PURPOSE This preliminary investigation evaluated the associations among multiple factors designed to measure depth of sedation, such as changes in the patient's electroencephalogram (EEG) via a bispectral analysis (BIS), other physiological variables, observed behaviors and clinical assessment of sedation levels consistent with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) sedation guideli...

OBJECTIVE Nociceptive neuronal circuits are formed during embryonic and postnatal times, so insult during these periods may result in long-term alterations to pain circuitry via synaptic plasticity. One possible long-term result of plasticity is central hyperexcitability, which is suspected to be involved in chronic headache. This study aimed to establish whether there is an association between...

The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was studied among 2,585 healthy Nepalese men, aged 16-50 years, who required medical check-ups for employment abroad. Serum samples, collected during July-September 1999, were tested for HBsAg using a third-generation ELISA kit. Of the 2,585 men, 24 (0.93%) were positive for HBsAg, indicating that hepatitis B infection in the target group wa...

BACKGROUND Several studies have shown that promoter polymorphisms of the CD14 gene are associated with atopic asthma. However, the results of association studies in different populations are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate the possible association between the CD14 polymorphisms A-1145G and C-159T and atopic phenotypes in Pakistani cohorts. METHODS Healthy controls (n = 120) and a...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Interleukin (IL) 4 is a cytokine that mediates allergic responses. Different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can influence the immune response mediated by cytokines. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association between IL-4 polymorphisms and allergic rhinitis and atopic asthma. METHODS A total of 214 atopic patients (108 with asthma ...

OBJECTIVE To look at the trends in maternal mortality in our institution over 5 years. METHODS Records of 112 maternal deaths were retrospectively reviewed to determine the trends and the likely direct cause of each death over the study period. RESULTS There were a total of 112 maternal deaths, while 3931 deliveries were conducted over the 5-year period. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) w...

Early detection and excision is the only effective treatment for malignant melanoma. To assess the effect of a consultant-delivered, rapid-access pigmented lesion clinic (PLC) established at the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH), we analyzed melanoma tumour-stage prior to (1998-2002) and after (2003-2007) the advent of the PLC. Patients attending SIVUH had a greater proportio...

BACKGROUND Febrile seizures are benign but so terrifying for parents that they may subsequently view their affected children as "vulnerable". Children viewed as vulnerable may be brought to medical attention more frequently. We examined subsequent hospitalizations and physician visits during a 6- to 7 1/2-year period for a group of children who had participated in a case-control study of initia...

OBJECTIVE To examine the suitability of the growth charts that are currently used in Israel and consider their replacement with a recent standard. In a sample of schoolchildren, the current Tanner and Whitehouse standards were compared with the new growth charts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). METHOD A total of 746 Israeli healthy children (368 boys and 378 girls) a...