ABSTRACT
The postmarketing safety profile of varicella vaccine was evaluated by analyzing selected adverse experience reports temporally associated with the administration of the vaccine. There were 7963 reports voluntarily submitted to Merck for an overall reporting rate of 5.0 per 10000 doses of vaccine distributed. A varicella zoster virus (VZV) identification program detected the presence of the Oka vaccine strain in three individuals with an immune deficiency - two with pneumonia and one with hepatitis - and in three instances of secondary transmission from vaccinees with vesicular lesions to susceptible household contacts. The Oka vaccine strain was present in 23 patients and wild-type VZV was present in 15 patients with herpes zoster. Vesicular rashes that occurred within 2 weeks of vaccination were more likely to contain the presence of wild-type VZV, while vesicular rashes that occurred more than 2 weeks post-vaccination were more likely to contain the Oka vaccine strain. Eleven patients were hospitalized with complications of breakthrough varicella infection.
Subject(s)
Chickenpox Vaccine/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems , Anaphylaxis/etiology , Ataxia/etiology , Chickenpox/etiology , Chickenpox/transmission , Chickenpox/virology , Child , Child, Preschool , Erythema Multiforme/etiology , Exanthema/etiology , Female , Herpes Zoster/etiology , Herpesvirus 3, Human/genetics , Herpesvirus 3, Human/isolation & purification , Humans , Immunocompromised Host , Infant , Male , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Product Surveillance, Postmarketing , Safety , Thrombocytopenia/etiologyABSTRACT
This study tested the efficacy of a pilot orientation program in reducing distress levels of patients with newly diagnosed cancer. Thirty-three consecutive patients were randomly assigned to an intervention or to a usual-care control group. The intervention group received a clinic tour, general information, and the opportunity to pose questions to an oncology counselor. The dependent variables were measured by the Profile of Mood States-Short Form-Total Mood Disturbance Scale and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Scores on the dependent measures were significantly lower in the intervention group. These results suggest that a simple orientation can greatly benefit patients with newly diagnosed cancer. The orientation may reduce anxiety and overall distress by helping patients manage novelty and unpredictability in the unfamiliar clinic setting. This intervention can be delivered within the context of a busy hematology/oncology outpatient clinic.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/prevention & control , Neoplasms/psychology , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Adaptation, Psychological , Anxiety/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot ProjectsABSTRACT
Treatment of recipient cows with 100 mg of progesterone daily from Days 1 to 5 of the oestrous cycle increased plasma progesterone compared with vehicle-treated recipients. Embryo transfer to progesterone-treated recipients which showed oestrus 72 h after the donor cows resulted in pregnancy rates at Day 35 similar to those of synchronous (+/- 12 h) recipients (42 vs. 50%). Only 1 of 22 (4.8%) asynchronous (-72 h) vehicle-treated recipients established pregnancy. Similar treatments of cyclic cows with progesterone shortened (P less than 0.01) the interoestrous interval by 3.2 days. When assessed on Day 7 of pregnancy, administration of progesterone to superovulated donor cows on Days 1-4 of pregnancy did not affect early embryo development compared with superovulated cows treated with vehicle alone. Plasma progesterone increased rapidly in superovulated cows compared with cows during the oestrous cycle. The results indicate that administration of progesterone early in the oestrous cycle of the recipient can effectively advance uterine receptivity for the transfer of older asynchronous embryos.
Subject(s)
Embryo Transfer/methods , Embryo, Mammalian/drug effects , Pregnancy Maintenance/drug effects , Progesterone/pharmacology , Animals , Cattle , Embryonic and Fetal Development/drug effects , Female , Pregnancy , Progesterone/blood , SuperovulationABSTRACT
A novel vertebral prosthesis is presented. The prosthesis was developed for surgical procedures requiring the resection of a complete vertebral body and the adjacent intervertebral discs, the design objective being to develop a flexible implant that would be robust enough to withstand the in vivo stress environment of the human spine. In theory, a flexible implant should preserve a more normal range of motion and apply less stress to surrounding tissue than a rigid implant. A prototype implant was constructed so as to combine a rigid stainless steel structure with flexible silicon rubber elements in order to form an implant with static and dynamic mechanical characteristics similar to those of the anterior spinal column. Implant flexibility characteristics were determined from ex vivo stress-strain behaviour during bending and compressive creep testing. Results from the bending tests indicated good agreement for the lateral and sagittal bending characteristics in comparison with in vitro bending tests of human lumbar motion segments. Comparison of the implant compressive creep response with similar in vitro tests on human lumbar intervertebral discs also demonstrated similarities in the time-dependent mechanical parameters.
Subject(s)
Materials Testing , Prostheses and Implants , Spine/surgery , Elasticity , Humans , Prosthesis Design , Silicone Elastomers , Stress, MechanicalABSTRACT
Sixteen yearling Angus bulls were randomly assigned to one of two temperature-controlled chambers to determine the effects of elevated ambient temperature on body functions and semen characteristics. After 8 wk adjustment at 23 C, eight heat-stressed bulls were exposed to 35 +/- 1 C for 8 h and 31 +/- 1 C for 16 h during each 24-h period, and eight control bulls were maintained at 23 +/- 1 C for 8 wk. Then all bulls were exposed to 23 C for 8 wk. Bulls were fed so that both control and stressed bulls gained at similar rates (.58 kg/d). Semen was collected with an artificial vagina twice weekly before, during and after heat stress. During treatment, the respiratory rate of stressed bulls was greater (P less than .001) than that of control bulls (54.2 +/- 1.5, 29.9 +/- 1.5 breaths/min, respectively). Rectal temperatures were increased (P less than .01) from 38.2 +/- .1 to 38.7 +/- .1 C and water consumption was increased by 35% in stressed bulls when compared with controls. Semen volume was not altered by treatment, but percentage of motile sperm decreased (P less than .01) in stressed bulls by 2 wk after the start of heat treatment. Sperm motility of stressed bulls returned to normal values 8 wk after the end of heat treatment. Similarly, the percentage of aged acrosomes on sperm from stressed bulls increased (P less than .01) by the second week of treatment and remained greater than that of controls throughout the stress period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Subject(s)
Cattle/physiology , Fertility , Hot Temperature , Semen/physiology , Acrosome/ultrastructure , Animals , Drinking , Male , Respiration , Sperm Count/veterinary , Sperm Motility , Spermatozoa/abnormalities , Spermatozoa/ultrastructure , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Computers , Microcomputers , Records , Residential Facilities , Humans , Psychiatric AidesABSTRACT
Four profoundly mentally retarded, multiply handicapped institutionalized subjects with extensive histories of self-injurious behavior (SIB) received daily sensory-integrative treatment sessions that included vestibular and tactile stimulation delivered noncontingently. Frequency of SIB, as documented by direct-care staff members throughout the day, decreased significantly for all subjects.
