Neurobehavioural evaluation and kinetics of inhalation of constant or fluctuating toluene concentrations in human volunteers

The health risks of inhalation exposure to volatile organic solvents may not only depend on the total external dose, but also on the pattern of exposure. It has been suggested that exposure to regularly occurring peak concentrations may have a stronger impact on the brain than constant exposure at the same average level. Recent animal...

Reliability of classification of cerebral palsy in low-birthweight children in four countries

The reliability of classification of cerebral palsy (CP) in low-birthweight children was assessed by using clinical and research study records sampled from population-based cohort studies in the USA, the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany. Records of neurological examination findings and functional motor assessments were submitted to up to five...

Neurobehavioral effects among subjects exposed to high static and gradient magnetic fields from a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system: a case-crossover pilot study

The interactive use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques is increasing in operating theaters. A study was performed on 17 male company volunteers to assess the neurobehavioral effects of exposure to magnetic fields from a 1.5 Tesla MRI system. The subjects' neurobehavioral performances on a neurobehavioral test battery were compared in...

Randomised clinical trial on the effect of the Dutch obstetric peer review system

The project 'Obstetric Peer Review Interventions' (Verloskundige Onderlinge Kwaliteitsspiegeling Interventies, VOKSINT) was set-up in The Netherlands in 1994. It provided annual comparison data (quality ranking, league tables) for secondary care obstetric departments adjusted for population differences, based on the data registered in the...

13-Week oral toxicity study with isomaltulose (Palatinose®) in rats

The potential subchronic oral toxicity of isomaltulose (Palatinose®) was examined by administering this substance in the diet to groups of 20 male and 20 female Wistar rats at levels of 0, 2.5, 5 and 10% for 13 consecutive weeks. Daily clinical observations, body weight, food conversion efficiency, food and water consumption were not affected at...

Uitkomsten van een Nederlandse cohort van zeer vroeg geboren kinderen uit 1983 [Outcome of a Dutch cohort of very preterm infants born in 1983]

In 1983, Dutch paediatricians collaborated on a national level and collected perinatal data on 1338 liveborn infants with a gestational age < 32 weeks and/or a birthweight < 1500 g (Project on preterm and small for gestational age infants, POPS). Their outcome was assessed at 2 years of age by their paediatricians, at 5 years by a team of...

Looking back in time: Outcome of a national cohort of very preterm infants born in The Netherlands in 1983

In 1983, Dutch pediatricians collaborated on a national level and collected perinatal data on 1338 liveborn infants with a gestational age <32 weeks and/or a birthweight <1500 g (project on preterm and small for gestational age infants, POPS). Their outcome was assessed at 2 years of age by their pediatricians, at 5 years by a team of...

The relation between neonatal thyroxine levels and neurodevelopmental outcome at age 5 and 9 years in a national cohort of very preterm and/or very low birth weight infants

Transient neonatal hypothyroxinemia is very common in preterm infants. The literature on the effect of this hypothyroxinemia is, however, controversial, and large or long-term follow-up studies are not available. In a nationwide prospective follow-up study on very preterm and (or) very low birth weight infants (n = 717), we studied the...

Perinatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins and its effect on neonatal neurological development

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and dibenzofurans (PCDFs)) are widespread environmental contaminants which are neurotoxic in animals. Perinatal exposure to PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs occurs prenatally via the placenta and postnatally via breast milk. To investigate whether such an exposure...