Reproducible and uniform cardiac ischemia: effects of antiarrhythmic drugs.

The in vivo response of cardiac tissue to ischemia is inherently nonuniform, and as a result the drug effects in the latter are subject to great variability. We therefore designed a preparation that could reproducibly respond to uniform ischemia: Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts in which ischemia was induced by stopping the perfusion. In this preparation therapeutic concentrations of antiarrhythmic drugs have no-to-moderate effects on conduction and excitability of perfused tissue, while markedly depressing these parameters in ischemic tissue. This selectivity for depression of ischemic tissue increases as the ischemia progresses. Antiarrhythmic drugs can in this way markedly attenuate the abnormal electrical activity of the ischemic tissue (responsible for arrhythmias) while minimally affecting this activity in normal tissue.


Increased reactivity of venous smooth muscle by small decreases in extracellular sodium.

In dog saphenous vein strips, decreases in extracellular sodium from 5% to 23% did not alter basal tension, but progressively increased tension developed during electrical stimulation (1.0 to 10 Hz). The augmentation did not occur with similar reductions in chloride ions. When osmolality was maintained with sucrose, the response to electrical stimulation also was enhanced with a 5% reduction in sodium ions, but did not increase further with larger sodium reductions. The enhancement was due to some effect on the smooth muscle cells, because the overflow of [7-3H]norepinephrine during electrical stimulation was unaffected by the sodium reduction, whereas contractions caused by norepinephrine and barium chloride were potentiated. The potentiation did not depend on increased influx of extracellular calcium, because contractions induced by acetylcholine were unaffected by sodium reduction; and after blocking calcium influx with verapamil, the norepinephrine contractions still were augmented. It was concluded that a decrease in extracellular sodium by 5% (from the normal value of 143.3--131.1 meq/1) can enhance the response of venous smooth muscle to adrenergic stimuli.


Dextran as a radioactive microsphere suspending agent: severe hypotensive effect in rat.

The effects of different commercially available radioactive microsphere suspending solutions were studied on the cardiovascular hemodynamics of male, Sprague-Dawley rats. Single left ventricular injections of carbonized radioactive microspheres (15 +/- 5 micron diam) totaling 850,000 spheres, suspended in 10% dextran (mol wt, 73,000) solution with Tween, caused reductions in arterial pressure (control, 101; postinjection, 74 mmHg; P less than 0.001), with no change in heart rate. Identical injections made with isotonic saline solution plus Tween had no effect on either heart rate or arterial pressure. Independent studies were conducted to examine the effects of 1-ml injections of four suspending solutions without microspheres on the cardiovascular hemodynamics of rats. Isotonic saline had no hemodynamic effect, and isotonic saline plus Tween decreased only heart rate. Ten percent dextran soluton with Tween decreased arterial pressure, heart rate, peak left ventricular systolic pressure, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Similar changes occurred when dextran solution without Tween was administered. These data demonstrate that 10% dextran solution used as a microsphere suspending agent induces a severe hypotensive response in rats. Furthermore, injections of up to 850,000 microspheres in isotonic saline solution do not alter arterial pressure in the rat.


Evaluation of methods of measuring glomerular and nutrient blood flow in rat kidneys.

In normal rats, glomerular plasma flow rates (GPF) were estimated from the uptake of microspheres, and single-nephron filtration rates were estimated by Hanssen's technique in order to calculate single-nephron filtration fractions (SNFF) for outer (C1), middle, (C2), and deep (C3) nephrons. With large microspheres (15 micron), SNFF averaged 0.19, 0.41, and 0.63, and with small microspheres (9 micron), SNFF averaged 0.25, 0.48, and 0.42 for areas C1, C2, and C3, respectively. Kidney filtration fractions (FF) averaged 0.36. Because microsphere experiments in normal rats have generally suggested that SNFF-C1 and FF are similar, we conclude that both types of microspheres overestimated outer cortical plasma flow rates, and probably underestimated inner cortical plasma flow rates. In addition, not all of the smaller microspheres were trapped in the glomeruli. Nutrient blood flow rates were estimated from the uptake of 86Rb. Values ranged from 7.3 ml/g per min in the outer cortex to 4.7 ml/g per min in the inner cortex. Because these values are very similar to measurements made by several other techniques, we conclude that 86Rb uptake adequately estimates cortical blood flow. Medullary blood flow estimates, however, increased with time and were probably too high.


Characteristics of coronary blood flow and transmural distribution in miniature pigs.

The relationship between phasic systolic and diastolic coronary blood flow and its transmural distribution has been studied in 29 Yucatan miniature pigs at rest and during heavy exercise, with and without adenosine infusion (1.5 mg . kg-1 . min-1) and with and without a subtotal coronary artery occlusion. Altered factors that affected coronary flow included vascular resistance, perfusion pressure, myocardial oxygen demand, and extra-vascular pressure. The data indicate that, at rest, endomural perfusion is significantly dependent on diastolic blood flow. However, the ability of the myocardial vessels to autoregulate during systole as well as during diastole was clearly shown with the use of adenosine infusion. This ability to regulate flow intrinsically appeared to transcend the endocardial dependency on diastolic perfusion under certain stressful conditions, e.g., during heavy exercise, when the diastolic duration was significantly reduced. Systolic transmural perfusion may then become a significant factor in meeting the blood flow demands of the myocardium. However, due to gradients in vascular resistance, perfusion pressure, and oxygen demand, the coronary reserve of the epicardium appears to be greater than that of the endocardium under any condition.


Some control conditions for self-organization--what the control theorist can learn from biology.

The general control task, as expressed formally in engineering science or mathematical systems theory, is presented briefly. Characteristics of technological control systems are then contrasted with the control processes revealed by molecular biology. It is emphasized that the control processes of living systems have certain features not represented in formal control theory. One of these features is the use of positive feedback in a novel way to achieve a "positive control potential." The environmental conditions necessary for positive control potential to arise are considered. It is concluded that achievements in life sciences offer a challenge to extend formal control theory into new domains, but at the same time, existing control theory helps to highlight what it is that living systems uniquely do, even though it cannot explain how they do it.


Induced hyperthermia in sedated humans and the concept of critical thermal maximum.

The concept of critical thermal maximum (CTM) has been defined in the literature as the minimal high deep-body temperature that is lethal to an animal. In man the CTM has been estimated at 41.6--42.0 degrees C. Data are presented for sedated, unacclimatized, well-hydrated men heated 1 h at esophageal temperatures of 41.6--42.0 degrees C, without sequelae, except for modest elevation of serum enzymes in two of five patients. These data when combined with other observations in the literature suggest that CTM be redefined as the particular combination of exposure time at elevated body temperatures that results in either subclinical (CTM)s) or clinical (CTMc) injuries. Also presented is a mathematical technique, equivalent time at 42 degrees C (Teq 42 degrees), for expressing hyperthermia in terms of body temperature and exposure time.


Body fluid distribution in wild Mus musculus acclimated to water restriction.

Total body water (TBW), extracellular volume (ECV), and plasma volume (PV) were measured in wild house mice acclimated to chronic water shortage and compared to the same measures in mice exposed acutely to water shortage. Chronic mice were either steady state (SS), i.e., completely acclimated, or nonsteady state (NSS), i.e., transitional. Water shortage was imposed sequentially--1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 ad lib., and no water. SS mice lost solids and cellular fluid at each level of restriction, but maintained plasma volume and partially defended extracellular volume. Acute restriction to 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 ad lib. caused proportional losses of solids and fluids with the predominant fluid loss being extracellular. Acute restriction to no water caused cellular dehydration plus a loss of extracellular fluids including plasma. Comparison of acute and NSS mice at identical levels of restriction showed the NSS groups to be preacclimated toward further water restriction. Discussion centers on the comparison of acclimated and nonacclimated animals, mechanism of PV defense, and the general process of acclimation.


Internal synchronization among several circadian rhythms in rats under constant light.

Three biological rhythms (locomotor activity, body temperature, and plasma corticosterone) were measured simultaneously in individual rats under light-dark cycles and continuous light. Spontaneous locomotor activity was recorded on an Animex and body temperature was telemetrically monitored throughout the experiments. Blood samples were obtained serially at 2-h intervals on the experimental days. Phase angles of these rhythms were calculated by a least-squares spectrum analysis. Under light-dark cycles, the acrophases of locomotor activity, body temperature, and plasma corticosterone were found at 0029, 0106, and 1940 h, respectively. When rats were exposed to 200 lx continuous light, locomotor activity and body temperature showed free-running rhythms with a period of 25.2 h on the average. Plasma corticosterone levels determined at 12 days after exposure to continuous light exhibited a circadian rhythm with the acrophase shifted to 0720. The acrophases of locomotor activity and body temperature, determined simultaneously on the same day, were found to be located at 1303 and 1358 h, respectively. Phase-angle differences among the three rhythms on the 12th day of continuous light were essentially the same with those under the light-dark cycle. These results suggest that circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, body temperature, and plasma corticosterone are most probably coupled to a common internal oscillator in the rat.


Endogenous ultradian rhythms in rats exposed to prolonged continuous light.

Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, body temperature, and plasma corticosterone were determined simultaneously in individual rats that were exposed to 200 lx continuous light for over 3 mo. Free-running circadian rhythms of locomotor activity persisted for about 2 mo under continuous light and then the rhythms gradually decomposed. After 3 mo of exposure, circadian rhythms disappeared and activity bursts of 1- to 2-h duration manifested themselves several times during a 24-h period. Body temperature also exhibited several bursts of fluctuation and these bursts were closely correlated in their temporal sequence with those of locomotor activity. A least-squares spectrum analysis revealed that the burst had regular 4- to 6-h periods. Plasma corticosterone, determined by serial sampling at 2-h intervals from individual rats, also exhibited several secretion episodes in a day. These episodic secretions synchronized with bursts of locomotor activity. These results suggest that the ultradian component, manifested under prolonged continuous light, is a fundamental unit of the circadian rhythm and an oscillator for the ultradian rhythm is common to the three functions examined.


A mathematical simulation of the hyperneas of metabolic CO2 production and inhalation.

Mathematical models of the CO2 responsive controller for ventillatory responses to CO2 inhaled and to CO2 introduced in the perpheral tissues are formulated in the context of a controlled system that is a compartmented tissue system with a lung undergoing breathing movements. Equations representing the system are either ordinary difference-differential equations or algebraic equations. If the controller contains three components simulating, respectively, a proportional controller with a set point, a mechanism sensitive to trans-membrane CO2 gradients, and a mechanism responsive to the autocovariance difference in arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) about 1.2 s apart; and if the neural tissues produce CO2 as a result of their own activity (positive feedback), the entire system responds to metabolic production of CO2 by increasing ventilation in proportion to metabolism while maintaining a constant PaCO2. The same system responds to inhaled CO2 mixtures with ventilation increasing in proportion to increases in PaCO2. The behavior of the model is used to postulate a spatiotemporal hypothesis for the humoral component of respiratory regulation of CO2 exchanges.


Unstable state of the arterial pressure control system after a mild hemorrhage.

The stability of the arterial pressure control system after a mild hemorrhage (5 ml/kg body wt) was studied in 10 anesthetized cats by analyzing the responses of arterial pressure and of heart rate and the dead time (L) of heart rate response to a minute, rapid test hemorrhage (1 ml/kg body wt). The overall open-loop gain (H) of the arterial pressure control system was estimated from the ratio of arterial pressure fall immediately after the quick hemorrhage over the steady-state fall. Increases in H and L were correlated with the tendency of the arterial pressure control system to be unstable and oscillate. Oscillation in arterial pressure was always accompanied by a marked increase in heart rate (deltaHR), which represents an enhanced activity of the sympathetic nervous system and serves to restore arterial pressure toward the prehemorrhage level. The present study indicates that the magnitude of deltaHR also serves as a good predictor of arterial pressure oscillation.


Vagal bradycardia elicited by stimulation of the external cuneate nucleus in the cat.

The role of the external cuneate nucleus (ECN) in the control of heart rate was systematically investigated in 26 chloralosed and 2 decerebrated, paralyzed, and artifically ventilated cats. Electrical stimulation of histologically verified sites in the ventral ECN and dorsal spinal trigeminal tract elicited a marked decrease in heart rate, with threshold currents of 5-25 muA and an optimal frequency of 20 Hz when using a 0.2 ms pulse; this response was shown to be due to vagal excitation. In seven experiments intravenous pentobarbital sodium decreased the magnitude of the bradycardia elicited by stimulation of the ECN, of the nucleus ambiguus (AMB), and of the cervical vagus significantly less than the response from the nucleus of the tractus solitarius. In eight additional experiments in cats with lesions of the AMB made 11-27 days earlier stimulation of the ECN elicited a bradycardia of the same magnitude as that observed in intact animals, although the bradycardia elicited by stimulation of the ipsilateral cervical vagus was significantly reduced by the lesion. Similarly, lesions of the ECN in four cats significantly attenuated the bradycardia elicited by stimulation of the ipsilateral cervical vagus. These results suggest that the ECN is a site of origin of cardioinhibitory axons in the cat.


Mechanism of exaggerated diuresis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The mechanism of exaggerated diuresis and natriuresis was studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by renal clearance and micropuncture techniques. Control normotensive rats of the same age and sex [Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY)] were also studied. During the hydropenic control and the volume-expansion experimental periods absolute and fractional water and sodium excretion were greater in SHR than in WKY. Although fractional and absolute water and sodium reabsorption were similar along the proximal convolution in SHR and WKY, fractional and absolute water reabsorption in Henle's loop was less in SHR than in WKY. Hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressures in the cortical peritubular microvasculature were similar in WKY and SHR. Acute normalization of renal perfusion pressure by aortic constriction reversed the exaggerated diuresis and natriuresis in SHR by halving the filtered load of water and sodium; whole kidney and single nephron glomerular filtration rates and blood flows decreased by 50%. It is concluded that the exaggerated diuresis and natriuresis of the spontaneously hypertensive rat is caused by a decreased reabsorption in the loop of Henle. The mechanism of this decreased reabsorption in the loop of Henle cannot be explained by alterations in the measured physical forces in the renal cortical microvasculature.


Antidiuretic hormone-induced intramembranous alterations in mammalian collecting ducts.

Freeze-fracture electron microscopy had previously revealed antidiuretic hormone-induced aggregates of intramembranous particles in amphibian urinary bladder. To investigate the effects of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in another ADH-sensitive epithelium, namely, mammalian renal collecting ducts, freeze-fracture studies were carried out in Brattleboro homozygous rats. Collecting duct luminal membranes of ADH-treated homozygotes showed intramembranous particle clusters (117 +/- 17/100 micron2) that were loosely packed and that occurred on both exoplasmic (E) and protoplasmic (P) faces. Untreated, control homozygous rats had significantly less (3 +/- 1/100 micron2) clusters. Changes similar to those seen in ADH-treated rats were observed in water-deprived Wistar rats. The clustered particles differed from those seen in ADH-treated amphibian urinary bladder in that the latter occurred only on the P face and were more densely packed. Nevertheless, our observations suggest a common membrane effect for ADH action that may apply in mammals and amphibia alike.


The sadness of the psychopath.

In this introduction to the study and treatment of antisocial disorders, pain and loss to, as well as from, the sociopath are explored in an effort to establish and update an overview of sociopathy for the therapist or social scientist who is asked to work with such patients.


Lessons from cross-cultural psychotherapy.

The author identifies the effective technical aspects of cross-cultural psychotherapy: appropriate use of the medical model, recognition of nonverbal communication, and sensitivity to the subjective aspects of the patient's life. These approaches, when used with self-awareness and flexibility, can aid in the psychotherapeutic work with patients whose socioeconomic status, life style, ethnic origin or sexual orientation differs from that of the psychiatrist.


Staff countertransference to borderline patients on an inpatient unit.

Borderline patients evoke unique countertransference responses among members of the treatment team: pejorative behavior, undue optimism, and pessimistic nihilism to these patients, along with difficulties in limit-setting, and fragmentation of the treatment team are common. Frequent meetings and open communication within the treatment team are recommended in order to minimize the splitting that is central to these countertransference constellations.


Modified techniques for therapy with inarticulate adolescents.

In attempting psychoanalytic psychotherapy with adolescents who lack a verbal orientation, the essential mode of interaction between patient and therapist is substantially weakened. Certain modifications of therapeutic techniques, needed because of nonorganic language impairment--one psychologic consequence of a cognitively and emotionally disadvantaged life situation--are suggested.


First reported dreams in psychoanalytic group psychotherapy.

Analysis of dreams is often used in group psychotherapy to explore common group tensions and individual internal conflicts. The author pays special attention to the first dream which a patient reports in the course of group psychotherapy. These first reported dreams clearly and accurately reveal the patient's basic conflicts and also reflect the progressive stages of group-as-a-whole tension from issues of dependency, advice-giving, and universality to explorative resolution of conflicts.


Fear of death in the aging.

Fear of death appears to be universal in the psychopathology of aging, although it is frequently repressed. Judicious pharmacotherapy and insightful psychotherapy are effective in treating the elderly. Two case histories are given in illustration. Despite the difficulties of the problem, it is possible to remove this fear of death-that causes one to waste one's later years-to make of old age a useful and contributory period of life.


Living in limbo: psychosocial intervention in families with a cancer patient.

Modern medical practice has changed cancer from an acute to a chronic catastrophe. The family system of a cancer patient moves therefore into a state of a "limbo" where interactions, plans, and socioeconomic realities are continually imbalanced and ever-changing. Family coping styles are examined; therapists' strategies and pitfalls are delineated.


Parents as change agents: a psychodynamic model.

A treatment model is described by which psychodynamic clinicians can guide parents to become the primary change agents when their child is the identified patient. Three cases are presented where brief treatment, in which guided clinical interventions were largely carried out by the parents, led to sustained improvement in the child. Advantages of the approach and clinical issues regarding tis application are discussed.


Malpractice in outpatient psychotherapy.

There are many potential causes for malpractice actions in outpatient psychotherapy. Pertinent cases are reviewed, their implications discussed, and means by which practitioners can avert malpractice are described.


Psychogenic impotence and the black man's burden.

Clinical material is presented on a single case of impotence in a middle-aged black man. The symbolic meanings of the symptom in terms of the patient's aggression, feelings about his racial self-image, and the options that allow for male identity are discussed, along with some aspects of an interracial treatment situation in these changing times.


Leishmania infection of human skin fibroblasts in vitro: absence of phagolysosomal fusion after induced phagocytosis of promastigotes, and their intracellular transformation.

Cellular interactions between human skin fibroblasts and promastigotes of two leishmanial species were studied in vitro by light and electron microscopy. Fibroblasts were found to become infected by the species with a history of causing mucocutaneous infection, but not by that of the visceral type or Leishmania donovani. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed that promastigotes of the invasive species entered fibroblasts flagellum-end first through pseudopodia-like structures formed on the host cell surface, reminiscent of "induced phagocytosis." Ingested promastigotes became lodged in vacuoles that did not fuse with secondary lysosomes prelabeled with an electron-dense marker for identification. Transformation of promastigotes into amastigotes occurred among those located within host cells and was influenced by the ambient temperature. Intracellular parasite populations gradually decreased during a 3-week period in vitro, although dividing forms were occasionally seen at all incubation temperatures (32--37 degrees C). There was evidence that viable amastigotes were liberated by cytolysis and/or exocytosis of some infected cells. It is postulated that invasion of non-phagocytic cells by promastigotes and their subsequent transformation therein may allow them to escape from the often fatal consequence of direct confrontation with mononuclear phagocytes, and may be a survival mechanism associated with this parasite stage during the early host-parasite interaction in natural infection.


Giardiasis in American travelers to Madeira Island, Portugal.

A high incidence of diarrhea was reported in a group of approximately 1,400 Americans who traveled to the Portuguese island of Madeira in October 1976. A mail questionnaire survey revealed that 39% of the responding 859 travelers experienced diarrhea; in 42% of these diarrhea lasted for longer than 1 week. The most frequent accompanying symptoms were abdominal cramps (75%), abdominal distention (72%), nausea (70%), and weight loss (40%). Of all travelers surveyed, 33% developed an illness resembling giardiasis with a median incubation period of 4 days. Of 35 ill patients who had a stool culture, enteric pathogens were recovered from 4 (3 Shigella and 1 Salmonella). On the other hand, of 58 ill patients whose stools were examined for parasites, Giardia lamblia was recovered from 27 (47%). Analysis of the epidemiologic data showed that drinking tap-water on the island was significantly associated with illness; eating ice cream or raw vegetables on the island was also implicated. There was no evidence of continuing transmission of giardiasis in American tourists visiting Madeira 8--12 months after the outbreak.


Cutaneous amebiasis of the eyelid with extension into the orbit.

A 4-month-old girl was admitted to hospital with extensive ulceration and erosion of the left eyelid where 17 days earlier the skin had been broken when hit by a ball. Despite antibiotic therapy the lesion expanded to involve the orbit. Biopsy of the eyelid on the 4th day in hospital, and examination of the eye and attached tissues removed on the 6th, failed to detect amebae until after the infant's death due to a blood transfusion 2 weeks later. Re-examination of the tissues revealed abundant amebae with characteristic morphology of Entamoeba histolytica in subcutaneous tissues of the biopsy and in the loose exudate and necrotic tissues attached to the eye at all levels from lids to base.


Rapid decrease of precipitating and reaginic antibodies in Dirofilaria immitis-infected dogs which develop severe adverse reactions following treatment with diethylcarbamazine.

Dirofilaria immitis-infected dogs were treated with diethylcarbamazine. Measurement of the level of IgG precipitating antibody was carried out by counterimmunoelectrophoresis and that of IgE by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in pre-treatment and post-treatment serum samples. In dogs showing severe to moderate adverse reactions to the drug there were pronounced decreases of both antibodies to a "metabolic" antigen prepared from the medium in which adult female worms had been incubated. These antibody levels did not decline in non-reacting dogs. Precipitating antibody levels to somatic antigens extracted from adult worms and microfilariae remained unaltered in both reactive and non-reactive animals.


Population biology of hookworms in children in rural West Bengal. I. General parasitological observations.

Hookworm infection was studied over a 22-month period in 31-49% of a population of 1,803 1- to 10-year-old children in a rural area near Calcutta where both Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale were prevalent. Half of the children were infected before age 5 and 90% were infected by age 9, when the mean egg count reached 2,000 eggs/g of feces. Infection was significantly heavier and more prevalent among males than among females, and greater among Muslims than among Hindus. These differences were apparent in children less than 2 years of age. Numerical factors were devised to adjust fecal egg counts for both the smaller fecal output of children and the increased  dilution of eggs in watery feces as compared to formed feces. It is proposed that egg counts from 1- to 3-year-olds be multiplied by 0.3, those from 4- to 6-year-olds by 0.5, those from 7- to 9-year-olds by 0.6, and those from 10 to 12-year-olds by 0.7; differences in mean egg density among various fecal consistencies produced factors of 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 3.5 by which the egg counts in formed, mushy-formed, mushy, mushy-diarrheic, and diarrheic feces should be increased.


Population biology of hookworms in children in rural West Bengal. II. Acquisition and loss of hookworms.

From changes in hookworm egg counts in feces of children in Gangetic West Bengal we estimate that, on the average, each child lost about 11.1 female hookworms during the 1969 post-monsoon dry period and gained about 10.3 females during the subsequent premonsoon and monsoon seasons, resulting in a net loss of worms over the 22-month study period. However, the mean fecal egg count for each 1-year age group of children from 3-11 years suggests an average net gain of 2.7 female worms/year. From seasonal changes in the relative abundance of larvae recovered from fecal cultures, it is estimated that at least 82% of the yearly gain in Ancylostoma duodenale females is a result of the maturation of hypobiotic (latent) larvae acquired during the previous wet season. A duodenale was present about equally with Necator americanus but it was significantly more common among males than among females, and more common among Muslims than among Hindus. Using damp gauze pads, we sampled the soil surface around freshly-passed feces for infective hookworm larvae and estimated that 252 larvae were contacted by each child durint the transmission season. Efficiency of penetration and maturation of each hookworm species was calculated from estimated larval densities on the soil surface, from seasonal changes in fecal egg counts, and from variations in the number of larvae recovered from fecal cultures by season and age of the host; it is estimated that N. americanus is 17.5% efficient and A. duodenale 5.3%. Children negative for hookworm became positive at all times of the year and at a significantly higher rate in 1970 than in 1969; incidence averaged 4.2% per 2-month period and mean initial fecal egg count suggested infection with about 2.0 female worms. The average life span for N. americanus is calculated to be 3-4 years and that of A. duodenale about 1 year under the conditions of reinfection found in the study area.


Humoral immune responses in human hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni.

The development of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis in humans cannot always be related to the intensity of infection. A study was designed to identify different humoral immunologic responses to Schistosoma mansoni in patients with and without hepatosplenic disease. Twenty-four patients with active hepatosplenic disease were closely matched for age, sex, and fecal egg counts with twenty-four patients with only intestinal disease. A serum sample from each of these patients was tested for antibodies to the major soluble egg antigen (MSA1) by radioimmunoassay, for total and IgM antibodies to egg and worm antigenic preparations by ELISA, and for its ability to suppress antigen stimulated lymphocyte blastogenesis. No difference was found using these assays between the hepatosplenic and the intestinal schistosomiasis patients.


Recovery of the hepatic drug-metabolizing capacity in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni following curative chemotherapy with the schistosomicide 4-isothiocyano-4'-nitro-diphenylamine (CGP 4540).

Treatment of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni with a single oral dose of formulated 4-isothiocyano-4'-nitro-diphenylamine (CGP 4540) restored the capacity of the liver of these animals to metabolize certain drugs. Full recovery required 35-40 weeks. Administration of CGP 4540 to non-infected animals produced no significant changes in the activities of some hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes.


Discrimination of the larval stages of Echinococcus oligarthrus (Diesing, 1863) and E. vogeli Rausch and Bernstein, 1972 (Cestoda: Taeniidae).

Rostellar hooks of protoscolices from known larval stages of Echinococcus oligarthrus (Diesing, 1863) and E. vogeli Rausch and Bernstein, 1972 were compared to determine whether morphologic differences could be defined. The large and small hooks, respectively, of the two species were found to differ significantly in length (P = less than 0.0001) as well as in relative proportions. Host-related variation in lengths of hooks was not observed. Dimensions of the rostellar hooks were found to provide means for the discrimination of the larval stages of E. oligarthrus and E. vogeli, of which the latter is the cause of polycystic hydatid disease in man in South and Central America. The defined criteria were used in the identification of larvae from wild rodents and man.


Occurrence of Blastomyces dermatitidis in Israel. First autochthonous Middle Eastern case.

A nodule from the infrapatellar region of the left knee of a patient in Israel was found by fluorescent antibody staining to contain the tissue form cells of Blastomyces dermatitidis. The diagnosis was confirmed by culture and other mycological studies when a second lesion appeared below the right knee. This represents the first autochthonous case of blastomycosis from Israel and the Middle East.


Studies on hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in Nauru. II. Distribution amongst Gilbert and Ellice (Tuvalu) islanders.

The age-specific prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody was studied in a random sample of Gilbert and Ellice islanders over the age of 10 years living in Nauru. While approximately 82% of each group showed evidence of past infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) the carriage rate of HBsAg was significantly lower in the Polynesian Ellice islanders (7.5%) than in the Micronesian Gilbertese (26.3%) and indigenous Nauruans (14.7%). These findings suggest that Micronesian and Polynesian populations may differ in the response to infection with HBV.


Dengue fever with hemorrhagic manifestations: a report of three cases from Puerto Rico.

During the 1975 dengue epidemic in Puerto Rico, we studied three patients who had serologically confirmed dengue with hemorrhagic manifestations. None of the patients went into shock and none died. Only one of the patients had disease that resembled dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) as observed in Southeast Asia. This patient was a 14-year-old boy who had epistaxis, a positive tourniquet test, moderate thrombocytopenia, and significant hemoconcentration. The other two patients had hemorrhagic disease which was of clinical importance, but was not typical of DHF. These cases of dengue with hemorrhagic manifestations are the only ones known to have been documented in Puerto Rico.


Aedes aegypti in Puerto Rico: environmental determinants of larval abundance and relation to dengue virus transmission.

In order to understand adquately the dynamics of vector-borne disease, one must understand how and why vector populations change over time. We describe a long-term, cooperative study of seasonal fluctuation in populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Puerto Rico. During each month of the first 3 years of the project, A. aegypti was found breeding in all five communities studied. Mosquito density was positively correlated with rainfall, the relationship being more marked in the dry, south-coastal part of the island. Discarded tires and animal watering pans were the two most common larval breeding sites. In general, houses in Puerto Rico harbor more potential A. aegypti breeding sites than those in other tropical locations, probably because Puerto Rico is relatively more affluent.


Experimental infection of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) with Rocio virus.

Rocio encephalitis is a new epidemic flaviviral infection of man, first described in São Paulo State, Brazil in 1975. The ecology of the viral transmission cycle remains largely unknown. Experimental studies were undertaken to assess the role of a wild avian species, the House Sparrow, as a maintenance or amplifying host. Approximately two-thirds of nesting and adult sparrows developed 2- to 3-day viremias of low to moderate magnitude (2.0--4.3 log/ml). Rocio-immune birds were not protected against challenge with St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, but prior SLE viral infection prevented detectable viremia in birds challenged with Rocio virus. These studies provide some support for the hypothesis that birds are hosts for Rocio virus, but the House Sparrow probably plays a relatively minor role in viral transmission. Because sparrows are relatively inefficient viremic hosts, they would be expected to play a minor role in transmission should Rocio virus be introduced into the United States.


Release of Romanomermis culicivorax for the control of Anopheles albimanus in El Salvador I. Mass production of the nematode.

The mosquito parasite, Romanomermis culicivorax, was mass produced for the treatment of 144,000 m2 of Anopheles albimanus breeding area in El Salvador. The production of the necessary inoculum required the exposure of 1.6 X 10(6) first-instar Culex p. quinque-fasciatus larvae to 137 X 10(6) preparasites (1:14 ratio) each week for 6 weeks. The method employed produced an average 13.7 g (ca. 2,200/g) of postparasitic nematodes per rearing tray (20,000 mosquitoes), a total of 6,392 g (14.1 lb) for the 6-week period, and 425 cultures.


Release of Romanomermis culicivorax for the control of Anopheles albimanus in El Salvador II. Application of the nematode.

The mosquito breeding area of Lake Apastepeque, El Salvador, was treated 11 times over a 7-week period with Romanomermis culicivorax to control Anopheles albimanus and An. p. pseudopunctipennis. Parasitism averaged 58% but varied greatly from treatment to treatment and from site to site. However, three applications made during evening hours to avoid wind and wave action on the lake produced an average 86% parasitism. No significant differences in susceptibility to R. culicivorax were found between instars or between species. Also, no correlation was found between nematode dosage rates and levels of parasitism. Though the parasitism averaged about 60% of the desired level, Anopheles populations dropped from more than 10 per dip at the beginning of the release program to 0.6 per dip at the end of the release period (a 94% reduction). This is the first successful attempt to control mosquitoes on a large scale by using a parasite or pathogen.


Infection of man by Dirofilaria repens.

Dirofilaria repens, a natural parasite of dogs and cats in Europe, Asia, and Africa, sometimes infects man. In man the worms are usually in subcutaneous tissues or in the orbit. A case is herein reported in which a non-gravid, adult Dirofilaria, probably D. repens, was in the subcutaneous tissue of a resident of Wisconsin. The patient, however, acquired the infection 8 years previously in Greece.


A case of penile gnathostomiasis in Thailand.

A living young adult female Gnathostoma spinigerum 1.9 cm in length was extracted from a perforating hole on the left laterodorsal aspect of the proximal part of the inflamed glans penis of a 3-year-old Thai boy, the first such case to be recorded in the literature.


Treatment of complicated schistosomiasis mansoni with oxamniquine.

Twenty male patients (mean age 23 years) with Schistosoma mansoni infections (mean egg count 429 +/- 311/g feces) were each treated with oxamniquine orally in a single daily dose of 20 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days. Seventeen patients had hepatosplenomegaly, two of these had ascites. Three patients had diffuse colonic polyposis, one of these had ascites. Except for one who developed mild hematemesis 3 days after treatment, all patients tolerated the drug very well. However, 11 patients developed a fever 24 to 48 hours after completing treatment, which lasted for 2-3 days and coincided with increased excretion of schistosomal antigens in urine. Three months after completing therapy, all except one young patient ceased to have live egge in the stools or rectal tissue. Six months after treatment, three patients with colonic polyposis showed marked clinical improvement and sigmoidoscopic and barium enema examination demonstrated almost complete disappearance of all polyps.


Subarachnoid spinal analgesia. A comparative survey of current practice in Scotland and Sweden.

A postal inquiry into the current use of subarachnoid spinal analgesia obtained replies from approximately 70% of consultants in both Scotland and Sweden. Although medico-legal anxiety was still an important feature of Scottish practice, the publication of large series with a low incidence of complications had also exerted some influence, and 40% of consultants employed the technique. In contrast, 70% of Swedish replies indicated current use of spinal analgesia and the individual frequency of administration was considerably higher. The present popularity of epidural analgesia has contributed to some decline in the use of subarachnoid spinal analgesia in Sweden, particularly in the case of longer surgical procedures. Anaesthetists in both countries expressed dissatisfaction with the limited choice of available spinal agents and considered their duration of action to be inadequate. In Scotland, conditional indications, such as diabetes mellitus and respiratory disease, were of major importance, whereas Swedish users more often specified surgical procedures for which subarachnoid spinal analgesia was considered to be the anaesthetic of choice. Few anaesthetists had experience of complications and no major neurological sequelae were reported. More than 80% of replies indicated that subarachnoid spinal anaesthesia had a useful place in anaesthetic practice.


Substrate mobilisation during surgery. A comparison between halothane and fentanyl anaesthesia.

A study was undertaken in twenty-eight patients to compare the effects of the supplementation of nitrous oxide and oxygen anaesthesia with either 0.5--1.0% halothane or 50 microgram fentanyl/kg on the metabolic and hormonal response to gynaecological surgery. The results showed that the increases in blood glucose, plasma cortisol and growth hormone concentrations observed in the halothane group of patients were abolished in those who received fentanyl. It is postulated that the ability of large doses of fentanyl to inhibit the cortisol and growth hormone response to surgery may be of value in ameliorating the catabolic response to trauma.


Atropine and glycopyrronium premedication. A comparison of the effects on cardiac rate and rhythm during induction of anaesthesia.

The effect of premedication with the cholinergic blocking drugs, atropine and glycopyrronium, was investigated in two groups, each of twenty patients, with regard to their effects on cardiac rate and rhythm during induction of anaesthesia and tracheal intubation. Another similar group of twenty patients was given no anticholinergic premedication. The incidence of dysrhythmias was 35% in the atropine group and 10% in the glycopyrronium group but there were no dysrhythmias in patients given no anticholinergic drug. The average rises in arterial pressure were similar in all three groups. Atropine administration led to a greater initial rise in heart rate before the induction of anaesthesia, although the average heart rates were similar in the three groups at the time of intubation and cuff inflation. The routine use of anticholinergic premedication seems to be unnecessary since the antisialogogue effect does not make any difference to the course of anaesthesia. However, if the antisialogogue action is important, glycopyrronium offers an advantage over atropine.


[Anaesthesia for neuroradiology. Results from a questionnaire sent to 208 hospital departments (author's transl)].

A questionnaire was sent to 208 hospital departments to gain information on (1) the type and number of neuroradiological investigations performed, [2] the anaesthetic techniques used for these procedures and (3) the type and size of the hospitals. Replies were received from 132 (=63.5%) departments. The most common investigation is cerebral angiography. Wide variations in the anaesthetic techniques were revealed, barbiturate induced halothane anaesthesia and neuroleptanalgesia being favoured by most anaesthetists. Pathophysiological aspects of the anaesthetic techniques are discussed.


The use of drawing.

A case is made for the use of plain drawing in communication between anaesthetists and patients, other doctors and administrators. Suggestions for the application of drawing to anaesthetic practice are made and notes on sending work for publications are provided.


[Effects of calcium gluconate and calcium chloride on cardiocirculatory parameters in man (author's transl)].

In 44 patients with congenital or acquired heart disease, functional class II--IV NYHAC, the effects of calcium gluconate (10 ml 10%) and calcium chloride (10 ml 5.5%) on hemodynamics, inotropy and myocardial oxygen consumption were investigated during and immediately after cardiosurgical procedures. There was a significant increase in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure, total systemic resistance, cardiac index, stroke index, peak dp/dt and myocardial oxygen consumption as well as in arterial perfusion pressure during extracorporeal circulation due to i.v.-injection of either one of the drugs. The positive inotropic effects were more pronounced after application of calcium chloride. In emergency situations during anaesthesia or resuscitation, therefore, calcium chloride seems to be of more advantage than calcium gluconate.


Anaesthetic aid for Africa.

The need for anaesthetic aid in Africa is discussed. The nature of an aid scheme which would be most likely to succeed is outlined, based particularly on successful schemes in the field of agriculture.


[The influence of sodiumnitroprusside on the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve in vitro (author's transl)].

Blood from 16 donors was incubated with 3 microgram sodiumnitroprusside (SNP)/ml blood and the PO2 for halfsaturation of haemoglobin at standard pH and temperature was measured. There was no significant shift of the oxygen dissociation curve. Erythrocyte 2, 3 DPG and met-Hb concentrations did not show significant differences between SNP-treated and control blood. Although the red cells and the haemoglobin are involved in the metabolism of SNP, in clinical doses SNP does not alter the oxygen affinity.


Mobile resuscitation. A review of 200 calls attended by anaesthetists.

Evaluation of practice in a mobile resuscitation unit, staffed routinely by anaesthetists, over a 3 month period is described. Of 200 calls attended, the doctor was considered to have played a necessary role in sixty-seven, and in seven patients the doctor's attendance was considered to have contributed significantly to the patient's survival.


Ocular interlimbic distance. A new method of monitoring muscle relaxation during anaesthesia.

Measurement of the ocular interlimbic distance (OILD) with a vernier caliper has proved a useful method of studying the reduction in muscle tone caused by general anaesthetic agents and non-depolarising muscle relaxants. The depolarising muscle relaxant, suxamethonium, has a special effect on the extraocular muscles which can be exploited to monitor the incremental use of this drug and to assist in the management of suxamethonium-apnoea in patients with atypical pseudocholinesterase.


[Sodiumnitroprusside in neurosurgery and intensive care of neurosurgical patients (author's transl)].

Sodium nitroprusside (Nipride) was used in 35 patients between 16 and 72 years for induced hypotension. The fast and dose-dependent effect on the smooth muscles of the vessels made it superior to other methods of lowering blood pressure. Sodium nitroprusside was used to achieve hypotension in 11 patients (group I) with an aneurysm of a cerebral vessel and in 16 patients (group II) with highly vascularized cerebral tumors. In 8 patients (group III) from the neurosurgical intensive care unit a hypertensive crisis was interrupted. 10 patients (group IV) without induced hypotension were used as controls to compare the action of our standardized method of anesthesia on the observed parameters of blood pressure lowering. The average dose of sodium nitroprusside was 2.74 mcg/kg/min. in group I, 1.77 mcg/kg/min in group II and 1.27 mcg/kg/min in group III. The initial blood pressure was lowered between 30--40% in the mean in all 3 groups. Careful monitoring of the intra-arterial blood pressure, the central venous pressure, the cerebral fluid pressure, the arterial blood gases and the function of the kidneys during and after induced hypotension with sodium nitroprusside made it possible to take advantage of the blood pressure lowering effect also in patients with increased intracranial pressure.


[Subjective complaints of out-patients after halothane or enflurane anaesthesia (author's transl)].

In a prospective and randomized study, day-patients receiving halothane or enflurane-anaesthesia (n = 42 resp. 59) were  followed up by questionnaire to detect subjective complaints. There was no difference between the two anaesthetic agents. Despite the high incidence of complaints (88%), most of the patients would choose day-stay care (75%) and general anaesthesia (77%) again.


Routine pre-operative chest radiography. 1977 compared with 1955 at Peterborough District General Hospital.

Routine pre-operative chest X-rays have been taken for 22 years. There has been recent criticism of this investigation. 1000 such X-rays taken in 1977 are compared with the same number in 1955. It appears now that routine pre-operative chest X-rays are not necessary under 30 years of age but that they are essential over that age.


Measurement of patient dependency in the intensive care unit.

A simple method of evaluating actual patient dependency is presented and a suggestion made as to how this dependency can be correlated with nursing staff levels. It is proposed that each ICU work out the trends in its work load according to this system.


[Effects of tilidin and naloxone on pulmonary function (author's transl)].

The respiratory depressant effect of tilidine (valoron) was investigated in anaesthetized patients. One hundred mg of tilidine had a slight respiratory depressant effect which was without importance in awake subjects. The respiratory depression caused by tilidine could be antagonized by naloxone while the analgesic effect was maintained. This suggests a dissociation of the mechanisms responsible for the respiratory and the analgesic actions.


Postoperative nausea and vomiting treated with domperidone (r 33812) an open and a double-blind study.

The effect of domperidone on postoperative nausea and vomiting was evaluated in two consecutive studies. Fifty-eight patients with postoperative nausea and vomiting were included in an open pilot study and 38 other patients in a double-blind trial. In the first study 4 mg of domperidone was found to be significantly superior to 2 mg, in controlling nausea and vomiting. In the double-blind trial, vomiting recurred significantly later in domperidone than in placebo-treated patients. Side-effects were not seen nor reported in either study.


[Vena cava superior thrombosis following placement of internal jugular vein catheter (author's transl)].

Internal jugular vein puncture is suggested to be the safest route for placement of central venous catheter. One advantage is the lack of ensuing thrombosis. However, the case described demonstrates the occurrence of this complication. A 72-year old female developed severe thrombosis of the vena cava superior 5 days after placement of an internal jugular vein catheter. Thrombectomy was successfully performed during extracorporal circulation.


The anatomy of m. genioglossus in the 15-week human fetus.

The attachments, course, and interrelationships of M. genioglossus were examined in 28 fifteen-week human fetal specimens. Observations were made from histologic sections of the tongue cut in one of the three standard planes of section. The anterior-most genioglossal fibers insert near the tip of the tongue at the level of the anterior extent of the median septum. Within the central mass of the tongue, some fibers of this muscle characteristically decussate across midline, a limited number below the level of the septum and a considerably larger number above it. Posteriorly, a few of the most posterior and inferior fibers of M. genioglossus could be traced to an attachment on the thickened perichondrium on the superior edge of the hyoid anlage. In other respects, the disposition of genioglossal fibers at this stage of development resembles closely that description generally given for the adult structure.


Hepatic parenchyma, biliary ducts and gall bladder forming potency in the hepatic primordium in the quail embryo.

Differentiation potency of the hepatic primordium isolated from 21- to 35-somite stage quail embryos was examined by the transplantation in the coelomic cavity of the chick embryo. The hepatic primordium differentiates into hepatic parenchyma, intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts, and gall bladder. The hepatic parenchyma and two types of biliary ducts can differentiate from any fragment of the hepatic primordium divided at craniocaudal or proximodistal levels, while the gall bladder develops mainly from the proximal area of the primordium. These results indicate that the presumptive areas of hepatic parenchyma and biliary ducts are not arranged in a mosaic way in the young primordium, whereas the presumptive area of the gall bladder is restricted. Isolated hepatic primordial endoderm was found to differentiate to the epithelia of the hepatic parenchyma, bile ducts, and gall bladder under the influence of heterologous mesenchyme.


Topogenesis of the anterior intestinal port. Microkinematographic investigations on chick embryos.

Morphogenetic movements of the anterior intestinal port of in vitro growing chick embryos were recorded in stages 5--12 by means of microkinematography. Anterior intestinal port moves between stages 7 and 12 by 1.02 mm caudally, while the cranial end of the head migrates by 0.45 mm cranially. Rate of descensus, which is high during stages 7--9, decreases continually, approaching 0 in stage 12. The results are discussed in connection with the formation of intestinal port and of foregut.


Peculiar pattern of interkinetic nuclear migration in the newt Notophtalmus viridescens.

The distribution of mitotic figures was studied in the neuroepithelium of Notophtalmus viridescens embryos of stages 14, 16 and 18. On the average, 34% of the mitotic figures were counted near the neurocoele (here in described as zone 1), 10% were recorded in the outer portion of the epithelium (zone 3) and 56% were found between these two regions (zone 2). It is concluded that this neuroepithelium is the site of interkinetic nuclear migration although its pattern is peculiar when compared to what occurs in the chick embryo. Also, the analysis of one micron-thick serial sections showed that the neuroepithelium in Notophtalmus viridescens is pseudo-stratified throughout neurulation.


Anatomy of the rabbit cecum.

The anatomy of the rabbit cecum was investigated using macroscopic dissections, vascular injections, dried total specimens, light microscopy, and scanning and electron microscopy. The morphology of the three portions of the cecum (ampulla coli, corpus ceci and appendix vermiformis) is described. For comparison, the proximal colon, ileum and sacculus rotundus were also investigated. The thickness of the different layers of the intestinal wall of each area was measured. The arterial supply and mesenteries of the cecum were also studied. The rabbit cecum represents structurally a highly developed organ.


Observations on the development of the human atrioventricular node and bundle.

This light microscopic study of the cardiac junctional tissues was based on 27 human embryos, fetuses and postnatal hearts. Evidence was presented that superficial and deep portions of the postnatal AV node were derived from two cellular primordia in the posterior wall of the common atrium at the 6-mm stage. The small right primordia was associated with the right venous valve and give rise to the loosely organized superficial AV node that extended posteriorly to the coronary sinus ostium. A larger left primordia formed the more compact deep subdivision of the AV node located against the anulus fibrosus. In most postnatal hearts the two subdivisions are partially or completely fused to form the adult AV node. Failure of the nodal primordia to fuse during cardiogenesis may result in two separate nodal cell aggregates above the anulus. The present observations provide a rational explanation for the two AV nodal masses described in the literature and an additional specimen that is illustrated in this communication. An AV bundle was first identified in a 13-mm embryo and appeared to be derived from large clear cells of the posterior AV canal. At 25 mm the bundle formed a broad band across the top of the IV septum and continued into both ventricles. At this stage multiple cell strands penetrated the endocardial cushion to connect the AV bundle to the two nodal primordia. Failure of normal fusion between the AV node primordia and AV bundle can result in a variety of junctional anomalies including congenital heart block.


Ultrastructure of the parotid gland of the nine-banded armadillo.

The parotid gland of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) was examined by electron microscopy. In general, the ultrastructural morphology of this gland appears similar to that described in other species. The most unusual feature of the gland is that the secretory granules of the acinar cells contain a wide variety of substructures. These substructures range from a single dense core within a homogeneous matrix to a more complex cord-like network extending throughout the granule. It is suggested that this diversity of substructures is indicative of a maturation process of the secretory granules. The intercalated ducts are secretory. The myoepithelial cells are numerous, extend throughout the gland, and are associated with the striated ducts.


The influence of thyroid and testicular hormones on globule leucocytes in the rat duodenal crypt epithelium.

The globule leucocyte is a cell with a wide distribution in the digestive, respiratory, biliary, urinary and genital tract epithelia of homeotherms. It occurs in the crypts of the rat small intestine and within the epithelium on the villous bases but not on the remainder of the villi. A characteristic feature of this cell is the presence of acidophilic cytoplasmic granules, 0.5 to a few micrometers in diameter. The nucleus resembles that of intraepithelial intestinal lymphocytes. In this investigation, a quantitative study was made of the effect of thyroidectomy and/or castration on the number of globule leucocytes in the duodenal crypts of immature and adult rats. In sham-operated rats, globule leucocytes were rare, occurring with a frequency of 1 or 2 per 1,000 epithelial cells. After thyroidectomy, they increased to 14--20 per 1,000 epithelial cells. Castration did not influence the number of globule leucocytes but resulted in an increase in the number, size and acidophilia of their cytoplasmic granules. In immature rats, but not in adults, castration combined with thyroidectomy enhanced the effect of thyroidectomy, increasing globule leucocyte number to 32 per 1,000 epithelial cells. Treatment of thyroidectomized-castrates with thyroxine, initiated 38 days after operation, reduced the crypt globule leucocyte population to normal, whereas treatment with testosterone did not. Growth hormone failed to influence the elevated number of globule leucocytes in thyroidectomized rats, suggesting that this action of thyroxine was not mediated via an influence on growth hormone release. Because of their similar nuclear morphology, intraepithelial crypt lymphocytes were also counted and there was no obvious relationship in the fluctuations of these two cell populations. It is suggested that the greater number of crypt globule leucocytes in thyroid deficiency may reflect changes in the intestinal secretory immunoglobulin system and this is being investigated, beginning with a study of the distribution of IgE.


Surface morphology of bone marrow lymphocytes. I. Scanning electron microscopy of small lymphocytes bone marrow and spleen.

Cell separation techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the surface morphology of small lymphocytes in mouse bone marrow. Lymphocyte-rich fractions and unfractionated suspensions of bone marrow and spleen cells from 9--10-week-old C3H male mice were glutaraldehyde-fixed, syringed onto gelatin-coated silver membranes, dehydrated in ethanol, infiltrated with amyl acetate, critical point dried, coated with gold-palladium and examined by SEM. High proportions of cells were retained on the membranes. Purified spleen small lymphocytes showed unimodal distribution curves for cell diameter (mode, 3.4 micrometer) and for number of surface microvilli (mode, 55--60). Bone marrow small lymphocytes were identified initially in lymphocyte-rich marrow fractions and in erythroblast-depleted marrow from polycythemic mice as well as in normal whole marrow. The cells resembled spleen small lymphocytes in size distribution and they showed microvilli. However, the number of visible microvilli was lower on small lymphocytes in the bone marrow (mode, 35--40) than in the spleen. While in each small lymphocyte population the total number of microvilli was greater on larger cells than on smaller ones, the density of microvilli per unit area of cell surface tended to decrease with increasing cell size. The results establish that the small lymphocytes in mouse bone marrow, mainly locally-produced immature cells, have villous surfaces, but the number of microvilli per unit cell surface area is less than that on peripheral small lymphocytes, as seen in the spleen. Neither in the bone marrow nor in the spleen are subpopulations of small lymphocytes distinguishable solely by numbers of microvilli. The findings suggest that microvilli on bone marrow small lymphocytes may undergo further development during post-mitotic maturation, surface receptor expression and migration of the cells to peripheral lymphoid tissues.


Supraependymal neurons overlying the periventricular region of the third ventricle of the guinea pig: a correlative scanning--transmission electron microscopic study.

The frequency of occurrence, distribution and morphology of supraependymal neurons associated with the third ventricular wall of the guinea pig were investigated by correlative scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Each of the specimens was located on the ciliated ventricular wall between the inferior border of the thalamus and the non-ciliated ependyma associated with the median eminence. Prominent clusters of neuronal perikaria in association with massive process bundles were observed in 7 of the 31 specimens examined. In those specimens lacking prominent neuronal networks a more diffuse array of independent nerve fibers was sometimes seen on the ependymal surface. Neuronal perikaria exhibited numerous surface protrusions and were covered by a rich meshwork of crisscrossing, varicosed fibers. Many of these cells were associated with multiple processes of varying diameters and lengths which either coursed independently over the ventricular surface or formed fasciculated bundles. As process bundles traversed the ependymal surface, individual processes branched off and either terminated within the ventricular lumen or penetrated the subjacent ependymal lining. Fibers also made contact with adjacent supraependymal neuronal elements. Correlative transmission electron microscopic observations indicate that both the perikaria and processes of such supraependymal networks possess ultrastructural features characteristic of neurons. The morphological characteristics of the intraventricular neuronal networks suggest that they may be engaged in functional interactions with the cerebrospinal fluid, with adjacent supraependymal neuronal elements and with the subjacent neuropil.


Identification of neuro-epithelial bodies in rabbit fetal lungs by scanning electron microscopy: a correlative light, transmission and scanning electron microscopic study.

In the present study, neuro-epithelial bodies (NEB) were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) within the bronchial epithelium of near-term rabbit fetuses. The surface features and topography of NEB were correlated by light and transmission electron microscopy. In SEM, the surfaces of NEB were easily visualized in smaller peripheral airways because of paucity of ciliated cells in these regions. The NEB formed crater-like pits, which were lined with microvilli and had smooth-surfaced nonciliated cells around the rim. Stereo-pair photographs revealed that the latter cells protruded above adjacent bronchiolar mucosa. The SEM also revealed that NEB were preferentially located near or at bronchiolar bifurcations. This is the first report of the three-dimensional structure of pulmonary NEB. Their direct contact with the airway lumen, as well as their strategic location in bronchiolar mucosa, support the suggestion that they are intrapulmonary receptors and help to regulate air-flow in peripheral airways.


Preventable anesthesia mishaps: a study of human factors.

A modified critical-incident analysis technique was used in a retrospective examination of the characteristics of human error and equipment failure in anesthetic practice. The objective was to uncover patterns of frequently occurring incidents that are in need of careful prospective investigation. Forty-seven interviews were conducted with staff and resident anesthesiologists at one urban teaching institution, and descriptions of 359 preventable incidents were obtained. Twenty-three categories of details from these descriptions were subjected to computer-aided analysis for trends and patterns. Most of the preventable incidents involved human error (82 per cent), with breathing-circuit disconnections, inadvertent changes in gas flow, and drug-syringe errors being frequent problems. Overt equipment failures constituted only 14 per cent of the total number of preventable incidents, but equipment design was indictable in many categories of human error, as were inadequate experience and insufficient familiarity with equipment or with the specific surgical procedure. Other factors frequently associated with incidents were inadequate communication among personnel, haste or lack of precaution, and distraction. Results from multi-hospital studies based on the methodology developed could be used for more objective determination of priorities and planning of specific investments for decreasing the risk associated with anesthesia.


Behavioral effects of trace and subanesthetic halothane and nitrous oxide in man.

Using tests of complex reaction time and of immediate recall (digit span), the authors could not demonstrate that trace concentrations of halothane (to 0.02 per cent, or 200 parts per million) or halothane plus nitrous oxide (0.002 per cent plus 0.05 per cent, respectively) or nitrous oxide alone (0.4 per cent) affected mental function of male volunteers. However, subanesthetic concentrations of both nitrous oxide (20 to 30 per cent) and halothane (0.2 per cent) did impair mental function.


[Protozoa of small mammals in the Neusiedlersee region].

During the years 1975 and 1976, 169 mammals (26 species) were investigated for their parasites. It was possible to recognise 33 different species of protozoans, belonging to the following genera: Trypanosoma, Giardia, Hexamita, Entamoeba, Eimeria, Isospora, Toxoplasma Frenkelia, Hepatozoon, Babesia, Balantidium, Pneumocytis, Grahamella, Eperythrozoon.--Epidemiology and eventual pathogenic effects are briefly discussed.


Ultrastructure of some cutaneous sense organs in Dermacentor marginatus nymphs.

The fine structure of the integumentary glands and mechanoreceptory setae in Dermacentor marginatus nymphs is described. The integumentary gland is localized in the epidermal layer and secretory products pass through the duct lumen and two cuticular lips to the surface. Ultrastructure of cuticular cavity represents triangular form with lateral folds. The mechanoreceptor setae are composed of glandular cells localized in the epidermal layer and cuticular setae movably articulated to the cuticle by means of a compact fibrillar ring around the base.


Two new species of trypanosomes from Indian fresh water fishes. II.

Two new trypanosomes, viz. Trypanosoma anabasi sp. nov. from Anabas testudineus (Bl.) and T. cancili sp. nov. from Xenentodon cancila (Ham.) are described from India. Both of them are monomorphic. The former is provided with a prominent undulating membrane as well as a long and well differentiated flagellum but the latter has a less defined undulating membrane with a small and extremely weak flagellum.


[Structure of the larval integument of goat gadflies].

The structure and development of the integument of Przhevalskiana silenus during the different larval stages are described. The endocuticule of the 1st instar larvae is closely indented with the hypodermis. The indentation is not strong in 2nd-instar larvae and disappears in the third-instar completely. Thin plasmatic strings pass through the endocuticule of the 1st and 2nd-instar larvae. In the 3rd-instar larvae many canals are found in the endocuticule, which probably are pore-canals as described in investigations of other authors. These canals allow transport of substances from inside to outside and vice versa. The cuticular surface of the 2nd-instar larvae shows characteristic spines which might be an additional help for fixing in the hosts tissue during the stationary stages. These spines are missing on migrating larvae.


[List of trematodes of the GDR].

Short systematic-ecographical documentation of the trematode species hitherto found in the territory of the German Democratic Republic and the adjacent region of the Baltic Sea as a systematic list (alphabetically arranged after classes, orders, families, genera and species). Information on the synonyms important for the territory treated, on the cycle (limnical, marine, terrestrial; host categories, host groups), on the host species recorded for the territory, on the district of findings, on the literature referring to the findings, and on the wrong determinations so far recognized. There are 269 recorded species (177 with or presumably with a limnical, 59 with a marine, and 25 with a terrestrial cycle within the territory).


A simplified method for evaluating peripheral arterial occlusive disease in a clinical vascular laboratory.

A relatively simple, inexpensive, and accurate procedure for the vascular laboratory evaluation of patients with suspected peripheral arterial occlusive disease is described. This method was evaluated in a series of 110 limbs in 58 patients seen in the Vascular Laboratory at the Worcester City Hospital. All patients were evaluated clinically and angiographically as well, to provide additional standards for evaluation. The method described was 100% accurate in predicting the presence or absence of significant occlusive disease, and over 90% accurate in defining the location of the major occlusive process. The method utilizes a combination of two well-established measurements--ankle systolic pressure and ankle pulse wave amplitude--as a screening method for determining the presence or absence of significant occlusive disease. Only patients with abnormal findings are tested further, resulting in a considerable savings in time and expense in the clinical vascular laboratory. The method may also prove valuable for following patients with known vascular disease for evidence of progression and for evaluating the effectiveness of various reconstructive procedures. Other methods and instruments may be adapted utilizing the same general principles.


Premature hair graying: a probable coronary risk factor.

Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking are known coronary risk factors. It has been our impression that premature graying of the hair also predisposes individuals to myocardial infarctions. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated all of the patients under the age of 50 who were admitted to the coronary care unit between 1974 and 1976 with a proven diagnosis of a myocardial infarction. There were 50 patients. Thirty-eight did not have premature graying. Twelve of the male patients (24%) had virtual total graying of the hair which made them appear older than their stated age. The graying in these patients started on the average at 29 years. Five of these patients state that other family members had premature hair graying. The incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and smoking was similar in those with and without premature hair graying. This preliminary study suggests that premature graying of the hair is associated with premature cardiovascular disease. It should probably be regarded as a coronary risk factor and used to identify patients at increased risk.


Assessing opacification and flow rates of contrast media in neonate and pediatric cardiac catheterization.

The accuracy and advantages of determining the flow rates of opaque media in catheters used in the infant and pediatric age group is essential in obtaining proper opacification with minimum toxicity to the patient. Flow rates expressed as cubic centimeters per second and grams of iodine per second were determined by using representative standard pediatric catheters in various sizes and lengths. Three representative opaque medias were used to determine these findings. Although present-day injector pumps are frequently calibrated in delivery rates, they cannot be applied directly to the cardiac catheters usually used with infants and small children.


Treatment of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism by streptokinase.

We applied the standard treatment with streptokinase to 52 cases of deep venous thrombosis and 35 cases pulmonary embolism. Angiography demonstrated total lysis of the clot 22 times, partial lysis 42 times, and no lysis 23 times. The absence of lysis was more frequent in venous clots than in pulmonary clots. Early treatment was more effective, achieving complete lysis in 21 of 22 cases. Nevertheless, in deep venous thrombosis, late treatment can result in partial lysis and set an important venous junction free. With the standard treatment, the biologic controls showed good lysis in 75% of the cases, insufficient lysis in 15%, and no lysis in 10%. The extent of the thrombosis is an important point. The clot was totally lysed in 9 of 10 cases of localized deep venous thrombosis. In patients with pulmonary embolism, about 30% of the obstructed surface is cleared. Nevertheless, in such cases we must take into consideration not only the nonperfused pulmonary area, but also the venous starting point of the clot.


Conservative treatment of stasis ulcer of the lower limbs.

Our conservative method of treating stasis ulcers of the leg, which is based on counteracting causal factors, was tested in 100 patients. Ninety-one percent of the ulcers healed within 12 months of treatment, and 71% within 6 months. No recurrences have been reported, although the follow-up is still only short-term. Because of these results, we think surgical treatment of stasis ulcers should be undertaken only when the conservative method fails. If surgery is to be done, it should consist of excision and ligation of varices and incompetent perforators, in order to eliminate recurrences.


Right bundle branch block with periods of alternating left anterior and left posterior hemiblock. Clinical evidence of incomplete fascicular block.

The case presented had an electrocardiographic pattern of complete right bundle branch block with alternating periods of left anterior hemiblock and left posterior hemiblock. During one of the periods of alternating hemiblock, an His bundle electrogram was recorded and the His Purkinje (H-V interval) conduction time was within normal limits. In a second episode of alternating hemoblock, periods of Mobitz type II second-degree A-V block were noted. It is postulated that this case provides clinical evidence that incomplete block of a fascicle may occur in spite of an electrocardiographic pattern of complete fascicular block. It is thought that the periods of alternating hemiblock result from a changing relationship between conduction velocity and refractory period.


Serum theophylline concentrations in asthmatic children.

Serum theophylline concentrations measured in 25 asthmatic children for whom continual therapy had been prescribed were found to exceed 8 mcg/ml more often in those receiving sustained-release theophylline preparations than those receiving short-acting theophylline preparations.


Biorhythm theory and asthma.

The hypothesis that bronchial asthma might follow a biorhythmic pattern was tested in 25 asthmatics with moderate to severe obstruction who completed daily diaries of respiratory symptoms and medication use. Biorhythm cycles (for 23-, 28- and 33-day periods) were calculated. Analysis of scores of medication use or respiratory symptomatology failed to demonstrate any relationship between asthma and biorhythm cycles or any other periodicity.


Acute theophylline intoxication. Biphasic first order elimination kinetics in a child.

An acute theophylline intoxication in a child is reported. It was characterized by two distinct first-order elimination processes with t1/2 = 12.6 hr (ke = 0.056 hr-1) and t1/2 = 5.4 hr (ke = 0.128 hr1), respectively. It is proposed that the slower process, which was seen at high plasma levels, represents renal plus saturated hepatic elimination. The later, more rapid process seen at therapeutic plasma levels is consistent with hepatic elimination by biotransformation.


Corticosteroids for asthma during pregnancy.

This is a retrospective evaluation of 36 pregnant patients who required corticosteroids for control of their asthma. In view of the lack of maternal or infant abnormalities it is felt that corticosteroids should not be withheld from pregnant patients when required.


Pulmonary function values in healthy Holstein-Friesian calves.

Repeated pulmonary function testing was performed on six 4- to 6-week-old resting, nonanesthetized Holstein-Friesian calves (av weight 59 kg). Under study conditions, PaO2, PaCO2 and pH were 73.3 mm of Hg, 41.2 mm of Hg, and 7.42, respectively. Mean ventilatory values for the group were: minute ventilation, 13.1 L/min/m2., and respiratory rate, 27.3 breaths/minute. Measurements of pulmonary mechanics were performed while animals breathed spontaneously through a pneumotachygraph. Intrapleural pressure was estimated, using an esophageal balloon-catheter. Total pulmonary resistance was 3.1 cm of H2O/L/sec and dynamic pulmonary compliance was 0.15 L/cm of H2O. These values have not been reported previously in the calf but agreed well with predicted values derived from comparative studies in other species. Efficiency of intrapulmonary gas mixing was estimated, using a N2 washout technique, and results agreed favorably with values previously reported in the dog.


Pathophysiologic studies of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in the Holstein-Friesian calf.

Pulmonary function changes in 6 Holstein-Friesian calves, 4 to 8 weeks of age, were studied for 10 to 11 days following experimental inoculation with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus. Calves had no demonstrable antibody titer against IBR virus before inoculation, and all calves responded to the virus by postinoculation day 3 with high fever (greater than 40.6 C) and rapid, shallow breathing. Analysis of blood gases demonstrated a progressive rise in PaCO2 but no change in PaO2. Acid-base state remained normal. Tidal volume decreased with time; conversely, minute ventilation functional residual capacity, O2 consumption, and CO2 production increased. Alveolar ventilation failed to increase as much as predicted. Studies of respiratory mechanics showed a progressive increased in total pulmonary resistance but without change in dynamic pulmonary compliance. A steady-state N2 washout test was used with these calves, and results suggested impairment of intrapulmonary gas mixing as the disease progressed. Microbiologic, pathologic, and histopathologic analyses were consistent with the picture of acute IBR. This study demonstrated our ability to measure pulmonary function changes in nonanesthetized large animals suffering from respiratory tract disease. We characterized the pathophysiologic features of acute IBR infection in the bovine species as an obstructive lung disease resulting in increased resistance to breathing, retention of CO2, and increased resting lung volume.


Serum levels of conglutinin, complement, and immunoconglutinin in cattle infected with Anaplasma marginale.

Sera from 10 splenectomized yearling cattle given massive doses of Anaplasma marginale (peracute cases) were assayed for conglutinin and complement. Sera from 5 nonsplenectomized yearling cattle given smaller doses (acute cases) were assayed for conglutinin, immunoconglutinin, and complement. In the peracute cases, conglutinating activity disappeared within 6 days after the cattle inoculated. In the acute cases, conglutining began to disappear at 3 weeks after inoculation and had disappeared at peak parasitemia at 4 weeks. Conglutinin returned by 7 weeks after inoculation. In the same acute cases, immunoconglutinain appeared at 6 weeks after inoculation and then slowly disappeared. The complement levels in the peracute and acute cases did not change appreciably.


Acclimation of young calves to high temperatures: physiologic responses.

Four 2- to 3-month-old male Bos taurus calves kept in an ambient environment of 18.3 C and 50% relative humidity for a week were then exposed to 40.5 C and 50% relative humidity atmosphere in a climatic chamber for short-term (2 weeks) acclimation. The exposure time was 12 hours each day. Their respiratory rate, skin temperature, and rectal temperature rose sharply on the 1st day of exposure and then gradually declined with continued exposure. The heart rate, on the ohter hand, declined with successive days of exposure. A gradual increase in sweating rates of calves was observed after the 2nd day of exposure. Most of the  acclimation in these physiologic measurements was completed in the first 9 to 10 days of exposure and it was concluded that young calves have a well-developed power of acclimation to high temperature


Acclimation of young calves to high temperatures: composition of blood and skin secretions.

Total nitrogen and sodium and potassium contents of blood serum and of skin secretions were measured in four 2- to 3-month-old male Bos taurus calves subjected to a 2-week acclimation process in a climatic chamber at 40.5 C, 50% relative humidity, 12 hours each day. Secretions from the skin were absorbed in filter papers that were the used for analysis of sodium, potassium, and total nitrogen. Significant change in serum sodium, potassium, or nitrogen was not observed. A significant (P less than 0.01) rise in the nitrogen content of skin secretions was observed on the 1st day of exposure and continued throughout the entire exposure period. Similarly, there was a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in the content of sodium and potassium in skin secretions. The secretions contained about 2 times more potassium than sodium.


Anthelmintic activity of albendazole against Filaroides hirthi lungworms in dogs.

Albendazole given at a dosage rate of 25 to 50 mg/kg twice daily for 5 days killed all but a small proportion and sterilized the few surviving Filaroides hirthi worms in artificially infected Beagle pups. Extensive tissue reaction around the dead worms persisted for an undetermined length of time. However, albendazole treatment of mature stock should prove useful in preventing transmission of F hirthi infection to their offspring and thus provide an efficient means of control.


Dexamethasone treatment during hemorrhagic shock: blood pressure, tissue perfusion, and plasma enzymes.

In a study to determine beneficial effects of dexamethazone (5 mg/kg) during hemorrhagic shock, perfusion (as measured by radioactive microspheres) and plasma enzymes were measured. Hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial blood pressure, MABP, of 50 mm of Hg) was induced in dogs and then the dogs were isolated from the shed-blood reservoir and were allowed to compensate their MABP. Hemodynamic changes, tissue perfusion, and plasma enzymes were measured at different intervals of time in nontreated and dexamethasone-treated dogs. Beneficial effects were increased MABP, improved blood flow to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys, and less cell damage as indicated by amounts of plasma enzymes released from damaged tissues. These effects favor the maintenance of the homeostatic state and, in turn, a greater chance for survival of the dog.


Humoral immune response of dogs vaccinated with leptospiral pentavalent outer envelope and whole culture vaccines.

The humoral immune response of dogs vaccinated with leptospiral pentavalent outer envelope and whole culture vaccines was monitored with the microscopic agglutination (MA) test and leptospiricidal activity (LA) test for a 2-year period. The leptospiral serovars in the vaccines was canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa, pomona, and hardjo. The LA test was markedly more sensitive than the MA test for detecting anti-Leptospira antibodies and was least noticeable with anti-pomona antibodies. Both Igm and IgG were produced in similar amounts in the vaccinated dogs, and both classes of immunoglobulins were reactive in the MA and LA tests. The IgM class of antibodies was slightly more reactive in the MA test, whereas IgG antibodies were somewhat more reactive in the LA test. A direct correlation between protective antibodies, as determined by the hamster passive-protection test, and antibodies reactive in the MA and LA tests was observed.


Dexamethasone treatment during hemorrhagic shock: effects independent of increased blood pressure.

Effects of dexamethasone (5 mg/kg of body weight) on organ blood flow, enzyme release, and hemodynamics were studied in dogs with hemorrhagic shock to determine if the consequences observed were due to increased mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) or intrinsic effects of dexamethasone. Hemorrhage was induced in anesthetized dogs until the MABP was 50 mm of Hg and then the dogs were treated with dexamethasone or an equal volume of saline solution. Dogs remained connected to the blood reservoir during the entire experiment and MABP was maintained at 50 mm of Hg in the treated and control groups of dogs. Beneficial actions of dexamethasone treatment independent of increased MABP were observed. Increased survival rate, differential blood flow to some organs, and less tissue damage occurred as a result of dexamethasone treatment and were independent of increased MABP.


Effects of mibolerone on conception, pregnancy, parturition, and offspring in the Beagle.

Mibolerone was administered to Beagle bitches at dose levels of 20 or 60 microgram/day, starting 1,3, or 6 days after the 1st breeding and continuing until the offspring were weaned. Adverse effects on conception, pregnancy, or parturition were not observed in the treated bitches. Female offspring were masculinized. There were no gross effects on the male offspring.


Metabolic and cellular profile testing in calves under feedlot conditions: minerals, electrolytes, and biochemical components--reference values.

Blood serum samples were obtained from 114 crossbred calves on a feed trial under feedlot conditions at the end of a 56-day feeding period. Average values for 19 blood components were determined. The effects of the 3 trial rations and 2 electrolyte treatments were analyzed. Except for inorganic phosphates, urea nitrogen, cholesterol, glucose, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase most mean values were similar to those in dairy cattle. Urea nitrogen values differed significantly (P less than 0.05) in animals fed different rations apparently reflecting the crude protein content of each ration. The mean values presented can be used as base-line data for comparison with other similar studies or with values from  diseased animals.


Metabolic and cellular profile testing in calves under feedlot conditions: minerals, electrolytes and biochemical components--changes over time in feedlot.

The concentration of 19 mineral, electrolyte, and biochemical components in blood serum of 114 calves under feedlot conditions were measured or calculated over a 58-day period (2 days before and 56 days during a feed trail). The purpose was to evaluate the variability in the concentration of these components over time. The blood was collected on 7 sampling dates and analyzed on the day following sampling. Generally, the serum concentrations of the components that were measured varied considerably over the first 3 weeks of the feeding period and then had a tendency to level off during the 2nd part of that period.


Metabolic and cellular profile testing in calves uncer feedlot conditions: blood cellular components--reference values and changes over time in feedlot.

The cellular components of the blood of 114 calves were measured under feedlot conditions. The results suggest that certain cellular components of the blood of a group of crossbred feedlot-type calves which are homogeneous only with regard to weight are reasonably uniform. More specifically, all red blood cell components have coefficients of variation of less than 10%. The white blood cell counts underwent drastic changes over the first 2 sampling dates, ie, before and after transport and processing of the calves. Later, in the feeding period, the cell counts readjusted to more stable levels. The results were compared with such values obtained from dairy cattle. The total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, and red blood cell components were found to be slightly higher in these feedlot calves than in dairy cattle. The difference might partly be due to age. The mean values reported can be used as a base for comparison with values obtained from other such studies or from studies of disease processes in cattle under feedlot conditions (or both).


Metabolic and cellular profile testing in calves under feedlot conditions: protein fractions and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes--reference values.

Serum protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme values were determined for frozen serum samples from crossbred yearling feedlot cattle on feed for 56 days. The mean percentage values for serum protein components from 114 samples were: albumin, 46.5; alpha-globulin, 10.4; beta-globulin, 18.7; gamma-globulin, 23.8. For LDH isoenzymes, they were: LDH1, 36.5; LDH2, 24.7; LDH3, 16.9; LDH4, 12.0; LDH5, 9.1. These values are compared with values from dairy cattle.


Efficacy of droncit against Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs.

A study was made on 120 dogs to evaluate the effectiveness of droncit against Echinococcus granulous infection. The drug was administered orally in tablet form at dose rates of 1.25, 2.5, 5.0,and 10.0 mg/kg of body weight against immature stages of the parasite and at a dose rate of 5.0 mg/kg against gravid worms. Droncit was found to be 100% effective against both immature and gravid worms at the dose rate of 5.0 mg/kg. Adverse reactions were not observed in the treated dogs, and no risk was involved in administering the drug. The use of droncit in hydatidosis control programs in discussed.


Centric fusion of autosomal chromosomes in a bitch and offspring.

A fertile Golden Retriever cross had a chromosome number of 77, with 3 large metacentric chromosomes representing the 2 X chromosomes and a centric fusion of 2 autosomes. The known reproductive history of the bitch included litters of 6, 5, 13, and 10 pups during 4 consecutive estrous cycles. A total of 16 pups and their sire were located and karyotyped. The sire and 9 of the pups were of normal karyotype. Seven of the 16 pups were found to be carriers of the translocation. The translocation was determined to be a fusion of chromosomes 13 and 17, utilizing G-banding techniques. Although centric fusion has been reported in dogs with congenital disease, the dogs in the present study were not phenotypically unique or abnormal.


Haemonchus contortus infections in Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs.

Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs that were raised helminth-free were experimentally infected with 10,000 or 25,000 infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus. There were no significant (P = less than 0.05) differences in results of weight gain, packed cell volumes, numbers of eggs per gram of feces, or numbers of helminths between the 2 groups of lambs.


Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) and Toxoplasma gondii among dairy goats in California.

The prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agents of Q fever and toxoplasmosis, was examined in goats to determine the extent of the potential of goats to tansfer these infections to persons. Of 1,054 goats from 234 premises in California, 248 goats (24%) were seropositive for C burnetii and 246 (23%) were seropositive for T gondii. Of 29 dairy goats tested, 2 (7%) were found to be shedding the Q fever rickettsia in their milk; T gondii was not detected. Factors of sex, age, location, and herd size are discussed.


Plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume in horses at rest and following exercise.

Plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume were determined in horses at rest and immediately after a standardized exercise test. Exercising during training demonstrated no detectable effect on plasma or extracellular fluid volume determinations when compared with resting values. An explanation of this finding and an argument for the proper analysis of plasma and extravascular fluid volumes are presented.


[Mortality by burns in children (author's transl)].

The mortality rate among 1,490 children, aged zero to fourteen years, hospitalized in the Burns Unit of Departament of Plastic Surgery in Ciudad Sanitaria de la Seguridad Social de Sevilla is studied. Analysis determined death probabilities for each case according to percentage of burned surface and age, and also LD50 in different age groups. The mortality analysis showed lethal factors related with primary care and evacuation, responsible for a decrease in survival probabilities of the children. Children with severe burns must be hospitalized in special units, which must have a high level of training in hydroelectrolitics disturbances and surgical management of this type of patients, who require homo or xenografts frequently.


[Child drawings and psychological problems in paediatrics hospitalization (author's transl)].

Consulting in child psychology in collaboration with the pediatric hospital service, gave way to a growing interest to learn and take in consideration psychological problems of children. Six drawings by children are presented about subjects of hospitalization and in which the physician takes on a familiar psychological value that goes beyond the diagnosis and somatic treatment. The affective states which children show in their drawings when they are hospitalized and the work of the physician are discussed. Some psychoprophylactic means are suggested for hospitalization, surgical operations and serious somatic illnesses that can lead to a premature death. The child's biography and what the physician can observe in his family visits, are basic elements in the psychosomatic approach. The drawing gives elements about the internal state of the child in the hospital atmosphere and preliminary indications on individual psychotherapy treatment.


[Bartter's syndrome. Pathophysiology in three cases (author's transl)].

The primary pathologic defect in Bartter's syndrome is unknown. Three patients have been studied. In two of them, with normal intra-erythrocite sodium concentration, authors prove the existence of an impaired proximal tubular sodium reabsorption. In the last case, with a high intra-erythrocite sodium concentration, this impaired sodium reabsorption was localized in the proximal and distal tubular portions.


[Modifications of insulin and growth hormone after medium chain triglycerides ingestion (author's transl)].

Authors determined the variation of glucose, ketone bodies (KB), free fatty acids (FFA), insulin and growth hormone (HGH) in blood produced by the ingestion of 1.5 g./kg. of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in 10 healthy children between 5 and 11 years. Blood values were determined starting 30 minutes before the MCT ingestion and at 30 minutes intervals until 120 minutes post ingestion and a final determination at 180 minutes. The glucose did not change. The KB were increased (p less than 0.01) from 30 to 120 minutes and the FFA from 90 (p less than 0.01) to 120 minutes (p less than 0.001) after ingestion. Insulin secretion was elevated between 30--90 minutes with a peak value at 60 minutes (p less than 0.001). HGH began to increase at 60 minutes, remaining elevated at the last determination at 180 minutes. The HGH basal value was 0.5 +/- 0.2 ng./ml.; began to increase at 60 minutes and reached the value of 3.9 +/- 1.06 ng./ml. and 4.8 +/- 2.04 ng./ml. at 90 and 120 minutes respectively (p less than 0.001). We do not know the origin of the HGH increase. The changes may explain FFA elevation and other metabolic actions of MCT. The glucose-insulin ratio showed that the hyperinsulinemia was not caused by an increased glucose level.