Search

Objective:The template bleeding time is a test used to assess the hemostatic effectiveness of platelet/endothelial interactions. A modified template bleeding time, described over 15 years ago by Andrew et al., has been used to test this aspect of hemostasis in term and preterm infants, but questions remain regarding the effect of gestational age and postnatal age on results. The effect of the platelet count (platelets per microliter blood) and the circulating platelet mass (nl platelets per microliter blood) on the bleeding time of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients also require better definition.Study Design:We measured template bleeding times on 240 neonates at Ospedale A Perrino, in Brindisi, Italy; studying groups of n=60 at the following gestational ages; <28 weeks, 29 to 32 weeks, 33 to 37 weeks and 38 weeks. In each group of 60 neonates, 20 were studied on the first day after birth, 20 were studied on day 10 and 20 were studied on day 30. A multivariate analysis was performed to examine various associations with bleeding time.Result:Bleeding times, on the first day of life, were shorter as gestational age increased. Those born <33 weeks gestation had bleeding times about twice that of those 38 weeks (P<0.001). Bleeding times tended to shorten between days 1 and 10. Little or no further shortening occurred between days 10 and 30, and by day 30 they were not statistically different between the various gestational age groups. No independent effect on bleeding time could be ascribed to gender, platelet count or circulating platelet mass, but independent effects were found for hematocrit (P<0.02) and gestational age (P<0.001).Conclusion:On the first day of life, preterm neonates have a longer bleeding time than do term neonates. By day of life 10, the bleeding times at all gestational ages are shorter and are indistinguishable on the basis of gestational age at birth. Additionally, since platelet counts as low as 110 000 per microliter did not prolong the bleeding time, we see no benefit of administering a platelet transfusion to a stable, nonbleeding, NICU patient with mild thrombocytopenia (platelet count 100 000 to 150 000 per microliter).Journal of Perinatology (2008) 28, 427–431; doi:10.1038/jp.2008.10; published online 14 February 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the hypothesis that raised anticardiolipin antibodies, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and antinuclear antibodies may be associated with epilepsy and/or pharmacoresistance, we studied titers in 74 epileptic patients and 50 controls. Epileptic patients were divided into two groups according to their response to anticonvulsant therapy. Group I included 52 children (30 females and 22 males with a mean age±SD of 7.0±2.4 years) suffering from different types of epilepsy who were treated with various anticonvulsants. Group II included 22 children (10 females and 12 males with a mean age of 6.2±3.6 years) suffering from therapy resistant epilepsy. We found that the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies was significantly higher in epileptic patients than in controls, while there was no significant difference between patients who were seizure free and those with uncontrolled epilepsy. No significant difference was found in glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies between epileptic children and controls, and between patients who were seizure free and those with uncontrolled epilepsy. A significant difference in the incidence of antinuclear antibodies was found between epileptic children and controls, while no difference was found between well-controlled and drug-resistant epilepsy. In conclusion, the prevalence of anticardiolipin and antinuclear antibodies was higher in patients with epilepsy than in controls. There was no significant difference in serum glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies between epileptic children and controls, and between patients who were seizure free and those with uncontrolled epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Azeotropic and quasi-azeotropic mixtures of organic compounds could become the most effective candidates as replacement fluids in refrigeration devices and heat pumps. Following the development of effective prediction formulas for several families of pure organic compounds, in this paper the evaluation of transport properties of liquid mixtures is approached from a rather different point of view. Azeotropic and near-azeotropic mixtures are treated as pure compounds rather than as a combination of several pure substances. This is now possible, having developed a single, specialized formula for both the liquid thermal conductivity and the dynamic viscosity. The prediction method requires the knowledge of only a few equilibrium properties of the mixture to be analyzed and thus is a simple and powerful tool for the evaluation of alternative refrigerants. Each formula has been tested against experimental data and shows deviations below those required for engineering purposes. Important results have also been achieved on applying the same equations to quasi-azeotropic mixtures with deviations comparable to those for azeotropic mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Over the last 16 years a minitouch regime, i.e., nasal continuous positive airway pressure (n-CPAP) and/or nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (n-IPPV), together with a minimal intubation policy has been routinely used for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. Only 1.39 (1 out of 72) of the extremely low-birth-weight babies admitted to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and surviving for at least 36 weeks' postconceptional age developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks (BPD 36-wk). The BPD-36 wk incidence observed in our population is significantly lower than expected (30%) from the literature (p=0.000002).Conclusion: Our experience supports the effectiveness of the minitouch regime as a way to ventilate premature babies, reducing BPD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]