Several PVC medical devices contain the plasticizer Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) in high concentration. Taken systematically DEHP only has minor toxic effects in the human organism. In three preterm infants artificially ventilated with PVC respiratory tubes unusual lung disorders resembling those observed in hyaline membrane disease, verified both clinically and radiologically, were observed during the fourth week of life. It was assumed that these lung disorders were causally related to the exposure to high doses of DEHP, which was released from the walls of the respiratory tubes. DEHP was found in the lung tissue of one patient who died of pneumothorax soon after birth after being artificially ventilated. It is strongly recommended that for disposable PVC respiratory devices the plasticizer DEHP should be used with more restrictions.

Relative and absolute refractory periods were determined in sensory fibres of 24 median nerves and in 19 sural nerves of 30 volunteers aged 20–60 years, who had no sign of a neuromuscular disorder. The critical interval of conduction (absolute refractory period) was found to be about 0.7 msec. In median as well as in sural nerve the relative refractory periods were about 5 times the absolute refractory period, measuring the amplitude, and about 3.5 times the absolute refractory period, measuring the latencies. Reasons for the reduction of amplitude and prolongation of latency during the relative refractory period are discussed. Slightly significant differences between the two age groups (20–35 and 40–60 years) have been found with respect to the relative amplitude in median nerves, but not in sural nerves and not with respect to the relative latency in either median or sural nerves.

The biotransformation of abscisic acid (ABA) was studied in cell suspension cultures of Lycopersicon esculentum. The ABA was converted by the cells to phaseic acid, nigellic acid, dihydrophaseic acid, abscisic acid-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (ABA-Glc) and other ABA and phaseic acid conjugates. Investigation of their cellular distribution showed that the conjugated forms were located only in the vacuoles whereas ABA and its acidic metabolites were found mainly in the extravacuolar fractions. Our results, together with a number of studies on the increase of ABA-Glc as a response to stress, allow us to propose that ABA-Glc is irreversibly compartmented in the vacuoles of plant cells.

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Self-reported HRQOL and behavior problems may be relevant outcome measures in children and adolescents with chronic arthritis and useful to monitor psychosocial support in this population.