A survey of ocular trauma.

A survey of ocular trauma. A four-year survey of all ocular trauma cases admitted to a large metropolitan eye hospital was conducted for the purpose of generally documenting ocular trauma and evaluating prophylactic, demographic and etiologic factors. Of 6254 eye admissions, 7.5% were for ocular trauma; hyphema was the most common diagnosis. Injuries were evaluated according to site, cause, and age, sex and race distribution.


Reversibility and the age of an allele. I. Moran's infinitely many neutral alleles model.


Role of very slightly deleterious mutations in molecular evolution and polymorphism.


On the founder effect and the evolution of altruistic traits.


Distribution of nucleotide differences between two randomly chosen cistrons in a subdivided population: the finite island model.


Alternatives to Lotka-Volterra competition: models of intermediate complexity.


A phenotypic symmetric selection model for three loci, two alleles: the case of tight linkage.


Phenotypic structure and bifurcation behavior of population models.


Loss of alleles in a haploid population with varying environment.


Clomiphene treatment in male subfertility.


Clinical and laboratory examinations with Prodectin.


Immunochemical examinations in monoclonal gammopathies: anachronism or perspective of immunological research?


Report on observations of 840 cardiac infarction patients treated at the coronary care unit.


Combined vessel injuring action of adjuvant arthritis and cholesterol feeding. I. A new method for producing experimental atherosclerosis in rats.


Combined vessel injuring action of adjuvant arthritis and cholesterol feeding. II. The influence of different types of drugs on the new model of experimental atherosclerosis.


Treatment of vaginal candidiases and associated trichomonas infections with Klion-D.


Clostilbegyt in the treatment of secondary amenorrhoea due to functional infertility and ovulation inhibition.


Aspirated foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree: report of 250 cases. During the last 14 years, 250 patients with aspirated foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree were admitted to Kuwait Chest Diseases Hospital. Ninety-six per cent of the cases were under 10 years of age and 38% gave a clear history of foreign body inhalation. The rest were diagnosed either clinically, from the chest radiograph findings or because of unexplained pulmonary symptoms. In 247 cases, bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia was successful in removing the foreign bodies. In only three cases was bronchotomy needed. Seventy per cent of the foreign bodies were melon seeds. Asphyxia and cardiac arrest occurred in four cases during bronchoscopy but the patients were successfully resuscitated. In 10 cases a tracheostomy was done before bronchoscopy and the removal of the foreign body, while in five it was needed after bronchoscopy. Fifteen patients developed late complications such as recurrent pneumonia or atelectasis of the lung. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment are essential to prevent pulmonary and cardiac complications and to avoid radical lung surgery.


Bronchial carcinoma in patients with pre-existing unilateral lung disease. Forty-six cases of primary bronchogenic carcinoma occurring in patients with other unilateral pleuropulmonary diseases were studied. In 37 cases (80-4%) carcinoma developed in the previously healthy lung. All but one squamous-cell carcinoma and all of five undifferentiated small-cell carcinomas developed in the previously healthy lung while 7 of 15 adenocarcinomas were in the lung with impaired ventilation. It is suggested that the bronchial epithelium of the healthy lung is more exposed to exogenous carcinogens than that of the diseased, underventilated lung, resulting in a higher risk of development of squamous-cell and undifferentiated small-cell carcinoma.


Refractory pneumothorax treated by parietal pleurolysis. Pneumothorax, persisting in spite of efficient drainage, may in some cases be caused by discrepancy between lung volume and size of the pleural cavity. The logical treatment is reduction of the pleural cavity simultaneously with a traditional surgical procedure on the pulmonary tissue. An increasing number of refractory pneumothoraces--both spontaneous and istrogenic--is probably due to the fact that more people are living with and suffer the sequelae of pulmonary disease. During a 15-year survey a parietal pleurolysis, tailored to fit the size and shape of the lung, was performed in 10 patients as the main surgical procedure in 100 thoracotomies for 1130 cases of spontaneous and 62 cases of iatrogenic pneumothorax. The results were encouraging.


A manometric assessment of oesophagogastrostomy. Intraluminal pressures were recorded in 14 patients who had undergone oesophagogastrectomy. Seven of these had a mid-thoracic and seven a high cervical oesophagogastrostomy. The incidence of postoperative reflux complications in each group was noted. No pressure gradient across the anastomosis was detected in any patient but the upper oesophageal sphincter was shown to be retained as a functioning unit in all cases. It is considered that the thoracic anastomosis provides no demonstrable barrier to reflux. In addition, a high cervical oesophagogastrostomy does not adversely affect the upper oesophageal sphincter. The wider application of this latter procedure may be associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative reflux complications.


Sarcoidosis of the upper respiratory tract and its association with lupus pernio. In a series of 34 patients with sarcoidosis affecting the upper respiratory tract and nose, 26 had lupus pernio (LP) and 17 had sarcoidosis of the upper respiratory tract (SURT). In nine patients these features coexisted. A patient presenting with SURT carried a 50% risk of developing LP although one feature could be present without the other. Both were disorders of women of the child-bearing years of life. SURT, like LP, was an indicator of chronic fibrotic sarcoidosis, developing insidiously and progressing indolently over the years. It was complicated by ulceration, septal perforation, and LP. Three patients had nasal septal perforations, in two instances following submucous resection. This operation is contraindicated in patients with active sarcoidosis, particularly when granulomas are found on nasal biopsy. The Kveim-Siltzbach skin test was positive in all patients with SURT, making it invaluable in the differential diagnosis of granuloma of the nasal cavity.


Respiratory mechanics in airways obstruction associated with inspiratory dyspnoea. Inspiratory muscle strength and the flow and elastic pressure opposing inspiration were measured in seven patients with severe airways obstruction who found inspiration difficult at rest. A comparison was made of measurements obtained from seven normal subjects and five patients with airways obstruction not experiencing inspiratory dyspnoea at rest. Measurements were also obtained when inspiratory dyspnoea was induced in the normal subjects by adding an inspiratory resistance or by voluntarily increasing lung volume. Compared with the controls the inspiratory muscle strength of the patients was reduced but was not significantly less than that of the patients without inspiratory dyspnoea. The pressure required to produce inspiratory flow was significantly greater when inspiratory dyspnoea was present (P = 0-01). However, there was considerable overlap in the pressures of those with and without inspiratory dyspnoea. A better relationship was obtained when muscle strength was considered. The ratio of inspiratory muscle strength to the pressure required to produce flow was 0-24 +/- 0-07 (mean +/- SD) in patient with inspiratory dyspnoea, 0-10 +/- 0-03 in patients without inspiratory dyspnoea, and 0-033 +/- 0-019 in normal subjects. There was no overlap between the two patient groups. The ratios of the normal subjects were increased when inspiratory dyspnoea was induced and, with the exception of two cases, were all above those obtained when inspiratory dyspnoea was absent. Inspiratory dyspnoea was experienced with lower ratios in the normals than in the patients with airways obstruction.


Particle deposition in the trachea: in vivo and in hollow casts. The pattern of deposition within the respiratory tract of potentially harmful particulates is a major factor in assessing any risk from individual and community exposures. Although the trachea is the most easily observed of the conductive airways, very little information concerning its particle collection characteristics is available, information which is essential for a complete and realistic description of particle deposition patterns within the entire respiratory tract. Data on tracheal deposition are also needed for development of accurate predictive models for particle deposition. The pattern of particle deposition in the trachea, and its relation to air flow, was studied in a hollow cast of the human larynx-tracheobronchial tree. Results were compared with data obtained in humans in vivo and from previous studies in hollow casts. In addition, the relevance of tracheal deposition in the hollow cast test system to deposition in vivo was examined by a direct comparison of deposition in a cast prepared from the lungs of donkeys previously studied in a series of in vivo tests. The disturbance of the air flow within the trachea caused by the larynx promoted the deposition of suspended particulates throughout the length of the trachea, and especially in proximal regions. This proximal deposition was due both to direct impaction from the air jet coming from the glottis and to effects of the tubulent flow. Turbulence produced inhomogenous deposition patterns within the trachea for particles of all sizes, although its effect was more pronounced as size decreased. Tracheal deposition in the human cast was within the range of normal in vivo tracheal depostion only when a larynx was used during cast test exposures; this emphasizes the need for the use of realistic experimental test systems for the study of particle deposition patterns. The relative patterns of deposition in casts of the donkey trachea and in the same tracheas in vivo were similar.


Pattern of total and regional lung function in subjects with bronchoconstriction induced by 15-me PGF2 alpha. Closing volume (single breath nitrogen test), regional ventilation and perfusion (using intravenous xenon-133), and total lung function (TLC, VC, and FEV) were measured before and after intramuscular administration of 250 mug 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha (15-me PGF2alpha) in 10 healthy women. The cardiac output was measured with the Minnesota impedance cardiograph model 304A and the transthoracic impedance was used as an expression of the thoracic fluid volume. The slope of the alveolar plateau on the closing volume tracing showed a 271% increase 20 minutes after the prostaglandin administration, at which time the closing volume per cent (CV%) had decreased (P less than 0-01) and the closing capacity (CC%) had increased (P less than 0-05). Vital capacity (VC) decreased (P less than 0-01), residual volume (RV) increased (P less than 0-01), and the total lung capacity (TLC) remained unchanged. The maximal decrease (9%) in FEV1 was seen after 20 minutes. All these measurements except the slope of the alveolar plateau returned to control levels after 60 minutes. The redistribution of regional ventilation was more pronounced than that of the regional pulmonary blood flow. No change was observed in cardiac output and transthoracic impedance. None of the patients experienced any dyspnoea. Our results are consistent with a more pronounced effect of prostaglandin F2alpha on the small airways (the alveolar plateau) than on the larger airways (FEV1). In cases where an increase in the slope of the alveolar plateau is observed, the closing volume per cent should not be used as a measurement of the lung disease. It is concluded that the single breath nitrogen test (N2 closing volume) is more sensitive than the conventional tests.


Degradation of porstaglandin F2alpha in the human pulmonary circulation. Degradation of prostaglandins (PGs) during passage through the human pulmonary circulation was investigated by measuring the transpulmonary plasma PGF2 alpha difference during continuous intravenous infusion of PGF2 alpha (5-10 mug/min). Seven patients with cardiological disorders and two patients with extensive pulmonary abnormalities were investigated during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. PGF2 alpha levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The seven cardiac patients were found to have transpulmonary PGF2 alpha differences of 47-88%, indicating metabolism of the PG in the lungs. A patient with extensive bronchiectasis had an apparently normal transpulmonary PGF2alpha difference despite gross abnormalities in routine lung function tests. A patient with primary pulmonary arterial hypertension showed no metabolism of PGF2alpha in the pulmonary circulation. The results show that PG degradation is an aspect of normal lung function and suggest that it becomes imparied when extensive pulmonary vascular damage exists.


Aspects of serum and sputum antibody in chronic airways obstruction. Immunoglobulin levels and precipitating antibody against a range of microbial antigens were measured in simultaneously collected serum and sputum samples from patients with chronic bronchitis (11), cystic fibrosis (9), bronchiectasis (9), and asthma (4). Sputum was prepared by dialysis and high-speed centrifugation methods. Results showed that it was possible to detect precipitating antibody in the sputum, and the rate was increased when both methods were used. A discrepancy was noted between the detection rate in the sputum and serum. This, combined with the lack of correlation between sputum and serum immunoglobulins, lack of relationship between bronchial inflammation and sputum immunoglobulins, and the lack of IgM in the sputum suggested that the antibody and immunoglobulin were locally produced. Sputum IgA (7S) in patients with chronic bronchitis was significantly lower (P less than 0-05) than that found in patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. Significant differences (P less than 0-05) were also noted in serum IgG levels between patients with chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis while serum IgM levels in patients with chronic bronchitis were significantly lower (P less than 0-05) when compared to serum levels in patients with cystic fibrosis. The presence of precipitating antibody in the sputum raises the possibility that type III reactions may be important in the pathogenesis of these conditions.


Histamine levels in plasma, blood, and urine in severe asthma, and the effect of corticosteroid treatment. Plasma, whole blood, and urinary histamine levels have been determined in 64 normal subjects, in 10 patients with severe asthma, and in 10 control patients with other illnesses. The mean whole blood levels did not differ between the three groups. The mean plasma level in the asthmatics was significantly greater than that of the normal subjects but not of the control patients. The urinary histamine output was lower in the control patients than in the normal subjects but in the asthmatics did not differ from that of the normals. Corticosteroid therapy caused a marked fall, often to barely detectable levels, of the whole blood histamine concentration of the asthmatic patients and restored the plasma levels to normal but did not affect urinary histamine levels.


Transitory cerebral microvascular blockade after cardiopulmonary bypass. Dogs were submitted to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) carried out under conditions calculated to generate large numbers of microbubbles and microemboli. On the day following the procedure the dogs showed evidence of neurological damage including impaired consciousness and ataxia. These abnormalities largely cleared within a week. When the animals were sacrificed at intervals after the procedure, the cerebral microvasculature was demonstrated by injecting a suspension a lamp black into the carotid artery. This revealed that multiple filling defects were present in the microcirculation of the brain immmediately after CPB and for two days thereafter. However, by seven days the microvascular blockade had disappeared, and the vascular blockade had disappeared, and the vascular pattern of the brain had returned to normal. Neuropathological findings were sparse and restricted to the cerebellum. This study suggests that the transient neurological syndromes that sometimes follow cardiopulmonary bypass for heart surgery may be due to a transient microvascular blockade, perhaps by microbubbles and microparticles.


Surface ultrastructure of silicone rubber aortic valve poppetts after long-term implantation. A scanning electron microscope study of four poppets. The surface ultrastructure, demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, is described in four implanted Silastic aortic valve poppets. Ball variance was discovered at necropsy in two patients and clinically in one in whom the poppet was replaced. The fourth patient underwent reoperation, but ball variance was neither suspected nor found. All four poppets were densely coated with biological debris and microthrombi. The 'coat' was soluble in a weak solution of sodium hydroxide. The true Silastic surface beneath the coat was little altered compared with unimplanted poppets, even after 10 years' implantation.


Degenerative changes in aortic root allografts placed in the right ventricular outflow tract of growing puppies. Differently prepared aortic root allografts were implanted in the right ventricular outflow tract of growing puppies to determine the site of origin and progress of degenerative changes in these conduits. The three preparations assessed were as follows: group A, fresh and sterile grafts; group B, antibiotic sterilized grafts in nutrient medium; and group C, beta-propiolactone sterilized grafts. Although calcification of the aortic wall occurred in all groups, the aortic leaflets were minimally affected. A correlation between viability and lack of calcification and between viability and long-term function is emphasized.


Symptomatic mitral myxomatous transformation in the elderly. The clinical and pathological features of four patients with intractable heart failure, due to myxomatous change in the mitral valve, are described. It is suggested that this change may represent a response of ageing connective tissue to mechanical stress.


Fragile lung in the Marfan syndrome.

Fragile lung in the Marfan syndrome. Two cases of the Marfan syndrome presented with spontaneous pneumothorax. Both had chest radiographs showing bilateral bullae in the upper lung zones and pulmonary function tests consistent with mild emphysema. There were dereases in forced expiratory flow rates at low lung volumes, carbon monoxide transfer factor, and lung elastic recoil. It is suggested that pneumothorax and bullous emphysema in this syndrome are caused by a weakness in the pulmonary connective tissue framework.


Pulmonary blastoma: a report of two cases and a review of the literature. Pulmonary blastoma is the rarest malignant tumour of the lung. Two more cases are reported and the literature is reviewed. The first case, a woman, is the longest recorded survivor. An examination of all the reported cases shows that the tumour is less common and less agressive in women.


A large intrathoracic parathyroid adenoma. A case is described in which an unusually large parathyroid adenoma was visible on the plain chest radiograph taken during the investigation of hypercalcaemia. This was diagnosed preoperatively and a scheme is suggested whereby such a disgnosis can now readily be made. The differential diagnosis is discussed ant the literature is reviewed.


Necrosis of a pulmonary lobe in a dog.

Necrosis of a pulmonary lobe in a dog. A six-year old female pug had very severe dysponea. A radiographic opacity was observed in the right cranial area of the thorax. After thoracotomy, the cranial lobe of the lung was removed. Microscopic examination revealed necrosis of the lung and vacular thrombosis. The possibility of a torsion of the affected lobe is discussed.


The relation between sperm quality and the effect of ouabain on the motility of spermatozoa. This paper reports the results of an investigation into the effect of ouabain on spermatozoa which have suffered from aging, sudden changes in temperature and deep-freezing. Normal spermatozoa of different boars under standard conditions show an evident variation in ouabain sensitivity. A definite relation could be established between the fertility of the semen of a boar and the ouabain sensitivity of this semen. Spermatozoa exposed to aging, sudden temperature changes or deep-freezing, showed a greater sensitivity for 10(-3)M ouabain than corresponding controls. We concluded that factors which are harmful to membrane quality of spermatozoa can be revealed by exposing them to ouabain.


The effect of storage at 4 degrees C on antibiotic residues in kidney and meat tissues of dairy cows. A method is described for the quantitative assay of antibiotic residues in the body of slaughtered farm animals by means of 3 types of agar media and 3 test organisms. With the help of programmed calculation procedures, data from large-scale tests for antibiotic residues could be analyzed accurately and rapidly. The concentrations of penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cloxacillin, cephapirin, cephacetrile, neomycin, kanamycin, and oxytetracycline in the kidney, and also of tylosin in meat from the diaphragm muscle of cattle treated parenterally with these antibiotics were measured periodically in samples kept at 4 degrees C for up to 7 days after slaughter. The concentrations of penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxycillin and the cephalosporins in the kidney decreased rapidly upon storage whereas the levels of the other antibiotics remained essentially unchanged. Antibiotic stability in the meat was considerably greater than in the kidney upon storage for 4 days, and neomycin meat tissue levels were not reduced during storage for up to 144 hours. Results are discussed in relation to the conduct of the official qualitative Sarcina lutea Kidney Test and the most desirable procedure for preparing meat samples for assay.


Use of the lysozyme test in the diagnosis of kerato-conjuctivitis sicca in dogs and cats. Comparative studies of the lysozyme test (LT) and the Schirmer tear test (STT) revealed that the LT was not reliable in the diagnosis of kerato-conjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in dogs and cats. This is in contrast to its successful use in human patients. No M. lysodeikticus lysating substrates were detectable in the tear fluid of the normal cat.


Some steroids in the blood of mares suffering from endometritis and post-partum mares as compared to normal cycling mares. It appeared that in mares suffering from endometritis the concentrations of pregnenolone, of the compound "5.4", and of progesterone in the blood during the first 2 days of the heat period were significantly higher than in normal cycling mares, in which the concentrations of all steroids were less than or equal to 1 ng/ml. In five endometritis mares the "5.4" and progesterone concentrations decreased after the first days of the heat period, and at about two days before ovulation the values were comparable to those of normal cycling mares. Eight mares suffering from a severe endometritis did not ovulate, their oestrous period was prolonged, and the follicles became atretic. Possibly the relatively high progesterone content found in these mares, caused the reduction of the follicular growth, and this might explain the prolonged oestrous period which is observed in many mares suffering from endometritis. Often we observed in post-partum mares the same changes in concentration as in endometritis mares. An elevated level of these steroids was sometimes found in the blood a few days after foaling and, in four of eight post-partum mares, during the foal heat. Most probably this was caused by infection or stimulation of the uterus. The hypothesis is advanced that progesterone originating in the uterus can influence ovarian activity and that it may be one of the factors responsible for the anoestrous periods which can occur in mares with endometritis and in post-partum mares.


Human enterokinase.

Human enterokinase.


Effects of varying pacemaker sites on left ventricular performance. The hemodynamic effects of the site of the artificial cardiac stimulation were studied in 17 open chest dogs. The right atrium and five ventricular sites (the inflow and outflow tracts and apex of the right ventricle, apex and lateral wall of the left ventricle) were stimulated electronically at a given rate, ranging from 130 to 190 per min. When cardiac performance during ventricular pacing was compared with those during right atrial pacing, the former uniformly caused a diminution of cardiac output and systemic blood pressure, without reduction of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Ventricular function curves, in which left ventricular stroke work was related to left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, shifted downwards and to the right during ventricular pacing. Stimulation frequency did not alter these variables. It was considered that the left ventricular dysfunction in ventricular pacing resulted from the absence of atrial contribution to ventricular filling, mitral regurgitation present and asynchronous ventricular contraction. No significant difference of cardiac performance was demonstrated by changing the site of ventricular pacing, suggesting that the mode of ventricular depolarization itself was not relevant to a decrease in cardiac performance.


Combined liver-spleen-kidney scintigraphy and subsequent subtraction of the kidney scintiphotograph in the evaluation of displaced kidney. The displacement of kidney was studied by using the combined liver-spleen-kidney scintigraphy and the subsequent subtraction of the kidney scintiphotograph to leave the liver-spleen scintiphotograph alone. A suprarenal mass was shown as cold spot between the liver and right kidney on the combined study. When the liver scintiphotograph and kidney scintiphotograph were over-lapped and the differential diagnosis was difficult, the subsequent subtraction of the kidney scintiphotograph was useful in the diagnosis of the enlarged liver.


Change of serum IgE concentration in asthmatic attack. Thirty-two patients with clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma were evaluated. Serum IgE levels, measured by the Phadebas IgE test, were clearly increased in the patients with asthmatic attack compared with those without asthmatic attack. When the patients were grouped according to the clinical grading of severity of asthmatic attack, the levels showed the significant elevation in proportion to the intensity of asthmatic attack and were higher in the group of severe attack or moderately severe attack than in the group of mild attack. When the serial determination of serum IgE concentration was performed during the clinical course of the patients, a high correlation was observed between the levels and the intensity of asthmatic attack.


Histopathological findings of the ovaries in anovulatory women. Wedge resection of the ovary was carried out in 45 anovulatory women to study the correlation between the degree of disturbance of ovulation and the histopathological findings. Polycystic ovary was always found in patients with anovulatory cycles. The ovaries in grade 1 amenorrhea showing withdrawal bleeding in response to gestagen alone belonged to the nonspecific type, polycystic type and sclerotic type. These histological changes were relatively mild in many cases. The ovaries in grade 2 amenorrhea showing withdrawal bleeding in response to estrogen and gestagen but not to gestagen alone belonged to the non-specific type, polycystic type, sclerotic type, atrophic type and streak type. Even within the same histological entity, the histological findings of the ovaries were more pronounced in grade 2 amenorrhea than in grade 1 amenorrhea. The patients with primary amenorrhea had only hypoplastic and aplastic ovaries with marked histological abnormalities.


Biological characteristics of breast cancer in obesity. Biological characteristics of breast cancer in obese patients were investigated in comparison with non-obese patients. 134 patients with breast cancer were divided into three categories; thin, normal and obese based upon the height and weight. Five-year survival rate was 55.6% in the obese patients, whereas it was 79.9% in the non-obese patients including thin and normal subjects. A cause for unfavorable prognosis in the obese patients with breast cancer was clinically and histologically investigated. It was found that in the obese patients primary tumor, regional lymph node engorgement and clinical stage were relatively advanced, scirrhous carcinoma was predominant ( 46%), tumor margin was more infiltrattive (gamma type 64%), the incidence of vascular involvement was high (73%), lymph node metastasis was also frequent (58%) and nuclear grade was low.


Biotransformation of methylmercury in vitro. Inorganic mercury formation from methylmercury by the mouse liver and kidney was studied in vitro. With chopped liver or kidney, inorganic mercury was formed from added methylmercury, but when the tissue was homogenized, the activity was diminished. Equimolar addition of selenium had no effect on the reaction.


Extraction of erythrocyte membrane proteins by sulfhydryl inhibitors. Human red cell membrane proteins were extracted by incubation of the ghost with hypotonic phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), N-ethylmaleimide and p-hydroxy-mercuribenzoate. In paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), hereditary spherocytosis (HS) and hereditary elliptocytosis, the amount of proteins extracted by these procedures was significantly less than the amount extractable from the ghost of normal and aplastic anemia red cells. Polypeptide patterns of red cell membranes in these hematological disorders were essentially similar to those of normal ghosts. Analysis of the supernatant by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that this reduction was mainly due to the reduced amount of peripheral proteins extracted. The extraction of peripheral proteins by sulfhydryl reagents was accompanied by shape changes resulting in the formation of membrane vesicles, suggesting an important role of peripheral proteins in the maintenance of ghost shape. It is also suggested that qualitative abnormalities of peripheral proteins such as altered reactivity to sulfhydryl reagents and/or strong binding to the membrane are present in PNH, HS and hereditary elliptocytosis red cells.


Glial and capillary density of the pontine white matter in swelling and atrophy. A total of 48 autopsied brains were morphometrically examined for the relation between pontine geometry and structural parameters. In each case, the numerical density of neuroglial cells Nv(G) and the linear density of capillary network Lv(C) of the pontine white matter were determined stereologically from the counts of glial nuclear profiles and capillary transections per constant area of a histological section with a constant thickness. It was revealed that in general the glial numerical density increased with advancing atrophy and decreased with increasing swelling, whereas the capillary linear density remained fairly constant especially in the advanced stage of brain swelling. Further analysis of this relation using a model of pontine geometry has made it clear that the total capillary length in the swollen white matter increases probably at the expense of the capillary caliber as swelling advances. The changes in the ratio Lv(C)/Nv(G) under pathological conditions are emphasized and possible utility of classifying stages of acute brain swelling from a viewpoint of microvascular dimension is suggested.


Determination of intrapenial blood volume using 99mTc-labeled autologous red blood cells. In 17 impotent patients, radioisotope penography was performed using 99mTc-red blood cells (the patient's own red blood cells labeled with 99mTc) for the quantitative analysis of intrapenial blood volume. A visual sexual stimulation (VSS) was given to the patient after injecting the 99mTc-red blood cells. Patients showing a complete erection had their intrapenial blood volumes 4.2-11.2 times greater than before VSS (mean increase, 8.0 times). In cases of incomplete erection after VSS the intrapenial blood volumes were 3.3-7.0 times greater than before VSS (mean increase, 4.9 times). In cases showing a gentle rise in their penogram curves without evidence of an erection, intrapenial blood volumes after VSS were 2.0-3.3 times those before VSS (mean increaae, 2.9 times). By contrast, in cases showing no response to the VSS or no rise in penogram curve, post-VSS increases in intrapenial pool of blood were very slight, slight, only 1.4-1.7 times the original volume of blood.


A slide rule developed for the performance approximation of the copper kettle vaporizer. (2) Addition of scales for new anesthetic agents.


Anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system in choledochal cyst.


Surgical results of cervical spondylotic radiculomyelopathy observed for more than five years.


Effects of prolonged perfusion time on the isolated perfused rat heart.


Body burden of hexachlorobenzene and its effects on some esterases in tissues of young male rats.


Teratogenicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in CF-1 mice.


The nephrotoxic effects of cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum (II) (NSC-119875) in male F344 rats.


Prevention of praseodymium-induced hepatotoxicity by silybin.


Effect of acetylsalicylic acid on a toxic dose of acetaminophen in the mouse.


Kinetics of cadmium transport in the isolated perfused rat liver.


In vitro analysis of 2,2-bis(p-chloropheny) acetic acid (DDA) handling by rat kidney and liver.


Acute cardiovascular effects of intravenous methanol in the anesthetized dog.


1,4-Dioxane and beta-hydroxyethoxyacetic acid excretion in urine of humans exposed to dioxane vapors.


Species variation in response to dimethylhydrazine.


Immunochemical studies on cobra venom toxins [proceedings].


Phospholipase A2 of Formosan cobra venom [proceedings].


Conformation of snake toxins [proceedings].


Studies on anticholinesterase principle from Formosan cobra venom [proceedings].


Characterization of a thrombin-like enzyme from Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake) [proceedings].


The effect of snake venoms on snake erythrocytes [proceedings].


Studies of the coagulant and anticoagulant principles of Formosan crotalid venoms [proceedings].


Mechanism of action of cobra cardiotoxin [proceedings].


The chemical synthesis of Taiwan cobra venom toxins [proceedings].


Structure and function of cobrotoxin [proceedings].


On the nature of "maculotoxin", a toxin from the blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa).


Nucleases of the oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) venom sac extract--I. Acid, neutral and alkaline deoxyribonucleases and their pharmacological effects on cat blood in vitro.


Mechanism of the acute pulmonary edema induced by intracerebroventricular injection of scorpion toxin (tityustoxin) in the unanesthetized rat.


Anti-inflammatory effects of apamin.

Anti-inflammatory effects of apamin.


Cytochemistry of the venom-secreting cells of the scorpion, Palamnaeus bengalensis.


Amino acid sequence of pelamitoxin a, the main neurotoxin of the sea snake, Pelamis platurus.


Preparation and pharmacokinetics of labeled derivatives of apamin.


Postsynaptic and musculotropic effects of notexin, a presynaptic neurotoxin from the venom of Notechis scutatus scutatus (Australian tiger snake).


Androgen metabolism by rat epididymis. 5. Metabolic conversion and nuclear binding after injection of 5alpha-androstane-3alpha, 17beta-diol, in vivo. The pattern of androgenic metabolites in blood, muscle, caput and cauda epididymidis has been investigated in functionally hepatectomized 24 hours castrated rats, 3 hours after the intra-muscular injection of 200 muCi of 3H-3H-3alpha-diol. Identification of the radioactive metabolites showed only negligible differences between the epididymal regions. In both caput and cauda the main metabolite was DHT (17beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane-3-one); 3alpha- and 3beta-diol, androsterone (3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane-17-one), 5-A-dione (5alpha-androsterone-3, 17-dione), delta16-3alpha-01 (kalpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-01), delta16-3beta-01 (5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-01) and delta16-3-one (5alpha-androst-16-en-3-one) were also present. Androsterone and 3alpha-diol were the predominant metabolites in blood and muscle. No delta16 compounds could be detected and in constrast to epididymis, more than 50% of the radioactivity was associated with polar compounds. From determination of total radioactivity, it was seen that retention by epididymis varied from two to four times that of muscle. Purification and identification of the radioactivity associated with the nuclear fraction demonstrated that DHT was the only nuclear bound androgen. It is suggested from these results that at least one effect of 3alpha-diol on the rat epididymis is exerted through its conversion to DHT.


Simplified radioimmunoassay for aldosterone using antisera to aldosterone-gamma-lactone. A simplified, non-chromatographic method for aldosterone-gamma-lactone (2) radio-immunoassay is described, using a high titer aldosterone-gamma-lactone antibody. This method takes six working hours for completion; the blanks are below the sensitivity of the assay (0-10 pg), and the intra and interassay coefficient of variation is 4.9% and 8.2% respectively. There is no significant variation with different plasma volumes assayed and the plot of added and assayed aldosterone gives a slope of 0.983. The negligible cross reactivity with other steroids and lactones eliminates the problem of interference by these substances.


Metabolites of estradiol-17beta in guinea pig uterus late in pregnancy. The metabolism of estradiol-17beta by the guinea pig uterus late in pregnancy was studied in vivo and in vitro. Whole uteri were examined for estrogen metabolites one hour following an intravenous injection of [3H]-estradiol-17beta or uterine sections were examined after incubation for one hour at 37 degrees C in medium containing [3H]-estradiol-17beta. In both instances uterine tissue metabolized estradiol-17beta to five products; estrone, estrone-3-sulfate, 17beta-estradiol-3-sulfate, estrone-3-glucuronide and 17beta-estradiol-3-glucuronide. Of the total radioactive products 11-43% were glucuronides, 17-26% were sulfates and 4-17% was estrone. These results indicate that the guinea pig uterus actively transforms estradiol-17beta into glucuronides and sulfates late in pregnancy.


Phytoecdysones from Diplazium donianum.

Phytoecdysones from Diplazium donianum. From Diplazium donianum, makisterone A, makisterone D, and an unidentified stereoisomer of makisterone B have been isolated. The presence of two other unidentified phytoecdysones has been noted.


Bile acids. LII. The synthesis of 24-nor-5alpha-cholic acid and its 3beta-isomer. To aid in the identification of trihydroxy acidic metabolite(s) derived from beta-sitosterol, 3alpha,7alpha,12alpha-trihydroxy-24-nor-5beta-cholan-23-oic acid was prepared and its methyl ester was treated with Raney nickel in boiling p-cymene to provide methyl 3-oxo-7alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-24-nor-5alpha-cholanate, 3-oxo-7alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-24-nor-5beta-cholante and 3-oxo-7alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-24-norchol-4-enoate. The latter compound was synthesized from the 3-oxo-5beta-derivative with SeO2 to provide a product with identical properties. Catalytic reduction of either saturated 3-oxo-derivative provided the appropriate 3,7,12-triols isomeric at C-3. Results from gas liquid and partition chromatography, mass spectrometry, and otherr physical properties of the acids, their methyl esters and other derivatives are compatible with the assigned structures.


Nuclear binding of the estrogen receptor in whole uteri. In order to show whether the estrogen complex (ER) in the intact cell binds to some nuclear component or whether it is in free equilibrium between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, we incubated intact uteri under conditions which increased the ratio of nuclear to cytoplasmic ER. These conditions included (a) the use of sucrose at concentrations greater than 0.75 M, (b) ethanol at 7.5% to 10%, or (c) 1 mM mercuric chloride or phenylmercuric acetate. Whereas (b) and (c) increased the ratio by preferentially denaturing the cytoplasmic ER, (a) caused ER to move from the cytoplasm into the nucleus by an undetermined mechanism. Uteri with a high ratio of nuclear to cytoplasmic ER were then washed, incubated in fresh "normal" incubation media, fractionated and the location of ER determined. If ER binding does occur in the nucleus, the high ratio of nuclear ER to cytoplasmic ER should be maintained, whereas if ER is in an equilibrium in the cell, ER should redistribute and re-establish the "normal" ratio. In all cases studied; i.e., after pre-treatment with sucrose at different concentrations, ethanol at different concentrations and either mercuric chloride or phenylmercuric acetate, the ratio of nuclear to cytoplasmic ER remained high, suggesting that ER binds to some nuclear component in intact cells.


Convenient large scale preparation of catechol estrogens. 2-Hydroxyestrone, 2-hydroxyestradiol-17beta, 2-hydroxy-17alpha-ethynylestradiol, 2-hydroxyestriol, 4-hydroxyestrone, 4-hydroxyestradiol-17beta, 4-hydroxy-17alpha-ethynylestradiol and 4-hydroxyestriol are prepared on a preparative scale from the corresponding aminophenols using a new inverse oxidation procedure. By the synthesis described both the 2- and 4-hydroxylated estrogens are available in high yields.


A non-chromatographic radioimmunoassay of progesterone in serum. Convenient methodology based on separation of progesterone from alcoholic neutral steroids by means of a sulfation-procedure has been developed for the radioimmunoassay (RIA) of progesterone in male and female serum. When coordinated with our previously published non-chromatographic procedure for the RIA of estrone and estradiol in serum, all 3 seteroids can be determined in the same specimen. Validation of the procedure was based on: 1. Agreement between results obtained using ILC and sulfation to fractionate progesterone (r=0.98; b=0.86), 2. accurate recovery of different quantities of progesterone added to serum, 3. independence of the concentration of progesterone and volume of serum used for assay, 4. low procedural blanks (3.6 +/- 1.3 pg), 5. low intraassay (9.7 - 10.3%) and interassay (11.0 - 11.6%) variability and 6. correspondence of observed values for progesterone in male serum (108 +/- 20 pg/ml) and in female serum (follicular, 285 +/- 149 pg/ml; luteal, 3.46 +/- 1.45 ng/ml) with those reported previously by others.


Hormonal regulation of LH stimulation of testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells of immature rats: the effect of hypophysectomy, FSH, and estradiol-17beta. Testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells from testes of immature and adult rats was stimulated by addition of LH in a dose dependent way. Hypophysectomy of adult rats had no influence on LH-stimulated testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells after 5 days. In contrast hypophysectomy of immature rats resulted after 5 days in an almost complete loss of LH sensitivity of isolated Leydig cells. Daily adminitration of FSH during 5 days starting immediately after hypophysectomy maintained LH responsiveness of isolated Leydig cells of immature rats. Also FSH administration starting on day 5 after hypophysectomy resulted in a restoration of LH responsiveness. Estradiol benzoate, injected simultaneously with FSH, abolished the FSH-induced LH responsiveness.


Isolation, identification and quantitation of serum 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione and its relationship to progesterone in the pregnant mare. 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione was isolated from pooled pregnant mare serum using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and identified by the use of radioimmunoassay, gas-liquid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione was not cross-reactive with the radioimmunoassay system and was not detected by gas-liquid chromatography. Peripheral blood levels of progesterone and 5alphs-pregnane-3,20-dione were determined by radioimmunoassay in four Quarter Horse mares for the first 150 days of gestation. Progesterone and 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione declined from a range of 6 to 15 ng/ml at day 10 to a range of 2 to 8 ng/ml at day 40. After day 40 there was an increase in progesterone and 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione concentration. Toward the end of 150 days of gestation progesterone tended to decline; whereas, 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione levels were maintained or increased to levels as high as 35 ng/ml. Neither source nor function of 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione is known.


Preparturient changes in plasma concentrations of estrone, estradiol-17beta and estradiol-17alpha in the fetal calf: effects of dexamethasone infusion. The concentrations of total estrogens in fetal calf plasma were determined during a 6-10 day period immediately before delivery. Comparison was made between levels found in untreated calves and calves infused with dexamethasone at the rate of 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/24 hours. In untreated calves the plasma estrone, estradiol-17beta and estradio-17alpha levels remained relatively constant at 38 +/- 7 ng ml-1 (mean +/- SEM n = 3), 46 +/- 6 ng ml-1 and 29 +/- 5 ng ml-1 respectively. Infusion with dexamethasone at 0.1 mg/24 hr (3 calves) and 1.0 mg/24 hr (3 calves) was without dramatic effect on plasma estrogen levels. However, in one fetus infused with 10.0 mg/24 hr the dexamethasone treatment may have caused a transitory rise in the levels of all estrogens examined.


Handedness, speech pathology and hemispheric asymmetry.


Neurometric analysis of brain function.

Neurometric analysis of brain function.


Schistosomiasis and carcinoma of the bladder: a critical appraisal of causal relationship. The pathology of 154 cases of carcinoma of the urinary bladder diagnosed in surgical specimens in Ibadan is reviewed. Schistosoma haematobium-infections are found in association with all varieties of urothelial carcinoma. The majority of tumours in this and previously reported series from bilharzial and nonbilharzial underdeveloped regions presented in advanced stages. It is suggested that the preponderance of squamous cell carcinoma in these regions is a reflection of late clinical presentation. The evidence so far presented to support a causal relationship between schistosomiasis and carcinoma of the bladder is reviewed. It is concluded that such relationship is probably not true.


Geographical distribution of amyloidosis in Papua New Guinea. During an 11 year period 73 cases of amyloidosis were diagnosed at Port Moresby General Hospital as a result of histological examination of autopsy or biopsy material. No case of amyloidosis came from either the Highlands or North Coast regions although these two areas together accounted for 16% of the medical admissions at the hospital and made up a similar percentage of Port Moresby's Papua New Guinean population. Within the sub-district in which Port Moresby is situated there was a much higher incidence of amyloidosis in the inland, more sparsely populated, census divisions of the sub-district. Aetiological factors which may be related to the common occurrence of amyloidosis in Papua New Guinea are discussed in light of the observed geographical distribution of cases.


Endemic elephantiasis of the lower legs in Rwanda and Burundi. The distribution of non-filarial elephantiasis of the lower legs in Rwanda and Burundi in Central Africa has been studied in order to test the previous observation of an association between the disease and the volcanic rocks and soils on which the people live. Using the method of market counts, a total of 26,602 adults were observed in 23 markets; 189 had elephantiasis. In addition, 264 cases were observed in specially arranged clinics and a further 77 while travelling. Prevalence per thousand adults varied from 0.0 to 20.7. It was noted that the areas of high prevalence corresponded with the areas of volcanic lava. A differential market count at the edge of the red soils in two of these areas showed a raised prevalence among people living on these soils, similar to that observed in Ethiopia. The observations confirm that the disease occurs in barefooted people who dig in soil developed from volcanic rocks, under tropical conditions, at altitudes around 1500 m. It is suggested that the high proportion of iron and other transitional metals may be important as irritant or toxic to the lymphatic vessels of the legs after absorption.


Volvulus of the sigmoid in Khartoum, Sudan. Twenty-six cases of acute volvulus of the sigmoid in Khartoum Hospital are analysed. The condition accounts for 17.8 percent of all cases of acute intestinal obstruction. The majority of patients were from the Southern tribes whose diet contains a large amount of fibre. Of the different methods of surgical management simple operative detorsion and deflation gave the best results. The overall mortality rate was 23.1 percent.


A tuberculin skin test survey in a rural Ghanaian population. A study to determine the prevalence of positive tuberculin skin tests in a rural area of Ghana is described. Subjects over 14 exhibited the greatest percentage of positive reactions (40%), those under 15, less than 10 percent. Males had a higher percentage of positive reactions than females, which is consistent with the results of other tuberculin skin test studies. Prevalence of BCG scars was also studied as part of a village health survey medical examination. Overall BCG coverage was low (10%): the school age population, mose easily reached by mobile vaccination teams, had the highest rate of coverage (16%). There was a poor correlation between mothers' perception of children's BCG immunization status and the children's actual status determined during the medical examination, largely due to poor communication between immunization staff and the villagers. The authors conclude that BCG immunizations should be encouraged, particularly in children under 15, preferably via a mobile, mass campaign approach, with careful communication between medical staff and villagers.


Preterm and other babies with low birthweights in Ibadan. Earlier studies on the incidence of low birthweight babies were unanimous in the belief that this is a peculiarity of the developing countries, especially of the negro race. However, the more recent studies have shown that the differences in the incidence of low birthweights between the developed and developing countries might be due to other factors. In a study of birthweights in Ibadan, Nigeria, evidence was presented which showed that the level of socio-economic standards, rather than the peculiarity of geographical location or race, accounted for a high percentage of low birthweight babies. The various other factors associated with low birthweight babies in Ibadan were also highlighted.


Platelet count in healthy full-term Nigerian neonates. 633 platelet counts are reported on 338 full-term healthy Nigerian babies aged 1 hour to 28 days. Platelet counts for the first week (207,000 +/- 72,000 cumm) are significantly lower (P less than .001) than in the subsequent 3 weeks (282,000 +/- 94,000 cumm). Platelet counts of 100,000-400,000/cumm during the first week and 100,000-450,000/cumm during the rest of the neonatal period include 95% of the respective age groups of Nigerian infants studied and these ranges can therefore be regarded as standard for healthy Nigerian neonates. Platelet counts in Nigerian neonates are essentially similar to those reported elsewhere but significantly higher than in Nigerian adults.


Lactose tolerance in adult Jordanian Arabs. Lactose tolerance tests were performed in 56 male and female Jordanian Arabs who were permanently resident in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Forty three had a low rise in blood glucose and 36 had one or more symptoms after oral lactose. Lactose tolerance was not related to sex, age, milk or milk products consumption. The data presented confirm the few existing reports that the majority of Arabs, originating from the Mediterranean basin are hypolactasic and intolerant to lactose.


Lactose intolerance in East Indians of Trinidad. The incidence of lactose intolerance and by inference intestinal lactase deficiency was investigated by means of the oral lactose tolerance test in 30 East Indians born in Trinidad but of Indian heritage. Twenty showed flat curves (67%) and twenty had cramps and diarrhoea following the lactose load (67%). In India milk consumption is less than in Trinidad. Since all subjects were of the same racial origin the findings are interpreted as suggesting that lactase deficiency among East Indians is inherited on a genetic basis.


Serum cholesterol concentration in Arabs in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, and its relation to adult hypolactasia.


Disorders which shorten life among Nigerians.


Toxoplasma gondii haemagglutinating antibody titers in Indonesian goats. Sera of 465 goats from several of the Indonesian islands were tested for indirect haemagglutinating (IHA) antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Titers greater than or equal to 1:16 were found in 24% of the animals with approximately 11% having titers of greater than or equal to 1:256. Sera from pigs, cows, water buffaloes and horses were also tested and only pig sera had IHA antibodies at titers above greater than or equal to 1:16. The possible role of goats in transmission of toxoplasmosis is discussed briefly.


Filariasis in the Minahassa.

Filariasis in the Minahassa. A survey concerning the occurrence of filariasis was carried out in Likupang, a village in the Minahassa, the norther tip of the Island of Celebes. We found four patients with elephantiasis of the leg. Only of people living in their neighbourhood proved to be positive for microfilariae of Brugia malayi. This result differs from surveys formerly carried out in whole Sulawesi, where locally microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti occurred next to those of B. malayi.


Chemoprophylaxis trial in Canadian Eskimos. One hundred and two cases of inactive tuberculosis, 165 positive tuberculin reactors and 103 previous BCG vaccinated individuals showing large tuberculin reactions were placed on the completely supervised regimen consisting of isoniazid and ethambutol given three times a week. Over 90% of these individuals completed 18 months' treatment. There were no active cases of tuberculosis among the treated groups during the observation period averaging 34.8 months. The control groups consisting of 217 individuals had 9 cases of active tuberculosis giving an annual risk of developing the disease of 1.8 per 1000.


Acquired resistance to rifampicin by Mycobacterium kansasii. Two patients with Mycobacterium kansasii infection of the lung had organisms sensitive to rifampicin. Following treatment, essentially with rifampicin alone, the patients began to excrete organisms completely resistant to rifampicin. The ability of M. kansasii to acquire resistance to rifampicin during treatment has been clearly demonstrated. This reinforces the need to treat this infection with an adequate multiple drug regimen.


Effect of sulpiride on mammary tumor growth. The daily subcutaneous injection of sulpiride produced increase tumor growth and decrease of survival in DBA/2 mice bearing a transplanted mammary gland tumor. It is proposed that sulpiride effect may be mediated by the augment of prolactin level in serum.


Early glial tumor metastases through a ventriculo-atrial shunt. A girl of 12 with a pontine polymorphous astrocytoma diffusely metastasizing to the spinal cord leptomeninges suddenly died 20 hours after the insertion of a right ventriculo-atrial shunt. Many severely damaged glial neoplastic cells were found in the blood vessels of the lung and liver.


Evaluation of the risk of multiple primaries in malignant cutaneous melanoma. The evaluation of the risk of a second primary melanoma has been done on a series of 521 cases of malignant melanoma observed at the National Cancer Institute of Milan from September 1967 to December 1974. It has been found that a malignant melanoma patient is about 900 times more likely to have a second primary than an individual in the general population is likely to contract the disease. The risk is age and sex dependent.


Evaluation of mass screening programmes for cervical cancer in N.E. Scotland.


Mass population screening for cervix cancer.


An analysis of 800 breast cancer patients relapsed after radical mastectomy. The chronology of first recurrences, their topographic distribution and survival from mastectomy were retrospectively studied in a series of 800 mastectomized women with special reference to the relationship between these data and treatment delay, TN categories and free interval. Visceral metastases were more frequent in patients under 50 years, whereas local recurrences were more common in patients over 50. The average free interval was 26 months (over 5 years in 18% of cases) and seemed to be influenced little by the treatment delay or by tumor size; it was shorter in patients under 50 years and shorter still in patients with lymph node involvement at operation. A similar correlation exists between these parameters and survival. The 5 years survival rate of the 800 cases with recurrence was 52%, which is quite different from the rate generally indicated for surgical cases, and much higher than the rate for the natural history of untreated breast cancer. The survival rate in cases with first metastases confined to the soft tissues is much higher than in those with bone and/or with visceral metastases. The survival after recurrence proves to be significantly influenced by the length of the free interval, but much more by the presence or absence of regional lymph node involvement so that the lymph nodes status (N--or N+) turns out to be a prognostic item of primary importance, even after the onset recurrence.


The effect of high molecular dextran on coagulation and metastes. The intravenous injection of high molecular dextran (HMD), increased pulmonary metastases of the carcinosarcoma of Walker 256, from 35 per-cent of the control animals to 64 per-cent of the animals treated with HMD. A significant prolongation of the clotting time and prothrombin; and a decrease in fibrinogen levels platelets, hematocrit and factors II, V, VII and VIII were observed following the infusion of HMD. There was no obvious untoward side effect of HMD in any of the animals studies.


Quality control in cytological screening for cervical cancer.


Prevalence rates of cervical lesions in specifically defined areas.


Studies of response to cervical screening.


Specific problems in a screening programme.


Oxford sliding scale recall scheme.

Oxford sliding scale recall scheme.


Problems in the construction and interpretation of screening programmes.


The evaluation of mass screening programmes for cervical cancer.


Evaluation and costing of mass screening programmes for cervical cancer.


Acquisitions and further progress in mass screening for cancer.


Evaluation of mass screening for cervical cancer in Ljubljana region.


Atrial activity in atrial fibrillation after intravenous verapamil.


Dimensions of the rabbit tenuissimus muscle. A study of the physical dimensions of the rabbit tenuissimus muscle is described and compared with previous work on the same muscle from the cat. The muscle in the rabbit was found to be larger than in the cat, but was consistent in its dimensions and suitable for use as a model for microvascular research.


The effect of digitalis on regional ischaemia of the rat small intestine. Research in recent years has shown that under certain conditions digitalis has a strong vasoconstrictive effect in the splanchnic region. This may imply that in cases of mesenteric ischaemia, digitalization may inhibit a collateral circulation necessary for restoration of the intestinal function. In this investigation the effect of digitoxin on the exchange circulation of the small bowel mucosa was studied in rats with induced regional ischaemia of the intestine. On analysis 30 min after establishment of the ischaemia a statistically significant negative effect of digitoxin was observed.


Detection and characterization of hyperlipoproteinaemia in middle-aged men. Serum lipoprotein (LP) concentrations were determined and LP patterns were classified in 261 middle-aged men, recruited from a health examination survey, with serum lipid values above the 80th percentile of the same population. Individuals with hyperlipoproteinaemia (HLP) and normolipidaemic controls were characterized also regarding family history of cardiovascular disease, socio-economic factors and clinical and laboratory variables. Subjects with HLP type IV-V and IIB were overweight and showed hyperuricaemia and hyperinsulinaemia compared with normolipidaemic controls and subjects with HLP type IIA. The latter showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. In spite of being overweight, subjects with HLP type III showed normal fasting values of insulin and uric acid in serum and normal early insulin response to intravenous glucose. The glucose tolerance did not differ significantly between the groups. Men with HLP types IV-V had predominantly sedentary occupations, in contrast to those with type IIA. There were significantly more smokers in the groups with HLP type IIB and IV-V than in the control group. Thus, individuals with different types of HLP tend to show different metabolic profiles but also different socioeconomic and clinical patterns, suggesting that exogenous factors are of importance in the expression of the LP abnormalities.


Binding of proteins to mouse blastocysts after the attachment stage of implantation. Experimentally delayed mouse blastocysts were activated to implant by exogenous estradiol and after varying duration of estrogen influence, the blastocysts were flushed out from the uterine horns. Then they were incubated in the cold with different, 125I-conjugated proteins and the amount of protein bound to the blastocysts was determined by radioassay. Three radiolabelled proteins: human serum albumin (125I-HSA), human serum transferrin (125I-HST) and normal rabbit IgG (125I-RIgG) were tested and it was found that the uptake of each protein markedly increased between 14 and 24 hours of estrogen-activation. It was possible to partially block the binding of 125I-HSA and 125I-RIgG with the respective unlabelled protein. Unlabelled RIgG could also partially block the uptake of 125I-HSA whereas HSA did not impede the binding of 125I-RIgG. During delay of implantation the protein binding was low and approximately the same as after 14 hours of activation. However, at 18 and 24 hours of activation protein uptake increased gradually. Raising the incubation temperature from 0 to 37 degrees C did not significantly influence the protein binding capacity of the 24-hour-activated blastocyts. Whole blastocyst autoradiography indicated that the labelled protein was heavily bound in patches, preferentially located in the abembryonic half of the postattachment blastocysts. It is assumed that the binding of protein to abembryonic trophoblast cells of the implanting blastocyst can be attributed to the presence of protein receptors on the surface of these cells.


Acute myopericarditis. A long-term follow-up study. A follow-up study was made of 29 patients aged 21 to 45 years, some 15-158 months after acute myopericarditis. The mean follow-up period was 72.9 months. The follow-up investigation included recording of history, physical examination, laboratory tests, radiologic examination of the heart and lungs and electrocardiography. All but one of the patients were fit for fulltime work. Nine had residual cardiac symptoms, but the physical examination was negative in all but 2 of them. One patient had chronic cardiac insufficiency and hepatic enlargement. Another had sinus tachycardia and cardiac enlargement of moderate degree and impaired working capacity in relation to heart size. Cardiac murmurs without clinical significance were audible in three cases. The resting ECG was pathologic in only 6 cases. Orthostatic ECG evoked ECG abnormalities in 6 more cases. Exercise tolerance tests showed reduced working capacity in relation to heart volume in 5 of the 29 cases (17%). Four of these 5 patients had cardiac enlargement. There was thus good correlation between increase in heart volume and reduction of physical capacity. The prognosis in regard to cardiac function was good, as was also found in other comparable series in which the observation time was somewhat shorter.


Preliminary report on angiography with polymeric contrast agents in rabbits and dogs. Polymeric, water-soluble, iodine-containing contrast agents have been synthesized and tested in renal angiography and thoracic aortography in rabbits and in femoral arteriography in dogs. Good filling of the arteries and also of the veins was obtained.


The fluid double polar-nonpolar-polar leaflet model for biological membranes. A model for biological membranes is proposed according to which the plasma membrane consists of two functionally different polar-nonpolar-polar leaflets separated by a polar space. The binding of water-soluble proteins, integral lipoproteins and spanning proteins to a biological membrane as well as possible conformations of interphase peptides partitioned between polar and nonpolar layers are discussed. A model for the diffusion of water soluble proteins across nonpolar layers of a membrane is described. Three complete biological membranes containing two leaflets and an inter-leaflet space are defined. These are: 1: The inner nuclear membrane + the perinuclear space and the endoplasmatic cisternae + the outer nuclear membrane and the endoplasmatic reticulum, 2: the innner mitochondrial membrane + the mitochondrial intermembraneous space + the outer mitochondrial membrane and 3: the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane + an intramembraneous space in the plasma membrane + the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane.


Familial ovarian carcinoma.

Familial ovarian carcinoma. Familial aggregation of patients with ovarian carcinoma is unusual. A family with four affected members in three consecutive generations is described. The tumors were all of the serous papillary adenocarcinoma type. The pattern of appearance of the malignant disorder in the present family may be explained as the result of transmission of a dominant mutant autosomal gene. The future long term management of such a family might include prophylactic oophorectomy in certain family members, and possibly selective terminations of pregnancies with female fetuses in high-risk women. A family with serous papillary adenocarcinoma of the ovary occurring in 4 members belonging to 3 consecutive generations is described.  This suggests the transmission of a mutant dominant gene as a cause of the site-specific cancer.  The malignant ovarian disorder has been restricted to descendants of 1 of 2 female branches of the family.  In the affected family branch, 2 have had their ovaries removed prophylactically but histologically their ovarian tissues were found to be normal.  There are 2 others, aged 8 and 17, who are considered to be at risk.  Prophylactic ovariectomy may be indicated when they have the number of children they want.  There has been no evidence of male transmission of an alleged mutant gene.  In the affected branch of the family prenatal sex determination and selective abortion of female fetuses in future pregnancies may eliminate the adverse gene from this family.


Uromucoid in the rat: its isolation, localization in the kidney and concentration in the urine. Based on the finding that rat uromucoid cross reacts with antihuman uromucoid, rat uromucoid was isolated by means of immune absorption chromatography. Using a monospecific antiserum obtained with the use of this preparation, uromucoid was shown to be present in the distal tublues of the kidney. A quantitative immunological determination was made from the urine of 30 normal rats.


A contribution to the formation mechanism of calcium oxalate urinary calculi. I. Stabilising urinary constituents in the formation of weddellite. 25 to 30% of calcium oxalate urinary calculi consist of the metastable Weddellite crystal phase. By fractionation of urine it was found that mineral substances are stabilising factors. The stability was checked in dry condition at room temperature at 38 degrees C and at 110 degrees C. These results could be confirmed by precipitation from synthetic solutions. Mg, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn and Cu individually, and above all in combination, promote the formation of Weddellite. The formation of mixed crystal phases must be considered one of the main factors for the stabilisation of Weddelite in the urinaty calculus.


[Late results of surgical treatment of mitral stenosis]. An analysis of late results of closed mitral commissurotomy in 408 patients with the follow-up period to 18 years is presented. As pinpointed further late results of mitral commissurotomy were found to depend on the degree of stenosis of left atrioventricular orifice and concomitant mitral insufficiency, on how radical the operation was, on the presence of gross morphological changes in the valve, the stage of the disease, the activity of rheumatic process, patients' age and terms of observation. The predisposing factors and causes of restenosis of left atrioventricular valve are characterized.


[Diagnostic and therapeutic importance of right-heart catheterization during operations on the lungs and in the early postoperative period in elderly patients]. Pressure in the right heart (CVP) was measured at different stages of lung resection and during the first postoperative days in 74 aged patients, operated upon for various pulmonary affections. Pneumonectomy was performed in 33 patients, partial resection--in 31, thoracotomy--in 10. The pressure was measured by catheterization of the right heart, using the Valdman apparatus. No complications relative to catheterization of the right heart were noted. Intraoperative observations over CVP dynamics with due account of other hemodynamic indices, general patient's state and the operative stage provide for additional valuable data of the state of a patient operated upon. During the first days after pneumo- and lobectomy CVP was found to be decreased compared with initial values, that seems to be related with hypovolemia. Studies on the circulating blood volume and its components, carried out in 18 patients, have proved the presence of hypolvolemia in patients under consideration. These investigations make it possible to recommend continous catheterization of the right heart for early recognition of hemodynamic disturbances and a simultaneous use of the catheter for infusion of medical drugs.


Isolation and segregation of non-haemadsorbing strains of African swine fever virus.


Oestrogen receptors in feline mammary carcinomas. Twenty primary or metastatic felline mammary tumours were assayed for the presence of oestrogen receptors by the dextran-coated charcoal method. In only two of the tumours was the presence of specific oestrogen binding protein demonstrable. The high negative rate in comparison with human and canine mammary tumours assayed under similar conditions seemed to be a peculiar feature of the feline tumours and suggested a lack of oestrogen dependency. The possibility remains that other hormones may be concerned with the growth of feline mammary tumours and further work is in progress.


Eperythrozoon wenyoni anaemia in cattle.


Klebsiella aerogenes in mares.

Klebsiella aerogenes in mares.


Veterinary surgeons and the Medicines (Labelling) Regulations 1976.


Non-surgical correction of a uterine torsion in the mare. A case of uterine torsion is described and its correction under general anaesthesia by a method described by Schaffer for the cow. The degree of torsion was 180 degrees and in a clockwise direction. After correction the foal was found to be alive and in anterior presentation and ventral position; it was born normally 84 days later.


Bovine hypocuprosis.

Bovine hypocuprosis.


Diagnosis of swine dysentery: spirochaetes which may be confused with Treponema hyodysenteriae. Spirochaetes, designated PWS, microscopically resembling Treponema hyodysenteriae, were isolated from the colon contents of pigs with post-weaning scours from three herds, which on clinical and epidemiological grounds were thought to be free from swine dysentery. One of the isolates was fed to pigs experimentally but no evidence of disease was noted. Their cultural characteristics differed from those of T hyodysenteriae but they were similar to those of a non-pathogenic spirachaete (4/71) which had been isolated previously from the laboratory's dysentery-free herd. Smears prepared from cultures of the PWS spirochaete, 4/71 and two virulent and one avirulent strain of T hyodysenteriae were all positive to a fluorescent antibody test which was in use as an aid to the diagnosis of swine dysentery in the United Kingdom.


Bacteria associated with beak necrosis in broiler breeder hens. Beak necrosis occurred in 48 per cent of female broiler breeders used fro nutritional studies but none was found in male broiler breeders or in either sex of single comb white Leghorns. About 10 per cent mortality, probably largely due to beak necroses, occurred in the affected flock. Based on electron microscopic photographs of affected beak tissue, we suggest that in our study the breakdown of beaks was associated with the presence of a single morphological type of Gram-positive bacterium.


The feeding of zinc bacitracin to growing rabbits.


Bovine abortion.

Bovine abortion.


A case of diesel oil poisoning in a ewe.


Arizona in turkeys.

Arizona in turkeys.


Skin lesions in guinea-pigs.

Skin lesions in guinea-pigs.


Cancer incidence in Jamaica. An 18-year analysis (1958--1975).


Antimicrobial resistance in organisms isolated at the University Hospital of the West Indies during 1975.


Problems in interpreting electrocardiograms (ECG'S) AND QUESTIONNAIRES FOR EFFORT PAIN IN RURAL Jamaica.


A 3-year review of medico-legal autopsies performed at the Kingston Public Hospital, Jamaica (1973-1975).


Total body water, extracellular and plasma volume compartments in sickle cell anemia.


Nursery admission temperature in immature newborns--the effects of birth-arrival interval and asphyxia.


The study of regulation systems in parasite populations as a basis for using biological methods of control.


Protozoa as the regulators of pest insects populations.


The system host-parasite as an ecological homeostate.


The influence of nematodes and parasitic fungi on host insects.


The role of the taxonomist in biological parasitology.


The question of diseases caused by Echinococcus granulosus and Alveococcus multilocularis on the Taimyr Peninsula.


Investigations into the biocenosis of small mammals' nests.


Microbiocenosis of Clethrionomys glareolus nests in the East and West Carpathians.


Host-parasite relations between Oligochaeta and helminths.


The interdependence of parasites in parasitocenoses of the intestine of animals.


The influence of chemical contamination of the natural environment on the parasitological organisms.


The influence of pollution of Bulgarian section of the river Danube on the occurrence of helminthiases in fish.


The influence of industrial pollution on the nematodofauna of plants and soil in the region of smelting works "Kremikovci".


The influence of training the river Dnieper, construction of water stops and hydroelectric plants on the parasitofauna in fish.


The effect of thermic pollution of waters on the distribution of pathogenic Naegleria strains.


The influence of thermic pollution on parasitocenoses structure in water reservoirs.


The properties of formation of the trematode fauna in molluscs in water reservoirs of the river Dnieper cascades.


Some ecological-parasitological aspects of large-scale animal production.


Human activity as a factor in the distribution of ectoparasites and vectors of man and animal diseases.


Swimmers' itch and waterfowl management.


Transmission of Taenia saginata in rural areas.


Helminthological problems in guest workers--is there any danger in distribution of helminthic disease?


Strongyloides stercoralis in Eastern and South-Eastern Poland.


Natural foci of diseases in the environment exploited or artificially formed by man.


Parasitological endangering of environment in the aspect of increasing tourist-recreation traffic.


Ecological properties of poly-host helminths (on the example of Diphyllobothrium genus).


Ecological properties of helminth fauna in water reservoirs on dairy farms in Lithuanian SSR.


Various types of forest hunting grounds as the habitat of interinfection with helminths of wild and domestic animals.


The anthropophilism rate in mosquito Culex pipiens pipiens L., 1758 (Diptera, Culicidae) in the area of human settlements on the Gdańsk coast.


Ecological problems in fish parasitology.


Variations in pathogenicity of parasites due to man's interference. Introduction to the discussion.


Helminthological and microbiological analyses of municipal waste of the city of Lódź as the criteria for the evaluation of the rate of environmental pollution.


The role of wild mammals of Central Asia as man's and domestic animals' helminth reservoirs.


Variability of man as the host of a parasite.


Formation of new host-parasite systems on the example of nematodes genus Neoaplectana.


Ecological differentiation between the regulating and devastating parasitic structure.


The role of information services in environmental parasitology.


[World trends in infant mortality since 1950]. Despite the considerable progress made in recent decades, and perhaps even partly because of the very uneven distribution of this progress, infant mortality is still very high in some regions, whereas in other regions it is tending, if not disappear completely, at least to become numerically negligible even though remaining a matter of social concern. Whereas in tropical Africa almost one child in five dies before its first birthday, in Japan or Scandinavia it is one child in a hundred. Infant mortality rate varies between these two extremes, but there is a substantial gulf between  the "most developed" regions which are all below 30% and the "least developed" regions which fall into three categories: 65-100% (Latin America, Eastern Asia except Japan), around 140% (Northern Africa, South Asia, Melanesia), and about 200% (topical Africa). These inequalities between countries overlap with inequalities between social groupings by urbanization, social/occupational level, education and income, are all variables that are correlated with infant mortality to a greater or lesser degree. The pace of the progress achieved since 1950 seems to be independent of the starting level. Contrary to the development of mortality at other ages, it is not in the countries with high mortality that infant mortality has decreased most. The pace of reduction divides the most developed regions into three distinct groups: very rapid reduction (Japan), rapid reduction (Scandinavia, Western Europe, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe), and slower reduction (British Isles, Northern America and Australia/New Zealand). Thus Japan rapidly caught up with Western Europe and the English-speaking countries and has now reached the same level as Scandinavia. On the other hand, the English-speaking countries have fallen behind the Scandinavian countries and are now at par with Western Europe. The reduction of infant mortality mainly concerned deaths of children over one month of age or even over one week of age and otherwise is due to reduction of infectious diseases. Consequently, in the most developed regions mortality is highly concentrated in the first week of life and is mainly attributable to the "causes of perinatal mortality" and the "congenital" anomalies". In the least developed regions, on the other hand, the infectious or parasitic diseases are still of decisive importance and the risk of death remains very high throughout the first year of life and even beyond. The risk may be even higher during the second year, when weaning takes place abruptly and results in serious difficulties in feeding.


[World health-related indicators].

[World health-related indicators]. Many of the statistics given in this report are estimates based on tentative data and on that extent are not reliable in a strict sense. But the picture they present of gross differences in demographic and social characteristics, in vital statistics, and in resources of medical manpower and hospital beds between major areas of the world is real. More than half of the people of the world live in South Asia and East Asia; population density is highest in Western Europe; and highest rates of population growth are in Middle America and Tropical South America. In Europe less than one-third of the population are aged under 20 years, whereas more than half the population are aged under 20 im Middle and Tropical South America and the Carribbean, in Africa and in South Asia. Urbanization is high in Temperate South America, Northern America, Northern and Western Europe, and Oceania. The daily dietary energy supply per person is 50% higher in Northern America, Europe, USSR, and Ocenia than in Africa (excluding Southern Africa, South and East Asia. The Gross National Product in Northern America is 10 times higher than in Tropical South America and 30 to 40 times higher than in Western Middle and Eastern Africa and in Middle South and South East Asia. Crude birth rates are close to three times higher in Africa, Middle America and South Asia than in Europe, North America and USSR. Differences in crude death rates are less--rates in Western, Middle and Eastern Africa are double these of America Europe, USSR and Oceania. The Expectation of Life is over 70 years for Northern America, Europe, USSR and Oceania. It is under 50 years for Western, Middle and Eastern Africa. In all areas the expectation of life at birth has increased--by up to 10 years--in the past quarter century. Infant mortality is less than 20 per 1 000 in Northern and Western Europe and Northern America. It is over 100 in Africa and South Asia. Number of physicians range from 25 per 10 000 population in USSR to less than 1 per 10 000 in Western, Middle and Eastern Africa. There are over 100 hospital beds per 10 000 population in USSR and in Northern and Western Europe, less than 10 per 10 000 in Western Africa, Middle South Asia and South East Asia.


Functional capability of 68-year-old people in the town of Jyväskylä. A cross-sectional study on the functional capability of 68-year-old persons was performed in 1973 in the town of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. The mean values of the measured variables for men and women, respectively, were the following: vital capacity 1.7 l/m2 and 1.2 l/m2; threshold of auditory perception (4000 cps) 49.0 dB and 28.4 dB, digit symbol 23.9 and 24.3 digits; digit span 9.5 and 9.7 numbers; simple reaction time 0.27 sec; pred. max VO2 26.6 and 21.6 ml/kg - min. Persons with high physical working capacity or good self-assessed health attained better results compared to persons with low PWC or poor self-assessed health.


Carbohydrate metabolism of the lens depending on age. Interpretation of factor analysis of 18 metabolic parameters of the bovine lens leads to the determination of the following criteria of lens metabolism: Factor 1: Biologic aging of the lens 33.9%; Factor 2: Glycolysis regulation 17.7%; Factor 3: Topography of lens metabolism 8.7%; Factor 4: Regulation of fructose breakdown 7.9%; Factor 5: Substrate depot 6.6%; Factor 6: Kinases 6.3%. These results could partly be experimentally verified. This interpretation of factor analysis has been an attempt to fit biochemical processes to formal statistical parameters. There was no indication that any of the variables under investigation were indendently responsible for the age dependend changes. However, the set-up made evident that rather complex biochemical influences of different intensity bring about the observed aging phenomena. It may be assumed that on or the other of these variables acts as a "triggering mechanism". Age related disturbances in the biochemical balance may be initiated by the glycolysis regulation factor, the importance of which is expressed by its high portion of 17%. Here changes in the ratio of reduced and oxydized coenzymes may act as a "triggering mechanism" (26, 30). Topography of lens metabolism, carbohydrate breakdown via metabolic pathways, the presence of substrate depots, and the internal regulation of the kinases are, according to their portion in factor loading, of about equal importance with respect to aging processes, however, factors 1 and 2, with a 50% portion, must be given precedence in any consideration. Factor 1, interpreted as "biological lens aging", yields about 1/3 of the information on the age influence on lens metabolism. This factor stands independent in being loaded by lens weight, which is the accepted age representative. However, lens weight means protein as well as the process of protein synthesis. It may be assumed that this factor represents a connective link between protein and carbohydrate metabolism, since it is well known that changes in protein belong to the most remarkable age disturbances (31,32), and that the quality of the proteins is dependent on the period of its synthesis (18,33).


Bilirubin in liquor amnii. A rapid and exact method for quantitative determination. A method is described for an exact and rapid determination of bilirubin in the amniotic fluid. Errors due to turbidity and to contamination of hemoglobin or debris are elliminated because bilirubin is extracted directely into chloroform by a special technique and determined by direct spectrophotometry. The new technique is related to the well known Liley procedure and the results with the new method are plotted into a modified Liley-sceme.


Invalid care in the dwarf mongoose (Helogale undulata rufula) The responses of a captive family group of 12 Dwarf Mongooses (4 female and 8 male) towards a sick group member were recorded daily for 3 h over a 38 day period (until the animal died), these data being compared with those for a comparable control period. Changes in feeding rank order, resting site, resting duration and grooming frequency and duration were found, these being to the advantage of the sick individual. The probable adaptive significance of such behaviour is discussed.


Gastric ulceration in the ferret (Mustela furo L.).


A method for obtaining germ-free rodents by "wet hysterectomy".


Morphological studies on the development of tracheal epithelium in the Syrian golden hamster. II. Electron microscopy: changing aspects of the chromatin structure.


Prevention of burns and scalds in a developed country.


Delayed multiplication of Semliki forest virus in organ cultures of muscle from vaccinated mice. Local immunity against the homologous virus was detected from the first until the third day of incubation in organ cultures of muscle from mice previously vaccinated with Semliki Forest Virus.


The nosocomial and occupational hepatitis type B infection in a chest disease hospital. A prospective study. The results of a prospective study of hepatitis B infections among the patients of a Chest Disease Hospital are reported. A thousand and sixteen patients admitted during the twelve months study period were screened for the Hepatitis B(Surface)-Antigen(HBsAg) on admission and during the stay and were kept under epidemiological surveillance for six months following the discharge. The HBsAg prevalence was 3.54% on admission and the cumulative infection rate during the follow up period was 12.64 per 100 patients. The HBsAg prevalence on admission was significantly higher in males than in females, the susceptibility to infection found in the course of the study was in both sexes similar. The majority of infections was inapparent with the ratio of 8.6:1 of inapparent to clinically manifested forms. The incidence of viral hepatitis among the personnel was comparable to the incidence among the personnel of other hospital departments.


Hepatitis B (surface) antigen and viral hepatitis in family contacts of acute hepatitis B patients. The results of a follow up study among family contacts of acute hepatitis B patients are reported. The family members were tested for HBsAg in the time of hospitalization of the index case and after three months again, the families were kept under epidemiological surveillance for six months. 19 (4,54%) out of the 418 persons screened for the first time were HBsAg-positive. The highest prevalence of HBsAg-positive persons was found in the families of patients without history of parenteral exposure. 5 (1%) of family contacts were hospitalized from 2 to 4 months following admission of the index case. All were the spouses of index case patients and none of them had other history of parenteral exposures than blood sampling for purpose of this study. 2 (0,58%) cases of silent antigenaemia were found among the 344 persons examined at the second screening.


Evaluation of three techniques for carbohydrate fermentation of Neisseriae. Three different techniques to study carbohydrate fermentation by Neisseriae were compared using 226 strains: growth in semi-solid cystine trypticase agar, the rapid test in phosphate buffered solutions of carbohydrates and growth on slants of solid cystine trypticase agar. The latter method was found to be the easiest to perform and is more suited for smaller laboratories, since the media used may be stored for at least 2 months.


[Titration of antistreptolysin and control of its specificity in respect of percipitation reactions (author's transl)]. A method for the titration of antistreptolysin O (ASLO) is described that is assumed to be more rapid than the methods applied thus far. The authors are drawing attention to the non-specificity of this method and propose to use PRESLO which is easy to prepare and admits of quantitative evaluation, for a control of this non-specificity. Correlation between the two reactions were established by the authors in 2137 sera which was expressed mathematically and made subject to subsequent statistical evaluation.


Susceptibility of viridans streptococci of 27 antimicrobial agents. One hundred and eighty strains of viridans Streptococci (Str. mitis, Str. salivarius, Str. MG, Str. SBE, Str. bovis, Str. equinus and Str. uberis) were isolated from mouth and upper respiratory tract secretions of humans at random in different parts of Poland. These strains were tested for susceptibility to 27 antimicrobial agents. Analysis of results was performed with special reference to bacterial endocarditis, which is caused mostly by these microorganisms. At low minimal inhibitory concentrations, most effective antibiotics appeared amoxycillin, clindamycin, azidocillin, cephaloridine, ampicillin, erythromycin and penicillin G. Susceptibility to other penicillins and cephalosporins was much less pronounced. Small part of strains was highly susceptible to tetracyclines, whereas all other antimicrobial agents were practically ineffective.


Actinobacilli in domestic fowl.

Actinobacilli in domestic fowl. Reports on haemolytic rods from salpingitis in hens and from organs of died chicks may be found since the year 1950 (Kjos-Hanssen). Correct systematic classification on these microorganisms is still lacked because not all relations to the nearest pasteurellae were known as well as the clear differences in the Pasteurella-Actinobacillus group. The authors have isolated 34 suspected strains from 14 localities; 25 strains were from salpingitis or internal organs of died fowl inclusively chicks, and 9 strains from choanas of pullets clinically healthy. Bacteriological, serological, chemical and biological tests gave the results as follows: 1) All strains exhibit fundamental properties of Pasteurella-Actinobacillus group, and moreover, they show ability to grow on MacConkey agar with crystal violet (BioQuest) being a significant feature of the genus Actinobaccillus (Mráz, 1975). 2) From the nearest species Actinobacillus haemolyticus (Newsom and Cross, 1932) Mráz, 1969, they differ with expressive haemolysis on agar with sheep blood, single haemolytic zone on agar with lamb blood according to Smith (1962), structure of somatic antigen, with natural hosts (gallinaceous birds) and pathogenicity for 5-day-old chicks. The GC content in DNA was determined in the range 39,6-42,9% (mean value 41,5%). 3) The first who presumed an independent state of these microorganisms, was Kohlert (1968), from the work of which the epithet for correct name, i.e. Actinobacillus salpingitidis (Kohlert, 1968) comb. nov., was accepted.


Serological characteristics of the Leptospira serogroup Pomona. I. Factor analysis of the reference strains. The factor analysis of the Leptospirae of the Pomona serogroup discloses the presence of 4 main factors in this group on the basis of which 4 serovars, namely pomona, mozdok, tropica and proechimys may be accepted in this group. It is proposed that the Monjakov and the LT 1026 strains be referred to the pomona serovar. One of the established main antigens (P-4) is of the complex nature containing both thermostable and thermolabile compounds.


Serological characteristics of the Leptospira serogroup Pomona. II. Changes in the agglutination and absorption properties of the reference strains after formalin- and heat-inactivation. After formalin or heat-inactivation for 30 minutes at 56 degrees C, the absorption properties of some Pomona serogroup strains diminish, which indicates that they have thermolabile (Pomona, CZ 299U and LT 796) or formalin-labile (Pomona and 5621) minor antigenic factors. The agglutination properties of the various strains change differently after inactivation though not in parallel with the absorption properties.


Immunological and morphological analysis of sodium dodecyl sulfate extract of Leptospira. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) extract of Leptospira interrogans serotype icterohaemorrhagiae strain Shibaura was fractionated by rate zonal centrifugation in sucrose density gradient, and the fractions were analysed immunologically and morphologically. Two main peaks of antigenic activities were obtained. The first peak showed activities of strong indirect hemagglutination (IHA), weak complement fixation (CF), and low production of agglutinin in mice, and produced 5 precipitin lines in immunodiffusion with homologous strain antiserum. It gave only partial protection to guinea pigs. No recognizable structural components were found electron microscopically in the first peak. The second peak, on the other hand, showed no IHA activity, strong CF activity, high production of agglutinin in mice, and produced no precipitin line in immunodiffusion. It gave complete protection to guinea pigs. Membrane fragments of the enveloping sheath were found electron microscopically in the second peak. The protective activity of SDS extract of leptospira was thus intimately associated with the activityes of agglutinin production and CF, as well as with the membranous structures of the enveloping sheath.


The dynamics of IgM- and IgG-antibodies in leptospiral infection in man. The dynamics of specific agglutinating antibodies belonging to different classes of immunoglobulins in 1047 blood sera of 669 patients and persons who had recovered from leptospirosis was studied. 19S and 7S antibodies were found in sera of patients with simultaneous presence of Pomona and Grippotyphosa. The character of syntesis of specific leptospiral IgM and IgG antibodies correlated, but the concentration of the IgG was much lower. As a rule, IgM antibodies had a wide range of cross-reactions with leptospires of heterologous serogroups. However, IgG-antibodies in 85% of cases reacted with homologous leptospires only.


Studies on the role of sodium in the metabolism of halophilic leptospirae. Data from studies of the metabolic mechanism of the sodium dependence of halophilic leptospirae revealed that the presence of sodium - 1) has no effect on the oxygen uptake when the microorganism is oxidizing endogeneous and exogeneous substrates; 2) is not involved in the multiplication phase; but 3) is of importance for keeping the cell structure intact.


Formation of antibodies and immunoglobulins of various classes in persons vaccinated with warm antileptospirosis polyvalent vaccine. The results of the observations of 2 groups of 372 persons during 10 months showed that a twofold inoculation of corpuscular heated 6-valent antileptospiral vaccine ensures the formation of 19S-antibodies. The ratio 19S/7S antibodies was determined by inactivation of IgM agglutinins with the help of 2-mercaptoethanol. Quantitative content of immunolglobulins (G, A and M) was determined in parallel with the reaction of agglutination by the method of simple radial diffusion. Immunoglobulins of the class M in the serum of vaccinated persons increased as compared with control, whereas the content of IgG did not rise and that of IgA decreased.