The impact of law enforcement activity on a heroin market

It may be argued that seizing large quantities of heroin being imported into the country should decrease its supply and hence increase its price, resulting in a reduction in the quantity of the drug being purchased or consumed. To date, however, there has been no empirical evidence that heroin seizures in Australia have any effect on the price of heroin at street level. This article describes a 2-year research study during which the price and purity of street-level heroin were regularly monitored. It was found that heroin seizures had no effect on the price, purity or perceived availability of heroin at street level. It was further found that admissions to methadone treatment were not affected by the price or perceived availability of heroin or by local arrests for heroin use/possession, nor was any relationship found between these arrests and the price of street-level heroin. Nevertheless, two-thirds of those who sought entry to local methadone programmes indicated the price as a reason for stopping using heroin. This paper argues that supply-side law enforcement should only be used as a strategy for maintaining high heroin prices if the demand for heroin can be shown to be price-elastic and, further, that the costs of such a strategy need to be weighed against the benefits.     

Immunogenicity study of low-dose administration of hepatitis B virus vaccine in newborn infants: A cost reduction trial

Different doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine—prepared by Korea Green Cross Corporation, were given to healthy infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers at birth, 1 and 6 months of age. A dose of 2 μg was administered intradermally in Group A and, in the three other groups, the vaccine was given intramuscularly (i.m.). An adequate follow-up observation was possible for 9 months after birth in 22, 25, 23 and 21 infants in Groups A, B, C and D, respecvely.
Group C (5 μg, i.m.) produced seroconversion most rapidly, showing the highest rate (96%) at 9 months of age. The lowest seroconversion rate (5%) was found at the age of 1 month in Group A subjects, but the rate increased to 91% after a booster dose was given at 6 months of age.
While it can be concluded that a 5 μg i.m. dose of vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months of age is optimum for the immunization of infants in efficacy and economy, a 2 μg intradermal dose can also be considered as an immunogenic and economical regimen, though the immune response is slower and a special technique is required for immunization.     

The health promoting school: progress and future challenges in Welsh secondary schools

Data were obtained from a random sample of 87 secondary schoolsin Wales (UK) about the organization and provision of healtheducation teaching, the implementation of health related policies,and the involvement of outside agencies and professionals inthe planning and delivery of health education programmes. Theresults suggest that schools have made progress in curriculumdevelopment. However, if the concept of the health promotingschool is to be translated into practice, greater attentionwill need to be given us the development of broadly based policiesfor health covering both pupils and staff and the better integrationof school programmes with community resources. Greater understandingof the health promoting school concept by teaching staff andthe development of examples of good practice in embedding healtheducation into national curriculum subjects, are also advocated.     

Comparative vaccination of cattle against Boophilus microplus with recombinant antigen Bm86 alone or in combination with recombinant Bm91

Cattle were vaccinated either with a single recombinant tick antigen, Bm86 or with a combination of two recombinant antigens, Bm86 and Bm91 from the tick Boophilus microplus . In three experiments, the responses of cattle to subsequent challenge with the tick were assessed. The addition of the Bm91 antigen enhanced the efficacy of the vaccination over that with Bm86 alone to a statistically significant degree. Moreover, co-vaccination with two antigens did not impair the response of cattle to the Bm86 antigen. Finally, responses of individual cattle to the two antigens were independent. All of these results may be relevant to the increase in efficacy expected from a dual antigen vaccine.     

MRU对肾移植术后原自体无功能肾、输尿管移行细胞癌的诊断价值(附21例报告)

目的：探讨磁共振水成像(Magnetic resistance urography,MRU)在肾移植术后对原自体无功能性肾、输尿管移行细胞癌的诊断价值。方法：对21例肾移植术后临床诊断为肾盂或输尿管移行细胞癌患者进行MRU检查,同时行逆行肾盂输尿管造影;11例行输尿管镜及病理学检查,并行MRU诊断。16例行经尿道输尿管口环形切开、腰部一处切口的肾输尿管全长切除术。结果：术前21例MRU检查均提示肾盂、输尿管有占位性病变,11例配合输尿管镜得出组织学诊断,术前诊断与手术结果一致。21例中,16例采用肾输尿管全长切除术均获得成功。结论：MRU对肾移植术后IVU不显影的原无功能性肾、输尿管移行细胞癌具有重要的临床诊断价值;输尿管口切除、肾输尿管全长切除术对移植肾同侧原肾发生肾盂输尿管癌一样有效。     

胫腓骨远端开放性骨折治疗分析

目的 探讨胫腓骨远端开放性骨折早期处理方法及疗效.方法 早期彻底清创,I期应用钢板螺钉内固定,根据软组织损伤程度和创口张力大小确定是否延期闭合伤口.结果 25例病人中无一例发生骨感染与骨不连;踝关节功能活动良好20例,活动受限5例,优良率80%(20/25).结论 胫腓远端开放性骨折早期彻底清创、应用钢板螺钉内固定以及对严重软组织损伤延期闭合伤口等处理,取得了满意的手术效果.     

Introduction to the Symposium Presented at the 1988 Annual Meeting of The society of Toxicology

The 1976 amendments to the Faxi, Drug, and Cosmetic Act establishedrequirements for obtaining approval to market new medical devices,including the necessity for demonstrating safety and effectiveness.Evaluation of the potential toxicity of medical devices presentstoxicologists with unique problems related to route of exposure,estimation of exposure dose, exposure to by-products generatedduring manufacture, and matrix effects. A symposium was organizedto address the need for toxicologists to examine the potentialtoxicities of medical device materials, to appreciate the uniqueproblems associated with medical device safety evaluation, topresent novel testing methodologies, and to discuss future researchneeds.     

Are DCD Donors Dead?

Donation after cardiac death protocols are widely accepted, so arguments for them have apparently been persuasive. But this does not mean they are sound.