Quantification of biofilm accumulation by an optical approach.

Methods for non-invasive, in situ, measurements of biofilm optical density and biofilm optical thickness were evaluated based on Pseudomonas aeruginosa experiments. Biofilm optical density, measured as intensity reduction of a light beam transmitted through the biofilm, correlates with biofilm mass, measured as total carbon and as cell mass. The method is more sensitive and less labor intensive than other commonly used methods for determining extent of biofilm mass accumulation.

A comparison between referred and nonreferred patients in chiropractic practices in Norway.

Objective: This study compares patients referred to chiropractic practices by medical doctors with patients who came directly to the chiropractors offices without referral.

Background: Because Norway has legislation requiring referral as a precondition for reimbursement by the national social security system, we have a unique opportunity to examine current practice when it comes to musculoskeletal conditions and to compare demographic, diagnostic and other data between the referred and nonreferred groups.

Methods: Questionnaires recorded on a continuous basis by participating members of the Norwegian Chiropractors Association during anamnesis of the first 25 new patients after a preset date.

[Norwegian physicians and referral to chiropractors].

Two comparable surveys were carried out, one in 1979 and one in 1989, to study the practice of medical practitioners as regards referrals to chiropractors. Norway is the only country where reimbursement for chiropractic treatment from the National Health Insurance depends on referral by a medical practitioner. The survey investigated the attitude towards this system of referral, whether or not a uniform standard of practice existed in regard to musculoskeletal disorders, and what types of conditions are referred.

Monitoring of heparin therapy: should heparin assays also reflect the patient's antithrombin concentration?

Chromogenic substrate (CS) assay of heparin may be performed with or without addition of antithrombin (AT) to the test plasma. Both types of assay are used for monitoring of heparin therapy, reflecting either heparin activity (heparin act), or heparin concentration (heparin conc) when AT is added. In plasma samples from 43 patients treated with intravenous heparin for DVT, the ratio between heparin act and heparin conc varied from 0.

Changes in plasma antithrombin (heparin cofactor activity) during intravenous heparin therapy: observations in 198 patients with deep venous thrombosis.

Plasma antithrombin (AT) measured as heparin cofactor activity decreased 0.16 +/- 0.13 U/ml (mean +/- SD) in 198 patients who received heparin infusion during 1 wk for deep venous thrombosis (DVT).