Lack of effect of amino acid concentration on protein synthesis in the perfused rat liver. The effect of increasing the perfusate concentration of amino acids on the incorporation of labelled valine into protein was followed in perfusions of rat livers lasting for 2h. A fixed amount of labelled and unlabelled valine was added to the perfusate as the other amino acids were increased in multiples of the concentrations normally found in rat plasma. Under these conditions no increase in valine incorporation was observed, which appeared to be in conflict with results published by other workers, However, a different method of labelling from that used here was used in the earlier studies. An increasing amount of a labelled amino acid was added as the concentrations of the unlabelled amino acids were increased in the perfusate. An experiment directly comparing to the two labelling methods produced results that indicated that the apparent increase in liver protein synthesis observed by the other workers could have been due to the method of radioisotope addition. It is therefore concluded that increasing the perfusate concentration of amino acids does not increase amino acid incorporation into liver protein.


Dialysis experiments on urinary immunoreactive human growth hormone by means of a collodion bag.


Effect of detergents on the N-and ring-hydroxylation of 2-acetamidofluorene by hamster liver microsomal preparations. Effects of detergents such as cholate, deoxycholate and Triton X-100 were studied on N-and ring-hydroxylation of 2-acetamidofluorene by reconstituted and unresolved microsomal systems from livers of hamsters pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene. Triton X-100 (2.5 mg/nmol of cytochrome P-448) inhibited N-and ring-hydroxylation by wholemicrosomal preparations by 40 and 90% respectively Deoxycholate at the same concentration inhibited both hydroxylations completely, whereas cholate inhibited N-and ring-hydroxylation by 40 and 50% respectively. In reconstitution studies, the presence of Triton X-100(0.5-1.0mg/nmol of cytochrome P-448) along with unsolubilized cytochrome P-448 fraction and solubilized reductase fraction increased N-hydroxylation to an appreciable extent compared with ring-hydroxylation. Both cholate and deoxycholate at 0.5-1.0 mg concentrations had a greater stimulatory effect on ring-than on N-hydroxylation activity in such a reconstituted system.


Carcass glycogen as a potential source of glucose during short-term starvation. In small rats deprived of food for 19h (or 43h), 36% (or 39%) of the glycogen that disappeared was lost from the carcass and 64% (or 61%) from liver. Carcass glycogen is potentially a substantial source of glucose during short-term starvation via the Cori cycle.


Improved method for determining parathyroid hormone in biological material.


The use of glucose-1-[32P]phosphate for the determination of hexose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase activity in red blood cells.


Comparison of methods for the measurement of human protein synthesis.


Response of well-fed adrenalectomized rats to tryptophan force-feeding on hepatic protein and RNA synthesis.


Liver phenylalanine hydroxylase assay.

Liver phenylalanine hydroxylase assay.


[14C]oxalate synthesis from [U-14C]glyoxylate and [1-14C]glycollate in isolated rat hepatocytes.


The isolation, properties, and assay of phenylalanine hydroxylase from human and rat liver.


Bronchial histamine reactivity: its relationship to the reactivity of the bronchi to allergens. The aim of this study was to examine the proposal that the magnitude of the response of the bronchi to an immediate allergic reaction depends not only on the degree of sensitization of the bronchi by allergen specific IgE antibody but also on the reactivity of the bronchi to the vasoactive mediators which are released during immediate allergic reactions. This was done by determining the bronchial reactivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and to histamine of both symptomatic and asymptomatic groups of atopic subjects who had comparable serum levels of D. pteronyssinus specific IgE. Positive bronchial responses to the D. pteronyssinus extract were recorded with both the symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects, the mean bronchial threshold dose of allergen being significantly higher in the asymptomatic than in the asthmatic patients. There was a highly significant correlation between the serum level of allergen specific IgE and the bronchial threshold dose of allergen extract and also between the bronchial threshold dose of allergen extract and of histamine in all groups of subjects. The ability to predict bronchial reactivity to the allergen from the serum level of allergen specific IgE within each group was significantly better if the bronchial reactivity to histamine was included in the correlation analysis. This supports the hypothesis that whether a particular subject who is producing specific IgE antibody will develop symptoms on the inhalation of that allergen depends not only on the amount of allergen which he inhales and on the degree of sensitization of his bronchi but also on the reactivity of his bronchi to the vasoactive mediators which are released by allergen-IgE interaction.


Allergenic potency of bee antigens measured by RAST inhibition. The potency of various bee antigens including bee venom, several whole bee body extracts and fractions of bee venom was studied using the RAST inhibition method. As compared to whole bee body extract, bee venom was a much more potent inhibitor of both bee venom and whole body RAST, suggesting that venom has a greater capacity to bind specific bee IgE antibodies. Whole body extracts also varied substantially in their inhibiting activity. Phospholipase A and hyaluronidase were the most potent of the bee venom fractions suggesting their potential use as an assay for standardization of insect extracts.


Asthma due to inhaled chemical agents--fumes from 'Multicore' soldering flux and colophony resin. Four patients with occupational asthma associated with exposure to soldering flux or hot-melt glue containing pine resin (colophony) were subjected to occupational type inhalation challenge testing. All four gave immediate bronchial reactions to inhalation of the fumes, varying from one breath to 3 min of exposure. The clinical history and provocation test reactions suggest hypersensitivity to colophony fumes.


A new immunodiagnostic test in onchocerciasis. The radioallergosorbent (RAST) technique was used as a diagnostic test for onchocerciasis. IgE antibodies for Dirofilaria immitis antigen were found in thirty-one of fifty-seven (54%) affected patients.


Chromatolytic changes in Deiters' nucleus following spinal cord lesions in the rat.


Reaction of the olivary and tectal neurons to hemisection or transection of the cervical cord (studied by a modification of Gudden's method).


Morphological development of the choroid plexus in chick embryos.


Relationships in the developing body wall and limb bud blastemas of the chick embryo.


A note on an anomalous outgrowth of mesonephros in Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch).


Variability and development of the quadratus plantae muscle in man.


Growth and position of the mandible during secondary palate closure in the mouse.


Satellite cells in the limb musculature of the axolotl.


Comparative morphology and histology of the alimentary canal of two Indian birds.


Basic morphometric parameters of development of the mouse placenta.


Windsor C. Cutting Memorial Lecture. Clinical pharmacology: hard sell or soft?


Prevalence of rodent endemic typhus on the Island of Maui.


IMP: a new method for health problem assessment. This paper presents a new method for health problem assessment, called IMP. It is based upon the premise that the critical step in the development of policy decisions isthe definition of health problems at the community level. The method is an extension of the Delphi technique but has been significantly improved by the determination of the critical variables in the problem set and by the incroporation of a structured logic system and of professional judgment. The study compares the IMP method with data gathered by traditional, epidemiological prevalence surveys and also with data from a computer simulation. The conclusion is unavoidable: the IMP method is an accurate as the other methods, at far less cost. The problem of preventable bureaucratic blindness has been used as an illustration of the application of this technique.


Evaluating drugs and determining the drug needs of developed and developing countries. The practice of reviewing drug utilization provides a surveillance system for monitoring the efficiency of drug distribution and drug consumption; it also provides a data base for the interpretation of the frequency of adverse drug reactions and helps to identify gaps in the delivery of a crucial aspect of health services: the provision of safe and efficacious medicines. Malconsumption (either over- or under-utilization or needless prescribing) can be identified and economies might be achieved, once these problems are corrected. Linking drug utilization with standard health indices, such as morbidity and mortality rates, can help assess the effects of widely used drugs, both adverse and beneficial. Drug utilization review should be considered an essential activity of a well-organized health delivery system; it has great potential for both health planning and evaluation. These positions are discussed as they relate to developed and developing countries.


A proposal for a primary care registry.

A proposal for a primary care registry. A regional, voluntary, registry mechanism is proposed through which any citizen could indicate his intention of seeking primary health care from a physician, clinic, or institution that has also registered. By mutual agreement, the provider would recognize the registrant as a regular primary care patient. Providers would regularly receive lists of their registered primary care patients, including descriptive statistical summaries where appropriate. Such a registry would aid health care planners to promote a more equitable and efficient delivery system for primary care services.


Health services research and health policy. Health services research (HSR) has the potential to influence the decision-making process in a health services system that is acutelearchers feel, with some truth, that their research has had only a limited effect on health policy. Some reasons for this are described, including the primacy of political, rather than technical, considerations in policy making, the lack of a comprehensive health policy, and the poor quality and irrelevance of much HSR. The role of funding for HSR by the Federal government is described; it is shown that the Federal effort is fragmented, despite the consolidation efforts made in 1968. Increased support for specific targeted, problem-solving health services research is proposed, and some possible methods to achieve this are described.


Building a comprehensive geriatric health care system: a case study. This case study focuses on the efforts of three urban medical care institutions--a Health Maintenance Organization, a nursing home, and a university hospital--to form an interorganizational relationship. The purpose of the relationship was to utilize the services of the three organizations in order to respond to the comprehensive health needs of an urban geriatric population. Movements in this triadic organizational relationship are described and analyzed in terms of four conceptual stages--exploration, negotiation, interaction and performance, and termination. Problems arising during these stages were not resolved and the relationship was terminated after approximately two years of existence. A sociological discussion of the case focuses on why the relationship failed. The organizational relationship was disrupted by three stresses that occurred during the four stages of the relationship. Stresses emerged for each organization in the areas of organizational integration, professional coordination, and environmental adaptation, making it difficult for the three to become integrated into an organizational system. As a result, the HMO, the nursing home, and the hospital did not benefit from relationships that could have enabled them to develop the multi-organizational system necessary to sustain an innovative, comprehansive geriatric health project. If, as Whitehead said, the greatest invention of the nineteenth century was the invention of the method of invention, the task of the succedding century has been to organize inventiveness. The difference is not in the nature of invention or of inventors, but in the manner in which the context of social institutions is organized for their support.


As long as you're up, pick me a name.

As long as you're up, pick me a name.


Medical care as a commodity: an exploration of the shipping behavior of patients. A 10% household sample of high- and low-income census tracts was interviewed to assess the extent of doctor shopping. In 632 households studied, 53% of high socioeconomic status and 51% of low socioeconomic status families had shopped for or changed doctors of their own volition. During the previous year, 4% of each socioeconomic group had consulted more than one doctor without referral for the same episode of illness. Shoppers could be distinguished from non-shoppers--shoppers were younger, were better informed about medical specialties, were less self-reliant, more hypochondriacal, expressed less hostility towarn physicians, and had less positive attitudes toward the medical care system. The differences between shoppers and non-shoppers were generally similar for both high and low socioeconomic status groups. In addition, 52% of the families studied had been forced to change doctors because of circumstances beyond their control, i.e., the patient moved or the doctor moved, retired, or died.


Sodium metabolism in hypertension: Part I. Sodium content in cardiovascular tissue in spontaneously hypertensive rat.


Preventive and episodic health care of inner-city children. Children in low-income, inner-city households who used different sources of ambulatory care were analyzed with regard to their experiences in securing preventive and episodic illness care. This analysis is derived from a larger study that investigated the utilization of health care systems by groups within an inner-city community; it focused on the Outpatient Department of a large teaching hospital and on the impact of a new Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Data were obtained through household interviews of three sample populations: enrollees in an HMO, residents of a public housing project, and persons from the general community. When preventive health care was examined, our findings showed that, while the majority of children of school age were immunized, only about half of the children under age 6 were. Among children aged 3 through 5, those attending day care centers were more likely to be immunized than those not in such programs. There were indications that children using the HMO were more frequently receiving preventive services, particularly general physical examinations. There was no relationship between the usual source of care, or day care participation, and whether a child received care for an episode of illness. There were differences by age and usual source of care in seeking care for earaches and in receiving regular care for asthma. The patterns of health care utilization found in this study promote interest in the influence of the source of ambulatory care for children in other socioeconomic groups.


Sodium metabolism in hypertension: Part II. Effects of salt loading on urinary excretion of sodium in spontaneously hypertensive rat.


Sodium metabolism in hypertension: Part III. Effects of hypertensive and antihypertensive agents on sodium metabolism in perfused hearts.


Lassa fever.

Lassa fever.


Identification of suspects in criminal cases.


The Salisbury Crags murder: H.M. Advocate v Ernst Dumoulin.


Ammonia absorption from the rumen to the systemic circulation with urea poisoning in goats. To confirm the transfer of ammonia leaking from the rumen content via the liver to the perid by laparotomy. When ammonia leakage from the hepatic vein occurred, it was followed by an increase in ammonia concentration in the jugular vein. There were increases of ammonia concentration in the intestinal vein and in the thoracic duct after urea drenching. These increases suggested neither trapping ammonia in the peritoneal fluid nor responsibility for increases of ammonia in the systemic circulation, respectively. At times when respiration ceased due to urea poisoning, the peritoneal fluids wee in the fluid. The hypothesis of the peritoneal cavity-thoracic duct route of ammonia absorption, presented by some of previous workers on urea toxicity, was not supported in the present study.


Electron microscopy of stages of Isospora felis of the cat in the mesenteric lymph node of the mouse. Stages of Isospora felis of the cat in the mesenteric lymph node of the mouse 25 days after oral inoculation with oocysts, have been described at the ultrastructural level. The organisms occurred singly within parasitophorous vacuoles in host cell cytoplasm and were sporozoite-like, having a large crystalloid body up to 5.5 mum in length posterior to the nucleus. The size and appearance of the parasitophorous vacuole varied. Some vacuoles contained numerous, small, electron dense granules about 30 nm in diameter. Because of the aggregation of granules and their arrangement within the parasitophorous vacuole, the impression was sometimes gained by light microscopy that parasites were surrounded by a sheath or cyst wall. However, a cyst wall was not present. In host cells, spherical, membrane-bound bodies with a homogeneous, electron dense core and a maximum diameter of 0.25 mum were filed along the limiting membrane of the parasitophorous vacuole. These extra-intestinal parasites were considered to be waiting stages, with a biological function similar to that of the tissue cyst stage of other general of isosporan coccidia.


The development of brood capsules and protoscolices in secondary hydatid cysts of Echinococcus granulosus. A histological study. Using the Mongolian jird (Meriones unguiculatus) as a laboratory host for the cystic stage of the British horse strain of Echinococcus granulosus, the mode of development of brood capsules and protoscolices was studied histologically. The successive stages in development in secondary hydatid cysts are described and shown to correspond closely with previous observations on primary hydatid cysts. The usefulness of this experimental model for future ultrastructural studies is emphasized.


Stereoscan studies of eggs, free-swimming and penetrating miracidia and early sporocysts of Fasciola hepatica. The egg of Fasciola hepatica has a smooth surface with a slightly elevated circle marking the fracture of the operculum. The operculum and the aperture have crenated edges. The epithelial cells of the miracidium are covered with long cilia. When miracidia are vibrated in an ultrasonic cleaner the cilia of the epithelial cells of the four posteroir tiers are broken off only leaving longitudinal rows of cilium stubs, whereas the cilia of the first tier are still retained. The apical papilla is provided with a dorso-ventral furrow, multiciliated pits and isolated sensory cilia. The narrow intercellular ridge is smooth, whereas the epithelial cells have small cytoplasmic knobs between the cilia. The penetration into the snail (Lymnaea truncatula) and the transforamtion into sporocyst may be separated into three phases. (1) Less than 1 min after attachment to the snail the ciliated cells of the anterior tier are shed and swim away. (2) The cilia of the remaining cells beat violently and after about 5 min most cilia are broken off near the cell surface. The miracidium remains for about 15 min embedded as far as the intracellular ridge receptors (lateral papillae and sheathed ciliated nerve endings). During this period extensive contraction and relaxation of the body are performed. (3) The final penetration of the snail epithelium takes about 15 min. Simultaneously with the penetration into the snail tissue the "bald" cells (epithelial cells with cilium stubs only) of the four posterior tiers loosen, florm globules and fall off. The surface below the cells is smooth and in cytoplasmic continuity with the intercellular ridge and the apical papilla, and this syncytium forms the later tegument of the sporocyst. After a few days the tegument of the sporocyst is provided with microvillus-like projections and the apical papilla and sensory structures are lost.


Hydro- and hemodynamic effects of catheterization of vessels. II. Model experiments comparing circular and annular lumen area reduction. Experiments and a simple theoretical analysis have been performed concerning the flow through circular (stenosis) and annular (catheter piece) lumen area reduction of rigid- and elastic-walled vessels. Both steady and pulsatile flow at various volumetric flow rates were investigated. A good agreement between the experimental and the analytical results has been found. A critical annular lumen area reduction exists on a par with the well-known critical stenosis. The strongest reduction in pressure and in volumetric flow rate was caused by the catheter pieces, compared with the stenoses. The per cent reduction in pulse mean pressure and in volumetric mean velocity at pulsatile flow was equal to the per cent reduction in pressure and volumetric mean velocity at steady flow. The influence of the geometrical shape of the stenoses and the catheter pieces is further discussed.


Catheter angiography and venous thrombosis.


Estimation of coronary artery stenosis. Limitations of present methods.


Technique of coronary angiography.

Technique of coronary angiography. A new manufacturing process and new shapes of the left and right catheters for coronary angiography by the transfemoral route increase the safety of the examination by reducing the time and avoiding the risks involved in catheter occlusion of the arteries. The simultaneous filling of the sinus and the whole coronary artery from its origin increases the anatomic information. Pressure-monitoring is unnecessary.


Growth rate of renal carcinoma as demonstrated by repeat angiography. Thirteen patients with renal carcinoma, primarily not operated upon, were re-evaluated 1 to 71 months after the first nephroangiography. Tumour progression could be demonstrated in 7 cases with a maximum linear diametric growth rate of 0.5 cm/2.5 months. The reasons for absence of growth in the remainder are not apparent, but probably related to the state of immunologic defense mechanism of the host.


Nephroangiography in amyloidosis.

Nephroangiography in amyloidosis.


Epinephrine in the angiographic evaluation of experimental kidney trauma. Selective nephroangiography was performed in the dog following percutaneous needle biopsy to evaluate epinephrine response. Traumatized vessels respond normally to epinephrine, often with increased extravasation as the vessel recovers from epinephrine. A selective inability of the traumatized vessel to constrict was not noted.


Complications of percutaneous transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy. After 5,300 percutaneous transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy procedures in 2,726 patients pneumothorax occurred in 27.2 per cent of the patients. Only 7.7 per cent required exsufflation or drainage. The factors influencing the relative frequency and the severity of pneumothorax are discussed. Bleeding around the punctured lesions was found in 11 per cent, and hemoptysis in 2 per cent but were of no clinical importance. In one case evidence of needle track implantation was found. The theoretical and practical importance of tumour cell spread and spread of infection through the needle track is discussed. No air embolism or mortality occurred.


Pneumocystography of benign and malignant intracystic growths of the female breast. Pneumocystography established the preoperative diagnosis of 20 intracystic breast tumours including 9 benign intracystic papillomas and 11 cases of intracystic carcinoma generally considered to be a rarity. The method is described and details about the clinical and radiologic appearances of both benign and malignant intracystic tumours are given. The importance and advantages of the method are emphasized.


Bone growth in the rabbit after irradiation. The effect on bone growth of two locally given, different, unfractionated radiation doses (0.1 and 24 Gy) was tested in a rabbit litter aged 57 days. The effects on growth were registered with roentgen stereophotogrammetric length measurements for 75 days after irradiation. Growth of the right irradiated tibia was compared with the growth of the left non-irradiated tibia. After 7 to 9 days, 24 Gy had caused a linear fall in growth to about 15 per cent. After a period of complete cessation, a slight growth was registered. 0.1 Gy had no significant growth retarding effect.


Radiologic aspects of BCG-osteomyelitis in infants and children. An account is given of results of the radiologic examination of 29 infants and children with bone tuberculosis caused by the Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as a complication to intradermal vaccination. The diagnosis is based on radiologic appearances, microscopy and bacteriologic examination of specimens obtained from the bone lesions. The radiologic appearance of the bone lesions is in most cases characteristic and differs decisively from that of pyogenic osteomyelitis and malignant disease.


Pelvimetry in breech and cephalic presentation. Pelvic measurements in a group of 115 women delivering in breech presentation were compared with those in a group of 100 delivering in cephalic presentation. The average pelvic measurements were all a few mm larger in the breech cases and the average sum of the outlet diameters was significantly larger. Pelvic disproportion was not more common in breech presentation and no support was found for the theory that large pelvic measurements predispose to breech presentation. The small differences found are attributed to the moulding of the pelvis occurring during parturition.


Vertebral motion in spondylolisthesis.

Vertebral motion in spondylolisthesis.


Radiographic measurements on the radio-carpal joint in distal radial fractures. Radiography of 40 wrists with fractures in the distal part of radius was performed. In the lateral view the inclination of the radial joint surface was analysed in different degrees of pronation and supination. The central ray was directed 15 degrees proximally and the results were compared with those obtained with a perpendicular central ray. In the perpendicular projections even moderate differences in pronation or supination between two examinations could seriously alter the measured inclination of the joint surface of the radius. The projection with the central ray directed 15 degrees proximally highly significantly decreased the errors between the measurements when compared to the perpendicular projection. The joint surface was depicted more dorsally inclined than in the perpendicular projection.


Thromboresistance and stability of a heparinized polymer. Untreated shunts and shunts heparinized according to a modification of the method of Eriksson et coll. were inserted between the femoral artery and vein in mongrels. Scanning electron microscopy of pieces excised at different time periods of exposure to blood was performed. The heparinized surface had excellent thromboresistant properties with no thrombus formation after 4 hours, while the untreated shunts were covered with platelets already within 20 min. The leakage of heparin in vitro was less than 3 per cent of the total wall-bonded heparin during 90 min.


Double-lumen balloon catheter.

Double-lumen balloon catheter.


Lipid components of plasma obtained from different sites of rabbit cardiovascular system during experimental acute uraemia.


Spontaneously increased platelet adhesiveness in multiparous rats--a model for the evaluation of antithrombogenic drugs.


Typology of thermal sweating.

Typology of thermal sweating.


Quantitative angiographic studies on the left ventricular function in mitral stenosis in relation to clinical disability.


The effect of calf thymus extract on radiation-induced changes in lysosomal acid phosphatase activity in polymorphonuclears in mice.


Clinical manifestations and treatment of sick sinus syndrome.


Low galactose level in the nondialysable sugar-peptide fraction isolated from the serum and urine of diabetic patients.


Low ratio of sialic acid to proteins in the seromucoid of diabetic patients.


Changes of serum lipid composition in patients with multiple sclerosis.


The regulation of bronchomotor tone.

The regulation of bronchomotor tone.


Review of beta sympathomimetic treatment of asthma.


Anticholinergic and beta-sympathomimetic inhalation challenges in asthma and bronchitis.


Cultures of house-dust mites on animal skin scales. The main constituent of one of the most suitable media for growing house-dust mites (D. pteronyssinus) are human skin scales. In this study it is shown that skin scales of a number of other animals are also accepted as food by these mites, with evidence of allergen production. Production of house-dust mite allergen for diagnosis and treatment should not be done on non-human animal skin scales, because of their own high allergenicity.


The interpretation of total IgE in patients with allergy. IgE level was determined by radioimmunosorbent technique (RIST) using Phadebas IgE test in the sera of 37 patients with allergic manifestations to inhalant agents, foods, drugs and insect stings. High IgE level was found in 90% of the inhalant group and in 87.5% of the food group, whilst in the drug and in the insect sting groups the incidence was 9.1% and 0%, respectively.


Why does a tumor grow.

Why does a tumor grow.


Trace elements and immunologic defects. Zinc deficiency and activity of lysosomal acid phosphatase in lymphocyte of mice. Activity of lysosomal acid phosphatase in peripheral blood lymphocytes of mice fed a low-Zn diet has been studied. The study comprised 40 CBA T6T6 mice, female, aged 8 weeks, with body weight equal to about 18.0 g. The animals were fed during 10 days with a low-Zn diet. This latter diet, as well as the control one contained 0.8 mg% and 11.4 mg% of zinc, respectively; potable water contained 0.06 mg% of this element. Activity of the enzyme was determined semiquantitatively using cytochemical method of Barka and Anderson. Peripheral blood lymphocytes in mice fed a low-Zn diet exhibited statistically significant lowering of the intracellular enzyme activity when compared with control groups. Absolute count of enzyme-positive lymphocytes was also significantly lowered. The Authors discuss the importance of their observations for evaluation of immune reactivity in trace-elements-deficient animals.


The lysosomal enzymes of lymphocytes in human fetuses.


IgG, IgA and IgM concentration in human sera from different age groups: statistical evaluation. A statistical analysis is presented of the results obtained from the measure of the serum concentration of IgG, A, M in 773 blood donors. In each of the two groups identified by sex, four subgroups were established according to age in ten years intervals from 20 to 59. On the basis of the results of the analysis, different fiducial intervals of normal values (calculated as mean +/- 2 X standard deviation) have been proposed. 1) A unique interval for IgG: 87-234 U.I. 2) Two intervals for IgA: 54-236 U.I. for subjects under 40 years and 64-270 U.I. for subjects over 40 years. 3) Four intervals for IgM: one for males under 40 years: 65-364 U.I., one for males over 40 years: 57-314 U.I., one for females under 50 years: 47-363 U.I., and one for females over 50 years: 53-434 U.I.


Administration of antigen by intralymphatic route in the rat I. Humoral response to soluble antigens. (delta). Preliminary report. Male rats were immunized against bovine albumin injected by either intradermic or intralymphatic routes. A significantly higher number of animals treated by the latter route did respond, probably because antigens introduced by this route directly reach lymph nodes, by passing blood and tissue lytic enzymes.


Effect of non-permissive temperature on protein synthesis of frog virus 3 infected cells. In the present paper we describe the kinetics of virus specific protein synthesis in FV3-infected BHK cells incubated at the non-permissive temperature of 33 degrees C. Some quantitative differences were detected, in comparison with proteins synthesized at permissive temperature (26 degrees C). Thereafter we studied the fate of polypeptides pulse labelled at non-permissive temperature, by shifting the infected cells to permissive temperature. In such experimental conditions infectious virus is readily produced; however the profiles of electrophoretically separated polypeptides did not differ remarkably from those obtained from cells maintained at 33 degrees C.


An improved method for PHA-culturing mouse lymphocytes using Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. A simple, reproducible method is described for in vitro culture of mouse lymphocytes purified by differential centrifugation through Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. Peripheral blood, spleen and thymus purified lymphocytes responded well to in vitro PHA stimulation as measured by blast transformation and tritiated thymidine incorporation; the lowest values were observed with thymus lymphocytes.


Phytohemagglutinin unresponsiveness of spleen cells of mice bearing an allogeneic lymphoma. The in vitro response of spleen cells to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was studied in BALB mice bearing an allogeneic AKR lymphoma (progressors). A significant decrease in blast transformation and DNA synthesis was observed in these animals as compared with those rejecting the tumor (regressors) or with unchallenged controls. It is postulated that either an alteration in PHA lymphocyte receptors or the presence of enhancing serum factors may be responsible for this decrease in PHA response.


Ultrastructural aspects of Peptichemio action on mouse sarcoma 180. The electron microscope study of the cellular elements originating from mice experimental tumours (sarcoma 180) treated and non-treated with Peptichemio showed alterations of the nuclear and cytoplasmic structures in the animals treated. The data herein accord fully with the results obtained by other histological, biochemical and biomolecular techniques and make it possible once again to lay stress on the double alkylating and antimetabolic action of this antitumour drug, very likely taking place simultaneously both at nuclear and cytoplasmic level.


Immunization against human and swine-like influenza A: serological response to two inactivated vaccines of different formulation. The immunizing capacity and the tolerability of two purified vaccines containing the inactivated A/New Jersey/76 ( x 53 recombinant) swine-like strain were studied. A trivalent vaccine (A/New Jersey/76-300 I.U.; A/Victoria 3/75-300 I.U.; B/Hong Kong 5/75-300 I.U.) was administered to 31 subjects over 50 years of age. No side-effects were observed and it caused a good HI antibody response to A/New Jersey/76, fairly good for B strain and modest for A/Victoria 3/75. A monovalent vaccine (A/New Jersey/76-400 I.U.) was administered to 32 subjects in the age range from 16 to 43 years. HI antibodies occurred in 84% of the subjects, devoid of antibodies before vaccination. Younger subjects (between 16-20 years) generally developed fairly low antibody titres; one among them (16-year-old) had a temperature rise within 48 h after vaccination. The Authors expect that the X 53 recombinant with the surface antigens of the A/New Jersey/76 strain may be employed for the preparation of the inactivated vaccine to be used in an emergency situation and discuss the composition of the vaccine more adapt for the present epidemiological situation.


With reference to a simple kit for short-term lymphocyte culture tested in experimental animals. The results on blastic transformation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes from different species of experimental animals studied in short-term cell culture made with a fully pre-prepared Kit, are here illustrated and discussed. Lymphocyte donors were: mice, rats, hamsters, guinea-pigs, and rabbits. The Kit used in these experiments was the so-called Blasto-Kit, prepared by the Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese. It contains a lyophilized mixture of all the culture medium components, including the mitogen (in our study: PHA). The lyophilized mixture was diluted with the proper solvent just at the culture time, and then supplemented  with 5 drops (200 mul) of whole blood. The extent of blastic transformation was evaluated in morphology, by counting the blast-like cells on culture smears; but the method provides adequate data also when lymphocyte transformation is evaluated via the extent of 3H-Tdr incorporation. The results showed quite significant discrimination (blastic indices) between the mitogen stimulated cultures and the non-stimulated controls in all the animals tested. On the other hand, different transformation extents were observed in relationship to the single animal species: it appeared that guinea-pigs, and mostly the rabbits gave the most beautiful blast-like cells, which appears to indicate that they are the most appropriate for this study among all those tested. It should be finally emphasized that : (1) the simplicity of the method makes the investigation on the transformation capability of lymphocytes easy to be carried out in every Lab; and (2), the small quantity of blood which is needed to perform the test makes it possible to investigate each single animal even in the case, when it has to be examined before, during, and after given treatments.


Peripheral lymphocytes in paraproteinemia. In 22 cases of myeloma and 12 cases of benign paraproteinemia the functional situation of circulating lymphocytes was studied. The technique used was the incorporation of 3H-Thymidine after PHA stimulation. E rosette formation and immunoglobulin bearing cells were evaluated. A reduction of 3H-Thymidine incorporation in the blastic cells was seen in the patients with myeloma (2,942 +/- 421 cpm/10(6) lymphocytes in respect to 13,182 +/- 920 of the control group). The difference was statistically significant: p less than 0.001. In benign monoclonal gammopathies the reduction was moderate and was at the limits of the significance: 9,482 +/- 1,100. The percentage of E rosettes and of immunoglobulins bearing cells was normal. The different behaviour of the blastic response in vitro in the two groups of patients tested confirms that the respective condition of the immunocompetent system is clearly different. A possible interpretation of this type of behaviour is discussed.


Limulus test, parenteral drugs and biological products: an approach. The Authors report the results concerning the control of the presence of bacterial endotoxins in parenteral drugs, blood products and immunological reagents and drugs, by means of Limulus amebocyte lysate test. All the data suggest that Limulus assay is a simple, rapid, sensitive test, mostly when it is correctly performed.


Introduction to HPLC.

Introduction to HPLC.


Urinary elimination of dihydro-ergotoxine after oral administration and intravenous infusion.


Mucosecretolytic effect of 1-methyl-4-(2-hydroxy-isopropyl)-cyclohex-1,2-en-6-ol (sobrerol) in the rabbit.


On the characteristics of diluents for direct compression.


The effect of some wetting agents on the characteristics of suspensions of sulfamethoxypyridazine and its "N1-acetyl derivative.


Histochemical method to detect antiproteolytic activity in tissues.


Antiproteolytic activity in human coronary arteries affected by long-dating atherosclerosis.


Antiproteolytic activity in foetal organs with low fibrinolytic potential.


Antiproteolytic activity in foetal organs with high fibrinolytic potential.


Pressure antagonism of anaesthetic-induced conduction failure in frog peripheral nerve. Experiments to investigate pressure-induced antagonism of the effects of general anaesthetics in isolated peripheral nerve from the frog are described. The doses of four gaseous general anaesthetic agents required to reduce electrically evoked action potentials by 50% (mean +/- SEM) were nitrous oxide 490 +/- 40.4 kPa, ethylene 665 +/- 212 kPa, dichlorodifluoromethane 108 +/- 17.2 kPa and cyclopropane 70 +/- 5 kPa. The combination of high pressure and the anaesthetic agent partially or completely restored the action potential amplitudes for the gaseous and some of the volatile agents (chloroform, diethyl ether, helothane). However, reversal of the effects of other volatile agents (ethanol, butanol), sodium pentobarbitone and two local anaesthetic agents (procaine, dibucaine) did not occur. The pressures used to effect a reversal were less than anticipated. This apparent inconsistency with the critical volume hypothesis for anaesthesia is discussed.


The effect of splenectomy on circulatory adjustments to hypoxaemia in the anaesthetized dog. Six intact and seven splenectomized dogs were subjected to a similar degree of hypoxaemia while under light anaesthesia and artificial ventilation. In the intact animals, heart rate, cardiac output, myocardial contractility and oxygen consumption were increased as a result of hypoxaemia; oxygen transport was not affected. In the splenectomized animals the changes in cardiac output and myocardial contractility were small, and oxygen availability was decreased.


A further study of general anaesthesia for Caesarean section. Methoxyflurane or trichloroethylene in concentrations of 0.2% or 0.1% used in anaesthesia for Caesarean section were compared. There were no differences in the acid-base state or the clinical condition of the infant at delivery, or in the incidence of maternal complications, which could be related to the choice of volatile agent. Either volatile agent in the 0.2% concentration was associated with an overall incidence of maternal awareness and unpleasant dreams of 2.5%, compared with 4.9% when the 0.1% concentration was used. The incidence of maternal nausea and vomiting was less in the 0.2% series. There was an apparent relationship between the induction-delivery interval and (a) the degree of neonatal acidosis and (b) the Apgar-minus-colour scores at one minute ((A-C)1). The correlation between those indices of increasing foetal depression and increasing length of the uterine incision-delivery interval was highly significant. There was no systematic relationship between the one-minute score for "colour" and the umbilical artery PO2.


Haemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption during isoflurane (forane) anaesthesia in geriatric patients. The influence of isoflurane on haemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption was examined in seven geriatric patients under conditions of controlled ventilation and a normal arterial carbon dioxide tension. During isoflurane/nitrous oxide in oxygen anaesthesia (0.75 and 1.5 vol% inspired isoflurane) no significant changes occurred in cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, central venous and pulmonary artery pressure. Arterial pressure decreased, as did total peripheral resistance. A reduction in left ventricular maximum dp/dt (18-39%) was, at least in part, a result of changes in loading conditions. Total body (CaO2--CVO2) and base excess values remained within the normal range. We consider that the oxygen supply was adequate to meet the metabolic demands of the body as a whole. Myocardial oxygen consumption decreased by 25% during 0.75 vol% inspired isoflurane and by 43.5% with deepening of anaesthesia (1.5 vol% isoflurane).


Pharmacokinetic analysis using an electrical analogue. After i.v. administration, the distribution and elimination of many drugs may be simulated by a compartmental mathematical model. The analogue can be used to construct such models in electrical terms. When programmed with an appropriate model, the analogue can be used in a wide range of predictive studies. The application of the analogue is illustrated by analysis of serial plasma concentrations of fentanyl and pancuronium.


Tubocurarine and the neonate.

Tubocurarine and the neonate. Tubocurarine, given as a single bolus, may be used safely for neuromuscular blockade in the neonate. The recommended dose is 250 mug/kg at birth, increasing to 500 mug/kg at 28 days of age. This dose should be reduced in the event of prematurity, acidosis or hypothermia, or when certain antibiotics or inhalation anaesthetic agents are present in the tissues. A single dose as described has a duration of approximately 1 h and it is only after this time that satisfactory antagonism can be obtained. The potency of pancuronium when compared with tubocurarine in the study is 6:1, from birth to 28 days.


Tetany, tetanus or drug reaction? A case report. An 8-year-old child was given perphenazine to prevent vomiting after surgery and developed an acute dystonic reaction; There were features of both tetany and tetanus without any of the classical features of extrapyramidal disturbance. The diagnostic difficulties are discussed. The reaction was treated successfully with i.v. diazepam. The prescribing of anti-emetics after surgery is examined critically with special reference to children.


Laryngeal incompetence during neuroleptanalgesia in combination with diazepam. In eight patients, following carotid angiography under neuroleptanalgesia, a radiopaque dye was instilled into the pharynx. The chest was x-rayed 15 min later. All eight patients were observed to have aspirated the dye. The technique of neuroleptanalgesia described should not be used without safeguarding the airway in patients liable to regurgitate and inhale gastric contents.


Hypersensitivity to suxamethonium in a Suffolk family. Suxamethonium apnoea developed in a patient who was a homozygote for the atypical gene. Fifty-five members of the patient's family were investigated. Seven further homozygotes were found. Suxamethonium apnoea had been demonstrated previously in one of these. Thirty-two members of the family were heterozygotes.


Transfer ribonucleic acid methylase activity in adult and foetal rat liver. Foetal rat liver extracts were found to have higher tRNA methylene activities than corresponding extracts of adult liver. When the specific activities were expressed per mg of liver or per mg of protein, the foetal tRNA methylating enzymes were respectively 2.5 and 6 times higher than those of adult livers. The presence of an inhibitor in adult liver can be excluded, since the same recoveries of total tRNA methylase activity were obtained after partial purification of both adult and foetal liver extracts: yields were close to 100%. The apparent Km's for the substrates in the methylating reactions were the same when tRNA methylases from either adult or foetal liver were used: values were 0.2 muM for Escherichia coli tRNA and 2.1 muM for S-adenosyl-L-methionine. After T1-T2 ribonuclease digestion of an in vitro methylated tRNA, similar methyl nucleotide patterns were observed in foetal and adult enzymatic extracts. It is concluded that the same tRNA methylase pool is present in adult and foetal liver. In addition, it is hypothesized that the different reaction rates exhibited by these enzymes might be due to the tRNA functional requirements rather than to the presence of a tRNA methylase inhibitor.


Purification and structure of arginase of Bacillus licheniformis.


A sensitive radioimmunoassay for prostaglandin E2 using dialysis equilibrium.


Ocular development and involution in the European cave salamander, Proteus anguinus laurenti. The anatomy and development of the eye of Proteus anguinus are described. The relationships between organogenesis of the eye in embryos and larva and its involution in the young and the adult are discussed. The availability (in breeding cultures) of a significant number of Proteus embryos (which are normally rare) allowed experimental analysis of the effects of light, xenoplastic differentiation and thyroid hormones on the development of the eye. The results of this study suggest that development and involution of the eye of Proteus are controlled by genetic factors which are not greatly influenced by environment, and one can, therefore, consider the microphthalmy of Proteus as a relict characteristic which is the result of a specific development with disturbance of the normal ontogenic process.


Observations on the feeding mechanism, diet and digestive physiology of Histriobdella homari Van Beneden 1858: an aberrant polychaete symbiotic with North American and European lobsters. 1. The aberrant annelid Histriobdella homari (Polychaeta:Eunicida) lives in the branchial chambers of the marine lobsters Homarus americanus and H. vulgaris where it feeds on the rich microflora of bacteria, blue-green algae and related organisms which grow on the inner surface of the branchial chamber, the setae fringing the edges of the carapace, the gill filaments and, especially, the surfaces and setae of the epipodite plates between the gills. H. homari, therefore, is to be regarded as an epizoic microphagous cleaning symbiote of the lobsters. 2. The alimentary canal consists of mouth, buccal cavity, oesophagus, proventriculus, stomach, intestine and anus. The much-modified proboscis lies ventrally below the oesophagus and proventriculus, with its anterior portions protruding into the rear of the buccal cavity. 3. The proboscis consists of two fixed parallel mandibles, a transverse carrier which slides upon the mandibles and to which is attached, posteriorly, a median flexible dorsal rod and, anteriorly, four pairs of movable articulated maxillae, paired external and internal retractor muscles and various tensor, flexor and extensor muscles. 4. Contraction of the retractor muscles withdraws the carrier and maxillae posteriorly, causing bowing of the dorsal rod which is fixed at its posterior end. Relaxation of the muscles allows the rod to straighten and, thus, causes protraction of the carrier and protraction and lateral expansion of the maxillae. Contraction and relaxation of the relaxation of the retractor muscles are supplemented by appropriate changes in the other muscular components of the proboscis. 5. During feeding the serrated anterior ends of the mandibles are applied to the food, the maxillae are fully expanded and then dawn ventro-posteriorly toward the mid-line by contraction of the retractor muscles in the effective movement of the feeding mechanism. This draws the food organisms across the anterior ends of the mandibles, detaching them from the substratum and allowing their ingestion by ciliary action. The first pair of maxillae are also capable of independent action and can be used while the remainder of the proboscis apparatus is held in the protracted position. 6. Detached microorganisms are entangled in a sticky mucous secretion from the salivary glands; other salivary secretions provide a transport medium for the clumped particles and a third set contain C-esterases which initiate digestion. 7. Ingested food is held briefly in the proventriculus, then passed to the stomach where gland cells secrete A- and C-esterases which continue and extend the digestion initiated by the salivary C-esterases. 8. Some soluble products of gastric digestion are taken up by absorptive cells in the stomach wall and their digestion is completed intracellularly by enzymes which include  beta-glucuronidase. Others pass into the intestine for absorption and completion of digestion by cells similar to the gastric absorptive cells but which lack beta-glucuronidase...


Thermal compensation in protein and RNA synthesis during the intermolt cycle of the American lobster, Homarus americanus. 1. The in vitro rates of incorporation of precursors into protein and RNA and the concentration of RNA were measured in tissues of intermolt and premolt lobsters acclimated to 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Midgut gland, abdominal muscle and gill of intermolt lobsters respond to temperature acclimation by a compensatory translation of the rate-temperature (R-T) curves with respect to the rates of incorporation of 3H-leucine and 3H-uridine into the acid-insoluble fraction. Midgut gland and muscle of premolt animals exhibit either no compensation or inverse compensation; gill tissue exhibits a rotation of the R-T curve. 2. The existence of the complete de novo pathway of pyrimidine biosynthesis is demonstrated in the class Crustacea. NaH14 CO2 is incorporated into orotic acid and orotic-14 C-acid is incorporated into the acid-insoluble fraction. 3. Both the concentration of RNA and the rates of incorporation of precursors of both the salvage and de novo pyrimidine pathways are enhanced in the midgut gland of premolt lobsters, relative to intermolt tissue, under conditions of warm-acclimation.


Morphological adaptation to thermal stress in a marine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus. Populations of Fundulus heteroclitus (Cyprinodontidae), a coastal marine fish, were studied in control and artificially heated environments on the north shore of Long Island to determine patterns of variation in morphology and the extent to which this variation reflected adaptation to environmental characteristics. Principal components and discriminant function analyses were used to analyze variation in and among seventeen morphological characters. Fishes living in water artificially heated by a power plant exhibited marked divergence from control populations in head morphology, and convergence with a population sampled at more southern latitudes. Hence, these differences were interpreted as adaptations to warm environments. Greater morphological variation is detected at the heated locality than at control localities, and this may be partially due to a breakdown in developmental homeostasis, and partially due to selection favoring phenotypes that are rare in this environment.


Development and metamorphosis of the sea-star, Astropecten scoparius Valenciennes. 1. Astropecten scoparius develops to a bipinnaria with simple ciliary bands and short bipinnari arms through a wrinkled blastula by holoblastic, radial cleavage. 2. About seven days after insemination, the posterior portion of the bipinnaria becomes swollen and fine spicules appear on it, while the anterior portion, the stalk, remains unchanged. 3. Metamorphosis takes place gradually at the posterior portion, while the metamorphosing bipinnaria is pelagic. Two weeks after insemination, the stalk rapidly shrinks and the larva sinks to the bottom. 4. About 18 days after insemination, the juvenile completes metamorphois with the opening of the mouth. The newly metamorphosed juvenile is 600 mu in diameter and each arm bears two pairs of the tube-feet, each having a sucker at the tip, and one terminal tentacle with red eye-spot. 5. The aboral skeletal system of the juvenile immediately after metamorphosis is composed of one central, one madreporic, ten radial and interradial plates, in addition to five terminal plates on the arms. 6. The juveniles smaller than about one cm in R do not bear some of the diagnostic features in this species. 7. A characteristic feature of the development of Astropecten, i.e., the lack of a brachiolaria stage, is stressed. The term "nonbrachiolarian type" is tentatively proposed to distinguish the development of Astropecten and Luidia, which do not pass through a brachiolaria stage, from the usual indirect type of development.


Symbiotic association of Photobacterium fischeri with the marine luminous fish Monocentris japonica; a model of symbiosis based on bacterial studies. Isolation of bacteria from the luminous organ of the fish Monocentris japonica has revealed that the organ contains a pure culture of luminous bacteria. For the four fish examined, all contained Photobacterium  fischeri as their luminous bacterial symbiont. This is the first time that P. fischeri has been identified in a symbiotic association. A representative isolate (MJl) of the light organ population was selected for in vivo studies of its luminous system. Several physiological features suggest adaptation for symbiotic existence. First, MJl has been shown to produce and respond to an inducer of luciferase that could accumulate in the light organ. Secondly, the specific activity of light production was seen to be maximal under low, growth-limiting concentrations of oxygen. Thirdly, unlike another luminous species (Beneckea harveyi), synthesis of the light production system of these bacteria is not catabolite repressed by glucose--a possible source of nutrition in the light organ. Fourthly, when grown aerobically on glucose these bacteria excrete pyruvic acid into the medium. This production of pyruvate is a major process, accounting for 30-40% of the glucose utilized and may serve as a form of regulatory and nutritional communication with the host.


Exchanges of sodium and chloride at low salinities by Nereis diversicolor (Annelida, Polychaeta). 1. Experiments to compare the exchange (total influx) of sodium and chloride in the polychaete Nereis diversicolor in steady-state adaptation to very low salinities are reported. 2. The Na-uptake mechanism shows a high affinity for sodium, reaching half the maximal uptake rate at an external Na-concentration of 8-10 mM/liter (ca. 2% SW), and becomes "saturated" or reaches a plateau of uptake at concentrations of 40-50 mM/liter (ca. 10% SW) up to ca. 350 mM/liter (75% SW), above which Na-exchange is proportional to the external concentration. 3. The Cl-uptake curve differs from the Na-uptake curve in showing a relative depression at very low salinities before reaching "saturation" at Cl-concentrations of 50-60 mM/liter (ca. 10% SW). Cl-uptake becomes proportional to external concentration in salinities of 50% SW or greater, suggestive of passive diffusion in the ionic and osmotic conforming range. 4. It is shown that the permeability of the body wall, both to Na and to Cl, is reduced at very low salinities, thus destroying one of the assumptions upon which a previously-presented balance-sheet for chloride exchanges in N. diversicolor was based (Smith, 1970a). 5. Attempts to demonstrate an activation of the Na-uptake mechanism at very low salinities were inconclusive; reduction of body-wall permeability to sodium masks any possible activation. 6. It is suggested that the inside-negative body-wall potential is related to the depression of the Cl-uptake curve in salinities below 10% SW.


Osmotic adjustment in an estuarine population of Urosalpinx cinerea (Say, 1822) (Muricidae, Gastropoda). Individuals from a subtidal, estuarine population of the common oyster drill, Urosalpinx cinerea (Say, 1822), were brought into the laboratory and tested for osmotic adjustment to changing salinity. Tissue variables monitored at seven experimental salinities ranging from 10 to 40% were tissue fluid osmolality, chloride, sodium, potassium, free amino acids (FAA), ninhydrin-positive substances (NPS) and water content. The results of this study demonstrate that the test animals did not exhibit anisosmotic regulation at any of the experimental salinities. However, the data do suggest a high degree of hyper-ionic regulation of potassium at all experimental salinities and a hyporegulation of sodium between the 25 and 40% salinities. Taurine, aspartic acid, alanine and glycine were the four FAA present in relatively consistent high amounts. These four amino acids comprised from 59.6 to 75.7% of the total FAA pools. It is postulated that the population does not maintain its euryhaline survival status through an osmoregulatory mechanism. Rather, the population has probably adapted physiologically to withstand dilution of its body fluids during spring conditions of low salinities.


A method of measuring the temporal/distance factors of gait. There exist many clinical situations where it is desirable to have some measure of a patient's ability to walk. The complex nature of human locomotion is reflected by the number of parameters that have been measured in previous studies of gait analysis. The temporal/distance factors of gait have been found to be extremely useful as a measure of a person's functional mobility. This paper describes a system which has been developed to measure these parameters of gait.


A solid state delayed auditory feedback system for speech therapy. A delayed auditory feedback system has been constructed using solid state integrated circuit components. The construction of the instrument is described and the advantages of such an electronic device over conventional electro-mechanical systems are discussed.


Elevated myo-inositol concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of neonates and of patients with an impaired state of consciousness. A simple, semiquantitative paper chromatographic method was used to identify samples of cerebrospinal fluid containing elevated concentrations of myo-inositol. All patients whose CSF inositol concentrations were greater than 70 mug/ml (as determined by S. carlsbergensis microbiological assay) showed disturbances of the state of consciousness, reported as stupor, coma or confusion in adults, or apathy and stupor in infants. An elevated level of inositol in cerebrospinal fluid appeared to be a characteristic finding in infants under one year of age. Among other age groups no common etiology was correlated with high inositol concentration.


Inhibition of free fatty acid release from isolated rat epididymal fat cells by some natural occurring organic acids. The effects of some mono-, di- and tricarboxylic substrates (acetate, pyruvate, L-lactate, L-alanine, D,L-beta-hydroxybutyrate, succinate, D,L-malate, alpha-oxoglutarate, L-glutamate and citrate) on the basal lypolytic activity of isolated white adipocytes from fasted rats were investigated "in vitro". At concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 mM, the compounds tested, except lactate, had no influence on the rate of glycerol release but markedly reduced the free fatty acid (FFA) release. Lactate reduced both the glycerol and FFA release. As this "in vitro" lowering effect on FFA release was observed using concentrations occurring "in vivo" in the blood for lactate, beta-hydrobutyrate, and alanine, these results suggest that, besides lactate and beta-hydroxybutyrate, alanine may also assume an important role in the "in vivo" regulation of peripheral FFA mobilization and consequently of ketogenesis.


Enhancement of murine erythrocyte auto-antibody responses by Rauscher leukemogenic virus and by a weak allogeneic stimulation. B6/c mice do not develop spontaneous positive direct Coomb's tests (DCT), but they are highly susceptible to the induction of erythrocyte auto-antibodies by immunization with cross reacting rat blood cells (36% positive DCT). Rauscher leukemogenic virus (RLV) does not directly induce DCT in these susceptible mice; neither does the inoculation of parental spleen cells. On the other hand both RLV and allogeneic stimulation by parental spleen cells enhance the incidence of the rat blood cell-induced DCT (up to 75% and 69% respectively). This is discussed in terms of a separate etiology to antinuclear and anti-erythrocyte auto-antibodies and of the possible mechanisms of auto-immune stimulation by oncogenic viruses or allogeneic stimulation.


On the analysis of linear binding effects associated with curved Scatchard plots. First the question is examined as to which binding data, especially if given as Scatchard plots, can be described in terms of a basic model mechanism. This referes to a linear lattice of equivalent binding sites (as for example located on a linear biopolymer) which can exert cooperative interaction between nearest neighbors. It is shown that the effect of overlapping of potential site (so-called "multiple-contact"binding), as may occur with larger ligands, will largely be compensated by a higher degree of cooperativity. Therefore, in practice such properties can scarcely be separated by means of oridnary binding experiments. A pronounced inflection point in the Scatchard plot turns out to be clearly indicating a more complex mechanism involving at least two rather antagonistic cooperative interactions which may, however, occur even between equivalent binding sites. Finally some consequences of different classes of bindings sites are considered. In particular a simple approach is introduced by which the binding to mutually exclusive classes of sites may be described. Such a model is of interest for multiple-mode binding of ionic ligands to oppositely charged polymers.


Optical studies on complexes between DNA and pseudoisocyanine. Linear dichroism (LD) results when pseudoisocyanine=PIC (1,1-diethy1-2,2-cyannine iodide) binds to flow-oriented DNA. LD may be used to follow the complexation both stoichmetrically and structurally, since when specified to unti complex concentration LD provides a measure of the average orientation of the absorbing transition dipole. Two different types of complexes can be distinguished: I. One strong, ionic-strength insensitive complex with monomeric PIC with an orientation indication intercalation. II. Several weaker complexes of electrostatic nature (only observed at I less than 0.2M Na Cl) among which those with dimeric (IIa) and with polymeric (IIb) PIC are concluded both from LD and from circular dichroism (CD). The dimer is probably formed by employing one intercalated PIC as a second site. The polymer complex is characterized by a very sharp absorption band at 553 nm polarized parallel to the DNA-axis (with positive LD and positive CL). The structure, a right-handed helical array of PIC molecules, is discussed in terms of exciton theory in relation to that of polymeric free PIC ("Scheibe polymer") which is also shown to interact with DNA (IIc) yielding a large aggregate which is degraded at a distinct flow force field...


Fluorescence and flow dichroism of F-actin-epsilon-ADP; the orientation of the admine plane relative to the long axis of F-actin. The excitation polarization spectrum of epsilon-ADP bound to F-actin shows that two absorption dipoles at 260 nm and 340 nm are oriented in different directions relative to the emission dipole. On the other hand, the linear dichroism of F-actin-epsilon-ADP gives that the dichroic ratio of the bound epsilon-ADP is approximately constant (about-0.5) in the wavelength region form 250 to 350nm. Furthermore, the fluorescence polarization of epsilon-ADP bound to F-actin which is oriented in the field of flow shows that the emission dipole is nearly perpendicular to the long axis of F-actin. From these observations we conclude that the adenine plane of the bound nucleotide is almost perpendicular to the long axis of F-actin.


Model calculations of casein micelle size distributions. A previously proposed model for the formation and structure of casein micelles from subunits of variable composition is used to calculate theoretical micelle size distributions. Using the fractional content of k-casein as the only variable but with a value near that observed in a sample of milk serum, the model successfully reproduces experimentally determined distributions. Predicted size distributions are quite sensitive to the value of the variable and shift toward smaller average size as the assumed fractional content k-casein gets larger. Also, there is a discontinuity in the distributions which predicts that there will be essentially no micelles with radii smaller than 25-30 nm. These predictions are all in accord with experimental observations. The good agreement between theory and experimenet supports the micelle structure suggested by the model.


High pressure enzyme kinetics of dextransucrase. The pressure dependence of enzymatic dextran formation has been observed up to 1000 at for several substrate concentrations. First order denaturation effects could be separated from the thermodynamic effects, which lead to a volume of 30.4 to 44.0 ccm per mole for the formation and -13.6ccm per mole for the activation of the enzyme-substrate complex. Denaturation depends on the substrate concentration. This leads to the conslusion that only the free enzyme is denatured, wheras the ES complex is stable.


Aggregation of chlorophylls in monolayers. The interaction of dioxane vapor with monolayer and multilayers of chlorophyll has been studied using electronic and infarared spectroscopies. Our results indicate the formation of a complex implying the oxygene of the dioxanc molecules with the magnesiums of adjacent chlorophyll molecules. These results are consistent with the molecular orbital calculations, using the "free electron network" method done by Le Brech, Leblanc and Antippa [Chem. Phys. Letters 26(1974) 37-44].


Thermodynamic properties of polyelectrolyte solutions containing mixtures of monovalent and trivalent counterions. The osmotic coefficients, heats of dilution, and volume changes on dilution of aqueous solutions containing mixtures of polystyrenesulfonic acid and its lanthanum salt have been determined at 25 degrees C. The curve representing the osmotic coefficient as a function of the equivalent fraction of the acid has a maximum; the corresponding curves for the enthalpy and volume changes on dilution have a sigmoidal shape. Experimental results have been compared with predictions of the theory based on the cell model with cylindrical symmetry. A semiquantitative agreement between theory and experiment has been found.


Investigation of the electronic term scheme of deoxygenated human haemoglobin by a least squares fit procedure using simultaneously magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer data. The calculation of the magnetic susceptibility from a published term scheme for the ferrous iron in deoxygenated human haemoglobin is discussed and a procedure for the simultaneous least squares fit of susceptibility and Mössbauer data is presented. The application of this procedure to the appropriate measurements on human haemoglobin leads to a rearrangement of the low lying electronic levels of the iron. The term schemes received as results of two different sets of susceptibility data used in combination with one set of Mössbauer data overlap with their error bars. The obtained level scheme of the Fe is correlated with the distance of the iron atom from the haem plane and the distance Fe-HIS F8, and some biological implications of these correlations are discussed.


Mucus depletion, plasma protein leakage and latent or gross bleeding from gastric mucosa, following extragastric war wounds in Vietnam.


The problem of nonstationary ion fluxes in excitable membranes. Time-dependent electrodiffusion through a membrane is analysed within a simple model treating the boundary-layers in a consistent manner. It is shown that time-independent reversal potentials for the ion fluxes exist only under steady-state conditions. We argue that this result holds very generally. Therefore nonstationary effect like ion storage and depletion inside the membrane should not contribute to the phenomena of excitability.


The handedness or chirality of biological structure at the molecular and at higher levels of structural organisation.


Theory of fluorescence polarization of oriented pigment molecules in spherical arrays. Theoretical results are presented which are appropriate for the analysis of the static polarized fluorescence experiment with oriented pigment molecules in spherical arrays (vesicles). Though the global orientation mediated over the whole sphere is isotropic, the fluorescent molecules may have preferred local orientation with respect to the local plane. As in a former paper, concerning fluroescence polarization in planar arrays, three basic (local) orientation distributions of the electronic transition moments are investigated, which may be expected to describe a wide class of real cases with sufficient accuracy. Analytic expressions for the degree of polarization are derived. One important result is that the degree of polarization may be extremely dependent on the local orientation of transition moments. Hence the usual method of determination of microviscosities from experiments with vesicles with the use of the theory of fluorescence polarization for macromolecules in solutions should be regarded with great caution.


Complementary molecular models of learning and memory. The functional capabilities of the brain are formally characterizable interms of a finite system along with a memory space which it can manipulate. Two types of learning are possible: (1) modification-based learning, associated with alternate realizations of the finite system; (2) memory-based learning, associated with the assimilation, manipulation, and retrieval of memories. Constructive models which fulfill these conditions and which at the same time operate on the basis of molecular information processing principles have certain general features. We describe these features in terms of two interfaced submodels, the first for the finite system and the second for the memory space. The finite system may be realized by networks of neurons in which the specificity of enzyme molecules controls the nerve impulse. Such a realization is amenable to modification-based learning mediated by processes analogous to those of natural evolution and selective theories of antibody synthesis. The memory space is realizable by networks of neurons in which the conformation of dendritic receptor molecules controls the nerve impulse. In this case certain neurons firing in response to an external input undergo sensitization at the dendrites and in such a way that they are loadable and later callable by reference neurons, thereby allowing for reconstruction of manipulation of the firing pattern associated with this input. The overall construction makes a large number of biochemical, anatomical, physiological, and psychological predictions which are either testable or in good agreement with fact.


Facilitated diffusion of amino acids across bimolecular lipid membranes as a model for selective accumulation of amino acids in a primordial protocell.


Orientation and rotational freedom of fluorescent probes in lecithin bilayers. The fluorescence polarization properties of lecithin bilayers stained with 2,6-MANS and 1,8 ANS under applied potential steps have been studied. The fluorescence signal components of both dyes were found to have different sign and relative amplitude, suggesting that 1,8-ANS and 2,6-MANS behave differently when bound to black lipid membranes. In order to determine the location and the extent of rotational brownian motions of the bound chromophores, the experimental data were analyzed by using a simplified physico-mathematical model. According to it 2,6-MANS appears to have a ratio rho/tau higher than 1.8-ANS (rho being the rotational relaxation of in plane rotations and tau the lifetime of the excited singlet state of the bound molecules), suggesting that the former chromophore is more tightly held inside the bilayers. Furthermore, 2,6-MANS is found to possess the absorption and emission oscillators more closely oriented to the normal of membrane surface, while 1,8-ANS has both oscillators almost near the plane of the bilayers. The results furnish also a fair estimate of the random molecular motion own by the phospholipid molecules at room temperature. The comparison of the present data with those obtained from squid axon membranes confirms the validity of the proposed physical model, yielding a rough estimate of the axon membrane-area covered by integral protein macromolecules. These preliminary results derived from lecithin model membranes suggest that fluorescence polarization techniques can provide valuable informations if applied to study the macromolecular organization of in vitro reconstituted membranes.


Kinetic isotope effects in the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin. Kinetics were determined for the four transients K590, L540, M410, O660 of the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin (BR570) both in 1H2O and in 2H2O over a wide temperature range. Breaks in the Arrhenius plots, observed at 25 degrees-32 degrees for the longest-lived transients coincide with a transition point in the microviscosity of the membrane as measured by depolarization of an added fluorescent probe. The earliest isotope effect occurs in the decay of L540, and is present in the subsequent formation and decay of M410 and O660. Thus in the light-driven proton pump of BR570, proton ejection from the Schiff base correlates with decay of L540 and reprotonation occurs with the decay of both M410 and O660 back to BR570.


Abiotic synthesis of some polysaccharide-like and polypeptide-like structures in cold plasma. Starting from methane, ammonia and water vapors polypeptide-like and polysaccharide-like structures have been synthesized in cold plasma conditions. By gel filtration analysis of the raw product eight fractions of different molecular weight have been separated. The partial chemical nature of each fraction and of the hydrolysis products has been determined using elementary analysis, IR spectroscopy, paper, thin-layer and gas-chromatography. It is noteworthy that higher proportions of H2O in the feed composition increase the amount of sugar and polysaccharide-like compounds in the reaction product.


Influence of magnesium on calcium- and potassium-related responses in vascular smooth muscle. The influence of Mg on Ca- and K-related responses of rabbit aortic strips was studied. Aortic strips bathed in either a K-free or 60.0 mM K solution were less sensitive to Ca in the presence of 1.2 mm Mg. Ca induced greater maximum tension in the aortic strips in the presence of Mg when bathed in 60.0 mM K. Addition of K to a K-free medium induced a slight relaxation at low concentrations (is less than 1.0 mm) which was Ca dependent. The relaxation was less in the presence of Mg. Wiolution were less sensitive to Ca in the presence of 1.2 mm Mg. Ca induced greater maximum tension in the aortic strips in the presence of Mg when bathed in 60.0 mm K. Addition of K to a K-free medium induced a slight relaxation at low concentrations (is less thth Mg in the medium throughout the experiment (90 min), the threshold concentration of K, including a contractile response, was increased as was the maximum tension. Acute addition of Mg decreased the maximum response to K. When K was lowered from 5.4 to 0.0 mm a contractile response, absent in the presence of Mg, occurred. When the K was increased, the tension returned to baseline. At 25-30 mm K, the tension again increased, reaching a maximum at 40-50 mm K. Ca uptake was stimulated at all K concentrations producing a contraction. Mg depressed this increase in uptake. 45Ca efflux was more rapid into a 50.0 mm than into 0.0 mm K solution. Mg delayed Ca efflux. It is concluded from these data that Mg has two components in its effect on the Ca associated with K responses. One is a competition with Ca at extracellular sites probably at the membrane, and the other is intracellular, probably a competition with Ca at sequestration sites.


Standstill of nailfold capillary blood flow during cooling in scleroderma and Raynaud's syndrome. Capillary blood flow in nailfold capillaries, observed continuously by capillary microscopy during standardized cold exposure (16 degrees C) has been compared in 15 patients with scleroderma (SD), 6 patients with Raynaud's syndrome (RS) without known organic pathology, and 9 normal controls. Capillary microscopy affords direct observation of capillary blood flow and allows one to determine if standstill of capillary circulation occurs (as defined by the movement of the red blood cell column), a state impossible to differentiate from near zero flow by conventional methods. Complete standstill of capillary blood flow occurred in 10 of 15 patients with SD and in 1 of 6 patients with RS. Intermittent standstill was observed in 5 of 15 SD and in 4 of 6 RS patients. In all normal subjects and in 1 of 6 patients with RS the capillary blood flow continued throughout the cooling period. Thus all 15 patients with SD and 5 of 6 patients with RS could be distinguished from control subjects by the development of capillary standstill on cooling. It is concluded that capillary microscopy can separate SD and RS patients from control subjects during cold exposure and may be useful in early diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatic syndromes and in the evaluation of therapy designed to improve the nutritional capillary blood flow of the skin. Whereas the complete standstill of capillary blood flow appears to be definitely associated with pathology, the intermittent standstill pattern as defined in this study may be an exaggerated form of flow fluctuation also seen in normal subjects. A larger number of subjects will have to be studied to determine whether patients with RS of the vasopastic type without connective tissue disease can be distinguished from normal subjects with low finger blood flow rates in cold conditions.


Density of perivascular nerves on some cerebral and extracerebral blood vessels. The perivascular adrenergic nerves were counted as they crossed a grid-line superimposed on rat cerebral or femoral arteries and arterioles, and on the portal vein and its tributaries. The nerves were visualized with the formaldehyde-vapor, fluorescence technique. No support was received for the hypothesis that cerebral vessels are better innervated than extracerebral vessels. In fact, the density of nerves was significantly greater on the femoral and portal vessels than on the cerebral.


Comparison of the excitatory and inhibitory effects of angiotensin and vasopressin on mammalian portal vein. Angiotensin produced inhibitory and excitatory responses in guinea pig portal vein and excitatory responses in rabbit and rat portal vein. Vasopressin produced inhibitory responses in guinea pig and rabbit portal vein and excitatory and inhibitory responses in rat portal vein. In guinea pig portal vein, inhibition by angiotensin and vasopressin was associated with an increase in membrane potential which was, on average, smaller than that produced by isoprenaline, and with a suppression of spike discharges. Tachyphylaxis of the responses to angiotensin and vasopressin in portal vein was not observed and their effects were unaffected by tetrodotoxin, atropine and phentolamine plus propranolol.


Distribution of 2,4-D and picloram applied by a mist blower.


Behavior of mallard ducklings from parents fed 3 ppm DDE. Mallard ducks fed a diet containing 3 ppm DDE (equal to about 0.6 ppm in a natural succulent diet) laid eggs that contained an average of 5.8 ppm DDE; ducklings that hatched from these eggs differed from controls in behavioral tests designed to measure responses to a maternal call and to a frightening stimulus. In response to the maternal call, ducklings from parents fed DDE were hyper-responsive; compared to controls, a greater percentage approached the call and a greater percentage of those that approached remained near the call for the remainder of the test. In a test of avoidance behavior, ducklings whose parents were fed DDE traveled shorter distances from the firghtening stimulus than did controls.


Analysis of pesticide residues in 290 samples of Guatemalan mother's milk.


Copper toxicity in the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas.


Mouse teratology studies with chlorodibenzo-p-dioxins.


The acute toxicity of four herbicides to 0-4 hour nauplii of Cyclops vernalis Fisher (Copepoda, Cyclopoida).


Persistence and biodegradation of hinosan in soil.


Apparent potentiation of the cotton defoliant DEF by methyl parathion in mosquitofish.


The uptake and interorgan distribution of mercury in a carnivorous crab.


The effect of a No. 2 fuel oil and a South Louisiana crude oil on the behavior of the soft shell clam, Mya arenaria L.


A descriptive evaluation of the effects of No. 2 fuel oil on the tissues of the soft shell clam, Mya arenaria L.


Effects of lead nitrate ingestion on open-field behavior of mallard ducklings. Mallard ducklings were fed a control diet or a diet containing 5, 50, or 500 ppm lead as lead nitrate, ad libitum, and their open-field behavior was tested after either 3 or 8 days on treatments. Differences in open-field performances among treatments were not significant. Percentage weight gain differed significantly among treatment groups over an 8 day period, with the least growth occurring in the 5 ppm treatment group.


Nitrosation of benzoxazolinone.

Nitrosation of benzoxazolinone.


Uptake and accumulation of the nickel ion by Mytilus edulis.


Multielement absorption by crops grown on Ithaca sludge-amended soil.


Trace metals in teeth at birth (1957-1963 and 1972-1973).


Acid-base changes in acute exacerbation of chronic hypercapnia in man. Acid-base parameters were studied in 10 adult patients with chronic respiratory failure during spontaneous acute exacerbations of chronic hypercapnia and after return and stabilization of PaCO2 values at previous levels with improvement of clinical conditions. All factors interfering with acid-base equilibrium were carefully avoided. The results of this investigation confirm qualitatively those obtained by GOLDSTEIN et al. [7] in dog studies and those of INGRAM et al. [9]in human studies: increasing degrees of chronic hypercapnia tend to minimize the pH reduction induced by acute PACO2 changes. From a quantitative standpoint INGRAM's data in humans are considerably different from GOLDSTEIN's data obtained in dogs. Our data, although numerically limited, confirm the acute deltaH+/deltaPaCO2 slope obtained from dogs by GOLDSTEIN et al. As data are not yet sufficient, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn. However the pattern of acid-base equilibrium changes in man in this situation seems to be similar to that observed by GOLDSTEIN et al. in the dog and could be described with reasonable accuracy by the theoretical model of LEUENBERGER et al.[13].


Venous carbon dioxide tensions in chronic obstructive lung disease. Eighteen patients with severe chronic obstructive lung disease (arterial PCO2 greater than 45 mmHg arterial PCO2 less than 55 mmHg) were studied during a stable period of their disease. Samples of arterial blood and blood from the main pulmonary artery, internal jugular vein, hepatic vein, renal vein and femoral vein were taken by manipulating a Cournand catheter to each of these sites in rapid succession. An estimate of the regional distribution of blood flow was derived from the arterio-venous oxygen content difference of each organ. Expired air was collected into a spirometer. There was a redistribution of blood flow in these patients with chronic lung disease in accord with the observations made by others in the past. Carbon dioxide concentration in the venous blood depends on 1. the blood flow to an organ, and 2. the carbon dioxide production by the organ. The total body CO2 production was within normal limits and there is no reason to suspect any alteration in carbon dioxide production by individual organs in these resting patients. Thus the venous CO2 levels are intimately linked with organ blood flow but even a substantial increase in organ blood flow cannot always compensate for the disorder in the lung. The exact role of CO2 in regulating the peripheral circulation cannot be assessed from this study but they do emphasize the importance of regional blood flow in regulating the concentration of CO2 in the venous blood and presumably in the tissues making up the organ.


CO2 stores of the lung.

CO2 stores of the lung.


Elevation in erythrocyte-l-glutamate in chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia.


Effects of chronic hypercapnia on calcium metabolism.


The effect of inhalation hypercapnia in healthy subjects on the acidity of gastric juice. The pathogenesis of gastroduodenal ulcer associated with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease is complicated, as is the pathogenesis of these two disease entities separately. It is evident that a multifactorial dependence is involved which has not yet been resolved completely. Hence, there is no "magna cause morbi" but rather a multiform and dynamically variable chain of causes, consequences and conditions, some of which may be of genetic dependence. In the possible complex of causes leading to the genesis of gastroduodenal ulcer associated with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, the author investigated the effect of isolated hypercapnia on the acidity of gastric juice and mucous membrane in 18 healthy normacid subjects. The results of this study that in healthy subjects isolated hypercapnia leads to a statistically significant increase in acidity of gastric juice and mucous membrane.


Brain organic acids during hypercapnia.

Brain organic acids during hypercapnia. Experiments in rats during acute and prolonged periods of hypercapnia show important changes in the glutamate and glutamine content of the brain. Compartmentation studies using labelled glutamate intracisternally injected show an increased turnover of the small glutamate compartment. The possible pathophysiological significance of these observations is discussed.


Carbon dioxide and liver blood flow.

Carbon dioxide and liver blood flow. This study was designed to determine blood flow to the liver during hypercapnia and combined hypercapnia-hypoxia with the portal vein and hepatic artery intact except for placement of an electromagnetic flow probe around these vessels. Twenty mongrel dogs weighing 30-45 kg were anesthetized with pentobarbital and flow probes and occluders were surgically implanted. Ten of these dogs were subjected to hypercapnia alone. During inspiration of 6% CO2 in room air, portal vein flow increased from 588 +/- 73 ml/min to 731 +/- 113 ml/min (p less than .05), while hepatic artery flow did not change significantly from its control mean of 221 +/- 38 ml/min. In the remaining dogs, inhalation of 6% O2 resulted in a reduction of portal blood flow within 30 min from 527 +/- 55 ml/min to 381 +/- 41 ml/min (p less than .01). Again, mean hepatic artery flow did not increase significantly above its control of 273 +/- 43 ml/min. Subsequent inhalation of 6% CO2 plus 6% O2 (combined hypercapniahypoxia) for 30 min in these same animals resulted in a significant increase of portal vein blood flow from 514 +/- 46 ml/min to 716 +/- 116 ml/min (p less than .05). Thus, hypercapnia alone increases total liver blood flow, primarily by an increase in portal vein flow. Hypoxia results in a decrease in portal vein flow. The superimposition of hypercapnia on hypoxia restores blood flow to a level close to that found with hypercapnia alone. Hypercapnia in the range of 63 +/- 4 mmHg PCO2 overwhelms the tendency toward a reduction of portal vein blood flow induced by an arterial PO2 of 42 +/- 5 mmHg in the presence of mild hypocapnia (PCO2 : 30.2 +/- 1 mmHg).


Early detection of airway abnormalities in a selected group of population. Functional data were collected from 5,746 males from a country region, whose ages ranged from 14 to 65 years. Out of this population we excluded a group of 466 males (9%) who had abnormal results of traditional pulmonary function screening tests (FVC less than 80% reference values or FEV1% FVC less than 70%) and chose a group of 1,092 males (19%) with normal values for the above two parameters but with abnormal forced mid-expiratory flow. In randomly selected persons of the second group we found frequency dependent dynamic compliance (100%), abnormal maximum expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity (98%), increased residual volume (76%), decreased maximum expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (67%), and increased closing capacity (57%); on the contrary static complicane and airway resistance were normal. To account for these results we suppose that measurement of forced mid-expiratory flow, abnormal values of which we obtained in practically one fifth of the experimental population, could represent, in agreement with other reports, a suitable screening test for first or early detection of airway abnormalities.


Disturbances in pulmonary gaseous exchange in primary hyperlipoproteinemias. Carbon monoxide diffusion (DLCO), blood gas analysis at rest and after exercise, distribution of ventilation and perfusion by Xenon 133 were carried out in 43 hyperlipidemic patients, Fredrickson's types I, IIA, IIB, and IV. DLCO was significantly reduced in hypertriglyceridemic and to a lesser degree in hypercholesterolemic patients. A significant negative correlation was found between DLCO and triglyceride values. Significantly lower basal PaO2 values, which improved after exercise, were observed in both type IIA and type IV hyperlipemic patients. The ventilation/perfusion ratio distribution (V/Q) did not increase from the basal to the apical segments of the lungs in hyperlipidemic patients as it did in normals. The hypothesis of an alteration in pulmonary surface-active lipoprotein, directly related to hyperlipoproteinemia or indirectly caused by fat microembolism, may explain the reduced DLCO, the loss of V/Q gradient, and the decrease in PaO2 (which improves after exercise) observed in hyperlipemic patients. Disturbances in pulmonary gas exchange and PaO2 reduction could play an important role in the pathogenesis of both angina pain due to ischaemic heart disease, which is frequently observed in hyperlipemic patients, and the postprandial angina syndrome.


Mucociliary transport in central and intermediate size airways: effect of aminophyllin. Mucociliary transport and the percentage of ciliated cells were studied in large and intermediate sized airways (generations 0-3) of anesthetized mongrel dogs before and after aminophyllin administration. The mean percentage of ciliated cells decreased respectively from 22.0% and 25.4% in the trachea and main bronchi to 8.0% in the lobar and 2.7% in the segmental bronchi. The fastest mean mucous velocity was found in the trachea (4.9 mm/min, S.E. 1.0). Mucous velocity decreased 38% from the trachea to the main bronchi, 55% to the lobar bronchi, and 66% to the segmental bronchi. A positive correlation (r = 0.75) was demonstrated between mucous velocity and the percentage of ciliated cells. After aminophyllin administration, mucous velocity increased 59% in the trachea and 27% in the main bronchi. No statistical difference in mucous velocity could be demonstrated in the smaller airways after aminophyllin, probably due to relative insensitivity of the method in short bronchi with low mucous velocities.


A sampling method for mean alveolar gas in normal subjects and patients with respiratory disease. The paper describes an alveolar gas sampling method based on the criterion of equality of mean alveolar (RA) and expired (RE) respiratory quotients. Expired gas is sampled at an expired volume equal to VT/2 + VD by means of a mechanical sampler controlled by an analog computer. Eleven normal subjects and 50 patients with cardiopulmonary disease have been tested. When the difference between mean alveolar and expired respiratory quotients did not exceed 0.05, the result was considered to be satisfactory. Such results have been obtained in 40 patients and all of the normal subjects. For the remaining 10 patients, either experimental error and/or particular non-homogeneities in ventilation seemed to be the cause of the unsatisfactory results. Arterial to alveolar PCO2 differences have been calculated. The mean difference in normal subjects was never negative (1.86 +/- 1.58 torr).


Emphysema as possible explanation for the alteration of expiratory PO2 and PCO2 curves. The present explanation of the shape of deformed expiratory partial pressure curves of O2, CO2, N2 and foreign gases as being caused by sequential convective emptying of compartments with decreasing VA/Q is put into question, since the same deformation can be observed in healthy subjects during simultaneous breathing of helium and SF6, where the SF6 curve is deformed and the helium curve has a normal shape. The high molecular weight of SF6 causes a delay of its gaseous diffusion from the peripheral air spaces of the lung. A similar delay can be caused by emphysematous changes such as a longer distance for diffusion, an increased alveolar volume and a reduction of the number of small airways, where the gas has to pass through. Different data from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, from induced changes of bronchomotor tone, from comparison of patients with relatively pure emphysema and patients with airway obstruction and from autopsy suggest that stratification and serial inhomogeneities, caused by emphysema, are at least a reasonable, if not a better explanation for the deformation than the VA/Q concept with sequential emptying of parallel units.


Studies of the visible spectrum of the welding arc.


A hygienic analysis of mechanical vibrations in a voyage aboard the semicontainer ship M/S "Kalinowski".


Risk factors for coronary heart disease among seamen.


Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis system in occupational exposure to some chemical factors.


Several observations of the survival of a population of Dermestes maculatus Degeer, 1774, in unfavourable trophic conditions.


The influence of Sinequan of the reactivity of the vegetative system in neuroses among seamen of the Polish merchant marine.


Lytic enzyme Vi phage III infected Salmonella typhi lysate.


Resistance to antibiotics and sulfathiazole of Salmonella strains isolated from humans and animals in 1974--1975.


Rodents in warehouses of the Port of Gdynia and their ectoparasites investigated in the years 1974--1975.


Salmonella serotypes isolated from soldiers of the Polish Contingent of the United Nations Emergency Forces back from Egypt.


Smallpox today.

Smallpox today.


Neurophysiology of pain-peripheral aspects. Speculation concerning the possibility of a unitary peripheral cutaneous input system for pressure, hot, cold and tissue damage. The gate theory of pain is criticized at three levels: (1) at the dorsal horn "gate", where pre-synaptic inhibition in the primary afferent endings may go beyond mere reduction of synaptic power at the afferent endings and induce antidromic impulses (dorsal root reflexes) that may modulate peripherally by blocking; (2) central to the "gate", where postsynaptic neuronal repetitive (epileptiform) firing is believed to be an important underlying mechanism in clinical chronic pain syndromes; and, (3) in the periphery, where there is more to input coding than a balance between the ratio of large and smaller fiber inputs. Contrary to the belief of many sensory neurophysiologists, the present authors contend that pattern theory is viable; and that specificity, while important and not to be ignored, should be considered as only a partially evolved refinement superimposed on a basic underlying spatial and temporal patterning of input that probably requires central decoding, which begins in the dorsal horn.


Development of a detachable vascular balloon catheter. A preliminary report.