Bladder dysfunction and neurosyphilis

Neurosyphilis today is a rare problem. We describe a man who presented with organic brain syndrome, psychosis and incontinence, and diagnosis was neurosyphilis with resultant bladder dysfunction. Urodynamic studies defined the voiding dysfunction as detrusor areflexia with a positive bethanechol test. This case reminds us of the necessity of obtaining a test for venereal disease to rule out neurosyphilis in patients with idiopathic voiding dysfunction.     

Double-label two-dimensional electrophoresis of serum and plasma proteins from patients with multiple sclerosis

A double-label two-dimensional electrophoretic procedure has been used to search for abnormal proteins in the serum and plasma of patients with definite multiple sclerosis. The procedure possesses high resolving power and is particularly valuable in comparative studies of complex mixtures of proteins since differences due to gel-to-gel variations in protein mobilities are eliminated. Proteins present in serum and plasma at a concentration of 5-10 micrograms/ml are detected routinely. No consistent differences were observed between patients with multiple sclerosis and normal subjects in comparisons using pooled or individual specimens of serum or plasma. The absence of consistent differences in serum and plasma proteins between normal subjects and MS patients applied even when the sensitivity of the procedure was increased several-fold and when the possibly obscuring effect of albumin in the electrophoretic gels was eliminated. To our knowledge, this study combines the most extensive and sensitive search for consistent abnormalities in serum and plasma proteins in multiple sclerosis sera thus far reported.     

The Fort McMurray demonstration project in social marketing: health- and safety-related behaviour among oil sands workers

This is the first round in a series of surveys conducted inFort McMurray as part of the Fort McMurray Demonstration Projectin social marketing. This component of the survey was intendedto focus on the most prominent group of employed workers inthe community and to compare their patterns of response withthe community as a whole. Respondents to the survey were overwhelminglymale (96%), married (72.9%) and living in households of twoto five persons (87.9%). They were predominantly aged 30–44(55%) and graduates of high school (53.5%). Younger male workers(below age 30) were more likely to have a high school diploma(78.3%) or some additional technical or vocational training(21.7% compared to 12.5% overall) and to be unmarried or separated.Attitudes toward safety-related behaviours were stronger thanfor respondents from the community as a whole. Approximately70–100% of all age groups and both sexes showed strongagreement with attitudes involving child car seats and the unacceptabilityof drinking and driving. These attitudes include strong advocacyof vigorous enforcement of occupational health and safety standards.However, they showed a variability similar to the communityas a whole in behaviour at home compared to work, generallyreporting more consistent use of personal protection on thejob than in their own homes, particularly hearing protection.Even so, they were much less likely to perform stretching andwarm-up exercises prior to exertion than community residentsin general. The potential may exist to transfer the technologyand attitudes from workplace health and safety to communitysafety. One possible strategy to accomplish this is to involveworkers in this industry directly in community initiatives.This strategy may be generalizable to any community in whichthere are major employers who place a heavy emphasis on riskcontrol and occupational health and safety.