A new procedure for calibrating the Video Imaging Technique for Assessing dermal Exposure to pesticides

Improvements in the calibration techniques used in a Video Imaging Technique for Assessing Exposure (VITAE) were examined. A series of standard curves measuring change in fluorescence with increased tracer deposition within narrow pre-exposure skin tone groupings on volunteer human subjects were developed. Nine highly linear curves were generated. Data from these curves were used to develop calibration curves which permitted the computerized correction of fluorescence based on the pre-exposure skin fluorescence. VITAE estimates of dermal tracer deposition were highly correlated with application rates (r²=0.98). The fluorescent tracer 4-methyl-7-diethylaminocoumarin was found to be stable for up to 48 h in a greenhouse environment when applied to chrysanthemum foliage or alpha-cellulose patches. The percentage of tracer which could be dislodged from chrysanthemum foliage was constant over 48 h. Improvements in the VITAE calibration techniques increase its value in providing full-body dosimetric estimates of dermal exposure to pesticides in enclosed environments.     

"Cataplexy" and muscle ultrasound abnormalities in Coffin-Lowry syndrome.

The Coffin-Lowry syndrome is a rare cause of mental retardation recognised by its distinctive facial and digital features. We have observed an unusual, non-epileptic, cataplexy-like phenomenon in three subjects with the syndrome and we speculate that this feature may go unrecognised. We also provide evidence of neuromuscular dysfunction as part of the phenotype by showing abnormalities on muscle ultrasound in four gene carriers.     

Physiological evaluation of gait disturbances post stroke.

A large proportion of stroke survivors have to deal with problems in mobility. Proper evaluations must be undertaken to understand the sensorimotor impairments underlying locomotor disorders post stroke, so that evidence-based interventions can be developed. The current electrophysiological, biomechanical, and imagery evaluations that provide insight into locomotor dysfunction post stroke, as well as their advantages and limitations, are reviewed in this paper. In particular, electrophysiological evaluations focus on the contrast of electromyographic patterns and integrity of spinal reflex pathways during perturbed and unperturbed locomotion between persons with stroke and healthy individuals. At a behavioral level, biomechanical evaluations that include temporal distance factors, kinematic and kinetic analyses, as well as the mechanical energy and metabolic cost, are useful when combined with electrophysiological measures for the interpretation of gait disturbances that are related to the control of the central nervous system or secondary to biomechanical constraints. Finally, current methods in imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation can provide further insight into cortical control of locomotion and the integrity of the corticospinal pathways.     

Diagnosis in Prader-Willi syndrome.

Thirty one patients with the putative diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome were reassessed clinically and by DNA analysis. Eleven patients were judged not to have Prader-Willi syndrome and 20 to have the condition. This was confirmed by DNA analysis in all but one case. The diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome, especially in early infancy, should be made with caution unless confirmed by molecular genetic studies.     

Vietnamese refugees in Victoria, B.C.: An overview of immigrant and refugee health care in a medium-sized Canadian urban centre

This paper examines the manner in which Vietnamese refugees acces the healthcare system in Victoria, British Columbia. A major theme of this study was the identification of barriers to health care access and provision as perceived by refugees and health care providers, as well as areas of overlap between the two sets of perceptions. The study was based on interview protocols developed with key informants followed by structured samples of 20 Vietnamese and 20 health care workers. The major issue identified by both groups was problematic interpretation of patient symptoms and health care provider recommendations. Lack of health care worker understanding of traditional remedies for common ailments was also identified as a barrier to health care access and utilization. The special problems of unemployment, depression, surviving torture and getting assistance are all made more difficult for refugees living in a smaller urban centre which lacks sufficiently large ethnic populations to assist in service provision. A number of suggestions are made which might ameliorate the difficulties of refugees living in smaller communities. These include municipally based client advocates and special translation training for existing hospital staff.