An elective rotation in applied epidemiology with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1975-1997.

INTRODUCTION: To increase awareness of and interest in public health and epidemiology, CDC initiated an elective in epidemiology and public health for senior medical students in 1975 and for veterinary students in 1982. METHODS: A review of CDC records to describe participation in the elective, to assess whether students subsequently enrolled in another CDC training program, the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), and, if enrolled, employment status following EIS. A review of documentation of board certification in preventive medicine to determine how many participants later chose this specialty, one indicator of public health and prevention as a career choice. RESULTS: From 1975 through 1997, 632 students participated in the elective. Of these, 438 (69%) were assigned to infectious disease areas, 95 (15%) to environmental health, 59 (9%) to chronic disease, and 40 (7%) to other areas. Students participated in at least 278 official investigations of important public health problems including infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, chronic disease problems and access to health care. Of 530 students who had completed the elective through June 1995, 91 (17%) were enrolled in EIS by July 1997. Of 83 completing EIS by July 1997, 65 (78%) had continued in public health careers: 35 with CDC; 17 with local or state health departments; 7 with other federal agencies; 4 in academic public health; and 2 in international health. Of those not enrolling in EIS, at least 5% were certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, compared with 34% of those completing EIS. CONCLUSION: An elective rotation in public health and applied epidemiology is valuable in introducing future physicians and veterinarians to the practice of public health, and can provide important role models for encouragement to pursue careers in public health.

The mucosal rosette: a peri-ampullary pseudotumour within a duodenal diverticulum.

Two cases are described in which a filling defect within a duodenal diverticulum was suggestive of a peri-ampullary neoplasm. In each case direct inspection showed no abnormality. It is suggested that the radiological findings are caused by prominent mucosal folds around the diverticular neck.

Assessment of gallbladder function by ultrasound: implications for dissolution therapy.

Successful treatment of gallstones by oral dissolving agents depends upon a functioning gallbladder. Thirty-one patients were assessed by oral cholecystography and ultrasound before and after a fatty meal. A correlation was demonstrated between radiological opacification and contraction on ultrasound. It is suggested that assessment of gallbladder function may be made by ultrasound methods alone, and an oral cholecystogram is not necessary prior to dissolution therapy.

Mutations affecting the indirect flight muscles of Drosophila melanogaster.

The development of the indirect flight muscles of Drosophila melanogaster was studied by analysing mutations that cause flightlessness. Twenty-five mutations on the X-chromosome and two on the third chromosome were examined. The X-chromosomal mutations form ten complementation units. The ten loci were assigned preliminary map positions by meiotic recombination and deficiencies and duplications. The two autosomal mutations represent two genes. Gynandromorph analyses suggest that many of these mutations have their primary effect in the presumptive thoracic muscle region of the embryo. The mutations cause a variety of characteristic defects, such as absence of the bulk of the thoracic muscle mass, or absence of only one of the two fibrillar muscle groups. Electronmicroscopic studies of sixteen mutants representing all twelve loci reveal abnormal myofibrillar organization in some of these mutants, e.g. aberrant or missing Z-bands, or absence of the thin filaments. Mutant protein patterns, obtained by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, show the following differences from wild type: ten mutants are characterized by absence of reduction of the 54 K protein, and most mutants exhibit a reduction and modification of the 80 and 90 K proteins. The absence of reduction of the 54 K protein was strongly correlated with aberrant Z-bands.