Perceived barriers transitioning to adult healthcare among adults with spina bifida.

Background: This study examined perceived barriers to transitioning to adult healthcare among a sample of young adults with spina bifida (SB) and the degree to which these perceived barriers have impeded the transition process, and assessed relationships between these self-reported barriers and demographic and medical variables.

Methods: In a large national survey conducted in 2019, young adults with SB between the ages of 18 and 30 years old ( = 326) completed a questionnaire on perceived barriers to transition, which yielded scores representing the proportion of barriers experienced and the degree of interference of these barriers. Participants included both individuals who reported that they already transitioned to adult healthcare and those who did not.

Concordance for changes in allergic asthma domain variables after short-term corticosteroid therapy.

Background: Asthma is a complex syndrome with multiple domains including symptoms, lung function, asthma control, and airway inflammation. A study of Fenom PRO™, a novel monitor for exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), provided an opportunity to look at concordance/discordance (C/D) for changes in multiple asthma domains over a 2-week period after corticosteroid therapy.

Methods: Non-steroid-treated adults and children with uncontrolled asthma had asthma domain measures, (FeNO), forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV), the 6-item Asthma Control Questionnaire scores (ACQ6), and daily asthma symptoms, assessed before and after a 2-week course of corticosteroids.

Clinical precision, accuracy, number and durations of exhalations for a novel electrochemical monitor for exhaled nitric oxide.

Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a validated marker of eosinophilic inflammation. Fenom Pro is a novel FDA-cleared monitor for FeNO. The American Thoracic Guidelines from 2005 recommend at least 6 s exhalation for adults and in some cases up to 10 s, and 4 s for children, and that the average of the first two valid exhalations is taken as the FeNO value.

Corrosion of aluminum alloy 2024 by microorganisms isolated from aircraft fuel tanks.

Microorganisms frequently contaminate jet fuel and cause corrosion of fuel tank metals. In the past, jet fuel contaminants included a diverse group of bacteria and fungi. The most common contaminant was the fungus Hormoconis resinae.

Effect of prolonged oral terbutaline therapy on glucose tolerance in pregnancy.

Objective: Our objective was to elucidate the pathophysiologic effects and potential reversibility of terbutaline-induced changes in carbohydrate metabolism.

Study Design: We prospectively evaluated serum glucose, insulin, glucagon, C-peptide, and pancreatic polypeptide levels in response to a 100 gm glucose challenge (oral 3-hour glucose tolerance test) in 17 obstetric patients without complications who were given terbutaline (5 mg orally every 4 hours) for 5 consecutive days between 24 and 32 weeks' gestation. Each patient served as her own control, with day 1 representing pretreatment, day 7 the treatment phase, and day 14 the posttreatment evaluation.