Adaptive Hybrid Molecular Brushes Composed of Chitosan, Polylactide, and Poly(-vinyl pyrrolidone) for Support and Guiding Human Dermal Fibroblasts.

Hybrid molecular brushes (HMBs) are macromolecular constructs made up of a backbone polymer and side-chain polymers with distinct properties. They adapt to a changing microenvironment via the conformational mechanism and thus may affect mammalian cell proliferation. Two biobenign HMBs were synthesized in this work: (1) polylactide (PLA) grafted to the chitosan (CHI) backbone to form chitosan--polylactide (CHI--PLA), a two-component molecular brush, and (2) poly(-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PNVP) grafted to chitosan moieties of CHI-PLA to form a three-component HMB.

Design of hybrid molecular brushes with reversible surface adaptability on exposure to specific solvents.

Hybrid molecular brushes (HMBs) are macromolecules made of a linear backbone and polymeric side chains that differ in their chemical nature. The authors developed a new method of synthesis of HMB with chitosan (CHI) backbone. In the first step, chitosan-graft-polylactide (CHI-g-PLA) was synthesized by interfacial ring opening polymerization of lactide initiated from CHI.

Bispectral Index asymmetry and COMFORT score in paediatric intensive care patients.

Background: The Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor has been suggested as a potential tool to measure depth of sedation in paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients. The primary aim of our observational study was to assess the difference in BIS values between the left and right sides of the brain. Secondary aims were to compare BIS and COMFORT score and to assess change in BIS with tracheal suctioning.

Accelerated image processing on FPGAs.

The Cameron project has developed a language called single assignment C (SA-C), and a compiler for mapping image-based applications written in SA-C to field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The paper tests this technology by implementing several applications in SA-C and compiling them to an Annapolis Microsystems (AMS) WildStar board with a Xilinx XV2000E FPGA. The performance of these applications on the FPGA is compared to the performance of the same applications written in assembly code or C for an 800 MHz Pentium III.

Sevoflurane (12% and 8%) inhalational induction in children.

Background: Sevoflurane induction of anesthesia is frequently used in children. Rapidly performed inhalational induction may reduce excitation during early anesthesia. Increasing the total anesthetic MAC delivered to patients can be achieved by increasing volatile concentration or adding nitrous oxide.

The Cardiff paediatric laryngoscope blade: a comparison with the Miller size 1 and Macintosh size 2 laryngoscope blades.

The Cardiff paediatric laryngoscope blade is a single blade that has been designed for use in children from birth to adolescence. This open, randomised, crossover study compared the Cardiff blade with the straight, size 1, Miller laryngoscope blade in 39 infants under 1 years of age and the curved, size 2, Macintosh blade in 39 children aged 1-16 years. The same laryngoscopic view was obtained with the Cardiff and Miller blades in 26 patients; the view was better with the Cardiff blade in seven patients and better with the Miller blade in six (median (IQR [range]) grade of laryngoscopy 1 (1-2 [1-3]) vs.

Detection of epidural catheters with ultrasound in children.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess whether a noninvasive imaging technique such as ultrasound could visualize an epidural catheter in the epidural space in children.

Methods: Following local ethics committee approval and informed parental consent a pilot study of 12 cases was performed. Children undergoing major surgery requiring epidural analgesia were recruited.