Possible Amazonian contribution to Sargassum enhancement on the Amazon Continental Shelf.

The Amazon Continental Shelf (ACS) has a coastline of ∼1000 km and is situated in a humid equatorial region with two distinct seasons, wet and dry, and two transitional climatic periods. A total of eight oceanographic cruises were conducted to investigate the dynamics of the inorganic nutrients dissolved in the surface layer of the water column of the ACS and their associations with Sargassum blooms. An excess of nitrogen-N* (NH = 0.

The impact of intoxication on the number of organs available for transplantation after brain death.

A significant number of head-injured trauma patients are likely to present with a positive toxicology. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether intoxication with substances such as cocaine, amphetamine, alcohol, and opiates on admission has any influence on the number of organs that are recovered after brain death in these patients. We conducted a retrospective review of all organ donor patients admitted to a Level I trauma center over a 4-year period (2002 to 2005).

Does the use of pulmonary artery catheters increase the number of organs available for transplantation?

Aggressive donor management, including the placement of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) to monitor hemodynamic status and tissue perfusion, has been associated with a significant increase in the number of organs recovered for transplantation. Nonetheless, there has been growing scrutiny over the use of PACs because of their known complications and lack of therapeutic effect. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of PACs in the management of organ donors.

Improving consent rates for organ donation: the effect of an inhouse coordinator program.

Background: The inability to obtain consent remains one of the major obstacles to organ donation. The presence of in-house coordinators (IHCs) from organ procurement organizations (OPOs) might substantially improve donation rates.

Objective: To review the preliminary results of the effect of the presence of an IHC on organ donation rates at our center.

Using thyroid hormone in brain-dead donors to maximize the number of organs available for transplantation.

The aggressive management of brain-dead (cadaveric) organ donors has been shown to increase organs available for transplantation. Some centers use hormone therapy with thyroid hormone (T(4)) in selected donors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of T(4) on organs available for transplantation.