Poesie van E.A.S. Lesoro : 'n studie oor digsoorte en -tradisies

Abstracts in Afrikaans and EnglishIn die verhandeling word die interaksie tussen tradisie en vernuwing in die poesie van die Suid-Sothodigter, EAS Lesoro, ondersoek. Aanvanklik word n teoretiese aanloop tot die begrippe tradisie en vernuwing aange= bied, waarna enkele ontwikkelingstendense in die moderne Suid-Sothopoesie aangetoon word. Lesoro se poesie word in die raamwerk van die bree ont= wikkelingsgang van die Suid-Sothopoesie geplaas. Die irnpak wat die tradi= sionele podic. c.anon op die moderne digter het, is n belangrike aspek wat ter sprake kom. Die 1vyse waarop Lesoro tradisionele poetiese boumiddele in sy moderne poesie ontgin, word ondersoek. Opvallende kenmerke van die tradisionele dLthoRo word aangestip en in sy poesie geidentifiseer. Hul funksies in die moderne gedigte word bepaal. Lesoro se eksperirnentering met 'n verskeidenheid tradisionele Europese digvorrne en digsoorte, en sy Ll'ltegrering van Europese poetiese tegnieke vorrn n integrale deel van die studie.African LanguagesM.A. (Suid-Sotho

Endoscopic bilateral adrenalectomy in patients with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome

Background: Bilateral adrenalectomy (BLA) is a treatment option to alleviate symptoms in patients with ectopic Cushing's syndrome (ECS) for whom surgical treatment of the responsible nonpituitary tumor is not possible. ECS patients have an increased risk for complications, because of high cortisol levels, poor clinical condition, and metabolic disturbances. This study aims to evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of endoscopic BLA for ECS. Methods: From 1990 to present, 38 patients were diagnosed and treated for ECS in the Erasmus University Medical Center, a tertiary referral center. Twenty-four patients were treated with BLA (21 endoscopic, 3 open), 9 patients were treated medically, and 5 patients could be cured by complete resection of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-producing tumor. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed and entered into a database. For evaluation of the efficacy of BLA, preoperative biochemical and physical symptoms were assessed and compared with postoperative data. Results: Endoscopic BLA was successfully completed in 20 of the 21 patients; one required conversion to open BLA. Intraoperative complications occurred in two (10%) patients, and postoperative complications occurred in three (14%) patients. Median hospitalization was 9 (2-95) days, and median operating time was 246 (205-347) min. Hypercortisolism was resolved in all patients. Improvements of hypertension, body weight, Cushingoid appearance, impaired muscle strength, and ankle edema were achieved in 87, 90, 65, 61, and 78% of the patients, respectively. Resolution of diabetes, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis was achieved in 33, 89, and 80%, respectively. Conclusion: Endoscopic BLA is a

Review of a major epidemic of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: The costs of screening and consequences of outbreak management

Background: A major outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurred in locations C and Z of our hospital and lasted for several years. It affected 1,230 patients and 153 personnel. Methods: Outbreak management was installed according to the Dutch "search and destroy" policy. A rapid, high-throughput method for molecular screening of potential MRSA carriers was implemented. Outbreak isolates were retrospectively genotyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Costs of molecular screening were compared with screening by culture. Results: Genotyping results revealed 4 distinct epidemic MRSA clones. Three were present in hospital C. Because of a merger of hospitals, these clones spread to hospital Z. Another clone of MRSA affected other health care-related institutions in the region. Because of the implementation of strict containment measures of the "search and destroy" policy, the annual number of tests decreased from 100,000 to 18,000. The disposables and reagents used in polymerase chain reaction technology are more expensive than those of conventional methods. However, the clinical and economic benefits of fast results in regard to expenses of the hospital clearly outweigh the higher costs of screening. Conclusion: The implementation of a rapid, high-throughput molecular screening system greatly contributed to the effectiveness of strict containment measures of the "search and destroy" policy. The major epidemic clones of MRSA in the outbreak were eradicated by this strategy

Molecular adaptations to advanced fungus farming in leaf-cutting ant symbiosis

This paper addresses several aspects of legal regulation concerning cosmetics, homeopathy products and medical devices. The Portuguese legal framework, based mainly upon European directives, is analyzed concerning the administrative legal environment of the production, distribution and marketing of these products. It is stressed that legislation aims to achieve a balance between the values of free trade and enterprise, on one side, and the protection of public health protection, on the other side.1. Cosméticos – Regime jurídico dos cosméticos (Decreto-Lei n.º 296/98, de 25 de Setembro; Decreto-Lei n.º 100/2001, de 28 de Março; Decreto-Lei n.º 206/99, de 9 de Junho). 1.1. Noção funcional de produtos cosméticos e de higiene corporal, ilustrada mediante uma lista (indicativa) de exemplos por categorias de produtos cosméticos e de higiene corporal. 1.2. Desnecessidade de obtenção de autorização administrativa prévia, mas dever de notificação ao INFARMED. 1.3. Requisitos de qualidade e regras de composição e de experimentação (Decreto-Lei n.º 100/2001, de 28 de Março, alterado pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 151/2003, de 11 de Julho). 1.4. Obrigação de assistência por um técnico responsável. 1.5. Rotulagem. 1.6. Requisitos da actividade industrial. 1.7. A protecção da confidencialidade (Decreto-Lei n.º 206/99, de 9 de Junho). 1.8. Sanções. 1.8.1. Poderes de controlo e fiscalização do INFARMED. 1.8.2. Suspensão da comercialização dos produtos por razões de saúde pública. 1.8. 3. As contra-ordenações 2. Produtos Homeopáticos. 2.1. Linhas gerais do Regime jurídico dos produtos homeopáticos (Decreto-Lei n.º 94/95, de 9 de Maio). 2.1.1. Garantia da qualidade e da segurança de utilização dos produtos homeopáticos como salvaguarda da saúde pública.2.1.2. Garantia aos seus utilizadores do fornecimento de informações claras sobre o seu carácter homeopático e a sua inocuidade). 2.2. Noção e modalidades de produtos homeopáticos. 2.2.1. Medicamentos homeopáticos. 2.2.2. Produtos farmacêuticos homeopáticos. 2.3. Delimitação do âmbito de aplicação da lei dos produtos homeopáticos aos produtos farmacêuticos homeopáticos e aplicação do regime jurídico dos medicamentos para uso humano (Decreto-Lei n.º 72/91, 8.2) aos medicamentos homeopáticos. 2.3.1. Comercialização de medicamentos homeopáticos entre fabricantes, grossistas, laboratórios e farmácias. 2.3.2. Venda de medicamentos homeopáticos ao público. 2.4. Regime de registo simplificado da introdução no mercado dos produtos farmacêuticos homeopáticos. 2.4.1. O pedido de registo. 2.4.2. Necessidade de autorização para o fabrico de produtos farmacêuticos homeopáticos. 2.4.3. Exigência de direcção técnica. 2.4.4. Requisitos relativos à rotulagem e ao folheto informativo. 2.5. Fiscalização e contra-ordenações. 3. Dispositivos Médicos – Regime jurídico dos dispositivos médicos (Decreto-Lei n.º 273/95, de 23 de Outubro, alterado pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 30/2003, de 14 de Fevereiro). 3.1. Noção e modalidades de dispositivos médicos. 3.2. Delimitação positiva e negativa do âmbito de aplicação do regime geral dos dispositivos médicos; regimes especiais, como o dos dispositivos médicos para diagnóstico in vitro (Decreto-Lei n.º 189/2000, de 12 de Agosto - que transpõe a Directiva 98/79/CE do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho, de 27 de Outubro). 3.3. Requisitos de colocação no mercado. 3.3.1 As normas técnicas e os procedimentos de avaliação da conformidade. 3.3.2. Cláusula de salvaguarda – os poderes especiais do presidente do Conselho de Administração do INFARMED. 3.4. O sistema de vigilância (vide Portaria n.º 196/2004, de 1 de Março: aprova o Regulamento do Sistema Nacional de Vigilância de Dispositivos Médicos). 3.5. Fiscalização e contraordenaçõe

Beta-blockade at low doses restoring the physiological balance in myocytic antagonism

Objective: The ventricular mass is organized in the form of meshwork, with populations of myocytes aggregated in a supporting matrix of fibrous tissue, with some myocytes aligned obliquely across the wall so as to work in an antagonistic fashion compared to the majority of myocytes, which are aggregated together in tangential alignment. Prompted by results from animal experiments, which showed a disparate response of the two populations of aggregated myocytes to negative inotropic medication, we sought to establish whether those myocytes that aggregated so as to extend obliquely across the thickness of the ventricular walls are more sensitive to beta-blockade than the prevailing population in which the myocytes are aggregated together with tangential alignment. If the two populations respond in similar differing fashion in the clinical situation, we hypothesize that this might help to explain why drugs blocking the beta-receptors improve function of the ventricular pump in the setting of congestive cardiac failure. Methods: We implanted needle probes in 13 patients studied during open heart surgery, measuring the forces generated in the ventricular wall and seeking to couple the probes either to myocytes aggregated together with tangential alignment or to those aggregated in oblique fashion across the ventricular walls. In a first series of patients, we injected probatory doses intravenously, amounting to a total bolus of 40-100mg Esmolol, while in a second series, we gave fixed yet rising doses of 5, 10, and 20mg Esmolol in three separate boluses. Results: Forces recorded in the aggregated myocytes with tangential alignment decreased insignificantly upon administration of low doses (57.1±12.4mN→56.6±7.6mN), while forces recorded in the myocytes aggregated obliquely across the ventricular wall showed a significant decrease in the mean (59.3±11.6mN→47.4±6.4mN). Conclusions: The markedly disparate action of drugs blocking beta-receptors at low dosage seems to be related to the heterogeneous extent, and time course, of systolic loading of the myocytes. This, in turn, depends on whether the myocytes themselves are aggregated together with tangential or oblique alignments relative to the thickness of the ventricular wall

Local bone metabolism during the consolidation process of spinal interbody fusion

INTRODUCTION: Although computed tomography (CT) can identify the presence of eventual bony bridges following lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) surgery, it does not provide information on the ongoing formation process of new bony structures. 18F sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography (PET) could be used as complementary modality to add information on the bone metabolism at the fusion site. However, it remains unknown how bone metabolism in the operated segment changes early after surgery in uncompromised situations. This study aimed to quantify the changes in local bone metabolism during consolidation of LIF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six skeletally mature sheep underwent LIF surgery. 18F-NaF PET/CT scanning was performed 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively to quantify the bone volume and metabolism in the operated segment. Bone metabolism was expressed as a function of bone volume. RESULTS: Early in the fusion process, bone metabolism was increased at the endplates of the operated vertebrae. In a next phase, bone metabolism increased in the center of the interbody region, peaked, and declined to an equilibrium state. During the entire postoperative time period of 12 weeks, bone metabolism in the interbody region was higher than that of a reference site in the spinal column. CONCLUSION: Following LIF surgery, there is a rapid increase in bone metabolism at the vertebral endplates that develops towards the center of the interbody region. Knowing the local bone metabolism during uncompromised consolidation of spinal interbody fusion might enable identification of impaired bone formation early after LIF surgery using 18F-NaF PET/CT scanning

Reply to:Balancing Cost and Efficiency in Screening Potential Organ Donors With Whole Body CT

Transplant surger