A solution-based inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric (ICP-OES) method is described for elemental analysis with relative expanded uncertainties on the order of 0.1% relative. The single-element determinations of 64 different elements are presented, with aggregate performance results for the method and parameters for the determination of each element. The performance observe...

This paper describes a novel approach for analysis of mercury speciation in fish using gas chromatography coupled with microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (GC-MIP-OES) in surfatron resonant cavity. Sample treatment was based on quantitative leaching of mercury species from fish tissue with ultrasound-assisted acidtoluene extraction. The extracted mercury species analyzed with...

This paper examines the relationship between health aid and infant mortality, using data from 118 countries between 1973 and 2004. Health aid has a beneficial and statistically significant effect on infant mortality: doubling per capita health aid is associated with a 2 percent reduction in the infant mortality rate. For the average country, this implies that increasing per capita health aid by...

BACKGROUND Hyperinflation (HI) is performed following open endotracheal suctioning (OES), whose goals include: to stimulate a cough, recover oxygenation and improve compliance. However, it may also induce unintended consequences, including: lung stress and strain, failure to maintain high distending pressure, and subsequently cycling recruitment and derecruitment. Here, our aim was to investiga...

We tested whether signaling pathways induced by systemin, oligosaccharide elicitors (OEs), and ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation share common components in Lycopersicon peruvianum suspension-cultured cells. These stress signals all induce mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. In desensitization assays, we found that pretreatment with systemin and OEs transiently reduced the MAPK response...

We measured electron density and electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in our reactor by a Langmuir probe. The EEDF of Ar plasma in the reactor could largely be described by the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution function, but it also contained a fraction (~10) of electrons which were much faster (20-40 eV). The peak of the fast-electron tail shifted from E ~ 35 eV at 11 μbar to E ~ 25 eV wh...

BACKGROUND Closed-circuit endotracheal suctioning (CES) is advocated for preventing hypoxemia caused by the loss of lung volume resulting from open endotracheal suctioning (OES). However, the efficiency of CES and OES on tracheal secretion removal has never been compared in patients with acute lung injury. The authors designed a two-part study aimed at comparing gas exchange and efficiency betw...

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a frequent nosocomial infection in the intensive care, is associated with considerable morbidity. Endotracheal suctioning is routinely performed in mechanically ventilated patients to clear secretions. This study assessed if there were advantages of closed endotracheal suctioning (CES) over open endotracheal suctioning (OES) with respect to cli...

The use of inert markers in broiler diets eliminates the need to quantitatively evaluate feed intake and excreta output to determine diet digestibility, and enables nutrient uptake at specific points along the gastrointestinal tract to be examined. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is commonly used for this purpose and measured using a UV-spectrophotometric assay. Two experiments were conducted to observ...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of oregano extract solution (OES) against Enterococcus faecalis within root canals and dentin tubules, and its effect on smear layer. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 180 human maxillary central incisors was selected. After removal of coronal part of the teeth, root canals were prepared using ProTaper rotary fil...