Diagnostic value of a psychological test in cases of suspected child abuse

The use of the Bene-Anthony Family Relations Test is described and illustrated by three examples of child abuse. This test should be considered in the investigation of definite or suspected cases of abuse and as part of the preparation of court evidence.     

The physics of FeldenkraisPart 3: stability

In the last article in this series, we briefly examined the Principle of Least Effort and the five forms of strain. Strain, you may recall, in physics, describes a change in the volume of a material when a force is applied. Our treatments are a blend of rotation and translation movements of our hands with a changing mix of strains being applied onto the client's tissues. Harnessing and interweaving the various forms of strain with dexterity may aid us in improving our treatment efficacy.In this tissue, we will consider the importance of anchorage and stability in treatment, We will consider a set of ‘House Rules' for improving treatment. In addition, we will explore Bernstein's concept of degrees of freedom.     

Flavin catabolites: identification and quantitation in human urine

Riboflavin is the primary flavin excreted in human urine but significant amounts of 7 alpha-hydroxyriboflavin and lesser amounts of 8 alpha-hydroxyriboflavin are present and reflect tissue microsomal oxidations. A newly found flavin catabolite of an 8 alpha-sulfonyl type may reflect intake and/or turnover of such thioether-linked flavin as occurs in monoamine oxidase. Additionally, lesser amounts of 10-hydroxyethylflavin (indicative of intestinal microbial action on the vitamin) and traces of lumiflavin (arising from photodecomposition) constitute part of the remaining flavin, which acutely reflects level of intake.     

Cryogenically preserved adult and juvenile goat mandibular condylar transplantation

Loss of a functional temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has long been a clinical challenge in both children and adults. Although reconstruction to date has been performed with various prosthetic devices or autogenous costochondral grafts, these procedures have a potential for complications and morbidity. Our studies were performed to determine the feasibility of healing, growth, and long-term function of TMJ reconstruction techniques with cryogenically preserved mandibular allografts in the goat model. This species was chosen because the surgical anatomy and biomechanics of the goat TMJ are very similar to those of the human TMJ. The positive results of the studies and their relevance will be described.     

Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea: depiction with MR cisternography in dogs

Canine cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, which occurs frequently in purebred beagles, was demonstrated in two dogs on magnetic resonance images after cisternal introduction of gadolinium-DTPA dimeglumine.     

The distribution of infectivity in blood components and plasma derivatives in experimental models of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy

BACKGROUND: The administration of blood components from donors who subsequently develop Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has raised the issue of blood as a possible vehicle for iatrogenic disease. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined infectivity in blood components and Cohn plasma fractions in normal human blood that had been "spiked" with trypsinized cells from a scrapie-infected hamster brain, and in blood of clinically ill mice that had been inoculated with a mouse-adapted strain of human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Infectivity was assayed by intracerebral inoculation of the blood specimens into healthy animals. RESULTS: Most of the infectivity in spiked human blood was associated with cellular blood components; the smaller amount present in plasma, when fractionated, was found mainly in cryoprecipitate (the source of factor VIII) and fraction I+II+III (the source of fibrinogen and immunoglobulin); almost none was recovered in fraction IV (the source of vitamin-K-dependent proteins) and fraction V (the source of albumin). Mice infected with the human strain of spongiform encephalopathy had very low levels of endogenous infectivity in buffy coat, plasma, cryoprecipitate, and fraction I+II+III, and no detectable infectivity in fractions IV or V. CONCLUSION: Convergent results from exogenous spiking and endogenous infectivity experiments, in which decreasing levels of infectivity occurred in cellular blood components, plasma, and plasma fractions, suggest a potential but minimal risk of acquiring Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from the administration of human plasma protein concentrates.