Assessment of acute right ventricular dysfunction induced by right coronary artery occlusion using echocardiographic atrioventricular plane displacement.

Right ventricular (RV) systolic function analysis by echocardiography has traditionally required RV endocardial border definition with subsequent tracing and is often inaccurate or impossible in technically poor studies. The atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) method attempts to use the descent of the tricuspid annular ring, a reflection of the longitudinal shortening of the right ventricle, as a surrogate marker for RV systolic function. We hypothesized that RV ischemia induced during right coronary artery occlusion proximal to the major right ventricular branches would result in severe right ventricular systolic dysfunction detectable by the AVPD method.

Association of HLA-DRB1*1602 and DRB1*1001 with Takayasu arteritis in Colombian mestizos as markers of Amerindian ancestry.

We performed HLA Class I and Class II typing in 16 patients (15 women, one man) with a confirmed diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. We did not find any of the previously described associations with HLA-B52, and/or HLA-DRB1*1301 alleles. However, in our patients, HLA-DRB1*1602 and HLA-DRB1*1001 were significantly increased.

A qualitative evaluation of an assisted self-help group for drug-addicted clients in a structured outpatient treatment setting.

We conducted a qualitative evaluation of a semi-structured, client-led support group that addressed drug use recovery issues and was assisted by a psychological consultant. Seven regular group members and their counselors were interviewed about the effect of the assisted self-help group on drug use and the clients' quality of life, and these interviews were content analyzed. In addition, the psychological consultant made group process observations for each session of the first three months.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of biogenic amines in feedstuffs, complete feeds, and animal tissues.

Numerous methods to analyze biogenic amines in biological materials have been described. A versatile and rapid methodology to analyze these compounds in feedstuffs, complete feeds, and animal tissues, however, has not been reported. The current method was developed to address this need.

G-quadruplexes as targets for drug design.

G-quadruplexes are a family of secondary DNA structures formed in the presence of monovalent cations that consist of four-stranded structures in which Hoogsteen base-pairing stabilizes G-tetrad structures. These structures are proposed to exist in vivo, although direct confirmatory evidence is lacking. Guanine-rich regions of DNA capable of forming G-quadruplex structures are found in a variety of chromosomal regions, including telomeres and promoter regions of DNA.

The extent of HLA class II allele level disparity in unrelated bone marrow transplantation: analysis of 1259 National Marrow Donor Program donor-recipient pairs.

A comprehensive analysis of the HLA-D region loci, DRB1, DRB3, DRB5, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 and DPB1, was performed to determine allelic diversity and underlying HLA disparity in 1259 bone marrow recipients and their unrelated donors transplanted through the National Marrow Donor Program. Although 43.0% of DRB1 alleles known to exist at the beginning of the study were found in this predominantly Caucasian transplant population, a few alleles predominated at each locus.

Return to work experience of injured workers in a case management program.

A major goal of case management programs is the worker's timely return to work. Few studies have examined return to work from the perspective of the injured worker. This article describes the findings from the case management evaluation that describe the return to work experience of workers who sustained catastrophic injuries, or who had secondary conditions or complications following the injury occurrence.

Injured workers' perceptions of case management services. A descriptive study.

This article describes the findings from a study of injured workers conducted as part of a multifaceted evaluation study of a case management program. The sample consisted of workers who filed a workers' compensation claim between January 1 and September 30, 1995. Data collection consisted of written surveys (n = 45), personal interviews (n = 27), and telephone interviews (n = 16).

Evaluating case management services for injured workers. Use of a quality assessment model.

An increasing number of employers and third party administrators are choosing case management as a strategy to coordinate services for workers who sustain an occupational injury or illness. The successful delivery of case management services requires the service provider possess special skills and knowledge. Occupational health nurses are uniquely qualified to provide case management services to injured and ill workers.

Evaluation of a case management program. Summary and integration of findings.

1. Occupational health nurses can advocate for fair and equitable policies for both workers and employers. Assisting workers to understand and negotiate through the workers compensation system can minimize suspicion among workers and service providers, and can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of service provision.

Case management for injured workers. A descriptive study using a record review.

A record review was used to examine case management services provided to 36 workers who sustained a catastrophic or medically complex injury, and who were referred to a case management program. The aims of this phase of the evaluation were to identify and describe: Workers' demographics and personal attributes, The structures and processes that affected the course of these cases, and The role of the nurse case manager (NCM). A data collection instrument was developed to collect quantitative and qualitative information.

Case management services for injured workers. Providers' perspectives.

The perceptions of service providers involved in case management services are described here. The service providers included claims managers, occupational nurse consultants, attending physicians, and nurse case managers. The purposes of this phase of the study were to describe these providers' perceptions about the case management program; to organize findings according to the quality assessment model that guided this study (including structure, function, and outcomes); and to identify barriers and facilitators to satisfaction with case management services.

An alternative for cost-effective remediation of depleted uranium (DU) at certain environmental restoration sites.

Numerous sites in the United States and around the world are contaminated with depleted uranium (DU) in various forms. A prevalent form is fragmented DU originating from various scientific tests involving high explosives and DU during weapon development programs, at firing practice ranges, or war theaters where DU was used in armor-piercing projectiles. The contamination at these sites is typically very heterogeneous, with discreet, visually identifiable DU fragments mixed with native soil.

Cholesterol reduction improves myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with coronary artery disease and average cholesterol levels.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate whether pravastatin treatment increases myocardial perfusion, as assessed by thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) dipyridamole testing, in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and average cholesterol levels.

Background: Previous studies in hypercholesterolemic patients have demonstrated that cholesterol reduction restores peripheral and coronary endothelium-dependent vasodilation and increases myocardial perfusion.

Methods: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled study with a cross-over design.

Comparison of spiramycin and clarithromycin for community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.

This open multicentre study compared the efficacy and tolerability of clarithromycin and spiramycin in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections in Brazil and Colombia. A total of 125 patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of pneumonia, acute bronchitis or exacerbation of chronic bronchitis were randomised to receive oral doses of either clarithromycin (500 mg) or spiramycin (3 MIU) every 12 hours for courses of 5-10 days. Patients were assessed before the start of treatment, and at days 3-4 and days 9-17.

Structure and function of occupational health services within selected Department of Energy sites.

The mission of the United States Department of Energy sites has recently changed from nuclear weapons production to site remediation. Considering the mass of radiological and chemical contaminants at these sites, ensuring the health and safety of workers is a major challenge. This study used the findings from a written survey to describe occupational health services at 10 Department of Energy sites.

Spontaneous intramural atrial hematoma presenting as a left atrial mass.

We describe an unusual case of spontaneously occurring intramural atrial hematoma with no communication with either atrium. The diagnosis of left atrial mass was made from transthoracic echocardiography. Subsequent examination with transesophageal echocardiography confirmed a large mass essentially filling the whole left atrium but failed to provide an etiologic diagnosis, which was eventually made at surgery.

[Cross-sectional study of intestinal parasites and Chagas' disease in the Municipality of Novo Airão, State of Amazonas, Brazil].

A cross-sectional study was performed on the residents of one in every ten households in the town of Novo Airão, in the northern meso-region of the State of Amazonas, 250 kilometers from Manaus by riverboat. A family cluster sample of 89 dwellings was studied. A stool sample was requested from each of the inhabitants for examination using the Lutz sedimentation and Baermann-Moraes-Coutinho techniques, and blood was taken by venous puncture for Trypanosoma cruzi Elisa antibody testing and immunofluorescence.

A description of factors affecting hazardous waste workers' use of respiratory protective equipment.

This article describes the first phase of a study that was designed to gain an understanding of hazardous waste workers' attitudes and beliefs about the use of respiratory protective equipment. Exploratory, open-ended interviews were conducted among 28 respirator users at a US Department of Energy facility. Subjects were asked to describe their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about their risks to hazards at their worksites and to discuss their use of respiratory protective equipment.

Dominant lethal study of alpha-asarone in male and female mice after sub-chronic treatment.

Dominant lethal studies were conducted in male and female mice with alpha-asarone, the active hypolipidaemic component of Guatteria gaumeri Greenman, by per os sub-chronic treatment (10 and 20 mg/kg, 5 days/week, for 8 weeks) and subsequent mating. alpha-Asarone did not produce germinal mutations in either males or females. Epididymal sperm examination of male mice immediately after treatment failed to reveal any alteration in sperm count on shape.

Synthesis and hypolipidaemic evaluation of a series of alpha-asarone analogues related to clofibrate in mice.

A series of alpha-asarone analogues related to clofibrate, containing an acetic acid group at C-2 of the aromatic ring, has been prepared as the acids or as the ethyl and methyl esters. The corresponding alcohols were also synthesized by reduction of the ethyl esters. The compounds were examined in hyperlipidaemic male mice to evaluate their ability to modify serum lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides after oral administration of 40 and 80 mg kg(-1) for 6 days.

Medical clearance for respirator use: sensitivity and specificity of a questionnaire.

Background: OSHA regulations require that workers receive medical clearance prior to respirator use, and recently, a detailed questionnaire has been provided to assist with this purpose. However, there are limited published data on the sensitivity and specificity of self-administered questionnaires for identifying individuals who may safely wear a respirator.

Methods: We tested 474 consecutive workers at a Department of Energy complex.

Respiratory protective devices: rates of medical clearance and causes for work restrictions.

Background: There are no published data on the outcomes and benefits of medical evaluations for the use of respiratory protective devices. We, therefore, conducted a retrospective database and chart review to assess the rates of medical clearance and causes for work restrictions at a Department of Energy complex.

Methods: All workers with work restrictions or denied clearance over a one-year period were identified and their medical records abstracted.