Soil genesis and development, lesson 5: Soil classification and geography

The system of soil classification developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is called Soil Taxonomy. This lesson focuses on broad descriptions of soils at the Order level of classification. At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to do the following: 1. Describe the structure of the USDA soil taxonomic system. 2. Describe the defining characteristic(s) of each of the 12 soil Orders. 3. Apply the concept of soil forming factors to the formation and occurrence of each of the 12 soil Orders. 4. Identify regional scale occurrences of soil orders in the USA. The lesson is written to target educational needs of lowerlevel undergraduate students and is open for use by the public and educational institutions

Does electronic decision support influence advanced life support in simulated cardiac arrest?

Introduction: In-hospital cardiac arrest is common but survival rates vary considerably. The reasons for this may relate to human factors. Decision support systems and tools have been suggested as a means of reducing human errors and improving outcomes. Methods: This study aimed to: investigate if an electronic decision support system (eDSS) influenced advanced life support (ALS) in a simulated in-hospital cardiac arrest scenario; and explore practitioners' views of their performance with and without the eDSS. Teams of nurses and student nurses managed two scenarios with and without using an eDSS, and their adherence to an ALS protocol was assessed. Teams then took part in group interviews. Results: Teams using the eDSS were more likely to adhere to the drug and shock administration elements of the ALS protocol but were less safe in doing so, which may have been because they were unfamiliar with it. The interviews yielded one overarching theme—team working—and three subthemes of team performance and dynamics, team leader performance and areas for development. Some considered the eDSS as a source of reassurance that supported organisation and communication, while others found it a distraction; reduced situational awareness was observed when it was used. Conclusion: While an eDSS can support practitioners managing a simulated cardiac arrest, it is important to test prototypes in extensive simulation-based situations before they are used in clinical practice

Expression of the endocytic proteins dynamin and amphiphysin in rat gastric enterochromaffin-like cells.

Dynamin and amphiphysin play crucial roles in a variety of endocytic processes. Previous investigations of expression and functions of these proteins were performed mostly on neurons. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and interaction of dyn and amph in gastric enterochromaffin-like cells. These endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa play a pivotal role in the regulation of acid secretion. Exocytosis of histamine-containing secretory vesicles has been described in detail. However, the mechanisms of endocytosis are unknown in this neuroendocrine cell type. Using RT-PCR and western blotting, we detected dynamin-1, -2 and -3 in highly enriched isolated enterochromaffin-like cells. Dynamin-1 and -2 were expressed at similar high levels, whereas dynamin-3 was of low abundance. Immunofluorescence microscopy located dynamin-1 and -2 to the cytoplasm and cell surface, whereas dynamin-3 was distributed differently in the perinuclear area. The presence of amphiphysin-1 and -2 RNAs was revealed by RT-PCR and a new splice variant of amphiphysin-2 was detected. Amphiphysin-1 and -2 were also detected in enterochromaffin-like cells by immunohistochemistry in the same locations as dynamin-1 and -2. Amphiphysin-1 and dynamin-1 co-immunoprecipitated with amphiphysin-2. In addition, dynamin-1 and amphiphysin-2 partially colocalized at the plasma membrane. Our results confirm the interaction of dynamin and amphiphysin and imply a role in endocytosis in enterochromaffin-like cells. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the co-expression of all three dynamin isoforms in a non-tumor cell

[Transport of blood gas samples: is the pneumatic tube system safe?]

BACKGROUND: Transport of blood gas samples via a pneumatic tube system and subsequent analysis in the central laboratory can reduce costs and errors compared to on-site testing in the operating theatre or the intensive care unit. In this study, a modern pneumatic tube transport system was tested for its usability for this purpose. METHODS: A total of 4 consecutive blood gas samples were obtained intraoperatively from 54 different patients and sent to the central laboratory. Of these, 3 samples were transferred using the pneumatic tube system but by different methods and 1 sample was transported personally which served as a reference. The results of sample analysis concerning blood gases, electrolytes and haemoglobin were compared and examined for differences. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences could be determined between the different modes of transportation. CONCLUSION: Transport of samples for blood gas analysis via a modern pneumatic tube system is safe when samples are correctly prepared

New cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines

New cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines Few medical treatment pathways are as well standardized as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Already in 1974, the American Heart Association (AHA) published the first standards for CPR W. Although the guidelines published thereon were updated from time to time with the newest research results and big efforts were made in the education and training of lay rescuers and medical professionals, survival after sudden cardiac arrest remains poor The reasons for this phenomenon are lack of willingness to help of cardiac arrest witnesses, poor quality of performed CPR measures and unsystematic therapy after return of spontaneous circulation. Therefore, the new guidelines were designed to facilitate learning and retaining of CPR measures by simplification, reduce no-flow-time, and implement the latest scientific results on post-resuscitation care

Evaluation of M-AID, a first aid application for mobile phones.

BACKGROUND: When performed effectively, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by bystanders reduces mortality due to sudden cardiac arrest. Telemedicine applications offer a means by which bystanders can get specific instructions for handling the emergency situation. M-AID, a first aid application for mobile phones, uses an intelligent algorithm of 'yes' or 'no' questions to judge the ongoing situation and give the user detailed instructions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of this mobile phone application in a scenario of sudden cardiac arrest. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen volunteers were assigned at random either to the test or the control group. All participants were confronted with the same scenario of acute coronary syndrome leading to cardiac arrest. The participants were either equipped with a mobile phone running the software (test group) or had to handle the situation without support (control group). The participants received a certain amount of credits for each action taken according to a pre-defined protocol and these credits were added to a score and compared between the groups. Participants were divided into subgroups according to their medical and technical experience. RESULTS: The test group generally achieved a slightly higher average score that was not statistically significant (21.11 versus 19.97; p=0.302). In contrast, the performance of the individuals in the control group was significantly faster (2.41 min versus 4.24 min; p<0.001). Use of the mobile phone software did not enhance the chance of survival. Subgroup analysis showed that experienced mobile phone users performed significantly better than non-experienced individuals, but not as well as participants with advanced first aid knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Experience in the use of mobile phones is a prerequisite for the efficient use of the tested M-AID version. This application cannot replace skills acquisition by practical training. In a subgroup with experience in mobile phone use and basic knowledge in CPR, the device improved performance of CPR