Surface area estimation: pocket calculator v nomogram.

Three sheets of 10 surface area determinations were completed by 10 subjects using a nomogram and a formula. The formula was faster to calculate, 4.27 v 7.6 minutes for each sheet, and resulted in fewer serious errors (three v 30 errors).     

Effects of ephedrine and atenolol on the development of obesity and diabetes in ob/ob mice

To investigate the involvement of adrenergic mechanisms in the development of obesity, hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia in Aston ob/ob mice, the sympathomimetic agent ephedrine (12 mg/kg/day) and the predominantly beta 1-adrenergic antagonist atenolol (12 mg/kg/day) were administered alone and in combination to weanling ob/ob mice for 40 days. Excessive weight gain in ob/ob mice was reduced (15-20%) by ephedrine, exacerbated (8-10%) by atenolol, but not significantly altered by a combination of these agents. The effects of ephedrine and atenolol were lost rapidly (within 5 days) when these agents were withdrawn. Ephedrine slightly reduced the hyperphagia in ob/ob mice, and food intake was transiently increased above that of untreated ob/ob mice when this agent was withdrawn. The development of basal hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia was not significantly altered by any of the treatments studied. None of the treatments significantly altered body weight, food intake, plasma glucose or plasma insulin concentrations in lean (+/+) mice. The results indicate that a defective adrenergic mechanism involving beta 1-adrenergic receptors contributes to the development of obesity in ob/ob mice.     

Phaeohyphomycotic cutaneous disease caused by Pleurophoma in a cardiac transplant patient

A 56-y-old female cardiac transplant patient treated with cyclosporine and prednisone noted the onset of three nontender red nodules on the legs and arms after gardening. Biopsy of all lesions revealed inflammatory cells and hyphal elements in the dermis. The dematiaceous fungus cultured from biopsy tissue was a pycnidial-forming organism of the genus Pleurophoma. The lesions responded to the topical application of miconazole.     

Resistance of urinary tract isolates of Escherichia coli to cotrimoxazole, sulphonamide, trimethoprim and ampicillin: an 11-year survey

The susceptibility of urinary tract Escherichia coli isolates to cotrimoxazole, sulphonamide, trimethoprim, and ampicillin was monitored over an 11-year period. A trend in increasing resistance to cotrimoxazole and trimethoprim was observed, but there was no comparable alteration in sulphonamide resistance. Ampicillin resistance was high at the beginning of the survey period and continued to rise.     

Recovery from infectious mononucleosis after altitude training in an elite middle distance runner.

OBJECTIVES: This investigation was designed to monitor altitude acclimatisation in an elite cohort of distance runners and follow the subsequent recovery from infectious mononucleosis which developed in one of these athletes. METHODS: Twenty six national standard distance runners performed treadmill tests 24 days before they travelled to an altitude camp (1500 to 2000 m). One of these athletes was diagnosed as suffering from infectious mononucleosis 14 days after return to sea level. A physician prescribed an individualised training programme which was designed to maximise recovery from the condition, which was monitored on days 16 and 147 after altitude training. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the athlete was in a state of over-reaching during the altitude sojourn. After return to sea level, the early stages of infectious mononucleosis resulted in a marked impairment in physiological response to endurance exercise, which improved over time. Longitudinal physiological monitoring in conjunction with a carefully prescribed training programme made recovery from this condition possible.     

On the dual structure of the auditory brainstem response in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To use the over-complete discrete wavelet transform (OCDWT) to further examine the dual structure of auditory brainstem response (ABR) in the dog. METHODS: ABR waveforms recorded from 20 adult dogs at supra-threshold (90 and 70dBnHL) and threshold (0-15dBSL) levels were decomposed using a six level OCDWT and reconstructed at individual scales (frequency ranges) A6 (0-391Hz), D6 (391-781Hz), and D5 (781-1563Hz). RESULTS: At supra-threshold stimulus levels, the A6 scale (0-391Hz) showed a large amplitude waveform with its prominent wave corresponding in latency with ABR waves II/III; the D6 scale (391-781Hz) showed a small amplitude waveform with its first four waves corresponding in latency to ABR waves I, II/III, V, and VI; and the D5 scale (781-1563Hz) showed a large amplitude, multiple peaked waveform with its first six waves corresponding in latency to ABR waves I, II, III, IV, V, and VI. At threshold stimulus levels (0-15dBSL), the A6 scale (0-391Hz) continued to show a relatively large amplitude waveform, but both the D6 and D5 scales (391-781 and 781-1563Hz, respectively) now showed relatively small amplitude waveforms. CONCLUSIONS: A dual structure exists within the ABR of the dog, but its relative structure changes with stimulus level. SIGNIFICANCE: The ABR in the dog differs from that in the human both in the relative contributions made by its different frequency components, and the way these components change with stimulus level.