Hematocrit and cardiovascular risk factors among elderly men and women (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System).

Changes in whole blood viscosity associated with hematocrit could be one of the pathways along which the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors affect these diseases. Therefore, we studied in a nationwide survey comprising 514 apparently healthy Dutch elderly men and women aged 65-79 the possibility of any association between hematocrit and CVD risk factors (tobacco smoking, serum cholesterol, body mass index and blood pressure). Among men, diastolic blood pressure and total serum cholesterol were positively associated with hematocrit in both bivariate and multivariate regression analysis, whereas positive associations of hematocrit with body mass index and smoking were only significant (p < 0.05) in bivariate analysis. Among women, hematocrit was positively associated with body mass index and smoking. Except for smoking, which was associated with the mean corpuscular volume of the erythrocytes, hematocrit was positively correlated with hemoglobin and the number of erythrocytes. It is concluded that hemorrheological aspects should be considered when studying CVD among elderly people.     

Detecting domestic vectors of Chagas disease: a comparative trial of six methods in north-west Argentina.

Six methods for detecting domestic infestations by triatomine bugs were compared in the rural community of Amamá, north-west Argentina. An average of three pairs (range, 2-5 pairs) of sensor boxes and sheets of pink typing-paper were tacked to the walls of human sleeping areas in 45 houses for 30 days and then inspected by a two-man team. Triatoma infestans bugs were collected in bedrooms by a different two-man team aided by a flushing-out agent both before and after application of sensing devices. Finally, knockdown collections of bugs after application of one insecticide fumigant canister per bedroom were also made. The proportion of houses with evidence of current domestic bug infestations that were detected by the various methods were as follows: sensor boxes (95.3%), reports of householders (88.4%), knockdown (87.8%), paper-sheets (86.0%), and flushing-out (69.8-76.7%). The detectability of infestations, irrespective of the method used, increased with the density of the bugs. At low or intermediate bug densities, individual sensor boxes were more sensitive than their matched paper-sheets, but at any bug density there were no significant differences between the pooled results for all the boxes and for all the paper-sheets in the house. On average, each sensor box recorded 2.25 times more triatomine faecal smears than its matched paper-sheet, and this relation increased with the density of bugs in the house. Both sensing devices were effective at monitoring unsuccessful attempts of peridomestic triatomine populations to colonize houses.     

Calculation of Hydrolytic Rate Constants of Poly(ortho ester)s from Molecular Weights Determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography

Purpose. To obtained rate constants from weight-averaged (M_w) or z-averaged (M_z) molecular weights for polymers of Schule-Flory distribution and undergoing random scission. These constants were compared with those obtained by parallel ¹HNMR studies. Methods. The hydrolysis of two poly(ortho ester)s were followed by ¹HNMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Results. Equations to convert number-averaged (M_n), M_w and M_z into fraction of backbone remaining (f_c) were derived. First-order hydrolytic rate constants of two poly(ortho ester)s; DETOSU-HD and DETOSU-CDM were calculated using these relationships. The rate constants calculated from ¹HNMR, M_z and M_w were 0.215, 0.218 and 0.182 hr^–1, respectively, for DETOSU-CDM and 0.152, 0.086 and 0.038 hr^–l for DETOSU-HD. The large discrepancy in the rates determined by ¹HNMR and GPC in the latter case was attributed to that the detector response (refractive index) of the monomers was lower than that of the high molecular weight polymer. The difference is small in the case of DETOSU-CDM, and the rates calculated from GPC data were comparable or nearly identical to that obtained from ¹HNMR data. Conclusions. Although GPC can yield rapid and valuable kinetic data for the degradation of biodegradable polymers, the system, however, must be carefully calibrated to account for the variations in Mark-Houwink coefficients and in the response of the mass detector between the high and low MW polymers.     

Prognostic factors in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Histological malignancy grading and its correlation to prognosis were retrospectively investigated in 303 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. A scoring system based on several variables is suggested. The scores and the individual histological variables were tested along with clinical factors with a view to predicting survival. Various histological variables including mode of invasion, depth of invasion and nuclear polymorphism, as well as the sum of the scores were good predictors of survival. The study revealed a significantly better survival rate in stage III if no metastases were suspected. An age factor was also found showing that cancer of the vulva has a worse prognosis in older women.     

The effect of magnesium on maternal blood pressure in pregnancy-induced hypertension. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

The effects of magnesium were compared with those of placebo in a randomized double-blind controlled study of 58 patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension, of whom 27 received magnesium and 31 placebo. Twenty patients in each group were nulliparas. The treatment comprised 48 h of either intravenous magnesium or placebo infusion followed by daily oral magnesium or placebo tablets until one day after delivery. Magnesium supplementation significantly reduced maternal mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). The gestational age at delivery was the same in both groups, whereas the relative fetal birth weight among nulliparas was reduced in the placebo group. Unbalanced analyses of variance suggested an influence of magnesium supplement on birth weight. The infants in the magnesium supplemented group spent fewer days in the neonatal intensive care unit. There were no perinatal deaths. Magnesium appeared to be beneficial in the management of pregnancy-induced hypertension. The better outcome associated with magnesium supplementation may not have been due to reduction of MAP and further studies are needed to clarify whether magnesium influences birth weight.     

Copy-milled all-ceramic restorations: case reports.

When all-ceramic systems are used, a respect for biocompatibility, an understanding of the patient's esthetic demands, and a justifiable reliance on the strength of the selected system are integral to success. Severely damaged molar teeth in two patients were restored with all-ceramic onlays that were prepared with a copy-milling system for ceramics. The onlay patterns were fabricated directly in the mouth with autopolymerizing resin. For these patients, the use of biologic, all-ceramic, copy-milled restorations resulted in clinical success as well as recovered function and esthetics.     

The evaluation of clinical results of hepatic artery embolization.

The clinical symptoms and liver function following hepatic artery embolization (h.a.e.) in patients with inoperable liver neoplasms were evaluated. The study was performed on 28 patients 11 of whom were male in the age of 53-72 years and 17 female aged 16-76. Before embolization liver function was evaluated on the basis of clinical data and laboratory tests. Transcatheter hepatic artery embolization was performed using Spongostan. Following h.a.e. clinical status and biochemical analysis of blood and urine were checked repeatedly. Twenty-two patients developed post embolization syndrome dominated by: epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting. Fourteen patients and disturbed intestinal motoric. All those symptoms were transient and lasted 1-3 days. Elevated body temperature was observed in 14 patients. There was a statistically significant increase of ALAT & AspAT after embolization lasting for a few days. There were however no statistically significant changes in the results of tymol test and total bilirubin level in blood.     

Differential expression of acidic and basic FGF in the rat substantia nigra during development.

Both acidic (aFGF) and basic (bFGF) fibroblast growth factors have been shown to be present in the adult rat ventral mesencephalon and to exert effects on cultured mesencephalic cells. In the present study we have examined the expression of aFGF and bFGF in the rat ventral mesencephalon at various stages of development. bFGF was present at all ages examined [embryonic day 16 (E16) to postnatal day 90 (P90)]. In contrast, aFGF was not detectable at embryonic and early postnatal ages, but was observed at later (P20, P60, P90) postnatal stages. These data suggest that aFGF and bFGF may have functions in mesencephalic dopamine neurones in different stages of development.     

The MTT-assay as a rapid test for cell proliferation and cell killing: application to human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL).

The possibility to use the colorimetric MTT assay for measuring proliferation and cell death of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was studied. In a range from 100,000-800,000 cells/well a linear correlation between the optical signal (OD signal at 570 nm) and the cell number was found. It is necessary to incubate the cells with the MTT at least 2 hours. After stimulation by different PHA concentrations a very good correlation between [3H] thymidine incorporation and MTT assay was found. A comparison of daunomycin cytotoxicity, measurement by trypan blue exclusion and MTT assay, gave also a good correlation between both methods. It can be pronounced that the MTT assay is a suitable method to measure cell proliferation and cell death of human PBL. The assay is easy to handle, a large number of probes can be assayed in a relatively short time and no radioactivity is necessary. For the measurement of the colored product a common ELISA reader can be used.