W, Connolly R. Concerns with the use of a toxic equivalency factor (TEF) approach for risk assessment of "dioxin-like" compounds. In our paper, "Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs for Humans and Wildlife" (1), we described the results of a World Health Organization (WHO) working group that evaluated the existing TEFs for human risk assessment and derived consensus TEFs for ...

On December 24, 1888, a patient was admitted to the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Arles, France, brought in by the police because of reports that he had cut off his ear and given it to a woman. The patient was the Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. The doctor on call was Dr. Felix Rey, a young “interne en medicine,” age 21 (Figure 1). Van Gogh had mutilated the lower part of his ear. Dr. Rey had earlier...

In pursuing policies of trade liberalisation and growth promotion within the framework of regional economic integration, WTO membership and globalisation, major Asian developing economies and China in particular had achieved economic ‘miracles’ in the past decades. Recently however, they face many challenges, economically and politically (Tran Van Hoa, 2002), compounded by a global (especially ...

In 1992, experts at the National Science Foundation Workshop titled "Low-Frequency Electrical Precursors to Earthquakes: Fact or Fiction?" concluded that "seismic electric signals observed in Greece are generated in the Earth, and the apparent correlation with earthquakes is promising" [Park, 1992]. On March 5 and 26,1993, strong earthquakes hit Pirgos City, Greece. Despite heavy damage, there ...

Objectives This study evaluated the effects on work-related neck and upper-limb disorders among computer workers stimulated (by a software program) to take regular breaks and perform physical exercises. Possible effects on sick leave and productivity were studied as well. Methods A randomized controlled design was used with cluster randomization. Altogether 268 computer workers with complaints ...

Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (EVC) is a chondral and ectodermal dysplasia characterized by short ribs, polydactyly, growth retardation, and ectodermal and heart defects. It is a rare disease with approximately 150 cases reported worldwide. The exact prevalence is unknown, but the syndrome seems more common among the Amish community. Prenatal abnormalities (that may be detected by ultrasound exami...

The one-dimensional model of Lippincott and Schroeder for hydrogen bond has Been re-examined and it has been shown that O-H bond distance depends on repulsive van der Waals and attractive electrostatic potentials.it has been shown that constant b in the van der Waals repulsion potential is not transferable to all hydrogen bonds. The possibility of obtaining the semi-empircal parameters i...

RATIONALE Van Buchem disease (VBD) is a very rare autosomal recessive disease. According to our review of the relevant literature, this article is the first case report of VBD in Taiwan. PATIENT CONCERNS A 54-year-old woman developed a protruding chin, frontal bossing, and macrocephaly at the age of 40 years. She noted the onset of progressive bilateral visual and hearing impairment at the ag...

A 21 years old male with typical features of Ellis-Van Creveld Syndrome is presented for its rarity. This is the second living case being reported from India.