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The epidemic of intentional injury continues to be a leading cause of premature death in America. The ravages of violence are particularly devastating within the minority community. With this position paper from the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association (the country's oldest and largest organization of minority physicians), a group of trauma surgeons and surgical intensivists resolve to focus on underused violence prevention opportunities and to extend their spheres of influence beyond the walls of their institutions and emphasize violence prevention activities. ( JAMA . 1995;273:1788-1789)

IN A RESEARCH career that began in 1919 and continued for nearly 6 decades at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md, Psychobiologist Curt P. Richter, PhD (1894-1988), observed more than 20000 animals, often for their entire lifespans. He kept— and saved—meticulous records on every one, from rodents to humans, creating a mountain of logbooks, charts, and graphs. An investigator with encyclopedic interests, Richter, who died in 1988: • found that rats deprived of salt, protein, fat, and other nutrients developed specific hungers for the missing substances; • localized the hypothalamus as the site of the biological clock; • charted the natural history of the grasp reflex from cradle to grave; • documented the impact of domestication on wild rats; • tied alterations in biological rhythms to psychiatric illness; • and anticipated modern chaos theory as applied to medical illness. While Richter published more than 375 scientific papers

Paper patch myringoplasties are commonly performed in children at the time of ventilation tube removal, yet no series documenting their efficacy appears in the otolaryngology literature. Over an 18-month period at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa), 163 ventilation tube removals were performed on 131 children aged 1 to 18 years. In 95 of these ears, a paper patch myringoplasty was performed after tube removal. No significant difference (87% vs 85%) in the overall healing rate at 6 months was shown between these two groups. An analysis of the variables potentially affecting outcome revealed that healing following simple tube removal was influenced by the frequency of tube placement and by tube size. Paper patch myringoplasty significantly improved outcome (93% vs 61%) in ears with more than three previous tube placements.

ing a study that followed up 4383 men for 28 years, Orsted found that stepwise increases in PSA levels predicted a 3to 57-fold increased risk of prostate cancer and a 2to 16-fold increased risk of prostate cancer mortality. The absolute 10-year risk of prostate cancer was 35% to 80% in those with PSA levels above 10 ng/mL, but only 0.6% to 1.5% in men with levels less than 1 ng/mL. “Based on the results of our study, it would seem reasonable to perform a baseline PSA measurement in asymptomatic men 45 to 50 years of age if these men wish to be assessed for risk of prostate cancer,” said Orsted. Those with a higher baseline PSA level—2 to 4 ng/mL—might be rescreened every 2 to 4 years, and those with a PSA of less than 2 ng/mL should consider screening every 10 years, he said. Examination for prostate cancer is warranted in men with PSA values greater than 4 ng/ mL. Orsted’s findings were presented at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference and Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ECCO-ESMO) in September and were published online in European Urology on November 12 (http://www.scienced i r ec t . com/ sc i ence / a r t i c l e /p i i /S0302283811012401). While the task force’s recommendation may “sensitize the medical community and the lay public that screening is not a slam dunk,” Stephenson faulted the USPSTF for failing to acknowledge that there are benefits to PSA screening in addition to the harms. Instead of adopting “a rather extreme position that no one should be screened,” he said, “the most honest position [for the task force] to take is that men should be informed about the risks and benefits and make an informed decision about screening.” That’spreciselywhattheUSPSTFhopes to achieve with its recommendation. “I would be shocked” if physicians abruptly stop ordering PSA tests, said LeFevre. “There are doctors who didn’t think this was a good test but they didn’t feel they had a choice not to offer it.” In his practice, LeFevre will stop bringing up the PSA test with patients. But if they ask, “I will inform them of what we know and don’t know, and if they still want it, I’ll order the test,” he said. What LeFevre does hope will disappear are the communityand employer-based PSA screenings that are done without a discussion of the risks. “Men should be screened only by choice and with the necessary information,” said LeFevre. “If we have no other impact than to eliminate screening in people who don’t know it or who don’t know what the potential risks and benefits are, that would be a big shift in the right direction.”

To coincide with the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in June 2014, JAMA will publish a theme issue on diabetes research. Our goals are to inform readers about the latest research in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and to provide useful reviews of the current state of basic and clinical science underlying diabetes treatments. The World Health Organization estimates that 350 million people worldwide have diabetes.1 The international obesity epidemic has certainly accelerated the need to better understand the epidemiology, identification, and treatment of diabetes. We invitemanuscripts that address the identification and management of this complex chronic disease. We are especially interested in clinical trials of prevention, treatment, and delivery of care for people with diabetes. Care requirements and treatment goals for diabetes vary by age, and we welcome studies of patient populations of any and all ages, from children to the elderly. We recognize that diabetes is a global health problem, and we encourage submission of manuscripts that address aspects of diabetes thatmay be unique to a specific regional population, such as Asia or Africa. For example, a recent study indicated that approximately 114 million individuals in China have type 2 diabetes and an additional 493 million have prediabetes.2 A recent meta-analysis estimated a 5.7% prevalence rate of diabetes associated with impaired glucose tolerance among adults in sub-Saharan Africa.3 Bothof these studieshighlight theburdenofnoncommunicable diseases, especially diabetes, which is among the most common,withmore than 80%of the 3.4million annual deaths from diabetes occurring in lowand middle-income countries.4 We encourage authors to submit reports of original research, review articles, and Viewpoints for consideration for this theme issue. We are particularly interested in reports of randomized clinical trials that represent advances in the treatment of diabetes and interventions aimed at prevention. Authors who are interested in submitting a manuscript for the diabetes theme issue should indicate this in the cover letter accompanying their manuscript submission. Manuscripts received before January 15, 2014, will have the best chance of consideration for the theme issue. Exceptions may be granted for late-breaking randomized clinical trials to be presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. In these cases, we recommend that authors contact us as early as possible to discuss the trial and to allow coordination of timing of publication with the scientific presentation. We also welcome questions about this theme issue. Authors should consult the JAMA Instructions for Authors for guidelines on manuscript preparation and submission.5 Highquality manuscripts submitted to JAMA that are not of sufficiently high priority for publication in JAMA may be referred to another journal in The JAMA Network. We look forward to receivingyourmanuscripts for the2014 diabetes theme issue of JAMA.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) IS AMONG THE MOST SEvere outcomes associated with violence. In the United States, TBI is a contributing factor to 30.5% of all injury-related deaths. The fourth leading cause of TBI (after falls, “struck by/against,” and motor vehicle crashes) is assault, which accounted for 15 341 hospitalizations and 5813 deaths in the years 2002 through 2006. In this issue of JAMA, Zafonte et al report the results of a randomized trial of citicoline, a widely used pharmacotherapy for the treatment of patients with TBI. In this trial, 9.3% of the study participants were injured in assaults. Zafonte et al found that citicoline treatment did not result in improvement of cognitive or functional status, and as acknowledged in an accompanying editorial by Ruff and Riechers, there are no specific, evidence-based therapies for patients with complicated mild or moderate TBI resulting from assault or any other mechanism. Randomized trials of interventions for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with TBI are clearly needed, even if the interventions turn out to be ineffective. The value of “negative” studies is to expose critical gaps in knowledge and redirect attention to promising alternatives. To further promote the scientific evaluation of promising interventions for the causes of violence and human rights abuses and the clinical management of their related health effects, including TBI, we invite manuscripts for another JAMA theme issue on violence and human rights, to be published on August 7, 2013. Authors may submit manuscripts addressing any topic related to violence, war, civil conflict, or human rights abuses. Randomized controlled trials of preventive, therapeutic, or rehabilitative interventions are of primary interest, but we will also consider reports of observational studies and systematic reviews that address new and important findings in the fields of violence and human rights, as well as scholarly Viewpoints. Manuscripts received by March 15, 2013, will have the best chance of consideration for publication in this theme issue. Submitted manuscripts will undergo JAMA’s usual rigorous editorial evaluation and peer review. Please follow JAMA’s instructions for authors for manuscript preparation and submission. We look forward to receiving manuscripts and inquiries about prospective articles for this theme issue.

THE US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a draft "concept paper" on guidelines for pharmaceutical company support of scientific or educational programs. The FDA has been requesting comments on the proposed guidelines from industry, medical educators, and other interested parties. According to Dennis K. Wentz, MD, director of the American Medical Association's (AMA) Division of Continuing Medical Education and chair of the Ad Hoc Task Force on Industry-Continuing Medical Education (CME) Provider Collaboration—which includes representatives from the AMA, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the pharmaceutical industry, and now observers from the FDA—the task force met last month and will meet again next week (December 12) to discuss the FDA's draft concept paper. It also will examine a proposal, by the pharmaceutical industry's Fred W. Lyons, Jr, to create a self-regulating system. Similar to ACCME, AMA The proposed FDA guidelines are not very different from the

PEDIATRICS HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN DEFINED BY ACUTE illnesses, but with the aid of public health measures, modern medications, vaccines, and product safety advances, acute illnesses are more preventable and treatable than ever. The major challenge for health care professionals who care for infants, children, and young adults and for those who will treat them as they age into adulthood has become the management of chronic diseases. Chronic illnesses in children include a wide range of maladies. Some, such as obesity, malnutrition, and cardiovascular disease, begin in childhood and can continue into adulthood. Others, such as congenital heart disease, are very different from adult-onset disease and require different management. Illnesses such as sickle cell disease and certain cancers that manifest in childhood have had gradual advances in treatment, and these diseases and others, such as neonatal prematurity, present new challenges as children live longer. While all children require general pediatric care (attention to immunization, proper nutrition, development, etc), some problems, such as cancer, congenital heart disease, and autism, are treated primarily by subspecialists. Others, such as cerebral palsy, require the teamwork of multiple disciplines. The prevalence of chronic conditions in childhood varies depending on the condition and how it is defined in terms of severity and functional impact. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau proposed an encompassing view of chronic illness, defining children with special health care needs as “those children who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition and who also require health care-related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.” In 2001, an estimated 12.8% or 9.3 million US children younger than 18 years had special health care needs. Prevalence was higher in boys, older children, and those from low-income families. A national survey in 20022003 found similar results. The leading chronic health conditions causing activity limitation in children differed by age and sex, but included speech problems, asthma, mental retardation, learning disability, and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. The impact of chronic diseases in childhood is enormous, whether measured economically or in terms of mortality and morbidity. Children with special health care needs accounted for 42.1% of total medical care costs for US children in 2000. In 2003, 5 of the 10 leading causes of death in childhood were chronic diseases: malignant neoplasms; congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities; diseases of the heart; chronic lower respiratory tract diseases; and cerebrovascular diseases. Chronic conditions resulted in 66 million restricted-activity days and 27 million days lost from school. The impact on families of having a child with a chronic illness should not be overlooked. Having a child with poor health has been associated with higher rates of marital stress, divorce, and paternal unemployment, and one fifth of families report financial problems caused by their child’s health care needs. Because the burden of chronic diseases on children, their families, and the health care systems throughout the world is sogreat, JAMAwilldevoteanissuetochronicdiseasesof infants, children, and young adults in June 2007. Research in the realm of chronic diseases of children has the potential to influence notonlyhealth inchildhoodbuthealthandwell-beingthroughout the child’s life and, as such, is of utmost importance. We wish to increase awareness of the variety of chronic diseases that can afflict children, encourage research on treatment and outcomes, and promote attention at the health policy level for patients who cannot advocate for themselves. Because the development and impact of chronic conditions are influenced by genetics, behavior, and environment, we encourage studies that consider the multidimensionality of these disorders and their management. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts on topics related to chronic diseases in infants, children, and young adults. High-quality original research, especially randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and commentaries, are welcome. Manuscripts received by January 8, 2007, will have the best chance of consideration for this theme issue. Please consult the JAMA Instructions for Authors for guidelines on manuscript preparation and submission.

To the Editor. —The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiative in the area of industry support of scientific and educational activities led to the release of a draft "concept paper" (DCP) in late October 1991. 1-3 The stated objective of this initiative was to define more clearly a category of drug company—supported scientific and educational activity that is not subject to the rules governing advertising and labeling. This clarification is deemed essential so as not to chill industry support of nonpromotional, educational, and scientific programs. Food and Drug Administration officials have stated that the agency's policy is to avoid undue intrusion into continuing medical education and scientific exchange. The DCP describes this category as "independent scientific and educational activity" and identifies four criteria: independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor, which distinguish it from promotional activity. A number of specific "factors" are listed for each criterion, which would serve

T he aging of the world’s population has profound implications for medical care and health care systems. According to the United Nations, the number of people worldwide aged 60 years or older will increase from 1 in 10 currently to 1 in 5 by 2050. In some developed countries, that proportion will increase from 1 in 5 to 1 in 2 in 2050. The population 80 years or older is projected to increase from 11% of those older than 60 years now to 19% by 2050, and the number of centenarians is expected to increase 15-fold to 2.2 million. The rate of aging of the population is greatest in developing nations, a growing challenge for nations with few health care resources. By 2050, the ratio of people 65 years or older to those aged 15 to 64 years will double in developed nations and triple in developing nations. This demographic revolution will fundamentally affect both health care and society. As one example of the dramatic social and economic effects expected from this trend, the United Nations will hold the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April 2002. According to Nitin Desai, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, “. . . Ageing is not a separate issue from social integration, gender advancement, economic stability or issues of poverty. It has developed a connection with many global agendas and will play, increasingly, a prominent role in the way society interacts with economic and social welfare institutions, family and community life and the roles of women. . . . Societies must respond to the extraordinary potential and range of variability in individual ageing, and seize the opportunity to rethink our notion of limits and recognize the farreaching benefits societies stand to gain from the continuing contributions of their older citizens.” The United States faces specific problems related to aging. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Medicare spending will double in the next decade under existing laws (without a drug benefit), costing an estimated $3.3 trillion over the next decade—while 44 million people remain uninsured. The high cost of drugs for elderly patients is on the national agenda, with proposals for some drug benefits for the poorest individuals, even while some Medicare managed care organizations are discontinuing drug benefits. A federal study found that more than 90% of US nursing homes have too few workers to take proper care of patients but because of the cost involved, the federal government does not plan to set minimum staffing levels. The aging population will put further demands on this already stressed system. These demographic and societal trends have major and far-reaching implications for clinical care, medical research, and health care policy. Given the importance of these issues for physicians, JAMA and several of the Archives Journals will publish theme issues on aging in November 2002. We invite authors to submit manuscripts reporting original research, including randomized controlled trials and high-quality observational research; systematic reviews; and special communications and scholarly commentaries addressing aging issues. Topics may include interventions that prevent disease, reduce disability, or extend functional years, as well as interventions to improve the afflictions more frequent in older age: Alzheimer disease and other dementias, osteoporosis, frailty, mobility limitations, incontinence, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Other appropriate topics include providing high-quality care for older adults regardless of race/ethnicity, sex, or ability to pay, and care for persons nearing the end of life. Authors are advised to consult the JAMA Instructions for Authors for guidelines on manuscript submission and preparation. Manuscripts received before June 1, 2002, will have the best chance of acceptance for the November 13, 2002, JAMA theme issue.

FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS DECADE, JAMA WILL PUBlish a theme issue devoted to the topic of diabetes mellitus. While some progress has been made in understanding and managing diabetes since the May 15, 2002, theme issue, the epidemic continues, as does JAMA’s strong interest in this problem. In 2000 the worldwide prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 2.8% and is projected to reach 4.4% by 2030. In 2005, the total prevalence of diabetes among all ages for those born in the United States was 20.8 million individuals (7% of the population), and an estimated 30% of the cases were undiagnosed. The estimated lifetime risk of developing diabetes for individuals in the United States is 32.8% for men and 38.5% for women. By virtue of the disease process and its associated complications, individuals with diabetes have substantial reductions in life expectancy and quality of life. Research to help counteract these outcomes in patients with diabetes has resulted in a number of new and advanced therapies, including novel antidiabetes medications, surgical interventions, islet cell transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and gene therapy. Because of the continued challenges of diabetes and its associated comorbidities, JAMA will devote an entire issue to this topic in April 2009. This theme issue will be in conjunction with all 9 of our Archives family of specialty journals, which also will devote some or all of their April issues to this topic. We invite authors to submit manuscripts reporting original research (original contributions, preliminary reports, and research letters), systematic reviews, special communications, and commentaries on any topic related to diabetes and its comorbidities. We also welcome articles addressing the economic implications, policy aspects, and ethical considerations relative to diabetes. Special consideration will be given to randomized trials of new therapies and to research reports addressing the management of diabetes, including glycemic monitoring and new technologies for diabetes care; genetic aspects and prevention; islet cell/pancreatic transplantation and related effects of diabetes on cardiovascular and oncologic disorders. Manuscripts received by November 1, 2008, will have the best chance of consideration for publication in the diabetes theme issue of JAMA. High-quality articles also may be published in other issues of JAMA or if not suitable for JAMA, may be referred (with the authors’ permission) for consideration for publication in one of our Archives specialty journals. Please consult the instructions for authors for preparing and submitting manuscripts. We look forward to receiving your manuscripts for our theme issue devoted to this increasingly important global health problem.

Objective. —To determine the contributions of each author to multiauthored biomedical research papers. Design. —Mailed, self-administered survey. Participants. —A total of 184 first authors from a consecutive sample of 200 papers with four or more authors published in 10 leading biomedical journals. Main Outcome Measures. —First authors' ratings of which authors had made substantial contributions to the following: initial conception of the study, design of the study, provision of needed resources, collection of data, analysis and interpretation of data, and writing the first draft of the paper or revising drafts for important intellectual content. Results. —The contributions of nonfirst authors varied greatly within and among papers. Even second and last authors—though they generally contributed more than other nonfirst authors—were markedly inconsistent in the extent and pattern of their contributions. Time spent on the research differed among authors by orders of magnitude. An appreciable number of authors made few or no substantial contributions to the research. Conclusions. —The nature and extent of contributions of nonfirst authors to biomedical research reported in multiauthored papers cannot reliably be discerned (or discounted) by authorship or order of authors. The two core purposes of scientific authorship—to confer credit and denote responsibility for research—are not adequately being met by these authorship practices. (JAMA. 1994;271:438-442)

The 1992 fall meeting of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was held in Washington, DC. The meeting was a tremendous success. Many outstanding papers were presented at the scientific sessions. Particularly exciting was some of the research in the area of reconstructive surgery. Free Flap Perfusion. Dr Berndt Mayer and associates from Berlin, Germany, presented a paper entitled "New Dimensions for the Vital Storage of Microvascular Free Flaps." The authors described a novel concept of storing microvascular free flaps extracorporeally based on the principles of dialysis. The objectives of developing such an extracorporal perfusion system for free flaps were to (1) allow transplantation of free flaps in defects that are devoid of suitable microvascular anastomosis; (2) allow warm storage and perfusion of free flaps during the time that microvascular anastomosis is being performed; and (3) provide a research model of free flaps with direct access to

STILL thirtysomething but nearing its 40th year,American Medical Newswelcomes its 7th editor this week. She is Kathryn Trombatore, who moves to Chicago from Texas Medical Association headquarters in Austin, where she directed the Division of Communication. As the first editor since its founder not to come out of the ranks ofAmerican Medical News, she assumes responsibilities previously undertaken by a succession of Kansas newspapermen followed by the paper's first woman editor (who also was the firstAM Newseditor to hold an AMA vice presidency). Most, if not all, encountered major challenges during their editorships. Yet Trombatore's 6 predecessors apparently are a hardy breed, relocated from coast to coast and remaining active in a variety of pursuits. Trombatore also will be directing a staff many of whose alumni have moved on-quietly or otherwise—to major editorial, public relations, law, teaching, or other positions. September 1958 Debut The first

Aphasia When I sat in your class, you paced, tapped chalk and slate, but gave only eyebrow clues that you were seeding your answers with irony. You analyzed each of our questions and tipped the wavering balance. And all the while you juggled adjectives or euphonious phrases with a dexterity mastered over decades. But all this stopped in the abbreviated seconds that a fleck of fibrin and fat wriggled free— a brief ride on arterial eddies— to wedge in your left middle cerebral branch. And now only eyes shout your struggle— not for an adjective not even for a phrase— but for a verb or noun to break the sinister silence. —Jay Liveson Reprinted by permission from To Slay the Dragon: Poems by Jay Liveson , 78 pp, paper, $14.95, ISBN 0-7734-2676-0, Lewiston, NY, Mellen Poetry Press, 1996. The book is a collection of new and reprinted work on medical and

Mention using recycled paper and many people think of tall trees in pristine forests being saved from a lumberjack's saw. While it is true that when paper is recycled fewer trees need to be cut, that is not the real issue. Trees used for making paper are a renewable resource. They are planted and harvested much like any other crop. More central to the issue of recycling is reducing the amount of paper waste going into landfills by making paper products easier to recycle, recycling them, and of course, using recycled paper when possible. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate more than 180 million tons of garbage each year; nearly 75% of this garbage ends up in municipal landfills. Paper and paperboard products constitute nearly 40% of the total garbage generated. The magazine industry's share of the total waste is 2.5% (4.5 million tons). Within the last

Statistical assessment of papers submitted to the British Medical Journal has increased to some 300 papers annually. The assessment produces a recommendation to the editor on each paper from a statistical viewpoint together with a completed checklist that indicates the quality of certain important features. This exploratory study was aimed at monitoring the process. It reports a comparison of checklist answers on 45 papers as originally submitted with those on the papers as subsequently published. Of the 45 papers, only 5 (11%) were considered statistically acceptable at submission, but this increased to 38 (84%) after publication. Revisions had not been made adequately in 4 of the 7 unsatisfactory published papers, and the 3 others were thought to be of dubious validity. A major omission from at least 28 papers was information on sample size calculations. It is concluded that statistical assessment is beneficial but that further efforts by authors and assessors could make it even more effective. ( JAMA . 1990;263:1355-1357)

Every year since 1901,The JOURNALhas devoted an issue to medical education in the United States. The history recorded in these education issues presents the expanded scope and increased complexity of the data collected by the American Medical Association (AMA) in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education and reflects the AMA's more than 100-year commitment to medical education and more than 50 years of support for education in allied health professions. The first education issue 1 encompassed in six pages the AMA's database on each of the 156 US medical schools; the bulk of the issue contained articles on such perennial concerns as the aims of medical education, how best to integrate didactic instruction with laboratory and clinical teaching, the risk of a physician surplus, and an inquiry into who the medical students should be and what motivates them to become physicians. Later issues have revisited these topics, but

At this meeting, Charles Edmond, MD, George Zalzal, MD, John Nowlin, MD, and Billie Lou Short, MD, presented their experience with the otolaryngologic complications associated with ECMO. The most common otolaryngologic complication was postextubation stridor, which occurred in 25 (13.6%) of 227 patients examined. Almost half of these patients required flexible or direct laryngoscopic examination. Bleeding from the nasotracheal tube and tracheitis were also reported and were felt to be secondary to repeated suctioning. Complications related to the surgical procedure included neck hematomas, Horner's syndrome, and vocal cord paralysis. The authors emphasized the need for otolaryngologists to be familiar with these types of complications as they will likely be consulted more often as more centers develop ECMO programs.

In May 1991, the 10 scientific journals of the American Medical Association (AMA) concurrently published multiple articles on a singular subject of great public health importance, "Caring for the Uninsured and Underinsured." 1,2 Following the success of this effort, the editors of the scientific journals of the AMA again have voted to devote substantial pages of all 10 journals to another subject of major importance—violence—to be published on a common date in 1992. The medical, social, and economic effects of violence in our society are staggering. Violent death includes homicide, suicide, and accident. Nonfatal injuries may result from accidents, assaults, and suicide attempts. Assailants and victims may be relatives, friends, or strangers. Violent injuries may be purposeful or an unintended byproduct. We invite you to contribute an original manuscript on any aspect of violence. The manuscript may be an original contribution, a clinical investigation, a brief report, a review, or

PAPERMAKING, as the Chinese developed it almost 2,000 years ago, was a simple process using natural ingredients. The basic procedure involved breaking up raw materials such as straw, leaves, and rags into cellulose fibers. These fibers were suspended in water and formed into felted sheets with a filtering device. The modern paper-pulp industry has modified the basic process with various chemicals to refine and alter the wood pulp. It is a highly technical science requiring both natural and synthetic materials. The composition of the final product varies depending on the intended use, whether it be for writing, printing, wrapping, filtering, or cleaning. In this report, allergic contact dermatitis to a new paper product, carbonless copy paper, is documented. Report of a Case A 21-year-old woman had a 1 1/2-year history of an intermittent eruption of the face and neck (Fig 1). She worked as a clerk in a college registrar's

WITHIN recent years increased attention has been paid to the changes in plasma proteins occurring in various disease processes. Such studies by means of electrophoresis 1 have yielded interesting and important results and have clearly shown the superiority of this method to the chemical determinations of protein fractions. However, the high cost of apparatus and the technical difficulties restrict the use of this method to relatively few research institutions, whereas a less costly and simpler method would permit investigations on a broader scale. It appears that such methods have been found in plasma chromatography on filter paper 2 and in microelectrophoresis. 3 This paper deals with the former method. The results of chromatographic investigations of the plasma of 250 patients suffering from various diseases and of 30 normal control persons are given, and the technique of plasma chromatography on filter paper is described. By means of this new procedure it

Note. The field of otolaryngology has become so broad, that the man doing this work finds it difficult to follow as he would like the important contributions that are being made along the several lines. For his convenience, theArchiveshas undertaken to prepare a series of critical annual summaries which will epitomize the important contributions that appear covering the more important phases of this special field. So far as practical, the reviews on a particular subject are to appear each year in the same month.—The Editor. Because it is impossible to have the review of the literature for the current year ready for theArchivesby the end of that year, it was thought best to cover the period from about October, 1923, to October, 1924, and similarly for any succeeding years. At the suggestion of the Editor a few papers on the treatment of deafness, and so forth

A 27-year-old woman experienced pruritus, eye and throat irritation, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and fatigue within half an hour of exposure to carbonless copy paper. On two separate occasions, she was purposely challenged in a controlled-blinded fashion with portions of the carbonless copy paper. This resulted on both occasions in contact urticaria of the hand that held the paper and changes in pulmonary function flow-volume loops characteristic of upper airway obstruction. To determine if alterations in prostaglandin (PG) metabolism might explain these findings, plasma PGF2αand thromboxane B2(both capable of causing these symptoms) were measured before and during the second exposure period. Both PGF2αand thromboxane B2increased substantially. We conclude that the cutaneous and respiratory symptoms induced by carbonless copy paper were probably related to PG release. (JAMA1984;252:1038-1040)

We report two cases of recurrent episodes of hoarseness, cough, flushing, pruritus, and rash occurring within 30 minutes of topical exposure to carbonless copy paper. Provocative challenges revealed that alkylphenol novolac resin was the ingredient responsible. Video endoscopy of the larynx was performed and plasma histamine levels were obtained prior to and 30 minutes after cutaneous challenge of a patient with alkylphenol novolac resin. We documented marked laryngeal edema and a sixfold increase in plasma histamine levels after challenge. We conclude that topical exposure to carbonless copy paper may cause mast cell/basophil-mediated acute systemic and potentially life-threatening reactions in susceptible patients. ( JAMA 1988;260:242-243)

Between October, 1956, and February, 1957, six male office workers, employed in the billing department of a large corporation, were seen, suffering from a rather severe dermatitis which was proven to be caused by Thermo-Fax paper, used in a Thermo-Fax Copying Machine. There was nothing remarkable about the dermatitis. There were eczematous vesicular and crusting patches on the dorsa of the hands and forearms in all patients, dermatitis of a contact type on the face and neck in the case of two of the patients, and a generalized "toxic" type of dermatitis in one of the patients. Patch tests were done with the usual office contactants, such as carbon paper, cleansers, and typewriter ribbon, and were also done with dry Thermo-Fax Copying Paper. All 48-hour tests were negative save that done with Thermo-Fax Copying Paper, and to this a vesiculation of the test site developed in from 6

1. Beta dimethylaminoethyl benzhydryl ether hydrochloride (Benadryl) is a member of a new group of pharmacologically active antihistamine drugs. 2. Its use in amounts of 50 to 100 mg. given orally one to five times daily to a diverse group of 18 patients with both acute and chronic urticaria is reported. 3. Eleven patients experienced prompt relief of symptoms as long as the drug was taken. Three had definite and real improvement, and many of the wheals which did appear were not pruritic. Four patients were not benefited. 4. The drug has a wide margin of safety, and the only toxic manifestations noted were drowsiness and muscular aching (2 cases) and dizziness, weakness and vertigo (1 case). No cumulative toxic symptoms were noted in patients who ingested the drug as long as six or seven months. All toxic symptoms promptly disappeared when the drug was discontinued. 5. The effect is palliative, and in many patients the urticaria recurred when the administration of the drug was discontinued. 6. Since an antihistamine drug seems to be effective in controlling urticaria, it may be assumed that this is further indirect evidence that histamine is a factor in the production of urticaria.

• We present a new method for the outpatient use of anthralin paste in the treatment of psoriasis. By instructing the patient to cover the nightly paste application with semipermeable paper tape, we devised a practical and easy method for home therapy. In a study of 12 patients with unresponsive plaque-type psoriasis, six responded with 90% or better clearing of treated sites and two with 70% clearing, compared with symmetrical control sites. Four patients showed no substantial improvement. The average duration of therapy was 11 weeks. A three-month reevaluation of the conditions of these patients disclosed that improvement had been substantially maintained. Despite the tape occlusion, irritation was a manageable problem, except in three patients who had to halt therapy. Although less effective than conventional inpatient anthralin paste regimens, this method is more cost-effective for those with limited plaque disease. ( Arch Dermatol 1984;120:625-630)

To the Editor:— In spite of limited exposure, the anogenital region can be affected by a number of irritants,1some of which may lead to contact dermatitis.2These act either as allergens or primary irritants. Causative agents frequently noted are dyes in underclothing, condoms, douches, contraceptive jellies, sanitary napkins, substances carried by the hands, systemic antibiotics, rubber products included in supporters and elastic girdles, soaps, and perfumes. The clinical manifestations of these dermatoses vary with the inciting agent, the affected site, and the individual's allergic responsiveness. In recent months we have noted another interesting variation of this entity; contact dermatitis caused by perfumed toilet papers. The presenting complaint was the acute onset of mild to severe pruritus. The periurethral area and the vagina were involved in the females and the perianal area in both males and females. Local signs of inflammation were noted with occasional evidences of excoriation.

St. Louis, Mo., May 15, 1897. To the Editor: — I herewith send you a few crumbs in answer to your call for a discussion of the paper on which theJournalshould be printed, because I am convinced that it will be calculated to do good service by directing attention to very important questions, which must be of great practical interest to the human race both in this and future generations. The question of the size and form of printing type, and the color of the material for background, is not only of great importance to the comfort of adults, but it is of far greater importance to children and those who quite naturally look to the typographical and mechanical features of theJournalfor a model. What constitutes readable print? The most readable print is that by which one may obtain the maximum of reading, with the minimum

Most editors of medical journals have been known occasionally to harbor some dark thoughts against writers, especially against those who submit manuscripts with poorly prepared illustrations. We strongly suspect that similar dire phantasies occupy the minds of many of those who must strain to see the slides presented by speakers at medical meetings. While our courtesy constrains us and prevents our wishes from becoming actions, we nevertheless envy our printers, who can dispose of broken type in a box they call "the hell." Unhappily, editors have no hellbox.In an effort to redeem some of these erring writers and speakers, Dr. Robert M. Zollinger, who is himself a journal editor, Dr. William G. Pace of the Department of Surgery, and Mr. George J. Kienzle of the School of Journalism, all at Ohio State University, have written A Practical Outline for Preparing Medical Talks and Papers. In 57 pages, half of

In this volume any physician would expect to find the exciting and historic documents which describe the brief era preceding the successful extraction of insulin and the stirring records of its initial effects in human diabetics. He would also expect the subsequent reports, detailing a continued and comprehensive investigation of experimental diabetes. However, those unaware of the enormous energy and intellectual curiosity of Dr. Best are surprised to find almost equally significant accounts of his contributions to the fields of fat metabolism and lipotropic factors, and thrombosis and anticoagulants. The book is prefaced with a foreword by Sir Henry Dale and an introduction by Elliott P. Joslin. Its 64 papers are divided into four major sections, but the first two, discussing "Insulin and Glucagon" and "Choline and Lipotropic Factors," account for two thirds of the content. In each section there is a chronologic sequence. Dr. Best personally annotated most of

The trail begins innocently enough—just a typeset line in the 1978 Author Index of the Cumulated Index Medicus: Darsee JR: EKG changes and anaphylaxis [letter] South Med J 70(10):1249, Oct 77. For the next month the index shows another letter by the same author in a different journal; two months later there is an another, and a few months later another. Rapidly the citations in the Index Medicus change. Letters to the editor are replaced by short, single-authored papers. Soon, longer manuscripts appear in the line listings, with two, then three, then four and five authors. With time, the names of the journals become more prestigious, small papers give way to substantial works, and researchers of national and international stature are listed as coauthors with increasing frequency. For the past five years, Darsee's name appears on an astounding 116 articles listed in the Science Citation Index (which does not include