Predicting compliance with annual follow-up evaluations in persons with spinal cord injury

In this study a representative sample of German acute care hospitals is used to describe the effects of dementia within acute care hospitals. Data from hospital patients above age 60 with the diagnosis dementia (ICD 290, 293, 294 and 310), collected over an observation period of 12 years, are compared with nondemented hospital patients at the same ages. The differences in the average length of stay between demented and nondemented patients are only relatively small in German acute care hospitals. The degree of multimorbidity is higher and hospital infections are more frequent for demented patients. The main differences occur with mortality: demented inpatients of both sexes experience a hospital mortality which is about twice as high as for nondemented patients at the same ages.     

The absolute number of trans-rearrangements between the TCRG and TCRB loci is predictive of lymphoma risk: a severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) murine model

Pilot studies in human populations have demonstrated a correlation between the level of antigen receptor trans-rearrangements and risk (at the population level) of lymphoid malignancy. Irradiation of newborn severe combined immune deficiency mice results in an increased risk of subsequent development of thymic lymphoma (100% of mice so irradiated are dead of thymic lymphoma by 20 weeks of age). We, therefore, assayed the occurrence of trans-rearrangements in this well-controlled mouse mutant system and found a 50-100-fold increase in the absolute number of TCRGV-TCRBJ trans-rearrangements compared to unirradiated littermates (and a comparable fold increase over age-matched BALB/c mice) at 2 weeks following irradiation. We also found a marked disproportion in generating trans-rearrangements versus intralocus rearrangements in the severe combined immune deficiency system compared to BALB/c, independent of irradiation. The trans-rearrangements noted were polyclonal in nature. These data, again, suggest that the absolute level of antigen receptor trans-rearrangements may serve as a biomarker of lymphoma risk.     

Examination of the relationship between African American adolescents' condom use at sexual onset and later sexual behavior: implications for condom distribution programs

School-based condom distribution programs have generated considerable controversy across the country. In the present study 249 sexually active African American adolescents who did (n = 119) and did not (n = 130) use a condom during their initial sexual experience were compared to assess whether condom use at the onset of sexual activity was associated with later differences in sexual behavior. The results indicated that youths who used a condom from the onset of sexual activity were more likely to have used a condom in the most recent intercourse occasion, less likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or to combine substance use with sexual activity, endorsed more positive attitudes toward condoms, and were older when they initiated sexual activity. The findings have implications for condom availability programs and indicate that initial condom use was not associated with earlier onset of sexual activity and was associated with higher rates of precautionary behavior among sexually active minority adolescents.     

Structure and surface properties of diaminocyclohexane plasma polymer films

Plasma polymers of three isomers of diaminocyclohexane (DACH) were deposited on polyethylene, SiO₂, and mica at 20°C. The deposition rate was measured as a function of plasma density and power; a maximum was observed in the latter function. The deposition rate was highest for the monomer with the highest flow rate. The film refractive index was observed to increase with both power density and the degree of fragmentation in the plasma. Film composition was measured by elementary analysis, and was found to be almost identical for each of the three isomers; a mechanism for the polymerization reaction is proposed. The percentage of primary amino groups decreased with increasing power density and with film thickness. Surface force measurements of the thickness and refractive index agreed well with the corresponding ellipsometry values in dry air, and am adhesive force, independent of power density, was measured. When the film was exposed to water vapor, it swelled considerably and the adhesion was determined by capillary forces. Associated with swelling, at high power, was an extremely regular 2-ply rope pattern of protruding material. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.     

Tissue specific expression of FMR-1 provides evidence for a functional role in fragile X syndrome

Prostaglandin E2 levels in isolated rat islets were increased from 64 +/- 11 pg/30 islets when incubated in medium containing 2 mM glucose to 115 +/- 9 pg/30 islets in medium containing 20 mM glucose. In contrast, glyceraldehyde (10 mM) reduced prostaglandin E2 levels to 29 +/- 6 pg/30 islets. Inhibition of glucose metabolism by mannoheptulose (10 mM) abolished the stimulatory effect of glucose on prostaglandin E2 levels and inhibited glucose-induced insulin release. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor, flurbiprofen (20 microM), did not affect insulin release caused by glucose or glyceraldehyde. In the presence of 1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin, insulin secretion induced by 20 mM glucose (6.9 +/- 1.1% of islet insulin content) was reduced by the lipoxygenase inhibitor BW755 C (20 microM) to 3.1 +/- 0.6%, and by the phospholipase A2 inhibitor, p-bromophenacyl bromide (10 microM), to 2.1 +/- 0.8%. In the absence of bovine serum albumin the inhibitory action of BW755 C and p-bromophenacyl bromide on glucose-induced insulin release was significantly more pronounced. These drugs whether in the presence or absence of bovine serum albumin, did not affect glyceraldehyde-stimulated insulin secretion. Glyceraldehyde (10 mM), potentiated glucose-induced insulin release in the presence of 2-8 mM glucose, but not for 10-20 mM glucose. Although the phospholipase A2 activator, melittin, initiated insulin release in the presence of 2 mM glucose and enhanced 10 mM glyceraldehyde-stimulated insulin secretion it had no effect on 20 mM glucose-induced insulin release. These two stimulatory effects of melittin on insulin release were totally abolished by p-bromophenacyl bromide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The crystal structure of an Fe-superoxide dismutase from the hyperthermophile Aquifex pyrophilus at 1.9 A resolution: structural basis for thermostability

The incidence of stress fractures is increasing among competitive and recreational athletes as well as among children and the elderly. By understanding the continuum of bone's response to stress and maintaining an appropriate index of suspicion, the health care provider can diagnose these injuries appropriately. An accurate history and examination is essential and will differentiate stress fractures from other stress reactions. The more common stress fractures are discussed.     

Reproducibility of brachial ultrasonography and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) for assessing endothelial function

Minimally invasive plastic surgery has expanded beyond the original confines of aesthetic applications to encompass all our endeavors in an attempt to restrict the size of surgical scars, limit postoperative discomfort, and hasten recovery of function. This evolution has already delineated methods to raise our workhorse muscle flaps and has negated the risks of laparotomy for various visceral flaps. It is then only a logical progression to use these endoscopic techniques to harvest fascial flaps so as to avoid the notorious donor site morbidity of the fasciocutaneous flap, which has certainly hindered the rapid acceptance of these otherwise valuable flaps. Endoscopic-facilitated elevation of a local adipofascial flap is described for which little or no additional skin incisions need ever be made.