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PubMed1987

Inhalation of road dust by human subjects.

We measured pneumomagnetic field strength (PMFS) in 42 healthy control subjects living in districts of Northern Japan with low levels of road dust pollution and in 39 healthy subjects living in areas with high levels of road dust pollution. Suspended road dust produced by studded tires increases from 30 micrograms/m3 during the summer season to levels as high as 400 micrograms/m3 during the snow season in the downtown areas of Sendai, Japan. Road dust retained in the lungs, containing 3% iron, was magnetized from the surface of the chest wall, and PMFS was measured. Three to 5 sequential PMFS measurements were made in each subject in March and October of 1984 and 1985, and in March 1986. The PMFS in control subjects in March 1984 was 37 +/- 14 pico-Tesla (mean +/- SD) and did not significantly differ from the PMFS in October 1984 or that in March 1985. In March 1984, the PMFS of the subjects in highly polluted areas was 95 +/- 100 pico-Tesla (mean +/- SD) and was significantly higher than that of control subjects (p less than 0.01) and subsequently decreased in March 1985 and in March 1986, corresponding to a decrease in suspended road dust brought about by a campaign to eliminate the use of studded tires. Our findings suggest that some road dust caused by studded tires is retained in the lungs.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Cocaine hallucinations.

The author reviews the literature on hallucinations that occur as a result of acute and chronic administration of cocaine. He examined the phenomenology of cocaine hallucinations in a group of 85 recreational cocaine users, 15 of whom reported hallucinatory experiences in visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, and gustatory modalities. He discusses a new phenomenon of "snow lights" in terms of initiating a progression of symptoms leading to the classic "cocaine bugs." He also points out the similarity of cocaine hallucinations to entoptic phenomena and migraine hallucinations, which suggests a common mechanism of action based on CNS excitation and arousal.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased injury risk among first-day skiers, snowboarders, and skiboarders.

BACKGROUND: Inexperience predisposes skiers, snowboarders, and skiboarders to a higher risk of injury. HYPOTHESIS: Individuals on their very 1st day's experience of skiing, snowboarding, or skiboarding are at greater risk of injury. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. METHODS: All individuals injured at the three largest ski areas in Scotland during the three winter seasons 1999-2000 through 2001-2002 were included. First-day participants were identified. Individual demographic details and snow sports-related parameters were recorded. Control data were collected from uninjured individuals. Factors associated with injury were explored in univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: First-day participants were overrepresented in the injured population by a factor of 2.2. Participant age younger than 17 years or older than 26 years, snowboarding, taking professional instruction, and the use of rented or borrowed gear were all independently associated with increased injury risk among 1st-day participants. CONCLUSIONS: First-day participants are at increased risk of injury. Several independent risk factors for injury have been identified. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: First-day participants should be targeted in any future educational programs with emphasis on gear selection, use of protective gear, and the risks of exceeding the limits of their ability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Veno-occlusive disease of the liver in captive cheetah.

Liver tissues from 126 captive cheetah were evaluated by light microscopy and histochemistry; eight animals were evaluated by electron microscopy. The main hepatic lesion, a vascular lesion resembling veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver and characterized by subendothelial fibrosis and proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells in the central veins, was seen in 60% of the sexually mature cheetah. Although this hepatic vascular lesion was seen in cheetah as young as 1 year of age, the most severe lesions, usually associated with liver failure, were found in cheetah between the ages of 6 and 11. There was no sex predisposition, and in approximately 40% of the VOD cases, liver disease was not suspected clinically or at necropsy. VOD was found in other felidae, especially in the snow leopard. High levels of vitamin A in livers, as well as in diets of the cheetah, could be a contributing factor in the development of VOD in some groups of cheetah.

Acinonyx↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Traumatic dislocations of the peroneal tendons.

Traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendons is an often unrecognized injury which has been reported to occur most commonly during snow skiing. The strength of the peroneal retinaculum is exceeded during resistance to violent passive dorsiflexion or to inversion stress. Pain, swelling, and ecchymosis may hinder early diagnosis; however, intense retromalleolar pain on active eversion is a specific, highly suggestive finding. Fracture of a thin shell of the lateral malleolar cortex is diagnostic. In chronic cases, marked dislocation of the tendons is frequently demonstrable, with more than the usual degree of snapping. Surgical repair is advocated, using one of several procedures available. Most acute cases can be treated by simple repair of the torn or fractured structures. In chronic cases, or in acute cases with deficient structures predisposing to dislocation, it is necessary to reconstruct the peroneal retinaculum and/or deepen the peroneal groove. Longitudinal splitting of the peroneus brevis tendon was a new finding in this series.

Ankle Injuries↗
PubMed2001

Paramyxovirus infection in caiman lizards (Draecena guianensis).

Three separate epidemics occurred in caiman lizards (Dracaena guianensis) that were imported into the USA from Peru in late 1998 and early 1999. Histologic evaluation of tissues from necropsied lizards demonstrated a proliferative pneumonia. Electron microscopic examination of lung tissue revealed a virus that was consistent with members of the family Paramyxoviridae. Using a rabbit polyclonal antibody against an isolate of ophidian (snake) paramyxovirus, an immunoperoxidase staining technique demonstrated immunoreactivity within pulmonary epithelial cells of 1 lizard. Homogenates of lung, brain, liver, or kidney from affected lizards were placed in flasks containing monolayers of either terrapene heart cells or viper heart cells. Five to 10 days later, syncytial cells formed. When Vero cells were inoculated with supernatant of infected terrapene heart cells, similar syncytial cells developed. Electron microscopic evaluation of infected terrapene heart cells revealed intracytoplasmic inclusions consisting of nucleocapsid strands. Using negative-staining electron microscopy, abundant filamentous nucleocapsid material with a herringbone structure typical of the Paramyxoviridae was observed in culture medium of infected viper heart cells. Seven months following the initial epizootic, blood samples were collected from surviving group 1 lizards, and a hemagglutination inhibition assay was performed to determine presence of specific antibody against the caiman lizard isolate. Of the 17 lizards sampled, 7 had titers of < or =1:20 and 10 had titers of >1:20 and < or =1:80. This report is only the second of a paramyxovirus identified in a lizard and is the first to snow the relationship between histologic and ultrastructural findings and virus isolation.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Physicians' experience with Norplant implantable contraceptives in Finland.

Norplant contraceptives are manufactured in Finland, but the majority of Norplant users live in the Third World. The objective of this study was to study Finnish family planning physicians experience with and attitudes towards Norplant contraceptives. Three data sources were used: (1) review of articles published in non-commercial Finnish medical journals between 1980 and 1990, (2) a sample of eleven physicians known to have experience with Norplant and chosen by a snow-ball method, and (3) a random sample of 22 physicians in charge of public family planning services stratified by municipality and degree of urbanization. The articles reflected a positive attitude towards Norplant, but the authors did not believe that Norplant should replace any previous method of contraception. In the random sample the amount of experience with Norplant was low. In both groups the general attitude towards Norplant was reserved. It was not used as a method of first choice, but was considered a good method for carefully selected women. Norplant was considered troublesome for the physician, requiring surgical procedures, producing side-effects and demanding time for counselling. Adequate use of Norplant calls for a good health care infrastructure, hygienic facilities and trained personnel. These are often lacking in Third World settings.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2006

The evolutionary radiation of Arvicolinae rodents (voles and lemmings): relative contribution of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA phylogenies.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial and nuclear genes have generally been employed for different purposes in molecular systematics, the former to resolve relationships within recently evolved groups and the latter to investigate phylogenies at a deeper level. In the case of rapid and recent evolutionary radiations, mitochondrial genes like cytochrome b (CYB) are often inefficient for resolving phylogenetic relationships. One of the best examples is illustrated by Arvicolinae rodents (Rodentia; Muridae), the most impressive mammalian radiation of the Northern Hemisphere which produced voles, lemmings and muskrats. Here, we compare the relative contribution of a nuclear marker--the exon 10 of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene--to the one of the mitochondrial CYB for inferring phylogenetic relationships among the major lineages of arvicoline rodents. RESULTS: The analysis of GHR sequences improves the overall resolution of the Arvicolinae phylogeny. Our results show that the Caucasian long-clawed vole (Prometheomys schaposnikowi) is one of the basalmost arvicolines, and confirm that true lemmings (Lemmus) and collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx) are not closely related as suggested by morphology. Red-backed voles (Myodini) are found as the sister-group of a clade encompassing water vole (Arvicola), snow vole (Chionomys), and meadow voles (Microtus and allies). Within the latter, no support is recovered for the generic recognition of Blanfordimys, Lasiopodomys, Neodon, and Phaiomys as suggested by morphology. Comparisons of parameter estimates for branch lengths, base composition, among sites rate heterogeneity, and GTR relative substitution rates indicate that CYB sequences consistently exhibit more heterogeneity among codon positions than GHR. By analyzing the contribution of each codon position to node resolution, we show that the apparent higher efficiency of GHR is due to their third positions. Although we focus on speciation events spanning the last 10 million years (Myr), CYB sequences display highly saturated codon positions contrary to the nuclear exon. Lastly, variable length bootstrap predicts a significant increase in resolution of arvicoline phylogeny through the sequencing of nuclear data in an order of magnitude three to five times greater than the size of GHR exon 10. CONCLUSION: Our survey provides a first resolved gene tree for Arvicolinae. The comparison of CYB and GHR phylogenetic efficiency supports recent assertions that nuclear genes are useful for resolving relationships of recently evolved animals. The superiority of nuclear exons may reside both in (i) less heterogeneity among sites, and (ii) the presence of highly informative sites in third codon positions, that evolve rapidly enough to accumulate synapomorphies, but slow enough to avoid substitutional saturation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

A tool for exploring space-time patterns: an animation user research.

BACKGROUND: Ever since Dr. John Snow (1813-1854) used a case map to identify water well as the source of a cholera outbreak in London in the 1800s, the use of spatio-temporal maps have become vital tools in a wide range of disease mapping and control initiatives. The increasing use of spatio-temporal maps in these life-threatening sectors warrants that they are accurate, and easy to interpret to enable prompt decision making by health experts. Similar spatio-temporal maps are observed in urban growth and census mapping--all critical aspects a of a country's socio-economic development. In this paper, a user test research was carried out to determine the effectiveness of spatio-temporal maps (animation) in exploring geospatial structures encompassing disease, urban and census mapping. RESULTS: Three types of animation were used, namely; passive, interactive and inference-based animation, with the key differences between them being on the level of interactivity and complementary domain knowledge that each offers to the user. Passive animation maintains the view only status. The user has no control over its contents and dynamic variables. Interactive animation provides users with the basic media player controls, navigation and orientation tools. Inference-based animation incorporates these interactive capabilities together with a complementary automated intelligent view that alerts users to interesting patterns, trends or anomalies that may be inherent in the data sets. The test focussed on the role of animation passive and interactive capabilities in exploring space-time patterns by engaging test-subjects in thinking aloud evaluation protocol. The test subjects were selected from a geoinformatics (map reading, interpretation and analysis abilities) background. Every test-subject used each of the three types of animation and their performances for each session assessed. The results show that interactivity in animation is a preferred exploratory tool in identifying, interpreting and providing explanations about observed geospatial phenomena. Also, exploring geospatial data structures using animation is best achieved using provocative interactive tools such as was seen with the inference-based animation. The visual methods employed using the three types of animation are all related and together these patterns confirm the exploratory cognitive structure and processes for visualization tools. CONCLUSION: The generic types of animation as defined in this paper play a crucial role in facilitating the visualization of geospatial data. These animations can be created and their contents defined based on the user's presentational and exploratory needs. For highly explorative tasks, maintaining a link between the data sets and the animation is crucial to enabling a rich and effective knowledge discovery environment.

Computer Graphics↗
PubMed2000

The complete genome sequence of Vibrio cholerae: a tale of two chromosomes and of two lifestyles.

Vibrio cholerae O1 has figured prominently in the history of infectious diseases as a cause of periodic global epidemics, an affliction of refugees in areas of social strife and as the disease first subjected to modern epidemiological analysis during the classic investigations of John Snow in mid-19th century London [1]. Thus, publication of the entire genome sequence of V. cholerae O1 (biotype El Tor) in Nature [2] by a consortium of investigators from The Institute for Genomic Research, the University of Maryland and Harvard Medical School is properly regarded as an historic event that will trigger a paradigm shift in the study of this organism.

Cholera↗
PubMed2004

Scarring alopecia in discoid lupus erythematosus: a clinical, histopathologic and immunopathologic study.

Scarring alopecia is a very frequent feature of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). So far in the literature, only clinic-pathologic features or histopathologic-immunopathologic traits of DLE scarring alopecia (DLESA) have been reported. We describe the most significant features of clinical morphology, histopathology, serum and tissue immunopathology of 36 DLESA patients (41.9% of all our scarring alopecia patients). Clinically, 33.3% presented a single lesion and 52.7% presented multiple lesions of scarring alopecia, while 13.8% exhibited a picture resembling Pseudopelade of Brocq, with the classic 'footprints in the snow' appearance. The most frequent morphologic features were sclero-atrophy (80.5%) and erythema (63.8%). The main histopathologic aspects appeared to be fibrosis (100%), follicular hyperkeratosis (91.4%), epidermal atrophy (88.5%), lymphocytic infiltrate (88.5%), thickened basement membrane (77.1%) and basal vacuolar degeneration (74.2%). Antinuclear antibodies were present in 42.8% of patients and antigastric mucosa, antithyroid and anticardiolipin antibodies in 17-21% of patients. A positive lupus band test was demonstrated in 81.8% of cases and perivascular deposit in 30.3% of patients. Histopathology alone allowed a correct diagnosis only in 68.5% of cases; in the other cases, the diagnosis was assessed also taking into account immunopathologic findings. Our study defines the clinic, histopathologic and immunopathologic features of DLESA patients and points out that a multiparametric approach is mandatory to assess the diagnosis of DLESA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence of dementia and depression among elderly people in black and ethnic minorities.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to identify all elderly people of ethnic minorities living in a defined geographical area in inner-city Liverpool and to identify psychiatric morbidity and barriers to use of services. This paper reports the prevalence of dementia and depression. METHOD: A survey of the community was carried out using the Geriatric Mental State Examination, AGECAT and ethnically matched interviewers. The sampling frame consisted of Family Health Services Authority lists as a basis, with additional information from community lists, 'snow-balling' and a door-to-door survey. RESULTS: 418 people were interviewed, with a high percentage (55%) of young elderly (65-74) men. The prevalence of dementia ranged from 2 to 9% and of depression from 5 to 19%, and there were no significant differences in levels between English-speaking ethnic groups and the indigenous population. Higher levels of dementia were found among non-English-speaking groups. CONCLUSIONS: A complete enumeration of the elderly in ethnic minority groups is best achieved by using several different methods. Diagnosis of dementia may be misleading among those who do not speak the dominant language.

Africa↗
PubMed2005

A noninvasive technique to evaluate human-generated stress in the black grouse.

The continuous development of tourism and related leisure activities is exerting an increasingly intense pressure on wildlife. In this study, a novel noninvasive method for measuring stress in the black grouse, an endangered, emblematic species of European ecosystems that is currently declining in several parts of its European range, is tested and physiologically validated. A radiometabolism study and an ACTH challenge test were performed on four captive black grouse (two of each sex) in order to get basic information about the metabolism and excretion of corticosterone and to find an appropriate enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) to measure its metabolites in the feces. Peak radioactivity in the droppings was detected within 1 to 2 hours. Injected (3)H-corticosterone was excreted as polar metabolites and by itself was almost absent. A cortisone-EIA was chosen from among seven tested EIAs for different groups of glucocorticoid metabolites, because it cross-reacted with some of the formed metabolites and best reflected the increase of excreted corticosterone metabolites, after the ACTH challenge test. Concentrations of the metabolites from fecal samples collected from snow burrows of free-ranging black grouse were within the same range as in captive birds. The noninvasive method described may be appropriate for evaluating the stress faced by free-living black grouse populations in the wild, particularly in mountain ecosystems where human disturbance, especially by winter sports, is of increasing conservation concern.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1991

Terminal illness and suicide.

Case vignette: Henry, age 19, has been under medical care struggling for 5 months with a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that has been resistant to treatment. Proven chemotherapy protocols have failed to sustain a remission, and it is evident that his condition is terminal, although not immediately so. When not in temporary remissions he is in extreme pain. The quantity of analgesic medication needed to control the pain also leaves him feeling, in his own words, "too snowed out to do anything." During his last hospital admission, a week ago, he had talked obliquely about ending his life when signs of another painful relapse become evident. Today he appeared in the outpatient clinic, although he had no appointment scheduled. He sought out several of the people who had cared for him over the past few months to thank them and to "say good-bye." He gave some prized personal possessions to one or two of the staff with whom he felt especially close. As this was happening, some of the staff members realized that Henry had a sufficient stock of narcotics at home to end his life. Our commentators are Sanford Leikin, MD, and Richard A. McCormick, SJ.

Analgesia↗
PubMed2000

Interaction of therapeutic process and alliance during psychological assessment.

Utilizing a collaborative therapeutic assessment (TA) model proposed by Finn and Tonsager (1997), we examined the interaction between therapeutic alliance and in-session process during the assessment phase of treatment. This study compares the utility of the TA model (n = 38) versus a traditional information gathering model (n = 90) of assessment. The results of this study indicate that the use of a TA model may decrease the number of patients who terminate treatment against medical advice. The Session Evaluation Questionnaire (Stiles & Snow, 1984), Combined Alliance Short Form (Hatcher & Barends, 1996), and Penn Helping Alliance Questionnaire-Revised (Barber & Crits-Christoph, 1996) can reliably measure the patient's experience of the assessment. The psychological assessment process may impact the patient's experience of assessment feedback and aid in the development of a therapeutic alliance. The therapeutic alliance developed during the assessment was found to be related to alliance early in psychotherapy. We discuss the theoretical, clinical, and research implications of these findings.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Is any measurement method optimal for all aggregate sizes and types?

Protein-based pharmaceuticals exhibit a wide range of aggregation phenomena, making it virtually impossible to find any one analytical method that works well in all cases. Aggregate sizes cover a range from small oligomers to visible "snow" and precipitates, and generally only the smaller species are reversible. It is less widely recognized that aggregates also exhibit a broad spectrum of lifetimes, and the lifetime has important consequences for detection methods. The fact that the measurement itself may destroy or create aggregates poses a major analytical challenge and is a key determinant for method selection. Several examples of some interesting aggregation phenomena and the analytical approaches we have used are presented. In one case, an "aggregate" seen by SEC in stressed samples was shown to actually be a partially denatured monomer using both size-exclusion chromatography with online multiangle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS) and sedimentation velocity. In a second case, freeze/thaw stress generates transient, metastable oligomers that are extremely sticky and difficult to measure by SEC. By using sedimentation velocity as the "gold standard" a much improved SEC method was developed and used to investigate the temperature-dependent dissociation of these oligomers. For problems with visible particulates, dynamic light scattering has been effective, in our hands, at detecting the precursors to the large, visible particles and tracking the source of stress or damage to particular manufacturing steps.

Dimerization↗
PubMed1995

Persistent positive visual phenomena in migraine.

Ten patients with migraine developed persistent positive visual phenomena lasting months to years. The complaints were similar in their simplicity and involvement of the entire visual field and usually consisted of diffuse small particles such as TV static, snow, lines of ants, dots, and rain. Neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations were normal, and EEGs were normal in eight of eight patients tested. MRI was normal in all patients except one who had nonspecific biparietal white matter lesions and another with a small venous angioma. Treatment of this unusual complication of migraine was unsuccessful.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

An ECM substratum allows mouse mesodermal cells isolated from the primitive streak to exhibit motility similar to that inside the embryo and reveals a deficiency in the T/T mutant cells.

The mesodermal cell layer is created by ingression and migration of the cells from the primitive streak region in mouse embryos on day 7 of pregnancy. In order to study the mechanisms of mesodermal cell migration during development, the mesodermal cells isolated from the primitive streak were cultured on various substrata, and cell behaviour and motility were analysed with a time-lapse video system. The mesodermal cells on the surface of extracellular matrix (ECM)-coated dishes (ECM produced by bovine corneal endothelial cells) showed extensive migration at a mean rate of approx. 50 micron h-1. They also showed frequent cell division and exhibited contact paralysis of lamellipodia and contact inhibition of movement. On plastic or glass surfaces, however, the mesodermal cells became more flattened and less motile (approx. 20-30 micron h-1). Cell shape and mean rate of movement on the ECM were very similar to those in situ, as investigated in a previous study (Nakatsuji, Snow & Wylie, 1986). Therefore, this culture condition could provide a useful experimental system for analysing the cellular basis of normal and abnormal morphogenetic movements in mouse embryos. Employing such a culture system, we studied motility of the mesodermal cells from embryos homozygous for Brachyury (T) mutation, which are lethal at the midgestation stage in utero. Histological observations have suggested that anomalous morphogenesis of the T/T embryos may be brought about by defects in migration of the mesodermal cells derived from the primitive streak. When mesodermal cells from the primitive streak of the T/T mutant embryos on days 8-9 were cultured on the ECM substratum, mean rate of cell migration was significantly reduced compared to cells from normal embryos. Results support the idea of retarded migration by the mutant mesodermal cells as an important factor causing abnormalities in morphogenesis.

Animals↗