William Talbot | University of New Mexico (original) (raw)

Papers by William Talbot

The American Journal of Surgery, 1975

High speed vehicular accidents often result in severe abdominal trauma. At one time, retroperiton... more High speed vehicular accidents often result in severe abdominal trauma. At one time, retroperitoneal duodenal rupture was au uncommon sequel to blunt abdominal injury, but such perforations or disruptions are no longer rare. Impact against the steering wheel has been the principal mechanism of injury. Hopefully, the lowered speed limits and newer collapsible steering wheels will reduce the number of cases of retroperitoneal duodenal trauma in the future. In the meantime, however, surgeons must be cognizant of the subtleties of the diagnosis and have a plan for management. Confusion about appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic measures was related to the application of a variety of tests and operations to small numbers of cases. A large personal series of duodenal ruptures has not been easy for any one surgeon to accumulate. At the Burn and Trauma Unit of the University of New Mexico, eight cases of retroperitoneal duodenal rupture from blunt abdominal trauma were personally observed and/or managed by one of us (JMS) during the past six years. A critical appraisal of that experience and a comparison with more extensive case collections from large centers constitute the basis for this report.

The Journal of experimental biology, Jan 6, 2018

Evaporative cooling is a prerequisite for avian occupancy of hot, arid environments, and is the o... more Evaporative cooling is a prerequisite for avian occupancy of hot, arid environments, and is the only avenue of heat dissipation when air temperatures () exceed body temperature (). Whereas diurnal birds can potentially rehydrate throughout the day, nocturnal species typically forgo drinking between sunrise and sunset. We hypothesized that nocturnal birds have evolved reduced rates of evaporative water loss (EWL) and more economical evaporative cooling mechanisms compared with diurnal species, permitting nocturnal species to tolerate extended periods of intense heat without becoming lethally dehydrated. We used phylogenetically informed regressions to compare EWL and evaporative cooling efficiency [ratio of evaporative heat loss (EHL) and metabolic heat production (MHP); EHL/MHP] among nocturnal and diurnal birds at high We analyzed variation in three response variables: (1) slope of EWL at between 40 and 46°C, (2) EWL at =46°C and (3) EHL/MHP at =46°C. Nocturnality emerged as a weak...

The Journal of experimental biology, Jan 20, 2018

The thermoregulatory responses of owls to heat stress have been the subject of few studies. Altho... more The thermoregulatory responses of owls to heat stress have been the subject of few studies. Although nocturnality buffers desert-dwelling owls from significant heat stress during activity, roost sites in tree and cactus cavities or in deep shade provide only limited refuge from high environmental temperatures during the day. We measured thermoregulatory responses to acute heat stress in two species of small owls, the elf owl () and the western screech-owl (), which occupy the Sonoran Desert of southwestern North America, an area of extreme heat and aridity. We exposed wild-caught birds to progressively increasing air temperatures () and measured resting metabolic rate (RMR), evaporative water loss (EWL), body temperature () and heat tolerance limits (HTL; the maximum reached). Comparatively low RMR values were observed in both species, approximated at 40°C and mild hyperthermia occurred as was increased toward the HTL. Elf owls and screech-owls reached HTLs of 48 and 52°C, respectiv...

The Journal of experimental biology, Jan 13, 2018

Little is known about the phylogenetic variation of avian evaporative cooling efficiency and heat... more Little is known about the phylogenetic variation of avian evaporative cooling efficiency and heat tolerance in hot environments. We quantified thermoregulatory responses to high air temperature () in ∼100-g representatives of three orders: African cuckoo (, Cuculiformes), lilac-breasted roller (, Coraciiformes), and Burchell's starling (, Passeriformes). All three species initiated respiratory mechanisms to increase evaporative heat dissipation when body temperature () approached 41.5°C in response to increasing, with gular flutter observed in cuckoos and panting in rollers and starlings. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and evaporative water loss (EWL) increased by quantitatively similar magnitudes in all three species, although maximum rates of EWL were proportionately lower in starlings. Evaporative cooling efficiency [defined as the ratio of evaporative heat loss (EHL) to metabolic heat production (MHP)] generally remained below 2.0 in cuckoos and starlings, but reached a maximu...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Feb 13, 2017

Extreme high environmental temperatures produce a variety of consequences for wildlife, including... more Extreme high environmental temperatures produce a variety of consequences for wildlife, including mass die-offs. Heat waves are increasing in frequency, intensity, and extent, and are projected to increase further under climate change. However, the spatial and temporal dynamics of die-off risk are poorly understood. Here, we examine the effects of heat waves on evaporative water loss (EWL) and survival in five desert passerine birds across the southwestern United States using a combination of physiological data, mechanistically informed models, and hourly geospatial temperature data. We ask how rates of EWL vary with temperature across species; how frequently, over what areas, and how rapidly lethal dehydration occurs; how EWL and die-off risk vary with body mass; and how die-off risk is affected by climate warming. We find that smaller-bodied passerines are subject to higher rates of mass-specific EWL than larger-bodied counterparts and thus encounter potentially lethal conditions ...

The Journal of experimental biology, Jul 19, 2016

Birds show phylogenetic variation in the relative importance of respiratory versus cutaneous evap... more Birds show phylogenetic variation in the relative importance of respiratory versus cutaneous evaporation, but the consequences for heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity remain unclear. We measured evaporative water loss (EWL), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body temperature (Tb) in four arid-zone columbids from southern African [Namaqua dove (Oena capensis, ∼37 g), laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis, ∼89 g) and Cape turtle dove (Streptopelia capicola, ∼148 g)] and Australia [crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), ∼186 g] at air temperatures (Ta) of up to 62°C. There was no clear relationship between body mass and maximum Ta tolerated during acute heat exposure. Maximum Tb at very highest Ta was 43.1±1.0°C, 43.7±0.8°C, 44.7±0.3°C and 44.3±0.8°C in Namaqua doves, laughing doves, Cape turtle doves and crested pigeons, respectively. In all four species, RMR increased significantly at Ta above thermoneutrality, but the increases were relatively modest with RMR at Ta=56°C, 32...

Journal of Experimental Biology, 2016

Sandgrouse (Pterocliformes) are quintessential examples of avian adaptation to desert environment... more Sandgrouse (Pterocliformes) are quintessential examples of avian adaptation to desert environments, but relatively little is known about the limits to their heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity. We predicted that evaporative cooling in Burchell's sandgrouse (Pterocles burchelli) is highly efficient and provides the basis for tolerance of very high air temperature (Ta). We measured body temperature (Tb), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and evaporative water loss (EWL) at Ta between 25 °C and ∼58 °C in birds exposed to successive increments in Ta. Normothermic Tb averaged 39.0 °C, lower than typical avian values. At Ta>34.5 °C, Tb increased linearly to a maximum of 43.6 °C at Ta=56 °C. The upper critical limit of thermoneutrality (Tuc) was Ta=43.8 °C, closely coinciding with the onset of panting and gular flutter. Above the Tuc, RMR increased 2.5-fold to 2.89 W at Ta=56 °C, a fractional increase far exceeding that of many other species under comparable conditions. Rates...

The American Journal of Surgery, 1974

The American Journal of Surgery, 1976

The Western journal of medicine, 1982

In 35 patients who had had earlier myocardial revascularization, a total of 44 noncardiac operati... more In 35 patients who had had earlier myocardial revascularization, a total of 44 noncardiac operations under general or spinal anesthesia were carried out. There was one cardiac death and three postoperative complications. Compared with the risk of general anesthesia and noncardiac surgical procedures in patients with coronary artery disease who have not had coronary revascularization, this is a major improvement. We conclude that myocardial revascularization provides significant protection against the risk of cardiac complications and death for patients with ischemic heart disease in whom general anesthesia and noncardiac procedures are needed.

The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, 1982

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2001

We report a case of lung herniation occurring following video-assisted thoracic surgery. Although... more We report a case of lung herniation occurring following video-assisted thoracic surgery. Although lung hernias are rare, the widespread application of video-assisted thoracic surgery to patients at risk for lung hernia will likely result in more reports in the future. Consequently, pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons must be aware of this condition, risk factors for development, and potential methods of prevention in order to minimize the occurrence of this complication.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 1998

anastomosis was done on total circulatory arrest with continuous 6-0 Prolene to avoid manipulatio... more anastomosis was done on total circulatory arrest with continuous 6-0 Prolene to avoid manipulation of the aorta and the suture line. The patient was then rewarmed. Hemostasis was done and after complete rewarming the patient was weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass successfully. The patient did well after the operation and was discharged home. Both patients were followed up after the operation and found to be free of any symptom. Postoperative aortography was performed on our second patient and confirmed good results (Fig 3). Comment The incidence of thromboembolism has been proved to be significant with application of an aortic cross-clamp in cardiac operations [1]. Many surgeons try to avoid manipulating the ascending aorta during operations in patients with very severe atherosclerotic disease [2]. Atherosclerotic disease involving the neck and great vessels is commonly treated by an extraanatomic bypass operation. Patients with hemodynamically significant bilateral stenosis of the aortic arch vessels that are not bypassable in the neck can be treated by transthoracic bypass grafts with good early and late results [3]. The extent of the severity of the disease in the ascending aorta can be assessed using transesophageal echocardiography or intraoperative surface echocardiography of the aorta to select the type of operation [3, 4], and it has been proved that endarterectomy of the ascending aorta using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest has a good outcome [5]. In our two examples, in addition to atherosclerotic disease in the aortic arch there was proximal involvement of the great vessels with atheroma, and 1 patient had significant stenosis in the proximal right coronary artery, which necessitated a bypass graft. Recent advances in cerebral protection with hypothermic circulatory arrest render the complications much less than in previous experiences. Retrograde cerebral perfusion was not used in either patient, but topical cooling and steroids were used for brain protection, and also gradual rewarming was performed to avoid a temperature gradient greater than 3°C. We conclude that aortic arch endarterectomy is a safe procedure with good results for atherosclerotic disease of the arch and the great vessels. We thank Joanie Livermore, MCI, for the outstanding work in making the illustrations.