[Two kinds of dying--existential and psychodynamic aspects of a personal thanatology (author's transl)]. If we eliminate the area of biological and psychological methods, aspects of human death can be experienced which go far beyond understanding death as a defect, as simple cessation of physiological functions. Only then does the total structure of human death as one of the most important "border situations" (Jaspers) of human life become evident. For man, coming to grips with his finality is a task which he cannot escape. This task, which is connected with the ability to experience a future, is an essential characteristic (Scheler) which differentiates man from animals. This is due to the fact that man's spiritual structure has been set in a biological matrix. This double structure of man also implies the possibility of a double cessation of his true nature. In addition to biological death, there is also a spiritual death in human existence where the biological matrix is fully intact: A biologically intact organism, which presents no problem for the internist, is then no longer in a position to participate in a mode of existence with appropriate norms, human dignity and goal orientations. Basically the problem is that the full I-Thou form in terms of Buber and Gebsattel can no longer be realized. Man has isolated himself, maneuvered himself out of this anthropological constitutionality as Zoon Politicon in the sense of Aristotle and put himself on the side-lines. He then no longer lives through and in others and, therefore, no longer participates in the medium and sphere of his only possible existence. The paradox remains, however, that, in contrast to biological death, the man who is existentially dead is condemned to life as many existential philosophers have said. He is condemned to freedom and can use this freedom to manipulate his death, to degrade it by making it an object, to materialize it to a "'ready-to-hand' thing" in Heidegger's terms. It can be psychologically energized and used as a defensive weapon; its various forms can be either used against each other or against itself. This was demonstrated by examples taken from the daily practice and from literature.


[Reflections on and initial experiences with the teaching of psychotherapy after the new regulation for medical licensing (author's transl)]. This study discusses the first psychotherapeutic-oriented portion of the practical course for psychosomatics/psychotherapy which was held in seminar form in small groups. The material for the course was prepared cuts from vitiotapes of first and second therapeutic sessions conducted in a psychotherapeutic outpatient clinic. To a large extent, the initial experience tends to speak for our teaching plan which basically refrained from initially mediating theory. On the other hand, it was also necessary to cutback the original plan in an attempt to use the "countertransference reactions" of the students to better understand the patients. Special attention was given to the affective reactions of the students in the individual groups since a certain dependency on the specific teaching style of the seminar leader was to be expected. Occasionally, there was danger of overestimating the tolerance of the students to their tensions and fears. This intensified the defense reactions. The experience up until now caused us to modify our plan in a few points.


["Therapeutic play" als clinical short-term group therapy in rehabilitative and preventive internal medicine (author's transl)]. A method of therapeutic play was presented which was used with young patients in treatment at a health resort. The patients were diagnosed as suffering from the vegetative syndrome. They also exhibited psychological problems such as difficulty in establishing interpersonal relationships, inhibition and depressive tendencies. This method consisting of a three-stage program of self-perception, interaction and role playing has been used successfully as short-term group therapy in the context of treatment at a health resort as the investigation of 49 participants shows.


Presidential Address-1976. Social support as a moderator of life stress. Social support is defined as information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations. The evidence that supportive interactions among people are protective against the health consequences of life stress is reviewed. It appears that social support can protect people in crisis from a wide variety of pathological states: from low birth weight to death, from arthritis through tuberculosis to depression, alcoholism, and the social breakdown syndrome. Furthermore, social support may reduce the amount of medication required, accelerate recovery, and facilitate compliance with prescribed medical regimens.


[Peculiarities of a consultative service and a psychosomatic consultation-hour at a dermatological university clinic (author's transl)]. When organizing a consultative service and a psychosomatic consultation-hour at a dermatological clinic the following (specific?) peculiarities resulted: 1) the fellow doctors at the clinic at first only sent somatically untreatable cases and 2) were afraid of a correction of their diagnosis. 3) By way of identification they were faced with their own proper problems. The patients understood themselves to be physically ill and at first could not be approached regarding to their subconscious conflicts. The actual conduct of the patients in the wards and their attitude to the physicians was used in a psychodiagnostical way (whereas analytical interpretations were dispensed with) and was used therapeutically to elucidate the psycho-genesis of their affliction. Only with some singular patients suffering from skin-diseases a proper analysis could be performed for research purposes; most of them had to be treated simultaneously dermatologically as well as psychoanalytically (in a modified way). Merely with patients suffering from andrological troubles group-therapy along analytical lines was feasible and proved to be successful.


Body image disturbances in anorexia nervosa and obesity. Measures were made of body image and personality features in patients with anorexia nervosa and obesity. It was hypothesized that obese and anorexic patients would display similar body image disturbances characterized by relative overestimation of body size in comparison with control subjects. Body image was measured by both a distorting photograph technique (a general measure) and a visual size estimation apparatus (for specific body regions). Personality features were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Inventory and a modified version of Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. Results indicated that both obese (N=16) and anorexic (N=18) subjects significantly differed from three control groups (P less than 0.01) in body size estimation on a general measure of body image. A measure of specific body regions did not differentiate between groups. For anorexic and obese patients, body size estimates were significantly correlated with personality features.


[On the intellectual capacity of patients suffering from ulcerative colitis--a comparative study using the HAWIE--(author's transl)]. Differing reports in the literature on the intellectual capabilities of patients with unspecific ulcerative colitis caused us to undertake a controlled test-psychological study. 30 patients with ulcerative colitis and 30 "healthy" control persons were tested with the Hamburg-Wechsler-Intelligenztest für Erwachsene (HAWIE). The patients and the controls were matched as regards age, sex, family status, education, professional status and monthly income. A statistical comparison using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test showed that the two groups did not differ significantly in their intelligence quotients. Our results seem to indicate that the assumption of extraordinary intellectual capabilities of patients with ulcerative colitis is not tenable.


Death from fright: report of a case and literature review. A case report is presented illustrating the thesis that fear of fantasy material may trigger off a physiological process leading to death.


Facial expression and imagery in depression: an electromyographic study. When subjects are instructed to self-generate happy, sad, and angry imagery, discrete patterns of facial muscle activity can be detected using electromyographic (EMG) procedures. Prior research from this laboratory suggests that depressed subjects show attenuated facial EMG patterns during imagery conditions, particularly during happy imagery. In the present experiment, 12 depressed subjects and 12 matched normals were requested to generate happy and sad imagery, first with the instruction to simply "think" about the imagery, and then to self-regulate the affective state by "reexperiencing the feelings" associated with the imagery. Continuous recordings of facial EMG were obtained from the corrugator, zygomatic major, depressor anguli oris, and mentalis muscle regions. It was hypothesized that (a) these muscle sites would reliably differentiate between happy and sad imagery. (b) the instruction to self-generate the affective feeling state would produce greater EMG differences than the "think" instructions, and (c) the "think" instructions would be a more sensitive indicator of the difference between depressed and nondepressed subjects, especially for happy imagery. All three hypotheses were confirmed. The application of facial electromyography to the assessment of normal and clinical mood states, and the role of facial muscle patterning in the subjective experience of emotion, are discussed.


Cost and benefits of lizard thermoregulation. Lizards thermoregulate by behavioral and physiological adjustments. The resultant control over metabolic processes is generally assumed to be beneficial. However, these thermoregulatory adjustments have associated costs which, if extensive, make thermoregulation impractical. We extend this idea into an abstract mathematical, cost-benefit model of thermoregulation in lizards. Investigation of the model leads to a set of predictions which includes: (1) the physiologically optimal temperature is not always the ecologically optimal temperature; (2) thermoregulation is beneficial only when associated costs are low; (3) thermal specialists will normally thermoregulate more carefully than thermal generalists unless costs are high; and (4) lizards will thermoregulate more carefully if productivity of the habitat is increased or if exploitation competition is reduced. Data on lizards, where available, generally agree with these predicitions.


[Criminologic manifesto].

[Criminologic manifesto]. There is conventional crime and unconventional crime. The first is mostly made up of offences against persons, property, morals and public order; the second of crimes committed under cover of official positions; against international laws; by "intelligence services"; terrorism; economic and financial frauds; illicit trade; criminal corruption at high levels; discriminatory practices; pollution; illicit traffic drugs, etc.. The vast majority of them are defined as criminal offences by national penal codes and special laws, but largely go unpunished. Unconventional crime cannot be explained by the traditional references to the personality of the offender. The explanation for the failure of contemporary criminology lies mostly in regarding the phenomenon of criminality as the ensemble of crimes which may be individually explained, instead of considering it as a sociopolitical phenomenon. If criminology is to survive, it must realize that the conventional is only one aspect of the sociopolitical phenomenon of crime, and that the study of unconventional crime demands an approach that the self-satisfied criminologies of our time cannot provide. The discussion and the study on unconventional crime will raise political difficulties, but the time has come that criminology and criminal justice face the fact that science can no longer be (or assume to be) neutral.


A generalization of the clonal survival models: equations for the families of curves obtained with fractionated irradiation. The survival curves obtained when cellular recovery follows various first radiation dose deliveries DI seem, when semi-logarithmically plotted, to be translated from the part of the curve corresponding to an unfractionated irradiation beyond a dose DR. A possible assumption consistent with such experimental observations is proposed which allows the generalization of any survival model S = f (D). The derived equation S = f (DR + D - DI) f (DI)/f (DR) is convenient for the whole family of experimental survival curves involving cellular damage repairs when the first radiation doses vary. All the parameters of the family equation can be simultaneously fitted so that their reliability is increased. The generalized equations are given for the four following models: two-hits targets, Chadwick and Leenhouts, Green and Burki, Wideröe. As an example, the Chadwick and Leenhouts generalized model parameters are fitted to a family of experimental survival curves concerning Chlorella cells exposed to fractionated and continuous gamma irradiation. The fittings are presented with their confidence limits and are briefly discussed.


X-ray-induced recombination during oogenesis in the silkworm (Bombyx mori l.). The physical induction of recombinational events has been studied in the female silkworm (Bombyx mori), in which crossing-over does not normally occur. Female silkworms heterozygous in the trans type of two egg-color genes, pe (V-0.0) and re (V-31.7), received a single dose of X-rays (1000 R) at various developmental stages. Then they were crossed to marked males homozygous for both genes. The results indicated that X-rays increase the occurrence of recombinational events in silkworm females from first instar larvae to late stage pupae. The spontaneous frequency of exchange type recombinants in the control series was 2.5 X 10(-5), while after irradiation the frequency of these recombinants was up to 38.8 X 10(-5). The sensitive stage to X-ray-induced recombinational events was late stage larvae from fourth to fifth instar. Exchange (cross-over) type recombinants were about three times more frequent than interchange types among the 122 recombinants recovered. The biological significance of the present finding is discussed.


Calculation of specific energies of incorporated 239Pu and 131I in accordance with the concept of the critical cell. A better understanding of the effects of energy deposited in cells by incorporated isotopes can be expected from an analysis of differential cell doses. With this thought in mind, the distributions of specific energies in tissue were calculated for 239Pu and 131I. A program written in Fortran IV makes use of a matrix of spherical cells and cell nuclei of 10 and 8 mum diameter, respectively. The cells are arranged in close-packed structure. The radioactivity is considered as being compiled to point sources of 1 dps activity. The sources are located in the common centers of cells and nuclei. The calculations yield discrete values of specific energy using the mass of the nuclei for mass of reference. The numbers of cell nuclei receiving given amounts of specific energy are functions of the specific activity of the isotopes in the tissue. The specific activity is varied by changing the number of sources per g of tissue. The program also allows to calculate the numbers of cell nuclei with zero energy deposition. From the 1 dps point sources an average specific energy of 831 rads/h results for plutonium for cell nuclei within the range of the 5.14 MeV alpha-particles. For iodine, the value is 35 mrads/h within the range of the beta-particles of 188 KeV mean energy. If the volumes irradiated by the sources begin to overlap these values begin to increase accordingly.


[Prospects of therapeutic intervention in drug addiction in prisons]. The non-penalization envisaged by the new law concerning the use and possession of drugs, will not cause the population of drug addicts to disappear from the prisons; it is however to be expected a qualitative modification of them, with the drug addicts clinically in most serious and persistent conditions and more involved with the criminal subculture, gradually increasing in number. Such individuals will represent a group of potential customers much different from that found up to now, and their more meaningful features will concern their age (higher), polytoxicomania (almost always resulting in heroinism), the abandonment of all family ties, of the pristine social and cultural status, of work, to acquire a new role, where identity is extremely ambiguous and uncertain. As concerns the treatment hypotheses, the less involved users being no longer dealth with--upon whom the attention of operators had been chiefly centered, and on whom the prospects of a psychotherapeutic success had been founded--only two solutions are regarded as implementable in the future: either to give up all intramural treatments, with the exception of those having a medical character, and, extramurally, to provide for the supply (controlled and through dispensaries) of heroin or substitute drugs, so as to reduce as much as possible the danger drug addicts represent for society; or to establish therapeutic or intramural communities, forming the one instrument capable of suggesting or conditioning new identity patterns, as an initial stage of an analogous institutional treatment to be continued when the convict leaves the prison.


Microdosimetric structure of heavy ion tracks in tissue. Energy dissipation in tracks of high energy heavy ions in tissue shows a lateral spread of several to many microns depending on the energy of the primary particle. Complete dosimetric characterization, therefore, requires in addition to the Linear Energy Transfer (LET) information on the radial energy distribution. The theory of track structure distinguishes two regions: core and penumbra. The core is a narrow central zone with a radius in tissue far below 1 micron where energy deposition occurs mainly in processes of excitation and electron plasma oscillation. According to the Equipartition Principle, half of the total energy dissipation accrues in this manner. The penumbra is a peripheral zone enveloping the core where energy deposition occurs mainly in ionization events by energetic secondary electrons released by the primary particle in the center of the core traveling at rather high speed thus spreading laterally. The extension of the penumbra depends in a complex manner on the maximum transferable energy to electrons which in turn depends on the speed of the primary particle. Local energy density in the penumbra decreases with the square of increasing radius. It therefore amounts only to a very small fraction of the core density already a few microns away from the center. In general terms, track structure can be described as exhibiting a core of enormous energy density with lateral dimensions remaining entirely on the submicroscopic level surrounded by a penumbra where energy density drops precipitously to very small levels. The relationships are illustrated with micrographs of different sections of a heavy particle track in nuclear emulsion and their counterpart graphical plots.


90Sr + 90Y bremsstrahlung efficiency predicted for humans. Bremsstrahlung x-rays are produced when energetic beta-particles are emitted and absorbed. Measurements of total-body bremsstrahlung efficiencey (x-ray photon output per muCi 90Sr in the body, relative to that in water) have been made in the intact mouse, rat, rabbit, and dog sacrificed 2 weeks after the injection of 90Sr + 85Sr. Efficiencies were determined by a comparison of the bremsstrahlung output from 90Sr + its daughter 90Y and the gamma-ray emission of 85Sr. Results were checked by a beta-assay of the ashed animals. Bremsstrahlung efficiencies averaged 1.10 in a 0.04 kg mouse, 1.14 in a 0.13 kg rat, 1.23 in a 2.6 kg rabbit, and 1.32 in an 8.5 kg beagle. Extrapolating to a 70 kg human, a relative bremsstrahlung efficiency of about 1.4 is predicted. An estimate was made of the 90Sr body content in a former dial painter based on in vivo counting and a bremsstrahlung efficiency of 1.39 predicted for a 55 kg human female by these animal data. Our value of 1.42 +/- 0.08 muCi 90Sr was in good agreement with corresponding results reported for this subject by 8 other laboratories.


Determination of the uranium content of environmental samples by gamma spectroscopy of the 1.0015 MeV radiation in 234U. A method of determining the uranium content of environmental samples by gamma spectroscopy of the 1.0015 MeV gamma radiation of the 234Pam (beta-) 234U leads to 234U daughter decay is described. The detection limit is 1 nCi/kg sample. The transition probability has been determined to be 0.87 +/- 0.03%.


Population dose from natural radionuclides in phosphate fertilizers. The natural radionuclide content of mineral phosphate fertilizers has been determined gammaspectrometrically. The investigations comprised ca. 70% of the mineral phosphate fertilizers authorized and used in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). At maximum, we found specific activities of 62 nCi Unat/kg, 23 nCi 226Ra/kg, 1.6 nCi Thnat/kg and 262 nCi 40K/kg. The mean values, weighted by the percentual agricultural consumption of the main phosphate fertilizer groups in 1973/74 and related to the phosphate content, amounted to 58, 40, 2, and 584 nCi/kg P2O5 for Unat, 226Ra, Thnat, and 40K respectively. This resulted in an annual distribution due to phosphate fertilizing of about 3.9 muCi Unat, 2.7 muCi 226Ra, 0.1 muCi Thnat, and 39.9 muCi 40K per ha of arable or pasture land in 1973/74 on the average. From these values the air dose rates over agricultural areas have been estimated under extreme conservative assumptions resulting in an additional external exposure of members of the population of 0.02 mrd/a on the average and 0.4 mrd/a in the region of highest phosphate fertilizing intensity. If it is assumed that radium contained in phosphate fertilizers were completely accumulated in the soils during the last 80 years, this value would be raised to 0.3 mrd/a on the average. The occupational external radiation exposure due to natural radionuclides contained in phosphate fertilizers was estimated to be 0.1 mrd/a on the average and 2.3 mrd/a at maximum for persons working in agriculture. These estimates show that natural radionuclides in phosphate fertilizers contribute but very little to the mean terrestrial radiation exposure of the population which is 50 to 55 mrd/a in Germany. Only for the small group of persons working in fertilizer production plants or storehouses a significant increase of the external radiation exposure has to be expected which could reach a doubling of the mean natural exposure value.


Determination of heavy elements in organic substrates by x-ray absorption. Selective X-ray absorption method has been worked out to determine concentration of heavy elements in organic substances. The method is applicable in vivo.


Protein metabolism in calotes versicolor (Daud) exposed to various stresses. Protein and amino acid contents of liver of normal (untreated) adult male garden lizard, Calotes versicolor, were quantitatively determined by the method of Lowry et al. and ninhydrin reaction, respectively, and compared with the protein and amino acid contents in the liver of adult male garden lizards exposed to cold, heat, UV- and gamma-radiations. With a decrease in protein contents, a simultaneous increase in the amino acid contents was observed. The decrease in protein content was 80, 60, 30 and 20% after exposure to cold, heat, UV- and gamma-radiations, respectively. Consequently, the increase in amino acid content was 57, 40, 20 and 5% after exposure to cold, heat, UV- and gamma-radiations, respectively.


Multiple chronic benign pulmonary nodules. Four cases are discussed in which were found unusual multiple chronic pulmonary nodules: leiomyomatous hamartomas, rheumatoid nodules, multiple histoplasmomas, and possible multiple plasma cell granulomas (hyalinizing pulmonary nodules). In each case the initial impression of metastic malignancy was countered by more than 2 years' observation, during which time the lesions appeared to be benign. Histologic examination is necessary to exclude malignancy, although a definitive diagnosis may be difficult to establish.


Roentgenographic demonstration of peripheral intrapulmonic lymphadenopathy. The authors report a case of intrapulmonic lymphadenopathy. While this entity is not common, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule.


Improved cleansing for colonic radiography. A well tolerated regimen utilizing Phosphosoda and X-Prep Liquid effectively cleanses the bowel prior to x-ray examination. Good to excellent visualization was achieved in 89.3 per cent of the patients involved in the study.


Radiographic manifestations of pulmonary histoplasmosis: a 10-year review. Of 269 patients with histoplasmosis, 259 had radiographic manifestations of the disease. Of these, 217 showed multiple or solitary nodules, 28 infiltrates, 25 adenopathy, 5 fibrosing mediastinitis, 5 cavitation (3 infiltrates, 2 nodules), and 1 pleural effusion.


Establishing two-year college affiliated programs in radiologic technology. The practical considerations of instituting programs in radiologic technology at the two-year college levels are addressed. The authors attempt to identify a "check-list" of the areas that will be of vital concern to the prospective program director, including some specific exhibits relating to program implementation and operation.


Twenty degree angle modification for pelvimetry. The standard Colcher-Sussman pelvimetry technique does not adequately visualize the interischial distance on a significant number of patients. A twenty-degree angulation modification has been developed to solve this problem.


Unusual noninfectious granulomas of the lung. Illustrative cases of pulmonary granulomas with angitis and plasma cell granuloma of the lungs are presented. Experimental evidence suggests that the common pathogenesis of these processes is a cell-mediated immune response. Radiographic findings of these entities--nodules or infiltrates, some with cavities--are non-specific. Effective treatment is available for some of these processes. Lung biopsy as early as possible is recommended.


The round nipple shadow.

The round nipple shadow. It is usually easy to distinguish the round nipple shadow from a lesion, especially by means of repeat radiographs with nipple markers. However, the radiologist must occasionally interpret a round density in the lower chest on the basis of a single radiograph or series of radiographs. Fortunately, a nipple shadow usually has a well-defined outer margin and a poorly defined inner margin. Differentiation of a nipple shadow from an extrapleural or pleural lesion is described. Attention to these findings may prevent needless additional study and patient apprehension.


The management of radiological renovation. Planning a radiology facility within existing space often creates compromises. A means of measuring the extent of compromise is presented together with an overview of the design process and advice on construction processes.


Portal hypertension changes following selective splenorenal shunt surgery. Evaluation by percutaneous transhepatic portal catheterization, venography, and cinefluorography. Considerable diagnostic data can be gathered by selectively catheterizing the portal vein and the major tributaries of the splanchnic venous system to evaluate pressure and blood flow. Combined with cinefluorography, this is a superior method for demonstrating the anatomy and hemodynamics of portal hypertension as well as the effects of splenorenal shunt surgery. Thirty-one attempts with a 19 gauge trocar in 17 patients resulted in 28 successful portal entries and 24 successful selective catheterizations. Portal vein pressure, flow, and diameter were less after shunting.


Whole-gut irrigation as a means of cleaning the colon. The authors describe a whole-gut irrigation method of cleaning the colon. Normal volunteers drank an irrigant solution at varying rates, and all but one achieved a radiologically clean colon within several hours. This method is proposed for use in the occasional study where a clean colon must be obtained in a relatively short period of time.


Demonstration of dilated biliary ducts by total-body opacification. Differentiation of surgical from nonsurgical jaundice. Differentiation of surgical from medical jaundice remains a difficult clinical problem. Dilated biliary ducts can be demonstrated by total-body opacification (TBO) and their typical appearance is presented. This suggests that TBO may represent a noninvasive adjunct in distinguishing surgical from medical jaundice.


A solitary calyx in a human kidney.

A solitary calyx in a human kidney. A solitary kidney containing a single calyx and probably a single papilla is described. The embryology of this entity and its similarity to the unipapillary kidney in other mammals are discussed.


The significance of pancreatic ductal obstruction in differential diagnosis of the abnormal endoscopic retrograde pancreatogram. Apparent obstruction of the main pancreatic duct was seen on the endoscopic retrograde pancreatogram in 50 patients. The final diagnosis was pseudocyst in 15, neoplasm in 15, chronic pancreatitis in 8, acute recurrent pancreatitis in 3, and abscess in 2. Seven patients were normal. This series emphasizes the broad differential approach necessary when confronted with ductal obstruction. Diagnosis is facilitated by accurate evaluation of the ductal and extraductal characteristics, especially the ductal detail at the point of termination.


Arteriographic diagnosis of a gunshot injury to the ureter. A gunshot wound to the ureter was diagnosed anigiographically. Such injuries are not common; however, they are frequent enough and the consequences of delayed diagnosis and secondary repair are serious enough that ureteric injury should be considered in all cases of abdominal trauma.


Intraluminal obliteration of the renal arteries in kidney tumors. A preoperative obliteration of the renal vascular bed was performed in 90 patients by means of Gelfoam emboli. This procedure facilitates the ligation of the renal vein and artery during transabdominal nephrectomy. The decreased vascularity lessens the risk of tumor embolization and reduces the duration of the surgical procedure by half. A simple routine percutaneous method of occlusion is described. Gelfoam emboli are unsuited for permanent obliteration in bleeding tumors.


Clinicopathological correlations of xeroradiography in determining involvement of metastic axillary nodes in female breast cancer. Xeroradiographic evaluation of the axilla is useful in the presence of mammary carcinoma, as radiographic examination of this area can be highly accurate in predicting its malignant involvement if certain strict criteria are employed. The ability to diagnose nodal metastases with near certainty has important implications for treatment planning and prognostication.


Observer performance in detecting multiple radiographic signals. Prediction and analysis using a generalized ROC approach. The theories of decision processes and signal detection provide a framework for evaluation of observer performance. Some radiological procedures involve a search for multiple similar lesions, e.g., plain radiographic examinations for gallstones or pneumoconiosis. Presuming knowledge of the conventional ROC curve for detection of a single radiographic signal, a model is presented which is used to predict observer performance in an experiment requiring detection of more than one such signal. An experiment tests the validity of this model for detecting radiographically the presence of zero, one, or two low-contrast, 2-mm diameter, Lucite beads. Results confirm the validity of the model and suggest that observer performance in relatively complex detection tasks can be predicted from simpler experiments.


Clinical evaluation of the rapid telephone access system for radiology reporting. The Rapid Telephone Access System (RTAS) for radiology reporting was evaluated clinically among patients undergoing fluoroscopy, excretory urography, or cholecystography at a community-based teaching hospital. After the radiologist has dictated his report in the customary manner, it can be heard by the referring physician using any telephone. Reports can be reduced to hard copy by a typist, or an automatic typewriter can be programmed to print normal or standard reports. Time between dictation and access of the report was significantly reduced after installation of the RTAS (p less than 0.001). There was also a trend toward reduced hospital stay (p less than 0.05) for patients in the study group. The system has been readily accepted by radiologists and referring physicians.


Diagnostic follow-up to consultant physicians by computer feedback. A computer follow-up system has been developed which automatically prepares follow-up summaries for consultant physicians. This makes it possible to provide reliable feedback of diagnostic information in place of the traditional but haphazard word-of-mouth process. This system has been tested initially for surgical and autopsy-pathology follow-up of neuroradiology and nuclear medicine consultations using report conclusions available from the UCLA Natural Language Information Storage and Retrieval System.


Effectiveness of lead lenses in reducing radiation exposure. Optically ground prescription lenses of glass, leaded glass, and plastic were exposed to radiations that simulated routine angiography. Radiations transmitted through the lenses were measured. Plastic provided no protection, regular glass provided moderate protection, and high lead content glass reduced radiation transmission by approximately 70%. A brief review of the literature concerning the biological effects of radiations to the eye is included.


Computed tomography of the spinal canal. The value of computed tomography (CT) in cases of spinal dysraphism, spinal canal narrowing and widening, and spinal bony abnormalities is discussed. With further experience, CT may become a valuable modality for the diagnosis of spinal diseases.


Recognition of vertebral abnormalities in computed tomography of the chest and abdomen. Computed tomography of the chest or abdomen may reveal vertebral abnormalities. Images in multiple projections of dry and fresh specimens of the spine demonstrate that osteophytes, end-plate irregularities, and marked obliquity fail to mimic true osteoblastic vertebral lesions. Disk calcification may simulate a metastatic deposit if the section includes both disk and vertebral body. Abdominal or chest "window" settings produce an apparent increase in bone density. Analysis of the bony spine from abdominal and chest images requires gray scale settings different from those used for the study of visceral organs.


Extravascular contrast material: the major component of contrast enhancement. The distribution volume of 125l-diatrizoate in rat tissues was studied 5 seconds to 5 minutes after intravenous injection and 5 seconds to 2 minutes after intra-arterial injection. Immediately after injection, diatrizoate was distributed into a larger volume than plasma. Marked temporal changes in the distribution volume of individual tissues occurred during the first 2 minutes. At 5 minutes, the diatrizoate space approached the total extracellular fluid volume, with more than 80% of the contrast agent remaining outside the blood vessels. Thus the relative magnitude of contrast enhancement of a tissue appears to be related to the volume of the rapidly equilibrating extracellular space. Intra-arterial administration can significantly overload muscle with contrast material for about 2 minutes. This and other temporal changes in contrast distribution may prove useful in contrast-enhanced computed tomography using short scanning times.


Unusual pelvic masses: a comparison of computed tomographic scanning and ultrasonography. Four unusual pelvic masses, studied by CT and gray scale ultrasonography, demonstrate the comparative values of these modalities for this area of the body. In each instance a significant contribution to the diagnosis was made by one or both techniques. The ultrasound study provides a somewhat better differentiation of solid from cystic lesions, but the CT scan denotes to best advantage the anatomy of the area, and provides a means of viewing bone as well as soft tissue detail.


Cephalic malformations in Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. Acrocephalosyndactyly type III. Specific anomalies of the skull in eight family members affected with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome were documented by cephalometric analysis of standardized skull radiographs. The most severe deviations included reduced length and abnormal position of the posterior cranial base, low position of the sella turcica, reduced mandibular ramus length, steep mandibular plane angle, and, in adults, reduced facial depth. A feature of the syndrome may be the absence or reduced size of cranial sinuses.


The Mark IV system for radionuclide computed tomography of the brain. The Mark IV scanning system is a simple four-sided arrangement of 32 independent detectors which rotate continously as a unit, detecting, processing, and displaying the reconstructed data while the study progresses. Detection is by single photon counting and is compatible with commercially available radionuclides. An empirical correction is applied for attenuation, difference in detector response, and scatter. It is a high-sensitivity device with approximately uniform resolution throughout the section plane.  There is good reproducibility and accuracy for absolute quantification of radionuclide concentration in the brain.  Clinical applications include scans of 99mTcO4, 99mTc-RBC, 123I-iodoantipyrine, 99mTc-diphosphonate, and 111In-DTPA.


Pulmonary retention and translocation of insufflated tantalum. Studies of pylmonary clearance of tantalum dust labeled with 182Ta in dogs have been extended to as far as 816 days postexposure in order to substantiate earlier pulmonary retention data, examine lymphatic uptake, and seek long-term pathological changes. Exposure to 5-mug and 10-mug powders was compared with the results of earlier 1-mug studies. The 2.1-year long-term clearance half-time of 1-mug powder was confirmed, while the 5-mug and 10-mug powders were found to have a mean long-term retention half-time of 333 days. All three particle sizes demonstrated rapid postinsufflation uptake by the pulmonary lymph nodes, followed by either retention or very slow clearance. No tantalum-induced pathological changes were found on histological examination.


Ventilation-perfusion lung images in the Swyer-James syndrome. Ventilation-perfusion lung imaging appears to be a significant nonivasive means of supporting the clinical diagnosis of Swyer-James syndrome. Three cases are presented which display characteristic delayed washout of xenon from a small or normal-sized, underperfused hyperlucent lung.


Comparison of enzyme, clinical, radiographic, and radionuclide methods of detecting bone metastases from carcinoma of the prostate. Patients (219) with prostatic adenocarcinoma were classified on the basis of whether or not their bone scans were positive for metastasis. Acid and alkaline phosphatase determinations and clinical evaluations for bone metastases were reviewed. Of those with proved metastases, 43% had no bone pain, 39% had normal acid phosphatase levels, 23% normal alkaline phosphatase levels, 19% normal levels of both enzymes, and 15% normal enzyme levels without bone pain. Twenty-four per cent of the patients with normal enzyme levels and clinically unsuspected bone metastases had bone scans which proved positive for metastasis; 62% of these had normal radiographs.


Cystic hamartoma of the liver in a pediatric patient. Angiographic findings. A case of cystic mesenchymal hamartoma in a 2-year-old boy is presented. The overall angiographic appearance closely resembled that of the more common renal angiomyolipoma, with the addition of multiple focal avascular areas representing the cystic component of the lesion. The coexistence of these angiographic findings in a young patient with an otherwise asymptomatic upper abdominal mass should suggest cystic mesenchymal hamartoma.


Juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis.

Juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis. Two cases of juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis are described and the literature is reviewed. Despite the benign nature of the individual polyps, the disease has a poor prognosis. Of 13 reported patients, 4 had macrocephaly, and one of the authors' 2 patients had large peripheral intracranial cysts. This appears to be the first reported documentation of the etiology of macrocephaly associated with juvenile polyposis. Major clinical problems are related to severe loss of blood and protein from the gastrointestinal tract.


Gray scale ultrasonic cholecystography: a comparison with conventional radiographic techniques. A prospective study was designed to assess the accuracy of gray scale ultrasonography in the evaluation of cholelithiasis. A series of 111 patients with nonvisualization on first-day oral cholecystography underwent ultrasonic cholecystography, and the results were compared with subsequent second-day visualitzation or surgical findings. In 75 cases sufficient data were present to assess the accuracy of the method. Ultrasound correctly diagnosed 68 (91%) of these cases with regard to gallstones. Only 6 gallbladders could not be visualized ultrasonically and all subsequently proved to have gallstones. It is concluded that improved ultrasonic technique is of considerable value in investigating the nonvisualized gallbladder. Valuable information conderning other upper abdominal pathology was often discovered.


Fetal cystic lymphangioma (cystic hygroma): prepartum ultrasonic findings. The abnormal prepartum ultrasonic scan in a case of fetal cystic lymphangioma is presented. A large intrauterine cystic mass adjacent to a 23-week-old fetus was identified by ultrasound. After delivery, this was proved to be a cystic lymphangioma extending from the fetal neck and supraclavicular region.


Combinations of hyperthermia (40 degrees, 45 degrees C) with radiation. Incubation of Chinese hamster cells at an elevated but sublethal temperature between fractions of radiation and/or pulses of hyperthermia at 45 degrees C strongly modified the effectiveness of cell killing. Increasing the incubation temperature from 37 to 40 degrees C between fractions of hyperthermia at 45 degrees C followed by radiation substantially enhanced cell killing; while the opposite sequence (radiation leads to incubation at 40 degrees C leads to hyperthermia at 45 degrees C) resulted in less effective cell killing than would have been expected from the independent interaction of hyperthermia and radiation alone. This suggests the use of short pulses of localized hyperthermia in the presence of physiologically tolerable fever followed by irradiation as one approach to the utilization of hyperthermia in cancer therapy.


Hepatic radiation tolerance in Hodgkin's disease patients. Prophylactic hepatic irradiation was give to 28 "bad risk" Stage III Hodgkin's disease patients. The whole liver was given 2,000 rad in 10 days in addition to 1,800-2,000 rad to that portion included in the total nodal irradiation field. Twenty-three patients have been followed a minimum of 10 months with serial liver function tests. A transient elevation of serum enzymes has been noted at 3-12 months following hepatic irradiation in 78% (18 of 23 patients). No cases of clinical radiation hepatitis have been found in patients at risk 10 to 39 months (median, 23 months). Hepatic irradiation at this dose level appears to be tolerated without prohibitive complications.


An evaluation of rare earth screen/film combinations. The physical and imaging characteristics of a number of commercially available rare earth screen/film combinations were evaluated and compared to those of conventional calcium tungstate/X-Omat RP-14 systems. All systems were evaluated for base-plus-fog density, relative speed, resolution, noise, and overall performance. The results indicate that despite certain limitations, rare earth screen/film combinations offer significant advantages for imaging.


The LSF and MTF of rare-earth oxysulfide intensifying screens. The line spread function (LSF) and modulation transfer function (MTF) of 9 rare-earth screen/film systems were measured and compared with those of two fast calcium tungstate systems, using double-emulsion films sandwiched between two screens and mounted in regular cassettes. The LSFs were found to fit exponential functions. These results indicate that the increased sensitivity of rare-earth phosphors over calcium tungstate can be used to construct screens with a higher MTF or increased speed. The fast rare-earth systems allow the use of smaller focal spots for increased resolution while reducing the radiation dose to the patient.


In vitro radiosensitivity of human dipliod fibroblasts derived from patients with unusual clinical responses to radiation. Four diploid cell strains were derived from skin biopsies from patients exhibiting unusually sensitive or resistant clinical responses to ionizing radiation during radiotherapy. The in vitro x-ray survival curve parameters for these strains were determined and compared with those of two normal human skin fibroblast strains. No systematic correlation could be demonstrated between these single dose survival parameters in vitro, and the clinical radiation response in vivo of the normal tissue or the tumor.


Addition of neutron and gamma-ray fractions for intestinal damage. The microcolony assay technique has been used to test the validty of summing equivalent doses per fraction of 14 MeV neutrons and gamma rays for mouse intestinal damage. For a 4-daily fraction schedule, in which the first one or two fractions are given as neutrons and the remainder as gamma rays, combined dose fractions calculated from a 4-fraction schedule of either radiation type alone produce the same level of damage within the limits of accuracy of the experiment.


Thallium-201 as a positive indicator for lung neoplasms: preliminary experiments. Thallium-201 was given to 71 patients with various pulmonary diseases. Positive uptake was noted in primary malignant neoplasms and also in 6 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma. No uptake was seen in pulmonary diseases other than active tuberculosis. A disadvantage is the high myocardial accumulation of this radionuclide which impairs proper visualization of paracardiac neoplasms.


Irradiation of advanced head and neck cancer with large daily fractions. Preliminary results of a prospectively randomized clinical trial. The irradiation of locally advanced, inoperable, squamous cell caricinomas of the head and neck with conventional fractionation schedules using 200 rads/day has produced poor results. A prospectively randomized, clinical trial has been started comparing conventional with large daily fractions of 400 rads/day for 10-12 treatments. Results suggest that improved tumor control and survival rates might be obtained with the use of large daily fractions.


Radiographic visualization of cervix and vagina during intracavitary radium therapy. Dry barium-impregnated vaginal packing used in several hundred intracavitary uterine radium insertions has allowed excellent radiographic visualization of the relationship of the radium implant to both the cervical and vaginal walls.


Lung involvement in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (ail). Two patients with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AIL) in whom the disease process involved the lungs are reported. One patient died in respiratory failure. Details of the radiologic appearance, abnormalities of lung function and lung histology are presented together with response to steroid therapy in one patient. Life-threatening involvement of the lung parenchyma can be a mode of presentation of the disease and can contribute to the morbidity and mortality of the disorder.


The midsternal stripe: a sign of dehiscence following median sternotomy. Sternal dehiscence is a recognized complication of median sternotomy in 2.5-4.8% of patients. The authors describe the prognostic significance of a lucent midsternal stripe which was seen in 12 patients over a two-year period. Sternal dehiscence requiring surgical revision developed in 4, and radiological suspicion preceded clinical evidence of dehiscence in 3 of them. A review of 100 consecutive median sternotomies revealed that sternal dehiscence did not develop in any patient who did not have a midsternal stripe. It is suggested that this may be a useful tool in identifying those patients who are at high risk of the development of sternal dehiscence.


The midsternal stripe and its relationship to postoperative sternal dehiscence. The postoperative chest radiographs of 173 patients who underwent median sternternal line. A total of 52 (30%) showed a thin lucent line one or more days after the operation. Clinical dehiscence developed in 4 patients, of whom 2 had a midsternal stripe and 2 did not. The authors feel that the presence of a sternal stripe is of little value in the radiographic diagnosis of sternal dehiscence.


Bronchial web diagnosed by bronchography. Bronchial webs are rare lesions which often go unrecognized. The authors describe a patient who presented with right-lower-lobe bronchiectasis and at-electasis secondary to a web in the right-lower-lobe bronchus. This is the first known instance where such a lesion has been demonstrated by bronchography. The etiology of this and similar lesions reported in the literature remains obscure.


Fluoroscopic axialography: clinical applications in thoracic disease. A simple, single-stage, quasi-tomographic technique which is employable with ordinary C-arm fluoroscopes is presented as an alternative to small field chest tomography. Fluoroscopic axialography utilizes image intensifier filming during axial rotation to obtain sharp tomogram-like images of areas of interest. The technique incorporates preliminary fluoroscopic localization and has many applications in the chest. The use of axial rather than planar blurring and intensifier camera filming rather than radiography does not reduce the clinical usefulness of the method.


Thickening of the posterior tracheal stripe: a sign of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. A thickened posterior tracheal stripe (wider than 4.5 mm) was identified on the lateral check radiographs of 20 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Autopsy studies confirmed that peri-esophageal lymphatic involvement was responsible for the thickening of the stripe in the nonobstructed esophagus. This sign appeared on the lateral chest radiograph as early as 6 months prior to the development of symptoms in 50% of the cases studied.


The effect of valium on myocardial blood flow. The effect of Valium on coronary blood flow was studied. In 18 patients undergoing coronary angiography, total and regional myocardial blood flow was determined by the 133Xe wash-out technique. A total of 39 pre- and 39 post-Valium injection wash-out curves were constructed. Results indicate (99% confidence) that intravenous Valium injection (0.1 mg/kg body weight) decreases myocardial blood flow 12--15%.


Breast parenchymal patterns and their changes with age. The appearance of the breast parenchyma was studied in 955 women to determine whether it changed with age. It was found that women initially classified as being at either a low risk or a very high risk of cancer do not demonstrate changes in the breast parenchyma pattern with age. However, breasts in young women which exhibit dysplastic changes on the initial examination (QDY) frequently do change, occasionally to a relatively lower-risk category but often to a normal or near-normal appearance. Such changes generally occur between the ages of 35 and 50.


Thermographic patterns of the breast: a critical analysis of interpretation. In a prospective evaluation, 1,000 consecutive breast thermograms were categorized as either normal or having 1 of 4 abnormal patterns: diffuse, asymmetrical, focal, or peri-areolar. Of 49 proved carcinomas, 43 produced an abnormal patterns; the asymmetric type was 3 times as common as the focal. Tumors producing focal patterns were slightly smaller than those producing asymmetrical patterns. Almost 30% of the non-malignant lesions produced an abnormal thermogram. This procedure can not generally be used to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions; there may be, therefore, little diagnostic value in categorizing abnormal thermograms. The usefulness of thermography in the detection of occult carcinomas has not been established.


Needle localization of nonpalpable breast lesions. Mammographic identification of nonpalpable breast lesions suspicious for malignancy constitutes a valid indication for breast biopsy but localization is difficult. Percutaneous needle localization of such lesions, whether clustered microcalcifications, small masses, or focal areas of distorted mammary architecture, is an effective aid to the surgeon. The authors' experience in more than 80 cases is described and the necessity for specimen radiography is emphasized.


Osteochondritis dissecans complicating Legg-Perthes disease. A report of four cases. Osteochondritis dissecans of the femoral head occurs as a rare complication in the late onset of Legg-Perthes disease. The etiology of this complication is uncertain. Theories include: (a) persistence of an ununited fragment and (b) fragmentation of the femoral head weakened by revascularization accompanying healing. The area of osteochondritis dissecans may not be readily apparent on routine radiographs and a high index of suspicion is necessary for diagnosis. Four cases of osteochondritis dissecans of the hip presenting 6--18 years after the diagnosis of Legg-Perthes disease are described. Three patients were studied by arthrography, and the findings correlated well with symptomatology.


Unilateral arch hypertrophy with spinous process tilt: a sign of arch deficiency. Unilateral arch hypertrophy (UAH) may be generated by a contralateral deficiency which is most commonly a pars defect (43 out of 50 patients studied). Such a defect can also cause rotational instability. When present, both can be easily detected on simple anteroposterior views through the resulting pedicular and pars asymmetry and spinous process tilt. From simple anteroposterior views, one can predict that at least one arch defect does exist, that it is unstable, and not of recent origin.


Normal "Cupid's bow" contour of the lower lumbar vertebrae. The inferior end plates of the 3d, 4th, and 5th lumbar vertebral bodies frequently have paired parasagittal concavities when viewed in the frontal projection. When viewed in the lateral projection, the concavities superimpose, lying in the posterior portion of the vertebral body. This normal contour of the end plate should not be confused with other vertebral body anomalies having clinical importance. The incidence and degree of end plate depression are discussed.


Hemodynamic changes after distal splenorenal shunt studied by sequential angiography. Distal splenorenal shunts were made in 25 patients with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension. Angiograms were obtained in 16 patients at one week, three and six months, and at one year postoperatively. Portal vein flow had diminished in all patients compared with flow seen in preoperative angiograms. Hepatofugal flow developed in 6 patients during the follow-up period, and in 2 patients only one week postoperatively. The shunt remained patent in all of the patients but one.


Stratification in the gallbladder on intravenous cholangiography. The value of delayed or 24-hour radiographs. Errors in interpretation of intravenous cholangiograms are often made if 24-hour radiographs are not obtained. Three cases are presented in which radiographs, obtained 1/2--4 hours after administration of contrast material, failed to demonstrate gallstones in the visualized gallbladder. However, 24-hour radiographs revealed calculi in all three patients. Stratification of bile is thought to be the mechanism responsible. Delayed radiographs assure proper mixing of contrast material and bile, and provide optimal visualization of the gallbladder in patients undergoing intravenous cholangiography.


The normal and abnormal development of the appendix. A radiographic assessment. Radiographic examinations of the colon in the adult demonstrate a wide variety of contours of the interior cecal segment and appendix. These findings are a result of the normal developmental process of the appendix which can be arbitrarily separated into four stages. Examples of appendiceal development arrested at different stages, as well as variations of the normal adult appendix, are explained and illustrated. Forms of primitive development and lack of development (agenesis) are discussed.


Renal abnormalities in agnogenic myeloid metaplasia. Abnormal excretory urograms of 5 patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and extramedullary hematopoiesis are presented, with radiological/pathological correlation where possible. Findings include renal enlargement with distortion of calyces and renal peripelvic masses.


Unilateral absence of excretion at urography after abdominal trauma. The unilateral absence of excretion at urography is particularly significant in the context of prior abdominal trauma. Of 23 such cases studied, 17 involved traumatic main renal artery occlusion; only 1 of these 17 kidneys was salvaged. Since earlier diagnosis may improve surgical results, urography should be abbreviated in favor of renal angiography, to differentiate renal artery occlusion from other renal injuries, agenesis, and preexisting renal disease. Clinical and plain radiographic features provide few clues. Renal venography, ultrasonography, and retrograde ureteropyelography should be used only as secondary procedures. The role of renal scintiangiography remains to be determined.


Enzymatic evidence of renal tubular damage following renal angiography. Ligandin, a glutathione (GSH) transferase, is a protein found in proximal tubular cells as well as in other tissues. It does not occur in the urine of normal subjects; however, its presence has been detected in the urine of some patients who have undergone renal angiography. This finding suggests renal tubular cell damage due to the procedure.


The internal mammary artery: an overlooked collateral pathway to the leg. In 10 patients with an occluded aorta, angiography performed with the catheter in the abdominal aorta failed to opacify the reconstituted distal extremity arteries. Repeat injection into the thoracic aorta resulted in adequate opacification of the leg vessels through internal mammary-inferior epigastric artery collaterals. Moving the catheter from the abdominal aorta to the ascending aorta or selectively into the internal mammary artery is suggested when standard abdominal aortic injection fails to demonstrate runoff vessels.


Arteriography of peripheral hemangiomas. Arteriography has proved useful in evaluation of 17 patients with peripheral soft-tissue hemangiomas (15 benign, 2 malignant) by defining their extent, degree of vascularity, and source of vascular supply and allowing differentiation from arteriovenous malformations. In 11 cases (all benign), moderate fine-caliber hypervascularity with some degree of staining was seen. In 6 (4 benign, 2 malignant) there was marked hypervascularity with coarse, irregular vessels. The coarse or fine hypervascularity which characterizes most benign hemangiomas closely resembles that seen in malignant soft-tissue tumors and may preclude correct diagnosis by angiography alone. However, peripheral hemangiomas frequently exhibit distinctive clinical features which when combined with the arteriographic findings enable the radiologist to identify the lesion.


Lymphography in clinically suspected lymphoma: a retrospective analysis of 63 cases. Pedal lymphography was performed for 63 patients with clinical findings (chiefly unexplained pyrexia or splenomegaly) suggestive of lymphoma involving the retroperitoneal nodes. The lymphogram was abnormal in 17 cases. Lymphoma was found in 5, metastatic carcinoma in 3, malignant histiocytes in 1, and benign hyperplasia or fibrolipomatous nodal changes in 4 (histiological tests were not obtained in the other 4). An abnormal lymphogram of the retroperitoneal nodes constitutes an indication for laparotomy; the lymphographic appearance of lymphoma is nonspecific, and histologic confirmation should be sought.


Attenuation measurements of whole blood and blood fractions in computed tomography. Computed tomography (CT) provides an extraordinarily effective means of diagnosing intracranial hemorrhages. Normal blood has a relatively high x-ray attenuation in the circulation and following extravasation, permitting the discrimination by CT of many pathologically enlarged vascular spaces containing circulating blood and/or blood clot (such as arteriovenous malformations and large aneurysms) in addition to recent hemorrhages, from continguous anatomical structures. To promote further understanding of the factors contributing to the attenuation of blood in normal and abnormal states. the attenuations of various preparations of whole blood and blood fractions were investigated in further detail.


Computed tomography in cerebral abscess. Computed tomography (CT) scans of 9 surgically proved cases of cerebral abscess were reviewed. The CT characteristics were studied, as were the postoperative scans. Also assessed were the contributions to the diagnosis of the clinical features, plain radiographic examinations, radionuclide imaging, and angiography. The accuracy and information content of CT scans of cerebral abscesses should lead to a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality.


Persistent trigminal artery in the fetus. Radiological and anatomical studies of a persistent trigeminal artery in three human fetuses are reported. In one fetus there was also an anastomotic artery connecting one of the carotid arteries to the contralateral inferior cerebellar artery. In all three cases, the trigeminal arteries gave branches to the pons. In addition to the pontine branches, one trigeminal artery gave an anastomotic branch to the posterior inferior cerebellar artery and the other trigeminal artery gave branches to both the superior cerebellar artery and the internal auditory artery.


Technetium-99m pyridoxylideneglutamate (P.G.) cholescintigraphy. Technetium-99m P.G. cholescintigraphy was performed in 27 human volunteers and 81 patients referred for hepatobiliary tract disease. The gallbladder, biliary system, and gastrointestinal tract were well visualized in the normal patients and volunteers. The gallbladder was not visualized in 22 patients with histologically proved cholecystitis with cystic duct obstruction. Nine patients with complet extrahepatic obstruction of the common bile duct were correctly diagnosed. Hepatocellular disease and incomplete obstruction, with and without jaundice, were diagnosed with this technique. Oral cholecystography is superior to this method for the detection of cholelithiasis in nonjaundiced patients.


Solitary abnormalities in bone scans of patients with extraosseous malignancies. The incidence and significance of solitary bone scan abnormalities were assessed in a study of 1,129 consecutive patients with extraskeletal primary malignancies. Solitary abnormalities were encountered in 172 cases (15%). The etiology of the scan abnormality was established in 90 of the 172 cases; 58 (64%) were due to metastatic disease, and 32 (36%) were secondary to a benign process. A significant percentage of solitary scan abnormalities is due to benign disease processes, even in patients with proved extraosseous malignancies.


Unilateral breast uptake of 67Ga from breast feeding. Unilateral 67Ga uptake was observed in the left breast of a 23-year-old woman who had nursed her infant on that side for 10 months. Careful clinical examination and follow-up failed to reveal any evidence of breast disease. Unilateral breast feeding should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asymmetric 67Ga localization in the breast.


The usefulness of the posterior oblique views in perfusion lung imaging. A total of 116 perfusion lung images, with and without posterior oblique views, were compared by four trained observers. There was a significant increase in the number of perfusion defects detected when the posterior oblique views were included. Pairs of projections of 89 lung images were read by the four observers. The percentage of correct readings for the posterior oblique views was 78% compared with 63% and 56% for the lateral views and AP views, respectively. Inclusion of the posterior oblique views as a routine part of the examination is recommended.


Maxillary-facial abnormalities assessed by bone imaging. Eighty-eight patients with maxillary-facial abnormalities were studied with 99mTc-labeled phosphate compounds. Straight and tilted anterior views plus oblique orbital and lateral views were correlated with 201 thallium transmission images of a dried skull. Interpretation of any single view may be hampered by various superimposed structures. Careful patient positioning with multiple views allows for parallactic correlation which is crucial if radiotherapy, biopsy, or corroborative studies are planned.


Early detection of stress fractures using 99mTc-polyphosphate. Clinical experience with 99mTc-polyphosphate scintigraphy in more than 200 patients with suspected stress fractures is presented. Stress fractures occur in bone which has been weakened as a result of accelerated physiological change induced by excessive muscular and mechanical activity. Unlike traumatic fractures, they are not accompanied by radiographic abnormality early in their course. Bone scintigraphy is sensitive enough to detect the physiological alterations found in stress fractures and was responsible for decreased morbidity in this series of patients due to early diagnosis.


Focal splenic defects.

Focal splenic defects. Review of more than 2,000 liver-spleen scans revealed 18 cases of focal splenic defects. Three major categories are defined: lymphoma, infarctions, and metastatic tumor. Clinical presentation is important in determining the precise etiology, and a differential diagnosis is presented. It appears that: (a) reticulum cell carcinoma is as likely to cause defects as is Hodgkin's disease; (b) splenic infarction is related to pancreatic disease through the splenic vein; and (c) malignant melanoma is the most common secondary deposit as detected by scanning.


Possible adverse effect of methylglucamine diatrizoate compounds on the bowel of newborn infants with meconium ileus. Gastrografin (methylglucamine diatrizoate) enemas were carried out in 2 newborn infants with meconium ileus. Evacuation was slow and incomplete. Both patients died within 72 hours following enemas from bowel necrosis, perforation and peritonitis. Although it is not possible to implicate Gastrografin directly as the cause, it is suggested that it may have contributed substantially to bowel necrosis. Recent experimental evidence of colonic inflammation and occasionally necrosis caused by Gastrografin lends support to this hypothesis. Caution should be exercised to prevent not only the systemic osmotic effects of Gastrografin, but also potential local injury to the bowel, especially when underlying disease interferes with intestinal viability.


Intestinal perforation. An infrequent complication of ventriculo-peritoneal shunts. Bowel perforation by ventriculo-peritoneal shunts occurred in two children with no abdominal symptoms. The diagnosis in each instance was confirmed by opacification of the colon in one child and the small bowel in the other via contrast medium injection of the distal shunt tubing. "Shuntograms" are recommended for all patients with no readily evident cause of dysfunctioning cerebrospinal fluid-peritoneal shunts.


Delayed opacification in congenital multicystic dysplastic kidney, an important Roentgen sign. Two cases of delayed opacification of multiple irregular cystic spaces are reported in unilateral congenital multicystic kidney. This finding should be added to the basic excretory urographic sings of poor function, cystic spaces on total body opacification, and calyceal crescents, and indicates the need for delayed films in all such cases. Reevaluation of the necessity for further diagnostic study and nephrectomy are discussed.


Ultrasonic diagnosis of a popliteal artery aneurysm. Ultrasound techniques are very effective in screening painful masses of the popliteal space. These techniques easily differentiate popliteal cysts from thrombophlebitis, and in addition permit sequential evaluation without patient discomfort or invasion. We report its use in diagnosing a popliteal artery aneurysm, another cause of a painful popliteal mass.


Prospective studies with the CRE formula of prolonged fractionation schedules. Different dose schedules prospectively calculated with the Cumulative Radiation Effect (CRE) formula were used for irradiation of inoperable breast carcinomas. Fractionation with 2 X 260 rad and 2 X 450 rad twice a week, and total doses corresponding to CRE levels 1900 to 2300, were compared. The results showed that prolonged fractionation increased the tolerance of normal skin and the therapeutic ration with respect to early radiation reactions. Late reactions could not be assessed as yet because their development requires several years. With the prolonged course of treatment and 2 X 260 rad per week, no moist desquamation developed despite dose levels between 6800 and 9400 rad. Skin reactions were milder than those in the rapidly treated areas, indicating that the CRE formula cannot exactly predict acute skin reactions for very prolonged treatment schedules. The tumor regressed continuously during the irradiation schedule.


Age as a prognostic indicator in carcinoma of the lung. Selected elderly patients with squamous cell carcinoma localized to the lung should be considered for radical irradiation. Age should not be used as a negative prognostic indicator. This group of patients has a lower incidence of distant metastasis and local control may produce long-term survival. Radical irradiation is well tolerated, particularly as a split course, and serious complications are few.


Repair of potentially lethan radiation damage: comparison of neutron and X-ray RBE and implications for radiation therapy. Experiments with Chinese hamster cells have shown that neutron irradiation does not result in repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD), i.e., that which can be influenced by changes in environmental conditions following irradiation. Since PLD is presumed to be repaired in tumors but not in normal tissues, this absence of differential sparing of tumor cells relative to normal tissues--a feature characteristic of irradiation with x rays--represents an advantage of neutrons in addition to their reduced oxygen effect. At a given dose, the difference in relative biological effectiveness (RBE) between tumors and normal tissues corresponds to a 5% increase in tumor dose with no concomitant increase in dose to normal tissues, which could be significant in cancer therapy.


Beta-aminopropionitrile as a radiation reaction preventive agent. Beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), an inhibitor of collagen maturation, was tested as a radiation reaction preventive agent (RRPA) using radiation-induced lung fibrosis in rats and mice as a model. Following pulmonary irradiation, treatment with BAPN significantly prevented an increase in collagen content as measured by hydroxyproline analysis. This effect persisted during BAPN maintenance for periods of up to 10 weeks but was lost when the drug was discontinued. BAPN administration did not increase the mouse lung LD50/160 in the drug doses employed in this study. Other possible RRPAs deserving further study include D-penicillamine and beclomethasone dipropionate.


Single monitor stereoradiological television system using PLZT electrooptic shutters. A new family of materials consisting of lead lanthanium zirconate titanate (PLZT) has evolved from recent advances in ferroelectric ceramics. PLZT electrooptic ceramics may be used as electronically triggered high-contrast optical shutters in lightweight stereoscopic viewing devices. A PLZT electrooptic shutter stereoradiology system in which dual x-ray tubes are used to generate stereo pairs of fluoroscopic images is presented. This system requires only a single television monitor for stereoscopic viewing by one or more observers. The viewer which contains the optical shutters is compact, light-weight, and can be attached easily to normal eyeglasses.


An aid in sialographic studies. A newly devised curved sialographic obturator cannula. A newly devised curved side-hole cannula for use in sialographic procedures is presented. A tapered metallic cuff serves as a retention plug to prevent backflow and escape of the contrast medium.


Radionuclide venography of the lower extremities and inferior vena cava by continuous injection and moving bed gamma camera technique. Radionuclide venography has proved to be a tedious procedure because of the need for multiple imaging set-ups with coordinated, repeated injections of radionuclide. The use of a moving bed gamma camera has shortened the procedure. This method enables the entire sapheno-femoral-iliac-caval system to be visualized in continuity on a single film. The moving table top system also adequately imaged the suspected areas of thrombi or endothelial damage on the post-exercise study on a single film.


Selective incorporation of 14C-arachidonic acid into the phospholipids of intact tissues and subsequent metabolism to 14C-prostaglandins. A method is described for the efficient incorporation of radioactive arachidonic acid into the lipids of rabbit hearts and kidneys. Infusion of 14C-arachidonate through perfused tissues resulted in the quantitative removel of label from the media. Analysis of the lipids from tissues labeled by this procedure revealed that the majority of the 14C-arachidonate was incorporated into phospholipids. Essentially all of the radioactivity in phosphatidylcholine was found in the 2-position. Subsequent to the 14C-arachidonate infusion, stimulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis (e.g. by bradykinin) resulted in the release of radioactive prostaglandins. This suggests that the 14C-arachidonate is incorporated in a manner such that it is available for hormone-stimulated prostaglandin biosynthesis. The method described allows both qualitative and quantitative analysis of arachidonate metabolism in intact tissues and offers significant advantages over other presently used methods.


Polymorphonuclear leukocytes produce thromboxane A2-like activity during phagocytosis. Homogenates of phagocytosing polymorphonuclear leukocytes obtained from rabbit peritoneum were incubated with the prostaglandin endoperoxides PGG2 or PGH2. After 2 min at 0degree C, incubation mixtures contained an increased rabbit aorta contracting activity. Ether extracts of incubation mixtures contained a substance which contracted the superfused strips of rabbit aorta and coeliac artery and had a half life which was similar to thromboxane A2. The generation of thromboxane A2-like activity from PG endoperoxides was prevented by boiling the homogenate prior to incubation, or by pretreatment with benzydamine, a drug which blocks thromboxane formation in platelets. Production of thromboxane A2-like material by leukocyte homogenates was compared with platelet microsomal thromboxane synthetase.


Radioimmunoassay for urinary metabolites of prostaglandin F2alpha. Antibodies against the main urinary metabolite of PGF2alpha in the human, 5alpha, 7alpha-dihydroxy-11-ketotetranorprosta-1,16-dioic acid, were raised in rabbits. The compound was coupled selectively in the omega position to bovine serum albumin prior to injection. The resuling antibodies did not distinguish between tetranor compounds varying only in structure at the omega carbon, and thus the assay could be used also for other metabolites of PGF2alpha, e.g. the main urinary metabolite in the guinea pig, 5alpha,7alpha-dihydroxy-11-ketotretranorporstanoic acid. Labeled ligands for the assays were prepared either in vivo by injection of [17, 18-3H]-PGF2alpha into humans after several days treatment with indomethacin, or in vitro by incubation of [17, 18-3H]-15-keto-13, 14-dihydro-PGF2alpha with mitochondria from rat liver. The sensitivity of the assay was 10 pg or 4 pg with these two preparations, respectively. The assay was employed for a number of measurements: normal daily excretion in a number of humans; excretion of urinary metabolites during treatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors in human subjects, or after intravenous injection of PGF2alpha; excretion during human pregnancy; and prostaglandin production in the guinea pig during normal estrous cycles and pregnancies and after estrogen treatment. The results of these studies were in several cases compared to similar measurements earlier performed using mass spectrometric methods, and were found to agree well. Thus, this radioimmunoassay provides a simple and accurate method for estimating prostaglandin production, particularly suitable for long-term studies and for cases where repeated blood sampling must be avoided.


Chloroquine, quinine, procaine, quinidine and clomipramine are prostaglandin agonists and antagonists. Chloroquine, quinine, procaine, quinidine and clomipramine behave as prostaglandin (PG) antagonists in a rat mesenteric vascular bed preparation. The ID50 concentrations were within the range of therapeutically effective human plasma levels in each case. Antagonism to PGE2 was studied in detail and seemed to be at least in part competitive. The drugs also antagonized the effects of PGs A1, A2, F2alpha and E1. Each drug also had weak prostaglandin agonist activity but only over a very narrow range of concentrations. It is possible that some of the clinical actions of these drugs may depend on blockade or imitation of natural PG effects. The findings suggest new approaches to the search for PG antagonists, a new screening technique for anti-inflammatory drugs and possible new uses for these established drugs. A preliminary study suggests that chloroquine may be successful in closing a patent ductus arteriosus in infants.


Prostaglandin production by methylcholanthrene-transformed mouse BALB/3T3: inhibition by cytochalasin B. Cytochalasin B inhibits the production of prostaglandins by serum-, thrombin-, and bradykinin-stimulated MC5-5 cells. The serum-stimulated release of arachidonic acid from cellular phospholipids also is inhibited. Cytochalasin B does not affect the cells' prostaglandin synthetase activity when exogenous arachidonic acid is present. Deacylation of phospholipids may be the step affected by cytochalasin B possibly as a result of disruption of microfilament organization. Colchicine and vinblastine, two drugs that can disrupt microtubule organization, do not inhibit prostaglandin production by cells.


Effect of aspirin on prostaglandin synthesis by human platelets. When platelet rich plasma is exposed to N-ethylmaleimide, a ten fold increase in measurable prostaglandin E synthesis occurs. This effect is almost completely abolished within 2 hours of ingestion of 600 mg of aspirin by human volunteers. Recovery of this platelet function is slow for the first two days, returning sharply to normal over the next six days and plateauing approximately 8 days following initial removal from aspirin. It is suggested from these studies that platelet prostaglandin E production following NEM may be a useful test of platelet function.


The effect of salicylate on prostaglandin levels in rabbit knees following inducement of osteoarthritic changes. Surgical inducement of medial instability in the right knee of rabbits was used to produce joint changes which resemble those observed in human osteoarthritis. Ordinary tap water was supplied to half of the rabbits and tap water plus sodium salicylate to the others. Determinations of prostaglandin were made on the synovial fluid and cartilage from all rabbits five months after surgery. In both groups, the concentration of prostaglandin in synovial fluid was lower in the operated knees, but the total amount of prostaglandin was found to be approximately equal to that in the unoperated knees. The development of degenerative joint changes therefore was not accompanied by increases in prostaglandin content. Salicylate treatment did not alter this observation, however, it did reduce overall prostaglandin levels. These results suggest that prostaglandin interaction is not involved in osteoarthritic joint degeneration.


Metabolism of PG in man: effect of furosemide on the excretion of the main metabolite of PG F2alpha. The excretion rates of main urinary metabolite of PG F2alpha were measured radioimmunologically in 4 healthy persons and in 13 essential hypertensives. The resting values were 9.3+/-0.73 in the former and 10.4+/-2.17 ng/min in the latter. There was no significant differences between them. The excretion of the metabolite decreased prominently after the administration of furosemide. The percent decrease was 57% in healthy persons and 70% in essential hypertension. The percent result supports that furosemide inhibit the catabolism of PG F2alpha.


The simultaneous use of two prostaglandin radioimmunoassays employing two antisera of differing specificity. II. Relative stability of prostaglandins E1, E2 and F1alpha in cell cultures of BALB/c 3T3 and SV3T3 mouse fibroblasts. The relative stability of Prostaglandins (PGs) E1, E2 and F1alpha in cultures of BALB/c 3T3 and SV3T3 cells has been evaluated using 3 different approaches. First, total recovery of tritium in the ethyl acetate phase following incubation and extraction of PGF1alpha and PGE1 demonstrated greater stability for PGF1alpha (88.8%) than PGE1 (65.9%). Second, analysis of incubated, extracted, tritiated PGs by thin layer chromatography revealed decreases of up to 23% in the PGE zone following incubation of 3H-PGE1. With increasing time of incubation, decreases in the PGE zone were accompanied by increase in PGA-like compounds. 3H-PGF1alpha demonstrated greater stability, having greater than 90% recovery of the tritium in the PGF zone. A third approach to the assessment of PG stability in culture was the comparison of the production of individual PGs by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The data obtained by RIA indicated a lag in the increase of PGA and PGB, until an initial rise in PGE was noted, suggesting that PGA and PGB may be secondary products arising from PGE which exhibits only partial stability in culture. By employing two RIAs, one for total PGE and one for PGA and PGB, the composite determination PG [E + (A + B)] can be used to provide a more meaningful determination of PG production because of the instability of the PGs. On the other hand, individual determinations are helpful in assessing the stability of PGEs in cell cultures.


A sensitive method for the determination of amitriptyline and nortriptyline in human plasma. A highly sensitive and reproducible GLC technique for the quantitation of amitriptyline and nortriptyline is described. The lower limit of detection is less than 1 ng/ml. 5 ng/ml samples (3 ml aliquots) can be accurately quantified (C of V less than 5%). Steady state data are reported together with data on amitriptyline and nortriptyline levels obtained in a volunteer who ingested a single oral dose (25 mg) of amitriptyline (Elavil).


Non-selective enhancement of locus coeruleus and substantia nigra self-stimulation after termination of chronic dopaminergic receptor blockade with pimozide in rats. Self-stimulation of substantia nigra and locus coeruleus were assessed before and after an 8-day regimen in which pimozide was given twice daily at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg (first 4 days) or 1.0 mg/kg (last 4 days). At 48 hours after termination of pimozide treatment self-stimulation was increased to 25% above pre-pimozide baseline levels: this was true for both self-stimulation sites. Rates remained high the following day but returned to normal by the third day of post-pimozide-testing. These data are interpreted as reflecting pimozide-induced supersensitivity in a dopamenergic substrate. This substrate appears to be critical for intracranial self-stimulation even when its fibers are not themselves activated at the tip of the stimulating electrode.


Effects of undrugged partners on scopolamine-induced changes in activity and sociability. One group of 6 rats was injected with saline, one with 1.0 mg/Kg scopolamine (D/D) and two others had half the members in each injected with saline and half with scopolamine (S/D). Each was tested in a 36 X 36 in. open field for 10 min. The frequency of ambulation, rearing, social contacts, and the shortest and perimeter distances between rats were found. The presence of the partners in the S/D groups eliminated most of the scopolamine-induced changes found in the D/D group, showing that the nature of the social environment affects drug-induced changes in activity and sociability.


Pharmacokinetics of lithium in human plasma and erythrocytes. The time course of lithium concentration in plasma and RBCs was measured in normal adult males following administration of single and multiple doses of lithium carbonate. From the single dose profiles, it was determined that lithium distribution between plasma and RBCs is not a simple partitioning phenomenon. The single dose time course measurements in both blood components were fit to a two compartment pharmacokinetic model in which the plasma was representative of the central compartment and the RBCs were representative of the tissue compartment. The importance of correction for trapped plasma volume in studies measuring lithium RBC kinetics was emphasized. In this study it was also demonstrated that one can accurately predict plasma and RBC lithium concentrations which are observed following multiple dosing, on the basis of single dose parameters obtained in the same subject.


Erythrocyte packing rates and altered lysolecithin levels during pregnancy. The rate of packing of erythrocytes during centrifugation has been measured as an index of erythrocyte flexibility. Exposure of erythrocytes to sub-haemolytic concentrations of lysolecithin decreased their packing rate indicating that the cells had become less flexible. Erythrocyte packing rates and plasma lysolecithin levels have been measured in a series of forty pregnant and non-pregnant women. The plasma concentrations of lysolecithin were significantly lower in pregnant women when compared with non-pregnant women. In contrast to this, the plasma concentrations of total phospholipid and lecithin were elevated during pregnancy. Erythrocyte packing rates were increased during pregnancy and a statistically very significant negative correlation was found between erythrocyte packing rate and plasma lysolecithin concentration.


Action of methoxyflurane on intraocular pressure (IOP) and acid-basic equilibrium in the dog. MEthoxyflurane pulmonary inhalation administered to dogs, 2 ml/10kg/5 min, after 10 minutes caused a significant increase (13.3 mmHg) in intraocular pressure as well (6 mmHg) in venous pressure and a significant fall, of 23.3 mmHg, in arterial pressure and in respiratory frequency, of 3.2 per min and amplitude of 7.1 mm. On the other side, as acid-basic equilibrium alterations in blood, were observed a fall of 0.13 of pH and an increase of 18.3 mmHg of pCO2 and of 2.7 mEq/l of bicarbonate concentration.


[Glucose tolerance tests with oral glucose challenges of 50 and 100 grams (author's transl)]. Seventy six subjects (63 females and 13 males) with an average age of 50.5 years, all of them with familial and/or obstetric history for diabetes mellitus, were submitted to glucose tolerance tests with oral glucose challenges of 50 and 100 g. The tests were all analysed by different criteria of current usage in medical literature (Wilkerson, Fajans and Conn, British Diabetes Association and University Group Diabetes Program). We concluded that the 100 g glucose challenge gives a greater index of positivity by all the criteria above referred when compared to 50 g challenge. Wilkerson's criteria is less sensitive than the others, when applied to 100 g glucose challenges.


Isolation of a new lipolytic-melanotropic peptide from human pituitary glands. A new peptide having both lipolytic and melanotropic properties has been isolated from human pituitary glands. It has a molecular weight around 11,000, an amino acid composition different from the known lipolytic-melanotropic hormones, and an isoelectric point of 8.5. Although it is not entirely pure, there is no doubt that it differs from other known lipolytic-melanotropic substances in its total lack of methionine and tryptophan and its unusually high content of lysine and histidine. It has a melanocyte-stimulating hormone activity of 19 units/mug. As a lipolytic agent it is active with rabbit adipocytes, only slightly active with human cells and inactive with adipocytes from the rat.


Base competition of DNA isolated from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans grown on different substrates. The present study indicates some anomalies with respect to the DNA base composition of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans when it is cultured on different substrates. The % GC of the DNA of this bacterium has been calculated by three different methods (melting temperature, CsCl density gradient centrifugation and ultra-violet absorbancy ratios) using Escherichia coli and Rhodospirillum rubrum as references. The main values for T. ferrooxidans grown on ferrous iron, chalcopyrite and lead sulfide concentrates were calculated to be 56.0, 60.1 and 54.4% GC respectively. Although these large differences are not completely understood, an attempt has been made to explain this phenomenon.


Immediate effects of TSH on the cavian thyroid. Which stage of hormone synthesis is stimulated as the immediate response of the thyroid to thyrotropin (thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH)? Is there specific binding of TSH to thyroid tissue? Experiments were done with thyroids taken from propylthiouracil-treated guinea pigs to attempt to answer these questions. Such thyroids take up radioiodide (after 35 min in vitro; 10% of the total added; after 24 hours in vivo: 20% of the amount given)and, being only partially blocked, can utilize this iodide for hormone synthesis. Following pre-incubation (30 sec with or without TSH), incubation in Geys medium/air, proteolysis of the tissue and/or extraction of the incubation medium, tha iodinated compounds were isolated. These compounds were separated by thin layer chromatography and were either quantitated by cutting and counting the plates, or located by spraying the plates with the ferricyanide-ferrichloride-arsenic acid (FFCA) reagent. For iodide, similar procedures were used, on the same plates. This in vitro preparation, using partially blocked thyroid tissue, can serve as a model to detect slight alterations in iodide metabolism of the thyroid. TSH appears to bind specifically to thyroid tissue (more of the 125 I added was taken up in vitro by thyroid than by a control tissue). Finally, since after a 30-sec pre-incubation with TSH (control, no TSH), the tissue contained more DIT, less T3 and since less of the 125I taken up appeared as iodide, hormone synthesis and secretion appear to be the earliest responses of thyroid tissue to stimulation by TSH.


Biochemical changes in Pinus pinea seeds. III. The effect of growth substances and steroidal hormones on nucleic acids. The effects of exogenous growth factors (indolacetic acid, gibberellic acid and kinetin and steroidal hormones (estrone, estradiol and testosterone on the germination pattern of Pinus pinea seeds were studied. Nucleic acids metabolism during the stages before germination, has also been investigated. Seeds sown in the presence  of all these substances, showed a higher growth rate and a higher germination degree than their respective controls; kinetin and estradiol were the most active factors. The level of total nucleic acids was studied in seeds after one day soaking and on the 1rst, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after sowing. Megagametophytes contained a higher amount of acids when growth factors and steroidal hormones were present, specially after one day soaking. In embryos; after the 3rd day, a similar result was obtained. The RNA fraction increased the most.


[Serum ige levels in healthy children (author's transl)]. Serum IgE levels have been measured in a group of 55 healthy children from 2 to 10 years of age. The IgE mean value increases with the age but no sexual differences have been found. The numerical distribution of the different genotypes observed in the unselected population, follows the Hardy-Weinberg law, which describes the segregation of two alleles at a single locus.


Effects of sympathetic stimulation on carotid and aortic baroreceptors in the cat. Variations in the discharge of baroreceptor units in the left aortic nerve were investigated during stimulation of the stellate ganglion both in the intact cat and in vitro perfusion of the aortic arch. The effects of stimulation of the peripheral cervical sympathetic trunk of the baroreceptor discharge in the carotid nerve during in vitro perfusion of the carotid artery were further studied. Stimulation of the stellate ganglion or the aortic nerve in the intact cat caused a simultaneous increase in arterial pressure, heart rate and number of baroreceptor impulses in a filament to the left aortic nerve. In the in vitro studies, decreases in the number of baroreceptor impulses both in the aortic and carotid nerves were produced in most cases during the stimulation of the sympathetic nerves. These effects were only observed during low pressure perfusion of the isolated artery and in low frequency changes. The infusion of norepinephrine caused a more marked decrease.


Active transport of sugars in tortoise intestine. The tortoise intestine capability for active transport of sugars has been studied in vitro at 30 degrees C, using labelled sugars. A release of glucose from the glycogen stores of the intestinal wall to the medium took place throughout the incubation period of the sacs. An active transport of 14C-D-glucose against a concentration gradient from the mucosal to the serosal compartment was evident, whereas no such activity could be detected for 14C-D-galactose. The tissue oxygen uptake was 36% higher with glucose than with galactose in the medium.


The sub-cellular localization of stereo-specific opiate binding in mouse brain. Of the three primary sub-cellular fractions derived from mouse brain homogenates, the P3 (microsomal) fraction binds 3H-di-hydromorphine stereo-specifically with the highest capacity per mg. of protein; this level is nearly as great as that bound by purified synaptosomal plasma membranes (SPM). The binding to P3 is unlikely to be attributable to contamination with SPM, because a) ten times as much total binding is recovered in P3 as in SPM, and b) the level of binding to P3 is highest in a sub-fraction banding above 0.8 M sucrose, rich in surface membranes of all types, whereas SPM bands preferentially at at 0.8 M sucrose, rich in surface membranes of all types, whereas SPM bands preferentially at 0.8-1.1 M sucrose. The binding of either 3H-di-hydromorphine or 3H-naloxone to P3 is, however, indistinguishable from that found in nerve endings with respect to a) its KD; b) the relative potencies of several agonists in displacing it; and c) the effects on it of Na+ or trypsin. Thus, it appears that stereo-specific opiate receptors are distributed diffusely on the entire surface of nerve cells and not concentrated at the synaptic region as has previously been supposed.


The comparison of fluoxetine and nisoxetine with tricyclic antidepressants in blocking the neurotoxicity of p-chloroamphetamine and 6-hydroxydopamine in the rat brain. Fluoxetine prevents the loss of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) uptake in synaptosomes of cerebral cortex after intraperitoneally administered p-chloroamphetamine (p-CA) with an ED50 of 3.8 mg/kg i.p. in rats. However, at 50 mg/kg, it does not prevent the loss of norepinephrine (NE) uptake in synaptosomes of hypothalamus after intraventricularly administered 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Nisoxetine, on the other hand, centrally protects NE uptake from the neurotoxic effect of 6-OHDA with an ED50 value of 5 mg/kg i.p. At 50 mg/kg, it gives only 35% protection of 5HT uptake from the neurotoxic effect of p-CA. In comparison with the ED50 values of tricyclic antidepressants, both fluoxetine and nisoxetine are more potent and selective blockers of neurotoxicity resulting from the central actions of p-CA and 6-OHDA, respectively, in vivo.


Warfarin: stereochemical aspects of its metabolism in vivo in the rat. The biotransformation of the R and S isomers of warfarin was investigated in the rat. The formation of 7-hydroxywarfarin was stereoselective for the R enantiomer, while the formation of 4'-hydroxywarfarin was stereoselective for the S enantiomer. The 6-, 8-, and benzylic hydroxylation of both isomers was approximately the same. The reduction of the side chain ketone function of warfarin to the corresponding diastereomeric warfarin alcohols was stereoselective for the S isomer. The reduction also displayed a degree of stereospecificity with S reduction occurring predominantly. The results of the in vivo study agree in many cases with a previous in vitro investigation. However, differences between the in vitro and in vivo studies do exist and suggest that secondary stereoselective biotransformation routes occur in vivo and that the microsomal and soluble enzymes employed in the in vitro study may have been disrupted during isolation. Large amounts of polar labile conjugates of R and S warfarin, and metabolites were found in the urine. The 4-hydroxyl group of the coumarin ring appears to be the position of conjugation and this process appears to be regio and stereoselective.