Descriptive epidemiology of small-bowel atresia in metropolitan Atlanta.

The epidemiological characteristics are presented of 46 children with small-bowel atresia, ascertained over a 6-year period by an active, population-based birth defect surveillance program in Atlanta, Georgia. The malformation occurred at a rate of 2.7/10,000 livebirths. The previously reported association of duodenal atresia and Down syndrome was confirmed was confirmed. No instances of familial association were noted, nor was any excessive prenatal exposure to drugs found. Thirty-two instances of isolated small-bowel atresia were analyzed in detail. The frequency of the isolated defect for blacks was twice that for whites because of a higher rate for black females. The isolated defect was commonest in the winter months. The relation between isolated small-bowel atresia, birth weight, and mortality was discussed. This small series cannot readily be subdivided into distinct epidemiological groups on the basis of the location of the atretic lesions along the length of the small bowel.     

Descriptive epidemiology of lipomyelomeningocele, Hawaii, 1986-2001

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of neural tube defects (NTDs) may depend on the type of the defect and its location. There is little epidemiologic information on lipomyelomeningocele, a type of NTD. The objective of this investigation was to describe the epidemiology of lipomyelomeningocele. METHODS: Cases were obtained from a Hawaii birth defect registry and consisted of all infants delivered during 1986-2001 with lipomyelomeningocele. Lipomyelomeningocele rates per 10,000 births were calculated for various factors. RESULTS: A total of 17 cases of lipomyelomeningocele were identified, for a total rate of 0.57. When the lipomyelomeningocele rate was examined with respect to the time period of folic acid fortification of cereal grains in the United States, the rate was 0.57 during 1986-1996 (prefortification), 0.57 during 1997-1998 (voluntary fortification), and 0.58 during 1999-2001 (mandatory fortification). A total of 11 (64.7%) of the cases were female. Lipomyelomeningocele rates were higher among infants born to mothers in younger and older age groups. The rate was highest among Pacific Islanders, followed by Filipinos and Far East Asians, and lowest among whites. Rates were greater with lower birth weight and gestational age and among multiple births. CONCLUSIONS: Lipomyelomeningocele rates were not found to be affected by folic acid fortification. The majority of cases were female. Other demographic and clinical factors appear to be associated with lipomyelomeningocele risk. None of the differences in rates between the various subgroups were statistically significant, and due to the small number of cases, the 95% confidence interval (CI) ranges were wide. However, the findings suggest possible patterns of occurrence. Additional studies involving larger numbers of cases are recommended.     

Descriptive epidemiology of anophthalmia and microphthalmia, Hawaii, 1986-2001

BACKGROUND: Population-based epidemiologic data on anophthalmia and microphthalmia in the United States are limited and have come mainly from only a few states. The intent of this study was to report on the epidemiology of these eye defects. METHODS: Cases were derived from a population-based birth defects registry in Hawaii and comprised all infants and fetuses with anophthalmia and microphthalmia who were delivered during 1986-2001. Anophthalmia and microphthalmia rates per 10,000 births were determined for selected factors, and comparisons were made by calculating the rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Ninety-six cases of anophthalmia and microphthalmia were identified, with a rate of 3.21 per 10,000 live births. The eye defects were isolated in 5 cases (5.2%), and 24 cases (25.0%) had confirmed chromosomal abnormalities. The risk of anophthalmia and microphthalmia varied over time and was significantly higher for live-born infants with low birth weights and gestational ages. The anophthalmia and microphthalmia rates also varied by maternal race/ethnicity, sex, and plurality, although these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Anophthalmia and microphthalmia frequently occurred with other birth defects, and the rate was consistent with that found in the literature. The risk of defects differed significantly with time period, birth weight, and gestational age. The impact of many factors on anophthalmia and microphthalmia in Hawaii was frequently consistent with that reported elsewhere.     

Descriptive epidemiology of anestrus in Michigan Holstein-Friesian cattle

Twenty-two Michigan Holstein-Friesian herds were studied to determine the incidence and epidemiology of anestrus. In 3,309 lactations studied, 42% were classified as having exhibited preservice anestrus (no estrus detected by 70 d after calving). Organic reasons (pyometra, cystic follicles, static ovaries) were identified by palpation per rectum for 237 (23%) of the cows with preservice anestrus that were examined by a veterinarian. Postservice anestrus, defined as failure to show estrus within 35 d after an unsuccessful insemination, was identified in 790 (47%) of 1,691 lactations. Veterinary examination identified 104 (20%) of postservice anestrous cows as having this condition because of organic causes. The average cow with preservice anestrus had an increase of 30 d open compared to her herdmates, and the average cow with postservice anestrus had an increase of 37 d open. Anestrous cows produced more milk than their unaffected herdmates in both the current and the previous lactation. Analysis of composite lactation curves indicates that, for preservice anestrus, this additional milk production was obtained gradually over the entire lactation. Anestrous cows were culled at a significantly higher rate than their herdmates. Cows with preservice anestrus were more likely to have begun their lactation in the spring months.     

Descriptive epidemiology of roe deer mortality in Sweden

A retrospective epidemiologic study was conducted to examine causes of mortality of 985 wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) submitted to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA; Uppsala, Sweden) from January 1986 to December 1995. Age, sex, body condition, and geographic distribution as related to disease conditions are reported herein. The most common causes of mortality in roe deer were trauma (19%), winter starvation (18%), gastritis/enteritis (15%), bacterial infections (11%), parasitic infection (11%), systemic diseases (11%), neoplasia (2%), congenital disorders (1%), and miscellaneous causes (6%). Cause of death was not determined in 6% of the cases. The distribution of causes of death reported in this study differ from previous works in Sweden in that infectious and parasitic diseases were more common than winter starvation. The pathologic findings in studies like this do not necessarily represent what is occurring in the natural environment, but they do provide a good indication of distribution of diseases over time as well as age and sex structure in relation to disease conditions. Further research and more detailed studies are in progress to better understand specific mortality factors as well as etiologies of certain described diseases in roe deer in Sweden.     

Descriptive epidemiology of a scabies epidemic in chamois in the Dolomite Alps,Italy

In 1995, the hitherto Sarcoptes-free alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) of the Dolomite Alps (Italy) were affected by scabies for the first time after the spread of the disease from a neighbouring focus in Austria. Since then, four Agencies cooperated to warrant monitoring of the spatial and temporal progress of the outbreak and further active surveillance was carried out within an intensive study area. In ten years, 15 meta-populations numbering 10,000 chamois and 210,000 ha were encompassed with a maximum distance of 55 km from the index case. “Oil spot” advancement of the epidemic was observed together with “jumps” of 9 to 20 km followed by spreading of the infection to the intervening population units. Demographic decline of the four meta-populations so far affected for a minimum of six years ranged between 49 and 77% (), whereas similar post-epidemic densities of 1.1 to 1.7 heads/100 ha () were recorded. Contiguous resistant and sensitive herds with similar pre-epidemic density were detected on a smaller population scale, suggesting complementary mechanisms intervening besides density-dependence as determinants of the outbreak outcome. No sex or age class showed a higher sensitivity to scabies out of a sample of 1,696 infected chamois. A peak prevalence of free-ranging chamois bearing overt scabietic lesions was observed in January and February. Cases were only sporadically diagnosed in other sympatrc wild ruminants (Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus and Ovis gmelini musimon), whereas all four alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) herds living in the surveyed area suffered from scabies-induced decline.     

Descriptive epidemiology of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in Croatia

The aim of the study was to investigate the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) incidence in Croatia in the 2003-2005 period. The cases of SCC were retrospectively studied. Data were collected from University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Zagreb University Hospital Center and National Cancer Registry. In the study period, there were 1,860 cases of SCC (934 men and 926 women). The crude incidence rate for the Croatian population of 100,000 was 14.6 for men and 13.4 for women. The age-standardized incidence rate (adjusted for the world standard population) was 8.9 for men and 5.2 for women. The head was almost exclusive localization of SCC in both sexes. The highest SCC incidence was recorded in Zadar County. These results will serve for the SCC trend monitoring in Croatia and Europe in the forthcoming years.     

Descriptive epidemiology of Kaposi sarcoma in Europe. Report from the RARECARE project

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a virus-related malignancy which most frequently arises in skin, though visceral sites can also be involved. Infection with Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV or HHV-8) is required for development of KS. Nowadays, most cases worldwide occur in persons who are immunosuppressed, usually because of HIV infection or as a result of therapy to combat rejection of a transplanted organ, but classic Kaposi sarcoma is predominantly a disease of the elderly without apparent immunosuppression. We analyzed 2667 KS incident cases diagnosed during 1995–2002 and registered by 75 population-based European cancer registries contributing to the RARECARE project. Total crude and age-standardized incidence rate was 0.3 per 100,000 per year with an estimated 1642 new cases per year in the EU27 countries. Age-standardized incidence rate was 0.8 per 100,000 in Southern Europe but below 0.3 per 100,000 in all other regions. The elevated rate in southern Europe was attributable to a combination of classic Kaposi sarcoma in some Mediterranean countries and the relatively high incidence of AIDS in several countries. Five-year relative survival for 2000–2002 by the period method was 75%. More than 10,000 persons were estimated to be alive in Europe at the beginning of 2008 with a past diagnosis of KS. The aetiological link with suppressed immunity means that many people alive following diagnosis of KS suffer comorbidity from a pre-existing condition. While KS is a rare cancer, it has a relatively good prognosis and so the number of people affected by it is quite large. Thus it provides a notable example of the importance of networking in diagnosis, therapy and research for rare cancers.     

Evaluation of a temporal increase in ventricular septal defects: estimated prevalence and severity in northeastern New York, 1970-1983

A marked increase or "epidemic" in ventricular septal defects (VSD) in recent years has been reported by the Center for Disease Control. Many pediatric cardiologists believe that this increase is simply a reflection of more intensive diagnosis and evaluation of infants throughout the country. Yet to our knowledge there has been no objective evidence for this explanation. We evaluated this possibility by considering records on live births occurring in 1970-1983 in the counties surrounding Albany, New York. In that period a single group of pediatric cardiologists has been evaluating all infants with suspected or confirmed cardiac defects in this area. We limited this analysis to ventricular septal defects unassociated with any cardiac syndrome complex. Thus, VSDs occurring as part of cyanotic heart disease or other complex cardiac "syndromes" were excluded. Consistent with the reported national trend, the estimated prevalence rate of ventricular septal defects diagnosed under 1 year of age in this period has increased from 1.0 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 4.0 per 1,000 in 1983.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Relaxant effects of selected sildenafil analogues in the rat aorta

A new series of sulfonamide derivatives of pyrazolo[4,3-e][1,2,4]triazine with chiral amino group has been synthesized and characterized. The compounds were tested for their relaxant effects in the rat aorta. Evaluation of prepared derivatives demonstrated that compound (8a) is probably a non-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, as it induced aortic relaxation through endothelium-independent mechanism.