Effects of therapeutic horse riding on gait cycle parameters and some aspects of behavior of children with autism.

We studied effects of therapeutic riding on the development of children with autism. Experiments in walking is appropriate for assessing the coordination of movement and for following the changes. We found that therapeutic riding should be considered as a new form of rehabilitation. Twenty-six pupils (12 boys and 14 girls) of a special needs school participated in therapeutic riding. We analyzed walking twice during a school-term: full body analyses each time before and after one-month therapy. The research included a non-riding control group. All together 104 analyses were performed. We measured mental skills using Pedagogical Analysis and Curriculum (PAC) test consisting of four parts being communication, self care, motor skills and socialization. The Gait Cycle Analysis consists of the time-series analysis, the analysis of part of the gait cycle and the measurement of joint angles in each plane. We found significant differences between before and after the therapy in the length of the gait cycle that became more stable in the sagital plane and concluded that our results proved that horse therapy may be successfully used as an additional therapy for children with autism, and it may be a form of rehabilitation in cases when other therapies are not successful.

Identification and chemical characterization of particulate matter from wave soldering processes at a printed circuit board manufacturing company.

In this case study, the elemental composition and mass size distribution of indoor aerosol particles were determined in a working environment where soldering of printed circuit boards (PCB) took place. Single particle analysis using ion and electron microscopy was carried out to obtain more detailed and reliable data about the origin of these particles. As a result, outdoor and indoor aerosol sources such as wave soldering, fluxing processes, workers' activity, mineral dust, biomass burning, fertilizing and other anthropogenic sources could be separated. With the help of scanning electron microscopy, characteristic particle types were identified. On the basis of the mass size distribution data, a stochastic lung deposition model was used to calculate the total and regional deposition efficiencies of the different types of particles within the human respiratory system. The information presented in this study aims to give insights into the detailed characteristics and the health impact of aerosol particles in a working environment where different kinds of soldering activity take place.

[Bleomycin therapy for lymphangioma]. / Tratament cu bleomicina pentru limfangioame.

Lymphangiomas are uncommun congenital malformations of the lymphatic system, that involve the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Of the several types of treatment, surgical excision has been the preferred. There is a high recurrence rate because lymphangiomas tend to infiltrate the surrounding tissues. The bleomycin is a cytotoxic antitumoral antibiotic, that causes modifications of DNA. It has been also successfully used in intralesional injection treatment of cystic hygromas and haemangiomas, based specifically on a high sclerosing effect on vascular endothelium. We report the cases of five patients, with congenital lymphangioma, localized on the leg, in cervical and latero-thoracal region, treated with repeated intralesional bleomycin injections. The treatment indication was given by the location of this lesions and the infiltration of the surrounding vital tissues, that made the complete surgical excision impossible. Intralesional injection of bleomycin into the lymphangiomas was given at a dose, not exceeding 0,5 mg/kg of body weight, at intervals of 4 weeks. Complete resolution (n = 4) or significant improvement (n = 1) occurred in all patients treated. No other treatment was needed. We didn't notice local or general adverse effects. With this method we set the purpose to treat effectively this congenital malformations, obviating the need for invasive primary surgery or systemic treatment regimens. Toward other methods, intralesional bleomycin injections have a minimal risk of side effects (ulceration, pulmonary fibrosis).