Correlation of manual dexterity and comprehension with oral hygiene and periodontal status in mentally handicapped adults

Although there is relatively little information concerning the oral health of handicapped adults there is increasing evidence to suggest that their oral condition, particularly periodontal health, is poor. The present investigation involved assessment of 382 handicapped patients attending four different Adult Training Centres in Birmingham. The caries status, oral hygiene, and periodontal conditions were evaluated and the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN) was calculated. In order to assess the manual dexterity and the comprehension of the trainees a standard test was devised. This consisted of timing each participant in carrying out simple instructions to pick up and position certain common objects. The results indicated high levels of plaque, calculus, and bleeding with a mean CPITN of 7.43. The mean time taken for the manual dexterity and comprehension test was 23.9 seconds with a range from 10 to 80 seconds, S.E.+/- 1.33. This compares with results from 34 "normal" adults of a mean time of 8.2 seconds +/- 1.8 with a range of 6 to 12 seconds. There was no significant correlation between the Manual Dexterity and Comprehension scores and the periodontal indices in the handicapped adults.     

Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Medically Ill Elderly

Treatment with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) of medically ill geriatric patients with affective disorders is described. Of 135 patients to whom ECT was administered in 6 years, 55% were over 60 years of age. One-third (45) exhibited cardiovascular (62%), central nervous system (15%), or other medical conditions (22%) increasing the risks of the treatment. Treatment strategies are described.     

The implementation of a knowledge-based pathology Hypertext under HyperCard

A knowledge-based Hypertext of Pathology integrating videodisc-based images and computer-generated graphics with the textual cognitive information of an undergraduate pathology curriculum has been developed. The system described in this paper was implemented under HyperCard⁰⁰ during 1988 and 1989. Three earlier versions of the system that were developed on different platforms are contrasted with the present system. Strengths, weaknesses, and future extensions of the system are enumerated. The conceptual basis and organizational principles of the knowledge base are also briefly discussed.     

Chlorinated hydrocarbon levels in human serum: Effects of fasting and feeding

Twenty healthy adult humans had serum samples drawn on four occasions within a 24-hr period: after a 12 hr overnight fast, 4–5 hr after a high fat breakfast, at midafternoon, and the next morning after another 12 hr fast. Nonfasting samples had 22% to 29% higher mean concentrations (p < 0.05) than did fasting samples for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, 4.81 vs 3.74 ng/g serum wt), hexachlorobenzene (HCB, 0.163 vs 0.134 ng/g serum wt), andp,p-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p-DDE, 6.74 vs 5.37 ng/g serum wt) measured by electron capture gas liquid chromatography. Total serum lipids were estimated from measurements of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids and were 20% higher in nonfasting samples than in fasting samples (7.05 g/L vs 5.86 g/L). When PCBs, HCB, andp,p-DDE concentrations were corrected by total serum lipids, results from fasting and nonfasting samples were not statistically different. Because of the differences in these chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations observed with different sample collection regimens, meaningful comparison of analytical results requires standardizing collection procedures or correcting by total serum lipid levels.     

Prevention of Postinfectious Asthma in Children by Reducing Self-Inoculatory Behavior

Recent studies have shown that the spread of infectious nasalsecretions from hand-to-hand or hand-to-object, followed byself-inoculation is an efficient means of viral transmission.The present study was designed to investigate whether self-inoculationbehavior in asthmatic children could be reduced and, if so,whether this reduction would reduce the frequency of infectionand asthma. Sixteen subjects aged 4 to 8, all diagnosed withpostinfectious asthma, were assigned to a treatment (differentialreinforcement of other behavior and contingent education) orplacebo control condition. Results indicate that self-inoculatorybehavior, infection, and asthma were signjficantly reduced.These findings may indicate an important role for behavioralmedicine inpostinfectious asthma.     

Oriented astroglial cell growth on micropatterned polystyrene substrates

In an effort to develop a permissive environment for neural stem cell differentiation, directional growth of astrocytes has been achieved on polymer substrates in vitro. Manipulating a combination of physical and chemical cues, astrocyte adhesion and alignment in vitro were examined. To provide physical guidance, micropatterned polymer substrates of polystyrene (PS) were fabricated. Laminin was selectively adsorbed onto the grooves of the patterned surface. Rat type-1 astrocytes were seeded onto the micropatterned PS substrates, and the effects of substrate topography and the adsorption of laminin to the PS substrates on the behavior and morphology of the astrocytes were explored. The astrocytes were found to align parallel to the micropatterned grooves at initial seeding densities of approximately 7500, 13,000, and 20,000 cells/cm(2) due to the effects of the physical and chemical guidance mechanisms. Adsorbing laminin in the microgrooves of the micropatterned PS substrates improved cell adhesion and spreading of cytoskeletal filaments significantly. At these initial seeding densities, over 85% astrocyte alignment in the direction of the grooves was achieved on the micropatterned PS substrates with laminin adsorbed in the grooves. This combination of guidance cues has the potential to provide a permissive substrate for in vivo regeneration within the central nervous system.     

Incidences of selected lesions in control female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats from two-year studies performed by the National Toxicology Program

The NTP has a long history of using Fischer rats and has compiled a large database of incidences of lesions seen in control animals. Such a database is lacking for Harlan Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The intention of this paper is to report spontaneous lesions observed in female vehicle control Harlan SD rats, and to compare the incidence in 2 strains of rats (Fischer and Harlan SD) used in NTP studies. Female Harlan SD rats served as the test animals for a special series of 2-year studies. Male rats were not used in these studies. Complete histopathology was performed on all animals, and the pathology results underwent comprehensive NTP pathology peer review. The most commonly observed neoplasms in these female control Harlan SD rats were mammary gland fibroadenoma (71%), tumors of the pars distalis of the pituitary (41%) and thyroid gland C-cell tumors (30%). Female Fischer rats had incidences of 44% for mammary gland fibroadenomas, 34% for tumors of the pars distalis, and 16% for thyroid gland C-cell tumors. Fischer rats had a 15% incidence of clitoral gland tumors, while the Harlan SD rats had an incidence of < 1%. In contrast to Fischer F344 rats, the Harlan SD rats had a high incidence of squamous metaplasia of the uterus (44.2%). Squamous metaplasia is not a lesion commonly observed in NTP control Fischer rats. The Harlan SD rats had a very low incidence of mononuclear cell leukemia (0.5%), compared with an incidence of 24% in female Fischer rats.     

A reciprocal translocation (X;11) in a female with gonadal dysgenesis

A 24-year-old female patient was referred for evaluation of primary amenorrhea. Endocrine studies showed elevated gonadotropins, consistent with gonadal failure. At laparoscopy, a normal nulligravid uterus, normal fallopian tubes, and bilateral streak gonads were observed. Histologic studies showed that the left gonad consisted entirely of fibrous tissue, confirming the presence of streak gonads. Chromosome banding studies of peripheral blood and cultures of tissue from the left gonad demonstrated a 46,X,rcp(X;11)(q22;q13) karyotype. A review of reports of X-autosome reciprocal translocations indicated that abnormal gonadal development is associated with break-points in the mid-region of the long arm of the X chromosome.