Mild traumatic brain injury--the Fife perspective

Excretion was studied of catecholamines and diphenilamine (DOPA) in 310 patients with carcinoma of the stomach and large intestine and 43 patients with non-malignant diseases. The oncological patients showed decrease in activity of the mediator link of the sympathoadrenal system (SAS) as well as its reserves but there was no association with sex, age, location or histological structure. Three types of SAS functioning were identified, such as compensation, overstrain and emaciation. Surgical intervention led to activation of the hormonal link and exhaustion of the system's reserves. Two kinds of sympathoadrenal response to stress were described--adequate and inadequate. In the former type, phases of stress remain as they are, unchanged, as are time periods of formation thereof, while under the latter one time periods of the phases formation or formation thereof get disordered.     

Rehabilitation from the economic viewpoint--basic geriatric considerations

Idiopathic Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome (SCLS) is a rare entity characterised by idiopathic increasing of capillary permeability associated with recurrent attacks of hypovolaemic shock. We report the case of a 39-year-old man with a SCLS fourteen years after a cadaveric renal transplantation. The clinical evolution was rapidly fatal despite treatment with corticoids, aminophylline and terbutaline which are the most efficient drugs known to prevent attacks.     

Inducible gene expression in mammalian cells and transgenic mice

The discovery of the superantigens (SAgs) offered new insights on the interaction between microorganisms and the host immune system. Associated to Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II molecules, SAgs bind to the variable domain of the beta chain (V beta) of the TCR alpha beta engaged in the family specificity of lymphocytes. Therefore, these molecules are able to activate a high number of T lymphocytes as well as surface MHC class II bearing cells, leading to an overriding release of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, which have been related to their toxic effects. Endogenous SAgs are encoded by murine tumor proviruses (Mtv) which are integrated in the genome of mice. Bacteria and viruses produce exogenous SAgs and those related to food poisoning have been widely studied. The presence of parasite SAgs is still unclear and further studies are required to establish their existence and effects on the corresponding infections.     

Reference range and repeatability of a combined intestinal permeability and function test in clinically healthy Irish setter dogs

We investigated the influence of nutrition and exercise interventions within cognitive/behavioral and public health formats on weight and blood lipid profiles in obese children. Compliance was also examined as well as the relationship of the compliance measures with clinical outcome variables. Three conditions were compared over 16 sessions: nutrition and eating-habit change followed by exercise (NE), exercise followed by nutrition and eating-habit change (EN), and an information control (INFO). NE and EN were presented in a cognitive/ behavioral framework which focused on the development of self-regulation whereas the INFO condition received the same material in a public health/educational model. NE and EN participants evidenced modest, yet significant, reductions in weight and blood lipids, and the impact of these two interventions endured at a five-year follow-up. In contrast, INFO participants displayed stable weight and blood lipids during the course of the program, and most remained morbidly obese at follow-up. Improved nutrition, increased physical activity and fitness were significantly correlated with weight and lipid reductions.     

Transtemporal power- and frequency-based color-coded duplex sonography of cerebral veins and sinuses

PURPOSE: To determine the ability of transtemporal power- and frequency-based transcranial color-coded duplex sonography to aid in the assessment of cerebral veins and sinuses, as well as to provide reference data for flow direction and velocity. METHODS: Using a color duplex device equipped with a 2.0/2.5-MHz sector scan, we insonated 120 healthy volunteers and three patients with cerebral venous thrombosis. RESULTS: In subjects 20 to 59 years old, deep middle cerebral veins were identified in 88%, basal veins in 97%, straight sinuses in 60%, and transverse sinuses in 42%. The corresponding values for subjects 60 to 79 years old were 53%, 86%, 23%, and 20%, respectively. Velocities were highest in transverse and straight sinuses, slower in basal veins, and slowest in deep middle cerebral veins. Flow was directed lateromedially in the deep middle cerebral vein, rostrocaudally in the basal vein and straight sinus, and mediolaterally in the transverse sinus. Two patients with straight sinus thromboses showed reversed flow direction in the basal veins, and one patient with superior sagittal sinus thrombosis showed elevated velocities in a deep middle cerebral vein. CONCLUSION: Transtemporal power- and frequency-based color-coded duplex sonography enabled imaging and velocity measurements in deep cerebral veins in subjects 20 to 59 years old, but detection of the straight and transverse sinuses was low. In older subjects, only the basal vein was regularly assessed.     

Demonstration of a word design strategy for DNA computing on surfaces

A strategy for DNA computing on surfaces using linked sets of 'DNA words' that are short oligonucleotides (16mers) is proposed. The 16mer words have the format 5'-FFFFvvvvvvvvFFFF-3' in which 4-8 bits of data are stored in 8 variable ('v') base locations, and the remaining fixed ('F') base locations are used as a word label. Using a template and map strategy, a set of 108 8mers each of which possesses at least a 4 base mismatch with the complements to all the other members of the set (4bm complements) are identified for use as a variable base sequence set. In addition, sets of 4 and 12 word labels of the form ABCD....DCBA that are respectively 8bm and 6bm complements with each other are identified. The 16mers are chosen to have a G/C content of 50% in order to make the thermodynamic stability of the perfectly matched hybridized DNA duplexes similar; a simple pairwise additive method is used to estimate the perfect match and mismatch hybridization thermodynamics. A series of preliminary experiments are presented that use small arrays of 16mers attached to chemically modified gold surfaces and fluorescently labeled complements to study the hybridization adsorption and enzymatic manipulation of the oligonucleotides.     

Overcoming language barriers when teaching the Advanced Trauma Life Support course

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether blurred vision caused by exposure to triethylamine (TEA) can be detected by the measurement of contrast sensitivity. METHODS: 41 cold box core makers of three foundries and 82 control workers were examined. A detailed ocular and medical history was obtained from the subjects. The contrast sensitivity of the core makers was measured on Monday and Friday of the same week both before and immediately after work and also on a third day, when air samples of TEA were collected. Contrast sensitivity and visual acuity were measured by optotype figures at full contrast, 2.5% contrast, and 0.6% contrast. The changes in contrast sensitivity were used for the analysis. The results of binocular vision and the results of the dominant eye were analysed. Urine specimens for the analysis of TEA were collected on every occasion when contrast sensitivity was measured. RESULTS: 78% of the core makers had had symptoms of blurred vision, and 31% had had trouble driving or working. The breathing zone eight hour time weighted average TEA concentrations were 0.3-60 mg/m3. The mean urinary TEA concentration after the shift was 35 mmol/mol creatinine. Continuous monitoring showed high peaks of TEA leakage at a core making machine. Changes in binocular visual acuity did not differ between the exposed and unexposed workers. The contrast sensitivity decreased in 49% of the core makers and 21% of the controls (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The blurred vision caused by exposure to TEA can be documented by measuring contrast sensitivity. The mechanism by which TEA produces symptoms remains an issue of further study.