Problems in the hygienic rationalization of the therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition of industrial workers

Based on generalization and analysis of instructions and guidelines for therapeutical and prophylactic diets of workers, ways of its optimization were proposed, by using bifide-containing acid dairy products as a preventive agent against possible occupational diseases caused by occupational factors.     

Surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism 1962-1996: indications and outcomes

Twenty-two cases of ameloblastoma and ten cases of adenomatoid odontogenic tumour (AOT) were analyzed comparatively by the AgNOR technique. Ameloblastomas were distributed into three groups according to their clinical behaviour: primary lesions without recurrences (PLWTR), 5 cases; primary lesions with recurrences (PLWR), 4 cases; and recurrences, 13 cases. The cases were also regrouped according to their histological pattern: follicular (9 cases), plexiform (7 cases), acanthomatous (4 cases) and unicystic (2 cases). Considering histological patterns, there was a significant statistical difference only between follicular and plexiform types. There were no significant differences between the group of ameloblastomas and the group of AOTs or between the three groups of ameloblastomas with different clinical behaviour. Our results strongly suggest that the distinct clinical behaviour of ameloblastomas and AOT is not correlated with their cellular proliferation ratio. Thus, the infiltrative ability of the ameloblastomas is probably not related to the cellular proliferation index of these tumours.     

Animal model for the study of methanol toxicity: comparison of folate-reduced rat responses with published monkey data

The postpartum period is an ideal time to begin contraception, as women are more highly motivated to adopt contraception at this time and it is convenient for both patients and service providers. For intrauterine device (IUD) contraception, this period offers other advantages, such as ease of insertion and minimal adverse impacts on breastfeeding. Among early studies, most postpartum insertions were performed anywhere from a few hours to seven days or more after delivery, and retention of the IUD in the uterus was poor. Since the 1970s, immediate postplacental insertion (IPPI), i.e., IUD insertion performed within 10 minutes after placental delivery, has been advocated, and fairly, low expulsion rates have been reported. Up to now, IPPI has not been widely accepted in clinics because its expulsion rate still appears to be higher than that of interval insertion. In order to further study IPPI and perfect this contraceptive technique, it is essential to comprehensively review IPPI results and compare the Chinese experience with that of the rest of the world.     

Frequency response function of magnetic bearings using high-temperature superconductor

A high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x with strong pinning force has allowed stable magnetic suspension with no control to be developed. Two types of superconducting magnetic bearings (SMB) using YBCO and permanent magnet were assembled. The two types are radial and axial. The dynamic stiffness of each SMB as it was cooled down under a magnetic field by liquid nitrogen was measured both radially and axially. As a result, it was found that the spring constants of these SMBs were almost as large as a practically desirable value; however, their damping coefficients were lower than the practical level. These findings are useful as one of the data bases for development of an optimum SMB design to support the weight of rotors in an axial direction.     

Identification of spherical virus particles in digitized images of entire electron micrographs

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) has the most potent immunomodulatory activity of all the interferons. This phase II-B study was performed to define time- and dose-dependent immunomodulatory effects mediated by IFN-gamma in a subset of patients with melanoma treated in the dose-seeking therapeutic trial conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group E4687 (13). The effects of IFN-gamma (Genentech, San Francisco, CA) were evaluated for phenotype and function of peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained twice prestudy, and on days 2, 9, and 29 of IFN-gamma therapy for 50 patients. Early significant increases in CD4/CD8 ratio (p = 0.001) were noted, largely due to a rise in CD4+ and fall in CD8+ T-cell populations sustained through day 29 at only the lowest dosage. Increased natural killer cell (NK) activity (p = 0.001 on day 9; p = 0.01 on day 29) was accompanied by durable increases in circulating activated NK cells (CD56+DR+% p = 0.001, day 9; p = 0.001, day 29). After initial depression of CD56+ and CD16+ cells on day 2, the total percent of CD56+ and CD16+ cells increased significantly by day 29. Increases in NK cell activity were maximal at doses > or =0.1 mg. Monocyte CD14+ expression of DQ+ rose early (p = 0.011 and 0.001 on days 2 and 9), accompanied by elevation in CD14+DR+ cells that was less significant. Immunomodulatory effects of IFN-gamma reported in this trial have major implications for interpretation of past and current clinical trials, and the design of future trials. This is the first trial in which IFN-gamma has been shown to have significant effects on the T-cell compartment of the immune system.     

Use of solid phase extraction disks for the GC-MS analysis of acidic and neutral herbicides in drinking water

An analytical procedure was developed in which thirteen herbicides (10 acidic and 3 neutral compounds) may be extracted from drinking water samples using solid phase extraction disks and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using 8 replicate samples consisting of reagent water fortified with nanogram quantities of each herbicide, the average percent recoveries and method detection limits were determined for each analyte. The method was found to be suitable for the determination of individual herbicides in drinking water at concentrations of approximately 10 ng/L.