“In vitro” measurements of spontaneous smooth muscle contractions: A screening method for “invivo” exposure

Conclusion The in vitro recording of spontaneous contractions was selected as a neuromuscular screening method for in vivo exposure to pollutants. The rate of contraction was determined by interval histogram measurements. The method was assessed for effects of age, sex, pH, Ca⁺⁺ concentration, temperature, and circadian rhythm. Male rats were shown to develop a slower rate of contraction with age. The rate of contraction was temperature and pH dependent. An effect was demonstrated for in vivo exposure to Baygon and Carbaryl at a level which did not produce overt symptoms.     

Reliability of Birth Certificate Data: A Multi-Hospital Comparison to Medical Records Information

Objective: To examine the reliability of birth certificate data and determine if reliability differs between teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Methods: We compared information from birth certificates and medical records in 33,616 women admitted for labor and delivery in 1993–95 to 20 hospitals in Northeast Ohio. Analyses determined the agreement for 36 common data elements, and the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of birth certificate data, using medical record data as a gold standard. Results: Sensitivity and positive predictive value varied widely (9–100% and 2–100%, respectively), as did agreement, which was almost perfect for measures of prior obstetrical history, delivery type, and infant Apgar score ( = 0.854–0.969) and substantial for several other variables (e.g., tobacco use ( = 0.766), gestational age ( = 0.726), prenatal care ( = 0.671)). However, agreement was only slight to moderate for most maternal risk factors and comorbidities ( = 0.085–0.545) and for several complications of pregnancy and/or labor and delivery ( = 0.285–0.734). Overall agreement was similar in teaching (mean = 0.51) and nonteaching ( = 0.52) hospitals. Although agreement in teaching and nonteaching hospitals varied for some variables, no systematic differences were seen across types of variables. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the reliability of birth certificate data vary for specific elements. Researchers and health policymakers need to be cognizant of the potential limitations of specific data elements.     

“I never thought I'd make it quite this far”: A personal journey in international understanding

The author provides a brief account of her travel and experiences in several developing countries and explores some of the resulting personal transformations in her attitudes, assumptions and understandings. Persons working with children and youth can learn much from those countries which are economically under-developed, but which retain a simplicity in daily life and a commitment to the central importance of family and community.     

Dimensionen der Zufriedenheit im Alter

Zusammenfassung In einer Interview-Studie von 480 Betagten in städtischen Verhältnissen wurden neben anderen Fragen auch solche zur Zufriedenheit gestellt. Eine Faktoranalyse der Antworten erlaubt die Unterscheidung eines Faktors Depressivität von einem Faktor Zufriedenheit mit Sozial-kontakten und einer gesundheitlichen Dimension.

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Dimensions of satisfaction among old people

Summary In an interview study of 480 aged persons, questions on satisfaction with several aspects of life were included. A factor analysis allows to distinguish a factor relating to depressivity from a factor satisfaction with social contacts and a health-related dimension.

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Dimensions de la satisfaction des personnes âgées

Résumé Das une enquête d'un échantillon de 480 personnes âgées, des questions concernant leur satisfaction ont été inclues dans l'interview. Une analyse factorielle permet de distinguer un facteur associé à la dépressivité d'un facteur satisfaction avec les contactes sociaux et d'une dimension santé.

     

Chromatographic determination of dicofol and metabolites in egg yolks

Egg yolk was spiked withp,p-dicofol (p,p-DCF) (0.1–2.0 g/gm),p,p-dichlorobenzophenone (p,p-DCBP) (0.1–2.0 (g/gm), and 1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethylene (p,p- DDE) (0.05–1.0 g/gm). The fortified egg yolk (2–5 g) was mixed with acetonitrile to extract non-fat organic materials. After removal of acetonitrile, the spiked chemicals were separated with a column chromatograph packed with acid alumina. Recovery efficiencies forp,p-DCBP andp,p-DDE were determined by gas chromatography, and forp,p-dicofol by high performance liquid chromatography. The recovery efficiencies forp,p-dicofol,p,p-DCBP andp,p-DDE were 77.2–93.8%, 84.1–101.1%, and 88.5–96.0%, respectively.     

Effects of herbicides on streamAufwuchs productivity and nutrient uptake

The effects of atrazine and a combination of alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, and metribuzin on the productivity and nutrient uptake rates of native streamAufwuchs communities were investigated in two separate artificial stream experiments. After an 8-day colonization period, the first experiment employed constant doses of atrazine at 0 g/L (control), 24 g/L and 134 g/L. The second experiment employed a pulsed dose having maximum concentrations of 35 g/L alachlor, 109 g/L atrazine, 90 g/L metolachlor, and 21 g/L metribuzin. Each 20-day experiment was run at both 10C and 25C. Constant exposure to 24 g/L atrazine yielded a significant reduction in both ash-free dry weight (AFDW) and chlorophylla at 25C but not at 10C. Constant exposure to 134 g/L atrazine yielded significantly less AFDW and chlorophylla at both temperatures. The pulsed exposure to four herbicides yielded significantly less AFDW at both temperatures, while chlorophylla was significantly less only at 10C. During continual exposure to 134 g/L atrazine, both NO₂ + NO₃ and silica uptake rates appeared to be reduced at both temperatures, although the differences were generally not statistically significant. At 10C uptake rates of soluble reactive phosphorus and NO₂ + NO₃ were depressed temporarily by exposure to the pulse of four herbicides, recovering to control rates within a few days, while no effect on uptake rates was discerned at 25C. The temperature difference between experimental runs had a greater effect on nutrient uptake rates than did the herbicide treatments during a run. The results indicate thatAufwuchs growth and nutrient uptake rates may be reduced temporarily by herbicide exposures in agricultural streams. However, greater effects on these processes may be exerted by other factors accompanying storm events, such as reduced temperatures.     

A study of neurophysiological measurements and various function tests on workers occupationally exposed to vibration

Summary Seventy male air grinder operators and 72 age-matched control workers were examined. Both groups of workers worked in the warm climate (20°–33°C) of southern Taiwan. None of the workers had symptoms of white fingers. The investigation program comprised: (1) case history, (2) physical examination, (3) determination of maximal motor conduction velocity, proximal and distal sensory conduction velocity (NCV) of the median and ulnar nerves of the right upper extremity, (4) measurement of skin temperature, nail press test, pain threshold and vibratory sense threshold of the upper extremities, and (5) testing of the motor function. The dose-effect correlation between the NCV, various function tests and total operating time (TOT) was performed by multiple stepwise regression analyses. The regression analyses revealed a statistically significant correlation (dose/effect) between the six NCV, vibratory sense threshold, pain threshold and age, as well as TOT.     

Hard hats vs. soft hearts: The conflict between principles and reality in child and adolescent care and treatment programs

Much of child care in volves quick reactions based on one's automatic pilot derived from how we were parented. This paper is about two seemingly universal automatic pilot systems—the hard hats and the soft hearts. Hard hats are behavior management and modification oriented, while soft hearts are psychodynamically and counselling oriented. Typically, the hard hats tend to have the upper hand due to the nature of our culture, and they therefore have the effect of preventing the contributions of the soft hearts from being realized. That all too frequently sets up a dominant culture and a resentful minority situation. To correct this imbalance, a value orientation from the top which emphasizes mutual respect and utilization is suggested.Grateful acknowledgement is made to Ray Peterson for his helpful suggestions in the preparation of this paper.     

Biochemical and physiological aspects of 2,5-hexanedione: endogenous or exogenous product?

Summary This article reports results regarding two different physiological aspects of 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD). The first is the relationship between free 2,5-HD (the fraction of real 2,5-HD) and total 2,5-HD (2,5-HD obtained from acid hydrolysis) in urine and blood of workers exposed ton-hexane. The second part of the study is an attempt to clarify physiological excretion of 2,5-HD in subjects not occupationally exposed ton-hexane. The concentration of free 2,5-HD in urine of workers exposed ton-hexane is about 8% of total urinary 2,5-HD. In blood, free 2,5-HD is about 50% of the total. The serum concentration range of total and free 2,5-HD in workers from whom blood was taken was 33–418 g/l and 14–283 g/l respectively. In subjects not exposed ton-hexane, urinary concentration of 2,5-HD ranged between 0.17 and 0.98 mg/1, the urinary excretion rate between 0.23 and 0.57g/min, and renal clearance between 14 and 66 ml/min. The blood concentration of 2,5-HD in nonexposed subjects was 6–30g/1. Fluctuations typical of a circadian rhythm were not observed for 2,5-HD in blood or urine. We think that 2,5-HD is mainly a product of intermediate metabolism in the human body. Only a minimal part could derive fromn-hexane as a ubiquitous micropollutant.     

Phase shift in temperature rhythm ffter transmeridian flight,as related to pre-flight phase angle

Summary Further analysis of temperature rhythms obtained in an earlier study of 38 subjects subjected to an 8-h eastward transmeridian flight showed that the extent to which the phase of the rhythm was shifted after the flight was related to the phase angle of the pre-flight rhythm. Late peakers shifted more than early peakers, and this difference between the two types was still as large after 12 days in the new time zone as on the first day. Because the phase-shift was an advance one, this meant that the pre-flight individual differences in phase-angle were abolished by the flight, and had not re-appeared by the end of the observation period. It is suggested that this may have been due to an increase in the rigidity of the routine in the post-flight stage of the study, and that a similar effect may also occur in a switch from day to shiftwork.     

Internal exposure to organic substances in a municipal waste incinerator

Summary Fifty-three persons occupied in a municipal waste incinerator were examined with respect to their internal exposure to organic substances which may be produced during pyrolysis of organic matter. For this purpose the levels of benzene in blood, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in plasma, and mono- (MCPs), di- (DCPs), tri- (TCPs), tetra-(TECPs) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) and hydroxypyrene in urine were determined. For control purposes, 431 men and women were examined. Significantly higher values for the workers were found for the excretion of hydroxypyrene [median (m): 0.24vs 0.11 g/l; non-smokers], 2,4/2,5-DCP (m: 10.5 vs 3.9 g/l) and 2,4,5-TCP (m: 1.2 vs 0.8 g/l) and for the HCB level in plasma (m: 4.4 vs 2.8 g/l). For the concentrations of 4-MCP and 2,3,4,6/2,3,5,6-TECP, the controls had significantly higher concentrations in urine than did the workers in the incineration plant (m: 4-MCP 1.7 vs 1.2; 2,3,4,6/2,3,5,6-TECP: 1.2 vs 0.3 g/l). No significant differences between workers and controls were detected with respect to benzene in blood (m: 0.20 vs 0.28 g/l; non-smokers), 2,4,6-TCP and PCPs in urine (m: 0.85 vs 0.60 and 2.2 vs 2.2 g/l) or the levels of PCB congeners in plasma (m: 138, 153, 180: 5.6 vs 4.1 g/l). The elevated levels of hydroxypyrene, 2,4/2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP and HCB in biological material may be related to the incineration of the waste. These elevations, however, are very small and are of interest more from the environmental than from the occupational point of view.     

Muscle Learning Therapy—Efficacy of a Biofeedback Based Protocol in Treating Work-Related Upper Extremity Disorders

Work-related upper extremity disorders (WRUEDs) continue to present significant treatment and financial challenges to providers, employers, and insurers. This retrospective study reviews outcomes for 309 subjects who, between 1995 and 1999, were referred through the workers' compensation system for treatment of computer keyboard- and mouse-related WRUED injuries. The mean length of time from the recorded date of injury to the date of intake was 12.9 months. Subjects were offered a 12-visit course in muscle learning therapy (MLT). MLT is an operant conditioning program which uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to train injured workers to control their muscles during work activities. Patient response to therapy was obtained by a therapist-administered questionnaire during Visit 8 of 12. A group of 309 subjects, who had failed to respond to a previous course of therapy (typically physical therapy), reported significant improvements of pain in the neck, thorax, and upper extremities. Ninety six percent reported that they felt more in control, 86% reported feeling better overall, and 81% reported either working the same and feeling better or working and accomplishing more. This study provides preliminary support for this approach and provides justification for controlled clinical trials in the future.     

Patterns of Union Formation Among Urban Minority Youth in the United States

Since 1990, several large surveys of sexual behavior have been conducted. In addition to collecting general information on sexual histories, such as number of partners in the previous year and whether subjects ever used condoms, these studies collected information on sexual behavior with specific partners, or partnerships. The data are useful both for testing of substantive hypotheses about the determinants of behavior as well as for disease transition modeling. The objective of this paper is to use partnership histories to describe the union formation patterns of low-income youth living in Detroit. Data from the partnership histories will be used to illustrate the types of statistics that can be generated from these histories. Data will be presented on the number and types of unions (married/cohabiting, knew well, casual), the frequency and duration of these unions, the types of intercourse reported in each type of union, the patterns of mixing by age and ethnic group in each type of union, concurrency in unions, and condom use in unions.     

Percutaneous absorption of N,N-dimethylformamide in humans

Summary Skin penetration fo N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) liquid or vapour was studied in volunteers. Exposure to liquid DMF was performed in two ways: in a dipping experiment, one hand was dipped up to the wrist in DMF for 2–20 min, while in a patch experiment, 2 mmol DMF was applied to the skin and allowed to be absorbed completely. The period of exposure to DMF vapour (50 mg · m^–3) was 4 h. The DMF metabolites N-hydroxymethyl-N-methylformamide (MF), N-hydroxymethylformamide (F), and N-acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)cysteine (AMCC) were monitored in the urine. Liquid DMF was absorbed through the skin at a rate of 9.4 mg · cm^–2 · h^–1. Percutaneous absorption of DMF vapour depended strongly on ambient temperature and humidity and accounted for 13%–36% of totally excreted MF. The results suggest that skin absorption of liquid DMF is likely to contribute to occupational exposure substantially more than penetration of DMF vapour. The yield of metabolites after transdermal DMF absorption was only half of that seen after pulmonary absorption. Elimination of MF and F but not that of AMCC was delayed, which supports the contention that AMCC should be used instead of MF as the most suitable biomarker of DMF in cases where percutaneous intake can occur.     

Association study of proposed candidate genes/regions in a population of Spanish asthmatics

A number of genes/regions have recently been reported to be linked to asthma or its related phenotypes (i.e. atopy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness), by genetic linkage and allele-sharing methods. We have performed a case–control study comparing the allelic distribution of nine microsatellite markers and two genetic variants in a group of patients attended at emergency room departments because of an acute attack of asthma with respect to an external healthy population of controls. A total of 146 asthmatic subjects and 50 population controls from Barcelona, Spain, were genotyped for nine microsatellite markers from some asthma/atopy candidate genes/regions: the -subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcRI-) located on chromosome 11; the 5q31–32 candidate region; the T-cell receptor genes, TCR- on chromosome 14 and TCR- on chromosome 7. Two genetic variants of the -subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcRI-) gene were also analyzed. None of the asthmatic or control individuals carried the Ile181Leu variant. There were no significant differences between asthmatic and control subjects neither for the polymorphic markers nor for the other variant of the -subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcRI-) gene. No association could be observed in this sample of Spanish asthmatics with the genes/regions studied.     

Mutagenicity of urine from young male smokers and nonsmokers

Summary The mutagenicity of urine from a healthy population of young adult men (average age of 23 years), including 61 smokers and 107 nonsmokers, was investigated with the Salmonella/microsome test using the tester strain S. typhymurium TA98. In quantifying the assay, the use of dichloromethane was suitable for eluting the mutagenicity of smokers' urine from the XAD-2 resin column. We assayed mutagenicity in condensates of such dichloromethane eluates and found that the mutagenicity of smokers' urine was significantly higher than that of nonsmokers' urine. In the smokers' group, correlation coefficient between the mutagenicity of the urine and the actual number of cigarettes smoked on the day of urine collection or the average number of cigarettes smoked per day was statistically significant at 0.266 or 0.454, respectively. Our results suggest a correlation between the increase of mutagens in urine and smoking habits.     

Air-borne B. subtilis enzymes in the detergent industry

Summary Air-borne dust was collected on stationary and portable filters in two factories producing biological detergents. In one factory (Factory A) the detergent base was mixed with enzyme (subtilisin) powder, and the handling of the enzyme was done without effective protection. In the other factory (Factory B) the enzyme was encapsulated in granules before mixing the with detergent base, and the production line was shielded to prevent the spread of dust.Both the amount of air-borne dust and the relative enzyme activity of the dust were greater in Factory A than in Factory B in spite of the considerably larger production of enzyme detergents in the latter factory. The workers studied in Factory A were, on the average, exposed to 5.4 GU (glycine units) per cubic millimetre in their breathing zones, and those studied in Factory B were exposed to enzyme activities about and below 1 GU/m³.Based on exposure measurements and medical examination of the exposed workers, a time-weighted hygienic limit value for subtilisins of 1 GU/m³ is proposed.     

Financial “Rules” for Child and Youth Care Managers

Contemporary realities demand that child and youth care managers cast off their traditional avoidance of all things financial. This article offers a jargon-free list of twelve financial rules for thriving in turbulent times. Grounded in a concept of client-centered, results-based agency performance, rules include promoting an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the organization, destroying the taboo on open discussion of financial matters, slashing program development time, and spending lavishly on recruitment and universal staff training.     

An evolutionary perspective of sex-typed toy preferences: pink,blue, and the brain

Large sex differences in children's toy preferences are attributed to gender group identification and social learning. The proposal outlined in this paper is that contemporary conceptual categories of masculine or feminine toys are also influenced by evolved perceptual categories of male-preferred and female-preferred objects. Research on children exposed prenatally to atypical levels of androgens and research on typically developing infants suggest sex-dimorphic preferences exist for object features, such as movement or color/form. The evolution and neurobiology of mammalian visual processing—and recent findings on sex-dimorphic toy preferences in nonhuman primates—suggest further that an innate bias for processing object movement or color/form may contribute to behaviors with differential adaptive significance for males and females. In this way, preferences for objects such as toys may indicate a biological preparedness for a masculine or feminine gender role—one that develops more fully as early perceptual preferences are coupled with object experiences imposed by contemporary gender socialization.     

Determinants of household health expenditure on western institutional health care

We try to identify determinants of illness reporting, provider choice and resulting expenditure with different econometric models using data from a representative household panel survey of 800 households in Nouna health district, Burkina Faso, during 2000–2001. The factors being an adult, married, illness occurred in rainy season and severe illness significantly increased the magnitude of health expenditure. Compared to malaria, individuals spent more on other infectious diseases, injury and the other disease category. In contrast, people were less likely to spend on chronic illness. An individual who belonged to a household headed by a female, a literate household head and with a higher household expenditure had a significantly positive association with the magnitude of expenditure. Findings from this study can be used for policy implication to improve health system performance in Burkina Faso through enhancing health care utilization.