Protease activities during preparation and handling of nuclear particles containing hnRNA. Conditions were devised to avoid protease activity during the preparation and the subsequent handling of nuclear particles containing hnRNA. During all the steps of preparation of rat liver particles, the presence of phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) was required for the reproducibility of the results. It probably inhibited the cellular serine proteases before the separation of the particles from the other cellular structures. Protease activity was detected in the rat liver particles. The enzyme(s) preferentially hydrolyzed a few particle polypeptides. It was not inhibited by PMSF, nor by two trypsin and chymotrypsin-like protease inhibitors, nor by iodoacetamide, but was inhibited by sodium bisulfite and para-hydroxymercury benzoate (PHMB). PHMB was preferred above bisulfite because it could be used at lower concentration. It proved useful when particles were to be incubated at 37 degrees C. A protease hydrolysing the same polypeptides as the liver enzyme was also detected in rat brain particles. However, its activity was much lower in this tissue and the presence of protease inhibitors was not absolutely required under the standard conditions of preparation and handling of brain particles.


C5-dependent enhancement of rosette formation and phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Using purified human complement components, the participation of C5 in phagocytosis was investigated. The addition of C5 to EAC 1423 increased both rosette formation and phagocytosis of the intermediates by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The opsonizing activity of C5b was not affected after decay of its hemolytic activity. Both C3- and C5-dependent phagocytosis is abolished either in the presence of chelating agents or by pretreatment of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes with trypsin. The enhancing effect of C5b in phagocytosis can be reduced either by further reaction with C6 and C7 or with anti-C5 F(ab)2 fragments.


Increase of phagocytic activity and new appearance of a C4b (guinea pig) recognizing capability in peritoneal macrophages from Corynebacterium parvum and thioglycollate-stimulated mice. Activated mouse macrophages displayed enhanced phagocytic activity towards particles opsonized with IgG antibody and homologous C3. In addition, they were able to recognize guinea pig C4b. It is concluded that activated macrophages develop phagocytically active receptors for heterologous C4b.


Involvement of the kinin system in the insulin-induced inhibition of carrageenin oedema in rats. The carrageenin-induced foot oedema in rats is considerably decreased by insulin pretreatment, but increased in alloxan diabetes. Maximum inhibition by insulin occurs in the early phase of the oedema reaction and the insulin action is even further increased when it is administered 30 min after carrageenin. Doses of insulin as low as 1 U/kg intravenously produce significant inhibition. Determinations of the components of the kinin system indicate that the kininogenase activity is increased, and both the kininogen and kininase content are in turn decreased in the plasma of insulin-treated animals. When the carrageenin-induced oedema fluid of the paw after insulin is analysed for kininogen and kininase, their levels are significantly decreased when compared with those of oedema fluid without insulin. Histamine content in the oedema fluid is significantly enhanced by insulin. The anti-inflammatory effect of insulin under these conditions therefore appears to involve changes in the kinin system.


Further studies on the SRS-A antagonist FPL 55712. FPL 55712, previously reported to be a selective antagonist of SRS-A on the guinea-pig ileum, has now been shown to be similarly selective, though less potent, in its antagonism of contractions induced by SRS-A on in vitro preparations of respiratory smooth muscle (human bronchial strips and guinea-pig tracheal tubes). In vivo, bronchoconstriction induced in guinea-pigs by the endogenous release of SRS-A was partially inhibited by relatively large intravenous doses of FPL 55712 and by inhalation of aerosol compound. FPL 55712 was very rapidly cleared following intravenous administration.


Beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol in the treatment of steroid-dependent chronic bronchial asthma in adults. 15 adult chronic asthmatic patients who were on daily maintenance dose of oral steroid for at least 6 months were studied. Following an investigation period of 2 weeks, the patients were started on BDA, 100 microgram four times daily. The daily oral steroid dose, which averaged 12 mg of prednisone or its equivalent, was gradually reduced by about 1 mg per day. The trial lasted 8 weeks, at the end of which, ten patients were as good or better on BDA than on oral steroids. Two patients had to return to oral corticosteroid therapy before the trial ended and three patients were unable to discontinue their oral steroid treatment. The lack of systemic effects of BDA was demonstrated by the appearance of symptoms which were apparently previously suppressed by the oral steroids and the excretion of normal amounts of 17-OHCS in the urine in some to the patients who had evidence of adrenal suppression while on oral steroids.


[Diagnosis of primary hyperlipoproteinemia in umbilical cord blood (author's transl)]. The aim of the present investigation was to assay the frequency of primary dyslipoproteinemia in a random sample of one hundred newborns and to describe the minimal methodical requirements for sound diagnosis. After comparison of different methods total lipids were determined by gravimetry, cholesterol and triglycerides by enzymatic methods, nonesterified fatty acids by direct colorimetry; phospholipids were estimated indirectly. All measurements were applied to umbilical cord sera and to lipoprotein fractions separated by selective precipitation. The diagnosis of hyperlipoproteinemia type IV, which is the most frequent one in adults, is highly afflicted with pitfalls in the postnatal period. A primary hyper-alpha-liproteinemia occured in one case and type II-hyperlipoproteinemia in two cases, one of the parents being involved in each case. For mass screening triglycerides should be assayed in serum and cholesterol in precipitated and resolubilized LDL-fraction, for which the minimal requirements are described.


[Dubowitz syndrome with immunodeficiency and solid malignant tumor in two siblings (author's transl)]. The main features of Dubowiz syndrome are bird headed dwarfism and a typical facial configuration. Including two own patients 13 cases among 8 siblings are known in the literature. Two own cases of Dubowitz syndrome in two sisters are described, one of them with hypogammaglobulinemia and neuroblastoma, the other one with complete Ig A deficiency and malignant lymphoma. A propable relationship between immundeficiency and malignancies is discussed. Until 1973 151 malignant tumors with primary immundeficiency had been registrated. This paper is the first description of two cases of Dubowitz syndrome with immunodeficiency and malignant neoplasms.


[Aneurism of ductus arteriosus Botalli in a newborn (author's transl)]. A case of patent ductus arteriosus in a newborn is presented. This malformation could be clasified as belonging to the group of ductal aneurysms with an obstructed pulmonary end. Only 13 similar cases have been previously described in the literature. As there exits hardly any experience with this disease the clinical course and diagnostic procedures have been discussed. Resection of the aneurysm is the only therapeutic measure.


[Congenital hyperlysin-arginin-ornithinuria in a mentally retarded child (author's transl)]. Congenital hyperdibasicaminoaciduria without cystinuria was detected in a mentally but not physically retarded boy. Plasma lysine and arginine were normal, whereas plasma ornithine was decreased. Although oral or intravenous loading tests could not be performed, the history without vomiting or diarrhea, and the normal physical development indicated an unimpaired intestinal transport of basic aminoacids. Our case could be a further mutant of this transport defect which concerns the renal tubuli only.


A quantitative assay of mutation induction at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO/HGPRT system): utilization with a variety of mutagenic agents. The induction of mutation by a variety of mutagens has been measured utilizing the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (CHO/HGPRT) system). These mutagens include physical agents such as UV light and X-rays, and chemicals such as alkylating agents, ICR-191, and metallic compounds. This system can also be modified for study of the mutagenicity of promutagens such as dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) which require biotransformation for mutagenic action, either through the addition of a rat liver microsomal activation preparation or through a host-mediated activation step using Balb/c athymic mice.


Mutagenic and epigenetic influence of caffeine on the frequencies of UV-induced ouabain-resistant Chinese hamster cells. Caffeine, given as a post-treatment to UV-irradiated Chinese hamster cells in vitro, modified the frequency were increased when caffeine was added only for the DNA repair and mutation fixation period. When caffeine was added after the DNA repair and mutation fixation period, or immediately after DNA damage and for the entire repair and selection period, mutation frequencies were reduced. A hypothesis, given to explain both results, is that caffeine, by blocking a constitutive "error-free" postreplication repair process, allows an "error-prone" DNA repair process to produce many mutations. Moreover, caffeine, possibly by modifying C-AMP metabolism, causes a repression of induced mutations which, in effect, explains its anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties.


Dose-response relationship for radiation-induced translocations in somatic and germ cells of mice. Dose--response curves (0--600 rad X-rays) for induced reciprocal translocations in bone-marrow cells and in spermatogonia (scored in spermatocytes) of the mouse were constructed. The obtained results suggest that factors influencing aberration yields in somatic cells, are similar to those in germ cells and strengthen the premise for qualitative extrapolation from somatic cells to germ cells.


The chromosomal radiosensitivity of lymphocytes from the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). The yield of chromosomal aberrations induced by exposure to X-irradiation in vitro was studied in the lymphocytes of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), a hominoid ape phylogenically and chromosomally closely related to man. In agreement with the similarity of the chromosome characteristics, no significant difference was observed between man and chimpanzee with respect to the incidence of dicentrics and fragments. It is obvious that the nuclear area, which apparently constitutes the most evident difference between the nuclei of man and chimpanzee lymphocytes, did not play an important role in the yields of aberrations.


Chromosomal abnormalities in lymphocytes from monkeys poisoned with lead. Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca irus) were given 0, 1.5, 6 or 15 mg of lead acetate 6 days a week for 16 months. Another group, also receiving 6 mg, was kept on a low-calcium diet. Each experimental group consisted of 2 monkeys. Chromosome analysis on cultured lymphocytes was carried out after 3, 10 and 16 months of lead treatment. The frequency of severe abnormalities (dicentrics, rings, translocations and exchanges) was significantly increased only in the group on a low calcium diet, whereas "light" abnormalities (gaps and fragments) increased with time in all groups receiving lead irrespective of the diet. The blood lead data indicate the severity of the lead poisoning.


A quantitative assay of mutation induction at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO/HGPRT system): development and definition of the system. An assay is described for the measurement of mutation induction at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells utilizing resistance to 6-thioguanine (TG). Optimal selection conditions are defined for such parameters as phenotypic expression time prior to selection, and TG concentration and cell density which permits maximum mutant recovery. The nature of the TG-resistant mutants is characterized by several physiological and biochemical methods. The data demonstrate that more than 98% of the mutant clones isolated by this selection procedure contain altered HGPRTase activity. The CHO/HGPRT system thus shows the specificity necessary for a specific gene locus mutational assay.


Plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive drug therapy in myasthenia gravis. Plasmapheresis combined with prednisone and azathioprine therapy produced striking clinical improvement in five patients with myasthenia gravis who still had moderate to severe disability despite thymectomy, high-dose prednisone therapy and optimal doses of cholinesterase inhibitors. Serial determinations of titers of serum antibody toward the acetylcholine receptor demonstrated a fall to 21 +/- 5 per cent (mean +/- S.D.) of the original levels concurrently with the patients' increasing strength. Clinically improved patients maintained lowered titers, whereas clinical relapses were associated with a rebound in titer. Our results suggest that plasmapheresis will find a place in the management of patients with myasthenia gravis, and they implicate antibodies to acetylcholine receptor as a pathogenic factor in this disease.


Black under-representation in United States medical Schools. To understand why blacks are under-represented in medical schools and how this situation might be changed, we analyzed statistics on medical-school applicants, medical-school students and college undergraduates. The pool of qualified black applicants to medical schools has not been large enough to achieve appropriate black representation. If black under-representation is to be corrected, the pool of qualified black applicants must be increased. Affirmative-action programs for blacks who are already in college are unlikely to be sufficient by themselves to increase the pool of black applicants substantially. Such programs should therefore be developed for high-school students.


Association of maternal systemic lupus erythematosus with congenital complete heart block. Infants born to mothers with disseminated lupus erythematosus occasionally have transient manifestations of the maternal disease. In six infants with congenital heart block born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus we postulated a causative relation. In one of the infants a post-mortem study of the conduction system suggested faulty embryonic development of the atrioventricular node with an abnormally thick annulus fibrosus and the effects of early inflammatory changes. Two of the infants had a cardiomyopathy and three, associated congenital heart disease.


Hematologic neoplasia in patients treated for Hodgkin's disease. We studied 680 patients with Hodgkin's disease, treated at Stanford University Medical Center from July 1, 1968, through December 31, 1975, to determine the risk of development of hematologic neoplasia. Six cases of leukemia occurred in patients in clinical remission, one 7 1/2 years after diagnosis. Two additional cases occurred in patients with active Hodgkin's disease. No cases were seen in 320 patients treated with radiotherapy alone or in 30 treated with chemotherapy alone. A single case of subacute leukemia occurred in a patient treated initially with radiation therapy and colloidal gold. The actuarial probability of development of leukemia at five and seven years is 1.5 and 2.0 per cent for the entire group and 2.9 and 3.9 per cent for the 330 patients treated with combined radiation and chemotherapy. The medium survival after diagnosis is four months, with no patient living beyond six months.


Abnormal biliary lipid composition in cystic fibrosis. Effect of pancreatic enzymes. Because of the increased incidence of gallstones in cystic fibrosis we compared biliary lipid composition in 26 patients with cystic fibrosis, seven children with cholelithiasis but no cystic-fibrosis and 13 controls. Eighteen of the cystic fibrosis group had cholecystograms, and only one had gallstones. In 14 patients with cystic fibrosis who had stopped taking pancreatic enzymes for one week molar percentage of lipid composition accounted for by cholesterol (mean +/- S.E., 16.3 +/- 2.9) and saturation index (2.0 +/- 0.3) were comparable to values of the cholelithiasis group and higher (P less than 0.01) than those of controls. In 12 patients with cystic fibrosis taking pancreatic enzymes, molar percentage of cholesterol (8.6 +/- 1.7) and saturation index (1.0 +/- 0.1) did not differ from those of controls; in cystic fibrosis there was a preponderance of cholic over chenodeoxycholic acid both off (1.7 +/- 0.2) and on (1.9 +/- 0.3) therapy as compared to the cholelithiasis (0.7 +/- 0.1) and control (0.8 +/- 0.0) groups. The glycine/taurine ratio of conjugated bile acids were lower in enzyme-treated patients with cystic fibrosis (3.7 +/- 0.6) than in patients off treatment (6.4 +/- 1.0), but was higher (P less than 0.01) than in controls (1.8 +/- 0.2). Bile is lithogenic in untreated cystic fibrosis and responds to pancreatic enzymes.


Increased synthesis of prostaglandin-E-like material by platelets from patients with diabetes mellitus. We studied the effects of ADP, epinephrine, collagen and arachidonic acid on platelet production of immunoreactive prostaglandin-E-like material and aggregation in 17 subjects with diabetes mellitus and 21 matched controls. Plateletrich plasma obtained from patients synthesized significantly (P less than 0.05) greater quantities of the prostaglandin-E-like material after exposure to 1 muM ADP, 1, 2 and 5 muM epinephrine and 1 microgram per milliliter of collagen than platelet-rich plasma obtained from controls. That obtained from the diabetic patients was significantly more sensitive (P less than 0.001) to the aggregating effects of the prostaglandin precursor, arachidonic acid, in vitro as compared to controls. Diabetic platelet-rich plasma metabolized arachidonic acid (0.5 mM) to immunoreactive prostaglandin-E-like material at a significantly greater rate (P less than 0.05) and extent (P less than 0.001) than that of controls. Thus, platelets obtained from diabetic patients possess increased activity of the prostaglandin synthetase system, and this characteristic may be related to the increased platelet aggregation associated with the disease.


Effect of undecanoic acid on germination of microconidia of wild and undecanoic acid resistance mutant of Trichophyton rubrum. Effects of undecanoic acid (UDA) on germination of microconidia and elongation of germ tubes in UDA sensitive (udas) wild type Trichophyton rubrum and UDA resistant (udar) mutant derived from it, were studied. UDA inhibited conidial germination of udas and udar strains at 30 microgram/ml and 120 microgram/ml respectively which were minimum inhibitory concentrations of UDA for these two strains. When spores from both udas and udar were germinated in presence of subinhibitory concentration of UDA, germ tube growth was short. The elongation of germ tubes of spores pregerminated in absence of UDA was also inhibited by dose of UDA not sufficient to inhitib germination.


Production of aflatoxin by Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL-2999 during growth in the presence of curing salts. Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL-2999 was inoculated into meat mixtures with curing salts and into yeast extractsucrose (YES) and sucrose-ammonium salts (SAS) broth with and without curing salts to determine if the presence of curing salts significantly affected growth and aflatoxin production by the mold. The effect of individual curing salts or curing salt mixtures on growth and toxin elaboration by the aspergillus was substrate dependent. When YES broth contained 100 ppm of NaNO2, 2% NaCl, or 1 or 2% NaCl plus 200 ppm of NaNO2 or 200 ppm of NaNO3, growth and/or aflatoxin production was depressed. Biosynthesis of aflatoxin B1 was enhanced by presence of 1 and 4% NaCl in YES broth. The SAS broth containing only NaCl or NaCl combined with nitrite or nitrate yielded less aflatoxin than did control broth or no aflatoxin at all. When compared to the control, an increase in growth and amount of aflatoxin occurred in SAS broth which contained 200 ppm of NaNO3. Sausages containing 100 and 200 ppm NaNO2 and no NaCl supported more mold growth and aflatoxin production than did control sausage with 3% NaCl and 100 ppm of NaNO2. Addition of 2 and 3% NaCl and no nitrite to sausage resulted in less aflatoxin than in control sausage.


The spread of cancer in the organism. Facts and problems. In this review, cancer is conceived as an alteration of the suface-monitored social behavior of cells. Apart from impaired growth controls, loss of residency (tissue affiliation) is the most important consequence of this homeostatic disorder. It results in local spread (penetration) which is initiated by locomotive and/or desctructive activities of the neoplastic cells. Access of cancer elements to the circulation possibly leads to distant spread (metastasis). Penetration and metastasis largely depend upon reactions of the organism, which are of an ill-understood, ambiguous nature favoring both the tumor and the host.


[Molecular structure and drug activity. Example: sex hormones]. In sexual-hormone activity differences arise when only a minimum change in the structure of a known molecule is made. Even the physiological hormones have similar structures but extremely different properties. Small variations of the steroid molecule lead to orally active progestogens and estrogens. The discovery of orally active androgens and the development of anabolic agents and antiandrogens proceeds also by very small changes of known structures. Out of a million possible variations of the steroid molecule, the synthesis of approximately 80 000 structures has been realized.


Sedimentary record of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Lake Constance. The enrichment of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in dated sediments from Lake Constance during the past 75 years corresponds to the general increase of European coal consumption within the same period of time. Coals are assumed to be the main source of heavy-metal enrichment; incomplete combustion (pyrolysis) of coal also seems to be responsible for the very sharp increase of PAH.


Comparative psychoacoustics: perspectives of peripheral sound analysis in mammals. Psychophysical data on hearing in mammals are summarized. The data are then correlated to the anatomy and physiology of the ear. Common mechanisms of sound transfer and analysis in the acoustic system, with stress on the auditory periphery, are discussed. In this paper an attempt is made to bring basic psychoacoustic data from man and mammals in a logical line with the anatomy, physiology, and biophysics of the ear. This comparative approach is based on man and those five mammals, including bat and dolphin, for which sufficient data are available.


[The regulation of acute inflammatory processes by systemic changes of plasma protein profiles]. Local inflammatory processes in the human as well as in experimental animals cause a selective increase or decrease of the hepatic synthesis rate of many plasma proteins. The resulting systemic changes in the plasma-protein profile regulate the extent of the local inflammatory response. The physiologic importance of this feedback mechanism is directed at preventing the spread of local inflammatory tissue destruction. By means of mediator substances involved in this regulatory system, the infalmmatory responses can be experimentally manipulated.


Insulin-induced hypoglycemia and the electroencephalogram in goats. The effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia on the cortical electroencephalogram was examined in adult goats and kids. Adult goats were injected subcutaneously with 8 or 12 units/kg of insulin or intravenously with 1.2 to 10 units/kg. From a certain level between 15 and 25 mg/dl of blood glucose downwards, marked slowing of electroencephalogram was evident. When the blood glucose level was below 15 mg/dl, abnormal behaviors severer than lassitude appeared. They included inability of standing, twitching of face muscles, writhing, stupor and severe twitching of the head. No tetanic convulsions were observed in the present 8-hour experiments. When kids were injected subcutaneously with 8 units/kg of insulin, they showed the same relations among blood glucose level, electroencephalogram and behavior as the adult goats. They manifested abnormal behaviors, including tetanic convulsions.


Indomethacin in Bartter's syndrome: does the syndrome represent a state of hyperprostaglandinism? In three patients with Bartter's syndrome, indomethacin administration resulted in the disappearance of the hypokalemic alkalosis and in a normalization of the elevated plasma renin activity. Changes in calcium and phosphate metabolism during indomethacin medication seemed to indicate an increase in reabsorption activity of the renal proximal tubulus. A kidney biopsy performed in one of the patients showed, besides hyperplasia of juxtaglomerular cells, hyperplasia of interstitial medullary cells which are presumed to produce prostaglandins. As indomethacin is a well-known inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, the observations suggest that an overproduction of renal prostaglandins could well be of pathogenetic significance in Bartter's syndrome.


Removal of guanidinosuccinic acid by hemodialysis. The dialysis clearance of guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA) was measured in vitro and in vivo in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. The in vitro (44 +/- 5 [SEM] ml/min) and in vivo (40 +/- 7 ml/min) clearances were similar to and lower than those of urea and creatinine. Plasma GSA concentrations predialysis (210 +/- 49 microgram/100 ml) were higher then those of controls ( less than 40 microgram/100 ml) and decreased substantially at the end of a single hemodialysis (percent decrease: 53 +/- 5). Marked increase of plasma GSA concentrations 12 h postdialysis were found in only two cases. An attempt was made to derive a single curve predicting plasma GSA decline during dialysis using the data obtained in these patients. The removal data suggest that the space of distribution of GSA approximates the extracellular fluid volume.


Relationship between juxtaglomerular apparatus and plasma renin activity in human reno-vascular hypertension. Juxtaglomerular cell count (JGCC) and juxtaglomerular activity (JA) on the fragments of the ischemic kidney and plasma renin activity (PRA) in peripheral venous blood were studied in 26 renovascular patients. In 11 cases PRA was also measured in renal venous blood. JGCC and JA values were always above normal range and both were significantly related to the PRA values in peripheral venous blood, while only JA was related to the PRA values in renal venous blood. These data indicate that in human renovascular hypertension the juxtaglomerular apparatus is hyperplastic and hypergranulated: the correlation between its morphological appearance and PRA seems to indicate that the renin-angiotensin system may be in some way involved in the genesis of hypertension.


Renal venous plasma renin reactivity in clinical and experimental renovascular hypertension: renin reactivity in renovascular hypertension. Plasma renin reactivity (PRR) is the in vitro rate of angiotensin generation after addition of exogenous renin to plasma. The purpose of the present study is to compare measurements of PRR in venous effluent from the involved and uninvolved kidneys in both experimental and clinical renovascular hypertension. A two-kidney model of experimental hypertension was created by placing an ameroid resin constrictor around one renal artery in each of seven dogs. Plasma renin activity (PRA) in venous plasma from the involved kidney increased  (p less than 0.001); comparing PRA in venous effluent from the stenotic and nonstenotic kidneys, the PRA ratio also increased ( p less than 0.005). Renal venous PRR did not change on either side after occlusion of the renal artery (p greater than 0.1), and the renal venous PRR ratio did not differ from the mean control ratio of 1.0 +/- 1 SE (p greater than 0.1). Similarly, in 9 patients with renovascular hypertension, mean PRR in venous plasma from the two kidneys did not differ (p greater than 0.8). These results suggest that measurement of renal venous PRR is not helpful in confirming a diagnosis of renovascular hypertension.


Thyroid function in children with chronic renal failure. Thyroid function was evaluated in 24 children (aged 4-18 years) with chronic renal failure either before institution of hemodialysis or after more than 3 months of hemodialysis. 22 patients were clinically euthyroid and 2 were hypothyroid; in one case hypothyroidism was secondary to cystinosis and in the other it followed radiation therapy. The 2 hypothyroid patients had subnormal levels of T4, T3, FTI and FT4 as well as elevated serum TSH levels. Mean values for T4, T3, FTI and FT4 for the remaining 22 patients were within the normal range, but were significantly decreased, (all p values less than 0.01) when compared to controls. TSH and TBG levels were not significantly different from those of the normal population. Eleven of the euthyroid patients (50%) had either T3 or FT4, but not both, below the normal range without elevation of their TSH levels. These findings suggest that in the absence of other causes of hypothyroidism, children with chronic renal failure are able to maintain a clinically euthyroid state with either normal FT4 or T3 serum levels and can respond to primary gland failure with elevated TSH secretion.


Cryoglobulinaemic nephropathy with papillary necrosis. Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis due to mixed essential cryoglobulinaemia is reported in association with unilateral renal papillary necrosis. This previously unreported manifestation of cryoglobulinaemia supports the vascular theory of aetiology of papillary necrosis.


The prognostic value of some clinical and histological parameters in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN): report of 112 cases. 112 cases of MPGN, whose diagnosis was made on light microscopy, were reviewed. Histological examination showed 66 cases of 'classical' MPGN, 33 of MPGN with a lobular pattern and 13 of MPGN with epithelial crescents. In 11 patients dense intramembranous deposits were observed. On immunofluorescence (95 cases) 62 patients showed deposits of C3 together with immunoglobulins, 20 had a predominant deposition of C3 and in 13 C3 alone was present. At the moment of biopsy 57 patients had nephrotic syndrome, 43 hypertension, 43 impaired renal function and 65 hypocomplementaemia. In 23 cases, one or more episodes of macroscopic haematuria occurred. The actuarial survival was 70% after 10 years and 50% after 20 years from onset. At last observation 25 patients were dead or on haemodialysis, 22 had impaired renal function, 62 had normal renal function and 2 were in complete remission. The histological variety with epithelial crescents had a significantly worse outcome. The presence of dense deposits or of any specific immunofluorescence pattern had no prognostic significance. Nephrotic syndrome, renal function impairment and hypertension indicated a poor prognosis: however, macroscopic hamaturia or hypocomplementaemia did not influence the outcome.


Glomerular metabolism in protein-load proteinuria. Rats were injected with various amounts of bovine albumin (0.5, 1.0 and 1.75 g/24h), inducing thereby proteinuria ranging from 100 to 400 mg/24h. The glomerular oxygen uptake, dry weight and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PHD) activity were measured on the 4th day of proteinuria and in a group of control animals. Oxygen uptake increased of +60%, expressed per glomerulus and of +25% when expressed per milligram dry weight and this increase was not different between the 3 groups of rats. Glomerular dry weight increased significantly in the 3 series. There was an highly significant relationship between glomerular dry weight and oxygen uptake, combining the 3 series together. G-6-PDH increased as expected from previous experiments and this increase was more marked for the more marked proteinuria. The relationship between G-6-PDH and QO2 was of borderline statistical significance (p=0.05). The glomerular hypertrophy, oxidative hyperactivity and increase in G-6-PDH activity are probably related to transcellular transport of protein.


Chronic peritoneal dialysis in the management of diabetics with terminal renal failure. Twelve diabetics with terminal renal failure were maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) for 2-28 months (average 10 months). 7/12 survived more than 1 year. Blood glucose levels were well controlled by the use of supplemental, intradialysis, intraperitoneal insulin. The incidence of dialysis-related complications, including peritonitis was not significantly higher than in controls. Neurophysiological studies revealed a high incidence of neuropathy initially with progression in most patients. Radiological studies revealed initial vascular calcifications in 7 out of 12 patients with progression in 4. Retinopathy did not progress significantly. PD is a suitable alternative to hemodialysis in the management of end-stage diabetic nephropathy.


Acceleration of peritoneal dialysis with simple device. Peritoneal dialysis in acute and chronic renal failure has been greatly facilitated by the advent of Tenckhoff indwelling peritoneal catheters and by strict control of peritoneal infections. A number of reports on long-term treatment have been  published. A simple device has been developed and tested for regular peritoneal dialysis in the hospital and in the home, in order to accelerate the time required. Employing a 'single needle apparatus', a rotary pump and a themostatic heating unit, it is possible to carry out a very efficacious peritoneal dialysis, similar to the 'continuous peritoneal dialysis'. The purpose of this paper is to discuss its use and its advantages in comparison with classic procedures.


Concentrations of antidiuretic hormone in plasma during human sodium restriction. Negative sodium balance was produced in 10 human volunteers. Body weight, plasma sodium, osmolality, hematocrit, renin activity (PRA), and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentrations were determined before, during, and after sodium restriction. Body weight declined and PRA rose during the period of low sodium intake. Plasma sodium concentration and osmolality did not change. A statistically significant change in ADH was not observed. It is suggested that a decrease in ADH was prevented by a rising titer of renin and contraction of the extracellular space.


Proliferative glomerulonephritis in monoclonal gammopathy. A 62-year-old white male suffering from plasmacytosis with monoclonal gammopathy developed gastrointestinal bleeding, microscopic hematuria, proteinuria and progressive azotemia. A renal biopsy demonstrated capillary wall thickening, mesangial hyperplasia, crescent formation and subepithelial humps. Serum immunoglobulin analysis showed IgG of lambda type. Serum complement, ANA, ASO titer and cryoglobulin were normal. It is suggested that proliferative glomerulonephritis with subepithelial humps should be added to forms of renal pathology that can be seen in plasma cell dyscrasias.


[Surgical indications in lesions of the brachial plexus]. The development of microsurgery and the improved technique of nerve grafting brought new hope in cases of brachial plexus injury. Especially the Tinnel-Hofmann sign is a very helpful parameter in preoperative examination. Cases without any regeneration or no advancement should be operated between 3 and 6 months after the injury. Neurolysis or nerve grafting should be performed. In cases of avulsion of the roots a reneurotisation by nerve transfer is the technique of choice. The intercostal nerves are connected with important parts of the brachial plexus. Also in late cases (after 6 months) an epineurectomy and neurolysis may help to encourage further regeneration. Useful recovery could be achieved in a fairly high number of patients by restoration of continuity by nerve grafts or neurolysis. The functional results can further be improved by exploiting all available reconstructive techniques.


[Dislocations of the face and skull. Report of 20 cases]. The authors present a serie of 20 cases of craniofacial injuries with or without CSF leakage. They propose a simple classification in 2 groups following the impact: braniofacial injury or orbitofacial injury. For their, craniofacial or orbitofacial injuries are to be operated in one stage by an neurosurgical and maxillofacial team. The best time for operation is approximately around the 10th day following trauma.


[Autochthonous cases of cranial echinococcosis]. The above case-report of Echinococcosis involving the vault presents some noteworthy features, namely:--its occurence in a patient who has never left continental France;--it represents a vault localisation in which, despite the large size attained by the cyst, the latter has remained well-circumscribed;--X-ray examination revealed important condensation reactions without newbone formation and calcification of the cyst wall.


[Individual psychotherapy. Institutional psychotherapy: Theoretical-clinical aspect]. At the Clínica Hospital Vasco de Quiroga, in Morelia, satisfying results were obtained using a psychotherapeutic approach that included abreaction of conflicts, exercise of directive authority, an attitude to relieve the patient of his guilt, advising, orienting and persuading the patients. This approach includes establishing rapport, obtaining information about the problem, elaborating a diagnostic impression, orienting oneself towards individual psychotherapy, and evaluating how frequently the sessions will be held, according to the therapist's affective neutrality, time available and capacity to listen.


[Hydatid cysts of the brain. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems apropos of 100 cases]. The authors report 100 cases of hydatid cysts of the brain operated in the Neurosurgical Department (C.H.U. of Algier). They compars their data with those of the litterature. It appears once more that cerebral hydatidosis affects the children living in endemic countries and looks like a quite pure increased intracranial pressure. Supratentorial situation of the mass can be approached many times by the E.E.G. A right diagnosis is possible in almost all cases (6/7) by angiographic examination. Surgical technique is simple but one must keep a great attention in removing these "virulent" cysts. As a rule, the results are good, as far as the patients are not in a bad status before the operation. Unfortunately becalse of a late diagnosis, one patient among three is blind after the operation as he was before.


[Individual psychotherapy. Experience pretending to be practiced in the general hospital]. This article points out that it is possible to carry out institutional psychotherapy, if one knows a theory and a technique which will foster the psychotherapeutic process through an approach following the psychoanalytic model, but with a limited number of sessions. A therapeutic alliance with limited goals is established; it permits to work with the demands of the patient, promoting and maintaining a positive transference which will eliminate the sense of rejection in the process of termination. The author insists on team work, necessary to review the material obtained in each session and on formulation of a psychodynamic diagnosis.


[Group therapy. Rehabilitation of heart and hemiplegic patients]. In this paper, ideas and methods for working in group psychoterapy with hemiplegics and post-heart-attack patients in a general hospital in Mexico City are outlined. With hemiplegics support therapy is used and with heart-attack-patients, learning therapy. Both groups meet once a week.


[Reliability of the results of the ultrasonic hemodynamic recording (Doppler effect) in the diagnosis of cerebral ishemic ischemia of carotid origin]. The Doppler ultrasound diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis (asymetrical systolic and diastolic flows; elevated resistance index: ratio of flow pulse amplitude to systolic and diastolic values; flow reversal in the ophtalmic artery) is compared, in 52 patients, to the clinical, angiographic (40 patients) an surgical findings and to the peroperative measure of intra-arterial pressure and flow (30 patients). Its reliability is proved as a guide for angiographic exploration and for postoperative watching, but it is restricted to great vessels (cervical carotid artery) and is unable to detect ulcerated plate without stenosis.


[Diagnostic and prognostic value of the brain stem reflexes in severe post-traumatic coma]. Authors study the neurological evolution of 50 cases of traumatic coma and recognize 5 misfunction levels corresponding to five steps of rostrocaudal deterioration. The level 1 (cortico-sub-cortical) is defined by the persistence of the mimic and flexion response to painful stimulation. The level 2 (diencephalic) is characterized by stereotypic responses to pain and lack of mimic. At these two levels, the fronto-orbicular and vertical oculo-vestibular reflexes are persistent. These reflexes disappear when the status impair caudodal to the level 3 (meso-diencephalix junction). The photomotor reflex disappear at the level 4 (mesencephalic), where the motor response to pain may be very poor, or may be a bilateral extension. The horizontal oculo-vestibular reflex is always persistent, except for the level 5 corresponding to a pontine lesion. The meso-diencephalic level 3 appears to be a critical impairment point: as long as the level is not overpassed, the half of the patients do improve and 10% only die. More than 75% of those who improve from this level have an excellent recovery. The restructuration probability is diminished by the half when the level of mesencephalic misfunction is reached.


[A module of statistical analysis of the intracranial pressure: the S.A.I.C.P. system]. This paper describes an automatic system designed so as to provide a statistical analysis of I.C.P. (A.S.P.I.C. System). It functions on line at the patient's bedside, in connection with any electromanometer. It issues, after an acquirement period of 24 hours or less, three different informations: 1) the pressure class frequency distribution or histogram, 2) the modal pressure, that is to say the most frequent pressure, and 3) two standard deviations which measure the dispersion of the right and left part of the histogram. The meaning of those informations are reminded, according to anterior researchs, and some illustrations of A.S.P.I.C. System applications are presented.


[Group psychotherapy. Institutional group psychotherapy with a realistic aim]. It is of great emotional impact to lose upper or lower limbs; adequate psychological handling of such a loss is described. Mourning will bary if amputation was programmed or carried out without warning. In the group, individual conflict, depression and the problem of function loss are handled, more than problems of the patient vis-a-vis the institution. Characteristics of the group are described.


[Group psychotherapy. Operative groups at the Instituto del servico de seguridad Social de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE)]. An operational group is defined; how operational groups theory was applied at an ISSSTE clinic is described. It is underlined how operational groups promote change around the corerstone of a "task". The vicissitudes of an operational group with four psychiatrists who worked in community psychiatry at the ISSSTE, are described.


[Group psychotherapy. Working team in community psychiatry]. A Community Psychiatry program was begun, based on the needs and requests of a clinic (this approach is restricted because there are institutional factors that only the institution can change). The work was aimed at sensitizing the beneficiaries and change clinic factors modifiable through operative group technique. When a great deal of every day stereotypes appeared, role playing was used: as a result, people in the clinic realized how they acted and how they asked from others behaviors that they themselves found difficult to show. As results, it was found that when workers were confronted with reality, desertion from operative groups appeared, with projection of problems (them, not me), great fear of change (fantasized in different ways), group passivity and the image of the institution, that the group saw as a persecutor.


[Group psychotherapy. Aspects of mental health in a program of community psychiatry]. At the  ISSSTE, a community psychiatry program was created and is being developed in two areas: the population of beneficiaries who attend two clinics and groups of employees of those same clinics at their respective places of work. The main purpose is to carry out prevention in mental health. In this report only the work in the first session of eight employee operative groups is reported. The method, the difficulties and the characteristics of the groupings are explained. Some theoretical aspects are shown. Results showed: 1. Little correspondence between the internal reality of the beneficiaries. 2. Difficulties in communication which produce differences of criteria with the clinic. 3. Difficulties in the internal distribution of power. 4. Unnecessary expenditure of energy. 5. Suggestions to solve the problems handled in the group. 6. Resistance against responsibilities.


[Group psychotherapy. Experience with a changing process at a clinic of the Instituto del Servicio de Seguridad Social de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE)]. The problems of an ISSSTE clinic were approached within the general systems theory and it was observed that within the group there existed forces to maintain the status-quo and forces towards change; to produce the latter the group was handled during 20 hours with a slightly directive technique. The goals were to improve interpersonal relationships, to increase communication, to make known to individuals their attitudes within a group and make them sensitive to problems they shared with others. The results were good, the status-quo was broken and change started occurring.


[Group psychotherapy with an analytical orientation at the Tlatelolco clinic of neuropsychiatry]. Since most of the patients who attend for psychiatric consultation at a clinic are little motivated for psychotherapy, analytic group therapy was attempted, with basis on studies on psychological genetics, on groups management, and on the theories of Freud, Klein and Bion. Several open groups were handled, with the following achievements: 1. A decrease in anxiety, and increase in the objective vision of reality and in increase in the ability to see past and present conflicts. 2. A greater tolerance to agressive and sexual instincts and to frustration. 3. A greater personal acceptance, ability to sublimate productively and elimination of clinical symptoms. Varying degrees of improvement, and lesser need for psychiatric medication and hospitalization were obtained. Several problems were encountered: a) Desertion of 30% of patients from the sessions, due to the disapearance of symptoms buth with no character changes (resistances). b) Temporary absence or habit of arriving late to the sessions (resistances). c) Overwhelming passivity. The groups were handled in cotherapy and the work was supervised with experienced therapists. To attempt solving the above mentioned problems a better selection of patients was made, complete clinical histories were elaborated, a  battery of psychological tests was made, and diagnosis, dynamics and prognosis of each case were outlined; this allowed the evaluation of middle and long term treatment. It was suggested to change the technique to that of operative groups.


[Psychotherapy for children. Generalities]. Child psychotherapy has limited use in an institution. Through play one can appreciate the conflicts and suggest solutions, either verbally or through the play itself. As a framework one can use a dynamic concept of development and learning, and an educational approach. First one must elaborate a clinical history, do a physical examination and apply psychological tests in order to make a good diagnosis. The approach and treatment should be interdisciplinary. The institutional difficulties for this type of work are mentioned.


[Psychotherapy for children. Institutional management of psychiatric cases in minors]. The history of the approach to children with psychiatric problems is reviewed. The author insists in elaborating a diagnosis based in a clinical history, a physical and neurological examination, and the necessary tests. Factors of importance are: the indirect clinical history, the observation of the child, the first emotional contact with him, the exploring of his fantasies (three wishes) and the observation of his drawings, paintings and models. The child is sent to audiology, phoniatry or neurology specialists if his case requires it. Treatment can include psychiatric medication, psychotherapy or both.


[Psychotherapy for children. Theoretical and practical approach]. The vicissitudes of institutional outpatient child psychiatry and the lessening of psychotherapeutic work due to the great amount of patients are described. It is mentioned how adolescents have been treated in groups and individually, and how family therapy was introduced. Play therapy has not been used due to the described time limitations. The handling of the environment surrounding the child is described, with basis on behavioral schemata; when the case requires it is focused psychoanalytically, in order to produce long-standing intrapsychic changes. It is remarkable how well adolescents accept group therapy, which helps their formation during the life stage they are going through.


[Family psychotherapy in medical institutions of the Instituto del Servicio de Seguridad Social de los Trabajadores del Estado]. The evolution of family therapy in Mexico is briefly reviewed. It is considered that the reach of this method is limited in institutions due to the lack of qualified psychotherapists with the different orientations of this speciality. The illness, as a sign of family imbalance within the humanistic concept, acquires an even if the treatment is given to the marital couple, the adolescent or the child. Family therapy helps in marital disagreements, behavior problems, anorexia, reactive depression, drug addictions, alcoholism and many other problems. The ISSSTE population has a stable location and is more or less homogeneous; in it family therapy is stimulating and possible; even though the institution imposes certain limitations to family therapy, the enthusiasm for this therapeutic method prevails.


[The place of psychotherapy in an institution of social security]. In a social security system that includes prepaid, integral medical care, psychiatric services function in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in a close relationship with the rest of medical care, the psychotherapies are part of an eclectic system of psychiatric attention, but also of the psychological aspects of institution-patients, institution-beneficiaries and institution-staff relationships. Within diverse psychotherapeutic schools, common denominators of the therapeutic process are outlined, as well as the background philosophy of the system.


[Individual psychotherapy. Institutional approach]. In traditional psychiatric institutions, illness tends to become chronic: several psychiatric schools try to present this. One of them refers to institutional psychotherapy, which will vary according to the patient's pathology, the therapist's objectives, the structure of the institution and the patient's and therapist's ideology. The author describes a phenomenological-existential approach as opposed to the psychoanalytic approach, and classifies the types of therapy he applies in the institutional setting.


[Individual psychotherapy. Institutional psychotherapy: theoretical-practical aspect]. The author describes his experience in institutional psychotherapy, at the Clínica Hospital of Villahermosa, Tabasco. He mentions factors in the patient, in the psychiatrist, in the institution and in the culture, as fostering the success or the failure of institutional psychotherapy. He shows the effectiveness of this type of treatment in this enviroment and describes ways of improving this kind of work.


[Individual psychotherapy. Theoretical-practical aspect of institutional psychotherapy]. The author explains the characteristics of the psychiatric outpatient population in Hermosillo and mentions that these do not allow for the use of traditional psychotherapy. He underlines the importance of the affective ties of the patient with the institution (based on previously formed stereotypes). The author describes also several short therapy techniques, such as persuasion, suggestion, brief psychotherapy and group psychotherapy (for which special training is required). He tells of his experience using psychotherapy with psychiatric medication in an institution.


[Individual psychotherapy. Institutional psychotherapy. Individual approach]. In the psychiatric management of patients where the author works the following factors are given careful  consideration: a) source of referral, b) previous information about the illness, c) the content of the first session, d) obstacles for further treatment and e) theoretical basis for the psychotherapy sessions. Bellak and Small outlines are followed to structure brief and emergency psychotherapy at the author's institution.


[Individual psychotherapy. Theoretical-clinical aspect. An institutional approach]. The author proposes that in institutions the orthodox way of observing the patient psychotherapeutically has to be changed by concepts of brief therapy; for this it is required to understand the dynamics of the patient and his response to treatment. Other important points in relation with the above are the institution (locale, furniture and paramedical personnel) and the time available to approach the patient. The author states that to achieve a good therapeutic result in a short time there are three requisites for the therapist: personal analysis, supervised clinical experience and training in psychodynamics.


[Individual psychotherapy. Approach in a regional hospital]. The author mentions the needs and the type of work psychiatrists do in a general hospital; he underlines the importance of good communication between the psychiatrists and the general practitioner. Success depends on the selection of patients and of the analytic framework the author uses. It is mentioned that the therapist-patient relationship can be damaging or beneficial according to the way it is handled.


[Growth hormone, prolactin, LH and FSH secretion in tissue culture of pituitary adenomas (author's transl)]. We have performed tissue culture of pituitary adenomas (5 acromegalies, 7 non-acromegalies) and measured GH, PRL, LH and FSH in the media of tissue culture by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for 30-40 days. In addition, GH, PRL, LH and FSH were measured in the plasma and tumor tissue by RIA. GH concentration in the culture media was markedly high in all cases with acromegaly and high also in 2 out of 7 non-acromegaly cases (case 6 and 7). GH concentration in the media rapidly decreased almost as a straight line on a semilogarithmic scale until the 30-40 in day, when GH level became less than 10 ng/ml. PRL concentration in the culture media was high in 5 patients (3 acromegalies, 2 non-acromegalies). PRL concentration regressed more slowly than GH, but still remained higher than 10 ng/ml in all of the patients on the 25-40th day when the studies were discontinued. LH and FSH concentrations in the culture media was high in two patients. One patient was a pituitary adenoma secreting LH and FSH, and another case was a false high secreting one, possibly contaminated with gonadotropin in normal pituitary gland at surgical operation. LH and FSH concentrations rapidly decreased as that of GH. A rare case of primary LH and FSH secreting pituitary adenoma was demonstrated.


[Two cases of nonketotic hyperosmolar coma in neurosurgery (author's transl)]. Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperosmolarity and dehydration in the absence of ketoacidosis. Two cases of hyperosmolar nonketotic coma, in which both the patients recovered, were presented. One of the cases was a 59-year-old female who had suffered from a metastatic brain tumor. After removal of the tumor, the patient's condition improved for a period. This was followed by a period of frequent vomiting, subsequently followed by coma. The laboratory data showed the absence of ketoacidosis in the blood sugar measured at 672 mg/dl and serum osmolarity at 343.1 mOsm./kg. The other case was a 74-year-old female who was admitted to the clinic because of cerebral thrombosis. Her caloric in-take was restricted and insulin was administered because of a mild diabetes mellitus which occured after admission. Then she entered a hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma. The laboratory data revealed blood sugar to be 1068 mg/dl and serum osmolarity to be 418 mOsm./kg. Immediately after large amounts of intravenous drip infusion and insulin were administerd, she recovered from the syndrome. The clinical observations and the pathogenesis of this syndrome were discussed.


[Thoraco-lumbar spinal tumor associated with papilledema (author's transl)]. Increased intracranial pressure and papilledema are occasionally observed in patients harboring spinal tumors in the cervical region or at the craniocervical junction, and the mechanical obstruction to the cerebrospinal fluid circulation is assumed to be responsible for such symptoms and signs. However, increased intracranial pressure is very rare in spinal tumors locating in the dorso-lumbar region; only 44 such cases having been reported in the literature. Recently we saw a 58-year-old female who presented with three brief episodes of loss of consciousness associated with nausea and vomiting, progressive dementia and insomnia. Neurologic examination disclosed an early papilledema, weakness of both legs and dementia. A left carotid angiogram revealed a small aneurysm arising from C2 segment of the internal carotid artery. Right carotid and bilateral vertebral angiograms were not contributory. The aneurysm was clipped at the first operation. The aneurysm was found apparently unruptured. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt failed to improve her dementia. Finally, a total myelographic block was found at L1 level, and a neurinoma arising from the right D12 was removed. After this, all symptoms and signs disappeared within 3 weeks. Pertinent literature on the low spinal cord tumor associated with an intracranial pressure was reviewed and the mechanism of the elevation of intracranial pressure in such cases were discussed.


[Endocrinopathy due to intracranial aneurysm (Part I)--Direct kinetic effect of aneurysm on the hypothalamo pituitary system (author's transl)]. Intracranial aneurysm rarely causes endocrinopathy clinically, however, many laboratory data show abnormality concerning endocrine function. To elucidate the reasons of these endocrine dysfunction, the authors investigated several representative patients in our department and the reported cases. The major part of reported cases suggests that the direct kinetic effect of aneurysms on the hypothalamopituitary system resulted in the endocrinopathy. The common features are described as follows. 1) Aneurysm were of large size. 2) Most aneurysms were located at the intracranial internal carotid artery. 3) They had no previous history of SAH usually. 4) Visual impairment was one of the common manifestation among them. 5) The higher frequency of the reported pituitary dysfunction in laboratory examination was shown in the following turn. However, some of our cases did not always agree with the reported ones. SAH operation etc. were considered to be the reasons of this discrepancy.


[Classification of intracerebral hematoma (lateral type) on C.T. and its relation to the shift of the lenticulostriate arteries (author's transl)]. Classification of intracerebral hematoma (lateral type) with C.T. was tried. And also, the relationship among the location of the hematoma, the shift of the lenticulostriate arteries and the prognosis of hemiparesis was verified. The results were as follows; 1) The location of the hematoma was classified into four types: 1. anterior type (the hematoma mainly located in the anterior limb of internal capsula). 2. Posterior type (the hematoma mainly located in the posterior limb of internal capsula). 3. lateral type (the hematoma mainly located just below the insula). 4. spread to the all direction type. 2) The lenticulostriate arteries was divided into three portions: L1 portion is the part from the origin at the middle cerebral artery to the knee point, L3 is the part of the distal portion of the lenticulostriate arteries, and L2 portion in the part between L1 and L3 portions. L1 portion was mainly shifted medially in the anterior type of the hematoma. L2 portion was mainly shifted medially in the lateral type of the hematoma. L3 portion was mainly shifted in the posterior type of the hematoma. L1, L2, L3, all portions were shifted medially in the type in which the hematoma spread to all directions 3) The prognosis of the hemiparesis was best in the lateral type of the hematoma, and next in the anterior type. In the posterior type and all spread type, it was worst.


[Agenesis of internal carotid artery associated with aneurysm of anterior communicating artery (author's transl)]. A case of agenesis of the left internal carotid artery with an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery was reported in detail. The patient was a 48-year-old man who had an episode of subarachnoid hemorrhage about 10 years ago. This time left heminumbness and motor weakness of the left lower extremity occured and he was brought our hospital. Right common carotid angiography, left retrograde brachial serial angiography and aortography demonstrated an agenesis of the left internal carotid artery, an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery, tortuous megadolic hobasilar artery and anomalies on the circle of Willis such as absence of supra optic portion of the right anterior cerebral artery, and large left posterior communicating artery. We confirmed latter findings by operation. After successful neck clipping of the aneurysm, his clinical findings were remarkably improved.


[Surgical treatment of the thoracic arterio-venous malformation with intraspinal and extraspinal niduses (author's transl)]. Recent advances in the technique of selective spinal angiography and microsurgery have provided us remarkable progress in diagnosis and treatment of spinal arteriovenous malformation. Although in some cases total extirpation is still difficult, various attempts have been performed for complete cure. In this paper, the authors reported a case of 6-year-old girl who complained of the progressive gait disturbance. In this case we found the thoracic AVM which had niduses not only in the intraspinal canal but also in the extraspinal space. Transthoracic ligature was performed in this case. That is, through a thoracotomy with rib resection on the right side, the enlarged anomalous feeding artery, i.e., intercostal artery with its branches, from which Adamkiewicz's artery should be derived was ligated and clipped. And the result was good. In Japan, we have never had a report of such surgical method for AVM. Besides such a case is very rare that the AVM had nidus extending to both intra- and extra-spinal canal space. So we discussed the treatment against such an AVM with the investigations of literatures. Further follow-up study for this case will be reported later. The paper was read by the authors at the 53rd Kyushu region meeting of Japan Neurological Society (February 28, 1976, Kagoshima).


[Serum insulin binding activity and diabetic retinopathy]. Radiochemical evaluation of serum insulin-binding activity in diabetics shows that there are no correlations between this behaviour and diabetic retinopathy. High values are mainly encountered in insulin-dependent diabetics; its nil or poor inhibition, owing to the effect of preincubation of the serum with high concentrations of unlabelled insulinic antigen, suggests that the phenomenon is connected above all to the presence of aspecific serous factors that "bind" the labelled hormone.


[Blood viscosity and triglyceridemia. Findings using a co-axial cylindrical viscosimeter at low "shear rates"]. Examination of blood viscosity at low shear rates using a co-axial cylinder viscometer showed a significant difference between the means of values observed in hypertrigliceridemic patients compared with that of control subjects. This result differs from what has been reported by most workers although generally greater shear rates have been used. Calculation of the "r" coefficient and plotting of the regression line for each shear rate showed that there is no linear correlation between blood viscosity and triglyceridaemia, whose variations occur quite independently. It is suggested that the absence of a correlation between the two parameters examined may depend on various factors, of which the most important are those pertaining to the rheological properties of red blood cells and to the structure and chemical and physical characteristics of the triglyceride molecule and of the lipoproteins and chylomicrons which transport them.


[Aspects of glycolipid metabolism in chronic renal insufficiency: interference of oral glucose administration during and after dialysis with changes induced by short dialyses with glucose free dialysate]. As part of some research into certain aspects of glycolipidic metabolism in chronic renal insufficiency, a study has been made of alterations in glycaemia, insulinaemia, free fatty acids and triglycerides during and following brief periods of dialysis by glucose-free bath in 26 subjects: within this group, 50 g of glucose were administered to 8 patients at the 2nd hour of dialysis and 100 g to another 8 at the end of therapy. The following findings were made during glucose-free dialysis: marked hypoglycaemia starting from the first hour until the end, marked increase in FFA and marked fall in TG upon the lipolytic action of heparin. In the post-dialysis period, immediate normalization in glycaemia, steady diminution in FFA and notable increase in TG as early as the 1st hour. Administration of glucose during dialysis prevents hypoglycaemia by altering FFA and TG behaviour in the post-dialysis period. Administration of glucose at the end leads to hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia with marked fall in FFA and TG. During dialysis, the phenomena observed depend on the action of heparin, acetate and the absence of glucose. This absence brings on hypoglycaemia with secondary glycogenolysis and-or neoglucogenesis during dialysis; in the post-dialysis period, hepatic neosynthesis of TG in the presence of normal glycaemic and insulinaemic values. Glucose per os determines hyperglycaemia and secondary hyperinsulinaemia with FFA esterification at the level of adipose tissue and a fall in serous TG.


[Methods for the determination of VA/QC ratio]. Physiological considerations relevant to a general understanding of the question are put forward and the main methods used for determining the ventilation-perufsion ratio are described. Over-all methods offer generic evaluation of a change, particularly the method whereby the alveolus/arterial PO2 gradient is measured on straight lines expressing the different points of gas and blood respiratory exchanges, and that which measures the triple CO2, O2 and N2 alveolus/arterial gradient. Methods employed to evaluate the distribution of ratio changes are also explained: evaluation with CO2 labelled with 15O2, 133Xe, 13N2 and 85Kr, using pairs of scintillators, scanning detectors, gamma camera or special cuvettes, and analysis of respiratory He, Ar, O2, CO2, N2O and CHF2Cl at the mouth and inside the lung, using rapid analysers and single or multiple breath methods, or analysis of gas elimination coefficients. It is felt that measurement of the VA:Qc ratio is now within the capacity of all laboratories, so that qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative assessment can be made not only of the ability to ensure efficient alveolar exchange on the part of ventilation and circumation, but also of the presence of compensated changes, or the simultaneous presence of other alterations of various kinds, which cannot be readily detected by using conventional methods.


[Calculation of the systolic time as an index of thyroid performance]. Two methods for determining some features of cardiovascular behaviour in dysthyroidism are compared: time of appearance of the femoral sphygmic wave (as an expression of the cardiovascular response to thyroid hormones); systolic times, particularly tension time (as an expression of the contractile function of the myocardium only). Results in 52 euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid subjects showed that systolic times (especially tension time) are more accurate and more discriminating in the assessment of thyroid performance. Measurement of this interval is thus proposed as an index for the appraisal of myocardial contractility in dysthyroidism, and as an additional means of evaluating thyroid performance.


[Various radiological aspects of spontaneous biliary-digestive fistulas]. A number of significant radiological pictures of spontaneous biliodigestive fistula are presented. The aetiopathogenesis, pathological anatomy and clinical medicine of the condition are reviewed and the techniques available for the radiological investigation of biliodigestive short-circuits considered; the most frequent radiological signs and corresponding pictures are discussed and the complications and differential diagnosis with duodeno-biliar reflow examined.


[Radiological and clinical considerations on the behavior of the interposed jejunal loop in partial and total gastric resection]. A personal series of 102 cases (in five years) where the interposed loop was employed in gastric and duodenal surgery is presented. The behaviour of the transposed jejunal segment is discussed on the basis of radiological study using direct videography.


[Ascites in chronic pancreatitides. Report of 2 cases]. 2 cases of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis complicated by ascites are described. Both presented a cystic formation in the pancreas. In the first, a direct communication existed between the cystic and peritoneal cavities with passage of pancreatic secretion and serous membrane inflammatory reaction. The literature shows that this mechanism is the one most frequently responsible for ascites in chronic pancreatitis. For diagnosis, demonstration of high amylase and proteins in the ascitic fluid was decisive. Internal drainage of the cyst carried out in one of the two cases resolved the picture.


[Use of citiolone in chronic hepatitides. Results of a research with clinical and laboratory controls]. The therapeutic possibilities offered by the use of a new substance, 3-acetamido-2-oxo-tetrahydro-thiophene or citiolone, in two groups of patients, the first suffering from persistent chronic hepatitis, the second from aggressive chronic hepatitis and-or compensated cirrhosis diagnosed on the basis of clinical, laboratory, and bioptic findings have been studied. The experiment was of "between patients" pattern and findings were obtained with the double-blind method. Tests were compared with a placebo and all patients were treated with a basic therapy consisting of a polyvitaminic complex. In both groups, the results confirmed the therapeutic effectiveness of the new substance and this was demonstrable, including statistically, in an improvement in the clinical picture and, above all, in certain liver function exploration tests. At termination of the treatment cycle, liver biopsies were carried out in certain patients and these showed an improvement in the liver cell picture.


[Necrosis of the pouch due to nontraumatic rupture of the pile during permanent endocardial electrostimulation]. Necrosis of the pouch containing the generator, due to non-traumatic breakage of the batteries, was observed in a patient with a permanent pacemaker, followed by rapid ingravescence. The cause of this complication is discussed. Chemical inflammation was noted soon after the pacemaker ceased to function. Initially this was similar to the not uncommon bacterial inflammation noted in such patients. Here, of course, the pacemaker usually continues to work, and its replacement is optional, whereas in the reported case is an emergency matter. In situations where tissue distress in the pouch is accompanied by inflammation, therefore, thought should be given to the possibility that, even if the batteries are still working, the cause may be chemical or electrochemical rather than septic, and than sudden breakdown of the generator may be expected.


[Radiological picture in the diagnosis of various complications of permanent endocardial electrostimulation]. The close links between the implantation of permanent pacemakers and radiological examination are described with particular reference to position of the the right ventricle. Here radiological examination offers the best chance of diagnosis. The need for close cooperation between specialists is emphasised.


[The medico-social problem of rheumatic valve disease in Sicily]. The incidence of rheumatism and rheumatic valvulopathy in Sicily is assessed and the sites most commonly involved in the first and second attacks described. The medical aspects of te question are examined from several points of view: prophylaxis of sites, medical treatment personal and ambient hygiene, gradual defectiveness of the pump, associated diseases, etc. The concept of invalidity is viewed in terms of direct and associated anatomical damage and frank and potential invalidity (absolute or relative), the weight or assistance attributable to the family and the incidence of the local social environment in the question of finding work, etc. The basic criteria for surgery are noted. Care must be taken to preserve the few remaining structures. Mortality is still high and the incidence of heart disease is higher among rheumatic Sicilian children. Not enough is known about overcrowding, the schools attended by the poor, and the higher incidence in low-income classes. Failure to affront some of these features, determined as much by action (or its postponement) by government as by income, results in meaningless medicine, divorced from social reform and true the scientific spirit, a cover for special interests and a demonstration of profit factors wherein the commercialising relationship is increasingly evident.


[Immunopathological syndrome with pleural and systemic localization observed in patients with endocavitary electrostimulators]. Four cases of recurrent pleural effusion that proved particularly resistant to medico-depletive management were observed in patients with intracavitary pacemakers. The picture included fever, high ESR, intense antismooth muscle antibody movement, serum and pleural liquid L.E. phenomenon and positive rheuma test, and mainly igG hypergammaglobulinaemia. The clinical and laboratory data suggested three pathogenetic explanations: 1) autoimmune disease secondary to surgical denaturation of myocardial, endocardial, venous or muscular autoantigens; 2) systemic autoimmune disease due to congenital or acquired instability of the immunological equilibrium; 3) pleural, monosymptomatic L.E. with delayed and dramatic clinical onset. Some practical considerations are expressed with respect to the syndrome and the position in the future.


[Problems of rehabilitation during permanent cardiac stimulation]. The importance of certain features of the classification of diseases of the His system for the purpose of planning and conducting permanent cardiac stimulation (PCE). Stability of the conduction disturbance is essential in classifying low stroke volume syndromes as due to sporadic, frequent or habitual disturbance, and the frequency of stimulation should be geared to that of the syndrome. Rehabilitation during PCE also has its psychological side. Indeed, this almost always surpasses the physical side in importance and is dependent on the patient's job, social and economic standing, and the size of his family, as well as on his own emotional blaance and psychological reactions. About 70% of subjects behave in a normal way (rational acceptance of reality and a correct balance between emotiveness and reason), 20% display anxiety and depression, and the remainder show a typical form of euphoria; in many cases, this is clearly hypomaniacal.


[Artificial pacemakers].

[Artificial pacemakers]. The new generation of pacemakers satisfy three basic requirements; histocompatibility, small size, and long life. Resins have been abandoned in favour of titanium cases. These are completely sealed and there is no risk of infiltration or histotoxicity. In addition, the employment of low consumption circuits and new sources of energy, especially lithium, has enabled the working life of a pacemaker to be extended virtually to its useful limits. The application of electrical stimulation to the treatment of arrhythmia has led to the creation of automatic or magnetically controlled pacemakers that come into action with pulse volleys on the appearance of otherwise intractable rhythm disturbances.


[Radiological changes after mitral valvuloplasty]. The results of a radiological study carried out on a limited number of patients undergoing mitral valvuloplasty are reported. The good results achieved with this technique are confirmed objectively.


[Indications for and limitations of the exercise tests in respiratory physiopathology]. Following a review of the physiology of the subject, attention is concentrated on the significance of O2 consumption during exercise. The stages through which O2 passes prior to being used by the muscles are discussed, i.e. respiratory, cardiocirculatory, haematic, metabolic-tissue stages. Subsequently, the methods most commonly employed to evaluate the capacity of a patient to withstand an exercise test are illustrated and discussed. The various types of ergometers are covered first, the positive and negative features of each being indicated. The various tests are then described, these being subdivided according to their intensity into maximal and submaximal tests and, according to the load, into tests with constant load, increasing load, continuously growing load and variable load. The salient features of each are listed. The measurements (parameters, units, indices) that may be used and the standards to be observed on the basis of W.H.O. and EEC proposals are considered. After presenting the factors on the basis of which an exercise test may be appraised in relation to its purposes, the criteria for interpreting results in healthy and sick subjects are examined, with particular attention being paid to pneumo-patients and those with heart diseases. Particular stress is laid on the variations in certain basic parameters, such as Maximum withstandable effort, Oxygen debt, Maximum aerobic work, Ventilation break point and the behaviour of Haemogasanalytic, ECG, Cardiac output and Pulmonary artery pressure data in normal and pathological situations.


[Liver damage due to alcohol and acute alcoholic hepatitis]. In 15 patients suffering from slight forms of alcohol-induced liver damage, the clinical picture was so varied that correct diagnosis was only possible on the basis of all anamnestic, clinical, biochemical and histological data. From the histopathological viewpoint, the forms presented as simple hepatic steatosis or acute inflammatory lesion (alcoholic hepatitis). Clinical and histological signs are reversible if the patient stops drinking, whereas if he continues to consume alcohol the prognosis is much more serious. This is why it is important to make correct diagnosis even in slight forms of acute alcoholic hepatopathy.


[Potassium depletion. Glucose intolerance. Senile diabetes. Study on eventual pathogenetic relationships 1]. Oral tolerance of glucose was determined in 40 aged subjects with fasting blood sugar values of less than 100 mg/100 ml 56% had normal tolerance, 22% normal for age, and 22% values of diabetic type. In young subjects, only 2% display sugar metabolism disturbances. After 21 days' administration of potassium salts, 34.78% of the normal and 62.5% of the diabetic subjects showed reduced mean blood sugar values for the test, with significant falls at 120' and 180'. Reference is made to other conditions in which potassium depletion is coupled with glucose intolerance, e.g. old age. The pathogenetic significance of potassium depletion with respect to senile diabetes is discussed.


The energetics of protein deposition during growth. Methods of determining protein and energy metabolism in farm animals and man are discussed. From experiments with growing pigs a curve for maximum nitrogen retention has been established and expressed as a quandratic function of metabolic live weight (kg 0.75). from experiments with growing pigs kept on protein  with low biological value and from experiments with low energy level the nitrogen retention is compared with the maximum nitrogen curve and the results are discussed in relation to human nutrition. The comparatively high cost of protein deposition found in experiments with growing farm animals is discussed.


A comparative view on trace elements and growth. The term 'essentiality' of trace elements is interpreted. The major human diseases due to trace element deficience (Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr) are briefly considered. In growing animals the first clinical deficiency symptom most often is a growth retardation. In order to diagnose a deficient situation before the manifestation of clinical symptoms, model studies with growing animals are presented to show criteria that respond sensitively even to suboptimum intake of trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Ni). Activity measurements of enzymes and hormones are found suitable. During the phase of reproduction, which is closely associated with growth, the trace element concentration in milk may provide an additional diagnostic means. In conclusion, the problems of diagnosing the supply status are discussed. A possibility for determination of the trace element requirement is indicated.


Neuropsychiatric disorders of alcoholism. The following neuropsychiatric disorders have been briefly described: alcohol withdrawal syndrome, delirium tremens, alcohol hallucinosis, Wernicke-Korsakow syndrome, seizures, tremor, Marchiafava-Bignami disease, central pontine myelinolysis, alcoholic amblyopia, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration cerebral atrophy, alterations of personality in chronic alcoholics, alcoholic polyneuropathy. The pathogenetical aspects  as well as the pathological findings have been reviewed with special emphasis on nutritional factors.


Alcohol and the pancreas.

Alcohol and the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis is frequently observed in men drinking approximately 2 g-kg-1 day-1 during a mean of 17 years. The diet of these patients is abnormally rich in fat and protein. Giving alcohol and a similar diet to dogs and rats, it has been possible to reproduce chronic alcoholic pancreatitis. In men, dogs and rats, the first lesion seems to be the precipitation of the normal proteins of pancreatic juice into the ducts. Experimentally, chronic alcohol consumption is responsible for the section of a pancreatic juice which has an abnormally high concentration of proteins. This functional modification is partly hormonal but mostly due to cholinergic nerves.


Alcohol consumption and diseases of the liver. Alcoholic liver damage is only produced by constant alcohol intake. Close dose and time relationships are apparent. For many years, alcoholic fatty liver is the only noticeable alteration. It is completely reversible in 2-4 weeks when ethanol intake is stopped. After about 6 years of chronic abuse alcoholic hepatitis may develop. Once established it progresses within weeks or months to cirrhosis if ethanol intake is not discontinued. On the other hand, alcoholic hepatitis heals under complete abstenence from alcohol with unimportant fibrosis. After over-indulgence in alcohol over a period of 22 years, there is a 50% probability of cirrhosis. This shows clearly that the resistance of the liver to alcohol varies considerably in different individuals. Even in early stages of alcoholic cirrhosis the prognosis is reasonable. If these patients observe complete abstenence from ethanol, their life expectation is only slightly different from the average of the population. The extent of the consumption of alcohol is of decisive importance for the development of cirrhosis. New and very careful investigations reveal that the susceptibility to alcohol is different in both sexes. For men the danger level would thus appear to be around 60 g and for women around 20 g of pure alcohol a day. Beyond these critical levels the morbidity of cirrhosis multiplies almost in geometric progression with increasing amounts of ethanol.


The influence of dietary purines and pyrimidines on purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis in man. Allopurinol-induced orotaciduria is reduced by dietary ribonucleic acid (RNA), RNA hydrolysate and different nucleotides. These findings are compatible with feedback regulation of pyrimidine biosynthesis by dietary nucleotides. Serum uric acid and urinary uric acid excretion on a purine-free isoenergetic diet reach a minimum after about 10 days and remain constant thereafter. When purines from different biochemical sources are added to such a diet there is always a linear relationship between dietary purines and serum uric acid level and urinary uric acid excretion. The findings suggest that dietary purines play a minor role if any in the regulation of purine biosynthesis in man.


The nutritional significance of inborn errors of amino acid metabolism. Inborn errors of metabolism affect the metabolism of 7 out of 8 essential amino acids and a number of non-essential ones. Dietary treatment has been applied with varying success. The wide variations in the severity of symptoms in this group of diseases are discussed. Dietary treatment opens the possibility to collect information about the minimal requirements of most essential amino acids. These requirements are likely to be still lower than those mentioned in the WHO Report No. 522, 1976. Children who for years have lived on one of these restricted diets, provide the possibility to compare the effect of such a diet on their nutritional status with that of children living on a normal diet.


Primary and secondary disturbances in trace element metabolism connected with genetic metabolic disorders. Several primarily inherited disturbances of minerals and trace elements have been discovered within the last 20 years. Secondary disturbances of selenium and zinc induced by dietetic treatment of inborn errors of metabolism and by parenteral nutrition also came to our knowledge recently. Two main types of chronic or primary hypomagnesaemia are known which are caused either by impaired intestinal absorption or by false magnesium handling by the kidneys. In acrodermatitis enteropathica, an autosomal-recessive inherited disease leading to characteristic skin lesions, alopecia and dystrophy, low zinc concentrations of serum, urine and hair are measured. The intestinal absorption of zinc is reduced. In copper metabolism two inherited diseases are known with low serum and usually caerulosplasmin concentrations. In Menkes' steely hair syndrome (trichlpoliodystrophy) an intestinal net malabsorption of copper exists, whereas in Wilson's disease the copper contents of several organs are increased.


Coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease. In coeliac disease there is an abnormality of the intestinal mucosa which is caused by ingesting gluten. The intestinal lesion affects predominantly the proximal small intestine and the ileum is either normal or less severely involved than the jejunum. In some cases adaptive changes occur in the ileum, producing enhanced absorption in that region when there is malabsorption in the jejunum. The characteristic absorptive abnormality in coeliac disease is therefore jejunal malabsorption and ileal hyperabsorption. When such a situitation develops it is possible that an indivisual with a flat jejunal mucosa may develop no symptoms of the disease, since the adaptive changes in the ileum compensate for the jejunal lesion. This may explain why in Western society there are probably more cases of coeliac disease undiagnosed in the community that have been treated by their doctors. The basic lesion in coeliac disease appears to be genetically determined and it is likely to be a failure to clear antigen which normally enters the lamina propria of the gut resulting in the formation of immune complexes with complement fixation at gut level.


The energetics of fat deposition during growth. Attention was paid to the levels of importance of maintenance, protein and fat deposition in growing monogastrics. Some information was presented on the composition of their daily gain. Theoretical efficiency values of fat synthesis were derived from biochemical information and compared with those found in balance trials. Factors determining maintenance needs including thermoregulation and physical activity were discussed. Some aspects of energy metabolism and regulation of body fat deposition and mobilization were described including the processes of hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Finally, the role of fat as a well-regulated, rapidly adaptable buffer within the monogastric's total metabolism was emphasized.


[Influence of prolonged protein-free diet on the amino acid content of blood and muscles in rats]. The influence of a protein-free diet in adult male rats has been evaluated for a 6-week period. Nitrogen retention, hepatic protein and free amino acid content in blood and muscle were determined as adaptation criteria. Long-lasting protein depletion did not modify the pattern of response affering in a shorter period: i.e. sparing of nitrogen and use of endogenous amino acids for protein synthesis. Except for lysine, arginine and histidine, the essential amino acids decreased in blood and the non-essential acids increased. The final effect was a decrease of the essential to non-essential amino acid ratio and a decrease in all amino acids in muscle.


Effect of thiamine deficiency in pregnant and lactating rats on the brain of their offspring. In an attempt to create a model of human infantile beriberi, pregnant rats were fed, from the 10th day of pregnancy through lactation, a low-thiamine diet. Controls were either pair-fed or offered a nutritionally complete diet ad libitum. Dams exhibited symptoms of thiamine deficiency after 30 days on the experimental diet, whereas the their pups displayed signs of thiamine deficiency from the 14th postnatal day. Brain transketolase activity was depressed in day-old thiamine-deficient pups, and brain pyruvic acid levels were elevated after the 7th postnatal day. From the 14th postnatal day, brains of thiamine-deficient pups contained less phospholipids, cerebrosides and cholesterol than those of both controls. On the 21st day, weight and lipid content of brains of thiamine-deficient and of pair-fed pups were lower than those of normal controls. In some rats rehabilitation with thiamine was begun on the 19th day, and after 23 days, brain cerebroside content was still lower in the experimental group than in both controls. Since cerebrosides are an essential component of myelin, this finding may suggest damage of the myelin sheath.


Suppression of transduodenal manganese transport by milk diet supplemented with iron. The effect of iron on manganese transport through, and its retention in, the duodenal wall was studied in 5-week-old female albino rats. Animals were fed only cow's milk supplemented with different doses of ferrous sulphate (0.60-19.0 mg Fe/100 ml) for 3 days before killing. Manganese transport was studied in vitro by the method of 'everted gut sac.' In all rats fed milk supplemented with iron the manganese transport through, and its retention within, the intestinal wall was signifcantly lower than when no iron was given (0.001 greater than p less than 0.001). The suppression of both the transfer and intestinal retention of managanese suggests a saturation effect produced by iron which levels off above 5 mg Fe/100 ml milk.


Assimilation of 14C-linoleic acid by the rat fetus. Following ingestion, by the 20-day pregnant mother, of (1-14C)linoleic acid, the retention and distribution of 14C are determined in th fetus, placenta and mother, after 1, 3 and 6 h. Comparison of the specific activities of linoleic and arachidonic acids in the maternal plasma, liver and placenta, and the fetal plasma, liver and carcass leads to the conclusion of a selective materno-fetal transfer of arachidonic acid, relative to linoleic acid, through the placenta.


The effect of glypondin on glycogen and protein accumulation in rat organs. Rats were treated for 21 days with 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg Glypondin dissolved in the drinking water. The weight-increasing effect of Glypondin was studied in rat organs. In the liver a significant rise in the concentration of TCA-soluble glycogen was demonstrated. In the myocardium and m. gastrocnemius the concentration of both the labile and glycogen was unchanged. In the m. gastrocnemius of rats treated with Glypondin a significant rise in the concentration of noncollagenous protein was demonstrated.


The failure of the cat to desaturate linoleic acid; its nutritional implications. In vivo administration of 1-14C-linoleic acid to domestic cats demonstrated that these animals are unable to convert this essential fatty acid to its physiologically active metabolities. This experiment confirms the absence of both the delta6 and delta8 desaturases in the cat, and suggests that this species has a dietary requirement for polyunsaturated fatty acids of animal origin.


Model systems for the study of prostatic cancer. Application of suitable in vivo and in vitro model systems are necessary to further investigations in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Model systems are defined, and discussed in terms of their potential application to the study of the neoplastic process.


An isotope release cytotoxicity assay applicable to human tumors: the use of 111indium. We have demonstrated that human tumors can be labelled efficiently with the 111indium-oxine chelate. Subsequently, this isotope can be released by cytotoxic lymphoid cells. Both natural and induced cytotoxicity can be demonstrated utilizing this isotope release method. Because of the slow spontaneous release of 111indium and its efficient labelling of human tumor cells, this isotope release assay can be utilized in long-term cytotoxic assays in the study of human tumor immunology.


The Dunning R3327 prostate adenocarcinoma in the Fischer-Copenhagen F1 rat: a useful model for immunological studies. The Dunning R3327 tumor sublines in the Fischer-Copenhagen F1 rat provide a spectrum of transplantable prostate adenocarcinomas for the study of host-tumor interactions. The tumor can be transplanted with both fresh and cryopreserved cell suspensions. The F1 rat is an appropriate animal for immunological studies based on humoral and cellular immune responses. Preliminary evidence of the host-tumor relationship in the F1 rat indicates that purified membrane preparations induced a specific cytotoxic population of lymphocytes.


Chemotherapy of the transplantable adenocarcinoma (R-3327) of the Copenhagen rat. A number of therapeutic agents including L-asparaginase, Actinomycin-D, CCNU, Hydroxyurea, 5-FU, Cis-platinum, Cyclophosphamide, orchiectomy, Adriamycin and DES alone and in various combinations has been applied against the Dunning R-3327 rat prostatic adenocarcinoma subline G. We have found a parallel between the results of this study and those of similar therapeutic application to the human tumor. We conclude that this animal model may prove to be a useful screening system for agents against human prostatic cancer.


Investigations on prostatic adenocarcinomas in rats. Metastatic prostate adenocarcinomas, derived from aging germfree Wistar rats, have been propagated in rats and in tissue culture. A protocol has been developed and demonstrated for assay of treatments which retard or which accelerate the rate and extent of tumor growth and of metastasis in tumor-bearing rats. The pattern of spread has been retarded by cyclophosphamide, aspirin, indomethacin, and Corynebacterium parvum. The spread pattern has been accelerated by oral administrations of sodium barbiturate.


Cell kinetic studies of prostatic cancer: adjuvant therapy in animal models. Cell kinetic studies have been applied to the rat prostatic cancer R-3327-AT. This transplantable anaplastic tumor has a rapid growth rate and doubles its volume every 2.17 days. Cell kinetic considerations have been used to design a therapeutic approach which is capable of curing animals carrying this tumor, or providing long periods of complete remission. This treatment approach involves chemotherapy followed by surgery and immuno-stimulation with pyran copolymer. Such adjuvant tumor therapy is most effective against a small tumor load. The application of cell kinetic considerations to the control of human prostatic cancer is discussed.