Obituary: Edmund Griffith Williamson (1900-1979).

Edmund Griffith Williamson died at the Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis on January 30, 1979. A memorial service was held on the campus of the University of Minnesota on February 5, 1979. In May 1977, the university had named one of its major new buildings in his honor. Throughout his professional and personal life, there was a sense of mission and evangelism that drove Ed and therefore, those who worked with him or for him. He did not suffer fools gladly, yet he could show infinite patience with individuals and for the nurturance of ideas and programs. He was the master builder and major contributor to a field of applied psychology-counseling-dedicated to the fullest development of effective human beings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Santiago, Chile (1990-1993)

The aim of this study was to determine IDDM incidence in the Metropolitan Region of Chile, during the period 1990-1993 as part of the Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes (WHO DIAMOND Project Group). The studied population was 1499.784 inhabitants. All children in whom the diagnosis was made between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1993 were included. We used a retrospective and prospective search and confirmation method, using as data sources public and private hospitals and medical records of Pediatricians. The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation was used as a secondary data source. All cases had at least two confirmation sources. A total of 176 new cases (90 male) were diagnosed in the study period, with an annual incidence of 2.92/100,000 for females and 2.95 for males. The group of children from 10 to 14 years old had the highest incidence rate (4.9/100,000), specially in women (5.25/100,000). The yearly incidence was 1.31 in 1990, 2.71 in 1991, 2.93 in 1992 and 3.7/1000,000 in 1993. It is concluded that the Metropolitan Region has one of the lowest incidences of IDDM in Latin America, although it increased along the study years.     

Staff education in the Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Pedro Kourí". Yesterday, today and tomorrow (1979-1993)

A raw milk bacterial isolate, identified as Yersinia kristensenii was found to produce a bacteriocin which was inhibitory to Yersinia enterocolitica but not to other selected species of Yersinia or Gram-negative bacteria. Maximum production of bacteriocin was obtained when the organism was grown in shake culture at 28 degrees C. Mitomycin C at a concentration of 0.5 micrograms ml-1 induced bacteriocin production. The bacteriocin was partially purified and characterized by ammonium sulphate fractionation and gel filtration. The bacteriocin was completely inactivated when treated with proteolytic enzymes (trypsin and chymotrypsin). Bacteriocin activity was heat-resistant and it retained some of its activity after 5 min at boiling temperature. A total of 15 bacteriocin sensitive-suspected food isolates were further identified biochemically as Yersinia enterocolitica and a non-sensitive isolate was identified as Yersinia intermedia.     

Aeromyocological survey in the Santiago Western district (author''s transl)

It has not been determined whether Rho (D)-negative infants born of Rho (D)-positive mothers are sensitized during gestation or during parturition. Sensitization before use precludes the efficacious use of human Rho immune globulin as a prophylactic. The purpose of the present study is to identify the time of sensitization. Cord blood was collected from the placentas of 68 Rho (D)-negative infants whose mothers were Rho (D)-positive. Sixty-three of the 68 infants had one blood sample obtained between 1 and 9 months later. The paired samples were analyzed for anti-D by standard Coombs test and by automated antibody detection techniques. With the technique of automated antibody detection, we have been unable to demonstrate antibody in cord blood of the Rho (D)-negative infants of whom at least 7 of 63 (11%) had detectable anti-D between 1 and 9 months of age. These data show that Rho (D)-negaitve infants do not have detectable antibody at birth but may develop detectable anti-D in the first months of life. This observation suggests that the sensitizing dose of Rho (D) antigen occurs at parturition rather than during gestation.     

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome in the United States and Canada (1892-1979)

Information was collected on 301 cases of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome in the United States and Canada Examination of available medical records, death certificates and published case reports on these patients showed that they came from a wide geographic area and many diverse ethnic and racial groups. No significant difference was found in the incidence of cases born between 1947 and 1976; the overall rate was 4.0 per million live male births in the United States. Median survival has increased with time from eight months for patients born before 1935 to 6.5 years for those born after 1964. Seventy-six of the 301 patients (25%) were still alive at last follow-up and ranged in age from 1 to 36 years with a median of 10 years. Causes of death were primarily limited to infections or bleeding, but malignancy represented a significant problem. Twelve percent of the group (36 of 301) developed malignancy, the predominant types being lymphorecticular tumors (23 of 36) and leukemia (7 of 36). The overall relative risk for malignancy was found to be greater than 100 times that of the general population and was found to increase with increasing age.     

Clinico-epidemiological analysis of imported malaria in Donetsk region (1979-1997)

AIM: The study of possibility of reappearance of malaria foci in the Donets region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 322 cases of imported malaria (IM) in the Donets region registered in 1979-1997 have been analysed clinically and epidemiologically. Malaria was diagnosed in immigrants from and visitors to Africa, Asia and Latin America, malaria-endemic Azerbaidjan, Tadzhikistan, Afghanistan. RESULTS: Late diagnosis of malaria occurred in immigrants and businessmen who got infected during their business trips. Causative agents of malaria imported from Azerbaijan and Asia were resistant to chemoprophylaxis with delagil and primaxine. Clinical forms of IM are described. CONCLUSION: There is a real danger of malaria reappearance in the Donetsk region as the residents are at risk of being infected from late-diagnosis foreign tourists, immigrants, refugees.     

香港文学的都市性特征研究述评(1979-2009)

文章以归纳法,梳理1979-2009年间大陆对香港文学都市性特征的研究状况.香港文学的都市性特征主要体现在两个方面:第一是文学写作主题上体现的都市影响,包括都市文化对香港文学的整体影响,都市文化与作家之间的互相建构;第二是写作策略上体现的都市文化影响,即前卫的现代主义实践.     

History of healing; bath treatment as psychiatric therapy (1900-1950)

During the first decade of the twentieth century the prolonged bath treatment was introduced as a therapy for restless patients in Dutch psychiatric institutions. They were kept for hours or days at a stretch in lukewarm water, in order to calm them down. It became a common treatment, which nevertheless was gradually replaced by occupational therapy. The rise of psychopharmacology during the fifties of this century marked the end of the prolonged bath treatment.     

Alar fold resection in horses: 24 cases (1979-1992)

Between 1979 and 1992, the alar folds were resected bilaterally in 22 horses and unilaterally in 2 horses. Abnormal respiratory tract noise and exercise intolerance were the primary complaints prior to surgery. Significantly (P = 0.01) more Standardbreds underwent resection of the alar folds, compared with the number of Standardbreds in the hospital population during the same period. The alar folds palpated abnormally thick in 13 horses and normal in 11 horses. Temporary dilatation of the nares with mattress sutures or clips lessened the respiratory tract noise and improved exercise tolerance in all 8 horses in which the diagnostic test was performed. Manual elevation of the alar folds reduced respiratory noise in the 11 horses evaluated. Long-term follow-up evaluation by telephone was available for 14 horses. All surgical incisions had healed cosmetically. Respiratory tract noise was decreased, and exercise tolerance improved in 10 of 14 (71%) horses. Complete charted racing information was obtained for 16 horses. Fourteen horses started their first race a mean of 118 days (range, 13 to 321 days) after surgery. The mean number of starts after surgery was 51, with 14 of 16 (88%) horses starting more than 6 times after surgery. Of the 16 horses, 8 horses raced at least 3 times before and after surgery; 4 had improved racing performance, 2 had similar performance, and 2 had decreased performance. Five Standardbreds never raced, and 1 Standardbred raced once before surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The School of Medical Sciences of the University of Santiago de Chile

The Medical Sciences School of the University of Santiago de Chile, is an institution inserted in the occidental culture and therefore on its conceptions and traditions. It subscribes the Principles defined in the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights of the United Nations and especially the importance of the human person, as an entity irrepetible, different to others. The human rights are over the institutions, the society and the laws of science. The Faculty considers the family as the cell or natural and fundamental element for the development of the human being in the society. It defines its historic mission as the search of the truth and the achievement of a society in pro of the welfare and health of the people in a frame of excellence, justice, humanism, efficiency and participation. As an expression of the cultural patrimony it should create and transfer knowledge. As guarantor of the ethical principles it should protect the dignity that emanates from the transcendent nature of the person and its moral principles and therefore its right to life, justice, freedom, equality, health, education, and happiness. As a paradigm of progress it must be involved in modernization and should impulse the development. As an entity committed with Society it should participate in the search of solutions for politics and programs looking for a higher level of life and a better model of health. The profile of our graduated students will identify them due to their profound spirit of welfare of the person, his family, his community, ethical sense, solidarity, justness and humanity, their orientation to the community and the environment with a solid professional formation in the strategy of Primary Health Care. They will provide education in health for the whole family in order to improve a better way of life. They will be trained to detect and solve the risks of individual, communities and environment. Research is also a priority of the Faculty in order to contribute to solve the problems of health of the Nation, since there is no development without education and there is no education neither development without health. For the Faculty the achievement of these purposes is mandatory and we will make them reality through the Prometeo Project 1997-2001.     

Fournier''s gangrene: historic (1764-1978) versus contemporary (1979-1988) differences in etiology and clinical importance

Little objective data exist regarding the effect of the Aircast Air-Stirrup on motor performance. Thus, the effect of the Aircast on the amplitude and frequency of postural sway during unilateral stance was evaluated for 15 uninjured male subjects. Postural sway during static and dynamic tests was measured using the Chattecx Balance System. Use of the Aircast improved unilateral postural control as evidenced by decreases in some of the components of postural sway. Previously, a link was made between a large amplitude of unilateral sway and a high probability of ankle injury (14). Thus, since Aircast use was found to decrease the amplitude of unilateral sway, it may also be beneficial in reducing the probability of injury. Although the scope of this study did not allow for differentiation among the complex systems involved in postural control, the possibility of the Aircast enhancing afferent feedback was proposed. The restricted inversion-eversion range of motion associated with the Aircast, in conjunction with the present observation that unilateral stability was enhanced with its use, suggests that the Aircast may provide a valuable prophylactic role in helping to reduce the incidence of ankle injuries.     

The evolution of mortality in the first year of life in Spain (1975-1988)

In recent years, the rate of decline in infant mortality and the proportional mortality by some causes of death in the first year of life have had important changes. The objectives of this study are to describe such changes, and to suggest hypotheses about their meaning. Infant, early neonatal, late neonatal and postneonatal mortality rates from 1975 to 1988 were calculated with information from the death register. Also, several indicators of the trends of those rates and proportional mortality by "certain conditions originating in the perinatal period" have been calculated. The reduction in infant mortality was due, mainly, to early neonatal mortality, which had an annual average decline of 4.6% during the study period. The proportional mortality and the mortality rate by perinatal conditions in the postneonatal period increased between 1975 and 1988. The first increased from 1.3% to 5.2%, and the second from 0.07 to 0.15 per 1000 live births. Hypotheses about the meaning of these results are suggested, and some actions are proposed in order to monitor and conduct research on mortality during the first year of life.     

Surveillance of respirable crystalline silica dust using OSHA compliance data (1979-1995)

BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to estimate the percentage of workers by industry that are exposed to defined concentrations of respirable crystalline silica dust. METHODS: An algorithm was used to estimate the percentage of total workers exposed to crystalline silica in 1993 at concentrations of at least 1, 2, 5, and 10 times the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 0.05 mg/m3. Respirable crystalline silica air sampling data from regulatory compliance inspections performed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), for the years 1979-1995, and recorded in the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) were used to estimate exposures. Therefore, this work does not include industries such as mining and agriculture that are not covered by OSHA. The estimates are stratified by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. RESULTS: This work found that some of the highest respirable crystalline silica dust concentrations occurred in construction (masonry, heavy construction, and painting), iron and steel foundries (casting), and in metal services (sandblasting, grinding, or buffing of metal parts). It was found that 1.8% (13,800 workers) of the workers in SIC 174--Masonry, Stonework, Tile Setting, and Plastering--were exposed to at least 10 times the NIOSH REL. For SIC 162--Heavy Construction, Except Highway and Street Construction--this number is 1.3% (6,300 workers). SIC 172--Painting and Paper Hanging--which includes construction workers involved in sandblasting was found to have 1.9% (3,000 workers) exposed to at least 10 times the NIOSH REL. The industry that was found to have the highest percentage of workers (6%) exposed to at least the NIOSH REL was the cut stone and stone products industry. CONCLUSION: Not enough is being done to control exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Engineering controls should be instituted in the industries indicated by this work.     

Evolution of fecundity in the Valencian community during the 1975-1990 period

BACKGROUND: To study the evolution of specific cases of fertility by age groups in the Autonomous Region of Valencia, between 1975 and 1990, and compare this development with the evolution on a national level. METHODS: The specific fertility rates were calculated for seven 5-year age groups within the female fertility period (15-49 years). The number of births per age of mother (Natural Movement of the Spanish Population) has been used and the denominator is the female population calculated be geometrical interpolation from the figures provided by different censuses and electoral roles for each one of the age groups. The study period is 1975 to 1990. RESULTS: The evolution of the fertility rate in the Autonomous Region of Valencia is declining in all age groups except the 30-34 year age group, where fertility showed a slight increase at the end of the eighties, the same as in the rest of the country. Worthy of mentioned is the 15-19 year old group, with figures below the national level, and the 25-29 year old group, where the figures are greater than for the rest of the country as a whole. On a province (county) level, the development is similar to what has been described above. Alicante has the highest figure out of the three provinces (counties) for women in the 15-19 and 35-39 year age ranges. CONCLUSION: The evolution of the fertility rate in the Autonomous Community of Valencia is similar to the development in the rest of the country, a slight increase being detected in women in the 30 to 40 year group, which is similar to what has happened in other European countries.     

History of the public health policy in Chad 1900-1995

Public health policy in Chad began after colonization in 1899 and remained under the control of French Army Medical Corps for a long time. Military doctors shared their time between treating service personnel and indigenous people entitled Medical Assistance and making rounds in their sector. Since independence public health in the country has been based on a two-pronged association including fixed facilities (hospitals and dispensaries) and mobile services such as the Endemic Disease Unit whose most notable success was control of sleeping sickness in the southern part of the country. Over the years Chad has built up a national medical staff comprising 150 physicians. A medical school was opened in N'Djamena in 1990 and paramedical personnel are now trained at the National School for Public Health. War and lack of funds interrupted mobile services and there is presently a recrudescence of sleeping sickness. Since 1990 the World Health Organization has imposed its views and primary care is now available for all. However, it is now too early to judge the efficacity of this program in Chad.