Real-time interactive magnetic resonance imaging with multiple coils for the assessment of left ventricular function.

Interactive real-time examination of left ventricular function in healthy volunteers both under rest and stress conditions has been performed. For this purpose, a system combining an interactive user interface, an ultrafast segmented echo-planar imaging sequence, and real-time reconstruction and display of the acquired images was designed. Magnetic resonance images were acquired at rates of up to 20 images per second with multiple receiver coils. By using a sliding window reconstruction technique, reconstruction rates of up to 60 images per second were achieved with a latency of < 100 msec. The quality of the real-time images was evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively and was found to be appropriate for the determination of left ventricular function. It is concluded that the combination of dedicated components provides a convenient modality for the high-quality visualization of left ventricular function under rest and stress conditions at video frame rates with magnetic resonance imaging. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:826-832.

[Predisposing factors of pregnancy in adolescents]. / Prädisponierende Faktoren einer Schwangerschaft bei Jugendlichen.

PIP: Results of a study of social characteristics and sexual development of 107 pregnant and 228 nonpregnant adolescents aged 14-19 are presented and compared to earlier findings. The pregnant girls were interviewed after applying for abortions. Fathers of the pregnant girls were found to have had significnatly less education. The pregnant girls had an average of 2.4 siblings compared to 1.7 in the control group, and 32.6% came from families with 3 or more children compared to 20.4% in the control group. 24.2% of the pregnant adolescents lived in incomplete homes compared to 11.8% of controls. 82.2% of pregnant and 88.6% of control subjects reported their family life to be good or very good. A significantly higher proportion in the control group had good or very good school performance and behavior. No significant difference was noted in age at menarche or 1st heterosexual contact. The pregnant girls engaged in genital stimulation and intercourse at significantly earlier ages than the controls, had less knowledge and use of contraceptives, and had fewer female friends. Results of the study are summarized and compared with previous work in the broad areas of social situation and sexual development. 2 concepts of predisposing factors to adolescent pregnancy, 1 using physical precocity as a starting point and the other, environmental risks such as disturbed family life, early sexual contact and frequent changes of partners, are contrasted and questioned. Adequate sex education and better instruction on contraception and contraceptive behavior, particularly for male adolescents, are seen as the best strategies for reducing unwanted pregnancies in adolescents.^ieng

[Selective and controlled mass rubella vaccination - experiences with an economical method (author's transl)]. / Gezielte und kontrollierte Rötelnreihenimpfungen - Erfahrungen mit einer ökonomisch vertretbaren Methode.

Immunity to rubella virus was examined in blood samples of 5870 school girls. Only in 22.7% of the girls a vaccination proved necessary. HDC vaccine (strain RA 27/3) was used. By postvaccinal control successful vaccination could be demonstrated in 99.6% of the vaccinated girls. The hemolysis in gel test (HIG) (3557 samples) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (1134 samples) were compared with the hemagglutination inhibition test (HI) as to their reliability and sensitivity in demonstrating rubella virus antibodies. HIG and HI exhibited identical results, whereas with the ELISA diverging results were obtained in 14% of the samples. 30 girls being antibody-positive only in the ELISA were vaccinated. Only 28 of these girls developed rubella specific IgM-antibodies after vaccination. This results strongly suggests that at least in these 28 prevaccinal samples the ELISA yielded false positive results.

[Quantitative determination of rubella virus antibodies in capillary blood. A simple, reliable and economic method (author's transl)]. / Quantitativer Nachweis von Röteln-Virusantikörpern im Kapillarblut. Eine einfache, verlässliche und ökonomische Methode.

In order to carry out a serological control for rubella mass vaccination with the least possible organization and financial expense a study was made to see whether the more economical hemolysis in gel test (HIG) achieved comparable results to the hemagglutination inhibition test (HHT) and whether the reliability of investigation of capillary blood corresponded to that of venous blood. The prevaccination immunity of 935 schoolgirls was tested with the HHT and HIG tests with venous and capillary blood. The results of the HIG test with both venous and capillary blood were equal in all 935 cases, so that the investigation of capillary blood is suitable for the determination of rubella specific antibodies.