[Aortitis and surgery]. / Prise en charge chirurgicale des maladies inflammatoires de l'aorte.

Non-infectious aortitis are usually due to giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis), Takayasu and Behçet's diseases. Aortitis should be suspected in the presence of aortic wall thickening or of aneurysm or occlusion of the aorta and its branches in the absence of characteristic cardiovascular risk factors. Surgery is required in case of severe damage. But the quiescence of the inflammatory disease must be obtained before endovascular or surgical treatment to prevent complications such as anastomotic false aneurysm or stent thrombosis, especially common in this disease. The frequency of aortic aneurysms (in particular of ascending aorta) in giant cell arteritis encourages its systematic screening, as well as regular monitoring of the entire aorta during the follow-up. Behçet's and Takayasu diseases require the greatest control of inflammation and the knowledge of some surgical tricks to avoid the risk of recurrence. The literature review shows that endovascular treatment could reduce perioperative morbidity but did not allow reducing long-term complications.

Indications to open surgical repair of the thoracic aorta in the "endovascular" era.

Endovascular techniques have deeply modified the indications to open surgical repair in nearly all the vascular tree and especially in areas where the invasiveness of open surgery is real like the thoracic aorta. However their anatomical and technological limits on one hand and uncertainty on their long term results on the other hand still leave a large place for open surgery. Also, immediate as well as late results of open surgery have continued their progress during the endovascular era, rendering it competitive in trained centers for fit selected patients.

Correlation of IgA, IgM and IgG antibody-detecting assays based on filamentous haemagglutinin, pertussis toxin and Bordetella pertussis sonicate in a strictly adult population.

Pertussis diagnosis among adults is primarily based on serology. In this study, receiver operation characteristics (ROC) analysis was utilized to evaluate three IgA, IgM and IgG ELISAs based on B. pertussis whole-cell sonicate (WC), pertussis toxin (PT), or combined PT-filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA) antigens in a healthy adult population and in adults suffering from symptoms consistent with pertussis. The assays were compared to a PT and FHA reference ELISA. The reference assay showed high correlation with PT- and PT-FHA-based ELISAs but low correlation was found with the WC-based ELISA. However, ROC analysis indicated that all the assays enabled fine differentiation between healthy subjects and subjects suffering from symptoms suggestive of pertussis. The WC IgA ELISA showed the best diagnostic performance [highest specificity (98.8%) with highest sensitivity (53.8%)]. We conclude that despite a low correlation between the various assays they all carry good diagnostic capability for an adult population.

[Health status of children living in rural localities in the area of Totsk nuclear explosion]. / Sostoianie zdorov'ia detei, prozhivaiushchikh v sel'skikh naselennykh punktakh v zone Totskogo iadernogo vzryva.

The paper presents late outcomes of radiation exposure of 3205 children aged 6-17 years from native persons residing in the areas exposed to radiation 40 years ago. The spread of noncommunicable diseases in the children from the polluted area is 92%. Organic abnormalities are prevalent among them. These include thyroid hyperplasia, lymphadenopathy, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and other diseases. Thus, the environmental radiological situation in the southern Urals and the Orenburg Region is poor.

An investigation of differences in attitudes between suicidal and nonsuicidal student ideators.

Suicidal activity among youths has increased dramatically in recent years, yet little objective research in non-hospital settings has been conducted. The present study analyzed attitudes of suicidal ideator and nonideator groups at elementary, middle, and high school levels. Responses to the Student Attitude Measure (S.A.M.) were analyzed with a multivariate analysis of variance. Ideators' attitudes were found to be significantly more negative than those of nonideators. Some grade level and gender differences also were revealed. The ability of this instrument to differentiate potentially suicidal youths from their nonsuicidal peers has the potential for providing schools with a critical proactive strategy.

[The hygienic validation of the MPEL for the fungicide tekto in reservoir water]. / Gigienicheskoe obosnovanie PDK fungitsida tekto v vode vodoemov.

Fungicide tecto (thiabendazol) is a low-toxic compound, produces a weak skin-resorptive and local irritating effect. Cumulation coefficient is 3.96. Threshold and subthreshold doses for tecto were determined as a result of 12-months chronic experiment on white rats--3.7 and 0.37 mg/kg, respectively. The allowable 24-hours dose for human exposure to the chemical is 0.6 mg. The threshold tecto concentration according to the effect on the general sanitary regimen of water reservoirs appeared to be 1 mg/l. According to the limiting toxicological index 0.05 mg/l was recommended as tecto MAC for the water of reservoirs.

[Effect of the filler and liquid medium on the surface quality in the vibration treatment of medical equipment products]. / Vliianie napolnitelia i zhidkoi sredy na kachestvo poverkhnosti pri vibratsionnoi obrabotke izdelii meditsinskoi tekniki.

The surface quality of products made from stainless steel 40--13 are determined mainly by methods and parameters used for their final processing. Investigation of technological characteristics of different fillers used in vibration processing and, as well, the influence of polyvinyl emulsion-water solution has shown that T-trihedral granules (made at the Moscow Plant of Abrasive Articles) can be the choice for the vibration processing of details of stainless steel 40 X 13. The polymeric component in the liquid technological medium, instead of Na2CO3 water-solution, permits a threefold increase in the metal removal, improves the surface roughness by 1.5 times, and considerably improves the surface reflectivity.

The measurement of affective sensitivity: the development of an instrument.

The Affective Sensitivity Scale, Form D is a media-based, multiple-choice test of one facet of human empathy. It is machine scorable, has norms based on over three thousand people and is likely to be useful in research on medical education.