Craniofacial surgery: the team approach

Craniofacial surgery offers a new hope to some grossly deformed people. This complex surgery, which is based on a multidisciplinary team approach, needs to be carefully rationalized and regionalized to facilitate investigation, to improve planning, to reduce the number of complications, and to conserve financial resources. To date the Cranio-Facial Clinic at the Adelaide Children's Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital has reviewed 37 cases and operated upon 13 of these. This work is presented together with a review of the team approach.

Heavy metal contents of soils and plants adjacent to the Hume Highway near Marulan, New South Wales

HCL-extractable zinc, lead, cadmium and copper in soils as well as concentrations of these elements in bracken (Pteridium esculentum) were found to decrease along four leeward traverses at right angles to the Hume Highway near Marulan. Similar results were obtained for the above-ground portions of rye corn (Secale cereale) grown in a glasshouse on soils collected along one of these traverses. Zinc accession is similar to, but cadmium and lead accessions are considerably lower than, those observed by other workers in the United States probably owing in the case of cadmium to the use of purer zinc oxide in Australian tyre manufacture and in the case of lead to smaller cars and a smaller proportion of vehicles operating on leaded fuel. Zinc and cadmium analyses of Australian and foreign tyres confirmed the relative purity of the zinc oxide used in the manufacture of tyres in Australia. No serious health hazard appears to arise from heavy metal contamination of roadside soils and vegetation by vehicular traffic on the Hume Highway.

Far Red and White Light-promoted Utilization of Calcium by Seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris L

The cotyledons and embryo axes of seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Pinto contained 16% of the total calcium in the seed. The remaining 84% was in the testas. There was no evidence that calcium in testas was used in seedling growth or that calcium was leached from seedlings during growth.An external supply of calcium decreased the incidence of hypocotyl collapse (a severe symptom of calcium deficiency), increased the calcium content of all organs, and increased the dry weight of all organs except cotyledons. Light treatments decreased the incidence of hypocotyl collapse and increased the calcium content and dry weight of all organs except cotyledons and hypocotyls.White light was more effective than far red light for decreasing incidence of hypocotyl collapse. Usually the effects of white light and far red light on the calcium content and dry weight of organs were similar, and usually those of white light were quantitatively greater than those of far red light. It is suggested that the light-promoted effects were associated with photomorphogenesis and that differences in data obtained with white light and far red light could be associated with photosynthesis.

Skin trauma in patients receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy

Surprisingly extensive skin damage may result from trivial accidents in patients treated with systemic corticosteroids. In one year 21 such patients were admitted to a plastic surgical unit. Skin necrosis and delayed healing are problems in these patients, and skin grafting may be necessary.