Plain film diagnosis of perirenal hemorrhage. The authors describes the plain film radiographic changes due to traumatic, perirenal hemorrhage in 43 patients. The direct effect of the hematoma: (1) partially or completely obscures the kidney; (2) usually obscures adjacent lumbar muscles, and (3) often produces a tilt of the lumbar spine to the affected side. The mass effect of the hematoma displaces adjacent organs and varies with its supra- or inframesocolic position.


Medulloblastoma: example of late adult onset with statistical correlation relative to etiology. A case of histologically verified medulloblastoma occurring in an 88-year-old woman is described. A search of the literature indicates that with respect to age this case is unique. Further, 33 histologically verified cases of medulloblastoma reported in the literature are analyzed with respect to incidence and prognosis as a function of histological type, tumor location, age and sex. The statistical study has confirmed the relative relationships found by Chatty and Earle in their analysis of 105 cases in 1971 and has further indicated a tendency for male desmoplastic differentiation. A survey of an additional 216 cases in the literature reveals an improvement in average survival from 25 to 27 months since 1971, possibly reflecting refined therapeutic techniques. The changing survival expectany with surviving interval has been computed at 10 months per survival year.


Shortness of breath in emergency room patients. There are many causes for acute shortness of breath; the most common entity by far is congestive heart failure. Many of the others have a relatively specific radiographic pattern that afford the radiologist the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the care of these patients.


Emergency uroradiology for the nontraumatized patient. Emergency uroradiology is warranted in a number of clinical conditions in the nontraumatized patient in order to determine proper therapeutic management. Among such urgent conditions are: severe gross hematuria, severe internal blood loss with possible origin in the urinary tract, acute renal artery obstruction, major extravasation of urine, severe sepsis possibly from the urinary tract, anuria, and obstructive uropathy with superimposed infection.


Ultrasonography in the evaluation of nontraumatic abdominopelvic emergencies. Ultrasonography can provide prompt diagnostic information in many non-traumatic abdominal and pelvic emergencies. The safety of of diagnostic ultrasonography enables its use in many emergency situations that relate to pregnancy. The ability to demonstrate normal fluid-filled organs with clarity makes ultrasonography valuable in the emergency assessment of the gallbladder and aorta. Similary, ultrasound is sensitive to the detection of pathologic collections of fluid that can be applied in the search for abscesses or hematomas. Finally, ultrasonography is independent of organ function. In this regard, it is a useful ancillary test when radiographic examinations of the biliary or urinary tracts fail because of poor contract excretion.


Radiologic evaluation of acute abdominal pain arising from the alimentary tract. A review of the pertinent radiologic findings of common alimentary tract disorders presenting with acute abdominal pain is presented. When the conventional plain abdominal films are not diagnostic, the use of special views and appropriate contract and ultrasound examinations on a urgent basis is encouraged. A more expenditious and accurate diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain will inevitably reduce the morbidity and mortality of such entities as bowel perforation, infarction, and pancreatitis.


Skeletal aches and pains.

Skeletal aches and pains. This report by no means includes all nontraumatic conditions that may produce symptoms and signs that require emergency treatment. Rather, it indicates some of the more common problems that may present in this fashion. This report also serves to remind us that we, as radiologists, do have an important role in the diagnosis and proper treatment of emergency room patients, and that such a role requires our close cooperation with the referring physicians. As we survey radiographs taken on these patients, we must remember to ask ourselves important questions: Are the films adequate? Is the abnormality the cause of the patient's symptoms?


Roentgen signs of emergent spines.

Roentgen signs of emergent spines. A variety of disease processes may involve the axial skeleton, producing acute symptoms and signs. This discussion summarizes some of the important diseases that become apparent in this fashion. Roentgen manifestations of these disorders include abnormalities of vertebral body shap or density, loss of intervertebral disc space, formation of a paraspinal mass, abnormal curvature and subluxation, disc calcification, and pedicle destruction. Attention to these radiographic manifestations provides important clues to the underlying disease process.


Radiologic evaluation of the nontraumatized child with respiratory distress. The radiologic examination of the chest is an essential part of the evaluation of the pediatric patient presenting to the emergency room with respiratory distress. In many cases the chest radiograph will be diagnostic of a specific cause for  the distressful symptom. Opaque foreign bodies are readily visualized in the tracheobronchial tree. The presence of massive atelectasis or severe obstructive emphasema may be visualized. Large pleural fluid collections or tension pneumothoraces can be localized and immediately treated by proper drainage. The presence of pneumonia, acute pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hemorrhage may be identified. Complications associated with bronchial asthma (pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and atelectasis) may be manifested radiographically before clinical signs are obvious. Lung compression by large mediastinal tumors and delayed congenital hernias may be readily demonstrated by chest radiography.


[Crohn's disease in children. Results of x-ray examinations in 45 cases (author's transl)]. The study concerns x-ray findings in the GI-tract of 45 children with Crohn's disease. or X-ray diagnosis strict minimum criteria are required besides exact localisation and extension of alterations. The typical x-ray signs, the frequency of occurance in the various portions of the GI-tract are pointed out.


[Roentgen diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn (author's transl)]. The necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn is a life threatening disease which is probably induced by stress to the mother or child. Mostly it occurs in the second week of life. After initial non specific symptoms rapid detoriation occurs with distended abdomen, blood diarrhea, bileous vomiting, rapid impairment, septicemia and shock. Careful clinical observation and interpretation of the roentgen signs as intramural gas collection in distended bowel loops (pneumatosis intestinalis) with air fluid levels, gas collection in the portal vein, ascites, free air in the abdomen after viscus perforation can improve the unfavorable prognosis when the correct diagnosis is made and adequate therapy is started in time.


[X-ray diagnosis and differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors in childhood (author's transl)]. Symptoms, microscopy and frequency of mediastinal tumors in children are different from those in adults. The radiologic diagnosis of mediastinal tumors depends on evaluation of tumor site, density, and shape. Demonstration of calcifications or bony elements in combination with skeletal anomalies or destructions, pleural effusions, and differentiation of cystic and solid tumors are helpful. The radiologic criteria are also very important regarding prognosis and therapy. Many diagnostic methods are available. The venocavography and computer tomography are especially helpful.--We studied 184 mediastinal tumors in children and will discuss them according to topographic aspects; emphasis will be placed on differential diagnosis and the possibilities of diagnostic failure.


[The battered child (author's transl)].

[The battered child (author's transl)]. The diagnosis of the battered child syndrome is the first and most important step for adequate therapy and prevention. The recognition of this entity by the radiologist is possible because of the high frequency of skeletal lesions. Osteoepiphyseolysis with fragmentation of the edges and periosteal calicifications are characteristic for the roentgenographic pattern of the battered child syndrome. In addition to the Roentgen diagnosis total body bone scans should be performed because the diagnostic accuracy will improve, the lesions will be detected earlier, and the radiation dose can be decreases in numerous children.


[Indications and diagnostic value of computer tomography diagnosis of the abdomen]. The remarkable advantages of computerized tomography are graphic and numerical recording of very small differences in radiation absorption as well as presentation of the transverse body section. In the liver cysts, hematomas, abscesses and tumors larger than 2 cm in diameter can be diagnosed. To some extent differentiation between these lesions can be achieved by density measurements. Obstructive jaundice is another indication for computer tomography of the liver, the bile ducts and of the gall bladder. However, gall stones cannot be detected. The pancreas can be visualized in about 90% of all patients. Pseudocysts can be differentiated from inflammatory edema or tumors. The carcinoma of the pancreas does not differ in density from normal or inflammatory parenchyma. Therefore the diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas is still limited, although improvement has been achieved as well. The kidneys can be very well outlined on CT-images. Diagnostic assessment can be improved by application of contrast media. Recognition of cysts, urinary obstructions and tumors are possible with a high diagnostic reliability. Computerized tomography cannot replace the conventional diagnostic procedures; in the future the combination of several examinations will still be necessary.


[Sonographic topography of the pancreas (author's transl)]. Vascular abdominal structures can be demonstrated by the gray-scale-B-scan-technique. These vascular anatomical structures are important to differentiate pathological lesions from normal structures and to evaluate the localisation of space occupying lesions within the pancreas, liver and retroperitoneal space.


[The vessels of the retropancreatic space in grey-scale-ultrasound. A contribution to the topography of the pancreas (author's transl)]. Normal pancreatic parenchyma and retropancreatic vessels can be well visualized and differentiated by grey-scale-tomography. The posterior border of the head and body of the pancreas can be defined better with the grey-scale-technique than  with other ultra-sound-techniques by visualization of the retropancreatic vessels. For this purpose the venous system (portal vein, splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein) is more important than the arteries because of their closer topographic relationship to head and body of the pancreas. Identification and separation of those veins from other vascular structures is easily possible because of their constantly reliable topography and typical configuration on transverse section. The spleno-porto-vascular bundle--resembling a tadpole--should be demonstrated well enough to avoid the occasional confusion with the pancreas itself.


[Gray-scale-sonography of gallbladder and bileducts, especially in case of a negative cholecystoradiogram (author's transl)]. The importance of ultrasonography (gray-scale-B-scan sonography) in cases with gallbladder and bileduct disease is reviewed, especially in patients with non visualization of the gallbladder. Major emphasis is put on the differential diagnosis of gallbladder stones and exophytic intraluminal tumors of the gallbladder. The efficacy of the lost shadow sign is pointed out. The sonoanatomy as well as the sonographical examination method is shortly described. In model experiments some aspects of cholecystosonography are explored.


[Extreme calcifications of the pancreatic duct (author's transl)]. Two cases with calcifications of the pancreatic duct are demonstrated. The degree exceeds similar published calcifications. In both cases the diagnostic investigation had to be limited to non-invasive methods.


Pedunculated cirrhotic hamartoma of the liver. A case of pedunculated cirrhotic hamartoma suspended from the lower surface of the liver is reported. The diagnosis was suggested by angiography. The tumor was surgically excised.


[Aggressive aneurysmal bone cyst in childhood (author's transl)]. Case presentation of a four year old child with aggressive aneurysmal bone cyst of the fourth lumbar vertebra. Microscopic examination demonstrates a benign lesion. The roentgenographic pattern reflects a tumorlike bone destruction with signs of malignancy. Clinically, progression and invasion, similar to a semimalignant tumor, is noticed. The possible nature of this aggressive behaviour is discussed.


[Roentgen morphology of secondary, metastatic bone tumors (author's transl)]. General and specific roentgen morphologic criteria of secondary metastases are described and characteristic appearances of metastatic disease demonstrated by examples. Early detection of tumor metastases and limitations of different radiologic methods are discussed. Various dynamic ways of development in bone metastasis during the course of malignant disease are described and different biologic growth properties of various tumors documented by different reaction of bone tissue. The high diagnostic value of radiologic follow up examinations for control of therapeutic results is emphasized. This applies for judgement of secondary metastatic as well as for the underlying malignant disease. Analysis of the bone structure of the Tela ossea of macro- and microradiologic films is presented for illustration.


[Diagnostic value of radionuclide bone imaging in monitoring skeletal metastases (author's transl)]. In typical cases with pelvic metastases a close relationship is demonstrated between nuclear medicine and radiologic findings depending on the kind of therapy. For this reason total body radionuclide studies should not only be recommended for screening but also for therapeutic monitoring. Positive radionuclide findings should be supplemented by roentgenologic studies of the areas selected in that way.


[Radiologic methods to study coronary arteries in the postmortal heart (author's transl)]. Two radiological methods were compared. More than 100 postmortem-coronary angiograms were taken with standard x-ray procedure and xeroradiography. Xeroradiography--with its "three dimensional view", edge enhancement and variability in exposure time--has certain advantages and appears to be useful in detection of pathological lesions and for documentation in postmortem coronary angiography.


Development of new releasing agents for preparation of thin self-supporting target films. Several kinds of materials were examined for the usefulness as releasing agents in the preparation of various thin self-supporting target films for use in nuclear reaction experiments. NaCl, BaCl2, KCl, CsI, Teepol, glucose, KIO3, mica, nitrocellulose or Formvar was deposited onto glass plates as the release agent by vacuum evaporation or dipping method. The obtained target film was tested on impurities from the release agent by using nuclear reactions. The relative effectiveness of each release agent was also considered from ease in the stripping of target films.


Neutron activation analysis of the rare earth elements in Nasu hot springs. Eleven rare earth elements (lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, holmium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium) in hot spring waters and sinter deposits in the Nasu area were determined by the neutron activation method. The rare earth elements in hot spring water were pre-concentrated in ferric hydroxide precipitate and neutron-irradiated. The rare earth elements were chemically separated into lighter and heavier groups and the activity of each group was measured with a Ge(Li) detector. Distribution of the rare earth elements between the hot spring water and the sinter deposit was also discussed.


A method of tomographic imaging using a multiple pinhole-coded aperture. High energy collimators in use today are limited with respect to resolution and efficiency. The multiple pinhole coded aperture (hereafter abbreviated as MPCA) is a method being considered to improve the above. In our study we conducted basic experiments with an MPCA using an Anger-type gamma-camera. Using this method, we were able to perform radioisotope imaging and radioisotope tomographic effect. We have studied the resolution, detection efficiency, and tomographic effects of the MPCA. We found that, in the MPCA, detection efficiency is proportional to the number of pinholes and resolution is dependent upon the pinhole diameter. This tomographic effect is of the same principle as the stretching-type tomography, images on both side of the desired image appearing as noise images, affecting the depth resolution. Using an MPCA with a pinhole diameter of 3 mm and 3 pinholes positioned in an equilateral triangular pattern measuring 7.8 cm on each side, we attained a depth resolution of 3 cm. Because the MPCA method involves complicated image processing, the resulting image contains a factor of 2n-2 (where n is the number of pinhole) of noise, affecting the depth resolution.


[A new method for elimination of artifacts produced by collimator septum effect in gamma-camera images (author's transl)]. Collimator artifacts may be present within the images produced by collimators whose septal width approaches the inherent resolution of the gamma-camera system. As the inherent resolution of the gamma-camera is improved, collimator artifacts become more prominent. The purpose of this study is to eliminate collimator artifacts from gamma-camera images. To eliminate the septum effect produced by high-energy parallel-hole collimators with thick septa, the following method was used: X and Y signals from the detector are made to ride on the triangular waves changing periodically, and resultant position signals obtained by this processing are applied to the corresponding deflection circuits in the CRT display. The oscillation amplitude of processed position signals can be regulated by the frequency and amplitude of the triangular waves. Regulation of the oscillation amplitude of position signals, which would produce maximum reduction of collimator artifacts, was to approach the spatial frequency responses of the overall processed line spread functions obtained experimentally to those of the Gaussian functions with FWHM equal to the geometric resolution calculated from the equation given by Gerber and Miller. In images of a pancreas phantom containing 131I, collimator artifacts were clearly seen in the unprocessed case, but were eliminated in the processed case.


[Imprint of the iliac vessels on the ureters in asymptomatic urinary infections in childhood]. Bacteriological screening has been carried out on 1110 children (aged between 3 and 10 yr) for asymptomatic urinary infections; 33 were thus selected for urography. With reference to the findings observed in these cases, it is stressed that an impression of the iliac vessels on the ureters was evident in 20 of them. Some cases are reported and findings are discussed.


[Radiological evaluation of neurogenic bladder]. A method that can be profitably employed in the clinical and functional evaluation of nevrogenic bladder is illustrated and discussed. It is primarily based on retrograde and micturition urethrocystography and urography with high doses of contrast medium.


[Synergism of findings from scintiscanning and selective arteriography in hepatic pathology]. 198Au scintiscanning and selective arteriography of the liver were combined in the examination of 50 patients. The results are discussed and the contribution made by each technique and by the combined examination to the establishment of a diagnosis is explained. Five cases are described in detail.


[Experimental evaluations of ther preferential use of Tc99m and In113m in hepatic scintiscanning]. A hollow perspex dummy was filled with radioactive fluid to simulate the liver, cold nodes being represented by paraffin balls of diameter varying from 2.5 to 4.0 cm, variously located. Scans were carried out with a linear scanner using 99mTc and 113mIn as tracers. Advantages and drawbacks of the two tracers in demonstrating cold areas in the liver are compared and discussed.


[Scintiscanning with Ga67 in detection of primary carcinoma of the liver associated with cirrhosis]. Scanning of 31 cirrhosis and 25 cancer-cirrhosis patients has been carried out using 198Au and then 67Ga. In 23/25 cancer-cirrhotic patients 67Ga was picked up in areas cold to 198Au (8% false negatives); such behaviour was not observed in any of the 31 cirrhotics (no false positive).


[Radiotherapy of oral cancer. Late results (author's transl)]. Radiotherapy of the primary site was employed between 1959 and 1965 in the treatment of 335 unselected cases of mouth cancer. The series is examined with regard to the long-term results and gross survival is evaluated in accordance with  an actuarial method. Differences dependent on sex and age, and on the type of cancer involved and the treatment modalities are illustrated and discussed.


[Criteria for choosing the screen-film system in x-ray diagnosis (author's transl)]. The physical dimensions to be kept in mind in choosing the screen-film system in radiography are defined and discussed. As an example of applying the method, the results of measuring these dimensions on 5 types of film and 6 types of screen are reported and their optimal combinations indicated as a function of examination conditions.


[Determination of the genetically significant dose from x-ray diagnosis in the Province of Varese (author's transl)]. The genetically significant dose in the population of Varese Province (about 700,000 inhabitants) from X-ray diagnosis in 1972 has been estimated. The methods adopted and data utilized for the estimate are indicated. Results are discussed in view of the possibility of reducing doses.


[Lactose intolerance in adults (author's transl)]. A study on the lactose intolerance of adults was carried out through dietary survey, clinical data and tolerance tests. It was performed in 24 healthy persons, aged 19 to 39 years. Only one of the participants referred milk intolerance since childhood. Eleven of the 24 adults had signs of lactose intolerance through clinical symptoms and/or low increase of blood sugar after the load test. It was noteworthy that the majority of the intolerants were white people. It is discussed the practical importance of these lactose tolerance tests as an index of milk tolerance, considering the high recommended amount of lactose used in the tests.


Starch gel electrophoresis of erythrocyte hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase and adenine phosphoribosyl transferase: a population survey. Vertical starch gel electrophoresis of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APRT) was performed in several population groups including Caucasians, Negroes and Orientals. The red cells of a total of 244 individuals were examined for HGPRT and those of 265 for APRT and no variants were detected.


Plasma renin activity in the intervillous space of the human placenta, in umbilical vessels and in maternal peripheral venous blood. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was measured by bioassay in the maternal and fetal compartments: intervellous space of the placenta (IVS), maternal peripheral venous blood (MPVB), umbilical artery (A) and vein (V), in a group of normal parturients and their respective fetuses, also normal. The material was collected simultaneously from mother and fetus in the third phase of delivery. PRA valuses in the IVS of the placenta were higher than those observed in the umbilical vein, and similar to those found in the MPVB. PRA values in the umbilical cord vessels behaved as if being part of only one compartment. The mechanisms of regulation of plasma renin activity on the maternal side seem to be independent from those on the fetal side, at least under physiological condition.


Self-instruction in anatomy for medical students. The authors describe the results of the use of a self-instructional material (study guide-book) during two Anatomy courses (cardio-respiratory and locomotor) given to first year medical students of São Paulo University. The rate of approval was considered very good in both courses.


[Influenza in Rosario: seroepidemiology]. A seroepidemiologic investigation was carried out in order to remake the experience of the population of Rosario, Argentina, with different strains of virus influenza type A (prototype strains and minor variations). PR/8/34 (HO N1); FM/1/47 (H1 N1); R/1/62 (H2 N2); HK/1/68 (H3 N2); E/42/72 (H3 N2); PCh/1/73 (H3 N2). It could be established that the tested strains circulated in this City, probably while they prevale in other parts of the world. A 34,6% of recent infections for the prevalent strains could be estimated from the present investigations.


Non-specific inhibitory fraction for hemagglutination of some togaviruses obtained from Swiss albino mouse brain. A fraction from Swiss albino mouse brain homogenate obtained by DEAE cellulose chromatography showed a non-specific hemagglutination-inhibitory property for some Togaviruses. Evidence are presented indicating that the inhibitory property is related to a protein-rich fraction with sialic acid as an active group.


[Influence of the cryopreservation at nitrogen temperature on the vaccinic ability of the "PF" strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (author's transl)]. The cryopeservation of the "PF" strain of T. cruzi at -196 degree C has not changed its effectiveness in protecting mice against a posterior infection with a virulent Trypanosoma cruzi strain. The cryopeservation technique utilized seems to be efficient and of practical and rapid examination.


Biochemical, morphologic and physiologic changes in the adrenal glands of rats chronically treated with phenobarbital. Biochemical and ultrastructural changes in the adrenal glands of rats were observed after long-term phenobarbital treatment. At the fine structural level, the parenchymal cells of the phenobarbital-treated rats resembled cortical cells that had been stimulated by adrenocorticotropin. A significant finding was the presence of very large hollow mitochondria characterized by loss of vesicles and cristae with retention of the double outer membrane. Arylesterase (EC 3.1.1.2) activity, the marker used for rough endoplasmic reticulum, was significantly diminished. Since rough endoplasmic reticulum is present primarily in the adrenal medulla and not the cortex, the relative decrease in arylesterase activity is consistent with the morphologic adrenal cortical hyperplasia. Trypsin-like (EC 3.4.4.4) enzyme activity was increased. The plasma corticosterone response to adrenocorticotropin injection was not significantly different in treated and control rats. The similarity of the observed mitochondrial changes to the reported mitochondrial cavitation in the adrenal glands of rats treated with aminoglutethimide is discussed.


Selective inhibition of xanthine oxidase by substituted pyridopyrimidines. Six 2-methyl-3-substituted-pyrido-(2,3-d)-pyrimidine 4 (3H)-ones were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit xanthine oxidase and other purine catabolizing enzymes of rat liver. All compounds inhibited xanthine oxidase selectively when tested at a final concentration of 0.5 mM in vitro. Adenosine deaminase, guanosine deaminase and guanine deaminase were unaffected. The inhibition of xanthine oxidase was found to be competitive in nature.


The effects of different levels of selenium administered to rats in drinking water on distribution and glutathione peroxidase. Studies were conducted in an attempt to define a biochemical index of selenium toxicity rather than weight loss, liver disease and death. Rats, maintained on selenium deficient diets, received in drinking water various levels of selenium as Na2SeO3(0.1, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 ppm). Changes in selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and specific activities (nCi75Se/ug Se) were determined in liver, kidney and plasma at baseline and two and ten weeks after repletion. In intial selenium deficient rats, GSH-Px activities were markedly depressed and specific activities elevated as compared to 0.1 ppm controls. After two weeks, liver and plasma GSH-Px activiities increased, and plasma, liver and kidney specific activities decreased in a concentration dependent manner. In kidney, there were no differences in enzyme activity at either two or ten weeks. At ten weeks, liver GSH-Px activities continued to increase in the 1.0 ppm group, but were depressed at both the 1.5 and 2.0 ppm levels. Specific activities were also depressed in liver and excretion was not increased at these levels. This suggests a biochemical toxicity in liver at levels above 1.0 ppm after ten weeks, prior to the onset of gross pathological changes.


Species differences in blood serum reserves for cholesterol solubilization. The capacity of male human, rat, and guinea pig sera to solubilize cholesterol was measured by in vitro equilibration. Evaporation, adsorption by filter paper and/or cholesterol, and protein denaturation were controlled by measuring serum protein and albumin along with cholesterol contents. The uptake of cholesterol for the above groups was 23.1 +/- 1.2, 18.9 +/- 1.8, and 10.7 +/- 0.8 mg/100 ml, respectively. The percentage increases over initial serum cholesterol were 11.9 +/- 0.9, 18.7 +/- 2.0, and 35.1 +/- 2.7%, respectively. The uptake of cholesterol by serum per se without involvement of either releasing or target tissues appears to be an irreversible and protective solubility phenomenon; no cholesterol plates were deposited upon the undissolved solute or precipitated on addition of triglyceride to cholesterol-saturated serum. The omnivorous human and rat had a greater absolute reserve for solubilizing cholesterol, but the herbivorous guinea pig a greatly enhanced relative (% increase) reserve.


A comparative study with angiotensin II and (des-aspartic acid) -angiotensin II in the anesthetized cats. The effects of angiotensin II and angiotensin III were studied in chloralose anesthetized and bilaterally adrenalectomized cats. Both peptides caused a dose-dependent increase in blood pressure and reduced the intraluminal pressure of the terminal ileum which was chosen as a parameter for the adrenergic actions of the peptides. Compared to angiotensin II, angiotensin III had 40 times lower agonistic potency in blood pressure but 200 times lower potency in intraluminal pressure. The competitive angiotensin antagonist Sar1-Ile8-angiotensin II, equally inhibited the agonistic effects of both peptides in blood pressure and intestinal motility. From these results it was concluded that specific angiotensin receptors are responsible for pressure as well as adrenergic effects of angiotensin II and angiotensin III.


The efficacy of practolol-induced beta1 adrenergic blockade in the canine heart. The efficacy of adrenergic blockade with practolol was assessed by subjecting 6 adult mongrel dogs in a closed-chest procedure to bolus injections of isoproterenol (0.5 mcg/kg, i.v.) before and after practolol (2.0 mg/kg, i.v.). Following practolol both heart rate and pulse pressure responses were significantly reduced. It is suggested that significant beta1 receptor adrenergic blockade is achieved by practolol.


Efffect of exo- and endo-2-aminobenzonorbornene on the acceleration of efflux of norepinephrine from isolated perfused rabbit atria. The effect of exo- and endo-2-aminobenzonorbornene on the efflux of norepinephrine (NE) from isolated perfused rabbit atria was studied. These compounds can be considered conformationally rigid analogs of amphetamine and as such can be used to study the stereochemical requirements for amphetamine like activity. The exo isomer was found to produce an acceleration of efflux of previously accumulated 3H-NE from pargyline treated atria from rabbits which had been pretreated with either reserpine or dl-alpha-methyltryrosine (alpha-MT). The endo isomer however was found to accelerate efflux of 3H-NE from pargyline treated atria from reserpine pretreated rabbits but not from rabbits that had been pretreated with alpha-MT.


Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in rat brain. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were determined in isolated neurons and glial cells as derived from adult male rat brain. Glial enzyme activities were higher than in neurones, and the glial enzymes may be an important source of the enzyme activities in the homogenate, postmicrosomal fractions and in the whole brain microsomes. For comparison, glial cells showed also higher diaphorase activity than neurons which may stress the importance of glial cells in the oxidative metabolism of exogenous chemicals in brain.


Substituted oxothiazolyl acetic acids as antiinflammatory agents. Eight 2-arylimino-3-[/3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) ethy1]-4-oxothiazol-5-yl-acetic acids were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for their antiinflammatory and antiproteolytic properties. The toxocity of the compounds was reflected by their approximate LD50 values.


Phenobarbital--thioridazine interaction in man. Plasma thioridazine levels were estimated in seven retarded patients during the course of gradual phenobarbital withdrawal. In each patient, plasma levels of thioridazine plus metabolites increased with decreasing phenobarbital dose. Possible mechanisms of the interaction are discussed.


Amobarbital metabolism in man: N-glucoside formation. N-Hydroxyamobarbital, the compound previously proposed as the second major metabolite of amobarbital was synthesized. The metabolite was shown not to be N-hydroxyamobarbital. NMR and MS analyses on the metabolite suggested it could be a derivative of N-beta-D-glucopyranoside. This proposed structure was confirmed by comparison with the spectral data of synthetic amobarbital-N-methyl-N-2,3,4,6-tetraacetyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside.


Comparison of inhibition of monoamine uptake by cocaine, methylphenidate and amphetamine. Amphetamine and methylphenidate both inhibited the uptake of 3H-norepinephrine (NE) and 3H-dopamine (DA) although the activity (as measured by I50 and Ki values) of d-amphetamine was lower with respect to uptake of the two catecholamines in synaptosomes from thalamus-hypothalamus and and striatum. Cocaine was a much stonger inhibitor of 3H-5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake in septum-caudate synaptosomes than amphetamine or methylphenidate. The I50 values were 70, 118 and 570 micron for cocaine, methylphenidate and d-amphetamine, respectively. The results of the present study suggested that a serotonergic system may be involved in the stimulant properties of cocaine. It may also explain certain differences in pharmacological activities between cocaine and the other two stimulants as described in the literature.


Age dependant factors influencing digoxin pharmacokinetics in the postnatal puppy. H3-digoxin pharmacokinetics following intravenous pulse injections was studied in dogs ranging in age from 0.5--2 days (n=2), 3--10 days (n=6), 11--30 days (n=5), 31--90 days (n=3) and adult dogs (n=5). All animals in each age group exhibited a biexponential elimination of H3-digoxin from the vascular compartment and data are analyzed by use of a two compartment pharmacokinetic model. Pharmacokinetic parameters showed significant age related differences. The mean T1/2(alpha) was greater in puppies aged 0.5--2 (8.92 +/- 2.61 min), 3--10 (11.8 +/- 1.99 min) and 11--30 days (10.32 +/- 1.89 min) when compared to adult dogs (5.36 +/- 0.91 min). The mean T1/2(beta) was four times longer in 3--10 day old dogs (1342.05 min) than in adult dogs (327.0 min) and decreased with increasing age of the puppies. The beta-phase rate constants were statistically different (p less than 0.05) between 3--10 day old and adult dogs. Elimination of H3-digoxin was slower in puppies than adult dogs (Kel in 3--10 day old puppies = 0.0046 min(-1); adult dogs = 0.0197 min(-1)) and was accompanied by a lower clearance of H3-digoxin in 3--10 day old puppies (2.05 ml/min/kg) than in adult dogs (7.41 ml/min/kg) [p less than 0.0001]. Functional immaturity of the canine kidney during early development probably constitutes the physiologic basis for the differences noted in H3-digoxin kinetics. While these distinctions in elimination kinetics are age related they do not clarify why younger organisms tolerate higher digoxin levels than adults with less apparent toxicity.


The influence of the sympathetic nervous system on capillary permeability. 1. The influence of the sympathetic nervous system on capillary permeability was studied in cats. The dye penetration from the blood through the synovial membrane was tested by perfusing the two knee joints, one of which was deprived of its sympathetic nerve supply by unilateral lumbosacral sympathectomy. 2. In confirmation of previous experiments, it was found in a great majority of experiments that, in spite of marked vasodilatation, the dye excretion was considerably reduced on the sympathectomised side. 3. A large amount of experimental evidence, supporting directly or indirectly, my views, has been reviewed. 4. A permeability factor under the influence of the sympathetic nervous system has been postulated; its character and mechanism is still unknown. 5. Further unpublished experiments seem to support the view that increased blood supply is associated with decreased vascular permeability.


[Possibilities to avoid adsorption of physiological substances during charcoal hemoperfusion (author's transl)]. For the clinical use of charcoal in intoxications the loss of normal substances out of the organism must be avoided. In order to study the possibility of pretreating the charcoal with certain substances without influencing the adsorptive capacity of toxic metabolic products we perfused over 70 g uncoated charcoal for 6 h: 500 mg creatinine, 1 g and 20 g barbital, 500 mg bromthalein, 1 g raffinose resp. 1 g inulin per litre physiological saline in different combinations and found the following results: 1. In low and middle molecular weight levels there is no competition between two substances. 2. By preadsorption of the charcoal with a low or middle molecular weight substance, the adsorptive capacity of other substances is not influenced.


Studies on intestinal enzyme secretion; the action of cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, pentagastrin and bile. Intravenous administration of 1 U cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ) to rats caused the release of enteropeptidase, alkaline phosphatase (AP), and sucrase to the intestinal lumen in the absence of a concomitant increase in luminal DNA. Thus, the hormone elicited hydrolase secretion was not due to cell desquamation. Pentagastrin also stimulated hydrolase release. Following CCK-PZ administration enteropeptidase was released preferentially over sucrase and AP and showed a linear correlation with total protein output. The specific enteropeptidase activity was higher in the perfusate following secretion than in the mocosa. Enteropeptidase was found mainly in soluble form in both mucosa and perfusate; addition of bile following enteropeptidase release further increased its activity. In contrast, sucrase and AP were found mainly in insoluble form in both mucosa and perfusate and their specific activities were higher in the mucosa. The presence of bile rendered both sucrase and AP more soluble in the perfusate. The data indicate that enteropeptidase is released by a specific secretory process and that its subcellular site of origin is different from that of sucrase and AP. By eliciting the coordinated release of trypsinogen, enteropeptidase and bile, CCK-PZ plays a central role in the initiation of protein digestion.


Serum fatty acids and peroxidase abnormalities in Batten's disease. The linoleic acid content of serum lipids was measured in 10 paitents with Batten's disease and 11 healthy control subjects by gas liquid chromatography. The fatty acid patterns of serum lipids in this disease may reflect a primary or secondary deficiency in essential fatty acid (linoleic acid) probably related to a glutathione peroxidase abnormality.


The relationship between the functional and structural alterations in the rat small intestine following proximal resection of varying extents. The functional and structural characteristics of the ileal remnant of rat intestine were examined four weeks after 45%, 70% or 95% proximal resection. The increase in villus height in the ileal remnant had alfread reached its maximum after a resection of 45%, whereas a further increment in the length of the crypts occurred after 70% resection. There was an increase in the number of enterocytes per unit length of villus and a rise in the DNA content per unit weight of mucosal scrapings, which testifies to the development of mucosal hyperplasia in this situation. The specific activities of sucrase, measured biochemically, and of nonspecific esterase, determined histochemically, were reduced in proportion to the extent of the resection. Similarly, the uptakes of L-phenylalanine and of beta-methyl-D-glucoside by intestinal rings in vitro were progressively diminished in the ileal remnant. There was an increase in the rate of disappearance of glucose from a perfused loop in vivo, when expressed in terms of unit intestinal length. Galactose absorption remained unchanged, but when expressed in terms of unit dry tissue, was significantly reduced, in agreement with the diminished transport of both amino-acids and monosaccharides in vitro.


[Hypothermic circulatory arrest after total blood exchange in dogs (author's transl)]. Total body washout (hct less than 1%) in hypothermia was performed in 31 dogs using either a crystalloidal or a colloidal perfusate. Blood exchange and cooling was achieved by means of partial bypass and heat exchanger. Short lasting blood exchange for crystalloids without cardiac arrest resulted in 66% survival of the animals. When in addition circulatory arrest was established for 30 min at 14 degrees C oesophageal temperature blood exchange for crystalloids was not tolerated. All four animals of this group died within 19 hours presenting massive interstitial edema. Replacement of the crystalloidal perfusate by a colloidal solution (2.5 g% Dextran 60 at Ringer's Lactate) and establishing circulatory for 30 or 60 min resulted in survival rates of 71% and 50% respectively. The use of the colloidal perfusate effectively prevented edema formation. Death could not be correlated with the parameters controlled.


[Action of furosemide in experimental acute renal failure (author's transl)]. The action of furosemide was studied in glycerol-induced acute renal failure of rats. Acute renal failure was induced by an intramuscular injection of 50% glycerol (10 ml/kg). A marked increase in plasma urea concentration was found after the glycerol injection. Urea concentration increased to a maximal value of 339 +/- 67 mg/100 ml at the third day after glycerol application. 36% of the animals died within the first 4 days after glycerol. Furosemide (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally daily and for the first time 24 h after injection of glycerol Mortality and azotemia of acute renal failure was not improved by this drug.


The effect of lysolecithin on contractile force of isolated gastric smooth muscle. Mechanical activity of smooth muscle preparations was recorded in circular strips of antrum, corpus, and fundus from guinea-pig stomach. Whereas acetylcholine stimulated both rhythmic and tonic (shift of the base line) activity of the tested muscles, lysolecithin induced tonic contractions, but had no influence on the rhythmic activity. Lysolecithin was ineffective in the absence of external calcium. The tonic activations of corpus and fundus preparations induced by lysolecithin were suppressed by sodium nitroprusside. D 600 (methoxy-verapamil) did not counteract the lysolecithin effect.


[Replacement of the common bile duct by an autologous vein (author's transl)]. 3 cm of the common bile duct was removed in 19 dogs and the defect was bridged by an autologous vein. The interposition of a vein graft was performed with a double end-to-end anastomosis. In four cases a T-drain was additionally placed into the transplant. GOT, GPT, LDH, AP and bilirubin were tested in regular intervals. The patency of the transplant was proved by radiography with dogs which survived longer than 6 weeks. 5 dogs died within the first 4 weeks, 4 were killed after 2 months, because of incrustation of the T-drain for a regular percutaneous rinsing of the drainage was not possible. 10 dogs survived for 6 to 12 months. These animals showed increasing laboratory results up to two months, then the tests normalized. The function of the transplanted vein was without complication and the liver histology did not show any pathological alteration. After two months the transplanted vein was bridged by bile duct epithelium.


Adenylate cyclase of human gastric mucosa. Stimulation by prostaglandins. It has been shown that human gastric mucosa contains a prostaglandin-sensitive adenylate cyclase system. Of the prostaglandins tested the E-type induced an about 3--3.5-fold increase of enzyme activity. The prostaglandin A2 by causing an about 2.5-fold enhancement of cAMP formation and the F-prostaglandins (1.4--2.0-fold stimulation) were less effective in activating the enzyme system. Maximally effective concentrations of histamine and prostaglandin E2 were additive with respect to enzyme activity indicating that both hormones act via individual adenylate cyclases.


The role of mucosal iron binding proteins in adaptation of iron absorption during protein deficiency and rehabilitation. 1. A state of protein deficiency has been produced in rats by feeding a low protein diet, thereafter a period of rehabilitation with a normal protein but a low iron supply followed. 2. For characterization of the iron metabolism during both periods haemoglobin, total iron binding capacity, liver non-haemin iron, intestinal iron absorption and the uptake of 59Fe in the liver was determined. 3. Under these conditions the amount of 59Fe incorporated into the mucosal transferrin and the ferritin fractions has been measured. Both fractions were obtained from the supernatant of a mucosal homogenate after chromatography on sepharose 6B. 4. In anemia due to protein deficiency the typical increase of 59Fe incorporation into the fraction of mucosal transferrin--usually occuring in iron deficiency--could not be observed. This coincides with the absence of an increased iron absorption. Moreover a decrease of iron absorption is observed, which is associated with a decreased 59Fe ratio of transferrin/ferritin-fraction. 5. After normalization of the protein supply the ratio of 59Fe incorporated into the mucosal transferrin and ferritin fractions was changed remarkably in favor to transferrin together with a several fold increase of the intestinal iron absorption. 6. The conclusion is drawn that mucosal transferrin and ferritin enable the body not only to adapt the absorption to a higher but also to a lower requirement as it is the case in protein deficiency.


Hemodynamic parameters and blood gas analyses in the normal and the cirrhotic rat. Thioacetamide-fed rats developed cirrhosis with portal hypertension (P portal=23.0 +/- 5.2 cm H2O, controls: 14.4 +/- 1.0 cm H2O). The PO2 of liver tissue was markedly reduced in cirrhosis (PO2=7.6 +/- 3.4 torr, controls 22.3 +/- 5.8 torr), and the aortal pH was significantly lower as well. No correlation was found between portal hypertension, development of large--nodular cirrhosis, and ascites.


Role of spreading-factor (hyaluronidase) on bronchial response to acetylcholine challenge in dog. Patients with non-specific chronic lung diseases are very sensitive against external challenge. Experiments in human volunteers and in animals it has been shown that many substances can make bronchial system hyperreactive without causing any direct effect. The mechanisms involve in the process of hyperreactive bronchial system are, so far, not clear. It is conceived in this study that membrane permeability might play an important role in this process. This possibility has been studied in anesthetized dogs by subjecting them to hyaluronidase aerosol. This enzyme is supposed to change the membrane permeability by acting on the ground substance. The animals were first challenged with acetylcholine to obtain the basic responsiveness. Then the animals were subjected to hyaluronidase aerosol and challenged with acetylcholine again. Results confirm the hypotheses that membrane permeability plays an important role in hyperreactive bronchial system.


Effects of cholecystokinin-pancreozymin on bile flow and biliary bile salt secretion in the cholecystectomized animal. The effects of an intravenous infusion of cholecystokinin-pancreozymin on bile secretion were studied in 13 unanesthetized and cholecystectomized piglets. The results demonstrate that CCK-PZ induces a significant increase of bile flow and bile salt excretion. The excretion patterns for bilirubin and Ioglycamide, however, showed a slight but not significant decrease. Peripheral hemodynamic parameters remained unchanged. A detailed analysis of these results suggests that CCK-PZ induces an increase of biliary bile salt secretion by stimulation of intestinal motility and enhancement of bile salt circulation within the enterohepatic circulation (EHC). In combination with previous studies on the effects of spasmolytics on biliary bile salt excretion these results therefore emphasize, that the intestinal motility and transit time might play a role in the physiology and pathophysiology of biliary bile salt secretion.


[Quantities of plasma polyps in the blood of male and female guinea pigs after application of monoiodinoacetate, acetylosalicyclic acid, nitrogen-containing excretory substances, and histamine (author's transl)]. Released cell protrusions designated as plasma polyps (PP) were quantificated from human blood of normal, male and non pregnant female, individuals by means of "inverted centrifugation" [4], and from blood of male and female, non pregnant and late pregnant, guinea pigs also. As control blood was taken from guinea pigs during nembutal narcosis or after narcotizing them by blows on the neck. In further series we examined the formation of PP after intravenous application of monoiodinoacetate (MIA) and acetylosalicyclic acid (ASS) with and without additional Na-pyruvate as an intermediary product of glucose metabolism. The influence of histamine and nitrogen-containing excretory substances was examined after intraperitoneal injections. The blood of normal individuals sporadically contained PP. The control animals (male and non pregnant female guinea pigs) showed about 1 X 10(6)PP per ml blood, late pregnant about 2 X 10(6). Doses of 12.5 mg MIA increased the number of PP from 2 X 10(6) up to 4 X 10(6), whereas additional Na-pyruvat doses kept the PP level at 1 X 10(6) the one of control animals. 21.4mg ASS administered to late pregnant guinea pigs increased the PP number up to 4 X 10(6)/ml blood. This effect was prevented by Na-pyruvat substitution. Intraperitoneal injection of excretory substances caused a moderate increase of PP to 1.8 X 10(6)/ml blood in average.


Aerosol distribution in the nose.

Aerosol distribution in the nose. Using a cast of the human nose the intranasal distribution of drugs, delivered from pressurized aerosols and nebulizers was studied. The results indicate that a pressurized aerosol should be used twice in each nostril to give an acceptable drug distribution, and also that an automized pump is preferable for a plastic-bottle nebulizer with regard to drug distribution.


Solitary plasmacytoma of the nasal passage--a case report. Extramedullary plasmacytomas are rare tumors usually appearing in the upper respiratory system or the alimentary tract in the fifth and sixth decades of life. A little over two hundred cases have been reported in the literature. The association between solitary plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma has been emphasized by Helmus, 1964; Mattila, 1965. Approximately 90% of the extramedullary plasma cell tumors occur in the head and neck region and are therefore within the province of the otolaryngologist. A case of solitary nasal plasmacytoma treated with combined surgical and radiation therapy is presented. The six years follow up supports the success of therapy.


[Anatomo-clinical study of the Steele-Richardson-Olszewski presenile syndrome (Description of a case)]. A case of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (The Steele-Richardson-Olszewski Syndrome) is presented. The chief clinical features are described. The neuropathological investigation confirmed the clinical diagnosis showing neuronal depopulation, gliosis and neurofibrillary degeneration with the characteristic topography in the brain stem, cerebellum and the subthalamic nuclei. They conclude with the hypothesis that sometimes a pregress cranial trauma can have an important role in the onset of this disease.


[Clinical study on the control of epilepsy using taurine]. The A., after a detailed examination of the researches carried out with taurine in the clinical pictures of epilepsy, has examined the encephalographic and subjective aspects in 19 epileptics, all patients at the Mental Hospital in Agrigento. In all of them he has noticed a clear aggravation of the electroencephalographic reports, associated, however, with an improvement of the cenestesis. Te thinks that taurine may only be a good collateral medicine in the therapy of E.


[Contribution to the study of scapulo-humeral periarthritis: anatomical lesions of simple chronic painful shoulder]. The authors restate that simple pain of the shoulder, which is a form of scapulo-humeral periarthritis characterized by the existence of pain without limitation of movement, is almost always associated with lesions of the tendons of the short muscle teres of the shoulder. They term chronic simple pain of the shoulder the rare cases where, despite therapy that is reputed to be efficient, there is a gradual development lasting more than one year, either continuously or with relaps periods of less than three weeks. They show that these chronic shoulders are practically always associated with a rupture of the coat of the muscle teres or a calcification of the tendons of the teres coat. Ruptures are as much frequent in men as in women and calcifications definitely more frequent in women (60%). Before 30 years of age, the most frequent lesion is almost always a calcification, and after 65 rupture is more common. Between 30 to 65, the probability of a calcification in a chronic simple painful shoulder, goes from 100% to 0, while the probability of a rupture increases from 0 to 100%.


[A new model of experimental arthrosis: contusion of the cartilage. Experimental and clinical study]. The effects of a single contusion without surface disruption and without fracture of the patella were studied in 40 rabbits. Macroscopic observation as well as light and electromicroscopy revealed lesions comparable to those observed in patients with chondromalacia of the patella and arthrosis. Three successive stages can be distinguished: a degeneration of the chondrocytes, a temporary proliferative reaction and an extension of the degenerative lesions resulting in an arthrosis. This is therefore a new model of chondromalacia and experimental arthrosis which is comparable in every respect to what is observed in human traumatology.


[Dosage of ionized calcium in osteo-articular pathology]. The dosage of calcium ionized serum using a selective electrode, was performed in a series of controls and patients with osteo-articular diseases. Normal values were 43 mg/l between 20 and 50 years of age, and 41 mg/l after 60 years. The level of ionized calcium, when given as a percentage of total blood calcium, did not decrease with age (normal value : 44%). It was increased in hyper-parathyroidism, rhumatoid polyarthritis and lytic bone metastasis. It did not vary in Paget's disease, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, condensing metastasis, Kahler's disease and spasmophilia. The ionized calcium in definitely diminished in hypoparathyroidism.


Biochemical abnormalities in Batten's syndrome. The present data indicate that a group of ten patients with Batten's syndrome showed reduced activity of erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) peroxidase (Px) (glutathione: H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.9.) using H2O2 as peroxide donor. Assay of erythrocyte GSHPx using H2O2, cumene hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide as donors also makes it possible biochemically to divide Batten's syndrome into two types: (1) one type with decreased values when H2O2 and cumene hydroperoxide are used, and (2) one type with increased values when t-butyl hydroperoxide is used. Furthermore an increased content of palmitic, oleic and of eicosatrienoic acid but decreased linoleic acid content was found in serum from patients with Batten syndrome. An inverse relationship between erythrocyte GSHPx and serum eicosatrienoic acid was found in the patients. Finally normal selenium levels were found in erythrocytes, but decreased values were traced in whole blood. In normal human beings a connection was found between the erythrocyte selenium content and GSHPx activity assayed by cumene hydroperoxide as a peroxide donor.


Age, blood pressure, renin and urinary electrolytes in primary hypertension and in the normotensive state. One hundred and twenty-three patients, sixty-four men and fifty-nine women, with primary hypertension were studied with regard to supine and sitting blood pressure (BP), plasma renin activity (PRA) during basal and stimulated conditions, and urinary sodium and potassium excretions. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 76 (mean 48) years. A control material of 120 normotensive subjects, forty-nine men and seventy-one women, with an age range 22--78 (mean 47) years were studied during the same strictly standardized conditions. The two populations were compared statistically. The mean basal PRA level, measured after 1 h supine rest, was significantly higher in the hypertensive subjects, while the upright PRA, determined after ambulation for 3--4 h, was the same in the two groups. On the contrary, the stimulated mean PRA, measured 3--4 h after intake of 80 mg frusemide orally was significantly lower in the hypertensive subjects. No relationships could be demonstrated between PRA and the 24 h urinary electrolyte excretions. An age dependent decrease of upright and stimulated PRA was demonstrated only in the hypertensive population. Applying our previously published reference ranges for stimulated PRA, 16% of the hypertensive patients were considered to have low renin hypertension.


Release of prostaglandin-like substances and lung reactions to induced intravascular platelet aggregation in cats. Induced intravascular aggregation of blood platelets gives pulmonary vasoconstrictor and bronchoconstrictor responses, which might be mediated by bioactive substances from the platelets. The aim of the present work was to see if these lung reactions could be related to the release of prostaglandin-like substances (PGLS). Repeated episodes of platelet aggregation were induced by i.v. infusions of collagen in anaesthetized cats ventilated at a constant tidal volume. Arterial blood was pumped from a carotid artery (10 ml/min) to superfuse a series of smooth muscle organs sensitive to prostaglandins (PGs): rabbit aorta, rat stomach strip, rat colon and chick rectum. In two experiments cat jejunum replaced the rabbit aorta in order to detect kinins. All tissues were pretreated with antagonists against catecholamines, histamine, serotonin and acetylcholine. The bioassay tissues were calibrated with standard doses of PGE2 and PGF2alpha. Collagen infusions caused lung responses (as judged from the rise in peak tracheal pressure) and in most cases also a transient systemic hypotension. Simultaneously, contractions of the bioassay tissues occurred, indicating release of PGLS. Such release was only detected as long as lung responses could be elicited by i.v. collagen infusions. These findings imply that PGs and/or the various intermediates in PG synthesis might mediate the pulmonary smooth muscle constriction occurring after intravascular platelet aggregation.


Cross-sectional area of the thigh muscle in man measured by computed tomography. Nine subjects with different training background were studied by means of muscle biopsy from musculus vastus lateralis. The cross-cut area of the different muscle fibre types was measured. By the use of a soft tissue X-ray technique, computed tomography, a cross-sectional picture of the thigh was produced at the same level as the biopsy was taken. The total cross-cut area of the vastus lateralis muscle was measured from this picture. This technique to measure a cross-cut muscle area from an X-ray picture was evaluated and found to be accurate and reproducible. The mean fibre area was highly correlated (r = 0.91; P less than 0.001) to the cross-cut area of the vastus lateralis muscle. The total number of fibres in the vastus lateralis muscle was estimated. It was concluded that the cross-sectional area of the thigh muscle can be accurately determined by means of computed tomography. The larger cross-sectional area of the vastus lateralis muscle in well trained subjects was primarily explained by a larger cross-sectional area of the fibre, while the total number of fibres in the vastus lateralis muscle seemed to be fairly equal among the subjects.


Arterial collateral vessels in legs with obliterative arteriosclerosis. A method for assessment of arterial collateral vessels and corresponding stenoses on arteriograms of arteriosclerotic legs is presented. The method is based on the concept that compensatory collateral vessels, by-passing stenoses of the conductive arterial segments, have to cross a plane traversing the distal part of each segment (common iliac artery, external iliac/common femoral artery and superficial femoral artery). The number of collateral vessels was counted and the minimum diameter within the corresponding conductive arterial segment was measured (three locations in each leg). There was a close correlation between the sum of remaining lumen diameters and the sum of corresponding collaterals in thirty-four legs (r = -0.77, P less than 0.001). Maximum lower leg blood flow during exercise (thermodilution) was better correlated to arteriosclerotic changes in the pelvic arterial tree than to changes in the femoral arteries, and the must abundant collateral vessels were found in individuals having central stenoses or occlusions.


Comparative pressure measurements in the oesophagus by means of in situ tip-transducers and external transducer systems. Basal gastro-oesophageal sphincter pressures and peak peristaltic pressure amplitudes in the oesophageal body 5 and 15 cm proximal to the gastro-oesophageal sphincter were measured with three different set ups in six healthy volunteers. The in situ tip-transducer measurements were compared to two different external pressure transducers in a perfused catheter system and to an external pressure transducer in a non-perfused catheter system. The in situ tip-transducer recorded higher sphincter pressures and peristaltic amplitudes than those recorded by the perfused and non-perfused systems (P less than 0.01). There was no difference between the pressures recorded by perfused systems in conjunction with the different external transducers. The perfused systems recorded sphincter pressures higher than those recorded by the non-perfused systems (P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.01), whereas the non-perfused system recorded higher peristaltic pressure amplitudes than those recorded by the perfused systems (P less 0.01 and P less than 0.01). The importance of the bend of the in situ tip-transducer was shown experimentally. It is concluded that the ideal system for recording oesophageal pressures is a perfused catheter set-up with minimal compliance. The probe with three side holes at the same level ensures registrations of the lowest occlusion pressure at the measuring point.


Some aspects of the clinical use of thermodilution in measuring cardiac output. With particular reference to the Swan-Ganz thermodilution catheters. Accuracy of the thermodilution method in measuring cardiac output was tested in a model and against Fick in ten patients. Reproducibility was determined from 573 thermodilution curves. The influence of catheter position, catheter irrigation, post-injection aspiration, and the substitution of rectal temperature for central blood temperature was also studied. The thermodilution method showed very good correlation to direct measurements in the model (corr. coeff. 1.00) and the Fick method in patients (corr. coeff. 0.97). Mean standard deviation for cardiac outputs calculated from individual thermodilution curves was 5%. Post-injection aspiration and variation in catheter tip location did not influence the results. Catheter irrigation during recordings and the use of rectal temperature for TB resulted in underestimation of cardiac output.


Calculation of oxygen saturation of mixed venous blood in infants. A retrospective survey of the heart catheterizations of twenty-two children below the age of three years was carried out in order to evaluate different formulae for calculation of the oxygen saturation in mixed venous blood (MVB) from the oxygen saturation in blood from the superior caval vein (SVC) and inferior caval vein (IVC). The formula MVB = (3SVC + IVC)/4 was found satisfactory, also during halothane anesthesia.


A semi-automated radioimmunoassay technique employing a nine-channel pipetting and sample handling. A semi-automated RIA-technique has been developed which employs simultaneous pipetting of nine aliquots of reagents with nine-channel pipettes and the processing of RIA samples in nine-tube units. This processing includes evaporation, centrifugation, and decantation of tubes at the end of separation step of the RIA. The nine-channel pipetting reduced the time necessary for pipetting to about one third as compared to the corresponding one channel pipetting, and made the pipetting less tiresome. The precision of pipetting was also improved. This nine-channel RIA-technique was applied to radioimmunoassays of plasma 17-beta-oestradiol and progesterone, in which [125I]iodohistamine-conjugated steroid-tracers were used.


Laboratory statistics made simple. Interfacing a clinical chemistry computer system with a general statistical program package. A general-purpose statistical program package (BMDP) has been linked by a simple program interface to the data file of a clinical chemistry laboratory's computer system. This system may be used for various types of statistical data analysis based on the laboratory's routine work.


Identification of H-2 and Ia-antigen analogues in several species by immunological crossreactions of xenoantisera. Rabbit antisera against H-2K and D antigens react with molecules composed of 12,000 and 45,000 dalton subunits derived from human, monkey, rat, guinea-pig, cow and pig lymphocytes. The antisera failed, however, to react with similar type molecules from chicken. A rabbit antihuman beta 2-microglobulin serum reacted with chicken molecules comprising 12,000 and 45,000 dalton polypeptide chains. An antiserum against HLA-DR antigens reacted with Ia-antigen-like molecules from monkey, rat, mouse, guinea-pig, cow, pig and chicken lymphocytes. All Ia-antigen-like molecules displayed two dissimilar subunits. The present data suggest that xenoantisera directed against highly purified MHC antigens from one species may be useful tools in elucidating the structure of similar antigens in other species where alloantisera are not available.


Binding affinity of human autoantibodies: studies of cryoglobulin IgM rheumatoid factors and IgG autoantibodies to albumin. The binding affinity of cryoglobulin IgM rheumatoid factors (RF) for human IgG and of human IgG anti-albumin autoantibodies for HSA was measured by the molecular sieving technique. The binding affinities of the two autoantibodies were consistently low (10(4)-10(5) 1/M) as compared to the affinities of corresponding hyperimmune animal antibodies (10(6)-10(8) 1/M). The findings were discussed in relation to theories on human autoimmunity. The existence of strict autotolerance at the T cell level and of autoreactivity at the low affinity B cell level was considered to be best compatible with the findings of this study and with the major known facts of autoimmunity.


Liver damage in mice and rats causes tenfold increase of blood immunoglobulin A. Average serum concentrations of IgA and IgM of the SDK rats were 0.27 and 0.43 mg/ml, respectively. Subtotal hepatectomy had no detectable effect on the concentration of IgM but IgA increased in 4 days to a level of 4.9 mg/ml. Thereafter the concentration fell back to normal in 21 days. Serum concentrations of IgA, IgM and IgG2a in (C57BL X CBA)F1 mice were 0.41, 0.35 and 1.67 mg/ml, respectively. Neither hepatectomy nor carbon tetrachloride poisoning had an effect on the concentrations of IgM or IgG2a but IgA increased to 3.0 mg/ml (hepatectomy) or 3.6 mg/ml (carbon tetrachloride poisoning). Again the increase was reversible. IgA of normal rat serum was mostly monomeric (7S) and of normal mouse serum a mixture 7S and 9S (dimeric) IgA. After liver damage of either type the majority of the serum IgA had a sedimentation constant higher than 7S. It thus resembled the IgA that is brought to the circulation by the thoracic duct of rats and mice.


On the pathogenesis of obstructive lung disease. A study on the immotile-cilia syndrome. The role of mucociliary transport in man can be evaluated by studying persons with the recently recognised "immotile-cilia syndrome". Such persons have chronic or recurrent infections of the upper and lower airways and have ultrastructural defects of cilia and sperm tails. Men suffering from the syndrome usually are sterile and have immotile spermatozoa. About half of the subjects have complete situs inversus. Fourteen persons with the immotile-cilia syndrome have been studied here in an attempt to evaluate the role of an impaired mucociliary transport for the development of obstructive lung disease. Age range was 25-40 years; there were ten men and four women. Mucociliary transport in the lungs was extremely slow in all subjects. Spirometry demonstrated airway obstruction in nine subjects. Two of these subjects had radiological evidence of pulmonary emphysema. The results indicate that an absent mucociliary transport predisposes to the development of obstructive lung disease. Patients with classic chronic bronchitis have earlier been shown to have a severely impaired mucociliary transport. The present findings in subjects with primary ciliary immotility make it probable that this impaired mucociliary transport is of pathogenetic importance for development of the obstructive lung disease often found in patients with chronic bronchitis.


Physiological and pharmacological studies on isolated human bronchial preparations. The contractile response of human bronchial smooth muscle preparations obtained after death (necrobronchi) from 15 patients was studied in vitro. Reproduceable responses sufficient for calculating dose-response curves, could be obtained up to 30 h after death. A number of smooth muscle stimulants were investigated: 1) carbacholine, 2) acetylcholine, 3) histamine and 4) electrical field stimulation. In addition to these bronchial smooth muscle relaxants such as adrenaline, salbutamol and terbutaline were also studied. These agents showed a dose-dependent relaxation in preparations previously treated with carbacholine. It can be concluded that in vitro testing of smooth muscle preparations obtained from human cadavers is possible.


Effect of the slope of the alveolar plateau on determination of closing volume. Repeated closing volume (CV) determinations were obtained simultaneously with the nitrogen method (CV-N2) and with a helium bolus method (CV-He) in 19 selected subjects with normal routine spirometry. Ten subjects had normal slopes of phase III and nine had abnormally steep slopes of phase III obtained with the nitrogen method. No systematic difference was found between CV-N2 and CV-He irrespective of the steepness of phase III, which seems to indicate that at least in spirometrically normal subjects airway closure is adequately assessed by the nitrogen method - even in the presence of a steep slope of phase III.


The anamnestic effect in tuberculin skin testing: measurement and time relations. Experiments in BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs. The repeat-test effect, an example of anamnestic effect in cellular immunity, was investigated in BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs, using 25 TU Mantoux tests to influence as well as assess skin reactivity to tuberculin. Two different methods of quantitating the effect were tried and found valuable. The effect could be regularly observed 12 weeks or more after BCG-vaccination, and with less regularly 6 to 9 weeks after BCG-vaccination. The effect was found whether the interval between the first (interim) test and the second (repeat) test was as short as 3 days or as long as 44 weeks.


Role of talc and benzo(a)pyrene in respiratory tumor formation. An experimental study. Biologic and morphologic alterations caused by repeated intratracheal instillations of talc, alone or in combination with benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), were studied in Syrian golden hamsters to determine the possible carcinogenic and cocarcinogenic effects of talc. Talc alone failed to induce respiratory tumors, granulomas or mesothelial proliferation, but when a mixture of equal quantities of talc with B(a)P was administered, papillomas, squamous cells carcinomas and undifferentiated tumors of the larynx, trachea and lungs resulted. It therefore appears that in the hamster, talc is devoid of carcinogenic activity in itself, but does affect the activity of polycyclic hydrocarbons.


Cardiac arrhythmias in patients with serious pulmonary diseases. During a 5-year period, 1969-1973, 451 patients with acute severe pulmonary diseases were admitted to the three medical intensive care units (MICU) at Ullevaal Hospital. In 39% of the patients a major cardiac arrhythmia was recorded in the units during a mean observation time of 24 h. The subsequent mortality in the hospital was 31% in patients with arrhythmias in the MICU, and 8% in patients without arrhythmias. The association between arrhythmias and mortality was significant (P less than 0.004) in patients with a diagnosis of pneumonia. There was also an association (P less than 0.04) between arrhythmias and the severity of lung disease. Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring of patients with severe pneumonia or acute exacerbations of obstructive lung disease is recommended.


Evaluation of occupational exposure to xylene by blood, exhaled air and urine analysis. Occupational xylene exposure in the breathing zone of 15 painters was measured during three consecutive workdays. The applicability of the use of different biological samples was tested by the monitoring of xylene concentrations in blood and exhaled air, and urinary methylhippuric acid excretion as well. The best relation to the time-weighted average of xylene exposure was obtained for urinary methylhippuric acid concentration at the end of the workday; an amount of 665 mg/g of creatinine corresponded to 50 ppm of xylene. The amount of methylhippuric acid in a morning sample at the end of the work week, on the other hand, correlated to the mean exposure of the three preceding days. Xylene concentrations in exhaled air and blood sampled after the workday correlated poorly to the exposure of the preceding day. The urinary elimination of methylhippuric acid after the finished work week showed two distinct phases of excretion, with different biological half-times (1.9-5.3 h for the first 10 h after exposure and 16.5-48.4 h for the next two days).


Amount and distribution of welding fume lung contaminants among arc welders. The amount and distribution of the welding fume lung contaminants was measured in 44 arc welders from two shipyards. The measurement was made from the determination of the permanent field after the subject was magnetized in a low external magnetic field, the values being used for the calculation of the amount of contaminants in the lungs. Less than 4 mg of dust was found in the lungs of nonexposed controls. In the shipyard welder's lungs, after two years of exposure, on the average 7 mg (range 4-15) of welding dust was observed. After a continuous exposure of about 18 years the amounts were 200 mg (range 30-1,500) in shipyard A and 700 mg (150-2,000) in shipyard B, respectively. On the basis of data obtained from retired welders, the clearance rate of 45% in welders from shipyard A and 18% in shipyard B were calculated, the latter figure being probably more accurate. The distribution of contaminants was 52% in the right and 48% in the left lung. The radiological findings correlated well with the amounts of welding fume contaminants measured with the magnetic method.


Studies on angiopathy due to carbon disulfide. Retinopathy and index of exposure dosages. The occurrences of retinopathy (microaneurysms/small dot hemorrhages) and the coded resting and postexercise ECG findings suggestive of coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied among 420 Japanese male workers exposed to carbon disulfide and 390 men not exposed to such a solvent. Retinopathy was detected in 24.4% of the exposed group and in 3.8% of the nonexposed group by color fundus photography. Among workers of the former group there was a significant correlation between retinopathy prevalences and the index of exposure dosages (r = 0.925, P less than 0.01). However, correlation between the prevalence of retinopathy and duration of exposure was not so high (r = 0.647, 0.10 less than P less than 0.25). The occurrences of coded resting and postexercise "coronary" ECG findings were not related to the index of exposure dosages. Some risk factors for CHD such as total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, beta-lipoproteins, blood pressure, obesity, and skinfold thickness were simultaneously studied. But these variables did not prove to be important in the development of angiopathy due to carbon disulfide, especially the so-called retinopathia sulfocarbonica.


Grip force in vibration disease.

Grip force in vibration disease. In this experiment the hand grip force of 58 persons was measured. The study was carried out during a compulsory health examination. The subjects compressed with their left hand for 5 min fluctuating maximal force and with their right hand for 1 min with maximal constant force. The results were repeated with five different levels of vibration and without vibration. Individual forces varied in the 5-min experiment from 25 to 122 N. The strongest subjects were in a group affected by white fingers, but with no claim of diminished grip force. The weakest forces were seen in the group subjectively most-affected by vibration disease. On the basis of this examination, it seems that in some workers long-term exposure to vibration causes a diminution in grip force, which is a constant phenomenon, and it does not only manifest itself during their work. During exposure to vibration the force reduced from the resting level among the subjectively most-affected lumberjacks, but not in less-affected groups or in the reference group. No vibration frequency was found to be especially disadvantageous to grip force, and it was not possible to determine the normal limits of grip force.


Biologically active metals in human tissues. I. The effect of age and sex on the concentration of copper in aorta, heart, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas and skeletal muscle. Autopsy specimens of aorta, heart, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas and skeletal muscle were collected from 86 accident victims. The copper concentration in each tissue was determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The descending order of the tissues in respect to copper concentration was: liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, lung, muscle, and aorta. No significant difference was found in the copper levels of samples from male and female autopsies. When the effect of age on the average copper concentration was studied, liver and kidney showed a decreasing concentration up to maturity, the copper concentration in pancreas and skeletal muscle showed a continuous decline with increasing age, and there was no clear-cut effect of age on the copper concentration of heart, lung and aorta. According to the results the Finnish population does not differ, on the average, from other populations with respect to tissue copper concentrations.


Relation between radiological pleuropulmonary changes, clinical history and weight index of construction workers. Photofluorography was performed on 1,542 male construction workers in the Stockholm area. Postero-anterior, lateral and two anterior oblique views were obtained. The pleural and pulmonary changes found were classified into six groups. The results were correlated to the subjects' calculated weight index and to the occupational history of asbestos exposure and previous lung or pleural disease. There was a strong positive association between a high weight index and changes interpreted as increased amount of extrapleural fat. There was also a positive association between irregular thickenings and adhesions located mainly around the base of the lung and a clinical history of pleural or pulmonary disease. The importance of taking other etiological factors than exposure to asbestos dust into consideration is emphasized when pleural changes are detected in apparently healthy people.


[Evaluation program for cancer patients]. The medical evaluation and requisite radiologic examinations for the cancer patient are presented. Adequate clinical staging is essential for determining prognosis, optimal therapeutic plan, and evaluation of therapy results. Newer radiologic methods allow more detailed evaluation and determination of disease stage.


[Interdisciplinary treatment planning in cancer]. The prerequisites for and purpose of optimal interdisciplinary cooperation in cancer treatment planning are presented from the viewpoint of the medical oncologist, the surgeon and the therapeutic radiologists. Only with full appreciation of the therapeutic possibilities offered by each individual treatment modality and speciality can an optimal interdisciplinary treatment plan be devised. This maximum of cooperation and interdisciplinary teamwork is also the basis for further progress and improvement of therapeutic results.


[Cooperation between private physician, regional hospital and oncologic center]. Due to numerical, socio-psychological, economic and geographic factors, not all tumor patients can be followed exclusively by specialized oncologic institutions. Institutionalized, well organized cooperation between private physician, community hospital and regional cancer center is mandatory in affording every patient speedy and adequate investigation and treatment. One model of regional oncologic cooperation which has been realized successfully for some years now in Eastern Switzerland is presented. Decentralized oncologic consulting clinics open for in- and out-patients are the cornerstone of this system, which guarantees the same quality of management for the tumor patient in hospital or at home and requires the active participation of family doctors.


[Therapy of complications due to neoplasm metastases]. Many tumors, especially when metastasizing, produce a variety of symptoms. Two frequent sets of complications due to metastasizing cancer (mainly to the bones), i.e. vertebral metastases and chronic pain, are reviewed. In the case of vertebral metastases, the fitting of an orthopedic corset should--and as a rule can--be avoided. Treatment of this complication is by systemic therapy and/or radiotherapy. Symptoms or signs of medullary compression are indications for emergency treatment by the radiotherapist or the neurosurgeon. In the case of chronic pain, regular oral intake of the Brompton mixture is an alternative to injections of analgesics in that it prevents rather than alleviates pain and is only slightly addiction-forming.


[The malignant melanoma: criteria for the prognosis and therapy]. Several factors influence the spontaneous course of malignant melanoma: localization, stage, depth of invasion and histological type of the tumour, as well as sex and immune competence of the patient. Risk and prognostic factors have been inadequately considered in past therapeutic trials and are a major issue in current applied melanoma research.


[Psychosocial aspects in oncology].

[Psychosocial aspects in oncology]. Affects of hopelessness and helplessness may play an important role in the life history of cancer patients. Open communication with the patient is necessary in order to overcome these affects. The function of denial is discussed and depression is described as a necessary phase in coping with the disease. Depressions in cancer patients cannot be avoided through denial but should be adequately treated.


[Problems of early detection of neoplasms from an epidemiological point of view]. Based on the epidemiologic literature, the problem of mass cancer screening projects is discussed. In the case of breast cancer the evidence for a reduction of mortality in the age group over 50 seems conclusive, whereas the specific role of mammography is still controversial. At present, no routine mammographic screening should be undertaken in women under 50 years of age. There is presumptive evidence that routine proctosigmoidoscopy for early diagnosis of cancer of the large bowel reduces mortality. However, this method seems of doubtful practical value for financial and psychological reasons. There is reason to believe that improvement in colorectal survival rates may be expected with widespread use of the "Hemoccult" test. Routine screening for cervical cancer should be continued, although the epidemiological evidence of its value is only circumstantial. In the case of lung cancer, there is not much hope that secondary prevention will improve mortality rates. Earlier detection of prostatic cancer by means of digital examination may eventually improve mortality rates, but at present the evidence is lacking.


[Current state of therapy for gastrointestinal tumors]. For many years, the treatment of malignant gastrointestinal tumors has been disappointing. However, recent results have shown an improvement in the rate of remissions and survival, especially in the treatment of gastric, pancreatic and localized rectal carcinoma. The therapy of cancer of the colon still remains unsatisfactory: the rate of remissions could be increased, but survival remains unaltered. Adjuvant chemotherapy is under investigation in many quarters but cannot yet be recommended as an established method of treatment.


Retention of the metabolized trace elements in biological tissues following different drying procedures. I. Antimony, cobalt, iodine, mercury, selenium and zinc in rat tissues. Loss of Sb, Co, I, Hg, Se and Zn during freeze-drying and oven-drying at 80, 105 and 120 degrees C were studied in rat tissues that contained metabolized radioactive isotopes. No loss was observed for any of the 6 elements on freeze-drying. However, tissue-specific differences were observed in many cases for Hg, Se, I and Sb on oven-drying. A significant loss of Hg was observed in liver even at 80 degrees C, and for brain at 105 degrees C. Se was lost from whole blood, brain, lung, and muscle at 120 degrees C. Sb was lost from whole blood at 105 degrees C, but from brain, kidney, lung and spleen at 120 degrees C. Iodine was also lost from whole blood, kidney, blood serum, erythrocytes, brain, lung and muscle at 120 degrees C. Although the losses were statistically significant, they remained in most cases between 2 and 10%, with the exception of Hg at 120 degrees C, where the losses in some of the tissues were unpredictable. For urine, freeze-drying and oven-drying at 80 degrees C was found to be relatively safe for Hg and I. At 105 degrees C and above, serious loss of Hg was observed. In this experiment, the elements Zn, Co, Sb and Se were no studied for urine.


Vanadium in foods and in human body fluids and tissues. Using neutron activation analysis, vanadium was analysed in a range of foods, human body fluids and tissues. On the basis of these results and those of other workers, it was concluded that daily dietary intake amounts to some tens of micrograms. Analysis of body fluids (including milk, blood and excreta) and organs and tissues provided an estimate for the total body pool of vanadium in man of about 100  microgram. Vanadium was not detectable in blood and urine at the level of 0.3 ng/g, while low levels were found in muscle, fat, bone, teeth and other tissues. The relationship between dietary intake to pulmonary absorption is discussed in relation to the occurrence of vanadium in man-made air particulates. The very low levels found in milks and eggs suggest minimal vanadium requirements in growth. The findings are discussed in the light of previous results and also in relation to the possible essentiality of vanadium.


Microprobe analysis of lead in human femur by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). A method is described for the measurement of the distribution of lead in bone tissue. Two cases of human femur have been analyzed; one worker was exposed to lead in heavy metal industry, the other case presents a reference worker from the same environment not excessively exposed to lead. Lead was determined through proton induced X-ray emission using microprobe technique. The mean lead concentration in the poisoned and the reference case was 70 and 30 ppm, respectively. The reference case showed an even lead distribution in the femur, while the poisoned case exhibited peaks in the distribution indicating that exposure to lead was not evenly distributed. The described technique has potential for microanalysis within the Haversian system for recording the history of exposure.


Estrogen-binding sites in endothelial cell cultures. The cytosol extracted from a vascular endothelial cell line binds [3H]estradiol with high affinity and a high degree of specificity. In contrast, in experiments performed with cytosol labeled in the intact cell, progesterone and, to a smaller extent, testosterone gave an apparent inhibition of estradiol binding. These data support the concept that ovarian hormones may influence the role of the endothelium in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions.


Time-resolved resonance raman spectroscopy of hemoglobin derivatives: heme structure changes in 7 nanoseconds. Resonance Raman spectra of oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, and the corresponding myoglobin derivatives have been obtained with 7-nanosecond laser pulses at 531.8 nanometers. The results suggest that no transient constraint of the heme group by the globin structure occurs on this time scale, and thus establish a temporal sequence for the early events that may participate in the stereochemical trigger mechanism of hemoglobin cooperativity.


Allergic orchitis lesions are adoptively transferred from vasoligated guinea pigs to syngeneic recipients. Histopathology typical of allergic orchitis developed in testes of inbred guinea pigs 16 months after vasoligation. A similar histopathology was found in unoperated testes after unilateral vasoligation. Peritoneal exudate cells from vasoligated guinea pigs transferred identical lesions to syngeneic recipients. The testicular lesions in long-term vasoligated guinea pigs have an immunological basis.


Vitamin D: two dihydroxylated metabolites are required for normal chicken egg hatchability. When hens are raised to sexual maturity from hatching with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] as their sole source of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), fertile eggs appear to develop normally but fail to hatch. When hens receive a combination of 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [24,25(OH)2D3], hatchability equivalent to that with hens given vitamin D3 is obtained. These results suggest a biological role for 24,25(OH)2D3 not previously recognized.


Mecrowear of mammalian teeth as an indicator of diet. Microwear details on teeth of two sympatric species of hyrax are correlated with major dietary differences observed in the wild. Grazing (Procavia john-stoni) and browsing (Heterohyrax brucei) species can be distinguished. The results show that diets of extinct species may be deduced from tooth microwear.


Absence of glycerol teichoic acids in certain oral streptococci. Glycerol teichoic acids were not detected immunochemically or chemically in phenol-water, hot saline (Rantz and Randall), or supernatant fluids of disrupted cells of Streptococcus mitis. Thus teichoic acids do not appear to be found in most Gram-positive bacteria, as has been suggested.


Ultraviolet radiation--induced chromosomal abnormalities in fetal fibroblasts from New Zealand black mice. Fibroblasts from New Zealand Black mouse fetuses manifest increased frequency of chromosomal breaks and interchanges after exposure to ultraviolet radiation when compared with cells from BABL/c fetuses. This chromosomal instability is similar to what has been reported in cells from patients with xeroderma pigmentosum and may be related to the chromosomally abnormal clones and malignancy previously reported in adult New Zealand Black mice.


Schistosoma mansoni: identification of chemicals that attract or trap its snail vector, Biomphalaria glabrata. A new bioassay for chemical attractants of aquatic snails demonstrated that Biomphalaria glabrata could be attracted to or trapped in the vicinity of homogenates of lettuce. Fractionation of homogenates revealed the amino acids glutamate and proline and the primary attractants. Attraction was specific for the L form of glutamate. Proline appeared to stimulate reproductive activity. Glutathione, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and a number of other compounds had no effect. Extracts of lyophilized snail tissue also attracted other snails and may thus contain pheromones. These results permit formulation and testing of controlled-release attractants designed to overcome the repellant effects of slow-release molluscicides, as well as the design of stimulants to be used with no-release poisons.


Visual system anomalies in human ocular albinos. Visually evoked potentials recorded from two types of human ocular albinos demonstrated significant hemispheric asymmetry following monocular stimulation. The asymmetry is indicative of disorganization of retinogeniculostriate projections similar to that reported for mammals with total albinism. Abnormal optic projections are associated with lack of ocular pigment and are not associated with any specific generalized pigment defect.


Plutonium in drinking water: effects of chlorination on its maximum permissible concentration. Soluble plutonium is oxidized to the Pi(VI) oxidation state by chlorine during water treatment. Under certain conditions Pi(VI) is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It appears that due consideration has not been given to the effect that the presence of plutonium in this oxidation state may have on the maximum permissible concentration of plutonium in drinking water.


Children absorb tris-BP flame retardant from sleepwear: urine contains the mutagenic metabolite, 2,3-dibromopropanol. The flame retardant, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (tris-BP), which is a mutagen and causes cancer and sterility in animals is absorbed from fabric by people. 2,3-Dibromopropanol, a metboloite of tris-BP and a mutagen itself, has been found in the urine samples of ten children who were wearing or who had worn tris-BP-treated sleepwear. Eight of these children were wearing well-washed sleepwear and the possibility of absorption of tris-BP from well-washed sleepwear discussed. 2,3-Dibromopropanol was not found in the urines of one child and one adult who had never worn tris-BP-treated garments.


Virulent Naegleria fowleri in an indoor swimming pool. A reservoir of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri has been located in the cracked wall of a swimming pool where repeated outbreaks of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis were observed between 1962 and 1965.


Selective depression of serum growth hormone during maternal deprivation in rat pups. Maternal deprivation was associated with a decline in immunoreactive growth hormone in the serum of rat pups. Pups that were returned to the mother showed a rapid reversal in this deprivation-induced decrease. The change in growth hormone concentration was not accompanied by changes in the concentrations of prolactin, thyrotropin, or corticosterone in the serum, but were correlated with alteration in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase in the brain. Treatment of neonatal rat pups with cyprohepatadine, a serotonin antagonist that suppresses growth hormone secretion, resulted in a significant decline in both serum growth hormone concentration and brain ornithine decarboxylase activity. These findings suggest that maternal deprivation elicits a specific suppression of growth hormone release which mediates the decrease in ornithine decarboxylase activity. The study is consistent with clinical findings of impaired growth hormone "responsitivity" in human maternal deprivation syndrome.


Experimental transformation of muscle fiber properties in lobster. Like the chelipeds, the claw closer muscles of the adult lobster are asymmetric (dipmorphic). In the crusher claw the closer muscle is composed entirely of slow fibers, and in the cutter claw it has 65 to 75 percent fast fibers and 25 to 35 percent slow fibers.  While claw placement in the adult is essentially random, it can be demonstrated in two ways that the muscle fiber properties are not genetically fixed: (i) if one claw is removed in the fourth and early fifth stages, the remaining closer muscle develops all slow muscle fibers, and (ii) if the animals are raised in smooth-bottomed containers, both claws can become cutter types, having closer muscles with more than 50 percent fast fibers. Thus, as in vertebrate skeletal muscle, the properties of lobster closer muscle fibers can be transformed by various experimental manipulations.