SEARCH · Search PubMed
Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Ovarian cysts of clinical significance are uncommon in the fetus and neonate. The authors diagnosed a large fetal cyst prenatally by ultrasound scan and removed it in the neonatal period. Analysis of the fluid obtained from the cyst demonstrated a capacity of the fetal ovary to synthesize estrogen and progesterone.
Catastrophic and disabling injuries are being reported more frequently in ice hockey. Within the science of injury prevention, all possible avenues are being explored to address this devastating problem, especially in the areas of protective equipment playing rules, teaching techniques, and awareness programs. Ice hockey injuries are in many cases caused by violent player behavior, which may be supported by coaches who believe that such behavior contributes to winning. To determine whether a relationship existed between violent player behavior and game outcome, 1462 recorded penalties from all 18 Stanley Cup Final Series from 1980 through 1997 were analyzed with a 2 x 2 chi-square analysis. A statistically significant association (chi-square = 7.111, P = .008) was found between violent player behavior and series outcome, with the team drawing fewer violent penalty minutes being the winner of 13 of the 18 series. A period-by-period analysis of violent penalties incurred by the losing teams revealed a statistically significant difference between the first and third periods, with losing teams demonstrating more violent player behavior in the first period than in the third period. The results suggest that violent player behavior may be counterproductive to a favorable game outcome. Coaches at the highest level of competition may wish to adjust their team policies and recruiting practices to benefit from the plausible strategic advantage of reducing violent player behavior. This research was presented at the 1998 Ice Hockey World Championship International Symposium on Medicine and Science in Ice Hockey in Zurich, Switzerland, on Saturday, May 9, 1998, and published in the symposium's supplement, "Safety in Ice Hockey IIHF 1998."
Segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was conducted in five patients who underwent esophageal resections. Resistance values fitted at zero frequency (R0) in each body segment (arm, trunk and leg) were determined before the induction of anesthesia, at the end of surgery and on the second or third postoperative day. Extracellular water volume (ECW) in each body segment was estimated using the equation derived from the cell suspension theory. ECW in whole body was obtained from the sum of each body segment. R0 in trunk and leg significantly decreased at the end of surgery compared to the values before the induction of anesthesia (P < 0.05). The change ratio of R0 in trunk before the induction of anesthesia was significantly lower at the end of surgery than that in arm (P < 0.05), resulting from the most striking fluid accumulation in the trunk. Postoperatively, R0 in all body segments, however, appeared to decrease similarly compared to the values before the induction of anesthesia, suggesting the redistribution phenomena of extracellular water among body segments. The correlation (r = 0.90, P < 0.001) and good agreement [bias = 0.01 (L)] between net fluid balances and estimates of ECW changes in whole body suggest that BIA allows close monitoring of tissue hydration during perioperative period by providing estimates of ECW in body segments.
Measurement of foetal breathing movements is becoming more common as a means of monitoring processes occurring in the human foetus. Conventional time-period analysis of breathing movements is prone to error owing to their complexity, and it is laborious to decipher any frequency pattern. The described apparatus has been designed to give an on-line visual indication of the instantaneous frequency of foetal breathing movements when measured by a time-distance recorder connected to an echoscope. It is affected insignificantly by spurious signals, and can be build cheaply with easily-available components. Practical trials suggest that frequency analysis by this device can be of value for examining episodes of continuous breathing movements in the foetus.
Twenty patients with periodic paralysis were evaluated and the aspects studied included epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, ancillary tests, treatment and evolution. Sixteen patients had the hypokalemic form (5 familiar, 5 sporadic, 5 thyrotoxic and 1 secondary). No patient with the normokalemic form was detected. Predominance of men was found (14 patients), especially in the cases with hyperthyroidism (5 patients). No thyrotoxic patient was of oriental origin. Only 4 patients had the hyperkalemic form (3 familiar, 1 sporadic). Attacks of paralysis began during the first decade in the hyperkalemic form and up to the third decade in the hypokalemic. In both forms the attacks occurred preferentially in the morning with rest after exercise being the most important precipitating factor. Seventy five percent of the hyperkalemic patients referred brief attacks (< 12 hours). Longer attacks were referred by 43% of the hypokalemic patients. The majority of the attacks manifested with a generalized weakness mainly in legs, and its frequency was variable. Creatinokinase was evaluated in 10 patients and 8 of them had levels that varied from 1.1 to 5 times normal. Electromyography was done in 6 patients and myotonic phenomenon was the only abnormality detected in 2 patients. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, especially acetazolamide, were used for prophylactic treatment in 9 patients with good results in all. Although periodic paralysis may be considered a benign disease we found respiratory distress in 5 patients, permanent myopathy in 1, electrocardiographic abnormalities during crises in 4; death during paralysis occurred in 2. Therefore correct diagnosis and immediate treatment are crucial. This study shows that hyperthyroidism is an important cause of periodic paralysis in our country, even in non oriental patients. Hence endocrine investigation is mandatory since this kind of periodic paralysis will only be abated after return to the euthyroid state.
B-mode ultrasound images are characterised by the speckle artefact, which introduces fine-false structures whose apparent resolution is beyond the imaging system capabilities. Speckle presence is due to interference effects between overlapping echoes and its occurrence is related to a great number of randomly distributed structure scatterers within a resolution cell. Basing our analysis on linear system theory, we show that a dense random set of scatterers can be substituted by an equivalent one with a much smaller number of periodic scatterers. This new structure with regularly distributed scatterers is able to give rise to the same B-mode image and the same speckle pattern, for a given ultrasound pulse. This new approach helps the understanding of the deterministic nature of speckle and may reduce drastically the computing time in numerical simulations. Additionally, it can contribute to periodicity analysis used in tissue characterisation.
We present a clinic-epidemiological study of two patients and meta-analysis (period 1977-2000 ) of the co-morbidity of the Down syndrome (DS) and moyamoya syndrome (MMS). Among the 42 patients listed in this survey, meta-analysis permitted to find the highest number of publications by researchers from Japan and United States, followed by Brazil and Italy; prevalence of cerebrovascular disease in suckling and pre school children; first symptomatology was hemiparesis (78.6%), speech disorders (26.2%); ischemic infarction (76.2%); recurring ischemic episodes (62%); bilateral impairment (83.3%). This analysis led to the conclusion that in the clinic-neurological investigation of DS patients with acute hemiparesis episodes, MMS should be included as the most probable diagnosis.
A blind check sample analysis program, designed to evaluate global performance in the determination of fire-related analytes (carbon monoxide and cyanide), was implemented and processed using 10 field forensic toxicology laboratories. Each participant received, on a quarterly basis, a set of four calibrators and a set of four unknown check samples. Each participant was asked to determine the presence and quantity of carbon monoxide (carboxyhemoglobin in percent saturation of hemoglobin units) and cyanide (in mg/L units), using the calibrators for reference. The results were to be reported in an anonymous manner. Prior to and during the analysis period all batches of calibrators and check samples were validated for analyte stability using gas chromatography, CO- oximetry, and ion chromatography. The performance of the laboratories in the analysis of carboxyhemoglobin was evaluated over a concentration range of 3 to 40% saturation yielding a correlation with validation concentrations of 0.986. In some cases, false negatives and false positives were reported. The performance of laboratories in the analysis of cyanide was evaluated over a concentration range of 0.1 to 2.5 mg/L. Laboratory results yielded a correlation of 0.443 with validated concentrations. False negatives and false positives were also reported. Based upon the correlation estimates, it was concluded that forensic toxicology laboratories are likely to generate reliable carboxyhemoglobin data.
A survey of the circulation of books and journals at the Downstate Medical Center Library was conducted, based on cancelled circulation cards accumulated during a one-year period. Analysis of the results shows the frequency of use of various materials by several groups of borrowers and brings out important differences between circulation of books and that of journals. One of the results was the compilation of a list of most frequently used journals. The findings are graphically represented by several tables and charts.
Variability in heart period is modulated by respiration. Using an autoregressive spectral analytic approach on the heart period time series produces a components analysis. The central frequency of the heart period spectral component in the frequency of respiration (HFFreq) has been suggested as an index of respiratory frequency. The present experiment measured heart period variability (HPV) using an autoregressive algorithm and respiratory frequency using a mercury strain gauge (SGResp) to assess the relationship between the respiratory frequency indexed by the two methods. Twenty human participants were studied during resting baseline, relaxation, and mental effort conditions. Within- and between-person Pearson correlations and t-tests were used to assess the concordance between HFFreq and SGResp. Both within-person and between-person correlations indicated good concordance among the two methods. Moreover, t-tests, corrected for Type I error, indicated no significant differences between the respiratory frequency estimates derived from the two methods. The resolution of the estimates was approximately 1 breath per minute. These results suggest that the HFFreq may be a useful index of respiratory frequency.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sphenopalatine ganglion block upon the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Seventeen patients completed a course of treatment which involved daily intranasal application of local anesthetic (bupivacaine or cocaine) or saline over the sphenopalatine ganglion. The reported numbers of daily symptoms of physical discomfort were recorded during the preprocedure period. Analysis of variance results indicated that patients in all three groups experienced a significant decline in the number of symptoms of physical discomfort over the six-day withdrawal period. Further findings provided evidence of significantly fewer symptoms of discomfort for patients in the anesthetic treatment groups than in the placebo control group, though no statistically significant difference emerged between the two anesthetic treatment groups. Accelerated alleviation of discomfort during nicotine withdrawal may increase the success of smoking cessation.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of season, temperature, humidity, age of the boar, and semen collection interval on sperm morphology in Duroc boars in Thailand, kept either in a conventional open air system (CONV) or in an evaporative cooling system (EVAP). In total, 1176 ejaculates from 110 sexually mature boars in six CONV herds and five EVAP herds were morphologically examined during a one-year period. Analysis of variance was applied to the data. Minor differences in the sperm morphology traits analyzed were found between the housing systems. There was a significant seasonal effect (two-month periods) on the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa (normal1), morphologically normal spermatozoa including spermatozoa with distal cytoplasmic droplets (normal2), proximal cytoplasmic droplets (prox), and sperm head abnormalities (P<or=0.001). Temperature had a significant effect on normal1 in the CONV system (P<or=0.01) and in the EVAP system (P<or=0.05), and on normal2 (P<or=0.05) and prox (P<or=0.001) in both systems. Humidity had a significant effect on prox (P<or=0.05) in the EVAP system. The results also indicate that the sperm morphology traits were mildly affected by the housing systems investigated. A seasonal variation in sperm morphology was found, and high temperatures and high humidity had negative effects on sperm morphology.
Subjects who had undergone dental impaction surgery and who had moderate to severe postoperative pain were given, under double-blind, randomized conditions, a single dose of either codeine 60 mg, aspirin 650 mg, ibuprofen 400 mg, aspirin 650 mg + codeine 60 mg, ibuprofen 400 mg + codeine 60 mg, or placebo. A total of 249 subjects were included in the statistical analysis. On a report form, subjects recorded pain intensity, pain relief, and side effects hourly for four hours. They also gave an overall impression at the end of the observation period. Analysis of variance and pairwise contrasts were used to analyze the data. For the sum of pain intensity differences, the total of the hourly pain relief scores, and overall impression, there was a significant analgesic effect for codeine, aspirin, and ibuprofen and no significant interaction when they were used in combination. Ibuprofen alone was statistically superior to aspirin and also achieved higher mean scores than the aspirin-codeine combination. The ibuprofen-codeine combination was the most effective treatment for every analgesic parameter, but it was not statistically superior to ibuprofen alone. The possibility exists that the ibuprofen-codeine combination peaked out the sensitivity of the model. There was no notable difference in the frequency or intensity of side effects among the treatment groups, and no subject had to withdraw due to an adverse effect. This study again confirms the superiority of ibuprofen to aspirin and suggests that ibuprofen is at least as effective as an aspirin-codeine combination. Codeine added a small amount of additional analgesia when used in combination with ibuprofen.
UNLABELLED: Ivory Coast, a sub-Saharan African country, has 14 million inhabitants. Two AIDS cases were reported to the WHO in 1985. By December 31st 1996, there were a total of 37,878 AIDS cases in Ivory Coast, 6,727 of which were new cases reported in 1996. Heterosexual transmission is the predominant means of HIV infection in Africa and women of childbearing age account for a substantial proportion of the individuals infected. The aim of this study was to follow the progression of infection in the various regions of the country by comparing data from two time periods: Period I: 1986 to 1989; Period II: 1994 to 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS LOCATION: Samples were taken in regional maternal and child protection centers. Recruitment method: Women were recruited anonymously, during their antenatal care. BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: Period I (1986 to 1989), 2,604 pregnant women. Anti-HIV antibodies were detected with: Abbott HIV-1 EIA Recombinant (Chicago) used initially, for 1,200 sera; Abbott HIV-1/HIV-2 Recombinant (Chicago) used later for the remaining sera. There was no commercially available test for HIV-2 during this first period, so all samples with Rm0.8 (R = optical density/cut-off) were also tested by western blotting. Period II (1994 to 1996), 2,935 pregnant women. All sera were tested with Enzygnost HIV-1-2 and Enzygnost HIV-1-2 Plus, produced by Behring (Germany). All sera testing positive in EIA were also tested by western blotting. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV infection was 4.23% for Period I and 12.53% for Period II. No region of Ivory Coast was completely free of these 2 viruses after the mid-1980s. Women aged 20 to 29 years of age were the most likely to be infected, for both periods. The highest prevalence of HIV-2 was that for women aged between 20 and 29 years and HIV-2 infection occurred mostly in the South, Southwest and West regions. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of HIV infection is now at least 10% in each region of the country. Abidjan is no longer the city with the highest levels of infection, as shown by the results for Period II. The East and West have the highest levels of HIV infection, and the prevalence of HIV in these areas is significantly higher than that for Abidjan (p = 0.007 for the East and p = 0.009 for the West).
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of repetitive total umbilical cord occlusions on electrocortical brain activity as measured by cerebral function analyzing monitoring (CAFM) and the histologic outcome in immature sheep fetuses. STUDY DESIGN: We performed brief repeated total umbilical cord occlusions, two every 5 minutes, in 12 immature sheep fetuses (at 90 days of gestation, term 147 days) until fetal mean arterial pressure dropped below 50% of baseline value during two successive occlusions. A pair of electrodes was inserted on the parietal dura for recording of electrocortical brain activity (ECoG). Off-line ECoG signal processing consisted of amplitude integrated analysis (CFAM) and spectral analysis. Fetal blood gas analyses were performed at regular intervals just before subsequent umbilical cord occlusions. Three days after the occlusion neuronal damage was evaluated histologically in three regions of the fetal brain. RESULTS: CFAM amplitide parameters decreased significantly during the first occlusion and remained so during the entire repetitive occlusion period (analysis of variance [ANOVA]; P <.05). Spectral analysis of the ECoG signal demonstrated no changes in the distribution of frequency bands. Progressive acidemia and hypotension developed with ongoing occlusions. Five fetuses died at the end or shortly after the entire repetitive occlusion period. No neuronal damage or macroscopic intraventricular and/or germinal matrix hemorrhage was observed in the surviving fetuses. CONCLUSION: Repetitive umbilical cord occlusions in immature sheep fetuses resulted in functional, not structural changes of the fetal brain in surviving fetuses. At this gestational age, amplitude analysis is more sensitive than spectral analysis of the ECoG signal to functional changes of the compromised fetal brain.
Biological removal of ammonia was investigated using two types of packing materials, compost and sludge in laboratory-scale biofilters (8l reactor volume). The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of unit systems packed with these supports in terms of ammonia emissions treatment. Experimental tests and measurements included analysis of removal efficiency, metabolic products, and results of long-term operation. The inlet concentration of ammonia applied was 20-200 mg m-3. The ammonia loading rates of 24.9-566 g NH3 m-3 d-1 to compost biofilter (BF3) and 24.9-472 g NH3 m-3 d-1 to sludge biofilter (BF4) were applied for 210 days, respectively. Removal efficiencies of the compost and sludge biofilters were in the range of 97-99% and 95-99%, respectively when the inlet concentration of ammonia was below 110 mg m-3, and the maximum elimination capacities were 288 and 243 g NH3m-3d-1, respectively. However, removal efficiency and elimination capacity of both biofilters significantly decreased as the inlet concentration increased to above 110 mg m-3. By using kinetic analysis, the maximum removal rate of ammonia, Vm, and the saturation constant, Ks, were determined for both packing materials and the value of Vm for compost was found to be larger. Periodic analysis of the biofilter packing materials showed the accumulation of the nitrification product NO3- in the operation. During the experiment, the pressure drops measured were very low. The use of both packing materials requires neither nutritive aqueous solution nor buffer solution.
Sleep and waking stages and EEG power spectra were investigated in rats following saline injections and injection of 10 and 20 mg/kg zimeldine or 10 and 20 mg/kg alaproclate, both selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors. Following zimeldine there was a biphasic effect on sleep and waking, waking being increased during the first 2 1/2 h of recording, while slow wave sleep (SWS), in particular highly synchronized SWS-2 with high slow wave activity, was increased during the second 2 1/2 h recording period. Analysis of EEG power spectra indicated that the amount of synchronized slow wave activity was also increased within the sleep that occurred during the waking-dominated initial 2 1/2 h period. These data suggest simultaneous appearance of increased waking and increased synchronization following general serotonergic stimulation. They are interpreted as due to effects on different regions of the serotonergic system or on different serotonergic receptors. Consistent with earlier findings, zimeldine also suppressed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Following alaproclate, a clear waking effect was present, but only a weak synchronizing effect was seen. This is consistent with data on regional differences in uptake inhibition for zimeldine and alaproclate. Alaproclate also reduced REM sleep. Zimeldine or alaproclate was also administered to rats that had reduced sleep following pretreatment with a moderate dose of parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA). None of the drugs increased waking any further, but the PCPA-pretreated animals that received zimeldine had increased SWS-2, indicating that the SWS-2 increase following zimeldine alone was not a rebound effect.
BACKGROUND: Over the last decades, long-term survival rates have substantially increased for many forms of cancer. However, these improvements have often been detected with substantial delay by traditional methods of survival analyses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using data of the population-based Saarland Cancer Registry, 5- and 10-year relative survival rates were derived for patients with 24 common forms of cancer in Saarland/Germany for the years 2000-2002 by period analysis and compared with conventional cohort estimates of 5- and 10-year relative survival rates pertaining to patients diagnosed in 1990-1992. RESULTS: For many forms of cancer, the 2000-2002 period survival estimates were substantially higher than the corresponding estimates for the cohorts of patients diagnosed in 1990-1992. For example, 10-year relative survival rates achieved in 2000-2002 were close to 100% for patients with testis and thyroid cancer, >85% for patients with melanomas of the skin, approximately 80% for patients with endometrial cancer and prostate cancer, close to 70% for patients with breast cancer and kidney cancer, and close to 60% for patients with colon cancer and lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: Survival expectations of patients diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the third millenium are substantially higher than previously available survival statistics have suggested.