Validation of methods for the assessment of cataract progression in the Roche European-American Anticataract Trial (REACT).

The Roche European-American Anticataract Trial (REACT) will assess the effect of antioxidants on progression of cataract in humans. This report evaluates the methods used in REACT. Seventy three subjects (139 eyes) with cortical (C), posterior subcapsular (P), nuclear (N) or mixed cataract were seen twice within two weeks for eye examinations, assessments of visual function, lens photographs and CCD images.

Displacement threshold hyperacuity as a predictor of postsurgical visual performance in patients with cataract.

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of Displacement Threshold Hyperacuity (DTH) in predicting the postoperative visual outcome in patients awaiting cataract surgery and discriminating between the relative performance of the neural and optical components of the visual system. To establish eventually the cut-off DTH values to be used clinically in the preoperative evaluation of patients with cataract.

Methods: Forty-five subjects admitted for extracapsular cataract extraction with implant were examined preoperatively and postoperatively.

Optimal temporal frequencies in oscillatory movement hyperacuity measurements of visual function in cataract patients.

Hyperacuity tasks have been suggested for the assessment of potential visual function in the presence of cataracts. To test this suggestion, hyperacuity thresholds for an oscillating bar were measured in 30 subjects with idiopathic cataract and in 24 age-matched normals over a range of oscillation frequencies. Each subject's cataract was categorized using the Oxford Clinical Cataract Classification and Grading System.

Correlation between the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery five-minute hearing test and standard audiologic data.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery recently developed a questionnaire called the "Five-Minute Hearing Test" and distributed it to many primary care physicians. Our literature review suggests that the test characteristics (i.e.

Assessing vision behind cataract--a review of methods.

The clinician involved in cataract assessment is often faced with a deterioration in visual performance which may or may not be totally attributable to the cataract. Neural changes may occur concurrently and contribute toward the reduced performance. This paper reviews the methods which attempt to discriminate between changes due to cataract development and changes produced by neural degeneration.

Intracranial pressure changes during bilateral radical neck dissections.

The management of the contralateral neck in patients with head and neck cancer who have undergone a radical neck dissection (RND) is controversial. A number of these patients will require a second RND. Sacrifice of both internal jugular veins (IJV) has been felt to lead to increased intracranial pressure (ICP) with subsequent neurologic sequelae.

Immunohistochemical localization of platelet-derived growth factor receptors in the porcine uterus during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy.

The distribution of alpha- and beta-type receptors for PDGF was studied immunohistochemically in the uterus of cycling and pregnant pigs with well-documented hormonal status in order to determine a possible steroid hormone-dependence of its expression. Peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) labelling at light microscopical level was done with rabbit polyclonal antisera recognizing either both alpha- and beta-type receptors (PDGFR-1), or selectively beta-type (PDGFR-3). Immunoreactivity to the PDGF-receptors of alpha- and beta-type (PDGFR-1) was present in all endometrial samples examined, being located principally on subepithelial stromal and endothelial cells, the wall of endometrial blood vessels and in the fetal placenta (trophoblast and adjoining blood capillaries).

Embryonic development of the porcine indifferent gonad and testis.

The early gonadal development in the pig from day 18 to day 36 post conception, when distinct testes were present in male embryos, has been studied. The development of the porcine gonad followed the general mammalian pattern. During testicular differentiation, the germ cells and the relevant somatic cells, the Sertoli cells, became enclosed in testicular cords, thus creating an intracordal germ cell compartment and an extracordal compartment.

Simple clinical techniques to evaluate visual function in patients with early cataract.

Among the 80 subjects who were recruited with normal retinal and neural function, 54 had cataract and a visual acuity (VA) better than 6/24. The 26 age-matched subjects had clear media. Contrast sensitivity (CS) at low and intermediate spatial frequencies was measured using the Pelli-Robson letter chart.

Comparing clinical tests of visual function in cataract with the patient's perceived visual disability.

Conventional techniques for assessing the visual function of cataract patients include visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity (CS) and glare disability (GD). The extent to which these measurements provide accurate information about a patient's perceived visual disability is not known. In this study, binocular and monocular VA and CS and monocular GD measurements were made using commercially available techniques on 33 cataract patients.

Localization of carbonic anhydrase activity in the developing boar testis.

Embryonic and fetal pig gonads were obtained immediately after the sow's slaughter at 18, 21, 25, 28, 30, 36, 55, 63, 80 or 108 days of pregnancy. Semithin plastic sections were incubated for localization of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity using a cobalt precipitation technique. In the embryonic gonad, CA activity was only present in the coelomic epithelium and in the endothelium of scattered blood capillaries.

Assessing the effect of cataract: a clinical evaluation of the Opacity Lensmeter 701.

The efficacy of a new clinical instrument which measures light backscatter from the crystalline lens--the Opacity Lensmeter 701--was assessed. Repeated measurements were made on 83 normal subjects in the age range 15 to 82 years, and on 38 eyes of subjects with cataract but normal retinal and neural function. The cataract scores were compared against results of Logmar visual acuity (VA) and glare disability measurements from the same subjects.

Distraction: its utilization and efficacy with children undergoing dental treatment.

We investigated the utilization and efficacy of distraction in reducing the anxious and disruptive behavior of 4 children undergoing dental treatment. During the distraction procedure, the children were shown a poster and told a story about it during dental treatment. They earned a prize if they attended to the poster and story and could correctly answer questions about them following each intervention visit.

The subjective assessment of cataract.

The medical treatment of cataract now appears to be a distinct possibility. A number of anti-cataract formulations are being clinically tested, and more clinical trials are being planned. To obtain a true assessment of a drug's efficacy, a battery of tests are needed which can accurately assess cataract progress.

Information strategy for a community unit.

With the implementation of Körner health authorities are having to think seriously about information. The West Lambeth Community Unit decided that it needed a longer-term strategy, and Margaret Hurst and Simon Stone describe how, with the help of the Management Advisory Service, a strategy was evolved through staff participation

Airborne levels of isopropyl alcohol disinfectant in a laminar-airflow hood.

Airborne levels of isopropyl alcohol when used as a disinfectant in a horizontal laminar-airflow hood were measured during a 10-day period to determine whether levels conformed to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. An infrared vapor analyzer was positioned in the airflow of the six-foot horizontal laminar-airflow hood for 10 days to continuously monitor the levels of isopropyl alcohol under usual procedural conditions. A continuous printout of the levels of isopropyl alcohol allowed determination of the eight-hour time-weighted average level.

The prospective impact of psychosocial variables on rates of illness and injury in professional employees.

From a prospective study of health changes in air traffic controllers, it was determined that high scores on self-report measures of work-related life change distress, other life changes outside the work setting, the type A behavior pattern, and dissatisfaction with management were positively related to future rates of injuries and physician-diagnosed acute illness episodes. Depending on the risk factor involved, high scorers on these psychosocial risk predictors incurred from 80% to 252% more future accidental injuries and from 38% to 69% more future total morbidity over a 27-month follow-up period than the men in the low scoring groups. Moreover, coworker-rated amicability, probably an indication of the amount of social support available to an individual, was significantly protective against these outcome variables, with the rarely or never chosen group experiencing 60% more total morbidity and 174% more injuries than the often chosen group.

Ob/gyn on the rise: the evolution of professional ideology in the twentieth century--Part II.

The first part of this article (Volume 11, No. 1) looked at the formation of ideology in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology from 1920 to World War II. This was a period of professional establishment and self-definition; it saw the emergence of interventionist ideology as the dominant belief system influencing ob-gyn practice.

Ob/gyn on the rise: the evolution of professional ideology in the twentieth century--Part I.

Medical practice is based upon a combination of knowledge, skill, and belief. This paper traces the development of the belief system or ideology in obstetrics and gynecology from 1920 to the present. Using Presidential addresses and other important articles from the two most prestigious obstetrics and gynecology journals, we look at what these doctors say about themselves and about women.

Chemical modification of canavanine with p-nitrophenylglyoxal. Factors influencing the chemistry and reactivity of alpha-dicarbonyl-guanidino reactions.

The role of structural features and deprotonation of guanidino derivatives on chemical reactions with p-nitrophenylglyoxal has been investigated. Canavanine, an arginine analog, reacts to form a yellow product, which absorbs maximally at 350 nm (epsilon = 6500) and at 278 nm (epsilon = 14 500). Elemental analysis, fast atom bombardment mass spectral analysis, n.