Using color flow detection of air insufflation to improve accuracy in verifying nasogastric tube position.

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that ultrasonography (USG), as an alternative to radiography, has a good accuracy in confirming nasogastric tube (NGT) position. Color flow detection of air insufflation is a novel approach in verifying NGT position. In our study, we aimed at evaluating its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy in confirming the NGT position, as compared with 2-dimensional (2D) USG.

Validation of pedestrian throw equations by video footage of real life pedestrian/vehicle collisions.

A total of 11 real life vehicle/pedestrian collisions in 2012-2014 were captured by CCTV cameras/car cameras in Hong Kong. Some of the footage was recorded in HD format at 30 frames per second, enabling accurate determinations of impact speeds with pedestrians, exact points of impacts and final rest positions of pedestrians as well as kinematics of the collisions. The calculated impact speeds from footage analysis were used to validate the published empirical and semi-empirical pedestrian throw equations.

Aeromedical evacuation of injured hikers in Hong Kong.

Background: Hiking is a very popular sport in Hong Kong. Serious injuries can sometimes occur in the remote areas not accessible to roads. Aeromedical evacuation service is run by the Government Flying Service (GFS) with emergency physicians and nurses as volunteers in Hong Kong.

A novel epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor promotes apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells resistant to erlotinib.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) responds to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib. However, secondary somatic EGFR mutations (e.g.

A loophole in international quarantine procedures disclosed during the SARS crisis.

This study describes a loophole in the international quarantine system during the recent Asian severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Specifically, that of travelers disguising symptoms of respiratory tract infection at international airports, in order to board aircraft to return to their home countries-notwithstanding the infection risks this involves to others. High medical fees for treatment to non-residents in epidemic areas were found to be the main cause for this behaviour.

A clinical prediction rule for diagnosing severe acute respiratory syndrome in the emergency department.

Background: Accurate, objective models of triage for patients with suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) could assess risks and improve decisions about isolation and inpatient treatment.

Objective: To develop and validate a clinical prediction rule for identifying patients with SARS in an emergency department setting.

Design: Retrospective analysis using a 2-step coefficient-based multivariable logistic regression scoring method with internal validation by bootstrapping.

Apoptotic and cytostatic farnesyltransferase inhibitors have distinct pharmacology and efficacy profiles in tumor models.

BMS-214662 and BMS-225975 are tetrahydrobenzodiazepine-based farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) that have nearly identical structures and very similar pharmacological profiles associated with farnesyltransferase (FT) inhibition. Despite their similar activity against FT in vitro and in cells, these compounds differ dramatically in their apoptotic potency and tumor-regressing activity in vivo. BMS-214662 is the most potent apoptotic FTI known and exhibits curative responses in mice bearing a variety of staged human tumor xenografts such as HCT-116 human colon tumor.

How to minimize inappropriate utilization of Accident and Emergency Departments: improve the validity of classifying the general practice cases amongst the A&E attendees.

Studies have found that one-third to two-thirds of all patients attending Accident and Emergency (A and E) Departments could be managed appropriately by general practitioners (GPs). There is also evidence that referral to GPs can be acceptable to patients. The question of primary concern is screening non-urgent cases with high degrees of sensitivity (S), specificity (SP), and positive predictive value (PPV).