Cognitive functioning and psychiatric symptomatology in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public-health-care problem, with over 170 million infected worldwide. Patients with chronic HCV infection often complain of various cognitive problems as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Relatively little is known, however, about the specific cognitive deficits that are common among HCV patients, and the influence of psychiatric symptomatology on cognitive functioning.

Prevalence of measles susceptibility among health care workers in a UK hospital. Does the UK need to introduce a measles policy for its health care workers?

Objectives: First, to determine the prevalence of measles non-immunity in a group of health care workers (HCW), and secondly, to investigate what pre-employment screening for measles is carried out by NHS occupational health departments.

Methods: Two hundred and eighteen HCWs with patient contact on the medical wards at Addenbrooke's hospital provided an oral fluid sample and answered a questionnaire. A postal survey of Association of National Health Occupational Physicians Society (ANHOPS) members was conducted to assess whether UK NHS Trusts identify measles non-immune individuals.

Potential parameters for the detection of hGH doping.

The aim of our hGH application study with non-competitive athletes was the investigation of selected serum parameters from different processes affected by hGH. Fifteen athletes (age 21-33, mean 24) were treated with 0.06 IU hGH/kg BW per day or placebo (10 hGH, 5 placebo) respectively for 14 days.

W/SiC x-ray multilayers optimized for use above 100 keV.

We have developed a new depth-graded multilayer system comprising W and SiC layers, suitable for use as hard x-ray reflective coatings operating in the energy range 100-200 keV. Grazing-incidence x-ray reflectance at E = 8 keV was used to characterize the interface widths, as well as the temporal and thermal stability in both periodic and depth-graded W/SiC structures, whereas synchrotron radiation was used to measure the hard x-ray reflectance of a depth-graded multilayer designed specifically for use in the range E approximately 150-170 keV. We have modeled the hard x-ray reflectance using newly derived optical constants, which we determined from reflectance versus incidence angle measurements also made using synchrotron radiation, in the range E = 120-180 keV.

[Epidemiological data of patients with sudden hearing loss -- a retrospective study over a period of three years].

In this retrospective study data of 257 patients (11- 6 years; 52 % male, 48 % female) admitted during the last three years for treatment of sudden unilateral hearing loss are statistically evaluated. No correlation with coexisting disease like hypertension, coronary heart disease, hypercholesteremia, arthropathy of the cervical spine, diabetes, thyroid disorders or nicotine abuse were evident. In 194 patients (75 %) total remission was achieved after rheological therapy.

[A Swiss physician's perspective of public health care in the south of Germany, autumn 1946].

In the autumn of 1946, a committee of Swiss physicians toured southern Germany to examine German measures for air-raid protection and to evaluate the country's wartime public health care. One of the participants, the St. Gallen physician Hans Richard von Fels, complemented the committee's official report with a personal diary of the journey.

Occupational exposure to cytotoxic drugs in two UK oncology wards.

Aims: To investigate the potential exposure to cytotoxic drugs of staff on two oncology wards in a large district, UK hospital under normal working conditions.

Methods: Cytotoxic drug exposure was monitored in urine samples, surface wipes, and on disposable gloves by using a number of commonly used marker drugs, namely cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate, and the platino coordinated drugs. Questionnaire data on their work practices, potential exposure, use of protective personal equipment, and relevant training were collected from nursing, domestic, and clerical staff on two oncology wards.

Aggressive nutrition of the very low birthweight infant.

We propose an approach to nutrition of the VLBW infant that aims at minimizing the interruption of nutrient uptake engendered by premature birth. Our approach is aggressive in that it goes beyond current practice in several key aspects. The gap in nutrient intakes between the proposed aggressive approach and current practice will most likely disappear over the next few years as today's aggressive practice becomes tomorrow's standard practice.

Comparison of selenite and selenate apparent absorption and retention in infants using stable isotope methodology.

The inorganic selenium compounds selenite and selenate are used for selenium fortification of infant formulas. However, information on absorption and retention of selenium from these compounds is lacking. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine apparent absorption and retention of selenium from selenate and selenite added to a milk-based infant formula in healthy infants.

First observation of meridional focusing of an X-ray beam using diffraction by a crystal with a transverse groove.

The possibility of concentrating a synchrotron X-ray beam using diffraction by a single crystal with a properly designed transverse groove on its surface, suggested earlier, has been studied experimentally. Here, the first experimental demonstration of this effect is reported, performed on beamline BM5 at the ESRF. The experimental result confirms the theoretical model.

[Bilateral progressive hearing loss as the first manifestation of metastatic carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. Case report].

We report the history of a patient who presented first with a progressive unilateral hearing loss and later with a bilateral deafness and an unilateral facial nerve palsy as first and only symptoms of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma. By means of magnetic resonance tomography tumor-suspect lesions in both internal auditory canals were detected. Referring to the results of further examinations these intracanalicular lesions are most probably due to rarely seen bilateral metastasis of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the temporal bone.

Exposure to soy-based formula in infancy and endocrinological and reproductive outcomes in young adulthood.

Context: A large body of evidence documents the role of phytoestrogens in influencing hormone-dependent states. Infants fed soy formula receive high levels of phytoestrogens, in the form of soy isoflavones, during a stage of development at which permanent effects are theoretically possible. However, a paucity of data exists on the long-term effects of infant soy formulas.

Iron absorption during recovery from malnutrition.

Objective: In infants and children recovering from severe malnutrition, iron deficiency is common, and the ability to absorb iron during such recovery is uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine iron absorption during recovery from malnutrition.

Methods: During the later stages of recovery from malnutrition, erythrocyte incorporation of orally administered 58Fe was determined as a surrogate for iron absorption.

Wet-etched diffractive lenses for hard X-rays.

A method for the fabrication of linear transmission Fresnel zone plates for X-rays in the 8-15 keV photon energy range is presented. The diffractive elements are generated by electron-beam lithography and chemical wet etching of (110)-oriented silicon membrane substrates. Diffractive structures with aspect ratios of more than 30 for 300 nm-wide structures were obtained.

Gas production by feces of infants.

Background: Intestinal gas is thought to be the cause abdominal discomfort in infants. Little is known about the type and amount of gas produced by the infant's colonic microflora and whether diet influences gas formation.

Methods: Fresh stool specimens were collected from 10 breast-fed infants, 5 infants fed a soy-based formula, and 3 infants fed a milk-based formula at approximately 1, 2, and 3 months of age.

Growth of preterm infants fed nutrient-enriched or term formula after hospital discharge.

Objective: At hospital discharge, preterm infants may have low body stores of nutrients, deficient bone mineralization, and an accumulated energy deficit. This double-blind, randomized study evaluated the growth of premature infants with birth weights <1800 g who were fed a 22 kcal/fl oz nutrient-enriched postdischarge formula (PDF) or a 20 kcal/fl oz term-infant formula (TF) from hospital discharge to 12 months' corrected age (CA).

Methods: Infants were randomized to PDF or TF a few days before hospital discharge with stratification by gender and birth weight (<1250 g or >/=1250 g).

[Neurofeedback in therapy of tinnitus].

Background And Objective: Biofeedback is known as a possibility to control physiologic processes like body temperature or heart frequency. Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback linked to aspects of the electrical activity of the brain such as frequency, location or amplitude of specific EEG activity. It has been successfully used in patients with closed head injury, hyperactivity disorder or epilepsy.

Erythrocyte incorporation of iron by infants: iron bioavailability from a low-iron infant formula and an evaluation of the usefulness of correcting erythrocyte incorporation values, using a reference dose or plasma ferritin concentrations.

Bioavailability of iron (Fe) from a low-Fe infant formula was determined by erythrocyte incorporation of 58Fe 14 d after administration in ten healthy, non-Fe-deficient infants. Two feeding protocols were compared, with each infant acting as his/her own control. At 140 and 154 d of age, infants were fed 1000 g of 58Fe-labelled formula (1.

Fluoride intake and prevalence of dental fluorosis: trends in fluoride intake with special attention to infants.

Background: Although the predominant beneficial effect of fluoride occurs locally in the mouth, the adverse effect, dental fluorosis, occurs by the systemic route. The caries attack rate in industrialized countries, including the United States and Canada, has decreased dramatically over the past 40 years. However, the prevalence of dental fluorosis in the United States has increased during the last 30 years both in communities with fluoridated water and in communities with nonfluoridated water.

Retention of iron by infants.

Throughout the world, the most common nutritional deficiency disorder of infants is iron deficiency. Developing effective strategies for preventing iron deficiency requires detailed knowledge of iron retention under ordinary living conditions. For the adult population, such knowledge is at an advanced stage, but relatively little is known about infants.

[Therapy of hyperacusis in patients with tinnitus].

Background: Patients with tinnitus very often suffer from hyperacusis also.

Methods And Patients: In the present study a possible treatment for patients with bilateral hyperacusis is introduced and the therapeutical results of 41 patients suffering from bilateral hyperacusis combined with a uni- or bilateral tinnitus are discussed. Twenty-one of them also had a cochlear hearing loss.

Intestinal blood loss during cow milk feeding in older infants: quantitative measurements.

Objective: To determine the response, in terms of fecal hemoglobin excretion and clinical symptoms, of normal 9 1/2-month-old infants to being fed cow milk.

Design: Longitudinal (before-after) trial in which each infant was fed formula for 1 month (baseline) followed by 3 months during which cow milk was fed.

Setting: Healthy infants living in Iowa City, Iowa, a town with a population of about 60,000.