Skin problems after a tsunami

BACKGROUND: On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake for 40 years, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that pounded the coastal areas of South Asia and East Africa. The effects of the tsunami on skin conditions have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the tsunami on skin conditions by evaluating the skin problems of patients presenting at hospitals after the tsunami. METHODS: Between 5 and 25 January 2005, two dermatologists evaluated patients who complained of skin problems at an outpatient clinic and emergency room of a general hospital in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. RESULTS: The total number of patients that presented during the study period was 235 (131 males and 104 females), and they had a total of 265 skin problems. In terms of age distribution, most subjects were in their fourth decade (23.0%), followed by the third (22.6%) and fifth decade (16.6%). The most prevalent skin problems were infections-infestations (32.5%), followed by eczemas (29.8%) and traumatic skin disorders (29.4%). In males, traumatic skin disorders were most common. The great majority of infection-infestation cases involved superficial fungal infections. Contact dermatitis accounted for three-quarters of eczema cases, and mainly involved the arms (40.0%) and legs (27.1%). The majority of traumatic skin disorders were lacerations, punctures and penetrations, and the feet (44.7%) and hands (18.8%) were most frequently affected. CONCLUSIONS: Unhygienic conditions, exposure to a hazardous environment and contact with various objects during and after the tsunami probably increased the prevalence of infections-infestations, traumatic skin disorders and contact dermatitis. To prevent these problems and associated secondary bacterial infections, health-related education and early medical management are required.     

Design of an intravenous oxygenator

The aim of this study was to design a new intravenous blood–gas exchange device and to estimate the design characteristics of the device with a dimensionless function by using a substance that can be used instead of bovine blood. In addition, the characteristics of oxygen transfer were estimated using empirical formulas and the reliability of the equations was ascertained by comparing their output with an experiment performed using bovine blood. The dimensionless function was derived using distilled water and bovine blood to estimate the oxygen transfer rate. Using the derived equations, the calculated oxygen transfer rates for bovine blood and distilled water were similar for Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.7 to 7.0. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the oxygen transfer rate in bovine blood, which is a non-Newtonian fluid, using distilled water, which is a Newtonian fluid. Moreover, it was possible to verify the related equations because the oxygen transfer rate could be estimated using the derived equations, according to the diameters of the various device modules.     

The in vitro pharmacological profile of KR31080, a nonpeptide AT1 receptor antagonist

Summary— KR31080 (2-butyl-5-methyl-6-(1-oxopyridin-2-yl)-3-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-3H-imidazo[4,5-b] pyridine) is a potent inhibitor of angiotensin type 1 (AT₁) receptors in rabbit aorta and human recombinant AT₁ receptors. In the isolated rabbit thoracic aorta, KR31080 caused a nonparallel shift to the right of the concentration-response curves to angiotensin II (All) with decreased maximal response (pD'₂ = 10.1 ± 0.1), but had no effect on the contractile response induced by norepinephrine. KR31080 inhibited specific [¹²⁵I]AII binding to rabbit aortic membranes (AT, receptors) and [¹²⁵I][Sar¹, Ile⁸]AII binding to human recombinant AT₁ receptors in a concentration-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values of 0.84 ± 0.08 nM and 1.92 ± 0.15 nM, respectively, but did not inhibit specific [¹²⁵I)AII binding to bovine cerebellum membranes (ÀT₂ receptors). In the Scatchard analysis, KR31080 interacted with rabbit aortic AT₁ receptors in a competitive manner, similar to losartan. These results demonstrate that KR31080 is a potent and AT₁ selective angiotensin receptor antagonist which exerts a competitive antagonism in the [¹²⁵I]AII binding assay and insurmountable AT₁ receptor antagonism in the functional study.     

Elimination of antibiotic-resistant plasmids by quinolone antibiotics

Of 7 plasmids we tested, the plasmid pORF2 was eliminated in vitro with the most efficiency by treatment with subinhibitory concentrations of novobiocin, coumermycin and 10 quinolones. It showed a cure rate of 43% by enoxacin; 12% by novobiocin, pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin and CI-934; 7% by coumermycin and ofloxacin; 9% by amifloxacin; and 4% by AM-833. On the other hand, pSC194, pBR322 and pMH612 were poorly cured in vitro by quinolones, except pSC194 which was cured 33% by enoxacin. R1, pP1603, and pUB110 were unaffected by the treatment. Mice were challenged intraperitoneally with a 2XLD50 of Escherichia coli carrying the ORF2 plasmid and were treated per os with 1 X or 1/2 X ED50 of either enoxacin or CI-934. The frequency of loss of ampicillin resistance determined 3 h after treatment shows curing effects of 92% for CI-934, 89% for enoxacin and 20% for untreated control.     

A follow‐up study of electromagnetic interference of cellular phones on electronic medical equipment in the emergency department

Objective: Considering the growing use of cellular phones and the fast appearance of new phone models, the electromagnetic interference of currently popular cellular phones on electronic medical equipment was tested. Methods: Three Personal Communication System cellular phones were put at different distances from multiple electronic medical devices, the interference effect was observed and the electromagnetic field strength measured with a spectrum analyser. Results: Only two small pieces of equipment, the CO₂ airway adapter and the haemoglucostix meter were affected and then only when the phone was in very close proximity. Conclusion: Compared to the results of our study in 1997 testing Global System for Mobile Communication phones, the Personal Communication System phones generated less electromagnetic interference. However a much larger scaled study and an accurate international electromagnetic interference standard are recommended before any change in the current restrictive hospital policy on mobile phone usage could be recommended.     

Anterior mediastinal immature teratoma with precocious puberty in a child with Klinefelter syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Klinefelter syndrome occurs in approximately 1 in 1000 males. A 4-year-old boy presented with precocious puberty and an anterior mediastinal mass. Serum alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin levels were mildly increased. Computed tomography revealed a germ cell tumor (GCT) of the mediastinum. Complete resection of the tumor was performed. Histologic analysis revealed an immature teratoma. Males with Klinefelter syndrome develop GCTs at a rate 50 times higher than unaffected males. This case report calls attention to the need to rule out Klinefelter syndrome in boys who present with precocious puberty and a mediastinal GCT.     

Pediatric traumatic brain injuries in Taiwan: an 8-year study.

Background. This study is intended to determine the causes of pediatric traumatic brain injuries (PTBI) in children aged 14 years or less, and to identify various types of craniocerebral damage resulting from different mechanisms of injury.Methods. From July 1, 1993 to June 30, 2001, a survey on PTBI was conducted in Taiwan. The data of patients used in this study were collected from 56 major hospitals among the age group of 0-14 years. The items in the traumatic brain injury survey included sex, age, causes of injuries, severity, and the eventual outcome.Results. A total of 5349 cases were identified. The male-to-female ratio was 1.69: 1. The incidence rate was higher in the age groups of 4-9 years and 10-14 years. The main cause of PTBI was traffic injury, which accounted for 2537 of the cases (47.3%), followed by falls, 2160 (40.3%). Of all traffic injuries, motorcycle-related injury had the highest incidence, followed by the pedestrian and bicycle-related injury. This study also showed that 83.2% of the patients had mild injury, 9.8% had moderate injury, and 7.0%, severe injury.Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that it is important to decrease all the risk factors in the environment of homes and public areas as much as possible. Helmet wearing and the development of public transportation are essential for the prevention of head injury.     

Genetic Analyses of the Mouse Deafness Mutations Varitint-Waddler (Va) and Jerker (Espnje)

Genetic studies on spontaneous mouse mutants with hearing defects have provided important insights into the function of genes expressed in inner ear hair cells. Here we report on our genetic analyses of the deaf mutants varitint-waddler (Va) and jerker (Espnje). A high-resolution genetic map localizes VaJ to a 0.14 ± 0.08 cM region between D3Mit85 and D3Mit259 on distal chromosome 3. By comparative mapping, the human ortholog resides at 1p22.3 between markers D1S3449 and D1S2252. To study the effect of different genetic backgrounds on the hearing phenotype, Espnje and VaJ were crossed to various inbred strains. Auditory-evoked brainstem response tests on F2 progeny demonstrate that expression, inheritance, and penetrance of the hearing phenotype are solely controlled by the mutant allele. To test for a genetic interaction between Espnje and Cdh23v, auditory function was analyzed in double heterozygotes; no significant increases of thresholds of sound pressure levels were observed. The results establish the framework for cloning the Va gene and provide valuable insights into the genetics of deafness mutations in the mouse.