Linear adsorption of nonionic organic compounds from water onto hydrophilic minerals: silica and alumina.

To characterize the linear adsorption phenomena in aqueous nonionic organic solute-mineral systems, the adsorption isotherms of some low-molecular-weight nonpolar nonionic solutes (1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, lindane, phenanthrene, and pyrene) and polar nonionic solutes (1,3-dinitrobenzene and 2,4-dinitrotoluene) from single- and binary-solute solutions on hydrophilic silica and alumina were established. Toward this objective, the influences of temperature, ionic strength, and pH on adsorption were also determined. It is found that linear adsorption exhibits low exothermic heats and practically no adsorptive competition.

Suitable restriction enzymes for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of Candida tropicalis.

This study was designed to pursue the identification of optimal restriction enzyme for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of Candida tropicalis. Twelve restriction enzymes were tested on C. tropicalis strains.

Development and validation of the revised Cedars-Sinai health-related quality of life for rheumatoid arthritis instrument.

Objective: To improve accuracy and content coverage of the original 33-item Cedars-Sinai Health-Related Quality of Life for Rheumatoid Arthritis Instrument (CSHQ-RA).

Methods: A total of 312 RA patients from 55 sites were screened in a 24-week trial. Patients completed an expanded 48-item version of the CSHQ-RA, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36), and Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) Disability Index at 5 visits.

Clindamycin-induced anaphylactic shock during general anesthesia.

Clindamycin-related anaphylactic reaction is rarely reported. We report a male patient with buccal cancer who was undergoing radical neck dissection when life-threatening anaphylactic shock developed soon after intravenous infusion of clindamycin. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed, and the patient recovered uneventfully.

Concomitant Candida epiglottitis and disseminated Varicella zoster virus infection associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute epiglottitis by nonbacterial pathogens is an uncommon but life-threatening clinical entity. Herein, we report the concomitant occurrence of Candida epiglottitis and mucosal and visceral Varicella zoster virus infection in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Both infections were atypical in their presentation, occurred in a severely immunocompromised host, and required invasive procedures for diagnosis.

Correlates of depression in type 2 diabetic elderly patients: a correlational study.

Objectives: This aim of this study was to investigate depression and related factors in elderly patients (65 years) with type 2 diabetics.

Methods: The study utilized a descriptive-correlational design. Convenience sampling was applied to enroll 156 subjects, aged >or= 65 years from diabetic outpatient clinics at three hospitals in Kaohsiung.

Development and validation of a preference weight multiattribute health outcome measure for rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To develop and validate multiattribute measures for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to report health states and estimate preference weights.

Methods: Survey materials were mailed to 748 patients. Factor analysis, an item response theory-based model, and an internal consistency test were used to identify attributes and evaluate items.

Correlations between patient-controlled epidural analgesia requirements and individual characteristics among gynecologic patients.

Background: Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) has been used widely to relieve postoperative pain. Although many studies have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of PCEA, the relationship between patients' characteristics and requirements of PCEA has not been investigated yet. We conducted this retrospective study to explore the correlations between total PCEA demand and patients' characteristics.

Butyrolactone I reversibly alters nuclear configuration, periooplasmic microtubules and development of porcine oocytes.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of specific cdc2 kinase inhibitor, butyrolactone I (BL I) on the prevention of germinal vesicle breakdown, changes of microtubular structures, and development of porcine oocytes after removal of the drug. In Experiment 1, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured (44 h) in NCSU-23 medium containing different concentrations of BL I. The percentages of oocytes remaining at GV stage were 0, 0, 32, 80, and 84% (P<0.

Usefulness of inter-IS1 spacer polymorphisms for subtyping of Shigella sonnei isolates.

Shigella sonnei contains numerous IS1 elements. The existence of polymorphisms in the length of the inter-IS1 spacer is a basis for the development of a PCR-based method for the subtyping of S. sonnei strains.

Review of eight pharmacoeconomic studies of the value of biologic DMARDs (adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Treatment options for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have expanded from the traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to include the biologic DMARDs that inhibit tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-a).

Objective: To assess the medical literature for studies of the economic value of biologic DMARDs, specifically the 3 TNF-a inhibitors (adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab) used for the management of RA, compared with the traditional DMARDs such as sulfasalazine, antimalarials, penicillamine, gold, methotrexate, azathioprine, leflunomide, and cyclophosphamide.

Methods: A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE and HealthSTAR databases was conducted to identify cost-efficacy, cost-effectiveness, or cost-utility studies published in the English language (from 1966 through November 2004).

Severe pneumococcal pneumonia: new strategies for management.

Purpose Of Review: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia worldwide and is the most likely causative pathogen in patients with community-acquired pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit. Bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia is an advanced stage of severe pneumococcal pneumonia. Improvement in the management of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia has the potential for improving the survival for severe pneumococcal pneumonia.

Role of shortened QTc dispersion in in-hospital cardiac events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome.

Background: QT dispersion (QTD) refers to the difference between maximal and minimal QT values on the electrocardiogram (ECG). QTD values are calculated and corrected with Bazett's formula (corrected QTD = QTcD = QTD/square root of RR). QTcD increases in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Serotype and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from Taiwanese children: comparison of nasopharyngeal and clinical isolates.

This report describes the serotypes and antimicrobial resistance patterns of 860 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from nasopharyngeal (NP) carriers and clinical specimens collected from Taiwanese children during the years 1997 to 2003. The 6 most common serotypes/groups were 23F, 19F, 6B, 14, 6A, and 3. These accounted for 652/716 (91.

[A family caregiver's experience of care-giving on her own: "face it", "accept it", "deal with it" and "let it go"].

"Aging in place" has become one of the important policies promoting long-term care in the community. In the aging societies of today, the need for family caregivers to care for the elderly has increased. How one woman coped with shouldering the heavy burden of providing long-term family care alone were the main interests of this case study.

Problem pathogens: paediatric legionellosis--implications for improved diagnosis.

Legionnaires' disease is an established and frequent cause of pneumonia in adults but is thought to be a rare cause in children. We reviewed the medical literature for cases of Legionnaires' disease in children and analysed the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment. 76 cases of legionella infection in children were identified.

Assessment of control strategies for reducing volatile organic compound emissions from the polyvinyl chloride wallpaper production industry in Taiwan.

This study attempts to assess the effectiveness of control strategies for reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emission from the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wallpaper production industry. In Taiwan, methyl ethyl ketone, TOL, and cyclohexanone have comprised the major content of solvents, accounting for approximately 113,000 t/yr to avoid excessive viscosity of plasticizer dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and to increase facility in working. Emissions of these VOCs from solvents have caused serious odor and worse air quality problems.

Degradation of di-n-butyl phthalate using photoreactor packed with TiO2 immobilized on glass beads.

This study evaluated the performance of a photoreactor packed with TiO2/glass, TiO2 immobilized on glass beads, initiated by UV irradiation, denoted as UV/TiO2/glass, to decompose di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in an aqueous solution. The photodegradation rate of DBP by this UV/TiO2/glass process was found to obey pseudo first-order kinetics represented by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The experimental results of this study show that the influence of pH value of an aqueous solution to reaction rate was negligible at the pH values 4.

The suitable restriction enzymes for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of Bordetella pertussis.

We searched the restriction enzymes with rare cutting sites on the genome of Bordetella pertussis strain Tohama I using the Restriction Digest Tool software provided in the Institute for Genomic Research web site. The usefulness of 5 enzymes for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis was evaluated with 68 B. pertussis isolates.

Physiological changes during hemodialysis in patients with intradialysis hypertension.

Intradialysis hypertension is a frustrating complication among hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study was conducted to investigate the physiological changes during intradialytic hypertension. The beat-to-beat continuous heart rate, hematocrit (Hct) changes during HD, serum levels of nitric oxide, plasma levels of catecholamine, renin, endothelin (ET-1), cardiac output (CO), and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) were measured before and after HD in patients prone to develop intradialysis hypertension (n = 30) and from age, sex-matched control HD subjects (n = 30).

Clinical and economic burden of psoriasis.

In an effort to assess the burden associated with psoriasis, the MEDLINE database and bibliographies of articles published from 1975 through 2004 were searched, emphasizing patients with moderate-to-severe disease, to summarize the current understanding on various aspects of disease burden. The clinical burden of psoriasis is both well documented and significant. The disease is debilitating: Sufficient disease severity interferes with patients' work and day-to-day living.

Use of a multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis method for molecular subtyping and phylogenetic analysis of Neisseria meningitidis isolates.

Background: The multilocus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) technique has been developed for fine typing of many bacterial species. The genomic sequences of Neisseria meningitidis strains Z2491, MC58 and FAM18 have been available for searching potential VNTR loci by computer software. In this study, we developed and evaluated a MLVA method for molecular subtyping and phylogenetic analysis of N.

Validation of a patient satisfaction questionnaire for anemia treatment, the PSQ-An.

Background: Treating anemia associated with chemotherapy and many cancers is often necessary. However, patient satisfaction with anemia treatment is limited by the lack of validated instruments. We developed and validated a new treatment-specific patient satisfaction instrument: the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire for Anemia Treatment (PSQ-An).

The long-term outcome of children with isolated congenital complete atrioventricular block.

Patients with isolated congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB) may revert to a lower degree of atrioventricular block and do not require pacemaker treatment. The change of rhythm is less well studied in pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to report the long-term outcome of pediatric patients with isolated CCAVB at our institution, with emphasis on restoration of sinus rhythm.

Kinetic studies of adsorption of lead(ll) from aqueous solution by wine-processing waste sludge.

A waste sludge produced from a wine-processing wastewater treatment process was used as an adsorbent to removal of heavy metal-lead(II) from aqueous solution. Results of kinetic experiments demonstrated that the adsorption was effective and rapid. Four different kinds of adsorption kinetic models (i.