JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Cement is a widely used mixture in construction. A corrosive alkali, calcium hydroxide, is liberated as water is added to the lime present in the cement mixture. ⋯ When full-thickness burns were present, long periods of hospitalization were necessary for eschar separation prior to skin grafting. Early excision of full-thickness caustic burns with immediate skin grafting diminished the length of hospitalization and returned the patient to work sooner.
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To assess relationships between increases in triceps skin-fold thickness (TRSF) and changes in levels of serum lipids and lipoproteins in early life, a biracial sample of 1,598 five to 12 year olds were reexamined five years after an initial examination. Significant positive correlations, controlled for age, were observed between changes in TRSF and changes in levels of serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and low- and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. ⋯ Increases in estimated percentage body fat and ponderal index (kilograms per cubic meter) were highly associated with changes in TRSF, but showed slightly different associations with the serum lipids and lipoproteins. Results show that increases in obesity in youth are accompanied by an increasingly atherogenic lipoprotein profile.
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A competitive marketplace potentially creates new pressures for teaching hospitals. To assess possible trends in teaching hospitals' caseload, we studied surgical utilization in 1972 and 1981 using two national data sets. The percentage of total patients hospitalized for surgery increased in teaching hospitals between 1972 and 1981. ⋯ Overall surgical case complexity was relatively high in teaching hospitals in 1972, and the disparity with nonteaching hospitals increased during the decade. Distribution of surgical patients by payment source varied appreciably among surgical procedures, but not among hospitals by teaching status. Teaching hospitals were successful in attracting patients from 1972 to 1981; however, several new pressures are emerging that should be watched.