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Background The surgical repair of H-type tracheo-oesophageal fistulas situated below the level of the second thoracic vertebra requires an open thoracotomy or a thoracoscopy. We describe a novel technique that allows for the use of a cervical incision to repair a fistula situated in the thorax, thus diminishing surgical risk. Case presentation In this report, we describe a 3-day-old term baby with an H-type tracheo-oesophageal fistula where flexible bronchoscopy and gastroscopy were used to cannulate the fistula with a soft ureteric catheter. This allowed for it to be tractioned into the cervical region where it was surgically dissected and isolated. There was no need for re-intervention in the first 3 months after surgery. Conclusion Flexible bronchoscopy-aided cannulation of H-type fistulas can assist in intraoperative identification of the fistulous tract as well as help traction it into a surgically more accessible area like the cervical region.

The Radioactive beam EXperiment (REX) at CERN-ISOLDE has been commissioned and the first experiments successfully completed during 2002 and 2003. The concept used for post-acceleration has proven to be flexible and the experimental program has therefore been extended during the past year. This paper relays some experiences drawn from using the machine in the current program and also conveys some plans for the future.

Beta delayed charged particles from Be-14 have been measured and give an upper limit on beta delayed alpha particles of B(betaalpha)

3D quantum calculations using both the rotating bond approximation (RBA) and the fixed angle potential averaged (FAPA) approximation have been performed to obtain cross sections for the H2O+Cl→HO+HCl and H2O+Br→HO+HBr reactions. The two models mainly differ in the motions that are allowed to the H-spectator atom and to the H-reactive atom. Cross sections for the H2O(m, n)+Cl→HO+HCl and H2O(m, n)+Br→HO+HBr reactions have been calculated for a wide range of the bending quantum number m and the local stretching quantum number n. The cross sections, as functions of the translational energy, summed over all the product states, exhibit very interesting features when considering series of H2O(m, n)+X entrance channels with the value of n fixed within a series. For the H2O+Cl system, for which the considered total energy range extends from 0 to 1.6 eV above the H2O(0, 0)+Cl limit, in each n=0, 1 and 2 series, the cross sections for the H2O(m variable, n fixed)+Cl entrance channels have approximately the same energy threshold and similar shapes above the threshold. These results, obtained with the RBA and FAPA approaches, show that the bending excitation does not significantly enhance the reactivity. On the other hand, the local stretching excitation is found to very efficiently promote reaction. For the H2O+Br system, for which the considered energy range is wider (0–2.2 eV), the agreement between the results obtained with the two methods is less satisfactory. However, the disagreement concerns highly excited bending states which lie at significantly different energies in the two calculations. The common energy threshold and similar shape are obtained for the n=2 (FAPA) and n=3 (RBA) series and for excited bending states for the n=0 and n=1 series. All these properties are analysed on the basis of potential energy curves related to the motion of the H-atoms, for fixed O–Cl or O–Br distances.

REX-ISOLDE [1] is an experiment at ISOLDE/CERN with a twofold aim: (i) to demonstrate a novel efficient scheme for the acceleration of radioactive ions from the online mass separator ISOLDE to energies around the Coulomb barrier. (ii) to perform first nuclear physics experiments by studying the structure of the neutron-rich (N = 20, N = 28) nuclei by Coulomb excitation and neutron transfer reactions. An overview on the different components of the radioactive beam accelerator is given with special emphasis on the separation possibilities and ion number capabilities of the system.

SUMMARY The effects of prolonging romifidine/ketamine anaesthesia in horses with a second injection of ketamine alone or both romifidine/ketamine compared with only induction injection of romifidine and tiletamine/zolazepam were studied in 6 horses anaesthetised in lateral recumbency on 3 random occasions. All horses were sedated with romifidine 0.1 mg/kg bwt iv and, on 2 occasions, anaesthesia was induced by iv injection of ketamine 2.2 mg/kg bwt. To prolong the ketamine-induced anaesthesia, either ketamine (I.1 mg/kg bwt iv) or ketamine and romifidine (I.1 mg/kg bwt and 0.04 mg/kg bwt iv, respectively) were given 18–20 min after the start of the ketamine injection for induction. On the third occasion, anaesthesia was induced by iv injection of 1.4 mg/kg bwt Zoletil (0.7 mg/kg bwt tiletamhe + 0.7 mg/kg bwt zolazepam). No statistically significant differences in the measured cardiorespiratory function were found between the 3 groups. Heart rate was decreased significantly after sedation but increased during anaesthesia. Arterial blood pressure increased after sedation and remained high during anaesthesia. A significant decrease in arterial oxygen tension was observed in all groups during anaesthesia. The muscle relaxation induced by romifidine was, in most cases, not sufficient to abolish the catalepsy following a repeated injection of ketamine alone. Zoletil or a repeated injection of ketaminehornifidine resulted in smoother anaesthesia. When additional time is required to complete surgery during field anaesthesia, it is advisable to prolong romifidine/ketamine anaesthesia with an injection of both romifidine and ketamine in healthy horses. When a longer procedure is anticipated from the start Zoletil is an alternative for induction of anaesthesia. The mean time to response to noxious stimuli and mean time spent in lateral recumbency was 28 and 38 min for the anaesthesia prolonged with ketamine, 3.5 and 43 rnin for the anaesthesia prolonged with ketaminehornifidine and 33 and 45 min for the anaesthesia with Zoletil. All horses reached a standing position at the first attempt.

In this work we have studied the break‐up of 12C following the reactions 10B(3He,pααα) and 11B(3He,dααα). The study was performed at the 5 MV tandem in Madrid. The break‐up gives us information on excited states in 12C from the famous Hoyle state up to an energy of almost 18 MeV. Using a highly segmented experimental set‐up the simultaneous detection of the three alpha particles in coincidence with a proton or deuteron respectively made possible a full kinematic reconstruction of the break‐up. On the basis of the energies of the 3 α particles and their angular correlations it has been possible to determine the spin and parity of states for cases in which the assignment has been doubtful. Some of these levels will also de‐excite via electromagnetic emission. The comparison between the energy of proton that populate a state of 12C and the sum of the energies of the 3α emitted from the same state makes possible to determine the presence of electromagnetic disintegration (γ) to lower states within 12C followed by the 3α break‐up.

A complete kinematics study of the B-10(He-3,p alpha alpha alpha) and B-11(He-3,d alpha alpha alpha) reactions has been performed to study the multi-particle break-up of C-12 resonances above the triple-alpha threshold. Four-particle coincidence detection gives us complete information on the direction and energy of the individual alpha particles from the decay of C-12, allowing us to extract new information on the structure of C-12 which we shall present in this contribution. We have observed gamma de-excitation of the T=1 15.11 MeV resonance using charged particle detectors, and have constructed Dalitz plots of the individual resonances in C-12 using the complete kinematics information of the alpha particles which come from their break-up.

The β‐decay of 11Li and its core 9Li has been revisited with the aim to disentangle the very complex decays from unbound states in the daughters. The decay channels for the states fed by β‐decay in 9Be are established including the 2.43 MeV state for which the analysis of αα and nα spectra seem to favour direct break‐up of the level. For the decay of 11Li the β‐delayed charged particle spectrum can be explained by the contribution of the 10.6 and 18.2 MeV states. The αα correlations indicates that decay through resonant He‐isotopes are more likely than phase space distributed 5‐body break‐up.

The nuclei Ca-47 and Ti-55 were populated in one-neutron knock-out reactions at relativistic energies. Momentum distributions of the residual nuclei as well as gamma-ray spectra were measured at the GSI fragment separator (FRS). Preliminary results of the ongoing analysis including cross sections and spin/parity assignments are presented.

We present here a study of the three‐body, nα6He particle break‐up of 11Be(10.6) following 11Li β‐decay. The emitted charged particles were detected in coincidence using a cubic set‐up of highly segmented silicon detectors, allowing us to measure simultaneously energy and trajectory. The three body break‐up of 11Be(10.5) through the intermediate state 10Be(9.6) was modeled using the multiple‐level single‐channel R‐Matrix formalism.

To retrospectively evaluate the use of ultrasonography (US)-guided treatment of breast abscesses in lactating women.One hundred eight consecutive lactating women who were clinically suspected of having a breast abscess were examined with US. Abscesses depicted at US were treated with US guidance, and the success of US-guided treatment was retrospectively determined.Fifty-six abscesses were identified at US in 43 women; all abscesses were treated with US guidance: 23 with needle aspiration and 33 with catheter drainage. Treatment method was determined according to the size of the abscess. Abscesses that were smaller than 3 cm in maximum diameter were treated with needle aspiration, and abscesses that were 3 cm or larger in maximum diameter were treated with catheter insertion. One patient who was treated with needle aspiration subsequently underwent surgical intervention; all others were successfully treated with US intervention. Catheter placement was well tolerated (mean pain score 2.3 in 22 women by using a subjective pain scale of 0-10).US-guided needle aspiration of abscesses smaller than 3 cm and US-guided catheter drainage of abscesses 3 cm or larger are successful means of treating breast abscesses.

Using beta decays of a clean source of 12N produced at the IGISOL facility, we have measured the breakup of the 12C (12.71 MeV) state into three alpha particles with a segmented particle detector setup. The high quality of the data permits solving the question of the breakup mechanism of the 12.71 MeV state, a longstanding problem in few-body nuclear physics. Among existing models, a modified sequential model fits the data best, but systematic deviations indicate that a three-body description is needed.

The one-proton knockout channel from 6He (240 MeV/u) impinging on a carbon target has been investigated. The triton fragments originating from this channel were detected in coincidence with the two neutrons. A broad structure, peaked at 3 MeV above the t+2n threshold, is observed in the t+n+n-relative energy spectrum. It is shown that this structure is mainly due to a I(pi)=1/2(+) resonance as expected for the 5H ground state, and from the observed angular and energy correlations, being used for the first time in 5H studies, that the neutrons to a large extent occupy the p shell.

The two-neutron halo nucleus (14)Be has been investigated in a kinematically complete measurement of the fragments ((12)Be and neutrons) produced in dissociation at 35 MeV/nucleon on C and Pb targets. Two-neutron removal cross sections, neutron angular distributions, and invariant mass spectra were measured, and the contributions from electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) were deduced. Comparison with three-body model calculations suggests that the halo wave function contains a large nu(2s(1/2))(2) admixture. The EMD invariant mass spectrum exhibited enhanced strength near threshold consistent with a nonresonant soft-dipole excitation.

We offer a model of how human cortex detects changes in the auditory environment. Auditory change detection has recently been the object of intense investigation via the mismatch negativity (MMN). MMN is a preattentive response to sudden changes in stimulation, measured noninvasively in the electroencephalogram (EEG) and the magnetoencephalogram (MEG). It is elicited in the oddball paradigm, where infrequent deviant tones intersperse a series of repetitive standard tones. However, little apart from the participation of tonotopically organized auditory cortex is known about the neural mechanisms underlying change detection and the MMN. In the present study, we investigate how poststimulus inhibition might account for MMN and compare the effects of adaptation with those of lateral inhibition in a model describing tonotopically organized cortex. To test the predictions of our model, we performed MEG and EEG measurements on human subjects and used both small- (1/3 octave) and large- (5 octaves) frequency differences between the standard and deviant tones. The experimental results bear out the prediction that MMN is due to both adaptation and lateral inhibition. Finally, we suggest that MMN might serve as a probe of what stimulus features are mapped by human auditory cortex.

The proton-rich, unbound nucleus 11N has been studied using the technique of elastic resonance scattering in inverse geometry. The spins and parities of the three lowest resonance levels have been determined as 1/2+, 1/2− and 5/2+, resulting from the orbitals 1s1/2, 0p1/2 and 0d5/2, respectively. This level ordering is the same as the one found in the mirror nucleus of 11N, namely the one-neutron halo nucleus 11Be. Especially, the in 11Be well known level inversion, where the ground state is a 1/2+ intruder state below the from a naive shell model expected ground state 1/2−, is also found in 11N.

Beta-delayed two-proton decays, observed in several nuclei along the proton dripline, have only been studied in detail in very few cases. We have studied the decay of 31Ar, as it was suspected that this nucleus has several β-2p branches with quite large branching ratios. We report here on two experiments done at ISOLDE-PSB (CERN) yielding to the most extensive investigation done so far on a β-delayed two-proton emitter. The analysis of the data have allow us to identify four β-2p branches connecting the IAS with ground and excited states in the two proton daughter 29P. About ten β-2p peaks have been assigned to decays from excited states in 31Cl at lower excitation energies than the IAS. In view of the energy and angular distribution of the individual protons the 2p-decay mechanisms are determined.

Quantum scattering calculations on the CH4 + OH → CH3 + H2O reaction can now be performed. This article discusses such calculations using the Rotating Bond Approximation, treating CH3 as a pseudoatom. The OH rotation and a reactive C-H stretch of CH4 are treated explicitly as well as the bending motion and one OH local stretch vibration of H2O. An adiabatic approach is used to account for all degrees of freedom not explicitly treated in the scattering calculations. Exciting the reactant OH rotation decreases the reaction cross sections.

After intravenous administration of theophylline, microdialysis has been used for studying the non protein bound theophylline concentration in blood and in lung tissue in the rat as well as in two horses. The distribution pattern of 14C-theophylline in the rat was also investigated. When the distribution of theophylline was completed the time course of free drug in the interstitial fluid in lung tissue was in good agreement with the total concentration-time profile in plasma in both species. In the rat the free concentration of theophylline in the lung was slightly lower than the free concentration in the blood from 40 to 300 min. The in vivo protein binding in blood was 48.8 +/- 6.2% in the rats (n = 9) and 8-25% in the horses (n = 2). The whole body autoradiography study in rat showed that the concentration of radioactivity in the lung followed the blood concentration very closely up to 24 h after injection. The effect of theophylline in the lung can be assumed to be related to the plasma concentration of theophylline, since the concentration-time profile in plasma reflects the time course in the lung.

Multidimensional scaling of principal interstimulus chromatic differences, measured by the value of ERG reaction of the frog retina allowed to construct a model reflecting colour differentiating function of this level. It follows from this model that the frog retina has colour differentiating characteristics answering standard requirements of trichromatic vision. Colour-opponent system of frog is represented by the functions of red-green and blue-yellow opponentness compared with the analogous functions obtained for man.

(1985). Changes in the zooplankton community after lime treatment of an acidified lake. SIL Proceedings, 1922-2010: Vol. 22, No. 5, pp. 3008-3013.

The massive antineutrino recently reported by Simpson in an experiment on tritium decay has not been confirmed by experiments on 35S decay. As an independent check, we report here the negative result of a search for the corresponding antiparticle (a massive neutrino) using the decay of 125I. As a by-product, we give accurate data on internal-bremsstrahlung spectra which we have followed over close to four decades in intensity, and we report a new way of measuring its E1/M1 ratio. The experiment provides a new and very accurate value for the 125I-125Te mass difference of 186.1 ± 0.3 keV.

(1981). Sublethal effects of lead (Pb) on size selective predation by fish-applications on the ecosystem level. SIL Proceedings, 1922-2010: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 1126-1130.

The present study is the fourth of a major epidemiologic health investigation on work with a video display terminal (VDT). The other studies showed that VDT operators replying to questionnaires have more eye discomfort than a reference group of office employees not employed in VDT work and that women have more eye discomfort, musculoskeletal complaints, headache, and skin disorders than men. Routine ophthalmologic examinations failed to establish any appreciable differences between the groups; for example, the prevalence of myopia was the same. In the present study, the VDT operators and referents were examined before and at the end of work sessions for changes in refraction, accommodation, convergence capacity, and binocular vision such as heterophoria and fusion range. No differences could be established between the VDT operators and the referents.

The impact of the fish population on trophic properties of lake water, was experimentally studied in an oligotrophic Swedish forest lake. Biotic changes following fish removal resulted in a development in oligotrophic direction as shown by the drop in limnetic primary production, pH, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and the increased transparency.

At the preceding Conference in this series, data from ISOLDE were presented [1] on total decay energies of medium- and high-A nuclei far from stability. We recall here the observation of a “ridge” in the mass surface, unaccounted for in the mass calculations, extending through several Z-values in the A ~ 180 region, 4–5 mass numbers to the proton-rich side of the valley of stability. In continued experiments at the CERN on-line isotope separator [2], similar low-resolution survey-tyRe measurements have been performed on proton-rich Kr and Br nuclei [3], and, more recently, on proton-rich isotopes of Rb and Cs, as well as neutron-rich nuclei in the Fr-Ra-Ac region [4]. In many cases it has been possible to go from mass differences to the atomic masses themselves, by connecting down through a decay chain to a nucleide of known mass.

The level structure of 225Fr has been studied from the 225Rn(β−) decay in on‐line experiments at the ISOLDE facility. A level scheme was constructed on the basis of gamma–gamma coincidence data, and the multipolarities of many transitions were established by conversion electron measurements. Levels in 225Fr were also studied with the 226Ra(t,α)225Fr reaction at the McMaster University Accelerator Laboratory, using a target of 226Ra(T1/2=1600y) and a magnetic spectrograph to analyze the alpha spectra. The first three excited states, at 28.5, 82.5 and 128.2 keV, are interpreted as rotational band members based on the ground state, which is known to have I=3/2. The (t,α) strengths to these levels indicate a 3/2−[532] assignment to the ground state. No evidence for an octupole deformation in 225Fr has been found so far, although analysis of data for other excited states is continuing.

The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the potential value of intravenous (i.v.) infusion of angiotensin II (AII) for phonocardiographic differential diagnosis of equine valvular insufficiency. Ten-minute AII infusions at 4.5-33 pmol kg-1 min-1 induced clear-cut dose-dependent rises in systemic arterial blood pressure (aBP), whereas the pulmonary aBP remained largely unaffected. It implies that i.v. infusion of AII at about 10 pmol kg-1 min-1 could be a valuable tool for the acoustic differentiation between mitral and tricuspid valvular dysfunction in the horse. The infusion at, and above 9 pmol kg-1 min-1 caused increased heart rate. This chronotrophic effect was not strictly dose-dependent and exhibited significant tachyphylaxis. Angiotensin II administration at, or above 9 pmol kg-1 min-1 was needed to induce an urge to drink, suggesting that angiotensin-induced thirst does not appear in the euhydrated horse until the octapeptide reaches supraphysiological blood concentration. Determinations of plasma aldosterone concentration (PA) revealed comparatively high morning control values (269 +/- 46 pmol-1). Three consecutive AII infusions with 10-min intervals and at increasing dosages caused a cumulative, almost fourfold elevation of PA. The PA pattern indicated that AII-induced hypersecretion of aldosterone continued for several minutes after the end of the infusions, but also showed that the metabolic clearance of the hormone took precedency of the secretion within 20 min post-infusion. In two of the horses a fall in PA occurred during a fourth, final infusion, indicating that in these instances the previous AII administration had impoverished the store of aldosterone available for release from the adrenal cortex.

We have measured the apparent contrast of spatially and temporally sampled gratings having the spatial frequency of 2, 4 and 8 c/deg. A contrast matching task was used in two different sampling conditions which allowed us to stimulate selectively the sustained and transient mechanisms in spatial and temporal vision. The results demonstrate the visual interpolation characteristics in the two domains and suggest a better response linearity for spatial than for temporal interpolation. The strongest nonlinear responses were obtained for temporally sampled medium spatial frequency gratings, suggesting separate temporal processing mechanisms for medium and high spatial frequencies

Senior medical residents were used to extend psychiatric coverage in a busy hospital emergency room. Their service was supported by the backup consultation of senior psychiatric physicians. The medical residents worked in conjunction with psychiatric residents to provide 24-hour daily emergency psychiatric service to more than 350 patients during a 12-month period. There were no significant differences in the demographic composition of the patient population seen or in the disposition of individual patients made between the medical and psychiatric residents. The hospital was able to expand its psychiatric service in the emergency room without major increases in cost. The medical residents benefited by experiencing a more diversified patient care training program, and they earned a modest supplement to their houser officer salary.