Effect of Graft Size, Angle, and Intergraft Distance on Dense Packing in Hair Transplant

BACKGROUND: The maximum number of hair grafts that can be safely implanted in 1 cm2 is still debatable. To our knowledge, no previous report has addressed this issue in three dimensions, taking into account the size, the angle of the graft, and the intergraft distance. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of the size and angle of the graft and the intergraft distance on dense packing. METHODS: Using a mathematical formula (the maximum number of hair grafts in 1 cm2 = 33 * cosine), the volume of the recipient area and the volume of the hair graft are calculated, assuming that the surface area of the recipient area is 1 cm2, the diameter of the hair graft is 1 mm, and the intergraft distance is 1.5 mm laterally and 1 mm anteriorly and posteriorly. RESULTS: The maximum number of hair grafts that could be implanted in 1 cm2 at a 90 angle in relation to the skin surface is 33 grafts, at a 60 angle is 28 grafts, and at a 30 angle is 16 grafts. CONCLUSION: The maximum number of hair grafts that can be implanted in any given recipient area depends on the graft size, the angle or direction of these grafts, and the intergraft distance. Where more space is allowed between the grafts, and the more acute the angle, the fewer hair grafts that can be implanted.     

The Survey of Recent Life Experiences: A decontaminated hassles scale for adults

A new decontaminated hassles measure for adults, the Survey of Recent Life Experiences, was developed and validated. An initial pool of 92 items was administered to 100 subjects along with the Perceived Stress Scale. Fifty-one items were selected, based on significant correlations with the latter scale. The alpha reliability of the resultant final form of the Survey of Recent Life Experiences and its correlation with perceived stress were both high. In a separate cross-replication sample of 136 adults, the alpha reliability of the Survey and its correlation against the Perceived Stress Scale remained acceptably high. Moreover, separate-sex analyses supported the reliability and validity of the Survey of Recent Life Experiences across gender. Factor analysis of the Survey yielded six interpretable factors. Intercorrelations among subscales based on these factors were generally modest, suggesting that the scale is relatively free from contamination by psychological distress.The work reported was facilitated by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's Small Grant Program, administered by the Office of Research Administration, York University. The authors appreciate the cooperation of staff at the Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, and the assistance of Maria Gurevich in verifying the data.     

Health of a team competing in the 1990 World Solar Car Challenge.

The health of a team participating in the 1990 World Solar Car Challenge was recorded for 10 of the 11 race days. Morbidity was collected during daily consultations with the team doctor and the diagnoses were later converted to the ICPC code. Team members' self-perceived health status was also recorded daily, using the Nottingham Health Profile. Team drivers consulted the doctor more often than the support staff and the three full-time drivers had significantly more diagnoses than the support staff. The Nottingham Health Profile scores on sleep, energy and emotional reactions showed correlations between higher minimum temperatures and sleep for all team members and for the three full-time drivers, there were significant correlations between increasing maximum temperatures and emotional reaction scores. The morbidity records and perceived health scores reflect the conditions of the race. Twenty-five per cent of full-time driver consultations dealt with skin, eyelid or finger infections probably caused by the lack of washing water. The scores on sleep and emotional reactions were affected by temperature and previous research reports degradation in concentration and dual tasks with increasing temperature. This may account for the difficulty some drivers had in continuing their shifts. Close supervision of the drivers and the recording of their perceived health status helped reduce the health problems of the team.     

Binge drinking: prevalence, patterns and policy

This paper presents analyses of the pattern of ‘bingedrinking’ in Wales, based on data drawn from a 1993 surveyof 12 167 (67%) 18–64 year olds resident in 15 212 householdsin Wales. Binge drinking, defined as drinking half the weeklyrecommended units of alcohol in a single drinking session, wasfound to be most prevalent among young adults, males, the manualsocial group, those who did not undertake any further educationafter secondary school, those who are single, divorced or separated,beer drinkers and those who concentrate most of their drinkingat weekends. 28.2% of men and 8.2% of women reported binge drinkingat least once a week, of whom about 42% felt that their levelof drinking was harmful to their health. About a quarter statedthat they would like to reduce their alcohol consumption butonly a small number had been advised to do so by their GeneralPractitioner. The public health impact of binge drinking isdiscussed. It is recommended that sensible drinking messagesshould emphasize the need to reduce binge drinking as well asto moderate overall weekly consumption and should be supportedby policies to create environments that support sensible alcoholuse.     

Serotonin 5- HT (2C) receptor knockout mice: autoradiographic analysis of multiple serotonin receptors.

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to study possible alterations of the densities of multiple serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes and of serotonin transporter in the brain of 5-HT(2C) receptor knockout mice. The radioligands employed were [(3)H]citalopram, [(3)H]WAY100,635, [(3)H]8-OH-DPAT, [(3)H]GR125743, [(3)H]sumatriptan, [(3)H]MDL100,907, [(125)I](+/-)DOI, [(3)H]mesulergine, [(3)H]5-HT, [(3)H]GR113808, and [(3)H]5-CT. As expected, radioligands that label 5-HT(2C) receptors showed a complete absence of labeling in mutant mice choroid plexus and significantly reduced densities in other brain regions expressing 5-HT(2C) receptors. With the rest of the radioligands, no significant alterations in the densities of labeled sites were found in any brain region. In situ hybridization showed no changes in 5-HT(2A) receptor and serotonin transporter mRNA levels, whereas 5-HT(2C) receptor mRNA levels were reduced in certain brain regions. The present results indicate that the mouse serotonergic system does not exhibit compensatory up- or down-regulation of the majority of its components (serotonin transporter and most 5-HT receptor subtypes) in response to the absence of 5-HT(2C) receptors.     

Factors Affecting Emergency Department Opioid Administration to Severely Injured Patients

OBJECTIVES: Studies of emergency department (ED) pain management in patients with trauma have been mostly restricted to patients with fractures, yet the potential for undertreatment of more severely injured patients is great. The authors sought to identify factors associated with failure to receive ED opioid administration in patients with acute trauma who subsequently required hospitalization. METHODS: At an urban Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital, a retrospective cohort study of trauma team activation patients requiring hospitalization between January 1 and December 31, 1999, was conducted. The authors excluded patients receiving opioids only within ten minutes of chest tube insertion or fracture manipulation. The main outcome measure was ED opioid administration. RESULTS: A total of 540 charts of hospitalized first-tier trauma team activation patients were reviewed. A total of 258 (47.8%) received intravenous opioid analgesia within three hours of ED arrival. The median time to receiving the first dose of opioids was 95 minutes. Patients were independently less likely to receive opioids if they were younger or older, were intubated, had a lower Revised Trauma Score, or did not require fracture manipulation. Patients with these factors were less likely to receive opioids independent of the amount of time they spent in the ED. CONCLUSIONS: Many trauma activation patients requiring hospitalization do not receive opioid analgesia in the ED. Patients at particular risk for oligoanalgesia include those who are younger or older and those who are more seriously injured, as defined by a lower Revised Trauma Score, lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, and intubation.