-01

    There is international recognition of the importance of high quality services for young children with a consensus that three pillars contribute to quality improvement: adult: child ratios, staff qualifications and group size. In Australia over the past 5 years, early childhood policy has attempted to drive improvements in early childhood service…

  16. Improving early cycle economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies.

    PubMed

    Steuten, Lotte M G; Ramsey, Scott D

    2014-08-01

    The rapidly increasing range and expense of new diagnostics, compels consideration of a different, more proactive approach to health economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies. Early cycle economic evaluation is a decision analytic approach to evaluate technologies in development so as to increase the return on investment as well as patient and societal impact. This paper describes examples of 'early cycle economic evaluations' as applied to diagnostic technologies and highlights challenges in its real-time application. It shows that especially in the field of diagnostics, with rapid technological developments and a changing regulatory climate, early cycle economic evaluation can have a guiding role to improve the efficiency of the diagnostics innovation process. In the next five years the attention will move beyond the methodological and analytic challenges of early cycle economic evaluation towards the challenge of effectively applying it to improve diagnostic research and development and patient value. Future work in this area should therefore be 'strong on principles and soft on metrics', that is, the metrics that resonate most clearly with the various decision makers in this field.

  17. Couple Therapy with Veterans: Early Improvements and Predictors of Early Dropout.

    PubMed

    Fischer, Melanie S; Bhatia, Vickie; Baddeley, Jenna L; Al-Jabari, Rawya; Libet, Julian

    2017-07-28

    Family services within Veterans Affairs Medical Centers fulfill an important role in addressing relationship distress among Veterans, which is highly prevalent and comorbid with psychopathology. However, even for evidence-based couple therapies, effectiveness is weaker compared to controlled studies, maybe because many Veteran couples drop out early and do not reach the "active" treatment stage after the 3-4 session assessment. In order to improve outcomes, it is critical to identify couples at high risk for early dropout, and understand whether couples may benefit from the assessment as an intervention. The current study examined (a) demographics, treatment delivery mode, relationship satisfaction, and psychological symptoms as predictors of dropout during and immediately following the assessment phase, and (b) changes in relationship satisfaction during assessment. 174 couples completed questionnaires during routine intake procedures. The main analyses focused on 140 male Veterans and their female civilian partners; 36.43% dropped out during the assessment phase and 24.74% of the remaining couples immediately following the first treatment session. More severe depressive symptoms in non-Veteran partners were associated with dropout during assessment. Relationship satisfaction improved significantly during the assessment phase for couples who did not drop out, with larger gains for non-Veteran partners. No demographics or treatment delivery mode were associated with dropout. Although more research is needed on engaging couples at risk for early dropout and maximizing early benefits, the findings suggest that clinicians should attend to the civilian partner's and Veteran's depressive symptoms at intake and consider the assessment part of active treatment. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

  18. Tretinoin-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules decrease reactive oxygen species levels and improve bovine embryonic development during in vitro oocyte maturation.

    PubMed

    Lucas, Caroline Gomes; Remião, Mariana Härter; Komninou, Eliza Rossi; Domingues, William Borges; Haas, Cristina; Leon, Priscila Marques Moura de; Campos, Vinicius Farias; Ourique, Aline; Guterres, Silvia S; Pohlmann, Adriana R; Basso, Andrea Cristina; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling; Beck, Ruy Carlos Ruver; Collares, Tiago

    2015-12-01

    In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) protocols can be improved by adding chemical supplements to the culture media. Tretinoin is considered an important retinoid in embryonic development and its association with lipid-core nanocapsules (TTN-LNC) represents an innovative way of improving its solubility, and chemical stability, and reducing its toxicity. The effects of supplementing IVM medium with TTN-LNC was evaluated by analyzing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), S36-phosphorilated-p66Shc levels and caspase activity in early embryonic development, and expression of apoptosis and pluripotency genes in blastocysts. The lowest concentration tested (0.25μM) of TTN-LNC generated higher blastocyst rate, lower ROS production and S36-p66Shc amount. Additionally, expression of BAX and SHC1 were lower in both non-encapsulated tretinoin (TTN) and TTN-LNC-treated groups. Nanoencapsulation allowed the use of smaller concentrations of tretinoin to supplement IVM medium thus reducing toxic effects related with its use, decreasing ROS levels and apoptose frequency, and improving the blastocyst rates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Mannitol Improves Brain Tissue Oxygenation in a Model of Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury.

    PubMed

    Schilte, Clotilde; Bouzat, Pierre; Millet, Anne; Boucheix, Perrine; Pernet-Gallay, Karin; Lemasson, Benjamin; Barbier, Emmanuel L; Payen, Jean-François

    2015-10-01

    without evidence of brain ischemia. Our findings indicate that an antiedematous agent such as mannitol can improve brain tissue oxygenation, possibly by limiting astrocyte swelling and restoring capillary perfusion.

  20. Vantage point - Early warning flaws.

    PubMed

    Swinden, Donna

    2014-08-28

    USING AN EARLY warning score (EWS) system should improve the detection of acutely deteriorating patients. Under such a system, a score is allocated to each of six physiological measurements including respiratory rate and oxygen saturations, which are aggregated to produce an overall score. An aggregated score of seven or higher prompts nursing staff to refer a patient for emergency assessment.

  1. Statewide Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Early Elective Deliveries and Improve Birth Registry Accuracy.

    PubMed

    Kaplan, Heather C; King, Eileen; White, Beth E; Ford, Susan E; Fuller, Sandra; Krew, Michael A; Marcotte, Michael P; Iams, Jay D; Bailit, Jennifer L; Bouchard, Jo M; Friar, Kelly; Lannon, Carole M

    2018-04-01

    To evaluate the success of a quality improvement initiative to reduce early elective deliveries at less than 39 weeks of gestation and improve birth registry data accuracy rapidly and at scale in Ohio. Between February 2013 and March 2014, participating hospitals were involved in a quality improvement initiative to reduce early elective deliveries at less than 39 weeks of gestation and improve birth registry data. This initiative was designed as a learning collaborative model (group webinars and a single face-to-face meeting) and included individual quality improvement coaching. It was implemented using a stepped wedge design with hospitals divided into three balanced groups (waves) participating in the initiative sequentially. Birth registry data were used to assess hospital rates of nonmedically indicated inductions at less than 39 weeks of gestation. Comparisons were made between groups participating and those not participating in the initiative at two time points. To measure birth registry accuracy, hospitals conducted monthly audits comparing birth registry data with the medical record. Associations were assessed using generalized linear repeated measures models accounting for time effects. Seventy of 72 (97%) eligible hospitals participated. Based on birth registry data, nonmedically indicated inductions at less than 39 weeks of gestation declined in all groups with implementation (wave 1: 6.2-3.2%, P<.001; wave 2: 4.2-2.5%, P=.04; wave 3: 6.8-3.7%, P=.002). When waves 1 and 2 were participating in the initiative, they saw significant decreases in rates of early elective deliveries as compared with wave 3 (control; P=.018). All waves had significant improvement in birth registry accuracy (wave 1: 80-90%, P=.017; wave 2: 80-100%, P=.002; wave 3: 75-100%, P<.001). A quality improvement initiative enabled statewide spread of change strategies to decrease early elective deliveries and improve birth registry accuracy over 14 months and could be used for rapid

  2. Determining oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point in Chanodichthys mongolicus using an improved respirometer chamber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geng, Longwu; Jiang, Haifeng; Tong, Guangxiang; Xu, Wei

    2017-03-01

    Knowledge of oxygen consumption rates and asphyxiation points in fish is important to determine appropriate stocking and water quality management in aquaculture. The oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point in Chanodichthys mongolicus were detected under laboratory conditions using an improved respirometer chamber. The results revealed that more accurate estimates can be obtained by adjusting the volume of the respirometer chamber, which may avoid system errors caused by either repeatedly adjusting fish density or selecting different equipment specifications. The oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point of C. mongolicus increased with increasing water temperature and decreasing fish size. Changes in the C. mongolicus oxygen consumption rate were divided into three stages at water temperatures of 11-33°C: (1) a low temperature oxygen consumption rate stage when water temperature was 11-19°C, (2) the optimum temperature oxygen consumption rate stage when water temperature was 19-23°C, and (3) a high temperature oxygen consumption rate stage when water temperature was > 27°C. The temperature quotients (Q10) obtained suggested that C. mongolicus preferred a temperature range of 19-23°C. At 19°C, C. mongolicus exhibited higher oxygen consumption rates during the day when the maximum values were observed at 10:00 and 14:00 than at night when the minimum occurred at 02:00.

  3. Hydrothermally Driven Transformation of Oxygen Functional Groups at Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes for Improved Electrocatalytic Applications.

    PubMed

    Suryanto, Bryan H R; Chen, Sheng; Duan, Jingjing; Zhao, Chuan

    2016-12-28

    The role of carbon nanotubes in the advancement of energy conversion and storage technologies is undeniable. In particular, carbon nanotubes have attracted significant applications for electrocatalysis. However, one central issue related to the use of carbon nanotubes is the required oxidative pretreatment that often leads to significant damage of graphitic structures which deteriorates their electrochemical properties. Traditionally, the oxidized carbon nanomaterials are treated at high temperature under an inert atmosphere to repair the oxidation-induced defect sites, which simultaneously removes a significant number of oxygen functional groups. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that oxygen functional groups on the surface of MWCNT are the essential active centers for a number of important electrocatalytic reactions such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein we first show that hydrothermal treatment as a mild method to improve the electrochemical properties and activities of surface-oxidized MWCNT for OER, HER, and ORR without significantly altering the oxygen content. The results indicate that hydrothermal treatment could potentially repair the defects without significantly reducing the pre-existing oxygen content, which has never been achieved before with conventional high-temperature annealing treatment.

  4. Mo isotope record of shales points to deep ocean oxygenation in the early Paleoproterozoic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asael, Dan; Scott, Clint; Rouxel, Olivier; Poulton, Simon; Lyons, Timothy; Javaux, Emmanuelle; Bekker, Andrey

    2014-05-01

    Two steps in Earth's surface oxidation lie at either end of the Proterozoic Eon. The first step, known as the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), occurred at ca. 2.32 Ga (1), when atmospheric oxygen first exceeded 0.001% of present atmospheric levels (2). The second step, occurred at ca. 0.58 Ga, resulting in the pervasive oxygenation of the deep oceans, a feature that persisted through most of the Phanerozoic (3). The conventional model envisions two progressive and unidirectional increases in free oxygen. However, recent studies have challenged this simplistic view of the GOE (4, 5). A dramatic increase and decline in Earth oxidation state between 2.3 and 2.0 Ga is now well supported (6-9) and raises the question of how well-oxygenated the Earth surface was in the immediate aftermath of the GOE. In order to constrain the response of the deep oceans to the GOE, we present a study of Mo isotope composition and Mo concentration from three key early Paleoproterozoic black shale units with ages ranging from 2.32 to 2.06 Ga. Our results suggest high and unstable surface oxygen levels at 2.32 Ga, leading to an abrupt increase in Mo supply to the still globally anoxic ocean, and producing extreme seawater Mo isotopic enrichments in these black shales. We thus infer a period of significant Mo isotopic Rayleigh effects and non-steady state behaviour of the Mo oceanic system at the beginning of the GOE. Between 2.2-2.1 Ga, we observe smaller Mo isotopic variations and estimate the δ98Mo of seawater to be 1.42 ± 0.27 ‰W conclude that oxygen levels must have stabilized at a relatively high level and that the deep oceans were oxygenated for the first time in Earth's history. By ca. 2.06 Ga, immediately after the Lomagundi Event, the Mo isotopic composition decreased dramatically to δ98MoSW = 0.80 ± 0.21 o reflecting the end of deep ocean oxygenation and the return of largely anoxic deep oceans. References: [1] A. Bekker et al., 2004, Nature 427, 117-20. [2] A. Pavlov and J

  5. Improved Oxygen Sources for Breathing Apparatus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wood, P. C.; Wydeven, T.

    1983-01-01

    Research is described which is directed toward the preparation of chemical oxygen sources which exhibited improved O2 storage and reaction characteristics when compared to potassium superoxide (KO2). The initial focus of the research was the preparation of calcium superoxide (Ca(O2)2) by the disproportionation of calcium peroxide diperoxyhydrate. the Ca(O2)2 was characterized by chemical, thermal, and x ray analyses. Several methods for scaling up the Ca(O2)2 syntheis process were studied. The reactivity of Ca(O2)2 toward humidified carbon dioxide (CO2) was evaluated and was compared to that of KO2 under flow test conditions approximating those existing in portable breathing apparatus. The reactivities of mixtures of KO2 and Ca(O2)2 or lithium peroxide towards humidified CO2 were also studied. Finally, an analysis of two commercial, KO2-based, self contained self rescuers was conducted to determine the potential weight and volume savings which would be possible if Ca(O2)2 or a mixture of KO2 and Ca(O2)2 were used as a replacement for KO2.

  6. Timescales of Oxygenation Following the Evolution of Oxygenic Photosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, Lewis M.; Kirschvink, Joseph L.; Fischer, Woodward W.

    2016-03-01

    Among the most important bioenergetic innovations in the history of life was the invention of oxygenic photosynthesis—autotrophic growth by splitting water with sunlight—by Cyanobacteria. It is widely accepted that the invention of oxygenic photosynthesis ultimately resulted in the rise of oxygen by ca. 2.35 Gya, but it is debated whether this occurred more or less immediately as a proximal result of the evolution of oxygenic Cyanobacteria or whether they originated several hundred million to more than one billion years earlier in Earth history. The latter hypothesis involves a prolonged period during which oxygen production rates were insufficient to oxidize the atmosphere, potentially due to redox buffering by reduced species such as higher concentrations of ferrous iron in seawater. To examine the characteristic timescales for environmental oxygenation following the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis, we applied a simple mathematical approach that captures many of the salient features of the major biogeochemical fluxes and reservoirs present in Archean and early Paleoproterozoic surface environments. Calculations illustrate that oxygenation would have overwhelmed redox buffers within ~100 kyr following the emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis, a geologically short amount of time unless rates of primary production were far lower than commonly expected. Fundamentally, this result arises because of the multiscale nature of the carbon and oxygen cycles: rates of gross primary production are orders of magnitude too fast for oxygen to be masked by Earth's geological buffers, and can only be effectively matched by respiration at non-negligible O2 concentrations. These results suggest that oxygenic photosynthesis arose shortly before the rise of oxygen, not hundreds of millions of years before it.

  7. Timescales of Oxygenation Following the Evolution of Oxygenic Photosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Ward, Lewis M; Kirschvink, Joseph L; Fischer, Woodward W

    2016-03-01

    Among the most important bioenergetic innovations in the history of life was the invention of oxygenic photosynthesis-autotrophic growth by splitting water with sunlight-by Cyanobacteria. It is widely accepted that the invention of oxygenic photosynthesis ultimately resulted in the rise of oxygen by ca. 2.35 Gya, but it is debated whether this occurred more or less immediately as a proximal result of the evolution of oxygenic Cyanobacteria or whether they originated several hundred million to more than one billion years earlier in Earth history. The latter hypothesis involves a prolonged period during which oxygen production rates were insufficient to oxidize the atmosphere, potentially due to redox buffering by reduced species such as higher concentrations of ferrous iron in seawater. To examine the characteristic timescales for environmental oxygenation following the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis, we applied a simple mathematical approach that captures many of the salient features of the major biogeochemical fluxes and reservoirs present in Archean and early Paleoproterozoic surface environments. Calculations illustrate that oxygenation would have overwhelmed redox buffers within ~100 kyr following the emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis, a geologically short amount of time unless rates of primary production were far lower than commonly expected. Fundamentally, this result arises because of the multiscale nature of the carbon and oxygen cycles: rates of gross primary production are orders of magnitude too fast for oxygen to be masked by Earth's geological buffers, and can only be effectively matched by respiration at non-negligible O2 concentrations. These results suggest that oxygenic photosynthesis arose shortly before the rise of oxygen, not hundreds of millions of years before it.

  8. Odour discrimination and identification are improved in early blindness.

    PubMed

    Cuevas, Isabel; Plaza, Paula; Rombaux, Philippe; De Volder, Anne G; Renier, Laurent

    2009-12-01

    Previous studies showed that early blind humans develop superior abilities in the use of their remaining senses, hypothetically due to a functional reorganization of the deprived visual brain areas. While auditory and tactile functions have been investigated for long, little is known about the effects of early visual deprivation on olfactory processing. However, blind humans make an extensive use of olfactory information in their daily life. Here we investigated olfactory discrimination and identification abilities in early blind subjects and age-matched sighted controls. Three levels of cuing were used in the identification task, i.e., free-identification (no cue), categorization (semantic cues) and multiple choice (semantic and phonological cues). Early blind subjects significantly outperformed the controls in odour discrimination, free-identification and categorization. In addition, the larger group difference was observed in the free-identification as compared to the categorization and the multiple choice conditions. This indicated that a better access to the semantic information from odour perception accounted for part of the improved olfactory performances in odour identification in the blind. We concluded that early blind subjects have both improved perceptual abilities and a better access to the information stored in semantic memory than sighted subjects.

  9. Improving the Accuracy of Predicting Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2pk)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Downs, Meghan E.; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori; Feiveson, Alan

    2016-01-01

    Maximal oxygen (VO2pk) is the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can use during intense exercise and is used for benchmarking endurance exercise capacity. The most accurate method to determineVO2pk requires continuous measurements of ventilation and gas exchange during an exercise test to maximal effort, which necessitates expensive equipment, a trained staff, and time to set-up the equipment. For astronauts, accurate VO2pk measures are important to assess mission critical task performance capabilities and to prescribe exercise intensities to optimize performance. Currently, astronauts perform submaximal exercise tests during flight to predict VO2pk; however, while submaximal VO2pk prediction equations provide reliable estimates of mean VO2pk for populations, they can be unacceptably inaccurate for a given individual. The error in current predictions and logistical limitations of measuring VO2pk, particularly during spaceflight, highlights the need for improved estimation methods.

  10. Low oxygen tension enhances endothelial fate of human pluripotent stem cells.

    PubMed

    Kusuma, Sravanti; Peijnenburg, Elizabeth; Patel, Parth; Gerecht, Sharon

    2014-04-01

    A critical regulator of the developing or regenerating vasculature is low oxygen tension. Precise elucidation of the role of low oxygen environments on endothelial commitment from human pluripotent stem cells necessitates controlled in vitro differentiation environments. We used a feeder-free, 2-dimensional differentiation system in which we could monitor accurately dissolved oxygen levels during human pluripotent stem cell differentiation toward early vascular cells (EVCs). We found that oxygen uptake rate of differentiating human pluripotent stem cells is lower in 5% O2 compared with atmospheric conditions. EVCs differentiated in 5% O2 had an increased vascular endothelial cadherin expression with clusters of vascular endothelial cadherin+ cells surrounded by platelet-derived growth factor β+ cells. When we assessed the temporal effects of low oxygen differentiation environments, we determined that low oxygen environments during the early stages of EVC differentiation enhance endothelial lineage commitment. EVCs differentiated in 5% O2 exhibited an increased expression of vascular endothelial cadherin and CD31 along with their localization to the membrane, enhanced lectin binding and acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake, rapid cord-like structure formation, and increased expression of arterial endothelial cell markers. Inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation during the early stages of differentiation abrogated the endothelial inductive effects of the low oxygen environments. Low oxygen tension during early stages of EVC derivation induces endothelial commitment and maturation through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, highlighting the importance of regulating oxygen tensions during human pluripotent stem cell-vascular differentiation.

  11. Early oxygenation of the terrestrial environment during the Mesoproterozoic.

    PubMed

    Parnell, John; Boyce, Adrian J; Mark, Darren; Bowden, Stephen; Spinks, Sam

    2010-11-11

    Geochemical data from ancient sedimentary successions provide evidence for the progressive evolution of Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Key stages in increasing oxygenation are postulated for the Palaeoproterozoic era (∼2.3 billion years ago, Gyr ago) and the late Proterozoic eon (about 0.8 Gyr ago), with the latter implicated in the subsequent metazoan evolutionary expansion. In support of this rise in oxygen concentrations, a large database shows a marked change in the bacterially mediated fractionation of seawater sulphate to sulphide of Δ(34)S < 25‰ before 1 Gyr to ≥50‰ after 0.64 Gyr. This change in Δ(34)S has been interpreted to represent the evolution from single-step bacterial sulphate reduction to a combination of bacterial sulphate reduction and sulphide oxidation, largely bacterially mediated. This evolution is seen as marking the rise in atmospheric oxygen concentrations and the evolution of non-photosynthetic sulphide-oxidizing bacteria. Here we report Δ(34)S values exceeding 50‰ from a terrestrial Mesoproterozoic (1.18 Gyr old) succession in Scotland, a time period that is at present poorly characterized. This level of fractionation implies disproportionation in the sulphur cycle, probably involving sulphide-oxidizing bacteria, that is not evident from Δ(34)S data in the marine record. Disproportionation in both red beds and lacustrine black shales at our study site suggests that the Mesoproterozoic terrestrial environment was sufficiently oxygenated to support a biota that was adapted to an oxygen-rich atmosphere, but had also penetrated into subsurface sediment.

  12. National Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Browne, Charlyn Harper

    2014-01-01

    The national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood (QIC-eC) funded four research and demonstration projects that tested child maltreatment prevention approaches. The projects were guided by several key perspectives: the importance of increasing protective factors in addition to decreasing risk factors in child maltreatment prevention…

  13. Blood transfusion improves renal oxygenation and renal function in sepsis-induced acute kidney injury in rats.

    PubMed

    Zafrani, Lara; Ergin, Bulent; Kapucu, Aysegul; Ince, Can

    2016-12-20

    The effects of blood transfusion on renal microcirculation during sepsis are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of blood transfusion on renal microvascular oxygenation and renal function during sepsis-induced acute kidney injury. Twenty-seven Wistar albino rats were randomized into four groups: a sham group (n = 6), a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group (n = 7), a LPS group that received fluid resuscitation (n = 7), and a LPS group that received blood transfusion (n = 7). The mean arterial blood pressure, renal blood flow, and renal microvascular oxygenation within the kidney cortex were recorded. Acute kidney injury was assessed using the serum creatinine levels, metabolic cost, and histopathological lesions. Nitrosative stress (expression of endothelial (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)) within the kidney was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Hemoglobin levels, pH, serum lactate levels, and liver enzymes were measured. Fluid resuscitation and blood transfusion both significantly improved the mean arterial pressure and renal blood flow after LPS infusion. Renal microvascular oxygenation, serum creatinine levels, and tubular damage significantly improved in the LPS group that received blood transfusion compared to the group that received fluids. Moreover, the renal expression of eNOS was markedly suppressed under endotoxin challenge. Blood transfusion, but not fluid resuscitation, was able to restore the renal expression of eNOS. However, there were no significant differences in lactic acidosis or liver function between the two groups. Blood transfusion significantly improved renal function in endotoxemic rats. The specific beneficial effect of blood transfusion on the kidney could have been mediated in part by the improvements in renal microvascular oxygenation and sepsis-induced endothelial dysfunction via the restoration of eNOS expression within the kidney.

  14. Nanophase Iron Oxides as an Ultraviolet Sunscreen for Ancient Photosynthetic Microbes: A Possible Link Between Early Organisms, Banded-Iron Formations, and the Oxygenation of the Atmosphere

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bishop, Janice L.; Rothschild, Lynn J.; Rothschild, Lynn J.; Rogoff, Dana A.

    2006-01-01

    We propose that nanophase iron oxide-bearing materials provided important niches for ancient photosynthetic microbes on the early Earth that ultimately led to the oxygenation of the Earth s atmosphere and the formation of iron oxide deposits. Atmospheric oxygen and ozone attenuate UV radiation on the Earth today providing substantial protection for photosynthetic organisms. With ultraviolet radiation fluxes likely to have been even higher on the early Earth than today, accessing solar radiation was particularly risky for early organisms. Yet, we know that photosynthesis arose then and played a critical role in subsequent evolution. Of primary importance was protection at approx.250-290 nm, where peak nucleic acid (approx.260 nm) and protein (approx.280 nm) absorptions occur. Nanophase ferric oxide/oxyhydroxide minerals absorb, and thus block, the lethal UV radiation, while transmitting light through much of the visible and near-infrared regions of interest to photosynthesis (400 to 1100 nm). Further, they were available in early environments, and are synthesized by many organisms. Based on ferric oxide/oxyhydroxide spectral properties, likely geologic processes, and the results of experiments with the photosynthetic organisms, Euglena sp. and Chlumydomonus reinhardtii, we propose a scenario where photosynthesis, and ultimately the oxygenation of the atmosphere, depended on the protection of early microbes by nanophase ferric oxides/oxyhydroxides. The results of this study are also applicable to other potentially habitable iron-bearing planetary bodies because of the evolutionary pressure to utilize solar radiation when available as an energy source.

  15. Neuroprotection of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in sub-acute traumatic brain injury: not by immediately improving cerebral oxygen saturation and oxygen partial pressure.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Bao-Chun; Liu, Li-Jun; Liu, Bing

    2016-09-01

    Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy can promote the recovery of neural function in patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI), the underlying mechanism is unclear. We hypothesized that hyperbaric oxygen treatment plays a neuroprotective role in TBI by increasing regional transcranial oxygen saturation (rSO 2 ) and oxygen partial pressure (PaO 2 ). To test this idea, we compared two groups: a control group with 20 healthy people and a treatment group with 40 TBI patients. The 40 patients were given 100% oxygen of HBO for 90 minutes. Changes in rSO 2 were measured. The controls were also examined for rSO 2 and PaO 2 , but received no treatment. rSO 2 levels in the patients did not differ significantly after treatment, but levels before and after treatment were significantly lower than those in the control group. PaO 2 levels were significantly decreased after the 30-minute HBO treatment. Our findings suggest that there is a disorder of oxygen metabolism in patients with sub-acute TBI. HBO does not immediately affect cerebral oxygen metabolism, and the underlying mechanism still needs to be studied in depth.

  16. Singlet Delta oxygen generation for chemical oxygen-iodine lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Georges, E.; Mouthon, A.; Barraud, R.

    To improve the overall efficiency of chemical oxygen-iodine lasers, it is necessary to increase the generator production and yield of singlet delta oxygen at low and high pressure, respectively, for subsonic and supersonic lasers. The water vapor content must also be as low as possible. A generator model based on gas-liquid reaction and liquid-vapor equilibrium theories is presented. From model predictions, operating conditions have been drawn to attain the following experimental results in a bubble-column: by increasing the superficial gas velocity, the production of singlet delta oxygen is largely improved at low pressure; by mixing chlorine with an inert gas before injection in the reactor, this yield is maintained constant up to higher pressure.

  17. Dietary nitrate does not reduce oxygen cost of exercise or improve muscle mitochondrial function in patients with mitochondrial myopathy.

    PubMed

    Nabben, Miranda; Schmitz, Joep P J; Ciapaite, Jolita; le Clercq, Carlijn M P; van Riel, Natal A; Haak, Harm R; Nicolay, Klaas; de Coo, Irenaeus F M; Smeets, Hubert; Praet, Stephan F; van Loon, Luc J; Prompers, Jeanine J

    2017-05-01

    Muscle weakness and exercise intolerance negatively affect the quality of life of patients with mitochondrial myopathy. Short-term dietary nitrate supplementation has been shown to improve exercise performance and reduce oxygen cost of exercise in healthy humans and trained athletes. We investigated whether 1 wk of dietary inorganic nitrate supplementation decreases the oxygen cost of exercise and improves mitochondrial function in patients with mitochondrial myopathy. Ten patients with mitochondrial myopathy (40 ± 5 yr, maximal whole body oxygen uptake = 21.2 ± 3.2 ml·min -1 ·kg body wt -1 , maximal work load = 122 ± 26 W) received 8.5 mg·kg body wt -1 ·day -1 inorganic nitrate (~7 mmol) for 8 days. Whole body oxygen consumption at 50% of the maximal work load, in vivo skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (evaluated from postexercise phosphocreatine recovery using 31 P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy), and ex vivo mitochondrial oxidative capacity in permeabilized skinned muscle fibers (measured with high-resolution respirometry) were determined before and after nitrate supplementation. Despite a sixfold increase in plasma nitrate levels, nitrate supplementation did not affect whole body oxygen cost during submaximal exercise. Additionally, no beneficial effects of nitrate were found on in vivo or ex vivo muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity. This is the first time that the therapeutic potential of dietary nitrate for patients with mitochondrial myopathy was evaluated. We conclude that 1 wk of dietary nitrate supplementation does not reduce oxygen cost of exercise or improve mitochondrial function in the group of patients tested. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  18. Greater endurance capacity and improved dyspnoea with acute oxygen supplementation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients without resting hypoxaemia.

    PubMed

    Dowman, Leona M; McDonald, Christine F; Bozinovski, Steven; Vlahos, Ross; Gillies, Rebecca; Pouniotis, Dodie; Hill, Catherine J; Goh, Nicole S L; Holland, Anne E

    2017-07-01

    Supplemental oxygen is commonly prescribed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), although its benefits have not been proven. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of oxygen on oxidative stress, cytokine production, skeletal muscle metabolism and physiological response to exercise in IPF. Eleven participants with IPF received either oxygen, at an FiO 2 of 0.50, or compressed air for 1 h at rest and during a cycle endurance test at 85% of peak work rate. Blood samples collected at rest and during exercise were analysed for markers of oxidative stress, skeletal muscle metabolism and cytokines. The protocol was repeated a week later with the alternate intervention. Compared with air, oxygen did not adversely affect biomarker concentrations at rest and significantly improved endurance time (mean difference = 99 ± 81s, P = 0.002), dyspnoea (-1 ± 1 U, P = 0.02), systolic blood pressure (BP; -11 ± 11 mm Hg, P = 0.006), nadir oxyhaemoglobin saturation (SpO 2 ; 8 ± 6%, P = 0.001), SpO 2 at 2-min (7 ± 6%, P = 0.003) and 5-min isotimes (5 ± 3, P < 0.001) and peak exercise xanthine concentrations (-42 ± 73 µmol/L, P = 0.03). Air significantly increased IL-10 (5 ± 5 pg/mL, P = 0.04) at 2-min isotime. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs), IL-6, TNF-α, creatine kinase, lactate, heart rate and fatigue did not differ between the two interventions at any time point. In patients with IPF, breathing oxygen at FiO 2 of 0.50 at rest seems safe. During exercise, oxygen improves exercise tolerance, alleviates exercise-induced hypoxaemia and reduces dyspnoea. A potential relationship between oxygen administration and improved skeletal muscle metabolism should be explored in future studies. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  19. Perceptual learning as improved probabilistic inference in early sensory areas.

    PubMed

    Bejjanki, Vikranth R; Beck, Jeffrey M; Lu, Zhong-Lin; Pouget, Alexandre

    2011-05-01

    Extensive training on simple tasks such as fine orientation discrimination results in large improvements in performance, a form of learning known as perceptual learning. Previous models have argued that perceptual learning is due to either sharpening and amplification of tuning curves in early visual areas or to improved probabilistic inference in later visual areas (at the decision stage). However, early theories are inconsistent with the conclusions of psychophysical experiments manipulating external noise, whereas late theories cannot explain the changes in neural responses that have been reported in cortical areas V1 and V4. Here we show that we can capture both the neurophysiological and behavioral aspects of perceptual learning by altering only the feedforward connectivity in a recurrent network of spiking neurons so as to improve probabilistic inference in early visual areas. The resulting network shows modest changes in tuning curves, in line with neurophysiological reports, along with a marked reduction in the amplitude of pairwise noise correlations.

  20. Noninvasive oxygen monitoring techniques.

    PubMed

    Wahr, J A; Tremper, K K

    1995-01-01

    As this article demonstrates, tremendous progress has been made in the techniques of oxygen measurement and monitoring over the past 50 years. From the early developments during and after World War II, to the most recent applications of solid state and microprocessor technology today, every patient in a critical care situation will have several continuous measurements of oxygenation applied simultaneously. Information therefore is available readily to alert personnel of acute problems and to guide appropriate therapy. The majority of effort to date has been placed on measuring oxygenation of arterial or venous blood. The next generation of devices will attempt to provide information about living tissue. Unlike the devices monitoring arterial or venous oxygen content, no "gold standards" exist for tissue oxygenation, so calibration will be difficult, as will interpretation of the data provided. The application of these devices ultimately may lead to a much better understanding of how disease (and the treatment of disease) alters the utilization of oxygen by the tissues.

  1. Singlet delta oxygen generation for Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Georges, E.; Mouthon, A.; Barraud, R.

    1991-10-01

    The development of Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Lasers is based on the generation of singlet delta oxygen. To improve the overall efficiency of these lasers, it is necessary to increase the generator production and yield of singlet delta oxygen at low and high pressure, respectively, for subsonic and supersonic lasers. Furthermore, the water vapor content must be as low as possible. A generator model, based on gas-liquid reaction and liquid-vapor equilibrium theories associated with thermophysical evaluations is presented. From model predictions, operating conditions have been drawn to attain the following experimental results in a bubble-column: by increasing the superficial gas velocity, the production of singlet delta oxygen is largely improved at low pressure; by mixing chlorine with an inert gas before injection in the reactor, this yield is maintained constant up to higher pressure. A theoretical analysis of these experimental results and their consequences for both subsonic and supersonic lasers are presented.

  2. Isotopic Composition of Oxygen in Lunar Zircons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nemchin, A. A.; Whitehouse, M. J.; Pidgeon, R. T.; Meyer, C.

    2005-01-01

    The recent discovery of heavy oxygen in zircons from the Jack Hills conglomerates Wilde et al. and Mojzsis et al. was interpreted as an indication of presence of liquid water on the surface of Early Earth. The distribution of ages of Jack Hills zircons and lunar zircons appears to be very similar and therefore analysis of oxygen in the lunar grains may provide a reference frame for further study of the early history of the Earth as well as give additional information regarding processes that operated on the Moon. In the present study we have analysed the oxygen isotopic composition of zircon grains from three lunar samples using the Swedish Museum of Natural History CAMECA 1270 ion microprobe. The samples were selected as likely tests for variations in lunar oxygen isotopic composition. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

  3. Oceanic oxygenation events in the anoxic Ediacaran ocean.

    PubMed

    Sahoo, S K; Planavsky, N J; Jiang, G; Kendall, B; Owens, J D; Wang, X; Shi, X; Anbar, A D; Lyons, T W

    2016-09-01

    The ocean-atmosphere system is typically envisioned to have gone through a unidirectional oxygenation with significant oxygen increases in the earliest (ca. 635 Ma), middle (ca. 580 Ma), or late (ca. 560 Ma) Ediacaran Period. However, temporally discontinuous geochemical data and the patchy metazoan fossil record have been inadequate to chart the details of Ediacaran ocean oxygenation, raising fundamental debates about the timing of ocean oxygenation, its purported unidirectional rise, and its causal relationship, if any, with the evolution of early animal life. To better understand the Ediacaran ocean redox evolution, we have conducted a multi-proxy paleoredox study of a relatively continuous, deep-water section in South China that was paleogeographically connected with the open ocean. Iron speciation and pyrite morphology indicate locally euxinic (anoxic and sulfidic) environments throughout the Ediacaran in this section. In the same rocks, redox sensitive element enrichments and sulfur isotope data provide evidence for multiple oceanic oxygenation events (OOEs) in a predominantly anoxic global Ediacaran-early Cambrian ocean. This dynamic redox landscape contrasts with a recent view of a redox-static Ediacaran ocean without significant change in oxygen content. The duration of the Ediacaran OOEs may be comparable to those of the oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) in otherwise well-oxygenated Phanerozoic oceans. Anoxic events caused mass extinctions followed by fast recovery in biologically diversified Phanerozoic oceans. In contrast, oxygenation events in otherwise ecologically monotonous anoxic Ediacaran-early Cambrian oceans may have stimulated biotic innovations followed by prolonged evolutionary stasis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Nasal high-flow oxygen therapy improves arterial oxygenation during one-lung ventilation in non-intubated thoracoscopic surgery.

    PubMed

    Wang, Man-Ling; Hung, Ming-Hui; Chen, Jin-Shing; Hsu, Hsao-Hsun; Cheng, Ya-Jung

    2018-05-01

    Intraoperative hypoxaemia during one-lung ventilation (OLV) remains a major concern in thoracic surgery. Non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) involves a greater risk of consequent emergent conversion to endotracheal intubation. Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) has recently been reported to be beneficial for higher oxygen reserves during difficult intubations and for enhancing postoperative recovery after thoracic surgery. However, the effects of THRIVE on oxygenation and carbon dioxide elimination before and during OLV in non-intubated VATS have not been investigated. Between September 2016 and October 2016, 30 patients underwent non-intubated VATS for lung tumour and were maintained with THRIVE at a flow of 20 l/min. These patients were compared with a historical control group comprising 30 patients who were maintained with oxygen masks at an oxygen flow of 10 l/min using a propensity score matching algorithm between September 2015 and July 2016. The preoperative arterial oxygen tension was significantly higher in patients maintained with THRIVE than it was in patients maintained with oxygen masks (mean 416.0 vs 265.9 mmHg, P < 0.01). During OLV, arterial oxygen tension remained significantly higher in the THRIVE group than in the oxygen mask group (mean 207.0 vs 127.8 mmHg, P = 0.01). The arterial carbon dioxide tension was comparable before and during OLV. The results indicated that THRIVE effectively increases the oxygen reserve both during OLV and after anaesthesia. Furthermore, non-intubated VATS is safer if THRIVE with flow adjustment is incorporated into a minimally invasive surgical approach, although carbon dioxide elimination is not facilitated.

  5. Mitigating oxygen loss to improve the cycling performance of high capacity cation-disordered cathode materials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, Jinhyuk; Papp, Joseph K.; Clément, Raphaële J.

    Recent progress in the understanding of percolation theory points to cation-disordered lithium-excess transition metal oxides as high-capacity lithium-ion cathode materials. Nevertheless, the oxygen redox processes required for these materials to deliver high capacity can trigger oxygen loss, which leads to the formation of resistive surface layers on the cathode particles. Here, we demonstrate here that, somewhat surprisingly, fluorine can be incorporated into the bulk of disordered lithium nickel titanium molybdenum oxides using a standard solid-state method to increase the nickel content, and that this compositional modification is very effective in reducing oxygen loss, improving energy density, average voltage, and ratemore » performance. We argue that the valence reduction on the anion site, offered by fluorine incorporation, opens up significant opportunities for the design of high-capacity cation-disordered cathode materials.« less

  6. Mitigating oxygen loss to improve the cycling performance of high capacity cation-disordered cathode materials

    DOE PAGES

    Lee, Jinhyuk; Papp, Joseph K.; Clément, Raphaële J.; ...

    2017-10-17

    Recent progress in the understanding of percolation theory points to cation-disordered lithium-excess transition metal oxides as high-capacity lithium-ion cathode materials. Nevertheless, the oxygen redox processes required for these materials to deliver high capacity can trigger oxygen loss, which leads to the formation of resistive surface layers on the cathode particles. Here, we demonstrate here that, somewhat surprisingly, fluorine can be incorporated into the bulk of disordered lithium nickel titanium molybdenum oxides using a standard solid-state method to increase the nickel content, and that this compositional modification is very effective in reducing oxygen loss, improving energy density, average voltage, and ratemore » performance. We argue that the valence reduction on the anion site, offered by fluorine incorporation, opens up significant opportunities for the design of high-capacity cation-disordered cathode materials.« less

  7. Improvement and mechanism of interfacial adhesion in PBO fiber/bismaleimide composite by oxygen plasma treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Dong; Chen, Ping; Mu, Jujie; Yu, Qi; Lu, Chun

    2011-05-01

    The improved interfacial adhesion of PBO fiber-reinforced bismaleimide composite by oxygen plasma processing was investigated in this paper. After treatment, the maximum value of interlaminar shear strength was 57.5 MPa, with an increase of 28.9%. The oxygen concentration of the fiber surface increased, as did the surface roughness, resulting in improvement of the surface wettability. The cleavage and rearrangement of surface bonds created new functional groups O dbnd C sbnd O, N sbnd C dbnd O and N sbnd O, thereby activating the fiber surface. And long-time treatment increased the reaction degree of surface groups while destroyed the newly-created physical structures. The enhancement of adhesion relied primarily on the strengthening of chemical bonding and mechanical interlocking between the fiber and the matrix. The composite rupture planes indicated that the fracture failure shifted from the interface to the matrix or the fiber.

  8. Early improvements in anxiety, depression, and anger/hostility symptoms and response to antidepressant treatment.

    PubMed

    Farabaugh, Amy; Sonawalla, Shamsah; Johnson, Daniel P; Witte, Janet; Papakostas, George I; Goodness, Tracie; Clain, Alisabet; Baer, Lee; Mischoulon, David; Fava, Maurizio; Harley, Rebecca

    2010-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether treatment response to fluoxetine by depressed outpatients was predicted by early improvement on any of 3 subscales (Anxiety, Depression, and Anger/Hostility) of the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). We evaluated 169 depressed outpatients (52.6% female) between ages 18 and 65 (mean age, 40.3 +/- 10.6 years) meeting DSM-IIIR criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). All patients completed the SQ at baseline (week 0) and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 of treatment with fluoxetine 20 mg/d. We defined treatment response as a > or= 50% reduction in score on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and early improvement on 3 SQ subscales (Anxiety, Depression, and Anger/Hostility) as a >30% reduction in score by week 2. The percentage of patients with significant early improvement in anger was significantly greater than the percentage of those with early improvements in anxiety or depression. When early improvement on the Anxiety, Depression, and Anger/Hostility subscales of the SQ were assessed independently by logistic regression, all 3 subscales were predictors of response to treatment. Early improvement in anger, anxiety, and depressive symptoms may predict response to antidepressant treatment among outpatients with MDD.

  9. Involvement of reactive oxygen species during early stages of ectomycorrhiza establishment between Castanea sativa and Pisolithus tinctorius.

    PubMed

    Baptista, Paula; Martins, Anabela; Pais, Maria Salomé; Tavares, Rui M; Lino-Neto, Teresa

    2007-05-01

    Evidence for the participation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant systems in ectomycorrhizal (ECM) establishment is lacking. In this paper, we evaluated ROS production and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) during the early contact of the ECM fungus Pisolithus tinctorius with the roots of Castanea sativa (chestnut tree). Roots were placed in contact with P. tinctorius mycelia, and ROS production was evaluated by determining the levels of H(2)O(2) and O(2) (.-) during the early stages of fungal contact. Three peaks of H(2)O(2) production were detected, the first two coinciding with O(2) (.-) bursts. The first H(2)O(2) production peak coincided with an increase in SOD activity, whereas CAT activity seemed to be implicated in H(2)O(2) scavenging. P. tinctorius growth was evaluated in the presence of P. tinctorius-elicited C. sativa crude extracts prepared during the early stages of fungal contact. Differential hyphal growth that matched the H(2)O(2) production profile with a delay was detected. The result suggests that during the early stages of ECM establishment, H(2)O(2) results from an inhibition of ROS-scavenging enzymes and plays a role in signalling during symbiotic establishment.

  10. Oxygen therapy devices and portable ventilators for improved physical activity in daily life in patients with chronic respiratory disease.

    PubMed

    Furlanetto, Karina Couto; Pitta, Fabio

    2017-02-01

    Patients with hypoxemia and chronic respiratory failure may need to use oxygen therapy to correct hypoxemia and to use ventilatory support to augment alveolar ventilation, reverse abnormalities in blood gases (in particular hypercapnia) and reduce the work of breathing. Areas covered: This narrative review provides an overview on the use of oxygen therapy devices or portable ventilators for improved physical activity in daily life (PADL) as well as discusses the issue of lower mobility in daily life among stable patients with chronic respiratory disease who present indication for long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) or home-based noninvasive ventilation (NIV). A literature review of these concepts was performed by using all related search terms. Expert commentary: Technological advances led to the development of light and small oxygen therapy devices and portable ventilators which aim to facilitate patients' mobility and ambulation. However, the day-by-day dependence of a device may reduce mobility and partially impair patients' PADL. Nocturnal NIV implementation in hypercapnic patients seems promising to improve PADL. The magnitude of their equipment-related physical inactivity is underexplored up to this moment and more long-term randomized clinical trials and meta-analysis examining the effects of ambulatory oxygen and NIV on PADL are required.

  11. Acute cocoa flavanol improves cerebral oxygenation without enhancing executive function at rest or after exercise.

    PubMed

    Decroix, Lieselot; Tonoli, Cajsa; Soares, Danusa D; Tagougui, Semah; Heyman, Elsa; Meeusen, Romain

    2016-12-01

    Acute exercise-induced improvements in cognitive function are accompanied by increased (cerebral) blood flow and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Acute cocoa flavanol (CF) intake may improve cognitive function, cerebral blood flow (in humans), and BNDF levels (in animals). This study investigated (i) the effect of CF intake in combination with exercise on cognitive function and (ii) cerebral hemodynamics and BDNF in response to CF intake and exercise. Twelve healthy men participated in this randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Participants performed a cognitive task (CT) at 100 min after acute 903-mg CF or placebo (PL) intake, followed by a 30-min time-trial. Immediately after this exercise, the same CT was performed. Prefrontal near-infrared spectroscopy was applied during CT and exercise to measure changes in oxygenated (ΔHbO 2 ), deoxygenated (ΔHHb), and total haemoglobin (ΔHb tot ) and blood samples were drawn and analyzed for BDNF. Reaction time was faster postexercise, but was not influenced by CF. ΔHbO 2 during the resting CT was increased by CF, compared with PL. ΔHbO 2 , ΔHHb, and ΔHb tot increased in response to exercise without any effect of CF. During the postexercise cognitive task, there were no hemodynamic differences between CF or PL. Serum BDNF was increased by exercise, but was not influenced by CF. In conclusion, at rest, CF intake increased cerebral oxygenation, but not BDNF concentrations, and no impact on executive function was detected. This beneficial effect of CF on cerebral oxygenation at rest was overruled by the strong exercise-induced increases in cerebral perfusion and oxygenation.

  12. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and other methods to enhance oxygen transport

    PubMed Central

    Elliott, S

    2008-01-01

    Oxygen is essential for life, and the body has developed an exquisite method to collect oxygen in the lungs and transport it to the tissues. Hb contained within red blood cells (RBCs), is the key oxygen-carrying component in blood, and levels of RBCs are tightly controlled according to demand for oxygen. The availability of oxygen plays a critical role in athletic performance, and agents that enhance oxygen delivery to tissues increase aerobic power. Early methods to increase oxygen delivery included training at altitude, and later, transfusion of packed RBCs. A breakthrough in understanding how RBC formation is controlled included the discovery of erythropoietin (Epo) and cloning of the EPO gene. Cloning of the EPO gene was followed by commercial development of recombinant human Epo (rHuEpo). Legitimate use of this and other agents that affect oxygen delivery is important in the treatment of anaemia (low Hb levels) in patients with chronic kidney disease or in cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced anaemia. However, competitive sports was affected by illicit use of rHuEpo to enhance performance. Testing methods for these agents resulted in a cat-and-mouse game, with testing labs attempting to detect the use of a drug or blood product to improve athletic performance (doping) and certain athletes developing methods to use the agents without being detected. This article examines the current methods to enhance aerobic performance and the methods to detect illicit use. PMID:18362898

  13. Oxygen as a driver of early arthropod micro-benthos evolution.

    PubMed

    Williams, Mark; Vannier, Jean; Corbari, Laure; Massabuau, Jean-Charles

    2011-01-01

    We examine the physiological and lifestyle adaptations which facilitated the emergence of ostracods as the numerically dominant Phanerozoic bivalve arthropod micro-benthos. The PO(2) of modern normoxic seawater is 21 kPa (air-equilibrated water), a level that would cause cellular damage if found in the tissues of ostracods and much other marine fauna. The PO(2) of most aquatic breathers at the cellular level is much lower, between 1 and 3 kPa. Ostracods avoid oxygen toxicity by migrating to waters which are hypoxic, or by developing metabolisms which generate high consumption of O(2). Interrogation of the Cambrian record of bivalve arthropod micro-benthos suggests a strong control on ecosystem evolution exerted by changing seawater O(2) levels. The PO(2) of air-equilibrated Cambrian-seawater is predicted to have varied between 10 and 30 kPa. Three groups of marine shelf-dwelling bivalve arthropods adopted different responses to Cambrian seawater O(2). Bradoriida evolved cardiovascular systems that favoured colonization of oxygenated marine waters. Their biodiversity declined during intervals associated with black shale deposition and marine shelf anoxia and their diversity may also have been curtailed by elevated late Cambrian (Furongian) oxygen-levels that increased the PO(2) gradient between seawater and bradoriid tissues. Phosphatocopida responded to Cambrian anoxia differently, reaching their peak during widespread seabed dysoxia of the SPICE event. They lacked a cardiovascular system and appear to have been adapted to seawater hypoxia. As latest Cambrian marine shelf waters became well oxygenated, phosphatocopids went extinct. Changing seawater oxygen-levels and the demise of much of the seabed bradoriid micro-benthos favoured a third group of arthropod micro-benthos, the ostracods. These animals adopted lifestyles that made them tolerant of changes in seawater O(2). Ostracods became the numerically dominant arthropod micro-benthos of the Phanerozoic. Our work

  14. Oxygen as a Driver of Early Arthropod Micro-Benthos Evolution

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Mark; Vannier, Jean; Corbari, Laure; Massabuau, Jean-Charles

    2011-01-01

    Background We examine the physiological and lifestyle adaptations which facilitated the emergence of ostracods as the numerically dominant Phanerozoic bivalve arthropod micro-benthos. Methodology/Principal Findings The PO2 of modern normoxic seawater is 21 kPa (air-equilibrated water), a level that would cause cellular damage if found in the tissues of ostracods and much other marine fauna. The PO2 of most aquatic breathers at the cellular level is much lower, between 1 and 3 kPa. Ostracods avoid oxygen toxicity by migrating to waters which are hypoxic, or by developing metabolisms which generate high consumption of O2. Interrogation of the Cambrian record of bivalve arthropod micro-benthos suggests a strong control on ecosystem evolution exerted by changing seawater O2 levels. The PO2 of air-equilibrated Cambrian-seawater is predicted to have varied between 10 and 30 kPa. Three groups of marine shelf-dwelling bivalve arthropods adopted different responses to Cambrian seawater O2. Bradoriida evolved cardiovascular systems that favoured colonization of oxygenated marine waters. Their biodiversity declined during intervals associated with black shale deposition and marine shelf anoxia and their diversity may also have been curtailed by elevated late Cambrian (Furongian) oxygen-levels that increased the PO2 gradient between seawater and bradoriid tissues. Phosphatocopida responded to Cambrian anoxia differently, reaching their peak during widespread seabed dysoxia of the SPICE event. They lacked a cardiovascular system and appear to have been adapted to seawater hypoxia. As latest Cambrian marine shelf waters became well oxygenated, phosphatocopids went extinct. Changing seawater oxygen-levels and the demise of much of the seabed bradoriid micro-benthos favoured a third group of arthropod micro-benthos, the ostracods. These animals adopted lifestyles that made them tolerant of changes in seawater O2. Ostracods became the numerically dominant arthropod micro-benthos of

  15. Heavy Isotope Composition of Oxygen in Zircon from Soil Sample 14163: Lunar Perspective of an Early Ocean on the Earth

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nemchin, A. A.; Whitehouse, M. J.; Pidgeon, R. T.; Meyer, C.

    2006-01-01

    Thirty oxygen analyses of a large (sub-millimetre) zircon grain from the lunar soil sample 14163 have been determined using CAMECA 1270 ion microprobe. The sample 14163 was returned form the Fra Mauro region by Apollo 14 mission. Zircon grain of 0.6-0.8 mm in size extracted from the sample was imaged using CL detector fitted to the Philips Electron Microscope in order to reveal internal structure. Oxygen isotopes have been analysed during two sessions. The first set of data was collected using the original mount where the grain was set in the resin attached to the glass slide. This resulted in the two complications: (i) standard zircon has to be analysed from the separate mount and (ii) the lunar zircon grain was rased in the holder compared to the standard. In order to investigate, if the elevated oxygen compositions observed during this session could have resulted from this difference in geometric configuration during the standard and sample analyses, the lunar zircon was extracted from the original mount, remounted with the standard chip in the new resin disk and reanalysed during the second session. All analyses made during the first session show delta O-18 values heavier than 6.0%. The second set of data has a wider spread of delta O-18 values with some values as low as 5.6%. Nevertheless, a half of observed delta O-18 values in this set is also higher than 6.0%. Slightly lighter oxygen compositions observed during the second session indicate possible dependence of measured delta O-18 values on the geometry of analysed samples. Presence of zircons with similar heavy oxygen isotope compositions on the Moon, which neither had liquid water or felic crust similar to that on the Earth nor ever developed regime similar to plate tectonics, suggests that other mechanisms can be responsible for elevated delta O-18 values in zircons. This implies that there is no support for the presence of an ocean on the surface of the early Earth and as the ocean appears to be an

  16. Intrauterine inflammation, cerebral oxygen consumption and susceptibility to early brain injury in very preterm newborns.

    PubMed

    Stark, Michael J; Hodyl, Nicolette A; Belegar V, Kiran Kumar; Andersen, Chad C

    2016-03-01

    In utero exposure to inflammation results in elevated cerebral oxygen consumption. This increased metabolic demand may contribute to the association between chorioamnionitis and intraventricular haemorrhage (P/IVH). We hypothesised that intrauterine inflammation imposes an elevated cerebral metabolic load and increased fractional oxygen extraction (cFTOE) with cFTOE further increased in the presence of early P/IVH. Eighty-three infants ≤30 weeks gestation were recruited. Exposure to intrauterine inflammation was determined by placental histology. Total internal carotid blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) and near infrared spectroscopy were measured and cerebral oxygen delivery (mcerbDO2), consumption (mcerbVO2) and cFTOE were calculated on days 1 and 3 of life. Primary outcome was defined as death or P/IVH >grade II (cranial sonograph) by day 3. Infants exposed to intrauterine inflammation had higher total internal carotid blood flow (92 vs 63 mL/kg/min) and mcerbDO2 (13.7 vs 10.1 mL/kg/min) than those not exposed to inflammation. Newborns with P/IVH had both higher oxygen consumption and extraction compared with those without sonographic injury regardless of exposure to intrauterine inflammation. Further, in preterms exposed to inflammation, those with P/IVH had higher consumption (6.1 vs 4.8 mL/kg/min) and extraction than those without injury. These differences were observed only on day 1 of life. Although P/IVH is multifactorial in preterm newborns, it is likely that cerebral hypoxic-ischaemia plays a central pathophysiological role. These data provide a mechanistic insight into this process and suggests that the increased cerebral metabolic load imposed by the presence of inflammation results in a higher risk of critical hypoxic ischaemia in the preterm with increased susceptibility to significant P/IVH. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. Improvement of Transparent Conducting Performance on Oxygen-Activated Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Electrodes Formed by Horizontal Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Deposition.

    PubMed

    Koo, Bon-Ryul; Oh, Dong-Hyeun; Riu, Doh-Hyung; Ahn, Hyo-Jin

    2017-12-27

    In this study, highly transparent conducting fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes were fabricated using the horizontal ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition. In order to improve their transparent conducting performances, we carried out oxygen activation by adjusting the ratio of O 2 /(O 2 +N 2 ) in the carrier gas (0%, 20%, and 50%) used during the deposition process. The oxygen activation on the FTO electrodes accelerated the substitution concentration of F (F O • ) into the oxygen sites in the FTO electrode while the oxygen vacancy (V O • • ) concentration was reduced. In addition, due to growth of pyramid-shaped crystallites with (200) preferred orientations, this oxygen activation caused the formation of a uniform surface structure. As a result, compared to others, the FTO electrode prepared at 50% O 2 showed excellent electrical and optical properties (sheet resistance of ∼4.0 ± 0.14 Ω/□, optical transmittance of ∼85.3%, and figure of merit of ∼5.09 ± 0.19 × 10 -2 Ω -1 ). This led to a superb photoconversion efficiency (∼7.03 ± 0.20%) as a result of the improved short-circuit current density. The photovoltaic performance improvement can be defined by the decreased sheet resistance of FTO used as a transparent conducting electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which is due to the combined effect of the high carrier concentration by the improved F O • concentration on the FTO electrodes and the fasted Hall mobility by the formation of a uniform FTO surface structure and distortion relaxation on the FTO lattices resulting from the reduced V O • • • concentration.

  18. Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Early Care and Education. Early Childhood Highlights. Volume 1, Issue 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Child Trends, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Research suggests that high quality early care and education programs can have a significant impact on improving the cognitive, academic and social skills of all children, especially those most at risk for later school failure. A number of states are developing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to assess and improve the quality of…

  19. Oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence used to characterize improved myocardial oxygenation resulting from vasculogenic cytokine therapy

    PubMed Central

    Hiesinger, William; Vinogradov, Sergei A.; Atluri, Pavan; Fitzpatrick, J. Raymond; Frederick, John R.; Levit, Rebecca D.; McCormick, Ryan C.; Muenzer, Jeffrey R.; Yang, Elaine C.; Marotta, Nicole A.; MacArthur, John W.; Wilson, David F.

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluates a therapy for infarct modulation and acute myocardial rescue and utilizes a novel technique to measure local myocardial oxygenation in vivo. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were targeted to the heart with peri-infarct intramyocardial injection of the potent EPC chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF). Myocardial oxygen pressure was assessed using a noninvasive, real-time optical technique for measuring oxygen pressures within microvasculature based on the oxygen-dependent quenching of the phosphorescence of Oxyphor G3. Myocardial infarction was induced in male Wistar rats (n = 15) through left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. At the time of infarction, animals were randomized into two groups: saline control (n = 8) and treatment with SDF (n = 7). After 48 h, the animals underwent repeat thoracotomy and 20 μl of the phosphor Oxyphor G3 was injected into three areas (peri-infarct myocardium, myocardial scar, and remote left hindlimb muscle). Measurements of the oxygen distribution within the tissue were then made in vivo by applying the end of a light guide to the beating heart. Compared with controls, animals in the SDF group exhibited a significantly decreased percentage of hypoxic (defined as oxygen pressure ≤ 15.0 Torr) peri-infarct myocardium (9.7 ± 6.7% vs. 21.8 ± 11.9%, P = 0.017). The peak oxygen pressures in the peri-infarct region of the animals in the SDF group were significantly higher than the saline controls (39.5 ± 36.7 vs. 9.2 ± 8.6 Torr, P = 0.02). This strategy for targeting EPCs to vulnerable peri-infarct myocardium via the potent chemokine SDF-1α significantly decreased the degree of hypoxia in peri-infarct myocardium as measured in vivo by phosphorescence quenching. This effect could potentially mitigate the vicious cycle of myocyte death, myocardial fibrosis, progressive ventricular dilatation, and eventual heart failure seen after acute myocardial infarction. PMID

  20. Identification of an Archean marine oxygen oasis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Riding, Dr Robert E; Fralick, Dr Philip; Liang, Liyuan

    2014-01-01

    The early Earth was essentially anoxic. A number of indicators suggest the presence of oxygenic photosynthesis 2700 3000 million years (Ma) ago, but direct evidence for molecular oxygen (O2) in seawater has remained elusive. Here we report rare earth element (REE) analyses of 2800 million year old shallowmarine limestones and deep-water iron-rich sediments at Steep Rock Lake, Canada. These show that the seawater from which extensive shallow-water limestones precipitated was oxygenated, whereas the adjacent deeper waters where iron-rich sediments formed were not. We propose that oxygen promoted limestone precipitation by oxidative removal of dissolved ferrous iron species, Fe(II), to insolublemore » Fe(III) oxyhydroxide, and estimate that at least 10.25 M oxygen concentration in seawater was required to accomplish this at Steep Rock. This agrees with the hypothesis that an ample supply of dissolved Fe(II) in Archean oceans would have hindered limestone formation. There is no direct evidence for the oxygen source at Steep Rock, but organic carbon isotope values and diverse stromatolites in the limestones suggest the presence of cyanobacteria. Our findings support the view that during the Archean significant oxygen levels first developed in protected nutrient-rich shallow marine habitats. They indicate that these environments were spatially restricted, transient, and promoted limestone precipitation. If Archean marine limestones in general reflect localized oxygenic removal of dissolved iron at the margins of otherwise anoxic iron-rich seas, then early oxygen oases are less elusive than has been assumed.« less

  1. Coping with cyclic oxygen availability: evolutionary aspects.

    PubMed

    Flück, Martin; Webster, Keith A; Graham, Jeffrey; Giomi, Folco; Gerlach, Frank; Schmitz, Anke

    2007-10-01

    Both the gradual rise in atmospheric oxygen over the Proterozoic Eon as well as episodic fluctuations in oxygen over several million-year time spans during the Phanerozoic Era, have arguably exerted strong selective forces on cellular and organismic respiratory specialization and evolution. The rise in atmospheric oxygen, some 2 billion years after the origin of life, dramatically altered cell biology and set the stage for the appearance of multicelluar life forms in the Vendian (Ediacaran) Period of the Neoproterozoic Era. Over much of the Paleozoic, the level of oxygen in the atmosphere was near the present atmospheric level (21%). In the Late Paleozoic, however, there were extended times during which the level of atmospheric oxygen was either markedly lower or markedly higher than 21%. That these Paleozoic shifts in atmospheric oxygen affected the biota is suggested by the correlations between: (1) Reduced oxygen and the occurrences of extinctions, a lowered biodiversity and shifts in phyletic succession, and (2) During hyperoxia, the corresponding occurrence of phenomena such as arthropod gigantism, the origin of insect flight, and the evolution of vertebrate terrestriality. Basic similarities in features of adaptation to hyopoxia, manifest in living organisms at levels ranging from genetic and cellular to physiological and behavioral, suggest the common and early origin of a suite of adaptive mechanisms responsive to fluctuations in ambient oxygen. Comparative integrative approaches addressing the molecular bases of phenotypic adjustments to cyclic oxygen fluctuation provide broad insight into the incremental steps leading to the early evolution of homeostatic respiratory mechanisms and to the specialization of organismic respiratory function.

  2. Improvements to Zirconia Thick-Film Oxygen Sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maskell, William C.; Brett, Daniel J. L.; Brandon, Nigel P.

    2013-06-01

    Thick-film zirconia gas sensors are normally screen-printed onto a planar substrate. A sandwich of electrode-electrolyte-electrode is fired at a temperature sufficient to instigate sintering of the zirconia electrolyte. The resulting porous zirconia film acts as both the electrolyte and as the diffusion barrier through which oxygen diffuses. The high sintering temperature results in de-activation of the electrodes so that sensors must be operated at around 800 °C for measurements in the percentage range of oxygen concentration. This work shows that the use of cobalt oxide as a sintering aid allows reduction of the sensor operating temperature by 100-200 °C with clear benefits. Furthermore, an interesting and new technique is presented for the investigation of the influence of dopants and of the through-porosity of ionically-conducting materials.

  3. Early treatment improves urodynamic prognosis in neurogenic voiding dysfunction: 20 years of experience.

    PubMed

    Costa Monteiro, Lucia M; Cruz, Glaura O; Fontes, Juliana M; Vieira, Eliane T R C; Santos, Eloá N; Araújo, Grace F; Ramos, Eloane G

    To evaluate the association between early treatment and urodynamic improvement in pediatric and adolescent patients with neurogenic bladder. Retrospective longitudinal and observational study (between 1990 and 2013) including patients with neurogenic bladder and myelomeningocele treated based on urodynamic results. The authors evaluated the urodynamic follow-up (bladder compliance and maximum bladder capacity and pressure) considering the first urodynamic improvement in two years as the outcome variable and early referral as the exposure variable, using a descriptive and multivariate analysis with logistic regression model. Among 230 patients included, 52% had an early referral. The majority were diagnosed as overactive bladder with high bladder pressure (≥40cm H 2 O) and low bladder compliance (3mL/cmH 2 O) and were treated with oxybutynin and intermittent catheterization. Urodynamic follow-up results showed 68% of improvement at the second urodynamic examination decreasing bladder pressure and increasing bladder capacity and compliance. The percentage of incontinence and urinary tract infections decreased over treatment. Early referral (one-year old or less) increased by 3.5 the probability of urodynamic improvement in two years (95% CI: 1.81-6.77). Treatment onset within the first year of life improves urodynamic prognosis in patients with neurogenic bladder and triplicates the probability of urodynamic improvement in two years. The role of neonatologists and pediatricians in early referral is extremely important. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  4. Improving the Use of Data in Early Reading Intervention Programs in Northwest Florida

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Carla J.

    2012-01-01

    Improving student performance for high-need student populations by improving the use of data in decision-making for early reading intervention programs in northwest Florida is the focus of this research to practice effort. The study is conceptually based on using a relational-feedback intervention (RFI) database model in early learning…

  5. Singlet oxygen generation as a major cause for parasitic reactions during cycling of aprotic lithium-oxygen batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahne, Nika; Schafzahl, Bettina; Leypold, Christian; Leypold, Mario; Grumm, Sandra; Leitgeb, Anita; Strohmeier, Gernot A.; Wilkening, Martin; Fontaine, Olivier; Kramer, Denis; Slugovc, Christian; Borisov, Sergey M.; Freunberger, Stefan A.

    2017-03-01

    Non-aqueous metal-oxygen batteries depend critically on the reversible formation/decomposition of metal oxides on cycling. Irreversible parasitic reactions cause poor rechargeability, efficiency, and cycle life, and have predominantly been ascribed to the reactivity of reduced oxygen species with cell components. These species, however, cannot fully explain the side reactions. Here we show that singlet oxygen forms at the cathode of a lithium-oxygen cell during discharge and from the onset of charge, and accounts for the majority of parasitic reaction products. The amount increases during discharge, early stages of charge, and charging at higher voltages, and is enhanced by the presence of trace water. Superoxide and peroxide appear to be involved in singlet oxygen generation. Singlet oxygen traps and quenchers can reduce parasitic reactions effectively. Awareness of the highly reactive singlet oxygen in non-aqueous metal-oxygen batteries gives a rationale for future research towards achieving highly reversible cell operation.

  6. High-Energy-Density Metal-Oxygen Batteries: Lithium-Oxygen Batteries vs Sodium-Oxygen Batteries.

    PubMed

    Song, Kyeongse; Agyeman, Daniel Adjei; Park, Mihui; Yang, Junghoon; Kang, Yong-Mook

    2017-12-01

    The development of next-generation energy-storage devices with high power, high energy density, and safety is critical for the success of large-scale energy-storage systems (ESSs), such as electric vehicles. Rechargeable sodium-oxygen (Na-O 2 ) batteries offer a new and promising opportunity for low-cost, high-energy-density, and relatively efficient electrochemical systems. Although the specific energy density of the Na-O 2 battery is lower than that of the lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) battery, the abundance and low cost of sodium resources offer major advantages for its practical application in the near future. However, little has so far been reported regarding the cell chemistry, to explain the rate-limiting parameters and the corresponding low round-trip efficiency and cycle degradation. Consequently, an elucidation of the reaction mechanism is needed for both lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen cells. An in-depth understanding of the differences and similarities between Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 battery systems, in terms of thermodynamics and a structural viewpoint, will be meaningful to promote the development of advanced metal-oxygen batteries. State-of-the-art battery design principles for high-energy-density lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen batteries are thus reviewed in depth here. Major drawbacks, reaction mechanisms, and recent strategies to improve performance are also summarized. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Hydrogen peroxide and the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckay, C. P.; Hartman, H.

    1991-01-01

    Possible pathways for the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis in the early reducing atmosphere of the earth are discussed. It is suggested that the abiotic production of atmospheric oxidants could have provided a mechanism by which locally oxidizing conditions were sustained within spatially confined habitats thus removing the available reductants and forcing photosynthetic organisms to utilize water (rather than ferrous or sulfide ions) as the electron donor. It is argued that atmospheric H2O2 played the key role in inducing oxygenic photosynthesis, because, as peroxide concentrations local environments increased, primitive organisms would not only be faced with a loss of a reductant, but would be also forced to develop a biochemical apparatus (such as catalase) that would protect them against the products of oxygenic photosynthesis. This scenario allows for the early evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis at the time when global conditions were still anaerobic.

  8. Providing oxygen to children in hospitals: a realist review

    PubMed Central

    Tosif, Shidan; Gray, Amy; Qazi, Shamim; Campbell, Harry; Peel, David; McPake, Barbara; Duke, Trevor

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Objective To identify and describe interventions to improve oxygen therapy in hospitals in low-resource settings, and to determine the factors that contribute to success and failure in different contexts. Methods Using realist review methods, we scanned the literature and contacted experts in the field to identify possible mechanistic theories of how interventions to improve oxygen therapy systems might work. Then we systematically searched online databases for evaluations of improved oxygen systems in hospitals in low- or middle-income countries. We extracted data on the effectiveness, processes and underlying theory of selected projects, and used these data to test the candidate theories and identify the features of successful projects. Findings We included 20 improved oxygen therapy projects (45 papers) from 15 countries. These used various approaches to improving oxygen therapy, and reported clinical, quality of care and technical outcomes. Four effectiveness studies demonstrated positive clinical outcomes for childhood pneumonia, with large variation between programmes and hospitals. We identified factors that help or hinder success, and proposed a practical framework depicting the key requirements for hospitals to effectively provide oxygen therapy to children. To improve clinical outcomes, oxygen improvement programmes must achieve good access to oxygen and good use of oxygen, which should be facilitated by a broad quality improvement capacity, by a strong managerial and policy support and multidisciplinary teamwork. Conclusion Our findings can inform practitioners and policy-makers about how to improve oxygen therapy in low-resource settings, and may be relevant for other interventions involving the introduction of health technologies. PMID:28479624

  9. Effects of increased inspired oxygen concentration on tissue oxygenation: theoretical considerations.

    PubMed

    Lumb, Andrew B; Nair, Sindhu

    2010-03-01

    Breathing increased fractional oxygen concentration (FiO2) is recommended for the treatment of tissue ischaemia. The theoretical benefits of increasing FiO2 on tissue oxygenation were evaluated using standard physiological equations. Assuming constant oxygen consumption by tissues throughout the length of a capillary, the oxygen content at 20 arbitrary points along a capillary was calculated. Using mathematical representations of the haemoglobin dissociation curve and an iterative approach to include the dissolved oxygen component of oxygen content, the oxygen partial pressure (PO2) profile along a capillary was estimated. High FiO2 concentrations cause large increases in PO2 at the arteriolar end of capillaries but these large PO2 values, caused by the extra dissolved oxygen, rapidly decline along the capillary. At the venular end of the capillary (the area of tissue most likely to be hypoxic), breathing oxygen causes only a modest improvement in PO2. Increasing FiO2 to treat tissue hypoxia has clear benefits, but a multimodal approach to management is required.

  10. Improved oxygenation during standing performance of deep breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure after cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Pettersson, Henrik; Faager, Gun; Westerdahl, Elisabeth

    2015-09-01

    Breathing exercises after cardiac surgery are often performed in a sitting position. It is unknown whether oxygenation would be better in the standing position. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxygenation and subjective breathing ability during sitting vs standing performance of deep breathing exercises on the second day after cardiac surgery. Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 189) were randomized to sitting (controls) or standing. Both groups performed 3 × 10 deep breaths with a positive expiratory pressure device. Peripheral oxygen saturation was measured before, directly after, and 15 min after the intervention. Subjective breathing ability, blood pressure, heart rate, and pain were assessed. Oxygenation improved significantly in the standing group compared with controls directly after the breathing exercises (p < 0.001) and after 15 min rest (p = 0.027). The standing group reported better deep breathing ability compared with controls (p = 0.004). A slightly increased heart rate was found in the standing group (p = 0.047). After cardiac surgery, breathing exercises with positive expiratory pressure, performed in a standing position, significantly improved oxygenation and subjective breathing ability compared with sitting performance. Performance of breathing exercises in the standing position is feasible and could be a valuable treatment for patients with postoperative hypoxaemia.

  11. [How did the earth's oxygen atmosphere originate?].

    PubMed

    Schäfer, G

    2004-09-01

    The planet earth did not carry an oxygen atmosphere from the beginning. Though oxygen could arise from radiation mediated water splitting, these processes were not efficient enough to create a global gas atmosphere. Oxygen in the latter is a product of the photosynthetic activity of early green organisms. Only after biological mass-formation of oxygen the UV-protective ozone layer could develop, then enabeling life to move from water onto land. This took billions of years. The basics of the processes of biological oxygen liberation and utilization are described in the following as well as the importance of their steady state equilibrium. Also a hint is given to oxygen as a toxic compound though being a chemical prerequisite for aerobic life on earth.

  12. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Special Session: Oxygen in the Solar System, I

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    The Special Session: Oxygen in the Solar System, I, included the following reports:Oxygen in the Solar System: Origins of Isotopic and Redox Complexity; The Origin of Oxygen Isotope Variations in the Early Solar System; Solar and Solar-Wind Oxygen Isotopes and the Genesis Mission; Solar 18O/17O and the Setting for Solar Birth; Oxygen Isotopes in Early Solar System Materials: A Perspective Based on Microbeam Analyses of Chondrules from CV Carbonaceous Chondrites; Insight into Primordial Solar System Oxygen Reservoirs from Returned Cometary Samples; Tracing Meteorites to Their Sources Through Asteroid Spectroscopy; Redox Conditions Among the Terrestrial Planets; Redox Complexity in Martian Meteorites: Implications for Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets; Implications of Sulfur Isotopes for the Evolution of Atmospheric Oxygen; Oxygen in the Outer Solar System; and On the Oxidation States of the Galilean Satellites: Implications for Internal Structures.

  13. Improved absorption cross-sections of oxygen in the wavelength region 205-240 nm of the Herzberg continuum

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yoshino, K.; Cheung, A. S.-C.; Esmond, J. R.; Parkinson, W. H.; Freeman, D. E.

    1988-01-01

    The laboratory values of the Herzberg continuum absorption cross-section of oxygen at room temperature from Cheung et al. (1986) and Jenouvrier et al. (1986) are compared and analyzed. It is found that there is no discrepancy between the absolute values of these two sets of independent measurements. The values are combined in a linear least-squares fit to obtain improved values of the Herzberg continuum cross-section of oxygen at room temperature throughout the wavelength region 205-240 nm. The results are compared with in situ and other laboratory measurements.

  14. Transient deep-water oxygenation in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin, South China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Meng; Li, Chao; Zhou, Lian; Feng, LianJun; Algeo, Thomas J.; Zhang, FeiFei; Romaniello, Stephen; Jin, ChengSheng; Ling, HongFei; Jiang, ShaoYong

    2017-08-01

    Many late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian fossils of multicellular eukaryotes, including those of benthic animals, are found preserved under anoxic and even euxinic bottom-water conditions, which is contradictory to the consensus that oxygen is essential to eukaryotes. To investigate this conundrum, we conducted an integrated study of iron speciation, redox-sensitive trace elements, and Mo isotopes (δ98Mo) on the black shale interval of the lower Cambrian Hetang Formation (∼535-521 Ma) at Lantian, South China, in which benthic sponge fossils are abundant in the lower member (LM) but absent in the upper member (UM). Iron speciation data point to uniformly anoxic-ferruginous conditions in the LM and euxinic conditions in the UM, whereas the trace-element and δ98Mo data show greater secular variation in redox conditions. The LM shows higher mean trace element concentrations (Mo: 108 ppm, U: 36 ppm, V: 791 ppm) and lower and more variable δ98Mo (+0.13 to +1.76‰) relative to the UM (Mo: 45 ppm, U: 18 ppm, V: 265 ppm, δ98Mo: +1.59 to +1.67‰), and ratios of redox-sensitive trace element concentrations to total organic carbon are significantly more variable and higher on average in the LM relative to the UM. The appearance of sponge fossils and lower δ98Mo values correlate strongly with gray (i.e., lighter-colored) layers in the LM. These patterns can best be interpreted as recording mainly euxinic conditions throughout deposition of the study units, with more intense background euxinia in the LM relative to the UM, but also with frequent transient oxygenation events in the LM that do not appear in the UM. The transient oxygenation events of the LM led to the initial colonization of the deep Nanhua Basin by sponges, and the termination of these events in the UM caused sponge faunas to disappear until a general rise in O2 levels later in the Cambrian permitted their return to deeper-water habitats. Our study also illustrates that multiple geochemical and

  15. Trends in brain oxygenation during mental and physical exercise measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): potential for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, Monica S.; Allen, Jeffery W.; Mikkilineni, Shweta; Liu, Hanli

    2005-04-01

    Motivation: Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial because symptoms respond best to available treatments in the initial stages of the disease. Recent studies have shown that marked changes in brain oxygenation during mental and physical tasks can be used for noninvasive functional brain imaging to detect Alzheimer"s disease. The goal of our study is to explore the possibility of using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and mapping (NIRM) as a diagnostic tool for AD before the onset of significant morphological changes in the brain. Methods: A 16-channel NIRS brain imager was used to noninvasively measure spatial and temporal changes in cerebral hemodynamics induced during verbal fluency task and physical activity. The experiments involved healthy subjects (n = 10) in the age range of 25+/-5 years. The NIRS signals were taken from the subjects' prefrontal cortex during the activities. Results and Conclusion: Trends of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex of the brain were observed. During the mental stimulation, the subjects showed significant increase in oxygenated hemoglobin [HbO2] with a simultaneous decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin [Hb]. However, physical exercise caused a rise in levels of HbO2 with small variations in Hb. This study basically demonstrates that NIRM taken from the prefrontal cortex of the human brain is sensitive to both mental and physical tasks and holds potential to serve as a diagnostic means for early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

  16. Early benthic successional processes at implanted substrates in Barkley Submarine Canyon affected by a permanent oxygen minimum zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cabrera De Leo, F.; Smith, C. R.; Levin, L. A.; Fleury, A.; Aguzzi, J.

    2016-02-01

    With the advent of cabled observatories scientists are now able to have a permanent presence in the deep-seafloor, being able to reveal previously unseen faunal behavior as well as to track long-term changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function. The Ocean Networks Canada 800-km loop seafloor observatory array (NEPTUNE) located in the NE Pacific has instruments measuring a variety of environmental variables ranging from temperature, salinity, oxygen, currents, turbidity, fluorescence, etc, at multiple and very high temporal resolution scales. High-definition video cameras also monitor benthic communities in multiple deep-sea habitats, all at some extent influenced by an oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). In the present study, whale-bone and wood substrates are being used to evaluate bathymetric, regional and inter-basin variations in benthic biodiversity and connectivity, as well as interactions between biodiversity and ecosystem function. In May of 2014 three humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) rib sections, one 20x20x10 cm block of Douglas Fir (Pseudotsunga meniziesii), and a 30x30x30 block of authigenic carbonate were placed with the use of an ROV at 890 m depth inside Barkley Canyon. The substrate packages were placed concentrically, 45-cm away from a HD video camera. Five-minute videos were captured at 2-hr intervals. Preliminary data analysis from 8 months of deployment showed very distinct early community succession patterns between the two organic substrates (bones and wood) and the authigenic carbonate. Whalebones and wood showed amphipod (Orchomene obtusa) abundance peaks mostly contained during the first 60 days after deployment; Amphipod peak abundance rapid decline coincides with rapid growth of bacterial mat on whalebone and wood surfaces. Low abundance, species richness and substrate degradation rates are in agreement with a low oxygen environment of the OMZ in the canyon. Despite the early stages of data analysis, this experiment demonstrates how

  17. Brain oxygenation with a non-vasoactive perfluorocarbon emulsion in a rat model of traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Abutarboush, Rania; Mullah, Saad H; Saha, Biswajit K; Haque, Ashraful; Walker, Peter B; Aligbe, Chioma; Pappas, Georgina; Tran Ho, Lam Thuy Vi; Arnaud, Francoise G; Auker, Charles R; McCarron, Richard M; Scultetus, Anke H; Moon-Massat, Paula

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to assess, in two experiments, the safety and efficacy of the PFC emulsion Oxycyte as an oxygen therapeutic for TBI to test the hypothesis that early administration of this oxygen-carrying fluid post-TBI would improve brain tissue oxygenation (P bt O 2 ). The first experiment assessed the effects of Oxycyte on cerebral vasoactivity in healthy, uninjured rats using intravital microscopy. The second experiment investigated the effect of Oxycyte on cerebral P bt O 2 using the PQM in TBI model. Animals in the Oxycyte group received a single injection of Oxycyte (6 mL/kg) shortly after TBI, while NON animals received no treatment. Oxycyte did not cause vasoconstriction in small- (<50 μm) or medium- (50-100 μm) sized pial arterioles nor did it cause a significant change in blood pressure. Treatment with Oxycyte while breathing 100% O 2 did not improve P bt O 2 . However, in rats ventilated with ~40% O 2 , P bt O 2 improved to near pre-TBI values within 105 minutes after Oxycyte injection. Although Oxycyte did not cause cerebral vasoconstriction, its use at the dose tested while breathing 100% O 2 did not improve P bt O 2 following TBI. However, Oxycyte treatment while breathing a lower enriched oxygen concentration may improve P bt O 2 after TBI. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Early postoperative changes in cerebral oxygen metabolism following neonatal cardiac surgery: Effects of surgical duration

    PubMed Central

    Buckley, Erin M.; Lynch, Jennifer M.; Goff, Donna A.; Schwab, Peter J.; Baker, Wesley B.; Durduran, Turgut; Busch, David R.; Nicolson, Susan C.; Montenegro, Lisa M.; Naim, Maryam Y.; Xiao, Rui; Spray, Thomas L.; Yodh, A. G.; Gaynor, J. William; Licht, Daniel J.

    2013-01-01

    Objective The early postoperative period following neonatal cardiac surgery is a time of increased risk for brain injury, yet the mechanisms underlying this risk are unknown. To understand these risks more completely, we quantified changes in postoperative cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) compared with preoperative levels by using noninvasive optical modalities. Methods Diffuse optical spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy were used concurrently to derive cerebral blood flow and oxygen utilization postoperatively for 12 hours. Relative changes in CMRO2, OEF, and CBF were quantified with reference to preoperative data. A mixed-effect model was used to investigate the influence of total support time and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest duration on relative changes in CMRO2, OEF, and CBF. Results Relative changes in CMRO2, OEF, and CBF were assessed in 36 patients, 21 with single-ventricle defects and 15 with 2-ventricle defects. Among patients with single-ventricle lesions, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest duration did not affect relative changes in CMRO2, CBF, or OEF (P > .05). Among 2-ventricle patients, total support time was not a significant predictor of relative changes in CMRO2 or CBF (P > .05), although longer total support time was associated significantly with greater increases in relative change of postoperative OEF (P = .008). Conclusions Noninvasive diffuse optical techniques were used to quantify postoperative relative changes in CMRO2, CBF, and OEF for the first time in this observational pilot study. Pilot data suggest that surgical duration does not account for observed variability in the relative change in CMRO2, and that more comprehensive clinical studies using the new technology are feasible and warranted to elucidate these issues further. PMID:23111021

  19. Oxygen Gradients in the Microcirculation

    PubMed Central

    Pittman, Roland N.

    2010-01-01

    Early in the last century August Krogh embarked on a series of seminal studies to understand the connection between tissue metabolism and mechanisms by which the cardiovascular system supplied oxygen to meet those needs. Krogh recognized that oxygen was supplied from blood to the tissues by passive diffusion and that the most likely site for oxygen exchange was the capillary network. Studies of tissue oxygen consumption and diffusion coefficient, coupled with anatomical studies of capillarity in various tissues, led him to formulate a model of oxygen diffusion from a single capillary. Fifty years after the publication of this work, new methods were developed which allowed the direct measurement of oxygen in and around microvessels. These direct measurements have confirmed the predictions by Krogh and have led to extensions of his ideas resulting in our current understanding of oxygenation within the microcirculation. Developments during the last 40 years are reviewed, including studies of oxygen gradients in arterioles, capillaries, venules, microvessel wall and surrounding tissue. These measurements were made possible by the development and use of new methods to investigate oxygen in the microcirculation, so mention is made of oxygen microelectrodes, microspectrophotometry of haemoglobin and phosphorescence quenching microscopy. Our understanding of oxygen transport from the perspective of the microcirculation has gone from a consideration of oxygen gradients in capillaries and tissue to the realization that oxygen has the ability to diffuse from any microvessel to another location under the conditions that there exists a large enough PO2 gradient and that the permeability for oxygen along the intervening pathway is sufficient. PMID:21281453

  20. Improvement of the lipophilic-oxygen radical absorbance capacity (L-ORAC) method and single-laboratory validation.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Jun; Oki, Tomoyuki; Takebayashi, Jun; Yamasaki, Koji; Takano-Ishikawa, Yuko; Hino, Akihiro; Yasui, Akemi

    2013-01-01

    We improved the procedure for lipophilic-oxygen radical absorbance capacity (L-ORAC) measurement for better repeatability and intermediate precision. A sealing film was placed on the assay plate, and glass vials and microdispensers equipped with glass capillaries were used. The antioxidant capacities of food extracts can be evaluated by this method with nearly the same precision as antioxidant solutions.

  1. Oxygen delivery, consumption, and conversion to reactive oxygen species in experimental models of diabetic retinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Eshaq, Randa S.; Wright, William S.; Harris, Norman R.

    2014-01-01

    Retinal tissue receives its supply of oxygen from two sources – the retinal and choroidal circulations. Decreases in retinal blood flow occur in the early stages of diabetes, with the eventual development of hypoxia thought to contribute to pathological neovascularization. Oxygen consumption in the retina has been found to decrease in diabetes, possibly due to either a reduction in neuronal metabolism or to cell death. Diabetes also enhances the rate of conversion of oxygen to superoxide in the retina, with experimental evidence suggesting that mitochondrial superoxide not only drives the overall production of reactive oxygen species, but also initiates several pathways leading to retinopathy, including the increased activity of the polyol and hexosamine pathways, increased production of advanced glycation end products and expression of their receptors, and activation of protein kinase C. PMID:24936440

  2. Oxygen delivery, consumption, and conversion to reactive oxygen species in experimental models of diabetic retinopathy.

    PubMed

    Eshaq, Randa S; Wright, William S; Harris, Norman R

    2014-01-01

    Retinal tissue receives its supply of oxygen from two sources - the retinal and choroidal circulations. Decreases in retinal blood flow occur in the early stages of diabetes, with the eventual development of hypoxia thought to contribute to pathological neovascularization. Oxygen consumption in the retina has been found to decrease in diabetes, possibly due to either a reduction in neuronal metabolism or to cell death. Diabetes also enhances the rate of conversion of oxygen to superoxide in the retina, with experimental evidence suggesting that mitochondrial superoxide not only drives the overall production of reactive oxygen species, but also initiates several pathways leading to retinopathy, including the increased activity of the polyol and hexosamine pathways, increased production of advanced glycation end products and expression of their receptors, and activation of protein kinase C.

  3. Reactive Oxygen Species Function to Mediate the Fe Deficiency Response in an Fe-Efficient Apple Genotype: An Early Response Mechanism for Enhancing Reactive Oxygen Production

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Chaohua; Wu, Ting; Zhai, Longmei; Li, Duyue; Zhang, Xinzhong; Xu, Xuefeng; Ma, Huiqin; Wang, Yi; Han, Zhenhai

    2016-01-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important signaling molecules in plants that contribute to stress acclimation. This study demonstrated that ROS play a critical role in Fe deficiency-induced signaling at an early stage in Malus xiaojinensis. Once ROS production has been initiated, prolonged Fe starvation leads to activation of ROS scavenging mechanisms. Further, we demonstrated that ROS scavengers are involved in maintaining the cellular redox homeostasis during prolonged Fe deficiency treatment. Taken together, our results describe a feedback repression loop for ROS to preserve redox homeostasis and maintain a continuous Fe deficiency response in the Fe-efficient woody plant M. xiaojinensis. More broadly, this study reveals a new mechanism in which ROS mediate both positive and negative regulation of plant responses to Fe deficiency stress. PMID:27899933

  4. Reactive Oxygen Species Function to Mediate the Fe Deficiency Response in an Fe-Efficient Apple Genotype: An Early Response Mechanism for Enhancing Reactive Oxygen Production.

    PubMed

    Sun, Chaohua; Wu, Ting; Zhai, Longmei; Li, Duyue; Zhang, Xinzhong; Xu, Xuefeng; Ma, Huiqin; Wang, Yi; Han, Zhenhai

    2016-01-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important signaling molecules in plants that contribute to stress acclimation. This study demonstrated that ROS play a critical role in Fe deficiency-induced signaling at an early stage in Malus xiaojinensis . Once ROS production has been initiated, prolonged Fe starvation leads to activation of ROS scavenging mechanisms. Further, we demonstrated that ROS scavengers are involved in maintaining the cellular redox homeostasis during prolonged Fe deficiency treatment. Taken together, our results describe a feedback repression loop for ROS to preserve redox homeostasis and maintain a continuous Fe deficiency response in the Fe-efficient woody plant M. xiaojinensis . More broadly, this study reveals a new mechanism in which ROS mediate both positive and negative regulation of plant responses to Fe deficiency stress.

  5. Availability of surface boron species in improved oxygen reduction activity of Pt catalysts: A first-principles study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Libo; Zhou, Gang, E-mail: gzhou@mail.buct.edu.cn

    2016-04-14

    The oxidation process of boron (B) species on the Pt(111) surface and the beneficial effects of boron oxides on the oxygen reduction activity are investigated by first-principles calculations. The single-atom B anchored on the Pt surface has a great attraction for the oxygen species in the immediate environment. With the dissociation of molecular oxygen, a series of boron oxides is formed in succession, both indicating exothermic oxidation reactions. After BO{sub 2} is formed, the subsequent O atom immediately participates in the oxygen reduction reaction. The calculated O adsorption energy is appreciably decreased as compared to Pt catalysts, and more approximatemore » to the optimal value of the volcano plot, from which is clear that O hydrogenation kinetics is improved. The modulation mechanism is mainly based on the electron-deficient nature of stable boron oxides, which normally reduces available electronic states of surface Pt atoms that bind the O by facilitating more electron transfer. This modification strategy from the exterior opens the new way, different from the alloying, to efficient electrocatalyst design for PEMFCs.« less

  6. Exposure to 100% Oxygen Abolishes the Impairment of Fracture Healing after Thoracic Trauma

    PubMed Central

    Kemmler, Julia; Bindl, Ronny; McCook, Oscar; Wagner, Florian; Gröger, Michael; Wagner, Katja; Scheuerle, Angelika; Radermacher, Peter; Ignatius, Anita

    2015-01-01

    In polytrauma patients a thoracic trauma is one of the most critical injuries and an important trigger of post-traumatic inflammation. About 50% of patients with thoracic trauma are additionally affected by bone fractures. The risk for fracture malunion is considerably increased in such patients, the pathomechanisms being poorly understood. Thoracic trauma causes regional alveolar hypoxia and, subsequently, hypoxemia, which in turn triggers local and systemic inflammation. Therefore, we aimed to unravel the role of oxygen in impaired bone regeneration after thoracic trauma. We hypothesized that short-term breathing of 100% oxygen in the early post-traumatic phase ameliorates inflammation and improves bone regeneration. Mice underwent a femur osteotomy alone or combined with blunt chest trauma 100% oxygen was administered immediately after trauma for two separate 3 hour intervals. Arterial blood gas tensions, microcirculatory perfusion and oxygenation were assessed at 3, 9 and 24 hours after injury. Inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative/nitrosative stress were measured in plasma, lung and fracture hematoma. Bone healing was assessed on day 7, 14 and 21. Thoracic trauma induced pulmonary and systemic inflammation and impaired bone healing. Short-term exposure to 100% oxygen in the acute post-traumatic phase significantly attenuated systemic and local inflammatory responses and improved fracture healing without provoking toxic side effects, suggesting that hyperoxia could induce anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative effects after severe injury. These results suggest that breathing of 100% oxygen in the acute post-traumatic phase might reduce the risk of poorly healing fractures in severely injured patients. PMID:26147725

  7. Emotion improves and impairs early vision.

    PubMed

    Bocanegra, Bruno R; Zeelenberg, René

    2009-06-01

    Recent studies indicate that emotion enhances early vision, but the generality of this finding remains unknown. Do the benefits of emotion extend to all basic aspects of vision, or are they limited in scope? Our results show that the brief presentation of a fearful face, compared with a neutral face, enhances sensitivity for the orientation of subsequently presented low-spatial-frequency stimuli, but diminishes orientation sensitivity for high-spatial-frequency stimuli. This is the first demonstration that emotion not only improves but also impairs low-level vision. The selective low-spatial-frequency benefits are consistent with the idea that emotion enhances magnocellular processing. Additionally, we suggest that the high-spatial-frequency deficits are due to inhibitory interactions between magnocellular and parvocellular pathways. Our results suggest an emotion-induced trade-off in visual processing, rather than a general improvement. This trade-off may benefit perceptual dimensions that are relevant for survival at the expense of those that are less relevant.

  8. Examining Changes to Michigan's Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). REL 2015-029

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faria, Ann-Marie; Hawkinson, Laura E.; Greenberg, Ariela C.; Howard, Eboni C.; Brown, Leah

    2015-01-01

    Documenting and improving early childhood program quality is a national priority, leading to a rapid expansion of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs). QRISs document and improve the quality of early childhood education programs and provide clear information to families about their child care choices. The current study described how…

  9. Central command increases muscular oxygenation of the non-exercising arm at the early period of voluntary one-armed cranking.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Kei; Matsukawa, Kanji; Asahara, Ryota; Liang, Nan; Endo, Kana; Idesako, Mitsuhiro; Michioka, Kensuke; Sasaki, Yu; Hamada, Hironobu; Yamashita, Kaori; Watanabe, Tae; Kataoka, Tsuyoshi; Takahashi, Makoto

    2017-04-01

    This study aimed to examine whether central command increases oxygenation in non-contracting arm muscles during contralateral one-armed cranking and whether the oxygenation response caused by central command differs among skeletal muscles of the non-exercising upper limb. In 13 male subjects, the relative changes in oxygenated-hemoglobin concentration (Oxy-Hb) of the non-contracting arm muscles [the anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, biceps brachii, and extensor carpi radialis (ECR)] were measured during voluntary one-armed cranking (intensity, 35-40% of maximal voluntary effort) and mental imagery of the one-armed exercise for 1 min. Voluntary one-armed cranking increased ( P  <   0.05) the Oxy-Hb of the triceps, biceps, and ECR muscles to the same extent (15 ± 4% of the baseline level, 17 ± 5%, and 16 ± 4%, respectively). The greatest increase in the Oxy-Hb was observed in the deltoid muscle. Intravenous injection of atropine (10-15  μ g/kg) and/or propranolol (0.1 mg/kg) revealed that the increased Oxy-Hb of the arm muscles consisted of the rapid atropine-sensitive and delayed propranolol-sensitive components. Mental imagery of the exercise increased the Oxy-Hb of the arm muscles. Motor-driven passive one-armed cranking had little influence on the Oxy-Hb of the arm muscles. It is likely that central command plays a role in the initial increase in oxygenation in the non-contracting arm muscles via sympathetic cholinergic vasodilatation at the early period of one-armed cranking. The centrally induced increase in oxygenation may not be different among the distal arm muscles but may augment in the deltoid muscle. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

  10. Posttransplant oxygen inhalation improves the outcome of subcutaneous islet transplantation: A promising clinical alternative to the conventional intrahepatic site.

    PubMed

    Komatsu, H; Rawson, J; Barriga, A; Gonzalez, N; Mendez, D; Li, J; Omori, K; Kandeel, F; Mullen, Y

    2018-04-01

    Subcutaneous tissue is a promising site for islet transplantation, due to its large area and accessibility, which allows minimally invasive procedures for transplantation, graft monitoring, and removal of malignancies as needed. However, relative to the conventional intrahepatic transplantation site, the subcutaneous site requires a large number of islets to achieve engraftment success and diabetes reversal, due to hypoxia and low vascularity. We report that the efficiency of subcutaneous islet transplantation in a Lewis rat model is significantly improved by treating recipients with inhaled 50% oxygen, in conjunction with prevascularization of the graft bed by agarose-basic fibroblast growth factor. Administration of 50% oxygen increased oxygen tension in the subcutaneous site to 140 mm Hg, compared to 45 mm Hg under ambient air. In vitro, islets cultured under 140 mm Hg oxygen showed reduced central necrosis and increased insulin release, compared to those maintained in 45 mm Hg oxygen. Six hundred syngeneic islets subcutaneously transplanted into the prevascularized graft bed reversed diabetes when combined with postoperative 50% oxygen inhalation for 3 days, a number comparable to that required for intrahepatic transplantation; in the absence of oxygen treatment, diabetes was not reversed. Thus, we show oxygen inhalation to be a simple and promising approach to successfully establishing subcutaneous islet transplantation. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  11. Oxygen Therapy for Patients With COPD

    PubMed Central

    Stoller, James K.; Panos, Ralph J.; Krachman, Samuel; Doherty, Dennis E.

    2010-01-01

    Long-term use of supplemental oxygen improves survival in patients with COPD and severe resting hypoxemia. However, the role of oxygen in symptomatic patients with COPD and more moderate hypoxemia at rest and desaturation with activity is unclear. The few long-term reports of supplemental oxygen in this group have been of small size and insufficient to demonstrate a survival benefit. Short-term trials have suggested beneficial effects other than survival in patients with COPD and moderate hypoxemia at rest. In addition, supplemental oxygen appeared to improve exercise performance in small short-term investigations of patients with COPD and moderate hypoxemia at rest and desaturation with exercise, but long-term trials evaluating patient-reported outcomes are lacking. This article reviews the evidence for long-term use of supplemental oxygen therapy and provides a rationale for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Long-term Oxygen Treatment Trial. The trial plans to enroll subjects with COPD with moderate hypoxemia at rest or desaturation with exercise and compare tailored oxygen therapy to no oxygen therapy. PMID:20605816

  12. Oxygen gradients in the microcirculation.

    PubMed

    Pittman, R N

    2011-07-01

    Early in the last century August Krogh embarked on a series of seminal studies to understand the connection between tissue metabolism and mechanisms by which the cardiovascular system supplied oxygen to meet those needs. Krogh recognized that oxygen was supplied from blood to the tissues by passive diffusion and that the most likely site for oxygen exchange was the capillary network. Studies of tissue oxygen consumption and diffusion coefficient, coupled with anatomical studies of capillarity in various tissues, led him to formulate a model of oxygen diffusion from a single capillary. Fifty years after the publication of this work, new methods were developed which allowed the direct measurement of oxygen in and around microvessels. These direct measurements have confirmed the predictions by Krogh and have led to extensions of his ideas resulting in our current understanding of oxygenation within the microcirculation. Developments during the last 40 years are reviewed, including studies of oxygen gradients in arterioles, capillaries, venules, microvessel wall and surrounding tissue. These measurements were made possible by the development and use of new methods to investigate oxygen in the microcirculation, so mention is made of oxygen microelectrodes, microspectrophotometry of haemoglobin and phosphorescence quenching microscopy. Our understanding of oxygen transport from the perspective of the microcirculation has gone from a consideration of oxygen gradients in capillaries and tissue to the realization that oxygen has the ability to diffuse from any microvessel to another location under the conditions that there exists a large enough PO(2) gradient and that the permeability for oxygen along the intervening pathway is sufficient. © 2011 The Author. Acta Physiologica © 2011 Scandinavian Physiological Society.

  13. The Stroke Oxygen Study (SO2S) - a multi-center, study to assess whether routine oxygen treatment in the first 72 hours after a stroke improves long-term outcome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Mild hypoxia is common in stroke patients and may have significant adverse effects on the ischemic brain after stroke. The use of oxygen treatment is rapidly increasing in European stroke units but is not without side effects. It impedes early mobilization, could pose an infection risk, and may encourage the formation of toxic free radicals, leading to further damage to the ischemic brain. In the Stroke Oxygen Pilot Study (2 or 3 L/min for 72 hours) neurological recovery at one week was better in the oxygen group than in controls, and after correction for difference in baseline stroke severity and prognostic factors, there was a trend to better outcome with oxygen at six months. Oxygen was as effective in mild as in severe strokes. Oxygen saturation is lower at night than during the day, and episodes of oxygen desaturation are common during sleep. Nocturnal oxygen supplementation is likely to reduce the burden of hypoxia without interfering with daytime mobilization and rehabilitation. Before wider use of oxygen supplementation becomes established it is important to obtain better evidence on which patients benefit from such treatment. Methods Participants will be randomized to one of three groups: the first will receive continuous oxygen for 72 hours (at a rate of 2 or 3 L/min depending on baseline oxygen saturation), the second group will receive nocturnal oxygen only (at a rate of 2 or 3 L/min depending on baseline oxygen saturation) and the third group will not receive any oxygen (control). A baseline assessment is performed at randomization and a one-week follow-up completed. Outcome data at three, six and twelve months will be obtained via a questionnaire sent to the patient by the trial center. Discussion This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of oxygen supplementation for the treatment of stroke and whether nocturnal oxygen is a potentially beneficial therapy regimen. Trial registration This trial is registered with the ISRCTN

  14. Acetazolamide during acute hypoxia improves tissue oxygenation in the human brain.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kang; Smith, Zachary M; Buxton, Richard B; Swenson, Erik R; Dubowitz, David J

    2015-12-15

    Low doses of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide provides accelerated acclimatization to high-altitude hypoxia and prevention of cerebral and other symptoms of acute mountain sickness. We previously observed increases in cerebral O2 metabolism (CMRO2 ) during hypoxia. In this study, we investigate whether low-dose oral acetazolamide (250 mg) reduces this elevated CMRO2 and in turn might improve cerebral tissue oxygenation (PtiO2 ) during acute hypoxia. Six normal human subjects were exposed to 6 h of normobaric hypoxia with and without acetazolamide prophylaxis. We determined CMRO2 and cerebral PtiO2 from MRI measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral venous O2 saturation. During normoxia, low-dose acetazolamide resulted in no significant change in CBF, CMRO2 , or PtiO2 . During hypoxia, we observed increases in CBF [48.5 (SD 12.4) (normoxia) to 65.5 (20.4) ml·100 ml(-1)·min(-1) (hypoxia), P < 0.05] and CMRO2 [1.54 (0.19) to 1.79 (0.25) μmol·ml(-1)·min(-1), P < 0.05] and a dramatic decline in PtiO2 [25.0 to 11.4 (2.7) mmHg, P < 0.05]. Acetazolamide prophylaxis mitigated these rises in CBF [53.7 (20.7) ml·100 ml(-1)·min(-1) (hypoxia + acetazolamide)] and CMRO2 [1.41 (0.09) μmol·ml(-1)·min(-1) (hypoxia + acetazolamide)] associated with acute hypoxia but also reduced O2 delivery [6.92 (1.45) (hypoxia) to 5.60 (1.14) mmol/min (hypoxia + acetazolamide), P < 0.05]. The net effect was improved cerebral tissue PtiO2 during acute hypoxia [11.4 (2.7) (hypoxia) to 16.5 (3.0) mmHg (hypoxia + acetazolamide), P < 0.05]. In addition to its renal effect, low-dose acetazolamide is effective at the capillary endothelium, and we hypothesize that local interruption in cerebral CO2 excretion accounts for the improvements in CMRO2 and ultimately in cerebral tissue oxygenation during hypoxia. This study suggests a potentially pivotal role of cerebral CO2 and pH in modulating CMRO2 and PtiO2 during acute hypoxia. Copyright © 2015 the American

  15. Microfluidic wound bandage: localized oxygen modulation of collagen maturation.

    PubMed

    Lo, Joe F; Brennan, Martin; Merchant, Zameer; Chen, Lin; Guo, Shujuan; Eddington, David T; DiPietro, Luisa A

    2013-01-01

    Restoring tissue oxygenation has the potential to improve poorly healing wounds with impaired microvasculature. Compared with more established wound therapy using hyperbaric oxygen chambers, topical oxygen therapy has lower cost and better patient comfort, although topical devices have provided inconsistent results. To provide controlled topical oxygen while minimizing moisture loss, a major issue for topical oxygen, we have devised a novel wound bandage based on microfluidic diffusion delivery of oxygen. In addition to modulating oxygen from 0 to 100% in 60 seconds rise time, the microfluidic oxygen bandage provides a conformal seal around the wound. When 100% oxygen is delivered, it penetrates wound tissues as measured in agar phantom and in vivo wounds. Using this microfluidic bandage, we applied the oxygen modulation to 8 mm excisional wounds prepared on diabetic mice. Treatment with the microfluidic bandage demonstrated improved collagen maturity in the wound bed, although only marginal differences were observed in total collagen, microvasculature, and external closure rates. Our results show that proper topical oxygen can improve wound parameters underneath the surface. Because of the ease of fabrication, the oxygen bandage represents an economical yet practical method for oxygen wound research. © 2013 by the Wound Healing Society.

  16. Topical oxygen therapy induces vascular endothelial growth factor expression and improves closure of clinically presented chronic wounds.

    PubMed

    Gordillo, Gayle M; Roy, Sashwati; Khanna, Savita; Schlanger, Richard; Khandelwal, Sorabh; Phillips, Gary; Sen, Chandan K

    2008-08-01

    1. Chronic wounds, especially in diabetics, represent a serious threat to human health. 2. Correcting a compromised state of tissue oxygenation by the administration of supplemental O(2) is known to benefit wound healing. Beyond its role as a nutrient and antibiotic, O(2) supports wound healing by driving redox signaling. 3. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is widely used and approved by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to treat specific ulcerations. The current literature supports the notion that approaches to topically oxygenate wounds may be productive. 4. Here, we present the results of two simultaneous studies testing the effects of HBO and portable topical oxygen (TO) therapies. These two therapeutic approaches have several contrasting features. 5. In total, 1854 patients were screened in outpatient wound clinics for non-randomized enrolments into the HBO (n = 32; 31% diabetic) and TO (n = 25; 52% diabetic) studies. 6. Under the conditions of the present study, HBO treatment seemed to benefit some wounds while not benefiting others. Overall, HBO did not result in statistically significant improvements in wound size in the given population over the time monitored in the present study. 7. However, TO significantly improved wound size. Among the three O(2)-sensitive genes (VEGF, TGFbeta1 and COL1A1) studied in wound edge tissue biopsies, TO treatment was associated with higher VEGF165 expression in healing wounds. Expression of the other genes mentioned was not affected by TO. There was no significant change in the expression levels of any of genes studied in patients in the HBO study. This establishes a link between VEGF gene expression and healing outcome for TO therapy. 8. Taken together, the present study provides evidence demonstrating that TO treatment benefits wound healing in patients suffering from chronic wounds. Treatment with TO is associated with an induction of VEGF expression in wound edge tissue and an improvement in wound size.

  17. AUDIT OF OXYGEN PRESCRIBING IN A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

    PubMed

    Wheeler, Lucy; James, Janet; Byrne, Sarah; Forton, Julian

    2016-09-01

    To audit oxygen prescribing in a children's hospital following the introduction of a new paediatric medication chart, which incorporates an oxygen prescription section. In June 2015 a 1-day snapshot audit was carried out across all wards in the children's hospital. All patients receiving oxygen on that day were included:▸ The audit was repeated in July 2015.▸ The standards for the audit were set at 100% in accordance with our local guidelines.1 ▸ All patients receiving oxygen should have a prescription. Of these:▸ All patients should have target saturations identified.▸ All patients should have an administration device identified.▸ All patients should have a nurse signature on the chart within the last 12 hrs. In June, 13 patients were receiving oxygen on the audit day. 0/14 had a prescription.In July, 18 patients were receiving oxygen on the audit day. (14 critical care, 4 medicine).4/18 had an oxygen prescription (22%). These were all medical patients. Of these, 4 patients had a target saturation identified (100%), 1 had a device prescribed (25%), and 4 had a nurse signature within the last 12 hrs (100%). The initial audit showed no compliance with either local or national guidance for oxygen prescribing.1 2 The re-audit showed improved prescribing on the medical wards but not within critical care. The new paediatric medication chart was launched early in 2015, along with a training package for doctors, nurses and pharmacists. This was in response to the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) rapid response report on oxygen safety in hospitals.3 There was a gap between the training and the new charts being available which may have led to the poor results in the first audit. Increased awareness of the charts and the initial audit results probably helped improve prescribing in the re-audit. For medical patients, prescribing and monitoring was good, although device was infrequently prescribed. Critical care have not engaged with the new chart

  18. Mechanisms and Early Detections of Multidecadal Oxygen Changes in the Interior Subpolar North Atlantic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tjiputra, J. F.; Goris, N.; Lauvset, S. K.; Heinze, C.; Olsen, A.; Schwinger, J.; Steinfeldt, R.

    2018-05-01

    The oxygen response in the subpolar North Atlantic (SPNA) to future climate change is poorly understood. We investigate the multidecadal variability in interior oxygen and its association with the subpolar gyre index (a gyre strength proxy) for models and data. During positive phases, persistent strong Labrador Sea (LS) lateral and vertical mixing entrains oxygen-rich water into the interior southern SPNA and vice versa during negative phases. This is indicated by the observed anomalously fresh, cold, and low apparent oxygen utilization, resembling LS water mass during positive phases. We use this relationship to benchmark Earth system models. Under a high CO2 future, the best performing models project a steady decline in SPNA oxygen, driven partly by lower solubility and increases in apparent oxygen utilization. The deoxygenation depends on the sensitivity of the LS mixing to warming. The time of emergence of interior oxygen is projected to be decades earlier than that of temperature and salinity.

  19. Improving Early Warning Systems with Categorized Course Resource Usage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waddington, R. Joseph; Nam, SungJin; Lonn, Steven; Teasley, Stephanie D.

    2016-01-01

    Early Warning Systems (EWSs) aggregate multiple sources of data to provide timely information to stakeholders about students in need of academic support. There is an increasing need to incorporate relevant data about student behaviors into the algorithms underlying EWSs to improve predictors of students' success or failure. Many EWSs currently…

  20. Oxidation driven ZnS Core-ZnO shell photocatalysts under controlled oxygen atmosphere for improved photocatalytic solar water splitting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bak, Daegil; Kim, Jung Hyeun

    2018-06-01

    Zinc type photocatalysts attract great attentions in solar hydrogen production due to their easy availability and benign environmental characteristics. Spherical ZnS particles are synthesized with a facile hydrothermal method, and they are further used as core materials to introduce ZnO shell layer surrounding the core part by partial oxidation under controlled oxygen contents. The resulting ZnS core-ZnO shell photocatalysts represent the heterostructural type II band alignment. The existence of oxide layer also influences on proton adsorption power with an aid of strong base cites derived from highly electronegative oxygen atoms in ZnO shell layer. Photocatalytic water splitting reaction is performed to evaluate catalyst efficiency under standard one sun condition, and the highest hydrogen evolution rate (1665 μmolg-1h-1) is achieved from the sample oxidized at 16.2 kPa oxygen pressure. This highest hydrogen production rate is achieved in cooperation with increased light absorption and promoted charge separations. Photoluminescence analysis reveals that the improved visible light response is obtained after thermal oxidation process due to the oxygen vacancy states in the ZnO shell layer. Therefore, overall photocatalytic efficiency in solar hydrogen production is enhanced by improved charge separations, crystallinity, and visible light responses from the ZnS core-ZnO shell structures induced by thermal oxidation.

  1. Rostral anterior cingulate cortex activity and early symptom improvement during treatment for major depressive disorder

    PubMed Central

    Korb, Alexander S.; Hunter, Aimee M.; Cook, Ian A.; Leuchter, Andrew F.

    2011-01-01

    In treatment trials for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), early symptom improvement is predictive of eventual clinical response. Clinical response may also be predicted by elevated pretreatment theta (4-7 Hz) current density in the rostral anterior cingulate (rACC) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC). We investigated the relationship between pretreatment EEG and early improvement in predicting clinical outcome in 72 MDD subjects across three placebo-controlled treatment trials. Subjects were randomized to receive fluoxetine, venlafaxine, or placebo. Theta current density in the rACC and mOFC was computed with Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA). An ANCOVA, examining week 8 Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HamD) percent change, showed a significant effect of week-2-HamD-percent-change, and a significant three-way interaction of week-2-HamD-percent-change × Treatment × rACC. Medication subjects with robust early improvement showed almost no relationship between rACC theta current density and final clinical outcome. However, in subjects with little early improvement, rACC activity showed a strong relationship with clinical outcome. The model examining mOFC showed a trend in the three-way interaction. A combination of pretreatment rACC activity and early symptom improvement may be useful for predicting treatment response. PMID:21546222

  2. The terrestrial hydro-climate of the Early Eocene: insights from the oxygen and clumped isotope composition of pedogenic siderite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Dijk, J.; Fernandez, A.; Müller, I.; White, T. S.; Bernasconi, S. M.

    2016-12-01

    The Early Eocene (56 Ma) is the youngest period of Earth's history when CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere (600-1500 ppm) reached levels close to those predicted for future emission scenarios. Proxy-based climate reconstructions from this interval can therefore be used to gain insights on effects that anthropogenic emissions might have on the climate system. So far, Early Eocene climatic data is limited to the oceans, where proxies for temperature are abundant and relatively well understood. However, in order to get a complete picture of the Early Eocene climate, temperature and rainfall reconstructions on the continental paleo-surface are needed. Here, we present clumped and stable oxygen isotope measurements of siderite samples collected along a North-South transect in the North American Continent. These siderites formed in kaolinitic soils that developed globally under the extremely wet and warm conditions of the Early Eocene. They provide a record of both soil temperature and the δ18O composition of meteoric water, which can be used to unravel the regional paleo-precipitation rate. Both parameters were estimated using an elaborate in-house calibration constructed with synthetic siderite precipitated in the presence or absence of iron reducing bacteria. Measurements of δD on plant-derived N-alkanes present within the same soils align well with our δ18Owater data, confirming an Early Eocene meteoric water line similar to the present day. We provide an estimate of the meridional temperature gradient during the Early Eocene and offer constraints on the boundary conditions of the Earth's hydrologic cycle under high pCO2.

  3. Effect of Noninvasive Ventilation vs Oxygen Therapy on Mortality Among Immunocompromised Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Lemiale, Virginie; Mokart, Djamel; Resche-Rigon, Matthieu; Pène, Frédéric; Mayaux, Julien; Faucher, Etienne; Nyunga, Martine; Girault, Christophe; Perez, Pierre; Guitton, Christophe; Ekpe, Kenneth; Kouatchet, Achille; Théodose, Igor; Benoit, Dominique; Canet, Emmanuel; Barbier, François; Rabbat, Antoine; Bruneel, Fabrice; Vincent, Francois; Klouche, Kada; Loay, Kontar; Mariotte, Eric; Bouadma, Lila; Moreau, Anne-Sophie; Seguin, Amélie; Meert, Anne-Pascale; Reignier, Jean; Papazian, Laurent; Mehzari, Ilham; Cohen, Yves; Schenck, Maleka; Hamidfar, Rebecca; Darmon, Michael; Demoule, Alexandre; Chevret, Sylvie; Azoulay, Elie

    2015-10-27

    Noninvasive ventilation has been recommended to decrease mortality among immunocompromised patients with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure. However, its effectiveness for this indication remains unclear. To determine whether early noninvasive ventilation improved survival in immunocompromised patients with nonhypercapnic acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Multicenter randomized trial conducted among 374 critically ill immunocompromised patients, of whom 317 (84.7%) were receiving treatment for hematologic malignancies or solid tumors, at 28 intensive care units (ICUs) in France and Belgium between August 12, 2013, and January 2, 2015. Patients were randomly assigned to early noninvasive ventilation (n = 191) or oxygen therapy alone (n = 183). The primary outcome was day-28 mortality. Secondary outcomes were intubation, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score on day 3, ICU-acquired infections, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay. At randomization, median oxygen flow was 9 L/min (interquartile range, 5-15) in the noninvasive ventilation group and 9 L/min (interquartile range, 6-15) in the oxygen group. All patients in the noninvasive ventilation group received the first noninvasive ventilation session immediately after randomization. On day 28 after randomization, 46 deaths (24.1%) had occurred in the noninvasive ventilation group vs 50 (27.3%) in the oxygen group (absolute difference, -3.2 [95% CI, -12.1 to 5.6]; P = .47). Oxygenation failure occurred in 155 patients overall (41.4%), 73 (38.2%) in the noninvasive ventilation group and 82 (44.8%) in the oxygen group (absolute difference, -6.6 [95% CI, -16.6 to 3.4]; P = .20). There were no significant differences in ICU-acquired infections, duration of mechanical ventilation, or lengths of ICU or hospital stays. Among immunocompromised patients admitted to the ICU with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure, early noninvasive ventilation compared with oxygen therapy alone did

  4. Operational Considerations for Oxygen Flammability Risks: Concentrated Oxygen Diffusion and Permeation Behaviors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harper, Susana; Smith, Sarah; Juarez, Alfredo; Hirsch, David

    2010-01-01

    Increased human spaceflight operations utilize oxygen concentrations that are frequently varied with use of concentrations up to 100 percent oxygen. Even after exiting a higher percentage oxygen environment, high oxygen concentrations can still be maintained due to material saturation and oxygen entrapment between barrier materials. This paper examines the material flammability concerns that arise from changing oxygen environments during spaceflight operations. We examine the time required for common spacecraft and spacesuit materials exposed to oxygen to return to reduced ignitability and flammability once removed from the increased concentration. Various common spacecraft materials were considered: spacecraft cabin environment foams, Extra Vehicular Mobility Unit materials and foams, Advanced Crew Escape Suit materials, and other materials of interest such as Cotton, Nomex^ HT90-40, and Tiburon Surgical Drape. This paper presents calculated diffusion coefficients derived from experimentally obtained oxygen transmission rates for the tested materials and the analytically derived times necessary for reduced flammability to be achieved based on NASA flammability criteria. Oxygen material saturation and entrapment scenarios are examined. Experimental verification data on oxygen diffusion in saturation scenarios are also presented and discussed. We examine how to use obtained data to address flammability concerns during operational planning to reduce the likelihood of fires while improving efficiency for procedures.

  5. Dissolved oxygen concentration in the medium during cell culture: Defects and improvements.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Kuan; Zhao, Tong; Huang, Xin; He, Yunlin; Zhou, Yanzhao; Wu, Liying; Wu, Kuiwu; Fan, Ming; Zhu, Lingling

    2016-03-01

    In vitro cell culture has provided a useful model to study the effects of oxygen on cellular behavior. However, it remains unknown whether the in vitro operations themselves affect the medium oxygen levels and the living states of cells. In addition, a prevailing controversy is whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is induced by continuous hypoxia or reoxygenation. In this study, we have measured the effects of different types of cell culture containers and the oxygen environment where medium replacement takes place on the actual oxygen tension in the medium. We found that the deviations of oxygen concentrations in the medium are much greater in 25-cm(2) flasks than in 24-well plates and 35-mm dishes. The dissolved oxygen concentrations in the medium were increased after medium replacement in normoxia, but remained unchanged in glove boxes in which the oxygen tension remained at a low level (11.4, 5.7, and 0.5% O2 ). We also found that medium replacement in normoxia increased the number of ROS-positive cells and reduced the cell viability; meanwhile, medium replacement in a glove box did not produce the above effects. Therefore, we conclude that the use of 25-cm(2) flasks should be avoided and demonstrate that continuous hypoxia does not produce ROS, whereas the reoxygenation that occurs during the harvesting of cells leads to ROS and induces cell death. © 2015 International Federation for Cell Biology.

  6. iPads: Improving Numeracy Learning in the Early Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spencer, Peta

    2013-01-01

    The concept of mobile technologies is now an emergency theme in educational research, yet the playing of these edutainment applications and their impact on early childhood learning needs to be fully explored. This study highlights current research and explores how iPads improve student learning. It also examines how the introduction of iPads,…

  7. Improving Hospital-Wide Early Resource Allocation through Machine Learning.

    PubMed

    Gartner, Daniel; Padman, Rema

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which early determination of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) can be used for better allocation of scarce hospital resources. When elective patients seek admission, the true DRG, currently determined only at discharge, is unknown. We approach the problem of early DRG determination in three stages: (1) test how much a Naïve Bayes classifier can improve classification accuracy as compared to a hospital's current approach; (2) develop a statistical program that makes admission and scheduling decisions based on the patients' clincial pathways and scarce hospital resources; and (3) feed the DRG as classified by the Naïve Bayes classifier and the hospitals' baseline approach into the model (which we evaluate in simulation). Our results reveal that the DRG grouper performs poorly in classifying the DRG correctly before admission while the Naïve Bayes approach substantially improves the classification task. The results from the connection of the classification method with the mathematical program also reveal that resource allocation decisions can be more effective and efficient with the hybrid approach.

  8. Novel Mahalanobis-based feature selection improves one-class classification of early hepatocellular carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Thomaz, Ricardo de Lima; Carneiro, Pedro Cunha; Bonin, João Eliton; Macedo, Túlio Augusto Alves; Patrocinio, Ana Claudia; Soares, Alcimar Barbosa

    2018-05-01

    Detection of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for increasing survival rates in up to 40%. One-class classifiers can be used for modeling early HCC in multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), but demand the specific knowledge pertaining to the set of features that best describes the target class. Although the literature outlines several features for characterizing liver lesions, it is unclear which is most relevant for describing early HCC. In this paper, we introduce an unconstrained GA feature selection algorithm based on a multi-objective Mahalanobis fitness function to improve the classification performance for early HCC. We compared our approach to a constrained Mahalanobis function and two other unconstrained functions using Welch's t-test and Gaussian Data Descriptors. The performance of each fitness function was evaluated by cross-validating a one-class SVM. The results show that the proposed multi-objective Mahalanobis fitness function is capable of significantly reducing data dimensionality (96.4%) and improving one-class classification of early HCC (0.84 AUC). Furthermore, the results provide strong evidence that intensity features extracted at the arterial to portal and arterial to equilibrium phases are important for classifying early HCC.

  9. [Comparison of the results of long term oxygen therapy in patients treated sequentially using stationary or a portable source of oxygen].

    PubMed

    Czajkowska-Malinowska, Małgorzata; Połtyn, Beata; Ciesielska, Anna; Kruża, Katarzyna; Jesionka, Paweł

    2012-01-01

    In long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) two oxygen sources are used, i.e. the stationary oxygen concentrator (OC) and portable liquid oxygen (LO). Polish NHS reimburses stationary oxygen sources only. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of change from OC into LO in patients treated using LTOT. The study involved 30 patients qualified to LTOT. The degree of dyspnoea intensity, (MRC, Borg scale), exercise tolerance (6MWT), fitness, daily use of oxygen therapy, red blood count, lung function, number of exacerbations as well as health related quality of life (SGRQ) were assessed before introduction of LTOT, after 6 months of oxygen therapy using OC and after 6 months from change into LO. During first 6 months RBC decreased from 5.4 to 5.1 (p < 0.0001), HTC from 50.1% to 47.8% (p < 0.0001), 6MWD increased from 337.7 to 378.7 m (p < 0.0001), SGRQ score improved from 72.1 points to 64.4 points (p < 0.0001). Treatment with LO resulted in further improvement in studied parameters: RBC decreased from 5.1 to 4.8 (p < 0.0001), HTC from 47.8% to 44.3% (p < 0.0001), 6MWD increased from 378.7 m to 413 m (p < 0.0001), SGRQ score improved from 64.4 points to 54.9 points (p < 0.0001). Significant increase in daily oxygen breathing hours from 13.7 to 18.9 (p < 0.0001) was also observed. Use of liquid oxygen enables oxygen therapy at home and during ambulation and increases oxygen breathing hours, thus improving red blood count, exercise capacity and health related quality of life.

  10. Increased sediment oxygen flux in lakes and reservoirs: The impact of hypolimnetic oxygenation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bierlein, Kevin A.; Rezvani, Maryam; Socolofsky, Scott A.; Bryant, Lee D.; Wüest, Alfred; Little, John C.

    2017-06-01

    Hypolimnetic oxygenation is an increasingly common lake management strategy for mitigating hypoxia/anoxia and associated deleterious effects on water quality. A common effect of oxygenation is increased oxygen consumption in the hypolimnion and predicting the magnitude of this increase is the crux of effective oxygenation system design. Simultaneous measurements of sediment oxygen flux (JO2) and turbulence in the bottom boundary layer of two oxygenated lakes were used to investigate the impact of oxygenation on JO2. Oxygenation increased JO2 in both lakes by increasing the bulk oxygen concentration, which in turn steepens the diffusive gradient across the diffusive boundary layer. At high flow rates, the diffusive boundary layer thickness decreased as well. A transect along one of the lakes showed JO2 to be spatially quite variable, with near-field and far-field JO2 differing by a factor of 4. Using these in situ measurements, physical models of interfacial flux were compared to microprofile-derived JO2 to determine which models adequately predict JO2 in oxygenated lakes. Models based on friction velocity, turbulence dissipation rate, and the integral scale of turbulence agreed with microprofile-derived JO2 in both lakes. These models could potentially be used to predict oxygenation-induced oxygen flux and improve oxygenation system design methods for a broad range of reservoir systems.

  11. An oxygen slow-releasing material and its application in water remediation as oxygen supplier.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yanbo; Fang, Xingbin; Zhang, Zhiqing; Hu, Yonghua; Lu, Jun

    2017-11-01

    In this study, an oxygen slow-releasing material (OSRM) consisting of calcium peroxide (CaO 2 ), stearic acid (SA) and quartz sand was used to improve oxygen supply during bioremediation. The oxygen-releasing rates of CaO 2 powder and OSRM with different SA contents were investigated. The efficacy of OSRM as an oxygen supplier was assessed by water remediation experiments using activated sludge. Results showed that CaO 2 powder was effectively embedded by SA under anhydrous conditions. The oxygen-releasing rate decreased with increasing SA contents. Moreover, the OSRM exhibited higher oxygen-releasing capacity, and more effective pH control ability than CaO 2 powder. The water remediation experiments showed better removal of COD and [Formula: see text] with OSRM as the oxygen supplier. These results provided detailed information when CaO 2 was applied as the oxygen supplier in water remediation, which can serve as references for field application of bioremediation.

  12. Combined Hyperbaric Oxygen Partial Pressure at 1.4 Bar with Infrared Radiation: A Useful Tool To Improve Tissue Hypoxemia?

    PubMed

    Dünnwald, Tobias; Held, Julia; Balan, Petru; Pecher, Otto; Zeiger, Thomas; Hartig, Frank; Mur, Erich; Weiss, Günter; Schobersberger, Wolfgang

    2018-06-13

    Tissue hypoxia contributes to the pathogenesis of several acute and chronic diseases. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) and whole-body warming using low-temperature infrared technology (LIT) are techniques that might improve hypoxemia. Combining HBO and LIT as hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with low-temperature infrared radiation (HBOIR) might be an approach that results in positive synergistic effects on oxygenation. LIT increases blood flow and could reduce HBO-induced vasoconstriction, and hyperoxia could compensate for the increased metabolic oxygen requirements mediated by LIT. Both LIT and HBO increase the oxygen diffusion distance in the tissues. HBOIR at 0.5 bar has been shown to be safe and feasible. However, physiological responses and the safety of HBOIR at an increased oxygen (O2) partial pressure of 1.4 bar or 2.4 atmospheres absolute (ATA) still need to be determined. The hope is that should HBOIR at an increased oxygen partial pressure of 1.4 bar be safe, future studies to examine its efficacy in patients with clinical conditions, which include peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or wound healing disorders, will follow. The results of pilot studies have shown that HBOIR at an overload pressure is safe and well tolerated in healthy participants but can generate moderate cardiovascular changes and an increase in body temperature. From the findings of this pilot study, due to its potential synergistic effects, HBOIR could be a promising tool for the treatment of human diseases associated with hypoxemia.

  13. Oxygen: the two-faced elixir of life.

    PubMed

    Biddle, Chuck

    2008-02-01

    Take a moment and consider our planet without oxygen. Imagine the earth some 2.5 billion years ago when oxygen first appeared as a waste product of early anaerobes. Oxygen, as we know it today, is essential for life. Abundant and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, oxygen has widespread use in industry and healthcare. Anesthesia providers routinely administer oxygen in concentrations exceeding that in ambient air to ensure clinical safety and to offset the predictable sequelae associated with patient, drug-related, and procedural factors. Understanding the history of this unique element is critical in evaluating the often contentious body of contemporary research that has illuminated its efficacy (as elixir) and its attendant complications (its "two-faced" nature). Of particular interest is its role in free radical formation as etiogenic in developing complications. Oxygen is a mainstay in the perioperative management of patients, but its administration should be guided by thoughtful and rational goal-directed outcomes to maximize efficacy and minimize complications associated with its use.

  14. Effect of Conservative vs Conventional Oxygen Therapy on Mortality Among Patients in an Intensive Care Unit: The Oxygen-ICU Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Girardis, Massimo; Busani, Stefano; Damiani, Elisa; Donati, Abele; Rinaldi, Laura; Marudi, Andrea; Morelli, Andrea; Antonelli, Massimo; Singer, Mervyn

    2016-10-18

    Despite suggestions of potential harm from unnecessary oxygen therapy, critically ill patients spend substantial periods in a hyperoxemic state. A strategy of controlled arterial oxygenation is thus rational but has not been validated in clinical practice. To assess whether a conservative protocol for oxygen supplementation could improve outcomes in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Oxygen-ICU was a single-center, open-label, randomized clinical trial conducted from March 2010 to October 2012 that included all adults admitted with an expected length of stay of 72 hours or longer to the medical-surgical ICU of Modena University Hospital, Italy. The originally planned sample size was 660 patients, but the study was stopped early due to difficulties in enrollment after inclusion of 480 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive oxygen therapy to maintain Pao2 between 70 and 100 mm Hg or arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (Spo2) between 94% and 98% (conservative group) or, according to standard ICU practice, to allow Pao2 values up to 150 mm Hg or Spo2 values between 97% and 100% (conventional control group). The primary outcome was ICU mortality. Secondary outcomes included occurrence of new organ failure and infection 48 hours or more after ICU admission. A total of 434 patients (median age, 64 years; 188 [43.3%] women) received conventional (n = 218) or conservative (n = 216) oxygen therapy and were included in the modified intent-to-treat analysis. Daily time-weighted Pao2 averages during the ICU stay were significantly higher (P < .001) in the conventional group (median Pao2, 102 mm Hg [interquartile range, 88-116]) vs the conservative group (median Pao2, 87 mm Hg [interquartile range, 79-97]). Twenty-five patients in the conservative oxygen therapy group (11.6%) and 44 in the conventional oxygen therapy group (20.2%) died during their ICU stay (absolute risk reduction [ARR], 0.086 [95% CI, 0.017-0.150]; relative risk [RR], 0

  15. Stacking Oxygen-Separation Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schroeder, James E.

    1991-01-01

    Simplified configuration and procedure developed for assembly of stacks of solid-electrolyte cells separating oxygen from air electrochemically. Reduces number of components and thus reduces probability of such failures as gas leaks, breakdown of sensitive parts, and electrical open or short circuits. Previous, more complicated version of cell described in "Improved Zirconia Oxygen-Separation Cell" (NPO-16161).

  16. Brain tissue oxygen tension is more indicative of oxygen diffusion than oxygen delivery and metabolism in patients with traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, Guy; Hemphill, J Claude; Sorani, Marco; Martin, Christine; Morabito, Diane; Obrist, Walter D; Manley, Geoffrey T

    2008-06-01

    Despite the growing clinical use of brain tissue oxygen monitoring, the specific determinants of low brain tissue oxygen tension (P(bt)O2) following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain poorly defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether P(bt)O2 more closely reflects variables related to cerebral oxygen diffusion or reflects cerebral oxygen delivery and metabolism. Prospective observational study. Level I trauma center. Fourteen TBI patients with advanced neuromonitoring underwent an oxygen challenge (increase in FiO2 to 1.0) to assess tissue oxygen reactivity, pressure challenge (increase in mean arterial pressure) to assess autoregulation, and CO2 challenge (hyperventilation) to assess cerebral vasoreactivity. None. P(bt)O2 was measured directly with a parenchymal probe in the least-injured hemisphere. Local cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured with a parenchymal thermal diffusion probe. Cerebral venous blood gases were drawn from a jugular bulb venous catheter. We performed 119 measurements of PaO2, arterial oxygen content (CaO2), jugular bulb venous oxygen tension (PVO2), venous oxygen content (CVO2), arteriovenous oxygen content difference (AVDO2), and local cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (locCMRO2). In multivariable analysis adjusting for various variables of cerebral oxygen delivery and metabolism, the only statistically significant relationship was that between P(bt)O2 and the product of CBF and cerebral arteriovenous oxygen tension difference (AVTO2), suggesting a strong association between brain tissue oxygen tension and diffusion of dissolved plasma oxygen across the blood-brain barrier. Measurements of P(bt)O2 represent the product of CBF and the cerebral AVTO2 rather than a direct measurement of total oxygen delivery or cerebral oxygen metabolism. This improved understanding of the cerebral physiology of P(bt)O2 should enhance the clinical utility of brain tissue oxygen monitoring in patients with TBI.

  17. Early-career registered nurses' participation in hospital quality improvement activities.

    PubMed

    Djukic, Maja; Kovner, Christine T; Brewer, Carol S; Fatehi, Farida K; Bernstein, Ilya

    2013-01-01

    We surveyed 2 cohorts of early-career registered nurses from 15 states in the US, 2 years apart, to compare their reported participation in hospital quality improvement (QI) activities. We anticipated differences between the 2 cohorts because of the growth of several initiatives for engaging nurses in QI. There were no differences between the 2 cohorts across 14 measured activities, except for their reported use of appropriate strategies to improve hand-washing compliance to reduce nosocomial infection rates.

  18. Short Duration Base Heating Test Improvements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bender, Robert L.; Dagostino, Mark G.; Engel, Bradley A.; Engel, Carl D.

    1999-01-01

    Significant improvements have been made to a short duration space launch vehicle base heating test technique. This technique was first developed during the 1960's to investigate launch vehicle plume induced convective environments. Recent improvements include the use of coiled nitrogen buffer gas lines upstream of the hydrogen / oxygen propellant charge tubes, fast acting solenoid valves, stand alone gas delivery and data acquisition systems, and an integrated model design code. Technique improvements were successfully demonstrated during a 2.25% scale X-33 base heating test conducted in the NASA/MSFC Nozzle Test Facility in early 1999. Cost savings of approximately an order of magnitude over previous tests were realized due in large part to these improvements.

  19. Chronic lung disease in very low birth weight infants: Persistence and improvement of a quality improvement process in a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit.

    PubMed

    Birenbaum, H J; Pfoh, E R; Helou, S; Pane, M A; Marinkovich, G A; Dentry, A; Yeh, Hsin-Chieh; Updegraff, L; Arnold, C; Liverman, S; Cawman, H

    2016-05-19

    We previously demonstrated a significant reduction in our incidence of chronic lung disease in our NICU using potentially better practices of avoiding delivery room endotracheal intubation and using early nasal CPAP. We sought to demonstrate whether these improvements were sustained and or improved over time. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of infants 501-1500 grams born at our hospital between 2005 and 2013. Infants born during the 2005-2007, 2008-2010 and 2011-2013 epochs were grouped together, respectively. Descriptive analysis was conducted to determine the number and percent of maternal and neonatal characteristics by year grouping. Chi-squared tests were used to determine whether there were any statistically significant changes in characteristics across year groupings.. Two outcome variables were assessed: a diagnosis of chronic lung disease based on the Vermont Oxford Network definition and being discharged home on supplemental oxygen. There was a statistically significant improvement in the incidence of chronic lung disease in infants below 27 weeks' gestation in the three year period in the 2011-2013 cohort compared with those in the 2005-2007 cohort. We also found a statistically significant improvement in the number of infants discharged on home oxygen with birth weights 751-1000 grams and infants with gestational age less than 27 weeks in the 2011-2013 cohort compared to the 2005-2007 cohort. We demonstrated sustained improvement in our incidence of CLD between 2005 and 2013. We speculate that a multifaceted strategy of avoiding intubation and excessive oxygen in the delivery room, the early use of CPAP, as well as the use of volume targeted ventilation, when needed, may help significantly reduce the incidence of CLD.

  20. The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on early regeneration of sensory axons after nerve crush in the rat.

    PubMed

    Bajrović, Fajko F; Sketelj, Janez; Jug, Marko; Gril, Iztok; Mekjavić, Igor B

    2002-09-01

    Abstract The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO) on sensory axon regeneration was examined in the rat. The sciatic nerve was crushed in both legs. In addition, the distal stump of the sural nerve on one side was made acellular and its blood perfusion was compromised by freezing and thawing. Two experimental groups received hyperbaric exposures (2.5 ATA) to either compressed air (pO2 = 0.5 ATA) or 100% oxygen (pO2 = 2.5 ATA) 90 minutes per day for 6 days. Sensory axon regeneration in the sural nerve was thereafter assessed by the nerve pinch test and immunohistochemical reaction to neurofilament. HBO treatment increased the distances reached by the fastest regenerating sensory axons by about 15% in the distal nerve segments with preserved and with compromised blood perfusion. There was no significant difference between the rats treated with different oxygen tensions. The total number of regenerated axons in the distal sural nerve segments after a simple crush injury was not affected, whereas in the nerve segments with compromised blood perfusion treated by the higher pO2, the axon number was about 30% lower than that in the control group. It is concluded that the beneficial effect of HBO on sensory axon regeneration is not dose-dependent between 0.5 and 2.5 ATA pO2. Although the exposure to 2.5 ATA of pO2 moderately enhanced early regeneration of the fastest sensory axons, it decreased the number of regenerating axons in the injured nerves with compromised blood perfusion of the distal nerve stump.

  1. Cardiac and peripheral adjustments induced by early exercise training intervention were associated with autonomic improvement in infarcted rats: role in functional capacity and mortality.

    PubMed

    Jorge, Luciana; Rodrigues, Bruno; Rosa, Kaleizu Teodoro; Malfitano, Christiane; Loureiro, Tatiana Carolina Alba; Medeiros, Alessandra; Curi, Rui; Brum, Patricia Chakur; Lacchini, Silvia; Montano, Nicola; De Angelis, Kátia; Irigoyen, Maria-Cláudia

    2011-04-01

    To test the effects of early exercise training (ET) on left ventricular (LV) and autonomic functions, haemodynamics, tissues blood flows (BFs), maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2) max), and mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into: control (C), sedentary-infarcted (SI), and trained-infarcted (TI). One week after MI, TI group underwent an ET protocol (90 days, 50-70% VO(2) max). Left ventricular function was evaluated non-invasively and invasively. Baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and pulse interval were measured. Cardiac output (CO) and regional BFs were determined using coloured microspheres. Infarcted area was reduced in TI (19 ± 6%) compared with SI (34 ± 5%) after ET. Exercise training improved the LV and autonomic functions, the CO and regional BF changes induced by MI, as well as increased SERCA2 expression and mRNA vascular endothelial growth factor levels. These changes brought about by ET resulted in mortality rate reduction in the TI (13%) group compared with the SI (54%) group. Early aerobic ET reduced cardiac and peripheral dysfunctions and preserved cardiovascular autonomic control after MI in trained rats. Consequently, these ET-induced changes resulted in improved functional capacity and survival after MI.

  2. Surface modification of argon/oxygen plasma treated vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene surfaces for improved adhesion with natural rubber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basak, Ganesh C.; Bandyopadhyay, Abhijit; Neogi, Sudarsan; Bhowmick, Anil K.

    2011-01-01

    Vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene (EPDM) rubber surface was treated in a radio frequency capacitatively coupled low pressure argon/oxygen plasma to improve adhesion with compounded natural rubber (NR) during co-vulcanization. The plasma modified surfaces were analyzed by means of contact angle measurement, surface energy, attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray sulfur mapping and atomic force microscopy. Several experimental variables such as plasma power, length of exposure time and composition of the argon-oxygen gas mixture were considered. It was delineated that plasma treatment changed both surface composition and roughness, and consequently increased peel strength. The change in surface composition was mainly ascribed to the formation of C-O and -Cdbnd O functional groups on the vulcanized surfaces. A maximum of 98% improvement in peel strength was observed after plasma treatment.

  3. Varenicline improves motor and cognitive symptoms in early Huntington’s disease

    PubMed Central

    McGregor, Ailsa L; Dysart, Jo; Tingle, Malcolm D; Russell, Bruce R; Kydd, Rob R; Finucane, Gregory

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the effects of varenicline, a smoking cessation aid that acts as a nicotinic agonist, on cognitive function in patients with early clinical Huntington’s disease (HD) who were current smokers. Three gene-positive patients transitioning to symptomatic HD were evaluated using the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale part I and III (motor and behavioral subscales) at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Cognitive function was assessed using a touch screen computer-based neurocognitive test battery (IntegNeuro®). Varenicline (1 mg twice daily) significantly improved performance in executive function and emotional recognition tasks. Our case reports describe no clinically significant adverse effects and suggest that varenicline improves aspects of cognitive function in patients with early HD. A randomized controlled study is now underway. PMID:27695336

  4. Small effort, high impact: Focus on physical activity improves oxygen uptake (VO2peak ), quality of life, and mental health after pediatric renal transplantation.

    PubMed

    Thorsteinsdottir, Hjørdis; Diseth, Trond H; Lie, Anine; Tangeraas, Trine; Matthews, Iren; Åsberg, Anders; Bjerre, Anna

    2018-06-19

    This study estimates the effects on peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak ), QoL, and mental health after the introduction of an adjusted post-transplant follow-up program, that is, early physiotherapy and focus on the importance of physical activity. VO 2 peak was measured by a treadmill exercise test in 20 renal-transplanted children on the adjusted post-transplant follow-up and compared with a group of 22 patients investigated in a previously, before the implementation of our new follow-up routines. PedsQL and The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used to assess QoL and mental health in 45 patients on the new as compared to 32 patients on the previous follow-up strategy. The patients exposed to early physiotherapy and a higher focus on physical activity had significantly higher VO 2 peak (44.3 vs 33.5 mL kg -1  min -1 , P = .031) in addition to improved QoL (P = .003) and mental health scores (P = .012). The cardiovascular risk profile was similar in both groups aside from significantly higher triglycerides in the present cohort. Small efforts as early physiotherapy and increased focus on physical activity after pediatric renal transplantation have significant impact on cardiorespiratory fitness, QoL, and mental health. The importance of physical activity should therefore be emphasized in follow-up programs. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Portal Venous Oxygen Persufflation of the Donation after Cardiac Death pancreas in a rat model is superior to static cold storage and hypothermic machine perfusion.

    PubMed

    Reddy, Mettu S; Carter, Noel; Cunningham, Anne; Shaw, James; Talbot, David

    2014-06-01

    Success of clinical pancreatic islet transplantation depends on the mass of viable islets transplanted and the proportion of transplanted islets that survive early ischaemia reperfusion injury. Novel pancreas preservation techniques to improve islet preservation and viability can increase the utilization of donation after cardiac death donor pancreases for islet transplantation. Rat pancreases were retrieved after 30 min of warm ischaemia and preserved by static cold storage, hypothermic machine perfusion or retrograde portal venous oxygen persufflation for 6 h. They underwent collagenase digestion and density gradient separation to isolate islets. The yield, viability, morphology were compared. In vitro function of isolated islets was compared using glucose stimulated insulin secretion test. Portal venous oxygen persufflation improved the islet yield, viability and morphology as compared to static cold storage. The percentage of pancreases with good in vitro function (stimulation index > 1.0) was also higher after oxygen persufflation as compared to static cold storage. Retrograde portal venous oxygen persufflation of donation after cardiac death donor rat pancreases has the potential to improve islet yield. © 2014 Steunstichting ESOT.

  6. Oxygen supersaturated fluid using fine micro/nanobubbles

    PubMed Central

    Matsuki, Noriaki; Ishikawa, Takuji; Ichiba, Shingo; Shiba, Naoki; Ujike, Yoshihito; Yamaguchi, Takami

    2014-01-01

    Microbubbles show peculiar properties, such as shrinking collapse, long lifetime, high gas solubility, negative electric charge, and free radical production. Fluids supersaturated with various gases can be easily generated using microbubbles. Oxygen microbubble fluid can be very useful for oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues. However, there have been no reports of comparative investigations into adding fluids containing oxygen fine micro/nanobubbles (OFM-NBs) to common infusion solutions in daily medical care. In this study, it was demonstrated that OFMNBs can generate oxygen-supersaturated fluids, and they may be sufficiently small to infuse safely into blood vessels. It was found that normal saline solution is preferable for generating an oxygen-rich infusion fluid, which is best administered as a 30-minute intravenous infusion. It was also concluded that dextran solution is suitable for drug delivery substances packing oxygen gas over a 1-hour intravenous infusion. In addition, normal saline solution containing OFMNBs was effective for improving blood oxygenation. Thus, the use of OFMNB-containing fluids is a potentially effective novel method for improving blood oxygenation in cases involving hypoxia, ischemic diseases, infection control, and anticancer chemoradiation therapies. PMID:25285003

  7. Oxygen supersaturated fluid using fine micro/nanobubbles.

    PubMed

    Matsuki, Noriaki; Ishikawa, Takuji; Ichiba, Shingo; Shiba, Naoki; Ujike, Yoshihito; Yamaguchi, Takami

    2014-01-01

    Microbubbles show peculiar properties, such as shrinking collapse, long lifetime, high gas solubility, negative electric charge, and free radical production. Fluids supersaturated with various gases can be easily generated using microbubbles. Oxygen microbubble fluid can be very useful for oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues. However, there have been no reports of comparative investigations into adding fluids containing oxygen fine micro/nanobubbles (OFM-NBs) to common infusion solutions in daily medical care. In this study, it was demonstrated that OFMNBs can generate oxygen-supersaturated fluids, and they may be sufficiently small to infuse safely into blood vessels. It was found that normal saline solution is preferable for generating an oxygen-rich infusion fluid, which is best administered as a 30-minute intravenous infusion. It was also concluded that dextran solution is suitable for drug delivery substances packing oxygen gas over a 1-hour intravenous infusion. In addition, normal saline solution containing OFMNBs was effective for improving blood oxygenation. Thus, the use of OFMNB-containing fluids is a potentially effective novel method for improving blood oxygenation in cases involving hypoxia, ischemic diseases, infection control, and anticancer chemoradiation therapies.

  8. Tiotropium Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler versus HandiHaler to improve sleeping oxygen saturation and sleep quality in COPD.

    PubMed

    Bouloukaki, Izolde; Tzanakis, Nikolaos; Mermigkis, Charalampos; Giannadaki, Katerina; Moniaki, Violeta; Mauroudi, Eleni; Michelakis, Stylianos; Schiza, Sophia E

    2016-05-01

    Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have poor sleep quality as a result of various alterations in oxygenation parameters and sleep macro- and micro-architecture. There is a shortage of data to support the efficacy of long-acting inhaled anticholinergic agents in improving these adverse effects, which are known to have a negative impact on clinical outcomes. We aimed to compare the tiotropium Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler and the HandiHaler in terms of their effects on sleeping oxygen saturation (SaO2) and sleep quality in patients with COPD. In a randomized, open-label, parallel-group trial involving 200 patients with mild to moderate COPD (resting arterial oxygen tension >60 mmHg while awake), we compared the effects of 6 months' treatment with the two devices on sleeping SaO2 and sleep quality. Overnight polysomnography and pulmonary function testing were performed at baseline and after 6 months' treatment. A total of 188 patients completed the trial. Both groups showed significant improvement in minimum sleep SaO2 and time of sleep spent with SaO2 below 90 (TST90) compared to baseline. The patients using the Respimat had significantly better TST90 than did those using the HandiHaler. Sleep disturbance was highly variable in these patients, but the sleep stage durations were significantly better in the Respimat group. Sleeping SaO2 can be improved by tiotropium delivered using either the HandiHaler device or the Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler. However, the patients who used the Respimat device had significantly better TST90 and sleep architecture parameters.

  9. The Early Grade Reading Assessment: Applications and Interventions to Improve Basic Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gove, Amber, Ed.; Wetterberg, Anna, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    This book highlights the experience of Liberia in both assessing and improving reading in primary schools. As a result of an Early Grade Reading Assessment, the Ministry of Education and partners, including the United States Agency for International Development, came together to identify and develop strategies for improving reading in schools.…

  10. Group relationships in early and late sessions and improvement in interpersonal problems.

    PubMed

    Lo Coco, Gianluca; Gullo, Salvatore; Di Fratello, Carla; Giordano, Cecilia; Kivlighan, Dennis M

    2016-07-01

    Groups are more effective when positive bonds are established and interpersonal conflicts resolved in early sessions and work is accomplished in later sessions. Previous research has provided mixed support for this group development model. We performed a test of this theoretical perspective using group members' (actors) and aggregated group members' (partners) perceptions of positive bonding, positive working, and negative group relationships measured early and late in interpersonal growth groups. Participants were 325 Italian graduate students randomly (within semester) assigned to 1 of 16 interpersonal growth groups. Groups met for 9 weeks with experienced psychologists using Yalom and Leszcz's (2005) interpersonal process model. Outcome was assessed pre- and posttreatment using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, and group relationships were measured at Sessions 3 and 6 using the Group Questionnaire. As hypothesized, early measures of positive bonding and late measures of positive working, for both actors and partners, were positively related to improved interpersonal problems. Also as hypothesized, late measures of positive bonding and early measures of positive working, for both actors and partners, were negatively related to improved interpersonal problems. We also found that early actor and partner positive bonding and negative relationships interacted to predict changes in interpersonal problems. The findings are consistent with group development theory and suggest that group therapists focus on group-as-a-whole positive bonding relationships in early group sessions and on group-as-a-whole positive working relationships in later group sessions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Oxygen--a limiting factor for brain recovery.

    PubMed

    Hadanny, Amir; Efrati, Shai

    2015-09-01

    Effective brain metabolism is highly dependent on a narrow therapeutic window of oxygen. In major insults to the brain (e.g., intracerebral hemorrhage), a slight decrease in oxygen supply, as occurs in a hypobaric environment at high altitude, has devastating effects on the injured brain tissue. Conversely, increasing brain oxygenation, by the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can improve brain metabolism and its dependent regenerative processes.

  12. Assessing early unplanned reoperations in neurosurgery: opportunities for quality improvement.

    PubMed

    McLaughlin, Nancy; Jin, Peng; Martin, Neil A

    2015-07-01

    Review of morbidities and mortality has been the primary method used to assess surgical quality by physicians, hospitals, and oversight agencies. The incidence of reoperation has been proposed as a candidate quality indicator for surgical care. The authors report a comprehensive assessment of reoperations within a neurosurgical department and discuss how such data can be integrated into quality improvement initiatives to optimize value of care delivery. All neurosurgical procedures performed in the main operating room or the outpatient surgery center at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center from July 2008 to December 2012 were considered for this study. Interventional radiology and stereotactic radiosurgery procedures were excluded. Early reoperations within 7 days of the index surgery were reviewed and their preventability status was evaluated. The incidence of early unplanned reoperation was 2.6% (occurring after 183 of 6912 procedures). More than half of the patients who underwent early unplanned reoperation initially had surgery for shunt-related conditions (34.4%) or intracranial tumor (23.5%). Shunt failure was the most common indication for early unplanned reoperation (34.4%), followed by postoperative bleeding (20.8%) and postoperative elevated intracranial pressure (9.8%). The average time interval (± SD) between the index surgery and reoperation was 3.0 ± 1.9 days. The average length of stay following reoperation was 12.1 ± 14.4 days. This study enabled an in-depth assessment of reoperations within an academic neurosurgical practice and identification of strategic opportunities for department-wide quality improvement initiatives. The authors provide a nuanced discussion regarding the use of absolute reoperations as a quality indicator for neurosurgical patient populations.

  13. Blood transfusions increase cerebral, splanchnic, and renal oxygenation in anemic preterm infants.

    PubMed

    Dani, Carlo; Pratesi, Simone; Fontanelli, Giulia; Barp, Jacopo; Bertini, Giovanna

    2010-06-01

    Multiprobe near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used to study regional cerebral (rSO(2)C), splanchnic (rSO(2)S), and renal (rSO(2)R) tissue oxygenation in newborns. We used this method to study the effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in anemic preterm infants to assess if thresholds for transfusions were appropriate for recognizing a clinical condition permitting tissue oxygenation improvement. Multiprobe NIRS (INVOS 5100, Somanetics) was applied during transfusion to 15 preterm infants with symptomatic anemia of prematurity (hematocrit level of <25%). rSO(2)C, rSO(2)S, and rSO(2)R were recorded at selected times, and then fractional oxygen cerebral extraction ratio [FOEC: (SaO(2)-rSO(2)C)/SaO(2)], fractional oxygen splanchnic extraction ratio [FOES: (SaO(2)-rSO(2)S)/SaO(2)], fractional oxygen renal extraction ratio [FOER: (SaO(2)-rSO(2)R)/SaO(2)], cerebrosplanchnic oxygenation ratio [CSOR: (rSO(2)S/rSO(2)C)], and cerebrorenal oxygenation ratio [CROR: (rSO(2)R/rSO(2)C)] were calculated. In addition, we used Doppler ultrasonography for evaluating cerebral blood flow (CBF), splanchnic blood flow (SBF), and renal blood flow (RBF) velocity. rSO(2)C, rSO(2)S, and rSO(2)R significantly increased during transfusions, while FOEC, FOES, and FOER decreased. CSOR and CROR increased during transfusions. CBF velocity decreased during the study period, while SBF and RBF velocities did not vary. RBC transfusions performed at used thresholds permitted an increase in cerebral, splanchnic, and renal oxygenation. The associated decreases in oxygen tissue extraction might suggest that transfusions were well timed for preventing tissue hypoxia or too early and theoretically prooxidant. Further studies could help to clarify this issue.

  14. Solar-powered oxygen delivery: proof of concept.

    PubMed

    Turnbull, H; Conroy, A; Opoka, R O; Namasopo, S; Kain, K C; Hawkes, M

    2016-05-01

    A resource-limited paediatric hospital in Uganda. Pneumonia is a leading cause of child mortality worldwide. Access to life-saving oxygen therapy is limited in many areas. We designed and implemented a solar-powered oxygen delivery system for the treatment of paediatric pneumonia. Proof-of-concept pilot study. A solar-powered oxygen delivery system was designed and piloted in a cohort of children with hypoxaemic illness. The system consisted of 25 × 80 W photovoltaic solar panels (daily output 7.5 kWh [range 3.8-9.7kWh]), 8 × 220 Ah batteries and a 300 W oxygen concentrator (output up to 5 l/min oxygen at 88% [±2%] purity). A series of 28 patients with hypoxaemia were treated with solar-powered oxygen. Immediate improvement in peripheral blood oxygen saturation was documented (median change +12% [range 5-15%], P < 0.0001). Tachypnoea, tachycardia and composite illness severity score improved over the first 24 h of hospitalisation (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). The case fatality rate was 6/28 (21%). The median recovery times to sit, eat, wean oxygen and hospital discharge were respectively 7.5 h, 9.8 h, 44 h and 4 days. Solar energy can be used to concentrate oxygen from ambient air and oxygenate children with respiratory distress and hypoxaemia in a resource-limited setting.

  15. [Long-term effects of early hyperbaric oxygen therapy on neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage].

    PubMed

    Liu, Mei-Na; Zhuang, Si-Qi; Zhang, Hong-Yu; Qin, Zhao-Yuan; Li, Xiao-Yu

    2006-06-01

    The application and therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) remains controversial. Previous studies have focused on the early pathological and biochemical outcomes and there is a lack of long-term functional evaluation. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term pathological and behavioral changes of early HBO therapy on neonatal rats with HIBD. Postnatal 7 days (PD7) rat pups were randomly assigned into Control (n=18), HIBD (n=17) and HBO treatment groups (n=17). HIBD was induced by ligating the left common carotid, followed by 2 hrs hypoxia exposure in the HIBD and HBO treatment groups. The Control group was sham-operated and was not subjected to hypoxia exposure. The HBO therapy with 2 atmosphere absolutes began 0.5-1 hr after HIBD in the HIBD treatment group, once daily for 2 days. The spatial learning and memory ability were evaluated by the Morris water maze test at PD37 to PD41. The morphological and histological changes of the brain, including brain weight, survival neurons, AchE positive unit and NOS positive neurons in hippocampal CA1 region, were detected at PD42. The rats in the HIBD group displayed significant morphological and histological deficits, as well as severe spatial learning and memory disability. In the Morris water maze test, the mean escape latency were longer (56.35 +/- 22.37 s vs 23.07 +/- 16.28 s; P < 0.05) and the probe time and probe length were shorter in the HIBD group (29.29 +/- 6.06 s vs 51.21 +/- 4.59 s and 548 +/- 92 cm vs 989 +/- 101 cm; both P < 0.05) compared with the Control group. The left brain weight in the HIBD group was lighter than that in the Control group (0.601 +/- 0.59 g vs 0.984 +/- 0.18 g; P < 0.05). The survival neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region were less (100 +/- 27/mm vs 183 +/- 8/mm; P < 0.05), as well as the AchE-positive unit and NOS-positive neurons (18.50 +/- 2.24% vs 27.50 +/- 2.18% and 19.25 +/- 4.33 vs 33.75 +/- 5.57 respectively; P < 0.05) after

  16. Triiodothyronine facilitates weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation by improved mitochondrial substrate utilization.

    PubMed

    Files, Matthew D; Kajimoto, Masaki; O'Kelly Priddy, Colleen M; Ledee, Dolena R; Xu, Chun; Des Rosiers, Christine; Isern, Nancy; Portman, Michael A

    2014-03-20

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides a bridge to recovery after myocardial injury in infants and children, yet morbidity and mortality remain high. Weaning from the circuit requires adequate cardiac contractile function, which can be impaired by metabolic disturbances induced either by ischemia-reperfusion and/or by ECMO. We tested the hypothesis that although ECMO partially ameliorates metabolic abnormalities induced by ischemia-reperfusion, these abnormalities persist or recur with weaning. We also determined if thyroid hormone supplementation (triiodothyronine) during ECMO improves oxidative metabolism and cardiac function. Neonatal piglets underwent transient coronary ischemia to induce cardiac injury then were separated into 4 groups based on loading status. Piglets without coronary ischemia served as controls. We infused into the left coronary artery [2-(13)C]pyruvate and [(13)C6, (15)N]l-leucine to evaluate oxidative metabolism by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. ECMO improved survival, increased oxidative substrate contribution through pyruvate dehydrogenase, reduced succinate and fumarate accumulation, and ameliorated ATP depletion induced by ischemia. The functional and metabolic benefit of ECMO was lost with weaning, yet triiodothyronine supplementation during ECMO restored function, increased relative pyruvate dehydrogenase flux, reduced succinate and fumarate, and preserved ATP stores. Although ECMO provides metabolic rest by decreasing energy demand, metabolic impairments persist, and are exacerbated with weaning. Treating ECMO-induced thyroid depression with triiodothyronine improves substrate flux, myocardial oxidative capacity and cardiac contractile function. This translational model suggests that metabolic targeting can improve weaning.

  17. Early sepsis does not stimulate reactive oxygen species production and does not reduce cardiac function despite an increased inflammation status.

    PubMed

    Léger, Thibault; Charrier, Alice; Moreau, Clarisse; Hininger-Favier, Isabelle; Mourmoura, Evangelia; Rigaudière, Jean-Paul; Pitois, Elodie; Bouvier, Damien; Sapin, Vincent; Pereira, Bruno; Azarnoush, Kasra; Demaison, Luc

    2017-07-01

    If it is sustained for several days, sepsis can trigger severe abnormalities of cardiac function which leads to death in 50% of cases. This probably occurs through activation of toll-like receptor-9 by bacterial lipopolysaccharides and overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF- α and IL-1 β In contrast, early sepsis is characterized by the development of tachycardia. This study aimed at determining the early changes in the cardiac function during sepsis and at finding the mechanism responsible for the observed changes. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two groups, the first one being made septic by cecal ligation and puncture (sepsis group) and the second one being subjected to the same surgery without cecal ligation and puncture (sham-operated group). The cardiac function was assessed in vivo and ex vivo in standard conditions. Several parameters involved in the oxidative stress and inflammation were determined in the plasma and heart. As evidenced by the plasma level of TNF- α and gene expression of IL-1 β and TNF- α in the heart, inflammation was developed in the sepsis group. The cardiac function was also slightly stimulated by sepsis in the in vivo and ex vivo situations. This was associated with unchanged levels of oxidative stress, but several parameters indicated a lower cardiac production of reactive oxygen species in the septic group. In conclusion, despite the development of inflammation, early sepsis did not increase reactive oxygen species production and did not reduce myocardial function. The depressant effect of TNF- α and IL-1 β on the cardiac function is known to occur at very high concentrations. The influence of low- to moderate-grade inflammation on the myocardial mechanical behavior must thus be revisited. © 2017 French National Institute of Agronomical Research (INRA). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

  18. Effect of Electroacupuncture on Transcutaneous Oxygen Partial Pressure During Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Healthy Individuals.

    PubMed

    Qu, Lan; Ye, Yong; Li, Chunfeng; Gao, Guangkai

    2015-01-01

    The goal of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is to increase the oxygen (O₂) supply to the body significantly. Because of the toxic side effects and complications of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂), the environmental pressure and treatment time must be restricted. The research team hypothesized that other therapies administered during HBOT could safely improve the value of the arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂) during HBOT and improve its therapeutic effect. The study intended to investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) while receiving HBOT had a greater effect for healthy individuals than HBOT or EA alone or EA combined with normobaric pure oxygen (pure O₂). The research team designed a randomized, controlled trial. The study was performed in the Department of Hyperbaric Medicine at the No. 401 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army in Qingdao, China. A total of 81 volunteers were recruited. After thorough physical examination and laboratory testing, 21 volunteers were excluded from the study. Participants included 60 healthy volunteers. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups of 15 participants each: (1) an HBOT group, (2) an EA group, (3) an EA During HBOT group, and (4) an EA Combined With Pure O₂group. Because at the current technology level a blood gas analyzer cannot test PaO₂during HBOT, transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure (PtcO₂) of the participants was tested instead. Before, during, and after EA, variations in PtcO₂were monitored in each group. For the EA During HBOT group, (1) the increase in PtcO₂during EA was significantly greater than that observed for the other 3 groups (P > .05). The EA During HBOT method provided improvements in the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of HBOT, and the study's results partially demonstrated the accuracy of the research team's hypothesis that EA therapy applied during HBOT could safely improve the value of PtcO₂(PaO₂) during HBOT and produce a greater therapeutic effect.

  19. Does cerebral oxygen delivery limit incremental exercise performance?

    PubMed Central

    Olin, J. Tod; Dimmen, Andrew C.; Polaner, David M.; Kayser, Bengt; Roach, Robert C.

    2011-01-01

    Previous studies have suggested that a reduction in cerebral oxygen delivery may limit motor drive, particularly in hypoxic conditions, where oxygen transport is impaired. We hypothesized that raising end-tidal Pco2 (PetCO2) during incremental exercise would increase cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen delivery, thereby improving peak power output (Wpeak). Amateur cyclists performed two ramped exercise tests (25 W/min) in a counterbalanced order to compare the normal, poikilocapnic response against a clamped condition, in which PetCO2 was held at 50 Torr throughout exercise. Tests were performed in normoxia (barometric pressure = 630 mmHg, 1,650 m) and hypoxia (barometric pressure = 425 mmHg, 4,875 m) in a hypobaric chamber. An additional trial in hypoxia investigated effects of clamping at a lower PetCO2 (40 Torr) from ∼75 to 100% Wpeak to reduce potential influences of respiratory acidosis and muscle fatigue imposed by clamping PetCO2 at 50 Torr. Metabolic gases, ventilation, middle cerebral artery CBF velocity (transcranial Doppler), forehead pulse oximetry, and cerebral (prefrontal) and muscle (vastus lateralis) hemoglobin oxygenation (near infrared spectroscopy) were monitored across trials. Clamping PetCO2 at 50 Torr in both normoxia (n = 9) and hypoxia (n = 11) elevated CBF velocity (∼40%) and improved cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation (∼15%), but decreased Wpeak (6%) and peak oxygen consumption (11%). Clamping at 40 Torr near maximal effort in hypoxia (n = 6) also improved cerebral oxygenation (∼15%), but again limited Wpeak (5%). These findings demonstrate that increasing mass cerebral oxygen delivery via CO2-mediated vasodilation does not improve incremental exercise performance, at least when accompanied by respiratory acidosis. PMID:21921244

  20. Supplemental Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Each Increase Subcutaneous and Intestinal Intramural Oxygenation

    PubMed Central

    Ratnaraj, Jebadurai; Kabon, Barbara; Talcott, Michael R.; Sessler, Daniel I.

    2005-01-01

    Oxidative killing by neutrophils, a primary defense against surgical pathogens, is directly related to tissue oxygenation. We tested the hypothesis that supplemental inspired oxygen or mild hypercapnia (end-tidal PCO2 of 50 mmHg) improves intestinal oxygenation. Pigs (25±2.5 kg) were used in two studies in random order: 1) Oxygen Study — 30% vs. 100% inspired oxygen concentration at an end-tidal PCO2 of 40 mmHg, and 2) Carbon Dioxide Study — end-tidal PCO2 of 30 mmHg vs. 50 mmHg with 30% oxygen. Within each study, treatment order was randomized. Treatments were maintained for 1.5 hours; measurements were averaged over the final hour. A tonometer inserted in the subcutaneous tissue of the left upper foreleg measured subcutaneous oxygen tension. Tonometers inserted into the intestinal wall measured intestinal intramural oxygen tension from the small and large intestines. 100% oxygen administration doubled subcutaneous oxygen partial pressure (PO2) (57±10 to 107±48 mmHg, P=0.006) and large intestine intramural PO2 (53±14 to 118±72 mmHg, P=0.014); intramural PO2increased 40% in the small intestine (37±10 to 52±25 mmHg, P=0.004). An end-tidal PCO2 of 50 mmHg increased large intestinal PO2 approximately 16% (49±10 to 57±12 mmHg, P=0.039), while intramural PO2 increased by 45% in the small intestine (31±12 to 44±16 mmHg, P=0.002). Supplemental oxygen and mild hypercapnia each increased subcutaneous and intramural tissue PO2, with supplemental oxygen being most effective. PMID:15281531

  1. Effect of hypolimnetic oxygenation on oxygen depletion rates in two water-supply reservoirs.

    PubMed

    Gantzer, Paul A; Bryant, Lee D; Little, John C

    2009-04-01

    Oxygenation systems, such as bubble-plume diffusers, are used to improve water quality by replenishing dissolved oxygen (DO) in the hypolimnia of water-supply reservoirs. The diffusers induce circulation and mixing, which helps distribute DO throughout the hypolimnion. Mixing, however, has also been observed to increase hypolimnetic oxygen demand (HOD) during system operation, thus accelerating oxygen depletion. Two water-supply reservoirs (Spring Hollow Reservoir (SHR) and Carvins Cove Reservoir (CCR)) that employ linear bubble-plume diffusers were studied to quantify diffuser effects on HOD. A recently validated plume model was used to predict oxygen addition rates. The results were used together with observed oxygen accumulation rates to evaluate HOD over a wide range of applied gas flow rates. Plume-induced mixing correlated well with applied gas flow rate and was observed to increase HOD. Linear relationships between applied gas flow rate and HOD were found for both SHR and CCR. HOD was also observed to be independent of bulk hypolimnion oxygen concentration, indicating that HOD is controlled by induced mixing. Despite transient increases in HOD, oxygenation caused an overall decrease in background HOD, as well as a decrease in induced HOD during diffuser operation, over several years. This suggests that the residual or background oxygen demand decreases from one year to the next. Despite diffuser-induced increases in HOD, hypolimnetic oxygenation remains a viable method for replenishing DO in thermally-stratified water-supply reservoirs such as SHR and CCR.

  2. Improvements in diagnostic tools for early detection of psoriatic arthritis.

    PubMed

    D'Angelo, Salvatore; Palazzi, Carlo; Gilio, Michele; Leccese, Pietro; Padula, Angela; Olivieri, Ignazio

    2016-11-01

    Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory disease characterized by a wide clinical spectrum. The early diagnosis of PsA is currently a challenging topic. Areas covered: The literature was extensively reviewed for studies addressing the topic area "diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis". This review will summarize improvements in diagnostic tools, especially referral to the rheumatologist, the role of patient history and clinical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging techniques in getting an early and correct diagnosis of PsA. Expert commentary: Due to the heterogeneity of its expression, PsA may be easily either overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. A diagnosis of PsA should be taken into account every time a patient with psoriasis or a family history of psoriasis shows peripheral arthritis, especially if oligoarticular or involving the distal interphalangeal joints, enthesitis or dactylitis. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography are useful for diagnosing PsA early, particularly when isolated enthesitis or inflammatory spinal pain occur.

  3. Improving Communication Skills in Early Career Scientists

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saia, S. M.

    2013-12-01

    The AGU fall meeting is a time for scientists to share what we have been hard at work on for the past year, to share our trials and tribulations, and of course, to share our science (we hope inspirational). In addition to sharing, the AGU fall meeting is also about collaboration as it brings old and new colleagues together from diverse communities across the planet. By sharing our ideas and findings, we build new relationships with the potential to cross boundaries and solve complex and pressing environmental issues. With ever emerging and intensifying water scarcity, extreme weather, and water quality issues across the plant, it is especially important that scientists like us share our ideas and work together to put these ideas into action. My vision of the future of water sciences embraces this fact. I believe that better training is needed to help early career scientists, like myself, build connections within and outside of our fields. First and foremost, more advanced training in effective storytelling concepts and themes may improve our ability to provide context for our research. Second, training in the production of video for internet-based media (e.g. YouTube) may help us bring our research to audiences in a more personalized way. Third, opportunities to practice presenting at highly visible public events such as the AGU fall meeting, will serve to prepare early career scientists for a variety of audiences. We hope this session, ';Water Sciences Pop-Ups', will provide the first steps to encourage and train early career scientists as they share and collaborate with scientists and non-scientists around the world.

  4. Job-Embedded Professional Learning Essential to Improving Teaching and Learning in Early Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pacchiano, Debra; Klein, Rebecca; Hawley, Marsha Shigeyo

    2016-01-01

    Improving classroom teaching improves children's learning outcomes. In pursuit of those goals, the early education field has made substantial investments aimed at increasing the quality of classroom environments and teacher-child interactions. Yet, in publicly funded programs across the country, the quality of instruction remains low and…

  5. The effects of swimming exercise and dissolved oxygen on growth performance, fin condition and precocious maturation of early-rearing Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Waldrop, Thomas; Summerfelt, Steven T.; Mazik, Patricia M.; Good, Christopher

    2018-01-01

    Swimming exercise, typically measured in body-lengths per second (BL/s), and dissolved oxygen (DO), are important environmental variables in fish culture. While there is an obvious physiological association between these two parameters, their interaction has not been adequately studied in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. Because exercise and DO are variables that can be easily manipulated in modern aquaculture systems, we sought to assess the impact of these parameters, alone and in combination, on the performance, health and welfare of juvenile Atlantic salmon. In our study, Atlantic salmon fry were stocked into 12 circular 0.5 m3 tanks in a flow-through system and exposed to either high (1.5–2 BL/s) or low (<0.5 BL/s) swimming speeding and high (100% saturation) or low (70% saturation) DO while being raised from 10 g to approximately 350 g in weight. Throughout the study period, we assessed the impacts of exercise and DO concentration on growth, feed conversion, survival and fin condition. By study's end, both increased swimming speed and higher DO were independently associated with a statistically significant increase in growth performance (p < .05); however, no significant differences were noted in survival and feed conversion. Caudal fin damage was associated with low DO, while right pectoral fin damage was associated with higher swimming speed. Finally, precocious male sexual maturation was associated with low swimming speed. These results suggest that providing exercise and dissolved oxygen at saturation during Atlantic salmon early rearing can result in improved growth performance and a lower incidence of precocious parr.

  6. Insights into highly improved solar-driven photocatalytic oxygen evolution over integrated Ag3PO4/MoS2 heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cui, Xingkai; Yang, Xiaofei; Xian, Xiaozhai; Tian, Lin; Tang, Hua; Liu, Qinqin

    2018-04-01

    Oxygen evolution has been considered as the rate-determining step in photocatalytic water splitting due to its sluggish four-electron half-reaction rate, the development of oxygen-evolving photocatalysts with well-defined morphologies and superior interfacial contact is highly important for achieving high-performance solar water splitting. Herein, we report the fabrication of Ag3PO4/MoS2 nanocomposites and, for the first time, their use in photocatalytic water splitting into oxygen under LED light illumination. Ag3PO4 nanoparticles were found to be anchored evenly on the surface of MoS2 nanosheets, confirming an efficient hybridization of two semiconductor materials. A maximum oxygen-generating rate of 201.6 mol L-1 g-1 h-1 was determined when 200 mg MoS2 nanosheets were incorporated into Ag3PO4 nanoparticles, which is around 5 times higher than that of bulk Ag3PO4. Obvious enhancements in light-harvesting property, as well as electron-hole separation and charge transportation are revealed by the combination of different characterizations. ESR analysis verified that more active oxygen-containing radicals generate over illuminated Ag3PO4/MoS2 composite photocatalysts rather than irradiated Ag3PO4. The improvement in oxygen evolution performance of Ag3PO4/MoS2 composite photocatalysts is ascribed to wide spectra response in the visible-light region, more efficient charge separation and enhanced oxidation capacity in the valence band (VB). This study provides new insights into the design and development of novel composite photocatalytic materials for solar-to-fuel conversion.

  7. Effects of topical oxygen therapy on ischemic wound healing.

    PubMed

    Rao, Congqiang; Xiao, Liling; Liu, Hongwei; Li, Shenghong; Lu, Jinqiang; Li, Jiangxuan; Gu, Shixing

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of topical oxygen therapy on the hind limb wounds of rats under ischemic conditions. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve injured rats were treated with topical oxygen on skin wounds located on the hind limb and compared with twelve injured control rats. Indexes including gross morphology of the wound, wound healing time, wound healing rate, and histological and immunohistochemical staining of sections of wound tissue were examined at different time points after intervention. [Results] The wound healing time was shorter in the topical oxygen therapy group than the control group. The wound healing rate and granulation tissue formation in the topical oxygen therapy group showed significant improvement on days 3, 7, and 14. Through van Gieson staining, the accumulation of collagen fiber in the topical oxygen therapy group was found to have improved when compared with the control group on day 7. Through semiquantitative immunohistochemical staining, many more new vessels were found in the topical oxygen therapy group compared with the model control group on day 7. [Conclusion] The results of the experiment showed that topical oxygen therapy improved ischemic wound healing.

  8. Effect of aqueous sprays of ammonium fluoride on oxygen consumption and firmness of suture and dorsal tissues of Early Improved Elberta peaches. [Prunus persica

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Facteau, T.J.; Rowe, K.E.

    1976-06-01

    Aqueous ammonium fluoride (NH/sub 4/F) sprays on Early Improved Elberta peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) resulted in increased O/sub 2/ consumption of suture tissue and inconsistent changes in O/sub 2/ consumption of dorsal tissue as the spray concentration was increased. Flesh firmness on the suture side of treated fruit was less than non-sprayed fruit and decreased as either the NH/sub 4/F spray concentration or number of sprays increased. The effect of spray on the dorsal side differed from year to year. Levels of fluoride (F) in the fruit tissue were associated with F concentration and number of F sprays appliedmore » only within the same year. 3 references, 1 table.« less

  9. HYDRAULIC FRACTURING TO IMPROVE NUTRIENT AND OXYGEN DELIVERY FOR IN SITU BIORECLAMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The in situ delivery of nutrients and oxygen in soil is a serious problem in implementing in situ biodegradation. Current technology requires ideal site conditions to provide the remediating organisms with the nutrients and oxygen required for their metabolism, but...

  10. Reimagining Instructional Leadership and Organizational Conditions for Improvement: Applied Research Transforming Early Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pacchiano, Debra; Klein, Rebecca; Hawley, Marsha Shigeyo

    2016-01-01

    Despite concerted efforts to improve children's learning by improving classrooms, results have been lackluster. There is a growing understanding that a sole focus on teachers and classrooms is insufficient. Yet, the field has not systematically explored how to help early childhood education settings become organizations designed for powerful…

  11. Biological Oxygen Productivity Over The Last Glacial Termination From Triple Oxygen Isotope Measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blunier, T.; Bender, M. L.; Hendricks, M. B.

    The atmospheric oxygen isotope signature of O2 is linked to the oxygen signature of seawater through photosynthesis and respiration. Fractionation during these pro- cesses is mass dependent affecting 17O about half as much as 18O. A mass indepen- dent fractionation process takes place during isotope exchange between O2 and CO2 in the stratosphere (Thiemens, 1999; Luz et al., 1999). The magnitude of the mass- independent anomaly in the triple isotope composition of O2 depends on relative rates of biological O2 cycling and photochemical reactions in the stratosphere. Variations of this anomaly thus allows us to estimate changes of mass dependent O2 production by photosynthesis versus mass independent O2-CO2 exchange in the stratosphere. We reconstruct total oxygen productivity for the past from 17O and 18O measure- ments of O2 trapped in ice cores. With a box model we estimate that the total biogenic productivity was only 76-83 % of today for the glacial and was probably still lower than today during the glacial-interglacial transition and the early Holocene. In principle we can calculate the oxygen flux from the ocean biosphere if we know the oxygen flux from the land biosphere. Calculated ocean production is very sensitive to the estimate of land biosphere production. The latter term remains uncertain, however, and we can presently only constrain glacial ocean production to 88 to 140 % of the present value.

  12. Mechanical indentation improves cerebral blood oxygenation signal quality of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during breath holding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogt, William C.; Romero, Edwin; LaConte, Stephen M.; Rylander, Christopher G.

    2013-03-01

    Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a well-known technique for non-invasively measuring cerebral blood oxygenation, and many studies have demonstrated that fNIRS signals can be related to cognitive function. However, the fNIRS signal is attenuated by the skin, while scalp blood content has been reported to influence cerebral oxygenation measurements. Mechanical indentation has been shown to increase light transmission through soft tissues by causing interstitial water and blood flow away from the compressed region. To study the effects of indentation on fNIRS, a commercial fNIRS system with 16 emitter/detector pairs was used to measure cerebral blood oxygenation at 2 Hz. This device used diffuse reflectance at 730 nm and 850 nm to calculate deoxy- and oxy-hemoglobin concentrations. A borosilicate glass hemisphere was epoxied over each sensor to function as both an indenter and a lens. After placing the indenter/sensor assembly on the forehead, a pair of plastic bands was placed on top of the fNIRS headband and strapped to the head to provide uniform pressure and tightened to approx. 15 N per strap. Cerebral blood oxygenation was recorded during a breath holding regime (15 second hold, 15 second rest, 6 cycles) in 4 human subjects both with and without the indenter array. Results showed that indentation increased raw signal intensity by 85 +/- 35%, and that indentation increased amplitude of hemoglobin changes during breath cycles by 313% +/- 105%. These results suggest that indentation improves sensing of cerebral blood oxygenation, and may potentially enable sensing of deeper brain tissues.

  13. Improvement of oxygen storage properties of hexagonal YMnO3+δ by microstructural modifications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klimkowicz, Alicja; Świerczek, Konrad; Kobayashi, Shuntaro; Takasaki, Akito; Allahyani, Wadiah; Dabrowski, Bogdan

    2018-02-01

    Hexagonal YMnO3+δ is shown to be an effective temperature-swing oxygen storage material working at low temperatures (150-300 °C) in pure oxygen if adequately processed or obtained having sub-micrometer primary particles with limited number of big agglomerates. A substantial increase of a practical oxygen storage capacity is observed for a sample synthesized by a solid-state method, which was subjected to a high impact mechanical milling. However, even better properties can be achieved for the sol-gel technique-produced YMnO3+δ. The reversible incorporation and release of the oxygen is associated with a structural transformation between stoichiometric YMnO3 (Hex0) phase and a mixture of oxygen-loaded Hex1 with δ ≈ 0.28 and Hex2 with δ ≈ 0.41 phases, as documented by in situ structural X-ray diffraction studies, supported by thermogravimetric experiments. Contrary to HoMnO3+δ, it was not possible to obtain single phase Hex1 material in oxygen, as well as to oxidize YMnO3 in air. Results confirm crucial role of the ionic size of rare earth element Ln on the oxygen storage-related properties and stability of the oxygen-loaded LnMnO3+δ phases.

  14. Oxygen Candle Background for Subs and Space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Graf, John

    2017-01-01

    "At any time and without warning, a submarine may have to remain submerged for several days on account of the presence of the enemy, or rough weather, or serious accident to the machinery. Fortunately such occurrences are rare; but every commanding officer must be prepared to meet such an emergency that will afford his men the greatest possible chance of survival." Reference (1) This quotation is taken from a review of submarine air purification technology published by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in 1919. At that time, the U.S. Navy had just begun to experiment with possible air purification devices and supplies of oxygen that might permit submarines to remain submerged longer that the untreated closed atmosphere would allow. Submariners were exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide and reduced levels of oxygen that would be considered completely unacceptable by current standards. It was a different world, but humans are still humans, and the requirements for safe and effective functioning in a self-contained environment are really unchanged. The maximum submergence time for submarines as published in that work was approximately 48 hours, reference (1) In early submarines, the preferred supply of oxygen was 1800 psig compressed gas bled into the boat as needed, references (1,2). The need for added oxygen was occasionally "measured" by the physiological impact on the crew rather than a reliable instrument, reference (1). The design of submarine oxygen supply was limited to approximately 25 day submerged operation, reference (2). It was not until 1958 that U.S. submarines were able to carry out dives beyond that period and necessitated new sources of oxygen, reference (2). A curious second source of oxygen at the time was compressed air vessels that were bled into the boat while "vitiated" air (air with reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide) from the opposite end of the boat was compressed into waiting empty vessels, reference (1). The periodic use of

  15. Triiodothyronine Facilitates Weaning From Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation by Improved Mitochondrial Substrate Utilization

    PubMed Central

    Files, Matthew D.; Kajimoto, Masaki; O'Kelly Priddy, Colleen M.; Ledee, Dolena R.; Xu, Chun; Des Rosiers, Christine; Isern, Nancy; Portman, Michael A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides a bridge to recovery after myocardial injury in infants and children, yet morbidity and mortality remain high. Weaning from the circuit requires adequate cardiac contractile function, which can be impaired by metabolic disturbances induced either by ischemia‐reperfusion and/or by ECMO. We tested the hypothesis that although ECMO partially ameliorates metabolic abnormalities induced by ischemia‐reperfusion, these abnormalities persist or recur with weaning. We also determined if thyroid hormone supplementation (triiodothyronine) during ECMO improves oxidative metabolism and cardiac function. Methods and Results Neonatal piglets underwent transient coronary ischemia to induce cardiac injury then were separated into 4 groups based on loading status. Piglets without coronary ischemia served as controls. We infused into the left coronary artery [2‐13C]pyruvate and [13C6, 15N]l‐leucine to evaluate oxidative metabolism by gas chromatography‐mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. ECMO improved survival, increased oxidative substrate contribution through pyruvate dehydrogenase, reduced succinate and fumarate accumulation, and ameliorated ATP depletion induced by ischemia. The functional and metabolic benefit of ECMO was lost with weaning, yet triiodothyronine supplementation during ECMO restored function, increased relative pyruvate dehydrogenase flux, reduced succinate and fumarate, and preserved ATP stores. Conclusions Although ECMO provides metabolic rest by decreasing energy demand, metabolic impairments persist, and are exacerbated with weaning. Treating ECMO‐induced thyroid depression with triiodothyronine improves substrate flux, myocardial oxidative capacity and cardiac contractile function. This translational model suggests that metabolic targeting can improve weaning. PMID:24650924

  16. Myocardial oxygen delivery after experimental hemorrhagic shock.

    PubMed Central

    Archie, J P; Mertz, W R

    1978-01-01

    The two components of myocardial oxygen delivery, coronary blood flow to capillaries and diffusion from capillaries to mitochondria, were studied in six dogs, (1) prior to shock, (2) after three hours of hemorrhage shock at a mean systemic arterial pressure of 40 torr, (3) after reinfusion of shed blood, and (4) during the irreversible late posttransfusion stage. There was a maldistribution of left ventricular coronary flow during late shock consistent with subendocardial ischemia. Cardiac performance was significantly impaired after resuscitation and all dogs became irreversible. Total and regional left ventricular coronary blood flow and myocardial oxygen delivery to capillaries were significantly greater than preshock values in (3) but not different from preshock values in (4). However, the myocardial oxygen diffusion area to distance ratio was significantly lower than preshock values in (3), and slightly lower in (4). These data suggest that myocardial oxygen diffusion may be impaired in the early post transfusion period, (3). Accordingly, the probable etiology of left ventricular dysfunction and possibly irreversibility after resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock is subendocardial ischemia during shock with either post-resuscitation impairment of myocardial oxygen diffusion, or in cellular oxygen utilization, or both. PMID:629622

  17. Behavioural disorders in children with epilepsy: early improvement after surgery

    PubMed Central

    Lendt, M; Helmstaedter, C; Kuczaty, S; Schramm, J; Elger, C

    2000-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—Epilepsy surgery has proved to be a successful intervention method to achieve freedom from seizures or seizure relief in children with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Long term studies on operated children suggest that behavioural disorders, which are often seen before surgery, improve after surgery. However, the early postoperative development of behavioural problems has not been systematically evaluated.
METHODS—Parents of 28 children with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsies completed the child behaviour checklist (CBCL) preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. Surgeries comprised 24 focal resections (13 temporal, 11 extratemporal), two hemispherectomies, and two callosotomies. Twenty eight conservatively treated children with comparable CBCL scores served as a control group. A repeated measurement multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and a regression analysis were computed to compare the development of behaviour between both groups and to identify predictors of postoperative changes in behaviour.
RESULTS—Preoperatively 39% of the children exhibited significant behavioural problems, a further 11% were within the borderline range. The MANOVA disclosed a significant interaction between time of examination and group (F=2.23, p<0.05). The surgery group showed significant improvements on the scales "internalising problems", "externalising problems", "attention problems", and "thought problems". Behavioural problems in the control group, however, remained unchanged. No changes were seen in social problems in both groups. The significant predictor of total behavioural improvement was a good seizure outcome (R2=0.11, p<0.05). Age, sex, onset, and duration of epilepsy, the site of the focus, and changes in antiepileptic drug regimen did not influence changes in behaviour.
CONCLUSIONS—The data demonstrate an early improvement of behavioural problems after epilepsy surgery in children. The behavioural improvements can be assumed to result

  18. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Improve Post Concussion Syndrome Years after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury - Randomized Prospective Trial

    PubMed Central

    Fishlev, Gregori; Bechor, Yair; Volkov, Olga; Bergan, Jacob; Friedman, Mony; Hoofien, Dan; Shlamkovitch, Nathan; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Efrati, Shai

    2013-01-01

    Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in the US. Approximately 70-90% of the TBI cases are classified as mild, and up to 25% of them will not recover and suffer chronic neurocognitive impairments. The main pathology in these cases involves diffuse brain injuries, which are hard to detect by anatomical imaging yet noticeable in metabolic imaging. The current study tested the effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in improving brain function and quality of life in mTBI patients suffering chronic neurocognitive impairments. Methods and Findings The trial population included 56 mTBI patients 1–5 years after injury with prolonged post-concussion syndrome (PCS). The HBOT effect was evaluated by means of prospective, randomized, crossover controlled trial: the patients were randomly assigned to treated or crossover groups. Patients in the treated group were evaluated at baseline and following 40 HBOT sessions; patients in the crossover group were evaluated three times: at baseline, following a 2-month control period of no treatment, and following subsequent 2-months of 40 HBOT sessions. The HBOT protocol included 40 treatment sessions (5 days/week), 60 minutes each, with 100% oxygen at 1.5 ATA. “Mindstreams” was used for cognitive evaluations, quality of life (QOL) was evaluated by the EQ-5D, and changes in brain activity were assessed by SPECT imaging. Significant improvements were demonstrated in cognitive function and QOL in both groups following HBOT but no significant improvement was observed following the control period. SPECT imaging revealed elevated brain activity in good agreement with the cognitive improvements. Conclusions HBOT can induce neuroplasticity leading to repair of chronically impaired brain functions and improved quality of life in mTBI patients with prolonged PCS at late chronic stage. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00715052 PMID:24260334

  19. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve post concussion syndrome years after mild traumatic brain injury - randomized prospective trial.

    PubMed

    Boussi-Gross, Rahav; Golan, Haim; Fishlev, Gregori; Bechor, Yair; Volkov, Olga; Bergan, Jacob; Friedman, Mony; Hoofien, Dan; Shlamkovitch, Nathan; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Efrati, Shai

    2013-01-01

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in the US. Approximately 70-90% of the TBI cases are classified as mild, and up to 25% of them will not recover and suffer chronic neurocognitive impairments. The main pathology in these cases involves diffuse brain injuries, which are hard to detect by anatomical imaging yet noticeable in metabolic imaging. The current study tested the effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in improving brain function and quality of life in mTBI patients suffering chronic neurocognitive impairments. The trial population included 56 mTBI patients 1-5 years after injury with prolonged post-concussion syndrome (PCS). The HBOT effect was evaluated by means of prospective, randomized, crossover controlled trial: the patients were randomly assigned to treated or crossover groups. Patients in the treated group were evaluated at baseline and following 40 HBOT sessions; patients in the crossover group were evaluated three times: at baseline, following a 2-month control period of no treatment, and following subsequent 2-months of 40 HBOT sessions. The HBOT protocol included 40 treatment sessions (5 days/week), 60 minutes each, with 100% oxygen at 1.5 ATA. "Mindstreams" was used for cognitive evaluations, quality of life (QOL) was evaluated by the EQ-5D, and changes in brain activity were assessed by SPECT imaging. Significant improvements were demonstrated in cognitive function and QOL in both groups following HBOT but no significant improvement was observed following the control period. SPECT imaging revealed elevated brain activity in good agreement with the cognitive improvements. HBOT can induce neuroplasticity leading to repair of chronically impaired brain functions and improved quality of life in mTBI patients with prolonged PCS at late chronic stage. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00715052.

  20. Yeast alter micro-oxygenation of wine: oxygen consumption and aldehyde production.

    PubMed

    Han, Guomin; Webb, Michael R; Richter, Chandra; Parsons, Jessica; Waterhouse, Andrew L

    2017-08-01

    Micro-oxygenation (MOx) is a common winemaking treatment used to improve red wine color development and diminish vegetal aroma, amongst other effects. It is commonly applied to wine immediately after yeast fermentation (phase 1) or later, during aging (phase 2). Although most winemakers avoid MOx during malolactic (ML) fermentation, it is often not possible to avoid because ML bacteria are often present during phase 1 MOx treatment. We investigated the effect of common yeast and bacteria on the outcome of micro-oxygenation. Compared to sterile filtered wine, Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation significantly increased oxygen consumption, keeping dissolved oxygen in wine below 30 µg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas Oenococcus oeni inoculation was not associated with a significant impact on the concentration of dissolved oxygen. The unfiltered baseline wine also had both present, although with much higher populations of bacteria and consumed oxygen. The yeast-treated wine yielded much higher levels of acetaldehyde, rising from 4.3 to 29 mg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas no significant difference was found between the bacteria-treated wine and the filtered control. The unfiltered wine exhibited rapid oxygen consumption but no additional acetaldehyde, as well as reduced pyruvate. Analysis of the acetaldehyde-glycerol acetal levels showed a good correlation with acetaldehyde concentrations. The production of acetaldehyde is a key outcome of MOx and it is dramatically increased in the presence of yeast, although it is possibly counteracted by the metabolism of O. oeni bacteria. Additional controlled experiments are necessary to clarify the interaction of yeast and bacteria during MOx treatments. Analysis of the glycerol acetals may be useful as a proxy for acetaldehyde levels. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. A quality improvement project to improve the rate of early breast milk expression in mothers of preterm infants.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Lindsey; Warner, Diane D; Parks, Jessica; Whitt, Jenny; Peter-Wohl, Sigal

    2014-11-01

    Providing breast milk is challenging for non-nursing mothers of premature infants. Early breast milk expression results in successful and longer lactation in mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. This quality improvement initiative sought to increase the rate of early milk expression in mothers of VLBW infants and increase the proportion of infants receiving maternal breast milk (MBM) at 28 days of age and at discharge. Phase 1 (n = 45) occurred between April 1, 2012, and August 31, 2012. Phase 2 (n = 58) occurred between September 1, 2012, and February 28, 2013. Pre-phase 2 actions included increased lactation consultant workforce, early lactation consultation, tracking of MBM supply, and physician education. Inborn infants < 1500 grams were eligible. Primary outcomes were the time of first maternal milk expression (TFME) and infant feeding type at 28 days of age and at discharge. The median TFME decreased from 9 (25th, 75th percentile; 6, 16) hours to 6 (5, 11) hours after implementation (P = .06). The proportion of infants receiving exclusive MBM at 28 days and at discharge was 64% and 74%, respectively (P = .40), and the proportion of infants receiving exclusive MBM at discharge increased from 37% to 59% (P = .046). In conclusion, a multidisciplinary initiative aimed at improving the rate of early milk expression was associated with more VLBW infants receiving exclusive MBM at discharge. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Early anaerobic metabolisms

    PubMed Central

    Canfield, Don E; Rosing, Minik T; Bjerrum, Christian

    2006-01-01

    Before the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis, the biosphere was driven by anaerobic metabolisms. We catalogue and quantify the source strengths of the most probable electron donors and electron acceptors that would have been available to fuel early-Earth ecosystems. The most active ecosystems were probably driven by the cycling of H2 and Fe2+ through primary production conducted by anoxygenic phototrophs. Interesting and dynamic ecosystems would have also been driven by the microbial cycling of sulphur and nitrogen species, but their activity levels were probably not so great. Despite the diversity of potential early ecosystems, rates of primary production in the early-Earth anaerobic biosphere were probably well below those rates observed in the marine environment. We shift our attention to the Earth environment at 3.8 Gyr ago, where the earliest marine sediments are preserved. We calculate, consistent with the carbon isotope record and other considerations of the carbon cycle, that marine rates of primary production at this time were probably an order of magnitude (or more) less than today. We conclude that the flux of reduced species to the Earth surface at this time may have been sufficient to drive anaerobic ecosystems of sufficient activity to be consistent with the carbon isotope record. Conversely, an ecosystem based on oxygenic photosynthesis was also possible with complete removal of the oxygen by reaction with reduced species from the mantle. PMID:17008221

  3. New singlet oxygen donors based on naphthalenes: synthesis, physical chemical data, and improved stability.

    PubMed

    Klaper, Matthias; Linker, Torsten

    2015-06-01

    Singlet oxygen donors are of current interest for medical applications, but suffer from a short half-life leading to low singlet oxygen yields and problems with storage. We have synthesized more than 25 new singlet oxygen donors based on differently substituted naphthalenes in only a few steps. The influence of functional groups on the reaction rate of the photooxygenations, thermolysis, half-life, and singlet oxygen yield has been thoroughly studied. We determined various thermodynamic data and compared them with density functional calculations. Interestingly, remarkable stabilities of functional groups during the photooxygenations and stabilizing effects for some endoperoxides during the thermolysis have been found. Furthermore, we give evidence for a partly concerted and partly stepwise thermolysis mechanism leading to singlet and triplet oxygen, respectively. Our results might be interesting for "dark oxygenations" and future applications in medicine. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Medical oxygen and air travel.

    PubMed

    Lyznicki, J M; Williams, M A; Deitchman, S D; Howe, J P

    2000-08-01

    This report responds to a resolution that asked the American Medical Association (AMA) to take action to improve airport and airline accommodations for passengers requiring medical oxygen. Information for the report was derived from a search of the MEDLINE database and references listed in pertinent articles, as well as through communications with experts in aerospace and emergency medicine. Based on this information, the AMA Council on Scientific Affairs determined that commercial air travel exposes passengers to altitude-related hypoxia and gas expansion, which may cause some passengers to experience significant symptoms and medical complications during flight. Medical guidelines are available to help physicians evaluate and counsel potential passengers who are at increased risk of inflight hypoxemia. Supplemental oxygen may be needed for some passengers to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation and prevent hypoxemic complications. For safety and security reasons, federal regulations prohibit travelers from using their own portable oxygen system onboard commercial aircraft. Many U.S. airlines supply medical oxygen for use during flight but policies and procedures vary. Oxygen-dependent passengers must make additional arrangements for the use of supplemental oxygen in airports. Uniform standards are needed to specify procedures and equipment for the use of medical oxygen in airports and aboard commercial aircraft. Revision of federal regulations should be considered to accommodate oxygen-dependent passengers and permit them to have an uninterrupted source of oxygen from departure to destination.

  5. Metabolomics analysis of the effect of dissolved oxygen on spinosad production by Saccharopolyspora spinosa.

    PubMed

    Lu, Chunzhe; Yin, Jing; Zhao, Fanglong; Li, Feng; Lu, Wenyu

    2017-05-01

    Spinosad, a universal bio-pesticide, is obtained from the soil actinomycete Saccharopolyspora spinosa. Dissolved oxygen, an important contributing factor in aerobic microbial fermentation, however, is not always available in sufficient amounts. To alleviate oxygen limitation in spinosad production, three different oxygen vectors, namely oleic acid, toluene, and n-dodecane, were added into early fermentation. Results indicated that n-dodecane was the optimal oxygen vector. Spinosad yield was increased by 44.2% compared to that in the control group in the presence of 0.5% n-dodecane, added after 120 h of incubation. Yields of the test group reached 6.52 mg/g dry cell weight (DCW), while that of the control group was limited to 4.52 mg/g DCW. Metabolomics analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was performed to demonstrate the metabolism mechanism in the presence and absence of oxygen vector. In total, 78 principal intracellular metabolites in S. spinosa were detected and quantified in the presence and absence of n-dodecane. Levels of some metabolites that were related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and pentose phosphate pathway varied significantly. Aspartic acid and glucose-1-phosphate levels varied significantly and contributed most in the distinction of the fermentation conditions and phases. The above findings give new insights into the improvement and the metabolomic characteristics of industrial spinosad production.

  6. Protein expression and oxygen consumption rate of early postmortem mitochondria relate to meat tenderness.

    PubMed

    Grabež, V; Kathri, M; Phung, V; Moe, K M; Slinde, E; Skaugen, M; Saarem, K; Egelandsdal, B

    2015-04-01

    Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of muscle fibers from bovine semimembranosus muscle of 41 animals was investigated 3 to 4 h and 3 wk postmortem. Significant relations (P < 0.05) were found between OCR measurements and Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement. Muscles with high mitochondrial OCR after 3 to 4 h and low nonmitochondrial oxygen consumption gave more tender meat. Tender (22.92 ± 2.2 N/cm2) and tough (72.98 ± 7.2 N/cm2) meat samples (4 samples each), separated based on their OCR measurements, were selected for proteomic studies using mitochondria isolated approximately 2.5 h postmortem. Twenty-six differently expressed proteins (P < 0.05) were identified in tender meat and 19 in tough meat. In tender meat, the more prevalent antioxidant and chaperon enzymes may reduce reactive oxygen species and prolong oxygen removal by the electron transport system (ETS). Glycolytic, Krebs cycle, and ETS enzymes were also more abundant in tender meat

  7. Muscle Oxygen Saturation Improves Diagnostic Association Between Initial Vital Signs and Major Hemorrhage: A Prospective Observational Study.

    PubMed

    Reisner, Andrew T; Edla, Shwetha; Liu, Jianbo; Rubin, John T; Thorsen, Jill E; Kittell, Erin; Smith, Jason B; Yeh, Daniel D; Reifman, Jaques

    2016-03-01

    During initial assessment of trauma patients, vital signs do not identify all patients with life-threatening hemorrhage. We hypothesized that a novel vital sign, muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2 ), could provide independent diagnostic information beyond routine vital signs for identification of hemorrhaging patients who require packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. This was an observational study of adult trauma patients treated at a Level I trauma center. Study staff placed the CareGuide 1100 tissue oximeter (Reflectance Medical Inc., Westborough, MA), and we analyzed average values of SmO2 , systolic blood pressure (sBP), pulse pressure (PP), and heart rate (HR) during 10 minutes of early emergency department evaluation. We excluded subjects without a full set of vital signs during the observation interval. The study outcome was hemorrhagic injury and RBC transfusion ≥ 3 units in 24 hours (24-hr RBC ≥ 3). To test the hypothesis that SmO2 added independent information beyond routine vital signs, we developed one logistic regression model with HR, sBP, and PP and one with SmO2 in addition to HR, sBP, and PP and compared their areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC AUCs) using DeLong's test. We enrolled 487 subjects; 23 received 24-hr RBC ≥ 3. Compared to the model without SmO2 , the regression model with SmO2 had a significantly increased ROC AUC for the prediction of ≥ 3 units of 24-hr RBC volume, 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-0.91) versus 0.77 (95% CI, 0.66-0.86; p < 0.05 per DeLong's test). Results were similar for ROC AUCs predicting patients (n = 11) receiving 24-hr RBC ≥ 9. SmO2 significantly improved the diagnostic association between initial vital signs and hemorrhagic injury with blood transfusion. This parameter may enhance the early identification of patients who require blood products for life-threatening hemorrhage. © 2016 The Authors. Academic Emergency Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf

  8. Implementation of an oxygen therapy clinic to manage users of long-term oxygen therapy.

    PubMed

    Chaney, John C; Jones, Kevin; Grathwohl, Kurt; Olivier, Kenneth N

    2002-11-01

    decrease inappropriate supplemental oxygen use, which can result in significant cost savings while providing improved health-care delivery. Further evaluation is necessary to identify the long-term benefits and cost savings in this population.

  9. Eco-Efficient Process Improvement at the Early Development Stage: Identifying Environmental and Economic Process Hotspots for Synergetic Improvement Potential.

    PubMed

    Piccinno, Fabiano; Hischier, Roland; Seeger, Stefan; Som, Claudia

    2018-05-15

    We present here a new eco-efficiency process-improvement method to highlight combined environmental and costs hotspots of the production process of new material at a very early development stage. Production-specific and scaled-up results for life cycle assessment (LCA) and production costs are combined in a new analysis to identify synergetic improvement potentials and trade-offs, setting goals for the eco-design of new processes. The identified hotspots and bottlenecks will help users to focus on the relevant steps for improvements from an eco-efficiency perspective and potentially reduce their associated environmental impacts and production costs. Our method is illustrated with a case study of nanocellulose. The results indicate that the production route should start with carrot pomace, use heat and solvent recovery, and deactivate the enzymes with bleach instead of heat. To further improve the process, the results show that focus should be laid on the carrier polymer, sodium alginate, and the production of the GripX coating. Overall, the method shows that the underlying LCA scale-up framework is valuable for purposes beyond conventional LCA studies and is applicable at a very early stage to provide researchers with a better understanding of their production process.

  10. Effectiveness of combined sewer overflow treatment for dissolved oxygen improvement in the Chicago waterways.

    PubMed

    Alp, E; Melching, C S; Zhang, H; Lanyon, R

    2007-01-01

    An Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) has been initiated to evaluate what water-quality standards can be achieved in the Chicago Waterway System (CWS). There are nearly 200 combined sewer overflow (CSO) locations discharging to the CWS by gravity. Three CSO pumping stations also drain approximately 140 km2. Because of the dynamic nature of the CWS the DUFLOW model that is capable of simulating hydraulics and water-quality processes under unsteady-flow conditions was used to evaluate the effectiveness of water-quality improvement techniques identified by the UAA including CSO treatment. Several CSO treatment levels were applied at gravity flow CSOs to evaluate improvement in dissolved oxygen (DO). The results show that pollutant removal at CSOs improves DO to a certain degree, but it still was not sufficient to bring DO concentrations to 5 mg/L or higher for 90% of the time during wet weather at most locations on the CWS. Flow from the pumping stations results in substantial stress on DO since a huge amount of un-treated water with a high pollution load is discharged into the CWS in a short period of time at a certain location. The simulation results indicate that CSO treatment does not effectively improve DO during wet-weather periods on the CWS.

  11. Public-private partnerships improve health outcomes in individuals with early stage Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Galvin, James E; Tolea, Magdalena I; George, Nika; Wingbermuehle, Cheryl

    2014-01-01

    In a collaborative effort between the Missouri Department of Health, Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), Alzheimer Association, and academic researchers, we tested whether early dementia detection and comprehensive care consultations would improve health outcomes in care receivers (CRs) and their family caregivers (FCGs), therefore addressing an important public health concern. A total of 244 community-dwelling older adults screened for early-stage dementia by the AAA field staff were referred to the Alzheimer Association and participated in Project Learn MORE (Missouri Outreach and Referral Expanded) (PLM) - a 2-year, nonrandomized multisite intervention consisting of comprehensive care consultations to improve coping skills. PLM participants were compared against 96 controls receiving the Alzheimer Association's "usual services" between January 2011 and December 2012. We examined CR and FCG outcomes, including burden, care confidence, and mood, as effects of PLM, on delaying transitions in level of care. CRs showed improved knowledge (P=0.002) and reduced depression (P=0.007), while FCGs demonstrated improved knowledge (P=0.003) and ability to identify sources of support for the CR (P=0.032) and for themselves (P=0.043). However, FCGs were more burdened after PLM (P=0.02), due to increased awareness of Alzheimer's disease. PLM delayed transitions in care (odds ratio [OR] 3.32, 95% confidence level [CI]: 1.25-8.83) with the number needed to treat =6.82. PLM was successful in improving detection of incident cases of dementia in the community and in connecting patients and their families with needed services. Our findings support the use of state agencies and community service partners to detect dementia. Early implementation of psychosocial interventions could have significant impact in improving patient- and family-centered outcomes, potentially providing a cost-efficient alternative to pharmacotherapy.

  12. Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Education in Chile: Tensions between Public Policy and Teacher Discourses over the Schoolarisation of Early Childhood Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pardo, Marcela; Woodrow, Christine

    2014-01-01

    This article problematises emerging tensions in Chile, in relation to the discourses of early childhood teachers and public policies aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education. The aim of the analysis is to contribute to developing more nuanced understandings of these tensions, through the analytical lenses provided by the…

  13. Net production of oxygen in the subtropical ocean.

    PubMed

    Riser, Stephen C; Johnson, Kenneth S

    2008-01-17

    The question of whether the plankton communities in low-nutrient regions of the ocean, comprising 80% of the global ocean surface area, are net producers or consumers of oxygen and fixed carbon is a key uncertainty in the global carbon cycle. Direct measurements in bottle experiments indicate net oxygen consumption in the sunlit zone, whereas geochemical evidence suggests that the upper ocean is a net source of oxygen. One possible resolution to this conflict is that primary production in the gyres is episodic and thus difficult to observe: in this model, oligotrophic regions would be net consumers of oxygen during most of the year, but strong, brief events with high primary production rates might produce enough fixed carbon and dissolved oxygen to yield net production as an average over the annual cycle. Here we examine the balance of oxygen production over three years at sites in the North and South Pacific subtropical gyres using the new technique of oxygen sensors deployed on profiling floats. We find that mixing events during early winter homogenize the upper water column and cause low oxygen concentrations. Oxygen then increases below the mixed layer at a nearly constant rate that is similar to independent measures of net community production. This continuous oxygen increase is consistent with an ecosystem that is a net producer of fixed carbon (net autotrophic) throughout the year, with episodic events not required to sustain positive oxygen production.

  14. Topical Administration of Oxygenated Hemoglobin Improved Wound Healing in an Ischemic Rabbit Ear Model.

    PubMed

    Xie, Ping; Jia, Shengxian; Tye, Ross; Xu, Wei; Zhong, Aimei; Hong, Seok J; Galiano, Robert D; Mustoe, Thomas A

    2016-02-01

    Localized oxygen deficiency plays a central role in the pathogenesis of chronic wounds; thus, rectifying localized ischemia with oxygen therapy has been postulated to be an integral aspect of the management of chronic wounds. The efficacy of a novel approach for oxygen therapy on chronic wound healing was evaluated. Oxygen was delivered to ischemic wounds by means of the topical application of oxygenated, chemically modified bovine hemoglobin (IKOR 2084) in a validated rabbit ear ischemic wound model. The wound healing was evaluated histologically by measuring epithelial gap and neo-granulation tissue area. In situ expression of endothelial cells (CD31) and proliferative cells (Ki-67) was examined by immunohistochemistry analysis. The mRNA of vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 was quantified by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The collagen was detected by Sirius red staining. In comparison with topical application of saline, the administration of oxygenated IKOR 2084 increases wound reepithelialization and formation of neo-granulation tissue in a dose-dependent manner, and cellular proliferation (Ki-67). Conversely, the administration of deoxygenated IKOR 2084 aggravated the ischemic wound healing process. Moreover, the topical administration of oxygenated IKOR 2084 induces angiogenesis as evidenced by concomitant increases in CD31 protein and vascular endothelial growth factor and endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression in treated wounds. Oxygenated IKOR 2084 administration also increased collagen deposition in wounds, with decreases in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 mRNA. This study suggests that the topical application of oxygenated IKOR 2084 ameliorates the reparative progress of ischemic wounds through enhanced angiogenesis, cellular proliferation, and collagen deposition.

  15. Oxygenation of the Mesoproterozoic ocean and the evolution of complex eukaryotes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Kan; Zhu, Xiangkun; Wood, Rachel A.; Shi, Yao; Gao, Zhaofu; Poulton, Simon W.

    2018-05-01

    The Mesoproterozoic era (1,600-1,000 million years ago (Ma)) has long been considered a period of relative environmental stasis, with persistently low levels of atmospheric oxygen. There remains much uncertainty, however, over the evolution of ocean chemistry during this period, which may have been of profound significance for the early evolution of eukaryotic life. Here we present rare earth element, iron-speciation and inorganic carbon isotope data to investigate the redox evolution of the 1,600-1,550 Ma Yanliao Basin, North China Craton. These data confirm that the ocean at the start of the Mesoproterozoic was dominantly anoxic and ferruginous. Significantly, however, we find evidence for a progressive oxygenation event starting at 1,570 Ma, immediately prior to the occurrence of complex multicellular eukaryotes in shelf areas of the Yanliao Basin. Our study thus demonstrates that oxygenation of the Mesoproterozoic environment was far more dynamic and intense than previously envisaged, and establishes an important link between rising oxygen and the emerging record of diverse, multicellular eukaryotic life in the early Mesoproterozoic.

  16. Dissolved oxygen control strategy for improvement of TL1-1 production in submerged fermentation by Daldinia eschscholzii.

    PubMed

    Wei, Xing-Chen; Tang, Liu; Lu, Yan-Hua

    2017-01-01

    2,3-Dihydro-5-hydroxy-2-methylchromen-4-one (TL1-1) is a phenolic compound with significant anti-fungal and anti-cancer activities produced by Daldinia eschscholzii ( D. eschscholzii ). However, studies have rarely been reported on the fermentation process of D. eschscholzii due to the urgent demand for its pharmaceutical researches and applications. In this work, the optimal fermentation medium for improved TL1-1 yield was first obtained in a shake flask. As the fermentation process was scaling up, the marked effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) on cell growth and TL1-1 biosynthesis were observed and confirmed. Controlling a suitable DO level by the adjustment of agitation speed and aeration rate remarkably enhanced TL1-1 production in a lab-scale bioreactor. Moreover, the fermentation of D. eschscholzii was successfully applied in 500-L bioreactor, and TL1-1 production has achieved 873.63 mg/L, approximately 15.4-fold than its initial production (53.27 mg/L). Dissolved oxygen control strategy for enhancing TL1-1 production was first proposed. Furthermore, control of the appropriate DO level has successfully performed for improving TL1-1 yield and scale-up of D. eschscholzii fermentation process.

  17. Early improvement as a resilience signal predicting later remission to antidepressant treatment in patients with Major Depressive Disorder: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Stefanie; Engel, Alice; Engelmann, Jan; Herzog, David; Dreimüller, Nadine; Müller, Marianne B; Tadić, André; Lieb, Klaus

    2017-11-01

    Early improvement of depressive symptoms during the first two weeks of antidepressant treatment has been discussed to be a resilience signal predicting a later positive treatment outcome in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, the predictive value of early improvement varies between studies, and the use of different antidepressants may explain heterogeneous results. The objective of this review was to assess the predictive value of early improvement on later response and remission and to identify antidepressants with the highest chance of early improvement. We included 17 randomized controlled trials investigating early improvement in 14,779 adult patients with MDD comparing monotherapy with an antidepressant against placebo or another antidepressant drug. 62% (range: 35-85%) of patients treated with an antidepressant and 47% (range: 21-69%) with placebo were early improver, defined as a >20%/25% symptom reduction after two weeks of treatment. Early improvement predicted response and remission after 5-12 weeks of treatment with high sensitivity (85%; 95%-CI: 84.3 to 85.7) and low to moderate specificity (54%; 95%-CI: 53.1 to 54.9). Early improver had a 8.37 fold (6.97-10.05) higher likelihood to become responder and a 6.38 fold (5.07-8.02) higher likelihood to be remitter at endpoint than non-improver. The highest early improver rates were achieved in patients treated with mirtazapine or a tricyclic antidepressant. This finding of a high predictive value of early improvement on treatment outcome may be important for treatment decisions in the early course of antidepressant treatment. Further studies should test the efficacy of such early treatment decisions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Beetroot juice supplementation reduces whole body oxygen consumption but does not improve indices of mitochondrial efficiency in human skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    Whitfield, J; Ludzki, A; Heigenhauser, G J F; Senden, J M G; Verdijk, L B; van Loon, L J C; Spriet, L L; Holloway, G P

    2016-01-15

    Oral consumption of nitrate (NO3(-)) in beetroot juice has been shown to decrease the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise; however, the mechanism of action remains unresolved. We supplemented recreationally active males with beetroot juice to determine if this altered mitochondrial bioenergetics. Despite reduced submaximal exercise oxygen consumption, measures of mitochondrial coupling and respiratory efficiency were not altered in muscle. In contrast, rates of mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) emission were increased in the absence of markers of lipid or protein oxidative damage. These results suggest that improvements in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism are not the cause of beetroot juice-mediated improvements in whole body oxygen consumption. Ingestion of sodium nitrate (NO3(-)) simultaneously reduces whole body oxygen consumption (V̇O2) during submaximal exercise while improving mitochondrial efficiency, suggesting a causal link. Consumption of beetroot juice (BRJ) elicits similar decreases in V̇O2 but potential effects on the mitochondria remain unknown. Therefore we examined the effects of 7-day supplementation with BRJ (280 ml day(-1), ∼26 mmol NO3(-)) in young active males (n = 10) who had muscle biopsies taken before and after supplementation for assessments of mitochondrial bioenergetics. Subjects performed 20 min of cycling (10 min at 50% and 70% V̇O2 peak) 48 h before 'Pre' (baseline) and 'Post' (day 5 of supplementation) biopsies. Whole body V̇O2 decreased (P < 0.05) by ∼3% at 70% V̇O2 peak following supplementation. Mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized muscle fibres showed no change in leak respiration, the content of proteins associated with uncoupling (UCP3, ANT1, ANT2), maximal substrate-supported respiration, or ADP sensitivity (apparent Km). In addition, isolated subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondria showed unaltered assessments of mitochondrial efficiency, including ADP consumed/oxygen consumed (P/O ratio

  19. Low Earth Orbital Atomic Oxygen Interactions With Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Bruce A.; Miller, Sharon K.; deGroh, Kim K.

    2004-01-01

    Atomic oxygen is formed in the low Earth orbital environment (LEO) by photo dissociation of diatomic oxygen by short wavelength (< 243 nm) solar radiation which has sufficient energy to break the 5.12 eV O2 diatomic bond in an environment where the mean free path is sufficiently long ( 108 meters) that the probability of reassociation or the formation of ozone (O3) is small. As a consequence, between the altitudes of 180 and 650 km, atomic oxygen is the most abundant species. Spacecraft impact the atomic oxygen resident in LEO with sufficient energy to break hydrocarbon polymer bonds, causing oxidation and thinning of the polymers due to loss of volatile oxidation products. Mitigation techniques, such as the development of materials with improved durability to atomic oxygen attack, as well as atomic oxygen protective coatings, have been employed with varying degrees of success to improve durability of polymers in the LEO environment. Atomic oxygen can also oxidize silicones and silicone contamination to produce non-volatile silica deposits. Such contaminants are present on most LEO missions and can be a threat to performance of optical surfaces. The LEO atomic oxygen environment, its interactions with materials, results of space testing, computational modeling, mitigation techniques, and ground laboratory simulation procedures and issues are presented.

  20. How Should Oxygen Supplementation Be Guided by Pulse Oximetry in Children: Do We Know the Level?

    PubMed Central

    Langley, Ross; Cunningham, Steve

    2017-01-01

    Supplemental oxygen is one of the most commonly prescribed therapies to children in hospital, but one of the least studied therapeutics. This review considers oxygen from a range of perspectives; discovery and early use; estimation of oxygenation in the human body—both clinically and by medical device; the effects of illness on oxygen utilization; the cellular consequences of low oxygen; and finally, how clinical studies currently inform our approach to targeting supplementing oxygen in those with lower than normal oxygen saturation. PMID:28191454

  1. Switching electrochromic performance improvement enabled by highly developed mesopores and oxygen vacancy defects of Fe-doped WO3 films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koo, Bon-Ryul; Kim, Kue-Ho; Ahn, Hyo-Jin

    2018-09-01

    In recent years, owing to the capability to reversibly adjust transparency, reflection, and color by the low electric field, electrochromic devices (ECDs) have received an extensive attention for their potential use in optoelectronic applications. However, considering that the performances of the ECDs, including coloration efficiency (CE, <30.0 cm2/C) and switching speed (>10.0 s), are still low for an effective applied use, critical efforts are needed to push the development of a unique nanostructure film to improve electrochromic (EC) performances. Specifically, as the large-scale applications (e.g. refrigerators, vehicles, and airplanes) of the ECDs have been recently developed, the study for improving switching speed is urgently needed for commercialization of the devices. In this context, the present study reports a novel nanostructure film of Fe-doped WO3 films with highly developed mesopores and oxygen vacancy defects, fabricated using the Fe agent and the camphene-assisted sol-gel method. Fe-doped WO3 films with highly developed mesopores and oxygen vacancy defects show remarkable EC performances with both fast switching speed (2.8 s for the coloration speed and 0.3 s for the bleaching speed) and high CE (71.1 cm2/C). These two aspects contribute to the synergistic effects of optimized Fe doping and camphene on the films and have outstanding values as compared to previously reported results of WO3-based materials. Specifically, the fast switching speed is attributed to the shortened Li+ diffusion pathway of the highly developed mesopores; and the other is the improved electrical conductivity of the highly increased oxygen vacancy defects. In addition, the high CE value is due to an efficient charge transport as the result of a more effective electroactive contact of the morphology with highly developed mesopores, resulting in a large transmittance modulation with a small intercalated charge density.

  2. The Emulsified PFC Oxycyte® Improved Oxygen Content and Lung Injury Score in a Swine Model of Oleic Acid Lung Injury (OALI).

    PubMed

    Haque, Ashraful; Scultetus, Anke H; Arnaud, Francoise; Dickson, Leonora J; Chun, Steve; McNamee, George; Auker, Charles R; McCarron, Richard M; Mahon, Richard T

    2016-12-01

    Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) can transport 50 times more oxygen than human plasma. Their properties may be advantageous in preservation of tissue viability in oxygen-deprived states, such as in acute lung injury. We hypothesized that an intravenous dose of the PFC emulsion Oxycyte ® would improve tissue oxygenation and thereby mitigate the effects of acute lung injury. Intravenous oleic acid (OA) was used to induce lung injury in anesthetized and instrumented Yorkshire swine assigned to three experimental groups: (1) PFC post-OA received Oxycyte ® (5 ml/kg) 45 min after oleic acid-induced lung injury (OALI); (2) PFC pre-OA received Oxycyte ® 45 min before OALI; and (3) Controls which received equivalent dose of normal saline. Animals were observed for 3 h after OALI began, and then euthanized. The median survival times for PFC post-OA, PFC pre-OA, and control were 240, 87.5, and 240 min, respectively (p = 0.001). Mean arterial pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were both higher in the PFC post-OA (p < 0.001 for both parameters). Oxygen content was significantly different between PFC post-OA and the control (p = 0.001). Histopathological grading of lung injury indicated that edema and congestion was significantly less severe in the PFC post-OA compared to control (p = 0.001). The intravenous PFC Oxycyte ® improves blood oxygen content and lung histology when used as a treatment after OALI, while Oxycyte ® used prior to OALI was associated with increased mortality. Further exploration in other injury models is indicated.

  3. Early Warning/Track-and-Trigger Systems to Detect Deterioration and Improve Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients.

    PubMed

    Shiloh, Ariel L; Lominadze, George; Gong, Michelle N; Savel, Richard H

    2016-02-01

    As a global effort toward improving patient safety, a specific area of focus has been the early recognition and rapid intervention in deteriorating ward patients. This focus on "failure to rescue" has led to the construction of early warning/track-and-trigger systems. In this review article, we present a description of the data behind the creation and implementation of such systems, including multiple algorithms and strategies for deployment. Additionally, the strengths and weaknesses of the various systems and their evaluation in the literature are emphasized. Despite the limitations of the current literature, the potential benefit of these early warning/track-and-trigger systems to improve patient outcomes remains significant. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  4. Age is a significant predictor of early and late improvement in semen parameters after microsurgical varicocele repair.

    PubMed

    Kimura, M; Nagao, K; Tai, T; Kobayashi, H; Nakajima, K

    2017-04-01

    Accumulating evidence indicates that varicocele repair improves sperm quality. However, longitudinal changes in sperm parameters and predictors of improved semen characteristics after surgery have not been fully investigated. We retrospectively reviewed data from 100 men who underwent microsurgical subinguinal varicocele repair at a single centre. Follow-up semen examinations were carried out at 3, 6 and 12 months post-operatively. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of early (3 months) and late (≥6 months) improvement in semen parameters after varicocele repair. At 3 months post-operatively, 76.1% of the patients had improved total motile sperm counts, which continued to improve significantly up to 12 months post-operatively (p = .016). When comparing changes in semen parameters between younger (<37 years) and older (≥37 years) men, post-operative improvements in sperm concentration and motility were greater among younger men. Multivariate analysis showed that younger age was associated with early (p = .043) and late (p = .010) post-operative improvement in total motile sperm count. Our findings indicate that early varicocele repair improved semen parameters after surgery. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  5. Improved Quaternary North Atlantic stratigraphy using relative paleointensity (RPI), oxygen isotopes, and magnetic excursions (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Channell, J. E.

    2013-12-01

    Improving the resolution of Quaternary marine stratigraphy is one of the major challenges in paleoceanography. IODP Expedition 303/306, and ODP Legs 162 and 172, have yielded multiple high-resolution records (mean sedimentation rates in the 7-20 cm/kyr range) of relative paleointensity (RPI) that are accompanied by oxygen isotope data and extend through much of the Quaternary. Tandem fit of RPI and oxygen isotope data to calibrated templates (LR04 and PISO), using the Match protocol, yields largely consistent stratigraphies, implying that both RPI and oxygen isotope data are dominated by regional/global signals. Based on the recent geomagnetic field, RPI can be expected to be a global signal (i.e. dominated by the axial dipole field) when recorded at sedimentation rates less than several decimeters/kyr. Magnetic susceptibility, on the other hand, is a local/regional lithologic signal, and therefore less useful for long-distance correlation. Magnetic excursions are directional phenomena and, when adequately recorded, are manifest as paired reversals in which the virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) reach high latitudes in the opposite hemisphere, and they occupy minima in RPI records. Reversed VGPs imply that excursions are attributable to the main axial dipole, and therefore provide global stratigraphy. The so-called Iceland Basin excursion is recorded at many IODP/ODP sites and lies at the MIS 6/7 boundary at ~188 ka, with a duration of 2-3 kyr. Other excursions in the Brunhes chron are less commonly recorded because their duration (perhaps <~1 kyr) requires sedimentation rates >20 cm/kyr to be adequately recorded. On the other hand, several excursions within the Matuyama Chron are more commonly recorded in North Atlantic drift sediments due to relatively elevated durations. With some notable exceptions (e.g. Iberian Margin), high quality RPI records from North Atlantic sediments, together with magnetic excursions, can be used in tandem with oxygen isotope data to

  6. An improved method for determining the efficiency of crew and passenger oxygen masks.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1962-11-01

    A method for determining oxygen mask leakage as developed under contract FA-885 between the Federal Aviation Agency and the Pioneer-Central Division of the Bendix Corporation was evaluated. Measurement of nitrogen concentration within an oxygen mask ...

  7. Oxygen isotope analysis of phosphate: improved precision using TC/EA CF-IRMS.

    PubMed

    LaPorte, D F; Holmden, C; Patterson, W P; Prokopiuk, T; Eglington, B M

    2009-06-01

    Oxygen isotope values of biogenic apatite have long demonstrated considerable promise for paleothermometry potential because of the abundance of material in the fossil record and greater resistance of apatite to diagenesis compared to carbonate. Unfortunately, this promise has not been fully realized because of relatively poor precision of isotopic measurements, and exceedingly small size of some substrates for analysis. Building on previous work, we demonstrate that it is possible to improve precision of delta18O(PO4) measurements using a 'reverse-plumbed' thermal conversion elemental analyzer (TC/EA) coupled to a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer (CF-IRMS) via a helium stream [Correction made here after initial online publication]. This modification to the flow of helium through the TC/EA, and careful location of the packing of glassy carbon fragments relative to the hot spot in the reactor, leads to narrower, more symmetrically distributed CO elution peaks with diminished tailing. In addition, we describe our apatite purification chemistry that uses nitric acid and cation exchange resin. Purification chemistry is optimized for processing small samples, minimizing isotopic fractionation of PO4(-3) and permitting Ca, Sr and Nd to be eluted and purified further for the measurement of delta44Ca and 87Sr/86Sr in modern biogenic apatite and 143Nd/144Nd in fossil apatite. Our methodology yields an external precision of +/- 0.15 per thousand (1sigma) for delta18O(PO4). The uncertainty is related to the preparation of the Ag3PO4 salt, conversion to CO gas in a reversed-plumbed TC/EA, analysis of oxygen isotopes using a CF-IRMS, and uncertainty in constructing calibration lines that convert raw delta18O data to the VSMOW scale. Matrix matching of samples and standards for the purpose of calibration to the VSMOW scale was determined to be unnecessary. Our method requires only slightly modified equipment that is widely available. This fact, and the

  8. Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen.

    PubMed

    Lenton, Timothy M; Dahl, Tais W; Daines, Stuart J; Mills, Benjamin J W; Ozaki, Kazumi; Saltzman, Matthew R; Porada, Philipp

    2016-08-30

    The progressive oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere was pivotal to the evolution of life, but the puzzle of when and how atmospheric oxygen (O2) first approached modern levels (∼21%) remains unresolved. Redox proxy data indicate the deep oceans were oxygenated during 435-392 Ma, and the appearance of fossil charcoal indicates O2 >15-17% by 420-400 Ma. However, existing models have failed to predict oxygenation at this time. Here we show that the earliest plants, which colonized the land surface from ∼470 Ma onward, were responsible for this mid-Paleozoic oxygenation event, through greatly increasing global organic carbon burial-the net long-term source of O2 We use a trait-based ecophysiological model to predict that cryptogamic vegetation cover could have achieved ∼30% of today's global terrestrial net primary productivity by ∼445 Ma. Data from modern bryophytes suggests this plentiful early plant material had a much higher molar C:P ratio (∼2,000) than marine biomass (∼100), such that a given weathering flux of phosphorus could support more organic carbon burial. Furthermore, recent experiments suggest that early plants selectively increased the flux of phosphorus (relative to alkalinity) weathered from rocks. Combining these effects in a model of long-term biogeochemical cycling, we reproduce a sustained +2‰ increase in the carbonate carbon isotope (δ(13)C) record by ∼445 Ma, and predict a corresponding rise in O2 to present levels by 420-400 Ma, consistent with geochemical data. This oxygen rise represents a permanent shift in regulatory regime to one where fire-mediated negative feedbacks stabilize high O2 levels.

  9. Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lenton, Timothy M.; Dahl, Tais W.; Daines, Stuart J.; Mills, Benjamin J. W.; Ozaki, Kazumi; Saltzman, Matthew R.; Porada, Philipp

    2016-08-01

    The progressive oxygenation of the Earth’s atmosphere was pivotal to the evolution of life, but the puzzle of when and how atmospheric oxygen (O2) first approached modern levels (˜21%) remains unresolved. Redox proxy data indicate the deep oceans were oxygenated during 435-392 Ma, and the appearance of fossil charcoal indicates O2 >15-17% by 420-400 Ma. However, existing models have failed to predict oxygenation at this time. Here we show that the earliest plants, which colonized the land surface from ˜470 Ma onward, were responsible for this mid-Paleozoic oxygenation event, through greatly increasing global organic carbon burial—the net long-term source of O2. We use a trait-based ecophysiological model to predict that cryptogamic vegetation cover could have achieved ˜30% of today’s global terrestrial net primary productivity by ˜445 Ma. Data from modern bryophytes suggests this plentiful early plant material had a much higher molar C:P ratio (˜2,000) than marine biomass (˜100), such that a given weathering flux of phosphorus could support more organic carbon burial. Furthermore, recent experiments suggest that early plants selectively increased the flux of phosphorus (relative to alkalinity) weathered from rocks. Combining these effects in a model of long-term biogeochemical cycling, we reproduce a sustained +2‰ increase in the carbonate carbon isotope (δ13C) record by ˜445 Ma, and predict a corresponding rise in O2 to present levels by 420-400 Ma, consistent with geochemical data. This oxygen rise represents a permanent shift in regulatory regime to one where fire-mediated negative feedbacks stabilize high O2 levels.

  10. Understanding the gut microbiome of dairy calves: Opportunities to improve early-life gut health.

    PubMed

    Malmuthuge, Nilusha; Guan, Le Luo

    2017-07-01

    Early gut microbiota plays a vital role in the long-term health of the host. However, understanding of these microbiota is very limited in livestock species, especially in dairy calves. Neonatal calves are highly susceptible to enteric infections, one of the major causes of calf death, so approaches to improving gut health and overall calf health are needed. An increasing number of studies are exploring the microbial composition of the gut, the mucosal immune system, and early dietary interventions to improve the health of dairy calves, revealing possibilities for effectively reducing the susceptibility of calves to enteric infections while promoting growth. Still, comprehensive understanding of the effect of dietary interventions on gut microbiota-one of the key aspects of gut health-is lacking. Such knowledge may provide in-depth understanding of the mechanisms behind functional changes in response to dietary interventions. Understanding of host-microbial interactions with dietary interventions and the role of the gut microbiota during pathogenesis at the site of infection in early life is vital for designing effective tools and techniques to improve calf gut health. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Rise to modern levels of ocean oxygenation coincided with the Cambrian radiation of animals.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xi; Ling, Hong-Fei; Vance, Derek; Shields-Zhou, Graham A; Zhu, Maoyan; Poulton, Simon W; Och, Lawrence M; Jiang, Shao-Yong; Li, Da; Cremonese, Lorenzo; Archer, Corey

    2015-05-18

    The early diversification of animals (∼ 630 Ma), and their development into both motile and macroscopic forms (∼ 575-565 Ma), has been linked to stepwise increases in the oxygenation of Earth's surface environment. However, establishing such a linkage between oxygen and evolution for the later Cambrian 'explosion' (540-520 Ma) of new, energy-sapping body plans and behaviours has proved more elusive. Here we present new molybdenum isotope data, which demonstrate that the areal extent of oxygenated bottom waters increased in step with the early Cambrian bioradiation of animals and eukaryotic phytoplankton. Modern-like oxygen levels characterized the ocean at ∼ 521 Ma for the first time in Earth history. This marks the first establishment of a key environmental factor in modern-like ecosystems, where animals benefit from, and also contribute to, the 'homeostasis' of marine redox conditions.

  12. Inner retinal oxygen metabolism in the 50/10 oxygen-induced retinopathy model

    PubMed Central

    Soetikno, Brian T.; Yi, Ji; Shah, Ronil; Liu, Wenzhong; Purta, Patryk; Zhang, Hao F.; Fawzi, Amani A.

    2015-01-01

    Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) represents a major cause of childhood vision loss worldwide. The 50/10 oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model mimics the findings of ROP, including peripheral vascular attenuation and neovascularization. The oxygen metabolism of the inner retina has not been previously explored in this model. Using visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT), we measured the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin and blood flow within inner retinal vessels, enabling us to compute the inner retinal oxygen delivery (irDO2) and metabolic rate of oxygen (irMRO2). We compared these measurements between age-matched room-air controls and rats with 50/10 OIR on postnatal day 18. To account for a 61% decrease in the irDO2 in the OIR group, we found an overall statistically significant decrease in retinal vascular density affecting the superficial and deep retinal vascular capillary networks in rats with OIR compared to controls. Furthermore, matching the reduced irDO2, we found a 59% decrease in irMRO2, which we correlated with a statistically significant reduction in retinal thickness in the OIR group, suggesting that the decreased irMRO2 was due to decreased neuronal oxygen utilization. By exploring these biological and metabolic changes in great detail, our study provides an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of OIR model. PMID:26576731

  13. Oxygen dependency of germinating Brassica seeds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Myoung Ryoul; Hasenstein, Karl H.

    2016-02-01

    Establishing plants in space, Moon or Mars requires adaptation to altered conditions, including reduced pressure and composition of atmospheres. To determine the oxygen requirements for seed germination, we imbibed Brassica rapa seeds under varying oxygen concentrations and profiled the transcription patterns of genes related to early metabolism such as starch degradation, glycolysis, and fermentation. We also analyzed the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and measured starch degradation. Partial oxygen pressure (pO2) greater than 10% resulted in normal germination (i.e., protrusion of radicle about 18 hours after imbibition) but lower pO2 delayed and reduced germination. Imbibition in an oxygen-free atmosphere for three days resulted in no germination but subsequent transfer to air initiated germination in 75% of the seeds and the root growth rate was transiently greater than in roots germinated under ambient pO2. In hypoxic seeds soluble sugars degraded faster but the content of starch after 24 h was higher than at ambient oxygen. Transcription of genes related to starch degradation, α-amylase (AMY) and Sucrose Synthase (SUS), was higher under ambient O2 than under hypoxia. Glycolysis and fermentation pathway-related genes, glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALD), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), LDH, and ADH, were induced by low pO2. The activity of LDH and ADH was the highest in anoxic seeds. Germination under low O2 conditions initiated ethanolic fermentation. Therefore, sufficient oxygen availability is important for germination before photosynthesis provides necessary oxygen and the determination of an oxygen carrying capacity is important for uniform growth in space conditions.

  14. Effects of early life exposure to ultraviolet C radiation on mitochondrial DNA content, transcription, ATP production, and oxygen consumption in developing Caenorhabditis elegans

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is present in multiple copies per cell and undergoes dramatic amplification during development. The impacts of mtDNA damage incurred early in development are not well understood, especially in the case of types of mtDNA damage that are irreparable, such as ultraviolet C radiation (UVC)-induced photodimers. Methods We exposed first larval stage nematodes to UVC using a protocol that results in accumulated mtDNA damage but permits nuclear DNA (nDNA) repair. We then measured the transcriptional response, as well as oxygen consumption, ATP levels, and mtDNA copy number through adulthood. Results Although the mtDNA damage persisted to the fourth larval stage, we observed only a relatively minor ~40% decrease in mtDNA copy number. Transcriptomic analysis suggested an inhibition of aerobic metabolism and developmental processes; mRNA levels for mtDNA-encoded genes were reduced ~50% at 3 hours post-treatment, but recovered and, in some cases, were upregulated at 24 and 48 hours post-exposure. The mtDNA polymerase γ was also induced ~8-fold at 48 hours post-exposure. Moreover, ATP levels and oxygen consumption were reduced in response to UVC exposure, with marked reductions of ~50% at the later larval stages. Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that early life exposure to mitochondrial genotoxicants could result in mitochondrial dysfunction at later stages of life, thereby highlighting the potential health hazards of time-delayed effects of these genotoxicants in the environment. PMID:23374645

  15. Emerging climate change signals in the interior ocean oxygen content

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tjiputra, Jerry; Goris, Nadine; Schwinger, Jörg; Lauvset, Siv

    2017-04-01

    Earth System Models (ESMs) indicate that human-induced climate change will introduce spatially heterogeneous modifications of dissolved oxygen in the North Atlantic. In the upper ocean, an increase (decrease) is predicted at low (high) latitude. Oxygen increase is driven by a reduction of the oxygen consumption for biological remineralization while warming-induced reduction in air-sea fluxes and increase in remineralization due to weaker overturning circulation lead to the projected decrease. In the interior ocean, modifications in the apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) dominate the overall oxygen changes. Moreover, for the southern subpolar gyre, both observations and model hindcast indicate a close relationship between interior ocean oxygen and the subpolar gyre index. Over the 21st century, all ESMs consistently project a steady weakening of this index and consequently the oxygen. Our finding shows that climate change-induced oxygen depletion in the interior has likely occurred and can already be detected. Nevertheless, considering the observational uncertainties, we show that in the proximity of southern subpolar gyre the projected interior trend is sufficiently large enough for early detection.

  16. NADPH oxidase inhibition reduces tubular sodium transport and improves kidney oxygenation in diabetes.

    PubMed

    Persson, Patrik; Hansell, Peter; Palm, Fredrik

    2012-06-15

    Sustained hyperglycemia is associated with increased oxidative stress resulting in decreased intrarenal oxygen tension (Po(2)) due to increased oxygen consumption (Qo(2)). Chronic blockade of the main superoxide radicals producing system, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, normalizes Qo(2) by isolated proximal tubular cells (PTC) and reduces proteinuria in diabetes. The aim was to investigate the effects of acute NADPH oxidase inhibition on tubular Na(+) transport and kidney Po(2) in vivo. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow (RBF), filtration fraction (FF), Na(+) excretion, fractional Li(+) excretion, and intrarenal Po(2) was measured in control and streptozotocin-diabetic rats during baseline and after acute NADPH oxidase inhibition using apocynin. The effects on tubular transporters were investigated using freshly isolated PTC. GFR was increased in diabetics compared with controls (2.2 ± 0.3 vs. 1.4 ± 0.1 ml·min(-1)·kidney(-1)). RBF was similar in both groups, resulting in increased FF in diabetics. Po(2) was reduced in cortex and medulla in diabetic kidneys compared with controls (34.4 ± 0.7 vs. 42.5 ± 1.2 mmHg and 15.7 ± 1.2 vs. 25.5 ± 2.3 mmHg, respectively). Na(+) excretion was increased in diabetics compared with controls (24.0 ± 4.7 vs. 9.0 ± 2.0 μm·min(-1)·kidney(-1)). In controls, all parameters were unaffected. However, apocynin increased Na(+) excretion (+112%) and decreased fractional lithium reabsorption (-10%) in diabetics, resulting in improved cortical (+14%) and medullary (+28%) Po(2). Qo(2) was higher in PTC isolated from diabetic rats compared with control. Apocynin, dimethylamiloride, and ouabain reduced Qo(2), but the effects of combining apocynin with either dimethylamiloride or ouabain were not additive. In conclusion, NADPH oxidase inhibition reduces tubular Na(+) transport and improves intrarenal Po(2) in diabetes.

  17. Neurodevelopmental outcomes in the early CPAP and pulse oximetry trial.

    PubMed

    Vaucher, Yvonne E; Peralta-Carcelen, Myriam; Finer, Neil N; Carlo, Waldemar A; Gantz, Marie G; Walsh, Michele C; Laptook, Abbot R; Yoder, Bradley A; Faix, Roger G; Das, Abhik; Schibler, Kurt; Rich, Wade; Newman, Nancy S; Vohr, Betty R; Yolton, Kimberly; Heyne, Roy J; Wilson-Costello, Deanne E; Evans, Patricia W; Goldstein, Ricki F; Acarregui, Michael J; Adams-Chapman, Ira; Pappas, Athina; Hintz, Susan R; Poindexter, Brenda; Dusick, Anna M; McGowan, Elisabeth C; Ehrenkranz, Richard A; Bodnar, Anna; Bauer, Charles R; Fuller, Janell; O'Shea, T Michael; Myers, Gary J; Higgins, Rosemary D

    2012-12-27

    Previous results from our trial of early treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) versus early surfactant treatment in infants showed no significant difference in the outcome of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. A lower (vs. higher) target range of oxygen saturation was associated with a lower rate of severe retinopathy but higher mortality. We now report longer-term results from our prespecified hypotheses. Using a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned infants born between 24 weeks 0 days and 27 weeks 6 days of gestation to early CPAP with a limited ventilation strategy or early surfactant administration and to lower or higher target ranges of oxygen saturation (85 to 89% or 91 to 95%). The primary composite outcome for the longer-term analysis was death before assessment at 18 to 22 months or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 to 22 months of corrected age. The primary outcome was determined for 1234 of 1316 enrolled infants (93.8%); 990 of the 1058 surviving infants (93.6%) were evaluated at 18 to 22 months of corrected age. Death or neurodevelopmental impairment occurred in 27.9% of the infants in the CPAP group (173 of 621 infants), versus 29.9% of those in the surfactant group (183 of 613) (relative risk, 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 1.10; P=0.38), and in 30.2% of the infants in the lower-oxygen-saturation group (185 of 612), versus 27.5% of those in the higher-oxygen-saturation group (171 of 622) (relative risk, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.32; P=0.21). Mortality was increased with the lower-oxygen-saturation target (22.1%, vs. 18.2% with the higher-oxygen-saturation target; relative risk, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.55; P=0.046). We found no significant differences in the composite outcome of death or neurodevelopmental impairment among extremely premature infants randomly assigned to early CPAP or early surfactant administration and to a lower or higher target range of oxygen saturation. (Funded by the Eunice Kennedy

  18. Ceftazidime improves hemodynamics and oxygenation in ovine smoke inhalation injury and septic shock.

    PubMed

    Maybauer, Marc O; Maybauer, Dirk M; Fraser, John F; Traber, Lillian D; Westphal, Martin; Cox, Robert A; Huda, Ruksana; Nakano, Yoshimitsu Y; Enkhbaatar, Perenlei; Hawkins, Hal K; Herndon, David N; Traber, Daniel L

    2007-07-01

    To investigate ceftazidime in acute lung injury (ALI) and sepsis. Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study in an investigational ICU at a university hospital. Eighteen female Merino sheep were prepared for chronic study and subjected to smoke inhalation and septic challenge according to an established protocol. Whereas global hemodynamics and oxygenation remained stable in sham animals (no injury, no treatment), the injury contributed to a hypotensive-hyperdynamic circulation in the control group (smoke inhalation and sepsis, no treatment), as indicated by a significant increase in cardiac index) and heart rate and a drop in mean arterial pressure. Treatment with ceftazidime (smoke inhalation and sepsis, treatment group) stabilized cardiac index and heart rate and attenuated the decrease in mean arterial pressure. The deterioration in PaO2/FiO2 ratio and pulmonary shunt fraction (Qs/Qt) was significantly delayed and blunted by ceftazidime. At 24 h after injury a significant increase in airway obstruction scores of bronchi and bronchioles in both injured groups was observed. Ceftazidime significantly reduced airway obstruction vs. control animals. Whereas plasma nitrate/nitrite levels increased similarly in the two injured groups, lung 3-nitrotyrosine content remained at the baseline level in the ceftazidime group. In ovine lung injury ceftazidime improves global hemodynamics and oxygenation not only by bacterial clearance but also via reduction in toxic nitrogen species such as 3-nitrotyrosine. Therefore ceftazidime appears as a clinically relevant adjunct in the common setting of sepsis-associated lung injury.

  19. Early fluid loading for septic patients: Any safety limit needed?

    PubMed

    Gong, Yi-Chun; Liu, Jing-Tao; Ma, Peng-Lin

    2018-02-01

    Early adequate fluid loading was the corner stone of hemodynamic optimization for sepsis and septic shock. Meanwhile, recent recommended protocol for fluid resuscitation was increasingly debated on hemodynamic stability vs risk of overloading. In recent publications, it was found that a priority was often given to hemodynamic stability rather than organ function alternation in the early fluid resuscitation of sepsis. However, no safety limits were used at all in most of these reports. In this article, the rationality and safety of early aggressive fluid loading for septic patients were discussed. It was concluded that early aggressive fluid loading improved hemodynamics transitorily, but was probably traded off with a follow-up organ function impairment, such as worsening oxygenation by reduction of lung aeration, in a part of septic patients at least. Thus, a safeguard is needed against unnecessary excessive fluids in early aggressive fluid loading for septic patients. Copyright © 2017 Daping Hospital and the Research Institute of Surgery of the Third Military Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Hemodynamic and oxygen transport patterns for outcome prediction, therapeutic goals, and clinical algorithms to improve outcome. Feasibility of artificial intelligence to customize algorithms.

    PubMed

    Shoemaker, W C; Patil, R; Appel, P L; Kram, H B

    1992-11-01

    A generalized decision tree or clinical algorithm for treatment of high-risk elective surgical patients was developed from a physiologic model based on empirical data. First, a large data bank was used to do the following: (1) describe temporal hemodynamic and oxygen transport patterns that interrelate cardiac, pulmonary, and tissue perfusion functions in survivors and nonsurvivors; (2) define optimal therapeutic goals based on the supranormal oxygen transport values of high-risk postoperative survivors; (3) compare the relative effectiveness of alternative therapies in a wide variety of clinical and physiologic conditions; and (4) to develop criteria for titration of therapy to the endpoints of the supranormal optimal goals using cardiac index (CI), oxygen delivery (DO2), and oxygen consumption (VO2) as proxy outcome measures. Second, a general purpose algorithm was generated from these data and tested in preoperatively randomized clinical trials of high-risk surgical patients. Improved outcome was demonstrated with this generalized algorithm. The concept that the supranormal values represent compensations that have survival value has been corroborated by several other groups. We now propose a unique approach to refine the generalized algorithm to develop customized algorithms and individualized decision analysis for each patient's unique problems. The present article describes a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of artificial intelligence techniques to accomplish individualized algorithms that may further improve patient care and outcome.

  1. Early resuscitation with polymerized bovine hemoglobin reverses acidosis, but not peripheral tissue oxygenation, in a severe hamster shock model.

    PubMed

    Wettstein, Reto; Tsai, Amy G; Harder, Yves; Erni, Dominique; Intaglietta, Marcos

    2006-11-01

    Awake hamsters equipped with the dorsal window chamber preparation were subjected to hemorrhage of 50% of the estimated blood volume. Initial resuscitation (25% of estimated blood volume) with polymerized bovine hemoglobin (PBH) or 10% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) occurred in concert with an equivolumetric bleeding to simulate the early, prehospital setting (exchange transfusion). Resuscitation (25% of estimated blood volume) without bleeding was performed with PBH, HES, or autologous red blood cells (HES-RBCs). Peripheral microcirculation, tissue oxygenation, and systemic hemodynamic and blood gas parameters were assessed. After exchange transfusion, base deficit was -8.6 +/- 3.7 mmol/L (PBH) and -5.1 +/- 5.3 mmol/L (HES) (not significant). Functional capillary density was 17% +/- 6% of baseline (PBH) and 31% +/- 11% (HES) (P < 0.05) and arteriolar diameter 73% +/- 3% of baseline (PBH) and 90% + 5% (HES) (P < 0.01). At the end, hemoglobin levels were 3.7 +/- 0.3 g/dL with HES, 8.2 +/- 0.6 g/dL with PBH, and 10.4 +/- 0.8 g/dL with HES-RBCs (P < 0.01 HES vs. PBH and HES-RBCs, P < 0.05 PBH vs. HES-RBCs). Base excess was restored to baseline with PBH and HES-RBCs, but not with HES (P < 0.05). Functional capillary density was 46% +/- 5% of baseline (PBH), 62% + 20% (HES-RBCs), and 36% +/- 19% (HES) (P < 0.01 HES-RBCs vs. HES). Peripheral oxygen delivery and consumption was highest with HES-RBCs, followed by PBH (P < 0.05 HES-RBCs vs. PBH, P < 0.01 HES-RBCs and PBH vs. HES). In conclusion, the PBH led to a correction of base deficit comparable to blood transfusion. However, oxygenation of the peripheral tissue was inferior with PBH. This was attributed to its negative impact on the peripheral microcirculation caused by arteriolar vasoconstriction.

  2. Oxygen profile and clogging in vertical flow sand filters for on-site wastewater treatment.

    PubMed

    Petitjean, A; Forquet, N; Boutin, C

    2016-04-01

    13 million people (about 20% of the population) use on-site wastewater treatment in France. Buried vertical sand filters are often built, especially when the soil permeability is not sufficient for septic tank effluent infiltration in undisturbed soil. Clogging is one of the main problems deteriorating the operation of vertical flow filters for wastewater treatment. The extent of clogging is not easily assessed, especially in buried vertical flow sand filters. We suggest examining two possible ways of detecting early clogging: (1) NH4-N/NO3-N outlet concentration ratio, and (2) oxygen measurement within the porous media. Two pilot-scale filters were equipped with probes for oxygen concentration measurements and samples were taken at different depths for pollutant characterization. Influent and effluent grab-samples were taken three times a week. The systems were operated using batch-feeding of septic tank effluent. Qualitative description of oxygen transfer processes under unclogged and clogged conditions is presented. NH4-N outlet concentration appears to be useless for early clogging detection. However, NO3-N outlet concentration and oxygen content allows us to diagnose the early clogging of the system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. British Thoracic Society guidelines for home oxygen use in adults.

    PubMed

    Hardinge, Maxine; Annandale, Joe; Bourne, Simon; Cooper, Brendan; Evans, Angela; Freeman, Daryl; Green, Angela; Hippolyte, Sabrine; Knowles, Vikki; MacNee, William; McDonnell, Lynn; Pye, Kathy; Suntharalingam, Jay; Vora, Vandana; Wilkinson, Tom

    2015-06-01

    The British Thoracic Society (BTS) Home Oxygen Guideline provides detailed evidence-based guidance for the use of home oxygen for patients out of hospital. Although the majority of evidence comes from the use of oxygen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the scope of the guidance includes patients with a variety of long-term respiratory illnesses and other groups in whom oxygen is currently ordered, such as those with cardiac failure, cancer and end-stage cardiorespiratory disease, terminal illness or cluster headache. It explores the evidence base for the use of different modalities of oxygen therapy and patient-related outcomes such as mortality, symptoms and quality of life. The guideline also makes recommendations for assessment and follow-up protocols, and risk assessments, particularly in the clinically challenging area of home oxygen users who smoke. The guideline development group is aware of the potential for confusion sometimes caused by the current nomenclature for different types of home oxygen, and rather than renaming them, has adopted the approach of clarifying those definitions, and in particular emphasising what is meant by long-term oxygen therapy and palliative oxygen therapy. The home oxygen guideline provides expert consensus opinion in areas where clinical evidence is lacking, and seeks to deliver improved prescribing practice, leading to improved compliance and improved patient outcomes, with consequent increased value to the health service. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  4. Oxygen in acute and chronic wound healing.

    PubMed

    Schreml, S; Szeimies, R M; Prantl, L; Karrer, S; Landthaler, M; Babilas, P

    2010-08-01

    Oxygen is a prerequisite for successful wound healing due to the increased demand for reparative processes such as cell proliferation, bacterial defence, angiogenesis and collagen synthesis. Even though the role of oxygen in wound healing is not yet completely understood, many experimental and clinical observations have shown wound healing to be impaired under hypoxia. This article provides an overview on the role of oxygen in wound healing and chronic wound pathogenesis, a brief insight into systemic and topical oxygen treatment, and a discussion of the role of wound tissue oximetry. Thus, the aim is to improve the understanding of the role of oxygen in wound healing and to advance our management of wound patients.

  5. Operando investigation of Au-MnO x thin films with improved activity for the oxygen evolution reaction

    DOE PAGES

    Frydendal, Rasmus; Seitz, Linsey C.; Sokaras, Dimosthenis; ...

    2017-01-20

    The electrochemical splitting of water holds great potential as a method for producing clean fuels by storing electricity from intermittent energy sources. The efficiency of such a process would be greatly facilitated by incorporating more active catalysts based on abundant materials for the oxygen evolution reaction. Manganese oxides are promising as catalysts for this reaction. Recent reports show that their activity can be drastically enhanced when modified with gold. Herein, we investigate highly active mixed Au-MnO x thin films for the oxygen evolution reaction, which exhibit more than five times improvement over pure MnO x. These films are characterized withmore » operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, which reveal that Mn assumes a higher oxidation state under reaction conditions when Au is present. As a result, the magnitude of the enhancement is correlated to the size of the Au domains, where larger domains are the more beneficial.« less

  6. Intravenous oxygen: a novel method of oxygen delivery in hypoxemic respiratory failure?

    PubMed

    Gehlbach, Jonathan A; Rehder, Kyle J; Gentile, Michael A; Turner, David A; Grady, Daniel J; Cheifetz, Ira M

    2017-01-01

    Hypoxemic respiratory failure is a common problem in critical care. Current management strategies, including mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membranous oxygenation, can be efficacious but these therapies put patients at risk for toxicities associated with invasive forms of support. Areas covered: In this manuscript, we discuss intravenous oxygen (IVO 2 ), a novel method to improve oxygen delivery that involves intravenous administration of a physiologic solution containing dissolved oxygen at hyperbaric concentrations. After a brief review of the physiology behind supersaturated fluids, we summarize the current evidence surrounding IVO 2 . Expert commentary: Although not yet at the stage of clinical testing in the United States and Europe, IVO 2 has been used safely in Asia. Furthermore, preliminary laboratory data have been encouraging, suggesting that IVO 2 may play a role in the management of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure in years to come. However, significantly more work needs to be done, including definitive evidence that such a therapy is safe, before it can be included in an intensivist's arsenal for hypoxemic respiratory failure.

  7. Early plasma transfusion is associated with improved survival after isolated traumatic brain injury in patients with multifocal intracranial hemorrhage.

    PubMed

    Chang, Ronald; Folkerson, Lindley E; Sloan, Duncan; Tomasek, Jeffrey S; Kitagawa, Ryan S; Choi, H Alex; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B

    2017-02-01

    Plasma-based resuscitation improves outcomes in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock, while large-animal and limited clinical data suggest that it also improves outcomes and is neuroprotective in the setting of combined hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury. However, the choice of initial resuscitation fluid, including the role of plasma, is unclear for patients after isolated traumatic brain injury. We reviewed adult trauma patients admitted from January 2011 to July 2015 with isolated traumatic brain injury. "Early plasma" was defined as transfusion of plasma within 4 hours. Purposeful multiple logistic regression modeling was performed to analyze the relationship of early plasma and inhospital survival. After testing for interaction, subgroup analysis was performed based on the pattern of brain injury on initial head computed tomography: epidural hematoma, intraparenchymal contusion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, or multifocal intracranial hemorrhage. Of the 633 isolated traumatic brain injury patients included, 178 (28%) who received early plasma were injured more severely coagulopathic, hypoperfused, and hypotensive on admission. Survival was similar in the early plasma versus no early plasma groups (78% vs 84%, P = .08). After adjustment for covariates, early plasma was not associated with improved survival (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 0.71-1.96). On subgroup analysis, multifocal intracranial hemorrhage was the largest subgroup with 242 patients. Of these, 61 (25%) received plasma within 4 hours. Within-group logistic regression analysis with adjustment for covariates found that early plasma was associated with improved survival (odds ratio 3.34, 95% confidence interval 1.20-9.35). Although early plasma transfusion was not associated with improved in-hospital survival for all isolated traumatic brain injury patients, early plasma was associated with increased in-hospital survival in those with multifocal intracranial

  8. Errorless-based techniques can improve route finding in early Alzheimer's disease: a case study.

    PubMed

    Provencher, Véronique; Bier, Nathalie; Audet, Thérèse; Gagnon, Lise

    2008-01-01

    Topographical disorientation is a common and early manifestation of dementia of Alzheimer type, which threatens independence in activities of daily living. Errorless-based techniques appear to be effective in helping patients with amnesia to learn routes, but little is known about their effectiveness in early dementia of Alzheimer type. A 77-year-old woman with dementia of Alzheimer type had difficulty in finding her way around her seniors residence, which reduced her social activities. This study used an ABA design (A is the baseline and B is the intervention) with multiple baselines across routes for going to the rosary (target), laundry, and game rooms (controls). The errorless-based technique intervention was applied to 2 of the 3 routes. Analyses showed significant improvement only for the routes learned with errorless-based techniques. Following the study, the participant increased her topographical knowledge of her surroundings. Route learning interventions based on errorless-based techniques appear to be a promising approach for improving the independence in early dementia of Alzheimer type.

  9. Development of an e-learning system for teaching endoscopists how to diagnose early gastric cancer: basic principles for improving early detection.

    PubMed

    Yao, Kenshi; Uedo, Noriya; Muto, Manabu; Ishikawa, Hideki

    2017-03-01

    We developed an internet e-learning system in order to improve the ability of endoscopists to diagnose gastric cancer at an early stage. The efficacy of this system at expanding knowledge and providing invaluable experience regarding the endoscopic detection of early gastric cancer was demonstrated through an international multicenter randomized controlled trial. However, the contents of the system have not yet been fully described in the literature. Accordingly, we herein introduce the contents and their principles, which comprise three main subjects: technique, knowledge, and experience. Since all the e-learning contents and principles are based on conventional white-light endoscopy alone, which is commonly available throughout the world, they should provide a good reference point for any endoscopist who wishes to devise learning materials and guidelines for improving their own clinical practice.

  10. Routine low-dose continuous or nocturnal oxygen for people with acute stroke: three-arm Stroke Oxygen Supplementation RCT.

    PubMed

    Roffe, Christine; Nevatte, Tracy; Bishop, Jon; Sim, Julius; Penaloza, Cristina; Jowett, Susan; Ives, Natalie; Gray, Richard; Ferdinand, Phillip; Muddegowda, Girish

    2018-03-01

    Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Hypoxia is common after stroke and is associated with worse outcomes. Oxygen supplementation could prevent hypoxia and secondary brain damage. (1) To assess whether or not routine low-dose oxygen supplementation in patients with acute stroke improves outcome compared with no oxygen; and (2) to assess whether or not oxygen given at night only, when oxygen saturation is most likely to be low, is more effective than continuous supplementation. Multicentre, prospective, randomised, open, blinded-end point trial. Secondary care hospitals with acute stroke wards. Adult stroke patients within 24 hours of hospital admission and 48 hours of stroke onset, without definite indications for or contraindications to oxygen or a life-threatening condition other than stroke. Allocated by web-based minimised randomisation to: (1) continuous oxygen: oxygen via nasal cannula continuously (day and night) for 72 hours after randomisation at a flow rate of 3 l/minute if baseline oxygen saturation was ≤ 93% or 2 l/minute if > 93%; (2) nocturnal oxygen: oxygen via nasal cannula overnight (21:00-07:00) for three consecutive nights. The flow rate was the same as the continuous oxygen group; and (3) control: no routine oxygen supplementation unless required for reasons other than stroke. Primary outcome: disability assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months by postal questionnaire (participant aware, assessor blinded). Secondary outcomes at 7 days: neurological improvement, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), mortality, and the highest and lowest oxygen saturations within the first 72 hours. Secondary outcomes at 3, 6, and 12 months: mortality, independence, current living arrangements, Barthel Index, quality of life (European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, three levels) and Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living scale by postal questionnaire. In total, 8003 patients were recruited between

  11. Electric oxygen-iodine laser discharge scaling and laser performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woodard, Brian S.

    In 2004, a research partnership between the University of Illinois and CU Aerospace demonstrated the first electric discharge pumped oxygen-iodine laser referred to as ElectricOIL. This exciting improvement over the standard oxygen-iodine laser utilizes a gas discharge to produce the necessary electronically-excited molecular oxygen, O2(a 1Delta), that serves as the energy reservoir in the laser system. Pumped by a near-resonant energy transfer, the atomic iodine lases on the I(2P1/2) → I(2P3/2) transition at 1315 nm. Molecular oxygen diluted with helium and a small fraction of nitric oxide flows through a radiofrequency discharge where O2(a 1Delta) and many other excited species are created. Careful investigations to understand the benefits and problems associated with these other states in the laser system allowed this team to succeed where other research groups had failed, and after the initial demonstration, the ElectricOIL research focus shifted to increasing the efficiencies along with the output laser energy. Among other factors, the laser power scales with the flow rate of oxygen in the desired excited state. Therefore, high yields of O2(a 1Delta) are desired along with high input oxygen flow rates. In the early ElectricOIL experiments, the pressure in the discharge was approximately 10 Torr, but increased flow rates forced the pressure to between 50 and 60 Torr requiring a number of new discharge designs in order to produce similar yields of O2(a1Delta) efficiently. Experiments were conducted with only the electric discharge portion of the laser system using emission diagnostics to study the effects of changing the discharge geometry, flow residence time, and diluent. The power carried by O2(a 1Delta) is the maximum power that could be extracted from the laser, and the results from these studies showed approximately 2500 W stored in the O2(a1Delta) state. Transferring this energy into the atomic iodine has been another challenge in ElectricOIL as

  12. Designing a Microfluidic Device with Integrated Ratiometric Oxygen Sensors for the Long-Term Control and Monitoring of Chronic and Cyclic Hypoxia

    PubMed Central

    Grist, Samantha M.; Schmok, Jonathan C.; Liu, Meng-Chi (Andy); Chrostowski, Lukas; Cheung, Karen C.

    2015-01-01

    Control of oxygen over cell cultures in vitro is a topic of considerable interest, as chronic and cyclic hypoxia can alter cell behaviour. Both static and transient hypoxic levels have been found to affect tumour cell behaviour; it is potentially valuable to include these effects in early, in vitro stages of drug screening. A barrier to their inclusion is that rates of transient hypoxia can be a few cycles/hour, which is difficult to reproduce in traditional in vitro cell culture environments due to long diffusion distances from control gases to the cells. We use a gas-permeable three-layer microfluidic device to achieve spatial and temporal oxygen control with biologically-relevant switching times. We measure the oxygen profiles with integrated, ratiometric optical oxygen sensors, demonstrate sensor and system stability over multi-day experiments, and characterize a pre-bleaching process to improve sensor stability. We show, with both finite-element modelling and experimental data, excellent control over the oxygen levels by the device, independent of fluid flow rate and oxygenation for the operating flow regime. We measure equilibration times of approximately 10 min, generate complex, time-varying oxygen profiles, and study the effects of oxygenated media flow rates on the measured oxygen levels. This device could form a useful tool for future long-term studies of cell behaviour under hypoxia. PMID:26287202

  13. Sensitivity of Seawater Oxygen Isotopes to Climatic and Tectonic Boundary Conditions in an Early Paleogene Simulation with GISS ModelE-R

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Roberts, Christopher D.; LeGrande, Allegra N.; Tripati, Aradhna K.

    2011-01-01

    An isotope-enabled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (GISS ModelE -R) is used to estimate the spatial gradients of the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater (delta O-18(sub sw), where delta is the deviation from a known reference material in per mil) during the early Paleogene (45.65 Ma). Understanding the response of delta O-18(sub sw) to changes in climatic and tectonic boundary conditions is important because records of carbonate delta O-18 document changes in hydrology, as well as changes in temperature and global ice -volume. We present results from an early Paleogene configuration of ModelE -R which indicate that spatial gradients of surface ocean delta O-18(sub sw) during this period could have been significantly different to those in the modern ocean. The differences inferred from ModelE -R are sufficient to change early Paleogene sea surface temperature estimates derived from primary carbonate delta O-18 signatures by more than +/-2 C in large areas of the ocean. In the North Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans, the differences in d18Osw inferred from our simulation with ModelE -R are in direct contrast with those from another d18O ]tracing model study which used different, but equally plausible, early Paleogene boundary conditions. The large differences in delta O-18(sub sw) between preindustrial and early Paleogene simulations, and between models, emphasizes the sensitivity of d18Osw to climatic and tectonic boundary conditions. For this reason, absolute estimates of Eocene/ Paleocene temperature derived from carbonate delta O-18 alone are likely to have larger uncertainties than are usually assumed.

  14. Rise to modern levels of ocean oxygenation coincided with the Cambrian radiation of animals

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Xi; Ling, Hong-Fei; Vance, Derek; Shields-Zhou, Graham A.; Zhu, Maoyan; Poulton, Simon W.; Och, Lawrence M.; Jiang, Shao-Yong; Li, Da; Cremonese, Lorenzo; Archer, Corey

    2015-01-01

    The early diversification of animals (∼630 Ma), and their development into both motile and macroscopic forms (∼575–565 Ma), has been linked to stepwise increases in the oxygenation of Earth's surface environment. However, establishing such a linkage between oxygen and evolution for the later Cambrian ‘explosion' (540–520 Ma) of new, energy-sapping body plans and behaviours has proved more elusive. Here we present new molybdenum isotope data, which demonstrate that the areal extent of oxygenated bottom waters increased in step with the early Cambrian bioradiation of animals and eukaryotic phytoplankton. Modern-like oxygen levels characterized the ocean at ∼521 Ma for the first time in Earth history. This marks the first establishment of a key environmental factor in modern-like ecosystems, where animals benefit from, and also contribute to, the ‘homeostasis' of marine redox conditions. PMID:25980960

  15. Oxygen plasma treatment and deposition of CN{sub x} on a fluorinated polymer matrix composite for improved erosion resistance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muratore, C.; Korenyi-Both, A.; Bultman, J. E.

    2007-07-15

    The use of polymer matrix composites in aerospace propulsion applications is currently limited by insufficient resistance to erosion by abrasive media. Erosion resistant coatings may provide necessary protection; however, adhesion to many high temperature polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials is poor. A low pressure oxygen plasma treatment process was developed to improve adhesion of CN{sub x} coatings to a carbon reinforced, fluorinated polymer matrix composite. Fullerene-like CN{sub x} was selected as an erosion resistant coating for its high hardness-to-elastic modulus ratio and elastic resilience which were expected to reduce erosion from media incident at different angles (normal or glancing) relativemore » to the surface. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to evaluate the effect of the plasma treatment on surface chemistry, and electron microscopy was used to identify changes in the surface morphology of the PMC substrate after plasma exposure. The fluorine concentration at the surface was significantly reduced and the carbon fibers were exposed after plasma treatment. CN{sub x} coatings were then deposited on oxygen treated PMC substrates. Qualitative tests demonstrated that plasma treatment improved coating adhesion resulting in an erosion resistance improvement of a factor of 2 compared to untreated coated composite substrates. The combination of PMC pretreatment and coating with CN{sub x} reduced the erosion rate by an order of magnitude for normally incident particles.« less

  16. Early changes in coagulation profiles and lactate levels in patients with septic shock undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyoung Soo; Cheon, Dae Young; Ha, Sang Ook; Han, Sang Jin; Kim, Hyun-Sook; Lee, Sun Hee; Kim, Sung Gyun

    2018-01-01

    Background To investigate the impact of coagulation profiles and lactate levels in patients with septic shock undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Methods A retrospective analysis of coagulation profiles, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score, before and during 48 h of ECMO support [on day 0 (pre-ECMO), day 1, and day 2], was conducted in patients with septic shock undergoing ECMO. Results A total of 37 patients were included, and 15 (40.5%) patients survived. The initial DIC scores did not change in either the pre-ECMO overt-DIC (n=15) or non-overt-DIC (n=22) group after ECMO commencement. However, the DIC scores were significantly higher, at all three time-points, in non-survivors than in survivors. Additionally, the lactate levels improved considerably in the pre-ECMO non-overt-DIC group and in survivors during ECMO support, but not in the pre-ECMO overt DIC group or non-survivors. On a multivariate analysis, the pre-ECMO DIC score was significantly associated with hospital death [odds ratio (OR), 3.935; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.170–13.230]. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves revealed that the combination of pre-ECMO DIC score plus lactate level was the best predictor of hospital death (area under the curve, 0.879; 0.771–0.987); patients with combined scores >9.35 (the optimal cut-off) exhibited a three-fold higher mortality rate than did those with lower scores (81.8% vs. 26.7%, P=0.001). Conclusions During the early period of ECMO support, the coagulation profiles and lactate levels exhibited different trajectories in survivors and non-survivors. Furthermore, the pre-ECMO DIC score plus lactate level was the best predictor of hospital death. PMID:29707291

  17. Measurement of dissolved oxygen during red wines tank aging with chips and micro-oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Nevares, I; del Alamo, M

    2008-07-21

    Nowadays, micro-oxygenation is a very important technique used in aging wines in order to improve their characteristics. The techniques of wine tank aging imply the use of small doses of oxygen and the addition of wood pieces of oak to the wine. Considering the low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels used by micro-oxygenation technique it is necessary to choose the appropriate measurement principle to apply the precise oxygen dosage in wine at any time, in order to assure its correct assimilation. This knowledge will allow the oenologist to control and run the wine aging correctly. This work is a thorough revision of DO measurement main technologies applied to oenology. It describes the strengths and weaknesses of each of them, and draws a comparison of their workings in wine measurement. Both, the traditional systems by electrochemical probes, and the newest photoluminescence-based probes have been used. These probes adapted to red wines ageing study are then compared. This paper also details the first results of the dissolved oxygen content evolution in red wines during a traditional and alternative tank aging. Samples have been treated by three different ageing systems: oak barrels, stainless-steel tanks with small oak wood pieces (chips) and with bigger oak pieces (staves) with low micro-oxygenation levels. French and American oak barrels manufactured by the same cooperage have been used.

  18. Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

    PubMed Central

    Lenton, Timothy M.; Dahl, Tais W.; Daines, Stuart J.; Mills, Benjamin J. W.; Ozaki, Kazumi; Saltzman, Matthew R.; Porada, Philipp

    2016-01-01

    The progressive oxygenation of the Earth’s atmosphere was pivotal to the evolution of life, but the puzzle of when and how atmospheric oxygen (O2) first approached modern levels (∼21%) remains unresolved. Redox proxy data indicate the deep oceans were oxygenated during 435–392 Ma, and the appearance of fossil charcoal indicates O2 >15–17% by 420–400 Ma. However, existing models have failed to predict oxygenation at this time. Here we show that the earliest plants, which colonized the land surface from ∼470 Ma onward, were responsible for this mid-Paleozoic oxygenation event, through greatly increasing global organic carbon burial—the net long-term source of O2. We use a trait-based ecophysiological model to predict that cryptogamic vegetation cover could have achieved ∼30% of today’s global terrestrial net primary productivity by ∼445 Ma. Data from modern bryophytes suggests this plentiful early plant material had a much higher molar C:P ratio (∼2,000) than marine biomass (∼100), such that a given weathering flux of phosphorus could support more organic carbon burial. Furthermore, recent experiments suggest that early plants selectively increased the flux of phosphorus (relative to alkalinity) weathered from rocks. Combining these effects in a model of long-term biogeochemical cycling, we reproduce a sustained +2‰ increase in the carbonate carbon isotope (δ13C) record by ∼445 Ma, and predict a corresponding rise in O2 to present levels by 420–400 Ma, consistent with geochemical data. This oxygen rise represents a permanent shift in regulatory regime to one where fire-mediated negative feedbacks stabilize high O2 levels. PMID:27528678

  19. Workshop on Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    Lunar Metal Grains: Solar, Lunar or Terrestrial Origin? 22) Isotopic Zoning in the Inner Solar System; 23) Redox Conditions on Small Bodies; 24) Determining the Oxygen Fugacity of Lunar Pyroclastic Glasses Using Vanadium Valence - An Update; 25) Mantle Redox Evolution and the Rise of Atmospheric O2; 26) Variation of Kd for Fe-Mg Exchange Between Olivine and Melt for Compositions Ranging from Alkaline Basalt to Rhyolite; 27) Determining the Partial Pressure of Oxygen (PO,) in Solutions on Mars; 28) The Influence of Oxygen Environment on Kinetic Properties of Silicate Rocks and Minerals; 29) Redox Evolution of Magmatic Systems; 30) The Constancy of Upper Mantlefo, Through Time Inferred from V/Sc Ratios in Basalts: Implications for the Rise in Atmospheric 0 2; 31) Nitrogen Solubility in Basaltic Melt. Effects of Oxygen Fugacity, Melt Composition and Gas Speciation; 32) Oxygen Isotope Anomalies in the Atmospheres of Earth and Mars; 33) The Effect of Oxygen Fugacity on Interdiffusion of Iron and Magnesium in Magnesiowiistite 34) The Calibration of the Pyroxene Eu-Oxybarometer for the Martian Meteorites; 35) The Europium Oxybarometer: Power and Pitfalls; 36) Oxygen Fugacity of the Martian Mantle from PigeoniteMelt Partitioning of Samarium, Europium and Gadolinium; 37) Oxidation-Reduction Processes on the Moon: Experimental Verification of Graphite Oxidation in the Apollo 17 Orange Glasses; 38) Oxygen and Core Formation in the Earth; 39) Geologic Record of the Atmospheric Sulfur Chemistry Before the Oxygenation of the Early Earth s Atmosphere; 40) Comparative Planetary Mineralogy: V/(CrCAl) Systematics in Chromite as an Indicator of Relative Oxygen Fugacity; 41) How Well do Sulfur Isotopes Constrain Oxygen Abundance in the Ancient Atmospheres? 42) Experimental Constraints on the Oxygen Isotope (O-18/ O-16) Fractionation in the Ice vapor and Adsorbant vapor Systems of CO2 at Conditions Relevant to the Surface of Mars; 43) Micro-XANES Measurements on Experimental Spinels andhe

  20. Intermittent Oxygen Inhalation with Proper Frequency Improves Overall Health Conditions and Alleviates Symptoms in a Population at High Risk of Chronic Mountain Sickness with Severe Symptoms

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Bin; Xu, Wei-Hao; Gao, Yu-Qi; Liu, Fu-Yu; Li, Peng; Zheng, Shan-Jun; Gai, Lu-Yue; Zhang, Gang

    2016-01-01

    .493, both P < 0.05/3 vs. before intake) and headache (A group: Z = 4.263, 3.890, 4.040, both P < 0.05/3 vs. before intake) index decreased significantly also for oxygen inhalation method A at all the 3 time points. Cyanosis index decreased significantly 30 days after oxygen intake only in the group of participants administered the D method (Z = 2.701, P = 0.007). Tinnitus index decreased significantly in group A and D at 15 days (A group: Z = 3.377, P = 0.001, D group: Z = 3.150, P = 0.002), 30 days after oxygen intake (A group: Z = 2.836, P = 0.005, D group: Z = 5.963, P < 0.0001) and 15 days after termination (A group: Z = 2.734, P = 0.006, D group: Z = 4.049, P = 0.0001), and decreased significantly in the group B and C at 15 days after termination (B group: Z = 2.611, P = 0.009; C group: Z = 3.302, P = 0.001). In the population at high risk of CMS with severe symptoms, oxygen intake 7 times/week significantly improved total symptom scores of severe symptoms at 15 days (4 [2, 5] vs. 5.5 [4, 7], Z = 2.890, P = 0.005) and 30 days (3 [1, 5] vs. 5.5 [2, 7], Z = 3.270, P = 0.001) after oxygen intake compared to no oxygen intake. In the population at high risk of CMS with mild symptoms, compared to no oxygen intake, oxygen intake 2 or 4 times/week did not improve the total symptom scores at 15 days (2 [1, 3], 3 [1, 4] vs. 3 [1.5, 5]; χ2= 2.490, P = 0.288), and at 30 days (2 [0, 4], 2 [1, 4.5] vs. 3 [2, 5]; χ2= 3.730, P = 0.155) after oxygen intake. In the population at low risk of CMS, oxygen intake did not significantly change the white cell count and red cell count compared to no oxygen intake, neither in the severe symptomatic population nor in the mild symptomatic population. Conclusions: Intermittent oxygen inhalation with proper frequency might alleviate symptoms in residents at high altitude by improving their overall health conditions. Administration of oxygen inhalation therapy 2–4 times/week might not benefit populations at high risk of CMS with mild CMS symptoms

  1. How do I know if I’ve improved my continental scale flood early warning system?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cloke, Hannah L.; Pappenberger, Florian; Smith, Paul J.; Wetterhall, Fredrik

    2017-04-01

    Flood early warning systems mitigate damages and loss of life and are an economically efficient way of enhancing disaster resilience. The use of continental scale flood early warning systems is rapidly growing. The European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) is a pan-European flood early warning system forced by a multi-model ensemble of numerical weather predictions. Responses to scientific and technical changes can be complex in these computationally expensive continental scale systems, and improvements need to be tested by evaluating runs of the whole system. It is demonstrated here that forecast skill is not correlated with the value of warnings. In order to tell if the system has been improved an evaluation strategy is required that considers both forecast skill and warning value. The combination of a multi-forcing ensemble of EFAS flood forecasts is evaluated with a new skill-value strategy. The full multi-forcing ensemble is recommended for operational forecasting, but, there are spatial variations in the optimal forecast combination. Results indicate that optimizing forecasts based on value rather than skill alters the optimal forcing combination and the forecast performance. Also indicated is that model diversity and ensemble size are both important in achieving best overall performance. The use of several evaluation measures that consider both skill and value is strongly recommended when considering improvements to early warning systems.

  2. Prediction model of dissolved oxygen in ponds based on ELM neural network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xinfei; Ai, Jiaoyan; Lin, Chunhuan; Guan, Haibin

    2018-02-01

    Dissolved oxygen in ponds is affected by many factors, and its distribution is unbalanced. In this paper, in order to improve the imbalance of dissolved oxygen distribution more effectively, the dissolved oxygen prediction model of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) intelligent algorithm is established, based on the method of improving dissolved oxygen distribution by artificial push flow. Select the Lake Jing of Guangxi University as the experimental area. Using the model to predict the dissolved oxygen concentration of different voltage pumps, the results show that the ELM prediction accuracy is higher than the BP algorithm, and its mean square error is MSEELM=0.0394, the correlation coefficient RELM=0.9823. The prediction results of the 24V voltage pump push flow show that the discrete prediction curve can approximate the measured values well. The model can provide the basis for the artificial improvement of the dissolved oxygen distribution decision.

  3. Earth's oxygen cycle and the evolution of animal life.

    PubMed

    Reinhard, Christopher T; Planavsky, Noah J; Olson, Stephanie L; Lyons, Timothy W; Erwin, Douglas H

    2016-08-09

    The emergence and expansion of complex eukaryotic life on Earth is linked at a basic level to the secular evolution of surface oxygen levels. However, the role that planetary redox evolution has played in controlling the timing of metazoan (animal) emergence and diversification, if any, has been intensely debated. Discussion has gravitated toward threshold levels of environmental free oxygen (O2) necessary for early evolving animals to survive under controlled conditions. However, defining such thresholds in practice is not straightforward, and environmental O2 levels can potentially constrain animal life in ways distinct from threshold O2 tolerance. Herein, we quantitatively explore one aspect of the evolutionary coupling between animal life and Earth's oxygen cycle-the influence of spatial and temporal variability in surface ocean O2 levels on the ecology of early metazoan organisms. Through the application of a series of quantitative biogeochemical models, we find that large spatiotemporal variations in surface ocean O2 levels and pervasive benthic anoxia are expected in a world with much lower atmospheric pO2 than at present, resulting in severe ecological constraints and a challenging evolutionary landscape for early metazoan life. We argue that these effects, when considered in the light of synergistic interactions with other environmental parameters and variable O2 demand throughout an organism's life history, would have resulted in long-term evolutionary and ecological inhibition of animal life on Earth for much of Middle Proterozoic time (∼1.8-0.8 billion years ago).

  4. Phospho-Rb mediating cell cycle reentry induces early apoptosis following oxygen-glucose deprivation in rat cortical neurons.

    PubMed

    Yu, Ying; Ren, Qing-Guo; Zhang, Zhao-Hui; Zhou, Ke; Yu, Zhi-Yuan; Luo, Xiang; Wang, Wei

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cell cycle reentry and apoptosis in cultured cortical neurons following oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). We found that the percentage of neurons with BrdU uptake, TUNEL staining, and colocalized BrdU uptake and TUNEL staining was increased relative to control 6, 12 and 24 h after 1 h of OGD. The number of neurons with colocalized BrdU and TUNEL staining was decreased relative to the number of TUNEL-positive neurons at 24 h. The expression of phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (phospho-Rb) was significantly increased 6, 12 and 24 h after OGD, parallel with the changes in BrdU uptake. Phospho-Rb and TUNEL staining were colocalized in neurons 6 and 12 h after OGD. This colocalization was strikingly decreased 24 h after OGD. Treatment with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor roscovitine (100 μM) decreased the expression of phospho-Rb and reduced neuronal apoptosis in vitro. These results demonstrated that attempted cell cycle reentry with phosphorylation of Rb induce early apoptosis in neurons after OGD and there must be other mechanisms involved in the later stages of neuronal apoptosis besides cell cycle reentry. Phosphoralated Rb may be an important factor which closely associates aberrant cell cycle reentry with the early stages of neuronal apoptosis following ischemia/hypoxia in vitro, and pharmacological interventions for neuroprotection may be useful directed at this keypoint.

  5. Overcoming early barriers to PCMH practice improvement in family medicine residencies.

    PubMed

    Fernald, Douglas H; Deaner, Nicole; O'Neill, Caitlin; Jortberg, Bonnie T; degruy, Frank Verloin; Dickinson, W Perry

    2011-01-01

    Residency programs face inevitable challenges as they redesign their practices for higher quality care and resident training. Identifying and addressing early barriers can help align priorities and thereby augment the capacity to change. Evaluation of the Colorado Family Medicine Residency PCMH Project included iterative qualitative analysis of field notes, interviews, and documents to identify early barriers to change and strategies to overcome them. Nine common but not universal barriers were identified: (1) a practice's history reflected some negative past experiences with quality improvement or routines incompatible with transformative change, (2) leadership gaps were evident in unprepared practice leaders or hierarchical leadership, (3) resistance and skepticism about change were expressed through cynicism aimed at change or ability to change, (4) unproductive team processes were reflected in patterns of canceled meetings, absentee leaders, or lack of accountability, (5) knowledge gaps about the Patient-centered Medical Home (PCMH) were apparent from incomplete dissemination about the project or planned changes, (6) EHR implementation distracted focus or stalled improvement activity, (7) sponsoring organizations' constraints emerged from staffing rules and differing priorities, (8) insufficient staff participation resulted from traditional role expectations and structures, and (9) communication was hampered by ineffective methods and part-time faculty and residents. Early barriers responded to varying degrees to specific interventions by practice coaches. Some barriers that interfere with practices getting started with cultural and structural transformation can be addressed with persistent attention and reflection from on-site coaches and by realigning the talents, leaders, and priorities already in these residency programs.

  6. The roles of cerebral blood flow, capillary transit time heterogeneity, and oxygen tension in brain oxygenation and metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Jespersen, Sune N; Østergaard, Leif

    2012-01-01

    Normal brain function depends critically on moment-to-moment regulation of oxygen supply by the bloodstream to meet changing metabolic needs. Neurovascular coupling, a range of mechanisms that converge on arterioles to adjust local cerebral blood flow (CBF), represents our current framework for understanding this regulation. We modeled the combined effects of CBF and capillary transit time heterogeneity (CTTH) on the maximum oxygen extraction fraction (OEFmax) and metabolic rate of oxygen that can biophysically be supported, for a given tissue oxygen tension. Red blood cell velocity recordings in rat brain support close hemodynamic–metabolic coupling by means of CBF and CTTH across a range of physiological conditions. The CTTH reduction improves tissue oxygenation by counteracting inherent reductions in OEFmax as CBF increases, and seemingly secures sufficient oxygenation during episodes of hyperemia resulting from cortical activation or hypoxemia. In hypoperfusion and states of blocked CBF, both lower oxygen tension and CTTH may secure tissue oxygenation. Our model predicts that disturbed capillary flows may cause a condition of malignant CTTH, in which states of higher CBF display lower oxygen availability. We propose that conditions with altered capillary morphology, such as amyloid, diabetic or hypertensive microangiopathy, and ischemia–reperfusion, may disturb CTTH and thereby flow-metabolism coupling and cerebral oxygen metabolism. PMID:22044867

  7. Early treatment is associated with improved cognition in Hurler syndrome.

    PubMed

    Poe, Michele D; Chagnon, Sarah L; Escolar, Maria L

    2014-11-01

    Hurler syndrome is the most clinically severe form of an autosomal recessive lysosomal disorder characterized by the deficiency of α-L-iduronidase. The resulting accumulation of glycosaminoglycans causes progressive multisystem deterioration, resulting in death in childhood. Umbilical cord blood transplantation from unrelated donors has been previously shown to improve neurological outcomes of children <2 years of age and prolong life. The purpose of this article is to determine whether age at transplantation can predict cognitive outcomes. Between June 1997 and February 2013, 31 patients with Hurler syndrome underwent umbilical cord blood transplantation and were evaluated at baseline and every 6 to 12 months thereafter. All 31 patients underwent complete neurodevelopmental evaluation (median follow-up = 7.3 years, range = 2-21.7) and a median of 7.0 evaluations (range = 3-18). Younger age at transplantation was associated with improved cognitive function (p = 0.001), receptive and expressive language (p = 0.004 and p = 0.01), and adaptive behavior (p = 0.03). Early age at transplantation is a strong predictor of cognitive, language, and adaptive behavior outcomes. Children younger than 9 months at the time of transplant showed normal cognitive development. Our results demonstrate that early diagnosis is necessary for optimal outcomes and support the need for newborn screening, because most patients are not identified at this young age. © 2014 American Neurological Association.

  8. Improved pulmonary function in the nitrofen model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia following prenatal maternal dexamethasone and/or sildenafil.

    PubMed

    Burgos, Carmen Mesas; Pearson, Erik G; Davey, Marcus; Riley, John; Jia, Huimin; Laje, Pablo; Flake, Alan W; Peranteau, William H

    2016-10-01

    Pulmonary hypoplasia and hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The etiologic insult occurs early in gestation highlighting the potential of prenatal interventions. We evaluated prenatal pharmacologic therapies in the nitrofen CDH model. Olive oil or nitrofen were administered alone or with dexamethasone (DM), sildenafil, or DM+sildenafil to pregnant rats. Newborn pups were assessed for lung function, structure and pulmonary artery (PA) flow and resistance. Prenatal DM treatment of CDH pups increased alveolar volume density (Vva), decreased interalveloar septal thickness, increased tidal volumes and improved ventilation without improving oxygenation or PA resistance. Sildenafil decreased PA resistance and improved oxygenation without improving ventilation or resulting in significant histologic changes. DM+sildenafil decreased PA resistance, improved oxygenation and ventilation while increasing Vva and decreasing interalveolar septal and pulmonary arteriole medial wall thickness. Lung and body weights were decreased in pups treated with DM and/or sildenafil. Prenatal DM or sildenafil treatment increased pulmonary compliance and decreased pulmonary vascular resistance respectively, and was associated with improved neonatal gas exchange but had a detrimental effect on lung and fetal growth. This study highlights the potential of individual and combined prenatal pharmacologic therapies for CDH management.

  9. The NASA/JPL Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials-3 (EOIM-3)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brinza, David E.; Chung, Shirley Y.; Minton, Timothy K.; Liang, Ranty H.

    1994-01-01

    The deleterious effects of hyperthermal atomic oxygen (AO) found in low-earth-orbit (LEO) environments on critical flight materials has been known since early shuttle flights. This corrosive effect is of considerable concern because it compromises the performance and longevity of spacecraft/satellite materials deployed for extended periods in LEO. The NASA Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials-3 (EOIM-3) experiment served as a testbed for a variety of candidate flight materials for space assets. A total of 57 JPL test specimens were present in six subexperiments aboard EOIM-3. In addition to a number of passive exposure materials for flight and advanced technology programs, several subexperiments were included to provide data for understanding the details of atomic oxygen interactions with materials. Data and interpretations are presented for the heated tray, heated strips, solar ultraviolet exposure, and scatterometer subexperiments, along with a detailed description of the exposure conditions experienced by materials in the various experiments. Mass spectra of products emerging from identical samples of a (sup 13)C-enriched polyimide polymer (chemically equivalent to Kapton) under atomic oxygen bombardment in space and in the laboratory were collected. Reaction products unambiguously detected in space were (sup 13)CO, NO, (sup 12)CO2, and (sup 13)CO2. These reaction products and two others, H2O and (sup 12)CO, were detected in the laboratory, along with inelastically scattered atomic and molecular oxygen. Qualitative agreement was seen in the mass spectra taken in space and in the laboratory; the agreement may be improved by reducing the fraction of O2 in the laboratory molecular beam.

  10. Oxygen-controlled automated neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

    PubMed

    Mondragon-Teran, Paul; Tostoes, Rui; Mason, Chris; Lye, Gary J; Veraitch, Farlan S

    2013-03-01

    Automation and oxygen tension control are two tools that provide significant improvements to the reproducibility and efficiency of stem cell production processes. the aim of this study was to establish a novel automation platform capable of controlling oxygen tension during both the cell-culture and liquid-handling steps of neural differentiation processes. We built a bespoke automation platform, which enclosed a liquid-handling platform in a sterile, oxygen-controlled environment. An airtight connection was used to transfer cell culture plates to and from an automated oxygen-controlled incubator. Our results demonstrate that our system yielded comparable cell numbers, viabilities, metabolism profiles and differentiation efficiencies when compared with traditional manual processes. Interestingly, eliminating exposure to ambient conditions during the liquid-handling stage resulted in significant improvements in the yield of MAP2-positive neural cells, indicating that this level of control can improve differentiation processes. This article describes, for the first time, an automation platform capable of maintaining oxygen tension control during both the cell-culture and liquid-handling stages of a 2D embryonic stem cell differentiation process.

  11. Triiodothyronine activates lactate oxidation without impairing fatty acid oxidation and improves weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Kajimoto, Masaki; Ledee, Dolena R; Xu, Chun; Kajimoto, Hidemi; Isern, Nancy G; Portman, Michael A

    2014-01-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides a rescue for children with severe cardiac failure. It has previously been shown that triiodothyronine (T3) improves cardiac function by modulating pyruvate oxidation during weaning. This study focused on fatty acid (FA) metabolism modulated by T3 for weaning from ECMO after cardiac injury. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nineteen immature piglets (9.1-15.3 kg) were separated into 3 groups with ECMO (6.5 h) and wean: normal circulation (Group-C); transient coronary occlusion (10 min) for ischemia-reperfusion (IR) followed by ECMO (Group-IR); and IR with T3 supplementation (Group-IR-T3). 13-Carbon ((13)C)-labeled lactate, medium-chain and long-chain FAs, was infused as oxidative substrates. Substrate fractional contribution (FC) to the citric acid cycle was analyzed by(13)C-nuclear magnetic resonance. ECMO depressed circulating T3 levels to 40% of the baseline at 4 h and were restored in Group-IR-T3. Group-IR decreased cardiac power, which was not fully restorable and 2 pigs were lost because of weaning failure. Group-IR also depressed FC-lactate, while the excellent contractile function and energy efficiency in Group-IR-T3 occurred along with a marked FC-lactate increase and [adenosine triphosphate]/[adenosine diphosphate] without either decreasing FC-FAs or elevating myocardial oxygen consumption over Group-C or -IR. T3 releases inhibition of lactate oxidation following IR injury without impairing FA oxidation. These findings indicate that T3 depression during ECMO is maladaptive, and that restoring levels improves metabolic flux and enhances contractile function during weaning.

  12. Assumed oxygen consumption based on calculation from dye dilution cardiac output: an improved formula.

    PubMed

    Bergstra, A; van Dijk, R B; Hillege, H L; Lie, K I; Mook, G A

    1995-05-01

    This study was performed because of observed differences between dye dilution cardiac output and the Fick cardiac output, calculated from estimated oxygen consumption according to LaFarge and Miettinen, and to find a better formula for assumed oxygen consumption. In 250 patients who underwent left and right heart catheterization, the oxygen consumption VO2 (ml.min-1) was calculated using Fick's principle. Either pulmonary or systemic flow, as measured by dye dilution, was used in combination with the concordant arteriovenous oxygen concentration difference. In 130 patients, who matched the age of the LaFarge and Miettinen population, the obtained values of oxygen consumption VO2(dd) were compared with the estimated oxygen consumption values VO2(lfm), found using the LaFarge and Miettinen formulae. The VO2(lfm) was significantly lower than VO2(dd); -21.8 +/- 29.3 ml.min-1 (mean +/- SD), P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) -26.9 to -16.7, limits of agreement (LA) -80.4 to 36.9. A new regression formula for the assumed oxygen consumption VO2(ass) was derived in 250 patients by stepwise multiple regression analysis. The VO2(dd) was used as a dependent variable, and body surface area BSA (m2). Sex (0 for female, 1 for male), Age (years), Heart rate (min-1) and the presence of a left to right shunt as independent variables. The best fitting formula is expressed as: VO2(ass) = (157.3 x BSA + 10.0 x Sex - 10.5 x In Age + 4.8) ml.min-1, where ln Age = the natural logarithm of the age. This formula was validated prospectively in 60 patients. A non-significant difference between VO2(ass) and VO2(dd) was found; mean 2.0 +/- 23.4 ml.min-1, P = 0.771, 95% Cl = -4.0 to +8.0, LA -44.7 to +48.7. In conclusion, assumed oxygen consumption values, using our new formula, are in better agreement with the actual values than those found according to LaFarge and Miettinen's formulae.

  13. Bosch Reactor Development for High Percentage Oxygen Recovery from Carbon Dioxide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howard, David; Abney, Morgan

    2015-01-01

    This next Generation Life Support Project entails the development and demonstration of Bosch reaction technologies to improve oxygen recovery from metabolically generated oxygen and/or space environments. A primary focus was placed on alternate carbon formation reactor concepts to improve useful catalyst life for space vehicle applications, and make use of in situ catalyst resources for non-terrestrial surface missions. Current state-of-the-art oxygen recovery systems onboard the International Space Station are able to effectively recover approximately 45 percent of the oxygen consumed by humans and exhausted in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Excess CO2 is vented overboard and the oxygen contained in the molecules is lost. For long-duration missions beyond the reaches of Earth for resupply, it will be necessary to recover greater amounts of constituents such as oxygen that are necessary for sustaining life. Bosch technologies theoretically recover 100 percent of the oxygen from CO2, producing pure carbon as the sole waste product. Challenges with this technology revolve around the carbon product fouling catalyst materials, drastically limiting catalyst life. This project successfully demonstrated techniques to extend catalyst surface area exposure times to improve catalyst life for vehicle applications, and demonstrated the use of Martian and lunar regolith as viable catalyst Bosch Reactor Development for High Percentage Oxygen Recovery From Carbon Dioxide materials for surface missions. The Bosch process generates carbon nanotube formation within the regolith, which has been shown to improve mechanical properties of building materials. Production of bricks from post reaction regolith for building and radiation shielding applications were also explored.

  14. Intraoperative ventilation strategy during cardiopulmonary bypass attenuates the release of matrix metalloproteinases and improves oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Beer, Lucian; Warszawska, Joanna Maria; Schenk, Peter; Debreceni, Tamás; Dworschak, Martin; Roth, Georg A; Szerafin, Tamás; Ankersmit, Hendrik Jan

    2015-05-01

    Patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) often develop a systemic immune reaction, characterized by an increase of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. We previously demonstrated that continued mechanical ventilation during CPB reduces this response. We hypothesized that this strategy may also impact on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) release. Thirty consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with CPB were randomized into a ventilated (VG) (n = 15) and a standard non-ventilated group (NVG) (n = 15). Blood was collected at the beginning, at the end of surgery, and on the five consecutive days. MMPs, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), and lipocalin 2 (LCN2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Parameters of transpulmonary oxygen transport were assessed at different time points. MMP-8, MMP-9, and LCN2 were significantly lower at the end of surgery in VG compared with those in NVG patients (MMP-8 [ng/mL]: 7.1 [3.5] versus 12.5 [7.7], P = 0.02; MMP-9 [ng/mL]: 108 [42] versus 171 [98], P = 0.029; LCN2 [ng/mL]: 109 [42] versus 171 [98], P = 0.03). TIMP-1 concentrations were lower on postoperative day one, (TIMP-1 [ng/mL]: 174 [55] versus 273 [104], P = 0.003), whereas MMP-3 levels were lower on postoperative days four and five (MMP-3 [ng/mL]: 44 [17] versus 67 [35], P = 0.026). The arterial partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio was significantly higher in VG patients throughout the postoperative observation period, which did not affect the length of postoperative ventilatory support. Continued mechanical ventilation during CPB reduces serum levels of MMPs, their inhibitor TIMP-1 and LCN2, which preserves MMP-9 activity. The present study suggests that continued mechanical ventilation improves postoperative oxygenation and could potentially prevent aggravation of lung injury after CPB. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Charcoal evidence that rising atmospheric oxygen terminated Early Jurassic ocean anoxia

    PubMed Central

    Baker, Sarah J.; Hesselbo, Stephen P.; Lenton, Timothy M.; Duarte, Luís V.; Belcher, Claire M.

    2017-01-01

    The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) was characterized by a major disturbance to the global carbon(C)-cycle, and depleted oxygen in Earth's oceans resulting in marine mass extinction. Numerical models predict that increased organic carbon burial should drive a rise in atmospheric oxygen (pO2) leading to termination of an OAE after ∼1 Myr. Wildfire is highly responsive to changes in pO2 implying that fire-activity should vary across OAEs. Here we test this hypothesis by tracing variations in the abundance of fossil charcoal across the T-OAE. We report a sustained ∼800 kyr enhancement of fire-activity beginning ∼1 Myr after the onset of the T-OAE and peaking during its termination. This major enhancement of fire occurred across the timescale of predicted pO2 variations, and we argue this was primarily driven by increased pO2. Our study provides the first fossil-based evidence suggesting that fire-feedbacks to rising pO2 may have aided in terminating the T-OAE. PMID:28497785

  16. Charcoal evidence that rising atmospheric oxygen terminated Early Jurassic ocean anoxia.

    PubMed

    Baker, Sarah J; Hesselbo, Stephen P; Lenton, Timothy M; Duarte, Luís V; Belcher, Claire M

    2017-05-12

    The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) was characterized by a major disturbance to the global carbon(C)-cycle, and depleted oxygen in Earth's oceans resulting in marine mass extinction. Numerical models predict that increased organic carbon burial should drive a rise in atmospheric oxygen (pO 2 ) leading to termination of an OAE after ∼1 Myr. Wildfire is highly responsive to changes in pO 2 implying that fire-activity should vary across OAEs. Here we test this hypothesis by tracing variations in the abundance of fossil charcoal across the T-OAE. We report a sustained ∼800 kyr enhancement of fire-activity beginning ∼1 Myr after the onset of the T-OAE and peaking during its termination. This major enhancement of fire occurred across the timescale of predicted pO 2 variations, and we argue this was primarily driven by increased pO 2 . Our study provides the first fossil-based evidence suggesting that fire-feedbacks to rising pO 2 may have aided in terminating the T-OAE.

  17. Peroxy defects in Rocks and H2O2 formation on the early Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gray, A.; Balk, M.; Mason, P.; Freund, F.; Rothschild, L.

    2013-12-01

    An oxygen-rich atmosphere appears to have been a prerequisite for complex life to evolve on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the Universe. The question is still shrouded in uncertainty how free oxygen became available on the early Earth. Here we study processes of peroxy defects in silicate minerals which, upon weathering, generate mobilized electronic charge carriers resulting in oxygen formation in an initially anoxic subsurface environment. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are precursors to molecular oxygen during this process. Due to their toxicity they may have strongly influenced the evolution of life. ROS are generated during hydrolysis of peroxy defects, which consist of pairs of oxygen anions. A second pathway for formation occurs during (bio) transformations of iron sulphide minerals. ROS are produced and consumed by intracellular and extracellular reactions of Fe, Mn, C, N, and S species. We propose that despite an overall reducing or neutral oxidation state of the macroenvironment and the absence of free O2 in the atmosphere, microorganisms on the early Earth had to cope with ROS in their microenvironments. They were thus under evolutionary pressure to develop enzymatic and other defenses against the potentially dangerous, even lethal effects of ROS and oxygen. We have investigated how oxygen might be released through weathering and test microorganisms in contact with rock surfaces. Our results show how early Life might have adapted to oxygen. Early microorganisms must have "trained" to detoxify ROS prior to the evolution of aerobic metabolism and oxygenic photosynthesis. A possible way out of this dilemma comes from a study of igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks, whose minerals contain a small but significant fraction of oxygen anions in the valence state 1- , forming peroxy links of the type O3Si-OO-SiO3 [1, 2]. As water hydrolyzes the peroxy links hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, forms. Continued experimental discovery of H2O2 formation at rock

  18. The "I" in QRIS Survey: Collecting Data on Quality Improvement Activities for Early Childhood Education Programs. REL 2017-221

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faria, Ann-Marie; Hawkinson, Laura; Metzger, Ivan; Bouacha, Nora; Cantave, Michelle

    2017-01-01

    A quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) is a voluntary state assessment system that uses multidimensional data on early childhood education programs to rate program quality, support quality improvement efforts, and provide information to families about the quality of available early childhood education programs. QRISs have two components:…

  19. Improvements in maternal depression as a mediator of intervention effects on early childhood problem behavior

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, Daniel S.; Connell, Arin; Dishion, Thomas J.; Wilson, Melvin N.; Gardner, Frances

    2009-01-01

    Maternal depression has been consistently linked to the development of child problem behavior, particularly in early childhood, but few studies have examined whether reductions in maternal depression serve as a mediator in relation to changes associated with a family-based intervention. The current study addressed this issue with a sample of 731 families receiving services from a national food supplement and nutrition program. Families with toddlers between ages 2 and 3 were sereened and then randomized to a brief family intervention, the Family Check-Up, which included linked interventions that were tailored and adapted to the families needs. Follow-up intervention services were provided at age 3 and follow-up of child outcomes oecurred at ages 3 and 4. Latent growth models revealed intervention effects for early externalizing and internalizing problems from 2 to 4, and reductions in maternal depression from ages 2 to 3. In addition, reductions in maternal depression mediated improvements in both child externalizing and internalizing problem behavior after accounting for the potential mediating effects of improvements in positive parenting. The results are discussed with respect to targeting maternal depression in future intervention studies aimed at improving early child problem behavior. PMID:19338691

  20. Quantification of the oxygen uptake rate in a dissolved oxygen controlled oscillating jet-driven microbioreactor.

    PubMed

    Kirk, Timothy V; Marques, Marco Pc; Radhakrishnan, Anand N Pallipurath; Szita, Nicolas

    2016-03-01

    Microbioreactors have emerged as a new tool for early bioprocess development. The technology has advanced rapidly in the last decade and obtaining real-time quantitative data of process variables is nowadays state of the art. In addition, control over process variables has also been achieved. The aim of this study was to build a microbioreactor capable of controlling dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and to determine oxygen uptake rate in real time. An oscillating jet driven, membrane-aerated microbioreactor was developed without comprising any moving parts. Mixing times of ∼7 s, and k L a values of ∼170 h -1 were achieved. DO control was achieved by varying the duty cycle of a solenoid microvalve, which changed the gas mixture in the reactor incubator chamber. The microbioreactor supported Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth over 30 h and cell densities of 6.7 g dcw L -1 . Oxygen uptake rates of ∼34 mmol L -1 h -1 were achieved. The results highlight the potential of DO-controlled microbioreactors to obtain real-time information on oxygen uptake rate, and by extension on cellular metabolism for a variety of cell types over a broad range of processing conditions. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. A Survey of Alternative Oxygen Production Technologies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lueck, Dale E.; Parrish, Clyde F.; Buttner, William J.; Surma, Jan M.; Delgado, H. (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    Utilization of the Martian atmosphere for the production of fuel and oxygen has been extensively studied. The baseline fuel production process is a Sabatier reactor, which produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of the water is only half of that needed for methane-based rocket propellant, and additional oxygen is needed for breathing air, fuel cells and other energy sources. Zirconia electrolysis cells for the direct reduction of CO2 are being developed as an alternative means of producing oxygen, but present many challenges for a large-scale oxygen production system. The very high operating temperatures and fragile nature of the cells coupled with fairly high operating voltages leave room for improvement. This paper will survey alternative oxygen production technologies, present data on operating characteristics, materials of construction, and some preliminary laboratory results on attempts to implement each.

  2. Earth's early biosphere

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Des Marais, D. J.

    1998-01-01

    Understanding our own early biosphere is essential to our search for life elsewhere, because life arose on Earth very early and rocky planets shared similar early histories. The biosphere arose before 3.8 Ga ago, was exclusively unicellular and was dominated by hyperthermophiles that utilized chemical sources of energy and employed a range of metabolic pathways for CO2 assimilation. Photosynthesis also arose very early. Oxygenic photosynthesis arose later but still prior to 2.7 Ga. The transition toward the modern global environment was paced by a decline in volcanic and hydrothermal activity. These developments allowed atmospheric O2 levels to increase. The O2 increase created new niches for aerobic life, most notably the more advanced Eukarya that eventually spawned the megascopic fauna and flora of our modern biosphere.

  3. A reservoir nasal cannula improves protection given by oxygen during muscular exercise in COPD.

    PubMed

    Arlati, S; Rolo, J; Micallef, E; Sacerdoti, C; Brambilla, I

    1988-06-01

    We verified the utility of an oxygen economizer (Pendant Oxymizer) in assuring greater protection than nasal prongs against worsening of oxyhemoglobin resting desaturation (delta SaO2) induced by muscular exercise in 16 patients (ten with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and six with restrictive pulmonary disease). This worsening was quantified as desaturation surface accumulated within five minutes of exercise and was expressed in arbitrary units (au). Each patient carried out the same exercise three times, in a randomized fashion (breathing air or breathing supplemental oxygen [3 L/min] delivered by either nasal prongs or by oxygen economizer). In patients with obstructive disease, delta SaO2 was reduced from 38 +/- 12.0 au when they were breathing air to 18.1 +/- 11.7 au when breathing oxygen by nasal prongs (p less than 0.001) and to 10.1 +/- 9.5 au when breathing oxygen by economizer (p less than 0.001). In patients with restrictive disease, delta SaO2 was reduced from 35.6 +/- 9.9 au when breathing air to 14.9 +/- 10.2 au breathing oxygen by nasal prongs (p less than 0.01) and to 13.7 +/- 10.3 au breathing oxygen by economizer (p less than 0.01). The difference between breathing by economizer and nasal prongs was significant (paired t-test; p less than 0.01) only in patients with COPD. One explanation could lie in the different values of the respiratory rate, which was significantly greater in patients with restrictive disease (20.7 +/- 1.2 breaths per minute at rest and 25.8 +/- 1.5 with exercise) than in patients with obstructive disease (15.3 +/- 1.2 breaths per minute at rest and 20.8 +/- 1.4 with exercise).

  4. Dissolved oxygen and its response to eutrophication in a tropical black water river.

    PubMed

    Rixen, Tim; Baum, Antje; Sepryani, Harni; Pohlmann, Thomas; Jose, Christine; Samiaji, Joko

    2010-08-01

    The Siak is a typical, nutrient-poor, well-mixed, black water river in central Sumatra, Indonesia, which owes its brown color to dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from surrounding, heavily disturbed peat soils. We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and oxygen concentrations along the river, carried out a 36-h experiment in the province capital Pekanbaru and quantified organic matter and nutrient inputs from urban wastewater channels into the Siak. In order to consider the complex dynamic of oxygen in rivers, a box-diffusion model was used to interpret the measured data. The results suggest that the decomposition of soil derived DOM was the main factor influencing the oxygen concentration in the Siak which varied between approximately 100 and 140 micromol l(-1). Additional DOM input caused by wastewater discharges appeared to reduce the oxygen concentrations by approximately 20 micromol l(-1) during the peak-time in household water use in the early morning and in the early evening. Associated enhanced nutrient inputs appear to reduce the impact of the anthropogenic DOM by favoring the photosynthetic production of oxygen in the morning. A reduction of 20 micromol l(-1), which although perhaps not of great significance in Pekanbaru, has strong implications for wastewater management in the fast developing areas downstream Pekanbaru where oxygen concentrations rarely exceed 20 micromol l(-1). Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Loss of BIM increases mitochondrial oxygen consumption and lipid oxidation, reduces adiposity and improves insulin sensitivity in mice.

    PubMed

    Wali, Jibran A; Galic, Sandra; Tan, Christina Yr; Gurzov, Esteban N; Frazier, Ann E; Connor, Timothy; Ge, Jingjing; Pappas, Evan G; Stroud, David; Varanasi, L Chitra; Selck, Claudia; Ryan, Michael T; Thorburn, David R; Kemp, Bruce E; Krishnamurthy, Balasubramanian; Kay, Thomas Wh; McGee, Sean L; Thomas, Helen E

    2018-01-01

    BCL-2 proteins are known to engage each other to determine the fate of a cell after a death stimulus. However, their evolutionary conservation and the many other reported binding partners suggest an additional function not directly linked to apoptosis regulation. To identify such a function, we studied mice lacking the BH3-only protein BIM. BIM -/- cells had a higher mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate that was associated with higher mitochondrial complex IV activity. The consequences of increased oxygen consumption in BIM -/- mice were significantly lower body weights, reduced adiposity and lower hepatic lipid content. Consistent with reduced adiposity, BIM -/- mice had lower fasting blood glucose, improved insulin sensitivity and hepatic insulin signalling. Lipid oxidation was increased in BIM -/- mice, suggesting a mechanism for their metabolic phenotype. Our data suggest a role for BIM in regulating mitochondrial bioenergetics and metabolism and support the idea that regulation of metabolism and cell death are connected.

  6. Seed Coating Increases Seed Moisture Uptake and Restricts Embryonic Oxygen Availability in Germinating Cereal Seeds.

    PubMed

    Gorim, Linda; Asch, Folkard

    2017-05-24

    Seed coating is a technology to improve germination and homogenize stand establishment. Although coating often results in lower germination rates, seeds that do germinate grow more vigorously and show strongly reduced respiratory losses during reserve mobilization. We hypothesize that the higher mobilization efficiency is due to a shift in the enzymatic cleavage of sucrose from invertase to sucrose synthase in the embryonic tissue caused by a reduced oxygen availability induced by oversaturation with water caused by the coating during early germination. We investigated the effect of coating on barley, rye, and wheat seed imbibition during the first 30 h after seeds were placed in moisture. We profiled oxygen in the embryos and measured sucrose and acid invertase levels as imbibition progressed. We found that seeds within coatings absorbed significantly more moisture than uncoated seeds. Coating resulted in near anoxic oxygen concentrations in the developing embryonic tissues in all three species. In barley, sucrose was not cleaved via the invertase pathway, despite the fact that invertase activity in coated seeds was increased. In rye and wheat, invertase activities were significantly lower in embryos from coated seeds without significantly changing the sugar composition.

  7. Seed Coating Increases Seed Moisture Uptake and Restricts Embryonic Oxygen Availability in Germinating Cereal Seeds

    PubMed Central

    Gorim, Linda; Asch, Folkard

    2017-01-01

    Seed coating is a technology to improve germination and homogenize stand establishment. Although coating often results in lower germination rates, seeds that do germinate grow more vigorously and show strongly reduced respiratory losses during reserve mobilization. We hypothesize that the higher mobilization efficiency is due to a shift in the enzymatic cleavage of sucrose from invertase to sucrose synthase in the embryonic tissue caused by a reduced oxygen availability induced by oversaturation with water caused by the coating during early germination. We investigated the effect of coating on barley, rye, and wheat seed imbibition during the first 30 h after seeds were placed in moisture. We profiled oxygen in the embryos and measured sucrose and acid invertase levels as imbibition progressed. We found that seeds within coatings absorbed significantly more moisture than uncoated seeds. Coating resulted in near anoxic oxygen concentrations in the developing embryonic tissues in all three species. In barley, sucrose was not cleaved via the invertase pathway, despite the fact that invertase activity in coated seeds was increased. In rye and wheat, invertase activities were significantly lower in embryos from coated seeds without significantly changing the sugar composition. PMID:28538658

  8. A Survey of Alternative Oxygen Production Technologies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lueck, Dale E.; Parrish, Clyde F.; Buttner, William J.; Surma, Jan M.; Delgado, H. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Utilization of the Martian atmosphere for the production of fuel and oxygen has been extensively studied. The baseline fuel production process is a Sabatier reactor, which produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of the water is only half of that needed for methane-based rocket propellant, and additional oxygen is needed for breathing air, fuel cells and other energy sources. Zirconia electrolysis cells for the direct reduction of CO2 arc being developed as an alternative means of producing oxygen, but present many challenges for a large-scale oxygen production system. The very high operating temperatures and fragile nature of the cells coupled with fairly high operating voltages leave room for improvement. This paper will survey alternative oxygen production technologies, present data on operating characteristics, materials of construction, and some preliminary laboratory results on attempts to implement each. Our goal is to significantly improve upon the characteristics of proposed zirconia cells for oxygen production. To achieve that goal we are looking at electrolytic systems that operate at significantly lower temperatures, preferably below 31C to allow the incorporation of liquid CO2 in the electrolyte. Our preliminary results indicate that such a system will have much higher current densities and have simpler cathode construction than a porous gas feed electrode system. Such a system could be achieved based on nonaqueous electrolytes or ionic liquids. We are focusing our research on the anode reaction that will produce oxygen from a product generated at the cathode using CO2 as the feed. Operation at low temperatures also will open up the full range of polymer and metal materials, allowing a more robust system design to withstand the rigors of flight, landing, and long term unattended operation on the surface of Mars.

  9. Surface interaction of polyimide with oxygen ECR plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naddaf, M.; Balasubramanian, C.; Alegaonkar, P. S.; Bhoraskar, V. N.; Mandle, A. B.; Ganeshan, V.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

    2004-07-01

    Polyimide (Kapton-H), was subjected to atomic oxygen from an electron cyclotron resonance plasma. An optical emission spectrometer was used to characterize the atomic oxygen produced in the reactor chamber. The energy of the ions was measured using a retarding field analyzer, placed near the substrate. The density of atomic oxygen in the plasma was estimated using a nickel catalytic probe. The surface wettability of the polyimide samples monitored by contact angle measurements showed considerable improvement when treated with plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies showed that the atomic oxygen in the plasma is the main specie affecting the surface chemistry and adhesion properties of polyimide. The improvement in the surface wettability is attributed to the high degree of cross-linking and large concentration of polar groups generated in the surface region of polyimide, after plasma treatment. The changes in the surface region of polyimide were observed by atomic force microscopic analysis.

  10. Improvement of foam breaking and oxygen-transfer performance in a stirred-tank fermenter.

    PubMed

    Takesono, Satoshi; Onodera, Masayuki; Toda, Kiyoshi; Yoshida, Masanori; Yamagiwa, Kazuaki; Ohkawa, Akira

    2006-03-01

    This study examined a stirred-tank fermenter (STF) containing low-viscosity foaming liquids with an agitation impeller and foam-breaking impeller mounted on the same shaft. Results showed that the performance of the foam-breaking impeller can be improved by changing a conventional six-blade turbine impeller into a rod impeller as the agitation impeller. The volumetric oxygen-transfer coefficient, kLa, in the mechanical foam-control method (MFM) using a six-blade vaned disk as the foam-breaking impeller in the STF with the rod impeller was approximately five times greater than that of the chemical foam-control method (CFM) adding an anti-foaming agent in the STF with the six-blade turbine impeller. Application of the present method to the cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae K-7 demonstrated that the cultivation time up to the maximum cell concentration was remarkably shorter than that achieved using a conventional CFM.

  11. Improvement in production and quality of gellan gum by Sphingomonas paucimobilis under high dissolved oxygen tension levels.

    PubMed

    Banik, R M; Santhiagu, A

    2006-09-01

    The effect of agitation rate and dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) on growth and gellan production by Sphingomonas paucimobilis was studied. Higher cell growth of 5.4 g l(-1) was obtained at 700 rpm but maximum gellan (15 g l(-1)) was produced at 500 rpm. DOT levels above 20% had no effect on cell growth but gellan yield was increased to 23 g l(-1 )with increase in DOT level to 100%. Higher DOT levels improved the viscosity and molecular weight of the polymer with change in acetate and glycerate content of the polymer.

  12. The potential of oxygen to improve the stability of anaerobic reactors during unbalanced conditions: results from a pilot-scale digester treating sewage sludge.

    PubMed

    Ramos, I; Fdz-Polanco, M

    2013-07-01

    A well-functioning pilot reactor treating sewage sludge at approximately 4.4 NL/m(3)/d of oxygen supply and 18d of hydraulic retention time (HRT) was subjected to a hydraulic overload to investigate whether oxygen benefits successful operation in stressful circumstances. Only a mild imbalance was caused, which was overcome without deterioration in the digestion performance. Volatile solids (VS) removal was 45% and 43% at 18 and 14 d of HRT, respectively. Biogas productivity remained around 546 NmL/gVS, but it was slightly higher during the period of imbalance. Thereafter, similar performances were achieved. Under anaerobic conditions, VS removal and biogas productivity were respectively 41% and 525 NmL/gVS, hydrogen partial pressure rose, and acetic acid formation became less favourable. Oxygen seemed to form a more stable digestion system, which meant increased ability to deal successfully with overloads. Additionally, it improved the biogas quality; methane concentration was negligibly lower, while hydrogen sulphide and oxygen remained around 0.02 and 0.03%v/v, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [Effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on healing of maxillary distraction osteogenesis in beagle dogs].

    PubMed

    Kudoh, Atsuo

    2008-03-01

    Distraction osteogenesis has been widely used even in the craniofacial region. A long fixation time during the consolidation period, however, is a major clinical disadvantage. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) has been used to improve healing in ischemic wounds. We have recently started applying hyperbaric oxygen to cleft palate patients after maxillary distraction, but there is little basic evidence. We hypothesized that hyperbaric oxygen would enhance the healing of distraction osteogenesis in the cleft palate model in dogs. A bony segment including a canine was transported proximally into an artificial bone defect in the left palate. Three dogs were treated with hyperbaric oxygen for 20 days just after the distraction and three other dogs underwent only the distraction process (control group). Blood flow of the canine pulp in the bone segment was monitored using a laser Doppler flowmeter throughout the experiment. All the dogs were sacrificed on day 100, and radiological analysis using peripheral quantitative CT and histomorphometric evaluations were performed. Blood flow in the HBO-treated group recovered to the original level about 30 days faster than in the control group (p<0.05). Cortical bone mineral density was significantly higher at the distraction site in the HBO-treated group than in the control group (p<0.05). The histomorphometric analysis revealed that the newly formed bone area was also larger in the HBO-treated group than in the control group (p<0.05). These results suggest that hyperbaric oxygen treatment could be useful for early removal of the distraction device in distraction osteogenesis.

  14. 42 CFR 414.226 - Oxygen and oxygen equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Oxygen and oxygen equipment. 414.226 Section 414... Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices, and Surgical Dressings § 414.226 Oxygen and oxygen equipment. (a) Payment rules—(1) Oxygen equipment. Payment for rental of oxygen equipment is made...

  15. Availability of free oxygen in deep bottom water of some Archean-Early Paleoproterozoic ocean basins as derived from iron formation facies analyses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beukes, N. J.; Smith, A.

    2013-12-01

    Archean to Early Paleoproterozoic ocean basins are commonly, although not exclusively, depicted as rather static systems; either permanently stratified with shallow mixed oxygenated water overlying anoxic deep water or with a totally anoxic water column. The anoxic water columns are considered enriched in dissolved ferrous iron derived from hydrothermal plume activity. These sourced deposition of iron formations through precipitation of mainly ferrihydrite via reaction with free oxygen in the stratified model or anaerobic iron oxidizing photoautotrophs in the anoxic model. However, both these models face a simple basic problem if detailed facies reconstructions of deepwater microbanded iron formations (MIFs) are considered. In such MIFs it is common that the deepest water and most distal facies is hematite rich followed shoreward by magnetite, iron silicate and siderite facies iron formation. Examples of such facies relations are known from jaspilitic iron formation of the ~3,2 Ga Fig Tree Group (Barberton Mountainland), ~ 2,95 Ga iron formations of the Witwatersrand-Mozaan basin and the ~2,5 Ga Kuruman Iron Formation, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. Facies relations of these MIFs with associated siliciclastics or carbonates also indicate that the upper water columns of the basins, down to below wave base, were depleted in iron favoring anoxic-oxic stratification rather than total anoxia. In the MIFs it can be shown that hematite in the distal facies represents the earliest formed diagenetic mineral; most likely crystallized from primary ferrihydrite. The problem is one of how ferrihydrite could have been preserved on the ocean floor if it was in direct contact with reducing ferrous deep bottom water. Rather dissolved ferrous iron would have reacted with ferrihydrite to form diagenetic magnetite. This dilemma is resolved if in the area of deepwater hematite MIF deposition, the anoxic ferrous iron enriched plume was detached from the basin floor due to buoyancy

  16. Growing experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation.

    PubMed

    Shafii, Alexis E; Mason, David P; Brown, Chase R; Vakil, Nakul; Johnston, Douglas R; McCurry, Kenneth R; Pettersson, Gosta B; Murthy, Sudish C

    2012-01-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is rarely used as a bridge to lung transplantation (BTT) because of its associated morbidity and mortality. However, recent advancements in perfusion technology and critical care have revived interest in this application of ECMO. We retrospectively reviewed our utilization of ECMO as BTT and evaluated our early and midterm results. Nineteen patients were placed on ECMO with the intent to transplant of which 14 (74%) were successfully transplanted. Early and midterm survival of transplanted patients was 75% (1 year) and 63% (3 years), respectively, with the most favorable results observed in interstitial lung disease patients supported in the venovenous configuration. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-bridged transplant survival rates were equivalent to nonbridged recipients, but early morbidity and mortality are high and the failure to bridge to transplant is significant. Overall, successfully bridged patients can derive a tangible benefit, albeit with considerable consumption of resources.

  17. Ceramic oxygen transport membrane array reactor and reforming method

    DOEpatents

    Kelly, Sean M.; Christie, Gervase Maxwell; Rosen, Lee J.; Robinson, Charles; Wilson, Jamie R.; Gonzalez, Javier E.; Doraswami, Uttam R.

    2016-09-27

    A commercially viable modular ceramic oxygen transport membrane reforming reactor for producing a synthesis gas that improves the thermal coupling of reactively-driven oxygen transport membrane tubes and catalyst reforming tubes required to efficiently and effectively produce synthesis gas.

  18. Oxygen Sensing, Hypoxia Tracing and in Vivo Imaging with Functional Metalloprobes for the Early Detection of Non-communicable Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Mirabello, Vincenzo; Cortezon-Tamarit, Fernando; Pascu, Sofia I.

    2018-01-01

    Hypoxia has been identified as one of the hallmarks of tumor environments and a prognosis factor in many cancers. The development of ideal chemical probes for imaging and sensing of hypoxia remains elusive. Crucial characteristics would include a measurable response to subtle variations of pO2 in living systems and an ability to accumulate only in the areas of interest (e.g., targeting hypoxia tissues) whilst exhibiting kinetic stabilities in vitro and in vivo. A sensitive probe would comprise platforms for applications in imaging and therapy for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) relying on sensitive detection of pO2. Just a handful of probes for the in vivo imaging of hypoxia [mainly using positron emission tomography (PET)] have reached the clinical research stage. Many chemical compounds, whilst presenting promising in vitro results as oxygen-sensing probes, are facing considerable disadvantages regarding their general application in vivo. The mechanisms of action of many hypoxia tracers have not been entirely rationalized, especially in the case of metallo-probes. An insight into the hypoxia selectivity mechanisms can allow an optimization of current imaging probes candidates and this will be explored hereby. The mechanistic understanding of the modes of action of coordination compounds under oxygen concentration gradients in living cells allows an expansion of the scope of compounds toward in vivo applications which, in turn, would help translate these into clinical applications. We summarize hereby some of the recent research efforts made toward the discovery of new oxygen sensing molecules having a metal-ligand core. We discuss their applications in vitro and/or in vivo, with an appreciation of a plethora of molecular imaging techniques (mainly reliant on nuclear medicine techniques) currently applied in the detection and tracing of hypoxia in the preclinical and clinical setups. The design of imaging/sensing probe for early-stage diagnosis would longer term

  19. 42 CFR 414.226 - Oxygen and oxygen equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Oxygen and oxygen equipment. 414.226 Section 414... Equipment and Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices § 414.226 Oxygen and oxygen equipment. (a) Payment rules—(1) Oxygen equipment. Payment for rental of oxygen equipment is made based on a monthly fee schedule amount...

  20. 42 CFR 414.226 - Oxygen and oxygen equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Oxygen and oxygen equipment. 414.226 Section 414... Equipment and Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices § 414.226 Oxygen and oxygen equipment. (a) Payment rules—(1) Oxygen equipment. Payment for rental of oxygen equipment is made based on a monthly fee schedule amount...

  1. 42 CFR 414.226 - Oxygen and oxygen equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Oxygen and oxygen equipment. 414.226 Section 414... Durable Medical Equipment and Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices § 414.226 Oxygen and oxygen equipment. (a) Payment rules—(1) Oxygen equipment. Payment for rental of oxygen equipment is made based on a monthly fee...

  2. 42 CFR 414.226 - Oxygen and oxygen equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Oxygen and oxygen equipment. 414.226 Section 414... Durable Medical Equipment and Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices § 414.226 Oxygen and oxygen equipment. (a) Payment rules—(1) Oxygen equipment. Payment for rental of oxygen equipment is made based on a monthly fee...

  3. A quality improvement project to improve early sepsis care in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Gatewood, Medley O'Keefe; Wemple, Matthew; Greco, Sheryl; Kritek, Patricia A; Durvasula, Raghu

    2015-12-01

    Sepsis causes substantial morbidity and mortality in hospitalised patients. Although many studies describe the use of protocols in the management of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, few have addressed emergency department (ED) screening and management for patients initially presenting with uncomplicated sepsis (ie, patients without organ failure or hypotension). A quality improvement task force at a large, quaternary care referral hospital sought to develop a protocol focusing on early identification of patients with uncomplicated sepsis, in addition to severe sepsis and septic shock. The three-tiered intervention consisted of (1) a nurse-driven screening tool and management protocol to identify and initiate early treatment of patients with sepsis, (2) a computer-assisted screening algorithm that generated a 'Sepsis Alert' pop-up screen in the electronic medical record for treating clinical healthcare providers and (3) automated suggested sepsis-specific order sets for initial workup and resuscitation, antibiotic selection and goal-directed therapy. A before and after retrospective cohort study was undertaken to determine the intervention's impact on compliance with recommended sepsis management, including serum lactate measured in the ED, 2 L of intravenous fluid administered within 2 h of triage, antibiotics administered within 3 h of triage and blood cultures drawn before antibiotic administration. Mortality rates for patients in the ED with a sepsis-designated ICD-9 code present on admission were also analysed. Overall bundle compliance increased by 154%, from 28% at baseline to 71% in the last quarter of the study (p<0.001). Bundle, antibiotic and intravenous fluid compliance all increased significantly after launch of the sepsis initiative (eg, bundle and intravenous fluid compliance increased by 74% and 54%, respectively; p<0.001). Bundle and antibiotic compliance both showed further significant increases after implementation of suggested

  4. Testimony of Gina Adams, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute. Before the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Hearing on "Improving Early Childhood Development Policies and Practices"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Gina

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents the testimony of Gina Adams before the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Hearing on "Improving Early Childhood Development Policies and Practices." This testimony was presented to the House Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives last March 19, 2009. She talks about how…

  5. Triiodothyronine Activates Lactate Oxidation Without Impairing Fatty Acid Oxidation and Improves Weaning From Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

    PubMed Central

    Kajimoto, Masaki; Ledee, Dolena R.; Xu, Chun; Kajimoto, Hidemi; Isern, Nancy G.; Portman, Michael A.

    2017-01-01

    Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides a rescue for children with severe cardiac failure. It has previously been shown that triiodothyronine (T3) improves cardiac function by modulating pyruvate oxidation during weaning. This study focused on fatty acid (FA) metabolism modulated by T3 for weaning from ECMO after cardiac injury. Methods and Results Nineteen immature piglets (9.1–15.3 kg) were separated into 3 groups with ECMO (6.5 h) and wean: normal circulation (Group-C); transient coronary occlusion (10 min) for ischemia-reperfusion (IR) followed by ECMO (Group-IR); and IR with T3 supplementation (Group-IR-T3). 13-Carbon (13C)-labeled lactate, medium-chain and long-chain FAs, was infused as oxidative substrates. Substrate fractional contribution (FC) to the citric acid cycle was analyzed by 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance. ECMO depressed circulating T3 levels to 40% of the baseline at 4 h and were restored in Group-IR-T3. Group-IR decreased cardiac power, which was not fully restorable and 2 pigs were lost because of weaning failure. Group-IR also depressed FC-lactate, while the excellent contractile function and energy efficiency in Group-IR-T3 occurred along with a marked FC-lactate increase and [adenosine triphosphate]/[adenosine diphosphate] without either decreasing FC-FAs or elevating myocardial oxygen consumption over Group-C or -IR. Conclusions T3 releases inhibition of lactate oxidation following IR injury without impairing FA oxidation. These findings indicate that T3 depression during ECMO is maladaptive, and that restoring levels improves metabolic flux and enhances contractile function during weaning. PMID:25421230

  6. Multi-disciplinary team for early gastric cancer diagnosis improves the detection rate of early gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Di, Lianjun; Wu, Huichao; Zhu, Rong; Li, Youfeng; Wu, Xinglong; Xie, Rui; Li, Hongping; Wang, Haibo; Zhang, Hua; Xiao, Hong; Chen, Hui; Zhen, Hong; Zhao, Kui; Yang, Xuefeng; Xie, Ming; Tuo, Bigung

    2017-12-06

    Gastric cancer is a frequent malignant tumor worldwide and its early detection is crucial for curing the disease and enhancing patients' survival rate. This study aimed to assess whether the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) can improve the detection rate of early gastric cancer (EGC). The detection rate of EGC at the Digestive Endoscopy Center, Affiliated Hospital, Zunyi Medical College, China between September 2013 and September 2015 was analyzed. MDT for the diagnosis of EGC in the hospital was established in September 2014. The study was divided into 2 time periods: September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014 (period 1) and September 1, 2014 to September 1, 2015 (period 2). A total of 60,800 patients' gastroscopies were performed during the two years. 61 of these patients (0.1%) were diagnosed as EGC, accounting for 16.44% (61/371) of total patients with gastric cancer. The EGC detection rate before MDT (period 1) was 0.05% (16/29403), accounting for 9.09% (16/176) of total patients with gastric cancer during this period. In comparison, the EGC detection rate during MDT (period 2) was 0.15% (45/31397), accounting for 23% (45/195) of total patients with gastric cancer during this period (P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses showed that intensive gastroscopy for high risk patients of gastric cancer enhanced the detection rate of EGC in cooperation with Department of Pathology (OR = 10.1, 95% CI 2.39-43.3, P < 0.05). MDT could improve the endoscopic detection rate of EGC.

  7. Improving sneaky-sex in a low oxygen environment: reproductive and physiological responses of male mosquito fish to chronic hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Carter, Alecia J; Wilson, Robbie S

    2006-12-01

    Few studies have examined the adaptive significance of reversible acclimation responses. The aerobic performance and mating behaviour of the sexually coercive male eastern mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) offers an excellent model system for testing the benefits of reversible acclimation responses to mating success. We exposed male mosquito fish to normoxic or hypoxic conditions for 4 weeks and tested their maximum sustained swimming performance and their ability to obtain coercive matings under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. We predicted that hypoxia-acclimated males would possess greater swimming and mating performance in hypoxic conditions than normoxic-acclimated males, and vice versa when tested in normoxia. Supporting our predictions, we found the sustained swimming performance of male mosquito fish was greater in a hypoxic environment following long-term exposure to low partial pressures of oxygen. However, the benefits of acclimation responses to mating performance were dependent on whether they were tested in the presence or absence of male-male competition. In a non-competitive environment, male mosquito fish acclimated to hypoxic conditions spent a greater amount of time following females and obtained more copulations than normoxic-acclimated males when tested in low partial pressures of oxygen. When males were competed against each other for copulations, we found no influence of long-term exposure to different partial pressures of oxygen on mating behaviour. Thus, despite improvements in the aerobic capacity of male mosquito fish following long-term acclimation to hypoxic conditions, these benefits did not always manifest themselves in improved mating performance. This study represents one of the first experimental tests of the benefits of reversible acclimation responses, and indicates that the ecological significance of physiological plasticity may be more complicated than previously imagined.

  8. High temperature sorbents for oxygen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sharma, Pramod K. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    A sorbent capable of removing trace amounts of oxygen (ppt) from a gas stream at a high temperature above 200 C comprising a porous alumina silicate support, such as zeolite, containing from 1 to 10 percent by weight of ion exchanged transition metal, such as copper or cobalt ions, and 0.05 to 1.0 percent by weight of an activator selected from a platinum group metal such as platinum is described. The activation temperature, oxygen sorption, and reducibility are all improved by the presence of the platinum activator.

  9. High Temperature Sorbents for Oxygen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sharma, Pramod K. (Inventor)

    1996-01-01

    A sorbent capable of removing trace amounts of oxygen (ppt) from a gas stream at a high temperature above 200 C is introduced. The sorbent comprises a porous alumina silicate support such as zeolite containing from 1 to 10 percent by weight of ion exchanged transition metal such as copper or cobalt ions and 0.05 to 1.0 percent by weight of an activator selected from a platinum group metal such as platinum. The activation temperature, oxygen sorption and reducibility are all improved by the presence of the platinum activator.

  10. UHMS position statement: topical oxygen for chronic wounds.

    PubMed

    Feldmeier, J J; Hopf, H W; Warriner, R A; Fife, C E; Gesell, L B; Bennett, M

    2005-01-01

    A small body of literature has been published reporting the application of topical oxygen for chronic non-healing wounds . Frequently, and erroneously, this form of oxygen administration has been referred to as "topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy" or even more erroneously "hyperbaric oxygen therapy." The advocates of topical oxygen claim several advantages over systemic hyperbaric oxygen including decreased cost, increased safety, decreased complications and putative physiologic effects including decreased free radical formation and more efficient delivery of oxygen to the wound surface. With topical oxygen an airtight chamber or polyethylene bag is sealed around a limb or the trunk by either a constriction/tourniquet device or by tape and high flow (usually 10 liters per minute) oxygen is introduced into the bag and over the wound. Pressures just over 1.0 atmospheres absolute (atm abs) (typically 1.004 to 1.013 atm abs) are recommended because higher pressures could decrease arterial/capillary inflow. The premise for topical oxygen, the diffusion of oxygen into the wound adequate to enhance healing, is attractive (though not proven) and its delivery is certainly less complex and expensive than hyperbaric oxygen. When discussing the physiology of topical oxygen, its proponents frequently reference studies of systemic hyperbaric oxygen suggesting that mechanisms are equally applicable to both topical and systemic high pressure oxygen delivery. In fact, however, the two are very different. To date, mechanisms of action whereby topical oxygen might be effective have not been defined or substantiated. Conversely, cellular toxicities due to extended courses of topical oxygen have been reported, although, again these data are not conclusive, and no mechanism for toxicity has been examined scientifically. Generally, collagen production and fibroblast proliferation are considered evidence of improved healing, and these are both enhanced by hyperbaric oxygen therapy

  11. Initial Weight Loss Response as an Indicator for Providing Early Rescue Efforts to Improve Long-term Treatment Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Unick, Jessica L; Pellegrini, Christine A; Demos, Kathryn E; Dorfman, Leah

    2017-09-01

    There is a large variability in response to behavioral weight loss (WL) programs. Reducing rates of obesity and diabetes may require more individuals to achieve clinically significant WL post-treatment. Given that WL within the first 1-2 months of a WL program is associated with long-term WL, it may be possible to improve treatment outcomes by identifying and providing additional intervention to those with poor initial success (i.e., "early non-responders"). We review the current literature regarding early non-response to WL programs and discuss how adaptive interventions can be leveraged as a strategy to "rescue" early non-responders. Preliminary findings suggest that adaptive interventions, specifically stepped care approaches, offer promise for improving outcomes among early non-responders. Future studies need to determine the optimal time point and threshold for intervening and the type of early intervention to employ. Clinicians and researchers should consider the discussed factors when making treatment decisions.

  12. The diversification of Paleozoic fire systems and fluctuations in atmospheric oxygen concentration

    PubMed Central

    Scott, Andrew C.; Glasspool, Ian J.

    2006-01-01

    By comparing Silurian through end Permian [≈250 million years (Myr)] charcoal abundance with contemporaneous macroecological changes in vegetation and climate we aim to demonstrate that long-term variations in fire occurrence and fire system diversification are related to fluctuations in Late Paleozoic atmospheric oxygen concentration. Charcoal, a proxy for fire, occurs in the fossil record from the Late Silurian (≈420 Myr) to the present. Its presence at any interval in the fossil record is already taken to constrain atmospheric oxygen within the range of 13% to 35% (the “fire window”). Herein, we observe that, as predicted, atmospheric oxygen levels rise from ≈13% in the Late Devonian to ≈30% in the Late Permian so, too, fires progressively occur in an increasing diversity of ecosystems. Sequentially, data of note include: the occurrence of charcoal in the Late Silurian/Early Devonian, indicating the burning of a diminutive, dominantly rhyniophytoid vegetation; an apparent paucity of charcoal in the Middle to Late Devonian that coincides with a predicted atmospheric oxygen low; and the subsequent diversification of fire systems throughout the remainder of the Late Paleozoic. First, fires become widespread during the Early Mississippian, they then become commonplace in mire systems in the Middle Mississippian; in the Pennsylvanian they are first recorded in upland settings and finally, based on coal petrology, become extremely important in many Permian mire settings. These trends conform well to changes in atmospheric oxygen concentration, as predicted by modeling, and indicate oxygen levels are a significant control on long-term fire occurrence. PMID:16832054

  13. Iron and oxygen isotope fractionation during iron UV photo-oxidation: Implications for early Earth and Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nie, Nicole X.; Dauphas, Nicolas; Greenwood, Richard C.

    2017-01-01

    Banded iron formations (BIFs) contain appreciable amounts of ferric iron (Fe3+). The mechanism by which ferrous iron (Fe2+) was oxidized into Fe3+ in an atmosphere that was globally anoxic is highly debated. Of the three scenarios that have been proposed to explain BIF formation, photo-oxidation by UV photons is the only one that does not involve life (the other two are oxidation by O2 produced by photosynthesis, and anoxygenic photosynthesis whereby Fe2+ is directly used as electron donor in place of water). We experimentally investigated iron and oxygen isotope fractionation imparted by iron photo-oxidation at a pH of 7.3. The iron isotope fractionation between precipitated Fe3+-bearing lepidocrocite and dissolved Fe2+ follows a Rayleigh distillation with an instantaneous 56Fe/54Fe fractionation factor of + 1.2 ‰. Such enrichment in the heavy isotopes of iron is consistent with the values measured in BIFs. We also investigated the nature of the mass-fractionation law that governs iron isotope fractionation in the photo-oxidation experiments (i.e., the slope of the δ56Fe-δ57Fe relationship). The experimental run products follow a mass-dependent law corresponding to the high-T equilibrium limit. The fact that a ∼3.8 Gyr old BIF sample (IF-G) from Isua (Greenland) falls on the same fractionation line confirms that iron photo-oxidation in the surface layers of the oceans was a viable pathway to BIF formation in the Archean, when the atmosphere was largely transparent to UV photons. Our experiments allow us to estimate the quantum yield of the photo-oxidation process (∼0.07 iron atom oxidized per photon absorbed). This yield is used to model iron oxidation on early Mars. As the photo-oxidation proceeds, the aqueous medium becomes more acidic, which slows down the reaction by changing the speciation of iron to species that are less efficient at absorbing UV-photons. Iron photo-oxidation in centimeter to meter-deep water ponds would take months to years to

  14. Is greater improvement in early self-regulation associated with fewer behavioral problems later in childhood?

    PubMed

    Sawyer, Alyssa C P; Miller-Lewis, Lauren R; Searle, Amelia K; Sawyer, Michael G; Lynch, John W

    2015-12-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether the extent of improvement in self-regulation achieved between ages 4 and 6 years is associated with the level of behavioral problems later in childhood. Participants were 4-year-old children (n = 510) attending preschools in South Australia. Children's level of self-regulation was assessed using the parent-completed Devereux Early Childhood Assessment when children were aged 4, 5, and 6. Children's level of behavioral problems was assessed using total, internalizing, and externalizing scores on parent- and teacher-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) when children were 6 years old. Random effects regression was used to describe the changes to children's self-regulation between 4 and 6 years. Linear regression models were then used to determine the strength of the association between the extent of self-regulation improvement and level of behavioral problems. Greater improvement in self-regulation, adjusted for family characteristics and baseline self-regulation scores, was associated with lower levels of parent- (B = -3.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-4.49, -2.65]) and teacher-rated SDQ total difficulties scores at 6 years (B = -2.42, 95% CI [-3.50, -1.34]). These effects remained after adjustment for level of parent-rated behavioral problems at 4 years. Similar effects were found for internalizing and externalizing scores at age 6 years. The results highlight the importance of improvements in self-regulation from 4-6 years for childhood behavioral problems during the early school years. Children with lower levels of improvement in self-regulation early in life are at risk for higher levels of behavioral problems both at home and at school. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Ceramic oxygen transport membrane array reactor and reforming method

    DOEpatents

    Kelly, Sean M.; Christie, Gervase Maxwell; Robinson, Charles; Wilson, Jamie R; Gonzalez, Javier E.; Doraswami, Uttam R.

    2017-10-03

    The invention relates to a commercially viable modular ceramic oxygen transport membrane system for utilizing heat generated in reactively-driven oxygen transport membrane tubes to generate steam, heat process fluid and/or provide energy to carry out endothermic chemical reactions. The system provides for improved thermal coupling of oxygen transport membrane tubes to steam generation tubes or process heater tubes or reactor tubes for efficient and effective radiant heat transfer.

  16. STS-113 workers work on oxygen leak in Endeavor's mid-body

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers on Launch Pad 39A inspect an oxygen flex hose fitting. Through manual inspection and using helium detectors, the flex hose was identified as the source of an oxygen leak in Endeavour's mid-body. Visual inspection found a deformity in the flex line braid where it connects to rigid tubing. The entire flex hose assembly and bulkhead fitting were removed early today, and work is under way to complete the installation of a replacement.

  17. Quality Improvement Efforts among Early Childhood Education Programs Participating in Iowa's Quality Rating System. REL 2017-244

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawkinson, Laura E.; Faria, Ann-Marie; Bouacha, Nora; Lee, Dong Hoon; Metzger, Ivan

    2017-01-01

    This report describes the quality improvement efforts of early childhood education programs participating in Iowa's Quality Rating System (QRS). It identifies supports and barriers to quality improvement and examines how quality improvement supports and activities relate to changes in program quality ratings across time. The study team developed…

  18. Oxygen buffering of Kilauea volcanic gases and the oxygen fugacity of Kilauea basalt

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gerlach, T.M.

    1993-01-01

    challenges the common assumption that volcanic gases are released from lava in a state of chemical equilibrium and then continue equilibrating homogeneously with falling temperature until reaction rates are unable to keep pace with cooling. No evidence is found, moreover, that certain gas species are kinetically more responsive and able to equilibrate down to lower temperatures than those of the last gas/lava oxygen exchange. Homogeneous reaction rates in the gas phase are apparently slow compared to the time it took for the gases to move from the last site of gas/lava equilibration to the site of collection. An earlier set of data for higher temperature CO2-rich Type I volcanic gases, which come from sustained summit lava lake eruptions supplied by magma that experienced substantially shorter periods of crustal storage, shows fO2 buffering by oxygen transfer up to 1185??C. Oxygen fugacity measurements in drill holes into ponded lava flows suggest that buffering by oxygen transfer may control the fO2 of residual gases down to several hundred degrees below the solidus in the early stages of cooling. Although the details of the fO2 buffering mechanisms for oxygen transfer are unknown, the fact that fO2 buffering is effective from molten to subsolidus conditions suggests that the reaction mechanisms must change with cooling as the reactants change from predominantly melt, to melt plus crystals, to glass plus crystals. Mass balance calculations suggest that redox reactions between the gas and ferrous/ferric iron in the lava are plausible mechanisms for the oxygen transfer and that the fO2 of the gases is buffered by sliding ferrous/ferric equilibria in the erupting lavas. Contrary to expectations based on models predicting the oxidation of basalt by H2 and CO escape during crustal storage, CO2-rich Type I gases and CO2-poor Type II gases have identical oxygen fugacities despite greatly different crustal storage and degassing histories. Volcanic gas data give a tightly co

  19. Early Intervention With Transplantation Recipients to Improve Access to and Knowledge of Palliative Care.

    PubMed

    Harden, Karen L

    2016-08-01

    The literature continues to support that patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) receive early consultation with palliative care specialists. Nurses can be leaders in this initiative. This quality improvement project was conducted to determine whether patients undergoing HSCT, who were provided an early consultation with palliative care, would report increased knowledge and increased ability to access palliative services. Patients completed a postintervention questionnaire in which the majority of patients reported that they had increased knowledge about palliative care and learned how to access their services. Patient comments were positive about the successful intervention of early palliative care. The palliative care team, however, revealed a different view of the situation, showing that patients were often overwhelmed, anxious, and sometimes did not remember the content of their meetings.

  20. Improvement of Early Antenatal Care Initiation: The Effects of Training Local Health Volunteers in the Community.

    PubMed

    Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Oumudee, Nurlisa; Armeeroh, Masuenah; Nima, Niamina; Duerahing, Nurosanah

    2018-01-01

    Although antenatal care (ANC) coverage has been increasing in low- and middle-income countries, the adherence to the ANC initiation standards at gestational age <12 weeks was inadequate including Thailand. The study aimed to improve the rate of early ANC initiation by training the existing local health volunteers (LHVs) in 3 southernmost provinces of Thailand. A clustered nonrandomized intervention study was conducted from November 2012 to February 2014. One district of each province was selected to be the study intervention districts for that province. A total of 124 LHVs in the intervention districts participated in the knowledge-counseling intervention. It was organized as half-day workshop using 2 training modules each comprising a 30-minute lecture followed by counseling practice in pairs for 1 hour. Outcome was the rate of early ANC initiation among women giving birth, and its association with intervention, meeting an LHV, and months after training was analyzed. Of 6677 women, 3178 and 3499 women were in the control and intervention groups, respectively. Rates of early ANC were significantly improved after the intervention (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.43, P < .001) and meeting an LHV (adjusted OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.86-2.29, P < .001), but lower at 6 months after training (adjusted OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.60-0.96, P = .002). Almost all women (99.7%) in the intervention group who met an LHV reported that they were encouraged to attend early ANC. Training LHVs in communities by knowledge-counseling intervention significantly improved early ANC initiation, but the magnitude of change was still limited.

  1. Lack of Early Improvement Predicts Poor Outcome Following Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

    PubMed

    Yogendrakumar, Vignan; Smith, Eric E; Demchuk, Andrew M; Aviv, Richard I; Rodriguez-Luna, David; Molina, Carlos A; Silva Blas, Yolanda; Dzialowski, Imanuel; Kobayashi, Adam; Boulanger, Jean-Martin; Lum, Cheemun; Gubitz, Gord; Padma, Vasantha; Roy, Jayanta; Kase, Carlos S; Bhatia, Rohit; Ali, Myzoon; Lyden, Patrick; Hill, Michael D; Dowlatshahi, Dar

    2018-04-01

    There are limited data as to what degree of early neurologic change best relates to outcome in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. We aimed to derive and validate a threshold for early postintracerebral hemorrhage change that best predicts 90-day outcomes. Derivation: retrospective analysis of collated clinical stroke trial data (Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive). retrospective analysis of a prospective multicenter cohort study (Prediction of haematoma growth and outcome in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage using the CT-angiography spot sign [PREDICT]). Neurocritical and ICUs. Patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage presenting less than 6 hours. Derivation: 552 patients; validation: 275 patients. None. We generated a receiver operating characteristic curve for the association between 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale change and clinical outcome. The primary outcome was a modified Rankin Scale score of 4-6 at 90 days; secondary outcomes were other modified Rankin Scale score ranges (modified Rankin Scale, 2-6, 3-6, 5-6, 6). We employed Youden's J Index to select optimal cut points and calculated sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. We determined independent predictors via multivariable logistic regression. The derived definitions were validated in the PREDICT cohort. Twenty-four-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale change was strongly associated with 90-day outcome with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.75. Youden's method showed an optimum cut point at -0.5, corresponding to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale change of greater than or equal to 0 (a lack of clinical improvement), which was seen in 46%. Early neurologic change accurately predicted poor outcome when defined as greater than or equal to 0 (sensitivity, 65%; specificity, 73%; positive predictive value, 70%; adjusted odds ratio, 5.05 [CI, 3.25-7.85]) or greater than or equal to 4 (sensitivity, 19%; specificity

  2. Application of a High Throughput Method of Biomarker Discovery to Improvement of the EarlyCDT®-Lung Test

    PubMed Central

    Macdonald, Isabel K.; Murray, Andrea; Healey, Graham F.; Parsy-Kowalska, Celine B.; Allen, Jared; McElveen, Jane; Robertson, Chris; Sewell, Herbert F.; Chapman, Caroline J.; Robertson, John F. R.

    2012-01-01

    Background The National Lung Screening Trial showed that CT screening for lung cancer led to a 20% reduction in mortality. However, CT screening has a number of disadvantages including low specificity. A validated autoantibody assay is available commercially (EarlyCDT®-Lung) to aid in the early detection of lung cancer and risk stratification in patients with pulmonary nodules detected by CT. Recent advances in high throughput (HTP) cloning and expression methods have been developed into a discovery pipeline to identify biomarkers that detect autoantibodies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the successful clinical application of this strategy to add to the EarlyCDT-Lung panel in order to improve its sensitivity and specificity (and hence positive predictive value, (PPV)). Methods and Findings Serum from two matched independent cohorts of lung cancer patients were used (n = 100 and n = 165). Sixty nine proteins were initially screened on an abridged HTP version of the autoantibody ELISA using protein prepared on small scale by a HTP expression and purification screen. Promising leads were produced in shake flask culture and tested on the full assay. These results were analyzed in combination with those from the EarlyCDT-Lung panel in order to provide a set of re-optimized cut-offs. Five proteins that still displayed cancer/normal differentiation were tested for reproducibility and validation on a second batch of protein and a separate patient cohort. Addition of these proteins resulted in an improvement in the sensitivity and specificity of the test from 38% and 86% to 49% and 93% respectively (PPV improvement from 1 in 16 to 1 in 7). Conclusion This is a practical example of the value of investing resources to develop a HTP technology. Such technology may lead to improvement in the clinical utility of the EarlyCDT­-Lung test, and so further aid the early detection of lung cancer. PMID:23272083

  3. Improvement of attention span and reaction time with hyperbaric oxygen treatment in patients with toxic injury due to mold exposure.

    PubMed

    Ezra, N; Dang, K; Heuser, G

    2011-01-01

    It is, by now, well established that mold toxins (mycotoxins) can cause significant adverse health effects. In this study, 15 subjects who developed an attention deficit disorder (ADD) and slowing of reaction time at the time of exposure to mold toxins were identified. Deficits in attention span and reaction time were documented not only by taking a careful history, but also by performing a Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). The TOVA test provides an objective measure of these two variables. It was found that mold-exposed subjects show statistically significant decreases in attention span and significant increases in reaction time to stimuli compared to controls. After ten sessions of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), a statistically significant improvement was seen in both measures. This preliminary study suggests promising outcomes in treating mold-exposed patients with hyperbaric oxygen.

  4. Improvement of attention span and reaction time with hyperbaric oxygen treatment in patients with toxic injury due to mold exposure

    PubMed Central

    Ezra, N.; Dang, K.

    2010-01-01

    It is, by now, well established that mold toxins (mycotoxins) can cause significant adverse health effects. In this study, 15 subjects who developed an attention deficit disorder (ADD) and slowing of reaction time at the time of exposure to mold toxins were identified. Deficits in attention span and reaction time were documented not only by taking a careful history, but also by performing a Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). The TOVA test provides an objective measure of these two variables. It was found that mold-exposed subjects show statistically significant decreases in attention span and significant increases in reaction time to stimuli compared to controls. After ten sessions of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), a statistically significant improvement was seen in both measures. This preliminary study suggests promising outcomes in treating mold-exposed patients with hyperbaric oxygen. PMID:20978814

  5. Home oxygen therapy: re-thinking the role of devices.

    PubMed

    Melani, Andrea S; Sestini, Piersante; Rottoli, Paola

    2018-03-01

    A range of devices are available for delivering and monitoring home oxygen therapy (HOT). Guidelines do not give indications for the choice of the delivery device but recommend the use of an ambulatory system in subjects on HOT whilst walking. Areas covered: We provide a clinical overview of HOT and review traditional and newer delivery and monitoring devices for HOT. Despite relevant technology advancements, clinicians, faced with many challenges when they prescribe oxygen therapy, often remain familiar to traditional devices and continuous flow delivery of oxygen. Some self-filling delivery-less devices could increase the users' level of independence with ecological advantage and, perhaps, reduced cost. Some newer portable oxygen concentrators are being available, but more work is needed to understand their performances in different diseases and clinical settings. Pulse oximetry has gained large diffusion worldwide and some models permit long-term monitoring. Some closed-loop portable monitoring devices are also able to adjust oxygen flow automatically in accordance with the different needs of everyday life. This might help to improve adherence and the practice of proper oxygen titration that has often been omitted because difficult to perform and time-consuming. Expert commentary: The prescribing physicians should know the characteristics of newer devices and use technological advancements to improve the practice of HOT.

  6. Simultaneous and Noninvasive Imaging of Cerebral Oxygen Metabolic Rate, Blood Flow and Oxygen Extraction Fraction in Stroke Mice

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Xiao-Hong; Chen, James; Tu, Tsang-Wei; Chen, Wei; Song, Sheng-Kwei

    2012-01-01

    Many brain diseases have been linked to abnormal oxygen metabolism and blood perfusion; nevertheless, there is still a lack of robust diagnostic tools for directly imaging cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), as well as the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) that reflects the balance between CMRO2 and CBF. This study employed the recently developed in vivo 17O MR spectroscopic imaging to simultaneously assess CMRO2, CBF and OEF in the brain using a preclinical middle cerebral arterial occlusion mouse model with a brief inhalation of 17O-labeled oxygen gas. The results demonstrated high sensitivity and reliability of the noninvasive 17O-MR approach for rapidly imaging CMRO2, CBF and OEF abnormalities in the ischemic cortex of the MCAO mouse brain. It was found that in the ischemic brain regions both CMRO2 and CBF were substantially lower than that of intact brain regions, even for the mildly damaged brain regions that were unable to be clearly identified by the conventional MRI. In contrast, OEF was higher in the MCAO affected brain regions. This study demonstrates a promising 17O MRI technique for imaging abnormal oxygen metabolism and perfusion in the diseased brain regions. This 17O MRI technique is advantageous because of its robustness, simplicity, noninvasiveness and reliability: features that are essential to potentially translate it to human patients for early diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy. PMID:23000789

  7. Simultaneous and noninvasive imaging of cerebral oxygen metabolic rate, blood flow and oxygen extraction fraction in stroke mice.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xiao-Hong; Chen, James M; Tu, Tsang-Wei; Chen, Wei; Song, Sheng-Kwei

    2013-01-01

    Many brain diseases have been linked to abnormal oxygen metabolism and blood perfusion; nevertheless, there is still a lack of robust diagnostic tools for directly imaging cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO(2)) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), as well as the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) that reflects the balance between CMRO(2) and CBF. This study employed the recently developed in vivo (17)O MR spectroscopic imaging to simultaneously assess CMRO(2), CBF and OEF in the brain using a preclinical middle cerebral arterial occlusion mouse model with a brief inhalation of (17)O-labeled oxygen gas. The results demonstrated high sensitivity and reliability of the noninvasive (17)O-MR approach for rapidly imaging CMRO(2), CBF and OEF abnormalities in the ischemic cortex of the MCAO mouse brain. It was found that in the ischemic brain regions both CMRO(2) and CBF were substantially lower than that of intact brain regions, even for the mildly damaged brain regions that were unable to be clearly identified by the conventional MRI. In contrast, OEF was higher in the MCAO affected brain regions. This study demonstrates a promising (17)O MRI technique for imaging abnormal oxygen metabolism and perfusion in the diseased brain regions. This (17)O MRI technique is advantageous because of its robustness, simplicity, noninvasiveness and reliability: features that are essential to potentially translate it to human patients for early diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Cold-water immersion decreases cerebral oxygenation but improves recovery after intermittent-sprint exercise in the heat.

    PubMed

    Minett, G M; Duffield, R; Billaut, F; Cannon, J; Portus, M R; Marino, F E

    2014-08-01

    This study examined the effects of post-exercise cooling on recovery of neuromuscular, physiological, and cerebral hemodynamic responses after intermittent-sprint exercise in the heat. Nine participants underwent three post-exercise recovery trials, including a control (CONT), mixed-method cooling (MIX), and cold-water immersion (10 °C; CWI). Voluntary force and activation were assessed simultaneously with cerebral oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy) pre- and post-exercise, post-intervention, and 1-h and 24-h post-exercise. Measures of heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature, muscle damage, and inflammation were also collected. Both cooling interventions reduced heart rate, core, and skin temperature post-intervention (P < 0.05). CWI hastened the recovery of voluntary force by 12.7 ± 11.7% (mean ± SD) and 16.3 ± 10.5% 1-h post-exercise compared to MIX and CONT, respectively (P < 0.01). Voluntary force remained elevated by 16.1 ± 20.5% 24-h post-exercise after CWI compared to CONT (P < 0.05). Central activation was increased post-intervention and 1-h post-exercise with CWI compared to CONT (P < 0.05), without differences between conditions 24-h post-exercise (P > 0.05). CWI reduced cerebral oxygenation compared to MIX and CONT post-intervention (P < 0.01). Furthermore, cooling interventions reduced cortisol 1-h post-exercise (P < 0.01), although only CWI blunted creatine kinase 24-h post-exercise compared to CONT (P < 0.05). Accordingly, improvements in neuromuscular recovery after post-exercise cooling appear to be disassociated with cerebral oxygenation, rather reflecting reductions in thermoregulatory demands to sustain force production. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Oxygen transfer dynamics and activated sludge floc structure under different sludge retention times at low dissolved oxygen concentrations.

    PubMed

    Fan, Haitao; Liu, Xiuhong; Wang, Hao; Han, Yunping; Qi, Lu; Wang, Hongchen

    2017-02-01

    In activated sludge systems, the aeration process consumes the most energy. The energy cost can be dramatically reduced by decreasing the operating dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. However, low DO may lead to incomplete nitrification and poor settling performance of activated sludge flocs (ASFs). This study investigates oxygen transfer dynamics and settling performances of activated sludge under different sludge retention times (SRTs) and DO conditions using microelectrodes and microscopic techniques. Our experimental results showed that with longer SRTs, treatment capacity and settling performances of activated sludge improved due to smaller floc size and less extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Long-term low DO conditions produced larger flocs and more EPS per unit sludge, which produced a more extensive anoxic area and led to low oxygen diffusion performance in flocs. Long SRTs mitigated the adverse effects of low DO. According to the microelectrode analysis and fractal dimension determination, smaller floc size and less EPS in the long SRT system led to high oxygen diffusion property and more compact floc structure that caused a drop in the sludge volume index (SVI). In summary, our results suggested that long SRTs of activated sludge can improve the operating performance under low DO conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Improved Oxygen Sources for Breathing Apparatus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wood, Peter C.; Wydeven, Theodore

    1985-01-01

    Since the 1920s, the only respiratory protection which coal miners had available during exposure to toxic or irrespirable environments was a filter self-rescuer that catalytically converted carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO2). The deficiencies of this self-rescuer, which have been described elsewhere (37) led to the support by the Bureau of Mines of the development of a new generation of self-rescuers which utilized potassium superoxide (KO2) as the air-revitalization chemical. Since KO2 reacts with exhaled breath and releases oxygen (O2) while it absorbs CO2, the new self-rescuers were closed-circuit devices which isolated the miner from contact with toxic or irrespirable atmospheres. A device with a one-h duration developed by Lockheed under contract with the Bureau of Mines (18) utilized 1.5 Ib of KO2, weighed 4.54 Ib and measured 6.5 by 3.6 by 7.7 in. Since the earlier, filter self-rescuer weighed about 2.5 lb and was worn continuously by the miner, the one-h, KO2-based device represented a substantial addition to the equipment that the miner was accustomed to carrying and, therefore, was considered to be too large and too heavy.

  11. Surface pressure measurement by oxygen quenching of luminescence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gouterman, Martin P. (Inventor); Kavandi, Janet L. (Inventor); Gallery, Jean (Inventor); Callis, James B. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    Methods and compositions for measuring the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas on an aerodynamic surface, by oxygen-quenching of luminescence of molecular sensors is disclosed. Objects are coated with luminescent films containing a first sensor and at least one of two additional sensors, each of the sensors having luminescences that have different dependencies on temperature and oxygen pressure. Methods and compositions are also provided for improving pressure measurements (qualitative or quantitive) on surfaces coated with a film having one or more types of sensor.

  12. Surface pressure measurement by oxygen quenching of luminescence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gouterman, Martin P. (Inventor); Kavandi, Janet L. (Inventor); Gallery, Jean (Inventor); Callis, James B. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    Methods and compositions for measuring the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas on an aerodynamic surface, by oxygen-quenching of luminescence of molecular sensors is disclosed. Objects are coated with luminescent films containing a first sensor and at least one of two additional sensors, each of the sensors having luminescences that have different dependencies on temperature and oxygen pressure. Methods and compositions are also provided for improving pressure measurements (qualitative or quantitive) on surfaces coated with a film having one or more types of sensor.

  13. [Near-infrared spectroscopy in sepsis therapy : predictor of a low central venous oxygen saturation].

    PubMed

    Lichtenstern, C; Koch, C; Röhrig, R; Rosengarten, B; Henrich, M; Weigand, M A

    2012-10-01

    Early goal-directed hemodynamic optimization has become a cornerstone of sepsis therapy. One major defined goal is to achieve adequate central venous oxygen saturation (SO(2)). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between central venous SO(2) and frontal cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurement in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. The NIRS method provides non-invasive measurement of regional oxygen saturation (rSO(2)) in tissues approximately 2 cm below the optical NIRS sensors which depends on arterial, capillary and venous blood. Thus this system gives site-specific real-time data about the balance of oxygen supply and demand. This was a secondary analysis from a prospective study of surgical intensive care (ICU) patients in the early phase of severe sepsis or septic shock. Bilateral cerebral rSO(2), central venous SO(2), arterial oxygen saturation (S(a)O(2)) and other surrogate parameters of oxygen supply, such as hemoglobin, partial pressure of oxygen and oxygen content in arterial blood were recorded. A total of 16 ICU patients (4 women, median age 65.5 years) were included in the study. As sepsis focus an intra-abdominal infection was detected in 62.5 % of patients, severe pneumonia was determined in 31.3 % and skin and soft tissue infections were recognized in 12.5 %. At study inclusion 50 % of patients had septic shock, the median sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was 10.2 (interquartile range 5.25-8.75) and the median acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 26 (range 23.25-29.75). Mortality at day 28 was 37.5 %. Minimum rSO(2) (median 58) and right-sided rSO(2) (median 58) values showed a significant correlation in the analysis of receiver operating characteristics (area under the curve 0.844, p= 0.045). A central venous SO(2)< 70 % was indicated by rSO(2)< 56.5 with sensitivity and specificity of 75 % and 100 %, respectively. Cerebral NIRS could provide a fast and easily

  14. [Issues in the use of medical oxygen generator with molecular sieve].

    PubMed

    Xu, Junfeng; Yang, Xiaoling; Zhao, Xiaolei; Bai, Jiefang; Wang, Chaojie

    2014-07-01

    There are some existing problems in controlling the quality of oxygen. In order to improve quality, efficiency and safety in the use of oxygen, we presented some factors which may give rise to variations in concentration of oxygen and proposed some suggestions based on the investigation and analysis of such problems.

  15. Improving Early-Grade Literacy in East Africa: Experimental Evidence from Kenya and Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Adrienne M.; McEwan, Patrick J.; Ngware, Moses; Oketch, Moses

    2014-01-01

    Primary school enrollments have increased rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa, spurring concerns about low levels of learning. We analyze field experiments in Kenya and Uganda that assessed whether the Reading to Learn intervention, implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation in both countries, improved early-grade literacy as measured by common assessments.…

  16. Carbon dioxide narcosis due to inappropriate oxygen delivery: a case report.

    PubMed

    Herren, Thomas; Achermann, Eva; Hegi, Thomas; Reber, Adrian; Stäubli, Max

    2017-07-28

    Oxygen delivery to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be challenging because of their potential hypoxic ventilatory drive. However, some oxygen delivery systems such as non-rebreathing face masks with an oxygen reservoir bag require high oxygen flow for adequate oxygenation and to avoid carbon dioxide rebreathing. A 72-year-old Caucasian man with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted to the emergency department because of worsening dyspnea and an oxygen saturation of 81% measured by pulse oximetry. Oxygen was administered using a non-rebreathing mask with an oxygen reservoir bag attached. For fear of removing the hypoxic stimulus to respiration the oxygen flow was inappropriately limited to 4L/minute. The patient developed carbon dioxide narcosis and had to be intubated and mechanically ventilated. Non-rebreathing masks with oxygen reservoir bags must be fed with an oxygen flow exceeding the patient's minute ventilation (>6-10 L/minute.). If not, the amount of oxygen delivered will be too small to effectively increase the arterial oxygen saturation. Moreover, the risk of carbon dioxide rebreathing dramatically increases if the flow of oxygen to a non-rebreathing mask is lower than the minute ventilation, especially in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and low tidal volumes. Non-rebreathing masks (with oxygen reservoir bags) must be used cautiously by experienced medical staff and with an appropriately high oxygen flow of 10-15 L/minute. Nevertheless, arterial blood gases must be analyzed regularly for early detection of a rise in partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a hypoxic ventilatory drive. These patients are more safely managed using a nasal cannula with an oxygen flow of 1-2L/minute or a simple face mask with an oxygen flow of 5L/minute.

  17. The ancient oxygen exosphere of Mars - Implications for atmosphere evolution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhang, M. H. G.; Luhmann, J. G.; Bougher, S. W.; Nagy, A. F.

    1993-01-01

    The paper considers absorption of oxygen (atoms and ions) by the surface as a mechanism for the early Martian atmosphere escape, due to the effect of high EUV flux of the ancient sun. Hot oxygen exosphere densities in ancient atmosphere and ionosphere are calculated for different EUV fluxes and the escape fluxes associated with these exposures. Using these densities, the ion production rate above the ionopause is calculated for different epochs including photoionization, charge exchange, and solar wind electron impact. It is found that, when the inferred high solar EUV fluxes of the past are taken into account, oxygen equivalent to that in several tens of meters of water, planet-wide, should have escaped Martian atmosphere to space over the last 3 Gyr.

  18. The ancient oxygen exosphere of Mars - Implications for atmosphere evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, M. H. G.; Luhmann, J. G.; Bougher, S. W.; Nagy, A. F.

    1993-06-01

    The paper considers absorption of oxygen (atoms and ions) by the surface as a mechanism for the early Martian atmosphere escape, due to the effect of high EUV flux of the ancient sun. Hot oxygen exosphere densities in ancient atmosphere and ionosphere are calculated for different EUV fluxes and the escape fluxes associated with these exposures. Using these densities, the ion production rate above the ionopause is calculated for different epochs including photoionization, charge exchange, and solar wind electron impact. It is found that, when the inferred high solar EUV fluxes of the past are taken into account, oxygen equivalent to that in several tens of meters of water, planet-wide, should have escaped Martian atmosphere to space over the last 3 Gyr.

  19. Improving the detectability of oxygen saturation level targets for preterm neonates: A laboratory test of tremolo and beacon sonifications.

    PubMed

    Deschamps, Marie-Lys; Sanderson, Penelope; Hinckfuss, Kelly; Browning, Caitlin; Loeb, Robert G; Liley, Helen; Liu, David

    2016-09-01

    Recent guidelines recommend oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels of 90%-95% for preterm neonates on supplemental oxygen but it is difficult to discern such levels with current pulse oximetry sonifications. We tested (1) whether adding levels of tremolo to a conventional log-linear pulse oximetry sonification would improve identification of SpO2 ranges, and (2) whether adding a beacon reference tone to conventional pulse oximetry confuses listeners about the direction of change. Participants using the Tremolo (94%) or Beacon (81%) sonifications identified SpO2 range significantly more accurately than participants using the LogLinear sonification (52%). The Beacon sonification did not confuse participants about direction of change. The Tremolo sonification may have advantages over the Beacon sonification for monitoring SpO2 of preterm neonates, but both must be further tested with clinicians in clinically representative scenarios, and with different levels of ambient noise and distractions. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Insensitivity of cerebral oxygen transport to oxygen affinity of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers

    PubMed Central

    Koehler, Raymond C.; Fronticelli, Clara; Bucci, Enrico

    2008-01-01

    The cerebrovascular effects of exchange transfusion of various cell-free hemoglobins that possess different oxygen affinities are reviewed. Reducing hematocrit by transfusion of a non-oxygen-carrying solution dilates pial arterioles on the brain surface and increases cerebral blood flow to maintain a constant bulk oxygen transport to the brain. In contrast, transfusion of hemoglobins with P50 of 4–34 Torr causes constriction of pial arterioles that offsets the decrease in blood viscosity to maintain cerebral blood flow and oxygen transport. The autoregulatory constriction is dependent on synthesis of 20-HETE from arachidonic acid. This oxygen-dependent reaction is apparently enhanced by facilitated oxygen diffusion from the red cell to the endothelium arising from increased plasma oxygen solubility in the presence of low or high-affinity hemoglobin. Exchange transfusion of recombinant hemoglobin polymers with P50 of 3 and 18 Torr reduces infarct volume from experimental stroke. Cell-free hemoglobins do not require a P50 as high as red blood cell hemoglobin to facilitate oxygen delivery. PMID:18230370

  1. Insensitivity of cerebral oxygen transport to oxygen affinity of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers.

    PubMed

    Koehler, Raymond C; Fronticelli, Clara; Bucci, Enrico

    2008-10-01

    The cerebrovascular effects of exchange transfusion of various cell-free hemoglobins that possess different oxygen affinities are reviewed. Reducing hematocrit by transfusion of a non-oxygen-carrying solution dilates pial arterioles on the brain surface and increases cerebral blood flow to maintain a constant bulk oxygen transport to the brain. In contrast, transfusion of hemoglobins with P50 of 4-34 Torr causes constriction of pial arterioles that offsets the decrease in blood viscosity to maintain cerebral blood flow and oxygen transport. The autoregulatory constriction is dependent on synthesis of 20-HETE from arachidonic acid. This oxygen-dependent reaction is apparently enhanced by facilitated oxygen diffusion from the red cell to the endothelium arising from increased plasma oxygen solubility in the presence of low or high-affinity hemoglobin. Exchange transfusion of recombinant hemoglobin polymers with P50 of 3 and 18 Torr reduces infarct volume from experimental stroke. Cell-free hemoglobins do not require a P50 as high as red blood cell hemoglobin to facilitate oxygen delivery.

  2. Exploring the Diffusion of Molecular Oxygen in the Red Fluorescent Protein mCherry Using Explicit Oxygen Molecular Dynamics Simulations

    PubMed Central

    Regmi, Chola K.; Bhandari, Yuba R.; Gerstman, Bernard S.; Chapagain, Prem P.

    2013-01-01

    The development of fluorescent proteins (FPs) has revolutionized cell biology research. The monomeric variants of red fluorescent proteins (RFPs), known as mFruits, have been especially valuable for tagging and tracking cellular processes in vivo. Determining oxygen diffusion pathways in FPs can be important for improving photostability and for understanding maturation of the chromophore. We use molecular dynamics (MD) calculations to investigate the diffusion of molecular oxygen in one of the most useful monomeric RFPs, mCherry. We describe a pathway that allows oxygen molecules to enter from the solvent and travel through the protein barrel to the chromophore. We calculate the free-energy of an oxygen molecule at points along the path. The pathway contains several oxygen hosting pockets, which are identified by the amino acid residues that form the pocket. We also investigate an RFP variant known to be significantly less photostable than mCherry and find much easier oxygen access in this variant. The results provide a better understanding of the mechanism of molecular oxygen access into the fully folded mCherry protein barrel and provide insight into the photobleaching process in these proteins. PMID:23363049

  3. Oxygen produced by cyanobacteria in simulated Archaean conditions partly oxidizes ferrous iron but mostly escapes-conclusions about early evolution.

    PubMed

    Rantamäki, Susanne; Meriluoto, Jussi; Spoof, Lisa; Puputti, Eeva-Maija; Tyystjärvi, Taina; Tyystjärvi, Esa

    2016-12-01

    The Earth has had a permanently oxic atmosphere only since the great oxygenation event (GOE) 2.3-2.4 billion years ago but recent geochemical research has revealed short periods of oxygen in the atmosphere up to a billion years earlier before the permanent oxygenation. If these "whiffs" of oxygen truly occurred, then oxygen-evolving (proto)cyanobacteria must have existed throughout the Archaean aeon. Trapping of oxygen by ferrous iron and other reduced substances present in Archaean oceans has often been suggested to explain why the oxygen content of the atmosphere remained negligible before the GOE although cyanobacteria produced oxygen. We tested this hypothesis by growing cyanobacteria in anaerobic high-CO 2 atmosphere in a medium with a high concentration of ferrous iron. Microcystins are known to chelate iron, which prompted us also to test the effects of microcystins and nodularins on iron tolerance. The results show that all tested cyanobacteria, especially nitrogen-fixing species grown in the absence of nitrate, and irrespective of the ability to produce cyanotoxins, were iron sensitive in aerobic conditions but tolerated high concentrations of iron in anaerobicity. This result suggests that current cyanobacteria would have tolerated the high-iron content of Archaean oceans. However, only 1 % of the oxygen produced by the cyanobacterial culture was trapped by iron, suggesting that large-scale cyanobacterial photosynthesis would have oxygenated the atmosphere even if cyanobacteria grew in a reducing ocean. Recent genomic analysis suggesting that ability to colonize seawater is a secondary trait in cyanobacteria may offer a partial explanation for the sustained inefficiency of cyanobacterial photosynthesis during the Archaean aeon, as fresh water has always covered a very small fraction of the Earth's surface. If oxygenic photosynthesis originated in fresh water, then the GOE marks the adaptation of cyanobacteria to seawater, and the late

  4. Cerebral oxygen saturation and peripheral perfusion in the extremely premature infant with intraventricular and/or pulmonary haemorrhage early in life.

    PubMed

    Beausoleil, Thierry P; Janaillac, Marie; Barrington, Keith J; Lapointe, Anie; Dehaes, Mathieu

    2018-04-25

    Extremely preterm infants are at higher risk of pulmonary (PH) and intraventricular (IVH) haemorrhage during the transitioning physiology due to immature cardiovascular system. Monitoring of haemodynamics can detect early abnormal circulation that may lead to these complications. We described time-frequency relationships between near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) cerebral regional haemoglobin oxygen saturation (CrSO 2 ) and preductal peripheral perfusion index (PI), capillary oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) and heart rate (HR) in extremely preterm infants in the first 72 h of life. Patients were sub-grouped in infants with PH and/or IVH (N H  = 8) and healthy controls (N C  = 11). Data were decomposed in wavelets allowing the analysis of localized variations of power. This approach allowed to quantify the percentage of time of significant cross-correlation, semblance, gain (transfer function) and coherence between signals. Ultra-low frequencies (<0.28 mHz) were analyzed as slow and prolonged periods of impaired circulation are considered more detrimental than transient fluctuations. Cross-correlation between CrSO 2 and oximetry (PI, SpO 2 and HR) as well as in-phase semblance and gain between CrSO 2 and HR were significantly lower while anti-phase semblance between CrSO 2 and HR was significantly higher in PH-IVH infants compared to controls. These differences may reflect haemodynamic instability associated with cerebrovascular autoregulation and hemorrhagic complications observed during the transitioning physiology.

  5. Sixty Minutes of Physical Activity per Day Included Within Preschool Academic Lessons Improves Early Literacy.

    PubMed

    Kirk, Stacie M; Kirk, Erik P

    2016-03-01

    The effects of increases in physical activity (PA) on early literacy skills in preschool children are not known. Fifty-four African-American preschool children from a low socioeconomic urban Head Start participated over 8 months. A 2-group, quasi-experimental design was used with one preschool site participating in the PA intervention and a second site participating as the control site. The PA program was designed to promote 300 minutes/week of moderate to vigorous PA academic lessons. Academic achievement related to early literacy and phonological awareness in the areas of rhyming and alliteration were assessed at baseline, 4 and 8 months. Over 8 months, rhyming significantly (p < .01) improved in the PA group (173 ± 12%) compared with the controls (28 ± 8%) resulting in between group differences at 8 months (p < .01). Alliteration significantly (p < .01) improved in the PA group (52 ± 16%) compared with controls (13 ± 5%), resulting in between group differences at 8 months (p < .01). As minutes of exposure to moderate to vigorous PA increased, the change in picture naming (R(2) = .35, p < .05), alliteration (R(2) = .38, p < .05), and rhyming (R(2) = .42, p < .05), increased. A teacher-directed PA program is effective at increasing PA and improving early literacy. © 2016, American School Health Association.

  6. STS-113 workers work on oxygen leak in Endeavor's mid-body

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During inspections at Launch Pad 39A, an oxygen flex hose fitting (shown here) was identified as the source of an oxygen leak in Endeavour's mid-body. The leak was identified manually and using helium detectors. Visual inspection found a deformity in the flex line braid where it connects to rigid tubing. The entire flex hose assembly and bulkhead fitting were removed early today, and work is under way to complete the installation of a replacement.

  7. Earth’s oxygen cycle and the evolution of animal life

    PubMed Central

    Reinhard, Christopher T.; Planavsky, Noah J.; Olson, Stephanie L.; Lyons, Timothy W.; Erwin, Douglas H.

    2016-01-01

    The emergence and expansion of complex eukaryotic life on Earth is linked at a basic level to the secular evolution of surface oxygen levels. However, the role that planetary redox evolution has played in controlling the timing of metazoan (animal) emergence and diversification, if any, has been intensely debated. Discussion has gravitated toward threshold levels of environmental free oxygen (O2) necessary for early evolving animals to survive under controlled conditions. However, defining such thresholds in practice is not straightforward, and environmental O2 levels can potentially constrain animal life in ways distinct from threshold O2 tolerance. Herein, we quantitatively explore one aspect of the evolutionary coupling between animal life and Earth’s oxygen cycle—the influence of spatial and temporal variability in surface ocean O2 levels on the ecology of early metazoan organisms. Through the application of a series of quantitative biogeochemical models, we find that large spatiotemporal variations in surface ocean O2 levels and pervasive benthic anoxia are expected in a world with much lower atmospheric pO2 than at present, resulting in severe ecological constraints and a challenging evolutionary landscape for early metazoan life. We argue that these effects, when considered in the light of synergistic interactions with other environmental parameters and variable O2 demand throughout an organism’s life history, would have resulted in long-term evolutionary and ecological inhibition of animal life on Earth for much of Middle Proterozoic time (∼1.8–0.8 billion years ago). PMID:27457943

  8. Isotopic evidence for oxygenated Mesoarchaean shallow oceans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eickmann, Benjamin; Hofmann, Axel; Wille, Martin; Bui, Thi Hao; Wing, Boswell A.; Schoenberg, Ronny

    2018-02-01

    Mass-independent fractionation of sulfur isotopes (MIF-S) in Archaean sediments results from photochemical processing of atmospheric sulfur species in an oxygen-depleted atmosphere. Geological preservation of MIF-S provides evidence for microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) in low-sulfate Paleoarchaean (3.8-3.2 billion years ago (Ga)) and Neoarchaean (2.8-2.5 Ga) oceans, but the significance of MSR in Mesoarchaean (3.2-2.8 Ga) oceans is less clear. Here we present multiple sulfur and iron isotope data of early diagenetic pyrites from 2.97-Gyr-old stromatolitic dolomites deposited in a tidal flat environment of the Nsuze Group, Pongola Supergroup, South Africa. We identified consistently negative Δ33S values in pyrite, which indicates photochemical reactions under anoxic atmospheric conditions, but large mass-dependent sulfur isotope fractionations of 30‰ in δ34S, identifying active MSR. Negative pyrite δ56Fe values (-1.31 to -0.88‰) record Fe oxidation in oxygen-bearing shallow oceans coupled with biogenic Fe reduction during diagenesis, consistent with the onset of local Fe cycling in oxygen oases 3.0 Ga. We therefore suggest the presence of oxygenated near-shore shallow-marine environments with ≥5 μM sulfate at this time, in spite of the clear presence of an overall reduced Mesoarchaean atmosphere.

  9. Topical Oxygen for Chronic Wounds: A PRO/CON Debate

    PubMed Central

    Mutluoglu, Mesut; Cakkalkurt, Aslican; Uzun, Gunalp; Aktas, Samil

    2014-01-01

    The role of oxygen in wound healing is universally accepted and does not require any further evidence; however the controversy as to whether oxygen delivery systems have the potential to improve wound healing remains to be concluded. Topical oxygen treatment (TOT) involves the delivery of 100% oxygen for a mean of 90 min, once a day at an atmospheric pressure slightly above 1 atm abs. The use of TOT gained increasing interest recently. The current manuscript will summarize the pros and cons of TOT in the view of the available literature. PMID:26199891

  10. Oxygen-Permeable, Hydrophobic Membranes of Silanized alpha-Al2O3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Atwater, James E.; Akse, James R.

    2006-01-01

    Membranes made of silanized alumina have been prepared and tested as prototypes of derivatized ceramic membranes that are both highly permeable to oxygen and hydrophobic. Improved oxygen-permeable, hydrophobic membranes would be attractive for use in several technological disciplines, including supporting high-temperature aqueousphase oxidation in industrial production of chemicals, oxygenation of aqueous streams for bioreactors, and oxygenation of blood during open-heart surgery and in cases of extreme pulmonary dysfunction. In comparison with organic polymeric oxygen-permeable membranes now commercially available, the derivatized ceramic membranes are more chemically robust, are capable of withstanding higher temperatures, and exhibit higher oxygen-diffusion coefficients.

  11. A national survey of obstetric early warning systems in the United Kingdom: five years on.

    PubMed

    Isaacs, R A; Wee, M Y K; Bick, D E; Beake, S; Sheppard, Z A; Thomas, S; Hundley, V; Smith, G B; van Teijlingen, E; Thomas, P W

    2014-07-01

    The Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the UK have recommended obstetric early warning systems for early identification of clinical deterioration to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. This survey explored early warning systems currently used by maternity units in the UK. An electronic questionnaire was sent to all 205 lead obstetric anaesthetists under the auspices of the Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association, generating 130 (63%) responses. All respondents reported use of an obstetric early warning system, compared with 19% in a similar survey in 2007. Respondents agreed that the six most important physiological parameters to record were respiratory rate, heart rate, temperature, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and oxygen saturation. One hundred and eighteen (91%) lead anaesthetists agreed that early warning systems helped to prevent obstetric morbidity. Staffing pressures were perceived as the greatest barrier to their use, and improved audit, education and training for healthcare professionals were identified as priority areas. © 2014 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

  12. Highlighting the evidence gap: how cost-effective are interventions to improve early childhood nutrition and development?

    PubMed Central

    Batura, Neha; Hill, Zelee; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan; Lingam, Raghu; Colbourn, Timothy; Kim, Sungwook; Sikander, Siham; Pulkki-Brannstrom, Anni-Maria; Rahman, Atif; Kirkwood, Betty; Skordis-Worrall, Jolene

    2015-01-01

    There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of early childhood interventions to improve the growth and development of children. Although, historically, nutrition and stimulation interventions may have been delivered separately, they are increasingly being tested as a package of early childhood interventions that synergistically improve outcomes over the life course. However, implementation at scale is seldom possible without first considering the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. An evidence gap in this area may deter large-scale implementation, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We conduct a literature review to establish what is known about the cost-effectiveness of early childhood nutrition and development interventions. A set of predefined search terms and exclusion criteria standardized the search across five databases. The search identified 15 relevant articles. Of these, nine were from studies set in high-income countries and six in low- and middle-income countries. The articles either calculated the cost-effectiveness of nutrition-specific interventions (n = 8) aimed at improving child growth, or parenting interventions (stimulation) to improve early childhood development (n = 7). No articles estimated the cost-effectiveness of combined interventions. Comparing results within nutrition or stimulation interventions, or between nutrition and stimulation interventions was largely prevented by the variety of outcome measures used in these analyses. This article highlights the need for further evidence relevant to low- and middle-income countries. To facilitate comparison of cost-effectiveness between studies, and between contexts where appropriate, a move towards a common outcome measure such as the cost per disability-adjusted life years averted is advocated. Finally, given the increasing number of combined nutrition and stimulation interventions being tested, there is a significant need for evidence of cost

  13. Bottom-water oxygenation and environmental change in Santa Monica Basin, southern California during the last 22 kyr

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Balestra, Barbara; Krupinksi, Nadine Quintana; Erhoina, Tzvetina

    The Southern California Borderland (SCB) is a region that experiences strong natural variations in bottom water oxygen and pH. Here, we use marine sediments from the Santa Monica Basin (SMB) to reconstruct environmental conditions and changes in the basin's bottom water oxygenation from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to present, and compare the records to the adjacent Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) and Santa Lucia Slope (SLS). High-resolution records of benthic foraminiferal oxygen and carbon isotopes (δ 18O and δ 13C), benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and bulk sedimentary organic matter geochemistry records exhibit major changes associated with late Quaternary millennial-scale global climatemore » oscillations. Our data show the dominance of low-oxygen benthic foraminifera assemblages during warm intervals, and assemblages representing higher dissolved oxygen during cooler intervals, as also seen in SBB and SLS. But, our record shows a stronger and longer-lasting oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) between the end of the Bølling-Allerød (B-A) and the Early Holocene (including the Younger Dryas) than at neighboring sites, indicated by dominance of Bolivina tumida (characteristic of major hypoxia) in the assemblage. The middle to late Holocene (from ~ 8.8 to 0 ka) had weaker hypoxia than the early Holocene, with assemblages mainly composed of Bolivina argentea and Uvigerina peregrina. The SMB remains mostly slightly low in oxygen throughout the studied interval, with differences in the degree of hypoxia relative to SBB and SLS (especially from the B-A to the Early Holocene) likely due to its greater depth and its more southern geographic position and therefore decreased exposure to North Pacific Intermediate Water current. Regional effects, such as changing intermediate water source and/or changing ventilation (oxygenation) of the intermediate water source, also affect SMB deep water. Our analysis utilizing parallel geochemical and micropaleontological records brings new

  14. Bottom-water oxygenation and environmental change in Santa Monica Basin, southern California during the last 22 kyr

    DOE PAGES

    Balestra, Barbara; Krupinksi, Nadine Quintana; Erhoina, Tzvetina; ...

    2017-09-29

    The Southern California Borderland (SCB) is a region that experiences strong natural variations in bottom water oxygen and pH. Here, we use marine sediments from the Santa Monica Basin (SMB) to reconstruct environmental conditions and changes in the basin's bottom water oxygenation from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to present, and compare the records to the adjacent Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) and Santa Lucia Slope (SLS). High-resolution records of benthic foraminiferal oxygen and carbon isotopes (δ 18O and δ 13C), benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and bulk sedimentary organic matter geochemistry records exhibit major changes associated with late Quaternary millennial-scale global climatemore » oscillations. Our data show the dominance of low-oxygen benthic foraminifera assemblages during warm intervals, and assemblages representing higher dissolved oxygen during cooler intervals, as also seen in SBB and SLS. But, our record shows a stronger and longer-lasting oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) between the end of the Bølling-Allerød (B-A) and the Early Holocene (including the Younger Dryas) than at neighboring sites, indicated by dominance of Bolivina tumida (characteristic of major hypoxia) in the assemblage. The middle to late Holocene (from ~ 8.8 to 0 ka) had weaker hypoxia than the early Holocene, with assemblages mainly composed of Bolivina argentea and Uvigerina peregrina. The SMB remains mostly slightly low in oxygen throughout the studied interval, with differences in the degree of hypoxia relative to SBB and SLS (especially from the B-A to the Early Holocene) likely due to its greater depth and its more southern geographic position and therefore decreased exposure to North Pacific Intermediate Water current. Regional effects, such as changing intermediate water source and/or changing ventilation (oxygenation) of the intermediate water source, also affect SMB deep water. Our analysis utilizing parallel geochemical and micropaleontological records brings new

  15. Subpicosecond oxygen trapping in the heme pocket of the oxygen sensor FixL observed by time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Kruglik, Sergei G; Jasaitis, Audrius; Hola, Klara; Yamashita, Taku; Liebl, Ursula; Martin, Jean-Louis; Vos, Marten H

    2007-05-01

    Dissociation of oxygen from the heme domain of the bacterial oxygen sensor protein FixL constitutes the first step in hypoxia-induced signaling. In the present study, the photodissociation of the heme-O2 bond was used to synchronize this event, and time-resolved resonance Raman (TR(3)) spectroscopy with subpicosecond time resolution was implemented to characterize the heme configuration of the primary photoproduct. TR(3) measurements on heme-oxycomplexes are highly challenging and have not yet been reported. Whereas in all other known six-coordinated heme protein complexes with diatomic ligands, including the oxymyoglobin reported here, heme iron out-of-plane motion (doming) occurs faster than 1 ps after iron-ligand bond breaking; surprisingly, no sizeable doming is observed in the oxycomplex of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum FixL sensor domain (FixLH). This assessment is deduced from the absence of the iron-histidine band around 217 cm(-1) as early as 0.5 ps. We suggest that efficient ultrafast oxygen rebinding to the heme occurs on the femtosecond time scale, thus hindering heme doming. Comparing WT oxy-FixLH, mutant proteins FixLH-R220H and FixLH-R220Q, the respective carbonmonoxy-complexes, and oxymyoglobin, we show that a hydrogen bond of the terminal oxygen atom with the residue in position 220 is responsible for the observed behavior; in WT FixL this residue is arginine, crucially implicated in signal transmission. We propose that the rigid O2 configuration imposed by this residue, in combination with the hydrophobic and constrained properties of the distal cavity, keep dissociated oxygen in place. These results uncover the origin of the "oxygen cage" properties of this oxygen sensor protein.

  16. New technique for servo-control of arterial oxygen tension in preterm infants.

    PubMed Central

    Beddis, I R; Collins, P; Levy, N M; Godfrey, S; Silverman, M

    1979-01-01

    Equipment has been developed for the servo-control of arterial oxygen tension in sick, newborn babies. Using an indwelling umbilical arterial oxygen electrode as sensor, the equipment successfully regulated the administration of oxygen to 12 newborn babies with respiratory distress syndrome, significantly improving the stability of arterial oxygen tension and lessening the duration of episodes of hypoxia and hyperoxia. PMID:453911

  17. Functional High-Intensity Circuit Training Improves Body Composition, Peak Oxygen Uptake, Strength, and Alters Certain Dimensions of Quality of Life in Overweight Women.

    PubMed

    Sperlich, Billy; Wallmann-Sperlich, Birgit; Zinner, Christoph; Von Stauffenberg, Valerie; Losert, Helena; Holmberg, Hans-Christer

    2017-01-01

    The effects of circuit-like functional high-intensity training (Circuit HIIT ) alone or in combination with high-volume low-intensity exercise (Circuit combined ) on selected cardio-respiratory and metabolic parameters, body composition, functional strength and the quality of life of overweight women were compared. In this single-center, two-armed randomized, controlled study, overweight women performed 9-weeks (3 sessions·wk -1 ) of either Circuit HIIT ( n = 11), or Circuit combined ( n = 8). Peak oxygen uptake and perception of physical pain were increased to a greater extent ( p < 0.05) by Circuit HIIT , whereas Circuit combined improved perception of general health more ( p < 0.05). Both interventions lowered body mass, body-mass-index, waist-to-hip ratio, fat mass, and enhanced fat-free mass; decreased ratings of perceived exertion during submaximal treadmill running; improved the numbers of push-ups, burpees, one-legged squats, and 30-s skipping performed, as well as the height of counter-movement jumps; and improved physical and social functioning, role of physical limitations, vitality, role of emotional limitations, and mental health to a similar extent (all p < 0.05). Either forms of these multi-stimulating, circuit-like, multiple-joint training can be employed to improve body composition, selected variables of functional strength, and certain dimensions of quality of life in overweight women. However, Circuit HIIT improves peak oxygen uptake to a greater extent, but with more perception of pain, whereas Circuit combined results in better perception of general health.

  18. Functional High-Intensity Circuit Training Improves Body Composition, Peak Oxygen Uptake, Strength, and Alters Certain Dimensions of Quality of Life in Overweight Women

    PubMed Central

    Sperlich, Billy; Wallmann-Sperlich, Birgit; Zinner, Christoph; Von Stauffenberg, Valerie; Losert, Helena; Holmberg, Hans-Christer

    2017-01-01

    The effects of circuit-like functional high-intensity training (CircuitHIIT) alone or in combination with high-volume low-intensity exercise (Circuitcombined) on selected cardio-respiratory and metabolic parameters, body composition, functional strength and the quality of life of overweight women were compared. In this single-center, two-armed randomized, controlled study, overweight women performed 9-weeks (3 sessions·wk−1) of either CircuitHIIT (n = 11), or Circuitcombined (n = 8). Peak oxygen uptake and perception of physical pain were increased to a greater extent (p < 0.05) by CircuitHIIT, whereas Circuitcombined improved perception of general health more (p < 0.05). Both interventions lowered body mass, body-mass-index, waist-to-hip ratio, fat mass, and enhanced fat-free mass; decreased ratings of perceived exertion during submaximal treadmill running; improved the numbers of push-ups, burpees, one-legged squats, and 30-s skipping performed, as well as the height of counter-movement jumps; and improved physical and social functioning, role of physical limitations, vitality, role of emotional limitations, and mental health to a similar extent (all p < 0.05). Either forms of these multi-stimulating, circuit-like, multiple-joint training can be employed to improve body composition, selected variables of functional strength, and certain dimensions of quality of life in overweight women. However, CircuitHIIT improves peak oxygen uptake to a greater extent, but with more perception of pain, whereas Circuitcombined results in better perception of general health. PMID:28420999

  19. Development of a Multiantigen Panel for Improved Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi Infection in Early Lyme Disease

    PubMed Central

    Panas, Michael W.; Mao, Rong; Delanoy, Michelle; Flanagan, John J.; Binder, Steven R.; Rebman, Alison W.; Montoya, Jose G.; Soloski, Mark J.; Steere, Allen C.; Dattwyler, Raymond J.; Arnaboldi, Paul M.; Aucott, John N.

    2015-01-01

    The current standard for laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease in the United States is serologic detection of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a two-tiered testing algorithm; however, this scheme has limited sensitivity for detecting early Lyme disease. Thus, there is a need to improve diagnostics for Lyme disease at the early stage, when antibiotic treatment is highly efficacious. We examined novel and established antigen markers to develop a multiplex panel that identifies early infection using the combined sensitivity of multiple markers while simultaneously maintaining high specificity by requiring positive results for two markers to designate a positive test. Ten markers were selected from our initial analysis of 62 B. burgdorferi surface proteins and synthetic peptides by assessing binding of IgG and IgM to each in a training set of Lyme disease patient samples and controls. In a validation set, this 10-antigen panel identified a higher proportion of early-Lyme-disease patients as positive at the baseline or posttreatment visit than two-tiered testing (87.5% and 67.5%, respectively; P < 0.05). Equivalent specificities of 100% were observed in 26 healthy controls. Upon further analysis, positivity on the novel 10-antigen panel was associated with longer illness duration and multiple erythema migrans. The improved sensitivity and comparable specificity of our 10-antigen panel compared to two-tiered testing in detecting early B. burgdorferi infection indicates that multiplex analysis, featuring the next generation of markers, could advance diagnostic technology to better aid clinicians in diagnosing and treating early Lyme disease. PMID:26447113

  20. Structure and function of isozymes: Evolutionary aspects and role of oxygen in eucaryotic organisms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Satyanarayana, T.

    1985-01-01

    Oxygen is not only one of the most abundant elements on the Earth, but it is also one of the most important elements for life. In terms of composition, the feature of the atmosphere that most distinguishes Earth from other planets is the presence of abundant amounts of oxygen. The first forms of life may have been similar to present day anaerobic bacteria such as clostridium. The relationship between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, if any, has been a topic of much speculation. With only a few exceptions eukaryotes are oxygen-utilizing organisms. This research eukaryotes or eukaryotic biochemical processes requiring oxygen, could have arisen quite early in evolution and utilized the small quantities of photocatalytically produced oxygen which are thought to have been present on the Earth prior to the evolution of massive amounts of photosynthetically-produced oxygen.

  1. Substantially oxygen-free contact tube

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pike, James F. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    A device for arc welding is provided in which a continuously-fed electrode wire is in electrical contact with a contact tube. The contact tube is improved by using a substantially oxygen-free conductive alloy in order to reduce the amount of electrical erosion.

  2. Substantially Oxygen-Free Contact Tube

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pike, James F. (Inventor)

    1991-01-01

    A device for arc welding is provided in which a continuously-fed electrode wire is in electrical contact with a contact tube. The contact tube is improved by using a substantially oxygen-free conductive alloy in order to reduce the amount of electrical erosion.

  3. Redesigning a home oxygen assessment and review service.

    PubMed

    Wrench, Christine; Darwin, Ruth; Lawson, Rod

    2015-03-01

    The Sheffield home oxygen assessment and review service was developed as a nurse-led, protocol-driven service, offering high standards of care to a limited number of patients. In line with national changes to oxygen provision in 2011, the service team was approached to address inconsistencies and inequalities in the existing care pathway, with a view to becoming a fully commissioned service. This required a complete redesign of the service, using a collaborative approach to include relevant interested parties in planning and decision making. Additional support was gained through participation in the NHS Improvement lung national improvement project. This article outlines the process of service redesign, including some of the major challenges as well as the main learning points. It has led to the provision of an equitable and efficient service for all oxygen patients across the city, offering more community clinics and robust cost controls, while maintaining quality of care.

  4. Is health screening beneficial for early detection and prognostic improvement in pancreatic cancer?

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun Ran; Bae, Sun Youn; Lee, Kwang Hyuk; Lee, Kyu Taek; Son, Hee Jung; Rhee, Jong Chul; Lee, Jong Kyun

    2011-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of health screening for early detection and improved prognosis in pancreatic cancer. Between 1995 and 2008, 176,361 examinees visited the Health Promotion Center (HPC). Twenty patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer were enrolled. During the same period, 40 patients were randomly selected from 2,202 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the Out Patient Clinic (OPC) for comparison. Within the HPC group, 10 patients were initially suspected of having pancreatic cancer following abnormal ultrasonographic findings, and 9 patients had suspected cases following the detection of elevated serum CA 19-9. The curative resection rate was higher in the HPC group than in the OPC group (p=0.011). The median survival was longer in the HPC group than in the OPC group (p=0.000). However, there was no significant difference in the 3-year survival rate between the two groups. Asymptomatic patients (n=6/20) in the HPC group showed better curative resection and survival rates than symptomatic patients. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Health screening is somewhat helpful for improving the curative resection rate and median survival of patients with pancreatic cancer detected by screening tests. However, the benefit of this method in improving long-term survival is limited by how early the cancer is detected.

  5. Can Early Intervention Improve Maternal Well-Being? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Doyle, Orla; Delaney, Liam; O’Farrelly, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Nick; Daly, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Objective This study estimates the effect of a targeted early childhood intervention program on global and experienced measures of maternal well-being utilizing a randomized controlled trial design. The primary aim of the intervention is to improve children’s school readiness skills by working directly with parents to improve their knowledge of child development and parenting behavior. One potential externality of the program is well-being benefits for parents given its direct focus on improving parental coping, self-efficacy, and problem solving skills, as well as generating an indirect effect on parental well-being by targeting child developmental problems. Methods Participants from a socio-economically disadvantaged community are randomly assigned during pregnancy to an intensive 5-year home visiting parenting program or a control group. We estimate and compare treatment effects on multiple measures of global and experienced well-being using permutation testing to account for small sample size and a stepdown procedure to account for multiple testing. Results The intervention has no impact on global well-being as measured by life satisfaction and parenting stress or experienced negative affect using episodic reports derived from the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM). Treatment effects are observed on measures of experienced positive affect derived from the DRM and a measure of mood yesterday. Conclusion The limited treatment effects suggest that early intervention programs may produce some improvements in experienced positive well-being, but no effects on negative aspects of well-being. Different findings across measures may result as experienced measures of well-being avoid the cognitive biases that impinge upon global assessments. PMID:28095505

  6. In-Situ Formation of Cobalt-Phosphate Oxygen-Evolving Complex-Anchored Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Jing; Yuan, Yinyin; Lv, Hong; Tian, Yuyu; Wu, Dan; Li, Qing-Wen

    2013-01-01

    Oxygen conversion process between O2 and H2O by means of electrochemistry or photochemistry has lately received a great deal of attention. Cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) catalyst is a new type of cost-effective artificial oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) with amorphous features during photosynthesis. However, can such Co-Pi OEC also act as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst in electrochemical processes? The question remains unanswered. Here for the first time we demonstrate that Co-Pi OEC does be rather active for the ORR. Particularly, Co-Pi OEC anchoring on reduced graphite oxide (rGO) nanosheet is shown to possess dramatically improved electrocatalytic activities. Differing from the generally accepted role of rGO as an “electron reservoir”, we suggest that rGO serves as “peroxide cleaner” in enhancing the electrocatalytic behaviors. The present study may bridge the gap between photochemistry and electrochemistry towards oxygen conversion. PMID:23877331

  7. Early experience with high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT) in pediatric endoscopic airway surgery.

    PubMed

    Riva, Thomas; Theiler, Lorenz; Jaquet, Yves; Giger, Roland; Nisa, Lluís

    2018-05-01

    Reporting our institutional experience with high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT), a recently-introduced technique, for endoscopic airway approaches. Prospective collection of data of children (<16 years) undergoing endoscopic between January 2016 and August 2017 at a tertiary referral university hospital. HFNOT was used in 6 children who underwent 14 procedures for different forms and causes of upper airway obstruction of various origins. No intraoperative complications; related to oxygenation were observed, and the surgical procedures could be carried out as; initially planned. We found that HFNOT is an effective and safe technique with a variety of potential applications in the field of endoscopic pediatric airway surgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Comparison of the effectiveness of high flow nasal oxygen cannula vs. standard non-rebreather oxygen face mask in post-extubation intensive care unit patients.

    PubMed

    Brotfain, Evgeni; Zlotnik, Alexander; Schwartz, Andrei; Frenkel, Amit; Koyfman, Leonid; Gruenbaum, Shaun E; Klein, Moti

    2014-11-01

    Optimal oxygen supply is the cornerstone of the management of critically ill patients after extubation, especially in patients at high risk for extubation failure. In recent years, high flow oxygen system devices have offered an appropriate alternative to standard oxygen therapy devices such as conventional face masks and nasal prongs. To assess the clinical effects of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) compared with standard oxygen face masks in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients after extubation. We retrospectively analyzed 67 consecutive ventilated critical care patients in the ICU over a period of 1 year. The patients were allocated to two treatment groups: HFNC (34 patients, group 1) and non-rebreathing oxygen face mask (NRB) (33 patients, group 2). Vital respiratory and hemodynamic parameters were assessed prior to extubation and 6 hours after extubation. The primary clinical outcomes measured were improvement in oxygenation, ventilation-free days, re-intubation, ICU length of stay, and mortality. The two groups demonstrated similar hemodynamic patterns before and after extubation. The respiratory rate was slightly elevated in both groups after extubation with no differences observed between groups. There were no statistically significant clinical differences in PaCO2. However, the use of HFNC resulted in improved PaO2/FiO2 post-extubation (P < 0.05). There were more ventilator-free days in the HFNC group (P< 0.05) and fewer patients required reintubation (1 vs. 6). There were no differences in ICU length of stay or mortality. This study demonstrated better oxygenation for patients treated with HFNC compared with NRB after extubation. HFNC may be more effective than standard oxygen supply devices for oxygenation in the post-extubation period.

  9. How did life survive Earth's great oxygenation?

    PubMed

    Fischer, Woodward W; Hemp, James; Valentine, Joan Selverstone

    2016-04-01

    Life on Earth originated and evolved in anoxic environments. Around 2.4 billion-years-ago, ancestors of Cyanobacteria invented oxygenic photosynthesis, producing substantial amounts of O2 as a byproduct of phototrophic water oxidation. The sudden appearance of O2 would have led to significant oxidative stress due to incompatibilities with core cellular biochemical processes. Here we examine this problem through the lens of Cyanobacteria-the first taxa to observe significant fluxes of intracellular dioxygen. These early oxygenic organisms likely adapted to the oxidative stress by co-opting preexisting systems (exaptation) with fortuitous antioxidant properties. Over time more advanced antioxidant systems evolved, allowing Cyanobacteria to adapt to an aerobic lifestyle and become the most important environmental engineers in Earth history. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Oxygen in the Martian atmosphere: Regulation of PO2 by the deposition of iron formations on Mars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burns, Roger G.

    1992-01-01

    During Earth's early history, and prior to the evolution of its present day oxygenated atmosphere, extensive iron rich siliceous sedimentary rocks were deposited, consisting of alternating layers of silica (chert) and iron oxide minerals (hematite and magnetite). The banding in iron formations recorded changes of atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions near sea level in the ancient ocean, which induced the oxidation of dissolved ferrous iron, precipitation of insoluble ferric oxides and silica, and regulation of oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere. Similarities between the Archean Earth and the composition of the present day atmosphere on Mars, together with the pervasive presence of ferric oxides in the Martian regolith suggest that iron formation might also have been deposited on Mars and influenced the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere. Such a possibility is discussed here with a view to assessing whether the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere has been regulated by the chemical precipitation of iron formations on Mars.

  11. Oxygen effects on the performance of XeCl excimer lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeon, S. H.; Soh, B. S.; Kim, Y. P.

    2018-03-01

    We have investigated the degradation of window transmittance of XeCl excimer laser with oxygen, from which it was analyzed the laser performances such as stability of output energy, pre-ionization voltage, and spatial shift of laser beam. We found that oxygen suppressed the generation of by-products due to the chemical reactions between electrode material and chlorine. The degradation of transmittance ratio of laser window with oxygen improved from 10.4% to 1.4% after 20 million shots compared to without oxygen. Analyzing XPS spectrum for the contaminated window, we have confirmed that W and Cu on window surface were reduced in case of with oxygen, which means oxygen has a role to suppress the contamination on window surface.

  12. Improvement of the efficiency of a space oxygen-hydrogen electrochemical generator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glukhikh, I. N.; Shcherbakov, A. N.; Chelyaev, V. F.

    2014-12-01

    This paper describes the method used for cooling of an on-board oxygen-hydrogen electrochemical generator (ECG). Apart from electric power, such a unit produces water of reaction and heat; the latter is an additional load on the thermal control system of a space vehicle. This load is undesirable in long-duration space flights, when specific energy characteristics of on-board systems are the determining factors. It is suggested to partially compensate the energy consumption by the thermal control system of a space vehicle required for cooling of the electrochemical generator through evaporation of water of reaction from the generator into a vacuum (or through ice sublimation if the pressure in the ambient space is lower than that in the triple point of water.) Such method of cooling of an electrochemical generator improves specific energy parameters of an on-board electric power supply system, and, due to the presence of the negative feedback, it makes the operation of this system more stable. Estimates suggest that it is possible to compensate approximately one half of heat released from the generator through evaporation of its water of reaction at the electrical efficiency of the electrochemical generator equal to 60%. In this case, even minor increase in the efficiency of the generator would result in a considerable increase in the efficiency of the evaporative system intended for its cooling.

  13. Oxygen Therapy

    MedlinePlus

    Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides you with extra oxygen. Oxygen is a gas that your body needs to function. Normally, your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe. But some conditions ...

  14. Monte Carlo modeling of atomic oxygen attack of polymers with protective coatings on LDEF

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Bruce A.; Degroh, Kim K.; Auer, Bruce M.; Gebauer, Linda; Edwards, Jonathan L.

    1993-01-01

    Characterization of the behavior of atomic oxygen interaction with materials on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) assists in understanding of the mechanisms involved. Thus the reliability of predicting in-space durability of materials based on ground laboratory testing should be improved. A computational model which simulates atomic oxygen interaction with protected polymers was developed using Monte Carlo techniques. Through the use of an assumed mechanistic behavior of atomic oxygen interaction based on in-space atomic oxygen erosion of unprotected polymers and ground laboratory atomic oxygen interaction with protected polymers, prediction of atomic oxygen interaction with protected polymers on LDEF was accomplished. However, the results of these predictions are not consistent with the observed LDEF results at defect sites in protected polymers. Improved agreement between observed LDEF results and predicted Monte Carlo modeling can be achieved by modifying of the atomic oxygen interactive assumptions used in the model. LDEF atomic oxygen undercutting results, modeling assumptions, and implications are presented.

  15. Dilute Oxygen Combustion Phase IV Final Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Riley, M.F.

    2003-04-30

    Novel furnace designs based on Dilute Oxygen Combustion (DOC) technology were developed under subcontract by Techint Technologies, Coraopolis, PA, to fully exploit the energy and environmental capabilities of DOC technology and to provide a competitive offering for new furnace construction opportunities. Capital cost, fuel, oxygen and utility costs, NOx emissions, oxide scaling performance, and maintenance requirements were compared for five DOC-based designs and three conventional air5-fired designs using a 10-year net present value calculation. A furnace direct completely with DOC burners offers low capital cost, low fuel rate, and minimal NOx emissions. However, these benefits do not offset the costmore » of oxygen and a full DOC-fired furnace is projected to cost $1.30 per ton more to operate than a conventional air-fired furnace. The incremental cost of the improved NOx performance is roughly $6/lb NOx, compared with an estimated $3/lb. NOx for equ8pping a conventional furnace with selective catalytic reduction (SCCR) technology. A furnace fired with DOC burners in the heating zone and ambient temperature (cold) air-fired burners in the soak zone offers low capital cost with less oxygen consumption. However, the improvement in fuel rate is not as great as the full DOC-fired design, and the DOC-cold soak design is also projected to cost $1.30 per ton more to operate than a conventional air-fired furnace. The NOx improvement with the DOC-cold soak design is also not as great as the full DOC fired design, and the incremental cost of the improved NOx performance is nearly $9/lb NOx. These results indicate that a DOC-based furnace design will not be generally competitive with conventional technology for new furnace construction under current market conditions. Fuel prices of $7/MMBtu or oxygen prices of $23/ton are needed to make the DOC furnace economics favorable. Niche applications may exist, particularly where access to capital is limited or floor space

  16. Interplay between oxygen and Fe-S cluster biogenesis: insights from the Suf pathway.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Eric S; Thomas, Khaleh M; Dai, Yuyuan; Boyd, Jeff M; Outten, F Wayne

    2014-09-23

    Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster metalloproteins conduct essential functions in nearly all contemporary forms of life. The nearly ubiquitous presence of Fe-S clusters and the fundamental requirement for Fe-S clusters in both aerobic and anaerobic Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya suggest that these clusters were likely integrated into central metabolic pathways early in the evolution of life prior to the widespread oxidation of Earth's atmosphere. Intriguingly, Fe-S cluster-dependent metabolism is sensitive to disruption by oxygen because of the decreased bioavailability of ferric iron as well as direct oxidation of sulfur trafficking intermediates and Fe-S clusters by reactive oxygen species. This fact, coupled with the ubiquity of Fe-S clusters in aerobic organisms, suggests that organisms evolved with mechanisms that facilitate the biogenesis and use of these essential cofactors in the presence of oxygen, which gradually began to accumulate around 2.5 billion years ago as oxygenic photosynthesis proliferated and reduced minerals that buffered against oxidation were depleted. This review highlights the most ancient of the Fe-S cluster biogenesis pathways, the Suf system, which likely was present in early anaerobic forms of life. Herein, we use the evolution of the Suf pathway to assess the relationships between the biochemical functions and physiological roles of Suf proteins, with an emphasis on the selective pressure of oxygen toxicity. Our analysis suggests that diversification into oxygen-containing environments disrupted iron and sulfur metabolism and was a main driving force in the acquisition of accessory Suf proteins (such as SufD, SufE, and SufS) by the core SufB-SufC scaffold complex. This analysis provides a new framework for the study of Fe-S cluster biogenesis pathways and Fe-S cluster-containing metalloenzymes and their complicated patterns of divergence in response to oxygen.

  17. Interplay between Oxygen and Fe–S Cluster Biogenesis: Insights from the Suf Pathway

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Iron–sulfur (Fe–S) cluster metalloproteins conduct essential functions in nearly all contemporary forms of life. The nearly ubiquitous presence of Fe–S clusters and the fundamental requirement for Fe–S clusters in both aerobic and anaerobic Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya suggest that these clusters were likely integrated into central metabolic pathways early in the evolution of life prior to the widespread oxidation of Earth’s atmosphere. Intriguingly, Fe–S cluster-dependent metabolism is sensitive to disruption by oxygen because of the decreased bioavailability of ferric iron as well as direct oxidation of sulfur trafficking intermediates and Fe–S clusters by reactive oxygen species. This fact, coupled with the ubiquity of Fe–S clusters in aerobic organisms, suggests that organisms evolved with mechanisms that facilitate the biogenesis and use of these essential cofactors in the presence of oxygen, which gradually began to accumulate around 2.5 billion years ago as oxygenic photosynthesis proliferated and reduced minerals that buffered against oxidation were depleted. This review highlights the most ancient of the Fe–S cluster biogenesis pathways, the Suf system, which likely was present in early anaerobic forms of life. Herein, we use the evolution of the Suf pathway to assess the relationships between the biochemical functions and physiological roles of Suf proteins, with an emphasis on the selective pressure of oxygen toxicity. Our analysis suggests that diversification into oxygen-containing environments disrupted iron and sulfur metabolism and was a main driving force in the acquisition of accessory Suf proteins (such as SufD, SufE, and SufS) by the core SufB–SufC scaffold complex. This analysis provides a new framework for the study of Fe–S cluster biogenesis pathways and Fe–S cluster-containing metalloenzymes and their complicated patterns of divergence in response to oxygen. PMID:25153801

  18. Low oxygen environment facilitates embryo availability for older ovarian responders (PORs).

    PubMed

    Li, Mingzhao; Li, Zhibin; Shi, Juanzi

    2018-04-18

    We aimed to investigate the different effects of low oxygen (5% O 2 ) and atmospheric oxygen (20% O 2 ) on in vitro fertilization for older poor ovarian responders (PORs). We selected 1080 older PORs who met two criteria: (i) advanced maternal age (≥40) and (ii) an abnormal ovarian reserve test. All the patients used the ultra-short term protocols with GnRH agonist and recombinant FSH for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). About 506 cycles were performed in the incubators with 5% O 2 and 574 cycles were performed in the incubators with 20% O 2 . No significant differences were observed in normal fertilization rates (59.68 versus 60.25%; p = .691) and cancelation rates (18.97 versus 19.34%; p = .879) between two groups. The number of available embryos (1.77 ± 0.57 versus 1.52 ± 0.50; p = .041) and mean number of cells on Day 3 (7.49 ± 1.82 versus 7.16 ± 1.70; p = .032) were significantly higher in 5% O 2 group compared to that in 20% O 2 group. It showed no significant differences in the implantation rates (27.43 versus 24.11%; p = .803) and clinical pregnancy rates (36.34 versus 30.05%; p = .307) between two groups. The employ of low oxygen culture did not improve clinical pregnancy rate for older PORs. However, it benefited early embryonic development for older PORs.

  19. Improved light collection and wavelet de-noising enable quantification of cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism by a low-cost, off-the-shelf spectrometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diop, Mamadou; Wright, Eric; Toronov, Vladislav; Lee, Ting-Yim; St. Lawrence, Keith

    2014-05-01

    Broadband continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (CW-NIRS) is an attractive alternative to time-resolved and frequency-domain techniques for quantifying cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen metabolism in newborns. However, efficient light collection is critical to broadband CW-NIRS since only a small fraction of the injected light emerges from any given area of the scalp. Light collection is typically improved by optimizing the contact area between the detection system and the skin by means of light guides with large detection surface. Since the form-factor of these light guides do not match the entrance of commercial spectrometers, which are usually equipped with a narrow slit to improve their spectral resolution, broadband NIRS spectrometers are typically custom-built. Nonetheless, off-the-shelf spectrometers have attractive advantages compared to custom-made units, such as low cost, small footprint, and wide availability. We demonstrate that off-the-shelf spectrometers can be easily converted into suitable instruments for deep tissue spectroscopy by improving light collection, while maintaining good spectral resolution, and reducing measurement noise. The ability of this approach to provide reliable cerebral hemodynamics was illustrated in a piglet by measuring CBF and oxygen metabolism under different anesthetic regimens.

  20. Early enhanced local neutrophil recruitment in peritonitis-induced sepsis improves bacterial clearance and survival.

    PubMed

    Craciun, Florin L; Schuller, Elizabeth R; Remick, Daniel G

    2010-12-01

    Neutrophils are critical for the rapid eradication of bacterial pathogens, but they also contribute to the development of multiple organ failure in sepsis. We hypothesized that increasing early recruitment of neutrophils to the focus of infection will increase bacterial clearance and improve survival. Sepsis was induced in mice, using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP); blood samples were collected at 6 and 24 h; and survival was followed for 28 d. In separate experiments, peritoneal bacteria and inflammatory cells were measured. Septic mice predicted to die based on IL-6 levels (Die-P) had higher concentrations of CXCL1 and CXCL2 in the peritoneum and plasma compared with those predicted to live (Live-P). At 6 h, Live-P and Die-P had equivalent numbers of peritoneal neutrophils and bacteria. In Die-P mice the number of peritoneal bacteria increased between 6 and 24 h post-CLP, whereas in Live-P it decreased. The i.p. injection of CXCL1 and CXCL2 in naive mice resulted in local neutrophil recruitment. When given immediately after CLP, CXC chemokines increased peritoneal neutrophil recruitment at 6 h after CLP. This early increase in neutrophils induced by exogenous chemokines resulted in significantly fewer peritoneal bacteria by 24 h [CFU (log) = 6.04 versus 4.99 for vehicle versus chemokine treatment; p < 0.05]. Chemokine treatment significantly improved survival at both 5 d (40 versus 72%) and 28 d (27 versus 52%; p < 0.02 vehicle versus chemokines). These data demonstrate that early, local treatment with CXC chemokines enhances neutrophil recruitment and clearance of bacteria as well as improves survival in the CLP model of sepsis.

  1. Zinc-oxygen battery development program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bourland, Deborah S.

    1991-01-01

    The purpose of this Zinc-Oxygen development program is to incorporate the improved air/oxygen cathode and zinc anode technology developed in recent years into relatively large cells (150-200 amp/hr, 25-100 hour rate) and smaller high rate cells (9-12 amp/hr, 3-12 hour rate). Existing commercial cells manufactured by Duracell and Rayovac are currently being utilized on the Space Shuttle Orbiter in a mini-oscilloscope, the crew radio, and other crew equipment. These applications provide a basis for other Orbiter systems that require portable, storable, electrical power as well as emergency power for the Space Station major payload systems power and for Space Station equipment applications.

  2. Texturing Carbon-carbon Composite Radiator Surfaces Utilizing Atomic Oxygen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raack, Taylor

    2004-01-01

    Future space nuclear power systems will require radiator technology to dissipate excess heat created by a nuclear reactor. Large radiator fins with circulating coolant are in development for this purpose and an investigation of how to make them most efficient is underway. Maximizing the surface area while minimizing the mass of such radiator fins is critical for obtaining the highest efficiency in dissipating heat. Processes to develop surface roughness are under investigation to maximize the effective surface area of a radiator fin. Surface roughness is created through several methods including oxidation and texturing. The effects of atomic oxygen impingement on carbon-carbon surfaces are currently being investigated for texturing a radiator surface. Early studies of atomic oxygen impingement in low Earth orbit indicate significant texturing due to ram atomic oxygen. The surface morphology of the affected surfaces shows many microscopic cones and valleys which have been experimentally shown to increase radiation emittance. Further study of this morphology proceeded in the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Atomic oxygen experiments on the LDEF successfully duplicated the results obtained from materials in spaceflight by subjecting samples to 4.5 eV atomic oxygen from a fixed ram angle. These experiments replicated the conical valley morphology that was seen on samples subjected to low Earth orbit.

  3. Clinical utility of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in genitourinary medicine

    PubMed Central

    Gandhi, Jason; Seyam, Omar; Smith, Noel L.; Joshi, Gunjan; Vatsia, Sohrab; Khan, Sardar Ali

    2018-01-01

    Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical technique which delivers oxygen at ambient pressures to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood and oxygen distribution to tissues. There are several beneficial properties of HBOT concomitant with elevated oxygen distribution in tissue including anti-inflammation, angiogenesis through vascular endothelial growth factor proliferation, augmented fibroblast activity through fibroblast growth factor proliferation, tissue and wound repair, enhancement of lymphocyte and macrophage activity, increased male testosterone secretion, and bactericidal activity. Given its renown in treating conditions such as decompression sickness and carbon monoxide poisoning, HBOT is making gradual strides for use in genitourinary medicine due to its low risk and likeliness to achieve favorable results. Early success has been observed in the treatment of Fournier's gangrene, radiation cystitis, and interstitial cystitis via the elimination of clinical symptoms such as pain. Further indications that have exhibited positive outcomes despite HBOT's ambiguous mechanism of action include cyclophosphamide hemorrhagic cystitis, emphysematous cystitis, pelvic radiation disease, radiation-induced proctopathy, dystrophic calcification of the prostate, erectile dysfunction secondary to urethroplasty, priapism, abnormal renal morphology, blood testosterone, calcific uremic arteriolopathy, and hidradenitis suppurativa. For other indications, multicenter studies must be conducted to determine HBOT's true efficacy, mechanism of action, risks, and advantages over conventional treatments.

  4. Effects of a human recombinant alkaline phosphatase on renal hemodynamics, oxygenation and inflammation in two models of acute kidney injury.

    PubMed

    Peters, Esther; Ergin, Bülent; Kandil, Asli; Gurel-Gurevin, Ebru; van Elsas, Andrea; Masereeuw, Rosalinde; Pickkers, Peter; Ince, Can

    2016-12-15

    Two small clinical trials indicated that administration of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (AP) improves renal function in critically ill patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI), for which the mechanism of action is not completely understood. Here, we investigated the effects of a newly developed human recombinant AP (recAP) on renal oxygenation and hemodynamics and prevention of kidney damage and inflammation in two in vivo AKI models. To induce AKI, male Wistar rats (n=18) were subjected to renal ischemia (30min) and reperfusion (I/R), or sham-operated. In a second model, rats (n=18) received a 30min infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2.5mg/kg), or saline, and fluid resuscitation. In both models, recAP (1000U/kg) was administered intravenously (15min before reperfusion, or 90min after LPS). Following recAP treatment, I/R-induced changes in renal blood flow, renal vascular resistance and oxygen delivery at early, and cortical microvascular oxygen tension at late reperfusion were no longer significantly affected. RecAP did not influence I/R-induced effects on mean arterial pressure. During endotoxemia, recAP treatment did not modulate the LPS-induced changes in systemic hemodynamics and renal oxygenation. In both models, recAP did exert a clear renal protective anti-inflammatory effect, demonstrated by attenuated immunostaining of inflammatory, tubular injury and pro-apoptosis markers. Whether this renal protective effect is sufficient to improve outcome of patients suffering from sepsis-associated AKI is being investigated in a large clinical trial. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Subpicosecond oxygen trapping in the heme pocket of the oxygen sensor FixL observed by time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Kruglik, Sergei G.; Jasaitis, Audrius; Hola, Klara; Yamashita, Taku; Liebl, Ursula; Martin, Jean-Louis; Vos, Marten H.

    2007-01-01

    Dissociation of oxygen from the heme domain of the bacterial oxygen sensor protein FixL constitutes the first step in hypoxia-induced signaling. In the present study, the photodissociation of the heme-O2 bond was used to synchronize this event, and time-resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy with subpicosecond time resolution was implemented to characterize the heme configuration of the primary photoproduct. TR3 measurements on heme-oxycomplexes are highly challenging and have not yet been reported. Whereas in all other known six-coordinated heme protein complexes with diatomic ligands, including the oxymyoglobin reported here, heme iron out-of-plane motion (doming) occurs faster than 1 ps after iron–ligand bond breaking; surprisingly, no sizeable doming is observed in the oxycomplex of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum FixL sensor domain (FixLH). This assessment is deduced from the absence of the iron–histidine band around 217 cm−1 as early as 0.5 ps. We suggest that efficient ultrafast oxygen rebinding to the heme occurs on the femtosecond time scale, thus hindering heme doming. Comparing WT oxy-FixLH, mutant proteins FixLH-R220H and FixLH-R220Q, the respective carbonmonoxy-complexes, and oxymyoglobin, we show that a hydrogen bond of the terminal oxygen atom with the residue in position 220 is responsible for the observed behavior; in WT FixL this residue is arginine, crucially implicated in signal transmission. We propose that the rigid O2 configuration imposed by this residue, in combination with the hydrophobic and constrained properties of the distal cavity, keep dissociated oxygen in place. These results uncover the origin of the “oxygen cage” properties of this oxygen sensor protein. PMID:17446273

  6. Aeration optimization through operation at low dissolved oxygen concentrations: Evaluation of oxygen mass transfer dynamics in different activated sludge systems.

    PubMed

    Fan, Haitao; Qi, Lu; Liu, Guoqiang; Zhang, Yuankai; Fan, Qiang; Wang, Hongchen

    2017-05-01

    In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using the activated sludge process, two methods are widely used to improve aeration efficiency - use of high-efficiency aeration devices and optimizing the aeration control strategy. Aeration efficiency is closely linked to sludge characteristics (such as concentrations of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and microbial communities) and operating conditions (such as air flow rate and operational dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations). Moreover, operational DO is closely linked to effluent quality. This study, which is in reference to WWTP discharge class A Chinese standard effluent criteria, determined the growth kinetics parameters of nitrifiers at different DO levels in small-scale tests. Results showed that the activated sludge system could meet effluent criteria when DO was as low as 0.3mg/L, and that nitrifier communities cultivated under low DO conditions had higher oxygen affinity than those cultivated under high DO conditions, as indicated by the oxygen half-saturation constant and nitrification ability. Based on nitrifier growth kinetics and on the oxygen mass transfer dynamic model (determined using different air flow rate (Q' air ) and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) values), theoretical analysis indicated limited potential for energy saving by improving aeration diffuser performance when the activated sludge system had low oxygen consumption; however, operating at low DO and low MLVSS could significantly reduce energy consumption. Finally, a control strategy coupling sludge retention time and MLVSS to minimize the DO level was discussed, which is critical to appropriate setting of the oxygen point and to the operation of low DO treatment technology. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Rapid oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere 2.33 billion years ago.

    PubMed

    Luo, Genming; Ono, Shuhei; Beukes, Nicolas J; Wang, David T; Xie, Shucheng; Summons, Roger E

    2016-05-01

    Molecular oxygen (O2) is, and has been, a primary driver of biological evolution and shapes the contemporary landscape of Earth's biogeochemical cycles. Although "whiffs" of oxygen have been documented in the Archean atmosphere, substantial O2 did not accumulate irreversibly until the Early Paleoproterozoic, during what has been termed the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE). The timing of the GOE and the rate at which this oxygenation took place have been poorly constrained until now. We report the transition (that is, from being mass-independent to becoming mass-dependent) in multiple sulfur isotope signals of diagenetic pyrite in a continuous sedimentary sequence in three coeval drill cores in the Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. These data precisely constrain the GOE to 2.33 billion years ago. The new data suggest that the oxygenation occurred rapidly-within 1 to 10 million years-and was followed by a slower rise in the ocean sulfate inventory. Our data indicate that a climate perturbation predated the GOE, whereas the relationships among GOE, "Snowball Earth" glaciation, and biogeochemical cycling will require further stratigraphic correlation supported with precise chronologies and paleolatitude reconstructions.

  8. Textile Inspired Lithium-Oxygen Battery Cathode with Decoupled Oxygen and Electrolyte Pathways.

    PubMed

    Xu, Shaomao; Yao, Yonggang; Guo, Yuanyuan; Zeng, Xiaoqiao; Lacey, Steven D; Song, Huiyu; Chen, Chaoji; Li, Yiju; Dai, Jiaqi; Wang, Yanbin; Chen, Yanan; Liu, Boyang; Fu, Kun; Amine, Khalil; Lu, Jun; Hu, Liangbing

    2018-01-01

    The lithium-air (Li-O 2 ) battery has been deemed one of the most promising next-generation energy-storage devices due to its ultrahigh energy density. However, in conventional porous carbon-air cathodes, the oxygen gas and electrolyte often compete for transport pathways, which limit battery performance. Here, a novel textile-based air cathode is developed with a triple-phase structure to improve overall battery performance. The hierarchical structure of the conductive textile network leads to decoupled pathways for oxygen gas and electrolyte: oxygen flows through the woven mesh while the electrolyte diffuses along the textile fibers. Due to noncompetitive transport, the textile-based Li-O 2 cathode exhibits a high discharge capacity of 8.6 mAh cm -2 , a low overpotential of 1.15 V, and stable operation exceeding 50 cycles. The textile-based structure can be applied to a range of applications (fuel cells, water splitting, and redox flow batteries) that involve multiple phase reactions. The reported decoupled transport pathway design also spurs potential toward flexible/wearable Li-O 2 batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Molecular fossils and the late rise of oxygenic photosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brocks, J. J.

    2012-04-01

    Biomarkers are the molecular fossils of natural products such as lipids and pigments. They can yield a wealth of information about early microbial ecosystems and are particularly valuable when preserved in > 1 billion-year old (Ga) sedimentary rocks where conventional fossils are often lacking. Therefore, in 1999, the detection of traces of biomarkers in 2.5 to 2.7 Ga shales from Western Australia (Brocks et al. 1999, Summons et al. 1999) was celebrated as a breakthrough. The discovery, which was later confirmed by several independent studies, led to far reaching conclusions about the early evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis (Summons et al. 1999) and ancestral eukaryotes (Brocks et al. 1999). However, here we present new data based on the carbon isotopic composition of solidified hydrocarbons (Rasmussen et al. 2008) and the spatial distribution of liquid hydrocarbons within the original 2.5 and 2.7 Ga shales (Brocks 2011) that demonstrate that the molecules must have entered the rocks much later in Earth's history and therefore provide no information about the Archean (>2.5 Ga) biosphere or environment. The elimination of the Archean biomarker data has immense implications for our understanding of Earth's early biosphere. 2-Methylhopanes have been interpreted as evidence for the existence of cyanobacteria at 2.7 Ga, about ~300 million years before the atmosphere became mildly oxygenated in the Great Oxidation Event (GOE; between 2.45 and 2.32 Ga). Now, the oldest direct fossil evidence for cyanobacteria reverts back to 2.15 Ga, and the most ancient robust sign for oxygenic photosynthesis becomes the GOE itself. Moreover, the presence of steranes has been interpreted as evidence for the existence of ancestral eukaryotes at 2.7 Ga. However, without the steranes, the oldest fossil evidence for the domain falls into the range ~1.78-1.68 Ga. Recognition that the biomarkers from Archean rocks are not of Archean age renders permissive hypotheses about a late evolution

  10. La mejora de la educacion infantil desde el analisis del pensamiento practico de sus educadores. [The Improvement of Early Childhood Education from an Analysis of the Practical Thinking of Early Childhood Educators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Argos, Javier

    2000-01-01

    Discusses proposals for the innovation and development of early childhood education practice, based on findings from case studies on the practical knowledge of four experienced female early childhood educators. Argues that improving early childhood education should be based on its reasons and purposes rather than content or method. (JPB)

  11. Oxygen nanobubbles revert hypoxia by methylation programming.

    PubMed

    Bhandari, Pushpak N; Cui, Yi; Elzey, Bennett D; Goergen, Craig J; Long, Christopher M; Irudayaraj, Joseph

    2017-08-24

    Targeting the hypoxic tumor microenvironment has a broad impact in cancer epigenetics and therapeutics. Oxygen encapsulated nanosize carboxymethyl cellulosic nanobubbles were developed for mitigating the hypoxic regions of tumors to weaken the hypoxia-driven pathways and inhibit tumor growth. We show that 5-methylcytosine (5mC) hypomethylation in hypoxic regions of a tumor can be reverted to enhance cancer treatment by epigenetic regulation, using oxygen nanobubbles in the sub-100 nm size range, both, in vitro and in vivo. Oxygen nanobubbles were effective in significantly delaying tumor progression and improving survival rates in mice models. Further, significant hypermethylation was observed in promoter DNA region of BRCA1 due to oxygen nanobubble (ONB) treatment. The nanobubbles can also reprogram several hypoxia associated and tumor suppressor genes such as MAT2A and PDK-1, in addition to serving as an ultrasound contrast agent. Our approach to develop nanosized oxygen encapsulated bubbles as an ultrasound contrast agent for methylation reversal is expected to have a significant impact in epigenetic programming and to serve as an adjuvant to cancer treatment.

  12. Thermodynamics of Oxygen Ordering in Yttrium BARIUM(2) COPPER(3) OXYGEN(6+X)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schieger, Paul Richard

    additional spin and charge degrees of freedom, assuming a narrow band, high temperature limit for the motion of the charge carriers. The model, containing the nearest-neighbour oxygen interaction (0.241eV) and the single site oxygen binding energy (-0.82eV - D/2; D is the dissociation energy of an oxygen molecule) as the only adjustable parameters, is compared to experimental results for the chemical potential, kT(partial x/partialmu)_{T}, fractional site occupancies, structural phase diagram, the number of monovalent coppers, and the total number of mobile electron holes. Qualitative agreement is found for all compared quantities, and quantitative agreement is found for the chemical potential, fractional site occupancies and kT(partial x/partialmu)_ {T} in the orthorhombic phase. Improvements to the model are outlined which should result in a quantitative fit to all results, in particular the valence and hole count vs. x. In addition to illuminating what is lacking in the commonly used two dimensional lattice gas models, the theory may form the basis for accurately predicting the electron hole count of the CuO_2 plane of YBa_2Cu_3 O_{6 + x} as a function of the sample preparation conditions.

  13. Zooplankton Responses to Low-Oxygen Condition upon a Shallow Oxygen Minimum Zone in the Upwelling Region off Chile

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hidalgo, P.; Escribano, R.

    2015-12-01

    A shallow oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is a critical component in the coastal upwelling ecosystem off Chile. This OMZ causes oxygen-deficient water entering the photic layer and affecting plankton communities having low tolerance to hypoxia. Variable, and usually species-dependent, responses of zooplankton to hypoxia condition can be found. Most dominant species avoid hypoxia by restricting their vertical distribution, while others can temporarily enter and even spent part of their life cycle within the OMZ. Whatever the case, low-oxygen conditions appear to affect virtually all vital rates of zooplankton, such as mortality, fecundity, development and growth and metabolism, and early developmental stages seem more sensitive, with significant consequences for population and community dynamics. For most study cases, these effects are negative at individual and population levels. Observations and predictions upon increasing upwelling intensity over the last 20-30 years indicate a gradual shoaling of the OMZ, and so that an expected enhancement of these negative effects of hypoxia on the zooplankton community. Unknown processes of adaptation and community-structure adjustments are expected to take place with uncertain consequences for the food web of this highly productive eastern boundary current ecosystem.

  14. Enhancing SNCR-aided combustion with oxygen addition

    DOEpatents

    Kobayashi, Hisashi; Wu, Kuang Tsai; Bool, III, Lawrence E.

    2004-03-09

    NOx emissions from combustion are reduced, NOx reduction efficiency by SNCR is improved, and other efficiencies are realized, by injecting oxygen into a fuel-rich combustion zone under controlled conditions.

  15. A retrospective comparison of blood transfusion requirements during cardiopulmonary bypass with two different small adult oxygenators.

    PubMed

    Lahanas, A; Argerakis, P W; Johnson, K A; Burdan, M L; Ozdirik, J E

    2013-11-01

    A low haematocrit during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with adverse outcomes and often results in homologous blood transfusions. Oxygenators with improved venous reservoir designs aid in reducing the priming volume. Recently, we changed our small adult oxygenator model from the D905 EOS oxygenator (Dideco, Mirandola, Italy) to the Capiox FX1540 (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). We conducted a retrospective study of 42 patents to evaluate the impact of the Capiox FX 1540 on blood transfusion requirements in small patients (body surface area (BSA) up to 1.8 m(2)). The D905 EOS group had a lower minimum intraoperative haematocrit than the FX1540 group (20 ± 3 v 22 ± 4, p = 0.029) with 73% of the patients receiving intraoperative blood transfusions compared with 30% in the FX 1540 group (p = 0.012). Patients in the D905 EOS group received one blood transfusion more during CPB than the FX 1540 patients (p = 0.002). The haematocrits at the end of CPB and in the early postoperative period were identical in both groups. The postoperative ventilation time, length of stay in the intensive care unit and postoperative chest drain bleeding were similar in both groups. In conclusion, the Capiox FX1540 was effective in reducing intraoperative packed red cell transfusions.

  16. Effects of cardiovascular exercise early after stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise in chronic stroke. Most motor and functional recovery occurs in the first months after stroke. Improving cardiovascular capacity may have potential to precipitate recovery during early stroke rehabilitation. Currently, little is known about the effects of early cardiovascular exercise in stroke survivors. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiovascular exercise early after stroke. Methods A systematic literature search was performed. For this review, randomized and non-randomized prospective controlled cohort studies using a cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary or aerobic training intervention starting within 6 months post stroke were considered. The PEDro scale was used to detect risk of bias in individual studies. Inter-rater agreement was calculated (kappa). Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Results A total of 11 trials were identified for inclusion. Inter-rater agreement was considered to be “very good” (Kappa: 0.81, Standard Error: 0.06, CI95%: 0.70–0.92), and the methodological quality was “good” (7 studies) to “fair” (4 studies). Peak oxygen uptake data were available for 155 participants. Pooled analysis yielded homogenous effects favouring the intervention group (standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.83, CI95% = 0.50–1.16, Z = 4.93, P < 0.01). Walking endurance assessed with the 6 Minute Walk Test comprised 278 participants. Pooled analysis revealed homogenous effects favouring the cardiovascular training intervention group (SMD = 0.69, CI95% = 0.45–0.94, Z = 5.58, P < 0.01). Gait speed, measured in 243 participants, did not show significant results (SMD = 0.51, CI95% = −0.25–1.26, Z = 1.31, P = 0.19) in favour of early cardiovascular exercise. Conclusion This meta-analysis shows that stroke survivors may benefit from cardiovascular exercise during

  17. An Early Permian epithermal gold system in the Tulasu Basin in North Xinjiang, NW China: Constraints from in situ oxygen-sulfur isotopes and geochronology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Leilei; Wan, Bo; Deng, Chen; Cai, Keda; Xiao, Wenjiao

    2018-03-01

    The Axi and Jingxi-Yelmand gold deposits, being the largest gold deposits in the Chinese North Tianshan, NW China, are located ca. l0 km apart in the Tulasu Basin, and are hosted by the Late Devonian - Early Carboniferous Dahalajunshan Formation. In situ LA-ICP-MS titanium analyses on quartz from the Axi and Jingxi-Yelmand deposits are broadly identical. Accordingly, the calculated ore-forming temperatures by Ti-in-quartz thermometer give average temperatures of 279 °C and 294 °C, respectively. Results of in situ SIMS analyses of oxygen and sulfur isotopes on quartz and pyrite from these two deposits are similar. Temperature-corrected fluids of the Axi deposit have δ18O values of 2.6-8.1‰ and δ34S values of 0.8-2.4‰, whereas the fluids of the Jingxi-Yelmand deposit have δ18O of 6.4-8.9‰ and δ34S of -0.4 to 4.0‰. The oxygen and sulfur isotopes from the two deposits indicate a magmatic origin. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb ages of Aqialehe Formation sandstone provided a lower limit for the mineralization timing of the Axi deposit (288 Ma). In situ SIMS U-Pb analyses on entrapped zircon (297 Ma) and newly recognized 284.5 Ma columnar rhyolite implies that the Jingxi-Yelmand deposit formed in the Early Permian. Based on the magmatic affinity of the ore fluids, similar age and ore-formation temperatures, we propose that the Axi and Jingxi-Yelmand deposits comprise an epithermal gold system, which was driven by the same Permian magma in the Tulasu Basin. The ore geological features together with our new results indicate that the Axi and Jingxi-Yelmand deposits are intermediate and high sulfidation type epithermal deposits, respectively.

  18. Dissolved oxygen content prediction in crab culture using a hybrid intelligent method

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Huihui; Chen, Yingyi; Hassan, ShahbazGul; Li, Daoliang

    2016-01-01

    A precise predictive model is needed to obtain a clear understanding of the changing dissolved oxygen content in outdoor crab ponds, to assess how to reduce risk and to optimize water quality management. The uncertainties in the data from multiple sensors are a significant factor when building a dissolved oxygen content prediction model. To increase prediction accuracy, a new hybrid dissolved oxygen content forecasting model based on the radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN) data fusion method and a least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) with an optimal improved particle swarm optimization(IPSO) is developed. In the modelling process, the RBFNN data fusion method is used to improve information accuracy and provide more trustworthy training samples for the IPSO-LSSVM prediction model. The LSSVM is a powerful tool for achieving nonlinear dissolved oxygen content forecasting. In addition, an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm is developed to determine the optimal parameters for the LSSVM with high accuracy and generalizability. In this study, the comparison of the prediction results of different traditional models validates the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed hybrid RBFNN-IPSO-LSSVM model for dissolved oxygen content prediction in outdoor crab ponds. PMID:27270206

  19. Dissolved oxygen content prediction in crab culture using a hybrid intelligent method.

    PubMed

    Yu, Huihui; Chen, Yingyi; Hassan, ShahbazGul; Li, Daoliang

    2016-06-08

    A precise predictive model is needed to obtain a clear understanding of the changing dissolved oxygen content in outdoor crab ponds, to assess how to reduce risk and to optimize water quality management. The uncertainties in the data from multiple sensors are a significant factor when building a dissolved oxygen content prediction model. To increase prediction accuracy, a new hybrid dissolved oxygen content forecasting model based on the radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN) data fusion method and a least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) with an optimal improved particle swarm optimization(IPSO) is developed. In the modelling process, the RBFNN data fusion method is used to improve information accuracy and provide more trustworthy training samples for the IPSO-LSSVM prediction model. The LSSVM is a powerful tool for achieving nonlinear dissolved oxygen content forecasting. In addition, an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm is developed to determine the optimal parameters for the LSSVM with high accuracy and generalizability. In this study, the comparison of the prediction results of different traditional models validates the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed hybrid RBFNN-IPSO-LSSVM model for dissolved oxygen content prediction in outdoor crab ponds.

  20. Effect of Routine Low-Dose Oxygen Supplementation on Death and Disability in Adults With Acute Stroke: The Stroke Oxygen Study Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Roffe, Christine; Nevatte, Tracy; Sim, Julius; Bishop, Jon; Ives, Natalie; Ferdinand, Phillip; Gray, Richard

    2017-09-26

    Hypoxia is common in the first few days after acute stroke, is frequently intermittent, and is often undetected. Oxygen supplementation could prevent hypoxia and secondary neurological deterioration and thus has the potential to improve recovery. To assess whether routine prophylactic low-dose oxygen therapy was more effective than control oxygen administration in reducing death and disability at 90 days, and if so, whether oxygen given at night only, when hypoxia is most frequent, and oxygen administration is least likely to interfere with rehabilitation, was more effective than continuous supplementation. In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 8003 adults with acute stroke were enrolled from 136 participating centers in the United Kingdom within 24 hours of hospital admission if they had no clear indications for or contraindications to oxygen treatment (first patient enrolled April 24, 2008; last follow-up January 27, 2015). Participants were randomized 1:1:1 to continuous oxygen for 72 hours (n = 2668), nocturnal oxygen (21:00 to 07:00 hours) for 3 nights (n = 2667), or control (oxygen only if clinically indicated; n = 2668). Oxygen was given via nasal tubes at 3 L/min if baseline oxygen saturation was 93% or less and at 2 L/min if oxygen saturation was greater than 93%. The primary outcome was reported using the modified Rankin Scale score (disability range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]; minimum clinically important difference, 1 point), assessed at 90 days by postal questionnaire (participant aware, assessor blinded). The modified Rankin Scale score was analyzed by ordinal logistic regression, which yields a common odds ratio (OR) for a change from one disability level to the next better (lower) level; OR greater than 1.00 indicates improvement. A total of 8003 patients (4398 (55%) men; mean [SD] age, 72 [13] years; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 5; mean baseline oxygen saturation, 96.6%) were enrolled. The

  1. Non-Invasive Tissue Oxygenation Measurement Systems. Phase 1.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-10-01

    vessels was shown ( in vivo hamster studies) to be a significant factor causing considerable variability in SaO2 in vessels ...shows that trends in blood oxygenation are tracked. The nearly universal applicability and turnkey type measurement capability of pulse oximeters are...approach early in Phase I that might be compatible with laser doppler blood flow measurements. Both methods depend on laser irradiation of the sample

  2. Low oxygen levels contribute to improve photohydrogen production in mixotrophic non-stressed Chlamydomonas cultures.

    PubMed

    Jurado-Oller, Jose Luis; Dubini, Alexandra; Galván, Aurora; Fernández, Emilio; González-Ballester, David

    2015-01-01

    Currently, hydrogen fuel is derived mainly from fossil fuels, but there is an increasing interest in clean and sustainable technologies for hydrogen production. In this context, the ability of some photosynthetic microorganisms, particularly cyanobacteria and microalgae, to produce hydrogen is a promising alternative for renewable, clean-energy production. Among a diverse array of photosynthetic microorganisms able to produce hydrogen, the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is the model organism widely used to study hydrogen production. Despite the well-known fact that acetate-containing medium enhances hydrogen production in this algae, little is known about the precise role of acetate during this process. We have examined several physiological aspects related to acetate assimilation in the context of hydrogen production metabolism. Measurements of oxygen and CO2 levels, acetate uptake, and cell growth were performed under different light conditions, and oxygenic regimes. We show that oxygen and light intensity levels control acetate assimilation and modulate hydrogen production. We also demonstrate that the determination of the contribution of the PSII-dependent hydrogen production pathway in mixotrophic cultures, using the photosynthetic inhibitor DCMU, can lead to dissimilar results when used under various oxygenic regimes. The level of inhibition of DCMU in hydrogen production under low light seems to be linked to the acetate uptake rates. Moreover, we highlight the importance of releasing the hydrogen partial pressure to avoid an inherent inhibitory factor on the hydrogen production. Low levels of oxygen allow for low acetate uptake rates, and paradoxically, lead to efficient and sustained production of hydrogen. Our data suggest that acetate plays an important role in the hydrogen production process, during non-stressed conditions, other than establishing anaerobiosis, and independent of starch accumulation. Potential metabolic pathways involved in

  3. Cyclic mechanical loading enables solute transport and oxygen supply in bone healing: an in vitro investigation.

    PubMed

    Witt, Florian; Duda, Georg N; Bergmann, Camilla; Petersen, Ansgar

    2014-02-01

    Bone healing is a complex process with an increased metabolic activity and consequently high demand for oxygen. In the hematoma phase, inflammatory cells and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are initially cut off from direct nutritional supply via blood vessels. Cyclic mechanical loading that occurs, for example, during walking is expected to have an impact on the biophysical environment of the cells but meaningful quantitative experimental data are still missing. In this study, the hypothesis that cyclic mechanical loading within a physiological range significantly contributes to oxygen transport into the fracture hematoma was investigated by an in vitro approach. MSCs were embedded in a fibrin matrix to mimic the hematoma phase during bone healing. Construct geometry, culture conditions, and parameters of mechanical loading in a bioreactor system were chosen to resemble the in vivo situation based on data from human studies and a well-characterized large animal model. Oxygen tension was measured before and after mechanical loading intervals by a chemical optical microsensor. The increase in oxygen tension at the center of the constructs was significant and depended on loading time with maximal values of 9.9%±5.1%, 14.8%±4.9%, and 25.3%±7.2% of normal atmospheric oxygen tension for 5, 15, and 30 min of cyclic loading respectively. Histological staining of hypoxic cells after 48 h of incubation confirmed sensor measurements by showing an increased number of normoxic cells with intermittent cyclic compression compared with unloaded controls. The present study demonstrates that moderate cyclic mechanical loading leads to an increased oxygen transport and thus to substantially enhanced supply conditions for cells entrapped in the hematoma. This link between mechanical conditions and nutrition supply in the early regenerative phases could be employed to improve the environmental conditions for cell metabolism and consequently prevent necrosis.

  4. Building Better Drought Resilience Through Improved Monitoring and Early Warning: Learning From Stakeholders in Europe, the USA, and Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stahl, K.; Hannaford, J.; Bachmair, S.; Tijdeman, E.; Collins, K.; Svoboda, M.; Knutson, C. L.; Wall, N.; Smith, K. H.; Bernadt, T.; Crossman, N. D.; Overton, I. C.; Barker, L. J.; Acreman, M. C.

    2016-12-01

    With climate projections suggesting that droughts will intensify in many regions in future, improved drought risk management may reduce potential threats to freshwater security across the globe. One aspect that has been called for in this respect is an improvement of the linkage of drought monitoring and early warning, which currently focuses largely on indicators from meteorology and hydrology, to drought impacts on environment and society. However, a survey of existing monitoring and early warning systems globally, that we report on in this contribution, demonstrates that although impacts are being monitored, there is limited work, and certainly little consensus, on how to best achieve this linkage. The Belmont Forum project DrIVER (Drought impacts: Vulnerability thresholds in monitoring and early-warning research) carried out a number of stakeholder workshops in North America, Europe and Australia to elaborate on options for such improvements. A first round of workshops explored current drought management practices among a very diverse range of stakeholders, and their expectations from monitoring and early warning systems (particularly regarding impact characterization). The workshops revealed some disconnects between the indices used in the public early warning systems and those used by local decision-makers, e.g. to trigger drought measures. Follow-up workshops then explored how the links between information at these different scales can be bridged and applied. Impact information plays a key role in this task. This contribution draws on the lessons learned from the transdisciplinary interactions in DrIVER, to enhance the usability of drought monitoring and early-warning systems and other risk management strategies.

  5. Oxygen consumption, oxygen cost, heart rate, and perceived effort during split-belt treadmill walking in young healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Roper, Jaimie A; Stegemöller, Elizabeth L; Tillman, Mark D; Hass, Chris J

    2013-03-01

    During split-belt treadmill walking the speed of the treadmill under one limb is faster than the belt under the contralateral limb. This unique intervention has shown evidence of acutely improving gait impairments in individuals with neurologic impairment such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. However, oxygen use, heart rate and perceived effort associated with split-belt treadmill walking are unknown and may limit the utility of this locomotor intervention. To better understand the intensity of this new intervention, this study was undertaken to examine the oxygen consumption, oxygen cost, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion associated with split-belt treadmill walking in young healthy adults. Fifteen participants completed three sessions of treadmill walking: slow speed with belts tied, fast speed with belts tied, and split-belt walking with one leg walking at the fast speed and one leg walking at the slow speed. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion were collected during each walking condition and oxygen cost was calculated. Results revealed that oxygen consumption, heart rate, and perceived effort associated with split-belt walking were higher than slow treadmill walking, but only oxygen consumption was significantly lower during both split-belt walking than fast treadmill walking. Oxygen cost associated with slow treadmill walking was significantly higher than fast treadmill walking. These findings have implications for using split-belt treadmill walking as a rehabilitation tool as the cost associated with split-belt treadmill walking may not be higher or potentially more detrimental than that associated with previously used treadmill training rehabilitation strategies.

  6. Solubility of oxygen in liquid Fe at high pressure and consequences for the early differentiation of Earth and Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rubie, D. C.; Gessmann, C. K.; Frost, D. J.

    2003-04-01

    Knowledge of the solubility of oxygen in liquid iron enables the partitioning of oxygen between metal and silicates and the oxidation state of residual silicates to be constrained during core formation in planetary bodies. We have determined oxygen solubility experimentally at 5--23 GPa, 2100--2700 K and oxygen fugacities 1--4 log units below the iron-wüstite buffer in samples of liquid Ni-Fe alloy contained in magnesiowüstite capsules using a multianvil apparatus. Results show that oxygen solubility increases with increasing temperature but decreases slightly with increasing pressure over the range of experimental conditions, at constant oxygen fugacity. Using an extrapolation of the results to higher pressures and temperatures, we have modeled the geochemical consequences of metal-silicate separation in magma oceans in order to explain the contrasting FeO contents of the mantles of Earth and Mars. We assume that both Earth and Mars accreted originally from material with a chondritic composition; because the initial oxidation state is uncertain, we vary this parameter by defining the initial oxygen content. Two metal-silicate fractionation models are considered: (1) Metal and silicate are allowed to equilibrate at fictive conditions that approximate the pressure and temperature at the base of a magma ocean. (2) The effect of settling Fe droplets in a magma ocean is determined using a simple polybaric metal-silicate fractionation model. We assume that the temperature at the base of a magma ocean is close to the peridotite liquidus. In the case of Earth, high temperatures in a magma ocean with a depth >1200 km would have resulted in significant quantities of oxygen dissolving in the liquid metal with the consequent extraction of FeO from the residual silicate. In contrast, on Mars, even if the magma ocean extended to the depth of the current core-mantle boundary, temperatures would not have been sufficiently high for oxygen solubility in liquid metal to be

  7. Oxygen analyzer

    DOEpatents

    Benner, William H.

    1986-01-01

    An oxygen analyzer which identifies and classifies microgram quantities of oxygen in ambient particulate matter and for quantitating organic oxygen in solvent extracts of ambient particulate matter. A sample is pyrolyzed in oxygen-free nitrogen gas (N.sub.2), and the resulting oxygen quantitatively converted to carbon monoxide (CO) by contact with hot granular carbon (C). Two analysis modes are made possible: (1) rapid determination of total pyrolyzable oxygen obtained by decomposing the sample at 1135.degree. C., or (2) temperature-programmed oxygen thermal analysis obtained by heating the sample from room temperature to 1135.degree. C. as a function of time. The analyzer basically comprises a pyrolysis tube containing a bed of granular carbon under N.sub.2, ovens used to heat the carbon and/or decompose the sample, and a non-dispersive infrared CO detector coupled to a mini-computer to quantitate oxygen in the decomposition products and control oven heating.

  8. The effects of very early mirror therapy on functional improvement of the upper extremity in acute stroke patients.

    PubMed

    Yeldan, Ipek; Huseyınsınoglu, Burcu Ersoz; Akıncı, Buket; Tarakcı, Ela; Baybas, Sevim; Ozdıncler, Arzu Razak

    2015-11-01

    [Purpose] The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a very early mirror therapy program on functional improvement of the upper extremity in acute stroke patients. [Subjects] Eight stroke patients who were treated in an acute neurology unit were included in the study. [Methods] The patients were assigned alternatively to either the mirror therapy group receiving mirror therapy and neurodevelopmental treatment or the neurodevelopmental treatment only group. The primary outcome measures were the upper extremity motor subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Motricity Index upper extremity score, and the Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale. Somatosensory assessment with the Ayres Southern California Sensory Integration Test, and the Barthel Index were used as secondary outcome measures. [Results] No statistically significant improvements were found for any measures in either group after the treatment. In terms of minimally clinically important differences, there were improvements in Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Barthel Index in both mirror therapy and neurodevelopmental treatment groups. [Conclusion] The results of this pilot study revealed that very early mirror therapy has no additional effect on functional improvement of upper extremity function in acute stroke patients. Multicenter trials are needed to determine the results of early application of mirror therapy in stroke rehabilitation.

  9. Performance and Stability Analyses of Rocket Thrust Chambers with Oxygen/Methane Propellants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hulka, James R.; Jones, Gregg W.

    2010-01-01

    Liquid rocket engines using oxygen and methane propellants are being considered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for future in-space vehicles. This propellant combination has not been previously used in flight-qualified engine systems developed by NASA, so limited test data and analysis results are available at this stage of early development. As part of activities for the Propulsion and Cryogenic Advanced Development (PCAD) project funded under the Exploration Technology Development Program, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been evaluating capability to model combustion performance and stability for oxygen and methane propellants. This activity has been proceeding for about two years and this paper is a summary of results to date. Hot-fire test results of oxygen/methane propellant rocket engine combustion devices for the modeling investigations have come from several sources, including multi-element injector tests with gaseous methane from the 1980s, single element tests with gaseous methane funded through the Constellation University Institutes Program, and multi-element injector tests with both gaseous and liquid methane conducted at the NASA MSFC funded by PCAD. For the latter, test results of both impinging and coaxial element injectors using liquid oxygen and liquid methane propellants are included. Configurations were modeled with two one-dimensional liquid rocket combustion analysis codes, the Rocket Combustor Interactive Design and Analysis code and the Coaxial Injector Combustion Model. Special effort was focused on how these codes can be used to model combustion and performance with oxygen/methane propellants a priori, and what anchoring or calibrating features need to be applied, improved or developed in the future. Low frequency combustion instability (chug) occurred, with frequencies ranging from 150 to 250 Hz, with several multi-element injectors with liquid/liquid propellants, and was modeled using

  10. Origin and early evolution of photosynthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blankenship, R. E.

    1992-01-01

    Photosynthesis was well-established on the earth at least 3.5 thousand million years ago, and it is widely believed that these ancient organisms had similar metabolic capabilities to modern cyanobacteria. This requires that development of two photosystems and the oxygen evolution capability occurred very early in the earth's history, and that a presumed phase of evolution involving non-oxygen evolving photosynthetic organisms took place even earlier. The evolutionary relationships of the reaction center complexes found in all the classes of currently existing organisms have been analyzed using sequence analysis and biophysical measurements. The results indicate that all reaction centers fall into two basic groups, those with pheophytin and a pair of quinones as early acceptors, and those with iron sulfur clusters as early acceptors. No simple linear branching evolutionary scheme can account for the distribution patterns of reaction centers in existing photosynthetic organisms, and lateral transfer of genetic information is considered as a likely possibility. Possible scenarios for the development of primitive reaction centers into the heterodimeric protein structures found in existing reaction centers and for the development of organisms with two linked photosystems are presented.

  11. Highlighting the evidence gap: how cost-effective are interventions to improve early childhood nutrition and development?

    PubMed

    Batura, Neha; Hill, Zelee; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan; Lingam, Raghu; Colbourn, Timothy; Kim, Sungwook; Sikander, Siham; Pulkki-Brannstrom, Anni-Maria; Rahman, Atif; Kirkwood, Betty; Skordis-Worrall, Jolene

    2015-07-01

    There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of early childhood interventions to improve the growth and development of children. Although, historically, nutrition and stimulation interventions may have been delivered separately, they are increasingly being tested as a package of early childhood interventions that synergistically improve outcomes over the life course. However, implementation at scale is seldom possible without first considering the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. An evidence gap in this area may deter large-scale implementation, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We conduct a literature review to establish what is known about the cost-effectiveness of early childhood nutrition and development interventions. A set of predefined search terms and exclusion criteria standardized the search across five databases. The search identified 15 relevant articles. Of these, nine were from studies set in high-income countries and six in low- and middle-income countries. The articles either calculated the cost-effectiveness of nutrition-specific interventions (n = 8) aimed at improving child growth, or parenting interventions (stimulation) to improve early childhood development (n = 7). No articles estimated the cost-effectiveness of combined interventions. Comparing results within nutrition or stimulation interventions, or between nutrition and stimulation interventions was largely prevented by the variety of outcome measures used in these analyses. This article highlights the need for further evidence relevant to low- and middle-income countries. To facilitate comparison of cost-effectiveness between studies, and between contexts where appropriate, a move towards a common outcome measure such as the cost per disability-adjusted life years averted is advocated. Finally, given the increasing number of combined nutrition and stimulation interventions being tested, there is a significant need for evidence of cost

  12. Bioconvertible vitamin antioxidants improve sunscreen photoprotection against UV-induced reactive oxygen species.

    PubMed

    Hanson, Kerry M; Clegg, Robert M

    2003-01-01

    The ability of sunscreens and antioxidants to deactivate highly destructive reactive oxygen species in human skin has remained inconclusive. Two-photon fluorescence imaging microscopy was used to determine the effect of sunscreen/antioxidant combinations upon UV-induced ROS generation in ex vivo human skin. A sunscreen combination containing octylmethoxycinnamate (Parsol MCX) and avobenzone (Parsol 1789) at SPF 8 and SPF 15 was tested for its ability to prevent UV radiation from generating ROS in the viable epidermal strata of ex vivo human skin. A UV dose equivalent to two hours of North American solar UV was used to irradiate the skin. Each sunscreen reduced the amount of ROS induced in the viable strata by a value consistent with the SPF level. UV photons that were not absorbed/scattered by the sunscreen formulations generated ROS within the viable epidermal layers. The addition of the bioconvertible antioxidants vitamin E acetate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate (STAY-C 50) improves photoprotection by converting to vitamins E and C, respectively, within the skin. The bioconversion forms an antioxidant reservoir that deactivates the ROS generated (within the strata granulosum, spinosum, and basale) by the UV photons that the sunscreens do not block in the stratum corneum.

  13. Long-term development of hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rates in the large Lake Constance.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Justin; Hetzenauer, Harald; Frassl, Marieke A; Rothhaupt, Karl-Otto; Rinke, Karsten

    2017-09-01

    This study investigates over 30 years of dissolved oxygen dynamics in the deep interior of Lake Constance (max. depth: 250 m). This lake supplies approximately four million people with drinking water and has undergone strong re-oligotrophication over the past decades. We calculated depth-specific annual oxygen depletion rates (ODRs) during the period of stratification and found that 50% of the observed variability in ODR was already explained by a simple separation into a sediment- and volume-related oxygen consumption. Adding a linear factor for water depth further improved the model indicating that oxygen depletion increased substantially along the depth. Two other factors turned out to significantly influence ODR: total phosphorus as a proxy for the lake's trophic state and mean oxygen concentration in the respective depth layer. Our analysis points to the importance of nutrient reductions as effective management measures to improve and protect the oxygen status of such large and deep lakes.

  14. Direct Regularized Estimation of Retinal Vascular Oxygen Tension Based on an Experimental Model

    PubMed Central

    Yildirim, Isa; Ansari, Rashid; Yetik, I. Samil; Shahidi, Mahnaz

    2014-01-01

    Phosphorescence lifetime imaging is commonly used to generate oxygen tension maps of retinal blood vessels by classical least squares (LS) estimation method. A spatial regularization method was later proposed and provided improved results. However, both methods obtain oxygen tension values from the estimates of intermediate variables, and do not yield an optimum estimate of oxygen tension values, due to their nonlinear dependence on the ratio of intermediate variables. In this paper, we provide an improved solution by devising a regularized direct least squares (RDLS) method that exploits available knowledge in studies that provide models of oxygen tension in retinal arteries and veins, unlike the earlier regularized LS approach where knowledge about intermediate variables is limited. The performance of the proposed RDLS method is evaluated by investigating and comparing the bias, variance, oxygen tension maps, 1-D profiles of arterial oxygen tension, and mean absolute error with those of earlier methods, and its superior performance both quantitatively and qualitatively is demonstrated. PMID:23732915

  15. Integrating spatial and temporal oxygen data to improve the quantification of in situ petroleum biodegradation rates.

    PubMed

    Davis, Gregory B; Laslett, Dean; Patterson, Bradley M; Johnston, Colin D

    2013-03-15

    Accurate estimation of biodegradation rates during remediation of petroleum impacted soil and groundwater is critical to avoid excessive costs and to ensure remedial effectiveness. Oxygen depth profiles or oxygen consumption over time are often used separately to estimate the magnitude and timeframe for biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and subsurface environments. Each method has limitations. Here we integrate spatial and temporal oxygen concentration data from a field experiment to develop better estimates and more reliably quantify biodegradation rates. During a nine-month bioremediation trial, 84 sets of respiration rate data (where aeration was halted and oxygen consumption was measured over time) were collected from in situ oxygen sensors at multiple locations and depths across a diesel non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminated subsurface. Additionally, detailed vertical soil moisture (air-filled porosity) and NAPL content profiles were determined. The spatial and temporal oxygen concentration (respiration) data were modeled assuming one-dimensional diffusion of oxygen through the soil profile which was open to the atmosphere. Point and vertically averaged biodegradation rates were determined, and compared to modeled data from a previous field trial. Point estimates of biodegradation rates assuming no diffusion ranged up to 58 mg kg(-1) day(-1) while rates accounting for diffusion ranged up to 87 mg kg(-1) day(-1). Typically, accounting for diffusion increased point biodegradation rate estimates by 15-75% and vertically averaged rates by 60-80% depending on the averaging method adopted. Importantly, ignoring diffusion led to overestimation of biodegradation rates where the location of measurement was outside the zone of NAPL contamination. Over or underestimation of biodegradation rate estimates leads to cost implications for successful remediation of petroleum impacted sites. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  16. Physiology, intervention, and outcome: three critical questions about cerebral tissue oxygen saturation monitoring.

    PubMed

    Meng, Lingzhong; Gruenbaum, Shaun E; Dai, Feng; Wang, Tianlong

    2018-05-01

    The balance between cerebral tissue oxygen consumption and supply can be continuously assessed by cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO2) monitor. A construct consisting of three sequential questions, targeting the physiology monitored, the intervention implemented, and the outcomes affected, is proposed to critically appraise this monitor. The impact of the SctO2-guided care on patient outcome was examined through a systematic literature search and meta-analysis. We concluded that the physiology monitored by SctO2 is robust and dynamic, fragile (prone to derangement), and adversely consequential when deranged. The inter-individual variability of SctO2 measurement advocates for an intervention threshold based on a relative, not absolute, change. The intra-individual variability has multiple determinants which is the foundation of intervention. A variety of therapeutic options are available; however, none are 100% efficacious in treating cerebral dys-oxygenation. The therapeutic efficacy likely depends on both an appropriate differential diagnosis and the functional status of the regulatory mechanisms of cerebral blood flow. Meta-analysis based on five randomized controlled trials suggested a reduced incidence of early postoperative cognitive decline after major surgeries (RR= 0.53; 95% CI: 0.33-0.87; I2 =82%; P=0.01). However, its effects on other neurocognitive outcomes remain unclear. These results need to be interpreted with caution due to the high risks of bias. Quality RCTs based on improved intervention protocols and standardized outcome assessment are warranted in the future.

  17. Carbachol improves secretion in the early phase after rabbit submandibular gland transplantation.

    PubMed

    Shi, L; Cong, X; Zhang, Y; Ding, C; Ding, Q W; Fu, F Y; Wu, L L; Yu, G Y

    2010-05-01

    To investigate the changes in the muscarinic receptor signaling pathway with submandibular gland (SMG) transplantation and whether carbachol improves secretion in transplanted SMGs. SMG autotransplantation was performed in a rabbit model. Carbachol (1 microM) was infused into the transplanted glands from postoperative day 1-7. The expression of the M1 and M3 muscarinic receptors, aquaporin-5 (AQP5), and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) was measured by RT-PCR, immunoblotting or immunofluorescence. The content of inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) was measured by radioimmunoassay. Salivary flow of the transplanted SMGs was decreased after transplantation. As well, the expressions of M1 and M3 receptors and their downstream signaling molecules, IP(3), p-ERK1/2 and AQP5, were all reduced. Atrophy of acinar cells was shown in transplanted glands. However, all these alterations were reversed after carbachol treatment for 7 days. Furthermore, carbachol directly increased the mRNA expression of AQP5 and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in cultured neonatal rabbit SMG cells. A lack of acetylcholine and downregulation of the muscarinic receptor signaling pathway is involved in the early hypofunction of transplanted SMGs. Carbachol treatment could be a new therapeutic strategy to improve secretion and prevent the obstruction of Wharton's duct in the early phase after SMG transplantation.

  18. Preoperative Gabapentin Decreases Anxiety and Improves Early Functional Recovery From Knee Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Ménigaux, Christophe; Adam, Frédéric; Guignard, Bruno; Sessler, Daniel I.; Chauvin, Marcel

    2005-01-01

    Gabapentin has antihyperalgesic and anxiolytic properties. We thus tested the hypothesis that premedication with gabapentin would decrease preoperative anxiety and improve postoperative analgesia and early postoperative knee mobilization in patients undergoing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair under general anesthesia. Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg oral gabapentin or placebo 1-2 h before surgery; anesthesia was standardized. Patients received morphine, 0.1 mg/kg, 30 min before the end of surgery and postoperatively via a patient-controlled pump. Pain scores and morphine consumption were recorded over 48 hours. Degrees of active and passive knee flexion and extension were recorded during physiotherapy on days 1 and 2. Preoperative anxiety scores were less in the Gabapentin than Control group (visual analog [VAS] score of 28 ± 16 mm versus 66 ± 15 mm; P < 0.001). The Gabapentin group required less morphine than the Control group (29 ± 22 mg versus 69 ± 40 mg; P < 0.001). VAS pain scores at rest and after mobilization were significantly reduced in the Gabapentin group. First and maximal passive and active knee flexions at 24 and 48 hours were significantly more extensive in the Gabapentin than in the Control group. In conclusion, premedication with 1200 mg gabapentin improved preoperative anxiolysis, postoperative analgesia, and early knee mobilization after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair. PMID:15845693

  19. Early tracking would improve the operative experience of general surgery residents.

    PubMed

    Stain, Steven C; Biester, Thomas W; Hanks, John B; Ashley, Stanley W; Valentine, R James; Bass, Barbara L; Buyske, Jo

    2010-09-01

    High surgical complexity and individual career goals has led most general surgery (GS) residents to pursue fellowship training, resulting in a shortage of surgeons who practice broad-based general surgery. We hypothesize that early tracking of residents would improve operative experience of residents planning to be general surgeons, and could foster greater interest and confidence in this career path. Surgical Operative Log data from GS and fellowship bound residents (FB) applying for the 2008 American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination (QE) were used to construct a hypothetical training model with 6 months of early specialization (ESP) for FB residents in 4 specialties (cardiac, vascular, colorectal, pediatric); and presumed these cases would be available to GS residents within the same program. A total of 142 training programs had both FB residents (n = 237) and GS residents (n = 402), and represented 70% of all 2008 QE applicants. The mean numbers of operations by FB and GS residents were 1131 and 1091, respectively. There were a mean of 252 cases by FB residents in the chief year, theoretically making 126 cases available for each GS resident. In 9 defined categories, the hypothetical model would result in an increase in the 5-year operative experience of GS residents (mastectomy 6.5%; colectomy 22.8%; gastrectomy 23.4%; antireflux procedures 23.4%; pancreatic resection 37.4%; liver resection 29.3%; endocrine procedures 19.6%; trauma operations 13.3%; GI endoscopy 6.5%). The ESP model improves operative experience of GS residents, particularly for complex gastrointestinal procedures. The expansion of subspecialty ESP should be considered.

  20. Review: Oxygen and trophoblast biology — A source of controversy

    PubMed Central

    Tuuli, M.G.; Longtine, M.S.; Nelson, D.M.

    2013-01-01

    Oxygen is necessary for life yet too much or too little oxygen is toxic to cells. The oxygen tension in the maternal plasma bathing placental villi is <20 mm Hg until 10–12 weeks’ gestation, rising to 40–80 mmHg and remaining in this range throughout the second and third trimesters. Maldevelopment of the maternal spiral arteries in the first trimester predisposes to placental dysfunction and sub-optimal pregnancy outcomes in the second half of pregnancy. Although low oxygen at the site of early placental development is the norm, controversy is intense when investigators interpret how defective transformation of spiral arteries leads to placental dysfunction during the second and third trimesters. Moreover, debate rages as to what oxygen concentrations should be considered normal and abnormal for use in vitro to model villous responses in vivo. The placenta may be injured in the second half of pregnancy by hypoxia, but recent evidence shows that ischemia with reoxygenation and mechanical damage due to high flow contributes to the placental dysfunction of diverse pregnancy disorders. We overview normal and pathologic development of the placenta, consider variables that influence experiments in vitro, and discuss the hotly debated question of what in vitro oxygen percentage reflects the normal and abnormal oxygen concentrations that occur in vivo. We then describe our studies that show cultured villous trophoblasts undergo apoptosis and autophagy with phenotype-related differences in response to hypoxia. PMID:21216006

  1. Development of an Excel-based laboratory information management system for improving workflow efficiencies in early ADME screening.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xinyan

    2016-01-01

    There is a clear requirement for enhancing laboratory information management during early absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) screening. The application of a commercial laboratory information management system (LIMS) is limited by complexity, insufficient flexibility, high costs and extended timelines. An improved custom in-house LIMS for ADME screening was developed using Excel. All Excel templates were generated through macros and formulae, and information flow was streamlined as much as possible. This system has been successfully applied in task generation, process control and data management, with a reduction in both labor time and human error rates. An Excel-based LIMS can provide a simple, flexible and cost/time-saving solution for improving workflow efficiencies in early ADME screening.

  2. Sources and Contributions of Oxygen During Microbial Pyrite Oxidation: the Triple Oxygen Isotopes of Sulfate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ziegler, K.; Coleman, M. L.; Mielke, R. E.; Young, E. D.

    2008-12-01

    complimentary chemistry data (in progress), we interpret our isotope data to indicate that the biotic fractionation factor ɛ18OSO4-O2 of at least ~ -25 to - 35‰ is augmented by microbially induced kinetic fractionation; it is larger than expected based on published equilibrium values [2,3,4]. Our inferred ɛ18OSO4-H2O of at least ~+10‰ is similar to some reported values. These new insights into the close links between microbial life cycle and sources of sulfate oxygen during sulfide oxidation, and their oxygen isotopic expressions, will help elucidate the role of microbial oxidation in natural systems. If microbial populations in natural systems remain in a perpetual lag-phase due to constrains of chemistry, atmospheric oxygen will imprint its isotopic signature onto sulfate deposits. Ultimately, such data could be used as biosignatures on Early Earth or Mars. [1] Brunner and Coleman (2008) EPSL 270, 63-72. [2] Balci et al. (2007) GCA 71, 3796-3811. [3] Pisapia et al. (2007) GCA 71, 2474-2490. [4] Taylor et al. (1984) GCA 48, 2669-2678.

  3. Oxygen extraction from lunar soil by fluorination

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seboldt, W.; Lingner, S.; Hoernes, S.; Grimmeisen, W.

    1991-01-01

    Mining and processing of lunar material could possibly lead to more cost-efficient scenarios for permanent presence of man in space and on the Moon. Production of oxygen for use as propellant seems especially important. Different candidate processes for oxygen-extraction from lunar soil were proposed, of which the reduction of ilmenite by hydrogen was studied most. This process, however, needs the concentration of ilmenite from lunar regolith to a large extent and releases oxygen only with low efficiency. Another possibility - the fluorination method - which works with lunar bulk material as feedstock is discussed. Liberation of oxygen from silicate or oxide materials by fluorination methods has been applied in geoscience since the early sixties. The fact that even at moderate temperatures 98 to 100 percent yields can be attained, suggests that fluorination of lunar regolith could be an effective way of propellant production. Lunar soil contains about 50 percent oxygen by weight which is gained nearly completely through this process as O2 gas. The second-most element Si is liberated as gaseous SiF4. It could be used for production of Si-metal and fluorine-recycling. All other main elements of lunar soil will be converted into solid fluorides which also can be used for metal-production and fluorine-recycling. Preliminary results of small scale experiments with different materials are discussed, giving information on specific oxygen-yields and amounts of by-products as functions of temperature. These experiments were performed with an already existing fluorine extraction and collection device at the University of Bonn, normally used for determination of oxygen-isotopic abundances. Optimum conditions, especially concerning energy consumption, are investigated. Extrapolation of the experimental results to large industrial-type plants on the Moon is tried and seems to be promising at first sight. The recycling of the fluorine is, however, crucial for the process. It

  4. Oxygen, the lung and the diver: friends and foes?

    PubMed

    van Ooij, Pieter-Jan A M; Sterk, Peter J; van Hulst, Robert A

    2016-12-01

    Worldwide, the number of professional and sports divers is increasing. Most of them breathe diving gases with a raised partial pressure of oxygen (P O 2 ). However, if the P O 2 is between 50 and 300 kPa (375-2250 mmHg) (hyperoxia), pathological pulmonary changes can develop, known as pulmonary oxygen toxicity (POT). Although in its acute phase, POT is reversible, it can ultimately lead to non-reversible pathological changes. Therefore, it is important to monitor these divers to prevent them from sustaining irreversible lesions.This review summarises the pulmonary pathophysiological effects when breathing oxygen with a P O 2 of 50-300 kPa (375-2250 mmHg). We describe the role and the limitations of lung function testing in monitoring the onset and development of POT, and discuss new techniques in respiratory medicine as potential markers in the early development of POT in divers. Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  5. Oxygen Transport Membranes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    S. Bandopadhyay

    2008-08-30

    The focus of this research was to develop new membrane materials by synthesizing different compounds and determining their defect structures, crystallographic structures and electrical properties. In addition to measuring electrical conductivity, oxygen vacancy concentration was also evaluated using thermogravimetry, Neutron diffraction and Moessbauer Spectroscopy. The reducing conditions (CO{sub 2}/CO/H{sub 2} gas mixtures with steam) as encountered in a reactor environment can be expected to have significant influence on the mechanical properties of the oxides membranes. Various La based materials with and without Ti were selected as candidate membrane materials for OTM. The maximum electrical conductivity of LSF in air asmore » a function of temperature was achieved at < 600 C and depends on the concentration of Sr (acceptor dopant). Oxygen occupancy in LSF was estimated using Neutron diffractometry and Moessbauer Spectroscopy by measuring magnetic moment changes depending on the Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 4+} ratio. After extensive studies of candidate materials, lanthanum ferrites (LSF and LSFT) were selected as the favored materials for the oxygen transport membrane (OTM). LSF is a very good material for an OTM because of its high electronic and oxygen ionic conductivity if long term stability and mechanical strength are improved. LSFT not only exhibits p-type behavior in the high oxygen activity regime, but also has n-type conduction in reducing atmospheres. Higher concentrations of oxygen vacancies in the low oxygen activity regime may improve the performance of LSFT as an OTM. The hole concentration is related to the difference in the acceptor and donor concentration by the relation p = [Sr'{sub La}]-[Ti{sm_bullet}{sub Fe}]. The chemical formulation predicts that the hole concentration is, p = 0.8-0.45 or 0.35. Experimental measurements indicated that p is about {approx} 0.35. The activation energy of conduction is 0.2 eV which implies that LSCF conducts via

  6. Development of a 12-Thrust Chamber Kerosene /Oxygen Primary Rocket Sub-System for an Early (1964) Air-Augmented Rocket Ground-Test System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pryor, D.; Hyde, E. H.; Escher, W. J. D.

    1999-01-01

    Airbreathing/Rocket combined-cycle, and specifically rocket-based combined- cycle (RBCC), propulsion systems, typically employ an internal engine flow-path installed primary rocket subsystem. To achieve acceptably short mixing lengths in effecting the "air augmentation" process, a large rocket-exhaust/air interfacial mixing surface is needed. This leads, in some engine design concepts, to a "cluster" of small rocket units, suitably arrayed in the flowpath. To support an early (1964) subscale ground-test of a specific RBCC concept, such a 12-rocket cluster was developed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The small primary rockets used in the cluster assembly were modified versions of an existing small kerosene/oxygen water-cooled rocket engine unit routinely tested at MSFC. Following individual thrust-chamber tests and overall subsystem qualification testing, the cluster assembly was installed at the U. S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) for RBCC systems testing. (The results of the special air-augmented rocket testing are not covered here.) While this project was eventually successfully completed, a number of hardware integration problems were met, leading to catastrophic thrust chamber failures. The principal "lessons learned" in conducting this early primary rocket subsystem experimental effort are documented here as a basic knowledge-base contribution for the benefit of today's RBCC research and development community.

  7. Metal ferrite oxygen carriers for chemical looping combustion of solid fuels

    DOEpatents

    Siriwardane, Ranjani V.; Fan, Yueying

    2017-01-31

    The disclosure provides a metal ferrite oxygen carrier for the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels, such as coal, coke, coal and biomass char, and the like. The metal ferrite oxygen carrier comprises MFe.sub.xO.sub.y on an inert support, where MFe.sub.xO.sub.y is a chemical composition and M is one of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Co, Mn, and combinations thereof. For example, MFe.sub.xO.sub.y may be one of MgFe.sub.2O.sub.4, CaFe.sub.2O.sub.4, SrFe.sub.2O.sub.4, BaFe.sub.2O.sub.4, CoFe.sub.2O.sub.4, MnFeO.sub.3, and combinations thereof. The MFe.sub.xO.sub.y is supported on an inert support. The inert support disperses the MFe.sub.xO.sub.y oxides to avoid agglomeration and improve performance stability. In an embodiment, the inert support comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier and the MFe.sub.xO.sub.y comprises at least 30 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier. The metal ferrite oxygen carriers disclosed display improved reduction rates over Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, and improved oxidation rates over CuO.

  8. Early reversible acute kidney injury is associated with improved survival in septic shock.

    PubMed

    Sood, Manish M; Shafer, Leigh Anne; Ho, Julie; Reslerova, Martina; Martinka, Greg; Keenan, Sean; Dial, Sandra; Wood, Gordon; Rigatto, Claudio; Kumar, Anand

    2014-10-01

    The fact that acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with worse clinical outcomes forms the basis of most AKI prognostic scoring systems. However, early reversibility of renal dysfunction in acute illness is not considered in such systems. We sought to determine whether early (≤24 hours after shock documentation) reversibility of AKI was independently associated with in-hospital mortality in septic shock. Patient information was derived from an international database of septic shock cases from 28 different institutions in Canada, the United States and Saudi Arabia. Data from a final cohort of 5443 patients admitted with septic shock between Jan 1996 and Dec 2009 was analyzed. The following 4 definitions were used in regards to AKI status: (1) reversible AKI = AKI of any RIFLE severity prevalent at shock diagnosis or incident at 6 hours post-diagnosis that reverses by 24 hours, (2) persistent AKI = AKI prevalent at shock diagnosis and persisting during the entire 24 hours post-shock diagnosis, (3) new AKI = AKI incident between 6 and 24 hours post-shock diagnosis, and (4) improved AKI = AKI prevalent at shock diagnosis or incident at 6 hours post followed by improvement of AKI severity across at least one RIFLE category over the first 24 hours. Cox proportional hazards were used to determine the association between AKI status and in-hospital mortality. During the first 24 hours, reversible AKI occurred in 13.0%, persistent AKI in 54.9%, new AKI in 11.7%, and no AKI in 22.4%. In adjusted analyses, reversible AKI was associated with improved survival (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53-0.77) compared to no AKI (referent), persistent AKI (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.88-1.11), and new AKI (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.22-1.62). Improved AKI occurred in 19.1% with improvement across any RIFLE category associated with a significant decrease in mortality (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.45-0.63). More rapid antimicrobial administration, lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, lower age

  9. Oxygen transport properties estimation by DSMC-CT simulations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bruno, Domenico; Frezzotti, Aldo; Ghiroldi, Gian Pietro

    Coupling DSMC simulations with classical trajectories calculations is emerging as a powerful tool to improve predictive capabilities of computational rarefied gas dynamics. The considerable increase of computational effort outlined in the early application of the method (Koura,1997) can be compensated by running simulations on massively parallel computers. In particular, GPU acceleration has been found quite effective in reducing computing time (Ferrigni,2012; Norman et al.,2013) of DSMC-CT simulations. The aim of the present work is to study rarefied Oxygen flows by modeling binary collisions through an accurate potential energy surface, obtained by molecular beams scattering (Aquilanti, et al.,1999). The accuracy ofmore » the method is assessed by calculating molecular Oxygen shear viscosity and heat conductivity following three different DSMC-CT simulation methods. In the first one, transport properties are obtained from DSMC-CT simulations of spontaneous fluctuation of an equilibrium state (Bruno et al, Phys. Fluids, 23, 093104, 2011). In the second method, the collision trajectory calculation is incorporated in a Monte Carlo integration procedure to evaluate the Taxman’s expressions for the transport properties of polyatomic gases (Taxman,1959). In the third, non-equilibrium zero and one-dimensional rarefied gas dynamic simulations are adopted and the transport properties are computed from the non-equilibrium fluxes of momentum and energy. The three methods provide close values of the transport properties, their estimated statistical error not exceeding 3%. The experimental values are slightly underestimated, the percentage deviation being, again, few percent.« less

  10. Tailoring properties of reduced graphene oxide by oxygen plasma treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kondratowicz, Izabela; Nadolska, Małgorzata; Şahin, Samet; Łapiński, Marcin; Prześniak-Welenc, Marta; Sawczak, Mirosław; Yu, Eileen H.; Sadowski, Wojciech; Żelechowska, Kamila

    2018-05-01

    We report an easily controllable, eco-friendly method for tailoring the properties of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by means of oxygen plasma. The effect of oxygen plasma treatment time (1, 5 and 10 min) on the surface properties of rGO was evaluated. Physicochemical characterization using microscopic, spectroscopic and thermal techniques was performed. The results revealed that different oxygen-containing groups (e.g. carboxyl, hydroxyl) were introduced on the rGO surface enhancing its wettability. Furthermore, upon longer treatment time, other functionalities were created (e.g. quinones, lactones). Moreover, external surface of rGO was partially etched resulting in an increase of the material surface area and porosity. Finally, the oxygen plasma-treated rGO electrodes with bilirubin oxidase were tested for oxygen reduction reaction. The study showed that rGO treated for 10 min exhibited twofold higher current density than untreated rGO. The oxygen plasma treatment may improve the enzyme adsorption on rGO electrodes by introduction of oxygen moieties and increasing the porosity.

  11. Effects of a human recombinant alkaline phosphatase on renal hemodynamics, oxygenation and inflammation in two models of acute kidney injury

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peters, Esther, E-mail: esther.peters@radboudumc.n

    Two small clinical trials indicated that administration of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (AP) improves renal function in critically ill patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI), for which the mechanism of action is not completely understood. Here, we investigated the effects of a newly developed human recombinant AP (recAP) on renal oxygenation and hemodynamics and prevention of kidney damage and inflammation in two in vivo AKI models. To induce AKI, male Wistar rats (n = 18) were subjected to renal ischemia (30 min) and reperfusion (I/R), or sham-operated. In a second model, rats (n = 18) received a 30 minmore » infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2.5 mg/kg), or saline, and fluid resuscitation. In both models, recAP (1000 U/kg) was administered intravenously (15 min before reperfusion, or 90 min after LPS). Following recAP treatment, I/R-induced changes in renal blood flow, renal vascular resistance and oxygen delivery at early, and cortical microvascular oxygen tension at late reperfusion were no longer significantly affected. RecAP did not influence I/R-induced effects on mean arterial pressure. During endotoxemia, recAP treatment did not modulate the LPS-induced changes in systemic hemodynamics and renal oxygenation. In both models, recAP did exert a clear renal protective anti-inflammatory effect, demonstrated by attenuated immunostaining of inflammatory, tubular injury and pro-apoptosis markers. Whether this renal protective effect is sufficient to improve outcome of patients suffering from sepsis-associated AKI is being investigated in a large clinical trial. - Highlights: • Human recombinant alkaline phosphatase (recAP) is a potential new therapy for sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI). • RecAP can modulate renal oxygenation and hemodynamics immediately following I/R-induced AKI. • RecAP did not modulate endotoxemia-induced changes in systemic hemodynamics and renal oxygenation. • RecAP did exert a clear renal

  12. Simulation of dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand, Plantation Canal, Broward County, Florida with an evaluation of the QUAL-I model for use in south Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Russo, Thomas N.; McQuivey, Raul S.

    1975-01-01

    A mathematical model; QUAL-I, developed by the Texas Water Development Board, was evaluated as a management tool in predicting the spatial and temporal distribution of dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand in Plantation Canal. Predictions based on the QUAL-I model, which was verified only against midday summer-flow conditions, showed that improvement of quality of inflows from sewage treatment plants and use of at least 130 cubic feet per second of dilution water would improve water quality in the canal significantly. The model was not fully amenable to use on Plantation Canal because: (1) it did not consider photosynthetic production, nitrification, and benthic oxygen demand as sources and sinks of oxygen; (2) the model assumptions of complete mixing, transport, and steady state were not met; and (3) the data base was inadequate because it consisted of only one set of data for each case. However, it was felt that meaningful results could be obtained for some sets of conditions. (Woodard-USGS)

  13. Modeling Corneal Oxygen with Scleral Gas Permeable Lens Wear.

    PubMed

    Compañ, Vicente; Aguilella-Arzo, Marcel; Edrington, Timothy B; Weissman, Barry A

    2016-11-01

    The main goal of this current work is to use an updated calculation paradigm, and updated boundary conditions, to provide theoretical guidelines to assist the clinician whose goal is to improve his or her scleral gas permeable (GP) contact lens wearing patients' anterior corneal oxygen supply. Our model uses a variable value of corneal oxygen consumption developed through Monod equations that disallows negative oxygen tensions within the stroma to predict oxygen tension at the anterior corneal surface of scleral GP contact lens wearing eyes, and to describe oxygen tension and flux profiles, for various boundary conditions, through the lens, tears, and cornea. We use several updated tissue and boundary parameters in our model. Tear exchange with GP scleral lenses is considered nonexistent in this model. The majority of current scleral GP contact lenses should produce some levels of corneal hypoxia under open eye conditions. Only lenses producing the thinnest of tear vaults should result in anterior corneal surface oxygen tensions greater than a presumed critical oxygen tension of 100 mmHg. We also find that corneal oxygen tension and flux are each more sensitive to modification in tear vault than to changes in lens oxygen permeability, within the ranges of current clinical manipulation. Our study suggests that clinicians would be prudent to prescribe scleral GP lenses manufactured from higher oxygen permeability materials and especially to fit without excessive corneal clearance.

  14. Using SMAP data to improve drought early warning over the US Great Plains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, R.; Fernando, N.; Tang, W.

    2015-12-01

    A drought prone region such as the Great Plains of the United States (US GP) requires credible and actionable drought early warning. Such information cannot simply be extracted from available climate forecasts because of their large uncertainties at regional scales, and unclear connections to the needs of the decision makers. In particular, current dynamic seasonal predictions and climate projections, such as those produced by the NOAA North American Multi-Model Ensemble experiment (NMME) are much more reliable for winter and spring than for the summer season for the US GP. To mitigate the weaknesses of dynamic prediction/projections, we have identified three key processes behind the spring-to-summer dry memory through observational studies, as the scientific basis for a statistical drought early warning system. This system uses percentile soil moisture anomalies in spring as a key input to provide a probabilistic summer drought early warning. The latter outperforms the dynamic prediction over the US Southern Plains and has been used by the Texas state water agency to support state drought preparedness. A main source of uncertainty for this drought early warning system is the soil moisture input obtained from the NOAA Climate Forecasting System (CFS). We are testing use of the beta version of NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) soil moisture data, along with the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), and the long-term Essential Climate Variable Soil Moisture (ECV-SM) soil moisture data, to reduce this uncertainty. Preliminary results based on ECV-SM suggests satellite based soil moisture data could improve early warning of rainfall anomalies over the western US GP with less dense vegetation. The skill degrades over the eastern US GP where denser vegetation is found. We evaluate our SMAP-based drought early warning for 2015 summer against observations.

  15. Biogeochemical Modeling of the Second Rise of Oxygen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, M. L.; Catling, D.; Claire, M.; Zahnle, K.

    2014-03-01

    The rise of atmospheric oxygen set the tempo for the evolution of complex life on Earth. Oxygen levels are thought to have increased in two broad steps: one step occurred in the Archean ~ 2.45 Ga (the Great Oxidation Event or GOE), and another step occured in the Neoproterozoic ~750-580 Ma (the Neoprotoerozoic Oxygenation Event or NOE). During the NOE, oxygen levels increased from ~1-10% of the present atmospheric level (PAL) (Holland, 2006), to ~15% PAL in the late Neoproterozoic, to ~100% PAL later in the Phanerozoic. Complex life requires O2, so this transition allowed complex life to evolve. We seek to understand what caused the NOE. To explore causes for the NOE, we build upon the biogeochemical model of Claire et al. (2006), which calculates the redox evolution of the atmosphere, ocean, biosphere, and crust in the Archean through to the early Proterozoic. In this model, the balance between oxygenconsuming and oyxgen-producing fluxes evolves over time such that at ~2.4 Ga, the rapidly acting sources of oxygen outweigh the rapidly-acting sinks. Or, in other words, at ~2.4 Ga, the flux of oxygen from organic carbon burial exceeds the sinks of oxygen from reaction with reduced volcanic and metamoprphic gases. The model is able to drive oxygen levels to 1-10% PAL in the Proterozoic; however, the evolving redox fluxes in the model cannot explain how oxygen levels pushed above 1-10% in the late Proterozoic. The authors suggest that perhaps another buffer, such as sulfur, is needed to describe Proterozoic and Phanerozoic redox evolution. Geologic proxies show that in the Proterozoic, up to 10% of the deep ocean may have been sulfidic. With this ocean chemistry, the global sulfur cycle would have worked differently than it does today. Because the sulfur and oxygen cycles interact, the oxygen concentration could have permanently changed due to an evolving sulfur cycle (in combination with evolving redox fluxes associated with other parts of the oxygen cycle and carbon

  16. Molecular Orbital Principles of Oxygen-Redox Battery Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Okubo, Masashi; Yamada, Atsuo

    2017-10-25

    Lithium-ion batteries are key energy-storage devices for a sustainable society. The most widely used positive electrode materials are LiMO 2 (M: transition metal), in which a redox reaction of M occurs in association with Li + (de)intercalation. Recent developments of Li-excess transition-metal oxides, which deliver a large capacity of more than 200 mAh/g using an extra redox reaction of oxygen, introduce new possibilities for designing higher energy density lithium-ion batteries. For better engineering using this fascinating new chemistry, it is necessary to achieve a full understanding of the reaction mechanism by gaining knowledge on the chemical state of oxygen. In this review, a summary of the recent advances in oxygen-redox battery electrodes is provided, followed by a systematic demonstration of the overall electronic structures based on molecular orbitals with a focus on the local coordination environment around oxygen. We show that a π-type molecular orbital plays an important role in stabilizing the oxidized oxygen that emerges upon the charging process. Molecular orbital principles are convenient for an atomic-level understanding of how reversible oxygen-redox reactions occur in bulk, providing a solid foundation toward improved oxygen-redox positive electrode materials for high energy-density batteries.

  17. CPAP and High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen in Bronchiolitis.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Ian P; McBride, Antonia K S; Smith, Rachel; Fernandes, Ricardo M

    2015-09-01

    Severe respiratory failure develops in some infants with bronchiolitis because of a complex pathophysiologic process involving increased airways resistance, alveolar atelectasis, muscle fatigue, and hypoxemia due to mismatch between ventilation and perfusion. Nasal CPAP and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen may improve the work of breathing and oxygenation. Although the mechanisms behind these noninvasive modalities of respiratory support are not well understood, they may help infants by way of distending pressure and delivery of high concentrations of warmed and humidified oxygen. Observational studies of varying quality have suggested that CPAP and HFNC may confer direct physiologic benefits to infants with bronchiolitis and that their use has reduced the need for intubation. No trials to our knowledge, however, have compared CPAP with HFNC in bronchiolitis. Two randomized trials compared CPAP with oxygen delivered by low-flow nasal cannula or face mask and found some improvements in blood gas results and some physiologic parameters, but these trials were unable to demonstrate a reduction in the need for intubation. Two trials evaluated HFNC in bronchiolitis (one comparing it with headbox oxygen, the other with nebulized hypertonic saline), with the results not seeming to suggest important clinical or physiologic benefits. In this article, we review the pathophysiology of respiratory failure in bronchiolitis, discuss these trials in detail, and consider how future research studies may be designed to best evaluate CPAP and HFNC in bronchiolitis.

  18. Spatiotemporal Oxygen Sensing Using Dual Emissive Boron Dye–Polylactide Nanofibers

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Oxygenation in tissue scaffolds continues to be a limiting factor in regenerative medicine despite efforts to induce neovascularization or to use oxygen-generating materials. Unfortunately, many established methods to measure oxygen concentration, such as using electrodes, require mechanical disturbance of the tissue structure. To address the need for scaffold-based oxygen concentration monitoring, a single-component, self-referenced oxygen sensor was made into nanofibers. Electrospinning process parameters were tuned to produce a biomaterial scaffold with specific morphological features. The ratio of an oxygen sensitive phosphorescence signal to an oxygen insensitive fluorescence signal was calculated at each image pixel to determine an oxygenation value. A single component boron dye–polymer conjugate was chosen for additional investigation due to improved resistance to degradation in aqueous media compared to a boron dye polymer blend. Standardization curves show that in fully supplemented media, the fibers are responsive to dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 15 ppm. Spatial (millimeters) and temporal (minutes) ratiometric gradients were observed in vitro radiating outward from the center of a dense adherent cell grouping on scaffolds. Sensor activation in ischemia and cell transplant models in vivo show oxygenation decreases on the scale of minutes. The nanofiber construct offers a robust approach to biomaterial scaffold oxygen sensing. PMID:25426706

  19. Oxygen-Concentrating Cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buehler, K.

    1986-01-01

    High-purity oxygen produced from breathing air or from propellantgrade oxygen in oxygen-concentrating cell. Operating economics of concentrator attractive: Energy consumption about 4 Wh per liter of oxygen, slightly lower than conventional electrochemical oxygen extractors.

  20. Fires and the rise and regulation of atmospheric oxygen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lenton, T. M.

    2012-04-01

    When did oxygen first approach 21% of the atmosphere, and what regulates it there? These are enduring puzzles in Earth system science, and fire science provides a key part of the answers. The results of ignition experiments with natural fuels indicate that to start a fire requires at least 17% oxygen in the atmosphere. Thus, the appearance of charcoal in the fossil record around 420 million years ago in the Silurian Period indicates atmospheric oxygen was >17% then. Here we hypothesise that the first non-vascular plants, which began colonising the land surface around 50 million years beforehand (in the Ordovician Period), caused a rise in atmospheric oxygen concentration to a level >17% sufficient to support fires. We base this on weathering experiments with an analogue for the first non-vascular plants, and modelling with the COPSE model of the coupled phosphorus, carbon and oxygen biogeochemical cycles. The experiments reveal that a non-vascular plant (the moss Physcomitrella patens) hugely amplifies phosphorus weathering by a factor of up to 60. The modelling shows that early plant colonisation could hence have increased phosphorus supply to the ocean, fuelling photosynthetic production and organic carbon burial, which is the long-term source of oxygen to the atmosphere. Atmospheric oxygen is predicted to have risen through the late Ordovician and into the Silurian. Since 370 million years ago, the nearly continuous record of charcoal indicates that oxygen has remained above 17% of the atmosphere. At the same time, the continued persistence of forests means fires have never been so frequent as to prevent trees from regenerating, setting a contested upper limit on oxygen of around 30%. The restriction of oxygen variation within a factor of two suggests remarkable regulation, because the whole oxygen reservoir has been replaced over 100 times in this interval. Fires are a prime candidate for forming part of the regulating mechanism, and giving it a 'set point', as

  1. Research on oxygen recovery systems for use in space capsules

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Selman, J. R.; Steunenberg, R. K.; Cairns, E. J.

    1973-01-01

    An improved electrochemical process was investigated for the recovery of oxygen from the atmospheres of manned space capsules. The objective of the proposed system is to recover the oxygen from CO2 with high efficiency and to recover the additional amount of oxygen from water that is required to provide a total oxygen makeup stream of about 2.0 lb/man-day. The carbon from the CO2 must be converted into a readily disposable or usable form. The results are given of initial experiments with a porous stainless steel cathode in a LiCl-KCl electrolyte with small additions of oxide, carbonate, and hydroxide.

  2. Effect of an oxygen pressure injection (OPI) device on the oxygen saturation of patients during dermatological methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy.

    PubMed

    Blake, E; Allen, J; Thorn, C; Shore, A; Curnow, A

    2013-05-01

    Methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT) (a topical treatment used for a number of precancerous skin conditions) utilizes the combined interaction of a photosensitizer (protoporphyrin IX (PpIX)), light of the appropriate wavelength, and molecular oxygen to produce singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species which induce cell death. During treatment, localized oxygen depletion occurs and is thought to contribute to decreased efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an oxygen pressure injection (OPI) device had an effect on localized oxygen saturation levels and/or PpIX fluorescence of skin lesions during MAL-PDT. This study employed an OPI device to apply oxygen under pressure to the skin lesions of patients undergoing standard MAL-PDT. Optical reflectance spectrometry and fluorescence imaging were used to noninvasively monitor the localized oxygen saturation and PpIX fluorescence of the treatment area, respectively. No significant changes in oxygen saturation were observed when these data were combined for the group with OPI and compared to the group that received standard MAL-PDT without OPI. Additionally, no significant difference in PpIX photobleaching or clinical outcome at 3 months between the groups of patients was observed, although the group that received standard MAL-PDT demonstrated a significant increase (p<0.05) in PpIX fluorescence initially and both groups produced a significant decrease (p<0.05) after light irradiation. In conclusion, with this sample size, this OPI device was not found to be an effective method with which to improve tissue oxygenation during MAL-PDT. Further investigation is therefore required to find a more effective method of MAL-PDT enhancement.

  3. Concentrated Electrolyte for the Sodium-Oxygen Battery: Solvation Structure and Improved Cycle Life.

    PubMed

    He, Mingfu; Lau, Kah Chun; Ren, Xiaodi; Xiao, Neng; McCulloch, William D; Curtiss, Larry A; Wu, Yiying

    2016-12-05

    Alkali metal-oxygen batteries are of great interests for energy storage because of their unparalleled theoretical energy densities. Particularly attractive is the emerging Na-O 2 battery because of the formation of superoxide as the discharge product. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a promising solvent for this battery but its instability towards Na makes it impractical in the Na-O 2 battery. Herein we report the enhanced stability of Na in DMSO solutions containing concentrated sodium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (NaTFSI) salts (>3 mol kg -1 ). Raman spectra of NaTFSI/DMSO electrolytes and ab initio molecular dynamics simulation reveal the Na + solvation number in DMSO and the formation of Na(DMSO) 3 (TFSI)-like solvation structure. The majority of DMSO molecules solvating Na + in concentrated solutions reduces the available free DMSO molecules that can react with Na and renders the TFSI anion decomposition, which protects Na from reacting with the electrolyte. Using these concentrated electrolytes, Na-O 2 batteries can be cycled forming sodium superoxide (NaO 2 ) as the sole discharge product with improved long cycle life, highlighting the beneficial role of concentrated electrolytes for Na-based batteries. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Concentrated Electrolyte for the Sodium-Oxygen Battery: Solvation Structure and Improved Cycle Life

    DOE PAGES

    He, Mingfu; Lau, Kah Chun; Ren, Xiaodi; ...

    2016-11-03

    Alkali metal-oxygen batteries are of great interests for energy storage because of their unparalleled theoretical energy densities. Particularly attractive is the emerging Na-O 2 battery because of the formation of superoxide as the discharge product. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a promising solvent for this battery but its instability towards Na makes it impractical in the Na-O 2 battery. Here in this paper, we report the enhanced stability of Na in DMSO solutions containing concentrated sodium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (NaTFSI) salts (>3molkg -1). Raman spectra of NaTFSI/DMSO electrolytes and abinitio molecular dynamics simulation reveal the Na + solvation number in DMSO and themore » formation of Na(DMSO) 3(TFSI)-like solvation structure. The majority of DMSO molecules solvating Na + in concentrated solutions reduces the available free DMSO molecules that can react with Na and renders the TFSI anion decomposition, which protects Na from reacting with the electrolyte. Using these concentrated electrolytes, Na-O 2 batteries can be cycled forming sodium superoxide (NaO 2) as the sole discharge product with improved long cycle life, highlighting the beneficial role of concentrated electrolytes for Na-based batteries.« less

  5. Oxygen analyzer

    DOEpatents

    Benner, W.H.

    1984-05-08

    An oxygen analyzer which identifies and classifies microgram quantities of oxygen in ambient particulate matter and for quantitating organic oxygen in solvent extracts of ambient particulate matter. A sample is pyrolyzed in oxygen-free nitrogen gas (N/sub 2/), and the resulting oxygen quantitatively converted to carbon monoxide (CO) by contact with hot granular carbon (C). Two analysis modes are made possible: (1) rapid determination of total pyrolyzable obtained by decomposing the sample at 1135/sup 0/C, or (2) temperature-programmed oxygen thermal analysis obtained by heating the sample from room temperature to 1135/sup 0/C as a function of time. The analyzer basically comprises a pyrolysis tube containing a bed of granular carbon under N/sub 2/, ovens used to heat the carbon and/or decompose the sample, and a non-dispersive infrared CO detector coupled to a mini-computer to quantitate oxygen in the decomposition products and control oven heating.

  6. Morphological record of oxygenic photosynthesis in conical stromatolites.

    PubMed

    Bosak, Tanja; Liang, Biqing; Sim, Min Sub; Petroff, Alexander P

    2009-07-07

    Conical stromatolites are thought to be robust indicators of the presence of photosynthetic and phototactic microbes in aquatic environments as early as 3.5 billion years ago. However, phototaxis alone cannot explain the ubiquity of disrupted, curled, and contorted laminae in the crests of many Mesoproterozoic, Paleoproterozoic, and some Archean conical stromatolites. Here, we demonstrate that cyanobacterial production of oxygen in the tips of modern conical aggregates creates contorted laminae and submillimeter-to-millimeter-scale enmeshed bubbles. Similarly sized fossil bubbles and contorted laminae may be present only in the crestal zones of some conical stromatolites 2.7 billion years old or younger. This implies not only that cyanobacteria built Proterozoic conical stromatolites but also that fossil bubbles may constrain the timing of the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis.

  7. Using thallium isotopes in the 2.63 Ga Jeerinah Formation from Hamersley Basin, Western Australia, to constrain ancient seafloor oxygenation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holdaway, B. J.; Owens, J. D.; Nielsen, S.; Anbar, A. D.; Ostrander, C. M.

    2017-12-01

    Understanding the chemical and biological innovation and evolution of the global ocean is pivotal in understanding the processes for how early life on Earth and potentially habitable planets advanced. Previous research on early-Earth oxygenation has revealed a rise in atmospheric [O2] 2.32 billion years ago, coined the Great Oxidation Event, or GOE. Many lines of evidence, however, suggest continental oxidative weathering as early as 3.0 Ga, with possibilities of complementary ocean oxygenation. Modeling of the geochemical data suggests small oxygen "oases" prior to whiffs of O2, or even widespread oxygen-rich margins. However, constraining the extent and timing of oceanic oxygenation is difficult as proxies fall short in detecting early ocean oxygenation. Importantly, the formation and preservation of manganese (Mn) in the form of manganese-oxides requires an oxygenated water-column that penetrates the sediment-water interface. Until recently, tracking the global burial of Mn-oxides was very difficult, largely compounded by an incomplete ancient geologic record. Here we use thallium (Tl), a new and novel isotope system to better constrain marine [O2], specifically by constraining the global burial of Mn-oxides. Recently, it has been shown that modern seawater Tl isotope composition is faithfully recorded in anoxic to euxinic (anoxic and sulfidic) sediments. Nearly all isotopic inputs: riverine, dust, volcanic, hydrothermal, and benthic recycling of Tl into the ocean are constant with ɛ205Tl -2. In contrast, the two primary outputs impart significant fractionations, these outputs being the burial of Mn-oxides (ɛ205Tl +12) and altered oceanic crust (ɛ205Tl -10). Thus, seawater is mainly dictated by the mass balance of the outputs (Mn-oxides and altered oceanic crust) which, for short-term events, is likely driven by the amount of Mn-oxide burial. Tl isotope analyses of the dominantly euxinic 2.5 Ga Mt. McRae Shale from the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia

  8. Evidence for oxygenic photosynthesis half a billion years before the Great Oxidation Event

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Planavsky, Noah J.; Asael, Dan; Hofmann, Axel; Reinhard, Christopher T.; Lalonde, Stefan V.; Knudsen, Andrew; Wang, Xiangli; Ossa Ossa, Frantz; Pecoits, Ernesto; Smith, Albertus J. B.; Beukes, Nicolas J.; Bekker, Andrey; Johnson, Thomas M.; Konhauser, Kurt O.; Lyons, Timothy W.; Rouxel, Olivier J.

    2014-04-01

    The early Earth was characterized by the absence of oxygen in the ocean-atmosphere system, in contrast to the well-oxygenated conditions that prevail today. Atmospheric concentrations first rose to appreciable levels during the Great Oxidation Event, roughly 2.5-2.3 Gyr ago. The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis is generally accepted to have been the ultimate cause of this rise, but it has proved difficult to constrain the timing of this evolutionary innovation. The oxidation of manganese in the water column requires substantial free oxygen concentrations, and thus any indication that Mn oxides were present in ancient environments would imply that oxygenic photosynthesis was ongoing. Mn oxides are not commonly preserved in ancient rocks, but there is a large fractionation of molybdenum isotopes associated with the sorption of Mo onto the Mn oxides that would be retained. Here we report Mo isotopes from rocks of the Sinqeni Formation, Pongola Supergroup, South Africa. These rocks formed no less than 2.95 Gyr ago in a nearshore setting. The Mo isotopic signature is consistent with interaction with Mn oxides. We therefore infer that oxygen produced through oxygenic photosynthesis began to accumulate in shallow marine settings at least half a billion years before the accumulation of significant levels of atmospheric oxygen.

  9. Multispectrum analysis of the oxygen A-band.

    PubMed

    Drouin, Brian J; Benner, D Chris; Brown, Linda R; Cich, Matthew J; Crawford, Timothy J; Devi, V Malathy; Guillaume, Alexander; Hodges, Joseph T; Mlawer, Eli J; Robichaud, David J; Oyafuso, Fabiano; Payne, Vivienne H; Sung, Keeyoon; Wishnow, Edward H; Yu, Shanshan

    2017-01-01

    Retrievals of atmospheric composition from near-infrared measurements require measurements of airmass to better than the desired precision of the composition. The oxygen bands are obvious choices to quantify airmass since the mixing ratio of oxygen is fixed over the full range of atmospheric conditions. The OCO-2 mission is currently retrieving carbon dioxide concentration using the oxygen A-band for airmass normalization. The 0.25% accuracy desired for the carbon dioxide concentration has pushed the required state-of-the-art for oxygen spectroscopy. To measure O 2 A-band cross-sections with such accuracy through the full range of atmospheric pressure requires a sophisticated line-shape model (Rautian or Speed-Dependent Voigt) with line mixing (LM) and collision induced absorption (CIA). Models of each of these phenomena exist, however, this work presents an integrated self-consistent model developed to ensure the best accuracy. It is also important to consider multiple sources of spectroscopic data for such a study in order to improve the dynamic range of the model and to minimize effects of instrumentation and associated systematic errors. The techniques of Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) and Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) allow complimentary information for such an analysis. We utilize multispectrum fitting software to generate a comprehensive new database with improved accuracy based on these datasets. The extensive information will be made available as a multi-dimensional cross-section (ABSCO) table and the parameterization will be offered for inclusion in the HITRANonline database.

  10. Multispectrum analysis of the oxygen A-band

    PubMed Central

    Drouin, Brian J.; Benner, D. Chris; Brown, Linda R.; Cich, Matthew J.; Crawford, Timothy J.; Devi, V. Malathy; Guillaume, Alexander; Hodges, Joseph T.; Mlawer, Eli J.; Robichaud, David J.; Oyafuso, Fabiano; Payne, Vivienne H.; Sung, Keeyoon; Wishnow, Edward H.; Yu, Shanshan

    2016-01-01

    Retrievals of atmospheric composition from near-infrared measurements require measurements of airmass to better than the desired precision of the composition. The oxygen bands are obvious choices to quantify airmass since the mixing ratio of oxygen is fixed over the full range of atmospheric conditions. The OCO-2 mission is currently retrieving carbon dioxide concentration using the oxygen A-band for airmass normalization. The 0.25% accuracy desired for the carbon dioxide concentration has pushed the required state-of-the-art for oxygen spectroscopy. To measure O2 A-band cross-sections with such accuracy through the full range of atmospheric pressure requires a sophisticated line-shape model (Rautian or Speed-Dependent Voigt) with line mixing (LM) and collision induced absorption (CIA). Models of each of these phenomena exist, however, this work presents an integrated self-consistent model developed to ensure the best accuracy. It is also important to consider multiple sources of spectroscopic data for such a study in order to improve the dynamic range of the model and to minimize effects of instrumentation and associated systematic errors. The techniques of Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) and Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) allow complimentary information for such an analysis. We utilize multispectrum fitting software to generate a comprehensive new database with improved accuracy based on these datasets. The extensive information will be made available as a multi-dimensional cross-section (ABSCO) table and the parameterization will be offered for inclusion in the HITRANonline database. PMID:27840454

  11. The color of meteoritic hibonite - an indicator of oxygen fugacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ihinger, P. D.; Stolper, E.

    1986-05-01

    Hibonites similar in composition to those found in Ca-Al-rich inclusions change color from blue, to green, to orange, to nearly colorless as oxygen fugacity is increased at high temperature from below the iron-wustite buffer up to air. The development of the blue color is correlated with the growth of an absorption band at 715 nm in the optical spectra of the hibonites as the oxygen fugacity is reduced. The growth of this band is attributed to the increasing concentration of Ti(3+) in these hibonites with decreasing oxygen fugacity. The blue hibonites in meteorites reflect equilibration under reducing conditions based on the intensity of 715 nm band, it is estimated that the hibonite in the Blue Angel inclusion indicates an oxygen fugacity four to five orders of magnitude more oxidizing than that expected in the early solar nebula. This may be due to formation in an anomalously oxidizing region of the nebula or to oxidation during cooling or later alteration. The orange hibonites in Allende reflect oxygen fugacities approximately ten or more orders of magnitude more oxidizing than the expected primitive nebula; this color probably indicates alteration of initially more reduced (blue?) hibonites. The colorless hibonite in the HAL inclusion reflects highly oxidizing conditions and/or its low Ti content.

  12. Electrostimulation improves muscle perfusion but does not affect either muscle deoxygenation or pulmonary oxygen consumption kinetics during a heavy constant-load exercise.

    PubMed

    Layec, Gwenael; Millet, Grégoire P; Jougla, Aurélie; Micallef, Jean-Paul; Bendahan, David

    2008-02-01

    Electromyostimulation (EMS) is commonly used as part of training programs. However, the exact effects at the muscle level are largely unknown and it has been recently hypothesized that the beneficial effect of EMS could be mediated by an improved muscle perfusion. In the present study, we investigated rates of changes in pulmonary oxygen consumption (VO(2p)) and muscle deoxygenation during a standardized exercise performed after an EMS warm-up session. We aimed at determining whether EMS could modify pulmonary O(2) uptake and muscle deoxygenation as a result of improved oxygen delivery. Nine subjects performed a 6-min heavy constant load cycling exercise bout preceded either by an EMS session (EMS) or under control conditions (CONT). VO(2p) and heart rate (HR) were measured while deoxy-(HHb), oxy-(HbO(2)) and total haemoglobin/myoglobin (Hb(tot)) relative contents were measured using near infrared spectroscopy. EMS significantly increased (P < 0.05) the Hb(tot) resting level illustrating a residual hyperaemia. The EMS priming exercise did not affect either the HHb time constant (17.7 +/- 14.2 s vs. 13.1 +/- 2.3 s under control conditions) or the VO(2p) kinetics (time-constant = 18.2 +/- 5.2 s vs. 15.4 +/- 4.6 s under control conditions). Likewise, the other VO(2p) parameters were unchanged. Our results further indicated that EMS warm-up improved muscle perfusion through a residual hyperaemia. However, neither VO(2p) nor [HHb] kinetics were modified accordingly. These results suggest that improved O(2) delivery by residual hyperaemia induced by EMS does not accelerate the rate of aerobic metabolism during heavy exercise at least in trained subjects.

  13. Early selection of novel triploid hybrids of shrub willow with improved biomass yield relative to diploids

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Genetic improvement of shrub willow (Salix), a perennial energy crop common to temperate climates, has led to the development of new cultivars with improved biomass yield, pest and disease resistance, and biomass composition suitable for bioenergy applications. These improvements have largely been associated with species hybridization, yet little is known about the genetic mechanisms responsible for improved yield and performance of certain willow species hybrids. Results The top performing genotypes in this study, representing advanced pedigrees compared with those in previous studies, were mostly triploid in nature and outperformed current commercial cultivars. Of the genotypes studied, the diploids had the lowest mean yield of 8.29 oven dry Mg ha−1 yr−1, while triploids yielded 12.65 Mg ha−1 yr−1, with the top five producing over 16 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Triploids had high stem area and height across all three years of growth in addition to greatest specific gravity. The lowest specific gravity was observed among the tetraploid genotypes. Height was the early trait most correlated with and the best predictor of third-year yield. Conclusions These results establish a paradigm for future breeding and improvement of Salix bioenergy crops based on the development of triploid species hybrids. Stem height and total stem area are effective traits for early prediction of relative yield performance. PMID:24661804

  14. Rapid oxygenation of Earth’s atmosphere 2.33 billion years ago

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Genming; Ono, Shuhei; Beukes, Nicolas J.; Wang, David T.; Xie, Shucheng; Summons, Roger E.

    2016-01-01

    Molecular oxygen (O2) is, and has been, a primary driver of biological evolution and shapes the contemporary landscape of Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. Although “whiffs” of oxygen have been documented in the Archean atmosphere, substantial O2 did not accumulate irreversibly until the Early Paleoproterozoic, during what has been termed the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE). The timing of the GOE and the rate at which this oxygenation took place have been poorly constrained until now. We report the transition (that is, from being mass-independent to becoming mass-dependent) in multiple sulfur isotope signals of diagenetic pyrite in a continuous sedimentary sequence in three coeval drill cores in the Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. These data precisely constrain the GOE to 2.33 billion years ago. The new data suggest that the oxygenation occurred rapidly—within 1 to 10 million years—and was followed by a slower rise in the ocean sulfate inventory. Our data indicate that a climate perturbation predated the GOE, whereas the relationships among GOE, “Snowball Earth” glaciation, and biogeochemical cycling will require further stratigraphic correlation supported with precise chronologies and paleolatitude reconstructions. PMID:27386544

  15. Improving Empathy and Communication Skills of Visually Impaired Early Adolescents through a Psycho-Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yildiz, Mehmet Ali; Duy, Baki

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an interpersonal communication skills psycho-education program to improve empathy and communication skills of visually impaired adolescents. Participants of the study were sixteen early adolescents schooling in an elementary school for visually impaired youth in Diyarbakir. The…

  16. An improved oxygen diffusion model to explain the effect of low-temperature baking on high field losses in niobium superconducting cavities

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ciovati, Gianluigi

    Radio-frequency (RF) superconducting cavities made of high purity niobium are widely used to accelerate charged particle beams in particle accelerators. The major limitation to achieve RF field values approaching the theoretical limit for niobium is represented by ''anomalous'' losses which degrade the quality factor of the cavities starting at peak surface magnetic fields of about 100 mT, in absence of field emission. These high field losses are often referred to as ''Q-drop''. It has been observed that the Q-drop is drastically reduced by baking the cavities at 120 C for about 48 h under ultrahigh vacuum. An improved oxygen diffusionmore » model for the niobium-oxide system is proposed to explain the benefit of the low-temperature baking on the Q-drop in niobium superconducting rf cavities. The model shows that baking at 120 C for 48 h allows oxygen to diffuse away from the surface, and therefore increasing the lower critical field towards the value for pure niobium.« less

  17. Numerical Study of the Reduction Process in an Oxygen Blast Furnace

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zongliang; Meng, Jiale; Guo, Lei; Guo, Zhancheng

    2016-02-01

    Based on computational fluid dynamics, chemical reaction kinetics, principles of transfer in metallurgy, and other principles, a multi-fluid model for a traditional blast furnace was established. The furnace conditions were simulated with this multi-fluid mathematical model, and the model was verified with the comparison of calculation and measurement. Then a multi-fluid model for an oxygen blast furnace in the gasifier-full oxygen blast furnace process was established based on this traditional blast furnace model. With the established multi-fluid model for an oxygen blast furnace, the basic characteristics of iron ore reduction process in the oxygen blast furnace were summarized, including the changing process of the iron ore reduction degree and the compositions of the burden, etc. The study found that compared to the traditional blast furnace, the magnetite reserve zone in the furnace shaft under oxygen blast furnace condition was significantly reduced, which is conducive to the efficient operation of blast furnace. In order to optimize the oxygen blast furnace design and operating parameters, the iron ore reduction process in the oxygen blast furnace was researched under different shaft tuyere positions, different recycling gas temperatures, and different allocation ratios of recycling gas between the hearth tuyere and the shaft tuyere. The results indicate that these three factors all have a substantial impact on the ore reduction process in the oxygen blast furnace. Moderate shaft tuyere position, high recycling gas temperature, and high recycling gas allocation ratio between hearth and shaft could significantly promote the reduction of iron ore, reduce the scope of the magnetite reserve zone, and improve the performance of oxygen blast furnace. Based on the above findings, the recommendations for improvement of the oxygen blast furnace design and operation were proposed.

  18. Hyperbaric oxygen: Primary treatment of radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weiss, J.P.; Neville, E.C.

    Of 8 patients with symptoms of advanced cystitis due to pelvic radiation treated with hyperbaric oxygen 7 are persistently improved during followup. All 6 patients treated for gross hematuria requiring hospitalization have been free of symptoms for an average of 24 months (range 6 to 43 months). One patient treated for stress incontinence currently is dry despite little change in bladder capacity, implying salutary effect from hyperbaric oxygen on the sphincter mechanism. One patient with radiation-induced prostatitis failed to respond. This experience suggests that hyperbaric oxygen should be considered the primary treatment for patients with symptomatic radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.

  19. Identifying Continuous Quality Improvement Priorities in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting.

    PubMed

    Preskitt, Julie; Fifolt, Matthew; Ginter, Peter M; Rucks, Andrew; Wingate, Martha S

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this article was to describe a methodology to identify continuous quality improvement (CQI) priorities for one state's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program from among the 40 required constructs associated with 6 program benchmarks. The authors discuss how the methodology provided consensus on system CQI quality measure priorities and describe variation among the 3 service delivery models used within the state. Q-sort methodology was used by home visiting (HV) service delivery providers (home visitors) to prioritize HV quality measures for the overall state HV system as well as their service delivery model. There was general consensus overall and among the service delivery models on CQI quality measure priorities, although some variation was observed. Measures associated with Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting benchmark 1, Improved Maternal and Newborn Health, and benchmark 3, Improvement in School Readiness and Achievement, were the highest ranked. The Q-sort exercise allowed home visitors an opportunity to examine priorities within their service delivery model as well as for the overall First Teacher HV system. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions regarding how and why they selected specific quality measures and developed a greater awareness and understanding of a systems approach to HV within the state. The Q-sort methodology presented in this article can easily be replicated by other states to identify CQI priorities at the local and state levels and can be used effectively in states that use a single HV service delivery model or those that implement multiple evidence-based models for HV service delivery.

  20. Cerebral perfusion and oxygenation after the Norwood procedure: comparison of right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.

    PubMed

    Kussman, Barry D; Gauvreau, Kimberlee; DiNardo, James A; Newburger, Jane W; Mackie, Andrew S; Booth, Karen L; del Nido, Pedro J; Roth, Stephen J; Laussen, Peter C

    2007-03-01

    The proposed physiologic advantage of the modified Norwood procedure using a right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit to supply pulmonary blood flow, compared with a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, is reduced runoff from the systemic-to-pulmonary circulation during diastole, resulting in a higher diastolic blood pressure and improved systemic perfusion. We hypothesized that the modified Norwood procedure is associated with improved cerebral perfusion and oxygenation. Transcranial Doppler sonography and near-infrared spectroscopy were performed in neonates undergoing the Norwood procedure with either a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (n = 14) or right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit (n = 13). Diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the right ventricle-pulmonary artery group at 6 hours after bypass (46 +/- 7 vs 40 +/- 4 mm Hg; P = .03), on postoperative day 1 (45 +/- 6 vs 37 +/- 5 mm Hg; P = .002), and on postoperative day 2 (46 +/- 7 vs 37 +/- 4 mm Hg; P = .001). Cerebral diastolic blood flow velocity did not differ significantly between groups at any time point or over time, but cerebral systolic blood flow velocity was higher over time in the Blalock-Taussig group (P = .01). No significant differences in regional cerebral oxygen saturation were found between groups at baseline or after bypass. Blood flow velocities and cerebral oxygen saturation did not differ significantly according to use of regional low-flow perfusion. The higher diastolic blood pressure after the modified Norwood procedure is not associated with higher cerebral blood flow velocities or regional cerebral oxygen saturation. This may imply an equal vulnerability to the cerebral injury associated with hemodynamic instability in the early postoperative period.

  1. Acute oxygen therapy: a review of prescribing and delivery practices

    PubMed Central

    Cousins, Joyce L; Wark, Peter AB; McDonald, Vanessa M

    2016-01-01

    Oxygen is a commonly used drug in the clinical setting and like other drugs its use must be considered carefully. This is particularly true for those patients who are at risk of type II respiratory failure in whom the risk of hypercapnia is well established. In recent times, several international bodies have advocated for the prescription of oxygen therapy in an attempt to reduce this risk in vulnerable patient groups. Despite this guidance, published data have demonstrated that there has been poor uptake of these recommendations. Multiple interventions have been tested to improve concordance, and while some of these interventions show promise, the sustainability of these interventions are less convincing. In this review, we summarize data that have been published on the prevalence of oxygen prescription and the accurate and appropriate administration of this drug therapy. We also identify strategies that have shown promise in facilitating changes to oxygen prescription and delivery practice. There is a clear need to investigate the barriers, facilitators, and attitudes of clinicians in relation to the prescription of oxygen therapy in acute care. Interventions based on these findings then need to be designed and tested to facilitate the application of evidence-based guidelines to support sustained changes in practice, and ultimately improve patient care. PMID:27307722

  2. Triiodothyronine facilitates weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation by improved mitochondrial substrate utilization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Files, Matthew D.; Kajimoto, Masaki; Priddy, Colleen M.

    2014-03-20

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides a bridge to recovery after myocardial injury in infants and children, yet morbidity and mortality remain high. Weaning from the circuit requires adequate cardiac contractile function, which can be impaired by metabolic disturbances induced either by ischemia-reperfusion and / or by ECMO.

  3. Improvement of early detection of breast cancer through collaborative multi-country efforts: Medical physics component.

    PubMed

    Mora, Patricia; Faulkner, Keith; Mahmoud, Ahmed M; Gershan, Vesna; Kausik, Aruna; Zdesar, Urban; Brandan, María-Ester; Kurt, Serap; Davidović, Jasna; Salama, Dina H; Aribal, Erkin; Odio, Clara; Chaturvedi, Arvind K; Sabih, Zahida; Vujnović, Saša; Paez, Diana; Delis, Harry

    2018-04-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through a Coordinated Research Project on "Enhancing Capacity for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer through Imaging", brought together a group of mammography radiologists, medical physicists and radiographers; to investigate current practices and improve procedures for the early detection of breast cancer by strengthening both the clinical and medical physics components. This paper addresses the medical physics component. The countries that participated in the CRP were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Kenya, the Frmr. Yug. Rep. of Macedonia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Slovenia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Zambia. Ten institutions participated using IAEA quality control protocols in 9 digital and 3 analogue mammography equipment. A spreadsheet for data collection was generated and distributed. Evaluation of image quality was done using TOR MAX and DMAM2 Gold phantoms. QC results for analogue equipment showed satisfactory results. QC tests performed on digital systems showed that improvements needed to be implemented, especially in thickness accuracy, signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) values for achievable levels, uniformity and modulation transfer function (MTF). Mean glandular dose (MGD) was below international recommended levels for patient radiation protection. Evaluation of image quality by phantoms also indicated the need for improvement. Common activities facilitated improvement in mammography practice, including training of medical physicists in QC programs and infrastructure was improved and strengthened; networking among medical physicists and radiologists took place and was maintained over time. IAEA QC protocols provided a uniformed approach to QC measurements. Copyright © 2018 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Modeling Variable Phanerozoic Oxygen Effects on Physiology and Evolution.

    PubMed

    Graham, Jeffrey B; Jew, Corey J; Wegner, Nicholas C

    2016-01-01

    Geochemical approximation of Earth's atmospheric O2 level over geologic time prompts hypotheses linking hyper- and hypoxic atmospheres to transformative events in the evolutionary history of the biosphere. Such correlations, however, remain problematic due to the relative imprecision of the timing and scope of oxygen change and the looseness of its overlay on the chronology of key biotic events such as radiations, evolutionary innovation, and extinctions. There are nevertheless general attributions of atmospheric oxygen concentration to key evolutionary changes among groups having a primary dependence upon oxygen diffusion for respiration. These include the occurrence of Devonian hypoxia and the accentuation of air-breathing dependence leading to the origin of vertebrate terrestriality, the occurrence of Carboniferous-Permian hyperoxia and the major radiation of early tetrapods and the origins of insect flight and gigantism, and the Mid-Late Permian oxygen decline accompanying the Permian extinction. However, because of variability between and error within different atmospheric models, there is little basis for postulating correlations outside the Late Paleozoic. Other problems arising in the correlation of paleo-oxygen with significant biological events include tendencies to ignore the role of blood pigment affinity modulation in maintaining homeostasis, the slow rates of O2 change that would have allowed for adaptation, and significant respiratory and circulatory modifications that can and do occur without changes in atmospheric oxygen. The purpose of this paper is thus to refocus thinking about basic questions central to the biological and physiological implications of O2 change over geological time.

  5. Heat treatment as postharvest tool for improving quality in extra-early nectarines.

    PubMed

    Falagán, Natalia; Artés, Francisco; Aguayo, Encarna

    2018-03-01

    Extra-early nectarine cultivars such as 'VioWhite 5' could present a lack of organoleptic and nutritional quality. Heat treatments (HT) can be applied to improve their primary characteristics. In this experiment, control (non-treated), HT 1 (3 h; 45 °C) and HT 2 (2 h; 50 °C) were studied. Fruit were stored (10 days; 0 ± 0.5 °C; 90-95% RH) followed by a simulated retail sale period (3 days; 15 °C; 70-75% RH). HT fruit showed higher weight loss (2.76 ± 0.06% and 3.32 ± 0.01% for HT 1 and HT 2 , respectively; vs. 2.23 ± 0.14% for control) and lower firmness than control samples (28.88% and 21.67% less for HT 1 and HT 2 , respectively). HT treatments induced an increase in soluble solids content and a decrease in total acidity, which led to a better sensory quality. These changes were positively received by consumers. Total antioxidant capacity was enhanced by HT due to an increase in phenolic compound content. A higher enzymatic activity was found in pectin methylesterase and polygaracturonase in HT nectarines when compared to control. The application of HT on extra-early nectarine cv. demonstrated a strong potential to improve consumption quality in the industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Ibudilast may improve attention during early abstinence from methamphetamine.

    PubMed

    Birath, J Brandon; Briones, Marisa; Amaya, Stephanie; Shoptaw, Steven; Swanson, Aimee-Noelle; Tsuang, John; Furst, Benjamin; Heinzerling, Keith; Obermeit, Lisa; Maes, Lauryn; McKay, Charles; Wright, Matthew J

    2017-09-01

    Inattention is a deficit related to instilling abstinence from methamphetamine (MA) dependence. This study aimed to determine whether ibudilast (IB; 50mg bid) improves attentional abilities compared to placebo during early abstinence from MA dependence. Attention was assessed in 11 MA-dependent non-treatment seeking participants in a phase IB safety-interaction trial. The Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II (CPT-II), a measure of sustained attention and response inhibition, was administered at baseline and on day 22, 48h post a MA challenge under placebo (P; n=6) or IB 50mg bid (n=5). Group differences were compared using Mann-Whitney U Tests. Groups were similar at baseline in premorbid intellectual functioning, attention deficit hyperactivity symptom scores, impulsivity ratings, and education level, but differed in age. Demographically corrected T-scores for CPT-II performances were utilized. Although no group differences in sustained attention existed at baseline, at follow-up, the IB group (Mdn=44.4) showed reduced variability in response times compared with the P group (Mdn=69.9), U=0.00, z=-2.74, p=.006, r=.83. The IB group (Mdn=45.8) also gave fewer perseverative responses than the P group (Mdn=67.0), U=2.00, z=-2.50, p=.01, r=.75. No other significant differences were observed. Findings suggest that IB may have a protective effect on sustained attention during early abstinence from MA dependence. This may guide thinking about mechanism of action should IB demonstrate efficacy as a treatment for MA dependence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Multispectral fundus imaging for early detection of diabetic retinopathy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beach, James M.; Tiedeman, James S.; Hopkins, Mark F.; Sabharwal, Yashvinder S.

    1999-04-01

    Functional imaging of the retina and associated structures may provide information for early assessment of risks of developing retinopathy in diabetic patients. Here we show results of retinal oximetry performed using multi-spectral reflectance imaging techniques to assess hemoglobin (Hb) oxygen saturation (OS) in blood vessels of the inner retina and oxygen utilization at the optic nerve in diabetic patients without retinopathy and early disease during experimental hyperglycemia. Retinal images were obtained through a fundus camera and simultaneously recorded at up to four wavelengths using image-splitting modules coupled to a digital camera. Changes in OS in large retinal vessels, in average OS in disk tissue, and in the reduced state of cytochrome oxidase (CO) at the disk were determined from changes in reflectance associated with the oxidation/reduction states of Hb and CO. Step to high sugar lowered venous oxygen saturation to a degree dependent on disease duration. Moderate increase in sugar produced higher levels of reduced CO in both the disk and surrounding tissue without a detectable change in average tissue OS. Results suggest that regulation of retinal blood supply and oxygen consumption are altered by hyperglycemia and that such functional changes are present before clinical signs of retinopathy.

  8. Effect of Humid Aging on the Oxygen Adsorption in SnO₂ Gas Sensors.

    PubMed

    Suematsu, Koichi; Ma, Nan; Watanabe, Ken; Yuasa, Masayoshi; Kida, Tetsuya; Shimanoe, Kengo

    2018-01-16

    To investigate the effect of aging at 580 °C in wet air (humid aging) on the oxygen adsorption on the surface of SnO₂ particles, the electric properties and the sensor response to hydrogen in dry and humid atmospheres for SnO₂ resistive-type gas sensors were evaluated. The electric resistance in dry and wet atmospheres at 350 °C was strongly increased by humid aging. From the results of oxygen partial pressure dependence of the electric resistance, the oxygen adsorption equilibrium constants ( K ₁; for O - adsorption, K ₂; for O 2- adsorption) were estimated on the basis of the theoretical model of oxygen adsorption. The K ₁ and K ₂ in dry and wet atmospheres at 350 °C were increased by humid aging at 580 °C, indicating an increase in the adsorption amount of both O - and O 2- . These results suggest that hydroxyl poisoning on the oxygen adsorption is suppressed by humid aging. The sensor response to hydrogen in dry and wet atmosphere at 350 °C was clearly improved by humid aging. Such an improvement of the sensor response seems to be caused by increasing the oxygen adsorption amount. Thus, the humid aging offers an effective way to improve the sensor response of SnO₂ resistive-type gas sensors in dry and wet atmospheres.

  9. Guide for Oxygen Compatibility Assessments on Oxygen Components and Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosales, Keisa R.; Shoffstall, Michael S.; Stoltzfus, Joel M.

    2007-01-01

    Understanding and preventing fire hazards is necessary when designing, maintaining, and operating oxygen systems. Ignition risks can be minimized by controlling heat sources and using materials that will not ignite or will not support burning in the end-use environment. Because certain materials are more susceptible to ignition in oxygen-enriched environments, a compatibility assessment should be performed before the component is introduced into an oxygen system. This document provides an overview of oxygen fire hazards and procedures that are consistent with the latest versions of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards G63 (1999) and G94 (2005) to address fire hazards associated with oxygen systems. This document supersedes the previous edition, NASA Technical Memorandum 104823, Guide for Oxygen Hazards Analyses on Components and Systems (1996). The step-by-step oxygen compatibility assessment method described herein (see Section 4) enables oxygen-system designers, system engineers, and facility managers to determine areas of concern with respect to oxygen compatibility and, ultimately, prevent damage to a system or injury to personnel.

  10. STAT3 precedes HIF1α transcriptional responses to oxygen and oxygen and glucose deprivation in human brain pericytes.

    PubMed

    Carlsson, Robert; Özen, Ilknur; Barbariga, Marco; Gaceb, Abderahim; Roth, Michaela; Paul, Gesine

    2018-01-01

    Brain pericytes are important to maintain vascular integrity of the neurovascular unit under both physiological and ischemic conditions. Ischemic stroke is known to induce an inflammatory and hypoxic response due to the lack of oxygen and glucose in the brain tissue. How this early response to ischemia is molecularly regulated in pericytes is largely unknown and may be of importance for future therapeutic targets. Here we evaluate the transcriptional responses in in vitro cultured human brain pericytes after oxygen and/or glucose deprivation. Hypoxia has been widely known to stabilise the transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) and mediate the induction of hypoxic transcriptional programs after ischemia. However, we find that the transcription factors Jun Proto-Oncogene (c-JUN), Nuclear Factor Of Kappa Light Polypeptide Gene Enhancer In B-Cells (NFκB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) bind genes regulated after 2hours (hs) of omitted glucose and oxygen before HIF1α. Potent HIF1α responses require 6hs of hypoxia to substantiate transcriptional regulation comparable to either c-JUN or STAT3. Phosphorylated STAT3 protein is at its highest after 5 min of oxygen and glucose (OGD) deprivation, whereas maximum HIF1α stabilisation requires 120 min. We show that STAT3 regulates angiogenic and metabolic pathways before HIF1α, suggesting that HIF1α is not the initiating trans-acting factor in the response of pericytes to ischemia.

  11. Acute administration of high doses of taurine does not substantially improve high-intensity running performance and the effect on maximal accumulated oxygen deficit is unclear.

    PubMed

    Milioni, Fabio; Malta, Elvis de Souza; Rocha, Leandro George Spinola do Amaral; Mesquita, Camila Angélica Asahi; de Freitas, Ellen Cristini; Zagatto, Alessandro Moura

    2016-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute administration of taurine overload on time to exhaustion (TTE) of high-intensity running performance and alternative maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAODALT). The study design was a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Seventeen healthy male volunteers (age: 25 ± 6 years; maximal oxygen uptake: 50.5 ± 7.6 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) performed an incremental treadmill-running test until voluntary exhaustion to determine maximal oxygen uptake and exercise intensity at maximal oxygen uptake. Subsequently, participants completed randomly 2 bouts of supramaximal treadmill-running at 110% exercise intensity at maximal oxygen uptake until exhaustion (placebo (6 g dextrose) or taurine (6 g) supplementation), separated by 1 week. MAODALT was determined using a single supramaximal effort by summating the contribution of the phosphagen and glycolytic pathways. When comparing the results of the supramaximal trials (i.e., placebo and taurine conditions) no differences were observed for high-intensity running TTE (237.70 ± 66.00 and 277.30 ± 40.64 s; p = 0.44) and MAODALT (55.77 ± 8.22 and 55.06 ± 7.89 mL·kg(-1); p = 0.61), which seem to indicate trivial and unclear differences using the magnitude-based inferences approach, respectively. In conclusion, acute 6 g taurine supplementation before exercise did not substantially improve high-intensity running performance and showed an unclear effect on MAODALT.

  12. Disease activity decrease is associated with improvement in work productivity over 1 year in early axial spondyloarthritis (SPondyloArthritis Caught Early cohort).

    PubMed

    van Lunteren, Miranda; Ez-Zaitouni, Zineb; Fongen, Camilla; Landewé, Robert; Ramonda, Roberta; van der Heijde, Désirée; van Gaalen, Floris A

    2017-12-01

    To assess if a change in disease activity is associated with a change in work productivity loss (WPL) over 1 year in early axial SpA (axSpA) patients. Baseline and 1 year data of axSpA patients in the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early cohort were analysed. Linear regression models were built explaining the change in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) over time by the change in absenteeism, presenteeism, WPL and activity impairment over time. Effect modification and confounding were tested for age, gender, arm of Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society classification criteria, HLA-B27, duration of chronic back pain, profession and medication. At baseline, in 105 axSpA patients (48% female, mean age 30.8 years, mean symptom duration 13.6 months, 92% HLA-B27 positive, 24% radiographic sacroiliitis), the mean ASDAS was 2.4 (s.d. 1.0), absenteeism 9% (s.d. 23), presenteeism 33% (s.d. 28), WPL 36% (s.d. 30) and activity impairment 37% (s.d. 25). After 1 year, the mean ASDAS decreased to 2.0 (s.d. 0.8) and absenteeism, presenteeism, WPL and activity impairment improved to 6% (s.d. 22), 26% (s.d. 26), 27% (s.d. 29) and 27% (s.d. 26), respectively. Models showed that if ASDAS decreased 1 unit, absenteeism, presenteeism, WPL and activity impairment improved by 5, 17, 16 and 18%, respectively. The impact of disease activity on work productivity was higher in patients with shorter symptom duration and the impact on absenteeism was higher in patients starting pharmacological treatment. In early axSpA patients, work productivity and daily activities are seriously impacted at baseline and 1 year. However, decreasing disease activity is associated with marked improvements in work productivity and daily activities. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. Modelling oxygen transfer using dynamic alpha factors.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Lu-Man; Garrido-Baserba, Manel; Nolasco, Daniel; Al-Omari, Ahmed; DeClippeleir, Haydee; Murthy, Sudhir; Rosso, Diego

    2017-11-01

    Due to the importance of wastewater aeration in meeting treatment requirements and due to its elevated energy intensity, it is important to describe the real nature of an aeration system to improve design and specification, performance prediction, energy consumption, and process sustainability. Because organic loadings drive aeration efficiency to its lowest value when the oxygen demand (energy) is the highest, the implications of considering their dynamic nature on energy costs are of utmost importance. A dynamic model aimed at identifying conservation opportunities is presented. The model developed describes the correlation between the COD concentration and the α factor in activated sludge. Using the proposed model, the aeration efficiency is calculated as a function of the organic loading (i.e. COD). This results in predictions of oxygen transfer values that are more realistic than the traditional method of assuming constant α values. The model was applied to two water resource recovery facilities, and was calibrated and validated with time-sensitive databases. Our improved aeration model structure increases the quality of prediction of field data through the recognition of the dynamic nature of the alpha factor (α) as a function of the applied oxygen demand. For the cases presented herein, the model prediction of airflow improved by 20-35% when dynamic α is used. The proposed model offers a quantitative tool for the prediction of energy demand and for minimizing aeration design uncertainty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Comparison of the OxyMask and Venturi mask in the delivery of supplemental oxygen: Pilot study in oxygen-dependent patients

    PubMed Central

    Beecroft, Jaime M; Hanly, Patrick J

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The OxyMask (Southmedic Inc, Canada) is a new face mask for oxygen delivery that uses a small ‘diffuser’ to concentrate and direct oxygen toward the mouth and nose. The authors hypothesized that this unique design would enable the OxyMask to deliver oxygen more efficiently than a Venturi mask (Hudson RCI, USA) in patients with chronic hypoxemia. METHODS: Oxygen-dependent patients with chronic, stable respiratory disease were recruited to compare the OxyMask and Venturi mask in a randomized, single-blind, cross-over design. Baseline blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) was established breathing room air, followed in a random order by supplemental oxygen through the OxyMask or Venturi mask. Oxygen delivery was titrated to maintain SaO2 4% to 5% and 8% to 9% above baseline for two separate 30 min periods of stable breathing. Oxygen flow rate, partial pressure of inspired and expired oxygen (PO2) and carbon dioxide (PCO2), minute ventilation, heart rate, nasal and oral breathing, SaO2 and transcutaneous PCO2 were collected continuously. The study was repeated following alterations to the OxyMask design, which improved clearance of carbon dioxide. RESULTS: Thirteen patients, aged 28 to 79 years, were studied initially using the original OxyMask. Oxygen flow rate was lower, inspired PO2 was higher and expired PO2 was lower while using the OxyMask. Minute ventilation and inspired and expired PCO2 were significantly higher while using the OxyMask, whereas transcutaneous PCO2, heart rate and the ratio of nasal to oral breathing did not change significantly throughout the study. Following modification of the OxyMask, 13 additional patients, aged 18 to 79 years, were studied using the same protocol. The modified OxyMask provided a higher inspired PO2 at a lower flow rate, without evidence of carbon dioxide retention. CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen is delivered safely and more efficiently by the OxyMask than by the Venturi mask in stable oxygen-dependent patients. PMID:16896425

  15. Coaching and Quality Assistance in Quality Rating Improvement Systems: Approaches Used by TA Providers to Improve Quality in Early Care and Education Programs and Home-Based Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Sheila; Robbins, Taylor; Schneider, Will; Kreader, J. Lee; Ong, Christine

    2012-01-01

    Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRISs) commonly offer on-site technical assistance (TA) and coaching to help early care and education settings achieve quality improvements and a higher QRIS rating. In surveys of administrators overseeing statewide QRISs, almost all states reported the use of on-site TA and coaching in both center-based and…

  16. Oxygen Tension Within the Neurogenic Niche Regulates Dopaminergic Neurogenesis in the Developing Midbrain

    PubMed Central

    Wagenführ, Lisa; Meyer, Anne Karen; Marrone, Lara

    2016-01-01

    Oxygen tension is an important factor controlling stem cell proliferation and maintenance in various stem cell populations with a particular relevance in midbrain dopaminergic progenitors. Further studies have shown that the oxygen-dependent transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is involved in these processes. However, all available studies on oxygen effects in dopaminergic neuroprogenitors were performed in vitro and thus it remains unclear whether tissue oxygen tension in the embryonic midbrain is also relevant for the regulation of dopaminergic neurogenesis in vivo. We thus dissect here the effects of oxygen tension in combination with HIF-1α conditional knockout on dopaminergic neurogenesis by using a novel experimental design allowing for the control of oxygen tension within the microenvironment of the neurogenic niche of the murine fetal midbrain in vivo. The microenvironment of the midbrain dopaminergic neurogenic niche was detected as hypoxic with oxygen tensions below 1.1%. Maternal oxygen treatment of 10%, 21%, and 75% atmospheric oxygen tension for 48 h translates into robust changes in fetal midbrain oxygenation. Fetal midbrain hypoxia hampered the generation of dopaminergic neurons and is accompanied with restricted fetal midbrain development. In contrast, induced hyperoxia stimulated proliferation and differentiation of dopaminergic progenitors during early and late embryogenesis. Oxygen effects were not directly mediated through HIF-1α signaling. These data—in agreement with in vitro data—indicate that oxygen is a crucial regulator of developmental dopaminergic neurogenesis. Our study provides the initial framework for future studies on molecular mechanisms mediating oxygen regulation of dopaminergic neurogenesis within the fetal midbrain as its natural environment. PMID:26577812

  17. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening Associated with Early Tumor Detection and Improved Survival Among Patients with Cirrhosis in the US.

    PubMed

    Singal, Amit G; Mittal, Sahil; Yerokun, Olutola A; Ahn, Chul; Marrero, Jorge A; Yopp, Adam C; Parikh, Neehar D; Scaglione, Steve J

    2017-09-01

    Professional societies recommend hepatocellular carcinoma screening in patients with cirrhosis, but high-quality data evaluating its effectiveness to improve early tumor detection and survival in "real world" clinical practice are needed. We aim to characterize the association between hepatocellular carcinoma screening and early tumor detection, curative treatment, and overall survival among patients with cirrhosis. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma between June 2012 and May 2013 at 4 health systems in the US. Patients were categorized in the screening group if hepatocellular carcinoma was detected by imaging performed for screening purposes. Generalized linear models and multivariate Cox regression with frailty adjustment were used to compare early detection, curative treatment, and survival between screen-detected and non-screen-detected patients. Among 374 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 42% (n = 157) were detected by screening. Screen-detected patients had a significantly higher proportion of early tumors (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A 63.1% vs 36.4%, P <.001) and were more likely to undergo curative treatment (31% vs 13%, P = .02). Hepatocellular carcinoma screening was significantly associated with improved survival in multivariate analysis (hazards ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.65) after adjusting for patient demographics, Child-Pugh class, and performance status. Median survival of screen-detected patients was 14.6 months, compared with 6.0 months for non-screen-detected patients, with the difference remaining significant after adjusting for lead-time bias (hazards ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.93). Hepatocellular carcinoma screening is associated with increased early tumor detection and improved survival; however, a minority of hepatocellular carcinoma patients are detected by screening. Interventions to increase screening use in patients with cirrhosis may

  18. Improvement of the Redox Balance Increases l-Valine Production by Corynebacterium glutamicum under Oxygen Deprivation Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Hasegawa, Satoshi; Uematsu, Kimio; Natsuma, Yumi; Suda, Masako; Hiraga, Kazumi; Jojima, Toru; Inui, Masayuki

    2012-01-01

    Production of l-valine under oxygen deprivation conditions by Corynebacterium glutamicum lacking the lactate dehydrogenase gene ldhA and overexpressing the l-valine biosynthesis genes ilvBNCDE was repressed. This was attributed to imbalanced cofactor production and consumption in the overall l-valine synthesis pathway: two moles of NADH was generated and two moles of NADPH was consumed per mole of l-valine produced from one mole of glucose. In order to solve this cofactor imbalance, the coenzyme requirement for l-valine synthesis was converted from NADPH to NADH via modification of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase encoded by ilvC and introduction of Lysinibacillus sphaericus leucine dehydrogenase in place of endogenous transaminase B, encoded by ilvE. The intracellular NADH/NAD+ ratio significantly decreased, and glucose consumption and l-valine production drastically improved. Moreover, l-valine yield increased and succinate formation decreased concomitantly with the decreased intracellular redox state. These observations suggest that the intracellular NADH/NAD+ ratio, i.e., reoxidation of NADH, is the primary rate-limiting factor for l-valine production under oxygen deprivation conditions. The l-valine productivity and yield were even better and by-products derived from pyruvate further decreased as a result of a feedback resistance-inducing mutation in the acetohydroxy acid synthase encoded by ilvBN. The resultant strain produced 1,470 mM l-valine after 24 h with a yield of 0.63 mol mol of glucose−1, and the l-valine productivity reached 1,940 mM after 48 h. PMID:22138982

  19. Improvement of the redox balance increases L-valine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum under oxygen deprivation conditions.

    PubMed

    Hasegawa, Satoshi; Uematsu, Kimio; Natsuma, Yumi; Suda, Masako; Hiraga, Kazumi; Jojima, Toru; Inui, Masayuki; Yukawa, Hideaki

    2012-02-01

    Production of L-valine under oxygen deprivation conditions by Corynebacterium glutamicum lacking the lactate dehydrogenase gene ldhA and overexpressing the L-valine biosynthesis genes ilvBNCDE was repressed. This was attributed to imbalanced cofactor production and consumption in the overall L-valine synthesis pathway: two moles of NADH was generated and two moles of NADPH was consumed per mole of L-valine produced from one mole of glucose. In order to solve this cofactor imbalance, the coenzyme requirement for L-valine synthesis was converted from NADPH to NADH via modification of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase encoded by ilvC and introduction of Lysinibacillus sphaericus leucine dehydrogenase in place of endogenous transaminase B, encoded by ilvE. The intracellular NADH/NAD(+) ratio significantly decreased, and glucose consumption and L-valine production drastically improved. Moreover, L-valine yield increased and succinate formation decreased concomitantly with the decreased intracellular redox state. These observations suggest that the intracellular NADH/NAD(+) ratio, i.e., reoxidation of NADH, is the primary rate-limiting factor for L-valine production under oxygen deprivation conditions. The L-valine productivity and yield were even better and by-products derived from pyruvate further decreased as a result of a feedback resistance-inducing mutation in the acetohydroxy acid synthase encoded by ilvBN. The resultant strain produced 1,470 mM L-valine after 24 h with a yield of 0.63 mol mol of glucose(-1), and the L-valine productivity reached 1,940 mM after 48 h.

  20. Improved oxygenation 24 hours after transition to airway pressure release ventilation or high-frequency oscillatory ventilation accurately discriminates survival in immunocompromised pediatric patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome*.

    PubMed

    Yehya, Nadir; Topjian, Alexis A; Thomas, Neal J; Friess, Stuart H

    2014-05-01

    Children with an immunocompromised condition and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation have high risk of death. Such patients are commonly transitioned to rescue modes of nonconventional ventilation, including airway pressure release ventilation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, for acute respiratory distress syndrome refractory to conventional ventilation. Our aim was to describe our experience with airway pressure release ventilation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in children with an immunocompromised condition and acute respiratory distress syndrome refractory to conventional ventilation and to identify factors associated with survival. Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary care, university-affiliated PICU. Sixty pediatric patients with an immunocompromised condition and acute respiratory distress syndrome refractory to conventional ventilation transitioned to either airway pressure release ventilation or high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. None. Demographic data, ventilator settings, arterial blood gases, oxygenation index, and PaO(2)/FIO(2) were recorded before transition to either mode of nonconventional ventilation and at predetermined intervals after transition for up to 5 days. Mortality in the entire cohort was 63% and did not differ between patients transitioned to airway pressure release ventilation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. For both airway pressure release ventilation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, improvements in oxygenation index and PaO(2)/FIO(2) at 24 hours expressed as a fraction of pretransition values (oxygenation index(24)/oxygenation index(pre) and PaO(2)/FIO(224)/PaO(2)/FIO(2pre)) reliably discriminated nonsurvivors from survivors, with receiver operating characteristic areas under the curves between 0.89 and 0.95 (p for all curves < 0.001). Sensitivity-specificity analysis suggested that less than 15% reduction in oxygenation index (90% sensitive, 75% specific) or less than 90