This article reports an evaluation of the Coulter Counter model S-Plus VI automatic analyser for haematology, and data are presented on linearity, carry-over, precision, accuracy and stability of the instrument, when compared with a model S-Plus IV/D.The three-part differential count provided by Coulter S-Plus VI has been compared with manual eye counting. The results show a good agreement with...

BACKGROUND Health problems among travelers in developing countries are not uncommon. Little is known about the occurrence of health problems and their impacts among backpackers in Thailand. The objective of this study was to assess the health problems and the health seeking behavior among adult backpackers who visited Thailand. METHODS This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Dat...

OBJECTIVES (1) To evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy (5-9 medicines) and excessive polypharmacy (10+ medicines) and (2) to determine associated demographic and clinical characteristics in an ageing population with intellectual disabilities (IDs). DESIGN Observational cross-sectional study. SETTING Wave One (2009/2010) of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal ...

I read with interest the article on repeat abortion1 by Stone and Ingham in the October 2011 issue of the Journal that explores the characteristics of women who underwent repeat termination of pregnancy (TOP) in England and Wales in 2010–2011. The article’s fi ndings closely match those of a study2 I performed 30 years ago in Bristol, which had the identical objective. Our study was of a simila...

Over-the-counter drugs are medications that are available without the requirement of a prescription. They are considered relatively safe and well-tolerated when taken in accordance with the dosing instructions on the package label. However, when taken alone or in combination with other drugs, they possess pharmacological properties that have the potential to facilitate sexual assault. This chap...

Caffeine, in addition to being a food constituent, is also a common analgesic adjuvant that is used in combination with aspirin in certain over-the-counter preparations. Caffeine has previously been shown to significantly improve certain aspects of human performance, particularly sustained vigilance, when administered in low and moderate doses (32 to 256 mg). We therefore attempted to determine...

The authors examine the role that unregulated dietary supplements may have had in a young man who presented with psychotic and homicidal ideations.

1. First, a number of financial markets—often called over-the-counter or “OTC” markets—are actually best described by a typical search and bargaining model; in these markets, investors have to locate a counterparty themselves, and once they find a suitable trading partner the two are free to trade at any mutually agreeable price. Hence, these models represent the most natural framework to study...

Increasing access and frequency of human immunodeficiency virus testing are critical to stemming the epidemic. In Brazil's concentrated epidemic, human immunodeficiency virus prevalence in the men who have sex with men/transgender population far exceeds that in the general population, but testing rates fall below what is needed to ensure early detection and treatment. Over-the-counter human imm...

The impact of pollen exposure on population allergic illness is poorly characterized. We explore the association of tree pollen and over-the-counter daily allergy medication sales in the New York City metropolitan area. Dates of peak tree pollen (maple, oak, and birch) concentrations were identified from 2003 to 2008. Daily allergy medication sales reported to the city health department were an...