FETAL SCALP BLOOD SAMPLING

Fetal scalp blood sampling (FSBS), in conjunction with fetal heart rate monitoring, is a method of fetal surveillance that may avoid cesarean delivery of the healthy fetus or indicate the need for immediate delivery of a compromised fetus. Some researchers have recently begun to question the efficacy of FSBS. In this article, three nurse-midwives discuss FSBS as a tool in assessing fetal well-being during labor and consider whether FSBS is a nurse-midwifery procedure.     

Comparing histological data from different brains: Sources of error and strategies for minimizing them

The recent development of brain atlases with computer graphics templates, and of huge databases of neurohistochemical data on the internet, has forced a systematic re-examination of errors associated with comparing histological features between adjacent sections of the same brain, between brains treated in the same way, and between brains from groups treated in different ways. The long-term goal is to compare as accurately as possible a broad array of data from experimental brains within the framework of reference atlases. Main sources of error, each of which ideally should be measured and minimized, include intrinsic biological variation, linear and nonlinear distortion of histological sections, plane of section differences between each brain, section alignment problems, and sampling errors. These variables are discussed, along with approaches to error estimation and minimization in terms of a specific example—the distribution of neuroendocrine neurons in the rat paraventricular nucleus. Based on the strategy developed here, the main conclusion is that the best long-term solution is a high-resolution 3D computer graphics model of the brain that can be sliced in any plane and used as the framework for quantitative neuroanatomy, databases, knowledge management systems, and structure–function modeling. However, any approach to the automatic annotation of neuroanatomical data—relating its spatial distribution to a reference atlas—should deal systematically with these sources of error, which reduce localization reliability.     

Body mass index and age affect Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores in male subjects

This cross-sectional analysis evaluated the effect of age and body mass index (BMI) on Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores in males. Subjects (n = 60) were recruited according to BMI status. Each completed the 51-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. The group was split at the median age to produce a “younger” and “older” group for statistical analysis. A 2-way between-groups analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of BMI on disinhibition (P = .003) and hunger (P = .041) with higher levels found in overweight males compared to healthy-weight counterparts. A significant main effect of age on hunger (P = .046) demonstrated older males were less susceptible to hunger than younger males. These insights provide a better understanding of eating behavior across the male life cycle and may assist health professionals to better guide men in weight management in the light of rising overweight/obesity.     

Femoral shaft fractures in children

We report our experience with elastic stable intramedullary titanium nailing (ESIN) of femoral shaft fractures in children. From 1998 to 2001, we treated 31 children (20 boys), median age 6 (4-11) years, with ESIN for 29 closed and 2 grade I open femoral shaft fractures. We reviewed 30 children clinically after median 1.5 (1-3) years. Their median hospital stay was 6 (2-20) days. All fractures were radiographically united at a median of 7 (5-9) weeks. The nails were removed in 29 children after a median of 22 (6-38) weeks postoperatively. At follow-up, we found a leg-length discrepancy up to 1 cm in 6 children and 10 degrees of internal rotational deformity in 1 child. No angular deformity had occurred. Elastic stable intramedullary nailing seems to be a safe method for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children between 4 and 11 years of age.