Internationally several phthalates are subject to regulatory control regarding maximum allowable concentrations in children's toys. Such regulation is not in place in New Zealand. Phthalates have been associated with developmental toxicity and endocrine disruption. We determined the concentration of seven phthalates in children's toys purchased in Christchurch, New Zealand. These results provid...

To determine how best to assess iron status, I studied 12 young renal patients (ages 5.5 to 20 years) undergoing regular hemodialysis treatments. Iron balance was estimated by monitoring iron loss ascribable to blood loss during dialysis and diagnostic testing, and iron intake in the form of oral and intravenous iron supplements and blood transfusions. Traditional methods of evaluating iron sta...

BACKGROUND In the Netherlands prehospital trauma care is provided by emergency medical services (EMS) nurses. This care is extended by Physician staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (P-HEMS) for the more severely injured patient. Prehospital communication is a factor of influence on the identification of these patients and the dispatch of P-HEMS. Though prehospital communication it is ...

Beef carcasses exhibiting four levels of dark cutting severity (DCS): Severe, Moderate, Mild, and Shady were compared to Control carcasses to investigate biochemical traits contributing to the dark cutting condition. Color attributes of Longissimus lumborum (LL) were measured after grading and during simulated retail display. Mitochondrial abundance and efficiency, bloomed oxymyoglobin, reducin...

BACKGROUND Beriberi occurs in Vientiane, Lao PDR, among breastfed infants. Clinical disease may be the tip of an iceberg with subclinical thiamin deficiency contributing to other illnesses. Thiamin treatment could improve outcome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A cohort of 778 sick infants admitted during one year without clinical evidence of beriberi were studied prospectively and erythrocyt...

BACKGROUND Sickle cell trait (SCT) is the heterozygous form of sickle cell disease and expectedly should be a benign state with no complications ascribed to it. There are numerous reports challenging its being a benign condition, though this is controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS A review of the results of the accompanying investigations done on some of the patients show that beta thalassemia ...