Summary Cardiac arrest is associated with a number of cognitive processes as well as long term psychological outcomes. Recent studies have indicated that approximately 10–20% of cardiac arrest ...survivors report cognitive processes, including the ability to recall specific details of their resuscitation from the period of cardiac arrest. In addition it has been demonstrated that these cognitive processes are consistent with the previously described near death experience and that those who have these experiences are left with long term positive life enhancing effects. There have also been numerous studies that have indicated that although the quality of life for cardiac arrest survivors is generally good, some are left with long term cognitive impairments as well as psychological sequelae such as post-traumatic stress disorder. This paper will review near death experiences, cognitive function and psychological outcomes in survivors of cardiac arrest.
Invasive alien species (IAS) are a recognised threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services. With increasing tourism and projected 21st century climate changes across the mid- to high-latitudes of ...the southern hemisphere, subantarctic islands are potentially highly vulnerable to IAS, but suffer from a dearth of baseline monitoring. Here we report tree-ring measurements from a lone exotic Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr) on subantarctic Campbell Island to determine past growth rates and likely future response to climate changes. Though the samples were unable to resolve exactly when the tree was planted, the fast growth rate indicates it is likely to have been later than the reported date of 1901. Since at least 1941, the tree appears to have responded favourably to the relatively warm summers experienced on Campbell Island, resulting in growth more rapid than that observed in natural stands (North American Pacific Coast). Although trees of similar age are normally mature and produce cones, none have so far been observed on Campbell Island – possibly the result of the fast growth causing an extended ‘juvenile’ or pre-reproductive phase – preventing seeding across the island. Importantly, relatively dry periods are needed for cones to open and disperse seeds, conditions not recorded in the instrumental record. Examination of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) outputs show increasing rainfall across the region during the 21st century under a range of emission scenarios, suggesting that even when mature, the Sitka spruce poses a limited threat to the long-term ecology of Campbell Island.
Introduction to Computer Data Representation introduces readers to the representation of data within computers. Starting from basic principles of number representation in computers, the book covers ...the representation of both integer and floating point numbers, and characters or text. It comprehensively explains the main techniques of computer arithmetic and logical manipulation. The book also features chapters covering the less usual topics of basic checksums and ‘universal’ or variable length representations for integers, with additional coverage of Gray Codes, BCD codes and logarithmic representations. The description of character coding includes information on both MIME and Unicode formats. Introduction to Computer Data Representation also includes historical aspects of data representation, explaining some of the steps that developers took (and the mistakes they made) that led to the present, well-defined and accepted standards of data representation techniques. The book serves as a primer for advanced computer science graduates and a handy reference for anyone wanting to learn about numbers and data representation in computers.
summary The reasons for unconscious teeth clenching have not been clarified. The long‐term goal of our project was the elucidation of processing in the brain immediately before unconscious teeth ...clenching, in order to clarify its significance in humans. The objective of the present study was to establish a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) method of measuring brain activity immediately before clenching, and to clarify the time‐course of brain activity immediately before conscious clenching. We measured the MEG signal in six subjects before, during and after clenching in a protocol that restricted head movement <5 mm. We derived tomographic estimates of brain activity for each time slice of data, as well as time courses for regional brain activations. Analysis of the tomographic images and time courses yielded statistical maps of activity in the motor, pre‐motor and somatosensory cortices immediately before clenching in all subjects. Activations were found bilaterally, but with a strong unilateral bias in most subjects. Our results demonstrate that the MEG procedures, we have introduced are capable of measuring brain activity immediately before clenching, and indicate that analysis should begin from at least 200 ms before electromyogram onset.
This article introduces a new family of variable-length codes for the integers, initially based on the Goldbach conjecture that every even integer is the sum of two primes. For an even integer we ...decompose the value into its two constituent primes and encode the ordinal numbers of those primes with an Elias (1975) /spl gamma/ code. The method is then elaborated to handle odd integers. The article then develops a more general method of encoding any integer as the sum of two integers and developing suitable basis sets of integers. Although the codes which are generated by these methods are characterized by widely varying and unpredictable lengths, they are over some ranges shorter than most other variable-length codes.
Purpose: To compare the long‐term retention of gabapentin (GBP), lamotrigine (LTG), and vigabatrin (VGB) by patients with chronic epilepsy and the reasons for treatment discontinuation. To assess the ...likelihood of seizure freedom, seizure‐related injury/hospital admission and mortality after these drugs were commenced.
Methods: This was a retrospective case‐records survey in five tertiary referral epilepsy centres in the U.K. The retention times on treatment (from initiation to discontinuation) for the different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were compared by using Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis and Cox regression. Incidences of seizure freedom and seizure‐related injury/hospital admissions and standardised mortality ratios were calculated.
Results: There were 1,375 patients with chronic epilepsy included; 361 were taking GBP, 1,050 LTG, and 713 VGB. The retention of GBP, LTG, or VGB was >40% at 6 years. Fewer than 4% of patients become seizure free while taking one of the drugs. There was no reduction in mortality or seizure‐related injury/admission.
Conclusions: The impact of these new AEDs on chronic epilepsy can be described only as modest. This view may be revised, however, as more experience is gained with new drugs in previously untreated patients.
IntroductionInflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased numbers of highly activated macrophages with a reduced phagocytic capacity. Macrophages may exist ...as M1 “classically activated” or M2 “alternatively activated” with different phagocytic and inflammatory mediator profiles, suggesting in COPD a more persistent, M1 macrophage predominates. It is unknown whether circulating monocytes in COPD patients predetermine whether M1 macrophages will be preferentially activated, thus driving an inflammatory phenotype.ObjectivesThis study investigated differences between monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from non-smokers, smokers and COPD patients driven towards M1and M2 phenotypes.MethodsMonocytes were isolated from whole blood and cultured with GM-CSF (2 ng/ml) or M-CSF (100 ng/ml) for 12d to generate M1 and M2 MDM respectively. Cells were stimulated with LPS (0.01–100 ng/ml) for 24 h and TNFα, CXCL8 and IL-10 measured by ELISA. Phagocytosis was measured fluorimetrically following exposure to fluorescent beads, H influenzae or S pneumoniae for 4 h.ResultsThere were no differences in baseline release of any of the cytokines measured between subject groups. Cells released cytokines in response to LPS in a concentration-dependent manner. M1MDM derived from non-smokers and COPD patients released greater concentrations of LPS-stimulated (10 ng/ml) TNFα compared to M2 MDM. (Non-smokers: 7.4±2.3 vs 1.5±0.2 ng/ml, n=4; p<0.01; COPD: 7.0±1.8 vs 2.1±0.9 ng/ml, n=4) and significantly less IL-10 (Non-smokers: 0.4±0.2 vs 3.0±0.6 ng/ml, n=4; p<0.05; COPD: 0.3±0.04 vs 1.5±0.5 ng/ml, n=3) than M2 MDM. These differences were not apparent in cells from smokers. Both M1 and M2 MDM released LPS-stimulated CXCL8 similarly with no difference between subject groups. Phagocytosis of polystyrene beads was similar by both MDM phenotypes in all subject groups. However, there was a trend for M2 MDM to phagocytose more bacteria compared with M1 MDM which reached significance in healthy subjects (p<0.05).ConclusionsM1 and M2 MDM from non-smokers and COPD subjects showed distinct differences with respect to LPS-stimulated cytokine release and phagocytosis, however these differences were not apparent in cells from smokers without COPD. This suggests that smokers without COPD have altered circulating monocytes that do not differentiate into the pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage and may be protective against the development of COPD.
The biochemical and pharmacological characteristics in human proinflammatory cells of BRL 50481 3-( N,N -dimethylsulfonamido)-4-methyl-nitrobenzene, a novel and selective inhibitor of ...phosphodiesterase (PDE) 7, are described.
BRL 50481 inhibited the activity of hrPDE7A1 expressed in baculovirus-infected Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells in a competitive manner ( K i value of 180 nM) and was 416 and 1884 times less potent against PDE3 and 38 and 238 times less potent against PDE4 at a substrate
concentration of 1 μM and 50 nM cAMP, respectively. Western blotting identified HSPDE7A1 but not HSPDE7A2 in three human cell
types that are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease, namely, CD8 + T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and lung macrophages. BRL 50481 had no effect on the proliferation of CD8 + T-lymphocytes and only marginally (â¼2-11%) reduced the generation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α from blood monocytes and
lung macrophages. However, in the presence of BRL 50481 the inhibitory effect of rolipram was enhanced on all three cell types.
The expression of HSPDE7A1 was increased in a time-dependent manner in monocytes that were âagedâ in culture medium. Under
this condition, BRL 50481 now inhibited TNFα generation in a concentration-dependent manner. In aged monocytes, rolipram,
Org 9935 (a PDE3 inhibitor), and prostaglandin E 2 inhibited TNFα generation in a concentration-dependent manner and interacted additively with BRL 50481. BRL 50481 is the
first fully documented PDE7 inhibitor that has acceptable selectivity for in vitro studies. Furthermore, although BRL 50481
had only a modest inhibitory effect per se on the proinflammatory cells studied, it acted at least additively with other cAMP-elevating
drugs, especially when HSPDE7A1 was up-regulated.
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