White rice husk ash (WRHA) was obtained via thermal degradation of rice husks in air, which was used to remove Mn(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Thermodynamic and kinetic studies of adsorption were conducted under agitation at 288, 298 and 308 K and different solution concentrations. The obtained results showed that the removal of Mn(II) ions from aqueous solutions using WRHA is a chemisorption process, where the OH-groups of SiO2 take part, releasing H+ ions in the solution. The adsorption process was well described with the Langmuir isotherm. On its basis, the values of ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° for the adsorption of Mn(II) ions onto WRHA were calculated. Pseudo-first-order kinetic equation was found as the most appropriate kinetic model. The values of the rate constants of the sorption process at the studied temperatures were calculated, which were found to be equal to k288 = 8.75 × 10− 4 min− 1, k298 = 2.53 × 10− 3 min− 1 and k308 = 6.69 × 10− 3 min− 1. Using the Arrhenius equation, the values of the activation energy (EA = 75.02 kJ mol− 1) and the frequency factor (A = 3.55 × 1010 min− 1) were calculated. It was concluded that WRHA is an effective and very cheap adsorbent for removing Mn(II) ions from water solutions.

With the advent of modern anaesthesia, in Boston, USA in October 1846, came the introduction of a new speciality for which there was no established method of measurement of efficacy or safety. For the first time patients were deliberately made unconscious and then brought back to their normal conscious level; some died and others developed new symptoms that were short lived or long lasting. Observations were made about the recovery process and data began to be collected. Over the years this process has been refined but until recently no significant measure has been available to measure a quality in recovery for all patients. This paper will outline the formative developments in this evolution and outline the process required to measure a quality of recovery.

We report a patient suffering from narcolepsy who presented for day case gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia. Her symptoms were normally well controlled using modafinil therapy which she had omitted on the day of surgery. Modafinil is a unique drug and has potential for many interactions with anaesthetic agents; these are discussed in this report. Her anaesthetic course was uneventful and we review previous reports of patients suffering with narcolepsy undergoing anaesthesia and suggest that narcolepsy should not be a contra-indication to day case surgery.

Early attempts at resuscitation of the dead or apparently dead, both animals and humans, have been recorded for centuries. Modern ‘interpretation’ of anecdotal records suggests successes for Elisha in the Old Testament1 The Holy Bible. King James Version London 1611 11Kings 4:33–5. Google Scholar Vesalius and Hooke in the 16th and 17th centuries 2 Vesalius A. De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septum. Basel; 1555. Google Scholar , 3 Hooke R. An account of an experiment made by M Hook, of preserving animals alive by blowing through their lungs with bellows. Philos Trans R Soc. 1667; : 2 Google Scholar and Bruhier and Jackson in the early 18th Century. 4 Bruhier d’Ablaincourt JJ. The uncertainty of the signs of death and the danger of precipitate internments and dissections demonstrated with proper directions both for preventing such accidents and repairing the misfortunes brought upon the constitution by them. London; 1746. Google Scholar , 5 Jackson R. A physical dissertation on drowning; in which submersion, commonly call’d drowning, is shewn to be a long time consistent with the continuance of life … to which is subjoined, the proper measure for recovery and relief by a physician. London; 1746. Google Scholar

The mid Eighteenth Century was a time of great scientific experimentation and observation during which some of the basic aspects of respiratory physiology and metabolism began to be elucidated. This was the time when the fundamental elements of earth, air, fire and water proposed by Aristotle began to be reappraised. The Phlogiston theory was finally exploded and a basic understanding of elements, respiratory gases and metabolism began to emerge. It was also a time of radical social movements with political and religious unrest and revolution taking place. This scientific and social upheaval can be seen in the lives of three great chemists of that era: Scheele, Lavoisier and Priestley, all of whom added significantly to the pieces of the physiological jigsaw puzzle that was being put together at this time.

A dissociation-enhanced lathanide fluorescence immunoassay (DELFIA) method has been developed for the determination of AR-C68397XX, a novel respiratory therapeutic agent, in human plasma. The method is a 'direct' immunoassay and provides an alternative to the solid phase extraction RIA described in a previous publication, which employs the same specific antiserum. The DELFIA method is suitable for the determination of the analyte at pg ml(-1) concentrations. The non-isotopic label was prepared by complexation of a DTPA derivative of AR-C68397XX with free europium cation (Eu3+). Plasma samples were diluted at least 5-fold prior to analysis to eliminate matrix interference. The calibration range is 10-2000 pg ml(-1), and the LOQ of the method is 50 pg ml(-1) using 50 microl of diluted human plasma sample.

A radioimmunoassay has been developed for the determination of AR-C68397XX, a dual D2-receptor and beta2-adrenoceptor agonist, in human plasma. The method incorporates solid phase sample extraction and is suitable for the determination of the analyte at pg ml(-1) concentrations. The antiserum was raised in Suffolk cross sheep following primary and booster immunisations with an immunogen prepared by conjugating a carboxyphenylmethyl derivative of AR-C68397XX, to bovine serum albumin. The radioligand was prepared by the 125I-labelled iodination of a derivative of AR-C68397XX. The solid phase extraction procedure, using octadecyl sorbent, was introduced to remove matrix interferences in the plasma and to enhance method sensitivity. The calibration range is 20-500 pg ml(-1), using 0.5 ml of undiluted human plasma sample.

The effective (geometric mean) return of a periodically rebalanced portfolio always exceeds the weighted sum of the component geometric means. Some approximate formulae for estimating this effective return are derived and tested. One special case of these formulae is shown to be particularly simple, and is used to provide easily computed estimates of the benefits of diversification and rebalancing. The results are also used to show how classical Mean-Variance Optimization may be modified to generate the Geometric Mean Frontier, the analog of the efficient frontier when the geometric mean is used as the measure of portfolio return.

A radioimmunoassay has been developed for the determination of AR-C15849KF, a CCK-8 analogue, in human plasma. The method incorporates solid-phase sample extraction, is suitable for the determination of the analyte at pg ml-1 concentrations and is based on a method developed and validated for dog plasma. The solid-phase extraction, using ion-exchange aminopropyl and octadecyl sorbents sequentially, was retained for this procedure to remove matrix interferences in the plasma and to enhance method sensitivity. The calibration range is 10-500 pg ml-1, using a 1 ml sample of undiluted human plasma. The method has been successfully used to generate early human pharmacokinetic data during a programme of exploratory development.

A radioimmunoassay has been developed for the determination of ARL 15849XX, a cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) analogue, in dog plasma. The method incorporates solid-phase sample extraction and is suitable for the determination of the analyte at picogram per millilitre concentrations. The antiserum was raised in Suffolk-cross sheep following primary and booster immunisations with an immunogen prepared by conjugating ARL 16935XX, an analogue of ARL 15849KF, to bovine serum albumin. The radioligand was prepared by the no-carrier-added 125I iodination of a non-sulphated derivative, ARL 15745XX. The solid-phase extraction procedure, carried out using ion-exchange aminopropyl and octadecyl sorbents sequentially, was introduced to remove matrix interferences in the plasma and to enhance the method sensitivity. The calibration range is 20–1000 pg ml−1, using a 1 ml sample of undiluted dog plasma.

A sensitive method for the determination of tipredane in human plasma has been developed. Prior to radioimmunoassay, proteins are removed from plasma by precipitation with acetonitrile. A [125I]iodohistamide derivative of tipredane is used as a heterogeneous radioligand. The primary antiserum is raised in sheep against a tipredane (O-carboxymethyl) oxime-bovine serum albumin conjugate. Donkey anti-sheep IgG antiserum is used as the secondary antiserum in a double antibody separation procedure. The limit of quantification of the method is 1 ng ml-1 for 500 microliters of plasma. There is no significant interference from either established or putative metabolites of tipredane, endogenous steroids or a wide range of other drugs. The assay was used to determine the concentrations of tipredane in plasma samples collected in pilot clinical studies.

An automated HPLC method is described for the determination of nedocromil sodium in human urine. An HPLC autosampler is used to inject urine samples onto a short reversed-phase column. This column acts as a concentration column and performs a preliminary extraction. The concentration column is automatically back-flushed onto an ion-exchange column where final separation of nedocromil sodium from urine constituents occurs. Recovery, accuracy, precision, sensitivity and specificity were investigated. The method has been applied to urine samples from clinical studies, and the results were compared to those obtained using a radioimmunoassay developed previously.

A method is described for the determination of dopexamine hydrochloride at concentrations of 5 to 100 ng/ml in human blood using electrochemical detection. The method uses a Hypersil ODS column and a mobile phase containing heptane sulphonate, orthophosphoric acid, diisopropylamine and disodium EDTA. Blood samples are stabilised immediately after collection by the use of dipotassium EDTA and a high concentration of sodium metabisulphite. The sample preparation procedure consists of a simple de-proteinisation with perchloric acid. The method is accurate, with inter-assay accuracies ranging from 100 to 104%, and is free of interference by blood from different individuals. Known and potential metabolites of dopexamine hydrochloride and a wide range of drugs do not interfere with the method. The method is precise with inter-assay coefficients of variation of 10.6% at 5 ng/ml and of less than 4.2% at higher concentrations. Stabilised blood samples may be stored for over six months at -25 degrees C prior to analysis.

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & GynaecologyVolume 100, Issue 8 p. 789-790 Radical vulvectomy using the argon enhanced electro-surgical pencil Patrick Neven, Patrick Neven Research Fellow Department of Gynaecological Oncology, The Royal Marsden HospitalsSearch for more papers by this authorJohn H. Shepherd, Corresponding Author John H. Shepherd Consultant Gynaecological Surgeon Department of Gynaecological Oncology, The Royal Marsden HospitalsMr J. H. Shepherd, Department of Gynaecological Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.Search for more papers by this authorDavid J. Wilkinson, David J. Wilkinson Consultant Anaesthetist Department of Anaesthesia, St Bartholomew's Hospital, LondonSearch for more papers by this author Patrick Neven, Patrick Neven Research Fellow Department of Gynaecological Oncology, The Royal Marsden HospitalsSearch for more papers by this authorJohn H. Shepherd, Corresponding Author John H. Shepherd Consultant Gynaecological Surgeon Department of Gynaecological Oncology, The Royal Marsden HospitalsMr J. H. Shepherd, Department of Gynaecological Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.Search for more papers by this authorDavid J. Wilkinson, David J. Wilkinson Consultant Anaesthetist Department of Anaesthesia, St Bartholomew's Hospital, LondonSearch for more papers by this author First published: August 1993 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1993.tb14281.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume100, Issue8August 1993Pages 789-790 RelatedInformation

Day-case surgery is rapidly expanding throughout the Western world. This expansion is primarily the result of financial pressure from health care administrators, and many surgeons and anaesthetists have been reluctant to become involved in this type of practice. A series of helpful reports have appeared in the UK which give pointers to those trying to improve their throughput of such work, both for adult and paediatric day-care. Much research is currently underway in this field as anaesthetists try to decrease the morbidity of increasingly complex surgery for day-care. Interesting avenues are in geriatric care, preoperative and outcome assessment, recovery from anaesthesia and perioperative fluid therapy. Propofol is proving to be the drug of choice for the majority of day anaesthesia, but some adverse phenomena have been reported and more time will be needed to fully evaluate its place. More extensive audit of day-care work is urgently needed to provide information for future treatment plans. Nausea and vomiting remain as some of the worst after effects of anaesthesia. Despite a wide variety of anti-emetic drugs these symptoms are poorly controlled. Acupuncture and acupressure are proving to be interesting lines of research while other investigators continue to introduce newer drugs such as alizapride and dixyrazine. Other possible research areas include the use of traditional herbal remedies such as ginger root. Work on the history of anaesthesia continues to appear in a few of the mainstream anaesthetic journals. The majority of this work is on the historical use of specific drugs like muscle relaxants, the evolution of specific items of apparatus, or the life histories of noteable pioneers. Anaesthetic historians need to develop greater appreciation of the wider social, political and economic forces that were moulding the lives and researches of their topics. Editors of journals should be encouraged to publish more historical work.