PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

N Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to N Harrison.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Appropriate use of local anaesthetic for venous cannulation.

A departmental survey indicated that the large majority of anaesthetists believed that injection of local anaesthetic before insertion of an intravenous cannula was unnecessary if a cannula of 18 gauge or smaller was used, because injection of local anaesthetic would be more painful than insertion of the cannula. A study was undertaken to test this hypothesis. The results showed that intravenous cannulation with a cannula of 18, 20 or 22 gauge was significantly (p less than 0.006) more painful than a subcutaneous injection of 1% lignocaine. We recommend that subcutaneous injection of local anaesthetic should be considered before insertion of any size of intravenous cannula.

Adult

Mandible reconstruction with vascularized bone grafts. A histologic evaluation.

To our knowledge, a histologic evaluation of bone healing after mandible reconstruction with vascularized human bone grafts has not been previously reported. Serial sections through both the decalcified graft and the junction between mandible and graft were evaluated in four patients who required surgical removal of their reconstructed mandibles. A failed scapular bone graft that had been wrapped within a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for salvage following pedicle thrombosis showed markedly resorbed but viable bone with a fibrous union to the native mandible. Viable vascularized grafts without evidence of ongoing resorption characterized an iliac osteocutaneous bone graft and two scapula osteocutaneous grafts that healed with continuity of healthy bone between graft and mandible. Observations from the evaluation of these specimens are made regarding bone circulation, bone union, and bone graft survival as they occur clinically. Implications regarding the techniques of bone plating and indications for use of vascularized bone in mandible reconstruction are discussed.

Bone Transplantation

Cardiopulmonary effects of a brief exposure to cigarette smoke in the guinea pig.

To investigate whether the acute inflammatory response produced by acute cigarette smoke exposure is associated with alterations in pulmonary and cardiovascular function, using a respirator we exposed 8 guinea pigs to 350 ml of cigarette smoke diluted in 2,000 ml room air for 10 min. Lung volumes, pressure volume curves and flow volume curves were performed. Measurements of pulmonary artery pressure, systemic pressure, heart rate and cardiac output were taken at baseline, immediately after the smoke exposure, and 1.5 h after smoke exposure. Aliquots of peripheral blood for total white cell count and differential count were obtained. After animal sacrifice, the right lung was lavaged and white cell count and differential count performed. We found that acute exposure to cigarette smoke produced a peripheral blood neutrophilia which rose progressively from a baseline of 36.3 +/- 8% to a maximum of 72.2 +/- 7.7% at 1.5 h after exposure. There was pulmonary neutrophilia with 24.6 +/- 6.3% neutrophils in the lavage fluid of the smoke-exposed animals compared to 8.4 +/- 4.3% in the control animals. Immediately after smoke exposure, there was acute airflow obstruction with a decrease in the peak flow and forced expiratory flow between 25-75% vital capacity. This was associated with airtrapping, as shown by a transient increase in residual volume. There was a slight decrease in systemic blood pressure in the smoke-exposed animals associated with a nonsignificant decrease in the heart rate, and the cardiac output remained stable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Airway Obstruction

Quartz but not iron oxide causes air-flow obstruction, emphysema, and small airways lesions in the rat.

Recent epidemiologic studies have suggested that some workers exposed to inorganic dusts develop air-flow obstruction independent of or greater than that produced by cigarette smoke; the morphologic basis of this effect is unknown. To investigate this problem, we administered saline alone, 10 mg iron oxide (an inert dust), or 10 or 30 mg of quartz to rats by intratracheal instillation. Animals were killed after 30 days, and pulmonary function and morphologic changes were examined. The iron oxide group was similar to the saline control group in all functional and morphometric parameters. However, both quartz-exposed groups showed evidence of air-flow obstruction, with more severe abnormalities in the high dose group. These findings correlated with morphometric observations of emphysema and thickened airway walls, with changes again more severe in the high dose group. Early silicotic nodules were also present in the latter animals. We conclude that in addition to the classic lesions of nodular silicosis, quartz can produce morphologic and functional changes of air-flow obstruction; no such changes are seen with iron oxide. These observations may explain the air-flow obstruction seen in workers exposed to mineral dusts.

Airway Obstruction

Cigarette smoke makes airway and early parenchymal asbestos-induced lung disease worse in the guinea pig.

In order to assess the effects of cigarette smoke and asbestos exposure, we divided guinea pigs into 4 groups: smoking or nonsmoking, and asbestos-exposed or not asbestos-exposed groups. Asbestos-exposed animals were given a single intratracheal instillation of 5 mg UICC amosite, a dose and method of administration that we have previously shown produces morphologic changes in the small airways as well as minimal interstitial fibrosis. Animals were smoked 5 days per week for 6 months. By itself, smoking did not affect lung collagen content, small airways wall thickness, or the volume fraction of tissue surrounding airways, but it did cause a significant increase in alveolar mean linear intercept (Lm). Asbestos alone increased collagen content, airway wall thickness, and tissue volume fraction surrounding airways, the latter measure used to assess interstitial fibrosis. An unexpected finding was that asbestos also increased Lm. The two agents administered together caused more severe changes of all types than were produced by either agent alone, and the interaction between the 2 was generally synergistic. Smoke-exposed animals retained 3 times the asbestos fiber burden of those not smoke-exposed; the increase in retention was greater for short than for long fibers. We conclude that cigarette smoke can potentiate the fibrosis induced by asbestos, possibly because of increased fiber retention. As well, in this model, asbestos or asbestos plus cigarette smoke produces increases in alveolar size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Migration testing of plastics and microwave-active materials for high-temperature food-use applications.

Temperatures have been measured using a fluoro-optic probe at the food/container or food/packaging interfaces as appropriate, for a range of foods heated in either a microwave or a conventional oven. Reheating ready-prepared foods packaged in plastics pouches, trays or dishes in the microwave oven, according to the manufacturers' instructions, resulted in temperatures in the range 61-121 degrees C. Microwave-active materials (susceptors) in contact with ready-prepared foods frequently reached local spot temperatures above 200 degrees C. For foods cooked in a microwave oven according to published recipes, temperatures from 91 degrees C to 200 degrees C were recorded, whilst similar temperatures (92-194 degrees C) were attained in a conventional oven, but over longer periods of time. These measurements form the basis for examining compliance with specific and overall migration limits for plastics materials. The testing conditions proposed depend on the intended use of the plastic - for microwave oven use for aqueous foods, for all lidding materials, and for reheating of foods, testing would only be required with aqueous simulants for 1 h at 100 degrees C; for unspecified microwave oven use, testing with olive oil would be required for 30 min at 150 degrees C; and for unspecified use in a conventional oven testing with olive oil would be required for 2 h at 175 degrees C. For microwave-active materials, it is proposed that testing is carried out in the microwave oven using a novel semi-solid simulant comprising olive oil and water absorbed onto an inert support of diatomaceous earth. The testing in this instance is carried out with the simulant instead of food in a package and heating in the microwave oven at 600 W for 4 min for every 100 g of simulant employed. There is an option in every case to test for migration using real foods rather than simulants if it can be demonstrated that results using simulants are unrepresentative of those for foods. The proposed testing conditions were validated as being realistic by measurement of the specific migration of various components from different plastics into foods under actual conditions of use and comparing with migration into simulants. Migration of plasticizers from PVC and VC/VDC copolymer films was monitored for both microwave reheating and cooking of foods. Total oligomer concentrations were measured from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) trays, and volatile aromatics from thermoset polyester trays, using both types of container in microwave and conventional ovens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adipates

Information wanted.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged