Radiation safety of exploitation of radiation sources at the civil aviation airlines]

Radiation risks from isotope-containing equipment, and ionizing and unused X-ray radiation sources are characterized and relevant normative documents with safety requirements to radiation sources installation, radiation safety of aircraft servicing and repair, hand luggage control and heavy luggage registration, personal protection items, system of radiation monitoring at airlines and aircraft works, and liability for breach of performance guidelines are cited.     

Physiologic-hygienic characteristics of work conditions of female workers engaged in applying coats of paint

The process of paint coating (female workers being mostly engaged in the technological process) is characterized by hazardous health-related effects (organic solvents and coating components) and those of the working process (forced uncomfortable postures and multiple local stereotype movements). The performed complex of physiological and hygienic research made it possible to reveal the dynamics of fatiguability, hygienic properties of the technological process at its different stages, as well as to elaborate health improvement measures to lower the negative effects of the industrial environment.     

The natural history of factor VIII:C inhibitors in patients with hemophilia A: a national cooperative study. II. Observations on the initial development of factor VIII:C inhibitors

During a 4-year multicenter cooperative study of acquired factor VIII inhibitors in persons with hemophilia A, new inhibitors were detected in 31 of 1,306 patients who entered the study without an inhibitor or the history of an inhibitor. The incidence of new inhibitors was eight per 1,000 patient-years of observation. The factor VIII:C level before inhibitor development was less than or equal to 0.03 U/mL in 29 individuals and 0.06 U/mL and 0.07 U/mL in the remaining two. Factor VIII:Ag levels were measured in 27 individuals and were less than 0.03 U/mL in 23 and 0.05 to 0.11 U/mL in the remaining four. Maximum inhibitor levels ranged from 1.0 to 9,044 Bethesda U/mL. In seven patients under the age of 20, relatively weak inhibitors (none higher than 4.3 Bethesda U/mL) were detected on only a single occasion despite continued factor VIII challenge. In the other 24 patients with inhibitors detected on multiple occasions, 50% had appeared by age 20 and 71% by age 30. Seventeen of the 31 inhibitors, including 12 of 15 with maximum values greater than 10 Bethesda U/mL, developed within 75 exposure days to factor VIII.     

Successful GnRH Treatment in a Patient with Kallmann''s Syndrome, who previously failed HMG/HCG Treatment/Erfolgreiche GnRH-Behandlung bei einem Mann mit Kallmann-Syndrom bei vorher erfolgloser HMG-HCG-Behandlung

A successful GnRH treatment for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is described. A 40 year old infertile patient due to Kallmann's syndrome, associated with obesity and NIDDM, was treated with HCG (5,000 IU/week) for 8 years. In an attempt to induce spermatogenesis HMG (75 IU/daily) was added for 2 years. During the combined gonadotropin treatment semen analysis indicated an improvement from azoospermia to 2 x 10(6) sperm/ml. Since semen quality remained poor and obviously no pregnancy was achieved, the last regime was replaced by a pulsatile GnRH treatment (5 mcg/90 minutes). Following 6 months sperm count increased up to 15 x 10(6) associated with normal motility and morphology. Patient's wife conceived after the second intrauterine insemination and delivered a full term healthy baby.     

Recombinant vaccinia viruses for the characterization of Plasmodium falciparum-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes: recognition of processed antigen despite limited re-stimulation efficacy

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) have been implicated in immunity to Plasmodium falciparum infection and disease. We have previously described the use of peptides to define malaria-specific CTL epitopes. To determine whether these peptide epitopes are processed intracellularly from the whole antigen we have developed recombinant vaccinia viruses (rVV) expressing three malaria antigens: thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP), Pfs16 and the C- terminal half of liver-stage antigen (LSA)-1. Target cells infected with recombinant viruses were lysed by malaria-specific CTL from semi- immune African donors. We also tested the ability of cells infected with these recombinant vaccinia viruses to re-stimulate malaria- specific CTL in peripheral blood lymphocytes from malaria immune adults. Two other pox virus recombinants, NYVAC, an attenuated vaccinia virus, and ALVAC, a canarypox virus, both expressing malaria antigens were also evaluated for their ability to stimulate malaria-specific CTL in contrast to peptide, none of these viruses successfully re- stimulated CTL from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of semi-immune donors. The ability of human CTL from naturally exposed individuals to recognize processed antigen supports the relevance of these cells in protective immunity to malaria.      

Expert diagnosis of infectivity with the AIDS virus using immune blotting: the development of a system and assessment of its parameters

A system for serodiagnosis of infection with AIDS viruses by means of immune ("western") blotting has been developed. The system has been found to be highly sensitive and suitable for expert serodiagnosis of AIDS disease and infection with human AIDS viruses.     

Percutaneous dilation of benign biliary strictures

Percutaneous balloon dilation of benign biliary strictures was successful in 15 of 18 patients in whom the procedure was attempted. Successful dilation was achieved in nine of 11 patients who had biliary enteric strictures, with follow-up of 22-55 months (mean, 35.4 months) after catheter removal in seven patients. Five of six strictures in the biliary tree that developed after surgery were successfully dilated, with long-term follow-up available in two patients (58 and 42 months). A patient with an inflammatory common bile duct stricture that was successfully dilated was followed up for 18 months. Percutaneous dilation of biliary tract strictures is a promising technique with good long-term results and may be the initial treatment of choice in biliary stricture management.