Datasets:

etanios

/

shortened-pubmed

like 0

The enzyme(s) present in acetonedried powder of rat and rabbit aortas, which catalyzes the synthesis and hydrolysis of cholesteryl ester, was purified partially by acid precipitation, acetone fractionation, O-(diethylaminoethyl) cellulose chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 filtration. The synthetic activity was purified by 120-fold (rat) and 140-fold (rabbit). Purification of hydrolytic activity was 90-fold (rat) and 103-fold (rabbit). Cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity was separated from nonspecific esterase by column chromatography. Both synthetic and the hydrolytic activities are apparently the functions of one enzyme. The mol wt of the enzyme was estimated to be 140,000 dalton as determined by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. The extracts of the acetone-dried powders of aortas of both species contained an inhibitor of synthetic activity. The inhibitor was nondialyzable and was precipitated at pH 5.7. Both activities were found to be fairly nonspecifc with regard to sterol and fatty acids. With oleic acid, the relative rates of sterol ester synthesis were: cholesterol, 100; cholestanol, 94; desmosterol, 35; coprostanol, 24; ergosterol, 20; and beta-sitosterol, 19. Epicholesterol was not esterified. Oleic acid was most active in cholesteryl ester synthesis, the relative rates being: oleic greater than linoleic greater than arachidonic greater than palmitic greater than stearic greater than butyric. The rate of hydrolysis was maximum with cholesteryl linoleate followed by oleate, linolenate, palmitate, stearate, and laurate in decreasing order.

Rat heart preparations metabolized erucic acid at much slower rates than palmitic acid. This applied for activation reaction, for the conversion of acyl-CoA to acylcarnitine, and for the utilization of acyl group for oxidation. As compared to palmityl-CoA, erucyl-CoA exhibited a lower affinity for carnitine palmityltransferase (EC 2.3.1.23), the respective apparent Michaelis constants were 43 and 83 muM. Presence of erucyl-CoA or erucyl-carnitine slowed the mitochondrial oxidation of palmityl groups apparently because of the slower oxidation of erucyl groups. However, presence of erucate did not inhibit the activation of palmitate. Heart mitochondria obtained from rats fed rapeseed oil (50 cal %) or corn oil diet for 3 days showed similar abilities for the coupled oxidation of various substrates and similar carnitine palmityltransferase activities. Thus, a suggestion of gross mitochondrial malfunction following rapeseed oil consumption was not confirmed.

The chemical composition of the essential oil from the aerial parts of Houttuynia cordata was examined by ir, glc and gc-ms, as a part of the study of the Saururaceae whose members have rich folkloric medicinal history. The analysis indicate that the essential oil from H. cordata is very rich (81.4 percent v/v) in lipid compounds. A comparision of the composition of the essential oils from three members of the Saururaceae, namely Anemopsis californica, Saururus cernuus and H. cordata from a chemosystematic point of view shows that each species investigated hitherto has its own characteristic type essential oil. While from the morphological and anatomical point of view, Saururus seems to represent the least specialized genus, the presently available chemical evidence does not clearly assign such a status to Saururus.

Tissues of rats were examined for the presence of cholanoic acids. Quantitation of extraction, deconjugation, and isolation were verified by use of radioactive standards. Identification was made by thin layer and gas liquid chromatographic comparison to standards and mass spectrometry. All tissues examined were found to contain several conjugated cholanoic acids. Liver contained primarily cholic acid and peripheral tissues primarily dihydroxy compounds, mainly hyodeoxycholic acid.

Rat liver microsomes were extracted with a buffered 0.15 M KCl and 0.25 M sucrose solution and fractionated by centrifugation into a particulate component and a supernatant containing a protein factor necessary for fatty acid desaturation. The delta 6 fatty acid desaturation activity of the extracted microsomes was reduced significantly, and the readdition of the supernatant restored the enzymatic activity to the original value of the whole microsomes. A protein diet or a fat-free diet increased the delta 6 desaturation activity of the whole microsomes. The activating effect was evoked upon the particulate components of the enzymatic desaturation system and not upon the protein factor present in the supernatant. Fasting, refeeding, and refeeding plus glucagon and theophylline treatments of rats also modified the delta 6 desaturation activity of whole liver microsomes. The effect also was evoked on the delta 6 desaturation system tightly bound to the microsomal membrane but not on the protein factor of the supernatant. Accordingly, the protein factor of the supernatant is considered to be different from the cyanide sensitive factor and the desaturase.

The petroleum ether extractive of the bark of Erythrina variegata var. orientalis was fractionated and shown to be composed of wax alcohols and wax acids, alkyl ferulates, alkyl phenolates, stigmasterol, sitosterol, campesterol and possibly citrostadienol/24-methylenelophenol. The ethanol extractive yielded chloroform-soluble and water-soluble bases, identified as erysovine and stachydrine, respectively.

Several new branched and straight chain secondary and tertiary amines were shown to have inhibitive effects upon development and metamorphosis and the delta-24-sterol reductase system in larvae of the tobacco hornworm similar to those previously observed with a number of azasteroids. Certain of the amines which are related structurally to compounds with juvenile hormone activity in insects also blocked development and metamorphosis in three other species of insects. These compounds are lethal or inhibit development in all larval stages and thus differ in action from compounds with juvenile hormone activity where the principal effect is to block the penultimate or ultimate molt.

The delta 9 desaturase activity and the 14-C radioactivity of the de novo synthesized fatty acids incorporated into microsomal lipids and serum triglycerides were measured under different nutritional conditions. The results obtained indicate a correlation between the values of the three parameters studied after starvation or after refeeding Purina chow or either a high carbohydrate or a high protein diet. These data suggest that liver lipogenesis and delta 9 desaturase activities respond to the same regulatory factors.

Two obvious forms of student "wastage" are academic failure and withdrawal from university. In this prospective cohort study of 2,041 first-year students at Monash University, the relationship of these two events to mental health, university life-stress and other variables is examined. Four factors found to be strongly related to first-year academic failure are mental illness at university a high level of life-stress, poor secondary school academic record, and an extroverted personality. Withdrawal from university during first year is frequently preceded by poor mental health, high life-stress and loneliness. Withdrawal during second year is strongly associated with first-year academic failure and mental illness. The significance of these findings is discussed, and comparisons are made with overseas studies.

Peripheral gangrene is an uncommon initial manifestation of polycythaemia vera, especially if it is not associated with occlusive disease of larger vessels of the limbs. A 57-year-old Chinese male with polycythaemia vera presenting with recurrent gangrene of the toes is described. Absence of occlusive arterial disease of larger vessels was shown by the presence of peripheral pulses. The digital gangrene was due most probably to impaired perfusion resulting from hyperviscosity. Correction of hyperviscosity in this case by venesection and treatment with the cytotoxic drug, busulphan, not only corrected the polycythaemia vera, but also cured the digital gangrene.

1. Long-chain acid: CoA ligase (AMP-forming) (trivial name acyl-CoA synthetase; EC 6.2.1.3) is located at the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and the outer membrane of the mitochondria. The latter membrane has by far the highest specific activity. 2. GTP-dependent synthesis of acyl-CoA has a very low activity in liver mitochondria (about 5% of the activity measured with ATP). CTP, ITP, UTP and GTP may all provide energy for fatty acid activation in sonicated mitochondria by formation of ATP from endogenous ADP and AMP. 3. In rat liver palmitoyl-CoA: L-carnitine O-palmitoyltransferase (trivial name carnitine palmitoyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.21) is located at the microsomal membranes and in the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Its activity is increased, in both membranes, during fasting and in thyroxine-treated rats. The extramitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase may capture part of the acyl CoA formed at the endoplasmic reticulum as acyl-carnitine, especially during fasting and other metabolic conditions of high fatty acid turnover. This transport form of activated fatty acid can penetrate the inner mitochondrial membrane (the acyl-CoA barrier) where it can be reconverted to acyl-CoA, providing the substrate for beta-oxidation in the inner membrane-matrix compartment. The small part of the mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase, described to be present at the external surface of the mitochondrial inner membrane, may have the same function in the transport of acyl-CoA formed at the mitochondrial outer membrane. 4. Isolated rat liver mitochondria can oxidize high concentrations of palmitate or oleate in the absence of carnitine. In this case the fatty acids are activated in the inner membrane-matrix compartment of the mitochondria, probably by a medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetase with wide substrate specificity. Because this enzyme is less active in heart and absent in skeletal muscle, these tissues oxidize long-chain fatty acids in an obligatory carnitine-dependent fashion. Also the liver oxidizes long-chain fatty acids in a carnitine-dependent way if lower fatty acid concentrations are used. In this tissue carnitine stimulates specifically the partial oxidation of fatty acids to beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate. 5. The activities of acyl-CoA: sn-glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase (trivial name glycerophosphate acyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.15) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase change in opposite directions during fasting. These activity changes, together with the measured kinetic properties of the enzymes in mitochondria and microsomes, allow a switch (relatively) from lipid synthesis to ketogenesis during fasting. This switch may occur at the level of long-chain acyl-CoA both in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the mitochondria.

Succinate dehydrogenase is subjected to positive and negative modulation. The negative modulators oxaloacetate and D- or L-malate transform the enzyme into a nonactive complex in which oxaloacetate is bound. The deactivation by malate involves its oxidation by the succinate dehydrogenase which then deactivates the enzyme. In the present study we measured the activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the presence of two opposing effectors,L-malate as deactivator and CoQH2 as an activator. With these opposingeffectors present, the catalytic activity of succinate dehydrogenase assumes a steady state, the level of which is a function of the concentration of the two effectors. At lowconcentration of L-malate all of the succinate dehydrogenase activity is protected by CoQH2, while at saturating malate concentrations only 60-70% of activity is protected. Kinetic analysis of the approach to the steady state indicates that the protective effect of CoQH2 is not due to its activator property but due to its ability ofreduce the enzyme. This was verified by carrying out a radox titration of succinatedehydrogenase activity in the presence of L-malate. A redox active component was characterized with E = +25 mV and n = 1.8. When this component is reduced, L-malate cannot deactivate the succinate dehydrogenase, but when in the oxidized state the enzyme is susceptible to such deactivation. It is proposed that this group participates in the regulation of the activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the mitochondria.

The uptake of glucose and gluconate is under inductive control in Pseudomonas putida. Glucose, gluconate, and 2-ketogluconate were each good nutritional inducers of these transport abilities. Glucose and gluconate uptake obeyed saturation kinetics: the apparent Km for glucose was 6 mM and that for gluconate was 0.5 mM. Therefore, transport of both substrates appears to be mediated by enzyme-like carriers. Glucose and gluconate are parallel inhibitors for their uptake9 Strains selected for their inability totransport glucose were found to be deficient in gluconate uptake. The reverse was alsotrue: mutations affecting gluconate entry also blocked the uptake of glucose. These results demonstrate that a common carrier is involved in the uptake of both glucose and gluconate by P. putida cells.

Experiments on strains of yeast with different genetic backgrounds were done to evaluate the kinetics of inactivation and mutation induction by X-radiations. A system of forward mutation induction in five loci was used as a specific mutation rate of 0.14-10-minus 8 times locus times rad was evaluated for the wild type. From a comparison of observations with wild type and radiation-sensitive strains, it may be assumed that, in this yeast, mutations are mainly the result of a repair-active process. The range of genotypic and phenotypic influence upon the specific locus mutation rate was evaluated with appropriate biological material and experiments.

Ikushima and Wolff have recently interpreted both their observation of chromatid aberrations in second and third mitoses following X-irradiation and the production of chromatid type chromosomal aberrations by UV light administered during the G1 phase of the cell cycle in terms of a polyneme model of eukaryote chromosome structure. They were led to do so, however, largely because of their X-ray data, which the interpreted as evidence for the induction of sub-chromosomal lesions (by G1 irradiation; sub-chromatid for G2 irradiation) which appear as chromatid type aberrations only in later divisions. We here report data from similar X-ray experiments in which synchronized Chinese hamster tissue culture cells were irradiated in either G1 or G2 and then scored for chromatid aberrations in their first, second and third post-irradiation mitoses. Our results do not show the effect reported by Ikushima and Wolff. We conclude that all of the data available of aberration production is compatible with a simple mononeme model of eukaryote chromosome structure.

Seedlings of Crepis capillaris were irradiated after pulse-labelling with tritiated thymidine ([3-H]TdR), and both chromosomal aberrations and presence of silver grains were recorded in the same metaphase cells at various intervals throughout the whole mitotic cycle. The following results were obtained: (a) irradiated roots were homogeneous with respect to the number of aberrations, and heterogenous with respect to labelling index (LI); (b) time--effect curves for labelled (L) and unlabelled (U) cells showed no significant difference from one another; (c) no significant quantitative difference of aberration spectra produced in S and G2 stages was found. These results support the view that the major factor which determines both quantitative and qualitative variation in the production of chromosomal aberrations by radiation is the time lapse between irradiation and fixation rather than relation of the time of irradiation to the time of DNA synthesis. In addition, it was found that labelling with [3-H]TdR modifies the effect of radiation on chromosomes.

The ability of the carcinogen, N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-AcO-AAF), to induce mutations to azaguanine resistance in diploid human cells was quantitatively investigated and shown to be dose-dependent. The 8-azaguanine (AG) resistance was shown to be heritable in the absence of mutagen or selective agent and the cells of the mutant clones were shown to retain normal sensitivity to N-AcO-AFF.

The X-ray induction of 8-azaguanine (AG) resistent mutants in two sets of diploid and tetraploid Chinese hamster cells (DON and V79) was investigated. It was found that (i) the induced mutant frequencies in diploid and tetraploid cells appeared to be of the same order of magnitude and (ii) all mutants showed almost complete loss of hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyl-transferase (HGPRT) activity except that in the tetraploid V79 cells 50--100% of activity was retained. The gene--dosage effect for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in these cells make it possible to determine the number of chromosomes bearing the HGPRT-gene in mutants by measuring the G6PD activity per cell. The results show that the spontaneous and induced mutants from the diploid V79 and DON as well as the tetraploid DON cells retained the G6PD activity of the parental cells, whereas the induced mutants from the tetraploid V79 cells had about 35% of the parental G6PD activity. With 6-thioguanine (TG) as selective agent, the induced mutant frequencies in diploid and tetraploid DON cells and in diploid V79 cells appeared to be of the same order of magnitude but no mutants could be recovered from tetraploid V79 cells in a single step. TG-resistant tetraploid V79 cells could only be obtained from the AG-resistant mutants after a second selection. The HGPRT activity was lost in these mutants and some of them showed an increase in G6PD activity. The combined data cannot be explained on the basis of a single genetic mechanism.

The relationship between UV sensitivity and pyrimidine auxotrophy has been examined. Fourteen pyrimidine-requiring mutants have been classified on the basis of genetic complementation and utilization of biosynthetic intermediates and have been assigned to at least four loci. All the mutants studied were sensitive to UV, although the degree of sensitivity varied both between loci and amongst alleles at the same locus. A double mutant strain carrying pyrimidine mutants at two loci was only as sensitive to UV as the more sensitive of the singles. This suggests that both mutants are deficient in the same repair mechanism. Suppressor mutations which restored endogenous pyrimidine biosynthesis were isolated. These suppressors restored UV resistance in the presence of the original mutation. The results indicate that the UV sensitivity of these mutants is a direct result of pyrimidine auxotrophy and not to any secondary properties of the mutants.

Two mutants at the pyr I locus have been used to study the radiation sensitivity of pyrimidine auxotrophs of U. maydis. The mutant pry I-I has a reduced level of thymidine nucleotides, and this is a likely basis of the sensitivity. This strain is able to excise pyrimidine dimers from its DNA and is cross-sensitive to gamma-rays and nitrosoguanidine (NG) as well as to UV. A diploid heteroallelic at the pyr I locus was UV-sensitive but not deficient in UV-induced mitotic recombination. The results suggest that the UV sensitivity may be due to the failure of a repair DNA polymerase to fill post-excision single-strand gaps in the DNA. The mutant pyr I-I exhibits the property of UV recovery, and this is shown to be dependent on the presence of dimers in the DNA. A mechanism for UV recovery is proposed in which a repair system, possibly involving recombination, is induced by the UV irradiation.

Dominant-lethal effects of 6-mercaptopurine on male mice were studied using eight doses, ranging from 150 to 482 mg/kg. Effects of the 150-mg/kg dose were studied over the entire spermatogenic cycle, and those of the higher doses for matings made between days 28.5 and 41.5 after treatment. It was found that, with low doses, there was only one period in which clearcut increases in induced dominant-lethal mutations were detected, namely in matings that occurred 32.5 to 35.5 days after treatment. With higher doses, effects could be detected beyond that period through day 39.5. Spermatozoa utilized for matings during the period of greatest response were presumably derived from germ cells that were in late differentiating spermatogonial and early meiotic spermatocyte stages at the time of treatment. These results are similar to those of Ray and Hyneck. To date, 6-mercaptopurine is unique in inducing dominant lethality only at these particular stages. A study of chromatid aberration induction in the treated males themselves was carried out for 150 and 250 mg/kg doses of 6-mercaptopurine over the period of 9 to 16 days after treatment. A considerable increase in ischromatid and chromatid deletions was observed in diakinesis-metaphase-I spermatocytes on days 14 and 15 after treatment. For reasons discussed, the cells sampled at this may be assumed to have been in early meiosis (preleptotene), with some in late differentiating spermatogonial stages, at the time of treatment. The rough agreement in sensitive cell type for dominant lethality and chromatid aberration induction suggests that chromatid deletions are the cause of dominant lethality in this study. Conservative estimates of the frequency of dominant lethality expected from the chromatid aberration frequencies tend to substantiate this suggestion.

Workers from three insecticide plants in direct contact with 2,2-bis (beta-chlorophenyl)-I,I,I,-trichloroethane (DDT) did not differ significantly in the frequencies of cells with chromosomal aberrations when compared with controls from the same plants but not in direct contact with the drug. The same was true when a group of workers from one plant was compared with a control group from the Instituto Butantan, with no history of occupational exposure to DDT. Yet, when the control group from one of the three plants, which showed high DDT plasmic levels, was added to the group in direct contact with the insecticide, the frequency of cells with chromatid aberrations was significantly higher, suggesting that DDT causes chromatid lesions. A positive correlation was found between DDT levels and times of exposure, but being in direct or indirect contact with DDT was not always correlated with the degree of contamination.

Nine patients who underwent aortic-valve replacement for acute aortic regurgitation due to infective endocarditis were studied for clinical features that may be useful in assessing the severity of this condition. The traditional physical signs of a wide pulse pressure were absent. As compared to a group of patients with chronic aortic regurgitation, the mean (plus or minus S.D.) pulse pressure (55 plus or minus 7 vs. 105 plus or minus 22 mm Hg), left ventricular end diastolic volume (146 plus or minus 28 vs. 264 plus or minus 64 ml per square meter) and stroke volume (89 plus or minus 22 vs. 163 plus or minus 57 ml per square meter) were significantly smaller in the acute group (P less than 0.01). Left ventricular pressure exceeded left atrial pressure in late diastole, causing premature closure of the mitral valve, and the degree of early closure reflected the increase in left ventricular end diastolic pressure. Premature closure of the mitral valve was demonstrated by echocardiography in all patients. Those with echocardiographic signs of very early mitral-valve closure have severely volume-overloaded ventricles and are candidates for early valve replacement.

A study of the effectiveness of screening for phenylketonuria in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States indicated that the diagnosis is more likely to be missed in the latter two countries because of the earlier age at which infants are screened. Furthermore, in the United States, diagnosis and treatment are delayed as compared with Ireland and the United Kingdom. Because test most commonly used to detect phenylketonuria is identical in all three countries, the differences in effectiveness are attributable to the way in which it is applied. In the United Kingdom, personnel and facilities have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. There is co-ordination between in-hospital and extra-hospital health care, and follow-up care of young infants in the community is assured. Greater effectiveness of screening in the United States will require a more rational organization of health services.

Reports on survival of patients with cancer issued by the National Cancer Institute indicate marked improvement for almost all forms of cancer from the 1940's to 1950's. Subsequently, prognosis for patients with forms of cancer accounting for approximately 42 per cent of all cancers continued to improve, although at a slower rate. For cancers of the lung, colon, rectum, stomach and pancreas, little improvement in patient survival during the 1960's was observed, and for women with invasive cervical cancer, survival rates decreased slightly. One-year survival results for patients with diagnoses made during 1970-71 suggest that improvement in five-year survival observed during the 1960's for many forms of cancer will be sustained. Continued reporting of survival of patients treated in the 1970's would ultimately demonstrate the degree of effectiveness of recently introduced therapeutic procedures.

Family medicine is part of the process by which medicine adjusts itself to the changing needs of society. Family physicians have in common the fact that they obtain fulfillment from personal relations more than from the technical aspects of medicine. Their commitment is to a group of people more than to a body of knowledge. Their experience gives them a distinctive perspective of illness that includes its personal and social context. Medical knowledge includes information, skill and insight. Medical education has tended to emphasize the former: to concentrate on foreground rather than background. In the training of family physicians the education setting and the role of instructors are of crucial importance.

Pattern Recognition is becoming established as a general data analysis tool which has widespread applications in chemistry. Whenever something must be learned from objects (elements, compounds, and mixtures) and a chemical/physical theory has not been sufficiently developed, pattern recognition may provide a solution. Materials production problems, screening applications, source identification and structure analysis are important areas of current interest. It is expected that many more areas of application will open up in the years to come. In short, the "educated guess" is being supported by the computer; at least that is our educated guess.

Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a method allowing the separation of proteins according to their molecular sizes. For this reason this method is rather useful for the classification of proteinurias as tubular, glomerular, or mixed. In the present study a good correlation was observed between the results of urine electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel and both clinical and histopathological data from 32 patients with different forms of renal disease.

Studies have been carried out on the toxicity of large doses of contrast medium (Hypaque 45%) given to rats with acute renal failure induced both by mercuric chloride and by glycerol. No increase in the expected mortality of the experimental models was observed following infusion of twice the maximum clinical dose of contrast medium.

The ingestion of a sodium phosphate laxative preparation (Phosphosoda, Fleed) in a patient who had acute renal failure resulted in hypocalcemic tetany primarily due to severe hyperphosphatemia. Hypernatremia and a marked anion gap were present and attributable in part to the sodium phosphate ingestion of this preparation in the presence of renal failure.

A material with a molecular weight comprised between 10,000 and 50,000 has been extracted from the urine of normal and glomerulonephritic (GN) rats submitted to high or normal salt diet. When injected into the renal arteries of normal rats, the material isolated from the urine of normal salt-loaded rats induced a significant natriuresis; on the contrary, the material isolated from GN rats or from normal non-salt-loaded rats induced only a slight natriuresis which did not exceed control values. Injection of natriuretic material in GN rats did not induce any significant natriuresis. The results demonstrate the presence of a natriuretic material in the urine of salt-loaded normal rats; this material is absent in the urine of GN animals; moreover, they demonstrate that the sodium retention by the GN kidney is due to the inability of this organ to respond to the determinants of saline natriuresis such as natriuretic factor(s) as well as non specific changes in blood composition, i.e. blood dilution. Several possibilities could be deduced from these results: a natriuretic material of extrarenal origin could be inactive on the GN kidney which could destroy it; natriuretic material of renal origin could disappear during experimental glomerulonephritis and be absent in the urine of these animals.

The effect of acute renal denervation on renal blood flow (RBF) and intrarenal distribution of blood flow (microsphere method) was studied in dogs using three standard denervation models. Surgical denervation, by stripping renal vascular nerves and autoperfusing the kidney through a large bore plastic catheter, caused RBF and glomerular filtration rate to decrease. Also, intrarenal distribution of blood flow became asymmetric, that is, perfusion changes in the two halves of the kidney were not similar. Denervation by stripping away the neural tissue and infiltrating the hilum with 0.5% procaine and 50% ethanol produced no adverse effects on RBF, but distributional changes were asymmetric. Denervation by this method was probably incomplete as evidenced by decreased RBF following bilateral carotid occlusion. Intrarenal arterial infusion of 10 mug/kg/min phenoxybenzamine caused renal perfusion to change asymmetrically and did not abolish the decrease in RBF normally seen following nerve stimulation. Present results demonstrate denervation studies must be interpreted cautiously; because the denervation model may cause renal damage and asymmetric perfusion, and denervation may not be complete.

Carrying out vascular sutures is often a serious trouble during the surgical preparation of arteriovenous fistulas for haemodialysis. A new technique is suggested to perform an end-to-end anastomosis by inserting the artery 5-6 mm into the vein and then cementing the vessels by means of a cyanoacrilic tissue adhesive. The duration of the surgical procedure is reduced to half and this technique is much more simple than the usual ones. In 6 patients thus treated no troubles could be found either immediately or afterwards.

125-I-NGF was found to associate with embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG) through two processes. A time-saturable process included the binding of NGF to surface receptors with an apparent affinity constant in the range of 10(-7)M minus 1 and at a level of 4 f moles/mug tissue protein. The second process was time-linear, temperature-sensitive, and included both bound and non-competable NGF. While metabolic inhibitors had little effect, histone and insulin considerably increased the uptake. A comparison of 125-I-NGF and 125-I-peroxidase uptake suggested that the time-linear uptake of 125-I-NGF must include only bound NGF and incubation medium. Sequestration of the proteins taken up was indicated by the lack of release of radiolabeled material at 4 degrees C, even in the presence of native proteins. All these characteristics are consistent with an interpretation that DRG cells can take up NGF and other proteins by a pinocytotic process. Similar NGF binding and uptake properties were found to occur in cells from a variety of other embryonic chick tissues.

Explants of 10-12-day-old embryonic chick spinal cord were cultured for up to 20 days by the "coverslip-roller" method. Morphological development of neurons as shown by the presence of mature neurons, myelinated axons and synaptic structures, was demonstrated by light and electron microscopy. Two important enzymes associated with acetylcholine transmitter metabolism, choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), were assayed in cultures at selected time intervals. The activity of ChAc and AChE exhibited an increase of 60 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively, over a 20-day period. It is concluded that organotypic cultures of embryonic chick spinal cord show differentiation not only in morphological aspects, but also in biochemical terms through progressive development of ChAc and AChE.

Cultures of chick dorsal root ganglia were examined with the scanning electron microscope. Fibroblasts, Schwann cells and neurites with their characteristic terminal filamentous growth cones were identified and their surface ultrastructure and inter-relationships described. Although exploratory filopodia of nerve growth cones were observed to pass both over and underneath the edges of wandering fibroblasts present at the periphery of the outgrowth, it was noted that the nerve bundles ultimately came to overlie sheets of fibroblasts. The neurites appeared generally bare along their lengths but were sometimes attached to the substrate or underlying fibroblastic sheet by small lateral projections. Some Schwann cells were observed to migrate freely between the neurites whilst others appeared to have wrapped around the nerve bundles in a manner suggestive of early myelination.

Plasma TSH responses after an i.v. injection of 100 mg of L-dopa were evaluated by radioimmunoassay in 4 normal euthyroid subjects and in 8 patients with primary hypothyroidism. In agreement with previous results, no variations to plasma TSH levels were observed in the euthyroid subjects. In contrast, in primary hypothyroidism L-dopa induced a biphasic response in plasma TSH. In fact, we observed a transitory increase witha maximum at 30 min (mean plus or minus SEM equals 54 plus or minus 18%) followed by a decrease reading a minimum level of plasma TSH basal values at 90 min (mean plus or minus SEM equals 15 plus or minus 6%). Thesefindings demonstrate that the plasma TSH response to L-dopa in primary hypothyroidism is time-dependent . Some speculation on the possible mechanism of this action is presented.

It has previously been shown that stimulation of an adrenergic system in the central nervous system (CNS) will depress the increase in plasma corticosterone (B) following surgical stress. Two aspects of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal function, namely adrenal compensatory hypertrophy (ACH) and plasma B response to ether stress, were studied to determine the influence of this adrenergic component. Phenoxybenzamine, an gamma-adrenergic blocking agent, chronically implanted into the lateral ventricle produced an augmented response to ether stress, whereas norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and propranolol did not. The augmented response was similar to that observed following the daily administration of reserpine (0.25 mg/kg, s.c.). The response to this dose of reserpine was blocked by the simultaneous administration of a low dose of dexamethasone (14 mu-g/kg, s.c.). Augmentation of the stress response was not produced by larger doses of reserpine but did occur with lower doses. The effects of the treatments on ACH were not consistent with those observed on the stress response, suggesting that different mechanisms are involved. The data support the concept of an gamma-adrenergic component in the CNS which serves to inhibit the plasma B stress response.

Multiple-unit activity (MUA) was obtained from neuronal pools in the gonadotropic hypothalamus of quails. A special device allowed for exploration of various hypothalamic structures in unanesthetized birds. All recording sessions were made in the dark. Spontaneous and flash light-evoked MUAs were recorded from both tuberal and dorsal gonadotropic areas, either in the morning or in the afternoon, and were compared to extragonadotropic firing patterns. Firing rates (spikes/10 sec) and integrated MUA (200 addresses) provided distinctive spontaneous neuronal activities for various cell clusters. These spontaneous salient features appeared to be changeable throughout the photoperiod. Flash stimulations resulted in a marked increase in MUA recorded from the gonadotropic regions of the hypothalamus.

We have developed a scleral-indentor-illuminator which, when combined with indirect ophthalmoscopy, gives better visualization of some choroidal lesions than conventional ophthalmoscopy. The thin, angulated probe tip allows for extreme posterior placement.

In our lifetime, electronic photography, that is television, has replaced optical film photography in many areas and has opened new fields in other areas. The surgical optical microscope is a closed, limited system. Television can revolutionize this by converting the optical picture into an electronic picture which can be sent down a cable, through the air, or recorded on magnetic tape to be seen now or at a later time. The Stereo-Video Microscope offers a new surgical instrument which provides the surgeon with greater ease of viewing and other numerous advantages over optical microscopy.

Seventy-one patients with glaucoma needing surgical correction had either a peripheral iridectomy with a thermal sclerostomy or a trabeculectomy utilizing a modification of Watson's technique in which the scleral flap was closed tightly with sutures. Results of surgery were analyzed at intervals up to and including three years following the surgical procedure. The success of the operations was judged both in terms of the effect on intraocular pressure as well as on the visual ability of the eye. Since the surgeon's aim is to lower intraocular pressure to a particular level, not simply to an arbitrary level that facilitates statistical analysis, the control of the disease was graded in terms of how completely the operative procedure fulfilled the goal set by the surgeon at the time the decision to operate was made. While this method of grading success introduces a subjective element, a more valid assessment of the true value of the surgery may be obtained. The results suggest that the Scheie procedure lowers pressure to a lower level and for a longer duration than does the trabeculectomy (mean intraocular pressure three years postoperatively was 12.3 mm Hg in cases of primary glaucoma treated with a Scheie procedure and 16 mm Hg in those with trabeculectomy with a sutured scleral flap). In this study the long-term visual result was apparently no different with the Scheie procedure and trabeculectomy. Trabeculectomy causes fewer flat anterior changes than the Scheie procedure. The degree of pressure lowering in trabeculectomy is directly related to the amount of postoperative filtration. The relative indications for trabeculectomy include: (1) malignant glaucoma in the other eye; (2) chronic angle closure glaucoma where an iridectomy is considered insufficient; (3) "high pressure glaucoma" where pressure below 20 mm Hg is not essential; (4) low inflow glaucoma in which persistent flat anterior chambers may be expected following routine filtration surgery; and (5) cases where endophthalmitis is a real concern, as in the very young, those remote from medical care and those with poor personal hygiene. Trabeculectomy gives such poor results in secondary glaucoma that the procedure is probably relatively contraindicated. Trabeculectomy is a valuable operation, but not the final solution to glaucoma surgery. It should be chosen with full recognition of its specific advantages and disadvantages.

This study represents the clinical evaluation of a newly developed snythetic absorbable suture, Polyglactin 910, in 5-0 and 6-0 sizes as used in muscle surgery. In 240 cases, Polyglactin 910 has spoken very well for itself. It possesses extremely high tensile strength and wound tensile strength retention, excellent handling characteristics and a predictable absorption rate, while the amount of tissue reaction it produces is consistently less than that of comparably sized sutures of Chromic Catgut. Polyglactin 910 is both versatile and reliable, and reflects important progress toward the development of "the perfect" absorbable suture. This article details Polyglactin 910's shortcomings as well as its strong points, and provides a recommended handling technique for its use.

Two cases of central retinal venous thrombosis with gross involvement of the arterial supply to the retina are described. The iris fluorescein angiography showed massive leakage of dye into the anterior chamber. The iris angiographic findings in 48 cases of central venous thrombosis are compared with those of 19 patients with central retinal artery occlusion. In venous obstruction pupillary and extrapupillary vessels leak both in recent and in long-standing cases, whereas in arterial occlusions extrapupillary leakage occurs exclusively in recent cases. Comparatively, the 2 cases of stagnation thrombosis appear to show an exaggerated arterial type of response, and seem to form a distinct clinical entity as opposed to the basically venous insufficiency of central retinal vein thrombosis of the usual type.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a motor adjustment (method of average error) and a verbal response (method of constant stimuli) procedure would yield comparable estimates of depth acuity using the classic Howard apparatus. The findings were that: (1) thresholds derived from the two procedures were not significantly correlated under either binocular or monocular viewing conditions; (2) essentially equivalent thresholds were derived from the two procedures under the binocular viewing condition; (3) thresholds derived from the verbal procedure were significantly higher than those derived from the motor adjustment procedure under monocular viewing conditions.

Patients with cervical spinal cord injury can gain useful hand function from a good rehabilitation programme and non-operative hand care. Effective prehension can usually be achieved by proper positioning, exercises, and splinting but when grasp is poor, tendon transfers are very effective in furthering the goal of independence. These patients have been reviewed extensively and classified into groups according to remaining neurological function. Group I patients have weak elbow flexion and weak shoulder function or less. No tendon transfers were done. Group II patients have shoulder control, elbow flexion and weak wrist extensors. Some of these patients can be improved by transferring the brachioradialis to the radial wrist extensor. Group III patients have the above and good to normal brachioradialis and two radial wrist extensors. Transferring the brachioradialis to restore opposition and the extensor carpi radialis longus to the flexor digitorum profundi provides strong and effective prehension. Group IV patients have the above plus pronator teres and flexor carpi radialis which can be used for transfer. Opposition and finger flexion can be restored by a variety of transfers. In groups III and IV tendon transfers were done only when automatic grasp was poor or absent. If finger grasp was good and thumb function ineffective only opponens transfers were done in order to achieve key pinch. Group V patients have all muscles functioning but with varying degrees of intrinsic weakness. Opponens transfer is useful for these patients. Indications and contraindications to surgery are given. All the patients have improved function and strength following their tendon transfers. No patient has regretted having had surgery.

Development of Spinal Cord Injuries Centre in the Armed Forces of India has been discussed. Starting from a 30-bedded unit in 1965 we have now a 100-bedded spinal cord injury centre, a major rehabilitation centre managed by trained medical staff for these patients. A 25-bedded paraplegic home for ex-servicemen has been recently built with modern facilities and amenities. Medical rehabilitation and vocational services are now available to paraplegics in a radius of one kilometre at this centre.

Serum taken from mice 12-15 weeks after a primary infection of Schistosoma mansoni transfers to normal recipients a partial resistance to subsequent schistosome challenge. The transfer of immunity is evident not only in the reduced recovery of mature parasites from the liver, but also in the diminished numbers of invading schistosomula recovered of resistance equivalent on average to 47% of that found in actively immunized animals, the results suggest that humoral factors play a major role in the effector mechanism of schistosome immunity.

Immune serum accelerated the expulsion of Trichuris muris when transferred into normal mice on days 0 and 3 after infection, but had no effect when the recipient mice had been immunosuppressed by sublethal irradiation or by cortisone treatment. Delaying serum transfer until days 7 and 8 in normal mice failed to accelerate expulsion, although immune mesenteric lymph node cells (MLNC) accelerated expulsion whether transferred early or late in infection. Expulsion from NIH mice, normally complete by 12 days, was prevented by sublethal irradiation given as late as 9 days after infection, but could be restored by subsequent transfer of immune MLNC or, to a lesser degree, non-immune MLNC. Immune MLNC were unable to restore worm expulsion in mice irradiated before infection. These results are interpreted as showing that the immune expulsion of T. murius from mice during a primary infection requires the sequential activities of antibody-mediated and lymphoid cell-mediated components.

Submaxillary saliva from reserpine-treated rats was found to have alterations in composition similar to those reported in the same secretion from patients with cystic fibrosis. Changes included elevated concentrations of Na+, Ca++, protein, and carbohydrate. In addition, this saliva was found to have ciliotoxic properties similar to those of CF serum. The similarities in cilioinhibitory effects salivary composition, and histologic appearance justify the use of the chronically reserpinized rat as a model for cystic fibrosis.

The urinary excretion of glucaric and glucuronic acid was investigated in neonates receiving phenobarbital intramuscularly or orally. Whereas there was no significant difference from the control-subjects in glucuronic acid elimination, the increase in glucaric acid excretion was significantly higher in the intramuscularly treated neonates. Infants with orally administered phenobarbital showed only insignificantly greater glucaric acid elimination. The decrease of serum bilirubin levels was more pronounced in the intramuscularly treated than in the orally treated group. The determination of glucaric acid may be an important reflection of hepatic microsomal induction of the enzymes of the glucuronic acid pathway.

Uptake of diamino acids by isolated granulocytes and by liver slices was studied in patients with LPI and in control subjects. 14-C-Labeled lysine, arginine, and ornithine were used in the granulocyte assay and a nonmetabolizable diamino acid analog, l-homoarginine, in the liver assay. Kinetic studies on diamino acid uptake by the granulocytes were consistent with the existence of one transport system common to the three diamino acids. The maximal velocity of uptake was approximately equal for the three amino acids and similar in patients and control subjects. In the liver slices, at least two transport systems became apparent as substrate concentration was varied from 4.0-0.025 mM. A low concentration system with high affinity and very small capacity for transport was similar in patients and control subjects. A high concentration system was also present in both groups, but in the patients had only 1/7 of the maximal capacity observed in the control subjects. This defect grossly incapacitated the diamino acid uptake of the liver. In LPI, the observed defect, in conjunction with the deficient absorption in the kidneys and intestine, explains the lack of ornithine at the site of urea synthesis, which is evident from the impaired and ornithine-correctable urea production.

An evaluation of perinatal care practices in Iowa community hospitals is presented. Seventy-two hospitals were visited by a University-based perinatal care team. After an initial assessment, educational programs aimed at correcting deficient care practices were carried out in the community hospitals. A review of the data indicates an improvement in the care of the perinatal patient. The authors feel the methodology employed can be utilized in other rural areas to improve basic perinatal care.

Regionalization of neonatal intensive care has necessitated air transport of the critically ill infant in sparsely populated areas. All newborn air transports to four Denver area newborn intensive-care units over a 14-month period were reviewed. An emergency-care nurse and a neonatal intensive-care nurse provided the basic transport team with physician assistance in selected cases. Infants were evaluated and stabilized at the referring hospital before moving the infant. The transports were analyzed for the type of air craft utilized, reason for referral, and mortality. The results indicate that prior planning will permit the use of the most appropriate aircraft and transport team. When using well-trained transport personnel, the presence of a physician may be limited to specific situations without adversely affecting overall neonatal mortality.

The assumption that congenital rubella is commonly associated with microcephaly and mental retardation was examined. Among a rubella clinic population of 111 children, 92 children had vision sufficient to allow testing by the Leiter International Scale. The mean IQ for this group was 99.46 (SD, 19.5). Head circumference in this group correlated well with stature but poorly with intellect. The authors conclude that children with intrauterine rubella should be viewed as small children rather than children with small heads and that such children are poorly served if mental subnormality is assumed without careful study.

Nine infants who had severe local manifestations following intravenous administration of calcium gluconate are presented. The lesions appeared at the intravenous sites as firm subcutaneous nodules or areas of areas of inflammation with central softening and fluctuation. The interval between appearance of the lesion and calcium administration was 13 plus or minus 2.5 (mean plus or minus SEM) days. Five infants were treated with antibiotics and three of the five had incision and drainage. Roentgenographic evidence of subcutaneous calcification was seen in all cases at the time the lesions were first noticed. In two infants the entire cephalic vein was calcified. Induration and inflammation completely subsided in six infants, four of whom had follow-up roentgenograms showing complete resolution of calcification. A conservative approach in management is recommended.

A 25-year-old woman with obstructive, reversible pulmonary and nasal hypersensitivity apparently induced by casual, repeated inhalation of pancreatin powder (desiccated pork pancreas) is described. The powder was being employed as a dietary supplement for the patient's son, diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis. Two challenges of the diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis. Two challenges of the patient by reproducing home use of the powder resulted in repetition of a hypersensitivity symptom complex on both occasions. Vitalometry demonstrated an immediate and late response. Avoidance of pancreatin powder exposure resulted in subsidence of symptoms. Immunologic mechanisms are suggested but not proven.

The purpose of this study was to determine if certain physiologic parameters (plasma bilirubin concentration and urinary excretion rate of D-glucaric acid) can be used to predict a newborn infant's ability to eliminate a phenolic drug, and particularly to predict the ability to conjugate that drug with glucuronic acid. Tweleve healthy 2- to 3-day-old full-term infants with plasma bilirubin concentrations of 1.0 to 11.6 mg/100 ml and D-glucaric acid excretion rates of 0.131 to 0.345 mg/kg/day received a single oral dose of acetaminophen, 12 mg/kg. Urine was collected serially for 48 hours and analyzed for acetaminophen, acetaminophen glucuronide, acetaminophen sulfate, and D-glucaric acid. The biologic half-life of acetaminophen was 3.5 plus or minus 0.85 hours (average plus or minus SD) as compared to average values of 1.9 to 2.2 hours observed in five reported studies on a total of 39 adults. The rate constant for acetaminophen glucuronide formation in neonates was considerably smaller, on the average, than in adults but the average rate constant for acetaminophen sulfate formation was somewhat larger than in adults. There is not statistically significant colucaric acid excretion. The results of this study suggest that the limited ability of neonates to conjugate phenolic drugs with glucuronic acid is compensated to a degree by a well-developed capability for sulfate conjugation.

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) may vary widely in its manifestations and severity. Fifteen children seen between 1960 and 1974 with histologically proven IL are analyzed by clinical, laboratory, radiologic, and histologic criteria. Remissions occurred in most patients and none died. Exacerbations occurred in five children. Diarrhea was present in 14 patients and in 13 appeared before the age of 3 years. Vomiting occurred in nine patients and growth retardation in seven. Four children had associated peripheral lymphedema and two of these had a family history of lymphedema, both had affected fathers and one had affected siblings and paternal cousins. Seven had hypoproteinemic edema, and of these, four suffered from hypocalcemic seizures. Chylous effusions were present in five. Hypoproteinemia was present in 12 although five had no hypoalbuminemic edema. Six had lymphopenia which was related to the severity of the disease and was the last abnormality to disappear after clinical remission. Lymphopenia may first appear years after the protein loss begins. Upper gastrointestinal tract series were performed in 13 children and had diagnostic supportive value in seven. Six children had two or more small-intestinal biopsies done. They all showed great variation from one examination to the other, ranging from a normal appearance to severe changes. Lymphatic block may occur at different sites-in the lamina propria only, generalized (lamina propria, submucosa, serosa, and mesentery), or conversely in the mesentery alone with minimal changes in the lamina propria. In three patients intravenous hyperalimentation was necessary. Specific treatment with a high-protein, low-fat diet with added medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) is valuable. Surgical resection was of benefit in one patient, and anastomosis of mesenteric to para-aortic lymph nodes in another.

The Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a rare inborn error of purine metabolism associated with hyperuricacidemia, mental retardation, and an insatiable urge for self-mutilation, especially of the extremities. Insensitivity to pain and severe muscle spasms create very difficult management problems, especially for children being cared for at home. Fortunately this syndrome is rare (1 per 380,000 live births). Four known patients are under treatment in Manitoba, of which two brothers are the subject of this study. In general, the medical management of these patients has been unsuccessful, especially in controlling self-mutilation. It therefore was decided to manage these children by the use of mechanical aids. Through the utilization of custom-designed seating devices control of the self-mutilation has been obtained, reducing the burden of family care. It is now possible for the children to attend regular school on a half-day basis. They are also able to engage in community activities without the fear that a mishap will occur when not under the vigilance of the immediate family.

A baby with neonatal withdrawal from propoxyphene as evidenced by severe diarrhea, flapping tremors, shrill cry, diaphoresis, hypertonicity, and seizures is presented. Propoxyphene and its metabolites were identified in the patient's serum and urine. We express concern about the wide use of propoxyphene and its proposed use in substitution programs for detoxifying and maintaining heroin addicts in view of the possibility of neonatal complications.

In 1973 all Danish A.I. beef bulls were tested by chromosome analysis, in order to eliminate bulls with Robertsonian translocation (centric fusion translocations). From abroad it has been reported that this aberration reduced fertility. Of 65 bulls none was affected. The literature concerning chromosome investigation of populations of A.I. bulls are summarized. It is proposed that all imported bulls should be tested by chromosome banding methods, before the bulls are used.

The article deals with 665 cases of teat stenosis observed over the period 1968--73 in the area covered by the Field Station of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Hautjarvi. The main attention is to the occurrence of the syndrome and the aspects associated with the clinical picture. The results are shown in Figs. 1--4. Only 12.7% of the stenoses were recorded during the pasture season. An examination of the point of time of the diagnosis revealed that 46.2% of all cases fell during the first month after calving. Of all cases of stenosis, 59.8% were found in the rear teats and, correspondingly, 50.2% in the fore teats. The location of the stenosis in the teat was known in 526 cases: 79.5% in the streak canal and tip of the teat, 8.5% in the mid-section of the cistern, 3.3% in its upper section and 8.7% affecting the entire cistern. Of the 477 cases treated surgically, 24.3% required renewed treatment. Of the 174 cases treated without surgery, 20.7% had to be treated several times. On the basis of the observations made, conclusions were drawn with regard to ethiological factors and the results examined in the light of some other studies.

The clinical and radiographic appearance of acute pulmonary edema in three hunting dogs are reported. The etiology is discussed. The conclusion was drawn that the cause of pulmonary edema was probably neurogenic, probably induced by hypoglycemia. Prevention and treatment are discussed.

A series of studies was conducted to identify and delineate factors associated with responses of chickens to high ambient temperatures. Two populations of birds were used which had been selected divergently for tolerance to stress at 40.6 degrees C. and 75% R.H. and at 5 weeks of age. After four generations of selection for survival time the lines had separated by 28 minutes: 58 vs. 86 minutes for the low and high, respectively. Egg production, hatchability, Haugh units and specific gravity did not differ between lines. Egg weight was greater in the low line. The body temperature of chicks at 30 minutes of heat stress was correlated (r = -0.454; P less than 0.05) to survival time. Body weight was correlated (r = -0.325) with resistance to heat stress while loss of body weight during heat stress was correlated (r = +0.478) with resistance. There was no apparent difference between lines in respect to resistance of 16-day old embryos to heat stress.

The response of young poults to diets containing 0.7, 1.2, 1.7 and 2.7 per cent sodium chloride was studied. Water intake, feed intake and wieght gain were not significantly influenced by treatment. Only the highest level caused a significant increase in mortality. Ascites was not a consistent finding even on high levels of salt. A straight line best described the response but confidence limits were large and this was also true for heart, kidney and lung lesions. Lesions showing myocardial distension with pericardial adhesions, severe congestion of the lungs and enlarged pale kidneys seemed more indicative of salt intoxication than classic ascites. Microscopically heterophilic (eosinophilic) lung and meningeal infiltrates accompanied by myocardial degeneration and adhesions were suggestive, but not specific, of salt intoxication.

The epithelial surface of the intertine of chicks 1 day to 14 weeks of age was examined with both scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Most of the intestinal villi were seen to be plate-like structures. During the first week post-hatch, goblet cell orifices were easily seen. Goblet cell pores were not readily apparent in the older birds. During this stage of early development discontinuity was seen among some epithelial cells. The villi of birds one week or older showed a more convoluted mucosal surface than the younger birds. Areas of cell extrusion were observed at the tips of some villi. The three dimensional cylindrical structure of the microvilli was shown with the scanning electron microscope.

Total and soluble imidazole was determined on samples of liver and kidney and soluble imidazole was determined on blood from eight strains of chickens selected at three locations for resistance or susceptibility to lymphoid leukosis and/or Marek's disease. Liver and kidney total and soluble imidazole was not different between strains classed as resistant or susceptible to lymphoid leukosis and/or Marek's disease. The weighted average of soluble blood imidazole was higher (P smaller than 0.01) in strains classed as resistant to lymphoid leukosis. A similar difference (P smaller than 0.01) was observed with strains classed as resistant or susceptible to Marek's disease when the selections from one location were not included in the weighted average.

In several series of comparative measurement studies the effect that the sex-linked delay feathering (K-n) gene had on comb and uropygial gland development was measured in chickens from two to 60 weeks of age. The gene's effect on heart, adrenal gland and reproductive organ weights were also determined. The comb and uropygial gland size differences were very dramatic throughout the whole age range. Combs of mutant birds were greatly reduced in size while the uropygial glands were greatly hypertrophied. Heart and adrenal gland weights were also significantly increased in the mutant birds. Gonad weights however showed no difference. Responsiveness of mutant chick's combs to injections of testosterone propionate was also tested and shown to have a response similar to that of non-mutant chicks.

Various social and physical environments were tested for effects on fertility using three White Leghorn strains in multiple-bird cages. Familiarizing breeder males with the cage environment before introducing females had no appreciable effect. Area per bird (560 vs. 1130 cm.-2) and cage height (40 vs. 80 cm.) were not detected as significant variables. Firmer wire flooring and previous mating experience of males appeared to confer advantages in establishing fertility.

Genetic strains, ages, and housing environments were studied for their effects of egg production, gains in weight and fertility over an eight-week interval. Rate of egg production in small floor pens was clearly superior to that in high-density, commercial type colony cages. Fertility was influenced by all major variables and by interactions among some of them. One genetic stock was clearly superior to two others. Differences between strains were more clearly evident in the rigorous colony-cage environment than in floor pens. Fertility in colony cages was lower than in floor pens over the eight-week test, but the difference decreased with time. Young males had higher fertility than older ones.

Chromatography of seminal plasma from fresh, untreated chicken semen on Bio-Rad A1.5m agarose gel yielded five major peaks of ultraviolet absorbancy at 280 nm. Two peaks with 280/260 absorbancy ratios less than unity suggested the presence of free nucleotides. Enzyme assays on the eluent fractions resulted in substantial single peaks of lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, phosphohexose isomerase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity. Acetylcholinesterase and aminopeptidase assays produced multiple peaks of activity. No trypsin-like enzyme activity was detected, suggesting the presence of a seminal plasma trypsin-like enzyme inhibitor. Molecular weight estimates were obtained for all enzyme activity peaks.

Adding ascorbic acid to a practical ration deficient in vitamin E and selenium for the growing duck substantially reduced associated mortality. The continued appearance of various myopathies but absence of vascular faults supported implication of a reduced de novo ascorbate synthesis as part of the syndrome. Presumably, alleviation of this induced secondary inadequacy with its more lethal pathology was the primary reason for the lower death rate.

Two-hundred and fifty Babcock B-300 pullets (18 weeks of age) were either cropectomized, sham-operated or used as unoperated controls in two experiments. Although feed consumption was slightly less in cropectomized birds than in control birds, the pattern of feed consumption in relation to time of day remained unchanged. Egg production and body weight of cropectomized birds were significantly lower than that of control or sham birds. Egg weight was not affected by cropectomy or the sham operation. Cropectomy had no influence on the pattern of serum calcium or on egg specific gravity in relation to time of day; however, serum calcium and egg specific gravity was consistently lower at each time interval measured throughout the day or night when compared to that of controls. The adverse effect of cropectomy on specific gravity of eggs and serum calcium indicated that the crop is an important organ in the laying hen. The crop appeared to serve as a storage depot for feed providing the bird with nutrients necessary for optimal shell quality during periods on non-consumption.

Chicks from lines genetically selected for high or low heat tolerance were compared to lines selected for high or low oxygen consumption. Oxygen consumption, survival time, respiration rate, lung capacity and body weight were determined. Selection for high oxygen consumption ahd high heat tolerance resulted in birds with similar characteristics. The high line birds for both heat tolerance and oxygen consumption had greater oxygen consumption, survival time and lung capacity but lower body weight.

Small 1.1 kg. egg-type pullets having the sex-linked dw dwarfing gene were more resistant to a force molting program started at 11 months of age than were their 1.4 kg. non-dwarf counterparts. Water deprivation appeared to prevent egg production sooner in the dwarfs than in the non-dwarfs but egg production eight weeks after initiation of the force molt program was 46 per cent versus 64 per cent for the non-dwarf pullets.

In two experiments with young chicks, weight gains were never increased by diammonium citrate (DAC) added to low-protein, amino-acid-supplemented, semipurified diets. Added vitamin B6 seemed effective in slightly reducing the growth-inhibition caused by DAC and in improving weight gains per gram of nitrogen retained from DAC diets.

Japanese quail were sacrificed at one or two days after hatching. several hematological parameters were measured. A leukopenia occurred in the two-day-old quail. Concomitantly the circulating numbers of lymphocytes were reduced in the older quail. It appears that this functional leukopenia is attributable to reduced numbers of lymphocytes and may represent an heretofore undefined physiological adaptive mechanism which occurs during the early neonatal period.

Thyroid function, as indicated by the maximum percent uptake of iodine-131, was measured in non-dwarf and recessive, sex-linked dwarf White Leghorn female chickens at different ages. The rate of uptake and release of 131-I by the thyroid gland was closely monitored over a period of eight days after the injection of the isotope. No significant differences were observed in thyroid uptake value of dwarf chicks in one-week-old group (approximately equal to 11.5 per cent for each group). At the age of four weeks the maximum uptake was only 5.58 per cent in dwarfs compared to 10.11 per cent in non-dwarf chicks. Potassium thiocyanate treatment caused a significant reduction in the uptake of iodine-131 by the thyroid glands of both 4-week-old dwarf and non-dwarf chicks although there was no difference in the response pattern of either group to the treatment. Dwarf laying-hens had a significantly lower maximum thyroid uptake (1.4 per cent) when compared to non-dwarf laying hens (2.48 per cent). A consistantly slower rate of uptake by the thyroid glands of dwarf chickens was observed for all age groups than equivalent non-dwarfs but there were no apparent differences in the release rates of 131-I by dwarfs when compared to non-dwarfs. No significant differences were observed between the 131-I uptake by the ovaries or eggs of both dwarf and non-dwarf laying hens. A gradual decrease in thyroid activity was observed in both dwarf and non-dwarf chickens with increased age. From this study it was evident that the dwarf bird had significantly lower thyroid activity but with normal organification. The defect in thyroid function in the dwarf bird apparently was not at the level of synthesis but at the level of uptake of iodine.

Important populations of Staphylococcus aureus were found to be present on the body surfaces of live poultry originating from flocks without history of staphylococcal disease. Their sized increased considerably until approximately the seventh week of life after which time they were maintained at equally high levels. Significant correlations were found between the populations recovered from superficial wash samples and skin-tissue samples. Similarly the numbers isolated from the nasal cavities were correlated with other surface counts. Low numbers were present in the intestinal tract. Birds with staphylococcal synovitis had higher numbers in all sampling regions. The counts were very high in subjects suffering from staphylococcal dermatitis. Higher rates of positive birds and higher numbers of staphylococci were detected with a whole body sampling method than with a nasal swab technique. The isolates obtained in this study belonged to the S. aureus biotype B which is associated with poultry and pigs.

This study was designed to investigate nonverbal communication in a physical therapy setting. The investigation was accomplished by observing patient-physical therapist interaction during treatment sessions, recording nonverbal behaviors capable of communicating, and interviewing the patient and therapist to discuss the nonverbal communication that occurred during the treatment. Nonverbal communication was present in the physical therapy setting, although both patient and therapist were aware of nonverbal behavior only 50 percent of the time. Nonverbal communication was used to maintain or establish an emotionally supportive treatment setting and to clarify or explain treatment instruction. Nonverbal communication in this setting and for these purposes was deemed effective.

Graduates of the physical therapist assistant program at St. Mary's Junior College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were studied to ascertain how well prepared they had been for the demands of their jobs and to discover what revisions in the program curriculum might be appropriate. Working graduates and their supervisors were surveyed to obtain information about the frequency and independence of performance of 111 tasks appropriate to physical therapy departments. The response was 90 percent. The St. Mary's curriculum was considered appropriate in most respects. More than 25 percent of the supervisors considered emphasis inadequate only for facilitation, breathing, and mat exercises. Graduates' recommended changes were more extensive, suggesting a desire to expand their knowledge. A manual was designed to guide program faculties through follow-up of their own graduates. The manual includes questionnaires, worksheets, and a guide to analysis. The authors suggest that the process may also be useful for other technical-level allied health occupations.

This case study presents a young woman who was admitted to our facility in an emaciated physical condition. She had multiple pressure sores and severe contractures about the neck, trunk, and lower extremities, necessitating dependence in all care. Slow but consistent progress was noted trhoughout a four-month aggressive rehabilitation program. The various treatment approaches and resulting functional gains are detailed.

Sixty-two physical therapy schools were surveyed reageding their teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Eighty-two percent of the schools responded to the questions and 27 percent indicated no such instruction. Included in this report is a copy of the questionnaire and the results of the survey. The recommendation is made that all physical therapists receive adequate training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and that their competency be confirmed by examination.

Assessment of a standardized test as one criterion for student admission to a physical therapist assistant program is made. Comparisons are made of ACT scores between the physical therapist assistant and associate degree nurse, and the physical therapist assistant and the practical nurse. A correlation matrix was used to analyze data with differences among the three groups determined by t test computation. This sample supports a positive correlation of ACT test scores with graduation grade point average. The means show no significant difference between the two associate degree programs and a significant difference between the associate degree programs and the practical nurse program.

A new method for monitoring the durations of foot-floor contact during walking is described. The method uses a screen walkway and conducting paper on the soles of the shoes as parts of an electrical circuit. The materials used are identified and circuit diagrams are provided. Several clinical applications and advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed.

The rationale and format for a part-time program in undergraduate physical therapy are presented. The part-time program allows students to gain credit for prior related experience or training and to pursue professional education while continuing to work. Part-time study is a viable alternative that should be considered in physical therapy education.

Changes in health and in behavior related to health-illness were described in men whose jobs were abolished because of a permanent plant closing. Fluctuations in several measures based on a 2 week health diary (Days Complaint, Days Disability, Percent Days Complaint That Are Also Days Disability, Days Saw Doctor, Days Used Drugs), as well as in other indicators (Symptoms, Depression, Dissatisfaction with Social Support) were analyzed as the men went through the various phases of anticipation, plant closing, unemployment and re-employment. Differences in the objective and subjective severity of the experience, in the social setting of the plant closing (urban vs. rural) and in selected personal characteristics were also examined for their influence on the changes in the various health-related measures.

A predominantly white, middle class sample of pregnant women (N = 93) completed the AACL (Anxiety), the DACL (Depressive Mood), the SCL (Somatic Symptoms) and the IPAT Anxiety Questionnaire at the second, fifth and eighth months of pregnancy. A menstrual history questionnaire was administered on the first testing occasion. Analyses revealed that anxiety varied significantly as a function of trimester and that previous pregnancy history interacted significantly with trimester. Depressive mood was not significantly affected by any of the sources of variation. Correlational analysis (average correlations over trimesters) indicated significant relationships between somatic symptoms and anxiety, but not between somatic symptoms and depressive mood; a small but significant relationship between history of menstrual complaint and somatic symptoms; and a significant negative correlation between education and overt anxiety.

Reactions of black, white and Puerto Rican patients were studied in an outpatient dental emergency clinic. Measures used included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, palmar sweat prints, an interview to obtain patient characteristics and attitudes toward pain, Dental Anxiety Scale and a posttreatment dentist rating. No differences between ethnic and racial groups were obtained in amount of pain, number or type of symptoms patients had. Significant Trait Anxiety differences were obtained. Puerto Ricans had the highest level of Trait Anxiety, whites the lowest, with blacks in the middle. The Dental Anxiety Scale also yielded differences with Puerto Ricans scoring highest, blacks lowest and whites in between. Attitude differences reflected a relative willingness to deny, get rid of or avoid dealing with the pain. The Puerto Ricans scored highest, whites lowest, with blacks in between. No physiological differences were obtained with palmar sweat prints.

Pre-operative localization of parathyroid tumours on primary hyperparathyroidism is discussed. 20 patients were examined in this way. Of the 15 patients who were operated on, the pre-operative findings of 12 correspond with the results of operations and histological examinations. These results correspond with what is known from other publications. Preoperative localization by means of venous sampling is possible in a large number of cases. The examination is especially important in patients with previous neck exploration.

A 99mTc pertechnetate thyroid uptake procedure, using a scintillation camera and a data storage system, is described. After comparison of extrathyroidal activity in several regions below the thyroid, activity in the clavicular regions was preferred for correction of the thyroid uptake measurement. No pertechnetate uptake curve obtained over the initial 15 min after injection was found to be representative of a specific thyroid function, and regional thyroid uptake curves gave only quantitative differences. The 15-min pertechnetate thyroid uptake measurement, with correction for clavicular extrathyroidal activity, correlates well with 131I uptake and is a good parameter of thyroid function, especially in the distinction of euthyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Distribution of damage caused by the retained 226-Ra to the femoral haemopoiesis has been studied in mice injected with 0.02 and/or 0.09 muCi of 226-Ra/g. The exocolonizing test and the 59-Fe uptake in recipient spleens have been used. Non-uniform radiation effect has been observed in the bone marrow cellularity as well as in the CFU counts within 10 weeks after nuclide injection. The lowest depression appears in the distal femoral ends. The changes are not so serious in the proximal parts and are only moderate in the shafts. The results have been discussed from several standpoints.

Although the usefulness of radiation in treatment of many embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas is recognized, the pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas are frequently felt to be radioresistant and thus a potentially useful mode of therapy is overlooked. There is increasing evidence in the literature to document successful local management of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas with radiation. The literature is reviewed briefly and a case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart is reported in which radiation in doses well tolerated by normal tissues successfully controlled several local lesions at various sites until the patient's demise from widespread disease 2 years after the initial treatment.

Dilatation of bile duct strictures under fluoroscopic control has become feasible in patients with indwelling T-tubes. Utilizing the steerable catheter designed for stone extraction, the technique is modified with addition of balloon catheters and other instruments for dilatation. The new technique is described and our initial experiences in seven patients are presented.

The procedure is performed in two stages. First, during the radiographic exposure, the patient is rotated in relation to the X-ray tube and a recording device, namely a cinefluorographic device or a television chain with a video-recorder. In practice the tube and the recording device will be revolved around the patient. Later on, in the second stage, the cinefluorographic image, or the television image of the rotating patient, is projected onto a photographic film. If this film is adequately rotated, a tomographic picture will be produced. The method can be applied to conventional tomography, zonography, transverse tomography, autotomography and orthopantomography.

The stone extraction basket is suitable for biopsy of protruding mucosal lesions in the biliary duct system. Exact placement of the instrument over the lesion is readily accomplished under roentgenologic control. The technique is illustrated in one patient with biopsy of an iatrogenic mucosal tag in the distal common duct.

Angiographically demonstrated combined and complex angiodysplasias of the vertebrobasilar system are rare. As in our case, they can be attributed to a vascular maldevelopment in several consecutive embryonal stages: the angioma-like arterial network of the left posterior cerebral artery and the non-union and overcrossing of the vertebral arteries in the region of the prepontine cistern represent an early defect (up to 15 mm stage); the aneurysmatic ectasia of the right vertebral artery with a second pedunculated aneurysm at its uppermost part may be due to a later defect (up to 40 mm stage) of the cerebral vascular development.

Results of radiation therapy in 85 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus are presented. Whereas the majority of patients with this tumor have been shown to die within the first year, occasional patients may survive longer (21.5 percent in this series); late radiation complications must therefore be maintained at a minimum. A localization technique to evaluate esophageal mobility away from the spinal cord is described.

A randomized clinical trial of atmospheric oxygen breathing during radiotherapy of advanced cancer of the tonsillar region has been conducted. In order to achieve a high level of inspired oxygen, a closed system with a "head tent" was used. Over 2 years after treatment, 30 percent of the oxygen patients survived without evidence of disease compared to 17 percent in the control group.