Determination of aluminium in serum, dialysate fluid and water by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

Methods for the determination of aluminium in serum, dialysate fluid and water by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry are described and validated. Aluminium was measured at 167 nm using an argon purged monochromator. Matrix effects in serum and dialysate fluid were overcome by using an yttrium internal standard.

Chronic exposure to benzodiazepine receptor ligands uncouples the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor in WSS-1 cells.

Chronic exposure to benzodiazepines can result in an "uncoupling" of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and benzodiazepine receptors (BzR) both in primary neuronal cell cultures and in vivo. The effect of chronic exposure to BzR ligands was examined in an engineered cell line (WSS-1) stably expressing "type I" GABAA receptors. Chronic exposure to flurazepam produced a concentration- (EC50, approximately 1.

Young children's understanding of "remember" and "forget".

3 studies examined young children's understanding that if one "remembers" or "forgot," one must have known at a prior time. In Study 1, 4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds understood the prior knowledge component of "forgot"; both groups understood that a character with prior knowledge was "gonna remember." Study 2 controlled for the possibility that good performance on "remember" might be due to a simple association of remembering with knowledge.

Copper associated childhood cirrhosis.

Several papers have reported severe liver disease in association with massive hepatic copper accumulation, which do not seem to be either of the recognised copper associated liver diseases, namely Wilson's disease and Indian childhood cirrhosis. A further case is reported in which novel copper kinetic studies were carried out using the stable isotope 65Cu, showing that this patient did not suffer from Wilson's disease. It is suggested that these cases can be divided into two groups on the basis of age, clinical course, and history of excessive copper ingestion.

Classification of proximal humerus fractures: The contribution of the scapular lateral and axillary radiographs.

Trauma series radiographs of 50 proximal humerus fractures were used to assess the relative contribution of the scapular lateral and axillary radiographs to fracture classification with the Neer system. The radiographs were reviewed by an orthopaedic shoulder specialist, on orthopaedic traumatologist, a skeletal radiologist, and orthopaedic residents in their fifth and second years, respectively, of postgraduate training. In the first viewing radiographs were reviewed and classified in the following sequence: (1) after scapular anteroposterior view alone; (2) after review of scapular anteroposterior and lateral views; and (3) after review of scapular anteroposterior, lateral, and axillary views.

The Neer classification system for proximal humeral fractures. An assessment of interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility.

The radiographs of fifty fractures of the proximal part of the humerus were used to assess the interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility of the Neer classification system. A trauma series consisting of scapular anteroposterior, scapular lateral, and axillary radiographs was available for each fracture. The radiographs were reviewed by an orthopaedic shoulder specialist, an orthopaedic traumatologist, a skeletal radiologist, and two orthopaedic residents, in their fifth and second years of postgraduate training.

Young children's understanding of forgetting over time.

2 studies investigated young children's understanding that as the retention interval increases, so do the chances that one will forget. In Study 1 (24 3-year-olds and 24 4-year-olds), 4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds understood that of 2 characters who simultaneously saw an object, the character who waited longer before attempting to find it would not remember where it was. In study 2 (24 3-year-olds and 24 4-year-olds), 4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds understood that of 2 objects seen by a character, the object that was seen a "long long time ago" would be forgotten and the object seen "a little while ago" would be remembered.

Pudendal nerve palsy induced by fracture table.

There are 23 cases in the literature of fracture table-induced pudendal nerve palsy. The majority of these patients had full sensory return; however, return of sexual function was unpredictable. The relevant anatomy, etiology, and incidence of this complication are discussed, and suggestions are made for its prevention.

Mononuclear blood cell magnesium in older subjects: evaluation of its use in clinical practice.

Serum and mononuclear blood cell (MBC) magnesium were measured in 24 healthy community subjects, average age 76 years (67-93), and in 21 ill hospitalized subjects, average age 79 years (65-90). MBC magnesium, expressed as mumol/mg protein, was significantly lower in the in-patient group (P < 0.001), but tended to be higher in the same group when expressed as fmol/cell (not significant).

Ethnicity, location, age, and fluoridation factors in baby bottle tooth decay and caries prevalence of Head Start children.

Baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD) is a term applied to a specific form of rampant decay associated with inappropriate bottle or breast feeding of infants and young children. Although the prevalence of BBTD has been studied in individual ethnic groups, comparison studies are rare. Head Start children have frequently served as study subjects for assessing the prevalence of BBTD.

Comparison of inorganic elements from autopsy tissue of young and elderly subjects.

Concentrations of nine inorganic elements in autopsy samples of kidney, liver, heart and skeletal muscle from 33 aged subjects, mean age 80 years, were compared with concentrations in similar samples from 12 young healthy accident victims, mean age 29 years. Tissue samples were removed within 48 hours of death and dry weight was used as a frame of reference. Potassium and magnesium were significantly lower in muscle (P less than 0.

Evaluation of effects of application of a citroxain-containing dentifrice.

The benefits to the patient of the removal of tooth deposits is well documented. Should such removal provide the additional effect of "whitening" the tooth surface, an additional cosmetic benefit would be provided. This study documents that a Citroxain-containing dentifrice provides all of these benefits.

Changes in iron, zinc, and copper concentrations in serum and in their binding to transport proteins after cholecystectomy and cardiac surgery.

Concentrations of iron, zinc, and copper and of their respective transport proteins transferrin, albumin, and ceruloplasmin were measured in serum after elective cholecystectomy and cardiac surgery. The pattern of changes in the concentrations of iron, zinc, and copper was reproducible, with an early increase in serum iron and zinc, then a decrease in the concentrations as these metals are dissociated from their serum transport proteins. Zinc and iron concentrations change before the increase in C-reactive protein, which begins 8 h after incision, whereas the copper concentration in the serum remains constant in the early postoperative period.

Sodium retention from mouthwashes.

Sodium intake from food and other sources must be carefully monitored in patients with hypertension and other disorders. Retention of sodium was measured during routine use of three commercially available, nonprescription mouthwashes: Cepacol, Plax, and Viadent. A test group of 17 adults rinsed with 15 ml of the three mouthwashes, and with 5% saline and distilled water as experiment controls.

Determination of nine inorganic elements in human autopsy tissue.

A survey of nine elements of accepted clinical relevance has been performed on tissue sets comprising of kidney, liver, heart and muscle taken at autopsy from healthy individuals killed as the result of an accident. The concentrations are reported using tissue wet weight, dry weight and nitrogen content as frames of reference. This has allowed direct comparisons to be made with other studies without resort to the use of conversions, using average factors, between one frame of reference and another.

Effects of physiological infusion of atrial natriuretic factor on healthy subjects and patients with the nephrotic syndrome.

We followed the renal and hormonal effects of physiological intravenous infusions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in 6 water-loaded patients with nephrotic syndrome and 7 healthy subjects. Two of the patients had impaired renal function, 3 had active sodium retention, and none took drugs. The ensuing natriuresis, increase in plasma and urinary cyclic guanosine monophosphate and suppression of the renin-aldosterone axis were similar in normals and nephrotics.

Dental treatment needs among hospitalized adult mental patients.

This survey determines the dental care needs of hospitalized adults with psychiatric and mental disorders. Comprehensive clinical and radiographic oral examinations, conducted on 33% of the patients in a large state mental hospital, found that extensive unmet needs existed in this population. The major requirements were for prophylaxis, calculus removal, and periodontal therapy.

Effects of soft tissue mobilization (Rolfing pelvic lift) on parasympathetic tone in two age groups.

The effects of a soft tissue mobilization procedure, the Rolfing pelvic lift, on parasympathetic tone was studied in healthy adult men. Parasympathetic tone was assessed 1) by quantifying the amplitude of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia from the heart rate pattern and 2) by measuring heart rate. Heart rate patterns were assessed during the pelvic lift and during the durational touch and baseline control conditions.

A simple blood sample method for measuring oral zinc absorption in clinical practice.

Tracer activity in blood 14 days after the oral ingestion of zinc-65 has been compared with zinc absorption measured by whole-body counting in 10 controls and 25 subjects with Crohn's disease. Highly significant linear correlations (P less than 0.001) were obtained between blood tracer activity and zinc absorption for both the control group (previously reported) and the Crohn's disease group, thus allowing zinc absorption to be predicted from blood tracer activity with an accuracy of +/- 7.

Indices used to evaluate signs, symptoms and etiologic factors associated with diseases of the periodontium.

Oral indices are reviewed and classified. The methods of using indices are discussed and a number of the periodontal indices are compared using a tabular format.

Nonlinear properties of optical filters--implications for laser safety.

Laser safety filter materials must be evaluated at various levels up to the maximum irradiances likely to be encountered, since the absorber may exhibit nonlinear properties. Extreme care is necessary around short-duration lasers due to extremely high peak irradiances in the beam. This is especially true for visible and near-infrared lasers due to the high susceptibility to retinal injury for an observer.

Hazard analysis technique for multiple wavelength lasers.

A technique for evaluating the potential hazards from multiple wavelength lasers is described below. Since little or no known multiwavelength laser exposure research has been performed, this technique is not substantiated and should be employed with great care.