Mature-age entrants to medical school: a controlled study of sociodemographic characteristics, career choice and job satisfaction

A comparison of 121 mature-age and 270 normal-age entrants who graduated from the University of Queensland Medical School between 1972 and 1987 shows that mature-age entrants are some 7 years older, are more likely to come from public (state) schools and less likely to have parents in professional/technical occupations. Otherwise, the two groups were similar in terms of gender, marital status, number of children, ethnic background and current practice location. The educational background of mature-age entrants prior to admission includes 44.6% with degrees in health-science areas and 31.4% with degrees in non-health areas. Reasons for delayed entry of mature-age entrants include late consideration of medicine as a career (34.7%), financial problems (31.4%), dissatisfaction with previous career (30.6%), poor academic results (19.8%), or a combination of the above factors. Motivations to study medicine include family influences (more so in normal-age entrants), altruistic reasons (more so in mature-age entrants) and a variety of personal/social factors such as intellectual satisfaction, prestige and financial security (similar for both groups) and parental expectations (more so in normal-age entrants). Mature-age entrants experienced greater stress throughout the medical course, especially with regard to financial difficulties, loneliness/isolation from the students and family problems (a greater proportion were married with children). While whole-course grades were similar in both groups, normal-age entrants tended to win more undergraduate honours/prizes and postgraduate diplomas/degrees, including specialist qualifications. Practice settings were similar in terms of group private practice, hospital/clinic practice or medical administration, but there was a greater proportion of mature-age entrants in solo private practice, and a smaller proportion in teaching/research. If given the time over, some two-thirds of both groups would choose medicine as a career. Reasons for job satisfaction include helping patients, intellectual stimulation and financial rewards. Reasons for dissatisfaction include pressure of work, red-tape/paperwork, 'doctor-bashing', long working hours, emotional strain, financial pressure, unfulfilled career expectations and irritation with trivial medical complaints.     

Factors related to renal haemodynamics in young type-1 diabetes mellitus patients

The influence of metabolic control (HbA_1c), noradrenaline (NA) and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) on renal function and size was investigated in 11 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients aged 11–17 years. Renal function was evaluated in terms of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF). Renal size was determined as renal parenchymal volume (RPV) by ultrasonography. The patients' HbA_1c values ranged from 8.2% to 12.9% (normal range 5.5–8.5%) and their GFR and ERPF were higher than normal. Their IGF-II values were higher, and NA and IGF-I levels were lower than those of healthy controls. Inverse correlations between NA and GFR (r=–0.66) and NA and ERPF (r=–0.63) were found. No correlation was found between serum IGF-I and renal functional parameters. The IGF-II values correlated with GFR and HbA_1c (r=0.63,r=0.70 respectively). There were linear correlations between RPV and GFR, RPV and ERPF, HbA_1c and GFR, and ERPF and RPV. Decreased NA concentrations and increased IGF-II values appear to be factors contributing to renal hyperfunction in these patients.     

呼吸道感染与气象因素的关系

呼吸道感染是呼吸系统常见病、多发病。利用杭州地区1990年1月～1992年12月气象资料作了统计分析，并对同期来海军杭州疗养院门诊就诊的呼吸道感染病人进行了调查。结果为1～3、11、12月发病率高，与5～9月相比有非常显著差异（P＜0．001），呼吸道感染与气温低，湿度高，温差大，天气骤变等气象因素密切相关。潮冷天气（气温在10℃以下），频繁降温（每月3次以上），大幅度降温（4℃以上）三种气象因素共同存在情况下可导致呼吸道感染性疾病的高发。同时从气象学角度提出了预防该病的一些措施。     

Epidemiological study on the hepatotoxicity of occupational toluene exposure

Summary In a cross-sectional study of 181 male workers of a rotogravure printing plant, most of whom were exposed to toluene levels well above the GDR threshold limit values, 55 subjects revealed pathological liver screening values (activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino-transferase, gamma glutamyltransferase; liver size). The differential diagnostic examination showed in 51 out of these 55 subjects an association with competing factors such as alcohol abuse (78%) and overweight (40%), to a slight extent disorders of fat and carbohydrate metabolism and of the gallbladder. Drug intake did not play any role. The variance and regression analyses of the biochemical data have shown that alcohol significantly and considerably increases the activities of all three enzymes tested. Bodyweight had a similar, but less pronounced, significant effect. On the other hand, in subjects with a higher alcohol intake the activities of liver enzymes in highly toluene exposed subgroups were significantly and clearly lower than among slightly toluene exposed workers.     

家禽加工流水线作业工人颈肩腕疾患的调查

对１４９名家禽加工厂作业女工的颈肩腕疾患进行了调查。结果表明：观察组职业性颈肩腕疾患ＯＣＤ，（肩周炎、尺管综合征、腕管综合征、腱鞘炎、肱骨内外髁炎）的总发生率为３９．６０％，与对照组相比差异有非常显著意义（Ｐ＜０．０１），其发生率与工龄、年龄及工种别有关。我们认为ＯＣＤ发生的职业危险因素主要是上肢反复用力活动、静力作业、不合理的操作姿势，而且低温、高温的作业环境对ＯＣＤ的发生也起到一定的促进作用。     

Acute respiratory distress during Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia A probable case of anaphylactoid reaction to Syntocinon

A case of life-threatening respiratory distress during a Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia is reported. Possible causes of the event including anaphylactoid reactions and the methods of their diagnosis are discussed. The most likely cause of the episode was felt to be an anaphylactoid reaction to Syntocinon.     

化工行业职业性机械伤害危险因素的病例-交叉方法研究

目的 研究化工行业机械伤害的有关诱发因素，估计其作用强度。方法 采用病例-交叉设计的方法。以操作和检修时受伤的化工工人为研究对象，每个对象在受伤后2d内完成调查，收集他们受伤前10min、上一工作日同一段时间和受伤前1周内有关诱发因素暴露的信息，用配对时间段方法和一般频数法进行分析，评估各种诱发因素的危险度。结果 一般频数法分析的结构表明，操作方法异常、设备工具缺陷、工作紧迫、注意力不集中、不使用防护用品、精神状况较差、与同事配合不协调、工作环境发生变化等瞬时危害因素的RR值及95%可信限的下限均大于1。配对时间段方法分析的结果与其相拟，但95%可信限较宽。结论 化工行业职业性机械伤害的发生存在着诸多诱发因素。病例-交叉研究中的一般频数法与配对时间段方法相比，前者所得结果较为可靠，研究的相对效率较高。建议进一步使用多个时间段方法进行研究，以减小混杂因素的影响。     

Importance of Albumin, 25(OH)-Vitamin D and IGFBP-3 as Risk Factors in Elderly Women and Men with Hip Fracture

The relative importance of vitamin D deficiency, secondary hyperparathyroidism, nutritional deficiency and low bone mineral density (BMD) as risk factors for hip fracture is not definitely established. In the framework of a case-control study of risk factors for hip fractured, biochemical markers of bone metabolism and nutrition and femoral BMD data were compared in 136 female and 43 male hip fracture patients, 126 female and 44 male age-matched hospitalized controls, and 47 healthy elderly women (8 men). Patients with hip fracture had lower albumin (−10%9 and 25(OH)-vitamin D (25(OH)D; −19%) compared with hospitalized controls, and lower albumin (−28%) and 25(OH)D levels (−52%) compared with the elderly controls. Serum values of IGFBP-3 were also significantly lower (−33%) in hip fracture patients than in community controls. BMD of femoral neck was lower (p < 0.001) in patients than in hospitalized and community controls. In hip fracture patients, parathyroid hormone (PTH) correlated weakly with BMD (neck: r = −0.19, trochanter: r = −0.17; both p < 0.05). When all women were pooled (n = 233), albumin correlated significantly (age-adjusted) with BMD at all sites (neck: r = 0.27, trochanter: r = 0.25; all p < 0.001). Albumin, but not 25(OH)D, also correlated with skinfold thickness (r = 0.19, p < 0.0025) and with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.14, p < 0.05). Male patients with hip fracture had lower BMD and albumin (both p < 0.001), 25(OH)D (p = 0.02) and IGFBP-3 levels (p <: 0.005) compared with the controls. When male patients and controls were pooled together, albumin, skinfold thickness and BMI were significantly correlated with each other, but not with BMD. IGFBP-3 was highly correlated with albumin (p < 0.0001), 25(OH)D (p < 0.005) and, less significantly, with PTH (p < 0.05), but not with BMI or skinfold thickness. IGFBP-3 was significantly correlated with BMD at all sites (neck: r = 0.27, p < 0.05); trochanter: r = 0.40, p < 0.0005). In conclusion, low albumin and low BMD were both important risk factors for hip fracture. Low serum albumin was the strongest independent variable correlated with hip fractures. In men, IGFBP-3 was correlated with BMD. The femoral BMD depended only weakly on PTH and 25(OH)D, but was correlated at all sites with albumin, a non-specific parameter of nutrition and general health.     

Resiliency and Adult Adaptation in Women with and Without Self-Reported Histories of Childhood Sexual Abuse

This study investigated the relationship of protective factors (PF) to adult adaptation in a nonclinical sample consisting of 264 undergraduate women: two groups without childhood sexual abuse (CSA), high (n = 109) and low (n = 99) on PF; and two groups with CSA, high (n = 17) and low (n = 27) on PF. The first hypothesis that higher levels of PF would be significantly associated with higher levels of functioning for all individuals was supported by the data. The second hypothesis that the women with CSA and higher levels of PF would appear similar in adaptation to those without CSA was also supported. The findings further suggest that though the protective factors were beneficial for most individuals, they were significantly more helpful for those with CSA.     

Study of nerve regeneration in centrocentral anastomosis

Summary Nerve regeneration was studied in a model of centrocentral anastomosis (CCA) performed on the sciatic nerve of the rat. Experimental CCA was made by suturing the proximal end of the peroneal branch on the proximal end of the sural branch, placing between them a peroneal nerve graft (Group I, 20 rats) or a silicone chamber (Group II, 12 rats). Nerve grafts had a length of 5mm and silicone chambers 7 mm. In six silicone chambers an 1 mm nerve graft was placed in the centre of the tube. In group I animals anterograde degeneration was studied by cutting the graft 60 days after surgery. In group II, nerve regeneration was studied 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Results indicate that in CCA: 1) regenerated axons coming from one nerve end grow into the graft but do not cross the contralateral suture line; 2) regeneration is poorer in silicone chambers than in nerve grafts; and, 3) in silicone chambers regeneration is related to time. The reduction in the regenerative capability in CCA seems to be related to the alteration of nerve sprouts aiming for the peripheral targets.