Bicycle helmet use by adults: the impact of companionship.

Most of the nearly 1,000 fatal bicycle-related injuries annually could be prevented if riders used safety helmets. Helmet use by adult bicyclists has received relatively little attention because educational campaigns to promote helmet use generally focus on children. Helmet use by adult and child bicyclists at 120 suburban and rural sites in three Maryland counties was observed on two Saturdays in 1990-91 during an evaluation of the impact of a mandatory helmet law. Concordance or discordance of helmet use within various groups of bicyclists--adults only, adults with children, and children only--was recorded. Helmet use among 2,068 adult bicyclists was 49 percent, 51 percent, and 74 percent in the three counties. In two counties combined, 52 percent (365 of 706) of solo adult bicyclists wore helmets compared with only 5 percent (5 of 94) of solo child bicyclists (P < .001). Helmet use or nonuse was concordant among 87 percent of 277 adult-adult pairs, 94 percent of 50 child-child pairs, and 91 percent of 32 adult-child pairs of bicyclists observed. Concordance rates of helmet use or nonuse were similarly high among pairs of adult bicyclists of the same or mixed sexes. These data are consistent with the concept that both adults and children tend to adopt the helmet-wearing behaviors of their companions. Public health efforts focused on adults should encourage helmet use by adult bicyclists both to prevent head injuries and to provide a role model for children.     

A37 REACTIVITY OF PLATELET AUTOANTIBODIES WITH PAPAIN TREATED PLATELETS AND COMPARISON WITH GLYCOPROTEIN SPECIFICITY.

A1 INFLUENCE OF POSTURE ON REACTIONS IN NEW BLOOD DONORS. A2 A CONFIDENTIAL UNIT EXCLUSION SYSTEM IDENTIFIES DONORS WITH A POTENTIAL FOR HIV INFECTION. A3 A STABLE BLOOD SUPPLY FOR THE FUTURE: THE RECRUITMENT OF 16 TO 18 YEAR OLD DONORS TODAY AND THEI CONTRIBUTION AS COMMITTED REGULAR DONORS OF TOMORROW. A4 APPROACH TO A SUPPLY CRISIS OF HYPERIMMUNE RHESUS PLASMA FOR THE PRODUCTION OF RhD IMMUNOGLOBULIN A5 THE INFLUENCE OF AGE, SEX AND ABO BLOOD GROUP ON THE INCIDENCE OF CMV ANTIBODIES IN SYDNEY BLOOD DONORS. A6 THE INCIDENCE OF CATEGORY VI AMONGST WEAK Rh(D) POSITIVE SYDNEY BLOOD DONORS. A7 A MODIFIED METHOD FOR DETECTING HIGH TITRE ANTI-A AND ANTI-B IN GROUP O DONORS A8 IMPROVING THE CLINICAL SPECIFICITY OF ALANINE AMINO TRANSFERASE (ALT) TEST RESULTS WITHIN THE NORMAL BLOOD DONOR POPULATION OF QUEENSLAND. A9 EXTRACTION OF HCV RNA USING A GUANIDINE ISOTHIOCYNATE METHOD. A10 HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) ANTIBODY DETECTION IN TASMANIAN BLOOD DONORS. A11 EFFECTIVE INTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL FOR ENZYME IMMUNOASSAYS A12 DETECTION OF ANTIBODY TO NON-PATHOGENIC RETROVIRUSES (SPUMAVIRUSES) IN HUMAN SERUM A13 DETECTION OF ANTIBODY TO NON-PATHOGENIC RETROVIRUSES (SPUMAVIRUSES) IN HUMAN SERUM A14 A NOVEL BLOOD BAG SYSTEM WITH POTENTIAL, FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARKET. A15 DESIGN OF CONTAINERS SUITABLE FOR THE TRANSPORT OF RED CELL, PLATELET AND FROZEN PLASMA PRODUCTS. A16 EVALUATION OF INDICATOR LABELS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF IRRADIATION PROCEDURE OF BLOOD PRODUCTS. A17 MOLECULAR TYPING FOR UNUSUAL ABO TYPES. A18 AN EXAMPLE OF THE RARE ABO SUBGROUP, A19 RFLP ANALYSIS OF A RH NULL BLOOD DONOR. A20 A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEWIS ERYTHROCYTE PHENOTYPES AND COLORECTAL CANCER. A21 PATERNITY TESTING USING SINGLE LOCUS DNA PROBES: OBSERVATIONS ON THE REFERENCE DATA BASE SIZE A22 USE OF FAMILY AND POPULATION STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFICITY AND INHERITANCE OF NEUTROPHIL ANTIGENS DEFINED BY PLANT LECTINS. A23 SAMPLING PLANS: IS THERE RELEVANCE FOR BLOOD COMPONENT QC? A24 QUALITY MANAGEMENT: HOW DO WE DO IT IN A STATE THE SIZE OF QUEENSLAND? A26 THE ENERGY METABOLISM OF CIRCULATING CELLS. A27 ACETATE UTILISATION RATES AND THE EFFECT OF GLUCOSE-FREE PLASMA IN PLATELET CONCENTRATE STORED IN A MIMIMAL MEDIUM (MPM). A28 IMPROVED LEVELS OF 2,3 DJPHOSPHOGLYCERATE IN RED CELL SUSPENSIONS PREPARED FROM BLOOD COLLECTED INTO DEXTROSE-FREE ANTICOAGULANT. A29 EVALUATION OF RED CELL FREEZING METHODS AS A PRELUDE TO ADOPTING -80° C FREEZING IN HIGH GLYCEROL IN ROUTINE PRACTICE. A30 CLUMPING IN PLATELET CONCENTRATES - AN UNSOLVED PROBLEM. A31 AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD: SAFE FOR OTHERS OR NOT? A32 ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AUSTRALIAN HAEMOPHILIA TREATMENT CENTRE DATA BANK. A33 EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF ROBOTICS AND MICROPLATE TECHNOLOGY TO SEMI-AUTOMATE A ROUTINE HOSPITAL BLOOD BANK. A34 AN ANTI-IgAl/IgA2 ELISA ASSAY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF HYPESENSITIVITY TRANSFUSION REACTIONS. A35 THE INFLUENCE OF IgG AGGREGATES AND FRESH NORMAL SERUM ON THE MONOCYTE MONOLAYER ASSAY A36 DETECTION OF Rh(D) POSITIVE FETAL CELLS IN PREGNANT Rh(D)-NEGATIVE WOMEN BY FLOW CYTOMETRY. A38 HAEMOSTAT-IX: A HIGH PURITY FACTOR CONCENTRATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH HAEMOPHILIA B. A39 GRAVITY FILTRATION OF PLASMA FROM DONOR BLOOD UTILISING A HOLLOW FIBRE FILTER MEMBRANE DEVICE A40 The Therapeutic Device Problem Reporting Scheme, and the Victorian Red Cross Blood Bank A43 HIGH FREQUENCY ANTIBODIES AND THE ADVANTAGES OF MANUAL POLYBRENE. A44 FACTS AND FANTASY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLATELET ADDITIVE SOLUTIONS. A45 LACK OF EFFECT OF STORAGE CONTAINER ON STORAGE OF PLATELETS PREPARED FROM DEXTROSE-FREE BLOOD, A46 PLATELETS PREPARED FROM DEXTROSE-FREE BLOOD MAY BE STORED WITHOUT AGITATION. A47 QUALITY OF BED CELL CONCENTRATE IN HOSPITALS COMPARED TO THE BLOOD BANK A48FLOW CYTOMETRIC CHARACTERISATION OF LEUCOCYTE - DEPLETED RED CELL CONCEHTRATES. A49 PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISATION OF HUMAN MONOCLONAL ANTI-D ANTIBODIES. A50 CD55 AND CD59 SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PROTEASE TREATMENT AND THE RESULTANT EFFECT ON COMPLEMENT LYSIS OF RBCs. A51 DIRECT COMPARISON BETWEEN PLATELET STORAGE CONTAINERS - IMPROVEMENT IN STORAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF TUTA PLATELET BAGS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS. A52 IMPROVED SOLID-PHASE MIXED PASSIVE HAENAGGLUTININ ASSAY (MPHA) WITH FROZEN PANEL PLATELETS FOR THE DETECTION OF HUMAN PLATELET ANTIBODIES. A53 DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLVENT DETERGENT TREATED THROMBIN CONCENTRATE AS A COMPONENT OF A FIBRIN GLUE KIT. A54 Autologous blood transfusion: a promotional programme A55 AVAILABILITY OF BLOOD PRODUCTS FOR ACUTELY BLEEDING PATIENTS. A56 REMINISCENCES OF 50 YEARS A. A TRANSFUSION ST. A57 A NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR REPORTING TRANSFUSION REACTIONS TO FRACTIONATED BLOOD PRODUCTS. A58 EFFECT OF FLUORESCENT LIGHTING ON THE VISUAL APPEARANCE OF PLATELET CONCENTRATES A59 USING A MICROWAVE OVEN TO THAW FRESH FROZEN PLASMA. A60 COAGULATION CAPACITY OF POOLED PLATELET PLASMA. A61 A COMPARISON OF IMMUNOHAEMATOLOGY SURVEY PERFORMANCE BETWEEN NEK ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA A62 COMPATIBILITY TESTING: ARE ENZYME TESTS REQUIRED? A63 AN EVALUATION OF THE DIAMED MEROTYPING SYSTEM FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DIRKT ANTIGLOBUDIN TEST. A64 ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE IN BLOOD GROUP ANTIBODY DETECTION. A65 CHARACTERISATION OF MABS TO THROMBIN-HIRUDIN COMPLEXES WITH IMMUNOASSAY POTENTIAL. A66 MONITORING ANTT-HPA-la (P1^A1) PLATELET ANTIBODY LEVELS DURING PREGNANCY USING THE MAIPA TEST. A67 COMPARISON OF PIFT AND MAIPA TEST“ IN THE DETECTION OF ANTI-HPA-la (PI^A1) PLATELET ANTIBODIES. A68 USE OF PLATELET-CROSSMATCHING IN SUPPORT OF A CASE OF MYELODYSPLASIA WTTH A PLATELET SPECIFIC AND B LYMPHOCYTE ANTIBODY A69 The Pattern of Leucocyte Antibody formation in Transfused Patients. A70 DETECTION OF HPA-Ia ANTIBODY IN BREAST MILK A71 ANALYSIS OF PRENATAL SCREENING. A72 DETECTION OF MINOR POPULATIONS OF ERYTHROCYTES A73 MODIFICATIONS TO THE MCNOCYTE-MEDIATED ADCC ASSAY. A74 AN AUTO ANTI-JMH; GAMMA-CLONE POLYSPECIFIC AHG AS A USEFUL TOOL. A75 CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT ANTI-A1 DERIVED FROM B LYMPHOCYTES FOLLOWING SINGLE LUNG TRANSPLANTATION. A76 CONFIRMATION THAT ANTI-ELO CAUSES HAEMOLYTIC DISEASE OFTHE NEWBORN. A77 ANTI-Do^a STIMULATED BY PREGNANCY. A78 DONOR IgM ANTI-A ASSOCIATED WITH HAEMOLYTIC TRANSFUSION REACTION A79 COLLECTION OF GRANULOCYTES AND PLATELETS USING FENWALL CS 3000 AND HAEMONETICS 30 CELL SEPARATORS - A COMPARISON. A80 APPARENT LYMPHOPENIA IN PLASMAPHERESIS DONORS     

A multicentre assessment of the specificity of ten anti-HBc screening tests

SUMMARY. Samples from 1828 donations were screened for anti-HBc at seven sites in the UK using kits supplied by 10 manufacturers. Only 10 (0.55%) donations were considered to have true anti-HBc reactivity and these were detected by all 10 kits. Additional markers of HBV infection were found in nine of these 10 donations. Additional reactives were found by all kits, the number ranging from 1 to 43.
In the four more specific kits, the 10 true reactives were clearly distinguished from the 'false reactives' by the strength of the reaction. It is concluded that the reliance on a single ELISA test for anti-HBc diagnosis is unwise. The use of a second test known to be more specific than the screening ELISA is recommended.     

The HGAR1 familial hypercholesterolemia pedigree

Data on 232 members of a single pedigree, descended from two pairs of original parents, were made available to the participants of Genetic Analysis Workshop 8 (GAW8). In addition to information concerning age and sex, measurements for 10 quantitative traits and genotypes at 22 polymorphic marker loci were also provided for a subset of 193 of these family members. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Ultrastructural reversible changes in fish neuromuscular junctions after chronic exercise

Neuromuscular junctions (NJs) of fin muscles of teleostean fishes, Lebistes reticulatus, were ultrastructurally analyzed during 60 min of chronic exercise and a subsequent period of 90 min of induced recovery. NJs from 30-min-exercised fishes showed an almost complete depletion of synaptic vesicles (SVs), corresponding to 83% of SV consumption; 76% of axon terminals were branched at the end of this period. During the recovery period, it was possible to observe the reversibility of the changes induced by the exercise and the transitory events that lead to the reacquirement of the normal NJ morphology. After 15 min of rest, SV population increased to a value of 54.6 SVs/micron2 and the percentage of branched axons was 66.5%. At 60 min of recovery the number of SVs reached a value of 84.6 SVs/micron2. The SV population was fully reestablished at 80 min of rest, while the percentage of branched axons was found within normal ranges after 90 min of recovery. These results demonstrate that chronic exercise induced physiological depletion of NJ SVs and other axon terminal morphological changes, as well as that postexercise rest induces the reestablishment of the normal NJ morphology.     

Facilitated uptake of zinc into human erythrocytes. Relevance to the treatment of sickle-cell anaemia

The ability of a number of heterocyclic metal chelators to deliver zinc into red cells, to release the liganded zinc to haemoglobin and thereby cause a left shift in the oxygen dissociation curve of intact red cells has been investigated. Incubation of neutrally charged zinc-pyrone and zinc-pyridin-2-one complexes with red cells led to the rapid accumulation of zinc within cells, whereas unliganded zinc in the form of zinc acetate, zinc chloride or zinc sulphate accumulated only slowly. The rate at which zinc was delivered to red cells by pyrone and pyridin-2-one ligands increased with increasing lipid solubility of the ligands. The uptake of zinc into both normal adult and sickle red cells was associated with a dose-dependent increase in the oxygen affinity of haemoglobin. The degree of left shift in the oxygen dissociation curve following the incubation of red cells with zinc-pyrone and -pyridin-2-one complexes suggests that these complexes may find application as agents to increase the oxygen affinity of haemoglobin in sickle cell disease and thereby decrease the probability of intravascular sickling at low tissue oxygen tensions. Ethylmaltol appears to be a particularly useful agent due to its known low toxicity.     

Diets rich in n-9, n-6 and n-3 fatty acids differentially affect the generation of inositol phosphates and of thromboxane by stimulated platelets, in the rabbit

We have studied the effects of semi-synthetic diets rich in either n-9 (olive oil, OO) or n-6 (corn oil, CO), or n-3 (fish oil, FO, as MaxEPA) fatty acids on the levels of major PUFA in platelet lipids, on the generation of inositol phosphates by [3H]inositol labelled platelets after stimulation with thrombin and of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) by platelet rich plasma (PRP) after stimulation with collagen. The predicted elevations of oleic (OA), linoleic (LA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids were observed in platelet lipids of each animal group, but in the MaxEPA fed group accumulation of EPA was associated with depletion of linoleic acid (LA) rather than of arachidonic acid (AA). Basal levels of inositol-tris-phosphate (IP3) in platelets were lowest in the OO group and highest in the CO group, whereas the increment after thrombin stimulation (1 unit/ml NIH) was maximal in the OO group and minimal in the FO group. Instead, when generation of TxB2 by stimulated platelets was evaluated, no appreciable difference among the various groups could be detected, in accordance with the limited modifications of platelet AA content induced by the diets. The overall data indicate that dietary fatty acids modulate the pathway of inositol phosphate generation in rabbit platelets, independently of modifications of TxB2 production.