To investigate whether the magnitude of blood flow contributes to ventilator-induced lung injury, 14 sets of isolated rabbit lungs were randomized for perfusion at either 300 (Group A: n = 7) or 900 ml/ min (Group B: n = 7) while ventilated with 30 cm H2O peak static pressure. Control lungs (Group C: n = 7) were ventilated with lower peak static pressure (15 cm H2O) and perfused at 500 ml/min. Weight gain, changes in the ultrafiltration coefficient (DeltaKf) and lung static compliance (CL), and extent of hemorrhage (scored by histology) were compared. Group B had a larger decrease in CL (-13 +/- 11%) than Groups A (2 +/- 6%) and C (5 +/- 5%) (p < 0.05). Group B had more hemorrhage and gained more weight (16.2 +/- 9.5 g) than Groups A (8.7 +/- 3.4 g) and C (1.6 +/- 1.0 g) (p < 0.05 for each pairwise comparison between groups). Finally, Kf (g . min-1 . cm H2O-1 . 100 g-1) increased the most in Group B (DeltaKf = 0.26 +/- 0. 20 versus 0.17 +/- 0.10 in Group A and 0.05 +/- 0.04 in Group C; p < 0.05 for B versus C). We conclude that the intensity of lung perfusion contributes to ventilator- induced lung injury in this model.

Background Approximately 4 million U.S. travelers to developing countries are ill enough to seek healthcare with 1,500 malaria cases reported in the U.S. annually. The diagnosis of malaria is frequently delayed due to the time to prepare malaria blood films and lack of technical expertise. An easy, reliable rapid diagnostic test (RDT) with high sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV), particularly for Plasmodium falciparum, would be clinically useful. The study objective was to determine the diagnostic performance of the FDA-approved NOW® Malaria Test in comparison to traditional thick and thin blood smears for malaria diagnosis. Methods This prospective study tested 852 consecutive blood samples sent for thick and thin smears with blinded, malaria rapid tests at three hospital laboratories during 2003–2006. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) verified positive tests and discordant results. Results Malaria occurred in 11% (95/852). The rapid test had superior performance than the standard Giemsa thick blood smear (P=.003). The rapid test’s sensitivity for all malaria was 97% (92/95) vs. 85% (81/95) by blood smear, and the RDT had superior NPV of 99.6% vs. 98.2% (P=.001). The P. falciparum performance was excellent with 100% rapid test sensitivity versus only 88% (65/74) by blood smear (P=.003). Conclusions This operational study demonstrates the FDA-approved rapid malaria test is superior to a single set of blood smears performed under routine U.S. clinical laboratory conditions. The most valuable clinical role of the RDT is in the rapid diagnosis or the exclusion of P. falciparum malaria, which is particularly useful in outpatient settings when evaluating febrile travelers.

Since the beginning of measurement of pressure in the 17th century, the unit of pressure has been defined by the relationship of force per unit area. The present state of optical technology now offers the possibility of using a thermodynamic definition-specifically the ideal gas law-for the realization of the pressure unit, in the vacuum regime and slightly above, with an accuracy comparable to or better than the traditional methods of force per area. The changes planned for the SI in 2018 support the application of this thermodynamic definition that is based on the ideal gas law with the necessary corrections for real-gas effects. The paper reviews the theoretical and experimental foundations of those optical methods that are considered to be most promising to realize the unit of pressure at the highest level of metrology.

No abstract

No abstract