Simultaneous extraction of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and nonionic surfactants from house dust. Concentrations in floor dust from 15 Danish schools.

Static extraction, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and Soxhlet extraction were compared for simultaneous extraction of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and nonionic surfactants from house dust. Homogenized office floor dust from a vacuum cleaner dust bag ("standard dust") was used for the evaluation. One portion of the extracts was used for analysis of nonionic surfactants with LC-MS and another portion was used for DEHP analysis with GC-MS.

A case of early congenital syphilis.

A case of early congenital syphilis is reported in order to emphasize that syphilis is still present nowadays and that detection of syphilis in pregnant women is primordial for the prevention of this disease.

Marine n-3 fatty acids: basic features and background.

There is some evidence from epidemiology that intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from seafood may protect against coronary artery disease (CAD). This hypothesis is further supported from animal data showing a beneficial effect of n-3 PUFA on thrombosis and atherosclerosis in animals fed fish oils in most, but not all, studies. There are several mechanisms by which an increased intake of marine n-3 PUFA may protect against CAD; the most universal finding is a reduction of plasma triglycerides.

[Feeling of illness after hysterectomy. Women's own assessment].

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the time interval from the operation to no feeling of illness at all in a population of women, who had undergone a total abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy.

Material And Methods: Data on 361 women who had had a total abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy during the period, 1.1.

C-reactive protein, dietary n-3 fatty acids, and the extent of coronary artery disease.

The acute-phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP) has emerged as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Experimental and clinical studies provide evidence of anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) derived from fish. We have studied the effect of marine n-3 PUFA on CRP levels in 269 patients referred for coronary angiography because of clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease.

Prevalence of serious psychiatric morbidity in attenders and nonattenders to a health survey of a general population : the Tromsø Health Study.

The objective was to study the effect of serious psychiatric disorders on participation in a general health population study. This was done by linking the records of the Second Tromsø Health Study to the case register of a mental hospital. The participants in the Second Tromsø Health Study were 21,441 persons, the total population of men aged 20-54 and women aged 20-49 years who resided in Tromsø, Norway, in 1979.

Cause-specific mortality in psychiatric patients after deinstitutionalisation.

Background: Since the late 1970s, the psychiatric service system in Norway has been changed gradually according to the principles of deinstitutionalisation.

Aims: To document the mortality of psychiatric patients in a deinstitutionalised service system.

Methods: The case register of a psychiatric hospital covering the period 1980-1992 was linked to the Central Register of Deaths.

Formation of strong airway irritants in mixtures of isoprene/ozone and isoprene/ozone/nitrogen dioxide.

We evaluated the airway irritation of isoprene, isoprene/ozone, and isoprene/ozone/nitrogen dioxide mixtures using a mouse bioassay, from which we calculated sensory irritation, bronchial constriction, and pulmonary irritation. We observed significant sensory irritation (approximately 50% reduction of mean respiratory rate) by dynamically exposing the mice, over 30 min, to mixtures of isoprene and O3 or isoprene, O3, and NO2. The starting concentrations were approximately 4 ppm O3 and 500 ppm isoprene (+ approximately 4 ppm NO2.

[Respiratory insufficiency caused by dapsone-induced methemoglobinemia].

We present a case of pneumonia and dapsone-induced methaemoglobinaemia. Methaemoglobinaemia leads to impaired delivery of oxygen to tissue. In our patient we observed that methaemoglobin interferes with the accuracy of pulse oximeter data.

[Prevention of hemoglobinopathies in Brussels: a necessity?].

Haemoglobinopathies are the most frequent genetic diseases in the world. The estimated frequency of carriers in the world is of 200 millions while there is about 300.000 births per year of major forms of haemoglobinopathies.

Effects of oophorectomy on functional properties of resistance arteries isolated from the cancellous bone of the rabbit femur.

Information is sparse concerning the effect of oophorectomy (OOX) on bone vascularization and blood flow of possible significance for altered remodeling. Whether OOX affects functional characteristics of isolated bone resistance arteries was investigated. Ring preparations (diameter approximately 250 microm) of small femoral bone arteries from oophorectomized and sham-operated rabbits were mounted on a myograph six weeks postoperatively.

[Screening for hemoglobinopathies in medical practice: audit of gynecologists, pediatricians and generalists in Brussels].

The haemoglobin disorders are frequent genetic diseases in tropical regions and in the mediterranean basin. They include thalassaemia and sickle cell disease. Because of important migrations of populations after the Second World War many big cities are confronted with the disease in West Europe nowadays.

The association of the involvement of financial compensation with the outcome of cervicobrachial pain that is treated conservatively.

Objectives: To examine the influence of the involvement of financial compensation on the results of physiotherapeutic McKenzie treatment on cervicobrachial pain.

Methods: A prospective study was carried out with a cohort of 60 patients referred to two spine clinics after they had experienced at least 5 weeks of neck pain radiating to the arm. Follow-up was performed 1 yr later using a validated questionnaire to measure the outcomes of neck and arm pain, disability, the use of analgesics and the perceived effect of the treatment as reported by the patient.

Marine n-3 fatty acids, wine intake, and heart rate variability in patients referred for coronary angiography.

Background: Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) derived from fish may reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD). In addition, wine drinking is suggested to have a protective effect against cardiovascular death.

Methods And Results: We included 291 patients referred for coronary angiography in whom ischemic heart disease was suspected and all of whom completed a food questionnaire regarding fish and wine intake.

Responses to the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire in different seasons.

Objective: The study investigated whether results on the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire, which is used for diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder, differed by the season in which the questionnaire was completed.

Method: Every third month from March 1997 to February 1998, a population-based panel of 200 men and women age 27-72 years in Gamvik, northern Norway, completed a standardized questionnaire that included all items from the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire.

Results: The average score for seasonal affective disorder changed over the year.

The delivery of intensity modulated radiotherapy to the breast using multiple static fields.

Background And Purpose: To develop a method of using a multileaf collimator (MLC) to deliver intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for tangential breast fields, using an MLC to deliver a set of multiple static fields (MSFs).

Materials And Methods: An electronic portal imaging device (EPID) is used to obtain thickness maps of medial and lateral tangential breast fields. From these IMRT deliveries are designed to minimize the volume of breast above 105% of prescribed dose.

[Significance of unresolved financial compensation for the course of cervical root compression].

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of claims for financial compensation on the results of physiotherapeutic McKenzie treatment for cervical nerve root compression. This study was based on prospectively collected data for quality assurance purpose with baseline classification and included a follow-up postal questionnaire to measure the outcomes: Neck and arm pain, disability, use of analgesics and the perceived effect of the treatment registered by the patient. At baseline, patients with or without compensation issues were identical in regard to their neurological and clinical signs.

Direct measurement and analytical modeling of scatter in portal imaging.

In this study a direct measurement of scatter in portal imaging for various air gaps and scatterer thicknesses at a beam energy of 6 MV is presented. The experimental data are compared with results from a Monte Carlo (MC) scatter model. In the regime where the air gap is larger than 9.

Membrane potential and currents of isolated heart muscle cells exposed to pulsed radio frequency fields.

The influence of radio frequency (RF) fields of 180, 900, and 1800 MHz on the membrane potential, action potential, L-type Ca(2+) current and potassium currents of isolated ventricular myocytes was tested. The study is based on 90 guinea-pig myocytes and 20 rat myocytes. The fields were applied in rectangular waveguides (1800 MHz at 80, 480, 600, 720, or 880 mW/kg and 900 MHz, 250 mW/kg) or in a TEM-cell (180 MHz, 80 mW/kg and 900 MHz, 15 mW/kg).

[Attitudes towards medical abortion among gynecologic patients].

This study describes and discusses the attitudes regarding use of medical abortion among patients at a department of gynaecology. The patients received a leaflet about medical abortion and subsequently answered a questionnaire. If given the choice, half of the patients would prefer medical abortion.

Long-term prognosis of acute low back pain in patients seen in general practice: a 1-year prospective follow-up study.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the prognosis of acute low back pain (LBP) in patients in general practice and to identify prognostic factors associated with the long-term prognosis based on information immediately available to the GP.

Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study in general practice in Denmark. The patients were those aged 18-60 years consulting their GP due to an episode of LBP lasting less than 2 weeks.