A survey, in Scotland, of measures to prevent infection following orthopaedic surgery

The current use of methods, in Scotland, to prevent infection following orthopaedic surgery was established by postal questionnaire. Thirty-five per cent of surgeons used antibiotic cement routinely for total hip replacement. Ultraclean air facilities were provided for only 19%. Ninety-one per cent of surgeons used prophylactic parenteral antibiotics during total hip replacement, 75% in the management of open fractures, but only 12% for metal implants. Most chose an appropriate antibiotic. Only one-third of surgeons used an antibiotic regimen of appropriate duration and timing for total hip replacement or when employing metal implants.     

Lymphocytes capable of mediating delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions accumulate within sponge matrix allografts

The rejection of sponge matrix allografts across H-2 barriers has generally been found to contain specifically sensitized cytotoxic T cells to donor alloantigen. There is one exception: sponge matrix allografts that differ only with respect to class II alloantigens do not contain specifically sensitized cytotoxic T cells. We therefore investigated the capacity of infiltrating cells removed from sponge matrix allografts to generate delayed hypersensitivity reactions after exposure to fresh alloantigen in a footpad assay. Cells infiltrating class I and II allografts were equally capable of eliciting delayed footpad reactions when injected with specific donor alloantigen into the footpads of naive responder strain mice. Allosensitized T-lymphocyte clones of helper or cytotoxic type were also capable of initiating delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in vivo. We conclude that rejecting allografts across class I or II alloantigenic barriers are infiltrated by cells capable of effecting DTH reactions, in addition to their capacity to exert specific helper or specific cytotoxic reactions. The results also support that both helper and cytotoxic T cells can participate in allospecific DTH reactions.     

Automated system for recording galvanic skin reaction parameters

Since variations in the electric skin impedance delta R depend on an instantaneous value R, parameters of the cutaneogalvanic reaction should be assessed in the scale of the natural logarithm lnR. Such methodology allows an adequate comparison of results obtained in many patients or in a single patient during a long-term period.     

Mortality in the workers in the tire industry]

The article is concerned with a study of the mortality rates among the workers engaged at a tire-producing plant, for the 1950-1979 period. In comparison with the control population group, the contributors revealed increased mortality rates caused by cardiovascular diseases, malignant neoplasms, accidents, intoxications and traumas. Analysis of the labour conditions proved the influence of the unfavourable occupational factors on the mortality rates and mortality causes, excepting the indices of mortality caused by accidents, intoxications and traumas.