Improving productivity is a central concern of all American businesses today. While there are many approaches to boosting productivity, they all hinge on achieving the right mix of stability in routine operations and innovation in adapting to new conditions in the marketplace.

The problem in the measurement of cyclosporin (CyA) is that the widely used immuno-based assays suffer from interference by metabolites present in unpredictable excess. To resolve this, the consensus view has been to develop more specific and robust procedures for the measurement of CyA alone in order to give values similar to those obtained by HPLC. We developed an alternative strategy based on Abbott poly- and monoclonal assays to derive an adjusted monoclonal value as an equivalent measurement to HPLC. We have now evaluated a recently developed semi-automated HPLC procedure and used it to test the validity of the adjusted monoclonal value. The automated HPLC procedure with online clean-up was optimised for the separation of CyA and internal standard CyD. The assay was simple to use, precise and gave good recovery of cyclosporin from whole blood. Comparisons with the more specific immunoassays Abbott AxSym and EMIT showed close agreement, whereas Abbott monoclonal values indicated up to 20% positive bias. In contrast, the adjusted monoclonal values gave good agreement with HPLC. Data obtained from HPLC linked to tandem mass spectrometry (MS) indicated closer agreement with Abbott monoclonal values than expected, suggesting some positive bias with MS. The benefit of using an adjusted monoclonal value is that a result equivalent to HPLC is obtained, as well as an indication of the concentration of metabolites from the Abbott polyclonal measurement.

Journal Article Dehydration and metabolic disturbance in Ghanaian children with severe malaria Get access Maria-Paz Loscertales, Maria-Paz Loscertales Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Alex Osei-Akoto, Alex Osei-Akoto Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar David Sambian, David Sambian Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Tsiri Agbenyega, Tsiri Agbenyega Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar John Dutton, John Dutton Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar James Bunn James Bunn Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 97, Issue 6, November-December 2003, Page 628, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0035-9203(03)80075-5 Published: 01 November 2003

We prospectively studied the efficacy of pindolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA), for the prevention of syncope recurrences in 31 patients with recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope. Pindolol proved to be an effective treatment, even in patients who had previously failed treatment with conventional beta blockers, suggesting a clinical benefit from addition of ISA to beta blockade in this setting.

Since São Tomé and Príncipe were colonized by Europeans in the 1470s alien mammal species have been introduced to these islands. The impact of these introduced species (14 to São Tomé Príncipe and 12 to Príncipe) is unknown and though this paper reviews all the available information for each alien species no firm conclusions can be gleaned about their effect on the native biota of the República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe. Despite the probable long association of many, if not all, the alien mammals it is clear that the long history of deforestation and habitat modification has had a greater detrimental impact to date. Although all the Red Data Book species are still present it is possible that the introduced mammals could cause future population declines and extinctions. Research and surveys are urgently required to discover the current status, distribution and ecology of both the native Red Data Book species and the alien species. These surveys, in conjunction with the identification of core areas for conservation would allow active management to control any detrimental impacts likely to be caused by the alien mammals. Once identified, regular monitoring programmes should be undertaken to ensure that the conservation aims are being achieved. At present there is a lack of any really suitable institutional organization with the responsibility or skills to undertake the required work. The development of such an organization should be a priority and support should be given both in the short and long terms by international organizations such as Birdlife International and the Gulf of Guinea Conservation Group.

Vasovagal syncope after head-up tilting is thought to be secondary to a complex, neurally-mediated reflex with both vasodepressor and cardioinhibitory efferent components. The efficacy of edrophonium, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, as a provocative agent for triggering syncope during head-up tilt testing was evaluated. Forty-five consecutive patients (22 female and 23 male) with history of recurrent unexplained syncope received edrophonium (10 mg intravenous) after 30 minutes of 60 ° head-up tilting atone. Twenty normal control subjects (9 female and 11 male) were tested with head-up tilt testing and edrophonium. Syncope was induced in 19 of 45 patients with the diagnosis of unexplained syncope. In 9 patients who developed syncope with head-up tilting alone, the predominant hemodynamic finding was marked vasodepression. In contrast, in 10 patients who developed syncope only after head-up tilting and edrophonium, the predominant hemodynamic findings were marked vasodepression and bradycardia. Syncope was induced in 1 of 20 normal subjects after head-up tilting and edrophonium. There was no long-term complication from using edrophonium. It is concluded that head-up tilt testing with edrophonium: (1) significantly increases the identification of patients with vasovagal syncope, (2) may be particularly useful when provocation with isoproterenol is undesirable, and (3) may be an effective method to help differentiate patients with a significant reflex cardioinhibitory component from those with a predominantly reflex vasodepressor component.

Alternative measures of multilateral exchange rate changes appropriate for agricultural trade are analysed. The economic theory of index numbers was consulted in analysing published exchange rate indices and in constructing new indices. Comparisons among indices were made for the period 1970–1985, and differences were found to be significant. Results were particularly sensitive to the use of global rather than bilateral trade weights, used in the U.S. Department of Agriculture index. The relative importance of alternative exchange rate measures and trade elasticities is illustrated in terms of an agricultural trade model.

American Journal of Agricultural EconomicsVolume 68, Issue 5 p. 1279-1285 Invited Papers Session International Capital Flows and Agricultural Exports John Dutton, John Dutton associate professor North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this authorThomas Grennes, Thomas Grennes associate professor in the Department of Economics and Business North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this authorPaul R. Johnson, Paul R. Johnson professor in the Department of Economics and Business North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author John Dutton, John Dutton associate professor North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this authorThomas Grennes, Thomas Grennes associate professor in the Department of Economics and Business North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this authorPaul R. Johnson, Paul R. Johnson professor in the Department of Economics and Business North Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 December 1986 https://doi.org/10.2307/1241892AboutPDF 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 Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume68, Issue5December 1986Pages 1279-1285 RelatedInformation

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The results of upper cervical anterior rhizotomy and accessory nerve section in the treatment of twenty patients with spasmodic torticollis are reviewed. The majority of these patients presented with pain in addition to postural deformity. There was no evidence in any of them to suggest that the condition was psychogenic. Good results can be expected, particularly in those patients without evidence of cervical spondylosis. We suggest that in symptomatic torticollis surgery is more effective than medical, psychiatric, or other described forms of treatment. Electromyography may be helpful to delineate the affected musculature and to assess postoperative improvement. The operating microscope is a valuable adjunct to surgery to preserve radicular vessels and ensure total division of the relevant motor roots.

FURTHER EDUCATION PAY AWARD: WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE MACHINERY AND PROCESS OF DISCUSSION THAT PRODUCES AWARDS LIKE THE RECENT TEN PER CENT? AND, DOES THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT OFFER HOPE OR THREAT FOR TEACHER UNIONS?

A group of Faculty members of the School of Industrial Management at Purdue University have for some time been engaged in studies of decision making in a large, decentralized American manufacturing company. These studies have investigated decisions at the mills producing raw material and the converting plants of this fully integrated company. Examinations have been made of decision processes within and between company plants with the objective of adding to theory of behavior in organizations, particularly theory of working relations and theory of cognitive processes in the carrying out of complex organizational tasks, and application of theory to the solution of practical problems, such as those of scheduling production and of formal organization. This paper discusses one of these projects, an attempt to construct a behavioral model of the decision rules actually employed to schedule orders for production in one of the firm's plants. This project has sought to embody decision rules in a computer program which will, in fact, take incoming data on orders and plant capacity and convert this into an operating schedule in a manner highly analogous to that of the human schedulers who performed this task.† The following discussion avoids technical details, since the aim of this paper is to give an overall picture of the major purpose and problems of this type of research; to describe its origin and to suggest possible future application as seen by the researchers.

Os autores apresentam um raro caso de condroma intracraniano apenso ao etmóide e esfenóide, determinando exoftalmo e síndrome de lesão expansiva intracraniana. Os aspectos clínicos, patogenéticos e histopatológicos são discutidos.