Secondary Hodgkin's disease in polymyositis and type 1 diabetes mellitus after a long-term immunosuppressive treatment. Immunological disorders can play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of malignant lymphogranuloma. The authors demonstrate a patient with autoimmune polymorbidity (polymyositis and type 1 diabetes mellitus) which underwent a long-term immunosuppressive and cytostatic therapy. After 7 years of that treatment, Hodgkin's disease of mixed cellularity type developed. The clinical findings of the case are described and the clinical particularities along with possible mutual links among these diseases are stressed.


Toxic effect of lead of mice testicles after its administration with drinking water. The experiments were carried out with male mice of the strain CBA x C57BL/10. Lead dinitrate was added to drinking water to obtain the final lead concentration of 0.05 g/l. The material was removed on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th week. Testicles were removed fixed in the mixture of neutral formol and 3% K2Cr2O7. Tissue samples were processed by routine procedure and stained with HE and PAS. A relative volume proportion of seminiferous tubules and of interstitial tissue of the testicles was determined by the method of point counting. The first changes in the germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules were found on the 2nd week after the application. Atypical cells varying in size up to large multinuclear cells were present. With a prolonged time of exposition they multiplied and various dystrophic changes up to disintegration of cells of the germinal epithelium occurred. The experimental groups showed (compared to controls) an increased volume of interstitial tissue. A prolonged exposition led to a marked enlargement of the interstitial tissue.


Death scene gas analysis in suspected methane asphyxia. Two cases of methane asphyxia occurring in two boys (age 11 and 12 years) who were found at the bottom of a 37-ft (11.1-m)-deep sewer shaft are described. Attempted resuscitation of the first patient was unsuccessful and achieved only temporary stabilization of the second, who died 48 h after his discovery. Autopsies revealed relatively minor multifocal traumatic injuries, with evidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in the patient who survived for 2 days. Subsequent analysis of gas in the shaft revealed 21% oxygen at the surface, 14.3% at a depth of 5 ft (1.5 m), and only 4.8% at depths of 10 ft (3 m) and below. Other gases detected at the lower levels were methane, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide (4.3%). These cases demonstrate the value of atmospheric gas analysis in cases of possible methane asphyxia in confirming the presence of methane and in demonstrating levels of oxygen below that necessary to support life.


Are there basic emotions?

Are there basic emotions? Ortony and Turner's (1990) arguments against those who adopt the view that there are basic emotions are challenged. The evidence on universals in expression and in physiology strongly suggests that there is a biological basis to the emotions that have been studied. Ortony and Turner's reviews of this literature are faulted, and their alternative theoretical explanations do not fit the evidence. The utility of the basic emotions approach is also shown in terms of the research it has generated.


The area between curves (ABC)--measure in nutritional anthropometry. This paper considers a statistic--recently suggested by Mora--for the deviation of a sample distribution from a reference distribution which typically arises in anthropometry when using the nutritional indicators height/age, weight/age or weight/height. The statistic measures the area between curves (ABC) and stands for the mass of the sample distribution which is not covered by the reference distribution. The paper provides a statistical framework for the ABC and includes some minor corrections of Mora's original paper. For the normal distribution situation with common or different variances, formulae are derived which include a partition of ABC into parts corresponding to malnourished and well-nourished groups. However, the main result is a non-parametric generalization of the ABC, motivated by the fact that the nutritional indicators often have skewed distributions with heavier left tails. Non-parametric statistical inference is provided by linking the ABC to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic.


Peripartum cerebral venous thrombosis.

Peripartum cerebral venous thrombosis. The clinical and computed tomography (CT) features of 25 patients with peripartum CVT are described. Majority of the patients presented in postpartum period and did not receive proper antenatal care. Headache (92%), altered sensorium (80%, seizures (76%), papilloedema (80%) and hemiplegia (52%) were the common modes of presentation. CT findings included diffuse brain oedema (52%), haemorrhagic or nonhaemorrhagic infarctions on one or both sides of brain (48%), gyral enhancement (40%) and tentorial enhancement (16%). While 15 patients made good recovery, 3 cases (12%) died during acute stage of illness.


Acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria. Acute Renal Failure (ARF) secondary to rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria was seen in four patients. In three, this was secondary to trauma and the fourth patient had an inflammatory myositis. All 4 patients had total recovery of renal function.


Central nervous system opportunistic infections in HIV disease: clinical aspects. Nervous system opportunistic infections are seen in about one fifth of AIDS cases and account for over 40% of the patients with neurological manifestations. Serious infections are seen in severely immunosuppressed patients, usually with CD4 counts of 200 ml-1 or less. The commonest is CMV, which can produce acute encephalitis, sometimes with focal hemisphere or brain-stem signs, dementia, retinitis, optic neuritis and an ascending radiculomyeloencephalitis. Cryptococcal meningitis is the most frequent fungal disease; a high degree of clinical suspicion is required in patients with fever, malaise, headache or seizures. Only CSF cultures are always positive; both serum and CSF cryptococcal antigen tests are highly sensitive and specific. Treatment with amphotericin B and flucytosine is successful in at least 70% of first episodes but side-effects are common. Without maintenance therapy 50% of patients relapse; fluconazole is recommended. Cerebral toxoplasmosis can present with focal cerebral or spinal cord signs but also as a diffuse encephalopathy; negative T. gondii serology is exceptional but positive serum titres are usually unhelpful. Treatment with sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and folinic acid achieves good results in 90% of the first episodes, but side-effects are common. Appearances on CT scan or MRI may take several weeks to improve. The value of an empirical approach to treatment is well-established; an initial cerebral biopsy is difficult to justify. Without maintenance therapy a relapse rate of 50% can be expected; therapy with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine may also prevent pneumocystosis. HIV disease appears to increase the likelihood of neurosyphilis, and the risk of relapse after conventional penicillin doses, in patients with syphilis; at least 3-4 weeks of appropriate therapy are recommended. A number of other diseases caused by viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites are less common; these include progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, herpes simplex and zoster infections and tuberculosis.


Other neurological diseases in HIV-1 infection: clinical aspects. HIV-1-related neurological diseases, excluding opportunistic infections and HIV encephalitis, are considered here. Most occur in severely immunosuppressed patients, with CD4 counts of under 200 x 10(6) l-1. Primary brain lymphoma and metastases from systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the second commonest cause of cerebral mass lesions in AIDS, are usually aggressive B cell tumours. Their poor median survival after treatment, compared with that of lymphomas in non-AIDS patients, seems related to systemic complications, particularly opportunistic infections. Kaposi's sarcoma produces neurological symptoms exceptionally. Cerebral infarction is often unrecognized clinically but large vessel arteritic occlusions may occur. Intracranial haemorrhages occur mostly in thrombocytopenic patients. Seizures are frequently referred to the neurologist; investigation may lead to a diagnosis of AIDS. Nearly 50% of patients with seizures have cerebral toxoplasmosis or cryptococcal meningitis; HIV-1 encephalitis is presumed to be the cause in 30%. A subacute or chronic vacuolar myelopathy with pyramidal and posterior column signs is the commonest form of spinal cord involvement in AIDS; its cause remains unknown. Peripheral nerve syndromes occur at all stages of HIV-1 infection. Distal symmetrical peripheral neuropathies are the most frequent, particularly a painful form with axonal atrophy, associated with CMV infection, and seen during ARC or AIDS. Mononeuritis multiplex due to vasculitis, CMV, or lymphoma and a serious lumbosacral polyradiculopathy due to CMV are infrequent. The commonest myopathy is due to zidovudine (AZT); it usually responds to drug withdrawal. The nature, prognosis and optimal management of most other myopathies is yet to be determined.


Therapeutic aspects of retroviral disease. Retroviruses of the nervous system cause HTLV-1-associated myelopathy and HIV-associated diseases. The treatment of HTLV-1 disease is essentially conservative; there is no effective drug treatment and therefore patients should be simply supported and reassured. If appropriate, other members of the family should be tested for HTLV-1 disease and counselled. The effects of HIV on the nervous system are much more complex. Therapy must take account of the diverse complications of HIV disease. Patients are probably best managed in specialized clinics which can cope with the different manifestations of the disease. Zidovudine (AZT) is the only effective anti-HIV drug that is licensed. It is indicated in complicated seroconversion disease and for any manifestation of HIV progression including AIDS dementia complex. Management of severe neurological disease depends critically on the ability to diagnose and treat CNS-specific opportunistic infections. Whether zidovudine is indicated for early asymptomatic disease when CD4 counts are below 500 microliters-1 is controversial. The main problems of zidovudine are reversible anaemia which results in about 30% of patients not tolerating long-term use, and the development of drug resistance which may be associated with clinical failure of the drug. Other, new and experimental drug treatments are discussed but none of them has as yet shown any convincing evidence of efficacy. Future improvements in treatment appear to depend on the development of effective multiple drug regimens (concurrently or sequentially) which will overcome the challenge of drug resistance.


HIV-1 and HIV-2: overview of disease spectrum. This overview has attempted to cover the more common aspects of the clinical presentations of HIV infection and the differential diagnoses. These can only be generalizations as presentations differ dramatically from patient to patient. It is also important to be aware that in an individual the disease is continually evolving and the same complication may produce very different clinical manifestations at different times. It is vital to have a high index of suspicion of the occurrence of complications and to treat promptly. Delay may not only make successful treatment more difficult but it is conceivable that it may exacerbate the underlying immunodeficiency and hasten progression of disease.


Molecular biology and pathology of type VII collagen. Type VII collagen is a genetically distinct member of the collagen family of proteins. Type VII collagen has been shown to be the major component of anchoring fibrils, attachment complexes which secure the cutaneous basement membrane of the skin to the underlying dermis. Understanding of the structure of type VII collagen has been advanced by recent cloning of the corresponding gene. Chromosomal mapping of the gene to the short arm of chromosome 3 and identification of intragenic polymorphic markers have allowed demonstration of strong genetic linkage between the type VII collagen locus and the dystrophic forms of EB (epidermolysis bullosa). This overview summarizes the progress made in the molecular genetics of type VII collagen.


T-cell receptor gamma delta-positive peripheral T-cell lymphomas presenting in the skin: a clinical, histological and immunophenotypic study. Examination of biopsy samples from 62 patients with--or with suspected--cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) revealed 2 cases in which the neoplastic cells were positive for the T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma delta complex. One patient had mycosis fungoides and 1 patient had a pleomorphic lymphoma of medium and large-cell type. Both cases showed aggressive courses with dissemination to internal organs and short survival times. The phenotypic examination showed that the neoplastic cells were positive with TCR delta 1, CD3, CD25, CD29, CD45R0 and CD54. No staining was seen with antibodies against framework determinants or variable regions on the TCR alpha beta heterodimer. Negative reactions were also seen with CD4, CD8, CD5, CD7, CD16, CD30 and CD57. It is concluded that rare CTCL express TCR gamma delta chains. These malignancies may originate from the TCR gamma delta-positive T cells seen in normal skin, and it is possible that their recognition may be important for clinical reasons.


Heterogeneity of cytokine production by human malignant melanoma cells. Recent investigations indicate that malignant melanoma cells can produce distinct cytokines. While differences in the production of single cytokines have been observed among different melanoma cell lines, the extent of variability in the production of single and multiple cytokines between individual melanoma cell lines has not been as thoroughly investigated. A heterogeneity in melanoma cell cytokine production could have important implications for the biology of this aggressive neoplasm since certain cytokines may act as autocrine growth factors or be potent modulators of host immune response to the developing tumor. The purpose of this study is to assess the cytokine production profile of two widely available human melanoma cell lines, A375 and G361. The A375 cell line constitutively expressed the mRNA for IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta and PDGF-A, with increased expression of these cytokines after induction with PMA. GM-CSF mRNA was expressed by the A375 melanoma line only after induction with PMA. No IL-6 mRNA was detected in the A375 melanoma cell line. The cell culture supernatants from the A375 cells likewise contained a parallel increase in IL-1 activity as determined in the D10 bioassay and secreted GM-CSF and PDGF-AA as measured by ELISA. In contrast, the G361 cell line did not express IL-1, GM-CSF or PDGF-A mRNA (constitutively or after PMA induction) but expressed only IL-6 mRNA and secreted IL-6 activity after PMA induction. These results demonstrate a significant heterogeneity in the production of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, GM-CSF, and PDGF in two distinct melanoma cell lines. This study demonstrates that individual melanoma cell lines express and secrete multiple cytokines both constitutively and after stimulation with PMA. The immunodulating and mitogenic properties of these melanoma-derived cytokines may have implications in determining the biologic behavior of different malignant melanomas.


A reappraisal of the use of 5-methoxypsoralen in the therapy of psoriasis. 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) is considered an alternative to 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) for photochemotherapy of psoriasis. We have compared the clinical efficacy and tolerability of 5-MOP (1.2 mg/kg)-UVA versus 8-MOP (0.6 mg/kg)-UVA therapy in 25 patients of skin type III and IV, affected by relapsing plaque-type psoriasis of similar body involvement; indeed, the same patients were given 8-MOP during 1 year and 5-MOP during the subsequent year after relapsing. Both treatments cleared psoriatic lesions with a comparable number of exposures, but 5-MOP required significantly higher cumulative UVA doses. The difference was due to the lower phototoxicity of 5-MOP, as assessed by the determination of the minimal phototoxic dose, and to its higher tanning activity, as assessed by the weekly grading of pigmentation. Nevertheless, therapy by 5-MOP-UVA seemed particularly interesting in that it showed a higher tolerability since only 1 patient experienced nausea, whereas during therapy with 8-MOP-UVA nausea and/or vomiting occurred in 7 patients, sunburn in 6 and itching in 3. Since we have treated the same patients with the two drugs, our results were not influenced by interindividual variations of phototoxic responses, tanning ability and susceptibility to develop psoralen-induced short-term side-effects. It was concluded that, although long-term side-effects of the 5-MOP-UVA treatment have still to be determined, such treatment of psoriasis should be reappraised due to its higher tolerability in comparison to 8-MOP-UVA treatment.


The 6/2 (AA3) polyclonal antibody identifying a 37 kD keratinocyte protein reacts also with BM-600/nicein, the basement membrane component bound by the monoclonal antibody GB3. An unexpected finding concerning our previously reported polyclonal antibody raised against an extract from human amnion (pAb 6/2, also termed AA3), and which recognizes an epidermal keratinocyte protein, is presented in this study. Using the immunoblot technique, pAb 6/2 binds to a 37 kD intracellular protein antigen. We have subsequently found that, by radioimmunoprecipitation performed after metabolic labelling with 35S-methionine of cultured keratinocytes, pAb 6/2 recognizes the 600 kD epidermal basement membrane component (termed BM-600/nicein) which was reported to be bound by the monoclonal antibody mAb GB3. Specifically, pAb 6/2 reacts with immunoaffinity chromatography-isolated BM-600/nicein blotted onto nitrocellulose. The data suggest the existence of two immunological reactivities borne by pAb 6/2, each of them being directed against, respectively, the 37 kD (seen in immunoblots) and the 600 kD protein (seen in immunoprecipitations). The data further suggest possible independent expression of these two proteins in cell culture. In comparison with the staining pattern of normal skin, immunofluorescence was previously noted to be impaired (pAb 6/2) or absent (mAb GB3) in lethal junctional epidermolysis bullosa. Thus, we conclude that mAb GB3, rather than pAb 6/2, is a more appropriate probe for the comprehensive biochemical study of this genodermatosis.


The role of interleukin-1 in host responses to infectious diseases. The polypeptide cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) affects nearly every tissue and organ system. IL-1 is the prototype of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in that it induces the expression of a variety of genes and synthesis of several proteins which, in turn, induce acute and chronic inflammatory changes. Most studies on the biology of IL-1 have been carried out in animals, but human subjects have recently been injected with recombinant IL-1 and the results confirm IL-1 as being a mediator of disease as well as host defense. However, overproduction of IL-1 leads to debilitation of normal host functions; therefore, reduction of IL-1 synthesis or blockade of IL-1 activity becomes a target of therapy in many diseases. Agents for reducing the synthesis or antagonizing the effects of IL-1 have been sought, but the naturally occurring IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) has opened new experimental and clinical approaches. The ability of IL-1Ra to block IL-1 receptors without agonist activities has reduced the severity of diseases such as septic shock, lethal sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, experimental arthritis, and the spontaneous proliferation of human leukemic cells.


Studies to define viral cofactors for human immunodeficiency virus. Results from molecular biologic, cell biologic and animal experiments show that HIV replication can be driven by a variety of other viruses. If such interactions took place in vivo, then they could help to explain some of the complex pathogenesis of AIDS. The problems incurred in attempting to address this question in populations of humans are discussed.


Lipid transport in Plasmodium.

Lipid transport in Plasmodium. During intraerythrocytic development, the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum actively internalizes phospholipids from its erythrocyte membrane and the extracellular medium. The import of exogenous lipids is not due to endocytosis, but to energy-dependent, transbilayer movement of phospholipids induced by the parasite in the erythrocyte surface. Novel tubular membranes that appear to emerge from the vacuole of the parasite and extend into the erythrocyte cytoplasm are labeled by exogenously added fluorescent lipids. These tubules interact with the erythrocyte membrane, but definitive evidence for their role in catalyzing transbilayer phospholipid movement in the red blood cell bilayer is still not available. Both biochemical and microscopic studies indicate that all lipid analogs internalized into the intraerythrocytic compartments and/or the parasite are not exported back to the host cell surface. Nonexchangeable fluorescent lipids are exported from a parasite to its intraerythrocytic tubules, but not to an adjacent parasite in a double-infected red blood cell. Thus, while the intraerythrocytic membranes engage in prominent tubular development at the vacuolar surface and deliver lipids to the parasite they originate from, they appear to be incapable of vesicular or tubular membrane export across the erythrocyte cytosol. Parasite Golgi activities for the synthesis and accumulation of sphingomyelin are detected in the intraerythrocytic tubules, indicating a novel export of classic secretory functions to their lumen, which could be central to both tubular development and lipid-sorting activities in these organelles.


Risk of hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus transmission to a patient from an infected surgeon due to percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure: estimates based on a model. The objective was to estimate the probability of sporadic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission to a patient from an infected surgeon due to percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure. Risk was estimated based on a model involving three probabilities: A, the probability that the surgeon will sustain a percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure; B, the probability that the sharp object causing the injury and now contaminated with the surgeon's blood will contact the patient's wound; and C, the probability that infection would be transmitted to the patient after such an exposure. The probability of transmission during one procedure is p = A x B x C. The probability of transmission to at least one patient during N procedures is 1-(1-p)N. Values for A, B, and C were estimated from prospective studies. The estimated probability of transmission from an infected surgeon to a patient during a single procedure is 0.00024-0.0024% for HIV and 0.024-0.24% for HBV if the surgeon is positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). The estimated probability of transmission to at least one patient during 3,500 procedures (estimated to be performed during an HIV-infected surgeon's remaining working life) is 0.81-8.1% for HIV; 57-100% for HBV if the surgeon is an HBeAg carrier. These estimates represent population averages and may not necessarily apply to a particular procedure performed by a particular surgeon, for which the risk may be considerably lower or higher than the estimated average. This risk assessment, which is based on limited data and does not take clusters of transmission into account, predicts that the risk of sporadic HBV transmission from infected surgeons to patients due to percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure is small and that the risk of HIV transmission is less than that for HBV. More data are needed to understand both sporadic and epidemic transmission in order to further reduce patient risk.


Prophylaxis and therapy for Pneumocystis pneumonia--where are we? The armamentarium of drugs to treat and to prevent Pneumocystis pneumonia has expanded substantially over the past decade. In all patient populations trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the preferred regimen for both acute treatment and prophylaxis. Clindamycin-primaquine and atovaquone are both effective agents for acute therapy but there are no data yet suggesting that they are preferable to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Corticosteroid therapy is now standard for severe AIDS-associated Pneumocystis pneumonia, and should probably be used in other patient populations with severe pneumocystis pneumonia as well.


Challenge of Chlamydia research.

Challenge of Chlamydia research. Chlamydia is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that severely challenges the patience and creativity of all its investigators--even to the point that some investigators have forsaken this field for more productive and fertile areas of research. The two principal difficulties that touch every aspect of chlamydial research are (a) that chlamydiae only grow within eukaryotic host cells and (b) there are limited genetic approaches available. Despite these technical difficulties, the fundamental underlying problem has been the expectation that chlamydiae are similar to other bacteria (or, historically, viruses) and amenable to study from this perspective. However, this has often turned out not to be the case. Chlamydiae have shown themselves to be unique at many levels and thus represent a formidable, yet enticing, research challenge.


Helicobacter pylori and gastroduodenal disease: pathogenesis and host-parasite interaction. Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be the cause of chronic active gastritis and the evidence that it is involved in the development of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer is compelling. Narrow host range, tissue specificity, and chronic inflammation are hallmarks of infection. The study of virulence determinants has just begun but it seems likely that urease, adhesins, cytotoxins, and mediators of inflammation will prove to be important.


Occurrence and mechanisms of glycopeptide resistance in gram-positive cocci. Despite belief that the unique mechanism of glycopeptide action would preclude the development of resistance in susceptible organisms, clinical isolates of enterococci and staphylococci resistant to these compounds have been described. Among the enterococci, there are at least three types of resistance. Type A (high-level) resistance was described in Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis. It is inducible and mediated by elaboration and/or increased activity of at least three enzymes: a ligase, a dehydrogenase, and a carboxypeptidase, which orchestrate the production of peptidoglycan precursors that do not bind vancomycin. Type B (low-level) resistance described in E. faecium is also mediated by increased carboxypeptidase activity and, possibly, by elaboration of a protein detectable after incubation in vancomycin whose function is unknown. Type C resistance is associated with production of a ligase constitutively produced, chromosomally encoded, and unique to E. gallinarum. Among the staphylococci, coagulase-negative clinical isolates were obtained that were resistant to glycopeptides and one coagulase-positive isolate was resistant to teicoplanin but the mechanism of resistance is unknown. Additionally, coagulase-positive staphylococci resistant to glycopeptides have been prepared in the laboratory. They produce an approximately 39-kDa cytoplasmic protein, whose function is unknown, and have undergone extensive reorganization of their cell surface. The era in which universal gram-positive susceptibility to glycopeptides can be presumed is over; susceptibility testing must now accompany isolation of an enterococcus or staphylococcus of clinical importance.


Human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus, and cervical cancer: newly recognized associations? There are now sufficient data to conclude that women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and preinvasive stages of cervical cancer. This association is not completely due to immunosuppression. It is likely that HPV pathogenesis is altered in HIV-infected women. Preinvasive cervical neoplasia likely occurs more frequently in HIV-infected women because of several factors, including immunosuppression, viral interactions, and alterations in viral pathogenesis. As new treatments prolong the life of HIV-infected individuals, we must continue to be aware of and reactive to an increasing number of opportunistic complications of HIV infection, such as HPV infection and associated diseases.


Setting health-based residue limits for contaminants in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. A procedure for determining health-based residue limits for impurities in drug substances and medical devices is described. The procedure is based upon the concept of setting residue limits that correspond to the intended usage of the drug or device, i.e., short-term use, prolonged use, and/or lifetime use. Data pertaining to chemical and physical properties, occurrence and use, biodisposition, pharmacology, toxicology, and effects in people are used. After evaluation of these data, acceptable daily intake (ADI) values are derived using a safety margin approach for short-term and prolonged exposure limits. The safety margin approach combines the use of safety factors and professional judgment. ADI values for lifetime exposure are calculated using the safety margin approach for noncarcinogens and for some carcinogens, and they are calculated using risk assessment procedures that provide ADI values corresponding to no more than a 1 in 10,000 excess lifetime cancer risk based upon maximum likelihood risk levels for other carcinogens. A weight-of-evidence test determines the use of each approach. Finally, ADI values from relevant routes and endpoints are compared and a residue limit or residue limits are estimated. The standard is expressed in terms of maximum dose per exposure period and/or dose per day and is applicable to medical products intended for short-term use, for prolonged use, and/or for lifetime use as a major clinical indications dictate.


Rational model for comparing vulnerability to environmental health risks at different locations. Many factors must be considered in correlating the environmental quality of a location with the disease pattern. Therefore, an attempt is made to identify the rationale needed to correlate human disease patterns with pollutant loads and a simple, though arbitrary, and qualitative model for distinguishing areas more prone to environmental health risks is suggested.


A discussion of the U.S. EPA methodology for determining Water Quality Standards (WQS). Based on material published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in the Federal Register for 19 November 1991, many state environmental agencies have proposed and/or adopted revisions to their State Water Quality Standards (WQS) for organic and inorganic chemicals in fresh and marine waters (see, for example, State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Management, (1992), memorandum to Interested Parties concerning the Water Quality Standards Hearing Report). Generally, many states simply republish the U.S. EPA's proposed Water Quality Criteria (WQC) as the State's proposed WQS. Many of the state WQS and federal WQC values--especially those for organic compounds regulated as human or animal carcinogens--are much more stringent than the values now in effect because the U.S. EPA's new methodology (i) for estimating exposure point concentrations, exposure doses, carcinogenic potency, and incremental lifetime cancer risk and (ii) for setting the target acceptable risk combine a series of conservative assumptions into an equally conservative set of results. In the Federal Register proposal, the U.S. EPA failed to honor its standard risk assessment methodology in that (i) it failed to perform a quantitative or even qualitative uncertainty analysis and (ii) it failed to analyze the overall degree of conservatism in the results. The U.S. EPA suggested that the analysis is suitably conservative for the average exposed adult, but it failed to consider various phenomena that make the proposed WQC far more conservative than acknowledged or intended. To focus on a central problem of manageable size, this article dissects the method by which the U.S. EPA calculates proposed WQC for organic chemicals regulated as human or animal carcinogens. Because the results for most such chemicals are driven by the pathway for the human ingestion of fish which have bioconcentrated the chemicals from the water column (as opposed to the pathway for direct ingestion of water by humans), this article focuses exclusively on the fish-to-human pathway. These considerations form the basis of general quality assurance criteria and standards.


Quality assessment of external data: a further means of reducing animal use for toxicity testing--a case study. One overlooked area of quality assurance (QA) is the critical, in-depth reassessment of toxicity data from secondary compilations. Such retrospective QA may play a role in avoiding needless additional or repeated animal testing, as this case study shows. Initially, the task was simply to carry out toxicity testing of a chemical for LD50 determination for regulatory purposes. The impetus for this proposed (re-)testing was the erroneously calculated low LD50 value for just one species and one route of administration. Examination of the original literature cited as the source of the seemingly anomalous LD50 value revealed that a combination of conceptual and transcriptional errors had been made when the results were translated from the original German research paper and were put into two widely used secondary compilations: RTECS and HSDB. Correcting these errors rendered the true value for LD50, which was no longer out of step with values for other species, nor was it sufficiently low to cause any concern in the work place. The critical reassessment removed the need to use any further animal studies to assess the situation. It is concluded that, in some cases, "reassessing" existing data can be added to the established list of "refining, reducing, and replacing" as a means of decreasing animal use in toxicological evaluation.


Application of ISO 9002 and FDA's good manufacturing practices to general chemical manufacturing. Two manufacturing standards are discussed and compared, namely, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Good Manufacturing Practices and the International Standards Organization 9000 (ISO 9000) series. Conclusions are drawn relative to quality improvement strategies.


A scientific basis for proposed quality assurance of a new screening method for tumor-like growths in the planarian, Dugesia dorotocephala. Various abnormal growths appear on planarians, Dugesia dorotocephala, during and after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 28, 110, and 126; Aroclor 1254; cadmium sulfate; and L-buthionine-(R,S)-sulfoximine (BSO). Daily observations under magnification were used to describe the location, development, and morphology of three different types of tumor-like growths ("tumors"). "Post-head tumors" were found to be highly invasive, progressive, and lethal to the animal depending on concentrations and combinations of the compounds used. Survivors from post-head tumors exhibited aberrant morphogenesis, but developmental abnormalities were eventually shed. Post-head tumors occurred within 2 weeks of initial exposure, while "round tail tip tumors" appeared after 2-3 weeks. The rate of progression and invasiveness was greater for the round tail tip tumors. "Pigmented rose thorn tail tumors" occurred in low incidence (4-20%) and appeared to be harmless and noninvasive, requiring months to develop from the first appearance of pigmentation. The aggressive, proliferative, and invasive characteristics of post-head and round tail tip tumors are analogous to those of malignant tumors, while pigmented rose thorn tumors were benign. High dose of cadmium alone were sufficient to initiate the post-head and round tail tip tumors. PCBs potentiated the tumorigenicity of low cadmium doses and enhanced the very low spontaneous incidence of pigmented rose thorn tumors. PCBs also impaired motor activity, causing the graceful gliding locomotion to be replaced by a twisting serpentine movement accompanied by muscular dystrophy. In addition, high (50 micrograms) doses of PCB 110 depressed activity, while lower (5 micrograms) doses and 50 micrograms Aroclor 1254 induced restlessness and enhanced locomotion. These data provide the basis for quality assurance.


The inspection of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies. Areas in which the regulations apply must be discussed to ensure that an overall standard of "good practice" is applied to Absorption Distribution Metabolism Excretion (ADME) as an integral part of the safety testing program. There are specific problems in adapting the toxicology regulations for drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies. In reviewing the laboratories and their experimental procedures, an attempt to identify, through an auditing approach, how a drug metabolism laboratory can comply with regulations is presented. It must be regarded as of paramount importance that all work be carried out to the highest standards to allow the largest margin of safety. With these experiences, ADME Laboratories "new" to Good Laboratory Practice can proceed along the compliance pathway with minimum trauma to man, animal, and machine.


[The estimation of the economic damages caused as a consequence of the epidemic of hemorrhagic dengue in Cuba in 1981]. In order to warn the health authorities in our region about the economic damages that a hemorrhagic dengue epidemic may cause, it was decided to study and publish the estimated cost of the Cuban epidemic in 1981, during which 344,203 diseased were reported, 10312 severe cases and 158 deceased. Economic costs include hospitalization expenses, assistance in emergency units, social security, expenses in out-patient treatment, goods not produced and expenses in the anti-vector campaign. Probably, this epidemic which could be controlled in about 4 months, has been the one causing most economic damages to date.


[Mycobacterium fortuitum: the determination of its susceptibility by the disk diffusion technic]. A study was carried out on 40 Mycobacterium fortuitum strains isolated from 39 symptomatic respiratory patients and 1 from a chronic skin ulcer, the susceptibility of whom to different antimicrobial agents was determined by the disk diffusion method. The strain showed sensitivity to aminoglucosides such as amikacin, gentamicin and kanamycin, and in all cases resistance to the penicillins ans cephalosporins used.


[A comparison of 3 single-dose plans for mebendazole in the treatment of trichuriasis]. People infected by Trichuris trichiura were selected in a community by the Kato-Katz technique. The study included a universe of 376 persons, male and female, positive and asymptomatic, monoparasitic and multiparasitic. They were divided in treatment groups with not less than 50 people. Monoparasitic patients were treated with 500, 400 and 300 mg of mebendazole, and multiparasitic patients with 500 and 400 mg of mebendazole. In all the cases the drug was used in single doses and its administration was supervised by the physician. Therapeutical response in monoparasitic and multiparasitic patients is shown. It is suggested to use mebendazole single doses of 300 mg in monoparasitic and of 400 mg in multiparasitic patients with an intensiveness of less than 5,000 h/g, as an alternative for treating asymptomatic populations with T. trichiura.


[The surveillance of nosocomial bacteremia in the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital Pediátrico Docente Centro Habana]. A prospective study was carried out in order to assess nosocomial bacteremia in the Intensive Care Unit of the Centrohabana Teaching Pediatric Hospital, from January to May 1988. 66.7% of the bacteremia episodes diagnosed were of a nosocomial origin, mostly secondary. Nosocomial bacteremia rate was 15.5 per 100 admissions, with predominance in the age group under 1 year of age. Risk factors for acquiring nosocomial bacteremia were hospital stay longer than 72 hours, age under 1 year, tracheal intubation, deep venous catheterization and urinary catheterization. The most frequently associated microorganisms were Staphylococcus epidermis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.


[The diagnosis of cryptococcosis. A comparison of 2 latex systems for antigen detection]. A latex reactive was designed for detecting Cryptococcus neoformans antigen. It was evaluated by a comparative study with a commercial system (Meridian Diagnostic, Inc.). Total coincidence was observed with both latex systems after studying 3 sample groups: patients with cryptococcosis diagnosis, blood bank donors and patients with clinical signs of the disease. Sensitivity, specificity and stability of the latex reactives prepared were assessed. This diagnostic technique opens new perspectives for quick diagnosis in Cuba, especially for immunosuppressed patients. It will allow for timely treatment and at the same time will contribute to saving expenses in imports.


[The identification of Leptospira strains of different origins]. Leptospirosis is at present an ever-increasing problem in human and animal health. By means of the Korthof medium, 43 Leptospira strains were isolated from samples of human blood, water and soil. For their identification the microagglutination technique was used. The strains corresponded to the species Leptospira biflexa and Leptospira interrogans.


[Pediatric AIDS: a report of the first fatal Cuban pediatric case]. The case of a Cuban child with AIDS acquired by perinatal transmission is reported. Thirteen days after birth, the child had chronic diarrhoeas affecting its pondostatural development. It was hospitalized many times due to recurrent respiratory processes, in one of which Pneumocystis carinii was detected. Oral candidiasis, cryptosporidiosis and intestinal amebiasis in faeces were also diagnosed. It died with generalized tonic-clonic convulsions and bradypnea. At autopsy, the direct death cause was endocranial hypertension due to unspecific sub-acute viral meningitis.


[Infections and other opportunistic processes in a group of Cuban stage-IV HIV patients]. Forty Cuban patients affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), belonging to Group IV, assisted during a year at the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute, are reported. Pneumocystis carinii, cryptosporidiosis, mucocutaneous herpes simplex, oral candidiasis and multidermatoma herpes zoster were the most commonly found infections. Other non-opportunistic diseases such as dermatitis seborrhoeica and onychomycosis were also present.


[The study and evaluation of a method for identifying Escherichia coli by using fluorescent disks]. A study was carried out with 101 strains, 79 of Escherichia coli and 22 of other genera isolated from clinical samples at several hospitals in Havana form October 1989 to January 1990. In all the strains, beta-glycuronidase enzyme was detected in conditions established by our laboratory and was compared with the results reached by the ROCHE enterotube method. Of the 79 Escherichia coli strains, 74 were positive to the beta-glycuronidase detection test. Sensitivity was 94% and specificity, was 100%.


[A structural protein study of the influenza A (H1N1) virus by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis]. Influenza is an acute respiratory disease typically appearing as an epidemic. Three immunological types of the influenza virus are known: A, B and C. Continually, antigen changes occur, especially in type A. Therefore, a comparative study was carried out on 4 influenza A(H1N1) virus strains in relation to protein structure (surface antigens), by using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by the modified Laemmli method. The objective was to compare the structural proteins of the A/Havana/1292/78 (H1N1) national strain with the proteins of 3 international pattern strains. In all the cases, 6 bands were detected by densitometry. In the 4 strains studied the most abundant protein was M. Great differences between the Cuban strain and the 3 international patterns were not seen.


[Malaria and sickle-cell anemia. A correlation of the clinical and epidemiological aspects]. A study was carried out on susceptibility of sicklemia patients to Plasmodium falciparum (PF) malaria in 151 hemoglobin S carriers (homozygous and heterozygous), assisted at the Cotonú Hospital, Benin, for 1 year. These diseased did not have any serious malaria complications. The results were compared to a control group without sickle-cell anemia who had 21.5% of complications due to the disease. Prevalence of genetic anomaly was higher than 20% among the general population under study.


[A preliminary study of variation in Tarebia granifera (Lamarck), Río Hatibonico, Camagüey]. A study was carried out on Tarebia granifera in Camagüey which allowed to gather ecological evidence in order to know this freshwater mollusk species likely to act as a biological control agent of intermediate hosts for tropical diseases. Highest density was observed in November, coinciding with the highest temperatures of a running water habitat. Also, there was an influence of density variations according to variations of ions NH4+, NO2- and NO3- concentrations in the medium. These data are useful to know the right time for extracting Tarebia granifera from the habitat and using it as competitor without considerable alterations in the population stability.


[Rotavirus diarrhea in a health center and a hospital of Managua, Nicaragua]. Diarrhoea has been considered by WHO as a major problem of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. Rotavirus has been reported as one of the main causal agents, although its frequency as causal agent of diarrhoea in Nicaragua is not known. A study was carried out on 206 samples from an equal number of children under 5 years, who presented at a health center and a pediatric hospital in Managua during 9 months in 1987. In order to detect the presence of Rotavirus in faeces, the ELISA technique was used. It was proved that Rotavirus is not a significant cause of diarrhoea in children under 5 years in the places studied.


Our experience with management of epiphyseolysis in children and adolescents. A total of 58 children is referred to with fractured growth plates of the distal forearm, proximal humerus, radial condyle of humerus, ulnar epicondyle of humerus, distal tibia, proximal tibia and the distal femur. The related injuries are divided in accord with Salter-Harris classification. The treatment of epiphysiolyses is concerned together with summarizing its results and the appropriate experience. In addition, the indications for both conservative and surgical approaches are delimited in treating these injuries.


Surgical treatment of vesico-renal reflux in children aged up to 3 years. A total of 36 children age-ranged from 2 up to 34 mos (17 boys and 19 girls) with previous surgery for the vesico-renal reflux has been evaluated. This disorder had most commonly been classified to be of higher degree (IV. and V.--45%) and often showed no response on repeated conservative treatment with even stronger antibiotics. The boys (27 ureters) and girls (31 ureters) underwent the 32 antireflux operations after Anderson-Glenn and those 26 after Politano-Leadbetter, respectively. In 6 ureters, their resection and modelling after Hendren was necessary to be done. On post-operative check-out, the 6 post-antireflux Anderson-Glenn's plastic ureters revealed on miction cystography the persistent vesico-renal reflux re-operated subsequently in accord with Politano-Leadbetter. From them, in 2 ureters the post-operative stricture has occurred in the site of ureter-to-bladder healing that was transitorily secured with percutaneous nephrostomy.


Reconstruction of the penis following necrosis from circumcision used high frequency cutting current. Penis necrosis secondary to circumcision by an electrical scalpel in a 2 years and 2 months-old boy occurred. After healing of the electric burn only stumps of the erectile bodies and strictured urethral meatus remained. The penis shaft reconstruction by corpora mobilisation and by detachment of the crura from the pubo-ischial rami was effected. This procedure gained 6 cm of a new length of the penis. To prevent readhesions to the puboischial rami the penis was buried in a scrotal tunnel. Six months later the denuded shaft was resurfaced with one split thickness skin graft and a zigzag seam on the ventral side was made. The patient voids with good stream, has spontaneous erections and nocturnal emissions. During 10-years follow-up after the reconstruction two complications, namely a stricture of the urethra and a slight dorsal tethering of the penis caused by a scarred pubic skin were treated. The problems of the a reconstruction type and resurfacing of the penis in childhood are discussed.


Advances of the past decade in automated hematology. During the decade of the 1980s, a wealth of information accumulated concerning automation in hematology. Recent technological advances led the way to the development of blood cell analyzers capable of performing a ten-parameter (or greater) complete blood count and five-parameter (or greater) differential leukocyte count on a small amount of whole blood and in an accurate, efficient, and economical way. The authors summarize the available information concerning the data generated by these analyzers, the mechanisms involved in the data generation, and the clinical applications and usefulness or limitations of the so-called new complete blood count parameters and of the automated differential as it compares with the manual differential.


Automation in blood banking. Machines for clumping, sticking, and gelling. Hospital transfusion services and blood donor centers have continued to rely on manual hemagglutination methods for pretransfusion compatibility testing. Automation with continuous flow and batch analyzers has been practical only for the largest donor centers. During the last 20 years, other methods of streamlining compatibility testing have evolved. Two of the most successful approaches have used microplates to perform liquid agglutination tests or solid-phase, red cell adherence tests. More recently, a gel test has been developed. On the basis of these technologies, increasing numbers of semiautomated systems for compatibility testing have become commercially available. However, these systems primarily address the needs of large donor centers. New technologies are needed to automate the transfusion services of hospitals and other small laboratories.


Automation in clinical microbiology.

Automation in clinical microbiology. Automation was introduced into the clinical microbiology laboratory in the 1960s but initially met with limited success. Today, instruments are an integral part of many clinical laboratories and are used for microbial detection, identification, and susceptibility testing; detection of positive blood cultures; screening urine samples for potential pathogens; and assaying levels of antimicrobial agents in body fluids. Automation has allowed more rapid diagnosis and elimination of the subjective interpretation of many manual tests. In addition, in some cases, automated tests are more sensitive and specific than manual techniques. However, automated testing often is more expensive than manual testing and is associated with the possibility of mechanical failure. Automation will continue to be an important part of the clinical microbiology laboratory and in the future will include more molecular biology technologies, such as the polymerase chain reaction. Perhaps practical applications of flow cytometry will be identified.


Laboratory automation systems. An introduction to concepts and terminology. The concept of laboratory automation has existed for years; such automation has been used primarily in nonclinical and industrial settings. The next step is to implement automation systems in the clinical laboratory. A laboratory automation system consists of robots, conveyor systems, machine vision, and computer hardware and software. Specimen movement and result reporting are based on the identification of specimens using bar coded specimens and bar coded specimen carriers. The implementation of a laboratory automation system is dependent on the presence of a laboratory information system. An interface between the laboratory information system and the laboratory automation system provides the information required to move the specimen through the laboratory. The reporting of results is dependent on the laboratory information system or manual input, depending on the type of work cell in which the results are produced. The greatest hurdle to overcome in developing and implementing a laboratory automation system is the integration of systems, including commercial laboratory instrumentation and user-defined work cells. The barriers to implementation primarily are proprietary in nature: instrument software and instrument hardware. When the instrument manufacturers realize the necessity for development of electronic and physical integration, the proliferation of laboratory automation systems will occur. Several opportunities exist for the reduction in laboratory expenses and the development of new positions, such as "robotechnologist," a staff member who would function in a manner similar to the current laboratory information systems manager. This article describes the author's concepts of laboratory automation.


Automation and other recent developments in clinical chemistry. The decade 1980 to 1990 was the most progressive period in the short, but turbulent, history of clinical chemistry. New techniques and the instrumentation needed to perform assays have opened a chemical Pandora's box. Multichannel analyzers, the base spectrophotometric key to automated laboratories, have become almost perfect. The extended use of the antigen-monoclonal antibody reaction with increasing sensitive labels has extended analyte detection routinely into the picomole/liter range. Devices that aid the automation of serum processing and distribution of specimens are emerging. Laboratory computerization has significantly matured, permitting better integration of laboratory instruments, improving communication between laboratory personnel and the patient's physician, and facilitating the use of expert systems and robotics in the chemistry laboratory.


Automated immunohistochemical analysis.

Automated immunohistochemical analysis. As the demand for immunohistochemical tests (IHC) extends beyond artistry to more widespread medical diagnostic need, the field requires improvements in quality, reproducibility, speed, and standardization. Automated IHC offers the opportunity to impart new levels of quality, reproducibility, and standardization while reducing labor and reagent costs. In addition, the controlled environment of automated IHC may increase the speed and timeliness of results. Described is a computerized bar code-driven automatic immunostaining device that automatically dispenses reagents, controls washing, mixing, and heating to optimize IHC reaction kinetics, allowing assay within 60 minutes. This electronically controlled device generates high-quality, reproducible IHC assays in a medically timely manner.


Automation of in situ hybridization.

Automation of in situ hybridization. The authors used automated DNA hybridization equipment, the Code-On (Instrumentation Laboratory, Lexington, MA), for more than 2 years to perform in situ hybridization in the clinical and research laboratory. For in situ hybridization for viral DNA in fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, the Code-On produces results that are as sensitive as the manual method and with considerably greater ease. The procedure must be modified to fit the operating characteristics of the Code-On. The authors outline a procedure that emphasizes sensitivity, rather than speed. The automated procedure requires close technical attention, but the authors propose that it is considerably more efficient than the manual method. One technician can produce reliable results on as many as 60 slides a day. For in situ hybridization on cytogenetic preparations, the results are excellent, but the procedure is contorted and the probe use is increased. For these reasons the Code-On is not used for routine interphase cytogenetics. The Code-On is in routine use in the authors' pathology laboratory for performing in situ hybridization on formalin, B5, and Carnoy's fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens.


Automation in cytopathology.

Automation in cytopathology. Machine-aided screening of cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smears is being pursued in response to a cytotechnologist shortage and a perception that computer-aided screening may improve human screening. Several different commercial efforts are underway to automate either the processing of cervical specimens or the screening of Pap smears and nongynecologic specimens. The technical approaches used by these manufacturers are varied and include traditional algorithmic computers, expert systems, and neural networks, alone or in combination. Alternatives to cell smears on glass slides are also being studied, in which monolayer cell preparations facilitate the analysis of the cells. It is not possible to suggest what approach to automation in cytology is preferred at this time. Preliminary studies of different systems suggest several of them may have sensitivity to detect intraepithelial abnormalities in excess of 95%. It is likely that these technologies will significantly aid the analysis of cytologic specimens.


Clinical application of two computerized diabetes management systems: comparison with the log-book method. In two consecutive studies the clinical application and suitability of two computer-assisted data management systems (Camit and Cadmo) were evaluated in a prospective manner. In each study nineteen long-standing, stable insulin-dependent patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In study I assessment of metabolic control and insulin dose adjustments were based either on the Camit S1 data analysis or on the conventional log-book method, whereas in study II the Camit S2 and the Cadmo simulation programs were evaluated. HbA1c values decreased significantly in both studies (p < 0.05). A clear decline in hypoglycemic events as well as a significant reduction of the percentage of glucose values below 4.0 mmol/l (p < 0.005) and a marked increase (p < 0.05) in the percentage of glucose levels in the target range (4.0-10.0 mmol/l) were observed. We found both computerized assessment systems to be reliable and suitable for the assessment of blood glucose control and for insulin dose finding. The graphical and statistical presentation of the numerous glucose and insulin data allowed a better summary of blood glucose control and metabolic trends. More time could be spent for problem solving, which proved to be much less exhausting with the computer for the attending physician. Further studies should address the educational potential of computerized systems for the patient as well as for the physician.


Viral glycoprotein heterogeneity-enhancement of functional diversity. Variations in the amino acid sequence of RNA virus envelope glycoproteins can cause changes in their antigenicity and can alter the host-cell tropism of the virus and the degree of virulence which it exhibits. Such changes may alter the course and outcome of viral diseases, either directly because of changes in the biological properties of the glycoproteins or indirectly through effects on immune surveillance and vaccine efficacy. The nature and extent of glycosylation of the surface glycoproteins of RNA viruses have also been implicated in such phenotypic alterations. It follows therefore that the 'plasticity' of the viral genome and the host-encoded glycosylation machinery combine to create populations of highly diverse viruses. This diversity is considered to be responsible for survival of these viruses in a variety of biological niches and for their ability to overcome the inhibitory effects of neutralizing antibodies and antiviral agents. In this article we discuss the implications of the inter-relationship between these two mechanisms for the generation of diversity.


Preparation of N-acetylneuraminic acid from delipidated egg yolk. Egg yolk, a large proportion of the egg, was studied for the preparation of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). The delipidated hen egg yolk (DEY; 500 kg containing 0.2% w/w, Neu5Ac) was hydrolysed with HCl (pH 1.4) at 80 degrees C and neutralized with NaOH (pH 6.0). The mixture was filtered and electrodialysed until the conductivity was 240 microS cm-1. The filtrate was applied on a column of Dowex HCR-W2 (20-50 mesh), followed by a column of Dowex 1-X8 (200-400 mesh). The latter column was washed with water, and then eluted with a linear gradient of HCO2H (0-2 M). The eluates containing Neu5Ac were concentrated using a reverse osmosis membrane and, finally, rotary evaporated at 40 degrees C. The residue was then lyophilized to yield 500 g Neu5Ac. The purity of Neu5Ac was > 98% (TBA method). HPLC, NMR spectroscopy and TLC chromatography of the product obtained from the DEY showed that Neu5Ac was the sole derivative present in egg yolk. The DEY, a byproduct from egg processing plants, was found to be an excellent source for the large-scale preparation of Neu5Ac.


O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides from peptidorhamnomannans of Sporothrix schenckii. beta-Elimination of peptidorhamnomannans purified from yeast-like and mycelial phases of Sporothrix schenckii released neutral and acidic reduced oligosaccharides that were O linked to serine and/or threonine. Man-(alpha 1-2)Man-ol, Rha(alpha 1-3)Man(alpha 1-2)Man-ol, Rha(alpha 1-4)GlcA(alpha 1-2)Man(alpha 1-2)Man-ol, and Rha(alpha 1-4)[Rha(alpha 1-2)] GlcA(alpha 1-2)Man(alpha 1-2)Man-ol were characterized based on methylation analysis, proton magnetic resonance and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.


Alpha 1-6(alpha 1-3)-difucosylation of the asparagine-bound N-acetylglucosamine in honeybee venom phospholipase A2. Chymotryptic glycopeptides were prepared from a honeybee (Apis mellifica) venom phospholipase A2 (E.C. 3.1.1.4) fraction, with high affinity towards lentil (Lens culinaris) lectin. Treatment of the glycopeptide mixture with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase A, followed by HPLC fractionation, yielded two oligosaccharides, which were analysed by 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy to give the following structures [formula: see text] This is the first report on a naturally occurring glycoprotein N-glycan with two fucose residues linked to the asparagine-bound N-acetylglucosamine.


Separation and analysis of the glycoform populations of ribonuclease B using capillary electrophoresis. The development of methods to separate, analyse and monitor changes in glycoform populations is essential if a more detailed understanding of the structure, function and processing of glycoproteins is to emerge. In this study, intact ribonuclease B was resolved by borate capillary electrophoresis into five populations according to the particular oligomannose structure associated with each glycoform. The relative proportions of these populations are correlated with the percentages obtained indirectly by analysis of the hydrazine released oligosaccharides using Bio-Gel P-4 gel filtration, matrix assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry and high performance anion exchange chromatography. Alterations in the composition of the glycoform populations during digestion of ribonuclease B with A. saitoi alpha(1-2)mannosidase were monitored by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Digestion of the free oligosaccharides under the same conditions, monitored by anion exchange chromatography, revealed a difference in rate, allowing some insight into the role of the protein during oligosaccharide processing. In conjunction with other methods, this novel application of CE may prove a useful addition to the techniques available for the study of glycoform populations.


Alpha-D-galactosylation of surface fucoglycoconjugate(s) upon stimulation/activation of murine peritoneal macrophages. Murine resident macrophages express, on their surface, carbohydrate epitopes which undergo changes during their stimulation/activation as monitored by binding of 125I labelled Evonymus europaea and Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 lectins. Treatment of the stimulated macrophages with coffee bean alpha-galactosidase abolished binding of the GS I-B4 isolectin and changed the binding pattern of the Evonymus lectin. The affinity (Ka) of Evonymus lectin for alpha-galactosidase-treated macrophages decreased approximately 23-fold, from 1.25 x 10(8) M-1 to 5.5 x 10(6) M-1. Subsequent digestion of alpha-galactosidase-treated macrophages with alpha-L-fucosidase from Trichomonas foetus, further reduced binding of Evonymus lectin. Resident macrophages showed the same pattern of Evonymus lectin binding, with the same affinity, as alpha-galactosidase-treated, stimulated macrophages. These results, together with a consideration of the carbohydrate binding specificity of the Evonymus lectin which, in the absence of alpha-D-galactosyl groups, requires alpha-L-fucosyl groups for binding, indicate the presence, on resident macrophages, of glycoconjugates with terminal alpha-L-fucosyl residues. It is also concluded that during macrophage stimulation/activation alpha-D-galactosyl residues are added to this glycoconjugate and that they form part of the receptor for Evonymus lectin. The same glycoconjugate(s) is/are also expressed on the activated macrophage IC-21 cell line which exhibits the same characteristics as that of stimulated peritoneal macrophages, i.e., it contains alpha-D-galactosyl end groups and is resistant to the action of trypsin. Both lectins were also specifically bound to Corynaebacterium parvum activated macrophages.


Monoclonal antibody GOM-2 binds to blood group B-Le(y) active glycolipid antigens on human gastric cancer cells, KATO-III. The antigen structure of a mouse monoclonal antibody, GOM-2, established by immunization with KATO-III human gastric cancer cells, was examined. GOM-2 reactive glycolipids were prepared from KATO-III cells and treated with endoglycoceramidase. Structural studies of ten GOM-2 reactive oligosaccharides by a combination of glycosidase digestions, methylation, and affinity chromatography on an Ulex europeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) column revealed that nine of them had a Y-related B-active difucosylated determinant (B-Le(y)) and one had a B-active determinant. Affinity chromatography of the purified and modified oligosaccharides on an immobilized GOM-2 column demonstrated that GOM-2 has a novel binding specificity: it binds tightly to the biantennary structure carrying the B-Le(y) determinant at the termini or the branched structure carrying the B-Le(y) structure at two nonreducing termini.


Developmental screening of Afro-American infants using the Wolański Gross Motor Evaluation. The purpose of this study was to assess the appropriateness of using the Wolański Gross Motor Evaluation (WGME) to screen for development delay in Afro-American infants of low socioeconomic status. Screening of 122 Afro-American infants at the Jefferson County (Alabama, USA) Department of Health well-child clinics was performed using the WGME. No differences were noted in the performance scores of males and females. The Afro-American infants of low socioeconomic status received higher performance scores at each given age than did white, middle-class U.S. infants tested in another study. The Afro-American infants also scored higher at each given age than the Polish infants on whom the WGME norms were established. The WGME does seem to be an appropriate screening tool in terms of practicality and the items are appropriate prior to onset of walking for the population studied. Normative data on different populations is needed in developing grids that can be used appropriately. Further studies are needed to establish reliability and validity.


Gross motor skills in Navajo American Indian children one year or under. The purpose of this study was to gather information on the appropriateness of using the Wolański Gross Motor Evaluation (WGME) with a Navajo population. Eighty normal healthy Navajo children (41 boys, 39 girls) were tested within 7 days of 4,6,9 and 12 months of age at Well Baby Clinics on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Total scores on the WGME were calculated for each age group. The scores of the Navajo boys and girls at each age were compared using a one-tailed Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, a = .05, to look for gender-related differences at each age. No significant gender-related differences were found. The scores of the Navajo infants did not correspond with the existing WGME grids. Navajo infants appeared to score substantially higher than the Polish sample at 4 months. At six months the mean scores of Navajo infants fell just above the 95th %ile on the existing WGME grids but scores below the mean fell within the grids. At 9 and 12 months the of Navajo infants fell between the 15th and 65th %iles on the infants grids. These results indicate that normative data on the WGME would need to be gathered on Navajo infants before the test could be used for screening with that population.


Shaping of functional and morphological asymmetry in five to thirty months old children. Studies of 175 children in Katowice day nurseries were conducted. Functional differentiation of hands was determined by means of tests worked out by Franus, Spionek and Szuman. Morphological asymmetry was pronounced as based on the greatest value of arm circumference, the width of arm epiphysis, stylion width and hand thickness. Somatic indices, as well as asymmetry index according to Wolański were defined on the basis of values achieved. The analysis of data shows that the degree of upper limb lateralization increases along with age. Temporary decrease of the number of lateralized individuals--and coincident increase of bimanual ones--was observed in girls at the age of 21-25 months, as well as in 25-30 months old boys. Right--handedness is most commonly accompanied--though not on statistically significant level--by domination of the following right limb traits: the biggest arm circumference, the smallest forearm circumference and hand thickness.


Socio-economic conditions of the family and somatic and physiological properties of parents and offspring. This paper discusses problems related to the formation of the somatic and physiological traits of the human body seen against a social and economic background. Source material for the study was collected upon the examination in 1975-1982 of a group of 1,108 families (altogether 3,830 persons including 1,756 men) from urban, rural and industrial areas of Poland. Their biological status was described by fourteen somatic and nineteen physiological traits. Social standing and material well-being were defined by four factors: culture, living conditions, genetic factor of mother and the same factor of father. These formed the criteria for a division of the families into sixteen types. It was only within such sub-groups that biological development of individual family members was assessed. In every type of family and in every one of its members we can distinguish positively and negatively developed traits. In couples where both spouses were tall, the biological development of the majority of traits was rather satisfactory. In the cases where husband and wife differed in stature (mother taller than father in categories specific for each sex), then blood properties of offspring had higher values than in the reverse type of mating. Analysis of traits unrelated to body height showed fathers more sensitive to family environment factors than mothers, while their offspring showed a much weaker sensitivity than either parent.


Health status of rural schoolchildren from Byelorussian Polesye: twenty-years shifts. The complex research of children from Byelorussian Polesye has been making by author for last 20 years in the three studies: 1966-68, 1976-78, and 1986. The third one was carried out after the Chernobyl accident in South Byelorussia regions with high level of fall-out contamination. The acceleration of physical growth was established to continue for whole this period. The third study showed evidence of the impairment of immunological resistance and high predisposition to infection and inflammatory disease. It revealed in decrease of leucocytes and lymphocytes count and increase of monocytes and stab/band neutrophiles in comparison with the previous two studies. These results should be useful for monitoring of the population.


Biological status of Jastarnia, Szczawnica and Krościenko populations as an effect of adaptation to seaside and low mountain conditions. The material consists of the families from Krościenko and Szczawnica examined in 1983 (309 men and 256 women) and of the families from Jastarnia examined in 1987 (163 men and 192 women). In addition to 43 biological traits (somatic, physiological, and psychomotor), also socio-economic conditions of families were analyzed, along with basic demographic data for the study areas. It has been found that migrations of people and marital radius were higher in Jastarnia than in Pieniny, and at the same time infant mortality was higher in Jastarnia, although living conditions were better there (more rooms and more opportunities for additional income). Children and youth of both areas were characterized by a medium-strong body build. Stature, body weight, and adipose tissue were higher in Jastarnia than in Pieniny. Moreover, the inhabitants of Pieniny were europrosopus and hyperbrachycephalic, whereas the inhabitants of the seaside areas were leptoprosopic and brachycephalic. The vascular-respiratory system of the seaside population was characterized by lower mean hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit index as compared with those in the low-mountain population. Most of the respiratory traits (VC, Ap, VE, MVV, FEV1), however, were higher in Jastarnia, only the frequency of respiration (f) being higher in Pieniny. A comparison of psychomotor traits showed no difference in the static strength and muscular explosive power between the two populations, but agility traits were higher in Jastarnia, whereas the body balance and musculatory endurance were better in the Pieniny population.


Changes in biological status of the Jastarnia population over the last 20-year period. The objective of this paper is to analyze changes in the biological condition of the inhabitants of Jastarnia (Hel Peninsula), who were examined three times during 1963-87. A total of 1791 persons of both sexes, aged from 3 to 80 years were under study. A total of 20 somatic and physiological traits were considered. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office (available from 1976) the birth rate in Jastarnia increased in 1987 but mortality increased even at a higher rate so that the increase of the population (per 1000 inhabitants) was reduced from 6.8 in 1976 to 3.7 in 1987. A factor analysis, used to estimate socio-economic conditions of two generations of this town, has shown that the apartment size and income of a family (factor 1) explained the highest percentage of the variance of the traits considered. Education of parents was on the second position (factor 2). The next factor (3) represented biological properties of parents measured by their stature. The last one (factor 4) characterized family size in the second generation, for the first generation this trait being related with factor 2 (culture). A tendency to slim body was observed in children and youth. However, the ratio of chest circumference to stature (Marty index) did not change, which can be explained in terms of the adaptation to maritime climate. The content of adipose tissue increased in children and youth, and also the vital capacity of lungs in relation to stature (Ziemssen index) increased in children. Blood pressure at rest was reduced in 1987, but systolic blood pressure at work was increased. An increase in the minute respiration rate and reduction of chest extension in the contemporary youth seem to be rather unfavorable.


Regression of body build and motor fitness in 7-19-year-old Polish youth on energy use and demographic properties of regions. A total of 65487 girls and 62002 boys aged from 7 to 19 years were examined in towns and villages all over Poland. Coefficients of multiple regression and percentage of explained variation in body build and motor fitness (somatic-fitness traits) of youth were calculated in relation to the variation in economic activity (as measured by electric energy use) and in demographic properties of 98 regions of Poland (urban and rural areas of 49 provinces separately). Calculations were made separately for girls 7-8, 9-10, 14-15, and 18-19 years old and for boys 7-8, 11-12, 16-17, and 18-19 years old, also for increases between these age classes in towns and villages separately. This is an extension of the analysis based on the correlation of these traits in 9.5-year-old girls and 11.5-year-old boys (Wolański et al. 1990). The regression of somatic-fitness traits on some demographic and economic properties of regions (regional factors) is most significant for rural boys, a little less significant for rural girls, and it is weakest for urban boys. The largest differences in the regression of somatic-fitness traits on regional factors between age classes were noted for rural girls, moderate for urban youth, and the smallest for rural boys. Dependence of somatic-fitness traits on regional factors increased with age. It was most clearly expressed in urban boys, and least clear in rural girls. But the strongest relationships at an age of 18 years occurred only in towns (for both sexes), whereas at an age of 9 years for rural girls and at an age of 16 years for rural boys. The analyzed traits of body build and physical fitness in youth were most strongly related to the percentage of urban population in a region, especially for urban and rural boys and rural girls. In urban girls, the most important factor was migration rate. Generally, the second most important factor influencing somatic-motor traits was electric energy use per 100 km2. The strongest effect of regional factors on motor-fitness traits was recorded for runs, standing long jump, and sit-ups, whereas running broad jump (normalized on stature) and trunk flexibility were least affected. Among body build traits, Kaup index and chest circumference were most affected, whereas arm circumference (normalized on stature twice stronger), and chest flexibility were least influenced. For example, the strongest relationship was noted between Kaup index (35.1%) in 9.5-year-old girls and regional infant death rate.


Respiratory-cardiovascular adaptations in 7-49-year-old inhabitants of selected regions of Poland. This paper is based on the examination of 2789 individuals of both sexes, aged 7-8, 10-11, 14-15, and 29-49 years, inhabiting the Suwałki region (S), Lublin Coal Basin (LCB), Bełchatów Industrial Center (BIC), Dabrowa Basin in Silesia region (DB) and the city of Lódź. Some respiratory-cardiovascular system and blood traits were analyzed (apnoea, minute lung volume, vital capacity, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit index, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate). It has been found that compensation of function within the respiratory and the cardiovascular system (an increase in some traits combined with a decrease in some others) is a characteristic way of adaptation to an agricultural environment with a harsh climate (the Suwałki region). In areas under industrialization (LCB and BIC) a functional compensation was observed for all the features under study. In DB, phenomenon of compensation was observed in children, and symptoms at the border of non-adaptation and overadaptation (most traits had average values, whereas respiratory and blood traits tended to be above average) were noted in adults. The inhabitants of Lódź were characterized by a high minute volume and long apnoea. Children were characterized by a compensation within the respiratory and the cardiovascular system, whereas in adults the response ranged from compensation within traits of one of the functional systems to the phenomenon at the border of non-adaptation and overadaptation.


Sexual dimorphism in newborns and adults. A total of 1034 newborns were used to analyze sexual dimorphism with respect to 37 somatic traits and ratios between them, describing body shape. Arithmetic means and standard deviations were calculated for both sexes. Similarly, sexual dimorphism of adults was analyzed. Sexual differences in newborns were statistically significant for most measurements but only for some body proportions (relative chest size, foot shape, relative lower extremity length, and the ratio of head to chest circumference). The highest degree of sexual dimorphism in newborns was shown by the index standardized on the mean (dsex/mean) of such traits as the thickness of subcutaneous fat tissue on the thigh, subscapular fat tissue and fat tissue on the 10th rib, body weight, hand breadth, and relative chest size (Marty index). A moderate dimorphism was found for the length of upper extremities, forearm with the hand, head with the neck, hand and trunk, the size of the nose and foot, the breadth of hips and mandible, and the upper-face height. A low dimorphism was found for body length, circumference and breadth of head, face diameter, chest circumference, foot shape, relative length of lower extremities, and proportion between head and chest circumferences. Sexual differences (dsex/mean) for all the somatic traits examined in adults were statistically significant. The dimorphism of all the traits (except hip breadth) was higher in adults than in newborns. The highest increase in sexual dimorphism was noted for chest breadth (ca 55 times), then for chest depth (ca 17 times), thickness of subcutaneous fat tissue on arm (ca. 17 times), and the length of lower extremities (ca 15 times). Sexual differences in proportions (shape) of the body were also better pronounced in adults than in newborns. Sexual dimorphism standardized for dispersion (dsex/SD) in newborns differed from that in adults with respect to the degree of its expression and the sequence of the traits showing the highest and the lowest levels of dimorphism. This results from intra-group variation of different traits.


Proportion of some somatic, physiological, and psychomotor traits to extreme values of selected morpho-physiological traits in humans. The material analyzed in this paper consists of inhabitants of the Suwałlki region (rural area), Bełchatów Industrial Center (under industrial development), Dabrowa Górnicza Region (heavy industrial region) and Lódź (textile industry city). A total of 1012 individuals of both sexes were examined. They were aged from 4.5 to 24.4 years, and characterized by extreme values (small or large) of five basic traits (body weight, vital capacity of lungs, heart rate after work, hematocrit index, and diastolic blood pressure). Individual morphological, physiological, and psychomotor traits were examined in relation to extreme values of these five basic traits. It has been found that some traits were compensatory with respect to the basic traits, but some others were adapted in different ways.


The effect of culture and genotype on motor development of parents and their children. The study is based on the observation of 3995 individuals aged from 3 to over 80 years from five habitat types of Poland, ranging from agricultural villages to a large industrial city. We used a set of motor tests described elsewhere and examining the static and explosive muscular strength, agility, coordination and persistent fitness. The study objects were the generations of parents and their children (because of age-dependent differences, the traits of the latter were expressed in T-scores). Factor analysis with rotation Varimax was used to examine family traits. Four latent factors characterizing families were identified. Factor 1 (F1) was related with culture (consciousness). It explained 26% of the variance. F2 described living conditions and explained 22% of the variance. F3 (maternal-genetic) explained 12% of the variance, and factor 4 (father's genetic factor) explained 11% of the variance. These factors have a stronger effect on the motor traits of parents than on those of their children. The two generations were more similar with respect to such traits as the static strength, flexibility, spatial orientation and persistence. They were little similar with respect to explosive power and running agility. A moderate similarity occurred for throw accuracy and body balance. The most important factor in the parental generation is the consciousness (culture level) co-occurring with fitness (only for throw accuracy these were living conditions). The most important factors in the descendant generation were usually beyond the examined family traits. The present results show that in parallel to genetic and maternal factors also cultural factors related to traditional customs and social practices determine motor traits of children.


Age-dependent changes of some somatic traits and endurance fitness of men 18-55 years of age. The purpose of the study was to determine the range of involution changes concerning some somatic traits and endurance fitness in men 18-55 years of age. The material consisted of 155 workers from different plants, all living in towns, who were examined twice at a 7-year interval. Six somatic traits were measured and analysed: body height, body weight, chest circumference, skin-fat fold thickness (scapula, shoulder, hip). Maximal oxygen uptake was measured indirectly by recording the pulse rate during submaximal effort. The results were evaluated statistically by calculating the mean, the standard deviation and the significance of arithmetical mean differences. First step regression equations were applied to evaluate involution changes in body height and VO2 max. It was found that: Individual changes in body height began approximately in the 39th year of age. Decline in body height in men increased with age. At about the 32nd year of life the maximal oxygen uptake significantly decreased in the examined men but the process does not tend to intensity with age. After 7 years VO2 max (1/m9n) index decreased 12% in the 31-40 year-olds and 9% in the 41-55 year-olds.


Atherosclerosis risk factors in the inhabitants of the nascent Coal Basin of Lublin region. There were examined 222 men and 253 women over 18 years of age, selected at random from among country people living in the area of the nascent Coal Basin of Lublin district. There was determined their height and body weight, degree of overweight, general fat content in the body, arterial systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as blood serum cholesterol concentration, concentration of triglicerides, glucose and uric acid in the blood. It was found out that the level of studied vascular atherosclerosis risk factors in the population under study was lower than the level found by the Polish Experiment in other populations.


Biological traits of spouses: socio-cultural and economic context in the urban and rural environments. The study covered 89 typical rural families and 161 typical urban families in a few of Polish regions, determining 39 features (morphological, physiological and psychomotor, morbidity, level of education, income and living conditions as well as fertility) of spouses and family. The families compared thus from the years of the best economic conditions (1975-1976) of post-war Poland are different from those described today for other periods and populations. Differences in the majority of somatic features, which are positive indices of health, are insignificant. Some of them, are better developed in urban populations (stronger physique, better nutritional status, lower blood pressure, better respiratory indices), others--in rural populations (greater muscle strength in women, shorter time of reaction). Urban population has been seen to have a higher morbidity than the people of rural areas. Differences in such a constant features as the shape of head point at the process of directional migration from villages of brachycephalic people. This shape of head is probably linked with improper nutrition (deficit of mineral components etc.).


Urbanization and industrialization versus biological status of human populations. The paper concerns the biological status of the Polish population. A comparison was made for inhabitants of towns, villages, and areas under different levels of industrialization and environmental pollution. It has been found that urban populations as compared with rural ones were characterized by a smaller number of children within a family, higher natural abortion rate, and higher infant mortality (estimated during the first 24 hours of life). An analysis of birth rate in three groups of birth weight has shown that rural habitats were more suitable for prenatal development than urban habitats, as a higher proportion of newborns had optimum body weight at birth in villages. It has been observed that the biological status of fetus (estimated as the body weight at birth) depended on the socio-economic conditions (a relatively high birth rate with optimum body weight in the first half of the 1970s, and a low birth rate in the years of the social crisis in Poland in 1981-82). Moreover, it has been found that in agricultural areas relatively little polluted (the Suwałki region), birth rate and total mortality were high, respiratory traits reached highest values, and blood pressure was low as compared with values of these traits in other areas of Poland. The inhabitants of industrial centers (Puchaczów, Bukowno) were exposed to heavier environmental pollution than the rural population, and at Puchaczów they were characterized by a short stature and low body weight. The seaside region (Jastarnia) was over-crowded and also affected by the pollution of the Puck Bay. Both these factors could account for a high mortality and emigration rate. Inhabitants of the areas being industrialized (Bełchatów) were characterized by a low total mortality, below average for infants, poor development of the respiratory system, but a high psychomotor fitness. In the city of Lódź and in Strzemieszyce, environmental pollution was very high, which was combined with a very high total mortality, and in Lódź also with a high infant mortality. In Strzemieszyce, the values of some physiological traits such as Hb and HR were increased.


Family and couple properties, and placenta weight in the populations of Białystok and Zambrów, Poland. The purpose of this study was an analysis of relationships between the traits of families and parents, also recognition of factors determining family properties, including factors responsible for placenta weight. Correlation matrix was used to find relationships among traits, and factor analysis with rotation of the Varimax type was used to identify factors. A total of 795 women were examined, including their placenta and family traits, in the regions of Białystok and Zambrów, in 1977-1978. A correlation matrix of 23 traits of the family and couple, and the weight of placenta during a given pregnancy, was analyzed. A total of 8 factors were discerned, explaining 61.3% of the total variation of the traits. Factor 1 (F1) represented the culture (consciousness) of the family and morbidity of the mother (15.2%), F2-parental age at pregnancy of a given mother (10.4%), F3-living conditions (8.1%), F4-arterial blood pressure of mother (8.1%), F5-body size of the mother (6.5%), F6-traits of the menstrual cycle and morbidity of the mother (5.6%), F7-body size of the father (4.7%), and F8-characterized father's morbidity (4.4%). A relatively low but statistically significant correlation was found between the weight of placenta, on the one hand, and the weight and stature of the mother and number of pregnancies, on the other hand. A little higher correlation was found between the weight of placenta and the morbidity of the mother.


Studies of Białystok and Zambrów (Poland) newborns, their families, and duration of pregnancies from which they were born. The paper presents a preliminary analysis of the properties of the 1034 families of newborns examined in 1977-78 in Białystok and Zambrów. This analysis also involves the course of pregnancy and delivery, placenta properties, and some traits indicative of the new born status (including diseases, malformations, trauma, blood groups, serological conflict, adaptability, mortality). According to the results the mean age at mother's maturation was 14.4 years, the most frequent season of the menarche was summer (38.2%). The mean age of mothers at delivery was 26.3 years, and that of fathers 29.3 years. The mean stature was 161.4 cm for mothers and 173.6 cm for fathers. The average increase in mother's body weight over the 20-week pregnancy period was 6.4 kg. Mean birth weight was 3.48 kg in boys and 3.36 kg in girls, mean placenta weight was 493.6 g of male, and 484.7 g of female fetuses. The majority of newborns was healthy. Only about 1.3% of the newborns suffered from typical diseases of newborns, 1% had inborn malformations, and 1.4% were injured.


Latent factors in body build of newborns. The paper is focused on relationships between traits of newborns and on discerning factors characterizing newborns more generally than individual traits. For this purpose a factor analysis was made using 35 somatic traits of 1013 newborns examined in hospitals of Zambrów and Białystok. Main components were found from the correlation matrix, and after the orthogonal rotation of the Varimax type, eight independent factors were identified. The body weight was highly correlated with circumferences of chest, calf, forearm, head, and arm. Body length was correlated with the length of lower extremities, the length of upper extremities was correlated with the length of arm and with the breadth and depth of chest, circumferences of different body parts were correlated with each other, and this was also the case of the thickness of three skin-fat-folds. The following factors were found as a result of the factor analysis (in parentheses there are traits showing highest correlations with a given factor, thus, most suitable for monitoring studies): F1-body weight (thigh circumference), F2-upper extremity length, F3-subcutaneous fat tissue (skin-fat-fold thickness on rib 10), F4-face length and nose diameters (upper-face height), F5-scapular-arm-hip diameters (scapular breadth), F6-trunk length (trunk length), F7-body length (length of lower extremities), and F8-head breadth diameters (mandible breadth).


Secular changes in human fetuses normally aborted in years 1965-1985. The authors disposed of numerous cases of fetuses normally aborted during the long period of time therefore the studies of time dependent variability of some somatotropic features in relation to the degree of development were decided. The studies on the fetal material should be always performed with great care as many errors could be introduced. Some of them are related to not enough accurate determination of the fetal age and the variability of the causes of abortion. These would result the inconsistency of stages of fetal development among the material used for the study. Therefore the research was performed using only the fetuses with accurate estimated calendar age and of similar environmental conditions for development. The causes of the abortion were related only to external factors but not to the course of pregnancy. For the analysis only the fetuses of 5th and 6th month of fetal age were used. All fetuses were aborted in the years 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985. The intersexual differences were also taken into consideration and calculated means of the features were related to identical points of the fetal age. The variations in the seating body length (v-tub), the head perimeter, the shoulder width (a-a) and the body weight were analysed in such individualised groups.


Values of somatic traits and of body proportion indices in male and female newborns of Lublin. Between December 1984 and May 1985, anthropometric measurements were applied to 455 full-term and healthy newborns (225 boys and 230 girls). The purpose of the investigation was to learn about somatic development and body proportions of Lublin newborns. It has been found that although the studied somatic traits show bigger differences between newborns of the same sex, rather than between newborns of the opposite sexes, sexual dimorphism of morphological traits apparently starts already at birth. Out of the analysed somatic traits and calculated body proportion indices, the following ones have significantly bigger values on boys: body mass and length, length of trunk with head and neck, length of trunk alone, hip width, shoulder width, width of distal femoral epiphysis, head length, width and circumference, and Quetelet index. In girls, in turn, thickness of three skin folds and shoulder-hip index are statistically more prominent. Mean values of somatic traits and body proportion indices may serve the purposes of regional standards for the evaluation of newborns in Lublin itself as well as in other towns of similar characteristics.