[Recapitulatory significance of coeloblastulas].

The problem is discussed whether in Metasoa evolution there was a blastea stage, or else they were of parenchymal structure from the very beginning. The author favours the colonal theory in Metasoa origin and, as their progressive form, he considers spherical colonies where the cells are not united by intracellular substance but have immediate contact with each other. There are two ways of flagellar cells union: by their lateral surfaces or by basal ends. With the first way of union, a rather large colony acquires inevitably the form of blastea. With the second way of union, the number of cells increases, the colony becomes either a homogenous parenchimella or a blastea. The possibility of both ways of evolutionary development were studied experimentally. The results of artificial mutant selection of zootrophic colonial Euglena, Anthophysa vegetans are represented. The author comes to the following conclusions from the results obtained: 1. In Metosoa phylogenesis a blastea-like stage should be present. 2. Recapitulatory significance of the coeloblastulas is evident.


[Morphometric findings in the microcirculatory bed of the sigmoid serosa during the fetal period in man].

During fetal life, formation and arrangement of the microcirculatory bed in the serous membrane of the sigmoid colon correspond to the growth and functioning of the latter at different stages of ontogenesis. Two periods in the development of the microcirculatory bed of the serous membrane of the sigmoid colon are revealed: the first period coincides with the first half of the fetal development when capillary growth is considerable, i.e. with the growth of metabolic part in the microcirculatory bed; the second period coincides with the second half of the fetal development when intensified growth of the sigmoid portion of the large intenstine and its transport sections in the microcirculatory bed (arterioles, precapillaries, postcapillaries, venules) are observed.


[Anatomy of the lymphangions of the small intestine].

Anatomy of lymphangions (valve segments) has been studied in 120 human and animal cadavers. Methods of investigation were: polychrome injection of arteries, veins and lymphatic bed; macro-microscopic preparation; staining of histopreparations after van Gieson, hematoxylin-eosin, complex technique after A.V. Borisov (1973); impregnation after V.V. Kuprianov (1965); detection of bundle collagene fibers after Mallory and elastic fibers after Weighert. The data collected on the lymphangions demonstrate that the valve segments (lymphangions) in the small intestinal wall appear in phylogenesis at first in birds. Avian lymphangions are cylindric and the valves are of semilunar form and the distance between them is 2--3 cm. In predators (dog, cat, fox, marten) lymphangions are round or conical. Their size is within 6--8 mm. In other animals (rodents, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla) the lymphangions are 3--5 times longer comparing their width. In human ontogenesis the valve segments of the lymph vessels are formed in tela submucosa of the small intestine in 6--7-month-old fetuses. Some other peculiarities in animal and human anatomy of lymphangions have been revealed.


[Structure of the venous and lymphatic beds of the heart and their alteration in experimental pathology].

The investigation performed has demonstrated that under a great deal of coronary, pulmonary and other organs' disorders, in the venous and lymphatic beds of the heart compensatory-adaptive and pathological changes occur. The earliest and deepest changes are noted in the microcirculatory bed. Most of morphological signs on vascular reconstruction are not specific and are observed at different kinds of clinical and experimental pathology. Changes in venous and lymphatic vessels of pathological conditions& do not only result from damage in the organ's wall or hemodynamical changes in the cavities of the cardiac vessels but they themselves can cause some disturbances in the miocardial microcirculation intensifying its hypoxia, congestive symptoms and enhancing the development of decompensation in the organ.


[Architectonics of the arteries of the latissimus dorsi muscle in humans and dogs].

Vascularisation of musculus latissimus dorsi in man and dog was studied in 50 preparations. Methods of x-ray angiography, preparation and macro-microscopy of cleared preparations were used. The nutrition of the muscle was stated to carry out at the expense of the thoracodorsal artery and of the musculocutaneous branches of the intercostal arteries. Vascular-neuronal "gate" of the muscle is projected on the upper third of its lateral portions. A rich network of intrasystemic and intersystemic anastomoses makes it possible to switch off one or several sources of additional nutrition for the muscle. The most favourable conditions of blood supply exist for the muscle lateral portions which are reasonable to use for plastic purposes.


[Analysis of the spatial organization of the endothelium of several major vessels].

The aim of the investigation was to appreciate quantitatively the degree of endothelial heteromorphy and its spatial organization according to some indices allowing morphofunctional interpretation of their importance. Endothelium of the rabbit protal and jugular veins was studied in the flat film preparations along the length of 16--20 mm continuously. To elucidate changeability in tissue state, autocorrelative function was calculated with the following determination of spectral density. The latter makes it possible to reveal the presence of a monotonous trend and rhythmicity in vessel structure. Spectral analysis demonstrated that in different parts of endothelium the indices involved varied in their character. The parameters reflecting cell histophysiology are characterized by a marked monotonous trend. The parameters influenced by hemodynamic conditions change rhythmically. Nearly all the indices in the portal vein, evidently because of its peculiar physiological conditions, distinguish themselves by their more complex spectral composition than those of the jugular vein. The quantitative data obtained support heteromorphic character of endothelium and demonstrate that physiology and hemodynamics of the vessel are responsible for its degree of significance as there is a constant interrelation between the vessel and blood.


[Synaptoarchitectonics of the ganglia of the celiac plexus in white rats].

In 50 intact white rats at the age of 6, 15, 23 and 30 months synapsoarchitectonics of the celiac plexus nodes was studied by an electron microscopy method. Peculiarities in synapsoarchitectonics are stipulated by pericaryon processes in neurons, some of them have no contacts with the axonal terminals, while others have contacts with the axonal terminals. The former include small (about 0.5 mkm) drop-like and large (up to 1.5 mkm) polymorphous processes within the limits of perisomatic membrane, as well as processes penetrating the neuronal capsule. All of them contain, in different combinations, vesicles, ribosomas, fibrillae, and the largest processes--small cisterns of granular cytoplasmatic network and single mitochondria. The processes of the first group are considered as original stages for the development of the second group processes. The latter are represented by different in size (about 1.0--2.0 mkm) in form (digital, cone-, pin-, goblet-shaped, cylindrical, branching) and in content formations. There is, as a rule, one contact on the processes of an uncomplicated form, while on the branching processes there can be up to three and more contacting axonal terminals. Peculiar features in the composition of the processes taken as a whole (specific forms, absence of dendritic tubes, sometimes numerous contacts with axonal terminals in spite of small size) distinguish them from newly forming dendritic processes and these formations are considered as independent specialized receptor apparatus in the pericaryon of neurons of the celiac plexus.


[Effect of physical loads on the mineral saturation of osseous tissue of experimental animals].

The aim of the work was to investigate regularities in the effect of physical loading on quantitative and qualitative mineral composition of the white rat femoral bones and on their properties of stability. Different physical loadings were stated to influence in various ways the degree of mineral composition and the properties of bone stability. Rats with static regime of work had the most mineralized bones, then came the animals with dynamic regime and the controls showed the least degree of mineralization. The greatest stability of osseous tissue was revealed in the rats at dynamic regime of work, then in the group of static regime and in the control animals.


[Structure and development of the microcirculatory bed of the pleural villi in man and animals].

The structure of the microcirculatory bed in the pleural villi was studied by the method of impregnation with silver nitrate, after V.V. Kuprianov. In human and animal mediastinal pleura, the microcirculatory ways are regulated within polymerously repeated complexes--moduli. A characteristic feature of the pleural villi blood supply is the presence of capillary glomeruli with a vascular peduncle consisting of an arteriole and a venule. Four types of structure are revealed in the vascular peduncle consisting of an arteriole and a venule. Four types of structure are revealed in the vascular peduncle of the pleural villi. They were studied morphometrically. Correlation in the development of the villi microcirculatory bed and that of the vascular peduncle was stated. Participation of villous vessels in the regulation of fluid balance in the pleural cavity was discussed.


[X-ray anatomic features of the skeleton in the 47, XYY syndrome].

The data are represented on the examination of 11 men with 47, XYY karyotype, roengenography of some parts of their skeletals including. The result are compared with the data on investigation of 430 human males chosen from a population. This anomaly in the karyotype stipulates, in the skeletal formation, a tendency to high stature, a certain flattening in the head of the radiocarpal articulation, the kneepan and the distal contour of the femoral bone. Nearly in a half of all observations valgus deviation of the ulnar articulation was somewhat increased, in 3 cases--inhibition of some synostoses in the growth zones of the extremities was noted. A supposition is made that in males the insidence of cleft in sesamoid bones in the lower extremities is increased in the presence of the extra Y-chromosome.


[Ultrastructure of the dendrites of neurons of the brain stem reticular formation in acute hypoxic hypoxia].

In 45 adult rats (Wistar strain) neuronal dendrites of the reticular formation were studied electron microscopically at an acute hypoxic hypoxia. Structural changes in neurons of the reticular formation, were demonstrated to begin, as a rule, in the terminal portions of the dendrites. Dystrophic and destructive changes in dendrites are always more pronounced than in the pericaryon and are not infrequently they terminate in destruction of cytoplasmic islets. Submicroscopic changes in the dendrites are classified according to the dynamics of their development. Taking into consideration a specific role of the neuronal dendrites of the reticular formation under certain physiological conditions, it is possible to conclude that dendritic damage is of major importance in functional disturbance of the reticular formation at hypoxic hypoxia.


[Granular neurons of the cochlear complex in rats].

In the cochlear complex of white male rats the dorsal nucleus, the anterior ventral nucleus, the posterior ventral nucleus and the granular layer were studied histologically and morphometrically. While counting the number of different cells in all the above mentioned formations, by means of ocular grid (S.B. Stefanov, 1974) it was revealed that the granular neurons of the cochlear nuclei of the rats form 72--86 per cent of all the cells. The granular cells represent an independent type of neurons and these differ clearly from other neurons by the diameter of their nuclei and by the size of the pericarion. The granular cells form two cell types according to patterns of their nuclei, and these cell types are independent of each other within the limits of every cochlear complex. Percentage of different types of neurons in different parts of cochlear nuclei depends on the cell density. The distribution of the granular neurons is independent on that of large and middle size neurons.


Multinucleated erythroid cells in blood of golden hamster embryos.

Blood smears of 11 and 13-day-old embryos (20) and newborns (10) of golden hamsters were analysed. The smears were stained with brilliant cresyl blue in a moist chamber for 5--7 min. About 2--6 thousand cells were counted in 200 visual fields. By means of an ocular micrometer MOB-1 the diameters of 300 cells were measured and the curves on cell distribution were plotted according to the diameters. It was found that the blood of 11-day-old golden hamster embryos contained about 8% of binuclear and sixnuclear megaloblasts, and that of 13-day-old embryos--about 2.5% of binuclear and sixnuclear erythroblasts and megablasts of the second generation. In the bloood of newborn hamster polynuclear cells are absent.


[Effect of several inhibitors of atmospheric metal corrosion (amines of the polymethylene series) on embryogenesis].

The influence of some polymethylene amines (inhibitors protecting metals from atmospheric corrosion) on the generative function in general and on the embryogenesis in particular was studied. Such inhibitors as MCDA-II (dicyclohexylamine salt dissolving in oil), HDA (dicyclohexylamine nitrate) and M-I (cyclohexylamine salt dissolving in oil) were investigated by intraorganic injection during the whole course of gestation (21 days), 2 and 4 months. The compounds in question were stated to possess a pronounced gonado- and embryotoxic effect depending on the dose and chemical composition of the substance. The least active was M-I inhibitor. Doses not affecting rat gonades were: for HDA--0.825 mg/kg, MCDA-II--4.7 mg/kg, M-I--34.9 mg/kg; their embryonic effects were 0.54, 2.35 and 349 mg/kg respectively.


[Use of potassium ferricyanide in histochemistry].

Karnovsky and Roots offer to use potassium ferricianide for coloured detecting the products of acetylcholine hydrolysis by cholinesterase. The method is based on the reduction of ferricianide to ferrocianide which forms with copper ions, present in the solution, unsoluble ferrocianide. Some properties of ferricianide ion, however, (stability, large size and great hydratation) make it difficult for the substance to penetrate the native cell membranes. The method by Karnovsky and Roots applied to laminated muscular tissue and to the rat nonfixed whole diaphragm, and to the sections from nonfixed tissue of the cat skeletal muscle verifies space isolation of ferricianide from the enzyme localized at the other side of cell membrane.


[Specificity of histochemical reactions to melanin].

The data on complex histochemical and electron histochemical investigation reflecting specificity of the reactions applied in histochemical practice to reveal melanin are represented. Various ultrastructural localization of the substance is demonstrated both with silver and iron use (this demonstrate nonspecificity of the reactions mentioned above to melanin). Ultrastructures possessing affinity to the metal ions involved are detected; possible mechanisms of interaction between silver and iron with different cellular elements are suggested.


[Method of quantitative assessment of the cerebral vascular bed in experimental morphologic studies].

Cleared brain sections 20 mkm thick with injected vessels are photographed and then projected on the screen. Vascular contours are sketched on the paper, cut out and weighed. Vessel-capillary network/the whole section field ratio in percents is then calculated. Having separated the area of the vessels, the area occupied by the capillaries is divided into the mean capillary diameter, thus it is possible to estimate the capillary length per area unit and the volume of the brain substance.


[Electron-microscopic study of myogenic neoplasms].

Electron microscopic study of leiomyoma of skin arteries, oesophagus leiomyoma, leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma was carried out. In the tumor cells myofilaments were found sometimes forming hexagonally packed myofibrilles, formations resembling desmosomes. This permitted the establishment of valid myogenic histogenesis of these neoplasias.


[Jejunal mucosa in infants with the syndrome of disorders of intestinal absorption (ultrastructure and morphometry)].

Ultrastructural studies and counts of interepithelial lymphocytes and the density of cellular infiltration of the lamina propria were carried out on 10 biopsies of the small intestine from infants of 4 months to 2 years with the syndrome of disturbed intestinal absorption. The greatest disorders were found to occur in celiac disease and intolerance to cow milk protein and to be manifested in subtotal atrophy of villi and destructive lesions of enterocytes. The authors believe that the marked infiltration of the epithelial layer with lymphocytes and the lamina propria of the mucous membrane with plasma cells represent manifestations of the local immunological response.


[Morphological and immunomorphological changes in the intestines and regional lymph nodes of gnotobiotic rats--chronic carriers of Vibrio cholerae El-Tor].

In the course of chronic carrier state of El-Tor vibrio cholerae gnotobiotic rats develop an immunomorphological reaction in the mucous membranes of the small and large intestines, Peter's patches, and mesenterial lymph nodes consisting in activation of reactive centers of follicles, hyperplasia of reticular cells, and an increase in the number of pyroninophilic plasma cells. The vibrio cholerae caused no pathological changes in enterocytes and other cells but its inoculation was accompanied by a "minor inflammation" in the intestinal wall and mesenterial lymph nodes. Eosinophilic infiltration in the intestinal tract, intensive mast cell reaction with degranulation in the small and large intestines and regional lymph nodes was observed.


[Ultrastructure of skeletal muscles in children with dermatomyositis].

The ultrastructure of skeletal muscles was studied on 6 bioptates collected from children with the idiopathic form of dermatomyositis. The main type of the affection of muscle fibers was myolysis the intensity of which correlated with the degree of activity of the disease. In focal myolysis, signs of intracellular regeneration were found in fibers. Diffuse myolysis was characterized by retained hypertrophic nuclei and basal membranes of sarcolemma against the background of complete degeneration of myofibrillae and a sharp decrease in the fiber diameter. Considerable hyperplastic changes in myosatellitocytes were found, but with no regenerating fibers, however. The permanent features included hypertrophic and dystrophic changes in the vascular endothelium and pericytes. In the maximally active disease, destruction of capillaries and a decrease in their numbers were found. Microtubular structures and nuclear bodies were found in the endothelium, pericytes, and less frequently in other cells.


[Changes in skeletal bones in residents of the Baltic area studied on the paleoanthropological material].

Examinations of 4481 skeletons revealed 70 cases of chronic osteomyelitis, 9 cases of osteotuberculosis and 10 cases of concha bullosa of the concha media nasalis in bronze age. Metadiaphysary forms of osteomyelitis in the long tubular bones with prevalence of ossific proliferation were observed most frequently. Osteotuberculosis existed in Latvia since the most ancient times mainly in the form of spondylitis tuberculosa.


[Cysticercosis of the brain].

Cysticercosis, a chronic helminthic disease rarely diagnosed during the patients' life is found in the practice of pathoanatomists. The paper presents two observations in one of which cystic and branching forms of the disease were combined.


[Keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the kidney].

A section observation of a massive keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the kidney in a man of 76 is described. The cancer had no connection with the pelvis. It is presumed that the source of the carcinoma development was the metaplasied epithelium of the collecting tubes.


[Pathological analysis of the quality of clinical diagnosis of perinatal diseases].

The features of the method of pathoanatomic analysis of the quality of clinical diagnosis of perinatal diseases based on the nosological principle are discussed. Additional new categories of assessment have been introduced: (1) "the disease is not diagnosed at all", and (2) "the disease of the fetus (baby) is diagnosed correctly but its cause is not stated". Underestimation of the examination of the placenta is considered to be a negative feature. Examples are presented of various categories of the estimation of accuracy of clinical diagnosis, principles of divergence of the clinical and anatomical diagnosis, combined main perinatal disease. With a sufficiently large number of autopsies, the author recommends to carry out pathoanatomical analysis of the quality of the clinical diagnosis of perinatal disease separately by perinatal periods of death, groups of prematurely born and born in time, stillborns and dying newborns, and by groups of diseases typical for the perinatal period (congenital malformations, asphyxia and pneumopathies, birth trauma, infections, disease due to immune conflicts, others).


[Device for smoothing out sections in paraffin embedding].

An uncomplicated device with automatically maintained optimal temperature of the water is suggested for smoothing out paraffin sections. The device is mounted on the basis of an electric sterilizer switched into the current via a thermoregulator. In the working regimen of the device the required temperature of the water is reached within 15-20 min after switching on.


[Characteristics of the morphofunctional state of the adrenals in generalized forms of meningococcal infection].

Changes in the cortical and medullar substances of the adrenals were found to develop in generalized forms of meningococcal infection, the picture of the adrenal involvement changing in relation to the clinical form of infection. In meningococcemia, the leading findings are disturbed circulation and marked affection of the vessel walls in the microcirculatory bed. In meningitis, with spasm of arterioles and small arteries and involvement of the large arteries most important are dystrophic changes in the adrenal parenchyma which depend upon the duration of the disease. Constant finding of lipids, cholesteron and RNA in cells of the extended cortex and RNA, noradrenaline and adrenaline in chromaffin cells, as well as cell proliferation indicate the functional activity and high potentials of the adrenals.


[Morphology and morphogenesis of recurrent experimental myocardial infarct].

The results of morphological investigations of relapsing myocardial infarction in 148 rabbits are presented. In most cases the relapses occurred spontaneously at intervals of several to 45 days after reproduction of the primary myocardial infarction by high ligation of the anterior interventricle artery of the heart. It was found that relapses of myocardial infarction could develop in animals normal before the experiment (I series), against the background of cholesterol atherosclerosis (II series), renal hypertension (III series) and particularly frequently in combinations of cholesterol atherosclerosis and renal hypertension (IV series) as well as after repeated delayed ligation of the anterior interventricle artery (V series). The relapses occurred early in primary infarction and in the period of its scarring. The regularities of mutual location of foci of primary infarction and relapses, the frequency and number of their occurrences, location and size were investigated.


[Study of the total nucleic acid content of lymphoid tissue plasma cells for assessing the immunodepressive action of various antirheumatic agents].

The influence of antirheumatic drugs, acetylsalicylic acid, diacetoxibenzoic acid, imurane and D-penicillamine, on the status of immunocompetent cells in experimental infectious-allergic carditis was studied morphologically in 70 rabbits. The immunosuppressive effect of all 4 drugs was established which was manifested by a decrease in the number of plasma cells in the lymphoid tissue and a decrease in the content of nucleic acids in their cytoplasm. D-penicillamine was the exception as after its use the content of nucleic acids in the cell cytoplasm was found to be increased which was considered to be due to clasmatosis of plasma cells, marginal karyolysis, damage of the nuclear membrane and release of nucleic acids from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. Acetylsalicylic acid and diacetooxybenzoic acid decrease RNA content in the cytoplasm of plasma cells less than imurane and do not cause cell degeneration with contamination of the extracellular environment with products of cells degeneration.


[Action of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate on the glandular hyperplasia of human endometrium].

The effect of 17-oxyprogesterone capronate on the proliferative activity and metabolic processes in the endometrium of patients with glandular hyperplasia of the endometrium was studied. It was shown that the proliferative activity was inhibited while the secretory processes in the glandular epithelium were activated. This effect was achieved only after a long-term (6-9 months) administration of the hormone.


[Morphology of the liver and duodenum in excluded small intestine].

The results of light microscope and ultrastructural examinations of the liver and duodenum when the small intestine was excluded from the food passage. Along-side with liver steatosis and focal hyperplasia of endocrine cells, an unknown type of cell elements was discovered in duodenal glands most likely related to the humoral regulation of the functional activity of the digestive organs. The leading role of disregeneratory processes in cyst formation in the stomach and duodenum is suggested.


[Rare complication of subclavian vein catheterization in an infant].

The authors observed a rare case of complication of catheterization of the subclavian vein in an infant of 1 1/2 months old with staphylococcal pleuropneumonia. After catheterization the baby developed crude blowing systolic murmur in the heart. Forty-one hours after catheterization the baby died with signs of acute cardia insufficiency. The autopsy revealed that the catheter had entered the cavity of the right ventricle where it bent arch-like and its end went into the right atrium. The catheter was a kind of spreader causing insufficiency of the tricuspid valve.


[Semiautomatic sharpener for microtome knives].

An electromechanical drive of the knife frame turning the machine of the model of C1310 into semiautomatic is proposed. A reversive electric motor RD-09 is used as the drive. The modified machine gives a high quality of the cutting edge of knives and excluded the constant presence of a laboratory technician.


Antibodies against arboviruses in postencephalitic and idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Serum and CSF from patients with classic von Economo's postencephalitic Parkinson's disease, idiopathic Parkinson's disease and non-Parkinsonian neurological controls were tested for hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies to 17 arboviruses. All 35 CSF specimens from patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and controls were negative (ie, no inhibition of hemagglutination) with all the antigens. Of the total of 124 serums from the three study groups, 105 were also negative with all antigens tested. The only positive results were given by 19 serum specimens against one or more of group B arbovirus antigens, and/or against Batai and western equine encephalomyelitis antigens. There were no definitive differences in the distribution of these positive serum titers among controls, idiopathic Parkinson's, and postencephalitic Parkinson's cases. A causal relationship of the arboviruses tested with either the classical postencephalitic or idiopathic Parkinson's disease is not supported by the results of this study.


Onset and end-of-dose levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Possible treatment by increasing the daily doses of levodopa.

Ballistic and dystonic involuntary movements occurring at the beginning and end of the period of levodopa efficacy are described in nine patients exhibiting dyskinesis during long-term levodopa therapy. In contrast to classical abnormal interdose movements, these biphasic dyskinesias were reduced by increasing and fractionating the daily doses of levodopa.


Cerebral microembolization. II. Morphological studies.

Cats underwent massive microembolization via carotid infusion of 10.5 million microspheres (15 +/- 5 mu in diameter), resulting in brain death within four hours; 87.4 +/- 10.2% of emboli reaching the brain were in the ipsilateral hemisphere; 87.9 +/- 4.4% were in the grey matter; and 12.1 +/- 4.4% were in the white matter. Evans blue and sodium fluorescein dyes were given intravascularly before and at different times after embolization. Fluorescence microscopy disclosed that embolization initially provoked a hyperemic engorgement of both the embolized and nonembolized hemispheres. Multifocal, blood-brain barrier extravasations occurred throughout the ipsilateral cortex and oral basal ganglia. Severe vasogenic brain edema ensued, with migration of extravasations from cortex into the white matter, which initially showed only minimal injury. Migration and accumulation of edema in white matter, with subsequent uptake and swelling of neuroglia and axons, may be related to secondary white matter damage following cortical embolic lesions. Degenerative foci developed throughout the embolized cortex over the one- to four-hour period of this study. These sites may correspond to those areas in which hyperemia and damage to the blood-brain barrier was present shortly after embolization.


Fibromuscular dysplasia.

Fibromuscular dysplasia is an increasingly recognized cause of vascular disease in young or middle-aged persons and may be amenable to medical or surgical management. We report five patients, one of whom died, with emphasis on the beaded and irregular pattern of change in the carotid arteries. Neck pain, bruit, and transient ischemic attacks are the most usual clinical symptoms. The cause of fibromuscular dysplasia remains obscure, but in view of the increased incidence in young women, hormonal factors may be involved. Dilation or resection can be considered, as in two patients reported here, and anticoagulation may benefit other patients.


Acetazolamide in the treatment of pyruvate dysmetabolism syndromes.

Two children with periodic weakness beginning in infancy were demonstrated to have abnormalities in pyruvate metabolism by the production of lactic acidosis following a glucose load. Daily oral doses of acetazolamide reduced the frequency of attacks and reversed the abnormal response to glucose loading. The mechanism of action of acetazolamide in these patients is not clear.


Megalencephaly in infants and children. The possible role of increased dural sinus pressure.

Seven children studied because of clinical macrocephaly and suspected hydrocephalus ultimately proved to have megalencephaly apparently due to an increase in sagittal sinus venous pressure as established from infusion studies. Unexplainably, these patients were all males. All were seen initially between 2 and 8 months of age. Head enlargement exceeded two standard deviations in all seven. Pneumoencephalography, ventriculography, or computerized tomography demonstrated normal or minimally enlarged ventricles that did not progress in size. Isotope cisternography was abnormal. Studies of CSF formation and absorption demonstrated normal absorption rates but high calculated sagittal sinus pressures. Though therapy was usually not required, in one unusual infant, severe progressive macrocephaly with minimal hydrocephalus required a shunt. Another had a transient episode of acute hydrocephalus associated with a low CSF absorption rate and ventricular enlargement. In this report, we review the intracranial hydrodynamics of benign intracranial hypertension (BIH), communicating hydrocephalus, and the pathogenesis of megalencephaly. Benign intracranial hypertension and the type of megalencephaly demonstrated by our patients appear to develop similarly except that the presence of open cranial sutures may allow a transient nonhydrostatic loading of brain parenchyma in infants, resulting in mild, nonprogressive macrocephaly.


Atlantoaxial malformation in a 46,XY, 17q+ child.

A child with 46,XY, 17q+ chromosome aberration and unusual skeletal abnormalities had the presenting symptom of respiratory arrest after a fall and minor head trauma. He exhibited proportionate short stature, peculiar facies with antimongoloid slant, simian creases, postaxial hexadactyly, metatarsus adductus deformity, and anomalous penoscrotal configuration. Delayed speech and mild mental retardation were also present. Atlantoaxial dislocation secondary to odontoid process hypoplasia was demonstrated. Additional skeletal abnormalities included dysplastic changes in the first and fourth metacarpals, the middle phalanx of the second finger, and hypoplasia of the first metatarsal, with medial insertion of the great toe. Treatment consisted of halo jacket cast and fusion of the occiput to C1, C2, and C3. Early detection and preventive surgery for atlantoaxial dislocation is necessary to prevent neurological deficit and possibly death by respiratory failure.


Is there a characteristic personality profile in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? A Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory study.

A comparison of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profiles of 21 men and 17 women who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with the profiles of 50,500 general medical patients showed no marked deviations. The validating scales of the men and the women were similar to those of the general medical population. There was no evidence of increased defensiveness in the group with ALS, as measured by either the L or the K scale, when compared with the general medical population. Individual patient interviews also showed no characteristic personality profile for ALS patients.


Intracerebral venous angioma. Case report and review.

Only a few cases of angiographically demonstrated and pathologically proved cases of venous angiomas have been published. In contrast to the scarcity of recorded cases of angiographically studied venous angiomas, they are the most common incidentally encountered angiomatous lesions at autopsy. Their angiographic characterization, though highly suggestive, is not pathognomonic. The angiographic characteristics include small radiating veins that drain into a larger transcerebral vein that in turn empties into a dural sinus; blush and early draining veins also may be seen. The differential diagnosis includes telangiectasia, infiltrating glioma, and probably a cavernous angioma. We report an angiographically demonstrated and pathologically proved case of a venous angioma and also review the literature.


Idiopathic serous detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium.

Twenty-one patients under age 55 had idiopathic serous detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium (rpe) one-fifth disc diameter or larger in size. In the absence of other choroidal diseases, such as senile mascular degeneration, presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, or anglioid streaks, serous RPE detachments have a good prognosis and probably are a variant of idiopathic central serous choroidopathy. The presence of associated subretinal fluid involving the macula was the factor that had the most effect on visual acuity. Serous detachments of the RPE should be distinguished from multiple vitelliform lesions (a variant of vitelliform dystrophy).


Correlation of epinephrine use and macular edema in aphakic glaucomatous eyes.

One hundred twenty-eight consecutive aphakic glaucomatous eyes of 91 patients were examined by fluorescein angiography. Macular edema was present in 16 (28%) of 56 eyes currently being treated with epinephrine and 9 (13%) of 72 eyes not currently being treated with epinephrine. This difference is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Epinephrine therapy was discontinued in seven eyes with macular edema. A follow-up of these patients for six months to one year with serial anglograms showed resolution of edema in six of seven eyes. In one eye without macular edema, administration of epinephrine was associated with appearance of edema. Discontinuing epinephrine therapy was associated with resolution of edema. No significant correlation was found between use of other antiglaucomatous medications and macular edema. It is evident from this study that there is statistical support for the concept of an epinephrine-induced macular edema.


Retinal detachment in the second eye.

Bilateral retinal detachment (RD) occurred in 13% of 737 patients, with an interval between detachments of up to 30 years. Bilateral RD was more common in male patients and in those having more than 3 diopters of myopia. Detachment in the second eye was caused by retinal breaks in previously observed degeneration in 43% and in unsuspected diseased retina 57%. A significant number of patients with bilateral RD had multiple breaks. Aphakic RD occurred in bilateral RD and in unilateral RD patients at a comparable frequency; 28% of bilateral (mean duration, four years) and 35% of unilateral aphakic RDs occurred within one year of cataract surgery. Symptoms from retinal breaks were not reliable prognostic factors; only 39% of patients had warning before RD. Patients with bilateral RD had more reoperations with fewer successes, factors suggesting greater severity than unilateral RD.


Absorption of subretinal fluid after nondrainage retinal detachment surgery.

A total of 134 cases of retinal detachment treated with a single successful nondrainage operation were studied to assess the rate of absorption of subretinal fluid in the postoperative period. It has been found that the relationship of the tear to the buckle at the end of the operation is an indicator of the rate of absorption of subretinal fluid that can be expected in the postoperative period. The age of the detachment or the age of the patient did not appear to be significant factors in influencing absorption. In 28 cases (21%), absorption of subretinal fluid took longer than one week. This delay in absorption shows that conservatism regarding early reoperation should be urged unless a definite cause of failure (such as a missed tear) can be found.


Ciliary muscle dysfunction in Adie's syndrome.

Ciliary muscle function in patients with Adie's syndrome was studied retrospectively in 122 patients and prospectively in 17 patients. When a careful history was taken, two thirds of the patients had ciliary muscle-related symptoms. Most of the patients with Adie's syndrome had a moderate accomodative paresis, but there was a strong tendency for the ciliary muscle to recover with time. Many patients showed a tonicity of accommodation, especially those who had had the condition for several years. Astigmatism could be induced with accommodation in one third of patients. This may be related to segmental paralysis of the ciliary muscle. Seventy-three percent of the patients showed supersensitivity of the ciliary muscle in the involved eye, when both eyes were treated with a mixture of 0.25% pilocarpine hydrochloride and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (Isopto Carpine). This may be a clinical aid in diagnosing Adie's syndrome. Two patients were found to have bilateral ciliary muscle dysfunction but only unilateral pupillary abnormalities. These two patients may have had a "pupil-sparing" Adie's syndrome.


Chandler's syndrome as a variant of essential iris atrophy. A clinicopathologic study.

Trabeculectomy and peripheral iridectomy specimens from one male and two female patients with Chandler's syndrome (age, 30 to 42 years) showed that all had unilateral corneal endothelial "dystrophy," corneal edema, mild to moderate iris atrophy without holes, peripheral anterior synechiae, and glaucoma. In one, fluorescein angiography of the iris disclosed a sector filling delay of limbal and conjunctival vessels and pupillary and extrapupillary leakage. Histopathologic examination showed a layer of degenerated corneal endothelium and Descemet's membrane extending across the inner uveal trabeculum. Descemet's membrane displayed irregular, nodular, scroll-like excrescences in some cases, and thinner placoid configurations with abnormal widely spaced collagen (100 nm) in others. Corneal endothelial cells exhibited increased microvilli, widened cellular interdigitations, and occasional shrunken cells with enlarged or disrupted cytoplasmic blebs. Peripheral iris specimens displayed mild to moderate stromal atrophy without vascular occlusions. Pigment epithelium was normal.


Optic tract syndrome. A review of 21 patients.

Twenty-one patients with lesions compromising the optic tract were reviewed. The involvement of the optic tract may be diagnosed in the presence of highly incongruous hemianopia, an afferent pupillary defect, and characteristic atrophy of the optic discs. Behr's pupil, hemianopic pupillary reaction (Wernicke's sign), and associated major neurologic deficits were encountered rarely.


Increased corneal thickness simulating elevated intraocular pressure.

A 17-year-old girl had intraocular pressure readings of 30 to 40 mm Hg in both eyes, with normal visual fields and optic nerve heads. Medical treatment was unsuccessful in lowering the IOP measurements substantially. The central corneal thickness was 0.90 mm in each eye in the absence of corneal edema. Cannulation of the left anterior chamber revealed an IOP of 11 mm Hg, while the Perkins' and Schiŏtz' tonometers gave readings of 35 and 34 mm Hg, respectively. Previously, elevated tonometry readings had been obtained by Goldmann's, Perkins', Schiŏtz', MacKay and Marg's, pneumatic tonometer and air puff tonometer. This suggested that measurement of central corneal thickness be performed in cases in which IOP recordings do not correspond to other clinical findings.


Primary orbital hemangiopericytoma. An aggressive and potentially malignant neoplasm.

The aggressive behavior and potentially lethal nature of some hemangiopericytomas primary in the orbit are generally unknown in the field of ophthalmology. The neoplasm is not common in the orbit, and reports in the ophthalmic literature usually describe single-case examples of the neoplasm with short-term periods of observation. Two in our series of 11 patients died of metastasis 35 years after the onset of symptoms. Another patient died of local orbital recurrence with secondary invasion of the intracranial vault, which was possibly related to heavy radiotherapy. In the orbit, those neoplasms frequently are circumscribed in their growth. Complete and intact removal is recommended. If the tumors are incompletely excised, recurrences are frequent but may not be manifest as long as ten years after surgery.


Hepatitis B surface antigen in human tears.

The incidence of hepatitis B virus infection has been increasing every year in the United States, particularly among medical personnel. Only half of these cases are associated with exposure to blood or blood products. Respiratory, fecal-oral, and venereal methods of transmission of hepatitis B virus infection are supported by epidemiological evidence and by the demonstration of hepatitis B surface (HBsAg) antigen in several body secretions. In this investigation, tears were collected from patients whose serum was positive for HBsAg. These tears were tested for the same antigen, which was found to be present in half the cases. There is a risk of transferring hepatitis B virus infection by tonometers or soft contact lenses contaminated by HBsAg.


Osmolarity of tear microvolumes in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Determinations of tear film osmolarity were performed to evaluate their usefulness in diagnosing keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and to evaluate the possible role of elevated tear osmolarity in this disorder's pathogenesis. Tear samples were obtained using a new technique that virtually eliminates the problems of reflex tearing and sample evaporation. The tear osmolarity of 36 samples obtained from 31 normals eyes averaged 302 +/- 6.3 (SD) mOsm/liter; 38 samples obtained from 30 KCS eyes averaged 343 +/- 32.3 (SD) mOsm/liter. The sensitivity of a single measurement was 94.7% and the specificity was 93.7%. Tear samples taken on separate occasions from one normal subject ranged between 295 and 309 mOsm/liter; those obtained from a KCS patient ranged between 312 and 424 mOsm/liter. Hypersmolarity of the tear film in KCS may play an important role in inducing the disease seen in the cornea and conjunctiva.


Mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body associated with a nevus.

A ciliary body tumor that was believed clinically to be a malignant melanoma developed in a 28-year-old woman and led to enucleation of her eye. The light microscopic appearance of the tumor was interpreted by light microscopy as a neurogenic neoplasm, possibly a choristomatous astrocytoma. Electron microscopic studies disclosed the smooth muscle origin of the tumor. Results of experimental embryologic studies performed on lower animals have proved that the neural crest contributes most of the connective tissues, "mesectoderm," of the globe and orbit in these species. The occurrence of hybrid neurogenic-myogenic tumors in the human eye supports the applicability of these embryologic discoveries to man. The association of a pigmented nevus with the present tumor is additional evidence of the neural crest origin of mesectodermal leiomyomas, since melanocytes are well-recognized descendants from the neural crest.


Retinitis pigmentosa and exudative vasculopathy.

A patient with bilateral retinitis pigmentosa and exudative vasculopathy was initially seen with a blind and painful left eye, which was enucleated. Results of clinical study of the right eye and histopathologic and ultrastructural study of the enucleated left eye showed the abnormal vessels to be derived from the choroidal circulation. Previous clinical reports of retinitis pigmentosa with exudative vasculopathy have described retinal vascular abnormalities similar to those found in Coats' disease. From the comparison of our case with those previously reported, we conclude that different types of exudative vasculopathy may develop in the setting of retinitis pigmentosa.


Anterior segment fluorescein angiography with a retinal fundus camera.

We use a technique for anterior segment fluorescein angiography that employs an unmodified retinal fundus camera. Examples of conjunctival, corneal, iris, anterior chamber angle, and posterior chamber fluorescein angiograms are illustrated. The advantages of this method include rapid-sequence exposures, high resolution and contrast for small vessel detail, time/frame recordings, and the dual capability of retinal and anterior segment fluorangiography with use of the same camera.


Response detection in respiration audiometry.

The respiration of ten adults with normal hearing was monitored to determine how well changes in respiration could be detected after auditory stimulation. Three judges used two methods of response scoring. The first was without knowledge of signal presentation, and the second was with knowledge of signal presentation. Judges detected the presence of respiratory responses not only during signal presentations (hits) but also during silent intervals (false alarms). Hits and false alarms co-varied in a manner predicted by the theory of signal detectability. A low false alarm rate could be purchased only at the expense of a low hit rate. The implications of this finding for the clinical efficacy of respiration audiometry are considered.


Giant-cell lesions of the facial skeleton.

Differentiation of brown tumors of primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism, giant-cell reparative granulomas, and the "true" giant-cell tumors requires consideration of the clinical presentation, anatomic location, roentgenographic features, and results of metabolic studies. These lesions are indistinguishable by histologic appearance alone. Of the 32 giant-cell lesions of bone that were treated at UCLA during the preceding 20 years, seven were from the head and neck region. Four giant-cell reparative granulomas were easily accessible and were treated by local excision. The three "true" giant-cell tumors were found to be in inaccessible locations and thus were treated with full course irradiation. This resulted in tumor shrinkage, but it is probably not curative. Tumor type, location, and clinical setting are important in planning treatment of these lesions.


Biocompatible ossicular implants.

Proplast and Plastipore, two new biocompatible implant materials that encourage tissue ingrowth, were used in 225 tympanoplasties. A 12 to 28-month follow-up shows that in 133 tympanoplasties using a drum-to-footplate or total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP), there was an average air conduction gain of 19 dB and 65% closure of the air-bone gap to within 20 dB. In 17 tympanoplasties using a drum-to-stapes or partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP), there was an average air conduction gain of 20 dB and 100% closure of the air-bone gap. In 53 tympanoplasties/mastoidectomies using a TORP, there was an average air conduction gain of 19 dB and 87% closure of the air-bone gap. In 22 tympanoplasties mastoidectomies using a PORP, there was an average air conduction gain of 25 dB and 100% closure of the air-bone gap. Five (2.2%) of the 225 Plastipore prostheses have extruded.


Nasal and paranasal sarcoidosis.

Previous publications have dealt with the anatomic location, morphology, and natural history of sarcoidosis in the head and neck region. Different treatment modalities intranasal granulomas have included submucosal injection of depocorticosteroids and corticosteroid aerosol spray. This article presents an overview of nasal and paranasal granulomatous disease, a brief review of the natural history of the disease, and a hypothesis of the cause of granulomatous formation in the nose and paranasal sinuses. With the presentation of two cases of nasal and paranasal sarcoid, an attempt is made to correlate the degree of involvement, stage of development, and effect of the granulomas with the treatment of choice.


Pathologic features of the cochlear nerve in profound deafness.

Cochlear nerves transected in the internal meatus were studied in six totally deaf ears and in one ear with profound deafness. In five ears deafness had followed surgical procedures in the oval window, in one it was the result of a mumps infection, and one was probably due to a virus infection or a vascular lesion. In four cases there was no great reduction in the nerve fiber population and the ultrastructure appeared normal. In three nerves there was a reduction in the number of nerve fibers, interfibrillar fibrosis, and disorganized material or extensive degenerative changes in the myelin sheaths. In all specimens artificial myelin changes were seen that apparently resulted from manipulation of the specimens at removal. Analysis of these cochlear nerves suggests that retrograde degeneration after severe cochlear insults may not be as frequent as has been thought on the basis of animal studies.


Epidermoid carcinoma of the palate.

A retrospective study was made of 80 cases of epidermoid carcinoma of the palate that were treated at the UCLA Center for the Health Sciences between 1955 and 1977. Tumor size larger than 3 cm, extension to neighboring structures, and contralateral, bilateral, and "fixed" lymph node metastases substantially decreased survival. The presence of ipsilateral nodes and the modality of treatment used (surgery or irradiation) did not appear to affect the outcome. Three-year cure rates for all cases was 40%. Ninety percent of recurrences took place during the first two years after treatment, and additional cancers developed in the upper aerodigestive tract of 20% of the patients.


Use of tragal cartilage with the total ossicular replacement prosthesis.

A method was developed for the use of tragal cartilage and perichondrium with the total ossicular replacement prosthesis. The method involves securing the flat base of the prosthesis in a perichondrial tunnel on the cartilage to stabilize the prosthesis, prevent extrusion, and promote vascularization.


Deafness in Osteodysplasty of Melnick and Needles.

A 12-year-old boy had osteodysplasty of Melnick and Needles and a mixed conductive and perceptive deafness of both ears. Deafness in this rare, inherited skeletal disorder is exceptional. Structurally, the pinnae and external auditory canals were small; thin, serous fluid was found in both middle ears, and on surgical exploration of the right ear, no round window could be found.


Rehabilitation problems after pharyngogastric anastomosis.

Fifty-three patients had pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy during the years 1965 to 1976 for lower hypopharyngeal or cervical esophageal cancer. The operative mortality--defined as the percent of patients who died within seven days of operation--was 7.5%, which is reduced to 5.6% if one patient with inoperable disease is excluded. Twenty-eight percent of patients survived for longer than one year, and there have been no problems with swallowing. Communication is possible in every patient who possesses good motivation, but the problems of long-term management of calcium metabolism still require attention.


Primary tumors of the external and middle ear. I. Introduction and clinicopathologic study of squamous cell carcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma (41 cases) represented 45% of all neoplasms of the ear that were treated in the study period from 1964 to 1975. The auricle was the primary site in 17 cases, and the external auditory canal was the primary site in the remaining 24 cases. Although the overall histologic appearance and differentiation were similar in both sites, there were important age, six, and prognostic differences. Tumor-related deaths occurred in only 6% (1/17) of patients with auricular neoplasms, in contrast with 52% (11/21) of those with carcinomas of the external auditory canal. Actinic damage of the epidermis was uniformly associated with squamous cell carcinomas of the auricle, but no such relationship existed for the lesions of the auditory canal.


Primary tumors of the external and middle ear. II. A clinicopathologic study of 14 paragangliomas and three meningiomas.

Paragangliomas (chemodectomas, glomus jugulare tumors) represented 15% of all neoplasms of the ear in the period from 1964 to 1975 at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Women in the fifth to sixthe decades of life were mainly affected, and hearing loss and tinnitus were the principal symptoms. Although most tumors had the typical histopathologic appearance, two neoplasms that were initially diagnosed as paragangliomas illustrated the problems in differential diagnosis. One of these latter two tumors had metastasized and was thought to represent a malignant paraganglioma. Retrospectively, both neoplasms were adenomatous tumors of the middle ear. For the remaining patients with typical jugular paragangliomas, surgery and/or irradiation therapy controlled the local tumor in 12 cases. Two of the three meningiomas occurring in the middle ear were preceded by or associated with an intracranial component. There were only four prior examples in the literature, excluding our one case, of primary meningiomas of the ear-mastoid region. Histologically, the features were virtually identical to the usual intracranial meningioma.


Branching microvilli in the nasal respiratory epithelium.

In an ultrastructural study of the respiratory epithelial covering of 14 human nasal mucous polyps, some of the microvilli overlying the ciliated cells were shown to exhibit a complex form of branching with a resultant increase in surface area. This apparently original observation is of uncertain significance but is not of definite pathological significance.


Thyroid surgery: surgical and metabolic causes of hypocalcemia.

Patients undergoing radical surgical treatment of head and neck neoplasms often are seen with a history of cirrhotic liver disease, electrolyte abnormalities, and other stigma of chronic disease. Despite skillful thyroid surgical technique performed as an isolated procedure or in combination with other procedures such as laryngectomy, hypocalcemia can occur. Common causes of lowered serum calcium levels secondary to removal of parathyroid glands, blood transfusions, hypoalbuminemia, gastrointestinal malabsorption, and renal insufficiency are well known. Less well known is the recently elucidated role of dependence of calcium metabolism on magnesium. Recently, it has been well documented that alcoholism directly lowers serum magnesium levels in both human and animal models without prior liver disease or malabsorption. The fact that three mechanisms are needed to explain calcium homeostasis implies that the magnesium-calcium interdependence is not clearly understood.


Arytenoid dislocation.

The reported incidence of arytenoid cartilage dislocation is low. This may be due to the wide range and orientation of motion allowed by the cricoarytenoid articulation and the laxity of its joint capsule. In two previously reported instances of arytenoid dislocation, the authors have suggested that endotracheal intubation is generally not sufficient to cause dislocation of an arytenoid cartilage, but that, in their cases, a predisposing factor had set the occasion for dislocation. In this communication, three cases of arytenoid cartilage dislocation, which each followed a single instance of endotracheal intubation are presented. In all three cases, painful swallowing was the main presenting symptom. Clinical features that differentiate arytenoid cartilage dislocation from vocal cord paresis are summarized. Early reduction of the dislocation, while the patient is under local anesthesia, is recommended, and the techniques are described in detail.


Teratomas of the neck in adults.

True teratomas of the neck in adults are unusual neoplasms. Their clinicopathologic aspects are distinctly different from the counterpart tumor of the neonate and infant. While the latter is almost always a benign tumor, adult teratomas are both histologically and clinically malignant neoplasms. To our knowledge, we report the tenth case of a teratoma of the neck in an adult.


Tympanic neurectomy and chorda tympanectomy for the control of drooling.

Seventeen patients suffered from drooling that either occurred as a sequelae of extensive head and neck cancer resections or was due to neurological disorders. In these patients, a tympanic neurectomy and/or chorda tympanectomy was performed in an attempt to eliminate the drooling. The conditions in five of 12 (41%) patients with head and neck cancer were improved following such surgery. Two of four children with cerebral palsy initially had a good result. However, the long-term follow-up of the patients demonstrated that the drooling recurred. An additional patient suffering from bulbar weakness and drooling owing to a cerevrobascular accident had less problems with salivary secretions. The results were relatively disappointing; there are several possible explanations for this.


Oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma: surgical treatment in irradiated and nonirradiated patients.

Surgical treatment was used in 45 cases of oral cavity carcinoma and in 23 cases of oropharyngeal carcinoma. The three-year cure rate was 47% for oral cavity tumors and 9% for orophayngeal lesions. The cure rate was substantially higher in female patients than in males and in white patients than in nonwhites. Results of composite resections in 23 previously irradiated patients and 23 nonirradiated patients with T-2 and T-3 lesions are compared. The irradiated patients with oral cavity carcinoma had a lower cure rate and a much greater incidence of postoperative morbidity than the patients treated with operation alone. Surgical results for oropharyngeal carcinomas were poor in both radiated and nonirradiated patients, although the incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality was higher in the irradiated group.


Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lip.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip is a common lesion that is not always acknowledged as a potentially lethal disease. We reviewed the cases of 27 patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lip. Our data confirm that patients in an older age group are at greater risk for development of metastases than the general population of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lip. We also found a universally grave prognosis for patients who exhibit fixation of tumor to the mandible or erosion of the mandible. We were unable to confirm a greater risk for development of metastases among more advanced (T3 and T4) lesions. A number of our patients had T1 and T2 primary lesions. We also could not establish a relationship between a patient's delay before seeking medical assistance and subsequent development of metastases.


Ethmoidal mucoceles.

Twenty ethmoidal mucoceles were treated and observed for a minimum of two years after surgery. Unilateral exophthalmos was the initial complaint in all cases and nasal polyposis was a noteworthy finding in more than half of the patients. The lesions always extended into the orbit and usually eroded the floor of the frontal sinus. Exenteration through an ethmoidectomy approach was successful in 16 cases. Failure was due to recurrence of the mucocele in one case and in three cases to uncontrolled polypoid disease that produced recurrence of the exophthalmos. Long-term follow-up is mandatory since recurrences may take several years to occur.


Autosomal recessive sensorineural hearing impairment, dizziness, and hypodontia.

A previously undescribed syndrome with profound sensorineural hearing loss since early infancy, episodes of dizziness, and hypodontia developed in a brother and sister. The presence of two unaffected children and unaffected parents suggests autosomal recessive inheritance.


Capillary hemangioma of the tympanic membrane.

Hemangiomas of the tympanic membrane are extremely rare. We present the third reported case and, to our knowledge, the first capillary hemangioma of the tympanic membrane. These deep purple polypoid tumors are asymptomatic while small but enlarge slowly to erode adjacent structures. They arise characteristically from the lamina propria of the tympanic membrane without involving the middle ear. Early recognition permits simple excision with preservation of the lamina propria, avoiding the need for tympanic membrane resection and reconstruction.


Impedance and admittance tympanometry. II. Mathematical approach.

The W-notching of susceptance, conductance and admittance tympanograms, as well as inverted-V shapes, found at high probe tone frequencies are explained, starting from realistic assumptions on the shape of resistance and reactance tympanograms. Necessary conditions for obtaining the different types of tympanograms are given. The theory shows that no pathology is necessary to explain W-notching or inverted-V shapes at higher-frequency probe tones.


Psychoacoustical tuning curves in audiology.

The correlation between classic masking patterns and psychoacoustical tuning curves is discussed quantitatively. A simplified method to measure such tuning curves in clinical use is described. They are shown to be insensitive to the frequency dependence of the hearing loss. Tuning curve data of six different groups including normal and hard-or-hearing observers are given: normal hearing, conductive hearing loss, degenerative hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss, otosclerosis and Menière's disease. The resulting tuning curve data indicate that the frequency resolving power of the four groups mentioned last is greatley reduced but not completely absent, especially in the range of greater hearing loss. The correspondence between the frequency-resolving power measured by the tuning curve method and the result of speech discrimination tests is demonstrated. The measured data indicate that more than 50% of the patients with otosclerosis show reduced frequency selectivity although otosclerosis is commonly regarded as a conductive hearing loss.


Late evoked responses to acoustic stimuli in relation to age.

Late hearing potentials (contigent negative variations; CNV) were studied in 66 subjects of different ages: 15 children, 26 adults and 25 elderly people (extreme ages of 4 and 100 years). Particular care was taken in selection of phonetic material suitable for each age. No CNVs were recorded in children under the age of 5 years; only 2 of the children examined presented late responses for all the phonetic lists. In adults, such cases rose to 5(19.2%), while another 16(61.5%) presented responses for some or a good part of the lists in question. Only in 9 elderly people were typical CNVs observed (36%). The discussion outlines the reasons for the low percentages of late responses obtained in children and point out that in some elderly subject accustomed to psychic and motor activities typical CNV are present.


Electrophysiological investigation of auditory recruitment by averaged electroencephalographic-evoked response.

An objective study of auditory recruitment by the method of the slow vertex-evoked potentials was carried out on 18 subjects presenting recruitment at 4 000 Hz. Evoked potentials were induced by tone burst stimulation of the recruiting ear and recorded by means of an active electrode located on the vertex. For each subject a study was made: (1) of the input-output curves of the N1P2 amplitudes and of the latencies of N1 and P2 of the evoked potentials as a function of the intensity of the stimulation and (2) of the best estimation of the input-output curve of N1P2 to a power function and a logarithmic function by the least-squares regression line, after checking that it was statistically possible. The results of the 18 recruiting subjects, classified according to their audiometric thresholds, were statistically compared with those of 9 normal subjects. The relation between the amplitude of the auditory-evoked response and the intensity of the stimulation could be expressed nearly equally well by a logarithmic function and a power function. The studies revealed a very significant increase of the slope of the least-squares regression line in recruiting subjects compared with normal subjects. No significant difference was obtained by the analysis of the latencies.


Dominantly inherited low-frequency hearing loss.

Two families with dominantly inherited low-frequency hearing loss are described. The two families are different in mode of transmission and in audiological findings. On the basis of these two differences, it is claimed that two types of inherited low-frequency hearing loss can be distinguished. One type is the dominantly inherited low-frequency hearing loss with fully penetrant abnormal genes. The other is also most probably due to an autosomal dominant gene, but with incomplete penetrance and probably represents a malformation in the middle ear combined with a defect in the apical part of the cochlear mechanism.


Intelligibility of time-expanded speech with normally hearing and elderly subjects.

The effects of time-expanded monosyllabic words (NU-6) on the auditory discrimination performance of 15 young adults with normal hearing and 20 elderly subjects were studied. Three conditions of time expansion, 30, 60 and 100%, plus a 0% control condition, were presented at four sensation levels (8, 16, 24 and 32 dB). For the normally hearing subjects, auditory discrimination performance at all ratios of time expansion was equal to the 0% condition. Results for the elderly subjects indicated intelligibility was inversely related to time expansion at the 30 and 60% conditions. However, at the 100% condition, speech intelligibility improved over the 60% condition at 8 and 16 dB sensation level. At 24 and 32 dB sensation level, performance at 100% was equal to the 60% condition. With the normal and elderly subjects, ear and list effects were minimal. The results are discussed in terms of the clinical value of this procedure and in light of literature that reviews the performance of subjects on tests employing various temporally altered stimuli.


Childhood accidents--can they be prevented?

Accidents cause 10,000 children to attend Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital Casualty Department each year. Most of these children sustain trivial injuries, which apart from some initial pain, cause no long term effects. About 1,000 of these children are admitted to hospital, many being discharged within a day or so with minimal upset to their way of life. However, some of these children suffer badly, and some die.


Accidents in old age.

Elderly persons particularly are liable to falls which in women often cause major fractures and other injuries. In Australia, some two per cent of deaths of women aged 65 and over are attributed to non-traffic accidents, and the length of hospital care and subsequent disability following fractures are both important aspects of the total morbidity resulting from falls suffered by older persons.


Resuscitation at the site of a road accident.

Seven per cent of deaths resulting from motor car accidents are due to asphyxia without any other major injury. This highlights the importance of maintaining an unobstructed airway in patients following motor vehicle accidents. These cases of asphyxia are due to laryngeal spasm, aspirated foreign material, or pharyngeal obstruction by the tongue in a semi-conscious or unconscious patient. It is reasonable to assume that many of these lives could be saved by simple techniques, such as removing foreign material from the pharynx, pulling the chin and head back firmly, and turning the patient into the lateral position.


Intravenous regional analgesia.

Despite its introduction in 1908, the technique of intravenous regional analgesia did not achieve popularity until it was reintroduced by Holmes in 1963. This simple technique has proved its usefulness in most operative and manipulative procedures on the extremities, including suture of lacerations, tendon repair, abscess incision and fracture work. It is more often used in the upper limb, as the arm requires a lesser total dose of the local anaesthetic agent, and does not have the same potential for precipitation of vascular pathology.


Earmold modification effect measured by coupler, threshold and probe techniques.

The validity of probe tube microphone measurements in providing data indicative of the magnitude of the change in subjects' threshold resulting from changes in earmold configuration was investigated. The relationship between these measures in the real ear canal and the changes observed in 2-cm3 and Zwislocki couplers under similar circumstances or earmold modification was also measured. Standard, vented and 'open' earmold conditions were utilized. Threshold and probe-tube measurements were made. Statistical evaluation revealed that these two techniques did not produce significantly different results except at 125--165 Hz, where noise masking may have been a factor influencing the threshold data. Neither coupler as used gave an accurate quantitative estimate of the in-use effects of vented earmolds or the open earmold configuration, but the Zwislocki coupler gave a better approximation than the 2-cm3 coupler.


Impedance and admittance tympanometry. I. Experimental approach.

In this experimental study a procedure is developed which enables the conversion of susceptance and conductane tympanograms to reactance and resistance tympanograms. Special attention was given to the subtraction of the ear canal admittance. The procedure was applied to bell-shaped and W-notched susceptance and conductance tympanograms. Computed reactance curves showed always an inverted-V shape, computed resistance curves were always flat.


Dietary therapy of gastrointestinal disorders.

Diet therapy is mandatory in only a very small number of GIT disorders. While the available evidence does not support its use in other conditions, many physicians will wish to make an individual decision regarding diet therapy according to the patient's symptoms, to the patient's attitudes and expectations and very importantly, to the financial and social implications of the diet in question.


The association of psycho-social factors and gynaecological symptoms.

This paper analyzes the results of a Community Health Survey conducted in Melbourne in 1971. The Survey finds that gynaecological disorders are found more often in the married and working; in those smoking more than 15 cigarettes; and in those women with family problems. The lowest incidence of gynaecological disorders was found in women from households where the main income earner was either semi-skilled, or unskilled.


The development of dermatitis (scabby-hip) on the hip and thigh of broiler chickens.

Broiler chicks grown on litter or in cages at high bird density developed skin lesions on the thigh and hip. Changes in bird denisty markedly influenced lesion incidence (100% at 0.0185 sq m of floor space per bird). The dermatitis was characterized by crusted dry "scabs" at the base of feather follicles and between follicles. The lesions often coalesced to cover wide areas. The scab consisted of a mass of pyknotic nuclei and cellular debris, and when the epidermis was intact there was little inflammatory reaction in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis was destroyed in some lesions, with heterophils penetrating into the subcutaneous tissue. Colonies of gram-positive cocci were present in the lesions.


Response of young chickens and turkeys to virulent and avirulent Pasteurella multocida administered by various routes.

Groups of 20 young chickens and turkeys obtained from commercial flocks and placed in pens with pine shavings over concrete floors or from the hatchery and grown on wire, were exposed to avirulent Pasteurella multocida serotype 3,4 cross or virulent P. multocida serotype 3 by drinking water, ocular, subcutaneous, intracutaneous, or palatine cleft routes. A secondary exposure to virulent P. multocida serotype 1 by the palatine cleft route was given 14 days later, except that birds exposed by palatine cleft on the initial exposure were reexposed by drinking water. There was a group of each species for each floor type and each exposure route except palatine cleft, which was performed on litter only. Chickens were more resistant to initial exposure to virulent P. multocida by all routes than turkeys. Chickens showed much less resistance to subsequent exposure to P. multocida serotype 1 than turkeys after exposure to the avirulent organism by the drinking-water route. Avirulent P. multocida administered to chickens or turkeys by subcutaneous or intracutaneous routes and turkeys by drinking water route produced a high degree of resistance to subsequent exposure to P. multocida serotype 1. In a second experiment it was found that wire floors caused many more breast blisters than pine shavings on Pasteurella-exposed or unexposed chickens.


Infectious coryza: preventing complicated coryza with Haemophilus gallinarum and Mycoplasma gallisepticum bacterins.

Three types of infectious coryza were produced in unvaccinated chickens by challenge inoculums containing different combinations of Haemophilus gallinarum (HG) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). Monovalent and combination bacterins of HG and MG were tested to determine their efficacy against chronic complicated infectious coryza. Challenge exposure of vaccinates with MG and HG showed protection against the HG component to be immunotype-specific. Some protection against complicated coryza resulted from HG bacterins only, whereas MG bacterin was ineffective. Protection against transient and chronic coryza was provided by a combination MG-HG bacterin. Two doses of this bacterin gave better protection against upper respiratory clinical signs and lowered the incidence of airsacculitis.


Eimeria tenella: sensitivity of recent field isolants to monensin.

Coccidia were propagated from litter samples obtained from broiler production flocks being medicated with monensin. Eimeria tenella was isolated from 48.9% of the litter samples from which coccidia were propagated. Tests of the monensin sensitivity of the 73 E. tenella isolants obtained revealed no monensin-resistant isolants.


First isolation of a Yucaipa-like virus in Africa.

A virus having a hemagglutinin closely related to that of paramyxovirus Yucaipa was isolated from the feces of a wild bird in Senegal, West Africa.


Massive liver hemorrhage in Ontario broiler chickens.

A massive liver hemorrhage (MLH) recognized in Ontario broiler chickens had a characteristic clinical course and pathological lesions. Affected flocks had a higher death rate than normal, with no obvious clinical signs. Deaths from MLH began at two weeks of age; the mortality rate returned to a normal level by four weeks. The main necropsy finding was massive multiple liver hemorrhage with consequent profuse hemoperitoneum.


Sero-epidemiology of Q-fever in poultry.

The sero-epidemiology of Q-fever was studied by capillary agglutination test at 25 poultry farms in the Nainital and Ajmer districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Of 589 birds tested, 78 (13.24%) had Q-fever agglutinins (CAT titers 1:8 to 1:64), involving 16 of the farms. There were more sero-reactors in Ajmer (17.56%) than in Nainital (3.35%). The sero-positive reactors were respectively 19.74% and 5.55% among the age groups above and below 6 months. The breed difference and comparatively high infection rates in poultry attendants of a Q-fever-positive farm are discussed.


Efficacy of arprinocid against coccidiosis of broilers in battery and floor-pen trials.

Medication of broilers with arprinocid [9-(2-chloro-6-fluorophenylmethyl)-9H-purine-6-amine] gave protection against the effects of coccidiosis in both battery and floor-pen trials. In battery trials, efficacy was tested on single-species inoculations of Eimeria acervulina, E. mivati, E. necatrix, E. maxima, E. Brunetti, and E. tenella. Two strains of each species recently recovered from the field, were tested separately. In floor-pen trials, all six species, both field and laboratory strains, were used as a mixed infection. In batteries, 60 and 70 ppm essentially eliminated coccidiosis-induced mortality and weight depression. Effects of 50 ppm on weight gain were variable. The effectiveness of different medication levels varied between strains within a species. In floor-pen trials, 40, 60, or 80 ppm was effective in controlling mortality and weight depression, and increasing feel-conversion ratios. All levels were significantly as effective as monensin in protecting against coccidiosis. With severe exposure to coccidia, 60 and 80 ppm gave significantly lower lesion socres than did 40 ppm of arprinocid or 120 ppm monensin.


A new serotype of Pasteurella multocida associated with fowl cholera.

Gel-diffusion precipitin tests demonstrated an additional Pasteurella multocida serotype, designated serotype 16. Isolate P-2723, antigenically distinct from the other (previously reported) 15 serotypes, was from a turkey affected with fowl cholera. This serotype is not widely distributed. Isolate P-2723 was of mild virulence in turkeys, resulting in local infections in the hock joint and sternal bursa of only 1 of 9 turkeys exposed.


Protection of day-old poults against Arizona hinshawii challenge by preincubation streptomycin egg treatment.

Poults were protected against challenge with Arizona hinshawii 7:1,7,8 inoculated into the yolk sac 30 hours post-hatching by preincubation streptomycin treatment of turkey eggs, administered by temperature-differential egg dipping in a solution composed of 250 ppm of a quaternary ammonium compound, 10 ppm of ethylenediaminetraacetate and streptomycin at 9 mg per ml. Mortalities at 17 hours and 22 days postchallenge were respectively 8% and 44% in poults from treated eggs vs 47% and 93% from untreated eggs. Liver isolation rates at 17 hours and 22 days postchallenge were respectively 0% and 16% in poults from treated eggs, vs 71% and 80% from untreated eggs.


Scanning electron microscopy of damage to the cecal mucosae of chickens infected with Eimeria tenella.

A group of chickens were inoculated with 100,000 Eimeria tenella oocysts each. The birds were sacrificed on days 4-14 postinoculation. Tissue samples from 4 different areas of each cecum examined were obtained and processed by the osmium-thiocarbohydrazide-osmium technique. Examination of the prepared tissues with the scanning electron microscope revealed lesions ranging from localized tissue swelling to complete disruption of the mucosal epithelium due to the rupture of large numbers of epithelial cells. The amount of damage to the tissue varied greatly, tending to be most obvious in the 2 more distal regions of the ceca examined. Observed in addition to the pathological changes demonstrated were some specific stages of the parasite, including schizonts, merozoites, and oocysts.


Influenza viruses related to A/Shearwater/Australia/1/72 (Hav6 Nav5) in domestic and feral birds.

One influenza-A virus isolated from domestic turkeys in California in 1964 and two from migrating ducks in Delaware in 1973 were classified as Hav6 and Nav5, i.e., antigenically the same as A/Shearwater/Australia/1/72. The detection of antigenically related viruses in three different species over a ten-year period suggests a broad host range, contributing to continued circulation in nature. The turkeys suffered severe respiratory disease although infected migratory birds have not revealed signs of disease. These results suggest migratory birds, which travel over vast areas, as a source of influenza viruses infecting domestic species.


Biochemical genetics of altered acetylcholinesterase resistance to insecticides in the house fly.

Resistance to the organophosphate insecticide tetrachlorvinphos was examined in a house fly (Musca domestica L.) strain with an altered acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of decreased sensitivity to inhibition by the insecticide. Genetic tests showed that both resistance and the altered AChE were controlled by semi-dominant gene(s) on chromosome II. The gene for resistance was five crossover units from the mutant marker stubby wing (stw). A house fly strain was prepared in which resistance was introduced in to a susceptible stw strain by recombination. Biochemical assays revealed that the altered AChE was introduced along with resistance. Assays of the AChE of resistant and susceptible stw strains by two independent methods showed that the enzyme from resistant flies was 30 times more slowly inhibited by tetrachlorvinphos than the enzyme from susceptible flies.


Effects of floury-2 locus on zein accumulation and RNA metabolism during maize endosperm development.

Zein accumulation patterns during mutant and normal maize endosperm development were determined. Accompanying an increase in the number of floury-2 alleles present in the endosperm was a well-defined stepwise depression in zein accumulation. Analysis of the zein accumulated in endosperms containing zero, one, two, and three doses of the floury-2 allele by sodium dodecylsulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a proportionate reduction in the two major zein components, Z1 and Z2. In contrast, the relative proportions of the minor zein bands were altered. Membrane-bound polysomes isolated from kernels of floury-2 and normal maize were predominantly large size classes. The presence of increasing numbers of the floury-2 allele in the endosperm decreased recovery of membrane-bound polysomal material in a stepwise fashion. However, major alterations in polysome size-class distributions were not observed. The reduction in membrane-bound polysome material correlated linearly with reductions in in vitro zein synthesis and in vivo zein accumulation.


Association between cholesterol and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in genetically selected hooded rat lines.

We have developed two strains of hooded rats with differing erythrocyte oxygen affinities by selection on red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels. Genetic studies have shown that these strains differ at one DPG-level-determining locus. This article reports the results of a study which involved measurement of plasma cholesterol levels in rats from the strains and the F2 progeny of strain intercrosses. Low-DPG strain rats, with high oxygen affinity, had significantly higher mean cholesterol levels than High-DPG rats. Animals from the extremes of the F2 distribution of DPG levels showed similar, significantly different mean cholesterol levels, indicating that the negative association between DPG and cholesterol levels in strain rats was not due to inadvertent fixation of unrelated genes during selection on DPG. The possibility is discussed that high oxygen affinity, brought about by low DPG levels, may be causative in increasing cholesterol levels.


Glutathione S-transferase in human lymphoid cell lines and fractionated peripheral leucocytes.

Glutathione S-transferase activity was identified in cytosol from human lymphoid-cell lines and peripheral leucocytes (polymorphonuclear-leucocyte/monocyte and small-lymphocyte fractions) and compared with human liver enzyme. The findings of closely similar elution volume in gel filtration, substrate (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) and inhibitory (probenecid) kinetics indicate that the liver, leucocyte and lymphoid-cell transferases are closely related. The interaction of reduced glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene was shown to occur in intact-lymphoid-cell culture, to be linear with time and quantity of cells and to have kinetics similar to those of the enzyme reaction catalysed by cytosol.


Oestrogen receptor of mammary gland. Inhibition of aggregation and characterization of receptor from lactating gland in the presence of sodium bromide.

1. When NaBr, a chaotropic salt, is added, in concentrations ranging from 0.5m to 2m, to low-salt mammary cytosol, (i) age-dependent aggregation of oestrogen receptor is inhibited, (ii) the receptor sediments as a sharp peak at 4.2S on sucrose-gradient centrifugation, with complete disappearance of heavier forms, and (iii) on gel filtration with Sephadex G-200, the receptor is included in the gel matrix. On a calibrated column, the receptor has a Stokes radius of 3.7nm (+/-6%). 2. Because NaBr inhibits interaction of receptor with other components of cytosol, the values of the sedimentation coefficient, measured by sucrose-gradient sedimentation, and of the Stokes radius, measured by gel filtration, can be accepted with confidence. From these values, it can be computed that the oestrogen-receptor form in NaBr has a mol.wt. of 64000, with a frictional ratio of 1.4. 3. Also, inhibition of aggregation by NaBr allows a 30-90-fold purification of oestrogen receptor. Analysis of this partially purified receptor by sucrose-gradient sedimentation and gel filtration in NaBr gives the same results as for receptor in crude cytosol. On electrofocusing on a pH5-8 gradient, the partially purified oestrogen receptor focuses at pH6.2. On removal of NaBr, receptor aggregates even in this partially purified state. It seems likely that at the protein and ionic concentrations of cytoplasm in vivo, the 64000-mol.wt. receptor form is part of higher states of self- and/or hetero-association with other cytoplasmic components. 4. NaBr up to a concentration of 2m does not inhibit binding of oestrogen by receptor, nor does it decrease the affinity of the interaction (K(D) approximately 8.9x10(-10)m). The total number of binding sites in cytosol, however, decreases by approx. 10%, but this decrease may actually be the result of elimination of lower-affinity binding by non-receptor components of cytosol. 5. NaSCN, another chaotropic salt, was also tested but gave less satisfactory results with the mammary cytosol than with uterine cytosol. EDTA was omitted from the buffers because it favours aggregation of mammary oestrogen receptor. KCl (0.4m), sucrose (15%) and ZnSO(4) (3mm) did not prevent aggregation of receptor.


The binding of porphyrins by ligandin.

Spectrophotometric and equilibrium-dialysis measurements show that ligandin (glutathione S-transferase B, EC 2.5.1.18) binds monomeric porphyrins at a single site with association constants in the range 10(4)-10(6) litre/mol at pH 7.0. Binding affinities are paralleled by the tendencies of the porphyrins to aggregate, increasing in the order: uroporphyrins I and III less than coproporphyrins I and III approximately haematoporphyrin less than protoporphyrin IX. From this it is deduced that the hydrophobic effect is the predominant driving-force for binding. The porphyrins can be displaced from their binding site on ligandin by bromosulphophthalein and oestrone sulphate. In enzyme inhibition studies, 50% inhibition was brought about by 8 micron-haematoporphyrin and by 1 micron-protoporphyrin IX. In the analysis of the haemotoporphyrin-ligandin system the self-association of haematoporphyrin was studied in detail. It was found to be limited to dimerization in the concentration range 0-200 micron at pH 7.0, 25 degrees C and a dimerization constant of 1.9 x 10(5) litre/mol was determined. Coproporphrin III has a dimerization constant of 5.2 x 10(5) litre/mol under the same conditions.


Characterization of the keratan sulphate proteoglycans from bovine corneal stroma.

The keratan sulphate proteoglycans that can be prepared from bovine corneal stroma [Axelsson & Heinegård (1975) Biochem. J. 145, 491-500] were characterized by gel chromatography, gel electrophoresis and analytical ultracentrifugation in associative (0.6 M-NaCl) and dissociative (6M-guanidinum chloride) solvents. The proteoglycans aggreagated at low salt concentrations and pH. The weight-average molecular weight of the monomer proteoglycans was established. Keratan sulphate peptides and oligosaccharide peptides were isolated after proteolysis. Their composition indicated that both are linked to protein via asparagine residues. A tentative model for corneal keratan sulphate proteoglycans is suggested.


Partial purification and properties of an acid nucleotidase from the postmicrosomal supernatant of rat spleen.

1. The dephosphorylation of 3'-AMP, 3'-dAMP, 3'-CMP and 3'-dCMP was studied in the postmicrosomal supernatant of rat spleen and liver. In both organs 3'-AMP and 3'-dAMP were dephosphorylated at an appreciable rate, in both the presence and the absence of Mg(2+). The pH optimum for this dephosphorylation was in the range 4.5-5.0. 3'-CMP and 3'-dCMP were very slowly degraded, though the activity towards 3'-dCMP increased somewhat in the presence of Mg(2+). The optimum pH for this Mg(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation was 5.5-6.0. 2. The rate of dephosphorylation of 3'-AMP and 3'-dAMP per mg of protein was about 5 times as high in spleen as in liver. 3. The dephosphorylation of 3'-AMP could be ascribed to a single enzyme with pH optimum about 4.5. The activity towards 3'-dAMP could be resolved into one component coinciding with the 3'-dAMP-degrading enzyme, and one Mg(2+)-requiring component probably identical with the soluble deoxyinosine-activated nucleotidase. The dephosphorylation of 3'-dCMP seemed to be performed only by the latter enzyme. 4. The enzyme dephosphorylating 3'-AMP was purified 200-fold from the postmicrosomal supernatant and its physical and catalytic properties were compared with those of acid nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.31) purified from rat liver lysosomes. The two enzymes were identical in all properties tested (substrate specificity, K(m), molecular weight, response to phosphatase inhibitors), but some of the data differed from earlier reports on the acid nucleotidase. 5. The subcellular localization of the acid nucleotidase, its relationship to the acid phosphatase(s) and its role in the breakdown of nucleic acid constituents are discussed.


The oxygen-linked zinc-binding site of human haemoglobin.

Zn2+ is known to increase the 02 affinity of human haemoglobin. Previous data suggested that Zn2+ exerts its effect by directly binding to haemoglobin, rather than by competing with or binding to 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. It was also shown that there are two 02-linked zinc-binding sites in haemoglobin, and that Zn2+ does not significantly alter haemoglobin co-operativity or the alkaline Bohr effect. The effect of Zn2+ on 02 affinity of haemoglobin can also be observed for other haemoglobins as diverse as those of cow and chicken. This paper presents new data on the haemoglobin-zinc interaction for normal haemoglobin, des-His146beta-haemoglobin and N-ethylsuccinimide-haemoglobin of humans. For normal haemoglobin (0.05 mM in tetramers), at 20 degrees C in buffer containing 0.1 M-Cl-, 02-dissociation-curve experiments showed that the addition of 0.4-0.5 mM-ZnS04 did not change the Bohr effect between pH 6.71 and 7.29. Similar experiments, with "zinc-ion buffers", showed that the value of the Hill coefficient, h, decreased only slightly if the concentration of free Zn2+ was held constant. For N-ethylsuccinimide-haemoglobin, Zn2+ caused less increase in O2 affinity than for normal haemoglobin. These studies, together with data on the equilibrium binding of Zn2+ to oxy-, deoxy- and des-His146beta-haemoglobins, suggest that zinc is chelated in oxyhaemoglobin by at least three amino acids, two of which are histidine-146beta and cysteine-93beta.


Preparation of internally labelled rat pituitary somatotropin (growth hormone).

Rat somatotropin (growth hormone) was labelled biosynthetically by incubating anterior pituitary lobes with radioactive amino acids for 24 h in a simple buffered salts medium containing glucose. The labelled hormone was isolated by preparative polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis or by chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and then DEAE-cellulose. The labelled material was pure by several criteria and cross-reacted immunologically with unlabelled rat somatotropin. When a mixture of 14C-labelled amino acids was used for labelling the protein, label could be introduced into these same amino acids of somatotropin, though relative specific radioactivities varied considerably. Somatotropin labelled by the procedures described in the present paper was suitable for structural studies and could be used for a variety of other biochemical experiments.


The dye-linked alcohol dehydrogenase of Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. Comparison with dye-linked methanol dehydrogenases.

1. A dye-linked alcohol dehydrogenase was purified 20-fold from extracts of Rhodopseudomonas acidophila 10050 grown anaerobically in the light on methanol/HCO3-. 2. The enzyme resembled many previously reported methanol dehydrogenases from other methylotrophic organisms in coupling to phenazine methosulphate, requiring ammonia as an activator, possessing a pH optimum of 9 and a mol.wt. of approx. 116000. In many other respects the enzyme showed singular properties. 3. The stability of the enzyme under various conditions of temperature and pH was studied. 4. Primary aliphatic amines containing up to nine carbon atoms (the longest tested) were better activators than ammonia. 5. A wide range of primary alcohols and aldehydes served as substrates, with apparent Km values ranging from 57 mM for methanol to 6 micron for ethanol. 6. O2 was an inhibitor competitive with respect to the alcohol substrate. In the presence of O2, apparent Km values of 145 mM were recorded for methanol. 6. Cyanide and alphaalpha'-bipyridine were inhibitors competitive with respect to the amine activator. 7. The properties of the enzyme from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila are compared with those of similar enzymes from other organisms, and implications of the salient differences are discussed.


Rapid and convenient method for the assay of aminopropyltransferases.

A new method for the assay of aminopropyltransferase activity is described. The method measures the formation of [methyl-14C]methylthioadenosine from decarboxylated S-adenosyl[methyl-14C]methionine in the presence of an amine acceptor. When used with extracts from rat ventral prostate, kidney, liver or brain, and with putrescine or spermidine as amines, the method gave results in excellent agreement with those obtained by the much more time-consuming conventional method. It was found that 1,3-diamino-propane and 1,8-diamino-octane were not acceptors for the prostatic enzyme fraction, but 1,5-diaminopentane (cadaverine) was active and 1,9-diaminononane and 1,12-diaminododecane also lead to the production of [methyl-14C]methylthioadenosine.


Isolation and separation of alpha and beta-tubulin from chick-embryo brain, muscle and skin.

Two kinds of tubulin, alpha and beta, have been described in microtubules from many different systems. In the present study a new method is described for isolating and separating these two kinds of tubulin from chick-embryo brain, muscle and skin. The isolated tubulins were characterized by polyacrylamide-gel disc electrophoresis in the presence of urea and sodium dodecyl sulphate.


Proteinase inhibitors of bovine nasal cartilage.

Extracts from bovine nasal cartilage with 1 M-guanidinium chloride were fractionated by ultrafiltration. Gel chromatography of the low-molecular-weight material resolved three distinct fractions with inhibitory activity against (a) collagenases (22000 mol.wt.), (b) thiol proteinases cathepsin B and papain (13000 mol.wt.), and (c) trypsin and other serine proteinases (7000 mol.wt.).