Listeriosis 1985-1995: microbiologic and epidemiologic aspects

Listeriosis is an emerging foodborne infection caused by L. monocytogenes (L. m.), mainly identified in industrialized countries. It is a severe disease (meningitis, septicaemia, abortion) which preferentially affects individuals whose immune system is perturbed (pregnant women, newborns, immunocompromized patients and the elderly). Epidemiology is characterized by a background of sporadic cases on which may be surimposed outbreaks. Progresses in microbiology during the last decade (detection and typing of L. m., better understanding of L.m. ecology...) and epidemiological investigations (increased use of case-control studies) demonstrated that all kind of foods, at each step of the food chain, can transmit the disease. In many respects, L.m. differs from most recognized foodborne pathogens: it is ubiquitously present in nature, resistant to various kind of environments, microaerophilic and psychrophilic. Its tenacity in industrial environment and its capability to survive in food over extended period of time under adverse conditions made this bacterium the hottest topic for industrials during the last decade.     

Poisoning mortality, 1985-1995

Poisoning was reported as the underlying cause of death for 18,549 people in the United States in 1995 and was ranked as the third leading cause of injury mortality, following deaths from motor vehicle traffic injuries and firearm injuries. Poisoning was the leading cause of injury death for people ages 35 to 44 years. Poisoning death rates were higher in 1995 than in any previous year since at least 1979. From 1990 to 1995, the age-adjusted rate of death from poisoning increased 25%; all of the increase was associated with drugs. About three-fourths of poisoning deaths (77%) in 1995 were caused by drugs. The age-adjusted rate of drug-related poisoning deaths for males (7.2 per 100,000) in 1995 was more than twice that for females (3.0 per 100,000). From 1985 to 1995, poisoning death rates for males ages 35-54 years nearly doubled to 20.4 per 100,000, and the drug-related poisoning death rate for males ages 35-54 years nearly tripled, reaching 16.1 per 100,000. From 1990 to 1995, death rates associated with opiates and cocaine more than doubled among males ages 35-54 years. The numbers of opiate and cocaine poisoning deaths for 1995 more than doubled when all multiple cause of death codes were examined instead of only the underlying cause of death codes.     

Heart transplantation in Finland 1985-1995

BACKGROUND: Clearance of large molecules from the interstitial space is an important function of lymphatics and is affected by local pathologic changes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the clearance rate of interstitially injected albumin is correlated to tumour characteristics and outcome in women with invasive breast cancer. METHOD: In a consecutive series of women coming to biopsy for suspected breast cancer, technetium-tagged albumin was injected into the tissue adjacent to the palpable mass. The isotope disappearance rate was measured over two hours. Also assessed were the maximum vessel density (MVD-using Factor VIII polyclonal antisera), the proliferation rate (using Ki-67 antisera), node status, tumour size, histologic and nuclear grade, mitotic rate, and p53 and c-erbB-2 oncoproteins. All patients were followed until relapse and for a minimum of 10 years. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, an association between relapse-free survival and isotope clearance rate was suggested (p = 0.024). The best outcome was seen in patients with the least isotope clearance. Node status, size, histologic and nuclear grade, and mitotic rate correlated with survival. MVD did not correlate with survival and was inversely related to the isotope clearance rate. Tumour proliferation rate, and the c-erbB-2 and p53 oncoproteins did not relate to outcome. CONCLUSION: The role of lymphatics in breast cancer is difficult to study. Measurement of interstitial clearance may be a useful technique and could be a prognostic factor.     

Experience with the Br?nemark implant system: 1985-1995

The osseo-integrated dental implant programme started at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 1985. This retrospective study describes the experience gained in the Division of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery and the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry with the Br?nemark implant system. The numbers of fixtures placed, the types of prostheses prescribed and the surgical and prosthodontic successes and problems are described. The results of implant treatment have improved, and follow a marked learning curve.     

Growth in HMO share of the Medicare market, 1989-1994

Between 1989 and 1994 the health maintenance organization (HMO) share of the Medicare market grew rapidly. It is still heavily concentrated geographically, however. The most influential factor in this growth is HMO penetration into an area's general health care market. Medicare payment rates and prior Medicare HMO penetration also have an impact, but their effects are much weaker. Thus, payment rate reform is likely to have only a modest impact on Medicare HMO growth in the short term. In the longer term, the HMO share of the Medicare market will continue to grow, because HMO penetration in the general health care market is growing rapidly.     

Fine needle aspiration biopsy of salivary gland, 1985-1995

Cellular insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been shown to involve a novel postbinding defect in insulin signal transduction. To find possible mechanisms for this defect, adipocytes were isolated from age- and weight-matched obese normal cycling (NC) and PCOS subjects. Insulin sensitivity for glucose transport stimulation was impaired in PCOS adipocytes (EC50 = 290 +/- 42 pmol/L) compared to that in NC cells (93 +/- 14; P < 0.005). The lipolytic responses to isoproterenol as well as maximal suppression by insulin were similar in NC and PCOS adipocytes. However, PCOS cells were less sensitive to the antilipolytic effect of insulin (EC50 = 115 +/- 33 pmol/L) compared to NC cells (42 +/- 8; P < 0.01). Treatment of adipocytes from NC subjects with the adenosine receptor agonist N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine had no effect on either insulin responsiveness or sensitivity for glucose transport stimulation. However, N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine treatment was able to normalize insulin sensitivity in PCOS cells (EC50 = 285 +/- 47 vs. 70 +/- 15 pmol/L, before and after treatment; P < 0.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that insulin resistance in PCOS, as accessed in the adipocyte, occurs at an early step in insulin signaling that is common for glucose transport and lipolysis. In addition, this insulin resistance involves an impairment of the system by which adenosine acts to modulate insulin signal transduction.     

Trend analysis of dental expenditures by selected dentist and practice characteristics, 1985-1995

Using the reported gross billings from the annual ADA "Survey of Dental Practice," the authors estimated the total national dental expenditures according to various dentist characteristics for the period of 1985-1995. These selected characteristics are specialty, office time, number of dentists in the practice, sex, length of experience and U.S. region. As government agencies do not report dental expenditures by such dentist characteristics, the data presented in this article may be the first of their kind to be estimated and published.     

Postcastration eventration in 18 horses: the prognostic indicators for long-term survival (1985-1995)

Castration of horses is considered a common and routine surgical procedure, but the potential for complications is high. By far the most serious of these is eventration. The objectives of this study were to determine the long-term survival of horses undergoing surgical treatment of indirect (1) inguinal eventration of the small intestine following castration, and to identify prognostic indicators for survival. The case records of 18 horses undergoing surgical treatment of postcastration eventration (PCE) between 1985 and 1995 were reviewed. Follow-up information was obtained by telephone interviews 2 to 13 y postoperatively. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was fitted to determine which clinical features were of significant influence to survival. Clinical features with a significant negative influence on survival were an inguinal surgical approach for correction, an increased length of prolapsed bowel, and performance of bowel resection and anastomosis. Significant postoperative complications developed in 89% of cases; 44% of cases in the "inguinal" surgical approach group developed peritonitis, compared with 10% in the "midline" approach group. Of all horses in this study, 72% were discharged from the hospital; however, only 40% of horses in the inguinal approach group were discharged. The long term survival rate (> 1 y) for all horses in this study was 44%, with a median survival time of 3-1/2 mo.     

Endocrinology 1995-1996

In a brief review of advances in endocrinology in the last two years the author discusses above all the vain expectations of a drug against obesity-the adipose tissue hormone leptin. Its elevated blood level in human obesity indicates that its secretion depends on the mass of adipose tissue and it is not certain whether leptin reduces the food intake in humans. Perhaps resistance to leptin is involved. New receptor diseases were revealed: mutation of LH receptors leads in both sexes to hypogonadism. Mutation of the calcium receptor in parathyroid cells leads to familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia or autosomal dominant hypocalcaemia. The complex regulation of the tonus of the vascular wall by endothelins is still the object of interest. Aquaporin is a renal protein which mediates the action of vasopressin. In the sphere of stress evidence is emerging on the participation of CRH in brain activity and the possibility to influence autoimmune inflammations and perhaps even AIDS by interference with the CRH-proopiomelanocortin-ACTH-cortisol system.     

Jozef B. Cohen: 1921-1995

The distribution of alleles with various CTG-repeat numbers was studied and the haplotypes for polymorphic sites HhaI and HinfI of mouse muscle protein kinase (DMPK) were analyzed in inhabitants of northwestern Russia and in patients with myotonic dystrophy (90 and 18 chromosomes, respectively). Twelve normal alleles with the triplet-repeat number from 5 to 24 were identified and the alleles with five (42.5%) and 11-13 (37%) repeats were found to be predominant. The bimodal distribution revealed is similar to those described earlier for other populations, however, the frequencies of individual alleles differed from those in populations of Europe and Central Russia. No significant differences in frequencies of CTG alleles were found in 32 normal chromosomes involved in compounds with the mutant chromosomes (i.e., in patients with myotonic dystrophy) as compared to their frequencies in the population. However, almost all mutant chromosomes (16 of 18) had the same haplotype for intragenic polymorphic sites: HhaI-; HinfI+. This haplotype was also inherent in 91% of all chromosomes with CTG5 and all chromosomes with a CTG number more than 15. Possible evolution of chromosomes with different numbers of triplet repeats mediating their expansion and impairing the function are discussed.     

Donald Olding Hebb: 1904-1985.

Presents an obituary for Donald Olding Hebb, who died on August 20, 1985 and was considered by some to be the most influential psychologist of the century. Hebb gained prominence, nationally and internationally, with the publication of The Organization of Behavior (1949). Because of the novel and innovative nature of the neuropsychological theory presented in this landmark publication, Hebb's influence on psychology was immediate and substantial. It led to a major re-assessment of prevailing views about the basic subjects of learning, intelligence, memory, perception, motivation and emotion. Hebb was not only one of the most influential psychologists in this century but also one of the most honored and recognized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of clinical indicators for performance measurement and improvement: an HMO/purchaser collaborative effort

This article describes a collaborative effort between a major health care purchaser, three area health maintenance organizations, and a state Medicaid agency to develop clinical indicators as the basis for a comparison database. Some of the difficulties in developing a "common yardstick" of quality and value are candidly discussed.     

Improvement in mammography quality control: 1987-1995

PURPOSE: To assess possible changes in quality control (QC) practices at mammography sites in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammography site surveys were conducted in 1990, 1992, and 1995 through the Colorado Mammography Advocacy Project (CMAP). Data from mammography sites applying for American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation were collected between August 1987 and August 1993 through the ACR Mammography Accreditation Program. Data from both of these surveys were analyzed to assess temporal changes in mammography QC practices in the United States between 1987 and 1995. RESULTS: CMAP results indicated statistically significant improvement in medical physicist QC practices between 1990 and 1992 and in technologist QC practices between 1990 and 1995. Improvements in radiologic technologist QC practices coincided with increases in radiologic technologist continuing education in mammography. ACR results indicated statistically significant improvement in technologist QC practices between 1988 and 1992. CONCLUSION: There have been substantial improvements in QC practices at mammography sites in the United States during the past decade.     

Personality psychology: research trends for 1993-1995

Articles published in five prominent personality journals for the three-year period 1993-1995 were reviewed in order to identify recent trends in personality research. Each article was assessed in terms of research methodology and content area. Research methodology has changed very little, the exceptions being a shift away from laboratory settings and a greater use of nonuniversity participants. Results for content demonstrate that over time certain topics emerge and fade from popularity. Current popular topics include traits, emotion/motivation, and health psychology. The general lack of advancement in methodology is discussed, and the current "hot topics" in content area are compared with those of the past. In addition, some comparisons are made between current personality research in North America versus research in Europe.     

In memoriam: Widukind Lenz, 1919-1995

To determine whether microsatellite instability is involved in the development of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary tract, a microsatellite instability assay was carried out using PCR with 9 microsatellite loci. Thirty-eight TCC samples (30 patients with bladder cancer, 5 with renal pelvic tumors and 3 with ureteral tumors) and 1 lymph node with metastasis were examined. Microsatellite instability was found in 8 of 38 tumors examined, and 3 showed alterations in more than 2 microsatellite loci. All 8 tumors were beyond grade 2 and stage pT2 advanced tumors. Stages pT1-2 and pT3-4 patients differed significantly. Microsatellite instability was greater in smokers than non-smokers, but the differences were not significant. Microsatellite instability in TCC of the urinary tract is rare in superficial tumors but more common in invasive tumors. Microsatellite alterations would thus appear to occur, and possibly be importantly involved, in the tumorigenesis of urinary tract TCC.     

Abortion patients in 1994-1995: characteristics and contraceptive use

Results of a 1994-1995 national survey of 9,985 abortion patients reveal that women who live with a partner outside marriage or have no religious identification are 3.5-4.0 times as likely as women in the general population to have an abortion. Nonwhites, women aged 18-24, Hispanics, separated and never-married women, and those who have an annual income of less than +15,000 or who are enrolled in Medicaid are 1.6-2.2 times as likely to do so; residents of metropolitan counties have a slightly elevated likelihood of abortion. When age is controlled, women who have had a live birth are more likely to have an abortion than are those who have never had children. Catholics are as likely as women in the general population to have an abortion, while Protestants are only 69% as likely and Evangelical or born-again Christians are only 39% as likely. Since 1987, the proportion of abortions obtained by Hispanic women and the abortion rate among Hispanics relative to that for other ethnic groups have increased. The proportion of abortion patients who had been using a contraceptive during the month they became pregnant rose from 51% in 1987 to 58%. Nonuse is most common among women with low education and income, blacks, Hispanics, unemployed women and those who want more children. The proportion of abortion patients whose pregnancy is attributable to condom failure has increased from 15% to 32%, while the proportions reporting the failure of other barrier methods and spermicides have decreased.     

Knee arthroplasty in rheumatoid arthritis. A report from the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register on 4,381 primary operations 1985-1995

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of an ileal Roux limb, rather than a jejunal Roux limb, would prevent the Roux stasis syndrome that can occur after Roux gastrectomy. An ileal Roux limb was constructed in eight dogs and anastomosed to the gastric remnant after distal hemigastrectomy. Flow of chyme through the jejunum was preserved via an ileojejunostomy and a jejunoileostomy. Six dogs with distal gastrectomy and a conventional Roux gastrojejunostomy served as a control group. Chronic enteric recording electrodes and intraluminal, open-tipped pressure catheters were implanted in all dogs. After recovery, the electrical activity and motility of the Roux limbs and the rates of gastric emptying of liquids and solids were measured. Dogs with a Roux gastroileostomy had a slower frequency of pacesetter potentials in the Roux limb, a greater Roux motility index, and a faster rate of gastric emptying of liquids and solids than did dogs with a Roux gastrojejunostomy. Stomal ulcers, however, developed in seven of the eight ileal Roux limbs but in none of the jejunal Roux limbs. It was concluded that Roux gastroileostomy does ameliorate the Roux stasis syndrome, but there is a greater risk of stomal ulceration in the limb.     

2005年我国废钢铁市场的运行状况

中国是世界第一钢铁大国,钢铁产业还将持续快速发展.中国也是一个废钢消费大国,同时也是一个废钢进口大国.每年要从世界各国进口大量的废钢,弥补资源的不足.2005年受国际铁矿石市场涨价71.5%的影响,中国废钢铁市场经过潮起潮落之后,日趋平稳.2006年我国废钢铁市场将继续处于资源偏紧,高价位运行的态势.在"十一五"期间,认真落实我国<钢铁产业发展政策>,加快我国废钢铁供需机制的改革,建立新型的废钢加工配送机制,加快调整产业结构,提高废钢加工处理技术水平,实施精料入炉;构建采购联盟,建立海外稳定的废钢资源供应基地;树立循环经济、环境保护的理念,科学健康地发展废钢回收利用产业,是中国废钢铁产业发展的方向和改革的主旋律.     

Prostate cancer in Isère and Tarn (France) between 1985 and 1995: evolution of therapeutic indications

The objective is to describe the evolution of therapeutic practices of prostate carcinoma in the departements of Tarn and Isère in France for the 1985-1995 period. This retrospective study is based on patient folders for whom a prostate carcinoma has been diagnosed between 1985 and 1995. A sample of 871 patients have been included after randomisation stratified on the year and the department of the diagnostic in the files of the cancer registries of Tarn and Isère. Therapeutic practices of the prostate cancer have significantly evolved between 1985 and 1989. The rate of radical prostatectomies increased from 1986 whereas the rate of radiotherapy remained stable. This evolution has been made to the detriment of non curative treatments with the decrease of the rate of hormonotherapies. This is due to the important development of diagnostic technics which led to an earlier diagnostic of these cancers; but, the evolution of therapeutic technics and particularly of the radical prostatectomy allowed the evolution of indications for the treatment of this cancer, with the increase of the rate of radical prostatectomies and the decrease of the rate of radiotherapies at the same stage of disease evolution. For 1990 to 1995, there was no major evolution. Some indications are discussed in this disease touching old man, with a slow evolution.