Significant variation in intercenter RBC transfusion practices exists for both intraoperative and postoperative transfusions, even after risk adjustment, among our state's centers. Variability in intraoperative RBC transfusion persisted across quartiles of preoperative hematocrit values.

Substantial advances have been made on the Mega Ampère Spherical Tokamak (MAST). The parameter range of the MAST confinement database has been extended and it now also includes pellet-fuelled discharges. Good pellet retention has been observed in H-mode discharges without triggering an ELM or an H/L transition during peripheral ablation of low speed pellets. Co-ordinated studies on MAST and DIII-D demonstrate a strong link between the aspect ratio and the beta scaling of H-mode energy confinement, consistent with that obtained when MAST data were merged with a subset of the ITPA database. Electron and ion ITBs are readily formed and their evolution has been investigated. Electron and ion thermal diffusivities have been reduced to values close to the ion neoclassical level. Error field correction coils have been used to determine the locked mode threshold scaling which is comparable to that in conventional aspect ratio tokamaks. The impact of plasma rotation on sawteeth has been investigated and the results have been well-modelled using the MISHKA-F code. Alfvén cascades have been observed in discharges with reversed magnetic shear. Measurements during off-axis NBCD and heating are consistent with classical fast ion modelling and indicate efficient heating and significant driven current. Central electron Bernstein wave heating has been observed via the O–X–B mode conversion process in special magnetically compressed plasmas. Plasmas with low pedestal collisionality have been established and further insight has been gained into the characteristics of filamentary structures at the plasma edge. Complex behaviour of the divertor power loading during plasma disruptions has been revealed by high resolution infra-red measurements.

Low aspect ratio plasmas in devices such as the mega ampere spherical tokamak (MAST) are characterized by strong toroidicity, strong shaping and self fields, low magnetic field, high beta, large plasma flow and high intrinsic E × B flow shear. These characteristics have important effects on plasma behaviour, provide a stringent test of theories and scaling laws and offer new insight into underlying physical processes, often through the amplification of effects present in conventional tokamaks (e.g. impact of fuelling source and magnetic geometry on H-mode access). The enhancement of neoclassical effects makes

Significant progress has been made on the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) towards a fundamental understanding of transport, stability and edge physics and addressing technological issues for future large devices. Collaborative studies of the L-H transition with NSTX and ASDEX Upgrade confirm that operation in a connected double-null configuration significantly reduces the threshold power, P thr . The MAST data provide support for a theory for the transition based on finite β drift wave turbulence suppression by self-generated zonal flows. Analysis of low and high field side density gradients in the H-mode pedestal provides support for an analytical model of the density pedestal width dependent on the neutral penetration depth. Adding MAST data to international confinement databases has enhanced confidence in scalings for ITER by significantly expanding the range of β and ε explored and indicates a slightly stronger ε dependence than in current scalings. Studies of core transport have been conducted for well-diagnosed L-mode, H-mode and internal transport barrier (ITB) discharges using TRANSP, and microstability and turbulence studies have been carried out using GS2. Linear micro-stability analysis indicates that ITG modes are typically unstable on all flux surfaces with growth rates that are comparable to the equilibrium E × B flow shearing rate. Mixing length estimates of transport coefficients from ITG (neglecting flow shear) give diffusion coefficients that are broadly comparable with observed thermal diffusivities. Non-linear, collisionless ETG calculations have been performed and suggest radially extended electrostatic streamers up to 100ρ e across in radius. Transport from ITG could easily be suppressed in regions where the E × B shear flow rate,

The decision on when to start drugs for the treatment of elevated blood pressure should be determined by an individual's absolute risk of having an adverse cardiovascular event.The choice of drug depends on its safety and effectiveness and its indications and contraindications for individual patients. most patients will require two or more drugs to reach their target blood pressure. The main classes of antihypertensive drugs are equally effective at reducing blood pressure, but beta blockers are no longer recommended as first-line treatment for most patients.

Decreases in hematocrit observed in cardiac surgery patients are due to significant red blood cell losses and not to hemodilution. Red blood cell losses averaged 38%. Plasma volume also decreased.

sYNoPsis The absorption of vitamin B12 following the simultaneous administration of 58Co B12 and a complex of 57Co B12 with human gastric juice was assessed by measurement of urinary excretion of radioactivity. Sixteen control subjects, 13 patients with pernicious anaemia, and four who had had total gastrectomy were studied. The method proved a reliable means of detecting those with intrinsic factor deficiency.The urinary excretion test introduced by Schilling (1953) for assessing the absorption of vitamin B12 is useful in the investigation of patients suspected of having vitamin B12 deficiency (Van Kampen and Graafland, 1959;Adams and Seaton, 1961). In this test a small oral dose of vitamin B12 labelled with radioactive cobalt is given to the patient. Simultaneously a large intramuscular dose of non-radioactive B12 is administered to block the body stores and to flush out the labelled vitamin into the urine. The radioactivity excreted in the following 24 or 48 hours is determined and provides a measure of the amount of the oral dose which has been absorbed. When the radioactivity excreted by the patient is less than that of control subjects the test is repeated a few days later with the addition of potent intrinsic factor. If the fraction of the oral dose excreted in the urine is now increased by at least a factor of 2, the patient is presumed to be deficient in intrinsic factor. Katz, DiMase, and Donaldson (1963) have described a diagnostic procedure which combines the two parts of the Schilling test. Vitamin B12 labelled with 58Co is given orally to the patient together with vitamin B12 labelled with 60Co, bound to normal human gastric juice. A large intramuscular dose of non-radioactive B12 is simultaneously administered and the amounts of`8Co and 60Co excreted in the urine are separately determined. Thus both the absorption of B12 and the effect of intrinsic factor may be assessed.The present work describes a modification of this technique in which 57Co B12 iS substituted for 60Co B12 thus reducing the dose of radiation to the patient. Normal subjects, patients with pernicious anaemia, and patients with total gastrectomy were investigated.

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