Non-auditory effects of noise in industry

A review of the literature shows a growing interest in non-auditory effects of noise at work. Somatic, vestibular and psychological effects and different kinds of activity interferences are described. Suggestive evidence of an elevation of the blood pressure by noise exists, although the quality of the studies is limited. Many non-auditory effects can be described in a stress model. Annoyance and stress, however, were seldom the subject of field studies.     

一种适用于聚合酶链反应的常见念珠菌基因组DNA提取方法的研究

目的介绍一种简单、快速的真菌DNA提取方法,提高真菌DNA提取效率,减少毒性和污染性,以适应临床研究需要。方法同时用溶细胞酶结合Biospin真菌基因组DNA提取试剂盒和十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)法,提取白色念珠菌、热带念珠菌、克柔念珠菌和净平滑念珠菌基因组DNA,用A260/A280的比值检测DNA的纯度并计算质量浓度,同时行聚合酶链反应(PCR)以评价其可靠性。结果溶细胞酶结合Biospin真菌基因组DNA提取试剂成功提取所用真菌基因组DNA,其纯度及质量浓度能满足PCR反应的要求。结论用溶细胞酶结合Biospin真菌基因组DNA提取试剂提取DNA,简单、快速、高效,可用于PCR反应。     

Stage line diagram: An age‐conditional reference diagram for tracking development

This paper presents a method for calculating stage line diagrams, a novel type of reference diagram useful for tracking developmental processes over time. Potential fields of applications include: dentistry (tooth eruption), oncology (tumor grading, cancer staging), virology (HIV infection and disease staging), psychology (stages of cognitive development), human development (pubertal stages) and chronic diseases (stages of dementia). Transition probabilities between successive stages are modeled as smoothly varying functions of age. Age‐conditional references are calculated from the modeled probabilities by the mid‐P value. It is possible to eliminate the influence of age by calculating standard deviation scores (SDS). The method is applied to the empirical data to produce reference charts on secondary sexual maturation. The mean of the empirical SDS in the reference population is close to zero, whereas the variance depends on age. The stage line diagram provides quick insight into both status (in SDS) and tempo (in SDS/year) of development of an individual child. Other measures (e.g. height SDS, body mass index SDS) from the same child can be added to the chart. Diagrams for sexual maturation are available as a web application at http://vps.stefvanbuuren.nl/puberty . The stage line diagram expresses status and tempo of discrete changes on a continuous scale. Wider application of these measures scores opens up new analytic possibilities. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flexible and floating choroid plexus cyst of the third ventricle: an ultrasonographic video documentation

Introduction Choroid plexus cysts can lead to isolation of the lateral ventricles and distension of the third ventricle. We present an ultrasonographic video documentation of an infant with variably shaped and localized choroid plexus cyst of the third ventricle. Case report An infant had periods of increased intracranial pressure with changing dilatation of the first to third ventricle. Cerebral ultrasonography of the not crying boy demonstrated a choroid plexus cyst limply hanging down from the roof of the third ventricle to the beginning of the aqueduct of Sylvius. During crying, the cyst prolapsed from the third into left lateral ventricle and was strangled by the foramen of Monro. Endoscopic cyst fenestration and third ventriculostomy continuously solved the problem of intermittent hydrocephalus occlusus. Conclusion Depending not only on localization and size but also on cyst form and cerebrospinal fluid pressure, a single choroid plexus cyst can cause various obstructions of cerebrospinal fluid pathways.