Steady-state nitrogen isotope effects of N2 and N2O production in Paracoccus denitrificans. (1/1165)

Nitrogen stable-isotope compositions (delta15N) can help track denitrification and N2O production in the environment, as can knowledge of the isotopic discrimination, or isotope effect, inherent to denitrification. However, the isotope effects associated with denitrification as a function of dissolved-oxygen concentration and their influence on the isotopic composition of N2O are not known. We developed a simple steady-state reactor to allow the measurement of denitrification isotope effects in Paracoccus denitrificans. With [dO2] between 0 and 1.2 microM, the N stable-isotope effects of NO3- and N2O reduction were constant at 28.6 per thousand +/- 1.9 per thousand and 12.9 per thousand +/- 2.6 per thousand, respectively (mean +/- standard error, n = 5). This estimate of the isotope effect of N2O reduction is the first in an axenic denitrifying culture and places the delta15N of denitrification-produced N2O midway between those of the nitrogenous oxide substrates and the product N2 in steady-state systems. Application of both isotope effects to N2O cycling studies is discussed.  (+info)

Causes of nitrous oxide contamination in operating rooms. (2/1165)

BACKGROUND: To reduce the ambient concentration of waste anesthetic agents, exhaust gas scavenging systems are standard in almost all operating rooms. The incidence of contamination and the factors that may increase the concentrations of ambient anesthetic gases have not been evaluated fully during routine circumstances, however. METHODS: Concentrations of nitrous oxide (N2O) in ambient air were monitored automatically in 10 operating rooms in Kagoshima University Hospital from January to March 1997. Ambient air was sampled automatically from each operating room, and the concentrations of N2O were analyzed every 22 min by an infrared spectrophotometer. The output of the N2O analyzer was integrated electronically regarding time, and data were displayed on a monitor in the administrative office for anesthesia supervisors. A concentration of N2O > 50 parts per million was regarded as abnormally high and was displayed with an alarm signal. The cause of the high concentration of N2O was then sought. RESULTS: During the 3-month investigation, N2O was used in 402 cases. Abnormally high concentrations of N2O were detected at some time during 104 (25.9%) of those cases. The causes were mask ventilation (42 cases, 40.4% of detected cases), unconnected scavenging systems (20 cases, 19.2%), leak around uncuffed pediatric endotracheal tube (13 cases, 12.5%), equipment leakage (12 cases, 11.5%), and others (17 cases, 16.4%). CONCLUSIONS: N2O contamination was common during routine circumstances in our operating rooms. An unconnected scavenging system led to the highest concentrations of N2O recorded. Proper use of scavenging systems is necessary if contamination by anesthetic gas is to be limited.  (+info)

Continuous arterial P(O2) and P(CO2) measurements in swine during nitrous oxide and xenon elimination: prevention of diffusion hypoxia. (3/1165)

BACKGROUND: During nitrous oxide (N2O) elimination, arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) decreases because of the phenomenon commonly called diffusive hypoxia. The authors questioned whether similar effects occur during xenon elimination. METHODS: Nineteen anesthetized and paralyzed pigs were mechanically ventilated randomly for 30 min using inspiratory gas mixtures of 30% oxygen and either 70% N2O or xenon. The inspiratory gas was replaced by a mixture of 70% nitrogen and 30% oxygen. PaO2 and carbon dioxide tensions were recorded continuously using an indwelling arterial sensor. RESULTS: The PaO2 decreased from 119+/-10 mm Hg to 102+/-12 mm Hg (mean+/-SD) during N2O washout (P<0.01) and from 116+/-9 mm Hg to 110+/-8 mm Hg during xenon elimination (P<0.01), with a significant difference (P<0.01) between baseline and minimum PaO2 values (deltaPaO2, 17+/-6 mm Hg during N2O washout and 6+/-3 mm Hg during xenon washout). The PaCO2 value also decreased (from 39.3+/-6.3 mm Hg to 37.6+/-5.8 mm Hg) during N2O washout (P<0.01) and during xenon elimination (from 35.4+/-1.6 mm Hg to 34.9+/-1.6 mm Hg; P< 0.01). The deltaPaCO2 was 1.7+/-0.9 mm Hg in the N2O group and 0.5+/-0.3 mm Hg in the xenon group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Diffusive hypoxia is unlikely to occur during recovery from xenon anesthesia, probably because of the low blood solubility of this gas.  (+info)

Anoxic function for the Escherichia coli flavohaemoglobin (Hmp): reversible binding of nitric oxide and reduction to nitrous oxide. (4/1165)

The flavohaemoglobin Hmp of Escherichia coli is inducible by nitric oxide (NO) and provides protection both aerobically and anaerobically from inhibition of growth by NO and agents that cause nitrosative stress. Here we report rapid kinetic studies of NO binding to Fe(III) Hmp with a second order rate constant of 7.5 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) to generate a nitrosyl adduct that was stable anoxically but decayed in the presence of air to reform the Fe(III) protein. NO displaced CO bound to dithionite-reduced Hmp but, remarkably, CO recombined after only 2 s at room temperature indicative of NO reduction and dissociation from the haem. Addition of NO to anoxic NADH-reduced Hmp also generated a nitrosyl species which persisted while NADH was oxidised. These results are consistent with direct demonstration by membrane-inlet mass spectrometry of NO consumption and nitrous oxide production during anoxic incubation of NADH-reduced Hmp. The results demonstrate a new mechanism by which Hmp may eliminate NO under anoxic growth conditions.  (+info)

Comparison of the analgesic potency of xenon and nitrous oxide in humans evaluated by experimental pain. (5/1165)

We have compared the analgesic potency of MAC-equivalent concentrations of xenon (10, 20, 30 and 40%) and nitrous oxide (15, 30, 45 and 60%) in humans using a multimodal experimental pain testing and assessment technique. We tested 12 healthy volunteers in a randomized, single-blind, crossover study. The following experimental pain tests were used: nociceptive reflex to repeated stimuli; pain tolerance to maximal effort tourniquet ischaemia; electrical stimulation; mechanical pressure; and cold. Reaction time was also measured. Xenon and nitrous oxide produced analgesia to ischaemic, electrical and mechanical stimulation, but not to cold pain. There was no difference in MAC-equivalent concentrations of xenon and nitrous oxide. Both increased reaction time in a similar manner. Xenon and nitrous oxide evoked nausea and vomiting in a large number of volunteers.  (+info)

Concentration and second-gas effects in the water analogue. (6/1165)

The water analogue provides a visual model of the process of anaesthetic exchange. In the standard version, a single pipe connects the mouth container to the lung container and the conductance of this mouth-lung pipe is proportional to alveolar ventilation. This implies that inspired and expired ventilations are equal. In fact, with high inspired concentrations of nitrous oxide, early rapid uptake of gas by solution leads to a substantial difference between inspired and expired ventilation which in turn leads to concentration and second-gas effects. It is shown that by representing inspired and expired ventilations separately, and keeping one of them constant while varying the other to compensate for rapid uptake, concentration and second-gas effects are reproduced in the water analogue. Other means of reproducing the effects are reported but we believe that the first method is the most realistic and the most appropriate for teaching.  (+info)

Reaction of organic nitrate esters and S-nitrosothiols with reduced flavins: a possible mechanism of bioactivation. (7/1165)

Organic nitrate esters, such as glyceryl trinitrate and isosorbide dinitrate, are a class of compounds used to treat a variety of vascular ailments. Their effectiveness relies on their ability to be bioactivated to nitric oxide (NO) which, in turn, relaxes vascular smooth muscle. Although there have been many biological studies that indicate that NO can be formed from organic nitrate esters in a biological environment, the chemical mechanism by which this occurs has yet to be established. Previous studies have implicated both flavins and thiols in organic nitrate ester bioactivation. Thus, we examined the chemical interactions of flavins and thiols with organic nitrate esters as a means of determining the role these species may play in NO production. Based on these studies we concluded that a reasonable chemical mechanism for organic nitrate ester bioactivation involves reduction to the organic nitrite ester followed by conversion to a nitrosothiol. The release of NO from nitrosothiols can occur via a variety of processes including reaction with dihydroflavins and NADH.  (+info)

Women emerge from general anesthesia with propofol/alfentanil/nitrous oxide faster than men. (8/1165)

BACKGROUND: Recovery from general anesthesia is governed by pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic factors. Gender has not previously been recognized as a factor influencing the time to emergence from general anesthesia. METHODS: This multicenter study was originally designed to measure the effects of the bispectral index on intraoperative anesthetic management and patient recovery. We compared the wake-up and recovery times of 274 adults after propofol/alfentanil/nitrous oxide anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to have the titration of propofol performed with or without the use of bispectral index monitoring. Specific guidelines were given for the titration of drugs. The aim in all cases was to provide a safe anesthetic with the fastest possible recovery. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in propofol dose, time to eye opening, and response to verbal command when the anesthetic was titrated using the bispectral index. Unexpectedly, gender proved to be a highly significant independent predictor for recovery time. Women woke significantly faster than men: the time from end of anesthesia to eye opening was 7.05 versus 11.22 min, P < 0.05, and response to verbal command was 8.12 versus 11.67 min, P < 0.05. These differences were significant at all four study sites and in each treatment group. Men consistently had prolonged recovery times compared to women, P < 0.001. There was no difference in the dose of anesthetic used between gender. CONCLUSIONS: Gender appears to be an important variable in recovery from general anesthesia. These findings may explain the increased reported incidence of awareness in women (three times more frequent) and support the need to include gender as a variable in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of anesthetic drugs.  (+info)