[Drug deaths].

[Drug deaths]. In the Federal Republic of Germany there exist no statistical datas concerning death related to drug dependence until now. We propose to define death in connexion with drug dependence as the death of a drug dependent person caused by direct or indirect effect of the drug used. We first report on several international investigations; then the results of our own investigation in 40 cases of death in connexion with drug dependence in the district of Nordbaden are presented in detail. As a result it seems necessary to register drug dependent persons and to isolate those who are resistent to any therapy and thus represent a focus for further expansion of drug consuming.


[White blood stains?].

[White blood stains?]. Following to bullet wounds of the upper maxillary region and of the lungs great quantities of blood were expectorated by the victim soiling the clothes of the perpetrator. (These cloth consisted of a mixture of wool and synthetic fibers producing a rough surface.) The suit was washed out in cold water and dried. The only macroscopic findings were intensively stained white to grey spots missing any brown or red color portion. These were identified to consist of fibrin. Extensive examination proved the existence of blood spots of group A. Experimental stains applied to the same cloth showed identical changes after washing out.


Cysteine and S-sulfocysteine biosynthesis in phototrophic bacteria. Forteen species (17 strains) of phototrophic bacteria as well as one strain of Thiobacillus denitrificans were tested for cysteine synthase and S-sulfocysteine synthase. All strains contain cysteine sythase active with O-acetylserine; only the Chromatiaceae, two species of the Rhodospirillaceae and T. denitrificans contain S-sulfocysteine synthase. In six species repression by different sulfur compounds in the medium was studied. In Chromatium vinosum, cysteine synthase was found to be constitutive, while in the Rhodospirillaceae tested the enzyme is repressed by sulfide. Thiosulfate had a derepressive effect in Rhodopseudomonas globiformis but strongly repressed cysteine synthase in R. sulfidophila and R. palustris. Cysteine had only moderate effects with the species tested.


A description of glucose uptake in Navicula pelliculosa (Breb) Hilse including a brief comparison with an associated Flavobacterium sp. Navicula pelliculosa and an associated Flavobacterium sp. were isolated from the epiphyton of Scirpus maritimus, an emergent macrophyte growing in a brackish drainage dyke. Both micro-organisms possessed active transport systems for glucose uptake. In N. pelliculosa the transport system was fully induced in the dark in the absence of glucose, and subsequently inactivated when transferred to the light in the absence of the substrate. The presence of glucose during the dark induction period prevented the achievement of maximum specific activity of the transport system, while incubation at a high light intensity with or without the presence of the substrate resulted in a very marked inhibition of glucose uptake. Inhibition in the light was partially offset by blocking photosynthetic electron flow with 3'(3,4 dichlorophenyl)1'1' dimethyl urea. The transport system accumulated 3-O-methyl glucose against a concentration gradient and was highly specific for glucose as there was no competition by most of the other sugars tested. However, 6-deoxyglucose was taken up instead of glucose and this suggested that glucose was transported in a non-phosphorylated state, whereas inhibition of glucose transport activity with dicyclohexylcarbodimide implicated the involvement of an adenosine triphosphatase on the cell membrane. Inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation tetrachlorosalicylaniline and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone also inhibited glucose transport activity. The affinity of the diatom for glucose was greater than that shown by the bacterium, but the Km for glucose transport, 1.5x10-5M was too high to allow effective removal of glucose at in situ concentrations.


[Kluyveromyces blattae sp. n., a new multispored yeast for Blatta orientalis (author's transl)]. A new hitherto undescribed species of yeast of the genus Kluyveromyces has been isolated for the intestinal tract of the oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis). A description of the new species including latin diagnosis is given.


On the effect of glucono-delta-lactone on the yeast Pichia polymorpha. Investigation has been made into the action of glucono-delta-lactone on living cells of Pichia polymorpha in relation to the uptake of D-(U-14C)glucose, and the incorporation of (2-14C) uracil and L-(U-14C) threonine into RNA and protein respectively. Other factors such as the action of glucono-delta-lactone on cell morphology and on enzymic synthesis have also been studied. The action of this compound on beta-glucanase has been found to take place in the hydrolytic power and not in the synthesis.


[Purification and characterization of peroxidase from Phellinus igniarius (author's transl)]. A Peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) of the basidiomycet Phellinus igniarius was derived from mycel and a medium containing glucose and extract of yeast by using various methods of preparation. The enzyme resists extreme conditions (pH, temperature salt concentration). Its optimum pH for activities is in the acid range. Two isoenzymes were found. The molecular weight, isoelectric point, Michaelis-Menten constant, indolacetic acid oxidase activity and spectral and analytical properties of this peroxidase were determined. It is assumed that the enzyme has an intracellular as well as an extracellular field of activity.


Some effects of light on the viability of rhodopsin-containing halobacteria. Under starvation conditions, rhodopsin-containing halobacteria show a light-accelerated death under aerobic conditions. This is attributed to photooxidative processes. Under anaerobic conditions, halobacteria die rapidly in the dark, and light prevents death. Since it has been shown by others that lightdriven ATP synthesis can occur under anaerobic conditions, it is postulated that rhodopsin-mediated photophosphorylation is of survival value for this organism in the brines in which it lives, especially because the solubility of oxygen is low in highly saline waters and anaerobic conditions can often develop.


Mating in Chlamydomonas eugametos. A scanning electron microscopical study. A technique has been developed by which mating gametes of Chlamydomonas eugametos can be studied in the Scanning Electron Microscope. A detailed description of the mating process, from the initial flagellar agglutination until the release of free vis-à-vis pairs, is presented. Flagella appear to agglutinate at random points on their surface. This is followed by a rapid increase of the contact area such that they "line-up" tip to tip. Flagella always exhibit a typical position prior to cell fusion. After cell fusion the flagella of a pair separate rapidly while the female have shortened about 33%. In a vis-à-vis pair the  plasma bridge has contracted. The observations are interpreted in terms of a specific reorganization of the sexuale aggregate.


Characteristics of ribonucleic acids isolated for Botryodiplodia theobromae pycnidiospores. Nucleic acids isolated for dormant and germinated Botryodiplodia theobromae pycnidiospores contain five distinct species of RNA. They include two ribosomal species, two "ribosomal-associated" species and transfer RNAs. Sedimentation coefficients of 25.1S and 18S were obtained for the two ribosomal RNA species and 5.8S and 5S for the two "ribosomal-associated" RNA components. Molecular weights of 1.20,0.67,0.054 and 0.035x106 daltons were obtained after formaldehyde treatment and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels for these same four RNAs. Methylated nucleotides were present in the transfer RNAs and large and small ribosomal RNAs; in contrast 5.8S and 5S RNAs contained few methylated nucleotides. In  addition to the 5 distinct RNA species, polyadenylate-containing RNA was isolated from both dormant and germinated spores.


Metabiolic products of microorganisms. Tirandamycin B(author's transl). Streptomyces flaveolus, strain Tü 1240 produces besides Tirandamycin A, a hitherto unknown antibiotic, which is closely related to Tirandamycin A. The new antibiotic Tirandamycin B contains one additional hydroxylgroup. Both antibiotics exhibit a similar antimicrobial spectrum and they seem to have the same mechanism of action. According to the data obtained from mass spectrometry, 13C-and 1H-NMR spectra formula II could be deduced for Tirandamycin B.


[Parenteral administration of sorbitol solution and its impact on sorbitol, glucose, fructose and lactate concentration in the blood of cattle, sheep and piglets]. Significant rise of fructose in the blood plasma of cattle resulted from an application of sorbite solution (0.5 g sorbite per kg live weight), with its onset as early as during the infusion. The highest concentration was reached 15 minutes after completion of infusion. Rise in glucose (11 mg/100 ml plasma on average) failed to prove statistically significant and dropped temporarily (after 60 to 120 minutes) below the original value. The lactate level in the blood went up temporarily and reached its maximum 30 minutes from the end of infusion. Sorbite solution (1 g/kg live weight) was intravenously applied to sheep and tock fructose to its maximum after 30 minutes. Intraperitoneal application of sorbite solution (1 g/kg live weight) was tolerated well also by piglets and triggered an age-dependent decline of glucose in blood plasma.


[Endocrine and spermatogenic testicular function. 2. Correlations between food protein quality, testosterone level in testes, spermatogenesis and nuclear volume of interstitial cells of Leydig in the adult rat]. Male adult Wistar rats were given different food proteins through 21 days, including casein and four-per-cent methionine (K diet), maize gluten with amino acid added (M + As diet), maize gluten alone (M diet), and casein with four-per-cent methionine mixed one to three with gelatin (K/G diet). Testicular testosterone levels per 100 g live weight were about 411 ng (in animals aged 130 days) or 326 ng in animals aged 160 days) following 21 days of K or M + As feeding (rRP = ten per cent). Roughly 70 per cent of those values were obtained by M or K/G feeding. The use of 20 per cent rRP gave 342 ng in connection with M + As feeding or 289 ng when it accompanied M feeding (the latter figures being recorded from animals aged 160 days). The eight cyclic phases of the germinal epithelium were completely development, independent of RP quality, in all test animals. The nuclear volume of the interstitial cells of Leydig responded with highly significant variation (p less than 0.01) to diets with ten per cent rRP of different qualities, but no significant morphokinetic effect was recorded by karyometric from diets with 20 per cent rRP.


[Nutrient demand of erysipelothrix bacteria]. Studies into the nutrient demand of Erysipelothrix insidiosa led to the preparation of a nutritive medium with high bacterial yield which is recommended for quantity breeding of bacteria. The medium was complex and did not contain serum but the following components: peptone S, yeast extract, glucose, Na2HPO4, arginine, and Tween 80.


[Variations of glucose, fructose, sorbite and electrolyte concentration following intravenous or intraperitoneal administration of sorbite-electrolyte solution to cattle and sheep]. Different quantities of sorbite-electrolyte solution were intravenously administered to eight heads of cattle and four heads of sheep (application values being 50 g sorbite, 0.3049 g MgCl2-6H2O, 0.3728 g KCl, 0.5477 g CaCl2-6H2O, 5.265 g NaCl, 6.804 g sodium acetate-3H2O with 1,000 ml distilled water). Different rises of sorbite, fructose, and glucose were recorded from the blood plasma. Certain manifestations of incompatibility and intolerance phenomena were observed, among them increase of cardiorespiratory activity and muscular tremor. Those findings were obtained primarily from animals which exhibited also strong rise in glucose concentration. One of the sheep died. Larger quantities of solution (2,000 ml or 4,000 ml) were intraperitoneally applied to ten heads of cattle and tolerated by them with no reaction. Sorbite in blood plasma usually reached its maximum two or three hours from application, however, without any rise of fructose or glucose. Slow drip infusion or intraperitoneal infusion are the techniques recommended for application of the above sorbite-electrolyte solution to ruminants.


Mortality in depressed patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy and antidepressants. The treatments of 519 depressed patients hospitalized from 1959 to 1969 were compared in a three-year follow-up study with particular reference to mortality. The electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) group had a significantly lower mortality than the inadequate antidepressant treatment group (P less than .05) and the group that received neither ECT nor antidepressants (P less than .025). Although the adequate antidepressant treatment group had a low mortality, statistically significant differences between this and other treatment groups could not be documented. Nonsuicidal deaths (P less than .005), and particularly myocardial infarctions (P less than .01), were significantly more frequent in the inadequately treated group compared to the adequately treated group. The superiority of adequate treatment is especially striking among men and among the older age groups. The results underscore the importance of adequate treatment of depression, especially in the older man.


Neuroendocrine regulation in depression. I. Limbic system-adrenocortical dysfunction. The regulation of hypothalamopituitary-adrenal (HPA) function in depressed patients was studied by a midnight dexamethasone suppression test. By using an observation period of 24 hours postadministration of dexamethasone, a graded series of abnormal test responses was identified. Depressed patients show abnormal early escape from suppression rather than absolute resistance to HPA suppression by dexamethasone. With increasing severity of depression, this escape occurs progressively more early on the day after administration of dexamethasone. These abnormalities were strongly related to the presence of HPA hyperactivity before dexamethasone was given. The essential disturbance of neuroendocrine regulation in depression is a failure of the normal brain inhibitory influence on the HPA system. This disinhibition of HPA activity suggests that there is an abnormal limbic system drive on the HPA axis in primary depressive illness.


Neuroendocrine regulation in depression. II. Discrimination of depressed from nondepressed patients. Forty-two patients with endogenomorphic depression (ED) and 42 patients with other psychiatric disorders received an overnight dexamethasone test of hypothalamopituitary-adrenal (HPA) suppressibility. Plasma and urinary cortisol measures showed that the ED patients had significantly greater HPA activity before dexamethasone and less complete HPA suppression after dexamethasone. High cortisol vlaues after dexamethasone correlated strongly with spontaneous HPA disinhibition, as indicated by high baseline midnight plasma cortisol levels. Criteria for defining normal suppression responses were developed. All patients with depressive neuroses and most patients with other nondepressive disorders had completely normal responses to dexamethasone. About half of the ED patients had abnormal responses, whether or not they were receiving other drugs at the time of the test. Drug-free patients with depressive neuroses or other disorders showed no abnormal responses to dexamethasone. The effects of psychotropic drugs on the test require further study. Patients with two or more abnormal cortisol values after administration of dexamethasone were identified correctly as ED at confidence levels close to 100%. The dexamethasone suppression test may be of value as a laboratory aid in the diagnosis of "endogenous" depression.


Incidence and signficiance of mixed affective states in a bipolar population. The simultaneous existence of manic and depressive symptoms in a manic-depressive patient was first described by Kraepelin. This so-called mixed state has come to have much theoretical significance in recent hypotheses about the nature of bipolar affective disorders. In this investigation a mixed state is shown to be the initial episode in 31% of 84 manic-depressive outpatients. Moreover, the presence of "mixed" features does not correlate with severity of illness or mood circularity, but does correlate with sedative abuse and poor response to psychopharmacologic treatment. These results suggest that the "continuum hypothesis" and its satellite theories represent viable conceptualizations of the nature of manic-depressive illness.


Hopelessness, depression, and suicide intent. One hundred fifty-four suicide attempters, threateners, and psychiatric controls were rated on suicide intent scales and given tests to assess hopelessness, depression and self-rated suicide risk. Ninety-four subjects were retested one month later. Both hopelessness and depression were significantly greater in suicidal subjects. In threatenets, hopelessness and depression scores differed significantly between high and low suicide intent subjects. In attempters ranked by suicide intent at time of testing, more and less suicidal subjects differed significantly in hopelessness and depression scores. Both depression and hopelessness were sensitive to changes in suicide risk during the one-month follow-up. In all analyses, hopelessness correlated more highly with suicide intent than did depression. The data were regarded as supporting the hypothesis that hopelessness is more closely related to suicide intent than is depression.


Emergence of myasthenia gravis during treatment with lithium carbonate. In a patient with recurrent episodes of severe mania, classical manifestations of myasthenia gravis developed for the first time during treatment with lithium carbonate. Four episodes were recorded in which the appearance of progressive weakness coincided with subacute or long-term lithium carbonate administration during periods of psychiatric remission. In each instance, neurologic symptoms were ameliorated or disappeared shortly after the drug was discontinued or its dosage was reduced. There was no evidence of lithium carbonate toxicity or electrolyte disturbances at any time during treatment. Based on a literature review of animal studies and related clinical reports, a mechanism of peripherally mediated neuromuscular cholinergic insufficiency is proposed. In addition, the differential diagnosis of muscle weakness during lithium carbonate administration is discussed.


Correlation between plasma and cerebrospinal levels of imipramine. This study measured the levels of imipramine hydrochloride and desipramine hydrochloride (desmethylimipramine) in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 11 depressed patients. The oral doses correlated significantly with the plasma levels irrespective of different diagnostic categories. The CSF levels varied significantly. In the endogenous depressive group the CSF levels were significantly higher in responders as compared to nonresponders. The CSF levels of the nonresponders in the endogenous depressive group, and of both responders and nonresponders in the schizo-affective groups, were similar.


Assessment of social adjustment by patient self-report. Current emphasis on early case finding, outpatient care, and on longitudinal studies of asymptomatic patients has focused attention on the community adjustment of psychiatric patients. Thus, simple and inexpensive methods such as self-report scales, which allow the routine assessment of patient adjustment, are potentially useful. The derivation and testing of such a method, the Social Adjustment Scale Self-Report, is described. This scale covers the patient's role performance, interpersonal relationships, friction, feelings and satisfaction in work, and social and leisure activities with the extended family, as a spouse, parent, and member of a family unit. Self-report results based on 76 depressed outpatients were comparable to those obtained from relatives as well as by a rater who interviewed the patient directly.


Personality patterns in insomnia. Theoretical implications. Subjects with a primary complaint of insomnia (N = 124) were evaluated with Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventories (MMPIs). A high percentage of subjects (85%) had one or more MMPI scales elevated to a pathological degree. The scales most elevated were, in order. 2 (depression), 7 (psychasthenia), and 3 (conversion hysteria). A striking finding was the preponderance of depression. This was indicated by the frequency in which scale 2 was elevated above 70, the frequency in which this this scale had the highest elevation, and the frequency of MMPI code types that included scale 2. Four common MMPI code types representing various types of depression were noted, indicating considerable homogeneity for code types in this sample. The predominant personality styles in this sample were characterized by the internalization of psychological distrubances rather than by acting out or aggression. We propose that this internalization produces a state of constant emotional arousal and resultant physiological activation and that this process is a psychophysiological mechansim underlyling insomnia.


The pro-heroin effects of anti-opium laws in Asia. Over 25 years anti-opium laws were enacted by three Asian governments in countries where opium use was traditional. Within months, heroin use suddenly appeared; and within a decade, heroin addiction surpassed opium addiction. The laws led to (1) increased price of narcotic drugs, (2) a heroin "industry," (3) corruption of the law enforcement system, and (4) major health problems involving parenteral drug use. The Asian experience indicates that antinarcotic laws can be effective only with careful preparations: (1) changing society's attitude toward the traditional drug from ambivalence to opposition; (2) mobilizing resources to treat and rehabilitate all addicts within a short period of time; (3) developing the social will to incarcerate all "recidivist" addicts for a prolonged period; and (4) preventing narcotic production or importation.


[On epidemiology of gastric cancer (author's transl)]. 257 stomach cancer patients and 766 controls were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire for 35 variables. The two groups were compared by multivariate variance analysis. This analysis results in a combination of 20 variables significantly connected with gastric cancer. The rankorder of the most prominent variables is as follows: no food intolerance, higher alcohol consumption, living place near Berlin, occupation labourer, early loss of teeth, car driving, no gallstones, smoking and age. It can be assumed that these variables are of aetiological importance. In the aetiology of gastric cancer, exogenous cancerogens seem to play a more important role than endogenous factors. In two further multivariate variance analysis, control group is divided into persons with and persons without chronic gastritis verified by blind gastric biopsy and compared with gastric cancer patients, too. A fourth analysis is limited to female only. The results of the three last mentioned analysis are similar to those of the first one and also similar to results from other countries based on univariate analysis. The computed combination of variables was used for diagnosis of gastric cancer by discriminance analysis in the persons forming the material for this study. This diagnosis was correct in 71% of gastric cancer patients and in 72% of control persons.


[Malignant neoplasms of the stomach in Berlin, capital of the G.D.R. - An analysis of the state of diagnosis and treatment]. In Berlin, capital of the German Democratic Republic, 7,386 new cases of gastric cancer (ICD 151) were registered in the period from 1955 to 1969 and in year 1973. 52 percent of patients were male. Percentage of cases 75 years old and more, increased from 21% (1955-1959) to 36% (1965-1969). There were only slight changes in incidence. About 30% of cases were in the operable stages I and II. With rising age, the proportion of the advanced stages III and IV increases. No real progress as made in early diagnosis of stomach cancer as measured by stage distribution during observation period. Patient's delay from first symptom to first visit was shorter than one month in 40%, physician's delay from first visit to correct diagnosis was shorter than one month in 54%. 15% of patients were treated within one month after first symptom and 47% within three months. There was no correlation between duration of history and percentage of early stages. When observation periods 1955 to 1959, 1960-1964, 1965-1969 and 1973 are compared, we find an increase in old patients (75+ years), a decrease of localized stages I + II, and a decrease in resection rate. Therefore, a decrease in survival rates is to be expected. Crude 5-year survival rate was 6.4% (1955-1959) and 6.2% (1960-1964). When we compare data from Berlin with observations in the Region of Erfurt and in Birmingham Region, the situation of detection and treatment of stomach cancer in Berlin seems to be somewhat better. Finally, some suggestions for the improvement of control of stomach cancer are made.


[A model for the valuation of mass attendance and attendance duration of patients with malignant neoplasms (author's transpl)]. By means of a combination of two methods known in demography - life table and estimates for intercensal years - probabilities of prevalence of cancer patients and duration of disease from onset to death are calculated. Starting-points are the incidence know by cancerregistration and death certificates. The results of the model are compared with the results of a special point prevalence counting. Both methods gave about the same results.


[Investigations for using cell- and organ culture in sensibility tests for cytostatics in human ovarial-carcinomas (author's transl)]. Comparison was proved from meaning of cell culture and organ culture in therapeutic sensibility tests for cytostatics in ten human ovarial-carcinomas. The sensibility for cytostatics was determined with morphological criteria in cell culture and with the activity-patterns of some enzymes (lactate-dehydrogenase, NADH-diahorase) in organ culture. In these investigations the tumors have shown approximate conformity in the state to cytostatic-sensibility as seen with the two different methods. It seems to be possible, according to these investigations, to use enzyme-histochemical parameters from organ culture for inquiry of cytostatic-sensibility of tumors.


[Testing of bronchial carcinoma for sensitivity against cytostatics in tissue culture (author's transl)]. Report on determinations of sensitivity against cytostatics of tumour cell cultures from 70 bronchial carcinomas and 5 neoplastic effusions. The take rate was 56%. Most tumors tested were in vitro sensible against vinblastin and cyclophosphamid and resistant (moderately or completely) against 5-fluoro-uracil and Methotrexat.


[Contribution to stability test of daunoblastin solutions (author's transl)]. It is known that drugs are not unlimitedly stable. Dilutions of the antineoplastic agent daunoblastin used in the clinic and experimental work, were examined, whether they could be stored for several days. By means of impulscytophotometry, spectral-photometric measurements, counting of surviving cells and estimation of DNA-synthesis after culturing pieces of tissue in the presence of daunoblastin it could be established that this drug, diluted even four days ago, still possesses sufficient activity.


[Studies for a mathematical model of the proliferation kinetics of mammary carcinomas by means of electronic data processing (author's transl)]. Continuing an earlier publication in which the growth of spontaneous mammary carcinomas in female mice of a C3H inbred strain was described, in the present paper the growth rate is expressed by a mathematical function, and is adapted by electronic data processing to the experimental values of 60 tumors classified into seven "growth types". For mathematical description the tumors were conveniently assumed to have a spherical shape, and the main reason  for the reduction in volume increase with increasing tumor size was thought to be insufficient supply with oxygen and the essential nutrients S. Including the experimental data of all carcinomas investigated, the minimum concentration of S necessary for mitotic activity of the tumor cells was calculated to be 65% of the normal level. As the average for all the tumors investigated, a time of at least 33 hrs is required for the tumor volume to double.


Diagnostic value of chromosome examination in effusions from cancer patients. Fifty nine effusions (6 from patients with benign diseases and 53 from cancer patients) were examined cytologically and cytogenetically. Only diploid cells were observed in the benign effusions. The majority of malignant effusions had chromosomal changes, but in three cases where cytologic examination had revealed the presence of malignant cells, only diploid metaphases were found. No false positive diagnoses were made either by the cytologic or by the cytogenetic technique. The concomitant use of cytologic and cytogenetic examinations has substantially improved the correctness of the diagnosis. If by cytologic examination 43 of the 53 effusions from cancer patients were diagnosed as positive, 4 as suspicious and 6 as negative, the combined results of the cytologic and cytogenetic examination can be summarized in 49 positive, 1 suspicious and 3 negative cases. The implications of these data for the medical practice are briefly discussed.


[In vitro testing and clinical experience with 5-fluorouracil in gynaecologic cancer (author's transl)]. 201 pretherapeutic tests for sensitivity of gynaecologic cancers against 5-fluorouracil were performed. Only 8.5% of cases proved to be sensitive in tissue culture. Clinical results with 5-FU monotherapy were unsatisfactory. 5-FU should only be used very critically in gynaecologic neoplasims. The value of predictive tests for sensitivity against cytostatics in planning individualized selective chemotherapy is emphasized.


[Substances with carcinogenic activity (second edition) (author's transl)]. A list of substances with carcinogenic activity is presented as a 2nd supplemented edition. The list includes synonyma and test routes of the substances and should be looked as information material for employers and managers in various fields of industry, agriculture etc., hygiene and occupational and health service. The list is available as a paper-back (265 pages).


[Sarcomas in syrian hamster, induced by an oncorna virus and cellfree transmissible (author's transl)]. 1. Application of hamster papova virus to newborns of Syrian hamster has produced some s.c. sarcomas after a 5 to 6 month latency period, by virtue of the strong inducer effect of this papova virus to endogenous (latent) oncorna viruses. 2. Cellfree filtrates from a polymorphorus-cell sarcoma produced in this way, when applied to newborn hamsters of the spontaneously tumour-free hamster line HaP, again lead to sarcoma formation after a latency period of 3--8 months in about 20% of the animals; the same holds for cellfree filtrates of these cellfree induced sarcomas and their transplantation generations. 3. In these tumours C-type oncorna viruses, but no papova virus, could be demonstrated regularly. 4. The hamster specificity of this sarcoma virus is suggested by the complete absence of a tumorigenic effect of the cellfree filtrates from these hamster sarcomas in mice and rats. The preferential induction of hamster sarcomas by sarcoma filtrates, in conjunction with the fact that filtrates from hamster leukoses, indicates a certain difference between hamster leukemia and hamster sarcoma viruses.


[Mesothelioma in syrian hamster. V. Macroscopic and histologic investigation of transplanted mesothelioma in solid and ascitic form (author's transl)]. Transplantable mesothelioma lines are described, which have been inoculated successively either s.c. or i.p. in solid and ascitic form. Increases of the degree of malignancy could be demonstrated for macroscopically biological parameters. The latent periods became shorter with increasing in vivo passages. In the histological picture, progressive dedifferentiation of the tumour cells with rising tendency towards infiltrative growth was observed.


Ferritin as a surface marker for immunoscanning electron microscopy. observation of individual ferritin particles on erythrocytes. This paper comprises a part of our study to examine whether ferritin can be used as an immunological surface marker for high resolution scanning electron microscopy. In the first part of the study individual ferritin particles in a sample of purified ferritin were demonstrated as spheres with a diameter of about 170 A by use of fixation by glutaraldehyde and thin coating by ion sputtering. In the second part of this study, ferritin particles as indicating the antigen sites of blood group A were also recognized on the erythrocytes by the same techniques as in the first part. Ferritin deposition differed in amount among the erythrocytes, but without regard to the shape of the cells. On the individual erythrocytes, heavier depositions tended to occur in the concavity of the cell. In conclusion, ferritin is useful as a surface marker in immunoscanning electron microscopy. It has the benefit, in comparison with the other markers hitherto reported, of allowing us to observe the fine features of the cell surface under immunological reaction.


Possible function of human brown adipose tissue as suggested by observation on perirenal brown fats from necropsy cases of variable age groups. In 134 out of 180 perirenal fat samples (74%) derived from Japanese necropsy cases aged from 1 month to 86 years, the brown fat tissue persisted in variable amounts. Brown fat cells were classified into 6 types: Type 1 cells are fat-depleted cells filled with granular cytoplasm and are believed to be produced after oxidation of fat for heat production. Type 2 cells are small-locular cells suitable for rapid oxidation of fat droplets. Type 3 (middle-locular) and 4 (large-locular) represent fat-storage cells containing large amounts of fat. Type 5 cells are thought to be transitional forms between multilocular brown fat cells and monolocular white fat cells. Type 6 (cytoplasm-rich multilocular) cells, usually found together with Type 1 cells, are thought to be fat-depleting or -consuming cells, since in them fat droplets are reduced in number and size probably in consequence of oxidation of fat, but by contrast granular cytoplasm is increased in amount separating the individual fat droplets by thick cytoplasmic septa. The occurrence of Types 1 and/or 6 cells that has been revealed in 65 out of the total 180 samples (36%), suggests that the oxidation of fat for the thermogenesis proceeds in the brown fat tissue and that brown fat cells partially undergo fat depletion. In the present study, the thermogenesis of human brown fat tissue was suggested chiefly with regard to the occurrence of Types 1 and/or 6 cells. In the majority of perirenal fat samples from infants (1-11 months) relatively numerous Types 1 and 6 cells were frequently revealed together with Type 2 cells, suggesting rapid and active heat production in support of the view that in human infants the brown fat tissue may be thermogenetically active to maintain body temperature. In the same manner, marked ability to produce a considerable amount of heat was evidenced in  brown fat tissue of children and teenagers. In younger and elderly adults the frequency of occurrence and the amount of the perirenal brown fat tissue were decreased but Types 1 and/or 6 cells could be found in 17-40% of them, infrequently together, with Type 2 cells, suggesting persistence of the thermogenic activity with occasional large heat production especially in younger adults (20-39 years). Thus, the results obtained in this study have clarified that the human brown fat tissue can respond to stimuli given to the body by oxidation of stored fat even in the latest decades of life. In cases of death from burning, drowning, bleeding, drug poisoning etc., numerous Types 1 and/or 6 cells were found, suggesting that an active fat oxidation would take place in brown fat tissue assumedly as the result of the raised noradrenalin level in this tissue. The so-called small cytoplasmic cells found in perirenal fats from cases of death from liver cirrhosis and other causes were assumed to be atrophic fat-depleted brown fat cells.


Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies on the remodelling of the tracheal cartilage. Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies on the remodelling of the rat tracheal cartilage have been carried out. The thickness of the tracheal cartilage was constant, during the observation periods (1 to 54 days after birth). The external perichondrium of the tracheal cartilage consisted of active fibroblasts and intercellular fibrils. The inner part of this perichondrium was a chondrogenic layer, where appositional growth was taking place. On the other hand, the internal perichondrium contained fibroblast-like cells, which were nearly twice as large as the external perichondrial fibroblasts in size and were arranged in three or four layers. The cells had well developed organella and large vacuoles which contained numerous fragments of  fibrils and/or glycosaminoglycan. Many cytoplasmic processes protruded to the cartilage matrix, where the intercellular fibrils were particularly irregular in arrangement. Some vacuoles included collagen fibrils. Based on an intense acid phosphatase activity in these vacuoles and other findings, the fibrils were thought to be phagocytosed collagen of the cartilage matrix. An extensive alkaline phosphatase activity was demonstrated on the plasma membrane of fibroblasts and chondroblasts in the external perichondrium. The present investigation revealed distinct functional difference between the external and internal perichondrium of the tracheal cartilage. It is resorbed at the internal perichondrium, while it appositionally grows at the external perichondrium. The fibroblast-like cells of the internal perichondrium play an essential role in resorption of the matrix in cartilage remodelling.


A versatile method for purification of diphtheria toxoid for immunization purposes. Diphtheriae growth supernatant.  The toxoid was quantitatively recovered from the immunosorbent in two fractions: the first in 0.005 M hydochloric acid and the second in 6' M urea containing 0.1 M HCL.  Both fractions were soluble in aqueous solvents, and both had a similar specific activity:  between 200 and 250 Lf/mg protein, and about 1.5 protective unit (ED50) per l Lf unit, as assayed in guinea pigs. Using the same procedure, the specific activity of a commerical toxoid preparation, purified and concentrated, was increrased two fold, from 130 Lf/mg to 260 Lf/mg protein.


Application of the leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) test in clinical management of diseases of the respiratory system. Results of the leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) test using RT23 tuberculin were compared with the skin reaction of tuberculin (OT), intensity of bacillary excretion and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. LMI tests were made at the beginning and toward the end of the courses of antituberculosis treatment. In patients suffering from sarcoidosis (BBS), the LMI test was performed using Kveim's antigen and RT23 tuberculin.


Colony forming units (CFU) in bone marrow associated with heterotopic bone formation by epithelial cells grafted in mice. The presence of bone marrow accompanying heterotopic bone induction in mice did not increase the number of endogenous spleen colonies. However, such bone marrow, as judged by the ability to form exogenous spleen colonies, contains colony-forming cells (CFC). No significant difference was found between the concentration of CFC in the induced and in the femoral bone marrow. This indicates a qualitative similarity between these two types of bone marrow inasfar as hemopoietic activity is concerned.


Immunoglobinuria in the acute phase of viral hepatitis in children and the influence of HBAg antigen. Urinary excretion of immunoglobulins of the A, G and M classes was studied in 14 children suffering from viral hepatitis without HBAg antigenemia, and in 12 children with viral hepatitis accompanied by HBAg antigenemia. The control group consisted of 11 healthy children. Over fourfold increase in excretion of IgA, and only twofold increase in IgG were observed. The difference in excretion of A and G immunoglobulins, despite their similar molecular weight, was attributed to increased active excretion of IgA by the kidneys, probably due to stimulation by the virusemia. In no case were immunoglobulins of the M class encountered in the urine.


GPT polymorphism in the Polish population. In a sample of the Polish population numbering 703 subjects, three GPT types were encountered with the following frequencies: GPT1-1 0.265, GPT 2-1 0,509 and GPT 2-20.226. Frequencies of GPT1 and GPT2 genes were 0.519 and 0.481 respectively. Distribution of types in 217 mother-child pairs and in 12 families with 36 children was consistent with the hypothesis that the GPT system is dependent on a pair of codominant alleles and confirms that the GPT 1-1 and GPT 2-2 types are homozygotes, and GPT 2-1 is a heterozygote.


Frequency of occurrence of the Gm(21) factor in the Polish population. In a sample of the Polish population of 610 subjects, frequency of the Gm(21) factor was determined and compared with the frequency of Gm(1). The Gm(21) factor was found with a frequency of 0.359, and Gm(1) with 0.370. Both factors were present in 35.7% of sera examined. Factor Gm(1) alone, unaccompanied by Gm(21), was encountered in 8 sera, and factor Gm(21) without Gm(1) only in one serum.


Activity of cobalt-activated acylase and Australia antigen (HBAg) in children suffering from viral hepatitis. Activity of Coiactivated acylase in the serum was investigated in 120 children aged 3 months to 15 years, divided into five age groups, suffering from viral hepatitis (VH). No differences were found in the mean values of acylase activity between the ages of 3 months and 6 years, and progressively rising values in older age groups. Statistical analysis showed significance of the difference between the youngest age group and the group of children aged 12-15 years. A study of the dynamics of acylase activity in the course of the disease in 20 children showed rapidly declining values of this enzyme activity. Presence of HBAg in the serum was demonstrated in 12 children, in whom levels of acylase activity in the serum were similar to those in children without HB antigenemia, but the small number of cases examined does not permit conclusions. Acylase activity increases with age. This enzyme activity was observed in the serum of 96%, and HBAg in 10% of the examined children.


Electromyographic temporal analysis of gait: normal human locomotion. The telemetered electromyographic (EMG) activity of pretibial muscles (tibialis anterior), triceps surae (lateral gastrocnemius), medial hamstring group and quadriceps (vastus lateralis) of 20 normal subjects was examined during locomotion. The ages of the subjects ranged from 8 to 72 years (mean, 37 years). A microswitch shoe was used to correlate the EMG activity with eight specific components of the gait cycle. Tibialis anterior showed two peaks of activity, the first at the swing-stance transition, the second at the stance-swing transition. Gastrocnemius showed a single peak of activity recorded during push-off. The medial hamstring showed its greatest activity during deceleration in the swing phase. Vastus lateralis demonstrated peak activity at the transition from swing to stance. The mean cadence was 106 steps per minute. Swing phase occupied 39.6% and stance phase 60.4% of the gait cycle.


Electromyographic temporal analysis of gait: hemiplegic locomotion. The telemetered electromyographic (EMG)  activity of quadriceps, hamstrings, triceps surae and pretibial muscles on the affected side of 20 adult hemiplegic subjects was examined during locomotion. The subjects ranged in age from 29 to 68 years (mean, 52.1). Duration of the lesions ranged from 1 month to 8 years: in  11 subjects the duration of the lesions ranged from 1 to 9 months (mean, 4.9 months), and in the remaining  9 subjects from 1 to 8 years (mean, 4 years 2 months).  Shoes with five microswitches, two in the heel and three in the sole, were used to correlate the  EMG activity with eight specific components of the gait cycle. The results of the study showed a loss of the phasic pattern associated with normal locomotion. The hemiplegic subjects showed the greatest activity in the period of midstance. Expressed as a percentage of the total cycle, the mean stance time of the paretic lower limb was 67% and the mean swing time was 33%. The unaffected lower limb showed a stance phase of 80% and a swing phase of 20%.


Physical training program for rehabilitating extremely obese patients. Performance records of 22 extremely obese adult patients undergoing physical rehabilitation in a multi-disciplinary program were used to devise three progressive training protocols to which patients can be individually assigned. These protocols include "fastest pace" walking and jogging and are designed to rehabilitate patients to a two-mile continuous walk within three, five or seven weeks. Specific definition of progressions in distance/work session units are given and criteria for assigning patients to each protocol are discussed. The program allows  time for psychological as well as physiological adaptation and improves the rehabilitative process by eliminating much of the variability and regression previously attributed to patient manipulation.


Restraining forces in various designs of knee ankle orthoses: their placement and effect on the anatomical knee joint. A biochemical evaluation was conducted on double upright knee ankle orthoses, which were instrumented with strain gauge transducers to determine the magnitudes of the restraining forces exerted on the leg. Measurements were made on six commonly used designs of orthoses worn by spinal cord injured persons ambulating with a swing-through gait. The measurements were used to determine distribution of forces on the limb  as well as their effect on anatomical knee shear. Based on the experimental data, the following basic principles of optimal orthosis design were identified: The forces required to stabilize the knee should be minimized by applying the stabilizing force as close as possible to the knee center, and by maintaining the anatomical knee as straight as possible. When the major portion of the knee stabilizing force is applied below the knee, the shear on the anatomical knee structures is markedly reduced. Further, the stabilizing forces should be well distributed over tolerant areas.


Sexual adjustment and feminine attractiveness among spinal cord injured women. Responses to semistructured interviews with 31 spinal cord injured women yielded sexual adjustment scores and material concerning sexual compensation and orgasm, bowel and bladder programs, and methods of enhancing attractiveness. Sexual adjustment scores were unrelated to time since injury. Few subjects reported the need to  make special provision to control elimination during sexual activity. Openness and honesty with mates were stressed. Those with high sexual-adjustment scores compensated for lost sensation and mobility. Orgasm descriptions and most attractiveness-related behaviors resembled those of able-bodied women; some attractiveness behaviors specifically compensated for disability.


Recent developments in opiate research and their implications for psychiatry. Considerable progress in opiate research has been made during the last few years regarding the identification and localization of opiate receptors in vitro and in vivo, the analysis of drug-receptor interactions and the characterization of an endogenous ligand of the opiate receptor. There is little evidence that effects induced by chronic exposure to opiates - development of tolerance and dependence -are due to changes in opiate receptor mechanisms; it is supposed that the adaptive changes occur mainly in the chain of events triggered by the drug-receptor interaction. Such changes may be directly or indirectly related to the metabolism of neurotransmitters and/or cyclic nucleotides. The obvious links between physical and psychic equivalents of opiate dependence are discussed. Present data points to the significance of brain stem and limbic structures in both these processes, monoamines probably playing an important role. Relations between psychic manifestations of opiate addiction and mental disorders are pointed out.


[Potassium activity in the cat cortex: experimental epilepsy]. Two mechanisms are discussed which link extracellular potassium accumulation and epileptogenic neuronal hyperactivity in the cortex. The potassium concentration (aK) of the environment of a repetitively discharging membrane can increase sufficiently for a supra-threshold depolarization at afferent erminals. This can explain the finding of ectopic spike generation and the antidromic breakthrough in thalamo-cortical projections after a primary cortical discharge. Spread and recurrent enhancement of excitatory drives may be the result of this mechanism. Initiation and termination of seizure is not explained by potassium accumulation. There is a ceiling level in potassium of about 10 mequ/1 which is strictly maintained during normal as well as epileptiform activity. This level is probably not high enough for depolarizing inactivation of neuronal membranes. Stimulation of cortical afferents can have a dual effect on aK. After a primary shortlasting increase, aK can reach subnormal values. This is possibly brought about by a stimulated re-uptake of K+. Seizures can be initiated at these subnormal levels. The effect of the re-uptake e.g. hyperpolarization of terminal afferents and increase of evoked transmitter release is discussed for the initiation for paroxysmal activity.


[Psychiatry, morphology and behaviour genetics (author's transl)]. No organic substrate is known for endogenous psychoses, neuroses and behaviour disorders. Therefore genetic studies have to depart from the behavioural level. This approach has yielded the empirical risk figures which depend on genetic and environmental factors. Beyond this level behaviour genetics endeavours to clarify the genetic mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal behaviour. In the schizophrenias f.i. several stretegies have been developed to approach the genetic basis: Mathematial models as to the mode of inheritance; use of modified classificatory and diagnostic criteria for genetic analysis; search for phenomena representing steps between genotype and phenotype and showing a clear mode of inheritance, f.i. biochemical or electrophysiological characters. In case the neurotransmitters are not changed in quality or total quantity but in compartmentation in the genetic defect might be localized in the pre- or postsynaptic membranes or receptors. Genetic factors are also involved in nonpsychotic behaviour disorders but to a lesser degree. They can be demonstrated even in psychoses with somatic background.


[Body-centered group psychotherapy in acute schizophrenics. Evaluation by rating of ego functions (Bellak et al., 1973)]. 37 acute schizophrenic inpatients were studied in respect to the therapeutic effect of the body-centered group psychotherapy (körperzentrierte Gruppenpsychotherapie). The evaluation was made by the rating of ego functions (Bellak et al., 1973). The acute schizophrenic patients with somatic disturbances (functional ones, body illusions and halluzinations, depersonalisation) turned out to make significantly better progress in ego functions (p less than 0.05) than the control sample.


[Sex chromosome aberration screening among male psychiatric patients (author's transl)]. The authors report of sex chromosome aberration screenings among the patients of the male psychiatric department, University Medical School, Pecs. 310 patients were investigated. The X-chromatin was detected in buccal smears with thionin-staining and the Y-chromatin in peripheric blood smears with quinacrin-staining by the help of fluorescentoptical technique. Two Klinefelter-patients and one YY-patient were diagnostized. The Klinefelter-patients were psychopaths and mentally subnormal, the YY-patient was a paranoid schizophrenic. The incidence of Klinefelter syndrome is 0.64%, that of the YY syndrome is 0.32%. Mental relations of sex chromosome aberrations are discussed in detail.


[Excretion of acetyl urea in milk following oral 14C-acetyl urea administration to dairy cows]. 2 experimental cows were fed acetyl urea several weeks before the trial was started. The first cow received a daily amount of 200 g and the second cow 855 g. On the first day of experiment both cows were given 5 mCi of 14C acetyl urea intraruminally. Up to 6 hrs after the beginning of the experiment acetyl urea in blood plasma was shown to contain a higher proportion of 14C activity than urea. 0.21 g urea and 0.18 g acetyl urea were contained in 1 kg of milk from cow No 1 while 1 kg of milk from cow No 2 contained 0.18 g urea and 0.12 g acetyl urea. The feeding of acetyl urea to dairy cows is not recommended on the basis of the fact that any further contamination of human nutrition with foreign substances should be possibly avoided.


[Effect of zinc deficiency and varying zinc supplements on resorption and retention in dairy cows]. 5 lactating cows were used in a trial to investigate the process of Zn absorption and Zn retention under conditions of Zn deficiency and variations in Zn supplementation. The apparent Zn absorption was found to be markedly increased if the animals were fed a Zn deficient semisynthetic diet containing 6 mg Zn per kg of dry matter during the depletion period. Apparent Zn absorption continued to rise with continuing Zn depletion. Over a period of 6 weeks of Zn depletion the mean rate of Zn absorption was 58% with increases from 51% to 64% between the 1st and 6th week of experiment. After 19 weeks of Zn depletion 75% of the supplemented zinc were absorbed. With a Zn supply of 22 ppm and 54 ppm the rate of apparent Zn absorption decreased to 51% and 44% while still higher Zn supplements, up to 436 ppm, produced only a slight further decline down to 40%. The absolute Zn balances were shown to be directly associated with the level of Zn supply, all the more so because a linear relationship was found to exist between the levels of alimentary zinc supplementation and absolute Zn retention. Under conditions of Zn deficiency the cows exhibited a negative Zn balance, where animals with the highest milk yields showed the most negative Zn balances and remained for the longest period in the negative phase. With increasing periods of Zn depletion a homeostatic mechanism of Zn regulation in the organism of the animals became more and more pronounced so that at advanced stages of Zn depletion Zn retention of some extent occurred.


[Relationship between food protein quality and adrenal cortex function. 6. Interrelationship between aminotransferase activity (GPT1, GOT2) and the status of adrenal cortex function]. Growing male Albino rats were adrenalectomized and then treated with corticosterone in an attempt to determine the activity of amino transferases (GPT and GOT) in the liver and in the mucosa of the small intestine over a period during which the animals received dietary proteins of varying quality. However, statistically significant differences in the enzyme activity were established for only those groups in which the animals exhibited differences in the functional state of the adrenal cortex. Differences due to changes in the quality of the dietary protein were not observed. From this was concluded that the activity of the amino transferases in the tissues is largely dependent on the action of corticosteroids.


[Relationship between food protein quality and adrenal cortex function. 7. Relationship between activity of selected liver and small intestine hydrolases and adrenal cortex function]. Male Wistar rats received 10% true digestible crude protein of varying quality (maize gluten (MK) = low protein quality; maize gluten + lysine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine (MK + AS) = high protein quality) for a period of three weeks. The trial was carried out to investigate the activity of the two enzymes leucine-arylamidase (LNA) and aminotripeptidase (TP) in the liver and the mucosa of the small intestine and that of alpha and gamma amylases and of total amylases in the mucosa of the small intestine in animals exhibiting differences in the functional state of their adrenal cortices (adrenalectomized animals (AE), normal rats (N) and animals receiving additional treatment with cortisol (KS). It was found that mucosal LNA and gamma amylase did not respond to functional changes in the adrenal cortex. Mucosal LNA had a higher activity if the dietary protein was of low quality and a lower activity if the protein quality was high. The level of liver LNA activity was significantly lower in N and KS animals than in AE animals. The highest activity of mucosal and liver TP was found in KS animals; it was lowest in N animals. Statistically significant differences brought about by changes in the quality of dietary proteins were only found to occur in the KS group. The activity of alpha amylase and total amylases was found to be lowest in N animals; it was significantly higher in animals of the AE and KS groups. Animals of the N and KS groups receiving MK + AS exhibited a significantly higher level in their alpha and total amylase activities than animals in the same group receiving MK. Here, the "permissive action" of glucocorticosteroids on metabolically active hydrolases is clearly evident. The pattern of mucosal LNA activity in the small intestine and that of gamma amylase may be regarded as further characteristic evidence for the digestive action of these enzymes. Liver LNA and liver TP as well as mucosal TP and alpha amylase acted like metabolic enzymes.


[Effect of endogenous factors on ash concentration and contents of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, copper and manganese in the bristles of pigs. 5. Mineral composition of pig bristels influenced by pregnancy and lactation]. 77 sows were used in a trial bristles were taken from these animals (a) on the 84th day of pregnancy, (b) on the day of gestation and (c) on the 42nd day of lactation. The average ash content of the bristles was 1.23%. It was not found to be influenced by gestation. Before gestation the Ca content of the bristles rose significantly while the Na and K content decreased (P less than 0.05). The Mg, P and Cu content of the bristles increased during lactation whereas the F content fell significantly. The concentrations of all other elements did not change significantly in the phase of pregnancy and during lactation.


[Nutritional value of wine yeast for sheep and swine]. A digestibility trials was carried out with male sheep and one with fattening pigs to investigate the digestibility of wine yeast. 4 two-year-old male sheep and 5 castrated male pigs (live weight approximately 80 kgs) were used as experimental animals. The following digestibility data (%) were established on the sheep: organic matter: 78.9; energy: 79.1; crude protein: 61.1; crude fat: 88.8; crude fibre: 88.8; NFE 86.1. The corresponding data for the pigs were 55.4; 46.3; 22.7; 12.1; 92.7; 69.8. Thus, the resulting energy concentration was approximately 630 EFr units or 405 EFs units and the content of digestible crude protein in the dry matter was about 16% for ruminants and 6% in the pigs.


[Secretion of endogenous amino acids in the gastrointestinal tract and amino acid resorption in the swine]. A trial was performed with 2 fistula pigs (each with 2 fistulas, one located about 30 cm below the pyloric orifice and the other at the end of the small intestine). Animal A received a casein diet containing 14% crude protein for a period of 2 weeks before the tracer amino acid was administered. Animal B received the same diet for a period of 10 days and was then fed a diet (at the same protein level) containing gluten as sole protein source. The two tracer amino acids, 14C-U-L-leucine and 3H-4,5-(N)-L-lysine, were injected intravenously. The passage rates for dry matter, organic matter and N measured at the beginning of the small intestine were higher than the rate of intake. The rate of passage of amino acids was also found to be increased relative to the rate of intake. In general, this increase involved the non-essential amino acids to a much larger extent. A considerable proportion of the amino acids passing into the large intestine is not excreted with the faeces but is probably converted in catabolic processes. It is for this reason that any values for the efficiency of amino acid absorption calculated on the basis of data on the faecal excretion of amino acids will not provide conclusive evidence for the availability of dietary amino acids in processes of the intermediate metabolism. The rate of secretion of 3H and 14C radioactivity into the digesta of the small intestine was found to increase rapidly within 1-2 hrs after administration of the tracer amino acids. The 14C radioactivity detected was found to be almost exclusively derived from 14C leucine while only about 60% of the 3H activity found in the digesta of fistula I were shown to be bound to lysine. Labelled lysine and leucine (of endogenic origin) are absorbed into the small intestine at a slower rate (i.e. endogenic proteins are less efficiently digested) than the non-radioactive amino acids (of exogenic origin) so that a process of concentration of endogenic amino acids is observed towards the end of the small intestine.


[Problem of nitrogen metabolism in monogastric animals]. A new method has been developed for determining the proportion of endogenic and exogenic faecal N by measuring the degree of specific labelling in the feeding-stuff (administered orally) and in the excreta (faeces and urine). The method has also been developed to find out whether the endogenic excretion of intestinal N is actually independent of the N intake. The present technique had been worked out on the basis of the model that had been originally established by Czarnetzki et al. in 1969 with the aim of characterizing processes of nitrogen metabolism in monogastric animals. As a result, a multi-compartment model was developed and a number of conclusions were derived from it. These conclusions were tested in 3 series of experiments on rats fed 15N labelled spring barley and 15N labelled feed yeast. Additionally, 15N labelled experimental rats were used receiving unlabelled extracted soya bean meal. The proportion of endogenic intestinal nitrogen (DVN) varied between 15-22% relative to the proportion of N ingested. The relative proportion of endogenic faecal N in the tota faecal N was found to be 100% in the case of the nitrogen-free diet. With increasing levels of dietary N this proportion lended to decrease down to a final value that was quite characteristic for each partitular feeding-stuff. The absolute amount of endogenic faecal N, however, was found to increase with increasing N levels. This shows that contrary to current views, DVN is not constant and is not independent of protein intake. Rather, a close relationship was found to exist between the level of N intake and DVN excretion (r = 0.951...0.972). So, the proportion of exogenic N contained in the faeces is much smaller than was previously assumed on the basis of the classical and regressive methods. These were based on the assumption that DVN is constant. Consequently, higher digestibility values will be obtained in comparison with those calculated on the basis of the previous methods. Digestibility data for spring barley increased from 83.9 to 95.6, i.e. by 11 digestibility units; for feed yeast there was an increase by 6.2 units, from 83.3 to 90.0; and for extracted soya bean meal an increase of 6.2 units was observed (from 90.7 to 96.9).


Effects of splenectomy on production of poly I:C induced serum interferon in rabbits. Splenectomy in rabbits causes a temporary reduction in interferon responding capacity of Poly I:C, followed by a period of hyperreactivity. At the same time a fraction of interferon with slightly different physiocochemical properties emerges. This could indicate that the spleen plays a relatively important role in the interferon response to Poly I:C. Splenectomy could be followed by the development of a compensatory cell population responsible for the production of interferon with slightly different molecular weight, isoelectric point and stability in urea.


Interferon induction and sensitivity as correlates to virulence of Venezuelan encephalitis viruses for hamsters. Venezuelan encephalitis (VEE) virus strains, which differ in virulence for adult hamsters, were compared with respect to (a) sensitivity to hamster interferon (IF) in vitro and in vivo and (b) induction of IF in plasma and target tissues (spleen, bone marrow and brain) following subcutaneous inoculation. In vitro, in cultures of a continuous line of hamster kidney cells, hamster interferon inhibited the replication of a benign VEE strain (BeAr 35,645) more than another benign strain (TC-83 vaccine) or two hamster-virulent strains (68 U 201 and Trinidad donkey). In vivo, in hamsters given poly I: poly C 24 hours before virus to induce interferon formation, BeAr 35,645 and TC-83 virus infections were prevented more frequently than infections with virulent strains Trinidad donkey and 68U201. Benign VEE strains BeAr 35,645 and TC-83 induced only slightly lower concentrations of IF in plasma, bone marrow, spleen and brain than virulent strains Trinidad donkey, 63Z21 and 68U201. However, concentrations of infectious BeAr 35,645 virus were significantly lower in these tissues than virulent strains, resulting in higher ratios of IF: invectious virus, suggesting efficient interferon induction. Benign strain TC-83 showed irregular relationships between IF and infectious virus in plasma or blood and tissues, Splenectomy significantly depressed plasma plasma IF responses to TC-83 virus 20 to 30 hours after inoculation. Interferon appears to be a factor that influences virulence of VEE viruses for hamsters.


Epizootic congenital arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly syndrome in cattle: isolation of Akabane virus from affected fetuses. Previous serolgoical studies strongly suggested Akabane virus to be the etiologic agent of epizootic abortion and congenital arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly in cattle, and this view was further corroborated in this study by the isolation of the virus from an aborted fetus in an epizootic of the disease and from a fetus extracted froma cow which was suggested by serologic tests to have a recent infection with the virus. The latter fetus had histological changes of encephalomyelitis and polymyositis, and specific antigens of Akabane virus was shown by the immunofluorescent technique in brain tissues as well as skeletal muscular tissues. The virus was recovered from various fetal tissues and fluids, and in relatively large amounts from brain, spinal cord, cerebral fluid, skeletal muscles and fetal placenta. The intracranial inoculation of suckling mice, 1-2 days of age, was the most sensitive system for Akabane virus isolation and HmLu-1, a continuous cell line from hamster lung, seemed almost as sensitive as suckling mice.


Growth inhibition of human lymphoblastoid Daudi cells in vitro by interferon preparations. Human interferon (HIF) preparations inhibited the propagation of Daudi cells in stationary suspension cultures, while a control preparation showed no such effect. The growth inhibition (= anticellular) activity of differently pretreated HIF preparations was determined by the reduction of 14C-labelled thymidine (14C-TDR) uptake in a microassay system. These studies demonstrated that the degree of anticellular activity is directly proportional to the antiviral activity of different HIF preparations. These preparations were obtained from peripheral leukocytes (lHIF) or diploid fibroblasts (fHIF). Together with gel chromatography results, and the sensitivity of the anticellular activity to tryptic digestion and heat inactivation, these results suggest that the anticellularly active substance is a protein which is very similar to, or identical with, interferon.


[Use of roentgenography for roentgeno-anatomic research]. The three-year-long experience of the use of electroroentgenography for anatomical investigations has shown that the details of the picture of anatomical objects which are insufficiently contrast in conventional roentgenograms may be revealed in electroroentgenograms. The obtained data speak of good prospects of application of electroentgenography in rentgenoanatomical studies.


[X-ray anatomy of the maxillary sinuses]. In a complex roentgenological investigation of 12 anatomical preparations of the cranium and of 100 isolated maxillary bones (including multiplane roentgenography and the artificial contrasting of the antrum of Highmore) it has been established that in adult people the maxillary sinuses have as a rule, a shape of an irregular truncated pyramid (96%), rarely - a rounded shape. The standard roentgenograms of the cranium can reveal comparatively small portions of osseous walls of the maxillary sinuses. Special spot-films are necessary for studying the sinus walls on their full length.


[X-ray anatomy of the inferior mesenteric artery according to findings of intravital angiography]. The article describes the results of roentgenological analysis of 905 patients having no pathological manifestations in the basin of the inferior mesenteric artery. The percutaneous catheterization of the aorta after Seldinger was made in all the patients. The authors have established that the typical variant of the artery is characterized by its appearance at the level of the third lumbar vertebrum body, by the branching of the trunk downwards to the left at an angle of 26,6 degrees +/- 0,2 (6-6,31 degrees) and by the main type of branching. The described rentgenological features of the vessel are helpful for the correct recognizing of the vessel in angiograms made in clinical conditions. The authors are likely to be the first to distinguish 10 variations of the branching of the inferior mesenteric artery and to give a detailed information on projection relationships of this vessel.


[Autoradiographic study of the early stages of human female meiosis in organ culture]. Incorporation of H3-thymidin in developing germinative cells and the movement of the label in successive stages of preprophase and prophase of meiosis were studied in the organic culture of the ovaries of 7-12 and 23 week human embryos by the method of autoradiography. H3-thymidin was incorporated by oognia and oocytes of the last stages of preleptotene with a thin uneven network of chromatin in the nucleus and by oocytes of the stage of leptotene and, rarely, zygotene. In oocytes with prochromosomes the label appeared within 12 hours. The cells labeled in the premeiotic DNA synthesis were changed into the zygotene stage within 4 days, into the pachytene stage- within 14 days. The development took 7-14 days from the last premitosis S-period to zygotene. Oogoniums divided two times for 7 days. Gz-period of oognia -1/2 of mitosis lasts an average of 10 hours. The S-period of oogonia lasts for about 9 hours.


[Age and changes in the thyroid gland of A/He mice (morphometric and histochemical studies)]. Changes in the thyroid gland of mice A/He in postnatal ontogenesis were studied at the age of from 1 to 547 days by methods of morphometry and quantitative histochemistry. During the first days of life an active growth of the organ, accumulation of colloid, increase of the relative volume of the follicular epithelium in which the intensity of the histoenzymological reactions increased were observed. In the period of sex maturation the excretion of colloid was noticed as well as an increase of the height of follicular cells with activation of some of their enzymatic systems. Later on, while aging, the follicular cells gradually become flatter, the level of some enzymatic reactions of thyrocytes drops, the relative volume of colloid increases and its histochemical properties change. In the gland of animals older than 6-7 months well pronounced cystic changes were found.


[Structure of the walls of the main arteries exposed to experimental hypergravitation and hypokinesia]. The structure of the wall of the carotid humeral and femoral arteries and the aorta was studied by histological methods in 260 rabbits under effects of positive longitudinal unendurable stresses, stresses of the training character and hypokinesia. Under study also was the structure of components of the aorta adventitia microcirculatory bed with the impregnation of tissue sections after V.V. Kuprijanov. The reversibility of morphological changes in the wall was studied after effects of the above factors and their different combinations. The experiments have shown the morphological changes in the wall to be of similar type and to consist of hyperelastosis and atrophy of the media under chronic stimuli. In the microcirculatory bed there occurred dilatation of postcapillaries and venules, diapedesic hemorrhages suggesting phenomena of stagnation. All the morphological changes were reversible speaking of great adaptive potentialities of the vascular system.


[Character of changes in the microcirculatory bed of the mesentery of the small intestine in experimental acute myocardial infarct]. On the first day of the development of acute coronary insufficiency there appears a spastic state of all the vascular system of the small intestine mesentery and a deceleration of the blood flow. On the third day after ligation of the coronary artery branch against the background of spasmed arterioles the alternation of sites of constricted and dilated capillaries, postcapillaries and venules was observed, i.e., there was a well pronounced spasticatonical state of the microcirculation bed vessels. On the fifth and seventh day the characteristic features were dilatation and decreased tonus of the venous part of the microcirculatory bed, redistribution of blood and more considerable disorders in microcirculation with aggregation and diapedesis of erythrocytes.


[Ultrastructural changes in the supraoptic nucleus and posterior lobe of the pituitary following experimental burns]. The dynamics of the ultrastructure of the neurosecretory system in the postburn period is characterized by phasic of organells of neurosecretory cells and synapses on their bodies and processes. Immediately after burn there appear pronounced signs of an increased formation of secretion synchronous to a considerably increased functional activity of synaptic structures. Of the opposite character are fine structures in neurocytes in the subsequent period (1-1,5 hour after burn). Phenomena of disintegration and degeneration of organells are developing in the cells. In the posiologically active neurohormones and degeneration of membrane structures gradually increase at all the observed stages of the burn trauma. All the elements of the supraoptic nucleus and the posterior lobe of the hypophysis early responding to the effect of such a powerful extreme factor are involved in the response of the organism to burn. It should be noted that immediately after burn there appears an increased permeability of capillaries followed by extravasation of formed elements and liquid blood. It steadily increases with the development of the process.


[Topography of the intraorganic veins of the pancreas]. The article describes the veins of the head, body and tail of the pancreas and the blood from them. Two ways of the blood outflow are found: 1.along the splenic and mesenteric veins and 2. along the splenic vein. The greatest amount of anastomoses is found in the area of transition from the head to the body. Three forms of the pancreatic venous bed are established: segmentary, reticular and mixed forms.


[Plasticity of the circulatory bed of the vermiform appendix in the presence of circulatory disorders within it]. The methods of macro-microscopy and angio-roentgenography were used to study the change of blood vessels of the vermiform process in 80 rabbits. Six series of experiments were performed with the exclusion of the appendicular artery and vein and their direct branches in different combinations. The normal circulatory bed was studied in 10 rabbits. It has been established that the circulatory bed of the rabbit vermiform process is characterized by a very complicated structure and has numerous intervascular connections. The latter possess high plasticity sustaining the sufficiently developed collateral circulation and the recovery of the blood inflow disturbed in the process. The work describes specific features of the process circulatory bed changes under the conditions of the experiments. The data obtained should be taken into account when modeling acute appendicitis in the rabbit by disturbing its vascularization.


[Cytophotometric determination of DNA concentration in the nuclei of the human placental trophoblast in late toxemias of pregnancy]. The distribution of trophoblast nuclei of the human placenta by their ploidy was studied in normal pregnancy and in late pregnancy toxemias by the monowave emthod of cytophotometry in visible light. In the plasmodiotrophoblast a pronounced increase in the amount of nuclei in the S-phase (up to 40%) was noted in late toxemias which suggests a considerable activation of the DNA synthesis. The placenta cytotrophoblast in late toxemias is substantially different from that in normality. The Langhans cells disappear almost completely while in normality they are present in young terminal villi till the very end of pregnancy. The amount of the island cytotrophoblasts is much greater, the distribution of nuclei according t the DNA content being of absolutely different character than in normality. A great amount of hypodiploid nuclei (up to 36%) was observed which are absent in normal conditions as well as much greater fluctuations in the amount of diploid nuclei (from 4% to 37%) as compared with the normal amount (25.9%). These data show a high amitotic activity in the island cytotrophoblast in late toxemias. The above changes in the plasmodiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast might be considered as a compensatory reaction of the placenta to a considerably increased vacuolization and deep atrophic processes in degenerating villi.


[Pathways of transcranial blood flow].

[Pathways of transcranial blood flow]. The injection of the injectional mass into the internal and external carotid arteries has shown the presence of perforant arteries in the bones of the cranial fornix. The method of impregnation of vessels by silver nitrate in sections of decalcified cranium bones enabled the author to establish the penetration of thin blood vessels into the cranial cavity through sutures. Blood vessels simultaneously found to be present in the spongy and compact substance of the cranial fornix bones. The totalities of the above vessels are considered as transcranial vascular communications. Their possible significance in hemodynamics is discussed.


[Classification of neurons of the cat neocortex]. Different forms of neurons of the temporal cortex of the adult cat were studied in frontal and sagittal sections by the Golgi method in the author's modification. It was shown that the 2nd type Golgi cells (spider neurons, basket cells, spindle stellate cells with two bunches of processes, stellate cells with radial processes, Martinotti's cells) are characterized by local restruction of their processes and differ from one another in the specificity of axonal aborizations. The comparison of axonal systems of the pyramidal and above forms of the 2nd type Golgi cells has shown the set of collaterals of one pyramidal cell to consist of fragments of axonal branching of different forms of short-axon neurons. On the basis of the data obtained the pyramidal neuron is considered as a universal type of cell. The structural features of its receptive surface sustain the converging on it of a wide range of polymodal signals, the difference in the quality of presynaptic structures being responsible for the plasticity of a functional change of its integrative activity.


[Morphologic changes during neuroplastic nerve restoration]. The dynamics of ultrastructural changes in plastic recovery of the function of the additional nerve by the anterior branch of the second cervical nerve was studied. The nerve cells at the level of the donor-nerve were found to be highly reactive and plastic. It was established that in the process of heterogenic regeneration of the nerve the most substantial changes in neuronal structures were observed during the first two months. The cysterns of the endoplasmic network remained dilated for a long time after platic operation with might be related with the increased protein metabolism in the neuron.


Familial myasthenia gravis. Report of four cases. Two pairs of siblings with myasthenia gravis, belonging to two different families, are reported. This is the only record of familial myasthenia during the past twenty years, in a total of 145 patients seen at the Neurological Clinic of the São Paulo Medical School. In spite of the fact that myasthenia gravis does not show hereditary characteristics, the peculiar features of the four cases justify the present report. The two pairs of siblings were born from non myasthenic nor consanguineous parents. The disease started at birth showing bilateral partial eyelid ptosis in all patients. The course of the illness has been favorable. There was no thymoma.


[Polyneuropathy caused by tuberculostatics. Study of motor nerve conduction in 29 patients]. The electroneurographic study in 29 patients, during treatment with isoniazid for pulmonary tuberculosis in 12 months period is reported. The patients age were between 16 and 70 years. During the study period motor nerve conduction velocity was done every two months in the median, ulnar and peroneal nerves. The statistical analysis in a 6 months period, revealed p greater than 0.05 (nonsignificant) at the median and peroneal nerves, in spite of the lowering of the motor nerve conduction in a 12 months period. The same findings were observed with the ulnar nerve, but p less than 0.01 (significant). It was impossible to establish a correlation between the motor nerve conduction velocities and the clinical findings observed in the patients. This paper, in the author's opinion, shows that the nerve motor conduction technique is worthless in the follow up of isoniazid patients.


[Decompression craniotomy in acute brain edema. Apropos of 30 operated cases]. Uni or bilateral decompressive craniotomy was carried out in 30 patients bearing severe cerebral edema of etiology predominantly traumatic. Coma, midriasis and decerebrate state were the mostly commonly clinical features presented. The average survival in the series was 46.6%.


[Value of cytogenetic study in transsexualism]. By reviewing the syndromic manifestation, transsexualism in characterized as a psychiatric entity, apart from homossexualism and transvestism. The two main feasible etiologic causes of transsexualism are discussed: the psychoanalytical hypothesis based upon psycossexual regression with imprinting of maternal figure and the neuroendocrine model which assumes alterations of the gender role identity centers in the hypothalamus. On the grounds of the latter explanation and after the scheme that seems to occure in the Morris syndrome whose cells (XY) do not respond to the masculinizing effect of plasma testosterone, it is proposed that transsexuals should possess detectable or cryptic sex-chromosome mosaicism affecting hypothalamic centers of gender role identity which do not respond to the androgenic secretion produced by primitive gonad. This possibliity explains the excessive prevalence of the syndrome among men, its typical features in the male as well as its sporadic occurrence. Cytogenetic investigation reveals that the frequency (32%) of sex-chromosome mosaicism among 25 transsexuals and 40 normal control people, both groups presenting the proportion of the mosaicism practically null. The karyotypic criterion as a valuable aid in the syndrome diagnosis is considered.


[Ciliospinal reflex in man].

[Ciliospinal reflex in man]. The study of the ciliospinal reflex in twenty-three patients is reported. The patients were divided into two groups: the first with spinal cord lesions and the second one with brain stem lesions. The authors discuss the pathways and the mechanisms of the ciliospinal reflex in man and emphasize their value on the diagnosis of brain stem lesions.


[Cerebrovascular diseases of the "moyamoya" type]. The case of a 34-year-old caucasian male with subarachnoid hemorrahge is reported. The right carotid arteriogram shows the typical internal carotid artery occlusion at the syphon, whith an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain; the right anterior and middle cerebral arteries fill from the vascular network and through meningocortical anastomoses; the right posterior communicating and cerebral arteries are tortuous and hypertrophic. The left carotid arteriogram shows hypertrophy of the common and internal carotid arteries; both anterior and middle cerebral arteries fill from this side; the anterior communicating artery is thick (foetal type) and a median anterior cerebral artery to the corpus callosum is present. It is the authors' view that the "moyamoya" disease is a congenital one, since the abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain would not be necessary, in this case, to preserve good collateral circulation to the right cerebral hemisphere. No other case with the typical findings of "moyamoya" disease on one side and hypertrophy of the carotid arteries on the other was found in the literature.


[Carcinoma of the choroid plexus. Report of a case]. The case of a three-years-old male with intracranial hypertension is reported. Without a clear clinical diagnosis, a gradual deterioration ocurred before his death, 8 days later. The neuropathological examination of the brain revealed a tumor with indistint borders at the right lateral ventricle, with granulous surface, pink-gray colour, irregular necrotic and hemorragic areas, invading the adjacent brain tissue. The histopathological study revealed a malignant variant of the choroid plexus tumor, of extreme rarity in the central nervous system. The biological and histological criteria accepted by Lewis, Rubinstein and Polak for the correct diagnosis of this type of tumour are discussed.


[Metastatic carcinoma involving the cauda equina]. The case of a 60 year-old man who had an indifferenciated carcinoma in the lung is reported. He had received cobaltotherapy and had improved. After 3 months a lumbar pain had began and the patient was hospitalized. A myelography with lipiodol demonstrated and intra-dural mass. At operation a big intra-dural tumor including the cauda equina was found. The microscopic examination revealed an undifferenciated carcinoma, that inflitrated the epi and peri-nerual space.


[Clinico genetic discussion on Apert's syndrome. Apropos of a case]. After a short introduction about the so-called Apert's syndrome. a clinical suggestive case is reported. Discussion shows how a clinic-genetical procedure may help the clinicians.


[Pituitary apoplexy after pneumoencefalogram]. A case of pituitary apoplexy following the performance of a pneumoencephalogram is reported. No such a case has been published in the literature, to the author's knowledge. The etiopathogenetic mechanism is discussed and a recomendation is made that surgery should be performed straight after completion of the pneumoencephalogram, should it show a significant supraselar extension of a pituitary adenoma, even in the absence of increased intracranial pressure.


Effects of nerve stimulation on human muscle. A phasic program of femoral nerve stimulation was used  to reduce refractory knee flexion contractures in five patients. In one, rectus femoris was tenotomized before starting stimulation to reduce hip flexion contracture. Muscle biopsies were performed before and after 5 to 12 weeks of intermittent stimulation  at separated sites on the same muscle. In the four patients where muscle contraction was isometric, type I fibers increased 3.7%, 6.4%, 48.4%, anand 30.4%, respectively. Both fiber types in each patient showed an increase in size ( p less than .001). In the tenotomized muscle, where contraction was isotonic at a shortened length, the proportion of type I fibers decreased from 40.2% to 25.4%, and their mean diameter also decreased (p less than .001). These observations suggest that the physical conditions of contraction may be more important than the pattern of neuronal discharge in determining the metabolic profile of human muscle fibers.


Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and myelopathy. A long-term follow-up study. The natural history of cervical spondylotic myelopathy in a series of 55 patients resulted in a moderate to severe disability during a mean period of 45 months. Results of operation for myelopathy indicated improvement in one group that was maintained for a mean of 85 months. In another group, progressive worsening occurred after operation, or late worsening occurred, in some instances as long as 8 to 12 years after improvement and plateau. Patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy tended to be separated from those with myelopathy with respect to presentation, symptom complex, and operative result. Results of operation for radiculopathy were consistently good. A worsened disability postoperatively for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy was associated with the preoperative symptom of sphincter disturbance and the sign of lower extremity weakness. Change in hand movement after operation for myelopathy and change in distance walking ability were not correlated with numerous preoperative factors. A trend of improvement in disability following anterior interbody fusion and a tendency to worsen in disability following all varities of laminectomy were significant.


Anticonvulsant drug mechanisms. Phenytoin, phenobarbital, and ethosuximide and calcium flux in isolated presynaptic endings. Phenytoin, phenobarbital, ethosuximide, and procaine hydrochloride were evaluated for their ability to inhibit Ca2+ flux into isolated presynaptic endings (synaptosomes) prepared from rabbit neocortex. Calcium influx produced by depolarizing concentrations (69 mM) of K+ was inhibited 7% to 63% by phenytoin, phenobarbital, or procaine, whereas ethosuximide was ineffective. Decreased Ca2+ influx was observed with as little as 0.08 mM phenytoin and 0.04 mM phenobarbital. In contrast, 4 mM procaine was needed to produce an effect. These results lead to the conclusion that ability to produce membrane stabilization is not a property of all anticonvulsant drugs; however, this property may be essential for the action of drugs effective in the treatment of major seizures.


Regeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Electromyographic evidence. Eight patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and seven normal children of similar age were studied with a new electromyographic method for coherent displays of potentials. Five hundred motor unit potentials (MUPs) were analyzed in 20 proximal and distal muscles representing a wide spectrum of dystrophy. The progressive MUP disintegration by dropping out of muscle fibers was documented, as well as a high incidence of spontaneous fibrillation. A total of 386 late component (LC) potentials followed the 500 MUPs at consistent latencies. No LC occurred in normal children. The LCs result from motor axon sprouts innervating muscle fibers that are newly formed either by segmentation of existing muscle fibers (focal neucrosis and membrane repair) or by muscle regeneration. Axons in DMD can thus collaterally innervate additional muscle fibers. These processes must delay the onset and progression of clinical weakness in DMD patients.


Clinical vs quantitative evaluation of cutaneous sensation. A comparison of the evaluation of cutaneous sensation by neurologic examination and by quantitative assessment in 107 patients with various neuromuscular disease has shown that there is a reasonably good correlation between the recognition of abnormalities of cutaneous sensation by clinical and by quantitative methods. Clinical neurologists tend to underestimate abnormalities of touch-pressure sensation. The quantitative evaluation of cutaneous sensation is useful in quality control of the clinical examination, in correlating the nature of sensation loss with the compound action potential and morphometry of biopsied nerve, in providing a score of sensation to follow the course and the effect of treatment protocols, and in monitoring for an adverse effect on sensation by an environmental or industrial poison. There is a good correlation between abnormality of touch-pressure sensation and loss of large myelinated fibers of sural nerve in neuropathy.


Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in migraine. Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity was measured during headache-free intervals in 17 patients with migraine and during the headache interval in 16 patients with muscle contraction headache, as well as in 40 normal subjects. The DBH activity was significantly higher in the migraine patients (46.5+/4.5 units) than in the controls (24.9+/2.4 units), whereas no significant difference was observed between the patients with muscle contraction headache (29.4+/4.5 units) and the controls.


Cerebellar degeneration with Hodgkin disease. An immunological study. A 21-year-old woman with subacute cerebellar degeneration was found to have Hodgkin lymphoma. Radiation therapy for the lymphoma halted the progression of her neurological disease. Using an immunofluorescent technique, we found the patient's serum to have antibodies to cerebellar Purkinje cells.


Rapid eye movements in myasthenia gravis. II. Electro-oculographic analysis. Voluntary saccades were studied by electro-oculography in ten patients with myasthenia gravis (MG)  and in eight patients with other types of ophthalmoplegia. Despite limited range of eye movements, maximum velocities of 20 degree and 40 degree saccades in patients with MG were not significantly different from  those in normal individuals, whereas maximum velocities in patients with other types of ophthalmoplegia were significantly decreased. In some myasthenic patients, small amplitude saccades were hypermetric and had high velocities, appearing clinically as "quiver" movements characteristic of MG. In MG the preservation of saccades with high initial velocities, even in the presence of severe ophthalmoplegia, suggests that muscle fibers generating rapid movements during saccades (twitch fibers) can be relatively spared when muscle fibers responsible for maintenance of excentric gaze (tonic fibers) are severely affected.


Limits of constriction in the treatment of retinal detachment. A constricting silicone band was added to 13% of local sponge buckle operations in this series. The purpose was to relieve circumferential traction or to maintain a high buckle. The inclusion of a cerclage did not require drainage of subretinal fluid. The rate of reattachment without drainage (42 of 50 detachments) is comparable to what might be expected if the subretinal fluid had been drained. Constriction was controlled and limited to between 10% and 25% of the circumference of the eye. Anterior segment  ischemia requiring relaxation of the band occurred in two patients; scleral erosion did not occur.


Hereditary congenital alacrima.

Hereditary congenital alacrima. We describe a family with markedly deficient lacrimation from infancy and punctate corneal epithelial erosions. An autosomal dominant inheritance pattern is suggested. A hypoplasia of the lacrimal gland in this family was suggested by pharmacologic testing and by histopathologic examination of the lacrimal gland of the proposita. The family investigated in this report represents the first instance of hereditary congenital alacrima without associated ocular or adnexal abnormalities and apart from systemic disorders such as the Riley-Day syndrome and anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.


Surgical decisions in chronic angle-closure glaucoma. A retrospective study of 57 eyes with chronic angle-closure showed that eyes with visual field loss are less likely to be improved by iridectomy than those without visual field loss in the presence of visual field loss, trabeculectomy achieved more satisfactory control of glaucoma than did iridectomy, and there was no noticeable difference in surgical complications between iridectomy and trabeculectomy in this small series. It is suggested that iridectomy is indicated for most cases of chronic angle closure without visual field loss, especially if the pressure is medically controllable. In the presence of visual field loss, iridectomy is usually a wise choice if medical control is easily achieved preoperatively. However, trabeculectomy might be the best choice in most patients with visual field loss and medically uncontrolled pressure, regardless of the gonioscopic findings.


Ocular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome with normal lysyl hydroxylase activity. We report two brothers affected with what has been called either fragilitas oculi or the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI. Previously reported cases of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI showed a deficiency of lysyl hydroxylase in cultured fibroblasts. Assays of cultured skin fibroblasts from these two boys yielded normal activity of this enzyme, suggesting that there are two variants of this disease.