A songbird strategically modifies its blinking behavior when viewing human faces.

Even though blinking is necessary to maintain clear vision in many species, blinking is likely costly because it temporarily impairs vision. Given this cost, individuals can strategically modify their blinking behavior to minimize information loss. We tested whether a songbird species modifies its blinking behavior when viewing potential threats (human faces).

The community speaks: understanding ethical values in allocation of scarce lifesaving resources during disasters.

Introduction: Pandemic influenza or other crises causing mass respiratory failure could easily overwhelm current North American critical care capacity. This threat has generated large-scale federal, state, and local efforts to prepare for a public health disaster. Few, however, have systematically engaged the public regarding which values are most important in guiding decisions about how to allocate scarce healthcare resources during such crises.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in children and adolescents: II. Surgical management.

Surgical management is indicated for children and adolescents with spondylolysis and low-grade spondylolisthesis (< or =50% slip) who fail to respond to nonsurgical measures. In situ posterolateral L5 to S1 fusion is the best option for those with a low-grade slip secondary to L5 pars defects or dysplastic spondylolisthesis at the lumbosacral junction. Pars repair is reserved for patients with symptomatic spondylolysis and low-grade, mobile spondylolisthesis with pars defects cephalad to L5 and for those with multiple-level defects.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in children and adolescents: I. Diagnosis, natural history, and nonsurgical management.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are often diagnosed in children presenting with low back pain. Spondylolysis refers to a defect of the vertebral pars interarticularis. Spondylolisthesis is the forward translation of one vertebral segment over the one beneath it.

Ultrasound-guided aspiration of the hip in children: a new technique.

Evaluation of the child presenting with an irritable hip often requires aspiration of the hip. There are various methods for doing this procedure. We present a new technique for hip aspiration using high-resolution ultrasound imaging with color Doppler and a needle guide.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in the child and adolescent athlete.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are common causes of low back pain in the competitive athlete. Repetitive loading of the lumbar spine results in stress reactions and spondylytic defects of the pars interarticularis. Spondylolysis and lesser degrees of spondylolisthesis frequently respond to activity restrictions, bracing (in specific situations), and physiotherapy.

Treatment of cubitus varus with osteotomy and Ilizarov external fixation.

A cubitus varus deformity, secondary to a supracondylar fracture, was treated with a short oblique osteotomy and the Ilizarov external fixator. An excellent anatomic and functional outcome resulted. This method may prove to be of significant value in the treatment of this difficult deformity.

Isolated rupture of the soleus muscle: a case report.

Injuries to the musculature of the posterior compartment of the calf are a frequent cause of pain, particularly among athletes. The majority of ruptures and strains in this area occur in the gastrocnemius muscle and, to a much lesser extent, in the plantaris muscle. We present a case of an unusual cause of calf pain--an isolated rupture of the soleus muscle--that developed in a 15-year-old girl after participation in a volleyball match.

Comparative metabolism of SC-42867 and SC-51089, two PGE2 antagonists, in rat and human hepatocyte cultures.

1. The metabolism of SC-42867 and SC-51089, two PGE2 antagonists, was studied in cultured rat and human hepatocytes. Both compounds possess an 8-chlorodibenzoxazepine moiety, but differ from each other by the nature of the side chain connected to the nitrogen atom.

Irreversible binding to proteins after single and repeated daily oral administration of 4-(2,2-diphenylethyl) imidazole (SC-46264) to the Cynomolgus monkey.

SC-46264 is an antagonist of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. Distribution and excretion of [14C]-SC-46264 were studied after single and repeated daily oral administrations to the Cynomolgus monkey at a 1.5 mg/kg dose.

Formation of the neurotransmitter glycine from the anticonvulsant milacemide is mediated by brain monoamine oxidase B.

Milacemide (2-n-pentylaminoacetamide) is a secondary monoamine that in the brain is converted to glycinamide and glycine. This oxidative reaction was suspected to involve the reaction of monoamine oxidase (MAO). Using mitochondrial preparations from tissues that contain MAO-A and -B (rat brain and liver), MAO-A (human placenta), and MAO-B (human platelet and bovine adrenal chromaffin cell), it has been established that mitochondria containing MAO-B rather than MAO-A oxidize (H2O2 production and glycinamide formation) milacemide.

[Nuclear magnetic resonance. A technic of the future].

Nuclear magnetic resonance, a technique in its early stages in the field of proton imaging, appears to be very promising. It is capable of yielding not only morphological information, but also dynamic and metabolic information.

Absolute configuration of the major metabolite of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin, 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin.

Chemical conversions, optical comparisons, and chiroptical measurements (CD) were employed to determine the absolute configuration of the enantiomers of 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (HPPH) (1b and 1c). Studies on a key intermediate, (-)-2-cyclohexyl-2-phenylglycine (5b), led to the reexamination of the well-known rule of Clough-Lutz-Jirgensons. Optical comparisons by means of derivatization into hydantoins and 3-phenyl-2-thiohydantoins (application of Freudenberg's rule of shift) gave conclusions which were consistent with chiroptical measurements on the above compounds.