OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel teaching tool to improve health care providers' ability to inflate tracheostomy tube cuffs to the appropriate pressure. STUDY DESIGN Single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. METHODS Subjects were randomized to a control and study group. The control group viewed a video about inflating tracheostomy t...

Masquerading comes at various costs and benefits. The principal benefit being the avoidance of predators. The orb-web spider Cyclosa ginnaga has a silver body and adds a white discoid-shaped silk decoration to its web. The size, shape and colour of C. ginnaga's body resemble, when viewed by the human eye against its decoration, a bird dropping. We therefore hypothesized that their body colourat...

Waveform capnography was recommended as the most reliable method to confirm correct endotracheal tube or laryngeal mask airway placements. However, capnography may be unreliable during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and during low flow states. It may lead to an unnecessary removal of a well-placed endotracheal tube, re-intubation and interruption of chest compressions. Real-time upper airway (la...

In this paper a document analysis tool for historical manuscripts is proposed. The goal is to automatically segment layout components of the page, that is text, pictures and decorations. We specifically focused on the pictures, proposing a set of visual features able to identify significant pictures and separating them from all the floral and abstract decorations. The analysis is performed by b...

This study compared intracuff pressure (ICP) during mechanical ventilation in a variety of currently used endotracheal (ET) and tracheostomy (trach) tube cuffs and related cuff physical characteristics. Tracheostomy tube physical characteristics were also measured. Variation was observed to exist between "just-seal" inspiratory and end-expiratory intracuff pressure during mechanical ventilation...