Effect of maternal and infant covariates on sibship correlation in birth weight

Birth weight on 12,644 singleton infants from 6,196 sibships born in Maryland between 1980 and 1984 were used to estimate the effects of nine maternal and infant covariates on the sibship correlation in birth weight. Assuming a homogeneous correlation across all families, the estimated intraclass correlation was 0.4664 (+/- 0.0099). This high sibship correlation makes it possible to predict, with reasonable accuracy, the birth weight of a child given information on previous sibs, as well as covariates on the mother and/or infant pertinent to a given pregnancy. The reduction in variance associated with incorporating information on the nine covariates used here was approximately equal to that obtained by conditioning on a single previous sib. Testing for heterogeneity in correlation among different groups of families showed that a crude measure of parity (first live birth vs. other), time between births, mother's marital status, and maternal age at the birth of the last child significantly influenced the sibship correlation in birth weight.     

Unraveling the mysteries of serum theophylline levels: a patient care report in the light of pharmacokinetics

One of our patients had trouble maintaining therapeutic and safe levels of theophylline, even though we were careful in planning and monitoring her drug regimen. This case report shows how we were able to use principles of pharmacokinetics to distinguish among plausible explanations for her experience. We discovered that she was not taking the drug consistently as prescribed and that supervised administration resolved apparent contradictions between doses and serum levels. We believe that physicians can use the same information and methods that we used to get better and safer results from theophylline therapy.     

The Framingham Disability Study: physical disability among community-dwelling survivors of stroke

The relationship between stroke and physical disability was examined in a cohort of adult, Framingham, Massachusetts, residents who, between 1948 and 1951, were assembled for a longitudinal examination of cardiovascular disease. Multivariate analyses examined the amount of residual disability attributable to stroke among 2540 community-dwelling survivors, 27 years after their initial examination, after controlling for age, cardiovascular risk factors, other cardiovascular diseases, and eight general health conditions related to physical disability. Among men living in the community, a history of stroke explained 12% of the variance in physical disability. Suffering a stroke, however, was not as strongly related to physical disability among women living in the community, accounting for only 3% of the variance. Results suggest that although older men and women die from the same major causes, they may not be disabled by the same conditions.     

Dietary intake of healthy subjects before and one year after dietary advice

This study was conducted to follow up healthy subjects from a previous study (Warwick & Williams, 1987) in which favourable dietary changes were achieved during 1 week immediately after dietary advice but were accompanied by reduced energy intakes and weight loss. Twenty-one subjects (8m, 13f; 57 per cent of the original group) participated in the follow-up study. Dietary intakes were measured using 7-d weighed records on three occasions: before, immediately after and 1 year after receiving dietary advice. Intakes 1 year after dietary advice continued to show some of the favourable changes observed immediately after the advice but were not accompanied by reduced energy intakes and weight loss. Intakes before, immediately after, and 1 year after dietary advice respectively were: energy, 9.0, 7.8 and 8.9 MJ/d (2150, 1860 and 2120 kcal/d); fat, 36.9, 32.9 and 31.5 per cent of total energy; carbohydrate, 44.2, 47.9 and 49.6 per cent of total energy; dietary fibre, 32, 36 and 36 g/d; sodium, 116, 97 and 110 mmol/d; and Na:K ratio, 1.4, 1.2 and 1.2 mmol. Nutrient densities for fibre and most micronutrients tended to be higher 1 year after dietary advice than before, but were highest immediately after the advice. Nutrient densities for sodium and total sugars did not vary between the 3 study weeks. It was concluded that our healthy subjects adapted their intakes to maintain energy balance while retaining favourable dietary changes for at least 1 year after dietary advice.     

The rotating contact glass holder

A rotating contact lens holder for the three-mirror Goldmann lens permits circular examination of the fundus or chamber angle without having to change the position of the fingers on the edge of the lens. The contact lens holder consists of an outer polygonal ring hold by the thumber and index finger. An inner rotating ring holds the contact lens. Continuous rotation of the contact lens is performed with the free middle Finger. This device permits circular examination of the retina without interruption of fixation. The instrument improves not only the speed but also the reliability of the examination.     

Eledoisin and lacrimal secretion in the rabbit

Eledoisin has been tried as a possible treatment for dry eye based on the hypothesis that it pharmacologically stimulates tear secretion when topically applied to the eye. To determine if topically applied eledoisin pharmacologically stimulates orbital lacrimal secretion, the orbital lacrimal gland excretory duct of normal rabbits was cannulated, and eledoisin was applied topically with and without prior administration of proparacaine. To determine if topically applied eledoisin stimulated accessory lacrimal gland secretion, isotonic buffer with and without eledoisin was tested in a rabbit model with only accessory lacrimal tissue remaining after the administration of proparacaine. Topically applied eledoisin did not pharmacologically stimulate lacrimal secretion but rather increased lacrimal gland secretion only in non-anesthetized eyes through a sensory reflex mechanism that is blocked by proparacaine.     

Evaluation of Tc-99m(V) DMSA for imaging inflammatory lesions: An experimental study

The present study evaluated^99mTc(V) DMSA as an agent for the visualization of inflammatory lesions in comparison to^99mTc(HI) DMSA and^99mTc-HIG. All three radiopharmaceuticals were prepared with commercial kits.^99mTc(V) DMSA was prepared at neutral pH by the addition of first bicarbonate and then pertechnetate to the kit contents. The labeling efficiency was 99% as determined by ITLC. Abscesses were induced by i.m. injection of 50 μl turpentine into the right thighs of 36 Swiss albino mice. Six days later 3.7 MBq of each radiopharmaceutical was i.v. administered to 12 mice. The mice were sacrificed at 1,3,6 and 24 h later. Scintigrams were obtained with a gamma camera. The abscesses were better visualized on scintigrams with^99mTc(V) DMSA compared to^99mTc(III) DMSA, starting at 1 h. The animals were dissected and the organs were removed, weighed and the radioactivity determined with a gamma counter. The abscess to other tissue ratios were higher with^99mTc(V) DMSA than the other radiopharmaceuticals. The max. abscess/muscle ratios were 9.46 ± 3.20 (24 h), 4.19 ± 1.39 (6 h) and 5.98 ± 1.17 (24 h) and max. abscess/blood ratios were 6.22 ± 1.41, 4.09 ± 0.84 and 0.914 ± 0.351 all at 24 h for^99mTc(V) DMSA,^99mTc(III) DMSA and^99mTc-HIG, respectively. Experimental arthritis was produced in 6 New Zealand white rabbits by intra-articular injection of ovalbumin. Four days later 37 MBq of^99mTc(V) DMSA and^99mTc-HIG were each i.v. administered to 3 rabbits. Scintigrams obtained at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h clearly demonstrated arthritic joints. ROFs over arthritic joints were compared to contralateral normal joints (A/C). The max. A/C ratios were 2.10 ± 0.31 (3 h) and 2.92 ± 0.99 (24 h) for^99mTc(V) DMSA and^99mTc-HIG, respectively. Our results indicated the feasibility of imaging inflammatory lesions with^99mTc(V) DMSA.