Accidental exposure of veterinary students to rabies

Accidental exposure to rabies occurred in more than 200 veterinary students at Texas A&M University from 1970 to 1977. Few of the animals to which the students were exposed had typical signs of rabies prior to the exposures. An accelerated preexposure rabies prophylaxis program coupled with retention of suspect tissues suitable for fluorescent antibody procedures has reduced the number of postexposure prophylaxis series.     

Assessing the development of daily living skills in patients with spina bifida

The development of independence in daily living skills of 256 patients with spina bifida was assessed by means of a new Functional Activities scoring system. The score was derived from nine categories of activity; five are to do with self-care, three with locomotion and one with social interaction. The reasons for the variation in achievement between individuals with the same degree of paralysis are discussed, as are the differences in learning curves for single activities. The scoring system enables a quantitative assessment to be made of the current status of an individual patient, and enables more realistic therapeutic goals to be set.     

Quantitative study of the surface composition of binary alloys by Auger spectroscopy

An internal calibration method for Auger spectra of binary alloys is proposed. It comprises the in situ breaking of pre-notched, homogenized, alloys rods in ultrahigh vacuum and the immediate analysis of the fracture surface.An investigation of a wide range of compositions of each of the alloys PtSn, AgAu, AuSn and AgSn shows that the observed signal intensity ratio is proportional to the corresponding atomic ratio of the elements present, which would suggest that matrix effects do not play an important role.     

Three-area epidemiological study of geographic differences in stroke mortality. I. Background and methods

An epidemiological study was conducted to determine the geographical variations in stroke mortality among three U.S. areas. They were Savannah, Georgia (high stroke rates), Hagerstown, Maryland (intermediate stroke rates) and Pueblo, Colorado (low stroke rates). In each area samples were drawn of the population in the 35--54 age group. The subjects were interviewed and examined to obtain the information required on medical conditions and/or living habits which would characterize each area. A brief medical and family history, as well as demographic and personal data, were obtained by interview. The medical examination included blood pressure, ECG, blood and urine chemistry, height and weight. In all three cities the response rate in the final sample selected was 90% (2,375 individuals) interviewed and 74% (1.939 individuals) examined.     

Effects of sustained ligustrazine on hemorrheology in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease

Before and after oral administration of sustained Ligustrazine, changes of hemorrheology and TXA2/PGI2 were evaluated in 16 patients with advanced chronic pulmonary heart disease. A decrease in whole blood and plasma viscosity, and reductions in hematocrit and fibrinogen were found after one course of treatment with sustained Ligustrazine. The mechanism of these effects may be related to improved modulation of imbalance of TXA2/PGI2 in patients with advanced chronic pulmonary heart disease.