Evidence for net uptake of GABA into mouse astrocytes in primary cultures--its sodium dependence and potassium independence. Content of GABA was measured in cultured, normal astrocytes [from the brain cortex of newborn mice] together with the effect of nonradioactive GABA on the efflux of labeled GABA from cells previously loaded with (14C)GABA. An increase of external GABA concentration from 0 to 25 micron evoked a rise of the GABA content in the cells to a level which was approximately 50 times that of the incubation medium. Neither 200 nor 2000 micron nonradioactive GABA had any effect on the rate of release of radioactivity from cells loaded with (14C)GABA. Both the high tissue/medium ratio and the lack of a GABA-induced enhancement of the release of radioactivity indicate that the previously observed high-affinity uptake of GABA in cultured astrocytes represents a net uptake and not a homoexchange with endogenous GABA. This uptake is sodium dependent but was found to be unaffected in potassium-free media; the quantitative correlation between GABA transport and sodium transport differed from that reported for synaptosomes.


Cystathionine in rat brain: catabolism in vivo. The content of cystathionine was measured in 35 rat brains; the range was 10-120 nmol/g wet weight and thus the variability of cystathionine content in rat brain was emphasized. The regional distribution of cystathionine was also determined: the highest level was found in cerebellum; the lowest level was observed in the white and gray matter of the hemispheres. These results are different from those obtained in other species. The radioactive metabolites formed from L-(35S)cystathionine injected intracisternally were measured in brains of rats killed at the following times after injection: 0.25, 1, 2, 4,6, 9, 16, and 27 hr. The radioactivity was found both in the proteins and in the acid-soluble fraction. In the acid-soluble fraction the radioactivity was found in various ninhydrin-reacting compounds: [cysteic cysteine sulfinic] acid, taurine, reduced and oxidized glutathione, cystine, cystathionine, and a compound tentatively identified as the mixed disulfide of cysteine and glutathione. The radioactivity of cystathionine decreased exponentially between the 1st and the 27th hour after injection and its half-life was estimated to be about 5 hr. The radioactivity in the other ninhydrin-reacting compounds increased until the 9th hour after injection, then decreased. Half of this radioactivity was present in reduced glutathione, the rest being shared equally between: [cysteic cysteine sulfinic] acid, taurine, and the mixed disulfide. It is worthwhile to note that the radioactivity in the cystine fraction was always very low.


Denaturation of proteins by ascorbic acid: effects on dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. Under conditions that are optimum for DbetaH, ascorbic acid denatures serum albumin, gamma-globulin, catalase, and DbetaH. With ascrobate plus Cu2+, the proteins are almost completely destroyed. Pyrazole protects DbetaH and albumin, but not catalase. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is not denatured by ascorbate, with or without Cu2+, and in combination with catalytic amounts of catalase or Fe2+ it stimulates maximum DbetaH activity. In other words, a combination of catalase and SOD, or Fe2+ and SOD, will protect DbetaH. Excessive amounts of catalase and/or other protein, either native or denatured will prevent the effects of superoxide and/or ascrobate, but cannot replace the requirements for catalytic quantities of catalase or Fe2+. The results suggest that the rate of hydroxylation of tyramine may be limited by superoxide, but that the latter per se does not denature DbetaH as does hydrogen peroxide. The in vitro activation of oxygen by DbetaH is a toxic process, involving the production of both hydrogen peroxide and superoxide and possibly other free radicals. In the absence of precise regulation of the production and concentrations of these compounds, the enzyme is denatured.


Amino acid transport in the retina.

Amino acid transport in the retina. The uptake, exit, homoexchange, inhibitory pattern, and kinetic analysis of transport of three amino acids were studied in the isolated retina of adult rat under different metabolic conditions. Only in the case of glycine, uptake and exit were shown to duplicate the processes observed in brain slices. In the case of lysine, glucose and oxygen showed an inhibitory effect, but with glutamate spontaneous exit could not be measured. It was also found that the rate of homoexchange for glycine and glutamate, but not for lysine, increases in the presence of oxygen and glucose.


Taurine deficiency in the kitten subcellular distribution of taurine and [35S]taurine in brain. Taurine concentration decreases rapidly in the tissues and physiological fluids of kittens fed a diet of partially purified casein which lacks taurine. We have studied the subcellular distribution in cerebrum of taurine and [35S]taurine administered intravenously to these animals. The taurine concentration of all the fractions isolated from the cerebrum of taurine-deficient kittens was approximately sevenfold less than that observed in the fractions of cerebrum isolated from control kittens. The [35S]taurine was approximately twofold greater in all the brain fractions isolated from the taurine-deficient kittens compared with those isolated from the control kittens. The percent distributions of taurine and [35S]taurine in the fractions isolated from the cerebrum of control and deficient kittens were identical. Thus, in the face of a severe diet-induced deficiency of taurine in kitten brain, there appears to be no conservation of taurine by any particular subcellular pool of taurine. These studies provide no evidence for differences in compartmentation of taurine in cerebrum of taurine-deficient kittens compared with control kittens.


Inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid release from rat cerebral cortex slices by barbiturate anesthesia. Amobarbital and pentobarbital anesthesia inhibited the potassium-stimulated, Ca-dependent release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from rat cerebral cortex slices during incubation in vitro. Inhibition of GABA release was not found when slices were prepared from rats shortly after they awakened from amobarbital anesthesia. Phenobarbital anesthesia did not affect the release of GABA.


Potassium-stimulated release of GABA, glycine, and taurine from the chick retina. The effect of depolarizing potassium concentration on the release of [14C]glycine, [3H]GABA, and [3S]taurine was investigated in the whole chick retina and in a synaptosomal fraction prepared from the chick retina. In the whole retina, increasing potassium concentration above 40 mM resulted in an increased release of the three amino acids. The release of glycine was the most stimulated and that of taurine, the least. The potassium-evoked release of glycine and GABA was calcium dependent. In the synaptosomal fraction, 68.5 mM potassium significantly stimulated the efflux of GABA and glycine by a calcium-dependent mechanism. The release of taurine from this fraction was unaffected by high potassium.


Endogenous phosphorylation of rat brain synaptosomal plasma membranes in vitro: some methodological aspects. The time course of endogenous phosphorylation in vitro of total or separated synaptic plasma membrane proteins (SPM) has been correlated with that of hydrolysis of the phosphate donor (ATP) in the incubation medium. The ATP/SPM ratio in the medium was varied. In a low-ratio medium (7.5 muM ATP; 2.2 microgram SPM/microliter) a complete hydrolysis of ATP occurred almost instantaneously as was measured by the release of free phosphate in and the disappearance of ATP from the medium. As a consequence, only a very short peak of phosphorylation, followed by dephosphorylation was observed. However, when higher ATP/SPM ratios were used (200 muM ATP; 0.4 microgram SPM/microliter and 500 muM ATP; 0.4 microgram SPM/microliter), the incorporation of phosphate into SPM proteins was linear for 20 sec, and the maximum level of phosphate incorporation was increased. Similar results were obtained after separation of 32P-labeled phosphoproteins by slab gel electrophoresis. However, analysis of the autoradiographs obtained from one SPM preparation under different ATP/SPM ratios revealed dependence of phosphorylation of individual protein bands on the conditions used.


Time course of appearance of alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites during development of chick ciliary ganglion and iris. The binding of [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin (ABTX) to homogenates of ciliary ganglia and irises from embryonic and posthatching chickens has been examined. Specific, high-affinity binding was found in both tissues [KD (iris) equals 2.5 nM; KD (ganglion) equals 2.7 nM]. Binding is saturated above 10 nM toxin concentration and is inhibited by low concentrations of the nicotinic antagonist d-tubocurarine. The binding may be associated with a nicotinic cholinergic receptor in both tissues. The amount of binding in the iris begins to increase soon after functional innervation is first observed, at 12 days of incubation (d.i.), and continues to increase up to four months after hatching (a.h.), the oldest age tested. In contrast, ABTX binding in the ciliary ganglion increases fourfold between 7 and 11 d.i., after which the amount of binding remains unchanged up to four months a.h. When compared to the development of choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in the ganglion and iris, ABTX binding follows a pattern similar to that of AChE activity. The largest increases in ChAc activity occur later than those of the postsynaptic markers. After 16 d.i. there are approximately 3 x 10(6) toxin molecules bound per neuron in the ciliary ganglion.


Identification of polydisperse RNA in the cytoplasm of neurons isolated from the immature brain cortex. The cytoplasmic RNA of 10-day-old rats was studied in bulk-isolated, cortical neurons, obtained under conditions which minimize nuclear contamination. Two RNA fractions, one enriched rRNA and the other in "polydisperse" RNA, were obtained by differential extraction with phenol. Gel electrophoresis and pulse labelling with 5-[3H]uridine were used to confirm the delayed appearance of newly synthesized rRNA in the cytoplasm and to demonstrate its stability. "Polydisperse" RNA appeared in the cytoplasm earlier and had a shorter half-life than rRNA. A wide range of molecular weights for this RNA was found with no predominant individual species. A set of cytoplasmic RNA components of molecular size between 28S and 18S was also present probably reflecting the in vivo degradation of rRNA. The significance of the unexpectedly high amounts of neuronal polydisperse RNA is discussed.


Choline acetyltransferase. The absence of multiple forms and purification from mouse brain. No multiple forms of choline acetyltransferase were found in extracts of human, mouse, rabbit, guinea pig, cat, and rat brain. A single form of this enzyme only was also demonstrated in bovine nervous tissue, including brain, dorsal and ventral roots, spinal cord, and femoral nerve. The difference from other published findings is believed to be due to ammonium sulfate fractionation, which was not used in the present study. In addition, multiple forms of the enzyme were obtained by others using isoelectric focusing, whereas this study employed gel filtration. Choline acetyltransferase was highly purified form mouse brain using a procedure similar to that used for the enzyme from bovine brain. The steps involved: (1) making an acetone-chloroform powder from whole mouse brains, (2) extracting the powder and chromatographing the soluble fraction with organomercurial Sepharose, (3) passing the enzyme solution through a column of DEAE-cellulose, (4) eluting from hydroxyapatite, and (5) removing contaminants by subunit exchange chromatography. The final preparation was essentially homogeneous as revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.


Ontogenesis of histamine in the chick nervous system. Tissues from the central and peripheral nervous systems of the chick were analyzed for concentration of histamine (Hm) during development. Of the three CNS organs examined, cerebral hemispheres had the highest Hm content. Expressed on the bases of wet weight, protein, and DNA concentrations, sciatic nerve and the pineal gland had the highest levels of this biogenic amine of the five tissues investigated. The concentration of Hm was higher in the cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres, and thalamus of adult animals than in the 15 to 17-day-old embryos. The level of Hm rose markedly in the sciatic nerve and pineal gland after the 15th day of embryonic development. These data might indicate a possible involvement of Hm in controlling the course of maturation of certain organs in the nervous system.


Characteristics of the activation by dithiothreitol and Fe(2+) of tryptophan hydroxylase from the rat brain. The preincubation of tryptophan hydroxylase extracted from various areas of the central nervous system of the rat with 30 mM dithiothreitol and 50 muM ferrous ammonium sulfate under nitrogen atmosphere resulted in a persistent increase of its activity. Studies on the enzyme characteristics indicated that this activation was associated with a doubling in its Vmax and a shift (from 7.6 to 7.2) of the optimal pH for its activity. In contrast, the molecular weight and the apparent affinities of tryptophan hydroxylase for its pterin cofactor and for tryptophan were not significantly altered by the preincubation with dithiothreitol and ferrous ammonium sulfate. Since this treatment did not prevent the stimulatory effects of various compounds (phosphatidylserine, ATP and MG(2+), Ca(2+)) on tryptophan hydroxylase activity, this might be a good procedure to activate this enzyme with only minor changes in its regulatory properties.


Protein and glycoprotein composition of subsynaptosomal fractions. Implications for Exocytosis and recycling of synaptic vesicles. Highly enriched fractions of synaptic junctional complexes, synaptic vesicles, and coated vesicles were isolated from rat forebrains and compared, along with synaptosomal plasma membrane and its nonjunctional components, by discontinuous sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When stained for proteins with Coomassie blue, the gels all contained the same protein bands, only in different relative amounts. Mixing experiments revealed no additional bands. However, gel patterns of each fraction were not only quantitatively but also qualitatively different when stained for carbohydrate. These observations suggested that some of the protein bands may vary in their degree of glycosylation among the various synaptic fractions. Within the limits of resolution of the methods used here, these results are consistent with the morphological process of synaptic vesicle exocytosis and recycling but suggest the possibility of a reversible modification of certain membrane glycoproteins as they pass through the various membrane compartments.


Superoxide dismutase activity in nerve cell culture. Superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activity was assayed in preparations obtained from several clonal lines of nerve cell culture, by enzymatic and nonenzymatic assays. The enzyme was found in dialyzed homogenates of washed cells and in partially purified fractions. The enzyme was also found in cells which had been grown in media containing 5-bromodeoxyuridine, where cell differentiation was observed.


Effect of gamma-glutamyl cycle inhibitors on brain amino acid transport and utilization. Two inhibitors of the gamma-glutamyl cycle, methionine sulfoximine (MSO) and 2-imidazolidone-4-carboxylic acid (ICA) were administered to C57LB/6J mice. Both agents resulted in a reduced rate of transport of tyrosine from blood to brain and a decreased rate of incorporation of tyrosine from plasma into brain protein. MSO administration also diminished to concentrations of brain tyrosine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. MSO decreased the transport rate of valine by brain as well as the rate of its incorporation into protein when expressed in relation to the plasma specific activity. The results demonstrate a significant role for the gamma-glutamyl cycle in the transport of large neutral amino acids from blood to brain.


Lysosomal storage diseases.

Lysosomal storage diseases. The majority of lysosomal storage diseases affect the central nervous system. Those that reflect a primary lysosomal disorder are associated with genetically determined deficiencies of specific lysosomal enzymes and storage of the relevant substrate. Autofluorescent lipopigments accumulate in the ceroid-lipofuscinoses, a heterogeneous group of diseases in which lysosomal storage is thought to be a secondary event. In animals, there occurs a group of toxic storage diseases whose pathology mimics that of some of the genetic diseases. In humans some element of control may be achieved by heterozygote detection programmes and/or prenatal diagnosis of pregnancies at risk with elective abortion of an affected foetus. The outlook for specific therapy is not encouraging at this stage.


A light and electron microscopic study of the neuropathy of equine idiopathic laryngeal hemiplegia. A study has been made of the pathological changes in the recurrent laryngeal nerves from horses with clinical and sub-clinical idiopathic laryngeal hemiplegia. Qualitative and quantitative studies showed in clinical cases there was a progressive distal loss of large myelinated fibres in the left recurrent nerve. Regenerating clusters and onion bulbs were frequently seen in affected nerves both at proximal and distal levels. Degenerating axons were characterized by collections of organelles, and denervated bands of Bungner were common. Similar but less severe changes were seen in the left recurrent nerve of sub-clinical cases, and in both the clinical and sub-clinical cases the distal right recurrent nerve was also affected. Teased fibre studies showed evidence of chronic demyelination and remyelination. The aetiology of this chronic neuropathy remains uncertain but the possibility of nerve compression is discussed.


Further experience with contrast-enhanced CT in head trauma. Abnormal contrast enhancement was seen in 196 (39.8%) of 492 CT scans performed on patients for evaluation of head trauma. It proved most helpful in the diagnosis of isodense subdural hematomas and contusions. The advantages of contrast-enhanced CT scans in the evaluation of head trauma more than compensate for the additional time in performing the examination.


Correlation of long-term follow-up neurologic, psychologic, and cranial computed tomographic evaluations of head trauma patients. We followed 153 head-injured patients by computed tomography and neurologic examinations. Twenty-seven also received psychologic evaluations. Cerebral parenchymal disruption was the abnormality produced by head trauma most likely to result in a fixed neurologic or psychologic deficit. Extracerebral hematomas and diffuse cerebral swelling were associated with deficits only if focal parenchymal damage was also present. Of the lesions encountered, midline hemorrhages, reflecting a diffuse shearing injury, were associated with the highest morbidity and mortality. The sites of residual parenchymal damage were associated more frequently with deficits found on psychologic testing than with neurologically detected deficits.


Computer tomography of traumatic intracerebral hemorrhagic lesions: the change in density and mass effect with time. A review of sequential CT examinations on 87 acute nonpenetrating head injury patients with traumatic hemorrhagic lesions has revealed a difference in location and in time course for change in density and mass effect between intracerebral hematoma, hemorrhagic contusion, and diffuse white matter shearing injury.


[Interobserver variability in CT reporting. A comparative evaluation (author's transl)]. Within a test of interobserver variability 88 CCT images were described by four physicians. In spite of a standardized documentation method, first results demonstrate that continuous quality control is necessary if the data is gathered into CCT data bases. The evaluation of uncontrolled data seems to be limited.


Inflammation of the neck.

Inflammation of the neck. In the evaluation of a large series of infectious processes in the cervical region, certain diagnostic sonographic patterns have been established, which prove very helpful in differentiating the various stages and the extension of inflammatory processes. The advantages of sonographic imaging are demonstrated.


Computed tomography in hereditary ataxias. Cranial CT in 39 patients (23 belonged to 8 families) with four different groups of hereditary ataxia (HA) showed mainly three combinations of atrophic findings: (1) cerebellar ataxia (CA, n = 17) had marked atrophy of the cerebellum and/or the brain stem combined with moderate cerebral atrophy; (2) an intermediate group consisting of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP, n = 10) and Friedreich's ataxia (FA, n = 7), both with moderate infra- and supratentorial atrophy; (3) atrophy was hardly demonstrated in the group of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT, n = 5). HA cases with atrophy could be distinguished from multiple sclerosis (MS) by CT.


Results of computer tomography on chronic alcoholics. Sixty adult patients with chronic alcoholism were examined by CT. Psychiatric and neurologic syndromes were given equal consideration. Pronounced brain atrophy was found in 75% of the cases. Cortical, as opposed to subcortical, atrophy was apparent in 64%; it was found especially in the frontotemporal region and cerebellum. Cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy as well as epileptic manifestations revealed global signs of atrophy, not restricted to the brain stem. Further correlations to problems of mental deficiency in alcoholism are discussed together with earlier results.


Ammon's horn sclerosis on pneumoencephalotomography. Fourteen cases with psychomotor seizure were examined by pneumoencephalotomographic technique. In all cases uni- or bilateral changes of the inferior horn were found: diverticular dilatation of subiculum, lowering and irregularity of the floor, reduction of width, and deformation of digitation. These findings correlated well with the autopsy reports. In most cases, EEG findings also correlated.


CT in evaluation of the circle of Willis. The method of visualizing the circle of Willis intentionally on contrast-enhanced CT scan was studied. The incidence of circle of Willis in our series was 86%. Only mild side effects were observed, in 7.5% of cases. CT of 60 proven cerebral aneurysms were reviewed and aneurysm was detected in 57%. This method has the potential to be a noninvasive screening procedure for evaluation of suspected cerebral aneurysm, as well as evaluation of marked arteriosclerosis, occlusion of major arteries, and mass effect of parasellar tumors.


The effect of dextran and streptokinase on cerebral function and blood flow after cardiac arrest. An experimental study on the dog. EEG activity and regional cerebral blood flow were studied during 5 h of maintenance following 12-16 min of cardiac arrest in 33 anesthetized dogs. Group I received no treatment. Group II received dextran 40. Group III were given both dextran 40 and streptokinase. In Group III the duration of flat EEG was significantly shorter than in Group I or II (P less than 0.002 and less than 0.008). The EEG score at 3 h had already reached a significant level as compared to Group I (P less than 0.005 at 3 h and P less than 0.002 at 5 h). The blood flow in the grey matter and hippocampus was greater in Group III than in Groups I and II. After 3 h the flow in Group III had already reached a significant level (P less than 0.0002, both grey matter and hippocampus) as compared to that in Group I. The findings suggest that impaired cerebral perfusion and function after cardiac arrest are most likely secondary to a combination of hemoconcentration, hyperviscosity, microthrombi formation, and edema at the microcirculatory level. Thus postischemic encephalopathy is in part due to perfusion abnormalities present after arrest, and is therefore amenable to therapy.


A nationwide system for computer recording of neuroradiologic examinations. For 2 years the system of recording radiologic examinations connected with the computer called SYBAR has been in operation. The examination methods are coded using the Index of Roentgen Examinations of the Swedish National Medical Board (1970), while the diagnoses are coded according to [4]. The positive experience accumulated so far prompted the authors to project and put in operation the system NEURO-SYBAR in order to organize a bank of data of neuroradiologic examinations. This system required the widening of two anatomic fields, 'skull and contents' and 'spine and contents,' according to the 'Index for Roentgen Diagnoses' of the American College of Radiology [1]. The NEURO-SYBAR system was adopted by ten radiologic departments in the country. The complete neuroradiologic data from these departments were collected in one computer center in Lodz.


Systematic double-catheter epidural venography in the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation. In epidural venography systematic use of two catheters and simultaneous injection of contrast medium does improve the opacification of the entire lumbar epidural venous system and the reliability of the X-rays. The combined catheterization offers the possibility of over 20 different procedures. The position of the catheters can be chosen according to diagnostic problems or technical catheterization problems during the examination. The method should be regarded as extremely reliable in diagnosing lumbar disc herniation. A small straight vein, which has not been described before, is often shown in the middle of the vertebral canal. Metrizamide may be used as a contrast agent.


Reduced morbidity in gas myelography.

Reduced morbidity in gas myelography. Gas myelography is a useful technique in the evaluation of the spinal canal and its contents. Although it has been greatly simplified and the high-resolution imaging greatly improved, morbidity remains a problem. Removal of the gas at the end of the examination through the lumbar route significantly decreases morbidity. This can be achieved through the same needle if the examination is performed via a lumbar puncture. Insertion of a second needle in the lumbar region may be necessary if the cervical or cisternal puncture is employed for gas introduction.


[Skeletal scinitgraphy in neuroradiological diagnostics (author's transl)]. From a review of 52 selected cases showing neurologic symptoms, the possible use of skeletal scintigraphy for the purpose of neuroradiologic diagnostics is reported. The close relationship of the nervous system and surrounding structures with the skeletal system means that the skeletal system is often involved in nervous pathologic processes. Such involvement can be detected by skeletal scintigraphy which thus provides a vital aid to diagnosis and therapeutical planning. The basic methods and technical equipment in the field of scintigraphy are discussed.


The value of radionuclide myelography in the evaluation of spinal arachnoiditis. On the basis of myelographic findings, spinal adhesive arachnoiditis was classified into three types: type I (peripheral or marginal), type II (central), and type III (advanced). Depending on its location and extent, it may be divided into group A (lumbar), group B (thoracic), and group C (cervical). In view of the fact that intrathecal injection both of oily and of water-soluble contrast media tends to produce spinal arachnoiditis, we have been using radionuclides for pre- and postoperative myelography to evaluate arachnoiditis. Radionuclide myelography with 131I-HSA or 111In-DTPA is a safe modality which provides useful information regarding spinal arachnoiditis.


CT of the spine.

CT of the spine. The level of CT section in the lumbosacral region may be correlated with routine AP views of the spine using a reference plane constructed according to the distance between the iliac crests. CT scans of the spine in 100 patients have been analyzed. The majority of these cases consisted of primary or secondary bone or soft-tissue tumors. CT examination was valuable to supplement plain films and/or myelograms in evaluation of the extent of pathology. It was also useful in the work-up of patients with malignant tumors whose other studies were equivocal.


[Cervical myelography after lumbar application of metrizamide (author's transl)]. Cervical myelography by means of lumbar application of metrizamide was performed on 110 patients. The exploration technique, the results, the quality of the myelograms, and the side effects observed are discussed. The most frequent complaint was headache. There were also cases of vertigo, vomitus, pain in the back and legs, and one case of tachycardia. Complications of a more serious nature, in particular epileptic seizures, did not occur.


A new relative contraindication for lumbar myelography. We have taken myelograms of six patients with grave post-tuberculous thoracic gibbus of the spine and gross deformity of the thoracic cage. Two of these patients suffered violent convulsions and fracture of the neck of the femur. In one patient the myelogram was taken with Conray Meglumine and in another with Dimer X. We suggest that a grave deformity of the thoracic cage is a relative contraindication for lumbar myelography with these water-soluble contrast media. We assume that the reduced tissue oxygenation in these patients results in a lower threshold for convulsions.


CAT of the spine and spinal cord.

CAT of the spine and spinal cord. CAT for spine and spinal cord studies was carried out in 182 patients aged 7-80 years during 12 months (April 1977 to March 1978) with the EMI body scanner CT 5005. Three methods were used: (1) standard (noncontrast) scanning; (2) the same, with IV contrast enhancement; (3) the same again, after CSF enhancement with Amipaque (computer-assisted myelography). The combined use of Amipaque and CT seems particularly interesting.


[Metastases of the cervico-occipital junction. The value of tomographic detection of prefracture forms (author's transl)]. The authors stress the frequency of metastases of the cervico-occipital junction unrecognized in medical literature: 30 cases have been diagnosed within four months. They report their different patterns and complications and insist on the prefractured pattern with osteolysis of the body of C-2 which can be shown only by polytomography. The authors propose that a tomographic study of the cervico-occipital junction should be systematically included in every analysis of metastatic extension of osteophilic tumors.


The roentgenographic manifestations and clinical features of lumbar spinal stenosis with special emphasis on the superior articular process. Sixty-three cases of surgically confirmed lumbar spinal stenosis were studied with regard to the clinical manifestations, routine spine films, and myelograms. The results are compared with the data in the literature. While our clinical and myelographic findings correspond in general with those published data, we have found important features of the superior articular process seen on routine anteroposterior roentgenograms which have not been described in the literature. Two illustrative cases are presented to demonstrate such features.


Vascular thrombosis induced by direct electric current. A new technique for therapeutic embolisation; animal experimentation; first clinical applications. A first series of experiments showed that the passage of a direct current along a positive electrode immersed in heparinised blood caused the formation of an adhering clot whose diameter increased with time and current intensity. A second series of experiments was done on 10 rabbits as follows: under general anaesthesia, a catheter used as a guide to the positive electrode was surgically inserted in the abdominal aorta. The negative electrode was placed on the thigh. A direct current (10 mA, 10V) was applied for 10-20 min. The first two clinical applications in man of this new method of treatment by electric current thrombosis were carried out using catheterisation of branches of the external carotid and cervical arteries.


[Experimental artificial embolization in animals: consequences and clinical applications (author's transl)]. A fistula was created between the jugular vein and the common carotid artery in rabbits. The fistula was demonstrated by angiography and embolized using material labelled with iodine 131. The embolization material used was fibrin, Tabotamp, and Lyo-Dura. The migration of the emboli was registered by scintigraphy with an Anger camera. The experiment showed that the embolization material is transported from the small to the great circulation.


[Embolization and balloon occlusions in craniofacial vascular lesions: seven years' experience (author's transl)]. We review 258 cases of craniofacial vascular lesion treated by endovascular occlusion in the past 7 years in the Neuroradiology Departments of Nancy, Nantes, and Toulouse. Dural fistulas very often need both embolization and surgery. Craniofacial angiomas are not straightforward indications for therapy: the age of the patient, the unpredictability of evolution, and possible sequelae have to be taken into account; embolization is very successful in counteracting hemorrhage. Angiomatoses such as Rendu-Osler disease can respond well to repeated embolizations over several years. Lesions such as hemolymphangiomas are also excellent indications for embolization, either alone or with surgery. Occlusion by detachable balloon is ideally the most elegant method, but it is not always technically feasible, nor free from complications.


[Embolization with adipose tissue (author's transl)]. The authors present their animal experimental work on adipose tissue as an occlusive agent, using the renal and carotid areas as parenchyma in which to test its effect. Work was planned in four series: the first with a survival rate of 24 to 72 h, the second with a survival rate of 7 to 18 days, the third, 45 to 58 days, and the fourth, 58 to 90 days. Angiographic and anatomopathologic postembolization controls were performed, thus supplying conclusive radiologic and histologic documentation on the embolization material under study. In the light of results achieved, it was applied clinically in humans.


C1-2 block vertebra. Fusion of the anterior arch of the atlas with the axis. Follow-up of the fusion in a child. A peculiar form of C1-2 block vertebra (anterior arch of the atlas with the axis) is described. The progressive ossification is followed up in a child from the age of 9 to 15. The author also reviews the data of his five previously reported cases.


Unexpected complications following therapeutic embolization. Unexpected complications may follow therapeutic embolization, even though no apparent technical errors have occurred. This report includes four cases of facial palsy following middle meningeal artery embolization, one case of aspiration pneumonia following glomus tumor embolization, and a case of pulmonary embolization following embolization of a spinal arteriovenous malformation.


Angiographic, operative, and histologic findings after embolization of craniofacial angiomas. After pre- or intraoperative angiography and Gelfoam embolization in patients with deforming vascular malformations in the craniofacial region, the angiographic findings and the results of embolization were controlled by operation and histology. In arteriovenous hemangiomas the disfigurations of the craniofacial region originate from the shunt vessels themselves, in capillary hemangiomas exclusively from neoplastic, pathologically dilated and convoluted veins which could be demonstrated only by percutaneous punctures. Lymphatic hemangiomas also could be radiologically shown only after direct punctures and without any feeding or draining vessels. During operation vast necrosis of the fatty tissue in the region of embolization and massive phlebolithiasis in the draining veins were found. Histologically, arterial obliterations could be shown in the former shunt area. The reconstructive operations could be done in bloodless surgical regions and always showed good cosmetic results, which were regarded as constant because of the embolization of the shunt area.


[Embolization in the treatment of medullary arteriovenous malformations in 38 cases (author's transl)]. A Group of 38 medullary arterio-venous malformations have been embolized with solid emboli: 12 retromedullary, 22 intramedullary and four mixed AVM. Indications, contraindications, and long-term results are described.


The embolization of vascular malformations of the spinal cord with low-viscosity silicone rubber. Development of the low-viscosity silicone rubber has made possible the successful embolization and complete obliteration of 9 out of 11 vascular malformations of the spinal cord treated with this material. The procedure is particularly useful in patients where the malformation is fed by a limited number of posterior radicular feeders without any supply from the anterior spinal artery. One patient with a supply from the anterior spinal artery. One patient with a supply from both anterior and posterior feeders was successfully embolized after a temporary occlusion of the anterior spinal radicular feeder. Seven patients out of 11 embolized with silicone rubber showed a clinical improvement of their signs and symptoms.


Selective intra-arterial cytotostatic injections in malignant head and neck tumors. Regional intra-arterial drug administration has been advocated in order to reduce the risks of systemic complications in conjunction with systemic tumor chemotherapy. We have been using superselective angiographic techniques to administer the antitumor drug mitomycin C directly into the feeding arteries of the tumor in 15 patients with advanced malignant head and neck tumors. No complications were observed. In five patients the tumor decreased significantly in size, in four patients, tumor cell necrosis was found. A marked decrease in pain was reported by nine of the 15 patients.


[Value and limits of computed tomography in processes of the skull base (author's transl)]. Among 750 skull bases studied with CT, 137 were pathologic cases. Findings in intracranial tumors, in primarily extracranial tumors with intracranial extension, and malformations are described. The value and some limitations of CT in this pathology are described.


Malignant tumours of the sinuses. Radiologic evaluation, including CT scanning, with clinical and pathologic correlation. This study is based on experience with 100 patients. The clinical and pathologic features of carcinoma of the sinuses are analyzed. The various radiologic modalities are described and evaluated with respect to diagnosis and treatment.


Extensions of paranasal sinus tumors and inflammatory disease as evaluated by CT and pluridirectional tomography. CT and pluridirectinal tomography are compared in their ability to show the extent of paranasal sinus tumors or benign aggressive processes. Thirty-one cases are reviewed; CT was superior to pluridirectional tomography in showing spreads of tumor to all clinically important areas, including the infratemporal fossa, nasopharynx, orbit, and intracranial compartment. CT not only consistently allowed less equivocal interpretation, but also enabled us to qualify orbital involvement as intra- or extraconal, and to quantitate better both brain and infratemporal fossa involvement. We feel that CT scanning is the better way to determine the extent of such pathology.


Changes of internal auditory meatus.

Changes of internal auditory meatus. Forty-seven patients with 48 nonoperated acoustic neuromas have been studied by computed tomography (CT) with respect to bone changes. CT and conventional X-ray examination of the skull were compared. The importance of using a small collimator, proper selection of the plane of the CT section, and changing of the window level is stressed. CT detects porus changes as accurately as conventional X-ray methods.


Computerized tomography of the eye: a study of 62 pathologic cases. The usefulness of CT of the eye in diagnosis is discussed, and comparison with ultrasonography is made. The authors draw on experience with 62 patients, including, in particular, cases of tumor, eyeball malformtion, and intraocular foreign bodies. CT is not very useful for study of the eyeball itself, but can be indispensable in the diagnosis of malformations and tumors.


The role of computed axial tomography in the diagnosis and treatment of brain inflammatory and parasitic lesions: our experience in Mexico. Computed axial tomography has come to be a most useful procedure in the selection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with inflammatory and parasitic lesions of the brain, because it allows a more accurate localization and definition of the histologic nature of lesions. Conventional contrast X-ray studies are not to be abandoned, but they do present a certain risk and do not provide the same degree of accuracy as CAT. Cerebral angiography will have to be carried out when CAT shows pathologic lesions.


The value of computed tomography in delineating suprasellar extension of pituitary adenomas. Pituitary tumors commonly produce suprasellar extension. We have found that in assessing lateral suprasellar extent, the pneumoencephalogram and arteriogram are least accurate. CT scanning significantly increases the accuracy, and it is recommended that all patients with pituitary tumors have an initial CT scan.


Metrizamide CT cisternography combined with Myodil (Pantopaque) cisternography in the investigation of suspected small acoustic neuromata. A combined technique for the investigation of suspected small acoustic neuromata, involving the performance of a metrizamide CT cisternogram, a Myodil (Pantopaque) cisternogram, and also an estimation of the CSF protein level, all at the same examination, is described. An entirely negative result excludes an acoustic neuroma. A few illustrative abnormal cases are described.


Computed tomography of the orbit with special emphasis on coronal sections. Computed tomography (CT) is an extremely valuable noninvasive method for evaluating orbital soft-tissue structures. The possibility of scanning in the coronal plane has added a new dimension to the study. Direct enlargement viewing of scans on the display console has disclosed minute anatomic and pathologic details.


Limitations of computerized tomography in diagnosis  of subdural hematoma. CT findings in 51 patients with subdural hematomas are studied. Direct signs (hyperdensity, hypodensity) and indirect signs (any form of mass lesion) are distinguished. CT is limited with regard to determining correlations between time and the attenuation values. The factors which influence density of the hematoma are discussed. For a rational approach with subdural hematomas, which present diagnostic problems and reveal the limitations of CT diagnosis, a diagnostic scheme is proposed.


Comparison of computerised tomography with other neuroradiological methods. A plea for a different kind of analysis. Two different types of retrospective study of the value of CT have been contrasted. In one, the patients were chosen because of the way they presented (with posterior fossa signs of symptoms) or because they were found to have posterior fossa disease; in the other, all were reported as having, or found to have, gliomas or metastases. The first type of study provides a better basis for evaluation of neuroradiological procedures.


Radiation dose in neuroradiological procedures. Radiation dose is cumulative in the radiosensitive organs. In neuroradiology the organ of particular interest is the eye. There is an immutable physical relationship between spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio (i.e., density discrimination), and dose: Dose alpha (formula: see text). Optimal imaging conditions require a compromise between these three factors. The factors concerned in the effective utilisation of dose are discussed and the various compromises considered. Radiation dose measurements are given for a wide variety of neuroradiological procedures, including CT employing the EMI CT1010 and CT5005.


[The diagnostic value of CT and angiography in cerebral tumors (author's transl)]. In a cooperative study the examination results of CT and angiography of 756 patients with verified supratentorial tumors were compared. CT displayed the higher diagnostic accuracy. Temporobasal tumors cause diagnostic problems for both examination methods. The value of arteriography is still unquestioned because using this examination method the differential diagnosis of mass lesions can be considered largely secured.


The contrast-enhanced CT scan and the radionuclide brain scan: parallel mechanisms of action in the detection of supratentorial astrocytomas. The preoperative contrast-enhanced CT scan and the radionuclide brain scan of 70 patients with surgically verified supratentorial astrocytomas were evaluated and compared. The results indicate parallel mechanisms of action of contrast enhancement and radionuclide uptake. These diagnostic modalities apparently mirror the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and therefore are useful in assessing the degree of malignancy of supratentorial gliomas. However, lesions with an intact BBB will be missed with RN imaging. These lesions and/or the associated mass effect will be detected with contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Our findings firmly establish contrast-enhanced CT as the primary investigate tool in the suspected brain tumor.


The radiographic recognition of two clinically elusive mass lesions of the cavernous sinus: meningiomas and aneurysms. Cavernous sinus syndromes secondary to chronic mass lesions, although a relatively rare cause of ophthalmoplegia, represent a distinct challenge in neuroradiologic diagnosis. Puzzling neuro-ophthalmologic signs and often subtle radiologic changes consistently lead to erroneous and delayed diagnoses as exemplified by a review of 20 patients; a correct clinical or radiographic diagnosis was initially not made in any individual.


Computed tomography in detecting calvarial metastases: a comparison with skull radiography and radionuclide scanning. A clinical study comparing the relative sensitivities of computed tomography, skull radiography, and radionuclide scanning in the detection of skull metastases indicated that CT was the least sensitive of these three modalities. CT could however detect a majority of lesions if scans were viewed at appropriate window settings. Phantom studies showed that the limitations of CT can be related to limited spatial resolution, the density of the lesions, partial volume averaging, and plane of section.


The contribution of plain x-rays to the management of posterior fossa disease in the CT era. The contribution of plain X-rays to the management of 170 patients suspected or actually found to have posterior fossa disease has been retrospectively assessed. A useful contribution was made in 4%.


[Conventional contrast media examinations and computer tomography in space-occupying processes (author's transl)]. In 1977, more than 2,000 patients were examined in our department of neuroradiology by means of angiography, computed tomography, and in some cases also by pneumoencephalography. The value of the various neuroradiological examinations is discussed taking as an example two patients suffering from intracranial space-occupying processes of different etiologies. Consequently, the differential diagnostic problems occurring are discussed casuistically. It is demonstrated that correct diagnosis can often be achieved only by use of all the results of the different neuroradiological methods, together with precise knowledge of the course and the clinical symptoms.


Specificity of computed tomography in the diagnosis of supratentorial neoplasms. Consideration of metastases and meningiomas. A previously unsuspected linear relationship between the initial density and the amount of uptake of various tumors is described. As a rule, initially radiodense neoplasms enhance less than radiolucent neoplasms. For a given amount of enhancement, meningiomas are initially more radiodense than metastases; also, breast metastases are more radiodense than lung metastases. The density versus uptake curve tends to show certain specificity for a given type of neoplasm. Absolute differentiation of histologic types is still not possible on the basis of these curves. The correlation, however, is interesting and seems to be related to the amount of damage to the blood-brain barrier and the degree of calcification, vascularity, and cellularity of the various tumors. With improved precision of scanners the specificity of the CT image may be improved.


Pericollicular syndromes.

Pericollicular syndromes. Five cases of pericollicular focal hemorrhages are presented with a description of their effect on vision and consciousness. Loss of vision, loss of consciousness, extraocular muscle dysfunction, mutism, and dyslexia may result from expansive lesions near the collicular plate.


Sequential delayed enhanced CT in brain tumors. Delayed enhanced CT was performed in 53 cases and these findings are compared with those of delayed radioisotope scan and with operative and histopathologic findings. We have classified the results of enhancement into four types as follows: (1) immediate enhancement pattern due to rich vascular bed, typical in meningiomas; (2) delayed enhancement pattern due to exudation, often seen in cystic astrocytomas; (3) intermediate sustained pattern due to both mechanisms in glioblastoma multiforme; (4) no enhancement pattern as in diffuse astrocytomas. The results of delayed enhanced CT correlated well with those of radioisotope scan.


Computed tomography histogram in the pathologic definition of supratentorial brain tumors. After studying the histograms of 87 supratentorial brain tumors and 4 abscesses before and after contrast medium injection and analyzing the results, we attempt to determine characteristic signs of the various kinds of tumors in order to improve their pathologic definition. The meningiomas, astrocytomas, and abscesses seem to show the most standard signs. The metastases are the most variable kind of tumors.


CT scan and gas encephalography in diagnosis of arachnoid cyst and epidermoid cyst of Galen's cistern. The CAT scan is insufficient to make the differential diagnosis between an arachnoid cyst and an epidermoid cyst in the cistern of Galen. Gas encephalography is necessary. This procedure reveals arachnoid cysts of the commmunicating type, but is insufficient in distinguishing between an epidermoid cyst and a non-communicating arachnoid cyst. In this situation, histograms of the absorption values in each section of the lesion may be helpful for the diagnosis.


The hypodense meningioma: report of two cases. Cystic or necrotic hypodense areas are occasionally seen within meningiomas on CT scans. Two diffusely hypodense endotheliomatous meningiomas are reported. The low density was due to a microcystic structure, which caused a spongy appearance and consistency.


Treatment of small cerebral gliomas with CT-aided stereotaxic curietherapy. In cases of stereotaxic irradiation of small tumors, CT makes possible a precise determination of tumor volume and dosage and permits exact positioning of the therapy probe. Iridium 192 wires are interstitially implanted in the tumor (mostly gliomas Grades I-III) after biopsy. The results with 98 CT-controlled patients (from a series of 213 implantations in midline tumors) have provided new information about the method of treating small cerebral gliomas.


Clinical usefulness of Artronix brain scanner multiplanar coronal and sagittal brain images. The Artronix 1,100 head scanner is a promising unit which allows reconstitution of the images in coronal and sagittal planes from the axial slice. The clinical usefulness of coronal and sagittal images thus obtained is illustrated and discussed.


CT intracranial localization with a new marker system. Application of a new CT localization system for intracranial lesions in pre- and intraoperative guidance is described. This system consists of air grooves within an acrylic plate for CT examinations and a duplicate plate with wires in place of air grooves for scout radiography. This new device can also be applied in stereotaxic surgery or in radiotherapy planning.


A ring detector positron camera system: its merits: clinical experience. A ring detector positron camera system for CT of the brain is described. The system uses 95 NaI (Tl) detectors, arranged with cylindrical geometry, for the simultaneous detection of coincidences from 1,900 detector combinations. With a new sampling technique an experimental system resolution of 7 mm FWHM has been obtained. The sensitivity was found to be 5,300 c/s with a 100-keV energy threshold and using a 19.2-cm-diameter cylindrical phantom with a homogeneous specific activity of 1 muCi/cm3. A clinical study of blood-brain barrier damage using 68Ga-EDTA is reported.


Evaluation of x-ray CT (EMI scan) and isotope brain studies, including radioisotope axial tomography. A comparison is made of the results of computer-assisted X-ray tomography (EMI scan) and those of radionuclide brain scan supplemented by computer-assisted isotope tomography. The X-ray examination shows a wider range of positive diagnosis, but the radionuclide examination is complementary in the detection of supratentorial gliomas. A similar comparative value of the isotope tomogram is noted in the detection of cerebral infarcts.


Cerebral blood volume and water extraction from cerebral parenchyma by hyperosmolar contrast media. The attenuation coefficients of cerebral parenchyma and systemic blood were simultaneously measured at varying times after injection of two contrast agents with differing osmolarities. Cerebral parenchyma was in fact denser than the theory would predict. The osmolarity of the iodinated contrast agents seems to play only a very minor part. However, liposolubility could perhaps explain the leakage of iodine across the BBB and thus the increase in the attenuation coefficient of cerebral parenchyma.


The role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of certain neurologic disorders. A preliminary report. Ultrasonography is the most innocuous and noninvasive procedure, ideally suited for screening patients suspected of having cerebrovascular insufficiency. The Doppler ultrasound and real-time techniques complement each other. The latter can actually display a two-dimensional dynamic image of the carotid artery. B-scan can also be used in fetuses, infants, and young children for precise assessment of the size of the ventricular system. It can be used for serial follow-up evaluation of hydrocephalus. Ultrasound can be utilized in determination of the depth and width of the lumbar spinal canal. Differentiation of cystic from solid masses in the spinal canal may also be made by this modality.


A new method of magnification cerebral angioautotomography for the analysis of intracranial aneurysms. The authors have developed a new method of magnification cerebral angioautotomography which is performed by the use of a special head-swing apparatus. From the results of experiences of 24 intracranial aneurysms in 15 patients, the method has proved useful for the intracranial aneurysms in detecting the shape and the stalk of aneurysms which were obscured or hidden on conventional magnification cerebral angiography.


Stereophotogrammetry: an additional method for three-dimensional x-ray examination. A comparison of stereophotogrammetry and computer tomography is made. Advantages of both methods are shown in some examples from neurosurgical practice.


Multiplanar reconstruction as an aid in CT diagnosis. Multiplanar reconstructions of the orbit, brain, and spine were performed on 60 patients with a variety of disorders. They were thought to provide significant useful information in 22 cases, some useful information in 26 cases, and no useful information in 12 cases. It is suggested that on-line reconstruction is a useful adjunct to neurologic CT.


Computed tomography of acoustic neuromas with emphasis on small tumor detectability. The results of CT analysis of 41 acoustic neuromas are presented. Large and medium-sized tumors are easily detected: our results are comparable to the reported findings of other authors. The detectability of small acoustic neuromas is considerably improved by the application of newer-generation CT apparatus and the use of specific scanning parameters, including extremely thin overlapping slices, low scan speed, high gantry tilt, short time between contrast agent application and tumor scanning, and computer-assisted magnification of the posterior fossa.


Quantitative investigation of the x-ray absorption coefficient in computed tomography. An approach to numerical diagnosis. From printout data of 50 normal and 50 abnormal scans of a brain slice picking up the basal ganglia the numerical values of SD and DC were obtained and those values lying inside M + 2sigma were arbitrarily regarded as normal. By these criteria two cases (4%) were diagnosed as false negative and three cases (6%) as false positive, with a misdiagnosis rate of 5%.


Direct sagittal computed tomography scanning of the skull and its contents. An accessory patient table has been built for use with the wide-aperture Varian CT scanner, which makes it possible to position patients for direct (positional) sagittal CT scans of the head. No extra computer manipulation is required to produce these sagittal images. Density and spatial resolution are similar to those obtained in the axial plane. Practical applications to date include improving visualization of orbital lesions and soft tissue masses involving the face, and aiding surgical and radiotherapy treatment planning for intracranial lesions.


Dual kilovoltage at computed tomography: a prereconstruction method for estimation of effective atomic number and electron density. Some of the prior efforts at using postreconstruction dual kilovoltage CT scans to obtain an effective atomic number and electron density are reviewed. A prereconstruction method which avoids beam hardening is applied to a phantom and a beginning clinical trial is described.


Internal structural mapping by nuclear magnetic resonance. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a well-established tool for studying the properties of materials at the molecular level. The technique has recently been applied to the internal morphological analysis of biological material by producing a series of thin cross-sectional images derived from the distribution of mobile protons. There are grounds for believing that NMR will be more than a mere alternative to computer tomography, for it may prove possible to achieve both a useful degree of tissue characterization through analysing components of the complex NMR signal and also an approach to the measurement of blood flow in vivo.


Angiography with Amipaque.

Angiography with Amipaque. Amipaque (metrizamide) has proved considerably less uncomfortable than Urografin 310 M in 42 patients submitted to selective or subselective external carotid, subclavian, and spinal angiography. Two out of five patients undergoing selective spinal arteriography developed transient neurological complications during the injection of Urografin 310 M. On repeat examination with Amipaque no complications were encountered.


Techniques and results of neuroradiologic investigations of experimentally induced brain tumors in rats. In two comparable groups of 12 adult rats at a time, the normal anatomy of the cerebral arteries and the pathologic vascular pattern of experimentally induced brain tumors was investigated angiographically. These tumors were malignant mixed gliomas which were inoculated by percutaneous puncture through the vault with a suspension of 10,000 tumor cells. The neuroradiologic examinations consisted of selective angiographies of the internal carotid artery in vivo, postmortem radiographies of cerebrovascular casts of isolated brains as well as of microangiographic and comparative histologic investigations of the tumor. The juxtaventricular localization and the extension of the tumors in the basal ganglia could be angiographically demonstrated approximately 3 to 4 weeks after the implantation of the tumor cells. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative vascular criteria of malignancy could be shown microangiographically which correlated well with the histologic findings. The effects of several therapeutic procedures such as radiotherapy, pharmacoangiography and various techniques of embolization are being studied with this experimental tumor model in order to explore the prerequisites for appropriate treatment of cerebral lesions in man.


Comparative microangiographic and histologic studies of the embryonal development of intracerebral capillaries. In 69 embryos and fetuses of cattle and pigs with an age of gestation of 4 weeks to 4 months the development of intracerebral capillaries was studied comparatively by microangiography and controlled by histologic slices. The first invasion of blood vessels into the wall of the neural tube takes place in the brain stem and colliculus ganglionaris at an age of gestation of 4 weeks. After that, specific and different angioarchitectonic patterns of capillary development can be demonstrated within the telencephalon, basal ganglia, and brain stem. The telencephalic vessels show concentrically arranged areas of ramification which interrupt their longitudinal course towards the ventricular cavity. The branchings are related topographically to the projection fibers from the internal capsule and to the subependymal matrix layer. In the basal ganglia, the developing internal capsule interrupts the blood supply of the caudate nucleus from the periphery, and a new central system is established mainly running radially towards the ventricular canal. Thus, it could be shown in consecutive stages of cerebral development that the angioarchitectonic pattern of a certain embryonal stage and brain area depends on the histologic structure of the neural tissue and its specific metabolic demands.


[Acupuncture in the treatment of neuralgic syndromes of the facial region. Methodological studies and evaluation of the clinical results]. The A. present their experiences in the therapy of 274 facial neuralgias treated by acupuncture at the department of Oral Surgery of the University of Turin Medical School, between September 1973 and June 1976. The problems of a precise diagnosis and a research on the methods of treatment and statistical evaluation of the clinical results are presented with particular interest to the relation between acupuncture treatment and drug therapy.


[Still's disease. Review of the literature and considerations on a case]. Following an extensive review of all the most recent literature on primary chronic rheumatism in infants or the young, a personal case of Still's disease is reported. Special attention is paid to the good results obtained associating an antitubercular therapy, even though no clinical or laboratory findings suggest any specific tubercular condition: no definitive conclusions are reached but an aspect of the problem which is undoubtedly worth further study is stressed.


[Some human mycoses].

[Some human mycoses]. The increase in cases of mycosis, especially those due to "opportunistic fungi", is examined. Reference is made to some rare cases of infection that appear to show that some fungi not usually regarded as pathogenic, but merely as parasites of animals and plants, now tend to result in human infection. Various clinical and epidemiological features of "deep mycosis" caused by fungi with dimorphism are also discussed.


[Indications and results of surgical treatment of spontaneous intracerebral hematomas]. A series of 96 cases of spontaneous intracerebral haematoma, 82 of them operated on, is reported. The results are discussed in relation to the site of the haemorrhage, the aetiology, the patient's age, general and neurological conditions, and the time gap between haemorrhage and operation.


[Study of blood viscosity and fibrinogen as a guide to the therapy of atherosclerotic peripheral arteriopathy]. Of the many blood parameters now regarded as useful in the study of arteriopathy particular importance is attached to viscosity and fibrinogen levels. Changes in viscosity lead to changes in flow and the supply of O2 to the tissues, while fibrinogen alterations frequently accompany or precede atherosclerosis, since they both encourage the intravascular deposition of fibrin and help to modify viscosity. The pharmacological correction of such changes is discussed.


Characterisation of an inhibitor of thymidine uptake produced by cultured human melanoma cells. Supernatants of established cultures of human neoplastic and normal cells have been shown to contain a number of different biological activities, including inhibition of DNA synthesis as measured by thymidine uptake. We have found that supernatants of melanoma cell lines contain an inhibitor of thymidine uptake which is heat labile, ultraviolet sensitive, non-filtrable (0.22 mu) and partially sedimentable at 20,000 x g. The mechanism of action of the inhibitor involves the degradation of 3H-thymidine to a non-utilisable form, which we detect by failure of uptake of 3H-thymidine by cultures of mitogen stimulated lymphocytes to which the inhibitor is added. While microbiological tests have failed to reveal mycoplasma contamination of inhibitor producing cultures, treatment of these cultures with kanamycin suppresses inhibitor production. Qualitative evaluation of DNA synthesis by the inhibitor producing cultures using autoradiography and fluorescent DNA staining has confirmed the presence of mycoplasma. With the widespread use of established cell lines in cancer research, it is imperative that screening for mycoplasma contamination go beyond routine microbiological assays. Detection of 3H-thymidine degradation by cell culture supernatants is an additional simple and sensitive indirect test which could be used for this purpose.


Synergistic combination therapy of 5-fluorouracil, vitamin A and cobalt-60 radiation upon head and neck tumors. We have applied a triple combination of 5-fluorouracil (5FU), vitamin A and cobalt-60 radiation (FAR therapy) to clinical treatment of head and neck tumors since 1972. The treatment of 33 patients with cancer of larynx and 15 patients with hypopharyngeal or cervical esophageal cancer with FAR therapy during three years from 1972 to 1974 resulted in highly effective synergism in vivo, and the improved points of this therapy were presented.


Osseous metastases: radiographic monitoring of therapeutic response. The application of standard radiographs (metastatic series) and radionuclide scanning in the serial evaluation of patients treated for metastatic osseous lesions is reviewed. False positive interpretations of bone scans are related to the inability to distinguish osteoblastic healing response from osteoblastic response to progressive tumor. False negative scans are uncommon and are related generally to symmetrical osteoblastic activity or to inadequate (subthreshold) osteoblastic response to tumor. Standard radiographs are preferable to bone scans in the serial evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy for osseous metastases in that anatomic quantitation of lesions as well as the dynamic evolution of lytic lesions to "blastic" healing may be appreciated. Serial bone scanning should be performed in conjunction with standard radiographs of abnormal areas of radionuclide accumulation.


Differentiated thyroid cancer following radioiodide 131I therapy of hyperthyroidism--a case report. Differentiated (papillary) thyroid cancer was detected 17 years following radioiodide 131I treatment for toxic multinodular goiter. 21 cases of thyroid cancers with previous 131 I therapy for hyperthyroidism were summarised. This combination is rare compared to the incidence of thyroid cancers following external irradiation. This may be due to higher absorbed dose to thyroid in 131I treatment.


Development of Hodgkin's disease in a patient with leprosy. We present a patient with leprosy who developed Hodgkin's disease of the nodular sclerosing type. There are two previous reports describing the combination of leprosy and Hodgkin's disease in a single patient [3, 9]. Hodgkin's disease was diagnosed 14 months after the complete disappearance of mycobacterium leprae from the skin lesions, under treatment with DDS (diamino-diphenyl-sulfone). Hodgkin's disease was treated by irradiation and chemotherapy. Obstructive jaundice developed which resolved under treatment by irradiation of the hilar area of the liver, chemotherapy and hormones. During two years of immuno-suppressive therapy, without DDS, no exacerbation of the leprosy occurred.


A new alloplastic material for ophthalmic surgery. The application of Proplast in  ocular surgery is in an early stage. We believe our preliminary work may offer a solution to the problem of erosion and slippage common to other types of implants. We are currently investigating the potential of Proplast in keratoprosthesis. Proplast may prove useful in buckles and implants for retina detachment as well as stabilizing splints for blow-out fractures. Proplast is an inert, carbon and Teflon alloplast, not previously described in the ophthalmic literature. Corneal and scleral implants in rabbits are well tolerated. Proplast is porous and microscopic examination of the implants show fibrovascular ingrowth within its matrix, thereby incorporating it into the host tissue. The rate at which the implant is incorporated by host tissue ingrowth and the long-term acceptance of the alloplast have yet to be determined.


Experimental scleral buckling with a soft xerogel implant. I. Properties of poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) compared with gelatin and other swelling implants. Scleral buckling can be obtained with insoluble hydrophilic polymers that are implanted in the dry state (xerogels, which then expand to a predetermined size by imbibing tissue fluids. Absorbable gelatin, nonabsorbable poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), and poly(glyceryl methacrylate) (PGMA), have been implanted as xerogels in scleral buckling procedures. Gelatin, PHEMA, and PGMA are soft when hydrated, but are hard and brittle in the dehydrated state. However, poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) (PHEA) is soft not only in the dehydrated state. However, poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) (PHEA) is soft only when hydrated but also when dehydrated. Dry PHEA can be carved easily to shape and size, and because it is soft it could be very useful for operations on thin, weakened sclera. We have implanted PHEA intrasclerally and suprasclerally in rabbit eyes. Tolerance of PHEA appears to be as good as that of other materials in clinical use. We have impregnated PHEA and gelatin implants with antibiotics to achieve prolonged antibiotic delivery to the surgical site. When dried impregnated gels were assayed for antibiotic activity in agar plates with Sarcina lutea, both gels displayed high but rapidly decreasing activity.


Self-sealing incision for peripheral iridectomy. A peripheral iridectomy was done in 42 cases using an incision perpendicular to the cornea at the anterior edge of the conjunctival epithelium. No conjunctivalflap or sutures were used. No attempt was made to reform the anterior chamber by irrigation of fluid through the incision. The results were satisfactory.


Thermal sclerostomy and posterior lip sclerectomy: a comparative study. Eighty-two consecutive filtering procedures (47 thermal sclerostomies and 35 posterior lip sclerectomies), performed by senior staff and residents at the Duke University Eye Center between 1972-1976, were reviewed and compared. Operative and early postoperative complications were more common with the posterior lip sclerectomies. However, late postoperative complications were equal for the two groups, with cataracts occurring in approximately 30% of both categories. A final intraocular pressure of 20 mm Hg or less, with or without medication, was achieved in 66% of the thermal sclerostomies and 85.7% of the posterior lip sclerectomies. Residents did not perform as well as the senior staff when using thermal sclerostomy (60% vs. 70%, respectively), but performed equally well when using posterior lip sclerectomy (85.7% for both groups). In comparing black and white patients, the final intraocular pressures were the same in both groups.


[Visual evoked potentials in patients suspected of multiple sclerosis]. 23 patients with symptoms suggestive of multiple sclerosis were examined with regard to the responses evoked by low frequency flash and also by flicker stimulation. The results obtained by flicker were compared with those reported on the responses evoked by different visual stimuli. The survey of the three parameters of analysis of the visual-evoked responses showed a very high proportion of pathological values.


About a particular interaction of the fixating eye in strabismic amblyopia after treatment. 2 cases of strabismic amblyopia which were successfully treated are examined. Later on, a slight myopia appeared in the fixating eye only, while the amblyopic eye remained practically emmetropic. The 2 patients had to wear monocular myopic correction, otherwise the visual acuity of the other eye would have been reduced below the visus (without correction) of the fixating but myopic eye. A third case was reported of a hypermetropic patient with a right amblyopic eye and a left fixating but myopic eye. After the appearance of myopic lesions in the dominating eye, pleoptical treatment was successfully given to the amblyopic eye, so that in the end it turned out better than the other eye. Also, in this case the patient was quite disturbed for a long time due to the interference of the eye which was originally better. The authors underline the importance of these interocular effects, both from the standpoint of practical and medical information.


Haemangio-endothelioma of the orbit.

Haemangio-endothelioma of the orbit. A case of infantile orbital haemangio-endothelioma was successfully treated with corticosteroids. Roentgenological and histological findings before and after treatment are described. It is suggested that an haemangio-endothelioma may be transformed into a cavernous angioma.


Opsoclonus inducing retinal detachment with a macular hole. A 34-year-old man was admitted to the eye department because of conjugate abnormal eye movements and visual field defect of the right eye. Cerebellitis with opsoclonus and retinal detachment with a macular hole were diagnosed. Corticosteroids, diazepam and antibiotics were given. When the opsoclonus was improved, an operation for the retinal detachment was performed as usual, and the retina was reattached. We consider that the opsoclonus greatly contributed to the occurrence and development of the retinal detachment.


Long-term results of retinal detachment surgery. Patients treated successfully with retinal detachment surgery 11-39 years earlier were called back and examined. The average age was 35 years at the time of surgery and the average interval between the operation and this follow-up examination was 16 years. The visual acuity had decreased in many patients. The most frequent causes of this fall in visual acuity after surgery were cataract and macular degeneration. Chorioretinal atrophy with blackish pigment spots developed in the reattached retina a long time after surgery and caused defects in the visual fields. This atrophy seems to be related to the long duration of retinal detachment before and after operation, which may cause malnutrition of the detached retina and result in incomplete recovery of visual cells, leading to chorioretinal atrophy. Macular degeneration was caused or accelerated by detachment of the macula. There was no difference in postoperative ocular findings between only diathermy and combination of diathermy with segmental scleral-buckling procedures. However, Arruga's ring suture method induced cataract more frequently than did other surgical procedures.


[Iris angiograms in malignant melanoma of the uvea]. Iris angiograms were performed in 17 cases of uveal malignant melanoma, which were later histologically confirmed. In those 12 patients in whom the tumour was confined to the choroid, the angiograms revealed a punctate leakage of dye at the pupillary margin, a delayed filling of the vessels in certain areas and definite new vessel formation corresponding to rubeosis iridis. These changes were mostly found in those areas of the iris which corresponded to the choroidal tumour. Five peripheral choroidal melanomas, which involved the ciliary body and encroached into the anterior chamber structures, showed additionally to the dye leakage at the pupillary margin a very light central tumour "borderline fluorescence".


Retinal ischemia (capillary nonperfusion) in diabetic retinopathy of patients with and without systemic hypertension. In a study of 138 patients with diabetic retinopathy and good fluorescein angiograms, areas of CNP were found in 66.5% using a macular centered photograph. There was no statistically significant correlation between the appearance of CNP, their size and number with the level of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, the duration of diabetes (at the onset of diabetic retinopathy), the age at onset of diabetes, the age at examination, the control of the diabetes and the treatment of hypertension. The only borderline statistically significant difference was found between patients with constant hypertension when compared to patients with labile hypertension.


An intradiploic meningioma of the orbital roof: case report. The case of a young man with a 4-year history of increasingly severe exophthalmos and no other symptoms is reported. The radiological investigations showed a space-occupying lesion at the level of the roof and medial wall of the right orbit with involvement of the lesser wing of the sphenoid. A tumor within the diploë of the orbital roof without intracranial or intraocular involvement was removed and, on histological examination, proved to be a meningioma. Possible starting-points are discussed in the light of the literature consulted, but in view of the clinical, X-ray and operating data, it is concluded that the tumor is an intraosseous ectopic meningioma.


[Myasthenia syndrome after peroral treatment with penicillamine]. A 59-year-old woman has been treated for 5 months with penicillamine for a rheumatoid arthritis and developed a myasthenia syndrome with ptosis, diplopia, dysphagia and asthenia. This myasthenia was slowly cured after suppression of the penicillamine and administration of Mestinon, so that after 3 months, the anticholinesterase medication could be stopped.


[Trial and temptation in the interpretation of accommodative paralysis as a psychosomatic manifestation]. An adolescent, presented during 24 months an intermittent bilateral accommodation palsy. All the clinical tests were negative; a few peculiar aspects of the patient's character incited us to carry out, in parallel, a psychological research. The young man proved to be a mixed introvert, with Oedipal and familial problems. The assumption that accommodation palsy could have a psychological--although objectively unprovable motivation--is not in contradiction with the psychological research.


Iridocyclectomy for melanomas of the ciliary body: a follow-up study of pathology and surgical morbidity. With respect to the effect of surgical treatment upon the eye and the subsequent tumor behavior, 107 cases of ciliary body melanoma treated by iridocyclectomy were studied. Surgically induced complications are discussed; 6% of the patients operated on culminated in enucleation, and 42% of the patients had a final postoperative visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Pathologically, most of the cases were spindle cell A or B; a few were mixed or epithelioid type. Histologic evidence of incomplete excision did not regularly predict recurrence in the interval of observation. Cell type is the primary prognostic feature. Local complications such as recurrence of tumor, or the rare metastasis occur early.


Evaluation of the lacrimal drainage system. Methods of testing for lacrimal drainage insufficiency and a modification of the Jones fluorescein dye tests are presented. Despite their excellence, Jones tests have never been widely employed because of difficulty in dye retrieval. The modification consists of instilling one drop of the dye three times at 15 second intervals, and after a one minute period, placing the head down at a 45 degree angle for ten minutes. Anatomic and roentgenogram studies show that the dye can be easily lost posteriorly unless this is done. No nasal vasoconstrictors are used to avoid false negatives.


Silicone intubation: an alternative to dacryocystorhinostomy. Silicone intubation is an alternative to dacryocystorhinostomy in selected patients who have epiphora and obstruction of the nasolacrimal system. Silicone tubing may be passed through the nasolacrimal system and left in place for a prolonged period of time. In many instances, this obviates the need for a dacryocystorhinostomy. If the intubation is not completely successful, a dacryocystorhinostomy can always be carried out at a later date.


Dacryocystorhinostomy.

Dacryocystorhinostomy. Careful preoperative evaluation and observance of indications for dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) result in the appropriate use of this procedure. The surgeon should have a sound knowledge of the anatomy of the lacrimal drainage system and nose before proceeding with a DCR, which may be done under local or general anesthesia. A method of performing a DCR is described in detail, with postoperative management and treatment of possible postoperative complications discussed.


Repair of the lacerated canaliculus.

Repair of the lacerated canaliculus. There are various techniques used to repair a lacerated canaliculus. Successful functional results are obtained with the use of soft silicone tubing as a canalicular stent. One such technique used by the authors is described.


Punctal occlusion in keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Occlusion of the lacrimal puncta is a useful and underutilized procedure in the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. When artificial tears no longer ameliorate symptoms and the Schirmer tests are 2 mm/5 min or less (repeatedly), combined with positive rose bengal staining, punctal occlusion is indicated. Diathermy is the most practical technique for permanent closure, whereas various punctum plugs can be applied for a temporary effect.


Surgical correction of astigmatism by microwedge resection of the limbus. This paper presents a preliminary report on an approach to the surgical correction of corneal astigmatism, ie, the microwedge resection of the cornea, analyzes the quantitative aspects of the surgical treatment, and describes the Jensen double-bladed microsurgical knife designed for making calibrated-uniform microsurgical wedge resections of the cornea. This technique makes correction of even small increments of corneal astigmatism possible.


Lacrimal sac tumors.

Lacrimal sac tumors. Tumors of the lacrimal sac are a rare entity in ophthalmology, but represent a potentially life-threatening situation that can easily be overlooked. This paper will review the literature and describe clinically and pathologically the more common types of lacrimal sac tumors, and give a description of the less common types of primary and secondary tumors of the lacrimal sac and a case presentation.


Ophthalmology in medical student education: philosophy, content, and process. The level of competency in the diagnosis and treatment of common and emergency disorders needed by nonophthalmologists is assessed and then translated into explicit objectives that specify the levels of mastery to be learned. Effective and efficient methods and materials to achieve those objectives are developed; these, together with more efficient and effective use of instructors, have now been utilized in many different schools and curricular structures, with strong student acceptance.


Elective subjects for medical students preparing for a career in ophthalmology. Questionnaires asking for information as to what medical school electives should be taken by a student contemplating a career in ophthalmology were sent to 280 practicing ophthalmologists. Seventy-two replies were received and indicated that a medical school background in neurosciences, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, otolaryngology, dermatology, and infectious disease are believed to be most important.


Absorption of glucose and maltose in congenital glucose-galactose malabsorption. An intestinal perfusion technique has been used to study absorption of glucose from free glucose and the disacchairde maltose in a patient with congenital glucose-galactose malabsorption. Minimal absorption of glucose occurred from high luminal concentrations of either free glucose (100 mmole/liter) or maltose (50 mmole/liter). Glucose diffused into the intestinal lumen during perfusion of a 2 mmole/liter glucose solution. These observations offer no support for nutritionally important glucose absorption in congenital glucose-galactose malabsorption by either passive diffusion or via a "disaccharidase-related" transport system.


Developmental aspects of maleic acid-induced inhibition of sugar and amino acid transport in the rat renal tubule. The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and alpha-methyl-d-glucoside by isolated tubules from Sprague-Dawley rats at different stages of development follows a separate age-dependent pattern for each substrate. The effects of 6 M maleic acid on transport processes differ for amino acids and sugars and become manifest at distinct points during development. Maximum inhibition by maleic acid occurs at a time subsequent to maturity of these transport systems. In an effort to explain these transport phenomena, the uptake and metabolism of 14C-labeled maleic acid by the newborn or adult renal tubule was studied, showing significant binding by the tubule membrane, penetration of the cell by diffusion, and no conversion to 14CO2. Maleic acid has no demonstrable effect on the membrane-associated enzymes which are thought to play a role in the transport of small molecules.


The ontogeny of sugar transport in kidney. Concentrative uptake of alpha-methyl-d-glucoside (AMG) by isolated renal tubule fragments from the newborn Sprague-Dawley rat has been demonstrated and the validity of this phenomenon confirmed by an in vivo demonstration of AMG uptake by the newborn kidney cortex. A kinetic analysis of the entry phenomenon in the newborn tubule reveals the presence of two distinct membrame transport systems for AMG, only one of which is present in the adult tubule. All transport of sugar in both newborn and adult tubules was phlorizin-sensitive, but was only partially ingibited in Na+-free buffer. Glucose was shown to inhibit uptake competitively on the shared, high capacity system. Uptake on the high affinity system in the newborn represents 15-20% of the total at physiologic sugar concentrations. It is concluded that active sugar transport is a characteristic of the newborn rat kidney and that the isolated tubule preparation is a more accurate reflection of this phenomenon than is the renal cortical slice.


Corticosterone metabolism and the incorporation of leucine, uridine, and thymidine into fetal mouse brain. The change in the pattern of biotransformation of [14C]corticosterone in fetal mouse brain between gestational day 14 and 17 increased the proportion of unchanged hormone from 9-75%. A sharp decrease in the in vitro incorporation of [14C]leucine, [3H]uridine, and [3H]thymidine into incubated brain coincided with this change and continued until day 19, when the incorporation of the 3 substrates had fallen to 9, 54, and 16%, respectively, of that on day 14. Injection of dexamethasone reduced values on day 14 to those normally found on days 15-18. Enzymes which metabolize corticosteroids regulate their activity in specific tissues; these data suggest a hormonal influence on developing brain.


Corticosteroids, ornithine decarboxylase activity and the incorporation of leucine, uridine, and thymidine into mouse placenta. The in vitro incorporation into mouse placenta of [14C]leucine, [3H]uridine, and [3H]thymidine fell between gestational days 14 and 19 by 61, 30 and 72%, respectively; ornithine decarboxylase activity fell by 75%. Injection of dexamethasone resulted on day 14 in values normally found between days 15 and 18. These changes coincided with rising activity in fetal liver of the enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid:NADP oxidoreductase, which reduced the abundant 11-dehydrocorticosterone to the active hormone, corticosterone. These events appear to be part of a spectrum of effects produced by corticosteroids on fetal growth at this time, probably mediated primarily by fetal liver.


Further study of the X-linked recessive gene hypothesis for inheritance of spatial abilities. Two measures of spatial ability were administered to 319 undergraduates, 93 parents, and 62 siblings. Although males outperformed females on both tests, the resulting correlational pattern did not conform to the trait pattern hypothesized on the basis of an X-linked recessive trait. Results from a pedigree analysis, however, were in the expected direction. The inclusion of pedigree analyses is urged in future research.


"Spontaneous" seizing in open-field tests by mongolian gerbils fed magnesium at different rates. Accounts of so-called "spontaneous" seizures by individual Mongolian gerbils during open-field tests resemble descriptions of magnesium tetany. A possible association between relative magnesium deficiency and tendency toward "spontaneous" seizures was explored through feeding groups of gerbils different rates of magnesium and subjecting the groups to open-field tests at intervals. Hypomagnesemia was related in degree of severity to length of survival, onset of seizing, and frequency of seizures.


Body-part size estimation in children.

Body-part size estimation in children. 30 children in Grades 1, 3, and 5 estimated the sizes of 8 personal body parts, 8 experimenter's body parts, and 4 nonbody objects. Errors of estimation were consistent across subjects and similar to those reported for adults. Hand length was estimated most accurately, and head width, forearm length and lips estimated least accurately, on both self and experimenter. Nonbody objects were estimated most accurately, followed by experimenter's body parts and then personal body parts. No sex or age differences were found.


Subjective estimates of body tilt and the rod-and-frame test. The existence of an illusion of self-tilt in the rod-and-frame test was demonstrated using a magnitude-estimation procedure. Subjects, seated in a tiltable chair, estimated their body tilt after being placed in one of 13 body tilt positions and while viewing a rod-and-frame display. A shift of the apparent body position occurred in the opposite direction of frame tilt. The results are consistent with earlier findings using the method of body and head adjustment.


Accuracy of children on an open-loop pointing task. The accuracy of active and passive movements was measured in 4-yr.- to 11-yr.-old children and in adults performing a visuo-manual pointing task without seeing their limbs. Accuracy varied according to age and nature of movement. The younger children performed accurate movements. At age 7 the accuracy suddenly decreased while the difference between active and passive movements increased. Between 7 and 11 yr., the active performance improved progressively until attaining an adult-like level, while the passive performance remained unchanged. It is concluded that a change occurs in the manner of controlling reaching movements at age 7.


Application of the theory of signal detectability to the perception of differences in load. In applying the theory of signal detectability to the perception of differences in load on a bicycle ergometer, the distributions of signal and noise were tested for normality and equality of variances. Two subjects cycled on a basic load of 40% of their VO2 max. Each subject operated under five different response criteria. The results showed that the assumptions of normality and equality of variance were observed in both cases.


Accuracy of boundary detection by observers of filmed movement. The influence of filming speed and body-part velocity on observers' accuracy during the microanalysis of filmed movement was investigated. Four experienced observers analyzed a stimulus film containing initiation and termination boundaries in the movement of a rod oscillating at rates derived from a range of filming speed and body-part velocity combinations. Results indicated that greatest errors in boundary-frame detection occurred at the fastest filming speed and slowest body-part velocity. Furthermore, a boundary-type effect was significant, with initiations being harder to detect accurately than terminations. Attention was drawn to the complexity of microanalysis, and it was suggested that expectations of unconditional absolute accuracy on this task are unrealistic.


Sex differences in familial correlations for visual and kinesthetic aftereffects. 72 subjects from 16 families performed a visual and kinesthetic aftereffect task where data were also obtained on the pretest variability and on the adjustment times. Considerable sex differences were found, such that for mothers pretest variability correlated positively with magnitude of kinesthetic and negatively with magnitude of visual aftereffect. Daughters showed more pretest variability on both tasks and much larger individual differences on the visual task than sons. These sex differences complicate any attempt at genetic analysis. However, there was some indication of X-linked inheritance in males for magnitude aftereffect and of autosomal inheritance of visual adjustment time in females.


Handedness and dichotic listening to nonverbal features of speech. The assumption that pitch and loudness are processed in the right hemisphere was tested by comparing left-handers' with right-handers' performance on pitch and loudness discrimination tasks. Four groups of left-handers (20 subjects in each group) were dichotically presented either with digits varying in pitch or loudness or with pure tones varying in pitch. The subjects identified the digits, or the pitch and loudness variations, from both ears. Confirming the assumption, the data showed that the left-handers, who had no ear preference on any of these tasks, differed significantly from the right-handers, who, preferring the right ear for digit identification, preferred the left ear for the discrimination of the nonverbal features (pitch and loudness) of these digits.


Can newborn infants distinguish between tone and noise? Full-term newborn infants were exposed to sounds produced alternatively either as tone at d = 293 Hz or as noise, each at a sound level of approximately 85 dB. In almost all cases, the infants were disturbed by noise but not by tone. The results suggest that the psychological distinction between tone and noise is inborn rather than conditioned.


The Stroop phenomenon: perceptual conflict or response competition? The Stroop phenomenon has recently been explained by two contrasting approaches, the perceptual conflict and the response competition. This experiment was designed to evaluate the two different explanations. 24 undergraduates were tested on the three sets of Stroop stimuli while hearing their verbal responses under delayed auditory feedback and under normal feedback. Delayed feedback produced differential response decrements across Stroop conditions. The findings supported predictions of the response-competition hypothesis and disconfirmed those of the perceptual-conflict hypothesis.


Immediate auditory feedback to improve putting quickly. After being baserated for three putts from each of three distances, six veteran golfers were given immediate feedback for head and body movement in a brief treatment session. Providing immediate feedback of the inappropriate movement resulted in a statistically significant increase in the number of putts holed.


Effects of special instruction and practice by preschool age children on performance of object projection and stability tests. Four criterion measures were used to assess the vulnerability to change of two variables, stability and object projection, included in a perceptual-motor enhancement program for 60 boys and girls enrolled in a 20-wk., 20-session program, as were 36 male and female controls. Both samples ranged in age from 2 yr., 0 mo. to 5 yr., 8 mo., and all were within the normal range of development. Three beam-walking tests (the beam at different heights and angles) and the overhand throw comprised the criterion measures used for assessment of program effectiveness in stability and object projection. Stability measures were distance divided by time, and object projection scores were determined by velocity of the overhand throw. A three-factor analysis of covariance was utilized to determine significant main effects of age, sex, and treatment. No significant differences were observed. Analysis by age and sex were significantly different on the Inclined Beam test. Analysis by treatment yielded significant differences on the Inclined Beam test and the Overhand Throw. Analysis by age and by sex showed a significant difference in the performance of the Overhand Throw. In summary, performance status of the overhand throw by preschool age children can be improved beyond maturational expectations through guided instruction.


Correlation between an embedded figures test and tennis rank order at three levels of skill. To see if there were a significant relationship between the short form of Dees, O'Reilly, and Griffith embedded figures test and playing ability for tennis as measured by tournament rank order, setting the minimum correlation coefficient at .70, from 116 beginning, 37 advanced, and 72 intercollegiate male and female tennis students from 6 universities data were collected by 9 instructors. Spearman and Kendall rank-order correlations and partial correlation indicated that, even though several values were significant, most were not high enough to conclude that tennis players are field independent.